Morning came and they were off, on their feet minutes, not hours after the last in the group awakened.

The sky above them was a grey thing, resembling a huge expansion of concrete as the clouds choked the sun and the mood of the party was effected as much by the weather as it was by their walk. Their travels ate the hours like a beast and took them across more lowlands and though sickly shrubbery, the cold killing off all but the stoutest of the plants, before finally taking them parallel to a stream, the ground nearby up an incline, and therefore, while not dry, drier than the miserable marsh they traveled through earlier. Celestia rose a hand up.

“We’ll rest here for lunch, if that’s fine with everyone. I’m sure most of you aren’t used to this pace,” Celestia offered. “While our mission is urgent, the grail isn’t moving. Catch your breaths.”

Jack nodded and broke away from the group, heading to the stream down the slope of the land. Rarity followed suit soon after and Celestia sat where she stood, crossing her legs and putting her hands to her knees.

“Man, I’m thirsty. Found a stream just in time, my canteen is dry,” Spike said. He grabbed Pinkie’s wrist. “Come on, let’s go down there.”

Pinkie looked to Spike, then back over to the all-folk. She smiled wide at Spike. “No, that’s ok. You go ahead, I’ll be there in just a minute!”

He gave a curious raise of his brow, but nodded at her wish, tromping off and down the slope. When he was out of earshot, she moved to the all-folk and plopped down on the ground, resting on her arms.

“Something I can do for you, Diane?” Celestia pondered, not bothering with opening her eyes.

Pinkie scratched casually at her cheek. “No,” she answered. “Just wanted to see what you were doing.”

“Collecting my thoughts,” she answered, opening her eyes and offering a warm smile to Pinkie. “You know how easily they can be scattered to the winds.”

“You said it!” Pinkie agreed. She rocked back and forth on her hands, a wide smile still on her face as she looked at the all-folk.

There was no doubt in Pinkie’s mind that Celestia was sincere, even the smile the all-folk held oozed a beauty that she couldn’t even begin to think about and beauty, real beauty, the kind that makes you stop and clutch your heart, was something internal that showed on the outside, rather than being just pretty with a diseased core.

“Princess… what’s the grail do?” Pinkie asked. A rather innocent question, but one backed by hearing Jack’s thoughts last night. Maybe she was just paranoid of a changing system, maybe there were actual things to worry about with the grail, whoever had it.

“I don’t know,” Celestia answered, her smile fading as she thought. “The legends say its power is something incomprehensible to the average man, though. I’m hoping they’re not over exaggeration.”

“You think it’s a weapon?”

“What else could it be? Besides, weapon is a rather broad term, Diane. Many things can be a weapon, physical or mental.”

“A mental weapon?” She frowned, scratching at her head. “What, like… mind control or something?”

“Well, there is that. But it could be as simple as creating an understanding between two people. Or, perhaps, illusion spells. Considering what they can do just by tricking the brain, that would be feasible too.” Celestia looked to Diane. “The truth is, I have no information really to decide what it is. Only the research from my father, a few scattered half-truths of its origin, and a handful of visions from Sir Galahad clue me in on its contents.”

Pinkie nodded, lifting her hands off the ground and leaning closer to Celestia. “What if it’s something really bad? Like, super horrible and stuff.”

Celestia’s brow arched in thought. “Define ‘bad’, if you would. A sword may take a life as easily as the wind blows, but it’s not inherently bad.”

“Well a sword can kinda do that quickly and cleanly if you’re careful but I mean, what if the grail is a weapon that makes people go down a really long, drawn out and suffering way, y’know? It’s not just a ‘boop’ and you’re done, it’s painful and nasty instead when it doesn’t need to be.” Pinkie inclined her head to the side. “You get me?”

“It would hardly be an effective weapon if that were the case.” Celestia gave a raise of her hand. “There’s no purpose in a weapon that doesn’t offer a quick release. Surely the grail would be designed for effectiveness, instant retribution, rather than your suggestion.” She raised a finger “If it is a weapon. Perhaps it’s nothing more than information. Knowledge is the surest strength in the world, after all.”

“Knowledge is always good!” Pinkie agreed, nodding. “I just…” She rubbed at an arm, flicking a pebble along the ground. “I don’t want to become a part of a nation that bullies others because ‘rawr, we got the grail, do as we say muwahahaha!’”

Celestia’s smile offered a reassurance. “I have my doubts that even with the grail, they’d listen.” She gave a tap to the pommel of Excalibur and looked to the side. “There’s always a hidden side to diplomacy, however. There are people controlling the lands. Good ones, eager to serve the world, and wicked men eager to serve themselves. Good men will readily agree to fair terms. The bad… the bad need the threat of the sword.”

Pinkie picked up the pebble, flipping it in the air like it was a coin. “But don’t good men act bad sometimes and bad men act good?”

“At times,” she agreed, giving a slow nod at Pinkie’s words. “But the content of their heart speaks volumes. You can tell the righteous thief that steals for family from the judge that offers leniency to a criminal for his own gain. It’s a matter of separating wheat from chaff. A dated idiom for you, maybe, but it spoke volumes when I was younger. ”

“I don’t think it’s ever that simple but,” Pinkie gazed upon Celestia, in all her radiance, “I’m not you, I guess. I’m me. And me will see different from thee!” She giggled, despite her grammar error.

Celestia’s warm smile returned. “If you’re not careful, you’ll start talking like Luna. That’s a fate worse than death nowadays.”

“Aw, no. She’s cute in her funny ye olde speak,” Pinkie said, returning Celestia’s serene expression.

“Cute, but it’s rather humorous seeing her talk to a citizen unaware of her, er, habit.”

“She’s just our own living fossil!” she replied.

Her smile twinged a bit, then came up again. “In a way, we both are,” she agreed.

“Dunno about you but I don’t feel old. No way!” Proving her point, she sprung up onto her two feet like a spring, rocking on her heels and outstretching her arms. “Well, I got a special guy waiting for me by a stream. Thanks for answering my questions ‘n’ all, Celestia.”

“It was my pleasure, Diane. There’s still some time before we need to start traveling again, so go ahead.”

“Gotcha! See ya in a bit!” Pivoting on one foot, Pinkie skipped away and headed from the stream.

As soon as she was sure she was out of Celestia’s sight, Pinkie dropped her skipping. Her pace became much slower, as her memory replayed every bit of that last conversation. Thankfully, her memory was close to photographic; she could remember every little detail, including not just what Celestia said but how and what she looked like when speaking the words. Not that it helped all too much; Celestia was enigmatic at the best of times.

The fact that Celestia didn’t even know what the grail was certainly put her mind at ease. It meant that her intentions were truly noble and that she likely wasn’t after the grail for its power but rather the help it could bring.

Not that she ever doubted Celestia was a good person but her talk with Jack had brought more doubt into her mind than she would’ve liked. It didn’t bring her any nightmares, or any other weird dreams, but it definitely made getting to sleep that night just that little bit harder.

The real stickler was that Jack still had a valid point herself. People were in charge of their own lives, their own decisions and that’s what made life so exciting! Maybe a child tries climbing a tree when they’re young but they fall over and get hurt. That was okay though because it meant they had learned. Or what about the many times in someone’s life where a silly mistake could lead to an incredibly wonderful surprise?

Having the grail could end up leading to bringing magic to a fist fight. Everyone would change their behavior to accommodate for it. Whether it was for good or bad remained to be seen. Pinkie sighed and shook her head. Nothing was for certain yet, especially when the identity of the grail was still a mystery. Too much jelly, not enough concrete.

The stream she came to was a quaint thing. Small, yet deep enough to be a good water source. Pinkie found herself grinning at the speed of its flow. Almost as if it just couldn’t wait to flow down into the lands below, to join great rivers.

“Hiya Spike,” she greeted the boy, who was knelt down at the stream’s edge.

“Found a cool shell,” Spike exclaimed, turning and holding his prize up to Pinkie’s eyes.

It was a golden and yellow half-circle that was so shiny it looked almost like glazed pottery. He grinned, gesturing it towards her. “It’s not flowers, but…”

“Awww, I love it!” Pinkie took the shell, admiring it for herself with a bright smile. It may have not washed away the confusing thoughts in her but at least her heart was soaring. Looking down at Spike, she simply couldn’t resist kissing him on the forehead. “But I love you more.”

“You too,” he quickly uttered out. “When we get back home, I’ll make it into a necklace for you.”

“Keep it for now then,” she replied, placing it back into his palm. “I know you’ll keep it safe until that time comes.”

Nodding, he put it in his back pocket. “Yeah, I’ll do just that for you.”

“Great!” Pinkie crouched down by the stream. “How’s the water?”

“A little cold, but not bad. Not as good as the ones back home, though.”

“We get what we’re given,” she replied, filling up her own flask in the stream. “Soooo, I don’t think I’ve really asked you this: what’s your take on this whole ‘mythical grail’ thing?”

“I dunno.” He scratched his hair. “Celestia’s a lot smarter than we are. Like Twila levels. If she’s wanting it so bad then it’s got to help us, right?”

“Us, yeah.” Pinkie closed her flask, stuffing it away. “But you ever think about how it might affect not us?”

“Not us?” he repeated, blinking. “Like other countries?”

“Uh-huh!”

“Well…” He put a hand to his chin in thought. “she’s the only ruler I really trust, you know? I’ve talked to her and grew up with her. If she had more of a say in the world because of the grail, wouldn’t that be a good thing?”

“I dunno. Maybe? I think she’s great but should she have that kinda power over people who aren’t her people?” Pinkie slumped back onto the ground, staring at the dull sky. “Then you gotta think about in the far future when she’s gone, who else is gonna have that thing? How are they gonna use it?” She clenched her fists and let out a small whine. “Too many what ifs!”

“That’s a pretty long time. I mean, King Arthur was around for forever, wasn’t he? Should we really worry that far ahead? For all we know, the world could be done by then.” He looked down, checking his body to make sure he had grabbed his canteen. Finding it, he looked back up to Diane. “Does it really change what we have?”

“I guess not. A long time doesn’t mean there’ll never be a time, though,” she replied, her hands idly plucking at the grass. “Really what I’m wondering is whether it’s right for anyone, even Celestia, to have that kinda power. Whatever it is anyway. We don’t even know! That’s what makes it even more worrying to me ‘cause it could be good… or super bad.”

“And if you have a kid, it’s the same deal. Maybe Jack has a kid that grows up to try and do a lot of bad things. That’s not on her. That’s not on anyone.”

“One person isn’t a weapon. And it’s not like he’d be in charge of anything. Jack and Rarity, the both of them would help guide them to make the right choices, the good ones. Then everyone would be happy.” Pinkie let loose a sly smirk, gazing at Spike. “I’d be the best God-mommy though, if they let me.”

“God-mommy?” Spike repeated. “Does that even make sense?” he asked himself, “Don’t you mean ‘Goddess-mommy?”

“That’s a bit of a mouthful, don’t you think?” Pinkie asked, lazily throwing a clump of grass at him, although his barely reached even his legs before hitting the ground.

“Careful. I might make you eat that dirt if I get any on me,” he mock-warned, giving a pat down on his pants..

“If you wanna kiss a dirty mouth, bring it on,” Pinkie said, challenging him with a daring grin.

“Well, even without it you have a dirty mouth, what’s the difference?” Spike replied.

“Now you’re just asking for it! C’mere!” Laughing, Pinkie leapt at him in a flash with reckless abandon and Spike nearly toppled over at her attack, letting out a surprised yelp. Though their wrestling match didn’t last long, there was something there. For a brief moment, though the clouds, there was light.

The day remained overcast, with the grey darkening towards the evening, turning what was a simple overcast day into something that seemed ominous, foreboding. The group set up camp earlier than yesterday, going a step further than before and pitching their tents, rather than simply sleeping in their bedrolls. If it was going to rain, they wanted to be prepared this time and as Jack sat down for her turn at watch a slight drizzle came down. She grumbled, shifting her weight on the tree stump she sat upon, when a voice spoke up from behind her, near the meager fire.

“You’ll catch your death of cold like that,” Rarity admonished, already moving over to Jack. “Don’t move.”

Jack did as Rarity asked, and she was soon covered in a fairly sleek poncho. The tailor lifted up a hood from behind Jack and exchanged the stetson Jack wore with the hood, then put Jack’s hat on top of her own head.

“Thanks,” Jack said, not taking her eyes away from the outskirts of their camp. They had chosen their campgrounds atop a raised plateau. Behind them was a sharp drop of about ten feet, meaning the front was the only way they could be approached.

“Of course.”

She stood for a moment in the mist and Jack spared her a quick glance.

Rarity had on a poncho herself and with Jack’s stetson atop her head, the farmer couldn’t help the faint smile that came to her lips. She didn’t know style, but that at least seemed like a good combination.

The faint smirk faded quickly as she looked back to the shadows.

“We need to talk with her,” Rarity said. Jack sighed.

“I know.”

“This is the optimal time. Quiet, secluded, and, most importantly, the grail isn’t present. Tonight’s the night, despite my own aversion.” She held out her hand and, reluctantly, Jack took it.

They made their way over to the princess's tent and Jack exhaled, swallowed, then exhaled again.

“Like a band aid,” she said, reaching forward to Celestia’s tent-flap. One knock on the tent’s support beam to let the princess know they were there, then Jack pulled the flap aside.

Celestia sat cross-legged in the center of the tent, a lantern keeping the place well-lit. In her hands was a cup of tea, which she held mid-flight to her lips. Seeing the two, she gestured to the ground beside her, beckoning them over.

“Green tea?” the all-folk asked. The two shared a glance before Rarity nodded in response for the both of them.

Reaching to a pack, Celestia withdrew a pot and two more cups. Snapping her fingers, a small fire sparked to life and Celestia put the pot on top of the self-made flame.

“What brings you both here? Something to report?” she questioned.

“Something to discuss, actually,” Rarity said, taking a seat as Jack followed suit. “About our reasons for being out here.”

“Do you need an increase in your stipend? While I know Jack was winding down on the farm this time of year, I can only assume how rough the strain on your own creative process is, Rarity.”

“Your concern is much appreciated, majesty. But the discussion of payment isn’t why we’re here.”

“It’s… it’s the grail, princess,” Jack said, finally speaking up. “We don’t think ya need somethin’ like that. We don’t think anyone needs somethin’ like that.”

Celestia took another drink of tea, her expression the world’s best poker face. The gesture done, she poured the other two a cup and handed it wordlessly to them.

“Years ago I would have agreed, I’d say. But look at the world now. We’re so connected between dragon mail and the phone service at Cabello that information arrives to us at an unprecedented rate. It’s a blessing and a curse. One hand, the world has access to medical records, the ability to advance technology, and history is obtainable by even the commoners in Cabello. But this boon could also be a disaster. People that wish to cause ruin to the land have an easier time researching too. Castle schematics, work schedules, forbidden magic, all of them can transfer quicker, with no real way to stop them.

“Our assassin wouldn’t have gotten away cleanly with the kingslayings in my time. Now?”

The princess paused to have one more sip of tea, taking just a moment to organize herself.

“I’m sure he or she was able to plot the downfall of the German and French leaders far easier thanks to the world moving on from my time. The grail, for better or worse, is a necessary tool that would help protect our people.”

Jack gave an even look to the all-folk, not flinching in the slightest when they met gazes. “What if yer people don’t want ya ta have it?”

“They’ve no idea the threats that have began to form at our borders. Your sister Bloom doesn’t understand some of the actions you and Macintosh take for her sake, does she?”

“We ain’t kids,” Jack rejected.

“No, but I am suggesting that you don’t understand why it’s a necessity.”

“If I may,” Rarity interjected. “During our… issues with Dmitri, there was a time when I felt completely helpless. My magic had been stripped of me and the cur had threatened my sister. It’s a feeling I never want to have again. It’s why I had Jack begin instructing me on swordplay, it’s why I’ve trained my body and mind and it’s why I’m here now, rather than waiting for her back home. I refuse to rely excessively on another and why I’m a staunch opponent of our destination, Celestia.”

The woman shut her eyes, not dismissing the words, but carefully considering them. Finally, she opened them, coming to a conclusion.

“My goal is not to strip independence. My goal is to unify and rally the masses. Confidence in a leader means confidence in oneself. I’m sorry. I can’t give up on the grail, even if it displeases you both. If you’re opposed to it, I welcome you to return to the ship and await my return. I’ll hold no less respect for either of you.

Jack said nothing. Finishing her tea she rose and moved over to the tent-flap. “That ain’t happenin’. We’ll be there ‘till the end with ya, Celestia. One way or another.”

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Rarity said, offering a quick bow as she stood, joining Jack.

Leaving the tent, Rarity rubbed her brow and sighed. “That could have went better.”

Jack didn’t reply; a troubled frown was the only answer that needed said.

“We did all we could,” Rarity said. Jack looked to the ground in thought.

“Did we?” she asked. The other raised a brow.

“Of course. There is nothing else we can do now. She’s made her objective and stance crystal-clear.”

The earth-folk hesitated. After a beat she nodded. “I guess she has, hasn’t she?” Reaching down, she gave Rarity’s arm a squeeze. “Let’s get some sleep. It’s gonna be a long day tomorrow.”

Jack wandered away from camp, a hooded lantern guiding her path in the late night rain as she searched a field for the solution to a puzzle.

The farmer had felt bad, keeping Rarity in the dark about her excursion, but thought it was for the best. It was better Rarity didn’t know Jack had decided on a course of action that had no good outcome. One that, even if things went to plan, still involved her losing in a way.

She stopped her search, its goal discovered at the base of a leafless tree. A yellow plant resembling a daisy. Jack did a quick skim over the notes she had taken over the months in regards to herbology and nodded when she confirmed it belonging to the right plant.

Pulling out a knife, she cut it at its stem, then sat on the ground with a mortar and pestle she had drawn out from her satchel.

Grinding the plant to a pulp, Jack diluted the mess of vegetation with rosemary oil and blackberry juice, then strained the concoction into a vial, which she promptly corked and pocketed.

Jack was still a fledgling in the arts of oils, would probably never reach the level of talent Zecora held, but still she hoped it’d be enough.

She hoped it’d let Celestia see reason.