The Page of Pride

The pages of the Necronomicon

Paragraph six

Zombies in the Everfree.

“Wake up, Nemo,” Summer Song stated softly, the lights blinding me as they pierced my eyelids, “Twilight wants to see us.”

Had it not been for the last sentence, I would’ve used words that I doubt I was old enough to hear. For the first time in...well, ever I was getting some real sleep, not the uneasy better-sleep-with-one-eye-open-unless-I-want-a-zombie-to-eat-my-face sleep you pick up in the wastes. Grumbling, I tossed the blanket from the bed as I rubbed the sleep crud from my eyes.

“What does she want?” I mumbled as I got out of bed.

“I’m not sure,” Summer answered with a shrug, “but the mages have established a barrier around the settlement. I guess something’s about to happen.”

Ponies will die. Settlers or soldiers, it’s all the same.

I shook my head, trying to dismiss the voice in my head. After waking up as much as I was going to, I turned to Summer Song. “Okay, let’s go,” I stated, exiting the dragonfly with Summer right behind me.

I remembered hearing rumors about the Everfree Forest being one of the most hostile environment known to ponykind. Tales were woven about how it was a horrible place filled with monsters that could devour ponies whole. It was right then I learned the fine distinction between fiction and reality.

The climate was pleasant; it wasn’t too hot, too cold, too dry, nor too damp. However, what was truly surprising was the notable lack of things wanting to eat ponies. In fact, not only were there no monsters, there wasn’t even any traces that there had been any attacks. It wouldn’t have been too far a stretch to call the settlement a town.

I guess every place is considered an oasis compared to a zombie apocalypse.

Looking up at the sky, I noticed the force-field Summer had mentioned. I tilted my head in puzzlement at the lavender bubble enclosing the settlement. “Wouldn’t it be smarter to make the force field invisible?” I asked no one in particular.

“Why bother?” A voice asked, causing me to jump, “They already know where we are.” I turned around, finding Twilight standing behind us.

Summer Song bowed her head in greeting. “We’re at your service, milady.”

Twilight nodded. “I need the two of you ready for combat. We’re waiting on Crafted to return to plan our escape route.”

I cocked an eyebrow. “Where did Crafted go?”

“INCOMING!”

As the bubble shield burst magical shards everywhere, my question was answered. Crafted landed in the middle of the settlement forming a small crater in his wake, creating a massive cloud of dust. As the cloud cleared, Crafted was revealed to be standing atop a flying zombie, his shadowy wings extended above his head.

“WHY ARE YOU DEAD?!” Crafted shouted, punctuating each word with a punch to the deceased zombie’s face. Crafted gritted his teeth and glared daggers at the corpse. “EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU DIES AS SOON AS YOU TOUCH THE GROUND! WHY?!”

“I think he’s finally snapped for good,” Twilight said, giving a firm facehoof to herself.

A cruel scythe formed over his head, comprised of the same shadow-like substance his wings were. He grabbed the scythe with his hooves, preparing to bring it hurdling down upon the deceased corpse. “PERISH!”

Whatever he had been planning with the scythe was put to an abrupt halt as it was encased in a lavender magical aura.“Crafted Shadow!” Twilight stated firmly, “You will not use this victim for anger venting purposes! Is that clear?”

“Yes, mother!” Crafted spat.

Twilight’s eye twitched and she began to grind her teeth. She stomped forward, her eyes glaring as she was nose to nose with the undead stallion. “Now you listen here, you stupid corpse,” she said, practically growling her threat, “I have turned a blind eye to most of your behaviour because, in the end, they were justifie. But if you speak to me like that again, I will not hesitate to END you.”

Crafted’s face became completely void of emotion. For half a second, he seemed frightened. However, it passed as soon as it came, letting his gaze fall to his hooves like a foal after being scolded by his mother. “Fine,” he muttered, clearly not content with the situation.

Twilight huffed, releasing the scythe as it transmuted into shadowy fog and coalesced back into Crafted’s form. “Now, would you mind telling me what has you so hot and bothered?”

“They are everywhere,” he explained, massaging his temples as though he were assuaging a headache, “We’re blocked off from Ponyville, Manehattan; even the path over the rambling rock ridge is blocked. In short, we’re surrounded… but they just stand there! They don’t enter the forest! I’ve catapulted every sky-born zombie into the forest. By all rights, they should have survived the crash, but every time I checked, they were dead.”

Twilight sighed and patted Crafted’s back as though he were a slow child. “Remember what Zecora said: the trees don’t let the chaos spread. So it has to do something with the trees.”

“Impossible! Trees are just bundles of carbon fibres. There is no way that they could counter the entropy of the zombie lords…”  his voice trailed off as his eyes opened in realization. “ZECORA! Where is that zebra?” With that, Crafted spun around and heading towards Zecora’s hut as though she had stolen his cigarettes. As he stalked towards Zecora’s, Summer Song and I stared in shock.

Twilight shook her head in disappointment. “That impulsivity of his will kill him one day,” she said, gesturing to Zecora’s hut, “We need to look through the maps. Maybe we can find some way out of here.”

----[一]----

As we entered the hut, we saw Crafted glaring at the zebra with a twitch in his eye and his teeth gritted. Zecora was calmly changing Echo’s bandages, attempting to calm the pegasus with soothing tones.

“There there,” she said, patting Echo’s head, “There is no reason to fret.” At this she pointedly turned to face Crafted in the eyes. “The tree  will see to any undead threat.”

“AHA!” Crafted stated triumphantly, “SO THE FOREST DOESN’T DO ANYTHING ITSELF!” Zecora paid no mind to Crafted as she hummed a tune, calmly picking some herbs from a bundle and ground them in a mortar.

“This forest has many things that can heal and kill,” she stated, gesturing with a leaf and a root to emphasize her point, “but banishing evil it cannot fulfil.” She put both aside and returned to her mortar, adding a bit of yellow powder to the mix. Crafted sat down smugly, throwing another cigarette in his mouth.

“What do you mean the forest doesn’t do anything itself?” Twilight asked as she cocked an eyebrow.

Crafted lit the cigarette, taking a deep drag as he inhaled. “It means exactly what it means: There is nothing magical about this forest. No kind of magical shield protecting this village. Yet, the fact remains that when I made those flying creeps touch the ground, they all died on impact and the fact that no other zombies have tried to approach the forest aside from encircling it,” with this he paused a moment as if deep in thought. “Also, I’m getting the feeling that something here wants to kill me, present company excluded. I mean this forest is just a bunch of wood-” With this statement, his eyes flew open as he jumped forward, approaching Zecora with his cigarette butt hanging in his mouth “-Unless there’s something else keeping the order around here! I’m right, aren’t I?”

“Right you are, my undead… fellow,” Zecora stated, looking directly into Crafted eyes with something similar to genuine curiosity rather than worried mistrust,” Yet I sense that your voice is rather hollow.”

Crafted’s mood fell again as he sat down, crushing the spent cigarette under his hoof. “Now that means that there is something in this forest that we have to protect at all costs. Problem is, we don’t know what that is.”

“The tree…” Twilight murmured, her eyes flying wide, “You mean the Tree of Harmony?”

Crafted’s eyes shot open as he turned his gaze to Twilight. Before anything further could develop, a piercing scream outside shouted: “ZOMBIES!!”

As I was trying to process everything that was going on, everyone dashed outside as I brought up the rear.

----[一]----

As we arrived at the ring of trees, ponies were fleeing from a grey coated zombie wielding a cello. One of the ponies tripped as the zombie approached, looking up as the undead being raised the cello preparing to strike. Shadows darted forward, blocking the cello as it came down. As the zombie’s look shifted to one of puzzlement, Crafted darted forward and kicked said zombie in the face. Crafted then turned to the stumbled pony and uttered one word: “Run.”

The pony, needing no further prompting, ran for the dragonflies like her tail was on fire.

Turning back to the battle, Crafted saw two swordponies charging towards the zombified mare with swords drawn. “NO, YOU FOOLS!” Crafted shouted, “GET BACK!!”

The warning came late as the zombie surged forward with surprising speed. Two bows appeared in her hooves as she stabbed the approaching warriors, piercing through their armor.

“Brave,” Crafted muttered, “Stupid, but brave.”

As the field was becoming clearer, Twilight, Summer, and I noticed the numerous dead soldiers on the field in various states of disfigurement. Thick pools were forming around them as their blood seeped from their bodies. In spite of this, several more charged forward with weapons at the ready.

That was until a wall of shadows blocked their advance. “Get lost, boys,” Crafted stated, almost growling, “She’s mine!”

Twilight turned to face the settlement. “EVACUATE EVERYPONY FROM THE SETTLEMENT! I WANT THE DRAGONFLIES READY TO FLY ASAP!” Everypony present saluted crisply and set about their tasks.

“Nemo,” she said pointing to me, “assist the soldiers. Summer, see that he doesn’t die.”

“What are you going to do, milady?” Summer asked as Twilight bolted into the forest.

“Save this forest!” she shouted, her voice fading slightly.

“I’m afraid that I can’t allow that,” the zombie stated, attempting to charge forward only to get her head smashed into the ground.

“We aren’t done yet,” Crafted stated, smirking slightly.

----[一]----

Vinyl approached the cave where the Tree of Harmony stood, the headache she had becoming more unbearable with each step. As she entered the cave, the shining of the Tree filled the entrance. As she caught sight of the Tree and the jewel filled branches, she looked upon it with a combination of awe and disgust.

The most painful part about being a general was being aware of what she was going to do, but was unable to stop herself. What she was about to do was the most blasphemous thing a pony could do, one so vile that even a mare as rebellious as she felt stained at doing it. As she reached for her weapon, she gave a small bow. “Please forgive me,” she whispered, unable to do much else, “I am not choosing to do this.”

She removed the scroll, humming a peculiar tune. As the scroll was unfurled, a vial of purple liquid emerged from the cryptic symbols upon it. She unplugged the cork, levitating the vial to the roots of the tree. She hesitated for a moment, but the roar in the back of her mind reminded her of her task and so she emptied the contents of the vial on the roots. The liquid saturated the ground, quickly getting absorbed by the roots. Slowly but surely, the tree turned a sickly shade of purple and the brightness of the branches slowly dimmed, slowly plunging the cave in darkness.

As Vinyl’s headache lessened, she knew that the liquid was doing its job. Vinyl sighed wearily and lied down, waiting for further orders.

----[一]----

Crafted eyes widened slightly as he felt the draining energy that had been almost oppressing begin to weaken. Octavia feeling the same sensation backed away a few paces.

“Oh, Crafted,” she said, pulling her cello out once more, “Lucifer will be pleased to hear that you’re also here. He’s still angry about that army that he gave you.”

Crafted groaned as he turned towards the mare. “Oh, he can suck my—”

He got cut of as Octavia darted forward, her cello crushing into his stomach. “Tsk, tsk, tsk,” she replied, shaking her head as she grinned victoriously, “Such language.”

Octavia’s grin quickly vanished as shadows engulfed her, lifting her into the air and slamming her into the ground once more. As the shadows rescinded, Octavia faced Crafted cloaked in shadows and wielding a giant scythe.

“Something you should know about me,” he said, walking towards her, “I don’t like getting interrupted.”

Octavia jumped up and formed another cello and bow in her hooves. She laid the bow on the strings threateningly. “Not a step closer!”

“Sure, he stated obligingly, swinging his scythe. A black wave surged forward, slicing through the strings of the cello.

----[一]----

On the edge of the forest, the zombies were growing impatient, their groans and screeches became louder and viler as time passed. Some of the super zombies felt the force that had kept them out of the forest becoming weaker and began to advance into the forest, crushing some of their own kind as they surged forward.

----[一]----

As Twilight entered the cave she saw that she was too late. The normally bright tree was now fading like a candle in the wind.

“I’m sorry…”

She saw a shadow lying in the middle of the cave. “Who are you?”

“Vinyl Scratch, your Highness…”

Twilight inwardly cringed at the title. Before she could tell Vinyl not to call her that anymore, she heard her cursing.

“Oh buck off, master,” she said vehemently, “I’ve done as you told me! Now let me address my former princess as I want!”

“Excuse me?” Twilight walked closer to look at the mare she was talking to, only to get startled as she stood up.

“Fine, I’ll fight her,” she said, pausing as though someone were answering, though no one else was present, “Yes I know that the poison is still reversible! - Ok, maybe I shouldn’t have said that out loud, but I can’t think with you yelling at me like that! - Who cares? - She would have to make me hum that bucking tune again! - Like you would let me do that! - Oh, she is a necromancer. - I’m sorry, ok?!”

“V-Vinyl, are you ok?”

Vinyl stepped into the light, revealing her rotten body. “I’m just fine…”

----[一]----

“Y-You cut my strings!” Octavia shrieked, disbelief in her voice.

“Oh please, you didn’t really think that I would believe that instrument was just good for bashing pony-brains, did you?” Crafted asked with a grin, charging forwards.

One kick sent the bow flying in one direction and a second one crushed the cello. Shadows oozed from Crafted’s body, engulfing Octavia. The shadows whipped her around and sent her flying into the nearest tree.

As Octavia recovered from the crash, she grit her teeth and narrowed her eyes at Crafted. Rising to her haunches, she retrieved a violin along with a new bow and placed it upon the strings. Before Crafted could react, she began to play, sending a shockwave towards Crafted. The force of the blast sent the shadow coated zombie flying into a makeshift shelters of the settlement, causing it to collapse under its own weight. Octavia sighed in relief, walking towards the centre of the settlement where she would finish her assignment. Or would have if a shadow hadn’t grabbed her leg and pulled her towards the debris where her buried foe laid.

“Are you for real?!” Shadows oozed once again from Crafted asked, shadows oozing from his body as his voice became distorted, “You seem to forget who I am! I am the one who destroyed Lucifer’s third division, I am the one who knows how to get to the Akashic records, and I am the Wielder of Shadows!”

As he spoke, the shadows were morphing behind Crafted’s body, starting to form a body. A horned head was formed and from the mass that was the body sprouted the wings of a bat. Arms of minotaurian might gripped a mighty scythe. All in all, the sight was unlike anything Octavia had ever seen.

She had been so shocked that she didn’t even see the shadow’s fist until it collided with her. When she landed, she looked up and jumped left to avoid the impaling scythe as it sliced through where she had been laying. Summoning a new cello, she played another series of shockwaves sending them towards Crafted.

Crafted vanished in a flash of darkness, appearing behind Octavia. With a quick movement, the shadow grasped her and tore off a foreleg, preventing her playing another note. He then smashed into the ground for good measure. She groaned in response, her remaining limbs feeling like leadened weights.

“I’m sorry,” he said, causing Octavia to look up at his somber expression, the shadows beginning to dissipate, “You’re just a victim. I should’ve gone easier.”

Hearing that, Octavia’s eyes did something they had been unable to for a long time: they watered up. “...Make them pay,” she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Crafted looked at her, quirking an eyebrow.

“They took everything from me,” she said, the tears flowing more easily, “I know I’m not the only one they’ve done this to, but for some reason they decided to make me participate in this. I have done terrible things. I have seen ponies cling to their last breath only to die in the end. I’ve seen the eyes ponies in complete terror. If I didn’t obey, they wouldn’t just let me die. But that wasn’t the worst of it-” her voice began to quaver “-they broke my best friend and made me watch.”

“Our lord will fall,” Crafted said, his tone quiet as his eyes lit in determination, “and the rest will fail as miserably as he did. I am giving you an opportunity: I can let you die here and give you your final peace or you can join me and take revenge yourself.” The shadows shifted once more, letting Octavia stand on her three remaining legs.

Octavia smiled sadly, her fur still dampened where her tear fell. “I’m afraid that I’m not going to be much of a help anymore,” she said, gesturing to the gory mess where her leg used to be. It was then she noticed something, or rather the lack of something that caught her attention. “It’s quiet,” she said, noticing the oddity.

“I cut Lucifer’s connection, but once his influence is gone, you won’t be able to sustain yourself anymore,” he said, walking forward looking deep into her eyes, “So, it’s decision time: Are you joining me or not?”

After a moments thought, she had her answer. “I-Take me with you.”

Crafted smiled. “Then let’s seal this with a kiss.”

“Wha—” Octavia replied before Crafted pressed his muzzle onto hers. As the kiss connected, Octavia felt the death energy flow from her body into Crafted’s. As the kiss ended, Octavia’s body collapsed with a thump.

Crafted lit a cigarette, taking a deep drag from it. “Finally a moment to think.”

At that moment, as though the universe decided to mock him, a screech echoed through the forest.

“Never mind...”

----[一]----

Twilight looked at Vinyl’s rotten body, her face becoming neutral. “You’re a zombie.”

Vinyl snorted. “You really should have become the princess of the obvious.”

Twilight frowned at the statement causing Vinyl to cringe. “I’m sorry, your Highness, he made me say that.”

Twilight turned her gaze from Vinyl to the sickly glow of the Tree of Harmony. “What did you do to it?”

“Poisoned it,” she answered, “and the only way to get the antivenom is to make me give it to you.”

Twilight’s horn stood ablaze as she began to cast a spell. “I take that there is no way around it, am I right.”

“Afraid so,” Vinyl replied, tapping a hoof to the ground and causing large loudspeaker to rise from the ground. She hefted it to her shoulder, the cone facing towards Twilight as she said three simple words: “Drop that bass!”

A shock wave crashed into Twilight, causing her to slam into the nearest wall. Dust clouded the air as rocks fell from the roof of the cave.

“You are aware I was resting?” an unknown voice said, haughtiness clearly defined in her voice.

“I am very sorry to disturb you, but I had no other choice,” Twilight’s voice answered, echoing through the cloud of the dust.

“While I am aware that you are close to nothing without me, however I had thought the whole ‘necromancy’ thing going on, did you not?” The dust began clearing revealing two shadows in the cloud.

“We don’t have time for this,” Twilight said exasperatedly, “The last thing that could save Equestria is in danger and we have to save it. Please?!”

“Very well,” the haughty voice replied in a pouty tone, “Being dead is not nearly as exciting as saving Equestria. I shall help you.”

“Thank you.”

As the dust settled, an azure coated unicorn mare wearing a star covered sorcerer’s hat and cape leaped forward, rearing upon her hind hooves. Her pitch black eyes with violet irises bored holes into Vinyl.

“BEHOLD! THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRRRRRRIXIEEEEE IS HERE TO END YOU!”

“Hey!” Vinyl shouted indignantly, lowering her bass cannon, “Two against one ain’t fair!”

She quickly regretted that move as Trixie shot a spell at her that sent her flying into the ground. “And an army against a small defenseless settlement is fair play?” she asked, huffing a bit.

“Point taken,” Vinyl admitted begrudgingly, her horn alighting as she tossed Trixie off to the side. Smiling a bit at the petty payback, as she lifted her bass cannon and looked about for her lavender foe. However, she found her as several magical darts sailed towards her, dispersing them with a blast of bass.

“Damn, you almost had me there.”

“I’d say the decoy maneuver had served its purpose then,” Twilight said with a smile.

“Deco— Oh shoot…” she uttered, seeing Trixie as she was forming a giant fireball.

Trixie unleashed the inferno, which Vinyl had attempted to shatter with a sound blast. All it managed to do was spread it further, landing on .

“I hope she doesn’t burn too much, she could prove to be useful.” Trixie said with a smug smile. Seeing the forlorn expression on Twilight’s face though, she rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on Starbutt, it’s not as though the spell could kill her.”

“She’s innocent, Trixie,” Twilight said simply, the weight of the words hitting Trixie like a sledgehammer.

“Oh… I see.”

As the fire began to fade, a verbal firework of swears was audible from the charred stone. “OH, BUCK THE HELL OFF!!”

Twilight and Trixie shared a confused look as the now charred remains of Vinyl, her coat burned away along with several layers of flesh, making her seem more like a skeleton than a zombie.

“OF EVERYTHING YOU PUT ME THROUGH, THIS IS THE WORST!! - WHY DO WE EVEN HAVE THE ABILITY TO FEEL PAIN?!- MAYBE YOU SHOULD GET BURNED TO THE BONE!! - OR WHAT?! - YOU CAN’T HURT ME ANYMORE, THIS IS THE UNIVERSAL LIMIT!! - BY CELESTIA, I DIDN’T EVEN THINK THAT FEELING THIS MUCH PAIN WAS EVEN POSSIBLE!!”

“You spellbind her, I’ll silence him.”

Trixie nodded and began casting her spell. Vinyl was engulfed in a set of magical strings, making her unable to move. Twilight began murmuring some words in a forgotten language creating a cloud that sealed the cave off from the rest of the world.

“OH LOOK, NOW YOU ARE QUIET!! THIS IS THE FIRST BUCKING TIME IN, LIKE, FOREVER THAT YOU’VE SHUT THAT BIG MOUTH OF YOURS!!”

“He can’t hear you,” Twilight explained calmly.

“Huh?” Vinyl asked dumbly, her anger having cooled down a bit. She soon felt the cool soothing sensation of an anaesthetic spell that Trixie had cast. She looked at Twilight and bowed.

“Your Highness, I’m sorry! I’m so so sorry! Please, have mercy…” Vinyl’s voice began cracking, as she laid on the ground and began sobbing. She was genuinely shocked when she felt Twilight patting her back, the hoof gentle upon her burned flesh.

“Don’t apologise,” she said calmly, “and don’t call me ‘Princess’.”

“B-But, your Highness...”

“I would love to explain why to you,” she interrupted, looking at the dying tree, “but we really need that antivenom you were talking about.”

Vinyl’s mouth opened and closed a few time, her voice coming out in stammerings. “I-I—”

“Please, Vinyl, every second is precious.”

“I don’t know how!” Vinyl admitted, her voice crying in despair.

A chill ran down Twilight’s spine. “Y-You don’t know?” she asked quietly.

Vinyl cowered to the ground, covering her face as she waited for the rage of her former ruler. “What do you mean, ‘I don’t know’?”

“W-when you cut me off from Lucifer, you also cut me off from the Akashic records,” Vinyl explained, her voice tumbling over itself a few times, “Without that, I don’t know the tune…”

Twilight fell defeatedly to the floor, despair clutching at her heart. She looked helplessly at the Tree, the poison slowly making its way to the gems that were once worn by her friends.

“I’m sorry,” Vinyl said quietly, “Please, just make it end. Make the pain stop.”

“What in Equestria happened to you?” Trixie asked, her voice barely above that of a whisper.

“Hell,” she said simply, her eyes saying more than she ever could, “Every day. The smallest form of misbehaviour was punished by excruciating pain… Just pain…” She grabbed her head, attempting to squeeze the memories out as she squeezed her eyes shut.  “Please, I just can’t take it anymore,” she whispered pityingly.

Vinyl almost panicked as she felt Twilight throw her hooves around her. When nothing more happened, she realized that she was getting something she hadn’t received in a long time: a warm embrace. Twilight moved her hoof to what remained of Vinyl’s mane, slowly stroking it as she shushed the deceased pony to a sense of calm.

“Nopony’s going to hurt you anymore,” Twilight said reassuringly.

“Please, let me die,” Vinyl pleaded, still in Twilight’s embrace, “I just want to cease to exist.”

Twilight frowned as she faced the zombie. “No.”

Vinyl bowed and started to beg. “Please, have mercy and end me!”

Twilight looked at the tree. “How long do we have?”

Vinyl sighed. “Maybe an hour, if we’re lucky.”

Twilight nodded. “Then we have to make the best out of the time we have.” She looked back to Vinyl. “Get on your hooves!”

Vinyl did as she was told, shaking slightly as she tried to keep her composure.

“You will get your deserved rest,” Twilight promised, “but not now.”

“B-But—”

“No ‘buts,’” Twilight said with finality, “We are at war and every soldier is valuable.”

“I’m not—”

“Do you know the zombie who is rampaging in the settlement?”

“Octy?” Vinyl said uncertainly.

“Do you really want to leave her alone?”

Vinyl was quiet for a while. “She—”

“Is probably defeated and recruited by now, knowing who beat her.”

Vinyl was quiet for a while before looking up again. “No… more pain?”

Twilight smiled the warmest smile she could conjure. “I promise.”

Vinyl shifted about uncomfortably for a second. “C… Could you please not tell her that I cried?”

Twilight chuckled a bit. “Sure.”

Vinyl took a deep breath and bowed a final time. “Your Highness, it would be an honour to fight along your side.”

Twilight sighed at the word ‘highness’ but let it slide. “Then rise.”

Vinyl did as she was told. “So… what happens now? Will I still hear him?”

“After we seal the contract, no.”

“And how do we seal it?” Vinyl asked confusedly.

“With a kiss.”

Vinyl would have blushed, if she still had blood… or cheeks to blush on. She didn’t get the chance as Twilight pressed her muzzle on Vinyl’s, their lips touching lightly. Vinyl’s body became heavy and finally fell to the floor.

A suggestive whistle was audible from Trixie who was chuckling at the scene.

“That is tradition.” Twilight said, resisting the urge to facehoof.

“Sure,” Trixie said knowingly, “I still remember my first kiss from you.”

Twilight blushed. “Oh, shut up! And… thank you.”

Trixie smiled gently. “No problem, but I’m getting a little tired…”

Twilight’s horn lit as Trixie slowly sank into the ground. “Have a deserved rest, and may I never have to call you again.”

“Oh, but I wouldn’t mind getting called again,” Trixie said suggestively with a wink, causing Twilight’s blush to blossom again.

“Till next time, Starbutt!” she called in farewell, sinking back into the soil. As Trixie’s presence vanished, the cloud in the cave lifted.

Twilight took a deep breath. “Finally, some time to think!”

A screech echoed through the forest.

Twilight sighed. “Never mind.”

Twilight took a deep breath. “Finally some time to think…”

A screech echoed through the forest.

Twilight sighed. “Never mind.”