Both Twilight and Trixie stared with polite incomprehension at Fleur as she tried to explain just what had happened to end up with her having a box of jewellery, a map of High Rock, and a request to keep Pearl's kids safe.

"I don't get it," Trixie said after a while. "She doesn't want to see her kids grow up weak in our Mareitania, yet doesn't want them to see her hang. If you ask me, seeing your mother hung only builds character."

"Then it's a good job we weren't asking you," Fleur said with a disdainful sniff.

"I'm kidding. I only wished to point out how ridiculous the situation is when Pearl is asking you favours. Then there's the map. I can understand pointing out where her kids room is so we can try and keep them out of the fire, but to give us a fully labelled map? Weird. Whose side is she on exactly?"

"I think the only side she was on at the end was her own," Twilight said slowly as she studied the map. Even the broom closets were labelled, all seven of them. "She thought we would probably win in the end, so she focused on what she wanted rather than on what the Duke wanted. Namely, revenge on us, and making sure her kids have a chance."

Trixie rolled her eyes, "Sure... let's put her on the shortlist for the 'good mother award.'"

Fleur placed the jewellery box on the bed besides Trixie, "Instead of being a sarcastic pain in the ass, why don't you have a look through that?"

"Ooh! Shinies!" Trixie gingerly rolled onto her side and open the box with a hoof. She stopped as her eyes took in the sight of the glittering array of trinkets before her, "Whoa... extravagant shinies. Say what you want about that psychopath, she knew how to... jewellery... make." Trixie bit her lip, "Is there a proper word for that?"

"Not really," Twilight said absently.

"So I'm not being dumb, excellent." Trixie's horn lit up and she started to search through the jewellery, inspecting each piece and tutting to herself.

"Do you think it might be a trick?" Fleur asked Twilight while Trixie was distracted.

Twilight shrugged, "Does it matter? If the map is real, the only way it really helps is direct us to the important parts of the keep first. It doesn't help us actually get to the keep, or inside it. To be honest, this is mostly about you helping those kids, and it's entirely up to you if you do that."

"So the map's useless?"

"I wouldn't say it's useless, just not as useful as we might hope. There's a lot of other information that we need to make it more use, like troop numbers and placements, interior defences, and other things, of which I see none labelled."

"Isn't there some kind of secret entrance into the keep or something," the filly asked. She had clambered onto the bed and was helping Trixie by saying what suited her, by means of saying none of it did.

"If there is, Pearl either didn't know about it, or purposely didn't include it."

"Bummer."

"Ooh, hello." Trixie held a small loop of silver aloft in her magic, "I think this would look rather fetching in my ear since I've already had it pre-pierced."

"We were going to heal that out," said Twilight.

"I know, but I think this would be a nice way to cement my victory over Pearl."

"She almost killed you," the filly snickered. She did kill you, Twilight added in her head.

"Maybe, but I had the last laugh by surviving." Trixie turned to look at Fleur, "You're the fashionista here. What do you think?"

Fleur took the ring in her own magic and held it up to Trixie's ear, "Hmm... I think that might look alright actually. I'm not sure about the ring though. Seems a little bland."

"Excuse me if I don't want a mass of diamonds hanging off my ear. Trixie thinks that'll do just nicely. The only problem is that it's a solid ring, so once it's in it stays in."

"What about getting it in in the first place?"

Trixie's brow crinkled with thought, "Oh yeah, and that. These are all minor details though. Trixie's always wanted a piercing, but wasn't ever brave enough. But since I have the hole already, I might as well." Trixie pouted at Twilight, "Can you help."

"Well... I can probably teleport the ring into place if I'm careful, but I'll have to do it before I put you to sleep for your healing session today-"

"Put her to sleep?" asked Fleur.

"Every time they use that healing thingy on me I swear Trixie can feel her insides moving about. It's not a nice sensation."

Twilight looked at Trixie sceptically, "Yeah, anyway, we're going to put her to sleep for a while and hopefully get it all done in one go. We were about to get started when you came in."

"Oh. Well in that case we'll leave you to it." Fleur retrieved her box of jewellery, "Come on filly, I want to go see if Cookie Dough's okay before we get some work done."

"Free stuff?" the filly asked hopefully.

"Only as far as I'll be paying for it, rather than you."

"Sweet! Good enough for me!" The filly bounded off the bed and scampered out of the door before poking her head back through, "You guys want anything?"

"I wouldn't mind a cinnamon roll if they have one," said Trixie. "Or something with pecans failing that, since I haven't seen a lick of peanut butter the entire time we've been here."

"Surprise me," said Twilight. "And don't forget to ask Octavia and Summer if they want something."

"Will do! See you guys later." Fleur smiled apologetically at them as the filly rushed off, and followed after the filly at a rather more sedate pace.

"So..." Trixie smiled at Twilight, "Can you put it in?"

"Alright." Twilight picked the ring up, and was about to teleport it into place when she saw it had a design on it. Small as the ring was, it had been engraved to look like a snake eating its own tail. "Huh."

"What?"

"It's an ouroboros."

"A what?"

"The ring's engraved to look like an ouroboros; a snake eating its own tail. It's a symbol representing the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth." Twilight raised her eyebrow at it, "I wonder what Pearl was thinking when she made this?"

"Yes, yes, very symbolic," Trixie scoffed. "Next you'll be telling me it's destiny that I got it. Now shush, and put that bad boy in."

"Okay then." Twilight focused, and with a little flash the ring vanished, then reappeared in Trixie's ear.

"Ah! Cold!" Trixie flicked her ear as the unfamiliar weight settled onto it, but she couldn't help smiling. "Eee! So awesome! Can't wait to see that in a mirror."

"Just be careful to not catch it on anything. I imagine having that ripped out would hurt."

"Yes mom. Ruin a girl's fun why don't you."

"Sorry." Twilight stood and stretched, "Let me go find Luna, and we'll get this under way."

"I don't know," Summer said with a tinge of worry, "I've never had food like that before. What if I pick something I don't like?"

"Oh come on," the filly groaned. "It's all good! I'm sure you'll like whatever you pick."

"Uh... Um..." Summer's eyes darted to Octavia who shrugged disarmingly.

"How about something simple, like a chocolate chip cookie?"

"I guess that'd be okay..."

"Or you could go with them and pick something for yourself," Sawbones said from across the room. "You two have been working yourself to the bone the last couple of days. I think you deserve to have a few hours off. Our patients will be fine until you get back," he added before Octavia could argue.

"If you say so," Octavia said slowly. She jumped as Fleur nudged her hip.

"Come on, a couple of hours won't hurt. We could go check up on Sapphire and Velvet if you want?"

It was something that Octavia had been meaning to do, and it wasn't as if they were far away either, living in the upper city as they did. "Very well, you've sold me. I'll see you later Sawbones."

"Yeah yeah, you two have fun."

"So, how are you two doing?" Fleur asked as they made their way through the castle.

"Small talk?" said the filly, "Really?"

"Yes really. It doesn't seem like we get the chance to just chat these days. There's always something going on, and you two are always stuck in the back cleaning up other ponies messes."

"Better than being in the front making that mess," Octavia joked. "At least we can contribute in some way," she said more seriously.

"I honestly think you have the tougher job, trying to save ponies, and not always succeeding." Fleur stopped as Octavia looked away, Summer watching her with concern. "Sorry. Want to talk about something else?"

"Please."

"How about..." Fleur sighed, "I got nothing."

"Actually," the filly said as they walked out of the castle and into the midday sun, "I have a question."

"We're all ears."

"Okay. We've taken Prance now, as well as a lot of other places. That now means we're now bigger than what the Duke is right?"

Fleur nodded to herself, "I suppose so, yes."

"Then does that now mean we're like the proper rulers of Mareitania now? And does that mean that we can't call what's left of the Duchy the... well, Duchy?"

Octavia snorted into laughter, "That's your concern? What we call what's left of the Duchy? How about we call it something dramatic like 'The Remnant.'"

"Technically it's still the Duchy," Fleur pointed out. "It could be the corner of a field and half a burnt down barn and it'd still be the Duchy as long as the Duke ruled it. That said, I do like the way 'The Remnant' sounds. Gives me chills."

"Wasn't her question more to do with if we rule Mareitania now that we hold more land than the Duke?" asked Summer.

"Thank you! At least somepony was listening."

Fleur smirked at the filly, "Yeah, we know what you meant, and yeah, I suppose we do. Okay, not we as such, but the Mareitania liberation front, even though we don't... oh my."

They all stopped as Fleur stood still, "What is it?" Octavia asked as Fleur continued to stare into the middle distance.

"We rule most of Mareitania, but we don't have the actual means to rule it. We're a group of semi organised rebels, not a government, and we don't even have a leader once Twilight gives up the mantle." Fleur swallowed and looked at the three ponies before her, "I suddenly realise just what exactly Twilight was so freaked out about after the whole death sentence thing. We don't have a way to effectively run the country beyond the fact that ponies expect us to run things."

"It can't be that bad, surely?"

"Who runs Whiplash, or Brayside, or whatever?"

"We do," said Octavia.

"Really? Who's the mayor? Or the pony running the town if it isn't a mayor? Who's the mayor of Neigh Orleans when Daybreak isn't around? Or Hoovendale? Or any of the other places under our control?"

"Hard Pick runs Bitmark," the filly reminded them.

"So we got one," said Fleur. "That's just fan-tastic." Fleur shook her head and started walking again, "I really hope Twilight or Luna has an amazing solution to this they can pull out of their asses, because we are so screwed if they don't."

The filly trotted quickly to catch up again, "I think you're being overdramatic. It can't be that bad."

"Right now, no. But that doesn't mean it can't become bad. We've done quite a lot of work on the infrastructure of the country in fits and starts, but that could quickly fall apart without that central body governing it."

Octavia pulled a face as she understood what Fleur was getting at, even if Summer and the filly didn't, "Shouldn't you be talking about this with Twilight?"

"I get the feeling she already knows. She might not know what to do about it, but she at least knows what the problem is." Fleur groaned and tried to push the thought to the side, "Let's not worry about that now; we're almost at Sapphire and Velvet's."

They stopped outside the door of the large terraced house the two step-sisters owned, and Octavia raised a hoof to knock when she saw the door was slightly ajar. That might have been explained by the hoof marks in the wood of the door, as well as the splintered wood around the broken lock. It didn't look like the door would close if you wanted it to.

"This looks bad," Octavia whispered. "I hope they're okay."

She pushed the door open to a scene of carnage. Pictures had been pulled or knocked off the walls, furniture left broken and askew, and there was a trail of hoof prints that led into the house.

"Those hoofprints look old," the filly observed.

"How can you tell?" asked Fleur.

The filly rolled her eyes, "Because I'm closer to them than you are. Certainly not because they're dry. I'm guessing they were made when Pearl ordered her soldiers to take these ponies prisoner."

Fleur nodded thoughtfully, "Yeah, okay. That's good."

"Hello?" the filly shouted, making the others cringe. "Anypony home?"

"One moment!" a voice shouted back. A minute later the maid Peach Blossom staggered into view, struggling to don her uniform. "Sorry about this. The mistresses allowed me to sleep in to recover from our ordeal, and to catch up on our sleep now that awful storm is gone."

Fleur helped her don her uniform, using her magic to quickly button it up, "It's fine, really. You didn't have to come running out like this though. We were only coming to make sure you were all okay. Nopony would blame you for taking some time."

"It's quite alright. If you'd follow me to the dining room I'll put on some tea and go rouse the mistresses." They quietly followed her, taking note that the rest of the house wasn't in quite so bad a state as the entrance.

"What happened here?" Octavia asked as they followed the maid. "Why was the door kicked in?"

"The soldiers that came to apprehend us were most impolite. Not only did they come in the dead of night, they broke down the door and made a horrendous mess. It'll take me days to get it all straightened out."

"When was this?" asked Fleur.

"A couple of weeks ago. I dare say much of the food in the pantry is spoiled too, since it's been so long."

The filly looked oddly at Peach Blossom, "Shouldn't you be more concerned over the fact that you're okay? I'm sure your 'mistresses' aren't going to blame you for letting standards slip. Especially since you're having to do it all without your magic."

Peach Blossom brushed a hoof over the smooth stub of her horn, "I do seem cursed to live without it. It'd just healed from after I was..." Peach swallowed her next words. "Anyway, I know I should take some time, but-"

"But what?"

"But... I-" Peach Blossom flinched as Fleur pressed a hoof to her shoulder.

"Slow down Peach, you can't just bury what happened with work. I'm sure Sapphire and Velvet would be more than happy for you to take it easy for a while." Peach nodded weakly. It was obvious that she was trying to hold back tears, so Fleur down and spread her forelegs out, "Come on, you need a hug."

Peach Blossom hesitantly accepted the hug, and it didn't take long for her to break down completely, unaware of the funny looks the others were giving Fleur as Peach wiped tears onto her chest. "I-I-I was so scared! I thought they were going to kill us all! Poor Velvet was in pieces, and- and Sapphire... she was so brave." Peach pulled back and rubbed her eyes, "I'm sorry about this. I've barely had time to think about what happened and-"

"It's fine, really," Fleur said with a gentle smile. "I've kind of been where you were, so I understand."

"Thank you." Peach pulled away completely and straightened her uniform before giving Fleur a small but grateful smile. "I'll see about putting that tea on."

"Uh-uh," Fleur admonished her. She pointed at one of the doors leading off the dining room, "I'm guessing that's the kitchen through there?"

"Yes, but-"

"But nothing. You're having a break. I can boil some water while you go wake Sapphire and Velvet."

Peach looked at the other ponies in the room, finding the same sympathy she was getting off Fleur, "Oh very well. I'll be back down soon."

"I'm pretty sure what you went through was way worse than what they did," the filly said once Peach was gone.

"Yeah, but telling her that isn't going to make her feel better."

"And the hug wasn't a bit much?" said Octavia.

Fleur sighed irritably, "Look, Sapphire and Velvet have each other to hold as they cry themselves to sleep over this, but Peach? Who does she have to comfort her? While I would say that they treat her nicely, it's pretty clear she's still the maid, and they're her mistresses, and there's definitely a divide there. Now quit judging me and help me figure out where things are in this kitchen."

Between the four of them they managed to get a fire going to boil some water, and were hunting for cups when Peach returned, catching the guilty tableau of four ponies searching through all their cupboards, except the one they needed.

"Over there, by the sink," she said, smiling at them.

"Gotcha." Fleur floated seven cups and saucers out of the cupboard, and poured the water from the kettle into the teapot. Then the sheer domesticity of the task made her feel funny, and she wasted no time in carrying it all out to the dining room and setting it down roughly before her magic wussed out on her.

"Are you okay Fleur?" Octavia asked, having seen the way everything had wobbled in Fleur's magic.

"Yeah, I just haven't done anything so normal as make a pot of tea in a reeeeally long time. It felt a bit weird."

"I see. I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave it to you to pour the tea though." Octavia gave Fleur a tight-lipped smile and held up a hoof. It was shaking. "I'm afraid being here is bringing back a few memories, and I have nothing else to distract me from them."

Fleur took Octavia's hoof in her own, feeling the way it shook her own hoof, "I really think you ought to talk to somepony about this."

"I'll be fine. Perhaps once things are settled I can have a chance to play my cello for a while. That always calms my nerves."

"Perhaps you could play now?" They looked up at the pony that had interrupted them. It was Sapphire. She had bags under her eyes, but otherwise seemed no worse for wear except for some bruises around her neck. "I had the cello you delightfully bashed around father's head repaired if you wish to give it a go?"

Octavia considered it, she really did, but she probably wouldn't stop for hours if she started, and they had too much to do. "Maybe some other time."

"As you wish." Sapphire bit her lip and lowered her head, "I feel I should apologise for what happened last time you were here. Velvet and I both regret the things we had to do to keep her father... away from me."

"It's fine, really." Octavia thought about what she had just said, "Okay, perhaps fine isn't the word I would use, but it's over now, and not worth worrying about. Water under the bridge as it were."

"Then I suspect that the water passing under your bridge flows a lot faster than the water passing under ours. Velvet flew into a bit of a panic when Peach Blossom told us you were here."

"I think fast moving flood water is all I get under my bridge these days." Octavia tried to make it sound like a joke, but it was clear from the tone of her voice how negatively she meant it. "Will Velvet be joining us?"

"Soon." Sapphire took a seat at the table, "She's trying to make herself presentable for guests." Sapphire smiled to herself, "At least that hasn't changed. Even in prison she worried about her mane."

"One must always be presentable darling." Velvet walked in and pecked Sapphire on the cheek before taking the seat next to her. "Hello Fleur, filly, Oc-" Velvet sagged in her seat, "Octavia. I'm so sorry for wha-" She stopped as Octavia waved a hoof.

"Sapphire already apologised. You're forgiven, really. You were forgiven before I even left Prance the last time I was here."

"Thank you." Velvet looked at the other pony they had brought with them, "I don't believe we've met."

"I'm Summer."

"A pleasure to meet you Summer. I can't help but notice you're a pegasus."

"Is that a problem?" the filly said in a low, dangerous tone of voice.

"Not at all. I just don't believe we've ever had a pegasus in here before."

"Yes you have," said the filly. "Me."

Velvet stared at the filly with polite confusion, "But you're not a pegasus. You don't have wings."

The filly turned so velvet could see the scars on her back. "Yeah, that's not my fault," she said as Velvet's eyes widened slightly.

"I stand corrected then. My sincerest apologies for doubting you."

"Darn right- Hey!" the filly squeaked as Fleur flicked her on the ear.

"Stop being so aggressive."

"Fine..." The filly picked up her cup and sipped her tea, immediately spitting it back out. "Bleh! Why the hell do ponies drink this crap?" A moment later Summer picked her own cup up and tried it, sticking her tongue out at the taste.

"Still not the worst taste I've had in my mouth," she said almost innocently, although its meaning wasn't lost on anypony, even if they lacked the entire context of what she said.

Velvet fidgeted with her hooves for a moment as she looked, "I'm almost afraid to ask, but my curiosity's getting the better of me. Could I, maybe, if you'll let me... could I touch your wings?"

Summer's wings clamped tightly to her sides, "What? Why?"

"I've just... always wondered what they feel like. It's okay if you don't want me to, and I understand entirely, but I thought I'd at least ask."

"Uh..." Summer looked to Octavia, but got no help there as Octavia only shrugged.

"They're your wings Summer, it's up to you."

"I know, but... you promise you won't hurt me?" she said to Velvet.

"Absolutely my dear. I only want to see if pegasus feathers are as soft as I've been told."

Summer swallowed, and nodded gingerly, "Okay." She slowly extended her wings as Velvet almost danced around the table to her, and shivered as a hoof was stroked down her right wing.

"Oh my," Velvet gasped, "they're so smooth! Almost like silk." She ran her hoof down it again and again, then changed to the other wing. Each time she did it she couldn't help but notice that Summer trembled a little more each time. "I'm sorry, am I hurting you?"

"Not-" Summer coughed to clear her throat, "Not at all."

"Then why are you trembling?" Velvet saw Fleur and the filly grinning at her, "What?"

"Pegasus wings are very sensitive," Fleur half explained.

"And?"

Sapphire had joined in with the grinning by now, "Judging by the look on Summer's face darling, she means you had either better stop, or be prepared to take it all the way."

"All the way? All the way where?"

Sapphire looked to the ceiling and chuckled, "To the bedroom, darling." Velvet pulled her hoof from Summer's wing like it was suddenly burning hot, and blushed as Sapphire, Fleur, and filly laughed at her. Even Octavia and Peach Blossom were trying to hide their smiles.

"You could have told me I was- I was... eroticising her!"

"The thing is," said Fleur, "you, Sapphire, and Summer share some of the same preferences."

"Oh? Oh! Oh my..." Velvet blushed even harder as she returned to her seat, "Stop laughing! It's improper!"

"And so are we," laughed the filly.

"And I will certainly not be laughed at by a child!"

"I'm fourteen. Heck, I might even be fifteen now for all I know."

"That still makes you a child!"

Sapphire leant over and kissed Velvet on the cheek, "You're adorable when you're flustered."

"And that's pretty much what we've been up to," Fleur finished, having recounted all that they'd been up to since Fleur's and the filly's last trip to Prance.

"Good heavens," Velvet breathed. "Makes our lives seem positively mundane in comparison."

Octavia laughed bitterly, "Some days I think I'm almost willing to kill for some mundane. Sitting here and drinking tea on a social visit is literally the most mundane thing we've done in months. It's wonderful." Octavia sighed, "I also suspect it has to end soon. We still have much to do."

"Then we shan't keep you any longer," said Sapphire. "The time we spent in the castle dungeons doesn't even compare, does it Velvet?"

"No, I suppose not. Especially not compared to being held captive in High Rock." Velvet looked down at the empty cup she held in her hooves, "As much as I'm curious, I admit I'm also thankful that you're not telling us what happened. The fact that you're still wearing a bandage after all this time speaks volumes."

Fleur stroked a hoof over the bandage, "Yes, well... it's not a subject for polite conversation."

"At any rate, we shan't keep you any longer," said Sapphire as she stood. "Although I do hope we can do this again some time. Perhaps after you return to Equestria?"

They all looked at her with confusion, "How is that supposed to work?" the filly asked.

"We were thinking of leaving for Equestria once the opportunity arises," Sapphire explained, "making a new start for ourselves. We've heard a lot about Equestria in the last few months, and after being taken captive like we were we're considering moving there. It sounds like they're a lot more accepting of... ponies like us."

Fleur smiled at them, "They certainly are. If you travel to Canterlot after leaving here I'd be more than happy to accommodate you until you get on your hooves. I'll write you my address if you can find me some paper." Fleur scribbled her address down on the piece of paper Peach gave to her, "There. Trust me, the pony I live with has a similar situation to you, and would be more than happy to help."

Sapphire and Velvet smiled at each other, "Thank you kindly Fleur," said Sapphire. "Now, I know it's unfair of us to impose favours on you, but I was wondering if you could visit Sour Mash for us? We haven't heard off him, and we would feel better if you checked up on him and his cohorts. He's likely at his bar."

Fleur looked at Octavia, who shrugged, "I guess we could do that."

"Oh good. Thank you so much, and I do hope things work out well for you with the liberation. Could you show them out please Peach?"

"Certainly ma'am."

They said their farewells and followed Peach to the way out, but Fleur couldn't help wondering if the two mares decision to leave for Equestria also included Peach, so she asked.

"Yes I'll be leaving with them."

"Don't you have family here?"

"An estranged brother, but that's it. My apartment in the lower city was also burnt down during the riots, so my entire life is now wherever these two are."

Fleur pulled a face, not quite wanting to believe that a pony could willingly end up trapped in that situation. "Alright then. Maybe things'll change for you in Equestria too. Goodbye Peach."

"Goodbye Miss Fleur, Octavia, filly, and Summer. Take care," she said before shutting the door behind them as best she could.

"So," the filly cheerfully, "any more ponies you want to invite to Equestria? Maybe we could move everypony there?"

"We could leave you here if it makes you feel better?"

"Don't even joke about that."

It seemed the Prancing Pony inn hadn't fared as well as other places in the city, located as it was in the forefront of the lower city where a lot of the fighting had taken place. The windows were smashed, and the concrete scorched by magical misfires. The interior seemed a little more intact at least, occupied as it was by Mash and Flip, sat on opposite sides of a table with an unlabelled bottle between them that had been salvaged from the wreckage.

"Hello?" Fleur said nervously. She was worried that their reactions might be something like Nightlight's had been.

Mash looked at her and raised the bottle in his hoof, "All hail the conquering heroes! Come to join us in our celebrations?"

"No thanks, none of us drink."

Mash shrugged, "All the more for us then," he said before taking a generous gulp out of the bottle and passing it to Flip. "So, what can we do you for?"

They walked further into the bar, taking care to not stand on anything sharp. The discarded brooms made it clear an attempt at cleaning had been made, but was quickly given up on.

"Sapphire and Velvet wanted us to make sure you're okay."

"Why wouldn't we be? The city is free from the Duke, and the price was only having to be stuck in prison for a couple of weeks, nearly getting hung, and having my livelihood trashed." Mash sat back and sighed, "I guess that's not strictly your fault though."

"Why do you sound disappointed then?"

It took a moment for him to answer as Flip passed the bottle back. He drank and placed the bottle back down with a thunk, and slouched as he groaned. "I don't know. This change just seems too big, and I don't think we were fully prepared for it. That near death experience didn't help nothing either." He laughed suddenly, "I guess I sound stupid for moaning about it though."

"You got what you wanted though," said Octavia. "Prance free from the Duke."

"I think we'll have to see if we really got what we wanted. For all we know we could've exchanged one tyrant for another, until you prove otherwise." He looked up at Octavia, "I don't believe we've met."

"I'm Octavia, and this is Summer," she said, pointing at Summer who waved shyly. "We're both part of the rebellion." Octavia didn't think it worth mentioning that they had met briefly when she stayed here prior to the riots.

"Charmed." Mash pulled himself up and crossed his legs on the table in front of him, "So, was there another reason for this visit, or were you really worried about dear ole Mash?"

"Why do I get the feeling you're a bit lost?" said Fleur. "We've taken Prance, and now you find yourself out of a job. Or are you upset because you find you're a side character in your own story? You had grand ideas of freeing Prance, only to miss it while we did all the work."

Mash stared blankly for a few long seconds, then started chuckling, "I see there's no pulling the wool over your eyes. Yeah, I had sort of imagined I'd play a bigger part in it. Instead I find myself cleaning up bits of my bar, wondering just what the hell happened."

Fleur looked at Flip, who was taking shy glances at Summer. Fleur couldn't wait for a world where seeing pegasi roaming free in Mareitania was completely unremarkable in every single way. "What about you Flip? What are your thoughts on this?"

Flip jolted like a bee had stung her, "Oh! Uh! Sorry. I'm just happy to not be in prison any more. That place was awful, but I guess you'd know that considering where they took you..."

"I daresay High Rock was a little worse than the castle dungeons." Fleur stopped as she realised something. How did these ponies know she'd been captured when Seeker had never delivered the message. The answer she got when she asked didn't really surprise her though.

Mash spat on the floor, "That damn tinny told us you'd been taken to High Rock and ratted us all out. Didn't seem right though as you'd been taken prisoner a long time before we were taken in. No offence, but I doubt you held out on her that long."

"None taken. My friends rescued me within a week of getting there, and I never mentioned you to her because she never even asked, not that I would've anyway. Sometimes Pearl likes to tell lies purely to get under your skin."

"Pearl eh?" Mash spat again.

"You know her?"

"Yeah, I knew her, but only as the daughter of the tinny's head honcho back when I was in the army." He shrugged, "I guess apples really don't fall far from the tree if she's anywhere near as bad as he was rumoured to be."

"Glad I missed all that then."

"Where are Bric and Brac?" the filly asked suddenly.

"Haven't seen them for a long time, not since they sealed up the drainage tunnel. My guess is they're still out there somewhere."

The filly sighed with relief, "Good." She noticed Fleur was watching her curiously, "What? Aren't I allowed to at least know they're okay?" Fleur hugged the shorter pony to her side.

"On the other hoof," said Mash, "how are Sweetheart and Nightlight?"

"Both of them are fine," Octavia told him. "Sweetheart wants to help us out, and Nightlight shouldn't do too much until he can breathe normally again. I suppose I should ask how you two are?"

Both Mash and Flip traced a hoof around their necks, faint bruises just visible beneath their coats. "We're fine I suppose. I guess us being earth ponies really helped. I'm just glad we all made it. Now is there something you want because we really ought to get back to clearin' up?"

"Not really," said Fleur. "If there's nothing you want either I guess we'll leave you to it." After a brief spate of farewells the four ponies found themselves stood outside the bar. "That was weird."

"Quite," agreed Octavia.

"Oh well," said the filly, "two down, one to go. Hopefully this visit involves more cake."

"There it is," Fleur announced, "the greatest bakery in Mareitania, and it's still in one piece." She looked at the pock marks in the bricks and cobblestones along the street that were left behind by magical blasts. "Somehow," she added, taking note of a bloodstain not too far away.

Octavia breathed deeply, a smile developing as she enjoyed the smell of fresh baking. "I do admit I'm curious as to why he's open considering there was a battle going on here not too long ago."

"His shop wasn't damaged so I guess it's still business as usual. Come on, let's go in."

The bell on the door jingled playfully as Fleur pushed it open, and she paused for a moment as a flood of some of the better memories from her childhood filled her. It was funny that even though the shop had been destroyed and rebuilt since then it still seemed exactly the same. It even had the right smell.

She stood there enjoying the moment as Summer and the filly pressed their noses up against the glass display cases. The selection wasn't huge, which was fair considering what had been going on in Prance over the last few months, but what was there still smelled amazing.

Amongst what was there was a batch of cinnamon buns, so at least Trixie would be happy. It was the least she deserved after taking one for the team like she did.

"I'll be right there in a moment," a male voice called out from the kitchen, the voice easily recognisable to Fleur as Cookie Dough.

"No rush Cookie, we'll be looking for a while."

There was a pause from the kitchen, "I know that voice." He came out into the shop and grinned as he saw Fleur, "I knew it!" His grinned faltered a little as he laid eyes on the filly, "Still keeping bad company I see."

"Nice to see you too," the filly grinned.

Cookie looked at Octavia, then at Summer, his gaze lingering for a moment.

"You better not say anything about her being a pegasus Cookie," Fleur warned. "I like you too much to want to get mad at you for that."

"Not at all Fleur. A pegasus's marcs are just as good to me as anypony elses. Actually she isn't the first pegasus I've had in here today. I had two others earlier, a mare and a stallion, both wearing fancy looking armour."

Spitfire and Soarin," said Octavia.

The side of Fleur's mouth pulled up in half a smile, "Lemme guess, apple pie?"

"He did ask, yes," Cookie said, confirming Fleur's suspicions. "Sadly I haven't seen so much as an apple in... well it must be a couple of months by now. Strictly hoof to mouth for things like that."

"Damn. Soarin must've been crushed." Fleur giggled to herself for a moment, "Ahem. Anyway, how are things with you Cookie?"

"Things are a bit tight, but now that the rebellion is here things might hopefully start to improve. At the very least I might get some more ingredients to work with."

"You're welcome," the filly said cheekily.

"Huh? What are you saying that for?"

"Because we're with the rebellion. Duh." There was a clonk as Fleur facehoofed.

Cookie looked at Fleur, "Is that true?"

"Yes, yes it is, thank you filly. We're actually some of the ponies that started it."

"You and those two ponies?" Cookie asked, pointing at Octavia and Summer, who was still looking around the displays.

"Yep. This is Octavia and Summer," Fleur said, pointing to the respective ponies. Octavia waved at him as Summer looked up for a brief moment and smiled before resuming her decision making.

"Uh... hi." Cookie rubbed the bridge of his muzzle for a moment, "Didn't I say to keep out of trouble?"

"If you did you said it far too late as we were already neck deep in it." Fleur smiled at him, hoping he wouldn't fly off the handle about this, "If it helps, none of us here do any of the fighting."

"Explain that then," he retorted, pointing at the bandage on Fleur's leg.

"Oh? That's from a burn," Fleur half lied. "Gained through something totally unrelated to fighting. Trust me Cookie, we're nowhere near the fighting. Octavia and Summer are medics, and the filly and I are... usually at a loose end if I'm honest."

"Sometimes she does paperwork," the filly added helpfully.

Cookie stared at them with disbelief for a few long, uncomfortable seconds before he shook his head, "You better not be lying to me."

"We're not," Fleur assured him.

"Yeah, we'll see." Cookie pursed his lips for a moment, clearly having something on his mind, "Does this mean you know the leader of the rebellion? The winged unicorn? The harbinger of the Lady? And the Demon?"

"What? I didn't know you were a believer?"

"I'm not, but it's hard to ignore the stories of her going around."

"Well you should, because she's no harbinger of the Lady. Her name is Twilight, and she's an alicorn priness from Equestria. You met her once, briefly, outside your shop during the riots. I mean, I can understand if you don't remember, but she was the small purple pony with us."

"Who's the Demon?" Octavia asked before Cookie could say anything else.

"They say she's a unicorn that wields the blackest of magics, able to kill hundreds with a mere wave of her horn."

"Ah, you mean Trixie then."

Cookie's eyes bulged in his head, "You're on a first name basis with something like that?"

Octavia cocked her head slightly, "And you're not more surprised she's real?"

"I know she's real! I saw her myself! Absolutely terrifying to see that was."

"She was the other pony with us during the riots," Fleur said slowly. "As for what she is? That's open to debate at times, but she's more or less just a unicorn, and she's going through some things."

"Just a phase huh?"

"Hopefully. Now we did actually come here to buy some things if that's alright?"

Cookie brightened up considerably, "Well why didn't you say so! What can I get you?"

"For starters, the Demon would like a cinnamon bun."

"Excuse me?"

"How is it?" Octavia asked Summer as the pegasus nibbled experimentally on the edge of a chocolate chip cookie half the size of her head.

"It's... it's beautiful."

"Yeesh. It's just a cookie," the filly grumbled.

"Shush up filly," Fleur told her off. "It's not like she's ever tried anything like this before."

"Yeah, I know, but a cookie really isn't that exciting."

Fleur looked back to see Octavia patting Summer on the back after she tried to cram as much of the cookie in her mouth as she could. Summer still had a smile on her face even as she choked. It was odd to think that by other ponies standards this was probably the most normal day Summer had ever had.

"I think it's cute that she's like this."

"Hmmph."

"So, what did you swipe this time?"

"Nothing. I felt bad after last time so I didn't... what the hell." The filly glared accusingly up at Fleur, "I didn't steal anything! Not. One. Thing! You've- You've... ruined me! You've completely ruined me!"

"I doubt that. Go for a wander around the city sometime and steal to your hearts content for a while." Fleur looked back to see that Summer had recovered and was happily munching on her cookie again, so she picked up the box containing Twilight's and Trixie's treats. "For now though, we should head back to the castle before my magic craps out and launches this box into low orbit."

Twilight chewed thoughtfully on the rather plain cupcake Fleur had bought for her as she read the latest entry Sunset had sent her. It seemed even more magic had found its way to the human world from Equestria. The way things were going there'd be no magic left in Equestria. Or there wouldn't if magic wasn't an infinitely renewable source.

That was besides the issue that the Twilight there seemed to be even more powerful than Twilight herself had ever been while in that world. To say Twilight was a little jealous would be putting it mildly.

Twilight pouted and placed her cupcake back in its box, and only glanced briefly up at Trixie, but that was enough to see the unicorn watching her carefully.

"What the hell Trixie."

"You know you're really expressive when you're thinking."

"How long have you been watching me?"

"Only for a few minutes." Trixie pushed herself back so she was sitting up against the headboard. "Why doesn't it seem any darker than when I went to sleep?"

"Hmm? Oh, you've been asleep for almost twenty-four hours."

"What? Why didn't you tell me you were going to do that?"

"Because you would've refused if you'd known, and you needed to heal. That, and you really need to catch up on your sleep."

"Fine." Trixie blushed and pressed her hooves to her stomach as it rumbled loudly, "Heh, got any eats?" Trixie watched hungrily as Twilight lifted the cinnamon bun Fleur had brought out of the box and pressed it into Trixie's hooves. "Thanks." Trixie scarfed the bun down, idly watching as Twilight finished writing her reply to Sunset. Eventually her curiosity got the better of her and she asked just what the book was for.

"It's how I keep contact with my friends in another dimension."

"Uh..." Trixie leant back as she thought about that. "You know, I think you're literally the only pony that could say that and not make it sound totally ridiculous. Who are these friends?"

"Sunset Shimmer, who was Celestia's pupil before me."

"Really? She must be way older than you then."

"No, she's a teenager."

"So she's younger than you?"

"No, I'm a teenage girl there too. Both of me are."

Trixie blinked at Twilight with total incomprehension, "Both of you?"

"It's like a mirror of our world in that everypony has another version of them in this world, only human."

"Hu-man?" Trixie said weakly. This was flying well over her ability to understand.

"The dominant species of the world, like ponies in Equestria."

"Uh-huh. So that must mean there's a human copy of me in that world, right?"

"Oh yes, I've met her."

Trixie grinned as she brightened up, "Ooh! What's she like?"

"Kind of like you used to be, back when I first met you."

"Oh." Trixie frowned, "Great. Anything else about her? Is she good at magic?"

"There's no magic in that world. Or at least not usually. There's some things going on with my friends there."

"What? What the hell is this crazy world you've been to? None of this makes sense! A Trixie not good at magic? Unthinkable!"

"She can sing though. You remember that song you were coming up with and I said I'd heard it before? Tricks up your sleeve?"

"Yeah..?" Trixie answered, her voice heavy with suspicion.

"She came up with it first."

Trixie's eyes narrowed and sat there fuming silently to the point that Twilight was starting to get worried. She was about to say something when Trixie finally spoke up.

"I'm going to destroy her. I don't care if she's me, she'd dead."

"Uh-huh. Moving on, how are you feeling?"

"Fine I suppose." She felt around her face, finding her face was healed. Then her hoof travelled to her ear and found the ring was still there, and she smiled again. "I can't believe I finally have a piercing! Eee! So awesome! Take that auntie!"

"Yeah, you should be one hundred percent after the amount of time you spent under the healing device. That doesn't mean you shouldn't take it easy, so don't-" Twilight stopped as a gentle knock at the door interrupted her, "Come in."

Much to her surprise it was Snowbright. "Sorry to disturb you- Oh hey, you're looking better Trixie."

"Thanks, but I get the feeling you're not here for a social visit."

"Not quite. We've had a messenger arrive with a message-"

"As they are wont to do," Trixie sniggered.

"-from the Duke."

"What?" Twilight and Trixie exclaimed together.

"He wants to discuss peace."

Author's Notes:

This chapter seems a little bland, but I felt I should get people caught up with those few characters we have in Prance. Now I can get onto the important stuff.

This story is also now longer than Fallout Equestria. I know I was going for long but I'm surprising myself here.