***

Upon arriving at Mount Aris, the Crusaders began to focus on their own mission, asking what kind of cutie mark friendship problem they might find. Twilight explained that hippogriffs don’t have cutie marks, so it probably wasn’t for that. Scootaloo called out to ask if anygriff had a problem they needed help with, and none of them did. Rainbow simply hovered about and observed the scene with a relaxed smile.

Soon, they all met Terramar, a sea pony waving from the water. He explained he was Silverstream’s brother.

“A hippogriff can have a sea pony for a brother?” asked a perplexed Apple Bloom. “How does that work, exactly?”

“Shh! It’s rude to ask question like that!” Sweetie Belle told her.

Terramar lifted himself out of the water and turned into a hippogriff to the amazement of the crusaders.

“Can I ask now?” Apple Bloom said to the side, but she was clearly heard.

Terramar softly chuckled. “It is kind of strange. See, after the Storm King was defeated, the sea ponies didn’t have to hide anymore. So some of them changed back to hippogriffs and went home to Mount Aris.”

Twilight chimed in, “But others got used to living under the water and stayed in Seaquestria.”

Terramar nodded with approval and agreement, then continuing on for himself, “And me, well, I kind of go back and forth.” He started to scratch nervously at his neck while maintaining his friendly demeanor. “With this.” He indicated a necklace he wore.

Rainbow Dash dipped a little closer to examine it with the others.

“It’s a tiny piece of the Magic Pearl,” the young hippogriff told them. “It was split up among our kingdoms.”

“Does that mean the Magic Pearl as a whole is gone or just that parts were taken and given?” Rainbow inquired.

“Oh, it’s still there,” Terramar assured her. “Why do you ask?”

“I have a keen interest in magic,” she replied honestly.

Terramar raised an eyebrow, not sure if he could politely ask why a pegasus would care so much. Regardless, it was time for him to escort the Equestrian party to meet his father, who he named to them as Sky Beak. The Crusaders tried asking their escort if he knew of any hippogriff with a problem. He told them about how no, the hippogriffs were actually pretty happy on Mount Aris. It was a great place to live.

Twilight and Rainbow Dash were very impressed by the sight as they arrived.

“Whoa! This looks amazing! Last time we were here, it was a ghost town,” Twilight explained to Terramar.

“Yeah,” he agreed and informed her, “Queen Novo thought it was important to return our village to its former glory.”

“Does Queen Novo stay on Mount Aris then?” Rainbow inquired.

“Mostly,” Terramar told her. “Since some of the sea ponies stayed in Seaquestria, she does go to check on us over there too.”

A flag was raised and trumpets blared. A male hippogriff with a gold helmet and armor descended to properly initiate the Glad to be a Hippogriff Festival. Trumpets blared again and cheering roused through the crowd. The Crusaders and Awesomevs looked on with quiet smiles. Another hippogriff approached the blue, gold-helmeted one, bowed, and the two lifted off into the air to fly about and chase or race or spar with each other. The other hippogriffs murmured and applauded.

“My kind of party,” Rainbow remarked, impressed by the movement and flight of the winged creatures.

“Wow! We picked a great day to show up!” Scootaloo had her remark to add as well. She fluttered up a little in her enthusiasm.

“Not really,” said Terramar, not nearly as impressed. “We do this every weekend. Hippogriffs really like being hippogriffs.”

“I like their enthusiasm,” Rainbow said with an appreciative smile.

After more cheers, the two flying hippogriffs descended and the blue one looked over to Terramar and company. “There’s my boy!”

“Hi Dad!” Terramar became in better spirits immediately and approached his father.

“Haven’t seen you in days, Son!” the father proclaimed. “Wish you’d come around more often.” He stroked Terramar’s head crest.

Terramar smiled before remembering the party he was escorting. “Oh Dad, these are Silverstream’s friends from Equestria, they came up to…”

“Princess Twilight Sparkle!” the father put his claws up to his cheeks with a growing smile. “And you must be Professor Rainbow Dash,” he realized at the hovering sky blue pegasus. He gave a high-pitched shriek, startling the crusader fillies. “Attention, Everygriff! Princess Twilight Sparkle is here! And Professor Rainbow Dash! They’re two of Silverstream’s teachers.”

The other hippogriffs gasped, murmured, and approached the two mares from Equestria, a bit more focused on the princess of the two.

Sky Beak marched further into the gathering crowd to politely offer, “Here to take in the marvel that is Mount Aris, Your Highness? And Professor?”

“Absolutely!” Twilight said with a big smile. “And to have you sign a form for Silverstream,” she added while showing the form in question with her magic.

“Actually, as awesome as that sounds,” Rainbow Dash replied, “the sooner I could meet with Queen Novo, the better. I will do as much marveling as I can when I can. Promise.”

Twilight levitated a separate piece of paper to Sky Beak. “This is a letter of introduction from Princess Celestia to Queen Novo regarding an important job Master Rainbow Dash has in Equestria. Do you think you could make the necessary arrangements?”

“Master?” Sky Beak inquired with intrigue.

Rainbow bowed in mid-air. “Yes, good sir.”

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were quietly observing the entire scene and finally looked at each other to smile, in full recognition of Rainbow’s magical title at work.

“I thought you were a professor,” Terramar’s father remarked.

“You’re not wrong,” Rainbow told him. “I am a pegasus of many talents, and my mastery has called me here today. The letter and myself will tell Queen Novo what that means in greater detail.”

“Very well then,” he clapped his claws together to call over two other hippogriffs to ask they escort the master in question.

“Good luck you three,” Rainbow told her crusader friends.

“Thanks Master Rainbow!” Sweetie waved, glad she could use the title openly. The other two waved without a word.

“Have fun, Twilight,” Rainbow told her fledgling.

“I’m here for school business and research, Rainbow,” Twilight called out.

“Then I’m sure you’ll have fun,” Rainbow said with a playful smile as she finally left the gathered festival area.

***

Rainbow Dash stood in a small, rocky room with a fine rock throne where Queen Novo sat. Princess Skystar sat in a smaller throne to her mother’s right. The younger of the two greeted the sky blue pegasus with a friendly wave.

“This letter here says you are a Master Mev,” Queen Novo asserted.

“That is correct,” Rainbow told her.

“What’s a Master Mev?” Skystar asked.

“You’ll see soon enough, dear. For now, you just sit and watch,” her mother instructed. She addressed the mev in question, “I take it your transformation took place between now and the last time we met.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. My initial transformation took place just over three weeks ago,” Rainbow answered.

“May I see your vampire form?” the queen asked.

Skystar gasped but otherwise remained quiet and kept watching.

Rainbow revealed her vampire form instantly. Bat wings unfurled while replacing the feathered ones. Magenta eyes shimmered to red. Fangs became visible with an overt display of gritted teeth before pulling her lips together in a pleased smile as she sighed contentedly taking in the fresh air of Mount Aris anew. She blinked a couple of times before coiling the bat wings at her sides in ease and comfort.

“Mom, she…” Skystar started to utter.

“I know,” the queen reminded her. “The ‘mev’ stands for magic-eating vampire. Let me handle most of this. I might need your help for this next part.” Queen Novo stood from her throne and approached the open area where Rainbow stood. Rainbow made sure to take a few steps to give what she felt was proper space, eyes fixed on the elder hippogriff. “Skystar, I need you to say the word ‘Master’ five seconds after you see the snake if I have not moved of my own accord.”

“See what?” the princess asked.

“You heard me,” Novo replied. “Snake. Master Rainbow Dash, I am willing to see your fear snare, so that you may further prove yourself to me.”

“A pleasure,” Rainbow said with a bow. A red circle appeared on the ground where the queen stood.

Skystar looked on worriedly.

Blitz soon poked her head out and rose from the line. The queen’s mouth moved with no words from her shock. She looked near tears herself.

Skystar waited the allotted five seconds before at last saying the key word, “Master.”

The circle released, but Blitz remained outside of it and floated in a slither to Rainbow Dash’s side.

“So, it’s true,” the queen gazed on in amazement. “That’s a leviathan dread.”

Rainbow stroked Blitz. “I’m changing the rules since we’re near an ocean,” she whispered. Her eye whites turned yellow. The queen and princess saw it. They also saw that as she stroked along the scales of her ghostly pet sea serpent, solid scales would appear in place of the translucent ones when she touched and then disappear back into translucent essence. “Her name is Blitz,” Rainbow announced to the pair, “and she’s quite obedient, I assure you. In fact, if I have proven enough of myself to you, I would like to give her a chance to swim in the ocean for just a little while, give her chance to be large and solid. She won’t hurt anyone.”

“You ask such a thing of me?” the queen wondered in shock.

Rainbow smirked at a sudden sense of what else should be asked. There was magic to be gained here. “I’m just getting started.”

Novo smirked back and returned to her throne. “Do tell. Beyond a swim for your dread, what are your other requests?”

Before Rainbow Dash began her list, she pat Blitz a few times to signal her dismissal, and her pet faded back into the ground. With that, Rainbow reverted her sceleras to white. She went on to say, “One meal of hippogriff magic for my reserve. The hippogriff in question must be an adult and would recover within one week from when I bite them. Beyond that, I request one tiny piece of the Magic Pearl, permission to explore both Mount Aris and Seaquestria to get a feel for the magic in these places, and any kind of insight you can give me for hippogriff flight magic.”

“And what do you offer in return if I agree?” Novo inquired.

“Reserved hippogriff magic on call if it’s ever needed,” Rainbow offered. “It will grow and develop within my reserve. I do have a full pack, Your Majesty, and my fledglings are quite strong even from before our mev bond.” She paused to make eye contact with the queen, hoping that the ruling hippogriff understood the significance of that. Rainbow and her friends went through great effort to make it happen on recommendation from the red-bound book she read her first night as a master mev.

The queen did indeed nod in recognition and waited for Rainbow to continue.

“In addition to that, provided you are interested – or at least you care to entertain your subjects who I’m pretty sure would be interested, I am an incredibly skilled flier as a pegasus. I already was before I was given my powers. I would be more than happy to perform a show and give a fine finish with a Sonic Rainboom,” Rainbow offered.

“Oh Mom, we totally should,” Skystar said. “I’ve never seen one! But I heard about it from Silverstream and the pirates. Rainbow Dash here is famous for it back in Equestria. She really is.”

The queen grew thoughtful. “You wish to eat that meal today?” she asked. “It might be difficult to find a volunteer in such a short time.”

“I’ll do it!” Skystar volunteered.

“I beg your pardon?” Novo said.

“No, think about it. It’s perfect. You won’t have to do it, and we won’t have to ask anyone else. Since I’m the princess, you can take care of me here just fine,” Skystar argued. “There are times when I stay in a lot anyway. It’s just a week. I don’t mind. Rainbow Dash is one of Pinkie Pie’s best friends,” Skystar said. “In fact, Rainbow Dash, how is Pinkie doing?”

“She’s still showing other ponies a good time and just as bubbly as ever,” Rainbow told the younger hippogriff. “I must ask, Princess. Are you considered an adult in your culture? I cannot bite children.”

“I just came of age now that you mention it,” Skystar stated with a proud smile while closing her eyes.

Queen Novo rolled her eyes. “She is.”

“Please Mom. I really do think it’s for the best,” Skystar offered.

The queen stared and stared at her daughter, then looked at Rainbow Dash. “I will be present when you eat,” she demanded, knowing that was a tall request of a master mev.

Indeed, Rainbow’s eyes widened at the notion. She hadn’t eaten in front of anyone, and while she sensed it wasn’t dangerous to an observer if she knew she was being watched, the idea still made her stomach turn.

“She is my daughter after all,” the queen pointed out and then added, “Master.”

Rainbow nodded and looked at the ground. She gulped and looked back up. “So be it. Your terms are within reason compared to mine. It is my recommendation that I eat shortly before leaving later today but before sunset. If I eat after sunset, your daughter will sleep until sunrise. Before sunset, she will sleep for only one hour. This plan will give me time to feel the land and sea, perform, and let Blitz swim, all of which Skystar might want to see for herself.”

“Oh, can I?” Skystar asked. “Please please please.”

Queen Novo sighed. “Oh alright. You are giving up magic for a week. Make the best of your time today.”

“I will, Mom! Promise!” Skystar said.

With that, the mev and princess departed as the sky above and waters below awaited them.