Brace for Impact

by Dustin deWynde

First published 16th of December, 2011

Twilight makes a new acquaintance, but when Pinkie opens old wounds, can the new friendship survive?

(Warning: some violence and gore. It's kinda intense, but I promise that it's nothing like Cupcakes. Enjoy the ride...)

In the midst of one of the powerful storms in Ponyville history, Twilight Sparkle discovers a pony in peril and races to her rescue, saving her in the nick of time. The stranger introduces herself as Impact Hammer, a unicorn from Silicanter Valley, the most technologically advanced village in Equestria. Twilight invites her into her home to recover, where the two soon learn that their lives and lifestyles bear many striking similarities...

Impact quickly makes her presence known, her genuine selflessness making her a respected part of the Ponyville neighborhood. However, when an unfortunate misunderstanding brings bad memories to the surface and causes her to lose her temper, she inadvertently places those new friendships, and her good reputation, in serious jeopardy.

Will she discover the beautiful tomorrow she deserves or wander forever through the shadows of her yesteryears? Can the Mane Six find the strength to stand together and save this lost soul from her most dangerous enemy...herself?

Rainstorms and Renegades

The starry skies over Ponyville were turning dark, much more so than usual for a warm summer’s night, creating an ominous cliffhanger for today’s chapter in the storybook known as life. Thick storm clouds had begun to blacken the world above the usually bright and cheery village. Heavy winds blew in from the west, violently rustling all trees in their path. Lightning crackled in the distance, with the boom of thunder close behind. Torrential downpours of rain descended from the sky. Birds huddled in their nests, bunnies scampered into their burrows, squirrels darted into their dens, and ponies of all shapes, sizes, and colors sealed themselves away in their homes, clinging tightly to their loved ones and bracing for the impending danger. Every creature in Equestria was tucked away, safe and sound, sheltered from the fury of the storm…All except for one.

A lone weary traveler pulling a wagon had wandered out of the Everfree Forest…and right into the crosshairs of the relentless tempest. She sighed, hoping that the forces of nature would’ve been kinder to her during this leg of her journey. The forces of nature are always pleased to find somepony new to play with…but they never take good care of their toys, and they never play nicely.

Suddenly, a bright flash carved through the darkness, blinding her. A lightning bolt had struck a tree, sending a scorched massive limb hurtling to the ground as wooden shrapnel fell like rain. The tree limb landed with a heavy thud, scaring her half to death. The wagon’s wheels clipped the edge of a steep hill and slid over the edge, pulling the traveler down with it. In a last-ditch effort to avoid a grisly demise, she wrapped her forelegs around an exposed tree root and clung to it for dear life. She started screaming at the top of her lungs as she struggled against the wagon’s weight. She fought valiantly against the irresistible pull of the almighty power of gravity, but eventually lost her grip and fell.

She fell down…down…down…and landed with a SPLAT in a cold, wet mud puddle. She took several deep breaths and rejoiced her good fortune, but as she struggled to get free, the slimy substance slowly began to pull her under. A horrified grimace crept across her face as she realized that she had landed in the center of a sinkhole. Even though a thick glob of mud was obscuring her vision, her gaze drifted skyward as she cast an ungrateful sneer toward the heavens.

“Out of the frying pan and into the fire.” she grumbled, “Perfect. Just…Bucking…PERFECT.”

Rescue and Refuge

“Spike! Close the windows!” a purple unicorn cried as she perused the Equestrian Farmer’s Almanac, a book she’d borrowed from her best friend Applejack for this very purpose. “If I’m reading this almanac correctly, tonight is supposed to be the peak of Equestria’s autumn storm season! I hope nopony gets stuck outside in this weather…” she sighed.

“So do I!” the purple dragon said as a thunderclap shook the sky. “WHOA!” he yelped, rushing to the windows, closing and latching them without hesitation.

Twilight Sparkle closed her balcony door as lightning crackled and thunder resounded outside, but as one sound rang out above the rest, she froze. It definitely wasn’t a storm noise. She reopened the door and stepped out onto the balcony, immediately exposing herself to nature’s fury.

“Spike! Grab my binoculars and get up here, quick!’ she shouted over the storm. Spike grabbed the visual enhancement device from a drawer and raced up the stairs to the balcony.

“What is it, Twilight? Why are you outside in the rain?” he asked worriedly.

“I’m not sure,” she said quizzically, “but I think I just heard somepony scream.” Using her magical aura, she lifted the binoculars to her eyes and scanned the horizon. Only when she heard the mismatched sound again could she pinpoint its source. She adjusted the focus on her binoculars. “OH NO!” she shouted in terror.

“What’s going on?”

“See for yourself, Spike.”

He jumped onto her back as she passed him the binoculars, gazed in the direction she pointed, and saw the unthinkable. Out in the distance, a pony was screaming for help. He didn’t recognize her face, but he did recognize that she was trapped in a brown puddle…and she was sinking. Fast.

“I think she’s stuck!” he cried, “We have to help her!”

“So why are we still standing here?” she replied, “Let’s go!”

As Spike clung tightly to her back, Twilight raced downstairs and out the door, only to collide into an orange pony with a blonde mane. A red stallion came galloping up the path behind her, a coil of rope draped around his neck.

“Applejack!? Big Macintosh!?” Twilight said in shock.

“What are you two doing here?” Spike finished.

“Ah heard somepony scream, but Ah can’t figure out where it came from!” the orange pony said impatiently.

“Nope.” the stallion replied, shaking his head.

“There’s a pony on the edge of town that got stuck in quicksand!” Spike rambled frantically.

“Ain’t no quicksand ‘round Ponyville, sugarcube!” Applejack said fearfully. “We got mud holes, and they ain’t like tha ones Aloe and Lotus got down at tha spa. They’re crazy dangerous. Got tha ropes, Big Mac?”

“Eeyup.” he replied.

“She’s about a mile and a half this way!” Twilight said, pointing a hoof in the direction of the stranded pony.

“She’s got a wagon with her, too.” Spike added.

“Horseapples!” she grumbled. “That’ll only pull her down faster! Lead tha way, Twi’!”

Another scream pierced the night, and the three ponies, with Spike clinging to Twilight’s mane, galloped off towards the noise, praying to Celestia that they weren’t too late.

“Haul apples, everypony!” Applejack shouted, spurring her friends to gallop faster. “Lives are at stake!”

“Hello!” Twilight called as they approached the area she saw in her binoculars.

“Is anypony out there?” Applejack hollered hopefully.

“OVER HERE!!!” echoed a desperate response. “SOMEPONY HELP ME!!!”

Twilight, Big Mac, and Applejack raced toward the sound and saw the true nature of the crisis. The pony in peril, now easily identifiable as a unicorn, was submerged up to her chest in the sinkhole. The wheels of her wagon were almost halfway submerged in the slimy brown muck.

“Is somepony there?” she asked, looking desperately in all directions, “I can’t see!”

Big Macintosh took a careful step toward the sinkhole and saw the thick clumps of mud covering her eyes.

“Eeyup.” the stallion said loudly above the sounds of the storm.

The trapped pony turned towards the deep masculine voice. Twilight’s horn started to glow purple as she magically lifted the mud from the unicorn’s face. She blinked, revealing irises as red as blood.

“Oh, thank Celestia you found me!” she shouted thankfully.

“Rest easy, sugarcube.” Applejack said calmly. “Ya couldn’t have asked fer more capable hooves if ya tried. What happened here?”

“I got…spooked by a falling tree…then my wagon started rolling…and I lost control!” She struggled to catch her breath. “Please help me!” she begged, “I’m sinking fast!”

“Everything is alright.” Twilight called. “Just stay calm. We’ll get you out of this mess. My name is Twilight-”

“Save the introductions for later, Twilight!” Spike interjected, “Knowing our names won’t be very useful if she’s dead! We’ve got to get her out of there!”

“Right…” she said, blushing in embarrassment. “Can you unhitch yourself?” she called to the victim.

“No!” the anonymous pony replied. “When I landed, this gunk splattered into my eyes. I couldn’t see anything!”

“Well, that’s a snag…” Applejack said, “Anypony got any other ideas?”

“Eeyup.” the red stallion agreed as he passed her a rope. Her eyes lit up and she tied one end of it to her tail.

“Alright, sugarcube. Ah’m gonna try ta lasso tha back end of yer wagon. If we pull just right, it should pop right out and drag ya with it! Do ya understand?”

The unknown unicorn nodded. Applejack carefully darted around to the opposite side of the mud hole as Twilight and Big Mac followed close behind. She twirled her lasso into a massive loop and let it fly, where it landed squarely around the cabin of the wagon. She gave it a firm yank, cinching it tight.

“Gotcha!” Applejack cried. “Now everypony grab on and pull!”

The four friends pulled with all their strength, and the wagon began to slowly slide back, bringing the stranded unicorn up and out with it. Eventually, the wagon emerged from the sinkhole with a slimy squelch. Four wet hoofsteps signaled the unicorn’s return to terra firma. Her body was shrouded with a dark blue traveling cloak. Stained from the flanks down with icky brown mud, the loose, flowing garment covered her body completely from neck to tail and nearly scraped the ground with its length. Her striped mane was dark blue and black, flowing like water down the right side of her head with an angled-cut style, long in front and shortening toward the back. Her tail was similarly colored and styled, but nopony could tell at that instant because most of it was coated with dark brown mud. Her coat had a metallic silver color, albeit slightly tarnished with mud. Finally, her crimson eyes were wet with tears, both from the joy of being rescued and the irritating grit of the dirt.

“Thank you all so much!” she gasped in exasperation, blinking the excess dirt away as she unhitched herself from her wagon, “I thought I was a goner!”

“Aw, shucks!” Applejack blushed, “It was nothin’. Yer safe now, and that’s what matters.”

“So…” she asked breathlessly, “Who do I have to thank for saving me? I still have some mud in my eyes, so everything’s kinda blurry.”

“Name’s Applejack. The red one’s mah brother, Big Macintosh, but everypony just calls him Big Mac.”

“Eeyup.”

“I’m Twilight Sparkle, and this is my dragon assistant, Spike.”

“Hi! What’s your name?”

“Impact Hammer.” she replied with a shudder. She tried to take a few steps, but stumbled and collapsed. “Sorry. My legs are…numb from the cold.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Impact Hammer!” Twilight said as she looked up at the sky. “This storm can only get worse. Do you have a place to get out of this storm?” she asked.

“No, I don’t.” Impact said sadly, hanging her head.

“Oh…” Twilight sighed. “In that case,” she said with a grin, “you’re more than welcome to spend the night with me and Spike in the library.”

“You don’t have to do that!” she replied, slightly overwhelmed, “Wait. Did you say library?” She regained her composure. “No! I couldn’t! I wouldn’t want to impose on you! I don’t want to be any more of a burden than I’ve already been…”

“Nonsense!” the purple unicorn declared firmly. “You’re soaked to the bone and shivering like mad! You need to get inside before you get any worse, and I won’t take no for an answer.”

“Maybe you’re right…but how can I get inside when I can’t move?” Impact asked, still shivering on the ground. “I need my wagon, too! I can’t just leave all of my supplies behind!”

“Hmm… Wait! I’ve got an idea! Applejack, can you pull her wagon?”

“Sure can, sugarcube!”

“Big Macintosh, do you think you can carry her back to the library for me?”

“Eeyup.” he said with a determined look in his eye.

“Good.” Twilight said, lifting the shivering unicorn onto his back with her magic.

“Sorry about the mud…” Impact replied with a blush.

“Nope.” the red stallion replied, shaking his head.

“What?” she replied, slightly puzzled.

“Big Mac’s a stallion of few words,” Applejack enlightened, “but he purdy much meant ‘Don’t mention it.’ We Apples ain’t afraid ta get a little dirty.”

“Eeyup.”

“So I see...” Impact said with a smile. “Thank—”

Lightning streaked across the sky with a FLASH and a BOOM of thunder echoed over Ponyville.

“OK!” Spike said, thoroughly scared, “I think we should go home now!”

“Yeah…” the purple unicorn whimpered.

“I reckon so.” the orange pony agreed.

“Eeyup.” the red stallion added.

Twilight turned tail and led the way back to Ponyville, with Spike seated on her back. Big Macintosh was behind her, hauling the shivering silver unicorn to safety. Applejack brought up the rear, pulling Impact’s wagon.

Safely balanced on the red stallion’s back, she could feel her rescuer’s lungs expanding and contracting as they drew vital oxygen into his body. She could hear his heartbeat, the rhythm of life, driving his life force forward in an endless cycle. As Big Mac’s involuntary vibrations left his body and diffused into her own, Impact Hammer closed her eyes to rest, her lips curling into a subtle smile. Although today was the first day somepony actually assisted her in her time of need, today was not the first day she had cheated death.

The five quickly retreated to the library to escape the brutal weather. Applejack parked the wagon outside and raced inside the open door, her entire body soaking wet. She had a set of dark blue saddlebags draped over her back, which Impact had asked her to retrieve from the wagon before she fell asleep on Big Macintosh’s back.

“Whoo! Some weather we’re havin’, huh?”

“You could say that…” Twilight said enthusiastically as she trotted to the bathroom to grab some towels. “Just set her down anywhere, Big Mac.” she called. “Don’t worry about the mud. I’ve been meaning to mop the floors anyway.”

“Are we there yet?” Impact groaned sleepily as she roused from her nap.

“Eeyup.” he said, lowering his body to the ground.

“Need any help sugarcube?” Applejack asked as she slipped the saddlebags off her back.

“No thank you.” she said as she stepped down, “Besides, I think I’ve warmed up enough to stand again.” She took a couple practice steps around Big Macintosh, then smiled and rewarded him with a light kiss on the cheek. “My hero…”

“Well, well, big brother!” Applejack said with a knowing chuckle, “Looks like yer new friend has ‘warmed up’ ta ya quite nicely!”

He didn’t say anything. He just gave his little sister a threatening look.

“You’re both welcome to stay, too.” Twilight mentioned invitingly, “I don’t want you getting stuck in this weather like our silver friend here...”

“Nope.” Big Mac said defiantly, shaking his head.

“Thanks fer lookin’ out fer us, Twi’,” the orange pony replied, “But we gotta head back ta tha farm. Y’know, make sure Granny Smith and Apple Bloom are safe and all.”

“I guess that’s a good reason.” Twilight said, using her magical aura to open the door. The two elder Apple siblings galloped off into the rain. “Get home safely!” she called.

“Will do!” Applejack hollered back.

“Eeyup!” Big Mac hollered back.

“Spike, could you run a bath for our guest?” Twilight asked as she closed the door. “I think she still needs to warm up a bit.”

“Sure, Twilight.” the dragon replied as he walked to the bathroom.

“Now, let’s get that cloak off of you.” she said as her horn started glowing purple. Surrounded by a purple aura, the cloak started to rise.

Impact’s eyes widened.

“NO!” she shouted suddenly, her silver horn glowing white. The aura permeating the fabric changed colors, shifting from purple to white as she nullified Twilight’s magic and forced her cloak back down…until it suddenly ripped down her right flank. “Oh no!” she cried, “My favorite cloak! It’s ruined!”

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t mean to sound rude, Twilight, but do you have something else I could wear by any chance? Something that covers me as completely as possible?” Impact asked anxiously, “My cloak is the only outfit I brought with me.”

“I think I might, but why so concealing?”

“It just has to be!” Impact responded, heaving a heavy sigh, “I-I just can't let them see..." Her voice lowered to a horrified whisper. "My cloak is the only shield I have, and now it’s broken.”

“I understand completely,” Twilight said reassuringly, tenderly placing a hoof on her shoulder, “but at least let me wash it for you.”

“Sure. I’d like that.”

“We can head down to Carousel Boutique in the morning. My friend Rarity is the best seamstress in Ponyville, and if anypony can fix that rip, she can.”

“All set!” Spike called from down the hall. “Down here, Impact.”

“On my way, Spike.” she replied humbly, “Thank you again, Twilight Sparkle. You really didn’t have to do all this for me. You’re a true friend.”

“You’re welcome, Impact Hammer, and I insist!” she assured, smiling warmly. “Towels are on the towel rack, washcloths are in the drawer, and I think there’s a spare bathrobe in the cabinet. Take as much time as you need. I’ll get dinner started while you wash up. Is there anything specific that you wanted to eat tonight?”

“Could I trouble you for a cup of tea? Otherwise, I’ll just have whatever you’re having.”

“Would Rose-Mint Rhapsody be alright?” the purple unicorn asked. “It’s all I have left at the moment.”

“It’s my favorite blend!” she cheered gleefully, “Yes, please!”

“You got it!” Twilight said with a wink and a smile.

Recovery and Relapse

Impact Hammer emerged from Twilight’s bathroom a new unicorn. On the road, her definition of getting clean was just jumping into the clearest body of water she could find. Had it really been that long since she’d properly bathed? She didn’t know, and at the moment, she didn’t care. The warm and fluffy white bathrobe felt so soft against her body. Her shimmering silver coat was stain-free. The water had rinsed the dirt from her eyes and face, thus restoring her perfect 20/20 vision. Lastly, her hair smelled like pineapple. She liked pineapple.

“There was more mud on me than I expected.” she called as she exited the bathroom.

“I wouldn’t be surprised.” Twilight chuckled, “You were stuck pretty deep.”

“I rinsed away as much of it as I could and put everything back where I found it. I’ll clean up the rest of the mud after dinner.”

“Hoo.” said an unfamiliar voice.

“Me.” the silver unicorn said, slightly confused, “I said I’ll clean up rest of the mud.”

“Hoo.”

“Me!”

Impact slowly stepped into the kitchen to see Twilight stirring a large pot. A big brown bird was perched on her head.

“Hoo.” the bird called, turning its head a full 180 degrees to look at her.

“Who?” she asked. She pointed a hoof at the bird.

“Don’t start the Abbott and Coltstello routine with her, Owloysius!” Spike scolded, “She’s been through more than enough tonight!”

“Who?” Impact asked again, still pointing at the bird.

“This is my pet owl, Owloysius.” Twilight explained, “He helps me out around the library at night when Spike can’t stay awake.”

“Hoo!” the owl hooted happily.

“Oh…that’s who.” she replied. “Well, ‘Hoo’ to you, too!”

“Your collection is…quite impressive.” she admitted as she perused the unicorn’s vast selection. “It’s so different, yet it feels like it hasn’t changed a bit.” She shuddered unexpectedly at the thought. “Whoa…déjà vu.”

She found several books that piqued her interests, including one on equine anatomy that she’d been dying to read for the past year, and strode into the kitchen, pleased with her choices, when the books she was levitating suddenly stopped. Their auras changed from white to purple and they flew back their respective spots on the shelves.

“Sorry, Impact.” Twilight said as she set the table, “No books at dinnertime.”

Impact glanced at Spike with a look that said ‘Are you serious?’

Spike replied with a shrug that wordlessly said ‘Hey! Her roof, her rules…’

Impact joined the unicorn and dragon at the dinner table, where a plate of daffodil sandwiches, a bowl of carrot soup, and a steaming mug of Rose-Mint Rhapsody tea awaited her.

“Everything smells so wonderful!” she said, levitating the steaming mug of tea to her lips and taking a delicate sip. “Ahhh…” she sighed contently, cooing in serene bliss as the cool, tingly aftertaste tickled her throat, “Delicious!”

“So, where are you from?” Twilight asked, taking a bite of her sandwich.

“It’s a place called Silicanter Valley.” Impact informed, “It’s about two hundred miles northeast of here. It’s smaller than Ponyville, but it’s one of the most technologically advanced villages in Equestria. Silicanter tech is at least thirty to forty years ahead of the rest of Equestria, possibly the entire world, but then again…any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”

“Do you mean like jetpacks and anti-gravity boots and stuff?” Spike asked as his eyes lit up.

“Not exactly, but you’re in the ballpark. I once read about this orange earth pony that endured some rather remarkable physics experiments, but barely escaped with her life. She couldn’t speak, but she could write, and she described a homicidal computer system and a device that could make blue and orange holes. What was that place called again?” She racked her brain for the answer. “Fissure? No… Orifice? No… Breach? No…” She shrugged, forfeiting this battle with her memory, and took another bite of her sandwich. “Eh, it’ll come back to me eventually.”

“Sounds like a pretty impressive place.” Spike chimed in.

“It is.” the silver unicorn replied, “I lived there until I was eight, then I spent six years studying in Canterlot, and I’ve been traveling all over Equestria ever since, but I always visit Ponyville every year. It’s a tradition that my parents started and I intend to keep alive.”

“Wait…You went to school in Canterlot?” Twilight asked. “What school did you go to? I go to Celestia’s…”

“…School for Gifted Unicorns? So did I.”

“REALLY!?” Twilight said in shock, “How did you get in?”

“I was hoof-picked by the Sun Princess herself, and she personally oversaw my entrance exam.”

Spike almost dropped his soup bowl mid-gulp.

“NO WAY!!!” she shouted in awe, “What was it like?”

“I had to fix a mirror.” Impact replied, taking a large sip of her soup.

“Huh?” she questioned as her train of excitement jumped the track.

“My instructor presented a full-length mirror and then bucked it, shattering it into dozens of pieces. He told me that I had one hour to fix it, and could only use one spell to do it.”

“That sounds pretty tough.” Twilight admitted.

“And you pulled it off?” Spike asked as he lowered his soup bowl.

“Oh, I did more than just pull it off.” Impact chuckled, nomming one half of her sandwich. “I repaired it in thirty minutes by knocking the frame to the floor, reassembling the mirror like a jigsaw puzzle, using no magic whatsoever, then fusing the shards. Then, just for giggles, I bucked the mirror again and I fixed it in thirty seconds flat by collecting the shards magically and just lifting the glass into the frame.”

“Whoa!” he exclaimed, “That’s pretty fast!”

“I solved his puzzle twice.” Impact finished, “Celestia was sitting in the audience." She drained her soup bowl of every last drop and moved on to her tea. "He didn’t hesitate to pass me.” She sipped it slowly, savoring the flavors and aroma.

“If we went to the same school, then why did I never see you in any of my classes?”

“Actually, you probably did. I just know how to hide in plain sight.”

“When did you make time for friends?” she asked, before she carefully took a sip of her soup.

“I didn’t.” Impact replied, polishing off her sandwich.

Twilight did a chunky orange spit take.

“WHAT!?” she yelled, before levitating some wet rags to clean up the mess she’d made.

“My parents always taught me that education was my number one priority. I tried making friends once or twice, but whenever I showed them my true colors, they just laughed at me, which drove me even further into my studies.”

“Wow…I know the feeling...That’s how I was...at least until Princess Celestia pushed me to make new friends here in Ponyville.”

“I never got that kind of push from anypony, and eventually, I just gave up on friendship altogether. I engrossed myself so heavily in the material that I graduated two years early.”

“Gave up on friendship? Why would somepony like you do that?” Spike asked. “You seem so nice!”

“Because I always wind up scaring everypony, be it with my scars or my personality.”

“If it makes you feel any better, you can show me whatever it is you feel you need to hide.” she said soothingly. “I promise I won’t make fun of you.”

“I can sense your sincerity, Twilight, but I’ve heard that line from a thousand different ponies, and I’m not falling into that trap again. I’m just not ready, but when I am, I promise I’ll let you know.”

“Is that a Pinkie Pie Promise?”

“A what promise?”

“A Pinkie Pie Promise!” Twilight repeated. “If you make one, you can’t break it for any reason, otherwise you will lose the pony you made it with as a friend…FOREVER!!!” She slurred her ‘FOREVER’ just like Pinkie Pie did when she first told her about it.

“Sure. It’s a Pinkie Pie Promise. Show me how to make it official. There’s almost always a song and dance tied into things like this…”

“Just move how I move while repeating after me.”

“Alright.”

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” Twilight said as she mimed the motions of the promise, ending with the infernal eyeball jab.

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye…OUCH!” Impact mirrored. “How can anypony stand doing that!?” she groaned, rubbing her eye.

“Meh.” Twilight replied with a shrug, “You get used to it.” Out of the blue, she yawned. “Wow! I think I outdid myself tonight. That meal was delicious, and I’m suddenly so tired…”

“Me too. We really should get ready for bed.” Spike chimed in, “I’m exhausted from all that pulling.”

“Oh please, Spike. Big Mac did most of the work. You barely lifted a claw.”

“Hey!” he retorted, pointing an accusing claw as he yawned, “I helped and you know it!”

“I’m just joking, Spike…” Twilight giggled.

“Yeah, what she said. You two can head on up to bed. I’ll take care of the dishes tonight.” Impact said as she stumbled and dropped a bowl. “Darn it!” she cried, swearing under her breath. She magically reassembled the broken bowl, filled the sink with warm, soapy water, levitated the remaining dishes into the suds, and started scrubbing away at them with a sponge.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Twilight took a closer look at Impact, “You’re still looking a little…unwell.”

“It’s alright, Twilight! I have everything…under control…”

Impact thoroughly scrubbed and rinsed every dish and utensil and placed them in the sink strainer to dry while Twilight laid out a sleeping bag and a pillow for her guest.

“You can sleep here tonight. It’s not much, but…”

“Trust me.” she interrupted, “This is heaven compared to the conditions I’m used to.”

“Well, good night!” Twilight said as she turned out the lights and walked upstairs.

“Good night.” Impact replied as she snuggled in for the night.

All three quickly fell fast asleep…until several hours later, when a loud scream rocked the library like an earthquake, startling Spike and Twilight so much that they fell out of their beds in fright.

“Twilight…” Spike stammered, “Wha-what was th-that?”

“I don’t know,” Twilight replied, her heart hammering in her chest, “But sounds like it came from downstairs…”

A series of loud crashes frightened them further.

“What are you doing!?” a voice rang out, “STOP IT! GET AWAY FROM ME! NO!!!!”

“Impact!” they gasped simultaneously.

Legs trembling, they quickly made their way downstairs into the main hall and found Impact standing in the middle of what looked like a literary warzone.

“What in Equestria is going on in here?” Twilight gasped.

“I…TOLD…YOU…TO…LEAVE…ME…ALONE!!!” the silver unicorn roared ferociously as her horn glowed bright white.

Standing still in the center of the library, books ensnared in white auras flew off their shelves like rockets, spinning and whirling in every possible direction, leaving welts, bruises, and papercuts as they ricocheted off of her face and body.

Twilight couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Impact Hammer was fighting with herself…and losing!

The unicorn kept shrieking and screeching until she stopped just as abruptly as she started. The floating books lost their magical luster and plummeted to the floor. Impact let out a hoarse, wounded gasp and her body sank to the floor like a stone, her face flushed and her breathing labored.

“What’s wrong with her?” Spike wondered, half-terrified and half-asleep, “Is she…possessed or something?”

“Nope.” Twilight replied. She raised Impact’s eyelids and found her pupils darting about randomly. “Textbook somnambulism. She was just sleepwalking…I mean sleep-fighting, in an attempt to combat her night terrors. It was nothing more than a very bad dream. Let’s go back to bed, Spike. I’ll get the earplugs, just in case…”

As the two retreated to the stairwell, Impact suddenly began to speak between breaths…while still completely asleep.

“Twilight…I’m sorry…I’ll clean this up…please go…back to bed…I didn’t mean…to startle you…” she wheezed with a heavy rasp as she tossed and turned.

Her somniloquy became garbled and unintelligible after that, but her horn started glowing again as the scattered books and other paraphernalia rose into the air and flew back to their original places, completely repaired and undamaged. Her injuries healed instantaneously. Everything that had been moved during her internal struggle was reset as if it had never moved in the first place. As order triumphed over chaos, Twilight gingerly stepped toward the sleeping unicorn and checked her eyes again, reconfirming that Impact was still fast asleep.

“OK…that was pretty impressive.” Twilight whispered. “Now let’s follow her lead...”

They returned to their beds and slept soundly, uninterrupted for the rest of the night.

Restitution and Recognition

As dawn broke over Ponyville, a high pitched-squeal echoed from somewhere in town, startling and confounding everypony within earshot.

Impact Hammer woke up with the sunrise…and with a dry cough, too.

Uh-oh, she thought. Did I have that dream again?

She rose from her sleeping bag, rolled it up, and placed in with the dirty laundry. She walked into the kitchen for a quick glass of water to soothe her throat, pulled a plastic case out of her saddlebags, and trotted off to the little fillies’ room to get ready for the day. As she brushed her teeth and combed her mane, she noticed her traveling cloak hanging over the edge of the bathtub. It was still ripped, but freshly laundered, just as Twilight promised. She folded it neatly and returned to the main reading room, where she slipped it inside her bag alongside the travel-size toolkit she always carried, in case of...

Somepony started pounding on the door.

“Twilight! Open up!” a voice called, “I need your help! It’s an emergency!”

That magic nine-letter ‘E’ word was all Impact needed to hear. Not bothering to take off the bathrobe she wore last night, she slipped her saddlebags on and raced to the door, opening it with a flourish.

“Hello?” she called.

She looked down to see an orange pegasus filly with a purple mane take an apprehensive step away from her.

“You’re not Twilight…” she replied shakily.

“No, I’m not.” Impact admitted, closing the door behind her so the conversation wouldn’t wake her friends.

“So, who are you?” the filly asked.

“My name is Impact Hammer.”

“Out-of-towner?”

The silver unicorn nodded.

“I got stuck in a mud hole during the storm last night.” she explained, “Twilight helped pull me out and let me spend the night here in her library. What’s your name?”

“I’m Scootaloo,” she said, introducing herself in a hurry, “and I need to talk to Twilight right now! Where is she?”

“She’s still sleeping. What’s the matter?”

“Something bad went down at the Carousel Boutique!” she said fearfully, “Sweetie Belle asked me to get help, so I came to ask Twilight!”

“Carousel Boutique…” Hmm… she thought, Twilight mentioned that place yesterday. “I might be able to help, but I don’t know where this Carousel Boutique is… Could you tell me?”

“Tell you? Nah…that’d take too long. I’ll show you!” Scootaloo said as she jumped onto a strange blue machine.

“What is this?”

“Oh. It’s my scooter!” she said with a smile. “I’m not the greatest flyer yet, so I use this to get around.” She pointed to the small cart attached to the back of the scooter. “Hop in!”

“OK.” Impact said as she carefully stepped aboard. It was a little small for her tastes, but it was bearable.

“Here we go!” Scootaloo cheered as she revved the engine and took off.

After deftly weaving through the twists and turns of Ponyville’s streets, Scootaloo stopped at a very elegant-looking building. Impact could hear agonized moans emanating from within.

“Sweetie Belle! Apple Bloom!” she called, hopping off her scooter, “I’m back!”

Two fillies appeared in the doorway, a white unicorn with a pink-and-purple mane and a cream-colored pony with a HUGE red bow in her red mane.

“Did you get Twilight?” the white filly asked with a worried look on her face.

“No…” Scootaloo admitted, “but I ran into somepony else who offered to help.” She directed their attention to the silver unicorn behind her. “I made a new friend!”

“Hello!” Impact said sweetly.

“Well, Ah reckon somepony is better than nopony…” the cream-colored filly sighed.

“So what seems to be the problem?” Impact asked.

“It’d be easier ta just show ya.” Apple Bloom said. “Come on!” she shouted as the three fillies ran inside with Impact following behind cautiously.

As Impact entered the Carousel Boutique, she stopped and stared in wonder at the beautiful dresses displayed all over the room.

“Rarity!” Sweetie Belle shouted, “Are you alright?”

As Sweetie Belle’s high-pitched yell broke her out of her trance, Impact noticed the “emergency” that Scootaloo wanted Twilight Sparkle to fix.

Across the room, a white unicorn winced in pain and cursed under her breath. She could see that her curly purple mane was caught in the inner workings of a sewing machine. Adding insult to injury, her tail was caught in a closed window.

“Oh, this is so humiliating…” a cheery, melodic voice whined, “I’m fine, Sweetie Belle…AH! Did you find Twilight?”

“Unfortunately, no…” she replied.

“Then who did you…GAH!” Rarity shrieked dreadfully at the sight of the silver unicorn. “Sweetie Belle!” she said angrily, “How could you bring a total stranger into my shop at a time like this…especially one as poorly-dressed as her!?” The purple-maned unicorn averted her gaze to her visitor. “I’m sorry, miss, but the Carousel Boutique is closed at the moment…”

“My sincere apologies for my unforeseen intrusion, Miss Rarity,” Impact interrupted, “but I can comprehend your quandary entirely. I too have intimate knowledge of the displeasuring sensations of absolute entrapment, and that is precisely why I intend to assist you. If you could kindly elucidate the nature of your predicament, I shall attempt to extract you from your vengeful machine posthaste.”

“Oh my…” Rarity gushed, a crimson blush burning across her cheeks, “Such etiquette… and such vocabulary…” Rarity turned to her little sister with a confused look on her face. “Umm… Sweetie Belle, could you translate?”

“She’s here to help get you unstuck. Just tell her what happened and she’ll get you out.”

“Dictionary…” Scootaloo said slyly.

“Chicken…” Sweetie Belle retorted.

“Touché…” the orange pegasus acknowledged with narrowed eyes and a nod.

“Forgive my outburst, miss…miss…I’m deeply sorry, but I don’t know your name.” Rarity admitted.

“Impact Hammer.” she replied, “Answers now, questions later.”

“Very well, Impact Hammer,” the unicorn continued, “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a seamstress.”

“I’ve noticed.” Impact replied, closing her eyes briefly so she could roll them without Rarity noticing.

“I was working on a custom-tailored dress for a very important client of mine when a boorishly uncouth insect flew in through the window and began flying in circles about my personal space, buzzing obnoxiously all the while. I shook my head to try to shoo it away, but in my moment of distraction, my mane fell into the path of the needle. By the time I realized what had happened, I had stitched it into the dress. I struggled to free myself, but that only made everything worse, and in my fit of anxiety, I accidentally brought the open window crashing down on my tail. Oh, how embarrassing…” she finished with a whine.

“I tried to open it,” Sweetie Belle added, “but I wasn’t strong enough…”

“So I see…” Impact said, getting a good look at the window and smiling to herself slightly. “This window isn’t hard to open…when you unlock it first…” Her horn glowed white, the latch slid open with a shrill creak, and she effortlessly popped the window open as the three fillies simultaneously facehoofed themselves.

“Ah told y’all tha window was locked…” Apple Bloom said sarcastically.

“Thank you.” Rarity replied with a sigh of relief.

“The sewing machine, however, will be more difficult.”

“Hey! Here’s a pair of scissors!” Scootaloo said hopefully, “Why not just cut her mane loose?”

“ABSOLUTELY NOT!” Rarity yelled.

“Why not?” Sweetie Belle pouted. “It’s so simple!”

“I’m sorry, girls, but I’d rather DIE than part with my luscious locks!” she whined, stomping her hoof to clarify where she stood on the subject. “NO! NO! NO! NO! N-YEEOWW!” she shrieked, recoiling in excruciating pain.

“What’s wrong?” Sweetie Belle cried.

“I think I stepped on a tack! OWOWOWOWOWW!!!” Rarity squirmed feverishly, trying to make the pain go away. “Get it out. Get it out! GET! IT! OUT!”

“Please, Rarity! Hold still! You’re making everything worse!” Impact warned as the pitch of her whining grew higher and higher.

Sweetie Belle started crying because her sister was crying, then Scootaloo started flipping out, and finally, Apple Bloom lost it as well.

“Everypony, please remain calm!” she shouted in vain.

Unable to get through to anypony, Impact sighed as took a cautious step back. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

“I apologize in advance for this,” she whispered, “but you’ve left me no choice!”

She took the deepest breath she possibly could, and…

Twilight Sparkle and Spike had just arrived at the front door of the Carousel Boutique when every window in the building simultaneously exploded, followed by an ear-splitting, bloodcurdling scream. The unicorn tackled her dragon to the dirt, quickly casting a shield spell. She expected thousands of shards to bombard them, but the razor-sharp rainfall never came. Twilight slowly looked up, as did Spike, and they saw thousands of fragments of glass hovering in the air above and around the building. Rarity’s home now resembled a snow globe that had been vigorously shaken, then frozen in time. Suddenly, the shards began to move, almost as if time had realized its mistake and was willingly correcting itself. The shards of window glass drifted back into their frames, breaking in reverse as if the building was miraculously healing its wounds, thousands of cracks sealing instantly as if they never existed. Twilight raced inside to discover her best friend, her best friend’s sister, and her best friend’s sister’s best friends all clamping their hooves over their ears.

“Forgive my recklessness, but you are free…” Impact said with a flip of her mane as she plucked the offending tack from her hoof, having already untangled a terrified Rarity from her sewing machine. “Now it is I who requires your assistance.”

“OK. Once my magic kicks in, you have got to teach me that trick!” Sweetie Belle swooned, her eyes sparkling as she became totally starstruck.

“How in Equestria did you do that?” Rarity asked, thoroughly perplexed.

“It was a simple matter of disassembling the machine, freeing your mane, and then reassembling it. The noise was a distraction. You’ll probably need to restart that stitch, but at least you’re not tangled up anymore.”

“Oh…thank you!”

“Good morning, Rarity!” Twilight said with a nervously cheery smile. “I noticed my friend’s cloak was missing, so I figured she came here.”

“Twilight! Spike! Always a pleasure!” she greeted with a wince as Sweetie Belle stuck a bandage onto her hoof where the tack had been, “That was some storm last night! Did you sleep well?”

“Oh, we slept well, alright!” Spike chuckled, his voice heavy with sarcasm, “One might say that last night was a real scream.”

Horseapples! Impact thought as she facehoofed herself. I did have that dream again.

“I’m really sorry about last night, you two.” she said to Twilight and Spike with a sigh. “I’m also sorry for breaking your windows, Rarity. I’ve had anxiety issues ever since I was a filly, and whenever I get angry or scared, my magic shifts into maximum overdrive to the point where it becomes almost unpredictable, but I’ve learned how to fix whatever it breaks.”

“Impressive!” Twilight said, nodding in approval.

“That’s some serious control!” Spike noted.

“So, Impact Hammer,” Rarity said curiously, “What was the real reason for your visit, aside from rescuing me and scaring the daylights out of me?”

“I ripped my favorite cloak last night, and Twilight recommended you to fix it.”

“Well, why didn’t you say so?” the seamstress replied, “May I see it?”

“Should I go put it on?”

“A splendid idea!” She pointed a hoof toward the back of the shop. “The changing rooms are behind the blue curtains. Go on. Shoo! I can’t wait to get a better look at you!”

“OK! OK! I’ll be right back…” Impact said with a slight laugh as lifted up her saddlebags and disappeared behind a curtain.

“Frankly,” Rarity whispered to Twilight, “I just wanted to get her out of that hideous thing she walked in with.” She made a disgusted face. “Who in their right mind would wear something like that?”

“She borrowed that bathrobe from me.” the purple unicorn said flatly.

“Oh…heh heh…it looks good on you, though!”

“All set! How’s this?” Impact stepped out in her cloak, displaying the ripped section.

“Wow!” Rarity gushed gleefully. “That color really beings out your mane! Umm… Oh! I-DEE-AAA!” she trilled in a singsong voice, “I know just the thing to make it perfect! Maybe some ribbons, or a subtle sapphire accent! Just let me…”

“Maybe some other time, Rarity.” Impact sighed, dissuading her graciously. “This cloak means too much to me to corrupt with trivial bells and whistles. I just need just a simple repair. Can you do it?”

“Oh… certainly, darling!” she replied as she slipped on her glasses, “Just let me take a look at…at…” She trailed off as the edges of the tear fell away in opposite directions, revealing a large portion of her right flank. Rarity’s eyes widened as she noticed something, but kept her worried expression hidden behind her glasses. “A simple blanket stitch will fix this up quite nicely.” she advised, “Just stand still.” Using her magic, the master seamstress threaded her needle with dark blue thread and fixed the ripped section with the skills of a surgeon. “And…done!”

“Wow!” Impact cheered and she turned to look at Rarity’s needlework in the mirror. “It’s perfect!” She rummaged inside her saddlebags for a moment. “How much do I owe you? I’m pretty sure I have enough in here somewhere…”

“Nonsense!” Rarity chided, “You saved my precious purple curls from an emergency visit to the manestylist! Consider it a one-time courtesy…”

“Really?” she cheered as she hugged the white unicorn, “Thank you so much!”

“You’re very welcome.” Rarity replied, hugging her back, “Any friend of Twilight’s is a friend of mine! I expect you to come back soon, though. I’ve designed outfits for everypony in Ponyville, and I think your colors will pose quite the creative challenge!”

“Challenge accepted, and I’ll try to be more careful with my cloak from now on…”

“See that you do, but if anything else should happen to it, you know who to talk to!”

“I most certainly will!”

“Oh! One last thing, and forgive me if I cross any boundaries, but that tear exposed an area most ponies wouldn’t want to conceal.”

“What do you mean?” Impact asked nervously, taking a cautious step back as her breathing became quicker and shallower.

“Because that’s where your Cutie Mark is!” Twilight cheered happily. “Everypony in Equestria loves to show off their Cutie Mark! Don’t you?”

Impact gulped, her pupils shrinking as her face paled from silver to white. Her heart started racing as a wave of old memories drenched her to the core.

She’d been caught.

“Darling, are you feeling alright?” Rarity asked worriedly, “You look like you’ve seen a ghost or something!”

I can’t go through this again, she thought to herself, It’s too soon. Please not here… Please not now…

She had to escape the madness, so she did the only thing she could think to do.

She spun on her hooves and ran out the door as fast as her legs could carry her.

“Impact! Wait!” Twilight shouted after her. “Where are you…?” she tried to yell, but she was already gone. “Why would she…run away like that?” she said with a huff, her feelings slightly bruised.

“Well, I never!” the seamstress huffed. “It’s very impolite to leave a conversation while somepony else is speaking.”

“Well, it’s Twilight’s fault that she sped off like that!” Spike scolded.

“How, Spike?” Twilight accused.

“Maybe it was something you said or did that set her off.” he retorted.

Rarity thought back to the last thing Twilight said to Impact.

Everypony in Ponyville loves to show off their Cutie Mark! Don’t you?

A full-body cloak…anxiety whenever somepony mentions Cutie Marks…why would she behave like that unless…

She remembered what she saw underneath the torn fabric and all of the pieces fit together.

“Sweet sparkling sapphires…” she gasped in bewilderment. She ran across the room, dragged out her special red couch, and fainted upon it with a sigh and a shudder.

“OK, Rarity, spill it.” Twilight demanded, “What did you see that was so bad?”

“Her…Her cloak…” she stammered.

“But you fixed the torn part!” Sweetie Belle reminded.

“Yes I did, but it’s what I saw underneath the fabric that worries me…”

“You saw her Cutie Mark! Big deal!" Scootaloo scoffed, “That’s not something worth fainting over!”

“That’s just it, Scootaloo.” Rarity admitted. “I didn’t see her Cutie Mark.”

“Are ya sure, Rarity?” Apple Bloom said, raising an eyebrow skeptically, “Ah think ya might’ve blinked or somethin’.”

“I know what I saw, Apple Bloom. I stared at it for a full ten seconds. There was nothing there. Impact Hammer does not, I repeat, does not, have a Cutie Mark.”

“But…but…How is that possible?” Twilight stammered.

“I don’t know,” Rarity replied, “but we should not try to confront her about it. She seems like a very sensitive unicorn. You know there is a logical explanation for this, Twilight, so let’s find it.”

“I’ve been searching for something good to include in my next report to the princess…” Twilight’s eyes lit up as she got an idea. “Maybe Impact has the next friendship problem I’m supposed to solve! Let’s go!”

“Spike, could you be a dear and watch the girls for me until we get back?”

“Sure, Rarity…” the dragon swooned, “Anything for you…”

“Thank you so much!” she cheered, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek as payment for his services. “Now, girls. Spike’s in charge until I get back. Please don’t make a mess while I’m gone!”

“OK, Rarity!” the three fillies replied.

The two unicorns walked out of the shop and toward the center of town, hoping to figure out this very strange problem plaguing their friend.

“Hey, Sweetie Belle.” Scootaloo whispered once the unicorns were out of earshot, “Does Rarity still have any of that gold fabric left?”

“Yeah. I think so.” the unicorn filly replied, “Why?”

“Because I think we have some work to do.”

After barreling down the streets at breakneck speed, Impact felt safe in the center of Ponyville. Nopony was chasing after her, nopony was out to get her, and everything was perfect again…

“OH NO!” came a desperate call from up above.

Impact looked up to see a yellow pegasus with a pink mane shouting at the top of her lungs, pointing at something that was plummeting out of the sky like a lead balloon.

“HE CAN’T FLY! SOMEPONY CATCH HIM!” she called.

Impact was grateful for her skills as a trotceuse, a skilled female practitioner of EPK, equine parkour, since she was ten. She raced forwards and started bouncing off of tables, chairs, and awnings, using anything she could to gain altitude. Racing across the top of a nearby building, she leapt off the edge of the roof and caught the small animal in her outstretched hooves. Unfortunately, she was still two stories off the ground and there was nothing that would break her fall…or so she thought.

“COMING THROUGH!!!”

She turned, just a fraction of a second too late, to a see sky blue pegasus with a rainbow mane speeding towards her. She contorted her body to protect the animal in her hooves as the unicorn and pegasus collided with the force of a freight train, sending both spiraling out of control toward the ground. A dozen ponies gasped at the terrible mid-air collision, until a single hoof broke through the dust cloud, balancing a single baby duck. Cheers erupted throughout the town square.

“Are you okay, little duckling?” the pink-maned pegasus asked softly as picked up the baby duck, dusted it off, and checked it for any injuries. The little duck quacked, lucky to be alive, but soon doubled over, flopping about in pain.

“Oh no!” she cried, “I think something’s wrong with his wing!”

“Hold on, it might be broken.” Impact wheezed, still lying on the ground, “I know a spell to fix that. Just keep him still.”

Impact’s horn glowed white as the yellow pegasus gently held the duck in place. His wing started to glow white as well, mending itself from within as the broken bones reset themselves. Soon enough, the duck’s wing was fully healed and he quacked happily, obviously grateful for whatever the large gray…thing had done to him.

“Now, little fella, that’s a temporary fix. No flying for a couple days while your wing heals. We don’t want to quack those little bones of yours again, now do we?”

The little duckling quacked happily, almost as if he somehow understood the joke.

“Try to put some milk in his diet too.” she said to the pegasus. “I'm no vet pony, but the calcium boost should help strengthen the bones.”

“Good to know!” the yellow pegasus giggled, “Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of him until he can fly again! Here, let me help you up…”

“OHMYGOSH! OHMYGOSH! OHMYGOSH! OHMYGOSH! OHMYGOSH!” the cyan pegasus cried, rushing over to the injured unicorn after she got her bearings. “I am SO sorry! I totally didn’t see you! Are you okay?”

The two pegasi lifted Impact to her hooves, but as she stood up, she felt a sharp pain in her right shoulder joint. No bloodshed, no broken bones, just a white-hot searing pain she’d felt at least four other times in that very joint.

“Just a dislocation…” she winced, grabbing her right hoof with her left and jerking it back into place. As the joint properly reoriented itself, her shriek of pain melted into a sigh of almost-orgasmic delight. “Oh…that’s the stuff. How can something that hurts so bad feel so good?”

“I don’t know, but excellent catch, by the way!” the rainbow-maned pegasus replied, “Your landing could’ve used some work, though. Name’s Rainbow Dash!” She extended a hoof to greet the new pony in Ponyville.

“I’m Fluttershy.” the pink-maned pegasus added, offering her hoof as well. “Thanks again for saving my duckling.”

“Impact Hammer. It’s been a pleasure.” the silver unicorn said, lightly pressing her hoof against theirs as a gesture of friendship. “Anytime.”

“Sorry to leave such an impact on you, Impact,” Rainbow Dash said, chuckling at her wordplay as she began to hover, “but I gotta clear out the rest of those storm clouds from last night! See you later!”

“Nice meeting you too, R-Dash!” Impact called, using a shortened version of the pegasus’ name for a quicker farewell.

“Hmm… R-Dash…” the sky-blue pegasus said to herself as she zoomed off into the clear blue sky. “Cool nickname! I’m keeping it!”

“Well, it was wonderful meeting you, too,” Fluttershy said softly as she departed, “but I need to get this poor little fella back home so he can rest where it’s safe and warm. Are you going to be alright?”

“Go ahead.” Impact politely dismissed, “I know so many healing spells, there’s a hospital in my head. Besides, I needed to stop by Sugarcube Corner anyway!”

“Smart decision. A little sweetness can brighten any sour day. Bye, Impact!” Fluttershy called as she flew away.

As Impact stepped into the bakery, her muzzle was beaten half to death by the endless assault of delicious aromas coming from inside. Even after ten years, she still couldn’t single out any one particular scent from another. The whole building reeked of cinnamon, sugar, fresh fruit, and liquid awesome. Everything just blended together so beautifully.

“Welcome to Sugarcube Corner!” a blue mare in an apron greeted cheerfully, “What would you like, sweetie?”

“Oh, sorry.” Impact said, shaking her mane to snap herself out of her scent-induced stupor. “It always smells so good in here. Three blueberry muffins, please! I also wanted to place a special order for a cake too.”

“Sure thing! That’ll ten bits for the muffins…”

Impact lifted ten bits from her bag and set them on the counter.

“…And I’ll ring up your special order after you tell me what you want.”

The unicorn then pulled a small pouch filled with coins from her bag and set it on the counter.

“100 bits exactly.” the silver unicorn said, “I counted four times.”

“Why so many?” the proprietress wondered with slight concern, putting the coins into the register.

“Consider it a gift.” she replied. “Acrylic Paint sends her regards…”

“Acrylic Paint?” Mrs. Cake stopped in her tracks as she frowned, “I haven’t heard that name in a while… She was a nice pegasus. How did you know her?”

“Mom always was a terrible baker…” Impact replied, shaking her head slightly.

The pastry mare’s eyes widened as she finally recognized the very familiar customer before her.

“Impact Hammer!? Is that you!?” she asked in amazement.

“Yes, ma’am.” the unicorn blushed.

“Oh my goodness!” she gasped, “Look how you’ve grown!” She called for her husband. “Honey! Come see who’s here!”

“Who’s here, Sugar?” Mr. Cake asked as he left the kitchen for a brief moment.

“Do you remember Acrylic Paint?”

“Sorry…not ringing any bells.” Mr. Cake said.

“Sledge Hammer’s wife?”

“Oh, now I remember!” the baker exclaimed. “They helped us rebuild after those blasted termites took over all those years ago. Our first customers after we reopened…bought a blue velvet cake for their daughter’s…”

“Say hello to that daughter.”

He leaned in for a closer look.

“Sweet cream frosting, it is her! Back again like clockwork, eh, Impact?”

“Yes, sir. I’m here for my usual; a round blue velvet cake with vanilla frosting.”

“Thanks, darling!” Mr. Cake said gratefully. “What’s the magic number this time?” he inquired.

“Eighteen.”

“Oh my…” Mrs. Cake said, clutching a hoof to her mouth, “So it’s been…”

“Yeah…” she replied, somewhat misty-eyed, “Tomorrow makes ten years to the day.”

“I’m so sorry...here are your muffins!” She passed Impact a brown paper bag. “Your cake should be ready by this afternoon!”

“Thank you!” Impact said gratefully as she slid the pastries into her bag.

“Mrs. Cake! I can’t find the triple chocolate fros…ting…,” a bubblegum pink pony said as she walked out of the kitchen. A loud screech echoed from her lips as she laid eyes upon a unicorn she didn’t recognize.

“Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie!” she said, racing over to her, “What’s your name?”

“Uhh…Impact Hammer.”

“That’s a weird name, but I like it. Strong and sweet, like cinnamon licorice…” She pressed a hoof to her lips as she gasped again. “OHMYGOSH! Are you new in town? You’re new in town, aren’t you? I’ve never seen you before, so you must be new in town! WHEE! I’ve been waiting for a good excuse to plan a party this week, not that I need a good excuse because planning parties is what I do!”

“P-p-parties?” Impact stuttered.

“Sure!” Pinkie cheered, “I can whip up a Welcome-to-Ponyville party for you, with cake and ice cream and streamers and punch…”

“No…” the unicorn said sadly.

“And balloons and cupcakes and pin-the-tail-on-the…wait! Did you just say…no?”

“Please, I appreciate the sentiment, Pinkie Pie, but just…no.”

“What do you mean ‘no’?”

“If you knew anything at all about me, you’d know that there’s nothing in my life worth celebrating…”

“You’re alive! That’s always worth celebrating!” she cheered, “When’s your birthday?”

Impact only retreated further.

“Now Pinkie,” Mrs. Cake reprimanded, “You know that Mr. Cake and I support your love of parties 100%, right?”

“Of course, Mrs. Cake!”

“I know this might be hard to hear, Pinkie dear, but I’m asking you as nicely as possible. Do not plan a party for Impact Hammer.”

“But she’s new in town!” Pinkie whined, “I have to!”

“No, you don’t.” Mr. Cake said sternly, “You don’t know what we know. Around this time of year, that unicorn hates parties with every fiber of her being.”

“Well, duh!” Pinkie scoffed with a snort, “That’s because she’s never been to one of my parties before!”

“I’m serious, Pinkie.” Mrs. Cake warned, “If you throw her a party, I can guarantee that you will regret your decision forever.”

“Hmm…NAH!” Pinkie denied, “I’ll take my chances!” she said as she bounced upstairs in search of triple chocolate frosting.

“Thanks again, Mr. and Mrs. Cake!” Impact said, trying in vain to break the tension, “I’ll be back this afternoon!”

“So long, Impact!” the Cakes said, waving goodbye.

“I don’t know what makes her so special,” Pinkie grumbled as she stared down at the blue-and-black maned unicorn from the second-story window of Sugarcube Corner. Her pink mane had deflated, hanging limp, straight and lifeless. “I will NOT jeopardize my perfect party record because some new pony in town told me NO.” she muttered as a psychotic, impish grin spread across her face, “The word NO does not exist in Pinkamena Diane Pie’s vocabulary. When you set hoof on my turf, I’m throwing you a party, one way or another, whether you like it or not.” She rubbed her hooves together almost diabolically. “Time to get the party planning started…”

“OOH! CHOCOLATE!” she squealed unexpectedly, the sweet, creamy distraction popping her mane back to normal.

“Well, since I have some time left to kill,” Impact said to herself as she polished off one of her muffins, “and it’s about time for lunch…” She suddenly got an idea! “I never properly thanked Applejack for rescuing me. I should drop by and say hello. Let’s see if I remember where…”

After some creative altitude adjustments, Impact could see a massive grove of apple trees in the distance, surrounding a big red barn.

“Oh!” she chuckled, “There it is!”

She blazed her own trail to Sweet Apple Acres, racing through Ponyville in the most unorthodox ways possible, from racing along fences to sliding flanks-first underneath a massive pane of glass two stallions were hauling. She used every means of travel she could think of…until she ran out of things to climb. Eventually, as the space grew wider and the noise level grew smaller, she started to relax, trotting along casually like the wanderer she was, without a worry in Equestria, until she found her destination. She wove her way between the trees, moving as stealthily as a ninja and enjoying the peaceful silence, until she accidentally cracked a fallen twig with her hoof.

“THAT TEARS IT, YA APPLE-THEIVIN’ VARMINT!” a voice called from somewhere in the trees.

The silver unicorn froze. A split-second later, she felt a rope wrap around her hooves and all she could taste was dirt.

“HA-HA! AH DONE GOTCHA NOW, YA SCHEMIN’ LITTLE…” a Southern drawl shouted in triumph as the owner of the voice stepped out of the shadows of the trees to confront her prey. Impact looked up and caught a very clear view of her attacker. She was orange, with a blond mane and a straw hat, but her most prominent features at the moment were her cheeks. The farm pony was blushing fiercely, her face glowing redder that most of the apples in the orchard.

“Is this how you greet everypony who stops by to say hello?” Impact said with a goofy grin on her face. Using her magic, she pulled one of her two remaining blueberry muffins from her bag and held it out, hoping to make peace with her ‘ponynapper’. “Here! Have a muffin!” she said, as sweetly and innocently as possible.

“MUFFINS!!!” a gray pegasus shouted from the clouds as she swooped down, snatched the berry-laden pastry out of the air, and flew away with a treat in her mouth, a smile on her face, and her eyes pointing in different directions.

Both ponies stood dumbstruck, wondering what the hay had just happened.

“Who…? What…? HUH!?!?” the hogtied pony whined after her muffin vanished.

“And…ya just met Ditzy Doo.” Applejack said smugly.

“Gray pegasus, yellow eyes that don’t quite line up just right?”

“Eeyup.” she replied, doing her best imitation of her brother. “She’s tha mailmare ‘round these parts, but she loves her muffins almost as much as Twilight loves her books.”

“I remember seeing her at Sugarcube Corner about half an hour ago. Did she follow me or something?”

“Beats me!” she replied with an unsure shrug, “Ah swear she’s a few apples short of a full bushel, but she’s sweeter than caramel!”

Applejack untied Impact after she explained what she was doing in her part of the orchard. They walked down one of the many paths through the orchard, but stopped under a wide, shady apple tree to rest a bit, split Impact’s last muffin, and chat for a while.

“Tried ta find tha farmhouse and got lost, didja?” the orange pony asked as she munched on her half.

“It was actually kinda fun at first,” she replied with a nod as she took a bite of her half, “but I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Ah understand. Happens ta everypony. Shoot, even Ah still get lost in these trees every now and then.”

“Now that you mention it,” she said as she looked up, “those apples are looking pretty delicious right about now…”

“Ya want one?”

Impact tentatively extended and retracted her hoof as she weighed the pros and cons of the moral conflict in her head.

“Should I?” she asked, speaking in a high voice on behalf of her stomach.
“No, I shouldn’t.” she advised, speaking in a low voice on behalf of her conscience.
“But I really want one!”
“That would be stealing, and stealing is wrong.”
“Is anypony really gonna miss just one?”
“The guilt will tear you apart like an Ursa Major.”
“Come on! I’m starving down here!”
“You just had a blueberry muffin! HOW can you be starving?”
“I JUST AM, OKAY!?”
“Crybaby…”
“Shut up!”
“No, you shut up!”
“How about you BOTH shut up?” Impact said, her normal voice taking over.

“Are ya alright, sugarcube?” Applejack said worriedly, “Even us farm ponies know that conversin’ with yerself ain’t normal.”

The unicorn froze in embarrassment as she realized that she was discussing her crisis of conscience out loud.

“Sorry, Applejack.” the blushing unicorn chuckled nervously, “I just don’t know what to do! UGH!” she groaned. She slammed the back of her head repeatedly against the trunk of the tree, once…twice…three times…and on the third slam, a bright red apple fell straight into her lap.

“Tha fruit wants what tha fruit wants.” the farm pony chuckled, “Just like that Sir Isaac feller who figured out gravity and whatnot.”

She held the unblemished fruit in her outstretched hooves and just stared at it, the moral compass in the back of her mind spinning wildly out of control.

“Eat it, sugarcube.” Applejack assured with a warm smile, “Sometimes tha pony picks tha apple, but when tha apple picks tha pony, it’s outta mah hooves.”

She cautiously bit into the juicy red apple and nearly fainted from the taste, moaning in utter bliss.

“MMM!” she moaned, “SO DELICIOUS!” Her nostrils flared heavily, taking in lungful after lungful of oxygen as a wave of sensations from her fillyhood came bubbling to the forefront of her brain. She squealed in ecstasy and had to cross her legs tightly to conceal her excitement.

“Ah’ve heard of ponies having strange reactions to our apples,” the orange pony asked curiously as she sniffed the air, “but didja just have a…behind-barn-doors moment, y’know, all special-like?”

“Sorry…” she whimpered breathlessly as she blushed, “It’s been…so long… I couldn’t…stop myself… So many…wonderful…memories…”

“What kinda memories?” she asked as Impact caught her breath and regained her composure.

“My parents and I first came to Ponyville on my fifth birthday to get a special custom cake from Sugarcube Corner. Mom got the cake and Dad bought a bushel of apples from this very orchard. I still remember my first taste of Sweet Apple Acres.” She licked her lips in delight, savoring the fruity, juicy taste she’d adored ever since fillyhood. “I reacted about the same way I did just now.”

“Ya don’t say!”

“Serious as a heart attack.” Impact said, reinforcing her affection for apples. “From that day on, we unanimously agreed to celebrate all my birthdays in Ponyville, which is November 17th, by the way.”

“Wait.” The orange pony double-checked the calender etched into her brain. “That’s tomorrow, ain’t it? Well, happy birthday, girl!”

“Thanks.” she replied. “Unfortunately, my parents passed away a few years later.” she admitted, her ears drooping sadly.

“Oh…” Applejack said with a sad tone, “Ah’m sorry. I know how it feels losin’ both yer parents young, but Ah’ll always have Big Mac and Apple Bloom ta keep me company.”

“I was an only child, but a very special mare took me in after my parents died. She lived in Canterlot, and still does to this day, but she always let me go back to Ponyville every year just to keep my family tradition alive...with one extra detail.”

“What’s that?” Applejack wondered.

“At sunset, I have a little one-pony memorial at Ponyville Cemetery.”

“What do ya do fer this memorial?”

“I talk to them about what’s happened in my life over the past year, the ups and downs, the highs and lows, just to keep them in the loop. Then I lay between their graves, light my candles, make a wish, and blow them out. Then we all have a slice of cake and an apple. Well, I eat mine, but they don’t actually eat anything…”

“It’s a sentimental thang. Ah get ’cha!” Applejack interjected, her southern drawl infused with sympathy.

“Then I pack up my wagon and head for home.”

“Impact,” she said, placing a hoof on her shoulder, “that’s a downright perfect way to spend a birthday.”

As the two made their way to the farmhouse, Impact heard the high-pitched giggling of several fillies and noticed a small wooden building at the top of one small tree.

“What’s that over there?” she asked, pointing to the tiny cottage.

“That there’s Apple Bloom’s clubhouse. Used ta be mine, but Ah spruced it up fer her last year. She and her friends, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, have special meetings up there ‘bout what crazy stunt they wanna do next ta try and earn their Cutie Marks.”

“They don’t have theirs yet?” Impact moaned in slight disappointment, touching a hoof to her own flank concealed beneath her cloak.

“Nope, but they will. Everypony gets their Cutie Mark eventually.” Applejack listened for more noises. “I think they’re up there right now, but I gotta get back ta buckin’. End of tha season’s comin’ up fast.”

“Would you mind if I spoke to them just for a minute?”

“What for?” she wondered.

“It’s kinda personal, but I think they’ll be able to help…”

“Well, whatever floats yer boat, Ah reckon.” she said with a shrug, “Apple Bloom can point ya to tha farmhouse when yer done. Either me or Big Mac can help ya with yer apples when we catch a break.”

“Maybe I can try my hoof at apple-bucking, too?”

“Sorry sugarcube,” the apple farmer replied, “Ah prefer ta get tha buckin’ done by mahself this late in tha season. It’s a pride thang…but maybe next season!”

“I understand.” Impact replied.

“See ya in a bit!”

“Later!” she replied as Applejack galloped off down the path.

“Hello?” Impact called into the clubhouse. “Is anypony up there?”

“Who’s down there?” Scootaloo asked, leaning her head out of the treehouse window.

“Just me…” she replied.

“Hey, Impact! Good to see you again!”

“Who all is up there right now?”

“Just tha three of us!” Apple Bloom confirmed. “Why?”

“Can I come up and talk to you fillies about something?”

“Sure!” Sweetie Belle replied, “We actually wanted to talk to you too! Come on up!”

Impact smiled and carefully ascended the ramp into the quaint and colorful structure.

“Welcome to the Cutie Mark Crusader Clubhouse!” they greeted as Impact opened the door.

“Wow!” she gasped, taking in the decor. “It’s so…cozy!”

“Ah know, right?” Apple Bloom concurred. She politely encouraged her new guest to take a seat, which she did.

“It’s beautiful, but I came up here because I had a question to ask...” Impact started to say.

“Is it true that ya don’t have yer Cutie Mark yet!?” Apple Bloom suddenly blurted out, quickly covering her mouth with her hooves.

“Apple Bloom!” Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle scolded.

“Yes…” she sighed, “It’s true.”

“So you’re a blank flank just like us?” Scootaloo inquired, her eyes alight and sparkling.

“How is that even possible?” Sweetie Belle asked, “A pony your age should’ve earned your Cutie Mark years ago!”

“It’s a long story, but let me ask you three a question… Why don’t you have your Cutie Marks?”

“My unicorn magic hasn’t kicked in yet…” Sweetie Belle said, pointing to her horn.

“I’m not strong enough to fly…” Scootaloo sighed, flapping her wings solemnly.

“I just haven’t found my talent yet…” Apple Bloom moped, snorting in frustration.

“Oh… I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“Can you show us your blank flank now?” Scootaloo asked.

“Sure.” Impact whimpered, her body suddenly trembling with fear.

“What’s wrong?” Sweetie Belle asked, “Are you scared?”

“A little bit, but it’s more than just my Cutie Mark that I’m scared of.”

The three fillies joined hooves with their new friend.

“What could be scarier than not having a Cutie Mark?” they asked.

“I haven’t taken off my cloak in public for almost ten years.” she admitted, “I’m not sure how you’ll react. I’m so terrified I can hear my heart racing…”

“You have nothing to be afraid of.” Sweetie Belle cooed gently, “Nopony is here but us.”

“Before I show you the real me,” the silver unicorn requested in a whisper, “you have to promise, and I mean Pinkie Pie Promise, that you will never tell anypony about what you see until I’m ready to tell them myself.”

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” the fillies promised, performing the trust ritual flawlessly.

“Alright…here we go…” Impact said with a slow exhale. She slid off her saddlebags, undid the clasp about her neck and pulled her cloak off over her head, revealing her bare flanks, and as the Crusaders’ eyes widened, something else. Something much more unexpected than a mere blank flank.

“Whoa.” Scootaloo said in shock.

“What the hay!?” Apple Bloom shouted.

“I don’t believe it.” Sweetie Belle whispered.

“You’re…you’re…you’re…” they chanted in unison like a broken record.

“I know, right?” Impact moaned as she started weeping, “I’m hideous.”

“You’re…AMAZING!!!” Scootaloo cheered, “See, girls? I told you she was perfect! I knew it from the moment I laid eyes on her!”

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle nodded in stunned agreement.

“Huh?” she said in disbelief.

“Look at you!” the orange pegasus declared as she walked around her, “You’re a blank flank, just like us, and the rest makes you one-of-a-kind, just like us!”

“But…How do you deal with it?” Impact wondered, “You know, not having your Cutie Marks? It feels like such a curse, but you make it look so easy…”

“Sure, there are the colts and fillies who like to pick on us, like Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon," Sweetie Belle replied as she spat the names with more venom than a snakebite, "but my big sister Rarity always reminds me to be proud of who I am no matter what I look like.”

“Applejack’s always talkin’ ‘bout how patience is a virtue,” Apple Bloom added, “and how good thangs come ta those who wait.”

“Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you.” Scootaloo concurred, “Rainbow Dash always used to say that to cheer me up when I was feeling down.”

“And when all else fails, we always have each other!” they cheered as the three fillies hugged one another.

“And we want you too, Impact!” Scootaloo said.

“Come again?” she questioned.

“Sweetie Belle, give her the present.”

“Right!” the white unicorn said as she pulled a red bundle from a paper bag and tossed it to Impact.

“I made it this morning after Rarity and Twilight left the Carousel.” the seamstress’ sister said, “It’s a little bigger that I usually make it, I’m pretty sure it’ll fit you.”

She unfolded it to reveal a red cape, lined with a gold-colored fabric that sparkled like the sun and emblazoned on both sides with a blue patch containing the yellow silhouette of a rearing pegasus.

“What is this?” the mesmerized unicorn asked.

“Our team uniform.” Scootaloo explained.

“We want ya ta be one of us.” Apple Bloom said with a smile. “We want ya ta join the Cutie Mark Crusaders.”

“So the four of us can earn our Cutie Marks together!” Sweetie Belle added.

“Me?” Impact replied, unsure of how to respond.

She’d kept her blank flank hidden for years. If anything, she’d been trying to keep Equestria in the dark about her very existence! But these fillies displayed their blank flanks like badges of honor, and they wanted her to join them in the spotlight! They were extending the hooves of friendship and offering a place in their sisterhood; a chance at acceptance, a place to belong, an opportunity to start over anew. Maybe…she could learn from them, and they from her. She looked deep into the eyes of the unmarked fillies, warm, innocent, and inviting. How could she say no?

“I’m so touched…” she gasped. “I’d…I’d love to…”

Her horn glowed white and she draped her new gift over her back, knotting it securely around her neck.

“It fits perfectly, Sweetie Belle!” she cried, gasping at its featherlike softness, “Thank you so much!”

“YAY!” the three fillies cheered as they embraced their newest Crusader. They felt droplets of moisture fall onto their faces and looked up to see tears flowing freely from her eyes.

“You three don’t realize how happy you’ve just made me.” Impact said, squeezing her new friends a little bit tighter, “I’ve been so alone for so long that I forgot how it feels to belong. Please, promise me that you’ll never abandon me. Promise that we’ll be friends forever.”

“We promise!” the three replied, “Cross our hearts and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in our eye!”

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the Crusaders, Pinkie Pie was bouncing down the main road with a stack of invitations in her saddlebag. She bounced over to Applejack and passed her one, inviting her, Big Mac, and Apple Bloom to the party.

“A surprise party fer tha new girl?” she inquired.

“Yeah!” the party pony cheered, “I already invited the rest of our friends! Are you gonna be there?”

“Shoot! Ah wouldn’t miss it! Big Mac might not make it, but Ah think Apple Bloom sure will!”

“Be at Sugarcube Corner at half past three.” Pinkie reminded, “The party starts at four.”

“Ah’ll finish buckin’ as fast as Ah can, then Ah’ll be there!”

She bounced away in a hurry, eager to deliver the rest of her invitations.

After her enjoyable afternoon with the Crusaders, Impact remembered the cake she was supposed to pick up from Sugarcube Corner. She’d already tasted an SAA apple this year, and she could always get more later. The cake was far more important.

She donned her saddlebags, descended the access ramp, and returned to the main road unseen, but stopped dead in her tracks when she realized what she was still wearing. She ducked behind a nearby apple tree, switched her new Crusader cape for her precious blue cloak, and raced back to the bakery as fast as her hooves could carry her, again taking the most creatively efficient route she could find, hoping that she wasn’t too late.

The clock was striking four as she arrived at Sugarcube Corner, but as she approached the bakery’s front door, she swore under her breath. All the lights were off and nopony was home…but the door was still opened just a crack, piquing her natural curiosities. She nosed it open and cautiously strode inside.

“Mr. & Mrs. Cake?” she called nervously, “Are you still here? I hope I’m not too late for…”

“SURPRISE!” everypony cheered as balloons and confetti rained down.

“What is all this?” Impact said in shock.

“It’s a party!” Twilight Sparkle cheered.

“For you!” Applejack hollered with delight.

“You’re welcome!” Pinkie shouted gleefully from across the room, balancing a round cake on her head. She walked toward the nearest table and set the confection down. “I helped Mrs. Cake prepare this blue velvet cake you ordered. After I finished frosting it, I noticed Mrs. Cake write a message on it. When she finished and I saw the words ‘Happy 18th Birthday’ written in dark blue icing, I nearly lost my mind! I mean, I’ve never missed a birthday party for anypony in Ponyville, so missing yours…GASP…would destroy my perfect record! I couldn’t have that, so…I whipped this party together in a flash, and invited everypony I knew, just for you. SURPRISE!”

Mr. and Mrs. Cake just sighed and crept into the kitchen, hoping to escape the ticking time bomb their assistant had just armed.

“Oh, Pinkie Pie, what have you done?” she muttered, wrapping herself in her husband’s hooves, “I hope Impact doesn’t hurt her, honey…”

“Hurt her?” Mr. Cake said as he embraced his wife and kissed her. “I’m sorry, sweetums. We tried to protect them, but it’s in Celestia’s hooves now. If her temper is anything like her father’s, it’ll be a miracle if she doesn’t kill her.”

Retaliations and Revelations

Impact slowly strode over to Pinkie, her visage of surprise devolving into a stare of obsidian hatred; a cold, black, sadistic glare that even Fluttershy’s legendary Stare could not surpass.

“I told you that I didn’t want a party.” Impact seethed through gritted teeth.

“Why…wouldn’t you…want a party?” the pink pony asked, still slightly out-of-breath from her rant, “Today’s…your birthday…isn’t it?”

“No, I’m afraid you’re mistaken.” Impact replied, “My birthday is tomorrow. I just wanted to pick up my cake.”

“Well then, happy-one-day-early-birthday!” Pinkie exclaimed as she began to bounce around the room. “Come on! It’s time to celebrate!”

“Did you know that tomorrow also marks exactly ten years to the day since my parents died?” Impact said, raising her voice to an angry pitch.

A collective gasp of horror rose up from the crowd. Everypony took several steps back, giving the birthday pony a wide berth. Pinkie’s blood suddenly ran cold. She froze mid-bounce and crashed to the floor.

“No, I didn’t.” replied a flabbergasted Pinkie as she got to her hooves. “But I…”

“NO BUTS!” she shrieked, as her voice became laced with blistering fury, “MY PARENTS DIED ON MY BIRTHDAY! DO YOU HONESTLY WANT TO CELEBRATE SOMETHING LIKE THAT?”

“No…” Pinkie squeaked, trying to back away from the enraged pony and escape the conversation.

“I DIDN’T THINK SO!” Impact roared with vehemence, “MRS. CAKE WARNED YOU! MR. CAKE WARNED YOU! I WARNED YOU! BUT YOU STILL DIDN’T LISTEN, DID YOU!?”

Seething with rage every step of the way, she stalked the earth pony like a Canis Major. Pinkie tried to run, but as she reached the front door, but she tripped and tumbled head-over-hooves out the door. Before she could react, four white rings of unicorn magic wrapped around her hooves and pinned her to the ground face up. As a fifth ring encircled her throat, the enraged silver unicorn got a galloping start and leapt out the door, into the air, and landed directly on top of the pink pony. She didn’t physically crush her, but planted her hooves around her so that her quarry had no way to escape, their faces almost touching. Her nostrils flared heavily and her muscles burned with anger. From every possible angle, it looked like Impact intended to rip Pinkie’s throat out with her teeth.

“I’VE TRIED SO HARD TO PUT MY PAST BEHIND ME, AND JUST WHEN I FINALLY THINK I’M FREE, SOME INCONSIDERATE PONY LIKE YOU SHOWS UP JUST TO DRAG ME BACK DOWN! IT MAKES ME SO…SO…”

Impact craned her neck back as far as it would go and screamed bloody murder as her coat changed from metallic silver to a blinding white, brighter than even Rarity’s pure-as-driven-snow coat. Her mane and tail began to glow blue, crackling with electrical energy. Lightning bolts started arcing from her mane and tail, leaving smoking black craters wherever they made contact with the earth. One bolt came within a hair’s breadth of setting Pinkie’s mane on fire. Impact had surrounded herself and her prey with an impenetrable cage of lightning that spelled certain doom for anypony who got too close.

Ponies started evacuating the area, fearing for their lives, but one pony stood her ground: Twilight Sparkle. She immediately recognized this phenomenon, remembering the day when she became so utterly furious that she underwent a similar transformation. Impact had entered an altered state of mind known as a rage shift; a downward spiral of unbridled, blood-boiling anger which temporarily transforms its victim into a remorseless, psychopathic, homicidal monster, and Pinkie Pie was trapped in the danger zone. Twilight knew she had to stop it, in order to save one of her best friends and rescue her newest friend, but the only way to nullify a rage shift is with an even stronger rage shift…

For the first time in her life, the party pony of Ponyville believed with absolute certainty that she was going to die. She saw her life flash before her eyes. That clinched it. She swallowed dryly as she realized that no amount of laughter would get her out of this nightmare alive. Not even Princess Celestia herself could save her now. She’d frosted her cake, and now she had to eat every last bite of it, and the confection she’d made was an ooey-gooey seven-layer delight called death by chocolate.

Pinkie Pie closed her eyes and silently waited for death to take her away.

“Impact!” Twilight interjected from behind, trying to divert her anger and shield Pinkie from the verbal, if not potentially physical, onslaught. Her coat began to change from purple to white as her mane and tail burst into flames. “LET. HER. GO.”

“Yeah!” Applejack chimed in, “Pinkie was just tryin’ ta be friendly! She didn’t know. Ya don’t need ta be so dang mean ta her!”

“WHY SHOULD I?” Impact raged.

“This isn’t you and you know it!” Twilight pled earnestly as her flaming mane grew brighter, “Look around! You’re scaring everypony! Please calm down before somepony gets hurt…or worse! Just let Pinkie go.”

“GIVE ME ONE GOOD REASON.”

“IF YOU HARM ONE HAIR ON HER HEAD, I WILL DESTROY YOU.” Twilight replied, her voice lowering to a sinister rumble, a sound so disturbingly deep that no feminine set of equine vocal cords should be able to produce it.

As if the death threat had brought her back to her senses, the silver unicorn looked around, glancing upon the horrified faces of everypony around her, and became extremely embarrassed.

“What have I done?” she gasped in horror.

Mortified, she turned to face her fellow unicorn as their respective energy fields faded and their bodies reverted to normal. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy saw an opportunity and quickly pulled Pinkie Pie out of Impact’s range.

“Twilight,” she asked despondently, almost sobbing, “If someone took the saddest day of your life and twisted it into some kind of sick joke, would you find it amusing?”

“Well…no.” she sighed. “I’d be downright furious.”

“I’ve endured more misery and suffering than anypony in Equestria, and I’ve done my best to keep a straight face, but this…” she said with a sneer, shooting a disapproving grimace at Pinkie, “…this is just…HEARTLESS.” Tears began welling up in her eyes, but she steeled her resolve and blinked them back. “I’m terribly sorry, everypony.” she apologized, “Tomorrow may be my birthday, but to me, it’s just another day.”

“But, Impact…” Twilight implored, “Your birthday is supposed to be a special day when you celebrate your life.”

“WELL, YOU DON’T KNOW HOW BADLY I WISH I WAS DEAD RIGHT NOW, TWILIGHT!!!” Impact screamed as tears streamed down her face, leaving everypony within earshot in a state of shock.

Finally, with nothing left to say, the emotionally wounded pony fired an energy bubble at the front door of Sugarcube Corner, resetting the bakery and its surroundings to their previous undamaged state.

As the electrical burns vanished from the ground, Mr. and Mrs. Cake cautiously emerged from their bakery. Pinkie looked up at them, hoping for moral support, but as their stares of disapproval screamed the same five words they’d already told her, she swore she could hear her heart shatter like sugar glass inside her chest.

“We tried to warn you…”

As she teleported away, taking her birthday cake with her, Impact Hammer never saw Pinkamena Diane Pie burst into uncontrollable tears.

She couldn’t see anything through her own.

After the outburst ended, the party didn’t last very long. Everyone quickly left, some blaming Impact for wrecking her own party, some blaming Pinkie for trying to celebrate such a tragedy. Eventually, the only ones left were just Twilight and her friends. Fluttershy didn’t say a word. She just sang a soft lullaby, trying to comfort a distraught Pinkie.

“Did you see…the way she…looked at me?” she gasped between breaths as she sobbed uncontrollably, “My life…flashed…before…my eyes. I really…thought she was…gonna kill me!”

“I’ve never seen such atrocious, distasteful, and unladylike behavior in all my life!” Rarity huffed with her nose in the air.

“Yeah! What a jerk.” Rainbow Dash snorted in agreement, her nostrils flaring, “She obviously didn’t deserve one of Pinkie’s parties in the first place.”

“It’s a shame.” Fluttershy moaned as she switched lullabies, “She seemed so nice at first.”

“Hold up a second, everypony.” said Applejack, “Mah rage is burnin’ like an Everfree wildfire just like yers, and Ah reckon that Impact character didn’t need ta put Pinkie Pie on the spot like that, but she still asked her not ta throw a party.” She looked down at Pinkie, who was still crying. “Ah’m sorry, sugarcube, but you’re just as much tha pony ta blame as her. Puttin’ on this here shindig after three different ponies warned ya not ta seems like a purdy stupid move.”

“That is true.” Twilight added, “I think the best thing Pinkie can do is apologize.”

“Apologize? For what?” Rainbow Dash shouted, “All Pinkie did was throw her a party, and I’m pretty sure that’s not a crime! Impact almost killed her! If anything, that ignorant foal should face the hangmare’s noose!”

Rarity slapped the rainbow-maned pegasus hard across the face.

“How dare you speak such blasphemy, Rainbow Dash!?” the white unicorn spat.

Twilight Sparkle smacked her again.

“Nopony should even consider such a punishment!”

Applejack thumped her across the back of the head.

“OW! Why did YOU hit me!?” Rainbow screamed.

“Ta knock some apple-buckin’ sense inta yer skull!” Applejack shouted, “Don’t even think such horrible thangs! Sure, she was a jerk, but nopony ever deserves ta die before their time!”

“We all know that Pinkie always has the best of intentions at heart,” Twilight replied after taking a deep breath to calm down, “but today she delivered them at the worst possible time. Her best bet is to put out the fire before the bridge burns. Let me talk to her. If I’m lucky, I can get her to tell us her side of the story.”

“Fine.” Rainbow Dash said as she rubbed her reddened face, “Just don’t hit me again…”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders raced back to Sweet Apple Acres, zipping along as fast as Scootaloo’s scooter could carry them.

“HURRY, SCOOTALOO!” Sweetie Belle squealed from the cart tethered behind the orange pegasus.

“CAN’T THIS THING GO ANY FASTER?” Apple Bloom shouted.

“I’M GIVIN’ HER ALL SHE’S GOT, CAPTAIN!” Scootaloo replied in a faux Trottish accent as she turned from the main road into Sweet Apple Acres, cranking the throttle on her scooter as far as it would go. “I’ve always wanted to say that!” she said with a giggle.

As they quickly ascended the ramp and burst through their clubhouse door, they saw their friend huddled in the corner, curled up into a ball, rocking back and forth and lamenting her behavior.

“Impact?” Apple Bloom wondered.

“I’m so sorry, Apple Bloom, but I really don’t want to speak to anypony right now…” she sobbed.

“Are you alright?” Scootaloo asked.

“Please…just go…” she pleaded.

“What in the hay happened back there?” Sweetie Belle asked anxiously.

“WHY WON’T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!?!?” she shrieked at the fillies, making them flinch in terror.

“Because we Pinkie Pie Promised to never abandon you,” Sweetie Belle said fearlessly as she settled down beside her, “and you need us now more than ever.”

Impact stopped as her breath caught in her throat.

“I…attacked her.” she moaned, the disturbing events replaying on an endless loop she was forced to watch every time she closed her eyes. “It was a birthday party…and I destroyed it…and I attacked Pinkie Pie…and I almost killed her…I almost killed her.”

“We know.” Scootaloo admitted, “We were there!”

“Why’d ya do it?” Apple Bloom implored.

“I don’t know what came over me… Part of me was angry, part of me was scared…and I just…lost it… But the worst part is…I tried to hold it back…but it burrowed into my brain like a disease…controlling me like a puppet… I let it take over…and it made me do terrible, horrible things…” She clutched her forelegs to her chest as she sobbed. “I feel so…impure, so…useless, so…violated… I can't stop hating myself! You fillies shouldn’t be anywhere near me right now. I’m a monster.”

“Ya really need ta stop thinkin’ and talkin’ like that.” Apple Bloom said.

“You made a mistake,” Sweetie Belle said. “Everypony makes them, especially us.”

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom nodded furiously in agreement.

“But if you lie here and do nothing to make those wrongs right, then yes, you are a monster. If you apologize and take responsibility for your actions, then it means you’re sorry. You just need to believe in yourself and the rest will follow.”

“So what’s it gonna be, Impact?” Scootaloo declared, “Are you a monster or are you a Crusader?”

“I’m…a…Crusader…” she whimpered behind teary eyes.

“What was that?” Sweetie Belle asked, putting a hoof to her ear as she figured out what Scootaloo was doing, “I didn’t hear you.”

“I’m a Crusader.” she replied, strength slowly returning to her voice.

“Still can’t hear ya!” Apple Bloom retorted, coating her response with a sarcastic inflection.

The silver unicorn stood on her hooves and took a deep breath.

“I AM A CUTIE MARK CRUSADER!!!” she screamed at the top of her lungs, almost obliterating the clubhouse with her voice.

“SO GET OFF YOUR FLANKS AND PROVE IT!” her fellow Crusaders shouted back.

Her eyes widened as she realized the fillies were absolutely right. She had redeemed herself with them, but if she wanted any chance of keeping the rest of the wonderful friends she’d made today, she’d have to face them, she’d have to tell them everything, and she’d have to confront her deepest fears.

“Thanks for keeping your promise, girls.” the crimson-eyed Crusader wrapped her hooves around her fellow Crusaders and hugged them.

“No problem, Impact!” Scootaloo replied.

“We love you!” Sweetie Belle included.

“We care ‘bout ‘cha!” Apple Bloom added.

“We believe in you!” the three fillies said simultaneously, “But do you believe in yourself?”

“Well, I guess it’s time I found out. No turning back. Sorry, girls, but I gotta flash! Bye!”

Her resolve somewhat restored, Impact thanked her new friends and teleported out of the clubhouse, flashing in and out again and again all over Ponyville. Her intended destination: the Ponyville Library, where she prayed to Celestia that she could somehow face Twilight one more time and apologize, especially to Pinkie Pie, for the mother of all temper tantrums…

Twilight dashed and flashed all over town, searching Ponyville high and low for any sign of Impact, but eventually returned to her home at around 7:00 in the evening to find her five friends impatiently waiting.

“Well?” Applejack asked hopefully, “Did ya find her?”

“No.” Twilight moaned begrudgingly, “I searched all over town and nothing. Not even my strongest locator spell worked. I think she was blocking me…”

“Wow. I thought I was good at hide-and-seek, but she’s really good.” chimed Fluttershy.

“Yeah.” said Applejack, “Fer such a big talker, that pony sure can disappear.”

“I smell something suspicious going on here.” Rarity said, “A pony like that is definitely hiding something.”

Twilight opened the door, where an exhausted Spike was waiting, a sponge and a bucket of water in his claws.

“Hi, everypony,” he said with a weary smile.

“Hi, Spike.” came their simultaneous half-hearted reply.

“Hey, Twilight?” Spike asked, “I just finished washing the windows, inside and outside, so I’m all done with the list of chores you left for me. I’m wiped out. Do you mind if I take a nap?” Twilight surveyed the room and found everything to her liking.

“Everything seems in order, Spike. Go ahead.” she replied, dismissing him with a nod.

“Thanks. I’m so tired.” the purple dragon said with a stretch and a yawn. He started to leave the room, but stopped for a brief moment as he remembered something.

“Oh, and before I forget, Zecora stopped by about fifteen minutes ago. I think she’s still upstairs.” He smiled brightly as he slunk off to bed.

At that instant, hoofsteps resounded through the library as the aforementioned zebra made her presence known.

“Hi, Zecora!” Twilight said with a smile, “What are you doing here?

“I entered town, no need to sneak.
I heard loud shouts, played hide-and-seek
With them and found a red-eyed mare,
Trapped in a pit of deep despair
And haunted by a past most tragic,
Her memory stained with blood and magic.
From said dark hole, I pulled her out
But what, pray tell, were you talking about?”

“We were just wondering why our friend Impact didn’t want to have a birthday party. I mean, who wouldn’t want to celebrate their own birthday?” Twilight sighed in disbelief, “It’s just doesn’t make sense…”

“If you care to take suggestion,
I can quench your burning question
But heed this not-sarcastic oracle.
The truth is quite phantasmagorical!”

Twilight stepped toward the zebra, knelt to the floor as if Princess Celestia had entered the room, and responded with a poem of her own.

“Zecora, dear friend, lyricist most sublime,
Six-syllable words? A true challenge to rhyme.
I bow at your hooves, as I’m vastly impressed
But we fear not your warning, so “Speak!” I request!”

After several seconds of awkward silence, Zecora burst out laughing, so hard that her eyes became wet with tears of joy. She wiped them away with her hoof.

“Well played, Twilight Sparkle. Your flow has improved.
To tears, by your words, my eyes have been moved.
What you want, I’ll provide. What you seek, I shall voice.
Just remember I warned you and gave you a choice.”

The group of friends gathered around to listen as the mystical zebra cleared her throat and spoke.

“Give it time, and she will tell you every single word
Of a story, once complete, you’ll wish you’d never heard.
The tale of Impact Hammer is the saddest tale alive.
A young filly forced to maim herself in order to survive.
With every drop of magic and with every single breath,
She self-inflicts horrific wounds to save her soul from death.
Slashing muscle, cracking bone, flaying skin and nerves…”

Zecora’s morose yarn sent a cold shudder down everypony’s spine as the heavy swish of rustling fabric broke the tension in the air.

“A punishment most foul not even Nightmare Moon deserves.” a familiar voice finished.

Everypony turned to confront the speaker of such illogical words, but when their gazes met her uncloaked form as it emerged from the bathroom, it was clear that her phrasing was perfectly true. Zecora said a rhyming goodbye and left the library posthaste, but her farewell fell on deaf ears as the stunned expressions on their faces quickly mutated into ones of disbelief, revulsion, and dread.

Pinkie Pie was struck speechless. Rarity clutched a hoof to her mouth as her face turned from snow white to toxic green. Applejack’s hat fell off her head. Fluttershy struggled to stand as her legs started trembling. Rainbow Dash gasped as her wings went numb. Twilight Sparkle seemed to be affected most of all. She hadn’t felt this cold and scared since she was turned to stone during the cockatrice incident! For a brief instant, the unicorn’s brain shut down altogether.

It was now crystal clear that Twilight’s houseguest was no ordinary pony. She was an alicorn, a rare and powerful creature just like Equestria’s beloved Princesses, Luna and Celestia. Unlike the royal alicorns, this one had two crucial differences. Firstly, her silver flanks were completely bare, not a Cutie Mark to be found. The second deviation was far more disconcerting. Most of her left foreleg was missing and her left wing was almost nonexistent. Only scarred stumps of flesh marked where her missing extremities should have been.

Not only was she an alicorn…

Not only did she not have a Cutie Mark...

Impact Hammer was hoofcapped.

“By Celestia’s mane…” Twilight gasped, choking on her words.

Recollections and Removals

“You’re not screaming in fear, so that’s a good start.” Impact said with a halfhearted chuckle. She limped to the center of the room and gently lowered herself to the floor, lightly thumping her hoof once she got comfortable, nonverbally asking her companions to join her.

With uncertain nods, five ponies and a dragon gathered around the triped and settled down onto the library floor, but the sixth pony bolted to the other side of the room.

“Pinkie Pie! Please get over here!” Twilight begged.

“NO!” she shouted, “She tr-tried to k-kill me! I’m n-not taking ch-chances!”

Pinkie Pie looked deep into the alicorn’s face and found it impossible to interpret. The very same pony whose murderous, hate-filled eyes almost became the last thing she ever saw was now reduced to a crumbling shell of her former self, cast aside like the discarded ribbons and wrapping paper from a birthday present. Either Impact was truly sorry for what she’d done back at the Corner, or this was some kind of trap…

“Impact…” Fluttershy asked quietly, “What exactly...happened…to you? That is…you know…if you don’t mind me asking.”

“I do mind you asking, Fluttershy,” she said darkly, “Extremely so. Every time I talk about it, I’m forced to relive the darkest night of my life.”

“Oh…” she whimpered. “That’s okay…you don’t need to talk about it…”

“But I do…” Impact said mournfully, “Now that you already know my secret, you deserve to know the whole truth, so I guess one more descent into darkness won’t kill me.”

She turned her head away from the group and sniffled as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

“How did this happen, you ask? Two words: Tumblestone Canyon.”

Everypony’s jaw dropped to the floor, except for Twilight and Spike, but Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash’s expressions were now fully corrupted with fear.

“Tumblestone Canyon?!?!” the five ponies cried fearfully.

The alicorn nodded.

“Sweet apple cider…” Applejack cried mournfully. “Oh, sugarcube, Ah’m so sorry.”

“Me too.” Fluttershy concurred as she gingerly took Impact’s one front hoof in her two hooves.

“Same here.” Rainbow Dash agreed as she scooted alongside Impact and hugged her tightly.

“Why is everypony so afraid of Tumblestone Canyon?” Twilight asked with a puzzled glance.

“Don’t even get me started, Twi’.” the orange pony interrupted, looking her in the eye as she cut her off sharply.

“Four words, Twilight.” Rainbow Dash added. “High octane nightmare fuel.”

“From the day they’re foaled,” Fluttershy said sternly, “every pegasus in Cloudsdale is warned to stay away from Tumblestone Canyon.”

“It’s far more dangerous than Everfree Forest,” Rarity chimed in, “and I wouldn’t send my worst enemy into it.”

“Worse than Nightmare Moon!” Pinkie Pie shrieked from across the room, “Worse than Discord! Worse than any punishment Princess Celestia could ever imagine!”

“But what’s so bad about it?” Spike implored.

“What’s so bad about it!?” Applejack exclaimed. “Every Apple ah can think of has had some kinda accident in that there place. Granny Smith once told me that in her younger years, she cut her rump something fierce on a crazy-sharp chunk of stone and dang near bled ta death in that canyon. Big Macintosh twisted his ankle while we were out on an apple delivery and was off his hooves fer a week. A tumblin’ stone once knocked me so hard on tha noggin that Ah couldn’t remember mah own name fer three days! It’s a miracle Ah got out alive. Only Apple who hasn’t been through Tumblestone is little Apple Bloom, and Ah don’t EVER wanna see tha day she does.”

“Spike, I’ll make it simple.” Rainbow Dash interjected gravely, “Ghastly Gorge is a nightmare for a pegasus. Tumblestone Canyon is a death sentence.”

“Oh my!” the purple dragon gasped.

“A fate worse than death if ya ask me!” Applejack added, “Between tha cliffs and tha chasms, that canyon is a deathtrap, hooves-down!” She stomped to emphasize her point. “And that’s not even countin’ tha rockslides…”

Impact whimpered and cringed when she heard the word “rockslides.” Applejack saw her shudder and stopped speaking.

“Hold up…Is that how ya lost yer parents, darlin’?” she asked.

“And so much more…” she said gloomily, as she spread her wings and raised her injured hoof.
“Last chance to back out...” she warned, “Do you really want to know?”

The seven friends nodded simultaneously without a moment’s hesitation.

“Very well.” The alicorn began, “It all started ten years ago, on my eighth birthday…”

(Flashback) Impact’s POV

It was another normal birthday for me. My dad, Sledge Hammer, a master craftspony, was picking up his usual bushel of apples from Sweet Apple Acres. My mom, Acrylic Paint, a gifted artist, was running some errands in town. I was long gone, lounging in the Ponyville Library, lost in my literary labyrinth and loving it. Fantasy, history, science fiction, horror, the occasional arithmetic textbook, not that I minded, and every other book I could think of. I was reading a first-aid manual about treating broken bones and other severe injuries when I heard somepony calling my name. A sudden yawn snapped me out of my trance and I noticed that the sun was starting to go down.

“Impact!” I heard my mother call, “Where are you, dear?”

“In here, Mom!” I shouted back.

“Come on, darling. It’s time to go!”

“MOM! Do I have to?” I groaned, not looking up from my book, “I’m right in the middle of a book and I don’t wanna wait a whole year to finish it!”

“You’re in a library, you silly filly!” Mom giggled, “You can check it out and we’ll mail it back when you finish it. Besides, your father and I have a surprise for you!”

My eyes lit up and I whirled around to see them sitting on the rug behind me, with a beautifully-decorated cake sitting between them. It had white frosting, black icing borders, and the words ‘Happy 8th Birthday’ written on the top in dark blue icing.

“Happy birthday, Impact!” they cheered.

I squealed at the top of my lungs and raced toward the cake, my book forgotten, but I tripped over the rug, tumbled head-over-hooves, and landed face-first into the cake with a thick, squishy SPLAT. I could feel bits of cake and gobs of frosting in my mane, in my nose, and all over my face.

“Mom, Dad, I’m so sorry!” I spluttered as I stood up, “I didn’t mean to…” I was on the verge of crying, but I could hear my parents laughing.

“I know you love blue velvet cake, Impact, but save some for us!” Mom laughed.

“It’s alright, sweetie. It was an accident.” Dad said with a chuckle, using his magic to conjure a wet rag and wipe my face. “Maybe you should just open your presents now.”

He pointed a hoof to a stack of boxes near the library door.

“YAY!” I squealed as I cast a levitation spell. My horn began to glow and the boxes rose into the air. I jerked my head methodically, as if wielding a sword, to ferociously disembowel the colorfully-wrapped packages. My endeavors revealed a diverse array of gifts. From my mom, I received a first-aid kit and a new dark blue traveling cloak.

“Ultramarine.” she mentioned, “Your favorite color.”

My dad gave me a hatchet with matching blade protector, a fresh roll of Stallion Tape, and a travel-size toolkit, with two screwdrivers, six wrenches, and a seventeen-piece socket set.

“It’s just what I wanted!” I cheered, “Thank you!”

“There’s one more gift, dear!” Mom said with a wink.

“Really?” I asked, “Where is it?” Suddenly, I felt a cloth being draped over my back, which I discovered were connected to a set of dark blue saddlebags, emblazoned with a gleaming silver gear with six rectangular teeth. “Thank you both so much! This has been the best birthday ever!” With a beaming smile, I raced into their hooves and received a warm group hug.

“We’re glad you enjoyed it.” Mom said happily,

“But…what does that symbol mean?” I questioned, pointing to the emblem on my saddlebags.

“Look at my Cutie Mark.” Dad explained, directing my attention to him. I turned my head and the picture on his flank: five small sledgehammers arranged to form a five-pointed star.

“Dad, I’ve seen your Cutie Mark a thousand times!”

“Yes…but look closer. What do you see behind it?”

I did a double-take and looked again. Behind the sledgehammers was…I gasped…

“A silver gear with six teeth…” I said shakily, touching a trembling hoof to my lips. “When did you get that?” I asked.

“The day I got my Cutie Mark.” Dad replied.

“I thought the hammers were your Cutie Mark!” I said in surprise.

“They are. This gear is a very special symbol. Every pony in our family receives it when they get their Cutie Mark.”

“Then why doesn’t Mom have one?” I asked in wonder.

Dad smiled. “Your mother became a Hammer when she chose to marry me,” he said. “Only blood descendants, ponies foaled into the family, can receive this symbol.”

“Oh…” I said with a nod.

“Alright, Sledge.” Mom interjected. “Save the history lesson for the trip home. Let’s get this mess cleaned up so we can get going. We have one last stop to make.”

Dad and I cleaned up the spilled cake while Mom checked out the book I was reading and slipped it, along with the rest of my gifts, into my new saddlebags. We then departed for the Ponyville Cemetery.

After paying our respects to Grandpa Deadblow, we loaded up the wagon and started for home. We were about thirty miles into the journey, and the sun hung low in the sky. Everypony was tired, especially me. Dad decided to stop and take a break when a sudden gust of wind sprang up. It knocked down a dead tree several lengths ahead of us, blocking our usual route home.

“Sledge, what should we do now?” I heard Mom ask worriedly.

“Calm down, Acrylic!” I heard Dad say, sharply but softly, trying to soothe his mare’s anxiety, “Everything is going to be fine, dear. There was a fork in the road a couple miles back. We might be able to take the other path home. Let’s try it.”

“Alright. Let’s go.” I heard Mom reply.

I felt the wagon turn around and slowly began to drift off to sleep.

Suddenly, I felt Mom nudging me awake.

“Ugh…Five more minutes…” I mumbled, half-asleep.

“Impact, please wake up. Your father needs us outside.”

Knowing Dad’s punctuality, I had no choice but to comply. I put on my saddlebags, grabbed a fresh canteen just in case, and begrudgingly got out of the wagon. Once outside, I was greeted by a frighteningly breathtaking sight. We were at the bottom of a canyon...a big one.

“Dad, where are we?” I asked nervously.

“Tumblestone Canyon,” he replied solemnly, “It’s filled with steep cliffs, wide chasms, and sudden drops, and in the summertime, this canyon is riddled with rockslides.” I shuddered as a cold chill shot up and down my spine, and by the look on Mom’s face, she felt one too.

“Rockslides?” we asked simultaneously.

He nodded. “Yes. Boulders break loose from the canyon walls and tumble to the canyon floor below, but only in the summertime, and it’s almost wintertime now. Tumblestone Canyon is one of most dangerous places in Equestria, but a rockslide hasn’t happened past late summer in over three hundred years.” A wave of fear washed over me and I feel tears welling up in my eyes.

“I don’t wanna go in there!” I whimpered, “It looks dark and scary in there!”

“Do you remember the Illumination spell I taught you last year?” Dad asked, igniting his horn with a flourish, creating a personal spotlight that bathes the surrounding area in a white light.

“Of course I remember, Dad!” I retorted, mirroring his movements and casting my own spotlight. “But what if you or Mom gets hurt? I don’t wanna see you get hurt. I love you!”

“I agree with Impact, honey. I’m a pegasus, and every pegasus in Equestria knows to stay away from this place. It’s not worth it. Please turn back so we can find another way around.”

“I love you both,” Dad consoled, “But we have no choice. If I had any other option, any option at all, I’d take it. Any other path would take us days, maybe even weeks to get home. This is our only straight shot, and if we just move slowly and stay quiet, everything should be fine.”

“It’s all right, dear,” Mom cooed softly, drying my eyes with her wing, “Everything is going to be okay. Your father needs his spotlight to guide the wagon, and we need to keep an eye on the back end so it doesn’t fall over the edge. Just stay close to me and watch your step.”

“Okay, Mama. I trust you.” I said shakily, using my special phrase to let her know that I was ready. I was scared out of my mind, but I was ready.

We slowly made our way through the canyon, inch by inch, step by step, until we were almost free of that terrible place, until we hit a bump…and that’s when everything went wrong. The ground started shaking. I looked up to see pebbles and rocks started rolling down the canyon walls. I was so scared, I couldn’t move. I saw my life flash before my eyes as the rumble grew louder, and I started freaking out. Suddenly, I heard my father’s voice.

“IMPACT! ACRYLIC! RUN!” Dad yelled at the top of his lungs.

“Daddy!” I screamed.

“Sledge? What about you?” Mom hollered back, “Get out of there!”

“THE WAGON’S STUCK! I CAN’T MOVE!”

“OH NO!” Mom said in terror.

“DON’T WORRY ABOUT ME! JUST RUN!” Dad roared, the canyon walls rumbling ever louder as the falling rocks gave way to boulders.

“NO!” she shrieked, racing to his side, nuzzling his neck and hugging him tightly. “I’m not leaving you behind. Never again!”

“Neither am I!” I bawled, psychologically and emotionally torn. My heart was screaming “STAY!” and my head was screaming “RUN!” but I didn’t know which to obey.

“IMPACT HAMMER, YOU LISTEN TO YOUR FATHER!” Mom yelled, “RUN! RUN AND DON’T LOOK BACK! FLY IF YOU HAVE TO!”

“OK, MOM, DAD!” I hollered back as I turn to run, “I LOVE YOU!”

“WE LOVE YOU TOO!” I barely heard them shout back in unison, above the canyon’s roar. As I ran back toward the entrance of the canyon, I looked back for a split-second, just in time to see Mom and Dad share one last kiss as they became obscured by a thick cloud of dust.

I never saw them again.

With the spotlight from my horn as my only guide, I ran for my life, jumping over rocks and branches and dodging the big shadows where boulders were about to land. Suddenly, a large fissure opened in the canyon floor ahead of me. I kept my breakneck pace, spread my wings, and leapt as high into the air as I could. I soared over the chasm, effortlessly gliding to the other side. I was three, maybe four pony lengths off the ground, seconds away from touchdown, when a rock the size of a watermelon slammed onto my left wing. I felt the bones snap like twigs and screamed in pain. The next thing I knew, I crashed left side down into the canyon floor, knocking the wind out of me. I skidded for about fifteen lengths, as the canyon continued crumbling around me, and I blacked out.

I regained consciousness later that evening. The sun hadn’t fully set. It was hanging on the horizon by a thread, but the moon was clearly visible in the night sky. I wasn’t sure if I was dead or dreaming, so I tried to move. I screamed in anguish and immediately regretted my decision.

Nope! Not dead…not dreaming…

I thought slamming into the ground at full speed was painful, but the sensations I woke up to were beyond comprehension. My head was pounding, my whole body ached, and the air was thick with the scent of my freshly spilt blood. I couldn’t tell if I’d been given a blessing or a curse, but a second chance is a second chance. As I cleared the thick, choking dust from my lungs, I tried to get a glimpse of exactly what happened after I went down. My back kept brushing up against a large boulder, and judging by the sharp, stabbing pains I felt when I moved, I assumed my left wing was crushed beneath it. I saw an even larger boulder before me, pinning my left foreleg slightly above the knee. I could see where the bone was broken, protruding beneath my skin but not puncturing it. I also noticed small rivulets of red seeping out from underneath the rock. The rocks were restricting the blood flow and keeping me alive, but they wouldn’t hold forever. I had to stop the bleeding, and soon. I tried to animate the rest of my body and discovered that nothing else seemed to be broken. It didn’t hurt to breathe, so I could guess that none of my ribs had cracked, but I was still trapped between a rock and a hard place…and another rock.

When the dust settled and the noise faded, I did the only thing I could think of…I started screaming, as loudly as I could, hoping against hope that my parents would hear me…that anypony would hear me. I screamed until my lungs started to burn, but nopony came to help, and it slowly dawned on me that my actions were in vain.

Nopony knows I’m down here. Nopony knows I’m still alive. I’m all alone.

I had only the echoes of the wind and the cries of native fauna to keep me company. As my vocal cords seized up and my screams became whispers, the worst possible thought anypony could think burrowed into my brain.

I’m going to die here…

At this point, the realization that I was trapped was finally sinking in, and I just gave up. I started crying, longer and harder than I ever thought I would. For the first time in my life, I was utterly alone. I glanced up at the sky. The sky was crystal clear, the stars were twinkling, and the moon was shining brightly. Everything was so beautiful, but I was in too much pain to truly appreciate it. As I stared deeply into the Mare in the Moon, I remembered everything I could, from the books I’d read and the storied I’d heard, about the legend of Princess Luna: from her psychological breakdown to her subsequent exile, and how she eventually transformed into her royal darkness, Nightmare Moon. I had nothing to live for and nothing left to lose, so I closed my eyes, took several cleansing breaths, and prayed for her guidance. I asked her for a sign that I still deserved to live. I opened my eyes and waited for something, ANYTHING, to happen.
Suddenly, I noticed a bright light that was seriously starting to annoy me. Somewhere in the distance, something was reflecting moonlight out of the sky and into my eyes.
Averting my gaze, I noticed a large dark object lying several feet ahead of me. My heart skipped a beat as I recognized it.

My saddlebags! They must have fallen off when I went down! The gear is reflecting the moonlight!

I felt a small pang of hope resonate deep in my heart.

“THANK YOU!” I shouted at the sky, although I only managed a hoarse whisper.

I cast a light levitation spell and slowly dragged my saddlebags toward me, bit by bit, until they were within my reach. I upended them and dumped out their contents in front of me: my first-aid kit, my toolkit, a hatchet, a roll of Stallion Tape, and a canteen full of water. The last object to fall out was the emergency first-aid manual I had borrowed from the library. By some twist of fate, the book fell open before me to the exact page where I left off.

The title of the next section made my blood run cold.

Section 10: Alleviating Amputations

It was the toughest decision I ever had to make, and it felt like it took forever. I had two choices: either stay here and face certain death…or permanently disfigure my body, risking exsanguination and infection, for a far-from-guaranteed chance of survival. It was a perfect example of a “lose-lose” situation, but no matter how I sliced it; life always seemed a better outcome than death.

“Well, if nopony else is coming to rescue me, then I guess I’ll have to rescue myself.”

I lifted the canteen to my lips, took a small sip, then resealed it and started reading. Flipping through the pages with my good hoof, I learned everything I needed to know about the procedure. It was instantly clear that amputations required some kind of cutting force, so I knew my new hatchet would get some use after all. What I didn’t know was that the procedure would require something called a tourniquet, two in my case, which the book said was a type of pressure bandage used to completely halt all blood flow to a part of the body. Every tourniquet requires a cravat, which is a bandage tied around the injured body part that distributes the pressure, a windlass, something that is tied into the tourniquet and twisted to create the pressure, and something to secure the windlass so the tourniquet doesn’t unravel.

Working quickly and calmly, I examined my supplies.

First, I needed the cravats. I opened the first-aid kit with my hoof and found the special bandages that the book described.

“Cravats…Check!”

Next, I needed the windlasses. The book said that anything could be used as a windlass, so long as it was strong enough to twist and it could be easily secured. I opened my toolkit and extracted two wrenches.

“Windlasses…Check!”

Lastly, I just needed a way to secure them to my body. I eyed the roll of Stallion Tape.

“Is there anything you can’t do?” I said with a sly smile as I picked it up. “Check!”

I now had everything I needed to start. Following the book’s instructions exactly, and taking extreme caution, I was able to elevate my injured limb and wing enough to slide the bandages underneath them. I was about to tie the knots when I notice a big red box at the bottom of the page.

WARNING! ONCE A TOURNIQUET HAS BEEN APPLIED AND SECURED, IT SHOULD NOT BE REMOVED BY ANYPONY, FOR ANY REASON, EXCEPT BY A TRAINED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL!

Acknowledging that, I took a deep breath and readied myself. This would require every last spark of magic in my body. I tied the bandages around my leg and my wing as tightly as I could. Next I added the windlasses and tightly knotted the bandages to hold them in place. I used my magical grip to twist the wrenches, turn by turn, again and again until the pressure was unbearable. After seven full turns each, I couldn’t feel any more blood seeping out of my wounds, so I tore off four long, equal lengths of Stallion Tape and firmly secured both windlasses to my body. I breathed a sigh of relief. I wasn’t going to bleed to death…I hoped…

Now, I’d reached the point of no return, wholeheartedly dreading what needed to happen next. All that stood between me and freedom was the razor-sharp edge of my hatchet.

“Alright, Impact. It’s now or never. No turning back.”

I tried to take every last precaution I could before I did the gruesome deed. I took another sip of water to try to calm my nerves. I scooted my body closer to the boulder pinning my leg to minimize the risk of cutting something that didn’t have a multi-ton boulder crushing it. I placed a rag in my mouth so I wouldn’t break my teeth from clenching my jaw so hard. I wasn’t sure if I was ready, but the time for hesitation had passed. I lifted the hatchet over a spot between the boulder and the tourniquet.

“One…” I brought the blade down slowly as a test.
“Two…” Another bluff to ensure my alignment.
I clenched my teeth and prepared for excruciating pain.
“THREE!” I raised the hatchet as far back as I could and swung it down as fast as my magic could propel it. It connected and cleaved straight through to the bone and beyond with a sickening CRACK.

My entire body suddenly felt like it was being dipped in molten lava. I bit down on the rag as hard as I possibly could as tears began streaming down my face. My heart was racing. My head was throbbing. The sensory overload was pushing me to the absolute precipice of my sanity. I wanted to stop. Oh, sweet Celestia, how I wanted to stop…but I knew I couldn’t.

“No…turning…back!” I reminded myself between shrieks of pain.

I raised the blade a second time and brought it down on the same spot. I heard another CRACK, felt another wave of searing pain, but I couldn’t feel my wing anymore. I shimmied away from the rock just slightly and I didn’t feel anything tugging back. I felt blood dripping down my side, but it wasn’t spurting. I had just severed my wing with two strikes, and the tourniquet was holding! I was still alive…for the moment.

“One down…” I mumbled, my voice muffled by the rag between my teeth, “One to go.”

I became physically sick with pain. My nostrils were flaring, my adrenaline was pumping, and I could feel tears streaming from my eyes. My stomach was churning relentlessly and I could feel my birthday cake rising in my throat, but I fought the urge to vomit and choked it back down.

It was instantly apparent that my leg would not surrender as easily, so I repositioned my blade to strike my leg above the knee, between the tourniquet and the boulder, and descended into madness once again.

I raised the blade and slammed it with another wet, disgusting CRACK. Then I did it again, and again, and again, each strike a thousand times more painful than the last. Muscle fibers tore like parchment. Nerves strained and snapped like over-tensioned piano wires. Bones cracked like dead tree branches in a windstorm. I was blinded by absolute agony, screaming with a voice that could barely whisper through a gag which muffled most of the sound that passed through it. Finally, after five strikes, I heard a heavy THUNK. I looked down at the carnage and saw that the head of the hatchet was clearly stuck in the thick canyon floor. I eased myself away from the blade. The wound was oozing blood, but I saw no arterial spray, just several shreds of skin and muscle still bridging the two pieces; I winced as I jerked my limb free. Finally, I used the gauze wraps and some tape to lightly cover the exposed wounds and carefully wriggled my way out from between the rocks that almost became my tombstones. I was free! FINALLY FREE!

I tried to stand on my hooves but failed horribly. I struggled through three more attempts, failing each time, but as I finally managed to stand on the fifth try, I could feel my legs trembling like mad. My sense of balance was completely destroyed. I pictured myself as a newborn foal all over again; cold, scared, and uncertain of what would happen next. I felt completely unsure of myself, but my primary goal remained clear: survival. As I magically repacked my saddlebags, I instantaneously decided to leave the hatchet where it stood, still embedded in the canyon floor. I never wanted to see that torture device again for the rest of my life.

I contemplated my next move, which was...how to move. The techniques I’d been indoctrinated with since birth couldn’t possibly help me here…or could they?

I’m a right-lead pony, I thought to myself, so when I walk, my left front hoof hits the ground before my right. If I try to walk like that now, I’ll fall flat on my face every time. I can’t have that, so maybe…just maybe…

I slowly raised my right hind leg and brought it forward. Next, I brought my left hind leg forward, which startled me a bit as I almost fell over, but didn’t. Lastly, I took a step with my right foreleg. A slight grin crept across my face.

“I…I did it.”
Now do it again.
Right…left...right…
I move forward.
Do it again.
Right…left…right…
Again!
Right…left…right…
AGAIN! NOW DON’T STOP!
Right…left…right…right…left…right...right…left…right…

I felt myself grinning wider as the sense of accomplishment sent a warm, fuzzy feeling rushing through my body. As draped my saddlebags over my back, I kept moving forward. I left the canyon, now and forever, and followed a dirt path to the top of a hill, climbing until the vast panorama of Equestria stretched before me. I saw the towering castles of Canterlot in the distance and felt a pang of dread in my chest. As I continue limping down the dirt path, I tried to lift what remained of my injured leg, but it was completely numb. I felt the slow trickle of blood from my wing amputation seeping through the fabric of my saddlebags and tried to slow my heart rate by thinking happy thoughts, but I was already thinking too many painful ones instead. I kept walking for what seemed like hours, trying anything and everything to keep myself awake. I tried talking to myself, spelling words, solving math problems in my head, and even splashing water on my face, but my body kept growing colder and my vision darker. Eventually, I emerged from a forest, coming within sprinting distance of the outer limits of Canterlot. I tried to take one more step, but I stumbled and collapsed to the ground.

As I shakily drew what I assumed would be my final breath, my eyes widened and the inevitable truth hit me like a buck to the face.

Escaping Tumblestone Canyon was the easy part.

I was free…but far from safe…and nowhere near sound…

I’d mutilated my body into an equine hourglass…filled with blood instead of sand…

…And my time had just run out.

(End flashback)

“And that’s where I lost consciousness.” Impact finished, “Some wonderful birthday that turned out to be…”

“Oh my…” Fluttershy moaned.

“By the sun and moon…” Twilight gasped.

“Tarnation…” Applejack said, removing her hat and clutching it over her heart.

“That’s so awesome, and yet so terrible!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed halfheartedly, equally disgusted, intrigued, and distraught.

“Is it over?” Spike asked as he peeked out from his hiding spot behind Twilight, his eyes tightly shut and hidden behind his claws.

“So that’s why you wanted that blue cloak of yours fixed so badly!” Rarity stated, “It wasn’t just a gift from your mother…”

“It’s the only outfit I have that conceals all of my flaws.”

“I’ve heard some heartbreaking stories before, but that was THE…WORST…POSSIBLE…THING!” she cried out in anguish.

“Impact… I’m so, so sorry… I didn’t know…honest…” Pinkie Pie choked through broken sobs as she walked over and sat down between Twilight and Applejack, her hair hanging limp and lifeless.

“There was no way you could have known.” Impact interrupted, “Because I didn’t know how to tell you.” She enchanted a nearby box of tissues to float around the room so everypony could dry their eyes. “That’s why I didn’t want you to throw a party for me, Pinkie. Not only was I mourning my parents, but I was afraid of how everypony would react if I showed them the real me.”

“Parties are supposed to be fun!” Pinkie said sadly, “Why would you be afraid of having a party?”

“Ponies can be cruel, Pinkie.” Impact explained, “Ponies have been making fun of me ever since I was a filly, and it only got worse after my accident. Because of all the taunting and teasing, I’ve always had trouble keeping friends, and I’ve always had issues with my temper. Regardless, I never should’ve snapped at you like that. You were just trying to make me happy, and I ruined it. If anything, I should be apologizing to you.” She crawled closer to her new pink friend and flashed a quick, endearing smile. “I’m really sorry, Pinkie Pie, for attacking you, for wrecking my party, for everything.” She stood shakily on her three hooves, her knees trembling. “Can you ever forgive me?” she asked.

“ABSOLUTELY!” Pinkie squealed as her hair brightened and volumized from dull pink flatness into cotton-candy cloudiness. She leapt to her hooves and tackled her new friend with a powerful hug. “But to make up for it, you HAVE to let me throw you a party!”

“How about next month? I get to pick the place, but you can do everything else however you want. Deal?”

Pinkie nodded furiously. “Deal!”

“As for the rest of you…” Impact wheezed, still pinned beneath the pink pony, “Can you forgive me?”

The five ponies exchanged glances. Eyebrows were raised. Smirks were shared and received. Sneers of displeasure slowly became sighs of relief. Suddenly, Rainbow Dash shouted, “PONY PILE!” and somewhere within the ensuing blur of manes, tails, joyous laughter, and Applejack’s hat landing on her head, Impact found her answer.

“Now that we understand each other a little better, does anypony have any questions?”

Relaxing on the floor in the middle of the library, Impact listened intently as her new friends peppered her with questions. Spike, having given up on his nap, had returned to the library after Impact revealed her true self and thus heard her whole story. The baby dragon was eager to start the friendly interrogation because underneath the anxiety, he was just as excited as everypony else to truly get to know the real Impact Hammer. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

A one-winged tripedal alicorn was somepony you just didn’t meet every day.

“So…” Spike said, tapping his claws together nervously. “You’re an alicorn?”

“I sure am!” Impact said. “Is there something wrong with that?” She frowned slightly.

“No! No!” Spike stammered, “I just thought that…you know…Luna and Celestia were the only alicorns in Equestria, because they’re…you know…special.”

“That’s what most ponies believe,” she said, “Magic tends to sugarcoat and shroud the truths that science can easily explain. Since my mother was a pegasus and my father was a unicorn, then according to Gregor Manedel’s laws of heredity, I could have been born with pegasus wings, a unicorn horn, neither, or both. It’s extremely rare, but I beat the odds and got both.”

“That’s pretty cool!” Spike said happily, his mind still reeling a bit from Impact’s science-speak.

“Yes. Yes it is.”

“Will you live forever like Princess Celestia?” the dragon asked.

“I’ve cheated death so many times; somepony might assume I was immortal,” Impact said as she giggled, “but as far as I know, I’m as mortal as any other pony, including Celestia. Nopony can live forever, so I try to live my life to the fullest every single day, just in case it does end tomorrow.”

“Pretty smart philosophy!” the dragon replied.

“What’s your favorite candy?” Pinkie Pie asked, opening the floodgates on a seemingly endless stream of questions. “What’s your favorite fruit? What’s your favorite game? What’s your favorite sport? What’s your favorite holiday? What’s your favorite color? Do you like breaking things?”

“Slow it down, Pinkie Pie!” Applejack warned. “Don’t push her too hard–”

“Let’s see…” Impact took a deep breath. “Black licorice, pineapple, chess, equine parkour, Nightmare Night, ultramarine, and YES!!!” Impact spewed out in a single breath, keeping pace with the mile-a-minute pony. Pinkie’s jaw dropped to the floor as everypony else shared a smile.

“Ah tried ta warn her…” Applejack sighed, rolling her eyes. “Quick question, Impact. What’s up with yer name? Impact Hammer… don’t it start ta sound strange if ya say it enough?”

“Not really, once you consider the pattern. My name is Impact Hammer. My dad’s name is Sledge Hammer. His dad’s name was Deadblow Hammer, then Jack Hammer, then Claw Hammer, and all the way back to my great-great-great-grandfather, Ball-Peen Hammer.

“Oh! Now Ah get it! That’s just like what mah family does!”

“Exactly. You’re an Apple and I’m a Hammer. Your family’s a bunch of fruits and mine is nothing but tools!” she snickered.

“HAY!” Applejack began to retort, but started giggling.

Everypony burst out laughing at the bad pun, as Impact’s subtle wordplay was criminally funny.

“Wait a second.” Twilight said skeptically, pointing an accusing hoof while fighting back the giggles, “I distinctly remember seeing you on four hooves when we pulled you from the mud hole!"

“That’s because I was wearing my prosthetics.” Impact said with a smile as her horn began to glow with magical energy. Out of nowhere, a black wooden box materialized in front of her. She nosed the latches open to reveal a long, cylindrical object and a flat, lopsided object within. “My trusty sidekicks.” She said as she levitated them toward their proper locations on her body and attached them with two simple clicks. “I built them about nine years ago. The wing is purely for decoration, but the leg is 100% anatomically accurate. Some days I wear them, and some days I don’t.”

“I don’t see any straps or buckles…” Rarity mentioned, “How do they stay on?”

“The doctor called it osseointegration.” She disconnected her prosthetic limb, revealing a chunk of metal sticking out of the skin. “Before they sealed me up, they implanted a titanium bolt directly into the bone. As it healed, the bone grew around the metal and fused with it, creating a permanent anchor point for my artificial leg. There’s another bolt holding my wing in place.”

“Is it hard walking on three hooves?” Twilight asked.

“Difficult, but not impossible.” the hoofcapped alicorn explained, “Certain terrains are still a challenge, like snow, ice, and wet ground, but I have special boots for those conditions.”

“What do you like to do for fun?” Rainbow Dash asked, changing the subject.

“First of all, I LOVE reading.” she gushed, casting a knowing glance at Twilight, “Humph. Living in a library. I’m so jealous.”

The purple unicorn blushed and smiled. “Don’t worry.” she chuckled, “You’re welcome here anytime you like.”

“Thanks.” Impact said, running her hoof through her mane as she turned her attention back to Rainbow Dash. “I’m also a trotceuse. I’ve studied and practiced equine parkour, or EPK, since I was ten. It’s basically getting from point A to point B in the most efficient way possible. I don’t need both my wings to defy gravity, and sometimes I do it three-hooved when I’m desperate for my daily adrenaline rush.”

“Cool!” Spike and Rainbow Dash agreed, intrigued by the concept.

“On the other hoof, I like tinkering with things. You know, taking stuff apart to see how it works and then putting it back together. I also like to find old parts and use them to build new things. It’s what I was born to do.”

“Wait.” said Rarity, “If you KNOW that’s your talent, then why haven’t you received your Cutie Mark like us?” she asked, noting Impact’s blank flank.

She cast a backward glance at her hindquarters and sighed. “I don’t know. My prosthetics are the only things I’ve built since my accident. I guess they’re just something missing in my life, and I haven’t figured out what it is yet. My life was turned upside down, but it got better for a while…”

“How so?” Twilight wondered.

Suddenly, somepony knocked at the front door.

“I’ll get it!” the purple unicorn beamed.

“No, I’ll get it.” Impact insisted as she rose to her hooves and walked toward the noise.

“What happened next?” Fluttershy suddenly asked quickly and nervously, much to everypony’s astonishment.

“Pardon?” Impact said, raising an eyebrow.

“I said…‘What happened next?’” the yellow pegasus repeated, “You didn’t finish your story.”

“Hold on, Fluttershy.” Rainbow Dash said, thunderstruck, “You’ve been actually listening?”

“Oh yes, Rainbow. Every single word.”

“Seriously?” Spike interjected.

“Ah half-expected ya ta be runnin’ fer yer life by now, screamin’ in terror and such.” Applejack said matter-of-factly as she adjusted her hat.

“Why would such a gentle pony like you be so interested in such a terrible story?” Rarity asked in disbelief.

“Oh, believe me, Rarity, I wanted to stop listening when she got to the bad part…but as it kept getting worse, I guess…umm…I kinda started to like it.”

“Say WHAAAAT?” Pinkie Pie interjected.

“I know it goes against my nature,” Fluttershy continued, “but it’s not a scary story. It’s a survival story, and it makes me feel…better about myself. I suddenly feel stronger as a pegasus than I felt this morning. Is that a bad thing, Impact?” she asked with a whimper.

“Not at all. What you’re feeling is perfectly natural.” she explained happily, “Nopony truly knows what they’ve got until it’s gone. Take it from somepony who knows firsthoof.”

“I guess you’re right…” the yellow pegasus said in agreement.

“Wow, Fluttershy! This is some pretty hardcore stuff, even for me.” Rainbow said with a nod of approval. “You’re tougher that I thought you were… about 20% tougher.”

“So…What did happen to you after you passed out on the way to Canterlot?” Spike asked.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you that.” Impact replied.

“Well, WHY NOT?” the purple dragon suddenly demanded, pounding on the floor in frustration.

“Spike!” Twilight scolded.

“Because I already finished my part!” Impact shouted, noticeably agitated. The silver alicorn’s horn glowed and the door opened, revealing two more alicorns, both of whom everypony recognized instantaneously and dropped to the floor.

“Princess Luna, I presume.” Impact said as she knelt to the floor, bowing out of respect along with Twilight and the others. “Your mane is looking especially dark and lustrous this evening.”

“Why, thank you, miss…” Luna replied, “Hmm… I’m sorry, but I don’t believe we’ve met. Who are you?”

“Impact Hammer!?” the white alicorn behind her suddenly said with a hesitant smirk, which became a cheerful grin. “Oh, it’s so good to see you again!”

“Hello, Princess Celestia. You’re looking as sleek and svelte as ever! How have you been?”

“Quite well, quite well, and thank you for the compliment. What about you? How have you fared over all this time?”

“Same as usual, Your Highness… Surviving.”

“I am pleased to hear that. Things haven’t been the same in Canterlot Castle since you left…”

“Wait…YOU TWO KNOW EACH OTHER!?” Spike said disbelievingly.

“Yeah, and we’re a lot closer than you think. How long has it been?” Impact asked curiously.

“I’d say about…four years.” the princess replied.

“Wait a minute, Impact.” Spike said, “You still haven’t said why you won’t finish the story.”

“Story? What story?” Celestia asked, thinking for a moment. “Oh… You’re telling that story… the one about how I found you barely alive on the outskirts of Canterlot?”

Impact nodded and a sudden tsunami of stunned silence flooded the library.

“Wait a second, Princess…” Twilight said apprehensively, “Are you saying that you’re the reason Impact is still alive today?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying, Twilight.”

The purple unicorn’s jaw dropped, along with everypony else’s.

“Now does everypony understand?” Impact said. “In the next chapter of my tale… I’m not the pony telling the story.”

“That distinction falls upon me.” Celestia entered the library and lowered herself to the floor, as Princess Luna followed suit and settled down beside her, then cleared her throat and joined the storytelling circle.

Revivals and Reunions

(Flashback) Celestia’s POV

After a long day of attending to my royal duties, including a public park declaration in Fillydelphia, a legal dispute in Manehattan, and judging a bake-off in Appleloosa, I was exhausted. I was flying back to Canterlot for the night in my aerial carriage, but as we flew over Tumblestone Canyon, my lieutenant, Speed Freak, was forced to make an emergency landing.

“Are you alright?” I asked him after we landed shakily but safely.

“Please forgive me, Your Highness,” he replied with a pained wince, “but I think I pulled something in my wing. Flying is no longer an option, but if we hurry, we can have you at your castle before the clock tower strikes twelve.”

“Accidents happen, Lieutenant.” I said, smiling warmly, “If you are injured, you needn’t strain yourself. I can see Canterlot in the distance, and it’s a lovely autumn evening tonight. I don’t mind taking the scenic route.”

“As you wish, Princess.” he replied before turning to his fellow guards. “Let’s move, boys! We have a schedule to keep!”

As we continued down the dirt path, I overheard my guards’ conversation begin to change.

“Does anypony else smell that?” one guard asked curiously. I sniffed the air and immediately detected a foul aroma. I covered my face with a pillow to stop myself from vomiting.

“Yeah. It’s bad. Let’s hustle back to the city before the Princess is put in danger.”

“I think I just stepped in something.” another said, lifting his hoof, “Sweet Celestia…is that what I think it is?” he asked nervously.

“Look!” replied the third guard, pointing a hoof down the path. “There’s a trail of it!”

The royal carriage stopped instantaneously.

“What has stopped us this time?” I asked, opening the door and stepping down from the carriage.

“Princess, please go back inside!” my lieutenant warned. “We’ll take care of this. You! Rookie!” he pointed a hoof at the newest recruit into the Royal Guard. “Find out where this trail leads.”

“Yes, sir!” he disconnected himself from his harness and darted off down the trail.

I looked to the ground and noticed splotches of red amongst the brown earth. “Is this blood, Lieutenant?”

“Yes, Your Highness, I believe so, and a great deal of blood, unfortunately.” he admits with a bow, “The trail extends for a great distance in both directions. Judging by the direction, Your Majesty, an injured pony is attempting to seek aid in Canterlot.”

“So I see…” I replied, hoping the owner of this spilt blood receives the medical attention they so desperately need.

“LIEUTENANT! OVER HERE!” the rookie called from up ahead. “PONY DOWN!”

With my guards surrounding me in a box formation, we galloped toward the noise, the scent of blood in the air growing stronger with every step, until we reached the stallion who signaled for help.

As we crested the hill, I felt my various samplings from the Appleloosa Bake-Off begin to rise in my throat…

“Dear Equestria…” I gasped in horror.

Beneath a pair of blood-soaked saddlebags, a silver filly lay on the edge of the path, unconscious in a pool of red. As I stepped closer, I discovered the youngling was an alicorn like me, except her left foreleg and left wing had been tied off with makeshift tourniquets, brutally amputated, and covered with crude bandages, now thoroughly soaked with her crimson essence.

“She’s lost a lot of blood, Your Highness. I fear we’re too late…”

Avoiding the spilt blood, I gingerly placed a hoof upon her chest…

Thump…thump…

A heartbeat?

Thump…thump…

It’s weak, but it’s there…

“She’s still alive? SHE’S STILL ALIVE!” I screamed.

“Should I alert the medics, Princess?”

“There’s no time for that, Lieutenant!” I shouted as I draped her across my back. “I’ll take her to the hospital myself! You three! Alert the authorities! Lieutenant, stay here until they arrive and follow this blood trail back to its source! Something terrible happened to this filly, and I want answers! GO!”

“Yes, Princess!” the four guards stated, carrying out their orders without question.

“I can’t fly, Princess,” Speed Freak replied, “but I can walk and run just fine. I shall inform the authorities of your location when they arrive. Go!”

I nodded and took off into the sky, looking back for a brief second as they ran for the nearest shrubs and vigorously emptied their stomach contents.

Poor dears. They held out for as long as they could…

As I touched down and raced into Canterlot Hospital, dozens of ponies stopped in their tracks to pay their respects to their beloved Sun Princess.

“Do NOT kneel in my presence this night, my subjects!” I shouted breathlessly in my Royal Canterlot Voice, “Not when a life is on the line!”

“Princess Celestia…” the receptionist said in shock, “You’re…bleeding…” She pressed a button on her desk. “All available staff, report to the lobby!” she cried, “The princess has been injured! I repeat! The princess has been injured! Requesting immediate assistance!”

Two colts raced toward me with a stretcher, followed by at least two dozen more ponies dressed in medical garb.

“Not me…” I said, lowering my wings to reveal the injured filly on my back. “Her.” Everypony gasped and a few ponies fainted.

“What happened? Who in Equestria would do this?” one mortified mare asked.

“I don’t know, but I felt a heartbeat.” I explained as quickly as I could without slurring my words. “She’s barely alive, and she needs help. NOW.”

A teal unicorn in a doctor’s uniform magically lifted the filly onto the stretcher. “She’ll need a blood transfusion, Princess. Do you know her blood type?”

“No.” I replied regretfully, “I don’t know anything about her. One of my guards found her on the edge of Canterlot and I raced over here.”

“My…blood…type…?” a voice croaked weakly. My heart leapt into my throat. Everypony turned to see the silver filly open her eyes a crack. “A…B…positive…” was all she managed to say before slipping back into unconsciousness.

“You heard her! AB positive!” the teal unicorn shouted, “Get her to the OR, stat! LET’S MOVE!”

The crowd of doctors and nurses rushed back through the double doors, taking the filly with her.

The teal unicorn doubled back. “Please follow me, Princess…we may need your assistance.”

With a sense of impending doom creeping into my heart, I followed the doctor through the white double doors, noting how similar they looked to the gates of the afterlife I’d read about in many of my books.

“Princess, I must ask you a question.”

“Please ask away.”

“From what I have seen tonight, even with a transfusion, there’s a very high likelihood that she won’t live to see the sunrise.”

“What are you implying?” I asked.

“If her blood type is AB positive,” she rambled, “that means her body can safely accept blood of any type, positive or negative. However, she’s an alicorn, so I fear common pony blood won’t be enough to…to…”

“OUT WITH IT, DOCTOR!” I screeched.

“A transfusion of alicorn blood might give her a better chance!” she squealed. “Is there any way you would be willing to donate some of yours?”

“If my blood is what you require to save her life, Doctor, then yes, I shall provide what I can.”

“Follow me, Your Highness.” a gray colt orderly informed me, “We’ll draw what we need, and then you can clean this blood from your coat. There’s a shower in the on-call room.”

“A wise decision.” I replied, “Lead the way.”

The kind gray colt led me to an examination room. I eased down gently upon the bed and he sterilized the injection site with an iodine solution. I cringed slightly as he procured the needle.

“I hate needles…” I whimpered, “Always have. Always will.”

“Everypony does, Princess.” he responds, “Ready?”

“Ready.” I closed my eyes.

“On the count of three.” he warned, “One…two…three…”

I winced in slight pain as he gently drove the needle into my foreleg and connected the other end to some sort of medical apparatus. After that, I watched as the clear plastic bag inside slowly filled with red liquid. It’s actually quite a strange sensation, feeling your blood leave your body and seeing where it ends up. After ten minutes, it was filled, so he disconnected it and replaced it with a second one.

After the second blood bag was filled, he removed the needle and bandaged my leg. A green pegasus nurse provided a pitcher of water and several apples so I could regain my strength. I quietly devoured them before the same gray colt led me to a shower, where the proper toiletries had been ever-so-kindly laid out for me, then left me to my own devices.

I quietly disrobed myself and stepped into the soothing stream of warm water. My mind began to wander, lost between the mixed sensations of pleasure and apprehension. As I scrubbed the red splotches away, I realized exactly how much of her essence had stained me. I watched them swirl down the drain and shuddered at the sensation. I felt like a stand-in for Janet Neigh, living out her Equestria-famous bathroom scene from that one Alfred Hitchcolt movie. As red faded to pink and pink gave way to white, all I could think about was her. What caused her to end up like that, and why? I steeled my nerves as I thought back to what I had seen back in the forest. The young filly had severed her leg and her wing, which meant she either has a powerful survival instinct, a very high tolerance for pain, or possibly both. Most likely both. The improvised medical techniques she used showed that she knew what she was doing. She seemed intelligent, yet extremely cautious and methodical. The expression on her face was powerful and determined, but also stricken with misery and desperation. She experienced a great triumph tonight, and conversely suffered an incredible loss as well.

This filly was truly a rare breed, and not just because she was an alicorn like me.

I dried off, redressed, and returned to the waiting room. The lack of information was unbearable. Eventually, I noticed the time on a nearby clock and willed the sun to rise. As morning began to creep its way across the skies of Equestria, and after six hours of pacing around the waiting room like a caged animal, a blue law enforcement unicorn entered the hospital and approached me. My four carriage-pullers accompanied him, including my lieutenant, whose injured wing was now lightly bound in a sling.

“Well, what have you discovered?” I asked, sick with worry. Speed Freak spoke first.

“We followed the blood trail, Your Majesty, and regretfully, it originated from Tumblestone Canyon, which recently endured an unanticipated rockslide.”

“Tumblestone Canyon!?” I cringed, “Oh dear…”

“This is Sergeant Siren.” He pointed to the unicorn in uniform. “He can better explain the situation.”

“Upon arriving at the scene, Princess,” the unicorn explained, “rescue pegasi sifted through the debris and discovered a wagon amongst the rubble. They recovered the bodies of a stallion and mare, and a forensic unicorn also uncovered the severed leg and wing of a silver pegasus, each crushed beneath a large boulder.”

“Have the remains been identified?”

“A picture of the family was recovered.” he admitted as he presented me a picture inside a clear evidence pouch. “The bodies are those of Sledge Hammer and Acrylic Paint, residents of Silicanter Valley. They were husband and wife, but they were killed instantly. The severed limbs belong to their daughter, Impact Hammer, who is currently presumed missing.

“Daughter? Oh no…” I groaned miserably. I stared at the picture and immediately recognized the smiling face of the filly that nearly died beneath my hooves. “She’s not missing.” I choked, “I brought her here. My guards and I found her unconscious. She’s in surgery as we speak.” I paused for a moment. “What about her…limbs? Can they be reattached?”

“I’m sorry, Princess, they were crushed beyond repair, and even if they could be saved, she’d never fly or walk again. They will be buried alongside her parents in the nearest cemetery, which I believe lies on the outer limits of a town called Ponyville.” He scribbled some notes in his notepad then looked up. “She made it from Tumblestone to Canterlot on three hooves? Without magic?” he asked skeptically, “Interesting…” He scribbled in his notepad some more.

“You can’t possibly suspect her for their deaths, do you?” I pondered, slightly angered.

“Not at all!” the officer assured me, “We just need to ask her some questions about the incident. A hatchet was found at the scene, with her blood on the blade and a magical residue on the handle.”

“Who would be so heartless as to dismember an innocent filly?” I wondered aloud.

“That’s why we want to question her. Hopefully she can tell us who committed this atrocity.”

Suddenly, the double doors of the lobby burst open and the teal unicorn doctor emerged.

“Princess?” she called quietly, “The surgery was a success. Your little friend is safe. Please follow me.”

“How is she?” I asked, relieved but still very worried.

“It took four pints of blood, including the two you so graciously donated, but she’s stable.” the doctor explained as she led me down a hospital corridor, “Her injuries were quite extensive, but her ingenuity and perseverance may have saved her life. She tied those tourniquets exactly how a paramedic would, as if she got the knowledge straight out of a book. After some post-op testing, she should be cleared to leave before the end of the week. Well, here we are.” she said as we stopped outside the room where Impact was recovering, “The anesthesia is wearing off, so she should wake up any minute now.”

As I carefully steeped into the room, I was torn between grief and relief as I beheld the filly on the hospital bed. She was now a fraction of the pony she once was, the remains of her left foreleg and wing wrapped in bandages. I could see the pain in the twisted grimace on her face as she awakened.

“Book...” she mumbled, her eyes still closed, “Where’s…my…book…”

“Book?” I asked curiously.

“It’s a…library book…I’m not…finished…with it…”

“We found a book in her saddlebag.” Officer Siren said, “Let me get it.”

He pulled the book from his satchel and passed it to the doctor. She took one look at the cover and started chuckling.

“What’s so funny?” I asked.

“It’s just like I told you, Princess.” she said as she passed it to me, “Straight out of a book.”

I couldn’t resist cracking a smile as I read the title: Emergency First-Aid: Treating Twenty-Two Types of Trauma.

“Your name is Impact Hammer, correct?” I asked the awakening filly.

“Yes…” she replied, eyes still shut.

“Here you go, dear.” I said with a smile as I passed the book to her. “It seems a little advanced for a filly your age, but it sounds like a fascinating book.”

“It is…Thank you…” she replied politely as her eyes opened, widening as they adjusted to the light of the room. “…Princess…Celestia!?!?” she spluttered, gasping for breath, “I-I-I…”

She tried to climb out of her bed, obviously in an attempt to kneel out of respect for my presence. I stopped her by pressing a hoof to her chest.

“Please don’t strain yourself, young one, just rest. The joy and relief of knowing you’re still alive is the only honor you need present me.”

“Where…am…I?” she asked, gradually calming down.

“Canterlot Hospital. You’ve been in a terrible accident. Your left foreleg and your left wing were brutally amputated.”

“Oh…” she said, looking at where her left foreleg once was. “I know that…”

“Impact, try to remember. Can you describe exactly who or what did this to you?”

She paused, unsure how to respond, as if whatever answer she gave would be the wrong one.

“I did this...” she gasped.

“What did you say?” I shouted incredulously.

“My limbs were…broken…pinned by rocks…I used my hatchet…to cut myself free…”

“But…why?”

“I screamed…and screamed…but nopony came…to rescue me…so I rescued…myself.”

Impact proceeded to describe for us the unfortunate chain of events that had led to her current condition. In extreme detail…

After she finished speaking, I retreated into the hall with the doctor and the police unicorn behind me. I was very happy that Impact was alive, but trying to mentally process her vividly graphic description of her torturous ordeal had left me physically ill.

Royal protocol, my flanks, I thought to myself as I raced to the nearest garbage bin and vomited furiously into it. That was by far the most disturbing story I’d heard in millennia, and I’d read Cupcakes, Rocket to Insanity, and Rainbow Factory without breaking so much as a sweat. Those were fiction, albeit highly disturbing fiction, but this was absolutely real. I couldn’t just close the cover on this nightmare…

“Princess!? Are you alright?” the doctor asked.

“Yes. Just ate a bad apple…” I groaned, spouting a little white lie as I wiped the foul-tasting residue from my lips, “It could’ve happened to anypony… What more can you tell me about her? Will she ever walk again? Will she ever fly again?”

“We attempted a radical new procedure known as osseointegration. A single titanium bolt was embedded into the bone at the end of each amputation site. Over the course of months and eventually years, the metal and bone will fuse together, creating a permanent anchor point for any future prosthetics. Walking will be possible, even without prosthetics, but I highly doubt that she’ll ever fly again, even with them.”

“Is there any sadder sight than a one-winged pegasus, permanently grounded in the prime of her life?” I said mournfully as I looked at Impact through the window of her room, “What’s going to happen to her now? Does she have somepony out there who can care for her?”

“According to her family history,” the doctor explained while looking at Impact’s medical history, “her parents were her only living relatives. No aunts or uncles, no living grandparents, nopony at all. She’s an orphan now, and on top of that, she’s an alicorn! As far as Equestria is concerned, she’s not even supposed to exist! I can’t imagine the hardship she’s going to go through at Mrs. Carewell’s orphanage. It could take a long time before she meets an appropriate guardian…if she’s ever adopted at all…”

“I’ll do it.” I blurted out before I could stop myself.

“No disrespect, Your Majesty, but do you realize what you’re saying?” the officer asked in disbelief.

“Yes. She has nopony left in her life: nopony to shelter her, nopony to protect her, and nopony to love her, so I shall fill that role.”

“Are you sure? Adopting a filly is a serious responsibility.”

“I have raised and lowered the sun and moon every single day for a thousand years, Officer.” I reply firmly, my spirits lifting as a wave of happiness drenches me, “Responsibility is not an issue for me. Besides, my blood now runs in her veins, and she reminds me of myself when I was a filly.”

“Very well.” the police unicorn replied.

“Princess Celestia?” I heard Impact call from behind me. I turn around to look at her in her hospital bed, but she’s not there. I look down…and she has knelt before me, her horn touching the floor, her freshly stitched wounds weeping blood through their bandages.

“Thank you for saving me.” she said as her wheezing faded and she began to speak in complete sentences, “I don’t deserve your kindness…”

“What are you doing, little one?” I gasped in horror, “You should be resting in bed! You’ve been through quite a traumatic experience.”

“It hurts. Oh Celestia, it hurts…”

“What hurts, my dear? Your leg? Your wing?”

“My heart…”

“Why does your heart hurt?”

“My parents never made it out of the canyon, did they? They’re dead, aren’t they?”

“I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“I guess my birthday wish didn’t come true this year…” she sighed, lowering her head despondently.

“Birthday wish?” I wondered.

“Yesterday, Your Majesty. November 17th.”

“What did you wish for?” I asked nervously.

“I wished…for a safe journey home…” she whimpered, “Now I’m hoofcapped, my parents are dead and it’s my fault!”

My heart stopped. This little filly lost everypony she ever loved… and survived an experience that most ponies would not have lived through…on her birthday!

“I wanted to stay by their side.” she continued as she looked at me, trembling with cold and shuddering with fear. “I wanted to be with them until the end, but they told me to run. Do they blame me for not trying to help them? Are they mad at me because I ran away? Are they dead because of me?” Tears began welling up in her eyes.

“Oh, not at all!” I said softly, lowering my gaze even with hers. “You should be more grateful that you’re still alive! The hooves of fate work in mysterious ways, little Impact, but I believe that your parents will always smile down upon you from the heavens.”

“I know…but this was just one day!” she moaned, “How can I survive without my parents for the rest of my life? I’m just a filly, but now I'm all alone!” She leapt toward me, pressing her head against my neck, and broke down crying. “I’m all alone…”

“No, you’re not." I declared with a stomp of my hoof, "Not anymore. Once the doctors say you can leave the hospital, you’re coming to Canterlot to stay in the Royal Palace with me.”

“Really?” she gasped in disbelief.

“Absolutely!” I replied with a smile, “You’re an alicorn with nopony to take care of you; I’m an alicorn with nopony to take care of. Who better to protect you than another of your own kind?”

“Thank you so…” she started to say before she toppled over. Luckily, I caught her before she did any damage. One of the doctors checked for injuries.

“It’s alright, Princess. She’s just a little dizzy from the anesthesia. Just don’t let her stumps touch anything and she should be fine.”

“But…why me?” Impact groaned as the nurses lifted her back into her bed. “I’m no princess…”

“But you are now, child.” I said, showing her my bandaged leg, “The doctors took some of my blood and put it inside you. So in a way, you have royal blood in your veins, which makes you a princess after all, and I promise I will always be there for you.”

"Will you still be here when I wake up?" the filly asked.

"Yes. Yes I will." Celestia responded sweetly.

“OK, Mama,” she mumbled in her delirium as she fell back asleep, “I trust you.”

As the sun continued rising outside the window and everypony left the room, I pulled up a chair and watched her as she slept. I felt a single tear of joy roll down my cheek as I ran my hoof through her mane.

My prayers had finally been answered…

I wasn’t alone anymore…

(End Flashback)

“Wow…That was a beautiful story, Princess.” Twilight said, wiping a tear from her eye with her hoof. “You…adopted her?”

“Thank you, Twilight.” Celestia replied. “Yes, I did, but we had to keep her alicorn heritage a secret from all of Equestria.”

“A secret?”

“For the first six months after my surgery, I was forbidden by royal and medical decree to leave the castle so my stitches could heal and I could relearn how to walk.” Impact explained, “I finished perfecting my first set of prosthetics a year after my surgery, and the doctors said my implants had fused far enough into my bones to safely use them. I was free to go outside under supervision, but Celestia warned me to keep my wings covered at all times, especially in public places with her.”

“Sound like she kept ya on a purdy tight leash.” Applejack mentioned.

“I guess you could say that, but I never really cared. I knew my safety was always her first priority.”

“How long did that last?” Rainbow Dash asked curiously.

“We spent six years together,” the silver alicorn continued, “Until about three months before the Summer Sun Celebration. I told her that I was leaving Canterlot, and I didn’t know when I was coming back, if I ever would at all. She vehemently refused at first, and we had a massive argument. Words were hurled around, spells were cast, and many things were destroyed, but I eventually told her that I needed to find myself, and I needed to do it alone. We said our tearful goodbyes, and we never saw or spoke to each other again… until today.”

“SO TRAGIC…” Fluttershy bawled.

“YET SO BEAUTIFUL!” Rarity mumbled as she sobbed.

“I KNOW, RIGHT?” Pinkie Pie blubbered as she hugged her two friends tightly.

“There’s one thing I still need to know, Princess.” Impact said quietly, “I mean no disrespect, but I must ask…Why do so much just for me?”

“Because of who you are,” the princess sighed sweetly, “and because of what you are.”

“What’s that gotta do with it?” Applejack wondered.

“After I was forced to banish my sister to the moon,” Celestia continued somberly, “I was devastated, but I put on a brave face for the sake of Equestria. However, when I returned to my castle at night, I was inconsolably miserable. My servants tried their best to comfort me, but nothing ever worked.”

A wave of sadness swept across the room as Celestia continued.

“I had thousands of faithful followers: earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns alike, among other creatures. However, as the centuries passed, one thing was always the same; the only time I saw another alicorn was when I looked at the moon or in the mirror. I had everything a pony could ever ask for, but I still felt empty inside. Until the day I found you, Impact Hammer. That’s when everything changed.”

“What do you mean, Princess?” Impact queried.

“When my royal escort first discovered you, Impact, your silver coat stained crimson, I was worried, and as I caught my first glimpse of your mangled, unconscious body, I was terrified, but what truly mortified me most was the fact that from the moment I placed my hoof upon your chest, felt that single heartbeat, and realized you were still alive…all I could see was my dear sister Luna.”

“Me?” Luna said incredulously.

“Yes.” Celestia replied, turning to her sister. “In my mind, dear sister, you were lying on the ground before me, screaming in agony as your life force drained away before my very eyes. I’m the strongest creature in Equestria, but in that moment, I truly felt powerless. It made me hate myself even more for banishing you. I thought that by saving Impact, I could somehow redeem myself for what I did to you.”

“Whoa.” Luna gasped.

“That’s pretty deep.” Rainbow Dash said.

“Impact,” Celestia said, turning her attention back to the silver alicorn, “your presence in my life may have been my most closely-guarded secret, but it filled a hole in my heart I never thought I could close, so for that I sincerely thank you.”

“You’re absolutely welcome, Princess,” replied a stunned Impact, “but I completely understand how you feel.”

“Whatever do you mean?” Celestia replied, thoroughly confused.

“When I first woke up in the hospital after the surgery, I thought I saw my mother standing at my bedside, but as my eyes focused, I realized it wasn’t her. It was you.”

“Oh…” Celestia said, averting her eyes from the alicorn, “I was just trying to make sure that…”

“Little did I realize at the time, but that’s exactly who you became.”

Everypony gasped as the Sun Princess whirled back around.

“What?” she asked, now thoroughly shocked.

“Think about it.” the alicorn continued, “You personally carried me to a hospital when I was wounded and waited by my bedside until I recovered. You invited me into your home and nursed me back to health. You took me under your wing, taught me the ways of the world, and tucked me into bed at night every chance you could, all without order or obligation.”

Celestia’s gaze softened as her heart began to melt. The silver alicorn moved forward to look the elder princess of Equestria straight in the face.

“Everypony acknowledges you by your title, most can address you by name, and a select few have special monikers only they can use,” she nudged in the directions of Luna and Twilight, “but your love and compassion made me the only pony in Equestria who can truly call you…”

As the clock on the wall struck midnight, Impact leapt forward, pressed her head against the princess’ neck, and broke down crying, just like she did a decade ago on this very day.

“…Mother.”

With that one word, the heart of the strongest pony in Equestria shattered, and the mare whose blood it pumped became an emotional wreck. She wrapped her wings around the sobbing pony, clutched her to her chest, and cried. They cried wordlessly for several minutes. Nopony else wanted to say anything. What could be said at a moment like this?

Rejection and Resentment

Feeling emotionally liberated, Impact eventually unbound herself from Celestia’s embrace and quietly retreated to the bathroom. She wetted her face with cold water, dried off, then returned to the living room to gather her belongings.

“Now, if everypony would excuse me, I must be on my way.” she said with a sniffle, draping her saddlebags over her back.

The silver alicorn turned to leave, but somepony stopped her, blocking the door with her body.

“The only place you’re going…” Celestia stated firmly, “is back to Canterlot with myself and my sister.”

“For six years, you kept me in your care out of the kindness of your heart, and I’m eternally grateful.” Impact interrupted, “But I left Canterlot for a reason. I took a sabbatical from myself. I’ve traveled all over Equestria, trying to figure out who I am and what my purpose is in life, and I still haven’t found it yet. My sincerest apologies, Princess, but I must decline your offer. The filly you once knew and loved is gone, and the mare she has become doesn’t want to go back.” Impact said, as nicely as she possibly could.

“WHAT!?” she declared angrily, “How dare you disobey your Princess…and your mother?”

“Celestia… please listen!” she whimpered as she produced a stack of papers from her saddlebags with her magic. “I’ve reread the adoption contract,” she said, leafing through the pages until she found the one she needed, “and Article Seven, Subsection Four states that you shall remain my legal guardian unless a living blood relative can be found and you transfer guardianship to them… or until 12:00 AM on the day after my eighteenth birthday, which is when I legally become an adult.” She pointed a hoof at the clock on the wall, which now read 12:03 AM. “It's November 17th, Princess. The contract expires tonight. You’ll no longer be responsible for my well-being, and subsequently cannot force me to go anywhere against my will except under special legal circumstances, none of which currently apply.”

Everypony recoiled in shock. This was getting really bad, really fast…

Celestia raised a hoof in retaliation, but stopped. She hated to admit it, but Impact was telling the truth. She was trapped by the very legal system she herself helped create. The elder princess cursed under her breath. She’d fallen into the same trap that drove them apart four years ago.

“You’re absolutely right.” she sighed in defeat, “You always were my brightest student.”

Twilight blanched at what she’d just heard. The thought of secretly being the Princess’ second fiddle for all these years infuriated her. Parts of her mane began to spontaneously combust as a rage shift slowly overwhelmed her.

“That’s because I learned from the best.” Impact said with a teary-eyed smile. She leaned in close and gently kissed the solar matriarch on the cheek. “But we both know you’ve already passed that torch. Wouldn’t you agree, Twilight?” she said with a wink.

The purple unicorn blushed madly as her flaming mane quickly extinguished itself.

“Thanks again for your hospitality, but I really must go.”

“Where are you going?” Spike asked.

“Let’s just say that… somepony in this room has finally inspired me…” she said proudly.
Having said that, she walked out the door and hitched herself to her wagon. After some brief straining and struggling, the wheels began to turn. The Princess of the Sun could only stare helplessly as she left.

“Goodbye!” Celestia called, waving a hoof as her fellow alicorn departed.

“Don’t say ‘Goodbye’, Princess!” Impact called, waving back, “Goodbyes are for funerals, and we’re both still very much alive. Just say ‘Farewell.’”

Celestia chucked lightly.

“Farewell then, Impact Hammer,” she dismissed, "and have a happy birthday!"

“Farewell to you, too, Your Highness. Until our paths cross again…” she replied, before she opened a portal with her magic and trotted off into the unknown.

As the vortex closed behind her and vanished, the princess stopped waving…and started weeping.

“Tia? Are you going to be alright?” Luna asked, snuggling her elder sister worriedly.

“I’m don’t know, Lulu.” Celestia sighed desolately, her entire body trembling with anxiety, “I’m just not sure anymore. Let’s go home…I’m feeling very unwell right now.”

Luna nodded in agreement, and the Royal Pony Sisters flew away without another word.

In the aftermath of the argument, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Applejack grew furious over the event that had just transpired. Impact had just called the all-powerful Princess Celestia “Mother,” gave her the verbal equivalent of a roundhouse hoof to the face, and then kissed her goodbye!?!? Was she completely insane? Did she have a death wish or something?

“That tears it!” Pinkie sneered in disgust, “Now it’s personal…”

“Nopony hurts the princess like that and gets away with it!” Rainbow Dash screamed.

“I’m so mad I want to tear her other wing off!” Fluttershy fumed quietly. “Is that wrong?” she asked with a whimper, suddenly regretting what she’d said.

“Normally, Fluttershy, I’d say violence is never the answer.” Rarity said. “But in this case, I’m willing to make a BIG exception.” the white unicorn seethed through gritted teeth.

“Ah hear ya!” Applejack raged, “Sob story or not, Ah’m gonna juice that rotten apple tha next time ah see her, and ah won’t stop buckin’ ‘til she stops breathin’!”

Their furious rants quickly devolved into a loud, obnoxious tirade, and Twilight couldn’t stand it anymore.

“QUIET!!!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. “Now, everypony! CALM THE BUCK DOWN!” She hated having to resort to such profanity, but desperate times called for desperate measures. “Nopony is hurting anypony as I long as I’m still standing!” she said, slightly out of breath.

“Twilight! Are you insane?” Rainbow Dash beseeched. “She broke Celestia’s heart, and as the Elements of Harmony, we need to fix it! I WANT JUSTICE! I NEED VENGEANCE! I REQUIRE RETRIBUTION!"

“No, we don’t, and we won’t!” Twilight seethed, “And I can prove it.”

“How?” Fluttershy asked.

“Put myself in Impact’s position. If the princess wanted me pack up and leave Ponyville on a moment’s notice, never to return again, don’t you think I’d refuse with every fiber of my being?”

“Absolutely…” Pinkie Pie moped.

“Would I not question her logic and implore her to let me stay, explaining every reason why I deserved to do so?”

“Well, of course you would, but…” Rarity replied.

“And if she sent her personal guards to my front door, under royal order, to bring me back to
Canterlot by any means necessary; would you not defend me, risking your own freedom to protect mine?”

“Probably so…” Applejack muttered. “But what’s that gotta do with her...”

“Now, imagine the reciprocal of the situation. Celestia has asked me to leave Ponyville forever, but some tragic set of circumstances left me no choice but to willingly submit to her demands.”

“Oh no!” gasped Fluttershy.

“Now the critical question. If you had to point a hoof at the pony truly responsible for my departure, who would you choose? Would you blame Celestia because she ordered me to leave?” Twilight asked, “Or would you blame me because I surrendered to her will?”

The five ponies paused at the question and thought for a long time, but nopony could generate a response.

“So…what’s your point?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“My point is,” Twilight explained, “that Impact did was she believed was right, even at the expense of losing quite possibly the only family she had left. When somepony forces you to do something against your will, your natural instinct is to resist, and the harder somepony tries to control you, the harder you’ll try to resist them, the further you’ll push each other away, and the faster your friendship dies! You shouldn’t get mad at the ponies involved, but rather at the situation itself! Don’t hate the player, hate the game! Now, I think we should just sleep on it, and decide what to do in the morning, OK?”

The five remaining Element-bearers hung their heads in defeat. They were no match for Twilight Sparkle when it came to matters of logic. Nopony was. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy said goodbye to Spike and Twilight, then parted ways for the evening. Applejack was the last to leave.

“Ah’ve been purdy tolerant of tha new pony in town, but Ah’ve had it up to mah hat with her mouthin’ off to everypony.” she declared firmly. “Ah’ll try it yer way, Twi, so she gets one last chance ta redeem herself. ONE. LAST. CHANCE.” She stomped with every word for emphasis, driving her point even deeper. “If she blows her stack on anypony one more time, Ah’m personally gonna run her outta town with my own four hooves…and all tha logic in that pretty little head of yers ain’t gonna stop me. We clear?”

“Crystal.” she nodded.

“G’Night, Twilight.”

“Good night, Applejack.”

The orange pony left without another word. Twilight closed and locked the door, then sank to the floor.

“Oh, Impact…” she wept to herself, “What in Equestria have you done?”

Reflection and Redemption

Deep in the bowels of Canterlot Castle, beyond the prying eyes of everypony, in a room even Princess Celestia knew very little about, a purple portal opened and a silver alicorn stepped through. As the portal sealed shut, she ignited her horn into a white spotlight, and set several torches ablaze. The fires revealed a secret workshop, filled with tools, machinery, and other odds and ends she could use to construct her wildest fantasies. Sadly, the only thing this room had collected over the course of the last four years was dust. She disconnected herself from her wagon, cast a Vortex Vacuum spell to clear away all the dust, and took a deep whiff of the lingering odor.

“Ahh…” she sighed as she exhaled, “Blood, sweat, and burning metal. I’ve missed those smells.”

Her horn glowed white once again and a bubble of energy expanded to coat the interior of the space like mystical wallpaper.

“The ultimate soundproofing spell.” she said to herself, “Thank you, Twilight Sparkle. Just another reason why I love the Ponyville Library.”

She reached into a drawer and pulled out an aging yellowed parchment, one she herself drew many years ago, and pinned it to her wall. She then extracted a fresh sheet from the drawing pad in her wagon and pinned it up beside it.

“I have until sunset to get these upgrades finished,” she said to herself, putting pencil to parchment, “so let’s get started.”

The next morning, back in Ponyville…

After a slow start to the morning, Twilight Sparkle was helping Applejack finish gathering the last of the apples from her orchard. She sang a slow, brokenhearted melody to herself as she plucked apple after apple from the branches and magically lifted them into her friend’s cart.

“Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Impact, Happy Birth…day…to…you…”

“Are ya still thinkin’ about that dang ungrateful hayseed, Twi’?” Applejack asked as she bucked another tree.

“I don’t think she’s ungrateful, Applejack, just…misunderstood.” the unicorn moaned. “She lost her parents on her birthday and gave up a wonderful life with Princess Celestia. I just can’t understand why somepony would do that! Oh, look! It’s Rainbow Dash!” she said, her tone lifting slightly.

The sky-blue pegasus came in hot, but didn’t hit anything during her descent. No unsuspecting ponies, no smashed walls, nothing. She touched down with a flawless landing.

“Umm…Applejack, did you just see what I just saw?” Twilight said, thoroughly shocked.

“Sure did, sugarcube.” the equally astounded farm pony replied, “and if ya see any of mah pigs start flyin’ by, would ya let me know?”

“Hey, Twilight. Hey, Applejack.” she said, moping slightly as she walked over to them.

“Alright, Dash, what’s eatin’ you today?” Applejack wondered.

“What makes you think something’s bugging me?”

“Ya just landed perfectly…” Applejack pointed out.

“…in Sweet Apple Acres.” Twilight finished.

“So what?” Rainbow retorted.

“You never land perfectly in Sweet Apple Acres.” they replied simultaneously.

“OK!” Rainbow shouted, “Maybe something is wrong with me…”

“She left an impact on you too, huh?” Applejack said knowingly as she bucked another tree.

“Yeah…” the pegasus sighed, “I’ve been really bucking myself for all those mean things I said about her.”

“Me too.” Twilight admitted.

“Me three…” Applejack concurred.

“It must be terrible, you know, being born with wings but unable to fly.” Rainbow groaned as she kicked a nearby stone. “I mean, my wings are my life…if I woke up tomorrow with only one, or even worse, neither of them…I’d have nothing.”

“I could say the same about my horn.” Twilight admitted, “If I woke up without magic, I’d probably lose it like…like…”

“Like when ya forgot ta write ta tha Princess and got everypony so fixated on that ratty ol’ doll of yers?” she said smugly, raising an eyebrow.

“Smarty Pants?” Twilight said, blushing at the memory. “Yeah. I remember…”

“Ya know Big Mac still has that thang, right? Won’t let anypony touch her.”

Her eyes momentarily bugged out of her head.

“Meh. Let him keep her.” she replied, dismissing it with a hoof. “I hope she brings him more joy than she ever brought me.” Her thoughts wandered back to Impact. “She was so nice, even with her temper. Sure, she destroyed some stuff, like the Carousel Boutique…”

“…and yer library…” Applejack concurred.

“…and Sugarcube Corner…” Rainbow Dash added.

“But everything she broke, she fixed…if anything, she tried to make them a little bit better than they were before.”

“Ya don’t know what ‘cha got ‘til it’s gone.” Applejack said with a solemn nod.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Pinkie Pie popped up from inside Applejack’s cart, startling her friends and scattering apples everywhere.

“THEY PAVED PARADISE AND PUT UP A PARKING LOT!” she sang.

“What in the hay?!?!” Twilight gasped.

“Consarn it, Pinkie Pie!” Applejack said crossly. “Look at what ‘cha did!”

“Hey farmer, farmer, put away your DDT!” she continued to sing, “I don’t care about spots on my apples; leave me the birds and the bees. Please!”

“Oh, Pinkie Pie.” Rainbow said after a hearty laugh, “You are so random!”

“Alright, girl!” Applejack said with a chuckle, “Ya done had yer fun, now quit countin’ crows and git down here! Do ya know how long it’s gonna take ta pick all these up?”

“No time at all, Applejack. I’ve got it!” Twilight said as she targeted the fallen apples with her magic and levitated them back into the cart. “Pinkie Pie, what are you even doing in there anyway?”

“Well,” she explained, “I was walking past Carousel Boutique and I saw the strangest thing. Spike was helping Rarity design a new outfit for Fluttershy.”

“What in tarnation is so strange ‘bout that?” Applejack asked.

“From what I saw, it was black.” Pinkie replied.

“That’s pretty strange.” Twilight admitted, “Why would Fluttershy wear black unless…” She trailed off immediately, her face paling at the thought. She spun on her hooves and darted for Carousel Boutique as fast as she could, with her friends trailing close behind.

“Oh no, oh no, oh no…” she mumbled to herself. The purple unicorn could deduce only one logical reason why a pegasus as bright and cheerful as Fluttershy would dress in black at this time of year…

She was going to a funeral.

“Just two more stitches…” Rarity said sharply, bound and determined to make this outfit absolutely perfect, “and…done!”

The four friends burst through the door of Carousel Boutique, anxious and exhausted.

A squeal of terror rang out and a blur of pink and yellow darted behind the changing room curtain.

“WHOA!” Spike shouted as Twilight barreled past him, spinning him like a top.

“Girls!” Rarity squealed in surprise, “What in the name of high fashion is going on here?”

“Pinkie said you were making a new outfit for Fluttershy.” Twilight added.

“Actually, Twilight, as much as I’d LOVE to take the credit, I just brought it to life.”

“Ya said what now?” Applejack questioned.

“I didn’t design it. Fluttershy did.”

“Ah’ll say it again, ya said what now?”

“Rarity!” a gasping voice called from the changing room, “I’m ready!”

“Let’s see it, darling!”

The yellow pegasus took an breath, audible from behind the dressing room curtain. Recalling her less-than-super modeling experience with Photo Finish, she strode into the room and struck a pose, keeping her head held high and spreading her wings for all to see. She was wearing a simple vest, like the one she wore during Winter Wrap-Up, but this one was a glimmering silver. Her forelegs and wings were covered by skintight fabric sleeves, the same shade as her vest, but the symmetry was way off. The left sleeve was silver from the shoulder to about two inches above the knee, where it abruptly changed to black. Her left wing was completely black as well. Completing her outfit were two red ribbons, one tied above her left knee and another at the base of her left wing.

Everypony did a double-take and stared at the pegasus’ ensemble. Factoring out the pink mane and yellow coat, Fluttershy looked exactly like Impact Hammer.

“Wow, Fluttershy!” Spike said with a bright smile, “You look good! I mean REALLY good!”

“I couldn’t agree more, Spike. It clashes with her coat like a cart accident and I utterly despise spandex, but when you consider the garment’s true meaning, I can’t help but agree with you.”

“Fluttershy…YOU designed that?” Rainbow asked as she gawked astounded.

“It came to me in a dream…” she replied, “along with another idea.”

“Idea?” Pinkie wondered.

“Animals often misbehave when they want attention.”

“Of course!” Applejack said, “Winona steals mah hat or Apple Bloom’s bow every now and then when she wants ta play.”

“Where are you going with this, Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“When Impact attacked Pinkie back at Sugarcube Corner, I don’t think she was really trying to hurt her… Call it a hunch, but I think it was a cry for help.”

“Cry for help?” Pinkie exclaimed, “But she seemed so cheerful and happy when we first met her!”

“What makes you say that?” Twilight asked.

“Think about it. What one thing do you love most in the world, more than anything in Equestria, not counting your friends and family?” she asked in her usual shy tone, eyeing each of her friends in turn.

“If I had to choose, I’d say…my books.” Twilight declared.

“Making beautiful outfits for all of Equestria!” Rarity exclaimed.

“Probably mah hat.” Applejack said.

“My parties, duh!” Pinkie Pie cheered.

“Definitely flying.” Rainbow Dash responded.

“Now close your eyes…” Fluttershy instructed.

The five ponies did as they were told.

“Now imagine that one thing being ripped away from you,” Fluttershy continued, “and no matter what you do, no matter how hard you try, you can’t get it back. It’s gone forever. How would you feel?”

Their ears dropped at the thought.

“Absolutely despondent.” Twilight admitted.

“Inconsolably depressed!” Rarity gasped.

“Downright miserable.” Applejack grunted.

“I’d be absolutely terrified!” Pinkie cried.

“I’d have nothing left to live for…” Rainbow sulked.

“That’s how Impact feels every single day,” Fluttershy explained, “She wants somepony to notice her, to help take away the pain, to fill the emptiness in her heart.”

“Wow. Ah never thought ‘bout it that way…” Applejack admitted, slightly embarrassed.

“Perhaps we have made a critical error in judgment.” Rarity sighed.

“Dang, Fluttershy! What’s gotten into you?” Rainbow Dash asked, stupefied by her fellow pegasus’ sudden burst of confidence.

“Did you borrow one of my psychology textbooks by mistake again?” Twilight retorted skeptically.

“No, Twilight. I just understand animals.” she said with a chuckle and a bright smile. “Ponies are animals, too.”

“So what’s with the getup, sugarcube?” Applejack wondered.

“It’s a memorial outfit for Impact. I won’t let her won’t suffer in silence anymore.” Fluttershy’s timid streak began to flare again. “I just need to figure out where she is…”

“Ponyville Cemetery!” Applejack piped up suddenly, “She’ll be there at sunset. She told me herself.”

Twilight cast a hopeful glance at each of her friends and received an approving nod in return.

“Hey, Rarity?” she asked, pointing to Fluttershy’s new outfit, “How fast can you make five more of those?”

Ponyville Cemetery, at sunset…

As the solar and lunar orbs traded places once more and day gave way to night, Impact Hammer stood before the wrought-iron gates of the Ponyville Cemetery. The edges of her blue cloak rustled in the wind.

“Here we are again.” she said with a sigh.

She pushed the gates open with a loud, heavy creak. The hallowed grounds lay dormant this evening, except for the rustling of the fallen leaves. An occasional animal howl from the Everfree Forest punctured the silence every now and then. The winds of a cool autumn night blew through her mane, sending an arctic tingle up and down her spine.

She slowly trotted down the dirt path, passing row after row of tombstones. The markers divulged the standard information: names, dates of birth and death, and phrases of kind remembrance, like “devoted spouse,” “loving parent,” “faithful friend,” and words of that nature. In addition, each headstone bore a carving of the Cutie Mark of the deceased. Following a trail she had trotted so many times before, she eventually arrived at a long, rectangular headstone which bore two symbols: a gear with five sledgehammers arranged in a star and a glass jar filled with paintbrushes.

“Hey Mom. Hey, Dad. It’s me.”

She unclasped her cloak and it fell around her hooves, revealing a black box protruding out of one of her saddlebags.

“It’s been a long time, hasn’t it? Can you believe it’s been ten years?” she asked with a half-hearted laugh, trying to conceal the intense emotional pain.

“So…how have I been over the past year? Hmm… back in the spring, some griffon named Gilda kept getting in my face, so I had to knock her down a peg. Ugh, what a featherbrain.” She furrowed her brow in thought. “I was invited to my first Grand Galloping Gala! Sure, there was a mix-up and I was forced to masquerade as Princess Celestia for the entire night, but I can’t say I didn’t enjoy myself.” She cleared her throat. “After all,” she began to speak in a perfect imitation of the Sun Princess’s voice, “I’ve had years of practice.” She let her voice fall back to normal. “Oh! I ran into Mr. and Mrs. Driver six months ago! Did you know they have triplets now? Me neither. Screw, Socket, and Spline. Cutest colts ever! Well, I guess that’s pretty much it…Oh, wait! I have something to show you…”

She opened the box to reveal two gleaming white objects. One was cylindrical and had a slight taper. The other was a flat, lopsided shape.

“These devices combine six factors which I had overlooked in my previous model. Six special factors, which six equally special ponies helped me discover.” Using her magic, Impact stood her new bionic leg upon the ground and levitated her new bionic wing alongside her body.

“Fluttershy showed me how to make them comfortable.”
She moved her new wing closer to her body and inserted her wing stump into the opening, and with a soft click and a whirring noise, it connected to her body securely. She did the same with her new leg, which connected after a similar set of sounds. She cooed in ecstasy as the silicone-lined sockets of her new limbs caressed her damaged skin ever-so-tenderly.

“Twilight Sparkle taught me how to make them functional.”
Once the connection was made, several small green lights began to flicker into life along the sides of her new leg and wing. She released a short burst of magic, casting the very obscure ‘I Got Nerve’ spell, and several short yelps of pain escaped her lips as the nerves were quickly rerouted, reconnected, and reactivated. Once every light turned green, she could feel her new limbs again, and actually feel through them. She started pacing back and forth; moaning in pleasure as she flexed her legs and flapped her wings to degrees she hadn’t stretched in years.

“Rarity demonstrated how to make them fashionable.”
After her stretch, her horn began to glow, and the bionic appendages began to change color, starting at the attachment points. She used the ‘Color My World’ spell, one she had seen Rarity used back at the Carousel on one occasion to change a bolt of fabric from one hue to another. The outer shell of her wing and the outer casing of her leg gradually darkened, fading from pure white to stone grey to metallic silver, perfectly mimicking the glossy sheen of her coat. It was now impossible to discern where her anatomy ended and her technology began.

“Applejack provided means to give them strength.”
Using her magic, Impact teleported a pair of safety goggles over her eyes and turned her attention to a large object on her left, concealed by a sheet. Walking over to it and pulling the sheet off with her teeth, she revealed six objects: a thin wooden board, an overturned clay flowerpot, a concrete cinderblock, a ball of twine, a coil of rope, and a length of metal chain. Impact stepped up to the board and placed her bionic hoof atop it, sizing it up once… twice… thrice… then with a loud battle cry, she reared to her full height and slammed her artificial hoof into the board, breaking it with a loud CRACK. Smiling widely, she proceeded to display the durability of her new leg by wreaking similar vengeance upon the other two objects, pulverizing the flowerpot and cracking the cinderblock clean in two. Next, she uncoiled the twine, rope, and chain, and then used her magic to suspend them in the air beside her. Finally, she extended her left wing and quickly lunged toward her right, her faux feathers cleaving all three cordages in one strike. Satisfied with her work, she teleported the rubble into a nearby refuse bin and returned to her parents’ gravesite.

“Rainbow Dash demonstrated the true meaning of speed.”
At this point, Impact noticed that she was standing on the main circular path that inscribed the cemetery. Taking a deep breath, she began to walk down the path. It started slowly, with a mild canter, but her pace began to climb. She continued running in circles, as her nostrils flared and her coat began beading with sweat, but her tempo kept rising until she reached her absolute limit; a full-bodied, adrenaline-supercharged gallop worthy of the Running of the Leaves. When Impact felt her body start red-lining, she changed course onto a straight path and unfurled her wings. Up and down, they began to flap, as she continued to gain speed. She closed her eyes and drew a mental picture in the back of her mind; her heartbeats, hoofbeats, and wingbeats became out-of-sync waves on an oscilloscope. As she focused her energies, she could visualize the lines beginning to synchronize. Not yet…she thought, No… No… No…

There!

In one fluid sweep, Impact opened her eyes and leapt into the air, almost clipping the cemetery fence as her long-neglected aerial instincts finally took over. Her old and new wings working beautifully in tandem, she began cackling, almost maniacally, as she streaked across the sky. She kept rolling, twisting, and diving, until her flight path had more loops that Pinkie Pie’s favorite swizzle straw. Finally, she began to decelerate and descend until she could safely touch down. Her landing was slightly rough, but acceptable. “Not bad for my first time in ten years,” she thought, smiling to herself as she trotted back to her parents’ headstones.

Panting breathlessly, she continued her monologue.

“Finally…Pinkie Pie…contributed…the element…of surprise.”
Suddenly, the sky became much darker. Looking skyward, Impact saw one stray cloud shrouding the full moon, blocking her crystal-clear view of the night sky. This brought an immediate frown to Impact’s face. She would not let this stand. Pressing a button on the side of her left leg with her right hoof, she reared back once again as her leg underwent a shocking, yet remarkable transformation. The outer casing separated and slid back, revealing a strange mechanical device. It was a dark grey metal cylinder with an opening at the end. As Impact steadied her balance on her hind legs, her mane and tail began to glow and crackle with electricity, but the energy was rerouted through her body and into the machine. Its surface began to light up as her mane and tail faded back to their natural colors. A translucent sphere formed in the opening of the device and began to glow a very bright blue. Her world suddenly seemed to flow in slow motion.

What’s…happening? This energy...I’ve never felt anything like it before. It feels so wrong, but it feels so right. Should I try to stop it? No. This is my gift. This is my destiny. This is my time. My time to show Ponyville…to show Equestria…how big an impression one little Impact can make.

The alicorn released a powerful scream that could best be described as a war cry. The sphere receded for a brief instant before rocketing outward as a neon blue stream of energy, traveling at speeds the Sonic Rainboom could only dream of reaching. Its recoil nearly knocked her flat on her flanks. The poor little cloud never saw it coming, and never had a chance. It vaporized instantly, and the sky regained its lunar luster, but the blinding beam of energy kept right on going, straight into the sky and out into the great unknown. Back on the ground, however, the blinding light had stopped. Impact could only gasp for breath, stare at her hoof in shock, and wonder what in Equestria she had just done. What was that? A lightning bolt, an ion stream, an energy blast…No, none of those seem right… She racked her brain for an answer, any answer. Suddenly, two words popped into her head. She had no idea how they got there, but they felt so right.

Plasma Cannon. This is my Plasma Cannon.

The words echoed in her mind as her new toy began to disappear, the white outer panels sliding back into place as if nothing ever happened. She looked down at her new leg, absolutely dumbstruck, but she shook it off and regained her composure. She had one last thing to do before the night was over. Staring at the sky once again, Impact spoke.

“I owe them my life. They saved me from myself. They’re some of the best friends a mare could ask for, and I went and ruined everything. I wouldn’t be surprised if they…never want to see me again…” Her eyes were focused on the stars, so she never noticed that her flanks began to glow with a pale white light.

“Mom, Dad, it’s been such a long time since you left. Do you still remember…the incident?” Her horn glowed briefly, and a very familiar, beautifully decorated cake suddenly appeared at her hooves. “Well I do, so to celebrate the occasion, I figured I’d do something special for all of us.”

In one fluid motion, she slammed her face into the cake, chewing and swallowing with childlike ferocity, splattering frosting and crumbs everywhere: on her face, in her mane, and in the grass. Once the cake had been thoroughly destroyed, she looked to the heavens. The silver alicorn smiled and started to laugh. She laughed so hard she toppled over onto her back, smearing frosting and cake deep into her coat. “Look at me now!” she said breathlessly, “I can walk again. I can run again. I can fly again! For the first time in ten years, I finally feel complete.” As she rolled over and stood up, the glow grew brighter, but was now concealed by the thick layer of frosting. “I don’t know if you can hear me, or if you can even see me,” she continued, sobbing as tears began streaming down her face, “but I want you to know that I love you!" she screamed at the sky in heartbroken triumph. “I love you and I miss you, but even though you’re gone, I know I’ll be alright.” She smiled tearfully as she bowed her head and closed her eyes. “Now that I’ve fixed myself, I can fix anything! Thank you.” Finally, the glow on her flanks reached a crescendo and exploded outwards in a flash of blinding light, but yet again, she remained oblivious to it. However, as the light faded and the dust settled, she did notice that somepony behind her was shouting, and it was getting louder. She turned around and couldn’t believe was she was seeing.

Everypony in Ponyville had surrounded the cemetery, and her friends were front and center. Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, even the Cutie Mark Crusaders were there. The even stranger fact was that they seemed to be cheering for her. She wasn’t sure whether to be happy or angry with them. She just bared her soul, and they were praising her like she had just put on some kind of theater performance? Were they actually commending her or just mocking her as revenge for all the mean things she’d done? What was going on? Suddenly, she noticed that each of her friends was wearing a strange outfit. What is that? She squinted to try to get a clearer view through the moonlit night. What is going on here? Impact wondered. As more and more ponies filed into the cemetery, she still couldn’t tell what was going on. It’s as if they’re…

However, as the Princesses of the Sun and Moon teleported before her, Impact’s jaw dropped. As they stood in front of her, her new appendages popped free without warning and fell to the earth. The sudden shift in her center of gravity made her lose her balance and fall. She landed face-first in an unnoticed mud puddle, splattering the three alicorns with cold, wet mud.
Everypony gasped in horror at the scene. Surely such an insult would not go unpunished.
Celestia and Luna stared daggers at the fallen alicorn, who was mentally kicking herself for letting such a careless mistake occur.

“Your Majesties, I am so sorry!” Impact stammered as she shakily stood up. She cringed in mortal terror, fearing their wrath, until Princess Celestia did something nopony could have expected.

She started laughing.

“Tia!” Luna barked softly. “Have you lost your mind? What in Equestria is so funny?”

“Can’t you see it, Luna?” she said between giggles, “I’ve seen ponies fall to pieces at the sight of me…but never like this!” Her knees gave out and she collapsed to the ground, howling with laughter. “Oh, it hurts!” she groaned, clutching her hooves to her ribcage as she laughed. “Make it stop!”

Luna’s mind went blank for a moment. A slightly goofy smile crept to her lips, and before anypony could react, she was on the ground as well, laughing alongside her big sister. Out in the crowd, Pinkie Pie started laughing, too. Rainbow Dash joined in, then Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, and even Twilight. Cheerilee, the schoolteacher, started chuckling, and even Big Macintosh even let out a guffaw. As more and more ponies succumbed to the realization that their beloved Sun Princess had just made a joke, and quite a humorous one at that, it spread like wildfire until the entire cemetery was alive with the sound of unbridled laughter. Even Impact herself started smiling as she realized the sheer irony of the faux pas she’d just made.

After about a minute, the laughter began to die down, and Impact, who was still scared of what was about to happen, finally found the nerve to ask a question.

“Princess Celestia? Princess Luna? Are you still mad at me?” she asked as she wiped the mud from her face.

“Oh, Impact Hammer. You always did know how to brighten my day, even when you weren’t trying.” Celestia said, trying to calm her subject’s anxieties.

“Accidents happen, my dear.” Luna added. “You need not fear us. You just need to…to…” She snickered as she pressed a hoof to her lips.

“I just need to what?” Impact implored as she reattached her leg and her wing.

“…Pull yourself together.” the Moon Princess said with a smirk, winking at her sister.

And with that, they were back on the ground, laughing their flanks off.

Impact could only roll her eyes and facehoof herself. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Twilight Sparkle do the same.

Once the laughter stopped for what she hoped was the last time, the three alicorns walked over to greet Twilight and her friends, and Impact finally discovered what the hay was going on.

“Why is everypony dressed like that?” she asked worriedly.

“It was actually Fluttershy’s idea.” Pinkie Pie said with a smile.

“What are you doing here anyway?”

“The same reason you’re here.” Fluttershy said quietly.

“We wanted to say goodbye, too.” Twilight concurred.

“Y’know, show yer folks how much ya mean ta us.” Applejack added.

“Everypony needs a cheering section sometimes!” Rainbow Dash cheered. “Ouch! Wing asleep! Wing asleep!” she yelped, flapping furiously as she tried to make the burning, tingling sensation go away.

“Even after everything I said?” she said, her voice laced with regret, “Even after everything I did?” She nervously scraped at the ground with her hoof. “I don’t deserve your forgiveness.”

“Everypony makes mistakes every now and then,” Pinkie Pie said with a giggle, “but sometimes you just have to look back and laugh at them! I already know you have a wonderful sense of humor, so you’ll get your turn!”

“After bein’ alone fer so long, ya told yer deepest, darkest secrets ta six complete strangers.” Applejack mentioned, “Impact, ya finally found tha nerve ta step outta yer comfort zone. That kinda honesty takes serious courage.”

“Your generosity knows no limits.” Rarity added, “You give more of yourself in a single day, in words and deeds, than I ever could in a year.”

“Your capacity for kindness rivals even my own.” Fluttershy admitted, “You say all the right things to all the right ponies, and you always know how to brighten even the darkest day, not to mention you dislocated your shoulder saving a little duckling from a terrible demise.”

“You braved the elements for ten years just to keep a family tradition alive,” Rainbow Dash said, “even though your family is no longer with you. That takes dedication. Mad props on your loyalty, girl!”

“You survived the most horrific tragedy anypony could imagine,” Twilight informed, “and even though the scars on your mind, body, and spirit may never heal, you still find the strength to smile at the sunrise. I could study spellbooks until my mane turns gray, but I’ll never understand the magic that lives inside you.”

“I-I don’t know what to say…” Impact said, thoroughly astounded at the level of emotional support her new friends were providing.

“We can never truly understand the pain you experienced that day or the hardships you’ve endured since.” Luna stated solemnly, “However, we are not incapable of trying. Just because you may sometimes feel alone, does not mean that you are alone. Everypony has a heavy burden to bear. Always remember that.” she finished with a smile.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders suddenly raced over to talk to their newest, and oldest, recruit.

“We’re your friends!” Sweetie Belle cried.

“And we stick together, no matter what!” Apple Bloom finished.

“Ugh!” Scootaloo groaned, “Enough of this mushy stuff!” She turned around. “Alright, everypony,” she shouted, “You all know why we’re really here! On the count of three! One…two…three!”

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, IMPACT!” came the reply in a deafening chorus.

Impact stopped and stared wide-eyed. For the first time in a long time, she had an epiphany.

These ponies might not be blood relatives…well, Celestia would always be her mom, but still…even after everything she’d said and done, these ponies still respected her. They cared about her, not about what she looked like and not about what she did. They loved her.

She had a family again.

She almost started to cry, but a strange tickling sensation began to bother her immensely.

“I…I don’t know what to say, except thank…HEY!” she suddenly yelped in shock, whipping her head around to see a very familiar pink pony…licking her!?!

“Pinkie Pie? What in Equestria do you think you’re doing?!?!” Rarity shouted. “That is so disgusting!”

“What!?” she said. “No point in wasting perfectly good cake. Besides, there’s something underneath all this deliciousness that I think everypony will wanna see!” She giggled as she continued licking the frosting from Impact’s flanks with reckless abandon.

“Stop it…that tickles…What are you talking about?” Impact said with a shudder as Pinkie accidentally licked a…sensitive area.

“All done! See for yourself!” Pinkie said, licking the frosting from her lips as she took a step back.

“What’s the big deal, Pinkie?” said Sweetie Belle, trotting over to see what the hay Pinkie was talking about. “I don’t see anything…whoa! Apple Bloom! Scootaloo! Check this out!”

Everypony turned to see what Sweetie Belle had noticed. Impact herself turned to look and was struck speechless. Instead of the usual silver emptiness, a new image adorned her flanks. It was a gray six-toothed gear. In addition, something else had appeared. She did a double-take. Within the gear were six raindrops, arranged in a circle, radiating outward from the center. However, the raindrops did not look like raindrops. The shape was right, but the color was wrong. Instead of being clear like rain, they were a deep, dark, glistening crimson. They weren’t drops of water; they were drops of blood. It was only when she tried to wipe the red spots away that she finally understood what she was looking at, and she couldn’t stop smiling.

“My Cutie Mark…I finally have my Cutie Mark!”

She squealed in delight and took off, running, jumping, and bouncing around the cemetery faster than Pinkie Pie on a sugar high.

“Oh, come on!” the Cutie Mark Crusaders shouted simultaneously.

“What’s tha matter, girls?” Applejack asked.

“Impact is twice our age, and even she gets her Cutie Mark before us?” Scootaloo groaned.

“It’s not fair!” Sweetie Belle cried.

“What’s she doin’ that we’re not doin’?” Apple Bloom protested.

“Aw, shoot, girls.” she replied. “Ah know it don’t seem fair, but life’s hardly ever fair.” She pointed a hoof at Impact, who was currently weaving through the tombstones at a full gallop, smiling and laughing every step of the way. “Think about it. When she was a filly yer age, she lost her leg, and her wing, and her parents, all in tha same night. She’s gone without a Cutie Mark, among other things, longer than y’all have been alive. After all she’s been through, don’tcha think she deserves it?”

“Yeah.” the Crusaders grumbled in defeat. “She does deserve it.”

“Someday,” Applejack said, “Y’all will deserve yer Marks, too, and that’ll be tha day ya get ‘em, OK? Now go say hi ta yer friend.”

“Alright!” they cheered, right before that friend screamed “PONY PILE!” and tackled them into a smiling, giggling heap.

“I know we’re still friends, but since I’ve got my Cutie Mark, does that mean I can’t be a Crusader anymore?” Impact asked, hanging her head slightly.

The three exchanged glances.

“Not a chance.” Apple Bloom replied.

“You have yours, now you have to help us find ours!” Sweetie Belle cheered.

“You’re not getting away from us that easily!” Scootaloo said with a smirk.

“Oh well. If I have to…” Impact groaned with an intentional sarcastic inflection. “Once a Crusader, always a Crusader.”

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS NEW RECRUIT! YAY!” the three fillies cheered.

“That Cutie Mark of hers really is downright purdy.” Applejack said with a smile, casting a glance at the alicorn’s newly-decorated flank. “Hey, Twilight. What do ya think it means?” she asked with a puzzled glance.

“Hmm…” Twilight pondered. “It’s a tough call. Symbols can be interpreted in many ways. The blood drops I can explain, but the gear…” she thought about it, but couldn’t find an adequate explanation, “…its meaning eludes me.” She turned to her teacher. “Princess Celestia, what do you think the gear means as a Cutie Mark?”

“Actually, Twilight, I’ve seen that gear symbol before,” she said, “and it’s not a Cutie Mark at all. It’s something called a Cutie Crest.”

The six ponies stopped in their tracks.

“WHAT!?” they exclaimed.

“A Cutie Crest?” Applejack asked. “Dang! Never seen one, never heard of one. What’s so special ‘bout ‘em?”

Celestia cleared her throat and elaborated.

“A Cutie Mark represents an acquired skill; one which everypony must discover on their own. A Cutie Crest, however, represents an inherited skill, passed down from one generation to the next, which manifests in a pony from birth, long before their Cutie Mark appears.”

“Come again?” Applejack said, looking completely stumped.

The princess stopped, rephrasing her explanation so everypony could understand.

“If a Cutie Mark shows a pony’s talent, then a Cutie Crest is like a superpower.”

“Ohh…” she said, nodding understandingly, “Gotcha.”

“Wait!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed excitedly, “Do you mean like heat vision, ice breath, and super-strength!? Cool! Where can I get one of those Cutie Crest thingies?”

“Not those kinds of superpowers, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said, “and you can’t get a Cutie Crest, you’re born with it. Besides, you’re the only pony in Equestria who has done the Sonic Rainboom…twice.” She gave Rainbow Dash a smirk. “That could be considered a superpower.”

“Hey! Yeah! You’re right!” the sky-blue mare cheered.

“So…these Cutie Crests…Are they rare?” Rarity asked.

“Extremely.” Celestia continued, “Only seven families in the history of Equestria have earned them. The Hammer family Cutie Crest symbolizes the gears constantly turning in their minds, representing their natural blessing of creativity. I still remember centuries ago when Ball-Peen Hammer gave me a life-size statue of myself as a birthday present.”

“What was so special about it?” Pinkie Pie pondered.

“The medium he used.” Celestia said warmly, “He carved my likeness, not from a block of clay or stone, but from a frozen block of peanut butter.”

“Peanut butter!?” the pink pony exclaimed. “Crunchy or creamy?”

“Creamy.”

“That’s an insane idea! Crunchy peanut butter has so much more texture!”

“I thought it was an insane idea, too.” the princess said with a smile, “However, as I noticed the intricate details of his workmanship and he elaborated about how he spent three months making it and keeping it intact, I realized it was one of the most beautiful gifts I’d ever received.”

“It sounds like it was pretty awesome.” Rainbow Dash said with a nod.

“It was…until it melted the next day.” Celestia laughed. “But the royal chef used what he could to make sandwiches for everypony in Canterlot, and they were delicious.” She licked her lips, fondly remembering the taste. “The birds, squirrels, and other small creatures devoured the rest.”

“So, even after the statue was destroyed, he knew it would still be useful… in more ways than one…” Rarity remarked.

“…and he continued sculpting for the rest of his life.” the princess finished. “Three days before he passed away on his deathbed, he wrote a letter to me. He thanked me for inspiring him; because the moment he earned his Cutie Mark, a chisel, and his Cutie Crest, the same symbol Impact now bears, was the moment he believed with all his heart that his statue of me was truly perfect.”

“Wow!” Twilight said in astonishment, “That’s pretty creative!”

“Indeed so, my dear, and I see the same fire in Impact’s eyes that I’ve seen in every one of her blessed ancestors. I personally look forward to the wonders she will create. Now, would your friends kindly excuse us? I’d like to speak to you in private.”

“Sure thing, Princess!” Applejack said. “Come on, girls! Let’s leave these two alone.” The orange pony led her four friends away.

Celestia turned to her student. “Twilight, I want your opinion. Now that you know about Impact’s Cutie Crest, what do you think her Cutie Mark means?”

The purple unicorn furrowed her brow in deep contemplation for a moment, and then spoke.

“It consists of six drops of blood, so she’s a sixth-generation member of the Hammer bloodline. As for its meaning… I have two theories, princess, but they both lead to the same conclusion.”

“Please enlighten me.” Celestia inquired.

“My first theory is blatantly obvious. She suffered a severe fillyhood trauma that left a dramatic impact…no pun intended…on her life. She was forced to amputate her limbs, giving up essential parts of her body while enduring excruciating pain in the process, in order to survive.”

“And your second theory?” the princess asked.

“Her Cutie Mark has six blood drops. I’ve only known Impact for three days, but she’s one of the most unexpected friends I could’ve made. She’s loyal, honest, generous, humorous, kind, and by far one of the magical ponies I’ve ever met. Sure, she’s a bit short-tempered, but it’s an understandable fault given her checkered past. Aside from that one fatal flaw, she’s a perfect embodiment of all six Elements of Harmony! Add to that her behavior, where she’s willing to do anything and everything in to help a pony in need, even at the cost of her own life.”

“So, Twilight Sparkle, what is your conclusion?”

“If my logic is sound, and it is, then her Cutie Mark represents…sacrifice!” the unicorn stated proudly.

“Exactly.” Celestia smiled. “Both of your theories are correct. Every day is a challenge for her, but she still struggles on, ready and willing to donate her time, effort, and resources in order to assist others, regardless of the toll it may take on her. She bears burdens on three hooves under which most ponies with four would collapse. Her body may seem weak, but her mind is strong, and her spirit is even stronger. Creativity and sacrifice…what a powerful combination. I see great potential in her.”

“So do I, Princess,” Twilight sighed blissfully, “So do I.” Twilight had a sudden thought and tapped her teacher on the leg. “Princess? Princess…”

Celestia’s mind began to wander, an event which did not occur very often, but when it did, it meant something. She thought back to the day she first found Impact and every day since. She remembered signing the adoption papers, bringing her home for the first time, and giving her a grand tour of the castle. She thought about changing her bandages, teaching the tripedal filly how to walk again once her stitches healed, and watching proudly as she demonstrated the first prototype prosthetic leg she’d built, taking her first quadrupedal steps since her accident. She recalled when they ate together, traveled together, and wasted hours upon hours reading in the Royal Library together. Most of all, she fondly reminisced upon how they fell asleep together every so often, curled up in the most intimate of embraces, sharing their body heat as if Impact was still as cold and clammy as death.

She always thought that the relationship between herself and Impact Hammer was strictly platonic, with herself as the caretaker and Impact as the patient, but somewhere along the way, it became more than that. It began to dawn on the princess that Impact meant so much more to her than just an injured patient or a loyal subject. She just couldn’t see the truth until it was far too late.

The Sun Princess just stared in silence at the newly-Cutie Marked alicorn, remembering the daughter she never knew she had until she was gone.

“CELESTIA!” Twilight screamed.

“Wh-wh-what!?” she stuttered, snapping back to reality.

“You miss her, don’t you?” she said knowingly.

“Is it that obvious?” she asked, her white cheeks blushing pink.

“Even after everything she said…even after she broke your heart…you still want her back.”

“She never broke my heart, Twilight,” Celestia admitted, “because Impact Hammer would never do such a thing to me unless she had one hundred valid reasons to do it.”

“Wait… then why were you crying when she left the library?”

“Twilight, my student.” Celestia turned to look her pupil directly in the eyes. “When you grow up and have foals of your own, you’ll learn firsthoof that every mare cries when she realizes her foal isn’t a foal anymore. Even though I’m no longer her legal guardian, my blood still runs in her veins. I’m proud to have called Impact Hammer my daughter, and I shall cherish those memories until my dying day, but although I desperately want her to come back to Canterlot and fill that role once more, a small part of me always knew that she wouldn’t want to.” She ended with a soft chuckle. “Can’t blame a mare for trying though, can you?”

“No, I can’t.” Twilight shook her head in agreement. “However, if you can’t bring her to you, maybe you should go to her. After all, just because you won’t be together all of the time doesn’t mean you can’t be together some of the time.”

“What do you mean?”

“Spend one more night with her, for old times’ sake.” Twilight explained. “Not today, not tomorrow, but someday soon. Clear your schedule for one night and devote it to just you and her. Have a laugh, swap stories, read your favorite books, and then fall asleep together, just like the way it used to be…the way you know it’s meant to be.”

“That…is a very good idea.” she said as her eyes lit up, “I’ll keep in under consideration.”

She slowly lowered herself onto the grass and sighed as the evening dew soaked her abdomen.

“Oh, Twilight…Where does the time go?” she asked, “How can ten years go by in what feels like ten minutes?”

“Time flows at a constant rate, Your Majesty.” she said matter-of-factly as she settled down beside her, “It’s our perception of it that changes.”

“So it does…so it does.”

“Princess Celestia? I have a question to ask you, if you care to answer, but it’s kinda…personal.”

“What is it, my faithful student?”

“Have you ever thought of me as a daughter?” the purple unicorn asked, her cheeks blushing as brightly as the pink streak in her mane.

“Oh, Twilight Sparkle.” Celestia giggled as a warm, maternal smile flowed across her face. She affectionately wrapped a wing around her pupil and kissed her softly on the cheek, like a mare kissing her filly good night.

“Since the day we met, I’ve never stopped.”

Reconstructions and Reconciliations

Later that night, after the memorial service wound down, every pony went their separate ways for the night. Twilight walked back to the library, hauling a sleeping Spike on her back. She trotted inside, locking the door behind her. As she reached the base of the stairwell, she suddenly stopped. Her eyes lit up with panic as a dire epiphany ravaged her body like a tidal wave.

“No…No…No…No…NO!!!” she shrieked, rearing up in terror.

“AAH!” Spike screamed, tumbling off her back and landing on the floor with a heavy thud. “What’s going on?” he asked blearily.

“I FORGOT TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE PRINCESS!” she shouted. “HOW COULD I LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN!?!? Spike, take a letter! I’ve got to… I’ve got to…”

“TWILIGHT!!!” the dragon screamed.

“WHAT!?!?” the unicorn retorted.

“Relax!” Spike said, quickly lowering his tone as he glaced at the clock, “It’s past midnight. Besides, you already spoke to the princess back at the cemetery. You had a long enough conversation to fill at least a month’s worth of friendship reports, maybe two!”

“But…but…but…” she stammered.

“Watch me.” the dragon said, “Breathe in…now breathe out…in…and out…”

She inhaled and exhaled in sync with her dragon, trying to calm herself down.

“We don’t want a repeat of the Smarty Pants incident, now do we?”

“No…” Twilight sighed.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

“Oh, great! Who could be visiting at this time of night?” Twilight sighed in grief. She raced to the door and opened it to reveal… “Impact!? Hi!” she greeted her friend with a smile. “Did you need anything?”

“No…No…” she replied uneasily, scraping at the ground with her hoof. “This might sound a bit embarrassing, Twilight, but I actually came to…return a book.”

“A book?” she asked. “You’ve never checked out any books from me!”

“Well, not from you, per se…” She magically opened her saddlebag and pulled out a weathered tome. “It’s kinda overdue, but I was hoping you could overlook the late fees, you know, for a friend? I’ve taken very good care of it!”

“Let’s see.” She read the cover. “‘Emergency First-Aid: Treating Twenty-Two Types of Trauma.’ Impact, how long have you had thi…?” She trailed off when she noticed that the bottom edges of the book were dotted with a dried crimson substance. She carefully sniffed it.

“Is this what I think it is?” Twilight asked nervously. Her eyes widened as Impact slowly nodded.

“It’s a really good book.” she stated, “Very informative. You should read it when you get a chance. It just might save your life one day.” She flashed a sly wink and a smile. “It sure saved mine.”

“IMPACT! WHERE YA AT, GIRL?” echoed an unexpected, yet very distinct scream as Applejack came tearing around the corner. “Oh, thank goodness Ah found ya! Ah’m in a purdy tight spot right ‘bout now!”

“What’s the matter, Applejack?” Twilight asked.

“Oh hey, Twi’! Didn’t see ya there!”

“This is my home,” she stated matter-of-factly, “It’s kinda hard not to see me here.”

“You wanna run that by me again, little miss smarty-flanks?” Applejack snorted.

“OK, AJ.” Impact interrupted, “Pump the brakes and back the cart up before you say something you’ll regret.”

“Sorry, Twi’. Didn’t mean ta insult ya. Ah’m a little on edge tonight…”

“Now what did you need me for?” Impact asked.

“Ah was doin’ some late-night apple-buckin’ when one of mah haulin’ carts broke loose!” she exclaimed. “It rolled down a hill and crashed inta a tree! Nopony was hurt, thank Celestia…but now it’s ruined, and it was mah favorite one, too! Ooh, Big Mac’s gonna be awfully sore if he gets wise ta what Ah did!” She shuddered at the thought.

“How ruined?” Impact asked curiously.

“Two busted wheels and a cracked axle.” Applejack explained, “Since yer so handy with tools and such that ya built yerself a new leg and wing, Ah figured maybe ya could help a pony out? Ah’ll give ya a dozen apples fer it!”

“It’s a little out of my way…” she said as she yawned, “Hmm…make it two dozen and she’ll be rolling before sunrise.”

“Ya gotta deal!” she said joyfully, grabbing her hoof and shaking it vigorously.

“Careful, Applejack! That’s the bionic one!” Impact warned.

“Oh! Sorry!” she said with a slight blush of embarrassment.

“Let me get my tools and I’ll be over in ten. Sound good?” she said with a smile.

“That’d be perfect!” she cheered, “Ah’ll try ta pick up all tha pieces and meet ’cha at tha big red barn! Ah’ll see ya later, Twi’!” The orange pony galloped away in a rush.

“Well…duty calls! Catch you later, Twilight!” Impact said as she followed behind.

“Goodbye!” Twilight called as she turned to go back inside. “Here, Spike. We’ll need to find a place for this book.” She magically tossed it to her assistant as she yawned, but he deftly caught it. “Be careful. I think it has blood on the bottom edge.” she said slyly.

“GROSS!” he cried, dropping the book.

“I’ll try to find a disinfectant spell in the morning.” she said, chuckling lightly at her assistant’s reaction, “Hopefully I can save it from the biohazard bin.”

As it came to rest on the floor, a single folded sheet of parchment fell out from between the pages of the first-aid manual. Spike ran to the door, hoping Impact hadn’t run too far away to hear.

“Impact, wait!” Spike called through the night. “You accidentally left something in the book!”

“It wasn’t an accident, Spike!” echoed her reply. “Burn after reading! You’ll know what to do!”

As she followed Applejack back to the farm with her toolkit inside her saddlebag, Impact Hammer picked up speed, unfurled her wings, and took flight.

“Hey, Applejack!” she called, “Looks like you could use a lift!”

“What in tha hay are ya talkin’ ‘bout?” she shouted mid-gallop.

“Hold on to your hat!” Impact yelled. Her horn started glowing as the alicorn began to levitate the earth pony.

“What do ya think yer-WHOA!!!” she screamed mid-sentence, holding onto her hat as she rose higher and higher into the air until she was level with the silver alicorn, “Consarn it, girl, if you drop me…” she grumbled.

“I’ll catch you, of course!” Impact said cheerfully. “And if I can’t, I’ll use my body to break your fall!”

“Are ya double-talkin’ me or speakin’ serious-like?” she accused, narrowing her eyes.

“As a heart attack.” she replied emphatically.

“Wait just an apple-buckin’ minute. Wouldja seriously give yer life just ta save mine? Didja just say what Ah think yer sayin’?”

“Not just for you, but for all of Equestria if necessary.” she replied without missing a beat as they touched down in the heart of Sweet Apple Acres, “My Cutie Mark represents sacrifice, and I don’t care if I have to lose my other three hooves and my last good wing! Limbs can be replaced, but lives can’t. I’m expendable. They’re not.”

Applejack froze as her breath caught in her throat and her blood ran cold. She would’ve fallen out of the sky if she wasn’t already on the ground.

“Well, dip mah hooves in sugar and call me Candy Applejack!” she said in astonishment, “Ah completely misjudged ya, Impact Hammer! Yer definitely not the pony Ah thought ya were.”

“What kind of pony did you think I was?” she asked, slightly hurt.

“When Ah first met ‘cha, Ah thought ya was a purdy nice pony. After ya chewed Pinkie up and spit her out, Ah thought ya were just a loudmouth with a bad temper. After ya made Celestia cry, Ah wanted ta stomp tha juice outta ya like a vat of fresh grapes. Now Ah see that despite yer flaws, ya got a heart of gold and a smart head on yer shoulders. Ah must say that ya more than earned mah respect, and Ah’m proud ta call ya one of mah best friends!” she wrapped her forelegs around the alicorn in a powerful, yet tender embrace.

“Thanks, Applejack.” Impact said, weeping a little as she hugged her back, “That means a lot coming from you.”

“How so?”

“You’re the Element of Honesty. Truer words could never be spoken.”

“Are ya mad at me, sugarcube? Yer kinda cryin’ just a tad…”

Impact smiled as she squeezed a little bit tighter.

“Just tears of joy.”

Meanwhile, back at the library…

“Impact, wait!” Spike called through the night. “You accidentally left something in the book!”

“It wasn’t an accident, Spike!” echoed her reply. “Burn after reading! You’ll know what to do!”

“That’s strange.” Twilight said as she picked up the parchment with her aura. “Why would she leave a message meant for you inside a book meant for me?”

“She probably knew who would find it first.” Spike said, wrestling the letter from Twilight’s magical grip. He unfolded it, took one look and whistled. “Oh! So that’s what she meant by ‘burn after reading’!” he said as he chuckled. “Well, look on the bright side, Twilight, at least now you don’t need to write to the princess this week.” He began to read to letter silently to himself.

Dear Princess Celestia,

I’m still not entirely sure how this whole ‘friendship report’ thing works, but the Cutie Mark Crusaders gave me a pretty decent rundown after I finished their ‘initiation ceremony’, so I’ll give it my best shot.

A Cutie Mark is the symbol of a pony’s special talent. I thought I would never earn mine, but tonight I did, and after some reflection, I finally know why. It represents something that they do better that anypony else because they want to do it. My new life in Ponyville has made right in less than a week what I’d been doing wrong for a decade. I finally have a reason to create again, thanks to the friends I’ve made here, especially that Twilight Sparkle. She saved me from myself, and because of her, I was finally able to reacquire what I had truly lost after my accident: faith.

After my accident, I felt broken inside. I now understand that I felt that way because I had lost the ability to believe in myself. My talent didn’t feel ‘special’ anymore because I didn’t feel special. Twilight and her friends made me feel that way again: appreciated, respected and loved. Faith is a powerful weapon in the arsenal of life; having it can make you, and losing it can break you, but finding it can take you…anywhere you want.

Hooves-down, Twilight is the friendliest pony I’ve ever met. Now that I think about it, she’s really kinda cute, too. Her charming personality, her color-streaked mane, that melodious voice, those sparkling purple eyes, and that horn?…Ooh! I’d let her reorganize my toolbox any day of the…Wait. WHY AM I WRITING THIS DOWN!?!? Grr…stupid brain! Focus, Impact! FOCUS! Umm…Please don’t tell Twilight I wrote that. Better yet, just ignore this paragraph altogether, OK? Thank you!

Lastly, I wanted to sincerely apologize for my unscrupulous behavior back at the library. A decade of bottled emotions is like a powder keg, and I never meant to hurt you, or your feelings. Somepony famous once said ‘the truth shall set you free’, so here goes. Ten years ago, I was just a filly, orphaned and alone, teetering on the brink of death…and by your hooves I was reborn. Now Princess Luna rules Equestria by your side once more, and I’ve finally repaired what was broken in my life, so let’s embrace the future with open hooves, but never forget the past.

In conclusion, just know that I love you more than Equestria itself and I always will. Be sure to tell Aunt Luna that I love her too, and kiss her good-night once from me, OK? Thanks, Mom.

Warmest regards,
Your gifted, twisted daughter,
Impact Hammer

“Well? What does it say?” she implored desperately.

“Trust me, Twilight. Some words are better left unread.”

“Come on, Spike!” she pleaded. “Let me see it!”

“Oh…alright!” He rolled the parchment into a scroll, sealed it with the royal emblem, and held it out to her. “Here. Now you see it.” She gripped the scroll in her magical aura as Spike suddenly burped, incinerating the scroll and sending it on its way to the princess. “Heh heh…” he chuckled weakly, “Now you don’t!”

“That wasn’t funny, Spike! You did that on purpose!” she said as she scowled.

“You said ‘Let me see it!’ and I did!” he replied.

“I wanted to READ IT!!!” she whined.

“Then you should’ve said ‘Let me read it.’”

“UGH!” she groaned in exhaustion, “I’m going to bed, Spike. Good night.”

“Good night, Twilight.” he replied before yawning himself and deciding to join her.

Meanwhile, over at Sweet Apple Acres…

“One last nail and…done!” said a weary Impact, wiping the sweat from her brow as she set her hammer back into her toolbox. “There! Good as new!”

“Twenty-two…Twenty-three…Twenty-four!” Applejack counted as she finished loading apples into a small basket.

“Hey, Applejack!” Impact called. “She’s all patched up and ready to roll!”

“Really?” she hollered back, “Ya sure work mighty fast, Impact!” She picked up the basket in her teeth and turned around, but it immediately fell to the ground as her jaw dropped.

“How does it look?”

“Tarnation, girl! It’s…It’s…”

“Like it never even crashed?”

“More than that! It’s perfect!” Applejack cried. “Ah swear girl, ya should set up shop in Ponyville, just fixin’ thangs ‘round these parts. Ya already made a repeat customer outta me!”

“Actually, Applejack, that’s not a bad idea…but I think you dropped something.”

“Ah, consarn it!” she groaned, “Lemme get ya some fresh ones!”

“That’s not necessary.” she replied, levitating the dropped apples back into the basket with her magic.

“Are ya sure? Ah can buck ya a fresh batch lickety-split!”

“It’s quite alright! Sometimes a little impact can make anything better!” she replied with a wink.

“That it can!” she chuckled, catching the joke, “That it can.”

Rebounding and Rebooting

One month later…

The clock struck noon in the Ponyville Library, where a very anxious Twilight Sparkle stood at her desk writing a letter.

Dear Princess Celestia,

This isn’t a friendship report, but I have something to say that you deserve to know about.

It’s been a full month and I haven’t seen Impact Hammer around Ponyville at all. The last time I remember seeing her was when she stopped by my library to return a book. Applejack galloped over and asked her to try to fix a piece of equipment on her farm. Impact agreed to help, and they left for Sweet Apple Acres, but I haven’t seen her since that night. It feels like she’s vanished into thin air and I’m getting very, very worried. I hope she didn’t go into Everfree Forest. Some ponies who enter never return, and a pony in her condition is much more vulnerable than any other. I’ve asked around town and nopony seems to know where she went, so I was wondering if you had any information regarding her whereabouts.

I’ve come to enjoy her company and I love her like a sister, but now that she’s been away for so long, I believe my fondness is far more than familial affection. Whenever I think about her, my heart starts racing, my hooves start trembling, and I feel strange…sensations…in even stranger places. Not painful ones, mind you. In fact, quite the opposite. They’re extremely pleasurable… and that’s what terrifies me. Nothing that makes a unicorn feel that good can be beneficial to her health. I’ve gone through every book in my library five times over, but I’ve found nothing that explains my condition. I know I’m not supposed to feel this way, but I do, and I think I’m starting to like it. Is there something truly wrong with me?

I miss Impact significantly. Coupled with all these questions and no answers, the lack of knowledge is driving me crazy, more so than when I almost missed the deadline for one of your friendship reports. I recently asked Applejack about my mental state that day, and she didn’t sugarcoat a word. “Sorry, Twi, but ya lost yer marbles somethin’ fierce that day!” she said. The rest of my friends offered several more befitting synonyms: mental, nutty, psychotic, crazy, and flat-out bonkers. In retrospect, I guess I did go temporarily insane.

I’m extremely confused and scared right now, and I would really appreciate any details you could give to help put my mind at ease.

Sincerely,
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle

P.S. Last week, Impact gave Spike a friendship report to send to you. I wanted to read it first, but he sent it before I could. Is there any way at all that you could divulge its contents to me? I don’t want something somepony else wrote damaging my reputation.

Noticing the look of extreme discomfort on her face, Spike sealed and sent the letter without question or delay. A few minutes later, he burped up a reply. Twilight quickly unsealed it and read it aloud.

To my faithful student Twilight,

Regarding Impact Hammer’s friendship report, she revealed some…details…about herself that she politely asked me not to reveal to you…

“See?” Spike said triumphantly, “I told you so!”
Twilight frowned at this, but continued reading.

However, the lesson she learned about friendship was the importance of having faith, more specifically, having faith in yourself. A lack of faith is the reason why she squandered her creative gifts, and it is also the reason why she unnecessarily spent an extra decade without her Cutie Mark. She made a statement which I found quite memorable, so I am passing it along to you. ‘Faith is a powerful weapon in the arsenal of life; having it can make you, and losing it can break you, but finding it can take you…anywhere you want.’

Spike smiled. “Believing in yourself is a pretty important thing…” he said. Twilight shushed him and kept reading.

I know for a fact that Impact Hammer is very much alive and well. As for your lack of correspondence with her, I can only call it sheer coincidence. Two days after her birthday, she came back to my castle, wishing to collect the rest of the belongings her parents left her when they died. They left everything they owned to her, including everything in her father’s workshop and her mother’s art studio, all of which I was entrusted with when I adopted her. As we hauled everything up from the catacombs and into her wagon, I cheekily asked her about her plans for the future. She replied that one of her friends had recently given her a very good idea, and that she remembered seeing a very informative sign somewhere in Ponyville. I’ll admit that I cried a little when she left the castle, but they were tears of joy, I assure you.

Oh, dear! Look at the time! I’m deeply sorry Twilight, but I must end this letter prematurely! I must get ready for a ribbon-cutting ceremony this morning. I hope you can understand.

Sincerely,
Princess Celestia

P.S. Don’t worry, my dear. Your reputation with me is still as pristine as the day you passed your entrance exam.

Twilight heaved a sigh of relief, grateful for her teacher’s words of wisdom, when Spike burped once again. However, the letter that materialized did not bear Celestia’s royal seal. Instead of a letter C on a circle of gold, the silver emblem instead bore the letter L.

“Princess Luna sent me a letter?” she wondered as she opened it and read it to herself.

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

Before I begin, I must inform you that I intercepted your letter and made a few changes before it reached my sister’s eyes…

“SHE DID WHAT!?!?” she screamed, startling Spike, as she kept reading.

…but only because I wished to spare you the embarrassment of discussing such a salacious subject with Celestia, pardon my assonance. I wholeheartedly commend your desire to share every detail of your life with her, but she sees you as a creature of almost divine purity, and I didn’t want her to see her perfect angel fall.

“Awww…” she said, blushing as she kept reading, “Well, that was nice of her!”

Speaking from firsthoof experience, I can explain your mysterious malady in four simple words:

You’re falling in love.

Everypony falls in love sooner or later. When love’s venom stops the heart for the first time, it makes the body do strange things, but the feelings are completely natural. Nothing is wrong with you, Twilight. Your brain is just wired a little differently than most ponies. OK, a lot differently. Forgive me if I withhold my enthusiasm.

Nevertheless, I highly recommend that you find a place to balance this new emotion in your mind, and find one fast. Love is an ethereal concept, meant to be experienced in life, not explained in a book, but it can also be a powerful distraction. I don’t want you shirking from your studies, but I also don’t want you spending the best years of your life in isolation like I did. I didn’t have a choice in the matter, but you do. Make it count.

In closing, I also wish to extend my hoof as a clandestine liaison between you and Celestia. If you ever have any problems you feel are too sensitive in nature for her to know about, please feel free to write me in her stead and I shall do everything in my power to resolve them.

Sincerely,
Princess Luna

Twilight couldn’t believe what she was reading! She finally had a logical explanation for her emotions! She clutched Luna’s letter to her chest and squealed.

Suddenly, somepony started pounding furiously on the library door. Spike scampered over and opened it to reveal…

“Pink-OOF!” he half-said as a sentient cloud of cotton candy tackled him.

“Spike?” Pinkie asked curiously. “Oh-my-gosh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you down there!”

“Of course you didn’t…” he grumbled to himself.

“What’s going on?” Twilight questioned.

“I’m gathering everypony in Ponyville!”

“For what?” Spike asked.

“You haven’t heard!?!?” Pinkie exclaimed, gasping loudly and slurring her words in excitedly. “This will NEVER do! You two are SO definitely invited! I can’t believe this is happening! I have to go tell the others! Another neighbor in Ponyville…GAH! I can’t believe it!”

“Pinkie Pie…” Twilight tried to say, but she ignored her. She was locked in motor-mouth mode, talking and talking until her face turned blue.

“For the love of Celestia, Pinkie Pie! BREATHE!” shouted a fearful Twilight, hoof-slapping her friend across the face.

Pinkie Pie sharply gasped for breath as her train of thought derailed. Her bubblegum complexion slowly returned, except for the faint red hoofprint on her cheek.

“Twilight? You…you hit me!” she whimpered, rubbing her face, “Why would you hit me? I thought we were friends!”

“I’m sorry, Pinkie,” she said remorsefully, “I didn’t know what else to do! You forgot to breathe again! I had to get your attention or else you could’ve suffocated!”

“Oh. OK then! I forgive you!” Pinkie said with a giggle. She inhaled deeply, but before she could open her mouth, Twilight clamped a hoof over her lips.

“Now tell me…SLOW-LY…what you want to tell me.” Twilight said.

“You know that place four buildings down from Sugarcube Corner?” Pinkie asked calmly.

“The one that’s been vacant for the past six months?” Twilight inquired.

“Somepony’s moving in…” she said in a singsong voice.

“Really?” the unicorn asked.

“Yeah, and they’re opening a new shop, too!” Pinkie continued. “The ribbon-cutting ceremony starts in half an hour!

“And let me guess…” Spike mentioned, “You’re throwing a ‘welcome-to-Ponyville’ party? You throw those for every new neighbor!”

“Silly dragon! It’s not a ‘welcome-to-Ponyville’ party!” Pinkie chuckled. “It’s a ‘party-your-flanks-off-grand-opening-celebration-of-absolute-insanity’ extravaganza!” Sheesh, Spike! I know I love parties more than most ponies, but I’m not that crazy…I never said she was a new neighbor!

“Party-your…grand-open…new neighbor…wha?” Twilight said, completely confused and unable to comprehend her bright pink friend. “What are you talking about? Who’s moving in?”

Pinkie whispered the name in her ear and Twilight almost got her horn stuck when she hit the ceiling.

“ARE YOU SERIOUS!?!?” Twilight shrieked.

“YEAH!!!” Pinkie squealed back. “Now let’s go, or we’ll miss everything! She still owes me a party, and I intend to deliver!”

Several buildings down from Sugarcube Corner, Twilight, Spike, and Pinkie Pie met up with their friends. A large crowd of ponies had gathered before a building concealed by a large curtain. It appeared as if stallions and mares from all over Equestria had gathered in Ponyville for this occasion.

“Fillies and gentlecolts!” the mayor of Ponyville proclaimed into her microphone, “It is not every day when a new pony comes to town and even less common when a new pony comes to stay. She may have had a rough start, but her dedication and perseverance have in one way or another left an impression on us all, and I am happy to announce that she has decided to make her mark here in Ponyville. Nevertheless, I am pleased to welcome…”

The mayor’s words faded as the loudspeaker fizzled and died, eliciting murmurs of confusion from the crowd.

“Testing!” she tapped the microphone with her hoof, “One two, one two! Is this thing on?”

“It’s OK, Mayor! I can handle it!” called a voice from behind the curtain, “Just blew a fuse.”
The microphone crackled back into life.

“Now, where was I?” she continued. “Oh, yes. I am pleased to welcome the newest member of the Ponyville family… Impact Hammer!”

The silver alicorn strode out from behind the curtain to take her place at the podium. Some ponies, like Twilight and her friends, cheered wildly, some were indifferent, and some had their minds blown by the fact that she had both a unicorn horn and pegasus wings.

“By the Goddesses!” somepony shouted.

“The rumors are true!” echoed another voice.

“She is an alicorn!” said another pony.

“Please calm down, everypony.” Impact spoke calmly into the microphone. “Yes, I am an alicorn. That fact is undeniable. However, that has little to deal with who I am inside, and you shouldn’t view me any differently because of it.” The murmurs quieted down and she continued speaking.

“First of all, I again wish to thank all of you for coming to celebrate this event with me. This day is the fulfillment of a dream I’ve held close to my heart ever since my fillyhood. I’ve waited so long for this moment, and I wouldn’t be here without the love and encouragement of my parents.” She lowered her head in memoriam. “Rest in peace.”

Everypony lowered their heads in silent prayer for a brief moment.

“After fixing my own problems,” she continued, “as well as helping a special friend repair an important piece of equipment, I’ve finally figured out what I’m supposed to do with my life. I’m supposed to build things, all kinds of things. It doesn’t matter if I have to fix something old or build something new, restoring old memories or crafting new fantasies, I’ll do my absolute best make it happen, because I was put on this planet to create.” She strode across the stage to a large braided rope. She gave the rope a yank and the curtains fell.

Gasps and sighs of amazement and approval echoed from the crowd as the curtains revealed a beautiful new building. It outer walls were painted with a soothing blend of blues and purples, creating an inviting atmosphere. The building was decorated with mechanical accents, like gears, springs, and pistons, making it seem almost like a fully-functional machine. Finally, the crowning feature of the building was the sign on the roof, a mallet and a pegasus wing, arranged in an X beneath a glowing light bulb. A red ribbon was stretched out in front of its doors, tied between two support beams of the porch.

“Today, my friends,” Impact said, enunciating with a flourish, “I open the doors to a world where lost memories are restored and where shattered dreams are made whole again. A world I someday hope we can all be a part of. I present to you, my world. I present to you…The Broken Wing Workshop! Miss Mayor? Would you do the honors?” she asked, levitating the ceremonial scissors.

“Absolutely.” She grasped the handles. “Fillies and gentlecolts, with the cutting of this ceremonial ribbon, I hereby declare the Broken Wing Workshop open for business.”

The scissors closed with a metallic chink and the ends of the ribbons fell, prompt a wave of riotous cheering. She quieted them with a wave of her hoof.

“As a little treat for everypony,” she continued, “I wanted to give a small taste of what I’m truly capable of.” She stepped into a strange set of silver boots, tied a red cloth around her neck, and called out.

“Ready, girls?”

“Ready!” Scootaloo said from the porch, wearing four orange boots.

“Hey, Squirt!” Rainbow Dash called. “What are you doing here?”

“Today we’re crash test fillies!” she cheered. “Watch this!”

Scootaloo pressed a button on her left front boot and the soles of her boots glowed purple. She leapt off the porch, and four large jets of fire erupted from her hooves, propelling her high into the air, leaving Rainbow Dash and everypony else completely dumbstruck.

Having spent two straight weeks etching Impact’s instructions into her memory and almost a lifetime worshiping and studying her favorite pegasus, she streaked back and forth across the sky, soaring, looping, and tumbling. She descended elegantly, striking a pose as she landed.

“But…what the…how did?” The technicolor-maned mare asked, fumbling her words.

“Impact made them for me.” Scootaloo said with a mane flip and a satisfied smirk. “I call ‘em my Scoot Boots. Who says you need wings to fly?”

“Ready!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed from the first-floor balcony, posing in four white boots.

“Sweetie Belle!!!” Rarity shrieked. “How did you get up there?”

“Like this!” she replied as she strode to a metallic curlicue that spanned the height of the building. She tapped a button on one of her boots and climbed right over the edge of the guardrail. Rarity screamed in terror, expecting her to fall, but she didn’t. She leapt from the guardrail to a nearby downspout and continued walking down the outside of the building, the soles of her boots glowing green as she defied gravity. Once she got down to street level and stepped onto solid ground, she sauntered toward her sister with an impish grin.

Rarity raced over and hugged her little sister tightly. “How did you do that?” she wondered, “and where in the world did you get those stylish new boots?”

“Impact designed them.” Sweetie Belle admitted as she lifted her hoof, inadvertently pulling all of the hairpins out of Rarity’s mane. “Magnets. I may not be as pretty as you, big sister, but I’m definitely more attractive.”

Rarity’s lips curled into a smile and the Belle sisters shared a hearty laugh.

“Ready!” Apple Bloom shouted from the roof, rocking four yellow boots.

“Apple Bloom!” Applejack hollered. “Git down from there right now young lady, before ya hurt yerself!”

“What’d ya say, big sis? Ah can’t hear ya!”

“Ah said GIT DOWN FROM THERE NOW!!!” she shouted, the anger in her voice concealing her worry.

“OK…if you say so…”

The yellow filly tapped a button on her left front boot and the bottoms started glowing orange. She took a deep breath…got a running start…and jumped.

Terrified gasps rang out through the crowd.

“The horror! The horror!” somepony screamed.

She hit the ground hooves-first and a powerful shockwave emanated from the impact zone, obscuring the area with a thick cloud of dust.

Somewhere amidst the chaos stood a pale gray stallion with a black mane and equally dark eyes. His name was Neighthan Explosion.

“Metal.” he said with a hoarse, gravelly rasp as the wave of wind and dust blew back his mane like a sandstorm.

“APPLE BLOOM!!!” Applejack shrieked. Sick with dread, a million horrible thoughts sped through her mind as she raced to where her little sister landed. How would she explain to Big Mac that she’d let his littlest sister turn herself from Apple Bloom into Apple Sauce? She expected to see a broken, bloodied splat of a filly, but when the dust settled, Apple Bloom emerged…giggling like a schoolfilly and completely unharmed. While the ponies of Ponyville breathed a sigh of relief, the orange mare’s train of thought jumped the track, plunged into a ravine, and exploded into a thousand-foot fireball.

“WHAT IN THE HAY WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?!” Applejack raged, “YA ALMOST GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK!”

“Ah’m sorry Ah scared ya, sis,” Apple Bloom said apologetically, “but that’s what these here boots are meant ta do. Ah could fall from Cloudsdale and not feel a thing, so long as Ah land hooves-first.” The youngest Apple caught the ‘don’t you bucking think about it’ staring-daggers look in her big sister’s eyes and immediately decided to change the subject. She looked over her shoulder and spied an empty wooden box beside a trash can. She backed up to it and bucked it as hard as she could. Her boots amplified the momentum into a sonic pulse, crushing it into splinters, much to Applejack’s astonishment.

“Now imagine doin’ that ta an apple tree. These boots turn mah tiny kicks into tha kinda bucks Big Mac would make. Impact built ‘em fer me so Ah could help out with tha apple-buckin’ and stuff. Besides, she wouldn’t let me touch ‘em until she knew they were safe. Same with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. We’ve been testing these suckers for almost a month! We know how ta handle ‘em.”

“Well, as long as yer safe.” Applejack admitted as she hugged her sister, “That’s all that matters.”

“This concludes the demonstration.” Impact concluded with a bow. “I’m not here to start some kind of technological revolution. Even the most impractical of devices can have practical purposes. I can fix things, but I can make things, too. Life is a game and the world is the board. I just like to create new ways to play.” Amidst a sea of applause, Impact made one final statement. “As a gesture of gratitude, I’d like to invite everypony to join me at the banquet hall this afternoon for a celebration hosted by our very own Pinkie Pie!”

A frenzied wave of cheers rang out once more and the crowd began to disperse.

Twilight and her friends wove their ways through the crowd to welcome and congratulate their new friend, but just as they reached her, the three fillies raced over and tackled her, singing their praises about their new boots.

“Everything’s perfect!” they cheered.

“Well, I’m glad you like them,” she replied, “but just remember, girls. These boots are for Crusader missions and absolute emergencies only. Use them, don’t abuse them. Nopony likes a showoff.”

“But, Impact!” they whined.

“I’d listen to her if I were you.” called a very familiar voice from above.

Out of nowhere, Princess Celestia descended from the sky with Luna in tow. Everypony knelt in their presence.

“Princess Celestia?” Twilight said, “What are you doing here?” she asked.

“Twilight Sparkle.” Celestia chuckled, “Always searching for reasons. I just came to visit...and I happened to see Impact’s little demonstration.” She turned to Impact. “Your technology is most impressive, my dear. You have a very bright future indeed.”

“Thank you, Princess.” she replied, “With proper testing and licensing, these could become life-saving rescue tools, or maybe even something more…”

“Hey, Impact!” Scootaloo asked, changing the subject. “What can your boots do?”

She smiled a knowing smile.

“Everything the three of yours can do and a little bit more.” she said with a wink in Celestia’s direction. She tapped a button on one of her silver boots and the soles began to grow bright red.

“Sorry, girls, but I can’t show you all of my tricks.”

Revelries and Replicas

Later that day, at the party…

“Somepony, anypony, CRANK UP THE MUSIC!” Pinkie Pie howled.

“Already on it!” shouted a voice from behind her. Impact spun around to see a white unicorn with a striped blue mane standing behind a set of turntables, nestled between a pair of massive speakers.

“Alright, everypony! Settle down!” she said into her microphone. “We’re gonna get this party rollin’ with some old-school thunder, so get out on the dance floor and brace for impact!”

She popped on her headphones and dropped her needle. Once metal hit vinyl, everypony in the place was dancing…and that was just the way she liked it. Everypony, including the Princesses, started doing the Sparkle Shuffle; the adorkable new dance craze, currently sweeping across Equestria like wildfire, which Twilight inadvertently spawned during her last birthday party back in Canterlot.

As the tempo and temperature skyrocketed, the bass pulsed harder… better… faster… stronger…and Vinyl Scratch’s head bobbed along to the beat. She didn’t need to hear it. She could feel it. Her emotions were illegible behind her purple shades, but she was smiling as she sighed to herself.

“Ahh...You just can’t beat the classics…”

After several hours of cupcakes, fruit punch, singing, dancing, and a little bit of roughhousing, the party was winding down. More and more ponies trotted out the door, wishing Impact the best of luck and a happy belated birthday. Eventually, only Spike, Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, the Crusaders, the Princesses, and the DJ were partying with her inside the banquet hall.

As the DJ was winding down her setlist, she lifted her shades for a moment to wipe the sweat from her brow…

“V-Scratch!?” Impact called out in surprise. “Is that you?”

“Wait a sec…” the white unicorn muttered. She lifted her purple shades, exposing her red eyes to the room. She scanned for the source of the strange nickname, and when she found it, she jumped down from her musical perch to get a closer look.

“Hammerhead?” she asked in bewilderment as she pulled her headphones off, “Is that you!?”

“Our cool blue manes can feel no pains…” Impact said with a smile.

“Our bright red eyes can tell no lies…” she replied as a beaming grin etched its way across her face like a needle across a record.

The two long-lost friends raced toward one another and leapt into each other’s hooves.

“OH…MY…GOSH!” Pinkie suddenly interjected, squeezing between them, “IMPACT! DO YOU KNOW WHO THIS IS!? THIS IS DJ PON-3! YOU KNOW DJ PON-3!?!? HOW DO YOU KNOW DJ PON-3!?!?!? TELLMETELLMETELLMETELLMENOWNOWNOWNOWNOW!!!!!”

“She was my one-pony stage crew when I first turned pro.” Vinyl Scratch said confidently, “Best roadie I ever had… Pretty wicked on a six-string too! You still got your Talons?”

Her horn glowed white for a second and her artificial hoof began to transform. The end of her hoof unfolded, revealing four mechanical claws that bent and flexed at will.

“I still have my old ones back at home,” Impact said with a wicked smile, “but I’ve…upgraded.”

Pinkie Pie gasped as if she would never take another breath. Her million-miles-a-minute mind popped a synapse and went into auto-shutdown mode. She froze in her tracks and her eyes rolled into the back over her head.

“TIMBER!” Ditzy Doo called randomly from outside, which turned out to be a much more befitting exclamation than anypony could have expected, as Pinkie keeled over like a falling tree and fainted from excitement.

“Oh great…” Twilight mumbled as she facehoofed herself, “It’s alright, everypony! I’ll take care of this…” She levitated a cupcake from the snack table and started waving it above Pinkie’s face. Pinkie woke up instantaneously and devoured it in one chomp.

“All better!” she squeaked.

"But seriously, Impact was by far one of the best technical ponies a DJ could ask for!"

“Oh, stop it, Vinyl!” Impact blushed, “I wasn’t that good…”

“Thirty-minute setups and thirty-second teardowns on a regular basis, and you think you ‘weren’t that good’?” Vinyl blanched, “Come on! You were the best in the business and we both know it, so why’d you walk away?”

“I didn’t have my Cutie Mark and I didn’t have a clue what I was meant to do with my life, so I experimented with anything and everything! My path just turned in a different direction. I never meant to hurt you when I left, Vinyl Scratch, I swear it.”

“Don’t worry. I understand.” she said, still ecstatic to reacquaint with an old friend, “Everypony goes through that phase. Four years later and still the same old Impact… I can’t even believe you’re still alive!”

“V, you wouldn’t believe how many ponies have told me that. How have you been?”

“Still spinnin’ the good tunes all over Equestria. I got a new place and a new roommate, Octavia Philharmonica.”

“That stuck-up cello pony from Canterlot? I thought you two couldn’t stand each other!”

“Meh. She goes outta her way to drive me flat-out bonkers every now and then, and I can’t say I don’t do the same to her, but I think I’ve loosened her strings a turn or two.”

“B-b-but… you’re electric and she’s acoustic!”

“What can I say? I’m a DJ! I’m a sucker for a good mashup. So…what’ve you been up to?”

“Making friends, fixing stuff, cheating death more times than I can count. Y’know…the usual.”
Both ponies chuckled at the inside joke. “Finally got my own place where my skills can shine.”

“Awesome! Finally got your Mark, I see.”

“Gear equals creativity. Blood equals sacrifice. Long story short, if a pony can dream it, then I can make it real, as long as I walk away limping when the smoke clears. Just like that one Three Neighs Grace song says, ‘I’d rather feel pain than nothing at all.’”

“Great band, great song.” the DJ said with a nod, “I can respect that.”

“Hey, V!” Impact called as she strode onto the dance floor. “Could you spin our ‘special’ song…for old times’ sake?

“‘Special’ or ‘extra-special’?” she asked, leaping back up to her tables.

“‘Forbidden-special.’”

“You don’t mean…” Her eyes widened behind her purple shades.

“Oh, I mean….” Impact said with a seductive smirk.

The DJ pony shuddered as she opened a secret compartment in the back of one of her speakers and pulled out a blank white record sleeve.

The song etched into the plastic disc within could be described in many ways. The first song they composed together. Their mare-on-mare auditory lovechild, conceived sometime during a wild and crazy weekend in Manehattan neither parent could remember to this day. The most beautiful electronic symphony in the history of music. The most powerful mind-control device Equestria didn’t know about. The greatest song ever written ever.

Vinyl and Impact knew it by its true name: the Feeding Frenzy PsychoMix. It’s an seven-minute vortex of heart-hammering, mind-melting, soul-swirling euphoric insanity, blending pop, rock, dubtrot, and techno sounds like a Very Scary Cherry-Berry smoothie from the Juice Caboose down in Coltlumbus. Its rhythms were so powerfully hypnotic that even Princess Celestia wouldn’t be able to resist shaking a flank to these infectious beats.

She could actually count the number of times she’d played this track publically on one hoof. Impact knew what this song was capable of, but she still wanted her to play it. Music-talent ponies were immune, and her sister-in-sound had built up a tolerance over the years, but everypony else? The pink one’s head might actually explode for all she knew. Some songs are just too powerful for virgin ears.

“Are you sure you want to release this beast on everypony?” she asked.

“Absolutely! NOW DROP THAT BASS!”

DJ PON-3 nodded and popped on her headphones. Her horn glowed light blue as she set her forbidden-special record onto her turntable and readily obliged her demands, with everypony watching as the noise took hold of their brains.

Vinyl Scratch liked to watch ponies dance, but she especially loved watching Impact dance. What fascinated her most was the fact that Impact loved mashups almost as much as she did, her completely self-taught style mixing ballet with breakdance. Her flow was seamless, her steps were perfect, and her tricks were absolutely stellar, but she never did the same moves in the same order more than once.

The silver alicorn started off shufflin’ like a deck of cards with OCD, pirouetted like a ballerina, and then collapsed into air flares and windmills. Next she slid into a quicktrot sequence, then a pair of grand jetés, a triple back hoofspring, and landed into the most dangerous B-pony move in existence: spinning on her horn in the aptly-named Discordian Death Drill. The blue-maned DJ has seen so many unicorns damage their horns trying that trick, and one or two even snapped them clean off, but Impact could keep on spinning until she bored a hole in the dance floor. She was indestructible.

After the final song ended, Vinyl started to unplug and dismantle her equipment as she packed up for her long trip home. This was her last gig for the weekend, and she’d been paid in advance for her performance. She was ecstatic about finally getting to spend a full weekend with Octavia. She could already hear the beautiful music they’d make together once Tavi was back in her hooves…

“Hey, V!” Impact called, “Let me help you with that.”

She cast an enchantment with her horn, and everything started to move on its own, floating out the door and lining up neatly and orderly inside Vinyl’s cart.

“The ‘Party-in-a-Box’.” she said with a slight smile, “Some things never change… Anything else you need before I head out?”

“As a matter of fact…” Impact paused as she ran to one of her cabinets and rummaged through it, pulling out her first edition autographed Stephen Coltbert autobiography. She plucked a sheet of parchment from between two pages. “I wrote this poem about a year after we went our separate ways. I thought I could make a song out of it, but all I had were lyrics with no music. Maybe you could take a look at it?” She asked as she passed the parchment to her friend.

“Slaves to the Rhythm? Interesting title…” Vinyl lifted her shades as she read the poem.

Music starts a-pulsing… Bodies start convulsing…
My lyrics so hot, Ensnarin’ your thoughts,
Preparin’ to make your mind rot…

Bucking, screaming, fighting… I’m sensing that you’re frightened…
When pleasure and pain are one and the same,
You’ll finally be enlightened…

Your hoof starts tap-tap-tappin’ to the sound
Guess that means the tran-transformation’s starting now!

So…
Go ahead and scream
But this is far from just a dream
You’re my slaves to the rhythm tonight
As you’re slowly zombified
My voice will bring you back to life
To be my slaves to the rhythm tonight!

Her hoof began tapping as she synced to the flow of the words.

“Wow!” she said as she finished reading. “This is really good! With some more verses and the right mix, this could work! Let me run it through my speakers a couple times and I’ll see where it goes from there.”

“Thanks! I could always count on you to make things happen.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to give the music world another go, Hammerhead?”

“I’ll think I’ll take you up on that someday, V, but until then, I’ll be here if you ever blow a speaker!”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” she admitted.

“Besides…we’ll always have that weekend in Manehattan…” Impact chuckled.

“I thought you couldn’t remember that.”

“I can’t recall most of it…” she whispered seductively as every light in the workshop mysteriously went out, causing a slight panic, “But I'll remember this…”

The silver alicorn leaned in close and planted a firm kiss on her former fillyfriend’s lips, and the white unicorn immediately kissed her back as they entwined themselves in each other’s embrace. Impact’s wings fluttered. Her right wing leapt to attention with a near-noiseless POMF, but her left one shot upright with a more mechanical-sounding POMF. Even under the cover of darkness, she could hear the difference. Great, she thought to herself. Even my wingboners don’t feel like they used to.

“Don’t tell Tavi I did that.” Impact whispered breathlessly as she was sadly forced to break their perfect moment, “Knowing her, she’d probably cut my tail off and make a year’s supply of bowstrings with it.”

Vinyl Scratch lifted her shades one last time, revealing half-lidded eyes and quivering lips.

“Tell who about what?” the white unicorn cooed into her ear with a soft whisper, her melodic voice sending every syllable pulsing like a bass line.

“Good girl.” the alicorn replied, her smile invisible in the absence of light. “I promised you that I’d do that one last time, V, even though we’ve both found somepony else to love.”

“You always did keep your promises.” she whispered back. “Who’s the pony you’re chasing now?”

“Let’s just say her sparkle has become impossible to ignore.” she replied with a sultry smirk.

Now that the party was over, the DJ had left the building, and her dirty little secret was safe, Impact let the lights flicker back on, resulting in sighs of relief.

“Sorry about that everypony! We blew a fuse in the circuit breaker!”

“Not a problem.” Twilight said with a smile.

“Besides, it ain’t a Pinkie Pie party ‘til something explodes!” Applejack cheered.

After the party was over, Impact and friends concluded their celebration back at the fully-christened Broken Wing Workshop.

“Crazy-rockin’ party, girl!” Rainbow Dash shouted amid her laughter.

“Quite a top-notch soiree, indeed.” Rarity chimed in.

“Did anypony else see Lyra and Bon-Bon sneak away into the broom closet?” Spike wondered, eliciting laughter from the entire group.

“Maybe next year, if you’ll let me, I can throw you a party on your actual birthday?” Pinkie Pie asked, casting her pouty eyes and whimpering like a sad puppy.

“Sure, Pinkie,” Impact said with a quick, defeated sigh, cringing at the overload of cuteness as she hugged her bubbly bubblegum friend, “and I promise to never flip out on you over a party ever again. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” She winced slightly as she pressed her hoof into her eyeball.

“Well, Impact, this has been a most wonderful evening, and I’m overjoyed to know that you’ll be staying in the presence of such good friends, but please do visit me in Canterlot every now and then… I’ve missed you so much since you left…” She ended her statement in an endearing pout.

“Don’t worry, Princess.” Impact said with a smile, “I promise to visit at least twice a year, and I’ll be writing to you a lot more often, too. Besides, you came to my birthday party, so I intend to return the favor.”

“I’m holding you to it!” she chuckled as her and Luna prepared to depart for the evening, “Also, I have one last question for you.”

“Fire away!”

“I must know…” she asked, her tone shifting from cheery to slightly sad, “Why made you decide to abandon Canterlot? I could have given you anything you wanted. Why did you leave me?”

“Exactly, Princess,” Impact replied, “You could have given me anything I wanted. Given. Oh, how I LOATHE that word! I left Canterlot because the one thing I wanted more than Equestria itself was the one thing your way of life would never provide… independence. I couldn’t stand being coddled and pampered, everypony waiting on me mane and hoof, doing the most menial of tasks for me when I could have easily done them myself. You treated me like a daughter, but everypony else treated me like a doll…” Her eyes lit up as the last word crossed her lips, “Which reminds me…”

Impact raced away into another room, rummaged around for a while, and returned with a large white box, wrapped in blue and black ribbons and tied with a matching bow, surrounded by her magical aura. She set it down at Celestia’s hooves and nosed it in her direction.

“For me?” she asked with a puzzled look on her face.

She lifted the lid off of the box. The sides fell away to reveal an alicorn filly with a metallic silver coat. Her leg and her wing were wrapped in bandages, and her mane, tail, and cutie mark looked very, very familiar…

“A doll?” the Sun Princess queried with a raised eyebrow.

“PLUSHIE!!!” Pinkie Pie squealed randomly as she tried to race toward it. Impact was forced to chomp down on her tail to keep her from trampling the doll.

“Whoa, Pinkie! Down, girl! Heel! HEEL!” she mumbled as she ran her tongue through the mouthful of fluff. Her eyes widened for an instant as she inadvertently made an alarming realization about Pinkie Pie. Her tail didn’t just look like cotton candy, it tasted like cotton candy. What kind of shampoo did she use?

“OK…OK…” Pinkie said, calming down. “I’m good.”

“A doll?” the Sun Princess repeated, her eyebrow still elevated with confusion.

“This year, Princess Celestia, my birthday present to me is a present for you. Rarity did all the fabric work. I configured the sensors and I provided the sounds.”

“Fabric? Sensors? Sounds?” she wondered. “What are you talking about?”

Impact fired a single spark from her horn and the doll whirred to life, raising its head and opening its eyes.

“Hello?" it asked, greeting its new owner in a younger version of Impact’s voice.

“WHOA!” Spike said with a gasp.

“What the hay?” Applejack and Apple Bloom asked simultaneously.

“OK, now that’s cool!” Scootaloo admitted.

“IT TALKS!?!?” Celestia said incredulously.

“Mm-hmm.” Impact said with a nod. “Go ahead, Princess. Try her out.”

Royal decorum flew out the window with those words. Celestia became instantly fascinated by her new toy. To everypony’s astonishment, she removed her golden shoes, plopped down on the floor and began to play with the doll, trying to locate all the hidden tricks Impact could’ve embedded into it.

She stroked the doll’s back and its eyelids drooped.

“Ohh…that feels nice…” it moaned happily.

She picked it up with her magic, flipped it over, and blew a raspberry into its belly.

“Stop it!” it squealed with a giggle, “That tickles!”

Everypony else couldn’t resist joining in as the doll’s laughter became infectious.

As one last test, she lifted it up and gave it a kiss on the cheek. It smiled back at her with sparkling eyes. “Mmm…so that’s what being kissed by the sun feels like!”

Fluttershy stepped forward, entranced by the doll. Wanting to touch it, she extended her hoof and accidentally brushed against the bandages on its foreleg.

“OUCH! That hurts!” The doll’s face contorted as if in pain.

“Oh my goodness!” the flustered pegasus exclaimed in shock, “I’m so sorry!”

“Why would you do that? You know that’s one of my sore spots!” the doll whimpered. Suddenly, it began to cry. Artificial tears began rolling down its cheeks.

The sight and sounds of the crying doll reawakened something inside Celestia’s head. The lines between reality and fantasy began to blur and she didn’t want the moment to end. Her brain didn’t know that she was holding a toy, and it didn’t care. At that moment, it was ten years ago, and she had drifted back to the day when she first brought Impact home. In the back of her mind, she was clutching the real thing once more, and her maternal instincts responded by kicking into overdrive.

“Oh…don’t cry.” she cooed, cradling the doll in her hooves as she wiped the tears away, “It’s OK. I’m here. I’ve got you.”

“I’m cold.” the doll whispered as it began to vibrate softly, producing a surprisingly realistic illusion of shivering.

“Well, I know somepony who can fix that…”

She gave the doll a powerful squeeze and it released a happy, contented sigh and a grateful “Thank you. You’re so warm.” Suddenly, the doll yawned. “I’m tired.”

“Well, you can go to sleep if you want.” Celestia said, “We’ll be home soon.”

“Will you still be here when I wake up?” it wondered earnestly.

“Yes. Absolutely.” she replied.

“OK, Mama.” the Impact-doll mumbled as it closed its eyes and powered down, “I trust you.”

“Good night.” she whispered as the waves of déjà vu washed over her.

“Well, if that ain’t tha sweetest thang Ah’ve ever seen!” Applejack said with a smile at the sight of such a tender mother-daughter moment. “Just gives ya that warm, fuzzy feelin’, don’t it?”

Everypony nodded in agreement.

“So, do you like it?” Impact asked.

“Her mane... its feels so real…” she sighed blissfully, running her muzzle through it and getting lost in its all-too-familiar aroma.

“That because it is real.” Impact said proudly. She shook her mane and tail, revealing where sections had been cut. Rarity gasped audibly in horror at the sight of the mangled manestyle.

“I don’t know what to say…” the princess replied in disbelief as she picked the doll up once again, “This is over-the-top, even by my standards.”

“I poured my heart and soul into that doll.” she said with a proud smile, “So whenever you’re feeling sad or lonely, just give her a squeeze and think of me.” She leaned in close and kissed Celestia ever-so-gently on the cheek. “Even when we’re miles apart, we’ll always be together.”

The two alicorns became teary-eyed and hugged one another tightly.

“Hey!” Luna chimed in, having crept up behind them, “You can’t hug one Princess without the other!”

“Pinkie Pie smells hugs!” Pinkie cheered, sniffing the air. “PINKIE PIE WANTS.” she growled, fiercely but cutely, staring intently at the three alicorns.

“Hugs?” Fluttershy queried.

“I want in!” Twilight called.

“Me too!” Rainbow Dash said.

“Absolutely!” Rarity chimed in.

“Ain’t no way Ah’m missing this!” Applejack hollered.

“Don’t forget us!” the Crusaders moaned.

“Room for one more?” Spike asked.

The Sun Princess and her adoptive daughter exchanged knowing glances and smiled.

“Oh…GET OVER HERE!” the alicorns called.

Everypony ran together, colliding to create one of the biggest, softest, cuddliest group hugs in the history of Equestria. Somewhere in the center of the throbbing mass of bodies, Impact Hammer wore a satisfied smirk, like a filly who’d successfully managed to sneak one last cookie before bedtime.

She’d finally done it. She’d found a place to start over. She had a bright future ahead of her, faithful friends that cared about her, a loving mother just a letter away, and a cool new toy to play with whenever some villain tried to threaten the peace and tranquility of Equestria.

Things could only get better from here on out.

Resolution and Relaxation

Later that evening…

The Canterlot clock tower tolled twelve times, signaling the arrival of midnight in the capital.
Princess Celestia had tucked Luna into bed, kissed her good-night, and was alone in her bedchamber. Now, she was at war, engaging in her nightly battle with her greatest foe, an enemy more powerful than Nightmare Moon and more chaotic than Discord: Lord Insomnia of Dreamland.

As she tossed and turned in her bed, she suddenly had an idea. Using her magic to cast a spell, two spherical bubbles appeared in the air above her head. Her horn glowed once more, and the bubbles began to act as viewing windows into the world around her.

Luna’s not the only one who knows a thing or two about dreams, she thought to herself as images began to appear. Inside each bubble, Celestia could see a single pony, hopelessly ensnared by what appeared to be a powerful nightmare.

The pony to her right appeared to be sleepwalking, and at times sleep-running, as if she were trying to elude an invisible pursuer or chase down her phantom prey. Celestia couldn’t tell which, but giggled at her antics nonetheless.

The pony to her left was talking in her sleep, mumbling about all kinds of topics, ranging from the routine to the risqué. She couldn’t resist blushing at some of the racier thoughts that escaped the somniloquist’s lips, especially the ones involving a certain purple unicorn behind closed doors. Closed, locked, bolted, and sealed with a double-decker force field.

Oh, you filthy little filly, she thought deviously to herself. Your fantasies are…exciting…but they pale in comparison to mine…

“Past and present, old and new, Alpha and Omega. You two are so diverse, yet so similar. Worlds apart, but almost identical. Just like myself and Luna, your areas of expertise are radically different, but have one critical connection…”

Her horn began to glow as she created a third blank bubble and pressed a bubble into either side of it, connecting them into a chain. Suddenly, everything just…stopped. One pony stopped rambling, the other stopped running, and both were at peace. They were now unknowingly dreaming the same dream, which Celestia could now see inside the center bubble.

Two young ponies were snuggled together before a warm fireplace on a cold winter’s night, each sipping a cup of hot chocolate and reading one of their favorite books.
“The snow is really coming down, big sister!” the little one said fearfully, “Where’s Mama? I hope she’s alright! If she got lost in the snow, they wouldn’t find her until spring. What happens then, huh?” She shivered at the thought.

“It’s alright, little sister.” the elder one reassured, “You’re thinking irrational thoughts again.” She wrapped a wing around her trembling sibling and released a massive yawn. “Mama’s a tough mare. She’ll be back soon. I promise.” She planted a firm, sisterly good-night kiss on the unicorn’s cheek. “Let’s try to get some sleep.”

Back in reality, the Sun Princess rested her head on her pillows and admired her hoofwork, silently thanking Twilight Sparkle for her brilliant idea. She’d taken her student’s advice and galloped away with it…just in a radical new direction. She watched patiently, waiting until contented smiles formed on the faces of the two sleeping ponies, then started smiling along with them. The inception was complete, but she quickly grew tired of watching her little mind-game unfold inside their heads. It felt…too simple…too boring…too manestream.

Suddenly, the bubbles popped without warning and she had an epiphany.

Why watch a performance when you can play the leading mare’s role?

She impaled Lord Insomnia through the heart with her horn. He was dead before he hit the stone castle floor, but she knew he’d be back again tomorrow. She’d be ready. With a running start, she leapt off the edge of reality and plunged headfirst into Dreamland, closing her wings to gain momentum.

Back in the dream world, the sisters heard a loud noise behind them and turned to see that the front door had flown open. They shivered madly as a sharp blast of chilly winter air rushed in, but suddenly…

“Mama!” they cheered gleefully as a very familiar face entered, kicking the door shut with her hind leg and shaking snowflakes out of her multicolored mane.

“Hi, girls.” the mare greeted, nuzzling them affectionately, “Mama’s home.”

The three returned to the fireplace and snuggled together before it, basking in its glow and its warmth, where the two younglings fell asleep almost instantaneously. As they slept, she softly whispered something to the fillies, knowing full well they were words only she could hear.

“Impact Hammer…Twilight Sparkle…my daughters…my darlings…my Princesses…”

She gingerly draped her majestic white wings over their tiny bodies, pulling them closer to her and shielding them from the cold like a living blanket. She couldn’t help noticing how soft their coats felt tonight…almost plush…

Back in Canterlot Castle, Princess Celestia she rolled over in her bed, closed her eyes, and did something she hadn’t done in centuries: drifted off to sleep without a care in Equestria, but not before whispering two final words.

“Sweet dreams…”