Time of Your Life! (Closed: Phil)

[SteelEagle]

Three months earlier

Pathfinder was having the time of her life, even if that seemed to be drawing to a swift and nasty close.

No regrets, of course, and she didn't actually believe that anything that bad would actually happen. It wasn't her time, her moment, and nopony was even here to write about her heroics either so if it wasn't to be recorded than her expiration was still far off. Who was she going to make her grand speech to before she went off to join those who came before? Nopony, and she had it all memorized. She'd rewritten it a half dozen times and by Celestia that effort wasn't going to waste. She never wasted her efforts. This expedition was not a waste of effort. In fact, she'd venture to guess that this was her most wonderfully successful adventures of all time. OF ALL TIME! Everypony who was anypony who was anypony worth knowing knew that knowing was half the battle, and Pathfinder was a pony worth knowing who knew what battles were right. And trying not to be eaten by a pack or severely rude Griffons out here in the Badlands was one battle worth fighting.

It had started simply off, with her trailing an odd cloud formation during one of her joy-filled jaunts to the wonderful Badlands. It bore all the markings of one of a number of ancient Pegasi cities from Celestia knew (or didn't, if the stories were true) but probably the time of the tribes. With the ancient ponies abandoning them, they were left to float of their own accord. The saddest fact was that you could find these ancient metropolises where the ancient Pegasi forged all the great traditions that continued to this day floating in small chunks and eventually evaporate into nothing with disuse. There would be a time where outside the small pieces found by Equestrians, ancient Pegasi cities would literally vanish from the world. That was sad. What was sadder is the relics that would go missing, which meant Pathfinder was initially overjoyed.

It had struck her odd though and it wasn't just a feeling; she had been struck by a few bolts of lightning when she approached, which was odd. It immediately told her there must have been some Pegasi inside, and Pegasi in the badlands usually weren't the friendliest sort. She'd met a few nice ones but a shocking number of them turned out to be changelings who got close to her for all the wrong things, even if they seemed so right at the time. Point being, she knew it was weird and after she lost the distance to allow for them to think their defenses worked (whether or not she should have been worried about her experience-gained resistance to electricity was a bad thing or not) while their squads of bulk griffons took to the air to find her, she planned. How was she going to crack this mystery?

She had to figure it out quick, of course. The griffons had noticed the smoke hovering above her form and pierced the clouds above her like angry thunderbolts from the legends of yore. Little time to react, few recourses available to her, and the dagger points that passed as griffons hurtling towards her with lethal intent. Today was shaping up to be faaaaantastic.

Pathfinder in...The Mystery of Pegasapolis

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

Today

Pathfinder was going to have the time of her life, even if it seemed that her nose was being swift and nasty.

She didn't know exactly why she being called to Snowfall's place but she knew better than to keep her wittle bitty Snowy woahwy waiting. It was half love and half excitement for the unknown, as Snowfall's letter hadn't told her much. They really didn't tell her much that Pathfinder could understand, the long and well-written letters detailing her day to day life and the trepidation of a CEO not capturing Pathfinder's attention until it got to the more personal bits. It wasn't that Pathfinder didn't care, mind you. Quite the opposite. If it had been any other mare, Pathfinder would have used her letters for kindling. As it was, she read her love's love letters four times to understand what was said, and took the time to compose her own letter as well. It had really cut into her fan fiction time but that was okay. Chapter 78 of Daring Do and Pathfinder in The Terrifying Wind Tunnel of Terror was due out any day and she was sure all the fan clubs were eagerly anticipating the new addition to the adventure. So many awesome things happened, and this one was actually appropriate for foals, fillies, and cols to hear!

She fluttered to an end outside Snowy's mansion entrance, a little unnerved. She didn't like going to the front because that meant traps and traps that you could avoid by being smart were often the elast fun and most dangerous of them all. She was an adventurer, not a thrill seeker. Standards! She had standards! But this was Snowfall's place and she wanted the front door, so she got the front door. Pathfinder was a mare of many talents and following Snowy's exact instructions was one of them. She often thought this made her feel like a cat of some sort but having spent a few days as a cat once, the differences were many and so startling that Pathfinder never looked at the beasts the same again, freakin' carnivores.

Back on point. She had a stuffy nose today, but oh well.

Knock knock knock.

[colour=#006400]"HHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOO?!"[/colour]

[RarityDash]

Three months earlier...

Snowfall gave a long, resigned sigh. Some things were just so tedious and exhausting that it really felt like she could just feel the time of her life steadily ticking away as she was made to endure them.

In the longer, stupider moments part of her started to wish the ticking went a little faster. Ponies likely assumed her life was easy street, and surely compared to some out there it was. By most accounts, keeping a major corporation running at a profit was not a simple task. It was a demanding job built on difficult decisions that stood to affect a great number of ponies. Everything had such a gravity to it that it could be draining. And as experiences that could be described as "draining" went, few were more so than meeting with the NSI Board.

Snowfall had been locked in a tempestuous struggle with the Northern Storm Industries Board of Directors for control over the direction of the company since she first took over the reigns for her absentee father. Within the hallowed walls of the NSI board room, the most frustrating yet depressingly tedious battles imaginable were waged. Through it all, Snow often wondered just how she endured. Like a flock of hungry griffons vigilantly circling their prey, ready to strike, the five other lead members of the board sat there in their overstuffed chairs ready to pick apart every little thing Snowfall did. While she had grown adept to batting back their strikes, the sting left by their keen beaks could be as painful as ever.

Of course, only one of the directors actually was a griffon; Ari Featherpaw, an old friend of Snow's father and an aged and rather mild mannered member of his species, served as the board chair and had been a key voice in the push to branch NSI into Aquelia. The other four members were ponies and two unicorns a pegasus and an earth pony to be more exact. The unicorns were Prudent Thought, the CFO, a quiet bookish stallion who was almost too good at what he did; and the Executive Vice President Iron Rampart, an elderly stallion with a muscular build who had been one of Snow's father greatest friends who had helped him build the company up since the days when they both worked together as factory workers. The earth pony meanwhile was a long time and major stakeholder by the name of Vanguard Surge, a very wealthy stallion originally with strong ties to the REA and Aquelia.

Then there was the biggest reason the majority of board meetings were so unmitigatedly awful. Crystal Snowflake was a prominent member of the board and also Snow's mother. Since practically the day she was foaled by this mare, she had proven to be a constant source of perpetual antagonization. To put it simply, she was controlling; she did her best to control Snowfall, and when that didn't work she tried to control the company. She knew practically nothing of business but always saw that she got a say into the discussions regardless, and her persuasive nature could sometimes sway the others into ugly discordance sometimes the younger pegasus wished there was a way to just disappear.

The current board meeting was however proving thus far to be different from that. No, this meeting--which had gone on far too long and thus far had mostly just been on the subject of budgeting and reviewing quarterly performance--wasn't any kind of struggle for dominance between mother and daughter. No, it was just dull as dirt. Prudent and Ari read from different forms in different monotones until Snowfall felt increasingly tempted to lean forward in her seat and take a nap. The only pony in the room probably even more bored than her was her mother, who kept sneaking glances at her gold pocket watch underneath the table every few minutes, unaware that everyone could tell.

At that moment, Snow would have taken anything: callous remarks from her bitter mother, passive aggressive comments about how Northern Storm would have done this or that, being called an "impulsive child" or "too reckless"... Any of it beat this tedium. Time seemed to be passing slower than ever and the meeting showed no signs of ending any time soon... and considering she had other meeting to attend after this, her day was really shaping up to suck.

Snowfall in... a never-ending board meeting.

​

Today...

Snowfall gave a short, anxious sigh. Some things were just so exciting and eagerly anticipated that she almost wished she could half the progress of time just to savor that bit of her life.

Such was time spent with Pathfinder. To Snowfall there were few things she enjoyed more. Pathfinder had become a precious and irreplaceable part of her life and it had been all too long since their last date. Snow had requested they meet by letter as usual. She had kept the details of the date vague as at the moment she wasn't entirely sure where exactly she would be taking them. She had instead stuffed the letter mostly with details of recent events in her life; unfortunately that meant mostly work related activities, as there really wasn't much to it aside from that and Pathfinder these days. It was perhaps indulgent, and she wasn't sure how much Pathfinder actually cared for such boring details... but sometimes it could be good to vent about the board and she felt obligated to include some stories, even if they weren't as fantastic as the unbelievable adventures Pathfinder so often recounted for her in her own letters. Pathfinder was hardly the most accomplished pony with a pen, and her letters were often so very scattered and clumsy but for Snow they were all considered priceless and--along with her growing collection of Daring Do plush toys--were the only things she had to remind of her of Pathfinder when they were apart.

Snow shook her head and paced. It was about the time she indicated on her letter and she did not expect Pathfinder to be very late. She decided to move toward the foyer of Northern Storm Manor, intent to quickly intercept the guest. Were her mother to emerge from her balcony and corner Pathfinder, it would surely set the date off on a quite sour note. No, it was best to avoid that kind of situation entirely if they could. That in mind, she hurried out of her room. Just as she was descending the stairs, the sound of a loud knocking could be heard. The butler, a proper stallion dressed as always in an immaculate suit moved to answer.

​

[colour=#006400]"HHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOO?!"[/colour]

The loud call assaulted the able manservant as he opened the door, leaving him looking only mildly taken aback. [colour=#000000]"I trust you're here to see Miss Snowfall, correct?"[/colour] he said practically deadpan. [colour=#000000]"Come in. It'll be but a moment to retrieve her,"[/colour] he added, opening the door fully and stepping back.

[colour=#99ccff]"You needn't bother, Sure Regard, I'm here,"[/colour] Snowfall started as she flew the rest of the way down the steps. Her smile lit up as she stared at Pathfinder for the first time in many weeks.

[colour=#99ccff]"Pathfinder! I'm delighted to see you again,"[/colour] she spoke, her excitement clear. [colour=#99ccff]"it's always far too long,"[/colour] she added as she approached the other mare and took her into an embrace.

[colour=#99ccff]"But we shouldn't waste much time here. Let's go out and see what kind of fun we can find as we catch up,"[/colour] she urged as she let up some, allowing the other mare a moment to respond.

​

[SteelEagle]

Claws missed her by fractions of an inch, paws by even less, as her pursuers clutched with frustration at the empty spaces where a rather annoying pegasus had once vexed them. Pathfinder didn't waste their near misses; opportunity struck with less regularity than an Everfree storm. A kick to the chest, to the break, to the claw or talon or paw or wing. She did all she could and gave far more than she got, but it still wasn't going to be good enough. She was a pegasus, and not the greatest physical specimen at that. They were griffons, and rather aggressive and well-built ones at that. She got more hits in, but they had sharp claws. She was not having all that much fun.

She wished she had been faster or been more aware, but how was she to know that there was a patrol of griffons coming back to the city just as she was trying to get away from it? She couldn't! It wasn't fun to have the script changed on you, but heck, she could ad lib with the best of them. So she had fought the patrol and then the few griffons who had been sent out earlier and, well, she had done well. Especially considering she had been struck by lightning a half dozen times before hand. But still, while the griffons had some beak fissures, some broken bones, and a damaged wing or two, Pathfinder had cuts and gashes that were not pleasant-

-A talon swiped across her cheek, giving her three deep lines. Pathfinder shot out and retreated a few dozen yards, not that it bought her much time as her silent assailants were upon her a microsecond later. Instead of engaging, she retreated more and more and more, but the distance grew less and less. Retreating wasn't a solid idea, not at this altitude anyway. She would lose the fight if she fought. Only one chance.

Pathfinder ducked two grasping talons and coiled herself like a big cat before springing herself below her assailant, under the group of griffons as a whole. They stopped or did their best approximation and Pathfinder shot towards the direction they had been seconds ago. The group tried to follow and did so, but with less speed and even worse coordination. Pathfinder stopped and so did they, a mass of feathers above. She had successfully ruined their coordination and advantage, and now she could make her move. She hovered up, enticing her attackers towards her with the promise of ending this. They came, nearly fighting one another for position. Good. The time was now.

Pathfinder kicked the cloud that had lazily floated under her and with the greatest amount of speed she could muster, rammed through the group above in a mes of tails, feathers, claws, talons, teeth, and hooves. Pathfinder allowed her speed to carry her through the grouping, wings folded at the last second. She was knocked in the head, scratched and cut apart by the seeming millions of sharp objects that were concentrated in that tiny space. After a few moments of pain, she burst out from the other side in an upwards free for all. It took two seconds but she shook her head and looked below. Success!

The group of griffons had been successfully disabled for a few precious moments. Between her cannonball of a hit and the vast number of friendly fire they unleashed on one another trying to grab and attack her, two griffons were falling to the ground without a working wing while another was hazily falling ontop of a cloud. Two of them looked okay if still stunned while the final two were fighting one another for one reason or another. Griffons were silly.

[colour=#006400]"Hey, you meat-eating clunkheads! I thought you were supposed to be TOUGH?!"[/colour] She barked at them, smiling as she wiped the stinging rewards of the fight off of her muzzle. That got them- the final four griffons turned up and with a angry squawk shot up at her. Pathfinder took wing and shot up too.

Everything was going just great!

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

Everything was going just great!

There was Snowfall, looking all cute and stuff, and her little manservant was polite enough to get the heck away from the lovepegasi when Snowy showed up. Pathfinder's little Snowy, Snowy, Snowy, Snowy. Her wittle Snowflake! She couldn't visit her marefriend very often but when she did, sparks flew and hearts were shattered across the nation. How much must it have sucked to be anypony but them? A lot, that's what! A whole heck of a lot! Look at them! LOOK AT THEM! You had that amazing, attractive, wholesome mare that everypony wanted to be and on her foreleg was the CEO of NSI! Adventure, fame, wealth, power, adorableness, attractiveness, amazingness, awesomeness, and other adjectives that Pathfinder couldn't think of with her somewhat small vocabulary. She felt sorry for the rest of Equestria, poor saps, dealing woth their non-Snowfall and non-Pathfinder existences.

Luckily, she got to deal with her Special Snowflake, and returned the hug just as hard.

[colour=#006400]"I'm so happy to see you! it's been like a century since we last met, or close to it. I think? Well, that's an exaggeration but not really because it seems like forever!" [/colour]She blasted energetically as she shook her marefriend about in the tight embrace before Snowfall ended it. Her marefriend had some ambitions, it seemed.

[colour=#006400]"Well, CEO's first, Snowy!" [/colour]She offered as she took to hovering a few feet above the ground, stretching out her stretchy wings. [colour=#006400]"Whatcha have in mind?"[/colour]

[RarityDash]

[colour=#008080]"... So, to summarize, as per the quarterly returns being twelve percent greater than expected for the previous quarter and the company's yearly returns continuing to trend upward, NSI's profit margins have grown comfortably allotting us sufficient capital to invest in expansion and new proposals..."[/colour] Ari's ceaseless droning, finally reached a stopping point in his never ending back and forth with Prudent. Quarterly returns... financial gains... it was amazing really; somewhere in this world there had to still be griffons at the hunt, circling in on an unsuspecting target ready to rip it apart as was so common with predators. Here Ari Featherpaw sat in his starched suit, horn rimmed glasses resting on his beak droning about company finances. The though made Snow laugh, which brought stares, but couldn't be helped. This was a mixed up crazy world they lived in. Part of her just wished she was seeing a more exciting part of it. There was only so much joy to be found in irony.

[colour=#99CCFF]"Excellent, Ari,"[/colour] Snow said with a nod, trying to look more interested then she was. it was always good news when the company did well, but when delivered as it was by this group, it just made it so much harder to cheer for. [colour=#99CCFF]"Does anypony have a proposal to put on the table?"[/colour]

[colour=#0000FF]"Hmmph. We shouldn't waste it,"[/colour] [colour=#000000]Snow's mother, Crystal, started in forcefully. [/colour][colour=#0000FF]"I propose we funnel the returns directly into the coming yearly NSI Banquet and other outreach events. Business is about connections. We use this growth to spur further growth by influencing those who might invest."[/colour]

​

[colour=#800000]"Courting lions can only get us so far, Crystal. It's the product line that will attract the big money, not pomp and splendor alone,"[/colour] Iron Rampart started in a gruff voice. [colour=#800000]"I vote we invest the capital in refining and improving the current product line as well as in factory upkeep. Insuring the current processes can continue to run smoothly should guarantee our continued success."[/colour]

[colour=#FFD700]"Oh? Sure, some should probably go to upkeep,"[/colour] Vanguard Surge interjected, a scrupulous expression on his face. [colour=#FFD700]"But wouldn't it be in our best interest to put some of it into R&D? More goods on the market means more returns. We can continue to produce the same line forever, but meanwhile our competitors will continue to look toward new possibilities. We can't stay still or we'll fall behind."[/colour]

[colour=#008000]"It's a valid point, but research has great risk," [/colour]Prudent spoke, his voice cold and monotonous. [colour=#008000]"Put too much there and we can quickly see gains become losses."[/colour]

[colour=#99CCFF]"R&D is very important to the NSI mission statement, Prudent,"[/colour] Snow spoke up, shaking her head. [colour=#99CCFF]"The Northern Storm name is and never will be one associated with running from risks."[/colour]

[colour=#0000FF]"Ha! That's right! My darling little daughter sometimes has the rare foresight to say something that would make him proud,"[/colour] [colour=#000000]Crystal said with a condescending smile, her words drawing a noticeable scowl from said daughter.[/colour]

​

[colour=#008080]"If we're talking risks, why not take an even bigger one?"[/colour] Ari spoke now. Snow was surprised. He was not one who bold ideas usually came from. Quiet and reserved, it was often hard to believe he was a griffon at all. [colour=#008080]"The increased returns are largely an affirmation on our policy of expanding into new markets. Aquelia and South Equestria have both proven to be very fruitful actions."[/colour]

[colour=#800000]"But where is there to expand?"[/colour] Iron started, shaking his head.[colour=#800000] "Canterlot? Cloudsdale? Ponyville? Each of them is too set into their traditional ways. We have no hope of gaining traction."[/colour]

[colour=#008000]"Further expansion in the west could potentially yield returns,"[/colour] Prudent spoke, nodding. [colour=#008000]"A Las Pegasus office or a factory in Breakbeak could be examined as a possibility."[/colour]

"There's also North," Snowfall spoke with a smirk, nodding at Ari.

[colour=#0000FF]"Silly, reckless child, there's nothing North of Stalliongrad but icy wilderness. That you'd even suggest such a impetuous idea shows a stunning disregard for your father and for common sense,"[/colour] [colour=#000000]Crystal spoke harshly, clearly angered deeply.[/colour]

​

[colour=#99CCFF]"You would be served well to read a newspaper every once in a while, mother... and not just the tabloids and gossip columns either..." [/colour]Snow snapped back, trying to keep her cool.

[colour=#FFD700]"The Crystal Empire?"[/colour] Vanguard started, somewhat surprised. Snow just nodded and smiled. Suddenly she felt a little more interested in the proceedings. Life had been restored to the discussion.

Snow could only hope this would go well.

​

-----

Snow could only hope this would go well.

Pathfinder was so very unpredictable. It was part of what made her so ceaselessly exciting to be with. At the same time, there was always a potential for things going awry, and while Snowfall couldn't see Pathfinder doing anything that would make her too upset with her, damage control still might be needed depending on how things went down. Though, in truth, these things were not really at the front of the pegasus' mind. No, the mare that she loved was right there in front of her. She had other thoughts on her mind.

​

[colour=#006400]"I'm so happy to see you! it's been like a century since we last met, or close to it. I think? Well, that's an exaggeration but not really because it seems like forever!" [/colour]

Snow smiled as the pony spoke. Pathfinder was irresistible. Her energy... her smile... everything. It was just so effortlessly enticing. She hadn't wanted to let go of the mare when she had.

[colour=#99CCFF]"But now I have you all to myself. Let's make the best of the time we have together,"[/colour] she whispered gently as she stepped toward the door, ending on an affected giggle.

​

[colour=#006400]"Well, CEO's first, Snowy! [/colour][colour=#006400]Whatcha have in mind?"[/colour]

At these words, Snow gave a small shrug. "I don't know. Don't really have too much written into the plan. What would our intrepid adventurer like to do today?" she asked coyly, stepping toward the mare and smiling sweetly at her.

[colour=#99CCFF]"Perhaps we just let our wings take us where they may for now. Isn't that how the best adventures start?"[/colour] the businessmare added. [colour=#99CCFF]"At the very least I could show you around my city."[/colour]

​

[SteelEagle]

Each breath brought in a far shallower intake of breath than she would have liked. Pathfinder had experienced shortness of breath many times as she flew at the very limits of her constitution in an effort to touch the moon. Silly? Sure, but every pegasi- if they were being truthful- would admit to pursuing that goal in their dreams as a foal. As someone who made foalish dreams come alive every day, she knew that shortness of breath and knew it well. But this was different. It shouldn't work the way it was, not in a pegasi city. The fact it was a city was bad enough, but knowing it was one of the ancient lost cloud cities made it ten times worse. There were a small number of things it could mean. Six of them meant the city was going to eventually dissipate to nothingness, and the other four weren't exactly trips to Five Flags either.

She had escaped her pursuers with a few scratches and nicks but otherwise just fine, and shot into the city a few hours ago. She had outrun the griffons pursuing her until the poor fellows had collapsed onto a nearby cloud formation, which was soon little more than an afterthought to the city.Also, She hadn't been zapped this time, which told her that whoever was controlling or aiming the defenses hadn't seen her approach. That suited her just fine, the tips of her hooves still numb from the earlier attacks. But it also meant their attention was somewhere else. Or on something else. Either was better than their attention being on her as she infiltrated the city, but if only that meant she didn't have other worries. She landed on several structures and standing clouds and each time had to fly again in less than a few seconds. The city's magic, ancient and powerful and connected to everything that made the ancient pegasi great, was fading. Weakening. Dying. Slowly, but ceaselessly. Each structure she laid on started to grow thin, and the air around the city was thin, not chock full of oxygen like pegasi cities and the Equestrian sky thanks to generations of pegasi control. It was sad- the city was vanishing and would soon be gone.

And when it was gone, nopony would remain to try and identify it. It lacked some of the more militaristic features of other cities, which meant that it wasn't one of Commander Hurricane's grand military outposts. Instead, it was adorned with great arts and crafts of all types. Those not of the cloud variety had been looted or given to the wind ages ago, and the cloud art that remained was thin and more whisp than anything. A great city of the arts, pegasi arts at that, that was what this city once was. Now, it was home to Pathfinder and her friends-slash-enemies-slash-adventure mates-foes, who hadn't been kind enough to make an appearance as she zipped across the city. Finally though as she graced the sun-side of a still-hardy clocktower, she could see the gaggle that would pass as her competition tonight.

Two pegasi, older looking and dressed in little more than rags yet with a hard glint about their eyes, led the way for a bright red balloon that was tethered to a collapsing building. In it were four non-fliers, three unicorns and an earth pony. The unicorns were naked, and the earth pony was dressed in finery. He had the attitude to match.

[colour=#008080]"Oh my, how much longer must we wait! What I would do to feel solid ground again..." [/colour]one of the unicorns moaned, listlessly playing cards with one of the others.

[colour=#0000cd]"Now now Silent Night, we shouldn't push our winged breathren past their breaking point," [/colour]The earth pony replied playfully, checking out his admittedly fine looking hooves.

[colour=#800080]"Thank you!" [/colour]One of the two pegasi spoke in a rather rough Fillydelphia accent.

[colour=#0000cd]"As meager and pathetic as that point is," [/colour]The fancy one finished, snickering alongside his unicorn aides. The Fillydelphian one gulped. He was nudged by the other.

[colour=#ff0000]"Don't worry about it. He's a bit rough in manner, but the pay's good-"[/colour]

[colour=#0000cd]"The pay is plenty good as long as you get the Heart! This expedition is dragging on and where the blazes are Grezel and his company?!" [/colour]The earth pony suffered from a bit of a mood swing, stomping his hoof on the side of the basket.

[colour=#ff0000]"For the last time sir, we can do it without those griffons! We're smaller, faster, and-"[/colour]

[colour=#00ff00]"Far more expensive if you get hurt. Griffons...getting them back to health is easy. Us ponies are such fragile creatures..." [/colour]the hitherto silent unicorn spoke in a rather soft tone, eye rolls from everypony else the response.

[colour=#a52a2a]"What is it with you and griffons? I swear, the moment we find the Hold and the Heart, I'm going to kick you out of this balloon!"[/colour] one of the card playing unicorns moaned.

The Hold! The Hold! This is Maredrid, the City that Held the Heart of the Pegasi!

[colour=#006400]"Hah! Well well well, this city might be old, it might be ancient, but it's Pegasi, and I'll just have to...[/colour]

--------

[colour=#40e0d0]"show you around my city."[/colour]

The offer was absolutely wonderful to Pathfinder's ears. She'd explored Stalliongrad a thousand times over without any help, but Celestia knew that the depths of the ciity held secrets held by locals and locals alone. And they hadn't had all the time she'd have wanted otherwise to spend with Snowfall, so the offer was in every way spectacular. She held her Snowfall and gave a humongous squeeze, then bap'd her on the nose playfully.

[colour=#006400]"Snowy, you're so naive it's funny! Most adventures start with you fighting cloud serpents miles above the ground, getting knockeed out, falling into a near bottomless pit and waking up before you go splat on the bottom!" [/colour]She took off and started doing spontaneous loops in the sky above them.

[colour=#006400]"And then you find this little cavern and boulders are all like CRASH and arrows are all like FLIT FLIT FLIT and poison fumes make you dizzy and suddenly FIRE EVERYWHERE!" [/colour]She then rose high up the sky and started diving fast.

[colour=#006400]"BOOM!"[/colour] She stopped above the ground.

[colour=#006400]"The ground explodes and you fall, swinging on vines because you can't see because of the poison you see, but you fall into a rapid current and in the current, CROCS!" [/colour] She struck a dramatic scary pose.

[colour=#006400]"The crocs try to bite your head off and you're like, "HECK NO CROCS, I'M NOT YOUR MEAL TODAY!" and you're like BANG BOOM ZOOM!"[/colour] A series of boxing moves, [colour=#006400]"and you relax when you suddenly land on the ground after a short drop in a waterfall. You think you're safe, but then a drop bear attacks!" [/colour]She finished, hovering in front and slightly above Snowfall, smiling wide and genuine and eyes wide open with hooves at her hips, chest puffed out. She held this pose for a few moments.

[colour=#006400]"Or...well, sometimes they start like this too, so come and show me a good time!"[/colour]

[RarityDash]

Two Days Later

Snowfall wore a downcast expression as she looked out the window of the train. Here she was, traveling north of Stalliongrad into the mysterious reaches of the North and yet none of it was how she had been dreaming it would go down for the past many years. The return of the Crystal Empire had thrown her for a loop as it had many ponies. She couldn't however deny the business potential. The Empire had proximity to Stalliongrad and was a complete blank slate when it came to modern tech companies. None of the rival companies had claimed a foothold yet; it was an untested market, so there was risk. There was the possibility that these ponies pulled from the past would reject what they had to offer and that profits would prove scarce. All the same, nopony got anywhere without trying and they had the money to invest. This could be an all too valuable opportunity.

Which was why she was sitting in a train cart with her all too obnoxious mother. Before they committed to expanding business into the Empire, the entire NSI board wanted to see it with their own eyes and work out arrangements with the locals. All six members of the board were coming along for the weekend to get the Crystal Empire tour. Snowfall wasn't really sure what to think or feel, so she just glanced out the train window at the arctic landscape. She thought of the Stalliongrad she had left and she thought of Pathfinder, out there somewhere in the beyond. Mostly she thought of her father and how somewhere out beyond the snowcapped hills and mountains all around her he had vanished forever. As the train chugged along toward this mysterious empire, a juvenile part of her wondered if he wouldn't somehow be there waiting for her.

[colour=#0000ff]"You're thinking about him, aren't you?"[/colour] Snow's mother spoke, shooting her a glance as icy as the landscape.

​

[colour=#99ccff]"Of course I am, mother,"[/colour] Snow said through a sigh. [colour=#99ccff]"It's unavoidable, isn't it? This is where..."[/colour]

[colour=#0000ff]"No, you disgrace his name if that's what you believe,"[/colour] the older pegasus said with her muzzle turned upward. [colour=#0000ff]"That stallion would have gotten much further than just this."[/colour]

​

[colour=#99ccff]"Ah, yes... of course,"[/colour] Snowfall said, shaking her head softly. [colour=#99ccff]"I didn't mean..."[/colour]

[colour=#0000ff]"It matters not. If you truly believe this Crystal Empire venture is worth our time, what is important is you keeping your wits about you, child. As much as it pains to admit it, you are the CEO. You are the one who must make the impression that lasts with the VIPs of the empire,"[/colour] Crystal Snowflake said through a huff.

​

[colour=#99ccff]"I know, mother. I don't need encouragement from you of all ponies,"[/colour] Snow said, rolling her eyes.[colour=#99ccff] "I've been successfully running this company for many years now."[/colour]

[colour=#0000ff]"And yet you all too often continue to make ill-advised, childish decisions,"[/colour] Crystal said icily. [colour=#0000ff]"You've proven to not be the best at judging character. Someday it's going to land you in a dangerous spot."[/colour]

​

[colour=#99ccff]"This is still about her, isn't it, mother?"[/colour] Snow started with a growl.[colour=#99ccff] "I've told you a thousand times that I'm happy now. As good as your last choice might have appeared, he wasn't what he seemed to be at all under the surface. That stallion was the sort who wasn't good for me, not her."[/colour]

[colour=#0000ff]"It's not thinking soundly, is what it is. Selfishness. NSI is about more than silly personal happiness,"[/colour] the older mare argued. Snowfall felt angry.

​

[colour=#99ccff]"Sometimes I wonder if you didn't allow me father's chair just so you could scold me, mother,"[/colour] Snowfall tersely replied, glancing aside.

Crystal glowered.[colour=#0000ff] "Is that how you talk to yo--"[/colour]

​

A knock as the train car door interrupted the mare's words. Both ponies looked at the door as it opened. It was Sure Regard, the most able butler and servant employed by Northern Storm Manor, who had accompanied them to tend to their needs while they stayed in the Empire. Snowfall nodded at him.[colour=#99ccff] "Yes, Sure, what is it?"[/colour]

[colour=#000000]"I was told to convey to you and Mrs. Snowflake that we will be arriving in the Crystal Empire shortly, Miss Snowfall. The engineer informs me that the train will reach the station in roughly fifteen minutes time,"[/colour] the butler said with a nod.

[colour=#0000ff]"Excellent,"[/colour] Crystal started. [colour=#0000ff]"I think it will do us both some good to stretch our wings after being cooped up in this blasted train for so long."[/colour]

​

[colour=#99ccff]"indeed."[/colour] Snow nodded. [colour=#99ccff]"Thank you for keeping us informed, Sure."[/colour]

[colour=#000000]"My pleasure, Miss,"[/colour] the butler said as he turned to leave. He didn't get very far however. He fell forward into unconsciousness as a large bat was swung at his head. Two masked figures entered the cart, stepping over the motionless stallion.

[colour=#0000ff]"What is the meaning of this outrage?"[/colour] Crystal shouted loudly as one of the stallions closed the door to the large, private train car. [colour=#0000ff]"Guards! Arrest these criminal miscreants!"[/colour]

​

[colour=#8b4513]"No one will be coming for you," [/colour]the masked pony with the bat said before swinging it again, sending the older mare to the ground. Just then, the train screeched to a sudden halt. Snowfall backed up, fearful of what was happening.

[colour=#99ccff]"If this is about money, I'll pay you what you ask now,"[/colour] Snowfall said cautiously. [colour=#99ccff]"Just don't do anything more to my mother or my servant."[/colour]

[colour=#ffa07a]"I'd love to take you up on that offer, Miss CEO, but we have orders, you see,"[/colour] the second masked stallion said as the first lumbered toward her with his bat.

Snowfall thought about what to do, and immediately thought of Pathfinder. She couldn't give in. She had to fight this. Someone evidently had it out for her, it seemed, but she couldn't just let them win. She needed to make her escape. As the bulky stallion swung his bat, she ducked and then slammed her hoof into his chest. As he staggered back she flew at the window, but the thick glass wouldn't give.

[colour=#ffa07a]"There's no escape, Miss CEO," [/colour]the second stallion said, rushing at her. He was unarmed, but he was also quite large and could easily overpower her if he caught her. Snowfall had to act quick. She flew from the window right toward the door, having to adjust her path as the stallion with the bat recovered and swung at her again.

[colour=#99ccff]"C'mon..." [/colour]she muttered as she fought the door open as both stallions started coming after her again.

Just in the nick of time, she worked it open and found herself on the outside. She managed a few steps from the door, thinking she was in the clear, until another stallion jumped up from behind her and forced her into a hold. He forced something into her face and soon she felt her strength leaving her all at once.

[colour=#99ccff]"Path... finder..."[/colour] she muttered as she collapsed into an unconscious heap.

​

---

[colour=#006400]"Snowy, you're so naive it's funny! Most adventures start with you fighting cloud serpents miles above the ground, getting knockeed out, falling into a near bottomless pit and waking up before you go splat on the bottom! [/colour][colour=#006400]And then you find this little cavern and boulders are all like CRASH and arrows are all like FLIT FLIT FLIT and poison fumes make you dizzy and suddenly FIRE EVERYWHERE! [/colour][colour=#006400]BOOM! [/colour][colour=#006400]The ground explodes and you fall, swinging on vines because you can't see because of the poison you see, but you fall into a rapid current and in the current, CROCS! [/colour][colour=#006400]The crocs try to bite your head off and you're like, 'HECK NO CROCS, I'M NOT YOUR MEAL TODAY!' and you're like BANG BOOM ZOOM! [/colour][colour=#006400]and you relax when you suddenly land on the ground after a short drop in a waterfall. You think you're safe, but then a drop bear attacks! [/colour][colour=#006400]...well, sometimes they start like this too, so come and show me a good time!"[/colour]

Snowfall couldn't help but giggle affectionately as her beloved let free all of her excited insanity. Pathfinder could be absolutely irresistable. Moreover, she was actually quite fascinating. Sometimes it was hard to tell where Daring Do, fanfiction and general imagination started and real life events began when she told stories, but Snowfall had learned to accept that most of it was more real than one might be tempted to believe. Everything about Pathfinder was incredible in every sense, which was part of why Snowfall loved her so much.

[colour=#99ccff]"Drop bears, huh?"[/colour] she started, still chuckling. [colour=#99ccff]"I believe I remember reading about those once. Where have you encountered them?"[/colour]

She flew toward Pathfinder, who was hovering in front of her and nuzzled her cheek. [colour=#99ccff]"You seriously know how to make your adventures sound fun, Pathfinder. It's utterly infectious,"[/colour] she said in a warm voice.

[colour=#99ccff]"As for today, I doubt it will be quite so action-packed, but I hope to at least show you a good time," [/colour]she said with a smile. [colour=#99ccff]"For now, let's just start with a nice flight over the city. Maybe we'll see something that catches your eye."[/colour]

She gave a soft giggle as she flew upwards a little and did her own little loop in the air.[colour=#99ccff] "I'd love to hear more about your recent adventures while you're at it," [/colour]she said.

She could already tell this was going to be a good day. Pathfinder made everything so easy and so fun. A warm smile stayed on her face as she climbed even higher into the clouds as they continued to snow softly on her city.

​

[SteelEagle]

Two Days Later...

The journey had been long and more tedious than Pathfinder would have liked. The ancient city was for all intents and purposes almost entirely derelict and most of it's value had been picked clean by scavengers or the elements decades earlier. The banners were torn down, statues destroyed, and the great bells and tomes of the city vanished. The libraries were emptied, bell towers collapsed- the city was less than a shade of it's former self, and most vexingly, everything was taken from it. The worst thing about an ancient city that had been picked clean of everything obvious was a city robbed of all cool relics. That would have, should have, made her past few days both unexciting and terribly uneventful. Luckily for everypony under Celestia's sun that some things had not been tampered with or they'd have to deal with a troublemaking Pathfinder looking for things to do.

Luckily for all, the traps had not been tampered with. First had been the wind traps down Wing Attack Avenue. Severe suctioning winds would cause tornado force winds to suck you into the vortex and eventually send you spinning to the ground far, far below. That was a lot of fun! In order to get past, you had to solve the Tornado Question. To non-pegasi, the answer to the riddle, "In the sky above there beats the heart of the storm, forever powerful yet accompanied by what?" was impossible to decipher. So you'd guess in a panic, and hit one of the panels that lined the walls of the failing cloud buildings incorrectly and get tossed to the ground below. But pathfinder wasn't totally dumb and her decade or so of experience adventuring had let her into the secret riddle solving club, and she had read more than a few books. The answer was, "pegasi, with the wings of storm and three flaps to the wind!" She had solved it and moved on.

Then came the Cloud Knights. Very rare protectors of cities of the ancient pegasi when the old tribes would be off on campaigns, they were formidable foes, especially for a pegasus. While her counterparts had fared poorly against the tornado trap, they were well-suited to fighting the cloud knights who were not nearly preparedto fight against those who came from the solid earth below. While Pathfinder dived, ducked, and dodged her way to a field of smiles, her foes beat their charges and moved on with nary a scratch. After several hours and three knights, Pathfinder had managed to defeat and evade her three cloud knights...though a sudden numbness in her wings pointed to the infamous cloud poison of their weapons still being slightly effectice centuries after the fact. No matter- she gritted her teeth and pushed through, more excited than ever. With the defenses still up, surely the Heart was still active!

Then they were funneled through the Gates of Maredrid, which were true to legend. Ornate, they were in the past simply normal gates but they had one key difference. When the city was threatened, the Gates would be activated and became filled with traps, protecting the Heart. It was a pretty difficult dungeon, too. Arrows, many of them, cloud arrows to be exact. Cloud arrows were unique in as much as a miss inside the gate was recycled, meaning an endless supply and stream of arrows. To make matters more fun, movement in the Gate would change subtle patterns of wind that also changed the direction that the cloud bows aimed. In effect, you were tracked, which meant that the shots were pretty accurate all things considered. So that was fun. Then you had mobile spike traps, sticky invisible barriers, and a host of more normal traps (cloudified), and you had a pretty active thirty or so hours.

Pathfinder fell out of one of the many holes on the other side, wings barely functioning as beads of sweat dripped off of her and formed puddles before she even touched the cloud below. Just another day in the life of Equestria's number one fanfilly! She'd heard lots of screaming and yelling from the other chambers, so he was more than pleased to report that it seemed as though her foes had dwindled in number and lead. As she fell to the cloud, she scanned and saw the ancient Cloud Forest of Maredrid. It was truly atreasure, a beauty to behold! Ancient artisans had crafted this amazing forest and so inspired were the pegasi who lived here that they had placed their city's most important treasure in it. Deep in this forest of dreams was a Hold, the Hold that the city's leadership once inspired those around them to greatness. And deep in that Hold would be the Heart, the most important piece in all of Maredrid. If only a pegasus could just fly there! Instead, once activated, the Gates of Maredrid created dense clouds that closed the forest in a giant dome, and from inside, the forest leaked out wing-numbing chemicals as the gates were activated. No, she'd have to trot.

And so she started to, clop clop clop against the clouds as-

"Chirp chirp!"

A bird fly by, as healthy as could be.

[colour=#006400]"What the...the Heart must have activated the defenses and kept this area perfect! Birds!"[/colour] Pathfinder pointed a the tweeting bird, "Ants!" She pointed to a small line of fire ants, who had bee biting her but frankly at that stage of her life that pain could qualify as relaxing,[colour=#006400] "Sloths!"[/colour] She pointed at an appropriately confused sloth who had been lazily observing her, [colour=#006400]"Drop bears-"[/colour]

And that was when the drop bear dropped on her face.

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

TODAY...

It was true, a story from Pathfinder made any day awesome. It's what she told her legal counsel during her defense against a lawsuit from some mine owners who took her to court after she accidentally destroyed their minds spleunking. Well, ya know what mine owners? Don't put mines over ancient ruins. That's asking for a super cool adventure pegasus to come by and flood your mines to defeat a lava monster that only she ever saw, then swim to the bottom and retrieve a priceless platinum crown which turned to ash at first sunlight. It wasn't Pathfinder's fault that the medallion she had purchased was possessed by a quartet of ancient sorceresses, who took her to their ancient ritual location only for Pathfinder to turn the tables on them and undo their spell, which caused a backfire in the magica columns and sent the rital site, the ancient city it as located in, and the mine above crumbling down. No. No, that was not her fault. Whether or not the courts agreed or not, Pathfinder was always right.

[colour=#006400]"Oh, I've got like sixteen bajillion stories to tell! Nothing new, though. I mean, I did go to Maredrid,"[/colour] She started, returning the nuzzle as they flew together with an entirely too tight embrace, [colour=#006400]"but that proved to be a little on the boring side. I was only able to do a few cool things. Then there were the Everfree villages stuck in time but I'm not sure if that was real or if it was caused by consuming too much Everfree Rot Wood. Considering mu cutie mark isn't a fishing pool superimposed by a hammer and sickle, I'm leaning towards the Rot Wood. I did fight Drop Bears in Maredrid, I suppose that's sorta cool...oooh, I've got really exciting news!"[/colour]

She stopped in place, shaking Snowfall with EXCITEMENT JOY.

[colour=#006400]"I finished part five of chapter seventy-seven of my fanfic! Filly, by the time Daring Do defeats Derrin Do, she won't know if her brother is SUPER EVIL or just POSSESSED BY THE SPIRIT OF COLONEL CRUEL'S SON SERGEANT STEAMWORKS. It's cool, but we would need a private place for that. But really, I've got nothing too exciting to tell you. What about you? How's my Snowy woahy whoopsie woodle? I heard about some incident on a train, but by the time I got out of the Temporal Zone it was last night but seven hundred years in the future...or was it past...or is this the future past?"[/colour] She looked around confused,[colour=#daa520] [/colour][colour=#006400]"this is reality, right? Oh, never mind. I mean, you exist here so that means that it'd be reality to you so I guess I don't know if this is the Temporal Zone still,"[/colour][colour=#daa520] [/colour]she shrugged, [colour=#006400]"doesn't matter, I have Snowballin'!"[/colour]