“Focus, concentration, control.” I say as I lay on my back, relaxing.

“I swear; this is the way to Jedi.” Sea Swirl says as she stands still, her horn and hooves glowing.

“If my daughter can do it, you can do it.” I say with a laugh.

“Your daughter is the freakin’ princess of magic,” Sea Swirl says, then she eeps and sinks down to her belly in the water.

Giggling, I shake my head, “Yeah, but she wasn’t when Zecora trained her in the ways of the Jedi.”

“Very funny.” Sea Swirl says, lighting her horn and stepping up onto the water again.

“Hey at least I’m not riding on your back or having you float globes of water… Yet.” I say, looking upside down at her.

“What makes you think I can do any of this stuff?” Sea Swirl says with a huff, spreading her legs and holding her position on top of the water.

“Cuz you are Sea Swirl. Your love is the water. The ocean, primarily, but we can work with this fountain.” I say, smiling. “Trust me, you are much stronger than you think you are, you just need practice, and focus.”

“I still say this all sounds way too Jedi.” Sea Swirl huffs and walks off the fountain.

“I know but we’ve been human so long, we need something we can equate things to. If I talked about the flow of mana and the theory of foci, I’d have to spend months, or even years, just teaching the terms and way magic works.” I say and stand up, “I’m cheating here, using terms and concepts we sort of understand or at least recognize as humans.”

Sea Swirl stops in her tracks to look at me.

Holding up a book, I show her the magical scripts inside, “The spell formulae explains the ways to manipulate the energy fields in and around an object. It explains the procedures you need to think, how you need to manipulate the fields.”

Sea Swirl goes cross-eyed looking at the page. “Umm, please, stick with Jedi.”

“I know it may sound counterproductive, but doing it this way lets you learn quicker and easier. It’s due to the common frame of reference we have. I do teach the higher end stuff later on, but for starters, to get you building your reserves, this works a lot better. And since not every unicorn needs to, or even wants to, learn more than basic telekinesis and maybe one or two simple spells. I don’t need to overwhelm them.” I say then smile.

“In other words…” Sea Swirl smiles.

“In other words, I’m teaching like I would little foals. Sorry.” I realize what I just said, I flatten my ears as it dawns on me.

“Don’t be, I think it works great, I’m just being a grump cuz my blood sugar is low.”

“Pancakes?” I say looking at her, perking my ears forward a bit.

“Pancakes.” She says nodding.

***

“Ugh, I hate this.” Fleetfoot whines as she stretches out on the bed.

“Cravings again?” James asks and sits down, rubbing his fingers through her mane.

Looking up she nods, “First I feel sick, then I want something stupid.”

“What this time?”

“Peanut butter and banana sandwich with sardines.” She says, stretching out and relaxing a bit from his gentle ministrations.

“Um, not for me, salt, potassium and protein, huh?” James gets up and walks into the kitchen. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thanks, seriously how come Velvet doesn’t get cravings like this?” Fleetfoot moans and rolls onto her side with a huff.

“Actually she does, but hers tend more towards the vegetarian. Though she has wanted heavy salted bananas for example. Or peanut butter ice-cream with pickles.” Chuckling softly, James works in the kitchen thumping the knife against the chopping board.

“Yeah, yeah, and pegasi, eat fish and eggs and stuff.” Fleetfoot huffs.

“Actually all ponies can eat eggs, even Henry can still eat eggs. Which is good, because eggs are used in making things like pancakes, cupcakes and cakes. Same with milk. I always wonder just how content the cows are in Equestria.” James says, trying to keep a straight face and feign innocence.

Fleetfoot shoots her head up, looking at the kitchen, “Pervert!”

“What? Cows are sentient in the cartoon, talk, and even go into stores. They probably sell their milk. Which sort of leads to the next question, I wonder if any ponies sell their milk.” James walks back in and sets the sandwich down in front of her.

“Yuck, yuck, yuck! No! That’s just wrong.” Fleetfoot protests. She looks at the sandwich, she gulps a bit from the extra salivation.

“Peanut butter, banana and salted bacon. Didn’t have any sardines, but this should do the same for the cravings. While you may say yuck, think about the foods you eat, alfalfa, grass, dandelions. Who knows what’s normal in pony culture.” James says, leaning over and massaging her neck and sides.

The moans let James know he has the right spots on the mare. Leaning down, he gives her ear a gentle kiss as he works her muscles. She takes a few bites of the sandwich, which increases her pleasurable moaning.

“Thanks James. This is so wonderful, and you’re right, the sandwich is good.”

“Elvis special. No idea why, but Elvis liked them.” James says with a smile.

“I wonder what happened to him.” Fleetfoot says.

James blinks and looks down, “Elvis? He died.”

“Really? I thought he faked his death and moved to Equestria. He died just a month before the gate opening. Giving him just enough time to get there. And then there’s Sapphire Shores, all her outfits are Elvis style, and of course her manager is an old pony that goes by the name E. Om nom nom.” Fleetfoot gets to fully work on the sandwich.

“Oh come on, that’s not…” James huffs.

“Nope, but had you going for a moment.” Fleetfoot giggles.

James gets up and grumbles, heading towards the bathroom. “Mares.”

*** Sanders ***

Pegasus eyesight is amazing. Even at a thousand feet, she can pick out details and see things better than she ever could as a human. Pegasi seem to be able to process visual information much quicker than humans. She is finding she doesn’t even have to think about it much, her eyes automatically scan the ground as well as the air space around her. Though that might be her own flight training there.

Slowly rocking her wings, she flies over the houses. She had chosen to go southwest mostly to avoid the airports. She wants to keep out of airplanes’ ways, as well as keep at VFR altitudes. Here, she only has to worry about helicopters, and they are a lot easier to avoid.

Looking down she notices the golf courses. Lots of golf courses. Seems like Vegas loves its courses. She could see seven of them stretching over several miles. Just between Sun City and Spring Valley she turns more northwest.

There aren’t any big apartment buildings here, no skyscrapers. Just houses, houses, and more houses. As she leaves the city behind her, she turns north over the hills, she figures she’d loop back and follow the highway back to town.

Looking down at the estates, her eyes catch something out of the ordinary. Several of the estates have horse pens and stables. A few have riding tracks. Though not many horses are left outside at this time of day, in this kind of heat. So a small miniature horse tied up in the middle of a breaking circle or lunging circle just seems out of place to her eyes.

Winging over for a better look, Sanders sees the estate. It’s fairly large, with more grass than others, meaning the owner has more money to spend on water. It has a high security fence to prevent people from seeing inside, well people who can’t fly, that is. Security cameras watched inside and outside of the estate. There are three houses on the property as well as a large garage, swimming pool, and smaller storage buildings.

Looking around, Sanders decides she doesn’t want to be seen by this person. Likely a place like this it would be shoot first and claim home invasion. Landing just inside the fence, Sanders grabs a tarp and covers it with dust and dirt so it matches the ground before covering herself. Slowly, she moves up, noting where the cameras are. Slowly but surely she makes it up to the pen to see the other pony.

She’s a foal about the same size as Scootaloo, dull gray with yellow blond mane and tail much like Derpy’s. Her wings are bound tight to her side with leather straps, but she can’t really fly away anyway. She is muzzled with a halter that is secured to the post with a chain and locked at both ends. A second chain is wrapped around her neck and locked as well, so she has really zero chance of escape.

Her chain is only about nine feet long, and the bucket for drinking water was carefully placed about twelve feet away from the post. Meaning the little thing could see the water, but not reach it. There is no grass in the breaking circle, nothing to eat. And with water just out of reach under the hot Nevada sun, the little one doesn’t have many options.

The little pegasus stands with her head low, singing softly as she cries. Her tears falling to form muddy spots on the ground below her muzzle. Trembling softly, she lets the words drift, filled with anguish. “Come on everypony smile, smile, smile.”

Looking around, Sanders keeps her distance from the pen, but speaks loud enough to be heard, “Fill my heart up with sunshine, sunshine.”

The foal flinches and looks up towards her, “What are you doing here? You shouldn’t be here.”

“Wow, that’s exactly what I was just going to say to you.” Sanders says softly, mindful of where they are, “Now let’s see if we can get you out of there.”

“Unless you can pick locks, I’m screwed. Just leave me and save yourself. I have no where else to go anyway.” The pegasus says and looks down again, crying.

“Just stay here, and stay quiet.” Sanders says. She turns and slowly sneaks back towards one of the smaller supply sheds.

Watching the cameras, Sanders times her movements again. Slowly but surely, she makes her way back to the fence. She could fly from building to building, security cameras don’t usually look up. But a pegasus flitting from building to building might attract attention.

Poking her head into the stables, she sees several foals and adults. There are horse blankets, as well as rain blankets for the foals and adults. It would help, but it’s not what she needs. The next building is a small garage. Car parts, some cutting torches, partly covered by a tarp is a Shelby Cobra.

Raising an eyebrow, Sanders shakes her head. This guy has money, big money.

Moving out quietly she finds the farm supply shed, this is what she is looking for. Tools like hammers, hedge trimmers, fence repair equipment and bolt cutters. The bolt cutters she could use, far easier with her wings and hooves to manipulate than a cutting torch or grinding disk.

It took her a few tries, but she manages to tuck the cutters under her wings and against her body. Slipping back out she sees a pair of men walking in the back. Things are going to easily for her. Of course they are, it’s a curse after all.

Slipping along the fence line she ducks back into the stables. Once inside she smiles, “Distraction time.”

Pulling off the tarp she’s wearing, Sanders walks over and picks up one of the rain blankets for the foals. Pulling it over her back she giggles, it’s a little long on her, meant for a taller foal. It doesn’t matter though, it will work for what she needs. Tucking the bolt cutters under her wing once again, she goes over and starts opening the stall and pen doors.

With a few quick pushes, she has the foals bounding out into the field, followed behind by the adults. The parents trying to keep the foals from running away. Walking out herself, she stays close to one of the older horses. The distraction works well as the guys shout and start running to close doors to keep the horses contained.

Keeping a horse mare between her and the guards she moves up to the lunging circle. “Okay, we are going to have to work fast.”

“Why are you doing this?” The foal says, “I’m not worth it.”

“Oh hush, every foal is worth it.” Sanders says, “Now we need to work together.”

Slipping between the bars that make up the lunging circle, she moves up to the chain. Dropping the bolt cutters with her wing, she quickly moves them between her forelegs. With the bulk of the cutters hidden by her rain cloak and legs, she’s able to work without drawing major attention.

“Act natural.” Sanders says as she positions the bolt cutters.

“How am I supposed to do that?” The foal whimpers.

“I don’t know, stand casual.” Sanders says, then she giggles, “Or should that be fly casual.”

The foal can’t help but smile at that, she does her best to stand still and ignore the goings on around her. Looking around or moving around would make it harder to cut the chains, let alone risk attracting the guards.

“Give me some slack on the chain.” Sanders says and uses her body weight to press down on the cutters. It takes almost all her weight, but after a few lunges she is rewarded by a snip.

“Hey! The pen!” One of the men calls.

Looking over, both men start running for the lunging circle.

It isn’t pretty but Sanders has the chains cut. Spreading her wings wide she leaps and grabs the foal. Wrapping both her forelegs around the little one. It isn’t the safest way to fly but she jumps into the air, the rain cloak tumbling behind her revealing her cutie mark glowing brightly as she soars into the air. She holds the foal tight against her chest and belly as she flees the compound.

“Its okay little one, I won’t drop you.” Sanders said as she makes it away from the estate, “And thank you for flying Pony Air.”

***

“Back up.” Strepe smiled, checking the screen.

“Will it be able to focus properly?” Nightshade asks, confused.

“Oh come on, it’s from a drone, it shouldn’t have a problem.” Strepe says, laughing, “You’ll have to back up a lot more than that.”

“How much cable do you have?” Nightshade muses.

“Oh, sixty meters or so, but I think maybe about forty-five meters should do it.” Looking at the screen he chuckles, “A little more and… stop.”

The other zebra plants and braces the camera pod. It takes a few moments for the camera to align everything, but in only those few moments it is perfect.

“Got it.” Strepe says as he makes a mark on the ground, then he sets up the speakers, microphone and laptop a good forty-five meters from the camera.

“Are you sure this is going to work?” Kara asks, tilting her head to one side.

“Oh most definitely. If we tried to use the camera on the laptop, all they would see at best would be your eye… if that. Or maybe a claw. Depending on where it’s pointing. By putting the camera this far back, we can get a clean picture of all of you.” Strepe says, looking up at the dragon.

“Well start this up.” Kara says, looking down at the zebra colt.

Picking up a stick with his mouth the little zebra started typing on the keyboard. It took a bit but eventually Skype kicks in. The laptop is pre-programed for with the correct channels, so there isn’t any searching or questions to deal with.

Looking at the satellite dish Kara taps a claw, “What if they don’t like me?”

“Almost done, and don’t be silly. They sent this equipment just to make these calls. We just had to make a few… changes.” Strepe says and smiles as the screen flickers. A few moments later there’s a musical chime from the computer as it tries to connect.

“Hello, I am translator 3514, Susanne Vladimirovna Ivanova.” The translator voice comes across clear and crisp. A moment later she repeats the phrase in Russian.

The screen flickers and Kira blinks, then giggles, seeing a dragon wyrmling on the screen. Giggling is a strange sound to hear from such a huge creature.

“I am Kara, of the Smokey Mountains, Death Bringer and Flame of the Scorched Earth.” Kara starts, then she blinks all of a sudden. Feeling self conscious of her dragon titles.

Chuckling softly, the cub puffs up his chest in response, “Spike of Ponyville, Dragon Lord, Savior of the Crystal Empire.”

“Well at lest your titles don’t make you sound like the spawn of Hades.” Kara says, smiling.

“Where you really a Death Bringer?” Spike asks, tilting his head.

“Sort of, and no its not like in Twilight. I got banished for protecting ponies from Discord.” Kara sad laying her head down. “And here I am, protecting ponies again.”

“Twilight…” Spike said looking down.

“Pardon?” Kara’s voice is gentle even given her size, tilting her head she watches the cub.

“Oh I saw her, I visited the US before the gate opened. She… Didn’t need me anymore. She didn’t even really talk to me. The only one who had any words was Pinkie. And hers was, wow, your bigger then I thought.” Sighing Spike picks up and hugs a pillow. “Then she went off to fight for Equestria and didn’t even want to tell me she was going.”

“Ouch. Well if you ever need a friend. I’m here. Us firebreathing tank eaters gotta stick together.”

“Tank eaters?” Spike chuckles at the thought.

“Yeah, those T-72’s and T-90’s taste great. Not like the M1’s. I swear the US put to many additives in their tanks, to may artificial flavors and colors. Silicon carbide, seriously? Blech, all filler and no nutrition.” Kara says, smiling trying to cheer the cub up.

“Ok why am I having visions of you holding a tank gun barrel and eating a turret like a lollypop?” Spike asks. “That’s just wrong in so many ways.”

“So have you talked to many others?” Kara asks, “I don’t know if other dragons were cursed… though I really wish Reginald was. That guy was a jerk.”

“Yes and no, there are communities popping up around the world right now, one in England, one or two in the USA to act as an internment camp to hold them till the next gate opening. There’s a gated community near where we are, we seem to have gotten mostly Griffins. Though there are still a few ponies here.”

“Griffins?” Kara blinked, “Thestrals and zebras’ here.”

“And four ponies!” Strepe calls out.

“Yep, and four ponies.” Kara says with a laugh. “Earth ponies can farm like nothing else.”

Looking side to side, Spike leans forward and speaks softly, “Unicorn magic comes out the front, earth pony magic comes out the rear.”

“Oh Spike… that’s just…” Kara starts laughing, “So any news on the princesses?”

Sighing Spike shakes his head looking down, “Tia went home with Twilight, Luna’s still around here I think, though I haven’t heard from her. I brought Cadence back home with me, she’s had things really rough. She’s getting counseling right now. I stop by and see her every other day.”

“Yeah, around here the ponies have accepted me. Taken me in. Rebels occasionally make runs against us but the governments seem to have given up other than the occasional drone.” Kara says, looking up.

“Well if you need anything else we can probably get it sent down to you.” Spike says, smiling, “So how do you deal with the drones?”

Narrowing her eyes a little Kara smiles, “Usually? I just give them the claw.” Looking up she made a rather rude gesture towards the circling drone with her claw.

“Well, I have work to do, call me again in a few days.’ Spike said, “If you want.”

“I will, Spike. I will.” Kara sighs happily. For the first time things seem to be going her way.

***

The Deputy Director paces back and forth, looking at the pictures on the big screen TV.

“It’s an IFast VSat system.” The analyst said, “Probably bouncing off NSS-12.”

“Can we hack it?” The Deputy Director asks.

“I can check with the NSA. See if we can break in and observe. At the minimum we can at least track who they are talking with.” The analyst says.

“The Russian government is supplying them with satellite communication systems and computers, I think its obvious who they are talking to.” The Deputy Director says firmly, “We just need to find out about what.”

Chuckling softly the analyst looks at the screen. “Looks like she’s trying to improve public relations it seems.”

Narrowing his eyes, the director snarls. “Did she just give me….”

***

“My dad… My father… He reported me as missing to the police. I went to him for help when I started changing and… He used me to pay off his gambling debts. He sold me to the casino owner.” The little pegasus says, whimpering.

“You’re safe now. I have lots of friends that can help you out.” Sanders says, “Not to mention the fact that this is a United States Air Force base.”

Putting her wing over the foal, Sanders giggles, “I have to get into the hospital, before the nurse kills me for being out so long.”

“Hospital?”

“Yep, I was in a plane crash, I’m still recovering. We can get you some food and drink at the hospital.” Sanders says, smiling, “If you trust a blank flank like me.”

“But… you’re not a blank flank.” The little pegasus says, tilting her head.

Blinking she looks back at her hip. Squealing she started running in circles trying to get a better look and the three ball masks, with handles. Blue, pink, and blue stacked above each other.

“Oh sweet Celestia!” Sanders says and picks the foal up, tossing her on her back as she charges inside. “I’m USDA APPROVED!”

Running right past the nurse she runs into her room, jumping up on the cloud and laying down. Quickly she grabs the phone and picks up a pencil to dial. Holding the phone between her forelegs.

“There’s a cloud… in your room.” The pegasus says.

“Uh huh.” Sanders says, and puts her wing over the foal protectively.

“There’s a cloud… in your room, and we’re laying on it.” The foal says flatly.

“Uh Huh. Mindy, Mindy! It came! It came! Wow does that ever sound bad.” Sanders says.

“What came? Who is this?” Mindy asks, sounding confused.

“Its Sanders, my butt stamp, it appeared! After I rescued a foal.” Sanders says, and nuzzles the foal.

“Wait what? Rescued a foal? And what’s your mark?” Mindy says as she looks at Dust half in shock.

“Hang on a sec, I need to take a selfie…. Of my BUTT!” Sanders sighs, “My cellphones probably dead, they aren’t really made to survive a plane crash and burning. Darn it.”

“Wait are you saying you got a cutie mark?” Mindy says and grabs Dust.

Giggling Sanders smiled, “My flank… is no longer blank.”

“I’ll be right there.” Mindy says dragging Dust.

“Better hurry, I don’t have that…” Sanders blinks as Mindy and Dust appears in the room.

“Oh is that the little one you rescued?” Mindy says, perking.

“Ok you are quick, yep this is her… You know, in all the excitement I never got your name.” Sanders says hugging the little one with a wing. “Mindy can you help get the halter, chains, and stuff off, I can’t do it with my hooves.”

Blinking, Mindy eeps and lights her horn, removing the restraints. “Who would do… never mind.”

“Thank you, I’m Sasha Winsor.” She says, looking down at the unicorn from her perch on the cloud with Sanders.

“Lets check the files.” Mindy says giggling and she quickly pulls out her large scale phone, commonly called a phablet.

Dust sits down, twitching a wing and watching Sanders with the foal. Something is dancing in the back of her mind but she can’t catch it. It keeps eluding her. And it is most certainly bothering her.

“The fans named her Chirpy.” Mindy says, looking up from her phablet.

“Chirpy?” Both the foal and Sanders said at the same time looking at each other.

“Yep, and in general they seem to have had a great track record. Though how many of the fans were actually ponies and subconsciously remembering… that’s something else.” Mindy said then looked at Dust. “Ok dear, spill it. You look like a long tailed cat in a room full ah rockin’ chairs.”

“I’m trying to remember something. It keeps coming to mind and I can’t put my hoof on it. Its something Dash and I talked about, I think.” Dust thumps her head with a forehoof, “Damnit… and I know its important too. Damn it, damn it, damn it.”

“Dust, calm down, relax, it will come sooner or later. Don’t force it. At worst, you can ask Moon for help.” Mindy smiles and strokes Dust’s mane with a forehoof.

With her wings free, Chirpy stretches out and takes out a pink scarf that had been hidden under her wing. Looking at it she looks at Sanders she holds the ribbon to her, “Here.”

“What’s this?”

“A scarf I had, I don’t know why I kept it. But I want you to have it. For saving me.” Chirpy smiles

Blinking Sanders looks at it and winks, “Sure little one. Mindy, could you put this on me as a tail bow?”

“A tail bow? Seriously?” Mindy blinks.

Nodding Sanders smiles, “Sure why not?”

Laughing softly Mindy puts on the ribbon, tying it in a large bow. “How’s that?”

Turning slowly Sanders looks over her shoulder and wiggles her tail. “Oh perfect.” Looking down at Chirpy, Sanders smiles and hugs her tightly, “I’ll keep it forever.”

“So what’s going to happen to me?” Chirpy asks.

Sanders let out a sigh, “Well I’m going to be in the hospital a few days, even after I turn back, I figure I’m still going to have down time to make sure I’m okay.”

“Well for now Chirpy, you can come with us.” Mindy said. “We can arrange something for you and find you some pony parents to help out.”

“Oh well, by the time I wake up tomorrow this will all be gone.” Sanders says. “Thank you, though.” She looks down, then back up at Dust and Mindy, “This was the greatest gift ever.”

Chirpy blinks, “Gone?”

“Yep, I’m actually a human, Mindy turned me into kind of a pony for three days to heal.” Looking down, Sanders keeps her wing over Chirpy and gently licked her ear before nuzzling her.

Chirpy blinks and snuggles in tighter, “Aww. I think you make a great pegasus.”

“Yep but some things aren’t meant to be. Trust me, if it were up to me, I’d stay a featherbrain.” Spreading her other wing wide she giggles, “Trust me having wings is so natural.”

“So what am I going to do?” Chirpy asks sadly.

“Mindy here is a good pony. She’ll help you lots. And Dust here is the best teacher around, she’ll have you flying like a Wonderbolt in no time. Who do you think taught me?” Sanders says and rubs her cheek softly against Chirpy’s head.

Dust lowers her head blushing a little, then she whimpers in pain.

“You ok Dust?” Mindy asks, worried.

Nodding slowly Dust looked at her, “Yes. My wings just hurt. They want to move but hurt too much to do so.”

Closing his eyes Sanders feels her cheeks get wet. Looking down at Chirpy, her voice cracks as she speaks sadly, “It’s going to be hard going back to being a normal human after this.”

“I’ll miss you.” Chirpy says and gives one final hug before hopping down with Mindy.

Looking at Dust, Mindy sighs, “We need to get you back home to rest.”

With one final look at Sanders, Dust nods, “It’s for the best.”

***

Blaze falls on his back, laughing. “Oh Celestia…that’s too cute.”

Looking up I blink, the three foals sleeping against my belly twitch a little. “Hey, its not my fault, but they did manage to lift a leaf.”

“And now they are too wasted to even make it to their bedroom.” Blaze says and lies down behind me, putting his neck over my back.

“I’ll move them later. Just feels like mommy time right now.” I say looking back over my shoulder to kiss Blaze once.

“Yep, hey did you hear about the pilot? Sanders?”

“Mindy and Co turning him into a pony?” I say as I give Feather a soft nuzzle.

“Nope, the little mare got her cutie mark. Three masks.” Blaze says and licks behind my ear.

“Ouch, that’s going to be hard. Look at what it did to our team. Can be a real stressor when he returns to human. Even his diet gets affected by that.” I say shaking my head.

Looking up at the TV, Blaze nods, “Yep, look at Eric, poor guy can’t eat beef anymore. And his family just loved fresh cow.”

“Or Henry, he can’t even eat fish.” I say, “Lucky unicorns can stomach eggs, milk and cheese, gives us some variety in cooking.”

Tilting my slowly head, I find myself lighting my horn to bring the smartphone over. “Three masks huh? What kind?”

Blaze leans over, looking down, “What do you mean what kind?”

“I’m just curious if cutie marks are standardized or not. For example, several of the rangers marks are actually typical but older marks. While Sweetie Bell’s human sisters mark, Amanda I think she was? Seemed unique, it wasn’t, it’s been seen on several healers in Equestria’s past.”

“Let me guess.” Blaze said.

“Yep, she had the same cutie mark as Radiant Hope. Though hers was for business, Radiant was healing. Kinda funny there. That staff is used in Equestria with two for healing, and was one for healing for the longest time on Earth then for some reason turned to two.” Looking down, “OK theater masks, hockey mask, dance masks.”

Blazes eyes watches as I flip through the pages. “Nope, nope, nope, pony hockey mask, now I’m having a flash of a pony with a machete.”

“Least its not, a Nightmare Moon on Elm Street.” I say, trying to feign innocence.

“Ok that one.” Blaze says, pointing, “no, back up one.”

Looking down I giggle, “Aww that’s cute. Says its seen in early illustrations of Morning Glory, a Breezie, and her companion, Wizzer, a Twinkle eyed Pegasus. Uncommon later on in Equestria.”

“That’s the mark. So it’s a true mark after all, neat.” Blaze chuckles, “I’ll talk to Dust about this later. She needs time to rest and recover.”

Looking down at the foals I giggle, “So do these three, between practicing for the talent show, and me training them, they are so dead to the world.”

Standing up carefully l light my horn, gently cradling all three foals in the air. Heading down the hall I open the door to their room, tucking each one in for the night. “Sleep well my little ponies.”

Author's Notes:

art as always by Alkarasu