Happy Thanksgiving from the Library!

I'm glad everyone is enjoying the story so far, and your energetic comments have brought many a smile to my face. The immortality issue is something that came up while I was writing, and it's a serious enough issue that will most likely come up again. Hopefully my characters will handle it well.

Hope you're feeling well from the holidays and the time you may or may not have spent with your families. I've probably eaten enough food for two people over the past couple of days, and there's still leftovers to be had.

Anyways, here's the chapter for the week. Enjoy!

Chapter 25: Muddling the Mixture

It had taken a month, a few weeks of practice and refinement, and yet the first words Sherry said on the day of the competition were: "I know I agreed to this, but I'm still really nervous."

As he was busy getting everyone's bags together, Tyr had to chuckle at the predictability of his daughter. "Well, you made the decision. Gotta live with it now."

Sherry pouted, but didn't say anything further. She was nervous, which was something to be expected. She had spent the majority of her free time creating new recipes and perfecting older ones, and according to Pinkie Pie, had almost doubled the number of baked goods they could make at Sugar Cube Corner. She was as ready as she could be, by anyone's estimate. "She's not complaining again, is she?"

Tyr glanced up to see Luna coming downstairs, a small smile on her face. Tyr's eyes were drawn to her stomach, which was beginning to protrude a little. "Yeah, she's complaining again," Tyr said with a small laugh.

Over the past month, Tyr had noticed some subtle changes from his favored princess. Her diction was becoming more and more casual instead of its usual elegance, although she still spoke in her usual musical way. She was also dressing in more flowy clothes, along with keeping her hair away from her face. Although nothing could change that playful sparkle Tyr saw in her eyes whenever they met gazes. Behind Luna came Chrysalis, a frown on the Changeling's face. "What's wrong with you?" Tyr asked.

Like Luna, Chrys had begun changing her style as well. After an awful period where she wanted to wear nothing at all (except for her collar and attached leash) Tyr had convinced her that unless she wore clothes, she would be kicked out. Therefore, Chrys opted to wear pretty revealing clothes, along with keeping her hair in a high ponytail with a few strands hanging over her face. Tyr couldn't deny she didn't look good in crop tops and skinny jeans. "I am not looking forward to this trip," Chrys said, frown never going away.

"You're always such a naysayer," Luna said, taking a seat in a chair. "Do you not wish to go cheer Sherry on?"

"I'm not saying that," Chrys said. She had lost a lot of her usual snap whenever people made comments like that. "You know I don't eat normal food, so why should I look forward to a competition featuring only that? Don't get me wrong, I wish to see Sherry win just as much as you do."

Sherry smiled. "Thanks, Chrys."

"Well, win or lose, it'll be a good experience," Tyr said. He smiled. "Although I'm sure you'll be top ten easy."

"You have such confidence!" Luna said with a giggle.

"Of course I have confidence in my daughter!"

"I suppose it won't be all bad," Chrys muttered. "I'm more than likely going to be gawked at quite a bit. Should be quite filling."

"I thought your heart only belonged to your Master?" Luna teased.

Chrys's hand went immediately to her throat, where her collar still sat. "O-of course! But…"

"It's fine, it's fine," Tyr chuckled. "I understand, Chrissy."

Chrys blushed at Tyr's personal nickname for her. "…Okay."

Tyr turned to the pile of bags and whatnot near the front door. He was beginning to really appreciate having a truck. "I think we've packed enough for a week," He said with a chuckle. "Unless we're missing anything…?"

The three girls all shook their heads no. "We've packed enough, I'd say," Luna said.

"Well, we should get going. It's a decent drive to the city this thing is being held in. About two hours."

"Ugh. Another long ride," Chrys muttered. "Just wonderful."

"Guess I should get this stuff packed in then…" Tyr began, only for the doorbell to ring. "Who on earth would that be?"

"I'll get it," Sherry said, hopping up and going to the door. She opened it, and was surprised to find Celestia standing there. "Princess Celestia?"

"Hello, Sherry," Celestia said, smiling. "Eager for today?"

"Um… yes, but how did you know?"

"Luna told her, obviously," Chrys said.

Celestia shook her head. "No, Pinkie Pie told me. I'm surprised you all haven't left yet."

"Was just about to load up and go," Tyr informed her. "What brings you by here?"

"I came to inform you that the girls and I decided to join you."

"The girls?"

"Twilight and her friends. Oh, Ace, Flash and the little ones will be coming along as well."

Sherry blinked. "All of them, coming for me…?"

"Yes, when I told them, they were quite adamant about it. I am not surprised they want to be there to support you."

"Oh… wow."

"Takes a village to raise a child," Tyr intoned, chuckling softly. With a gentle wave of his hands, he brought his magic to life, levitating a group of the bags up. "Now, I gotta get these in the truck."

"Let me help you," Celestia said brightly, her own golden aura gathering up all the bags and ordering them into a line to march out the door. Tyr watched in mild amusement.

"Showoff," He said with a smile. Celestia simply smiled back.

"Oh, I'm not late again, am I?" Grace appeared at the doorway, peeking in. "Oh, thank goodness. You all haven't left."

"Ah, good to see you, Grace," Luna said, waving at her other knight.

"Let me guess, you were coming along as well?" Chrys asked dryly. Grace frowned a bit at the comment.

"Well," She said, a bit uncertainly, "It's my job, y'know…"

"…Point taken. I'm simply teasing you." Chrys pouted. "You're no fun."

"She's earnest," Luna pointed out with a small giggle. Grace frowned at that, not sure how to respond.

"You're getting better with your magic, Tyr," Celestia observed, watching him use it to organize their things in the back of the truck from the doorway.

"Well, given I have two girls that use it almost liberally, I picked it up quickly." Tyr smirked. "Trial and error is a good teacher."

"That it is."

"So everyone is coming along?" Sherry asked, eyes wide. Celestia bent over to get on her level.

"Yes, they are, little one. They all want to support you."

"I… hope I don't let them down…"

"I believe the very fact you were asked to participate is good enough, young Sherry. You don't have to win or anything to make us proud of you."

"I'm already proud of you," Tyr said, moving over to pat his daughter's head. "Win or lose, that won't change. Well, if you win, I'm gonna be wearing a Pinkie Pie sized grin on my face, but I'll always be proud of you."

Sherry giggled. "Thanks dad."

"We should be going soon," Luna said, glancing up at the clock. "We do not want to be late."

"Good point," Tyr said. "Alright, everyone, let's get rolling!"

"We'll meet you there," Celestia said, smiling as she moved back outside. "Have a safe ride!"

Tyr again found himself reminding himself that human technology was still a novelty to Equestrians. The enraptured face of Sherry as she beheld her first big city was both adorable and funny, while the quiet study on the faces of Luna and Grace was simply normal. They had both lived in the Equestrian capital, so they were a bit more used to large cities. However, both of the girls jumped a bit as other cars barreled past them or other loud noises surprised them. The only one in the vehicle who was indifferent to it all was Chrys. [You don't seem so interested] He thought, catching his Changeling a little off guard.

[This is where I was before I ended up at your home, Master] Chrys thought back, a small sigh escaping her lips. [I am… hoping to not encounter any old memories.]

[Regardless of who you meet, you still belong to me] Tyr thought, a little playfully. [Don't forget that]

[Of course not, Master. I remember my place] She giggled softly, hand reaching up to touch her collar again.

"Where are we going to be staying?" Grace asked.

"I picked a hotel near where the competition is going to be held," Tyr said, navigating the slightly backed up streets with ease. "We'll head there after I get Sherry checked in."

At the mention of her name, the young girl rubbed the clear top of the container she had sat in her lap. The paper the two men had given her when they told her about the competition had instructed her to bring a sample of her best work in order to go through the preliminary round. As it was her best kind of treat, she had brought a small batch of her cinnamon rolls. "Well, here we go," She murmured.

The building the competition was being held in was a convention style hall, with a large table set at the doorway. A pair of women sat at it, checking off people as they approached. Tyr parked along the sidewalk. "Luna, Chrys, Grace, you girls stay here. Come on, Sherry."

"Kay."

The man and his daughter got out of the vehicle and went over to the table, pushing their way lightly through the crowd. They managed to get to the table in one piece. The woman sitting there tilted her head forward, regarding them impartially from behind her glasses. "Name?"

"S-Sherry Spice," Sherry stuttered, her nerves getting to her again.

The woman glanced down at the paper in front of her. After scanning it for a moment, she looked up at Tyr. "And you must be her father…?"

"Tyr Hymir," Tyr replied evenly. The woman looked back down at her paper before nodding to herself.

"Good. You're in group D, so put whatever you made in the designated area." As the woman made a mark on her paper, Tyr glanced past her to where a lot of people were gathered around inside. There were several tables marked A through E.

"There's five areas?"

"There are about five hundred participants," the woman said offhandedly. "We have them divided up into five groups of one hundred, and the top ten of each group will move on to the next round. From there, the next top ten will be in the active competition."

"That seems pretty clean," Tyr said with an appreciative nod. "So I'm guessing they'll be having them cook something for the second stage?"

"It'll be explained when the time comes. For now, go put your entry in the designated area."

"…Alright then." Tyr gently guided Sherry into the building, the young girl moving closer to him, her natural shyness coming back. There were quite a few kids and their parents milling about, along with other adults and young adults. A few gave them looks as they passed by, and Tyr noticed that Sherry would be the only Equestrian in the competition as far as he could tell. The same fact seemed to set in for the girl at his side, and she clung tighter to him. "You okay, sugarcube?" He did his best to imitate Applejack. He apparently did a passing job at it, and his daughter giggled softly.

"I think I'll be okay," She said after a moment of thought. She smiled up at him. "Thanks for being here, dad."

"Why on earth would I be anywhere else?" He chuckled. He gently rubbed her hair. "I'm your dad, after all."

They went over to the D table where a number of other containers of varying sizes sat. As Sherry set her container down, a disdainful voice spoke up. "Simple cinnamon rolls? How very… droll."

Tyr felt an instant surge of anger, but squashed it as he turned to the voice. An affluently dressed couple stood behind them, amused smirks on their faces. Between them was a young boy, no older than Sherry. He had a small frown on his face. "Excuse me?" Tyr asked softly. He felt his anger subside somewhat. Rich people always seemed to think they were entitled to whatever opinions they had, so he could only feel a little disappointed that they felt the need to belittle others.

"Your entry into this competition is simple cinnamon rolls, darling?" the woman said, looking over and into Sherry's container. "Oh my. Darling, you must think bigger than that."

Tyr's frown deepened. The way she said darling made him upset. It had begun to feel like Rarity's catchphrase at times, he had to admit. "I don't see anything wrong with her entry," Tyr said, a little coldly.

The man raised an eyebrow. "Are you her friend?"

"Her father."

That got a couple of weird looks. But the two recovered easily. "You have to wow these judges, dear. Let us show you our little Uriel's entry!"

They stepped aside with a flourish, and a small team of white clad men came in, carrying a large platter of what seemed to be a grand assortment of desserts. The men moved over to the table and, after shoving a lot of the other containers off onto the floor, dropped the platter down on the newly empty space. "That is how you wow the judges!" The man said with a laugh.

"Our little Uriel has cooking down to a science!" The woman said. "He can memorize and perfect any recipe given to him, down to the tiniest bit of flavor. Nothing he makes can be bad!"

Sherry looked down at the table. The massive platter with the young boy's name on it certainly looked delicious. But… something simply seemed to be missing. When she glanced down at her container, miraculously spared the indignity of being pushed to the floor, she realized what it was. "He did all these… with a recipe?"

"Down to the last letter."

"Does he… enjoy baking?"

The two seemed a bit surprised at her comment. "Enjoy… why, he's the best! Why wouldn't he enjoy it?"

Sherry frowned. Something about that just didn't feel right to her, and Tyr could see it plainly on her face. "Sherry?"

The pink haired girl shook her head. "Just because you're the best at something doesn't mean you enjoy it…" She sighed. "I love to bake. I come up with all sorts of new recipes so that I can have fun while I do it."

Uriel's parents frowned at that. "Well! Perhaps that is how you see things, but we have taught our son better! He is going to win this competition, just you watch! Come along, dear." They began herding their son away. The quiet child kept his eyes on Sherry a moment longer before following his parent's lead. The man and his daughter watched them leave in silence.

"I don't like people like that," Tyr murmured to himself. He glanced over to where Sherry was slowly picking up the containers that had fallen onto the floor and set them on the table, forced to put them in a pile because of the lack of space. A soft, pride filled smile crossed his face. "…Hey Sherry. Let me help you with that."

He moved over beside her and helped her gather up the fallen containers. They drew a few stares, but it only took a few minutes to get everything back onto the table. "That's much better," Sherry said with a small smile. As she admired her work, Tyr noticed that Sherry's container made the bottom layer of the neatly stacked pile. He chose not to point it out.

"Come on," He said, patting her head again. "The others are waiting for us."

"Oh, that's right. We can go." She smiled warmly up at him.

Without another word, the two of them went back outside to the waiting truck. Chrys was engaged in an argument with Luna from outside of the truck. She turned slightly and spotted him, her frustration giving way to undisguised glee. "Master! You finally return!"

She ran/flew to him, embracing him eagerly. Tyr couldn't help but chuckle. "Miss me that much?"

"Of course I did! I could feel your irritation from out here, Master. I wished to go to you at once, but someone—" She shot an angry glare at Luna. "—told me to simply wait for you."

Tyr ran his fingers through Chrys's hair with a small smile. "I was fine, but I appreciate the thought. We just had to deal with a couple of abrasive parents."

"I told you he was fine," Luna said, smirking at the Changeling. Chrys looked like she wanted to retort, but Tyr simply dug his fingers in just a little deeper into her scalp, eliciting a deep purr of pleasure from her, overriding any response she would have had. Luna and Grace looked surprised. "What on earth?"

"Oh, that feels so good…" Chrys purred as Tyr continued his ministrations. "Why on earth do I not let you do this more often…"

"She must be a cat," Grace muttered. "A tall, skinny and… black cat."

After a few more moments of massaging Chrys's head, Tyr finally convinced her to get back in the truck. After Tyr and Sherry got back into the vehicle, they quickly made their way to the hotel. As Tyr had previously stated, it wasn't that far away from the competition building, almost just a couple blocks away. Comfortably within walking distance. A few minutes more, they had their things being taken up to their room. While Tyr helped Grace arrange for her own room, Sherry noticed something out of the corner of her eye. With a sly grin, she slipped away from her 'family' and went over to the breakfast area. She snuck up behind one man seated at a table and slipped her hands over his eyes. "Guess who!"

The man grumbled for a bit before sniffing the air slightly. "Hm? Mercy…? No wait. That voice… and the vague scent of sugar, spice and everything nice… Sherry?"

Sherry giggled and removed her hands, revealing the slightly amused face of Jehu. "Hello, Mr. Jehu!"

"Well, it's certainly nice to see my little friend again," Jehu said, grinning. "I have to admit, you caught me off guard. I was honestly expecting my wife to be playing a prank on me."

Jehu motioned to the chair beside him, and Sherry took the offered seat. "You don't seem surprised to see me here."

The man chuckled, his violet eyes reflecting his mirth. "You don't beat around the bush, do you? Why do you think I was talking to you about opportunity?"

"Wait… so those men…"

"I didn't send them. I simply sent a very nice review of Sugar Cube corner to a friend of mine. I guess he forwarded it?" Jehu thought for a moment, looking completely perplexed. "I must admit, I was surprised he suggested you. But I suppose things happen for a reason." His thoughtful look gave way to a more humorous one. "Excited for the competition?"

Sherry smiled shyly. "I'm nervous. Really nervous. But I'm also really looking forward to it."

"Challenges are always good," Jehu agreed with a nod. His eyes then regarded something behind her. He smirked. "Why, hello there, Princess. A pleasure to see you again."

Sherry turned in her seat to see Luna standing over her. The Princess of the Night smiled softly. "I was wondering where you had gone off to, Sherry," She said with a small laugh. "Imagine my surprise when I see Jehu sitting here with you."

"I like to pop up in unexpected places," Jehu said with his smile becoming a grin. "And may I just say, you look like a full moon on a clear night. Such a calming glow about you."

Luna seemed taken aback by the sudden compliment, but recovered with ease. "I… um… thank you."

"So, when are you due?" During the short conversation, Mercy had walked in on them, a fedora like hat sat atop her head and her bangs held back away from her face by a small braid.

Luna froze in shock, a deep blush rising into her cheeks. "I… uh… you can tell?"

Mercy giggled softly. "I have had three children, Princess Luna. I think I can tell when another woman is pregnant."

"Um… it's been three months."

"Ah, I see. Speaking of my daughters…"

Almost as if on cue, three young ladies of varying ages came from an adjoining hallway. The tallest, and most likely the oldest, looked like a very refined young woman, her silver-white hair falling down her shoulders and framing her face almost perfectly. Her eyes were a light hazel color, and her skin was like pale marble. Although the smile on her face brightened up her entire demeanor, she still seemed to elegantly drift into the room.

The second girl was shorter than the first, her short black hair falling only just to her shoulders. Her eyes were a deep green color, and to any slight glance would reveal the glaring similarities between her and Mercy. The only difference was their height and build. She was listening to the third girl, a slight frown on her face.

The last of the girls was highly animated, her snow white hair bouncing as she bounced along beside the other two. She was obviously the youngest, her youthful mirth and general unquenchable happiness on display for all to see. Her hair had red highlights in it, and her bright energetic eyes were a bright red as well. She was obviously telling the other two some story before her eyes fell on Jehu and she exclaimed in a loud voice: "Daddy!"

Without hesitation, the girl dashed over to Jehu, crossing the short distance in a matter of seconds. Jehu had meanwhile simply stood up, catching the girl in a spinning hug before settling her down, a wild giggle coming from her. He rubbed his face up against hers lovingly. "Well, how's my little sunshine today?"

"I had the greatest dream!" The girl began, before turning to Sherry and Luna. Instead of seeming confused, the girl instead brightened up even more. Her grin widened. "Hi! Are you friends of my dad?"

"Um… yes, I would say that we are," Luna said, almost uncertainly.

"Sweetie," Mercy said with a barely contained laugh. "You need to introduce yourself."

The girl giggled. "Oh, right! I'm Passion Striate, nice to meet you!"

Sherry smiled back. The girl's happiness was almost contagious. "I'm Sherry. It's nice to meet you, Passion."

"I like meeting new people!" Passion said with a wide grin. She glanced up at Luna. "…Is that your mom? You don't look like her."

Luna and Sherry froze at that. Neither of them could properly formulate a response, so it was the silver haired girl who spoke up. Her voice was a soft admonishment, but a laugh was in her eyes. "Now Passion, you know better. Out of the three of us, only Ana looks the most like mother."

Passion thought on that for a moment. "Oh. That's right." Her grin returned almost instantly. "But I love mom. So if she loves her mom, it doesn't matter, does it, Isabel?"

There was silence for a long moment. Jehu gently tousled the hair of the girl in his arms. "You're too adorable for your own good," He chuckled.

The silver haired girl—now revealed to be named Isabel—shook her head. There was a soft smile on her face. "That is her charm, isn't it, father?"

"She is quite adorable," Luna agreed. Isabel glanced over at her, her eyes turning a soft reddish color as she frowned. "…Is… something wrong?"

"There is darkness on your heart…" Isabel murmured, oblivious to Luna's comment. Her voice had taken on a multi-toned feature to it, as if multiple voices were speaking at once. Before Luna could repeat her question, Ana reached over and gently nudged her older sister, breaking her out of her semi-trance. Her voice returned to normal. "Huh? Oh, I apologize, I was thinking of something else."

At that moment, Tyr and Chrys came over, a small frown on the man's face. "I'm shocked how hard that was… oh hello. What's going on over here?"

"I was just introducing my family to yours," Jehu said with a small smile. "Nice to see you again, Tyr."

"Same to you," Tyr said with a slight nod. He glanced around at the group. "…Only girls?"

For once, Jehu frowned. He shrugged. "Apparently I'm cursed. Go figure."

Mercy smiled and draped her arms around her husband's shoulders, kissing him lovingly on the cheek. "You know you adore your daughters, love."

"I never said I didn't."

Mercy looked back over at Tyr and Luna. The couple had almost unconsciously moved closer together, the man putting an arm around the smaller girl's waist. "…So what are you two looking for? A boy or a girl?"

"Well…" Luna touched her stomach lightly. "…We're having twins."

"Oh, that sounds so wonderful," Isabel said.

Tyr smiled. "She made me the happiest man alive."

"I'd argue that," Jehu said quietly, only loud enough for his wife to hear. She hugged him a little tighter. They both shared a knowing smile.

"Ah, there they are!" A familiar voice called. They all looked up to find Twilight, her five friends, and two rather belligerent men coming over to them. Ace and Flash were arguing, as usual, while they lugged in a truly impressive mountain of suitcases. "We were wondering if we picked the right hotel."

"You all are staying at the same hotel as us?" Luna asked, a bit surprised.

"Princess Celestia told us," Rarity said, flashing a winning smile at Jehu and his wife. "It is nice to see you again, Sir Jehu."

Jehu and Mercy seemed a bit surprised. "Sir?"

"You seem the knightly sort," Rarity continued. "Am I… wrong?"

"Not in the slightest," Mercy said with a soft laugh. "Jehu was knighted by a dear friend of ours."

"Although in all technicality, our father is a Lord," Ana pointed out softly. She had stuck a pair of earphones in her ears, and was seated off to the side of the group.

Rarity stuttered. "A-A lord?" Her friends rolled their eyes; Rarity had a penchant for getting star struck easily. Especially with knights or Lords.

"Please don't start with the honorifics," Jehu said, holding up a hand. "I hate that sort of thing. Just call me Jehu."

Luna nodded. "I believe I understand. My sister and I request that of all our subjects."

"About damn time," Ace grumbled, coming over with Flash. "Why the hell did it take so long for us to get some kind of help with those things…?"

"I think the better question is why Rarity needed so many bags," Flash said, glaring over at the fashionista. Rarity giggled slightly, smiling nervously.

"I have to be prepared for any possibility," Rarity pointed out.

"Jehu," Mercy said softly. "We have to go soon, love."

Jehu thought for a moment before nodding. "Right, right. Well, duty calls, girls."

Passion seemed upset. "Aw, we have to leave already?"

"Yes dear. Come on." Jehu got up, Mercy moving to give him space as he did so. He smiled at the group. "Well, it was pretty nice to see you all again. Sorry we have to go, but duty calls."

"It was fun," Sherry said with a smile.

"Good luck in the competition," Passion told the pink haired girl, a wide smile on her face. "Daddy says you're a really good baker!"

Tyr smiled. "That she is. Well, we will most likely see you all around."

"Very likely," Jehu said with a small wink at Sherry. "Enjoy your stay!"

The Striate family left then, the girls forming up around Jehu as his youngest daughter resumed telling whatever story she had been telling. "Well, they seemed nice," Fluttershy offered.

Tyr glanced over at his daughter. Sherry was quiet, eyes gazing down at the cube hanging around her neck. The haphazard design bothered the eyes, but the owner of the object didn't seem to be bothered by it. She more so looked confused. "Something wrong, Sherry?" He asked finally.

"I thought I heard…" She shook her head. "…Nothing. Never mind."

"I reckon she's just hungry," Applejack joked, only to be answered by a low growl from her girlfriend. Fluttershy blushed. "…I reckon we are all pretty hungry, huh?"

"Finally!" Rainbow groaned. "I thought I was going to die of starvation over here!"

"So should we go out to eat?" Tyr asked.

"That sounds wonderful," Luna said, nodding. "But… where should we go?"

Her fiancé grinned. "I know a good place."

-x-

"Way to almost drop the ball, sis," Ana said with a chuckle. The rest of her family laughed as well, while Isabel blushed slightly, looking a little nervous.

"I can't help it when Tsukiyomi triggers like that," Isabel claimed. "And when I see things like that…"

"Was the darkness around her that thick?" Mercy asked, a little concerned. "If it becomes too much of a problem…"

"We let them handle it," Jehu murmured. His family seemed a bit surprised by that.

"If we can help, why don't we?" Passion demanded. Jehu simply chuckled and rested a hand on his youngest daughter's head.

"We're primarily observers," Jehu said softly. "If we were to help every time, others would not be able to handle it if we're not around. Understand?"

"Yeah…"

Jehu glanced up and smiled softly. "Mercy, take the girls and go on ahead. I've got one last person to speak to."

Mercy nodded without saying anything, ushering her daughters off while Jehu waited. Once they were out of sight, a soft voice spoke up. "You didn't have to send your family away."

"I figured you'd want privacy while we spoke," Jehu said, looking over. Celestia had approached him, a small frown on her face. Still pretty though, Jehu thought with a small smile. He gestured to a nearby coffee shop. "Care to join me?"

"If you have time."

"Nothing but." They moved over to the coffee shop and took a table, Jehu ordering hot chocolate and Celestia getting tea. A girl in a cat-girl outfit brought their drinks over before skipping back over to the front counter. Jehu and Celestia sat in companionable silence until finally Celestia spoke her mind.

"You are not human, are you, Jehu Striate?"

"That obvious?" Jehu asked jokingly, a grin splitting his face. He chuckled. "I thought I was doing such a good job of hiding it."

"I do not have the time for your usual antics, Jehu."

"Bothers you, does it? I'm pretty sure you'd have a different opinion, since you've dealt with worse heralds of Chaos."

Celestia winced. "You know of him?"

Jehu leaned back, a slight smile on his face. "Of course I do."

"Regardless. I would like to know where you stand." Celestia frowned. "You helped us once."

"That I did. But normally, I'm simply an observer." Jehu sighed. "I've done my part in keeping dimensions intact."

"So you will only act if this world is in danger?"

"Essentially." Jehu sipped at his drink, a small smile rolling over his face. "Or when the opposing party decides they want to play hardball. There's a lot on the line, Celestia. A lot, for once, that you are unaware of."

"How much?"

"That, I can't say." Jehu thought for a moment. "…mm no, Can't really tell."

"…This is far from helpful," Celestia complained. Jehu simply laughed.

"I'm doing my best. Jeez, you and Sherry both think I'm trying to not help. I can truly only give so much information."

"And speaking of young Sherry Spice, what is your business with her?" Celestia frowned. "You gave her the cube, did you not? Why?"

"I didn't have any particular plans for it," Jehu admitted. "The cube responding to her was a far gone conclusion, and just plain freaky, to be honest. I didn't expect it myself. But hey, everything's possible."

Celestia frowned but said nothing. Jehu was a conundrum, yet at first meeting it seemed like he took everything so simply. He never seemed to frown, and never seemed to take anything seriously. But whenever she spoke to him, she got the feeling he knew a lot more than he let on. Suddenly, she remembered. "You never answered my question."

"Did you ask one?"

"What are you, Jehu Striate?"

To her surprise, Jehu's smile gave way to a neutral expression. "Hm. Would you believe me if I told you?"

"I have seen a lot of things in my lifetime. I doubt you could surprise me."

Jehu's grin returned. "I'm the Arbiter of Chaos. Oh, and a vampire."

"Vampire…?" Celestia trailed off, noticing the sharp canines in Jehu's mouth. She shivered a bit. "That sounds like something you'd say first."

"I thought being an agent of Chaos would be more worrisome to you."

"It is." Celestia frowned. "Although sitting across a table from someone who would gladly drink my blood is a bit… how should I say, odd?"

Jehu laughed. "No worries, I only partake of Mercy's blood. Unless you're offering…?"

His violet eyes glowed ever so slightly, a little menacingly. There was a question in those eyes she was not willing to give an answer to. Celestia unconsciously drew back. "No thank you."

"Very well." Jehu leaned back in his chair, sipping at his hot chocolate. He didn't seem that put off by her instant denial. Almost as if he expected it.

"I thought vampires could not eat normal food? Like a Changeling from our world?"

"You'd be surprised how many rules get broken when you deal with Chaos." Jehu grinned. "Plus, I've made a habit of it. Not used to Chaotic influence?"

"I've experienced my share. Not planning to cause chocolate rain? Or cotton candy clouds?"

"Oh, that sounds like fun."

"…It's not."

"Sounds extremely messy," Jehu agreed. "But I digress. My power is only used if necessary. I'd rather not cause a dimension to collapse."

Collapse? Celestia looked up sharply. "What did you say…?"

Jehu sighed. "I'd love to stay, Princess, but I have to go."

"What?"

The man in front of her stood up. "I have some business to attend to. I'd love to stay and chat, but I can't. We can always do this again."

Celestia frowned. "And you truly mean no harm to my people?"

Jehu grinned. "Of course not. I can honestly say I've only hated one person. Anything else I do is just for fun." He tapped the edge of her cup playfully.

He turned and left, leaving the princess of the sun sitting at the table alone. She was confused. Jehu claimed to only want good, but was only an observer? And what he was… she was not surprised vampires or other mythical things existed, but his claim to be an agent of Chaos… could she trust him? Resolving to look into the matter, she took a sip of her tea—

"…Juice?" She frowned down at her cup. She could have sworn she had tea a moment ago. Perhaps she had been mistaken. "Excuse me, miss?"

The girl that had served them came over, a smile on her face. "Is something wrong, miss?"

"I believe I had ordered tea. This is juice."

"But… I brought you tea…" The girl seemed confused.

Celestia could barely conceal her shock. That man… she found herself chuckling. "Never mind, my dear. I was simply mistaken." She would certainly keep an eye on that man. He was an enigma, to be sure. But there was a certainty that he would not be a threat.

-x-

"Oh, that was good!" Rainbow said with a happy smile. She patted her stomach. "I couldn't eat another bite!"

Tyr and his giant group of friends had taken over the back corner of a restaurant and were just finishing their loud dinner. While the older members of the group sat together, the younger kids were on one end to themselves. The restaurant was relatively empty except for them, so they were free to arrange the tables into a weird L shape and enjoy their company. Chuckling at Rainbow's comment, Applejack spoke up. "You sure did pack it away, RD."

"I was hungry! Can you blame me?"

"My, you certainly did eat a lot," Rarity remarked, glancing at the plates in front of their brazen friend. "Such a large amount…"

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Not everyone can eat small meals like you and Flutters, Rarity. I've got to keep my energy up!"

"Hopefully you can work all of that extra off," Fluttershy said.

"I get plenty of exercise," Rainbow assured her.

"How much of that is Ace involved in?" Flash asked.

"Ace and I always work out together… hey!"

The table broke out into laughter. The younger group, not understanding the joke, just watched them with confusion. "Adults are weird," Spike pointed out.

"Seconded," Sweetie Bell said.

"Well, we'll be adults one day," Sherry pointed out.

"But they're adults now, and they're weird now," Scootaloo complained. "Ace and Dash always make these weird jokes when it gets late at night."

"Applejack and Fluttershy aren't weird!" Applebloom said. "But… they sure do get lovey-dovey sometimes."

"Same with Twilight and Flash," Spike said with a chuckle. "Sometimes I think they forget I'm in the room."

"It's probably just a couple thing," Sweetie Bell said. She glanced over at Sherry. "Are Tyr and Luna like that?"

Sherry was quiet for a moment, messing with the cube around her neck. "Well… not all the time. Sometimes, dad just gets really quiet while he's watching Luna. And he just kind of smiles whenever he's talking to her."

The others were quiet for a moment. "That's… really sweet," Sweetie Bell said, smiling. "They really love each other, don't they?"

"Mmhm."

"So!" Applebloom decided to change the subject. "You looking forward to having siblings, Sherry?"

"Oh, that's right!" Sweetie Bell exclaimed. "Princess Luna is having a baby, isn't she?"

"She's having twins," Spike clarified.

"Even cooler!"

Sherry smiled. "I'm a little nervous, cause I'll be a big sister. But I think I'll be okay."

"I wish I had another sister," Sweetie Bell said. Then, she suddenly perked up. "Oh! Or a niece!"

"A niece?" Applebloom looked confused. "How're y'all gonna have a niece?"

"If Rarity and Pinkie Pie have a baby!"

"They can't have a baby," Spike pointed out. "They're both girls."

"They could always adopt," Sherry pointed out softly. "So could Applejack and Fluttershy."

"I think Fluttershy would make a good mom," Sweetie Bell said. "She's so gentle."

"Yeah!" Applebloom agreed. "An Applejack is like, the best big sister ever! She'd be a great mom!"

"I don't think being a good sister automatically makes a good mom," Spike said.

"Maybe it does!"

Sherry giggled softly. Her friends were silly sometimes. She was about to throw in her own opinion when she heard a soft voice say:

~Help~

She froze on the spot. She glanced around, but the only person who would have spoken that softly was Fluttershy, and she was busy listening to Rarity and Pinkie describe some fancy party they went to. A tap on her shoulder brought her attention back to her friends, who all looked concerned. "Something wrong, Sherry?" Applebloom asked.

"I… thought I heard someone say something," Sherry said, uncertainty in her voice.

"Everybody's talking," Spike said, earning himself an elbow in the side from Sweetie Bell. "Ow!"

"It was a soft voice," Sherry murmured. "Someone asked me for help."

"It wasn't one a us," Applebloom said. "…was it?"

"I didn't say anything," Scootaloo claimed.

"Me neither," Sweetie Bell said.

Spike shook his head. "Same here."

Sherry frowned. She knew she had heard that voice; it had been so clear, as if someone had spoken in right into her ear. But no one near her had said anything. She shook her head and decided not to worry about it. It would only distract her, and she had a competition to participate in. Whatever the voice was, who it came from, or what they wanted was not her concern.

Sherry's got some mysteries cropping up around her, it seems. And Jehu's not doing much to answer any of those questions, is he?

Oh, and by the way: Tsukiyomi=Soo-Kee-Oh-Mi.

I know someone out there will be wondering how it's pronounced. There ya go.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, don't forget to comment if you like, and look forward to the next one! The Library Accepts All!

Hwyl Fawr! (It's Welsh. And trying to pronounce it is ridiculous)