“So, you took private lessons from Luna?” Trixie and I were in our hammocks, summarizing our last week for each other. “What did she teach you?” Since Celestia had planted those runes within me – there was probably no better word for that – I had started to gain more and more interest in magic. I tried a few spells from the collection of runes, but so far none of them worked. It was as if something was missing.

“Old magic. It’s similar to the modern form but requires circles and incantations to work. Quite primitive if you ask me. Still, I think the effects are much more fierce.” So Luna had planted some combat spells into Trixie’s mind. I hoped that it was a good thing. “However, I find your news much more interesting. I mean, I’m going to be an aunt for a little princess or prince after all.”

“Yeah…” As much as I liked thinking about it, this just wasn’t the right time for it. “I’m sorry, Trixie, but I have other things on my mind right now.” Like bunch of changelings waiting for us, or maybe a bunch of Nightmares, or maybe how we were barely hovering above the clouds.

“It’s alright. I’m also thinking about our assignment. After all, the princess herself has tasked me to keep an eye on you all.” She grinned with content and kept staring at the ceiling.

“You all?”

“Yes, you and Shining Armor. Isn’t he also part of the family?” She had a point. I started going through the entire family tree in my mind.

“He is the husband of my…. cousin. Is there even a word for that?” Trixie shook her head, or rather the entire ship was shaking. “What the?” We both jumped out from our hammocks and went on deck.

“Hawk, do you see this?” Shining Armor stood with the Captain at the edge of the bow and seemed to be looking out for Night Hawk. I could hear them calling something, but the wind made the sounds unintelligible. I would have understood it if I would have dared myself to reach within five meters to the edge, but I remained near the hatch just so I won’t be reminded of the height we were at. Trixie ran past me and joined the others. The night was chilly, but I wondered why it wasn’t colder, considering our altitude. Either ponies were more resilient towards temperature, fur coat and all, or the ship had been enchanted. A shadow whizzed onto the ship, and glowing golden eyes stared at me. Night Hawk grinned as she saw my terrified face and turned to the others.

“Sir, no signs for the cause of the turbulence, and the ship itself is undamaged.” Shining Armor nodded.

“Okay, tonight we keep our eyes open. Night Hawk, back to your guard. Trixie or Light, one of you stays on deck. Four eyes see more than two.” Trixie yawned loudly.

“Then good night to you all. Trixie needs her beauty sleep.” And with that, she went past me down below, but not without giving me a malicious grin. She had been a bit faster.

“I’m going to take a rest a bit myself. Wake me if you need me.” He followed her down.

“Great,” I muttered and laid myself onto the middle of the deck, as far away from any edge as possible.

“Ey Princey, cheer up. If you fall, we’ll catch you, so no need to panic.” Hawk grinned at me, her eyes still glowing in the dark.

“Letting the baby fall into the well first? No thanks.” The way her eyes rolled into her head was almost hypnotic. I had always gotten weird looks when I told anyone about my vertigo. I had it ever since I visited a reservoir dam with my family. We were on top of it and I, being five years of age, had been standing on the lower railing hands on the upper so I could look into the depths below. My grandpa, that old fart, had hit me so hard on my back that I had ended up two thirds over the railing, looking down vertically. Since that day, I hadn’t been able to climb up the ladder to a slide without getting a little bit anxious. With my coming of age, I had discovered that it was reasonable to have vertigo. If you fell from a specific height, there was nothing that prevented you from impending pain or death, so it was best to not get into such a situation in the first place. Transportation, though, was a different issue. Aircraft were much safer than cars, so it was within reason to consider them safe. The same went for the carriages of Equestria, as long as both pegasi were not hit by lightning simultaneously. I didn’t know the chances for that to happen, but I hoped it that it was like winning the lottery. This airship, however, was held up by a balloon. Emphasis on balloon. No backup, no auxiliary engines. Long story short, a flying death trap.

“Oh come on, have a little faith. I don’t bite and I’m faster than any Wonderbolt. And thanks to my dad, I can even see in the dark.” Within her grin, I could make out sharp teeth; probably another of her father’s gifts.

“I assume your father must have been a dragon? How is it like that, if me asking doesn’t bother you?” She laughed heartily and leaned into the ropes that held the balloon.

“Why does everypony think that it bothers me? I met the old man only once but didn’t talk to him. He’s currently having his centennial sleep in a cave near Stalliongrad. He and my mom met a few years prior when she became lost in the snow. She had to land due to a blizzard but was unfamiliar with the region. It certainly has its benefits. My wings are more sturdier than that of the average pegasus, and I don’t feel cold nor heat, well, except if it gets too extreme. As I said before, I can see in the dark like in broad daylight. Oh, and let’s not forget about the increased lifespan. There is no average for that as there are not many like me, but I’m counting on a few hundred years. My mom will never meet my dad again, but I will be there when he awakes.” She grinned fiercely. “I’m looking forward to learning more about him.” She seemed pretty happy with her situation. I don’t know how I would have reacted to the knowledge that I would outlive everyone. But she had her father right? “But I don’t wish for anypony to be like me. My childhood was anything but enjoyable. I was the outcast and everything, but I made the best out of it, and now I’m directly reporting to Princess Luna. All in all, I should be happy that my father wasn’t a diamond dog. Running around like a flufflepuff wouldn’t have been my thing.”

“Sounds like you have a few things ahead of you.” The question of life going on once you were no more had often entered my mind. She had the opportunity to go further than most other living beings. What really bugged me was how did it work with dragons and ponies? Magic, the answer for everything here.

“You got it, but that’s all in the stars. For now, let’s swat some flies on the walls.”

“And you are really sure that this is okay, Twilight?” I was worried that I might change something that could have unforeseen consequences.

“Why not? If my theory is right, then all timelines exist simultaneously, meaning that you have already spoken to her and nothing happened, or it did happen and something changed but without us realising it. Anyway, something is going to change for sure.” I didn’t understand a single word of what she said, but I considered it a yes.

“I’m still afraid of how she might react. Will she believe me? What will she say?” Twilight stopped on the wide path to Sweet Apple Acres and held a hoof up her chin.

“Let’s remember that we are talking about AJ here. She spots lies ten miles away upwind. So if you tell her the truth, she will believe you. Her reaction is a different issue. I think she will be happy to know that her daughter loves her and her father so much that she came here to correct a big mistake.” I really hoped she was right. One way or the other, we were about to find out. My mom was coming down the street, pulling a cart full of apples.

“Howdy, you two. What brings you here this early in the morning?” I swallowed, and Twilight pushed me a bit towards my mom that elicited a weird expression from her.

“Morning, Applejack. Do you think… we could talk a bit?” I used my best smile, but it didn’t seem to work.

“Sorry, sugarcube, but I need to head for the market. These babies won’t sell themselves ya know.” She pointed toward the apples in her cart. She took out one with her tail, put it into her hoof, and gave it a short rub on her coat. “Here, have an apple. They are the best far and wide.” She threw the apple at me and skilfully caught with my forehead before it disappeared down my mouth in one go. “Wow, you are good. Where did you learn that?” I quickly swallowed the apple, a really good one, and pointed at her. Applejack looked behind her if somepony might have been standing there, but then she realised who I had been meant. “Wait a second, I’ve only known you since yesterday.”

“That’s why we’re here, AJ. I think it’s the best if you just listen.” Applejack was visibly confused, but Twilight’s word was enough for her to suspend her work. She unhooked the cart and sat down.

“I’m all ears, sugarcube. I hope it’s important.” She looked at Twilight first then to me. I too looked over to Twilight, who gave me a nod.

“Umm… I know it will sound strange but you were right, I’m part of the Apple family…”

“I knew I recognised you from somewhere!” she exclaimed.

“... Uhm, to be honest, I’m not part of it just yet, only in ten months or so.” My birthday was in May, so it was a good guess.

“What do you mean, sugarcube?” I took a deep breath.

“What I mean is that I will be born in ten months. I am from the future.” I closed my eyes waiting for the world to collapse, but nothing happened. When I opened my eyes again, my mom’s mouth was hanging wide open and she was staring at Twilight. It wouldn’t need to talk any further – it seemed that she caught the hint.

“I reckon Twilight is involved in this?” I nodded.

“She asked me in the future to correct a mistake. One that would cause my dad to disappear.” She blinked a few times.

“And your dad is…?” She indicated with a hoof that I should continue.

“Blue Light, but I only found out after right now after traveling back in time.” She probably didn’t heard the last part of the sentence anymore as it had been way too much for her. Her hat slowly slid off from her head, but she didn’t move a muscle, not one blink, nothing. When her hat hit the ground, it probably took her out of the trance. She vigorously shook her head and went past me straight at Twilight.

“How dare you to send my daughter back in time?” she screamed at Twilight. “You yourself told me how dangerous this can be! Anything that could happen with the universe and like that.” She was fuming with anger. I had never seen her like this.

“Mom… Applejack, please calm down! I wanted to come here; I wanted to come to meet my dad. Twilight even gave me the chance to save him. Please...” I tried to hold her back. Her glare wandered from Twilight down to me as I stood between the two, trying to hold her back from her friend with my forehooves. Twilight had her guard up but hadn’t backed a single step.

“AJ, I would never do anything that would endanger one of our friends. What Aura has told me though… It sounded as if it was necessary. The formula for the spell that Light plans to use to go back into his world has an error and I, in my curiosity, wanted to test it so much that I forgot to check it. It will be my fault that Light misses his destination and gets lost. At least it was like that until Aura here appeared. She has come here, probably with my help, to prevent this from happening. She has compiled all the facts by herself. You should be proud about her.” My mom had scrutinised every single word that left Twilights lips, put them on the golden scale. and measured them. Her anger-filled face went slack, and all that was left was regret.

“It never gets normal with you, right sugarcube?” she finally said, and Twilight put on a smile again. “So I will have a daughter?” I nodded. “Does Light know about this?”

“He has no clue. He entrusted me last night to help Aurelia here solve an issue with a picture. I had recognised the magic immediately, and I put one and one together.” She sighed and turned to me.

“You know, I didn’t expected to become a mom this early.”

Only when the sun had risen did I realise that I had talked the night away with Hawk. Her cheerful nature was a relief, as I could finally talk to someone without having my three big problems as a topic. She told me a bit more about her father, a big black mountain dragon and how she visited his cave to watch him sleep. Her mother reckoned that he used to be much smaller when she had met him. Now he was as big as two houses.

Dragons had two growth phases. One when they were younger that only took a few months. They got their wings and grew a good bit bigger than a pony, about Celestia’s size. The second one came after about a hundred years and took about as long as well. In that time, they really became massive. Hawk’s mom believed that she got her happiness from her father where as she only got her dark coat from her. What really made me wonder was how contented she was with what she was and never wished to be something else. If I had been like that, I would not be sitting here on this airship in Equestria, heading out to fight changelings. But then I would have never met my new friends and especially not AJ. I would have probably fallen prey to the Nightmares.

“I’m going to make one last guard flight, your Prince-ness, then we can wake our relief.” I yawned and nodded to her. She let herself fall from the edge of the ship and disappeared in the clouds. I didn’t envy the pegasi for their wings. I didn’t know if it was from the lack of sleep or her if free spirit had gotten to me, but I went to the same spot from where she jumped and looked over the edge, straight down to the ground.

“Alert!” Hawk’s voice echoed through the air. Frightened, I backed off a few steps from the edge and took nervous glances around me. To the right, nothing but clouds and the left the same. “Alert!” It echoed again, but this time I reacted.

“Alert!” I called down below deck and heard a thud as somepony fell out of their hammock. Another sound led my view to the sea of clouds in front of me, and this time I saw Hawk breaking through a cumulus. She flew straight at the ship without as much as an intent to slow down. She turned so her hooves were pointing at the balloon. She used it to brake herself and crashed right next to me onto the wooden frame.

“What’s going on?” Shining Armor came up from the underdeck, and Hawk pointed at the hole she had torn through the cloud. Multiple shapes with massive wingspans came through at speeds close to Hawk’s.

“Griffons, sir, small squad, well-armed,” she finally said. I had to squint to see them better and indeed they were griffons, half eagle, half lion, wearing thick silver armour, armed with spears and swords. Not exactly the friendliest of expressions.

“What do they want here? This is Equestrian territory. Without royal decree, there shouldn’t be any troops here, especially not griffons.” Armor seemed really surprised and astonished. “Star, Trixie, Glimmer, on deck!” he bellowed down below, and the trio came up not ten seconds too early to miss the arrival of the griffins. They were twelve of them, all armoured and with swords on their belts and spears in their claws. They halted about ten meters in front of our ship, hovering, and one with a helmet, ornamented with many feathers, came closer. Before he could say anything, Shining Armor spoke up.

“Griffon, explain yourself or face the consequences for this!” The commander looked down upon us nodded shortly, which caused one of his guys to fly up and over our balloon.

“Silence pony!” he shouted. “That is, if you even are a pony. We are pursuing changelings that you banished into our lands. No matter what you say, it doesn't matter to us. Should one of you try to even move a muscle, my Lieutenant will let this ship crash!” He pointed up to the balloon. From below, we could see the tail of a griffin hanging down.

“We are on a mission from Princess Celestia of Equestria! Pull back now or we will be forced to defend ourselves!” Shining Armor shot back. One of the ropes that had been tied to the balloon was now sailing in the wind, which left the ship’s right side with only two more ropes. Shining Armor’s horn started to glow, which seemed to be a sign for us to act. Shooting Star shot past me like a lightning bolt and took two of the griffons with him into the clouds. Glimmer shot a bolt from her crossbow and hit one griffon in its wing. He slowly glided down to the ground, screaming from pain. Trixie took one of the ropes and fastened another griffon’s wings together. This all happened faster than the commander could open his beak. Hawk followed Star into the air. As she got close enough to one of the griffons, she took a deep breath and black flames came from her mouth! She was really spitting fire, which surprised me and the griffon as well. I looked for something that I could transform, but other than the ship itself, there was nothing available. Trixie was already using the ropes, so I felt pretty helpless.

“Do it, Victor!” roared the griffin commander. I looked up to the balloon in panic, but nothing happened. It was surrounded by a blue aura that could only belong to one pony: Shining Armor. Quickly thinking, he had covered the balloon with his shield, including the ropes holding it. The commander screamed again, and the remaining soldiers regrouped. The one particular griffon that got singed by Hawk looked wrecked, probably because part of his armour had melted to his skin. Star came back from the clouds, thankfully alone. He must have outwitted his opponents. Hawk herself was hovering directly between us and the commander to cut his line of sight.

“I repeat, pull back and leave Equestria at once!” Shining Armor bellowed with a bit more strain in his voice as he had to keep up the shield. The griffin commander made a gesture with his claw, and immediately his men swarmed out again. They disappeared in the clouds around us and it became quiet, too quiet.

“Watch for the smallest motion,” Glimmer muttered behind me and loaded a new arrow in her crossbow. Everyone looked into a different direction onto the white clouds but nothing moved. I took a step forward to look over the edge again, but by then it was too late. Something grabbed my neck and pulled off the ship into the air. I immediately felt how cold it had become and how I started to suffocate, not the least due to the claw around my neck. I started to struggle but it made no sense. My joints were not made to reach behind me, and I was too unfocused to call on my magic.

“Let him go!” Trixie yelled, magic at the ready and with a furious look on her face.

“I have a better idea. If you really aren’t changelings then maybe I should just let him fall, shouldn’t I?” I had a sense of foreboding. Would he really let me fall just to see that, when I hit the ground, I would end up as pony sludge?

“Do you even have an idea whom you—!” Trixie was stopped by Shining Armor’s hoof.

“Should anyone of this crew get injured, then it is, by all accounts, an act of war against Equestria. This is your last chance to pull back,” he said without looking away from me.

“You broke the peace first!” Time seemed to slow down as the griffon eased his grasp and gravity took me into its arms. I shot past the first cloud and looked up. Star and Hawk tried to chase after me but got put through the wringer by two griffins. Trixie tried to reach me with a rope and made it. It coiled around my right hind leg and pulled tight. However, one griffon left the formation, and with a little stroke, he cut the rope that my life was hanging on.

Author's Notes:

The idea with the griffon came to me when I thought about the fact that the changelings were thrown everywhere. And if they could reach the badlands (actually to be seen in the shot when our beloved changeling queen makes Team Rocket proud), then they also could reach the griffon kingdom. Griffons don't like it if you throw with prisoners after them. Neither is Equestria England nor the griffon kingdom Australia. That Idea I used in Journey. (Ti = The Australia from Albion)

Thanks to LtCWest for translating this chapter.
Special thanks to JBL for proofreading and editing.

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