Return to Equestria: Ponies in a Human World

“So what’s up with you and Tia lately?” Luna asks Twilight one day after the latter’s work ends but before the former begins her nightly duties.

“Nothing,” Twi immediately answers, although the tone in her voice belies her dread of this confrontation.

The Dark Princess stops walking. “Nothing, huh?” she snorts in derision as she dismisses this possibility. “What are you keeping from me?”

Twi gestures after she also pauses . “Sweetie, you’re putting me in a very awkward position,” she demurs in a barely audible voice. “I promised your sister I wouldn’t breathe a word.”

“But we share everything,” Luna responds in kind. “Well we used to anyway; ever since we got back on the air, I feel like you’ve been more and more distant.”

Twi sees the look in her paramour’s eyes and realizes if she doesn’t come clean, it’s all over for them. “We’ve been going back in time as humans, as people,” she softly admits.

“What?” Luna interjects, not comprehending. “You mean like Doctor Hooves and his telephone booth thing?”

“No, I’m not talking about local time travel,” Twi explains while waving this away. “It’s a special magic spell, that takes all our power.” When she sees Luna still not tracking, she pulls on the other, urging, “Come on; Tia will show you.”

But when Twilight and Luna arrive at the Canterlot castle, Princess Celestia doesn’t take this very well. “What are you two doing here?” she immediately inquires of both of them, then she addresses her sibling in particular. “Why aren’t you out raising the moon?”

“I had to tell her,” Twilight Sparkle softly explains with great effort before Princess Luna answers.

“Tell her what, Twilight?” Celestia carefully inquires while glancing very quickly back and forth between her sister and her student.

“About what me and you have been doing,” T.S. cautiously elaborates while raising her hoof to her head, anticipating the explosion. “The time travel business.”

“Oh, so you had to tell her,” the Princess of the Light lashes back at the other. “Well what about Shining Armor? After all, he’s your brother; and Princess Cadence–she’s your sister-in-law; pretty soon all of Equestria will know. Who haven't you told?”

Luna takes this. “She hasn’t told any other pony and she only told me because I forced her to–O.K.?–so stop yelling at her.”

Celestia swings her glare from Twilight to her younger sister. “Everything I ever have, you have to try to take it from me,” the older Princess accuses the younger one.

“O.K., let’s not get back to that again,” Twi hastily intercedes. “Remember, she’s your equal and co-ruler, by your own insistence. Just–show her the portal, all right? She has to know, in case something happens to you. To both of us.”

Princess Celestia’s smoldering glare remains on Luna a beat or two longer than actually necessary but she does activate the portal viewer as requested while mumbling to herself, “Logic; the last refuge of a scoundrel.”

“This is the first time we did it–the time travel, that is,” Twilight narrates when Celestia is slow to explain, the latter still apparently giving her sister the silent treatment while Luna in turn blanches at T.S. over the unintended double entendre. “We’ve done the battle of Gettysburg, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the library at Alexandria–”

“She’s doesn’t know what any of those things are,” Celestia interrupts Twi as the portal’s image shifts. “This is how we began.”

“You mean,” Luna gasps in horror and stunned incredulity after she watches the portal for some time, “we started out as a cartoon for human children?”

“Initially, yeah,” Twilight confirms when the other Princess is slow to answer. “See, this wealthy human philanthropist had a granddaughter who was mildly autistic; her vocabulary wasn’t accumulating and she wouldn’t play with kids her own age, until one day she happened to see this on their television and she really responded to it. So the grandmother arranged for ponies of the day to be genetically altered into unicorns, pegasi and alicorns, and–”

“And the rest is history,” Tia finishes for the other. “Now you understand why this has to kept secret, why I had to tell her,” she continues to her younger sister, referring to Twi.

“Yes Tia,” the Dark Princess responds as she nods. “Now I get it. Twilight, I’m sorry I put you in the middle.”

“No problem sweetness,” Twilight immediately and brightly responds. “New pony’s choice; where would you like to visit first?”

Princess Luna, followed by her sister and T.S. all enter the Manhattan high-rise wearing their new 5th Avenue clothes after an eventful morning of shopping. “Hello,” the Dark Princess first addresses the doorman who has motioned for their collective attention. “We’re here to see Beatrice–”

“Saltzmann,” Twilight supplies after Luna gestures that her memory has temporarily failed her. “Beatrice Saltzmann and her granddaughter Gretchen.”

“Missus Saltzmann and her granddaughter,” the doorman repeats as he is dialing a telephone that he has picked up. “And is Missus Saltzmann expecting you?”

“No,” Princess Celestia simply answers, speaking up from behind the other two. “This is a surprise visit.”

“Missus Saltzmann? I’m sorry to disturb you, but there are three young ladies down here asking for you and your granddaughter,” the doorman explains into the receiver as he looks back up at Luna. “May I have your names please?”

“I’m Twilight Sparkle,” Twi introduces herself while gesturing towards the others. “And these are Princesses Celestia and Luna. We’re from Equestria.”

“I got two Princesses and a Twilight something or other,” the doorman mangles in his peevish Brooklynese. “From Equestryland–”

“Equestria,” Tia impatiently corrects. “And her name is Twilight Sparkle.”

“Uh-huh,” the doorman dejectedly replies into the telephone while eyeing Celestia. “Certainly ma’am.” He hangs up and taps on the log book that’s open in front of them. “Sign in please; all three of you.”

Once done, the doorman gestures to the elevator. “Suite eleven, floor twenty-eight,” he comments in parting.

A few minutes later, Twilight Sparkle knocks on the door to Suite Eleven on the twenty-eighth level. Almost immediately the entranceway opens to reveal an older well-dressed woman in an excited state. “My goodness,” she interjects in surprise, her hand to her heaving throat. “I thought you were schoolmates of my granddaughter, playing a trick on us.”

“Missus Saltzmann,” Celestia begins when the other two are slow to explain themselves. “Thank you for seeing us with no notice. This is my student Twilight Sparkle and my sister, Princess Luna. We’re here to visit you and your granddaughter Gretchen. Is she about?”

For an answer, Mrs. Saltzmann gestures down the hallway and calls out, “Gretchen, you have some visitors to see you. Twilight Sparkle and Princess Luna are here. Come say hello. Gretchen?”

All four adults wait in silence while the ten-year-old girl shyly makes her way down the hallway. When she makes eye contact, Twi breaks into a wide smile and crouches low in her dark skirt and matching high heels while holding out an encouraging hand to the young lady. “Hi Gretchen–I’m Twilight Sparkle. Come and say hi to Princess Luna; we’ve come a long way to see you.”

“You’re–Twilight?” the little girl tentatively inquires. “From My Little Pony?”

Twi nods while gesturing again with her hand. “Yes honey; I am. And this is Princess Luna and Princess Celestia.”

“Princess Celestia?” Gretchen repeats while venturing forward in wide-eyed awe while gazing up. “Wow.”

“Hello Gretchen,” Tia kindly but regally responds from behind her sister. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

Luna turns to Twi with an expression that conveys to the former, What am I, chopped liver? But before she can say anything, Gretchen’s grandmother throws out, “So what brings you three to our neighborhood?”

“Oh, we’re just here to shop and visit our fans,” Twilight explains from waist level after she finishes hugging the little girl. “And word is, nobody’s a bigger fan than you are, Gretchen. Am I right?”

“Right,” Gretchen confirms with enthusiasm, eliciting smiles all around.

A little while later, while Tia is enchanting Gretchen with tales of Canterlot, Luna and Twi hang back to speak with the grandmother. “Before My Little Pony, I didn’t know what we were honestly going to do with her,” Mrs. Saltzmann recalls, her eyes glistening in the remembered pain. “We had taken her to so many specialists, so many doctors, and she just wasn’t getting any better. My daughter was at her wits’ end; she wasn’t sleeping and her practice was suffering. I didn’t want to institutionalize her, but what was the alternative? Finally, one day she turns on your show and boom! Her change has just been incredible.”

“Autism can be so sad,” Twi agrees after exchanging glances with Luna. “Maybe she’d like to meet the rest of the gang.”

“We can’t bring them here,” the Dark Princess instantly informs the older woman as the former recognized the latter was about to protest. “But–we might be able to take her back with us. For a short time.”

“You mean to BroNYcon?” Mrs. Saltzmann skeptically inquires. “Isn’t that where all of you are from?”

“No,” Twilight disagrees. “To Equestria.”

“Aren’t you cosplayers?” is the next incredulous interrogative.

“No,” Luna evenly repeats. “We’re the real thing.”

“Luna,” Celestia speaks up from the couch where she’s sitting with the little girl. “Gretchen has a question for you.”

After the Light Princess prompts her again, Gretchen manages to ask, “What was it like–on the moon?”

“Cold,” Luna sadly admits. “And lonely. I wouldn’t want to go back.”

In the pause that follows, Mrs. Saltzmann inquires of her granddaughter if she’d like to visit Ponyville. “Can I?” the wide-eyed innocent gushes to Celestia.

All the pony girls defer to the grandmother on this point. “As long as you can have us back by dinnertime,” is the sole still-skeptical condition.

“No problem,” Twilight Sparkle assures the older woman while motioning for her co-conspirators to prepare for their individual contributions to the spell.

Once back in Ponyville, Gretchen’s grandmother decides to leave the tyke with Rarity while she receives the nickel tour. At one point, Gretchen inquires of the marshmallow-white unicorn, “Is this what you do all day long?”

Rarity glances up from her clipboard, over her glasses, at the young foal. “Well, not always,” she begins. “It depends how busy I am with customers and special orders and such, but inventory has to get done, one way or another.”

“Don’t you ever get bored?” is the follow-up.

“Sometimes,” the older pony admits. “Every pony does, at some point. But then I try to find ways of amusing myself.”

“Like how?”

As a response, Rarity picks up her phone and dials a familiar number. “Pinkie Pie,” she barks into it after the intended answers. “Where in the wide wide world of Equestria are you?”

“I see,” Rarity follows up with at her leisure after listening to enough of Pinkie’s random nonsense. “Well how about bouncing over to the boutique? I need some help with inventory; also, I have a special visitor here who’d love to meet you.” After another pause, Rarity hands the phone to Gretchen, prefacing by commenting, “Here; you’re on.”

The ten-year-old girl fumbles with the receiver until she has it up against her face. “Hello, Pinkie Pie?” she breathlessly and incredulously inquires.

At the castle in Canterlot, Shining Armor is showing Gretchen’s grandmother around. “So Twilie, Luna and Celestia all went back to visit you?”

Mrs. Saltzmann demurs, waving him off. “You’re not supposed to know about that, but yes off the record, that’s the gist of it.”

S.A. nods as comprehension washes over his visage. “Might have known my little sister would be up to something like this,” he allows as they pause at a castle balcony. “I always suspected what we’ve been told wasn’t all of it. Every pony’s keeping secrets; seems like, anyway, especially since we got back on the air. Worlds within worlds.”

“Well, the truth is a valuable commodity,” Gretchen’s grandmother agrees while taking in the panoramic view as a light summer breeze gently wafts up to them. “Wherever you’re from, I suppose. Whatever you do.” She pauses before she ventures, “So Twilight tells me you’re married to Princess Cadence.”

“Yup,” Twi’s brother confirms without making eye contact. “Signed, sealed and delivered.”

“Any young foals on the horizon?”

Shining Armor smiles before he answers. “Maybe. Don’t say anything to Twilie; it’s not for sure yet.”

“Oh, I can keep a secret,” Mrs. Saltzmann confirms with a twinkle in her eye. “If you can.”

As the afternoon winds down, Gretchen’s grandmother catches up with her young charge at the boutique. “Grandmom, look! I’m helping with inventory!”

“She certainly is,” Rarity gallantly confirms, glancing up over her glasses from her clipboard. “Anytime this youngster needs a job, just send her my way.”

A little while later, while Gretchen is busy wrapping things up with Pinkie, Mrs. Saltzmann approaches Rarity. “I can’t thank you enough for indulging my granddaughter as you have. This is exactly what she doesn’t get at school–individual attention. And it’s made such a difference in her.”

“Well, I was serious about the job,” Rarity offers while taking off her glasses and closing a drawer at the desk where the cash register resides. “If she has school during the week, she always work weekends; that’s when I’m busiest anyway.”

“I will talk to my daughter about that,” Gretchen’s grandmother emphasizes in response. “And I will let you know.”

“Excellent.”

Of course, once back home and in school, Gretchen can’t stop talking about her visit to Equestria to anyone and everyone who will listen, much less keep it a secret. But while most dismiss such enthusiastic tales as fantasy, a few people, her age and older, have enough imagination to believe that maybe, just maybe, places such as Ponyville, Canterlot and the surrounding locales can and do exist and are rewarded with journeys that the others could not even dream about.



Dear Princess Celestia–

Gretchen's grandmother just wanted to thank you once again for your hospitality during her and her granddaughter's visit plus she's asking for DNA samples from all of us–I think she wants to clone us! Anyway, I told her it was up to you, but can you imagine ponies in a human world? Almost as fantastic as humans in a pony world. Stranger things have happened I guess.

Your Faithful Student,

Twilight Sparkle



Mrs. Saltzmann hangs up the telephone after she says goodbye. “Gretchen,” she calls out from her kitchen. “I have some news for you.”

After the little girl appears as bidden and inquires as to specifics, her grandmother announces, “That was the farm. You’re not going in to Rarity’s boutique tomorrow morning; at least, not right away. The first Pegasus is scheduled to be delivered early tomorrow morning and I want you there for that.” She shows the faxed copy of the ultrasound to her granddaughter, which clearly shows the stubby outline of rudimentary wings along the back of the foal.

“You mean,” Gretchen ventures after she realizes what her grandmother’s done. “This pony can fly?"

“Someday,” Mrs. Saltzmann solemnly confirms as she nods. “Someday, she will.”

Return to Equestria: Rarity's Wedding

Rainbow Dash flies at top speed to the castle in Griffonland; she brings an important message for Queen Fluttershy and her consort, Miss Rarity.

“So how’s Apple Jack?” Shy politely asks while Dash is trying to decide how best to spill the beans to both of them.

“She’s fine,” R.D. allows at length, her trepidation increasing with every passing breath. “Zap apples just came in and her family’s busy with those. Everything’s square at the factory. For the time being.” She lowers her eyes and doesn’t dare mention the word ‘layoffs’ which is recently on every pony’s mind. “Princess Celestia got some good news, though. That woman Lauren Faust came back and the network is interested in putting the show back on the air.” She waits a beat before she supplies the kicker to this whole deal. “They want the first episode to be your wedding, Rarity.”

"My wedding?” Rarity gasps as the light slowly dawns in her eyes. “Well, whom would I marry?”

“That’s just it,” Dash explains, finally meeting the other’s expectant gaze. “It has to be a guy. Of some nature–colt or a dragon. Just can’t be some pony of the same sex.”

“Well–what if–” Rarity stammers but she is immediately cut off.

“If you want to discuss the ins and outs of this, you need to talk to the Princess, and I’ll be happy to fly you there,” Dash curtly states her terms as the preceding two weeks’ series of meetings and letters at the Canterlot castle condenses into an irresolute and opaque mass beyond her understanding or even wish to.

“Well, what do you think?” Rarity is asking Shy.

Shy looks into Rarity’s trance and sees what this means to her; she also thinks back to all that Rarity’s done to keep her afloat. “Let me know what you decide,” Fluttershy allows in a barely audible voice.

Rarity kisses her paramour goodbye with frightening alacrity. “I will,” she promises the other. “Thanks sweetie!”

“You’re welcome,” Shy levelly responds. “Have a safe flight.”

“Are you all right?” Carrot Top inquires of the Queen once R.D. and Rarity are gone.

“Yes,” Shy bravely lies, doing her best to hold back tears. “Is there anything pressing that I need to attend to now?”

“No,” C.T. honestly responds, shaking her head. “Discord’s on top of everything at the moment.” Because of the recent tax increases, because of the growing unrest among the Griffons, the military has had to take a greater role in the day-to-day affairs of state.

“Very well,” Shy replies as she turns to leave.

“Your Majesty,” C.T. dares speak up. “Have you ever wanted things to go back to the way it used to be? Before all this?”

“Yes,” Shy softly admits, not facing the other. “But I know that’s not possible, so–”

“Well, what if I told you there was a way to work it?”

“How?” Shy asks without turning around.

“You could abdicate the throne, as Princess Celestia did with Luna that time.”

“Yes,” Fluttershy sighs in resignation while opening the door to her private chamber. “The coward’s way out. Thank you for your suggestion.”

“You’re welcome, Your Majesty,” Carrot Top softly replies, mostly to herself, in the wake of the Queen’s departure.

Meanwhile, back in Canterlot, Rarity’s initial reaction to what Celestia spells out is, “So what you’re telling me is that for this entire deal to go forward, I have to marry Spike.”

The Princess dismisses the white unicorn’s oversimplification with a wave of her royal hoof. “Not necessarily; that’s merely what the network wants. I imagine you’d have your pick of Ponyville, if not all of Equestria. You know, this is precisely why I sent that Lauren Faust woman home, because I knew you’d take this too personally. You don’t have to do anything, Rarity; you needn’t marry any pony or thing. It’s just, if you did, that would put us back in the network’s good graces.”

“And solve a lot of problems at the same time, at home and abroad,” Rarity finishes for the other when the former senses there’s more on the Princess’s mind than the evenhandedness of her remarks would otherwise indicate.

Celestia gives up some more ground while hoping to prevail in the end. “Yes, toy sales are down, probably because we are so long out of the public’s sight,” she admits without breaking eye contact. “And yes, the occupation of Griffonland is proving more costly on balance than we initially projected. No pony likes layoffs, any more than the Griffons love either higher taxes or ponies plundering their natural resources. I concede, this has come along at a most opportune juncture, but you needn’t star here; the network simply sees you as commanding the highest demographic for this sort of spectacle.”

Rarity feels herself sliding down the chute toward seduction, so she throws out, to end this for at least the time being, “Rainbow Dash also allowed that anything with regard to Fluttershy is off the table; is that true?”

Here the Princess does glance away. “I’m afraid so; she was quite specific on that point.”

“And how soon must I render my decision?”

“A few days, at most. We need to know sooner rather than later, because if you say no, then we have other options to explore.”

“Such as some other pony getting married?”

Celestia nods. “Precisely.”

“Very well, Your Highness,” Rarity sums up as she rises to leave. “Thank you for your time.”

“You’re welcome. Let me know.”

First Rarity drops in on Spike, then Pinkie Pie at the magic shop:

“Hi Rarity,” Pinkie squeals in delight when her old friend enters the store. “What a treat to see you again.”

“Hello Pinkie,” Rarity returns the salutation while she waits for the other to finish ringing a couple of foals up.

“Heard about your wedding,” Pinkie continues to enthuse once her customers have left. “Are you excited?”

Rarity dramatically sighs. “Well, part of me is but then part of me–this entire affair has come along at an inconceivably bad time, I must confess. Things aren’t so great back in Griffonland presently.”

Pinkie Pie hurries by this with an impatient wave of her hoof. “Never mind all that,” she crossly dismisses. “Who are you going to marry?”

“I just spoke with Spike at the boutique,” Rarity reflects as she recalls the scene. “And he understands the situation, with Shy and me. So he’d go along, if I decided on him. And this could really put Equestria back on the map; the thing is, I don’t know how well Her Majesty would react to all this. Plus I’d simply be using Spike, regardless of whether we consummated the marriage or not; I just don’t know what to do.”

Pinkie shrugs. “Whatever makes you happy,” she blurts out without pause, as if the solution were obvious.

Rarity sadly shakes her head. “I wish it were that easy.”

Meanwhile, at the one factory still running, Luna closes the translucent glass door to Twilight’s office as Twi's name and cutie mark show through the filtered light in reverse refraction. “So Rarity’s back from Griffonland?” Twi inquires of her paramour.

“Yes,” the Dark Princess allows while slipping back into her royal Canterlot voice if not timbre. “I think Sis is really worried; she keeps up a brave front but you know as well as I do–”

“Things can’t continue as they are,” Twilight finishes for the other. “If there are any more layoffs, I don’t know how we're going to manage things; warehouses are getting backed up as it is.”

Luna lowers her gaze. “I sneaked a look at the books last night,” she continues in a quiet tone even as the numbers jar her once again while she recalls the initial blood-freezing sensation. “The royal treasury is nearly depleted.”

“Can’t we float a bond issue?” T.S. throws out for discussion.

The Princess demurs. “Pony Bank would have to underwrite it,” she explains. “And after we’ve defaulted on the two other mortgages for the additional factories that are now sitting idle, I can’t see them as overjoyed to have us even walking in the door. Plus Tia would be too embarrassed to ask.”

Twilight nods. “Which leaves us with Rarity and her nuptials.”

“It would seem so,” Luna grimly agrees.

At the next pony staff meeting, Celestia asks Twilight to remain after every other pony has left. “Rarity’s gone back to Griffonland,” the Princess begins once she closes the door to the royal chamber. “I guess she had some kind of awful, terrible nightmare about Fluttershy marrying Discord and me getting jealous and both castles being blown up and I don’t know what all else. Let’s face it–Rarity will never love any pony more than Rarity. That’s merely one of many unpleasant facts of life I’m afraid the time has come for us to confront.

“Twilight, what you have been taught about the origins of Equestria is not the truth—not entirely, anyway. This is something even Luna isn’t privy to; I was told by my mother shortly before she passed away. Millions of years ago, humans ruled the Earth, just as we now dominate Equestria. But the same technology that allowed them to genetically modify what they considered ‘animals’ or ‘dumb beasts’ so that they had the power of speech and the intellectual capability of language also allowed them to explore other dimensions and other forms of existence, so much so that they largely abandoned the Earth for other worlds and colonies. They haven’t died out; there simply aren’t as many around any more in conventional space and time.

“This is where you come in: I’m sorry, but I’m at my wit’s end. Try as I might, I can’t figure out a solution to the present difficulties, so I’m leaving it up to you. I have copies of the humans’ history, in recorded and written form, violent and savage as it may be. I need you to peruse it, learn from it, and I hope save us. Otherwise–”

“Otherwise, we’ve had it,” Twi softly finishes for her Princess.

“I’m afraid so.”

So Spike and Twilight trade places for a few days; while the purple and green baby dragon alternatively spins in Twi’s big manager’s chair and barks random orders to cowardly, craven and churlish underlings, Twi hangs out at the mostly deserted Rarity’s Boutique, studying up on the former lords of the Earth when she isn’t fitting some occasional pony for a new dress or ensemble. By the end of the week she’s ready for her report to the Princess:

“Well, I see what you mean by savage and violent,” Twi begins. “Some of these wars they had, the carnage is completely unbelievable. Having said that, however, I think we’re more alike than we’re dissimilar. The thing about the humans though is they were never satisfied; nothing was ever good enough for them. Their greed was always their undoing; when empires got too big, they simply collapsed because they ran out of money. So maybe the occupation of Griffonland wasn’t the smartest thing we ever did.”

“Well if we recall the troops and pull out, then we have even more unemployment than we have now,” Celestia immediately rejoins and it's not just her pride talking here, since the occupation had been all her idea. “And if the Griffons can’t manage the show themselves, are we really better off letting them degenerate into chaos and anarchy? The Griffon Royal Family killed themselves all off; that wasn't my doing.”

Twilight abruptly stands. “I’m going to talk to Rarity; see if I can sound her out, talk some sense into her. Her and Fluttershy.”

So Twi cruises Griffonland, to find Her Majesty testy and self-defensive. “Good gravy you guys,” Fluttershy explodes for the nth time merely upon seeing Twilight. “I’m sick and tired of every pony walking on eggshells around me; I'm not some baby or emotional basket case. If Rarity wants to marry Spike, then just do it. I couldn’t care less.”

Rather than debate this point and provoke any more royal fury, T.S. starts out with, “Rarity, tell me about your dream.”

“Well,” the marshmallow-white unicorn slowly begins while the seared images play back in her mind's eye. “I wake up one morning and there’s all this acrid haze and foul-smelling smoke all over Ponyville; no one knows what’s going on and then you make a speech in the middle of town square saying that both Princesses are missing and presumed dead, along with Pinkie and Apple Jack, that all of Canterlot has been obliterated and that the Griffon royal castle has also been destroyed. After we hear that Fluttershy has married Discord.”

“As if,” the Queen fires off before any pony can comment otherwise.

“Well if it’s all the same to you, why don’t we just do that then?” Twilight pointedly inquires of Shy, tossing the proverbial kid gloves aside. “We’re in dire straits here guys; some pony has to do something.”

“Discord would never agree,” Rarity interjects before Her Majesty can manage an answer.

“Don’t be too sure,” Twi counters with Rarity in an equally determined fashion, to give Shy a much-needed break. “This whole thing is so off-the-wall it might appeal to his depraved sense of humor.”

“We can make it a double wedding,” Shy announces, the light finally dawning in her eyes. “With Celestia presiding, to make sure there are no hard feelings; the network will love it.”

“That’s it!” Twilight Sparkle exclaims in triumph. "You did it again, Shy!"

So, amid much pomp and circumstance, with extremely tight security, nuptials are prepared, televised and consummated; the only thing missing is Rainbow Dash and her sonic rainboom.

“Every other pony will be at the wedding,” Dash explains to Rarity. “Suppose something happens? I have to guard the fort.”

Indeed, the reception is interrupted when Discord receives an urgent message from R.D. that the Griffons are revolting and that he’s needed back there. Spike sees the change in Rarity’s expression when Shy tells her that she must also return.

“Listen, Rarity,” the green and purple dragon ventures. “I know we were supposed to have a honeymoon and all, but Fluttershy needs you now, more than ever.”

“Are you sure?” Rarity queries her new husband with tears in her eyes.

Spike nods. “Go. I have to watch the store for you anyway.”

“Thank you Spike!” Rarity gushes with honest emotion as she hugs him in farewell. “You’re the best!”

“So they tell me,” Spike mumbles to himself as he watches his new bride take her leave of Twilight and the rest of the wedding party.

“Happy wedding day,” Twi commiserates with Spike once Luna leaves with Rarity, to fly her back to Griffonland.

“Yeah,” Spike dejectedly responds as he downs the last of his champagne. “Hooray for me.”

“Cheer up Spike,” Twilight kindly offers in return. “You saved Equestria. And Griffonland, for that matter.”

“I saved Equestria,” Spike echoes in form and fashion while gesturing in futility. “Big freaking deal.”

Twi shrugs before she rubs noses with the little guy, to lift his spirits. “It is to some ponies.” When that doesn’t work, she ventures, “You know, if Rarity hadn’t agreed to this, some other pony would have gotten married.”

Spike snorts in derision. “Like who?” he demands, refusing to come out of his funk.

“Like me, maybe,” Twi confesses, blushing.

“And who would you have married?” Spike counters with. “Some alicorn maybe, with the initials P.L.?”

“Or maybe some dragon, with the initials S.S.”

“S.S.?”

“Spike Snot-face,” Twilight whispers in his ear. “Don’t worry; Rarity will come back.”

Spike nods in resignation to the truth, that no matter what, that marshmallow-white unicorn will always be part of his life. “She always does, doesn’t she?”

Dear Princess Celestia,

I learned a valuable lesson about problem solving from all this, as well as working with others and delegating authority when you realize you can't save the day. Thank you for trusting me with the truth; I'll keep it safely locked in my heart forever, along with all my memories of us together.

Your Faithful Student,

Twilight Sparkle

P.S. We're back on the air! The fun has been doubled! Huzzah!

Apple Jack opens the employee’s door to the second toy factory at 7:30 am, half an hour before the first shift begins, to the crowd of enthusiastic workers, each happy to have his or her job reinstated. “Welcome back,” she greets the first pony in the dawn’s early light, and indeed each successive pony thereafter; the crisp morning air invigorating every pony's senses. “Welcome back.”

“It’s good to be back,” every pony earnestly responds in kind.

After Pinkie Pie passes out freshly pressed zap apple cider to each and every employee, she proposes a toast. “To pony toys,” she exclaims to cheers and applause. “Long may they sell.”

“Hear hear,” Princess Celestia softly repeats under her breath as she watches the festivities via the green-fire-rimmed viewing portal from afar, all alone once again in her darkened viewing room.       

That night, Twilight has a dream:

She's still at the reception; it's late and the band is tired and wants to go home. But they are prevailed upon for once last slow dance.

Twilight is thinking about Spike and the honeymoon night he missed because of the civil unrest in Griffonland. She is lost in thought, her mind reeling from all the alcohol she's drunk, when suddenly Spike is at her side. 

She looks up at him and their eyes lock. She hardly knows what's happening when she hears him in a faraway voice ask if she'd like to dance."I'd love to," she manages to breathe out.

He takes her hand and leads her out to the dance floor. The song is playing in the background as Twilight and Spike sway to the rhythm, holding each other, no space between them. Twilight realizes she never wants the song to finish; she feels herself melting against Spike, wanting anything he desires, desperate to please him.

Suddenly the song does end. The music stops but Spike and Twilight are still holding each other. Eventually Spike breaks it. "Well, I still have to get up in the morning, to open the store and everything," he expostulates in resignation to his fate. "I can't let Rarity down."

Spike turns to walk away and Twilight panics at the thought of him dumping her. She grabs his hand and holds it in her own. "Don't leave me Spike," she implores him as she takes his hand and lifts it to her heart. "Please. I can make you happy."

Spike looks at her with new eyes and sees the desire in her own warm brown irises; he feels how hard her heart is slamming in her chest, how fast it's beating. Her rising respiration is matched by his own as she leads him toward her bed.

Twilight awakes with a start and sits up; she's shocked how drenched her panties are. "It was just a dream," she says to herself. "It was only a dream."

Her final thought before she returns to sleep is that Freud said every dream is a wish.  
    

The Last Days of Equestria

I lied.  One more.


Rainbow Dash arrives at the castle in Canterlot to be greeted by Princess Luna. “Where is every pony?”

“Nice to see you too, Dash,” is Luna’s response. “They’re all busy. Things have changed since you’ve been away. How’s your leg, by the by?”

“It’s fine,” R.D. dismisses out of hand, still looking around. “Well, I need to talk to some pony.”

“What’s wrong with me?” Luna inquires. “What do you need to talk to some pony about? What are you doing here, anyway? I thought you were in Griffonland, helping Queen Fluttershy.”

“That’s just it—I was,” Dash confides in a lower voice. “You don’t know what she’s turned into. I can’t talk to her–I can’t even stand to look at her anymore. She’s hideous.”

“What do you mean?” Luna inquires for specifics with increasing trepidation.

Rainbow awkwardly gestures. “She’s wearing all this make-up and it looks really terrible on her and either she can see it or she can’t–I don’t know which is worse. She’s scaring every Griffon and she seems to enjoy it. It’s like she’s gone power mad. Some pony has to perform an intervention.”

Luna gestures as comprehension sets in. “I went through the same thing, for a little while, till Twi brought me around, so I know what you’re talking about. Come on–let’s go see Tia.”

But Princess Celestia is no help. “I can’t talk to her–she’s taken the listening device out of her ear. She thinks she knows better than me. Let her be that way if that’s what she wants.”

Dash and Luna exchange worried looks after Celestia vacates their presence in a royal huff. “This isn’t good,” Luna ruefully observes. “Come on–let’s go over to the main factory. See what Twi says.”

And Twilight Sparkle is similarly distracted. “Guys–I have my own problems,” she practically yells at them in her manager’s office. “We may have a strike on our hooves here. And I’m way behind in my reading. Spike is goofing off, as usual. You know who you need? Rarity is your answer–go find her.”

“Brilliant, Twi–thanks,” Luna interjects as she kisses Twilight goodbye. “We’re off to save Fluttershy.”

“From herself,” Dash adds. “Don’t wait up.”

So Rainbow Dash and Princess Luna cruise Rarity’s shop, to find her busy with some pony looking for a birthday party dress. “Guys–what do you want?”

Luna gestures. “Finish with your customer and we’ll explain.”

“So you want me to close my business to fly with both of you to Griffonland to talk Queen Fluttershy down from the ledge where she’s perched to jump from?” is Rarity’s speech to both of them once they explain the situation.

Dash’s face falls to pieces. “I don’t like things the way they are now. Remember when life was simpler, and if any pony had a problem, we all worked on it to help that pony out? What’s happen to the good old days?”

“They’ve been replaced by the bad new days,” Luna dejectedly replies. “Where every pony is being selfish and no pony wants to help another–looks like.”

Rarity dramatically sighs. “All right–enough guilt, you two. If you can pry Spike from Twilight’s evil grip, then I’ll go.”

Rainbow flashes her trademark grin. “It’s a deal.”

Once Luna and Dash fly Rarity to Griffonland, she approaches Fluttershy, alone. “Hi Rarity,” Shy greets her old friend from her throne.

“Hello Shy,” the marshmallow-white unicorn gingerly begins. “How do you like being Queen?”

“Oh, I love it,” is Shy’s prompt response. “I love giving orders and the food is simply divine. You should try it some time.”

“You know what I think would be good?” Rarity suggests. “A day at the spa–just you and me. How does that strike you?”

“Sounds like fun,” Shy agrees. “Let’s do it.”

So they spend a few hours lying around, taking bubble baths, listening to music, getting pedicures and massages. Finally Shy asks the obvious question. “Rarity, what are you doing here?”

Rarity opens her eyes and sits up to address this. “I came to see you, of course. I missed you.”

“You did?”

“Yes. We all miss you, Shy.” She waits a while before she continues. “Haven’t you missed us?”

“Sometimes,” Shy admits. “Sometimes I miss the way things used to be. How’s everything back in Ponyville?”

“Well, it’s changed. Nothing stays the same. What’s new in Griffonland?”

“This place is something else,” Shy intones in a conspiratorial whisper, still unconciously leaning forward, as Rarity is. “The Griffons are all so weird. They look at me so funny.”

“Well, maybe you do need to dial it back on the make-up,” Rarity offers, hoping to sound casual about it, finally relaxing and languorously sinking back into her mud bath. “Change your mane a little. I can help you with that.”

“O.K.,” Shy readily agrees. “That sounds like fun.”

Meanwhile, back in Ponyville, Pinkie Pie starts snooping around. “Where’s Rarity?”

Spike gestures to the most remote reaches of infinite space. “She went somewhere with Luna and Rainbow Dash–go ask them.”

“I think I will,” is Pinkie’s prompt response.

At the castle, Princess Celestia is equally vague and evasive. “Pinkamena Diane Pie–that’s none of your business,” the Princess scolds the pink Earth pony with such ferocity that makes Pinkie even more curious.

“Fine–then I’ll just go see for myself,” she decides in determination.

By the time she catches up with Shy and Rarity, the cat is pretty much out of the bag. “Pinkie, do you know what an orgasm is?”

Rarity tries to wave Shy off. “Queen Fluttershy–now is that any way for a monarch to talk?”

Shy in turn waves Rarity’s complaint away. “We’re among friends. And it’s just us girls. Friends can tell each other the truth, can’t they? Well, I can tell you that Miss Rarity here gives the most exquisite, delicious, entirely scrumptious orgasms in the entire known universe. Have you ever had one? You ought to try it sometime.”

Pinkie appraises Rarity for the veracity of this while Rarity is turning several shades of red in crimson contrast to her normally blanched complexion. “Well, fair is fair; what Shy does for me pales in comparison to any Earthly pleasures that I’ve heard tell about.”

“Oh sweetheart–you’re so modest,” Shy returns the compliment with.

“Actually, what I was wondering was how soon you’re coming back to Ponyville, Rarity,” Pinkie throws out rather than listen to this garbage go on for much longer. “To your business, for example?”

Rarity dismisses the idea out of hand. “Oh, I trust Spike to run the joint. Shy has asked me to hang around and I said, you know, I could get used to being the Queen’s consort.”

“Then I looked into her eyes,” Fluttershy continues in high drama. “And I told her that I loved her–that I’ve always loved her.”

“And that’s when she asked me to stay,” Rarity finishes for the other pegasus. “Forever and forever, world without end, Amen. So that’s what I’m going to do. Got a problem with that, Miss Pinkie Pie?”

“Nope–sounds good to me,” Pinkie brightly returns, random as always. “How about me–can I stay too?”

“Why not?” Shy asks the incorporate air around them while smiling broadly at the thought. “The more, the merrier.”

“Uh-oh,” Princess Celestia mutters to herself as she observes the scene from her castle tower. “This can only end badly.”

At the next pony staff meeting, Rarity and Pinkie Pie are conspicuous by their absence. “So what’s going on in Griffonland?” Twilight unfortunately inquires.

“All it is is debauchery,” Celestia explodes in anger from her position in the circle, the seared mental images playing back endlessly, over and over again and again in her head. “Morning noon and night, every single day; they never stop.”

“But you watch it,” Luna speaks up from her seat, leaving the unspoken ‘So why can’t we?’ part of that comment unsaid.

“Oh, do you want to go too, Luna?” Celestia snaps at her sister. “What about you, Twilight? How about it, Apple Jack? Carrot Top? Does every pony wish to visit? And participate?”

Twilight shrugs. “It might be a nice change of pace.”

“Dash is running the show,” Princess Celestia tersely explains, avoiding eye contact with any of the assembled ponies. “Leaving the other three free to indulge themselves.”

“What do you think?” Twilight dares ask Luna in front of every pony.

“Twi, maybe that’s not such a hot idea right now,” Luna demurs.

“O.K.–it was just a thought,” T.S. responds quickly enough. “Shall I start with the factory report?”

After the meeting, Twi asks Luna, “What’s up with Tia?”

“I think she’s hurt,” the Dark Princess confides. “I think she feels used and abandoned by Fluttershy, who’s being an ungrateful wench if you ask me.”

“Luna, Shy’s had a hard time,” Twi begins but is cut off by her paramour.

“Well who hasn’t?” Luna explodes at Twilight, much the same as her sister previously had. “Who’s led a charmed life? You? Me? Tia?”

Twi minimally shrugs in contrast to how worked up the other is becoming. “Tia has, yes.”

“Listen to me: Tia’s worked her whole life for the betterment of Equestria, and what has it gotten her?” Luna snaps back at Twilight. “Half of our senior staff is over in Griffonland, living it up. Bunch of ungrateful ponies, if you ask me. If my opinion counts in any way.”

“Of course it does honey,” Twi responds. “I still love you. I just miss my friends, that’s all.”

“I do too, but we can’t abandon Tia. Not right now,” Luna decides. “It would kill her.”

“All right,” Twilight readily agrees. “Then that’s the way it is.”

“Think we should cheer her up?” Luna throws out for discussion. “Or leave her alone.”

T.S. shrugs again. “She’s your sister–you know her better than I do.”

“Let’s check up on her,” the Princess of the Night suggests.

Luna knocks on the entrance to the viewing chamber. When there is no answer, she tries the door knob.

Twi waits out in the hall as Luna enters. When she exits a few seconds later, her eyes are wide as proverbial saucers.

“What happened?” Twilight asks as soon as they have removed themselves from the door area.

“Uh—she’s not upset,” the Dark Princess circumspectly advises her favorite sweetheart while rolling her eyes. “We don’t need to be concerned about her.”

“Why don’t you just tell me what you saw?” T.S. incredulously inquires of the other.

Finally Luna meets Twi’s insistent gaze. “Um—how can I say this nicely? Queen Fluttershy has seen fit to put her earpiece back in place.”

“Why couldn’t you just say that?”

“Because they weren’t exactly talking—I mean they were but—good grief Twi; do I have to draw you a freaking picture?”

“Was it sexual?”

“What do you think?” Luna responds in exasperation. “Do you still want to visit?”

“Do you?” Twi counters. “After what you just saw?”

Luna doesn’t say anything but her eyes are even wider and sparkling and her smile is huge. “Desire and decision,” the Empress of the Night solemnly intones. “The two things that make a live world.”

“So is that a yes?”

“Let’s go,” Luna declares in absolute resolve. “Right now.”

A few weeks later, a tall woman with long straight red hair dressed in a grey business suit pays a call on the castle in Griffonland:

“Tia?” Luna alerts her sister. “There’s this woman out here who says her name is Lauren Faust and she wants to talk to you.”

“Send her in,” Celestia responds while she thinks, Here we go.

“Princess Celestia,” the woman begins once she is shown in. “I’m Lauren Faust and I’m sorry to bother you but I have a message from the network. I tried the castle first in Equestria and they told me you were here.”

“Yes?” the Princess prompts in total poker-face mode.

“This isn’t easy for me to say, so I’m just going to say it,” the visitor continues. “The network’s position is that you’re in breach of contract basically; this isn’t what we signed up for. The ponies have gotten way too graphic—this is entirely out of hand. You guys need to go back to the way things used to be or they’re going to pull the feed on you in one week.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Celestia lightly inquires after a while.

“To give you a chance,” Lauren harshly replies in contrast. “If you’re the Princess, then do something: issue a proclamation or however you want to handle it. The orgies and the group sex have got to go, at the very least. This is a show for little children—or it used to be, anyway.”

Celestia gestures. “All ponies have free will. And nothing stays the same.”

“You understand what this means, right? No more money from the network, or from merchandising?”

“Thank you for coming by, Miss Faust, and we appreciate your warning. I will discuss this with the others and see what they say, but I may as well tell you right now, do not be hopeful of a positive reply.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Lauren concludes, losing patience and bordering on anger. “I’m afraid you leave us no choice. Good day ma’am.”

“Well children,” Princess Celestia sadly draws up once their visitor departs. “I’m afraid it’s the end of the road for us. The good times are over.”

“Tia, how can you say that?” Luna incredulously inquires while every other pony sits in silence, trying to take the ramifications of this bombshell in. “We can tax the Griffons to pay for the occupation army here and plunder Griffonland’s resources to replace the money from the network. What was she talking about, merchandising? I was about to say something there. How can she stop us from running our factories? You can’t halt free trade.”

“Luna,” Celestia solemnly and reproachfully addresses her sister. “Is that really the kind of world you want to live in? Is that really how ponies treat their neighbors?”

“Absolutely,” the Dark Princess of the Night resolutely declares without hesitation or ambivalence. “It’s a dog-eat-dog world, and no dog’s going to eat me. You’re the one who wanted to take advantage of the Griffons' weaknesses to begin with.”

“I know,” Princess Celestia quickly replies with a knowing grin and a wink. “I was just joshing you all. Who needs the network and their money? Equestria has endured for over a thousand years; ponies will always triumph.”

“Boy, you really gave me a scare there,” Twilight relates in relief as she expresses all the other ponies’ general reaction.

“Just keeping you on your toes,” Celestia crisply replies. “So who’s ready to go back home?”

“I have to stay and help Fluttershy,” Rarity immediately informs the group.

“I understand,” the Princess of the Light responds and she does. “What about you though, Pinkie Pie? Think Trixie misses you back at the magic shop?”

Pinkie nods her head in acknowledgement. “I know she does, and I miss her and the store. I can pop in on Spike for you Rarity; check up on him. But I’ll be back to visit.”

“Sounds good,” Celestia affirms and she shifts to Luna and Twi. “How about you two?”

They nod in accord. “Home with you—and back to visit, yeah.”

“Tell Apple Jack it’s her turn next,” Rainbow Dash advises the departing crew.

“Will do,” Twi declares. “Love is in the air.”

“As well as the herd,” Luna offers. “Bye gang.”

“Bye—bye,” all acknowledge.

A few days later, Lauren Faust appears live on cable network television when the next episode of the program was to air:

“Hello to all the fans of ‘My Little Pony;’ I’m Lauren Faust, the developer of the show,” she begins. “Tonight’s episode will not be seen today; nor indeed any other day. I’m sorry to tell you that the series, which I love with all my heart, has been canceled. I wish there was something more I could say, other than I tried my best to keep this from happening but in the end, there was nothing I could do. To all those that will miss the show—just remember: as long as the characters live on in your heart, it’s exactly like when a loved one dies. He or she will always be with you. Take care.”


Dear Princess Celestia—

Even though nothing is forever, some things will always be.  Everything old is new again.  But I'm not writing to preach wisdom at you; you already have enough of that.  Just wanted to say thank you again, for all you've done and all you've given us.  I know sometimes we may seem ungrateful but we're not.  We're just ponies after all and ponies just want to have fun.

Your Faithful Student,

Twilight Sparkle


“General Discord,” R.D. addresses the General in greeting.

“What is it, Rainbow Dash?” Discord angrily snaps. “I’m very very busy.”

“I can see that sir,” Dash affably responds. “What with your maps and toy soldiers and whatnot; looks like you have a whole campaign going on there.”

“You have no idea,” Discord sneers in utter contempt. “The evil plans that I have laid. Well what is it? I don’t have all day.”

“The Queen Fluttershy commands you to crush the revolt of the Griffons,” Rainbow instructs the other. “There is a charismatic young leader among the Griffons, who thinks he can lead his followers to glorious rebellion and unseat the occupying Pony Army. Well, you have to stop him.”

“What are you talking about?” Discord roars in insolent rage. “What revolt? What rebellion? Where is your evidence of all this?”

“The Queen says it’s inevitable,” R.D. tosses off. “It’s just a matter of time. There’s always the unexpected, so you may as well get busy now.”

“Advise Her Majesty that I’m all over it,” Discord announces to the room. “Tell her that I’ll ferret out this rascal, whose head is so full of this nonsense and show him who’s boss. Now be gone–before I make an example out of you.”

“As you wish, sir,” Rainbow Dash dispatches before she turns to walk out of the room. “Have a nice day.”

The Keys to the Griffon Kingdom

I promise this will be the last pony story I post.  Unless I change my mind. (All artwork by the exceedingly vivacious and talented Eugenia of Italy--http://feujenny07.deviantart.com/ . Go check out her stuff--immediately!)

Rainbow Dash flies to the Canterlot castle at top speed; she knows both Princesses and all her friends are there, waiting for her and her report.

As she breaks through the lower cirrus stratus clouds, she recalls the conversation with Gilda that had precipitated this whole predicament, a few weeks ago:

“Glad to hear things are working out for you ponies,” Gilda had casually remarked that day as they both flew together after R.D. had regaled her old friend with tales of Princess Celestia’s triumphant return. “Wish I could say the same for us Griffons.”

And from there Gilda went on, detailing her country’s sad woes and hard times, all stemming from a power struggle after their king’s untimely recent demise—their king, who had also been Gilda’s father.

After Dash finishes her story, in the wake of the silence that envelopes the group, Celestia draws up. “All right,” she begins. “Here’s what we’re going to do: I will write a royal communiqué, asking for conveyance over their land. Rainbow Dash, you and another Pegasus will pose as ambassadors from Equestria. You two will learn all you can at court and we will assess then.”

“What’s a communiqué?” Carrot Top crossly queries the room.

“What’s a conveyance?” Pinkie Pie inquires at nearly the same time.

Celestia holds up a royal hoof for silence. “All a communiqué is is a letter—it’s a fancy letter from one head of state to another. Conveyance is a pass. All you’re asking for is safe passage for our Pony Army over their land.”

“What Pony Army?” is Luna’s petulant contribution to the proceedings. “We don’t have any kind of an Army.”

“Then you and Twilight will have to assemble one; coordinate with the Captain of the Guard and Doctor Whooves,” Celestia blithely tosses off. “This is our chance to expand our kingdom; the stake is large and we must gamble for it. Any questions? Yes Dash.”

R.D. lowers her hoof. “Who’s the other Pegasus that’s going with me?”

The Princess briefly glances around the circle and stops on the first pair of wings she spies. “Fluttershy.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Shy quietly responds.

“You will accompany Rainbow Dash on this diplomatic mission,” Celestia details. “We will monitor your progress from here. Good luck.”

“Thank you, Princess,” F.S. replies after exchanging looks with R.D.

“What’s up with Tia?” Twilight ventures to Luna as they regroup after the meeting is over.

The Dark Princess shrugs. “Don’t know—never seen her this aggressive. I thought the ponies lived in peace with the Griffons.”

“Guess not any more,” Twi observes with the same gesture. “So where are we going to get an army from?”

“I don’t know,” Luna admits. “The factory?”

“Then who’s going to work at the factory?” Twilight in turn demands.

“Twi, I don’t have all the answers,” the Princess snaps at her paramour. “Let’s just do what she said—get with your brother and the Doctor and see what they say.”

“All right,” T.S. capitulates. "Let's see if we can pry Shining Armor apart from Cadence for two minutes."

At the same time, Rarity commiserates with Fluttershy. “Why did the Princess choose me?” she asks the marshmallow white unicorn in obvious fright. “Why am I going with Dash?”

“Shy—calm down,” Rarity counsels her friend. “Take a deep breath. You’re making far too much out of this. The Princess chose you because you’re another Pegasus—that’s all. And she trusts you. All you’re doing is delivering a letter and looking around. No big deal.”

“Easy for you to say,” is F.S.’s exasperated counterpoint. “What if something happens? What if we need instructions on how to proceed?”

R.D. and A.J. exchange shrugs in their shared circle. “She has a point,” Apple Jack allows. “Maybe we should ask the Princess when she gives you the letter.”

“Good idea,” Dash agrees. “I’ll take care of it Shy—don’t worry.”

“All right,” a visibly relieved Fluttershy also concurs. “Thank you Rainbow.”

“No problem.”

When Celestia hands Dash the letter and R.D. repeats Shy’s concern, the Princess sighs a royal huff but nevertheless produces a device that she assures them will solve the problem. “I have only one of these, so who do I give it to?” She approaches Dash and assesses of her, “Your mane’s too short. Fluttershy—I guess you’re elected again. This will fit unseen in your ear and you’ll be able to hear me.”

“Thank you Your Highness,” is Shy’s heartfelt relief in gratitude after they test it and it works as advertised.

“Happy?” Rainbow Dash inquires of her counterpart once they’re out of earshot of the others.

“Yes,” Shy pronounces. “I’m ecstatic. When do we leave?”

“Right now,” R.D. barely gives utterance to before she takes off with Fluttershy in hot pursuit.

“Well, they’re on their way,” Twi observes from the castle balcony as she and Luna watch. “Think this is such a good idea?”

The Dark Princess lowers her eyes before she speaks. “Tia knows best.”

“Guess we’ll find out,” Twilight agrees.

When Dash and Shy arrive at the Griffon royal court, Celestia’s letter is cause for much amusement at the ponies’ expense:

“So Princess Celestia of Equestria craves a conveyance over our land for their Pony Army?” the Griffon King Claudius asks in high theater to his assembled audience. “What Pony Army? Maybe she’s gone soft in the head; delusions of grandeur and that sort of thing. Happens to the best of us. What does every Griffon think?”

As the crowd takes the bait and begins yelling catcalls and making general noises of derision, the ponies in the castle watch via the main viewing portal in increasing irritation. “They’re laughing at us!” Pinkie Pie observes in rising indignation and a sneer in her voice. “They’re not laughing with us—they’re laughing at us!”

Celestia swings her visage toward Luna and Twilight. “Well?” she very nearly bellows at them.

Twi lets Luna take this. “Well what Tia? How are we supposed to create an Army out of thin air?”

T.S. intervenes, embarrassed. “What Luna means Princess is that we haven’t decided yet which factory to draw most of the members of this proposed army from.”

“What difference does it make?” Celestia explodes in impatience. “We need an army, and we need an army now. We needed it yesterday. So pick one—how about ‘eeny meeny miny mo?’”

“That sounds good—O.K. we’ll do that,” Twilight hastily responds. “Come on Luna—let’s get that blueprint that my brother and the Doctor already worked out on the structure.”

After they leave, the Princess is still smoldering. “Which factory,” she repeats under her breath. “Which factory indeed. Whichever one isn’t producing as much revenue as the others—good garden party. Do I have to do everything around here?”

“No Your Highness,” Pinkie speaks up from her place. “That’s what you have all of us loyal subjects for.”

“Wonderful,” is the Princess’s dejected reply.

Luna reenters the chamber. “Tia, you’re not going to believe this but—”

“Hi Tia,” Discord announces after he bounces into the room.

“Discord!” the Princess exclaims in animated enthusiasm. “You have chosen the most propitious moment to return.”

The Master of All Chaos looks worried. “I have?” he tentatively inquires.

“Absolutely,” Celestia assures him, rising to appraise how he's changed. “How would you like to be the General of our new Pony Army?”

Discord regains something of his previous nature as he patently dismisses this out of hand. “Army, shmarmy. Why should I help you?”

“Because, my pet—we’re in kind of a jam at the moment,” Celestia purrs to him in response. “I’ll make it worth your while.”

The tall anthropomorphic figure nevertheless remains skeptical. “How?”

“I’ll let you design your own uniform--among other privileges, shall we say? Hmm? Ow--Pinkie Pie, stop throwing things at me! I told you before I don't like that.”

“Oh, I get to wear a uniform?” Discord incredulously inquires while also ignoring Pinkie and her antics merely to get her goat. “Well, that makes all the difference—why didn’t you say so to begin with?”

“Because I just thought of it,” Celestia confides as she pats Discord on the shoulder. "Now get going—we don’t have a whole lot of time to waste; Miss Rarity will assist you.”

"Yes, Your Highness," the marshmallow-white unicorn promptly responds.

“Boy—you sure are bossy today,” Discord observes even as Rarity is busy with her tape measure.

“Not just today—every day,” is Celestia's apt rejoinder even as she successfully sits on a still jealously raging and sputtering Pinkie Pie, who keeps repeating something about chocolate rain and how she wants some right now.

Back in Griffonland, Fluttershy turns to Rainbow Dash after the King’s audience participation ritual. “Well, what do we do now?”

Dash shrugs while momentarily grimacing. “I don’t know—we’re supposed to be looking around. To find out what we can find out.”

Gilda approaches both of them once all the other Griffons split after the King and Queen depart. “Hey, you guys aren’t leaving yet, are you?”

R.D. affects an indifferent attitude. “Well, we may have other jobs to do back home. Why?”

Gilda gestures. “There’s a play tonight; you two ought to stick around for at least that.”

Rainbow defers to Fluttershy on this score. “I guess one more day isn’t going to make much difference,” Shy allows at length. “What’s the play about?”

“It’s called The Mousetrap," Gilda replies as a parting shot. “You’ll like it—trust me.”

Once they’re alone again, R.D. asks the ambient air, “Well, Princess? What are our instructions?”

F.S. listens as Celestia’s voice intones in her ear, “The play. The play’s the thing—wherein Gilda will catch the conscience of the King.” Shy nods as she relates to Dash, “We’re staying.”

That evening, when the performance falls apart, Dash and Shy search through the crowd to find Gilda, to ask what’s happening. “Can’t talk now,” Gilda explains. “Gotta go.”

Dash turns to Shy. “Princess?” R.D. asks the incorporate air around them. “What do we do now?”

F.S. nods as she receives her instructions. “We’re hanging here,” Shy relates to Rainbow. “The Princess says something’s going on.”

“What about our Army?” R.D. follows up with. “What’s the latest on that?”

After F.S. gestures in the same manner as before, she expostulates, “An advanced guard is on its way—with General Discord.”

“General Discord?” Dash incredulously repeats.

“That’s what the Princess says.”

“Something is rotten in Griffonland,” Rainbow observes with her eyes widening. “The dice are rolling.”

“Then we need to get out of here,” Fluttershy, wide-eyed herself, expresses in panic.

“Shy—you need to hold it together,” R.D. warns the other. “We have our orders—this isn’t a vacation. We can’t just leave if we don’t like it.”

“I know,” Shy assures her more stable counterpart. “That doesn’t mean I can’t be scared.”

“You can be scared all you want—just don’t show it,” Rainbow Dash informs the other Pony ambassador. “You show it and we are dead.”

“I hope you don’t mean that literally.”

“We’re playing with the big kids now, Miss Fluttershy,” R.D. continues while shaking her head. “Now if you want me to do all the talking—that’s fine. You can be the strong and silent type. But if you show fear, you’re going to let the Princess down. Is that what you want?”

“No,” Shy snaps at Dash. “It isn’t. O.K. Dash—you win. Thanks for the talk.”

“No problem,” Rainbow responds. “That’s what friends are for.”

When Discord arrives with his Pony Honor Guard, he gives the Griffon King enough smart remarks for the King to take Princess Celestia’s letter seriously. Afterwards, Gilda advises Dash and Shy that there’s going to be a sword duel that will decide everything. So they stick around for that.

During the duel, a fight breaks out and in the pandemonium Dash is hurt. “Don’t worry about me,” R.D. advises Shy from the floor. “Just stay in the game.”

“Right,” Shy acknowledges.

Then suddenly Griffons are dying left and right, including the King, the Queen and tragically, horrifyingly Gilda, whose last words, as if straight out of some sudden glorious epiphany, are, "Fluttershy. She has my final vote. The rest is--silence." The Pony Army arrives just in time thereafter.

As all Griffon eyes turn to her, in as strong and clear a voice as she can muster, Fluttershy repeats as Celestia tells her, “Today I embrace my fortune. I have some rights of memory in this kingdom, which I will now exercise. Griffons, if you desire a strong and able leader, then crown me queen and I will rule this land as long as I live.”

The Griffon ambassador reluctantly replies after looking around at the assembled court, or rather what little’s left of it, and subsequently out the window to see what he perceives as a Pony Army of occupation, “Your Majesty, it shall be so.”

“What is this freaking horse hockey?” Pinkie Pie roars in honest astonishment as the assembled ponies view the proceedings from afar.

“She didn’t even want to go,” Rarity incredulously and histrionically contributes from her place. “And now she’s Queen of the Griffons for life?!”

"This isn't any kind of horse hockey, Pinkie Pie," Princess Celestia archly informs the pink-maned pony.  "This is history in the making."

“Go Shy!” Twilight Sparkle in contrast is shouting as loudly as she can while alternately gesturing for Luna to join her and pumping her fist in the air to punctuate her remarks. “Go Shy! Do it! Do it do it do it! Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Flut Ter Shy! Freaking do it girl! You are the Shy, you are the Shy, you are the Shy that we’ve been waiting for! Yes you are! Yes you are! Uh-huh, uh-huh.” Repeating over and over and over again.

Princess Luna picks it up as well. “Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Queen for life! Yes indeed! You go girl! Make us proud! Do it do it do it!”

As the crown descends on her dreamy flowing mane, Shy can hear all the ponies, even Celestia, join in the chants and cheers, as the jubilee spreads throughout the Griffon crowd. She smiles broadly in excitement and accomplishment, even as she wields her new sapphire-and-diamond studded scepter, the ancient paragon of royal Griffon power. She is fortune’s hostage, every pony’s heart’s desire; she is Queen Fluttershy, Monarch of the Griffons.


Dear Princess Celestia--

I've been thinking about what you said, that time we were alone, about us being intimate, and if you're still interested, I am too.

Your Faithless Student,

Twilight Sparkle


Twi wakes up while it's still dark out; she can hear her paramour softly breathing, not the deep rasping of nocturnal slumber indicating REM. She rolls over in bed and kisses her newest sweetheart on the cheek. "Tia," she whispers ever so softly in Princess Celestia's ear. "Are you awake?"

"I am now," Tia responds in equal tones of amorous desire and royal testiness. "Don't tell me you're still in the mood."

"Luna's going to get back soon and we can't let her know," Twi explains in a rush.

"Twi, you needed worry your pretty little head about it," Tia tosses off after rolling over, looking up at the other, her dreamy flowing hair tousled against the crisp white linen of the royal embroidered pillow. "I've it all worked out; she'll never suspect a thing; let alone find out about us."

"How many other foals have you had up here and pulled this same stunt with?" Twi asks while smiling in the darkness, the thought of a successfully scheming Princess Molestia endlessly seducing young maid after young master bringing improper mirth to her blossoming imagination.

Here the normally glib and loquacious Princess who's never at a loss for words doesn't answer right away as the proverbial cat's got her talented tongue and it takes some time for Twi to realize how deeply her new lover is now in fact blushing. "Tia," she continues incredulously in a rush. "You can't have been a virgin, untouched, all these years--can you?"

"Some day, my sometime faithful student and now my one and only true and endless love, you'll understand how much work being a princess and running a country as diverse as Equestria is; Flutters is lucky. Griffonland is a piece of cake," Tia kindly elaborates while making a elegant flip of her hand, as apparently Discord doesn't count; not to the Princess, anyway.

"So you're not jealous of Shy being a Queen while you're only a Princess."

Tia strokes the other's golden lustrous hair as she patiently explains, "Twi, my sweetest darling, my mother was Queen; I could never take her place even though I now run the show. I honor her memory every day that passes that I don't have myself crowned just to satisfy my own vanity."

"And you're not jealous, of me and Luna?" Twi inquires in wonder, more in the tone however of dawning epiphany rather than an aggressive interrogative.

"No," Tia simply replies. "You make Luna happy, something I couldn't do, apparently." She sits up in bed quickly enough for her heart-rendingly beautiful ample pink-nippled breasts to sway and bounce in tandem toward the direction of her forward motion. "I sent my own sister to the moon; I banished her for a thousand years. How do you think that makes me feel?"

For an answer, Twi sits up in bed also, her smaller budding breast buds pressing against Tia's in their embrace. Twi can feel Tia's softness tip with desire and her own nipples reacting the same way, as both sets of her warm glistening lips part to reveal the deepest hollow of her frank but turgid desire. Twi reciprocates with her own slender graceful elegant hand inside Tia after the teacher prepares her student for the ultimate lesson in fulfillment: the best gut-screaming orgasm money can't buy.

Outside, flying into Canterlot air space, the full harvest moon's warm spring glow over her shoulder, Princess Luna, the Dark Empress of the Night, hears echoes of a sound roaring from the highest castle tower, a rapture she partly recognizes but mostly doesn't. "Oh well," she sighs to herself in resignation to the truth, that even the Darkness can be in love with the Light. "At least some ponies are enjoying the night."

Ten Little Ponies

Scootaloo looks up from her hiding place in the dark, her eyes wide with fright and genuine horror. Since she stowed away on the hydrofoil two days ago, she’s been almost caught twice by the same purser; it appears the third time’s going to be the charm.

“’Ten little Indians, travelling to dine,’” the white-uniformed purser sings to himself as he catalogs the inventory of the ship’s stores. “’One choked his little self and then there were nine.’”

Oh noes, Scootaloo thinks as the purser rummages closer and closer to where she’s concealed herself. Confound that Spike! I wish he’d never gotten me into this.

Her mind reels back to the beginning of this mess as she imagines all manner of nasty punishments the crew has for stowaways. It had all started when Rainbow Dash read her Pony Express letter:

“Holy Celestia!” R.D. exclaimed as she ripped the envelope to shreds in her haste. “I’ve been invited too!”

“Invited to what?” Scoot asked her mentor, pawing at the fragments on the ground for a return address.

"The Fashion Show, squirt,” R.D. spat out, barely pausing to explain. “I have to tell the others.”

Scoot had gotten the rest from Spike after R.D. had taken off on her. “It’s this super-big-deal invitation-only event,” he related in the library as he packed Twilight Sparkle’s suitcases. “Some of Rarity’s designs got picked up by this hipster fashionista and she gets an all-expenses-paid trip to Manehatten along with nine of her closest friends. Only guess who isn’t going.”

“Me and you,” Scoot adroitly deduced as she watched Spike practically throw T.S.’s things around with more than moderate disdain. “What a bummer. I wanna go too.”

“Exactly what I was hoping to hear,” Spike tossed off with his usual evil grin. “I have a plan.”

Spike’s plan had been simple enough—although it required a certain amount of audacity to actually pull it off. When the baby dragon had gotten cold feet at the last minute, that left Scoot by herself on a one-way ticket to walking the plank.

Now Scoot holds her breath as the purser moves closer and closer to her hiding spot.

“Hello—what’s this?” the purser asks as he sets his clipboard aside to move several cartons of fresh vegetables to reveal the small pony’s erstwhile hiding place. “What are you doing there?”

“Keeping the mice company?” Scoot replies with a silly grin on her face, hoping the make the stern-looking man in the white uniform smile.

“Excuse me Captain,” the purser blusters as he drags a very reluctant Scootaloo onto the bridge, “but look what I found hiding in the galley.”

“Just what we need,” the Captain sighs as he engages the intercom to Twilight’s cabin. “Another pony.”

A few minutes later, as they leave the bridge together, Scoot sheepishly murmurs to Twi, “Thanks for not turning me in.”

Twilight Sparkle gives Scoot a sideways glance that doesn’t exactly register warmth in the younger pony’s eyes. “You’re lucky we’re so close to the island. If you’d been found earlier, I’d have ratted you out for the stowaway that you are. As it is, if I’d told the Captain back there the truth, we’d all probably be heading back to Equestria right now.” The island she’s referring to is where the event is being held—in the middle of the ocean with very tight security; not Manehatten, as Spike had said. There had been a last minute change of plans.

“So where am I going to stay?” Scoot asks as they clop their way down the metal stairs.

“Oh no,” Rainbow Dash aggressively asserts at her door after Twi explains her plan. “I’m not taking the kid.”

“You have to,” T.S. counters in equally determined fashion. “You’re her mentor.”

“What’s wrong with your cabin?” R.D. tries one last time.

“It’s full of books, that’s what’s wrong with it,” T.S. explains in no uncertain terms. “Now I’m not asking you—I’m telling you. She rooms with you. End of discussion.”

“I don’t deserve this, but I don’t feel like arguing any more,” R.D. finally capitulates as she grudgingly swings the door to her cabin open, seeing that T.S. isn’t backing down. “You owe me, big time.”

“Later gators,” Twi sings as she prances off down the corridor.

A few hours later, at dinner, Scoot could see at least one reason why R.D. had been so reluctant to take her on—the ponies had paired up, as they say, leaving her as the proverbial fifth wheel. Apple Jack was sitting with Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie was with Rarity, Fluttershy with Octavia, and Doctor Whooves with Zecora at the long rectangular table. This left Twilight with Luna as the most simultaneously ill-at-ease but most watched and eavesdropped on couple.

“I still don’t see how this is going to work,” Rarity is gassing, almost beside herself with stress. “The designer Versailles was quite specific that there be ten ponies on board—no more and no less—and now we have eleven." She glares at Scoot, who tries without much success to hide under her napkin.

“I realize that Rarity, and I’m not trying to make excuses for what she and Spike did,” T.S. tries to placate and keep her own temper in check. “But I really didn’t see any other choice. The Captain was furious. I was afraid he was gonna take us all back.”

“What’s this about Spike?” A.J. nasally interjects in her southwest twang above the din that erupts after Twi’s last comment, the former attempting to both catch up and simmer Rarity down. “Did that thieving little varmint stow away too?”

“No, Spike’s not here,” Fluttershy attempts to explain to any pony who can hear her with only limited comprehension. “But all this was his idea, and he chickened out at the last minute.”

“I don’t see the problem at all,” Doctor Whooves declares. “Just leave Scootaloo on the hydrofoil and we’ll take her back on Monday when they pick us up.”

“Unfortunately, Twi made that impossible this afternoon,” Luna dispassionately comments in the hushed silence that follows any utterance from her.

“No no no,” Pinkie Pie is offering to any pony who’ll listen while trying to eat her dinner. “We’ll make Scootaloo my assistant. That way she can still come and not get counted.”

“Ten little ponies, floating up toward heaven,” Zecora ad-libs to herself in gaiety and mirth. “Then one more stowed away and now there are eleven.”

“How is that going accomplish anything?” Rainbow Dash is petulantly asking Pinkie from across the table. “Any way you slice the little foal, it’s still one too many.”

“How’s your chicken?” Octavia inquires of Fluttershy while indicating the other’s plate, pointedly ignoring the conversation. “I’ll trade you some of my fish.”

“We’ll have the Doctor teleport to the island ahead of us,” is Pinkie’s brilliant rejoinder. “That way, we can still be ten when they count us getting off the hydrofoil.”

“I didn’t bring the TARDIS,” the Doctor casually informs the gathering, resuming eating himself. “I didn’t think I was going to need it.” He shoots Scoot another guilt-inducing gaze, as if she needed one.

“All I know is,” Rarity sums up before returning to graze on what remains on her plate as well. “If you mess this up, Scootaloo, it’s off to the glue factory with your mangy hide.”

“Ulp,” Scoot manages to swallow as she considers her complicity in this ill-conceived adventure.

A little while later, during dessert, Twi looks up to notice Fluttershy’s turning many shades of red while coughing. “Shy, are you O.K.?”

F.S. manages to shake her head no while hacking and snorting in the most histrionic and flamboyant manner.

“She’s choking!" Octavia almost shouts. “Doctor, do something, please!"

Doctor Whooves rises from his chair and advances toward Fluttershy. He’s preparing to perform the Heimlich maneuver on her when the pink-maned pegasus manages to swallow what had been giving her fits. “Can you breathe now?” the Doctor asks her at length.

“I think so,” she coughs out while settling back down. “Thank you for your concern. Thank you all.”

“Come on kid—let’s hit the hay,” R.D. informs Scoot a little later.

“Goodnight guys,” Rarity says in parting as her way of apologizing for being harsh earlier.

“’Night, fillies,” Pinkie contributes, still working on her third chocolate mousse.

“Should we also?” Luna quietly inquires of Twi.

“I think I’ll go for a stroll on deck,” T.S. informs the Princess as well as the assembled ponies. “See y’all later.”

The next day when they land, Rarity is the first off the ship; she’s also the first back on. “There’s no one here!” she complains to the Captain and any pony that will listen. “I know the event isn’t till Saturday and today’s only Friday but still—the house is empty!”

“I’m sorry that’s the case,” is his indifferent reply. “Would you like to go back with us then? To the mainland?”

Rarity consults with Twilight. “Let’s look around a little more,” she suggests. “Captain, can you give us one hour?”

He checks his watch. “One hour then—and we’re leaving,” he tersely responds.

The ponies investigate the big house and find plenty of food and drink in the kitchen. Also, they find a game room and the electricity is on, so they decide maybe the designer was delayed and will be along shortly. The hydrofoil sets sail for the mainland with promises to return on Monday.

Scoot asks Rainbow Dash while standing on the beach, watching the ship take off, “Is this really a good idea?”

R.D. scoffs at the younger pony’s trepidation. “Are you kidding?” is her reply. “This is a great idea! We are having one blow-out of a party this weekend.”

“Yaay,” Scoot responds with more apprehension than enthusiasm.

Twilight Sparkle organizes the herd in the kitchen; Zecora is in charge of cooking while Pinkie handles the other party details. The Doctor helps Octavia, who spends most of the day practicing while every other pony is dragooned for manual labor.

“How many balloons are we blowing up?” Scootaloo wearily asks after several hours with the helium tanks.

“You’d have to ask Miss Pinkamena Diane Pie on that one,” Apple Jack's resigned sigh resonates across the high-ceiling dining room. “She said not to stop until she said so.”

“I think her exact words were, ‘There’s no such thing as too many balloons, especially at a par-tay!'" Rainbow Dash relates in commiseration, plainly indicating that she also is reaching her threshold of tolerance.

Twilight emerges from the kitchen a little while later and sees the helium brigade and ascertains their dilemma. “Pinkie dahling—I think that’s quite enough with the balloons,” she informs the other filly.

“Are you sure, Twi?” Pinkie immediately inquires. “Because—you know—you can never have too many balloons for a par—˝

“I’m sure,” T.S. confirms while cutting the other off. “Besides, we need more help in the kitchen.”

“Why aren’t you helping?” A.J. pointed queries T.S. while being corralled.

“I am," Twi tosses off, clearly annoyed with the suggestion she was sitting around when she’s asking other ponies to work. “I just came out here to get y’all.”

A little while later, Rarity consults with Twilight. “What do you think? We’re about ready on all fronts.”

“Let’s run with it then,” Rarity decides with resolve. “If Versailles arrives in the middle, so be it.”

“The sun is setting, the natives are restless,” Zecora contributes. “All those for a bash, we’ve got the bestest.”

Scoot giggles at this, beginning to relax while the stowaway stigma finally begins to fade.

Octavia makes a graceful entrance with The Doctor, showing off her new Little Black Dress for the occasion. “Thank you,” she addresses the assembled ponies after the applause dies down while cradling her cello. “This is one of my favorites and I hope it’s one of yours.”

As the evening wears on, after Octavia runs through most of her repertoire, Twi ventures to Luna, “Wonder what happened to Rarity’s designer.”

Luna considers this for a moment before she observes, “I don’t know, but he sure is missing a great party. Even a Princess such as myself is impressed.”

T.S. takes a similar amount of time before she offers, “I know—it’s a little too good. Where did all this stuff come from, if not the designer?”

Pinkie, overhearing this exchange, barges in with, “Oh would you lighten up already? Let’s not look a Greek horse in the mouth.”

“Or something like that,” Luna dares to crack, although wary of criticizing Pinkie too obviously.

“Doctor!” Pinkie exclaims with noticeable volume. “Wherever did you learn to play the piano?”

“I’m a time lord,” the good Doctor sniffs with substantial aplomb. “I do many things well.”

“I’m sure that you do,” Fluttershy contributes, joining their circle as well. “I was wondering if I might borrow you, Doctor Whooves, for just a minute.”

“Of course,” he graciously responds.

“Well. What are we to make of that?” Rarity inquires of all after F.S. and the Doctor take their leave of the group.

“Oh Rarity,” T.S. dismisses with a wave of her hoof. “You’re such a gossip.”

“Speaking of gossip,” Pinkie Pie segues. “Would you look at the way Octavia is shoveling it? We’re going to need a hand truck to start getting her around.”

“Pinkie, please,” Luna scolds the other. “She has been performing all evening, unlike some pony I could name.”

“Yeah and now she’s choking!" Apple Jack observes. “Sweet Celestia—let’s help her!”

It’s true; Octavia is now seriously red in the face, coughing and gagging, as every other pony comes to her aid.

“Where’s the Doctor?” Rainbow Dash asks above the pandemonium. “Some pony find Doctor Whooves!”

“I saw him leave with Fluttershy a little while ago,” Scootaloo supplies.

“Which way?” R.D. demands of the foal.

“I don’t know,” Scoot admits after a blink. “Maybe toward the kitchen.”

By the time Dash returns with the Doctor, it’s too late. “I’m sorry,” he states to the hushed crowd after checking her vitals, feeling her temperature and, finally, gently closing the eyes. “There’s nothing I can do.”

“Oh Octavia,” Pinkie softly sobs, beside herself with grief.

“She’s—dead?” Rarity demands of Twi, who’s trying to deal with the enormity of the situation herself. “She’s dead?!"

“Rarity—cool it, willya?” T.S. snaps back at the other unicorn, now meeting the other’s eyes. “There’s no sense in freaking out here.”

“Oh mah stars,” Apple Jack interjects under her breath as she stares at Octavia’s lifeless form.

Luna blinks a few times herself in disbelief before she pronounces, “We need to report this.”

While she and the other ponies are consumed in the search for a telephone, Twi approaches the Doctor again once they are alone with Octavia’s body. “I—I know what you said before, but surely a time lord such as yourself—˝

“Twilight,” the Doctor interrupts her. “How many worlds in all my travels, all my journeys, do you suppose I’ve been to?”

“A lot,” Twi admits.

“And how many deaths do you suppose I’ve witnessed?” he follows up with.

“A lot,” T.S. repeats, beginning to get the gist of where this is going.

He nods again before he continues. “And how many friends and relatives do you suppose have asked me to do them a favor by bringing a loved one back?”

Twi gestures as well. “I guess that’s another ‘no,’ huh?”

Doctor Whooves snorts. “I wouldn’t be doing any pony, least of all Octavia, any favors by interfering with the local time stream at this juncture. Besides,” he segues, his voice going lower. “It may not have been an accident.”

Before T.S. can inquire specifics, the herd returns. “There are no telephones in this entire house,” Rarity announces to Twi and the Doctor. “No radio, no nothing.”

“And the hydrofoil’s not due back till Monday,” Pinkie wails in emphasis.

“Three days from now,” R.D. repeats. “Well that settles it,” she continues. “I’m flying for the coast.”

“Rainbow, that’s over two hundred miles away, over open ocean,” Twilight protests. “What if you get tired?”

R.D. shrugs before she answers, “I’ll rest on a cloud.”

“Suppose there aren’t any clouds,” Luna now speaks up, not happy with the idea either. “Then what’re ya gonna do?”

Apple Jack places a hoof on R.D.’s shoulder. “Please don’t do it,” she quietly entreats the other. “I don’t want you to.”

“Don’t want you to what?” Fluttershy inquires, rejoining the group at last. “What’s going on?”

“Maybe we should all hit the hay,” Twilight collectively suggests when no other pony ventures anything else after all bring a stunned F.S. up to speed.

As the sleeping arrangements are being negotiated and nailed down, Scoot wanders back into the kitchen to find Zecora. “How did the rest of that song go, that you were teaching me earlier?”

“’Nine little Indian boys, stayed up very late,’” Zecora sings to her. “’One overslept himself and then there were eight.’ That reminds me—I must catch the Doctor before he creeps. With all this excitement I know I’ll need something from him to help me with the sleeps.”

“That was the same song the porter on the ship was singing when he found me,” Scoot recalls after the older pony departs. “I wonder what’s going on.”

A.J. sticks her head inside the kitchen. “Scoot—let’s hoof it,” she calls out in her twang. “Bedtime—now.”

R.D. is up early the next day at dawn. She stops by F.S.’s room to invite her to come with. There’s no response so she heads out alone.

When she returns, Twi has some bad news. “You’re not going to believe this,” she begins, her eyes red from tears. “But Zecora’s dead now too.”

“Zecora?” Rainbow Dash incredulously repeats. “How? What happened?”

“The Doctor’s not too sure,” T.S. relates in hushed tones as the other ponies gather in small groups to assess the latest developments. “He gave her a sedative last night—to help her sleep—and he said she might have taken too much. It might have been an overdose.”

“Or what?” R.D. asks back, sensing from T.S.’s tone she has at least some suspicions she’s not voicing. “Zecora was so careful about things like that—when she cooked, she always followed the recipe to the letter.”

“I know,” Twilight immediately responds with vigor. “That’s what I was thinking. Don’t say anything to any pony, but last night the Doctor said that what happened to Octavia may not have been an accident.”

“Really? Wow,” Rainbow Dash exhales in wonder. “I just did a flyover of the entire island and there’s nothing here except this house. No other ponies, no nothing. We’re all alone here.”

“Just like in that movie,” Twi makes the connection.

“What movie?” Rarity asks, having overheard while joining them.

“It’s an old mystery called 'And Then There Were None.' A group of ten strangers are invited to an island and get killed off—one by one,” T.S. uneasily explains.

“Scoot was singing some song last night in our room that she said was important,” R.D. contributes. “Something about ten little Indians.”

“That’s the song they used in the movie,” T.S. confirms. “’Ten little Indians, all travelling to dine; one choked his little self and then there were nine.’”

“Oh no,” Pinkie Pie, having come over with Rarity, exclaims, her eyes widening. “That’s what happened to Octavia last night.”

“So is that why we were all invited here?” Rarity asks in genuine apprehension. “Because some evil pony wants to kill us?”

“Some evil pony or one of us that's flipped out,” R.D. offers with great hesitation. “I was just telling Twi—I checked out the island this morning and there’s no pony here but us.”

“O.K. you guys—let’s cool it with the baseless speculation, all right, shall we?” T.S. decides to mediate. “Why don’t we have breakfast and maybe--I don't know--divine intervention will--intervene.”

So all scavenge the kitchen and sit down at the long dining room table to eat. Once clean-up is finished, Apple Jack announces, “I don’t know about any other pony, but I’d like a swim, to clear my head. I’m going down to the beach for a little bit.”

“Scoot, why don’t you tag along,” T.S. suggests. When the Doctor joins them, she inquires of him, “Well?”

The Doctor sighs while deciding on breakfast. “I really can’t tell what happened with Zecora, other than she died in her sleep. We need an autopsy, is the bottom line.”

“Maybe it is just a coincidence,” Rarity contributes, as the guilt for this trip begins to build in her.

“Who would want to hurt us?” Pinkie throws out for discussion.

“I think,” the Doctor surmises at length. “That we need to keep track of where every pony is at all times. And the sooner, the better.”

“Why?” Twilight asks with apprehension now in her voice.

The Doctor levels his gaze at her. “Just to be safe. Where are the others?”

“Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy went out to fly around—survey the island again,” T.S. catalogs. “A.J. and Scoot are down at the beach. I don’t know where Luna is.”

“You two stay here together and wait,” the Doctor advises Rarity and Pinkie. “Twi and I will go outside to collect any pony we can find.”

“O.K.,” Pinkie and Rarity both reply.

Once outside, Twi scans the heavens. “Well, I see Fluttershy,” she observes at length while waving to the aforementioned pegasus. “I wonder where Dash is.”

The Doctor takes his time, glancing about also, before he replies, “I don’t know, but I hope she’s all right.”

“Huh,” Twilight says to herself. “I guess she didn’t see me. She’s heading for the other side of the island.”

“Hmm,” the Doctor rejoins. “There’s Scootaloo—but I don’t see Apple Jack.”

T.S. observes Scoot in the surf as the Doctor had. She waves to her as they make their way down to the water. “Where’s A.J.?”

“I don’t know,” Scoot relates. “We got separated by the tide. By the waves.”

Twilight Sparkle turns to see Doctor Whooves galloping down the beach in the opposite direction into the midmorning sun. “Come on,” she suggests to Scoot.

The Doctor disappears behind some rocks that jut out into the churning surf. T.S. takes the high ground rather than venture out into the forbidding ocean. Scoot follows as best she can.

Twilight stops when she comes around the other side to see the Doctor dragging Apple Jack out of the water. “You stay here,” T.S. advises the younger pony.

“Oh no,” Scoot whispers under her breath as she watches T.S. carefully walk down to where the Doctor has lain A.J. down.

Twilight approaches the Doctor in time to see him remove a kitchen knife from Apple Jack’s spine. She can see from the look on his face the situation. She returns to Scootaloo. “Let’s go back to the house.”

Rainbow Dash is the first to confront her once there. “Where’s Apple Jack?”

“Down on the beach,” Twi quietly replies, in contrast to how loud R.D. is. “The Doctor is with her. He’s doing all he can. For her.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Dash demands of Twilight, now segueing to Scoot. “Weren’t you swimming with her?”

“I was at first,” Scoot tries to explain. “But it was really rough. The waves took her further up—away from me.”

“Rainbow,” Twilight addresses the other pony. “Apple Jack was stabbed. In the back.”

“Oh no,” Pinkie wails, closing her eyes.

“This can’t be happening,” Rarity incredulously declares.

“Rainbow,” Twilight resumes. “Where’s Fluttershy?”

“I’m here,” F.S. announces in her small voice, coming out of the shadows.

“Didn’t you see me—outside the house, waving to you?” Twilight asks her.

“No I didn’t,” F.S. replies in the same way. “I was scanning the ground and trying to find Rainbow Dash—we were supposed to be flying in formation.”

“That’s right,” R.D. confirms. “But we got separated, somehow. Are you saying A.J. is dead?”

“Yes,” Twilight simply answers. “Murdered, the same way Octavia and Zecora were.”

“But I don’t get it—who would do that?” Rainbow Dash in a rush continues, at least partly in the haze of shock, reverting to repeating herself. “I’m telling you, there’s no pony on this island.”

“No pony but us, you mean,” Twilight points out, reminding her of Dash's previous suspicions.

“What are you saying?” Rarity in turn buttonholes the purple unicorn.

“This is all happening just the way it did in the movie,” Twilight elaborates uneasily, not wanting to explain but seeing no alternative. “First one was choked, second was overdosed and third one was stabbed.”

“What about the next one?” Scoot hesitantly inquires. “The fourth one?”

“’Seven little Indian boys, chopping up some sticks,’” Twi recites as the others listen in rapt silence. “’One chopped himself in half and then there were six.’”

“Wonderful,” Luna dejectedly comments, joining them as well.

“Luna,” R.D. warily begins. “Where have you been?”

“I was in my room,” the Princess explains at length, not appreciating R.D.'s tone and manner at all. “I didn’t sleep well last night and I thought I might have a short nap after breakfast. But I didn’t.”

Rainbow Dash and Twilight briefly exchange glances. “So you’ve been alone this whole time,” Twilight elaborates.

“Yes,” Luna simply confirms. “Why? What’s going on?”

Scoot feels compelled to answer as the royal gaze has fallen upon her. “Apple Jack’s dead.”

Luna mutely closes her eyes in pain, her hoof coming up to her head.

R.D. now decides to turn on Scootaloo. “Twi told you to stay with her.”

“I did,” Scoot defends herself as best she can. “B—but then the waves pushed us apart.”

“Come on Rainbow,” Twilight is cajoling the other. “She’s just a little kid.”

“Who isn’t supposed to even be here,” Dash aggressively counters.

“O.K.—that’s enough,” Twilight announces with stark finality. “This is just what happened in the movie—all of a sudden every stranger started accusing each other and every pony was suddenly suspicious of every other pony.”

“At the same time,” the Doctor continues, coming out of the shadows himself. “I advise every pony to stay with the others. Or at least in small groups. That way, if something bad is happening, if one of us is responsible, then there’s safety in numbers.”

“That’s right,” Twilight agrees. “From now on—no pony is alone with any other pony. We stay in groups—if not all together.”

“You mean—one of us is the murderer?” Pinkie blurts out what the others don’t dare even broach.

“Sure looks that way,” the Doctor eventually confirms.

A little while later, Luna catches Twilight’s eyes and gestures with a small over-there jab of her head. When they reach a more secluded corner of the dining room, Twilight begins with, “Luna, I don’t suspect you—but that doesn’t mean others won’t.”

Luna nods to show she sees that the whole Nightmare Moon episode casts her in an unfavorable light here. “I understand Twilight—and I appreciate your support. I just wanted to say that I don’t suspect you either.”

“Then who do you think it is?” Twilight queries the Princess.

Luna waits until Rarity wanders over before continuing. “Whom would you least suspect?” she asks as an answer.

“I hate to say this,” Rarity begins in hushed tones, blinking between very nearly every word. “But Rainbow Dash is pretty upset right now.”

“But A.J. was her favorite,” Twilight protests in equal vehemence.

“Which would be the perfect cover—if she wanted to throw us off the track,” Luna speculates.

From the other side of the room, R.D. asks Pinkie and Fluttershy, “Why do they keep looking over here?”

“Probably talking about us,” F.S. ventures, looking at Pinkie Pie though and not R.D. “Probably discussing who they suspect.”

“Hey—do you guys think anything is going on with Luna and Twilight?” Pinkie throws out for discussion.

“It’s possible,” R.D. comments, her eyes averted. “They have been spending a lot of time together.”

“And why is the Doctor talking so much with Scootaloo?” F.S. continues, her voice a little more insistent now. “What do you think, Pinkie?”

“I don’t know,” Pinkie initially whines. “I wish we were back in Equestria and this whole thing never happened—that’s what I think.”

“Let’s go downstairs to the game room,” Rainbow suddenly suggests. “Get our minds off of all this.”

Twilight, seeing the others leaving, asks, “Hey—where y’all going?”

“Game room,” Pinkie responds. “Wanta come?”

“Sure,” Twi answers after quickly glancing at Luna and Rarity for their reaction.

“Come on Scoot—let’s join them,” the Doctor prompts the stowaway.

So they spend a few hours playing air hockey, shooting pool and some Monopoly.

At one point, Twi advises the Doctor, “We’re going back upstairs—for some lunch.”

The Doctor nods. “Stay together,” he responds, glancing around the board at the group of Scoot, Rarity and Luna to see if they’re hungry also.

“Bring us something too,” Scoot entreats.

“We will,” Rainbow Dash asserts as she, Twi, Pinkie and Fluttershy depart.

Upstairs, the four ponies ransack the kitchen, searching for anything they may have previously overlooked. Downstairs, the Doctor inquires of Scoot, “How about—I trade you my Boardwalk for your Illinois Avenue?”

“But that would give you a monopoly,” Scoot protests.

“Don’t do it Scoot,” Rarity advises the foal. “It’s not a fair trade.”

“Ask him for Marvin Gardens as well,” Luna kibitzes in turn.

“Let Scoot make up her own mind,” the Doctor archly replies to both of the older fillies. “Let her make her own mistakes.”

“If he gets a monopoly out of the deal Scootaloo then it’s only fair that you get one also,” Rarity continues, unable or unwilling to take a hint.

“So who did you say you suspect Doctor? Whom?” Luna asks, correcting her own grammar lapse, to change the subject and possibly save Rarity from herself.

The Doctor doesn’t meet the Princess’s eyes. “I’d rather not say right now,” he eventually demurs.

“Then you do suspect some pony,” Rarity challenges him.

“What are y’all talking about?” Scoot queries them in a small voice.

Luna looks Scoot in the face. “Which one of us is the murderer,” she simply states.

“Do you think it’s me?” Rarity dares address the others.

“You were the impetus for this entire trip,” the Doctor points out, finally glancing up from his pile, as he's the banker for this round.

“Yes I was,” Rarity admits in honest embarrassment. “But I’d never hurt any pony—let alone plan anything elaborate or deceitful.”

“But none of us would,” Scoot exclaims in emphasis.

“Under normal circumstances—no,” the Doctor quietly expostulates, keeping his eyes down again, ostensibly reviewing his properties and money after straightening out the bank's stash. “But any pony can be pushed—over the edge. Any pony is capable of anything—given the proper provocation.”

“What’s ‘provocation?’” Scoot asks.

“Instigation,” the Doctor clarifies after thinking for a while. “Motive. Reason for doing something.”

“Why would any of us resort to murder?” Luna contributes to the discussion.

“Jealousy,” the Doctor illustrates when no other answers are forthcoming. “Revenge. Love. Anger.” He finally looks up at every other pony. “So which among us is the most passionate—in any regard? For any reason?”

Upstairs, Pinkie Pie volunteers, “If we can just find some yeast, we can make oodles of cupcakes. I know Rarity would like that.”

“I think we all would,” Twilight confirms, still looking herself.

“Guys—I need a bathroom break,” Fluttershy announces.

R.D. sighs before she admits, “I do too. I’ll go with.”

“Doctor Whooves said no two ponies are to be left alone,” T.S. warns, glancing back from the pantry that she’s been perusing.

“Fine,” Pinkie interjects, bouncing down from the cabinets where she’s been foraging. “I’ll go too.”

“But that would leave me all by myself,” Twi continues to whine.

“I’m sorry to be such a bother,” F.S. confesses, blushing.

“Then let’s all go,” Rainbow Dash announces a solution to placate every pony.

Downstairs, the Doctor sniffs, “What are they doing up there? I’ve never heard of lunch taking this long.”

“Maybe—Pinkie is baking something from scratch,” Scoot suggests, catching herself from a verbal slip. “I almost said Apple Jack.”

“That’s what I was thinking,” Rarity sadly admits.

“I wonder who’s going to make dinner tonight,” Luna casually ventures while scanning the board. “Connecticut with a hotel Doctor—that’s six hundred please.”

“Darn,” Doctor Whooves mutters, counting his money once more. “I was hoping you weren’t going to notice.”

“Celestia used to try the same trick, whenever we played,” the Princess reminisces with a smile.

Rarity inquires of Scoot, “Scootaloo, what’s your problem?”

The younger pony contorts herself in a different way. “I hafta go to the bathroom.”

Rarity blinks. “So go.”

“He said not to go anywhere alone,” Scoot responds, referring to Doctor Whooves.

Rarity stands. “Fine. I’ll go with you.”

Luna blanches in mock horror. “But that would leave me alone with—The Doctor," she dramatically intones.

“Then let’s all go,” the Doctor announces in resigned dread as he rises also.

The group finds the downstairs bathroom locked. After both Scoot and Rarity try the door, the Doctor does also, observing, “That’s odd.”

“Well,” Luna suggests. “Let’s go back upstairs.”

They do and Doctor Whooves waits outside while the other ponies enter. He can hear muffled comments, such as the light’s not working, before screams erupt. He opens the door to see Luna, Scoot, Rarity and Fluttershy all staring into an open stall. He ushers the group aside and is stopped by the sight of Rainbow Dash with a small hatchet stuck in the back of her head; from the amount of blood on the floor, it appears to have happened about five minutes ago. “Go back into the dining room,” he tells the shaking fillies. “I’ll join you in a minute.”

The ponies sit around the long dining room table as the Doctor separately interviews them, one by one. After Luna finishes, when Twilight returns, Scoot asks her, “How does the next little Indian get it?”

“Bee sting,” T.S. simply replies as Fluttershy leaves for her turn.

“It was Pinkie,” F.S. sobs to the Doctor as soon as they are alone. “I could hear them struggling in the stall next to mine.”

The Doctor leans back, taking this in. He hadn’t noticed any blood smears that would have indicated a fracas where he had found R.D. “Why do you think she would do it?” he mildly inquires.

“I don’t know, but it was her,” F.S. continues to cry through her speech. “I thought for a minute Dash might be stronger—fight back—but in the end, I guess it didn’t happen.”

“Wow,” the Doctor exhales. “I never expected Pinkie to snap like this.”

“Neither did I,” F.S. agrees, still uncontrollably sobbing. “Doctor, I need your help. We have to stop her before she kills again.”

The Doctor meets Fluttershy’s gaze. “Well, what did you have in mind?”

Out in the dining room, Luna ventures to Twilight, “I wonder why he hasn’t interviewed Scoot?”

“I don’t know,” Twi evenly replies. “Maybe his suspicions are elsewhere.”

“We need to all stay together, from now on,” is his anticlimactic announcement when he finishes.

“Surely you have some idea of who’s behind all this,” Luna accuses after she finds his advice entirely lame.

“Even if I did, what possible good would it do to voice those suspicions?” is the Doctor’s indifferent rejoinder.

“I’m scared,” Scoot whines from her chair, which is far too large for her. “I want to go home.”

“I think we all feel that way, Scootaloo,” Pinkie empathizes.

“But it doesn’t look like any pony’s going anywhere before Monday morning,” Twi unenthusiastically summarizes in her turn. “And this is only Saturday afternoon.”

“So what are we to do,” Rarity queries in advanced histrionics as the implications of the situation begin to seep into her consciousness. “Stare at each other till the hydrofoil arrives a day and a half from now?”

“Six little pony girls playing with a hive,” Twi sings in the silence that resonates throughout the house after Rarity’s last pronouncement. “A bumblebee stung one of them and then there were five.”

“Six pony girls and one colt,” Pinkie dares clarify.

“So,” Luna eventually interjects. “Who wants to help me plan this evening’s festivities?”

“Watch out for a bee,” the Doctor finally contributes while considering Fluttershy’s wide-eyed countenance that is speaking volumes in contrast to her lack of participation in this discussion.

Collectively, they manage to scrape dinner together a few hours later, although there is not much conversation, despite Scoot’s occasional attempts to engage the older ponies. All is going relatively well until the lights go out.

In the dark there is enormous confusion until Twilight finds a candle. Then they discover Pinkie Pie and Rarity, dead in their chairs with needle marks in each of their necks.

“Fluttershy, where were you just now?” Luna calmly inquires of the other after the Doctor finishes checking the vitals of each newly deceased pony.

“I don’t know,” she manages to exhale between sobs. “I could hear Pinkie screaming and I rushed over to her—but—some pony was in my way. Doctor, what happened to Rarity?”

"I'm not sure," he offers at length, still examining the bodies and injection wounds. "There was a lot of yelling in the dark."

“What—what happened to the power?” Scoot asks in dread, clearly not enjoying this latest turn of events.

“I don’t know,” the Doctor indifferently repeats. “I suppose someone ought to check the breaker box. Or the generator.”

“Fluttershy,” Twilight addresses her friend in the semi-darkness. “What’s all over your hoof?”

“Nothing. I—I must have spilled something when I tripped,” she stammers as she hurriedly tries to clean herself up. “In the dark. Just now.”

“Twilight, maybe you ought to see Fluttershy to her room,” Luna suggests as she stands, though more in the tone of a command. “Let’s go check the electricity, Doctor. You too, Scootaloo; come along with us.”

Twilight walks with Fluttershy down the hallway to her abode. “Why do you suppose the Princess ordered me to my room?” F.S. chatters away in the shadows.

“I don’t know as I’d call it an order,” Twi responds at length, keeping her distance from F.S. but attempting not to be completely obvious about it. “I think she’s just concerned about your safety. At this point.”

“Will you stay with me?” is her final question at her door.

“I’ll be back,” is Twi’s eventual answer as she slowly retreats. “I have to talk to the others first. Just—stay safe. For right now.”

Twilight Sparkle hears Fluttershy’s whimpers escalate to full-scale wailing when the latter realizes the lock's turned from the outside. T.S. hurries back to the others as the candle almost winks out several times.

“Well?” the Doctor queries T.S. upon her return.

“I locked her in her room,” Twi grimly replies. “If it is her, she’s not going anywhere until the hydrofoil returns Monday morning. What about the electricity?”

“It was shorted out,” Luna speaks up when the Doctor is not forthcoming on this score.

“Looks like some pony did it on purpose,” Scoot adds, her eyes moving back and forth to each shadowy visage.

“You mean Fluttershy?” Twilight incredulously demands of the others. “I don’t see how she could knock out the lights—unless she had help.”

All eyes now gravitate to the Doctor. “What’re y’all looking at me for?” he inquires of his silent accusers.

“I don’t know, Doctor,” Luna surmises at her leisure. “I don’t know what to think at this point.”

“Do you guys think Fluttershy did this?” Scoot throws out for general discussion.

“Certainly looks that way,” Twi observes as she peruses the deceased forms of Rarity, then Pinkie Pie and the obvious syringe on the table. “Two at once, this time. I wonder what the hurry was.”

A few hours later, Luna decides to call it a night. When Twilight rises to check on Fluttershy, the Doctor announces he’ll do it.

“Can—can I sleep with you tonight, Twilight?” Scoot manages to enunciate, her eyes still wide with fright.

Twi blinks at the double-entendre that she’s sure Scoot didn’t intend. Before she can respond, however, a gunshot rings out through the house.

“Come on,” T.S. entreats Scootaloo after Luna takes off in the direction of the sound.

The three of them race down the same darkened hallway Twi had escorted F.S. several hours previously. They arrive at the door Twilight had locked even as the Doctor is turning the same deadbolt. “It’s Fluttershy,” he announces to the group. “And it’s pretty ugly; she was shot through the back of the head at close range. I don’t think you want to see it.”

“Self-inflicted?” Luna immediately wants to know.

The Doctor shakes his head. “I don’t see how,” he pronounces with visible unease.

“What does that mean?” Scoot demands of the assembled adults.

Twi looks down to meet the younger pony’s eyes. “It means she couldn’t have done it herself. Some pony had to have shot her. Wonder where the gun came from.”

“How could that be?” Scoot continues with the obvious, ignoring Twi’s last comment. “All of us were together when it happened.”

“All of us—except one,” Luna corrects.

“Maybe the gun came from somewhere in the house; there are plenty of rooms,” the Doctor conjectures as to T.S.’s previous query. “Twilight—may I see you privately please for a moment?”

Twi blinks. “Of course,” she quietly replies.

After both walk down the hall out of earshot but not out of sight, the Doctor appears to ask T.S. a question which she responds to in the affirmative. After another brief exchange, they part company and Twi returns to Scoot and Luna. “He’s turning in for the night,” she explains to the others. “I think we should do the same.”

“All right,” Luna sighs through her nose. “Goodnight, you two. See you in the morning.”

“Goodnight,” Twi and Scoot both bid the Princess who then takes her leave of them.

“What did the Doctor ask you?” Scoot queries T.S. on their way to her room.

“He just asked me a favor,” is Twi’s faraway answer—so forlorn in tone that Scoot doesn’t delve into specifics.

The next morning, Twilight Sparkle awakes to find sunshine streaming into the open window and Scoot gone. She surveys the outdoors through the luminous aperture. “What a beautiful day,” she pronounces under her breath. “Maybe it was all a horrible dream, and all my friends will happily greet me in the dining room for breakfast.”

Scoot bursts into the room to shatter her reverie. “Fluttershy’s gone,” she announces in a panic to Twi. “She’s not in her room.”

Twi shrugs in contrast to Scoot’s terrified tone. “Maybe the Doctor moved her body. He did say it was a mess.”

“I don’t think so,” Scoot warily retorts. “You better come look.”

So both inspect Fluttershy’s room. Not only is F.S. not present, Twi also fails to find any blood or gore she might associate with how the Doctor had previously characterized the death.

“Was this door open when you found it?” Twi presently inquires.

“Uh-huh,” Scoot asserts, nodding. “The door was closed but it wasn’t locked. I knocked first but there wasn’t any answer.”

“O.K.,” is Twilight’s considered eventual conclusion. “Let’s go have breakfast and find Luna.”

The aforementioned Princess is waiting for them in the dining room. “Good morning all.”

“Good morning,” Twilight returns after Scoot does the same. “How did you sleep?”

“Better,” Luna admits between bites of what’s on her plate. “How about you?”

“Not bad, considering,” T.S. continues while heading for the kitchen while indicating her young charge. “This one talks in her sleep. When she doesn’t snore.”

“Like fun I do,” Scoot loudly protests in her own defense. Once removed from the dining room, in a more circumspect tone she inquires, “Why didn’t you say anything about Fluttershy?”

Twi shakes her head while surveying the choices for nourishment. “Let’s see if Luna mentions it first.”

The Doctor soon joins them. There is only casual conversation as they eat; nothing specific or unusual. Once they finish, Twi stands and announces, “Well, if any pony needs me—I’ll be in the library.”

Scoot watches as the Doctor waves and Luna nods simultaneously in acknowledgement. “Well Scootaloo?” the Doctor draws up after Twi’s gone. “What are your plans for today?”

“I don’t know,” Scoot nervously admits while glancing between both older ponies. “Staying alive might be a cool idea.”

Luna snorts at this while the Doctor nods agreeably. “But Scootaloo my dear,” the Princess purrs in her best Nightmare Moon intonation. “Suppose we had other arrangements in store for you?”

“You guys aren’t funny,” Scoot asserts above their shrieks of maniacal laughter. “Quit fooling around. I’m telling Twilight—you guys—this isn’t—Twilight!"

“Twilight can’t help you any more, poor Scootaloo,” the Doctor contributes in his own ominous delivery. “You’re all alone here—at our virtual mercy—or lack thereof.”

“Would you like to accompany me to the moon, little Scootaloo?” Luna dramatically continues in high theater. “For another thousand years?”

“No, I wouldn’t,” is Scoot’s immediate reply. “No—no thank you, Your Highness. I’m sorry I—I must decline your entirely generous offer, but no. No way.” And she runs out the way Twilight went, desperate to find Twi and remove herself from the others' presence.

“Oh sweet Celestia,” T.S. blurts out after listening to Scoot’s highly embellished account of what transpired in the dining room subsequent to her departure. “They’re just teasing you.” She continues reading her book without once taking her eyes off the page.

“How do you know?” Scoot now demands, not appreciating the so-called adults’ expression of levity and bemusement at her expense.

“It’s not so much that I know, Scoot,” Twi explains while still enthralled in the rapture of her story. “It’s that I simply can’t care any longer. If we weren’t all crazy we would go insane.”

The Doctor appears at the entranceway. “Knock knock,” he emphasizes as he raps on the doorframe. “Sorry to interrupt, but may I borrow Scootaloo for a bit?”

“She’s all yours,” Twi declares with an impatient flip of her hoof, again her gaze never leaving her tome. “I leave her in your inestimable care.”

“Come along little Scootaloo,” the Doctor chortles as he walks with her down the hall.

“Are you going to eat me?” Scoot carefully inquires after she finds her previously absent voice.

“Nothing so prosaic,” is the Doctor’s dismissive and pithy rejoinder. “Not today anyway—but possibly tomorrow. Today I have a special assignment, which you alone can accomplish; who knows--you may even get your cutie mark out of it.”

“Oh boy—finally,” Scoot enthusiastically declares. “An adventure.”

A few hours later, Twilight looks up from her book. The sun is setting on the other side of the island, engulfing the house in reflected golden umbra and penumbra. She can hear the wind whistling through the trees outside and the churning ocean surf far beyond. Occasionally a seagull caws in counterpoint to the otherwise idyllic rhythms.

She wanders down the hallway, past the many rooms, in silence. In the kitchen, she finds Luna making what she can of dinner.

“Hello,” Twi greets the solitary Princess.

“Hello Twilight,” Luna returns. “I was just going to look for you.”

“Hmm,” T.S. ruminates. “Where are the Doctor and Scoot?”

“It seems they’ve gone,” Luna relates at length, taking her sweet time to answer. “Looks like it’s just you and me now.”

“I see,” Twilight Sparkle replies, the light slowly dawning in her eyes. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Nope—it’s all done,” Luna responds in stark finality. “Let’s eat.”

“Mm, this is good,” Twi enthuses appreciatively as she consumes the Princess’s handiwork. “I won’t ask what’s in it.”

“That would be wise,” Luna pontificates from her self-styled throne over candlelight. “Simply indulge yourself and ask no unnecessary questions.”

After they finish eating, the Princess draws up. “Well, Twilight? Shall we retire to a more secluded and intimate setting?”

Twilight sets down her utensils to address the question. “So this is how it ends, huh Luna?”

“This is how it ends, Miss Twilight Sparkle,” Luna echoes in turn, rounding the table at the far end. “My sister’s faithful student—now all mine. For the taking.”

“Was this your plan all along?” T.S. dares elicit elaboration as Luna approaches her.

“No—actually it wasn’t,” the Princess of the Moon admits while sitting down in the chair next to Twi. “But I like this just fine anyway, thank you very much.”

“Luna—I know I’m not the killer. And I simply can’t believe that you are. But this—after what’s happened—˝ She stops. “I’m sorry. I can’t. Not like this.”

“Don’t be so quick to say no to me,” Luna responds, nuzzling Twi’s neck. “Not until you realize what I have to offer.” She kisses Twi’s shoulder, and proceeds to bestow more kisses. “Just relax and hear me out—that’s all I ask. Believe me—I have far more in mind than simply one night together in paradise.”

Oh no, Twilight’s rationality cajoles her conscience while her body tells her otherwise. I need to stop this. I need to stop it now.

“Just relax Twi,” the Dark Princess continues, her voice barely audible as she gravitates lower and lower down Twilight’s torso. “Lean back. Let me do all the work. Give in to pleasure. Give in to indulgence. Don’t fight me. Just let it happen. You’ll know what to do when the time comes. Oh Twilight, imagine what it would be like—you and me, ruling Equestria side by side. We don’t need Celestia—I don’t need Celestia. Who cares about the day, when the night holds so much promise? What good is the light, but to anticipate the dark? Give in to me, dearest darling Twilight. Let me take you. I know how. Celestia instructed me, and now I can pass it on. You like that—don’t you? See how wet you are with desire. Oh yes. Don’t resist me—just relax. Tonight can be just the beginning. With you by my side, together we can bring a new chapter to our land. A new day for Equestria--and a new meaning for the night. Starting tonight. No more waiting. No more dreaming about it, what it would be like. Twi, I've wanted you for so long. Words cannot express. That's why I want to show you that I can make you happy. Beyond your wildest dreams. We can do this. Together. Right here and right now. There's nothing that can stop us anymore. Nothing and no pony.”

I want to, Twilight admits to herself as she feels herself responding more and more to Luna’s touch, and not just the sex, but that's part of it. Luna has awakened not only Twi's sensuality but her ambitions as well as her sense of intrigue.  It would be so easy—to give in, as the Princess suggests. To allow herself to be swept away in her swelling tide of emotion and rapture, complicity and danger. She could always regroup in the morning. They are all alone—and no one would ever know. No one—that is, except her. “Luna—wait,” Twilight finally says, opening her eyes against the crashing tsunami of pleasure she’s currently engulfed in and releasing herself from Luna’s embrace. “I can’t. I’m sorry but—this isn’t right.”

“Fine,” the Dark Princess simply declares, simultaneously extricating her many tentacles from Twi and rising to walk toward the open window, realizing that force isn't the way to go with Twilight. “See you back home.” And with that—she is gone—into the night.

In the morning, Twilight Sparkle awakes to find Doctor Whooves at the foot of her bed. “Well—good morning to you.”

“Good morning,” the Doctor cheerfully repeats. “Where’s Luna?”

Twi gestures out the window. “She left—last night. I guess she could leave any time, but she chose to stay.”

“Just as well,” is the Doctor’s clipped comment. “Makes it easier for me.”

“What did you do with Scoot?” T.S. simply inquires.

The Doctor gestures somewhere far away. “Oh, she’s back in Ponyville. Which is our next destination.”

“Real time or—?”

The Doctor nods. “We have to go back a few weeks—to set things right. You see, your friend Fluttershy was harboring a secret crush on your other friend Rarity—and when she started spending so much time with Pinkie Pie—˝

Twilight nods, finally in understanding. “She engineered this whole thing after she snapped—which we now have to prevent. By the way, what happened to Fluttershy after she was supposedly shot?”

“She was trying to persuade me Pinkie was behind all this—but I wasn’t buying it. It didn’t fit and she couldn’t give me any motivation for why Pinkie Pie would do it. But at the time, I decided to play along with her, just to see what would happen. So yeah—I helped stage her ‘death’ and then after Rarity was accidently killed, I guess she figured there was no point in sticking around, so she took off.”

T.S. nods in accord. “I kind of figured as much, but I didn’t want to say anything in front of Scoot.”

“I can see what Celestia said about you was true,” the Doctor muses on while directing Twi to his police telephone booth, which last night he had Twi give Spike the message to bring to him. “You are a most apt pupil.”

“Well,” Twi gravely concludes. “I do have the best teacher.”

A few weeks before, Twilight Sparkle awakes before dawn; she has a lot to do today so she wants to start early.

Before she heads for the library, she sees a note on her dresser. It’s in her own handwriting and it reads:

Dear Twilight,

This is a letter I’m writing you from the future. When Fluttershy comes by today, don’t tell her you’re busy. Make time for her and go with her over to Rarity’s. Have fun.

Me.

Great, Twi thinks. On top of all the things I have to do today, now I have one more.

Spike barges in on her later on. “Twilight—Fluttershy’s downstairs.”

Twi snaps her book shut without any hesitation. “O.K. Spike—I’ll take care of it.”

“I told her you were studying and probably didn’t want to go out, but then I thought I’d rattle your cage anyway,” the baby dragon, her number one assistant, drones on.

“Nonsense,” Twilight gaily sings as she hurries by Spike. “You should know by now I always make time for my friends.”


Dear Princess Celestia—

Wow—what a week! Rarity's fashion show was the greatest ever; sorry you couldn't make it—Pinkie hosted the most awesome party afterwards. And we found out that Fluttershy is allergic to cats—at least Rarity's cat, that is. We all learned—the hard way—that attention to detail makes life easier for every pony. Apple Jack's bumper crop is nearly harvested and Rainbow Dash might have made it after all into the Wonderbolts; we may hear soon. Meanwhile, the CMC are still waiting on their cutie marks; some things never change. Well, that's all for now.

Your Faithful Student,

Twilight Sparkle

P.S. Luna says hi.