“And you just let them go?” Night Hawk asked for the fifth time while they marched towards Sunny Town. “I gave them just one simple order! One! And what did those two nitwits we’re protecting do? They ignore it! Couldn’t you have knocked them out, Heart? Or give them some of your drugs? Something?”

“First of all, I swore to protect them, so knocking them out somewhat works against that, Hawk. Also, I made an oath to never use my medicine against anyone. Neither friend nor enemy. So that is a clear no to both options. Or do you want poor Lyra to carry them too.” The thought alone made the unicorn shiver. She had been carrying Hawk’s baggage all day long, and she could still feel the cuts of the saddlebags on her back. How the little thestral managed to do it so easily was a mystery to her.

“Well,” Lyra began and pointed towards the town, a good distance in front of them. “We haven’t heard any screams or anything like that. Doesn’t that mean Thiemo is correct, and they really ignore everything? Though because of a spell or any other means….”

“I’m not worried about them so much so as the town,” Hawk muttered.

“What do you mean?” The pegasus asked, and her companion just pointed towards the town sign. Immediately, she put a hoof in front of her mouth. “Oh m-my Celestia…” was all the medic could stammer. A middle-aged brown stallion was tied to the sign, his body covering the word Sunny. The name of a certain human was sheared into his coat, renaming the village into Thiemo Town.

“So,” Hawk began again, “how much time did they have? An hour? I don’t even want to know how it looks like inside the town.” The other two just nodded and finished the rest of the way in under a minute without any of them saying a word, too busy searching for the lost members of their group.

Lyra was the last of the three to arrive at the cobbled main road of the small town. Again, they all stopped dead in their tracks as they saw Thiemo’s next masterpiece. “One bit for a ride?” Lyra read from the small sign that had belonged to a store before it had been repainted. A badly and hastily erected post was in front of the store, and a mare was tied to the post with a rope around her muzzle. She made lap after lap as she trotted around the post.

“That is….” Heart tried to express her disgust, but she could not find the words at that moment.

“Not what you think. I think he literally meant riding. He even put a sheet on her back.” Despite herself, Hawk had to try and hold back a laugh at the sight before her.

“That… That… That still isn’t right!” Lyra knew that she was right, but on the other hand, Hawk was right too. Hawk had stopped laughing now and was busy untying the mare from the post. That, however, changed nothing about the situation as she just kept on running in circles.

“I see what you mean. She’s completely out of it. Did they smoke Poison Joke here?” Lyra shuddered at the thought. The plant would play tricks on the body if touched. If inhaled, however, the mind was affected. Manehatten and many other larger cities had markets for these plants. Even though Equestria’s social care was great, it still didn’t reach everypony. Many took the plants to escape from their worries for just a little while. During her studies, she had come across the stuff quite often.

Heart took the medical equipment out of her bag. “Hold her still, Hawk. I’ll have quick look.” The thestral did as she ordered and brought the mare to a halt by throwing herself onto the mare.

“Do it quickly; she’s stronger than she looks.” Lyra rushed to help and threw her whole weight on the earth pony mare on the ground. Even together, they still struggled with keeping the mare on the ground while Heart checked her eyes and mouth.

“Pupils normal,” she said after a few seconds. With a careful tap of her hoof against the jaw, she opened the mouth of her patient. “No residues on teeth or palate. All right, let her go.” Hawk released their hostage and shot up into the air with a few beats of her wings. Almost immediately, the mare jumped up, threw Lyra to the ground, and went on her way again.

“So, where would I be if I were a disillusioned human with a tendency of megalomania?” Hawk landed next to Heart and both looked over at Lyra. She just shook her head. Even though she knew Thiemo longer than them, she didn’t know him well.

“No idea! He wanted to get something to eat this morning.” The eyes of her companions lighted up and both turned towards the main road again.

“I think I know where we will find him…” Lyra didn’t even need to see Hawk’s face to know that her fangs were forming a smile on her lips.

With a quiet song on his lips, Thiemo went from the stove to the countertop and started cleaning some potatoes in the sink. Amaryllis stood out of his way and fascinatedly watched the human preparing a meal for them. Peas and carrots bubbled in a little brew out of the green remains of said vegetables along with some celery and leeks. “So, tell me again what is this going to be when you’re done?” she asked and filled her nostrils with the scent that was slowly spreading in the kitchen.

“Vegetable soup after grandma’s world war recipe,” he replied and cut the potatoes into small cubes. “There was a big war on our planet, and food was scarce. So they threw together what was left. Many great meals were invented in those times of need. For example, marzipan came about in medieval times during the siege of a castle. Sugar itself was not very useful, but in marzipan, it could feed the people again.” Amaryllis just nodded. Even though she didn’t understand half of the words, like medieval, she still understood what he meant. Humans on Earth got creative when in time of need, a trait she found in Thiemo as well. “Sad that no dragons or diamond dogs live here. Or maybe some griffons. A bit of meat would be perfect in there.” With those words, he threw the potatoes into the pot and closed the lid. “So, this has to simmer for a bit, and then we can eat.”

“That’s nice…” Not that she didn’t appreciate the gesture. “But you know that I don’t need this kind of food, right?”

“You have a tongue, right?” Thiemo asked and sat down on a clean spot on the countertop. “With taste buds, right?”

“Sure. I told you before that our nation was trekking the land and ate everything they could find to not starve.” She had no idea what he was going for.

“Then, my dear,” he began and turned to the fridge next to him, “try…” he was going through the contents of the fridge and pulled out a bowl of strawberries, “...these. Hold on.” He pulled the bowl back, put some sugar on it, and stirred it with a spoon. “Now!”

Carefully, Amaryllis levitated one strawberry out of the bowl. Of course she knew strawberries. They gave them to prisoners often, and she ate some herself back when she was a nymph. With one bite, the fruit disappeared in her mouth, and she was positively surprised. In combination with the sugar, it was something completely differently from what she knew. “That’s good!” She searched for Thiemo, but the human had disappeared somewhere again.

“Over here!” he shouted, and Amy looked underneath the low hanging pans above the countertop. “I’m just looking for… Ah! There it is!” He rushed back with a small black root in his hand. Quickly, he pulled another bowl out of one of the drawers before making a cut in the root with a knife. He opened it lengthways and emptied its contents in the bowl. Then he went to the fridge and pulled out a container that looked like it was filled with milk and poured it into the bowl as well. “Ever tried strawberries with whipped cream?” She didn’t reply since he turned away from her again and pulled out another kitchen tool out of a drawer and started to sturdily stir the milk. But what could she have said? She knew nothing about cooking.

Suddenly, they heard a loud bang of a door that got slammed against a wall. “Thiemo? Where are you, you filthy human?” Amy looked at Thiemo, and he looked at her. They both knew that Hawk was going to be angry, but something in her voice was scary. “Come out and get your oversized flank here so that I can give it some good kicks.”

Thiemo just sighed but didn’t stop stirring the milk. “We’re back here, Hawk!” He turned his attention back to the milk. He dipped his finger in it and tasted the result. “A bit sweeter than I remember.” He still seemed content with the result and poured the white substance over the strawberries. “Et voilà! Strawberries with whipped cream!”

At that moment, Night Hawk, Iron Heart, and Lyra stormed through the large, white, double doors with portholes that led to the kitchen of the inn. Amaryllis, who got almost hit by the door, jumped aside, startled, and just in time made enough space for the landing of the three. Thiemo had, in his wisdom (his own words) smeared butter on the tiles. That was why the three crashed against the workspace in the middle of the kitchen and now laid on their stomachs.

“Oh, you’re so dead now,” their little leader groaned as she freed herself from Lyra who was atop of her. Heart had it easy to get free as she lying on the top and left the danger zone with a few beats of her wings.

“Well, how about some strawberries instead?” Thiemo held the large bowl under Hawk’s nostrils, who was still lying on the ground.

“What? No… Wow! Strawberries! Do I smell vanilla?” With a quick movement, she grabbed the bowl out of his hand, and her face was buried in it in the next second.

Thiemo and Amy both looked at her, fascinated. “How did you know that strawberries are her weak spot?” Heart asked from the side. Lyra had freed herself from the buttery trap now too and watched Hawk as she quickly abandoned any semblance of manners.

“I didn’t. I wanted a few for myself too…” he replied with a whiny voice.

A few minutes later, they sat in the main room of the Wooden Worm Inn. Thiemo chose the best table, originally just for him and Amy, and presented his soup to the tired group. More than happy for the offering, they quickly helped themselves. “So, what’s the deal with the stallion at the entrance and the mare around the post?” Heart asked while she enjoyed her meal.

“Well, they were tests.” Everyone except Amy, who was there, looked at him at him disbelievingly.

“What was scientific about that?” Lyra protested.

“Well, I wanted to test how far their ignorance would go. The stallion didn’t even defend himself, and the mare wasn’t frightened about the ambivalent message. Just like the rest of the citizens.” Thiemo saw that they didn’t believe him. “Okay, there was nothing scientific about that. I just did it for my own amusement. Happy? Anyhow, none of the ponies reacted to me in any way, so I gave them a closer look. And what came out? They are all dead!” While the others continued to stare at him, including Amaryllis this time, he calmly continued eating the rest of his meal.

“What do you mean they are dead?” Hawk slammed a hoof on the table. “They ignore everything, but they run around and breathe. Dead don’t run around!”

“Except they are zombies,” Lyra added and shivered.

“There are no such things as zombies. The reason has to be medical or magical. So, what exactly do you mean, Thiemo?” Heart tried to calm them.

“How should I explain it the best?” He scratched the back of his head. “What is the definition of life? What has everything that lives in common?” The ponies around him looked at each other in confusion. Heart and Lyra mumbled something but he couldn’t understand it. “A soul,” he finally explained. “And now guess what the ponies here are missing.”

“A soul?” Lyra asked. “It is not even proven that souls exist. Some of our greatest scholars have philosophized about it far back as our records go, but nopony ever found proof.”

“Then you should ask your two big princesses. After what I saw, they know more than they admit.” Thiemo saw that Hawk and Heart wanted to protest at first, but then they seemed to remember what mission they were on. “Also, every shaman, like me, can see it.”

“Hold on! You can see it? Is that some kind of magic?” Lyra almost stood on the table at this point, her muzzle almost touching Thiemo’s nose.

“I don’t know what it is exactly. My master, Zarni, brewed a potion for all of us. I don’t know how exactly it works, and thanks to the drinking afterwards, I don’t have very many memories left. I just know that I could see souls the next day. And magic too since we’re already at it. By the way, that’s how I could guide you through the fog. Everything that lives, every tree, every plant has a soul and a bit of magic in them. For me, it is like one picture being put over another.” Since none of them were saying anything, he continued. “Anyhow, I took a closer look at the citizens. They don’t have a soul. This would explain the state they are in; they are only organic machines, nothing more. No emotions as my dear marefriend found out when we got her. Without her, we probably would still be in the dark.” Amy waved him off as he praised her.

Lyra turned to Thiemo again. “But what can take the souls of an entire town... and where are the foals?”

“You’re the professor, so you tell me. If I had to take a guess, I would say magic was at play. But I have an idea where the foals might be.” Thiemo pointed out of the window into the fog. “Those foals grew up here. Heart said that the citizens don’t need any help to find their way through the fog. Surely that counts for the little ones as well. They know that no one will find them there.”

“Hawk, what do you think? We can’t leave hundreds of foals alone in the forest until help from Canterlot arrives. Who knows the state they are in? How long has this been going already?” Hawk seemed to ponder about Heart’s words.

“Not very long, a few days, a week at maximum. All the foods I… borrowed from the fridge were still good. And there was not much in it for a restaurant, only leftovers. Meaning the foals are coming here from time to time to get something to eat.”

“Hold on, wouldn’t that mean that these ponies here lasted a week without food, not even water?” Again, Thiemo pointed out of the window, and Heart sighed in relieved as she saw a mare eating grass.

“Like I said, organic machines. They just care about being able to run. Problem is that everyone here can do what they like. Yes, like me, Hawk.” He beat the dark mare to it. “Have you noticed anything else? I don’t know that much about ponies.”

Lyra’s face lighted up. “Of course! We didn’t see it with the stallion because he was sheared, and neither with the mare because she had a blanket over her back, but try to remember. Did any of the town ponies have a cutie mark?” Thiemo thought about it. None of the ponies he met had one of those colorful symbols. If they did, he would surely have noticed. Lyra’s golden lyre stood out clearly on her green fur, like the shield with the red cross and pink wings on Heart’s white fur. Hawk had a symbol he could not quite make out, but at the moment he would call it an eye. He just didn’t want to have a look under the table now.

“No, none of the town ponies had a cutie mark,” he agreed.

“If there really is magic in play, the spell must have only affected ponies with cutie marks. That’s why the foals were not affected,” Lyra finished her theory.

“Maybe we shouldn’t stay in the town then,” Heart said, worried. “We three have one, and who knows if the spell is still active? What if it takes our souls too? I don’t want to end that way.” This time it was her that pointed at the grass-eating mare.

Thiemo considered for a moment. “If it really just affects ponies with cutie marks, Amy and I should be safe. We are neither ponies, nor do have a cutie mark. We could keep watch for the foals tonight.”

Hawk shook her head. “No way. I agree with Heart that we have to do something. We can’t just leave an entire city and hundreds of foals to their doom. That would be against everything we learned. But I won’t leave you out of my eyes.”

“Great, I always wanted a stuffed animal. Just image it, Amaryllis. Hawk in nice dresses, as pillow, or as a footrest where I can put my legs on after a long day…” Thiemo came to a sudden stop as a knife, held by a dragon-like wing, appeared in front of his nose.

“You wouldn’t dare,” she hissed at him.

“Wanna bet?” Thiemo replied with a wide grin.

Twilight sat together with Applejack in one cabin of the train from Stalliongrad to Trottingham as they concentrated on the game of chess before them. “Come on, Twi, we both know that ya gonna win anyways,” her friend groaned, annoyed. She didn’t let herself get worked up. Even if this move would take ten minutes, she would run every possibility through her head.

“Patience is a virtue, Applejack,” she gave as an answer and moved her first pawn one square forward. Applejack reached to the board while looking at the sun going down through a window and moved a random pawn two squares forwards, directly diagonal in front of her own. “Applejack, maybe you want to reconsider your turn?”

“Nah, it’s alright.” She waved her friend off. Discontented, she continued the game with the distracted Applejack. It wouldn’t take long since she seemed to play for her, not against her, and the whole time Twilight wished that she was in the cabin with Rarity. But she had just taken a cabin with Captain Estoc. Not that she really had anything against that, but this was supposed to be their last adventure. And now they were separated.

After the third game which Twilight won in under ten moves, she stood up from her spot. “I’m just going somewhere real quick, Applejack.” The orange mare just nodded, and Twilight left the cabin. The hallway was dimly lit by a few crystals, adjusted to the needs of some passengers who wanted to sleep already. Quietly, Twilight moved along the red carpet and found the room she was looking for, only to see that it was occupied. She decided to follow Applejack’s example and threw a look out of the window. Tomorrow morning, they would arrive in Trottingham, and from there on, go into the Lost Forest. Estoc said there was a small trade route that led to Sunny Town. The only problem was to find a guide who knew their way through the fog.

“Sorry,” came a strangely familiar voice as the door next to her opened.

“No problem,” Twilight replied and stopped. Apparently her opponent did the same, if somepony had even been there. At first, Twilight thought she had imagined the voice until her gaze shifted downwards. There, on the red carpet and with a forced smile on her lips, sat a very familiar little filly. “What in my mother’s…” She didn’t get any further as Auralia Apple took flight and disappeared into the adjacent second class compartment. Completely forgetting what she came here for, Twilight rushed back into her cabin. As the door slammed against the wall with her magic, Applejack jumped up, haven fallen asleep already.

“Ah’m awake! Ah’m awake!” she yelled sleepily while Twilight gasped for air.

“Applejack… Auralia… in the train….” The princess coughed, out of breath, while the eyes of the farmer went wide.

“Oh, she didn’t… and even though Ah forbid her to do so.” Applejack rose from her spot, put on her hat, and grabbed Twilight as she walked past her. They only stopped briefly at the door of the next cabin. “Rarity, ah hope yer discrete, because Ah’m coming in whether ya like it or not.” Without another warning, she opened the door with swift kick. Luckily, both ponies were lying on the bench seats and looked like they were sleeping. Rarity even had her sleeping mask on her forehead.

“Applejack, darling? What is going on? We were just preparing to go to sleep. And what do you mean with discrete? Do you really think that in this place a lady would be willing to…?”

“Save it for later, Rar. Auralia sneaked onto the train. We have a foal to catch.”

“Oh… Estoc, darling, I think we should help them.” Instead of the other blanket moving, a second head appeared next to Rarity.

“Lady, eh?” Applejack commented and grinned.

“Uhm… yes… Shall we go catch a filly, my dears?”

Author's Notes:

I just bought a 30cm (11.8") Twilight plush ^^
Like always feed the author troll with comments.

Also, Cthulhu told me to mentions his buddies:
Thanks to Gron for translating this chapter.
Special thanks to JBL for proofreading and editing.

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