Two days had passed since Arin’s hopeful talks with Umbra. She was quiet beyond this; her mind’s eye turned inward, focusing on her plans. At least, that’s all Arin could wager. After her little outburst the other day, she hadn’t said much. And when she did, it was pained. Slow, with long pauses between each sentence. He honestly began to worry if the shadows inside had won, and his little speech was left forgotten.

Arin awoke to the sound of the bedroom door opening, the same sleigh from before following Umbra into the room in her magical grasp.

“What are you doing? Umbra? Hey!” Arin writhed as her magic lifted him from the bed, bringing him towards the sleigh.

“I must speak with… Princess Luna.” She said, with difficulty. Grating her teeth as she fought back the thoughts in her own mind. “And I will be doomed if I fail to return you in one piece.”

She gently rested the injured Seraph into the leathers in the sleigh, binding him in warmth once again. She gathered up his belongings – what little they were – into his only bag, the Princess’s tiara tumbling from the satchel.

“Is that?…” She said quietly, picking up the regalia in her aura. She brought it to her eyes in the light of the fire, holding it steady.

The darkness inside of her swirled, wanting nothing more than to crush it under her hooves. But the light wouldn’t have it.

As if to spite the shadows, she placed the tiara back in Arin’s bag, and returned it to the sled. Arin didn’t struggle as she took his quiver and bow – still in great condition – and slung it over the handlebars. Nocturne soon joined him, resting on on his chest.

“Arin, no matter what happens today… I wish to be your friend, above all.”

He nodded as best as he could in the sleigh. “Aye. I can do that. If you can, before we go, Umbra…”

“Yes, Arin?”

“I haven’t sent word to the Princesses in days. If you can spare the moment, it would put their hearts at rest. I’m sure they’re both worried.” He asked, and Umbra didn’t question it. She turned to her desk – withdrawing a piece of parchment, an inkpot, and a quill. Seeing her ready, he began.

“Dear Princess Celestia…” He started, waiting to see her reaction to the statement. She gave none, not immediately, only scribbling on the paper. Looking up for him to continue.

“Over the last few days, learned something important about friendship, with my new friend, Queen Umbra.” He hoped he was wording this right. After all, she could decide against this at any moment and claim his as a prisoner.

She shook her head. “Umbra. Right now, please, don’t call me ‘Queen’. I need to… focus, and that will not help.”

He nodded, mulling the words he’d practiced in his mind all over again. From the top…

“Umbra, then. I learned the value of honesty, and holding values true to one’s heart. I learned that questioning your past can give you a brighter future – if only you would try. I learned what it means to not succumb to destiny, but to take your life into your own hands and direct it as you would wish. I have made a new friend – a somber dark Unicorn with brilliant – now green eyes, and a sharp mind able to cleave through the darkness to see the light. And she has taught me what it means to let honesty shine.” Arin gave a gentle cough, as Umbra finished the letter.

Damn, I’m good. He thought. It was a little… arrogant, he put it, but he wanted to sound a bit like Celestia. She was a good teacher, with the little bits she gave here and there. Maybe he should be her knight, too?

She rolled it up, tying it with her own seal – one she wouldn’t share with her enemies under any circumstances – and sent it away in her magic. She already knew where it was going. The dark voices in her head cried out, and she quickly hushed them. Taking charge and thinking for herself, the mare turned to her injured friend.

“We need to move. The Crystal Empire isn’t too far – at a gallop, we should arrive in my… the Kingdom just before nightfall.” She said, heading to the front of the sleigh. Before leaving, her magic reached out for the keepsake on the desk, drawing the picture close.

A gallop? Arin could vaguely remember Vapor’s words on Military Training. A fully grown stallion would have to make several leagues in a short time, donning heavy armor. This seemed worse by leaps and bounds. A heavy sleigh, bitter cold, thigh high snow. She must have the endurance of three soldiers, if not more, to travel that far. If the Empire really was several leagues in the distance, by her estimate.

Typically, she would wear her majestic red cloak out into the world. But today she rejected it, instead she took hold of her more modest saddlebag and crimson traveling hood, tossing it over her back and slipping the picture inside. She only wore this when she needed to purchase something from the markets of Vanhoover, and hid her head under the simple cloak for the entire trip.

Opening the door once more into the bitter cold, she gave the sleigh a tug – dragging Arin out into the bitter chill of the day. Luckily, there was no blizzard – just the gentle freezing winds whipping the air.

She hardly reacted to them, and began to gallop towards the Crystal Kingdom. The gentle bob-tug of the sleigh rocking behind her.

~

Three hours passed, the sun hanging low in the sky. She could see it now – the walls of her – the Kingdom. Her old home. She wondered if the orphanage was still there, or if after her magic ended and the empire reappeared, it shut down over the years.

She thought back to her past, the days she’s spent brooding in her icy home. Alone. Quiet. Her last strand of hope breathing quietly in her sleigh, puffs of air escaping into the setting sun.

“We should arrive soon, Arin. I do not know what will become of me. But I will not play into fate’s hooves any longer.” She proclaimed, “I am a free mare. I am free. I am free.”

She repeated to herself several times, that tiny voice inside echoing it. Helping drown out the shadows as they clamored for attention, demanding retribution, wanting blood. Wanting to slay the Seraph, for leading her astray.

“I am free.” She said, as a soaring pegasus landed in front of her.

“Halt! Who… goes…” He said, shining in crystaline armor, the stallion spoke. His eyes grew wide with shock, backing up. “It’s… you…”

Arin could only hear the conversation from his perspective, but he could feel the tension rise from the stallion.

“I need to speak with Princess Luna.” She took up her regal demeanor once more, stomping a hoof quietly in the snow. “Go. Bring her to me.”

The guard flapped his wings in terror, dashing off towards the kingdom in the distance. Umbra was breathing deep, having exerted herself so far – but didn’t dare let her pace drop. Her hooves pummeling the ground, she began to gallop towards the city.

Her mind fell back to her times frolicking through the snow with that familiar filly, all those years ago – Radiant Hope, that sweet pony who grew up to be just as naive. She trusted her, and she paid for it with Princess Amore’s blood. She turned the true Queen of the Crystal Empire into a black crystal statue, and shattered it – scattering her pieces to the wind.

All for what? The pain of the Crystal Faire? Because Amore knew she had a dark side, and said she could change it – change her destiny.

Princess Amore was right. Radiant Hope, too – Umbra could change her destiny. And all it took was a simple talk – a conversation – with someone with their head on their shoulders, and not actively trying to kill her.

The shadows inside of her mind reeled, her eyes glowing a dark green as shadows swirled from them. Umbra collapsed, panting on the ground as the darkness inside fought back. Fought back against her free will.

“C-Crystal…” A hiss escaped her breath. She could feel it – hear it! The Umbrum Army, the living shadows – marching beneath the ground, crying out for their queen, crying out for freedom.

“Umbra?” Arin said, as they stopped. Instantly, that voice inside of her head spoke through her.

“Help… me…” It said, not with elegance or refined poise – but with desperation, emotion, and fear.

Something clicked inside of Arin, and he stressed at the cables. His left hand shot for the rope – ripping the bind off, tearing himself out of the leathers in a moment. He made it to his covered feet in the snow – draping his arms around Umbra. Ignoring the pain shooting through his limbs.

He shouldn’t be standing, and he definitely shouldn’t be crouching or hugging – his body protested the movement and he faltered. But he held himself aloft, if only just, and spoke to her.

“Umbra…” He didn’t know what to say, seeing the shadows enveloping her eyes again left him terrified. But that voice – it was calling out, it was begging for help. “My friend. You are strong beyond words – you’ve held your burdens aloft too long. Please, don’t let them crumble you. We’re almost there – stand with me, lean on me. I’ll carry you in my broken arms if I have to, just don’t give up.”

The sound of crunching snow broke the moment in front of them – as not just Luna, but Celestia, Luna, and Cadence stood before the duo. Even Vapor Wave landed to her side, his wings raising high as he withdrew his gold blade in his muzzle.Luna went to say something – but Celestia’s hoof darted in front of her, stopping her short.

“Arin, come here. She’s dangerous.” Celestia commanded sternly, but Arin shook his head.

“No. I won’t.”

“She must be destroyed.” Cadence said, “She’s too violent to be left alive. Can’t you see she’s turned you against us?”

Arin reached back to his sled, grabbing Nocturne by the scabbard. He drew it weakly in his sling covered right arm, the pain protesting the motion.

“If you want to kill her, you’ll have to kill me first. She is my friend.” He hefted the heavy sword to his chest, the Sapphire within shining brightly. “She is still a pony. She saved my life, fed me, and kept me warm. I wont let you harm her.” Arin’s arm shook, his left hand clutching the blade through the bandages. Blood dribbled to the snow, the wound tearing as he gripped it tight.

“Arin, thou can not harm Us. Discard your blade.” Luna commanded. “As my Knight, stand down.”

The order rung through his skull, the sapphire vibrating with potent power. He could feel his hand shaking, the muscles trying to relax, but he fought it off.

“Promise me Luna… promise you wont harm her. Promise…” Arin winced, every muscle in his body fighting the urge to obey. “There is good in her…”

Luna approached, the bandages on her own hooves recently changed. She looked up to Arin, her eyes an inch below his own. He couldn’t pull himself away from her stare, muscles wavering. “We promise. No harm will come to her. Please, stand down. Not for your Princess, but for your friend.”

The blade fell to the floor, the sapphire’s aura fading as he obeyed, collapsing to his knees. Celestia and Cadence approached Umbra, staying true to their word.

“Why do you come here? What role did you play in the train wreck?” They asked Umbra, who fought hard to reel the shadows back in. She wanted to throw up, to scream, to rip her mane out – but she spoke quietly, softly even.

“I… had no part…” She said. “It was three Seraphs… I slayed them.”

Celestia nodded; she already knew this. The confirmation sat heavy in her stomach, as Luna huddled over Arin’s side.

“Celestia… please, she needs help, too.” Cadence said, the empathy within her strong. Even though Umbra had caused her nothing but pain, she couldn’t resist letting her heart go out to her. The Sunlight Princess nodded, sighing.

“Very well. Umbra,” Celestia began. She didn’t feel the urge to be… necessarily friendly, but these circumstances demanded clarification. “Why did you bring Arin here?”

“I did it to change my destiny.” She said, “Arin convinced me to try. To change. To embrace the light within. I need… to speak with Princess Luna.”

Celestia didn’t trust her words. Luna had already hefted the exhausted Arin to her back, embracing him gently in her wings. She turned her head to her Sister, beckoning her over.

As Luna approached, Umbra slowly made it to her hooves. The voices in her head were screaming; she had to be louder.

“Princess, how… how did you control it? The darkness within – Nightmare Moon? How did you stifle her voice for more than a minute – a day, a week?” She asked, resting both hooves to her head to think. To suppress the screams of the Umbrum within.

“We… I…” Luna’s eyes shot open at the question, before taking a breath. Holding Arin close, she nodded. “I held on to the light within me, hope. Hope that things will change. As long as that hope stayed strong, We could repel the darkness for another eve.”

“Hope…” She said to herself, reaching for the light within her. “Hope.”

She repeated the words to herself several times, Celestia and Cadence sharing a worried stare.

“I… I must go.” She said after a while. “Celestia, Luna, I have a request.”

The Sister’s listened, wide eyed.

“Please… one day, let me visit Canterlot. I would like to see my friend, Arin, again. He has taught me much in so little time…” She approached Luna, reaching into her saddlebag. She withdrew a small seal, a common item used to contact an individual when given freely to another. Stamp a letter, roll it up, and… well, you’ll be able to send mail to them, if you didn’t know their magical trace personally.

“Please… give this to Arin.” She said, before turning to her sled. Unpacking Arin’s belongings, she folded it together – slipping it over her back with a grunt. The three Princesses only watched in bewilderment, expecting an epic battle. Instead, they got her mailing address.

She didn’t turn back to look at them. The dark shadow that prowled the land took off again – back towards the wastes.

“Did… am I dreaming?” Cadence asked. The two Princesses turned to look at Luna, who gave an honest shrug.

“At this point, even We believe this to be a dream. When Arin awakes, we shall have many questions to ask…”

~

And Arin did wake. In the comfy sheets of somewhere safe, a gentle blue wing draped over his side. His eyes cracked open, dazed as he darted forward – grunting as the pain knocked him back. He was in some kind of crystal room, the windows shuttered and the dull light of the peaking moon showing through the curtain. It was much too dark to see well – just enough to make out faint details.

“Relax.” Luna said, her magic pulling the blankets back over his bare chest. “You’ve been through enough trouble to outdo even Twilight; thy wounds need time to heal. Let the doctor’s spells do their work.”

“Where is Umbra? Is she safe?”

“She fled into the wilds once more. We did not give chase.” Luna said, withdrawing her wing. Her horn glowed in a simple spell, the doors to the castle turning open within a minute. Celestia approached, holding a scroll in her magical aura.

“Oh, hello Celestia.” Arin said. He felt like he was about to get an earful.

“You know, Arin, I gave you the task of sending in friendship reports with the idea that you would send them when you are not missing and presumed captive. When this letter clattered on my head – in an aura of red magic, no less – I half expected to pay a ransom for your return, or to receive a picture of your tortured body demanding something of me. I did not expect a lesson in honesty.” She quickly tossed the letter onto Arin’s face, scowling. This was the first time he has seen her legitimately upset, not annoyed or peeved, but angry.

He didn’t like angry Celestia. He much rather preferred happy Celestia, or hungry Celestia. But not angry.

“Indeed. You could have asked Umbra to have written Us to report your safety, and left us without worry. Where were thy wits?” Luna took up a glare as well. Arin sheepishly smiled, nervous laughter breaking the silence to buy him time to think.

“Well, you see, over the course of a few days, I managed to have a couple conversations with Umbra. I poked at her history, pointed out that she was probably just a normal pony that’s been corrupted by the Umbrum, and said she could change. A lot of tension came with that, a bit of uh… sword stabbing, stomping from her. She left for a while, and after a quieter conversation and appealing to her, she decided to change? I could feel in her voice, she was honest when she said she wanted to make friends – even if it was for the wrong reasons at the time. It felt like the right thing to do.”

“… How.” Celestia picked up the letter again, slapping him on the cheek. “How. Did. You. Do. It.” She said, striking him again and again. While not particularly painful, the slaps were exceptionally annoying.

“I kinda just told you. She brought me in as a hostage, at first, to trade me for her own safety. To spare her home. What she didn’t realize is that I’m a bit too blunt for my own gain. Heh… I uh, may have insulted Luna’s work before, like an idiot. Remember Luna?” He asked, looking to his Charge for help.

“Do not remind me.” She said, rolling her eyes. “What a friend thou are, to raze our duties under a careless flame. But yes. I could see thee attacking her past, without consideration for thy own position.”

“Don’t you mean your-” The scroll levitated in blue magic, slapping him firmly in the cheek. “Ow! Okay, I get it, I get it.”

“Well, this is just great.” Celestia said, throwing her head in a circle. “My enemies are now confused and I have new enemies on the horizon. Arin, please explain to me why three Seraph bodies were found in the woods surrounding the train? I know now who slain them – but perhaps you could share insight as to why Assassins from your world are after the blood of royalty here?”

“Sister, they tried to kill him, too.” Luna confirmed, “We have seen it, in his dreams. As fractured as they are, he had nothing to do with it.”

“Luna, you and I both know he had nothing directly to do with it – that is simple enough to see, I am not accusing him. I want the reason why his people would derail a train in the attempt to kill my family.” She stepped closer to the edge of the bed.

Well, at least he wasn’t being hung for treason. Now he had a new problem. Why would Seraphs want to kill the royalty in Equestria? They aren’t here in the world. King Leotoln would have had to give the order to do it. Leotoln… he was power hungry. And he was king from conquest, not by lineage. He killed the old Ruler – The Order of Ravens, giving them the title the ‘Fallen Ravens’ when he began to genocide their kind, hundreds of years ago. The Ravens were allies with… well, the majority of the world.

“I think I know why. And you wont like what I have to say.” With a bit of shuffling and grunting, he raised himself up on the comfy pillows. The sconces in the hallway illuminating him as he spoke.

“King Leotoln, the leader of the Far Ridges, is not born of noble blood. He took the crown by slaying the leader of the Order of Ravens, long before I was born. In a blood lust, he turned his troops on the Order, pushing them out of Alma Sol and slaying thousands in their homes. This action angered our Kingdom’s allies, as we essentially had a coup push out the rightful leaders and take the land by force.”

Celestia’s eyes shrunk a bit, Luna holding a hoof to her muzzle as he continued. “It didn’t help that he was a war monger. He gladly accepted the declaration of war from the Twin Spears, and since then, the crown’s coin and resources were spent on skirmishes and razing villages. But seeing as the an enemy brought the ultimatum and eviscerated Erenorn… well, his war had turned sour.”

“I think he’s trying to do the same thing here. He lost Erenorn – his Kingdom – but he has his eyes on a new one. Your Kingdom. Your world.”

Silence took the room, as Celestia began to pace back and forth. “…Yet another threat… first the Sky King, now this…” He could hear her muttering, her head hanging low.

“Sister…” Luna began, but Celestia raised a hoof, silencing her.

“Luna, this is beyond a single threat. This isn’t like Tirek, who has a simple goal of sucking the world dry of magic. This isn’t Umbra, who wishes to raise the Umbrum Army. This isn’t Discord, who wants nothing more than to create chaos – and this isn’t Chrysalis, who wants to feed her people. This is a nation – fractured, yes – but a nation who wants to slay us for control of Equestria, and quite potentially murder every single living pony in sight.”

Luna gulped. Celestia’s gaze turned to Arin. “And what of you? Why would he send you here, Arin? What was the point?”

Arin froze in place, as Celestia – no, the Princess of the Sun, Leader of Equestria, Celestia loomed over him. Her piercing magenta eyes – once kind – now showing the most scrutinizing of glares.

“I-I don’t know! I-I honestly don’t know!” He said, raising his bandaged hands up to defend himself. Her stare didn’t waver. “C-Celestia, you’re my friend! I had no control over this, you have to believe me! I’m on your side! I’m a citizen of Equestria, I would not abandon that! Y-You were at my knighting ceremony! They tried to kill me, too!”

She stared for a moment more, before sighing. She parted the nearby curtain with her magic, stepping to the window to look up at the moon.

“Luna?” She asked, her stunned sister looking to her attention.

“Yes?”

“Let me see Nocturne.”

Luna’s eyes turned to the blade on the nearby table, her horn twinkling in the moonlight as it lifted in her grasp. She levitated it to her Sister, who clasped the blade in her own golden aura, inspecting it.

Her eyes settled on the sapphire in the center, reaching up to gently touch it with her magic. Feeling the thrumming power within. She looked to Arin, that familiar wave of magic washing over him.

With a ring of the sharped blade, she drew Nocturne from the case, and pointed it directly at Luna. The night Princess didn’t even flinch as the blade shot towards her, stopping an inch shy of her hoof.

Quietly, the blade returned to its scabbard, resting on Arin’s chest once more.

“Arin.” She stated, lifting a hoof to her chest and breathing in deep breath, exhaling with a wave of the limb. “I… trust you. I do not believe you mean any harm. I will not apologize for my behavior, as the safety of my subjects is what I hold most dear. I do not question your loyalty, as I should – because I hold you in my heart as a friend.”

She turned to face him again, approaching the bedside. “What you did today… with Umbra. I do not consider it a good thing, just yet. Only time will tell if the seed you planted in her mind will bear fruit. Or if she’ll use it as a knife in the dark.”

“I stand by my actions. She may have done terrible things, but she deserves a second chance. Remember at dinner, when Twilight told me about Discord? How the Elements of Harmony redeemed him? You said it was a miracle it even worked. I believe miracles can happen twice.” Arin defended.

Celestia gave a nod to this, relaxing. Giving him a smile. “You listen well, my friend. But I do not think friendship alone will win us this coming conflict; when the time strikes, I hope that we are all ready.”

Arin nodded. “The assassination attempts are growing more bold. If I paid attention in the library back in Erenorn, Leotoln may grow bored of waiting and appear himself, if he really is trying to claim Equestria.”

“Indeed. From what I gather, they are using Portal Gates to travel from wherever they may lie and back. I learned this, the day I received the letter regarding you. That means that Seraphs that arrive here by Portal Gates, can not return for a month after their gate shuts; the magic of the spell has drastic effects on the caster, after all. Going above this limit warps the body, distorting it.”

“How did I arrive here, then? What magic brought me here?”

“You, also, entered from a portal gate. To cast the spell, you need to know an exact location to arrive – it helps if that location is along a ley line, or a magic fault. The letter I received was the enchanted target; the catalyst was that large hip flask Leotoln gave you, the one the maid’s claimed from your former room. If you don’t know your exact destination, only a general location – you would be placed along the closest point on the ley line. Which happened to be in the garden of a young mare in Canterlot City.”

“But they literally moved to another planet. Just recently, in fact. That means the closest ley line could have moved, and they could be appearing somewhere else. I don’t know what ley lines really are, to begin with. What classifies a ley line? And wait a second, there’s a hole in your theory…” Arin began, thinking critically.

“And that is?” She asked, curious now herself.

“If Portal Gates can only be used once a month, and all living Seraphs used a mass Portal Gate to travel from Erenorn to… Ayana, I believe, how could these assassins take another portal?”

The question left Celestia stunned for a moment, as more questions arose.

“The better question to be asking, Arin, is not how they could take another Portal – but why they would take another portal, if the plan is to claim Equestria to begin with. Traveling vast distances multiple times distorts and destroys the bodies – and the ones I’ve seen appeared to be in fine shape.” Celestia’s eyebrows knitted in concentration, resting a hoof on the bed.

“Unless…” Luna began, “They have not left Erenorn.”

Quiet filled the room, as Arin thought. “But the great Cataclysm…”

“Arin, why would the inhabitants of your world seek to destroy it? The very stone they rest on? Furthermore – if a planet existed nearby you could inhabit, why not explore it more readily, when there were less pressing matters?” She brought up valid points, critical flaws in Arin’s story.

“Then that means…”

“The damage wasn’t as intense as you believed. The kingdom he stood on lay in ruin; but the world did not.”

Arin’s head rested in his hands. It made sense, when she put it that way. The damage was immense – but the world wasn’t ending, was it? The Twin Spears of the South – Almor and Orin, they wouldn’t sacrifice the world to destroy their enemy. It made little sense. That is, if they’re the ones responsible for such a heinous act.

“Then… why send me here? Why throw me into Equestria, at your total mercy? Right on your doorstep?” Arin’s head spun, thoughts racing in his mind. “Why do any of this? Why not attack the Twin Spears in retaliation? Or better yet – surprise attack Equestria, claim the throne, and leave none alive?”

“Because the Twin Spears won, they couldn’t fight back. You told us yourself – Leotoln had many enemies in Erenorn. But now we must know, how much intel have they gathered of Equestria? What could draw them here? You are a key point in this, Arin – and an unwilling pawn. But knowing this plan now – the cover blown – we can play this to our advantage. Those Seraphs were not supposed to die. Their plan now, is changing as we speak.”

Celestia withdrew Nocturne again, spinning it in her magic grasp. “When you swore the Knight’s Oath, a spell was cast on you and this blade-”

“That I may not betray my liege or the Sapphire will shatter.” Arin said calmly.

“How did you…?” Luna asked, as Celestia turned to face him. Not surprised, but wary.

“Umbra told me, when she was caring for me. She knew it was her ticket to you sparing her, in some way, before I put her on a different path.”

“Very well then. You have a keen ear. Then you already know – this blade has you oath bound to Luna’s life. You can not fail her commands intentionally, at the cost of your honor as a knight. Same with Vapor Cloud, Ice Lance, and Shining Armor. They are bound by an oath to protect us at all costs. A Royal Guard may fail, may be turned or corrupted, or impersonated – you can not, not while this blade is by your side. Not willingly, of course.”

“There is ways to circumvent this, though difficult to attain. Princess Cadence and Shining’s Wedding – if Cadence is not in immediate moral peril, and Shining is actively fighting the spell placed on him, the blade will not react. He is still loyal to his liege.” Luna followed up, nodding.

“Indeed, Luna. Doubtless that Shining Armor went over his wedding, correct?” The Sun Princess asked Arin, who nodded.

“In fine detail. He even pointed out what went wrong, and where, and how he could have prevented his failures as a knight.”

Sheathing the blade, Celestia nodded. “Now that you know this, and the blade is in tact – then we know that you are innocent. And just to be sure, hold this.”

She passed Nocturne back to Arin, who held it in his hands. Luna coughed, catching his attention.

“Arin, I command you as my knight – are you planning to harm any innocent Equestria citizen, or are following orders of King Leotoln or his associates?”

“What? No, of course not.” He said immediately, a sigh of relief coming from Celestia at the words. Realizing what Celestia did, he rolled his eyes – setting the blade back on the desk.

“We do not like to command you in such a way, Arin, but it is a necessity to maintain trust. We… I hope you understand.” Luna’s voice cracked as she corrected herself, raising a hoof nervously to her throat.

“Yeah, I get it. I’m not happy about it, but I know what you mean. I don’t consider myself to be of the Far Ridges anymore. I am entirely an Equestrian at heart, you two, and I want you both to know that. I would never betray that. You’ve changed my life in more than just a set of scenery – you both taught me so much, about the importance of friendship and feelings… I… I really don’t know what to say, but thank you.” He eased back into the pillows, Luna’s wing draping around him again.

“Oh, Luna… by the way… check my bag.” He said, pointing to the travel sack on the nearby chair. Luna curiously pulled the pack into her magic grasp, tossing the flap open. She gasped, withdrawing her crown – that black tiara that she thought she lost, when the train was derailed.

She held it to her chest, smiling. “Thank you, Arin. We are happy to see it’s safe return.”

Celestia nodded, smiling. “But back on topic… if you are not a spy, what are all the possible reasons to send you here? I have scanned you repeatedly with magic – there is no spell placed on your body, nothing that I can detect. And Twilight would have thrown a fit over a secondary magic signature within you…”

The pacing continued, the Sun Princess’s hooves left idle for too long. After a few minutes, and a couple of eyes tossed to the stars for answers, Celestia sighed.

“Some answers just aren’t given so easily.”