After a good, long bath and a day of resting up, Wanderer found himself walking along the road towards Sweet Apple Acres. If the apple orchards were any indication, he knew he was getting close. He breathed deeply through his nose and sighed. The smell of ripening apples was pleasant, and it hung around the orchards like a thick incense. He smiled inwardly; get the customers good and hungry, then sell the apples by the barrel. It was genius!

His ears turned towards a sound off in the distance. He could hear somepony grunt, followed by something being kicked. Curious, he jumped the fence along the road and walked towards the sound. He didn’t have to go far to locate the source, as he spotted a familiar-looking mare kicking at an apple tree. He watched as she bucked the tree and the apples fell into the baskets waiting underneath.

She stopped working as she caught sight of him. “Hey there… ah, Wanderer,” she said with a friendly wave. “Ah heard ya three got back in town the other day. How’d ya find the Everfree Forest?”

He smirked, glancing to a few cuts that were still visible through his coat. “It was something else, let me tell you.” He tilted his head curiously. “How’d you know we were back in Ponyville?”

The farm mare lifted her hat to wipe at her brow. “Pinkie Pie came around yesterday an’ told me ya were wantin’ a goin’ away bonfire party. She invited me an’ asked if she could throw it here on the farm.” She set her hat back in its usual place. “Apple Bloom was there when Pinkie gave me the invitation. You don’t mind if she and her Crusader friends join us, do ya?”

Wanderer smiled wide, remembering when he met the rambunctious trio of fillies and the constant stream of questions they had for him. “Nah, I don’t mind. I’d think they’d enjoy it.”

She smiled and nodded. “That’s good ta hear.” She started collecting the full baskets and setting them in the nearby cart. “So what brings ya out this way?”

“I was hoping to buy a jar of zap-apple jam from you.” He gripped the handle of the basket with his teeth and helped her load her cart.

“Thank ya kindly.” She ducked into the harness of her wagon and began pulling it between the trees of the orchard. “If ya want a jar of zap-apple jam, you can always buy it from the store.”

He walked alongside the cart. “I could, yeah, but it isn’t the same as buying it from the source. My mom and me love zap-apple jam, and a jar directly from Sweet Apple Acres would be a good present for her.”

Applejack smiled proudly. “Glad ta know ya like it so much. We should have a jar or two we can sell ya. Just let me finish fillin’ this cart and Ah’ll get it.”

He nodded easily. “Sounds like a deal to me.”

As he walked beside the cart, his eyes drifted towards the hat the mare wore. The cowpony hat was something he hadn’t seen outside of Appleloosa. He privately admitted to liking the style more so than the baggy hats that were popular around Greensborough.

“If you don’t mind me asking, Applejack, where’d you get your hat?”

He certainly didn’t expect her to stop mid-stride, nor to see a sad frown cross her face.

“Ah got it from mah pa when Ah was a little filly. Been with me ever since.”

“Ahh, I see.” He knew by her tone that she didn’t want to talk about it further. “Didn’t mean anything by it.”

She shrugged and continued to pull her cart along. “It’s all right. Why’d ya ask?”

“I wanted to find a hat like it. I missed my chance when we were in Appleloosa.”

She nodded in understanding. “Ah haven’t seen one for sale in Ponyville. Maybe you can ask Rarity. She might have something for ya.”

He smiled eagerly at the thought. “I’ll have to do that.”

They walked on until they came to another orchard of ready-to-harvest apples. Applejack untied herself from the hitch and began collecting more fruit.

Wanderer watched her for a time, amazed at how well she harvested the fruit so efficiently. “So you do this all the time?”

“Every day during applebucking season.” She gave the tree a hard kick, and the apples fell into the waiting basket with only a few missing their mark.

“You make it look so easy,” he said as he helped collect the stray fruit.

She set a few empty baskets around another tree. “Took years of hard work.” She looked at him appraisingly. “Ya look like ya gotta good kick. Wanna give it a try?”

He smiled wide. “I’ll give it a shot.”

She smiled a bit mischievously. “Think an adventurin’ type like you can handle it?”

He puffed his chest proudly. “I’ve battled timberwolves, manticores, and even a dragon. Ah—I know I can handle an apple tree.”

Her grin only grew. “All right then, adventurer, let’s see what ya can do.” She stepped away from the tree.

“Ha! One kick’ll do it,” he said with an arrogant toss of his head. He stood by the tree and turned around. “Watch this.” He brought his hind legs back and kicked the tree with a “Hi-yah!”

As he kicked the tree, he felt something give, and it wasn’t the apples. He gave a rather unstallionly squeak of pain, and tried his best to keep it from showing on his face. To his credit, he did manage to dislodge one apple.

Gritting his teeth but managing to keep a bold face, he said, “And that’s how it’s done.”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “Ya all right there?”

“Never better.” The small tear at the corner of his eye gave him away.

A sly grin crossed her muzzle, and she nodded to a nearby tree. “Why don’t ya go rest that hoof, then we’ll head to the farm ta get ya taken care of.”

“Yeah, yeah. That’s a good idea. I’ll go over here and lay down for a bit.” He hobbled away and lay down in the grass, clutching one of his back hooves as it began to swell.

The farm mare chuckled to herself and cleared the tree in one kick.

After a wonderful morning at the Ponville spa, Tourmaline felt refreshed as she trotted through the streets of Ponyville. Rarity had been right in suggesting it to her. The sisters there had done wonders with her coat and mane, and she felt like a new mare. The sunlight gave her aquamarine coat a pleasant sheen as she searched for a place to have lunch.

As she made her way through the bustling streets, she couldn’t help but notice how similar the small town was to Greensborough. It had that same small-town essence that made her feel comfortable. The thatch rooftops, lumber sidings, and small-town ponies brought a smile to her face.

As she looked through the vendor’s wares, she muttered in disappointment. “Nothing I want. There has to be something else to eat around here.” She looked to the side as she spotted a familiar-looking, rainbow-maned pegasus.

“Rainbow Dash. Hello,” she greeted as she approached.

Rainbow turned towards her and gave her a curious look. “Hey… you. How’re you doing?”

“I’m fine.” Tourmaline smiled some then tilted her head. “You don’t remember me, do you?”

Rainbow smiled a bit sheepishly. “No, I remember you… just not your name.”

Tourmaline gave a knowing grin. “It’s Tourmaline. From the whole… Tyranny thing,” she uttered softly.

Rainbow frowned but nodded. “That’s right. You’re one of the three that found him. It’s good to see you again.” She glanced past her before looking back. “So what are you doing?”

“I was looking around for a place to eat.” She looked around the market helplessly. “I just haven’t found anything I want yet.”

Rainbow nodded in understanding. “I was on my way to Sugarcube Corner for my lunch break. Wanna come along?”

She smiled wistfully. “Something sweet does sound good actually.”

The two mares walked towards the bakery, passing by other ponies who greeted or congratulated Rainbow Dash as they passed.

Curiosity finally got the better of Tourmaline. “So, why is everypony congratulating you, Rainbow Dash? Did something happen while we were in the forest?”

A proud smile spread across Rainbow’s face. “It’s because Fluttershy and me managed to place at the Equestrian Games relay race. We’re going to the Games in a few months.”

Tourmaline’s head snapped back in surprise. “The Equestria Games? That’s exciting!”

“You know it!” She glanced back to Tourmaline. “Doesn’t your hometown participate in the Games?”

“They do, just I haven’t tried out for them.” Tourmaline shrugged. “We’re usually somewhere else when the tryouts are being held.” She smiled wistfully, looking to the sky. “Hopefully I get to try out one year.”

As the two entered the bakery, Rainbow motioned for her to take a seat at a table.

“I’ve got it. What would you like?”

“You don’t have to do that,” Tourmaline protested.

Rainbow waved her away. “It’s my treat since I’m in such a good mood. What’ll you have?”

Tourmaline looked towards the stuffed display case of various sweets. “Do they have anything with persimmon?”

Rainbow shrugged. “I’ll ask. Save me a seat.”

As Tourmaline sat down in one of the bakery’s booths, she noticed how busy the small bakery actually was. Ponies were coming and going at a steady pace. It reminded her of her and her friend’s favorite eatery back at home. Whenever she and her friends had a few extra bits from their allowance or part-time jobs during school, they would buy a treat to celebrate their day together.

“Tourmaliiiiine…” Rainbow said, waving a hoof in front of her face.

She blinked as she was pulled back into reality. “Huh? What?”

Rainbow sat down in the bench opposite of her. “I was asking you what you thought of the Everfree Forest. I’ve been in there a lot, and it’s crazy in there.”

Tourmaline chuckled. “Yeah, it is. I liked visiting the Castle of the Two Sisters more though. We could have spent days in there exploring all of its hidden passages.”

Rainbow pushed her mane from her face. “Oh yeah. I’ve been there a lot with Twilight, but there’s a whole bunch of hidden rooms in there even I haven’t found.”

“I liked the organ pipes!” Pinkie Pie said as she brought their food to their table.

Rainbow didn’t look near as surprised at Pinkie’s sudden appearance as Tourmaline did. “Hey there, Pinkie Pie.”

“Hey, girls.” She set their food before them. The smell of persimmon fritters had Tourmaline almost drooling in anticipation, and she wasted no time in scarfing them down. As the two mares finished their lunch, they sat back with content sighs.

“So, Tourmaline, where have you guys been to with all of your travelling? You had to have seen a lot of fun things out there.”

Tourmaline smiled at Pinkie Pie. “I could tell you about the cattle rustlers in Appleloosa. It was one my favorite trips.”

Rainbow tilted her head curiously. “Cattle rustlers? You mean some ponies were foalnapping cows?”

Tourmaline nodded seriously. “Yeah, and we volunteered to help the sheriff find them. We left with a posse to look for them, but Wanderer got sidetracked on one of his gut feelings.” A soft smile crossed her face. “It’s infuriating how often those work for him.”

The other two giggled at her tone.

“Anyway, we managed to find the cattle rustlers, but there were a lot more of them than we thought. My brother and I wanted to go back for the sheriff but Wanderer had a plan to rescue the cows. He had me quietly unlock the fence that held them and snuck off.”

“So what did he do?” Rainbow interrupted impatiently.

“He set them to stampeding,” Tourmaline continued without missing a beat. “The rustlers never knew what hit them. After the cows calmed down, we got them back to Appleloosa and we got the reward for the rustlers.”

“How did he get them to stampede?” Pinkie asked with a tilt of her head.

A wide smile crossed Tourmaline’s face. “He told them he saw a snake.”

The three laughed, and the other two told of a similar tale in Ponyville that only caused them to laugh the harder.

They shared tales for a while before Tourmaline stood. “I think I’ll do some shopping before the day’s over.” She gave Rainbow Dash a friendly smile. “Thanks again for lunch.”

They waved to her as she left. Pinkie watched after her as she went through the doors and smiled to herself.

“Did you notice how she kept smiling when she talked about Wanderer?”

Rainbow looked at her friend with a furrowed brow. “What are you talking about, Pink?”

Pinkie shook her head. “Nothing, Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow shrugged after a moment. “So how much do I owe you for lunch?”

“Oh, it’s already been paid for.” She pointed to a gemstone that had been left on the table.

Rainbow stared at the gem before narrowing her eyes towards the door Tourmaline had just left. “Well played.”

As he closed the front door behind himself, Wanderer concluded that The Carousel Boutique’s interior was even fancier than its exterior. The chime of the entry bell still echoed as he walked into the display room. Fashion was not his strong suit—whenever he did wear clothes, it was usually for a special occasion, and he was quick to lose them when he got the chance. Still, seeing the amount of work Rarity must have done to make the clothes on display, he couldn’t help but have respect for the fashionista.

“One moment please,” he heard a voice from upstairs say. A moment later, Rarity descended the the stairwell of her home. “Welcome to the Carousel Boutique. Where every garment is chic, unique, and magnifique.” Her eyes widened slightly as she spotted him. “Oh, Wanderer, it’s so good to see you. What brings you to my shop today?”

He turned from the display and gave her a lopsided grin. “Hey there, Rarity. I thought I would swing by for a bit of business.”

Her eyes lit up, but she kept the smile from crossing her face. “Of course. What can I do for you? Would you like a fashionable suit? Formal dining wear perhaps? With your coloration, I am certain a light blue would look handsome on you.”

He rubbed at the back of his head, blushing some. “I… ah, actually was in the market for a hat.”

“A hat, is it?” she asked with a curious tilt of her head. “Headwear is important too, I will admit. Did you have a particular style in mind, or do you want to browse my current selection?”

“I was actually hoping you had a hat kinda like the Apploosians wear. Or something like Applejack’s hat.”

A faint frown crossed her face for an instant. “I don’t have any hats like that, darling, and speaking honestly, it is not a style I care much for myself.” She looked at him curiously again. “What are you looking for in a hat particularly?”

He rubbed at his chin thoughtfully. “Well, something with a wide brim to keep the sun off my eyes and for it to be sturdy enough to go with me on our adventures.”

“Something sturdy…” She frowned thoughtfully before her face lit up. “Ideeeeaaa!” she exclaimed in a sing-song voice. “Wait here.”

After she dashed back up the stairs, he could hear her tear through a room above him.

“Oh where are you?” he heard her say. “Where could I have placed it?” There was a loud thunk, and he could only imagine what was happening above him. “Ah ha! There you are!”

When she came down the stairs, he could see she was carrying a roll of some dark tan material in her magic.

“When you said you wanted something durable, you reminded me of the Griffonian felt I had in stock.” She unrolled the material for him to examine. “I have my reservations about working with this material, due to what it is made of. However, I cannot deny its durability.”

He winced when he remembered what Griffionian felt was made from—shaved fur from the griffons themselves—but he nodded in agreement with her. “What would you want for it then?” he asked.

She rolled up the felt. “Oh, I won’t charge you, Wanderer. You have given me inspiration for something new. I consider that payment enough.”

He shook his head firmly. “I can’t in all honesty do that, Rarity. I should pay you for your time, materials, and effort. It’s only fair.”

“Hmm…” She put on a show of thoughtfulness before a faint, sly grin crossed her face. “How about this then? When you return home to Greensborough, you let any curious ponies who ask you of your marvelous hat know who made it and where to find me. That way, you get your hat and I get a new market for customers. This seems like a good deal to me. How about you?”

When he thought on it, he could only grin slyly at her. For one generous act, the unicorn would rake in many more potential customers. “Alright, you’ve got a deal.”

She clopped her hooves happily. “Fantastic!” She levitated some parchment and began to sketch. Wanderer peeked over her shoulder curiously as she drew in a frenzy. Finally, she presented the sketch to him. “What do you think of this?”

His smile grew as he looked over the drawing. “It looks great. Kinda like Applejack’s hat, but different.” His smile turned wispily. “Do you think Tourmaline would like it?”

The mare started for a second before a slight, sly smile crossed her face. “I am sure she would love it, dear, but the question is: would you like it?”

He coughed a bit uncomfortably, blushing again, before he nodded. “Yeah, I think it would be great.”

“Magnificent.” She rolled up the sketch. “I will have it ready for the bonfire party.”

He smiled wide. “Great! I’ll see you there then.” He turned around for the door but not before she caught sight of a gemstone sticking out of his saddlebag.

“Wait a moment, Wanderer,” she said as inspiration struck again.

He turned back and looked at her curiously. “Yeah?”

“I don’t suppose you have a tourmaline gemstone among your collection, do you?” she asked, nodding towards his saddlebags.

He blinked thoughtfully. “Actually, I think I do.” He dug into his bags for a moment before he found a fair-sized, blue-green gemstone.

She was dazzled by the crystal. “Do you suppose I could use it for the work? I have an idea for some accents.”

He shrugged. “Sure. I know you know best with that sort of thing.”

She took the gemstone in her magic. “Thank you, Wanderer. I am certain that you… and Tourmaline, will love it.”

He blushed again. “So… see you at the bonfire?”

She nodded easily. “Indeed, darling. Farewell.”

“Alright, see you then.” He waved on his way out the door, the doorbell chiming again as it was opened.

She smiled warmly as he left. “Couples are so cute at this stage,” she said to herself and soon busied herself with her work.

Tormod quietly walked towards the Golden Oak Library. The ponies of Ponyville didn’t pay much mind to him—the ones who did were polite enough to greet him, which he gladly returned.

As much as he wanted to return home, he was glad that Wanderer and Tourmaline had opted to stay a few more days. It was not every day he was in a town that housed its own princess and one that welcomed visitors. The thought of visiting Princess Twilight brought a smile to his face and quickened his stride.

In his haste, he didn’t see the yellow pegasus until it was too late. The two collided, and the mare’s basket of fruit went flying. Luckily, he was able to catch all of her fruit with his magic before it struck the ground.

“I am terribly sorry, miss. I was not watching where I was going. Are you all right?”

The pegasus pushed back her pink mane to look at him. “Yes, I’m sorry too. I didn’t mean to be in your way.” She tilted her head curiously. “Are you… Tormod?”

He blinked in confusion before his eyes widened in recognition. “Ah, Miss Fluttershy, forgive me. I didn’t know it was you.” He levitated her basket and placed the fruit back into it.

She took the basket back and averted her eyes timidly. “It’s okay… I was just on my way to see Twilight. I’ll let you get back to what you were doing.”

He gave her a disarming smile. “What a coincidence, I was on my way to see her as well. Perhaps we can walk together, if you don’t mind?”

She lowered her head. “Um… you can come if you want.”

He gave her another reassuring smile. “Indeed. Let’s go together.”

They walked towards the library in silence. He watched her from the corner of his eye and saw that she was too nervous to start a conversation. He sighed softly. Though it was not his forte, he felt he should try to be friendly.

“Is the fruit for Princess Twilight? It looks delicious.”

She glanced at him quickly. “Y-Yes. I had some extra, so I wanted to share.”

He nodded. “That’s very kind of you.”

They walked a bit more in awkward silence before the pegasus broke the silence. “So why are you coming to see Twilight?”

“I had hoped to speak with her on a matter of research I am conducting.” He smiled proudly. “It’s a subject she is well-versed in.”

She gave him a curious tilt of her head.

“Magic,” he said.

She nodded in understanding. “She would be the one to talk to about that. You should probably know that once she starts on something, she can go on for a long while.”

He smiled eagerly. “That’s what I am hoping for.”

When they arrived, he held the door for her before entering himself. As he looked through the main room of the library, he couldn’t help but admire how well-organized the place was kept. The princess had an eye for organization, and he could respect that.

“Twilight! Twilight, are you home?” Fluttershy called as Tormod studied the various diagrams of a box with keyholes adorning its side.

“Coming, Fluttershy!” they heard Twilight call from the floor above them. “I’ll be done in a minute.”

Tormod rubbed at his chin thoughtfully as he studied the diagrams. It was the same box he had seen when the princess had shown them the Tree of Harmony. The box was a complete mystery to everyone, even Princess Twilight. He himself didn’t have the faintest notion on its purpose or what it contained. Looking at her diagrams, however, it was obvious that the princess had studied the box intently, but had yet to unlock its secrets.

He turned as he heard Twilight descend the stairs. As much as he would like to discuss the box, it was not the purpose of his visit.

“Hello, Fluttershy. How are you?” Twilight asked before her gaze fell on her other visitor. “Hello to you too, Tormod. I didn’t know you were here.”

“I arrived with Miss Fluttershy, Princess,” he said, bowing gracefully to her.

Twilight gave a nervous chuckle, looking uncomfortable with the gesture. “You don’t have to bow to me, Tormod. I really don’t stand on ceremony.”

He stood straighter. “My apologies, Princess.”

Her ears flickered. “Please, call me Twilight.”

“As you wish, P—Twilight.” He bowed his head again.

She looked between them. “So what can I do for you both?”

Tormod nodded to Fluttershy to go first.

The pegasus shyly rubbed at her foreleg. “I… had some extra fruit from earlier, and I wanted to share with you.”

A warm smile spread across Twilight’s face. “Thank you, Fluttershy. I was actually starting to get hungry.” She sat at the nearby table and helped herself to a pear. “Tormod, did you want any?”

He shook his head as he pulled a book from a shelf with his magic. “No, Princess—“

She gave him a dark glare.

“—Twilight. I’ve already eaten.”

She nodded and chowed down on her pear as Fluttershy sat next to her and joined in on the lunch. “So what brings you here then?” Twilight asked Tormod as she started on an apple.

He looked up from the book he was reading while they ate. “I had hoped to find a few books on magic theory and to speak to you personally on the subject.”

Her eyes brightened instantly, and she set the half eaten apple on the table. “Oh, do tell. What are you wanting to research?”

He smiled. “I am wanting to conduct my own research in the various magics of the pony races. Unicorn, pegasi, and earth-pony magic is as varied as the ponies in Equestria, and few have done real research into it.”

She grinned excitedly. “I wanted to do the same myself, but my duties keep taking me away from it.” She looked to the bookshelves and began levitating a number of different books to him. “Here are a few books of other magic theories. Most of them are on unicorn magic but they will be useful for reference.” She looked at him curiously then. “So why are you doing this research? Is your adventuring not enough?”

He set aside the books in a neat stack. “It keeps me busy, yes. I am, however, planning for when I retire from adventuring. I know I won’t be adventuring all my life, so it is best I have something else to pursue afterwards.”

She nodded in agreement. “That is a good idea. What will you do with your research?”

“I had thought to have it sent to Princess Luna’s Library, to add to her collection of various lores,” he said, peering at the cover of one book.

Twilight frowned softly in thought. “That is a good idea. What is your thesis on unicorn magic? To start?”

He smiled eagerly. “Well, to begin, I believe that—”

Fluttershy watched the two debate heavily for a time before giggling. She stood up quietly and headed for the door, knowing that Twilight and Tormod had completely forgotten she was even there.

The crickets sang their nighttime chorus, and the lightning bugs danced in the darkness on the night of the bonfire party. To the ponies who laughed, ate, drank, and shared tales around the fire, it was a perfect night for a party. Twilight and her friends, Wanderer and his, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders all enjoyed their party as a gramophone played a number of upbeat songs. Wanderer was in the midst of retelling their latest adventure in the Everfree Forest while the others listened on, though Twilight and Tormod were distracted with their own conversation. Tourmaline sat between Rarity and Fluttershy as Wanderer rambled on with an exaggerated version of their encounter with the dragon in the Everfree Forest.

“And so, Tourmaline dropped the boulder on the dragon’s head while I boldly kept it distracted. If it wasn’t for my heroic actions, the dragon would have had us all for pony-sized snacks.”

Tourmaline snorted out a mocking chuckle, then shook her head as she saw the three fillies were watching him with rapt attention. “That’s not how I remember it.”

“That’s because you were too busy with the rock,” he said quickly and looked back to the three fillies. “And that just goes to show you, that there isn’t any problem that can’t be solved by throwing a rock at it.”

“Just like my dad always says!” Pinkie piped up from her seat, holding a multi-pronged branch that was roasting a dozen marshmallows at once.

They all shared a laugh and Wanderer nodded to Applejack. On cue, the farm mare lifted the needle from the record and Wanderer cleared his throat. All eyes turned to him curiously, as it appeared he had something important to say.

“There was something I’ve wanted to say to you all when I got the chance to get you all together…” An awkward silence fell as he struggled to find the right words to say. Finally, he scrunched up his nose in annoyance. “I’m no good at this sort of thing, but I wanted to say: thank you. If it wasn’t for you all, I could have been stuck in Tyranny’s mind for the rest of my life, and for that, I own you ladies everything. So… thank you. If you ever need anything from me, you only have to ask.” He lifted his mug of cider to them in toast.

The adults all raised their own mugs and joined in the toast with a chorus of “you’re welcome”s.

Twilight set aside her mug after taking a drink and looked at him seriously. “We really didn’t know about you at the time, Wanderer, but I’m glad the Elements were able to free you from his grasp.”

“Yeah! It couldn’t have been any fun being stuck in your own mind like an ant in a box. Especially if you were all by yourself without any candy or snacks or anything! I mean if you had a ball or something it wouldn’t be so bad, but by yourself? ” Pinkie shuddered, causing the burning marshmallows to dance wildly on the branch.

His ears dropped to the side of his head, and he turned his gaze to look into the fire. “It wasn’t, trust me,”

“I was happy when I finally got my hooves on him. It felt good to kick his arrogant flank to next week,” Rainbow said as she clopped her hooves together. “Of course I never doubted we’d win, not once.”

They all shared a laugh before Rarity spoke up. “Well, Wanderer, I promised to have your order done for the party, and did.” She lifted a tied hatbox. “I hope it is to your liking.”

Wanderer set aside his mug and eagerly opened the box, looking exactly like a young colt opening a present for his birthday. Inside was a sable, wide-brimmed, fedora. It was a similar style to Applejack’s, but rather than the two ridges on the top, there was a small dip that would settle easily on his head. The crown of the fedora was pinched in on the sides and a small band ringed the crown to the brim. His eyes were drawn to the cut gemstone accents that set in the band. Set in the eight corners of a compass, were shards of the tourmaline gemstone, save for the cabochon engraved with his cutie mark set in the front of the band.

He removed the hat from its box and set it comfortably on his head. His ears lifted the sides of the brim upward, but the dark tan of the hat went well with his gray mane. He turned to Tourmaline with a wide happy smile. “What do you think?”

Her eyes settled on the gemstones for a moment before she smiled warmly. “It looks great on you.”

He beamed at her words, and Rarity couldn’t suppress a chuckle.

“Do you think that will hold up with the way you tromp around, Wanderer?” Tormod asked with a sarcastic smirk.

Rarity beat him to the question. “It will. It is made of a tough material that will hold up through any adventure. It was even waterproofed so that if he fell in a river, the hat wouldn’t be ruined.”

Tormod snorted but gave a good-natured smirk. “I’ll have to see it to believe it.”

“It’s a good hat,” Applejack said, lifting her own to scratch at her scalp. “That’s good work there, Rarity.”

“Thank you, darling.” She positively soaked in the praise.

“Come on! Come on!” Apple Bloom tugged at Wanderer’s leg. “Tell us another story about your adventures!”

“Another one where you fought more monsters,” Scootaloo added with an eager smile.

Sweetie Belle looked at her friends with bright wide eyes. “Wouldn’t it be great to be an adventurer too? We might even get our cutie marks in adventuring!”

“That would be so epic!” Scootaloo’s wings fluttered with excitement.

“Now doesn’t that sounds familiar…” Tormod muttered, shaking his head.

“Now hold on, you three,” Applejack said, giving them a stern look. “Don’t you fillies get any funny ideas. Wanderer and them’ve been adventurin’ for years. It isn’t somethin’ fer little fillies.”

The girls lowered their heads in disappointment, and Wanderer looked at them before motioning to Applejack to let him talk with them. “So… you three want to be adventurers, huh?”

The three looked at him, a glimmer of hope in their eyes. “Yeah! It sounds like it would be so much fun!” Sweetie Belle said with an excited squeal.

He gave a sage-like nod. “Oh, it is fun, but it is also very dangerous. Just ask Tourmaline and Tormod, or even your sisters, how dangerous adventuring can be.”

“Oh yeah?” Scootaloo countered with a stamp of her hoof. “Well, we’re not scared.”

His roguish grin grew a little. “Ah, so you’re brave little fillies then? I can respect that.” His expression turned serious. “But can you stand being away from your family for a long time?”

That gave them pause, and they lowered their heads as they considered the question. “But Applejack and them come home all the time,” Apple Bloom protested.

“That’s because they have the means to get back home often. Me and my friends, we haven’t seen our families in years. Now that we finally have some money, we’re going to go see them after being gone for so long.” He looked between the three for a moment. “Can you fillies do that? Not see your families for years? You know that they would miss you terribly.”

They lowered their heads and gave collective sighs of defeat. “No…”

An idea came to him as he looked upon their dejected expressions. “Buuut… I might know a way to make you all adventurers like us.”

“Yeah?” they said in excited unison. The other adults gave him skeptical looks, though he ignored them.

He struck a comically-heroic pose and looked down at them. “Seems to me, if you want to be known as great adventurers, you’ll have to beat a great adventurer like me at—“

The girls shared a quick look. “Get him!”

“That’s not wha—“ was all he got to say before they tackled him to the ground

He tried to put on a show of meager resistance, but they had him pinned—painfully so. “Help! Help! They’ve got me! You vicious monsters you! Unhoof me!”

Scootaloo held one of his forelegs in a submission hold. “Say you give up!”

“Never!” he shouted with defiance but grunted in pain as she twisted some more. “Ow, owowowowow! All right! All right! I give up!”

“Say it!” Apple Bloom demanded, not letting him get away so easily.

He exaggeratedly sighed. “Clever girls… Fine! You beat me. You three are the best adventurers to ever live.”

“Yay! Cutie Mark Crusader Adventurers!” The three fillies shared a high hoof.

“Did we get our cutie marks?” Sweetie Belle asked. When the three saw their flanks were still bare, they shared a look.

“Still no, huh?” Apple Bloom said, her shoulders slumping.

“Maybe we need to tie him up or something,” Scootaloo suggested.

Wanderer’s look of panic was more than a little genuine. “No, no, nononono! That’s more than enough! You win, you win!”

The entire group shared a hearty laugh at the ordeal, and even Wanderer laughed as he picked himself from the ground.

Rarity gave him a somewhat apprising look as he returned to his seat to talk with Applejack. “And he’s good with the foals too.” She nudged Tourmaline as the pegasus stared at Wanderer. “Don’t let this one get away, darling. Stallions like him are hard to come by.”

Tourmaline blushed and tried to cover her face with her hooves. Fluttershy wrapped a foreleg around her shoulder in support. “Oh, Rarity, you didn’t have to make her blush.”

“Just some friendly advice is all, darling. Nothing more.” She grinned knowingly.

Tourmaline brushed back her mane and looked at the earth-pony stallion as he shared a laugh with those around him. “He’s not going anywhere,” she said quietly.

The remainder of the night passed quickly. The three fillies were carried off to bed, and the rest shared tales before turning in for their own beds soon after.

The next morning, Twilight and her friends gathered at the Ponyville Train Station to see the three veteran adventurers off. Passengers boarded and disembarked as the group stood for final goodbyes.

“Now don’t you be strangers,” Applejack said to them. “You can come back any time ya like.”

“Oh, we’ll be back,” Tourmaline said as the wind blew her mane around. “We’ve had too much fun not to.”

Rainbow smirked. “When you come back, we’ll have to have a race through Ghastly Gorge. I still owe you one for lunch the other day.”

Tourmaline matched her expression. “Count on it.”

“Now, Wanderer, should your new hat need any repairs, you need only to send it to me and I will fix it right up. Also, don’t forget our deal,” Rarity said.

He tipped his new hat to her, just like he’d seen Applejack do. “I won’t forget. Thank you again.”

Twilight floated a final book to Tormod. “When you’ve finished your research, I would like to see it before you send it to Princess Luna. I would like to see your findings.”

He levitated the book into his already overflowing saddle bags. “I will, P—Twilight. I promise.”

“You ladies will have to come visit us in Greensborough one day. We’ll gladly show you around the Forest of the Oak. I think you’ll love it, Fluttershy,” Wanderer said.

She smiled faintly. “One day.”

“All aboard!” the conductor yelled as the steam engine roared to life.

“We better go,” Tourmaline said. “It was nice to see you all again,” she said to the six mares.

“When you come back, we’ll have another get-together. So don’t forget!” Pinkie called after them as they boarded the train.

“We won’t,” they said together.

As they took their seats in the passenger cart, they waved to the six mares in a final goodbye as the train pulled away from the station. Wanderer sighed contently as he relaxed on the bench, setting his hat beside him. “I can’t wait to get home.”

Tourmaline nodded in agreement as she sat beside him. “It will be nice to see Dad again.”

He smiled in humor. “And Mom and Chewie.”

She chuckled. “Yeah, them too.”

He tilted his head curiously at her. “Are you really going to race Rainbow Dash? What was that all about?”

Tourmaline blushed sheepishly. “I kind of pulled a fast one on her when we had lunch the other day. She insisted on paying for it, but when we finished, I left the payment on the table before she could. Now she feels like I have one up on her.”

He looked at her strangely. “And you agreed to a race? With her?”

Tourmaline laughed helplessly. “Not in a million years. I still want to keep my dignity.” Her eyes traced to the hat beside him and a slow, warm smile crossed her face. “That really is a nice hat, I love the gemstones.”

A warm blush crept onto his face as he looked at the headware. “Yeah, Rarity did good work.”

Tormod lifted a small book from his bag and levitated it to Wanderer. “A last minute gift from the princess.”

He took the book and read the cover aloud. “A Beginners Guide to Hat Etiquette.” He looked to his friend with a flat stare. “Are you serious?”

Tormod nodded seriously. “If you’re going to wear one, at least don’t look like a country pony doing it.”

“Stick in the mud,” Wanderer muttered, which caused Tourmaline to blurt out a laugh.

“We’ve been calling him that for years,” she said once her laughter subsided.

He smirked. “And nothing’s changed.”

Tormod muttered to himself as the two had a good laugh at his expense. As the train steadily made its way for the great forest, the three talked and laughed with each other, unknowingly being carried to the greatest adventure of their lives.

When the first of the wooden houses came into view, an eager smile crossed Trixie’s face and she quickened her pace. She imagined showing Equestria that the Great and Powerful Trixie was back, and that was all the incentive she needed to hurry along.

As she walked down to the town hall, she couldn’t help but notice that Greensborough had changed since she was last here. The town had certainly grown. It seemed as if it had grown further into the woods, and there were a few small farms that hadn’t been there before. The houses were still made of cut lumber, but instead of the thatch roofing, they had shingles—a step up as she saw it. Apparently the town had seen a boom in its economy, and the ponies were happier for it.

A slow smile crossed her face—richer, happier ponies would have more bits to spend at her show. She would have to create a new final act to wow the crowd and get them to part with their hard-earned bits. Before she could do that, however, she needed permission from the town’s officials.

She parked her wagon by the town hall and stopped in her tracks as a burly pegasus stormed out of the building. The slate-colored pegasus muttered darkly as he pushed past her.

She struggled to keep standing from the rough shove and turned a withering glare in his direction. “It is impolite to push a mare so roughly. Trixie demands you apologize!”

He turned his glare on her, scrutinizing her for a moment before spitting to the side. “Ain’t worth the time.” He turned and stomped away.

“Hey! Trixie demands you—“

“Ma’am,” she heard a voice say.

She turned and saw another pegasus, this one a lilac-colored mare with a deep-green mane that covered half her face. “Please, I would not suggest provoking Stone Hoof. It seems some of his workers at the quarry did not show for work today.”

Trixie frowned. “It still does not pardon his oafish attitude. The Great and Powerful Trixie will not be jostled around by a no-brained thug.”

The pegasus’ visible eyebrow inched up a bit, but her expression remained passive. “You are right, it doesn’t. I can only apologize.”

Trixie huffed, letting her irritation out with it. “Trixie supposes.”

The pegasus looked out towards the street for a moment before looking back at her. “Is there a reason for your visit to town hall?”

Trixie stood taller, once again donning her confident facade. “Trixie has come to get permission to perform her show for the town. She wished to speak to the mayor concerning it.”

Again, the eyebrow shot up curiously. “You will need to see the mayor to get a permit. This way, please.”

Trixie followed her inside, setting her cape and cap on the rack inside the door. “And who might you be, miss?”

The mare glanced back at her. “I’m Scarlet Scroll, the mayor’s secretary.” A soft, warm smile crossed her face. “I’m also his wife.” She pushed an office door open and said a few words before she closing it. “He will be with you in a moment.”

As Trixie sat on one of the offered seats, she took stock of the secretary—the lilac pegasus had an air of confident arrogance about her that was not unlike Trixie’s own. Nothing that would ever surprise her, and even if something did, she held confidence that she could handle it.

Trixie also caught Scarlet glancing her way discreetly. She cleverly hid her gaze behind the portion of her green mane that covered half her face. The longer Trixie had to wait, the more uncomfortable she felt. She was reminded of how a snake would watch its prey before striking.

Mercifully, the door to the office opened before too long, and a navy-blue earth pony stepped out of the office. His sickly yellow mane was cut short and his cutie mark was that of a judge’s gavel. His eyes settled on Trixie for a moment before he turned to Scarlet.

“This is her?”

The pegasus nodded. “She professed to seek a permit to perform her act in the town.”

“Ah, very good, very good.” He turned his gaze back to Trixie and motioned for her to follow. “Come into my office and we’ll talk.”

As they stepped into the office, he motioned to a nearby chair. “Please, have a seat.”

The chair creaked as she sat and she took the time to look around the office. It had the clutter of a normal politician’s office, but her eyes settled on a number of framed pictures along the wall. The first was a wedding picture of the mayor and Scarlet. They both wore wide, happy smiles as they stood for the camera. The second picture seemed to be the two as foals, plus what she guessed to be the foal version of the rude pony from earlier.

“So why do you want to perform for my town?” the mayor asked as he took his seat behind the desk.

She sat up straighter in her chair. “Well, Mr…”

“Rogue,” he supplied.

She inclined her head. “Mayor Rogue. Trixie would like to perform for the ponies of Greensborough because she has heard of the troubles they have had lately. She hopes her show will let them forget their troubles even if it’s for a little while.”

He raised an eyebrow at her, a sly grin growing across his muzzle. “As noble a reason as any.”

“As well as to make herself a comfortable profit, of course,” she added. She knew she was not going to get much past this one.

“Of course,” he echoed. “I was surprised to see the Great and Powerful Trixie Lulamoon, the mare who troubled Ponyville twice and was recently escorted out of Trottingham due to causing a disturbance, show up outside my office. It is a curious thing.”

Once again her reputation preceded her. “Trixie has no intention to cause any problems while in Greensborough, Mayor Rogue. She only wishes to perform for the masses.”

He studied her for a quiet, uncomfortable moment. She realized why Scarlet had married him, the two shared many similarities. Finally, he nodded. “I’m willing to take a chance on you, Miss Lulamoon. If you can make the ponies of Greensborough happy, they will work that much more efficiently.” He removed a piece of parchment from a drawer and signed it. “Give this to Scarlet and pay the fine, then you can perform when you want.”

Trixie couldn’t suppress her smile. “Trixie thanks you, Mayor Rogue.” She reached for the parchment, but he didn’t release it immediately.

“I’ll warn you now, Miss Lulamoon. Don’t cause trouble in my town.” His stern glare bore into her.

He finally let go of the permit, and she held it close to her chest. “Trixie won’t. She will mingle for a while before she performs.”

“That is smart.” He motioned to the door. “Scarlet will see you out.”

She tried to keep her excitement to herself as she left the office. It wouldn’t do for her reputation to be seen skipping like a little filly. She approached Scarlet, who was busy writing in a ledger.

“How much is the fine?” Trixie asked as she floated the parchment to the secretary.

Scarlet looked over the parchment for a second. “Ten bits.”

Trixie winced at the price but passed over the required money. It would be a small price to pay for the restart of her career.

After signing the permit, Scarlet walked her to the door.

“I look forward to seeing your show,” she offered as she brushed her mane out of her face, though the mane quickly fell back in its usual place.

Trixie looked back at Scarlet with a wide, confident smile. “Trixie will no doubt amaze.”

Scarlet watched the magician’s wagon as it left. “Yes… I am sure you will.”

Wanderer could only smile as he knocked on the door of a familiar homestead. His mother still kept the place tidy like she always had. The evening sun set the area aglow as the fog began to settle over his hometown.

He knocked on the door again, trying to keep a straight face. He lifted his hoof to knock again, but the door opened and a unicorn mare peered past its edge. “Hello?”

He couldn’t hold in his smile any longer as her eyes widened in recognition. “Hi, Mom.”

“Wanderer!” She threw the door open and wrapped her son tightly in a hug.

He hugged her back just as tightly, happy tears rimming his eyes. “I’ve missed you.”

She stepped back to look at him, wiping her eyes. “When did you get in?”

“Just a bit ago. I came straight home from the train station—“ he gave her his trademark lopsided grin. “—and didn’t get lost for once.”

Before she could say anything, a loud growl escaped his stomach. He chuckled as he rubbed at the back of his head. “So… what’s for dinner?”

His mother laughed. “Get in here, and I’ll cook something up.”

His smiled widened even more. “You’re the best, Mom!”

As she cooked, she pressured him to tell of the adventures he and his friends had gone on, and he was all too happy to share them. While they ate, he told her of his involvement with Tyranny’s uprising and everything he had experienced.

His mother gave him a somber look. “We had heard of him, though Greensborough was never attacked, thankfully. The Equestrian Guard was on high alert until we learned the danger had passed.” She sat pensively for a while before shaking her head. “I didn’t know it was you three who had set him free.”

Wanderer pushed his mostly empty plate away, rubbing at his full belly. “It’s not something we’re proud of. It was bad enough I was stuck in his head for the whole time. But with Tormod turned to stone, and me being used like a puppet, it had to be hard on Tourmaline.” He looked away lowering his eyes in shame. “I can’t imagine the worry we put her through.”

His mother nodded slowly, and rose from her chair to wrap her son in a hug. “My baby, why do you keep putting yourself in danger like that?”

He blinked a bit before nuzzling into her. “It wouldn’t be me if I didn’t, Mom.” She stepped away, and he smiled at her. “I’m fine though, Mom. Don’t worry.”

She huffed and rolled her eyes. “You should know better than that. I’m a mom—it’s what I do.”

He chuckled a bit. “Sorry.”

She rolled her eyes again and sat back down in her chair. “How are Tourmaline and Tormod doing?”

He lifted his glass to take a drink. “They’re doing fine. They’re as happy to be home as I am.”

She smiled coyly. “How are you and Tourmaline doing?”

A faint blush crept up on him. “We’re doing fine. We talk a lot and spend time together.”

“Have you taken her on a date yet?”

His auburn coat took a redder hue. “We go on adventures all the time, Mom.”

She huffed in disappointment. “It’s not the same, Wanderer. You need to take her on a real date. If you don’t show some initiative, she might think you're not interested.” She looked at him seriously. “You don’t want to lose her to another, do you?”

He averted his eyes. “No… I don’t.” He took a drink of his water. “Don’t worry, Mom. I actually intend to take her on a shopping spree soon. Let her spend her share of the dragon’s loot and then buy her something nice as a surprise.” His grin grew. “She’ll love it.”

She nodded slowly. “That’s good. It shows you’re thinking.”

“Yeah.” He took another drink of his water, privately glad his mother stopped with her embarrassing line of questions.

“So when can I expect grandfoals?”

Wanderer found that inhaling a glass’s worth of water was just as unpleasant as last time. He spewed his beverage across the table.

“Mother!” he finally managed to croak out, his coat now a bright cherry red.

“What? It’s a fair question a mother can ask her son.”

He thumped his barrel to clear the rest of the water from his lungs. “We haven’t even… That is… ah.” He fumbled a bit, trying in vain to find something to say.

A smile crossed her face, and he realized she was getting a kick out of his embarrassment. “Well, hurry it up already. I want grandfoals before I die.”

He looked away, determined to change the subject. “Where’s Chewie? I need somepony sane to talk to. Chewie! Kitty, kitty, kitty!”

Wanderer frowned when the cat didn’t answer his call. Come to think of it, why hadn’t he seen his cat when he came home?

“Chewie! Here kitty, kitty!” He turned to his mother. “Mom, where’s—“

He stopped when he saw his mother’s expression.

“…Mom, where’s Chewie?”

“Wanderer—“ she started.

“Mom, where’s my cat?” A slow knot of dread was forming in his gut.

Her gaze lowered. “He’s upstairs. In your room.”

He barely registered the stairs as he ran. He pushed the door to his room open and looked around quickly.

“Chewie?”

His room was much the same as he had left it. All of his Daring Do books were still on their shelf, his desk was still in its place, and even the bed was neatly made. It was on the bed that he saw the horseshoe box. The box had been lined with a dish towel, and Wanderer could smell the sickness emanating from it.

The knot of dread grew as he slowly approached the bed. When he looked inside the box, his heart sank.

Inside the box slept his orange tiger-striped tabby cat. One look at the animal and Wanderer could tell he was gravely ill. The cat’s fur had thinned in many places, and he didn’t appear to have been bathed in a while. Wanderer could hear the gurgling each time the cat inhaled. Just hearing that awful sound forced him to bite his lip to keep it from quivering.

Wanderer turned as he heard the floorboard creak and saw his mother looking at him with sad, sympathetic eyes.

“I’m sorry, Wanderer.”

“What’s wrong with him?” he asked in a whisper.

“A respiratory illness,” she said. “I took him to the vet and they gave him some medicine. It worked for a while, but it stopped working and he got worse.” She sighed. “I was going to take him to the vet tomorrow so they could put him to sleep.”

He looked back at the box, tears forming around his eyes.

“I’m sorry…” his mother said, tears starting in her own eyes.

He took in a calming breath. “It’s okay, Mom. You did what you could.”

She nodded and turned away to let him have his moment with his pet.

Wanderer sat on the edge of his bed, looking at the cat. Gingerly, he reached out with a hoof to lightly pet Chewie, and he cringed at the rough, oily feeling of the cat’s fur. “Hey there, buddy. How are you?” he asked in a quiet voice.

The cat slowly lifted his head to sniff at the hoof, and after a moment’s pause, rubbed the hoof affectionately.

Wanderer’s breath caught and his lip quivered. “I missed you too, big guy.” He gently lifted the cat out of the box and set him beside him. The cat gave a soft, watery purr as it rested against him.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here,” he said as he continued to pet Chewie. “I was going to tell you all about our adventures when I got home. I didn’t—“ His voice caught, and he couldn’t speak past the lump that had formed in his throat.

The cat only continued to purr, content to be where he was.

“I’m sorry…” The stallion’s tears fell unabashed as he spent the remainder of the night with his cat before sleep overtook him.

The next morning, Tourmaline made her way for Wanderer’s home. After a joyful reunion with her father the day before, she had decided to grab her friend and his mother for a nice breakfast out with everyone together. When she was a little filly, she had considered the older mare as her surrogate mother after her own had disowned her family. Her smile grew wider as she turned down the lane for their house—she couldn’t wait to see her and tell her all about their travels.

She quickly fixed her mane before knocking on the front door. She couldn’t help but smile when Mom answered the door.

“Hi, Mom,” she said with a warm smile.

“Tourmaline, it’s so good to see you.” The two shared a hug. “How’s your brother?”

“He’s doing fine. I thought to get you guys so we can all get together for a breakfast out.” She peered past her. “Is Wanderer still asleep?” she asked in a teasing voice.

Her expression fell. “He’s up. He had a rough night last night.”

Tourmaline’s head snapped back in surprise, her smile fading quickly. “Oh no. What happened? Is he all right?”

She shook her head slowly. “Chewie died last night.”

Tourmaline’s breath caught in her throat. “Oh no… How is Wanderer taking it?”

The older mare looked away for a moment. “Not well. He just finished burying Chewie.”

Tourmaline frowned. She couldn’t imagine what Wanderer was going through. She knew that he loved his cat as much as any family member.

“Can I come in?” she asked.

Mom smiled. “You don’t have to ask, Tourmaline.” She stepped aside to allow her entry.

The two walked towards the kitchen, and Tourmaline looked out the nearby window and saw Wanderer outside, sitting near a tree with his head lowered. She lifted a hoof to her muzzle as she watched him, a pang of sadness building in her gut.

“He looks so sad.”

His mother looked at her. “He’ll be fine. He just needs some time.”

Tourmaline rested her hoof to the ground and nodded in determination. “I’m going to go talk with him.”

She stepped out the back door without waiting for permission. A dozen different things ran through her mind as she thought of what to say to him. Offer a few condolences and give him a hug, and he’d be back to his usual self in no time at all. When she approached, however, any words she had in mind vanished as he turned his head. The look in his eyes killed her words before they could be spoken.

The two shared a long look before she uttered a soft, “Hey.”

“Hey…” he said before he turned away again.

She walked up next to him and looked at the small recently dug grave. The fresh earth was ringed with a number of small stones, and a larger stone had been set at its head. The larger stone was unmarked, but she knew that Wanderer would later etch something into it.

She gave him a sympathetic look. “Are you okay?”

He closed his eyes. “As much as I can be.” He looked at the grave again, his expression unchanging.

She sat next to him, and they sat there in silence for a while. Her mind raced with what she could say or do to make him happy again, but each time she settled on something, she couldn’t find her voice. Finally it was he who spoke.

“I remember… all the times he would sleep on my shoulder when I was young. He always liked sleeping there for some reason. It never really bothered me, and I always felt comfortable knowing he was there. Or when he would lay across my homework when I tried to study.” A sad laugh escaped him. “I always joked he was trying to keep me from becoming too smart and used it as an excuse to not do my homework. Though Mom would not have any of it.”

Tourmaline smiled softly as he continued to speak his heart.

He looked at her. “Did I ever tell you how I found him?”

She shook her head softly.

“It was before I met you. I was out playing near the forest when I heard some dogs barking.” Wanderer looked at the small grave, his gaze going distant. “I went to see what it was about when I saw the dogs had something. I didn’t know what to think, but when I saw them toss something orange up in the air, I just acted. I chased the dogs away and saw that they had a kitten down and he looked badly hurt.”

He took in a soft breath. “I ran home with him and begged mom to save him. She didn’t think he would make it, but she had me put him in a basket with some milk to see if he survived the night.” A sad smile crossed his face. “I remember falling asleep in the laundry room with him and when I woke up in the morning, I checked to make sure he was still alive. He was, but he hadn’t moved much. I fed him some milk before I had to go to school, but I spent all day worrying about him, I ended up forgetting to do my homework. When I got home, I spent the day with him, wishing he would get better.”

His smile took a warmer feel to it. “The next morning, when I checked on him, I found him walking around in the basket, looking as healthy as he could be. I picked him up to pet him and when I did…” He brought a hoof up to try to keep the tears from falling. “He leaned into me. He said ‘thank you.’ And I adopted him there and then.”

She smiled, but it turned into a soft frown when she felt him shiver. He slumped and lowered his head, his bangs obscuring his eyes.

“Wanderer…” Her tone was soft as she reached a hoof out to him.

He looked at her, and the tragic expression caused her breath to catch. “He waited for me, Tourmaline.”

She looked at him and felt her heart break..

“He waited for me to come home. He held on, despite the suffering. Just to see me again before he died. He wanted to say goodbye.” He lowered his head again, the tears running down his muzzle. “It’s because of me he held on so long and suffered.” He sniffed and dashed at his eyes. “Look at me, a grown stallion crying like a little foal over his pet cat. I have to look silly.”

She draped a wing over his withers. “It’s not silly, Wanderer. It shows just how much you loved him.” She nuzzled at him. “It shows how big of a heart you have.”

He looked at her, then back to the grave. “…I’m going to miss him.”

Tourmaline said nothing as she sat next to her friend to offer support. She blinked in surprise as she felt him wrap his hoof around hers. Only after a second’s thought did she return the gesture and lean on his shoulder.

Wanderer’s mother watched the two from the window and wiped at her tear-rimmed eyes. She smiled happily. Her son may have lost a pet, but he had gained something more.

Author's Notes:

I will admit to saying that writing the final scenes of this chapter caused me to tear up. Wanderer's story of finding his cat was practically the same as my own experience with a cat I owned for seventeen years. And yes, his name was Chewie.

I still miss the little guy.

More to come soon, folks! We all know that something is going to happen sooner than later.