Greetings again, dear Readers. Hopefully you've all had pleasant weeks, with nothing untoward happening. Before I delve into my comments for the week, I'd like to do something a little different. A shout out to a very talented writer known as Captain Alaska. You may or may not know him as the author of Fallen Eagle, a very good ApplejackxOC fanfic that is no doubt part of what inspired me to begin posting on . He gave me a bump in his last posted chapter, so I'm returning the favor. If you have the time, I'd urge you to go read his works. Sure he doesn't post every week like me, but it's well worth the wait.

Kevin Lapse: There are times Tyr won't be around. Not often, but they will happen.

WarHusky2000: Hey, you wanna ship it, go ahead. I might go through with it, but who knows. ;P

Captain Alaska: I kinda wanted to make it more of a big deal, but I can't see Sweetie as the vindictive type. And writing Song's dark side is really fun for me.

flammablefiredragon: The adorable white unicorn is a murderer and don't you forget it.

Well, you've all be waiting! Here's the chapter:

Chapter 35: Silk Hiding Steel

"So let me get this straight," Shining Light said after a long minute. She looked between Heart Song and Sunset, who sat in front of her. The three of them had moved into the living room, the faint sounds of food cooking providing background noise. "Sunset is a vampire and has been hiding it with magic spells, and Song is repressing murderous desires."

Song held up a hoof. "Actually, I'm not repressing them. I have a torture room for criminals in the basement."

"…That's not helping matters," Sunset said with a sigh.

"I thought honesty would be the best policy in this situation," the unicorn said with a shrug.

Light sighed. "…Wonderful."

"You're taking this awfully calmly," Sunset pointed out, rubbing her hooves together. "I figured you'd be more… well, freaked out."

The teacher-in-training rubbed a hoof against her forehead. "Believe me, I'm probably past 'shocked' and already into 'terrified acceptance'. Both of my housemates are killers. Wow."

"Sorry for not telling you," Song apologized. "We thought it best to not burden you with the information."

"Burden…? I wanted you two to be my friends. I mean, it is kinda terrifying how you both… er… kill ponies…"

"I only kill those who deserve it," Song said.

Sunset nodded. "And I was previously surviving on preserved blood."

Light glanced at her, a small frown on her face. "Erm… I've seen you eating the dinner Song makes…"

"I can eat normal food, but it's not exactly… filling," Sunset pointed out with a lopsided smile.

"Right…" The hazel mare let out a sigh. "This is… crazy."

"We'll try not to talk about it when you're around…"

"No, it's fine. My sister tells me about all the weird stuff she gets into with the other knights. Ace Guard is your brother, right?" She directed that last part at Song, who nodded.

"He is. My brother is a bit worse off than me when it comes to the whole liking to fight thing," She admitted.

Sunset frowned slightly, looking at Shining Light. "So… you're okay?"

Light let out a shaky sigh. "Well… sort of. I'm still a bit terrified you might change your minds and kill me in my sleep, but I'm not going to run out of the house screaming or anything."

"We definitely wouldn't do that." A timer in the kitchen dinged, and Song perked up. "Oh! I should get that. Excuse me." She rolled herself away and into the kitchen. Light nodded weakly, glancing in Sunset's direction. The vampire hadn't bothered to replace her disguise, and her red eyes glanced over.

"Something the matter?" Sunset asked.

Light pointed at her mouth. "Your fangs…"

"Oh? Oops!" a hoof shot to her mouth. "Does it bother you?"

"No, I just… you hide them, right?"

"Well… yeah. Don't worry about it; I'm not going to try biting you or anything, if that's what you're worried about."

"Well, now that you point it out…"

"Don't worry!" Song called out. "We're your friends!"

"My scary friends," Light said with a roll of her eyes. "Goodness. All those days with Bright made me almost numb to this sort of thing…"

"How so?"

"She told me about your brother, and how much he likes to fight."

"Ah…" Song laughed nervously. "He's honestly a good stallion, just… passionate."

Light blushed. "Well… I kinda had a crush on him when I met him for the first time."

The other two mares stopped, eyes turning to the teacher. Neither of them spoke for a long minute. Finally, Sunset smirked. "…You did, did you?"

"Only when I first met him! And then when I met him for real, I found out he was already married."

"To Rainbow Dash," Sunset said with a nod. "Although it is cute that you had a crush on him."

Song chuckled. "Not gonna tell him. His head would totally swell up. Now come on girls, dinner is ready."

At the prospect of food, Light immediately brightened. She and Sunset got up and moved into the kitchen, taking their places at the oaken table. Their dinner—a mixture of mixed fruits, grilled daisies, and pasta salad made to perfection. As Sunset and Light looked at the meal with obvious hunger in their eyes, Song added one last thing to Sunset's end of the table—a glass of blood. Sunset glanced up at her before looking in Light's direction. "Um…"

"It's fine…" Light said, scrunching up her nose. "You ah… you need it, right?"

"Well… yes."

"Then go ahead. Just wash the glass after—I don't think I want to smell blood all the time."

"Fair enough. Thanks Light."

With that, the three mares hungrily dug into their food. After a few minutes of quiet eating, Light spoke up again. "Hey, Sunset? You mind if I ask you a question?"

"Depends on the question," the golden mare said. "I may decide not to answer."

Light nodded at that. "I understand. I wanted to know how you became a vampire."

Sunset frowned slightly, sipping at her half full glass of blood. Her eyes flicked over to Song, who also looked genuinely curious. "Hm… Well, that's not a terrible question. Did you know I spent time in a different, parallel world?"

"Mom told me," Song said. Light simply shook her head.

"Well, imagine a world where there are human copies of us living their lives in a high school. Well, I became friends with the human versions of the Elements of Harmony." Sunset paused again. "Well, more than friends with one."

"More than… oh!" Light blushed. "I didn't…"

"Yeah, so I'm bisexual," Sunset said with a roll of her eyes. "Big whoop."

"In a society like ours where the females outnumber the males, it's actually more common than you think," Song said thoughtfully.

"True that. But back to the story. After dealing with the Sirens and the other Twilight going evil on us, I was pretty wary of anything else showing up. So suffice it to say I was really on alert." She frowned down at her plate. "…And then Flutters got into an accident."

Light blinked. "Flutters? Do you mean Fluttershy?"

"Yeah. She was hit by a car. I saw the whole thing from the school." Sunset wished she had hands so that she could ball them into fists. "By the time I had rushed outside, she was gone."

"What… what happened?"

"A boy by the name of Nero took her and changed her. Into a vampire, I mean. She showed up a few days later wearing dark clothes and hats to hide her face. Didn't help thought—doesn't matter what world you're in, Rainbow is insensitive. She revealed to all the others that Fluttershy was a creature of the night." Sunset sat back in her chair. "Next thing we know, Nero shows up and explains that he saved her life by turning her."

"At least he was there to explain things," Light pointed out. Sunset nodded.

"True. And despite the whole… drinking blood bit, we looked out for her and didn't treat her any different. Well, except for me. I was the one who looked out for her the most. But then we planned a trip to the beach."

"A trip to the beach?" Song tilted her head to the side.

Sunset nodded. "Well, it was Pinkie's idea. The other Pinkie, you know. Although we didn't want to at first, because of Fluttershy, we eventually figured it was a good idea to do it in order to get our minds off of the whole blood sucking thing. That's when I found out Fluttershy was avoiding drinking blood. She attacked me and turned me."

Song's eyes widened. "Hold on one moment. How long? How long did she go without drinking?"

"Almost two weeks as a newborn," Sunset said ruefully.

Light glanced between the two mares, confusion written on every feature. "Um… is that bad?"

Sunset gave her a weak smile. "I've been a vampire for the better part of a few years now. And I can only realistically go about a week before the cravings set in."

"…Cravings?"

"What do you think a pony would do if starved for food, Light?" Song asked pointedly, gesturing to her plate. "We claim to be the most peace loving race in Equus, but if it comes to it, we will kill, steal, and destroy in order to preserve what matters to us."

Light frowned. "I refuse to believe that. No pony would willingly harm another just to save themselves."

"I was raped viciously by my uncle, simply because of jealousy he had towards my father and brother," Song replied immediately. As Light's eyes opened in horror, she continued. "My brother and I enjoy killing, and I have to kill in order to sate my own urges."

"My father was a professional thief," Sunset said. "And I wanted Alicorn status just… well, just because."

Light looked down at her lap. "I… I want to think the best of other ponies. I teach foals and fillies, girls. Children who look up to me for guidance. I have to… feel that the world is worth living in."

"It is!" Song pouted. "I just wanted to point out that you're currently living with two of the ponies who live on the opposite side of the coin. Plus, we'd do anything to protect that ideal of yours."

Sunset nodded. "Not everyone has to end up screwed up like us."

Light looked between the two mares. One was cursed to only be able to survive off blood for the rest of her life, while the other struggled with murderous tendencies day to day. And yet they could sit down with her, a school teacher, and laugh and joke about it as if it was nothing. Her resolve hardened. "…I know what I want to do."

The other two looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean?" Song asked.

"I'm going to help you two," Light said. When their confused looks didn't go away, she continued in order to clarify. "I mean, this house will be a safe place for you. So you can unwind, do whatever you need to do. You two are the closest things I have to friends besides my sister, and I value that."

Both Sunset and Song smiled. "Well, you picked a decent pair of 'first friends'," Sunset said with a laugh.

"I don't know about you, but I'm a proper lady," Song countered, huffing like an uptight Canterlot noble. "Who just happens to look very good in red."

"Yeah, if you say so—" whatever retort Sunset had planned was cut off by a knocking at the front door. All three mares quickly shared a confused look. "Someone expecting a visitor?"

"I'm pretty sure my brother wouldn't be dropping by this late," Song said, frowning. And plus, I think he stayed in Ponyville to make sure Rainbow Dash isn't aggravating her wounds."

"I'll get the door," Light said, getting up. She trotted over to the front door, wondering just who it could be. Her sister was in Ponyville, so it couldn't be her. Was it someone from work? Well, she'd have to just open the door to find out. She pushed the slightly heavy door open, putting a bright smile on her face. "Hello! May I help you?"

There was a pale blue pegasus mare standing in front of her, her green eyes sparkling. Her powder white hair was swept back away from her face, and her tail was tied at the end by a bright yellow bow. "Um, hello there. My name is Cienna. I heard that there was a room for rent here?"

Light blinked. "Er… what?"

The pegasus before her frowned. "Oh, don't tell me I got the wrong house…"

"I think you might have," Sunset said, she and Song joining Light at the door. "I mean, it is true we have an empty bedroom, but we hadn't been looking for anyone to fill that…"

Cienna brightened. "So you do have an empty room!"

Song frowned. "Well, that is true, but…"

Light turned to the other two mares. "Come on girls, what could it hurt? We get to make a new friend in the process too!"

Song and Sunset shared a short look. "Well… I guess it's fine," Sunset said with a shrug.

"I suppose so," Song said. With a sigh she turned back to look at Cienna. "Well, welcome to the house, Cienna. Come on in and let's get you situated."

–x–

"This is embarrassing," Luna murmured.

Rarity had to try very hard to suppress a giggle. Years of working with sensitive clients came in handy right now. "It's honestly not that bad, darling."

The Princess of Dreams gave her a flat look. "It is very bad. Very, very bad. I don't even know how I managed to turn a whole piece of fabric that was previously blue yellow."

The two mares sat in silence for a minute at the offending piece of cloth, currently twisted into the sewing machine in a way that didn't seem possible. Rarity was a bit amused and dumbfounded, almost as if she was dealing with Pinkie Pie. Since Tyr was a bit busy at Wolfhome, the Princess of Dreams had come along with Rarity to the finally repaired Carousel Boutique under the explanation of 'spending time with other members of the herd'. Rarity knew better however—Tyr was starting a whole new venture as Lord of an entire race of ponies, and Luna didn't want to burden him with her own desires. A foolish notion considering Tyr would drop everything for his family if asked, but a sweet one nonetheless. She let out a sigh. "Well, I've seen stranger things."

"Truly?" Luna looked up at her, eyes wide.

Rarity smiled. "But of course! I do spend a very large amount of time with Pinkie, after all."

"A good point. Well, I suppose I will give this up," Luna said with a sigh, untangling the fabric and folding it neatly off to the side. "You are the dressmaker here, not me."

"It was a valiant effort, nonetheless."

Luna rolled her eyes and got up from her seat at the work table. "I will go to the kitchen and make some tea. Perhaps that will cheer me up…"

Rarity moved over to the spot the Alicorn had left, taking over at the machine. With practiced motions, she began working at a new dress. "Would you mind making me a cup as well, dear?"

"Of course." Luna went upstairs to the new remodeled kitchen, leaving Rarity to work her magic… literally. The mare went to work with gusto, the workroom coming to life as she began to hum her favorite working tune.

"Stitch by stitch, stitching it together…"

She was so engrossed in her work that she almost missed the bell at the front door ringing to signal a customer had entered. Quickly running her hoof over her mane to make sure it was in order, she left the workroom to enter the main showroom. "Ah, hello! Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where we make everything to the specifications of our customers!"

There was a tall and broad unicorn stallion standing before her, his bronze mane styled and curled elegantly. Behind him were two mares that looked like they'd be more at home on a runway than in her shop. They looked to be twins, both with brown coats and red manes. The stallion lifted his chin up upon seeing her, just like the ponies in Canterlot. "You are Rarity?"

Despite her urge to gag at the tone the stallion took, she had a long period of experience in dealing with customers. Especially high profile customers. "Yes, I am Rarity, owner and designer. Is there anything I can help you with, sir…?"

"I am Spot Light, and my companions are Rio and Tio," the stallion said. "I am told you make the best suits and dresses in the region. Is this true?"

"I'm not one to tout my own accomplishments, but I am dedicated to my work."

Spot Light walked over to a rack full of dresses, using his hoof to flip through them. "…I suppose these are adequate."

Rarity's eye twitched. "Adequate?"

"I see why many ponies speak of your supposed skill, but how long does it take you to make these? Months?"

"Depends on the size of the order, to be sure," Rarity countered. She couldn't help but huff. "For just one dress? No more than a week, barring distractions."

"Oh ho? So you are as talented as they say."

Rarity let out a delicate laugh. "Why, thank you."

"And yet you stay in a place like this."

The white unicorn paused, blue eyes tracking over to fix themselves on Spot Light. "…What was that?"

"Such talent secluded away in a country town like this. Such a shame." Spot Light turned to Rarity, a small smirk on his face. "Your skills would be better served in Manehattan, or Trottingham, or even Fillydelphia. Or maybe… with me."

"With… you?" Rarity blinked. "Whatever do you mean?"

"I do have a side hobby along with setting up modelling events," The stallion said, coming back over to the unicorn. "And that is collecting rare objects. You my dear, are a talented, self-made mare, with a business that easily rivals most other dressmakers. When I heard of you, I knew I needed to have you."

Rarity blinked again, still not following. "Er… forgive me, but I don't think I follow…"

Spot Light moved right in front of her, lifting up her chin. He smiled softly. "I have come to take you away from this place."

"Take me away… why?"

"I could give you the world stage you wish to perform on," the other unicorn said, smile growing. "To show ponies across the land that Rarity is the most talented dressmaker to ever live, and that they should emulate you above all else."

His voice had a seductive quality to it, and Rarity—for a moment if she admitted it—believed him. "…Truly?"

"Truly. You could leave all of this behind, and live a new life—with me—in luxury."

That made Rarity pause. She pulled away from him, shaking her head slowly. "I… I do not want that." She felt sluggish, as though fighting her way through fog.

Spot Light seemed put off by that answer. "What? I am promising you a better life!"

"A better life that apparently ignores the fact that I have a family," Rarity countered, making more space between them. It seemed the more she got away from him, the more clearly she could think. "I have two young fillies to look out for, and my herd to care for. Leaving them would simply be in poor taste."

"You are wasted here. I could elevate you to all new heights—!"

"Now this is a strange scene," A slightly confused and amused voice called from the stairs. The four ponies below turned as one to see the Princess of Dreams standing at the top of the stairs. She was carrying a tray with a tea kettle and a pair of cups full to the brim with steaming tea. Her cerulean eyes swept over the scene before her with undisguised irritation. "What have I stumbled upon?"

Spot Light seemed utterly shocked. "The… the Princess is here?"

"I believe Rarity has informed you she is in a herd?"

"With…" The stallion turned back to Rarity, who gave a short nod.

Luna set her tray onto a nearby desk. "Yes, she is in a herd with me. And our stallion asked us personally to join him. Also, as far as I'm aware, using suggestion magic on another pony is quite improper."

"Suggestion?" Rarity blinked, looking from the Lunar Diarch to glance back over at Spot Light. "You were… using mind control on me?"

Before the accused stallion could defend himself, Luna spoke up once more. "Indeed. A proximity based one. Had your own convictions not been so strong and pure, you might have been gone before I even finished making this serving of tea."

Rarity was livid, but she didn't show it on her face. Instead, she let out a slow, deep breath, before fixing Spot Light with a hard gaze. "…I'd like for you to leave my shop and never come back. If you do so, that will be perhaps the last mistake you ever make."

"And how do you figure?" Spot Light was already moving to the door, although he was still trying to save some face.

"Our dear beloved Tyr is very… protective of his family," Luna said with a small smile. "Why, I don't doubt he'd let his wolf eat you for what you tried to do."

"He has a pet wolf!?"

"Not to mention he has a Changeling for a pet as well," Rarity added.

That was the last straw. Spot Light mumbled something that could be taken as an apology as he gathered up his two companions, and beat a hasty retreat. Rarity and Luna stayed silent for a minute, before both bursting into laughter. "The look on his face was priceless!" Luna said with a giggle.

"He deserved it for what he was trying to do," Rarity said with a scoff. "Why do I get all the stallions trying to steal me away?"

Luna smiled softly, walking over to stand in front of the unicorn. She gently tilted her head up with one hoof before placing a gentle kiss on her lips. "Perhaps they are attracted to your beauty, Generosity. Of course, any that are more interested in what is inside no doubt appreciate your devotion to those you care about…"

Rarity nodded, a bit caught off guard by the sudden show of affection. "…I… thank you, Luna. That means a lot coming from you."

"There should only be love between us all, Rarity," Luna said, placing another soft kiss on the smaller mare's forehead. "So why not express it?"

"…You talked to Cadance before she left, didn't you?"

The Alicorn blushed. "Is that such a bad thing?"

There was another knock at the door, and the two mares turned to look. "You don't think he came back, do you?"

Luna's eyes narrowed. "If he did…"

Rarity pulled away from the Princess of Dreams to go over to the door. When she opened it, she was surprised to find a Stone Pony at her door. "Er… Can I help you?"

"You are Lady Rarity, correct?" The gray pony asked. "Lord Tyr sent us."

"Tyr?" Rarity blinked. "Whatever did he sent you to me for?"

"Could you come outside please?"

Rarity glanced back at Luna before they both followed the Stone Pony outside. There was a covered wagon in the street outside her shop with a half dozen Stone Ponies around it. A small crowd had formed, no doubt because the Stone Ponies didn't wander into the town that often. "So… what is the occasion?"

The leader of the small group nodded. "Well, Lord Tyr said that you'd understand this note he wrote."

He held out the note in question, and Rarity took it in her magic. She opened up the sheet of paper, eyes scanning it quickly. "Hm…'I hope you enjoy this gift, Love Tyr'?"

"What is it?" Luna asked.

"I don't…" Rarity looked up from the note, just as the Stone Ponies removed the covering from the wagon. That revealed the massive pile of gems piled into it. The seamstress's mouth fell open wide. "…Oh. Oh my. Oh dear Celestia…"

Luna blinked. "This is… a very large amount of gems."

"This is the first shipment," the lead Stone Pony said.

Rarity's eyes snapped over at him. "First… shipment?"

"Yes. Lord Tyr told us to bring at least one wagonload of gems to you for each shipment of materials we bring to town."

"All of them would… have this much in them?"

"I would believe so."

Rarity took a long minute to think. A long minute. After her period of self-introspection was done, she nodded. "Take this around to the back of the Boutique, if you please. I will be in momentarily to help organize them."

The lead Stone Pony nodded. "As you wish, Lady Rarity."

As the seven Stone Ponies moved the cart, Rarity quickly ushered Luna back inside. Once the door was securely closed behind them, Luna spoke up. "Rarity? Is something the matter? I thought you liked gems."

"I do." The unicorn replied evenly, biting her bottom lip. "I just… oh dear."

"Rarity?"

"Luna. I am about to tell you something that I hope you will understand."

"Um… alright. What is it?"

Rarity let out a sigh. Her eyes drifted to a nearby shelf, where a pink flower was sitting in a little vase. "When I next see Tyr, I am more than likely going to offer him anything he wants. My everything. That man is… amazing. Just the very fact that he thought of me…"

Luna smiled warmly. "I understand. I will speak to Pinkie and Chrysalis—you may share his bed alone this evening."

"What?" That shocked the smaller mare. "But… why?"

"You obviously wish to show him your appreciation. Do not worry, after my talk with Cadance I am a bit more… open minded. Just do not presume to try to steal him away."

Rarity gave her a small smile. "Like I told you, I would only attempt that if I believed I loved him more. But the trust you place in him and myself… is humbling. Thank you, Luna."

Luna nodded. "Of course. I have not forgotten. Besides, Tyr was suggesting we try something with Chrysalis. Something about abandonment play…?"

–x–

"It's awfully bad that your father got called away while you were spending time with him," Capstone said thoughtfully, following after Sherry as they made their way into Wolfhome's dining hall. Tyr had been called away by Serenity for some urgent reason, and he was off solving it or something. They had left him to find something to eat, which was only possible because Pinkie was somewhere in the kitchen.

"He has his own problems to deal with," Sherry said calmly, nodding in greeting to the passing Stone Ponies. "We can't just take up all his time."

"Well, true enough, I guess… But you are a Princess visiting a foreign power."

Sherry gave him a flat look. "I'm not about to abuse my position to see my dad, Capstone."

"I wasn't suggesting that!"

The chocolate Alicorn kept her eyes focused on him for just a moment longer before letting out a giggle. "I'm just teasing, Capstone. I would like to monopolize my dad's time, but I know Serenity wouldn't have come to get him unless it was important."

Capstone didn't have much to say to that, instead just nodding in agreement. A minute more of walking, and they entered the kitchen. Almost immediately, it was like the stone room brightened. "Oh! Hiya Sherry! Who's your friend?"

Sherry accepted the hug from the magically appearing Pinkie Pie with a bright smile of her own. "Hi Pinkie. This is Capstone, my guard while I'm here in Ponyville."

Pinkie sent a warm smile towards the blushing guard. "Hi there! I'm Pinkie Pie, and I'm technically Sherry's aunt!"

"Part of my dad's herd," Sherry clarified when she saw Capstone's confused look. She turned back to Pinkie. "We haven't eaten in a while, so is there anything in the kitchen?"

"I can make you something pretty quick! Just give me a second!" To their surprise—and horror—Pinkie literally disappeared and reappeared, all in the span of a second. On her back was a tray that contained two bowls full of pasta. "Ta da!"

"That's…" Capstone blinked. "That's… impossible…"

Sherry swallowed, using her magic to take the tray from Pinkie. She glanced past the beaming pink pony to see the dozen or so Stone Ponies in the kitchen staring in terror as well. "I just try not to question it," She said softly.

Pinkie beamed. "Enjoy!"

"Thanks, Aunt Pinkie." She carried their food out to the large tables in the hall, setting it down at a clear space. The hall was in the design of a large feasting hall, with numerous long tables set in three rows. Sherry and Capstone took seats somewhere in the middle. Using her magic, she began to eat. A contented sigh escaped her lips. "Say what you want about how eccentric Pinkie is, she is still one of the best cooks I know."

Capstone glanced over at her, before his horn lit up so that he could dig into his own meal. His eyes widened. "Oh wow. This is really good."

"No doubt better than what they feed you in the barracks," Sherry said with a giggle.

"It's not all that bad," The young guard protested. "But this is still a nice change."

Sherry nodded, staying silent for a while as they ate. After a few more minutes, she spoke again. "So, what did you think of my dad?"

"Lord Tyr?" Capstone took a moment to swallow. "Well… I…"

"You have my permission to speak freely, Capstone."

"Well… alright. He seems like a very focused stallion—er, man. He knows what he needs to do. He's also very intimidating."

"Intimidating? I don't think my dad is that intimidating."

"No offense princess, but he is your father after all." Capstone smiled a little. "He doesn't seem to soften up whenever it comes to you."

"Hm. Anything else?"

Capstone thought for a bit. "He's… cold. Not like personality wise, but it's like whatever room he's in is just slightly colder."

Sherry laughed. "He is an ice elemental, you know?"

"Right, right. On top of that, he's… kind. Very kind."

"He is."

"Well, if anything, I can imagine you were well loved."

Sherry gave him a small smile. "Yeah… I really wish I could spend more time with him now that he's here in Equestria. But I have my duties, and so does he. I'll be doing my best to find reasons to come see him." She thought for a moment. "…As long as Aunt Tia doesn't need me."

"…Excuse me, Princess Sherry?" A quiet voice asked.

The two ponies at the table turned to look, seeing a somewhat small filly in a dark red cloak behind them. Although Sherry immediately thought she was small, she immediately corrected herself. The almost-black pony was about average size when it came to Stone Ponies. In the middle of her forehead was an onyx. "…Yes?"

"I was… told to report to you?" The pony fidgeted, no doubt a bit uncomfortable.

Sherry frowned. She had a feeling about this pony, but she had to be sure. "What's your name?"

"Obsidian, Princess. My sister Carver told me I could find you here…"

"Oh! You're the pony my father said he was sending with us to Canterlot."

Capstone paused in eating to look over the new arrival. "You're a Shaper?"

Obsidian nodded. "I recently passed my aptitude test and was granted choice in which Way I would follow."

"Way?"

"The paths that each Shaper follows in their service. There are three, but you are only allowed to join the third after time spent in the first two."

Sherry looked thoughtful. "And what are the first two?"

"Discovery and Protection. The last is Leadership."

"I see. And you chose?"

"Discovery." Obsidian blushed. "My sister chose Protection, but I like to… learn."

Sherry smiled. "Good. I'm the Princess of Creativity, so be prepared. Take a seat."

Obsidian nodded and moved to the table, taking a seat across from the two of them. Without warning, Pinkie appeared, another bowl of pasta on her head. She beamed. "Hungry?"

The nervous mare jumped. "A-Ah… yes, I haven't eaten anything since my meditation period…"

"Here then!" The bowl landed in front of Obsidian, a set of utensils landing beside it. "Enjoy!"

The pink pony vanished as quickly as she had arrived. When Obsidian turned her terrified look to Sherry and Capstone, the two of them shrugged. "It's best to not think too hard on it. Causes headaches, you know."

"If you say so…"

As the black pony began to eat, Sherry decided to keep asking questions. "So Obsidian, are you looking forward to seeing Canterlot?"

Obsidian nodded slowly. "It is the castle on the mountain, correct? I have seen it from Wolfhome's walls, but… it feels so far away."

"No more than an hour by train," Capstone said thoughtfully. The mare looked at him in confusion.

"Um… What is a 'train'?"

"A machine that transports ponies from one place to another," Sherry said, smiling at the young pony's innocence. "It might be a bit scary at first, but I promise you it is safe."

Obsidian nodded. "Carver said that I should trust you, so I will."

Sherry grinned. "Nice to hear that your sister has faith in me."

"I believe that is because of your relation to Lord Tyr," Obsidian said. Her head snapped up from her food. "I-I'm not saying that is the only reason…!"

"I understand," the Alicorn said. "I know that none of the ponies here know me, and I don't mind. Believe me, I'm actually happy for that."

"Happy…?"

Sherry leaned back a bit. "I'm surrounded by ponies that don't know me. None of them are trying to cater to my every need or check to see if I require anything—I'm just allowed to be me. Outside of you two, Pinkie and my dad, nopony really knows that's I'm a princess. And I like it that way."

"You don't like being seen as a Princess?"

"Just wait until we get into Canterlot. You'll see."

"As you say…"

They went back to eating in silence, Sherry focused on the sky outside while the Shaper and guard looked down in their food. After a bit of time, Sherry was jarred back into the realm of the aware as Capstone spoke up. "So, Obsidian, did you help with the castle construction?"

The black mare jumped. "Er… no, I did not. I was still in training, so I was relegated to transporting materials."

"But you can still… do that stone moving thing, right?"

"You mean Shaping? Yes, I can. Although I'm not as strong as my sister…"

"Can you show me?"

Obsidian glanced over at Sherry, who nodded. The Stone Pony pressed her hooves into the stone table, the onyx in her forehead glowing with a faint light. The stone in the table began to warp, pulling itself up into a rough statue that looked like a pony. She smiled slightly. "Carver is better at things like this…"

"It's still more impressive than me," Capstone said. "I'm good at building fortifications, and now you Stone Ponies can raise a fort without using a single brick."

"We've always been defensive minded," Obsidian said, staring at her little statue. "We always were looking to defend ourselves in the most effective way possible. So we built fortifications."

Sherry was thoughtful. "Ponies haven't had a reason to build forts or castles in years—really the only standing castles are Canterlot Castle and the Castle of the Two Sisters. And that one is in the Everfree, so I doubt it's in use."

Capstone nodded. "Not a lot of exterior threats means no need for defenses."

"Which goes against my philosophy," Sherry pointed out, frowning. "My father told me a long time ago: 'If you desire peace, prepare for war'. If we think everyone around us is going to stay content forever, then we are lulling ourselves into a false sense of security."

The guard frowned. "Princess Celestia hasn't said anything about exterior pressure."

"What I'm about to say stays between the three of us," Sherry said softly, glancing around. "…There's rumors of trouble in the north. On top of that, there's fear of war with the Griffons."

Capstone gaped. "The Griffons? But we've been at peace with them for years!"

"But there's recently been a change in power. The Griffon king was recently assassinated, and another Griffon noble took his place. We don't know what his stance on Equestria is at the moment. And then the dragons… we have no idea what they're up to."

"That's… worrisome."

Sherry gave him a tired smile. "These are the things royalty must worry about, you know?"

There was a chuckle behind them. "Seems my daughter is a worrywart."

Sherry jumped, only for Tyr to wrap his arms around her and rest his head atop hers. "D-Dad!"

"Hey sweetie. I see you've met Obsidian?"

The young Shaper jumped up to stand at attention. "L-Lord Tyr! I wasn't expecting…!"

"It's fine, Obsidian," Tyr said with a chuckle, running his fingers through Sherry's mane. "I finished with my business and came to find my daughter."

Obsidian nodded slowly, glancing past Tyr. "U-Um! Carvie!"

The Shaper behind Tyr winced, even as the man himself turned to fix her with an evil smile. "Oh dear."

Tyr grinned. "I know what I'm going to be calling you for fun now," He told her.

"Please not in front of anypony else…?"

"No promises."

"Oh dear…"

Tyr grinned, but turned back to his daughter. "So, everything alright?"

Sherry nodded. "I like her. So what did you have to run off and do earlier?"

"Marking up the area for the Jötunheim. The most skilled Shapers are going to work on opening up an area large enough for it to land. It'll be a hangar of sorts."

"Sounds interesting. How long do you think it'll take?"

"Probably a week or so. Most of the miners are in the tunnels, and I'd rather they did that instead of something out of the way like this."

Carver cleared her throat. "You know we'd drop anything to help you and your family, Lord Tyr."

"Precisely why I ordered the miners not to help. Only certain Shapers were tasked with this job." He smirked. "I'm learning, you know."

"Fair enough."

"So!" Tyr straightened up. "I'm going to head back to the ship and no doubt harass my other kids. You in, sweetie?"

Sherry grinned. "Sure, why not? Ancè wanted to try out some styles on my mane. Maybe I'll go back to Canterlot with a new style?"

"Worth a shot. Come on Capstone, don't get left behind."

As the man, his daughter and her guard got up and left, Pinkie came bounding out of the kitchen. "Wait for me~!"

Carver and Obsidian watched the group leave. After a minute or so, the older sister turned to her sibling. "Worried?"

"Yes," Obsidian said honestly. "But… Princess Sherry seems… kind."

"Well, I hope you get along with her."

"I do too, Carvie." Obsidian sighed. "I do too."

"Oh, don't be such a pessimist," Carver told her, patting her back. "I'm sure with time you'll get used to her."

"It's not just her," Obsidian said, surprising her older sister. "I'm worried about what happens to all of us. To the Stone Ponies."

Carver was silent for a long minute. Through the earth under them, she could feel the collective unease that covered Wolfhome. Not a single Stone Pony was sure of themselves in this new world they had been thrust into. But almost as if responding to her singular thought, a counter wave of calmness seemed to radiate from the center of the keep. Carver smiled. "…No matter what happens, we'll face it together. That's what we do—as resolute as the stone."

Obsidian smiled and nodded in agreement. "Right. I suppose I should get ready to leave…"

Elsewhere in the keep, Serenity set down her meditation stones and smiled. "As resolute as the stone," She murmured. "We will always endure."

–x–

A little Rarity and Luna bonding time. Capstone and Sherry get to have a bit of a conversation as well, no telling where that goes. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter as usual, and I hope you Return for the next chapter. No doubt something is bound to happen at this rate, you know?

Don't hesitate to leave a review or a comment, for the Library accepts all. I will be waiting patiently...

Will you?