War of Harmony IV, a Novelization.

Trixie couldn’t move, she couldn’t. If she did, she might cut that neck of hers. And, of course, Trixie did enjoy living and would rather that not happen. And, as she stared into the hardened eyes of Rarity, Trixie wondered what she did to deserve this. Well, it was quite obvious to Trixie why, but this in particular seemed to be a little too much. The nervous sweat beading down her cheek and the small sword at her throat seemed to have reassessed Trixie’s original…shall we say, thoughts, about Rarity. The mare’s haggard appearance before never seemed to quite reach its ultimate conclusion until now. Trixie had never taken her as one to kill in cold blood, but it seems like she just might be made an exception o-

“But I’d rather not stain my coat with your blood today, darling.” Marshall Edge was withdrawn and Trixie’s gasp in relief signalled her fall to the ground. Rarity fixed her own mane with a single hoof then offered her hoof to Trixie. The former stage magician took the hoof shakily and was helped back up. Pinkie, on the sidelines, could only exhale a very big sigh of relief. Yet, even with it all being over, Trixie couldn’t take her eyes off of Rarity. To be held at the very edge of death, a death that she almost felt like she deserved, Rarity didn’t kill her. Yes, the mare had been treating her horribly, but Trixie almost felt gratified and humbled by the display. It was that same braggitudeness that she had displayed all those years ago that got her into so much trouble. It had reared its head again, and she almost got her throat slit over it.

“Rarity, a moment please.” Pinkie took Rarity by the shoulder and walked off with her to their lonesome. Trixie, left alone, had to reorganize her thoughts bit by bit. Rarity had clearly been through much, that goes without saying...but something specific had happened to her here. Trixie could tell. There were many stutters and questions in conversation that she always hastily covered. To Pinkie, perhaps, it was not so visible in that this was her friend. Trixie, however, had come from Canterlot, and Trixie believed firmly that a Canterlot mare could always smell a liar.

“I know you have your reasons for being mean to Trixie, but this is getting out of hoof, Rarity,” Pinkie said immediately in a harsh whisper as they were off to the corner of the room. I, of course, was not surprised by her immediate outcry at the situation.

“I just can’t stand being around her.” Pinkie looked up and down, around, did a 360 search, scanned me with a sca-

“Pinkie, please, what even is that contraption?” My words recalled the scanner hastily, and a smile was put on Pinkie’s face instead.

“Don’t worry about it! So, Rarity, any questions or stuff? Because it’s clear you’re not getting over Trixie for a bit.” The sweet smile carried subtle undertones of a mare getting tired with my attitude. Still, quite not there yet, I was ready to ask Pinkie her fair share about the going ons of this room.

“How did you figure out this teleporter needed two to operate?” The inquisitive gaze Pinkie received made her quite pleased.

“I was assuming that it needed two since there are two carvings on the wall.” A curt frown was due in response to that, by me, and Pinkie seemed nonplussed as I began.

“That is not reassuring… Not in the least.” Pinkie’s nonplussed state of being turned sprinkly happy shining quickly.

“I’m telling you that I’m right and not to worry about it.” Rather forward of the mare, but that was to be expected given how things were playing out.

“Well, I don’t plan on stopping here, even if there are some questionable assumptions being made.” My gaze lingered on Pinkie doubtfully for a bit, and then returned to normal.

The entire mural that Pinkie and Trixie had uncovered had four stars of varying size. Varying amounts of swirls and brushed bits made a nice looking vortex with three stars intermixed. I was instructed to stand on the largest star, and upon doing so… the stars on the mural lit up, glowing the colors of our respective coats. Pinkie mentioned something about a lift off before my consciousness left my body.

“Rarity?” I heard Pinkie calling my name questioningly and I shook my head, eyes blinking rapidly.

“Yes?” I asked quite stone faced, wondering what she had to ask.

“How did we get into sand?” Looking around, there DID appear to be a large amount of sand… and dust, eugh.

“And did you notice the spider webs?” It was like she was trying to tick me off with my cleanliness habits being disrupted in every way.

“How many floors are there in the archive?” Pinkie’s motor was running at a rapid rate, and now she was off asking questions I couldn’t possibly know the answers to.

“Pinkie…” I attempted to bring her back to the matter at hand with a frown and a negative tone.

“Can’t we just ask somepony where the offering we’re looking for is?” That rose questioning looks from me and Trixie.

“What does the offering even look like?”

“Do you see the faint glow of stars above us?”

“Pinkie…”

“Do you have any idea how hard it is to get sand out of your coat?”

“Actually, yes.”

“Are these spiders poisonous?”

“Since this is sand and old architecture does that mean we aren’t in Equestria anymore?”

“Pinkie?”

“Yeah?!”

“...”

“Oh.” Pinkie stopped her rambling and zipped her mouth close with nary a word.

That was all there was to that, and we actually took a look around at the room rather than questioning it. It felt… ethereal, the room... stars in blues and oranges dotted my vision as we looked throughout the room. Behind us hung a tapestry, corroded to tartarus with a blue portal. Poking the portal provoked no reaction, and we continued forward to the end of the room. Strangely, at the end of the room stood a blue swirly vortex thingy... a galaxy? A few discarded scrolls to the side and ruined goblets were strewn nearby it. The scrolls themselves contained words that, at the time, I could not understand. The translations, however, stood as follows.

война нелэбежна

War is Inevitable

Necessum est bellum

A war is inevitable

There was little to be said about such dusty and sandy scrolls, however. Yet at the time, and as of now, I can only think of it as a warning to Equestria’s inevitable conflicts with its neighbors. That was neither here nor the time, though, and our group of three approached the main eye catcher of the room.

“The KNOWN universe!” Trixie exclaimed behind me, and I was at a loss. Planets, stars, asteroids, meteors, the amount of everything was just insane!

“This is a star chart. Starswirl was the only one to actually see and log everything!” It was a lot to wrap my head around, that was for sure…

“I want to touch it…” Then Trixie’s next statement made me facehoof. Pinkie must’ve been rubbing off on her as the mare in question was bouncing and nodding eagerly for Trixie to do so. I, of course, was having none of that and grabbed the offending hoof before it somehow got us into trouble. But it was for naught

Who dares disturb this chamber.

The Star Chart lit up as words bellowed from all around us. Trixie was no help in preparing to talk to it, looking skittish as all could be. Despite all her interest before, she remained silent, and I gave her a quick reprimand.

“You may be able to sense magic better than I, but you definitely cannot sense when something is dangerous.” My voice was rather cheerful as I said these words, but my expression turned rather flat at her, and she stepped back, thoroughly cowed. The Star Chart grew rather disinterested in our shenanigans, however.

Speak, Interlopers.

“We are…-”

“Archeologists.” I was quick to answer for Trixie. This was no doubt a guardian for our artifact, so we were best to portray ourselves as something peaceful.

“And we have stumbled upon this find of the century.” The galaxy seemed to process the words given to it, and there was a thick apprehension amongst us.

Knowledge seekers.

I will permit you to roam this archive.
And soak up the knowledge found within.

But you are FORBIDDEN to take archive property with you.

All items to be re-shelved must be placed at this location to await an attendant for pickup.

Failure to comply will result in termination of Archive SStB site Equine.

“Site Equine?” The curiosity was quite peaked by this point and I further asked.

“What are you?” There was no hesitation to my words, and the being that stood infront of us responded in kind.

I am the preservation of the entity that is known to you as Star-Swirl the Bearded.

“Known to us?” Trixie and I asked curiously aloud, we shared a brief look before the universe model continued.

Your species “Sapien Equus”
The talking and thinking equine.

“But Starswirl was a unicorn… everyone knows that.” Trixie shook her head and looked like she was forced to swallow a bad pill. It would serve us no importance to wonder when answers lied in front of us, and I asked further.

“What was Star-Swirl the Bearded?” The being in front of us lit up bits and bobs before it responded.

A species of bipedal humanoid.

Classification: “Homo Sapien”

Name designation: Merlin

Age: Unknown

“Merlin?” Trixie gasped aloud, as if this name was of some great declaration of something amazing. Pinkie and I, however, were less enthused by the answers we were given. Before further questions could be asked, however, the spectral being continued.

Enough information has been gathered to verify you and your entourage as “knowledge seeker”.
The blue portal will lead you to various locations in the installation.

Program complete.

*SStB Entity enters hibernation mode.*

“No!!” But, the unknown entity in front of us had already dimmed and was giving no further response.

“I have questions…” She put her hoof through the projection and looked down, dejected.

“So many… questions.” For a brief moment, Trixie seemed to remind me of Twilight Sparkle with her… shall I say words, or curious state of mind at the moment, but the thought was quick to leave me. Pinkie took her shoulder and smiled while I offered some encouragement.

“Come on, Trixie. There’s an entire archive to explore.” The upset mare nodded and swallowed before we turned back to the blue portal. It seemed that this was not the portal we arrived in, but, in fact, was an entrance to an archive by Star Swirl the Bearded! There didn’t seem to be a way back from where we were, so it was time to be on our way. Our group marched through the portal. That same feeling of consciousness leaving me took ahold, and there was no feeling.