It was a bright sunny midday when Airmail, Tempest and Wildfire boarded the Friendship Express steam train at the main station in Vanhoover City headed back to Canterlot. All three mares had enjoyed a very pleasant morning exploring the city’s Maritime Museum, the Train Museum and a generous amount of coffee and chocolate ice cream on the Boardwalk. Again, just like on their way here, the compartment they had on the carriage only had the three of them.

As the brightly coloured steam train pulled out of the station and quickly picked up speed, Airmail decided that they needed something in them more substantial than ice cream, so after they left their heavy saddlebags in their compartment the azure blue mare led the way to the club car. “You may order what you wish, Wily.”

Tempest snickered loudly as they sat themselves down at an empty table. “The great and powerful Airy has spoken.”

“Well, I'm still full of chocolate,” Wildfire smiled, making herself comfortable on her seating pad next to Airmail, “so shall we have three beers, oh great and powerful Airy?”

Tempest couldn’t help herself; it was way too easy. “You won't damage any refrigerators after drinking three beers, will you, Stealth Pony?”

Wildfire stuck her tongue out in Tempest’s general direction, before she erupted in a fit of giggles. “I'll do my absolute best not to run head first into anything…”

Airmail, studying the menu at the table, interrupted her little lover, “I'd be okay with her running head-first into my ass.”

Just about coming out of her giggles, that set Wildfire off again. “I could arrange that.”

“Airy and her hardcore negotiation skills.” Tempest shook her head and even, as the situation called for it, rolled her blue eyes at her long time marefriend as she ordered a fruit salad complete with extra peaches. Tempest herself ordered two daisy and watercress sandwiches. Both opted for coffee while Wildfire ordered three beers.

Wildfire smiled and she nuzzled Airmail’s right cheek while the serving pony trotted off to fulfil their respective orders. “You gotta love those negotiation skills,” she snickered and then a stray thought wandered through her head about meeting Air Raid in Canterlot later that day. “Guys...y'know when Air Raid called, I can’t remember, did I tell her the time to meet us in Canterlot?”

Airmail shared a look at Tempest, who conspicuously returned the look as well as a series of silent ear flicks. Safe to say neither were keen on seeing this mare, given what they had been told about her. “You did,” Airmail started, taking a deep breath, “but the Express is thirty minutes ahead of time, no harm in ringing to remind her.”

“Hmm...” Wildfire sighed. She couldn’t argue with the logic, after all there was no point meeting her if Air Raid had the wrong time. She still couldn’t believe, after all these years, she was going to actually speak to her again. “I'd better ring her back, I guess.”

“Okay,” Tempest reached over the table and rested her hoof on Wildfire’s own, “but you didn't promise her anything, so no pressure.”

“Yuppers, I know...” as the serving pony reappeared at their table with their orders held on a tray in his magical aura, Wildfire reached into her bag and pulled out her cell phone. “Part of me wants to welcome her with open hooves, the other wants to slap her so hard. But...” again, Wildfire sighed, “But she did call me…didn’t she?”

“True,” Airmail commented. The lead editor had to give Air Raid that much credit. It couldn’t have been an easy thing for her to do, especially after being grilled by her two herd-mates. “And, don’t forget, that was after talking to Mapper and Serenity.”

Uncertainly, Wildfire toyed with her phone between her forehooves. “Mistress and Serenity wouldn't have given her my number if she wasn't on the level, would they?”

Airmail considered that for just a moment. “Mapper has done some mind game stuff before, but Serenity wouldn't have let her do that to you with Air Raid. I think somepony is looking for forgiveness.”

“You think I should give it?”

“Forgiveness is about yourself,” Tempest said simply as she took a bite of her sandwich. “You forgive so you don't have to dwell on it anymore.”

“You're right, Honey, I've thought about this enough over the years.” And, the diminutive blind mare certainly had. In those dark moments locked alone in her cell at the care home nursing her many wounds she had thought about very little else. It would be easy – the easiest thing in the world – to turn her back and ignore her ex-marefriend, but it was finally time to move on. For everypony. “Alrighty, I'll call her…” saying that, she hit the call back button on her phone.

After three rings, on speaker phone as always, Air Raid’s tired exhausted sounding voice came over the line, “Y'ello?”

Wildfire couldn’t ever remember her ex’s voice sounding like that. “Air Raid, it’s me, Wildfire.”

“Oh, oh hey Wil...dfire, what’s up?”

“Nothing, I’m just letting you know when we'll be back in Canterlot…” Wildfire replied hesitantly. Straightaway, she felt two hooves comfortingly touch hers.

“Oh right,” Air Raid sounded distracted, and indeed she was. She was stood in her kitchen in Canterlot firmly between her friend and the knife drawer. “Um, when will that be, again?”

“The train schedule says we should be there about ten p.m. ish,” Wildfire repeated the time to her ex, “But we might be a little early, we don’t know yet.”

Tempest leant over the table and whispered in her lover’s ear. “Does she want to meet us and if so, when and where?”

Wildfire nodded, “Raid, Tempest asks if you want to meet us?”

“Yeah Wily...sorry Wildfire,” Air Raid corrected herself, momentarily forgetting Wildfire’s ire at the previous use of her nickname as she tried to stop the white unicorn. “I heard, we can meet you at the station car park.”

Wildfire shook her head. This didn’t sound like the Air Raid she remembered, at all. “It’s okay, you can call me Wily, and who's 'we'?”

While she was distracted by the phone call, Darkstar managed to get around her carer and she reached the knife drawer. Just in time, the lime green mare turned and caught her as she took a carving knife in her hoof. “Sweetie no!” She screamed, a scream that was heard down the line. “Don't do that, give it here!” After a few moments, she was able to get the knife from her. “Hey thanks, sorry Wily. ‘We’ is Darkstar. We're um, together now.”

At Airmail’s confused look, Tempest nudged her and spoke softly, “That's the pole dancing unicorn.”

“You're with Darkie?” Wildfire was well and truly confused now. “Darkie isn't in to mares…”

“Wily,” Air Raid deposited the knife back in the drawer and stood in front of it so she couldn’t get to it. “Darkstar, she's...she's changed. Like, a lot.”

“What d'you mean, she's changed?”

“Ponies change Wily, not always for the better.” Air Raid had that deadened tone to her voice, not too dissimilar to the one Wildfire herself had the night before. “Look, you'll see later tonight. Just, don't expect Darkie to be there.”

“You're coming alone?” Wildfire asked, puzzled as ever.

“No, Darkstar will be with me,” Air Raid was crying now when Darkstar gave her a foul look and miserably sloped off out of the kitchen. “She just isn't the unicorn she used to be.”

Airmail whispered to Wildfire and to Tempest, “What the Tartarus does that mean?”

Wildfire had to agree. “You aren't making much sense, Raid.”

Air Raid sighed a very long, very audible sigh. “I know, look I'm sorry, everything will be clear later…” just then she was interrupted by a loud squeal from the living room. Poking her head around the door she almost dropped her cell. “Oh no, sweetie how'd you get that? Wily I have to go, Darkie needs me…”

“Alrighty, Raid I...” Wildfire started but Air Raid had hung up the call before the yellow pegasus could finish her sentence, “I forgive you...” numbly, with slightly trembling hooves, she put her phone on the table. “Well, what do you make of that?” She asked her two marefriends.

A short series of ear flicks between Tempest and Airmail later and the violet weather pony gave voice to a thought she knew she shared with the lead editor. “You'd think she was talking to a foal.”

“There was something up, right?” Wildfire commented, even as famously oblivious as she was, she picked up on the tension in Air Raid’s voice. “What did she mean, 'Darkstar will be there but don't expect Darkie'?”

“Maybe she had a stroke?” Tempest offered as she mused on what she had just heard over the phone.

“Oh I dunno,” Wildfire felt helpless and powerless, and she hated feeling like that. “But, I do remember Darkie was strictly stallions only…” she shrugged and slumped on the seating pad next to the table. “Something's happened, I know it has.”

Airmail nuzzled her little lover and pressed one of the beer bottles into Wildfire’s hoof. “That will be a bridge to cross later tonight, Wily.”

“Yuppers,” she said thoughtfully as she took a long drink from her beer bottle, “I hope she's alright, whatever it is.”

Tempest mulled this over as she ate one of her sandwiches. “Is there anypony else you could call to find out about her?”

“Well,” Wildfire thought about that, “it's a longshot, but I've got Cyclone's number, I looked it up online the other day when I was adding locations into my headset.”

Airmail swallowed a mouthful of peach fruit salad. “Worse you'll do is scare them with the voice from the past, love.”

“Good point, Pretty.” The blind mare emptied her first beer bottle, purely for nerve, and she dialled Cyclone’s number stored in her phone.

“Hello?” The jet black pegasus answered her cell phone on the second ring. “Cyclone speaking, who is this, please?”

Wildfire smiled a wide smile. Now Cyclone at least sounded just like she remembered her. “It’s Wily, remember me, Cy?”

“Wily?” Cyclone was so surprised to hear her long lost friend’s voice that she almost fell off of her couch and landed on her ass in her living room. “Well shit, how long's it been?”

“Too long, Cyclone. Too long.”

Cyclone really couldn’t argue with that. She still couldn’t believe she was talking to her old friend. She’d pretty much given up ever seeing or hearing her again. She almost wet her nappy she was so surprised. “Where you at now, girl?”

“Manehatten,” Wildfire replied with a smile, “with my marefriends. How about you?”

Cyclone’s mood, so recently elated, dimmed a little as did her voice go somewhat clouded. “Cloudsdale,” she said sombrely. She had to remind herself that of course Wildfire had no idea exactly why she was in the floating cloud city. “Four years next week. So, marefriends huh? Good work. Tell them I say hi!”

“Yuppers...Cy, I got off the phone to Air Raid just now, she's with Darkie.” Wildfire started, she was so concerned about Air Raid and Darkstar that she missed the fact that her old scared-of-heights friend was now living in the highest city in the land. “Do you know anything about it?”

As the call was, as always, on speaker, both Airmail and Tempest could hear the strange new mare on the other end of the line send them greetings. “Hi Cyclone!” They both called together, earning them a couple of glances from the other ponies in the Express’s club car.

“Oooh, hello!” The innate gossip that lurked inside Cyclone sensed a scoop. “It sounds like somepony landed on her hooves! Well done you.”

“Yuppers,” Wildfire sighed and she made a start on her second beer bottle. “I'm a very lucky pony...so, Darkie?”

Cyclone realised quickly realised that if Wildfire was getting back in contact with the old gang, she would obviously have no idea about Darkstar. She didn’t want to be the one that told her. Instead she tried to change the subject, “I hope your marefriends aren't letting you play the blind card to get your own way all the time.”

“No, no they aren't.” She thought instantly about her Mistress Mapper, and Tempest and Airmail when they dominated her. Again, she tried to steer the conversation back to why she had called. “So, d'you know what happened to Darkstar?”

Airmail too could sense when an issue was being evaded, and this was definitely being dodged. Big time. Like her little lover, she returned to the subject at hoof. “We talked to Air Raid and she ain't talkin'.”

“Riiiiiight.” Cyclone gave a very long sigh. She could tell they weren’t going to be dissuaded, and it seemed like she was going to be the one to tell Wildfire after all. “Well, the thing is Wily, after you left for Fillydelphia things changed. We kinda drifted apart. Raid had a big fallout with Dusk, I moved to Cloudsdale. Bright even went over to Filly to try and find you. Raid and Darkie kept trying to get hold of you in Canterlot, Raid didn't believe your dad’s story that you'd gone to live with family.”

“Well I...” Wildfire was about to interrupt when Airmail rested her hoof gently on the yellow mare’s lips to silence her.

“Exactly.” Cyclone took a deep breath as she forged ahead. While she didn’t want to tell this story, now she’d started she didn’t want to stop either. “None of us could remember you ever talking about family in Filly. Raid and Darkie kept on at your dad for weeks and weeks, until one time he slammed the door in Raid's face, breaking her nose and muzzle.”

Tempest’s voice was low as she leant over the table to Airmail. “I wonder if Raid told that to Mapper?” Nodding quietly at the weather mare’s question, the azure blue pegasus got her own phone and began to text her carnie herd-mate.

“Then what?” Wildfire asked, trying very hard to not get annoyed that her old friend wasn’t just telling her already.

“Raid took the hint,” Cyclone replied, getting up from her couch and making herself a much needed coffee in her little kitchen area of her cloud house. She’d need it by the end of this phone call, she was sure of that. “But, Darkie wouldn't leave it alone. She started investigating your disappearance. She asked around in the hospital, she even interviewed this pegasus waitress who worked in the cafeteria. She disappeared too. Darkie told Raid she was close to finding you, oh must've been a year after you'd gone. Then...well I'm sorry Wily, but your dad got hold of her.”

Just then, Airmail got a reply from Mapper to the text she sent her. Turning her phone around so that Tempest could see, they both read that yes, Air Raid had said in the taxi that Cold Front had attacked her. With that in mind, Airmail took her phone back and began a search on Darkstar dated about four years ago.

Wildfire’s blood ran cold in her veins. Knowing what she now knew about what her dad had done to her, selling her to Amethyst Glory and stealing from her as well as abusing her step-mother Emerald, she dreaded to think what happened next. “What did my dad do, Cy?”

“You don't wanna know, sweet flanks,” and Cyclone really didn’t want to have to tell her. Again she tried to fudge the issue. “From what I read in the papers it’s over now.”

“The papers?” Wildfire asked, momentarily distracted.

“You made the front page on Friday.” Cyclone explained, thankful for the moment that her friend was distracted. “Princess Luna and a hoofful of guards arrested Cold Front, Thursday and at the same time a very reputable bank faces crisis over a fraud scandal?” There was a faint hint of amusement while Airmail was busy searching the internet for police reports of Darkstar, and she expanded the search to include any newspaper articles about her also. “Not very low profile, Wily.”

“So, tell me,” Wildfire asked, “what did my dad do?”

“Cold Front could have been my new record from shot to kill…” Airmail muttered at what she had discovered on her phone.

“Stand down, Airy.” Tempest said firmly, although her resolve was tested when her herd-mate flipped her phone and showed her what she had discovered. “Luna has it under control.”

“Alright, you asked.” Cyclone gave a defeated sigh that spoke volumes to the eagerly listening Airmail and Tempest. “Air Raid was coming back to Canterlot after a race series in Filly. Darkie was on her own at Café Diem. Your dad and a couple of his mates picked her up and worked her over in the back of his van. They beat her up, badly. They broke a few bones, and they took turns with her, they ah, they raped her over and over for fun, and then they cut off her horn before dumping her outside in the Warehouse District in Canterlot.”

Wildfire almost spat her mouthful of beer. “D-Dad…m-m-my dad did…h-he did that?” she spluttered disbelievingly.

“Yeah…in the hospital, Darkie was in a coma for three months.” Cyclone continued with a very definite sad tone. “When she woke up she wasn’t able to press charges. We all went to the police and told them our suspicions but his wife, Emerald, gave them all watertight alibis. Darkstar would've gone to a care home if Raid hadn't taken her in.”

“A care home?” Wildfire’s voice had taken on a very cold aspect.

“Darkie's clinically depressed, Wily, the doctor’s say she’s gone mad.” Cyclone was actually crying now. “She's tried killing herself at least ten times, maybe even more than that. Air Raid looks after her at her home.”

“Okay,” Tempest gasped. She shared Airmail’s stunned look. They both knew what severing a unicorn’s horn meant. “Okay…that is totally bucked up.”

“Tell me about it.” Cyclone heard Tempest’s comment and had to agree. “You, one of her marefriends, I can tell you we all cheered when we read the papers on Friday morning.”

“We had no idea how many lives he screwed up besides Wily's.” Airmail put in sadly.

“Well, one thing’s for sure, he ain't screwing up no more,” Cyclone said, her voice far sturdier, “Saturday was the trial, and yesterday he started three life sentences in the dungeons with no chance of parole. Ever.”

“It’s more than he deserves,” Wildfire snorted derisively.

“No arguments there, sweet flanks.” Cyclone said and for the umpteenth time she changed the subject. “So, now you know. You gonna introduce me to your marefriends, or what?”

“Um…ah…sorry, yeah.” Wildfire mumbled, not at all concentrating as her mind was all over the place. “Cyclone, meet Airmail and Tempest.”

“Hello Cyclone,” Airmail was the first to answer, nuzzling a shaking Wildfire as she did so. “I'm Airmail or Airy, and thanks for the update.”

“I'm Tempest or Stormy and we're all pegasi.”

“I wish I could say the update was my pleasure hun.” Cyclone said as she drank her coffee and prepared herself another, “It’s nice to meet you two though. How long you been with the yellow furball?”

“Coming up on our second week anniversary,” Tempest supplied with a worried glance at Airmail and then at Wildfire.

“Have you met her mum yet?”

“Yes,” Airmail nodded, taking note of Tempest’s knowing look with a shake of her head. “Wily wouldn't go all the way without her mum's approval.”

“Oooh, it’s serious!” Cyclone couldn’t help but snigger and she clapped her hooves. “If you're ever in Cloudsdale look me up. Hey, stormy, Airy, does she still like being tied up and spanked?”

At that, Airmail and Tempest both offered their diminutive lover many silent nuzzles. “Yuppers Cy, yes I do.” Given the previous conversation, she didn’t feel like going into all the details.

“Good, next time you play give her a lick from me, for all the times she teased me about my fear of heights.” The jet black pegasus giggled, “Well I'm due some holiday time in about a month or so, how about I come to Manehatten for a spell?”

“Second or fourth Thursdays are good for me,” Tempest said quickly.

“Sweet,” Cyclone commented, considerably happier now she was making a second coffee. “I have Wily's number now, so I'll get in touch when I have a date set. It’s been cool meeting you both but I really must get back to doing my bosses work for him…” she gave her laptop on her living room table a hated accusing look as it was keeping her from her playpen and her Power Ponies.

“You call me any time Cy, you'll like Manehatten.” Wildfire still had that deadened detached tone to her voice, “nice talking to you again.”

“You too. See ya guys!” Cyclone said as she cancelled the call and went back to her work.

“Okay,” Airmail slammed her hoof into the table so hard she made Tempest flinch and she almost knocked over the beer bottles and coffee mugs. “So things are really screwed up because of Cold Front.”

Wildfire didn’t know what to think. She didn’t know what to do or to say. She tried to comprehend and understand what she’d just heard. She couldn’t. She tried again and again to wrap her brain around what her old friend had told them all. She couldn’t. Not even close. She tried one last time and then she chucked her phone over the table to the empty seating pad next to Tempest. She reached for her beer then she changed her mind, whispering; “Wildflower. I…I just can’t deal with this, I’m sorry I can’t…”

About to shoot her an angry retort, Tempest caught Airmail’s shake of the head and the flick of her ears. The violet mare stood up from her seating pad and took Wildfire’s beer. “Back to our compartment, now Pet.” Wildfire nodded glumly and didn’t offer any resistance as she too got up and left the club car with the older weather pony.

Staying behind in the car, Airmail ordered some more beers and she picked up Wildfire's thrown cell phone. Thankfully it wasn’t broken from its flight over the table. An idea occurred to her and the azure blue mare used the phone’s contacts to find the speed dial for Dusky. Wanting anypony to answer, she hit the ‘call’ button.

On the fifth ring, just as Airmail was about to change her mind and hang up, Prince Dusk answered his phone. “What’s up Wily? Having fun?” He would’ve answered sooner, had he not been trying to find his new house key in the hidden pocket of his sunflower yellow dress with pink flowers on it.

“Hello Dusky,” Airmail greeted the young royal with as much respect as her weary mind could muster. “Wily is not having fun.”

“Okay Airmail.” Dusky’s tone changed almost immediately when he got inside his new house in Ponyville. He recognised that tone, and he realised it wasn’t a casual call. “What’s wrong?”

Airmail sighed, “Cold Front is haunting us.” Haunting was right. The azure blue mare had hoped they’d all seen the last of the wretched unicorn last week, but like a cheap horror movie villain, it seemed he was ever going to crop up. “Does he still breathe?”

“Yes,” Dusk admitted as he prepared for himself a cup of earl grey tea. This seemed like an earl grey moment. “He started three life sentences yesterday. Mom convicted him herself.” Dusky rubbed the bridge of his nose with a hoof. It still smelled of copper despite being cleaned. “What's he done?”

Airmail decided to approach this from a slightly different angle. “Wily told us of the times you and the group would hang out together, when is the last time you checked up on any of them?”

“Wow...it must be at least a couple of years.” He really didn’t want to admit he’d had more than a hoof in the fact that their group had split up. Air Raid’s separation in particular was in part down to him and his overreaction. That he hadn’t seen the rest as well, well that was all him, and his stupid pride. “We all kinda drifted apart. Airmail what's up?”

“We are on the Friendship Express from Vanhoover to Canterlot.” Airmail started tersely. She helped herself to one of the three beers to calm her nerves. She figured Wildfire wouldn’t mind. “We’re about an hour out of Vanhoover. We aren't due in till ten p.m. tonight. Maybe your mom can get us there sooner when she wakes up for the night shift?”

Dusky considered that for a moment as he delicately sipped his tea. “I'm sure she could, what's happened?” For a moment he was tempted to drip a few drops onto his dress to be naughty, but he decided against it. “Has the trip not gone well? I thought you were all up for it?”

“We are meeting Air Raid and Darkstar tonight at the station in Canterlot.” Airmail explained, “Cold Front broke Air Raid's jaw and nose. Serenity with Mapper has confirmed this. It’s Darkstar we are worried about right now.” She paused and slumped in her seating pad as she sipped the beer. “Cold Front and some of his buddies worked her over four years ago, and she hasn't been right since. It may be beyond Luna to heal.”

There was a distinct dangerous tone to the Prince’s voice now, one Airmail hadn’t heard before, but a cold detachment she recognised. She’d been that detached herself. Many times. “Oh he did, did he? We all suspected it was him, but understand, there was very little evidence, lots of alibis and no charges.” The newest member of The Nightwatch licked his lips, sensing a new target. “Want me to pay him a visit in his cell?”

Again, Airmail changed tack. "How is Emerald? I think she will change her story that was given under threat.” Airmail sighed as she recalled the pitiful state of the mutilated pegasus, clipped wings and all. “I'd like Luna to visit Darkstar's dreams to identify the others and see if there is any hope for her.” She reached for the beer bottle but found it empty. “What I'd really like is to sanction Cold Front, but Stormy has again told me to stand down.”

Dusky smiled. There was a topic he was happy to talk about. “Emerald's out of the hospital, she's back in Wily's old house. She only had superficial injuries, apart from the clipped feathers, which will grow back stronger than ever. The doc’s checked her over and released her after they healed her cuts and bruises.” He drained his cup of earl grey, “Do you want me to get mom to meet you on the train, if you want to get to Canterlot quicker?”

Airmail nodded to herself, even though Dusk couldn’t see it. “Tonight, after moon rise would be great. Our cabin is in the last car, room Three.”

“I'll get her on it,” the midnight blue pegasus promised, “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“Follow up on your old friends.” Airmail said definitely, a plan forming in her head. “We have only talked with Cyclone and Air Raid so far. I don't know how much more harm that bastard did.”

“I'll look up Brightstar and Slingshot.” Dusky reached for his tablet and navigated his way on to the extremely secret and private Nightwatch Files that only Luna’s operatives had access to. “I'll keep you informed if I see you.”

Airmail’s next sigh was one of relief. “Thanks Dusky, I’m sorry to just drop this on you. Are you in Manehatten?

“Not yet Airmail,” Dusky replied, “I thought we were flying with you to Trottingham. Is there something you need?”

“Crash space.” Airmail let out a giggle to release her state of nervous tension. “Take care, Dusky may the winds be at your back.”

“Clear skies, Airmail.” Dusky completed the traditional pegasi saying. “We’ll see you tomorrow. Be sure to look after Wily for me.”

“Stormy has Wildfire under her wing.” Airmail smiled, knowing the little yellow mare was in good hooves. “Why I want to wait on the pickup. We need to get Wily's head back in the game.” At that, the azure blue mare hung up and reached for the second of the beers as she tried to organise her thoughts.

~ ~ ~

Wildfire didn’t know what to think. She didn’t know what to do or to say. She tried to comprehend and understand what she’d just heard. She couldn’t. She tried again and again to wrap her brain around what her old friend had told them all. She couldn’t. Not even close. She tried one last time and then she chucked her phone over the table to the empty seating pad next to Tempest. She reached for her beer then she changed her mind, whispering; “Wildflower. I…I just can’t deal with this, I’m sorry I can’t…”

About to shoot her an angry retort, Tempest caught Airmail’s shake of the head and the flick of her ears. The violet mare stood up from her seating pad and took Wildfire’s beer. “Back to our compartment, now Pet.” Wildfire nodded glumly and didn’t offer any resistance as she too got up and left the club car with the older weather pony.

“Okay Stormy…” Wildfire murmured as she fell in behind Tempest with her ears slicked back to her scalp, her head hung down and her tail firmly between her legs, dragging her hooves through the aisles of the steam train’s carriages.

As they passed from one carriage to theirs, Tempest happened to look over her shoulder and her heart almost melted at the sight of Wildfire so forlorn. If she had to put a hoof on it, she’d say she looked defeated. She wondered for a moment if this was how she had appeared at the home, if this was how she had been conditioned. She had to do something about that. “I expect my Pet to look pretty at all times, as it reflects on me.”

“Yes, Mistress.” While she still sounded sullen, the blind mare nonetheless picked her head up and started to walk more confidently through the train.

Soon enough after a few minutes they were back at their cabin. Tempest slid open the compartment’s door and entered first, a quick plan for ‘Operation Distraction’ forming in her head. While she could sympathise and understand how Wildfire was feeling, she couldn’t countenance her lover moping and dwelling on it. “Face the window, which is opposite the door.” She ordered as she got the crop ready.

“Yes, Mistress.” Wildfire only just managed to keep her head up as she entered the cabin and took a couple of steps forward to face the window.

“Whose fault is it that Darkstar is messed up?” Tempest asked, gently caressing the end of the crop over the diminutive mare’s ass. Although her ointment had naturally worked its miracles, there was still a somewhat reddened tinge to Wildfire’s hind quarters if you looked hard enough.

“It’s...it’s…” Wildfire was really struggling. She had a hard time believing her dad had screwed her over, she really couldn’t believe he had done the same to Darkstar as well. More, she didn’t want to believe it. “It’s…” in the end, she sighed and visibly deflated. “It’s his, Mistress.”

Greatly relieved, Tempest kissed both of her lover’s cutie marks. While she could understand Wildfire’s distress, the thought of hearing her even try and blame anypony else was beyond the pale. “I'm glad that you know that. I love you, do you love me?”

Wildfire nodded. “I love you, Mistress.”

“Thank you Wildflower, I needed to hear that.” Both thankful and relieved that the crop hadn’t been necessary, Tempest set it down on the couch seating pad and she rummaged through her saddlebag until she located the hoof cuffs and the chains. Setting the chain’s length to just eight inches, the violet mare buckled the cuffs to her Pet’s hooves.

Feeling the cuffs tighten against her fur, Wildfire visibly relaxed as she tested the length of the chain from the centre ring. “Thank you, Mistress.”

“Now my Pet, let's get you looking pretty so that I can parade you up and down the train.” As she dressed her diminutive lover in her forest green corset and panties, her heart was hammering so hard in her chest she thought she’d break a rib. She knew she had to get this right lest Wildfire regress back to where she was when they had first met. The very last thing she wanted as she put on the blindfold, the bit and the bridle was a return of the scared little slave that cowered at every single noise.

“I'd like a parade,” Wildfire said, speaking up at last. She had been silent while she was being dressed. Deep down she knew it was her dad that was at fault, and that nothing would be gained from blaming herself, but she couldn’t help but wonder who else had been hurt by her dad, "if it pleases you, Mistress.”

“It will please me greatly if you show me that you are proud to be my Pet.” Tempest purred into Wildfire’s right ear, finishing with a loving lick straight up it. “It would displease me if you are sulky.”

Wildfire lifted her ears up from their slicked back position and she managed a shaky little smile. “I love being your Pet, Mistress.”

Tempest turned Wildfire’s head to face her and she kissed her soundly. “Nuzzle under my left wing.”

Wildfire gladly returned the warm hot kiss before placing her muzzle under Tempest’s left wing to nuzzle her wing joint where the strong powerful limb met her body. Almost immediately she felt the handle of the riding crop brush against her nose. “Ready to parade love?” The weather pony asked kindly but firmly, “Do well and I won't find you celery.”

Feeling considerably buoyed, but thankful for the distraction, Wildfire nodded eagerly. “Yes, Mistress, I'm ready.”

Satisfied for the moment, Tempest slid open the compartment door and stepped back out into the hall. “To the back door first, then all the way to the baggage car.”

“Yes, Mistress.” Wildfire walked carefully towards the sound of her Mistress’s voice, testing her step against the eight inch chains that bound her hooves and restricted her natural gait. Watching proudly, Tempest waited to follow but she used her right wing tip to brush her flank. As she felt the touch on her right flank, Wildfire turned to the right to the back door.

Smiling as she admired the view of Wildfire’s swaying ass, Tempest appreciated just how much punishment the diminutive mare could take. Following her to the end of the carriage, the violet weather pony fancied that her lover was simply unbreakable, and that was that. “The door is in front of you, touch it then turn around.” Tempest ordered, “You will go through every car on the train. If anypony speaks to you, you may say, ‘I'm enjoying my walk, thank you’.”

“I understand, Mistress.” Wildfire nodded and as she touched the door with her nose she turned around and began walking back the other way, making sure to hold her head up high. She was after all a proud Pet. When the little yellow pegasus passed Tempest, she brushed her flank again with her left wing tip earning the older a mare a little giggle.

While Wildfire was walking with as high a step as the cuffs and the eight inch chains would allow, Tempest had another idea. To admire the view, of course. “I think a more enthusiastic swish of the tail is needed, Pet.”

“Yes Mistress, at once.” Immediately, without breaking her restricted stride, Wildfire flexed her dock and held her black tail up high, swishing it side to side so that very little was left to anypony’s imagination.

Tempest was glad there was precious little left to her imagination, it allowed what was left to roam in many kinky directions. “You are a pretty, pretty mare.”

“Thank you, Mistress.” Wildfire smiled to herself with pride and flicked her mane and tail, further exposing her marehood that was covered by the thinnest of material to her following lover as they paraded through the steam train from back to front, starting with the Vanhoover sleeper, Vanhoover coach, dinning, club, the first and second Crystal Empire sleeper, the two Crystal Empire coach cars and finally the baggage cars. Wildfire, now considerably happy as she was focussing on her given task, hummed to herself as she walked along.

It wasn’t very long, given the provocative nature of her attire, that Wildfire began to draw the attention of the other passengers. A stallion in the Vanhoover coach car almost dropped his newspaper. “My,” he beamed, “Aren’t you a cutie?”

With a smile, Wildfire turned her head in the stallion's general direction and bowed her head just slightly. “I'm enjoying my walk, thank you.”

Likewise, Tempest beamed a smile at the harmless elderly unicorn. “Yes, she is indeed a cutie.”

With pride, Wildfire puffed her chest out a little, walking along with a big smile on her face and an extra few inches raised up on her tail, when another stallion – this one far younger than the first and infinitely smarmier – asked; “You sharing?”

“I'm unsure if Prince Dusk shares,” Tempest said quickly as she spared the stallion a very withering gaze, “you could ask him of course.” She smiled when the stallion suddenly found himself very busy.

Wildfire sniggered at her Mistress’s barbed comment and, once the stallion had pretended to not exist, she resumed her happy humming once more. But for the staff, the dining car was empty, but in the club car the little blind mare heard a very familiar and welcome whistle. “Sexy mare want a drink?” Airmail called out, thankful of Tempest’s impeccable timing seeing as she had just finished talking to Dusk.

Grinning at Airmail, Wildfire was about to answer her when just in time she remembered her Mistress’s instructions. “I'm enjoying my walk, thank you.”

Airmail leant in and nuzzled her diminutive lover’s cheek. “I'm enjoying your walk too.”

“Wildflower,” Tempest started with a most imperious tone in her voice that almost instantly had Airmail in fits of giggles, “you may entertain this mare and enjoy one drink with her, but do not let your tail rest from its swishing.”

“Yes Mistress, thank you.” To Airmail, the little yellow mare said with a bow, “I would like a beer, thank you very much.” She smiled, making sure all the time to keep swishing her black tail.

Glad she had kept one, Airmail slid the one sealed bottle of beer over to Wildfire so that she could reach it with her left wingtip. “It is good to keep up your exercise program on the train, Wildflower.”

Gratefully, the yellow pony extended her wing and took a drink of the beer. “I do my best, Ms.”

“Want one, Stormy?” Airmail asked as she flicked her ears to silently communicate to the weather pony what had transpired between herself and Dusk over the phone.

Tempest replied quickly, “No thank you.” All the while she was reading her herd-mate’s ears, and a couple of times asked a question which was answered in kind until the violet pegasus was up to speed.

As she took a second drink from her bottle, Wildfire decided to test her Mistress and she lowered her tail to a resting position. She had barely swallowed the cold liquid down her throat when she felt a single quick strike of the riding crop land across her ass. Quickly, she started swishing her tail again, though she couldn’t hide her surprised little squeak.

Airmail was impressed at how fast her marefriend had moved. “That was from nowhere.”

“Hiding it under my left wing.” Tempest gave her a happy wink. “Easy to get to with misbehaving fillies.”

During the exchange, Wildfire had finished her beer. “I'm done, Mistress," she reported as she set the empty bottle back on the table.

Tempest nodded. “Proceed, Wildflower. Catch you later, Airy.”

Wildfire blew her herd-mate a quick kiss. “At once, Mistress.” When she turned to face the Crystal Empire cars and started walking, it wasn’t long before she was humming happily once more. Left behind, Airmail went to the car’s counter and ordered a platter of daisy sandwiches and beer to be sent to their compartment before she herself walked back, lost in thought of seeing Luna again so soon.

Up in the first Crystal Empire sleeper car, where there were more ponies than in the dining car, Tempest called out, “Stay to your right so ponies can pass.”

“Yes, Mistress.” Wildfire did as she was told without question and she moved to her right. Walking to the baggage car without any further incident Tempest turned the diminutive mare around and she had her walk all the way back to their cabin.

By the time they had both reached their compartment back in the Vanhoover car, the platter of sandwiches that Airmail had ordered had arrived, as had the beer, which were waiting for them on the drop down table. “So, you hungry yet, Wildflower?” The azure blue mare asked as she slid open the door for them to enter.

Wildfire noted the continued use of her Pet name and nodded before she felt her way to a seating pad and sat down. “I am, Mistress.”

Airmail smiled at her, “Then you are in luck, I have daisy and cucumber sandwiches and beer.”

Now that they were safely ensconced in their compartment, Tempest eyed up the beer. “You may eat and drink, Wildflower.”

“Thank you, Mistress.” Sniffing out the platter in front of her, the blind pony happily leant over the table and took a sandwich in her mouth.

“There are two for you.” Airmail said before she pointed to two that had been moved from the main pile. “Here's yours, Stormy.”

“Thank you.” Tempest gave the older mare a nod of thanks, suddenly grateful for her foresight in ordering the plate of sandwiches as well as the beer. She knew there was a reason she loved her.

“How was your walk Stormy?” Airmail asked, though she had an idea of how the walk had gone thanks to the stories from the conductor.

“I had a pleasant time,” Tempest said thoughtfully as she shot Wildfire a sideways look and took a daisy sandwich. “I think our Pet did, too.”

“I had fun, Mistress.”

Airmail shared a look with Tempest before she leant over the table and gently laid her blue hoof on Wildfire’s own. “Wildfire, are you going to keep it together?”

Instantly, the little yellow mare noted the use of her actual name as opposed to her Pet name and she took a moment to chew and swallow her sandwich before she replied. “Yuppers,” she nodded, talking as much to herself as to her two marefriends, “I'll be cool, it was just a shock to hear all that, that’s all.”

Airmail understood of course, “I have your phone and I used it while you were getting ready for your walk.”

“Did you call Dusky?” Wildfire asked after she swallowed a mouthful of her beer.

“Good guess,” Airmail smiled, “he will follow up on the others and check up on Darkstar. We may be arriving in Canterlot a little early, too.”

Wildfire shrugged as she took her phone back in her wing and she felt around for her saddlebag where she had left it by her seating pad. “I just assumed, as you used my phone, it’s totally cool by the way. Anypony else and you'd have used yours.”

Airmail nodded solemnly and took a sip of her own beer before she continued. “He will ask Luna to look in on Darkstar's dreams, to find the two others responsible for her attack and to see if she can be helped like Luna helped with your wings.”

“I really hope she can,” instinctively, Wildfire flexed her wings. Her recently healed wings that didn’t hurt her anymore, that weren’t in constant pain from the accumulated damage of the care home. She couldn’t imagine going back to how they were before her healing, and while she had no idea how it felt to use magic, “I can’t imagine wanting to kill yourself, let alone trying ten times. I never thought I'd say this, but I’m glad my mum's dead…”

“I wouldn't say that,” Tempest cut across her, but not in a nasty way, more to correct her. “It is just unfortunate the wrong pony was struck by lighting. What is, is. Now we move forward.”

Airmail attempted to change the subject to a more hopeful one, “Dusky told me know that Emerald is back home.”

Wildfire shrugged her shoulders and reached with her muzzle for her second sandwich. “I just meant I'm glad mum never got to see ‘Him’ like this. I can’t believe he's capable of it…” she really couldn’t. Before her mother’s death, her dad had been the most perfect dad in the world. “I am glad Emerald's out. I’m also glad Raid took Darkie in. She could've ended up much worse. You heard Cy, she would've been sent to a home.”

Airmail was sure of that. In her brief online checks, she had noted that Helping Hooves was the largest care home in Canterlot. There was little doubt in her mind where Darkstar would have gone were it not for Air Raid. “Much worse indeed.”

“So,” Tempest said loudly, “what’s next?”

“We have time 'till dinner,” Airmail commented as she checked the schedule, “I don't expect Luna to arrive until sometime after moonrise.”

“Princess Luna’s taking us off the train then?” Wildfire asked.

“I hope so,” Airmail said with a smile, “Not sure, she will contact us later.”

“I hated Air Raid for five years,” Wildfire said quietly, giving voice to the roiling maelstrom of thought that was cascading around her brain, “then, I find out she tried to come back to me. She tried her very best to make it right.” Airmail and Tempest both adjusted the way they were sat so they could simultaneously nuzzle Wildfire’s cheeks. “Then, I discover her and two of my friends spent a whole year trying to find me. They…Darkie…never gave up on me…” Wildfire shuddered as she thought of the Tartarus that Darkstar had experienced. “He did all that to her, just because she was close to finding me.”

Airmail never stopped nuzzling her diminutive lover. “We will know more when we meet up with them later, Wily.”

“Yuppers, we will.” Wildfire finally smiled as she returned the nuzzles to her herd-mates. “Y'know, I'm so lucky to have the two of you.”

Airmail turned the blind pony’s head to her and planted a hot passionate kiss to her lips. “You aren't the only lucky one.” At that, Tempest also put her lips to Wildfire’s, letting her know how much she loved her.

Wildfire placed kisses on both Airmail and Tempest’s lips. “I know, I just wanted you to know how much I love you.”

“We love you too.” Tempest smiled, and with their little late lunch of daisy and cucumber sandwiches all finished, and everypony had a couple of beers each, the violet mare decreed it was time to relax and cuddle until it was time dinner. She knew that Luna was 'expected' sometime after moonrise at the earliest, and that gave them at least another five hours or so, with three hours before dinner was served in the car.

“I'm thinking of sitting in the club car and letting everypony see my pretty, pretty mare.” Tempest announced after an extended cuddle pile in their compartment. “We can all relax with some coffee and maybe even some celery sticks. That sound good Wily?”

“Yuppers, Honey that sounds good.” Wildfire giggled as she sat up, “But you can have the celery sticks, I'll have the coffee.”

“But sharing is caring!” Tempest whined playfully, “Come along my Pet, I'll let you have the non-celery items on the relish tray.” She giggled as she and Airmail both got up from their seating pads and they removed the chains on Wildfire’s hoof cuffs while leaving everything else in place.

Wildfire stuck out her tongue and said, a little sarcastically, “You're too kind to me, Mistress.”

“I am,” Tempest chuckled, “and I still have the crop under my wing my dearest Pet.” The violet weather pony demonstrated this by running the edge of said crop over her Pet’s hindquarters before she led her out into the carriage.

“Just checking, Mistress.” Wildfire smiled as they walked along through the carriages, and by the time they had reached the dining car Wildfire was almost walking on air with the amount of appreciative whistles she had been given by the stallions and mares they had passed. With a wide proud grin, the yellow pegasus held her head up high and made sure to swish her tail provocatively.

“There’s a table three paces forward and on your right.” Tempest whispered in Wildfire’s ear. “You will have the aisle seating pad I'll take the wall next to you.”

“I gotcha,” Wildfire nodded as Tempest walked ahead of her and sat down, scooting across to the seating pad at the wall of the train carriage, leaving the one nearest the aisle free for her, which she took after walking forwards the three paces and finding the table.

“Relish tray and three coffees please,” Airmail placed the order with a passing waiting pony as she too sat down, this time opposite Wildfire, “One black with two sugars, the others with cream and sugar.”

“So,” Wildfire smiled once she was comfortable, “what game are we playing?”

“I'm counting how many walk past and do a double take to look at you.” Airmail explained with a slight giggle.

“I'm doing the same but from my point of view,” Tempest put in.

Airmail added, “There’s double points for anypony that turns around for a second look without leaving the car.”

“That’s a sweet game,” Wildfire snickered, “who's wining?”

“The winner is you, my sexy mare.” Tempest said as she counted two glances already.

“Well, I am awesomes!” Wildfire flicked her mane with her hoof in a very good imitation of a model.

Retrieving the riding crop from under wing, Tempest landed a sharp stinging swat to the little blind mare’s left cutie mark. “Hmm, so humble too.”

“Ah!” Wildfire gasped, more from surprise than from any real pain, “Yes Mistress, I do try to be,” she blushed a little when Airmail let out a tinkling little giggle and asked, “may your Pet ask how many looks she's received so far?”

Airmail answered first, “I have counted four plus two.”

“And I have just three with a plus four,” Tempest lamented with a heavily affected sigh.

“Yuppers, I'm awesomes!” Wildfire cheered and she pulled a little hoof pump in the air before she caught herself, “I mean...I’m humbly awesome, Mistress.”

Just then a chocolate brown unicorn stallion with a cream coloured mane approached their table, one of the waiting staff by his uniform. “Greetings good mares,” he had an easy smile that reached every part of his friendly blue eyes, “I would like to offer you seating for dinner.”

Airmail nodded, and taking an instant liking to the affable middle aged stallion she flicked her ears. “An early seating if possible, please.”

“That will be no problem, Ma’am.” He nodded, his easy going smile seemed to be a permanent fixture. “Five p.m. then?”

“Yes, that would be nice.” Tempest caught the ear flicks from her herd-mate and she had to agree. He just had a good natured air about him. “Care to join us for some coffee?”

“Thank you, I will.” The stallion replied as he sat next to Airmail who had moved up to make room. “My name is Fast Step,” he introduced himself for Wildfire’s benefit, as she obviously couldn’t read his nametag.

“Hey Fast Step,” Wildfire greeted him, all the while sniffing the air and listening intently. She had to admit though this newcomer sounded nice. “How's it going?”

“Life is good.” He replied, enjoying the view that Wildfire presented without actually going so far as to leer at her, “I enjoy the Canterlot to Crystal Empire run.”

“It's not bad is it?” Wildfire giggled, “I never knew you could have so much fun on a train.”

“For me it is the ponies I get to meet.” Fast Step explained, “The scenery is nice when you can experience it, but work does keep me busy.”

“Hmm, well I'll take your word on the scenery,” Wildfire smiled in Fast Step’s direction, “but my marefriends are pretty cool.”

The chocolate brown unicorn laughed at that. “I saw the violet one next to you warm you up. You three have made this a prettier trip south.”

“Oh, that's Tempest,” Wildfire introduced her with a laugh, as she could feel the weather pony bow next to her, “and this is Airmail. I’m Wildfire. “Sometimes I need reminding not to show off, a crop to the cutie mark helps, right Mistress?”

“You just need to step faster.” Fast Step laughed some more and the coffee that Airmail ordered was delivered to the table, plus one extra for the stallion. “Thanks Hopper,” he thanked his colleague before turning back to the three mares. “Did you enjoy Vanhoover?”

“It is always nice to visit family,” Airmail answered as she took her coffee. “Are you from the area?”

“It was nice to go somewhere new,” Wildfire commented with her hoof on her black coffee and a wary sniff to the relish tray that had arrived with the drinks. “And to visit Airy's family.”

“I live there now, but I'm from Saint Mare.” Fast Step nodded to Airmail’s question. “I like the ocean and this route is mine for the foreseeable future.” The chocolate brown stallion simply couldn’t ignore Wildfire’s attire any longer. “Is this daily wear?”

Tempest gave a proud smile, “When we go out for ice cream.”

Airmail grinned, “Or train rides.”

Wildfire nodded and plucked a lettuce leaf with some diced carrot from the relish tray, swallowing it before she answered, “Pretty much daily wear.”

“You really do look cute in it.”

Wildfire ran her hoof along her corset she was wearing. “Thanks, I'm awes…” she paused as she remembered the crop. “I mean, that's nice of you to say, Sir.”

“Thank you for the coffee,” the amiable unicorn smiled to the three mares, “but my break is over. I hope you enjoy the rest of the trip.”

“Have fun, Sir,” Wildfire said as he got up with a polite bow to them all and returned to the counter to help Hopper serve the waiting ponies.

“He was a pleasant colt,” Airmail commented and she was pleased when Tempest agreed. “Wily, don’t you want any of the celery? I'm going to eat it all…”

“He was nice, and he thought I was cute...” Wildfire smiled as she and Tempest went in for some of the chopped bell peppers from the plate. “Um...no, you're entirely welcome to the celery Pretty, think of it as a gift.”

Tempest snickered, thankfully she had swallowed her peppers first. “Wily is known for her generosity.”

“I do my best, Mistress,” Wildfire snickered and Airmail ordered a second round of coffees for them all. “I'll stick to the non-celery items, if it pleases you?”

“I'm fine with...”

Tempest didn’t get to finish what she was fine with as an orange earth pony stallion interrupted her. “Hello good mares but I was wondering if...”

“Not for sale.” Airmail cut across him with as cold an expression as she could muster.

“Oh...aaah…good day, then.” With that the stallion rushed off to hide in the crowd.

“How many points for that one?” Tempest asked sarcastically.

Airmail snorted, “Let's go with zero, since that is what he was.”

“I take it he didn't count?” Wildfire asked curiously as she had picked up on the slight change in her marefriend’s voices.

“I’d put a hoof up his ass,” Airmail snorted derisively, “but it would be too much pleasure for him I'm sure.”

“He was fumbling with his wallet.” Tempest gave Wildfire a quick reassuring nuzzle as she leant in close to explain what had happened.

“Oh…oh...oooh right…” Wildfire nodded as the bit dropped. The stallion had been trying to buy her like those ‘nobles’ had at the charity balls that Amethyst had sent her to. “Probably best you sent him packing, Pretty.”

“He didn't look like he could afford you anyways, Wily.” Airmail had to really struggle to get back to sounding like herself.

Wildfire giggled before she took a sip of her second coffee. “Hmm, not many can afford this amount of awesome, right Mistress?”

Tempest too reached for her coffee. “Not if I'm going to give it away.”

“What?” Wildfire’s blood ran cold then for just a minute. “Y-You wouldn't give me away...would you?”

“Yes, yes I would.” Tempest began, her tone deadly serious before she sniggered at the look the yellow mare was giving her, “I'd give you away to any stallion or mare in the herd you so desired to be with.”

At that, Wildfire’s outraged expression was covered at once by a very intense blush. “I kinda flew into that one, didn't I?”

Airmail giggled, “You are our mare for the evening, and nopony else’s on this train.”

“I know Pretty…” in an attempt to cover her blush, Wildfire dived back into the relish tray and swallowed a mouthful of sweetcorn and zucchini. “I wouldn't have it any other way, either.”

Ten minutes later, and the relish tray was emptied as were the second cups of coffee. “Time for another parade, I think.” Tempest announced as she looked around the dining car and she saw there were more ponies in now.

Airmail nodded and counted in her head. “I have sixteen points, you?”

Tempest giggled, “I have twenty four, but a lot of your singles did a double take for me to double up on.”

“Wait…” Wildfire, who was notoriously dire at math did the addition in her head, “so I'm sixteen plus twenty four amounts of awesomes?”

Tempest didn’t even wait until her diminutive lover had finished the question before she delivered two hard swats of the crop to each of the fireball cutie marks. “I think your humility mask may have fallen off, Pet.”

“Ooow!” Wildfire squeaked, those actually did sting a little. “I-I’m s-sorry Mistress, your Pet forgot herself…”

“Always happy to be that helpful reminder.” Tempest snickered and laid a tender little kiss on each of Wildfire’s cutie marks. “Airy, take the lead please in case that ruffian should still be feeling foalish. We will proceed all the way to the front and then to the back deck to take in some fresh air.”

“Yes Mistress,” Wildfire said as they all stood up from their table. “I guess some air would be nice.”

“If there’s time you can have some of me,” Airmail let out a little fit of giggles as she led the way through the dining car towards the front of the train.

“I do hope you remember what you are to say when addressed, Pet.” Tempest said silkily as she brought up the rear, admiring Wildfire’s rear as she did so.

Wildfire nodded. “It was, 'I'm enjoying my walk, thank you', Mistress.”

“Very good,” Tempest said in her imperious tone that made Airmail want to laugh, “follow Airy, Pet.”

“At once, Mistress.” Wildfire totted behind Airmail, her sharp nose following her scent down the aisle of the dining car.

There came a few whistles as they all walked along, particularly with Wildfire dressed the way she was dressed. In the first Crystal Empire sleeper car, an elderly pegasi couple saw them coming and gave them a cordial greeting; “Good afternoon mares, my but you are all looking lovely!”

Wildfire turned her head to the couple’s direction and smiled. “I'm enjoying my walk, thank you, Ma’am,” she replied as per her instruction from Tempest and she trotted along happily, her head well up and her black tail swishing from side to side to give the nice couple a good show.

“Thank you for the compliment,” Tempest nodded to them, “you've made her smile.”

Wildfire did indeed smile and, as the nice elderly couple returned to their cuddling, the little blind mare hummed to herself and flicked her tail in a wide arc to reflect her elevated mood. Every other step, she felt her black tail swish across the riding crop a couple of times before it disappeared. “You really are a beautiful sight, my dear Wildflower.”

“Thank you, I'm pleased you're pleased, Mistress.” Wildfire replied smartly over her shoulder and when the trio made it to the Crystal Empire coaches the interest really picked up. The little yellow pegasus and her shapely corset got several whistles and cheers, a couple of ponies shouting ‘Hey sexy!’ and there was even a marriage proposal from a charming stallion that sounded so old he might’ve been young when Luna was at school. On the first ‘sexy’ call, Wildfire heard Airmail say thank you, followed by a lot of laughter. Wildfire giggled and fluttered her wings happily. To the stallion that proposed to her she was so taken aback she almost said ‘yes’, then she remembered herself. “I'm enjoying my walk, thank you.”

When they reached the baggage car, Airmail turned and moved past Wildfire to start heading back towards the back of the train. Tempest used the crop to ‘help’ her little lover turn around and took up her rear position once more when an idea came to her. “Wildflower, please sing 'Prettiest Eyes' on your way back. I like your voice.”

“As you wish, Mistress.” Wildfire made the turn and followed Airmail’s scent back the way they came. She wasn’t at all convinced about her voice. Inwardly she thought it was a good thing Luna was coming for them as her singing would get them kicked off the Express. Nevertheless, when they exited the baggage car she started to sing 'Prettiest Eyes' at the top of her voice with her head held up high. Several ponies – including the stallion that had proposed to her and the elderly couple all applauded as they walked through the coach.

“Sing loud and proud, Pet.” Tempest snickered behind her and stroked the crop over her ass to ‘encourage’ her. “And sing a different song after this one.”

Wildfire nodded politely to the applause. “Does my Mistress have a preference?” When Tempest said she could indulge herself, Wildfire’s thought strayed back to her Beautiful South CD she had bought in Manehatten and she started to sing 'You keep it all in'. She trotted through the carriage, happily singing her second song through the Crystal Empire sleeper cars. A couple of doors opened to see what was going on. One closed right away and the occupants of the others cheered and clapped their hooves. Wildfire bowed at the clapping. “Shall I keep on singing, Mistress?”

“Yes Wildflower,” Tempest affirmed, “until we reach the end of the train.”

“As you wish, Mistress.” Wildfire went on to finish her song as she walked along, and straight away she began to sing one of her mother’s favourites, ‘Sail this Ship Alone’. When they walked through the club car, she received another generous round of applause, to which she bowed with a big grin on her face. The dining car was empty when they got to it and Wildfire made sure to keep her tail up high for her Mistress’s pleasure as she walked.

The Vanhoover coach car, when they reached it, garnered Wildfire some more whistles, some cheeky, but well-meant words, and more than a little applause. The little blind mare smirked at the whistles and especially the words and she forgot to swish her tail as she started the song’s second verse. A mint green unicorn stallion – who also happened to be a Beautiful South fan - heard the singing and stuck his head out of his compartment. “Have you sung 'Good as Gold' yet?”

“She has not,” Tempest replied, using the crop to make Wildfire halt for this nice pony. “But she may do so now.”

“Thank you, Mistress.” Wildfire smiled, she really liked this song. She had often teased Dusk with the line ‘Good as gold, but stupid as mud…’ of course she was the gold, Dusk being a stallion was stupid. She threw her head back and began enthusiastically to sing ‘Good as Gold’.

When Wildfire finished the four minute long song, the mint green stallion was overjoyed. “Thank you! That was excellent!” He loudly clapped his hooves before disappearing back inside the compartment.

“Continue our walk, and continue singing, Pet.” Tempest ordered when their immediate audience had left them.

Wildfire bowed to the stallion, unaware that he had already gone back in his compartment. “Yes Mistress.” Happily, she trotted on and she decided to sing ‘Song for Whoever’.

Wildfire finished her song, they reached the tail end of the train where there was a platform that was large enough to easily hold four ponies. There were a couple there already, but seeing as the blind mare was so small, the five fit on the platform comfortably. “We should fit fine, I think,” Tempest said as they all made room for each other.

Wildfire tapped Tempest’s shoulder with her right foreleg. “Should I sing another song, Mistress?”

“No love,” Tempest shook her head as the other unknown couple smiled pleasantly at them. “That is enough for now, Wildfire. Let us enjoy the sounds and the fresh air as the country side slips past.” The scenery out there was indeed beautiful in the late afternoon / early evening sun.

“Oh, alright Honey.” Wildfire at once caught the use of her name and likewise addressed her herd-mate in kind. “Was I any good?”

“You did very well at acapella, love.” Airmail smiled and nuzzled her marefriend’s left cheek.

“Yes,” Tempest agreed as she watched the sun begin its journey downwards, casting lengthening shadows over the rolling hills and forests of the countryside. “I'm very pleased.”

“I'm no Serenity,” Wildfire said modestly as she enjoyed the sensation of the wind passing her by, “but I know the Beautiful South…” she giggled and took a deep breath. “It smells nice out here.”

“There’s the North Luna ocean over to your left and forested hills and the Smokey Mountains on your right. In the distance there’s the Unicorn Range.” Airmail explained the view to the blind pony.

“It feels nice,” Wildfire smiled a wide smile as she imagined the view in her mind. In her mind it was a very awesome view indeed. “The wind in my mane. I can also smell the ocean.”

The earth pony mare stood next to them spoke up then. “Excuse us, please.” She had taken a look at Wildfire’s corset and quickly ushered her husband, who was checking out the tight panties, back inside the train.

When they were alone on the platform at the back of the speeding train, Airmail scooted close to press herself into the blind mare’s left side. “How you doing, Wildfire?” She asked, concern rife in her voice.

“I dunno…” Wildfire shrugged her shoulders. “I dunno, I mean, I’m alright I guess.” She sighed a deep sigh. “If I'm honest, Pretty I'm trying not to think about, well anything, really. Your distractions are working at any rate.”

Tempest nuzzled her lover’s right cheek. “Wily, we're not trying to get you to forget what is happening, but to step back so 'we' can figure out what is the best next step.”

“A best case, worse case outcome,” Airmail clarified.

“Alrighty, what shall we do then?” Wildfire asked, a sudden flash of uncharacteristic anger causing her to stomp her forehooves into the platform. “I'd love to have fifteen minutes alone with my dad, but that's not gonna happen is it? Best case is we work out what to do with Darkie…”

“What do these two mares mean to you?” Tempest asked as she cut across her angry young lover. She had noticed the sun was almost midway down the sky now, and she judged time was short.

“What will you spend on time and resources to help them?” Airmail asked, for she too had seen the descending sun.

“What will you give up to help them?” Tempest asked plainly.

Airmail pressed on, “What will you do if they refuse your help?”

That was a good question. Those were good questions, in fact. “Air Raid...I dunno, I spent all those years hating her, she was my white whale I guess, now that seems unfounded. I loved her, with all my heart. Part of me still does. Darkie…Darkie I love in a different way. She's my friend, she never gave up trying to find me, even though she should've.” She paused while a quiet resolve filled the whole of her being. “I'll do anything, spend anything I have to help Darkie, I owe her that much.”

Airmail put her wing over Wildfire’s back. “Would you give up your career for her?”

“Yes.” Wildfire answered definitely, the use of ‘yes’ as opposed to ‘yuppers’ alerting the older two mares to just how serious Wildfire was. “In a heartbeat, just as I would for any of you.”

“Okay,” Tempest was convinced of Wildfire’s conviction. “Before we meet them at the station we can get an assessment from Luna and Dusky to see where they stand.”

Wildfire lowered her head and let out a low sniff. “T-Thank you guys, I-I appreciate it, like a lot. Luna's coming soon isn't she?” She felt Airmail nod next to her on the platform. “I'd like them to come with us, Raid shouldn't have to do this alone anymore, and I have to help Darkie.”

“First of all,” Tempest put in very firmly so that Wildfire understood, “you don't 'have' to do anything. What will be more important to them is that you want to do something.” Tempest emphasised the ‘want’ and kissed her little marefriend’s right ear.

Airmail nodded, her cheek pressed into Wildfire’s neck so she could feel it. “The sins of your father do not pass an obligation to you. Your wish to make it right has meaning. Luna will come sometime after moonrise, but I don't know when for sure.”

“I'm sure Dusky can come with us to the meeting,” Tempest started, now hanging her strong wing over Wildfire’s back to join Airmail’s in the hug, “but I can't speak for Luna. You can always ask her.”

“Of course I want to help,” Wildfire said determinedly, “what kind of friend would I be otherwise? I'll ask Luna, she might be able to heal Darkie's horn.”

“She did do a good job with your wings.” Airmail commented.

“She did,” Wildfire said grimly, “I have no idea how easy a horn is to heal though…”

Airmail snickered. She just couldn’t help herself. “They took mine when they kicked me out of the alicorn club.”

Wildfire laughed out loud at that, her slightly darkened mood lifting instantly as she chuckled at the azure blue mare’s joke. “You should ask Luna to give it you back,” she snickered, “I can totally see you as the Princess of Preening.”

Tempest laughed, “I could see that too!”

“You both are too kind.” Airmail deadpanned and added a noisy roll of her brown eyes for good measure.

“You’ll be the Princess of Peeing, right, Honey?” Wildfire giggled behind her hoof.

Airmail let out a loud snigger, “Well, I wasn't going to go there.”

“I think I’ll be Princess of the Rain,” Tempest offered as she gave the matter very serious consideration indeed. “Wherever and however they may originate.”

“That sounds cool,” Wildfire thought aloud, “I'll take Princess of Hooves.”

Airmail released her tight hug and gave the diminutive pegasus a very low bow. “It would be an honour indeed to escort Princess Deep Hoof on her royal duties.” She said in a very servile tone of voice.

“Which leaves the three of us,” Tempest giggled, “I've had way too much coffee.”

Airmail gave her marefriend a look and grinned. “So have I. You thinking what I'm thinking?”

“How’s your bladder doing Wily?” Tempest asked as she nudged Wildfire’s right flank.

“Hmm…” now Tempest mentioned it, now she thought about it, she was getting familiar cramps in her abdomen. “It is a little full, and I think I'm thinking what you're thinking.”

Tempest chuckled, “We're thinking of pissing off the back of the train.”

“Oh, yuppers,” Wildfire blushed. She wasn’t thinking that. She had been thinking about kneeling in front of her lovers and drinking their pee, but on reflection she realised that was silly out here with no bath to clean up. “I'm thinking that too.”

Tempest simply snorted her disbelief of that into the dawning evening sky. “Wily, you are in the middle. You'll need to hover high enough to get your hind legs over the railing. Feel the bottom and there is a cross rail to rest your forehooves on.”

“Alrighty, I gotcha, Honey.” Flapping her wings, the blind pony hovered just high enough off of the ground to feel the cross rail. Sliding forwards just a little she held on by hooking her forelegs over the rail. “Whooo!” She whooped when she felt the train carrying her along.

“Now, hold it till we say go.” Tempest smiled like a naughty filly as she and Airmail got themselves into position either side of their herd-mate. “I've got watch on the right.”

Airmail nodded. “I'm good on the left.”

“Railroad crossing!” Tempest called out, “traffic on my side.”

“Same here.” Airmail couldn’t help but smile as she started a countdown. “Count of three, Wily. One...two...three!”

“Alrighty!” On the count of three, Wildfire relaxed her bladder muscles and she proceeded to urinate her hot yellow stream into the air. Either side of her, Tempest and Airmail did the same, both laughing out loud as the wake of the train misted the urine into a cloud that splashed all over the parked vehicles at the crossing. Wildfire too joined in the laughter when she felt her stream die out. “That was fun, naughty, but fun.”

“I feel so juvenile!” Airmail squealed, but she still aimed her pee at the cars until she had finished, regardless of how juvenile she felt.

“Sharing is caring!” Tempest giggled as her pee petered out. “Now, Wily, be careful and get your legs back on this side of the rail.”

“Alrighty…” it was a slightly trickier manoeuver than getting over, but after a few moments she was able to carefully lower herself back on to the platform.

“Well, that was a bit of fun.” Airmail giggled like a very naughty filly, “Let's go relax in our cabin 'till it’s time for dinner.”

Tempest grinned, “I'll lead this time so Airy can enjoy the view.”

“That sounds fair, Honey.” Wildfire smiled and trotted behind the violet pegasus as she led the way back inside the Vanhoover carriage, making sure to hike her black tail out the way for Airmail to enjoy the view. After a few minutes Tempest entered the cabin first she held the door for Wildfire and Airmail to enter after her. Once they were all inside and the door was closed, she said, “I didn’t hear any smacks so I guess you enjoyed the view, Airy?”

Again, Airmail rolled her eyes. “She is a lovely exhibitionist.”

Wildfire let out an excited giggle. “Share the wealth, mum used to say.”

“You want to stay dressed up, Wildfire?” Tempest asked as she nuzzled her little lover.

“Yuppers,” Wildfire smiled, running her wings and hooves over her corset, “If you don't mind, Honey.”

“I do mind,” Airmail put in, affecting an outraged tone and going so far as to stamp her hooves. “I'm underdressed!”

“We'll have to fix that then, won’t we?” Tempest stated as she searched through her other saddlebag and eventually held up her prize for her herd-mate to see. “Socks!”

“Socks!” Airmail squealed happily and clapped her hooves as she saw her pair of socks. “Problem solved.”

Wildfire nodded with a smile. “Socks do solve many problems.”

Tempest smiled as she tossed the socks to Airmail and she hopped up onto the fold down bunk bed. “You two play nice and I'm going to take a nap.”

“We always play nice,” Wildfire grinned, “right Airy?”

“We've gotten better.” Airmail giggled as she pulled up her violet and yellow socks up each of her legs. “We have a couple of hours 'till dinner, what would you like to do, Wily?”

Wildfire cocked her head to one side and she thought about it for a moment. “I'd like a beer or two, a cuddle and to tell you about the Darkie that I remember.”

With that, Airmail took the few steps to the door and she pushed a button on the wall near it. A couple of seconds later and it slid open to reveal a smiling Fast Step at the door. “Good evening, how may I be of service?”

“Two beers now,” Airmail returned the easy going stallion’s amiable smile, “and two more in half an hour, please.”

Fast Step inclined his head, “Be right back with the first round.”

When he was gone and the door to their compartment was slid shut, Airmail ushered her diminutive lover to the couch seating pad opposite the bunk that Tempest was currently laid out on. “I'd love to hear about all of your old friends,” the azure blue mare bade Wildfire to sit next to her and she held her in a tight feathery hug. “It seems they haven't left you after all.”

“No…” Wildfire hung her head slightly, “and I did them a disservice thinking they had.”

“Hey,” Airmail squeezed the little yellow mare with her foreleg now, "no beating yourself up.”

“Yeah,” Tempest commented as she lazily opened an eye, “that's my job.”

“No, you're right.” Wildfire sighed a deep sigh. While she was still trying to reconcile all her roiling tempestuous thoughts, she was certain of one thing at least. “We all know who's at fault…” she couldn’t help but giggle, “and you do a good job of it, Honey.”

“Stormy's a professional, even when she’s sleeping.” Airmail started, earning herself a loud raspberry from the reclining violet weather pony just as the door slid open and their two beers were delivered. Airmail nodded gratefully to the expedient stallion, “Thank you Fast Step.” The serving stallion returned the nod with his characteristic smile and closed the door as he took his leave.

“Thanks for the beer, Pretty.”

“You've told us a lot about Air Raid, with the poems and the last impression.” Airmail said gently as she held the beer bottle at Wildfire’s hoof, “Tell me about Darkstar.”

“Oh Darkie…” Wildfire took the beer in her hoof and laughed a bright laugh. “Where do you start? She was in my class at school and then at university. Her talent was illusion magic, she was good at languages, and she had an 'eccentric' sense of humour, at the best of times.”

“How did a unicorn fall into your airborne group?” Airmail asked as she took a sip of her beer.

Wildfire didn’t need to think about that at all. “Purely because she was fun. Darkie was crazy, but in a good way. For my eighteenth birthday we had a party at Dusk's place, we all got wasted on moonshine and we woke up in Las Pegasus.” Wildfire laughed at Airmail’s sharp intake of breath. “We had to work in the casino kitchens for three weeks to get the money to come home…at which point on the train Darkie revealed she had our tickets all along.”

“And you took this as a good prank?”

“Well like she said, it was a grand adventure in the end.” Wildfire giggled, recalling one of the defining moments in their group’s friendships. “For my nineteenth she tied up Air Raid and Cyclone with bright red birthday ribbons and left them on our bed for me to find…complete with gags, blindfolds and vibrators set to low.”

Airmail giggled, almost spilling her mouthful of beer as the Friendship Express sped along the tracks towards Canterlot. “Well that must have been a nice present. Stormy said she was the pole dancer you learned your skills from.”

“Yuppers.” Wildfire sipped her beer and she heard a loud snore coming from Tempest. “She left instructions saying whoever I unwrapped first had to help me make the other cum at least twice. She had this whole 'shy' thing going on but didn't fool anypony. She wanted to work the clubs in Las Pegasus, so she roped me into joining her in some lessons.”

Airmail took a mouthful of her beer. “I will need to get a demo once we get home.”

“Darkie's way better at it than me. She’s a natural born dancer.” Wildfire smiled as she recalled another fun memory of the pure white unicorn. “On the day Heatwave died we played truth or dare at Dusk's, Darkie revealed she was into hoof cuffs and spankings. Then her brother Brightstar revealed he liked to watch as her coltfriend bucked her.”

“So Brightstar is a voyeur then, and kinky watching his sister.” Airmail took a mental note of all this. She had a hunch she’d be meeting these ponies before very long. “Was he part of your group?”

“Yuppers. He’s a unicorn too.” Wildfire replied with a smile. “Slingshot was the other non-flyer. He’s an earth pony. He was mainly Air Raid's friend, he got well with us all though. He was her co-driver when she raced.”

“Hmm…kinda nice you didn't make an exclusive click. It is easy to fall into.” Airmail still held her little lover in her tight hug when she carried on next. “What got a flyer like Raid into motor sports?”

Wildfire took a deep breath before she answered that. She wasn’t sure how much Air Raid would want her to tell her herd-mates, but on reflection her ex-marefriend had never hid from it. “Air Raid has Scootaloo’s Syndrome. She can’t fly, at all. Not even an inch off of the ground. She tried to cut her wings off when she was seven, just after the diagnosis. When that failed and she was in the hospital, she saw Scootaloo doing stunts on her scooter and that inspired her to race.” Wildfire smiled then, “she was determined with her first real big winnings she was going to buy this ridiculous super car.”

Airmail considered that for a brief moment. She had a burgeoning, albeit reluctant, respect for Air Raid. Scootaloo’s Syndrome was devastating to a pegasus. While she wasn’t the strongest flier out there, she couldn’t imagine not flying at all. “Like one of those Germaneigh punch buggies you mean?”

“Yuppers, it was an Audi R8 that had her drooling.” Wildfire snickered and drained her bottle of beer. “It wouldn't surprise me if she's got one by now…” she went quiet for a moment, her thoughts turning back to Darkstar and her violent brutal attack at the hooves of her dad. “If Luna can heal her horn, I'm hoping she can do something with her mind, too.”

“You know well enough what it is like to be rejected for changing,” Airmail said gently and kindly, “Are you going to be able to accept Darkie if nothing can be done for her?”

That was a very good question, wasn’t it? Wildfire thought about it. “If nothing can be done…she's still my friend, even though she's not the same as she was. I just don't want her to keep hurting herself.”

Swallowing the rest of her beer, Airmail put her empty bottle on the little table and quickly she returned to hugging her diminutive marefriend. “You won't have to go it alone.”

Gratefully, Wildfire wrapped her foreleg around the older pegasus and hugged her back, “Thanks Pretty, I really am lucky to have you both.”

Airmail gently kissed her lover’s nose. “So, if Darkstar was the prankster, what was her brother like?”

“Brightstar was the chalk to her cheese.” Wildfire answered quickly. “Like night and day different. His talent was illusions, like Darkie, he was as good as his sister at languages. He aced every test he ever took and, when he was seventeen he went and spent a year at Stormclaw Academy in Griffonstone. He loved griffons," she giggled, "except when he was watching Darkie and her coltfriend.”

That piqued Airmail’s interest. “Did he watch in secret or did the coltfriend know?”

“Yuppers, he knew alright,” Wildfire replied with a smile. She didn’t go into Darkstar and Brightstar’s deeper physical relationship. That was definitely a private thing for them to share if and when they wanted to.

“That's cool,” Airmail commented with a smile, “Now for our 'afraid of heights' weather management pegasus friend, Cyclone.” The azure blue mare moved on to Wildfire’s other friend. She had to admit she had sounded fun on the phone. “Darkstar left her wrapped up for you. You do a lot of threesomes?”

Wildfire laughed at that. “Hmm, that was my first. Of many, I might add. I'm glad it seems she's gotten over her fear of heights.” She giggled as she recalled the time at the funfair. “She really was bad, like, 'freaked out at the top of a roller coaster bad'.”

“I should thank her for giving you experience so when Stormy and I pounced you, you were ready.”

“You should thank Raid as well, then.” Wildfire joined in Airmail’s giggles, “I did so many things 'first' with her. It’s a shame I didn't get to properly enjoy that first threesome. I was called to a big fire before I could unwrap one of them. In the end I untied Cy and let her have her fun with Raid.”

“The three of you did share some fun times later though?” Airmail asked as she nuzzled her muzzle deep into Wildfire’s neck.

“Y-Yu-Yuppers,” Wildfire squeaked at her neck being nuzzled, kissed and licked. “When I came home dirty, sweaty, sooty and smelling of smoke.”

“Hmmm…” Airmail kissed her way up to Wildfire’s left ear and licked it. “That can be quite the turn on. Stormy after a twelve hour weather job where there was no cloud left for her to clean up…oooh, she didn't make it out of the kitchen before I was all over her.”

“I bet.” Wildfire smiled, “So can I look forward to getting jumped on when I stumble home covered in singed feathers and soot?”

Airmail giggled, “Depends on when you stumble home.”

“I'll have to schedule fires for when you're home.” Wildfire giggled, “Or I could always stagger into your office instead.”

“The office would be fun.” Airmail commented with a grin, “Of course, Lavender will sell tickets.”

“That's fine, I can entertain a crowd.”

“You've proven that,” Airmail said, before she moved on to the last pony she didn’t know. “What about the other colt, Slingshot, has Raid ever hooked up with him?”

Wildfire shook her head. “No, they were strictly friends and race partners. Not that it stopped Slingshot trying, but mind you it was no secret he really liked Darkstar.”

“Can't fault a colt for trying.” Airmail snickered, “It is always funny when Trails hits up on me.”

“Bless,” Wildfire snickered, “he was like a dog chasing after a car!”

“So your group was four mares and three colts, then?”

“Yuppers. We were pretty close, very close actually.”

Airmail nodded as Fast Step reappeared with a second beer for them both and removed the two empties. A tight knit group was something she could understand and appreciate. “I remember my early days in the Forces. That camaraderie.

“It was just like that, just without the whole being shot at thing.” The little blind mare leant in for a nuzzle and she took her second beer in her hoof. “Tell me about them days, Pretty.”

“Life was good on the farm, but I didn't want to be a farmer, and mom retired from weather duty when she found out she was a milk mare.” Airmail began as she took a drink of her beer. “The only way out was to join the Forces. Being a pegasus left most higher level schooling out unless I wanted to take a pegasus job, and, well working for the post left a bad taste in my mouth.”

“I bet,” Wildfire felt for her lover’s face and gave her a kiss to her lips. The last thing she wanted was to make her relive unhappy memories. “I'm sorry you had to deal with that when you were younger. Did you like the forces?”

“It was hard work at first, but I was a natural shot.” The azure blue mare giggled with pride and returned the kiss. “I could pick the legs off a flea at a hundred yards and then watch the flea writhe trying to figure out why it couldn't jump. I loved the outdoors life. Camping in the mud, and of course, finding Mapper really made my life complete. I was seventeen when I made my first kill. They were reluctant to assign me the mission, but it needed to be the perfect assassination, and the window was small. It was a griffon. Some technomancer that was working on a mass destruction spell.”

“That’s...” Wildfire didn’t really know what to say to that, other than her mother had raised her to respect the armed forces as a filly. “That’s…wow that's kinda cool actually.” She nuzzled her older marefriend’s neck and cheek. “The nearest thing to a gun I fired was an air gun at the funfair, then again I missed and hit the stallion running the stall.”

“Those pellets can really hurt.” Airmail sniggered, “They did a psych review after the mission, then they started coming at me non-stop. I was twenty four when I found Mapper at an exercise. She was to be a battle mage, but her lack of control left her doing training only. I never thought I'd fall for a unicorn, but she was so much fun.”

“Mistress Mapper certainly is fun,” Wildfire giggled and nestled into her herd-mate’s body.

“'Fun' is a relative term.” Airmail welcomed the nestling mare into her and she wrapped her wing around her like a feathery blanket. “My career took a turn when they had me go after bad ponies. Often the target was surrounded by worse ponies. The first time I did a mass assassination they almost kicked me from the unit.”

Wildfire didn’t know what to say to that. What could she say, really? “Um…you took out more than you were tasked with?”

“Yes,” Airmail sighed a deep sigh. “I became judge, jury, and executioner. After the debrief they decided to let me continue, but cautioned me that I would need evidence for any non-sanctioned kills.” She shrugged, “That worked for me.”

“Pretty...” Wildfire started but she paused when a thought occurred to her. “Thursday, in Canterlot, when we met Emerald, you would've gone for my dad wouldn't you?”

Airmail nodded resolutely. “I left so I wouldn't kill your father in front of you.”

“Thanks, for fetching Luna and the guards.” Wildfire sighed and gave a loud sniff. “It was more than he deserved.”

“Stormy also gave me the 'stand down' order.” Airmail went on to explain, “I guess that is one order I will obey. Abusing another pony is something I'll not idly watch.”

Wildfire sniffed again. “Turns out it wasn't just me and Emerald though. I really hope he suffers in prison.”

“You are sounding like me now.”

Wildfire angled her head upwards to ‘face’ her lover. “Is that so bad?”

“It can be,” Airmail said quietly, “I've learned to care more about life since I've left the service. I've learned that it is possible for somepony to change and be redeemed. I'm still not big on third chances though.”

The little blind mare nodded. “I can’t count how many chances he's had. I…I hate him, Pretty. I'm ashamed to say I’m his daughter.”

“A heart should have no room for hate.” Tempest interjected as she opened her eyes and yawned herself awake from her brief nap on the fold down bunk. “It is because of him that we have you. That is all you need to remember him by. Consider him dead, and that he is not where your mother is.”

Airmail raised an eyebrow to her violet herd-mate as she finished her second beer. “We too loud for you, Stormy?”

“I can't help it.” Wildfire muttered. “I mean, I'm glad I'm here and all...I just, ugh…I dunno. I’m sorry if we woke you, Stormy.”

Tempest shrugged her shoulders and vaulted from the bunk to land on her hooves in their compartment. “It’s about time for dinner anyways.”

Again, for the millionth time, Airmail hugged Wildfire close to her. “The past got us here, but doesn't define who we will be.”

“My past is not today, huh?” Wildfire smiled as her tummy made itself known with a very loud rumble. “I agree, Honey. It’s fuel time!”

~ ~ ~

After the very pleasant but uneventful dinner in the dining car, the three mares made their way back to their compartment in the Vanhoover car. Tempest, at the head of their little convoy, noticed that during the dinner the sun had fully disappeared beyond the horizon and that the moon had risen high into the young night sky. The violet pegasus knew what that meant.

Getting to the compartment first, Tempest slid open the door and was only shocked for the briefest of moments when she saw whom was waiting for them. Taking up a good portion of the space in the room, Princess Luna surveyed each pony as they entered and nodded to Tempest and Airmail. “Greetings to you all, my friends. Dusk informs me there is 'something up' as he put it, regarding an old case.”

Tempest snorted and had to be silenced by a ‘look’ from Airmail. “That was your briefing?”

“Well,” Luna shrugged, her starry ethereal mane billowing on its magical breeze around her shoulders, “Dusk didn't tell me much, just that it involved your father, Wildfire, and an old friend of yours.” She paused and took the time to study the three herd-mates, picking up on the underlying tension in the cabin. “He said I'd get the full details when I met you here, and that I should appear as soon as I'd raised the moon.”

Airmail turned her head and gave Tempest a look down to Wildfire and then to the door. “Stormy, why don't you and Wily get some drinks for us? I'm sure Luna would like something.”

Luna nodded, spotting a diversionary tactic when she saw one, “I would love a good coffee, teleporting a great distance does drain one.”

“Sure, no problem,” Tempest caught the meaning behind the look as well as Luna did. She agreed completely, “lend me a hoof, Wily.”

“Well...sure um, okay…” Wildfire was confused, she asked Tempest, “Isn't there a room service?”

Smiling, reminding herself that while her little lover was naive, she wasn’t stupid, the violet mare replied, “No need to risk Luna getting some random coffee.” The weather pony moved to open the door. “Come along, now.”

Airmail waited until the two of them were out of the cabin and out of earshot before she turned to the lunar alicorn with a grim smile on her face. “We've been talking with Wily about her study buddies that used to hang out with Dusk at the palace. You remember them?”

“Of course I do,” Luna stated as she sat herself down in the cabin. “A fun group if ever there was one.”

“Wily thought they had abandoned her, since they didn't come around.” Airmail proceeded to explain to the Princess what they had discovered. “Her father said she went to Fillydelphia, and with her bad parting with Air Raid, she gave up on the lot of them. Air Raid called out of the blue after talking with Mapper and Serenity; seems she was at that party where Serenity sang. If Serenity gave her a pass, we thought we should too.”

Luna nodded her agreement to that. From her recent encounter with Mapper and Serenity, she counted them both as friends. Real friends. In her opinion, Serenity’s pass carried more weight with her than the High Noble Seal, especially after the day they had shared on Friday. “Alright,” she said, listening, “you have my attention.”

“Now, it seems that Air Raid is Darkstar's legal guardian.” Airmail continued, “Another pony, Cyclone, gave us the lowdown.”

Luna nodded. “I recall the Darkstar case, nineteen years old, she was abducted and badly beaten four years ago.”

“Wily's father abducted Darkstar for being a pest, trying to track Wily down.” Airmail took a deep breath and forged ahead as she saw Luna’s turquoise eyes narrow dangerously, "he and two others raped her and cut off her horn, but she couldn't press charges. I have the articles of her being admitted and the useless police report, and the paper showing Air Raid gaining guardianship; not sure why it wasn't Brightstar. Cyclone says it was Cold Front and some others. I don't know anything about unicorn horns, but I guess she is in bad shape now.”

Airmail paused. She could sense the aura of power emanating from the Princess and it made even her shiver at what she was about to ask. She knew full well what she was about to unleash, what Luna was capable of. Still, she asked, “To the point; can you surf Darkstar's dreams to find who did it and have them...sanctioned? Also, can anything be done about a severed horn like you did with Wily's wings?”

Luna, whose eyes had narrowed dangerously beforehoof, listened carefully to every word of the story and when Airmail had finished her eyes were little more than slits. “I tire of this Cold Front's name appearing before me again and again!” she declared angrily, raw power seeping from her like a dark mist. “One moment, please, while I attempt to find her in the Dreamscape.”

Airmail nodded quietly as Luna closed her eyes and sat immobile in the cabin while she casts her spell. A glowing white light travelled up her horn from the base to its tip as she searched the ether. It was a matter of about five minutes and, while the unicorn in question was awake, with a definite target to search for, the Princess was able to track down an echo of her dreams. A tear rolled down her cheeks as she saw everything that had happened to her that day four years ago. “Oh…oh, my sweet stars above...”

Airmail shuddered, wondering what brutal attack could make Luna – after all she had seen and done – react like that.

“Cold Front was just part of the rot, but a deep part. How many others sold their family to Amethyst Glory?”

“Too many,” Luna said in a low deadly voice as the light on her horn went out and she opened her eyes.

Airmail’s face set hard. “Is there any hope for Darkstar? Wily feels responsibility for her.”

“See,” they could both hear Tempest’s voice drifting in from the hallway outside, “but getting it, I can ensure that Luna will have the Brazebran the cook was hiding…”

“One moment please, Airmail.” Luna held up her hoof and lit her horn to levitate her phone from her bag, quickly dialing her sister’s number. “Tia?” She spoke as her sister answered after the first ring, “I have evidence regarding the Darkstar case...you remember it?” Of course her sister would remember it. It was an infamously unsolved case with almost no evidence. “I hereby formally request permission to transfer prisoner Five Two Six from the Dungeons over to Room One Zero One for interrogation regarding this case...thank you, sister.”

Seeing her two herd-mates outside the cabin armed with four cups of coffee, Airmail thoughtfully opened the door for Tempest and Wildfire to enter. “Brazebran black for you, Luna,” Tempest announced cheerfully as the commander of the Nightwatch typed the text message to her newest operative. “Wily has your moca, Airy.”

“Ah!” Luna’s eyes brightened and with a conscious effort she pulled back the tendrils of misty darkness into herself she completely changed her tone. “My coffee!” She inclined her head in a polite bow, "you two have my thanks.”

As Wildfire held out the cup and the Princess took it in her turquoise magical aura, Airmail turned to her two herd-mates. “I was talking to Luna about Darkstar's injuries while you both were out.”

“And?” Wildfire asked the lunar alicorn as she bowed respectfully, “Princess?”

“I've looked into her dreams.” Luna began to explain, to Wildfire and to Tempest as well, what she had done for Darkstar. “Wildfire, your friend's physical injury, her horn, can be healed. however...”

“However, what?” Wildfire stood, not caring how snappish her tone sounded, even to the Princess of the Night.

Luna sniffed, reminding herself to not be offended. “She has suffered severe mental trauma, I can see by her dreams she is depressed and suicidal...what concerns me is why I was unable to detect these dreams before now.”

“It is a big world and there are lots of ponies.” Tempest offered her suggestion as she took a sip of her coffee.

“It is more than that, Tempest.” Luna asserted. “These dreams your friend has been having these past four years. To her they are not nightmares. When she dreams of harming herself and taking her own life, she enjoys them. While they are dark by nature, they do not register as nightmares in my Dreamscape.”

“Sound familiar, Wildfire?” Airmail asked as she sidled up to her little lover and nuzzled her cheek.

It did sound familiar. Horribly familiar. It sounded just like her experiences at the hooves of Amethyst Glory and the Wardens. Just because it was her dad that had caused that, she wasn’t placated. “Well...but, I...couldn't you have done something‽”

Princess Luna breathed deeply through her nose. There weren’t many who she would’ve allowed to raise their voice to her like that, but in this case there were extenuating circumstances. “Seven billion sapient beings dream, Wildfire; griffons, zebras and yes, ponies. Nine tenths of them are happy. The other one tenth stand out as nightmares. I'm afraid I cannot be everywhere. Your friend simply got lost in the happy dreams.”

“You lost her‽”

“I believe, Wily,” Tempest interjected diplomatically, “that Luna is saying Darkstar's dreams were not nightmares to herself, no more than your dreams of abuse at the hooves of Amethyst were nightmares to you.”

“Precisely.” Still, Luna breathed through her nose to remain in control. “Nothing about either of your dreams flagged up as needing my attention. I can only apologise if you think I have failed either of you.”

“A-Alrighty,” Wildfire instantly deflated, the fight leaving her as she realised just how disrespectfully she had spoken to the alicorn. “So um, what happens now, can you go and zap her better?”

Luna actually smiled a sad smile. “Would it were that simple, Wildfire.” Her words sounded as heavy as her heart felt, knowing that once again, she had failed one of her subjects. “There is a therapy, a dream therapy, whereby I can attempt to restructure Darkstar's dreams now that I know of them, but...”

“Then do it,” Wildfire didn’t mean to interrupt, she was aware she was pushing her luck. “Please, Princess!”

“But,” Luna continued as if the little blind mare hadn’t spoken, “As she is not of sound mind I require her guardian's permission before I can act in this capacity.”

“We are scheduled to meet them both at the station when the train arrives at ten p.m. tonight.” Airmail put in for Luna’s benefit.

“But, can’t you do anything now?” Wildfire demanded.

“NO!” Luna snorted and angrily she stomped her hoof into the cabin’s floor to further emphasise her point. The lunar Princess gave the blind pony a pass on account of the sacrifice she had made for her son. “I have bent the rules enough already. I shall not bend them further. Do I make myself perfectly clear?” Taking a very deep breath she turned to Airmail. “Dusk did say you might want to get there sooner?”

Airmail nodded and rested her wing protectively around Wildfire’s shoulders. “I was concerned that noon is not a convenient time for you. If we collected the two of them earlier we could bring them by the palace for you to look at and go from there.”

“I am usually asleep by noon,” Luna replied as she stood up to her height, “Very well. We can leave now if that's what you wish?”

Tempest finished her coffee with a thankful smile. “I thank you, Luna. It seems we take up a lot of your time.”

Now fully calm, focussed and with a plan of action ahead of her, Luna smiled at the violet weather pony. “I can't say knowing you all has been boring now, can I?”

Airmail puffed out her chest with justified pride. “Your son knows a good party when he spots one.”

“Indeed,” Luna smiled as she inclined her head to Airmail, “I've raised him well.” She giggled, “There are nobles in Canterlot who wish they could summon me as you do, Airmail.”

Airmail returned the gesture of mutual respect. “Then I'll know I'm one of them the day you don't respond.”

Luna sniggered at that and with a wink to Tempest and Airmail she asked, “Are you all ready?”

“Yes,” Airmail agreed, “the steward knows we'll be missing and he’ll not be worried.”

Luna’s visage took on a very serious look. “Is your stomach ready?”

“No, but that doesn't matter.” Airmail answered honestly, “I promise to not upchuck on you.”

Tempest grinned, giving Airmail a knowing wink. “I'm fine as far as that goes.”

Wildfire wasn’t at all sure about teleporting. She felt iffy inside when Recital had teleported her the few feet back at Caffeinated’s ranch that Thursday. “I'm promising nothing, Princess.”

“Very well.” In the cabin, Luna spread her impressively powerful midnight blue wings wide. “All of you, take a very secure hold and do not let go.”

“No hoofing, Wily.” Airmail snickered as she held on to Luna’s left wing.

“The thought didn't cross my mind...much.” Wildfire smiled, holding tight to Luna’s hind leg.

“Right, here we go.” Luna prepared her spell as Tempest took a secure hold of her right wing. “There will be disorientation when we appear in Canterlot. Do you have a destination?”

Tempest nodded. “We may as well spend the night at your place, Wily.”

“Yuppers,” Wildfire agreed, “we can surprise my step-mum!”

“Very well…” a thought occurred to Luna then as she silently cast the cantrips of teleportation, her horn starting to glow with power. “You wish to see Air Raid and Darkstar there this evening?”

“The sooner the better,” Airmail said, “what is your schedule like this evening?”

Luna smirked as she bound the spell in layers of protective magic to safeguard her passengers from splicing. “Do you know, it’s surprisingly empty?”

“Then we will contact Air Raid, get a taxi and come to the palace.” Airmail determined. “If you'd be so kind as to pencil us in with an appointment for the guard?”

“Of course.” Luna smiled, her spell almost complete. “This can be arranged once we arrive. Hold onto your tummy, Airmail.” She giggled and concentrated hard her horn lighting up as she focused her considerable power for the mass teleport and in a dark blue flash of pure power they and their bags vanished from the Friendship Express.