Wish

Chapters

Chapter 2 (Edited)
Chapter 3 (Edited Partial)
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 11
Chapter 1 (Edited)
Chapter 10

Chapter 2 (Edited)

Chapter 2

My eyelids can feel the warm sun’s light knocking on their front doors. I pry them open to the daylight piercing through the cracks between the wood. My ears can hear the cheerful sounds of birds calling, and a breeze blows through the lively trees. Pulling myself over near the wood, I peak through to see nothing but foliage and flora clustered around the area. The flowers out there look so gorgeous with their bright colors and captivating scents. Then, a memory of the vase on Trixie’s countertop full of dying flowers crosses my mind striking me with an idea. Perhaps I could leave the trailer for a minute and fill the vase with lively ones instead. That should be able to show Trixie my gratitude for sure. I should be quiet; I wouldn’t want to wake up Trixie, as I’m sure she’s still asleep. I search around the large door at the end of the room to see if I can find a way to open it. Using my hand to feel around the sides of the door, my fingers stumble upon a latch. With a bit of a struggle, I jar it loose, and the door immediately falls to the ground causing me to jolt and hold my breath. The trailer shakes; but since it landed on a bed of tall grass, not much noise was made. I take a breath of relief and calm my heart down; as I was sure the noise would have been louder.

I take the vase and quietly hurry outside. All the trees and plants are covered in droplets of water and the air smells of rain. The tree branches that seem miles high shake and shudder as birds hop from branch to branch. Small squirrels scurry up and down the trees’ thick trunks effortlessly. I shouldn’t go wandering off into the woods, as I fear getting lost. I feel much safer when I am near Trixie’s wagon. Scanning around the grass and bushes for some of the flowers I had seen, I plan to fill this vase up with as many colors as possible.

My eyes spot a bright orange one with five pointed pedals. Without hesitation, I excitedly remove the wilting flowers from the vase and drop them to the ground. After pulling the bright orange flower from the soil, I pause. A small sense of guilt fills me. Now that I have taken this flower, it soon will die just like the others that I have discarded. It too is alive, and I have put a hold on its life. Its beauty shall soon fade; and it is all because of me, but I mustn’t let this hold me back. I’m filling this vase with life for Trixie; she deserves to see their beauty and carry them along with her for as long as possible. I gently place the flower inside the vase and hurry over to a plant with large, thick, umbrella-like leaves. Each one is covered in huge droplets of glistening water, so I hold the vase low and shake them one by one to have the water drip down into it. I am careful to not miss any precious drops. It fills a good portion of the vase which should help the flowers prolong their lives, and me to relieve some of the guilt that had sat heavily on my shoulders.

Searching around the plants once again, I find a wonderful tall, violet flower with several small pedals overlapping one another. Pulling it from the ground and carefully setting it next to the orange flower, I spot a periwinkle flower across from me. Just like the other I pull it and set it in as well. Afterwards, I find two more: A long, pink, trumpet-shaped flower; as well as a vanilla white and lime green flower with long, rounded pedals. With all of these in the vase, I feel now that it is perfect. Feeling that she may come through the door at any moment, I hurry back into the trailer and set the vase down back onto the countertop. In the center of the fallen door there is a thick metal handle, and with all my strength I tighten my hand around it and hoist the door up. My arms strain as they have never had to endure such physical effort. I can almost feel myself lose balance, but I grasp onto the sides of the doorway to keep myself up. Once the door touches the sides, I lock the latch back into place. Tired from simply trying to get the door closed, I rest down onto the floor and lean my back against the wall.

Staring at the collection of flowers resting inside the vase, I feel Trixie will be pleased with them, at least I hope. While still staring at them, the door’s knob suddenly twists, and Trixie pokes her head through the doorway. “Ah, you’re awake.” She says in a worn out voice. Trixie steps in, and I notice that her eyes look heavy as she can hardly keep them fully open. Did she not get any sleep at all? “So, before we . . . What is this?” Her eyes now laid onto the vase, “D-did you do this?” I then nod my head.

“They’re for you.”

“For me. . ? Why, they’re. . . They’re gorgeous. W-where did you get these?” I raise my arm and point my finger to the wall, indicating that I had retrieved them from outside, “. . . You really did this for me?” I nod my head once again, “Why that’s. . . That’s very kind. Umm.” I catch a stumble in Trixie’s voice as she covers her mouth with her hoof, and I also catch something glistening around her eyes as the sunlight shines upon her face. Tears are gathering around her eyes as she desperately tries to wipe them away. “Th-thank you. Umm. . . I actually have something for you too. J-just give me a minute.” Trixie steps outside, and she remains quiet for a bit. What else could Trixie have to give me? There is nothing else I need; she has already given me so much. “Okay, see these?” Trixie returns, and after taking a deep breath, she twirls around to show her cape and hat to me, “I sewed these together myself, and since you’re a part of my show now, I decided you need a costume of your own. So, I stopped by the market and was up all night sewing these together.” She reaches back behind the doorway, grabbing hold of whatever it is she has for me, “Voila!” Holding up a long elegant black jacket, she presents it with such pride and joy.

At the base of the neck hole, a tall collar stretches out, and the cuffs of the sleeves are pointed. A white stripe outlines the borders of the cuffs, collar, and bottom of the jacket. Also, from the cuffs all the way to the end of the forearms, the cloth is decorated with white stars, circles, and crescent Moon shapes similar to the design of Trixie’s hat and cape. The further my eyes follow the shapes across the fabric the smaller they gradually become before ending and leading off into plain black. The same design is repeated from the collar down to the chest region, and the bottom of the torso up to the stomach area, leaving most of the chest region bare. “But that’s not all.” She continues, “I also have. . .” She reaches back behind the doorway, “These!”

She reveals a pair of pants of the same style. The cuffs at the bottom are also pointed and outlined in white, and the white shapes reach all the way up to the knees. Along with those, she brings out a pair of pointed, black buckled shoes. My eyes are in complete awe of the garments she holds before me; I almost feel unworthy of such gifts. “It was quite the challenge, and since I have never made anything like these before, they may be a bit off in the measurements; but I did the best I could. Why don’t you go ahead and try them on? I’ll leave you alone to change.”

Trixie steps out, and I am left with the next amazing gift she has bestowed to me. I pick up the jacket and feel the smooth, tough, sleek fabric. My eyes never would have guessed they would be gazing down at something as great as this. Without any further thinking, I excitedly disrobe myself and set the dirty tattered clothes aside. I slip on the jacket and squeeze into the pants as they are just a bit tight, but nonetheless they are still comfortable to wear. I slip my feet into the shoes and tighten the buckles. Looking down at myself I feel refreshed and ridden of filth with these new clothes, but them being a gift from Trixie, makes them even more valuable to me. These are wonderful works of art she has crafted for me, and I will not take them for granted. “Are you finished yet?” She peaks in through the doorway, “Ah, so you are.”

Trixie chuckles a little at the sight of me posing in my new outfit. “Cute. Now, remember that will be your uniform from now on for when we go on stage.” Trixie yawns, trying to cover her mouth with her hoof, “We’ll discuss more about our next show later. Right now, I must find out where our next destination shall be.” Just before Trixie leaves the room, she picks up the vase of flowers and looks back at me. She doesn’t smile, but doesn’t frown. Her face doesn’t show any recognizable emotion to me, but I think I can assume what it is she is feeling.

Once again that unknown feeling returns to me like the last time our eyes locked. This is something that I may only come across once during this life, and I do not want to lose it. I’m not sure if I should call it destiny, or call it chance; but the thought that this is happening for a reason still befuddles me. She could have kept following the path in her wagon that night and left me in the cold; she wouldn’t have any other burden to carry. No worries, no problems, just a straight path to wherever she was headed. Instead, she turned around and held out her hoof to me to accompany her. Why? I am nothing like her, and she even shewed me away like some filthy animal. Yet, she still came back for me, and I followed. She’s given me a place to call home, and a gorgeous gift to adorn my body. Perhaps I shouldn’t think about it so much; I don’t want to lose this feeling of happiness, not now. My heart needs to enjoy it as long as it lasts.

Day and night we traveled. Our first stop was a small little town. Its inhabitants were not as bright and colorful as the others I had seen, yet I could see that they were ready to have a great time. Even though the terrain was desert-like as dead weeds roll across the ground, these ponies knew how to keep a smile on their faces. It showed me how happiness can exist without the need for luxury or colorful things. Trixie’s magic was just as mesmerizing like the first time, and once I stepped onto the stage the ponies in the crowd were once again staring in awe. We made a good deal of coin that day, but that wasn’t all we made. Some of the locals brought over fresh baked bread, pies, fritters and all kinds of sweets. Trixie looked astonished to see such gifts; and it appeared to me as if she had never seen such a thing before. Which I wouldn’t understand why not, if her shows are this incredible I would expect her to receive gifts on a regular basis. Trixie was so happy that night, so happy in fact that when she came back into the trailer I swear I could have seen a tear run down her smile. She shared with me the food she was given, and the tastes I experienced were so rich and sweet I could tell my stomach thanked me for it.

Afterwards, we stopped and set up a camp in the forest. She used the chopped logs from inside my side of the trailer to start a fire. We sat in the grass around the fire, watching the golden sky turn to violet. Trixie shared with me stories of her other travels as we sat bathing in the warmth of the fire. She told me stories of great beasts such as serpents, timber wolves, and Ursas. She told of how she would use her magic to defeat each and every one that stood in her way. I could feel myself become so entranced by her stories, and the glow from the fire would only make her look even more heroic as I listened. She told me about her previous shows and how she would leave the audience just begging for more, which only made me feel a bit down about myself. Since I couldn’t accomplish anything like that on our first show, I felt completely insignificant. However, she brought back my spirit when she told me that maybe one day I could produce the same reaction as long as I listened to what she tells me. Even though I know that there is no way I could compare to Trixie it still made my heart light up.

My stomach rumbled a bit during the fire, so she brought out these small white sweets and stuck a few through a thin branch. She handed me my own, and we held them over the fire until they turned a golden brown. However, I messed up a bit since mine actually caught fire (which made her chuckle a bit). After a while she snuffed out the fire, and now the both of us lay on the bed of grass staring up at the indigo sky. Something about this particular night is special. The stars flooded the sky as the blue and purple behind them cloaked the sky to create such an incredible sight.

I feel so restless after hearing Trixie’s tales of adventure. I want to just jump up and go and have an adventure of my own! Although, I know I don’t have what it takes. My feeble body and inexperienced mind wouldn’t stand a chance out there, especially not against any of the creatures Trixie had defeated.

Thinking back to our previous shows, I find that in every single crowd there was not one individual that resembled me. I wonder when I’ll set my eyes onto another one of my kind. If Trixie says she’s never seen anything like me ever before, then where can I find others like me?

I turn over to Trixie to see if she has fallen asleep yet, and to my surprise she hasn’t. She’s just staring up the sky just as I have; maybe she sees the same beauty in it as I do. Just as I am about to lay my head back down she gasps, causing me jolt back up. “Aireal look!” She points up to the sky. Beneath that mass of stars a streak of white light slices across the sky. “A shooting star! It’s been a while since I’ve seen one of those. . . You do know what happens when you see one don’t you?” Unsure of what she means, I confusedly shake my head. “Well, once you see one you’re supposed to close your eyes and then make a wish.”

“A wish?”

“That’s right. You can wish for whatever comes to your mind, and in time, it’s supposed to be granted. . . Of course, I never believed in such a thing.”

“Why?”

“Because whenever I would see one, I would just shut my eyes. . . My wishes would never come true no matter how hard I wished, and no matter how long I waited. . . Why don’t you give it a try? Maybe it’ll work for you.” Her words push back the excitement I had felt before. I do not know how to respond, or if I should even say anything at all. Until something comes to me, I do not know if it will make her happy, but it’s worth a try.

“. . . I don’t need a shooting star.” I say.

“What? Why not? Don’t you want a wish?”

“Well, you’ve already granted me my wish.” A short moment of silence takes over our conversation, leading me to believe that what I’ve just said has struck a nerve with Trixie.

“G-goodnight.” Trixie quickly turns over facing away from me and pulls her cape over her shoulder like a blanket. I was hoping that maybe we could’ve talked some more, but now I feel like I have done something wrong. After feeling I had made her mad at me, I could hear her faintly sobbing ever so quietly under her cape. Why could she be crying? I did not mean to make her cry, I only wanted to bring her some happiness like she had done me. Now filled with guilt and confusion, I lay my head down. My cheeks are beginning to lose feeling from the cold, but the rest of my body is kept safe by Trixie’s gift to me. I let my mind run free, and my eyelids shut as they await the safest time of day to dream. However, it feels that time is cut short as they flare open without reason. I wonder how much time has passed; nevertheless I cannot resist laying my head back down. A faint sound then creeps through the wind, raising my head back up from the grass as well as my curiosity.

I spot a dim light from behind the small curtain near the front of Trixie’s wagon. I feel I should wake Trixie to warn her, but she is no longer laying in the grass. All that is left is her indentation. Quietly, I stand and brush through the tall grass, and with each step I take, a crowd of small winged insects flutter out and away. Once near the wagon I hold my ear near the draped window to hear the sound of weeping. “You were right. . .” Trixie’s voice whispers, “You were always right. . . I wish that you could see me now. . . To see the. . .” A long pause is drawn out as I wonder who it is Trixie could be talking to. Confused, I hold my ear even closer to the window. “. . . To see the friend I have made.”

The sound of that word tosses me into disbelief, but at the same time, a sense of excitement overcomes me. Is she truly referring to me? Am I really a friend for her? My heart feels an explosion of joy mixed with confusion. Was I not supposed to hear this if she is hiding in her trailer? “I wish you could see. . .” She continues, “I-I. . . I love you Mom. I miss you so much. . .” Her voice is followed by the sound of the gentle folding of paper and a bit of rustling in the room. Startled, I feel the need to run back to the patch of grass I was laying in. Pushing through the grass as quickly as possible I hope to make it before she sees me. I toss myself down and fold my body into a comfortable enough position and shut my eyes.

Sounds of a door creaking open and locking closed are followed by the light rustling of the grass. Trixie takes a seat uncomfortably close to me as I feel she may somehow know that I am not really sleeping. Regardless, I still remain stoic, hoping she would not have noticed my body cringe once she had sat down. “. . . You weren’t exactly as I had pictured. . . But still . . . Just when I was ready to give up. . .”

Give up? Give up on what? Perhaps, the sound of the folding paper was the note that she had snatched away from me last night. She mentioned her mother, so could it have been a note from her to Trixie? I can only imagine what Trixie must have gone through before that note, but my imagination probably won’t be able to comprehend it. The last question in my mind still hovers without an answer. What happened to her mother? Trixie never says anything else after that; she must be trying to get back to sleep as I hear her resting herself back into the grass. I can feel my body return to its peaceful rest as I set my mind’s thoughts aside to put me at temporary ease.

The next thing I know I’m being shaken awake by Trixie who, for some reason, holds an excited smile. A kind of smile I have not seen borne by her yet. The first time she showed her voice she sounded so prompt, but now she sounds more cheerful. I’m noticing something very different about Trixie. Something bright and gentle is revealing itself via her big sparkling eyes. “Come now, rise and shine! I hope you slept well because we need to begin our plans for our next show. First things first, I know that you seem to have a handle on just standing around and looking good for the audience, but why don’t we make it a bit more. . . fun?” Raising an eyebrow I am confused by what she means when she says ‘fun’. “I was thinking you could. . . I don’t know. . . Move around a bit. Get more involved with the audience! I could cast a few spells around you so you can improvise. Here, I also found these in my little trunk I keep stashed away in the trailer.”

Trixie hands me a small brown sack tied with a thick, yarn-like tie. I open it up by prying an opening between the tie and see several small white spheres. At the sight of them I try to identify what exactly they are. “These are smoke bombs.” She begins, “All you have to do is take one. . .” She reaches over and pulls one from the bag, “And just throw it to the ground!” She slams it down onto the soil, and a white cloud of thick smoke explodes from the little sphere. I nearly jolt back from the loud snapping noise, and how large the cloud becomes, as I had not expected it to blind me so much. Yet, I smile at how incredible this little white sphere actually is.

“And that’s not all!” Trixie brings out another bag similar to the first, “I’ve had these for quite some time now; I used to collect these from a certain spot in the forest. I would just stare at these because of how beautiful they are, and every time I would watch them I felt something strange. . . It’s hard to explain. Here take a look.” She opens the little sack and pulls out a small edged stone. At first glance it appears to be dull and gray, but once the light shines upon it, it immediately flares up with the color of green. It’s so bright, and as Trixie had said, I feel something strange show itself in my heart. A feeling, that I cannot completely explain. My eyes are so entranced by this light that they do not want to turn away. “These stones glow all on their own, and I have no idea why. Here, take them. Perhaps you can show them off to the audience. You could even give one of the crowd members a stone if you wish, but please do not give them all away in one night. I could always go and collect more, but Trixie doesn’t want to have the chore of being the rock collector.” She hands me the sack of stones and I slip them both into the wide pockets of my jacket, “Now, let’s get moving. Our next show is in a town a bit of a ways away!” She excitedly hurries to the wagon as I stretch my way to standing, “Also, after the show, I was thinking that maybe we could. . . Spend the rest of the day with each other? You know, to get to know one another just a little bit better. . . Unless of course you’d rather—”

“No!” My voice leaps out before she can finish her sentence. “That . . . That sounds nice.” The sound of the idea feels perfect. I’d much rather spend the rest of the night with her than alone in the trailer waiting to arrive at our next destination. Trixie doesn’t say anything further, instead she glances back at me with a slight smile before entering the wagon. I make my way into the back end of the trailer, eager to move to our next destination. I lock my fingers around the metal handle of the door, hoist it up, and slide the latch into place.

Chapter 3 (Edited Partial)

Chapter 3

We were now back on the road as I anxiously await for the next show. After the sun has begun its setting, and violet takes over the sky; the wagon stops, and I can hear voices outside. Before I could even stand and prepare myself, Trixie steps in saying that this wasn’t the town we were headed for and just thought that we should use this as a rehearsal. Nevertheless, I was ready to treat this as the actual show. She said the name of the town is Shine Village, so I expected to see a crowd of brightly colored ponies with lit up faces. Once I stepped onto the stage, and got a good look at the town, I was frozen solid in shock by what I had seen. The town looked like a bit of a struggling one. Some of the buildings looked out of shape, and the ponies were dressed in raggedy attire. At the sight of them, I was reluctant to begin my performance as I had not expected to see a crowd such as this one. Despite their appearances, Trixie’s magic seemed to have been lifting their spirits, so I was ready to continue and give them a show. At this time, I have gotten comfortable with being on the stage, and was ready to have fun with my performance. I follow Trixie’s advice and toss a few smoke balls here and there while showing off one of the glowing stones. I was up and about, but didn’t want to make myself look too ridiculous. Then, Trixie had done something I had not expected her to do. She called an audience member up to the stage. I didn’t quite see who she had picked, but once the volunteer had stepped onto the stage, my energy had sunk down deep unable to be brought back. A young filly with a coat of gray and long white mane that curls above her eyes steps up onto the stage. As the light of the stage shines upon her, I realize quickly that her coat isn’t really gray. It is only covered in dirt in large patches, and I can see that her coat is actually a beige color. She cautiously walks a considerable distance away from me towards Trixie. That look on her face is something that felt familiar to me. There was no smile, no glimmer in her eyes, not a single sign of happiness about her. I have worn that face once, and I never want to bear it again. Seeing it on another compels me to erase it so that she may never hold that face again.

“Hello little filly! And would your name be?” Trixie asks, but the filly’s eyes are glued onto me watching worriedly.

“. . . C-Candle Light.” She murmurs.

“Well Candle Light, would you care to meet the being I have brought here?” She shakes her head, and attempts to hide herself from me behind Trixie. “Now, now, little one. There is no need to be afraid. He is kind, and wouldn’t do anything to hurt you.”

“. . . Are you sure?”

“Yes, Trixie is sure.” The filly slowly comes out of hiding and cautiously starts towards me. Once she is close enough I kneel down so that we can meet eye to eye while carefully at the same time so that I do not startle her.

“. . . Hello.” I whisper to her. She gasps, and her eyes widen at the sound of my voice.

“Y-You can talk?”

“Of course I can,” I say, along with a slight chuckle. “Are your Mom and Dad in the crowd?”

“My Daddy is,” she says, pointing to a stallion in the front of the crowd. It’s hard to tell what color his coat is, but I believe it’s a vanilla white, and he has a dull orange mane. He seems to be watching us carefully and nervously.

“What about Mommy?” I ask, trying to appeal to her way of speaking.

“. . . She’s sick.”

“With what? A cold?”

“I don’t know, but Daddy always cries.” Her response feels like a quick jab to my heart. I feel lost on what to say next. I can feel my heart beginning to tremble. This is a new kind of sadness that I haven’t felt before. Compared to the way I felt when I lied in the cold, wet grass doesn’t compare to what I’m feeling now. My voice struggles to speak the words trying to be forced from my mouth.

“W-Well I . . . I hope she feels better soon. And umm. . .” I can feel the water building up behind my eyes suddenly drip down. I hurriedly wipe it away and try to collect myself to continue speaking. However, I am unsure of what else to say. A thought peeks into my mind, and I let it out without any prior thinking as if it were an instinct. “I-I can tell you have a strong spirit. . . Let it stay that way. A-And no matter how bad things get, promise me that you’ll stay strong. . . Do you promise?”

“Y-Yes.” I can hear the same struggling appear in her voice just as mine, but I don’t want her to become upset. So I try to lighten up the conversation.

“Do you have any friends Candle Light?’

“Not really.”

“No? Well guess what?” I lean in a little so that I can share what I’m about to say secretively. Just as I hoped, she leans in closer as well. “Just a little secret between you and me. I don’t have very many friends either.” I whisper.

“You don’t?” She asks in surprise as if she thought I would actually have a whole lot of friends. With my voice feeling weak, I shake my head to respond instead. “Well then . . . maybe we could be friends?”

“You’d really want to be friends with me?”

“I thought you were scary, but you’re actually a nice monster.” The way she said that with such innocence makes my tears halt and my face smile.

“. . . Thanks. That really means a lot. Well Candle Light, now that we’re friends, I want you to have this.” I hold out the glowing stone, and her eyes become hypnotized by the light.

“M-Me?”

“That’s right. Be careful not to lose it, because it’s something really special.” She picks up the stone from my palm with her teeth and holds it in her mouth.

“Thank you!” She says with a smile, barely understandable with the stone grasped between her teeth.

“You’re welcome.” She then joyfully trots off the stage back to her Father. Once they meet, he embraces her tightly, and she immediately begins talking. I no longer see the sadness about her face. Even though I feel glad that I was able to shut out that frown and replace it with a smile, I can’t help but remember that her Father cries for her Mother’s illness. It worries me that my small act to bring her some relief from these times may be in vain. What if her Mother’s end is near? I have never thought about death until now, it feels like something I might never understand. To breathe the air, to see what is to see, and suddenly to have that taken away from you. It’s something I never want to think about. In the back of my mind I believe I know what reality holds for the young filly. I hope that she remembers what I have said, the sadness she may experience until then is something I hope that doesn’t have to happen.

“Thank you Miss Candle Light for being our volunteer tonight! But I’m afraid we must now depart.” Trixie fills the stage with smoke and I go back into hiding behind the curtain as a short breeze past my face reminds me that a stream of tears has traveled down my cheeks. I walk back into the trailer once Trixie finishes closing off the show and shuts the curtains. I sit myself down against a wall trying to try and block out my thoughts and attempting to convince myself that I had done the right thing, and that it was all I could have done. The name of this place is Shine Village? I believe that name is a lie all on its own. Nothing about this place was bright, everything was dark and gray. If only there was more we could have done, but considering the now cheery voices outside, I know that what we gave them was probably the more than they have ever gotten. I just need to remind myself that. Trixie opens the door and steps inside. “What you did back there was very kind. . . When you told that filly about her spirit. . . You got that from the note I took from you. You know that filly reminds me of me when I was a child. I know exactly what she’s going through.” I look up at Trixie eager to hear what else she has to say, but instead refuses. “I don’t want to speak any more about this. The memory it . . . it haunts me.” Just as I am about to accept this fact and rest my head against the wall she closes the door behind her and stays in the room.

“But. . . I feel comfortable around you. . . I’m not sure why. I thought you were just some animal unable to understand anything. But I can see now that I was wrong.” She herself leans against the wall near the door and takes a breath of preparation. “When I was a filly my Mother had caught a terminal disease. The doctors couldn’t figure out what it was and couldn’t provide a cure, only treatment. Also, believe it or not, I wasn’t a very popular filly back then. Others would point, laugh, and shun me whenever I would attempt to cast a spell for I could never get it right. My full name is actually Trixie Lulamoon, so they would call me Trixie Losermoon back in grade school. It got worse growing up. Nopony wanted anything to do with me, and afterwards I had gotten so frustrated that I developed this attitude toward them that gave them a reason to avoid me. I cannot recall ever having one friend or even a decent conversation a single pony. Only my Mother was there for me . . . and to learn that she was slowly slipping away and that there was nothing I could do just—” I can hear Trixie’s voice start to struggle as she hopelessly leans her head against the wall. My voice has no words as I am only focused on listening while imagining a picture of her speech in my head. How awful it must’ve been to watch her mother dwindle away out of her grasp. “I was still struggling at school; it eventually got to the point to where I was ready to give up on everything. Give up on the teachings, give up on my dreams, and give up on ever finding a friend. But she kept me moving forward. I wanted to make her proud of me, but I knew I was failing. Every day I would be at her bedside after school and before bed. She always knew how to make me feel better. . . Until that dreaded day came. . . The day she left. It feels like the memory is burned in my mind. I watched as the life faded from her eyes as she spoke her last words. . . I will never forget that night. I cried, and I cried, and I cried; but I knew it wouldn’t bring her back. Every night from then on I would look to the stars hoping that maybe . . . just maybe . . . that my wish would come true.”

“. . . What did you wish for . . . ?” I ask.

“To see her one last time. . . But I know that no amount of magic can ever do that. I don’t want to see this happen to any other pony. After our show I gave Candle Light’s Father some bits to help, but I don’t think it will be enough to heal her Mother . . . It was so strange, even though the ponies that live here don’t have much they were trying to give me payment for the show. They kept persisting, but finally after repeatedly refusing they had given up. I explained to them that they need it more than me. Why would they even attempt at paying me with what little they have? . . . We should return here soon, I feel that there is more we can do than just perform. I think we can help. Are you with me?”

“Always.” I answer promptly.

“Th-Thank you. . . I’m going to go and get this wagon moving. We’ll get to our next show and raise as much money as we can to try and help Shine Village. I’m sorry that I didn’t hold up to my promise about having the rest of the day just for us, but . . . I hope you understand that it’s to prevent that young filly from experiencing what I have. We’ll do it another day,” she says, while getting herself together before leaving the room. I feel relieved now that Trixie wants to take action to help this town, but I don’t feel any better with the image of how I imagine Trixie’s mother laying in a cold, white bed covered in a wrinkly sheet with Trixie leaning against it. The thought distracted me from saying anything further to Trixie. I feel like I should have kept her in the room to talk a little more and express to her how sorry I feel, and expand upon how I will always be there. Even though we’ve only known each other for a few days, I’ve been feeling that there’s something keeping me clung to her like a dog to its master. I never want to leave her side, not even for a moment. I do feel a bit disappointed, however, that the rest of the day to ourselves has been pushed aside; but I respect Trixie’s decision to help Shine Village. I do understand that she only doesn’t want what happened to her happen to another. I had better make this next show my best thus far so that we may raise enough money.

The wood creaks and the gears turn as we are back on our way. Still leaning against the wall I’ve been peaking out through the cracks in the wood to watch as the woods pass on by. I feel so relaxed by the sounds of crickets chirping and the occasional hoot of an owl outside that I’m about ready to doze off. My ears are beginning to capture the sounds of rushing water. Moving about from crack to crack to get a better look I find that we are about to cross over a wide river. It looks incredible as the moonlight glimmers off its waves. I soon find myself jolting from the tranquility of sounds by the intrusion of a loud noise and the tilting of the trailer. Once it stops I notice that I am leaning heavily on the wall and not the floor with my arms spread out along the sides. I feel too frozen to even try and move, but I force myself to peak out once more to the outside. I see that the river we are right above the river and are tilted off the edge of a wooden bridge. One of the wheels has broken through one of the boards. All I can hear is the rushing of water, and the sounds of creaking wood enters along with it. This bridge must be too weak to withstand the weight of the trailer.

Before I can even try to break myself from this state of shock and maybe try to act the wood beneath the wagon collapses and we plummet down. Everything in the trailer is flying across the room along with me. Slamming against the walls, the floor, and the walls again as we spiral our way down. My body smashes against a wall once we break through the water’s surface. Water begins flowing in through the cracks and crevasses quickly filling the floor with a thin sheet of it. The wood starts to weaken allowing more water to enter filling up the room closer to my knees. I can feel the trailer bob up and down as soon as it comes back up to the surface. I peak out once more to see that we are indeed afloat in the river, and I almost feel relieved that we aren’t sinking down. Then my ears listen in very curiously as they can hear something off in the distance that is gradually getting louder. A loud roaring draws nearer as I watch us drift closer to the end of the river. Before I can even call out Trixie’s name for help we flow down the waterfall without recourse. My voice only knows to shout all the way down until suddenly being cut off from its vision and having darkness take over.

The noise of the water has calmed down rather quickly, and my body feels weightless. Light shines onto my eyes as soon as the darkness clears. The sun is above me with a few white clouds to accompany it. I can hear birds singing and leaves rustling on both sides of me. Tree branches will occasionally hide the sunlight and cover me in their thin shadows. I feel around near me expecting to feel tall grass, but instead a feel hard wood. I attempt to lift myself up and a pain shoots throughout my back. It feels so sore, but I manage to sit myself up regardless. My clothing is somewhat torn and soaked, and the collar around my neck has bent down and has become flimsy. I realize I have been floating on a large fragment of one of the walls from Trixie’s trailer along a river. Turning behind me I notice even more pieces of shattered wood from the wagon as well. The first thought that shoots through my mind is: Where is Trixie? Over and over I call out Trixie’s name but not a single response. I hurriedly scoop my arms through the water to move closer to the soil. Once the wood scrapes along the edge I grip onto the side and leap up off of the wood. Now standing, I search up and down the river for any sign of Trixie, but I find no sight of her. I call out her name louder each time in the vain hopes that she’ll hear me. Still without a response, horrible thoughts reign across my mind. What if something happened to her? What if she had drowned? Distressed, I hit myself in the head to stop myself from thinking. Maybe we just got separated. I’m sure she’s out there somewhere alive and well searching for me. I should do the same, but I do not know where to begin.

The only choice I have is to walk aimlessly through the woods and hope for the best. The forest is so thick with tree branches getting in my way and stones one the leafy ground stumbling me. The mass of leaves of the trees nearly block out the sun entirely making everything covered in shadows. The farther I go and the more trees I pass it seems that there is just a never ending line of trees ahead. Everything looks the same, but looking back I can’t even see or hear the river from which I had entered here. I find a hollow log and sit down. I rest my hands along the rigid mossy bark while obliviously staring out into the shadowed trees. The air is so still, and everything is so quiet. The trees along with the birds have become silent. After a while my body becomes so used to the strange silence until a snap of a tree branch causes me to tense up and frantically looking around for the source of the noise. Everything seems to be clear until two red dots pear out from the shadows. My eyes feel glued to them, and the sound of a growl ruptures the silence. Branches snap and crush as the eyes grow bigger, and the growl louder. A small ray of sunlight shines through a small absence of leaves from the tree top to slightly reveal the face creature. It has a long wooden snout and the head is composed of a mass of grass and leaves. Two small branches protrude from the sides of its head that make them look like ears. I can feel my blood run cold while staring into its crimson eyes. “Run!” A man’s voice shouts. Without as much of a second of hesitation I leap up from the log and sprint as fast as I can through the woods opposite the creature. I can hear it behind me with its deep vicious bark crunching through the leaves. I keep repeating in my mind: Do not stop, do not stop, no matter how tired you get do not stop. “Go on keep running! You know it’s funny, usually Timber Wolves hunt in—” I can hear even more violent crunching of leaves and growling behind me. I cannot resist glancing back to see why this is, but now I regret to have done so. Two more creatures have joined the group making it three of them on the pursuit. “. . . Packs. Perhaps I shouldn’t have said anything. Well, just keep doing what you’re doing.” The voice calmly shares.

My lungs are straining and my legs have lost all feeling but are still moving. I can feel my body ready to give out. “There! Jump down into that leafy canal!” The voice shouts. Without a better idea I throw myself down into the canal as the leaves blanket my body. I can see through a small opening in the leaves as the creatures leap over the canal and continue the chase through the woods. “. . . Alright they’ve cleared. You can come out now.” I push my head out from the leaves and stand while brushing the rest off of my clothes. While trying to catch my breath I start to wonder what that voice was. Perhaps it was just my mind trying to guide me out of danger. “Well, now that we’re alone why don’t we take this time to get aquainted. . .” I then realize this voice is separate from me; it is not my imagination. Where could this voice be coming from and why? I must have hit my head when the wagon crashed and now I’m imagining voices.

“I’m imagining things.” I mutter out loud.

“Umm . . . No you’re not. I am most definitely here, and we have much to talk about.”

Chapter 4

“Oh I am glad we finally have the opportunity to chat! Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Valiari.” Says the voice.

“Hello. . . My name’s—”

“Aireal, yes I know. I’ve been watching you all this time. I’m happy to see that you have even made a friend during your time here.” A flash of Trixie’s face comes into my mind at the mention of her. A wave of emotions flows through my heart and mind. Stress, worry, sadness, and other emotions that seem foreign to me. I can feel myself delve into a confusion that brings out the frustration and hopelessness in me.

“Who are you!? What do you want from me!? Trixie! Where are you!?” I scream at the top of my lungs through the woods without end. I pace around the ground shouting in different directions in the hopes that Trixie might here me if she’s out there.

“Quiet will you! Those Timber Wolves might hear you and return! And I don’t have much time to speak with you for this spell could wear off at any moment now!” The voice says frantically. I fall to the ground feeling hopeless and with the thought of being driven insane locked in my thoughts. I feel like shouting so loud that I do not care if the wolves come back for me. This must be a nightmare, all of this! I must be laying asleep in Trixie’s wagon waiting to be woken up for our next show. This is a dream; this is a dream; this is a dream. “Aireal please, will you pull yourself together? I can help you find your friend but I need you to listen.” Trying to keep calm I remain silent ready to listen to the voice while looking up to the sky as if that’s where it’s really resonating from. “My magic is limited so I will only be able to communicate with you after certain periods of time. Now, as I have said my name is Valiari and I will guide you through this. Understand?” Without the strength in my voice to respond I nod my head to the sky. “I am somewhere far away from where you are, but I know that we will meet soon. When we do I assure you that everything will make sense to you. But for now I need you to listen and do as I say. If you can do that then I guarantee that you will be reunited with your friend.” I gather myself and stand ready for what ever he wants me to do. If he will guide me to her, then I am prepared to do as he says. “Are you ready?” He asks.

“Yes.”

“Good. Now look around. Do you see a great old maple tree?” Without knowing what a maple tree looks like I simply look around for a tree bigger than all the rest. It doesn’t take long before I spot a tall tree with a trunk nearly five times the size than the others. “Yes, there. From that tree move forward and you shall arrive at a small village. Look for the library. It is built within another large tree but at least three times the size as that one. There will be windows for you to get in, but be silent. If you are seen by the owner of the library she will see you as a threat and obtaining what I need will become an even harder task than intended. Now, once inside I need you to scan the shelves for a book entitled ‘Magic of Imitation’. Obtain it and everything will begin to fall into place. Now go, oh and be careful not to trip on a vine.” The voice ends and I am left with this mission. I decide it’s better not to waste any time and proceed to the tree. I run through the woods straight ahead listening to the leaves and twigs crunch beneath my shoes and loose branches slapping against my arms. My foot gets caught on something causing me to fall flat on my stomach. Looking back I notice that it got caught on one of the many vines that stretch across the forest floor. I sigh out of shame that I had actually tripped on a vine like Valiari warned, but I shake it off and continue forward. After so many trees and worry of being watched by those wolf creatures I finally come to the magnificent sight of little village like Valiari had said across a field of rich green grass. There are some ponies around but they seem to be preoccupied with each other talking and laughing. The buildings look like little cottages and I can even see a big red barn out in the distance. Conveniently I see a perfect resemblance to what Valiari had described. A humongous tree with windows and even a balcony stretching out along one of the thick long branches.

With a feeling of security I jog across the field to the tree hugging the sides to be sure that none of the ponies see me. Sliding my body along the trunk inch by careful inch I find myself under a window that has been left half open. I push it up all the way and peer in from the bottom of the windowsill. I scan the room and see that the walls are lined with what seems like thousands of books. The walls of the inside of the trunk have been modified into shelves. I take a deep breath preparing myself to hurry inside and find the book. I only hope it doesn’t take too long for I worry that I might be found. I grip my hands on the bottom of the windowsill and hoist myself up. I can feel my arms strain as I try to lift my legs over as quietly as possible. The room I’m entering has cupboards all around, a refrigerator in the far left corner, and a stove with stray pots atop it. It must be a kitchen, but it leads into the main room with all the books. Once my feet touch the wood I waste no time to hurry over to the shelves and look for that book, but I freeze dead in my tracks at the sound of knob turning somewhere in the library. I hear the creaking of a door straight to my right and my only instinct is to hide.

I tip toe back into the kitchen and hysterically bounce my eyes around the room looking for a place to conceal myself. The only option I have is to try and fit myself into one of the wide cabinets along the floor. I pry open the cabinet doors and see a perfect open space for me to fit, so I climb in and squeeze my legs inside with the other pans around with me. Quietly I close the doors with my heart racing and my head beginning to sweat. I can hear the little pitter patter of steps beyond the walls of the cabinet. I’m envisioning what happens next. The owner opens the these cabinet doors and grabs me by the collar ready to present me with what ever punishment she may have in store for me. The steps draw closer along with the slight mumbling of a young voice and stop near my doors. Before I can even squeeze in another negative thought the doors flare open and the face of a small purple dragon with round green dorsal spines that run down from the top of its head all the way down to its short tail. I feel the need to gasp for air out of fright, but I clasp my hand over my mouth just in time. Just as I’m about to believe that it’s all over I realize that the little dragon can barely hold his eyelids up.

“Uhh now where is that little pan. . . Hmm little pan little pan.” He says while reaching inside nearly touching my chest. He must be extremely tired and is too oblivious to notice me. Coming to the sense that I actually have a chance to save myself I see the little pan near my leg and grab it. I hold it out to him and after feeling around the air with his little claw he finally takes hold of the handle. “Oh here it is. (Yawns) Thanks buddy.” Confused and still in shock I watch him close the doors and start messing around with the stove and refrigerator. I can smell something cook and feel the heat from the stove. The smell of food reminds me that I haven’t eaten anything in quite some time, but my stomach is too full of butterflies to even notice. After a while my heart calms down a bit until I finally hear steps again but this time fading out. The sound of a door closing means it’s my cue to come out of hiding and look for that book.

I crawl out of the cabinet and hurry back to the shelves upon shelves of books. I run my index finger across the spines of so many books row after row and I have not yet seen the book, but I still have plenty more to go through. Behind me my ears catch a familiar sound, the hooting of an owl. I turn and see a gorgeous brown owl perched on a different windowsill before turning and taking off. It felt kind of calming to see an owl, but now I need to continue searching the shelves. After more wasted minutes watching my finger tremble as I feel that I’m running low on time, and that the owner can walk in through the front door any second, I finally stumble upon it. “Magic of Imitation” the spine reads. Eagerly I pull the book from the shelf and stare at it with a sigh of relief. “What the-? Who are you? And what do you think you’re doing with my book!?” A female voice shouts from behind me after the loud thrusting open of a door. Twisting myself around I see a purple pony with a furious expression. Her mane is violet with red and pink highlights running through a small section of hair, and her horn is glowing with a wavy magenta aura. Fluttering near her is a brown owl; the same one I saw fly away from the window. “Don’t move a muscle!” She orders while cautiously moving closer. I glance over to the kitchen and see that the window is still open and could provide as an escape, but I don’t think I’ll be able to make it. The pony becomes suspicious from my stare back to the window and fires a beam of red light into my chest. Immediately I begin to feel drowsy and everything around me is fading to darkness. I can no longer feel my legs or my arms. My body drops to the ground feeling lifeless, and the book falls from my hand. My ears start to deafen as the purple pony looms over me staring me down angrily as she eventually becomes nothing but black.

Progressively I can feel blood flow through my limbs once again. But now everything has gotten colder, the floor has turned to a solid metal. Sound begins to stream back through my ears but only hearing slight whispers. Opening my eyes to my blurry surroundings it gradually takes shape. Around me are bars of silver metal and a roof of metal over my head. Beyond these bars is a wide white room with glossy white tiles on the floor and long vertical windows that let in beams of sunlight. I groan trying to lift myself up, the cage is so small that all I can do is sit up; there is barely any space at all for me to move around. In front of the cage stands the purple pony from before, but beside her is a tall majestic white horse with a long horn and beautiful wings. Her mane is like a flowing rainbow, and she adorns a golden crown, necklace, and shoes all embedded with jewels. She inspects me curiously while the purple pony stares at me with the same face before I blacked out. “Hmm . . . Well Twilight I am unsure of what kind of creature this is . . . quite peculiar.” Says the white unicorn. “Where did you say you found it?”

“It was in my home digging around through my books. He had this one in his hand.” The purple pony hands over the book to her as she carries it with her magic causing it to bear a golden glow of light around it.

“Magic of Imitation . . . why would it need this?”

“I’m not sure, but it’s a little odd.”

“Tell me, why did you believe it was there to cause mischief?”

“Because I could feel a strong magic emanate from it. I couldn’t quite tell what it was so I went on the defensive.”

“I see, and you are right. I am sensing a magic about it that feels foreign to me. Perhaps we should be cautious. Guards!” In the blink of an eye two white stallions in golden armor and a blue Mohawk upon their helmets trot over and salute the white unicorn. Their armor is decorated with a blue star on their chests and only covers portions of their body making their faces, their under belly, and large portions of their legs visible. “Would you two take this book somewhere secure and look after it carefully?”

“Yes you’re majesty.” One of the armored stallions grasps the book in his teeth and trots away.

“Now, Twilight, does the creature speak?”

“Not that I’m aware of, but I may have blasted it with the sleep spell before it got the chance to.”

“Well then, why don’t we find out?” Suddenly I feel a disliking to these two. The purple one for attacking me with a spell and continuing to give me this dirty look on her face, and the white unicorn just for her being “her majesty” to her. What ever they may attempt to get me to speak won’t work, because I will sit here silently just to mock them. “Hello? What are you?” The white unicorn asks, but I just stare at her with an empty expression on my face.

“Can you understand us?”

“Do you have a name?”

"Maybe it can’t speak.”

“Perhaps, but it bears clothing. So it must be of some intelligence. I believe it is just refusing to speak to us.”

“Hmm . . . I know! Maybe Fluttershy can help. If it is just an animal then Fluttershy would be the one to speak with him.”

“Very well, bring her to the castle, as a matter of fact why don’t you bring the rest of your friends? I’m sure they would want to see this as well.”

“Yes you’re majesty.” The purple pony gives me one last dirty glance before trotting out of the room leaving the white unicorn to continue staring at me.

“What ever you are I will find out one way or another. If you really are a danger consider yourself dealt with.” The white unicorn leaves the room slamming the tall golden door behind her. Well here I am now trapped in this miniature prison that I can barely fit into. I have failed Valiari’s task, and who knows what is in store for me next? Perhaps they’ll torture me if they don’t get a word out of me. They are already suspicious of me as it is, so I don’t see why torture isn’t a probable thing for them to resort to. Or maybe I’ll just spend to rest of my days locked in this cage never to see another friendly face for as long as I live. Never to again see the outside and the beauty it withholds. The windows in the room aren’t even facing towards me to get a glimpse of the outside. I won’t see the Moon or the stars ever again. The only glimmering lights I’ll see is the reflection of it off these silver bars. I begin to wonder why they believed I bear some sort of magical aura. There is nothing magical about me whatsoever . . . except. What if? I reach into the pocket of my jacket and feel around. I feel a sense of relief mixed with amazement once my hand makes contact with the familiar texture of the little sack Trixie had given me. I pull out the small bag and loosen the tie around the opening to see all the stones still inside glowing like any star in their assortment of colors. Staring at them brings back that unknown feeling making me forget for a moment about my troubles. At least I still have these to not only admire, but to remember Trixie.

“Well it looks like everything didn’t go according to plan, but I think we may have another chance . . . Say what do you have there? May I see?” Valiari asks. The stones are so relaxing the sudden appearance of his voice didn’t even cause my body to jolt not one inch. I reach inside and carefully pull out one of the stones holding it in the center of my palm. The stone feels warm while glowing a lovely lavender light. “My, that sure is something. Never after all the years I’ve spent here have I ever seen something so magnificent . . . and you have more of them? Just where did you get so many of those?”

“Trixie gave them to me.”

“Did she now? Hm, I must’ve fallen asleep during that bit. Well, if I were you I would keep those safe. I can feel an intense magic within just by looking at it.” I drop the stone back into the bag and tie the bag up. After sliding it back into my pocket I lay my hand upon it to keep it safe. “Now, on to what I was saying. Oh yes, we still may have another chance. Thankfully that pony was generous enough to bring the book with her, because now we get another shot at this. The room it’s being contained in is only a few halls down from your room and isn’t locked, but it’s being watched over by those two royal guards.”

“But I’m trapped there’s no way I can escape this cage.” I say pessimistically.

“That’s what you think. Luckily I know how to set you free. Now I must inform you performing spells through here to manipulate what’s around you is difficult and restricting. There’s only so much I can do and so many times I can do it. So don’t expect me to do everything for you. Most of the time you will need to find your way out of trouble on your own, but seeing as how there really is no way for you to escape allow me to get you out of there.” Suddenly the roof begins to smear. It appears as though it is being wiped away along with the silver bars. The entire cage is wiped away without leaving a single trace of it ever being there smeared out of existence. I step down from the tall platform that my cage had rested on and look back to convince my brain that it is indeed gone. “There we go! I can tell by that look on your face that you didn’t expect that now did you? See I told you I could get you out. Now let’s get moving.”

“Wait.”

“What? What is it?”

“Can you at least tell me why you need this book? O-Or what it’s for? . . . I feel I should know.”

“It’s. . . There’s something I’ve been longing to do . . . to put my heart at ease. And this book is the key that contains the spell I need. Please Aireal I will explain everything to you when we have the time. But right now I can feel that we’re short on time and we have to—” Valiari stops in mid-sentence. I wait confusedly for him to finish his sentence, but something starts happening to light around the room. It dims until fading out to complete darkness in a matter of seconds. I can no longer see anything, and for this I stand motionless expecting some sort of light to return. “Aireal! Where are you?! Can you hear me?!”

“Y-Yes.” I whisper.

“Why can’t I see you? What has happened over there?” Without an answer I reach into my pocket and pull out one of the glowing stones from the bag. Holding it out in front of me the lavender light from it cuts through the dark illuminating a good portion of the room. I can feel the light’s warmth along my cheeks and the palm of my hand. “Ah that’s much better. Now do not panic; everything will be just fine . . . It would seem that the sun has set quite early, and the Moon isn’t rising. I fear that something may have happened to the princess. She is the one who is has the duty of raising and setting the sun, and for something like this to happen cannot be good. Why don’t you go and investigate? We can go after the book as soon as we find out what has happened. I do believe that the princess went to her master bedroom after she left, so that is where I shall guide you. You will need to be quiet and sneak around the halls. Remember to conceal that light when somepony is nearby. . . Are you alright? You’re trembling . . . look just keep calm. I’ll be with you the whole time.”

I take a deep breath in to calm my heart and mentally prepare myself. I walk over to the big gold door as the designs on it become clearer with the light reflecting off of it to reveal all the swirly designs. Quietly and carefully I turn the knob and gently push the door open as the hinges screech and echo down the halls causing me to halt. Afraid that someone will hear me I know that I need to push it open further so that I can squeeze through. Quickly I push it open just a little bit more. The screeching of the hinges isn’t as severe this time. I leave the room nearly crouched down so that I can stay alert and move quietly. “Now just turn right and then straight down.” Following his instructions the place seems to be pretty clear so far. There is not a single sound flowing through these halls at all only the faint tapping of my shoes against the tiles. “You’re doing fine, now keep going until you get to the end of the hall go left and . . . Wait, do you hear that?” I stop and listen, and the sounds of hoof steps are faint off in the distance. Then another set shows and is getting louder the longer my ears capture it. “Somepony is coming your way! Quick hide that light!” Frantically I cup the stone in my hands and hold it against my chest. Crouching my body to try and hide the light the trotting comes clearer, and down the hall a white light passes by to the next hall on the right. “. . . Alright you’re safe, you can take the light out now. That pony was headed straight to the princess’s room. Follow where that light went.” I hurry down the hall and turn right where the light had disappeared. All the trotting sounds have halted and are replaced with soft voices. “You’re almost there. Just down here and make a left. The princess’s room will be on the right side.” I jog down the rest of the hall and hug the wall to the right sliding my body across to an open doorway where the voices have become more audible.

I peer around the wall to see who is there. The light I saw before is emanating from the dark blue horn of another tall pony, but not quite the same size as the princess. In fact she just may be a princess as well with a small black crown, necklace, and shoes. Her coat is an indigo color and her eyes are just solid blue. But the most attracting feature of this mare is her dark flowing mane and tail. It is composed of random twinkles of white light that remind me of the stars in the night sky. My eyes are dazed by the magnificence of her appearance. Unlike the other princess, whom I felt disliking and annoyance for, she brings me feelings of security, serenity, and delight. But she is not alone; with her are six other ponies. “Princess Luna, what happened here?! Where is Princess Celestia?” The purple pony from before asks nervously.

“I do not know, but I have a feeling that this is just the beginning of something greater.” Says the princess.

“What could be worse than Princess Celestia going missing!?” Asks a winged pony with a rainbow mane and sky blue coat.

“How ‘bout all of Equestria bein’ put inta jeopardy?” Says an orange pony with a wild blonde mane and brown hat.

“Oh . . . right.”

“Ooohhh this is bad, bad, bad, bad, bad! This is almost as bad as the time when I almost forgot to take out my cupcakes out of the oven at the right time!” Shouts a pink coated pony with a crazy curly pink mane of a darker color.

“Pinkie Pie, jus’ how in tarnation is that almost as bad as this?” The orange pony asks in frustration.

“It was a life or death situation!”

“Girls please, let us stay focused. Princess Celestia has disappeared and there is no time for arguing.” Says a white pony with a curled royal purple mane and heavy mascara on her eye lashes.

“She’s right girls. We need to keep it together and do whatever we can to find out what happened to Princess Celestia. Princess Luna what is it you need us to do?” Asks the purple pony whom I believe Princess Celestia said her name was ‘Twilight’.

“For now I must go and raise the Moon so the other ponies do not begin to panic. Afterwards I shall meet up with you all again and we will discuss our next move. But I am certain of this: You all will need to bear the Elements of Harmony if we are to have a chance against whatever has taken my sister.”

“Right. Your majesty let me go with you; I don’t want this to happen to you too.” Says Twilight.

“Very well, then let us go.”

“Rainbow Dash take Fluttershy to the room where that one creature I told you about is. Make sure it’s still there and see if you can get it to speak, alright Fluttershy? Do you think you can do it?”

“I’ll try my best.” Says a winged butterscotch yellow pony with a long pink mane that nearly covers one of her innocent eyes. Her voice is so soft and gentle she almost doesn’t fit in with the rest of the group who are much louder by comparison.

“If it’s not there, then I think we know what might be responsible for this. Otherwise the rest of you should stay here and be on the lookout incase the culprit behind this is still around or at least any clues leading to some kind of answer.” They all agree and Twilight instructs the rainbow-maned pony on where to go to get to the room I was previously in. Twilight and the lunar princess trot away down a different hall away from me.

“Okay Fluttershy, let’s go see this thing.”

“Good luck you two.” Says the orange pony. I soon realize that those two will be coming my way. I can feel myself beginning to panic without any options as to what to do. I can’t just run past the doorway they’ll see me, and I can’t go back because they’ll find me there anyway.

“Aireal they’re headed right for you. You need to get out of there! I do have a small amount of magic left for now but not enough for anything substantial! The Moon is rising right now so the darkness will soon be subsided giving you no way of hiding. What to do; what to do . . . I got it! Slam the door in their faces and I’ll use this magic to lock it!” I’m shaking and sweat is trickling down the back of my neck, but I force a surge of energy to jolt myself up and grip the two halves of the open door.

“What the—?” Says the rainbow pony fluttering in the air.

“What in tha hay is that?” Says the orange pony. Without any further thought I slam the doors shut and a neon blue glow surrounds the two halves. I can hear tumblers lock into place as the ponies shout inaudibly from behind the door.

“There. That should keep them out of the way!” Valiari says confidently; until a loud banging erupts from behind the door. I back away slowly as the banging continues. I can hear metal bending and wall cracking. The hinges are coming loose, and the doors are denting. My heart sinks and my eyes watch in horror as the door slowly comes apart. “Well, maybe not for long.”

Chapter 5

The door is about to give way and I am just standing here like a feeble animal staring into the eyes of a hungry predator. Those ponies are stronger than I could had ever anticipated being able to bust down this metal door. “Aireal? Aireal can you hear me?” Valiari’s voice sounds muffled compared to before when I could feel it echo in my mind. “I’m losing contact with you! And it will be a short while before I can establish communication again! Now just keep calm; deep breathes, and run!” The word ‘run’ feels like an alarm in my head commanding me to move. I dart away from the door and with the Moonlight cutting through the dark from the windows I can see without the stone. Struggling to slide the stone back into my pocket I hear the metal of the door finally give out and the hinges snapping from the walls.

“Where is that varmint?! Ah swear if Ah find ‘em it won’t know its head from its elbow!” Shouts the orange pony’s voice murderously.

“Applejack you take the left and I’ll take the right!” The voice of the rainbow pony advises.

“Got it!” Now I can feel the real trouble heading its way. I can hear the flapping of wings right behind me while still running down the same hallway which seems to be the longest one with only a right turn at the far end. “There you are! Where do you think your going! Get back here!” The rainbow pony shouts from behind me. My heart is screaming inside my chest as I glance back to see how far away she is, but horrifyingly she is catching up at tremendous speed. There’s only one idea I have, and that’s to let my body fall flat on the ground and hope for the best. My stomach and chest slam onto the hard floor and I cover the back of my head with my hands. I can feel the strong winds blow above me trying to pull my jacket with them. Looking up she flies straight into the wall at the end of the hall causing a vibration to be sent throughout the walls and floor. She grunts upon impact and peels from the newly made indent on the wall and falls to the floor. I can’t believe that worked! I thought for sure she would have grabbed me by the collar! But this little celebration is cut short once the orange pony finds her laying on the floor. She turns her head towards me with her face full of ferocity while I get to my feet.

“Why when Ah git ma hooves on you-you two legged varmint Ah’ll whup ya like a rented mule!” She shouts angrily. I’m not too sure what she means by that, but I know it mustn’t be good. She charges down the hall also at impeccable speed. I could swear I could see steam burst from her nostrils while clenching her teeth. I bolt back the way I came and twist around the corner. Since she’s moving so fast she needs to slow down and then turn down the hall giving me some time to gain a bit of distance. I can feel that I’m getting farther away; I just may be able to escape her and try to hide. “Oh no, Ahm not playin’ ring ‘round tha rosie witch’you all day!” Just as I’m about to disregard what she said as just another threat I feel something whirl around my waist and arms. It tightens yanking me down onto the floor with a thud. The orange pony walks up behind me a little out of breath and spins me around to face her. “Ah gotcha now you slippery rodent. You’re not goin’ anywhere.” I find it useless to try and wiggle myself loose, and since she’s already caught up to me there’s no way I can run away. Once again I’ve been caught failing Valiari for the second time. I hope I don’t have to be shoved back in another small cage, but I’m sure that what awaits me is something much worse. The only thing that could relieve some of this sense of failure would be to hear Valiari’s voice again. Just knowing that there’s someone there that I at least somewhat know can relieve tension from anything I suppose. “Uhh. . . Ahah! There you are! I’m gonna get you this time!” Says the rainbow pony deliriously while wobbly fluttering in the air at the end of the hall behind the orange pony. She starts her flight towards us while struggling to keep straight. “Rainbow wait stop; stop; stop—!” She collides into her grunting and tumbling around on the floor. The orange pony tries to get up but the rainbow pony is laying on top of her making it even more difficult. Now is my chance and I had better take advantage of it. I shuffle my arms around to slide my thumb under the rope and push it upwards. Eventually I work it up over my head and drop it to the ground.

Eagerly I stand back up but at the same time the orange pony is able to gain her footing as well. “Oh no you don’t! Yer not gettin’ away!” Whatever confidence had built up inside me has been quickly subsided. No, I’m not going to give up this time! There must be some way out of this. I’ve gotten this lucky, and like Valiari said, it’s time I figure my own way out of situations. Then it finally occurs to me, after my resisting to take my eyes off the orange pony as she crouches down ready to pounce, that I may have what I need. If I was lucky enough to still have the bag of stones Trixie had given me how do I know I do not have the other? I reach into my other jacket pocket with the orange pony staring at me with heavy intent. “Oh don’t you dare try anythin’ !” She shouts and begins her charge towards me. After my next breath lodges itself in my throat I raise my arm and hurl a smoke ball down to the ground. Upon impact it snaps and fills this section of the hall with thick white smoke causing the pony to halt and cough uncontrollably. She covers her eyes with her hooves blinded by the smoke. “W-What in the hay! Quit hidin’ behind your silly smoke and mirrors!” Of course I know better than this, so I take off running as fast as I can back down the hall where I avoided the rainbow pony. The diversion won’t last for long and it’s only a matter of time before she becomes even more enraged and continues to hunt me down.

“Hello? Is this thing on?” Says Valiari’s calming voice. Hearing his voice again brings me so much comfort I feel safe now that he is here. “I finally got this stubborn spell to work again. Anyway I see that you’re okay! Good because quite honestly I thought that this was the end for you . . . thank you for proving me wrong! . . . Except you’ve got one more problem. A very ‘pink’ problem.” Confused by what he says I impede my running and try to piece together what he means. A pink problem . . . just what could he mean by that?

“I’m on to you mister! Or ma’am, whatever you are! At least I think you’re a mister . . . but I’m going to catch you either way you big meanie!” Screams the pink pony stampeding towards me. Despite her pink fluffy mane and coat I find her deeply frightening as my heart skips a beat before taking off.

“I’ve got an idea! Just go hide back in the room where your cage was! You’re almost there just take a right and then a left!” Valiari advises. After finding my way back I hug around the wall of the doorway panting uncontrollably with fear and exhaustion trying to keep my breath under control to mask the noise. A minute of rest goes by and with the absence of sound from the halls I figure she must’ve given up. But before I enjoy what little time of rest I have I feel something soft touch the top of my hair. A pink strand of hair floats before my eyes, and two large blue eyes stare into mine with so much intensity. “Ahah! I’ve gotcha now! You thought you could slip away from me but I’m on to your tricks! Nowhere to run now buster!”

“Aireal run now!” Shouts Valiari. Without a second thought I dash from the pink pony’s upside down head back out the door. I can hear a thud and a grunt of her voice afterwards. I’m puzzled as to how she was able to hang upside down like that. There was nothing upon that wall for her to hang from! I can’t keep this up any longer; I just want to get this book and leave already. My lungs and legs are exhausted and with the feeling that the purple pony and princess will be showing up soon only adds to the anxiety building up in my mind. “There will be a door on the right side. Open it and hurry up the stairs. All of the other ponies are headed your way right now!” On the right of me is a smaller door compared to all the rest. Assuming it isn’t locked I twist the knob and rip it open. Inside is a spiral staircase that wraps all around the tower’s walls. They decline far down to the bottom of the tower, and with a quick peak down not only do I feel like I might fall and break every bone in my body; but several golden armored stallions trot across the floor and are making their way up the steps. “Don’t stop keep going!” On that command I jog up the stairs skipping over a step or two to make it quicker to the last door at the top of the staircase. I lose my footing trying to skip a step and fall to my knees. I hold my hands out to catch myself but the corner of the stone step digs into my shin. “You! Halt!” Shouts one of the guards pursuing me. I notice that all of them are holding long sharp spears by the glimmering of the Moonlight on the sleek metal. My body tenses at the thought of that sharp pointed spear piercing through my clothing and through my stomach. The sheering pain from the tearing of skin and tissue is unbearable to even think about.

“Come on Aireal get up! You’re almost there just a few more steps!” While wanting to hold the possible bruise on my leg I force myself up the last few steps to the door at the top. Gripping the knob feels like turning the key to freedom. I open it and step in while shutting the door behind me. I lean against it believing that my weak body could possibly hold back the army of guards whom I can hear still making their way up the stairs. Soon I realize that there were no guards watching the door like Valiari had said, but I then take notice of two guards laying on the ground with their bodies sprawled along the tiles. While wondering how this could have happened I find that there are many book shelves against the walls with numerous empty spaces where it looks like some were taken out. “That book should be around here somewhere I know i—” By the sudden pause in Valiari’s voice I’m sure that his eyes are locked onto the same figure as mine. Out of the five long vertical windows along the walls only one is open, and standing near holding the edges of the windowsill is a dark coated pony but most of its body is shrouded by a long gray robe that barely exposes the hooves of its front legs. Around its waist is a buckled black satchel with the protrusion of something rectangular inside. It turns its head towards me but its face is covered in shadows from its hood. The absence of seeing eyes to meet mine leaves me lost, but a smile spreads across the shadows with the Moonlight illuminating the white rows of teeth. The pony waves its hoof at me before letting its body tilt from the window about to plummet down. “Aireal run and get that bag!” Bolting towards the pony it falls before I could even get close enough to reach for the bag. I watch the pony fall as its robe waves through the air. Expecting to see it splat upon the ground below, and turning my head a little to hide the sight from my eyes, the pony’s body puffs into a cloud of black vapor. I feel lost in disbelief as the vapor then shoots off in the distance unable to be seen from the darkness of the night sky.

In too much of a shock to turn away I jolt by the sound of a loud bang at the door. “I’ve locked it but it won’t hold for very long. Let me just—” One of the book shelves along the wall grows that neon blue hue like the door before and slides over to the breaking door. “There. That should hold them back for a bit. During this time I want you to hurry and go check the shelves for any other book. Just read aloud some of the titles! Go quickly!” I’ve never heard his voice this stern before, maybe it’s because I was dazed trying to figure out how that pony altered its body into mist. I turn my attention to the shelf nearest to the window and say aloud a few titles.

“Magic of Levitation; Transformation Spells Volume Two; Spells of Sheilding; Starswirl’s guide to Enchantment; Magic of Image—”

“There! Just take that one!” I pull the book from the shelf before the book shelf flies from the door and skids across the tiles. The door is flown open and a group of gaurds form a line with their spears pointed towards me. The ponies from earlier step out in front of them along with Princess Luna I believe her name was. I cradle the book in my arms and step a step back away from them.

“Stop right there thief!” Princess Luna commands as her horn begins to glow.

“Aireal I have an idea, but it’s risky. I’m not sure if I can fully cast this spell correctly . . . But we have no other options.”

“There is no where else for you to run.” Says Princess Luna while walking towards me.

“Now I need you to trust me alright?”

“Hand that book over right this instant.”

“I want you to fall back.” I take one quick glance behind and see that I’m standing right on the edge of the window with the grass and concrete far below. The Princess begins to lose her patience and starts shouting.

“I will not stand here and play games with you all day! I shall ask you once more and if you do not give yourself up then I am fully prepared to bestow upon you the darkest of consequences!” Her voice destroys my esteem, what little there was, into nothing. The princess, the guards, and the colorful set of ponies are all staring at me with such anger. Who knows what kind of “dark consequences” she has in store for me. Valiari said that he is unsure if he can cast his spell correctly, making me ask myself if this really is a chance to take. If his spell is to fail then my body will shatter amongst the hard ground. Where as if I give up now at least I will be alive, but is it really worth the torture that she promises? Should I really give up after getting this far? I, the prey, am now faced with a pack, and my only option is to either let them do as they please, or end it myself.

“Aireal please just trust me!”

“Hand over that book now!” Knowing that I must now make my choice I close my eyes to hide them from what happens next. I have made my decision, and I just may regret it. I release the tension from my arms and hold the book gently in my hands. Looking down at it now I find it to be a lost cause. All of this was just to find a book, and this isn’t even the book Valiari had sought after. I have failed him twice, and I do not see the purpose in trusting myself much longer believing that I still have a chance. I hold the book out to Princess Luna and the anger in her face is slightly lightened being replaced by appreciation.

“Aireal what are you doing!?” Shouts Valiari.

“I knew that you would come to your senses.” Princess Luna says placidly. There is no reason to resist any further. I would rather just end the trouble here before letting it get worse than it already is. Princess Luna reaches out for the book, and the moment I’ve been waiting for arrives. I told myself that since I’ve gotten this far there is no reason to stop now. Trixie is out there somewhere and I’ll do whatever it takes to see her again. Before Princess Luna gets a chance to lay her hoof on the book I pivot back and throw myself out the window followed by several gasps throughout the crowd. Gravity pulls me down pushing the wind up against my back. I watch the window as Princess Luna and a couple of the other ponies stare down at me in what looks like a face of horror; but they are becoming indistinguishable the farther I fall. Clutching the book in my arms expecting to protect it from the fall my body curls up and my eyelids shut to hide from the upcoming ground. I can feel the impact about to take place with the strength of the air becoming more and more severe. I imagine my body breaking into pieces upon contact with the concrete below. My bones shattering and the tendons twisting with everything flashing to black. Until the wind suddenly changes to a smooth breeze against my cheek.

I can feel gravity now pulling from my feet instead of my back, and the sounds of crackling flames find my ears. Opening my eyes they curiously gyrate around a dark cave with stalagmites and stalactites reaching out from the ground and walls. Rows of torches lead from wall to wall up a small ascending stairway to a cracked podium, and beside it are two dark robed ponies like the one I saw before. I am kneeling while holding myself up by my hands on a tattered blue rug that climbs from the fractured ground up the stairs. The ponies are to busy talking to each other to take notice of me. The small noise of a pebble bouncing down from the walls echoes through the cave causes me to hold my breath from fear of it echoing as well. Between the ponies is a large gaping whole with an abyss of darkness inside, and through it emerges a black mist that comes together forming the shape of a pony. Eventually the body and robe of it form with the black satchel around its waist. “You took a bit longer than expected Sister.” The pony on the right says.

“My apologies, the two guards gave me a bit of difficulty to retrieve the book. How was your task of securing the princess?”

“We took care of her using the black resin with ease. Covering her horn in it gave her no ability to cast a single spell! Brother did an impeccable job of bringing the princess under control.”

“And where is she now?”

“She’s in the pit with no way of escape. We made sure to fracture her wings so that she cannot fly out, and with that resin we made stuck to her horn it won’t be coming off easily. I’m sure it’s staining the very bone.”

“You both have done a beautiful job.”

“Thank you Sister.” Says the female pony to the right and the stallion to the left simultaneously.

“Now we must take care of Princess Luna which shouldn’t prove to be an issue at all.” Says the center pony.

“Please, dealing with her will be like crushing a skittering insect!” The stallion mocks, and soon they all join in a joyous laughter.

“Speaking of skittering insects, Sister how did you deal with that pesky little unicorn with the ridiculous hat and cape?” The center pony asks the one to the left.

“I feel ashamed of myself for saying, but she got away from me.”

“Haha! That little pest was able to outrun you Sister?” The stallion jokes.

“I would have had her! I had her on the edge of a cliff leading down to the Tar Pits, and I could tell the fear was building up in her mind! I didn’t quite expect her just to let herself plunge down into it!”

“Do not let it get to you Sister. She more than likely perished from the fall or fell victim to the thick tar, and if not, we shall find her. Then you can do whatever it is you please with her. Besides now is not the time for sour emotions! Here is the next piece to our long awaited retribution.” The center pony unbuckles the satchel and pulls out the book laying it on the podium. “Honestly I should be thanking that pony by the name of Twilight for how she was foolish enough to bring the book to the castle!”

“What a wonderful sight.” Says the pony to the right.

“Indeed it is.” The stallion adds.

“Now with the other books we have obtained over the years, our strength, and our practices we shall create an army. There is just one more thing we need, and that is a breath of life. A powerful energy to bring forth beings under our command.”

“Oh sister we will soon have that. Once Princess Luna is captured we will have all the energy we need. Both of their horns should provide plenty.” Says the stallion.

“Oh yes Brother! I cannot wait for the ritual to take place!” Says the pony to the right excitedly.

“And neither can I. It will be just like old times. Soon we shall annihilate every spec of peaceful magic from the land! Then we shall remain the true powers of Equestria! ” Shouts the center pony, and they all join in a cheer that echoes through the cave. My mind attempts to convince me that what I’m seeing is just a nightmare. Perhaps I’ve knocked myself into a coma and this is all just a hallucination. No, that’s not possible. If I were to hit the ground from that fall I would have experienced more than a coma. The center pony’s speech starts running through my head. An army? My brain feels like it’s rattling inside my head trying to piece this all together. Just who are these robed ponies anyway? And when the one pony mentioned a unicorn with a hat and cape was she referring to . . . Trixie? Immediately I begin to imagine the worst. My bones feel weak, but before my mind can delve into its thoughts any further I take notice of an odd silence between the trio of ponies. “Brother, Sister, it would seem that we have a visitor.” Says the center pony with her shadowed face facing towards me.

“Do we now? Well, I do not remember expecting company today. Do you Brother?”

“No I don’t Sister. It would seem that a lost helpless creature has found its way into our cave. Remind me again Sister, what was it we did with the last animal that we found intruding in our home?” They all begin to step down slowly from the podium towards me, and my body is too frozen in fear to budge.

“Well Brother. It was an adorable little rabbit lost and alone just looking for somewhere to hide from the chilling rain. First we caught it and we snapped its legs so that it couldn’t run away. . .” My legs tense up as they draw closer. “We twisted its jaw and stuffed a stone down its throat so that it would stop screaming. . .” My throat feels dry while trying to swallow saliva, and my teeth clench against each other. “We tossed it into a pot of boiling water and let its blood boil with the rest of the ingredients. Finally we tore it to pieces. The flesh peeled so cleanly from the bone. . .” I have lost feeling in all of my body as they all loom over me while I press my knees against the long blue rug. “The taste was so pleasing.”

“Oh Sister please your talk is making my mouth water!” The center pony plays.

“Well then what are we waiting for? We have a nice fresh meal right in front of us!”

“I wonder if this creature can scream louder than the rabbit.” Says the Stallion.

“Well Brother why don’t we find out!” All of them join in more laughter as I look up at them with deepest feeling of helplessness that will haunt my thoughts forever, or at least . . . for however long I still may be breathing.

Chapter 6

Their laughter rattles within my ears filling them with horror. I thought I knew what the meaning of fear was, but I was wrong. Knowing that your end is near and that it may happen in the most gruesome way you can think of only heightens it. Except when it’s described straight to your face without a single sign of clemency it changes into something worse: A level of fear I didn’t think could have been accomplished. I’m in such a panic but with no desire to try and run, for it would be in vain. My palms are sweating but my body is cold. I can almost feel my body being torn to pieces with their teeth and the blood draining from my veins before it even happens. Their voices are spinning around the room endlessly and so loudly that I feel the need to clasp my hands over my ears to keep it out. I crack open my eyelids just for a moment and their hooves reach out to me, shrouding me.

I no longer hear their laughter; I no longer hear the crackling of the flames. It is replaced by the gentle sound of water dripping and landing against something hard like stone. I feel so calm and relaxed as if ready to go ahead and dream. The first thought in my mind is: Am I dead? My body is too lazy to even try and move, and my eyes are too tired to open. My breathing has eased down to a calm rhythm with the feeling that my body is laying on something cool and soft. The sounds of disruptions in a body of water are drawing near to me. I can feel the waves rippling beneath my body as the presence of something comes clearer. The waves halt, and I can feel something near my body. “Can you hear me? Please, will you carry a message?” A soft soothing female voice asks. As it reverberates in my ears and the world around me it brings a strange feeling in my heart. Similar to what I felt with one of the glowing stone’s in hands. I still cannot identify it, but it is such a peaceful feeling. I do not want it to go away; my heart feels like it’s lying against a pillow weaved from the softest of fabrics and stuffed with downy feathers. My voice feels absent along with the strength to even open my eyes. “Tell him, that every time I peer out to the stars it still feels like you’re right next to me. But I’m always afraid to turn away, because I know I won’t see you.” The voice ends, and all other sounds disappear.

My body is beginning to wake, and I can feel my eyes starting to open. The air has turned muggy as sounds of frogs and crickets show. My face breaks through the warm surface of water as my mouth fills with the filthy taste of it. It soaks into my clothes and weaves through my hair. Without the opportunity to grab a breath before being filled with water my lungs are begging for air. I press my hands against the soft mud below and push myself up to the surface. Pulling air into my lungs I try to keep myself afloat pushing around the water with the lily pads and algae gathered at the surface. I paddle myself to the edge patched with dead grass and dig my fingers into the soft dirt to then lift myself up onto the land. With my back flat on the dirt my chest violently moves up and down taking in the air. Up above are leaning trees with their long thread-like leaves weeping down towards me. My hands and finger nails are covered with dirt, so I dangle my arm over the edge to touch the water and slather my hands together. With my hands now at least somewhat clean I stand myself up and spin around to absorb my surroundings. Nothing but slanted trees and leafy vines stretching across their branches. Nearby is a big stone covered in moss and insects I’m sure. Suddenly a worrying thought runs through my mind as I frantically reach into my pockets to make sure that the stones and smoke balls are still there. Thankfully they are and still dry, but I can’t really say the same for the rest of me. A long strand of dark green algae is resting on my shoulder and brown water is still dripping from my hair and the bottom of my jacket. I take a seat on top of the stone leaning my forearms against my legs with my head down for the water to leak out of my hair.

“Aireal? Aireal! There you are! I casted the spell correctly but I couldn’t find you anywhere. It must’ve gone a bit haywire for a few minutes before I got it back under control. You had me worried there for a while. Anyway what happened? Where did you go?” Valiari’s voice breaks in asking.

“I . . . I saw ponies in . . . robes. They . . . They were talking about the princesses and an army—” I say struggling to keep my voice flowing with my breathing and coughing from the water that sunk down my throat.

“An army!? No, no this can’t be happening . . . I thought they stopped them years ago!” He says fearfully.

“What? . . . What’s going on? Why won’t you tell me?!” I ask in frustration.

“Those, robed ponies were part of something . . . horrible that happened a long time ago. I-I thought that Princess Celestia ended them and their practices back then. Look, I will tell you more about it later. You are in the Lost Swamp at this moment, and this is where I live. Soon we shall finally meet, and I will share with you everything you need to know. For now, did anything else happen? What else did you see?”

“It uhh . . . it went dark and . . . a voice spoke to me. She said every time I peer out to the stars it feels like you’re right next to me . . . but I-I’m always afraid to turn away.”

“Who said that to you?!” Valiari shouts. “Who said that to you?! Tell me right now?!” He shouts furiously. Valiari’s sudden change in tone startles me.

“I-I don’t know—”

“Did she say her name?! Did she say anything else?!”

“No that was all I heard I promise! Sh-She said nothing else!”

“Are you sure you didn’t see her?! Are you sure?!”

“No I didn’t see her! Please just…!” I feel like hiding myself from Valiari’s heated voice in whatever way I can. The only thing that comes to my mind is to cover the top of my head with my arms and crouch down.

“. . . Look Aireal, I’m sorry I snapped I just. . . I’m sorry.” I cautiously lower my arms looking up to the sky believing that he just may shout again. I’m too afraid to try and speak again allowing a long silence to take over. “Hey uhh . . . I saw what you did back at the castle while I was struggling to get the spell working again. I didn’t expect you to make a cloud of smoke and escape! That was pretty impressive.” His comment is kind, and I know he’s only trying to change the subject to something lighter but I still do not feel comfortable trying to speak to him. “I know all of this must be putting a lot of pressure on you, but hey at least you got a free bath out of it.” I can’t hold back the chuckle, and Valiari quickly takes advantage of it. “I knew I’d get you to chuckle! Listen I’m sorry for the outburst. It’s just that what you said was something that . . . I told somepony a very long time ago.”

“. . . Who?”

“Somepony . . . very important to me. Please, let me guide you through the swamp to my location first, and then we will talk more. Besides I think a walk will be a good way for you to dry off.” With a smirk I stand up from the rock and Valiari explains where I need to go. He guides me passed the leaning trees with my shoes occasionally sinking into the mud. Pushing my way through a wall of vines I hear a worrying hiss near my feet forcing me to try and hurry with my arms getting tangled around the vines making sure not to trip over any of them this time. Small winged insects hover around my face no matter how many times I swipe them away. How can Valiari live here? It’s filled with bugs, it’s humid and the air smells of rotting plant life. In some spots the smell gets so unbearable that I need to pinch my nose and breathe through my mouth. “Hey come on it’s not that bad! You get used to it.” Says Valiari. The trees sometimes become so cluttered together it’s such a struggle to maneuver through them with the moss brushing against me and their branches poking me in the face. I’ve had to stop a few times and rest against a tree to take a breather with the sweat trickling down my neck and forehead. After a length of time that feels like forever Valiari finally says that I am close, despite the fact he has said this several times throughout the walk to keep me from quitting. I’ve gathered so much dirt and moss on my person that I feel the need to let myself fall into another pond to rid myself of it. Blocked by yet another wall of branches I lift up a few and see a dingy little shack up ahead. “There it is. Home sweet home. Go ahead and step up to the front door. Remember to knock first it’s the polite thing to do!”

The shack is composed of wood with chipping white paint. Some of the boards’ nails have become weak and are causing them to start peeling apart from the wall. A small dented chimney is protruding from the roof with disordered black shingles releasing small puffs of smoke. The small glass windows are fogged but it glows from the light behind them. I walk through the tall grass that reaches up to my shoulders until I make it to the front door. Its paint is chipping as well, and in between a few cracks small insects crawl in and out. I notice that the knob’s gold finish has faded to a darker color in some spots. I raise my fist ready to knock on the door, but before I can the door flies open and an excited voice escapes. “You were taking a while to knock, so welcome to my home! Step right in!” A white coated stallion with a big bright smile says excitedly. He’s wearing a brown tattered jacket with a tall collar and colorfully stained white pants with a few paint brushes in the pockets. He’s wearing a flat brown hat with a pointed rim that extends passed his snout; a torn puffy white neck tie; and black shoes on his hind hooves. His eyes are brown and are dark around the sockets as if it’s been ages since he’s gotten any sleep. He grabs me by the arms and pulls me inside. “I can’t believe I actually have the chance to finally meet you face to face! I must say though I have lived here for . . .” Valiari looks up to the ceiling pondering about how long he’s been here. “. . . I don’t know, quite some time now! But I didn’t expect you to look dirtier than me! Anyway, why don’t I properly introduce myself? I am Valiari it is a pleasure to finally meet you.” He holds out his hoof to me while still smiling. The shack might be quite a mess, but he brings so much energy and life to it that it becomes barely noticeable. It brings this appreciation for him and his cheerfulness in me. I find myself smiling as well once my hand meets his hoof.

“Aireal, and it’s a pleasure to finally meet you as well.” I say humbly while shaking his hoof.

“Now come on let me give you the grand tour!” Valiari tightens his grip on my hand and pulls me across the shack, so quickly that I can barely keep my balance, into only a few different rooms. It’s a small shack so I didn’t really expect much more than that. “Here’s the bathroom. . .” It’s just a small dark room with a wooden latrine; he then yanks me over to the next room. “Here’s the kitchen. . .” The kitchen is not as dirty as I had expected, but the wood looks worn. There are rows of cupboards along with a rusty refrigerator and oven. The floor transitions from wood to cracked white tiles. “Speaking of which it must’ve been a while since you’ve eaten something. Are you hungry?”

“Well . . . umm.” I should just say no, but honestly I am a bit hungry. However I don’t wish to impose. Besides depending on the quality of this place his food probably isn’t the cleanest either.

“Well of course you are! You are my guest so I will make sure that I get you something to eat! Let’s see here. . .” Says Valiari searching the inside of his fridge. “Ah, here!” He holds out a surprisingly decent looking sandwich of two slices of bread with a cluster of greens beneath them. My teeth cut through the soft bread with the crunch of leaves and cold juice of berries sliding across my tongue. “Oh wait stop! I just remembered those berries in it are poison!” Valiari shouts. Blocking my throat with my tongue to keep the food in my mouth I crazily search for somewhere to spit it out. I push open the window and spew out the disgusting green and red mass of chewed food. I spit an extra couple of times to be sure that there is not a single remnant of the berry juice. “Ha! I was only kidding! Do you really think I would feed you poison berries? Come on!” Being struck with the realization that he was only joking around with me brings relief. If they truly were poison I would have ran to the nearest source of water to wash my mouth out. Even though it was just a joke I’m still a little weary about trying to take another bite, so I continue eating with caution. It feels great to finally have something in my empty stomach. “Now come right on this way. This is the living room where all of my work takes place.”

This room is the messiest out them all. Papers are stuck or tacked to the walls leaving no wood to show. Cans of paint are clustered all around one canvas stand with a painting of a swampy area on it. Against the walls are rows and rows of canvases that have or haven’t been painted on. The sheets of loose paper all have paint on them depicting some kind of scenery or creature. “This is how I’ve been able to keep track of you. But please, do not touch anything.” He says standing near the swamp painting. I don’t understand. He used the painting? But how? It’s merely a picture on paper there’s no way he could’ve been watching me through this. “. . . You seem confused. Why don’t you take a closer look?” I lean in, and am shocked to see that the trees’ branches in the picture are swaying. I can hear the sound of wind emanating from the painting, and the pond in the picture is forming ripples from it. It’s as if I’m looking through a window straight at the scenery. I feel like I can just reach out and touch the tree’s bark and the tall grass. My mind cannot come up with an answer for this; in fact nothing is flowing through my mind at the moment while staring at the painting. “You see I am a painter. It is my specialty. I remember when I first came here. I had been in search of a place where I can stay and feel inspiration come to me so that I may work. And since then I have remained here, in the Lost Swamp, for as long as I can remember. This place has been long forgotten by others; I’m the only one that lives here. I’m sure you’re wondering why out of all places I would choose here. Well you know this place never used to be like this. It used be a lively town. I remember when I would wake up in the morning and look out my window. Everypony was so . . . happy. However the night was when this place really came to life. Sometimes when I walk outside I can still see it. Everypony with smiles on their faces, strands of lights stretching from post to post along a dirt path, rose bushes and lilies would be planted around every cottage. Everypony laughing, having so much fun watching the talented performers that would stop by our town every so often. Or somepony would host a party during a wedding or a holiday for all of us to join and have a good time. Sweethearts day was always a very special day here. . .”

“Sweethearts day?”

“Yes it was a holiday where all the mares and stallions would express their love for their special somepony. Sparks would always seem to fly on that day . . . I’ll never forget mine. That night . . . It was the night that started it all. . . I was returning home with supplies to do my work and a mare came up to me and asked where I was headed. I was quite confused as to why a beautiful mare such as her was bothering to talk to me. She had a vanilla coat and a short thick red mane. Her eyes were such a wonderfully rich shade of green that I did not want to turn away from them for a second. She was wearing a gorgeous white dress that glowed in the light. Of course she was the one to start since I was just standing there frozen like a stiff. The conversation still plays in my head like a record. After she had asked where I was going I just said: “I’m just heading home to get started on some work.” But she persisted on trying to bring me to the Sweethearts day dance. “Come on! There’s a party being held in the park and everypony’s there! You should come and have some fun!” She said. It almost felt impossible to decline, so I said: “. . . Well, sure.” I mean I could’ve started painting the next day. So I dropped off my supplies and headed straight to the park where the party was being held, after making sure I was dressed appropriately of course. There was a metal sign with curved letters spelling out “Flourish Park” and its name couldn’t have been any farther from the truth. There were ponies on a little wooden stage playing instruments such as the violin, cello, and the flute. They played wonderfully and made many couples get together and dance holding one another in their hooves. When I had stepped in I was only in search of her, and as soon as I spotted her, she spotted me. She was just so excited that I had come, but her excitement turned to shyness. I tried to work up the courage to ask, but she decided to ask first. She asked me to dance, and without a second of hesitation I said yes. The next thing I know we’re with all the others gently moving to the music. It had finally occurred to me after a while that I haven’t even introduced myself. She told me her name was Aria. . . Such a beautiful name. And that was all we said the rest of our dance, if felt like we didn’t need to say anything else for that moment. The longer she stared into my eyes the stronger this feeling deep in my heart became, and from that day forward we were together nearly every day and every night.”

“. . . That sounds incredible.” By now I have been sitting down eagerly expecting Valiari to continue with his story. I can only imagine how amazing it must’ve felt for him to just attach to this mare.

“It was . . . and then one night. The two of us were sitting in the cold soft grass looking up to the stars as they twinkled in the night sky. We were so close, and I had hoped that we would always be together. But for some reason I felt that something . . . something was going to tear us apart. She told me that I was just talking nonsense; that nothing like that would ever happen. But still I was afraid, so I told her. . . That if ever we were separated. . . I could peer up to the stars and feel her right next to me. But I would be afraid to turn away from them if I couldn’t see her there. . . That’s why I snapped at you when you said that. Because I couldn’t believe . . . that you truly heard that. But I want to . . . I really want to.” I notice Valiari’s voice has gone down in tone. He isn’t facing me anymore, and I can only assume that his eyes are starting to feel his sadness.

“. . . What happened to her?” It felt like a rude question to ask as I’m sure that it’s the last thing that he wants to talk about, but my curiosity gets the best of me.

“Those . . . robed ponies that you say you saw. It was all because of them. They were part of a dark cult from so long ago. As the days went by everypony in town began to notice that ponies have been disappearing lately, and the strange part was that it was always a unicorn that went missing. Grown stallions . . . little fillies they all went missing. Everypony began to worry and panic. Nopony had any idea where they could have gone or who could’ve taken them. Princess Celestia had taken notice and installed patrol around the town. Finally, they had seen a shadowy figure take a young filly and brought out to the Everfree forest. They followed, and they couldn’t believe what they saw. There was an entire network of them down below in a cave performing rituals and séances. They informed the princess of this, and they had decided to quickly take action. A battle broke out between them and the royal guard. Everypony had to evacuate as quickly as possible.

Aria and I were on the run, but we were followed by a few of the cult members. We took a turn into the forest to maybe get away from them, but they were just so fast. We were eventually stopped near a cliff that descended into nothing but darkness. The both of us were scared so deeply, but I tried to keep myself together. They just stood and stared at us. Their faces were nothing but black, and not being able to see their faces amplified the fear in me. One of them pounced on top of me as soon as I took one second to blink. I tried to fight him off but I just couldn’t. He was just too strong. I shouted at Aria to run, but the other pony loomed over her . . . and pushed her off the edge.” My jaw loses all feeling at the very words. I can’t help but imagine the horrible sight. What he must have felt at that moment must have been as if someone had yanked out his heart. All of the feelings that I have felt throughout this life so far do not compare to what he must have felt on that night. I feel like I truly do not know anything about this place. “I listened as she screamed all the way down . . . until I heard a smash at the bottom. I couldn’t stop shouting; I couldn’t stop fighting; and I couldn’t stop crying. She was dead . . . I knew she was dead. They dragged me through the forest, and then there came a point where I did stop fighting. There was no point in it. I had actually hoped that they would just end it for me. No, they brought me down to a cave full of torches and other clan members gathered near an incline of steps leading up to a podium. They threw me into a cage with other familiar looking unicorns. All of us were trembling while they pulled out each individual pony from the cage and tied them to several large stones five at a time . . . and I was part of the group.

They tied us up as they went down the line. I couldn’t imagine what kind of torture these freaks were going to perform on us, but it was beyond what I could have imagined. One robed pony came with a long blade. He went up to the first pony and laid it down against the top of his horn. He held his throat back with his hoof and began to saw the horn straight off of his head. He screamed and screamed until his horn fell to the ground. Another pony came with a small round pottery bowl of a thick black liquid and a dagger. She dipped it into the liquid and slashed his chest. He didn’t bleed, and he stopped screaming. His head just fell as if he had just passed out. They did the same to the next pony, and then the next, and the moment I was dreading came . . . they then came to me. I was so afraid, until I looked to the pony to my left. It was a little filly and her eyes were soaked in tears. She would be next, and that was something I never wanted to see.” Before Valiari continued he pulled of his hat and showed that his horn was missing. I could still see a small section of it still poking out from his forehead. He pulled down his tie to show a portion of the black streak on his chest. Looking at it makes me put my hand on my chest as I imagine it being slashed by a dagger as he described. “They sawed off my horn and slashed at my chest, but unlike the other three ponies I was barely able to stay awake. They then turned to the filly, set the blade on her horn as I hopelessly watched . . . Then the cave began to shake. The royal guard had found us and were breaking their way in.

The clan members all scattered and began to fight back at them. The one had dropped the blade near the filly with all of us still tied to the stones. I couldn’t escape; I didn’t have the strength to. Before I knew it the rope holding me was cut and I fell to the ground. The little filly was standing before me with the blade being carried by her magic. She had been able to cut herself loose and proceeded to cut my rope. I almost couldn’t believe it, normally I little filly of her size doesn’t have the magic ability to lift such a large object as that blade, but I had no time to think about it too much. There was just so much commotion and so little time I . . . I got to my hooves and led the little filly out of the cave and left the other three behind. I felt guilty, and I still do; but there was no time. As soon as we were about to leave Celestia had finally arrived, she then caused the whole cave to collapse with all the cult members in it. I knew that it’s what they deserved, but the innocent ponies that were still left in there would never make it out. The filly and I walked through the forest back to town without a word. But when we got there everypony was gone, the entire town was destroyed to nothing. I had caught sight of a couple royal gaurds walking by, so I told the filly to go and just leave me behind. She was reluctant at first, but I kept pushing her to go. It was for the best, and I knew that everypony was now somewhere else; but I didn’t want to go. I couldn’t leave this place and Aria’s memory behind. And with this mark on my chest who knows what they would have done to me if they had found out. So I hid in the woods and waited for Princess Celestia and the royal guard to all leave.

Once they did I came out and dragged myself to my home. It was the only place I could go. I was surprised to see that it was still standing. The years would go by, and I began to notice that I have not been aging at all. It’s been so long and here I still am with this . . . curse. Whatever they had done to me it has been keeping my body alive all this time. The woods began to overgrow the demolished town, and that would start to decay into the swamp that stands here now. From that moment on there was only one thing I could do. . . I wished. I wished that maybe one day I could find a way to see my beloved just one more time. Then I found out with what little was left of my horn there still resonated a small sliver of magic. I utilized it and scavenged around the destroyed library for any books that remained if there were any. I gathered what I could and studied spell after spell to obtain as much knowledge as I could. As time passed I found a way to intertwine my magic with my paint. That is how I am able to speak to you through it, and how I am able to manipulate parts of the world around us. But doing so with what little magic I still possess is very difficult as I have mentioned to you before. With these tools I came up with a plan: If I could find the instructions to one certain imitation spell I could maybe combine it with the other spells that I have accumulated and maybe, just maybe, bring her back for one moment. . . I know it sounds strange, but I am so desperate just to see her once more. My dearest Aria. . . She is all I want. Then I found you, and with a spark of hope I saw possibly my only opportunity at accomplishing my goal.”

I do not find it strange that he wants to bring her back just for a moment. He had to watch his love die, and he only wants to see her one more time. Remembering what happened to Trixie and her Mother I feel it my duty to help keep things like this from happening as well. The separation of loved ones is something that no one should ever have to experience, but I am now realizing, that it is something difficult to prevent. I feel guilty for my previous thoughts of wanting to give up on him. “So now you know, and I hope that you can understand my plight. But after all this time and research I am still missing one important component: A piece of her essence. Essence is another term for the spirit of oneself; it’s the magical form that holds everything about you. How you think, how you act . . . and if what you’re saying is true, that you really did hear her voice, then that means her spirit still resonates out there somewhere. However, I know that I will not be able to find it on my own. So . . . will you help me?”

“Yes.” I say almost instantly.

“You will?! Oh I knew I could count on you I just knew it! Thank you. . . Now wait, I’ve been forcing you to help me through a promise that I have made to you since the beginning and I still haven’t held up my end of the bargon. What about you’re friend? She’s still out there somewhere isn’t she?”

“I. . . I don’t know. Those robed ponies said that they got her to jump off of a cliff into a place called the . . . the Tar Pits—”

“The Tar Pits? Well then let’s go.”

“Really? You’ll help me find her?!” I say excitedly while jumping up from the floor.

“Of course! I made a promise to reunite you with your friend and I intend to keep it! The Tar Pits are just a short distance away from here, so let’s get going!” I feel so overwhelmed with excitement and hopefulness. I know I will be forever grateful to him for his assistance. Trixie, I hope you’re out there. . .

Chapter 7

“Hmm . . . those Tar Pits should be near here.” Says Valiari. We haven’t been walking for very long, but the very air of the swamp has gotten hotter and even more humid. A smoky mist has rolled in and I begin to hear the sounds of thick bubbles popping out in the distance. The trees’ dark bark has gathered condensation all along it, giving it this sheen of slime. “Oh yeah, we are definitely here.”

“How do you know?” I ask.

“Well for one . . . I’m a little stuck in it.” Turning around I see that Valiari has stepped into a puddle of a thick black goo. He attempts to lift his hoof but the goo moves with it stretching and resisting to let him go free. I hurriedly get a grip around his waist and pull as hard as I can until the strands of goo snap with the momentum causing us to fall on top of each other. “Yep, this is definitely tar. Thanks for the help!” He says smiling, but I can’t respond since he’s sitting directly on top of my stomach. “Aireal? Oh! My apologies.” He says finally getting off of me. I get back to my feet as Valiari takes a good look around the misty area. “Now, where to begin . . .” Valiari gasps in the middle of thinking. “Hey! What is that?” He whispers under his voice. I stand near him as he stares out into the distance. Watching to try and fix my vision so that I can maybe see anything behind the mist, but I still see nothing.

“I don’t see anything.”

“No, wait. . . I just saw something move.”

“Trixie?”

“. . . I don’t know. . . Come on, let’s go check it out. But be quiet.” I follow behind Valiari as he begins carefully walking through the mist. I notice that we are walking on a thin path of wet soil through extending pools of tar on both sides. After a few minutes of not seeing a single thing through the mist I begin to get the feeling that he must’ve just been seeing things; until he holds his hoof out to halt me from walking. “Wait . . . look over there.” He whispers while motioning me to crouch down behind a thick set of tree branches that block the path. He pulls back a couple of branches so that we can peer out into the mist. Looking closer I can now see what he has been talking about. A silhouette of something somewhat big is moving from behind the mist. At first I believe that it could be Trixie, but then another silhouette appears, then another, and then another. I can hear voices talking to each other, but it’s hard to make out what their saying. In fact it might not even be talking at all; it could just be animals making sounds. Valiari holds his ear out to try and hear the sounds clearer, but they stop after a few seconds of doing so, and the shadowy figures are now out of sight.

“What happened?” I ask.

“They stopped. . .” Both sets of our eyes jump around the mist searching while listening for whatever was in the distance to maybe show up again. The sudden silence and end of movement is slightly distressing. After a pause Valiari looks at me confusedly and shrugs his shoulders. As I’m just about ready to pass the incident off as just some mysterious animal the face of a purple unicorn appears through the mist in between the branches. It’s the same face as the purple unicorn from the library just with a gold tiara and the decoration of a pink sparkle-shaped jewel on the top. Seeing her face again brings back the memory of her shouting and attacking me. I remember what she said back at the castle, “If it’s not there, then I think we know what might be responsible for this.” Now they all believe that I am the cause for all that has been happening, and I do not believe there will be any convincing them otherwise.

“You again! You’re that creature that escaped! Girls quick over he—!” Valiari and I take one quick glance at each other before he let’s go of the branches letting them whack the purple unicorn’s face in the middle of her enraged shouting. She grunts upon impact and other voices appear.

“Twilight? What happened?” A familiar voice asks.

“It’s there! Behind the branches!”

“But what about Trix—?”

“We’ll deal with that later, that creature from before is right behind there!”

“Whah that no good varmint! Ah’ve got a bone ta pick wit that little rat!” A horrifyingly familiar voice shouts.

“Let’s get out of here!” Valiari shouts to me. The both our hearts jump start and bring us to running through the mist away form the voices. I can barely see a yard ahead of me, so I only hope that we don’t end up stepping in tar with all the twists and turns we’re taking. Our adrenaline doesn’t seem to calm with the sounds of several sets of hooves trotting against the wet soil behind us. Sometimes the path will curve and my shoe nearly gets stuck in the tar. We try jumping over fallen trees and outstretched roots to maybe slow them down, but our efforts are pointless as they are still gaining ground on us. I can’t keep up the chase to stay with Valiari’s speed. He’s going much faster than I am and the ponies aren’t far behind. “Come on I need to come up with a plan. Let’s see here think; think; think. . . I’ve got it! Aireal! Follow me this way!” Low on breath I follow him to a damaged tree that’s so tall it goes past the barrier of mist. I notice the tree is hollow with a huge gaping hole at the base of its trunk. “Come on in here!” Valiari squeezes his body through the hole and I follow him inside. Surprisingly there is just enough space for the both of us as his body is just gently pressing against my side. I don’t understand the plan; if the ponies were to pass by here they would most definitely see us. Valiari reaches back to his pants pocket and pulls out one of his paint brushes. Under his hat I can see a small neon blue glow peeking out between his forehead and the rim of the hat as the tip of his brush sparkles with the same color. He grasps the brush between his teeth and motions it around the opening of the bark. With every stroke it brings a new section of bark into the empty space closing up the hole between the broken bark. The bark his brush is creating appears so real that it begins to look as if the hole never existed. Everything becomes dark after he finally finishes; only the sounds of their trotting and wind inside of the tree remain. “Now let’s just keep quiet, and don’t touch the bark. If you do that’ll disrupt the spell and it will go away.” Their trotting gets louder and louder until finally coming to a halt outside the tree.

“What in the-where did it go now?!” One of them shouts.

“It could be anywhere around here!” Shouts another. The voice sounds like the rainbow pony from the castle.

“Oh, don’t you think you all are just being a little . . . mean?” Says a gentle voice.

“Us?! Fluttershy it’s because of that thing that all of this going on!”

“But you don’t know that. Maybe the poor thing is just scared.”

“Fluttershy, trust me. That thing is a nuisance and needs to be caught. We should all keep our eyes open incase we see it again as well as Trixie.” Says Twilight.

“Yeah where do you think she could have gone?” Asks the rainbow pony.

“I don’t know, but she couldn’t have gone far. I think we should all split up into pairs and try to cover as much ground as possible to find them.”

“Can’t we just take a short rest? My hooves are killing me with all of this walking we’ve been doing.” Says a sophisticated yet tired voice. Suddenly the wall of bark Valiari created dissipates revealing a thick, curled, royal purple tail poking through the hole near our faces as my breath lodges itself in my throat. We can’t see much past the tail and the pony’s white-coated back except a little of the misty outside. With the pony in our way hopefully the others do not see us.

“We can’t take a rest now Rarity. Those two and that one pony I saw with that creature are out there somewhere, and we need to make sure we stop them. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are counting on us. Fluttershy why don’t you and Rarity take the path down that way? Rainbow Dash you and Applejack will take the path down there; and Pinkie Pie you’re with me. If any of us see either of them we let each other know immediately, and be careful of the tar.” All of them assure they understand with a: “Got it,” or an “Understood.” Afterwards they all trot away and the white pony stands and leaves. Thankfully all of them were facing away from us, and as soon as their hoof steps become inaudible my breathing calms. Turning my head towards Valiari I see that his face is still full of shock as his hooves are wrapped around me. I must’ve been in the same kind of shock to not have noticed, also that my arms are wrapped around him. “O-Okay, Th-Their gone . . . That was a little too close. Come on, we should get going.” Valiari and I look at each other awkwardly and quickly let go of each other. Crawling out of the tree Valiari takes a few quick glances and attempts to explain what we should do. “I didn’t expect them to come here! Well now we need to watch out for them. I heard them mention your friend’s name. Why would they be after her? Come on we need to try and find her before they do.” I nod my head in understanding and am ready to begin the search.

Valiari and I walked and walked searching everywhere we possible could. We would come across the sounds of steps off in some areas and wouldn’t even attempt to search there believing that we would get caught by those other ponies. My hope begins to dwindle away, but I’m still holding on. Then, a sight that my eyes had hoped they would never see comes into view. At first I did not know what it was, but looking at it closer. . . It could have been a sign of hope, or a sign of grief. “Aireal uhh. . . Maybe we should go check this way! Heh. . .” Says Valiari trying to lure me away from the spot. Without paying any attention to his words I walk closer to the wide tar pit. Floating near the edge . . . is Trixie’s pointed hat. My legs begin to feel numb and collapse near it. My hands tremble as they reach out and grab hold of the tip of the hat. I yank it out of the tar and hold it in both hands. My heart aches and my stomach feels sore. Everything around me becomes a blur as tears fill my eyes. Holding them back is pointless as they endlessly drip down my cheeks. I can feel them falling from my chin down onto my hands. Clenching the hat beneath my fingers I shut my eyes and hold it close to my chest. This isn’t a sign of hope; it is a sign of death. Trixie is gone, and I can’t help but only blame it on myself. All because I wasn’t with her! That accursed bridge; those robed ponies; those six others! Maybe if I wasn’t busy being scared I could’ve gone through all of this without a pause and made it here in time! I feel the need to carelessly jump into the tar and maybe find her, but I know that wouldn’t solve anything. What I’m feeling isn’t anger, no, it’s far from it. It is the very sadness that I had hoped my heart would never have to bear. My cheeks feel as if their burning along with my heart. She’s gone, and there’s nothing I can do to bring her back. Images of her helpless body being swallowed by the tar flood my mind throwing me deeper into this despair. “Aireal. . . ?” Valiari puts his hoof on my shoulder, and out of feeling alone and lost I embrace him like a child clinging to his mother. He is the last one left in this dreadful life and already I fear losing him as well. “Aireal it’s . . . it’s going to be fine. Okay?” I don’t have the strength to speak. My throat is sore and breathing has become difficult. “Listen uhh . . . this doesn’t mean that she’s . . . you know. Maybe she escaped and is still out there.” I want to believe; I truly do, but my mind won’t accept it. He is only trying to relieve me from the tears but it’s no use. My mind is jumping around from thought to thought to the point to where I feel the need to tear at my hair. At one second I believe that she’s gone, and another I believe she just might be out there. Trixie. . . you’re gone. No, no you can’t be. You can’t be! I feel like shouting her name at the top of my lungs pleading that I hear her voice. Just the sweet sound of her voice would calm my heart and end the tears. “Come on, let’s go back.” Says Valiari.

Dragging myself along with Valiari I still clutch the hat in my hands. Neither of us speak a word while walking, and why would we? What words would have to be said? My heart once again feels hollow like in the beginning. Losing Trixie feels as though someone had just ripped it straight out of my chest. We are able to make it back to Valiari’s shack without hearing a warning sign of the other six ponies being near. Inside I sit myself down in a corner of the living room cradled up with the hat while Valiari sits himself up against a wall. I begin to remember everything we’ve done together. That moment when she wrapped me in a sheet and took me in. Those moments when we sat at a campfire together as she would weave a tale or two. Every show we had performed together plays in my head as vividly as if I was there once again. Those moments when I would look into her eyes and feel . . . something. That morning when she gave me this clothing, these stones; and I gave her the vase of flowers. How happy we were. . . Now it’s gone. I reach into my pocket for the bag of glowing stones and clutch it in my hands. Not even they can bring me that warm feeling like they always have. I feel nothing at all from them.

“. . . Aireal?”

“Please. . . J-Just.” I stop once I feel my eyes tear up once again.

“Look, I understand what you’re going through. But I need you to stay strong alright?”

“H-How. . . ?”

“You just have to tell yourself to. We can’t stay here for long. Soon those other ponies will find this place and us.”

“I can’t leave.”

“What are you talking about? We’ll get caught if we stay, so come on pull yourself together and let’s go.”

“. . . Do you think it’ll be th-that easy to get over?”

“Well no, but we have no choice. Just try and get her out of your mind.”

“. . . Get her out of my mind?” Immediately I see his comment as insensitive and begin to stand up and look him straight in the face. “What if I told you to do that about Aria? Huh? What if I told you to forget about her?”

“Hey! Don’t you dare talk about her like that!”

“Why not?! If you can talk about the friend I cared so much for then why can’t I talk about her?!”

“Because this is different!”

“How?! What makes it different?! You only want me to forget about Trixie just so we can get back to your life! You don’t care about me and how I feel!”

“I’m trying to help us! We can’t stay here or we’ll get found!”

“I’m going to stay in case she comes around.”

“She’s dead you idiot! And there’s nothing you can do about it! What’s it going to take to get that through your thick skull?!” His words feel like a gash at the heart.

“. . . You know what? Maybe Aria is better off without a cold heartless pony like yourself.”

“Why you little pest!” Valiari furiously trots up to me and kicks his hind legs into my stomach. Flying back I hit the wall and back down to the floor along with a few loose sheets of paper writhing in pain with my arms around my abdomen. My insides feel as though they’ve been shattered. My breath has been knocked straight out of me and is difficult to try and recover. I have dropped the bag of stones as a few of them scatter along the floor near me. I don’t have the strength to get up, so I lay fruitlessly on the wood floor. I have turned the only other pony I can call a friend against me. I just couldn’t have kept my mouth shut, and now here I lay hopeless and in pain. I suppose I really am just a worthless animal. Those words that I said to him are not what I had expected of myself. Suddenly I turned angry and wanted to retaliate, but this isn’t me. I never thought I would have reduced myself to something like this. It’s just when he told me to forget Trixie my mind was all of a sudden able to set aside sadness for a brief moment and replaced it with anger. I don’t want to forget Trixie. . . I just can’t. I difficultly reach my arm out and grab one of the glowing stones gripping it in my fist. “. . . What am I doing? Aireal I-I’m sorry I don’t know what got into me! Are you hurt?!”

“I deserved it.” I struggle to say.

“No you didn’t. It’s just, what you said made me lose my temper for a minute. I started this. I shouldn’t have told you to just forget about her. . . I know I can’t forget about Aria no matter how hard I try. I guess I just . . . stopped thinking about how you felt.” He says while taking a seat near me.

“. . . I’m sorry about what I said.”

“And so am I. . . So what do you say? Still want to be friends with a cold heartless pony like me?”

“. . . Yes.” I can feel Valiari rest a hoof on my back.

“I can’t believe it. You are capable of such emotion I never would have expected.” He mutters. “And look what I’ve done to you. Are you hurt?”

“I. . . No. . .”

“No? But how? I hit you pretty hard. Surely you must be feeling some kind of pain?”

“I did but. . . It’s gone.”

“That’s odd. . . How can—” Valiari is interrupted by a slow but heavy knocking at the front door of the shack. “What was that? . . . They must’ve found us. Quick! Get up and hide! Can you stand?” He whispers. At first I have a bit of a struggle to stand, but I find my balance. “Go on now find a place to hide!” Along the wall there is a tall wooden wardrobe big enough for me to fit in. Valiari trots off into the bathroom as I pry open the two doors of the wardrobe and climb inside. Shutting the doors everything is now black, and my body is covered by hanging clothes from the top of the cabinet. The knocking continues for a short while, but then stops. The door doesn’t creak open; not even an effort to turn the door knob was attempted. Silence overtakes the shack; not a single sound follows thereafter accept the slight chirping of crickets from the outside. “. . . Aireal! . . . Aireal!” Valiari whispers. “Aireal come out! I think they left!” I creak open the door to see Valiari poking his head out from the bathroom down the hall. He motions me to come over, so I step out from the wardrobe and sneak over to him afraid that whoever was out there is still listening. Valiari treats the situation with the same caution as he quietly steps over towards the door with me following close behind. Once we are behind the door Valiari puts his hoof over his mouth signaling me to keep quiet. He uses his magic to carefully turn the knob and pulls the door open. Outside is nothing, but on the ground lies a body that is half covered in black tar. My eyes cannot believe the color of her coat, the style of her silver mane, her familiar face, her starry purple cape splattered with tar. It’s Trixie . . . but her body lays motionless.

“Trixie!” I shout in disbelief.

“Quick bring her inside!” Says Valiari. I slide my arms under her body and lift her up into my chest. “This way! This way! Uhh . . . Ah! Here! Lay her down here!” Valiari and I hurry over to a table covered in papers in the middle of the living room. He brushes aside the papers scattered on it onto the floor. Gently I lay her down continuously calling her name just hoping that she will wake. Both Valiari and I are in a panic as he paces back and forth near the table and I, with both my hands on Trixie’s sides, examine her body. She’s cut, bruised, and the tar is clinging to large portions of her skin. Valiari leans over and feels her chest. “Okay let’s see. She’s not dead but. . . Umm . . . Well, the tar has set into her skin and it won’t come off easily if at all. Her skin is probably burned and unable to breath. Some of the cuts have tar inside them which isn’t good. . . I-I don’t know if I have the spells to fix this umm. . . What to do; what to do.” I lean in to see if I can hear her breathing. It’s there, but very faint. I can tell that slowly all the life that’s left in her body is leaving and I am lost on what to do. The tears then flow back to my eyes. I notice one of the cuts on Trixie’s hoof, and I rest my hand upon it. I can hear myself whimpering while laying my head on her stomach. As if it wasn’t bad enough that I could imagine her passing on, but now I have to watch. Valiari is still pacing without any idea on what to do as I’m full of tears clutching her hoof in my hand. Suddenly my hand begins to feel warm. I pry open my watery eye lids and see that a pink glow is peaking through the crack beneath my hand and Trixie’s hoof. Lifting my hand up I notice that the stone I picked up earlier is still in my palm glowing a bright pink and the cut underneath is slowly starting to close. I move hand down her body to the tar that has stained her skin and the tar itself is evaporating into the air. I stare in incredulity but it comes to my realization that the stone is what is healing hear wounds. Then an idea sparks in my mind. I move away from the table to the bag and few scattered stones on the floor. As I pick them all up Valiari watches in confusion. “Aireal? Just what are you doing? We need to come up with some kind of remedy!”

“I think I might have it.” I say while hurrying back to the table.

“What? What are you . . . ?” Now with a stone in each hand one glowing pink the other bright blue I hover them over her bruises as they quickly begin to fade away. “I don’t believe it. . . Those stones. . . Hand me one!” I hold out the blue one to him as he uses his magic to carry it and hover it over her body. I pull out another one from the bag as we deplete the tar, cuts, and bruises from her body. Once they it all disappears we look at her in amazement and how clean she looks compared to earlier. We set the stones down and gather around her watching for anything to happen. Her eye lids twitch and then peek open. Her eyes bounce at Valiari and then at me. My voice gets caught in my throat as I await for a word to leave Trixie’s lips. “. . . Aireal?”

“It worked! It worked! I can’t believe it worked! It’s incredible! These stones seem to posses some kind of energy. . .” Valiari shouts happily and then starts inspecting one of the stones. I step over to the table with my eyes now flowing with tears, not for sadness this time; but for happiness. Leaning over her it feels so calming to be able to see her again. I can finally put my mind and heartache at ease as my mind is clear of all thoughts, and my heart feels warm. Trixie now is beginning to tear up as her mouth quivers. Before I know it she wraps her forelegs around me resting her chin on my shoulder. At first I feel strange as I didn’t expect this kind of embracing, but I don’t care. I’m just so happy to be reunited with her that I place my arms around her as well. “I didn’t think I would see you again. . .” Trixie murmurs.

“N-neither did I.” I mutter as my voice feels weak.

“That is the sweetest thing.” Valiari comments sincerely.

“. . . Who is that?” Trixie asks.

“Me? Why my name is Valiari! It is a pleasure to finally meet you Miss Trixie! I must say you sure are lucky to have a friend like him. He wasn’t ready to give up on looking for you, not even for a minute.”

“Really? . . . You were looking for me all this time?” I then nod my head in response. “Thank you. . . Thank you for not giving up on me.”

“Now, Miss Trixie, just how could you have survived the Tar Pits? Once you get trapped in it there’s no way out.” Trixie and I then let go of each other as she begins to think to herself trying to remember.

“I’m not too sure. I remember. . . I was being chased by a pony in a robe, and then I fell. . . I got stuck and started to sink down. I couldn’t move, and I was so scared . . . I’m not sure what it was but . . . at that moment my magic felt . . . different. I was able to use it to grab hold of a nearby tree and pull myself out.”

“Really? Just you alone? That is truly incredible! Well Miss Trixie I assure you that I can explain everything. . . At least, what I know.”

Chapter 8

After giving Trixie a little while to recover herself Valiari is anxious to share everything has told me to her. All three of us gather in his living room as he retells about the cult that the robed ponies belonged to and what they might be planning; about how he barely escaped from them with the curse that has been set upon him. He tells about Aria and his lost relationship with her. During this story I noticed that this touched her in a very emotional way; I can see it in the sudden change of expression in her face from curiosity to a form of fright. Then I begin to wonder why must all this pain exist? Why must theses ponies suffer such heartache? I have felt it for a brief moment, and I never want that back again. I feel inferior compared to them. What I have felt doesn’t even compare to the years of pain they’ve had to endure. I feel the need to cling to them and never separate out of fear from the possibility that something just might tear us apart. I feel that all of us have one distinct quality that we share. Or perhaps, it was something else that has brought us together. Maybe we were supposed to meet. But why? After getting lost in my own thoughts again I realize that Valiari has already explained everything about himself and what’s been happening, but then he comes up with a question.

“Well, that is all that I have to say. . . But now I am puzzled. Just why are those six other ponies after us anyway? Who exactly are they?”

“I have met them before; they are a group led by that Twilight Sparkle. After I made my way out of the tar they had soon discovered me. They were all wearing this ornate golden jewelry and began to pursue me. So I ran and ran but they just wouldn’t give up the chase. My legs felt like they were on fire and there was no way I could’ve kept it up. So I leaped into a bush. Horrifyingly it was laced with these awful thorns. Thankfully they got distracted by something else off in this dreadful swamp, because I would not have been able to deal with the pain any longer. But before they left I heard them talking. . . They had mentioned that Princess Celestia has gone missing and were sent by Princess Luna to find her. I’m assuming that this “cult” of which you speak is responsible for this.” Says Trixie.

“Precisely, and if something isn’t done about this they will capture Princess Luna as well. I fear the worst for them, because if they are able to succeed. . . Aireal if what you said is true, then this whole land will be covered in darkness and every last unicorn will be stripped of their horn and turned into slaves along with the rest.”

“. . . Why is this happening to us?”

“I do not know, but it sounds to me that those six ponies do not have a good idea of what is really going on. We might have to take matters into our own hooves . . . or hands in Aireal’s case . . . to stop them.”

“. . . Well what do you propose we do?”

“Ah, luckily for you two I have a plan!” Valiari reaches back behind him and holds out one of the stones in his hoof as it glows a bright blue. “This just might be the key. The power that this little stone possesses is beyond anything that I have ever encountered! Its healing powers are incredible! And if we can find where this stone originated from then there are bound to be more! With that power that means that we have the upper hand against the cult, and we can finally put a stop to them! . . . Except, where do we start looking?”

“. . . I know where we could start.”

“Really now? Then allow me to draw us up a map. . .” Valiari quickly reaches over and pulls out a canvas placing it on the stand. With a dipped paintbrush in his mouth he stokes the paint over the canvas. With every stroke he takes it’s as if he’s painting a window with a perfect view of the forest. Everything can be seen right down to the smallest detail. All the paths, trees, the river and empty patches of space are so crystal clear that just as his previous painting I feel I could just step right into it and fall straight down into the mass of trees. The scenery is not during the daytime, but it’s easy to see the leaves blowing in the wind and ripples in the river as it flows down to the waterfall. Trixie and I stare in awe of the stunningly realistic painting and the quickness in which it was done. It seemed that a painting as beautiful as that would have taken months to complete where he was able to do so in a matter of seconds. “Now, Miss Trixie, why don’t you show us where we would go? This here is where we are at the moment; the rest is the Everfree Forest.” Trixie steps up and studies the map for a brief second. “We. . . We would have to take this path here, make a turn straight into the woods and . . . here. This is where I had found the stones. If we delve deeper into the area perhaps we can find out where these came from.”

“Splendid! Then let us be on our way! But we should be weary incase those other ponies are still searching around here. The three of us are alone here, and so we need to stick together as a team. Miss Trixie, if you would take the lead?” Trixie at first seems extremely nervous, but I can see she pushes it aside and takes charge of the situation. We leave Valiari’s shack after taking a few quick glances around to make sure there are no signs of the other ponies. We walk down a lonely sleek path of shiny dull green soil leaving behind somewhat deep prints. The mist begins to take over our vision the further we go. The whole time our steps slosh in the mud I can’t help but feel that another set of eyes is watching us. Somewhere beyond the mist around the dark trees . . . I just can’t shake the feeling away. At one point while staring off into the cluster of tilting trees I believe that I catch a small glimpse of a figure. Perhaps it was just my imagination, or maybe it was just an animal. Either way, I feel that we are not alone. We make our way through the swamp without any kind of confrontation by the other ponies and begin to make our way out of the cloud of mist and into a flourishing realm of lively trees. The air has changed from muggy to slightly chilling, and the further we go along the path the cold gradually increases to the point of forcing our bodies to shiver greatly. The sky has become completely visible to the luminous Moon and her stars but is nearly shrouded by dark clouds. It feels so peaceful being able to see the night sky that I, for a moment, forget about all the troubles that have come our way. A wind brushes by that feels like icicles across my cheeks forcing me to try and hide behind my bent collar. The grass has become frosty as small particles of ice gently float down from the sky. We are now following Trixie’s directions that she had once said before, following the path but cutting into the woods in the middle of it. However, along the way, Valiari appears to be acting a bit strange as if he is alien to this forest bouncing his vision all around the woods. “. . . Are you okay?” I ask.

“Huh? Oh, yes! It’s just . . . this feels oddly familiar. Never mind me, let us carry on.” Valiari’s eyes look around the area with such confusion, and his pace has seemed to slow down. Something is definitely bothering him, and I only hope that it isn’t breaking him down. After brushing past groups of bushes and stepping over loose logs of fallen trees Trixie suddenly comes to a halt. “Umm let’s see . . . there should be a way down from here. . .” As soon as Valiari and I move closer we find that we are on the edge of a cliff that drops down into pitch darkness. Just staring down it gives my body the feeling that it is already being consumed by the dark, but I feel that Valiari is acting a bit more terrified than me. His body is trembling as he stares blankly into the pit of black. I feel the need to ask him once again if he is sure nothing is bothering him, but I feel he will just continue to deny. There is something about this place that he is just not taking a liking to.

“Ah! Over here!” Trixie shouts beckoning us to follow. The three of us are now taking careful steps down a rocky hill leading downward with Valiari and I nearly tripping up while Trixie instinctively knows the right stones to step onto. The cliff descends down so deep that it our vision becomes blinded by the dark. Trixie’s horn begins to grow a small violet orb of light at its tip lighting up the way to a path of extremely tall grass where some if has been bent over from previous trips to this place. We follow her down the path of bent grass while looking up at the mile high jagged walls of this valley that block out most of my vision of the sky. Only the Moon can still peer through the slit of sky that is still visible. Looking down from the top was a bit frightening, but looking up at the cliffs gives me the same feeling. “. . . Here. . . Here is where I found them.” We all spread out taking a look around the plain grass and stones. There doesn’t seem to be anything special about this place . . . until a sparkle catches my eye. Crouching down I move away some blades of grass and find a stone stuck in the rocks glowing a bright white.

“. . . There’s more of them. They’re everywhere.” Valiari says while jumping around from stone to stone inspecting and finding several different colored glows shining beneath them. “This is the place where I would always find them. I came here nearly every night because . . . I would always get this strange feeling. . . Valiari? Are you alright?” Trixie asks while the two of us watch Valiari continue down the path of the valley on his own without saying a word. We follow behind him a bit worried but too afraid to ask him what’s wrong. “This. . . This is it. . . This is where. . .” Suddenly he stops. Trixie and I keep a short distance behind him as he peers down to the shadowed ground. He falls to his knees and we hurry to his side, and notice that he is crying. I don’t understand why, but looking over to my side where he was gazing I find that what he was staring at wasn’t shadowed ground, but an oddly shaped hole leading down to blackness.

“Valiari what is it? What is the matter?” Trixie asks.

“Sh-She fell . . . right down here. I thought I knew this place . . . I’ve just been trying to push the memory out for so long that I didn’t recognize it at first.” That is why he was acting so fearful. This is where he and Aria ran to before she was shoved off the cliff. My mind imagines the scene of her body helplessly flaring until finally crashing through the dirt and stone. I cringe at the imagination of the impact. “I-I need to go down there.”

“What?! Are you insane?” Trixie asks. “You don’t know what’s down there! And besides even if we were to go down there’s no guarantee that we’ll survive the fall without injury!”

“I may be insane . . . but . . . but I can feel that something is down there for us.”

“But how do you know it’s safe?” Valiari reaches across the grass and moves over a small stone. He pushes it off the edge down the hole, and after a few seconds of silence the sound of a splash echoes below. “There’s a pool of water down there. It sounds deep enough to break the fall.”

“But it’s too dark down there!”

“We have the stones and your light spell; we should be able to see plenty.”

“How do you know there’s a way out if we go down?”

“. . . I don’t.” Trixie looks away from him in frustration, and then at me as if expecting me to maybe try and talk some sense into him. I must admit that I agree with Trixie completely. We could get hurt or trapped down there, but I just can’t speak up. “Please, I need you two to trust me. . . Please. Aireal, do you trust me?” Immediately I’m thrown into the situation without warning and lost on what to say. Trixie is absolutely right and I should just say no, it just seems to be too much of a risk to take; but something in the back of my head is telling me to believe him. “Aireal? Do you?” Looking at Trixie as she and Valiari await my answer her face looks afraid. Thoughts are conflicting in my mind as I feel torn between two choices. I do not want to let Valiari down, but at the same time I do not want to leave Trixie if she disagrees with his plan. Valiari turns his head away from me after my long pause believing he already knows my answer. “. . . Miss Trixie. Can you . . . explain what you’re feeling right now?”

“A bit afraid if you’re really wondering!”

“Set that aside for a moment. Now I want you to come closer, and lay near the hole here.” Trixie nervously and cautiously does so. “Now close your eyes, and tell me what you feel.”

“I. . . I don’t know it’s. . . I feel. Peaceful. This is so strange I. . .”

“That is why I feel that we need to go down. We are feeling this for a reason, and we won’t find out why unless we take a chance and go down. . . Aireal, are you with me?” Once again I’m thrown back into the situation, but that feeling Trixie described is now flowing through me calming my mind and heart allowing me to come up with some kind of response this time.

“. . . I will go, but only if Trixie goes.”

“Miss Trixie he will not leave without you. I need you with us. Please, will you trust me?” After a short sigh and moment of deep thought Trixie finally comes to an answer.

“. . . I will go.”

“Thank you. Thank you both. I did not want to go down alone, for I know that without you two I. . . I wouldn’t have even made it this far. So if anything happens to us I want you both to know that. . . I appreciate all that you have done.” The three of us position ourselves along the edges of the hole staring down into the pit. “On the count of three we all jump at once. Ready? . . . One, two . . .” Our legs are bent, ready to jump, and our hearts are pumping. “Three!” On that final word we all leap into the air and down into the dark. I can no longer see anything except the opening of the hole to the outside. Our bodies break through the surface of surprisingly warm water as it seeps through my clothing. Unable to see I fear that there might be something inside the water with me, watching me, waiting for the right moment to attack. I never realized how frightening something can be even if it you can’t see it, and how imagining it only makes it worse. The dark makes it all more horrific, and the lack of air makes me feel vulnerable. I use every amount of energy I have to push my arms and kick my legs through the water. Breaking up through the surface I take in a gratifying breath of air while paddling myself across. I hold my hands out desperately trying to find some kind of land. I can hear Trixie and Valiari’s voices gasping for air and swimming through the water as well. My fingers rub against a hard dry surface and I immediately attempt to grip it. Climbing out from the water I instantly begin to freeze. After every breath I take I can see it whisk on by. I can hear Valiari and Trixie climb out as well, but I still cannot see anything. Except from the hole through which we had jumped the Moonlight peaks through and against the rippling pool of water. The only sounds whispering in the dark is our breathing and the movement of water. “. . . Are we all okay?” Valiari asks.

“I am just fine. . . Aireal are you there?” Trixie asks. Her horn glows that bright violet ball of light at its tip forcing away some of the dark. “. . . Oh! There you are.”

“Miss Trixie. . . look.” Valiari points back towards the pool of water. The Moonlight is reflecting off of it onto the cave walls around us shedding light upon the elongated tips of stalagmites rising from the ground and stalactites from the top. These walls do not reflect the light as stone, but as a mirror. It’s as if they are studded with clean cut gems, and then, the most wondrous thing happens. The walls begin to shine in a splendor of many colors. Like a rainbow that had gotten lost in these caverns endlessly circling the walls unable to find an escape. It reminds me of the first town Trixie and I ever visited: the city of lights that would stretch from the ground to the horizon. The colors dance along the wavy stone floor and along the ripples of the pool. “. . . It’s extraordinary.” Valiari mutters while entranced by the lights along with the rest of us. My heart feels as though it’s gently fluttering inside my chest, and with this feeling I can’t help but spread a smile. Looking back at Valiari and Trixie they both have my same smile. . . But, staring into Trixie’s eyes as she stares back at me I feel . . . that feeling again, except it feels that it just might start to pour out of my heart. It’s something attempting to show itself but still remains unidentifiable. I’ve never felt this at peace with she and I, but being surrounded by this splendorous revelry of colors makes it possible. I still cannot find a name for this feeling yet I believe I know every other. Sadness and happiness; pain and peace; fear and pride; but what could this be? “Welcome.” Echoes a voice that sounds too familiar to forget. “I am happy to see that you all have made it here safely.” Out beyond the pool of water is a crooked-cut hole, and out from it emerges a pony. She steps into the beam of Moonlight as if it were a spotlight during a performance; yet she does not fall through the water’s surface. Her body is somewhat tall and translucent like glass reflecting the colors within it, and her mane is of the same texture not even resembling individual hair fibers. The walls and the pool of water can be seen through her body. Despite her fragile and stiff appearance she moves with such grace that it would be impossible that her body is indeed composed of glass. She does not bear a horn, and she does not bear wings; but gazing upon her gives me a greater feeling of wonder than if I were to see another pony with such ailments. “I see that you have carried my message for me, and for that I must thank you . . . Aireal.” I am too entranced by her to even mutter a response as well as Trixie. “. . . Valiari, oh how I have longed to see you again.”

“. . . It can’t be. . . A-Aria?” Valiari’s eyes leak with tears.

“Yes, it is me. A . . . A fair amount of time has passed since I’ve been able to see you.” Valiari begins to walk toward her.

“W-What has happened to you I . . . I thought you were . . .?” Valiari’s voice gets caught in his throat unable to finish his statement.

“I know, and ever since that day I still see it in the time I have to dream. When I looked at you being held back I knew what was going to come of me. I knew there was nothing that could have been done.”

“No I-I could’ve done something I just—”

“Sweetheart please, do not blame yourself.”

“. . . But how are you . . .?”

“I had broken through the roof of these caverns into the pool of water. I could feel that nearly every bone in my body had shattered upon the impact. My body was in such pain yet I forced myself to swim to the edge and lift my dying body to onto the stone floor. But that was the very last movement I would have made. I could no longer feel my body as everything was turning cold and dark. I cried in pain until my heart had slowed, and then stopped. My life at that point had ended . . . but then, something brought me back. I was surrounded by these wonderful stones of beautiful light, and within them is a special power. These, are what allowed me to continue on. They brought the air back into my lungs and the beat back to my heart . . . however, I cannot leave this place.”

“But why?”

“If my body is not within reach of their magical aura then it disconnects leaving me nothing more than an empty husk. So I have lived here, never growing hungry, never to be harmed. Thus over this long passage of time their magic has fused with my body transforming it into this glassy form. I had hoped that you would not have to see me as this abomination.”

“No! I do not see you as that! You are still the same mare that I couldn’t stay away from, and nothing; not even your appearance, can ever change that.”

“. . . You always knew how to keep tears away from my eyes. Every night when the Moon and her smaller sisters would shine though this hole I would always stare up and think of us and every breathing moment we spent together. So many years have passed, and from these stones I have gained magical properties about me. However, I am unlike the unicorns who are born with the natural ability to cast magic, so mine is inferior compared to theirs and is imperfect. I am very limited to what I can or cannot do.”

“But wait. . . How did you know I was still alive?”

“. . . I have heard your wishing.”

“Y-You’ve . . . heard my . . . ?”

“The pain in my heart had become so unbearable that the magic around me allows me to hear other’s pain. It is always in the form of a wish. Every night I could hear voices calling out for help, and I would cry into this pool for every wish I heard. All I could do was sit and listen without a way to maybe fulfill their prayers to the stars. So I must hope that fate can find mercy for them. Then one night I heard yours, and hope had returned to me. So, I needed to find a messenger. One I could pass on a message that would lead to you. This pool of water of which I stand is enchanted to the very last drop by the magic about here. It allows me to peek into the outside world, which is when I found him.” Aria looks and points her hoof towards me. “One night I had been watching the forest, and I stumbled upon this strange being. I watched as he would struggle to try and stand, and out of pity I summoned whatever magic strength I could to interact with him and help him to his feet.”

“. . . It was you.” I mutter at the sudden realization.

“Yes, and some time ago I had felt a strange force pulse through the caverns as it spread across the land. Then before me he laid. He was so still, and I was afraid his life had ended then and there. But I could hear his memories as if they were spoken aloud to me. I heard your name, and I recited to him what has been keeping me sane all these years. After that, all I could do was hope. Aireal, it was indeed me who aided you that night; and I can see that I was not the only one to assist you.” She then turns her attention to Trixie. “Miss Trixie Lulamoon.”

“Y-You know my name?”

“Of course, and I am also aware of the kindness that you have bestowed upon this unknown creature in his time of need. What you did was truly heroic, and I can see that you two have formed a strong bond between one another. Am I correct?” Trixie turns her attention to me, and a smile grows between her cheeks.

“Yes. . . Indeed we have.”

“That I am glad to hear. Now Miss Lulamoon, I would like to tell you that I have heard your wish as well.”

“M-My. . . My wish?”

“Yes. Time and time again you have wished to see your Mother one last time. After years without an answer you have lost your faith in the stars . . . However I feel that we were meant to meet, because now I would like to bring back your faith . . . for I can grant you this wish.”

“You can?!” Trixie shouts exasperatedly and trotting closer to the pool of water.

“Yes, but it will only be this once, and only for this time. The connection will be lost after a short time, so you must make the most of it. Are you prepared?”

“Yes! Yes please! H-How can you—?”

“Peace Trixie, I need you to remain calm as I will need silence to perform this act. Now, if you would take a long look into the pool of water near you, and it will all go from there.” Trixie peers over to the pool while Valiari and I quietly step near her to see the pool of water ourselves. Aria’s eyes close, and leans her head back as the Moonlight rests upon her sleek face. Soon, the light trickles down further into her glass body, filling her to the brim with light. Valiari and I stare at her, dazed by the wondrous glow. She lifts up her hoof, and lightly touches the pool of water. Ripples are sent waving through the water, distorting Trixie's reflection on the surface. As Trixie stares at her reflection in the water, her image is warped until the it is no longer a reflection of Trixie, but a similar looking mare. Her coat is of a darker blue, her mane is more of a gray compared to Trixie’s, and the eyes are a rich pink.

“. . . Mother?” Trixie asks in disbelief.

“My dear Trixie, it is wonderful to see you again. How have you been sweetheart?”

“Mother. . . I . . . I’m just so happy to see you. There’s so much I have to tell you.” Trixie’s voice trembles and her eyes begin to cry heavily.

“I couldn’t be happier to see you as well. Well go on! Don’t keep me waiting what’s the news? Have you been following your dream as I had hoped you would?” She asks excitedly.

“Yes, I-I haven’t given up and . . . and I’m glad I didn’t.”

“That’s my girl! But why the tears? Come now dry your eyes.”

“I’m sorry Mom I just. . .” Trixie attempts to wipe the tears away but they are quickly replaced with a new stream. “I-I made a friend j-just the other day.”

“Really now?! Well, may I meet this friend of yours?”

“Yes he’s . . . he’s right here.” Trixie beckons me, and I nervously approach; but Trixie happily grabs my arm and pulls me by her side. The mare stares at me in surprise.

“Well, he is most definitely not what I had expected! I am happy to see that you are not picky!” The mare jokes. “Won’t you introduce him to me?”

"His name is Aireal, and . . . and he’s helped me through quite a bit. . . I couldn’t have asked for a greater friend.” Trixie’s grip around my arm begins to tighten.

“Well, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

“. . . Y-You too Miss,” I say nervously.

“Mom I just. . . I just wanted you to know how my life has been.”

“And would you say you are happy with what you have?” Trixie looks back at Valiari who gives her a reassuring smirk, and then up to me as I give her a gracious smile on my face. She is filled up with a mixture of sadness and happiness as tears are still streaming down her cheerful cheeks.

“Yes. . . Yes I am . . . and I couldn’t be happier.”

“That’s the smile that I’ve been waiting to see. I told you didn’t I? I promised you would find a friend to guide you; I would never lie to you Trixie. You just had to not lose hope.”

“You were right Mom. . . You were always right.” Trixie attempts to wipe away the tears once more.

“You make me so proud Trixie, and I want you to never forget that. I couldn’t have asked for a daughter as amazing as you, honey, and I need you to promise me: that no matter how bad things may get, you won’t stop being this amazing mare.”

“I-I promise.”

“I love you Trixie, so, so much,” her Mother’s voice says tenderly.

“I love you too Mom.”

“And remember, I will always be with you. . .” On that last note the image of the mare disperses into the water as Trixie’s reflection reemerges. Aria’s eyes reopen as the light twirling around her horn dissipates into the air.

“. . . Thank you,” Trixie says, now looking up at Aria.

“There is no need to thank me, it is my pleasure to have finally granted one aching heart’s wish. Besides it should be I who must be thanking you, Miss Lulamoon, for granting me my wish: to see my beloved once again.” Aria takes a bow before Trixie to show thanks, and out of respect Trixie does the same. “I’m afraid that our time of joy will be short lived, for there is still an enemy out there; and I can sense they will be striking at any moment.”

“Then I’ll—!”

“Stop them. We will stop them.” Trixie interrupts Valiari.

“Wait. . . You really will help us?”

“Miss Lulamoon, I understand your feelings, but you do not have to put yourself in harm’s way.”

“You’ve given me what I have been asking for after all these years, and I will not stand by and let these fools even attempt to strike! I will not let them take away what’s between you and Valiari for I understand now . . . the importance and how wonderful such a bond is to have. Nor will I allow them to take over this land we call home! So if it means putting myself in harm’s way then so be it.” Trixie’s voice is carried by such pride and care. This is the Trixie I knew was in there, it was only a matter of time before she showed herself. Valiari is stunned by her speech and a sense of confidence along with admiration of Trixie’s words overtakes him. “Aireal, are you with me?”

“I will never leave your side. Like Valiari said: We’re a team, and we need to stick together.”

“Oh come here you two!” Valiari trots up to us wrapping his forelegs around our waists and squeezing us to no end. “I cannot thank the two of you enough!”

“Thank you. . . Both of you.” Aria’s voice is touched with emotion. “. . . I-I can feel something . . . something horrible is about to take place. It is the cult. There is something terrible . . . so much magic is resonating. . . What could be happening out there? I feel there is little time left to act; are you all prepared?”

“Yes.” I say.

“Of course!” Says Trixie.

“Indubitably!” Valiari shouts.

“Splendid. Now, here is what you all must do. The disturbance seems to be resonating from their secret caverns down below. I will do my best to guide you through the woods to find it, but you all must hurry for I feel that time is—” Suddenly the Moonlight shining through the hole above Aria begins to fade causing her to halt in the middle of her sentence and fearfully gaze up at the descending Moon. The beam of light that once streamed through the hole and glimmered off the water disappears leaving only the comforting light of the glowing stones along the cave walls. “. . . quickly slipping us by.” Aria finishes with her eyes now filled with worry . . . along with the rest of us.

Chapter 9

“What’s going on? What happened to the Moon?” Valiari asks.

“Something has gone horribly wrong. . .” Aria peers down and stares into her pool of water puzzlingly. “I cannot see anything out there. . . It has become a total blackout with not a single spec of light. . . First the night lasts longer than it should, and now the Moon has fallen. The Princesses are in grave danger.”

“Well what are we waiting for? Let’s get moving!”

“Then we must act quickly, you all must travel to the cult’s cavern and stop them . . . before the sun and Moon never rise again.”

“But how will we get there? There doesn’t seem to be a way out of this cave.” Says Trixie.

“You all will travel through here.” Aria says pointing down to the pool of water. She motions her hoof in a circular motion around the water’s surface stirring around a series of ripples. After lifting her hoof back up the waves throughout the water don’t seem to lighten but instead intensify. All of us examine the water, and instead of seeing our reflections or the colorful lights from the stones glimmering off the surface we find that we are staring into nothing but complete blackness.

“I-I don’t see anything.” Says Trixie.

“That is because it is a portal to the outside. You all will step through the water and out into the forest; from there you must find the caverns on your own.”

“Our own? But we don’t know where to even begin looking for such caverns!”

“You are right, but there is one with us that does. . . Vali?” All of us turn our attention to Valiari who looks surprised to have all the attention put upon him.

“Yes. . . Yes I know the way! I just. . . Let me remember. . . It’s umm.” Valiari struggles to remember as he puts his hoof over his forehead desperately trying to remember. “I-I don’t. . . I can’t remember.”

“Yes you can. Just look deeper. Try to remember what happened that night, and look for anything that may serve as a landmark.”

“Uhh. . . Well umm. . .” Valiari is acting so nervously under the pressure. He needs to put his mind at ease and not strain his thoughts. If he continues I fear that he may never find an answer, or that he may lose it.

“. . . Just relax.” I say in an attempt to calm him down.

“Oh how can I relax?! This is all depending on me and I just can’t . . . !”

“Vali please. Listen to what he says. Do not beat yourself up to try and force your mind to remember, but file through your memories gently. You will find something then I promise you.” Says Aria. After hearing the advice from her he finally decides to take a breath and focus. All of us retain our silence so that he can keep his peace. “. . . I. . . I remember. . . a mark. A mark that was engraved on the torn trunk of one of the maples! From there I remember that the hole leading down into the cavern was nearby!”

“Then you all must search for that.”

“But will my spell be enough to light the way?” Trixie asks.

“No, but do not worry. I’m sure you’ll have plenty of light. The wondrous glow from these stones can pierce through darkness with ease as I am sure you have all noticed. I can sense that your friend Aireal is in possession of a few of these gems.”

“Right, Aireal, the stones I gave you; where are they?” I reach into my pocket and pull out the small black sack that the stones reside in. I untie the tie around the opening and pull out a stone with a minty green glow.

“Each of you will carry one of those stones with you while traveling through the woods. But you all must use them carefully. For the creatures that live within the forest will spot your light and hunt you down. If you see any signs of danger then hide the light until you are sure it is safe.” As she speaks I hand Trixie and Valiari a stone. Trixie uses her magic to carry a bright blue glowing stone, and Valiari carries a milky white stone while I keep hold of the green stone. “What I am sensing out in those woods is not any form of magic that I am familiar with . . . but it instead feels like a completely new art. You all must take caution when confronting them.”

“How will we even begin to figure out how we will stop them if they have this power?” Trixie asks.

“Miss Lulamoon, I feel that you are doubting yourself. You believe that you are prepared for the danger, but your mind is still unsure. You still fear them don’t you?”

“Well. . . Yes, I do but. . . I’m not sure if we have the power to stop them.”

“Really now? And that is how you have your mind set? Miss Lulamoon step forward.” Trixie glances at Valiari and I before cautiously stepping closer to Aria before her pool of water. “If there is anypony who is equipped to end this it is you.”

“But . . . just how can you be sure? My magic cannot be strong enough to stop them.”

“Perhaps a memory will show you otherwise.” Aria places her hoof upon Trixie’s head as her eyes begin to glow extremely bright white. The beams of light from her eyes puncture the thick colors of the stones and fill the whole cave with an ocean of white. It becomes so intense that Valiari and I need to shield our eyes from the light. Suddenly the sounds of the cave stop. The movement of water and howling of winds around the cave’s walls are replaced with the sounds of rain pelting the roof above our heads. The air has gotten slightly colder and filled with the sounds of coughing. Moving my hand away from my eyes I find that we are no longer in the colored cave but instead a cozy little cabin. The three of us look around madly at the surrounding wooden walls and floor that is sheeted with a dark green circular rug lined with designs of white that weave all around the edges. There is a soft-looking couch and a wooden table to its side. The room is shadowed, but the hall in front of us leads to a room dimly lit by one candle.

“What is this place?” Valiari asks.

“I. . . I remember. This is where. . . I used to live when I was a little filly. What are we doing here?” Trixie asks still looking around the room confusedly.

“Trixie honey?” A voice asks from down the hall.

“Th-That voice. . . Hello? Who is there?” Trixie starts walking quietly down the hall to the dimly lit room as Valiari and I follow closely behind. All of us peer around the doorway at the end of the hall and see a unicorn lying in bed covered with a white sheet near a little wooden table with the candle resting atop it. At the other side lies another table but with a tall glass vase and flowers that are just beginning to wilt within it. The unicorn looks exactly like Trixie’s Mother. The same coat; the same mane; everything seems about the same; but how?

“Trixie what are you doing up so late? You should be in bed sweetheart.”

“Mother?” Trixie asks.

“I can’t sleep.” A young feminine voice erupts from behind causing all of us to jolt. Leaning against the other side of the doorway is a stunningly familiar looking filly. She has a cobalt coat, silver mane, violet eyes. . . It’s Trixie, except she looks much smaller. My mind is baffled. Trixie is right here; how can she be right there as well? While lost in my thoughts the smaller Trixie passes right through us as if we were ghosts. All of us jump our eyes at each other glancing and examining our limbs as if to find an answer to how she could’ve passed through. The smaller Trixie walks up to her Mother’s bedside resting her chin and forelegs against the edge of the mattress.

“Why can’t you sleep? Is something bothering you? I’m sorry if my coughing is keeping you awake dear I just can’t help it.” Her Mother then rests her hoof on Trixie’s back.

“When are you going to get better?” Asks Trixie’s young and innocent voice.

“Oh sweetheart I. . . I really don’t know.”

“. . . This is truly remarkable! A memory spell! But . . . just what happened on this day?” Valiari asks curiously while attempting to keep it to a whisper.

“. . . This was the day she. . . She left.” Trixie says while still staring out into the room.

“Come here Trixie hop up.” The little Trixie climbs onto the bed and lays near her Mother wile she wraps her foreleg around Trixie’s back bringing her closer. “Why don’t you tell me about your day? You came home and you ran right upstairs. What happened?” As she speaks Trixie breaks away from us and steps out into the middle of the room staring at them while Valiari and I stay behind near the doorway.

“The other ponies at school just won’t leave me alone. Everyday they pick on me when I did nothing to them. I just wanted to be alone for a little. . .”

“Those rotten kids again? What did they say?”

“Th-They keep saying that I’m never going to get my cutie mark because I’m not special like them. . .” Trixie’s voice starts to quiver as she leans her head against her Mother’s shoulder.

“Now don’t let those kids convince you you’re nothing special. Because they have no idea what you’re capable of. One day you’ll show them all what a wonder you are. Soon everypony will be looking at you asking, ‘Wow, who is that amazing mare?’ I’ll tell you what you already amaze me Trixie. You’re so beautiful, smart, kind-hearted, talented. . . I can’t even find all the words for everything that is so wonderful about you, because there is just so much. Promise me, that you won’t stop being who you are…” Trixie’s eyes have been crying during her speech and I can tell that her voice is caught in her throat keeping her form responding. “Come now wipe those tears away.” Trixie then starts to wipe the tears away from her eyes. I then notice that the real Trixie is also crying and wiping her tears away at the same time. “Now show me that beautiful smile that I always want to see.” And the both of them smile.

“That’s my girl. Now promise me you will never stop being great, because deep inside you’re powerful. It’s there, I know it is. You just have to find it. Don’t let their words mean anything to you. Just ignore them and remember what I said. Promise?”

“. . . I promise. . .” The smaller Trixie replies while the real Trixie keeps it under a whisper.

“You make me so proud. I love you so much sweetheart.”

“I love you too Mom. . .”

“And remember, if something ever happens to me I will always be with you in your heart. . . Do you understand?”

“Y-Yes.” Trixie’s eyes are overwhelmed with so much sadness that she embraces her Mother and rests her head on her chest.

“. . . Here honey, take this.” Trixie’s Mother takes out a folded sheet of paper and hands it to Trixie. As soon as Trixie begins to pry apart the fold her Mother immediately stops her. “Don’t open it now. When you feel truly lost and alone to the point where you just can’t take it anymore; I want you to read what’s inside that note. So be careful not to lose it okay?”

“I won’t.”

“Good. . .” My heart is touched by the words the two are sharing, but it begins to subside after I notice that her Mother’s eyes slowly close and her coughing silences. Her body is motionless and her breathing seems to have stopped.

“. . . Mom? Mom wake up. . . Mom? . . . Mom!” The little Trixie tries desperately to shake her Mother awake while calling her name, but she never wakes up. The room starts to fade back to white and within seconds I find that we are all back in the warm cave. But no amount of warmth can heal the cold in my heart from watching the life from her Mother vanish without warning.

“That, Miss Lulamoon, is the reason. Your Mother knew that you are something special, and she was right. There is a power within you . . . yet you choose to ignore it.”

“She was only trying to keep my spirit up—”

“And you persist on telling yourself that? I watched horrified as you plummeted down into the Tar Pits. No living thing that has gotten trapped in them has ever escaped. I thought that you would have been claimed as another victim to their adhesive grasp. Yet here you are standing before me! Now tell me, how are you still here?”

“. . . My magic saved me.”

“Now let me tell you: no ordinary unicorn could have possibly escaped those pits alive . . . You seem nervous Miss Lulamoon. What would be the matter? Is there something you’re not telling me?”

“I . . . I felt something. My magic it was . . . different.”

“Different you say? Perhaps that is your inner power trying to show itself, but you just won’t let it. You must set that energy free if you are to have a chance against this cult.”

“But how?!”

“That I cannot answer. I will say this however. . . You made your Mother a promise. . . Are you certain that you want to break it?”

“Of course not! I would never.”

“Your mind won’t always find the answer, so perhaps you must put your faith to something else for it.”

“Something else. . .” Aria looks up at the newly blackened sky and nervously back at us.

“We are losing precious time. Miss Lulamoon I hope that you think about what I have said . . . but there is one more thing that has been puzzling me this whole time. Vali, there is something strange about you. Will you tell me why I am sensing an odd energy among you?”

“I uhh. . . Oh Alright.” Valiari removes his hat to show his missing horn, and pulls down his inner shirt to show a section of the black scar across his chest. Aria gasps at the sight.

“What has happened to you?”

“When they brought me to their cave they cursed me with this. This is how I am still alive to this day . . . but in a way I am glad they did this to me. Because if it wasn’t for this I wouldn’t be here to see you again.”

“My dear Vali, how do you find light in the darkest of situations?”

“Because during my years I’ve realized that there is no point in moping about your problems, because that time can be used to find a solution. Being alone for so long gave me time to think, and thinking about how I could see you again kept the tears from my eyes; and determination in my heart. I was willing to do whatever I could . . . and I had to put another in danger for it.” Valiari then glances at me. “You were right Aireal, I was only thinking for myself. I didn’t stop for a second to think about how you felt and your friend. Because I didn’t know that you could— . . . What I’m trying to say is. I apologize for the way I’ve treated you. I guess being isolated from society has deprived me of consideration for others.”

“There is nothing you need to apologize for. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. If it wasn’t for your help I . . . I don’t know where I would be right now. So thank you.” Valiari appears that he is too touched to respond. I can tell by his smile that he understands there is nothing sour between us. If anything I owe it to him for he was the one who has been helping me since the very beginning. He made a promise to reunite me with Trixie and he kept it; I found it only proper that I keep my promise to him.

“Vali there is something I am just recognizing. . .” Aria says while staring wonderingly at me. “. . . Just when will you—”

“I will in time! Just . . . leave it be please. I-I can’t yet.” Trixie and I look at each other in confusion. Just what was Aria going to say before Valiari interrupted? Was it about me? Maybe it was just something between them that they need to sort out for all I know. Perhaps it’s best just to stay out of it.

“W-What were you going to say?” Trixie asks.

“Nevermind. You must hurry now. I will hold the portal open for you so that you may return quickly and safely. Go, and good luck to all of you. And Trixie . . . do not forget the promise you made to her.” Trixie nods her head before the three of us jump into the black rippling waves of the pool. Feeling my body pass through a layer of water everything is still dark but I can breathe the air. I find that I have made the transition from falling through the water’s surface to leaping up into the air. I land on a soft grassy land with the sound of chirping crickets surrounding me. Uncurling my hand to reveal the stone’s green light it illuminates a good distance ahead to reveal the trees and the light shinning off of their frosty bark. I realize the temperature has changed from warm to freezing. Every breath feels like tiny icicles forming along the walls of my lungs. Trixie and Valiari beside me reveal their lights to broaden the distance in which we can see. Looking back I find a small puddle of water and its surface is similar to the pool of water from the cave: dark and the ripples do not end.

“Well, we don’t want to waste anymore time. Let’s get going. I’m sure we’ll find that tree here somewhere.” Says Valiari now leading the way through the cold forest. Occasionally during the walk he will stop and reorient himself around the woods making twists and turns around fallen tree trunks and clusters of trees we can’t really fit ourselves through. By now the time we’ve spent out in the cold would be freezing us, but the stones’ warmth makes it bearable. Valiari has made sure to keep track of landmarks that can help us find our way back. We’ve come across a random rounded stone, past an extremely crooked tree and its branches that reach to the ground, a tall plant with hundreds of thin spines along its skin, and the last thing we pass by is a wide patch of short leafy plants before he decides to stop. He paces around the ground crunching leaves and twigs with every step pondering to himself and muttering out loud. “Ohh we went here then there . . . over that way . . . we should be close . . . or should we have turned there . . .?”

“Are you sure you know where you’re going?” Trixie asks.

“Y-Yes of course! Why wouldn’t I? It . . . should . . . be . . . Oh we are lost!”

“You didn’t see this tree you were talking about?!”

“N-No, at least I don’t think so. Uhh. . . umm. . .” Valiari is panicking and desperately trying to figure out what to do.

“We just have to keep looking.” Trixie sputters.

“But what if I don’t find it in time?! It’ll all be my fau—” Valiari’s nervous breakdown is interrupted by a sudden cracking of twigs in the dark distance of the forest. “The light! Hide the light!” Valiari attempts to whisper. We all cover our stones and remain still. An owl hoots, wind blows, and leaves scurry along the forest floor by the blowing of the wind but there is not a single other sound apart from these. I can feel eyes watching me through the dark sending a shiver up my spine to keep still and lessen my breathing as much as possible so that it cannot be heard. Despite this my ears could swear they catch another body breathing. It cannot be Trixie or Valiari as they are at the front of me; this breathing was far behind. I only hear it for one agonizing moment before it gets lost with the wind. “. . . I-I think it’s clear.” Valiari whispers. Cautiously we allow the light to peer back through the dark as we check all sides to find nothing there. My mind then grabs the chance to grow comfortable and slightly back at ease. “W-What was that?” Trixie asks her voice trembling with fright.

“I don’t know, but whatever it was it’s gone now. . . We shouldn’t stay in one spot for too long incase it comes back. Come on let’s go keep looking.” We all pick ourselves up and hurry away from the area. Everything is beginning to feel like the same place over and over again. Endless trees and grass nearly frozen stiff are all that’s ahead. In a sudden burst of speed Valiari gallops through the woods with ease ignoring the branches that slam against his head and body. “Hey! Wait for us!” Trixie shouts, but he does not listen. We fall a bit behind as we try to maneuver safely through the trees’ clustered branches. Then we find him, but he has stopped trotting and is standing as stoic as a statue. Confused we quietly walk up behind him. “Valiari?” I ask.

“Shh! . . . Don’t you see her?” He says still staring out to the woods.

“. . . I-I don’t see anything.” I say trying to locate what it is he’s claiming to see.

“Neither do I.” Says Trixie.

“What are you talking about?” He says now looking at us. “She’s right over . . . there.” Pointing his hoof over to the trees he notices that there still is nothing. “. . . I don’t understand. . . Sh-She was here! The whole time! Didn’t you see her?!” He says loudly and heatedly. Walking out to the trees he inspects every inch of space around the trees with his jaw hanging open. “She. . . She was here. . . That little filly . . . looked so familiar. . .”

“What are you talking about Valiari? What filly?” Trixie asks demandingly.

“It. . . It was the filly that saved me from the cult that day.”

“That’s preposterous! She couldn’t possibly have been here.” Trixie argues.

“B-But I saw her! I wasn’t sure if it was relevant to tell you two but; after the incident, and with whatever sleep I could get, I would see the little filly in my dreams. . . Guiding me through the woods. . . I must be going insane. Actually no, scratch that, ‘more’ insane would be more like it.”

“W-Well where did she take you?” Trixie asks.

“I’m not sure. I could never catch up to her. . . I don’t understand. . . She was here right next to this tree. . . Unless. . .” Valiari begins to whirl around the tree trunk examining it with the upmost comprehension. His eyes never leave the bark no matter how many questions we ask.

“What are you doing now? . . . Do you think this is the tree?” Trixie attempts to ask.

“It just . . . might . . . Ahah! Here it is!”

“What?! Let me see.” Trixie says unsurely while the both of us walk to the tree trunk.

“Right here.” He says pointing his hoof to a spot of the trunk where a section of the bark appears to have been torn off. Carved into the wood is a circular mark with several geometric shapes lining the inside. The symbol brings not only fear into my mind but a surge of anxiety; if this is the mark Valiari was talking about then the way inside the cult’s cavern should be somewhere around this general area. “The entry to the cave should be near. Quick, spread out and check the ground for an opening of some sort!” On his command we all dash across the dirt, twigs, and stones that sheet the forest floor. Using our stones we hold them near the ground to light up the shadowed floor. Trixie uses her magic to try and clear away some of the forest debris from the soil so that she may have a better look. Valiari aggressively uses his bare hooves to brush and kick it all away. Bending my body down for some time causes my back to ache and stiffen, but I don’t want to waste any time to straighten myself out and ease the small aching. Brushing around dead leaves and watching small insects scurry away from underneath them into small holes in the soil my fingers hit something solid along the surface. I realize that it is a round rusted handle screwed to a board of dirty wood. At the sight I raise my head and my voice to call out to Trixie and Valiari.

“I think I found something!” I shout.

“Really?! Where?! Show me!” Valiari says eagerly as they both trot over to the side of me. He grips the metal handle with his teeth and pulls up a wooden door from the dirt revealing a torch lit chamber below. As he holds the door up stone stairs that descend down into the dark echoing with the sound of crackling flames are revealed. “Well. . . Down we go.” In an attempt to move my legs they seem to have become tired. My whole body suddenly feels exhausted as my strength to stand is quickly withering away. My knees bend and my legs collapse to the ground, but I’m able to barely hold myself up with my hands pressed against the dirt. I could just lie down and go to sleep here on the frosty soil. Trixie rushes to my side asking me if I am alright, but my voice is too tired to speak. “. . . We should hurry.” Valiari advises.

“But something is wrong with him! Aireal? Are you well?”

“He’ll be fine, b-but we should really get moving.”

“What if he has some kind of illness? Or-”

“He doesn’t have an illness.”

“How do you know?” Trixie asks irately.

“Because I. . . I just know okay?”

“Aireal? Aireal talk to me.” Trixie says now turned to me.

“. . . I-I’m fine.” I say with energy now returning to my bones and muscles. Lifting myself off the ground Trixie still looks concerned, but Valiari . . . there is something about his face that seems odd. It shares a fair amount of concern, but mainly an uneasiness can be seen through his eyes. What is it that is running though is thoughts at this moment? Something is deeply troubling him, and I have a feeling that it isn’t about what lies below the stairs into the abyss of darkness.

“. . . Let’s go.” Valiari then leads the way down into the underground hall. At first I struggle to walk, but I eventually get back into the rhythm of walking. We leave the door open behind us incase we need to make a quick get away. Our steps echo down the descending hall of rigid stone steps. The rough stone walls have square pieces of rusted metal that hold the lit torches in which to light up the hall, but the darkness is far more powerful as it consumes most of it. Glancing back the exit is so far back it is almost not even visible anymore. On the way down we run into the occasional spider web as it gets caught around our faces and hair, we try our best to pull and swat them away. Along the steps we catch a glimpse of a rat before it scurries away into the dark. Slightly the sounds of voices break through the monotony of crackling flames and our steps. “Wait. . . Do you hear that?” Says Valiari as he holds his hoof out to stop us. We put our ears to the dark ahead and there is definitely more than one voice. They don’t seem to be too far away. “Somepony else is here. . . Come on!” We jog and jump down the steps until we finally reach the bottom which leads out onto a rocky balcony with a clear view of what’s far down below. “Quick! Hide!” We flatten our bodies down and cautiously peak over the edge to see what’s below. “There they are! Aireal hold on to the stones.” Valiari whispers handing me the stones as I shove them back into the black sack then into my pocket. The bottom chamber of this cave is extremely familiar, and then I realize it’s the same cave I was in when Valiari’s spell went wrong. The stone ground is cracked and covered in loose stone shards with a long tattered red rug stretching up a rigid set of long stone steps leading to the stone podium. Before the stone steps are the six ponies from before, and near the podium are two of the robed ponies.

“. . . Hello?” Asks Twilight.

“Oh! Hello weary travelers. Who might you all be?” Asks one of the female robed ponies.

“I am Twilight Sparkle, and these are my friends. What are you two doing down here in this cave?”

“Oh my Sister, Brother, and I have lived here for as long as I can remember. We simply have no where else to turn. Without money or jobs we are forced to live out the rest of our lives down here. Sure it’s not the cleanest or warmest place but . . . you learn to live with what you have.” The six ponies glance at each other with a sad look on their faces.

“I-I’m so sorry to hear.”

“It must be hard for y’all ain’t it?” The orange pony asks.

“Well, the three of us are family. Without that bond I don’t think we would have survived this long.”

“That’s so sad.” The yellow Pegasus says softly nearly about to cry.

“I don’t wish to bore you all with our story, how about you tell more about yourselves?”

“W-We’ve been sent on a mission to find Princess Celestia by Princess Luna, but it would seem that she has been taken as well. It is our duty to find them.” Says Twilight.

“The princesses have gone missing?! How terrible!”

“Have either of y’all seen a couple of ponies or a . . . a thing around these woods?”

“A pony? No . . . but what ‘thing’ do you speak of?”

“A weird creature that stands on two legs, dark brown hair on its head, strange black outfit.” The rainbow pony informs.

“As a matter of fact . . . yes, we actually did see something like that earlier today.”

“You have?!” Twilight asks.

“Yes . . . you suppose that it is the reason behind the princess’ disappearances?”

“We’re positive.”

“Well that creature came and caused nothing but havoc for my family and I. It’s even tried to attack us, but we were able to hide within the caverns. It destroyed a fair amount of our home along with what little we had.”

“Those liars!” Valiari whispers angrily.

“Oh my, that’s . . . that’s just horrible.” Says Twilight.

“You see Fluttershy! I told you it was nothing but trouble!” The rainbow pony says to the yellow Pegasus as she lowers her head in shame.

“I. . . I just thought. . .” She stops and says nothing further.

“We’re sorry about what happened, and as soon as this is all fixed we will make sure you all get a better place to live than this cold cave. Maybe you could come back with us to Ponyville.” Says Twilight sympathetically.

“Why that is oh so kind of you to say. But you need not waste your time with us.”

“Now that’s just crazy talk.” Says the orange pony.

“Applejack is right, I’m sure you all would be much happier in a place like Ponyville than this wretched hole. . . No offense of course.” Says the white coated purple-maned pony with an exquisite voice in an attempt to cover up her rude comment.

“My, I don’t know what to say. But what if you don’t find the princesses in time?”

“You don’t have to worry, we will find them. No matter what it takes.” Twilight assures them. “Oh and . . . one more thing. Futtershy?” The yellow Pegasus walks over to Twilight and I notice that she has a white bag tied around her waist. My eyes become horrified to watch as Twilight reaches inside and pulls out a stone with a bright lavender glow. Without a doubt it is one of the stones that I have in my bag, but how could she have gotten hold of one? I immediately think back to the moments where they chased me back at the castle. I had the stone in my hand and was struggling to put it back into my pocket. Then I realize . . . I must’ve dropped it.

“How do they have one of those?!” Valiari asks.

“I-I must’ve dropped it back at the castle.” I say shamefully.

“What?!”

“Aireal!” Trixie whispers disappointedly. With both their voices attacking I feel too ashamed to say anything to defend myself. What I had done may just lead to our downfall and it’s all my fault. If the cult gets hold of one of the stones who knows what consequences I may have caused? Now I understand fully how that ‘Fluttershy’ felt. I was supposed to help us, not deepen our struggle and enhance their chances of conquering this world.

“I think you two should take this. The magic it contains is warm and comforting. It would be better in your hooves to ease your hearts.” Twilight trots up the steps and hands the stone over to one of the robed ponies.

“Th-This is incredible. . . Please I cannot accept a gift such as this.”

“I insist. You need it more than we do.” Twilight says smiling.

“Oh thank you so very much!”

“You’re very welcome.”

“I do hope you find that monster and the other ponies you spoke of.”

“Oh we will, and they are going to pay for what they’ve done.”

“Ugh this is not good. . . Just what are we going to do . . . ?” Says Valiari flustered.

“Enjoying the show?” A male voice erupts from behind us. All of us jolt up and quickly turning around to see a robed pony looming over us. “Here, why don’t you get a closer look?” The stallion rams his side into us forcing all three of us to fall off the edge and tumble down the rounded but rough cave wall straight to the bottom. We grunt upon rolling over each other onto the ground rubbing the parts of our bodies that hurt from the impact. The dust we brought with us clears and the six ponies gasp at the sight of us. Twilight trots down and joins her group staring down intently as we lay aching on the cold stone floor.

“It’s you!” Twilight shouts.

“No where for you all to run this tahm!” The orange pony taunts.

“We should end it right here right now!” The rainbow pony shouts.

“Agreed.” Says the purple-maned mare confidently.

“Ready your Elements girls. Let’s end this here, and now.” Twilight says promptly, and the colored jewels on their gold necklaces begin to glow. The three of us glance at each other . . . filled with fear.

Chapter 11

Since before we entered the cult’s caverns the air outside has chilled to the point of freezing. Without the stones Trixie must lead the way with her light spell, but it is much weaker than the stones’ light only illuminating a few feet ahead. My blood is flowing through my body so fast that the cold is bearable to run through with the particles of ice cutting through the wind and pelting my face. We nearly bump into trees or trip over logs due to our lack of vision. I feel that our running is getting us nowhere as I do not see anything that appears familiar. Our lungs are begging for breath but we continue forward, however at this point I’m not too sure what direction we’re heading. We could be going the wrong way bringing ourselves even farther from our destination. “H-How do we know where we’re going? I cannot see a single thing!” Trixie shouts to overcome the sound of the wind.

“Just keep going! We’ll find our way! . . . Wait! This is it; this is the field!” Valiari points out that we are standing atop the field of small leafy plants. “We’re going the right way!” He shouts excitedly. Driven by hope we continue our sprint through the field. Landmark after glorious landmark our hopes have never been higher. We find the tall spiny plant, the hunched tree, and then the rounded stone; which would mean the puddle of water should be nearby. Aria said that she would hold the portal open for us; I hope it isn’t too late. “That puddle of water . . . should be . . . here! I found it!” Valiari shouts excitedly. Trixie’s light shines upon the familiar ground and edge of the puddle of water. Valiari jumps up and down into it, but he is met with a slam onto something solid. As we move closer we find that Valiari is confused and frantic. “Th-The water it’s . . . frozen. It’s frozen over!” Trixie and I are speechless. In a quick slash our hopes of ever making it back to Aria’s cave are destroyed. From here who knows where the way is? Valiari angrily punches the ice, but not even his hoof can so much as crack it. “Wh-What do we do now?! . . . Trixie? Aireal? What do we do?!” Valiari’s eyes are tearing, but the cold freezes them to shine upon his cheeks. Out of everything to stop us, nature holds out its hand to us. Trixie and I without an answer force Valiari to begin pacing, pondering to himself for what could be done. Soon after, he falls to the ice staring down towards it out of hopelessness. My mind feels to be lost in a state of shock while Trixie sits herself down onto the frosty grass. I can see that she believes that they have won. Without that portal we are left with nothing. No guide and no idea on where we would even begin. Even though my mind should be filled to the brim with fear, there is something else lurking within. That feeling of being watched suddenly returns. I gaze out to the blackness and see just that, dark; until something out there sparks. A small orb of teal light flickers beyond the dark. It doesn’t feel real, but my brain cannot deny what my eyes see.

“Valiari. . .” I call while still staring out at the light. He is too saddened to respond, but I can feel his stare towards me. I do not say another word for I am too entrance by the light to speak, so I simply point out to it. He and Trixie both look out to the dark and begin to get back to their hooves. Valiari, also entranced, almost mindlessly walks through the grass towards the light. Trixie and I follow closely behind without words, but the want to reach this mysterious light. It comes clearer and larger as we move closer. It hangs slightly above the tall grass immobile. The closer we get I can feel a strange aura about the area. As if something is grasping the very hand of my spirit. So gentle, so warming. My eyes feel they are gazing up at one of the Moon’s fellow stars twinkling without end. My body feels at such peace wanting to be near this light, and once we are close enough we stop. The teal light emanates from a small horn and glimmers onto a set of big childlike eyes. A young filly stands before us with a swirly white and pine green mane, and her coat is richly teal. She holds a smile upon her face as her small body does not tremble in the cold of this dreadful air. The small clouds of our breaths float into the air, but hers does not.

“ . . . It’s you.” Valiari mutters. The filly giggles, and in an instant she trots away. “Wait! Stop!” On that note I find that all three of us are instinctively chasing her. Her motion glides gracefully through the grass as if it never touched a single blade. Her steps never make a sound, only ours as we desperately try to catch up. My body never grows tired of the chase; I breathe with ease, and my bones are calm. My eyes are so focused on the filly’s light that all else is blocked away. Time feels stiff, I cannot feel the wind blowing, I cannot feel the icicles against my face and I cannot hear the grass shuffling. The dark begins to swallow everything except the filly’s light, but we do not stop following. With one last giggle that echoes beneath my ears her body and light dispel into the air becoming nothing but droplets of teal light. Her absence wakes our minds back to reality and we stop dead in our tracks. Everything has become dark, the wind is gone, and the soft ground beneath my feet has turned solid and smooth. That feeling of bliss throughout my body has disappeared just as the filly did. It dispelled into nothing, back to its original state of shock and aching. “. . . Where are we?” Trixie echoes. Her voice reverberates amongst walls that surround us. Trixie casts her spell to bring violet light to the dark. We glance at each other in horror, but with the need to press onward. Voices speak softly in the distance, and the closer we walk to them the warmer the air becomes. A cloud of blood red grows into the dark, with the sounds of boiling and cracking of twigs. Just ahead are the black silhouettes of three figures standing before a pool of crimson. Their voices are speaking in an unrecognizable language as they crumble leafy substances into the pool. Taking a few steps closer their voices halt as their shadows turn towards us.

“Ah. . . Just in time.”

“What do you mean? What have you done?!” Valiari shouts in anger.

“You’ve come at the perfect moment to witness the creation of a new beginning. The life that resided within this cave was perfect, much better than those two worthless royals.”

“That beginning you speak of will never see the light of day. We will put a stop to you!”

“Tis a pity for that one odd looking mare that resided here. She seemed like such a kind soul. Too bad we had to shut her up for good!” All of them join in laughter, and Valiari’s face is steamed.

“Why . . . you. . . I am going to make sure that not another breath comes from your filthy mouths!” Out of rage Valiari trots towards them in a full on charge. Trixie and I call out to him begging him to stop, but it seems nothing can stop him. Just as he is close the center pony holds out her hoof as a shadowy mist pours from her sleeve enveloping Valiari. He is held up by it as he struggles to break free. Just as Trixie and I are compelled to try and help him the other two ponies cast a black vine that whips around us. It tightens and forces us back against the cave walls. Trixie angrily attempts to break free, but no amount of struggle can release us. “Let them go or I swear you will regret it!”

“Now, now, do not throw a fit. Why wouldn’t you want to see such a revolution of this putrid land?”

“Because I’m not a disgusting embarrassment of life such you and your twisted little family here!”

“. . . Are you sure?”

“Just what is that supposed to mean?!” The robed pony casts another dark appendage that swipes off his hat revealing his missing horn, and tugs at his shirt to reveal his black scar.

“It would seem that you are already a part of our ‘twisted family’. . . Brother.”

“No, no I’m not. I am nothing like you!”

“Do not fight it Brother. We understand it’s much to take in, but you are one of us. Come now, we aren’t as bad as you think. We care for one another as if we indeed were born from the same womb. Don’t you want that? A family?” Valiari’s silence and lack of struggling worries me. He seems to actually be in thought about what they say.

“Valiari don’t listen to her!” Trixie cries.

“Pay no mind to her, she does not understand. This is your choice. Will you take my hoof Brother and join us? We were meant to live with this curse for a reason, to come together, and finish what was started. Princess Celestia left us for dead, and she would have done the same to you if you weren’t lucky enough to escape.”

“That isn’t true!” I desperately shout.

“Who do you believe Brother? Your family? Or a couple of weak insignificant pests? Come to our side, we will love you just as we always have each other.”

“. . . Really?”

“Valiari!” I shout.

“What are you doing?!” Trixie shouts.

“Of course Brother, our family is what holds us together. So what say you? Will you join us?” The robed pony sets him down to the ground and holds her hoof out to him.

“Valiari! Don’t!” I plea. He grasps the robed ponies hoof and joins the group. Please let my eyes be lying to me, he cannot have fallen prey to them. This cannot be happening; it just can’t!

“You old fool! How could you do this to us?!” Trixie exclaims.

“Listen to how they speak about you. It’s about time they showed you their true colors. Thank you Brother for understanding. We gratefully accept you as part of our family at last.”

“. . . She is right; I was a fool to have been on their side. Can you forgive me Sister?”

“Of course Brother, we will not look down upon you for your mistake. To celebrate why don’t we give you the honors?”

“I agree Sister, Brother?”

“Why not? He deserves it.”

“Splendid! Sister, would you kindly hand him the book?”

“But of course. . . Here you are Brother. The last verse, go right ahead and read it aloud, and everything else will follow suit.” They hand Valiari the book. He holds it below his face and takes a breath ready to recite what ever the text says. I never would have believed for a second that Valiari would turn on us so quickly. I see no more point in struggling to break free, as does Trixie as she hangs her head down in disappointment.

“Sister, there is but one problem.” Valiari says puzzlingly.

“What would that be Brother?”

“. . . I don’t speak freak.” Valiari slams the book shut and tosses it over his shoulder into the red pool of boiling water.

“What have you done?!”

“Oh and one more thing: do not call me ‘Brother’.” Valiari pulls the pony’s hood completely over her head and under her chin, grabs her robe and tosses her into the pool of water as well. Attracting the attention of the other two ponies they drop Trixie and I to the ground. “If I were you two I wouldn’t even bother, because you’re too late.” Above Valiari is the hole leading down into the cave, but a light breaks through its edges. The Moon, the moon is back to shine it’s light. Watching the light envelop Valiari washes away what I for a moment saw him as, a traitor; but now, as he stands tall smiling back at Trixie and I gives off vibes of a hero. The two ponies turn to an offensive stance staring angrily at Valiari, but he looks completely calm.

“Brother! The unicorn and the animal! Take care of them!” The hooded mare shouts out to him. The hooded stallion turns his attention to us and charges toward Trixie. “How could you do this to us Brother? We could have given you anything you wished for.”

“I already had that. Until you took her away!” Valiari shouts angrily.

“Surely you must reconsider, why you would have been happier with us.” As the mare speaks I notice a disturbance in the pool of water. Something is peering out from the waves.

“Valiari! In the water!” I shout, but it’s too late. He turns his head as the mare he shoved into the water grabs his foreleg and drags him off the edge until the both of them are submerged.

“Valiari!” Trixie calls.

“Oh do not worry about him. Now, this is between you and us.” The mare taunts. “Brother, you take the unicorn. I’ll deal with this ‘creature’.” The mare glues her eyes to me and begins circling around preparing for some sort of attack. The robed stallion tries to cast another form of the black vine to try and entangle Trixie, but she is able to just nearly dodge every attempt. “What’s the matter? Are you scared?” The mare asks as my body trembles with every step I take to keep myself oriented. “Well, this should be fun.” I carefully slip my hand into my pocket as my heart beats crazily. I cannot see her eyes, but I feel terrified just imagining them. In the blink of an eye the mare is sprinting towards me. I rip my hand out of my pocket and toss one of the white smoke balls I still have onto the ground creating a thick cloud of smoke. She loses herself in the cloud and starts hacking violently. “Guh! Just what is this?” Her disorientation gives me a chance to act, but what do I do? My mind is so overwhelmed with all the activity around me that I come to a blank. Trixie is trying to fire a violet beam of light at the stallion who is also trying to use his magic to attack her as well. I can hear struggling in the pool of water behind. Valiari and the robed mare have broken up to the surface gasping for air, but quickly force each other back down. “Why you little . . . !” The mare charges at me once again, but I manage to toss another smoke ball to the ground. Disoriented once again I can tell that she is growing furious. The stallion rams himself into Trixie and holds her by the neck up onto the cave wall. “That is it! I’m through playing games!” Distracted by Trixie’s struggle something ties around my legs and yanks me down slamming my body onto the ground. The mare casted a black whip to tie around my legs, now she stands over me with her hooves holding down my arms.

“Aireal! Ugh! Let him go!” Trixie shouts.

“No, I don’t think so. Brother, keep her alive for a few more moments. I want her to watch as I drain the life right out of her pathetic little pet.” The mare brings her face closer to mine as another black vine whips around my throat. She smiles as it tightens cutting off my air. My body is in a panic as I try to thrash about to set myself free, but her grip is too strong. Slowly everything is beginning to fade as my lungs plead for air.

“Let . . . him . . . go!” I can hear the slight sound of an explosion from the other side of the cave, and a bright beam of violet light blasts into the side of the robed mare. She flies across the floor letting my throat and legs go free. I take in a much needed breath of air, and as the vision returns to my eyes I see that Trixie has broken free from the stallion who is now sprawled across the ground trying to get back to his hooves. Trixie’s eyes are burning with violet light as it moves like flames pouring out from her eye sockets. Her horn is glowing with the same aura, and her face is filled with fury. The stallion stands back up ready to charge at her once more, but she fires another beam of light at him sending him flying back crashing into the cave wall near the pool of water. His body becomes lodged with in it as the cave shakes upon impact. “Well, you must be more of a challenge after all.” Says the mare now getting back to her hooves.

“You will never speak, or even so much as lay another hoof on him.” Says Trixie’s now slightly distorted voice.

“Really, and just what are you going to do about it?”

“Why don’t you come and find out?”

“Well if you insist.” The mare tries to throw her black whips at Trixie, but they bounce away with a flicker of violet light as Trixie holds her horn to them, distorting the air, creating some sort of shield in front of Trixie’s body. The mare stands clueless, and Trixie smirks.

“Cute, now it is Trixie’s turn.” A whip of Trixie’s violet light spans from her horn and whips around the mare’s leg. It lifts her up into the air slamming her body into the walls, roof, and ground as if she were merely a doll being tossed around the room. Afterwards she whips her across the cave so violently that she tumbles without end until she hits the back wall near the pool of water. I notice that as she hits the wall Valiari is climbing out of the pool watching her with a surprised expression on his face.

“Well, that was easier than expected. . .” He says breathing heavily. Now standing and trying to drain the water out of his hat something leaps out from the pool. The robed mare again is trying one last attempt to attack Valiari, but she is shot by a violet bullet of light and falls back into the water. Valiari gingerly turns his head and puts his hat back atop his wet mane. “. . . Woah, you see? I told you she was a good shot!” Then something rumbles throughout the cave. The ground and walls are shaking so violently that we are thrown off balance. A shockwave of air forces Valiari shooting across the ground before us. As he tries to stand back up the robed mare rises up from the red pool with her own crimson glow about her body. Her hood has fallen revealing her furious, grey but young face and her blood red irises that radiate with the glow of her body.

“That is it. I have had it with you!” The mare raises her hooves to the open hole in the roof of the cave, and black clouds shroud the Moon and shun it from shining. Now all that glows is the mare’s red appearance. From the center of her abdomen a red orb of light gathers together and is fired straight at Trixie. She prepares herself to act against it, but a white beam of light blasts it away into the cave’s wall. Shocked I turn my head to see that the Twilight and the other five ponies are here as well. Behind them is a newly formed opening to the cave, they must’ve caused the rumbling from earlier. “Well now, who invited them to the party? You brought some friends I see?”

“That’s right, and all of us are going to put an end to you!” Twilight shouts.

“Ha! Aren’t you just adorable? Then go ahead, show me what you can do?” The six ponies prepare another white beam of magic and fire it directly at the mare, but she parries it back at them with a swipe of her hoof.

“Girls watch out!” Twilight shouts as they all scatter away from their magic beam.

“You’re puny little toys are nothing. Now, you are the one who seems the most interesting.” The mare says pointing her hoof at Trixie. “If anypony here is to be considered a challenge then it might as well be you. But, nine against one isn’t very fair now is it? Brother! Sister!” Once their titles have been called the stallion and other mare stand back up with their hoods flown back revealing their eyes that glow of red as well. “Brother, would you take kindly to our newest guests? And Sister, will you please finish off that pathetic painter and his lackey?”

“Yes Sister.” They say in unison. The stallion takes off into the air after the other six ponies. He attempts to fire red orbs of light at Fluttershy who is cowering in fear, but Rainbow Dash swoops in and saves her in time. Twilight tries to fire her own beams of magenta colored light at the stallion, but he dodges every last one.

“Just how are we going to stop this guy?!” Rainbow Dash exclaims.

“Don’t worry! Everypony has a weakness! It’s just a matter of time until we find it!”

“Well ‘time’ isn’t something we really have a lot of!” Rainbow Dash shouts worryingly.

“You’re mine this time you little pest!” The mare shouts at me.

“Aireal come on!” Valiari pulls me away and we run as fast as we can away from the mare who is still following behind. We join in with Twilight who is also trying to outrun the stallion. “Oh, hello Miss Sparkle!” Valiari says joyfully. “How are you today?” He asks.

“What?!”

“Well never mind then, no need to get all defensive. Just trying to start a conversation. Anyway I say that we should work together if we going to have a chance at stopping these two.”

“Well, what did you have in mind?!”

“Ah well you see I haven’t really thought about it too much yet. How about we just keep running and see what happens?”

“Wh-What?!”

“You know you really should calm down. So long for now!” Valiari and I veer away from Twilight. I see that he is thinking and looking around at everything about the cave trying to come up with some kind of plan. She fires beams of red light that nearly scrape the back of my heels. “You go left I’ll go right!” The both of us split up, but the mare chases after me. Already my legs are growing tired, I won’t be able to keep my speed for much longer. She fires a few more beams of light, and this time they come so close that I stumble and trip down to the ground. She hovers near me casting a black vine to hold me down.

“This time, you’re all mine.” The mare smiles devilishly.

“Catch me if you can!” Shouts a hyper voice. The pink pony hops right onto the mare’s back then back down to the ground. Confused, she watches her continue to hop away, but the stallion that was chasing her rams himself right into the robed mare. The both of them disoriented her black vine disappears, and I take this opportunity to get up and run out of there to wherever I can to maybe be safe.

“Brother! Please watch where you are going!”

“My apologies Sister.” On that note they take off in search of us yet again.

“Aireal! Over here!” Valiari calls and beckons me over. I join him while able to finally catch a few breaths since we’ve lost the mare for a few moments. “I think I have an idea. Come on, we need to find Twilight so she can inform her friends.” On that note I follow close by as we locate Twilight who is trying to fire her beams of magic at the stallion who is still in pursuit of the pink pony. “Miss Sparkle! There you are! I think I have a plan.”

“Really? What is it?”

“Tell your friend with the lasso and hat that she needs to wrangle the robed mare. We’ll keep her distracted until she gets a clear shot at capturing her. Tell your other friends to distract the stallion and keep him in the air. He is oblivious to his surroundings, so if we can get them to collide into each other that would surely knock them out clean.”

“Very well, I’ll let them know. I hope your plan works.”

“Twilight, be careful.”

“You as well.” Twilight trots off to the orange pony and speaks with her.

“There you are!” Shouts the robed mare finally spotting us.

“Run!” Valiari shouts. On his command we bolt away from each other running around the cave in separate directions, but still she focuses her attention on me. I begin to think back, when the rainbow pony was chasing me down the halls of the castle. She was going so fast that by any quick movement made by me she could not change speed quick enough to catch me. I could do the same thing here; she seems to be going just as fast. Making a few quick turns and dodges she begins to grow frustrated.

“Hold still you little . . . !”

“Wee! Come and get me!” The stallion tries and tries to grab Pinkie Pie but her endless hopping and jumping make it impossible.

“Yoo-hoo! What about me?!” Shouts the white-coated mare with the royal purple mane. The stallion tries to catch up to her giving up on Pinkie Pie, but Rainbow Dash swoops by and mocks him to attract his attention.

“Hey slow poke! Bet you can’t keep up with me!”

“That is it! When I catch you you’re going to regret ever taunting me!”

“You can try!” Rainbow Dash teases before bolting away. The furious stallion chases her all around near the roof of the cave unable to reach her. Still trying to keep away from the robed mare I find that her attention is drawn to something else. She’s staring at Fluttershy who is the farthest from the group. She stands frozen in fear, and the mare glances at me with her dubious smile before flying towards her. Fluttershy still won’t budge, and I can’t just watch. The other ponies are too occupied with the stallion, which means . . . I need to help her. With whatever energy I have left I use it to sprint towards Fluttershy.

“Come on you have to move!” I say in an attempt to encourage her to move, but she remains where she is cringing from fear.

“I-I can’t! I’m too scared!” Fluttershy hides her face behind her hooves as the robed mare flies ever closer. My only instinct is to throw down another smoke ball and cling on to her so that maybe I can ease some of her fright.

“More smoke huh?! Well I’m not letting that stop me this time!” I shut my eyes and mentally prepare myself for the impact as much as I can. Just as when Trixie saved me from the cold, it only feels right to protect another helpless being despite the pain I may endure. I try to shield her with my body awaiting the impact, but nothing happens. Opening my eyes I see the face of the robed mare near mine, and both of ours are lined with shock.

“Ah gotcha ya hooded freak show!” Shouts the orange pony. The robed mare’s leg is wrapped in her lasso, and just as she glances back to realize this she is yanked back and twirled into the air with the orange pony gripping the other end of the rope between her teeth.

“Come on! You’ve almost got me!” Rainbow Dash teases once more to the robed stallion who is still chasing her near the roof of the cave. Rainbow Dash breaks the circular flight pattern and the orange pony whips the lassoed mare into the air. Rainbow Dash ducks down, but the stallion is moving too fast to change direction; and his face is met with the mare. They collide into each other and plummet to the ground like stones. The orange pony wraps and ties them both together. Rainbow Dash flies down to them and finds that they are both knocked out cold. “Nice shot!” She congratulates.

“Aw well, ya didn’t do too bad yerself.” Says the orange pony. Bringing myself to be calm I let go and step away from Fluttershy who now comes out of hiding.

“Y-You . . . ! I knew you were friendly! But they wouldn’t listen to me.”

“Aireal! Oh that was too close! Are you two alright?” Valiari asks.

“I-I think so.” I say.

“Splendid! But, there still is just one more problem.” Out in the distance behind Valiari closer to the pool of red I see Trixie and the other robed mare fighting, firing beam after beam of light at each other. Twilight and her friends prepare to launch another beam of light, but the mare sees them before they get a chance.

“Sorry, but I will not allow your friends to interfere!” The mare shouts. She casts a misty black cloud that swipes the six ponies into us and tumbling towards the back wall of the cave. The mare stomps onto the ground, and around us black vines break through the rock ground and entangle with each other as they stretch up and dig themselves into the roof of the cave. We tug at them in a vain attempt to break free, but they are as hard as stone. Rainbow Dash and the orange pony shake themselves awake and proceed to attack the vines.

“Applejack! Help me bust these things!”

“Alrighty!” Applejack tries to use her hind legs to kick and possibly break them, but they do not even crack. Rainbow Dash flies up and attempts to beak them, but they don’t budge. If they cannot break them then nothing will. We’re trapped, and all we can do is watch. I believe in Trixie, she has the strength to beat her. I know she does.

Trixie and the robed mare stare each other down. Trixie’s face is full of anger, but the mare’s is full of excitement. Trixie fires a beam of violet light at her, but leaps up into the air and descends towards Trixie with her hoof pulled back for a punch. Trixie grabs onto the edge of her cape which produces a bright violet glow of its own. The mare tries to punch Trixie through the cape, but it’s as if the cape was made of steel as her hoof bounces right off of it. The mare jumps back as Trixie fires her magic beam that wraps around the mare’s waist and pulls her back. Trixie throws one good punch into her jaw, but she angrily shakes it off. They continue to punch and kick each other but neither of them tires. “Do you really think you’re strong enough to beat me?” The mare taunts. Trixie attempts to kick her once more, but the mare evades it and kicks her instead. Trixie staggers leaving her open for several consecutive hits by the mare. With every hit she takes I can feel the same impact on my heart. The mare fires one beam of red light into Trixie’s chest sending her to the ground.

“Trixie!” I hopelessly shout. The mare slowly walks closer to her body and steps on her back pushing her into the ground.

“You see? I told you you didn’t have the strength. Now, after I’m through with you, your little friends are next. Don’t worry; I’ll make sure I finish them off nice and slow. Especially that odd little creature of yours.” Suddenly Trixie’s glow intensifies, and a burst of violet light pushes the mare away as she slides onto the ground. Trixie stands with her eyes still full of violet flames as she walks towards her. The mare tries to shoot her beams of red at Trixie, but she blocks each one effortlessly with her cape. Trixie stops before the mare staring her dead in the eyes.

“I don’t ‘think’ I have the strength to defeat you. I ‘know’ I do.” Trixie waves her horn and casts swipes of violet light that gash the mare but leaving no physical damage. Trixie bucks the mare in the chest, and as she is still in mid-air she fires another beam of violet into her body. She is grabbed yet again by Trixie’s violet whip before hitting the ground. Holding her upside down she brings her closer to her face.

“. . . J-Just who are you anyway?” The mare asks heatedly and worryingly.

“Me? I am The Great. . .” Trixie lifts her up into the air, smashes her into the cave’s wall to the left. “And Powerful . . . !” She smashes her into the cave’s wall to the right. “Trixie!” She then slams her body down into the ground with so much force that the ground beneath her body cracks. The mare tries to push herself up, but as the red glow fades from her eyes she drops down to the ground. The pool of water behind Trixie alters back to a cool soothing blue with the glimmering Moonlight being shown once again. Trixie’s breath calms as her eyes fade back to normal, and the glow about her body disappears. My breathing still catches in my throat as I try to calm myself. The black vines disperse into smaller black particles and fall to the ground like sand. Without any prior hesitation Valiari and I sprint to Trixie calling her name.

“You did it Miss Trixie!” Valiari says excitedly.

“I. . . I did. . . I suppose Aria was right after all.”

“Yeah. . . She-She was. . .” Valiari’s tone of voice has gone from cheerful to upset. I had just remembered. Aria is no longer here with us.

“Oh, Valiari I’m so sorry I. . .”

“No, it is quite alright. I just . . . hope she is now at peace.”

“I am now.” A voice speaks from behind us. Turning around we see something moving about on the water’s surface. Out from the dark hole emerges Aria gracefully walking along the water creating gentle ripples dispersing the Moonlight amongst the hollow stones along the walls. Their colors begin to shine, but only slightly.

“Aria! It’s you! B-But how?!” Valiari asks trotting to the pool of water. I can tell he wants to move closer, but the water keeps him from doing so.

“Vali, these stones may posses a healing energy, but it was our love that has been keeping me alive.” Valiari falls to his knees as tears drip from his eyes, yet he holds a smile.

“I-I thought I lost you.”

“And you never will. I will always be with you, no matter what.” Aria steps closer to Valiari and rests her hoof upon his cheek. As they stare into each other’s eyes I can feel my own heart moving to the sight of their reunion. “And now, you, Miss Lulamoon. What you did was extraordinary. I knew that you had it in you.”

“But how?”

“It was your bond between you and your friend that sparked your inner power. When his life was threatened, you were finally able to let it free.”

“. . . You’re right.” Trixie says now looking up at me. “Without him I. . . I don’t know what I would have done.”

“So now I must thank you, all of you, for putting those three to an end. Everything you had done was through bravery, and a slight glimmer of hope. I thank the stars for allowing me to live and see this. . . I see that you were not alone during this time.” Aria says looking down at the six ponies who are entranced by her.

“Girls!” A familiar voice calls from behind them. They all turn to see Princess Celestia and Princess Luna walking towards them.

“You’re majesty!” Twilight shouts in worry as they all trot to attend them.

“Do not worry, we are feeling fine. Where are they?”

“They're here.” Twilight and the others drag the one robed mare and lean her against the other two ponies tied by Applejack’s lasso. “Shall we cast a binding spell you’re majesty?”

“That won’t be necessary Twilight. I only wish to speak to them.”

“A-And . . . why would we want to speak to y-you?” The mare mutters.

“Because I . . . would like to apologize. I blame myself for what you three have been turned into. You used to be innocent souls that I swore to protect just like any other subject, and look what you’ve become. I do not expect you to forgive me, but I just wanted you to hear how sincerely sorry I am.” The mare’s eyes shut and her head hangs from her neck passing unconscious.

“Princess, what drives them to become this? What I felt from them during this time was . . . unlike any anger I have ever experienced.”

“Their curse has it written in their minds that all peace must be eradicated, and they will not be satisfied until they have met their goal: the elimination of peaceful magic, and replacing the void with their own practices. It was the way of the cult, and the curse cannot be taken away. . . Twilight.” Princess Celestia looks at Twilight, and she nods in understanding. The six ponies’ gems glow and intensify along with their eyes into white. A beam of light fires from Twilight’s tiara and down into the three unconscious ponies. The colors of their coats and robes fade to gray, and after a long stare at their still bodies I realize that they have been transformed into stone statues. Princess Celestia tries to hold her face to appear solemn, but tears stream from her eyes and down onto the statues. “. . . I am sorry.” She whispers.

“You’re majesty; do you think we could find a cure for their curse?”

“I do not know, perhaps we may in time. . . For now, they will remain nothing more than a reminder.”

“What about him?” Twilight asks pointing towards Valiari. “Maybe I could use him to study and maybe find a solution.”

“Perhaps, we just might learn a bit from him. What say you Sir Valiari? Will you help us?”

“It would be an honor you’re majesty.” Valiari holds his hat to his chest and bows before her.

“Please, you need not to bow to me. For I did nothing more than lay in a pit of bones, it is you all who deserve the credit. Thank you all.”

“Again, we’re sorry for the trouble we caused you three.” Says Twilight.

“Oh it’s no trouble. Thank you for coming to help us.” Says Valiari.

“Trixie, there is one thing I had forgotten to show you. Please, look.” Says Aria motioning her eyes for Trixie to look down at the pool of water. Aria moves her hoof in a circular motion along the surface creating a new image. A mare and a familiar looking filly appear in the ripples; their laughing, smiling and playing.

“Th-That’s. . . Candle Light.” Trixie says coming to the realization.

“Indeed it is, and her Mother is as healthy as can be. They’re enjoying the time they have together. It is all thanks to you two, and the gift you have given her.” Even though the magic from the stones in the cave’s walls are no longer emanating their energy I can still feel it throughout the cave. In fact my mind is still trying to comprehend that we have won. The cult is finished, and everything couldn’t be more perfect. I look back at Trixie with the both of us smiling.

“You did it.” I say to her.

“No, ‘we’ . . . ‘we’ did it.” Finally I can see what Trixie has been hiding glimmering in her eyes. I have longed to see it at last. I could not have asked for any other to have befriended. If there was any other pony I could have befriended, I am glad it was her.

“Vali, now would be the time.” Says Aria with her smile suspiciously missing.

“B-But I. . .”

“Say it before. . .” Suddenly my body begins to feel uneasy. The strength in my legs is vanishing as I slowly crumble to the floor on my knees.

“Aireal? . . . Aireal what’s wrong?” Trixie asks with her hoof on my shoulder.

“What is happening over there?!” Princess Celestia exclaims.

“Does he need help?!” Twilight asks as they all start to trot closer.

“Aireal are you feeling alright? Are you sick?” Trixie continues to ask.

“I. . . I don’t know. . .” I say confusedly.

“Vali you must tell them.”

“Tell us what?” Trixie asks.

“I-I can’t I. . .”

“It will happen regardless so you might as well tell them!”

“What?! What are you two talking about?! Ever since we met you Aria you two have been hiding something from us and I want to know what it is!” Trixie orders exasperatingly.

“It’s about. . . Aireal. Do you remember when I told you that I couldn’t believe the emotions that flowed through you?” Valiari asks.

“Y-Yes. . .” I mutter.

“It was because I did not know you were capable of producing such emotions. For you are nothing but a creation . . . my creation.”

“W-What?”

“And just what is that supposed to mean?!” Trixie asks.

“I mean exactly what I say Miss Trixie. I created him. I. . . I needed to experiment with my magic to see if I was capable of producing a live image that could think, move, and speak. So that I could transfer that knowledge to my studies and accomplish what I had set out to do, surely you remember.”

“Y-You liar! This isn’t true you’re lying!” Trixie shouts.

“What I say is the truth! Aireal do you remember when I told you not to touch any of the papers in my home? It was not for you to respect my privacy, but so you wouldn’t see my practice sketches of you. You, Aireal, are a work of art. I painted you, designed you, gave you the knowledge you needed to survive and gave you your way of thinking. Or at least I thought I did. You seem to have developed your own way of thinking with your own mind and your own feelings, and it is truly magnificent how far you’ve come and how much you’ve developed. . . But there is just one major problem. You know my magic is limited and can be faulty . . . and since you are a spell of mine, you have but one fault. . . You’re time here is limited. Eventually you will . . . you will fade away. And I’m afraid that time is drawing near.”

“. . . No, no this . . . this can’t be happening. Aireal please! Can you hear me?” Trixie says trying to shake me from my weariness. My voice feels so weak I cannot respond to Valiari, but I cannot believe it. All this time I was nothing more than a piece of art, a spell, a drawing. I never was anything real; I was just a false image on a timer. Now, the clock is ticking down. “W-Well . . . couldn’t you do something?! If you did create him then couldn’t you let him stay?!” Trixie pleas.

“I’m. . . I’m sorry Miss Trixie but there is nothing I can do. I haven’t perfected the spell and I’m not sure if I will ever be able to.”

“A-Aria couldn’t you let him live? With all your power surely you could do something?!”

“Miss Lulamoon, there are things I can do, and there are things I can’t. I am not sure if this is something I could do.”

“W-What about these stones? Couldn’t they save him?”

“Their power is faded at the moment, but I do not believe they would even have the power to sustain his life. He is not a being of this land, nature didn’t create him. These stones were born from nature and peace; they could not interfere with something such as this.”

“B-But couldn’t you try?! Please just try something!”

“. . . I could try, but I cannot make any promises.” Says Valiari.

“Aireal? Aireal please don’t go.” Trixie wraps her forelegs around me pulling me closer. She nestles her head into my chest with tears streaming down her face and soaking into my jacket. . . The jacket she gave me on the first days we met. Just as I lift my arm to embrace Trixie I notice sparkles of light forming on the cloth and drifting away, this is happening all around my body. Slowly I am deteriorating, and there is nothing I can do about it. Even the tears that drip from my eyes join the sparkles in the air before they can even touch the ground. “T-Trixie . . . I’m going to miss you.” Are the only words I could find to say at the moment. For who knows how many moments I may have left? The Princesses, Twilight and her friends all stare at us, and in their eyes I can see . . . that they are crying as well. But why? These were the faces that hated me, but now I look at them somewhat as friends that I never got to know.

“You’re majesty couldn’t you do something?” Twilight asks.

“Maybe you can help him!” Fluttershy says hopefully.

“I am sorry girls, but this is something foreign to me. I do not believe I have what is needed to keep him here, but I suppose I could try.” Says Princess Celestia.

“As will I.” Says Princess Luna as both their horns begin to glow. As the gentle Moonlight rests upon us I can feel something touch the side of my neck. Looking up I find that snow is drifting down through the hole in the roof of the cave. How beautiful it is. These small soft clusters of ice, but something as beautiful as this cannot ease my heart.

“Aireal please! I don’t want you to go; I don’t want you to go.” Trixie whimpers as she holds me even tighter and her tears waterfall down her cheeks. I embrace her with my weak arms and hold her close. “Y-You’re the only friend I have, and the only friend I ever wanted; and I am not letting you go.”

“Y-You . . . could always make new ones.” I mutter.

“No one could ever replace you. No one . . . Aireal. I only want you . . . after everything we’ve been through I . . . I don’t want this to go away. . . A-Aria? What if I wished? . . . What if I wished he could stay?”

“. . . You could try.” Says Aria.

“I. . . I wish you could stay. I wish you could stay.” She says pressing her head into my chest while resting a hoof on my chest. She looks up at me, and I look down at her. I remember the times I would see her smile. It was such a wonderful thing to see. Now, I look into her tear-filled eyes, and I feel that feeling again. The feeling those stones gave me. . . The feeling I had when I first gazed into her eyes. Finally, I believe I understand what it is. This feeling that makes my heart flutter and butterflies dance in my stomach is something more than I could have ever imagined. It is something far greater than friendship, and I can feel it about her as well. I only wish that this will not be the last time I get to gaze into her beautiful eyes. I just want to see her smile again; it would put my mind at so much ease. With my hand on Trixie’s face I wipe away the tears on her left cheek. I smile in an attempt to bring her heart to maybe some relief, but instead her mouth quivers and the tears continue to flow as she nestles her head back into my chest. “Aireal . . . I wish you could stay. . . I wish.” With the little strength I still have in my voice I use it to wish. To wish that I could still be with her like I had sworn.

“. . . I wish.”

“I wish.”

“I wish.” My heart begins to slow its rhythm, and my muscles are growing even wearier. One peak out to my hands and I can see that they are turning translucent. My eyes witness the fading images of every pony. Valiari becomes a blur, and the other ponies become unrecognizable. I am unable to hold Trixie as my arms have grown too weak, no matter how much I beg my arms to stay around her they fall away from her body. I myself fall down to the cave floor as Trixie tries to keep me up. I can barely feel any part of my body, and my breathing sounds like an echo to my ears. Everything is becoming so cold, and turning so dark.

“Aireal! Just keep looking at me, okay? Just . . . please.” My heart may be dying, but as Trixie is resting her head on my chest and staring into my eyes that strange feeling has never felt stronger. I think I may have just put it together, what this feeling is. That word that Valiari told Aria, I feel that word is exactly what this feeling has been all along. This may be my only chance to finally tell her, and I hope it's the right word to express these heavy emotions.

“. . . I love you.” I whisper with the last bit of strength my voice can muster. Trixie stares at me with the most surprised look I have ever seen dawned on her face. I can no longer hold my eyelids open as I let them drop hiding whatever little amount of vision I still had.

“Aireal? No, don’t go! Please wake up! Wake up!” The voices stop, the sounds stop, everything stops. Everything has turned to blackness, and I cannot feel any part of my body. But I do feel a drop of a tear drip onto my cheek, and a hoof under my chin. I suppose, not all wishes can be granted no matter how much you try. I will miss you Trixie . . . forever. My spirit, if I ever had one, will now be haunted with one question that may never be answered. What would Trixie have told me after I had told her about how my heart felt? Perhaps, I will just be left here in the cold dark, alone.

To be continued. . .

Author's Note

Did you enjoy my tale? If so, and wish to read more, go right on ahead and check out the sequel that is now in progress if you like and let me know what you think! https://www.fimfiction.net/story/194867/the-truth

If not, then I cannot thank you enough for reading and for any comments you may have left along the way!

Chapter 1 (Edited)

Chapter 1

My body is shivering from the cold. I can hear the sound of rustling leaves and a haunting wind brushing past them. I can hear owls high in the trees and crickets low on the cold, soft ground. I can feel my hand grasping the tall, wet grass standing through the gaps between my fingers. I feel the icy air enter my lungs as if I were taking my first breath. The lids to my eyes open to grasp the world around me as if it were their first sight. Everything is so dark, but the Moon’s gentle light above helps my eyes see the tall blades of grass covered in droplets of water. I can see the thick trees with their branches waving at me, greeting me, or possibly even welcoming me. The Moon is not alone, she is accompanied by hundreds of stars, big and small, that twinkle and shine amongst the vast curtain of black. I wonder, if the Moon were to have a heart, would it be filled with so much joy to be surrounded by such friends in the sky? She is lucky, but I have no company to relieve this sudden loneliness from my heart. It feels hollow; as the wind blows it may as well blow though and echo inside the empty chambers of my heart. I wrap my arms around myself to try and bring warmth along with comfort. However, the chilly air breathes through my dark clothing without end. It feels as if I had never felt warmth before, yet I am rich in cold. My arms feel weak, and my legs idle as I watch the stars. I can sense a feeling that I need to stand; an energy awakening my sleeping legs, as if they are trying to encourage me to bring life into my body.

I press my hands against the wet grass and struggle to lift my body up, as if it were the first time my arms have ever experienced labor, and for my legs, the first time trying to overcome the power of gravity. I can’t give up, but I can already feel myself growing weary. Until I sense that I am not alone in these woods, as though someone is standing by, watching me suffer. When I glance around the dark wood I can see nobody. I want to beg for assistance, for guidance, but my voice feels absent. My arms feel asleep, and no matter how hard I try I cannot awaken them. But I feel something else, something grasping my arms and carefully lifting me. Thankfully my legs aren’t dreaming, and are able to adjust to the stance I am being guided to. I set my feet with their soaking, thin, black shoes sturdily onto the grass. What has been holding me releases me, and I can feel my body wobble, trying to keep itself balanced. I’ve done it; I am now up from the damp forest of grass, but am now surrounded by my real challenge, the dank and dark army of tall wood, yet I only feel curious. Who was it that had helped me? I feel compelled to thank whoever it was, but there is not a soul in sight. I take my first step towards the trees, and they begin shaking and creaking as if warning me to stop and turn back. However, behind them I sense that there is someone beckoning me to press on.

I slide and rub past the first oaks as their bark and branches tear at my thin, wet clothing. I can feel myself nearly slip on a wet stone, but am caught by one of the tree’s trunks. The moon’s light is shining through the gaps of leaves along the slick soil and weeds that which blanket it, perhaps guiding me to find my freedom through this wall of wood. After every step I take, the gusts of air push against me, blowing the trees’ loose leaves into my face. I can hear the sounds of bugs’ wings beating, and sometimes my eyes will catch a small light blink out in the distance.

The moon’s light becomes blocked by grey, cotton clouds that slowly pass by, but I will not let this deter me from walking, because I can now see a trail ahead. Stepping out from the grass and onto a plain dirt path feels like stepping into an entire new world, with it not being covered and surrounded by foliage. There’s only two ways to go, left or right. Down the right, it looks empty and dark; my body won’t even budge to even try and turn this way. On the left I can see the moon hovering, hanging high above the road, and my body feels eager to move towards it.

My body is just so cold, and no amount of shivering and rubbing of my arms can keep me warm. I’m lost, and I can’t find anything as I rustle through my mind, desperately trying to figure out what to do. All I can think of is to just keep walking, and to never stray away from the path. Every breath feels like my lungs are becoming coated in little crystals of ice, and already I am growing tired once again, but still, my mind urges me to walk and keep walking. The energy I had is leaving me; my eyelids are becoming heavy, and just when I think I still have enough strength to go further, I drop to my knees and onto the muddy path. I can feel tears leaking from my eyes, and my heart reducing to a puddle of a hopeless mess. Wiping my hand over my cheek, and watching the Moonlight glisten over the wet streaks draws me to wonder what this all means. Is this sadness, or just hopelessness in its purest form? Either way, I’m alone, cold, exhausted, and my stomach feels empty and in knots. I let my body fall to the moist ground as my tears linger and freeze along my cheeks. I let my eyes close, so that maybe I can somehow escape this place. I let myself drift away, so that I may find a place safe from this torment. “Hey! You there!” An angry voice yells. My body feels as if it has been able to drift away for quite a bit of time. I feel stiff and tense with not even enough energy to lift up my head. “Be gone with you! Go on scram!” The voice continues, now even more agitated.

Blinding lights shine over my eyes, blocking my vision of who it is shouting at me, but I can tell she is very aggravated. I can hear steps through the mud towards my frozen body. I raise my arm to try and block the light, and I can trace a strange silhouette. She comes closer and looms over me, staring down at me with this puzzled look on her face. Her eyes big and irises violet, she stares down at me with an impatient glare. Her coat is of a cobalt, blue color, and her attire is a long, purple, starry cape along with a pointed hat of the same pattern. She isn’t the same form as I, for she stands on all fours with a short snout amongst her face instead of the nose I bear on mine. She is an animal, a small horse of some sort, but her strange color palette and caricature-like appearance befuddle my eyes.

“Just what exactly are you supposed to be?” The mare examines me curiously, “Hmm . . . Strange, but go on! Move! Shoo will you!” She says impatiently, urging me to move out from the path. With barely any energy I suppose I have no other choice but to crawl away, digging my hands into the softened mud and dragging myself off the road and into the grass, unsure of what else to do. I still have no voice to request for help, so I lay myself down in the frosty grass, hiding my face behind the blades hoping not to be shouted at once more.

I watch this mysterious mare turn and climb inside a large, wooden vehicle bordered by bright, white lights. I can hear mechanisms within it turning and twisting. The large wheels holding it above the ground creak loudly as they turn and roll down the path. As it passes by, I try to endure the moment of bright warming lights. Along the wagon’s wall, there are words printed along its surface that read: ‘Witness the Wonder and be Amazed by The Great and Powerful Trixie!’ Here I am still, left in this bed of grass by the only glimmer of hope I may ever come across. I suppose this is where I am meant to suffer. Lost and alone in the cold and shunned by the first face I have ever seen, or at least the only face I can recall ever seeing. Just when I thought that the crying could end, it returns as I painfully watch her wooden vessel roll away.

Just as I prepare to accept this fate, I can hear the creaking suddenly stop. The vehicle has stalled down the path, and starts to roll backwards towards me. My slow heart pulses faster and clutters with hopes that maybe she will perhaps lend me aid. The lights shine dimly upon me as the mysterious pony steps out from the vehicle carrying a large, brown sheet beneath her teeth. She searches around the tall grass and spots me.

“There you are,” she says, wrapping the large sheet around me, “Here, this should keep you warm . . . whatever you are.” Already I can feel warmth, and my body’s shivering takes leave. She returns to her vehicle and I automatically assume she is ready to leave once again, but I am proven wrong for she stops behind the wagon and unhooks a latch that keeps the back door secure in place. It falls to the ground exposing the shadowy interior, and she trots back over beckoning me to follow. “Come now, this way. Get inside before you freeze out here.”

I can feel energy returning to my body as I grip the cloth sheet around myself. I, struggling greatly, limp to her wagon, up the ramp, and into the trailer. The door lifts up and locks into place behind me giving the shadows time to prosper along the walls. I stand, not knowing of what to do but be still and listen to the tough wind blow against the walls of the wagon. I hear a door open and shut that shakes the carriage around a bit. It feels relaxing to breathe air that isn’t icy and cold. I take in the sweet, scented air and sit on the creaky, wood floor. Suddenly, a door at the end of the trailer opens and the shadow of the mysterious pony blankets over me.

Her tall hat begins to glow and lift up off of her head, revealing her neatly kept silver mane, and a horn in the center of her forehead emanating small sparkles of light with a dull, pink aura amongst them. I stare at her horn in awe, for never have I seen such a peculiar sight. A small packet of matches lifts up from a nearby countertop. She pulls one out, strikes it, and lights a candle resting in its silver dish. It soon gathers the same glow as the mare’s horn, hovering over to her side. The candlelight allows me to see more of the room that was once covered in shadows. There is a mirror and make-up stand on one side, and a clothing rack near that. Near me is a small puddle of sheets laid on top of each other, and a small bookshelf with a few books sloppily placed inside it. On the countertop is a tall, glass vase with wilting flowers inside, yet their scent still wonderfully fills the room. The mare steps closer to me and takes a seat. She sets down the candle and stares about me with a puzzled look on her face. “Just what exactly are you anyway?” She asks. I simply stare back silently, as I don’t quite have the answer myself. “You most certainly are the strangest thing I have ever come across. . . Can you speak? . . . Do you have a name?” She continues.

That last question regarding my name sparks something inside my mind, like a small light in a dark cavern. Is this a memory? The reason being I feel I know the answer; I just can’t get my mind to tell me. “I should have figured,” she continues “You’re just some animal that cannot speak. I don’t even know why I bothered trying to talk to you.”

“. . . Aireal . . .” I mutter without any reason. The mare jolts once my quiet voice leaves my lips.

“So you do speak! My, I cannot not believe. . . Wait, what was it you said?”

“. . . Aireal, m-my name is Aireal.” I say, attempting to articulate my words. She stares at me even more puzzled than before as I hang my tired head down to watch the floor, trying to find what it was that forced that name to travel through my voice. Is this truly my name? It must be for it to be said without prior judgment, but how this name found its way to me is outside my thinking.

“Well then, Aireal, w-would you mind telling me what you are?” Still without an answer, I stare down to the floor. “Nevermind. . . Can you tell me where you came from? . . . Where do you live?” Every new question she asks feels like a stab to my mind. No matter how hard I try to think I only find empty spaces.

“. . . Nowhere,” I say after straining in thought.

Her eyes jump around the room as she is unsure of what else to say. “Nowhere hm? Well, allow me to introduce myself. I am The Great and Powerful Trixie!” She then takes a bold stance before me, “I travel to many different towns and villages so that I may fill everypony with amazement and wonder bestowed upon them by my magic! I always deliver a spectacular performance that nopony can resist seeing!” As I stare blankly at her while she keeps her stance, she awkwardly sits back down and clears her throat. “Anyway, now that we know each other, let me explain my deal to you.”

“Deal?”

“Yes, a deal. Trixie will allow you stay with her here in her show trailer for as long as you like.” After that statement, I can feel my face light up with astonishment. I almost cannot comprehend this kind of a kindness being shown to me. It feels as though this can’t be real. “But the catch is, if you so choose to stay, that you must become a part of my act.” Now the newfound glee that had come to me has fled, hiding in the dark corners of my mind. A part of her act? I know nothing of magic. How can I possibly contribute to her performance? How can I compare to the splendor that she says she brings? I can already feel the cold from the outside returning to haunt me. I think Trixie can see the concern on my face. “Oh, there is no need to fret. I already have something planned for you. So, what will it be? Or would you prefer to go back out into the cold? Your choice.”

Something in the back of my mind tells me that this is not a good idea. I know nothing about show business. What if I disappoint her and she throws me back out into the woods? Then, all the more reason I need to try my best and give it all I’ve got if I want to stay. Even if I fail, at least I will be here for the night before getting tossed back into the cold, dank forest. “Well?” Trixie asks, now becoming impatient, “Trixie doesn’t want to wait here all day. Do we have a deal or not?” She asks, impatiently awaiting my answer. With what little confidence I have in myself, I nervously force myself to nod my head. “Perfect! Then it is a deal. Now, go ahead and get some rest, but be prepared for I am already on my way to my next show, so when it is time to fulfill your end of the bargon you had better be ready.”

Those very words feel like a quick slash to my stomach, and my heart pulses nervously. Just as she is about to leave, she takes notice of my nervous trembling, and so she turns back with a sigh. “What I need you to do is simple, but I will explain it to you before the show begins. Right now, I need to continue down the path. Now, please, do not touch anything.” Trixie stands, about to leave the trailer for the second time, but I cannot let her leave without expressing some sort of gratitude.

“. . . Thank you.” I speak softly. Trixie stops and turns around back to me with a sincere tone about her face. However, it seems as if she’s trying to hide it from me.

“Yes, of course. Just . . . Just be ready.” Trixie leaves the lit candle next to me as she steps into the other room. I begin to hear cranks turning, followed by gears. The wood creaks as the trailer is set in motion along the muddy path. I need to calm my heart, for it cannot keep a gentle pace, and my mind is flooding with horrid thoughts. My body is shaking, perhaps it is preparing for the cold it may soon be set back in. Slowly, I rest my body down onto the floor near the candlelight. Gripping the sheet Trixie gave me around my body, I scan my sight along the ground in an attempt to distract myself. I notice a stack of cut wood, perhaps for building a fire, and in one corner of the room, there lay an old sewing machine with spools of thread. Something is amiss here. I feel as though the more my eyes absorb of this world, the more knowledge that enters my mind. I cannot recall any previous experience with seeing such things, so then why? Why do I feel out of place in this life?

Through the cracks between the wood boards that make up this trailer, the moonlight has been leaking inside relentlessly. It has been able to keep me at peace for what I believe feels like hours. I have kept my eyes shut in an attempt to rest, but it was all in vain, for my stomach still crawls at the very thought of what awaits me up ahead. My eyelids clench with the appearance of new colors bouncing against them. With the sounds of many voices happily chatting outside, I sit up and try to peer out through the cracks to see where these colors are coming from. I am in awe, for what I see feels like candy to my eyes. Buildings upon buildings lined with frail colors that warm the heart, once the eyes have been set upon them. Colors flash here and there among the light posts, strings of lights stretching from roof to roof adding to the field of color. The stars only add to the splendor of this dazzling city. What is this place that bears the colors of the rainbow in such revelry?

While being mesmerized by the lights, I come back to the reality that my moment is soon approaching. I take my eyes away from the cracks in the wood, and lean my back against them. My short lived bliss turns to uneasiness, and I come to the conclusion that my trip is about to come to an end. I had better get myself prepared like she said, but my eyes catch something laying in a dark corner of the trailer. I reach over to it and realize it’s a crumpled up sheet of paper. I bring it closer, and unravel it to see that it has been written on. It seems to have gotten wet, smearing some of the ink. Even so, I think I can still make out what it says. It reads:

My dearest,

Do not let your dreams slip through your hooves, and do not let tears fill your life. You have a strong spirit, let it stay that way. I know you hate being alone, and I know I won’t be there to guide you through any rough times anymore, but you need to remember that you’re not alone in this world. If ever you feel like you cannot get through, then do not be afraid to call for help. You’ll find a friend to guide you, I promise. It’s only a matter of time until you two meet.

Just before I’m about to read who had written the note, I can feel the wagon’s wheels gradually come to a halt as gears lock into place. The door bursts open and Trixie hurriedly steps in. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing with that?” Trixie’s face fumes with anger as she uses her horn’s magic to rip the note from my hands, “I thought I told you not to touch anything!” Trixie, infuriated, crushes the note and tosses it into the room she came from. I am in shock and disappointed in only myself, as I should have listened the first time she gave me the order. Whatever that note was, it most certainly was something personal, but then why was it crumpled up in a corner of the trailer? Regardless, I cannot hide my shame for disobeying her order. “Ugh, forget about it. We’ll talk about this later. Right now, I need you to get ready. Come this way, quickly!”

She leads me into the next section of the trailer, which is much bigger, cleaner, and nearly empty. There’s a big, red curtain hanging near the back, and she hurries me over to it, shoving me behind it. “Now, just listen closely,” she begins, “seeing how you seem to have trouble listening, I’ll go about my show as normal. Once you see me fill the stage with pink smoke, that is your cue to step out from the curtain and onto the stage. I want you to kneel down, and as the smoke is clearing you may stand back up. Just look natural, alright? Once smoke covers the stage again, you need to go back behind the curtain. Understood?” I then distressfully nod my head. “Good. Now keep quiet!” Trixie fixes the curtains to stay shut before she steps out to the middle of the stage, fixing her hat and cape.

It’s a bit cramped behind the curtains with the small space and ropes dangling from the ceiling. I need to see what happens, so I lay down onto the dusty floor and peer out through a small slit between the bottom of the curtain and the floor. The whole wall before her detaches and slowly falls to the ground, revealing the splendorous colors and a cheering crowd of voices.

After a short introduction, she begins her show. In an instant, she’s bouncing all around the stage, using her magic to create and levitate objects at will as wondrous fireworks shoot off into the sky, exploding into even more droplets of color. I myself am amazed by the enchantment she brings to the stage. She creates small storm clouds that hover over the stage that rain, and small strikes of lightning flash beneath them. A small illusion of the sun peaks out from behind them, causing them to dissipate. She even performs a card trick, but she manipulates their form, changing their sizes, shapes, and colors. She calls on audience members to come up to the stage before she poofs up all kinds of strange garb onto them. The volunteers she brings up are ponies just like her, except their coats radiate with their pigment. The show has been going on for a while now, and I can feel that my moment is coming up any moment now.

“And now, fillies and gentlecolts! Prepare yourselves! For The Great and Powerful Trixie is about to reach out to another realm, and show you all something you have never seen before!” Pink smoke then fills the stage, “A creature that is unknown to our world!” The whole stage is filled, and my heart is about to jump out of my chest. I carefully slide out from behind the curtains and kneel in the center of the stage as my body trembles. “Behold!” Trixie then holds out her foreleg to introduce me.

By now the smoke has cleared, and the whole crowd along with the glowing city of lights behind them comes clear. The never-ending colors are even more gorgeous out here instead of watching them through tiny slits. Once they see me, they all gasp, staring with their eyes widened and jaws dropped. Slowly, I come to my feet and stare out at them all, unsure of what to do from here. Soon, they begin to whisper to each other and begin calling out: “What is that?”

“Wow, just what in the name of Celestia is that?”

“Hey guys! Over here! Check this out!”

“Hey everyone! Come and look at this!” Soon, more and more bright ponies join the crowd staring up at me in awe, continuing to ask each other questions. They cheer and stomp their hooves against the dirt as others point and comment on my appearance. So many more have joined the crowd that it feels like the whole town came to see. I can feel a smile spread across my face, and taking a glance back at Trixie, I can tell she looks proud as she bears the same astonished look on her face. She glances at me, and I don’t know why, but in her eyes I can see something; I can feel something. My once empty heart is starting to fill with something great, something that I never want to leave. She and I smile at each other, and she turns back to the crowd.

“Now everypony, I would like to inform you all that he is harmless!” Trixie announces, “But he cannot stay, so I must send him back.” All the ponies in the crowd then moan in disappointment, “Everypony settle down. Perhaps this isn’t the last time we will see him. Maybe Trixie shall return once more! But for now, we must say farewell.” In an instant, the pink smoke starts filling up the stage once again. As soon as I’m sure that I’m out of sight, I hide myself back behind the curtains, hoping that I didn’t disappoint her. However, by what I saw in Trixie’s eyes, I feel that I have done my job to her liking. Once the smoke clears, and the ponies see that I have disappeared, they begin cheering and whistling louder than before. “Thank you! Thank you! You’re a wonderful crowd! The Great and Powerful Trixie bids you all farewell!”

The large platform that had fallen to reveal the stage slowly reels itself back up and locks in place with the walls. I peek out to Trixie, and finally await the moment of truth. She happily trots towards me with a look of amazement shining on her face. “I can’t believe it!” Trixie says as she moves about ecstatically, “We did it! What you did was flawless! Go on back into the trailer and I will meet with you in a few minutes.” She hurries over and hops through another door on the other side of the stage. My heart can now be at peace, and my mind can now settle by her words. I take in several calming breaths of the cool air that filled the stage as I walk back to the trailer.

Resting on the floor back inside the trailer, I find myself swimming in disbelief. I had thought for sure that I would have loused up the show. While staring up at the ceiling, I can’t hold back the joy dancing about in my heart. I have never felt my body at such peace, so I finally let it rest as I shut my eyes. While lying on the wood floor, the elated voices outside, discussing how incredible Trixie’s show was, further relaxes me. I do not want this feeling of happiness to leave. I never want to feel the deep, cold sorrow ever again, but in the back of my thoughts I know that I cannot hide from it forever. I feel it may find its way to me once again, but I won’t allow it to crush this moment. Trixie is proud of me, and that is all that matters to me as of now. I can only wait for Trixie to return, and hear what else she has to share.

After some time has passed, I can feel myself growing sleepy, but my heart jump-starts by the sound of a door opening and closing inside the trailer. Before I know it, Trixie steps into the room, using her magic to hold her tall, pointy hat upside down. She sets it down on top of her makeup table with the sound of coins clinking inside. Pulling out gold coins one by one from her hat, she counts. “Ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty-oh we made quite a stack of bits from this show!” She continues to bring out coins from her hat, “Usually it would take me quite a few shows to make this much! You did a good job out there.”

“. . . So, this means I can stay?” I ask timidly.

“Of course you may! That was the deal after all! So go on and make yourself right at home. I can tell that this is only the beginning of something much bigger for us. I can feel it. Now go get some rest, we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow!”

“Why. . ? What happens tomorrow?”

“Planning for our next show of course!” Trixie grabs her hat and hurries to the door.

“Wait. . !” She stops and turns back to me while in the middle of the doorway, “I-I’m sorry.”

“Sorry? What do you have to be sorry for?”

“I’m sorry for reading your note,” I say, trying to hide my shame.

“Oh, that. . . Do not worry about that. It . . . it’s not important.”

“. . . So, you’re not mad?”

“No, I’m not. You and I are partners now; we have no time to be mad at each other.”

“Partners. . ?” I whisper under my breath. Trixie once again leaves for the door, and out of the lingering joy still lined within my heart, I feel the need for one last, kind farewell until morning. “Goodnight.” Trixie stops, and slightly turns her head back to me. Her expression seems to be a mixture of surprise, and a slight hint sorrow, but it’s hard to tell with the shadows shrouding her face. Somehow, I feel as though I had done something wrong by her unusual pause, and therefore, I begin to worry.

“Yes, well. . . Goodnight to you too.” On that last note, she closes the door behind her. I pull the sheet Trixie gave me earlier closer to me and wrap myself in it. While resting my head against the floor, that one word is still in my thoughts. Home . . . this is home. A place to belong, and a place to cherish. The place where one can lay, dream of peaceful sights, and be protected by its walls. I am grateful to have found that place, and must express my gratitude to Trixie in any way possible. Never shall I rest from such an expression, because this kind of debt cannot be repaid in full. What she has given me is a gift too valuable, and I will treasure it always. I rest my eyes in the darkness; however, they are too anxious for the sights that tomorrow will show. The gears start to turn, and the wheels roll down the bumpy path as we leave behind the spectral town, headed towards whatever lies in wait ahead. Whatever it may be, I feel prepared, and anxious to find out.

Chapter 10

“This time you’re not going to get away. Girls! Get ready!” Twilight shouts.

“Twilight you must listen! This isn’t as it seems!” Trixie says in an attempt to make them understand, but it is no use. The six ponies’ bodies pick up off of the ground as a sudden wind is whirling around the cave. The colors of their gems intensify and the irises of their eyes flush to a bright white.

“It’s no use! Move!” Valiari shouts and pushes Trixie out of their way, and with one final look into the ponies’ white eyes I desperately crawl away. Through the gem atop Twilight’s tiara fires a blindingly white beam barely missing us. It causes the cave to rumble, and the mark it leaves behind is a wide blackened crater. But it wasn’t finished; the beam continues to flow and Twilight turns her head to guide it towards me. “Duck down!” Dropping myself down and covering the top of my head with my hands I feel an intense heat above my body and violent vibrations below. I’m too afraid to move or to even peek to the side and see if I have a chance to escape.

“Aireal run!” Trixie screams.

“Get up! Run!” Valiari shouts. Something wraps around my body and jerks me up into the air. Somehow the beam has wrapped itself around my body gripping me tightly. No amount of kicking or struggling can loosen its grip. I try to pull or push myself out from the beam but my hands go straight through it. After a fearful stare into their furious expressions the beam whips me through the air. My back smashes into the cave wall above the ascending stairs to the podium. My shoulder blades are in a shock of immediate pain, and I fall to the ground as my face tastes the dusty stone floor with my knee caps smashing onto the ground.

“No!” Trixie shouts. The two robed ponies stand near me to where all I can see is their hooves near my face.

“Well, what is this?” One of them says while spotting a black bag on the floor. It doesn’t take me long to realize that it’s my bag of the glowing stones. She picks it up and whispers into my ear. “I really must thank you for making this easier, but for now we must be on our way. Looks like this may be the last time we see one another, but before we go. . .” The pony stomps her hoof onto my back sending a stream of pain throughout my spine, and the other kicks me in the side causing my body to curl and yell. My bones are suffering through misery, and there is no stone that can ease it. They trot away and out of the other ponies’ field of vision their bodies disperse into a black mist that flows through the cracks of the cave walls. I turn my aching head to see that the six ponies are trying to blast their beam at Trixie and Valiari, but their quick movements and dodges allow them to continue their evasion. Is this how it must end? All I can do is watch? The six ponies are causing this cave to fall apart as shards of rock break from the roof of the cave nearly crashing down onto my friends. It is all my fault; I’ve given the enemy just what may end everything . . . everything about this world. I’ve put Trixie, the one who showed me kindness in this cold world; and Valiari, the one who guided me through danger; now into the heart of danger. I do not know what will happen to them if that beam comes into contact with them . . . but I will not know. For now it is my turn, my turn to repay them for all they have done for me. My body may be in pain, but I cannot let this stop me. I’ve gotten too far; I’ve gotten too far; I’ve gotten too far. . . This is what I have been telling myself whenever I have been presented with a seemingly inescapable problem.

After everything I’ve been through: the fear, the sadness, the hope. I will not let this die with me, because this will not be the end. I will not lose my only friends I have in this life. This time there is no help for me; Valiari cannot guide me, and Trixie cannot lift my spirit. I must find my own way through this, and turning back towards the cave wall it just may hold my refuge. In the wall is a tall jagged cut that looks just wide enough for me to fit my relatively thin body through. Behind it I can see a slight orange glow; there must be more of the cave beyond this wall. Perhaps I could find something that could help. All I need to do is stand, but here is where the main problem lies. The slightest movement of my torso is excruciating, and I cannot let the ponies see me attempting to get up for they just may take not a single moment of thought to knock me back down. I must ignore the pain by blocking it, distracting it with other thoughts. I press my hands against the dusty stone ground, now I must think. Letting what little memories I have enter my mind. I remember Trixie saving me from the cold wrapping me in a sheet and bringing me to a place I could call home. I strain to push my body and lock my knee below my stomach to keep myself up. I remember the times Trixie and I performed and the applause of so many ponies . . . how proud she was. I lay my forearm on my thigh and begin to straighten out my legs. I remember how ecstatic Valiari was to meet me after all the hope he’s given me . . . how jovial he was. I stare down to the ground to find that I have done it, and the pain passed by like a breeze. I take one more look out to Trixie and Valiari; they spot me and their eyes appear to be lost in awe that I am still standing. The six ponies notice that they are entranced by something and turn around towards me.

“You! Stop right where you are!” Twilight commands. I begin to step away and their gems’ glow starts to intensify. “I said stop!” She pointlessly shouts, as I will not stop; I must not fear any sort of consequence. I back up against the wall and wedge my way into the crack ignoring the jagged stone rubbing against my body. A beam of white light fires from Twilight’s tiara and towards the entry point of the crack. It sends a shockwave upon impact of the wall and a burst of energy through it sending me shooting out to the other side slamming against the ground. My body cringes as I lift my head up to see that the exit has been completely blocked off by rubble. Along with the sounds of smaller stones falling from the roof I believe I hear voices calling my name beyond the rubble, and then the resumed firing of the ponies’ magic beam. The commotion continues as I pull myself together and force myself to stand. This time the pain cannot be ignored as the impact has heightened it. I grip my left hand around my waist, and limp my way to the orange pulsing light that beckons me down the dark curved passage. Dragging myself down the hall there is but one torch that hangs along the wall. I pull it out of the metal ring and hold it out in front of me so that it may illuminate the way. Rats scurry away from me and into the dark ahead, and lighting the way I find myself in a small chamber. There are shelves with books that don’t look very old, there not even covered with nearly the same amount of dust as the shelf itself. Scattered along the floor are several jars of cracked pottery, the ones that stand are filled with a black fluid or with herbs of many different colors. If these robed ponies do not have horns to cast spells, then perhaps they used things of nature to manipulate into something else. I find a table that is cluttered from corner to corner with . . . horns of unicorns as well as other strange looking instruments made form either wood or metal. The horns are all gray and sheeted in dust, and to the side of the table is an oddly shaped metal box with a crank. Underneath it is a pale filled half way with thick dust, but a closer look reveals that the particles are like little fragments of bone far too big to be considered dust.

The sound of something moving behind the dark breaks the steady silence. I feel that I might not be alone in this cavern. I can’t let my imagination take over, I just need to tell myself that it was just another rat; but the sound was so heavy there is no way a rat could have made it. Inching my way closer to the doorway I poke my torch through to hopefully light up the place. However, the dark overtakes it, leaving me clueless as to what lies ahead. Without any other place to turn I limp through the doorway where I had heard the noise. Step by painful step I make my way into the dusty chamber lined with thick cobwebs. It feels so empty that I do not believe there was even a point to this room. Just as my heart calms and mind rests the next step I take isn’t met with the ground but a drop off into a pit of black. Without any balance my body falls to the jagged floor followed by several snapping sounds. Multiple sharp objects are digging into my back, and with the torch still gripped in my hand I wave it around near the floor. It sheds light on a big skull with its two round hollow eye holes staring at me. Out of fear and adrenaline I set the pain aside for a moment to kick and push away piles of ribs, spines and femurs until I get back to my feet.

The ground is covered so deeply with bones that I cannot see any bare ground. I hold my torch upwards to find that there is no way for me to even attempt to climb up. The round walls are too high for me to reach. The only thing I can do is brush through the ocean of bones and see if there is any way for me to escape. While pushing my legs through the bones and scanning the walls that sound reappears. Something big is moving about, and it is down here with me. I defensively hold out my torch and cautiously step closer. The sounds of breathing ease in with the movement, and my heart rate rises. The light is then met with something lying atop the piles of bones, a white unicorn big enough to be considered a horse. Its horn is coated in a black fluid; its wings are horribly bent and twisted; its mane is like a dull flowing rainbow. It’s Princess Celestia, and her body is motionless covered in cuts and bruises. I feel the need to hurry to her aid, but I do not know what she might do to me if she wakes. I try to limp as quietly as possible to her body, and with my quivering hand I reach out to her so that I may check to see if she is even alive. Before I can make contact to check her eyes flare open with her irises staring dead into mine. I pull back and step away with my heart ready to leap out of my chest. The princess begins to cough and tries to use her voice. “Y-You! Come back!” She weakly pleads. I feel reluctant, but she just may need my help. I move a bit closer, but keeping a distance allowing the torch’s light to shine upon her body. “. . . I do not blame you for being afraid. . . None of this would be happening if it wasn’t for my actions, or better yet the actions I failed to perform. I took an oath to protect my kingdom . . . and look what has happened. Soon . . . it will no longer be my kingdom.” She says aloud to herself. By her statements my fear of her is subsided. I feel that I am not seeing the same Princess, the one that threatened me, but one that is threatened. Curious to hear more I step closer and take a seat near her. “What did you do that was so wrong?” I ask.

“So, you can speak after all? But what does it matter? It cannot be undone, so what is the point of speaking about it?” She says arrogantly. Her irritated voice brings back some of my fear of her forcing me to keep silent. “. . . Sometimes you have to make choices, but sometimes choices are made for you. I could have saved them, but I did not have enough time. The cave was collapsing, and those three would never make it out. It was all because of my ignorance I did not recognize the threat sooner, and several innocent ponies paid for it. . . Now, we are all going to pay for it.”

“. . . I’ve made it all worse.”

“And how is that?”

“Because of me they’ve gotten hold of what they need to finish their plan. If there is anyone to blame it might as well be me.”

“I suppose we have more in common than I thought. But why are you here? Why haven’t you given up?”

“Because . . . maybe it can be fixed.”

“And why do you think that? Does a creature such as you still hold some hope for Equestria?”

“. . . Yes.”

“. . . Then perhaps I was wrong about you. I can feel that you indeed hold that belief in your heart even though you feel guilty for what you’ve done. You haven’t lost it just as I haven’t; but how? You cannot be a being of this world . . . yet you care for it?”

“There’s . . . no where else for me to call home.”

“. . . I have indeed misjudged you, but soon there won’t be anywhere for us to call home. However, I do know that there is some hope out there. All this time I have been hoping that my student and her friends could rescue Equestria, but I fear that they are in grave danger.”

“They’re here, looking for you.”

“What?! Then we must—” The princess attempts to push herself up to stand, but she does not have the strength and falls back down. “It is no use, I do not have the energy; and my sister suffers the same.” She turns her head over to the other side of the pit, and I wave my torch to see that Princess Luna is here as well. Her still body alarms me to go and try to wake her, but Princess Celestia stops me. “Do not worry, she is unconscious. I have tried to wake her but she will not come to. But our attempts to escape might as well be in vain. Our wings are broken, our horns are stained with this magic preventing fluid, and these walls are to steep to climb.”

“No, th-there’s a way. We can find a way.” I say in a panic moving about through the bones and checking the walls for a possible way out.

“You need to keep calm; you do not seem to be in any condition to attempt a climb out of here either.” She is right; my body is in a good deal of pain and aching. There are no rocks or crevasses along the walls to provide for a way to climb. I’ve fallen into an inescapable trap; I do not even want to imagine what’s happening to Trixie and Valiari. The silence of the cave brings me thoughts of defeat. They must have been overwhelmed, and now the princesses and I are going to be down here to weep about our failings. I lay my aching back against the wall and slide myself down to sit onto the bones below. I hide my face beneath my arms and stay in silence. “I’m certain if they are indeed here then they will find us eventually, just give it some time.”

“If it is just them, then I have no reason to leave this pit.” I mutter.

“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”

“I didn’t come here alone. . . My two friends were with me, and now who knows what they’ve done to them.”

“Now I assure you that Twilight would never harm another pony.”

“Not even if she blamed all of this on them including me.”

“Well. . . Dear me, I. . .”

“. . . What’s the worst that could happen?” The princess doesn’t respond, so irately I ask her once more. “Princess!”

“Banishment! . . . They will have been banished from Equestria, and the spell cannot be undone.”

“. . . What?”

“Once the spell is casted they can no longer return. I’m sorry but I have no control over what happens out there. . . It’s just like I had said: sometimes choices are made on their own, by fate.”

“Fate?”

“Yes, what is destined to happen will happen. There is nothing you or I could do to stop it. . . Now I must ask you a question . . . would you really stay here if your friends were no longer here?”

“What reason would I have to leave if they weren’t?”

“Let us say that what is happening right now really wasn’t. Just the world is out there for you to explore and enjoy.”

“How could I enjoy it without those who saved me from it?”

“You would rather rot down here then live out there?”

“Without my friends . . . yes, I would rather sit down here.” It may sound absurd, but without Trixie and Valiari my heart has no more reason to beat. Of course I question if I would really want myself to die and become a part of the collection of bones, but in reality that is all I felt before I met Trixie. I felt hollow and empty, but she filled me with emotions that I never thought possible. Valiari kept me from becoming completely helpless by guiding me through my struggles like a guardian angel.

“You could always make new friends.”

“No one could replace them. . . Never.”

“You continue to prove me wrong. To think that I accused you of being a threat. You do seem indeed connected with your friends in an inseparable manner. Although I should not have asked you if you would rather die than live. Your mind knows one thing but your heart another. Your words are full sincerity from your heart, and just being able to say that you would rather stay here shows me enough. Yet still I am befuddled. I thought that you were a creature unable to understand the meaning of kindness and friendship, but I was mistaken.”

“You and me both Princess!” Shouts a joyful voice from atop the pit hole. Jolting and gazing up I see one of the most relieving sights my eyes have ever gazed upon: Valiari with his cheery smile waving down at us. Out of sheer joy I shout out his name and painfully jump to my feet.

“Valiari! Hey where’s Trixie?!”

“She umm . . . well . . .”

“W-What? What happened?!”

“She. . . She didn’t make it.” Those words. Those were the last words I had expected to be put together. Can it really be true? She’s really gone? Why do I even bother to ask myself all these questions when I never can answer them? That is it then, she’s gone for good. Banished to who knows where— “Nah! I’m just messing with ya! She’s right here!” He shouts breaking into my thoughts.

“Ugh, I told him not to joke around like that! I’m right here Aireal! And I couldn’t be happier to see you again.” Seeing Trixie peer over the edge brings my heart back to a steady beat as I take in a calming breath. Valiari can’t hold back his chuckling, and I should feel angry at his cold joke, but I am just happy to see them both again; so much so that I myself feel the need to laugh. The heads of the other six ponies peer over as well gasping at the sight of the princesses.

“Princess Celestia! Princess Luna!” Twilight shouts.

“Do not worry Twilight. We are alright.”

“Heads up! We’re dropping a ladder!” Valiari shouts before tossing down a ladder composed of rope tied together in a ladder-like shape. The six ponies hurriedly climb down and attend the two princesses. Trixie disgusted by the piles of bones and Valiari acting like they don’t even exist follow the ponies down until meeting up with me. I can hear that Princess Celestia is explaining everything to the six ponies. She mentions the cult and what this cave used to be. I hope that if they’ll listen to anyone it might as well be their ruler. “I heard what you said. . . Did you really mean that?” Valiari asks.

“Of course, without you two I. . . I don’t know what I would do.”

“Aw c’mere!” Valiari throws his forelegs around me squeezing the air out of my lungs. My back is screaming in pain, but I choose to ignore it. Although I’m not very good at hiding it as I groan in agony.

“Oh sorry! I got a little emotional there.” He says quickly letting go of me.

“I-It’s okay. H-How did you two . . . ?” I ask still in shock.

“Oh well all it took was a little chat to get them to understand.”

“You held Twilight’s tiara over a hole and threatened to drop it if they wouldn’t comply.” Says Trixie laughingly.

“Now, now I can’t take all the credit. I never knew that you Trixie had such good aim! She knocked off that purple pony’s tiara with one shot.”

“So what did you do?” I ask.

“Well I told them about everything, and that we are innocent.”

“. . . And they believed you?”

“Of course not, so I told them that if they helped us find you then she would get her tiara back.”

“Ahem.” Twilight clears her throat and holding out her hoof to Valiari.

“Oh right, umm . . . Ah, here you are.” Valiari says while reaching into his pocket and handing back Twilight’s tiara.

“Thank you. Well, Princess Celestia tells me that you three really aren’t responsible for this after all.”

“It took you this long to figure that out Sparkle? Hah, I thought that there was a brain in that thick skull of yours.” Trixie comments.

“How was I supposed to know?! All the evidence pointed to you three!”

“Twilight.” Princess Celestia interrupts giving Twilight a stern stare. “. . . Wait, y-you there.” She says while turning her attention to Valiari puzzlingly.

“Umm yes princess?”

“You look familiar; I have seen you before. . . Yes you were . . . here.”

“Indeed I was, and if it wasn’t for you—”

“Then more lives could have been saved.”

“Well I was thinking that those that didn’t fall prey to the cult were saved.”

“But look at what I let happen to you. I can sense a foreign spell amongst you, and here you are trapped on this world.”

“Eh it’s not that bad once you get used to it. I don’t understand, what happened to you Princess? Back then you used to take charge whenever Equestria was threatened. Now, you’re beating yourself up for something that wasn’t your fault. Nopony here blames you for what happened that day am I right?” Every pony agrees with Valiari saying that none of this was at all her fault. Even I myself don’t feel that this all was because of her. After what Valiari told me it sounds to me that she did all that she could to save her subjects. Yet she has it drilled in her mind that she was the cause. “And take it from me; I do not blame you at all for what happened.”

“Thank you.” Princess Celestia finally gives in, and a smile starts about her face.

“Umm not to ruin the moment or anything but uhh . . . isn’t there a group of freaks that we need to stop?” The rainbow pony says.

“I’m afraid my sister and I won’t be much help in this condition. It will be up to all of you to defeat them.”

“Don’t worry your majesty; we will stay here to tend to your wounds. Which reminds me. . .” Twilight faces me with her horn glowing a deep orange, a cloud of sparkling orange mist drifts and soaks into my body. Instantly my aching bones have eased enough to where standing is no longer a painful chore. “Accept that as my apology to you.”

“Th-Thank you.” I say awkwardly. It feels strange being helped by the one that tried to attack me, but regardless I am still thankful.

“I hope that you three can forgive me for the misunderstanding.”

“I suppose so. . . Trixie?” Says Valiari turning his head to Trixie.

“. . . Oh very well, Trixie supposes she can forgive you; as long as my friend can forgive you as well.”

“I do.”

“Wonderful, now we must focus on the task at hoof. The clan, where could they have gone?” Princess Celestia asks us all.

“Right, Aireal, you were the one that last saw them. Where did they go?”

“They took the bag of stones, and they left.” I say troublingly.

“What?! Then time is short we must leave this place immediately!” Valiari’s cheerful tone has now significantly shifted to fearful and frantic.

“Not without a plan.” Says Twilight.

“Plan shman! We have no time for that!”

“The Princesses need our care we can’t just leave them here unattended!”

“If we don’t hurry back to the cave then our chances are squandered!”

“What cave?”

“I don’t have time to explain!”

“Then you three go on ahead. We will stay behind and help the Princesses until they are healed.”

“Twilight our magic is useless. What they’ve applied to our horns will not allow us to cast any spell.” Says the princess.

“. . . I-I saw shelves of books in a room back that way. Maybe one of them holds a remedy.” I suggest.

“Then we will search there. It should not take very long, so we will catch up with you after some time.”

“Works for me. Trixie, Aireal, let’s get going.” Valiari yanks the both of us to the ladder, and we hurriedly follow him up.

“Be careful you three!” Princess Celestia shouts to us before we frantically maneuver through the chambers. Sweat is trickling down my neck as I now come to the realization of how short on time we might be. I had almost completely forgotten. Aria could be in serious danger and I’ve slowed us down. But I do not have time to hound myself with guilt. For as Celestia said, it cannot be undone; and as Valiari said, why waste time worrying when I could maybe find a solution. If the robed ponies find her and her cave then. . . I do not even want to imagine what would happen next. I only hope that there still is time.