Radiant Hope swirls together a mixture of blue and white, a hopeful look on her face as she completes the tincture with a hearty helping of hard cider. “Okay,” she offers, having difficulty keeping her balance while powerful fumes waft into her face, even with all the train car windows open as far as they will go. The other passengers have given them as wide a berth as possible. “How about this one?”

Tempest Shadow takes the tincture and downs it with just as much apathy as all the others. A thin line dribbles out the corner of her mouth.

“Maybe sweet cider?” Radiant Hope mutters, trying to keep an optimistic attitude. She exchanges one colorful bottle of 5-F! for another, this one patterned with yellows and golds instead of russets and reds.

“Ah’m just hopin’ we don’t need ta go back for water straight from the Stream of Silence,” Applebaum complains as she dabs at the corners of Tempest Shadow’s muzzle. “That'd be the worst.”

“Anything but that,” Tempest Shadow dourly drolls.

Applebaum joins Totem in staring out the window and watching the barren hills of the Ghastly Gorge roll by. It looks even eerier with the sun casting long shadows amid mottled browns and greens, much like the Everfree Forest they’d soon pass by. “Ah know, right? Hikin’ through that jungle twice was once more’n enough for me, thank you very much.” She twirls the feather still in her mane. “At least there were less bugs with that shortcut.”

“No, not that.” Tempest Shadow swipes the bottle of hard cider. “Sweet cider? That ruins the entire point of forcing that swill down in the first place.”

“Swill!?” Applebaum leaps back from the window, glaring daggers at Tempest Shadow. “What’re ya callin’ swill?”

“Please.” Tempest Shadow takes a long draw from the purloined bottle, grimacing at the aftertaste. “Sweet cider is for silly little ponies who haven’t experienced all of what this life has to offer.”

Applebaum grits her teeth, fuming, not trusting herself to speak.

“I think you two are missing the point,” Totem interjects.

“An’ what is that?” Applebaum spits out. “Ah mean, Ah like hard cider too, but that’s-”

“-Tempest is talking,” Totem finishes.

“-mah family’s…” Applebaum turns to Tempest Shadow, who takes a casual sip. “You’re talkin’ again!”

Radiant Hope drops the bottle of sweet cider, which Totem barely snags before it smashes into the floor. “It worked! I’m so happy it worked!” She rushes over to the sour-faced unicorn. “How are you feeling?”

“Perfectly fine without being badgered about my health.” Tempest Shadow glares at Applebaum. “Do you think I enjoyed having my autonomy stripped away?”

“Well, ya did work for the Storm King for years,” Applebaum retorts. “Ah’d’a bet you’re plenty use’ta doin’ detestable things.”

“Hey, none of that,” Radiant Hope intercedes before Tempest Shadow can fire back. She turns to Applebaum. “Why don’t you return the rest of the drinks we didn’t use?”

“Ugh, fine.” Applebaum gathers up a dozen mostly-full bottles of various liquids into a set of cheap saddlebags. “Ah’m surprised a train car is stocked so well.” She goes to take the bottle of hard apple cider, only for Tempest Shadow to yank it away with a snarl.

“They don’t call it Grin City for the games,” Totem chips in, “but for the rides.”

Applebaum rolls her eyes at his lecherous wink. “Whatever.” The bottles clink against each other, tops and labels exposed. She pulls the door open, braving the wind as she makes the quick trip between train cars. Theirs is the last, aside from the caboose, the cheapest seats they could get from Los Pegasus to the Crystal Empire, with a changeover at Canterlot.

A familiar voice gives her pause as she steps into the crowded next car. Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie are sitting down, chatting! She steals behind a sleeping stallion, some conductor or other, and curses under her breath when the bottles rattle.

“-and then?” Applejack’s loud snort covers all other sounds. “When they were ‘bout ta toss Pinkie into that there stream? Ah thought we were done for!”

“Pssh,” Pinkie Pie’s high voice returns, and in her mind’s eye Applebaum can see the foreleg flop over. “I wasn’t worried for a second!”

Fluttershy’s voice comes next, soft enough to get Applebaum to lean forward, nearly into view. “I was glad Pinkie Pie’s piano playing was able to unite them.”

Applejack laughs. “United against her, maybe. Still, what Ah can’t believe is that those animals you met knew where to find the flowers.”

Fluttershy’s sigh is easily audible. “Applejack…”

“And that they just happened to spot a brown filly with a red and green mane?” Applejack’s strained laugh becomes incredulous. “That beggars belief, ya know?” Her rant intensifies. “What in the hay is mah filly doin’ out in Arimaspi territory? An’ stirrin’ up trouble with the Kirin for that matter?” Her heavy braid slaps at the sides of her neck. “That ain’t right! First thing Ah’m doin’ when Ah get home is writin’ ‘em an’ tellin’ ‘em ta send her home! Then, she ain’t never leavin’ mah sight again!”

Applebaum’s breath catches in her throat. What? No! She can’t go home! Much as she might find the apartment loud or only knowing a few ponies at school or Totem being, well, himself? She loves the work; how it lets her travel the world, see interesting sights, and on rare occasions blow them up! She’ll never do any of that if she has to stay on the farm. Plus, she’s in the middle of something right now!

“But Applejack,” Fluttershy pleads, to no avail.

“No, Ah’m serious! Ah’ll chain her to a post if Ah have to!” Applejack huffs, loudly. Hooves stomp against the floor as she hops down. “Ah don’t care if she’s got her cutie mark! She can’t be trusted!”

In a panic, Applebaum snatches a musty cap from the conductor and jams it on her head while shuffling the saddlebags so they cover her cutie marks. A split second later a looming form blocks out the light from the window.

Her dam’s voice comes from above. “Well, well!” Applebaum hunches over, her ears flat under the cap, dreading what is to come. “Just what Ah was lookin’ for!” Suddenly, the left saddlebag feels a touch lighter. “Ah could use a… wait a tic.” Hot breath washes over her partially concealed face. “5-F! Ya gotta be foalin’ me! Please tell me ya got the good stuff!”

“Hey, I’ll take that!” Pinkie Pie exclaims, her waving foreleg barely visible out of the corner of Applebaum’s eye. Applejack turns, flings the bottle with expert precision, and returns to rooting around the saddlebags.

Just stay calm, Applebaum reassures herself. Nopony pays attention to the server filly. You’re workin’ weekends, paying your way through school, and bored stiff.

“Mmm,” Pinkie Pie drawls after taking a long drag from the bottle. “That hits the spot!”

“Pinkie!” Applejack lets out another blast of exasperated air. “Y’ain’t supposed ta like that, ‘specially ‘round me!” She grumbles as she goes back to rooting around, checking every label.

“So, um,” Fluttershy tentatively asks, “does that mean that I can’t get one? I-if so, that’s okay.”

Applejack sighs, the saddlebag getting lighter again. “No, ‘Shy, Ah’ll be alright. Just can’t believe so many ponies want to drink this swill.” Another toss and she turns to the other side. “Please… please… yes! Ah knew it!” Removing the bottle of Sweet Apple Acres hard cider helps balance the two sides. “Now,” she asks through the bottle in her teeth, “how much?”

Applebaum’s eyes go wide; she has no idea how much the bottles cost. “F-fifteen bits?”

“Fifteen!” Applejack nearly spits out the bottle. “What kinda scam ya tryin’ ta pull here?” Her tone turns to grumbling, “Lousy luxury trains, gougin’ everypony comes aboard. Who’s in charge’a the prices here, ‘cause Ah’m gonna go give ‘em a piece’a mah mind!” She ruffles the conductor cap, apologetically continuing, “Not you, little missy. Ya just charge what they tell ya ta charge, ain’t no fault’a your own.”

“A-Ah meant fifteen total,” Applebaum appends, desperately wishing she was anywhere but there.

“Oh.” Applejack coughs, and a clink of bits follows into one of the bags. “Still a rip-off, if’n ya don’t mind mah sayin’. Still, everyponies gotta run a profit somewhere.” She returns to the bench, popping the cap off and savoring the hiss, Applebaum only too happy to trot away. “That’s why Ah always pack mah own drinks.”

“Applejack?” Fluttershy’s hesitant question draws Applebaum’s attention. When she glances over, Pinkie Pie is looking her directly in the eye, and she knows the party pony recognizes her instantly, if she didn’t know all along. A grin spreads across the pink muzzle, a hoof raises to wave, but a quick shake of the head keeps her from speaking. In fact, she draws that hoof across her face, turning the grin to a tight-lipped frown. Fluttershy continues, Applejack paying attention to her and not Pinkie Pie’s antics, “Are you sure you should be drinking that?”

Applejack reads the remainder of the label, her spirits falling as she realizes it’s hard cider. “Ah, come on!” She looks for the server filly, but her tail is already disappearing through the door to the next car.

Applebaum releases what feels like the entirety of her lungs and then some. Too close! She takes a breath, only to find herself staring into the starry mane and less starry eyes of Princess Luna.

“Good evening, foal of Honesty.” Luna inclines her head. She takes a suspicious look at the bottles in her saddlebags. “Thou art neigh up to no good, we trust?”

“Err,” Applebaum stalls, parsing out the double negative. Luna does that kind of sneaking around, right? “Nothin’ ya’d condemn, Ah promise.” She flashes a wide smile. “What’r’ya doin’ out here?”

Princess Luna lets out a huff of her own. “Having negotiated safe passage for the Elements, and ensured their return, we find ourselves at a loss as to how to fill the Arimaspi regent’s request.” She fixes Applebaum with a cold gaze, and Applebaum hopes she doesn’t mean anything by it. “What dost thou know of the Arimaspi King’s demise?”

Applebaum comes up blank, and she relays as much to Luna. “Ah can ask around if’n ya want. Why?”

“We art tasked with ascertaining his whereabouts, should he live, or returning his remains should he have perished. If none exist, we must relay as much to the regent; otherwise, there art questions to the legitimacy of his succession.” Luna sighs. “We know he traveled to the Griffon Kingdom, but beyond that we have little and less to go on.”

“Well, um, Ah wish ya luck on that.” Applebaum nods her head, receiving one in return that she takes as a dismissal, especially as Luna goes back to staring out the window, her eyelids looking heavy. “Hey, um. Do the letters ‘g-r-g-r’ mean anythin’ to ya?”

Luna’s expression is perfectly controlled. “Should they?”

Applebaum shudders; the response feels entirely wrong, but she can’t put her hoof on why. “T-thanks.” She slips away from Luna’s watchful eye. It doesn’t take long to find the bar. A bit of haggling later and Applebaum trots back down the aisle, Luna looking fast asleep. She keeps her head down in the next car, Applejack far too engrossed in wheedling away Fluttershy’s cider to spot her slinking along. Pinkie Pie notices, her eyes going wide and mouth smiling, but that’s as far as she goes. Applebaum returns the conductor’s cap, getting a snore as thanks, and finally returns to her own seat.

“Here ya go.” Applebaum passes Radiant Hope her bits, then turns to Tempest Shadow. “So, now that ya can talk again. Why’re we goin’ all the way to the Crystal Empire?”

“We aren’t.” Somehow, Tempest Shadow’s already dour face turns even more severe and foreboding. “We are venturing to the Frozen North, to the peak of Mount Everhoof.”

“Mount Everhoof?” Applebaum repeats, at a loss. “Ah know it’s the tallest mountain, at least on this side’a Equus, but why there? Nopony goes there.”

“Precisely.” A wicked grin spreads, just as foreboding. “Have you heard the tales? Harsh winds and blowing snow keep pegasi and prying eyes away from the peak. Little can be done for the more intrepid explorers. But they are few and far between, unlike injuries bad enough to be life-threatening yet not severe enough for them to perish.”

Adventure? A high chance of danger? Applebaum welcomes the tingle along her spine. Totem looks just as eager, and Radiant Hope should know all about the Frozen North!

“Accidents aside,” Tempest Shadow continues ominously, “there is something to be said for using a place of prominence as your prison, drawing on sympathetic forces to strengthen a magical bond. Autumn Blaze hinted at taking the bell high and far away. The Storm King, when he pondered where Celestia might store her secrets, thought of there. It is where we will start our search, and we will need to be well stocked and prepared.”

Next Chapter: Ch. 112 - First Snow, Part Two Estimated time remaining: 14 Hours, 18 Minutes