The Trip to Canterlot was fairly uneventful, and oddly enough Spike stated that he wanted to come. Endymion explained that it could be dangerous, but Spike reminded him that he was a dragon, and as far as he knew there wasn’t a sword, or spear, that could get through his scales. Realizing that talking him out of it was out of the question, and seeing that the Drake was actually determined, he looked toward Twilight.

She tried to pull the parent card, and Spike reminded her that there had been more than once he had helped out. With no more arguments available Twilight relented, and agreed, but only if Spike was willing to be careful. When they arrived at the Port… Endymion realized why Spike wanted to come along. Wayward Sparrow walked toward them, his shirt off for the moment, and his sweat slicked fur was sticking to him.

“Endymion? Is that you?”

He smiled and walked toward the stallion, “Captain Wayward Sparrow, it’s a pleasure.”

“Pleasure is usually reserved for a bottle of rum, a comely lass, and a night that can’t quite be remembered,” he said before he looked at the girls there with him, “Speaking of which, ladies, I am Captain Wayward Sparrow, behind me is the Dawn Breaker, the best ship ever created.”

“Uh huh, are ya takin’ on passengers?”

He looked at the Earth Pony, a sly grin crossing his muzzle, “Perhaps. Would you be interested in a moonlit cruise above the clouds? We could anchor over Rainbow Falls, drink rum on the deck, and see where the night leads us.”

There was a throat being cleared and Endymion looked at Charm who didn’t look at all pleased. AJ had went back to the farm to get the stallion, saying that his potions could be of use, and of course he elected to get Muddy and Moondancer along the way. It felt like a larger group than he was used to working with, but over all that could be a good thing.

“Fella, ya might want ta consider if’n a mare is currently with somepony ‘fore ya go and start propositioning ‘em like that.”

Wayward Sparrow looked at Charm, slapped his knee and laughed, “I like you, and it’s not like I’m asking her to decide between the two of us, I’m just asking if she’d like to sample…”

He didn’t finish. Applejack knocked him on his ass. Her eyes were wide, her teeth bared, and she looked like she was ready to beat the living Tartarus out of him.

She looked more than angry. Applejack looked ready to kill on the spot. Being with Pinkie Pie had taught Endymion a few things about Earth Ponies, and one of the key things was that unless somepony was invited into the herd no meant no. Even teasing, which there was no lie he was certain it was a fairly dickish form of teasing, could be seen as an earnest attempt to move in on a herd.

Fluttershy was still earning Pinkie’s forgiveness, and to be honest she was working on his own as well. Granted, what Wayward Sparrow was doing wasn’t nearly as bad to an Earth Pony he might as well groped her a few times and told her what he thought of it. Despite the fact that Captain Wayward Sparrow obviously didn’t speak Earth Pony, beyond normal vocalization anyway, he knew that somepony had to step in and keep the captain of their ride from getting his flank turned into a hat.

“AJ, I’m sure the good captain was just trying to joke in order to get all of us used to being near one another. Isn’t that right Captain?”

Captain Wayward Sparrow nodded, cleared his throat, and looked at them, “He’s quite right you know. I just wanted to keep anyone from feeling too uptight about being on a ship with a crew of salty sailors that have been nearly everywhere, seen almost everything, and done most of it. You’ve got to be able to take some of our jokes if you’re going to travel with us. I won’t tell my crew to curb their speech just because a mare has a problem with it. I’ve got ta figure that if the tables were turned you’d be the same way.”

Applejack huffed, turned around, and walked away with Charm. Endymion felt better about stopping the fight before it had a chance to really start, but in essence that was all he did. The time he’d spent with AJ on the various adventures they’d been on had taught him how much her honor meant to her.

He could certainly understand that she was taking the steps to build a relationship with Charm, and he wasn’t going to argue with it. The two of them had certainly gotten closer since the ordeal with Stargazer’s home. Despite the fact that it was in jest or not Wayward’s joking had picked at her honor, and Endymion knew that a fight was eventually going to brew.

A few members of Captain Wayward Sparrow’s crew helped load the baggage and supplies the group had gathered, and once on board the airship began to move out of port. Endymion looked back at the port itself. It was one of the oldest in Canterlot, created by a group of Unicorns that had excellent control over the elements of fire and fine control.

Professor Flintheart had explained that much of Canterlot had originally been built in such a fashion, and that such power could be used for more than just construction. It could, easily enough, be used as an offensive attack. Still, as he looked at the port he wondered how long it would be until his mother realized what was going on, if she hadn’t already, and what her actions would be once that realization was made.

An answer of sorts appeared in a blinding flash. He turned, as did much of the crew, and before them stood two individuals. One was an older Unicorn stallion, one that had age and wisdom that worked well with his experience and power, and the other was the head of the Sol order. Most of the crew instantly took a knee in reverence of the solar diarch. At no time did she appear overly prideful that they held her in such reverence, but instead she graciously smiled and nodded toward them.

“Rise mine subjects,” she said before she turned toward Endymion, “Mine nephew, mine sister, thine mother, is displeased that thou wouldst run into an unknown battle without consulting her. She bade us, and Professor Flintheart, to accompany you, and informed me that she would speak to thou, later.”

Endymion swallowed. It was second hand, not directly from his mother, and still the meaning was completely clear. She was pissed at him for what he was attempting to do. Even if she were his mother, Endymion felt like he had to do this. Princess Luna might see this act as a defiance of some sort, but Endymion had to see what was causing the commotion out west, damn the consequences.

“Was that an order, Aunt Celestia,” Endymion inquired, “or a request?”

“We take it to be a plea,” Princess Celestia answered, “‘tis wise that thou shalt heed it.”

“You mother shares our concerns, Your Highness,” Flintheart added, “you may be inclined, foolhardy as it may seem most of the time, to throw yourself into danger. In this instance, though, it would be wise that you stand down. There is nothing to gain from adventuring into unknown perils.”

“Which is why I need to be there,” Endymion replied, “look, I understand that Mother wants me to be safe, I get that. But this feels like- like something- I can’t really explain it, but I feel drawn to this possible hazard. And for whatever reason, I have intuited that it involves me somehow.

“I am not doing this for fame, or glory, or honor. I’m doing this because I’m the adopted crown prince of Equestria and if anything, it would look downright foolhardy for me to stand on the sidelines. This isn’t some hoofball game where I’m injured or there’s a better player on the roster. I need to do this, for the safety of Equestria and for my own well being. Mother can be upset with me all she wants, but I am going. You can tag along if you wish, but I’m heading out there, by hook or by crook.”

“Here here!” Captain Sparrow shouted, “Shall we be going then?”

“Yes, Captain,” Endymion answered, “let’s be off.”

Both Celestia and Flintheart watched with grave faces as Endymion and his brides to be sauntered off to the decks below, likely to get whatever rest they could. The deckhands aboard the ship went about their business, now regarding the alicorn and her unicorn companion with nary a jaundiced eye, The rest of Endymion’s friends broke away to see to other aspects of their journey; Applejack and Charm were assisting with supplies, Rarity was commenting on the crew’s attire and the lack of fashion sense amongst the mares and stallions on the ship, Rainbow Dash had flown up to the crow’s nest to chat with a fellow Pegasus.

“That colt is as stubborn as the day is long,” Flintheart sighed.

“Aye,” Celestia added, “‘tis a trait methinks he doth acquired from his adopted mother.”

Slowly they moved further out until the Dawn Breaker looked like a dot on the horizon sky. Professor Flintheart looked over the side of the airship and let out a sigh. It had been a few years since his last trip aboard an airship. He looked over at the solar princess and watched as she marveled at the ship itself. Ancient Equestria didn’t have the airships, not that they were new technology.

He knew that the first designs were at least four hundred years old, but that was still quite some time after her banishment.

“T’is a marvelous way to travel. We can see why our sister so enjoys her ship,” she said.

Flintheart smiled, “It is a better way of travel. Although I’m certain that some of the way you traveled were as interesting your royal highness.”

She touched the rail, “True, there was something, once. Praytell, thou hast heard of the Crystal Empire, haven’t thou?”

He nodded, and she sighed.

“King Sombra was not always the tyrant that is known. He was once a good and just ruler. Long ago, before his fall into insanity, he called upon mine sister and us. We went before him, and once there he greeted us with a collection of crystal ponies pulling a carriage made of the same crystals. They worked as one, for they were but one crystal golem,” she laughed a bit mirthlessly, “They took him much time, and energy, yet he wanted to show his creations to us in the sense that we’d be impressed. We have not seen such beauty sense.”

“I’m uncertain if I should be impressed or horrified,” Flintheart commented, “all that magical expense, for a pretty carriage? So certain you are that he had not already began his slide into psychosis?”

Celestia shrugged, saying, “We durst not say. Such accusations back then couldst not be properly diagnosed. There were still some ponies who professed high beliefs in alchemy. We remember one such stallion claiming to perfect a process whereby lead could be turned to gold. Mine sister nor myself could not be certain of the veracity of his claims during that time. Since my return, we have discovered his technique was the work of a confidence artist.

“Many things stranger, to modern ponies, were in common faith back then. Sombra’s crystal golem entity did not elicit as much suspicion then as it were to do so now. ‘Twas a less- enlightened time.”

Professor Flintlock rubbed his chin, “Perhaps Sombra was suffering some neurosis, but one cannot argue that he was obviously a very talented enchanter. The ability to create a golem, or more likely a collection of golems, like that is impressive, but the fact that he created them from living crystal is even more so. It’s truly impressive, and I dare say I would have enjoyed getting a chance to see and study it, or more likely them.”

The azure Unicorn mare looked at the Pegasus guard that was with her. She’d never go as far as to say that she considered him more than a traveling companion. But that was certainly changing. He had proven to be a dedicated companion, and in truth she found herself speaking more openingly with him.

“My champion, this should be a fantastic opportunity for you to prove yourself. Think of it. We are going to face an enemy that potentially could threaten all of Equestria.”

Trixie looked at Flash and a slight blush crossed her muzzle. He was authentic with his feelings, he spoke openly with her, she… She dropped the entire Showpony persona when she was alone with him.

“I, I know,” she smiled and sat down, “It is a great chance to prove myself, to become more than most ponies see me. More than Endymion sees me.”

Flash walked toward her and she gave him a soft smile, “I am not a great fool. I know what most of my classmates think of me. The Great and Powerful Trixie is a shameless glory hound that wants to rub her abilities in the faces of other ponies!” her laugh was mirthless, her eyes holding a sadness she couldn’t express, “You’ve been somepony I can actually speak to.”

He smiled softly, “My champion, I am to follow you. It would do no good for you to have a Priest that was unable to connect with you.”

She patted the lower bunk she was sitting on, and he took a seat beside her.

“Professor Flintheart believes that I have the potential to be a great black cloak,” she looked at her hands, “but most of my abilities are illusions. I can project realistic looking threats, and I can even give them some weight and strength, but I’m not like Twilight Sparkle. I… I simply am not able to pick up any spell I come across.”

Flash looked at her, smiled, and then he laughed, “That doesn’t matter.”

She looked confused, but watched as he composed himself a bit better, “The mark of a champion, of a hero, isn’t in the spells they have, or the power they wield, but rather it is in what they do with what they have. Sol sees great things for you, and as a priest of Sol, and your follower, it is my duty to help you reach them.”

The nascent Black Cloak mare looked at Flash with a sideways glance, then stated, “It’s a good thing you’re cute, because otherwise, Trixie would have blasted you off this boat for that comment.”

“I meant it,” Flash reiterated, “every word. No fooling.”

A brow went askew on Trixie’s face, “What? Are you looking for a kiss or something?”

The blush that rose on the Sol Priest’s face was hard to miss, “I- I wouldn’t object.”

“Faust help me, you’re so cute,” Trixie teased, “but I guess I could do worse.”

So she kissed him.

Sick didn’t even begin to describe it. Charm felt like his insides were going to be introduced to his outsides at any moment. He wanted to come with Applejack, support her, and lend a hand when it came to making potions. He didn’t realize that he was somepony that would suffer from airship sickness. It didn’t make sense, especially since his own father worked on both air, and sea, ships.

Speaking of his father, he’d seen him, on board, serving with Captain Wayward Sparrow. He’d heard that his father was working with a privateer for the crown, but he had no idea that he was working here. He dreaded the idea of his father meeting his special somepony. There was no other way to say it. She was his special somepony, and he was hers. He felt his stomach violently lurch again. Its threat to escape by any means necessary seemed to holding, and he felt the strong, yet soft, hand of the mare that he was proud to be with.

“Yer gonna be okay,” she whispered.

“Yeah, it’s alright, jest…” Charm replied, before a burp come up, “Jest ain’t used ta this.”

She sat down beside him, her arm wrapping around his frame. A small part of him wished that they could stay just like that. He felt different around her, around his Jackie. There was a sense of belonging that he couldn’t explain. He didn’t understand it, but it was his Earth Pony half that was feeling that way. His mind, his thoughts, and his neurosis were gifts from his mother, but his father had given him something that he’d ignored most of his adult life. Earth Ponies felt a connection not just only with the very ground, but with other ponies as well. They felt the comfort of being together with the pony, or ponies, they were meant to be with. Right now he felt that connection with Jackie.

It was as if they were simply meant to be…

Fluttershy looked at the door. Just inside was her champion. She had went about joining the herd in the wrong way, she understood that, and she had been trying to make up for it. She was determined to help Endymion prove himself, but there was something more than that. She wanted to be part of this herd. Pinkie had proven herself to be the alpha mare, and she had explained to Fluttershy that joining the herd would take time.

It would take time because she had done something almost unforgivable, and Pinkie wouldn’t force Endymion to allow her to join if he felt reluctant about it. Still, she felt as if enough time had passed. She opened the door, stepped in, and prepared herself. She expected to see the three of them in a bout of lovemaking. She had expected to see her friends tangled up in a pony pretzel, but instead she saw the three of them at a table, looking over a map, discussing what was ahead of them.

Surprised didn’t even begin to describe how she felt. Her senses told her there was much love in the air, given the high degree of endorphins in the air of the cabin and the general closeness of the ponies there. The lump in the Priestess’ throat would not remove itself. She swallowed several times, then took in a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. He chastised herself internally for being such a fraidy pony; she had dealt with zombponies, ogres, trolls, a sea monster, an entire tribe of goblins once, and the occasional demon. She had no idea why she had such trouble speaking now. Her only guess is that she was dealing with a pony she was gaining deep affection for and that sort intimacy, shared physically thus far, frightened her to no end.

When her lips finally decided to respond to her mind’s commands, she squeaked out, “Um, hello, everypony.”

She saw two heads turn, Endymion’s and Twilight’s. Endymion offered a neutral expression while Twilight offered a warm smile. Pinkie had not bothered looking up; Fluttershy couldn’t discern the pink Earth’s pony’s visage.

“Hi, Fluttershy!” Twilight warmly greeted, “what brings you down here?”

“Oh, nothing much,” Fluttershy answered, “it’s just that, I really need to speak with Pinkie Pie, if that’s alright with her.”

“Me?” Pinkie inquired, with a nonplussed countenance, “Why me?”

“It’s something- It’s just-” Fluttershy stammered, “There’s something I want to ask you. It’s important.”

The pink mare looked to her herd mates. The human just shrugged, while the lavender mage tilted her head slightly. After a few moments, she inclined her head, indicating an affirmative response. It seemed the three of them were in fact in agreement to hear whatever it was that the buttery yellow Pegasus had on her mind.

“Ok,” Pinkie beamed, “go ahead, ask!”

“Uh, actually, Pinkie,” Fluttershy admitted, “I would prefer we discuss this, in private?”

Another round of looks, another bit of hesitation. This time, both Twilight and Endymion shook their heads. After putting a reassuring hand on his bride-to-be, Endymion stood up, as did Twilight, and the left the cabin. As they did so, Fluttershy heard Endymion ask Twilight if she had ever had the Dawnbreaker’s galley six cheese goulash. Endymion declared it a delicacy of the high air. Twilight expressed curiosity of the food dish, and the two went aft towards the mess.

Fluttershy had watched them leave and when she turned about to address Pinkie Pie, the Roamani mare was already up in the Priestess’ personal space.

The cheerful pony smiled at Fluttershy with keen interest, even if her nominally tangled mane was a little less buoyant than usual and asked, “So, what didja wanna talk about?”

Even if Pinkie’s demeanor was slightly more dour than usual, there was still a lightness in her voice; Fluttershy’s anxiety took a brief respite as she prepared to ask her inquiry.

“Pinkie,” she began, “I know that- you and I got off on the wrong hoof the other day-”

“You were rutting my stallion and had claim on him without any notice,” Pinkie suddenly sneered, then with a perturbing smile, said, “but that’s okay. I think I understand.”

“I’m not sure you do, Pinkie,” Fluttershy rejoindered, and the confused countenance on Pinkie’s face urged the Priestess to go on, “I was raised a ledrfladder. Growing up in Ponyville like you have, I have to believe you know most if not all of the normal Pegasi mating rituals.”

“I’ve done more than a few Pegasi engagement parties,” Pinkie piped in, “but do go on.”

“Thank you,” Fluttershy continued, “well, Pegasi and ledrfladder courtship are- vastly different. For instance, in the colony I was raised in, before my family moved to Cloudsdale for my education, and batpony mare can lay claim to a stallion; it is up to that stallion’s primgyne, or first mare, to declare if she will accept this new mare in the herd. I had forgotten I was amongst other ponies that night, I guess- I’m not trying to excuse my actions. I’m just trying to help you understand why I did things the way I did.”

“Okay,” Pinkie said.

“And, knowing that I care for you, Twilight, and Endymion,” Fluttershy carried on, “I want, now more than ever, to join your herd. I want to things- the proper way. If- if you’ll have me. I’m willing to make this up to you, to Twilight, and most especially to Endymion in anyway I can.”

Pinkie’s expression dipped into disbelief for a moment, before her mane puffed back up to it’s usual bushiness. An effervescent smile graced the Roamani mare’s muzzle and an arm reached out to embrace Fluttershy. The Priestess received the embrace gladly, a smile emerging on her muzzle as well.

“Flutters, Flutters, Flutters, whatever am I going to do with you,” Pinkie sighed, “you silly filly, all you had to do was ask! I’ve forgiven you, and Twilight will forgive you. It’s all up to Endymion now, but we can wait on that later. Now, it’s time you and I had a talk, mare to mare.”

“Surely you can’t be serious?” Fluttershy asked.

“I am serious,” Pinkie retorted in deadpan, “and don’t call me Shirley.”

Spike looked at the ponies working. The biggest was an Earth Pony stallion that was stacking shipping crates like they were toy blocks. He looked toward Spike after a few moments and stopped what he was doing.

“Son, ya got a reason ta be down here?”

Spike cleared his throat, “I just thought that I could help. I mean I know we’re paying passage, but I figured that you could use some extra hands.”

The stallion watched him, and then he followed the Drake’s eyes toward the Unicorn Mare that was standing outside of the cargo hold. A deep belly laugh escaped the stallion.

“Gotta say that yer not the first lad ta think that doing a bit of work would impress a lassie. Go on then, we’ll get ya ta workin’, and I figure by the end of this day yer gonna be ready to either curse or bless us.”

Spike walked into the cargo hold unaware of the kind of work he had signed up for.

The vast openness of the sky seemed to go on forever. While she had been down to her cabin, apparently Captain Sparrow had decided to grant her the use of his cabin. Of course he’d attempted to suggest that he could stay with her. Flintheart explained that wouldn’t be necessary. She thought of him, of the professor, and a hint of a smile crossed her face. He was older, but he was charming, determined, and good natured.

In some ways he reminded her of Sombra. Many of the same traits she noticed the older Black Cloak had existed in the former king of the Crystal Empire. But at the moment she was simply enjoying the sight of the vast emptiness around her that was the sky. Being more Pegasus than anything else she felt the connection with the sky, with the clouds, with the openness of it all. Many didn’t realize, but she had helped design some of the original weather patterns, patterns she was surprised to see still in use today.

“Aunt Celestia?”

She turned toward the sound of her nephew’s voice and smiled.

“Mine nephew, how art thou and thine herd? Hast thou made a decision upon Priestess Shywing?”

He looked toward the open sky and let out a sigh, “I’m not sure how to approach that. What she did was wrong. I know it was, I still feel… violated.”

Celestia walked toward him, opened her arms, and pulled him into a hug. He noticed right away that Aunt Celestia felt softer than his mother. She nuzzled him gently and then she broke the hug, walked toward a tied down box on the deck, took a seat, and patted the open space beside her. Taking the hint he took a seat.

“We would never tell thou to simply forget what had happened. Things, have changed, greatly, but even in the time before our banishment it was frowned upon for a mare to take a stallion in such a way. We did, and it haunted us for many a season. Our judgement destroyed a herd, our decision caused much heartache, and were it just us that had done so we would accept and live with it, but our sister, thine mother, has faulted the same.”

“Mom… Mom did that to a stallion?”

Celestia nodded, “He was a member of her lunar guard. A proud member, an Unicorn born to the night, to the moon, and the first, and only, that was more for the night than the day. Thine mother craved his touch. She enthralled him, captured his mind, and finally after her heat had subsided she regretted that which she had done. T’was too late. We heard he went unarmed into the forest, a deadly choice even then.”

“I don’t plan on doing that.”

She grinned, “That is because thou art stronger than he was, and stronger than the stallion we falsely claimed. Thou art a good pony Endymion. Thy heart is true, thy courage is undeniable, and thou hast the makings of a grand champion. Consider to speak to Priestess Shywing. Perhaps thou might see through her eyes.”

Endymion took his aunt’s advice. There in the same room with him, and his two brides to be, was the mare he had desperately attempted to keep from being alone with. It wasn’t that he was so much afraid of her. Granted she was a Pegasus, but if anything his rounds in the ring for Filthy Rich’s fights had taught him that Pegasi weren’t really so much stronger than he was.

Ponies like Applejack, Muddy, and of course his beloved Pinkie Pie were naturally strong. They had the kind of strength that seemed almost unnatural. He knew that it was part of their Earth Pony magic, that their strength was part of the trade off for being Earth Ponies, but still he more than marveled at his beloved pink mare’s uncanny shows of strength when she was working alone, or doing something that would take him and Twilight all day to do. So, strength wise he wasn’t afraid of her. No, what he felt, more than anything, was shame. Fluttershy had admitted that part of what had happened was a sort of enthralling.

He was the son of Princess Luna, a mage studying the defensive arts, he was going to become a defensive mage, a combat mage. He should have had the ability to keep from falling under her thrall, but he didn’t. She had taken him, used him, and that violation had left a mark. Still, here she stood, before them, no longer in her robes, no longer dressed as a maiden of Sol, but instead she was wearing a simple green tunic.

“Fluttershy, we’ve talked to one another on this. We’ve have multiple discussions, and we’ve come to this conclusion. You will be accepted into this herd, but you are going to date the three of us,” Twilight said before she cleared her throat, “That means that you will be paying attention to all of us.”

“Ummm… Not that I mind so much, because I don’t, but I really don’t know if I swing that way.”

For the first time since she had tried to claim Endymion he looked straight at her, his eyes met her own, “You’re going to do this. You wanted to make it up to me, to my wives, this is how you do it. We do everything together, and that is going to be part of this courtship, or otherwise you can opt out right now.”

She looked toward Pinkie Pie, hoping to get some support from the Alpha Mare, but Endymion cleared his throat, “We all discussed this, and this is how it will be. You will do this, or you won’t join us.”

The air filled with the sound of static before the Squawk, the magical intercom system, began to relay the message from the speaker.

“Everypony, get up to the deck. We’re docking at Three Heroes!”