Bellosh

At first glance, nothing seems all that remarkable about the tiny town of Hope Hollow. Nestled not far from the source of the Galloping River, Hope Hollow’s only apparent distinguishing feature is a giant rainbow billboard at the town's edge. Yet if one was to dig into the town’s recent history, they would find a fascinating case study on the power of Hope and Hopelessness as potent magical forces in Equestria.

In a sense, Hope Hollow was “discovered” half a century ago by a Manehattan travel writer scouting for weekend getaways away from the big city. With numerous locales nearby such as the Galloping River headwaters, Whitetail Wood, Roundbottom Hills, and the southern terminus of the Solstice Heights, Hope Hollow was strategically placed as a hub from where sightseers could potentially visit all destinations in one vacation. But just as vitally, this town represented the complete opposite of big city life; a small-knit community where everypony knew everypony’s name and looked out for one another.

As for how the Rainbow became Hope Hollow’s official symbol? Being situated on the windward side of a mountain range means far more unscheduled rain showers caused by condensing moisture, and with those comes far more opportunities for rainbow-sighting. Many creatures throughout the world dismiss rainbows as nothing more than simple natural phenomenon, or even as simply the mass produced products of weather factories. In reality, each rainbow — no matter how it forms — is actually infused with a deep elemental magic; exposure to its color kindles the fires of Hope, Vitality, and Wonder within the hearts of ponies (along with triggering the natural evolution of rainbow trout). In turn, ponies infused with Hope can passively saturate a region with even more vivid colors!

Perhaps it was no wonder then why Hope Hollow — constantly exposed to impromptu rainbows — became legendary for a hospitable town spirit unrivaled in Equestria.

Few understood the power of rainbows better than Clear Skies, a transplant inventor from Canterlot who lived in Hope Hollow at the time of its “discovery”. Inspired by then-mythological tales of the fabled Crystal Heart (now proven to be ever so real), Mr. Skies created a magitek device that painted the sky with a prismatic aurora. This Rainbow Generator earned the stallion mayorship of the town, and the Mayor used his gizmo as the hallmark attraction of another legend-inspired initiative of his; the annual Rainbow Festival, where townsponies gathered together to renew the spirit of unity and hope.

Hope Hollow’s economy boomed for several decades thereafter, allowing the town to host such amenities as the luxury Rainbow Resort and Spa. A number of big city tourists even permanently moved to the small, cozy town. However, Hope Hollow’s economic prosperity depended upon remaining an attractive vacation destination for ponies living in Equestrian’s metropolitan centers. Overtime, the town lost its trendiness as more train-friendly (and thus accessible) locales like Ponyville and Rainbow Falls became the new fashionable destinations for holiday excursions. By the time Mayor Skies’s grandson assumed the burden of municipal leadership, the tourism trade had all but whittled away to a trickle. Hard times followed as townponies struggled harder to make ends meet, sacrificing bonding with their fellow neighbors in the process.

In an effort to revive community spirit, Mayor Sunny Skies attempted to upgrade the Rainbow Generator to enhance its prismatic output. But nopony cared anymore; fancier rainbows weren’t going to pay the bills, don’t you know? In that decisive moment; Hope for a better friendlier tomorrow was seemingly displaced entirely by cynicism and selfishness. Coupled with a coincidental malfunction of the Generator, this unfortunate event caused almost all color to vanish from Hope Hollow! Aside from the giant Rainbow Billboard and a few choice photos, everything and everyone within the town radius existed only in shades of black and white.

What happened to Hope Hollow was what may be the most extreme instance ever recorded of ponies succumbing to Despair. Just as hope-filled ponies shine with color, those filled with Hopelessness are known to have their coats lose there vibrancy. In Hope Hollow’s case, the barrier of despair was so great that not even a Sonic Rainboom could restore color back to the town!

As fate would have it, Sunny Skies — who blamed himself for the disaster —years later triggered the chain of events that led to restoring color to his community by conning the famous flier Rainbow Dash into being the guest of honor at a phony Rainbow Festival. Thanks to the efforts of Dash and her friends though, it turned out that rebuilding the severed relationships between townsponies was the trick needed to bring color back to Hope Hollow. Although other pressing issues still need to be addressed, for the first time in many years, the locals see there is light at the End of the Tunnel... or Rainbow, rather.

~Hitchhiker's Guide to Equestria (Revised Edition)

Empress Yuè had to give it to King Oisin; the young buck’s persistence at wearing his emotions on his sleeve may technically be incorrect protocol, but his mood was rather enduringly infectious. The Empress herself could feel the embers of pride stirring within her, making the qilin beam with delight at Oisin’s vow. More importantly than earning the enthusiastic acquaintance of a fellow leader, Yuè’s impeccable acumen will now allow more of the seeds of Long Sun culture to sprout and flourish in other lands!

And in return, the Empress gets a new supply of the sweetest fruits ever tasted. She could foresee sending Àilóng on many produce runs to the Velvet Strand in the near future.

Less guarded with her facial expressions, Empress Yuè playfully slipped a subtle grin towards her counterpart. “I will hold you to your word King Oisin, as I intend to be one of those visitors myself.” Yes, once all of Yuè’s gifts had time to grow, it would mark an excellent occasion for a reciprocal state visit to the Velvet Strand!

As per Palace custom, now that the pomp of today’s special session of morning court was nearing its conclusion, the Palace photographers came up to the two royals and began setting up their equipment. As she waited to get an official picture taken with the Peryton King, the Empress quietly suggested their next course of action; “Once we are done here, may I show you through the Palace Gardens? I know they can never compare to the natural beauty of your land, but it is Long Sun tradition to recreate and miniaturize natural landscapes in our gardening. As King of the Perytons, your insights would be most welcome.”

At the very least, walking along windy paths as they led past lotus ponds, miniature rock mountains, and groves of willows will give Oisin a change of pace from sprawling avenues and stately halls.....

Unlike the others, Grubber lacked any sort of nostalgic attachment to Princess Twilight. To the runt, all Twilight had been was the pony princess Tempest captured that one time so her horn would get fixed, but things didn’t quite work out as the Commander hoped. Grubber therefore couldn’t contemplate what was the big deal about Twilight leaving. Still, that didn’t stop the hedgehog from taking a crack at energizing the room. That sort of thing came naturally to the optimistic guy.

After giving the main foyer a chance to quiet down, Grubber took the opportunity to ask the first — and most important — question. “Tho uhhh Headmare Bluebelle, I just wanted to know; do they therve cake and pie here?”

A short snicker escaped Sunset Shimmer’s lips as Tempest Shadow boldly rejected the existence of hidden portals. Tsk tsk... if only she knew about Sunset’s adventures. That feeling of smugness came to a quick end when the broken-horned unicorn cockily suggested to take a break from tracking, which touched a nerve within Sunset. “Ugggh!!!” The worried mare’s voice oozed with frustration; “We’re NOT on a trophy hunt, Tempest! There’s a girl out there who’s scared about what’s happening to her and NEEDS our help! And we can’t do that if Yanhua thinks you wanna MOUNT HER on your wall!!!”

Sunset Shimmer sighed as she gave herself space to cool down... and to mull theories over. “Hmmm, it doesn’t seem likely that a palace chef is capable of transformation magic. Qilin earn cutie marks just like us ponies, and whichever cutie mark you get tends to limit what spells you’re capable of. Even IF Yanhua’s special talent was magic instead of cooking, transformation spells aren’t easy by a long shot! I’d know; I dabbled in them once or twice back when I used to be Princess Celestia’s student.”

She pondered some more, accounting for everything Feng mentioned earlier as she mumbled; “If anything, considering all the physical exertion Yanhua would have felt while doing the rock climb, it should have been even more difficult for her to accidentally trigger a transformation. Not to mention that spells aren’t supposed to spontaneously happen if you have control of your powers. No, it’s far more likely that somebody using a magical glamour would have that wear off due to physical activity than the other way around. But then, that would have to mean..."

Miss Shimmer stopped dead in her tracks; everything concerning Yanhua’s freak out now clicked together. “Hey guys? You might think I’m crazy, but maybe we have to consider that Yanhua..."

“...Isn’t a qilin at all.....”
 

For as long as the existence of civilization, there have been places in this world where four-legged beings fear to tread. In the majority of cases, heroic adventurers have time and time again striven to explore these forsaken regions in the name of gold, glory, and goodness. Yet for all that daring-do spirit, the storm-covered lands of the world’s southern hemisphere have proven for a thousand years to not only be unconquerable, but all but impenetrable.

Traditionally, the biggest obstacle separating the Stormlands from the Northern Hemisphere is the magically-corrupted Boiling Ocean at the world’s Equator. There, sailing ships get trapped in windless doldrums while the scalding hot seas literally burn away the doomed wooden vessels. Few equines have ever made it back from mishaps on the Boiling Ocean, while virtually none who’ve made it beyond the Equator have ever been seen again.

Of the Stormlands, little is known other than wild rumors and the scarce testimony of those southern emigrants who care to speak about their ancestral home. Everyone can agree however that down under, the inhabitants walk on two legs instead of four, and can come in all shapes and sizes. Cyclones and monster waves plague the southern seas; the lands aren’t much better, mainly comprised of treacherous mountain ranges, ice sheets, and arid sub-zero deserts. Marvelous wonders of nature like auroras and rainbows have purportedly not been spotted in Stormland skies for more than a thousand years.

What scarce habitable land exists is entirely occupied by grimy, densely-packed metropolises. The infernal engines of industry run unchecked in the cities; coal dust covers the streets and acid rain scars anything it falls down upon. Mountainside forests are remorselessly cut down to fuel the fires, while miners toil endlessly beneath the earth in search of the coal and metals that factories hunger for. Whatever food is produced in the Stormlands is, charitably speaking, so utterly vile that describing it violates all norms of polite conversation. However, it must be said that few nations match the Stormlanders in their ability to invent and manufacture steam-powered machines.

Beyond the cities and mines lie the domain of the Yeti; primitive tribes of abominable storm creatures who speak in guttural tongues. The Yeti and the Stormlanders have lived in a state of continuous hostility for the last couple hundred years, which may have played a role in convincing all the Yeti tribes to unite under the Storm King’s banner. Other creatures strike fear into the hearts of Yeti and Stormlander alike; prominent among them the Raijūs, three-eyed wolf beasts with bodies composed of lightning and cries of thunder. And then there are terrors of a more nameless nature; incomprehensible Others who are said to dwell in the dark holes and corners of the Stormlands, capable of driving those who foolishly gaze upon them into insanity... or worse fates.

As the Stormlanders are masters of air-zeppelin travel, immigrant communities in northern realms can be found here and there. Settlements like Waterhole in the Hesperian Outback, or Klugetown on the southern Equestrian-Aquellian border are — while nasty places to live in their own right — nowhere near as wretched as the deplorable slums back in the Stormlands. Relations between Stormlander settlers and other beings native to the north have always been tense... except in the case of the Yeti. Ironically, the very creatures who once served the Storm King most faithfully have proven surprisingly affable to living as pony neighbors, and they now live happily in the mountains between Equestria and the Crystal Empire.

No news has made it out of the Stormlands since the Storm King’s defeat. Without the satyr tyrant or his elite Yeti troops to keep the South enthralled by fear of pillaging and enslavement, it is unknown whether the rest of the Storm Armada is intact. Powerful relics and priceless treasures from the North stolen by the Storm King’s minions over the years remain unaccounted for, potentially forgotten about in secret stashes or in the possession of aspiring power-hungry successors. As the Stormlanders can’t be counted on to recover what the Storm King had stolen, it will be up to beings from the nations of Harmony to tread where no ungulate has trod before.....

~Mane's Intelligence Review: Dangers to Global Friendship & Harmony

What a day for Sunset Shimmer! It started out with a fouled-up attempt at shooting a Golden Cupcake, only for the fiery mare to come across the almost-infamous Tempest Shadow, and now... Sunset, Tempest, and the newly-crowned Iron “Pony” were looking for a fellow contestant — a qilin friend of Fēng Yīnhǎitāo — who started transforming into a fox in the middle of her rock climb? Equestria; twas a strange and silly world at times.....

Miss Shimmer trailed behind the others, herself lacking much experience in wilderness ranging or tracking. “Everfree or not,” she advised; “We should watch our step. If we’re not careful, we could find ourselves tumbling through a hidden portal into a- who knows where?” She hastily corrected herself, not sure if Princess Twilight was cool yet with letting people outside their small group of Equestrian friends know about the Mirror World.

Sunset shook her head to refocus on their mission; finding Yanhua... and solving the mystery behind her transformation! “Anyway,” she interrogated Feng; “Is there anything we should know about Yanhua? Do you have any reason to believe that your friend has consumed any questionable potions or other brewed substances? Is it likely she’s been exposed to a magical relic or any plants native to the Everfree Forest? Has she been in contact with anybody suspected of illicit enchanting?” As a former student of Princess Celestia’s, her research instincts were naturally kicking into high-gear; once all impossible possibilities were ruled out, all that remained — however improbable — was the truth .....

Oh my; those enchanted fruits looked too alluring to NOT taste this very instant! Normally, Palace protocol usually demanded that a servant first sample any food offered to the Empress to guarantee it fit for consumption. This time though, the attendant handling the fruit basket eagerly smiled in approval... and the grim-faced Imperial Watcher who had been assigned to escort King Oisin provided a subtle but clear nod signaling the offerings had already been tested and deemed safe.

Silently assured there was no foul play ahoof, the Empress plucked a single pearly grape and gracefully put it in her mouth. She took her time savoring the supernatural sweetness of the fruit; the royal qilin believed at long last, a true rival to the cultivating prowess of the Wise and Noble Long had been found... and the majestic Serpent Dragons as a whole were even more reclusive than the Perytons. Spellbound by Oisin’s bounty, Yuè failed to conceal the bliss expressed by her face as she gleefully swallowed the rest of her snack.

The Empress briefly quieted her vocal tone as she privately conferred with her counterpart... well, as best as two heads of state could manage when in front of a large audience. “At tonight’s banquet, I shall present the Palace Chef to you. I am confident she will be eager to incorporate the Velvet Strand’s bounties in her recipes.”

As she spoke, Empress Yuè gestured to her attendants, who saw their cue to fulfill their to return King Oisin’s gesture. Gift exchanges were a normal part of diplomatic affairs, especially between two civilizations attempting to open ties with one another. Thus, the Long Sun prepared offerings of their own; ones believed to be most appropriate for Perytons.

In perfectly coordinated unison, six heavy chests landed to King Oisin’s side with a thunderous THUD! Each chest was ornately adorned with a unique naturalistic motif, but otherwise betrayed no hints as to the contents inside. “May we present to you one of Long Guo’s most beloved treasures,” the Empress returned to her commanding Imperial Proclamation Voice; “The Six Friends of Harmony!”

One by one, prettily-dressed maidservants would open a chest, each one filled not with gold or gems or magical artifacts or even exquisite silverware. Nope; nothing but..... seeds. Seeds, seeds, and more seeds. Namely:

“Peony. Orchid. Lotus. Chrysanthemum. Plum Blossom. Bamboo. These are the six plants we hold most dear in our culture. Your kind have a well-earned reputation for loving all things that grow. We hope each of the Six Friends will take root in the Velvet Strand, serving as a reminder that Harmony is cherished by all beings of this World!”

Sunset Shimmer couldn’t recall if she ever met who had as much difficulty grasping the idea of a hoofshake as Tempest Shadow... but there was a funny bone in her body, at least. The broken-horn mare’s quip actually made Sunset think seriously about how she could be doing more to touch base with fellow people like herself who were recovering from once losing their true selves. “I’m mainly here today because Princess Twilight asked me to come.” She bashfully glanced towards the Friendship Castle at the town's edge; “But I’m not kidding when I say that I come from a town far crummier than this place. All in all, I find Ponyville pleasantly quaint!” Spoken like a true city girl.

If Tempest hadn’t jutted in, Sunset would have relentlessly teased the longma warrior who obviously crushed on his Empress. But maybe there was a chance to do that later! “Sure!!!” Miss Shimmer excitedly responded to the offer; “I’m not entering any of the other contests, so I’m free to cheer everyone else on!” This was exactly what the mare needed to get her mind off her horrid luck earlier.....

A blush appeared Sunset Shimmer’s cheeks as Tempest Shadow of all ponies scolded her for an impolite greeting. Heh, at least the self-described warrior was in the same mess as her, so... hooray? And Empress, huh? Back at Celestia’s School, Sunset learned that some old dude was the guy in charge over in Long Guo. Maybe the Equestrian girl ought to keep a better track of developments beyond her birth country’s borders, although as it was, she already had her hands full living in two worlds.

“Well, what can I say?” Sunset bashfully rubbed the back of her head with a hoof; “At magic school, we were taught how some creatures are able to naturally read minds or predict the future without casting spells at all. ESP’s an extremely rare ability mind you, with only a tiny handful of proven documented cases, but it isn’t unheard of.” Miss Shimmer could testify from personal experience, but technically speaking, that only counted in the Mirror World.

Sunset turned towards Tempest, offering a foreleg to shake in a genuine gesture of friendliness. “The name’s Sunset Shimmer, by the way. You might not have heard of me Tempest Shadow, but Princess Twilight has told me a great deal about you, and how you helped her vanquish the Storm King. I wish I could have been there alongside the Princess and the others when they could have used my aid, but geez, how do I put this... I live far, far away from here these days.”

The unicorn didn’t forget about the longma she accused of mysticism; “So you’re a warrior who serves the Empress of Long Guo, huh? How is she compared to her predecessor; Emperor Xin, was it?” Better late than never to keep ahead on foreign affairs!

If there was one lesson relentlessly drilled into Empress Yuè in preparation for her unexpected coronation, it was to never let her royal mask slip under any circumstance whatsoever. Do not break decorum by expressing uncouth joy, refrain from showing anger towards those who’ve wronged or offended you, and absolutely never show signs of emotional frailty. If a ruler unwisely took his or her mask off, their subjects — along with the rulers of other lands — would no longer be able to believe that an imperial sovereign possessed the draconic serenity required to sit on the Dragon Throne.

This was why the Empress found it disturbing to spot an increasing amount of instances where her peryton counterpart allowed his royal mask to slip. A wagging tail, twitching wings, an uncontrolled burst of excitement... and not to mention doubling down on the chivalric rhetoric. Maybe Yuè’s first impression had been spectacularly wrong; Oisin seemed less of a slick talker and more of a mischievous, happy-go-lucky imp who stumbled onto the Peryton throne by chance. Although it could also just be the buck’s little fangs coloring the newest assessment.

On the plus side however, Yuè believed she found a new potential friend to send Serpent King Àilóng’s way. That dragon never did seem to care whatsoever about wearing the ruler’s metaphorical mask.

As it just so happened, the Empress’s guess about Oisin stumbling onto his throne wasn’t that far off the mark. Truth be told... was that not how Yuè herself, a qilin mare who had intended to spend a humble life walking the Harmonious Path, ascended above her elder step-siblings to claim the highest title in the entire Dragon Kingdom? Just like Yuè, Oisin was now obligated to follow in his father’s hoofsteps; a task that wasn’t easy by any stretch of the imagination.

Now sensing that the two of them shared the same boat in more ways than one, Empress Yuè began the ceremonial ritual of getting up from her Dragon Throne and gracefully walking down the steps to stand on equal level with King Oisin. It was an honor accorded to all heads of state granted audience with the imperial sovereign, although this was the first time in recorded history it was granted to the Peryton monarch. Yuè finally betrayed a gleam in her eyes as she trotted over to Oisin’s side, close enough to closely inspect the winged deer’s physical form. To her surprise, the qilin surmised that her counterpart couldn’t have been any older than her; most likely he was even a little bit younger!

But no startlement was evidence in Empress Yuè’s voice as she commenced the usual diplomatic boilerplate expected of all empresses. “Ever since Long Guo was founded, we have always believed that to maintain balance and harmony in the world, all nations must stand together as one. Although our civilizations are separated by vast distances, there is no denying there is much that Long Sun and Peryton can learn from one another. Therefore, we hereby declare our intention to seek a lasting friendship with His Majesty, and the great nation of the Velvet Strand.” All throughout her speech, the Empress assertively but warmly bore into the King’s dream-like purple orbs.....

!!!

Being lost in a cloud of negative thinking didn’t prevent Sunset Shimmer from hearing a stallion’s words aimed precisely at her direction. The young mare turned towards the stranger; a stranger who either knew Celestia’s former apprentice by reputation or somehow saw straight through Sunset’s heart. Both options seemed highly unlikely to the unicorn, which mentally put her on guard.

Oddly enough, Sunset Shimmer identified the stranger’s companion as none other than Tempest Shadow, a defector from the Storm Empire whom Princess Twilight had spoken about before in great length. In truth, Sunset had always been curious to meet this villain-turned-heroine, but the fiery-maned unicorn couldn’t let go of what the longma stallion had just said to her.

“Uh,” Miss Shimmer trotted over to Tempest and the longma, filled with suspicion; “I don’t believe I’ve ever met you before. Are you supposed to be some sort of... eastern mystic?”

Who was King Oisin? It was a question that the entire Imperial Court had been failing to find answers for ever since receiving a message stating the Peryton King’s desire for a formal audience with the Empress of Long Guo. Not much was known about perytons in eastern lands, for their kind were seldom spotted outside their small realm. Of the Velvet Strand, Empress Yuè knew a little more than most, as those isles were identified as one of the great western sanctuaries of nature according to the accumulated knowledge of her monastic mentors.

Up-to-date records of the Velvet Strand also indicated that King Tiarnán ruled the Perytons. No news had come from across the sea indicating any sort of peryton succession, so word of this Oisin caused a massive scramble for information and overseas gossip. Unfortunately, perytons didn’t have much of a habit for traveling abroad and relaying news about their homeland, so the Imperial Court lacked any idea at all of the mystery buck’s temperament and desires.

Regardless, the protocols of courtly courtesy demanded that King Oisin’s request be granted.

Empress Yuè paid very close attention as the Peryton King strode towards the Dragon Throne. Outwardly, Oisin looked every bit the stately cervine as his fine clothes and grooming would indicate, but the royal qilin was well-practiced in seeing through the hearts of others. And just through rigorous observation of Oisin’s movements, something about him seemed a little out of the ordinary compared to the usual visiting dignitary. The Empress couldn’t quite put her hoof on it, however.

Yuè’s assessment of the King turned sour once he opened his mouth. She’d heard this all before; from eager suitors vying for the honor to be wed to an Empress to conniving petitioners spewing sweet words to conceal their selfish aims. As a seasoned sovereign, the qilin mare withstood the temptation to roll her eyes, instead relying on the one tried-and-true method of acknowledging overly fairspoken guests with the respect they were owed.

“I am not worthy of the praise you lavish upon me,” the Empress expressed modesty in an unfailing regal tone; “But I cannot deny your gift with words, King Oisin. Undoubtedly, there must be many a doe in your realm who believe without question that you will give your future queen the attention a faithful wife deserves.” With Yuè having subtly thrown her shade, it would be up to Oisin to grasp the full implications behind the Empress’s counter-compliment.

That being said, Yuè pressed on with other matters. “In the Dragon Kingdom, little is known about your kind, as the paths of Peryton and Long Sun rarely cross. As such, we are immensely honored that you have crossed over land and ocean to bestow Long Guo with the fabled grace of the Perytons. It pains us admitting to ignorance concerning news of the natural sanctuary once tended to by King Tiarnán, so we would be most grateful to be enlightened to recent developments.”

That was a polite long-winded way of asking Oisin what the heck was going on?

Humoring Àilóng, Yù Yuè allowed herself to be led by her companion over to the tables. The qilin blushed at the glamored stallion’s question; normally such a cooperative activity by two unrelated individuals wasn’t done unless there hearts were... especially entwined. Maybe the dragon DID possess deeper feelings for the young mare afterall.

Yuè would dwell on the ramifications (and question Àilóng on the matter) later; right now she had a sky lantern to focus on! While the royal qilin hadn’t reveled in Huangjing’s streets for years, lantern making had been a festive activity that Yuè has continuously partaken in along with her fellow students back at Fenghuang Monastery. Yuè still remembered the ancient art, but what of the King of Longri-La?

Taking careful notice of Àilóng’s comfortableness with the lantern construction materials, Yuè asked; “How do the Wise and Noble Dragons of the Abode mark the occasion of the First Moon, if I may ask?” Although the royal qilin had often been brought to Longri-La in her early youth, she had never been there for the dawn of the new year. Traditionally, Long Sun always spent the holidays with their own families.....

“Uggghhhhh... THAT could have gone way better.....”

If only Sunset Shimmer had made that final shot, she would’ve won that ribbon for sure and have been able to brag to Twilight all about it. True, she had a projected 1-in-25 chance of hitting that Golden Cupcake, so the odds were never in the Equestrian girl’s favor to begin with. Still though, although she choked on the last shot despite doing everything right, Sunset could have gotten lucky had she bothered composing herself correctly on ALL her attempts. But nope; Miss Shimmer blew it by repeatedly letting frustration get the better of her while target shooting.

*groan* .....It was that ring toss debacle at Equestria Land all over again.

Etched with a permascrowl face, Sunset Shimmer wandered the grounds aimlessly, spectating the occasional challenge here and there. The fiery-maned unicorn needed a little bit more time to cool down first before she could return to Twi’s Castle and convincingly claim everything’s fine. Who knows; maybe Sunset would find something before then that’d keep her mind off her loss.

Without realizing it, Miss Shimmer had neared the Iron Pony pavilion, not taking much heed of what was going on around her.....

Yù Yuè scanned her surroundings, checking to see which else she and Àilóng could do in the side plaza they were at. Over on the far side, she noticed numerous small groupings of outsider creatures — tourists from other lands who’ve come to experience the First Moon celebration for themselves — congregating around what appeared to be festively-decorated workshop tables. A few more seconds of spectating suggested that the creatures were assembling lanterns, under the guidance of friendly locals.

“Oh my,” it dawned on Yuè; “I almost forgot the sky lanterns are launched at midnight!” The qilin mare glanced towards her companion; “Nearly everyone else would have had a head start already.” To a traditionally-minded Long Sun, it was almost sacrilege to bask in the full light of the First Moon without crafting their own sky lantern.....

So... this was the Iron Pony deal that Twilight was yammering about. Sunset Shimmer initially intended to play no role in the affair, having only planned on a brief voyage to Equestria for a face-to-face touching base session. But Twi, bless her heart, she was SO excited over an opportunity to expose her visiting friend to the Ponyville-grown magic of friendly competition. Sunset tried to politely reject Twi’s offer... but who could say no to such an adorkably sweet mare? Definitely not Sunset.

Sunset Shimmer didn’t like admitting it, but back in the old days, these sorts of local carnivalesque contests always intimidated her. Yes, you heard that right. You see, it was commonplace for event challenges to ban participants from using unicorn magic, the one attribute that had allowed the little filly to stand out above the rest. Without magic, Sunset had nothing to defend herself from the mockery of others.

.....That, and the festivals she remembered back in her hometown of Hope Hollow suffered from appalling mismanagement issues, with contestants accusing rival competitors of cheating over the slightest excuse. But that’s a traumatic foalhood story for another time!

Resolved to humoring Twilight, Sunset Shimmer began the hard task of training for Iron Pony. Because no matter what game she chose to play, Sunset never settled for anything less other than the win! First she studied every challenge in detail, assessing what each contest entailed and what potential unicorn-friendly loopholes to exploit were available.

Determining that the Super Sure Shot Sniping Session gave her the best chances of total victory, Sunset Shimmer next used the prep day she had available before Iron Pony to set up a practice target range. And by target range, she actually meant placing a single extremely small target on the extreme edge of an empty field. From what Sunset had gathered, SSSSS operated on Harry Trotter logic: whoever hit the Golden Cupcake would more or less win the match instantly, invalidating all successful attempts by others striking easier targets.

Then there was the issue of Magic itself. Sunset Shimmer figured that according to the Rules, once the projectile was launched via hoof... anything goes. She could get away with taking total levitational control of the projectile to remove gravity and wind from the equation, and nopony would be able to do a thing about it! In other words, the perfect crime!!! So then leave it to the Princess of Being a Killjoy to remind Sunset that blatantly excessive use of magic would ruin the spirit of the game for everyone.

Sunset tried to counter that there was no fun in playing without crushing the opposition... but ugggggh, Twilight was probably right, as usual.

Alrighty then, so Sunset Shimmer conceded that it wouldn’t be fair to give her projectiles any further momentum other than what she physically provided upon launch. Nor could she use spells to 100% cancel out gravity and wind direction. However, several options remained that would help Sunset stack the deck a little bit in her favor.

Firstly: ammunition choices. Metal shot sounded the best on paper for its theoretically good accuracy, but its heaviness severely limited its range. However, that was no problem at all for the magic school drop-out. One molecular reconfiguration spell later and PRESTO: Sunset’s round shot was now made out of a metal far lighter than any naturally occuring one found in Equestria. And thanks to magic, her ammo wouldn’t lose its accuracy properties in the process.

After that: guiding the enchanted metal shot on its path. Outright controlling them was out of the question, but each projectile could be given little magical course corrections here and there along their flight trajectory. That in itself would also tip the scales in Sunset’s favor.

Next up was the boring part: practice, practice, practice. The entire afternoon before Iron Pony, Sunset got a feel for her slingshot, what her are pulling strength measured up to, how to perceive where her airborne projectile was it in relation to its ground target, and so on and so on. Yet despite all her magical advantages, the Mock Cupcake remained a very hard target to strike (hence its huge worth in points). By Miss Shimmer’s calculations, she’d have about a 1-in-25 chance of hitting her mark each time she fired her slingshot.

To a sane pony, those were poor-as-heck odds. But Sunset Shimmer liked looking on the bright side of things: most ponies didn’t get 10 consecutive chances to score it big on the Las Pegasus roulette table. With skill... and a whole lotta’ luck, the fiery mare just might prevail tomorrow. Only time would tell.....

-------------

*THE NEXT DAY*

The decisive hour has come at last: 10 shots, 10 chances. Sunset Shimmer was determined to show the ponies of Ponyville what this gal was capable of!

Attempt #1: The enchanted metal shot fell far short of the Golden Cupcake. But that was to be expected: Sunset accepted it would take some trial and error to make the proper aiming adjustments.

Attempt #2: This time, Sunset’s shot fell just a little bit long. Again, not bad at all: this signaled that barring any wind changes, she’s found her range.

Attempts #3-4: Sunset’s next two shots straddle the target on each side, but fail to aim true. Alas, even with a glowing magical aura surrounding the projectile, it was rather difficult to make it out as it flew off into the distance, making course correction difficult in the process.

Attempts #5-6: Impatience taking hold, Sunset failed to take adequate time to adjust for wind when making her next few shots. The next two enchanted projectiles dispersed more wildly than previous shots.

Attempt #7: In a rather bothersome turn of events, Sunset’s next shot managed to ricochet off a closer target, sending the metal projectile back to its sender! OWWW!!! Those things really hurt!

Attempt #8: Losing her cool, Sunset inadvertently cast a fire enchant on her next shot. That of course added severe drag onto the projectile, and so it failed to even land in the same zip code as the Golden Cupcake. How humiliating!

Attempt #9: Fuming with rage, Sunset took her frustration out by aiming at a nearby cutout siren. Something about its smug stare ticked the fiery unicorn off, so it needed to be taught a lesson! Maybe that blow-hard siren would think twice about mocking Sunset if she hit that confounded jewel of her’s!!!

Attempt #10: Last shot, last chance. Sunset pulled herself together, sobered by the realization that she blew her last several shots thanks to poor anger management. Recalling advice that Twilight had once given her friend, Sunset placed a hoof over her heart, closed her eyes... and calmly exhaled as she gracefully extended her arm outward. Calmness was key here; she needed to keep a level head in order to have any chance of clutching this final shot.

The fiery unicorn took her sweet time in aiming her final shot. She took careful heed of the blowing flags around the field, patiently waiting for the opportune moment. Sunset waited and waited and waited; at last, the breeze started blowing consistently from behind her. That meant no need for horizontal compensation, and no fear of the wind blowing against the projectile to slow it down.

Sensing her moment had come, Sunset took the shot. Her heart pounded as she tracked the metal projectile along its flight path, praying she didn’t overcompensate for her course corrections. Please please please please please make it!!!!!

*INSERT TENSE CLIFFHANGER HERE* 

*CLACK* *CLACK* *CLACK* *CLACK*

“What a thrill
With darkness and silence through the niiiiight”

Ladders... what do ladders represent? Are they a symbol of the link between the Material World and the greater Cosmos? Is the Ladder a metaphor for Chaos, and by extension the willingness to elevate one’s standing in life via the self-serving exploitation of Opportunity? Or maybe it’s more simple than that; maybe ladders simply represent the ultimate challenge for a vertigo-challenged pony to overcome?

*CLACK* *CLACK* *CLACK* *CLACK*

“What a thrill
I'm searching and I'll melt into yooooou”

According to the life philosophy of Derpy Hooves — pegasus of Ponyville and one of the participants in the Cloud Diving event — ladders meant something more horrific than any of the aforementioned possibilities; Boredom. Remorseless... spirit-crushing... boredom. What’s the point of ladders if one could just fly to the top and skip the mind-numbing tedium of a ladder climb? But alas, Rules were Rules; meant to be fair to all ponies, even those without wings. Even with fairness in mind however, did they REALLY have to make the ladder all the way to the top so excruciatingly high?

*CLACK* *CLACK* *CLACK* *CLACK*

“What a fear in my hearrrt
But you're sooo supremeeeee!!!”

With nothing to keep her company other than the aloof howls of the wind, Derpy found herself employing other means to keep the dullness at bay. Luckily for the mare, it seemed singing the lyrics of a bombastically suave tune she listened to not so long ago was doing the trick. With the power of her off-key performance, she could finally focus on the task she set out to do; wowing everypony with her cloud diving skills and taking home the gold... err- do they award gold medals at Iron Pony events these days?

*CLACK* *CLACK* *CLACK* *CLACK*

.....Eh, no biggie either way.

“Someday you gooo through the raiiiiin
And someday, you feeeed on a tree frooooog.....”

-----

“Next up is another hometown challenger, it’s your local part-time electrical weather specialist and mailmare, Derpy Hooves!”

The moment had come at last; the moment where the googly-eyed pegasus would show everypony her awesomeness at cloud diving! She had everything planned out, each move having been rehearsed and refined over the course of countless weeks. There was absolutely no way that Derpy could mess this-

*WOOSH!!!!!*

“Ahhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

One sudden burst of gusty turbulence was all it took to blast the mare off the diving board, sending her into a flailing panic as she fell back-first towards the surface below. Fortunately, Derpy had plenty of time to instinctively recall the aerial recovery procedures that all pegasi learned in Flight School. Of course, having to readjust her body so that she was diving head-first meant her well-rehearsed routine was all but thrown out the window.

In fact, the mare had completely forgotten momentarily she was participating in a cloud diving event to begin with. Derpy had been a bit too slow to readjust her body; discovering she was rapidly reaching the point of impact with the lake, the pegasus’s instincts took over as she executed a surprisingly graceful swoop to level out just before hitting the water. It was a beautiful sight indeed as Derpy used the energy she built up in her dive to rapidly glide upwards.

...It was only at this point when Derpy remembered she was supposed to dive INTO the lake below. Recognizing her chances at getting a good score were effectively blown at this point, the googly-eyed mare took things rather well. With a sheepish grin, Derpy let herself drop back downwards with a patented Awkward Cannonball Fall, not bothering to make any fancy maneuvers as she let gravity do all the work. And thus curled into a ball, the pegasus at least managed to get one big splash in.

All this just goes to show that in life, you win some, and you lose some. Either way, no biggie....

...Of course, Àilóng would be the sort of dragon who'd weave a half-serious plea into reality. Yuè wouldn't have batted an eye over the promise of weekly offerings of exotic foods, but daily visits? That truly gave the qilin mare a reason to ponder. Was her friend looking for excuses to get away from Longri-La? Or... did Àilóng really badly wanted to see the mare as often as he could? But wasn't that sort of behavior limited to lovesick adolescents who were only just discovering the power of romantic attraction?

Àilóng didn't think of Yuè in that sort of way... did he? Had he become yet another being who had fallen for the charms of an empress?

Not being quite sure what to think yet had left Yuè's face blushing with the passion of a thousand suns. Maybe if she pretended that Àilóng merely wanted reprieves from his kingly duties... "Oh, but surely the Wise and Noble Long would start questioning why their king is making extended daily journeys beyond the Abode of the Ancients." The qilin recomposed herself to smirk with impish purpose; "What would Auntie Yuchou have to say about that, hmmm?" Ah yes, bringing up the specter of the Matron was enough to remind Yuè that the handsome stallion at her side was no other than dragon she'd held dear for many years.....

Against all probability, Àilóng managed to find an unoccupied bench for he and Yù Yuè to sit on. Nodding to confirm her companion got Mei's name right, the qilin took another handful of flakes as Àilóng offered to provide further treats from outside the Imperial Palace. Yuè swallowed her food; "Well, actually-" Yes, that was her first instinct; to remind her friend that as Empress, she could ask her own personal palace chef to prepare anything her heart desired. But the qilin quickly corrected herself; letting Àilóng feel appreciated required her to think like Yuè the young mare instead of Yuè, Heavenly Daughter of Dragons.

"...That would mean very much to me." A warm smile and heartfelt glance at the supposed longma's direction accompanied her words, but then Yuè turned away with thoughts of mischief. "I've always longed to taste delicacies freshly made from the farthest reaches of the world..." An utterly unreasonable request to make of 99% of sentient beings, but Yuè has seen serpent dragons in flight... ridden on at least two of them! For Àilóng, such a world-spanning odyssey would be but a minor inconvenience of a day trip; a jest Yuè didn't seriously wish the Serpent King to continuously go through anyway.....

...So maybe Àilóng went a little overboard with purchasing an extra-large order of Flamin Fire Flakes. Then again, just because Àilóng no longer appeared as a dragon didn't mean he longer lacked the appetite of one either. Either way, Yuè gave her friend a flawless smile to show her gratitude before munching on her cherished snack... making sure she didn't come off as too much of a barbarian slob, of course.

"Mmmmmmmmmm, these flakes are perfect." By that, the content qilin mare meant that these particular Fire Flakes were made with a ridonkulous amount of chili spices. Not too long ago when her sworn sister Mei visited the Imperial Palace, she told the Empress a story about how one time smoke billowed out of her deerest mate's mouth and ears when he inadvertently consumed too much chili sauce. Not even a glass of water could cool that poor caribou's inwards.

But what was absurdly hot and spicy for the average being's palate was pure bliss for Yuè, who welcomed the burst of heat and flavor on her tongue. "This brings me back," she took a break from eating to reminisce; "I remember long ago when my sworn sister and I would venture all by ourselves to the Outer Ward and buy treats like these, and eat them without a care in the world....."