Stories in Stone

Luna's Royal Guard

By TDR

Mine, Smelt, Forge, Sharpen.

"Can you at least let me cast the spell before you cancel it?"

"Oh I'm sorry Twilight, but you made this face..."

"That's concentration Fluttershy..."

"Oh, um, sorry."

Twilight was not a happy pony. It had been perhaps six hours since everyone was supposed to gather so she could explain how the spell worked. Rainbow Dash was of course late, and then when she did get there everyone spent a few hours doing nothing but talking about what was going on in town and her up coming birthday. She then had to explain several times how the gem on the table before them was supposed break her out of the spell. Then simplify it. Then explained how they were to use it, then simplified that. Her friends were not dumb ponies, but even Rarity did not have the magical training to completely grasp all of it, and she had a hard time not speaking magical tech. Thankfully Spike had opted to help translate to the others, he had a way with simplifying what she said for the others to understand. She could tell he was still not happy that she was not willing to cease her studies, but at least he understood why, she hoped. She would have been content just to let him be the one to watch over her, but the others had insisted to be shown as well, even Rainbow Dash. Rainbow was slightly less enthused after she agreed and was shown the book to read so she could catch up with Fluttershy and Twilight. Evidently though she managed to do so even seeming to like certain parts of it, claiming it was neat to read about some one else who could do the Rainboom and claiming to have been inspired to practice a few more tricks. The conversation did turn to the history of the blade once or twice but it never went much further than a comment about a particular part or something about the song. All in all perhaps the conversation with them for the last few hour was not that much of a waste after all. It had been rather fun, but she was ready to get back into it.

"OK, let's try that again."

She started to cats the spell again,hearing sudden movement behind caused her to let the spell fade out before she even felt the slight tug of the cancellation spell.

"Wait a minute twilight."

"Urrrgah... yes Rainbow what is it?"

"So are we just supposed to sit here the whole time watching your flank?"

"Err, I guess."

"Boring... so we don't even get to see whats going on then? How lame is that? "

"Ooh, IDEAAA! Twilight darling is there any way you can make it so perhaps all of us can see what you are? Maybe in one of those magic mirror things. That way we can see whats going on with the spell and keep an eye on you at the same time?"

"Umm, I guess it would be possible, though I don't want to mess with the Princess' spell anymore than I have to."

"Yeah we have had enough of that. We could ask the princess later though in her next letter, keeping an eye on what you are seeing could help stop any more problems. Look if you guys want to head out already I can watch Twilight this time. No sense in being here if you don't have to be. Pinkie pie already left about an hour ago any way."

"Really? Ay thought it got a bit quieter. Is there something wrong with her lately? Ay've not seen much of her at all, an usually she's all up in every pony's business.."

"Last I heard she was watching over something for some pony. She was rather vague."

"Ooh is it some ones pet?"

"I doubt it darling every pony knows your the one to watch any animals that need tending. She has been rather subdued lately so it must be important."

"Well something to look into later, most likely it just Pinkie pie being Pinkie Pie. Some pony prolly made her Pinkie Pie swear and she's gone all serious about it. Right now we got Twilight tah worry about. Yah sure you can handle this Spike? Ay hate ta leave yah, but there's always something tah do on the farm and a little more sleep is never a bad thing."

"I do have a bit of work I should be doing to prepare for my Canterlot visit, but I would think this is important. I do not wish to impose on you to do it yourself Spike."

"Its not a bother Rarity, besides I doubt all of you could come every time any way and Twilight is likely to get annoyed if she has to wait for every pony to show up."

"I am right here still Spike."

"If you don't mind Spike, I will stay. I made sure all the animals were fed and watered before I came over tonight, so I am in no rush for once."

"Yeah well I've got better things to do than sitting around watching Twilight space out. Let me know if you get that mirror thing, that might be cool to watch. Give a yell if there's another problem though."

Twilight sighs offering goodbyes and small talk again to her leaving friends wondering if she was ever going to get back to the story. Finally it seems quiet again as she closes the door with a last wave, she glances back at Fluttershy sitting on the couch sipping some of the tea she had made earlier. Spike wandered over hopping onto the couch next to her.

"Well that was a waste of time."

"Not really Twilight. You got to hang out with your friends for a good while. Its something we never can do enough, but it does not seem to happen as often as it used to. Some pony is always too busy to be around with the rest of us. Lately I know it has been me and Pinkie, but still."

"This is true, it was fun. You seem rather quiet tonight Spike what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, I'm still not happy with letting you mess with that thing. It's gonna take a while before I get past that. I know your trying to help out Princess Luna, but something about that sword bothers me, even more now that all this has happened. I've also read what you wrote and I am wanting to leave you alone even less. You could have told me what you were doing instead of leaving me at your parents while you went off to the garden."

"That's what all this is about?"

"No, I just found out about that after reading the book. That just adds to how annoyed I am at you. You've taken a great deal of pointless risks lately just to sate your own curiosity. What would have happened if the Princess had decided to put you in the garden? What if Luna had decided to react how she did in the past to your intrusion into her past? Did you think of any of this?"

"Well nothing bad really happened."

"Arrgh this is the sorta thing I expect from Rainbow Dash, not you, when did you become so reckless?"

"Spike, Twilight pushing past the bounds of common sense in a effort to do things has manged to save quite a few ponies. If she had not persisted in the study of Nightmare Moon we would not have met and she would not have figured out about the elements of harmony in the first place. We would not have beaten Discord, and even recently if not for her rather off the wall idea to teach Rainbow Dash a lesson quite a few Ponies might have been hurt of killed when the damn burst. She is not being any more reckless than she always is. Aside from the problems with a few of her spells and that issue with her break down and now recently this whole personality split. OK I can see why you are worried, but the good she has done still outweighs any ill ."

"I understand the good that's been done from all that Fluttershy, but it does not make me feel any more comfortable."

"Seriously is this talk over my head like I am not here day?"

"Oh sorry Twilight. I really wanted to stay to try and get Spike to accept that you wish to continue your studies... I sort of forgot you had not started yet , I'm sorry."

"Its alright, starting finally does seem like a good idea. Spike remind me when I send the Princesses their letters to ask about Rarity's idea."

"Will do."

"Alright here we go, at least let me cast it first this time?"

"Of course."

"I will be watching Twilight."

"Do you have to sound so creepy Spike?"

Twilight starts the spell, hearing Fluttershy start talking about something behind her,The pegasus voice seeming to get further away as the spell takes hold. The magic suddenly halts stopping her before what seems like a few dozen jagged windows of various sizes. She blinks looking around her body transparent glowing the same coloration as her magic,she glances behind her a bit in awe of the comet like tail her mane and tail had become. She giggled a bit unable to help it thinking she looked like a constellation given form. Looking up she sees what looks like her own face, eyes closed lost in concentration with Fluttershy and Spike just visible on the couch behind her head. She must be seeing herself as she was when she cast spells. A ethereal spirit, this was rather neat and very calming, she could clearly feel how to escape back to her own body so there was no sense of panic. She shifted her gaze again away from the windows and her own face, looking over the tiny pin pricks of light surrounding her like stars. There were two far away that seemed so much brighter than the others, a pure white one, and a smaller dark blue one still much larger than all the other points of light. She knew instantly those were the Princesses, which meant that all the other lights were all the other ponies... no... not all the ponies, there were too few for that. Unicorns? Maybe, but that did not feel right She looks back at the mirrors shaking her head rapidly as if to shake the speculation loose, one mystery at a time. These windows must be the pieces of the blade, she could see what seemed to be the Tank beyond a few of them. Choosing the largest piece, she focused on that, the familiar feeling of falling into the spell took hold pulling her to the sword fragment.

"JER'RAHD!"

"BOSS!"

"JER!"

The great creature lifted its head up, the kitten like mewing suddenly cutting off as the creatures eyes bugged widening in a panic. It opens it mouth as if trying to cough or breath and failing to do either. Frantic it claws at the earth thrashing around throwing great gout's of dirt and rock about. It brings its clawed flippers up trying to clutch at its throat to force out the clog, the great claws tearing easily into its own armored neck flinging the citrus smelling blood across the landscape as it struggles, thrashing about in an effort to draw breath. The group of them could only watch in awe as the beast finally rips a hole in its throat to draw a last pitiful blood filled breath before collapsing to the earth.

"What the hay?"

"That was profoundly disturbing."

"BOSS!"

Bleu and the others fly down to the beast as Rhede and Velkorn gallop up from where they had run to. The blood of the beast still gushed out of the great rents in its throat the faint shimmer of green light noticeable in gaping hole. After a moment or so the green light fades and a good bit of thrashing begins inside the icorus mess that is left of the beasts throat. Luna's magic flares pulling the hole in the beasts throat wider until a form bursts from the blue mass of gore gasping for air/ The blood soaked pony crashes down at the groups hooves coughing out a great deal of the citrus scented blood.

"Bucking hay boss, when you wanna kill something you don't buck around."

"I am never ,cough, eating another orange as long as I live... apples all the way ….,cough."

"I am truly impressed you managed to kill it General... well to make it kill itself any way."

"Please stop being impressed Princess and help me find a rag or a lake or something."

"Sorry Jer. I've not seen any water any where around here yet."

"While I regret your covered in Skuzz does any one else hear a buzz?"

"Now that you mention it? What is that?... GAHH! PARASPRITE SWARM!"

Starfall takes off into the air suddenly as the others blink confused at her sudden departure ,save Jer'rahd who was still trying to get the Tank's icor from his eyes. The swarm descends on the body of the Tank in a tornado brightly colored blobs of fluff. They all take a few steps back as the tornado of feeding starts skinning the giant mass down to the bones. Jer'rahd finally manages to get the blue, orange smelling icor from his eyes in time to look up as the swarm drops onto him as well.

"GAHHH GET THEM OFF, GODDESS, THIS TICKLES HELP,\ GAAAAH!"

He tears around in circles a moment before crashing into the side of the Tanks shell falling over with a thud. After a moment the parasprites lift off from the whole mess barf out a mass of little brow puddles of goo that form more parasprites for the swarm before flying off on their merry way. Slowly the others recover enough from the sudden attack to run back to check on Jer'rahd.

"Umm Boss are you OK...pfffffffffftHAHAHHAHAHHA!"

"Bleu what is so funny... oh wow Jer..."

"Hmm, I think I might know a spell to fix this."

Jer'rahd manages to push himself back to his hooves His armor and gear devoured by the parasprites, so was his mane and tail, leaving him very a bald and very angry pony.

"This has not been my day, not my day at all at all, and I liked that armor. Where did Starfall go?"

"She took off at the sight of the Sprites, never have I seen some one in such a fright."

"We should wait here for her return. Let me try this spell Jer'rahd. Please hold still."

"Sure why not. Bleu if you can see fit to stop laughing help me find whats left of my grandfathers sword."

Princess Luna's horn glows brightly the magic collecting around Jer'rahd and then flaring up suddenly exploding in a dark blue light blinding the group a moment. When the light clears Jer'rahd stands there with his mane and tail grown back, also grown long enough to leave him buried to his neck in his own hair. Bleu barely recovered from the first bout of laughter loses it again and falls over in a fit.

"Oh no, I am sorry General this place makes fine tuning magic a bit difficult."

"That's fine Princess, at least you are trying to help, unlike my assistant over there. Just some one get me a knife I will do my own hair cut... I truly hate this place."

"Before we were attacked by that hive, I was going to ask how you survived?"

"Panic reflex. I've gotten so used to throwing a shield up when attacked. Went a little bigger than I thought it would, Seems my magic is affected as well. I guess I got stuck in the things throat."

"I would say that is an understatement it ripped its own throat out to get you out."

"Not my intent , but whatever works. If any of you feel like telling this little tale when we get back I would ask you to leave out the swarm. I think we might as well set up camp here,Use the shell as shelter. If that is alright with you Princess."

"It is, I did not expect to run into one of Discord's creations this soon, and definitely nothing that powerful."

Jer'rahd takes the dagger offered by Rhede hacking His mane and tail down to a length he can at least move with,before climbing out of the pile of hair shaking himself off and looking back at it.

"More gray in that then I like..."

"Getting old Jer. "

"Your only two years younger than me so your next ."

"Ahh but I don't stress as much as you do."

"All that aside, I am not liking my chances with out some sort of armor and weapon out here."

"Not sure I can help on that Jer, you choice in weapons tend to be heavier than what the rest of us carry? Didn't think to carry a spare?"

"The parasprites ate the ax I had, had as well as the bow."

"It may be that we need to go back then. You will not be much use to us with out some form of protection and armor."

"Noted. Princess."

Starfall eventually returns as Jer'rahd manages to pick up the remains of his blade in a bit of depressed silence. Starfall talks to Luna trying to explain what happened, having a fear of the little bugs since she was a foal. Rhede and Velkorn move about setting up a camp for the night in the picked clean shell of the tank. Luna fly's up sitting atop the shell still talking with Starfall. Bleu hunts around seeing if Jer'rahd missed any of the pieces, as Jer'rahd looks at the collection before him. Eventually Luna and Starfall floated down to join the rest of them. Jer'rahd finally lifts himself up letting Bleu tuck the swords remains into one of her pouches, before joining the others under the shell.

"So what now Boss?"

"You all press on. I will make my way back to the wall try to get resupplied and wait for you there."

"I do not believe that will be possible General. Please inform him of what you told me Air Commander."

"Well as a little filly I was swarmed by a bunch of them and since I have had this fear..."

"Not that."

"Oh right. You cannot see the wall any more from the air. I am not sure which way I ran, but I was almost straight above the shell. I didn't see the wall or anything else familiar."

"So what your saying is we are unable to return and I need to make do. How were we going to get back when we find the book?"

"That seems the case, although I believe I can help so you do not just have to make do. Once we retrieve the book there is a room of calm in the castle that we used before when we defeated Discord. I can safely teleport from that spot, just not to it."

"Help how?"

"Provided the Princesses magic can be kept under control we might be able to rig something for you from the bones of this thing."

"Considering how tough this thing was before I got lucky Starfall, and if it works, it would be better than what I had. It will not replace the sword however. Can you actually do that princess?"

" No, Your Grandfathers blade was forged in a certain way that I can not duplicate with my magic. Those blades were only made by one blacksmith during the Dragon war. Armor and another weapon should not be a problem though. I might need more effort and energy to shape it here than I would normally. Though if I cast before I sleep, I should be fine come the morning. We need all the aid we can get here, having a useless member of the party to watch over would hinder us."

"Owch. I might be disarmed and dearmored..."

"And detailed."

"Shush Bleu, but I am far from useless Princess."

"I apologize, that was not the term I was meaning General."

"Enough with the General and Sky Commander stuff as well. We are out here in the Darklands, just us you can be less formal, I think everyone else has already adopted that idea save you Princess."

"You ask me to be less formal, yet you still call me Princess."

"Hehe, she does have you there Jer'rahd."

"Alright princess... what would you like us to call you then?"

"Luna would be fine... Jer'rahd.

"Alright, Luna...hmm? Starfall, Bleu what are you two looking at?"

"Nothing Jer'rahd."

"Not a thing boss."

"Why do I not believe that. Any how Pri... Luna what do you plan to do? I get that you plan to make armor and maybe a sword from this, but can magic alone handle it ?"

"Perhaps, though it will likely be simple armor. I am not a armor smith, nor a weapon smith."

"Nearly anything is better than Nothing, What ever you can manage without pushing yourself."

"It will take a good more than trying to put together some armor, for a goddess to push herself Jer'rahd."

"Right sorry, no offense. "

"None taken."

He shook his head lightly as the princess rose/ He stood up as well following her around as she looked over some of the now scattered bones of the creature. He picks up the ones she selects carrying them back over to a spot near the shell.

"Luna do you think these are too much just the skull should be enough to armor 4 or five ponies Jer's size."

"Yes, but this is the first time I have done something like this so I expect to make a few mistakes."

"Rhede. Have you been keeping up with your forestry survival skills?"

"Of course Jer, you would be amazed how many mares are attracted to stallions who live off the land."

I can see how they might Sugar. Everyone girl loves a Stallion who knows how to take care of himself."

Bleu grins wide popping up behind Rhede suddenly.

"Umm any way what was it you needed Jer?"

"Something to use in place of leather straps. A solid mass of bone is not going to really work."

"Might be something , though with this place its hard to tell. I might get something that normally would be perfect and find out its this places version of poison joke."

"Well lets get something, the less time I am naked in the place the better I will feel."

Rhede and Jer'rahd wander off to the edge of the camp site making sure to stay within sight of the shell as they scrounge. Bleu's gaze shifts over the Princess picking through the bones and Starfall resting atop the shell watching the others, playing over watch. She sighed sitting back on a bone claw not really feeling the humor of this place like she should. Sure it was dangerous, deadly, and insane, but there was a humor she should have been enjoying and that amusement just was not there. Every time she distracted herself and started feel better, some pony brought up Dullahan, or Platinum and the depression set in once more. She sighs once more, not too sure of what she was going to do, the panic that she might have lost Jer'rahd when he was eaten having passed , but it still kept her thoughts darker than they should be. Her eyes widen as her tail was grabbed and she was yanked back wards into the shell. She squirms fangs about to sink into the offending gag to get free when she notes who it is.

["None of that now Bleu."]

["Velkorn ?What the heck are you doing?"]

["I should be the one asking that. I thought you were going to help me, not hit on him yourself."]

["Oh that's what this is about. Have you seen how he reacts to me hitting on him? He ran off with the boss this time, though most of the time he hides behind you, Starfall, or the Princess. The latter two tend to take to the air randomly so sooner or later he will be staying closer to you."]

["How is that even a plan? How is any of that going to get him to even notice me as more than a shield?"]

["Relax I have this all covered. Not the first time I have done this sort of thing... hoping for a better end this time though..."]

["I still worry you are seeking him for yourself."]

["Velkorn do you know how old I actually am?"]

[" I know dragons have a odd age rate though I am not sure when they reach maturity, Why?"]

["Platinum was a little older than most ponies allowed to take Celestia's test. By dragon terms I am still a baby, and by pony terms I've not even hit my teens yet. Far too young to be doing anything with a stallion if I even caught one."]

"But your jokes and your manner, the more adult humor has been your banner."

"Dragons just mature faster if hatched by magic... I guess. I've not met any others so I am not really sure for certain,but its what I have been told. Well I have yet to meet any others I did not help to kill, so I cannot really ask them. Any way while I might play and tease my goal is still the same as to what I said it was."

"Thank you Bleu , I am sorry I doubted you."

"S'fine. I've not really been myself much lately any way."

Jer'rahd and Rhede

After a small selection process Luna had Jer'rahd stand still as she started to cast the large bones she had selected rose up and shifted changing shape and starting to flow together like water. A second bubble formed made of the vine and rope that had been collected. The two merged together in one large sphere of bone and cord bathed in dark blue light. Most of them watched with interest save Starfall who kept watch from atop the shell only sparing a glance or two towards the spell. He needed to have a talk with her about that, she had gone back into all work mode again, likely upset about her display of fear. While full on business mode was good at times she needed to relax a little around friends.

His attention was pulled off the pegasus as the ball of bone was suddenly flung at him. He winced as the mass hit and passed over him like a wave of warm water. He blinks glancing behind him after it passed not really feeling anything but noting the ball was smaller. His brain clicked that he was heavier.

"Holy crap Luna."

"Nice look boss."

"Though we all know his level, to all other ponies he will look like a devil."

"Impressive work Princess."

He took stock of the armor as Luna exhaled her head dipping a bit as she lightly panted, evidently having expended more effort than she expected to. The coloration was the same as his old armor, black and purple, but that's where the similarities ended. The helm covered his head hiding the upper half of his face leaving his mouth bare though hidden in the shadow of the helm. It was appeared to be a dragon skull the mouth of it open enough for him to hold his sword. His eyes had some sort of shielding over them,it did not interfere with his vision but only a light glow the color of his eyes was visible. His horn was hidden fitting into one of the spines running up along the top of the bone skull,but like his vision his magic was not hampered. A pair of horns curled up over the back of his head the row of spikes running between them and down along he interlocking plate that fell to his back. The spikes stopped at the back of his head leaving his back armored but bare to not interfere with carrying anything. His back and neck were covered with interlocking plates that seemed more like scales than bone. The shoulder guards were finned giving the impression of small bone wings. The rest of the outfit was covered with sweeping spikes and the occasional highlight done in silver. His hooves were well guarded as well, the shin guards and hoof protection thick enough to be boots almost. The were also spiked in such a way to give the impression of claws. While his mane was hidden under the helm his tail was free and due to the ragged hair cut he had given himself earlier, it looked to be something attached still to a long dead creature.

"He needed armor Luna, not something to scare anything else we meet to death."

"I rather like the gothic style of design thank you very much Rhede."

"I though t you said you were not a armorer?"

"I am the Goddess of War Jer'rahd. In the centuries I have been alive I have studied a great many things. Most I simply have no use for. I do profess to enjoy employing my own artistic flare in things when I can. How is the fit?"

"A little tight in some areas and loose in others, but not enough to cause any sort of problem for me. Amazing given how short of time that took. And something this complex as well. I do Question how do I remove it ?"

"Take off the helm and the armor will remove as well. Put on the helmet and the armor will return."

"So much for simple then?"

"I might have gotten carried away."

"Just a bit. Not that I mind."

He pulls the helm off his head expecting the armor to maybe get magically stored some where like in some of the magic hero novels. It was there fore a surprise when the armor just fell off of him and clatters to the ground. They all look at it curiously including Luna. He places the helm back on his head and the armor jumps up covering him again.

"Hmm, was not expecting that."

"I suppose I either over did myself or missed something in the casting, it is not supposed to just fall off."

"It works so nothing to worry about. Are you up to try for a sword?"

Luna nods selecting one of the Tank's claws trying to ignore Jer'rahd as he bounced like a lunatic trying cartwheels and the like in the armor. A few crashes into the shell, the ground, a couple of trees, and then a pile of bones ,had him at least sated that he could move and the armor worked rather well. Bleu lands on his back kicking and scratching at the armor curiously though falling off with out anything to grip on his back.

The Princess of the Night's horn glows once more, the claw stretching and warping floating into the air before her. It begins taking shape slowly forming a jagged double bladed sword. Jer'rahd stares at it curiously watching the edges sharpen dark blue energy dancing along the edges honing it. The sword falters a little in the air as Luna gasps softly wincing the blade falling to the ground with a clatter.

"Princess!"

"Are you alright Luna?"

Jer'rahd ignores the blade darting over it to stand blinking before Luna the others running up as well. She seemed to have shrunk, where she once was Rhede's height she was now a little shorter than Jer'rahd and barely larger than Starfall. Her mane and tail had also ceased blowing as if in a divine wind and were little more than a normal, if still a pretty grayish blue.

"Yes.. I am fine just, well, that took more effort than I thought it would. "

"You did not need to make it so detailed a simple sharp edge on a handle would have worked for me."

"But then it would not have matched the armor."

"Eerrrrr. I have no idea how to respond to that."

"Well now that is a sight, Luna went from being one of the hottest mares in Equestria to one of the cutest."

Starfall swats Rhede in the back of the head distracting him from the Velkorn death glare. Jer'rahd smirks shaking his head a bit stopping himself from nodding in agreement with Rhede.

"You need any help Luna, or are you alright to make it inside?"

"I should be fine. "

She rises to her hooves staggering a bit, and stumbling nearly falling before landing against Jer'rahds armored side as he moves to help her.

"So much for that. Bleu help me get the Princess to her bedroll. I'll take her watch tonight. Least I can do for hooking me up with the gear Luna. Get some sleep we most likely need what ever power you can muster tomorrow."

"I shall be fine General."

"Right you can barely walk right now."

Velkorn and Rhede had done a decent job at making the giant beasts shell into a excellent camp sight. If they were given more time they might have been able to make it into something that could be a permanent residence. Five bedrolls were laid out and a pile of gathered straw and leaves substituted for Jer'rahds bed. A small fire rested in the middle burning merrily with a pot of warm oats hanging from a spit over it, the food steaming lightly. Jer'rahd and Bleu guided the princess to her bed roll. Letting her down gently she protested the whole time and was largely ignored by both of them.

"OK, Rhede, Starfall standard watch from training, Starfall you take first along with Velkorn. Wake Rhede and Bleu for their watch at standard time. I'll take last watch myself."

"Umm Jer, can we switch the watch around a bit to put me with some one other than Bleu?"

"Problem with me Rhede?"

"Not per-say …."

"No deal Rhede, you and Starfall have the experience with this sort of thing, and Starfall and Bleu are our Fliers, one flier per watch, one experienced. You know the deal."

"Ugh, yes."

"Gee make me feel unloved why don't you."

"Nothing personal Bleu. You are simply much more forward with your attentions than I am comfortable with . Particularly as I prefer not to associate on the intimate level with some one without fur or a mane.

"Well I suppose I need to work on changing that opinion don't I?"

"Buck me..."

"That's the plan..."

"Your on watch Bleu, keep your eyes out for trouble, not for Rhede's flank."

"Awwww, your no fun Boss."

"I will join you on your watch Jer'rahd as you have no flier."

"Best you don't Pr... Luna, I will get that right one day, you are the strongest spell caster we have, Bleu is alright with what she knows, and Velkorn has her ….. well what ever sort of magic she does. You are the most powerful caster we have and the one with the most offensive spells as well I gather. We need you well rested after what you burned through today. I mean your hair changed color and you shrunk. Errr. Not a bad look, but clearly something amiss."

"And if we have to deal with something that needs copious amounts of violence applied to it,and you are tired due to trying to take up the slack you are giving to me for no reason, what are we to do?"

"She has a point boss, you are the get in there and break it type Your are really good at killing things that need to be killed. Kinda like a Tank... and now you have the armor of a Tank as well."

"Would it be to much to ask for me to win just one argument in my life?"

"What was that General, thinking to argue with a superior officer... again?"

" Nothing, no, no…. Fine. I do have a question though, with you not at the palace Luna, who raises the moon?"

"Tia does... she has the power to raise both herself, to be honest I think she prefers not to do it if she can out of laziness, or simply perhaps to give me something to do."

"Well so long as everything is in order. Best every one try to get some sleep we should head out at dawn or as close to it as we can."

"Since when do you give the orders boss?"

"Says the dragon calling me boss."

The night passes uneventfully, with the notable exception of Rhede spending most of the night avoiding Bleu,with mixed results. Jer'rahd gets woken by Bleu and heads to the pile of bones, redoing the armor. He smiles rather impressed with the ease of putting it on, the princess had outdone herself. He glances to the sleeping Luna her hair back to its glowing form and her size returned to normal as well. Interesting to note that little tidbit of information. Did she change her size to appear older or was it an effect of her magic. If the goddess could move the moon what sort of effort did she put into his new gear. He shook his head a moment considering letting her continue to sleep, before sighing and nudging her shoulder with his magic staying on the other side of the shell just in case she was not a morning pony. She simply opens her eyes lifting her head to look at him.

"I was wondering if you were going to wake me."

"Already up then?"

"I am the Goddess of night Jer'rahd. It is a bit harder for me to get used to the day."

"Maybe we should shift our own schedules to be awake at night then for this trip if we are supposed to be your personal guard."

He moves out side glancing down at the strange blade, magically lifting it up to swing experimentally. A double bladed sword, this would take some time getting used to it after using a single blade for so long. Might as well get in a bit of practice now, so at the very least he could avoid stabbing himself. Luna steps out stretching and taking flight, gliding up to the top of the shell landing lightly to look around her attention turning back to Jer'rahd as he swings the blade with his magic. She blinks surprised as he takes the blade in his mouth, winces, and spits it out onto the ground almost instantly.

"Whats wrong?"

"Gahh, even the bone tastes like oranges."

Luna chuckles softly which brings an odd look from Jer'rahd at the laugh having not heard her do that before He smiles shaking his head.

"Sure laugh, but if you nearly drown in it you would have a different opinion."

"I am sure I would. What does one normally do on watch ?"

"Keep an eye and a ear out for danger, if anything happens wake every pony up. "

"I mean to pass the time."

"Oh depends really. Used to play cards on some watches, chess, or dice. Once combat started, talking was about all that was left to be allowed. Kinda in a dangerous place here so that's about all that should be done if that. Besides even if I packed a chess set it would have been eaten."

"Chess hmm? Tia did mention you were rather good at that."

"I don't think I am bad, but I could tell at the end she was just letting me win to start."

"No more likely she was playing fair at first."

"What?"

"If you do not watch her,Tia cheats like it was going out of style."

"WHAT!"

The next morning saw them rested and on their way. Jer'rahd had wrapped the grip of the blade in some of Velkorn's bandages to make it more palatable. Checking the map and finding the path again, they left the giant's shell to what ever else might wish to take residence in it and ventured forth. The trek only got stranger from there.

"Run faster!"

"They are gaining Boss."

"For the love of Celestia some one throw them a carrot or something."

The group thundered across a field making for a river across the way, a herd of long legged rabbits with big nasty pointy teeth stampeded after them.

"OK Velkorn, what are these things supposed to be again?"

"Gummy Gators, I think, perhaps it was a mistake to stop for a drink."

"Well considering that they are either trying to eat me, breed with me, or drink my blood by sucking it through my spines, I am inclined to agree."

The group looks down curiously at the three tiny toothless gators latched onto Bleu, before their gaze turns to Luna. The only part of the mare they could see was one twitching hoof under the pile of green gators.

"Soo, I guess they really like the princess."

"You know Rhede when we were asked to collect firewood I had no idea the fire wood was going to try and collect you."

"Shut up and get this thing off my flank Bleu."

Bleu smirks looking at the overly large flower that had latched onto Rhede's back side and was trying to eat him tail first.

Another night, another camp.

"So you expect me to talk?"

"No mister pelt I expect you to die!"

"Then he turns this strange gem laser thing and starts cutting the table I am strapped top up from between my legs."

"No way that happened Rhede."

"Seriously a line that bad could not be said with a straight face."

"I swear on Princess Luna's cutie mark it is all true."

"Rhede if you do not get your hoof off my flank I will remove it at the shoulder."

"Oops." ================================================

"So this is what its like to fly then?"

"I think its more that we are falling up Rhede."

["Some pony get me down from here?"]

"What did she say?"

"You really need to learn Zebra Jer."

The three earth bound ponies float lazily into the air as the fliers shoot up after trying to catch them.

"OK so who are are you?" said Jer'rahd from Bleu's Body.

"I'm Rhede. Dammit, Bleu, stop feeling myself up." Shouts Rhede from Velkorn's Body.

"But I am sooo sexy!" Complains Bleu from Rhede's body.

["Some pony get me down from here?"] Shouts Velkorn from Starfall's body above the others, wings flapping madly.

"OK tell me again what happened to you Princess?" Questions Starfall from Jer'rahd's body.

"Oh I switched with myself." Says Luna from her own body.

"Goddess I hate this place, BLEU STOP THAT!"

The group again is sitting around a fire along with a great many little tribal teddy bear looking things with spears and bows.

"So I say oatmeal are you crazy?"

The bears all laugh as Starfall shakes her looking to the unreadable form of the armored Jer'rahd.

"OK let me get this straight. They are little teddy bear things right?"

"Right."

"And they tried to eat us when they first met us, right?"

"Right again, Starfall."

"And they think Bleu is a goddess because she fried a few of them with lightning right?"

"Right."

"So why did we agree to stay here again for the night and join their party? Seems a little dangerous."

"Because Goddess Bleu demanded they put Rhede in a dress and make him dance for her."

"Oh …. OK I can handle this then."

"Seriously hate this place."

"SHUT UP AND DANCE, HAHAHHAHAHA!"

"YUB YUB!"

Another night, another camp

"Fine Starfall since you are so insistent. I will answer, but you will then tell me about your husband and why you joined the Guard."

"...alright Princess. The price of my curiosity it seems. Most ponies here know some of it any way."

"You ask for something private you should expect to give back in return. Why you wish to know I am clueless however."

"Just hoping to understand you a bit better is all Princess."

The group gathered around the fire early in the night and as usual talk started though this time Starfall had started to steer it with the help of Bleu and Velkorn, towards Luna's first love. The mood was pleasant enough till then, after the question was asked you could have made ice cubes in the air around Luna. Rhede and Jer'rahd had the decency to at least move slightly away and pretend not to be interested in any of the questioning though they had at least one ear perked the whole time.

"My first serious love was one of my guards. I had crushes and interests before much as every other young mare , but this was the first real love. The last of friends had died, it is one of the prices of being a goddess that you will outlive every pony save another goddess. It was barely a hundred years after the Discordian war, the land was for the most part peaceful. This left me little to do to pull me away from what I had lost, even my sister could not keep my spirits up. I stayed in my quarters all the time simply mopeing I suppose is the word. There was one guard that was assigned to watch over me who took it into his head that his mission was to cheer me up. He tried simply talking to me at first and I largely ignored his banter. He switched to jokes strange tales and other absurd viewings of the world. It seems he took my silence as a invitation to continue. It got to the point where if the day was not filled with his rambling it seemed odd. He brought sweets from the kitchen for me , even though I simply could have ordered them and he tended to get into trouble for it. Eventually he started with the pranks. Tia had always been a fan of that type of humor, but it was never something I could bring myself to try and enjoy. The first ones were rather simple, items moved a blade glued into its scabbard. It eventually got more complex including one instance where he managed to get the guard captains entire office glued upside down to the ceiling. He was a rather creative earth pony, he took the punishment without any issue seeming to consider that I had yet to smile worse than any thing his superiors could dish out. Some of the jokes did get a small smile or two from me, but it seemed he wanted more than just that."

The group watches noting the soft smile Luna offered as she stares into the fire. The entire area was silent save the crackling blaze.

Eventually he got the idea to set a bucket of mashed alfalfa on top of a door ready to douse any who walked into the hall to come into my chambers. Perhaps he thought to only catch a maid or his change of guard duty, but this time Tia had decided to come pay me a visit. The look on his face when my sister walked through the door and was covered with mashed Alfalfa was a bit to much for me to hold back the laughter. Tia chased after him through the whole castle yelling at him and flinging gobs of mashed alfalfa. When she finally caught him she turned his coat plaid for a month as punishment. She went easy on him as she was happy to see me out of my depression. He wound up being rather happy as I started responding to him rather than just being there. It was not that long after it became a bit more serious between us and we formed a bit of a relationship. It was perhaps the best three years I have had in my life, then Sable came into the picture."

Her expression darkened considerable the smile vanishing from her face. Jer'rahd shifted uncomfortable in his armor noting the others were also looking uncomfortable at her sudden mood change.

Sable was a earth pony inventor and researcher, her primary field of study was the creatures created by Discord and how to remove them. Several of her inventions had been put to use to deal with some of the ones still bothering Equestria even that long after the war. Her skill and intelligence at even a young age had Celestia take her as a favored student, providing what ever she needed for her studies, and covering for any mishaps that happened as a result. She likely was the brightest pony that ever existed. Unfortunately she had emotional problems, the one in particular that started everything was her jealousy. Her colt friend at the time had broken up with her, the way he put it later was that she spent so much time working on things that he never saw her and she was always more interested in whatever she was working on then him. A bit selfish I suppose, but understandable as well, he broke it off as politely as he could and was not even aware she had noticed what he said to her. She had, and a month or so later when he found another mare friend is when she lost it. She had been studying the very make up of the draconequus and had become quite interested in his chimeric make up. She had created one, and in her rage at finding out her colt friend found some other pony she released it to kill him. Things did not go so well as the creature was unstable and dissolved into some sort of amorphous blob that grew larger the more it killed and ate incorporating bits of its victims into it self , usually their final pain filled screaming faces. It killed every one in the town but her, as she had the sense to flee. She made it to Canterlot to report the creatures attack thinking to avoid the blame, there was another survivor however. Her colt friend had also survived and informed my sister of where it had come from, as he had seen it in her lab while they were still together. Tia has a way of getting the truth out of ponies and Sable broke down almost immediately, this did not save several other towns and hundreds of ponies from being taken into the mass of the creature. The beast set its sights on Canterlot, carving a path of death towards it. Sable was put to work under heavy guard to find a way to stop it, the guard were sent out to hold the creature back, including my love, none of them returned. They were able to hold the creature back long enough for Sable to finish her work. As the goddess of war I wanted to be out aiding the Guards in holding this thing back, Tia had kept at the castle until the device was complete sending me to use it the moment it was. As I activated I the device I saw his face in the mass the same smirk on his lips that was always there before the creature was disintegrated by the device his face burned away before my eyes. It took most of Tia's power to stop me from ripping the mare apart when I returned to the castle. My sister had her sealed in stone and placed near the statue of Discord in the Royal Gardens I did not think it enough and tried many times to destroy the statue hoping that she could see what I was doing locked in stone. Eventually, I sank back into depression and fled the castle. I flew till I could no longer fly then ran until I fell, then I simply cried. Tia told me I stayed in that spot for nearly a century, my tears filled all the low lands of that place creating a inland sea."

"The Great Hooper Sea in southern Equestria."

"Yes. Named after him."

There was no further conversation that night even among the watches.

"Alright I need an explanation again."

"Shoot."

"What the hay are we ?"

"Half centaurs?"

"OK whats the other half then?"

"No clue... why did Rhede faint, Jer'rahd?"

"The, ahem, personal anatomy of these things is smaller than ours is."

"So his junk shrunk and he went thunk?"

" Not how I would have put it Velkorn, but yes. Though I do have a question for you all. What are those big bag looking things on your front?"

"Can we just get out of here with out the questions Jer'rahd."

"Least most of our armor changed with us."

"Yes, for some reason I think I would feel uneasy running about uncovered like this."

Another fire, another camp.

Jer'rahd blinks looking down at the dragonling and the necklace she is holding up to him. A jagged bit of metal wrapped and tied to the end securely with the length of a thin vine.

"Is that?"

"Yeah... your grandfathers sword, well parts of it. I figured if it had managed to help your grandfather kill dragons, and your father defend Equestria, plus all the stuff you've pulled off with it, there was no sense letting it rest just yet. Got a nice cut on my finger from it too, so its still eager, this things far from done. I made six of these, I figure we could all use a bit of the luck and protection it seems to give. Well that, is if its alright with you. It is yours."

"Nah, that is actually a rather nice gesture Bleu, Lemme guess, layers?"

"Damn right." The little dragon proceeds to pass them out to the group, Luna regards the bit of metal with some interest, her gaze shifting to the other bits the others put on as well. Jer'rahd smiles feeling the cool blade against his chest, he had felt out of sorts without it.

" Giant three headed dog?"

"Yep, I told you boss was really good at killing things."

"Meh."

"What's the matter Starfall?"

"Nothing Bleu, it just seems that this was kinda tame compared to everything else we have had to deal with."

"Hey every one there's a bunch of flaming half centaur things coming out of that gate the dog was in front of . They do not appear friendly. Um, hey Jer, why do they have pitchforks?"

"OK, I need to keep my big mouth shut."

Another campfire.

"Alright,I did agree Princess. I did hope you forgot. I know it has nothing on your story though."

"Mine was over two thousand years ago Starfall, you are already a bit behind in that regard."

Again some of the others feign disinterest, but most have their ears perked listening.

"My brother introduced me to Loc, they had evidently met in basic become friends and spent most of their time together when off duty. Loc never really got along with his family before he joined the Guard,and after he did they disowned him. They were the type who were fully against violence of any kind. My brother invited him to our parents place when they both had leave and that's where I met him.

We hit it off rather well right from the get go. That built up rather quickly to the point where he proposed to me and I accepted. It was a simple wedding that really only had my side of the family in attendance, he never seemed to care so I did not either. He and my brother were both stationed together in the northern lands and both of them came home when ever they had leave. We spent two years of our life like that. When I became pregnant he put in for his last tour, a last duty assignment to get enough bits so we could live after he quit the guard until he found other work. My brother had plans to quit as well and get married to his mare friend as soon as he was out. They were on a routine patrol when a wing of griffons attacked them and killed them both. I had just gone into labor when I found out, my parents flew out to the base to retrieve their bodies for burial and my sister stayed with me. The same Griffon wing that killed my brother and my husband stalked and killed my mother and father as well as they returned with the bodies. One of the carriage fliers survived and told the Guard about a silver and black griffon who lead the wing, she seemed to be gunning for my parents directly. Once she killed them she took their tails mounting them on a belt that had my brother and husbands tails as well.

"I have heard about a griffon who collects trophies like that. Goes by the name of Windrazor. She was part of the terror campaign the griffons ran, hunting down entire families of soldiers she killed. She was rumored to be very good at it, even managing some targets deep in Equestria to complete her collections. "

"I knew that much already Rhede. I also know that I am going to kill her, painfully. She made what should have been one of the happiest days of my life one of the worst. There's also the chance she still knows about My sister and Cloud Dancer. I will not allow anything to happen to my foal while I still breathe."

"That explains why you joined the guard. As well as why you have no trouble letting the media know who you are."

"I want her to know who I am and I want her to know I am coming for her. If she is the collector like she acts she will want my tail as well. So long as she is focused on me she likely will not find out about my daughter and sister."

"So that is why you wished to transfer to the northern posts at first, To hunt this griffon?"

"It is Princess."

"So long as your family remains in Canterlot, no harm should come to them. Griffons are still not allowed in the royal city."

"Still I need to see this birds corpse before I am going to feel comfortable. And to recover my families remains for proper burial."

"I have died and this is my eternal reward."

"OK chocolate? Chocolate geysers, on a marsh land made of pretzels and peanuts? Is this even sanitary, let alone possible?"

"Discord did have a thing for chocolate."

"Bleu don't do that, GAAAH!"

Jer'rahds magic grabs the little dragon by the tail yanking her back as she dunks her whole head into one of the erupting geysers. The dragonling seemed to be trying her best to drink the whole erupting hot chocolate stream nearly getting flung into the air by the force of the eruption. Shes pulled back coughing and sputtering half drowned with a large grin on her chocolate coated face."

"RUN AWAY!"

"BETTER PART OF VALOR! BETTER PART OF VALOR!"

"SHUT UP AND RUN"

The group tears off through the woods being chased by what look like walking trees made of Poison Joke.

Another night at camp.

"You want me to do what?"

"Well you have been listening in Jer'rahd to what we have spoken of. There must be something in your life to compare tot he sort of stories we have told the last few nights."

"Have you seen the papers on what happened in Dullahan keep?"

"Good point, and that covers Bleu as well."

"Why are you seeking sad stories any way Starfall?"

"I was not to start with but after mine, I do kinda feel a little better. I figure there might be something to get off your chest. Might help us under stand each other a bit better as well."

"If you want something sad ask him about when his grandfather died."

"Rhede."

"Oh?"

"Pneumonia and a bad heart do not mix."

"Cried for days, poor Jer did."

"I was much younger."

"It was seven years ago."

"Shut up Rhede. That is not something to joke about."

"The crying or the death?"

"Why am I friends with you again?"

"Because I amuse you so."

"This is true, do you still have the skirt from the teddy bears? That was the most amusing thing you've done in a while."

"I'll shut up now."

"Good. To answer your question though Starfall I do have something of interest. I am still amazed the papers have not spread this every where ."

"They have left you alone lately, save horror stories."

"I finally met my mothers parents."

"Oh crap Jer... I did not even know they were still alive?"

"Yes, they are still alive Rhede. I might have inherited my Grandfather and fathers disdain for them but not the burning hatred. Though after meeting them I have that now as well."

"So what happened then?"

"I was invited to another nobles party, mostly a show for the media. I was still fairly banged up from Dullahan, this was before the order came through that allowed me to have Bleu as my familiar."

"Crap I missed a party."

"You missed a long drawn out exercise in straining my patience. The noble who invited me had been escorting me around introducing me to other ponies like I was some sort of trophy that he managed to get me to show up. If Celestia had not ordered me to go to make a good impression for the Guard I would not have been any where near it. Half way through the party the pair of them practically jumped me. I had no idea who they even were at first and was simply swept along in the while rapid fire conversation they were having with the reporters there. It was about this time they started referring to me as their grandson, playing up the relation to the media of how their blood line was responsible for one of the greatest heroes in equestrian history. "

"Goody so they went right for what annoys you the most then?"

"How's that Bleu?"

"Boss here hates when ponies call him a hero Starfall, he wants to avoid the media as much as he can. They just don't let him."

"I am doing what I am supposed to be doing, protecting the rest of the lands to the best of my abilities. I just keep getting placed in situations where my abilities are enough to make a noticeable difference. Once that all sunk in I suppose I went a bit over board."

"Are they still alive Jer?"

"Yes."

"Then you did not go overboard."

"Any way when the pair of them finally picked them selves up from where I flung them, I went on a bit of a tirade. Let the media and every other noble in the place see my rage at it."

"Hold on I see to be missing some things here even though Rhede and Bleu seem to get it."

"My mother was a unicorn , my father a earth pony. Her parents did everything in their power to stop the wedding up to and including trying to have her kidnapped back to save face. When all that failed they disowned her, they could have used their money , their wealth to get a better doctor to save her life, instead they let her die which practically ruined my father and brought rise to my grandfathers belief in the rule of three. My father never recovered from her death and spent his remaining years in a personal war to try and preform heroic enough deeds to enact the rule and bring her back. When he was killed my grandfather raised me until his illness took him when I was fifteen. If it had not been for Rhede and his family allowing me to stay with them I would have been out on the street somewhere. They took the house almost as soon as my grandfather died, took all his bits to pay for a funeral as well as everything in the house. They did their damnedest to wipe out the fact that my father and mother ever existed."

The group regards him in silence, Jer'rahd remained calm in the telling ,but Rhede and Bleu both seemed to get pissed off enough for him.

"Any way I told them exactly what I thought of them and what they could do with their pride at my accomplishments. I promptly disowned them right then and there the whole time I kept advancing on them until they were ushered out rather rapidly the rest of the party ending and taking off as well. By the time I was going off about how they did not even have the decency to come to their own daughters funeral I was screaming to a empty room."

"OK I did hear about a evacuation of a city block a bit back but not what caused it."

"Boss was kinda the most feared pony in Equestria at that point. If something like that set him off to be throwing old ponies around I seriously doubt the media wanted to find out what would happen if they wrote about it."

"More likely the media was paid off to keep the disgrace silent. Nothing worse for nobles then to have their dirty laundry aired. So who were they any way Jer? Been rather curious about that side of your family for a bit. I never managed to find anything."

"I do not really care who they were. Called themselves Bluebloods when talking to the media though."

"Is that a name or a mark of royalty."

"A name, though a rather important one in noble circles. They are the only group that can trace their line back to actual royalty."

"Related to you and your sister then?"

"No, not to us. But royalty none the less."

"High ranking nobility though Jer. You could do a lot of good with the sort of power that comes from that name."

"I refuse to be associated with a group that intentional abandons one of its own to die for such a stupid reason. If I was a more vindictive pony I would do all I could to ruin them, but at this point it hardly seems worth it. What is done is done and ruining them now will not bring any pony back that has been lost."

"Better pony than I am, Jer'rahd."

"No, I am not."

"I take it back Rhede, this is far more amusing than the skirt."

"Stuff it, your in the same boat Jer."

"Yeah, but I don't check to see if my dick is back every three seconds."

"Oh how I miss not so little Rhede."

Bleu laughs at Rhede from atop Jer'rahds back as they walk through the strange mist.

"But you look even sexier now Rhede, or is it Rhedete?"

The dragonling seemed completely unchanged, save she had a rather bushy mustache.

A tall black alicorn stallion and rather uncomfortable looking pegasus stallion trotted along behind them with a male zebra who seemed rather happy this odd area did not send her into the air again.

"How you holding up in that armor boss, it really does not look like you've changed genders at all."

"Interestingly enough, the armor fits perfectly now."

"Starfall."

"Yes Jer'rahd?"

"Please do not ask me what these are."

"Not a problem."

They pause for a moment regarding the sight before continuing past the small grove of trees. Each tree having a strange door set into it. One door was shaped like a brightly colored egg, another like a turkey, still another like a gourd with a face carved into it, and one like a garishly decorated pine tree. It had however, gotten to the point that none of them were the slightest bit curious about what they found here any more.

Another camp.

"...So if it had not been for Rhede, I surely would have been dead."

"So this zebra was the one who turned your half brother evil then?"

"No, he was already going bad, that was an issue from his dad. His adviser just made it worse, by filling his head with evil verse."

"Zebra's name was Bloodtail, A necromancer of all things, he escaped the initial onslaught and then came back for Velkorn."

"He was impossible to get rid of, his intent was to make me his love."

"Did not work out to well for him this time either. His attentions were one reason she hid in the woods to begin with."

"I thought Velkorn was out there to hide from the warlord?"

"That was the other reason , the warlord let her stay in the fort so long as she just healed his people. When she started trying to heal the enemy he got pissed and she left."

"Makes sense now. I am sort of sorry I missed that whole conflict."

" We caught him when he came back to try and kidnap Velkorn. He broke into the palace and managed to make his way to her room to wait for her. Of course like most days she stayed in the hospital til rather late and I would up having to bring her back. Well when I opened the door for her he was evidently tired of waiting and started flinging the spells he had prepped at the first thing to come in. Zebra spells are different from Unicorn ones. The more complex the spell the harder it is to cast, that parts the same, but even powerful zebra spells can have reduced cast times by making them target a specific thing. Like a fire ball that hits only male ponies would have half the time to cast as a normal one. O take that spell and make it all the males with black manes, the cast time drops more. Blood tail had some very potent spells of charm and paralysis for Velkorn. Unfortunately for him they hit me and I was not the target. After beating the snot out of him he was arrested and charged with attacking a ambassador so he could be extradited to Equestria and away from the zebra lands. I had security increased, but we did not let on he made it all the way to her bed chambers. No sense in giving any dissidents the idea they could get there. After he came to Canterlot I am not sure what happened to him."

"Tia put him in the garden."

"You have mentioned the garden a few times now Luna, what is it?"

"It is a prison Starfall. While I have no issue holding an execution for those who deserve it my sister is more in charge of Equestria's justice system than I am. She does not kill, she won't do it no matter how heinous the crime. It is a code she set up for herself long ago that she has followed for thousands of years. She has yet to break it as far as I know, she first started the garden when Discord was defeated and turned to stone. I believe what the elements did to him gave her the idea. He was the first inhabitant, others followed including Sable and Forgescale. Anytime an crime was committed that goes beyond what a simple bit of jail time or a fine would pay for the offender is sealed in stone and placed in the garden at Canterlot."

"Would have to be a big garden."

"It is much like this place Starfall. It is much bigger inside than it is outside. It took us a great deal of magic to make it so. There are hundreds of statues of ponies and beasts sealed there. I do not even remember half of their crimes or who some are. Tia however knows all of their names."

"She put Claymore there didn't she?

"Yes, Claymore is in the garden as well."

"I thought he was going to be executed?"

"Bleu calm down and think about it the bastard is trapped in stone forever. Frozen in stone watching the world go by. I'll buy you a nice mallet when we get back."

"Nah forget it, I hope pigeons poop on him."

"Now this place is creepy. A bunch of those half centaur skeletons too. What ever these big metal birds were they must have been eating them off the boats. They seem to be full of them too."

The group slowly winds its way around the large piles of ships and planes. All of them seemed to be crashed or run aground here far from any water. Piolets and crew of all of them still on board , their bones bleached, some still wearing the tatters of their uniforms and clothing. Star fall flies down to glide above the group.

"This place is really odd, its like a ship and metal bird grave yard, and from the air its one big triangle."

"RUN FASTER!"

"YOU EVERY HAVE THE FEELING WE HAVE DONE SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE JER?"

"SHUT UP AND RUN FIRM FLANK I'VE SEEN ENOUGH HENTAI TO KNOW WHERE THIS DOES NOT NEED TO GO!"

Again the group thunders across a field fleeing from a strange green blob of a monster waving a multitude of very phallic looking tentacles.

"Are we there yet Boss?"

"No."

"Are we there yet Jer?"

"No."

"Are we there yet Jer'rahd?"

"No"

"Jer'rahd please do not fret, but I must ask, are we there yet?"

"NO!"

"Are we there yet General?"

"GAAAAAAAAH!"

"You are correct Bleu, this is rather fun."

"How long till the boss snaps, a fun game for the whole family."

"So this is it?"

"So help me if he named this place AGGGGH or Anthrax I will scream."

"While I do not pretend to understand the joke there Bleu, the castle is simply named, Discord's Castle."

"Wait, that's it?"

"That is what he named it."

"All this nonsense getting here and the castle is just Discord's Castle? Where is the creativity."

"Honestly Bleu that is quite creative. Every one expects some strange or complex name and then, BAM , he makes it simple. Truly a master of the mind screw."

"While I am so glad you have developed an appreciation of him Rhede lets just go in and get the book and go home."

"I second that "

Velkorn nods her agreement as well.

Approaching the main gate it was clear the place had seen better days, the front gates were smashed open, a rusted iron portcullis hung half closed stuck on the fallen gate. Statues of discord where every where in the main court yard. Many were knocked over, some were embedded in the walls, others placed on the walls as if the walls were the ground, and some even floated about in the air lazily drifting about. The whole keep smelled of cinnamon and lemons. Only one door left the courtyard and it lead into the keep. Pushing the tattered door open revealed a spiraling landscape of madness with doors and stairs leading to imposable angles often times doubling back on themselves in mid air. Ladders and windows ran everywhere as well criss crossing the room like it was one big fun house.

"Ummm."

"Errr"

"Hey what is this thing?"

Bleu tugs on a string on the floor and the entire scene shoots upward suddenly rolling into it self with several flaps of canvas like a scroll before it vanishes leaving a much more plain room with five hallways leading away from it.

"Have I mentioned I hate this place?"

"What does the map show now?"

Luna pulls out the map the others glancing at it as it now shows the inside of the keep and the five paths before them. Bleu's eyes narrow at the caption across the top. Power to restore the lost. She whips her head letting the Princess and Jer'rahd decide.

"The map is showing me that the way is the third hall."

"Same for me Luna."

"Likewise Boss."

"Shows the first one for me."

"Fourth for me Princess."

"The path it shows, is the one Rhede follows."

"Well majority is the third one, seems like a good a start as any."

The group begins making their way down the chosen path though barely twenty paces down the path Velkorn stops them.

"Are all your ears full of fuzz, or am I the only one to hear that buzz?"

"Now that you mention it, crap that's not parasprites again is it?... What the hells ? Bees!" Get to cover no telling what these things will do."

"I have this, Jer'rahd."

Luna's magic bursts forth from her horn the wave of energy burning through the swarm. The hall is silent for a moment before the buzzing increases and a even larger swarm appears. Many of these new bees are glowing with the same coloration of Luna's magic. A second blast from the Princess has no effect on them at all and new bees seem to replace the destroyed ones almost instantly. Jer'rahd's green wall of energy forms Shielding the entire corridor, blocking the bees from advancing.

"Alright any ideas while they are held off?"

"Umm boss? They are eating through your shield"

"What?"

Looking back the purple bee's remain flying behind the wall but the ones that did not glow were eating into the green shield taking on the coloration of his magic.

"New plan, find a new path."

"Goody more running away."

"Better plan Starfall?"

"Strategic withdrawal."

"No just no, call it what it is."

Jer'rahd raises a few more shields hoping to slow them down but the Green ones are unaffected. Luna blasts the green ones that made it though the shields but the force took out Jer'rahds shields as well allowing the others to advance until Jer'rahd got a few more up. The group dashed back down the hall Luna and Jer'rahd bringing up the rear, as the pair of rear guards make it back into the open area with the other halls the others were gone. Two of the other hallways and the exit outside had vanished as well.

"So much for easy. Pick a path Luna here's hoping you have a better time of it than me... GAAAH sonofa. "

"Jer'rahd what OW!"

She lashes out with her tail swatting one of the bees that had managed to sting her flank, another had gotten though and stung Jer'rahd's exposed jaw. Both offending bugs fled just as quickly as they had stung. The advancing swarm slowed as if confused then disappearing back to the hall they came from.

"That is not a good sign."

Luna's horn flares the magic covering Jer'rahd."

"Ehh? "

"There does not seem to be any poisons in your body. Trace amounts of that alcohol you had with the bears, but nothing more than that. And aside from your eye no odd magical ailments either."

"What about you?"

"I am a goddess Jer'rahd there is not anything here that could hurt me."

"Unless Discord made something that was just to hurt alicorns. You did fight him. He might have rigged up some defense here."

"Yes, but at the time I was not... you raise a valid point."

"I do that from time to time. Bleu calls it the thousand monkeys at typewriters effect."

"I know monkeys, but what are typewriters?"

"A Bleu thing, its easier to think of it like that. We might as well head back down this corridor. If the bee's are leaving us alone."

"Did we lose them?"

"It seems we lost the others."

"What? Oh crap. Just us then I suppose Rhede."

"Please try to contain your enthusiasm Starfall."

"What about Velkorn and Bleu? They are kinda the rookies here."

"Oh crap."

"Oh crap oh crap where are they? Where is every one else? Wheres Jer'rahd! oh hell shit shit what am I gonna do ..? I can't lose some body else..."

["Please slow down Bleu, I cannot understand you that well. My studies have yet to teach me many of the swear words as well."]

"WHERE ARE THEY VELKORN?"

"You should calm down please, or do you think our friends can be bested by bees?"

"Calm yes, calm I'm doing, that I'm calming."

["No you are hyperventilating. Sit down."]

Velkorn grabs the little dragon by the spines on the back of her neck tossing the panicked dragonling onto her back and starts heading down the hall.

"What where are we going? They are all back there!"

"Since when have you know them to stay in place, to our goal it is already a race."

" Dammit Velkorn! Pick a language and stick to it!"

"This place is interfering with my magic I cannot detect any of them."

"What about that spell you cast on the necklaces?"

"You noticed that?"

The pair of them had slowly returned to moving back down the hall they started on listening for any signs of more bees.

"I am a unicorn you know. "

"Yes well..."

"You did not expect me to be able to notice anything out side the two spells I can cast?"

"I am sorry, I did not mean to assume."

"Don't be, I rather enjoy it when I am underestimated. I might not be able to cast spells but I can recognize the general types of ones I can feel being cast, just like every other unicorn. Any way anything from the necklaces?"

"All I can tell everyone is alive, nothing more than that. "

"Good."

"Good?"

"In case you have not been paying attention, every pony here can handle themselves in adverse situations. By now I am sure they are working to get back to us. Or at the very least trying to find each other. Hmm look at that. We are here Luna."

The two of them look up and around the place the hall led them, a massive library stocked full of various books. They all seemed to be some where between advanced stages of decay or as if they had just been printed. Occasionally one would fly off a shelf and slide into another spot some moving and reading themselves on one of the libraries desks. The room was massive rows of shelves seeming to stretch back much further than the castle it self seemed to have stretched.

"Shh good , now we just need to find the book."

"Why do I have the uneasy feeling this is what you wanted Rhede?"

"Well lets do the math. A very large collection of hot mare's, check. All of them really want to get it on with me, check. Suddenly sprouting extra appendages and mouths with fangs that try to eat me, no check."

"Well if I was not stuck here with you running for my life, I would be much more amused by this."

Rhede glances back as the pair gallop down the narrow hall ways being chased by a horde of scantily dressed, well formed mares, most of them with fangs or spiked body parts all screaming for Rhede's body.

["You... you killed him!"]

["I killed it, yes."]

["How could you kill him like that? "]

["Your turn to calm down Velkorn. When was the last time a pony bled green worms?"]

["But he was perfect, it was Rhede..."]

["Considering he seemed to have suddenly taken an interest in you after how long of spurning your advances. He also knew nothing of the others and did not seem to care. Then when he returned my flirting it got kinda obvious."]

["But..."]

["Lets go, this place is no longer funny."]

Velkorn looks down at the pile of goo that had up until Bleu ripped its throat out a perfect copy of Rhede Pelt. She swallowed following along behind the angry dragonling.

"I think I found it Luna."

They both look up at the vaguely egg shaped monstrosity taking up an entire room just off the library, several other halls led from the room but the egg had their attention. The entire thing seemed to be made out of copper,brass, and wood. Large and small pipes of assorted metals ran in and out of the machine some venting steam others doubling back into the machine or running into the walls. Poles and fans and other spinning or bouncing bits stuck out of the central body at odd angles doing what ever it was they did. A giant blue gemstone, easily half the size of the machine sat dead center of the whirling mess showing the pairs slightly distorted reflection. The bees that had attacked earlier buzzed around the machine unbothered by the steam or their presence, the soft glow of Luna and Jer'rahds magic still clinging to some. The entire thing seemed to be half made with haphazard concepts of what it should be, the other half looked worked over by a master crafts pony. Just under the giant gem sat a silver pedestal with three brightly glowing books resting on top of it .

"The Book of Blue, The Red Tome, and the Gray Grimoire, Discord had all three, but he still was defeated? This does not make any sense."

"From what I have seen he did not make any sense any way. What are the other two supposed to be then if your confused?"

"The Blue Book deals with the elements of harmony, it tracks them allows their recovery, but in itself is not that potent of a book, it simply leads to power."

"I gather the others are different."

"The Red Tome is a spell book of dark magic. It raises dead, summons demons, and the like. The Gray Grimiore is rumored to have the ability to grant wishes and make gods."

"Well now, as much trouble as we went though to get just the blue one better take them all so no one else follows our trail of destruction."

"That may be for the best."

She floats the books up tucking all three into the saddle bags she wore. No sooner had she done so then the gem starts glowing brightly and a strange face appears on the surface. Jer'rahd thought it looked some what like a snaggle tooth pony with mismatched eyes a curled horn and a straight one, the rest of the creature was either hidden from view or did not have anything past its shoulders.

"Well well what is this that comes into my Lair. OOOh look a new set of toys. I think those maps were the best idea I ever had. I must remember not to break these so soon. It has been a while since I've had a plaything."

"DISCORD!"

Star fall staggers back looking down at the crumpled form, then at her blood covered hooves and blade. Her sword drops to the floor with a clang, the blade having been pressed to the stallions throat ready to take his head.

"Oh goddess I am sorry Rhede... please... I'm sorry... "

"You know,ugh, while I expect lovely mares to cry over me when I'm gone, I don't expect it to happen because they tried to make me gone."

Starfall opens her tear soaked eyes as Rhede slowly gets back to his hooves. He was bleeding from a multitude of cuts and torn skin where her hooves had impacted him. The flowing blood was making a mess of his coat and the light armor he wore. He winces a bit ,lifting his front hoof off the ground not willing to put any weight on it. Starfall drops her head back down. Not able to look at him.

"I'm sorry..."

"Your fine ow... mares dig scars... I mean look at Jer..."

"But..."

"Stuff it Starfall, you reacted how I expected after that... well honestly I was hoping you would catch on a little sooner."

"I... it looked like her, sounded like her, it even smelled like Cloud Dancer, with how this place is, it could have been her. I ….am am sorry I lost control, you, when you killed it...all I saw was my daughter with your dagger buried in her throat."

The corpse of what Starfall had thought was Cloud Dancer lay several feet away, the steel grip of one of Rhede's daggers buried in the bubbling mess, a scorpion like tail twitching against the floor as muscles spasm.

"Well I am glad I managed that much, before what ever that was got you. I suggest in the future not to hug anything here..."

"I'm sorry..."

"Well if your really sorry we could see if there's a bed room some where in this place that's normal. After you patch me up of course."

" I am not THAT sorry."

["You are hyperventilating again Bleu."]

" I have seen easily twenty different gory deaths of Jer'rahd since we started along this path."

["And they have all appeared to be Rhede to me."]

"That is the only reason I am not completely freaking out right now."

["There is more noise ahead, it sounds like some one talking, we should hurry to see what is going on."]

"Lets go, I'm hoping its a clear target of some kind. I feel up for a little bit of the ultra violence after all this emotional trauma."

"How is this even possible your sealed in stone!"

"OOOH so that's what that light beam did to me, pretty rainbows and all. But I do have a secret. I'm not really Discord... well no I take that back. I am, but not anything more than a imprint of him on this machine... and yes that's what its called, This Machine. Honestly it seems I was experimenting with being dull for a while there. Hmm now for my questions. The first of which is, which one are you. Your not Celestia or Aviana, but you are a alicorn, the blood confirms that... oooh you must be a replacement... which one left, oh I hope it was Celestia I would get a good chuckle of thinking of her grown all old and decrepit. Sadly it was probably Aviana, frail thing, far too compassionate. Ahhhh wait, I recognize you now. Luna, so being the teachers pet paid off for you in the long run I see."

"Shut up Discord. I beat the real you once. This toy of yours should be foals play to destroy."

"Wait what does he mean by your blood confirms it?"

"I lay out a potentially embarrassing secret for you about how your whole belief in the goddesses could be false and its THAT part of what I said that you focus on!"

"The rest is none of my concern."

"Pffft, boring. Its no fun when they are not even willing to play. Nothing spectacular about you either just boring old unicorn and earth pony blood. Well there must be something special about you to have made it this far. And that armor is rather snazzy, who's your tailor? Wait I recognize those bones! Those are from a Tank! No way you killed one of my Totally Awesome Nag Killers."

"I thought the T was for Tortoise."

"It was a turtle... Never mind to answer that little query its another one of my little experiments. My little bees here took a bit of the magical blood from you both as you seem to be the most interesting in that little adventuring party. Well she is, your not, so don't get your hopes up pony. The bees just go after any magic user anywhere near them. You were just there. But lets play match maker shall we? Or at least geneticist. Ever wonder what your kid will look like, oh come on you've been hanging out with a delightfully well formed mare over here and you have not given any thought to banging her? What are you gay? Never mind, just think on it now cause once she comes out you won't have long to consider before she kills you. Toodles."

The image of Discord swings both his arms to the left, both hands pointing to that side of the machine. A large seam splits along the side of the egg the parts swinging open bellow a hiss of steam and crackling energy into the air. A tall form steps out of the heated mist, red and aqua colored eyes glowing menacingly as the mare clears the billowing steam. A single flap of gossamer green wings sends her airborne to land lightly before the two of them. Her Black coat was highlighted by glowing gold and blue hair that swayed and waved in a unfelt breeze, her tail was made of the same sparkling gold and blue mist as her mane. The cutie mark gracing her flank was the same crescent moon on a shield that had been imprinted on the armor they all wore. A long jade colored horn spiraled from her forehead a black light radiating from it as she regards the two of them. Her well muscled form easily taller than Luna's giving the impression she was looking down on them both ."

"Hello mother, father, I am Nocturne. I am your end."

"OK, Rhede I am now freaked out a little."

"Oh, why is that? The bodies of our fallen friends? The other bodies of all the ponies you have ever known and loved?"

"No sadly I have gotten used to that, you have been walking on your hind legs for a while now, how are you even doing that?"

" That is what is bothering you? Practice, besides not like I can use my left hoof here."

"Are you going to continue to make me feel miserable about attacking you."

"It really is not my intent, seems your looking for a reason to feel miserable."

"Yes well, how many bodies of the others have we passed now."

"None."

"How are you so sure?"

"I have my reasons, but until we actually find the others I have no plans to reveal that. No telling if the castle will take note and make it harder.."

"Can't this place get into your mind and find out what that is?"

"At first yes, But that was because I did not expect it. Now no."

"How...?"

"Training. Its more of mind conditioning exercise for torture survival than anything else. Works surprisingly well against variations of mind reading too."

"What kind of training did you go through after basic?"

"Hold up... Do you hear that ?"

Starfall stops glancing back at the upright stallion her ears perking a bit. The crash of metal and crackle of magic easily heard when their hoof falls stop.

"Sounds like fighting, probably Jer'rahd."

"My thoughts exactly. If there is combat Jer will find it."

"More like it finds him."

The first bolt of energy was cast so suddenly it took Luna by surprise, the shock of Discord and now this new alicorn had thrown her for a loop. Jer'rahd did not feel he had the time to be stunned and simply reacted, flinging up a shield and shoulder rushing the princess, knocking her aside as the beam lanced through the green panel like it was not even there. It struck him hard sending him flying back into, and through a wall.

Luna recovered quickly firing back her own beams of energy. She winced catching a glimpse of the ceiling in the room Jer'rahd had been thrown into collapsed atop of him. A panel of black light formed blocking the spell, before a second blast tore through the air striking at Luna. More prepared this time, she was no where near the spot of the floor that melted.

"Oh! hey now stop that, your going to mess up my new rug... oh wait, the moths ate that centuries ago... carry on then hehehe."

The rubble of the other room all but explodes as Jer'rahd burst back into the room trailing dust and debris behind him. The bone sword whirling like a buzz saw over his head lashing at the startled alicorn. She threw up a shield in time to bounce the blade off of it and into the side of the metal egg to the sounds of laughter from Discord. Nocturne's tail lashed out belting Jer'rahd and sending him flying into and through a yet undamaged section of wall. Luna took advantage of the opening landing a hoof blow again the other alicorn who moved with the kick reducing the impact. Jer'rahd pushed up to his hooves again shaking the rock free of his armored form.

"I really love this armor."

"If you love it so much why not marry it? Hmmm. I'm sure that's legal some where. Maybe Haygas."

Jer'rahd responded by yanking the blade out of the side of the egg with his magic, tearing a bigger hole in the metal, a wide grin seen on his muzzle. He charged up blade swinging as he flanked the alicorn getting it between him and the princess. He bites down on the blade his own green shields appearing ,blocking the blows of the alicorn and dropping to allow Luna's attacks through. Nocturne could not land anything more than a glancing blow on either of them , but they could not manage much more than that either.

"They are not doing to bad. "

"It seems they are under great duress, if indeed that is Jer'rahd and the Princess."

"The better question is if you two are who you are supposed to be."

Bleu and Velkorn whip around staring down the two ponies coming up the hall way behind them.

["Rhede what happened?"]

"Hold up Velkorn... are you who you are supposed to be?"

"Kind of a loaded question. If we say yes, we might be lying if we say no then that's the same thing, how about you two slide to the left a bit and let me have a look at this battle."

"Rhede..."

"Do keep in mind Starfall, I told you I could tell. These two are who they are supposed to be, but I want to make sure the ones out there are... oooh through the wall again?"

"Good idea with the shields though."

"Try anything stud muffin, and I will gut you."

"Stop calling me that ….. I can't tell with Jer, of course I doubted I could with that armor, but that is the Princess."

"How do you even know that?"

"The castle has yet to duplicate your gift to us Bleu. None of the bodies have the sword fragments, just the vine of the necklace. I am not sure if they cannot be duplicated or the place just did not notice."

The three others look at each other then back at Rhede who grins slumping against a wall with a wince.

"You are a lousy medic Starfall, now get out there and help before those two get killed."

"Enough of this foolishness"

Nocturne's magic flares destroying all the green shields and flinging Luna and Jer'rahd back to crash to the ground. Jer'rahd is on his hooves quickly the bone blade floating beside him. He moves in front of Luna as she regains her hooves shaking her head to clear the after effects of the spell blast.

"I know all of your powers and weakness' and I am stronger than both of you."

"So how are you going to turn the inability to talk to mares and gummy gators against us?"

"Heh, still time to be snarky in the middle of all this? Well aren't you a clever pony, father."

"SHIT!"

"Is that a weakness? Honestly General that is the lamest weakness ever."

"You have no idea what that little phrase has done to me."

Nocturne's tail lashes out wrapping around Jer'rahds throat yanking him into the air out from in front of Luna before a second blast of power flings the princess back into a unbroken wall. Jer'rahd kicks in the air his blade whirling up and slicing through the hair, freeing him, the severed strands fade into nothing as he falls. He lands hard on his side the alicorn on top of him before he can get to his hooves kicking him hard and sending his body flying across the room impacting the Princess as she was getting up. A flare of green appears briefly before the two go tumbling off to crash into the wall. The stone collapsing on top of them both, burying the pair. Jer'rahds blade clatters to the ground at Nocturne's hooves. She rears up bringing her hooves down on the bone sword shattering it with a maniacal laugh from the Discord image.

"OOOOh this is delightful. Finish them off dear and then we'll go see what happened to the others."

"Gladly. With this I become better than you both. A child outdoing the wastrels that spawned her."

"DEATH FROM ABOVE!"

"What?"

The bright glow around Nocturnes horn fades at the impact of the dragon ling landing on her back. The alicorn sweeps her wings back screaming as a lightning bolt from the dragon burns one away. She glares back at the dislodged dragon just as Starfall's rear hooves slam into her blind side with the crunch of bone. Her mane whips at the pegasus who leaps back avoiding the blow. Nocturne winces taking the weight off that hoof as three daggers impact into her flank. She fires a blast in the direction they came from but Rhede had already moved. She screams out with rage power flaring about her as the shields form a bubble about her trapping the others outside.

"You bastards, I will make your skulls water bowls for the rats! DIE ALL OF HURRRK...!"

The alicorn jerks, a burst of of blood escaping her mouth in an attempt to cough. Velkorn smiled a little from her spot under Nocturne. She had just managed to get there before the alicorn put up her shields, a few dozen blows to the mares ribs and belly from the zebra was all it took to take her out. The newborn goddess' shields fell and moments after so did she.

"That went better than expected, every one still alive?"

"Well I'm still bleeding a bit but I don't know about Jer and Luna."

"Hey what about me? I am still supposed to be ranting here about how you all will rue the day and all that ….. where are the bee's, oh wait she fried them hmmm maybe a maticore or something what can I make..."

"Bleu fry that thing."

"Not a problem."

The gem stone dwelling Discord blinks and yelps as Bleu breaths a bolt of electricity at him, the metal and wood deflecting he lightning which strikes another wall in a shower of stone chips and dust.

"HAHA, this shell is impervious to your paltry dragon spitting, nothing you can do about it."

"What if she shot it into those cuts, would that be enough to ruin this things guts."

"What cuts... oh right the sword... hmm I suppose I did not think this taunting the dragon thing through GAAAAHHhzzzzztt..."

"Well that's it for that one,Velkorn go check on the Princess and Jer'rahd what do we do with this one?"

"No clue Starfall. Not sure we even have the power to kill her. Her wings already healed up."

Bleu had already darted over and was tossing rubble off the fallen pair as soon as the alicorn fell. Flinging another rock aside she exposed the dust coated back of Jer'rahds armor. She rapidly cleared off the rest of them nearly beaning Velkorn as she dug. Jer'rahd half stood over the Princess locked in place over the unconscious Luna. A soft panting was heard from the armor, though a drip of blood fell from his muzzle splattering in a growing pool next to the Princesses head.

"He better not be dead I need to smack him for making me worry."

"He is bleeding, but still breathing"

"And the Princess?"

"I do not know,my alicorn knowledge is low."

"Bleu get him out of that armor."

"Why don't you come over here and help then Rhede... oh wait, your in crap shape too."

"Here, I will help lets get him out of there first... Oh crap he weighs a ton..."

Between the three of them, with directions barked out by Rhede, they get Jer'rahd from the pile of rubble and manage to lay him down. However they utterly fail to get the helm off of him. After moving the princess out of the pile and checking her over all three try to pry the helm off of Jer'rahd. Luna suddenly sits bolt upright with a yelp and winces nearly passing out again.

"Easy there Luna, its all good at the moment. Least until this thing wakes up. So I know we have been separated a while, but you and Jer had a kid I hear? He does work fast that one."

"What are you rambling about?"

"Never mind humor aside you up for helping get that thing off of him?"

"Get what off, arrgh my head..."

"Well you did just have a rather large stallion smack into you, maybe a few rocks as well not sure if he blocked them all."

"How is he ?"

"Can't tell we cannot get the armor off."

"It needs to be magically, ugh, Alright give me a moment."

Her horn flares,the visible wince bringing a sympathetic wince to the others as well. The helm of Jer'rahds armor glows as she pulls it off over his horn the rest of the armor falling to parts around him. The slow rise and fall of Jer'rahds chest the only movement he offers though there seem to be no visible wounds. Velkorn begins checking him over rapidly.

"How is he Velkorn..?"

"There is no reason to fuss or shout, it seems that all that is wrong is he is knocked out."

"But the blood?"

"Here we were about to flip, and it seems the fool just bit his lip."

"Yep, defiantly gonna kick him."

"How the heck does he get flung through two walls, blasted with magic , have half a building fall on him and hes fine. Yet he bounces off a nice soft mare and has another few rocks bounce off his head, and that knocks him out?"

The next few hours went well. Velkorn stuns the alicorn a few more times before Luna recovers enough to seal her in stasis. Her plan to bring her back to study what she was did not go over well with the others, at least until it was explained she likely would be placed in the garden if Discord's programing could not be removed. Jer'rahd had awoken to Bleu hugging him, then smacking the fool out of him, then hugging him again. Velkorn had checked Luna then had been fussing over Rhede for a good while now. Starfall was sitting off to the side watching Rhede and Velkorn with as dark an expression as she had when she told the story of her husband. Something had happened here and Jer'rahd was not sure he wanted to know, doubtless it did not seem to have been good. He re donned the armor letting Bleu ride around on his back as he went to check on the Princess and Nocturne.

"So what now Luna?"

"We head home in an hour, the other room we seek is beyond the wall you were flung through."

"Which one?"

"What ? Oh the first wall. "

"So whats wrong with you now?"

"What makes you think anything is wrong."

"Well you managed to get out of your silent brooding contemplation through most of the trip. Kinda was hoping it would stay that way, but its back. I can tell by the look on your face."

"I was ill prepared for this. We could have died. I should have done better."

"We could be killed walking down the street of Canterlot. A clumsy pegasus mover could drop a piano on our heads. If you worry to much about the stuff that can kill you, you never get any where. Granted all you have to worry about is strange daggers."

"And mystical copies of myself."

"Keep in mind part of me is in her as well."

"So should I worry about you being something trying to kill me?"

"Why not, the rest of Equestria seems to already consider me ready to eat them when they sleep."

"Yeah, boss here is a scary one. Throwing himself into a energy beam to save you and stuff."

"Wait you saw that? Why didn't you help earlier then?"

"Err we were not sure you were you."

"What?"

"I'll tell you later. For now are we set to go? This place lost its funny a while back."

"Yes. I should have enough power to get us back to Canterlot now."

"Please try to keep me out of the lake this time Luna. Starfall! Steel your gut, we're getting ready to go."

"Glad I have not eaten anything in a while.

The group moves into the half collapsed room, Jer'rahd floating the unconscious alicorn behind him, moveing her to the middle of the group as Luna casts the spell. All of them quite happy to leave this madness behind them, and return to the relative normalcy of Canterlot.

The spell fades leaving them standing in the royal courtyard over looking the lake. Jer'rahd exhales a sigh of relief, happy to not wind up being soaked this time. The loud crash of the door opening behind them catches all their attention. Princess Celestia barges into the courtyard dashing over to them, a worried look on her face.

"You're all right sister, what in the name of Equestria happened?"

"Relax Tia, we are alright the trip took a few days longer than I planned, but we have not missed our return time by more than a week. Nothing to have you fret over."

"A week? Sister you and the others have been gone for nearly ten years."

Twilight opened her eyes, her horns magic fading. She blinks lightly eyes adjusting to the rooms soft light. She glances back noting Spike passed out on the couch and Fluttershy humming softly to herself next to him.

"Welcome back Twilight. Was it interesting this time?"

"Actually it was, very informative, and confusing. All that talk of watching over me and he still falls asleep."

"Well he did try. He is very loyal, maybe he would have made a good new Rainbow dash after all. Well if the rest of us were up for it at the time. I suppose since your back, you want to write about it? I better get going then Angel might get worried."

"Thanks Fluttershy."

"I promise I will be back, oh, I keep meaning to ask you what you want for your birthday coming up. Oh yes, and what Spike wants for his."

" I think both of us are pretty happy with just about anything. But you don't have to get me a gift Fluttershy. Just to have every one show up at my party will be enough."

"I still think to get you something, maybe Rarity will have a better idea. Good night Twilight."

"I said don't worry about it. Good night Fluttershy."