An early morning in Ponyville brought the cool winter air and soft sunlight. Like most mornings, ponies were walking from place to place either shopping or seeing their friends. Ponyville was accustomed to the abnormalities that came with living so close to the Everfree, so when trees suddenly grew another ten stories taller, life went on as usual aside from the occasional curious glance.

Deep inside the forest, far from Ponyville and Farhaven, the portal to the vale shimmered as a frustrated Spirit tried again and again to execute the same spell.

"Um, Storm, why is my dad staring angrily at that pool of water?" Cadance whispered.

Storm chuckled and tussled Cadance's mane before calling to his comrade. "You know it doesn't work unless she allows it."

Skies grunted and sat down shortly before Cadance trotted over and hugged him.

"What are you doing?" Cadance asked.

"Trying to open a portal." Skies said. "I have had many questions about a great many things and the only being that can answer all of my questions-"

Cadance watched as her father picked up a rock and threw it at the water, making a large splash.

"-Isn't answering her door!"

Storm walked up and smirked. "And you say I have a temper."

"You do."

"Uh-huh." Storm rolled his eyes before trotting away.

Cadance rolled in her father's arms and leaned against him. "How does the portal work?"

Skies glanced down. "Interested in Spirit magic, are we?"

"Well, I am a Spirit, even if I don't look the part." Cadance wrinkled her face and gave her father a mean look in jest.

"You're too cute." Skies petted her head. "Too bad it isn't working, I'll have to just explain it in theory."

Skies used a low hanging vine and extended it to the water before letting it lightly touch the surface, calming it. "It isn't too hard, it just takes certain conditions to be able to achieve the link. If you have a surface of water and you know the spell then you can easily knock."

"Knock?"

"Yes, to get to the Maker's realm, it requires that she be in a receptive mood. If not, then you just have a body of water like you saw earlier. Once you cast the spell, you should see the water begin to crack like glass and it will shatter once you try and enter. Then you'll feel a falling sensation and end up in her realm."

"That sounds a little too easy." Cadance thought aloud. "If that spell got out, wouldn't everyone try and go?"

"She has ways of getting around it." Skies chuckled. "To cast the spell outside of a Spirit's realm, you need to either be a Spirit or someone of considerable power."

"Spirit's realm?"

"It's where we are now." Skies whispered.

Cadance looked around and gave her father a wry look. "It looks the same as the Everfree."

"One of the entrances is in the Everfree." Skies stood and began to walk, waving Cadance to follow. "There are only a few entrances to the Equus, I try and keep it private."

"So we're no longer on Equus?" Cadance asked.

"Kinda. Sorta." Skies shrugged. "It's a pocket dimension that exists only for me. Many Spirits have one and they're usually close to one another like a large neighborhood. For example, if you travel far enough northward you'll reach Storm's realm."

Cadance followed her father as he walked toward an enormous tree that sat regally above the roofed forest, it was easily the size of Canterlot Castle. She looked around and found many things that piqued her interest; trees she'd never seen, animals she thought were extinct, and even hoof prints. "What is this place called?"

Skies glanced over to his awestruck daughter. "The Vale, it's where I stockpile my life's work. Every seed and animal to ever exist resides here in case something were to happen on Equus. Think of it as something of a backup."

Skies stopped at the top of a small ledge as it overlooked a small, hidden valley at the base of a giant tree. "And this is one of the last great Elder trees."

Suddenly, Skies smacked himself on the forehead. "Looks like I'll have to give you the rest of the tour some other time."

"What's wrong?"

"I forgot that I agreed to help the Cakes with their water heater." Skies groaned and turned around, walking away.

"I didn't know you were a repair-pony." Cadance giggled. "How'd that come up?"

"I was buying coffee for my staff the other day. Y'know, the day I was killing the Ponyville guard unit with teaching lessons. Well Mrs. Cake was told me the pony that usually fixes stuff moved to another town, so I told her I'd see what I could do."

Cadance chuckled. "Yeah, Shining told me about the lectures you forced them to sit through."

Skies stopped and smirked at Cadance. "So you are talking to that colt again?"

“He’s been traveling back and forth from the Empire.” Cadance gave a small nod and smiled sweetly. "So we're just talking. I still love him, but I told him that I need some space and that you're a wonderful psychologist."

“You’re leaving that poor stallion to run the Empire all by his lonesome?” Skies chuckled. “And here I thought I was a harsh taskmaster.”

“It’s not like that.” Cadance groaned at her father’s teasing. “The Empire barely has any issues to take care of, so I’m taking a vacation.”

“A vacation?”

Cadance nodded. “A very long vacation that involves sleeping in and pouncing on you everytime you get home.” Cadance leaned against Skies and hummed. “And this way hopefully Shining gets the message and calms down.”

"Well, that's good. As long as he treats you like the goddess you are."

"Daddy!"

"What?" Skies laughed. "It's how I treated your mother."

"Princess Luna?"

"Huh?" Luna shook herself from her daze. "Oh, Sunset Shimmer, good morning."

"You seemed to be deep in thought." Sunset said as she walked from the doorway to join her at the long, crystal table. "Is something bothering you, Princess?"

"Luna." Luna said. "Please, call me Luna."

Sunset smiled. "So what are you so gloomy about, Luna?"

Luna sighed and debated with herself if she should open up to the young Unicorn. She had been sitting in the same spot throughout the night, looking out the window and secretly wishing to herself that she would not see any of the Spirits that she once called friends. Luna looked into Sunset's eyes and smiled. Out of the many ponies she's talked to, Sunset was the one that she could best relate to. "I'm hoping to not see Shattered Skies."

Sunset’s smile dropped as the adopted a look of confusion. "Isn't that what you're here for?"

"In earnest, I'm here to avoid my sister's incessant begging." Luna said, taking a sip of her stale coffee that she had brewed the night before and gagged. "My goodness, that is rank."

Sunset looked over at the pot of coffee that sat on the table and jostled it, watching the film over the stale coffee rip from the sudden movement. "Want me to brew a new pot?"

"No, that’s quite alright." Luna said. "I'll do it myself." A soft blue light enveloped the contents as the princess worked on making new cups for the two mares.

"So you came here to avoid Princess Celestia?" Sunset quizzed.

"I love my sister, but she can be such a nag at times. She wants me to go to our old castle and open a vault and I told her no. So naturally, she waits a few hours and asks again, and again, and again." Luna punctuated her words with the soft clink of the cup on the crystal table. "She also wants me to help her look for any Spirits that might still be around."

"Isn't that what should be done though?" Sunset asked. "From what I've read, Spirits disrupt the natural state of the world."

Luna shook her head. "No. Spirits are the natural state of the world."

Sunset sat back in her chair and tried to process what the night princess had just told her. Even from a young age, Sunset was told that Spirits were creatures to avoid, but here sat the country’s leader, telling her that they're essential to the world.

"I see the conflict on your face." Luna said, glancing around the room for eavesdroppers.

"Please, Princess. I need you to explain this to me. Every piece of literature I have says the opposite."

"Are you familiar with the quote, 'History is written by the victors?'" Luna said.

"No?" Sunset said.

"It's an old saying that the Spirits use from time to time." Luna said. " It means that whoever wins the war determines the course of history, and in the end, the Spirits lost. Celestia blames the Spirits for many of the tragedies that happen around the world and she imprisoned them, but fails to see that she is blinded by her hatred for them."

"Why does she hate them?" Sunset asked.

"I think she blames them for me becoming... you know." Luna said. "But her anger isn't entirely her own."

"What do you mean by that?" Sunset asked.

"Her council hates Spirits and pushes her towards those decisions." Luna said. "I tried to pry, but they are good at stopping my snooping."

"So she's being tricked?"

Luna shrugged. "I can't speak with her about Spirits, she gets extremely angry. At one time, Tia loved the Spirits and often kept some as her close friends. At one time she even loved a Spirit. So all this confuses me."

Sunset tapped her chin in thought. "She did seem a little cold when she spoke about Shattered Skies."

Luna giggled into her hoof. "Yes, they've always been somewhat at odds with one another."

"Is he that mean?" Sunset asked.

Luna shook her head and smiled. "No, he's actually kind of sweet. I've missed him for quite some time."

"Were you and him ever a thing?" Sunset asked, raising an eyebrow at the dark blue Alicorn. Suddenly the coffee pot exploded, leaving the two mares coffeeless.

"Oh look a distraction." Luna said as she stood. "Looks like you and I are going to have to go into town for coffee."

Sunset chuckled. "As you say, Luna."

"I'm so sorry about this, Skyfall. I didn't think we would be this busy." Mrs. Cake said in a pleading voice.

"For the eighth time, it's fine, Mrs. Cake." Skyfall said as he worked the cracked relief valve off to replace it. He squeezed hard, but the caked up grease from the water heater made the job more difficult than he anticipated, not to mention the extremely chaotic atmosphere of Sugarcube Corner.

Sky glanced to the front from the hallway and saw a long line raging near the register as the clock struck nine. The Cake's newest foal, Coffee Cake was wailing, causing their other foals to become upset as well. All this went on while the to-go window was ringing with the cakes trying to balance everything.

With a loud click and spin, Skyfall set the valve and finished up his work. His coat was covered in grease from trying to work the parts off and on, but grease never bothered him.

Suddenly, the entire bakery went silent as Skyfall closed the access door on the side of the water heater. 'Finally.'

"Princess Luna, what may I get for you?" Mrs. Cake asked sweetly.

Skyfall's stomach dropped as he heard Luna's name. His heart started beating faster and a prickly feeling crept over his coat as he fought the urge to look at the sales floor. Sky tried to sense her, but could only catch a small trace of her magic, confirming that she was in fact standing only a few yards away from him.

"Just two coffees and some donuts." Luna replied, trying to imitate Mrs. Cake's sweetness.

"Coming right up!" Mrs. Cake said and was stopped by a customer.

"Where's my latte?" A thin, pea green stallion barked. "I've been waiting for fifteen minutes for my skim, pumpkin spiced latte. I need it to function if I'm going to catch-"

The stallion trailed off and looked above Mrs. Cake's head, prompting her to do the same. "Oh, Skyfall, there you are."

"I finished the water heater, it should be heating the reservoir as we speak." Skyfall smiled down at the relieved baker.

"I can't thank you enough." Mrs. Cake said, smiling up at Skyfall, who was glancing around the restaurant. "How much do I owe you?"

"A coffee and a plain donut." Skyfall chuckled.

The pea green stallion knocked on the counter. "Um, hello, my latte?"

Mrs. Cake looked around frantically and was stopped by Skyfall. "I'll watch the counter."

"You're such a lifesaver, Skyfall." Mrs. Cake smiled and disappeared to ask Mr. Cake about the latte.

Skyfall stood over the register and looked at the impatient stallion who stared back, scoffing and shifting his stance. Sky tried to fight the urge to look past the stallion to see Luna in the corner, but failed. He thought seeing her would be more painful, or even traumatizing, but all he felt was delight to see her smiling and talking with another pony. She even giggled and glanced in his direction a few times.

Once again, the pea green stallion swayed and stared at Skyfall. "Do you know when it'll-"

"Sir." Skyfall's voice boomed. "It'll get here when it gets here. Your latte isn't on my face, so glaring at me isn't going to make it appear, but it will make me scruff you and drag you out of here."

The stallion's eyes grew and he backed up. "Fine, I didn't like this place anyway."

Sky watched the annoyance stomp out of the bakery, surrounded by snickers and giggles.

"Funny stallion, why are you standing in mommy's spot?" Pumpkin asked from the floor, having stopped his screaming long enough to notice that Mrs. Cake left.

"Your mother is working so I'm watching the front." Skyfall felt drooling on his right hoof and lifted it to find a brown earth pony foal named Coffee. "I see you've stopped crying long enough to try and eat me."

Pumpkin and Pound Cake trotted past Sky and into the kitchen, leaving Sky alone with a drooling foal. Her red eyes started to water when Sky took his hoof back. "Fine, but I need my hooves so you can hang out on my back."

Coffee giggled as Sky placed her on his back.

"I see you're good with foals too."

Sky looked back to the register to find Sunset Shimmer smiling at him. Sky shrugged. "Yeah, they love to ride on my back so I just relent and let them."

"You should have some." Sunset smiled. "I imagine you would be a great father."

Both Sky and Sunset stopped when they heard the clattering of pans before Mrs. Cake hurried to the front with a worried expression, followed by her two children bearing playful smiles. She stopped and quietly scolded them. "I'm sorry it took so long, Skyfall, he had a problem with our machines." Mrs. Cake stopped. "Where's Peabody?"

Sky shrugged. "He left, though if that latte isn't going anywhere I'll take it."

"No, I must pay you." Mrs. Cake insisted. "And not in food."

"It's fine." Skyfall waved his hoof dismissively. "It was no trouble, really, I have enough bits."

"Thank you." Mrs. Cake smiled sweetly before cocking her head. "Is that Coffee on your back?"

Sky looked back to see the little brown foal curled up and sleeping quietly.

"She hasn't been this quiet in the last few days." Mrs. Cake added.

Sky shrugged again. "Foals like sleeping on me."

"You should have some." Mrs. Cake said.

Sunset nodded and chuckled at the sight. "I said that earlier."

Skyfall grabbed Coffee and gave her to Mrs. Cake. "I have a child. Though, she's much older than Coffee."

"You have a daughter?" Mrs. Cake asked.

"Yep, but she's in her twenties now. All grown up and living her life." Skyfall smiled sadly and turned with the latte in hoof. "It looks like your line is getting crazy again, I should let you work."

Mrs. Cake smiled and greeted the next customer as Sky walked around the counter and right into Sunset. "There's somepony I think you should meet."

"If you mean the Princess, then I think it's more appropriate to meet in an official capacity since she is technically in my chain of command." Skyfall said, referencing the fact that he was the new guard captain.

Sunset rolled her eyes.

"I highly doubt it makes a difference." Sunset trotted to Skyfall's side and headbutted his wing trying to push him towards Luna's table while Luna sat and stared intently at Skyfall.

Sky patted Sunset on the head when she failed to move him. He handed her the latte and started walking towards the door, passing a waving Ditzy. "It's okay, Sunset. There's some errands I have to take care of."

"Scaredy cat!" Sunset playfully called.

"So that was Skyfall." Luna said from her table. "He seemed nice."

Sunset nodded as she made her way back to the table. "He's interesting to say the least, even if I do disagree with his training regimen. I tried to get him over here to meet you, but he was talking about how it would be inappropriate or something like that."

Luna tapped her chin. "That's right, he is the new guard Captain Tia appointed. He does look familiar. I've seen that cutie mark before, I just can't put my hoof on where."

Ditzy tapped Sunset on the shoulder. "Ma'am, are you Sunset Shimmer?"

"Yes?" Sunset glanced at the happy mailmare.

"Letter." Ditzy gave her the envelope before flying out out of the double doors.

Luna looked at the letter in Sunset's hooves and rolled her eyes. "Not this again."

"What is it?"

"Prince Blueblood has invited you to that infernal masquerade." Luna groaned. "It was fortunate that I decided to come to Ponyville, he is so... so..."

"Insufferable?" Sunset asked.

"No, he's clingy!" Luna said, holding her hooves before her and looked at the ceiling. "He means well, but he can't even take a hint."

Sunset smiled at the enraged Luna while she continued. "When I returned, he tried spending every waking second with me. I appreciate that he was there, but he's insatiable."

Sunset looked at the letter. 'Maybe it wouldn't be too bad to attend.'

"Are you going to attend?" Luna asked.

"I might." Sunset smiled at the letter, happy that she was invited. "Though, I feel I should stop lollygagging and get back to finding Shattered Skies."

Luna nodded. "I will help where I can, but I still don't wish to be caught by him." She glanced out the window at Skyfall as he talked to Applejack who was pointing him off into town. "Though at this point, that may be unavoidable."

"I don't know, Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy said. "I thought you didn't like Skyfall."

Rainbow kicked gently as her hooves dangled over the lake dock, a withdrawn look on her face. "I didn't think I did either, but lately I think about him at the most random times and it infuriates me."

Fluttershy scrunched her face a little and felt conflicted sadness in her chest. She didn't know why, but she didn't like what Rainbow was saying.

"I told Gilda and she said that I liked him, but how can I like somepony like that? He's a jerk."

"I don't think he's a jerk." Fluttershy said.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "But he slammed the door in my face, over and over. And everytime I say hi, he grunts and walks past me."

"He's always nice to me." Fluttershy said, thinking about the times he stopped by her cottage to check on her or tell her about large animals that were spotted near her house in case she decided to go for a walk.

Rainbow put her head in her hooves. "What do I do? I was going to ask him if he wanted to go with me to the Gala, but what if that makes him hate me even more?"

"Wait, you wanted to invite him to the Gala? What about Scootaloo?" Fluttershy asked.

"She said she wasn't allowed to go this year. Something about her parents not liking her out of the house at night." Rainbow mumbled. "That's why I thought it would be a good idea to invite him so I could get closer to him."

Fluttershy tapped her hooves together nervously. "I-I was..."

"Huh?" Rainbow asked. "You say something?"

Fluttershy scrunched her nose again. "I was thinking... of asking him to go with me."

A strong silence moved over both Pegasi as they sat on the dock. Rainbow bit her lip and chuckled. "Well, I guess you two are pretty friendly, inviting your friends is natural."

Fluttershy's ear twitched. "I see."

Rainbow stood. "I should ask him before somepony else does, I know Rarity was talking about having some 'hoofcandy' as a date."

Fluttershy watched as Rainbow rocketed towards the sky.

"Friends?" Fluttershy mumbled to herself before taking off towards Ponyville herself.

"So are you going to the Gala?" Applejack asked.

Skyfall shrugged. "Maybe, I gave my tickets to a couple of friends."

Applejack shook her head as she rotated the apples on her cart. She sighed as she checked off her list before turning back to her neighbor as he leaned on her stall. "Well that wasn't very smart."

Skyfall cocked his head. "You know, you're speaking funny."

Applejack gave Sky a wry look. "You mean the way I'm talking?"

"Yeah, you usually have your accent."

Applejack smirked. "Ah guess somepony would call me out some time."

Sky stood by waiting for an explanation. Applejack stood by, since she had no customers yet there wasn't much in the way of avoiding the question.

"Can I be straight with you?" Applejack asked, resting her head on the apple stand.

"Shoot."

"I had a fight with Big Mac recently and he dropped his accent. It shocked me, he spoke in a way ah've-" Applejack coughed. "I've never heard before. Later that night Granny Smith got on me when I was complaining about him and she said maybe I should be more like him and learn to speak like everypony else instead of talking with our family's accent."

"And what do you want?" Skyfall asked without missing a beat.

"I don't know." Applejack removed her hat and sat down. "There isn't a thing I don't want."

"Explain." Skyfall moved to behind the stand and sat next to her.

Applejack glanced up at the large stallion staring down at her. She looked him over and saw that the top of her head only went to his shoulder. She shifted a little and took advantage of the shade that he cast. "You're a mountain, y'know that?"

"Yes and you're a firecracker, now spill." Skyfall said. "You said there isn't a thing you don't want. Call me crazy, but that's strange coming from an apple farmer. Those type are usually content with living on the farm with what they have."

Applejack nodded. "I don't know if I should be entertaining this."

Skyfall looked down and saw Applejack's hesitation. She shuffled and mumbled to herself, obviously fighting herself.

"I... When I was a filly, I wanted to go out and travel. I wanted to be somepony, do things, and have experiences I couldn't buy. Now that I'm older, I work on the farm and yeah, being the element of honesty comes with it's perks, but I want something more than an apple orchard to look forward to." Applejack sighed.

"And have you told anyone about this?" Sky asked.

"Like my family or the girls?" Applejack watched as Skyfall gave a curt nod. "No."

Sky looked at the clock on the nearby convention hall and gave a loud hum. "I need to go and give a class to my guards. If you want, I'm free tonight, so I'll be home if you want to talk more about this."

Applejack shook her head. "No, I can't. With all the repairs being done to our farm equipment and the poor turnout from the last farming season, I can't afford any doctor's bills."

"Doctor bills?"

Applejack gave a sheepish grin. "Apple Bloom let slip that yer... you're a doctor."

Skyfall rolled his eyes. "I appreciate the sentiment, but have you seen my estate? Any service I give is on the house."

"No can do, I have to pay you somethin.'" Applejack said. "Only thing I have is an extra Gala ticket, but I know how you colts are about fancy gatherings like that."

"Deal." Skyfall said, trotting away from the chuckling apple farmer. "See you at seven!"

As Sky made his way away from the apple stand and out of the market, he eyed the new guard complex on the outskirts of the village limits. Over the past two weeks, he and Nimbus pushed the guards physically, making them do mundane chores and exercises they hated so that they would hate both Skyfall and Nimbus, in turn, bringing the entire guard unit closer together. This was to give them a common enemy that they could see and hear. With time, they would learn to respect their commanders, or at least that was the idea.

Like many of his walks, Sky thought about everything that was going on. His mind was a hurricane of ideas and worries. Cadance still needed her curse broken so that she may take the form of a Spirit once again. Farhaven needed creatures to help with it's construction. Even Celestia needed to be addressed, was she brainwashed? And who is behind it all?"

"Atten-tion!" Called Desert from the center of the courtyard as Skyfall wandered in. All the ponies snapped to attention.

"Oh, here already." Sky mumbled and looked out into the crowd of guards. Some still had scabs from the 'full gear' run and most had bruises from falling off of the obstacle courses. One thing Sky did notice, was no one group was completely isolated from another, showing that they were getting along. Sky nodded at Nimbus. "Get them formed up properly and have them fall into the shipping bay."

Nimbus nodded and tapped Sky on the shoulder. "There's an issue."

"A Skyfall issue?"

Nim shook his head. "A Rudolph issue. In reference to four Spirits that hang around Celestia."

Skyfall sighed, his fears being realized.

"Furthermore, they seem to know you intimately and not in the way you might like." Nimbus smacked Sky on the shoulder. "But that's for later, Sir."

Sky rolled his eyes as Nimbus shouted the proper commands for the guards to obey. Sky turned and made his way to the shipping bay. He was already regretting his decision to take part of this guard unit, but it was the perfect cover. Only thing left to seal the distinction between Shattered Skies and Skyfall was for both of them to be in the same place twice.

The light sound of vibrating metal echoed through the large shipping bay as Sky hit the button to open the large door. As it opened, in trotted the guards who formed to sit in a semi circle around Skyfall as he flew up to sit his flank up high atop one of the many boxes.

To Sky's surprise, in walked a notebook-toting Twilight Sparkle with Nimbus and Desert trying to walk faster than her in a vain attempt to lose her in the crowd. Nimbus and Twilight teleported to a high box, cater-cornered to Sky.

"Good morning." Sky said.

"Good morning, Sir." The guards called.

Sky sighed, he knew why every time he found himself in some form of government, he usually found himself in a managerial position, but he still never liked it.

"How are you all finding Nim's chores? Quite the taskmaster, ain't he?" Sky said to the forlorn look of the guards and the cocky grin of Nimbus. "From here on out, things are going to change again."

One of the guards in the crowd groaned and before Nimbus bared down on her, Sky held up his hoof. "Rise, Firm Love."

"Y-Yes, Sir." Firm Love rose slowly. She was a bronze mare with a white mane and red eyes. She looked a little worried as Sky stared down at her, emotionless.

"I take it you don't approve of the changes."

"Permission to speak freely?" Love asked, her scratchy voice taking a firm tone.

Sky closed his eyes. "Granted."

"We all hate this, we're being worked harder than any other unit in the Stable." Love said, using the word ‘Stable’, Equestria's term for division. "And why? We haven't seen our families in two weeks and you don't tell us anything!"

The crowd around Firm Love spoke out in agreement.

Nimbus looked for any cues from Skyfall. Twilight nudged him to do something, but remained silent when Skyfall glanced at him.

"We want answers. There are talks that we're fighting a Spirit, but how can we? We're tired of the treatment and want to know why the princess commissioned a civilian to train already-trained guards."

Sky sat and stared at Love, waiting for her to relax as well as the crowd to go silent. "Fifteen months."

"Huh?" Love asked.

"You all think I've been unfair to you." Sky said, sighing as he clapped his hooves together and placed them in his lap. "You think that for some reason if war breaks out, you'll get breaks and have things explained to you."

"That's not-" Love started.

"Don't interrupt your commander." Boomed Desert.

"We'll get to the treatment and training regimen in a second." Sky kicked his hooves lightly.

Love found it hard to stare at her commander as he continued.

"'Commissioned a random civilian.' As for being a random 'civilian.'" Sky said to the audible laugh of Nimbus. "I know on one of your first days, Nim went through his record as he ran you all into the dirt. He told me that one of you called him out on the validity of it and I've been mulling over how to explain this all to you."

The guards remembered that two weeks prior, Nimbus was talking about leading charges in a few world wars, fighting dragons and all manners of mythical creatures, and the dark look he gave them when he was challenged.

Sky thought about how to explain everything to his guards, but without telling him that they were both Spirits, it would just amount to hot air in the end.

"I could tell you that we've fought in three world wars on four different continents leading armies into battle and everything that I've seen. I could explain who I am and what it is I do, but in the end you believe what you want to believe." Sky said to the surprise of Nimbus. "All you need to be concerned with is the here and now."

Firm Love squinted, angry at how Skyfall avoided the question. "But that doesn't explain-"

"The dragon lands and the Griffon Kingdoms form an alliance and attack Equestria for its apples. What do you do?"

Firm Love and many of the guards including Desert looked baffled. Love looked around for one of the other guards to give her an answer, but she shrugged when no answer came. "I don't understand the question."

Sky looked down at her. "Equestria comes under attack. What. Do. You. Do?"

"Charge in and attack!" One of the guards in the crowd cheered.

"They've arrived with units that outnumber you three to one." Sky altered his question.

"Then we wait for more units, then charge?" Love asked.

"Against a force where one soldier is anywhere between twice to ten times your size?" Sky asked, holding his hooves up, questioning her logic. "And what about fire breath, artillery, or the Griffon Navy?"

Love shied away from Sky's blunt question.

"Do you think that you'll be able to take breaks from the front lines to see your family? That your armor will feel like pillows the entire time?" Skyfall leaned forward and fell from the box and glided to the floor. "And what about the fog of war?"

"Sir, surely the fog of war wouldn't be that bad for our superior Equestrian military?" Love asked.

"Desert, define the fog of war." Sky commanded.

"The uncertainty regarding one's own capability, adversary capability, and adversary intent during an engagement, operation, or campaign." Twilight recited, beating Desert to the punch earning an annoying look from her.

"Right. Do you think that uncertainty doesn't apply to everyone?" Sky asked and was followed by complete silence. He smiled and looked at the guards. "Just a food for thought on your days off."

The words 'days off' surprised the guards.

"Take this as your safety briefing." Skyfall said. "Don't get in trouble, don't beat your spouse, kids, or goldfish."

Nimbus signaled Sky from the crate he was standing on. "I haven't told them about the schedule."

Sky ran his hoof along his face. "Right. From now on we're only doing Physical Training on Mondays and Tuesdays. Wednesday, and Thursday will be class days; there is a lot you need to learn in the short time I think we have. As for you your weekends, you'll have three day rotating schedules. Nimbus, dismiss them."

Nimbus teleported and appeared before Sky in a cloud of electricity, giving a crisp salute that was returned.

Skyfall watched as the guards fought their smiles while Nimbus called them into formation and gave them his two cents before being released. Sky chuckled as they stampeded out of the bay, leaving only himself, Nimbus, Desert, and Twilight.

"Question, Princess?" Nimbus asked, seeing Twilight chew then end of her pen.

"Yes actually." Twilight said.

"Shoot." Sky said as he looked over some statistics Desert shoved in his face.

"Yes." Twilight said. "I still don't understand your question. We have no problems with the dragons or the griffons. Why would we go to war with them?"

Skyfall watched Twilight raise her pen, likely to make the another inquiry. "Only two things in life are constant; that's change and change."

Twilight bit her pen and looked at her notes, trying to understand. "Please explain further."

"Changing circumstances and money." Sky said bluntly. "You ponies aren't prepared for anything and from what Nimbus tells me, many of you are sheltered."

Twilight opened her mouth to retort, but stopped, she knew that Equestria was a utopia compared to other parts of the world, so instead she flipped a page in her notes to a blank section. "What are you going to do?"

"What I seem to do best; teach and avoid questions." Sky tittered and relented under Twilight and Desert’s annoyed glares. "Fine, I'm on base until six, so I'll go around and we can discuss what I'm going to do."

"No tricks?" Twilight asked.

"Nope."

"No evading questions?"

"Not if I can’t help it." Sky opened the door behind him and held it for Twilight.

"No screaming, 'what's that!' then running in the opposite direction?"

"Only if you start nerd gushing at the lesson plans." Sky's mumbled and watched as Nimbus and Desert made their way to the mess hall. "Actually, Twilight-"

"No!" Twilight shouted and got in Skyfall's face. "No backing out, Mister!"

"I was just going to say let's eat first, the mess hall has sausage and Saddle Arabian style omelettes." Sky mumbled, causing Twilight to blush from her outburst.

"Sorry."

"Nothing food won't fix." Sky said as he turned, running his wing over Twilight's mane, ruffling it.

Applejack sat silently in Skyfall's study across from Cadance as she was writing a letter on the large, dark wood desk. She had arrived early to meet Sky, but Cadance was the only one home and offered to sit with her, an offer Cadance wouldn't let her turn down. "So, uh, Princess. How is it living with Skyfall?"

Cadance looked up and smiled, trying to think of a response. "It's nice. Had it not been for him, then I may have left Shining."

Applejack looked surprised. "Really?"

Cadance nodded. "Shining Armor has come over and we have a nice dinner in a quiet environment."

"Huh, I haven't heard about that." Applejack said, a little put off. "Everypony thinks that you left Shining so you could be Skyfall's mistress."

Cadance felt the weirdest sense of stomach ache run through her body at the image of her and her father doing things you would see in a dirty colt magazine. "No. Ugh, no. Skyfall would never make a move on a married mare."

"That's good to hear." Applejack nodded and heard the front door shut.

"Cadance?" Skyfall called.

"In your study with Applejack!" Cadance called back.

The sounds of hooves clopping on marble echoed into the room as Sky approached. As he neared, increasingly loud pattering could be heard against the window.

"Ha, beat the rain!" Sky cheered as he entered his study, taking his scarf off. "Good evening Applejack, I'm glad you're here."

"I'm not, I have to walk home in the rain now." Applejack mumbled.

Skyfall shooed at the farmer with his hoof. "Sleep here and go back in the morning."

"It's not a problem, I live up the road."

Skyfall shook his head. "It's no trouble, now why are you here?"

Cadance giggled as Skyfall shooed her out of his chair.

"You told me to come by?" Applejack stared on with her wry expression.

"Yes." Skyfall rustled around his desk and brought out some incense, lighting it. "Now, why are you here?"

"To talk to you about what I want."

Sky glanced at Cadance who understood that this was a one on one conversation. She clapped her hooves happily and trotted out of the room. "I'll start dinner!"

"Hope you like easy made cheese noodles and hotdogs wrapped in bacon." Skyfall chuckled.

"They're okay, I'm fine with meat." Applejack shrugged. "So long as there's mustard and relish with an untouched hotdog."

"A mare after my own heart." Sky teased.

"Well, we are going to the Gala together." Applejack mused. "I hope nopony thinks we're dating."

"Ouch." Skyfall said as he smelled the scent of food cooking.

"Don't get me wrong, Sky. You're nice, but somepony else has already set her sight on ya." Applejack placated. She smiled when she saw Sky chuckling to himself.

"Hopefully, I find out who my secret admirer is." Sky shifted in his seat to lean back in his chair. "Now, you said you wanted everything, and that you and your brother have been fighting because of Gilda."

"I never said 'because of Gilda?'" Applejack squinted at Skyfall.

Sky held up his hooves. "Oops."

"So Big Mac has come to you too, ain't he?" Applejack scowled.

"Yes." Sky glared back. "But that's his business. This conversation is for you to have someone to talk to that won't judge."

"Promise?"

"Unless you insult my tea. Other than that, I’m perfectly neutral."

The minutes ticked away as Applejack spilled everything. She continued talking through her meal with pieces of hotdog falling out of her mouth only to be scooped up and be eaten again. She explained how unhappy she was working on the farm and her desire to be something more than a farmer.

"...And now I don't know what I should do." Applejack said, hooves resting over the hat that laid on her lap.

Sky listened intently and prepared a response, but stopped when he felt a familiar creature enter his forest and call for him. He felt ice run over his neck and shook it off. "Applejack, have you ever given thought of making your farm an actual company?"

Applejack shook her head. "I don't want to ruin my family's farm by bringin' in them fancy machines to harvest our apples. We have always taken pride in -"

Sky held up a hoof before standing up. "Not what I meant. Right now you are a supplier to a few businesses across Equestria. How about going into business for yourself, sell what you want where you want with you at the helm?"

"I don't know, Skyfall. I'm not really a business mare." Applejack pointed to the mark on her flank.

Skyfall approached Applejack and signalled her to follow. "Forget cutie marks. If you don't think you're a business mare, make yourself one and use the Gala to make all the right connections."

"Who would work the farm?" Applejack asked.

"I don't know, that's up to you." Skyfall said. "Personally, I heard Clydesdia has amazing workers that are as big as I am, so try there."

Applejack hugged Skyfall. "Thank ya kindly for hearin' me out."

“Anything for you, Applejack." Skyfall said as he felt a familiar being enter his forest. “If you’re still keen on staying for dinner, we can speak more on this, there. For now, I remembered there is something I must take care of.."

Cadance and Nimbus walked around the corner. Cadance smiled at the sight, but Nimbus scowled. He knew who entered Skies’ forest, but couldn't call him out on account of Applejack's presence.

Sky turned to leave, but was stopped by Nimbus. "You sure about this?"

"Yes."

Sky walked down the stairs and out of the door, followed closely by Cadance. "Um, dad. Why did uncle Storm stop you and look at you like that?"

Sky walked in silence until he reached the forest's edge and reverted into Shattered Skies. He leaned down and kissed the top of Cadance's head. "Cadance, Luna is in my forest and I need to speak with her."

Cadance's eyes grew a bit and a sense of panic rushed over her. "N-No, you can't."

"Hunny, relax." Skies cooed. "After seeing her today, I think this is for the best."

Cadance tried fighting back tears. "Okay. Just come home, okay?"

"I will." Skies smiled. "I love you."

Cadance watched as her father disappeared into the forest. "I love you too."

Luna laid under a large tree that had a very cool stream of water rushing next to it. She looked up at the tree and surrounding forest, marveling at the beauty Shattered Skies had created.

Many of the nocturnal animals were gathered around Luna and chattered at her, making her giggle.

One by one, the animals looked around when the trees started to shake and all at once they fled the area.

Luna's smiled started to sag and she adopted a forlorn look. "I always felt that I would be happy to find you alive."

Luna's answer was a light breeze that rustled the trees. Tears formed at the corners of her eyes. "Tia said that I should help seal you away and that you’re the reason I turned into Nightmare Moon. It's kind of hard to argue with someone who doesn’t know the truth, huh?"

The trees rustled lightly in the wind.

"I do not know what to say."

"Then don't say anything." Skies spoke, prompting Luna to turn her head to see the Forest Spirit standing behind her through her tear filled eyes. Skies smiled down at his old friend. "Hello, Luna."

Author's Notes:

Another long, hot day in the Florida heat.

And I'm featured... again. I noticed that every time I'm featured, my dislikes start to climb rapidly, but if the feature section cruises right by without noticing me, then the likes increase. I think I'm just bad luck.

Anyway, that is all, you beautiful being you.

We love ya