LOVE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT HARD ON ME

Chapter 22: Hazard

From her hiding spot, Plain Sight was well out of view, but was able to see everything going on at the entrance to Twilight's home. She saw her kiss Trixie and Sunny Days,then bid them farewell as she left for her journey to Nyx's library. The studious mare had packed her saddlebags full of research materials, but apparently had learned to not overpack her bags when going further than the library or schoolhouse.

As she stealthily followed her mark down the street, totally ignoring Derpy as the mailmare flew by and crashed into a hanging sign over a store, she couldn't help but consider what might happen if she were to confront her now. Plain Sight shook her head to clear it of distracting thoughts, determined to not be the one who let her down. Twilight paused at Applejack's stand, and acquired a few apples for the road before continuing on her way.

As they left the town limits, she could hear Twilight humming to herself a happy little tune, possibly one that Pinkie-Pie had come up with on the spot last week. She's good for that; getting a song stuck in your head.

Plain Sight's senses came alive as the hackles on the back of her neck rose. It took her a moment to find the cause of the feeling, but really, there was no doubt that her protection would fail, especially not to a mere assassin vine. Quick as thought, she picked up a dead branch from the forest floor and hurled it, slapping the thorny vine. The assassin vine immediately contracted around the branch, snapping it in two, and alerting Twilight to it's presence.

The librarian jumped away from the previously hidden danger, putting a safe distance between her and it. Plain Sight smiled in satisfaction. Atta girl, but you need to pay better attention in the Everfree. This ain't no playground.

The master spy breathed a little easier when they finally reached the library, and Twilight was safely inside. She settled down amongst the ruins, awaiting for her charge to reemerge.

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Twilight sighed in frustration and set the giant tome aside, next to the towering pile of books. She leaned back in her cushion, took off her glasses, and scrubbed her eyes with her hooves. Looking to her left, she spied the four stacks of books she had yet to go through with growing trepidation. She spied Kat floating back with yet another pile of books in her arms, and sighed as it was set next to the four other unread piles. “Okay, Kat. I think that's enough for now, thanks.”

The arcaneficarum smiled down at her brightly, and hovered nearby. Twilight stood and stretched, then placed the glasses on a book and looked over at the waterclock against the wall in front of her. “Six hours? Definitely time for a break. Kat, which way to the little filly's room?”

The ghostly figure beckoned her, and lead her past several anatomical models of various creatures, including ponies and griffons, to a room near Nyx's private office. She stood aside to let the mare enter, and was about to follow her in, when Twilight gently, but firmly pushed her back out.

“I think I can take it from here, thanks,” Twilight said with a smirk. She went to the sink and splashed some water on her face, washing away the weariness that had accumulated there. She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed wearily. I wish we could step up this experiment already. I'm tired of these constant nightmares. But, I guess we couldn't get objective evidence that way, then. She splashed herself again then squeaked the faucet off. Alright, Twilight, just think about tomorrow night. We move on to Pinkie, Rainbow and Fluttershy all sharing the night. Maybe that will help instead of just Applejack and Rarity.

Feeling somewhat refreshed, she walked out of the bathroom and noticed right away that Kat was no longer there. “Huh. Guess she was called away for more work,” she reasoned with a shrug. Twilight walked past Nyx's office again and poked her head in, hoping to talk to her about her progress (or more accurately, lack thereof) on her current project. “Nyx? You in?”

Twilight cautiously walked into the room and looked around. It was a disarray that she had only seen in her own, most rigorous study sessions. Books lay in piles everywhere, stacks of paper were scattered about, most covered in scribbles. Cups half full of tea or coffee, or even more arcane beverages dotted the room like flagpoles, declaring this pile of book for some nation, or that end table for a Principality.

Carefully picking her way through the room, Twilight quickly came to the conclusion that the head librarian was indeed not in. Not wanting to disturb what was obviously a hardcore study session, she turned about and was on her way back to the door, when she passed a couch, and something jumped out to grab her attention. More specifically, it was a book with her name on it, literally.

She stopped dead in her tracks and shook her head. Nah, it couldn't be. It's probably just some book on crepuscular magic. Indeed, the book was written in an ancient form of Equish, and the word that caught her attention could be used for that brief time between day and night, but also was used for magic. Curiosity piqued, she levitated the books above it, allowing her to pull the thin tome out to examine. I am curious as to what sort of spells it might contain, though. Just a quick flip-through, and then I'll put it right back.

A quick examination of the cover told her a lot about the book. It was bound in some sort of tough, gray-green substance that defied Twilight's experience. The faded gold lettering on the front bore the same word as the spine, declaring either twilight or magic, and was deeply embossed by hoof. Holding the book in her hooves somehow felt... familiar to the mare, but she couldn't quite place the feeling into a proper frame of reference. Twilight opened the cover, and as her eyes fell on the pages within, they went wide.

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Rubbing her tired eyes with a paw did little to alleviate the dark circles around them, but Nyx did feel a little better. She planted the paw back on the floor and looked at Onyx with consternation. “So why can't we connect to Twilight's library in Ponyville? We did just fine with the Canterlot Royal Archive.”

“It's not a matter of can't, but rather one of we shouldn't,” Onyx replied. He gestured to the floating arcaneficarum beside the sphinx and said, “If we do that, it means that she can go there at will. Are you willing to put up with that? You know her fascination with her and what can happen.”

Nyx blushed a little, and glared at the dragon. “Don't you mean my fascination with her?”

Onyx shrugged, unapologetic. “Amounts to the same thing. Your feelings are hers, after all; she just has less self-control when it comes to her.”

“Are you sure this isn't just a case of jealousy on your part?” Nyx asked with a sly smile, pointing a wing at him.

The dragon raised an eyebrow at her. “Excuse me?”

Nyx leaned forward and whispered, “All three of us know how you looked up to her, admired her, but never was able to express it to her before she... was taken from us. Are you sure that you're not just jealous that she was able to be more honest than you were?”

Onyx's eyes took on a dangerous glint, and his voice was stern and unyielding as he whispered back, “Let's get a few things straight here. Princess Twilight is not that pony. They may share certain traits, but that does not make her the same person. Secondly, I did express my gratitude to her at every available chance, I just didn't drape myself over her whenever the opportunity presented itself.”

“I never-”

“Third, I will never be jealous of Kat. I work with her, I respect her, I even like her; but jealous?” Onyx shook his head, then suddenly stopped. “Wait, has Kat recovered enough to subdivide, yet?”

Shaking her head, Nyx replied, “No, not yet. She needs about another three or four months before her energy reserve has been replenished enough to make even one copy. Why?”

Onyx started to look very concerned. “Then who's watching Twilight?”

They stared at each other for a moment, then ran back to where they last knew she had been. The bathroom was empty, but in the silence, they head the sound of a page turning emanating from Nyx's office. The sphinx burst into the room, startling Twilight into dropping the book she had been perusing. Nyx ran over and laid a massive paw on Twilight's withers. “Are you alright? You didn't trigger any magical traps, did you?”

Twilight gently pushed her paw away. “No, I'm fine; but I would like to know more about this book. It's fascinating. I never thought about splitting up one's magical power like this, but it looks awfully risky. Who authored this? It read like it was an alicorn, but...”

Nyx chewed on her lip as she plucked the book from Twilight's telekinetic field. “I'm afraid this particular book is off limits. The magics within its pages are too terrible to just let loose on the world. As for who wrote it... it was an old friend of mine,” she finished sadly.

With a downcast look, Twilight muttered, “Oh. Sorry. I didn't mean to intrude, but I wanted to talk to you about my current project. I can see you're exhausted though, So I'll let you get some rest.” She started to back out of the room, when she was stopped by a paw on her shoulder.

“Wait,” Nyx said hastily. She smiled weakly at her. “I... I'd love to discuss it with you, Twilight.” She led the pony out of her office and directed her to the private apartments where she and Onyx lived.

Twilight smiled up at her and was soon engrossed with relating the details of her newest obsession.

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Blueblood closed the cell door with a CLANK, and shook his head in amazement. “I must say, Minister, that I'm surprised to find you out here playing sheriff in addition to your parliamentary duties.”

Rugged Peak tossed back her navy-blue mane and laughed. “No' 'alf as surprised as I was to see you take those tossers down like tha'! Stroike me boy, you've done some growin' in the last few months.” She led the way back out of the jail to her office and plopped down on her chair which creaked as she put her rear hooves up on the desk. “Bu' yeah, I have t'wear a lotta hats out 'ere in Barnmouth, 'cause there aren't enough heads out 'ere to wear the bloody things.”

“I know what you mean, Minister,” Blueblood replied. “Out in Dodge Junction, there barely enough ponies to form a city council, and I'm forced to be adjudicator, prosecutor, and crowd control, as well as being the representative for law and royal authority. I was just surprised that a minister would have the time to be sheriff as well.”

Pouring them both a glass of whiskey, Rugged Peak replied, “You can stop wi' tha' 'Minister' rubbish. I leave tha' hat back in Can'erlot. So what brings you to our li'l corner of paradise? Want t'talk more stra'egy, or you finally ready to move against your Pop?”

Blueblood smiled grimly, but shook his head. “Afraid not. As well informed as I am, my information is often weeks, or even months old by the time it gets to me. I'm leaving the tactical situation to a trusted friend back in Canterlot.” He sat down and downed the shot glass in one gulp, then turned it upside down on the table. “No, what brings me here is a request by the mayor of Barnmouth for additional help keeping the border with Griffonia secure. She said she wanted to step up the patrols here, and needed a few more ponies on the job.”

Rugged Peak sat up and looked at him in confusion. “First I heard of it.” She leaned over and opened the window with her one wing, shouting at a passing pony. “Oy! Go fetch Paper Pusher!”

“Get off your bum an' fetch 'er yourself!”

“Don't make me come out there an' deal with you. Jus' go tell Paper Pusher I need to see 'er in me office, tout de suite.” Rugged Peak leaned back and saw the look of amusement on Blueblood's face. “Wot?”

“It always amazes me how relaxed formalities are out on the frontier,” the unicorn replied.

The one-winged pegasus returned his grin, and the front door opened to admit an elderly-looking earth pony mare. Though obviously getting on in years, she had enough pep left in her to stride over to Rugged Peak confidently, and slam a hoof down on her desk. “What's all this about 'fetching ponies', then, eh? I'm not some packet of crisps to be brought to you when you're feeling peckish.”

“Oh, don't get your knickers in a twist, love,” Rugged Peak replied with a dismissive wave of a hoof. “I needed to talk with th' mayor an' ask why she's sendin' out for bobbies when you already have me an' a halfway decent militia. Care to fill me in?”

Paper pusher actually looked mildly offended. “I did no such thing! Though, now tha' you mention it, we could do with a spare sheriff when you're off doing your hoity toity nonsense up in Can'erlot. Even when 'ee ain't pissed, Bamstick ain't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer.”

Rugged Peak rubbed her chin in thought. “You didn't? Sounds like some bloke did it for you then, 'cause Blueblood 'ere got orders to tha' effect.”

Paper Pusher looked over the stallion as if noticing him for the first time. “Roight, you'll do,” she said , and tried to lead him off by the hoof, but was stopped by the pegasus.

“'Old on, 'old on! You can't just run off with 'im now that 'ee's 'ere,” Rugged Peak declared. “C'lestia knows we get bugger-all in the way of 'elp out 'ere, but somepony sent 'im 'ere, and we be'er figure out 'oo.”

“Unfortunately, I think I already know 'who'; I just need to work out 'why',” Blueblood answered.

Rugged Peak raised an eyebrow at him questioningly. “You don't think...”

Blueblood nodded grimly and pulled out a crumpled up sheet of paper. “I'd stake my rank on it; and I think this missing pony report is a good place to start.”

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“But the Great and Powerful Sunny Days was unafraid! While other ponies may cower in their homes, waiting in fear for the threat to pass, she was not content to let the menace of the pride on manticores go on uncontested!” Trixie struck a dramatic pose, causing Sunny to clap appreciatively. Her horn glowed, levitating several stuffed animals onto the bed, all led by the fearsome Mr. Bun-bun.

“So the Brave and Unequaled Sunny Days marched out into the plains to personally face down the evil manticores.” The toys stalked towards the filly, who was now standing and trying her best to look menacing, but failing utterly. She lowered her front down into a crouch, but left her rear up in the air and waving her stubby tail like a flag. The scowl on her face as she “roared” at them would have almost, but not quite instilled fear into the stuffed animals she faced down.

“All at once, the manticores leaped into the attack, biting and clawing for all their worth, but the Stupendous and Ineffable Sunny Days easily deflected their paltry attacks as if they were mere wind.” The stuffed animals pounced onto Sunny, but she met them halfway and collided with them in midair. They fell to the bed in a jumble, with all the “manticores” viciously attacking Sunny. “Using the powerful magic within her horn, the Amazing and Supreme Sunny Days threw the manticores as if they were mere kittens!” The stuffed animals darted away from her like magnets repelling like poles, while the filly stood on her hind legs as if she had just burst free of chains.

Suddenly unsupported, she fell over backwards laughing uproariously. Cheerilee walked into the bedroom just then and let her saddlebags fall at the door. She walked over to the bed and plopped down on it, sending Sunny into the air with the bounce. Trixie leaned over and kissed the plainly exhausted teacher. “Rough day?”

Cheerilee just groaned and buried her face into the bedding. Sunny walked over to her and hugged her head with a great smile. “Mmm, Mommy...”

All of a sudden, Cheerilee rolled over onto her back and grabbed Sunny up in her hooves. She held the filly close, and a beatific expression came over her face. “Oh, I've been waiting for this aaalll day. You been good for Mama, Sunshine?”

“She's been a delight, like always. Exhausting, but a delight, nonetheless,” Trixie replied. “Luckily, around lunchtime, our neighbor came over to borrow some sugar, and she helped me watch her. She even offered to make a portrait of her at a reasonable price, too.”

Cheerilee held Sunny up so she could look at her first born. Like always, a smile crept over her as she beheld her daughter. “I think that's a wonderful idea. How many prints, though? All the grandparents will want one for themselves.”

Trixie put a hoof to her chin in mock thought. “For a painting? I imagine the price was for just the one.”

“Oh, a painting! I hadn't even considered that!” She cooed at Sunny in a babyish voice, “You hear that, Sunshine! You're going to be immortalized in paint!” Without taking her eyes from her foal, she asked, “I take it Twi's not back yet from her research trip?”

“Well, she did say that she would likely miss dinner, so we should go ahead without her, Trixie replied

Fighting back a massive yawn, Cheerilee ventured to ask, “I don't suppose you have it made and ready to go, do you?”

Trixie grinned at her fellow herd-wife's laziness. “As a matter of fact, it is.” She couldn't help but laugh at Cheerilee's double-take. “Tomato soup has been stewing for a couple of hours now, and I was waiting for you to get home to start on the grilled cheese and daisy sandwiches.”

“Homemade soup?”

“The only one I know how to make,” Trixie grinned.

A loud crash followed by the sound of something shattering broke the tranquility, and the mares ran out of the room, to find Spike standing over a picture frame that had been hanging on the wall. He held up his paws and said, “Don't look at me. I was in my room in the basement. I found it like this too.”

Trixie picked up the picture with her magic, catching the broken glass falling from it. “Well, be a dear and fetch the broom and dustpan, then. We'll need to clean this up before anypony steps on it, Spike.” While the dragon ran off to get the requested items, Trixie turned the picture so she could see which one it was. Spitfire's grinning face stared back at her as she held up a trophy. “Well, at least the photo appears undamaged.”

Cheerilee felt a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach as she thought about all the superstitions associated with falling pictures, but mostly about the supposed connection of the even with the health of the person in the picture.

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Looking back at her formation, Spitfire smiled in satisfaction. To think that it only took a week for them to shape up. She snorted to herself derisively. Just the fact that we even needed time to shake down into a proper fighting force says a lot about how complacent we've gotten. When we get back, I'm going to suggest to the Princess we implement stricter training regimens across the board. We are far from ready to take on a hostile nation, superior numbers or not.

Banking to the right, she steered her flight of Wonderbolts on a course that would allow them to circle around a mountain in the distance. She dared not spare a glance at the clouds above her, where her security detail trailed them. They all knew they were there, but did their best to ignore them, especially Fireflash. Her pride was hardest hit by their antics during training sessions, and it seemed like she was taking it personally. If she doesn't straighten up, I'm going to have to transfer her out. She's a good soldier, but has far too much pride for a good Wonderbolt.

A flash of light from the corner of her eye caught Spitfire's attention, and she looked back to see Soarin' breaking formation to pull even with her. “What is it?”

Soarin' jerked his head backwards, saying, “I think I saw something back there. I think it was a pony in the forest.”

“A pony?” Spitfire cried out. “All the ponies on the border towns have been cleared away from the border, haven't they?”

Soarin' shrugged as best he could while flying. “So we've been told. Could be that some didn't get the message, or it's some foals out on a lark.”

Spitfire considered for a moment before saying, “We better go see what's up. It could be somepony in trouble.” Her second nodded, and they performed a wingover, sacrificing altitude so that they could make a tighter turn. Soarin' pointed at a patch of less dense foliage, and she nodded. “Keep your wing aloft and alert. I'll take mine in.”

The Captain circled the patch before heading in, her wingmates following, and noted that there was indeed something unusual down there. A flash of white as well as dark blue, both vaguely pony-shaped was easily seen, so she tightened her downward spiral, braking as she did. The closer she got, the more distinct the shapes became. Definitely a pony or two down there. I wonder what they're doing out here?

They had to fly through the forest canopy, breaking branches as they did. She landed with her five wingmates on a narrow game trail, uniforms bearing tiny rips and tears from the trip. Spitfire looked back at them, and pointed at them, then her eyes. Using her ears in a series of complex motions, she indicated that the two last ponies of her wing take cover in the bushes. Silent as the night, they obeyed and slipped into the shrubbery on either side of the trail.

Satisfied, she led the way down the trail towards the shapes she had seen earlier. The trail widened a little, and she saw a small, white filly, her hind leg trapped under a broken branch, and a dark blue stallion, lying unconscious nearby. The little filly was crying, obviously in pain and scared, but still Spitfire approached cautiously. “Hey there, it's okay, Little One. We're here to help,” she said in her most calming voice.

The filly looked up at her, allowing the Wonderbolts to see the bruises and cuts that covered her. “Run, Lady!” she shouted just as Spitfire was within reach.

Immediately, the forest came alive and attacked the pegasi. At least, that's what it felt like to them. Eight griffons threw aside the magical cloaks they had been using to hide, and leaped into action. Three ebon-feathered griffons leaped at Spitfire, while one went for each of the rest of her wing. Scaryx swiped at Spitfire, but she easily dodged the clumsy attack, but it put her within reach of one of his partners, and he managed to snap his beak onto her tail, and with a jerk of his head, flung her into a tree. She fell to the ground, breath knocked from her, but she still landed on her hooves, and kicked off to rocket back at her assailant.

Above the trees, Soarin' was about to call for his wing to dive in to support their fellow Wonderbolts, but was surprised when another six griffons dived down from the clouds where they had lain in hiding. He suddenly found himself fighting to return to the fighting formation they had left to assume lookout. He didn't have to tell them to return, and smiled as they jinked and dived in an effort form up on him. The smile was short-lived as he felt a claw gouge deeply into his flank, right where his cutie mark lay.

Back on the ground, Spitfire's team was having a bad time of it. Already, the two who had gone into the bushes for a flanking maneuver had been taken down from behind. They were left unconscious as their attackers leaped into the fray to assist their brethren against the pegasi.

Spitfire somersaulted off the chest of the griffon into which she had plowed, landing hoof first against the trunk of a tree, and used it to propel herself at another. However, Scaryx took her by surprise this time, swiping at her wing as she passed him, taking most of her secondary flight feathers, and scraping the limb itself. Hissing in pain, she spiraled out of control and plowed face first into the ground, digging a furrow as she did. The pegasus fought through the pain, and used her forward momentum to flip herself upright, landing on her hooves, but not without a stagger.

The goggles had been torn off during the skid, and blood from a scrape on her forehead dripped into her eye, effectively blinding it. Spitfire saw that despite taking down one of the three griffons that initially went after her, another had replaced the fallen, leaving her with the same number of attackers. Pawing at the ground aggressively, she snorted and lowered her head.

Soarin' flew for all his worth, but just could not shake his pursuer. It was not until Fireflash plowed into the griffon from above that he was able to do something other than run. He looped around and returned the favor, taking the one pursuing her out of the sky. With the breathing space to do so, He looked around and smiled as he saw a brown flash dive into the foliage below, and a similar lilac streak heading back towards the Euryale.

Spitfire bucked the griffon to her right and smiled as she heard the breath whoosh out from his lungs. A high-pitched squeal of terror caught her attention, and she turned to see a griffon standing over the filly, claw raised to strike. “NO!” she cried and zipped over as fast as she could, despite the wounded wing.

Scaryx was waiting for this however, and tackled her to the ground just short of her goal. They rolled until coming to a stop, the griffon on top. He immediately began clawing and snapping at his smaller opponent, but Spitfire wasn't going down easy. She bucked at his abdomen, eliciting painful grunts from him and felt a definite SNAP behind at least one of her kicks, but he let out a real scream when she bit down on a talon, not letting go; even when he started wildly pummeling and scratching her face with his free forepaw.

The weight on her chest was suddenly lifted, and Spitfire looked to her left to see the black griffon tangled up in a pile with Limnear. They moved too fast for her addled mind to pick out, and they sounded like a flock of eagles were put in a sack of cats, then thrown into a river; but she could tell that Limnear definitely had the upper hoof- er, paw.

The griffoness clawed at Scaryx with wild abandon, as if one of her own cubs were being threatened. The larger male griffon was so taken by surprise at her attack, that it took him almost a full second to fight back; a second that he didn't have to waste. By that time, Limnear had gouged open his belly with her hind paw, narrowly missing ripping his penis sheath apart as well, and bit down on a foreleg, breaking it, and nearly snapping it off.

Scaryx knew he was overmatched, and rabbit kicked Limnear in the gut, sending her sprawling to the forest floor. He scrambled to his legs and sprinted towards the undergrowth, shouting in Griffish, “<Scatter!>”

Immediately, all the attacking griffons flew off in different directions, leaving behind confused and wounded pegasi. Limnear ran over to Spitfire, and sniffed at the bleeding mare. Her uniform was shredded, and there was so much blood on her face, it was difficult to tell just where she was wounded. One eye was completely swollen shut, and several teeth were missing; and it was self-evident that her body had suffered as well. The Wonderbolt captain spat out the talon in her mouth, looked up at her and croaked out, “Is... the filly... safe?”

Limnear glanced over to the crying filly and the prone stallion, but from this distance, it was difficult to tell anything. “She's fine Captain. Just hold on, help is on the way. Got my fastest flyer dispatched for reinforcements.”

Coughing up a gout of blood, Spitfire replied, “Good. Knew I could count on you and Soarin'... so... 'pendable...” Suddenly, she eyes shifted like she was looking past the griffon and she smiled, reaching out a hoof. “Twi...”

Limnear looked behind herself, but saw nothing. When she turned back, she saw that the pegasus had closed her eyes, and despite all her urging, would not open them.

Author's Notes:

::hides in bunker::
::awaits hailstorm of hate::
::wonders if anyone will understand the reference in a chapter title that oblique::

Pregnancy Counter:
Trixie: 9 months

Twilight: 5 months

Sunny Days: 1 1/2 months old

The usual disclaimers go here. I own the arrangement of the words, Plain Sight, Kat, Nyx, Onyx, Rugged Peak, Paper Pusher, Sunny Days, and Limnear. All else belongs to Hasbro and Lauren Faust.