A sleepless night passes by as the sun slowly creeps over the horizon through the bedroom window. I lie there, awake, unable to move from the fatigue of a restless body, leaving me only to stare at the curtains that hang over the bed.

'Today's the day we leave Canterlot, as soon as Griffin's done picking up the new recruits, we can finally go back to Gem Fido.' I slowly tilt my head to the side to find a letter on the nightstand. Slowly reaching for the folded parchment, I notice that Eol and Ubi are nowhere to be found. I curl my digits around the letter and pry the royal seal apart with one of my claws. I roll onto my back again, holding the letter up to my view.

'Dear Aoi,

You, along with Knightmare and Griffin, have been formally selected by the Royal Court of Canterlot to receive the honorable title of Knight of Canterlot for your brave and valiant actions in service to the Royal Family. I personally congratulate you on receiving this monumental gift.

Best regards,

Princess Celestia'

I grasp the corner of the letter with my other paw and take relish on ripping the parchment strip by feathery strip, rolling up the torn pieces in a ball and tossing it into a waste bin. I roll over on my side, away from the morning sunlight, curling up under the comfort of a strange blanket cover. It was just like in Japan all over again. I remember the characters etched in ink when I was invited to be congratulated by the Emperor. I wasn't going to go through that again.

After a few, quiet moments to myself. I slowly got out of bed, thinking of what to do. I wanted to get out of Canterlot as soon as possible. Hopefully, if I tell the captain, he'll share my sentiments in getting out of here in haste. I first had to find Eol and Ubi. I grabbed my pack and Kokuryu, walking out of the bedroom door and heading down the corridor. Eol runs out of an Alcove, turning around frantically to find me. I keep on walking, grabbing his tunic and dragging him along with me to find Ubi.

"Hey what's the rush?" Eol asked, clutching onto his tunic, trying to pry my digits from his sleeve.

"We need to get out of here, now. Where's Ubi?" I stop and turn to Eol, "Where is he?" I hear the door of the W.C. open, Ubi walking drowsily out. I give a quick whistle as a signal for him to come along, and not to ask questions. I let go of Eol's tunic and we continue on towards the tower where Griffin's ship is docked, avoiding eye contact with anyone who might potentially be part of the noble family. We continue until we reach the Possibility, the Emblem shining in the early daylight.

Spotting the window of what appears to be the captain's quarters, I smile and motion for both of them to climb up the mooring lines onto the deck. They scurry up the ropes silently and land on the deck with no problem at all. I bounce on the ball of my feet before grabbing onto the mooring line, detaching it with a slash of my claws and swinging to the rounded window of the captain's quarters. I grab the window and hang onto the edge, feet gripping the mooring line precariously. I tap the window, hearing the rustling of bedsheets. I lean back and flip upside down, tying the mooring line to my ankles, then pulling myself back up and knocking on the window again.

After a few seconds, the Captain groggily opens the window. He jumps in surprise at me outside the window.

"Permission to come aboard?" I deadpan with a salute. He closes his mouth and answers.

"Yeah," he points upwards, "Head up top, I'll be there in a second." He turns around and disappears from view, muttering, "Damn early bird can keep his worm..."

"Thanks," I say, climbing up the rest of the mooring line. As I lift myself over the banister bordering the deck of the ship, I untie the line and drop it down below. I look around, seeing some of the crew still asleep on the deck, and head towards the galley. I step lightly on the old wooden deck, being careful not to wake the other crew members. Griffin walks up the steps onto the main deck.

"Welcome aboard the Possibility, finest airship anywhere," He turns and heads back down, "Make yourself at home, but stay out of the booze. We just restocked and I don't wanna run out of rum before I get any. For some reason, the rum is always gone, but nobody knows who drinks it." He shrugs and walks down the hall.

"I don't drink rum anyway... so that won't be a problem..."

"Well, anyway, let's head down to the mess. Maria is usually up early cooking for us, and if we don't get there before these guys, we'll have to wait for our food." He motioned towards the sleeping crew. I followed along, intent to deliver my message, as well as my intent.

"By the way, you might want to start setting sail..." I say casually.

"Huh? Why's that?" He turns to ask.

"Princess Celestia's insistent on having you attend the knighting ceremony..." His eyes widened in disapproval, "So unless you want another segment added to your long name, better get going." His eyes dilated in an expression equal to that of what Keith deemed the legendary, 'Oh Shit.' look.

"I thought you'd might react that way..." I said with a grin.

"Knighting... there is a ceremony tomorrow morning that you WILL be attending, no excuses..." He mulls under his breath before turning and looking right at me, "OH SHIT! Up and at 'em boys! We have work to do!" He barks at the sleeping crew members. I look behind me to see Eol and Ubi, who are amazed at the technological marvel of the airship.

"Okay, Aoi, here's the deal," he says slightly out of breath, "We gotta pick up our newest volunteers, but we can't let Celestia catch us."

"How do you suggest we do that?" I asked. He thought for a few seconds.

"We show up to the ceremony, so that she knows we're there and is off guard, then bail when she doesn't pay attention. I'll have my crew go through who's joining while we're there."

"Then we go off, grabbing the mooring lines of the ship as she grabs the sword?" I ask. It sounded like something the captain would do. He waves his hand disapprovingly.

"Nah, we'll be in the back room, 'preparing' for out public appearance, then go out the window while she's giving the speech." His plan surprised me, if he had to go on stealth, I'd say he had as much disdain of being knighted as I was, "If we make a public exit, she'll just grab us, magic and all."

"You've got a point there..." I said looking back at a departing Griffin.

"Well, we can't do this on an empty stomach, let's get breakfast first, then we'll get going."

"I'll meet you down there..." I started patting my clothes to find something, then started looking through my pack, finding only some provisions, a couple of daggers, and some miscellaneous supplies we picked up: daggers from the raid safely stowed away, some wire that I would make into a weapon later, and some small round balls in a clear case labeled smoke bombs. I wondered how those got in my bag, but then shook the thought away as I grabbed the case and stuffed them in my dobuku.

"If you don't know the way, just follow the signs. Heaven knows I got lost in here one too many times before I had directions put up," he said before rounding the corner out of sight. I motion Eol and Ubi to come close.

"Eol, Ubi, stay on the ship, help in any way you can, readying the ship, cleaning the deck, whatever. Just when you are doing that, check the edges of the ship for possible exit points. Afterward come down to breakfast," I ordered turning around about to leave.

"Yeah... I'll do that..." Eol said, a bit nauseated. I started down the galley, following the signs labeled with directions and names leading to the mess hall. I stopped momentarily in front of a room that emanated a wave of heat from it.

'Must be the forge...' I thought to myself before continuing on into the crew quarters, noting a few names: Nadene, Steelhorn, Geirmund... Shimmer. Kokuryu hummed when I passed the door with her name. My mind re-winded, recalling the first conversation I had with the captain.

"So... this is the room of the dragon he told me about..." Suddenly I head a voice.

"I smell the blood of an ancient in this room... be wary..." I looked around, trying to find where that sound originated from, looking back at the door as it opened with a slight creak. I look down and find a small blue dragon staring up at me, letting out a small squeak in fear. She had blue shimmering scales, a light shade of yellow adorning the scales along her underside, and a spade tipped tail, gleaming with a gold luster.

"Who are you?" she asked uneasily, obviously afraid at my height. By estimate she was no larger than 4 feet.

"I'm Aoi," I say in a soft tone, calming my expression, which slightly puts her at ease somewhat.

"I'm Shimmer." She started to tap the tips of her claws together, still nervous. "Mister Aoi... you feel weird, but not in a bad way..." Feel weird? She shakes her head to remove the awkward topic she brought up, "It's breakfast time, and the mess hall is this way." She had a slightly coarse tone to her voice, as did all dragons. But her timbre was that of a child.

"Just Aoi is fine," I smile gently, "I think I'll be fine in finding the mess hall..." I turned slowly and walked towards the direction of the mess hall, wondering what that voice meant. As I was about to walk away, I felt a tug on my sleeve, I turn to see Shimmer beaming at me.

"I'll come with you..." She said with a soft smile across her face. She giggled as she walked in front of me to lead the way, slowly humming a tune vaguely familiar to me, although I could not remember where I had heard it. I followed her into the mess hall, finding the center table set up neatly. I take my seat in one of the three empty chairs set up. Ubi entered not long after I had sat down.

"Where's Eol?" I ask Ubi.

"He stayed behind, not feeling well apparently..." He said, resting his muzzle in his paw.

"Oh?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Two crew members took him to the sick bay..."

"Why?"

"He threw up over the side of the ship." He replied, not even glancing back at my direction, instead staring directly at Shimmer. She started to slouch in her chair, nervous again.

"You know, he really ought to just chew on some ginger root. Tastes terrible, but he won't get sick then..." Nadene, the cat, says out of nowhere.

"I'll be sure to tell him that..." Preferably, I find that ginger tea is more effective, and doesn't taste as bad.

"Maybe we'll get him some after we're done eating. Hey Maria, save a plate for our guest, he's not feeling so well and won't be coming to breakfast."

"Here you go," Maria rolls in several plates of glazed rabbit onto the table, steaming hot, "Full of nutrients and cooked to perfection."

"Thank you," I say to the lively griffin, then fold my hands together, "Itadakimasu..."

"Now eat up, doctor's orders. You need to get your strength back." Maria said to both of us. I snicker.

"You don't have to tell me..." I inhale the rich smell of the food before eating, enjoying the tender meat and succulent flavor. To my surprise, Maria finishes her food quickly, soon leaving to go back to cooking in the kitchen.

"Geez, where'd that girl learn how to eat?" Griffin said, unbelieving at the speed at which she ate her food.

"I used to eat the same way," I say, shrugging at Griffin's comment.

"Well, I've already had Cable inform the crew as to what they'll be doing. Gal makes a great comms officer. I've placed her on the bridge so she can work the intercom. She may be a kind mare, but something about her voice demands you listen to it. Probably why she's able to keep Gear under control so well."

"You mean Geirmund?" Griffin stops to take a few meaningful bites of his meal.

"Yeah," he replies, "We just call him Gear though. I'll introduce you to everyone later, when we have more time. Anyways, they all know what they'll be doing, so hopefully they can finish before we need to make our escape. I don't feel like being knighted."

"Ne neither, why do you thing I gave you the courtesy of the warning before hand?"

"I owe you one for that by the way," I looked away, mulling over something, "But since I'm giving you a ride, I guess we'll call it even."

"Fair enough..." I didn't expect any reward anyway. Griffin burped out paper in a flash of green fire. Out of reflex I draw my blade and nearly cut the table in half. After a second I look back at the Captain, "What the Hell?"

"Letter. Hmm, Let's see..." I lower my blade, Griffin scoffs after reading the letter, "Yes Celestia, I know. I'm coming. GEEZ, let me at least finish breakfast." He took out a quill and scribbled hastily onto the parchment before sending it off, "Submito ad Celestia." The parchment shriveled up and floated away by a spontaneous gust of wind. I sheath Kokuryu and sit down.

"A letter from the Princess," I sigh, rubbing my temples, "About the knighting ceremony, no doubt." I lower my hand and lean back in the chair, "But why did you... burp it out?" I tried to hold back a snicker.

"Beats me. Might be because I got dragon blood in me, but then why doesn't Shimmer have the same thing? I don't know..." He shrugs and picks up a fork again, shoving a bite into his mouth before talking, "It's magic, I ain't gotta explain SHIT!" He swallows and waves the fork at me, "And she didn't say it was a knighting ceremony. Probably because she thinks if I know, I'll bail." He takes a long gulp of water, exhaling before continuing with a large smile, "And she's right."

"Oh well," I say shaking my head, thinking about the concept of magic, "You can spend your entire life looking, but you'll never find the answers to everything..."

"Such as how ponies hold things without fingers?" He says with a chuckle.

"I have a few theories," I say thinking about Twilight Sparkle back at the library, "but what would be the point," I finish the last strip of meat on the bone, "... can't prove them..."

"Best to let the scientists worry about that. Way I figure, I don't teach Twilight my magic unless she can answer that one simple question." I guess that's a fair cop... "That's the difference between us I guess. Not knowing doesn't drive me crazy." He stands up to leave, dropping his plate in the wash bin. I look back at Ubi, who's wearing a disappointed look on his face.

'I guess he's looking for a taste as good as Applejack’s pie...' I stand up and push in my chair, washing up my plate as I leave.

I walk back to the deck, the crew working like clockwork: releasing the mooring lines, swabbing the decks, fastening lifelines onto the crew. I turn to the Captain, who's busy making sure everything is going according to plan.

"So, Griffin," I say still watching some of the crew scurry about, "Mind telling me exactly what she said?" He looks at me, clearing his throat and exclaiming in a dramatic flourish of pompous stance.

"Griffin, your presence is required in the throne room immediately." He thrusts out his chest, looking with a smug expression and wings flared, "And don't even try to skip out or I will teleport you there myself." He relaxes again, his tone returning to normal, "Looks like she's not in the mood for any of my shenanigans. Too bad for her, I'm always a step ahead." So he does have a fleshed out plan...

"Do tell..." I say, heading to the edge of the bow, hoping that what we would suggest was foolproof.

"Shadow manipulation and illusionary clones." Taking a page from a common myth, or just a coincidence? "I had Trixie charge a couple of gems with the spell so I can activate them, even when she's burnt out. I'll set two of them, one for each of us, on stage, while we slip out as nothing but shadows." He gives a wide grin, "It really is amazing what you can do with magic and just a little bit of human practicality, although she was actually the one who thought of it." He glances back at the blue pony, "I swear, she may not be all that book smart, but on the field, she's a genius."

In all honesty, for a scratched up plan, it was adequate at best. But I'll play along.

"Brilliant, but will the princess fall for it..." I turn back towards him, taking a few steps back closer and closer to the bow, "Being millenniums old, I'm not sure a simple shadow doppelganger would fool her..."

"Well, it was enough to fool you..." Suddenly the captain disappears, leaving a view of the stairwell as he walks up it. Hmm... this may go better than expected. But I can't trust his plan to the letter though.

"It's that seamless," he says with a smug grin. I seamless plan would have no need for a plan B, which is where I come in. I could think of a dozen ways his plan to go wrong, which is why fate favors the prepared. I turn around and keep inching closer to the bow.

"Timing is everything. It won't last long, which means we need to be gone by the time it wears off. I'll plant them onstage beforehand, then trigger them right before we bail." One of the many ways it CAN go wrong. I turn and lean on the edge of the banister guarding the bow.

"And you think her magic won't debunk it before hand?" I hop onto the banister, turning back towards the captain

"That's the purpose of us showing up of our own free will. If she had to drag me there, she'd be on guard, but if I come of my own volition, and tell her I know it's a knighting ceremony, she won't see any need for the extra measure."

"Hmm..." I inch backwards towards the very end of the bow, "As seamless as it might be, remember that there's always room for a backup plan."

"I ALWAYS have a backup plan," He smirked at me. From his expression, he was bluffing. I hop off the bow in free fall, the others crowding the edge of the banister, trying to find where I was falling. Little did they know I had grabbed a dangling mooring line and swung to the starboard side of the ship, landing lightly on the banister as to not attract attention.

"Oh do you now!?" I shouted at the captain, getting the crew's attention, some looks of amazement on how I managed to 'teleport' to the starboard side. Griffin didn't fall for the shock and awe. I jumped down from the edge of the banister and continued walking towards the captain, then stopping, "No wait, don't tell me... I want it to be a surprise..." I didn't feel like calling him out on it, didn't need to, but his tell further proved my point. I simply smiled at him, a coy grin stretching from ear to ear. He smirked and stretched out his wings, flapping them a couple of times, blowing a coat of wind across the deck.

"Hop on," he said, motioning to his back, "We might as well arrive in style. Plus, if she thinks I'm your ride, that's even less reason to suspect that we'll leave." I tilted my head to the side. Sounds reasonable. "I need to give my wings a strength test anyway, to make sure they're healed properly." I shrug and walk over to him, climbing onto his back. I grip his sides with my legs, my feet too large for the stirrups.

"May as well try to fly--- WHOA!" He takes off without warning into the sky, adrenaline surging as a thought crosses my mind.

'SHIT!'