Dusty

Seeing the city from this view was not a new one. She did have some airships after all. But flying over it on your own? With your own wings? That was a very strange feeling that changed the view in ways she’d never dream of… And just as swiftly filled her head with alarming worry. They can all fly now. All of them. Every last single one… And that was terrifying. Nothing was prepared for that. Her home was built to keep them safe from the ground, not the sky. And it was not some army, war or some such thing that was worrying her. No, it was a force far worse than some invading army. It was the paparazzi's. And it was just by luck the paparazzi were as new too all of this as she was as none of them seemed to work out just yet they could fly around like a swarm of flies. At least until they spotted the two Royals coming in for a landing at the castle. Most stuck to the ground, still uneasy about flying. But many were more than willing to put the wings to the test and took to the air like some thirsty nat swarm that smelled sweat. It was terrifying and Pipp only grew more fearful at the lack of guards. Where her mother saw many she only saw far too few. But they were trying. Soon as the Royals raced to the ground the guards rushed them, winges covering them and leading them into safety as fast as possible. Sargents shouting and the Captain of the guard rushing past bellowing orders and screaming at the swarm of flashing cameras, beating wings and shouting voices to back off. At least some of the guards knew loyalty. And soon it was over. The roaring sound of the masses silenced as two grand doors swung shut. Pipp found herself shaking. She was used to this. The masses. The screaming. The cameras. And yet she was shaken. After the… Event. She has been safe from it. That small earth pony town did not care what she was. She didn't think they even understood what a Royal even was. It let her feel safe in a way. But that swarm. That rush of sound, flashing and way too many wings rushing up to see her. It was scary. She felt so small. So young. Powerless and helpless to stop events going on around her. She shoved her head up underneath one of Haven’s wings. It was an instinctual act for safety, like some young pegasus hidden underneath a nesting mother. She knew it was not proper for her age and she didn't care. She just didn't. She failed to evcen speak for a moment and let out a soft chirp of distress. She was done with all of this. She wanted her ice cream and she wanted to be held. She’d face the problems later.

Pipp let out a happy chirp when mom said yes to ‘nesting’ her. She hated calling it that, but it was what it was. But it sounded so foal like! She just liked to view it as a warm snuggly time with mom. And you are never too old for that honestly and if some pony told her otherwise she just felt bad for them. She wanted to hug her mother honestly at that moment but after playing out a few scenarios in her head that all ended with them crashing… She can save the hugs for later. “Thanks mom.” Was what she had to settle for at the moment and some warm smiles back at her mother. Honestly this flight time bonding was nice. When was the last time they had so much time alone to just talk together? To just speak so openly and freely? Look how much ground they covered! Worked out things to do together and came up with a plan to maybe keep the crown where it belonged! On their heads. Well, mom's head. And fit in game time as well. Honestly maybe she and mom needed to do this from time to time? Just fly around with each other? Not too often or it may get boring. But a nice air time pow-wow to talk free and away from outsiders. She shifted her focus back to the city, shocked how much closer it was. Flying was so… Fast! They covered so much ground so swiftly! And that was with her less than speedy self being matched in speed. It was so strange to think about that. Flying. It was just a thing now. The sky belonged to them again! … How did they build cities in the sky? Can they do that? Can they move her city into the air and keep it safe forever? Well ok, never mind that part. The skyfall did happen and that was very bad for the flying cities and every pony in them. So maybe keep it all on the ground for safety. But guarding the city will be so much easier now! No more need to cut paths out and build bridges! Just in case another tribe comes to invade them! Was she doing that thing again? Maybe. She wanted to shove her face underneath mom's wings and sleep. She was tired of all this stress, worrying and fear. And ice cream. She wanted ice cream. A big cup of it! Heck, give her the tub. But she knew mom would not let that happen. If Pipp was queen she’d eat whatever she wanted.

Tempest was honestly, genuinely and completely confused by just about every word that left AJ’s muzzle. She was so lost for words and where to even start she found herself just kinda staring at the other as if AJ had gone and grown two heads before her eyes. Where did she even start with… All of that? Where can she? What did AJ mean Bloom was knocked up? How did… Oh. She knew how. And when. By the all-father that trip was a disaster and even worse than she knew it seemed… At least AJ did not blame her for that uh… Event… She let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding and just placed her face into her front hooves. She was not about too cry. She was fine. Everything is fine. She has a place to stay and work. That was… Easy. Way easier than she planned. She was ready for yelling, arguing and worse. She was so used to everything being against her she never knew what to do when it didn't go that way. And worst of all it's been like this for years! Help, help, help! And she still didn't believe others would help her until they did. And then she’d do this! Break down! What was wrong with her? Why did she want things to go bad? To just prove her worldview? Too make her feel justified for everything she’s done and her hatred? She didn't know. She just knew she’d keep running after her own tail in some endless spirling disaster if she was left alone. That is why she was here. She needed a pony like AJ to just say it how it was. Blunt as a hammer and to the point. She let out a breath and pulled in another. Deep breaths. Slow and steady. Relaxe. Deep breaths. Slow and steady. Relaxe. She felt her body loosen up and heart rate slow. Everything was going to be ok. She was ready to talk again. “Ok… Going to take this one part at a time. It’s not great news. I’m… I have to be honest with myself with this statement. I’m an alcoholic. Part of why I’m here. I don’t trust myself to not ‘get into the hooch’ as you put it. I had to toss everything out and… It's hard. Don’t even start me on smoking as well. Vice and vice, just to shut my brain up and make me feel remotely ok. Cutting both all at once has not been easy… But I have not touched it for… A few weeks.” She felt a spark of shame, she was well past a ‘few weeks’ into being pregnant. She already bucked this all up for… Them. Not ‘them’ Tempest. Her foals. Caves? Well best she opened up about that part. If Bloom got knocked up by… Mutts… How did that even work? No wonder a caribou put calves in her if a darn mutt can do the same to a pony! UGH! “Caves, caribou, caribou dad.” She sputters out with all the grace of a fish flopping on land. “I don’t know him.” She added. She decided early on to tell no one the truth about that. She knew the father. Very well in fact… Too well it seemed with where that ended up going. “Doc says they will be reindeer thanks to that. Honestly the naming is lost on me but that’s what happens when a caribou bull knocks up a pony or something. The funny thing is, that is the one part I feel no shame in.” And she didn't. He was everything she’d want in a partner if she was truthful. Strong, fit and holding power. … “My appetite, speaking of that, has been… Strange. It's good I'm no stranger to eating whatever I need for survival as I have felt some insane need to eat some very odd things. Moss. lichens… Even fish. Few days ago I stuffed a fish with lichens and devoured it like my life was going to end otherwise. Honestly I can’t tell if that’s strange or not. At the moment it seemed like I had to eat that but after it… Why?” She shakes her head, was she rambling? Did AJ even want to hear all of this? She needed to talk about things that matter. Like the rooming. “You can put me wherever it works. Bloom is a good mare, I’d be fine crashing in some room with her as long as she doesn't mind.” She did wonder what the ‘carrot house’ was… That was an odd name. But a house is a house. She’s slept in literal holes in the ground and behind dumpsters. So she really can’t fuss about a carrot themed home… As that is what her gut told her it was going to be. She looked back at AJ and just how worn out the mare looked. She felt guilty again. The mare needed rest. Maybe next morning she can ask about what happened to the poor mare. “I know it's late. I'm honestly tired too. Maybe we can both just head to bed and crash and talk about this all in the morning? I will just sleep somewhere and we can work out the rooming with bloom later. I don’t want to wake her up… Unless the young mare is still up. Then I can go and tell her what’s going on, knowing her, she will take me in just as openly as you did without much fuss.” The more she talked about going someplace to rest the more welcoming it sounded. At this rate even the floor looked nice. When was the last time she even got some sleep? She didn't sleep much before leaving to jump on a train. Did not sleep once the full ride down here. So she was working on about two, two and a half days with maybe four hours of sleep? That didn't seem right. But she felt as tired as AJ looked now that she let herself think about it. She did want to say more. She wanted to talk and talk. Talk more than she’s ever talked. Yet the words kept bogging down in her brain. So maybe she did need rest.

‘or mares’ was not something Pipp was honestly prepared to hear from her mom. She didn't react to it but it did stick in her head for a moment. Will a mare be better for her? She did wonder that some times. In some odd dreamy way but never let it play out too far. Was that strange? How can you not think like that when watching some of the guard mares working out? Or stallions. Fit, strong. Heck, she’d be pulling her own tail if she didn't admit she eyed up Sunny's BFF. For an earth pony he is very nice on the eyes. She’d not fuss at all seeing some earth pony guards trotting about the palace if they all looked that beefy and big. … What were they talking about again? Yes! Games. “Settlers of Maretonia?” She says as if tasting the words. She felt like she had seen Maretonia somewhere. Was it an old queendom? Sounds like it. “Well, it can't be that hard to play a board game. It is a game on a table with pieces of paper and whatnot. But it will be easy to set up some good angles… Sky-cam, some side views.” She nodded her head, planning the layout for how too go about it. Good thing she was not new to this song and dance. She’s had to set up streams in odd places! Like the time she did that waterfall… Well, it was tricky. She then yawned big and wide, looking up at the guards flying overwatch then ahead at the glow of the city coming closer and closer. “So I know we are going too have ice cream when we get home, but how does a nap sound?” she asked, looking back over at her mom with a soft smile, her funr legs rubbing together. She wanted to ask something but it was so silly! But this week has been so… Well, awful. “Can you… Uh, you know. With the wings. Like when I was young. I know I'm not a foal, I don’t need you doing that but it's not like you can’t. I’m not that much bigger than a filly.” She felt embarrassed even asking but she did love when mom did it. She wondered if the other tribes had something like it? Did their mothers feel some need to lay on top of her foals and shelter them? It was very cozy and warm and unlike most Pipp can still pull it off! Well, more like she was so small her mom can still do it. What was rare, but sometimes she can talk Haven into it. And you know what she earned. Ice-cream and napping with that warm, safe feeling of a mother nesting on you. She pitied the other tribes if they didn't know of such things.

“Yep, that one!” Pipp says with a nod of her head, tucking her phone away after being done with it. For now. It often found its way back onto her hoof as soon as she put it away. But in the moment her focus did want to stay on mom flying alongside her. At least it was until mom dragged up a topic Pipp didn't really want to focus on. “Suitors? Oh, plenty. A full screaming mass of them in fact. Now if you are asking about suitable suitors? No.” She says, rolling her eyes. Zipp was the prize for the noble families of the city, Pipp was the runner up. Yes they did send flattery her way and gifts. But that was all part of meet and greets between the powerful, nothing really to do with romancing her. The only real ‘suitors’ she had trying to win her over were a few guards from low-nobility families. But honestly she didn't mind being overlooked in this one specific way. Most of the colts being shoved Zipps way were… Well. how can she put it? She didn't even fully know herself. She was just thankful they were not on her tail. “Go ask Zipp that, she needs a consort more than I will after all.” She says after a moment, huffing and wanting to talk about other things. “So what board games will you want to play with us? I think the last time I even did one with you was….” A long time ago it felt like. When she was much younger. “A long time ago. Back when my nickname was ‘puff ball’.” She added, giggling at some old memories and what happened when a young pipp was blow-dried after a bath. She can still become a puff ball even now, if she wanted. Sometimes she did treat mom and Zipp to a rare puffy Pipp. Only in closed doors of course. Last thing she needed was her fans to see how fuzzy she can really get with some work.

Pipp felt over the moon about this! First off, mom was trusting her with some rather important matters. And was going to try too take part in her new stream idea? Maybe this… Uprising had some good sides after all. Well other than the obvious parts. Even if she still felt uneasy about them… Everypony was so… Easy going about this. Stuff. But she still felt uneasy around the other tribes. Most of all the horn heads. They had magic back! You know, the magic that almost doomed all of ponykind? Took the sky away from the pegasi? It was obviously their fault after all. But everypony seemed to be moving on ahead with all of this, all was good. But if the horn heads pulled something again she’d be the first one to step and go ‘See! Told you so.’ and then run for her life or something. But that was a worry for other places and time. This was all too much good news for her to be held down by her worries and very healthy and not problematic paranoia! That was most definitely not made worse by the past week's events! She was very sound of mind and perfectly fit to be a queen. If that happened. It may happen. You never know. Zipp didn't like the crown all that much after all. And she was spacing out thinking about things again… So she shook it off and smiled at mom. “Yes yes, no Call of Duty or Battlefield for you. Even if I’d love to see you trash talk some colts.” She giggled at that and looked down at her phone and siped her hoof over it. “Magic Kings may be something you enjoy, didn't you see me play that a few times? It's set way, way back. Pre-uniteing age. Plotting, curt intrigue and all that good stuff. And endless jokes about us Royals having a family wreath, not a tree.” She chuckled some more and gave her mother an unspoken look. "And you have fine reaction time. Like that time a crazy fan rushed me to get a feather. Remember that? I do, and clearly remember you reacting faster than my own guards about that. And giving them a truly end of the world dressing down as you held the creep pinned to the walkway. Your wits and reaction time is fine.”

The scream did put a spot to the ‘nocking’ if one can call it that. Tempest just held her hoof in place, eyes staring at the door with a thousand mile stare as she struggled to convince herself this was needed. She can still run away. Hide in the woods. Fall off the face of this land and face her problems alone. Again. But she… She can’t. If not for herself, for others that didn't deserve that fate. And her hooves held her in place as she heard the hoof-steps approaching and a door swung open. And the mare standing on the other side… Well it took a moment for tempest to register that it was Applejack. What in the name of the gods happened to this mare? AJ looked as bad as Herself in some ways. Mare looked like she went to war with a hidra and won a pyrrhic victory against the best. From the way AJ walked she knew… Something bad happened to her legs or back. And the mare just looked… messy. Not that Tempest was looking much better. Her mane was not even in a mohawk and flowed freely down one side of her face, dirty and wild from train hitchhiking down here. She only has two saddle bags packed with food and water and a few odds and ends. Eyes were glossy and unfocused from too much… Feelings. but most easy for AJ to notice was the fact a mare as lean as Tempest was much wider in the barrel, pushed out to her sides were two noticeable bumps as if she swallowed a pair of watermelons. She in fact had to cut a hole out in her jumpsuit for her barrel just to get it on. Some part of her knew trying to keep wearing that jumpsuit was silly. But she needed it more than ever. The snugness gave her some comfort. Even if she had to cut a hole in it to make room for… Well. She followed AJ into the home, not speaking one word yet. She needed too but found her muzzle unwilling to speak. She just followed silently watching the stiff walk of AJ, ears flicking as she picked up soft sounds and hoof steps upstairs. The long silence was getting uncomfortable and she knew it. So after a moment she took in a deep breath as they made it to the living room and she took a seat in a rather cozy chair. “AJ, just. Look at me.” She says, aiming a hoof down at her wide barrel. “I made… A mistake.” She flinched saying it like that. How can it be a mistake when it was all her fault? This was all her doing. Start to end. She rubbed her front hooves into her muzzle and took in another deep breath. She was mostly holding herself together. Mostly. Her voice wavered, the cold uncaring tone breaking up like ice in spring to unleash the truth underneath. She was feeling… A lot of stuff. And she can’t keep it all packed away underneath some uncaring coldness. “Two. Twins.” She added, knowing AJ will ask. Not like it was hard too notice she looked bigger than if it was just one. “I’m…” She looked over at AJ and felt.. Guilty. Here she was just worrying about herself when AJ looked like fell out of a blasted airship. “Sorry. Hello Applejack, sorry for not keeping in touch. Things have been messy for me and it looks the same for you.” She looked over at the mare, feeling even more guilty as she eyed up the coach. It looked a lot like her ‘bed’ back when she lived in los-peguses. So she knew it was being used as such by AJ. What happened to this mare? “Not going to push open doors you don’t want, don’t gotta tell me what’s going on in your life. But can I spend a few days here? Can sleep out in the barn, will even do some work around here. I just need to air my head out and get some advice from… From a mother I trust. You have dealt with more shiii-” She cut herself off, ears flicking as she looked up for a moment. No cussing, not here. “You have dealt with a lot of hardships and came out… Well, you. A mother I wish I had growing up. I’m going to do this. Going to give them… Give them something I never had. But I don’t know how or if I even can. I’m… I’m Tempest and all that brings. But I want to learn.” She knew she could leave them at a shelter. She can pass this burden on as soon as they are born. But she found herself sick by that. Abandoned. Like she was. Alone to face this cruel uncaring world. Just like she had to do. Unloved. Unwanted. She can’t do that to them. It didn't matter how they came to be and if it was a mistake. They didn't ask for this and she can’t toss them into the unknown by her own doing. She was going to be better than her own mother in every single way. She’d be there for them. Look after them. LOVE them. Love. Something she hardly knew but wanted so bad. How can she give something she never had? She didn't know but by the gods she was going too try.

“I’d say no on full open instant feedback. Take it from me, it's hard to keep them in line even with guidelines and banned topics.” Pipp says with a scrunch of her nose. Mom had no clue the madness she had to put up with. Chat was… Something. Make it open for all feedback too the government? Oh no, no no. Just no. “Ya that’d be a disaster. Be nothing but memes, hate speech and jokes about some royal flanks.” She added, clearly seeing that firestorm play out in her head and mom asking her what ‘up dog’ was about. She looked back at mom and stuck out her tongue for a moment. “Hoof-gilding is populer, in my top five most watched content. Wild I know. Only out watched by me chowing down on food.” she says, shaking her head and laughing gently. “And before you fuss mother, yes I am still watching what I eat. Not like the cooks will even make me extra cake… Speaking of, Flick Ray? A podcast with him? A sports pod-cast?” She blinked a few times, eyeing Haven up than looking down at herself. “Hrm, nope. Don’t think that’s a good match for my talents…” She blinked again and snapped her head up to look at her mother with a grin. “I know! Been wanting to do something like this. Royal Game Night! Me, you and sis play games together online and I stream it. And I will… Even set up some board game nights. Only fair I let you have the edge sometimes. Be fun and let the outside see us some more. Too be fair, few ever see much of… Us. How we live. I was the only window in for most. So maybe letting them see all three of us just living, joking and playing together will open some eyes.” She really wanted this to happen. First of it will mean she and mom had more things to do together! And Zipp… But more time with mom!

Pipp did in fact crave acknowledgment. A fact most may call obvious but few know she truly wanted her mothers acknowledgment far more than her horde of fans. They were the faceless mass, nothing more than screaming fanatics most of the time. That was fine and dandy buy nothing close to seeing her mother smiling and praising her. It was one one of the few things that can truly make her get up and do things with only a mild amount of complaining. Well, most things. She would fuss a lot whenever mom forced her to ‘work out’ and ‘eat less sweets’, why her mom sided with that fitness instructor she’d never understand. She was a princess! Not some solder. Whatever. Praise! And duty! Mom was tusting her with something very important! “Awesome, that’s what I'm going too do. If I can get my chat to behave how hard will this be? Speaking of… Oh that is going to be a hot mess when I boot it up tomorrow.” She frowned for a moment, thinking. “Maybe uploading a free vid of my hooves being re-gilded will help…” She left unspoken her plan to toss in a bonus vid for all her subs of the much needed preening she’s going to do back home. That stuff always made them happy. And creepy. Oh so creepy. But she’d have to go all in on damage control… Did she need to do an apology? No, no that was bad. That was not in. Apology vids got meme’d into the ground. Stand her ground and keep her head up tall, that's what she needed to do. Her fans will respect that and think it's based. “So, you had plans to help smooth this over? What were they? We can work together to put out this fire before it gets too big. We need to get hold of this before they start asking about things like, voting or electing their own leaders.”

Rongyu was dumbstruck by how… Open they were being. Yes, this mare is Feng's sister. But she was still an unknown element and a possible hostile. She needs to be treated as such. And so she glared at Feng for all of his story, looking like she was about to eat his ears off. But in the end she just let out a huff and snorted as the joke came back, she found it very hard to keep her resting grumpy face with anetics like this going on… And then the fox gave up on playing a part and switched back into being a fox for a moment to show off… Still, a very nice looking fox but really Yanhua? What if somehow they were being spied on? Not sneakily at all… But Rongyu can’t be mad at her. In fact she felt… Sad. That last remark was… Why did it make her feel like this? Why can’t Feng see how much this fox loved him? She’d be over the moon to have someone care that much about herself! And the blind fool just… Pranced on about, clueless. So she leaned her head down, pushing her big muzzle close to the guiseed foxes ears and spoke softly so only she’d hear this. “I’d pick you a dozen times for the company alone, but the cooking is a nice treat as well. Hopefully you can cook me something on this trip. Take it over some fast food.” With that she raised her head up and looked down at brother and sister. “I am here as it's my duty to be here. That is all.” No opening up, no telling un-needed details. “Regrettable as it is, I work for him. I know, I know. How did that happen? Well that’s a secret. But someone has to keep him safe. He’d end up some bulls concubine otherwise by now as you may imagine. It's the golden hooves I think.” She smiled smugly, grinning ear to ear with her sharp teeth at Feng knowing full well she was now the one playing in hot water. She was going to regret this later. But for now… Worth it.

“Even if it's just a few, it's a few more to fill some ranks that will badly need some filling. We can’t keep all of our old guards and we can’t risk having even less than before. Even a dozen at best is still better than nothing.” She says, glad to see mom sided with her on this, the plan had some snags with it. But nothing she can’t deal with. “Friction will be easy. Just shove some ponies we trust fully in some new postings, do some promoting and rearranging… I can keep the media off that easy, paper work shuffling is oh so boring compared some hot new Pipp streams from outside of the city. Maybe steam on a boat? Hrm, well I will think about that. But we keep pegasus guards close to us on top, that will keep them happy. By the time outsiders have earned some new ranks the worst of the friction will be long past, hopefully, and we pass out a few sargents to make them feel like we are fair and open. Win win.” She glanced back at her phone as some new texts came in, rolled her eyes, than looked back at mom. “I will take on responsibility for integration and smoothing it over with the masses and troops. I can deal with that no problem. But let's start with picking out some stallions from the RSG to shadow us first. We need that A S A P, then we can work on restructuring… Then sending out letters to the unicorns and earth ponies to see if we can get some takers. Have to offer them some good pay and benefits to come out this way… It is a big thing. And can’t say the takers on it may be the best of the best. But we have to start somewhere.” She found herself a little taken back by how much she’s latched onto this. Yet she felt some pride in it, like she was stepping up and trying to take control back from this wild ride she was stuck on. And to be honest, she just loved taking the lead and all eyes on her. She can do this, she can be safe again and FIX this mess and get everything back to the way it's supposed to be.

Pipp looked over at her mom with lok that very clearly said ‘why did you even ask that?’ when asked why the captain texted her. “Maybe if you remembered to keep that phone on you they’d text you, not me, to give up-dates.” She says with a sweet tone and smile, she had this talk oh so many times with mom. You’d be shocked how often other nobles called her first just to pass on messages for mother. She honestly needed to tax them for it. But moving on she nodded her head to the rest of what mom was saying. “Ya, ya… That’s a good point…” Some part of her whispered ‘this is why they don’t want you as a queen’ but she shakes it off with a flick of her head to look back at the phone in her hooves. “Reliable ponies?” She repeated, then became aware of that. Where can they? Can she trust the common masses? Not after this. They needed ponies with… No ties to this. Ohh… “I think I have an idea for that! Maybe we can hire some earth ponies? Unicorns? They’d have no no tie to the drama that happened and probably will not care. Never there problem to begin with. Most of all the unicorns, you saw how they lived. Like savages. Not even one TV! We offer them good pay and good room and board and they’d be on our side in a heartbeat I think. Just keep the pegues guards we trust as sargents and up to overlook the others as a fail safe until they prove some loyalty.” She felt this was a rather smart plan honestly, like some real idea even her mom may have. She pulled her eyes away from her phone to smile at her mother, hoping to see she was in fact offering up something smart.

She was a little shocked mom rolled over on that so fast, in fact she seemed very much happy Pipp wanted too do that. Maybe even mom was more shaken up by this than she let on. “Ya. I will sleep better as well with some guards looking over me. Just to be safe… And keep my worries down.” She says back, shaking her head gently as she looks back ahead at the wall of stone ahead of them. Up in its peaks was the best city in the world… And for a long time, far as she knew, the only city. It was odd opening that door and learning other places were out there. She ‘knew’ there was. But in her head they were wild lands and small remote towns of savages. Not… Well, just a town with TV, running water and so on. Even if it all was way out of date and old. “Well, we can get on that. Why don’t you pick out an honor guard as well? Just to be safe.” she asked, wondering if mom will. She hoped she did. Maybe she was blowing this way out of the water but she can’t help it… Her life feels like some flipped her upside down and mugged her. And then with a soft buzzing sound she vibrated. “OH!” In one fluid movement she reached a hoof to her side and pulled her phone out of its straps. She flicked her eyes over the screen, made a thinking face, then rolled her eyes. “Well we are back in range for a good signal… So the RSG (royal security guard) that was on wire duty just texted me. He’s very, very sorry and is wondering if he needs to hoof over his hat to the captain. I’d fire him and string him up with some ropes. But you are the queen, not me.” she says rolling her eyes and looking back over at her mother as her phone shakes even more. “Oh here we go… Yikes, that is a lot of missed calls and texts... Nope. Not talkin to you... Nope... He's fine, need to text him back... The captain? Oh wow, he's mad. Not at us, others gaurds. I hope he chews them up good before I get my hooves on them too. Hrmp.”

Some deep part of her wanted to toss a fit and ask why she can’t be the successor. But honestly with everything that happened she found herself less focused on that. It hardly seemed that big of a deal. At least for now. After her mom's words she just felt even more tired. Mom had a way of doing that, blowing all the hot air out from underneath her wings. “This is making my back hurt.” She says after a moment. “From now on I will be using airships to get to that town, I’m not flying it like a dozen times a week.” She added, changing the topic off the grim worries she had and onto more gentle topics. But she knew she couldn't dance around them forever. Mom was not wrong in what she was saying… Why she was such a good queen. Why can’t others see that? Why hate her at all? She was good and led them well. That was the order of things, how the world worked. The queen told them what to do because she knew best and was the queen… And here she goes again, worrying about what may be… After a moment she knew mom was holding on for her to in fact, respond to what was told. “Thank you mom.” She huffed, not in anger, just stress. “Will it be a bit much if I post guards outside my bedroom for a few weeks? Just to make me feel safer. I know no one will get in but I want too hoof pick a few to be my shadow for at least a few weeks. I know I can trust a few of them to not betray me. Or us… But we may want too fire off a few dozen others that didn't stand up for us. We clearly had a gap in some loyalty.” And once again she was now off on some other tangent, she can’t help it. She had to speak her mind and vent all of this out. It was now or never with it just being her and mom.

Tempest has dealt with a lot in her life. A life that in the grand scheme of things has not been that long and yet… Felt like a dozen lifetimes. From long lonely years as a filly exploring a world far bigger than she knew. The lifetime packed into her years as a young mare… And what felt like a dozen life times away in the Storm King's army. She’s seen more of this world than most ever will. Vast seas, endless sand dunes and the bitter bite of the north's cold. She’s seen battles and wars. Seen a lone camp fire with the only pony around for countless miles being her self. She’s lived a dozen lives crushed together into one mess of a mare that hardly held herself together underneath a shell of discipline and order. But it gave her wisdom, strength and willpower. She felt as if nothing could truly keep her down. Nothing she can’t overcome alone. Until one visit with a doctor. A checkup mandatory from her work as a ranger up north for health and fitness. She passed it every time. She passed it this time as well. But the unicorn found something… Something Tempest was not ready for. She’d never be ready for this. How can she? She never wanted this. And as the days clicked past that one checkup made her life crash and roll down a hill. She really didn't know what to do. She was scared, more scared than she’s ever been. She wanted to scream, drink and smoke. Every last vice she had to fill the pit she was free falling into. Yet she didn't. She can’t. She’d hurt… Them. Them. As if they were not fully real. She needed help. But where can she get it? Where can she go and hide all of this? She didn't know. Not at first. But as she laid in bed in the war-zone that was her apartment a name bucked its way into her thick skull. A mare that had the know how and first hoof experience to help her. A mare that told her if she ever, ever, needed help… Too just come knocking. And much as she hated to say it. She needed help. Badly. And so next morning she packed a bag and by mid-day was hidden away underneath the wagon of a train. Old habits die hard and train tickets are a scam. ---- A day later and late in the evening the train reached its stop. Slipping away and off the tracks she made her way to the road and got walking. She watched the sun setting, painting the sky as red as her worries. It helped her relaxe. Just being out here. Why she loved being a ranger so much. Just herself and the wild land. The countryside of ponyville was not bad, she did consider settling down here for a time. But well, ponyville is ponyville. She had her fill of it already and how nosy some ponies were… She hoped the pink demon never learns of this of this visit or what she did come down here. It was dark by the time she walked down the dirt path leading up too the old farm home. But she saw the windows lit, the family inside still awake for now. She wondered how they were doing. How was Ambrosia? Outside of being around when that apple was born she never kept up with that. Can AJ even have the time for this? Her problems? Was it wrong to be here? It made her hooves root in place. She felt so tired. Stressed… She wanted to drink. She really wanted to drink. It was alarming how bad she wanted too in fact. Maybe she did have a problem… Ok she had a lot of problems. And she was about to dump them all on this poor mare. Can she do that? Truly? Maybe it was better if she just dug a hole and… No, bad. It was hard to not think that way but she had to remember there was more than her worthless life on the line here. And so she pushed on, one step at a time until she reached the door and held a hoof up. It stayed like that, frozen in place as she looked at the door. She didn't want to do this. But she knew she needed to. She had to do this. She can’t fail again. And with a force of will she slammed her hoof into the door. Less of a knock and more of a venting of anger, fear and so much raw feelings it made the door vibrate as if she was close to knocking it off the hinges. And then she did it again… And again. Her hoof marked the door with the impacts, scuffing it and chipping some paint as she took out so much fear and range on the poor object until some pony opened the darn thing.

Rongyu looked around the… Slums with a snort. What else can she call this mess? His sister lived here? At least no one messed with them, even the type she’d mark out as a ‘thug’ took one look at her and cleared out. At least they were smart and knew better than to start something with her. Sometimes it was nice being as big as she was. But the down side came at the stairs. No way she’d trust the lift with her flank… And even the stairs made some rather upsetting sounds as she trotted up them. “This place sucks.” She huffed. She didn't fear falling. She’d be fine. Her friends… Well. She was just happy they got to the top without a fast trip down. A short knock later they were just standing at a door for an awkwardly long moment. “... What a interesting-” Her comment was cut off as the door opened with such a lazy movement she had wondered if the wind did it. But nope, it was a mare. A mare that made her eyebrow go up some. She was honestly kinda nice looking. But had all the energy of a sick Ox. At least the joke got a snort out of her. “Harem? Him?” She says looking over at ‘Bao’ with an even more arched eyebrow and smile full of sharp teeth. “Now that is a joke. The only harem he’d have is being in one. Look cute in a nice dress.” She winked at ‘Bao’ then looked back, and down, at the mare that was his sister. “Names…” She didn't think of some cover name. “Shiratsuyu.” She can’t say that was the best cover name, but it's one no one here will know. As that was her real name. “And I’m coming in. You three stay put.” With that she trots inside, simply walking through Yin to make her way in. For the mare it felt as if a cloud of water mist flowed over her. Rongyu looked around the room and sniffed a few times before snorting. “Bleh, clear.” She then pushed on deeper without regard to privacy for the other mare. Everything was inspected, moved about and all the doors, closets and boxes inspected. Even the bedroom was not safe as Rongyu poked her head through the closed door, leaveing a glittering spot of moisture. Then pulled it out and looked over her back at Yin with a look that yelled ‘you really live like this?’ without words. “Clear, nothing noteworthy. Come on in fillys and colts.”

Rongyu was not thrilled about the food, she’d rather get some pork and noodles. But after you spent years living on army food just about everything was better than that. Don’t even start her on the grub she had way out on the north-wall. Boiled rice with maybe, if you are lusky, lard. No spices, no nothing. Just water, rice and sometimes lard. That post sucked, most of all her. She had to do everything she could to stay close to the fire pits. But that was all in the past, now she got to enjoy some ship-crew mates lunch as she followed Feng, er well, Bao down the ramp and out into the city's docks. It was busy, loud and full of life. Far more than the dockyards at the capital, they had way more guidelines than out here. She instinctively moved to nuge Hanabi along, keeping the smaller mare close and between her and Bao. Something about the mare acting shy and mellow made Rongyu feel a deep need to safeguard the foxy cook in hiding. What did wonders to help the three all blend together in their disguises. Rongyu did have to focus on herself in some ways. It was hard to drop the lock-step march drilled into her. So she did her best to mix it up with more movement in her body. Soon she found a movement that worked that had her body moving almost serpent like side to side as she trots. It did make her remember how… small this body felt, but she soon forgot about that. Live long as she did in a pony body and you sometimes forget you're not one. “So bossss, wear the siss?” She asked, looking about the city. She felt stuped for pulling the S, but it was something she did early on when she first did try to blend in with ponies. You learn to drop too drop it fast. No way she’s keeping that stick, just no. She rolled her eyes. “Nuff of that. Still, this place looks like a rat nest.” She looked past the docks walls and the buildings all around the place. Stacked on top of eachother in ways that just did not seem safe.

“I wish this never happened, honestly.” she says after a few moments flying alongside her mother. She felt guilty for that, she’s seen first hoof the good going on. Heck, it gave her some friends that saw her as just Pipp, the pegasus. That’s it. Even if she’d never let go of her rank and titles it was good to have friends that saw past them and the pony underneath. Yet she felt shaken, her world kicked to the side and no amount of fixing may make it level again. But her mother did have a point, this event was two ways. Much as she forgets sometimes. Maybe why other nobles whisper that she’d not be all too fit for the crown even with Zipp seeming to not care about it at all. Zipp was just better like that. She looked over at her mother, just tired. She wanted normalcy. To have her hooves gilded, fur washed in the spa and having the servants sneak her some treats when the Health and Fitness instructor wasn't looking. Hopefully that evil mare never worked for the family again… “I know it can be worse.” she waved a hoof past her neck. “But it still hurts, still haunting me.” she huffed, not knowing where to take this rant or how to even aim her anger, worries and just. Everything. Times like this she wished for some magic power to just make things go her way. “What are you going to do? What are we going too do?” She asked, looking on ahead and gazing at the mountain range she called home. “We can’t just trot in and act like nothing happened… and what if they try to just toss us back in jail? Real jail this time, the old dungen. Then what?” She added, already thinking of herself stuck in some small cell deep in the lower city.

Rongyu made it very well known how much she disliked leaving her blade behind this early on. She wanted it stashed in some apartment in the city, not a train ride, then an airship ride away! Yet there was nothing much she could do other than fuss when the orders were given. And fuss she did. ‘Bao’ Got to enjoy a full day's worth of it from her along with a conseringing amount of hints that his stallion blade was going to go missing if her sword got stolen. Thankfully by day two she cooled down and just enjoyed the airship, spending much of the time watching the land pass beneath them. She still snuck in smacks and even one bite on ‘Bao’ when the stallion pushed his act a little too far. The first night on the airship was less than she hoped for, she was hoping too snag a room alone with the cute fox. But it was what it was and she put some old skills picked up on the Wall to use. To much amusement from her friends she showed off the skill of sleeping well standing up. She never used this on duty on the wall, never ever. Nore do other wall troops! But the first night she slept standing up, gently rocking with the airship’s movements as Yanhua got to enjoy the basec bed. If one can call even that. It was unclear if the bed was even better than the floor in the long run. But at least it has a pillow. Day two of air travel was full of going over maps, how they will act and behave with each other. Basic stuff mostly. “Hope this sister plays nice.” Ro says with a huff, then leans back on the wall of the small room. The brown side of three ponies in one sleeper was space. Even worse for Ro as she took up twice as much room! They may have well shoved four ponies in this room for how cramp it felt to her. But at least managed to talk Yanhua in to being a pillow for this meeting. She needed too rest her neck after sleeping standing up. Totally. Even as a longma Yanhua was nice and soft. Warm even. Sadly using Yanhua as a pillow did not seem to even draw notice from Feng, all he had to say was how sweet it was that his friends got along so well. Oh well. “First can we get some real food? I am sick of eating what we packed. Can't believe you got tickets that didn't even come with meals.” she fussed. It was not that big of a deal, they’d be landing early in the morning. But she wanted some real coffee and some real food when they did. “As for you-” She says looking down at the mare acting as a pillow. “Only thing you have to be wary about is other things thinking you look too nice. Or mugging you. If someone touches you I’m ripping the hoof off. So don’t worry.” She says with a confident grin, her sharp teeth and big fangs on full display. She then glanced at Feng, or well, ‘Bao’. “At least I think that is the worst. Between me and you we’d shred even a full gang of thugs if they pulled a blade."

Was that all? She wished it was. But it was not and the fears she held close to her chest were both real and worthless. She knew outsiders would not understand. But her mother will. “I felt. Normal? Yes, like a peasant. A pretty one, the most pretty in all the town even if a few of the earth pony mares are close on my tail. But a peasant. It was nice at first, to just be another pony. But now. No. I… I don’t want to be that. I can’t be that. I worked so hard to stand where I did!” Her words grew in power as bottled up feelings got uncorked. “We got magic back, we made peace… I think, with the other ponies. And what did it cost? Cost all of us? The cat is out of the bag.” She wanted to say another part. The crown. The Queendom. She wanted that as well. All her life she did! She may be the star of her home but she was forever in second place. second place to what now? What power will be given away to keep some shadow of what was? She wanted to scream that. But she knew better. Every time she hinted at wanting the crown it just got mom worried she’d do something rash. She’d never, not to her own sister. Yes she may wish doom on Zipp sometimes but what filly never has done that on a sister? “And… Them.” She nodded up, glancing at the small troop of guards in the sky. “I used to trust them with my life. Now… I can’t. I have nightmares now of them dragging us away. You. Me. Dragging us away as Zipp runs off and leaves us. No amount of being sorry is going too make them stop I think. The others don’t really understand… What happened. My own personnel guard dragged me away by the very wires I made my living on. So a few helped us too freedom. A dozen out of a worthless army that failed to keep us safe and betrayed us the moment it fit them. How can I enjoy some party with the common peasant when they can’t hope to understand why I’m upset over something? Not that I told them.” she huffed, taking in a gasp of air. Flying and ranting was tiring! How on earth did Zipp do it, then get in a run as well? She needed something yummy. Help the stress as well. The cooks better be ready to cook her dinner soon as her hooves hit the ground.

Pipp was very thankful to have time alone with her mother. It's not that she hated Zipp, she’d never, but the two walked very different ways. And it seemed more than ever that was evident in more ways than before. It was conflicting yet things turned out ok. Good. Maybe. And that was the core of her troubles, what happened was good yet she felt worried about herself. Her family. The crown. Was that greedy? Was it wrong for her to fear losing power? Such things were not easy for her to express or even think about. Yet her mother knew what to think about such things. She did every time. And as the sun hung low she had that moment she wanted for what left like forever. A moment shared with the only pony she was an open book too. It still took her a moment to speak. They hugged, greeted and took to the sky. Something so… New. So strange. They stuck low, sometimes so low Pipp felt her hooves passing over the tall wild grass of open fields. It's how she liked it. Some part of her was scared she’d fall. The magic yanked away and left her helpless with wings that can’t even glide. She was not Zipp. In body or soul. She was just the spare. Back up. Less- No, that was not true. She knew it was not. She was tired, that’s all. Tired and thankful to have her mom nuge her in to speaking and shake off the worries in her mind. “I think I did.” It was the honest truth. She felt like she had fun. Yet still it was full of worries and nerves twitching underneath her smiles and stories. She looked around, then up and fixed her eyes on the small group of guards flying overhead. She didn't really feel that safe. How can she when so many betrayed her? What of her personal guards? She used to sleep so easy as a filly knowing they were at her door. Most of all after that time one stayed on guard in front of her closest all night when she asked him to do that. It was so silly but she swore something was hiding in the darkness. Now? She didn't know. She was getting side tracked again. “They are nice to me, very much so. Maybe too nice at times. A rather glaring lack of understanding personal space as well. Not as bad as my… More extreme fans. But one too many ponies poked my wings without asking.” She looked over at her mother, she wanted to ask… Other things. Yet she was never very good at doing that. Speaking about herself. Yet her mother seemed to know every time she was having troubles.

Rongyu felt. Uncomfortable. And the fact she did was striking in a way. Has she grown so attached to this lifestyle that losing it up made her feel weird? It was alienating to drop her persona and try to act out a different one, let alone let… Her real self peek out. Was it her real self? And was this soldier just a persona? It was a strange feeling to suddenly notice this change in… Herself? Whatever it was, some part of her was worried her old drill sergeant was going too leap out of a bush and make her run until sun down for having her mane out of regulation. “This is…” She looked over at Feng, doing her best to follow his advice and ‘slack up’ was it here… Give out a little more of what she really was. “This is… How do I even say this. Hard. Wrong even.” She huffed and looked down at her huge sword, eyeing its long length. “And this… Maybe it's too obvious. If they have a soldier from the wall, or from my time in command of the troops outside the city they will know this sword. We will need too stash it in a safe house so I can retrieve it swiftly if needed.” With that she looked at them both, then rolled her big shoulders and grunted as Feng spoke. “Do not call me that again or you will come back to the empress as an eunuch.” With that she shakes her head and looks west. “Well, we best get walking. Or head back into the city and get a ride on a sky-junk. Much rather we fly than spend a month trotting but that’s your call… ‘Big Boss’.” She spoke the last part with so much venom one may wonder if she is in fact venomous. A fact that seemed too have some truth given her fang-like canines. The tone shift was one part acting and the other part… Just disgusted at how Feng sounded and looked. He pulled the act well, from look down to speaking. It just so happened the act made him everything she hated in males. It just screamed slimy and wanting too sleep with every mare they saw. So a perfect disguise and all the more easy to slip in to her own. And Yanhua she… Well, the new look was somewhat off putting. But the fox still had that sweetness around her that made Rongyu feel… Nice. “And thanks to the offer Yanhua, we can do that if needed. But we still have time to fit in to this act better.” She grinned a fanged smile and winked at the sweet mare. “Maybe get some one on one training along the way?”

“Oh?” Was all she had to say at first. Going after the triad was a big deal. Very noteworthy and an extremely good stepping stone for the path she seeked. But one part of this… Was not sitting well with her. And it was fully on her shoulders. It was easy to understand why Feng did not even think about this. He’d just think she can toss on a new body as easily as the fox did. And by the old ones did Yanhua make it look easy. That hit home how much stronger the fox was in magic compared to herself. The vixen was nothing to mess with, and that made her want the fox all the more. It was a challenge and one she wanted to win. But that had to be put to the side for now. “Be glad it will not be impossible then, hate for this to take too long and for you to go senile… Well, more senile.” She cocked him a toothy grin before pushing on to the meat of things. “So if we go in low and hidden, that will be problematic for me. I can’t change skins as easily as a charming vixen friend, nore am I all that sneaky. Just look at me. This is small as I go and this body feels like wearing pants two sizes too small already. So we may have to dress me up in a more normal disguise as I don’t trust my magic or talents to make a new body that will pass close inspection. Maybe pass me off as some disgruntled veteran taking whatever work I can get? I never served even close to Long Kong so unless they have some old wall guards or troops from the countryside of Huangjing I don’t think they’d know of me.” She says looking between the two she was starting to see as friends. “And this sister… If she betrays us, or moves to stop us… I’m I to spare her? I will if possible but if it's my, Yanhuas or your life in danger and she’s a threat I will kill her.” Sne looked Feng in the eyes on the last part, making it clear this was no joke in poor taste. She was very serious about that.

A year at most? Niilavin was not buying that time table. How in less than a year can they hope to make something that can raise a normal pony up to being a blessed kitten of the gods? Honestly, to think such a thing was just silly. “Hrmm. If you think it can be done so fast, so be it. But I ask for you too not rush, if you butch this do to some foolish need to be fast I will make you wish you never showed up here.” With that he got up, stretching before looking down at the bug, then at Embarr. “And no. You will not speak with her alone. Or ever be close to her alone. Her or other servants of mine. Feel blessed you can even speak to me without being held in chains insect.” With that he nudged Enbarr with her nuzzle and got her to follow him as he departed; he had nothing more to say on the matter. Embarr followed, in truth she did not trust the changeling much. They did do some bad things. And that wedding thing. Maybe she did not hate them. But she was not about to stick her neck out for one she didn't know. Long as this… what was her name… Rose? Eh long as that bug did what was on offer she was a good bug in Enbarrs book. “Come on Grit, it's about time for lunch. We need to help the cooks get ready.” She says passing the other mare. “But thanks for having my back if needed.” She added that part in a low whisper. Even if she was not going to speak to the bug it was good too know if had to… She had some back up.

Rongyu cocked her head to the side at the legends of monks having powers like her. She’s heard of them too… But she’s heard of monks doing heaps of crap. Just about every book has one with some magic power or another. So she never put much stock in it. And if some did learn her power… Well she just didn't like the sound of some mortals trying to be like her. But that was hardly important. What was important, at least to her, was the fact Feng's one passing complement was all it took for Yanhua to fall head over tails back in to line for him. It was honestly heartbreaking seeing this vixen so utterly in love with that blind fool. She’s known him for a few months and knew for a fact his brain was utterly blind to the mares around him. Why this was she did not know. But she had some hunches. First, maybe he was a stallion stuffer. But he just did not have that air about him, she’d pick up on it. Second he had his heart locked and set on something… Something he was unwilling or fearful of being known. And that… Well, she had a hunch for this hunch. There was one mare he’d talk about forever if you let him. The Empress. Now she had no proof, yet, but it was a good hunch she felt. And it made all of this more sad. He wanted what he’d never have and in doing so trapped Yanhua in the same endless pit of lusting and wanting. Both of them needed a rude awakening and a kick out of that dream. And she’d do it if she must. Why? Well, she didn't know. Maybe she just wanted a peace of Yanhua. Maybe she was just annoyed about this insane plot of love they had going on. Maybe she was just bored. She can’t say. “Finely aged?” She snorted at that remark and looked over at the fox. “Even I’m ‘finely aged’ compared to the oldest mortal. Not that hard of a bar to pass Yanhua. It's like comparing wine too a pop-drink the colts so love.” She then looked at Fang and gave him a sheepish smile. “But I admit he can kick my flank in battle. For now. But we have a duty to get to, do we not? The cat is out of the bag. My truth is in the open. Now shall we be briefed proper for this task at hoof? I honestly was so distracted I don’t recall what we are doing.”