Wind Whistler opened her eyes and picked up her head from the pillow. She was expecting her bedroom to greet her, but it was instead the ceiling of light in the underground chamber. She remembered she was too tired to go back up to the surface, so she used Twilight's bedding instead.
She sat up and looked to Twilight Mist sitting in the chair and staring at the screens.
"How did you sleep?" Twilight Mist asked, not bothering to turn around to face her.
Wind Whistler pushed off the covers and rolled from the mattress to the floor. "Well enough. Thank you for letting me use your bedding."
"Don't mention it," Twilight Mist said.
"Did you sleep at all last night?" Wind Whistler asked.
Twilight Mist shrugged. "I'm a night owl. One of the reasons I wanted to be well removed from all of you. I don't disturb you, you don't disturb me."
Wind Whistler paid little mind to the comment. Ponies were typically diurnal, but some preferred to be active night. It was no concern of hers.
Their look into the machine was more important anyway. "Did you find out anything?"
"Still can't make heads or tails of the language," Twilight Mist said, "but I think the keys in the top row are numbers."
The keys Twilight Mist referred each had a symbol with a vertical line at their core. The first four had an increasing number of small lines that extended right and down, then the fifth had a small triangle to the right. The next four repeated the trend of the first four only with the triangle at the top, and the tenth was just a vertical line with nothing extending from it.
"The last one on the right is zero, not ten," Twilight Mist said, "similar to the Saddle Arabian digits. However, they otherwise mirror Equestrian numerals with a change at five."
"That makes some things fall into place," Wind Whistler said. She stretched. "They were the only keys that could type something into those boxes next to the map and they seemed to change at random sometimes. Now that we know they're numbers, perhaps they will make sense. Type 'nine hundred' in the first box."
Twilight Mist summoned two clouds of mist around her horn, and they took a shape similar to the claws of a dragon with fingers and a thumb. The hands of mist descended onto the keyboard and tapped the nine key once before the zero twice. The symbols appeared in the box, pushing the flashing line to the right.
"I also discovered what a couple of the other keys do." Twilight Mist tapped another key on the left side of the keyboard. The flashing line went to the box to the right of the first, and the value in the left box went from '900' to '180'. The line going from the center of the map straight down became brighter.
"Now, try ninety-nine in this box," Wind Whistler said.
Twilight Mist did so and the value changed to '39' when she moved the flashing line to the box underneath them. The line on the map split with the brighter line slight to the right by a little more than half a degree.
Knowing those symbols were digits, Wind Whistler better understood the diagram. The labels around the outside of the outermost circle were angles in 45 degree increments and the labels running along the line going from the center straight up had to be distances. There were four circles, and each was labeled in increments of 500 that stopped at '2000'.
Wind Whistler thought she had this figured out. "Type in some number bigger than two thousand in the last box."
Twilight Mist typed in '3125'. This time, she struck a key on the right side. The flashing line went back to the right of '180' and the value in the last box became '2000'. The bright line became a bright dot right on the edge of the outermost circle. Lights on the large slider came on as well.
"I think we just figured out how to use this thing," Wind Whistler said. She pointed to the slider. "My guess is the large slider will activate it"—she then pointed to the dot on the map—"and the machine will create a connection to that point."
She looked away and noticed they were alone. "Where's Fizzy?"
"She woke up a little before you did and went up to the get the others," Twilight Mist said, not even trying to feign interest.
"You seem even more standoffish this morning," Wind Whistler said. "Something wrong?"
"While you two slept, I was able to work my magic on this thing a bit further," Twilight Mist said. "I don't like it. We should brick off the elevator and pretend we never found it."
"How could you think of bricking up such a discovery?" Wind Whistler asked. "This could mean we have the ability to move freely anywhere within two thousand kilometers. Earthbound ponies could travel to other locations and use their expertise to explore the planet and make contact with its civilizations."
"Because of what was thought here," Twilight Mist said. "Conquerors walked here, and their dreams of glory were swiftly snuffed out. This was a machine of war, and it brought ruin to those who wielded it."
That comment gave Wind Whistler pause. The ability to travel anywhere instantly could be used as a weapon. You could send an army right past the defenses of another kingdom and strike at its heart. Why send an army even? A large bomb or a canister of poison gas would do just as well. However, this machine was simply a tool and the good or ill consequences of its use were completely up to the user.
"We're not conquerors," Wind Whistler replied. "We're just curious."
"For now," Twilight Mist said. "Who's to say how long we are here. We could end up building a new civilization, and new civilizations looking to expand tend to look past their borders with ravenous eyes no matter how virtuous their original founders were."
"Aren't we getting ahead of ourselves?" Wind Whistler asked rhetorically. "We're all mares here, so it's not like we would last past the current generation."
Twilight Mist shrugged. "Lofty found those ponies from the Crystal Empire. Who knows how many ponies actually came here and if there are stallions among them."
Wind Whistler had to give Twilight Mist that one. She turned her attention the screen. "But even if we do build a new pony civilization here, I remember my history teacher once told us, 'Never let fear of the future keep you from it.'"
"And 'those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it,'" Twilight Mist added.
"Which is why we learn," Wind Whistler said. "Aren't we supposed to be better than those who came before us?"
Twilight Mist remained silent for a second. "Supposedly."
"You're awfully well spoken for a simple drifter," Wind Whistler said.
"I'm also a consumer of information," Twilight Mist said. "In my travels I've accumulated the knowledge of the different tribes and nationalities of ponies as well as griffons, dragons, you name it."
Wind Whistler felt a little jealous. She had spent hours at the library reading about Equestria and its neighbor's culture and academia, Twilight Mist was able to get it from the source.
"Something all too common in both myth and history is how power corrupts. We cannot deny is this machine gives the user incredible power over those within its reach," Twilight Mist said. "Even if we don't use it for evil, there are plenty out there who would."
Wind Whistler instantly thought to the harpies. They must have known of the locket's connection to this machine. That is why they would want it so badly.
The chime of the elevator sounded and its doors opened for Fizzy to trot out of it with Blueflower, Magic Star, and Galaxy following her.
Magic Star yawned. "Is there any reason you had to wake us up so early?"
"I'm sorry," Fizzy said. "I didn't know it was that early, and I was just so excited."
"It's perfectly fine, my little pony," Blueflower said. "It sounds like you've made quite the discovery."
"We think the machine is used to instantly access other geographical points," Wind Whistler said.
"You mean like how unicorns can wink out one place and back in another?" Magic Star asked.
Galaxy looked at the diagram of the tube with flared ends. "Though, it appears to be a sustained tube of folded space rather than an instantaneous pocket like winking. Also, it isn't short-ranged or prevented by solid objects like our magic."
"Then anyone can travel outside the valley," Magic Star said, suddenly more alert upon hearing this.
"Have you tested this?" Bueflower asked.
"No," Wind Whistler answered. "We wanted to wait until morning so we can have ponies at the other end."
"Well, it's getting light now," Fizzy said. "I can go find more ponies to go outside."
"Have them go east about a kilometer from the castle," Twilight Mist said, not bothering to turn to Fizzy. "If something appears, we want them to take some nearby object and throw it in."
"You got it!" Fizzy ran back to the elevator and got in just before the doors closed.
"Sounds like a rather primitive way to test it," Magic Star commented.
"Would you rather use a pony?" Twilight Mist asked, again not bothering to turn around.
"Point taken," Magic Star replied.
"So, how does this thing work?" Blueflower asked as she looked at the readouts spread over the panes.
"That circular thing is a map with us in the middle." Twilight Mist pointed to the display of circles. She typed in a set of coordinates. "We type in an angle, which in this case will be ninety degrees and zero minutes, and distance, which will be one kilometer."
The dot hopped around as she made the changes until it was just right of center. "That little dot is our target. We'll give them a few minutes to get their act together and out there."
"I bet a lot of ponies would like to get out of this valley," Magic Star mused aloud. "Cupcake wants some real ingredients other than grass and flowers, Buttons found some sewing equipment and wants fabric and thread, and Truly has been nagging for medical supplies."
"Looks like we'll be using this mechanism often if it is functional and safe," Wind Whistler whispered to Twilight Mist.
"I've become accustom to disappointment," Twilight Mist replied. "Just remember, if this all comes back to bite us in the tails, it was I who warned you first."
"I'm sure you will make certain we never forget," Wind Whistler said. "Think we've given them enough time?"
"Probably." Twilight gripped the slider with her mist hand. "So, we just pull back, and let her rip?"
"Seems like it."
"Then here goes nothing." Twilight Mist pulled back on the slider.
Whirring came from the tunnel and the inside of the rings started glowing from the end of the tunnel to the mouth. A flash brought a swirling vortex of light and color into existence, contained by the rings. It was just red of yellow, but the red was diminishing and the green was increasing with time. The harsh light from it filled the chamber, easily drowning out the soft light of the ceiling above.
A small object appeared from the end of the tunnel and bounced a couple times on the ramp before coming to rest on it.
Magic Star broke the silence beyond the gentle purr of the machine. "That was anti-climatic."
"At least it works," Blueflower said. "Now, did it come out safely?"
Wind Whistler glided down and landed at the mouth of the tunnel. The vortex was now transitioning between green and cyan, apparently cycling through the spectrum like a rainbow in time instead of space. She thought of what Daniel had said about the Valkyrie Queens traveling anywhere instantly on a rainbow bridge. This machine fit that description.
As she stepped onto the ramp, she could feel a charge building in her mane and coat. The stinging smell of ozone surrounded her, suggesting electromagnetism was at least a component of forming this.
She reached the object which was a piece of dead bark. It felt normal temperature to the touch with no signs of singeing or recent damage.
"How does it look?" Bleuflower shouted.
"It looks like it suffered no ill effects during passage." Wind Whistler tossed it back at the end of the bridge where the vortex appeared to suddenly come to a point and it disappeared.
She noted that the vortex was once again past red and going back to yellow. It cycled through the color wheel in about a minute as best as she could tell. Her observations were cut short as something pink and electric blue appearing from the end of the vortex and flew past her.
Firefly flew out of the tunnel and did a loop before landing. "Now that was a rush."
"That was extremely dangerous," Wind Whistler corrected as she stepped out of the tunnel. "What if the vortex was a vacuum between the exit points, or the buildup of static electricity caused a fatal discharge, or—"
"Danger?" Firefly scoffed, cutting Wind Whistler off. "Danger is my life!" She did a back flip. "Besides, now you know it's safe for ponies."
"She has you there, Wind Whistler," Blueflower said. "Now, go get whoever went out with you and bring them through."
Firefly saluted. "You got it, boss." She flew into the tunnel and disappeared.
Wind Whistler fluttered back up to the control panel. She noticed a new box had appeared with two numerical values separated by a ':' decreasing in value. "When did that count down appear?"
"When we activated the thing," Twilight Mist said. "Apparently, it will only remain open for five minutes."
Firefly came out of the tunnel with Medley and Fizzy. "It's great Wind Whistler!" Fizzy skipped from the mouth. "It's like walking through a tunnel of rainbow!"
"Does it have to remain open for five minutes?" Blueflower asked.
"I don't think so." Twilight Mist pushed the slider forward.
The purr of the machine wound down the vortex faded. The displays and backlighting of the panel turned red, and a large box appeared on the pane with the map displaying a countdown starting at '30:00'. Twilight tapped at the number keys, but nothing happened.
"What happened?" Magic Star asked. "Did you break it?"
"No. Looks like it has to recharge for a half hour after it's been used." Twilight Mist tried pulling on the slider, but it stayed in place. "We just have to wait until then."
"Still, ponies can use it to travel," Blueflower said. She turned to Wind Whistler. "I think we've discovered the secret to your farmer's locket, and you may return it. In fact, you can use our new device, and I think several ponies are chomping at the bit for a chance to see your humans as well."
"Perhaps we should wait until an hour or so after sunrise," Galaxy said. "Dawn and dusk come later the further west you are on this planet."
"Then I guess we should go up and see who wants to go." Blueflower walked towards the elevator. "Come along, everyone."
Fizzy watched Cupcake's face open into beaming smile as she told her about the tunnel thing under them. "That's perfect!" Cupcake cheered.
"It is pretty great," Fizzy agreed.
"I mean, I can finally go out and get real ingredients for cooking and baking." Cupcake glanced at the piles of grass and flowers and bent her mouth into an exaggerated frown. "No more weed salads and twisted grass pasta. I could even get fresh produce, dairy, and eggs. I thought I would never see those again."
"So, are you coming?" Fizzy asked.
"Most definitely." Cupcake turned back to Sweetie and Gingerbread trying to make grass and flowers look presentable on plates. "Can you two cover morning scullery and lunch on your own?"
"You can count on us!" Gingerbread chirped.
"Well, they'll be leaving after breakfast," Fizzy said.
"Save a seat for me," Cupcake said, and then paused to think. "Does this thing even have seats?"
"Uh…I didn't see any," Fizzy replied.
"Well, I'll be going, that's all that matters."
Fizzy left the kitchen and headed to where Truly had made a makeshift infirmary. She noticed something out of the corner of her eye that was quite vibrant. She turned and Shady was looking at her from around the corner.
Fizzy turned around. "Hi there! I'm Fizzy!"
Shady flinched and disappeared from view.
"Wait!" Fizzy shouted after her. "Don't run away!"
She ran to the corner, but Shady was gone. "Was it something I said?"
The doors slid open and Wind Whistler gazed in the room directly under the control panel. Although much of the chambers dimensions were exaggerated, this was quite an efficient use of space. It was a storage area of some kind with wires and cables of different sizes and colors hanging in loops, parabolic dishes held in trays like flatware in a dishwasher, other things, and a row of black lockers against one wall.
Wind Whistler opened the locker and pulled out the canvas bag hanging inside it. The bag was bulging and heavy with something hard in it, and a cord led from it to a headset consisting of a black band with a microphone on an arm and two earpieces on cords.
It was surprising to see fabric like this in such good condition despite it being unattended for however long it had been down here. Though, if the environment had been kept sterile until they entered it, there would be no microbes to breakdown the threads and the temperature and moisture levels would have been constant at this depth.
She slung the bag over her back and left the room, the doors sliding shut behind her.
"It's a storage compartment for what looks like communication equipment." Wind Whistler held up the bag. "I think this is a personal radio set."
"That's nice," Twilight Mist replied, but clearly not paying as much attention.
Wind Whistler came to the top of the stars to see North Star standing over Twilight Mist sitting in the chair.
"That's where the horse ranch is," North Star said, pointing at the map and practically inserting Twilight Mist's muzzle in her leg pit. Wind Whistler suppressed an urge to grin at the twisted look of absolute disgust on her face.
"Bearing two seven five mark eighteen, distance three hundred eleven kilometers."
Twilight Mist pushed North Star back so she had to stand on all four hooves. "Are you sure?"
"Am I sure?" North Star asked loudly. "I have the best sense of direction of any pony you'll meet. It's so precise they use me to make sure compasses are right."
"Right." Twilight Mist leaned back. "Just know the farther out you go, the less accurate the destination point is. So, don't be surprised if you come out in the next farm."
She looked to Wind Whistler. "What were you saying?"
Wind Whistler turned to show the radio. "I believe I found a personal radio set in the compartment below us. It might communicate with the machine."
Wind Whistler looked at the bag someway to activate the radio. There was a relatively small, metal lever sticking out of a metal-lined whole beside some knobs. She carefully flicked it up with the tip of her hoof and looked to the panes. One of them changed to display a bar, a traditional longitudinal and latitudinal map, and some numerical values. The side of the large button on the panel also glowed blue as well as smaller key.
Wind Whistler slid the headset onto her head and said, "Does it work?" into the microphone. There was no reaction from the machine. She then remembered the microphone of a radio had to be switched on to work to prevent feedback. She felt where the microphone's arm connected to the headset and it depressed. She held it down and said, "How about this?" This time it came from speakers in the panel, the line in the uppermost bar became wavy for the time she was speaking.
She put in the earpieces as best she could. "Try it on you end."
Twilight Mist glanced to the larger and smaller buttons that illuminated. She held down the smaller. "Can you hear this?" Her voice came through the earpieces.
"Well, it looks like, or should I say sounds like, we can communicate," Wind Whistler said.
"The machine also appears to track the radio's location," North Star said. She looked to the larger button. "I wonder what that one does. It lit up when Wind Whistler turned on the radio."
Twilight Mist turned back to the ponies down there. Paradise, Bow-Tie and Posey had already come down. They were still waiting on Cupcake, Truly, Buttons, and Sparkler. "Since we have time, I guess we can try. I doubt it will blow us up."
Twilight Mist pressed the button and the circular display and three boxes where the target coordinates went changed to the grid and displayed three rows of boxes, the first two rows having three boxes and the third having one. A dot appeared right at the center.
"What just happened?" North Star asked.
"I think it just went to longitude and latitude down the tenth of a second as well as gained elevation," Twilight Mist said. "So, we're still that far above sea level even down here."
"What would cause that?" North Star said. "Wait!" She looked to the display that came up with the radio. "I think it locked onto the radio."
The numbers of both displays matched perfectly.
"Then hitting the button again would—" Twilight Mist pressed the large button and the old circular display returned with the angle and distance she had typed in.
"Odd that it has the ability to understand longitude and latitude, but uses such a crude targeting system normally," North Star mused.
"About as odd as building your control panel with an empty space to the side?" Twilight Mist replied.
The chime sounded and the last four ponies walked out of the elevator. "Are we ready to go?" Buttons asked.
"We've been ready," Twilight Mist said. "Go down to the tunnel and be ready for the light show."
The nine gathered at the mouth of the tunnel. The machine whirred up and the lights of the rings came on. The vortex formed only it started from deep blue.
"So, we just walk up the ramp and pop out somewhere else?" Cupcake asked.
"Basically," Wind Whistler said. "I could give the theoretical explanation, but I think we should just utilize it."
They ran up the ramp towards the wall. As they reached it, the light and colors enveloped them, a tube of pure energy that somehow had form for them to gallop on. A second later, the colors peeled away to reveal a dirt road, and Wind Whistler leapt from the vortex onto it. She turned back and watched as the others emerged and leapt from it.
Wind Whistler pressed the button for her microphone. "We're all through." She pulled her hoof away from the button.
Twilight Mist said nothing, but the vortex collapsed in on itself until it disappeared completely.
"So, this is it?" Truly asked.
"This is it," North Star answered.
They were on the plains they had visited the day prior. There were pastures and farmsteads with dirt roads dividing them. There was a gray, dingy deck of stratus clouds on the western horizon, and the sun was low on the eastern horizon. It was lower than would be expected for an hour after rising meaning Galaxy was right about the sun coming up later in the west. Or rather, the planet was constantly rotating and its surface was moving into and out of its shadow.
Wind Whistler needed some time to get her bearings. Suddenly appearing in a completely different location was a tad disorienting, especially since this was a different view of everything. She looked for the white farm house and the hodgepodge of a herd. She did not recognize it at first because of the view from the back, but she spotted the farm house and horses milling about in the pasture to their right.
"The Williams' home is over there." She pointed to it.
They made their way around the perimeter of the pasture. Polaris noticed them and ran to the edge of the fence. She whinnied and nodded her head.
"Top of the morning to you, Polaris," North Star said. "Though, I do wonder what that name means."
Polaris snorted.
They went around the house to the front porch. The windows of the house were dark, but there was light coming from the windows of the barn. Daniel stepped out of the main doorway. "Good morning. I didn't expect you back this soon."
"Good morning, Mr. Williams," Wind Whistler replied. "How's your cranial injury?"
Daniel had a bandage tied around his head. "I got a nasty bump, but I woke up remembering who I was. I would say I'm fine."
"Well, we said we would return the locket when discovered its properties," Wind Whistler said.
Danny popped his head out from the barn's doorway. "So you know what it does?"
Wind Whistler nodded.
"We're also here to learn more about your culture," Cupcake said. "Like your local delicacies."
"Umm…" Posey trailed off. "What are those?"
Wind Whistler and the others spun around to Posey pointing to the south southeast. Three long and narrow objects where just above the horizon and coming towards them. They occasionally bent, suggesting large wings. She felt her heart step up its pace and a chill go down her spine. "Trouble."
"It's the harpies!" Paradise shrieked. "They're back too!"
Wind Whistler pushed the button on her microphone. "Twilight Mist, are you still there?"
"Where else would I be?" Twilight Mist's voice came from the earpieces.
"The machine takes a half hour to recharge, right?" Wind Whistler said, trying to keep the panic from her voice as the objects drew closer. "Any way to speed that up?"
"I can't tell without knowing the language," Twilight Mist answered. "Why?"
"Because our adversary from yesterday is approaching with a couple of friends and very quickly. I estimate maybe five minutes before their arrival," Wind Whistler said.
"Unfortunately I can't help you with that," Twilight Mist said. "Try to avoid them for the next twenty-eight minutes. I'll get you back as soon as this thing is ready."
"Easier said than done. Wind Whistler out." Wind Whistler watched as the objects grew nearer and their silhouettes gained the familiar features of harpies.
"Maybe we can run from them," Paradise suggested. "They're so far out, they might not see us."
"If they're like birds of prey, they have extremely keen senses of eyesight especially when it comes to distance," Wind Whistler said. "They already know we're here."
"Then we'll hide," Daniel said. "Everyone into the storm cellar!"
They clambered to a pair of wooden, cellar doors behind the house. Daniel pulled them open and they filed down the stairs into the basement under the house. Daniel came in last, closed the door, and slid a heavy beam of wood into holders.
Daniel pointed to a set of stairs. "Lock the door into the house too."
Danny ran up the stairs and turned a deadbolt on the door. "We should be safe now."
They waited, remaining silent. Wind Whistler's heart pounded and her mind raced. Hiding was an unnatural state for ponies. They were built to run and use quickness or foot or wing to escape or turn and fight if escape was made impossible. However, neither would work against harpies with the advantages of flight and weapons. Their options were limited now, basically they could only wait and hope the heavy, wooden doors and beam were enough to thwart the harpies until the machine could recharge and they could make their escape.
"How long?" she asked quietly into the microphone.
"A little less than twenty-four minutes," Twilight Mist answered.
Everyone jumped that three thumps outside. Wind Whistler walked around to see out one of the small windows. The feet of a harpy stood outside.
"I don't see them." The voice was of the harpy they had met yesterday.
"Use your eyes, Danielle," a more forceful voice said. "They went down into the cellar. Break it in."
The doors suddenly shuttered. A loud bang came at them followed by another and another. After the sixth impact, a plank cracked.
Molly hid behind Daniel. "They're not going to hold!"
"All we've done is trap ourselves," Sparkler grumbled.
"What do we do now, Wind Whistler?" Paradise asked.
Wind Whistler went through their options. She was almost scared out of mind as a trapped animal, but not completely. She had to remain rational in this situation, and think of a way out. Suppress the emotional reaction so that logic could lead her to the answer. She then remembered how she got the attention of the harpy in the first place. "North Star, Paradise, we need to go outside."
"Are you crazy?" Paradise's outburst was punctuated by a slam on the doors and the sound of wood cracking.
"We stand a better chance against them in the air," Wind Whistler explained. "We just need to distract them until the machine is charged." He held up the locket. "Besides, it's this they're after."
"Go out through the door into the house," Daniel said.
Danny ran up and unlocked the door. He pushed it open enough to look out. "They're not in the house."
He stood aside as Wind Whistler climbed the stairs and into the kitchen of the house. The basement door was under the stairway leading to the second floor, facing the back of the house. Through the window, Wind Whistler could see the harpies pounding at the cellar doors. The one with the symbol on her chest stood aside while the other two—with flame red and bright orange hair—slammed their balled fists into the wood. While still unmistakably feminine, they were noticeably larger and more muscular than her.
"What now?" North Star whispered.
"Go out the front door," Wind Whistler answered. "We'll approach them from the side of the house."
They quickly but quietly went around to stairway to the front door and pulled it open. The horses were whinnying and huddled in the far corner of the pasture as they made their way around the house.
Wind Whistler peaked around the side at them still punching and kicking at the doors. She gave a loud whistle.
The smaller harpy turned to face them and pointed. "I told you they were ponies with wings."
The other two stopped their assault on the door and looked up.
"And we're the ones with what you're looking for." Wind Whistler held up the locket. "Come and get it if you can."
She spread her wings and took to the air. She heard the more forceful voice growl, "Forget the grounders. Get those flying ponies!"
The harpies took off after them, but spaced themselves out.
"Why did they split up?" Paradise asked.
"So we can't pull what we did yesterday," North Star said. "Though, the sun is too low for us to use it anyway."
The longbows came out and arrows almost immediately shot towards them. The first headed for Wind Whistler, and she had to roll out of the way only to dodge another in quick succession. "The two new ones also seem to be more accomplished archers as well."
Paradise dove to avoid an arrow. "We can't keep this up for twenty minutes."
Wind Whistler dodged another arrow and gained an immediate burst of speed for the next to shoot between her legs. The plan had to evolve and take into account the new information. They needed cover and the plains provided nothing substantial enough.
A deep inhale brought the scent of approaching rain into her nostrils. The clouds were almost on top of them with shafts of rain coming down from them. The harpies were self-admitted creatures of sight, and clouds would take that away.
"Head for the formation of stratus nebulosus," Wind Whistler said.
"What?" Paradise asked.
"The clouds," Wind Whistler clarified. "We can lose them in the clouds. Head into them as fast as you can."
They banked and headed west towards the cloud deck. The harpies also circled around, their longbows still at the ready.
Rachael eyed the ponies and the blanket of gray clouds they were headed for.
"We'll lose them if they go in there!" Danielle panicked.
"Explain it to them," Rachael replied, keeping her voice even.
Marcy reached into her quiver and pulled out an arrow. She placed it on her bow string and pulled back before releasing it.
Wind Whistler banked away as Paradise rolled to avoid an arrow that shot past them.
"That was close," Paradise exhaled.
"They just don't want us going in there," North Star said.
The finally reached the cloud boundary. The passage came without the sense of crossing any membrane like the clouds of Equestria, simply a sudden increase in humidity and water droplets accumulating on Wind Whistler's mane, coat, and feathers. Everything was obscured by the gray mist to the point she could not see North Star or Paradise.
"Now what?" Paradise asked. Her voice was particularly clear despite the surrounding cloud.
"Come to my voice," Wind Whistler said.
Two obscure forms came near her, becoming pony shaped. "When I say now, fly out of the bottom of the cloud and head straight for the Williams' house. Just fly around and avoid anything you see until then."
"Won't the harpies hear you too?" North Star asked.
"Hopefully we'll get them so turned around in here it will give us time to reach the others and escape," Wind Whistler said.
She felt disturbance in the airflow. The harpies were in the cloud as well. "Go."
They split off and the waiting game began. Twilight Mist informed Wind Whistler they still had eighteen minutes. Wind Whistler flew through the cloud, veering away from any other silhouette she saw or slipstream she felt. This continued for several anxious minutes.
Wind Whistler called in again. "Time?"
"Ten minutes," Twilight Mist answered. "What's going on over there?"
"I can't really talk too much," Wind Whistler said in a hushed voice.
"Tell me something, ponies," the more forcefully–voiced harpy said in no particular direction. "Where do you come from? I've been across Pangaea, and never even heard of something remotely like you."
Wind Whistler flew a wide circle around the voice.
"And why are you helping these humans?" the harpy asked.
Wind Whistler stopped. "Because you kidnapped their daughter and sister."
She darted away several meters. She saw something slip through the clouds.
"Maybe you can answer this question," Wind Whistler said before going up two meters. "Why did you return to this land? You already shattered it a thousand years ago. Why menace a simple farmer and his family?"
She flew away again.
"They didn't tell you the whole story," the harpy said from where Wind Whistler had just been. "It was the Boreans who invaded us first. They used their Bifröst to send their armies into the heart of our homeland behind our defenses. They were intent on planting their flag and making us a subject race in their empire. We beat them back and counterattacked to make sure they would never threaten us again."
Wind Whistler paused. She remembered her conversation with Twilight Mist. She had thought of just that strategy offhand.
"I figured they would forget to tell you that part of history," the harpy said, slipping around Wind Whistler. "The Boreans are a warrior people who fight amongst themselves in this frigid land. The Valkyrie Queens convinced them to unite and turn their aggression outward for their personal benefit."
Wind Whistler flew out of the circle she felt was being made around her. "I have no way to test the veracity of your statements." Wind Whistler then remembered her original question. "However, your original incursion was in retaliation, why come back now?"
"You ask too many for your own good, pony," the harpy snarled.
Wind Whistler felt a slipstream coming towards her. She dropped several meters and a large silhouette rushed above her.
"Why do you care anyway?" the harpy said. "You're kind wasn't involved, and you shouldn't be involved now. Give us the locket, and we'll leave you in peace."
"Like you would return the daughter for it?" Wind Whistler asked. "Even if the Boreans are as terrible as you say, you've done nothing to win our trust."
A yelp came from the distance. "Let's just get out of here, NOW!" Paradise screamed.
Wind Whistler folded her wings and dove down. She left the cloud for the gentle drizzle falling from it. She opened her wings and let them fill with air to glide. Paradise flapped frantically for the William's farmhouse with North Star behind her.
"What happened?" North Star asked.
"One of them almost got me!" Paradise huffed. "I panicked."
Wind Whistler looked back. The harpies had not yet come out of the clouds, probably trying to find each other to attack as a group.
They landed at the cellar doors which were battered and cracking. North Star knocked on one. "Open up, it's us!"
Wind Whistler looked up and saw the harpies diving towards them. An arrow came in, and she jumped away so it could bury itself in the ground. It was massive, longer she was tall even when holding her head up. If one of them found its mark, it would go clear through a pony.
Daniel pushed open the cellar door, and they clambered in before he shut it and replaced the beam.
"I seem to remember us being like this before," Sparkler commented.
"Cover the windows, make sure no light gets in," Wind Whistler said, ignoring Sparkler.
Sparkler and Buttons picked up pieces and wood and cloth with their magic and covered the windows with them to put them in complete darkness.
"How does this help?" Posey asked.
"It'll keep the harpies from seeing what we're about to do." Wind Whistler pushed the button on her headset. "Twilight Mist, what's the time."
"You got about a hundred seconds," Twilight Mist answered.
"When you pushed that large, red button, it instantly locked the target onto the location of my radio, correct?" Wind Whistler asked.
Thumps came from the outside. "Marcy, you go inside and find the door to the cellar in there. We won't let them escape this time!"
"Yes," Twilight Mist answered.
"And it was accurate to within a tenth of a second of a degree of longitude and latitude?" Wind Whistler asked. "That's accurate to, what, a few meters at worst?"
"Yes," Twilight Mist answered. "What are you getting at?"
Pounding came at the cellar doors, and pinpricks of light came from where the wood was breaking. The door into the house also shuttered as it was struck.
"As soon as the machine is ready, hit that button and open the tunnel," Wind Whistler said.
"Tunnel?" Daniel asked. "What tunnel?"
The pounding continued along with the sickening sound of splintering wood.
"Can you give us a countdown?" Wind Whistler asked.
After several seconds, Twilight Mist started, "Fifteen."
The pounding continued the light from the cellar doors grew wider.
"Fourteen."
"What tunnel are you talking about?" Daniel asked. "We're trapped in here."
"You just have to trust us," Wind Whistler relied.
"Eight, seven, six, five."
The cellar doors began to sag from the assault.
"This is going to be close," Paradise stated.
"Four, three, two, one."
The vortex appeared near the wall of the basement. "Everyone get in!" Wind Whistler instructed.
"What is that?" Daniel asked.
A talon burst through the cellar doors.
"Better than what's coming in here." Danny pulled him and Molly through.
The other ponies ran through before Wind Whistler jumped in. She soon hit the ramp and ran down the tunnel. "Close it quickly!"
The machine whirred down and the vortex faded.
The ponies and humans tried to catch their breath. Wind Whistler inhaled and exhaled to get her heart to return to normal.
"Where are we?" Daniel asked.
"Welcome to our castle, Mr. Williams." Truly gave a slight dip. "You'll be safe here."
"In the Barrier Mountains?" Daniel asked. "But they're hundreds of kilometers away."
"Three hundred eleven to be precise," North Star said.
"So, we just traveled three hundred kilometers instantly." Daniel exhaled and braced his hands on his knees. "Just give me a chance to take that in."
"While we were avoiding them, one of the harpies told me the Boreans attacked them first to instigate the conflict that led to the Valkyrie Queen's downfall," Wind Whistler said, not trying to sound too hostile but still with an edge to her voice. "Is that true?"
Daniel sighed. "Yes. The Boreans went into their homeland first, looking to expand. The harpies outmatched them and drove them back. Then they came up north, wanting to take the Valkyrie Queen's rainbow bridge for themselves."
"Why did you omit that?" Wind Whistler asked, probably sounding more suspicious than she wanted to let on. "A half truth can be just as bad as a lie. We thought we could trust the Boreans, but if they are just as treacherous as the harpies—"
"I'm sorry," Daniel said defensively. "I should have told you about that, but most of the people in Boreas now are good people. Don't let what happened a thousand years ago color your attitude towards them."
"Could the same be said of the harpies?" Wind Whistler asked. "Granted, those we have encountered have proven violent and untrustworthy, but they were just three of them."
"I…" Daniel trailed off. "I don't know."
"You don't need to be so cold, Wind Whistler," Paradise said. "It was an honest mistake. It's not like we were talking to a historian."
Wind Whistler stopped and gave it a thought. Paradise was right that a foreign-born horse rancher was far from an authority on history. However, they were dependent on others for knowledge of this world. If they were fed lies and half truths—whether intentional or accidental—they could be goaded into action or inaction detrimental to themselves and those who were in the right. Making an objective decision with no personal bias required objective information with no personal bias.
Still, there was no substantive benefit to venting her frustrations on Daniel. He and his children had also suffered enough.
"I just wish I knew with certainty what the right thing to do is here," Wind Whistler exhaled. "We will still do what we can to save your daughter and prevent the harpies from taking the locket. However, beyond that, I just don't know."
Rachael ripped the shattered planks of the cellar doors away and let the beam roll down the stairs. She descended into the dark basement and pulled the cloth away from a nearby window to allow in more light. The ceiling was low, so she had to stoop as she walked deeper into it.
The basement was filled with old farm tools, burlap sacks, and wooden workbenches sat again the walls. However, there was no sign of the ponies or the humans.
Marcy kicked in the door into the house and climbed down the stairs. She looked from side to side. "Where are they?"
"Not here," Rachael snarled. "They somehow escaped."
"But we were at both doors," Marcy said. "They couldn't just disappear into thin air."
Rachael tossed aside a sack to see if they were hiding. There was a possible explanation, but it was only meant for Talia's ears.
"How about we burn the house down and cook their horses over it?" Marcy asked. "We haven't destroyed something for the fun of it lately."
"No," Rachael said, thinking of their options. "Leave the house as it is and don't touch any of the horses. Hide here in case they come back." A burned out ruin and slaughtered horses would scare them off before they even got near. "Danielle and I will report back to Talia."
Danielle swallowed. "We will?"
"Yes," Rachael hissed. "Now, come on."
She climbed out the cellar and spread her wings. A sweeping flap sent her airborne into the gray, drizzling sky. She banked to the southeast for the stronghold.