Fluttershy’s eyes opened as she picked herself up from the floor. She was glad that she could help out Rarity. ‘I will tell the others in the morning.’ she thought to herself as she headed towards her bed. Her hooves paused before she looked towards the castle. She had never told anyone what had happened during her tests. It would worry them she had told herself. ‘Maybe it’s time I told them the truth.’ she mused before turning and heading off towards the castle quietly. Her wings gliding quietly across the night air her mind thinking back to all the times she snuck out of Northshire Abbey with Degmur.

“Hey.” the imp started from his spot under her bed and Fluttershy peered under carefully. “I want to show you my thanks. You know for taking me in and healing me.”

“It was no problem…” Fluttershy started but Degmur continued interrupting her. “You’re risking your neck here. I want to get you out of this place, show you the world.”

“I… that would be nice. I haven’t really left since my last visit to Stormwind.” admitted Fluttershy as she thought about it. The imp wormed his way out from under the bed and held out his hand saying. “We’ll start with just a small place in Kalmidor. It’s called the Southern Barrens, right by Durotar but it should be safe enough….”

Degmur continued talking but the name of the place caught Fluttershy’s attention. Durotar, her mind thought back to Durotan. Taking a deep breath she said. “I want to go to Durotar.”

“That’s where the Orcs have their main base!” Degmur stared at her with wide gold eyes. “You’ll be killed!”

“Not if I stay hidden, I just… I want to see what the Orcs have built for themselves. I want to know the story of this world. If Durotan sacrificed himself for his people like he did in the one I visited.” Fluttershy explained staring at him and Degmur thought about it before nodding his head saying. “I’m getting you out of there the moment something goes wrong.”

Fluttershy nodded her head and soon she was surrounded by green flames. Her only hope was that the Orcs were far past hurting children.

‘It didn’t turn out like we expected.’ thought Fluttershy a smile gracing her face as she set herself down in front of the castle. She opened the door quietly and walked in hoping she wasn’t going to wake anyone. Shutting the door behind her Fluttershy continued her walk down the hallway her mind continuing the memory.

When Fluttershy opened her eyes red grass greeted her, looking to her side she saw that Degmur was gone. ‘He is near though… I hope.’ Fluttershy told herself before moving around. A white flower caught her attention. Moving towards it she began to pick them, she was going to bring them back to send to Anduin. What she did not notice was an Orc running down the road with a Troll next to him. His eyes caught sight of her and he prepared his weapon, the Troll ran on ahead to warn the city. Fluttershy moved onto the next batch of flowers unknown to the danger until Degmur’s voice shouted. “Look out!”

Fluttershy’s head turned and her eyes glowed a barrier shielding her just as the arrow reached her. Her chest heaved as the Orc walked towards her and her shoulders began to tremble. A frown was on his face as he observed her. The ground began to rumble and Fluttershy swallowed seeing Orcs charging. Sinking to the ground Fluttershy closed her eyes the barrier dissipating. She heard them stop and start talking. The Orc staring at her replied before picking her up by the scruff of her shirt showing her to them. The fabric rubbed against her shoulders and she began to squirm. A poke in between her shoulders caused her to scream and to try to curl into a ball. A female voice spoke and she was handed to someone. Her shirt was pulled back slight and the voice spoke again strained to keep calm. An argument broke out before Fluttershy felt her shirt get pulled up revealing her back to the Orcs. The Troll spoke again letting the shirt drop. Turning her head to the side Fluttershy opened her eyes to see one of the Orcs riding off somewhere. She was adjusted to a point where she was able to sit on the woman’s arm. Curious Fluttershy looked at her and saw blue skin and what looked like tusks coming from her lower mouth. The other Orcs were watching her carefully and Fluttershy felt her heart sink. No longer did the tan skin of the Orcs represent them, instead it was the green of the Fel that had consumed most of the Orcs. They were keeping an eye on her and talking amongst themselves. They silenced when the Orc returned with another at his side. ‘He’s different… why are his eyes familiar?’ Fluttershy thought looking at him before feeling herself get set down. She was staring up at the Orcs who moved back as what seemed to be their leader step forward. He spoke something to the two who found her in Orcish. His blue eyes gazed down at her as they spoke back and Fluttershy clenched the flowers in her hand. Her hands shook as she looked him in the eyes and held out the flowers to him.

Fluttershy felt herself get jerked out of her memories as she hit something solid. Falling backwards she looked up to see one of the Spartans standing there.

“I’m sorry.” Fluttershy apologized as she studied the armor. “Jorge… right?”

“Yes ma’am.” Jorge replied with a nod of his head. “You’re here rather late.”

“Oh… I was seeing if Twilight was here.” Fluttershy admitted looking up the stairs. “Though I was also going to pay a visit to the Council room. Are you sleeping well?”

“Yes.” Fluttershy couldn’t tell if Jorge was confused or not from the response. She sat there in silence for a bit before continuing on her way before sighing and turning around saying. “Maybe you would like to join me tomorrow for a training session?”

“You train?” Jorge didn’t sound confused but the question was now out there. Fluttershy nodded her head saying. “Yes, not around others but I do.”

Jorge pondered that for a moment, he had seen Rainbow Dash train. She normally used a lot of flight and fought against any pony who volunteered. All the Spartans noticed her interest in them, Rainbow Dash would often talk to them or watch them train. They were thankful that she did send them out to patrol.

“Why does Rainbow Dash know so much about soldiers?” Jorge asked and Fluttershy thought about it before saying. “It is because of the Clone Wars… we have been tested harshly. Sent to different worlds, Rainbow Dash was sent after me when I was launched into the far past. However she was sent five years after me and landed near the beginning of the war and got attached to the Clone Troopers. She learned much about war and how to survive, and how the Clones were raised for it.”

“Did she come back on her own free will?” Jorge suspected that years in a place like that any normal human would have died just to get back home. Fluttershy shook her head as she explained. “I don’t think Rainbow had ever expected to go back to Equestria. When I saw her again she had tried to bring a Clone back. His nickname was Echo, I found out that she and him were together. This was millions of years ago, perhaps billions. Echo would not have survived to see her again while she was placed back into the safety and comfort of Equestrian society.”

Jorge nodded his head, from what he had gathered from the many conversations he overheard. It seemed like the group of friends were the heroes of Equestria. If the Princesses were captured they were the next in line to defend. ‘Those tests seem to be making sure that they will be protectors of both the people and their ideals.’ Jorge thought as Fluttershy began to walk and he followed after her. She glanced up at him but other than that continued on in silence.

“Rainbow Dash is the fastest flier in all of Equestria.” she told him and he looked down at her. “Who is the fastest among the Spartans?”

“Kelly.” answered Jorge keeping his pace slowed so she wouldn’t have to move quickly. “Why do you ask?”

“Rainbow was wondering who she could try and race.” Fluttershy explained with a smile on her face. “She normally competes with Applejack but against her flight speed and her land speed I think she needs someone to put her through her paces.”

Jorge knew there was more to it than that but Fluttershy had fallen silent once again. He began to think of the others, the only one he had seen around the castle was Twilight. Her training was normally in magic though it seemed she was trying to get used to her wings as well. With her job as Princess of Friendship and getting bored whenever someone else was summoned by the mysterious map she spent most of her time in the library. Though she was prone to panic attacks when she thought of herself as a failure. ‘Succeeding seems to be very important to her.’ Jorge mused as they ended up in front of Twilight’s door. Fluttershy rapped her hoof against the surface twice before opening it up quietly. Sighing a bit she closed the door whispering. “She’s exhausted, I’ll let her rest. I guess the Council room can wait until tomorrow as well.”

“I would like to see you train.” Jorge told her and Fluttershy nodded her head saying. “Well then, tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow.” Jorge replied and Fluttershy headed back towards the entrance. She was the more mysterious out of the ponies he had seen thus far. Like her friends she had been on many journeys and most likely survived through the trials. It didn’t seem to get to her, Jorge wondered how she had managed that. Fluttershy always put her friends first before worrying about herself. Moving away Jorge went to Halsey’s room to report on what he had just found out.

Rainbow Dash rolled over in her bed her eyes open and staring at the wall made of clouds. She was excited that she was going to be married but saddened with the knowledge that those she wanted to invite was no longer alive. It wasn’t just the Clones and her Jedi friends, it was the Dwarves and Cassandra. She knew she didn’t stay long enough in Middle Earth compared to her time in the Republic, yet she had made a connection with most of the Dwarves.

Swords clanged against one another as Cassandra’s voice barked. “Use your shield! Focusing on just attacking will get you killed.”

Rainbow assumed that was a slight towards the dwarves, she knew that they were watching. Cassandra directed her movements and having her repeated them until they were natural.

“She’s going to just use them. What she’s got to do is learn to know when.” a tough looking dwarf spoke up taking Cassandra’s attention away from Rainbow Dash’s teaching. “Anduin’s just learning how to swing a sword at this point.”

Rainbow Dash turned her attention to him as well. If she remembered correctly his name was Dwalin. Despite his short stature he seemed large: His shoulders were broad and even though he had long sleeves he was quite muscular. The top of his head had no hair, instead tattoos decorated it. The rest of his hair was merged with his beard so Rainbow joke that it was just one long beard that wrapped around. Normally, like most of the Dwarves, he left their group alone, yet when Cassandra began her training he always had an opinion on something. Cassandra walked over to him her hazel eyes narrowed and lips tightened.

“I thought you were content on pretending we are not here, Dwalin.” Cassandra commented her voice not hiding any dislike towards him. Dwalin rolled his shoulders as he stood up lifting his head to match her gaze.

“I would rather not have to pick up her slack, Pentaghast.” replied Dwalin, there was a strained and tense silence. Rainbow chose not to speak up, she knew he was just riling her up.

“You wish to prove your point?” Cassandra asked her voice seemingly calm, Dwalin smirked as grip already around his weapon. She didn’t have to continue as she drew her sword before she grabbed her shield Dwalin attacked. His war hammer met her sword and the clang caught the attention of all the Dwarves. Even Inkwell and Bilbo looked up from the journal Inkwell had.

“Well this is going to be interesting.” Bofur spoke moving up next to Rainbow Dash. “Though you might want to move your feet. If we get into any trouble you’re going to have to keep moving or else they will take advantage of your still form.”

“Thanks Bofur.” Rainbow told him as her teacher and Dwalin started going faster. She just hoped that the clanging of steel didn’t attract any enemies.

Rainbow sighed before moving under her bed and pulling out a chest. Opening it up she pulled out a few scrolls, opening she smiled at the drawings upon them. She remembered Ori and Bofur were the only ones who talked to them frequently. Ori even taught her how to draw and helped her improve on her writing.

“Like this Ori?” Rainbow asked showing her drawing to the Dwarf next to her. Glancing at the paper he nodded his head before saying. “You’ve got the basics down, let’s work on adding some definition next. Watch closely.”

The charcoal in Ori’s hand swept across his own paper adding in the detail of his own drawing. Rainbow watched his eyes flicker back and forth between the drawing and the subject. She began to focus on her own drawing, of Dwalin’s head.

Rainbow Dash squeezes her eyes shut before rolling over trying everything to get back to sleep. Finally she got out of bed and peered underneath it her hoof reaching out and grabbing something wrapped in heavy furs.

“Sorry.” She mumbled before unwrapping it revealing a well crafted shield and sword. “They had to reforge both the blade and shield. I broke it in the battle after you died.”

Rainbow leaned against the walls to the entrance of Erebor. Bilbo had already left with Inkwell so he could finally visit the Shire. Rainbow had nowhere to go, looking down at the shattered remains of her sword and shield her mind began to drift back.

“We can get someone to make you a new blade.” The soft and gentle voice of Balin spoke from behind her. “If you want that is.”

Rainbow grabbed the hilt and gently took the blade handing it to Balin. The moment his hand touched and Rainbow’s hand dropped a bright light began to shine. He stumbled back dropping the blade and it vanished before it hit the ground. It appeared in Rainbow’s hand as she returned staring at the landscape.

“It was smart of you to hide your name at first.” Balin said moving next to her and holding up a pouch. “Yet to keep it this entire time….”

“I didn’t want to tell you guys. This is the only place where I was treated like normal, not as something to be studied or regarded as a show off.” replied Rainbow dropping the pieces of the sword into the bag. “Do you always carry that with you?”

“I was going to offer anyways, carrying back those pieces with a broken shield would have been hard.” laughed Balin as he thought of what she had said. “Well it is nice knowing your name Ms. Dash.”

“Just Rainbow will do nicely. Thanks though, for everything.” Rainbow smiled as she finished. “Can you make me a replica of them? I would really like to get back to travelling and it would be dangerous to go without one.”

“It would be easier.” Balin mused before nodding. “I will see what we can do.”

Rainbow smiled wryly before glancing against the sword laid against the clouds. The Dwarves had did a fine job making a replica. A lot of her friends had no idea what had happened. ‘I am wondering how it got into my house. I was gone before it was finished.’ she thought before setting the blade and shield on her bed. Letting out a sigh she reached out with her hoof she felt it touch the hit. The sword glowed before shooting out of the sheath presenting itself towards her. It was a lot longer than she remembered, the Dwarven craft she recognized. She had seen it many times, mostly when the other Dwarves were boasting about the crafter of her weapon was a novice and would show what true craftsmanship was like. Balin was the one who always pointed out that her sword was unlike anything he had ever seen. Rainbow frowned when she was another type of craftsmanship on her blade. Elegant, smooth, and very light. ‘Elves?’ she thought very confused, before remembering that the Elves of Rivendell were quite hospitable to them. ‘Despite Thorin being a stubborn jerk.’

Looking down at the shield Rainbow saw similar work done as well. Touching it lightly the shield lifted into the air and a letter slid out. Curious Rainbow picked it up and headed over to her desk opening the latter on the way. Pulling it out she began to read it setting it gently down.

“This letter is the last recorded words of Balin the Wise to his friend Anduin Lothar as recorded by Ori.

Anduin,

By the time you read this then you have returned to your lands and I have passed on. The sword took longer to even fix, but it is still incomplete. All the Dwarves of the company tried, all have grasped the hilt, yet there is something missing. My only hope that it will be finished when it is returned. The blade is unlike we have ever worked with. The metals, the soul, the power… this is unique to your world. Forged with both the soul of another and items of your own trials. It is not just the soul of Lady Pentaghast but a unique soul, something that allows it to grow and evolve. That is all I can glean from when I grasped the hilt many times. Stay true to yourself and choose your loyalties wisely .

Balin

Rainbow sighed before moving onto the next page, she hoped that Balin lived a long life. The next she could tell it was a personal letter from Ori.

Rainbow Dash,

Kind of odd writing it, Balin has passed and we are trapped. He wanted me to tell you what he truly had learned about the blade and shield. It is forged of threads of loyalty, I’m not sure how one would forge the threads of loyalty. Remembering the day on the battlefield and the strange power you showed perhaps that is what he was talking about. If this is the last words you know I have written please be safe.

Ori

Postscript: The Sons of Honour is being song by bards. I’m glad we worked on it together.”

Rainbow sat down before looking at the sword that was floating next to her. The shield was still hovering over the bed. Reaching out with her hoof she tapped the flat side of the blade saying. “You have a mind of your own, huh? If Balin and Ori died before you were finished, why are you here know?”

It let out a humming noise, like the vibrations had been amplified. A clear gem in the at the base of the hilt, hidden by the metal to give it the appearance of lightning, glowed brightly casting illusions from around them.

“What are you looking at Lass?” Rainbow was confused on why it looked like a darkened hall and the owner of the voice was nowhere to be seen.

“This. It doesn’t look that old.” the new voice caused Rainbow to startle, it was Twilight’s voice. “The furs are almost in pristine condition, despite being in the halls for a long time. Neither time nor the stale air has eroded them.”

Rainbow watched as figures appeared and a elven woman was holding the furs with the sword and shield upon them. The sword was broken, Rainbow assumed by a battle. With her was nine others and a purple dragon resting in the background. Rainbow spotted Gandalf looking through a book, behind him was a skeleton. The light shimmered again as the skeleton returned to the normal form.

“Ori. Balin.” Rainbow felt her heart sink in her chest. The young woman touched the blade softly before pulling her hand back wrapping it in the furs again.

“Spike.” the woman spoke and the dragon slinked forward carefully. She placed it into saddlebag carefully despite the clinking. The figures didn’t vanish despite the clasp being sealed. Yet the image did fade after a while showing what it could the people from before running.

“You are only showing places you have been and people that were in the area.” Rainbow said and the sword hummed before the light shown again. They were at a lake, most of the members there, Gandalf was the only one missing. The Dwarf and two Hobbits were peering into the depths of the lake. The dragon moved over to look as well and the sword and shield slipped out of the bag and fell into the water. After much panic the elven woman used the staff she was holding to fish them the out.

“Better not defile the lake with our hands.” she had told them placing the sword and shield back into the furs cast as spell. “To make sure it it never happens again.”

“You did that on purpose.” commented Rainbow holding out her hoof and the sword moved over. The illusion faded and the gem returned to clear, examining it closely Rainbow noticed that above the inlaid gem was a cloud. It was engraved into the metal with Dwarven runes around it. Taking the sword carefully Rainbow held it out feeling the energy rush out of her body into the blade. It shot out of her hoof and into the sheath. Yawning Rainbow headed to her bed wrapping them back up, placing it against the wall next to the replica she climbed into her bed. Her eyes began to close before shutting finally into the first dreamless sleep she had in a long time. Golden strands extended from the package wrapping around the replica.

Author's Notes:

I do not own any of MLP, WoW, or any Tolkien works