Dust Demon stared out over the flat expanse laying between him and his home.

Several hot air balloons--similar to the one they had commandeered and attached to a chariot--were hovering around, keeping watch as the sunrise began to light the land. More than a few of the settlers in the town were beginning to fight back,the sounds of battle echoing across the desert plains surrounding the town. But they were always soon put down.

Less than half the town's populace actually resided inside the city now, most of them fleeing from the gang. One in five of those gone were dead.

The gang itself was in rough shape. Very few, if any of the guards on duty seemed to have slept, they were loading supplies to retreat as fast as they could and they seemed to know what the slowly approaching cloud of dust really was. Looking through a telescope Eclipse had let him borrow, Dust Demon soon spotted Royal, the mare's mane and coat covered in a thick layer of desert dust and grime. From how often she was cracking her whip, she couldn't be pleased. The gang had a large zeppelin resting on the eastern edge of the town, the image of a large lantern with a rising sun painted on one side.

Adjusting the telescope, Dust Demon settled himself against the sands, his natural coloring doing its part to help him blend in and avoid being spotted. In hindsight, it made perfect sense for him to scout ahead. He couldn't suppress a chuckle when remembering how much he complained of wanting a more direct role in dealing with these invaders.

A minotaur stepped out of the airship, coming down a ramp to meet Royal at it's base. He couldn't tell what they were saying, but from the way the pair acted it was a heated conversation. The minotaur pointed at the zeppelin, obviously finalizing the order to retreat and leave the town. Appleloosa was apparently being more trouble than it was worth.

Jango arriving on scene more than confirmed this, as the stallion looked haggard. Dust Demon had to admit, he had though that he and Jango would have traded hooves with each other a while before, until Eclipse came along and whisked him into a trek across half the desert. The 'sheriff' had a large black eye and his spear was covered in blood. From this distance it was impossible to tell if it was fresh or not, but it could easily go either way.

Smiling to himself, Dust Demon thought that Eclipse could fight Royal, but Jango was his and his alone.

Thunder boomed in the distance.

Dust Demon looked over to spot a large group of storm clouds lazily going on about their business, heading in a circle around the town. Returning his attention to the town, Dust Demon took note how many pegasi were prepared to spring into the air, should the situation call for it. Taking a quick breath, he realized how nervous he suddenly was at seeing such a large amount of his fellow winged ponies.

The town hadn't seen any magic wielders until the elements of harmony, and now Eclipse, had come around, disregarding the gang's own unicorn force. As for pegasi, Dust Demon was the town's best flyer, but the best out of five flyers wasn't much to boast about.

Deciding to return and report his findings, Dust Demon jumped when a pony landed on top of him from behind.

"What'cha got?" Eclipse asked excitedly, taking the spyglass from Dust Demon's grasp, but not moving from his new and sudden perch on the pegasi's back. "Ooh, airship. Please let the name 'Hindenburg' be written on the side. That'd be awesome."

"What are you doing here?" Dust Demon snapped. He had been sent as a scout by this very pony and now, this very pony was suddenly--

Eclipse snapped him out of his reverie with the next few words. "I needed to talk without outside ears. I've already talked to Sagebrush and Cactus Star, and you're all that's left on my list."

"List?" Dust Demon asked, eyes narrowing as Eclipse rolled onto the ground beside the dusty brown pony.

"An offer from the royal sisters." Eclipse explained. "Sagebrush was offered to move to Canterlot, join the royal guard and send Cactus Star to Canterlot public school as a reward for helping me here. Also, he'll be evaluated for spectre training."

"Spectre?" Dust Demon breathed out. "As in, you?"

"Aye. That be me message." Eclipse responded, tilting his pirate hat.

"Will you get rid of that thing!?"

"Killjoy." Eclipse rolled his eyes, allowing the hat to disappear in a puff of smoke. "Anyway, you get a similar offer. Come in, get evaluated. Even if you fail, you'll be given a job. Name your job. Weather pony, guard, baker, etc. As well as moving to Canterlot."

"Why?"

"Don't know." Eclipse said, taking a bite out of an apple. "Ask the princesses. Personally, I think it's a really pathetic excuse to keep a few characters or something."

"What?"

Sighing, Eclipse tossed the half eaten apple away. "Just say yes or no."

"What did Sagebrush say?" Dust Demon asked, hoping for a prompt or clue as to what he should say.

"I hate offering red versus blue, so I'm not influencing your decision." Eclipse grinned. "Answer now, and learn what your friend said later. But the choice isn't locked in stone, anyway."

Dust Demon glanced back at Appleloosa, seeing the town he had lived in for so long. Secretly, his mind had pounced on the idea of leaving and joining the princesses. Hell, if he could help stop whatever happened here from happening to other cites, stop the fighting...

He shook his head a little to clear it. Dust Demon was practical, all things considered. If the princesses called for somepony to test if they could become one of their agents, that pony would undoubtedly pass.But why would they call on him? Or Sagebrush? Was it the lack of any major emotional ties to the town? Sure, without a relationship, things didn't weigh on him to stay, but there had to be more to it. How much influence did Eclipse have on the princesses, anyway?

Voicing his final concern, Dust Demon was shocked at the response.

Eclipse had shrugged, chuckling heavily. "Haven't really tested that, yet. I don't like the idea of having any."

Dust Demon slowly rose to his hooves. "When the town is free, I'll go."

"Great!" Eclipse said jovially. "Now, what do you think that image is? The lantern with a rising sun inside of it? Their name?"

"Don't know. Probably."

"Light of the daybreak!" Eclipse said, waving a hoof to gesture at the zeppelin. "Rising flame! Dawn's Light! Sun's glow!"

"I like the third one." Dust Demon said, looking through the telescope again. "It sounds nice. Plus, it's printed underneath the picture."

Pulling out a spyglass of his own--which Dust Demon immediately disliked since it was larger than the one he had been given--Eclipse looked at the airship again. "Huh. How'd I miss that?"

Eclipse and Dust Demon trudged into the encampment, talking, but not very loudly. Sagebrush almost immediately wandered over, casting a curious look towards Dust Demon. The pegasus nodded once, the both of them breathing a little easier after Sagebrush's sigh of relief.

Eclipse left in search of Fateweaver, hoping to catch the buffalo shaman wherever he may be.

It didn't take long to find him, the buffalo having also been looking for Eclipse.

Pulling the earth pony to the side, Fateweaver leveled a hard stare at him. "Eclipse, I have something you may want to know. It's concerning our enemies."

Eclipse frowned. "What about?"

"I had a friend of mine scout out the town even while your pegasus friend did the same."

"A friend?" Eclipse asked, grinning. "Have you been keeping secrets from me?"

Fateweaver ignored the playful barb. "The minotaur in the town. He's after you, especially. Him and that mare you fought in the mine."

"I take it they don't want to have dinner with me."

Fateweaver sighed. "Be careful, Eclipse. Even with both disharmony and honesty, you aren't a god. You aren't even particularly powerful compared to some of the players in the field of life."

"I get it, okay?" Eclipse moaned. "Discord, Celestia, Luna, Cadence, very probably Twilight Sparkle, if she's still alive then Chrysalis. But those aren't the people I'm fighting. Let the minotaur come. And make sure he brings Royal."

A sharp whistle caught the pair's attention. Looking over, they found Silverstar briskly trotting up to them. "It's time." The Sheriff gave the two a curt nod when he reached them. "Hope ya'll are ready. The buffalo tribes are both moving out. All that's left is my rebels and the folks you have, Eclipse."

Eclipse eyed him skeptically. "Why so soon? I thought we'd at least have another day."

Fateweaver smiled from behind Eclipse's back. "I believe that you can cope with the surprise."

Keeping a snarl to himself, Eclipse whirled away from the two, taking a quick stride even as he heard the two behind him quickly turn and follow. Bringing his disharmony to a spike, Eclipse grinned to himself. Those storm clouds Dust Demon had seen near Appleloosa would certainly prove useful after all.