Muffled clacks resonate as the train moves along the rails under the young night, making its trail back to Canterlot. The Elite squad ride inside this unpopulated passenger cart, sitting near the boarding doors.

After safely making their exit from the Smokey Mountains, they traveled along a dirt road that led them towards the White Tail junction, passing by the small town that was ruined by dragon fire. They waited at the station until twilight, when the train would make its next round before midnight. The team boarded promptly, tired and musky from lugging their weapons and gear for several hours.

In the cart, Bulletpoint and Strix sit together, talking quietly between each other. Banter and Swirl are seated just in front, facing towards them, and keep to their own thoughts. On the seats behind Bulletpoint and Strix sit Crimson and Snowfall, with Snowfall pressed against the man's side since he takes up too much of the seat. Snowfall doesn't seem to mind, so neither does he. At the very back of the cart Tawl and Fawl sit together, with Tawl resting against her brother while they both sleep.

Silvershade was aboard the train with them not long ago and rode with them for a little over an hour. With enough energy regained from the trip, she made her lonesome exit as soon as they arrived to the mid-land Equestria junction. It was an uneventful departure for the Elite squad, save for the red-haired man. He saw an inconspicuous smile thrown his way on her little beak while she passed him on her way out of the cart, and it was acknowledgement enough to satisfy him. He isn't sure whether they'll ever meet again, but he hopes they do, perhaps under better circumstances.

The whole ride has been very quiet with most of the noise coming from Strix and Bulletpoint after Silvershade had left. Snowfall, Banter, and Swirl tried to pull as many answers out of Silvershade when she was here, but it was fruitless. She remained a locked box of mysteries, leaving them in a very serious and contemplative state.

Crimson hadn't said much throughout, he has been waiting for a good opportunity. Now that Silvershade is gone, he has one. He wants to present something to Snowfall, hopefully something worth her attention.

He reaches into the inner chest-pocket of his duster which draws Snowfall's attention his way. He pulls out a rolled scroll of parchment and holds it near his lap. Snowfall's gaze curiously moves from the scroll to his eyes. He wiggles the item in his hand as he says, "Read this fer me. Tell me what it says." He offers it to the snowy mare and she takes it with her hooves, unraveling it and skimming through its contents.

"It's written in Gryphic," Snowfall mutters.

"So they write different even though they speak the same. Figures. Can you understand it?"

"Luckily I do. So does Swirl. It's one of the main trading languages in Equestria, so knowing it is pretty useful. ... Where did you get this?" she returns her stare to him.

"Before we came down the hatch to escape from them Sleepers. Was on the desk."

"You managed to snatch this from the Featherline lieutenant when she wasn't looking?" Crimson smirks slyly, playing along with her assumption. "Hmh. Let's see what we've got." She begins reading the letter aloud, "First Lieutenant Silvershade of the Smokey Mountain White Tail station. This is the follow-up report concerning the rumor of the unidentified artifact. It has been confirmed that the rumor was legitimate, two separate scouting teams returned with identical information. It appears that this relic is a large belt. It is currently under the possession of the yak-kin in the Frozen North, it is on a display pedestal in the center of their village. Negotiations have been less than successful. With the permission of the Big Feather, we shall engage them and appropriate the relic." Everyone in the cart is looking at Snowfall read with astonished fronts, Snowfall herself keeps her resting expression as she rolls the scroll up. "This is quite a grab, Crimson," she mutters as she begins to contemplate.

"What'cha thinkin', cap'n?" Bulletpoint asks.

"I'm thinking that our COA needs a thorough rework. If this information is solid, we'll need to plan our next move immediately."

"For a belt?" Banter asks doubtfully. "What's so special about a belt?"

"This belt could be connected to our primary artifact," Swirl states seriously. "If the Featherline want it, the possibility is very likely."

"Possibility? So you're saying you have no idea either. None of you have any idea. You're all just guessing."

"What if I ask Moonlight?" Crimson inquires, drawing everyone's attention. "I reckon someone like her'd be able to tell us about that belt."

Banter's brows raise with interest. "Now that's a name I haven't heard in a while."

"A sound idea," Swirl agrees. "Head Researcher Wish is very knowledgeable on enchanted artifacts. She may be able to give insight on the matter."

"How soon can you communicate with her?" Snowfall asks Crimson.

"I'm sure I'll be able to talk to her tonight assumin' she ain't already asleep. How long do we got till we reach Canterlot?" he asks as he peers out of the train cart windows, looking into the star-filled night. He sees that they are approaching the base of the Canterlot mountain.

"About half-an-hour," Swirl replies. "I will begin my own investigation immediately upon arrival. Moonlight has offered to fit me with a device, one she believes will aid in this very subject. If she is able to give us information on the belt, this operation should go swimmingly."

"Don't stay up too late, Swirl," Snowfall calls, "tomorrow is closing in, and we're going to be up when the sun is. We're setting up for our next move first thing in the morning after Crimson reports back to us. If this belt turns out to be a hoax, we've still got our plates full with another lead. All we have now is whether to go for one or the other first. We aren't waiting for anything, so we'll need all the rest we can get. Understood?"

"Yes, captain," Swirl replies humbly.

"That goes for all of you. Especially you," she taps Crimson's left thigh with her hoof. "You look far from hot right now. I won't be too upset since we all still have beating hearts in our chest... but this mission could have gone much smoother. You were way out of formation, that barrage of arrows could have killed you. And had we not spent all that time waiting for you to regroup, we wouldn't have had to deal with the cluster of explosives that costed us an entire day."

"... Yeah, I beg yer pardon."

"Saving that griffon lieutenant was a selfless act, but a reckless one too. Your condition is dangerously low, so I'm thinking we'll have you sit out next mission until you fully recover. We are setting aside some time to talk once you do. There's a lot that needs to be said, starting with your personal safety. Once we have our little chat, you'll be back on the team."

Crimson bites his tongue. Little does Snowfall know that the mine crumbling down upon them is the reason why they even have the lead for the belt... and no matter how much he wants to say that, he remembers the promise he made to Silvershade. For whatever it's worth, he stifles his annoyance and replies simply, "Ain't no need fer that, Snowfall."

"Whether or not you think so. This isn't up for debate."

"You're right, it ain't. Because I'll be fine, and that's that. Alright? I ain't sittin' out, there's too much that needs gettin' done."

"Crimson, don't be difficult. You need rest. Sure, you may have saved those griffon siblings, and managed to save the Featherline lieutenant, but that's after the fact. Learning to care for yourself is another element entirely. Even though you're not officially apart of the Guard, I'm treating you like my own. And I'm saying you need rest."

"It ain't necessary. Takin' time to rest will just slow us down. We need all the manpower we can get fer this."

"We do, but regardless. I'd rather be temporarily down a squad mate to let him rest, rather than lose him forever because he couldn't take care of himself."

"Snowfall," he leans closer to her, looming his face just above hers. "I'll be alright. Trust me on this... mmkay?" She blinks up at him with exhaustion in her eyes, her lazy expression stays in place.

"It's not that I don't trust you, this simply isn't a matter of trust. I want to make one-hundred percent sure that you'll be an able body. And for that," she lifts her hoof and places it at his forehead. She gently taps it at every word, "You. Need. Rest." She gently pushes him away. He rocks his own head back in jest, slumping his back against the window of the cart.

"Listen to her, Crimmy," Strix speaks up with concern in her voice. "This is the second time I've had to bandage you up already! Your arm looked like a bear got to it, and the back of your head was a total mess. Please. Be a little more, like, considerate of your well-being..."

"Mind not the scratches, Essie," Bulletpoint begins, "the fuckin' bloke dove under a pile'a fallin' rocks! Them shits were a coat-hair from mashin' him into the ground! For what? To save some ungrateful bitch who wouldn't talk? That ain't right, mate!"

Crimson furrows his brows and looks out the cart window again, refraining from speaking against his ignorance.

"I would also prefer it if you minded yourself," Swirl announces. "You are proving to be a valuable asset to the team. The information you have acquired for us might have potentially saved us weeks of clue searching and field ops. It will be difficult to continue aiding us with this task if you are dead. I advise that you comply to Snowfall's directive and rest your body."

"Crimson, listen," Snowfall starts sympathetically, "I don't have a doubt in my mind that you're capable of laying down your life for your teammates. But that's just it, I don't want you in do-or-die scenarios. If we put our chips where they matter, we'll avoid unnecessary casualties. Right now, the table is set for you to sit the next one out."

Crimson sighs and looks towards Snowfall again, giving her a stern set of eyes. "If somethin' else happens to me, I'll sit 'n listen to a speech from each'a you. You can set all the rules you want... but not today. Not tomorrow neither. Instead of worryin' about me, let's set our sights on more important matters. The belt should be our main focus right now. If it ain't a tall-tale, we can't afford to be distracted. There's too much to be lost if we get behind. Mm, and I'll also need a run-down on that other lead you got too."

"..." Snowfall lowers her brows at him, shaking her head slowly. "You're one stubborn piece of work. Do you know that?"

"Yeah," Crimson smiles slightly. "I'm aware."

"... Alright. Fine. Against my better judgement, I'm allowing you to partake in our next mission. Only because you're right, this belt could set us forward three entire steps. If our researchers can get a hold of a solid magic signature, a lot of missing pieces will fall into place."

"All of this talking is leading me to believe we don't actually know what we're looking for," Banter scowls.

"That sums it up perfectly, First Lieutenant. We don't. For that reason, we need to bring our research team what they need. Once they have a firm grasp on the objective, our job will be that much easier."

"All it would take is one magic print," Swirl declares. "We must first associate the gritty details: the era of the enchantment, the style of the enchantment, and the pony who cast the enchantment. Those three unknowns must be cemented into constants in order for a common signature to be traced. Any other hidden artifacts by this same signature will be much easier to locate and unearth."

"So why are we even looking for the whole set?" Banter questions. "I get the whole 'time-travel' hour-glass containment sci-op. That was our main objective. But this belt? The rest of the set? This wasn't ever specified in the debrief."

"Because of them magic anomalies," Crimson replies. "From what I understand, the magic trace bein' thrown around by those anomalies was the same type of trace found in the hour-glass we went lookin' for. Now that that shit's gone without a lead, we'll need the next best thing, meanin' the other parts of the set. If we can figure out how'da reverse-engineer them artifacts, see what makes 'em tick, I reckon we can deal with the anomalies. ... M'I talkin' sense?" he looks towards Swirl for confirmation, to which she nods firmly... and mildly impressed at that.

"Is that what this is about? The magic anomalies that no pony has seen? Pff, what a waste of time." Everyone, especially Crimson, shoots him a stern look. "What? I mean, really. Swirl. These anomalies haven't been officially registered, right?"

"No, but the damage they have caused is clearly present. The sites of compromise can be easily prodded and studied."

"Okaaay? So why don't you and a bunch of other mages go looking for the anomalies and just dispel them? Wouldn't that be miles easier than this stupid relic hunt?"

"Magic is not that simple, Banter," Swirl retorts severely. "There is no one catch-all method to dispel magic. We must understand the magic being used at a fundamental level, enchantments being the most complex. It would be catastrophic if we accidentally agitated the unruly magic by mindlessly casting spells on it. The solution to this problem requires thorough research and sharp minds."

"Yeah," Crimson agrees. "Like you 'n Moonlight."

"Most in due to Head Researcher Wish. It is why I have such great respect for her. Her knowledge on this subject is unrivaled, and I fully believe we will be able to accomplish our mission with her graceful assistance. I, for one, am grateful that she has returned."

"I can second that," Bulletpoint smiles.

"I can third that!" Strix giggles.

"Huh," Crimson lifts his chin to Swirl. "I'll tell her you said all them nice things." He smiles, almost as if taking the compliments for Moonlight himself.

... But now he finds himself under Swirl's wide-eyed stare. She gawks at him in a frozen anxiousness as her cheeks slightly tint pink and her eyes dilate. "Y... You'll what?"

"Tell her what you said."

Swirl springs up with a leap that sends her to the parallel seats of Bulletpoint and Strix, firmly landing between both of them while almost stepping on their haunches. She leans her face towards Crimson's, her trembling eyes stare right into his. "... Don't." Like everyone else watching her become spastic, Crimson looks terribly confused. "... Don't tell her."

"... Why? Not like you're doin' anythin' wrong, all you did is compliment her--"

"She'll think I'm creepy. Talking about her. Don't tell her I talk about her. ... Don't tell her."

Crimson notes that instead of being blindly enraged and demanding, she's instead pleading. He's fully aware that she's being horribly irrational about this... but he finds something neat about this display in particular. Her constantly unamused eyes are shot open, letting her light-pink irises shimmer much more lively. Instead of the critical gaze she gives everything, she actually looks worried about something for once.

He can't hold his fixed expression for long once he realizes her unadulterated desperation. He reaches forward and pats her smooth bubblegum-colored mane while chuckling heartily. "Ha-ha. Alright, alright, I won't tell her."

Swirl stares at him for a second longer, hardly registering that he's touching her. "You won't?"

"Swirly!" Strix calls with a pout. "He said he wouldn't! Sit down already!"

"Some things neva change," Bulletpoint muses halfheartedly.

Crimson nods to her firmly, giving one last pat before retracting his hand. He doesn't understand any of it, but he simply replies, "I won't."

Swirl nods quickly back to him looking like she just sucked on a lemon. She turns around and slumps down between Bulletpoint and her sister.

"Mh," Bulletpoint emits a muffled sound, blushing slightly when Swirl's hips rubs against his side since the seat barely fits the three of them. He looks away, finding something interesting outside of the window across the cart. Swirl herself appears to be running mental laps of embarrassment, while Strix smiles at her and pats her back. Banter looks highly displeased at everything he just witnessed.

Snowfall glances towards Crimson with mild amusement, reclining back a little on her seat. "Hmh. You're the first guy I've ever met that really knows how to push her buttons. Swirly is usually a very composed pony. Not sure if I should congratulate you or not."

"Guess I've got a knack fer that kinda thing. I didn't even have to try this time."

"I trust that you won't do anything like this when we're in the field."

"Wouldn't dream of it. At least, not intentionally." His reply doesn't come off as too convincing with the smirk present on his front.

Snowfall rolls her eyes and sits back into her seat, shifting her attention towards the window of the cart past Crimson's face. The man himself also leans back so he doesn't obstruct her view. Snowfall releases a quiet exhale through her nose. "I still think you should take some time to rest... don't make me regret trusting you, Crimson."

Crimson turns to look outside the window as well, watching the base of the mountain draw near. "I won't."

The train tilts back a few degrees as it commences its ascent up the side of the mountain. Canterlot is quickly approaching.

---

... Knock-knock-knock

The elegant cobalt doors ring off Crimson's subtle entry into Moonlight's room, he pokes his head in first to scan around. He doesn't see Moonlight downstairs, but it certainly looks like she was there. A plethora of papers and tools are scattered about her desks, indicating she was hard at work. His attention is quickly nabbed by some sort of viscous, glob-like substance inside of a clear closed-lid flask. It pulsates like a purple heart and gives off a radiant glow of the same color. Whatever it is, it's probably something interesting.

Crimson steps in completely and closes the door behind him. With a careful ear, he listens in on the barely-audible sound of water running upstairs. Seems like Moonlight's in the shower. He's glad that she's still awake even though it's...

He glances up at the large clock above him. It reads 12:55.

... it's pretty late. He hopes she wasn't spending hour after hour working at her tables. Knowing her, that's exactly what she did, and probably only took small breaks in between to eat or use the restroom. Nevertheless, he's glad he can talk to her tonight, especially since she didn't look in the highest spirits after he had to leave in the morning.

Without further ado, he strides towards the staircase and heads up to her bed. He sees that her resting place is already prepared, with the bed sheets pulled back and her pillows prompt in their places. She even has Soap sitting at the top of her head pillow, making him the sentry that safeguards over her bed while she is away.

Crimson walks towards the plushy but avoids touching anything. He didn't have time to clean himself or his clothes before arriving, so he deems it best to keep his grime on his own body. He crouches down to level himself out with Soap, taking a good look at the black and white killer whale. It has a silly smile with beady little eyes, it has a very rounded shape, and its tiny little flippers come out the sides of its body in a cute but pathetic manner.

On this plush, the scent of Moonlight can be briefly whiffed, which has become the case for this entire room. The first time he walked in here, it was nothing but dust and dry odor. But now that the room has had its owner breathe it back to life, it's filled with her scent, the same scent he became familiar with back in Baltimare. It's a delicate, pleasant aroma that quickly vanishes after the olfactory registers it. It's a very... girly smell. He can't think of any better way to describe it than that, it doesn't smell like any particular type of flower or thing in nature.

Moonlight isn't a very girly type per se, she's very simple, but feminine subtleties lie in her personality. And he finds that quite charming. It's the perfect balance of being a woman without it being overly autocratic.

... 'Woman,' he rattles the word again in his head. He isn't fully used to this type of thinking yet; it's the type of thinking that pictures these equines in a more-than illustrious light. Unlike him, he's thinking of this willingly. He's done it a few times now, more than not through subconscious thought. He supposes it's sitting oddly in his judgement thinking about things like this solely because she's not a human, the idea that harboring aloft romanticism for something that isn't human is absurd.

Though at this point, he's starting to let himself believe that it shouldn't even matter... perhaps that's just the exhaustion talking. Or maybe it's what he's really feeling. He is peering down a set of binoculars with two different lenses, and he's not willing to try and audit them. Not right now at least. There are many important things to think about. This subject isn't one of them.

His track of thought is luckily disrupted once he hears the water valves close from behind the door, followed after by a glass sliding door opening inside. He reckons Moonlight is about to come out. He switches mental gears so that he saves himself and Moonlight some awkward tension. He stands back up onto his feet and pockets his hands in his duster. He glances at the clock once more, seeing it read about 1:10. He faces the bathroom door again and waits patiently.

Soon, the door opens, presenting a droopy-eye'd unicorn with a towel wrapped around her blue-pink mane. She trails her eyes from the ground to her bed, then to the right of the bed, up until she lands them on the lumbering human. The sleepiness in her eyes is practically dispelled at the sight of him.

"Howdy," Crimson lifts his chin slightly.

Moonlight's expression turns to glee as she trots at an increasing pace towards him, but before she could attach herself onto him, Crimson takes a step back.

"Woah there, Lighty. I'm all dirty. Don't wanna have to make you jump in the shower twice now."

Moonlight's happiness puckers into mild dejection at being denied, but fully understands his concern. "... You're finally back."

"Yeah."

"I was told that you would return by sunset... not midnight."

"There was a hitch in our plans. Nothin' a little extra time didn't solve though."

As Moonlight's wave of awe and giddiness from his return wears off, she begins to scrutinize him. She notes the quality clothes he now dons, but prefers to notice how they are already grimy and worn. His left sleeve is even torn to shreds, with his arm-- "... Crimson."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Please tell me you were careful while you were out."

Crimson doesn't bother replying, he simply stares back... he knows words won't make his obvious damage suddenly disappear.

Moonlight walks towards him until they stand less than a hair apart. She then hops up onto her hindlegs while placing her forelegs at his abdomen. She takes Crimson's arm into her magic aura, gently moving it so it is presented right to her face. Previously white bandages that are stained with blood run wrapped entirely across his forearm all the way up to his deltoid. Her lips purse in distaste and she glances up to his face. "How? How did this happen?"

"I helped somebody out is all."

Her expression becomes vividly sour from his lackadaisical reply. She comes off of his body and falls down to her fours. The magic around his arm travels down like a slimy vestige until it takes a hold of his hand, and she makes him follow behind her when she begins to walk. She leads him towards the bathroom and sits him down on the closed-lid toilet. Crimson releases an elongated exhale through his nose, watching the disappointed unicorn manipulate multiple things with her ethereal hands.

First, she cleanly tears off the ragged strips that had become his left sleeve, leaving the stitching at the shoulder perfectly intact. Then, she simultaneously opens the doors under the sink to acquire a bandage roll while removing his current wrappings. Once the old tatters come off, she looks at his arm... and her ears fall to her head.

"It ain't that bad, Moonlight."

"... The old bruises from your forearms haven't even healed yet... and here you are, getting hurt again. This... this looks awful. So awful..."

Crimson looks down at his arm, seeing the vicious skid-marks that shredded his skin now accompanying the hammer-wounds Snowfall's hooves left a while back. There's no good light to look at this in. Moonlight's right, it looks terrible.

And now she is staring at him, waiting for him to come up with some sort of excuse or soothing words. But before he can try to reply, Moonlight moves to place her right hoof to his left cheek, gently feeling his face. "... You're so pale..."

Crimson's brows raise at this. He's fully aware that he lost quite a bit of blood, but... surely not enough to whiten his tan skin.

But it strikes him... yes, he did. Not because of the skids on his arm, nor the strike at the back of his head, but because of how much of himself he had to give away to stabilize Silvershade.

He actively decided to use skin cells for the transfer, but his Arch mainly converts blood from his stream directly depending on how severe the damage being mended is... and brain damage definitely charged his body a heavy fee. All transferring skin cells did was ease the blood cost.

He wasn't fully aware of how much it really toiled him, he simply did it. It's definitely not the most intelligent thing he's ever done. Had he been in even a slightly worse condition before mending Silvershade, the results might have ended up quite tragic. Instead of one dying body in the White Tail mine, it would have been two.

Moonlight can see the tax of life on his exhausted, bedraggled face. He supposes he understands why Snowfall and the crew were giving him the flak that they did. He hasn't looked in a mirror recently... but he doesn't think he wants to.

With great care, Moonlight proceeds to wrap his left arm, from wrist to delt, with new bandages. The way these fresh wounds aren't staining the wraps immediately with blood makes her heart sink. She isn't even sure how this man is still conscious, let alone walking around and talking.

After she is done tending to him, she stands in between his knees and stays looking at him. Crimson feels the weight of her stare fully, and her being so close to his face leaves little room to look away discretely. He knows she wants him to say something, anything that might be an excuse enough to calm her down...

"I didn't break my promise, did I?" he asks lightheartedly. "First thing I did was come 'n see you." Moonlight still doesn't say anything, the shines in her eyes glisten gently. "... How was yer day? Got a lot of work done, I reckon? Them tables downstairs speak for themselves." Moonlight's expression wavers slightly... just the crack he needed. He chuckles a little, "I wonder how you can stand bein' so close t'me. Don't I smell awful?"

Moonlight's pink orbs finally shift away and a small amount of red builds at her cheeks. "... You do. Please... help yourself to the shower."

"Appreciate the hospitality."

She nods in reply, still too abashed to look at him. She steps away from his front and turns to the door, making her exit and shutting it after.

Crimson examines the shower and sees that his red towel is still hung up next to Moonlight's navy-blue one. He rises from the toilet and begins to undress himself from his dirty clothes. He lets his duster fall onto the ground first, then he moves for his shirt.

As he is getting it over his head, he hears the bathroom door open. He removes the shirt from his face and tosses it to the ground, looking towards the bashful mare with something in her magic. She clears her throat and keeps her eyes on the ground, "I-I have some clothes for you. It-It's sleepwear... s-since... I don't think you want to put your dirty clothes back on."

"Ah. That's mighty generous of you, Lighty. Sure, leave 'em on the sink there. Thanks."

She nods quickly and sets the folded bundle of clothing down, retreating immediately after and closing the door again. Crimson finishes undressing and proceeds to clean himself up.

He fits his head through the neck-hole of the shirt, letting it sit properly on his body. After turning his neck to try and examine himself, he opts for the tall mirror above the sink instead. He reaches for his red towel to wipe off some fog from the mirror, then hangs up the towel promptly after. He returns to the mirror and gazes at himself, subtly rotating his shoulders and turning his head. The sleepwear Moonlight gave him consists of a plain red t-shirt and solid-grey pajama pants, and both articles fit perfectly.

His eyes trail from the clothes on his body up to his face... and he gives himself a good long look...

... He's definitely looked better. He doesn't feel nearly as bad as he looks, but only due to his unnatural tolerance for discomfort. Regardless, the repercussions his lack of self-care will have on him will show in due-time. He already felt it once when he defended Moonlight from that dragon back at White Tail. He couldn't keep his Arch fully channeled for longer than five minutes before he passed out mid-air, and it'll only get worse from there.

He knows he needs a good night of sleep. He doesn't care much for the damage, but being exhausted is setting him back more than anything else... but there's no way he's going to let Viola sit by herself in the Rift. Even though she tells him that she will be okay, that he should rest in the real world, he just can't. Not only would he feel too selfish for doing so, his inability to actually fall asleep is a curse that has followed him since his adolescent years. He may have an idea where it came from, but he doesn't know for sure... and probably never will. So instead of laying in bed, doing nothing but hoping to fall asleep, he'd rather be with Viola.

With a musing sigh, he takes one step back from the mirror. He leans down to acquire his dirty clothes then turns for the door and opens it up, exiting the bathroom in a cloud of misty steam. He sees Moonlight laying on the bed to his left-hand side, her eyes were previously closed until he emerged from the bathroom. She quickly tilts her chin down to look at him, then she sits up completely. She runs her tired eyes up and down his frame, analyzing the clothes she gave to him.

"They fit great," Crimson smiles slightly.

"I'm glad they do," she replies meekly. "... D-Do you like the colors? I wasn't sure what you'd like."

"The colors'r just fine. Especially the pants, I really like 'em."

"Is grey your favorite color?"

"It sure is. What's yers, Moonlight?"

"P-Purple... purple is my favorite."

"Heh. That's my ma's 'n my sister's favorite color too."

"Ooo," Moonlight coos with delight. "It's always captivating to hear about your family. I, um... if it's okay with you, could you... tell me more about them sometime?"

"Positively. Maybe on another night." He looks down at his shirt and pulls it from the bottom, stretching it slightly so it fits snug. "Say, did you make these clothes yerself?"

"N-No, I'm no good with a sewing needle... t-the Royal Tailors made them for me and delivered them upon request."

"Huh, it don't surprise me then, they've got my measurements 'n all... anyways, I know it's late, Moonlight, but can I bother you for one more second?"

"Of course... is there something you need?"

"I was curious about somethin' you might be knowledgeable in. There'r rumors about an enchanted belt goin' around. Supposedly the yaks have it. You wouldn't know anythin' about it, would you?"

"Oh! Yes, I have heard of it. I know that the prince of the yaks is not very keen on giving it away. Th-Though, I am not very acquainted with the belt itself, so I may not be of very much help. Was there something in specific that you would like to know?"

"The Royal Guard is assumin' that this belt is somehow connected to the hour-glass we were supposed to nab yesterday."

"... Hmm. If this is the case, then the belt would also be related to the amethyst we obtained from Storm."

Crimson's expression lightens up, "Hey, yer right. That hadn't even occurred t'me. How's progress on that thing anyway?"

"I've succeeded on temporarily extracting the enchantment from the necklace for study."

"Is that what that glowin' purple thing was downstairs?"

"Indeed! It took all day trying to figure it out. The difficult part was finding the right separation method, but now that that's out of the way, studying the enchantment should be simple! I will have all of the details ready by tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow night, huh," Crimson scratches the side of his head.

"... Is something wrong?"

"Nah, nah, take yer time. The hope for the Guard was that you'd have an answer immediately, but it ain't no issue. We have somethin' else that needs doin' anyway."

"... I'm sorry that I couldn't be more useful..."

"C'mon, Moonlight, don't do that to yerself. You're already bein' a massive help to us by doin' what yer doin' right now. We couldn't possibly ask fer more. I'll let Snowfall know that we'll have our info soon. Like I said, we might have somethin' else to tend to first, so you've got the time you need. You're doin' just fine, Lighty."

As Crimson was talking, Moonlight grabbed Soap and began to hug him tightly. She holds him at her chest, covering her mouth and muzzle with him, leaving only her eyes to glance to and from Crimson. She timidly nods twice to him and remains quiet.

Having said what needs to be said, Crimson looks towards the staircase, readying himself to make his exit and tell Moonlight goodnight.

... And her ears fall to her head. He glances back to Moonlight quickly, immediately catching a very subtle negative change in her disposition. He also reiterates the point to himself that Moonlight is sleeping on the right side of the bed, leaving the space to her left completely open. The first night she slept here, when she was feeling emotionally low, she didn't think twice about sleeping in the middle. Then, both times he had woken up in her bed back in Baltimare, rather than being on a side, he woke up in the middle. Lastly, on the first day they shared a bed, she had rolled over to the middle once he got up... and all of this leads him to believe that the middle is her natural sleeping location.

He knows he's jumping through a lot of mental hoops to conclude any of this, but he has a feeling he's right... and she's just too shy to try and say it.

Crimson's brows raise, but his exhausted orbs remain half-lidded. "That spot open fer me?" he asks brazenly and without warning.

Moonlight's ears shoot up immediately and her face blushes deeply from behind her plushy. She turns her eyes to the empty spot next to her then back to Crimson. She sees the look in his eyes, realizing that her internal desire was quickly snatched by his quick wit. ... With deep timidity, she looks away and nods quickly.

Crimson smiles, "Then I'll take it. Let me run an errand real quick. Be five minutes."

"... F-Five minutes?" she asks with a hint of uncertainty, returning her gaze to him.

"Maybe even less than that. Keep my spot warm fer me."

She watches him move to take the staircase down, hearing him quietly walk along the floor downstairs until he reaches the door. She fidgets anxiously as she begins to wait for him.

Crimson doesn't close the door to Moonlight's room, he leaves it slightly ajar. He steps out into the rotunda that acts as the annex for Moonlight's room to the rest of the Castle. In this octagon-shaped rotunda, six doors are aligned on the side-walls of each face. From Moonlight's room, he walks towards the farthest door to the right and stands before it. He lifts his knuckle and gently knocks on it.

Some mumbling is heard from the other side, then the door clicks open. Fawl presents himself with a raised left brow, wondering if it's who he expects it to be. And indeed it is. Fawl's expression softens quickly upon seeing Crimson, accompanied by a small smile growing on his beak. "Hey."

"Howdy. You 'n yer sister mindin' the digs?"

"Yeah, they're great. This city is even more unreal up-close than it is looking at it miles and miles away."

"You can say that again. Tawl asleep?"

"Yeah. She couldn't shake the grogginess from the train off very well."

"That's good. Need all the rest you can get. Ya'll finish yer midnight dinner already?"

"I did, but Tawl wasn't very hungry. Got done eating not long after you finished yours and left for that pony's room. It's amazing to think that this castle's got cooks awake at some-fucking-time in the morning. Real good stuff, even though there wasn't any meat."

"Them ponies sure do know good eatin'."

"I guess. I'm not used to any of this. Heck, some little grey pony with purple hair came to pick up the plates for us. Sure is fucking weird having someone catering to you."

"At first, yeah. You'll get used to it."

"Aaah... I don't think we will," Fawl turns his eyes to the ground.

"Canterlot not strikin' yer fancy?"

"It's not really that, this place is incredible... just, I don't think we can get used to living around ponies. Tawl and I were thinking we'll take the express train out of Equestria and head to Griffonstone. We can probably start something new there."

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you don't sound very sure of yerself."

Fawl sighs. "Yeah, Tawl doesn't wanna go to Griffonstone. We weren't exactly born and raised there so she's got her reservations. Of course, that won't stop her from following me if I leave, but I know she doesn't wanna go. Thing is, we don't really have anywhere else..."

"I already got you permission from the Guard to load off right here for as long as you need. If yer not big on livin' with the equines, why not play the waitin' game? Gather enough of them gold coins 'n get yerself a stead somewhere out in the plains. Plenty of land to be had from what I hear."

"... Hmh," Fawl contemplates on his words, then looks up at him again. "That doesn't sound like a terrible idea. The thought of living around ponies doesn't sit well with me, but it can't be that bad. And if it is, I'll suffer through it till I've got money."

"Atta boy, that's the spirit. ... Right, well, I'll let you off here. Nearly two in the damn mornin'."

Fawl releases a very immodest yawn and smirks lazily. "Heh, yeah. Sure feels like it too."

"G'night, y'all."

"Night, Crimson."

"Mmn! Tell him I said good night!" Tawl's sleepy voice whines from inside the bedroom.

Fawl looks back into the room, then towards Crimson again. The man chuckles and calls back, "G'night, Tawl!"

He hears a tired giggle come from her, solidifying the salutation. Crimson gazes at Fawl once more. "... Take care of her, you hear?"

Fawl nods. "You know I will."

Crimson backpedals a step from the door, and Fawl closes it quietly. Crimson returns to Moonlight's room and shuts the door behind him, making his way back up the staircase to a barely-conscious mare still sitting up. Her sleepy eyes blink rapidly at his return.

Crimson's front falls with compassion at the sight of her barely-conscious state. "Moonlight, you didn't have to wait for me." She hugs the plushy harder in response. Crimson smiles wryly and shakes his head. He moves to the switch next to the staircase and flips it, turning off the lights to the room. The ambiance shifts immediately, from a bright pastel working lab, to the peaceful sleepy glow of a bedroom.

He moves towards the bed and lays on his respective side. Moonlight finally lies down once he does, shifting around to get comfortable. He lays on his back and faces the sky-reaching ceiling, admiring the dangling glow-in-the-dark stars that hang from high up. The moon casts its light in perfectly through the wide window pane at the top of the staircase, illuminating the bed and the telescope with its amiable hue.

... He can feel Moonlight shifting a little more. And again. And again. Her minute movements are getting closer and closer. He turns his head to the right, over to the restless unicorn. Her sapphire pink orbs look up to meet his in the dimness of the night, again, with an innocent unspoken desire.

Crimson moves his right arm out a bit, resting his hand on her flank right where her cutie mark is. At his unspoken approval, Moonlight quickly reaches in and hugs his arm, placing her forehead against his shoulder and tucking his elbow against her belly.

She hugs him tightly at first, then it slowly loosens up as time goes on... and soon, she falls asleep.

Crimson waits for her to fall asleep and makes very sure not to move, lest he gets stabbed by the horn pointed right at his neck. If anything, she'll shuffle in her sleep and do the job for him. Either way, he'll take his chances now that she's off in dream land. He closes his eyes without worry, now it's his turn for some semblance of slumber...

... And by some miracle, he falls asleep instantly.

Next Chapter: Flashing Lights Estimated time remaining: 21 Hours, 10 Minutes