//------------------------------// // Volume 55 - Chapter 1 - Broken Paths // Story: The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds // by Kamahido //------------------------------// Arc opens his eyes to the first few rays of dawn streaming through his window. Looking outside as a robin perches on a branch nearby begins singing, Arc smiles and turns to look down at the mare. Derpy lies on him with her body pressed against his lovingly. Turning his head, Arc sees Dinky curled up next to him on his right as Scootaloo lays on his left. As Arc looks to the fillies, he suddenly feels a tongue on his cheek and Derpy’s voice ringing out softly in the otherwise still room. “Good morning, sleepyhead.” Arc: turns to look at her again. “And a good morning it is.” Scootaloo raises her head as she grins. “With Big Brother here with us, every morning is a good one.” Dinky calls out as she giggles. “Yeah!” Derpy smiles sheepishly as she addresses the foals. “Sorry you two. I honestly wasn’t trying to wake you both up so early.” Arc chuckles. “Nor was I. But as long as we’re all awake, how about some breakfast?” Scootaloo stands. “That sounds good to me.” Dinky also gets to her hooves. “Me too!” Derpy giggles. “I wouldn’t mind sleeping a bit longer.” Scootaloo looks at Derpy lying on Arc’s chest. “Yes, we all know how much you like that position, mom.” Dinky nods. “Dad is really warm, yes.” Scootaloo shrugs. “True, that he is. But I’m guessing mom just likes the physical contact with Big Brother.” Derpy blushes nervously as she looks sheepishly to Arc. “Yes, well… maybe I shouldn’t be doing this with small eyes on us.” Arc sighs. “If it makes you feel uncomfortable…” Dinky interrupts her father. “No, it’s fine with us, dad!” Scootaloo smiles at her parents. “Me too! It’s actually really… nice to watch.” Arc sits up slowly to allow Derpy to back up onto his legs. “What do you mean, Scootaloo?” Scootaloo hops off the bed. “I’ll tell you after we’re all up.” Dinky jumps up and down happily. “I’m already up!” Arc stretches. “Then how about breakfast at Shelly’s Kitchen?” Derpy smiles happily. “That does sound nice, yes.” Arc looks to Derpy as he slowly gets up so as not to knock anyone over. “Do you have to work today?” Derpy shakes her head. “Not until mid-morning, no.” Dinky looks at a paper on the end table next to her. “It says here that Heathcliff and Gallus were scheduled for breakfast today.” Scootaloo grins. “So now mom gets time off.” Derpy nods as she too hops off the bed. “Yes, well… I’m just a part time employee now, after all.” Dinky grins. “And it’s been great having both of you here with Scootaloo and I this past month!” Arc tousles her mane.” I’ve loved every minute of it as well, sweetheart. Now then, why don’t we all brush our teeth and head over to the restaurant?” Scootaloo looks to Dinky. “Let’s go!” “Right behind you!” The two fillies run out of the room as Arc and Derpy head for the door together. They watch as Dinky and Scootaloo begin brushing their manes in front of the bathroom mirror. Derpy leans against Arc happily as she speaks. “It really is nice having you here full time, Arc.” “And I’ve enjoyed being here for Dinky and Scootaloo on a regular basis too.” Derpy motions to the bathroom. “There’s just one small problem.” Arc chuckles. “The fact that your place only has one bathroom?” Derpy nods. “Right.” “Well, the new place will have private quarters for everyone along with an equal number of bathrooms fortunately.” Derpy looks around and sighs. “I wonder if I’ll miss this though. The sharing of bathrooms and quarters, I mean.” “According to the blueprints, your ‘apartment’ will be nearly identical to this place in both layout and size.” “So, I guess I’ll still be sharing one bathroom with Dinky and Scootaloo.” Arc nods. “At least until they’re a bit older, yes. Then, if they want, I’ll have private rooms built for them along with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.” Derpy looks to the fillies wistfully as they begin brushing their teeth. “I’m sure they’ll be all grown up before I know it.” Arc puts a hand on Derpy’s shoulder as he kneels down. “And I’m looking forward to being here with all of you for that.” A few minutes later the pair run out of the bathroom together. Approaching their parents, they call out to them. Dinky is the first to speak. “All done!” Scootaloo gestures to the bathroom door with a hoof. “Now it’s you and dad’s turn.” Derpy giggles as she trots forward. “Thank you.” Arc smiles at the pair. “Don’t worry. We won’t be long.” Entering the bathroom together, Derpy picks up a brush as Arc closes the door and jumps into the shower. A few minutes later as she finishes, Derpy puts down the brush and picks up a toothbrush. Getting to work brushing her teeth, Arc steps out and quickly dries off. Grabbing the other toothbrush, he looks at it for a moment before turning to Derpy. “Um… I think you grabbed the wrong one.” Derpy pulls the toothbrush from her mouth and looks it over. “Opps! I didn’t realize that this one is yours!” Arc chuckles as he holds out the other one. “Here you go.” Derpy smiles nervously as she accepts it. “Sorry about that.” Arc shrugs as he trades her. “No harm done.” I’ll see about getting you a new one while we’re in town.” Arc smiles as he rinses the toothbrush off. “No need to do that. After all, this one’s still perfectly good.” Derpy watches as Arc runs the toothbrush under that tap before putting new toothpaste onto it. Together they brush their teeth and rinse in silence. When they can talk again, Derpy looks to him apologetically. “I’ll try to be more careful in the future.” Arc shrugs. “Mistakes happen.” Derpy sighs. “Admittedly, I do that almost every day.” “You do?” Derpy bows her head. “Every other time I’ve been able to catch myself before I actually start brushing though.” Arc chuckles as he begins dressing. “Well, I suppose that’s just part of being a couple.” Derpy appears confused. “It is?” “Being comfortable enough with one another to share things like toothbrushes, I mean.” “I suppose so. After all, I just felt embarrassed rather than grossed out as I probably would be if it had been anypony else. But that did sound nice coming from you.” Arc smiles as he puts on his tunic. “About the toothbrushes?” Derpy shakes her head. “I meant the part about us being a couple.” “That we are.” Derpy giggles. “And I like it very much.” Arc sits down on the toilet lid and puts on his boots. “Me too. This time I’ve spent with you and the others has really opened my eyes regarding what the future holds for all of us.” Derpy looks to the door. “We should talk about that more on the way to Shelly’s Kitchen.” “Oh?” “Remember, Scootaloo said she wanted to tell us something on the way there.” Leaving the bathroom together, Arc and Derpy walk over to the door where Dinky and Scootaloo are waiting for them. Arc looks to expectant fillies. “Everyone ready?” Dinky raises a hoof. “I am!” Scootaloo grins. “Me too!” Derpy giggles. “Then let’s go!” Arc pushes open the door and holds it to allow the others to pass. Closing it behind them, they begin walking down the path. Taking a deep breath of the clean morning air he speaks. “We’re on our way.” Derpy smiles. “Together. Like a family.” Scootaloo nods. “Yeah. Um… can I tell you something, Big Brother?” “Sure. Do you want to do it privately though?” “Nah. It’s just about that something I mentioned when we woke up.” Dinky appears confused. “That thing you said you wanted to wait until we left to talk about?” “Yup.” Derpy looks to Scootaloo warmly. “Go ahead, dear.” “It’s about you and Big Brother sleeping together, mom.” “Does it bother you?” Scootaloo shakes her head. “Not at all. In fact, I think that you two should be able to do everything that a married couple does.” Dinky raises an eyebrow. “What do you mean by ‘everything’?” Scootaloo nods. “Literally what I said. Up to and included sexual intercourse.” Derpy gasps. “What?!” Arc appears surprised. “But… but your mother…! I thought that you of all fillies would be against such a…!” Scootaloo interrupts him. “It’s okay, Big Brother. I can tell that you and mom really do love each other.” She sighs and stops walking before continuing. “My… biological parents… well… my mom was only doing what my dad wanted her to. Lifting her tail every night wasn’t due to them being in love, mind you.” Derpy frowns. “Then why would they be together at all?” Scootaloo bows her head. “I don’t really know. My original mom must’ve seen something in him that I didn’t.” Arc kneels down in front of her. “Scootaloo. Um… I need you to understand that what I’m about to say is just my personal opinion, and all. But I got the feeling that she stayed with Shadow because she wanted you to have a family. Dysfunctional as things were back there, your mother did love you very much.” Scootaloo gestures to Derpy with a hoof. “I know she did, Big Brother. And I’m sure that she’d also approve of mom here taking over for her. It’s just…” She sighs before continuing. “…it’s just… every night when they were having sex on the kitchen table, or wherever… I never felt that there was any love involved in it. Just… just them going through the motions of trying to conceive again.” Arc groans. “Yeah. They just wanted to be able to have a foal again.” “But I know for a fact that if you and mom were to do that together it wouldn’t be anything like what my parents did.” Dinky appears confused. “What do you mean, Scootaloo?” Scootaloo smiles. “It’d be tender and loving. Big Brother would be careful not to hurt mom while having sex and, if they were to conceive a foal, I know that both of them would care for and love the new arrival just as much as they love you and I, Dinky.” Arc nods. “That we would. We’d care for the newcomer like we do you two.” Scootaloo looks to Arc. “And you’d do the same for Rarity and Applejack too, Big Brother.” “Right. If I could impregnate them, I mean.” “I’m sure Auriel and her mother will figure it out eventually. But my original point still stands. And that is that I’m okay with you and mom going all the way.” Dinky nods happily. “Me too.” Derpy blushes slightly. “Well, thank you both for that. Your father and I will… keep it in mind.” Arc chuckles nervously. “That we will. Just don’t expect any foals to be coming along anytime soon.” Derpy puts a hoof on her belly. “Yes, as none of us are quite ready for such intimacy just yet. At least I’m not.” Dinky points a hoof down the path. “Then let’s table this discussion and focus on the task at hoof! Getting breakfast!” They all laugh lightheartedly before continuing on their way. A short time later the group arrives at their destination. Lily is just turning their sign around to ‘open’ as the group walks up. She smiles and unlocks the door for them before stepping back to allow the party inside. Kneeling down, she wraps her arms around Dinky and Scootaloo as they do the same to her. The three enjoy a nice hug as Lily speaks. “It’s good to see you little ones again!” Looking up at Arc, she smiles. “They’re getting so big!” Arc chuckles. “Are they?” Derpy leans against Arc. “That they are, Arc.” Hearing voices, Shelly makes her way out of the kitchen and over to the group. Arc walks over and gives his friend a hug as she speaks. “It’s been a while, Arc.” Arc smiles at her. “Like two days, I think.” Shelly giggles. “Has it really been that long?” Lily looks over as she stands up. “No, you were in here yesterday with Princess Twilight getting some lemonade for a picnic.” Arc taps the side of his head. “Ah! Right! Forgot about that.” Dinky grins. “We just stopped in for breakfast!” Scootaloo giggles. “Can we have some pancakes please?” Shelly nods at them. “I think that could be arranged, yes.” Lily leads them over to the largest booth as Shelly hands them menus and continues. “Not sure if you’ll need them, but here’s what we have.” Arc accepts the menus. “Thanks. I’ll have an order of French Toast with milk, please.” Derpy takes one of the menus. “Not sure what I want though.” Scootaloo raises a hoof. “Pancakes for me, please.” Dinky grins. “Same here!” Lily looks to Derpy. “Do you need a few more minutes to look things over?” “I think so, yes.” Arc looks to Shelly. “So has Max come around lately?” Shelly nods. “Oh yes. In fact, since you and your squad more or less retired, he’s moved in with Lily and I.” The young woman appears suddenly nervous before continuing. “I… um… I hope that’s okay.” Arc appears confused. “Why wouldn’t it be. It’s your place here, after all.” Shelly sighs. “Well, I probably should have asked first, what with you being his commanding officer, and all.” Arc shrugs. “Not so much anymore. After all, I’m retired now.” Shelly appears hopeful. “So, you’re okay with him and I living together?” Arc nods. “If that’s what makes you happy, then I’m happy that you’re happy, Shelly.” Lily giggles. “That’s a lot of ‘happys’.” Shelly breathes a sigh of relief. “Good! I just didn’t want you getting upset with him and I sleeping together.” Lily gasps as she puts her hands on Dinky and Scootaloo’s heads. “Shelly, please! Little ears!” Dinky smiles. “It’s fine!” Scootaloo nods. “Yes, we understand that adults have certain needs.” Derpy looks to Lily. “That and the four of us often share Arc’s bed at home too. By the way, I think I’ll have toast and eggs with a side of hash browns.” Lily writes down the order. “Alright, I’ll put this right in.” Arc turns to Shelly as Lily walks away. “I guess that’s everyone. And please don’t worry about me being upset with what you and Max do. After all, we’re not little kids anymore.” Shelly smiles warmly. “Thank you, Arc. It makes me feel a lot better knowing that you approve of what I’m doing.” Arc looks around. “Speaking of Max, is he around?” Shelly motions to the double doors leading to the kitchen. “He’s doing some prep work in the back with Gunther.” Derpy puts a hoof to her chin thoughtfully. “Gunther? I remember seeing him at the orphanage a time or two. Not sure why he was there though. Dinky turns to her mother. “He was getting some more advanced books on reading from Miss Cheerilee one time.” Scootaloo giggles. “I overheard her say something about his reading greatly improving.” Arc smiles. “That’s good. He doing alright here?” Shelly nods. “Oh, yes. He’s gotten to the point where he can read our entire menu without any help.” Derpy grins. “That’s pretty good. Considering he hasn’t had much time here in Equestria.” Shelly shrugs. “Well, every evening he studies his workbooks and practices reading aloud with Lily and I.” Scootaloo nods approvingly. “I’m sure that helps a lot.” Derpy taps the table with a hoof. “When I was originally learning to read myself, I didn’t really have anypony to tell me what words I was saying wrong. That really slowed me down a lot.” Dinky turns to Shelly. “Mom and I used to study together while dad was gone doing his Hero of Light stuff.” Arc chimes in. “But now I’m here to help both of you with your homework.” Shelly puts her hands on his shoulders. “It’s good having you around full time though, Arc. But I should get back to work now.” “Alright.” “Don’t be a stranger now.” She heads to the front counter to greet another batch of early morning customers as Arc turns back to his family. “I’m glad we came in here.” Derpy giggles. “So am I.” Dinky grins. “It’s nice seeing your friends, dad.” Scootaloo looks out the window. “Yeah. Ponyville really is quite the change from Knothole Village.” Dinky appears confused. “How so?” “Everypony is nice to me and to each other. They’re always smiling and laughing too.” Derpy smiles. “I felt the same way when I started meeting the ponies here. They accepted me even though I’m different.” Scootaloo puts a hoof on her mother’s fetlock and flaps her tiny wings. “Me too, mom.” Dinky looks to her father. “I’ve heard that some places treat foals differently if they have a single mother.” “Probably, yes.” Derpy shrugs. “But everypony here has always been very supportive of me and Dinky.” Scootaloo giggles. “That’s ‘Dinky and I’, mom.” Arc sighs. “Same here. I’m guessing not every place in Equestria would have been as accepting of a human suddenly showing up and taking up residence here either.” Dinky grins. “And now you’re one of the most powerful individuals in town, dad!” Arc tousles Dinky’s mane. “I guess it does.” Derpy puts a hoof to her chin thoughtfully. “If I think about it, you are more powerful than the mayor is, I guess.” Scootaloo nods. “I would say so, mom. If Big Brother really wanted to, he could probably walk into Town Hall and assume control of the town.” Arc nods soberly. “Very true. But only in the most dire of circumstances. Like back when there was that sickness going around town.” Dinky grimaces. “When we were on our field trip to Canterlot, dad?” “That’s the one, yes.” Scootaloo raises an eyebrow. “What happened?” Arc frowns. “A bunch of townsponies started acting really… weird. Like they were in a heat beyond their control.” Scootaloo gasps. “Sounds terrible!” “When the mayor showed symptoms of it, that’s when I instituted martial law and locked down the town until the danger had passed.” Dinky turns to her father. “How’d you fix it, dad?” “Someone had cast some kind of ancient love spell on me back then. A simple task to dispel once we found out what the problem was.” Derpy shudders. “Did you even figure out whom did it though?” Arc sighs. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather not talk about it anymore.” A short time later Max and Gunther emerge from the kitchen with their food. Setting the plates in front of their respective diners, Max speaks. “That should be everything.” Gunther holds out a pitcher. “And a jug of milk too, sir.” Arc takes the milk. “Thanks, you two.” Max looks to Arc. “Anything else we can get for you, sir?” Arc chuckles as he shakes his head. “No, I think this should do it. And you two don’t actually have to call me ‘sir’ anymore.” Max grins. “Sorry. It’s just a habit at this point.” Gunther chuckles. “Same here, sir.” Arc shrugs. “Oh well.” He turns to Gunther before continuing. “I’m told you’re really catching on to the idea of reading.” Gunther nods. “Yes sir. It really opened up a whole new world for me.” Max puts a hoof on Gunther’s shoulder. “Miss Pommel down at the orphanage let him borrow a few books from their classroom library yesterday even.” “And I read them all last night. I never really knew that such a wonderful thing existed!” He bows his head before continuing. “I just wish that the others back in the Griffon Kingdom could have found their way here before ‘The Collapse’.” Arc nods soberly. “Agreed. So many were needlessly lost on that day.” Max looks to his former commanding officer. “I heard on the radio the other day that the search teams were just recalled a couple days ago, sir.” “The princesses were holding out hope that survivors would be found in some far-off corner of the country. But it doesn’t appear that they were successful in finding anyone.” Dinky grimaces. “Miss Pommel came and talked to all of us about what happened that day. She got a copy of dad’s speech and played it for all of us the morning after it happened.” Gunther turns to them. “How did the younglings take it?” Scootaloo shrugs. “They didn’t really understand at first. But Miss Cheerilee and Miss Peachbottom were able to break it down for them.” Dinky sighs. “All in all, most of them didn’t have any known families back there. And they had been treated pretty badly in the past by their fellow griffons. So, I don’t think anypony really got too upset with the news.” Gunther bows his head. “I’m ashamed to say that such a thing includes me too. My own parents died when I was very little which forced me to grow up on the streets until I was old enough to join the military about a year ago.” Derpy looks to him. “What about your friends?” “It wasn’t easy to make them, as everyone is taught to be self-reliant and worry only about promotion over forming attachments. So, I never actually made any in there.” Scootaloo puts a small hoof to her chin. “Sounds kinda like me back in Knothole Village. I never really got close to anypony there due to… my deformity and personality. So, I guess if somepony came and told me that the town and everypony in it was destroyed, I probably wouldn’t feel too bad about it.” Dinky frowns. “Seriously, Scootaloo?” Scootaloo shrugs. “You try being looked down on your whole life by everypony around you and see how much empathy you have for them! Big Brother and I cut ties with that place for a very good reason, after all!” Arc nods soberly. “I can’t think of a more extreme way to do so either.” Scootaloo nods. “You mean when we burned down my parent’s place?” “Yeah. They needed to be laid to rest.” Derpy taps the table with a hoof. “Now, now. Both of you have good and valid points.” Gunther looks to Arc. “I understand what your daughters are saying, sir. And I do agree with both of their opinions. But after coming to Equestria and seeing what was available to everyone here, I was kinda hoping that you and the princesses would find a way to export that mentality to the Griffon Kingdom.” Arc sighs. “So was I, Gunther. So was I.” Max motions to the kitchen with a nod. “Well, we should probably let everypony eat now. Sorry for talking your ear off, sir.” Arc smiles at them as he picks up his utensils. “It’s fine. I’m just glad you’re both doing so well.” They begin to eat as Max and Gunther return to the kitchen together. Derpy puts a hoof on Arc’s hand. “I’m sure that you did everything that you could back then.” Arc sighs. “Maybe. But in truth, I’ve been mentally going over everything I did in the Griffon Kingdom pretty much since it happened.” Scootaloo frowns. “A lot of ‘what if’s’, Big Brother?” “Yeah. Trying to piece together how I could have prevented this.” Dinky bows her head. “I don’t think you, or anypony else for that matter, could have though.” Derpy looks through the window at Canterlot in the distance. “Even Princess Celestia didn’t see this coming, Arc. And she’s been around forever.” Scootaloo pats Arc’s hand. “It’s not likely that you’re the only one who’s second guessing themselves about this whole mess, Big Brother.” Arc clenches a fist. “We can’t even accurately count how many died though. Since the bombs broke down organic material, it also dissolved pretty much every scrap of paper in the country as well. Half the houses were more or less melted and deformed in that same way too.” Derpy sighs. “I’m told that the princesses are planning some kind of a sendoff for those whom died that day.” Arc scoffs. “Speeches and whatnot on the radio as they perform some kind of ceremony over there, yes.” Dinky looks to her father. “Are you planning on going with them, dad?” Arc shakes his head. “No, Dinky. I think I’ve done enough to the Griffon Kingdom for one lifetime.” They go back to eating and chatting. Eventually Arc and company finish their meal and stand up. Putting a pile of bits on the edge of the table, Arc looks over to Shelly at the counter. Another great meal at my favorite restaurant!” Shelly waves as she rings up a customer with a to-go order. “Come back anytime, Arc!” Stepping out into the warm morning air, Arc looks down to his little family. “So… what should we do next?” Derpy giggles. “What do you want to do, Arc?” “Just spending time with my family is fine with me. So, I don’t really mind what comes next.” Scootaloo points a hoof. “How about we check in on your former squad, Big Brother?” Dinky grins. “At their new place?” Derpy pats Dinky’s head. “Arc helped them move in, sweetie.” Arc shrugs. “Well, we could see how they’re settling in then.” Turning, Arc leads his family to a decent sized house in the middle of Ponyville. Knocking, he steps back and waits. A few moments later Xenos answers and salutes. “Good day, commander.” Arc chuckles. “You don’t have to do that anymore.” Xenos grins as he lowers his hoof. “Sorry sir. Just a habit at this point. Won’t you come in?” He steps aside to allow Arc and his family inside before closing the door and calling out. “Hey Viktor… Hugh… we’ve got guests!” The pair trot into the entryway. Seeing Arc, they too come to attention and salute. Arc sighs. “Guys… will you please stop that.” Viktor chuckles. “Sorry, sir.” Hugh shrugs. “It’s just a habit for us.” Xenos laughs. “That’s what I said!” Derpy steps forward. “We just wanted to check in and see how you three were doing.” Dinky looks around. “It looks like you settled in nicely.” Scootaloo grins. “Everything’s so nice and new!” Xenos nods. “Yeah. We each got a nice pension for our service with your dad.” Viktor gestures with a hoof. “And our discharge pay was enough to buy this house together.” Hugh grins. “Four bedrooms, two full baths.” Arc nods toward the door. “It looks good. Um… and Max?” Xenos points a hoof out the window. “Moved in with Shelly at her diner.” Derpy giggles. “Yes, we heard that when we went there for breakfast.” Arc nods. “I just wanted to know how you three felt about that.” Viktor smiles. “Great, actually.” Hugh grins. “They really do make a nice couple.” Xenos points a hoof down a corridor. “Yeah. And his room is still here in case he ever needs it again.” Scootaloo shrugs. “I don’t really see that happening though.” Dinky nods. “Right. He and Miss Shelly are always with each other now.” Derpy smiles as she looks up to Arc. “It’s nice that they were able to come together again.” “Agreed. But I am curious about something else too.” Xenos appears confused. “What’s that, sir?” “Now that you three are retired, what have you been up to?” Viktor looks out the window. “We usually head over to the orphanage in the mid-morning to see if we can lend a hoof with anything.” Hugh smiles. “Miss Pommel sometimes has us help with tutoring the foals and younglings.” Xenos grins. “Yeah. Other times she has us doing various janitorial or maintenance tasks around the building.” Viktor shrugs. “If one or more of us aren’t really needed that day then we head to the Writ Board and see about helping out around town.” Arc chuckles. “Like Gunther, eh?” Hugh nods. “Yes sir. Between all of us, we keep the board pretty clear.” Derpy smiles. “That’s good to hear.” Dinky shudders. “I remember how cluttered it was beforehoof.” Arc nods. “So, is there anything else you guys need?” Xenos shakes his head. “Nah, we’re doing alright.” Hugh shrugs. “It’s the simple life for us now.” Viktor looks to Arc. “Sir, there was something I wanted to ask you.” “What is it?” “When you retired, you were given both The Equinox and Light’s Hope to do with what you wanted. I still don’t understand why you chose to put them away in your ring though.” Arc pats his ring as he speaks. “Because I wanted to take them out of circulation.” Hugh raises an eyebrow. “Sir?” “What I mean is, there was always some kind of conflict around them. With both of them in my ring no one can fight over them now.” Xenos shrugs. “I guess not. But the princesses could always build another base.” Viktor chimes in “Or an airship for that matter.” Arc chuckles. “Very true. However, then there wouldn’t be the aura of it having belonged to a Hero of Light. Makes it less prestigious that way. I didn’t want others fighting over whom got to take them over either.” Scootaloo puts a hoof to her chin thoughtfully. “That does kinda make sense now that I think about it.” Dinky shrugs. “I guess. Back then I just kinda thought dad wanted to keep them as souvenirs, or something.” Arc tousles her mane. “That too, I suppose.” Derpy looks up at a wall clock. “In any case, we should probably head over to the orphanage now. Don’t want the fillies to be late for school.” Dinky groans. “Aw…” Scootaloo looks to her mother. “But we were having fun with you and Big Brother.” Arc smiles at them. “I’ll be over to pick you two up after school. Then we can have some more fun.” Dinky grins. “Okay, dad.” Viktor nods. “We’ll come with you, sir.” Xenos steps forward. “Yeah. There should be a bit of work for us over there this morning.” Hugh shrugs. “Might as well get started.” Arc turns and opens the door. “Alright. Let’s get moving then.” Leaving the house, Arc along with his family and friends head down the path together. Arriving at the orphanage a short time later they see a large number of foals hurrying inside. Dinky and Scootaloo run after them as their parents call out. “Be good!” “We’ll see you later this afternoon!” Dinky giggles. “Bye, mom! Bye dad!” Scootaloo looks over her shoulder. “See you!” Arc turns to his former squad as the bell inside rings. “I guess this is where we part ways too.” Viktor nods. “Yes sir.” Hugh points a hoof to the door. “We’ll go see Miss Pommel now.” Xenos grins at Arc. “Yeah. Have a nice morning with Miss Derpy, sir.” They turn and walk into the building as a portal opens behind Arc and Derpy. Turning around the pair see Twilight roll out of it haphazardly. Gasping, they hurry to help her up. Arc is the first to speak. “Twilight!” “Is something wrong?!” Twilight shakes her head as she gets to her hooves with Arc’s help. “Not exactly. I was just… practicing.” Arc raises an eyebrow. “Practicing?” “Princess Celestia has been teaching me some Alicorn Magic lately. One such spell is how to create portals. Derpy raises an eyebrow. “Like Arc does with his gauntlet?” Twilight nods. “Exactly.” Turning to where the portal is closing behind her, she sighs. “And as you can see, it isn’t exactly going well for me.” Arc smiles warmly. “I’m sure you’ll master it with some practice, Twilight.” Derpy puts a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Right. Like you told me in the past… ‘practice makes perfect’.” Twilight grins. “Yes, well… I did come here today for a reason though.” Arc appears confused. “And what’s that, Twilight?” “To see you, Arc.” Arc spreads his arms. “Here I am.” Derpy grimaces. “Nothing’s wrong though, right?” Twilight shakes her head. “Not at all. I just wanted to see about borrowing Arc for the morning.” Arc raises an eyebrow. “Borrow me?” “To show you my latest project.” Derpy smiles. “Ah! Well, I guess I’ll head inside and see if they need some help in the kitchen.” “You’re welcome to join us though, Derpy.” Derpy shakes her head. “That’s okay. Truthfully, I’ve been feeling a bit selfish lately anyways.” Arc frowns. “How so, Derpy?” “That I’m monopolizing your time. After all, you always come back to our house for supper, spend the evening there, and sleep with me as well. The others haven’t had that privilege since you retired.” Arc chuckles. “That’s not exactly true, Derpy.” “Huh?” “When you and the foals are at school, I go and visit the others for brunch or lunch. We talk about what’s going on in our lives over tea or whatnot. And more often than not it leads to the bedroom for a nap together.” Twilight smiles. “That’s good to hear. But if I may ask, whom has had the pleasure?” Arc counts on his fingers. “Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Ember.” “What about Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie?” “Fluttershy says she doesn’t want to set a bad example for her animals and Pinkie is always so busy. Which is why I haven’t been able to take her out on a date yet either.” Twilight giggles. “And your lovely bride?” Arc chuckles. “Natalya’s pretty busy with her siblings here at the orphanage. We haven’t had much time to talk since coming back to Equestria after… you know.” Twilight bows her head. “The Collapse.” “Yeah.” “It was a hard time for everypony. Her more than most, I suppose.” Derpy turns to Arc. “You should go to her. It sounds like Natalya needs her husband.” “Judging by the time, they should be just starting with today’s lesson though.” Twilight grins. “Then maybe tonight you should take her out.” Arc raises an eyebrow. “Out?” Derpy giggles. “On a date, silly!” Twilight nods. “Yes. Help get Natalya’s mind off of things and get her talking about anything that’s bothering her.” Arc puts a hand on his chin. “That’s a good idea. Alright, I’ll head back here when school’s done and take her to, um…” He thinks for a few moments before continuing. “Where should we go though?” Derpy smiles. “How about that pizza place you took me when we went on our date, Arc?” “The one in Manehattan?” Derpy nods. “Sure. It was really tasty, after all.” Twilight gestures to the orphanage with a hoof. “You could always talk to her about it this afternoon. Worst case scenario, a picnic would suffice.” Derpy giggles. “Right. Just get her alone and talking though.” “Alright, I’ll do it.” Derpy looks to the building. “And I’ll head inside and see about helping out so she can have the evening off.” Arc wave after her. “Okay. See you later, Derpy.” Derpy calls out as she nears the doors. “And if you want to spend the night with her, the filles and I will be in the other bedroom too.” Arc blushes slightly. “Oh, um… thanks.” Entering the orphanage, Derpy closes the door behind her as Eidolon’s Ward walks around the side of the building with a cart of flowers. Seeing them, it raises a gauntlet and walks over. “Good morning, Arc! Princess Twilight!” Arc grins. “Morning, Cherry.” Twilight smiles. “It is a lovely day.” Pointing to the cart of flowers, she continues. “And I see that you’re taking care of the grounds nicely.” Eidolon’s Ward nods. “Yes, it feels good to grow things that make others happy.” She gestures to the ground around the front steps before continuing. “I’m starting with the main entrance to give the foals and younglings something nice to see when they come in or leave.” Arc looks over the flowers. “Nice assortment you have there too.” “Thank you, Arc. Although it was actually Miss Pommel whom picked them out. So, what brings you two here today?” Arc points to the building. “I was just dropping Dinky and Scootaloo off at school when Twilight showed up.” Twilight smiles sheepishly. “Yes, I was practicing my portal magic. And it appeared that my timing was perfect.” Eidolon’s Ward sounds confused. “How so?” “I actually came here today to show Arc my latest project.” Eidolon’s Ward gasps happily. “Is it finally done?!” Twilight trots in place happily. “It is, yes!” Arc appears confused. “What project?” Eidolon’s Ward turns to him. “Do you remember the last time the three of us were here, Arc?” Twilight nods. “We had just left Shelly’s Kitchen when you received a transmission from Hammer regarding… um… that top secret project in Canterlot.” “Ah! Right! Now I remember!” Eidolon’s Ward sighs. “You had to leave before Twilight could show you her surprise.” Arc looks down the path. “We could go see it now.” Twilight nods. “That’s my intention, yes. But this time it will be to show you the finished project.” Arc chuckles as he gestures with a hand. “Lead the way then.” Eidolon’s Ward calls out. “Um… before we do though, could I again ask that same favor of you, Arc?” “Which one?” “To see it through your eyes.” Arc grins. “You want inside my head again?” Eidolon’s Ward nods. “Very much so, yes.” “Sure, I can do that.” Eidolon’s Ward opens to allow Arc to enter it. As he does so it closes around his body. Arc feels a slight tingling sensation as Cherry enters his head again and sighs contentedly. “I’ve missed this.” Arc grins. “Truth be told, so have I.” Twilight points a hoof toward town excitedly. “If you two are ready, can we get moving?” Arc steps forward. “Sure.” Cherry giggles. “Lead the way, Twilight.” Continuing on down the path, they walk through Ponyville for some time. As they crest a hill, Twilight turns and gestures with a wave of her hoof before speaking. “Here we are! My new place!” Arc looks at what she is pointing to. Gasping, he cries out as he gazes upon the newly restored Golden Oaks Library. “What the...?!” Twilight giggles. “Surprised?” Arc nods. “Very much so! But how...?!” Twilight claps her hooves together happily. “Luna worked on it in secret with her sister.” Cherry gasps. “You mean Princess Celestia?” Twilight nods. “Emerald Dream told her that she needed to do more outside of the castle to help with the healing process. Spending time with Luna though was an added bonus, as they haven’t exactly been the closest of siblings since... you know.” Cherry sighs. “The whole Nightmare Moon incident?” “Right, Cherry. And understandably so. I mean... Luna did try to overthrow her sister and the government back then.” Arc folds his arms over his chest. “So, the trust needs to be rebuilt.” Twilight nods. “Exactly.” “But how does one regrow a tree?! And so fast?!” Twilight grins. “It’s a rather obscure spell admittedly. I myself used it to grow a seed to flower in just a few moments back in my schoolfoal days at Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. You see, by channeling magic into the plant one can increase the speed by which it metabolizes nutrients and water, therefore allowing it to grow to maturity very quickly.” Arc gestures to the library. “But this is MUCH bigger and more complicated than a flower, Twilight!” “True. However, the concept is the same. The only difference was that it had to be done in phases.” Cherry calls out. “Can you elaborate on the process, Twilight?” “Sure. First, I ordered the old tree removed in its entirety. Then a single oak seed was planted, watered, and fertilized. After that, Princess Celestia and Luna combined their magic to cast the spell in tandem to start the growth. However, at a certain point it would begin to taper off. That was when they would spread more fertilizer and heavily water the area all around the sapling. I’m told the process took several days and innumerable cartloads of fertilizer as well. To say nothing for the sheer amount of water.” Cherry giggles. “I imagine that watering near the end would have taken forever.” “Princess Celestia told me that the last few phases were done via a firehose to speed things along.” Twilight gestures to the library before continuing. “And this is the result of that magical partnership.” Cherry sounds hopeful. “Can we see the inside?” Twilight nods happily. “Sure. Come on in.” Stepping forward, Twilight pulls a key from her mane and unlocks the door. Opening it, she steps aside to allow Arc to pass. Looking all around, he chuckles. “It’s just like I remember it.” Twilight smiles as she closes the door behind them. “Down to the very last book on the shelves and cups in the cabinet, yes.” Cherry gasps. “But how?! I would imagine a mare like Princess Celestia would have an excellent memory. However, nopony could have recreated it at such a level of detail.” Twilight grins. “Apparently my friends helped in that regard.” Arc raises an eyebrow. “Oh? How so?” “That mental projector we used in Griffonstone recently. They all took turns in it to get every nook and cranny correct. Hard Hat then took their designs and made it into reality. Then Princess Celestia surprised me with it yesterday.” Arc smiles at her. “Well, as long as you’re happy that’s all that really matters.” A familiar voice rings out. “Yeah, admittedly she did a good enough job on it.” They turn to see Ember and Sereb walking in from the kitchen. Sereb is the first to speak. “It is indeed quite the magical wonder.” Twilight nods. “I’m still in wonder that such a thing could have been accomplished.” Arc looks around. “That it is.” Cherry laughs. “Yes, it’s is a very nice place you have here, Twilight.” Twilight gestures with a hoof. “How about I show you all something?” Arc nods. “Sure. Lead the way.” Walking upstairs, Twilight opens a door. Gesturing inside to a bed, she turns to the others. “This is where Arc recuperated when he first arrived here in Equestria. Well... not exactly here, but you get the idea.” Cherry sighs. “After you shot him out the window?” Sereb looks toward a window. “I saw that the princesses even replanted the shrubs out there.” Twilight smiles nervously. “Y-yes, Cherry. I was... I just kinda reacted.” Ember shrugs. “No real harm done though.” Arc sighs. “Agreed. And I couldn’t really blame her. I mean... you know.” Cherry groans. “Well, I suppose anypony’s first response to seeing something that they don’t understand would be that of fear.” Twilight facehoofs. “I can attest to that.” Sereb clears his throat loudly. “Why don’t all of you have a cup of tea and talk some more?” Cherry giggles. “Yes, that sounds nice.” Arc chuckles as they head back towards the stairs. “I think it might be kinda hard for you to taste it though, Cherry.” “Not to worry, I can taste what you do to a degree.” Twilight appears surprised. “You can?” Cherry sighs. “It’s nowhere near what real tasting is though. Think of it more like eating when you’re kinda congested. You can still taste things, but not nearly as clearly as any other time.” Ember shrugs as they enter the kitchen. “Still sounds like a step up in the quality of life department to me.” “That it is. And I feel closer to Arc when I do it.” Sitting down at the table, Arc and the others watch as Twilight pours each of them a cup of tea and sets it before them. As she too sits down at the table, Arc speaks as he takes a sip. “So how are things going with the changeling’s new kingdom, Twilight?” Twilight sighs. “It’s... complicated.” Ember raises an eyebrow, confused. “How complicated could a bunch of bugs be?” Sereb growls. “Very from what we saw of their hive.” Twilight continues. “They’ve almost finished fully dismantling it.” Ember frowns. “Dismantling? But isn’t that their only shelter from the elements?” Twilight nods soberly. “That it is. However, King Thorax deemed it necessary in order for the survivors to move on.” Sereb scoffs. “Or just him.” Arc sighs. “Yeah. It’s probably more about him being able to move on from his brother’s death.” Cherry calls out. “It is hard to lose a loved one, after all.” Arc shrugs. “He’s not wrong to order such a thing. After all, if I have been fooled my entire life by what I thought was a caring ruler, I think that I too would want to remove any and all vestiges of their presence from the land.” Twilight puts a hoof to her chin thoughtfully. “I guess that does make sense. After all, the records of Luna ever existing were all but expunged after the Nightmare Moon incident a thousand years ago.” Sereb shakes his head. “It would make sense for Celestia to do what she could to appease the public whom had narrowly survived the attempted hostile takeover.” Ember frowns. “But covering things up doesn’t change what happened!” Twilight raises an eyebrow. “Ember?” “Choosing to forget something doesn’t mean that it didn’t happen! You have to pass on a full record of historical events to prevent the future from repeating itself!” Arc nods. “Agreed. I do hope that the dark tale of Chrysalis is indeed told to their future generations.” Sereb snorts. “That would be up to them, I suppose.” Cherry giggles. “Maybe you could help them with that, Arc.” “Me?” Twilight nods. “She’s right, Arc. After all, you were Sandstorm Mirage’s commanding officer for quite some time. He would probably listen to you should you tell him something.” Arc sighs. “Maybe. But I’m not too keen to go back there anytime soon.” Ember shivers. “Me either! Too cold at night!” Sereb frowns. “I do not believe Arc was talking about the climate though, Ember.” Arc sighs. “It’s just... that place is just a reminder to me of my failure to find a way to stop the war before it started.” Twilight bows her head. “Is this about the troops we lost, Arc?” Cherry calls out. “From what I heard, we only lost a small hoofful.” Arc nods soberly. “True. But if I had done my job better, perhaps they’d still be alive.” Ember shrugs. “I don’t see how that could have been done though.” Sereb looks to Arc. “Nor do I.” Arc groans. “And that’s not even talking about the scores of changelings that fell in our attack on their hive. I mean... they were just defending their home and queen.” Twilight nods soberly. “That is true, yes.” Arc grunts. “The number of surviving changelings... it’s just so small.” Cherry sighs. “We very nearly wiped them out.” Sereb growls. “As Chrysalis wanted us to, I might point out!” Ember snorts. “Yeah! Didn’t you and Twilight say that she was trying to get rid of them so you could help her create a new... species, or something?!” Twilight shudders. “It would have been more like the next evolutionary step for them. But yes.” Cherry chimes in. “So it sounds like she’s the one to blame here. Not you, Arc.” Arc sighs. “Yes, I suppose that’s true. But I still feel that the loss of those whom fell could have been prevented in some way.” Twilight puts a hoof on Arc’s hand and smiles at him. “We’ll help make it right by helping the newly formed Changeling Nation find its feet.” “How though?” “By showing them that there is a different path for them to take. That there is more to life than just eating, sleeping, and fighting.” Ember shrugs. “That just sounds like the dragon way to me.” Sereb smirks. “And our tribe’s as well.” Cherry sighs. “But that’s a bit different though. Your ways don’t include invading other nations and hurting their citizens.” Arc sighs. “I suppose the changelings are at least somewhat similar to the dragons and Sereb’s tribe. However, it’s up to them where they go from here.” Twilight frowns. “That worries you though, doesn’t it?” Arc nods. “Yes. If they choose to embrace culture and civility, that’s great. But I’m afraid that they may very well fall back into their old ways and become a threat again.” Ember brandishes her claws. “We could still go back there and trounce them if you wanted to.” Sereb nods. “Magic now works there as it does here in Equestria. So it would be a simple task to simply fly The Equinox to their settlement and... deal with the problem as you see fit, my friend.” Arc shakes his head. “No. They deserve a chance to show that they’ve changed. We can’t just destroy them without at least attempting to give them that much.” Ember rolls her eyes. “And in doing so they would have the chance to strengthen their forces again. Be a real threat.” Cherry clears her throat loudly (or at least makes the sound of such). “Or they could become productive members on the international stage.” Twilight nods. “Right.” Sereb growls. “We should not give them such a long leash though. Caution must be observed to prevent them from threatening Equestria again.” Arc looks to Twilight. “That is a fair assumption. Freedom but observation. I mean.” Ember smirks. “So should we send out spies?” Twilight shakes her head. “Such a thing will not be necessary, Ember.” “Then how...?!” Arc cuts her off. “The treaty Twilight signed with Chrysalis has given us all that we need in that regard.” Sereb raises an eyebrow. “Oh?” Twilight taps the table with a hoof. “Right. According to the document, we are allowed to build military bases on the border between our nation. I can order observation posts be built to watch the comings and goings of the changelings.” Cherry sighs. “But won’t that be seen as us being untrusting of them?” Arc shrugs. “A necessary evil, Cherry. They have done much to deserve such things from us.” Twilight nods as she looks out the window. “And at the very least, we will need a place where they can cross the border into Equestria legally.” Arc smirks. “Customs.” Twilight turns to Arc. “I’m sorry, what?” “It’s what we call such things back on Earth. The place where you’re checked before being allowed into another country. We call it going through customs.” Cherry sounds confused. “What is it for exactly?” “Just a way to know whom is trying to enter the country mostly. That and to make sure that they don’t bring in anything that they shouldn’t.” Twilight nods. “I’ll have to talk to Luna about setting up some sort of system to track such things.” Ember scoffs. “But how will we be sure that they actually use it though?” Sereb growls. “Indeed. The border is quite large, after all.” Twilight points a hoof toward the window. “Observation posts will watch for those trying to cross the border illegally.” Cherry sighs. “They won’t be able to watch every stretch of land at all times though.” Sereb scratches at the floor. “Or under it, should subterranean tunnels exist.” Arc taps the table with a finger. “Agreed. However, we have to allow the changelings a modicum of trust if we’re going to get this diplomatic ball rolling.” Twilight nods. “Right. We can’t expect them to just trust us overnight. By the same token though we can’t ask for such a thing without showing the changelings that we’re also willing to work with them.” Ember rolls her eyes. “And when they betray that trust?” Sereb growls. “What do you mean by ‘when’, Ember?” “Look, all I’m saying is that those whom have done you wrong in the past will generally do the same in the future.” Arc shakes his head. “I have to disagree, Ember. Remember, Hammer and Mio were once aligned with The Organization. And now they are two of our most trusted leaders.” Ember scoffs. “Hammer, yeah. Mio... not so much.” Sereb frowns. “She did successfully lead our forces against the changelings, if you recall.” “Only because her sister was their prisoner!” Arc chuckles. "That and she helped Rainbow Dash get ready for her date with me." Ember waves a claw dismissively. "Something like that isn't exactly what I would call hard evidence of loyalty though." Twilight sighs. “Time will tell whom we can trust, yes. But we need to be flexible here.” Arc nods. “That we do. But we really shouldn’t be talking about such things with the other princesses not present.” Cherry sighs. “This was supposed to be a friendly talk over tea, after all.” Twilight groans. “Yes, it was. While I’m not sure how it skewered away from pleasant things, we should try to get back to that.” Ember frowns. “Like what?” Cherry giggles. “There’s always the matter of the future herd. That’s always a good topic.” Arc stands. “Yes, it is. But I think I need to take a quick trip to the restroom before we get started on that.” Sereb nods as he looks to the door. “And I believe that is my cue to leave.” Twilight smiles at him. “Not really, Sereb. You can stay and chime in if you’d like.” Sereb shakes his head. “Thank you, but I would feel rather... out of place in such a deep conversation.” Ember shrugs. “Alright. See you later, Sereb.” The wolf heads out the front door as Arc follows. On his way to the stairs however, Arc spots a strange looking book lying on an end table. Picking it up, he frowns. “What the heck...?” Cherry shudders. “Such a sinister looking thing! Why would Twilight have something like this?!” “It can’t be too dangerous if she left it lying around like this though.” “That cover gives me the chills though. Black and white and red all over.” Arc chuckles. “Yes, it is.” “What’s so funny?” “Sorry. It’s just an old Earth joke.” He turns his attention back to the book again before speaking. “But I do wonder what’s inside this thing.” Thinking for a few moments, he continues. “No way to know for sure other than to open it.” Cherry sighs. “I suppose. But just a quick one. After all, I want to get back to the others and hear more about the herd.” “As do I.” Opening the book, Arc sees strange looking symbols that appear to dance across the pages. Cherry scoffs. “This thing is beyond weird!” “I’ll say. If the cover wasn’t so sinister, I would have thought it was some kind of a magic practical joke book.” “Nothing funny about this thing though.” Arc moves to turn the pages. “Nothing but more of the same after that.” “We should probably ask Twilight about it after you get out of the bathroom, Arc.” “Agreed. But I do wonder how exactly they move in such a way.” Touching the center of the paper, the symbols quickly spread to the edges of the page. Moving his hand, they keep their distance as best they are able. Arc frowns. “Weird. I wonder how...” He is cut off as the book begins to glow slightly. Levitating out of his hand, Arc has but a moment before a blinding light emanates from the book and a massive blast rings out. Hearing this, the others from the kitchen race into the library. Twilight calls out as she enters the room. “Arc! What was...?!” She stops and looks around the room. Nearly every book has been thrown from its shelf, and some show signs of massive wear. Ember stomps on one that is smoldering as she looks to Twilight. “What the heck happened here?!” “I don’t know! It’s like nothing I’ve even seen before!” Sereb runs back through the front door and looks around before speaking. “What is going on?!” Ember grimaces. “Heck if we know!” Twilight shudders. “There was a blast of some kind that did all of this!” Ember looks to the stairs. “You don’t suppose Arc had anything to do with it, do you?” Twilight gasps. “He could have been in here when it...!” Not finishing her sentence, Twilight runs up the stairs and throws open the bathroom door. Looking around quickly, she cries out. “ARC!” Ember looks inside. “He’s not here!” Sereb sniffs the air. “Nor has he been.” Twilight grimaces. “Are you saying... that he never made it up here?” Sereb nods. “Yes, Princess Twilight. His scent would have been on the air had he done so.” Ember frowns. “Then where is he?!” Twilight turns and runs throughout the upstairs searching. Returning to the main level where the others are gathered, she shakes her head. “He’s... not here.” Ember looks around at the mess. “Well, something certainly happened to him here.” Sereb nods. “Yes. He paused at this table for a time.” Ember looks to Twilight. “Was there something here that would have caught his eye?” Twilight shakes her head. “There wasn’t anything on this table, no.” Sereb frowns. “Quite the mystery then.” Ember sneers. “I think someone is up to something here!” Twilight gasps. “But who?!” Ember brandishes her claws. “The changelings! Who else?!” Sereb sighs. “It is certainly possible that there are those whom are not pleased with the changes in the Badlands.” Ember grits her teeth. “Maybe even that witch Chrysalis herself!” Twilight looks around the room at the damage. “If it was changelings, it’s certainly outside of the normal way they operate.” Sereb nods. “Stealth and subterfuge, yes. This room appears to have been hit with a powerful magical spell though.” Ember frowns. “Maybe it was Arc’s doing.” Twilight turns to look at her. “Ember?” “Think about it. He could have seen them coming and only had time to case one spell. That would explain the damage.” Sereb nods. “Arc is a powerful caster, yes. However, I also believe that he would have called out for help.” Twilight bows her head sadly. “Unless he was...” Ember raises an eyebrow. “Was what?” “Trying to protect us.” Sereb frowns. “From what though?” Twilight shrugs. “I have no idea.” Ember groans. “Well, what are we supposed to do now?!” Twilight walks over to a phone. “We should probably notify Canterlot. Get a team out here to examine the scene along with the royal sisters.” Sereb appears confused. “I understand the first part, but why the princesses too?” “Because they helped create this place. If anypony would know what happened they would.” Ember frowns as she folds her arms over her chest. “Maybe. Then again, they might have been in on it.” Sereb raises an eyebrow. “Ember?” “Think about it. Princess Celestia hasn’t been too fond of Arc since she came back. It wouldn’t be out of the question for her to do something to try and get rid of him at this point.” Twilight glares at Ember. “Princess Celestia would never have done anything that resulted in somepony potentially getting hurt though!” Sereb growls. “I am recalling her pulling Arc and Applejack into her Celestial Realm in hopes that he would do certain… things to her though.” Ember makes a face. “Yeah. That really was a sick thing to do.” Twilight shakes her head vehemently. “We all know Arc wouldn’t have done anything like that to her though!” Ember folds her arms over her chest. “Celestia didn’t though. In fact, she literally was counting on it.” Sereb growls. “Enough talk of this. Right now, we need to figure out exactly what happened to Arc as soon as possible.” Twilight picks up the phone. “I’ll get that ball rolling.” Ember grunts. “Fine. But I still say that Celestia is suspect number one in this thing right now.” Sereb sighs. “Admittedly, it does look bad for her.” A few minutes later Twilight hangs up the phone and turns back to the others. “Princess Celestia and Luna will be here shortly with an investigative team. They’ll get to the bottom of this.” Ember brandishes her claws. “They’d better.” Sereb snarls. “Agreed.” Twilight groans. “I’m telling you that Princess Celestia is innocent in this matter though!” Ember clenches a fist. “She’d better be! If she’s connected to any kind of harm to my future mate then the Dragon Lands will respond appropriately!” Sereb plants his paws firmly. “As will my tribe. However, we will give the pony princess the benefit of the doubt before casting judgement on her.” Twilight sighs. “Fine. But we need to stay focused on the real matters at hoof here.” She turns to the disheveled room before continuing. “One… what really happened here? Two… where is Arc? And three… how do we get him back?” Ember nods. “I’m sure you and Luna can figure that out.” Sereb frowns. “Celestia should probably be kept out of this though.” Twilight stomps her hoof. “Hey! Arc’s my fiancée too! And as the Princess of Friendship, I promise to do all in my power to set this thing right!” Ember nods soberly. “I believe you, Twilight. But your old friend is still on thin ice.” Sereb snorts. “Agreed.” Twilight sighs as she heads back to the kitchen. “Fine. Let’s just see about figuring this whole thing out before going after one another, alright.” Ember follows her. “Agreed.”