I woke up a few hours later curled up beneath Glitter’s wing. I could hear the rain plinking down on the metal roof of the old ice cream shop we’d stayed in the night before. I was tired, dirty, and we were a little short on food, but I’d never felt more alive or motivated in my life. I was terrified of going back to Junction City, but I also knew that I had my friends to watch my back. Blackjack would make sure nothing happened to me, and Glitter Bomb was a nice beacon of happiness in the constant melancholy that was endemic to the Equestrian Wasteland.

I wiggled out from under Glitter’s soft purple wing, careful not to wake her, and trotted over to where Blackjack was keeping watch. She smiled at me as I sat down on my haunches next to her. We said nothing for a moment, just admiring the passing shower as the raindrops staccatoed on the roof. We were safe in the knowledge that this far from the Hoof, the rain wouldn’t last long. Not with the Lightbringer in control of the Single Pegasus Project towers.

“This was my first real taste of the wasteland,” Blackjack said as she stared down the road to the south west, towards the faint glow of civilization. In the gloom, I could barely make out a large billboard that read ‘Welcome to Hoofington.’ Some wit had added something about abandoning hope in bright red paint across the bottom. Or at least I hoped it was paint. “Watcher guided P-21 and I here. Ran across some raiders who’d caught some kids. I guess he wanted to see what we’d do.”

I looked up at her, skewing an ear to the side. “You saved the kids, right?” I winced slightly as I realised I made it sound like she was telling me a story from a book. The heroine always saved the day, right? Even if I knew that wasn’t always the case.

“Sure. Security saves ponies. Especially from maniacs who think bondage-wear is barding,” she murmured as acidic self recrimination oozed from her heart. “The next day I got one of them torn in half because of my stupid.” She glanced at me. “It really hurts... being ripped in two like that...”

I shuddered at the thought. I didn’t have a reference point for that, but one of the empathic feedbacks I’d suffered had nearly run the length of my spine. “I… can’t imagine. I got close enough to being skewered through and through by the scorpion. I’d kinda like to avoid the tearing in half bit.” I agreed, twitching my wings slightly at the thought.

“I’ll try and prevent that, but watch out. My track record isn’t the best,” Blackjack said, with a wry smile that didn’t match the simmering bubble self hatred that hid behind that smile. Then she adopted a wistful tone, “You know, I didn’t think that I would be able to leave the Hoof. Not after we went through where I got Scoodle killed.” She admitted. Sorrow and self loathing puddled around her hooves, but it was only a small puddle. Not like before. “I guess flying over would be safer than trotting right through the middle of all those ghouls.” She paused. “Though I still hate flying.”

I smiled up at her. “Well, you don’t have your metal wings anymore. We didn’t need to cross it on hoof when we have an alicorn like Glitter who’s more than capable of carrying you and your gear.” I said with a grin. “Though I can’t say I blame you for that bit of fear.”

She nodded, then lightly poked my side. “How are you doing?” She asked, with that wry little smirk, half big sister, half best friend... half immature maniac.

I frowned slightly, then leaned against her side. “I’m okay. I don’t really wanna go back to Junction City. But I do like that we’re moving. That we’re going somewhere. Even if we’re gonna need to stop for food at some point,” I shrugged. “But I feel more alive than I did back in the Hoof.”

“Yeah. Even after blowing it up, the place is still weird,” she said with a shake of her head. “I don’t know if it was the Eater or Nightmare Moon’s shadow world or something else entirely, but there’s a stain on this town. I’m not sure it’ll ever wash out.” She glanced down at me. “So. How bad do you think it’s gonna be when the Heart Menders start looking for us?”

I bit my lip. “Um… that depends on how freaked out Sandalwood is. And possibly Caledonia, considering Glitter is missing, too. Er, missing with us. With us.” Luna dammit, I couldn’t talk this morning! “So they’ll likely start sending out searches fairly soon after you and I disappeared? Though they know they won’t have an easy time of it without our pipbucks.” I frowned slightly. “Though… Sandalwood may ask them to send somepony to Junction City in case we show up there.”

“Or maybe Sandalwood talks to Heartshine, Heartshine talks to Velvet, Velvet talks to Littlepip, and Littlepip uses the SPP to spot us in a few minutes and we get hauled back to the Hoof. Or wherever they try to haul me.” She gave a little smirk, as if anticipating the fight. Then she rubbed her chin. “We’re going to need to make a side trip.”

My ears drooped as I looked up at her. Blackjack was thinking. Dangerous occupation, that. “Um… Blackjack? You look like you’re plotting. I know just enough about you to know that you plotting is the equivalent of praying to Discord and Pinkie Pie for miracles and fun.”

“You have a problem with fun?” she asked with a grin. I had to remind myself that her body was literally made of Discord’s... something or other. “It’s not as hard as getting an airship to sneak into Thunderhead. Mostly, it’s just stopping in on a good friend.” Her smile faded away. “At least, I hope we’re still good friends. It’s been a while.”

I frowned thoughtfully. “Well, does your good friend have snacks? I mean, Glitter kinda eats a lot. I mean I can go withou-”

“Relax. We’re fine. You’re with me and an alicorn. What could go wrong?” she asked, that even grin still on her face.

“OUAGGGHHHH!” Glitter Bomb shouted as she let out a monstrous blast of flatulence. “I think that last can of mystery hay was yucky!” With her wings tightly pressed against her barrel, she couldn’t fly us to wherever Blackjack was leading us, which was apparently up a mountain in the middle of nowhere. “My tummy won’t stop rumbling… now I feel all pooty. Nopony better stand downwind.”

I nearly faceplanted as I tried my best to not laugh at my friend’s plight. “Okay. No more Cram for you.”

“Could be worse,” Blackjack said as she lead us up a trail that snaked back and forth, barely visible for the landslides that obscured its passage. She didn’t seem to have much trouble, sweating slightly as she meandered her way up. “To be honest, this way’s probably safer than flying. My friend’s had some bad run-ins with the Enclave, and he’s really not big on visitors. Not sure how he’d take both of you flying about.”

“The Enclave?” I asked, looking up the mountainside. Come to think of it, some of the stones farther up the trail did look… melted. Did a Raptor do this?

“The Enchilada made your friend sad?” Glitter Bomb’s tummy gurgled ominously. “D-do you think your friend will let me use the little filly’s room? I know how food can make you sad now...”

“Not only does he have a little filly’s room, but I know he will. Provided he doesn’t eat us. I mean. He might. He probably thinks I’m dead,” she said as she moved into some clouds that obscured the upper third of the mountain. “I’m just wondering where the mines and turrets are. I miss my EFS.”

“Wait. Eat us?” I asked incredulously. “Wait… who the hay is your friend, Blackjack? And… and turrets? We’re not equipped for this!” I protested, fluttering up after her.

“I would be the saddest snack cake…” Glitter muttered from behind me.

As if in response to my question, a boulder popped open like a clam, exposing a round drum with two gatling beam casters lighting up. Almost as fast, Blackjack disappeared, popping into place directly behind it. Glitter Bomb wrapped both of us in a shield, as Blackjack conjured that blazing sword and swept it cleanly into the body of the turret. One, two, three swings and the pillar exploded. Blackjack approached us, her keen red eyes scanning the rocks around us. “He probably can’t see through all the mist. Come on, we should hurry before he incinerates the entire mountain side.” She turned and hurried up the trail.

I was following a madmare! What in the Sorrell Hells was I thinking!? She was insane! I bolted after her, keeping pace with her climbing as Glitter followed after us, occasionally assisted by the jet propulsion of the loud, boisterous farts that were afflicting her.

Blackjack prowled up in full wasteland warrior mode. When a turret exposed itself, she’d cut it in two, or blast it with a magic bullet before I could blink. More than once she magically deactivated mines and slipped them into her saddlebag. I’d have been dusted a dozen times over on my own. “You okay?” she asked as she lead the way. “You look down.”

I shot her a glare. “I look like I’ve nearly died about eighteen different times in the past ten minutes! How… how well do you know this stallion?” I asked exasperatedly, skipping over rocks, and glancing back to make sure Glitter was still following. My poor purple friend was starting to look positively green as she quickly cantered up the hill. Her wings continued to press against her abdomen. “I’m also worried that Glitter is gonna pop from all that-” BRRRRRRRT! “Gas…”

“Eh... so so. I’d like to think we’re friends. Mostly. Like I said, he probably thinks I’m dead, so yeah. Hopefully he’ll talk first and eat later.” She paused as we reached the mouth of an immense cave. “Here we go,” she said and trotted inside. The mouth of the cave was gargantuan, yet the idea of being in a little space with millions and billions of tons of rock overhead... of course the alternative was staying out here with Glitter.

Suddenly the air was split by a roar that shook the stones beneath my hooves and sent rocks clattering down around the mouth of the cave, following by a shriek from Blackjack and a deep infernal booming laughter. Oh Celestia, I was sooooo fired.

I hesitated at the roar. I mean, Blackjack really wanted to die, didn’t she? I guess we could just go back the way we came. One of those turret rocks could serve as a bathroom for Glitter, ri-oh crap there she went.

Glitter bounded through the cave opening. “HI MISTER ANGRY PERSON I’M SORRY WHERE IS YOUR BATHROOM I HOPE YOU DIDN’T EAT BLACKJACK!” She shouted as she ran in, a shield wrapped around herself.

“Glitter! Get back here!” I shouted, following after her. Well, maybe today was a good day to die. I drew my small disintegration pistol, and flew after Glitter, looking around at the flame scarred walls. Sweet Luna. What the hell melted the walls like that?

The inside of the cave was just as badly mangled and scarred as the outside. Rocks were shattered and blackened, as if there’d been a great battle that had taken place just inside the cave. Bullet holes lined the cavern walls, but I tried to pay them no mind as I raced after my purple friend. “Blackjack!” I called out, hoping against hope that I wasn’t about to be dessert. Did pegasus count as a dessert item?

Suddenly the lights set in the ceiling turned on and I found myself face to face with a enormous purple reptile with green spines... and the largest eyepatch in the world. He let out a snort, teeth longer than my leg gleaming as he grinned down at me, a rumble deep in his chest signalling my bloody, visceral demise.

Then he pointed a claw at a tiny cave to the left. “Bathroom’s that way. Second on the left,” he said in a voice so deep I could nearly feel it in my bones. His eye focused on me. “Welcome.”

I stared up at the dragon, paralyzed by his size. He was so going to eat me. Polite of him to point the bathroom out to Glitter, but he was going to eat me. I felt myself hyperventilating as I locked eyes with him. “Please don’t eat me like you did Blackjack! I’m sure she was tasty, but Glitter and I will be on our way as soon as she destroys your toilet.”

“Thanks!” Glitter shouted, darting into the smaller cave, then poked her head out. “Wait! You’re a dragon!” she blurted, and her stomach gurgled, face screwing up. “Just stay right... ooooohhh... dumb mystery hay!” she wailed as she disappeared out of sight.

The dragon chuckled deep in his chest. “I don’t think eating Blackjack would be that healthy. I’d probably die of alcohol poisoning.”

Suddenly Blackjack appeared on his head. “Hey, I haven’t drunk anything in a day. And how did you even know I was alive at all? I was planning on keeping it a surprise!”

“Blackjack. I’m Watcher,” he chuckled, smirking as he looked up at the white unicorn perched on his head like a hat before regarding me. “You must be Threnody. I have it on good authority that you’re grounded for a hundred years, per someone named Sandalwood.”

In spite of my fear, the fact that Sandalwood was trying to ground me pissed me off. “Grounded!? What the hell!? She can’t do that! She’s not my mom!” I shouted before realising just how foalish and ridiculous it probably sounded to the massive dragon. “I… er… I mean. Yes. I’m Threnody.”

“A pleasure,” he said, holding out a hand to let Blackjack jump down next to me. The immense cavern was taken up by his hoard and spectacular mosaics of six ponies made out of glittering gemstones. It was of the Ministry Mares as they’d been at Blackjack’s age. Delicate gemstones glimmered from strung lines like tiny stars, refracting the light into a thousand points of radiance. “As I said, I’m Watcher. Or Spike, if we’re being informal,” he rumbled, then his smile faded. “You’ve got a lot of ponies panicking very quietly, Blackjack.”

“Well, that’s an improvement over them panicking loudly, isn’t it?” she replied.

I giggled despite myself. “Well, I do think that is an improvement. And I mean, hey, Heartshine probably thinks we’re just off on an impromptu in-vivo experience. Right? Testing your…” Words failed me as I tried to come up with some sort of heartmender-y excuse. “Stuff. And… We’re completely fucked, aren’t we? I am so fired!”

“You’re not fired. You’re grounded. That means you still have to work,” Blackjack replied with a grin before looking up at Spike. It took all of my willpower to not stick my tongue out at her. “That’s why we’re here, actually. The three of us are just taking a little trip, and we need you to get the Heartmenders to call off the search. I’m fine. Thren’s fine. Glitter’s fine. We’re all fine.”

“You took off your PipBucks they gave you to prevent you from doing just what you’re doing now,” Spike rumbled.

“I never had a PipBuck!” Glitter called as she trotted in from the smaller cave. She looked much less stressed and pained. “Also you are purple and have an eyepatch and that makes you two-hundred percent awesomener!”

“Look, Spike. The Heartmenders haven’t let me take two steps without being monitored. Flashing away is the only way to get away from them. And Thren has something she needs to take care of. I want to help her, but we can’t do it if we have to have a whole party of shrinks trotting around the wasteland!”

“Wouldn’t that be something?” Spike said as he chuckled.

“And we can’t go to Jumble City if we’re grounded to the corner,” Glitter added helpfully. “You are really purple. Do you have a girlfriend?” She asked shyly, hiding behind her flowing purple mane as she scuffed a forehoof on the ground.

I frowned at Glitter and shook my head. “I think us getting away for a bit would be good. For Blackjack, and for me. Plus, I mean, I’m here to kind of keep a tight leash on her. Right, Blackjack?”

“Oh, sure. Very tight,” Blackjack said with a grin. I suddenly had the impression of a great big dog dragging a little filly behind it. Then her smile faded. “Anyway. I need to talk to her.”

I cocked my head to the side. “Who’s ‘her’?” I asked, curious. I mentally prayed that Blackjack wouldn’t make a quip about being jealous.

Spike’s smile disappeared. “That’s not something I can do, Blackjack.”

“Actually,” Blackjack retorted. “That’s something that only you can do. And since I’ve read the book, I know you can do it.” She peered out toward the cave entrance. “You know, I get that she’s Honesty, but you’d think that she’d have kept a few details to herself.” She pointed a hoof at him. “I need to talk to her. She’s got the eyes, and I know she’d want to help. And she can keep everyone off our tail, but send the cavalry if we run into trouble.”

Who in Equus was she talking about? “Who are you two talking about?” I asked again.

The pair just gave me a look like ‘bigponies talking’ and then looked back at each other. “I’ll be quick. And if she wants me to drop this, I’ll drop it. But I think...” she paused and took a deep breath. “I think she’ll understand.”

Glitter Bomb fluttered up to Spike’s eye level. “Please Mr. Purple! Blackjack wouldn’t have tried to go up your mountain of doom and boom and glittery death if she didn’t think it was kinda important!” She tried to give him a coy grin, which I doubted would work on the dragon, but made her look more adorable. “And I think your eye patch is very flattering!”

The big dragon looked nonplussed by the compliment, and pursed his lips a moment. “Let me contact her and make sure she’s up to it.”

Glitter squeaked happily, and hugged Spike’s nose. “THANK YOU! I KNEW YOU WERE AWESOME!” She shrieked with delight. He smiled, and even blushed a little as he shifted over to the terminal. Blackjack had gone cool though. She was staring at the mosiac, her eyes locked on the unicorn made of amethysts in the center.

I trotted over to Blackjack’s side, and looked up at the unicorn. “What’s up?” I asked, looking at the image of Twilight Sparkle, the Ministry Mare of Magic.

“Just... thinking about things,” she said as she gazed up. “Big horseshoes to fill.”

I nodded in agreement with her, my eyes settling on the topaz mare with a mane of pink quartz. “Any of their horseshoes would be big to fill,” I added softly.

Spike turned back to us, his face composed. “You know how you have to get there. It’s going to hurt.”

“That’s okay,” Blackjack answered. “I’m used to being hurt.” She then glanced at me. “You want to come with? I shouldn’t be very long.”

“Go where?” I asked, suddenly apprehensive. “I mean, um. Yes. I’ll go with you, Blackjack,” I said, hoping that I didn’t make a horrible mistake.

Blackjack looked up at Glitter Bomb. “Hey, Glitter, you mind keeping the nice, handsome dragon company?”

Glitter saluted Blackjack. “I would love to keep Mr. Spike company! He and I can talk about snacks and his pretty jewels and being purple! Oh, and he can tell me how brave and awesome he is! Right, Mr. Spike?” She asked, grinning at the dragon.

Spike waved a clawed hand. “Aw, shucks, Glitter Bomb. I don’t know about brave and awesome. But I can tell you about some of the cool things I did with the Ministry Mares before the war!” I wondered if I didn’t detect a hint of the dragon that Spike used to be from back then. Back when the world was probably a much simpler place, and he had his friends to keep him company.

Blackjack took my shoulders and turned my back to Spike. “On three.” Wait. What was on three? “One.” Blackjack stated, staring into my eyes. “Two.” My heart thudded in my chest. What was three? Why didn’t she say what three was!? Spike inhaled deeply. “Three!”

I’ve made a terrible... and then I died, consumed by dragonfire.

I’m dead. I’m dead! I’m deaddeaddead! No. Not dead. I hurt too much to be dead. Except... I didn’t hurt at all... exactly. I’d been hurt. Horribly ripped down to my atoms and whisked away on dragon magic. That didn’t stop me shaking from the sensation that I’d just gotten to know a balefire phoenix on a level most religions frowned upon prior to matrimony! That was not something I wanted to go through twice!

We were in a chamber that seemed to be in high spring. The sky seemed to shimmer through some sort of technology, mimicking the clear sky. Pink petals clung to trees, and the air had a delicate scent to it. “Ow,” Blackjack hissed before me, gritting her teeth a moment. “That was an eight.”

I lifted up my left forehoof and turned it over. “An eight?” I asked, wiggling and shaking myself, trying to get the horrible sensation of having been disintegrated and un-disintigrated – reintegrated? – out of my system. If unicorn teleportation felt like being pulled through a small hole in the universe, dragonfire felt like someone set you on fire, burned you to ashes, then magically made the ashes a whole pony again. “That… what… Why didn’t you warn me about that?!” I squeaked at her, my voice cracking.

“Because then you would have whined and complained before coming along anyway,” she said as she sniffed her leg. “Ugh, I smell like dragon breath now,” she said as she rose to her hooves. “So... here’s where she’s staying. Nice for a prison, I guess.”

“Thank you,” came a melodious voice that seemed to drive away the horrors of our trip here. On a wall appeared a unicorn with a crown and a gently flowing mane. “I do try. And we’re working on that. I prefer to think of this as a sanctuary. Like your Star House, Blackjack.”

I swear, my jaw hit the floor. Th-that. She. Dead. Wait. How? Blackjack’s hoof reached over and gently pushed my lower jaw up with a click of my teeth. “P-princess Celestia?!” I stared at the image on the wall. “How?”

“You really need to read more,” Blackjack replied as she trotted to the screen. “How is she?”

“Tired,” Celestia replied, “But eager to see you again. A friend back from the dead is always treasured,” the pony princess in the machine replied. My mind was still trying to process how in the world the sun goddess was talking to us. And why Blackjack kept saying I needed to read more. I read a lot!

“I’m not sure I count as a friend,” Blackjack replied, dropping her eyes.

“You count,” the princess answered, her voice soft and soothing. It was strange, even though she was in… something like a machine, I could feel her kindness from here. Then the door hissed open. The passage beyond was the pinnacle of arcane science. As we walked, Celestia appeared to walk with us, passing from monitor to monitor as if the princess was just on the other side of the wall. “It’s been weeks since she last had a visitor. Everypony is busy trying to find the last elements. I’m sure she’s eager for your visit.”

“Who is she?” I asked softly. I’d hardly been able to take my eyes off of the princess. Even on a monitor, she looked just as majestic and regal as she had in my picture books from when I was a filly. Her glorious multi-hued mane flowed softly on the screen, and she positively exuded this maternal grace. It made me realise just how drab I was in comparison.

In reply, the door before us opened and we stepped into a theatre... Or perhaps planetarium was a closer analogy. From a crystal in the center of the domed chamber shone dozens, perhaps hundreds, of projections that ranged from ones as small as my hoof to others as large as a stallion. A couch encircled the crystal projector, and a lone occupant croaked, “Tower Ninety-Two, No-” she broke into a fit of coughing. “Ninety-T-” more coughing. “Luna’s frosted milk shakes!”

“Littlepip,” Celestia chided gently from speakers. “You have company.”

I froze as the name and recognition from my foalhood rushed back. Littlepip, the mare who could do anything. The mare who showed up and made Junction R-7 into Junction Town. The first mare I’d seen with a pipbuck. Here I was, standing in front of a living legend, and all I could think of was how utterly tired she felt, both physically and emotionally, and how she really could use something warm to drink. “Do you need some lemongrass tea for that cold?” I asked quietly.

The tiny gray mare frowned as Blackjack collapsed laughing, holding her barrel as she guffawed. “Really?” the mare sniffed, her voice thick before she answered me primly, “No, I should be fine for now,” she said, giving me a weary smile, “Thank you for the offer, though. I’m sure Homage will bring some on her next visit. Anything to fight this Tartarus butt-fucking cold.”

“You’re the Lightbringer,” I offered her a smile, and reached over to slap Blackjack with a wing. “Why didn’t you tell me we were meeting the Princess?! And the freaking Lightbringer!” I snapped, batting her with my wing repeatedly. “Bad pony! Bad!”

Blackjack continued to roll around on the ground laughing, all while Littlepip looked on, utterly bemused.

“How old are you? Four? You’re like, four! I swear, I am your babysitter! You dummy mcstupidface! Why did you drag me through dragonfire without telling me just who we were going to meet!? I swear to Luna!” I paused my winged assault on Blackjack, then let my ears wilt as I gave the Princess an apologetic look. “Oh, I uh… I mean…” Fuck.

“That’s quite all right, Threnody. I’ve heard far worse,” Celestia said primly, making Littlepip flush. “What was that charming epithet that you said last week about my buxom flanks, Littlepip?”

While there was annoyance from the Lightbringer, it was paper-thin. Nostalgia surged like waves at high tide from the small grey mare, longing for friends that were now out and doing things on their own. The cold pit of loneliness in Littlepip’s heart was rock solid, but also well resigned.

“So... can I help you, Blackjack?” she asked coolly as Blackjack wiped her tears away. “While I love the visit, I really need to keep an eye out. Homage and the others are in a dead zone and I’m waiting for them to reappear.”

I looked over the petite mare as she spoke to my friend, and felt a small stab of annoyance. She was taller than me. Maybe it was just the horn, but I swore she was taller than me. “Blackjack said she needed to talk to you about um, well, kinda… um…” I scratched the back of my neck. “Hiding us? So we don’t get grounded?” Way to go, Threnody. Way to sound like you’re trying to rope your aunt into your shenanigans as a filly. Goodness, Blackjack’s influence was infecting my brain! I could feel my mental age plummeting just by the mere proximity to her!

Blackjack stopped laughing and sat up. “Threnody has something she needs to take care of. I’m going to help her. I also know that all the other Heartmenders are going to be looking for us. I’d like you not to tell them where we are. Unless, you know, we’re beset on all sides by raiders out to eat our brains.”

“You came all the way here to ask me about that?” Littlepip asked as if she couldn’t believe it.

“Yeah,” Blackjack replied. “And to see you again.” There was something about how she said that. Some unsaid acknowledgement that passed from one mare to the other. It wasn’t intimate. It wasn’t anything I’d ever felt before. Celestia shared it. An odd feeling. An old feeling. I suddenly felt very… young.

I stood silently as I waited for them to speak. When they didn’t, I looked at the Princess. “I really want to help Blackjack,” I said quietly. “And getting her away from the Hoof seemed like a good idea. She just… also wants to… help me? I guess?” I explained, looking back and forth between Celestia and Littlepip. “I don’t really want to cause either of you any trouble. And… I’m sorry she didn’t tell us who we were going to meet. It’s… an honour to meet both of you,” I said, giving what I hoped was a respectful curtsey.

Somehow, the two mares disapproved faintly. “Don’t worry about it,” Littlepip said, waving a hoof with a PipBuck embedded in it. Then she smirked at Blackjack, “Apparently she took months to figure out I was the ‘Stable Dweller.’”

“Hey, you’re not six feet tall in flying power armor shooting lightning from your horn. If you were, I’d have made it a lot sooner,” Blackjack said before she glanced at me. “She got hurt, Littlepip. By someone in Junction City. We’re going there to make it right.”

Celestia looked at me with an expression of concern. “It isn’t that I don’t think that wrongs need to be righted, but what is to say that this won’t end up like the time before, Blackjack?” She asked, her voice soothing and even, but a pang of regret rang true like an augmented fourth chord. “I know you are trying to make changes, but what is to say that you won’t go off and kill the pony responsible for Threnody’s injuries?”

“Because I won’t let her,” I said quietly, causing all three mares to look at me. “I don’t want anypony to get hurt.”

“Uh huh,” she replied, with that tiny smile before she looked at Littlepip.

“If you just give me a name, I can have Gawd take care of this. You don’t need to involve yourself at all,” Littlepip said with a frown.

“I could, but this is more for Thren to do. I’m just... with her for the ride,” Blackjack said quietly.

“I don’t think that Gawd knowing her name would help,” I added. “She’s… very politically powerful, and even Gawdina Grimfeather’s influence would be kinda… small. Politically, the power kinda lies in the big cities.” I bit my lip as I thought about it. “I don’t really know, honestly.”

I didn’t know what I was doing. I knew that I couldn’t let the mayor keep hurting ponies. While I didn’t agree with Blackjack’s idea of me confronting her personally, I did know that nopony else should have to feel the way I did. And it made my stomach hurt to think that there were others… many others that she’d already made feel that way before.

“The NCR is kinda new, and kinda trying to get a feeling for its hooves. I don’t know how well it could handle an upset this big, which is why I didn’t want to talk to Sandalwood and Slate about it,” I admitted to the three mares.

Blackjack trotted over and put a hoof around my shoulder. I didn’t flinch. “And I’m here to keep her safe. Like Security is supposed to do. No murders. No mayhem. Just keeping a young pony safe.”

“...By dragging her across the Discord fucked wasteland?” Littlepip deadpanned, then shook her head. She and Blackjack shared that same, old mare look. “Alright Blackjack, I’ll help. This better not get me in trouble with Homage,” For the first time, the Lightbringer gave a small smile.

“That’s all I asked for, but thanks, Pip,” Blackjack replied, giving Celestia a cocky wave. “Princess, it’s been wild. But we’d better be going,” She said, turning to head back down the hallway.

I stayed behind a moment, then dug through my saddlebags before trotting up to Littlepip. “I know Homage may bring you some tea, but I figured this is the least I can do for helping us out,” I explained, setting down a small box of peppermint tea that I’d found in the soda shop we’d slept in the night before. “And I hope you feel better soon.”

Littlepip cocked her head to the side a moment, then gave me a soft smile. “Thank you,” She said with a sniffle. “You know, I’ve been watching you. I kinda figured you’d leave something behind. You heartmenders really are something,” The Lightbringer shook her head, then returned to her couch. I took that as my leave, and trotted after Blackjack.

I’d nearly made it to where Blackjack was waiting before I stopped, and looked up at the digital princess, who’d been quietly escorting me out of Littlepip’s command. I couldn’t put a name to the emotions I was feeling from the avatar of the Princess, because they were deep, complex, and impossibly old. “Princess?” I asked quietly, looking up at the monitor.

Celestia offered me a sad smile, one that was heavily tainted by the feeling of old, gentle regret that radiated softly from her screen. My hoof somehow found its way to the screen itself before she spoke. “I just can’t help but be amused by how much you remind me of her, Threnody,” She shifted her glimmering mane that no longer had physical form.

“Who, Princess?” I asked, given that there were countless ponies in the alicorn’s lifetime I could be reminiscent of.

“Winter Willow. One of the first official Heartmenders. Though they were called Heart Healers in that day. She and her friends brought Equestria through a dark period in our history. But she was always sad, and always seemed to hold onto something. It wasn’t until a few years later I’d learned what she’d taken from me on the night that my sister became Nightmare Moon. It took all of her friends to get her to let it go.” She cocked her head to the side. “I can’t help but wonder if you’ll be able to do the same at the end of your journey, with the help of your friends.”

I swallowed. “I… I don’t know.” I admitted truthfully. “I know I need to. Blackjack won’t let me leave Junction City till I do.” I leaned my forehead against the monitor. “Princess, I don’t know if I’m strong enough to do this.”

The star mark on my forehead suddenly felt a bit warmer as the princess’ love flowed over me. “Nopony does, my little pony. But with the help of your friends, I believe you can.” I lifted my head to give her a smile. “If you find that you can’t believe in your own strength, then believe in the strength of your friends. They can carry you when the road becomes too rough for your hooves.”

“I don’t know if I have the right to ask them that, Princess,” I said, looking down at my hooves and the grated metal floor.

“I knew, back then, that I didn’t have the right to ask that of my friends either,” Celestia replied, sorrow and regret rushing over me in such a torrent that I physically staggered. “I should have when things were hurting the most. Maybe all of this wouldn’t have happened,” She offered me a sad smile. “I made my choice, however. You have to make yours.”

I spread out my wings and shook myself, trying to get rid of the cloying damp of regret and sorrow. I placed both of my hooves against the monitor, pressing my forehead against it once again. “I will try, Princess. I promise to try.”

To my surprise, her hooves pressed back lightly against mine, and she pressed her forehead against her side of the screen. “That’s all I ask.” The flow of care and concern from her was enough to get me to step away. “Oh, and before Blackjack asks, I am fine. Or rather, I will be. Having Littlepip here for company is much more helpful than being alone.”

And with that, she disappeared, the panel returning to the pretty green field on the display. I shook my head and trotted back to Blackjack. “Now… how do we get out of here?”

Turns out getting back into Watcher’s cave was easier than going in. The princess was able to activate a magical portal that sent us to Spike’s home. Blackjack and I arrived to find Spike and Glitter deep in conversation about the roles of heroes in something called Ogres and Oubliettes.

Glitter gasped as we trotted out of the portal. “Oh! Good! You really aren’t dead!”

“I told you! My dragonfire just moves things like a teleporter!” Watcher said as he looked down at us. “Did you get what you wanted, Blackjack?”

She gave him a small smile. “Oh yeah.”

I frowned at the back of Blackjack’s head. “Then why bring me along? And be honest, Blackjack. I’ll know if you’re lying.”

Blackjack scrunched up her muzzle as she turned to look back at me. “Because you needed to experience riding on dragon fire?” She offered, rather unhelpfully. “Maybe I thought you might like to see the inside of the SPP? Meet Princess Celestia and the Lightbringer?”

I lay my ears back flat against my skull and gave her an annoyed look. “Blackjack. I’m asking seriously. Because at the moment, the only thing I can think of is that you did this entire detour to the Single Pegasus Project in order for me to get eyes on Littlepip and the Princess!”

“I did want you to get eyes on Littlepip and the Princess,” Blackjack admitted quietly. “I wanted to know how they were doing.” Care, compassion, and genuine embarrassment lightly drifted out from her as she looked down at her hooves. Then she took a deep breath, feigning a carefree smile. “I also needed to make sure that Heartshine didn’t talk to Velvet, and Velvet didn’t ask Littlepip to find us. I don’t want to be whisked back to Star House just yet.” She turned her back on me, silent for a moment. “I hope Littlepip’s alright. And Celestia. It’s not... easy... living like that.”

“They’re… managing, Blackjack,” I said softly, trotting over to her side as Glitter Bomb flew over to us. “Littlepip is very lonely, and wishes she could leave. Celestia is… full of sorrow and regret, but honestly? She’s like, thousands of years old. I doubt that you’d live that long without having a lot of regrets. But she’s very… happy that Littlepip is there with her.” I frowned at the white unicorn mare. “Why couldn’t you’ve just asked me that in the first place?”

Spike rumbled in his opinion from overhead. “Probably because I would have told her to respect Littlepip’s privacy,” He said, peering down at us three mares. “Because it sounds like that really was a question you could have asked with my monitors.”

“It’s not the same, Spike,” she said as she glanced up at him. “It’s not the same. You know that better than anyone. It’s not the same,” she said with a snotty sniff. “You try to touch someone through a screen... it’s not the same.” Blackjack grit her teeth, fighting and failing the tears on her cheeks, causing Glitter to wrap a wing around her back. “I know I’m barely her friend, but shouldn’t I at least try to check up on Pip? She’s trapped in there, day after day, living life through screens. She’s watching, Spike. And sure, she can ram a tornado up a raider’s ass, but it’s not the same as being there with your friends.”

I frowned thoughtfully a moment. I hadn’t considered that. “Well… presumably, Celestia would have alerted us to her state.” I said, trying to think things through. “Or Watcher would have called Homage, right?” I asked, looking up at the dragon.

Spike nodded, and crossed his massive forearms. “Littlepip may be up there alone, but you and I both know why. Her immune system is shot. Her body is extremely frail, and realistically, she’s the best mare for the job of managing the weather. Even if the pegasi have been given that job back in the New Lunar Commonwealth,” he muttered.

Glitter nosed at the back of Blackjack’s head. “What I think Mr. Spike and Threnody are tryin’ to say is that you need to tell the truth more and say lies less. You’re bad at lying, Blackjack. Bad like that mystery hay.”

Blackjack chuckled softly at Glitter’s remark. “Oh? Is that how it is? So bad my lies give everyone gas?”

“More like you give everyone panic attacks when you tell the truth,” Spike deadpanned, and shook his head. “In any case, Littlepip and I will watch over your journey as you three head toward Junction City. The way should be relatively clear, and I think Pip is planning on keeping the weather nice for you. But we will send help if you get into trouble.” He said, pointing a claw down at Blackjack and I. “No ifs, ands, or buts about it!”

“And I’ll accept any punishment we get from the adults when I get back,” I replied. “Just make sure we don’t die, please. Caledonia would be very upset if I got Glitter killed.”

“I would be very upset if I got me unalived,” Glitter added. “Being unalived would be the worst thing.”

“Unalived?” Blackjack asked, skewing an ear back as she looked up at Glitter Bomb. “I don’t think I know that one.”

“Callie says that killing is kinda bad, and that sometimes foals hear older ponies talking. And being killed is so sad and final because ponies die when they are killed. So we just say that they were unalived. She says it sounds better.”

Blackjack just looked at her, her smile fading, that hot anger hissing from cracks forming in her shell. “Dead is dead, no matter how you say it,” she replied. Glitter balked, as if Blackjack had just struck her. The white mare then lowered her gaze. “Sorry.”

“I... just... it’s what Callie said,” she finished weakly. I wasn’t one hundred percent sure I followed Glitter’s logic there, but if it made her feel better, I wasn’t going to question it. There were many things about Glitter that I opted to just not question. Like why she’d decided that me of all ponies was fit to be her best friend.

“Yeah,” Blackjack said with a small, mirthless smile. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Alright, well, then let’s get going. Though, Watcher?” I asked, looking up at Spike. “Could you possibly turn off the turrets so we don’t get vapourised on the way down? Now that Glitter can fly without worrying about, um…”

“Carpet bombing the mountainside with horseapples?” Blackjack asked.

Oh this was going to be a long trip…

Quest Perk: Following in the Hoofprints of Giants - It's hard to live up to the ideals of the great ponies of history, but somehow you're managing to do it. +1 to any SPECIAL stat of your choice. (+1 Charisma for Threnody)

Author's Notes:

Oh goodness. This took me much longer to get out than I had planned, and I am so sorry for that. That being said, I hope you enjoyed it, and I'm also almost done with Chapter 7 so that should be out soon, too! Special thanks to Bronode, Somber, and OverKenzie, my helpers to get this miasma out of my head and onto paper. Er, well, metaphorical paper.

While I'm at it, I'm going to start shouting out stories that really deserve some attention here in the fandom. This week's story is Suvivor's Guilt by RuinQueenofOblivion. Check it out!