“-So in summary, those witches are why I’m leery about letting you learn anything to do with sorcery,” Aspect said, flaring his wing and sending several books back onto the shelves where they belonged. “Not that I think you’ll accidentally call forth a country-wide destroying plague, mind you. But with how easy music magic comes to ponies, and that being a key component to sorcery, the whole rhyming and spelling out your intentions in verse making it easier to use, you could quite easily call up something you can’t easily put down. And I don’t have access to too many magical relics anymore that could stop anything like the Smooze.”

Aspect had had nothing better to do today, after having seen to his weather work, he’d gladly gone along with Twilight’s veiled attempt to needle more information out of him under the guise of needing help to reshelve the library. He’d happily taken this chance to tell the ponies more about Hydia, Reeka, and Draggle. Three of the most...interesting characters from Dream Valley. Witches with a penchant for causing misery to the ponies, the most notable of which being when they called forth the Smooze. An ocean of magical, depression-inducing slime that had grown out of control and covered most of Dream Valley and the Paradise Estates, before the Flutterponies had seen to stopping it.

He hadn’t told them about the straw that broke the camel’s back, though. Namely, when the witches lashed out at the Flutterponies in retaliation, and nearly succeeded in turning Flutter Valley into a wasteland. Megan Williams had seen to the foiling of that plot.

He’d seen to the fact that there weren’t any more after that one.

“Well can you at least explain why they were such a threat?” Twilight replied and snorted in annoyance at the human’s stinginess to hoof over any information. “What kind of magic could they have possibly used that threatened the whole world?”

“In those days, they were relatively young, as far as Aspects go,” Aspect said, looking over the titles to make sure they were all in place. “Given about a century or three, they could have become unstoppable Aspects of Magic. They had books and tomes from their family that were filled to the brim with incantations. If I’d given them time to learn them all back to back, they’d have been insurmountable. The worst thing, though, was the Pictomancy.”

“Pictomancy?” Twilight liked to think she knew a lot about magic, but that was drawing a complete blank. She floated over several thick books, rapidly flipping through them. “I can’t find that anywhere!”

“It was an old art,” the stallion said with a shake of his head. “You’d need Spectra Crystals to properly revive it. And those only form in a magic-rich environment at the end of a rainbow.”

“Spectra Crystals?” Twilight was just hearing one strange word after another. “Well, they certainly sound ominous at the very least.” Still…

“And magic rich? Most of Equestria is magic rich. How come I’ve never heard of them?”

“A natural rainbow,” Aspect said. “Not one that the weather factory puts out. Those are much rarer these days. I think the only place that’s not effected by the factory anymore is the Everfree and places like it.”

“Hmm, I wonder if the Everfree has some—”

“INCOMING!” came a distant shout and Twilight turned her head…

As a blue and rainbow blur slammed into the library at almost supersonic speeds. Plumes of dust rose up from the impact as the whole tree trembled. Aspect had done what he could to cushion the landing for the crashing pegasus, but there was only so much he could do and still have it be safe for her to actually crash into.

Still, he couldn’t deny. Airbags were a useful trick, and far more literal now that he had a lot of Arabus in him.

“Way to go, you rock. Whoohoo…” came Fluttershy’s delightfully quiet cheering as she landed in the window space Rainbow had crashed through. “Oh my, did my cheering do this?”

“Nah, sudden air differentials being popped by a polychromatic pegasus.” Seeing their uncomprehending looks, he simplified. “I made an invisible air balloon for her to land in, but when it popped, the shock sorta...rattled. The place. Which is better than what would have happened if she just hit the floor.”

Twilight coughed as she looked at her now unshelved books. Aspect, the girls, and her had spent all morning shelving these. Well… She turned and looked at the dizzy pegasus. “So, what happened Rainbow?”

“Urgh, that, was a truly feeble performance.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy replied. “I don’t think so. I really liked it when you made the clouds spin—”

“I’m talking about your cheering,” Rainbow groaned as she picked herself up.

“What are you two arguing about?” Twilight said as she looked around the room. This was going to take hours…

“Oh, were we arguing? I’m sorry,” Fluttershy whispered.

“Rainbow, don’t you think you might have picked someone slightly off if you want cheering?” Aspect asked with a raised eyebrow. Someone had to teach Celly and Lulu the Royal Voice after all. Otherwise known as the castle-wide paging system. “I can’t imagine Fluttershy raising her voice for much of anything.”

Fluttershy just looked down, her ears flat.

“Exactly!” Rainbow sighed. “I wish you guys could come to Cloudsdale and see me perform at the Best Young Flyer Competition.”

“What in Equestria is that?” Twilight blinked, earning an incredulous stare from Rainbow. Luckily, Pinkie was there to offer a helpful explanation.

“It's where all the greatest Pegasus flyers get together and show off their different flying styles! Some are fast!” She ran around the room making car sounds. How and why did Pinkie know what a car was and what they sounded like? “And some are graceful. Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Her ‘gracefulness’ made her faceplant a pile of books.

“Golly, ah’d love to see you strut your stuff in that competition,” Applejack exclaimed.

“Yeah, I wish you guys could be there. Fluttershy is great support… but her cheering isn’t exactly inspirational.” She shot the butter-colored pegasus a look. And at Fluttershy’s downcast expression, Aspect sighed and flapped his wings for emphasis.

“Ohh right!” Rainbow smiled brightly. “Sorry Aspect. I forgot you had a pair.”

“That’s what she said!” Pinkie called out from her bookpile. “Whaaat? She just did!”

“Anyway, I’m sure I can come along and see this competition,” Aspect said. “Sakes, the last I’d heard of the city, it was little more than a mobile landing strip for the Wonderbolts. I’d love to see how it’s grown in the last millennium.”

“Wait! You haven’t seen Cloudsdale?” Rainbow blinked and then grinned. This was gonna be awesome!

“Ohh, I wish I could see,” Pinkie pouted. “I'd love to see you make a sonic rainboom! It's like, the most coolest thing ever! Even though I've never actually seen it, but I mean come on! It's a sonic rainboom! How not cool could it possibly not be?!”

“A what?” the only male pegasus in the room asked. Apparently, there were still things he didn’t know.

Pinkie sighed and rolled her eyes. “You really need to get out more. The sonic rainboom is legendary! When a Pegasus like Rainbow Dash gets going sooo fast... Boom! A sonic boom and a rainbow can happen all at once!”

“And Rainbow here is the only pony to ever pull it off,” Applejack nodded proudly.

“Huh,” Aspect mused. “Well, this bears watching. Might even answer a question or two I have.”

“It was a long time ago,” Rainbow said...demurly? What? This wasn’t the brash mare at all. “I was just a filly.”

“Yeah, but you’re gonna do it again, right?” Pinkie asked from her landing spot.

“Aaare you kidding?” Rainbow said hesitantly. Okay, something was definitely up. “I’m the greatest flier to ever come out of Cloudsdale.” It sounded more like a question than a statement. “I could pull off Sonic Rainbooms in my sleep.”

“Wow,” Twilight said, clearly buying it. “If you can pull that off, you’ll win the crown for sure.”

“And the grand prize is a day with the Wonderbolts!” Rainbow let out a fanfilly squeal of excitement. “A whole day of flying with my lifelong heroes. It’ll be a dream come true~” She stood up and dusted herself off. “Well, I’m gonna go home and rest up, don’t wanna be over prepared…” She turned and pointed at Fluttershy. “You need to keep practicing. I need a spectacular cheering squad to match my spectacular performance!” And with that, she rocketed out of the window.

“I’ve watched her practice that move a hundred times,” Fluttershy sighed. “And she hasn’t even come close to doing it. I don’t know if my cheering will be enough…” And with that, she followed her lifelong friend.

“Ah, as I believe one of the storybook villains used to say from long ago,” Aspect said, before adopting a raspy voice. “Her overconfidence is her weakness.” He turned pensive for a moment. “Or was it actually the hero that said that?...”

Everypony just stared blankly at him. Except for Pinkie, she giggled and snorted.

“But I do have to agree,” Rarity said. “I have put on enough fashion shows to recognise stage fright when I see it.” She turned and poked Twilight in the ribs with her horn. “Now go, go on. Find a spell that will get us wingless ponies into Cloudsdale.”

“Oowa!” Twilight let out an odd noise and looked at her. “Urgh, how am I supposed to find a flight spell in all this mess?”

“Flight spell?” Pinkie asked. “One sec!” She pinched her nose and dove into the book pile, emerging a moment later, a book in her mouth before tossing it to Twilight. “Page twenty seven.”

Twilight just stared with wide, open eyes. “I… what… how did you do that!?”

“Twilight, remember what we agreed to regarding Pinkie,” Aspect warned her.

“Right,” Twilight sighed.

“It landed on my face when Rainbow knocked me into the bookcase,” Pinkie explained as Twilight studied the spell.

“Ohh, so it grants the power of flight for three days,” the unicorn explained. “Ooh, but it looks really difficult. I don’t know if I can cast it…”

“You’ve got to try!” Rarity proclaimed.

“Well, looks like I just found a volunteer,” Twilight smiled at her friend. Rarity gulped, but nodded and stepped forward.

“I will. For Rainbow Dash!”

“Well then…” Twilight grit her teeth as her horn fired up with a blinding magenta hue. “Here goes nothing!”

Rarity was suddenly having second thoughts as the pink cocoon surrounded her…

“I think I’ve rubbed off a little much on Twilight,” Aspect whispered to Pinkie.

“Why’s that?” Pinkie said, ohh’ing and ahh’ing at the lightshow.

“Because picking out the first voice to be a volunteer when I said a maneuver was tricky was something I used to do, back at the castle,” Aspect said as the spell progressed, now nearly covering the white mare completely.

“Is that a bad thing?” Pinkie asked as Rarity was engulfed utterly in the light. Then with a spark and some backlash that sent Twilight flying across the room, the spell finished…

And Rarity was revealed.

“Well,” Aspect said, blinking a little. “It’s a little more...flashy than I’m used to, but that definitely looks like a Flutterpony to me.”

“A Flutterpony?” Twilight said dizzily. “Oh hey… it worked…”

“Whah. hah. haaah!” Rarity let out a giddy giggle as she flapped her beautiful wings.

“Beautiful Butterfly wings Aspectman!” Pinkie gasped. “She turned Rarity into an alicorn!”

“Nah, she said it was temporary,” Aspect said with a wave of one hoof. “Plus, believe me, I’d know if there was a new Alicorn in the land. Though that being said, she certainly is running the gamut for old friends she’s reminding me of. First it was Majesty, now my old friends the Flutters.”

“I aim to please,” Rarity took a bow and looked at her wings. “Why Twilight, they’re stunning!”

“And… exhausting…” the unicorn panted. “There’s… no way I can cast that another three times…”

“Hmm,” Aspect mused. “Maybe if I used some sorcery and essence of Arabus, I could make a cloud you all could stand on…”

“Cloud… stand…” Twilight gasped. “Of course! Why didn’t I think of it before!” She started levitating books, Pinkie hanging onto one and floating with it.

“Wheee!”

“Somewhere… where are you… HAH!” She opened one book and the rest dropped, Pinkie landing right in Aspects lap. “Here it is. A spell that will let us walk on clouds!”

“Yeah, I’d much rather you do it, in all honesty,” Aspect said. “I’m not the worst at sorcery, but there’s less chances of failure your way.”

“I trust you,” Twilight smiled. “And that enchanted cloud sounds like an interesting experiment for later. Right now, let’s cast these spells and head to Cloudsdale.”

“Hi~” Pinkie said, looking up at Aspect from his lap. “Come here often handsome~?”

“Only when Twilight doesn’t take no for an answer,” Aspect replied. “I mean, seriously, does she not think the Smooze is a valid enough reason to not learn sorcery? Heck, the stuff is still imprisoned in Mount Gloom.”

“Twilight is what Twilight does,” Pinkie replied and hopped up when it was her turn. “Try not to worry about it Aspect. Things can get a lot worse~” And with that, she pronked off to be magicked.

“Yeah, no kidding,” Aspect mused, and waited until all three ponies were spelled against falling through clouds before voicing his opinion. “So. Not that that’s not a good precaution to take. But how do you intend to get to Cloudsdale anyways? I mean, from my understanding, it’s a cloud city.”

“I have a plan,” Twilight smiled.

“I should have questioned you about your plan when you brought it up,” Aspect huffed as he did his best to act as another pony guiding the balloon. He didn’t even know where Cloudsdale was and he’d been talked into being a super-pony engine for their aircraft.

“Oh, are you having some complaints there?” Twilight mused and giggled airily. “Is it not a gentlecolt’s way to be the one to escort a mare?”

“Vengeance will be Bon-Bon’s, once I tell her what you did,” Aspect swore. Only she was allowed to pull out the cute eyes.

“Pfft, you’re so whipped,” Pinkie giggled.

“Darling, do be kind to him. He is escorting us and I happen to think his relationship with Bon Bon is adorable~”

“Does she know about… you know what?” Twilight whispered to him.

“Less focus on my love life, more focus on telling me which way to go,” Aspect said. “Remember, I’ve never been to the city. Probably for a good reason, but I can keep it under control now as long as you give me a heads-up.”

“Okay, head up,” Twilight smirked. The pegasus stallion glanced upwards…

And the massive cloud city of Cloudsdale dominated the sky right above them. Waterfalls of rainbows cascaded off of the sides, and countless pegasi flew about the impressive city. Aspect just remembered in time to tamp his abilities down, and with a muted, barely visible flash, he was down to ‘normal’ pegasus levels. Didn’t need to be turning the whole city into a storm after all.

“Okay, so...where to?” Aspect said, still staring at the city. Damn, it was impressive. He knew all those stories about the old cultures from back home hadn’t gone to waste. Apparently the pegasi really like them.

“Hmm, I think that looks like a good place to land,” Twilight smiled as she spied a pegasus with a familiar rainbow mane and tail. Rarity smirked and flew ahead, wishing to surprise her friend…

Rainbow sighed, after a run in with some old school bullies, her enthusiasm was at an all-time low. She hung her head and groaned. “Those guys are right, I’m never gonna be able to do it.”

“But, Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy put a hoof on her withers. “Just because you've failed the sonic rainboom a hundred thousand times in practice doesn't mean you won't be able to do it in front of an entire stadium, full of impatient, super-critical sportsfan ponies.”

Rainbow’s eyes widened as her iris’ shrank to pinpricks. If she wasn’t panicking before, she sure as hay was now. She dropped to the floor and covered her head with her hooves.

“Aaaaaah! What do I do?! Everypony's gonna see me fail! The Wonderbolts will never let a loser like me join. Princess Celestia will probably banish me to the Everfree Forest! My life is ruined!”

“Rare?” Fluttershy stammered, not quite looking at Rainbow… but past her.

“Well of course it’s rare!” Rainbow snapped. “The sonic rainboom is way more than rare!!”

“R-Rarity?” Fluttershy completed her word and Rainbow turned, her eyes bugging out even more.

“Rarity? Are… are you… flying!?”

“Well of course darling,” she smiled and spun in a slow circle as she showed off her stunning butterfly wings. “Aren’t my new wings simply smashing? Twilight gave them to me, just so we could come and cheer for you.”

“We?” Rainbow echoed. The cloud in front of her bulged, before a massive balloon was visible, punching its way into Cloudsdale. A familiar pegasus stallion was beneath it, smiling all the while as he gave it that extra push, before dropping off and landing on the city’s clouds.

“You… you guys made it?” Rainbow said in disbelief.

“It’s incredible,” Fluttershy smiled and nodded.

“Yepperooni!” Pinkie giggled and jumped out of the balloon. Rainbow looked on in horror, expecting her pink pony pal to plummet into pony paste.

Instead, Pinkie bounced on the cloud and stood there, like any other pegasus. “Whee!”

“W-Wuh?” Rainbow’s head hurt.

“And she says nothing about the one that could turn this city into a storm cell, but the pink one doing the unexplainable, that causes her brain damage,” Aspect quipped. “I thought that was Tuesday.”

“Oh right!” Twilight looked at the stallion with a worried glance. “Is that going to be a problem? We really don’t need you destroying Cloudsdale by looking at it the wrong way.”

“It wouldn’t take more than a funny look to do that, but I’ve since learned how to tamp down my abilities,” Aspect said, pointing out the fact that the clouds were still white and fluffy. “Ohhh riiiight. You probably already knew about that Rainbow, seeing as you’re the head of Ponyville’s weather team. Nevermind.”

“Yeah, you’re cool Aspect,” Rainbow nodded. “In any case, I’m so glad you guys are here. I might have.. Eh, been getting just a little nervous.”

“And I’m a little bit violent in pony’s eyes,” the stallion deadpanned.

Rainbow tactfully chose to ignore him. “Oh hey, why don’t Fluttershy and I show you girls… and guy, around Cloudsdale?”

“Sounds good to me, I’d love to see what you all have done with the place with a thousand years to make it better,” Aspect said, looking around at the inspired architecture.

“Sweet! Let’s go then,” Rainbow beamed. This was just what she needed to help chill out.

This was… totally not what she needed. It had been barely a half hour, and all she heard was…

“Your wings are so pretty~”

“I reckon that’s the nicest set of wings I’ve ever seen.”

“Marry me?”

Everywhere they went, a small crowd gathered to compliment Rarity’s wings, and the unicorn ate up that praise like a Parasprite at a harvest festival.

“S-So, this is Cloudsdale,” Rainbow tried brushing her worries aside. “Some of the greatest pegasi in history come from here…”

“Like I said, it used to be little more than a mobile airstrip for the Wonderbolts, back when they were the elite of the pegasi strike force,” Aspect said, looking around. “I...may have mentioned the idea of adding a few things here and there to them. You know, so that they could find them easier. I had no idea it would get this large.”

“Well, whatever you said, this is one of the larger cities in Equestria,” Twilight explained. “Only Canterlot and Manehatten beat in in terms of size and population.”

“Yeah, well Cloudsdale is still cooler,” Rainbow huffed as Rarity continued to get attention. “Hey, you wanna see the Weather Factory?”

“Ever since I heard you guys had one, yeah,” Aspect said with a nod. “I mean, Pegasi could already organize the weather pretty well, but I come back and you all suddenly can manufacture rainbows? That is some dedication.”

“Heh, this is gonna blow your freakin’ mind,” Rainbow beamed with pride, pride that wilted when Rarity was barraged by another load of praise.

“Rarity, be careful,” Twilight warned her. “Those wings are made of gossamer and morning dew, they are extremely delicate.”

“Oh, I don’t think they’ll get worn out from being admired too much,” Rarity smiled, bowing to her new fans.

“...Oh bloody hell,” Aspect said, closing his eyes and shaking his head. He knew where this one was going. With his luck...and handicapped as he was?...

This was not going to end...well. At all.

The Weather factory was just as impressive as Rainbow made it out to be. Their first stop was where they made snowflakes.

“Okay, so as you can see,” she said quietly. “Each and every snowflake is hoofcarved. It’s a pretty delicate operation.”

“Yeah, I remember when one pegasus had to get it just right in order for there to be any snow in the winter,” Aspect whispered as well. “Magical seeds for snowstorms, yeah? Kick the whole process off?”

Rainbow nodded, and frowned as a small breeze started blowing. “Ooh!” Rarity cooed as she flew up to admire the ones hanging from the ceiling. “They look even better from up here.”

Unfortunately, her wings kicked up a breeze that scattered all the snowflakes that the weather pegasi were working on. A chorus of groans and muttering started filling the room.

“We uh, should probably go before Rarity ruins winter and causes a drought,” Rainbow said in a hurried whisper.

“Agreed,” Aspect nodded, doing his best to hurry the others along.

The next room made all the girls flinch, because as Rainbow opened the door, a great BOOM resounded.

“Welcome to the Lightning Room,” she smirked. “This is where we make thunderstorms!”

The room was massive, as dark, angry black clouds rolled across the ceiling. Tall, metal rods were placed around the room and acted as lightning rods. “Also, don’t fly higher than those or you’ll get barbequed.” Rainbow replied as one worker wasn’t paying attention to his work, and more to Rarity’s wings.

Aspect could swear he saw the guy’s skeleton when he got zapped. And then he felt a...wrenching sensation inside of him. As though...something wanted out.

“Oh no,” he muttered, doing his best to keep his nature under control. “Girls? I think we’d better move on. Quickly.” Like called to like. Arabus had been the demon of storms and had been at the height of his power before he’d dealt with him. If he didn’t hurry, he might lose the fight.

Rainbow looked confused, but Twilight nodded and they pressed on, the sensation he was feeling died down once Rainbow slammed the heavy door shut.

“You okay Aspect?” she asked, looking a little concerned.

“I...will be,” Aspect said, panting a little. “Arabus...didn’t come quietly. Didn’t surrender. And especially didn’t like it when ponies thought themselves the master of storms…”

“Huh, you might have to explain that one later,” Rainbow said and then smirked. “Sides, he’s never met me. I’ll hoof his flank to him on a giftwrapped cloud!”

“I’ll tell you about the shadow-stealer later,” Aspect said, finally breathing normally. “But I do believe we were here for things besides my reactions.”

“True that,” Rainbow nodded. “The next room is my favourite, and also where my dad works!”

The room in question was the one she wanted to use to surprise Aspect himself, it was where they made the rainbows.

“Okay, wow,” Aspect said, staring at the multicolored liquid. “So, what? Do you use some sort of Spectra crystals to do this? Or…”

“I don’t really know all the mechanics,” Rainbow shrugged. “Dad works here, but he’s in Trottingham visiting Gramma, so he couldn’t be here…” She sighed and saw Pinkie approaching a rainbow pool. “Oh, watch this. This’ll be great.”

Pinkie looked curiously at the pool, before dipping her hoof in and licking the liquid. Her face made an interesting variety of expression as it literally turned every color of the rainbow, before she shot out a gout of flame and panted.

“Spiiicy!” she whispered in a raspy voice, her mouth feeling like she’d swallowed the fires of Tartarus.

“Suddenly glad I didn’t try to taste the rainbow,” Aspect said. “I’ve no stomach for too much spicy food.”

Rainbow turned the most delightful shade of pink and suddenly found the ceiling very interesting. Applejack was busy laughing at Pinkie and Twilight gave a curious look at the prismatic pegasus. Was she feeling okay?

Rarity was talking with two other pegasus stallions, one that soured Rainbow’s mood the second she saw them.

“Urgh, why are you talking to these guys Rarity?”

“Oh look, it’s Rainbow Crash again!” the one with the dumbell Cutie Mark snickered.

“Uhh, yeah, Rainbow… uhh, Crash!” his clearly less… educated friend mimicked.

“They were just admiring my wings Rainbow darling,” Rarity explained.

“Yeah, you should forget that ‘sonic rainboom’ and get a pair like those,” Dumbell snickered. “You might actually stand a chance of winning then.”

The three stallions snickered as Rainbow’s expression fell, her ears lowering as a low groan came from her throat.

“Uhh, why… don’t we go and see how clouds are made?” Fluttershy suggested, wanting to end this before it got any worse. “Don’t you listen to them Rainbow. You’ll win that competition for sure!”

“Are you kidding!” Rainbow’s voice cracked. “I can’t do the sonic rainboom. Just look at these boring old feathered wings. I’m doomed!”

“Rainbow,” Aspect said, looking at the normally brash mare. “I have every faith you will be capable of doing everything you’ve boasted and more. Only an extraordinary pony could succeed where both ‘Tia and I failed.”

Twilight had been busy admonishing Rarity, but to no avail. The unicorn mare let out a laugh as Twilight sighed and walked over to Rainbow. “Hey, are you doing okay Rainbow? You don’t look so good.”

“Of course, why wouldn’t i be okay?” Rainbow said, panting slightly. “I mean, everypony’s so busy admiring Rarity that they won’t notice when I totally blow it at the competition!”

“Hey, that’s an idea,” some pegasus mare called out and pointed at Rarity. “You should enter the competition.”

“Yeah,” an elderly mare said. She looked like Granny Smith with wings and a hardhat. “I could watch your wings all day.”

“Hmm, maybe I should enter,” Rarity mused. “Nopony uses their wings quite like me~”

“WHAT!?” Rainbow screeched as Rarity was led off by the pegasus mob. She groaned and dropped to the floor. “I’m never gonna win now…”

“Not with that attitude you’re not,” Aspect quipped. “You’re the bearer of Loyalty. You helped bring back a shattered and broken family. For buck’s sake, you kicked a dragon in the snout! What is so hard about this one?”

“I…” Rainbow’s pride was shattered right now. “Y-yeah… just, gotta win. No sweat right. I’m… totally awesome?”

That, did not sound convincing.

A short while later, they’d arrived at the massive stadium where the competition was to be held. Rarity and Rainbow were led backstage, where they’d be given a number while everypony else was taken to the seating area.

“Do you think she’ll be okay?” Twilight asked Aspect as they took their seats. “She still looked pretty rattled.”

“What number was she again? Does anybody know?” Aspect asked the others.

“I think she was number two,” Fluttershy said. “So we shouldn’t have to wait too long.”

The sound of trumpet fanfare filled the arena as the MC took to the podium. “Fillies and Gentlecolts. Please rise for the arrival of our Fair and Illustrious Princess Celestia!”

“That’s our cue,” Aspect said, getting up and going into a full bow.

The regal alicorn made her appearance and Aspect swore she winked at him before everypony took their seats once more.

“Okay,” the MC smiled. “Please welcome our celebrity Judges, the Wonderbolts!”

Three pegasi flew in, Spitfire, Soarin and Misty Fly. The took a seat in the box below Celestia’s as the MC smiled. “My name is Madden, and I’ll be your announcer for today. Now, let’s see which of these young flyers can bring home the winning prize!”

“Hmm,” Aspect mused. “I wonder how skilled a show we’ll be able to see…” He knew a few tricks. Most pegasi these days might call them cheating until they tried them themselves. It was all about exercising their tribal magic...which, again, Aspect had a leg up on them in that regard. Seeing as how he’d blessed the pegasi with just a touch of Arabus’ power.

The first contestant was pretty good. He performed a few maneuvers, like some barrel rolls and Aerilon rolls, but went facefirst into the cloud wall on the last turn. It took two more pegasi to pry him back out.

“Well, Rainbow Dash should be next,” Fluttershy beamed and got ready to start cheering.

Only, the next contestant wasn’t Rainbow Dash. It was some brown pegasus stallion with an Hourglass Cutie mark.

“I thought this would happen,” Aspect sighed. “I’ll be right back. I think somepony needs a pep-talk.”

With that, he got up and began his mission to sneak into the back room. Somepony needed an encouraging word.

When he got out there, the number of contestants had been whittled down to almost nothing. Rainbow was curled up into a ball and was shaking, muttering unintelligibly to herself. The corner of her number peeled and Aspect saw that it had been removed a couple of times.

“Oh great, it’s worse than I thought,” Aspect said as he sat nearby, running a comforting hoof over her back. “You’re really torn up about winning this thing aren’t you?”

“Win? I can’t win!” Rainbow’s voice cracked. “I’m going to fail. I’m going to fail; in front of everypony. My friends. The Wonderbolts. The Princess…. You….” She looked away from him and shuddered. “I’m not awesome… I’m a joke… I can’t even pull off one trick I did as a bucking filly!”

“Believe it or not, I know exactly how you feel,” Aspect said, not stopping his comforting attempt. “There once was a monster so terrible, so cruel, he threw all of Equestria into chaos for the fun of it. I went out to confront him, because that’s what I do...and he stomped me flat and amused himself by torturing me. Apparently an immortal plaything is the best plaything in the eyes of the mad. And the one thing I thought constantly during our time together? Was how much of a failure I was, leaving this task to my daughters. Leaving him to my girls.”

“The Princesses?” Rainbow’s shaking stopped a little.

“Mmhmm. But once they rescued me, I realized that I was still afraid. I still couldn’t face the pockets of chaos he’d left behind. Those lands that had been so twisted by his touch...I couldn’t go anywhere near them to help the ponies. Eventually it got so bad that my daughters sat me down and told me I needed to unwind and relax, otherwise I might find out just how much stress my body could take. You have a distinct advantage over me in this case. I couldn’t just look for an answer to my problem back then, I had to forge one on my own. Whereas here...here, I can teach you a few tricks that pegasi have all but forgotten.”

“What kind of tricks?” Rainbow looked up, some of that spark returning to her eyes.

Then a door slammed open and Rarity emerged. She was… well, that was some serious makeup. She looked like a Fae about to go soul-harvesting.

“Rarity. Is. Ready!” she declared.

“I don’t know what to say,” the mare running things backstage said. “We only got time for one more performance. If you both want to compete, you have to go out together.”

“I.. .what?” Rainbow shrank back again.

“And now,” the mare said and looked at Aspect. “Sorry sir, you’ll have to return to your seat.”

“Two seconds, just some ancient wisdom to pass on,” Aspect said, before whispering to Rainbow.

“As she is, Rarity is a glorified Flutter. Speed and tricks are not her game. You are a Pegasus. One of the sky-blessed. Let the magic flow through your wings. Feel the air. There is nothing you cannot do if you put your innate magic to it. It is less about what you should and should not be able to do. More about what walls and barriers you tear down in your wake. They say you did a Sonic Rainboom before. If you were half the master of your magic your ancestors were, you could do it again.”

Satisfied, Aspect drew back and nodded once. “That’ll do it. I’ll head back now.” With that, he hummed a happy tune as he walked back towards his seat.

Rainbow sat there, blinking in confusion. “What… What the heck is that supposed to mean!!”

“Think about it!” Aspect called back. “Your wings are too small to properly lift you without magic! Just use it for something other than flying!”

“I… have magic?” Rainbow blinked to herself. “What?”

Outside, Twilight and her friends sat there, talking about the performances they saw.
“I liked number seven, doing fifteen barrell rolls can’t be easy.” Twilight nodded, moving over so Aspect could take a seat.

“Mine was number ten, she looked like such a nice pony,” Fluttershy smiled.

“So,” Applejack leaned close to Aspect. “How bad was it?”

“Assuming she takes my advice and actually uses her pegasus magic for something other than flying and cloudwalking, it’ll be great,” Aspect said. “Granted, she might need a proper education in aerodynamics to make the most of it, but with a strong will like Rainbow’s, she’ll probably brute force her way through it.”

“Sounds like her style,” Applejack nodded. “But uh, Pegasus magic? Y’all sure about that? They don’t have horns or yer fancy skills there Aspect.”

Before he could reply, Madden made his announcement.

“And last but not least, number fifteen, Rainbow Dash and uhh, apparently number four, Rarity Belle.”

A low, ballet song started playing as Rarity flittered out, literally dancing in the air as the crowd ooh’d and aahh’d at her display.

“Yes, Pegasi have magic,” Aspect said. “How do you think they’d fly with wings so disproportionate to their body size if they weren’t subconsciously making it so much easier for said wings to do that feat? A Pegasus truly in tune with their magic would be able to do most of the things their weather factory could do. On their own.”

“That’s possible?” Twilight blinked, the magic talk distracting her from the display. Rainbow had appeared and started her own routine. She was weaving in and around some cloud pylons. That was until her wing clipped the last one and she spiralled out of control, smashing into a wall.

“Hah, good one Rainbow Crash!”

Eeyup, she’d just smacked right under Dumbell and Hoop’s box.

“How do you think I was shelving books with nothing but air power?” Aspect said, raising an eyebrow. “Not just freeform sorcery. Pegasus magic can be truly terrifying if truly mastered. From simple things like generating air currents to lift something, to whipping up a tornado. They can do anything in the air. I should know. I was there when they got that blessing. All they need to do, is flap.”

“I wonder if that’s how Ditzy set that tornado on fire that one time?” Fluttershy questioned as Rainbow had moved to the next part of her performance. She started making a trio of clouds spin, but as she started the third, something shone in her eye and she hit the side of the cloud, sending it spiralling towards the stadium. Celestia let out a gasp and ducked as it struck the wall, just where her head had been.

“Yup, she’s either not taking my advice, or finding the magic tricky to control,” Aspect said. “A solid knowledge of what you want to do helps, but it really runs off your feelings. Pegasus magic is a lot more about emotions than careful runes.”

Rainbow gulped, nearly taking out the princess wasn’t good. Well, there was only one thing left to do. “It’s do or die time Dash,” she said to herself and started climbing higher into the sky.

Meanwhile, Rarity was following suit, and once she reached the apex of her climb, she panted and smiled. “Look upon me Equestria!” she declared.”For I...Am...RARITY!” and with that, she spread her wings, the sunlight filtering through and bathing the stadium in an array of beautiful colours.

“Girls,” Aspect said, taking note of everything going on. “Whatever happens. Don’t ask me to help. Please.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight said, before there was a loud gasp. Being so close to the sun, Rarity’s wings sizzled and vanished with a light poof of smoke. Rarity was suspended in that horrible brief moment where you realised your life was bucked.

Then she screamed as she plummeted towards the ground.

Everypony gasped as the now flightless unicorn was taking the direct route to the ground below. Twilight turned to Aspect and Fluttershy. “You two, you have to save her!”

“I can’t!” Aspect said, one hoof on his chest. “What’s left of the essence of Arabus got riled up by the stormcloud room. If I let it out now, I may not be able to get it back under control today. That’s the only way I’d catch up to her before the ground does, and I’m very sorry to say it’s a close race between her and all of Equestria. If I turn this entire city into a storm to save her…”

The Wonderbolts tore off after her, tearing through the sky like a fish in water. Rainbow Dash was also diving after her, but at the speeds she was going…

And then Rarity’s panicked flailing struck the Wonderbolts, dazing them as now four ponies plummeted to their inevitable doom.

“Dammit!” Aspect growled. “I can’t...I can’t...If I let him out, he won’t go back in the bottle! Tia, bucking do something!”

The alicorn turned, and flashed him that smile of hers, that bucking, smug, ‘Trust me’ smile.

The air around Rainbow Dash distorted, she was going faster than she ever had, but it still wasn’t enough. Even if she could catch up, there were four ponies. Save her friend? Save the Wonderbolts? She could maybe save two at most…

“I need… to be faster,” she growled to herself. “Buck the rule. Buck my limits! I. WILL. SAVE THEM!!”

Then everything exploded! With a resounding boom that half of Equestria probably felt, a massive circular rainbow split across the sky as Rainbow became a prismatic blur. With only mere inches to spare, she scooped up not one, or two… but all four ponies as she made two impossible right angle turns and started flying back to Cloudsdale, a rainbow contrail in her wake.

“Oh. So she listened after all,” Aspect said. “That, or it’s an amazing coincidence that she just kicked reason to the curb and did the impossible.”

“SHE DID IT!” Fluttershy screamed with a volume that would make Luna blush with jealousy. “A SONIC RAINBOOM! WHOOOO!”

As Rainbow descended, several pegasi flew down to relieve her of her furred burdens, the Element of Loyalty near collapsing on the cloud under her. She’d done it, she’d finally done it.

“Rainbow Dash,” Rarity gasped as Twilight moved to cast the cloudwalking spell on her. “You… you saved my life!”

“Oh yeah, I did that too,” Rainbow chuckled, her brash tone and sparkling eyes coming back full force and then some. “Best. Day. EVER!”

“She’s likely exhausted her magic with that display,” Aspect told Twilight. “She’ll need a minute to recover. The fact that she can still cloudwalk means she didn’t use it all. That, or it’s already recovering.”

“I’m so sorry,” Rarity bowed her head. “I… wanted to apologize to all of you, for getting so carried away with my, beautiful wings,” she choked up on those words, she missed them already. “Can you ever forgive me?”

“Eh, no biggie,” Rainbow shrugged.

“Of course,” Fluttershy smiled.

“We still love you~” Pinkie bounced.

“You joined a competition at the last minute, something that you knew your friend had worked hard at training for,” Aspect commented, “With wings that you were repeatedly told were temporary. And did your best to outshine her.” He sighed and shook his head. “This...hardly seems generous. Or loyal.”

“Hey, Loyalty is my shtick,” Rainbow puffed out her chest.

“I know,” Rarity wilted under Aspect’s glare. “It was thoughtless of me to jump into a competition you worked so hard for. Can you forgive me Dashie?”

“Eh, everything turned out alright,” Rainbow shrugged. “You can owe me a favour for doing that, but saving you is a freebie. I never need a reason to help my pony pals.” She leaned over and the two shared a nuzzle. “Maan, I just wish I could have met the Wonderbolts when they were awake.”

“Meet who now?” a voice said and Rainbow turned to see the three hovering there. Her eyes widened more and more. “OhmigoshOhmigoshOhmigoshOhmigosh!”

“Oh,” Aspect said, turning as well. “Well. I do hope you all don’t bear a grudge when I say that the mare here managed to outperform all of you at pegasus magic.”

“Eh, it was pretty impressive,” Spitfire shrugged, though Rainbow was too busy spazzing out to hear her. “She’s got a bright future ahead of her.”

“Indeed she does,” Princess Celestia said as she landed nearby, most of the ponies bowing to her briefly before she waved them back up. Rainbow was still repeating that one word over and over as Twilight and Celestia shared a brief hug. Aspect bowed as well, every inch the normal stallion.

“Princess Celestia!” Rarity exclaimed. “I’m so sorry I ruined the competition. Rainbow Dash truly is the best flyer there is.”

“Oh, I know she is,” Celestia smiled and presented a golden wreath. “That's why, for her incredible act of bravery and her spectacular sonic rainboom, I'm presenting the grand prize for Best Young Flyer to this year's winner, Miss Rainbow Dash!”

The crowded stadium exploded in cheers as Rainbow’s ‘Ohmygosh’s’ only got louder, squeakier and more frequent.

“This, coming from the mare that doubted herself not a minute before the show,” Aspect said, flapping a wing and sending an air current to muss up her mane. Rainbow frowned and ruffled a hoof through her messy mane.

“Yeah well, I’m awesome now,” she replied and poked out her tongue.

“So Twilight,” Celestia smiled. “Did you learn anything from this experience?”

“I did, but I think Rarity learned more,” the unicorn nodded.

“I most certainly did,” Rarity agreed. “I learned how important it is to keep your hooves on the ground, and be there for your friends.”

“...Tia, you are not making friendship a homework assignment,” Aspect deadpanned. “Did you seriously hate your own homework that much?”

Celestia just whistled innocently as Rainbow exchanged some words with the two bullies from before, who now seemed enamoured with the pegasus. Then with a wink and a casual wave, she flew off with the Wonderbolts to get her prize.

“So, did you know most pegasi don’t know they have more magic beyond actually flying?” Aspect said to Celestia. “How many of your Wonderbolts know they could be something grand these days?”

“The Wonderbolts are some of the few that can harness that magic,” Celestia explained. “Most ponies think the black clouds they make are from small machines in their suits.” She sighed and led him away privately. “I… do you promise not to be mad?”

“You know I don’t get mad easily,” Aspect said. “What is it?”

“I may have… eased Pegasi magic training out of history about five hundred years ago,” she admitted like a filly that got caught raiding the cookie jar. Aspect stared at her. And stared. And stared some more.

“There was a group, one that tried to take Equestria from me after the… incident with Lulu. They claimed that if one alicorn went mad, what could stop the other… and… some days, I almost believed them.”

Aspect sighed. It was his classic sigh that punctuated five words. Five words the princess knew well. “I’m not mad. Just disappointed,” he said flatly.

“Which means you’re mad,” Celestia replied. “What was I supposed to do? They formed battleships out of stormclouds. I lost two entire cities to floods, lightning and tornadoes. The pegasi were… too dangerous.”

“And Sorcery and the Gifts of the Earth were any less dangerous to the other two tribes?” Aspect pointed out. “Sakes girl, you’re an alicorn with the gifts of all three. Though...hmm. Sorcery did lead to the Smooze.”

“Yes, ever wonder why no unicorn knows it?” Celestia said with a snippy tone. “Or why somepony like Applejack can’t tear up the very ground? I was… thorough in my purge.”

“Be warned, Celestia,” Aspect said, using the dreaded full name. “Choose your next words carefully. You may have tamed the ponies. I tamed the earth itself for your race. There is more to why the ponies used to be feared as a race than just you and your sister’s magical might. To throw that heritage away because you feared it speaks ill of all my work.”

“I wasn’t afraid!” Celestia near shouted, before looking around and lowering her voice. “We will, discuss this another time. Balanced Aspect.”

And with a flash of golden light, she teleported away. Aspect sighed and shook his head. The old arts were near dead. But…

If he had his way, they would not lie forgotten forever. He looked around the city, doing his best to remember where Rainbow Dash had pointed it out. If he was right…

He took off with a solitary flap of his wings, looking for the Wonderbolt’s headquarters. He had a...proposition to make.

Aspect landed back home. Well, that had been a long day. The offer had been made, though he didn’t expect them to actually answer right away. Merely stating that he was a pegasus with magic training had gotten them to listen. Showing his fine control got them to take him seriously. So now he would wait to see what resulted.

Sakes, there used to be entire martial arts around the tribe’s inherent magics. Magics which he had admittedly augmented. But it was still a joy to see ponies use the gift to the fullest of their abilities.

...He’d never really intended to be the only mover and shaker in the world, after all. He could only be in one place at a time. And hopefully, this would be the point when he would bring back the practitioners of those magics once again.

He knew he’d be able to count on Luna to overturn Celestia’s...little fit about dangerous ponies. She’d be used to them and expecting them even. He’d be surprised if the topic hadn’t already come up.

But for now…

There had been a storm in the Everfree that he’d seen on his way back to town. It had cleared up after about two hours, and he saw a beautiful rainbow as well. He did his damndest to follow both ends of it, and it was only when the thing started to fade that he saw his prize.

Spectra crystals. A whole batch of them. Two dozen of the little things. Raw magic and color in rock form. One would have been enough, now he had spares.

Assuming Tia hadn’t thrown any of them out...he might very well be able to talk to some very, very old friends the next time he visited the castle. Pictomancy portraits were stubborn like that.

He shrugged his saddlebags off in the parlor and cracked his neck. Dinner sounded good after a day like today. Speaking of… a delicious scent wafted in from the kitchen and he could hear humming.

“Well, I don’t get many visitors who know how to cook,” Aspect mused as he made his way towards the smell. “So it’s either my daughters, which would be a surprise, or my marefriend.”

“One guess,” he heard Bon Bon call out. “And the princesses can cook?”

“That’s why I said it would be a surprise,” Aspect said as he arrived in the dining hall. “Then again, I don’t know what hobbies ‘Tia picked up during her thousand years alone.”

“I have no idea I’m afraid,” the earth mare sided as she stopped stirring the pot, before trotting over to him and pulling him into a hug, kissing his cheek. “Hmm, what’s wrong? You seem… not quite yourself.”

“How would you feel if a project you’d been working on for centuries was suddenly all but ruined by your offspring?” Aspect griped. “The ponies used to be feared for a reason, and it wasn’t because they were cute. And then I found out today that ‘Tia’s been easing out the tutoring of your natural magics for the last five hundred years. Earth ponies who don’t know they can call on the earth for strength. Unicorns without sorcery. Pegasi without atmospheric manipulation. It’s a travesty is what it is.”

“Well, I’m sure she had her reasons,” Bon Bon said and stroked his mane. “She’s Princess Celestia for crying out loud. You don’t lead a stable country for a thousand years without knowing what you're doing. Besides…” She booped his nose. “Kids will be kids, no matter how old they are. That’s why a parent will always be a parent. To teach them.”

“One militant group of pegasi was all she cited to me,” Aspect said. “Granted, a little knowledge in the wrong hooves can be a dangerous thing. But knowledge in and of itself is what she waged war on. Knowledge isn’t good or evil, it simply is. And she erased it. If I weren’t immortal, there probably wouldn’t be any record of the old ways.”

“It was… a little more than that,” Bon Bon said. “I know my history, so I think I know what she’s referring to. A lot of books will downplay it. Sugar coat the truth to make it easier to swallow. But…” She moved to the stove and turned the pot down to simmer. “One group? More like… half of Equestria. And it wasn’t just the Princess they were mad at. If Celestia hadn’t done what she did, we’d have likely faced decades of bloody civil war with a lot more casualties. She, may have still been hurting because of the Nightmare Moon incident.”

Aspect sat on the floor and worked his jaw a little bit, before saying two words. “M...My fault,” he whispered. “My fault...my fault…”

“What?” Bon Bon moved over to him. “What’s all this?”

“I shouldn’t have abandoned Equestria,” Aspect said, screwing his eyes shut. “I shouldn’t have abandoned her. I should have revealed myself then, been a guiding force. Not just someone from myth. I should have stayed, I should have helped. It...it’s my fault it happened, I wasn’t there to help…”

Then his cheek stung as Bon Bon slapped it. Note to self, earth ponies hurt.

“Enough of that,” Bon Bon chided him. “Honestly, ‘What if’ ‘Shouldn’t have’ It’s the past. What’s done is done and you can’t change it, unless time travel is in that little bag of tricks of yours.”

“No,” Aspect said, shaking his head and rubbing his cheek. “It’s not. But that doesn’t absolve me of any responsibility at all.”

“Perhaps, but there are only two ponies alive that even recall your involvement, and one of them is as much to blame as you are,” she said and stood up. “So, you think it’s your fault that ponies got too powerful and nearly destroyed themselves. That we shouldn’t have had the power in the first place? Is that right?”

“I don’t regret giving it to you all in the slightest,” Aspect said with a shake of his head. “But...had I known. I might have been more...selective in who I taught. Something I’ll be practicing, actually.”

“Like father like daughter,” Bon Bon muttered under her breath. “Come with me. I want to show you something. But!” she turned and pointed at him. “This has to remain a secret. Even from Lyra… especially from Lyra.”

“I can keep a secret,” Aspect said with a nod. “I’m real good with secrets.”

She smiled and led him out back, into the yard behind his house. “Alright then… let’s see…” She closed her eyes and stood there, in utter silence. Aspect merely waited. He was patient.

The earth around her forehooves… moved? Along her left one, a green bud sprouted as a thin vine curled up and around her leg. She raised her right one as a spire of stone followed up and out of the ground, as if chasing the sole of her hoof. She opened her eyes and smiled at Aspect.

“Not all of us forgot,” she said quietly.

“The Gifts of the Earth,” Aspect whispered. “That which I slew Crunch for. It still lives?”

“In certain ponies, yes,” Bon Bon said as she lowered her hooves and shook her left one free of vines. “I… can’t tell you how I know. Not yet. But, trust me okay. The princess always has a reason.”

“Yes, well, that didn’t stop me,” Aspect said. “I still dropped a message off at the Wonderbolt’s HQ. There’s more to fine weather manipulation than what I saw them use today, and if they prove up to the task, I’d see them restored to their full former glory.”

“Hmm, that’d make for some interesting shows,” Bon Bon smiled. “Now, you must be tired after your day. Shall we have some dinner, then I’ll snuggle the stuffing out of you.”

“The only thing that would be able to stop me is my daughters showing up to discuss things with me while we were out here,” Aspect said, nuzzling her. “I have had a long, tiring, disappointing day. And worse, Arabus, or what’s left of him, wanted so badly to get out while I was in Cloudsdale. Can you imagine a storm of that size?”

“Well, that would be problematic,” Bon Bon said with a light chuckle. “My laundry would never dry.”

“Yeah, remind me to never go to the weather factory ever again, at least until I pick out a new Aspect of Air,” Aspect said with a shake of his head. “There just hasn’t been a good choice yet. Maybe we’ll get lucky and see one, who knows.”

“Oh, what about Rainbow Dash?” Bon Bon mused as she moved to the stove and started serving up the vegetable soup she’d been making. “Or Spitfire from the Wonderbolts?”

“While Rainbow Dash showed more ability today, what with her Sonic Rainboom, and a larger pool of natural magic to draw from,” Aspect said as he took his bowl, “Ponykind already has the Aspects of Sun, Moon, Dreams, and Love. I was actually thinking a griffon, but Cadenza tells me they’ve become...less than reputable.”

“Hmm, well I’ve met some nice enough griffons before,” Bon Bon smiled. “Gustav LeGrand here in town is a little snooty, but otherwise fine. But, the closer you get to their home well… let’s say you better pack a lot of bits and some mean haggling skills.”

“The day used to be,” Aspect said with a sigh, waiting for the soup to cool, “That I could just proclaim who I was and have the other races fall into line. I never did that to the ponies, I always wanted it to be a mystery to them as to who in the world was making the world safer for them. And now, everyone’s gone and forgotten me. I think the only ones that might have remembered would be the Phoenixes and the Dragons.”

“Well, that’s what happens when you vacation for a thousand years,” Bon Bon chuckled as she poured some wine to go with the soup and placed a loaf of divine smelling garlic bread on the table.

“Everything changes,” Aspect said as he sighed, just staring at the soup now. “Why is it now that the mad words make sense? ‘The only thing that stays the same is the fact that nothing does. Everything you’ve done will be for naught.’”

“Is that what you really believe?” Bon Bon said to him, waving her spoon. “Yes, things change. That much is inevitable, especially in that vast expanse of time. But everything for naught? You have your daughters back. The world has never been more peaceful, you no longer have to kill. And… well you have me, but I guess I’m being a little selfish there compared to the grand scheme of things that is your life.”

“I’ve been disconnected from so many of my children for so long,” Aspect sighed. “Some of them are rooted in place, quite literally. And some just are elusive, especially in this day and age. I have my daughters back...but Celestia and I parted on...less than cordial terms. I think I came the closest to actually threatening her in Cloudsdale. I...I think I’m losing more in the months I’ve been here than I had when I was wandering.”

Bon Bon put her spoon down and sighed. “Well, the solution is simple then.”

“What is it?” Aspect said, suddenly not hungry.

“You have a huge, empty house here Aspect,” Bon Bon pointed out. “Invite them over. All of your children. I’m sure the country won’t fall apart in a week. Talk with them, spend more than ten minutes with them.”

“Ah…” Aspect said. “Okay. Um. Yggdrasil literally is a tree, so he can’t move. And Gelgeth is the head Windigo. He’s charged with the gates of Nifelheim, which holds the spirits of all the slain Aspects behind them. He also can’t come, unless you literally want the spirits of the things from the bad old days to be free. But...the rest has...merit.”

“Exactly,” Bon Bon nodded and resumed eating. “If they can’t come to you…?”

“Yes yes, I’ll see about going to them,” Aspect said with a nod. “Though, I did catch up with Gelgeth like...last year? Year before? I make it a routine every decade or so. Go up north and make sure he’s doing okay. And I met up with Yggdrasil a year ago as well. Wasn’t hard to find him either.”

“A… decade…” Bon Bon sighed and thunked her hoof against her face. “Your family is so weird. Aaanyway, well. Good. I’m glad I could help you. I… don’t like seeing you so down.”

“What’s one more knife in the back, when you’re immortal?” Aspect asked as he ate. “I’d thought that the ponies would be some of the last to do that, but apparently my own daughter isn’t above trampling over everything I fought for.”

“Don’t you snark at me,” Bon Bon threatened him with a sly smile. “I’m not above giving you a spanking.”

“Oh, that reminds me,” Aspect said, looking up. “Twilight pulled out the cute eyes and basically forced me into obeying her whims on threat of cute. I couldn’t resist her. Forgive my indiscretion.”

“Oh, it’s fine,” Bon Bon smiled all-too-sweetly. Wwwwhere did she get the garrote wire from? “They’ll never find the body~”

“You can’t kill her, she’s the Element of Magic,” Aspect said, waving her down. “Besides, it was only pushing them to Cloudsdale in their balloon. Not like she tried to make me do anything scandalous. Heaven help me if ponies find out my weakness to cute.”

“You’d only have to worry about it if Lyra found out,” Bon Bon giggled and then lowered her eyes into a half-lidded gaze. “Now, finish your dinner. I want to move to dessert~”

“Yes’m,” Aspect said as his eating redoubled. Sorrow may have made him not hungry, but that gaze suddenly turned his stomach into a bottomless pit.

Author's Notes:

Yup, loving the fact that Chrome + copy and pasting it all = No errors.

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