(Canterlot castle)

The sight of a prancing princess was nothing short of amazing at this point. Twilight stood by the Princess’ study room in shock as the royal spun around like a school filly. Princess Celestia held a piece of paper against her chest. It didn’t have a seal on it. Twilight had just entered the room when the sound of flames blurted out of nowhere. Then Celestia suddenly began to hop around.

“Um, Princess Celestia?” Twilight asked shyly, which caused the monarch to stop dead in her tracks.

Celestia looked at Twilight with widened eyes before she began to blush a lot. Twilight stared back with an embarrassed smile. Then Celestia leaned to the side and stared at the hallway behind Twilight. The Princess’ horn suddenly lit up, enveloping Twilight with a golden aura the unicorn was pulled into the room like a ragdoll.

“You are alone, right?” Celestia asked as she shut the door behind Twilight.

“Y-yes. Why? Is something wrong, Princess?”

“As long as this stays within closed doors, no,” Princess Celestia said as she ran another spell over Twilight.

“Why this much secrecy?”

“I caught wind of some nobles hiring investigators and mercenaries to dig information on Arden. Especially after we began to exchange letters. But the snooping around seems to have started when I sent those letters notifying all of our nation about him. If they caught wind about this, they will be all over Arden by dawn.”

Twilight blinked several times at that statement. While she was aware that many members of the nobility were trying to get lucky with Princess Celestia, it had never occurred to her that they would send ponies to investigate the life of another pony.

What if she had been targeted as well?

However, another question popped up in her mind as she connected the dots between the Princess’ concern for Arden and the letter she had in her hands.

“Princess, is Arden coming back?”

The response to that was a giggle followed by a smile Twilight had not seen in a long while.

“YES! I just received this letter from him. He says that I’ll be seeing him very soon! He also says he looks forward to seeing me! I should go to the royal spa! Get me a full treatment with an herbal bath, polish my hooves, get a manicure. I should—?!”

“Um, am I interrupting something?” A familiar voice called out from the study’s door.

Twilight looked over her shoulder, the voice was none other than her old foal-sitter. Twilight sprinted to her friend and then began their usual greeting.

“Sunshine! Sunshine! Ladybugs awake! Clap your hands and do a little shake!” the two mares sang in unison. Then Twilight turned red as she realized that she did that in front of her mentor.

“Anyway, auntie, are you planning a date or something like that?” Cadance asked with a tone Twilight had not heard before.

Twilight then turned her gaze towards her mentor, who seemed to be extremely flustered about the appearance of her niece. Twilight watched as her mentor slowly crumbled the letter in her hands and then dropped it behind her.

‘Why is Celestia hiding her letter? Cadance is the alicorn of love. She could help Celestia with her talent! It would only be advantageous for Celestia to enlist Cadance with planning a date and the preparations for it.’

“Auntie, you’re not hiding something from me, are you?”

“O-of course not.”

Twilight could not believe what was happening before her. The prancing was shocking, however, it didn’t hold a candle to what was happening now. Celestia was sweating bullets while she stuttered? Twilight had seen Griffons attempt to intimidate her, only to have the tables turned around with a simple glance. But there she was, averting her gaze from Cadance.

“Auntie. What are you hiding from me?”

“W-what are you talking about? I would NEVER hide anything from you.” Celestia’s eyes widened at Cadance. “I-I was just planning a special day with my student. She works so hard, she deserved a day to relax! Why don’t you join us?”

“I would love to! What are we going to do?”

‘Is she making up a story?! What is going on here?’

Celestia’s expression made it look like she didn’t think that lie through. “I-I thought of having a relaxing day at the spa! Y-yeah! That’s it,” Twilight was baffled by how badly Celestia was handling that entire situation. That was when Twilight noticed Princess Celestia’s eyes darting between Cadance and her.

Celestia wanted her to agree to that? Ok, it was official, Princess Celestia did not want Cadance’s help for some reason. Twilight didn’t want to lie to Cadance, but neither did she want to rat out her teacher about that lie. Twilight felt sweat beginning to form on her forehead. What if Celestia gave up on being her teacher? What if she banished her? What if she imprisoned her? What if she banished her and then imprisoned her there?

“Yeah! Princess Celestia was asking when I had free time to do it!”

“I see,” Cadance said as she scratched her chin. “I don’t think I’ll have much time free after today. I’ve some ponies I need to meet. I hate to impose, but do you think we could do this today?”

Twilight looked at her teacher. Celestia looked mortified. She had never seen Celestia look like that before. It was unnerving to see her like that. It was almost as if something horrible was about to happen. Like some sort of disaster was approaching and she couldn’t do a thing about it.

“I-I guess we can do it. R-right, Twilight?” Celestia looked like she was about to burst into tears if Twilight said ‘no’.

“I was in the middle of my self-chosen study sessions,” Twilight replied earning a confused look from Cadance. “I’m in my free time today.”

“Oh, why didn’t you say so?” Cadance replied with a strange smile.

‘I don’t think I made a good choice.’

“G-great! Let’s go then!” Celestia said as she left the study.

“Good thing you’re taking some time to relax. Maybe I can ask you some things about Auntie. Do you mind answering me that?” Cadance replied as she placed her hand over Twilight’s shoulder.

This did not look good at all.

(Ponyville hospital)

"Z, I don't feel so good," Arden muttered from under his breath as his eyes slowly closed.

"Arden?" There was no response. "Arden?! Answer this one!" Nothing, again. Zecora got closer to his face, he wasn't breathing."ARDE-?!"

Zecora was cut midsentence by Arden boop his nose with hers. Zecora just stood there with a shocked expression. The stallion, on the other hand, had a big grin on his face.

"W-what?" Zecora asked while standing still.

"Gotcha!" Arden replied while letting out a chuckle. "Sorry. I'm getting bored here. How much longer do I need to stay here? The two days I had to stay under observation have passed. Why am I still here?"

Zecora pushed Arden back to the bed and then began pouting. "If the cerulean is frustrated, he should not discharge his frustrations on this one!"

"I'm sorry," Arden replied as he picked up his pillow and then shoving it on his face. "It's just so infuriating! I have to keep training. I need to get to Canterlot to apologize for all the trouble. I need to fix up the library. In short, I need to do a lot of stuff, and then I can go back to training with you. That last one is the one I can't wait to resume."

Zecora tilted her head at that, of all the things he wanted to do, sparring with her was his priority? She didn't expect him to enjoy those moments that much. Especially with the mess, they made during their first bouts. As happy as the conclusion for that was, it was still a moment of weakness. A moment where she hurt him because of how scared she was.

But those moments also made her see how strong he was. That's one of the things she liked the most about him. She couldn't help but wonder how far he would go. But then again, she didn't want him to go too far. There was a risk of him maybe going somewhere he couldn't reach. She was sure that Arden would stay with her.

But who can push away the fear of losing? Everyone goes through the thought of losing. It's a natural part of life.

"I won't go anywhere I can't be with you," Arden said while sitting up in his bed. "Sorry for using it. But, I guess I better get used to it."

Zecora looked at her partner, the eyes he was so ashamed of, they were staring right at her. Piercing through her skin and staring right at her heart. There was a time she would have been terrified of that. Zecora would have done everything she could to keep eyes that could see her the way those two could.

But not anymore, now she was happy to see those eyes. Those eyes were proof that she had moved on. They were proof that she wasn't alone anymore.

"I'm glad you feel like that," Arden said while closing his eyes.

'How many creatures can have a conversation without saying a single word?'

"This one doesn't mind it one bit. The cerulean can look as much as he wants. Those are the eyes that allowed us to meet after all," Zecora replied while sitting on his bed.

His eyes were normal again. Black and blue orbs she saved from a patch of poison jokes were looking at her eyes. However, even now, he seemed to be seeing something more in her. Now that she thought about it, he had always been like that. Whenever he looked at her or Chrysalis, he always seemed to be seeing something others couldn't see.

A friend where others saw a monster.

An ally in a creature that fed off him.

A lover that was too scared of even trying.

Yet, in all of those situations, he found a way to bring out what he saw in them or to be more precise, once he was there, Zecora ended up exploring things she never thought of experiencing.

'This one believes those are the true colors of his talent. Black and blue.'

"Um, excuse me," A new voice called out, Red Heart if memory served. "I came here to tell you're dismissed. The doctors said your mental health is in good shape. And there should be some ponies waiting for you outside."

"Probably because of my sudden appearance," Arden said while scratching the back of his head. "Excuse me, nurse Red Heart, do you know if Zephyr dropped a package earlier today?"

"Could it be this one?" The mare replied as she pulled a small bag on her hand.

The purple doublet with a blue T-shirt, a pair of silver shin guards, his belt, and the sword. Almost all of the items Celestia had given him, and that he hadn't worn since the beginning of the tracker training with Zecora. She watched as Arden tried to put them on. Their training had shown considerable results. Arden probably hadn't realized it, but he had gained weight.

He had gained enough muscle mass that he no longer looked malnourished. He wasn't in peak condition, he lost several days of training because of the coma. Not to mention that a perfect form couldn't be achieved in just a year. However, what he achieved in one year was enough to make his clothes tighter than they should.

"I guess I'll need to visit a tailor to have these modified," Arden said as he let out a defeated sigh. "I put on a lot of weight, huh?"

"You're probably the fittest unicorn in town right now," Nurse Red heart commented as she wrote something down his patient info. "It would do them a favor to at least try to keep up with you."

"If I'm the fittest, I would hate to see the one in the worst shape," Arden replied while he put on the shin bracers along with the rest of his armor. "Is there something you want to do before we leave, Zecora?"

"Not really. Though there is one place this one would like to see," Zecora answered as she walked towards the door.

"And where is that?" Arden said as he followed Zecora.

"Your home," Zecora said as she looked over her shoulder, Arden seemed a bit thrown off.

"V-very well. Thank you for everything, Red Heart," He replied while making a half-bow.

(Canterlot Castle)

'I need help. Please send help.'

As Celestia walked through the halls along with Cadance and Twilight, the thrill of getting news about Arden was suppressed by the fear of Cadance intervening. Maybe she could push the lie and hope that Cadance took the bait? No, that wouldn’t be enough. She had to keep Cadance from using her eyes.

“Aunt, have you considered any of the suggestions I made? Time keeps moving forward while you’re still single.”

If I indulge her on that topic. She might get distracted. “I can’t say I have. How many did you select again?”

“Seriously?” Cadance asked while massaging her temples. “Don’t you feel lonely? You spend most of the time working or teaching Twilight. No offense, but don’t you miss having a pony by your side for things that aren’t related to either? Working yourself to the bone isn’t going to get you anywhere. And regarding your question, four mares and two stallions.”

“I believe I should be trying to find them myself,” Celestia replied with a bit more ease. “You are the princess of love. However, the heart isn’t a simple matter, even for you.”

“I’m well aware of that,” Cadance replied as she pushed the doors to the royal spa open. “This is why I call them suggestions, not dates, which means that when I send you those resumées, I just want you to glance over them and then see if any picked your interest. I’m not telling you to date them if they aren’t interesting to you.”

“Hello, princesses, Ms. Twilight, what can I do for you?” The attendant asked while bowing. “The usual hot bath followed by some tea?”

“No,” Celestia said as she headed towards the changing room. “The three of us will go through a full course. And please tell the guards that we don’t want to be disturbed.”

“But of course,” The attendant replied with excitement.

Celestia, Twilight, and Cadance entered the changing room. After the sudden interruption by the attendant, there was a chilling silence permeating the air.

“So, Twilight,” Cadance started while removing her clothes. Her physique was as pristine as ever, then again, she never had to fight in wars and such. “How are things going for you? On your research that is.”

“I’ve been looking into the harmonious chain, and ancient myths as well,” Twilight replied as she changed in the corner. She was rather small when compared to Celestia and Cadance. However, she was quite a sight. Especially when she was blushing like that. “And that’s about it.”

“What about your friends?” Celestia asked while putting on her robes as fast as she could. “Moon Dancer’s birthday is coming up, isn’t it?”

“I think they’re fine,” Twilight replied without much thought. “I had Lyra come over a few times. And Moon Dancer was working on a project of her own.”

'THAT’S IT! Please, forgive me Twilight.'“Are you sure about that, Twilight? Did you check Moon Dancer’s style lately? Her mane is a copy of yours. She even got the same glasses as you.”

“Oh, little Twilight has an admirer, does she?” Cadance asked with a coy smile before hugging Twilight.

“Don’t be silly!” Twilight ordered while trying to suppress a blush. “I don’t have time for that! And it's not like I can,”

“What is it?” Cadance asked with a more serious tone.

“It’s nothing, let’s just go to the spa,” Twilight said before breaking free of Cadance’s hug. However, before entering the spa, Twilight turned back with a scowl on her face. "And stop meddling with my love life!"

There was a brief moment of silence between Celestia and Cadance. With the corner of her eye, Celestia caught a glimpse of Cadance’s magic eyes. Feeling fear take over, Celestia quietly took a step back. However, before Celestia noticed, Cadance closed her eyes while letting out a sigh. “I swear, auntie. I look everywhere for ponies that might catch your interest. But sometimes I think I forget to check something obvious. Well, I’m still learning.”

What was that supposed to mean?

Walking out of the changing room, Celestia reached the spa area. The attendant was quietly waiting by three separate tubs filled with hot water. Two other assistants came by and then waited. Celestia took the largest tub, Cadance the in-between, and Twilight took the smaller one, leaving the largest one for Celestia.

Silence, that was all that reigned during the entire session. Not a single word was said. Seeing that Cadance wasn’t trying to use her eyes, Celestia lowered her defenses. And that was when she started to enjoy the treatment. How long had it been since she had gotten a proper pampering?

Now that she thought about it when was the last time she wanted to look attractive for another pony? It felt nice, looking forward to meeting a pony that wasn’t her student or related by blood.

How much did he change? Did his mane stay the same? Did he age? No, don’t be silly, Celestia. It was only for one year. He couldn’t have changed that much. What about his eyes? Did they change? The entire problem began because of his problems with it. He said he missed me. Maybe I should play a bit with him? NO! I can’t risk hurting him again.

“Auntie, do you think Arden could passively sense the emotions of those around him?”

Hearing those words, Celestia’s ear twitched a few times. All of her thoughts were interrupted, leaving just one.

DID HE ALREADY KNOW ABOUT IT?!

“W-what brought that up?” Celestia asked while suddenly turning to Cadance.

“EEP!” The attendant doing Celestia’s hooves screamed in response.

“It’s just a thought I had. I mean, think about it. According to Valkyre Heart, Arden began to sing something that resonated with her feelings towards Mind Walker. And he wasn’t using his eyes back then. It makes sense, right?” Cadance kept her eyes closed.

“D-do you think it he could identify whose emotions they are?” Celestia asked as her body stiffened.

“Without his eyes? That’s not possible. What I am saying is that if there are strong emotions near him, he might be able to sense something.” Cadance explained without much care.

Thank the stars. Wait a second. If that’s the case, and Cadance has the same ability, oh.

“After all this time, you’re crushing on a stallion? And Arden nonetheless,” Cadance spoke with a mischievous smile.

Following this announcement, a set of gasps occurred from the spa attendants. Looking at the attendants, Celestia saw them giggling and smiling at her.

“I, I—” Celestia stuttered while trying to find some way to excuse herself. Maybe Twilight could help her out? After that event in the changing rooms, Twilight would not be willing to help her out of this mess. She hadn't spoken a word since the spa pampering started. Twilight kept her muzzle partially submerged the entire time they were there.

'I upset her that bad, huh? I need to find a way to compensate for this mess.'

“Don’t try to deny it, auntie,” Cadance replied with a smug face. “The emotions spiked when I brought him up. And Twilight is out of the question after my quick check-up.”

“B-but,” Celestia stammered. Her mind was darting around as she tried to think of a method of damage control.

“Listen, I won’t get in the way, but I will help you prepare for the date,” Cadance said with confidence as she got up to leave, quickly putting on her silk robe. “My domain is love, you know?”

“Cadance! Wait! I—” Celestia said while trying to get up. However, the flustered princess ended up falling on the floor.

“I won’t take a ‘no’ for an answer. I am going to help you see this through,” Cadance replied before leaving the room.

“I may have placed myself in quite the conundrum,” Princess Celestia said once Cadance had left.

'It’s going to be alright. I’m just going to step out, and then I’ll greet everyone. No one is going to attack me.'

Repeating those thoughts as if they were a mantra, Arden made his way towards the front door of the hospital. Zecora walked with him. At least she made Arden feel calmer. He could use his eyes to check what the ponies outside were thinking. However, he didn’t want to know.

Not even his heart wanted to know.

What Arden wanted was a chance to talk. A chance to sort everything out. It wasn’t a matter of understanding how they felt. It was a matter of making amends. Arden had to apologize for lying about his talent, and they had to apologize for the attack.

“Everything will be fine, Arden,” Zecora said as they approached the door. “The cerulean isn’t alone anymore.”

Replying with a smile, Arden pushed the doors open.

“SURPRISE!” Five mares screamed at the top of their lungs while holding on to forced smiles.

‘It’s alright. I’m alright! I’m gonna be ok, right?’ His breathing was picking up, Arden felt as if the world was starting to swirl around him. Something was wrong. Was there a threat? Were they trying to get him again?

Just then, Arden felt something grabbing hold of his wrist. Staying between the five and him, Zecora held his hand that had reached for his blade.

‘I, I didn’t even notice that. Damn it! Why this didn’t happen during the, oh yeah, I was probably under the effect of an adrenaline rush. I probably overlooked all the details during that.’

“It’s ok, Arden,” Zecora said in a soothing tone. “No one is planning to hurt you.”

Putting on some effort, Arden managed to let go of his grip on the sword. It was foolish to expect that he would have been healed from the trauma and the rejection in one go. The talent was working just fine. The problem was the fear of being attacked without warning again.

“S-sorry. I guess I just had an episode of PTSD or something of the sort.” Arden stuttered while using his right arm to hold his left arm.

“What is that?” Applejack asked while scratching the back of her head.

“Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,” Arden replied with a half-smile. “It means that if I’m exposed to certain situations. I am likely to have some issues keeping my cool.

And that I should probably postpone my visit to Canterlot for a few days,” he muttered under his breath.

“I see, darling, it seems we made quite a mess last year.” Rarity spoke with an awkward laugh. “I am truly sorry for the trouble we caused!”

“In a sense, I am both angry and grateful,” Arden replied as he turned to Zecora. “Thanks to you all, I met Zecora. And she saved me from something I’ve been doing to myself for quite some time. And then, I guess we hit it off.”

“You helped this one too,” Zecora said with a smile.

“OH! So we can assume you two are a thing?!” Pinkie shouted before bouncing around them. “I want to know more! Zecora! We never threw you a welcome party! I have to remedy that!”

“Then I guess you’ll need to prepare for two,” Chrysalis said from behind the remaining four mares. They nearly jumped thanks to that. “Zecora is not going anywhere in town without me. I’ve been in that hut for far too long. I want to know more about this place!”

‘Your ability to lie is insane,’ Arden mused before giving Zecora a push. “Go with them. I’ll get my home cleaned up in the meantime. That way you can see it without a layer of dust covering everything.”

“You can relax. At the first sign of trouble, I’ll call you out.”

Arden froze in place for a second. ‘That was Chrysalis’ voice. How did she?’

“Zecora permitted me to set a link with you while you were asleep. I have another one set with her. So, everyone can speak with each other regardless of the place we are. However, I can only cover up to the town’s boundaries.”

“I am amused and concerned at the same time. I guess I should expect that many tricks from you, right?” Arden thought while staring at Chrysalis. “I hope I get to be that proficient with magic one day. I’m counting on you teach.”

“I doubt you will ever be as proficient as me. But it is good to have a goal. Seriously though, if I call, you run.” Chrysalis said while turning away from him with haste.

“This is going to be AMAZING!” Pinkie shouted as she dragged all of her friends away like they were feathers.

‘I guess I should ignore what just happened. Ok, rush to the library!’

Running as fast as he could, Arden entered the library, which was open, and then closed the door. Contrary to what he expected, the place was cleaner than when he had left. There was a small letter on the table emanating some very pleasant perfume. The letter had a purple wax seal in the shape of diamonds in it.

Picking up the letter, Arden felt the perfume fill up his nostrils. The thing was impregnated with it, and the folding was done with extreme care. Opening it up, Arden began to scour the contents.

Dear Arden,

I am well aware that apologizing to you isn’t going to be enough to make it up to you. We caused some serious trouble because of a rushed decision. I called you names and nearly killed you. And if that wasn’t enough, our actions made you go into the brink of death even after your body recovered.

If you ever need help with anything, please, do not hesitate to ask. I’ll do my very best to help you in any way I can. And don’t worry about coming to work for a while. Take your time to acclimate yourself to our village.

There are a lot of things I want to say. And a lot of questions I want to make. But for now, I want to tell you that Big Mac and Red Heart told me and the others about how you and Zecora saved us. You have no idea how grateful I am for that. Even after all we did, you still came to help us. If that isn’t proof of your alignment than I don’t know what is.

I will support you no matter what, now and forever. Just like you went out of your way to help us even if you were in bad shape.

Thank you.

Your friend,

Rarity.

P.S.: I took the liberty of making some spare clothes for you. Just in case. Come see me if there is any issue with them.

Smiling at the piece of paper, Arden saw a single teardrop fall on the paper.

‘I guess that means I need to pick up the slack. Better find a way to come around that fear of them!’

(Canterlot castle)

Something that shouldn’t be known to the public can end up in the headlines of gossip magazines in a matter of seconds. That is how things worked in Canterlot. However, there was an even quicker way to spread a rumor, the castle servants. It didn’t matter if the servant worked in the kitchen, the gardens, the rooms, the hallways, or the laundry; if they caught wind of some kind of gossip, everyone and their mothers knew about it.

The latest piece of news to reach these big-mouthed ponies was nothing short of scandalous. There were rumors that Princess Celestia had found a romantic partner. The main suspect of this being that pony Celestia spread the word about. That was the trigger for a bunch of nobles to hire private investigators to gather information on him. The name of the said pony was Arden Sila.

So far, the investigations ended up being a wild goose chase. The guy was a mystery beyond everything. Some investigators teamed up to try and make some sense out of what little information they had. And so far, all they managed to get was confirmation on data the Princess had already disclosed about him.

First, the stallion came from another land. Second, he was strong enough to pull a cart that required a minimum power level of twelve hundred. Third, his eyes did change like the eyes of a possessed being while he kept his mind. Fourth, he was faster than any other unicorn. Fifth, he was capable of triggering a harmonious heart on his own.

“Do you think we should mention this to the rest of the staff?” Soft Hooves asked her friend, Gentle Breeze.

“I’m not sure. I mean, it is THE gossip of the century.” Gentle replied while scratching the back of her neck.

In other words, those two mares could probably cause an uproar in a matter of hours.

“Yeah. But then there is the fact that the Princess might have a bunch of nobles and reporters bombarding her if this got out.” Soft continued while folding some towels.

“Soft.”

“I mean, I can’t blame the nobles since they have been at it for what, the last thousand years? And then this pony comes out of nowhere and wins her over? Of course, they are going to have issues with him.”

“Hey, Soft.”

“As for the reporters, well, that’s what will sell tons of copies. Every single pony in Equestria has been wondering what the Princess’s preferences were since, I don’t know, forever. And now we got the answers. Arden Sila, I bet that he has a bunch of stuff we don’t know about to get the Princess so enamored with him.”

“SOFT!”

“What is it?! I’m not done talking about the Princess’s lover!” Soft screamed while turning around to see her friend. “Oh.”

At least ten servants were standing by Gentle Breeze with their jaws hanging. Soft tried to lift her hand and beg them to keep it quiet, however, they bolted out of the room before she could say anything.

“You are too much of an airhead!” Gentle scolded while shutting the door tight.

“I guess I just tossed flammable fluid in a fire,” Soft replied while letting out a nervous laugh. “I might have ruined the Princess’s love life.”

“You think?!”

(Pinkie’s room.)

Checking all of the windows and possible exits, Chrysalis tried to make sure that if anything went wrong, both Zecora and she could escape. The room was on the second floor, however, they could easily slide down the roof and then reach the groundfloor safely. Therefore, their escape was pretty much guaranteed, especially taking into account Zecora’s prowess in hunting and fighting.

“HERE WE GO!” Pinkie screamed with an accent that Chrysalis recognized from Arden’s memories as Italian. Pinkie placed a big cake on top of the table. “This one is on the house! Consider it an apology gift from us for all the hassle we caused you.”

“This one’s thanks, you have,” Zecora said with a smile on her face. “Being accepted to wander and enter the building in this town, is more than this one ever believed to be possible.”

“I’m grateful as well,” Chrysalis replied with a half-smile. “It was quite inconvenient to not be able to get supplies for potion crafting.”'

“We’re mighty sorry for all the trouble,” Applejack intervened. “We never dealt with zebras like you two before. We were scared, that’s all.”

“That’s t-true,” Fluttershy agreed while shaking her head up and down with haste. “B-but we are grateful that y-you helped our friends.”

“Enough with the chit-chat!” Rainbow said while slicing a piece of cake. “Time to eat!”

“You should be more grateful, darling,” Rarity reprimanded while taking a sip of tea. “From what I heard, you almost led an assault on Zecora and her sister here. I also heard that both you and Big Mac had quite a hard time getting past Arden’s defenses.”

Chrysalis watched with amusement as the cyan pegasus blushed and stuffed her mouth full of cake. Grumbling at the comment, Rainbow tried to look away from Chrysalis and Zecora.

“I’m sorry for almost making the town go on a witch hunt,” Rainbow replied with her head turned to the side. “I was too focused on helping my friends to think straight.”

“Need to worry, there is not,” Zecora said while waving her hand. “All is well when it ends-”

“Enough with the downer stuff!” Pinkie shouted with annoyance. “I wanted us to talk it out and get to know each other!”

“But of course, how does the pink one desire to do so?” Zecora asked with a soft voice.

Feeling a chill roll down her spine, Chrysalis watched as Pinkie’s face contorted into a grin. The pink pony rushed around the room as she searched for something.

“AH-HA!” She exclaimed as a bunch of boxes fell off the shelves in the room. She then jumped on top of the table, barely missing the cake on top of the table. “We can all take turns telling stuff about ourselves and asking things to each other. How about it?”

“You want us to spin that thing in your hands, right?” Chrysalis asked with a frown. She knew what was coming. Of course, that caffeine driven pony would try to use that to get acquainted with them using a game. “How do we decide who starts?”

“Zecora starts, of course!” Pinkie said as she placed the bottle in Zecora’s hands. “We’ll sit in a circle on the ground, then you spin the bottle. The one that is on the other side of the bottle’s mouth will have to choose between a challenge or answer a question truthfully.”

Letting out a sigh, Chrysalis followed the rest of the group as they sat around in a circle. Pinkie had already set seven pillows on the floor for them. It was all too perfect, she was trying hard to figure them out. Or to find out something about Arden himself. After all, they wanted to apologize to him truthfully as well. Meaning that she and Zecora were their best bet on figuring out how to do so.

Zecora placed the bottle on the floor before giving it a spin. Chrysalis watched attentively to see where the bottle would land. When the bottle finally lost its momentum, it stopped on the seamstress.

‘That should be interesting.’

“Now, you ask Rarity if she wants ‘truth’ or ‘dare’,” Pinkie said with excitement.

“Does the alabaster unicorn desire to tell the truth? Or does it desire a challenge?” Zecora asked while scratching her cheek.

“I choose truth, darling.”

“What did Arden do in your store?” Chrysalis nearly fell flat on her face upon hearing that question.

‘What a waste of a turn,’ Chrysalis mused as she watched the dumbfounded seamstress chuckle at the question.

“Well, Arden cleaned up my workspace. Swiping the floors, and collected the rest of the cloths and threads left after my bursts of creativity. He even performed once to one of my clients at my request.” Rarity smiled brightly. “Thanks for not asking anything personal from the get-go.”

“So, does that mean you are a tailor?” Zecora asked while tilting her head.

“Yes. To be more precise, I am a fashionista. I design new clothes and trends and sell them. If you ever want a new set of clothes, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

Rarity reached for the bottle. Giving it another whirl, the bottle this time stopped in front of Fluttershy. “Now, dearie, truth or dare?”

“T-truth.”

“What did you think of the moment Arden stood up to defend Zecora?” Rarity asked with a smirk.

‘Is she scouting to see if he caught the eye of any of the others?’

“I-I was scared. When that song started playing, I felt as if something bad was going to happen. The air felt cold, I thought he was going to cast some kind of powerful spell. I-I’m just glad nothing violent happened from that.”

“Is that so?” Rarity commented while scratching her chin.

“Hello! Sorry, we’re late!” A pair of ponies spoke as they emerged from the stairs.

“We had to close the spa,” the blue one said as they approached the group. “Truth or dare? Can we join?”

“Of course!” Pinkie shouted in excitement as two new pillows suddenly appeared by Chrysalis’ side.

Fluttershy spun the bottle, making it land on Zecora this time.

“This one chooses to tell the truth,” Zecora replied without hesitation.

“U-um, well, I-I, I want to know if, if you are afraid of living in the forest?” Fluttershy asked while staring at the ground. “E-Everfree is a dangerous place.”

“This one will not deny that there are many creatures that scare her within those woods. However, that forest is my home and it bears many plants required for this one’s potions and other concoctions. And trained into hunting and battling such creatures this one is. Therefore, even if this one is afraid, she shall stand up to protect her life. Comment on your bravery this one has to. Not many ponies would have rushed into the Everfree the way the yellow one did.”

Watching with amusement, Chrysalis suppressed a giggle at the flustered pegasus that desperately tried to hide her face behind her mane. Zecora spun the bottle once more, this time landing on Rainbow Dash.

“I’ll take a dare! Time to shake these things up!”

“Zecora, you can ask any dare you want, as long as it doesn’t put Rainbow’s safety at risk,” Pinkie explained while pretending to smoke a pipe that created soap bubbles. “Like asking her to not fly for a set amount of time. Or drinking up a big bottle of cider in one go, for example."

‘When did she get that prop?’

“Allow this one to think.” Zecora frowned for a moment. She then stood up and went to the corner of the room to pick up a big stick that was flat on its ends. “The cyan pegasus seems to be very eager to use her wings. How about balancing on top of this staff for ten seconds using only your wings?”

‘Welp, things just got interesting.’

“That is a good one, Zecora!” Pinkie shouted while giggling uncontrollably.

“U-um, t-there is a slight problem with that,” Rainbow replied while her face was turning red. “Our wings are sensitive to the touch so we kinda...” She seemed concerned about what could happen if she did that.

“Are you afraid of doing the dare? Is that what I am hearing?” Chrysalis commented with a smirk on her muzzle. “You bark a lot. But no bite at all, such a shame.”

That was more than enough to make Rainbow glare at Chrysalis before dashing to pick up the staff and then made her wings support her upside down on top of it. Suppressing her laughter, Chrysalis watched as Rainbow crossed her legs and gritted her teeth. The sensory receptors inside a pegasus wing were easy to trigger, and they tended to have a ‘special’ effect on them. It was customary to only allow those they trusted completely to touch their wings because of the ‘special’ sensations caused by it.

Ten seconds passed and then Rainbow dropped from the pole with her legs still crossed and then sat on the pillow, allowing the staff to fall on the floor with a thud. She was chewing on her lip hard. Zecora picked up the bottle and handed it to Rainbow who made it spin on her hand before making it dance on the floor. This time it landed on Lotus, the blue earth pony from the spa.

“I take a dare,” Lotus said with a cheeky smile.

“Pinkie will pick a random outfit from her wardrobe. And you have to wear it,” Rainbow replied with a smirk.

Raising an eyebrow at the dare, Chrysalis watched the Pink pony rush into a wardrobe with her eyes closed. There was a moment of silence as the wardrobe suddenly started to rock around. Suddenly falling out of the wardrobe, as if she had been shoved out of it, Pinkie emerged with an outfit that one would see in a cabaret dancer. Black and purple cloth along with some ribbons and a big purple feather.

“Do YOU think you can pull a look like that off in front of Arden, sister?” Chrysalis asked while examining the dress top to bottom. “Or would you rather repeat what you did last time?”

The response to that was a very flustered Zecora, one whose eyes started to dart around without a moment’s rest.

‘I wonder if Arden would like that dress. STOP! JUST STOP! I said I was going to trust him. Not fall for him. I claimed to be his partner because it would keep me safe.’

Shaking her head, Chrysalis looked back at Pinkie, only to see that she had somehow pulled out a screen out of nowhere. It took a few seconds, but Lotus came out from behind it wearing the dress. It looked good on her, however, she didn’t seem comfortable in it.

Sitting back on her spot, Lotus made the bottle spin again. This time, landing on Chrysalis. Lotus turned to her before staring at Chrysalis for a few seconds. Scratching her chin, Chrysalis weighted which options could give her a better chance to mess with the ponies in the room. A dare would probably lead to her doing something silly, while truth, depending on the question could lead to interesting reactions. Looking at Lotus, Chrysalis realized what she wanted to ask.

“I will take the truth,” Chrysalis said in a low voice.

“What did you mean by ‘last time’ when you spoke with Zecora just now?” Lotus asked without hesitation. Chrysalis smirked at the predicted result.

“I meant my sister’s very first time. I never saw the things she did before. If someone had told me that my sister could be that determined I would have called them crazy. The way they went on and on. I’m not even sure how much time those two spent going at each other.” Chrysalis suppressed her laughter as each of the mares turned into red lollipops.

“This one does not know what she speaks of!” Zecora replied as she tried to defend herself.

“M-my goodness, dear,” Rarity spoke while she fanning her face. “I-I didn’t take you to be that, energetic.” The mare was working hard to keep her composure at that moment.

Scanning for more amusing reactions, Chrysalis saw Rainbow with both her wings fully extended as she seemed to be trying to process what she had just told them. Fluttershy fainted and her body was now lying on the floor limply. Lotus and Aloe were staring at each other and then looking back at Zecora. Pinkie Pie, on the other hand, had a blank expression as if she wasn’t paying attention to the conversation. As for Applejack, Chrysalis had a feeling that Applejack wasn’t buying the story. However, she was still turning red and trying to hide behind her hat.

Before she could continue to defend herself, Chrysalis took a spin at the bottle.

‘This is starting to get fun.’

(Wonderbolt academy)

“Hello, mother, father,” Light Feathers said into the device Spitfire had brought in the other day. It was a prototype, directly from the Canterlot mages. Another byproduct of research inspired by knowledge brought from the outsider known as Arden Sila. Half-expecting silence to reign inside the room, however, static came out of the box.

“Light Feathers. Can you hear us?” The static was everywhere, but that was undoubtedly his mother’s voice. The mechanism worked. How? On the outside, it was a speaker with a microphone underneath it! Sure, there were a bunch of runes inscribed in it. But there were no known ways to do something like that! So far, the closest thing they had were radio stations, and they were a one-way only means of communication. This box didn’t even have wires!

‘What else are they cooking up in that Academy? Magic image projection messages? If it happens in real-time, the data has to be transferred in a matter of seconds. Scratch that, less than seconds. I can’t believe this! How does it work?!’

Letters could take from days to months depending on the number sent to the post office.

Being a Wonderbolt trainee didn’t warrant special treatment and the training regimen didn’t give much time to visiting home. Add that to the fact he had been injured, and you have a homesick pony without any means of checking in on his family.

“YES!” Light Feathers said as he grabbed the microphone, “Yes, mother! I can hear you! Is father there with you?”

His mother replied with a sad voice. “Yes, he is. But they only allow one pony on each of the cabins. So, I’m afraid only I can speak with you today.”

Feeling tears fill up his eyes, Light Feathers considered how he should tell his mother about the accident. They had supported him for so long. Paying the best schools they could afford, his parents made sure he entered the Wonderbolts. And now, because of a stupid mistake, an error caused by outdated information made him crash and fracture his wings. The doctors managed to save the wings, but his performance was reduced significantly, to the point he was no longer capable of keeping up with the Wonderbolts.

“I-I’m so glad I can speak with you,” Light Feathers wiped off the tears, “I-I wish both you and father were there to hear me. But I’m glad you two are ok. I’m sorry to change the subject, but you mentioned that there were more cabins. What do you mean by that?”

“A nice talk goes a long way,” his mother replied before letting out a giggle. “Well, it is still being implemented. But while the brains in Canterlot are working on some more advanced devices, Princess Celestia has been setting up these stations that allow instant communication over long distances. It’s been up and running for a few weeks now. That’s why we sent you that letter with the time and date. They are even speaking of making them portable. Some say they might have a way for these to send images as well.”

‘This is insane. If I had one of those portable devices, I might have been able to avoid the accident. All of us could avoid accidents like that. But we would need a support team to keep up with the updates. Wait...’

Racing faster than he ever thought possible, Light’s mind rushed through the idea. He might be out of the cards in the everyday activities of the Wonderbolts, however, he could still support them. Make sure they were always updated and safe from avoidable dangers. A team like that was mandatory. Those in it had to be able to convey information concisely and be able to keep their cool while handling the information.

That little device had given him a second chance. He could be part of the Wonderbolts, a significant part. All he had to do now was—

“Son, are you there?” Light’s mother called from the device, causing Light to snap back from his thoughts.

“YES! Mother! I’ll contact you again when I can! But right now, I have to speak to Spitfire!”

Rushing through the Academy grounds, Light went straight to Spitfire’s office. He didn’t bother to knock on the door.

“Captain, Spitfire!” Light shouted, causing Spitfire to quickly hide a piece of parchment in one of her drawers. “I’m sorry for barging in, but I have an idea that might be able to improve the safety net for our fliers!” Raising an eyebrow at the comment, Spitfire gestured for Light to sit down.

“You see...”

(Library)

‘I guess I should check on them. The house is as clean as it will get. Although, they are probably having a good time. Chrysalis hasn’t contacted me, so, everything must be fine.’

Looking through his window Arden saw the second floor of Sugar Cube Coner lit up, meaning that the ponies inside were still awake. He had already gone through the books, placing them back in their original spots. Rarity had done a good job putting everything on their shelves, however, her organization skills were lacking, but he did appreciate the sentiment though.

Even his bed was tidied up. And it had some kind of perfume applied to it. However, he didn’t have anything to do now. Aside from sleeping, that is. Which, at that point, wasn’t the best thing in his mind. Maybe a walk around town during the night could make things more interesting. There were fewer ponies around, therefore, he would feel more comfortable when wandering around.

Heading towards the front door, Arden was surprised by a knock on the door.

“Coming Just give me a sec!” Rushing towards the door. Arden was greeted by a familiar face. “Hello there, Big Mac. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Night. Mind if I come in?” Big Mac asked with a serious voice.

‘Something is off,’ Arden mused as he felt his left arm tense up. ‘I left my sword upstairs. I can put up a shield if the situation calls for it. And I don’t think he can keep up with me if I start running.’

“Sure thing, come on in,” Arden replied with a smile. Basic courtesy was needed until any kind of threat was presented, or so he thought.

Walking in, Big Mac followed him inside. Arden offered a chair before heading to the kitchen. All he could offer at the moment was a glass of tapped water. How did they have tapped water there?

Big Mac spoke from behind Arden. “Hey, Arden. Sorry about the other day. I went on a rampage and nearly took out the ponies that wanted to help my sister.”

“No worries. Though, I do have something to say about threatening Zecora, don’t ever do that again.” Arden hadn’t noticed it, but when he spoke to Big Mac, his eyes had turned white for a moment.

“I-I don’t intend to,” Big Mac stuttered with his hand trembling a bit, “I do want to ask how you held me back. I put all my force behind that punch you grabbed.”

Charging up his horn. The gauntlet Arden had summoned during that event manifested. “Instead of just creating a wall to block your attack. I made armor that would absorb your vectors and then redirect them at you and let me stand against the continued force you applied to me. Then, I used what Zecora taught me to turn the situation around.”

As soon as Arden mentioned Zecora’s name, he saw Big Mac’s eyes light up for a second. “How strong is Zecora?”

‘Did he see something interesting?’

“Well, I can’t exactly tell you how strong since I don’t know it myself,” Arden replied while scratching the back of his head. “I know she is way stronger than me. The only reason I managed to get on top during our sparring sessions is that I’m armed. In hand-to-hand combat she has me beat.”

“Sparring? Why would you be sparring?” Big Mac asked with a frown.

“Well, I wanted to help out in her everyday life, but I lacked the skills necessary to do so,” Arden started as he raised his left hand to his earring. “We started with tracking and herbalism. Then moved on to potion crafting. One day, however, I almost got killed by a timberwolf. That’s started to spar.”

Big Mac seemed to have picked up on his gesture. Almost as if Arden had pulled a lever, the big guy seemed to enter an alert phase. Perking up his ears and narrowing his eyes, seeming to carefully analyze Arden’s left ear, then Arden’s right ear.

‘Is his focus on Zecora or our relationship?’

“Is that so?” Big Mac said while scratching his chin, his eyes locked on the earring Arden was touching. “Those work like engagement rings then?”

‘Definitely on our relationship. Now, his eyes lit up when I mentioned her. Maybe I can press a bit further on the topic and see how this goes? At least he doesn’t seem to be out to get me. On the surface that is.’

However, there was an issue, how to explain the earrings? Arden knew that the accessories represented a relationship. But Zecora never mentioned anything about them being engagement rings. Now that he thought about it, Zecora never went further on the subject beyond the basics about where they stood. And the explanation was short. The earring symbolizes a bond, how deep it went wasn’t clarified.

“I don’t think so,” Arden replied while leaning on a shelf, how could he get out of that corner? “I’m not sure how to put it. But I think this is more like a way to show that two members of the tribe are trying to establish a healthy relationship and make it grow into something more. But I passed out for some time, literally, so I don’t have the specifics. My guess, ok, is that I should check with Zecora to see how the details work on this.”

“So, you two are still working things out?” Big Mac inquired while looking out the window. His expression had softened and he didn’t seem as tense or attentive as before. Meaning that he was either disappointed or satisfied with the response he got. However, there was something else in Arden’s mind now.

‘Later I should thank him for making me think about this. I’ve kinda been going through the motions here. Going through a relationship like that could be problematic. Then again, what do I know about relationships? Nevermind, I can get over this later. For now, I guess I should find a way to keep this conversation going. I need to get used to talking to these ponies again. This should do just fine as training wheels.’

“You can say it’s something like that. I’m still wrapping my head around the concept of being in a relationship like that. Not to mention the fact we did it.” Arden spoke in almost a whisper, a bit of heat taking his cheeks. “Before I got here, I thought that being in a relationship was a dream. And technically speaking, I only met her because of what you all did. So, I have some degree of gratitude towards all of you.”

Nearly slamming his chin against the desk, Big Mac fell from his chair with a loud thud. It would seem he wasn’t expecting a shred of gratitude to come from this situation. Which was understandable, look back on it, who would thank someone who could have killed you if the chance was given? However, to Arden’s surprise, the big guy got up with a meek smile on his face as he scratched the back of his neck.

“Well, I guess the entire town can say that they are grateful you’re giving us a second chance too,” Big Mac replied before walking up to Arden and offering his hand. “So, thank you for your kindness.”

Looking at the stallion’s hand, Arden hesitated for a moment before reaching out. He saw the scenery change color, he accidentally used his eyes. Curiosity took the better of him.

'Rival. Friend.’

‘The voices speak way less now. I won't complain about it, it's better than dying. And a friendly rivalry, huh? Things like that can push others forward. Considering how all of us started this thing, I’m surprised that something like this came out. I’m excited about this. Let’s see how this goes.’

“I guess everyone is trying to make things work. Am I right?”

“You bet,” Big Mac replied before heading out the door. “See you at work tomorrow!”

“I am not in love with him!” Chrysalis whined as she slammed her hand on the floor. The sweet scent of cider saturated the air while all of the mares tried to dance in the rhythm of a record player’s melody.

How things got that far? Chrysalis was unsure about the answer to that. All she could remember was the truth or dare, then something about a dare involving a barrel of cider. Then everyone got intoxicated and Pinkie appeared dressed up in a toga. Now everything was fuzzy and the others were persistently telling Chrysalis that she was in love with Arden.

Somehow, Pinkie managed to convince all of them to put on togas as well. The one Chrysalis had on was a bright lavender with a lavender piece of cloth around her waist. She looked like a character from a story Arden had seen before, what was her name? It started with an M, the main character was the son of Zeus or something.

“Listen, do you care for him?” Applejack, the least drunk of the mares, asked while pulling Chrysalis up.

“NO!” Chrysalis shouted before bobbing her head to the side, heat flushing up to her face.

“Yes,” she muttered under her breath.

“Do you want to be with him most of the time and enjoy the time you two share?” Pinkie, the second least drunken mare, asked in a tone much different than her usual one. And, for some reason, her mane was deflated making her look much more serious.

“NO! NO-NO!” Chrysalis denied before looking at the floor.

“Yes,” she said once more with a quiet voice.

“When you are with him, does he make you feel beautiful?” Applejack asked before picking another mug of cider.

“Y-yes,” Chrysalis replied while making her mane fall in front of her face.

“Then just admit that you’re in love with him!”

“I won’t say that I’m in LOVE!” Chrysalis cried out louder than the music playing.

Suddenly stopping, all of the mares looked to Chrysalis. Their eyes fixed on her as huge smiles started to appear on each of their faces.

‘What? What did I do? I only said that I wouldn’t say that I, that I. Oh, no. It happened. It happened. How did I let that? Why? When did I drop my guard? How did I let him sweep me away like that? NO! It’s the alcohol talking! That’s it! I am drunk and I am vulnerable to suggestions! They made me think that because of how much they pushed the idea! My system is saturated with this because I drank too much and I no longer have a place to store it! So, my body is trying to process it and the waste is doing this to me!’

“Bring another mug! Zephir has admitted it!” Zecora appeared by Chrysalis’s side with her arm around Chrysalis’ neck. “It’s time to celebrate! Get her a drink!”

Handing her a mug, Pinkie appeared upside down before disappearing again. Chrysalis didn’t even think, the alcohol in her system was clouding her thoughts even more. And in that drunken state, she concluded what should be her next course of action.

‘Let’s drink these thoughts away!’ she screamed in her head, drinking the mug in one fell swoop.

“FOR ZEPHIR!” All of the mares cheered as Pinkie handed mugs to the guests.

“So, any signs of them today?” Arden asked the copy of him that sat at the top of one of the towers by the castle of the two sisters. Leaning on the window that overlooked the forest.

The copy let out a bored yawn. “No. Same as always. Why bother? You know that one of them tried to make you submit, right?”

“Alias, I promised Celestia I would help out with her sister. But now that I know the story, I want to save both of them. They both deserve a second chance. Just like we got our second chance.”

“You mean like YOU got your second chance,” Alias said with a half-smile. “I’m an artificial soul. I told you that when you were resting these past few days. If you die, I return to the sword until I get a new master. And did you settle on that for my name?”

“Yeah. I think it suits you, considering you are an alter-ego of mine after all. Speaking of which, if you ever want to talk with-”

“No, thanks,” Alias replied without flinching. “I did my part. Unless the situation calls for it, I’ll remain here watching what you do and see. I’m not a doer. I’m an observer.”

“If you say so,” Arden replied with a shrug. “Is there anything, in particular, you wish to see?”

“I want to see how you handle Zecora and Chrysalis,” Alias replied, which resulted in Arden losing focus for a second, which, in turn, resulted in him falling out of the castle and waking up.

‘WHAT WAS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!’ Arden screamed in his mind as he felt the sunlight hitting his face. ‘Time to wake up, I guess.’

Getting off his bed, Arden walked up to the window and saw some ponies walking around town. Setting up stalls and opening up the windows, they seemed to be preparing for the day.

‘No time like the present.’ Arden walked into the bathroom to take a shower, brush his teeth, and use the chemicals to clean his clothes before putting them on. With that out of the way, Arden went to the balcony where a telescope was resting pointed at the sky and started to watch the ponies going by their day. ‘I missed this. Seeing others, being with others. I can only imagine how Zecora felt being alone for so long. Oh, yeah, I wonder how they are doing. Chrysalis never called in yesterday. If there is someone cautious around ponies, it has to be her. I doubt she would ever fall for a trap or anything resembling it.’

A low growl snapped Arden out of his thoughts. He had to get food, but he lacked the money to do so at the moment.

‘I could ask the mayor for a payment in advance this month,’ Arden mused as he returned inside, ‘Just to cover my food. Or I could ask for some of their produce on the farm in exchange for my work. I bet I can make a nice dinner for those two with the stuff they got there.’ Immersing himself in the task of searching for a cookbook, Arden didn’t notice the increasing movement outside. The sound of hooves quickly trotting around chaotically was just an afterthought while he searched for the book.

That was until he heard the sound of knocking on his front door. Shaking his head sideways to clear the foggy thoughts of figuring out how to cook, Arden headed to the door without much thought. He unlocked the door and then opened it.

“How may I-”

Cutting his speech midway through, Arden felt his entire body tense up. Practically the entire town was at his doorstep with what looked newspapers in their hands. Some had magazines, however, that didn’t matter. What mattered to Arden was something else entirely.

‘Run. Run. Run. NO! I Don’t know what is happening. But I can’t just keep running! Come on! Ask what they need! DO IT! JUST DO IT!’

Gulping while clenching his fist, Arden mustered all the courage he had to bring out the words. “Is there something I can help you with? I don’t think the library is open yet, however, I can help you with any questions.”

A flood of incoherent questions and shouts started to occur as Arden felt his legs slowly try to make him run. Sweat started to form on his forehead as his eyes started to dart around. The scenery changed into a red cacophony of mixed feelings of curiosity, envy, anger, joy, confusion, disbelief, awe, and so forth. His heart-rate spiked as he felt the urge to run increasing like a tsunami ready to wash him away. Closing his eyes shut, Arden grabbed hold of his chest as the weight of those voices seemed to be giving him a heart attack. The feelings were stronger than before, clearer too. Had he gotten more sensitive? Or did his unbalanced emotional state trigger it?

“Everypony, please!” The mayor called out from the middle of the crowd. “Please, let me through. Arden, I sincerely apologize for this mess. However, it would seem as though your relationship with the Princess has become public knowledge. So, there will be many ponies, myself included, curious as to where you two currently stand. Speaking as a politician, when rumors like this appear, the best approach is to address it.”

Snapping his eyes open, Arden stared at the mayor in confusion. “What? What do you mean?”

“This,” The mayor said while handing Arden a newspaper with a big picture of Princess Celestia with the words Romance is in the Air plastered on the front page.

A new scandal has taken over Canterlot! According to sources directly from the castle, Princess Celestia seems to have finally fallen for a pony. The pure princess never swayed by any of the nobles, artists, athletes, or famous ponies, in general, has confessed to the Princess of Love, Cadance, her feelings towards a mysterious stallion that arrived in Equestria a year ago. Not much is known about this stallion other than his talent, appearance (see the picture distributed by Princess Celestia herself less than a year ago bellow), and the obvious connection to her.

The name of this pony is Arden Sila. This unusual stallion is a pile of questions without many answers aside from the information disclosed by Princess Celestia weeks after his arrival in Equestria. There is no register of his entrance in our fair country, meaning the stallion entered through either unknown means or illegal means. On top of such an unknown method of entry, the country from which he came from is unknown and described by Celestia as FAR AWAY.

While some speculate he might have used such talent to control the Princess, the unknown nature of his talent doesn't allow to draw any conclusions. The only known pony to even come close to this talent is Princess Cadance, who, according to her words, only allows her to see the love a pony feels for something or another pony and boost that feeling to the point of making a pony confess. However, that is the ability of a royal. There is no guarantee that this stallion is capable of such a feat.

Now, there are many questions regarding the relationship between the sun princess and this mystery stallion. How long has this relationship been occurring? Are the mysterious disappearances of princess last year related to this strange stallion? What is the task Princess Celestia has given this stallion? Why was he allocated to Ponyville?

The last question has multiple theories running across Equestria. Could it be that the Princess sought to hide this stallion from ponies that she had proposed to? Was his life in danger if he remained in Canterlot? Was the princess planning something with this stallion that required his identity to be hidden? The fact that he had access to the castle's throne could be a sign of his proximity with Princess Celestia even before all of this began?

There are more oddities regarding this unknown unicorn who possess the strength and durability of an earth pony. His magical potential is currently unknown, however, some accuse him of utilizing doping magic to increase his physical capabilities. Another oddity lies in his zodiac, for he is the only known male to have been born under the sign of Virgo and surviving the surge of power given to those born under this zodiac (information disclosed by Princess Celestia herself less than a year ago). Is this stallion truly a stallion?

In regards to information collected about this stallion, it is currently known that his last place of residence was located in the Ponyville library, The Golden Oak Library. However, his status is currently unknown as multiple private detectives were sent to town, according to residents from the town itself, to verify the background of this pony and acquired no results. This elusive stallion might be the most wanted in all of Equestria.

The uproar caused by this news led to multiple mares and some stallions to declare their interest in meeting the one who ensnared the Princess of the Sun, untouched by time and ponies alike. Some are even paying for information about his whereabouts. We are yet to hear an official declaration from the Princess regarding the subject.

However, one thing is certain, all equestrians will have their sights set on this mysterious stallion of unknown origin and birth. Could it be that we are looking at a new Prince of Equestria? Or is he just an entertainment for the Sun Princess?

Lowering the paper, Arden looked forward. Only to be met with Zephir’s eyes before being yanked into the house and locked up inside. All of the curtains were closed and some sort of dark wall of fog appeared in front of every window and door inside the house.

Feeling the uneasiness from the stares melt away slowly, Arden looked at his savior that had her back turned to him. She still had his wrist tightly held in her grasp.

“Thanks for the help, Chrysalis,” Arden said through the link. “I was about to lose there. How did-”

“I WANT IT!” Chrysalis cried through the link before tackling Arden and pinning him to the ground.

Author's Notes:

And here is another one!

Sorry for the delay, I had to make sure my last semester of theory studies went well before focusing on something else. If I failed this one, I would be majorly screwed.

I hope you enjoy this one!!

Thanks for the support everyone!! Tell me what you thought about it!

And sorry about the cliffhanger!