-------- Melody’s Tale - Fillydelphia --------

In the aftermath of the night with Faith, Melody had become a whole new person. She was sociable, a little rough around the edges, and as Verse would go on to describe her, “intriguingly lewd.” She talked and laughed and socialized, worked hard when she needed to, and spent the rest of her time flying, napping, and screwing around with Faith. They became friends. Friends who occasionally stripped bare and brought one another to ruthless orgasm after orgasm, but friends nevertheless. They would chat about men around town, scope out potential dates, laugh, joke, and play.

In addition, her studies took on a whole new level. It seemed Twilight had finally gotten a handle on her powers, and the lessons she gave Melody were hundreds of times more insightful and practical than they had been previously. Between Twilight’s magic theory lessons and flight training with Rainbow Dash, Melody soon became talented at both. She could keep up with Faith, and her spells would have been the envy of anyone in Canterlot. The only person she knew who could beat her that didn’t have the benefit of calling themselves a deity was Verse. Where Melody was the better flyer, Verse was marginally the better magi. His spells had always had strength and body, but in the past had lacked tact and imagination. With Ephemira as his mentor, Verse ascended to a level Melody had toed only very cautiously.

What’s more, she began to get a handle on shifting. It began to come to her naturally. She found she was able to shift from one form to another with ease, change minute things about her body, and even remodel her facial structure. On this front, she was much more talented than Verse. Her brother was passable, but his technique was rough. He could assimilate easily enough, but changing quickly was his downfall.

Their life in Eyriewatch was blissful. Normal. And one night, stretched out with Faith on the rug in front of the fire, Melody would go so far to call it ideal.

Until the following morning.

“Any plans today?” Melody asked, pouring both of them hot tea. Faith took her cup with a sigh. That was highly uncharacteristic of her. Faith always had a smile or a joke or some bubbly, happy thing to say. In that moment, the happy, lithe avian looked very different.

“I’m back on courier duty tomorrow.” She said, sipping tentatively at the scalding liquid. Melody replaced the kettle, her hand hovering for a moment before dropping to her side.

“I had nearly forgotten…”

“I know, right? These past two weeks have been a blast… Almost like they would never end. I report back to Captain Snowy tomorrow morning… I need to prepare tonight.” Faith had shared a little about her job a week ago. Granted, it was during a night when ninety percent of the questions asked had been sexual, but Melody had learned that a courier’s satchel took almost a whole day to prepare. They were touchy things, it seemed…

“Oh… So we…”

“Not anymore. But, it isn’t a big deal, is it?” Melody fought to bring a brave smile to her face. She had to remind herself almost daily that Faith was just a friend. Just because they had sex now and then didn’t mean anything special.

“Of course not. You’ve got your things to do, I have mine…” Melody remembered then that Twilight had mentioned leaving Eyriewatch sometime soon… Maybe she ought to talk to her mother about it again.

“Right. Uum… This might seem odd, but… Would you mind if I wrote?”

“What, like, a letter? Of course not.” Melody smiled across at Faith, crossing her legs gracefully. “It’d be nice to stay in touch.” Faith’s face finally lit up in the familiar smile she often wore. Melody was glad to see it again.

“I’ll leave my address before I take off. It might take a few weeks in between letters, since couriers never really stay in one place for long, but I usually return here once every two weeks at the most.”

“I’m not sure, but I think we’re headed to Fillydelphia soon. I’ll send the first letter once we get there.” Melody said with a smile, sipping at her own tea.

“You take care, Melody.” Faith said after breakfast. They shared a passionate embrace, the hug perhaps a little more meaningful than it ought to have been. Somehow, though, it felt right. Natural. There was no sadness in either of their eyes as they broke apart. “You’re damn beautiful, and a fantastic lay. I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t miss nights like last night.”

“I’d never even imagined you could DO that with your tongue.” Melody muttered with a soft blush, remembering her third of five orgasms in front of the burning fire. Faith chuckled and leaned in to kiss Melody, a quick but passionate thing. Melody returned it kindly, squeezing Faith’s sides.

“You take care. I’ll hear from you soon?”

“Most definitely.” Melody walked Faith out onto the balcony, leaning against the railing as the avian put a foot up on the edge.

“Hey.” Faith said, standing on one foot, teetering over the precipice of the tower.

“Hmm?”

“Thank you. For being a friend. It might be a little late to say, but I never really had many… I’ll see you around.” And, for the second time, Melody watched someone leave. This time, though, they left her with a warm smile, and nothing but good memories. No heartbreak, no feeling of loss or emptiness… Just a warm sense of happiness and fulfillment. The same kind of feeling one would get from remembering a good night with friends, or a happy childhood memory… Melody didn’t even sigh, but instead hummed a soft tune to herself as she dressed and prepared for the day.

It didn’t take her long to find Twilight, though she did find her mother in a place she hadn’t quite been expecting. Twilight was sitting at a café with Lily, the two of them enjoying a peaceful lunch date, it seemed. Melody landed half a block away and waved when Twilight looked up at her.

“Melody! I’m actually glad you found us.” She said, smiling at her daughter as Melody joined the table. “We were talking about our travel plans. The skies between here and Fillydelphia are mostly clear, so there should be little risk flying. But from then on, it might be prudent to advance on foot.”

“Hmm? Why?” It was no surprise that Twilight mentioned Fillydelphia. Of all the places she HAD mentioned two weeks ago, it was the closest and most feasible option. Aside from perhaps Trottingham, but if the whispers and rumors were true, the chimera withdrawal into Hearth was resulting in more skirmishes and fights than anyone had been expecting. Melody would like to avoid seeing the frontlines, if she had the choice… She had been witness to the product more than she would have liked.

“Chrysalis is expanding. Her troops are becoming much more widespread. We can no longer account for the bulk of her forces in Canterlot. In fact, once the city limits were re-established, they seemed to all but disappear. Lily and I have been talking… And, well…” Twilight sighed, her eyes slowly closing. She appeared to be struggling with the next words. Lily spoke for her.

“We think it would be best if Twilight were to return to Canterlot, while you, me, and Verse travel incognito.” Melody was shocked. Well, perhaps shocked wasn’t the exact word, but surprised to be certain. When she started thinking about all that this particular plan would mean for them as a family and a group, though, she began to see the logic. Twilight, powerful as she was, was bound to attract attention of one sort or another. Melody and Verse had been told time and again by Lily that they were on-par with veteran drones in their shifting abilities. Twilight could shift, thanks to her understanding of changeling magic, but she didn’t possess the innate skill that the three of them did. Perhaps it was something biological, or maybe even spiritual, but Twilight would never be as adept at shifting as Verse and Melody, and she couldn’t dare to dream of surpassing Lily.

“But… What about you two?” She asked, looking between them. Lily and Twilight shared a look and a warm smile.

“You’ll learn someday, I’m sure, that distance never hurts a relationship. Lily and I have lived together for close to twenty years now. Taking some time apart will not diminish our feelings for one another.”

“Besides, Twilight’s been away from Canterlot for far too long. She and Celestia have much to do if they’re going to start the restoration of the city. A nineteen-year campaign takes it’s toll on anything.” Lily smiled and took Twilight’s hand in her own. “How does the saying go? Absence makes the heart grow fonder?”

“And the body more tender.”

“Oh, shush you.” The three of them laughed together, though in the back of her mind, Melody was still mulling over the implications of separation… She and Verse would be alone with Lily, the three of them moving from city to city, town to town, gathering knowledge. Twilight had made it clear that if she were to help change the world, she would need to travel quite a bit. Learning the lay of the land, seeing different cultures and exploring new places would help her to that end.

“But… How can you show me all the places you said before?” Melody asked solemnly. “Like the reversing falls, the Everfree Forest?” Twilight nodded to Lily with a soft smile.

“We still have the link. That’s the other thing, we’re never really that far apart, not with the link active. But I can use Lily to explain and direct you, and indeed, I’ll be guiding you from one place to the next over the course of this extended trip. And there are some places like Ponyville and the Everfree Forest that Lily knows just as well as I do. She’ll be a perfectly suitable guide for you on your journey.” Twilight’s words made sense. If she returned to Canterlot, she would be safe. And she’d be able to help out with her powerful magic. Then, the three of them could travel from place to place in perfect anonymity, seeing the world and remaining safe from the changeling threat.

“So… Fillydelphia, then what?” Melody asked softly. Twilight held a finger up before weaving a quick spell. Before the three of them materialized a small map of the southern region of Equestria. Together, they leaned over and surveyed the detailed paper.

“We were thinking we start in Fillydelphia, where the guard has held the city secure against changelings for the entirety of the war. We’ll meet up with Fluttershy there, and if we’re lucky, we may be able to awaken another goddess of harmony. From there, we’ll sweep south of Canterlot, over to Baltimare. It’s a pretty city, steeped in Equestrian history. I’ve only been there twice, and only ever for business, so I personally want to see it again. After that, we move on to Las Pegasus. Being a cloud city, the avian corps has held it against the changelings remarkably well over the war. With any luck, our schedule will put us on time to intercept Cloudsdale on our way south. It’s tricky to say with the winds, but we’ll play it by ear. Then, on to Southbay. Twilight says the reversing falls are a spot rich with ingredients for the local apothecaries, and this area is relatively safe from changelings as well. After that, we skirt the southern edge of the desert, all the way to Appleoosa and Applejack.

“This is where things get tricky… Since Chrysalis’ forces are gone from the area around Canterlot, that means they’re spread all over… Gone to the four winds. They could be impersonating anybody, anyone, anything. We’ll need to be careful with whom we speak, and why. Undoubtedly, Jokkan and Mikko will let none into the forest. We will try, don’t fret, but much like last time, they will not let us enter if we’re pursued. If we can, we’ll take a break at home for a few weeks. Maybe a month. Then it’s back on the trail. We’ll run back through Appleoosa, north back through Fillydelphia, and into Canterlot. By our estimate, this trip will take four to five months. By that time, our forces may have secured the north. We can visit Trottingham, Stalliongrad, the Bastion of Dawn’s Last Light, all those places. If not, we can push West and visit Ponyville and the Everfree Forest. By then, we’ll just have to see…” Lily tapped each point on the map as she spoke, and Melody followed her course easily. They would cut straight west across Equestria, swing wide and south, try and make it back home if they could, then head up into Canterlot and Central Equestria. Then, on into the North, or the West, depending on where the conflict stood.

“Well.” Melody said, glancing over the path once more. ”I see no issues with this… When do we leave?” Twilight made the map disappear with a nonchalant wave of her hand, shrugging indifferently.

“We could leave as early as tomorrow, provided Verse agrees with the plan… I’d like to get going in another week, if we could.”

“How are you getting back to Canterlot?” Melody asked Twilight softly.

“Me? I’ll walk. I’m not defenseless, and Lily can attest to the fact that I can go days without sleeping. It’ll take me close to a week, maybe five days on foot, but I’ll make it.” Twilight waved her off. Melody knew Twilight could likely incinerate any threat before it even posed a problem, and if she could walk for three days straight, with no sleep, no rest, she could easily make it… It’d be a test, but if anyone could do it, it’d be Twilight.

“Fluttershy is looking forward to meeting you again.” Lily said then, making Melody smile.

“Is she?”

“Mmhmm. She says she’s happy to hear you have a touch for healing, that she could show you how to help others, and she wants to learn some things as well... It’ll take us three days at most to fly to Fillydelphia. The winds won’t help us, but they aren’t hurting us either. We’ll make good time.”

“Well…” Melody sat back in the chair, looking up and down the street. Avians passed by overhead and walked down the street, soldiers and citizens and children all together… She heaved a sigh and finally gave a small nod. “I suppose it’s about time we moved on.”

---------

Melody was loathe to leave Eyriewatch, since it meant leaving her home away from home. She had become attached to the city. The hallways and passages were not so strange and alien anymore. She was familiar with the countryside, though there was still plenty to explore and discover. She knew the shops and bars in town, and considered quite a few people friends. People like Comitatus and Noth, and half a dozen other guards, and even one handsome bartender…

But, as with all things, it had to end. There was nothing saying she couldn’t return to Eyriewatch, after all, so this really wasn’t goodbye. She found herself growing excited for their departure, at the opportunity to see new places and new people. Verse seemed to share her sentiment, and after lunch at the café, had promptly been informed of their plans. He didn’t take quite as long as Melody to decide, but when he saw how excited Melody was to move on, he could hardly deny their logic.

Two days later, all of them were packed with whatever they needed, and met with Dash in her office one last time.

“I’m gonna miss you guys.” She said softly, smiling as all five of them shared a hug. “Promise me you’ll write? I can hear Twilight and Lily’s thoughts whenever we want. But I want to know how you two are doing.”

“Of course,” Melody broke away with a smile. “I’ve plans to write a letter as soon as we arrive in Fillydelphia anyways. I’ll be happy to let you know how things are going.”

“Good.” Dash gave her cheek a patronizing pinch, smiling as Melody rubbed the spot. “You too, Verse. I expect letters from you both.”

“Naturally.” Verse advanced for his own hug, smiling when they broke it off.

“Well. Fair weather and following winds.” Dash said. “It might not be proper, but…” Dash slowly brought her heels together, straightening her back. She rose her hand to her heart, saluting everyone present. Melody knew enough about military ceremony that this was a very important gesture. To be saluted by a commander… Melody would never forget the honor.

They departed Eyriewatch at dusk, bidding Twilight goodbye atop the tower.

“Stay safe, you three… If all else fails, flee to Canterlot. We’ll be waiting to assist you, I promise.”

“Goodbye, mom.” Melody said gently, hugging Twilight. Her mother held her close, rubbing her back for a few moments.

“I’m so proud of you, Melody. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” She said, fighting tears. Melody may have matured immensely in the past year, but she was still very much a child. There was a lot for her to learn and experience yet.

“We’ll see you in Canterlot, right?” Verse asked, advancing for his own hug. Twilight chuckled and squeezed him tight.

“Of course you will. Try and enjoy yourselves, okay? I know there’s a lot on your minds,” They pulled away, Twilight looking between both of them. “But that doesn’t mean you have to stress yourselves. Remember to relax and enjoy the little things now and then.”

“We will, mom. We promise.” They all came together once more, Lily included, the four of them hugging firmly.

“Fly true.” Twilight said when they pulled apart. “Sun shine on your face.”

“Stay sharp.” Melody returned. “Moon glow on your home.” It was a common farewell in Equestria. Often said between groups of family and close friends, it was a wish for the trip to go well. Slowly, Melody, Verse and Lily walked to the edge of the tower, spread their wings, and tipped over the edge… As she raced towards the ground, Melody said her farewells to Eyriewatch. She was moving on to bigger and better things…

-----------

“There it is.” Lily pointed out ahead of them. In the dying sunlight, a thin streak of grey appeared on the horizon. Melody was wondering if they were getting closer at all… The past two nights, the small farm towns and communities had become more and more frequent, and they could sometimes hop from town to town on the horizon. This one, though, was a large metropolitan sprawl of civilization. Melody knew they would soon arrive in Fillydelphia.

Though they all flapped hard, they didn’t appear to be growing any closer… The gash on the horizon grew. Melody could see it, watch it stretch from one edge of her vision to the other, but the grey buildings and roads didn’t start to approach… They didn’t slide underneath her, and they didn’t appear to grow larger. At least, not individually. As a whole, the grey scar grew, lights blinking on here and there as they flew closer and closer.

“This is unreal.” Melody called out, just loud enough for the other two to hear. “It’s like it isn’t getting any closer.”

“We’ll be there soon. Another hour or so.” Lily returned. Subconsciously, the three of them picked up the pace, flapping harder to propel themselves onwards. The thought of seeing Fluttershy, a close friend of their family, and getting a full night’s rest on something other than a bedroll made Melody slowly pull out in front of their small group. At long last, she started to pass over the city outskirts.

Fillydelphia was a large city, just about as big as Canterlot. Before the war began, efforts were being made to join Fillydelphia with it’s sister city to the North. There were numerous railways that ran between the two, and smaller towns were slowly developing into larger communities along the way. Since the war started, production of the travel system between both cities had been all but abandoned. The city itself had been re-appropriated into what was probably Equestria’s greatest wartime asset. Factories and production companies had been re-appropriated to develop weapons, armor, and medical supplies, or give help to the refugees. There was no shortage of work, and any able-bodied refugees from the war-torn nation found security in plentiful work, or would happily join the military. In the years following the war, the ranks of Equestria’s standing army had swollen, easily outpacing their losses. Fillydelphia served as a camp for the wounded, training grounds for new recruits, and production for military assets.

Melody was now flying over what appeared to be the industrial part of town, the high clouds above them merging here and there with the dark plumes of smoke belching from factories. They weaved in between these, and were stopped by more than one avian patrol. While they were hostile at first, leveling spears on the three of them and demanding identification, they quickly turned friendly and helpful, directing them north when they asked for the medical compound.

“Oh, you’re flying from Eyriewatch?” The first patrol that stopped them had inquired. The leader, a sergeant if the symbol on his shoulder meant anything, was still wary but more inquisitive than anything else now. “How are things in Hearth and Featherhome?”

“Eer... Good.” Lily said. “I’m not sure if it’s my place to share sensitive military information, since I’m only a civilian...”

“Aah. Say no more.” The sergeant lifted his hand with a smile. “Sorry for asking. It IS protocol, however, to submit to a trueform test before entering the city. Would you mind?”

“Actually...” Lily backed away a little. “I’ll be the first to admit, I’m a changeling. But, I owe no fealty to Chrysalis... Eer, you’ve caught me in an awkward situation here...” The guards tensed a little, regarding the three of them much more warily now. Melody saw hands tighten on spears. “I can give you the passphrase?”

“For the changeling espionage corps? Heh. If you think you know it, go right ahead.” Melody watched as Lily’s eyes sort of glazed over, her expression vacant for a moment. She was in the link. More than likely trying to converse with Dash. When she came back, it was with a smile.

“Thunder.”

“Flash.”

“Train.”

“Railway.”

“In the night, a dark man-”

“Watches the sun rise from a hilltop.”

“When the wind blows from the south-”

“The west flees over the horizon.”

“Huhn. Very well, thank you, lieutenant. It’s an out-of-date code, but only by three days. If you’ve been travelling, it’s understandable. Welcome to Fillydelphia.” They bid their farewells and were off... The entire exchange made Melody tense. Was security really that tight in this place? In Eyriewatch, they had relied on keys and trueform, which she and Verse were immune to... But here it was passphrases and airborne patrols... The war was probably much more serious than Melody had thought it was...

Melody flew over several miles of buildings, each of them growing taller, shinier, and more modern as they went. Off to their left, they passed the business district, which still buzzed busily even though the sun was slowly lowering. The city was now ablaze with lights, the golden pinpricks covering the sky with a hazy sort of light. Melody had never seen such a shocking sight… So many people concentrated in such a small area. Eyriewatch was large, sure… But Fillydelphia was massive.

“Is that it?” Verse drew her out of her reverie. He pointed ahead of them, indicating a set of buildings that looked very different from the others around it.

“Looks like… Come on.” Lily led them down out of the skies towards the long line of a chain-link fence that surrounded the large compound. Given the number of avian patrols they spotted circling the areas, Melody thought it wise that they didn’t try to fly in directly. Lily banked off to the side, aiming for what looked like the entrance. When they landed, they were at the back of a short line of other people. The line advanced briskly, and soon enough, they were speaking with a very surly-looking guard wielding a clipboard and a pen.

“Name?” He grunted.

“Lily, Melody, and Verse Sparkle.” The guard lifted his eyebrow as Lily pointed to each in turn.

“Any relation to Twilight Sparkle?” He asked, looking moderately surprised.

“Eer, directly… I’m her wife, these are our children.”

“Adopted?”

“Made.” The guard’s questions were making Melody uncomfortable. But Lily appeared to be slightly offended.

“Curious. I assume you are here to see doctor Fluttershy?”`

“That’s correct.” Lily nodded.

“Very well. Building two. Her office is on the fourth floor.”

“Thank you, sir.” Melody slipped in through the opening in the gate, and after all of them checked their bags in with another guard, they walked freely into the compound. Melody realized then, that this was the medical compound they had been directed to. Patients wearing white gowns walked about inside the gate, some of them in wheelchairs, others on crutches, and more still perfectly healthy. Here and there, there was an amputee or someone with a white bandage wound around their heads. They sat on the benches, followed paths in between the trees and buildings, talked and laughed and joked. This was a place of healing, and Melody was very happy to be here.

“Here we are.” Melody slipped into a building with a large iron “2” next to the door, and after a quick word with a receptionist behind the front desk, they were directed to a stairwell. This they followed up to the fourth floor, down a short hallway, and to the threshold of an open office. Melody caught the last half of a conversation taking place inside.

“Of course, this will take time to heal. The antibiotic should help prevent infection, and with therapy, I would expect you to be back on your feet within three weeks. Any questions?”

“None, doctor. Thank you.”

“Please. Call me Fluttershy.” There was shuffling, and the sound of crutches creaking under weight. Melody and Verse stepped aside as a young man left the office, his left leg bandaged heavily. He clacked off down the hall, though Melody did notice he had smiled at them as he passed. “Lily. So good to see you again.” Fluttershy’s voice turned Melody’s attention around again, just as she and her mother embraced.

The years had been extremely kind to Fluttershy. She was short, curvy, and sported a full head of hair. It seemed as if the stress of a job in the medical field had hardly touched her. She sported a rather large pair of breasts, flat stomach, and full thighs. If Melody didn’t know any better, she would expect the avian to be a mother. There wasn’t a single grey hair on her head, and her hands still appeared to be youthful and strong, not a single wrinkle anywhere on her visible skin. Melody had a feeling she would be lucky to be half as beautiful as Fluttershy was when she reached the same age as the avian.

“Verse, Melody. You look great.” Fluttershy wrapped them both in a hug, smiling wide as the three of them shared an embrace. “Was the flight okay?”

“Not the best we’ve had, I’m afraid.” Melody said with a soft smile, stretching sore muscles for a moment. “We have much to share.”

“I’m sure! Lucky for us, that was my last appointment. Shall we?”

“Eer, sure… Are we staying anywhere in particular?”

“As long as you don’t mind sharing the guest room, you’re welcome to stay at my house.” Fluttershy smiled at them as she closed the door to her office.

“That sounds wonderful. Thank you, Fluttershy.” The short avian took the lead as she took them out of the compound once more, stopping to pick up their belongings from where they had checked them in before leaving completely. They chatted along the way, talking absently about things they had done. They saved most of the important things, though, for a hearty dinner. Fluttershy and Lily cooked while Verse and Melody helped set the table and whatnot, and when they finally sat down to eat, they all caught up.

“Now, I’ve heard only bits and pieces of what really happened, but I want to hear it directly from you two.” Fluttershy leaned in, her expression full of hope for a good story. “What exactly happened in the cave at the Edge of the World?”

Melody and Verse shared a look before both of them sighed gently. This was one particular story neither of them were keen on sharing. But Fluttershy deserved to know. Verse told his portion, Melody hers… Fluttershy was silent the entire time, but began asking questions when Melody got to the part where she healed the survivors. She herself wasn’t proud of losing as many as she did. But when Fluttershy began asking the questions she did, Melody didn’t feel quite as bad about her performance.

“How much blood had they lost?”

“Too much to measure.”

“How cold was it?”

“On the stone, with no insulation? Less than ten degrees. Maybe. It’s difficult to say.”

“Did you have any medicine with you?”

“It was a half-day’s flight away, and more than a day on foot. I only had my magic to work with.”

“But you said you had worked on the barrier earlier, right?”

“Yeah…”

“So you shouldn’t blame yourself. I assure you, Melody, those soldiers are very thankful for what you did. No one holds it against you for doing what you did.” Fluttershy reached across the table to pat her arm gently, smiling in that calm, serene sort of way that Melody had seen all too many times. “I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks…” Melody said quietly. They were rather quiet after that, sipping hot tea and nibbling at the remains of the great dinner.

“I suppose it’s that time, then?” Lily asked, trying hard to stifle a yawn. Ultimately, she failed, and the contagious motion rippled around the table. Verse looked ready to fall asleep in his chair then and there. When presented with the sleeping arrangements for the night, Verse opted to take the couch, while Lily and Melody took the guest bed. They said their goodnights and all retired. After the long flight from Eyriewatch, Melody fell asleep fast and easy, feeling warm and happy.

----------

Faith,

Fillydelphia is amazing. I cannot believe how huge this city is! For a poor little girl who’s only ever lived by the ocean her entire life, Eyriewatch was such a shock to me. I could scarcely bring myself to believe so many people could live in such a small area. So when I saw Fillydelphia, my mind was blown. There’s such a wide variety of people here, instead of back there, where nearly everyone is avian. Here, there are more magi and humans than there are avians, and such an array of culture, too…

We’re staying with a friend of the family who works in the medical compound, so I get to help her out many days. It’s a very big difference from the frontline clinics in Eyriewatch. Here, it’s only soldiers who require therapy and long-term treatment. They are stable. The words ‘Triage’ and ‘Emergency’ only exist in passing. It’s a new and exciting part of medicine that I regret not having known sooner. There’s much more attention to detail here. I feel like my mind is bursting with all the little things I’ve learned in the past four days.

I miss you terribly. Not gonna lie, spending all your time with your twin brother and mother makes for very little action. In this particular case, none at all. Don’t get me wrong, I might be able to find someone, but between spending time at the library on Twilight’s behest and helping Fluttershy, I’m usually kept too busy to get out and see about sniping some local tail. In short, I could use your skilled tongue. Hahaha.

How are things on your end? I get the feeling we won’t be staying here for very long, so I think these letters will be more-or-less one-sided, but I figure it requires asking, anyways… What, exactly, do couriers do? Do you just deliver packages and letters? Or is there more to it? Is it dangerous at all? You likely won’t reach me at this return address, since there’s talk of moving on to Baltimare in a while, but if you send a letter on ahead there, or to Southbay, which is a stop along the line, I’ll be sure to check the post offices for your response. If it’s too much trouble, then don’t worry about it.

Missing you terribly,

-Melody

P.s. Verse says hello. He wants a picture.