A droplet of musty water splashed onto Flim's head. The filthy water quickly soaked into his fur. He was lying on a thin mattress braced upon a rusty, metal support jutting out from the bumpy dirt wall. Above, another bead of liquid was forming on the dank ceiling.

Flam banged his hooves against the bars of the cell and screamed. "Let us out of here! These conditions are awful!" His moustache was an unkempt disaster. Even his normally spotless outfit was in disgusting tatters.

The sound of a heavy door opening caused Flim's eyes to shift away from the ceiling. "Sounds like we have a visitor, brother." He sat up and brushed the loose dirt from his lap. "Quit making a scene. It'll only make us look worse."

"Pardon me for complaining!" Flam struck a hoof against the bar again. "I suppose I don't like being locked up in a smelly jail cell as much as you do!"

"I don't like it either." Flim hopped onto his hind legs and stretched. "But I also don't like covering your amount of labor because you tire yourself out crying for freedom every night."

Hoofsteps were growing closer. Flam fell backward and landed on his rump. He scooted away from the bars, hoping Flim had a plan for dealing with whatever armor-clad trouble was marching toward them. Despite being the older brother, Flam wasn't fairing nearly as well as Flim. The schemer couldn't come to terms with his first prison sentence.

A unicorn stallion covered in luminous white fur stopped in front of the bars of their cell. His long mane hung against the back of his neck, with chopped bangs of dark blue, cerulean, and sapphire strands resting above his eyes. A purple breastplate lined with a gold trim covered his chest and stretched to an armor-plated saddle on his back. A purple aura of magic surrounded his horn and released the oversized padlock from the door. He kicked it open and stepped inside. This stallion was as fearless as they came.

"And to what do we owe the pleasure, Shining Armor? I figured the former captain of the Royal Guard had more important duties to oversee." Flim teased.

Shining Armor narrowed his eyes and stomped over to Flim. "That former captain is now the co-ruler of an entire kingdom! I'm only here to keep an eye on my sister." Shining grabbed Flim and held him against the wall. "I wouldn't act so tough if I were you. Maybe your Timberwolf trick was harmless, but unauthorized use of dark magic is forbidden by Princess Celestia herself!" He spoke through clenched teeth. "Ready to talk yet?"

Flim's body was hanging like a doll with too much stuffing in its legs. With Shining's hooves practically choking him, Flim was at the mercy of the Royal Guard's finest soldier. "T-talk," he managed to choke out. "What, so you can just throw me back in this cell for another bundle of weeks?"

"Do you know why you're here?" Shining released Flim and took a step back. He dropped onto all four legs. "Well?"

Flam chimed in. "Because we broke the law…"

"It's not as simple as that." Shining helped Flam to his feet. "But you're catching on faster than your brother."

"What do you think locking us away will even solve? Put us to work in your mines? Those fancy Canterlot gems won't dig themselves, right? You're disgusting…"

Shining was ready to strangle the life out of the cocky brother. "Flim, not only did you break the law and endanger an entire town of innocent people; you came in direct contact with an item enchanted by dark magic. I could probably forgive you for scamming a few bits, but not for breaking one of Equestria's oldest laws. Celestia has banned dark magic since the day her sister was banished to the moon. Skip that sentence in your history textbook, did you?"

"It was a harmless control spell," Flim interjected. "Nothing more than a simple spell to control a mindless beast."

Shining Armor turned away and proceeded to exit the cell. "Dark magic is all about control and manipulation. It's easy to learn and can devastate entire civilizations. There is no such thing as a harmless dark spell. They all lead to more complex and aggressive masteries." His magic enshrouded the lock and entombed the brothers once again. "Two more weeks underground. You don't deserve to see Celestia's sun until you appreciate the turmoil she went through to rid this country of that filthy magic."

Flam fell onto the ground. "Two more weeks…"

"Just the type of behavior I'd expect from the brother of Twilight Sparkle." Flim's confident gaze locked onto the bars barricading him from the sweet taste of freedom. "Though he does make a good point."

The heavy door to the dungeon closed. Shining Armor rested his head against the cold metal and sighed. The former duties of a captain were deeply instilled within his body. "You two went a little too far this time for a simple slap on the foreleg."

"Shining Armor!" An irritated Twilight Sparkle was waiting for her brother to turn around.

"Twi!" He whipped his body around and pressed his back against the door. "Don't scare me like that, sis."

"Oh no, don't sis me! I could hear you yelling all the way from the stairwell! This isn't what Princess Celestia would want. Screaming at ponies is only going to make them resent the law more."

"Twilight, It's-"

"One of Equestria's oldest rules – I know that already." Her glare softened. "I understand it's been rough around the castle lately, but we can't let our frustrations get the best of us. We need to lead with strength and clarity."

Shining Armor stood on all fours and started a casual trot past his sister. "Clarity. Look who's talking, sis. You've been hanging around with that dark mage for too long. Maybe you've already forgotten that Canterlot's lockdown was his fault to begin with."

Twilight took a step back in surprise. "Role Play's…" Her voice trailed off.

"An exception, right? I know you're the Princess of Friendship and everything, Twi, but you need to be careful with who gets close to you now. Not everypony out there wants to be your best friend." Shining Armor's hoofsteps grew further away, leaving the distraught princess with nothing more than her sulking shadow. "Celestia's own flesh and blood turned against her. What's stopping him from taking your throne?"

Twilight could barely lift her head to follow her brother's voice. He was gone before she could find a suitable reply. "I wish you would trust him." Her weak hind legs dropped her flank onto the regal carpeting. She rubbed a hoof on the purple fabric and tried to collect her thoughts. "Even Luna deserved a second chance."

. . . . . .

Coco was hard at work adjusting the wording on the marquee outside of the theater. A cardboard box of letters was clenched under a foreleg, while her hind legs steadied her upright on the ladder. The fear of falling to the ground was evident each time she reached into the box and stamped a letter onto the marquee. Trotalus Theatre Company Presents: I Want to be Your Griffon - Opening In 2 Days! She breathed a sigh of relief and climbed down the ladder. Her hind leg slipped on the last rung and sent the earth pony crashing onto her rump. The box of stray letters landed on her face. She removed the box and wiped the O and K from her forehead. "I think I'll have Rarity update the sign tomorrow." Coco sighed.

Inside the theatre, Volta was already hard at work rehearsing some of the lines for the show with her fellow stage mate, Cameo. The pegasus stallion had a grainy tan coat similar to a broken sheet of sandstone. His spiked-up mane and cropped tail were both colored like dark chocolate.

"Nimbus? Sweet Nimbus, I fear I love you more than I should." Volta placed a hoof against her chest. The arms of her lover wrapped themselves around her body.

"Will you be happy, married to such a lowly weather pegasus as I, Princess Corsair?" Cameo spoke humbly while embracing his lovely griffon. "Will your crooked beak find comfort against my mighty muzzle?" The stallion quickly covered his mouth and laughed.

"Cam! That's not the line!" Volta huffed.

"I couldn't help myself! Your beak… it's not centered on your face! I was trying to ignore it."

Volta slid the fake beak off her face and threw it onto the ground. "Then we'll take it from the top again – without the beak!"

"I think you're losing the audience's interest." A grouchy voice bellowed from the front row of seats. "This filly looks like she's waiting outside of a funeral home!"

Sweetie Belle's morose face snapped to attention. "N-no, it's not you guys!"

"Now, now; don't lie, Miss Belle! You were entrusted with overseeing the rehearsal, and my group is simply not doing their job properly!" The overweight stallion stood from his chair. He was either already wearing his garish costume for the play or had a severe fashion handicap. His puffy shirt did little to slim down the duo of chins attached to his neck. "Volta, you're falling a little flat in delivery, my dear. Cameo, quit messing around. I know we've done this play dozens of times, but we still need to take it seriously."

"Yes, sir."

"Sorry, sir." Cameo scratched the back of his mane. "Sorry to you too, Sweetie Belle. Didn't mean to put you to sleep."

Sweetie frantically waved her hooves in front of her. "Honestly, you're all great! I'm just a little homesick is all."

"Mane Curtain?" Volta turned to the chunky stallion. "Mind if we take a break? I think it'll do us all some good."

"Very well, Miss Limelight. But when we reconvene I expect to be in tears from your performance!"

"If we hide the bag of candy apples he's been eating it'll probably make him cry." Cam whispered to a snickering Volta.

Cameo hopped off the stage and followed Mane Curtain out from the performance room. The door creaked shut. Only Sweetie Belle and Volta were left to fill the several hundred empty seats in the theatre. Volta used this opportunity to finally have a one-on-one talk with Sweetie. She knew that the lovesick foals would be reunited in two short days. Unfortunately, she was the only one who knew.

"First play of the theatre. Pretty exciting, huh?" Volta took a seat next to Sweetie Belle. She stretched and wriggled into the padded chair. "The patrons' flanks are in for a treat!"

"Yeah…" Sweetie muttered. "It's been a lot of work getting ready. I don't know how my sister and Coco do it. It's like they never get tired!"

Volta brushed her mane aside and placed a hoof on Sweetie's shoulder. "It's because they love what they do! Coco is so passionate about theatre, and Rarity's costumes are some of the finest I've ever seen! I seriously might beg Mane Curtain to purchase them for future performances."

Sweetie only nodded.

"I'm sure there must be something you love, Sweetie."

"Well, I don't have my cutie mark yet. I like to sing, but I'm not sure if that's my calling. And…"

"And?" Volta repeated.

"And I love being with my friends and coltfriend back in Ponyville. I just wish I could go home now." A red hue washed over Sweetie's face. "Coming to Canterlot was really exciting when I first settled in, but then I just started missing everything I left behind."

Volta reclined back in the chair and stared at the lights hanging above the stage. "I know exactly how you feel. I left my home to pursue an acting career. Not only that, I left somepony very special behind. Except, I was away from him for a long time. My career took off and I never had time to return home to see him."

"Was he your coltfriend?"

"Hmm… Maybe in my mind. We never officially talked about it. Just two good friends who cared about each other very much. I was definitely in love with him though." An empty pain spread through her body with each pump of her heart. "The point is that you'll be home before you know it and can pick up where you left off! Everything will be waiting for you, hun."

"I probably sound so selfish." Sweetie shrunk down in her seat.

"Love is selfish, Sweetie Belle. Doesn't mean that we should avoid it though. Do you know what this play is about?"

"Um, sorta?" Sweetie squeaked. "Something about a pegasus falling in love with a griffon."

"Exactly! A pegasus weather stallion falls in love with a princess from the griffon kingdom. Their love was forbidden and was a spark that threatened to ignite a war between the races. Looking at the big picture, Nimbus should have abandoned his love for Princess Corsair. After all, was their love really worth two kingdoms hating each other?"

Sweetie remained quiet.

"To love another is a sweet danger we all must face." Volta stood up. "That's my favorite line from the play. The heart is an incredibly strong muscle. With or without love it always beats, hoping that someday it will carry us to happiness. My wish is to be with the stallion I love, but I know that his heart has carried him to somepony that means the world to him. I should hate that mare." Volta closed her watery eyes. "But I don't. His happiness means the world to me. Just knowing I have such an amazing friend in my life keeps my heart beating."

"Miss Limelight?" Sweetie slid off the chair. "I'm sorry for being such a downer. I didn't realize you had so much on your mind too."

Volta wiped her eyes and turned her smiling face to Sweetie Belle. "I think we'll both feel better with some fresh air."

"Can we… go for a milkshake maybe?" Sweetie squeed. "They always cheer me up."

"Only if we sneak out the back door! I don't feel like carting shakes back for Mr. Curtain and the other ponies. I guess you could say my love for a good milkshake is selfish too!"

The mares giggled and scurried for the door at the back of the stage.

As evening fell over the peaceful city of Canterlot it became obvious to Sweetie Belle that she had to push away the dark clouds in her mind. Button and Ponyville would be waiting for her. This trip started as a punishment, but that didn't give her an excuse to sulk day and night. Coco and Rarity's thankless efforts were for nothing more than a chance to live out their own dreams. There was no guarantee the play would be a success. Weeks of stress, tears, and hope transformed an abandoned property into a magnificent new performing arts theatre.

Soon the curtain would lift, the actors would perform, and then Sweetie Belle would be on the next train home to Ponyville.

I'll be home soon, Button. Until then, I'm going to make sure I do everything possible to help Rarity and Coco! Sweetie Belle raced down the alleyway after Volta. Just get ready for a lot of selfish cuddling!

. . . . . .

An erratic banging on the barn door shook Chase from his sleep. His heart skipped a beat. It took the stallion a few seconds to calculate what was happening. Reynard was already hunched forward, facing the intrusive sound. Chase wasn't sure if he was starting a new dream or actually on his trusty bale of hay at Sweet Apple Acres.

"S-stop, Pinkie! Don't wake him!"

"Hey! Open up in there!" Pinkie assaulted the door again. Her voice certainly wasn't as sugary as the last time she needed to get Chase's attention. "We're not leaving until you get your flank out here!"

Chase quickly slid the wooden beam from its restraints and allowed the door to push open. A yellow blur rushed through and began sobbing into his shoulder. "What the-?"

"Chase!" Fluttershy wept into his fur. "It was awful! They came looking for you and said time's up. We need to go to Everfree right away!"

Pinkie growled and pressed her nose against Chase's face. "You're hiding something from me, and I want answers! Why did two thugs show up at Fluttershy's house and ruin a perfectly good sleepover? We were making caramel corn, Chase. Caramel! Corn!" The force of her shout blew Chase's already messy hair into disarray.

"The bandits…" He peeled Fluttershy from his shoulder and stood her upright. "Fluttershy, calm down. What exactly did they say?"

"Don't ignore me!" Pinkie interrupted.

"It's none of your business!" Chase shouted.

The yelling forced Fluttershy into another bout of tears.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! No more yelling! See?" Chase forced a grin, though it was hard to do so with Pinkie ready to shoot a party cannon into his face. "Let's just start from the beginning. Pinkie, how's about you tell me what happened?"

Pinkie calmed her excitable self and closed the door behind her. "Two stallions knocked on Fluttershy's door about an hour ago. They asked her when her and her stallion friend would 'have the money from the market stand.' Fluttershy couldn't even speak. She was terrified! I stepped in and told them that we were planning to go tonight after we picked you up. You messed up big time, foxboy!"

"I didn't – I mean, I did… I…" Chase felt Fluttershy's trembling increase between his hooves. "I'm sorry. I guess this is my fault. We overheard those goons when we were setting up AJ's stand. They talked about stealing from the orchard. I wanted to know more, so I played along and pretended that me and Fluttershy were part of the gang. I just wanted to find out what was happening!"

"And you didn't tell anypony?" Pinkie threw her forelegs up in frustration.

"I meant to! I was going to confront them myself." Chase's train of thought derailed. An obvious flaw in his plan finally pushed through his cluttered brain. And do what? What the hay were you going to do by yourself? Watch every last apple vanish from Sweet Apple Acres? "I-I just got sidetracked with the harvest and lost track of time!"

"Did you say anything to Applejack?" Pinkie took the sniffling mare over to Chase's messy bale of hay. The two mares sat down, easing the tension in the room.

"No. I figured I would go meet with the bandits alone. The last thing Applejack needs is to stay awake all night staring out the window at her orchard." Chase took a seat next to Fluttershy and draped the blanket over her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Fluttershy. I promise I'll take care of this tonight."

Fluttershy gently rubbed a hoof under her watery eye. "I'm still going with you."

"Absolutely not!" Pinkie shouted.

Fluttershy's anxiety melted away from the warmth of the blanket. "Applejack's my friend too. I want to help her just as much as Chase does."

Pinkie fell backwards so that her flank was still planted on the bale. The upside world around her wasn't making much more sense than the words leaving Fluttershy's chapped lips. "She's part of my family! Why else do you think I'm so mad about this?"

"Then come with us," Chase quickly suggested. Another earth pony would give them a strength advantage. "You can keep an eye on us in case anything bad happens in the forest. You can be quiet, right?"

"Umm…" Pinkie squeed.

"Eh, just do your best."

"What's the plan exactly?" Fluttershy stood and allowed the blanket to fall to the ground. Her recently hydrated eyes were locked on Chase. Any minute now he would spring up and reveal his plan.

Instead, Chase's head fell forward into his forehooves. A painful sigh was his only response. Whatever plan running through his mind wasn't a good one. "Could you girls just give me a minute please?"

. . . . . .

A stuffed duffle bag fell from Skye's mouth. His eyes were double-bagged with exhaustion, which was even more apparent from the red blood vessels cracking the white of his eyes. He yawned and slumped forward onto the large mattress. There seemed to be more throw pillows on the bed than feathers on his wings!

"Good work, flyboy. You survived the trip!" Rainbow Dash energetically trotted past the pooped stallion. "This was my third Weather Tour, so I'm used to the whole new-bed-every-night routine. It was definitely rough my first time though. I hated all the traveling."

"Are my wings still attached?" Skye groaned. "I can't feel them."

Dash grabbed a loose feather from his wing and yanked.

"Ouch!"

"Yep, still attached," she laughed, spitting the feather from her mouth.

The irritated stallion rubbed his aching wing and glared at Rainbow. "You're so thoughtful…"

Dash jumped onto the bed and nuzzled her cheek against his face. "Eh, I don't wanna baby you too much! But I promise I'll give you some extra cuddles when I get back from seeing Rarity. She wanted to see me before heading back to the theatre." She planted a quick kiss on Skye's muzzle and flew from the room.

"She has way too much energy." Skye fluffed a pillow and instantly slammed his head into the confines of the soft feathers.

Rainbow Dash made short work of the long hallways connecting Canterlot Castle's various areas. Most ponies were asleep, save for the guards pulling the night shift. Luna had already raised the moon and was now busy monitoring the dreams of her Equestrian subjects. Rarity was waiting on the balcony attached to one of the guest rooms within the Royal Wing. It was here that Shining Armor and Twilight Sparkle slept during visits to Canterlot. Only friends of royalty were treated to these suites.

Skye Shot's reputation wasn't held in high enough regards to earn him a spot next to a princess's bedroom. Luckily, his partner had no problem settling for a normal guestroom on the first floor. After an exhausting tour across the main cities of Equestria, the weather ponies were just glad to have some peace and quiet.

Dash slowly crept past a snoozing Twilight Sparkle and opened the glass door to the balcony. "Hey, Rarity. You wanted to see me?"

"Rainbow Dash! It's so good to see you again, darling!" Rarity ignored the dirt on Dash's fur and immediately embraced her. "Welcome back! How was your tour?"

"Exhausting! Skye's out cold. I'm actually surprised I'm still able to fly. But the good news is that we're all set for winter now! Two weeks away I think? Hope you've been working on some new scarves!" Dash patted Rarity on her back.

Rarity pulled away and sighed. "Sadly, no. I've put everything I have into the costumes for the play. They're some of my best work, but I'm just so nervous that they won't be good enough."

"Say what? When it comes to needles and fabric nopony in Equestria – no, the world – can top you! Have any spare tickets for the performance? Though I'm sure I could always sneak in…" Dash chuckled.

"No need," Rarity reached into her open saddlebag. "I made sure you each had a ticket. I even have some extras for the girls. Not sure if fine arts are Scootaloo's favorite subject, but I'd never leave out somepony close to you." She placed the tickets into Rainbow's hoof. "I think I'm starting to feel the same homesickness as Sweetie Belle.

"Rarity…"

Rarity buried her head into Dash's shoulder and started to cry. "I hate how far apart we've been lately. Some nights it felt like I'd never see my friends in Ponyville ever again."

Dash wrapped her wings around Rarity and held her close. "We'll be back in Ponyville before ya know it. Now quit crying! You know nothing will ever split this group up."

"You're a good friend, Rainbow. It's a true blessing to have you in my life." Rarity's muffled voice sounded from within the feathery confines of Dash's wings.

Rainbow blushed and grunted. "Ya, ya; I know. Can we stop all the waterworks now? You're gonna make me start crying!"

. . . . . .

A particularly cold chill shook Chase's body. He looked over his shoulder at the quiet farmhouse. The Apple family was sound asleep in their beds without a care in the world. They had no idea their earnings from the market were now resting in the back of a cart attached to the heartbroken stallion. "You're gonna have to trust me on this one, AJ." He grunted and pulled the stubborn wheels forward. Each step away from the orchard twisted his heart, threatening to rip it in half at any second. "I promise I'm not leaving until your orchard is safe."

The depths of the Everfree Forest were waiting.

/) To be Continued (\