The following morning and a good shower later, Meadow and I got young Sparrow out of the nest she’d made in her quilt and got ready for my first trip into the local town. I was strangely excited despite still feeling a bit worn from the night before. Meadow on the other hoof looked disgustingly bright and alert,

“I don’t know how you do it”, I groaned, stretching my legs.

She laughed, “You want to try delivering a foal darling, it takes it more than a good bucking to stop this mare.”

“I bet!”

Meadow had a large sun hat, the same style as the one I remembered from when I first met her. There was a change in her today though, one that made me feel lighter than air, she was positively glowing with energy and vibrancy.

“You look full of beans love, excited to go out together?” I asked happily.

“Of course!” she replied fixing her hat, “I always love shopping, and today I’ve got my very own helper too. You can look after Sparrow while I have my hair done.”

“Oh no!”

We walked in the sunshine along the lane and over the hill, Sparrow running around us like an excitable grey comet. I half expected to find myself back at the cottage but sure enough, below us lay a fair sized town that was more akin to Ponyville than anywhere I’d ever been before in my life. Colourful buildings, tree houses and brightly painted carts lay haphazardly around a central fountain that depicted two outrageously large prancing alicorns. Thank the goddess they weren’t ‘anatomically correct’ or there’d have been a riot here. Prim and proper equestrians trotted about in colours that should never have been put together, throw in an abundance of big hats, big feathers and furry saddles and you get the general impression.

Meadow saw me staring and nudged me, “Its all the rage this year, the celebrities are all wearing it.”

“Well I hope you don’t wear it! You’ll end up in a nut house, they look like they’ve got bloody rabies or something.”

“Fairlight! For Celestia’s sake, stop it! You’re already drawing enough attention as it is.”

“I am?”

I looked around and saw I had developed an impressively large exclusion zone around myself, with ponies avoiding coming any closer than a few yards. Ah, sod them, they probably thought I was going to eat them or something. Had Equestrian’s always been so highly strung? Yeah, probably.

Meadow disappeared into the chemical smelling boutique and I was left outside with a hyperactive foal whose wings were starting to work far too well. Sparrow leapt in the air and flapped her wings to try and stay aloft, actually managing to almost do it too before I caught her,

“Careful! You nearly crashed, you silly billy.” She just laughed.

Hmm, if you have a hyper foal who’s full of energy, what the best way to keep her quiet? Ice Cream!

The ice cream parlour was nearby and we indulged ourselves far too much. For some reason, everything here was free. In the herd, ponies worked for ‘the common good’ as Meadow had explained it. I guess there wasn’t much point in striving if you can just sort ‘imagine up’ your own house and ‘poof!’, there it is! All citizens were still expected to do their bit though and at some point, I’d be found something to keep me ‘occupied’. Bloody Sparky was going to see to that, so much for peace in the afterlife!

Food was certainly plentiful and I was impressed to discover nopony took more than their share, it was one of the most bizarre things I had ever come across in my life. There was no pushing, no arguing, no bartering even, in fact none of the things that I was used to from Manehattan society. I was still marvelling at it when I discovered that my inquisitive daughter had led me straight to ‘Raspberry Ripples’, the place of choice for the those wanting to fur up their arteries with deliciousness.

The door bell tinkled as we entered, Sparrow making a bee-line for a brightly coloured waitress with a chocolate mane, “Sparrow darling!” she laughed, picking up the squealing little pest, “You want your favourite table?”

“Yes please!”

I chuckled, “Make that two please, miss”

“Certainly s…agh!”

The tray crashed to the floor and the waitress backed into the wall, her eyes wide with fright. She lifted a hoof, pointing it straight out at me and began to stammer, “It…its you! You’re him! The d…d…”

Oh goddess no, not this again. I hung my head and waited for it.

“DEMON!”

And there we go. There was a moment of silence while everypony in the place stared at me and then absolute pandemonium broke out. Screams and shouting echoed throughout the room while ponies rushed to try and jam themselves through the door all at once. Successfully managing to get themselves stuck, a number of others outside were peering in to see what all the commotion was about, I gave them a wave. The waitress was still cowering under a table shaking when Sparrow, amused at the proceedings trotted up to her and tapped her leg,

“This is my daddy! Come and say hello”

The terrified waitress just shook and stared ahead in terror, but me being me, I couldn’t resist. I leaned over and gave her my biggest grin, “Table for two please miss.”

Honestly, I thought she was going to wet herself and I stifled a laugh. Sparrow just looked confused, sitting next to the waitress and deciding what she wanted from the menu.

“What in the name of all that’s holy is going on out here? Mabel! MABEL!”

A pale cream mare with green eyes and a two toned red mane and tail, walked out from the back of the shop wearing a striped apron, “Mabel? Great goddess girl, what ya’ll doin’ down there?”

Completely ignoring me, the enigmatic mare hauled ‘Mabel’ out like she was a sack of grain, “Ah kin hear the commotion from way back in the office Mabel, what’s goin’ on here and why are ma customers stuck in the doorway?”

Sparrow pulled on her apron, “Miss Jubilee? Can I have the butterscotch sundae please? Daddy wants one too, don’t you daddy?”

“I guess so”, I raised my eyebrows, I hadn’t even seen the blasted menu! “Oh, and a coffee please, milk with one.”

The mare Sparrow called ‘Miss Jubilee’, turned and fixed me with a meltingly warm smile, “Why, yes sir, it would be ma pleasure to serve y’all”. Jubilee started pushing the almost catatonic Mabel toward the kitchen before stopping in mid stride and turning back to me, her eyes going wide, “YOU!”

Rolling my eyes, I plopped Sparrow on the seat opposite me, “Yeah, look, before you start screaming ‘DEMON!’ like these others idiots, I’d like two butterscotch sundae’s and a coffee, white with one sugar…please.”

Julilee’s mouth flapped open and shut several times before she gave herself a shake and backed up towards a cowering Mabel, “Why…of course sir, comin’ right up.”

Sliding into a less uncomfortable position in the hard plastic chair, I sighed. This was going to keep happening wasn’t it? I was some sort of bloody celebrity here, and one nopony wanted to mix with either. Some bloody land of sunshine and smiles this shit hole turned out to be. Sparrow didn’t seem to notice anything of the commotion in the shop and amused herself by drawing pictures on the napkins with some crayons that were probably meant for the waitresses to write with. Our waitress wasn’t likely to complain, she was near fit to faint.

Several minutes passed and the rush of panicked ponies had subsided into a now all but empty shop, with just a frightened waitress, a beleaguered and flustered owner, plus two grey patrons gracing the establishment.

The cream mare reappeared from the rear of the parlour, carrying a tray on her back and shot a look at her waitress who scampered away, “Ah’m sorry darlin’ y’all will have to forgive mah gal there. Y’all are some sorta big news ‘round here.”

She took the tray off her back and deftly delivered our sundaes and a hot cup of coffee without spilling a drop. I envied earth ponies their dexterity.

“Thank you miss…?”

“Oh! Where are ma manners? Ahm Apple, Apple Jubilee, and this here’s mah fine establishment. Apologies for the behaviour of mah young gal, Mabel. She’s a fickle young thing, ah don’t believe a thing those nasty reporters say about y’all.”

She batted her eyelids at me, displaying the pink eye shadow above a pair of deep green eyes. I had a thing for country girls and she had a sort of mature attractiveness that appealed to the stallion in me. Actually, come to think of it, it was funny to think of her as ‘mature’, as just about everypony around here looked between twenty and thirty.

Jubilee stroked Sparrows mane, “That alright for y’all honey?”

Sparrow looked up from her sundae, wearing half of it around her mouth, “Uh-huh!” Ah, the good old Fairlight family manners kicking in there. I’d have to say something though,

“Um, Miss Jubilee?”

“Yes darlin’?”

“I’m sorry for frightening off your customers, I had no idea ponies around here would behave like this. I haven’t done anything wrong, have I?” I gave her the old Fairlight ‘foal eyes’ routine. Jubilee smiled gently and shook her head,

“No, darlin’, ahm sorry. The papers have been fulla stories about ya exploitations. Seems y’all have been doin’ stuff that many ponies here find a little, frightenin’.”

“You…you don’t think I’m…I’m a ‘demon’, do you?” I hung my head low and flopped my ears. It worked like a charm.

Jubilee hurried to my side and stroked my mane, “No! Of course not darlin’! Ahd never say that!” She shot a glare at Mabel who was peeking around the corner, “Mabel! Don’t stand around girl, tidy up the danged restaurant before more customers come in!”

Gingerly, Mabel re-entered the restaurant and began clearing the tables, keeping one wary eye on me.

“You must be that ‘Fairlight’ fella, right?”

The way she said my name was like melting butter, ‘Fair-laht’. I chuckled to myself, I wondered if I could ask Meadow to role play one day? I could imagine what she’d say too…

“I thought I’d find you two hogging away in here.”

“Meadow!”

Thank Luna she was here, I was starting to feel like a prize fish in an aquarium. Ponies of all shapes and sizes were pressed up against the glass staring in at me, some of them even clambering on the backs of others to try to get a better view.

“Morning Kitty, you looking after my two miscreants?”

“Hi there Meadow darlin’, how y’all doin’ this mornin’?”

“Oh, not bad, bit of a queue outside though. Looks like our celebrity drew quite the crowd.” She raised an eyebrow at me meaningfully.

I smiled at her as I took a mouthful of my sundae; it was delicious. Miss Jubilee tapped her forehoof against her chin a moment and drew a pad and pen from her apron, whispering to me, “Play along now Fairlight, darlin’, okay?”

Not knowing what she was after I simply nodded, Meadow taking the opportunity to pinch some of my sundae. In a rush, Miss Jubilee ran to the door, flinging it open. The ponies outside surged back suddenly reminding me of a school of fish approached by a predator, “Ah don’t believe it!” she shouted, “He’s here, in mah shop! And ah’ve got his autograph too! WHOO HOO!”

She waved her notepad in the air and jumped about. One of the ponies outside shouted through the throng, “But that’s that pony that killed…”

“POPPYCOCK!” Jubilee shouted, “Ah don’t know who y’all are talkin’ about but this here’s Fairlight, the pony who travelled to another world ahn’d saved a buncha little un’s. He’s the Fairlight who rescued the princess! He’s the Fairlight who’s the friend of our very own Premier Starswirl the Bearded!”

She bucked in the air and squee’d, “A real life hero! And he’s here in mah shop!”

I turned and gave them all a big smile and a wave. It was all it took. One of the ponies at the back shouted, “A hero?! I want his autograph!”

“Me too!”

“Get out of the way, there!”

“Let me in!”

The same surge of ponies who had rushed out earlier were now trying to get back in, and by the looks of it bringing half the townsfolk with them. Miss Jubilee jumped in waving her notepad, “Alraht every pony, getcha selves seats and we’ll get to y’all soon as we can. One autograph per customer, that’s free with every order!”

I looked at Meadow for salvation but all she did was shrug, giving me a beaming grin, “Don’t worry love, I’m sure your fans won’t bite”

Sparrow, oblivious to the proceedings, held up her now nearly finished sundae and licked her lips before tapping her mother, “Can I have another mummy?”

“You haven’t finished that one lovey, remember what happened when you ate one too fast last time?”

Miss Jubilee called over, “Don’t y’all worry none, miss Meadow, ah’ll get the little one what she likes, and you too”.

The equine tidal wave engulfed our table and I found myself signing everything in sight, napkins, newpapers, goddess knows what else. Thankfully, the crowd gradually ebbed and died away until I was leaning back in my chair nursing my poor overused horn. Meadow sniggered and rubbed Sparrow on the head, “Come on you, time to go. We have to get daddy some new clothes and get something for tea tonight.”

Sparrow was virtually bulging when we pulled her from behind the table and she had a distinctly green tinge about her, “I think she’s overdone it a bit, love.”

“Sparrow? Are you feeling alright?”

Our daughter just groaned and I lifted her up and onto my back shaking my head, “Too much ice cream, she’s going to get fat.” I scrubbed my mane, “Come on love, let’s get the flock out of here”.

Jubilee shouted goodbye and even the nervous waitress, now running around full tilt, gave an embarrassed wave of her hoof. Good grief! Outside, there were still the odd smiles, waves and hoof shakes to contend with, but soon we just blended into the background noise and were barely noticed. I wasn’t sure what to make of it all really, what a bloody fickly bunch they were here. Meadow nudged me,

“How’s it feel to be the centre of attention?”

“I don’t like it!” I said, flicking my mane, “I used to wonder what it was like to be in the spotlight and you can bloody well keep it, its not for this pony.”

Meadow nodded, “I know, but at least it’s out of their system now. I had a feeling something like this would happen after all those radio and news articles.”

I shrugged, “Never mind, it’s over now anyway. By the way, can we go this way?”

She raised an eyebrow in surprise but followed me into the shadows between two buildings, “What’s up?”

I moved closer, smelling her mane and nudging it with my muzzle. She’d had it plaited on either side and hi-lited in two shades of green, “You look amazing”, I rumbled, “Meadow…I…”

She pulled herself into me, whispering in my ear, “You like it?”

“Oh goddesses, yes…”

Giggling she kissed me on the nose, “Not with Sparrow here, Fairlight. Maybe later, okay?”

I felt a shiver run through me, “I don’t know how you do it to me, love.”

She grinned, “Magic”

We trotted back into the street and up to the stallion’s clothes shop. Something was bugging me though, “Meadow?”

“Hmm?”

“Why’d you call miss Jubilee ‘Kitty’?”

“Oh! It’s a nickname. She models herself on some western that was serialised on the radio some years ago, plays the ‘southern belle’ part to get the stallions in.”

I clicked my tongue, “Aww…you mean the accent’s not real?”

She laughed, “Oh its real, just a little ‘exaggerated’. All that ‘y’all’ stuff’s a bit overdone if you ask me. Hey! Don’t tell me you fell for that routine, did you?”

“Well, not exactly…”

“You did! Fairlight! I can’t take you anywhere”

Desperately, I tried to change the subject, “Anyway, I thought you said everything was free here? There’s prices on everything”

“Well, not everything.” She said adjusting her hat, “You can still work, get a job and get paid. The realm has its own economy, its just not ‘dependant’ on money.”

“So, what it’s just for luxuries?”

“Uh-huh…this is nice, it should fit you. Here try it on.”

The rest of the afternoon passed in much the same way; shopping, shopping, more shopping. Celestia’s hairy arse I was absolutely sick to the back teeth by the time Meadow finally loaded us all into a taxi. It wasn’t far to home, but I’d have needed a cart to pull this lot back. It was much better to let some other poor sod do it.

Interestingly, now that the subject of occupations had come up, it transpired that Meadow had been earmarked to work at the local clinic in town. At least, that had been the plan before she had Sparrow. With help from Starswirl, my folks and hers, she’d been able to raise our little daughter and go off to help at the clinic on a part time basis, occasionally nipping off to the glade to see me from time to time as well. Now that I was back, I could see a discussion about future work looming, but that had to wait until Sparky deigned to grace us with her presence for yet another laborious visit.

That evening, after I’d been pushed, pulled and generally yanked in every direction by the tailors in town, my own wife got in on the act. I was thoroughly worn out and sick of the sight of clothes by the time she’d finished. I’ll admit, they were smart, and stylish, regardless of the attempts by the shops staff to fit me out in the ‘latest fashions’. Damn it, I wished I had my old coat and hat, I missed them. Probably burnt to a frazzle in that blast…come to think of it…

“Meadow?”

She looked up from her latest magazine, “Hmm?”

“How did you know when I was in the glade? You just appeared like magic and I never asked how, really.”

Meadow appeared lost in thought for a moment before answering, “I never told you?”

“No, honestly I would have remembered if you had.”

She nodded to the crystal globe on the fireplace, “It’s that thing, trans-something-or-other. Starswirl will tell you its name, but it’s something you won’t see very often. It’s been on ‘loan’ to me ever since I arrived, he felt keeping in touch with you would help me settle in better.”

Good old Starswirl. As much I felt he was a bit of an interfering busy body, he had been extremely helpful and kind to my family. I just had the nagging feeling that there was some hidden catch, some sort of price to this that I couldn’t see. Maybe it was just my watch trained mind kicking into gear again, but still, I couldn’t help but feel somewhat suspicious of his motives.

“So what’s it do?” I asked inquisitively.

Meadow tutted in frustration at my interruption to her work, “It glows on and off to let you know somepony’s there.

“Wouldn’t happen to be blue would it? Make a tinkling noise too?”

“That’s right, it…Fairlight!” She shot out of the chair, her magazine discarded.

My heart was suddenly racing, “Damn it all, what do we do? Sparrows in bed, we can’t just leave her.”

“Well, that’s not entirely true,” Meadow replied, “leave it to me.”

Meadow hurried to Sparrow’s bedroom and turned the large hourglass on the wall. A low hum of magical build up quickly began to flow around us and enveloped the door and walls of the bedroom. That was new!

“Come on, we’ll teleport there!” She said suddenly.

“What?!” I squeaked in surprise, “I don’t know how!”

“Oh, for goodness sake. Right, hold my hoof.”

There was a loud ‘pop’ and in a flash of blue magic we appeared outside in the darkness near the edge of the woodland. Down the slope I could just make out our house, the lights still on and smoke curling from the chimney. I turned back to Meadow and the world lurched around me, “Oh…oh goddesses, I…”

I grabbed a tree for support and emptied my stomachs contents into the bushes. My head span and my skull felt like my brain was trying to batter its way to freedom. Meadow put a foreleg around me, “Fairlight! I’m so sorry! You’ve never teleported before?”

I couldn’t answer, my stomach just kept going and going. Sweat poured off me and my guts were on fire with the incessant retching. My damned knees went next and I ended up on the ground gasping for breath. Meadow rubbed my back, “Do you want to wait here? I’ll go and see the girls and…”

“NO!” I barked, the bitter taste of bile acrid in my throat and mouth, “Not after all this time, no love…I’ll be okay”.

Meadow didn’t seem convinced, but helped me up and together we walked and stumbled into the silvery light of the clearing.

My heart was racing and not just from the sickness. When my eyes finally readjusted to the bright ethereal light, there, there in the middle of the glade…

“Tingles…” I said weakly, nearly stumbling as I tried to reach her.

The tangerine pegasus rushed up and grabbed me, crying and sobbing into my mane, nigh on crushing my neck in her outflowing of emotion. I held her in my forelegs and closed my eyes against the tears. Goddess above, I must have looked a fright.

“Fairlight! Oh, Celestia!” she sniffed, wiping away the tears, “I thought I’d never see you again! All those nights I came here, night after night, and nothing, nothing at all! Shadow’s beside herself and locked herself away in that awful fortress and…and the whole village is in mourning, I don’t know what to do! Oh Celestia…I don’t know…”

Meadow put her forelegs around her and the three of us hugged, tears flowing from more than just one of us. Tingles looked up at me through eyes red and puffy from crying and sniffed, “You…you look ill! Are you alright? Meadow…”

“He’s alright”, Meadow smiled placing a hoof on Tingles’ trembling shoulder, “We teleported to the glade and I didn’t stop to think that he hadn’t done it before. Nausea is common the first time you do it.”

I shook my head and instantly regretted it, “I didn’t even know you could do that! Bloody hell, I feel like crap.”

Meadow nudged the worried Tingles, “Never mind the big foal’s blouse, what’s been going on?”

“Oh, Meadow, it’s such a mess, I don’t know where to begin.”

I nodded and smiled, “It’s alright love, take your time.” Goddess knows I tried to be positive and smile, but my stomach was still rumbling menacingly and my head was pounding. At least it distracted me from the emotional roller coaster that I was on right then.

“After the explosion, there was absolute chaos. Thank Celestia not many of the villagers had been in the Wyverns Tail. With everything that had been happening, none of us could sleep so we’d all gone off to have an early bath at the hot spring. We heard the blast and poor Lumin wouldn’t stop screaming for ages.”

“Is he okay? Are you and Shadow alright?” I looked her over, checking she was in one piece.

Tingles pushed me away, “Of course! We’re all fine, more than can be said for some of the villagers, three of them had been sleeping off the night before when the bomb exploded. But…when we got back, we saw you…stood there, I don’t know how you were still standing…I…” She started to well up again until Meadow kissed her on the cheek.

“It’s alright now Tingles, we’re here with you. Take a deep breath and calm your heart before you tell us the rest. In through the mouth, out through the nose, that’s it…good.”

Tingles’ breathing slowed and she visibly began to relax. The three of us lay down in a circle and continued to chat. In some surreal way, it was like we’d never been apart.

“We tried everything to save you, but you were so badly hurt, the medics said there was nothing they could do and that only…”, she took a breath, “only the goddess could save you.” Tingles choked back a sob, “I was livid, I didn’t know what to do! And then…and then Shadow went berserk and had to be held down by some of the warriors. I’ve never seen her like that, I was so frightened!” She took a breath, “We left Lumin with Heather, we didn’t want him to see his dad…”

I kissed her on the nose, “I know love, I’m glad Heathers okay too”

She nodded, “Only by the grace of Celestia. She was bringing us towels when that terrible explosion went off. She was thrown across the ground and had her hair singed too.”

Perish the thought her hair got singed! I shook my mane, smirking to myself. Thank the goddess they were okay. I didn’t know who the three were in the tavern, but for blowing up my home, my people, some day…

A thought suddenly popped into my head, “Shit! What about Tarragon? Is she okay? I haven’t seen her since that whole changeling business.”

Tingles tutted at my swearing but explained, “Yes, she’s fine, she was with us at the spring. She follows us everywhere, it’s like she’s attached to Lumin for some reason. I know I had reservations about her at first, but she’s a little love really and so protective. The only reason she didn’t come with us when we went into the forest was because she’d managed to get herself locked in the cupboard looking for treats.”

I’d better not mention what happened to those dog creatures that time. The ‘little love’ could tear a pony apart in seconds if she had the mind to, that said though, I was damned glad she was safe and sound. I sighed, so…they were all safe. The only casualty from our family was the usual poor sod, me.

“Where’s Shadow?” I asked.

Tingles shook her head, “After you…” she closed her eyes and took a breath, “she couldn’t handle it, none of us could, but Shadow…she lost her mind completely. She unleashed some sort of lightning magic and destroyed two of the villager’s homes before we could stop her. Shadow was kept in the village doctor’s home, heavily sedated until we could decide what to do with your body.”

Meadow watched Tingles intently, “So what happened next?”

“After the explosion, your body became surrounded in what looked like some strange sort of ice. It was hard, like diamond, and didn’t melt even in the sunlight. Shadow wouldn’t let anypony near you and then a few weeks ago…she simply disappeared, and you along with her. We found out from our griffin scouts that they thought she was heading for the ruined fortress, but nopony can get near it. They’re all terrified of the place and I can’t blame them.”

Oh goddesses…’a few weeks’? “Tingles, I’m so sorry love, I wish there’d been some way I could have come to see you sooner, but I wasn’t allowed.”

Tingles smiled, “It’s okay now though, thank goodness. We can see each other again” She looked up at the stars above us, “…even if it is only for a night.” A hint of sadness tinged the orange pegasi’s voice and I reached over a hoof to comfort her. Meadow gave me a pained smile,

“Tingles, do you know who planted the bomb?”

She shook her head, “No, we’ve no idea and if we did, the villagers would have torn them apart. They’re all so tense to think there’s a murderer amongst us and they tried to kill you and maybe even…”

She didn’t need to say it. With me gone, Lumin was the next lord of the four winds and potentially a target. In the absence of any intel or motive, we were completely in the dark.

Meadow furrowed her brow in thought, “What happened to that white mare you mentioned, what was her name again? The human?”

“Annabelle” Tingles murmured, “She disappeared after the explosion, we never found her.”

“She didn’t go to the spring with you?”

“No, she was feeling poorly and stayed in the tavern. If she was in there when it exploded…” Tingles shook her head, sniffing back a tear, “Great merciful Celestia, there was next to nothing left of the place. Our home, our memories…Fairlight, they’re all gone.”

I kissed Tingles on the muzzle, “They’re not gone love, they’re here in your head and your heart.” I smiled, “And mine and Meadows too, you know.”

Meadow gave a little whinny, “What are we going to do about Shadow? After all the effort to bring her here, this happens, and now she’s alone in that castle with a frozen corpse.”

“What can I do, Meadow?” I asked in exasperation, “I can’t do anything! Some bastard killed me, nearly killed my family and now I’m about as much use as what I am here, a bloody ghost.”

She gave me a shocked look and I mentally kicked myself, “Oh hell, look love, I’m sorry, I’m just so…” I shook my head, “I want to do something and I can’t! They’re in danger and I can’t help them.”

Meadows ears flopped and she looked away, “It hurts doesn’t it, when you can’t help the ones you love…”

I wanted to bury my head in the earth and scream at the heavens all at once, to curse the gods and goddesses for doing this to me. Fuck fate, fuck destiny and fuck me for not being able to do anything to help them.

I stood up and walked to the edge of the clearing and held out a hoof, it was like hitting an invisible solid wall. This place was a glass bubble of shattered dreams and hopes, of memories that still walked, talked and could touch. My heart was burning with pain and emptiness, death and life denied me in equal measure. Somepony must have cursed me. But for whatever reason it was, by the goddesses, I must have done something terrible to deserve this.

“Where’s Mitre and Brandy?” I asked sullenly, “Aren’t the agency doing anything or have they abandoned you all too?”

Tingles looked from me to Meadow and back again, “Mitre’s arranged for detectors to be installed around the village and supplies to help us repair and rebuild the place. Princess Luna, came to pay her respects and told us that…that Celestia has agreed to return the lands to the tribe. She was going to come here herself, but there’s a lot of commotion in Canterlot over the business with the changelings still.”

There was a moment of absolute silence while my mind, still in a mess from the teleportation spell, tried to digest what she saying, “Wait…what? Celestia actually came through? I don’t believe it!”

Tingles nodded, “She’s not a liar Fairlight, regardless of what may have happened in the past.”

I had to admit, she had a point. Still, honouring an agreement was one thing…but, ah! What the hay! We had our lands back, or I should say, ‘they’ had their lands back. Not much use to a dead pony. Damn it to hell, I’d been blown up at the worst possible time, now…

Meadows hoof gently stroked my shoulder and I looked up into those big yellow eyes, my chaotic and troubled thoughts melting away; my rock in the storm.

Tingles nuzzled me, “I missed you, both of you, Lumin and Tarragon too.”

I gave her a kiss, “I missed you too, all of you.”

Meadow gave her a nuzzle, “We’re a family, Tingles, all of us, whether in this world or the eternal herd, we’re all one.”

We talked, cried, laughed and wiled away the hours together until at last, the time came to bid farewell. I promised to try and think of something that would help us with Shadow, and Tingles assured me she would keep trying to find another route to the fortress that was less dangerous. She was certainly resistant to my assertion that she shouldn’t attempt the journey herself until I pointed out that should anything go wrong, Lumin could end up with no parents in this world at all. That worked.

Before I knew it, we were back in the blindingly brilliant sunshine and blue sky of the eternal herd. Meadow looked at me, raising her eyebrows but before she could say it,

“NO!” I stomped a hoof, “No more teleporting! If you want to, go ahead, I want my body and brain in one piece thank you very much.”

She sniggered and hid her smile behind her hoof, “Are you sure now? It only takes…”

“NO! Goddesses, Meadow, I mean it. How in Equestria did you learn that anyway? I thought that was some alicorn trick.”

We walked back across the fields to home, “Not really, there’s a few unicorns who can do it. It is tricky, but like riding a bike you get the feel for it, the balance. Starswirl showed me how, studying magic has kept me occupied when I wasn’t nursing Sparrow or at the clinic.”

“Didn’t you end up barfing everywhere?”

“Er…”

“I bloody knew it! You didn’t did you? It’s another ‘Fairlight thing’. Bloody hell fire, I’m cursed! I must be!”

Meadow burst out laughing and trotted off across the field, making me break into a canter just to try and catch up with her. Fortunately the house wasn’t far and we arrived barely out of breath. Horribly though, a thought hit me, “Oh damn, Sparrow!”

I burst through the door, rushing to her room to find the hourglass on the wall still trickling sand. It had barely moved since we left. Meadow trotted up and rotated it with a tap of her hoof and the barest whisper of magic from her horn. The room and door suddenly began to shimmer and glow as it had when we’d first left and then, with a faint ‘pop’, the door opened and revealed the still sleeping form of Sparrow in her bed.

“How did you?”

“Maternity spell” Meadow said quietly, “I found it in one of those books, a very old one too.” She waved her hooves in an attempt to visualise her words, “It sort of ‘freezes’ time at a specific location; well, it more ‘slows it down’ really. It used to be used a lot once by mothers who were single.”

Ah ‘the good old days’, when loved ones went off to war and never came back.

I collapsed into the chair by the fire and looked at the clock. Wasn’t I supposed to be doing something? Oh shit! I’d missed the appointment with Starswirl! I grabbed my new coat and hat, “Meadow, I’ve got to go out, are you going to be okay for a bit?”

“What do you mean? Where are you going all of a sudden?”

“I’ll explain when I get back, I promise!”

Hurrying out the door, I felt a pang of guilt but quickly rammed that feeling away, I’d make it up to her later. Mentally I kicked myself for the second time today, why didn’t I think ahead? I used to be the commensurate planner, always checking times and schedules, it had been an integral part of my watch training. Now I’d become lazy and slack, the good life of the eternal herd was dulling my edge.

Thankfully, the cherry orchard was nearby, down the lane that lead back towards Aethel’s office. It was times like these I wished I had access to my wendigo powers and could actually do something other than my usual object manipulation and hovering flame trick. Like this I was more like a foal’s birthday party magician than a unicorn. Bollocks to it, I’d have to study those books of Meadows and then I could learn how to pop up around the place like a bloody jack in the box. I may even avoid puking my guts up too; my stomach was still sore even now. Galloping to the orchard was definitely ‘not’ helping.

Cresting the rise, the cherry trees were laid out below me on both sides of the lane. It was early morning and nopony in their right mind should have been up at this hour, but there was one, lying under one of the trees, his staff and pack lying beside him. As I approached I noticed the large brimmed wizard’s hat, adorned with small brass bells around its brim, was pulled down shading his eyes.

Other than the coat colour, at a distance I could almost believe it was the thestral mage Starbeard. The cheeky bugger had pinched the name, or, as he saw it, used it to honour his tutor. Maybe I was getting cynical in my old age; at fourty three going on twenty, I was going to be a grumpy old stallion before I knew it and still look like I was barely old enough to shave!

The brim of the hat twitched as Starswirl let out a groan, “Do you know what time it is, boy?”

I put on my most serious voice, “My apologies Premier Starswirl, my wife and I were answering a summons from the ‘other side’. I fear the dead have no power to resist such powerful magics”

A hoof pushed up the brim of the outrageous looking headgear revealing a big yellow eye which stared up at me. A moment later, Starswirl burst out laughing, “You haven’t lost your sense of humour then!” I reached down to help him up, not that he really needed it, he was as fit as I was.

Starswirl brushed a few errant twigs from his coat, “Your family are safe then, I take it?”

“I think so,” I replied, “I just wish I knew who the rat was who planted that bomb. It could have been anypony.” I huffed out a breath, “So much for friendship and trust.”

Starswirl gave himself a shake, “Friendship is one thing, trust is quite another, Fairlight.” He tapped me on the chest, “Trust is earned, not given or bartered away. You will find, as I did, that it is something that those who have a lot to lose cannot afford to give out easily.”

“I think I already know that lesson,” I said snorting loudly, “I’ve found few who I could and even then there’s that niggling little seed of doubt at the back of your mind, can you really trust them? Will they betray you? Honestly, Starswirl, I think trust is a weakness.”

He smiled sadly and re-adjusted his hat, “Come on, we’ve delayed long enough”. We walked along in the morning sunshine, listening to the dawn chorus. Even here it filled me with hope for a new day and its promise of better times ahead.

We talked of my visit with Meadow to Smiling Borders, the old stallion nodding and occasionally asking questions. It was rather like a friendly interrogation, just without the shouting and shining a lamp in your eyes; not that many of us did that in the watch any more of course. I was still at a loss as to where we were going though, and despite his age and apparent ‘wisdom’, Starswirl still had quite the talent for drama. He seemed to enjoy the suspense and, I suspected, did it all very deliberately. I’d met another pony like that once, what was her name again?

“We’re here, follow me.”

We had arrived at a rather nondescript building which looked like some sort of hotel. I’d seen it once before on my way from Aethels office and, true enough, further along the lane was that bloody alicorn’s office. Nopony was around yet and despite the mown grass and neat flower beds, there was still a strange ‘abandoned’ feel to the place.

There was no name, no sign, in fact nothing above the door to suggest where we were at all, it was simply a functional building that served a purpose. Whatever that was.

Inside was a large atrium with a number of chairs and loungers, pot plants and a long desk with a board behind it covered in keys. There was nopony here either, no customers, no staff…if I wasn’t dead I’d probably be fearing for my life right about now! Starswirl lead the way up a flight of stairs and along a red carpeted hallway lined with numbered doors, “Fairlight”, he whispered, “I know you want to tell Meadow about this, but nopony else, do you understand?”

“Of course, what’s going on here Starswirl, my hackles are going up like noponies business.”

He gave me a hard stare, “And so they should.” He placed his hoof on the handle and pushed down sharply, “Behold!”

The door swung open, dramatically revealing…an empty bedroom.

I looked back over my shoulder, “Er, Starswirl, there’s nopony here?”

“What?!” The bearded unicorn pushed past me into the room and drew his staff, magic flowing around it, and lighting the room in a brilliant golden glow. I trotted over and opened the curtains to let in some natural light, taking the opportunity to look around the room. The bedcovers were untidy and a quick check revealed the mattress was still warm, so whoever had been in here hadn’t been gone long.

The creak of a floorboard behind us made us turn quickly to see a side door from an adjoining room slowly beginning to open, a faint trickle of steam curling out from the gap. My heart was hammering in my chest and I could see from Starswirl’s reaction that he too was preparing to face whatever came through that ever increasing mass of steam. Hell fire, I had no effective magic, no weapons, nothing! My muscles tensed and I instinctively reached for my wendigo power that just wasn’t there any more.

Warm, floral scented air tickled my nose as the door was eventually pushed wide open and a damp looking unicorn walked in,

“Good morning”

The grey unicorn stallion standing before us sporting a rather bored expression on his face, was busy scrubbing himself with a large blue towel. I let out the breath I’d been holding, Starswirl visibly relaxing as well,

“Ah, there you are.” he said, leaning his staff against the wall, “I’ve brought our guest.”

I’m sure the old bugger was just as tense as I was, but if so, he hid it well. This mysterious new unicorn looked, well, to honest he looked a lot like Nimble, if a little bigger. Quite nondescript really; grey coat, horn, yellow eyes and a white snowflake cutie mark. If I had to guess, he looked like a pony who could have well been one of the four winds tribe. It had only been a matter of time before one of them appeared.

I nodded politely and greeted him, “Good morning, my name’s Fairlight. Pleased to meet you, mister…?”

“Maroc, former lord of the four winds. You may have heard of me I believe?”

Just as well I wasn’t carrying anything. My jaw dropped open and my eyes went wide as I sat back on my haunches, “Maroc? You mean…”

“Yes?” he cocked an eyebrow at me.

Starswirl shut the bedroom door, “Don’t tease him, Maroc, please. He’s had a rough time of things as you know all too well.”

Maroc sighed, “You’re right, I’m sorry Fairlight, forgive me. It’s a habit Arathea keeps telling me off about, but you know, old habits die hard and all that.”

I just stood there like a statue. What the hell could I say? I had no idea what was going on here, but whatever it was, I had a bad feeling about it. Maroc walked up to me, examining me like some sort of prize bull, shaking his head. His big yellow eyes fixed me with a critical stare,

“Hmm, well you certainly look like one of the tribe, other than the eye colour. Brown, not yellow…not a pure bred pony then.”

That got my back up and I took a step away from him, “Do you mind? I’m sorry I don’t come up to your exacting standards, but I think I’ve done alright all things considered. Anyway, you should know all this anyway, we’ve spoken enough times.”

He cocked his head to one side, “Spoken? No, I don’t…Oh! You have the memories, do you? I see.”

“No, I don’t see, what are you talking about?”

He glanced at Starswirl, “He doesn’t know?” he clicked his tongue, “What you have are memories, Fairlight, nothing more. All of our bloodline have them, it’s an old magic from way back to help us cope with the changes we have when we meld with the wendigo spirit. They’re more of a” he waved a hoof in explanation, “‘simulacrum’ of your ancestors, not the real thing.”

I scratched me head, “But you…the other you, saved my life. It took me over and used the wendigo’s power.”

He shrugged, “Like I said, they are like us, but not us. What saved you is more likely to be yourself, your subconscious tapping into the memories and the spirits magic. I don’t have all the answers Fairlight, for that you want to ask Starswirl here.”

The old unicorn wizard rolled his eyes, “Thank you for your confidence in my knowledge Maroc” he said sarcastically, “but you know I’m no expert on your people. Perhaps you can explain to young Farlight here why we dragged him away from his pretty young wife and foal?”

Maroc smirked, “Pretty? A chip off the old block eh?” Laughing he waved to one of the chairs which I climbed into before her continued,

“I’d offer you a drink but there’s no room service here unfortunately.”

Starswirl took out a selection of items from his saddle pack, “Fortunately, some of us think ahead old friend.”

In the glow from his magic, a series of bottles, cups and a wrapped box of pastries settled onto the table between us. Unscrewing the lid I noted the distinct smell of elder flower, one of my favourites. Without standing on ceremony, we all tucked in, Maroc talking around a mouthful of cake,

“Delicious!” He wiped the crumbs away and waved a hoof, “The reason I wanted to see you, or really, both of us did” he raised an eyebrow in Starswirl’s direction, “Is because we have a problem which we believe you may be able to help us with.”

Damn it, here we go! I was ready to get up and leave, but my bloody curiosity got the better of me as usual and I’m sure that blasted old unicorn knew it too. If I didn’t know better I’d swear he was grinning knowingly behind that ridiculous beard.

Maroc continued, “It’s my son, Vela.” He took a deep breath and turned to look out of the window, “Starswirl…could you…?

The old wizard reached over and laid a reassuring hoof on his shoulder, “Of course, my friend.” He turned to face me, “Fairlight, many of the ponies in the eternal herd are aware of the attacks on Equestria by the changelings and the other troubles which have been plaguing the mortal realm for some time now. I am also well aware of your involvement in those events and how you fought to save our old home; this has not gone unnoticed.”

Well, that was positive, I think. Somehow though, I had the feeling this was leading up to something and it was probably going to be a ‘something’ that I didn’t like.

“You are already aware that Wendigo’s have their powers sealed when they enter the herd, yes?”

I nodded.

“Some of the wendigo’s don’t take well to that, and refuse to integrate with the rest of pony society.”

Maroc turned back to me with a far away look, “It’s hard for us, very hard. Unlike you, many of us were born knowing what we would become and would join with the spirit as soon as we were old enough. When you live your life as a wendigo, to have its power denied you…its like losing a part of yourself, a cruelty many of us couldn’t accept, and don’t accept.”

“I take it this is where Vela comes in?” I asked, “But he didn’t become a wendigo in his mortal life did he?”

Maroc shook his head sadly, “No. He died being unable to achieve the joining, but in death, he has become bitter and resentful of both the living and the ‘authorities’ here in the herd.”

Starswirl spoke next, “He has left the land of the herd and entered the realm of the thestrals. We hoped that he would find happiness there as many from the wendigo tribe have, but his anger has lead him down a path which now threatens both realms.”

“How so?” I asked, “If he has no power, what threat can he pose?”

Maroc’s voice lowered, “We believe, we know, he has been working with somepony in the mortal world, passing them knowledge that has lead to the suffering of innocents. My tribe never did this, we never allowed this sort of…sickness…whatever possessed him to do what he did…”

His eyes narrowed and his voice cracked, “Starswirl, you tell him…”

Before he could reply I filled in for him, “It’s the portals isn’t it? Vela gave them the knowledge of how to build them.”

Starswirl nodded sagely, “Well deduced, my boy. That knowledge was locked away and none save the royal family knew about it. From the most ancient times, some portals still remained but none should have had the knowledge of how to align them, let alone build one and certainly not to the human realm.”

“But it’s not impossible, is it? Somepony must have found out about it originally and even if the knowledge was lost, it could be rediscovered.”

Starswirl began to fidget with his beard; I had the distinct impression he wasn’t telling me everything. He cleared his throat, “True, true, but we know that Vela did pass that information across. Like your ‘Equestrian watch’, we have our own sources of intelligence here in the herd.”

I took a drink of my flavoured water, “There’s more to it than that though, isn’t there?”

Maroc curled his lip, “Oh there’s much more than that, my dear Fairlight.” He growled, “That damnable fool of a pony conspired with those disgusting ‘things’ to attack Equestria in some totally insane attempt to return the power of the tribe.”

“Good goddesses, why the hell would he think such a thing would work?” I shook my mane in amazement, “Even if the changelings did take over Equestria, they would suck it dry. There’s no wendigo’s left in the mortal realm in any case.”

He stared into my eyes. His own had a timeless look to them, one which spoke of sights that I couldn’t even begin to imagine, making me feel very uncomfortable,

“You’re wrong, there are.” Maroc said levelly, “Some fled to the far north and they remain there to this day, ponies, like the rest of the equestrians, but still descendants of the tribe.”

“But they’re just ponies!” I exclaimed, “Without the spirit, without the joining, they are no more nor less than any unicorn.”

Maroc slammed his hoof of the arm of the chair, “You sound like one of those damned Celestians! What are you? A coward?”

Anger, real anger, flooded through me, the first time I’d felt such a thing since I’d arrived in the herd. It was…invigorating. Jumping from the chair, I bucked it away from me across room, sending the thing smashing into the wall. Taking a low fighting stance I growled up at him, “How dare you, how fucking dare you! I have fought dragons, I have fought armies side by side with my brothers and sisters, and you have the damned affront to stand there and accuse me of being a COWARD?!”

Letting out a neigh, Maroc spat on the floor, “And what have you done to find your lost brothers and sisters of the tribe, wendigo? Have you searched the north, the empty wastes, to bring them home? NO! You’ve been running about fucking mares and playing with baby dragons!”

My blood was boiling with rage, “What about you? What have you done? Been swanning about here in the world of sunshine and smiles sitting on your arse waiting for what? For some frigging miracle? I’ve done what I can, I’ve got the lands back from Celestia and that’s more than you damned well managed isn’t it? At least I didn’t get turned into fucking bones on a goddess forsaken mountainside!”

A solid wall of magic hit me and I was flung bodily across the room, crashing heavily into the bedside unit.

“ENOUGH!” Starswirl stood on his hind legs, his staff held out, glowing with a bright golden magical aura, “Will you two stop this infernal nonsense? I thought I was dealing with stallions, not testosterone fuelled colts!”

Maroc picked himself up and gave his coat a shake. Dust and broken bottle fragments falling from him, he laughed out loud, “Damn that felt good…really good!”

I stared at him incredulously. Maroc noticed my expression and raised an eyebrow, smiling, “Don’t tell me you didn’t feel it too, Fairlight? I know who you are, and what you are,” He walked up to me, his yellow eyes shining in the sunlight from the window, “You’re the lord of the four winds…I know you are.”

He was right, it did feel good. The emotional suppression of this realm, the utopian happiness which I felt all the time was strangely wearing. Was this why I hadn’t felt completely settled? The wendigo part of me, its magic at any rate, was suppressed, true. But the awareness, the mind, I was still me and it was part of me now. I’d forgotten the exhilaration of battle, the song of war…

“Yes…YES!” he laughed, “I can see it in your eyes! You do remember don’t you!” He reared up and grabbed my shoulders in his hooves, “You are the one, Fairlight, you have the power to change the world.”

I grimaced, “Maroc, look, I think you have the wrong pony here.” He looked taken aback momentarily, but I continued, “I’m dead, remember? Besides, I have a foal and wife here.”

“Pah!” he snorted, “Details”

“DETAILS?” I shouted in surprise, “Being dead is a bit more than a frigging detail!”

“Talk some sense into him would you, Starswirl?”

Looking more than a bit flustered himself, Starswirl scratched his beard, “You’re both right.”

Maroc raised his forelegs into the air in exasperation and walked over to lean against the windowsill. Starswirl shrugged at his friends’ reaction, clicking his tongue before continuing, “Whether you like it or not Fairlight, Destiny is not finished with you it seems, not at all. In some way, I cannot say how, you are still tied to the mortal world even now.”

I took a step back, “No…no way, Starswirl, I’m dead…DEAD! For the goddess’s sake, I’ve been through enough, I don’t want any bloody ties to the mortal world. You have magic, do something about it; cut it, block it, something! I don’t want to leave Meadow and Sparrow again, and I’m not, you hear me? So you shove any fucking stupid plans you have for me up your arse, I’m done with this and I’m done with being every ponies bitch. Goodbye.”

I stood and headed for the door.

“Tingles will die, Fairlight, but what they will do to Lumin will be far, far worse.”

I stopped in mid stride, hanging my head, my determination to leave suddenly doused in cold water, “What do you mean.”

Starswirl spoke sadly, “If Vela succeeds in his plans, hell will be unleashed upon Equestria. Lumin has within him a magic that would be sucked dry again and again, not by changelings, but by the things he is trying to release, things much worse than what you’ve faced so far. Vela thinks that he will be restoring the glory of the wendigo’s, what he will be doing is destroying their last hope.