Though the warmth had beckoned him to sleep, and pushed at his resilience - he stayed stalwart by her side. Hushing the once regal mare in comforting coos, his voice helping to drown out the pain she suffered.

It had been more than a day. At least. But there was no way to tell; except for the intense exhaustion clawing away at his eyes, he had nothing to go off of. In these quiet moments, he now really wished he kept a watch on hand.

Actually, he reached over to his hiking bag, digging around the pockets. A compass which pointed… nowhere, matches, small candles, a tiny flashlight with magic crystal for power, another map in case he lost the first one - aha! A fancy pocket watch. Thanks, Egghead.

He looked it over. No, not a normal watch - it was more like she custom ordered a timekeeper tailored explicitly for this mission, and nothing else. It ran two hands; a large one which counted the hours, one through twenty four - and another that counted down the days, one through seven. It even glowed faintly in the dim light of the oil stove above, a curious feat of magical ingenuity.

From the looks of it, it’s been… one day, two hours since his arrival. He must have found Celestia at least eight hours ago. Which meant it was now… late night, back on Equis. Or around that time. With six days left on the clock, he gently ran his fingers against Celestia’s cheek.

“Celestia?” he asked. She gently shook her head.

“No, Arin. Please. Don’t call me that, not anymore. I want you to call me Tia.” She raised her head from his chest, leaving him bewildered.

“Uh… why? Something wrong with it?”

She shook her head slowly. “I... I just want you to know how thankful I am. For everything you’ve done for me, for Equestria. You… Arin, I never thought you would come this far. That you would grow so much. I took you in not just as a citizen, but as a student, and… if I didn’t, I don’t know where I’d be right now. That name… Tia, it’s what Lulu calls me. I want you to share that name with her. I would ask the same of Twilight, but she has trouble calling me anything other than ‘Princess’ as it is.”

He gave a genuine, heart-heavy smile, his eyes softening. “Alright Tia. Thank you. I just needed to uh… go over some things with you.”

He lifted the watch to her tired eyes, the mare resting her head on the excessive pillows. “We have this much time left until we’re stuck here. Less than six days now. I’ve checked over the map a bit while we uh… shared warmth-”

“Cuddled,” she corrected.

“Well, yes. While we uh… cuddled. And while I don’t have a clear measurement on the distance, I’d say it’s going to take four days of walking to reach the Wayward Crest. I don’t think flying is an option, either. You’re quite literally almost skin and bones, and… while you are light enough to carry, I’m still not built for distance flight. And the weather here is terrible.”

She nodded, her wing squeezing his side. “I understand. I… I’m a bit worried, traveling towards the light. Nightmare Moon constructed a fortress on a mountain there, and… well, it’s just not safe.”

“Mountain? Is… is it the tallest mountain, closest to Equis?” His expression shifted to worry, as she softly rested her muzzle on his chest.

“...Yes. She also stole my armor, long ago, when she held me prisoner in her dungeon. But she thought the dungeon was too kind for me, and tossed me bare into the frozen wastes. I can’t even fight back. My magic… all of it, I’ve spent every ounce of energy on staying alive. Hoping Twilight would find a way to bring me home. When Nightmare Moon grows bored, she hunts me for sport. Her cackling laugh…”

Her expression shifted to bitter rage coupled with overwhelming fear, tilting her cheek back to Arin’s chest. “I despise every single iota of that demon’s being. She… the things she has done to me, Arin. I dare not say. The memory alone haunts me enough. But we can not fight her. Not here. She’s too powerful, at some point her magic began to rival even Luna’s, and… I don’t think you can best her. Not alone.”

For a while, the Seraph remained quiet. Idly stroking his fingers through her rough pink mane.

“Regardless, it’s our ticket home. We can’t risk running out of time; see, the only way to end our banishment, is to cast Harmony on ourselves once more. Specifically, it must include my magic in the blast, to mimic a portion of Leotoln’s energy. Otherwise you’ll be stuck here, and probably covered in a bunch of burns. The closer we can get to Equis, the higher chance of success. So… we have to climb to the summit of the Homeward Crest. We only have one shot, after all, and failure would basically doom us both.” Arin snapped the pocket watch closed, tucking it into his jacket’s pocket behind him.

Celestia gulped. “If Twilight believes this will work, then it will work. I trust her beyond words, and if she told me to jump off of a cliff - I would do so without question.”

Meekly, the mare pushed herself upright. “We can not sleep until we leave the Lunar Plane. Nightmare Moon has dominion over the dream realm, and she can not only find us through it - but she can torment us as well. I will not sit through another thousand years of silence, Arin. I refuse. I can’t. I won’t. I will never do that again. I would rather you impale me on your sword, or use me for target practice - than sit in the snow another day, with the feeling of her eyes boring into my back. Let’s… g-go…”

She tried to make it to her hooves, grunting in pain as her shaky legs fought her. Arin stood up in the thankfully spacious tent, helping her stand. She looked over his bare form, blushing.

“Oh! Sorry, I forgot-” he began, but was quickly interrupted.

“No no, it’s alright. I’ve seen thousands of stallions that aren’t a tenth as handsome as you.” She gave a weak smile, leaving the Seraph dumbfounded. Was that a genuine compliment, or was she seriously pushing for something, now, of all times?

“Uh… thanks, Tia.”

In the somewhat awkward silence that followed, Arin managed to don his gear once more. Helping the Sun Princess into her fashionable coat, she wobbled her tired legs into her snow boots. Arin spent several moments packing up the pillows, blankets, and other assorted gear into the overly spacious hiking bag, before kneeling by the entrance flap.

“Ready? It’s going to be cold,” he said, holding the zipper between his thumb and index finger. The Princess weakly nodded, closing her eyes. Gently, he let the cool air flood the once cozy tent, the duo making their way into the bitter cold once again.

Even with all of her fresh snow gear, she was still quivering like a leaf. But at least she didn’t seem to be suffering beyond that. He took a minute to properly pack up the tent, clipping it to the hooks on his hiking bag.

“Arin, I wanted to ask…”

He slung the heavy pack onto his shoulders, adjusting his scarf over his mouth. “Yes?”

“...Nothing. Let’s just go.” She turned back towards the false cave entrance, waiting for him to join her. By her side now, he made a conscious effort to wrap his wing warmly around her barrel - after all, Rarity’s design included practicality for winged creatures. Her pace was steady, her legs barely having the strength to manage that - but she tried.

Her body leaned into his for comfort and support, the Seraph digging into a side pouch to withdraw a small protein bar before they entered the blizzard.

“Here. We need to feed you out of the danger zone. Since you can’t handle full meals, we’ll take it slow,” he said, holding it in front of her as they walked.

“Oh yes, let me just…” Her horn could barely flicker, making the Seraph wince. Oh yeah. She’s practically out of magic.

“...Sorry.” Peeling the wrapper free, he held it to her lips. “Just take it slow-”

He held the missing protein bar up to his eyes, dumbstruck. Did she just eat the entire six inch nougat treat in one bite? His eyes fell on her. No, it wasn’t one bite. She literally gulped it down whole.

“Are you alright?” Arin asked, as the wind picked up and snow fell fresh, the duo leaving the makeshift cave. The storm hadn’t dimmed much, but came in waves - where all this snow came from was a mystery to him, one he may never solve.

“Yes,” came a reply from the stoic faced mare. She didn’t seem intent on acknowledging what she just did.

“You just-”

“I know,” she interrupted. “I’m starving.”

“You’ll get sick if you keep doing that.” Arin chuckled, slowly turning serious. “And not in a ‘lose your lunch’ kind of way. More like… ‘lose your life’. I can’t outheal stupid, as you could probably guess. And I’m not a master of Resurrection just yet.”

“I’m well aware of how starvation works. But… Thank you. For caring about me. And again… everything you’ve done. I can’t stress this enough, how grateful I am for you, Arin.” She smiled, her body rubbing against his softly through the coat. She even spared a tired wing to hug him, which made him feel a bit uncomfortable with how close she was. She was never this… touch heavy, before. Then again, try going three years without a friendly face. More, if you count the endless nightmares.

Finding their way into the blizzard, Arin withdrew the compass with a sigh. Yep, still pointless - it sat dead on the needle. There simply wasn’t a magnetic field to guide them.

“I don’t suppose you have any idea where we’ll find the Homeward Crest, huh?” He asked. “This place doesn’t exactly have any roads.”

“I knew a compass wouldn’t work.” Celestia sighed. “Here, we need to move towards the light. It’s hard to tell right now, but… it’s left.”

Her hooves pressed to the ice wall, wings giving several tired beats as she tried to clamber up. But the best she could do was scratch the frozen barricade with her boots, Arin approaching from behind.

“Here, let me just…” With little effort, he scooped the starved mare up, wings spreading wide before giving a powerful flap and a leap. The rapid rise broke into a gentle fall, grunting from the exertion. Setting her on her legs again, he breathed a sigh of relief.

“Let’s hope the terrain isn’t too rough. I don’t think I could carry you if you broke a…”

His voice died in his throat, before quietly, he stripped his bag. Shuffling around, he grunted as he dislodged the lightweight folded sled. Twilight, the genius mare, really outdid herself with this one. Clicking metal bars and tightening a few rubber knobs, Arin proudly displayed his work.

Celestia poked it with a hoof, unsure. “This… doesn’t look very sturdy. Are you sure I can’t just canter?”

“If you want this to take a literal thousand years, sure. Now get on.”

She tested a single hoof on the thin metal wire, and finding it somewhat resistant, clumsily dragged her emaciated body on top, before unceremoniously collapsing.

“Ha, this reminds me of when Umbra rescued me from the trainwreck,” he said, giving the handles an experimental push. Surprisingly, it moved with only mild effort. Picking up the pace, he took on a steady power walk. “Now that I think about it… it was probably Umbra’s idea to include this. After all, she did basically set this whole plan in motion.”

“Is Umbra still… you know.” Celestia asked.

“An umbrum? Nope! When I ascended, I basically unleashed years upon years of pent up magic, so much so that I basically saw the world in slow motion. Not only that, but Leotoln hit me with a blast of Harmony, and it turns out that I could absorb it. At least, at the time. It doesn’t seem to be the same case now. Anyway… After I kicked in my Dad’s teeth-”

“You know, I knew that the moment I met him.” Celestia chuckled. “There was something about your eyes that just… gave it away. But I couldn’t be sure, not until you mentioned needing your magic to help undo the banishment earlier.”

“What, are you saying I look like that tyrant?”

Her soft voice chortled, a comforting sound after all the abuse she’s been through. “No no. I’m saying you had that same power hiding within you, a twinkle in your eye - it all came down to how you wanted to use it. I knew the day I met you, you were capable of great things, Arin. Just like Twilight, I knew the power of friendship would unlock it, and strengthen it. Why do you think I asked Honey Rose to be your tutor? She’s hardly the professional type. I just knew a personal, boisterous touch was just what you needed to open up your shell, and help acclimate you to ponies. That, and Luna teasing me definitely worked wonders for your attitude.”

Arin smiled behind her, bumping the slay quietly through the quieting blizzard. “You really are a step ahead, aren’t you?”

“Two or three on a good day, a mile backwards if it’s paperwork.” She turned in her seat to keep her eyes on Arin, the snow and wind just background to their conversation.

“Anyway, after I slayed Leotoln, all of that magic needed an outlet - and Luna saved me by giving me the Crystal Heart to feed. And since my magic was attuned for healing, I basically flooded the Castle with restoration. Umbra had been vanquished by harmony during the fight, but… her spirit persisted. And my healing magic, combined with Harmony, brought her to life as a full, real, pony. From there, we’ve worked close together, hand in hoof, to help restore order and bring back the peace. Both in the Far Reaches, and very recently - home in Canterlot, too.”

“Harmony is a wonderful thing. But, speaking of Luna… are you two still an item, Arin?” Her gaze never faltered, in fact - it intensified.

Oh no. He was getting serious Pumpkin vibes off of this. In fact, he was pretty sure there was a name for this. That name was Rescuer Romance. Regardless, it wasn’t a thought he was willing to entertain at the moment. There were more important things than love in life, after all. Like, shelter. And not freezing to death in the Lunar Plane.

But… those wings… he could give her an honest answer. He has been pretty lonely for the last three years, after all…

“It’s complicated. Luna is… going through some serious mood swings, at the moment. We think it’s from Nightmare Moon, but without a way to confirm it… it’s hard. And she said some pretty horrible things back at the castle, too. Sure, I can’t hold her accountable… but our relationship has been kind of one-sided on my part. And I just need time to really figure out what I want to do. Do I want to be a Knight? A commoner? At this point, I don't even know. I just… I want to be happy.”

Celestia bowed her head, closing her magenta eyes with consideration. “I am sorry you must bear through this, especially after all you’ve done for Equestria and I. If it’s any consolation, you are welcome wherever I am, my friend. I will never be able to repay all you’ve done.”

Even after all she’s been through, the Princess was still a regal ruler of a nation. Her words carried more weight than he could ever dream of. That would never change.

“No Celestia-”

“Tia.”

“Right. No, Tia. I should be the one thanking you. You could have just as easily decided to throw me to the world, or put me in somepony - ah! I did it again. Someone else’s hooves… but you took it upon yourself to shape me into who I am today. Your methods were… unorthodox. But it worked. And for that, I owe you my thanks.”

She gave a soft blush. “Genuine appreciation and care will win many hearts, Arin. Are you sure you’re not single?”

He laughed at her more direct confrontation - she really wanted to sell it, huh? “Maybe I am. We’ll see when this is all said and done. Besides, Luna will kill you if you snap me up the moment I become a bachelor - if I become a bachelor.”

“Oh, I’d like to see her try!” She giggled sweetly, all of the pain of the past put right where it belongs - the past. “But on a more curious note… how are the others faring? Shining, Cadence? Twilight and Ice Lance? Honey Rose, Vapor Cloud?”

“Oh! Shining and Cadence are now officially the Prince and Princess of the Crystal Kingdom, and they’re keeping it as such until they have your blessing to be King and Queen. Twilight… she’s a bit of a mess. Especially after Ice Lance moved on from his job. I think she had feelings for him, but that’s something for you to bring up over a cup of tea. Honey and Cloud married, and they had a cute little foal - I think her name was Sweet Dreams? And they live in the castle now, too. We still haven’t nailed those backstabbing nobles for supporting the Seraphs - in fact, a small group of abandoned Ascended are holed up somewhere to the west, actively working with them. Umbra is focused on gathering evidence against them, and considering she’s been missing sleep - I’d say she’s doing a good job, too.”

“That’s the problem with the Noble houses. They hide their tracks like they hide their bits - extremely well, when pressed. Especially during tax season. They’re only smart to the end of their greedy noses, at least. If you have faith in Umbra, then so do I. In fact, I hope we make it back in time for their trial. I have a few names that come to mind when I think of ‘ponies I wish would rot in the dungeon’.”

“That’s uh… another problem. Luna… she’s not doing well in the polls. I don’t think the Nobles expected Luna to deal with Nightmare Moon, but… her ratings are almost below ten percent.”

Celestia’s face went pale. Well, more pale - she already looked sickly from the lack of… well, everything.

“Arin… if I lose the throne to those conniving, backstabbing, no good pieces of sh-”

“Tia!”

“Sorry. But it’s all true. Every generation of entitled brat is worse than the last. ‘My father will hear about this! Weh! Why aren’t you bowing to me, Princess?! Why must you meddle in my tax affairs? Am I a joke to you?’ Oh please. You know what - forget the trial, can we just skip to the part where I personally slap their stupid monocles off their snobby noses?”

Arin snorted, okay. He’d love to see that. “You know, I tossed Silverbit into the moat about a few days ago, when I returned to Canterlot.”

“By my Sun! Really?” Her angry glower turned into an ecstatic giggle. “Please tell me he pretended to drown. Please.”

“Yep! He floundered like a fish, demanding that I be arrested. Ha! I even called him ‘Brace Face’. I have never felt a glare more red hot than that one.”

Though the wind was cold and the wastelands were a soft dark hue, their conversation had brought light back into the world. The Sun Princess by now had fully turned around in the sled, resting her chin on the handlebars as they spoke. Perhaps the night could be forgiving, in the right company.

If only they could feel the dark presence in the far distance, hunting - enraged with its lack of prey to chase, and a myriad of potent frustrations melting into a pool within her dark chest. The now tinted black armor steely against the winds, powerful wing beats searching for her ‘Sister’. She had missed her chance at escape, and she wasn’t intent on letting her stress relief die without proper just dues.