The First Law of Magic

Chapters

Battered
And Broken
But Not Defeated
Insight
Sustenance
A New Home
Suffering in Silence
A Dawning Revelation
Moving On
Friendship is
Magic
The Castle
A Spooky Interlude
The Library
Dreams, and Memories
Level Nine
Traps and Curses
The Library
Vows
Clarity Through Agony
The Watcher
What Drives Us
Death And Rebirth
An Apple's Anguish
A Family Reborn
A Romantic Interlude
The Regrets Of A Bat and A Rabbit
From The Ashes
An Overdue End, and a Compassionate Rebirth
Rise and Fall
Adversity
Guided by Faith
Halloween 2020 Crossover Special
The Brink
The Struggle
Return to Castle Everfree
The Stranger
Time
An Adventurous Interlude
Déjà Vu
Conspiracy
Life
Unlife
Fires
Unbound
Playing Catch Up
A Mundane Interlude
Dead Dreams
Awaken Unto Darkness
Slumber In Stone
The Assassin's Eye
The Seamstress and The Illusionist
Purge
Stealing Hope
Facing Demons
The Conquest Of Self
Scars Of Our Past
The Calm Before
The Opening Salvo Is Fired
The First Exchange Is Had
The Final Blow Is Struck
A Somber Interlude
Celebration
Annihilation
An Unfortunate Birth and a Fortunate Death
More Questions Than Answers
A Spider's Grief
A Quiet Interlude
Return To Castle Canterlot
The Battlements Rise

Battered

The sound of water was all around Twilight, and it was deafening in its power; so loud was the crash that even the sound of her own screams was drowned out completely. Every time she tried to move closer to either bank of the river, another pull of the current would carry her back to the middle.

She charged her horn for a quick teleport only for the current to slam her around, foiling any attempt at instantaneous magic. Gritting her teeth, Twilight grabbed herself in her magic and used a lightning fast telekinesis spell to lift herself out of the water, only for an errant rock to slam into her mid section and send her spinning, knocking her magic out. Even the so-called Instant spells took too long, and gaining even a single ounce of concentration while being buffeted by the current was beyond anypony’s ability. Even minor attempts at levitation were impossible.

But she couldn't give up. Her family needed her, her father needed her, her brother needed her and her mother…

A rock that protruded out of the tumultuous waters connected solidly with the unicorn’s side, sending her spinning in agony.

Her head dipped below the water and all sense of direction was lost as her vision was bathed in blue.

In those chaotic moments of blue, there was nothing. Her limbs refused her desperate calls to move. She could hear the distant sound of churning water, she could see nothing but blue, and if it wasn't for the intense pain that assaulted her body, she would have felt nothing.

Though she could not move, could not feel, and did not know even what direction was up, she fought on, fighting tooth and nail with a body that refused to answer her call.

A life of solitude and isolation had left her body weak, and what little muscles she had were left small and underdeveloped. Slowly they answered her call, and began to push her towards what she assumed was the surface. Her greatest strength, her magic, was useless now, yet still she fought on, the steady brightening of the moon’s light telling her she had chosen the correct direction. The memory of the last moments she shared with her mother fresh in her mind gave her enough strength to push to the surface.

Twilight Sparkle had never had anything to live for save for her books and her family, but she had never needed anything else. Now she had something more to live for, something deeper, something that would give her the power she needed to survive.

Vengeance.

White hot determination pulsed through her body, and with fire in her blood and hate in her heart, she surged out of the water, barely escaping the icy clutches of the rapids all around her.

With a lurch, the unicorn suddenly scrambled her hooves over the side of the river she had believed was there, only to realize she was no longer anywhere near the river. Her frantic hooves stopped grabbing at nothing and curiosity overwhelmed panic; wasn't she just in the river? But it was dry and… A thought occurred to her.

Where was she?

She was lying on her side, which explained why she every attempt to reach the imaginary riverbank were unsuccessful. Wherever she was, it wasn't somewhere comfortable. The ground closest to her was a verdant green, covered in moss and and leaves which had fallen from the trees she saw rise above her.

That was odd.

Twilight gently placed a hoof against the moss and pressed; the spongy green plant squished slightly under her hoof and made a squelching sound as liquid was forced out of it.

Very odd.

She craned her neck around as much as her strange position allowed and noted she was currently wedged under a fallen log. She slipped out of the impromptu bed with a little wiggling and slowly put her hooves under her.

Was that all a dream? She thought to herself, unaware of destiny’s cruel hand guiding her further into the twisted forest.

Though she initially wanted to take off at a sprint towards where she believed the river was, a lifetime of falling over her own hooves had taught her to not take things too quickly... Only to be surprised when the intense clumsiness that had plagued her for as long as she could remember was hardly there. Sure she was still a little awkward on her hooves, but it had only been moments after she had woken from… whatever strange dream or memory that had been.

Now with her hooves under her, she took stock of her surroundings, noticing the distinct lack of grand spires trimmed in gold or any real mark of civilization. All around her spread a verdant forest, dense with foliage, and relatively dark. She was clearly not in Canterlot anymore.

She cast her gaze upwards, flicking a wet, muddy clump of hair out from in front of her eyes. She sighed; that was going to be a mess to clean up later... but survival first, worries about her mane later. Trees the size of which would have rivaled some of the tallest spires of Canterlot surrounded and captivated her.

Her mouth dropped in stunned admiration; she remembered from Green Hoof’s General guide to plant biology that trees this tall were common in some of the forests near Canterlot.

Despite the fact that she knew the size of the trees before and had read apt comparisons, there was something about actually seeing them in real life that made her experience a sense of wonder and awe that a simple illustration could never accomplish.

She continued to gape at her surroundings as she took it all in. Trees of various heights were interspersed all around her, while a dense undergrowth made it impossible to see for more than a few meters.

That was strange, to say the least. Though Twilight had never been terribly interested in ecology, dendrology, or anything like that, she did know the fundamental basics that governed plant and forest life. Or, at least, governed plant life save for this forest.

The taller trees she saw above her should have dominated the ecosystem and rendered smaller trees all but extinct, or at least much more scarce than they were now. She scrunched up her muzzle at the thought, that wasn't universally true, but something about these trees and the places they grew on seemed off to her. The size of the smaller trees, the fact that they didn't seem specialized for low light beneath the canopy... it all added up to the conclusion that something was different about this place, something that put it apart from the forests Twilight had studied before. Even the shorter, thicker trees seemed nearly as abundant as the titanic trees that grew hundreds of feet above their cousins and grew great canopies that should have starved the smaller trees of light.

Twilight shook her head. Even the brief glance that she had taken told her that this was a chaotic place where wild magic roamed freely. Thinking too hard about it would only be a lesson in futility.

Forcing her eyes away from the bizarre foliage, Twilight took stock of the next thing on her list; herself.

She looked down at her forelegs, noting the slightly damp and thoroughly mud-encrusted fur that clung to her body. She frowned at that and tried to shake off the mud, only for her frown to deepen when the mud refused to be moved, indicating it was at least partially hardened around her fur. She could tear it off, but the fact that it might end up removing a patch of hair made her stop and rethink that.

She had never been obsessed by cleanliness by any stretch of the imagination, but spending almost all her time indoors meant her didn't have much experience to draw on in this situation. Huffing in annoyance, Twilight resigned herself to misery until such a time she could find another body of water and wash away the mud and dirt without potentially tearing out chunks of her fur.

However, she would make sure that the next body of water she found would be calm and unmoving, or rather, a bath. Yes, that sounded much better than chancing it in a river.

Moving on, she decided to stretch her long, lanky limbs one by one, testing for any damage or anything out of place. There was a stiffness in them that was obvious, but she felt no pain coming from her muddy limbs. That held true until she tested her back right leg and felt a strange pinching sensation from it.

Although not pain, it certainly was uncomfortable. Pinching wasn't even the best way to describe it, but it was the closest thing Twilight could think of.

She thanked her lucky stars that it didn't hurt, and judging from the minor amount of discomfort, it was probably not a big deal.

All those assumptions were thrown right out the window the moment she looked back at her leg, only to recoil in horror and disgust.

Twisted bone poked out of ragged flesh at two different points, indicating a compound fracture the likes of which she had never seen in her entire life. Her breathing suddenly grew ragged and panic threatened to overtake her once more as she looked on, unable to tear her eyes away. Twisted flesh that poked out at an odd angle a little lower indicated there was at least one more break closer to her hoof that she didn't even want to think about.

Her head spun away from the grisly sight. There was no way she could put weight on what was left of her leg. She felt no pain even after looking at it... and now that she thought about it, she did flail that same limb about earlier when she was under the log and hadn't even noticed.

She was in shock, there was no other explanation to things, it was simply not possible for such an injury to not come with an earth-shattering amount of pain. She mentally ran through the healing spells she knew, only to curse in frustration. Holy magic had never agreed with her, and it was hard for her to cast anything above a minor cantrip. As such, unless this counted as a minor cut or an upset stomach, she could do nothing about it.

The unicorn pushed herself forward, forcing herself to move. She knew that once shock set in there would only be so much time left, and since she was no doubt bleeding internally, she needed to find help, fast.

She stumbled through the undergrowth, trying to keep her weight off her right hind leg as best as she could, but the awkward three legged gait coupled with her improved-but-still-poor coordination and the seemingly endless supply of roots ready to trip her made any progress incredibly slow.

She landed flat on her stomach more than a few times after tripping over another unseen plant, or due to her own confused and stumbling hooves.

“Oof.” She wasn't sure if this was the fifth or sixth time her face had become intimately familiar with the ground, but it was becoming frustrating.

She lay there for a moment, hopelessness and anger temporarily robbing her of the panicked desire to run that had overcome her several minutes ago.

As she lay there she noticed something odd...

She was neither an expert nor had she ever even been in a forest before today, but she always imagined that it would have been louder within one. She knew the forest was home to a plethora of animals including a cornucopia of song birds, so why could she hear nothing other than a rustle of the leaves caught in the wind?

She shook her head and forced herself to a standing position once more, determined to take it slower this time. She clearly wasn't capable of moving fast in her current state.

With her pace slower, she no longer had to worry about falling on her face, allowing her to realize she hadn't even tested her magic since she woke up under the log.

Closing one eye and parting her hair with a hoof, she looked up at her horn, trying to see if there was any physical damage to the most prized part of her body. Thankfully it seemed fine, other than a clump of mud clinging to it, which she flicked off with a hoof swiftly. Next, she began to build a little power. Slowly, she started casting a simple light spell to better help her navigate through the dense foliage, knowing better than to start with a more complicated spell first, in case there was some unseen damage.

She felt the power build nicely and once there, she pushed it into her horn only for the spell to sputter out a moment after it had begun. The color of her magic made her panic and stop the spell; where her magic used to be a soft bubblegum color before, it was pitch black now. So deep was the color of her magic that she couldn't even see her horn when she was casting.

“No no no.” She ran. She had no idea why she ran, but she did. The logical part of her mind told her that color didn't matter, but that was quickly ignored as she blindly pounded forward through the bush.

...And made it only a few feet before her hoof found a rock and her face met the ground once more.

Panic the likes of which Twilight had never experienced suddenly gripped where her heart would be. Though in her panic, she was hardly aware of the fact that the organ beat no more and the usual pounding sound of her heart that accompanied panic was curiously absent. Her logical mind was slowly coming to a strange realization but with pure, unadulterated panic pounding through the unicorn’s head, the voice of logic was washed away for the moment. Every thought served only to increase her panic. Why was her magic black? Why did nothing hurt? Why hadn’t she noticed any blood before now? Where was she? What was happening?

Why her?

She curled up into a ball as tight as her lanky limbs allowed and lay there, paralyzed by fear, indecision, confusion, and all consuming panic.

Time slipped by for the unicorn as questions without end ran through her head. She felt the hold of madness close in around her.

That made her only dimly aware of the conversation happening a few feet over her head.

“Just wait a few more minutes to make sure she's dead first,” whispered a small, feminine voice.

Some great bird squawked angrily back at the voice.

“Yes, I know you are hungry Mrs Vulture but you might get hurt if she isn’t dead.”

Another angry squawk coupled with a few smaller, seemingly grumbled ones followed.

“Shhh it's okay. Look, she isn't moving anymore? Why don't you let me check if she's dead and then you can eat,” the voice said.

The bird didn't squawk again but clearly it was still no doubt angry as it ruffled its feathers loud enough for Twilight to hear.

Twilight’s ears flicked around as she heard something soft impact the ground a few feet away from her. The haze of madness and confusion lifted slowly as curiosity and hope took over.

Just in time to receive a poke to the spine from a fuzzy appendage. “Um excuse me, are you dead?” asked the polite voice.

“I’m afraid not.” Oh wow, her voice sounded like she had gargled rocks. She hadn't noticed how bad it was as she didn't like talking to herself, but this was bad. She had already sounded more masculine than most mares, and now she could easily pass for a stallion if anypony only heard her voice.

“Eep!” The voice was followed by the sound of soft, padded feet hopping away and then the rustle of a bush.

The unicorn extracted herself from her own legs and looked around, noticing first a large green and brown vulture staring down at her in what looked like anger.

Next she saw two small blue eyes peering out of a bush a few feet away. Twilight blinked and looked around. Clearly she had heard a pony’s voice, but all she saw was the vulture and whatever tiny thing was in the bush.

“Hello? You can come out now, I won't hurt you.” Speaking seemed to ease whatever problem her voice was having as it got a little better, but it was still way too deep for her liking and a bit too gravelly. She made a note for figuring that out, but first, she needed help. Where there was one pony there had to be more, and she reasoned that if there were a lot of ponies, a hospital had to be present.

She extended a mud-encrusted hoof towards the bush and smiled as best as she could.

White cute little whiskers poked out of the bush, followed by a pinkish little nose. Twilight nearly squealed with joy at the realization that it was an adorable little bunny. She had always wanted one but for some reason her usually lenient mother had never let her have a pet before.

“Daww aren't you just the cutest.” Twilight resisted the urge to mutter any more baby talk.

“Why thank you,” said the bunny in the same quiet, feminine and pony-like voice from before.

“Whu?” Twilight blinked twice. “A talking bunny? I think I might have knocked my head harder than I thought.”

The bunny smiled and hopped the rest of the way out of the bush before speaking again, “Well I'm not really a bunny, but that doesn't matter. Are you hurt?”

Twilight grimaced and started to stand, showing off her mangled back leg, which elicited a shocked gasp from the not-bunny.

“Oh my! What happened to you?”

The vulture squawked loudly.

“Oh hush you, go scavenging somewhere else. This one isn't dead yet.” The vulture squawked angrily a few more times and flew off in a huff. The not-actually-a-bunny that looked like a bunny watched the vulture go and smiled at the unicorn. “Sorry about that, she's just hungry.” The bunny leaned forward conspiratorially. “And a bit of meanie head sometimes. I can't really blame her, I'm not sure how you survived that.” The bunny pointed to her mangled leg and gulped, looking away from the gruesome sight.

“I don't really want to talk about it, but what I will say is that I took an unscheduled white water rafting trip, minus the raft.” Twilight rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly- Humour had never been her strong suit, but she did know it helped alleviate tension so she tried anyway.

“Oh goodness. We better get you to nurse Red Heart right away.” The bunny turned and began hopping away, leaving Twilight to stumble a few times before remembering to focus on not using one of her legs, while also not tripping on every root and rock that blocked her path.

“Wait, Ms Not-a-bunny. What is your name?”

“I’m Fluttershy,” she whispered, hopping along beside the unicorn.

“My name is—” Twilight stopped, teetering for a moment when her right forehoof connected with something hard and sent her sprawling yet again. Not for the first time in her life she cursed her clumsiness that had plagued her for as long as she could remember. “Augh, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Hehe, it's nice to meet you Augh Twilight Sparkle,” Fluttershy said in a tone suddenly a few octaves deeper it had been a moment before. Twilight tried to get her hooves under her in order to figure out the sudden change in voice and height.

Only for two large furry arms to reach down and wrap around the unicorn and pick her up, sending her into a panicked fit of kicking limbs and frantic writhing. “What, what’s going on?”

“Shhhh, it's just me. It looked like you were having some trouble walking so I thought mister bear would be able to help you. If that's alright with you of course.” Twilight stopped her flailing, partly because it wasn't helping much, and partly because despite the sudden change in voice it was undoubtedly the same one from before.

Twilight blinked, slowly turning her head and looking up at the large bear cradling her like a foal. She blinked again. “Fluttershy?”

Twilight had never seen a bear smile before now and was pretty sure they couldn't... until now anyway. The large furry face was split in a small but genuine smile, and Twilight had to admit it was a rather pleasant if strange experience when she realized they could, and rather well at that.

“I’m just borrowing mister bear until we get you to Ponyville. Or would you like to walk on your own? I hope it's not too warm for you. Mister bear can be a bit of a cuddler.” The bear’s smile grew slightly.

Twilight shook her head quickly. “No, that’s perfect, thank you.Just… warn me next time you do that.”

The bear smiled again and began walking deeper into the forest, its bulk making it easy to simply walk through most of the undergrowth that had slowed Twilight’s pace.

“Um, two questions, Miss Fluttershy.”

“Just Fluttershy, please, if you don't mind.”

“Oh, okay. Well, don't take this the wrong way but…” Twilight hesitated. “What are you?”

The bear giggled, which was a strange and rumbling sound that unnerved the unicorn. “I’m a wild soul. I can move from animal to animal and borrow them for awhile so long as I’m respectful.”

Twilight made a mental note of to ask more questions but one question burned brighter than the rest. “D-d-did you say Ponyville?”

“Mmmhmm.” the bear nodded. “It's a nice little place, not enough animals around in my opinion, but the beings there should be able to help you.”

Twilight gulped. She had deduced a few minutes ago that she was definitely in the dreaded Everfree Forest, but something about receiving concrete evidence that she was now trapped within the accursed place suddenly made it much more real. She had been lying to herself up until now, using thoughts like: I could be just on the edge, or maybe it's not the Everfree but a small forest near it. Now she could lie no longer, she was in the heart of the Everfree and a thousand miles away from civilization.

She was in the heart of ancient place of legend that had become infested with the Nightmare’s monsters. The land of the forgotten, the cursed and the evil, and this giant bear that could probably snap her like a twig was taking her to its very heart.

Twilight gulped.

Though she knew, academically, that her fears might be unfounded. And since the victors wrote the history books, that meant the intensely personal nature of the war meant Celestia would have a clear bias. None of that made her feel any better.

She had grown up hearing horror stories about the evil that dwelled within the forest nearly her entire life. Tales told of the great beasts that devoured ponies that dare wander too close to that cursed place. Of the many varieties of plants that spewed toxins, devoured ponies whole or were otherwise deadly to any foolish mortal that tread too close. However, the most frightening to Twilight had always been stories of the great murderous beasts, ranging from the normal wolf to the bizarre chimera, timberwolf, and even the great river serpents that the few brave pegasi that had flown high over the forest told stories about.

And that wasn't even the worst part.

The worst part had to be those creatures who were still sapient but had been corrupted by the Nightmare’s touch, like the lunar pegasi who were no longer even real ponies. Twilight had once read a book that had claimed that they couldn't even interbreed with other ponies anymore as they were so alien, that they had more qualities of a bat than of a pony and sported fangs used to drain the blood of their victims. Worst of all, the book had gone on to say that they couldn't even feel emotions like ponies could. They knew no fear, no happiness, no sadness... only the thrill of the hunt was enough to wake any kind of emotional response from the remorseless killers that had served in the Nightmare’s army.

Twilight shuddered as she imagined the drawing the book had contained. The illustration was of a small bat winged pegasus who stood barely taller than a foal, but the book had said it was full grown. It was snarling, huge fangs poking out of its upper jaw, each easily as long as her horn and twice as sharp. They glinted despite the blood that dripped from the pony’s fangs and maw. Its huge slitted pupils were black as the night and utterly emotionless. Its wings were open wide, displaying tiny claws at the tops of the wings much like a bat would have. Even their ears seemed to display their feral nature and reminded Twilight of a wolf’s more than a pony’s.

The bear cradling her seemed to take note and gave the unicorn a gentle squeeze, to which Twilight only panicked for a split second before realizing that the bear had not attempted to squeeze the life out of her.

Her frantic breathing slowly came under her control as she willed the panic away and forced her mind to not wander any deeper into the terrifying information of the denizens of these woods. She stopped herself firmly with a thought. They were probably all lies of Celestia. I bet they are a nice, if misunderstood group of ponies and definitely not the murderous, blood sucking monsters that the history books say they are.

Yes, that was a nice thought, one that Twilight chose to believe. For now.

Besides, she thought to herself, that monster Celestia had probably ordered all accounts of the ponies in the forest to be changed to make them crueler and far more intimidating than they actually were! She hoped, at least.

She looked in the direction the bear was carrying her, towards where she assumed the mysterious Ponyville was. All that lay before her was more chaotic forest and thick undergrowth, meaning she couldn't see for more than a few metres. She didn't see a path or notice a change, so they must still be awfully far out from the town, if the citizens of that nightmarish place even used paths.

A thought occurred to Twilight, one she clung to in an effort to make her stop thinking of any more disturbing information pertaining to her destination. She tilted her head and looked up through the canopy, noting the relatively little amount of light that crept through the leaves. It had to have been seven or eight o'clock in the evening at the earliest, she thought.

“What time is it?” The unicorn asked.

The bear looked up and seemed to think. “Probably around noon.”

But it’s so dark. Twilight blinked twice, panic already welling up inside her as a new thought occurred to her. I was attacked just before midnight and that little river ride shouldn't have taken more than an hour. Meaning I must have been out for ten hours at least. She realized to her mounting horror. Most ponies wouldn't have thought twice about losing so much time, but Twilight knew that forgetting that much or being out that long meant she most likely suffered at least a concussion, possibly even brain damage.

That panic seemed to dissipate somewhat when she realized it was just another terrible thing in an already long line of terrible things, which somehow made the news of possible brain damage the least unnerving thing that had happened in the last hour.

Fluttershy squeezed her tighter, apparently sensing the turmoil roiling within her new traveling companion.

Twilight sniffed and forced the urge to cry back down. It was all too much.

Fluttershy spoke suddenly, trying to distract the mare she carried from whatever was bothering her, “What brought you to the Everfree, Twilight? We don't see much of your kind around here.”

“I was attacked and thrown in a river, I guess. I woke up a little ways away from where you found me.” The unicorn clenched her teeth and looked in the direction she thought Canterlot was. “And as soon as my leg is healed I am going to go back there.”

Fluttershy gulped, the sudden steel in the unicorn’s eyes putting her on edge. Thankfully it dissipated after a few tense moments.

“How are you going to get back? Not even I know how to leave the forest.”

Twilight frowned, she hadn't thought that far. “I guess I will pick a direction and walk one way until I'm out, then I’ll follow the treeline until I find Canter River and go from there.”

The bear looked at her worriedly. “That could take years of wandering, the Everfree isn't like other forests, or so I was told. Without a guide, you could wander for a long time without finding a way out.”

“I’ll just use a compass then.”

“What’s a compass?” the bear asked inquisitively.

“It's a thing that tells you which direction is north and south; a little circle with numbers around the outside, and a red and blue pointer in the middle.”

“Ooooh.” The bear nodded. “Those things don't work here.”

Twilight’s muzzle scrunched up in confusion. “What do you mean by ‘they don't work’?”

“I found a pony a long time ago, who had wandered through the forest until she ran out of food and water. Though she was scared of me, I think she thought I was a delusion of hers.” The bear seemed to ponder for a moment before continuing, “The whole time I was trying to give her the berries I found she was talking to this spinny circle thing she had, saying that it wasn't being nice and somepony kept changing the poles on her while she slept. She had this weird looking hat and outfit, and claimed she was after some lost treasure.” The bear shook its big head.

“Odd, I will have to test that, I guess. If what you said was true then I don't know what I would do.” The unicorn seemed to deflate a little, her mood darkening at the news.

The bear’s eyes lit up after a moment of thought. “Rainbow Dash might know the way out of the forest! She’s flown all over while working with the night guard.” The bear flashed a tentative smile down at the unicorn before turning back to the path ahead.

Night guard, now that's something I have not heard of in a long time. Twilight mused. Though the information was scant, Twilight was pretty sure they mirrored Celestia’s secretive day guard.
Even though the royal guard functioned identically to the police, they didn't bother with petty criminals or local law enforcement, leaving those small duties to the rural and municipal guard who in turn didn't have to worry about dealing with dangerous murderers or rogue monster attacks. Above all that was the secretive day guard that worked as Celestia’s honor guard. Though Twilight had never seen more than a hoofful of them in magazines, papers, or otherwise, it was rumoured that their number was much, much higher than it appeared.

Would that make them a lot like this supposed night guard, only for the fallen princess? Twilight’s muzzle scrunched up as she thought. But she is gone, what purpose would the night guard have now?

Twilight tried not to think about it too much, choosing to stop worrying and distract herself asking a few of many burning questions on her mind instead.

“So what is this Rainbow Dash like?” Twilight asked.

The bear’s grin grew bigger and a wistful look crossed its face. “She's the most daring and awesome being I know! She's a lunar pegasus who lives in Ponyville, though she was born in Cliffsdale like me!”

Twilight couldn't help herself but to smile at that, the quiet and reserved being that had been carrying her around seemed to light up at the mere mention of the lunar pegasus. Twilight tried not to think about them either, lunar pegasi had horrible reputation, but Twilight chastised herself for being presumptuous, reminding herself that it was probably just more of Celestia's lies, like necromancy being real and whatever crazy cover up job she had done on Sunset.

The unicorn shook her head, not allowing herself to go down that particular train of thought. Anger and grief wouldn't help her now.

The bear was looking down at her with an odd look, making Twilight blush, or at least she felt like she blushed. “Sorry about that, Miss Fluttershy, I was just thinking. So tell me a little more about this Rainbow Dash pony.”

“Being.” Fluttershy corrected.

“What?”

“Not pony, being. Not everyone around you is going to be a pony anymore, and most folk around here don't like being called a pony. Too many bad memories.” The bear shivered slightly, but it passed quickly.

“Right, sorry.” Twilight grinned sheepishly, suddenly reminded just how easily she could get snapped in half if she offended the being carrying her.

“Anyway, Rainbow Dash likes to pretend she's a freelance soldier or mercenary but…” The bear looked left, then right, then leaned down conspiratorially. “She just does that because she thinks guard sounds lame.” The bear leaned back up to its full height and grinned.

Twilight smiled back, a sliver of hope worming its way into her heart. With a guide and her leg healed, she could get back and save her family. She still had a lot more to plan, like figuring out what to do once she got back to Canterlot... but she’d figure that out before long.

“So I don't suppose you'd mind if I asked you a few questions as well?” Fluttershy asked a little awkwardly, not quite sure of herself anymore.

Twilight shook her head. “Go ahead.”

“Umm, you said you were attacked, what happened?” The bear’s voice faded to a volume barely louder than a whisper.

Twilight’s mood instantly darkened, and she knew she couldn't reveal everything that had happened. “My family got attacked by a mad mare. I don't know what happened during the fight, but I was thrown into the river.”

“Oh my.” The bear gave Twilight a gentle squeeze and a concerned look. “Did anybeing else get hurt?”

“My mom got hurt.” The unicorn sniffed, trying to hold back tears. “She was trying to protect me, but—” Twilight clamped her mouth shut, she wasn't sure why she was saying all this but it felt… right. As if she was in the presence of a friend, even if they had only just met.

The bear tucked its arm closer and cradled Twilight like a child, pressing her head against the soft fur of its belly.

Twilight sniffled and willed the tears back, but it was too much. Fluttershy’s patient kindness for a pony she hardly knew broke down what little walls Twilight had thrown up to guard against the pain of the sudden loss of her mother.

But no matter how much she wanted to cry, she refused to. She stopped her thoughts dead in their tracks and turned them to the image of her mother’s killer. She wouldn't despair, she wouldn't cry yet, not until Sunset and her mistress were dead at her hooves.

Though her anger threatened to pour over, she snuffed it out. It had served its purpose and had dried her tears.

Besides, it was awfully hard to be mad or even sad while you were getting carried around like a baby by what felt like an oversized teddy bear.

Twilight smiled at that thought; after the most shocking cruelty she had ever experienced in her entire life, the one thing she thought she’d never experience again appeared as if summoned by destiny.

Kindness.

And in that moment of realization a strange thing happened. Far above her, beyond the harsh glare of the sun, a star twinkled. It was small, barely visible beside the five other bright stars that clustered all around it. Despite already drifting in a sea of brighter lights it sparkled regardless, reveling in the new feeling it experienced. A nearby star, smaller and softer than its fellows, twinkled a quiet yellow light in kind, resonating with its neighbor’s new found joy before falling silent once more.

For a moment, their light became visible. Small though it was, those who knew where and when to look witnessed the sudden sparkle with a mix of trepidation. The tiny purple and yellow sparks quickly winked out, lost amid the multitude of other lights in her sky.

Among the beings that saw the star twinkle, few understood the gravity of the star’s actions, either having forced themselves to forget due to fear and guilt, or having suffered a thousand years of misunderstood visions and now suffocated beneath dogma, or the quiet few who were simply ignorant to the importance of the stars’ sudden awakening.

Whether it was ignorance out of dogma, forced upon themselves out of desperation or being innocently oblivious, all would soon learn to fear the evening star’s rise.

Author's Note

Check out the first chapter again as I added another 8 thousand words to it and a couple more scenes which I think clear up alot of the most glaring issues the story had. This will be the last time I edit the first chapter, the rest of the issues in the story will be cleared up with future chapters.

Editing done by the wonderful everfree pony!
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DIOKYO

Tanis

And Broken

The next few hours spent tromping through the forest were remarkably pleasant, though Twilight couldn't say she enjoyed it. She had just lost her entire family forever... or for the foreseeable future, if she was lucky. Her shattered leg hung limply from the bear’s embrace, every so often hitting a branch or tangling into a bush. All of that a hundred miles from her home, rendering any attempt to raise her mood only marginally successful.

After a while, Fluttershy’s arms became tired and Twilight was forced to hobble the last few minutes with a fretful bear by her side, constantly catching her when she fell and offering polite words of encouragement. Though Twilight had insisted she was fine, by the time Fluttershy mentioned they were getting close, the unicorn was forced to admit that she was anything but fine.

The feeling of her bones rattling around inside her leg was like jiggling a sock filled with twigs. Just thinking about it made Twilight shudder with disgust. She still had no idea why it didn't hurt, but by now the sheer sensation alone was beginning to drive her to madness. She was pretty sure they would have to amputate it if they didn't get to a hospital quickly.

She sighed and stopped for a moment. “Hold on, Fluttershy. Just give me a minute.”

The bear stopped a few paces in front of the tired unicorn, shyly wringing its huge paws together and glancing down at the pony nervously. “Are you going to be okay until we get to the hospital?”

Twilight breathed hard, looking down at the ground while doing her best to not think about her leg or the unnerving sensations coming from it. With a deep sigh, she took a step forward. “Yeah, I think so. How much further?”

The bear looked from the unicorn and then over its own shoulder, squinting into the gloom that had only gotten deeper by the minute. “We aren’t far now. If you keep walking straight, you should hit it. I’m going to go dig up some gems I had stashed away for an emergency. It will be just a minute, are you going to be alright?”

“I should be fine, but why do you need gems?”

The bear looked back, cocking an eyebrow. “Well, how else are we going to be able to pay for getting your leg fixed?” With that the bear turned and left, tromping off deeper into the forest.

Twilight blinked twice. “What in Equestria… Wait, we have to pay for a hospital stay? This really is a cursed and desolate hellhole.” She shook her head and walked towards the direction the bear had initially signalled.

The second Fluttershy was gone, the forest seemed to close in around her, reminding the unicorn she was alone once more. The few brave streams of light that broke the canopy were barely able to illuminate the forest floor enough for her to see where she was going.

She focused her attention on the ground just before her, carefully choosing each step to make sure she didn't trip and fall once more. She became a lot less sure of herself without the bear’s company. The forest grew darker when she realized she could no longer hear the heavy footsteps of the kind bear.

Twilight cursed her luck and picked her way through the underbrush, more than a little annoyed that there wasn't a path despite their relative closeness to the supposed town. A few more feet in and a large leafy bush blocked her path. Grunting, she picked her way around the bush. She made sure she didn't overstep, lest she end up in a heap without Fluttershy nearby to pick her back up.

When she finally managed to get around the bush, which was way bigger than she had first thought, a soft red light could be seen seeping through the cracks left between the foliage. In front of her was civilization. The light was welcoming and disturbing in equal measure; it was soft and almost gentle, and reminded Twilight of the red cross that stood atop most hospitals. Only small spears of light made it through the foliage and illuminated the underbrush, casting everything around in an almost sinister light that mingled with the shadows.

Twilight gulped and took a step forward only to shriek and stumble backwards when a huge black shape rose before her.

“AHHHH!” The shape screamed back in a high-pitched, feminine voice.

Twilight’s scream died in her throat nearly instantly. She squinted her eyes into the gloom. “Fluttershy?”

The huge furry shape stopped screaming and settled back down onto all fours. It took a step back only to blink, revealing a soft and gentle pair of teal blue eyes staring back at the unicorn. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief at the sight, she knew a bear’s eyes didn't have the light, emotion or color of a pony’s or whatever Fluttershy once was.

“Sorry if I startled you, Twilight.” The bear pawed the earth submissively, looking down and away from the unicorn.

Twilight’s metaphorical heart melted at the sight and she let out a breath of air. “It's fine, just… warn me next time. A bear popping out of the woods right in front of me is not something my bladder can take a second time.”

The bear blushed a little and gave Twilight a gentle smile. “Sorry, I'm not used to being able to sneak up on anyone. Almost every being can spot me before I even notice them.”

“It's fine, Fluttershy. Are we almost there?”

The bear nodded and pointed a little to the right of the direction Twilight had been walking in. Noticing her error, Twilight blushed a little, to which Fluttershy merely smiled kindly.

The bear turned and took the lead, either clearing or showing the way for Twilight’s much smaller and less confident steps. Within a minute they had clambered through the last of the underbrush and found themselves stepping out into a clearing.

Twilight stumbled forward, captivated at the sight she beheld. Her attention was so focused on what was in front of her that she hardly even noticed her hooves slipping out from under her, caught on a tree root. The bear’s large paws were there to catch the unicorn just in time, placing her back on her hooves while giving her a wary look.

“Where are we?” the unicorn asked breathlessly, her eyes frantically running this way and that, trying to take it all in.

Fluttershy merely smiled and waved a dramatic paw towards the objects of Twilight’s fascination. “Welcome to Ponyville.”

Twilight had enough sense to at least close her mouth, though not enough to look and walk at the same time. The collection of hovels and lean-tos she had expected was nowhere to be found. Instead, there was a plethora of strange and wonderful homes made from just about everything Twilight could imagine.

Directly in front of her sat a large tree that stretched up into the canopy, it was quite the sight to behold. All over it were the marks of civilization; circular windows dotted the outside of the tree and softly glowing red crystals dangled from hundreds of branches, bathing the entire area in a strange eerie light that neither illuminated everything nor created shadows overly deep. Twilight smiled despite the strange situation, her analytical mind already deciphering the enigma of her surroundings. The glow could be seen for a great distance, but such intensity would usually come with the light source being nearly blinding. Now that she was relatively close, it was neither blinding nor eerie, but rather… pleasant, and the longer Twilight looked at it, the more she was forced to admit that the artificial additions to the tree only accentuated its beauty rather than taking away from it.

The tree itself was a huge structure that was probably the size of four or five of Twilight’s houses in Canterlot squished side by side, and probably ten of them tall before the windows petered out, though something told Twilight that the hospital itself probably extended beyond what the lack of windows might imply.
The wood was a soft, earthy red color that snaked along the branches but became more green as the tree rose skyward, culminating in rich, vibrant green leaves that stood out against the reddish trunk.

Twilight couldn't help but smile. Initially it seemed as though it would be a waste to kill such a massive tree in order to use it as a structure of some kind. Seeing the fresh leaves rustle in the wind, she quickly realized the tree was still alive and thriving. Its life-giving liquids ran just below the bark, leaving the long dead, hollowed-out part as a place of healing and renewal. Clearly there was a careful hoof and powerful magic involved as well.

Beyond the tree, Twilight could see enormous mushrooms the size of adult spruces, their windows emanating the soft, artificial glow of candlelight, indicating they were being used much in the same way the hospital was. Perhaps even more surprising than either of those were the random boulders that dotted the landscape. They lay between trees and jutted out of the forest floor haphazardly, each and every one hollowed out much akin to the trees and mushrooms around.

Strangest of all was the distinct lack of ponies, or beings, that would have lived in such a town. It seemed deserted, and the few spots of movement that did catch the unicorn’s eye were simple birds or small animals who apparently had the courage to wander through the center of town. Though despite not seeing anybeing around, Twilight couldn’t shake the distinct impression she was being watched. With a shudder she turned her thoughts away from such grim musings and back to the strange and fascinating buildings she had seen.

The skill and craftsmanship that had to go into those wonderful buildings were beyond Twilight’s wildest imagination. She wondered how long it would take to construct even a single home from any of those strange materials the inhabitants had chosen.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she saw a faint glimmer of something, her curiosity sparking. She focused on the spot and peered deeper into the gloom. Her eyes were unsuited to the low light, but even they could see the black stone building she hadn't noticed before. It was small, narrow, and reminded Twilight of one of the many watchtowers that dotted the walls surrounding Canterlot and the palace. But where Celestia’s towers were grand and sparkling, made to be seen from far and wide, these were inconspicuous, and nearly invisible while shrouded in the mid-evening gloom. Twilight was completely sure she could walk within a few feet of one without noticing the nearly five story tall tower. If it wasn't for the glint of something she had seen, the tower would have stayed hidden.

The thought sent a shiver down Twilight’s spine and a thought occurred to her. There was probably a lot more than just the one tower. How many of those could I have passed in the woods without even noticing they were there?

A small cough made Twilight look down where a small, white and brown spotted bunny with familiar eyes looked up at her. “So, what do you think? I may not stay here often, but to me, Ponyville is home.”

“It's…” Twilight paused, trying to think of the right words to properly display the awe and wonder she was feeling. However, a writer or a poet she was not. “It's big, and intriguing. Do you know what those towers are made of?”

Fluttershy shook her tiny head. “I don't know. The night guard don't let anyone inside and…” The bunny looked both ways before whispering, “They are kinda scary. All big and black and sometimes I bump into them in the forest without even noticing.” The bunny shivered and hopped a step closer to Twilight.

The unicorn grinned despite her companion’s fear. There was much to learn while she was trapped in this unfamiliar place, and she decided then and there that she would learn as much as she could in order to bring that knowledge back with her to Canterlot. She took a step forward, only to forget about her back leg and nearly fell flat on her face yet again. Thankfully she caught herself and shook her head. Focus, Twilight. First things first.

Twilight couldn't quite see the entrance to the hospital from here. Judging from the location of the rest of the town, it was probably just on the other side.

As she trotted closer, she noticed the soft padding of Fluttershy’s tiny feet was no longer following her. Twisting over her shoulder, Twilight noted the bunny hadn't moved from her spot and was rubbing her tiny paws together nervously. “What’s wrong, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked, turning and lowering herself to look the bunny in the eye.

“It's just… well, I don't like the hospital. Oh, I know it sounds silly, but I’ll just wait over here for you if that's okay.” Fluttershy pulled one ear down over her eye and looked away shyly.

Suddenly the prospect of going into the hospital became much more terrifying to the unicorn when she realized she had to do so alone. Twilight hadn't even thought that her new friend would stay behind, and the thought of going into this new and strange place without Fluttershy made what little courage Twilight had left to slip away.

“I don't like hospitals much either, the only time I went in one somepony tried to vivisect me.” The unicorn laughed nervously, but stopped quickly when she noticed Fluttershy was trembling at the thought. “Maybe we could face our fear together?” The bunny looked off to the side, unable to meet Twilight’s gaze, her paws running down her ear nervously.

“I don't know, Twilight…” Fluttershy muttered.

“Please, Fluttershy, I don't know any other po- I mean beings, everyone else is gone and I’m… scared.” The unicorn looked down. The realization that she was well and truly alone for the first time in her life was a crushing one.

Fluttershy hopped closer and gently booped Twilight’s nose. “Okay, I’ll come with you. But could I ride on your back? I don't want to get lost and left behind in there.”

The unicorn smiled, her courage slowly creeping back up her spine. “Sounds good.” Twilight lowered herself closer to the ground, being wary not to put any weight on her injured leg. Fluttershy scrambled onto her back and gripped Twilight’s fur tightly, her body pressed tight against the unicorn’s neck. “All set back there?”

The bunny took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay, I'm ready.”

Twilight stood back up and took a step forward, only to stop and turn to look at the tiny scared rabbit clinging to her back. “Thank you, Fluttershy.”

The bunny’s trembling seemed to wane and she flashed a small smile back at the unicorn. Twilight, now much more confident that she had somebeing else with her, strode forward steadily, around the hospital and into the tree building. The twin doors between her and the hospital had large windows in them, showing off the waiting room just beyond. The room was filled with many differently sized chairs in front of a monolithic black desk made of some sort of stone Twilight had never seen before. Though Twilight couldn't quite see the being working the counter, the sheer size and color of the waiting desk made Twilight gulp.

Stepping inside hesitantly, the two beings were awash in a pleasantly cool feeling, some unseen enchantment ensuring the air was kept at a more comforting temperature than outside. Twilight idly considered riddling out what exact spell it was, but judging from the complete vacancy of the seats that surrounded her, she didn't think she’d have the time.

“Hello! How can I help you, miss?” called out a sweet, feminine voice from the direction of the desk.

Twilight quickly turned her mind from potential spell combinations to the voice, stopping for a moment and twisting her head. She rolled her eyes and mumbled. “That explains the paid services.”

“Um... what?” Fluttershy asked, subtly moving to keep Twilight between her and the staring receptionist.

“That's a wyvern behind the counter, they are dragons that don't grow very large or breathe fire, instead their tails are poisonous and they don't have the head fins that dragons have. One thing they do share in common with the other wyrms is greed.” Twilight whispered quietly in disgust.

“Just because they are greedy doesn't mean you can call them worms, Twilight,” Fluttershy whispered back in an accusatory tone.

The unicorn sighed. “Wyrm, not worm. There is a Y in there, it's a term for dragons and their cousins.”

“Oh.” The bunny blushed, making a note to read more on dragons when she had the chance.

“We also share their wonderful sense of hearing by the way.” Twilight slowly turned away from Fluttershy, both of their cheeks burning red with embarrassment. “We are far more even-tempered though. My great uncle Forge Fire would have roasted you lot for such a slight, but not me! Not like I can roast anything, mind you.”

While the wyvern spoke, Twilight carefully examined her, hiding some of her embarrassment behind cold curiosity. She was taller than Twilight, but not by much, and she was currently leaning on the desk, her chin in her hand and an amused expression on her face. She was also surprisingly thin, which would explain how she managed to sneak in here without Fluttershy’s big ears catching her approach.

She pushed up and beckoned the pair over. “I won't bite, unless venom would somehow fix that mangled leg of yours.”

Twilight shook her head, stopping herself from staring into the wyvern’s polished alabaster scales or deep crimson eyes. “Sorry about that, I’m new around here.”

The wyvern raised her scales where an eyebrow would be. “I would say so, we don't get many of your type around here.” Once Twilight had carefully trotted up to the counter, the wyvern extended her claw. “Name’s Red Heart. Nice to meet you.”

Twilight extended her hoof and shook the wyvern’s claw, an act that made Red Heart shiver and recoil suddenly. “Likewise. Is something wrong?”

Red Heart shook her head. “No, nothing. Just felt like someone walked over my grave all of a sudden.”

“Oh um, sorry about that. So uh, Red Heart, interesting name for a wyvern,” Twilight remarked awkwardly, hoping to change the subject.

The previous awkwardness forgotten, the wyvern snorted. “If I had a nickle for every time I've heard that... Originally my name was Red Hearth, not terribly uncommon for a dragon, but after studying medicine, it didn't really fit anymore. Anyway, what can I do for you and your talking bunny?”

“Uh, the obvious.” Twilight picked up her worthless leg and shook it slightly.

“Stars above, that must hurt! How are you even standing?” Red Heart grimaced in part because the various bits of bone pushing obviously against the unicorn’s flesh, but more disturbing still was the fact the mare treated the injury with the same calm as one would a papercut.

“I don't really know, to be honest with you.” The unicorn and the bunny shared a look before looking back at the wyvern.

“Well as much as I hate to mention it, how much do you have in gems? That doesn't look like it’s going to be a cheap fix.”

Twilight’s muzzle scrunched up in disgust before plucking the bag of gems from Fluttershy’s diminutive paws and dropping it on the counter. “Is that enough?” Thief! Twilight thought, but did not say.

The wyvern grimaced. “This will be enough to pay for a proper brace but I’m afraid that's about it.”

Twilight groaned. “Are you sure there isn't anything we can do? A loan or something?”

“Ma’am, we are a hospital, not a bank. Do you want the brace or not?”

The unicorn turned to the sheepish-looking bunny, with a sigh she turned back to the dragon. “I guess it will have to do.”

The dejected sigh and sullen look of resignation were almost enough to pull on the heartstrings of the nurse, almost. Instead she simply swept up the bag of gems, weighed it and having confirmed her fears tucked it away under the counter and turned towards the door behind her. “Just a moment, please. Have a seat.”

Twilight frowned at the chair. She knew, logically, that sitting would be a good idea, but despite the long walk she wasn't the least bit fatigued... which was odd for the mare who so rarely exercised.

“I’m sorry, Twilight, I thought that would be enough to fix your leg,” the bunny whispered, sniffing back tears.

The unicorn turned her head and gently ran a hoof across the bunny’s back. “It's okay, I appreciate you getting me this far. I just wish there was something more we could do.”

The bunny fidgeted, looking away from the unicorn’s gaze. “Well, there might be something, but it could be risky.”

Twilight’s brow lifted. “How risky?”

“Well, we would have to go back into the forest and find a zebra that lives just outside of Ponyville. She healed some animal friends of mine for free and she might be able to help you as well.”

“Well, that's better than nothing. Either way, I should at least get the leg braced before we leave so it doesn't get any worse,” Twilight said, giving her mangled leg a wary glance. “As if that was even possible.”

The bunny nodded her agreement and clinged a little closer to Twilight’s neck. Together they stood and waited for the nurse’s return. Thankfully it didn't take long.

The wyvern slipped back into the room and held the door open for the pair. “The doctor will see you now, third door on the right.”

Twilight nodded, unable to bring herself to thank the nurse for a service she believed should be free. The unicorn limped down the white hall and towards the aforementioned door that, like the rest of the hospital, was a pristine white.

A small lunar pegasus sat with his back to the door, his leathery wings tucked close to his body as he fiddled with a leg brace. “Come on, you darn…” As the pair entered the room the stallion stopped, a sudden shiver running up his spine.

In a flurried instant he leaped off his chair and spun around, wings splayed in a frightened attempt to appear larger. With his sharp fangs bared and his wings spread wide, he was a frightening sight... well, at least to Fluttershy. The bunny trembled and gripped Twilight’s neck tighter. To Twilight, however, the entire situation was rather amusing. The stallion was just over half her height and even with his wings splayed, he was still quite small. The huge fangs she had been fearing were little more than a large pair of canines that barely even poked out past his other teeth.

The pegasus was made doubly less intimidating by the fact that his lab coat was adorned by several childish stickers, and a bright teal name tag proclaiming him as Dr. Little Hoof. Putting two and two together, Twilight giggled; she was just threatened by a pediatrician.

Recovering quickly, the stallion brought his wings in, a huge blush spreading across his face. “Oh stars above, I’m so sorry! I’m afraid you startled me.” He ran a hoof over his coat, straightening it and seeking an excuse to not look his newest patient in the eye.

Fluttershy quickly stopped trembling. “Don't worry about it, I get that a lot,” Twilight added nonchalantly.

The stallion stopped his grooming and looked up. “Hmm. Well, either way, I feel like quite the foal. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr. Little Hoof, pediatrician and one of the few doctors on staff so early. Don't let my area of expertise fool you. I am quite capable of applying a simple brace to an adult.”

Twilight cocked her head. “Nice to meet you, my name is Twilight Sparkle. I am curious however, what do you mean by early? It's just barely evening.”

The doctor cocked his head slightly in the opposite direction Twilight had, making Fluttershy giggle quietly. His eyes squinted and he looked the injured mare up and down. “Ahh, you must not be nocturnal, as most beings around here are. You will get used to it if you end up sticking around.” The stallion pointed a hoof towards the examination table in the corner of the office. “Please, lay down and I’ll get started.”

“Fluttershy, are you going to be alright on the chair?” Twilight whispered to the bunny, who merely nodded nervously and hopped off the unicorn and to the small chair by the door.

“Oh, I didn't see your pet, I’m sorry to say so, but we don't allow animals in the hospital. I’m going to have to ask you to take your bunny outside.”

Fluttershy frowned. “I’m sorry doctor, I didn't know.”

“Wait, you can talk?” The stallion’s eyes shot open. “Oh, you must be a wild soul! Forget I said anything. Please sit down and, if you wouldn't mind staying after, I would love to ask you a few questions,” he said in a somewhat pleading tone. Twilight and Fluttershy exchanged a worried glance which Little Hoof swiftly caught on to. “Another time then, perhaps?”

Fluttershy ran her paws over her downturned ear and nodded, making the stallion grin.

By then Twilight had managed to lay down on the bed and get comfortable without putting too much strain on her leg. Little Hoof trotted over to the mare and began inspecting the limb with growing disgust and pity.

“Stars above, how are you not screaming in agony?”

Twilight shrugged. “I have no idea.”

The stallion mumbled to himself. “Possible nerve damage or the strangest case of shock I've ever seen.” He continued his visual examination, carefully prodding the limb at certain points, all the while keeping a careful eye on his patient’s expression.

He went to grab the brace only to stop, looking down at it in disgust. “I’ll be right back.” Little Hoof swept up the brace and tucked it under his wing before swiftly exiting the office.

As the lunar pegasus fled the room, Fluttershy and Twilight exchanged a confused glance. “What was that about?”

The bunny just shrugged and hopped up to the bed beside Twilight, laying her head on the unicorn’s flank. Within a minute the stallion returned in a huff, carrying a much more sophisticated brace that glowed faintly from several runes etched into it.

“Alright, there we are. Just lie still and I will get this on you.”

“I am no medical expert, but what good will a brace even do me at this point?”

The stallion sighed. “The other one wouldn't have helped you much at all. However, this one should help healing and should enable you to walk on it as if it wasn't broken.”

Twilight gasped, making Fluttershy eye her curiously. “That’s quite an advanced set of enchantments. Are you sure I can afford that?”

The stallion gently maneuvered the brace into position and began latching it around the shattered limb. “Err, of course. It was just a mix up with how much your gems were worth. Actually, the one Red Heart thought was white topaz was actually a diamond, and as such you were able to afford a much better one.”

He laughed oddly nervously and continued to strap the brace into place, finishing the last of the straps around Twilight’s upper leg and thigh, allowing the brace to place the weight directly onto the unbroken part of her leg.

All the while Fluttershy watched and appraised the doctor’s actions. Though she hadn't applied a brace before, she knew the basics and was eager to find out more about the procedure. Some of her animal friends might benefit from such an action by an off chance.

Meanwhile, Twilight silently ruminated on the sudden turn of events. Though she was no expert in petrology or gemology, she could have sworn that what she had seen briefly were in fact white topazes and not diamonds. The unicorn’s muzzle scrunched up and she silently eyed the stallion in a different light. Did he lie in order to do something kind for her? She shook her head and smiled softly. Either way, he didn't seem to want anyone to know about his kind act so she shut her mouth. Thank you, kind sir.

The stallion stopped and rubbed his chin with a hoof, trying to make sure he didn't rush the last few straps and activation techniques. All the while Fluttershy yawned, curling up tighter against Twilight’s flank and slowly nodding off.

As Twilight watched Little Hoof work, a sudden thought occurred to her. “Do you mind if I ask you a few questions about lunar pegasi?”

“Hmm?” The stallion looked up at her for a moment. “Oh sure, fire away. I have quite a few questions pertaining to yourself as well. That is, if you don't mind staying for a few minutes after I’m finished. It's not often that we get some being from outside the forest, and I’d be remiss if I lost the chance to catch up on what is happening in the wider world.”

Twilight smiled, forgetting some of her previous trepidation and fear that had lingered with her since she had first heard she was going to the infamous lost village of legends.

“Do lunar pegasi drink blood?” she suddenly asked.

The blunt question made the doctor stop and blink owlishly a few times. “What?” He scratched the back of his neck with a hoof. “Well, I suppose we can, though it's not like vampires or anything. We can digest complex proteins found in blood and meat, but we are still mainly herbivores. Do… do the beings out there think we drink blood?”

Twilight blushed. “Maybe? There are a lot of myths floating around and it's hard to separate fact from a thousand years of fiction. Never mind the fact that there aren't any lunar pegasi in Canterlot, so it's not like I could just ask somepony on the street.”

The stallion merely grunted at that and moved back to finishing his work, his demeanor dampening slightly as he focused more attention at the task at hoof. Twilight, however, soldiered on, undeterred by the change in atmosphere. “Are lunar pegasi purely nocturnal?”

“Though more trouble than it’s worth, we can switch to sleeping during the night if need be, much akin to other ponies who are traditionally diurnal,” he answered robotically, as if reading from a text book.

Twilight rubbed her chin idly, unaware of the brace that should be painfully tight by now. Fluttershy’s ear twitched at the firm sound of another series of clamps being shut around the unicorn’s leg.

“Do lunar pegasi-”

“Look, I get that you’re inquisitive, but there are books on our basic anatomy and history that exist, you know,” Little Hoof snapped.

Twilight gulped. “That's fair.” The mare looked down at her limb, noting the fact that almost all the buckles, belts and clasps were now secure. “How much longer, doctor?”

At the mention of his official title, the stallion straightened his back slightly, a hint of pride worming its way into his thoughts. He quickly tightened one last belt and secured it in place. “Just need to activate the runes and then you are ready to go. Just give me a second to go grab someone magically attuned and I will have you out of here in a moment.”

As the stallion moved towards the door, Twilight glanced down at the brace. “Wait, is it a simple reinforcement and weight distribution matrix?”

The lunar pegasus stopped and turned. “Uh, yes, that's what the instruction manual said.”

“Then if it's all the same, I can do that myself. I don't want to take up any more of your time.”

The stallion blinked twice. The complexities of the activation runes supposedly necessitated special training and aptitude, and there were only three individuals on staff attuned enough with magic to even activate it. Who was this mare?

His questions and confusion doubled when the mare’s eyes grew black and her horn became marred by a swirling reverse glow that sucked the light from the area around the mare’s horn. After a tense moment her magical senses receded, her eyes returned to normal and the unnatural darkness swirling about her horn dissipated. A moment later the brace clicked and glowed for a second before locking into place, the runes activated perfectly.

As if nothing incredibly disturbing had just happened, the unicorn stood up, tested her newly braced leg and grinned. “Thank you very much for your kindness. I won't forget this, doctor.”

The stallion merely stepped to the side, at a loss for words and suddenly aware of the fact that he did not want to be between her and wherever she may want to go.

“Come on, Fluttershy, we are off to find that zebra you mentioned.”

The bunny got up and yawned. “Sorry for dozing off, Twilight. Tt seems like Ms. Fuzzibuns was a little more tired than I thought. What did I miss?”

The stallion wanted to interrupt and mention the disturbing show of magic, but he thought better of it and kept his mouth shut for now.

“Not much, you were only out for maybe a minute.” The unicorn stretched briefly before walking next to the examination table, allowing the small fuzzy creature to hop up onto her back.

With Fluttershy secure, Twilight walked tentatively to the door, her courage building as the brace did as it was supposed to. She nodded to the stallion as she walked through the door. “Thanks again doctor, you are a lifesaver. Next time I have a moment, I promise to come down and have a chat under nicer circumstances.”

The bunny smiled weakly as they passed by, whispering her thanks as well. After the soft clip clop of hooves that was occasionally interrupted by a more mechanical clack disappeared into the distance, Little Hoof breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't a magical expert by a long shot, knowing only enough to diagnose the most basic and common of magical afflictions, but the terrible feeling of wrongness that accompanied her show of magic was enough to make him worry.

“No, it's not my place to make baseless assumptions. I will just bring it up with Arcane when she is in later. No reason to get all jittery.” Despite his self-talk, he was doing exactly what he told himself he had no reason to do, wringing his hooves nervously together as his mind wandered.

Absently, he made his way over to the door and shut it firmly before flopping down onto his office chair and staring off into space. After a few moments he got his breathing under control, and a minute later he had finally calmed his racing mind down and reminded himself to take his anxiety meds when he got off his shift.

With his mind at ease, Little Hoof breathed in a deep lungful of air and glanced at the clock, noticing it was only ten minutes before his shift was up. He made the executive decision to leave a few minutes early, under the logic that he had been coming in early these past few days anyway. As he stowed his personal effects and quickly got his desk in order, he turned to the door, running a hoof over through his mane and reaching for the knob.

A sudden trio of heavy knocks from the other side of the door nearly startled the poor doctor out of his skin, making him leap into the air, pumping his wings and sending himself across the room before he got a hold of his bearings once more.

With fur on end and wings flared, standing atop the examination table, he called out in a squeaky voice a few octaves higher than normal. “W-who is it?”

“Hey Little Hoof, it's me, Blue Leaf. Can we come in?”

Breathing a sigh of relief, Little Hoof forced his wings to come to rest at his sides. “Door’s open, come on in.”

The portal opened to reveal a smiling lunar pegasus clad in armor, eyeing him with a curious expression. “Did I catch you at a bad time, doc?”

Little Hoof looked at his perch and rolled his eyes, hopping down from the examination table. “No, just startled me is all. Is there something I can help you with?”

The guard gave the room a quick once-over and popped his head out into the hall. “All clear, I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Roger that,” said a new, deeper voice just beyond the door.

Little Hoof scratched his leg awkwardly. “Am I in trouble, officers?”

Blue Leaf closed the door and turned around, his friendly smile still plastered on his face. “No, no, just a precaution is all. It's always protocol with Steel Tempest.” The guard pony rolled his eyes and eyed the visitor’s chair. “May I?”

Little Hoof gestured to the chair and sat in his own. “Of course.”

The guardspony sat. “Thanks. You know, just between you and me, I think it's the name.”

“I'm sorry, what?”

“His name, Steel Tempest. He was doomed to be too serious since the day he was born.”

Little Hoof cracked a smile. “With a name like that, I suppose it would be odd if he wasn't a little bit of a hard ass.”

Blue Leaf suddenly became serious, his smile falling away. Little Hoof almost instantly began panicking, thinking he had crossed a line, but before he could apologize the friendly smile was back and a boisterous laugh was on the guard’s lips.

“Too true doc, too true.” The guardspony took his helmet off and placed it on the ground next to him. “Hope you don't mind me getting a little more comfortable, that helmet always makes my ears itch.” Blue Leaf ran a hoof over the aforementioned appendages.

“So, if I'm not in trouble and this isn't personal, then why are you here? If you don't mind me asking of course.”

“Just got an interesting report from one of the scouting towers. Apparently Fluttershy brought us a rather interesting stray this time around.”

The diminutive doctor snorted uncharacteristically. “That's one way to put it. That pony had the worst set of compound fractures I've ever seen, nevermind whatever magical ailment she has.”

“Magical ailment?” the guard asked inquisitively, leaning in slightly.

Little Hoof leaned forward, his voice lowering slightly. “Get this, her magic was black. I’m no expert, but that's gotta be bad. I mean, not even ponies that have black coats and black manes have black auras like that.” The stallion opened his mouth to continue, then closed it suddenly, shaking his head.

Blue Leaf raised an eyebrow at that. “Go on, doc. You seemed like you were going to say something more.”

“Well, this may sound like I'm jumping to conclusions, but the weirdest part was the fact that she didn't seem to feel any pain.” The doctor winced, imagining living with such a brutal injury.

“What do you mean?”

“Her back leg was completely snapped in at least two places and it would take a mountain of gems and half the staff to fix an injury like that. But it's not like she had that kind of money, so I just fixed her up with brace that is usually reserved for paralysis victims or individuals who have lost a part of a limb. The strapping and activation of the brace is excruciating, but she never once made a peep.”

The guard pony put his helmet on his lap and let his chin rest on it. “Not even a little bit? I mean, I have only ever broken my nose and even then you can bet your bottom gem I still bitched and moaned when I had to get it put back into place.”

“I remember that. You ever get that drunk Digger back for that?”

Blue Leaf sighed. “I didn't have to, poor bugger drank himself into an early grave shortly thereafter, but that's not why I'm here. Anything else you can tell me about this strange individual?”

“Only that she seems to be quite proficient in magic. She called on her magical senses and activated runes that usually take a proffessional a few minutes. She did it in a few seconds! Plus I think that was her first time ever seeing those specific runes.” The doctor leaned back in his chair, studying the guard pony as he digested the information.

After a few seconds, Blue Leaf sat up and put his helmet back on his head. “Well, thanks for the info, doc. I gotta go talk to the higher-ups about this.” Blue Leaf hopped down from his chair and made his way to the door.

“She isn't a threat, is she?” Little Hoof called out, a hint of worry in his voice.

“Let's hope not. If you see her again, let me or Steel know, alright?”

Little Hoof nodded his head vigorously. “Of course.”

“Good morning, doctor. Pleasant dreams.”

“Same to you!” Little Hoof called out after the retreating form of the guard.

When the clip clop of hooves once again receded down the hall, Little Hoof sighed. “I am so eating that cake I was saving.” With sugary delight fresh in his mind, Little Hoof began his journey home.

Meanwhile, two other beings were heading back into the twisted forest and into the jaws of an uncertain future. Though neither of them knew it, they were again being pushed down the path destiny had paved for them, all the while the evening star burned in want, feeling though it was on the precipice of something either great or terrible.

Only one thing was certain; destiny was at work, and it was only a matter of time before it and its earth-bound host found out what the future had in store for it.

Author's Note

I just added another patreon only story chapter that you could check out for just a buck so if your interested in some future sci fi twi action then hit up the patreon link! (oh and dont worry it will be on here eventually for free)

This update is supported by.

DIOKYO

Tanis

Makani (Who if your reading this then messege me as I still owe you a commission.)

But Not Defeated

Twilight hummed softly to herself, noting just how easily the brace took her weight, distributing it perfectly while not applying too much pressure to any one point on her flank and upper leg. It really was quite the feat of magic and engineering now that she thought of it. She didn't anticipate something like it in a place like this, not when she was so far from any unicorns capable to make the runes or any ingenious earth pony to create a brace that worked with the enchantment.

She idly wondered as to what being was magically attuned enough to make the runes in the first place. The shifting weight on her back signalled her friend had grown concerned with the silence and tugged gently on the unicorn’s mane.

“How is it, Twilight? Is your leg feeling better? Does it hurt?” The soft pleading tone of the being riding on her back made Twilight’s proverbial heart swell.

Before today she would have written off such concern as suspicious and asked the individual inquiring such things what they hoped to gain. But something about Fluttershy repelled those thoughts from even entering her mind. She was simply unable to be suspicious of such a kind soul that had helped her and wanted nothing in return.

The thought sent a shiver down her spine. I finally have a real friend.

Shaking that thought away, she focused on the path ahead. “It's okay, it feels odd but it doesn't hurt.”

The bunny squirmed slightly on her back. “What do you mean by ‘odd’? Are you sure it it’s not uncomfortable? You are walking a little funny...”

The unicorn smiled gently, she really was the kindest being she had ever known, save for maybe her mother. A sudden urge to protect such innocence swelled inside her. “I’m just getting used to it and by odd I mean… I don't know. It's just weird, the weight is higher up on my leg now so it just feels different, not bad though.”

The bunny seemed to fret for a moment before sighing. “Well, if you are sure…”

“I am. Now, where were we going again?” Twilight looked around, a few feet in front of her the well-manicured grass and trimmed trees ended and the wild forest began.

The forest quickly swallowed what little light emanated from the slowly awakening town behind them. Already they could hear the inhabitants stir in their homes, doors opening and drowsy greetings echoing out of the windows. Despite Twilight’s now assuaged worries, she couldn't help but imagine some fresh horror was behind her, just out of view.

She knew it was probably wrong of her to think that way, but decades of propaganda and stories were hard to dismiss in a single day. She would have disregarded such worries much sooner if she knew what she was, but how could she know such a thing? Having lived her life away from the light of truth, beneath the false sun’s rays.

Fluttershy leaned forward, bracing herself against Twilight’s long neck and pointing a tiny paw into the woods, slightly to Twilight’s right. “There should be a path just inside the woods that will lead us right to her, but we should get moving, Angel is getting tired and you should get some sleep soon as well if you want your leg to heal.”

Twilight nodded, despite the distance she had half walked, half stumbled already and all the stress she had experienced, she didn't feel the silent pull of exhaustion. Though she could feel her eyes droop occasionally, she felt no desire to stop and lay down. She hoped this mysterious being had a potion for what ailed her and was willing to help a stranger. Normally Twilight would have snorted dismissively at such a thought and shook her head, but she had already learned that kindness wasn't as foreign a concept as she had thought.

As she put one hoof in front of the other and waded into the woods, it suddenly occurred to her that she had nowhere to sleep. She hadn't thought about it until now, but a small part of her imagined her bed when she thought of sleep. Despite the fact that it was now many miles away in a potentially hostile environment, a naive part of her just assumed she would be sleeping in her bed, same as almost every night of her life.

It was where she had slept for the last sixteen years after all, minus the disastrous party she had attended and the very few family gatherings she partook in in her youth. A small part of her died at the realization, despite knowing logically that she wasn't just going to skip off home to bed. A piece of her only seemed to realize this fact when faced with the obvious realization that she would not be sleeping in her own bed.

A tear slipped down her cheek, startling her from her reverie.

“Are you okay, Twilight? If you want we can stop for the night, there is a burrow not far from here that would be big enough for you to sleep in. It is actually pretty cozy despite being made of dirt and moss.”

Another tear slipped down her cheek and landed on a small flower sprouting from the thick underbrush. The moment the liquid hit the plant it began to rot, withering away to nothing within moments, vanishing into the tall surrounding grass.

“I’m…” She breathed a deep, unnecessary breath. “I’m okay, just thought of home is all.”

“You miss them, don't you?” Twilight sniffed and wiped her eyes. “I know how you feel, but it’s not too late to see your brother and father, right?”

Twilight nodded weakly, strength slipping from her limbs with every passing second.

“If Rainbow Dash were here, she would say something that would make you determined to see them again. I kinda stink at that type of thing though. So, umm, I just wanna say that I’ll help you as much as I can. If you want my help.” The bunny hugged the back of the unicorn’s neck with all four of her limbs.

Taking a deep breath, Twilight took a step forward, she couldn't keep breaking down like this, not when there was something she could do. Not when she had somebeing there to help her.

With her confidence returning, she strode into the woods. She felt like she should say something or thank the bunny but she couldn't find the words, instead she chose action and continued onward, Fluttershy guiding her with a well-placed tug on her mane every few minutes. Though the forest had been an active place before, now it became downright noisy. Much like the town of Ponyville, the forest itself seemed to be waking up. Every sight and sound drew another question to Twilight’s mind and before long she was pelting her guide with questions.

What was that sound?

What exactly is a manticore?

How does it walk like that with just two legs?

What kind of bird is that?

What does that thing eat?

Her enthusiasm to learn was matched only by Fluttershy’s love of animals and before long, they had wandered slightly off their path, having chased down a rather rare and colorful bird that Fluttershy had enthusiastically referred to as a bird of paradise. Its brightly colored plumage seemed to be every color of the rainbow and as it flew, the few shafts of moonlight that poked through the tree cover made the colors seem even more vibrant than Twilight had assumed was possible.

Though normally she would have been worried that they were getting off course, there was something about having a whole new world to learn about and explore that captured her imagination, while Fluttershy was just happy to finally have somebeing that was as interested in animals as she was. With Fluttershy close at hoof Twilight felt invincible, and why wouldn't she? There was a wild soul on her back that seemed to know everything about every animal they saw and they weren't very far from town, so it should be safe, right?

But we all know what happens when one feels invincible, don't we?

“Did you see the size of that snake, Fluttershy? It must have been thirteen feet long!” Twilight remarked.

“Oh yes, the Emerald Vine snake grows as long and as big as its tree does, so they can grow to be much, much larger,” Fluttershy added with a smile

Twilight gasped, imaging a huge snake as long as the redwoods she had read about. A sudden snapping sound brought her head out of the clouds, her eyes whipping over to a large bush set between them and the path they had wandered off of.

Fluttershy stiffened up, her big bunny ears swiveling to the source of the sound. Noticing the bunny’s sudden tenseness, Twilight stopped moving, her own ears going up.

“What is it Fluttershy?” Twilight whispered.

The bunny leaned forward, whispering directly into the unicorn’s ear, “Something big, walk backwards slowly, don't show it your back.”

Twilight gulped and began backing up slowly, making sure not to trip. After a few steps she slipped behind a large tree and out of sight of whatever creature was close by. Now relatively safe, Twilight let out a sigh of relief.

“Is it following us?”

Fluttershy shrugged. “I don't hear any breathing.”

Suddenly the tree they had been using as cover vanished in a flash of claws, the top half tumbling out of the way to reveal the huge snarling face of a beast made entirely of wood. Twilight’s eyes went wide and she froze in panic. Fluttershy’s high pitched scream knocked her out of it.

In a flash of black light they vanished and reappeared a few feet away, Twilight’s stumbling hooves already under her. Behind them the wolf howled and charged. Its great bulk crashed through the underbrush with ease while the unicorn was left stumbling on awkward hooves.

The creature made short work of the distance between them and only another short, panicked teleport saved them from being sliced in half by the creature’s wicked claws. The wolf stopped, sniffed once, then took off after them once more, easily catching the scent of the pair, though it had no olfactory sense organs to speak of.

“What was that thing?”

“T-t-t-timberwolf!” A sharp pull on the right side of Twilight’s mane was all the warning she needed. She ducked down and to the right. The wolf crashed through a sapling and swung a clawed paw through where they had been a moment earlier.

Twilight put her head down, ducking under a branch all the while her legs desperately carried her forward as she thought of some way out. She had more than enough spells to destroy such a creature, but she couldn't gain enough ground for that to be possible, her spells simply took too long and she couldn't teleport very far. Not with a massive animated pile of wood attempting to turn her into minced meat.

Maybe if she got a little more distance she might… Her eyes shot open and she dove to the left, narrowly missing the timberwolf that had leapt upon the spot she had been a second ago. Putting her hooves under her she pushed her thoughts away. She really needed time to think!

She ducked under a low hanging branch and tried to tune out the bellow of rage that echoed all around her, only narrowly suppressing the desire to quiver in fear. Eyeing up a tightly packed group of trees that was just big enough for her to squeeze through, she poured on the speed as best as her brace would allow and dove through the narrow crack in the twisted wall of wood.

A second later she heard the timberwolf crash into the foliage, its huge bulk making the trees creak but not relent. Breathing a sigh of relief Twilight quickly looked around. Finding what she was looking for in the form of a tall, thick tree with several large wide branches, she fired off a quick teleport.

From her new vantage point she could see the lumbering form of the timberwolf round the other side of the tree wall and stop suddenly where Twilight had vanished.

As quietly as she could, she whispered, “What exactly is that thing? An animal of some kind? Can you possess it?”

The timberwolf snooped low to the ground below them, sniffing the forest floor, looking for its lost prey.

The bunny continued to shiver, gripping Twilight’s neck tighter. “It's the spirit of a lost lone wolf that doesn't know it’s dead and inhabits the wood it died near. I can only borrow creatures that are alive and I know are nice.”

Twilight’s muzzle twisted into a grimace, that made things far easier.. She had no remorse for such a creature. “A simple fire spell should do the trick then.”

Twilight’s face twisted in concentration and the strange black aura surrounded her horn, only to be cut short when a frantic voice stopped her just as she brushed her magic up against the wolf, measuring the distance and calculating how much power to put into the spell. A strange tingle ran down the base of her horn for a second before it was extinguished, along with Twilight’s concentration. “Wait! The forest hates fire!”

Twilight cursed under her breath, trusting her friend despite how crazy that had sounded. “Then what are we supposed to do?” she replied, more angrily than she intended.

“Stay quiet and hope it gets bored, its sense of smell is good but its eyesight is poor.”

Nodding to the bunny, the unicorn turned her attention down to where the wolf had been moments ago, only to blink in surprise. “Where did it go?”

“I don't know. Twilight this is bad, can you do that flashy thing again? We need to get out—”

A thunderous crash and the shaking of the tree interrupted the terrified bunny and sent Twilight scrambling. The pair exchanged a worried glance before looking down to find the snarling timberwolf scramble up the side of the tree, only to slip back down the trunk, its claws unable to find purchase. Even then it had managed to climb nearly half way up before gravity won the fight and sent it tumbling back to the ground.

“Now what do we do?”

“I don't know, I usually just run away!” The bunny tugged on Twilight’s mane and pointed to the top of the tree. “Put me up there and I’ll go see if I can't borrow some other creature bigger and scarier than the timberwolf.”

Twilight nodded, trying to ignore the second slam and subsequent clambering against the base of the tree as the timberwolf managed to gain a few feet, now almost able to reach the lowest branch on the tree. Twilight gulped and turned away from the snapping jaws of her pursuer and lit her horn.

The bunny shivered as she was enwrapped by Twilight’s magical aura, waiting patiently as Twilight carefully lifted her up and through the branches to her destination.

“Almost there, you can do it, Twilight!”

Carefully Twilight pushed on, maneuvering her small friend around the twisting branches until Fluttershy was nearly there, her tiny paws reaching out for the branch, only for the sudden shake of the tree to break her concentration. Twilight watched in panic as her small friend began to fall, her paws too small to reach any of the branches.

Ignoring the sound of the timberwolf clawing its way up the tree, Twilight concentrated and grabbed the bunny in her telekinetic grip. She had seconds until the timberwolf reached the first branch and if it got a grip from there… She chose not to think about that, all of her attention was needed on her friend. With a less than gentle push she tossed the bunny up and towards the tallest branch where Fluttershy was just barely able to hold on to.

“Twilight, watch out!” Fluttershy pointed down to where the clawing had drawn closer.

Twilight spun around just in time to see the timberwolf’s paw grip the branch and began to heave itself upwards. The unicorn panicked, pushing every ounce of telekinetic power into a shove. Pointing her horn down at the monstrous wolf, she pushed past her usual elegant spell casting and simply brute forced it with as much mana as she could.

The air distorted and rippled in the blast’s wake until it impacted the wolf’s paw with a sharp crack. Recoiling in agony, the wolf let out an ear piercing shriek of confusion and pain, chunks of its paw flying in all directions.

Twilight blinked, she had never been able to muster a push so strong in her entire life and stranger still was the… connection she had felt with the wolf when she felt her magic touch it again. There was a familiarity there, almost as if the creature’s innate magic was close to her own.

A sudden crack drew her eye to the branch she had been standing on. The ancient oak was strong and able to easily support her weight mere seconds ago. Now it was thin, sickly and sported blackened sections that seemed to have grown from around her hooves.

Thinking quickly, the unicorn scrambled closer to the tree trunk, narrowly avoiding the rest of the branch as it creaked and snapped under the combined effort of the sudden rot and her clambering hooves. She tossed a quick glance up at Fluttershy, noticing the telltale light had left the bunny’s eyes and left behind a terrified and panic ridden animal devoid of true intelligence.

The keening cry of the wolf below brought Twilight’s eyes back down to where the creature gripped the shattered remnants of its paw. Chunks of nearby wood twitched and slowly began to move towards the wolf, gathering at the base of the creature’s wrist and moving to fill in the gaps Twilight had created when she had blasted it.

Looking down at the tree, Twilight could tell the beast had been close and though she didn't doubt she had a few more well placed blasts left in her. What she did doubt was the strength of the branch holding her up, if whatever happened the first time happened again she would be forced to look for another tree. Looking around, Twilight couldn't see any branches thick enough to support her weight and even the closest trees seemed to shy away from her.

Brushing that thought aside, she looked around, past the trees and further into the wood. In the distance the vibrant green of the forest was marred by a smattering of grey that stuck out like a black eye. Squinting, Twilight was barely able to make out a dried up riverbed that had several large rocks along its side and top. The bottom was narrow and the sides steep, if she could lure it closer she could loosen one of the boulders with her magic and use it to crush her foe and hopefully not her. If she teleported that far away she may need tempting bait for the creature... Her eyes traveled up to the bunny that clung to the tallest branch with all four limbs, shaking hard enough it was nearly vibrating.

Twilight shook her head. No. Live bait would work but what would Fluttershy do? She would be kind. Letting out a sigh Twilight looked down to the wolf just as the last remnants of its paw reassembled. The wolf stretched its new paw, testing it before setting it down and looking up at the unicorn, snarling.

Live bait would work after all. Gritting her teeth, she teleported down and towards the cliff she had seen in the distance, but not far enough that the beast would lose her scent. From her new vantage point she could see the timberwolf stop and look around, only to see a smaller morsel at the top of the tree and launch itself upwards.

A dark thought entered Twilight’s mind, if she ran now the wolf might get the bunny, but it wouldn't get her. No, she shook her head and gritted her teeth, Fluttershy had shown her kindness and she would too!

“Hey why don't you pick on someone your own size, you overgrown kindling!”

The wolf’s ears perked up on the top of its head but it did not stop, leaping up to the lowest branch and beginning to heave itself upwards, its bulk straining the branch without breaking it.

Twilight lowered her horn and fired off another telekinetic push, the rolling ball of force rippling towards its target and flying right past. Cursing her aim, Twilight readied another until she thought again of the strange familiar tickle she felt as the blast rolled past the creature. What was that sensation? An odd feeling of deja vu filled her.

She felt as though she had done this exact same thing before, only long ago. She was tempted to brush the feeling aside, but it was strangely captivating, leading her down a path that ended with a suggestion. Pull.

Twilight didn't know where the thought came from but the confidence, and power that it radiated, demanded that she act. Without thinking she followed the voice’s demand and without thinking, pulled, willing the timberwolf towards her and away from the defenceless little bunny clinging to the top of the tree.

The timberwolf lurched backwards, its body suddenly pulling away from the tree while its paws reached out and tried to grab the trunk. Twilight grunted, digging in her hooves and pulling with all her magical might. The timberwolf growled in frustration and pushed off the tree, breaking Twilight’s grip and tumbling to the ground.

Within an instant the beast was back up, now facing the confused and vulnerable unicorn. This time there was no howl or snarl. It simply began to run directly at her as if its entire existence depended on reaching the strange unicorn.

Twilight’s hooves flew in a panic, nearly tripping over herself as she spun around and began running towards where she had seen the cliff, the lingering deja vu replaced with blind panic. This time the wolf didn't take its time dodging and weaving around all but the smallest trees and bushes. Simply leaning into the larger trees and simply bowling them over despite the fact that such a tactic slowed it down. The previously careful hunter now seemed possessed, as if its mind was consumed with a single purpose, a single command.

Firing off another short range, half-calculated teleport, Twilight narrowly dodged the timberwolf catching up with her. However, the sudden expenditure of mana and constant running had taken its toll. She could already feel a strange sense of exhaustion beginning to overcome her. Her limbs felt heavy, her body strangely empty. Pushing those thoughts from her mind, she ran on. I will sleep when I’m dead. she thought grimly.

Breaking through a small bush, she could see the dry riverbed rise out of the forest, ignoring the obvious fact that such a thing should be impossible to simply appear in the middle of the forest. Sure enough, the large rocks she had seen earlier were there, dotting the sides and top of the riverbed as if positioned there by some other force that foresaw her vulnerability. The timberwolf burst through the brush a moment later, its weight crushing the foliage beneath it.

The unicorn yelped and kept running, trying to think of way she could execute her plan without opening herself up to the wolf’s jaws. She eyed the ridge and tried to quickly complete the necessary calculations, but the complexity of the spell was too much. The variables were simply too numerous, she had to take into account her speed, direction and too many other things for a pony that still had to focus on not getting bitten in half by an undead tree monster.

Ahead she could see the sides of the riverbed slowly narrowing until it turned suddenly, becoming dangerously close together. Above her a flash of pink caught her eye and suddenly a boulder around forty feet away came loose and began rolling down the sides of the riverbed. The thunderous howl of the great beast still on her tail made her legs fly into action once more.

Pouring on what little speed she had left, Twilight pushed her heavy limbs to their limit while no doubt testing the durability of her new brace. With a resounding crash the boulder bounced off a ledge and rocketed into the air. It was at least three times bigger than the unicorn and would have no doubt turned her into paste if she didn't keep moving.

Firing off one last short range teleport, Twilight cried out in agony as a fresh surge of exhaustion morphed into a stab of pain. That was the least of her worries and with the last few stumbling steps carried her under and past the falling rock’s shadow. The great rock narrowly missed the stumbling mare and instead landed squarely on the timberwolf’s neck, crushing the majority of the creature’s upper body and separating its head from the rest of its body

Twilight stumbled, her hoof catching a loose rock and carrying her into a pile of smooth river rocks where she landed in a heap. Head spinning and senses scattered, she lifted her body only for dizziness to overcome her, forcing her to drop back into the pile of rocks. She sighed. Judging from the fact the back half of her body hadn't been bitten off, she had to assume the mysterious stranger had been successful in helping her, either that or she was in some serious shock.

She hardly even noticed the tumble of rocks and debris as the mystery being slid down and landed next to her.

“Hey, are you alright? Hello? Everfree to random unicorn, come in sparkle butt.” Her rescuer giggled and prodded her shoulder.

Twilight grumbled, wincing as the headache pounded even harder in her head. Something about the mare just being close to her was enough to make her headache worse than falling face first into a bunch of rocks.

“Back up, would ya?” the unicorn mumbled.

The mystery being took a tentative step back. “Well it’s good to hear you can still talk at least, I thought that last tumble might have knocked a few screws loose.”

I don't need help in that department. Twilight thought grimly. Stumbling to her hooves, Twilight nearly toppled back into a heap. However, her forehoof found something curious. A small patch of greenery had grown beneath the cracked and dry riverbed. Though it was little more than three flowers and a hoofful of grass, it was vibrant and growing strong, and its life essence would be just barely enough to break the unicorn out of her funk, whether she knew it or not.

The instant her hoof crushed the flowers and grass she stopped, breathing in a deep and steadying breath. While the life beneath her hoof shriveled and died, becoming little more than a black patch of earth, covered in a thin layer of dust, the mare became more alert, the exhaustion that plagued her lessening enough to allow her senses to return.

Steadying herself, Twilight let out a sigh, thankful her pounding headache had receded somewhat into a dull thumping at the back of her mind. “I’m okay. Just gotta breathe.”

Opening her eyes she turned, expecting to see the pony form of her wild soul friend, only to see a very different sight. The being before her was definitely equine, she was almost as tall as Twilight, which would make her easily tower over the bat ponies she had seen so far. Though she wasn't as tall as Twilight, she was easily much wider, her limbs were stocky and incredibly well muscled and Twilight couldn't help but imagine how easy it would be for the being to crush her head like an oversized grape.

Oh and it definitely was a she, or at least Twilight assumed from the voice and the fact that its coat was offensively pink. Or at least Twilight assumed it was a she, maybe they used different pronouns or only had one gender. Twilight stared her savior up and down, her curiosity beating out her manners.

Whoever they were, she looked like a pony save for the fact that where its fur should be there was a hard substance that reminded Twilight of stone. Twilight squinted, the substance definitely weren't scales but they did line up at regular intervals and seemed to serve as natural armor. They looked thick and some seemed to glint in what little light there was, as if they had veins of minerals running through them. The only hair on the creature’s body were its voluminous mane that leaped out of its skull and its equally poofy tail.

Twilight blinked twice and realized she was staring and the being had said something.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“I’m a troll, that's why you are looking at me all funny, right? Not literally funny, but you know.” She giggled. Her voice definitely was feminine, but there was a… rumble, a promise of power just beneath the polite facade it wore.

“Yes, sorry I’ve never met one of your kind before. I apologize for staring. Were you the one that knocked that boulder down?” Twilight motioned up to the place the boulder had been sitting mere moments ago.

The creature smiled. “Yuppers! That big nasty timberwolf seemed a little peeved at you for some reason.” The mare giggled, glancing down to her right where the empty eyes of the timberwolf lay dormant, its huge head little more than an inert pile of twigs now.

“Well thank you very much, uh?” Twilight winced but the mare picked up on her awkwardness quickly.

“Pinkie Pie,” she said with a smile.

“Twilight Sparkle.” The unicorn extended her hoof to which the troll enthusiastically bumped, a small tingling running up her limb after making contact with the unicorn.

“Ooh neato, nice to meetcha Twilight. What were you doing way out here?”

“Well I was following my friend, Fluttershy. She told me about a healer that could help fix my leg.” The unicorn lifted her back leg and showed it to the troll who grimaced at the sight.

“Yowch, how long do you have until it turns into a tree?”

“What?!” Twilight spun around to find the brace had collected quite a few small branches and leaves during her mad dash through the woods. Rolling her eyes Twilight lit her horn and extracted the plant matter between the brace and her leg.

A presence stirred within the shattered remains of the timber wolf the second her horn lit up, a lost soul saw a light and had leapt with a renewed vigor back into the body it had just been pushed out of.

All at once the disassembled head reassembled itself. Its eyes saw prey close and it lurched forward. Its belly rumbled despite the fact that it did not exist and its teeth sought soft, undefended pink flesh.

“AAAAH!” the troll screamed, a sudden pinch all the warning she got before her leg was bitten clean off in one swift bite. In her panic the troll attempted to lurch forward, away from whatever had bit. She managed only a single stop before toppling to the ground in a heap that sent a tremor through the earth.

Twilight backpedaled, narrowly avoiding getting crushed beneath the larger being. The bodiless timberwolf messily tore into the dismembered leg, spraying bright green blood everywhere.

The unicorn grit her teeth and lit her horn, firing off another concussive blast that sent the head spinning away. Losing the grasp on its snack, the timberwolf tried to turn but without a neck or body all it could do was snap and growl angrily at the rock wall it was facing. Twilight stared down the bodiless timberwolf, only moving after it became apparent that it could do little more than snarl angrily at nothing.

Letting out a sigh, Twilight turned away from the timberwolf, readying herself for the grim task of helping some being she had just met with getting their leg amputated. However where she assumed there would be a scene out of a horror novel, complete with crying and loads of blood stood a somewhat disheveled Pinkie Pie, balancing on the tips of her three remaining hooves, looking over Twilight’s shoulder at the timberwolf with considerably more calm than Twilight would have guessed.

“Is it dead?”

“Uh.” Twilight looked over her shoulder to where the timber wolf remained, its eyes spinning backwards in their sockets to glare angrily at the pair. Well that's going to be in my nightmares tonight. “I guess.”

“Whew.” The troll wiped the sweat from her brow and grinned. “We better get back to my teacher’s place before another nasty critter like that shows up.”

“Wait, doesn't that hurt?” Twilight grimaced, pointing down to the ravaged chunk of leg that was still bleeding strange green blood.

“What, this?” Pinkie waved the quarter of her back leg still attached. “Nah, I lose legs all the time. Why, this is the third time this month I lost righty.” She giggled and turned towards the point of the cliff she had slid down and called over her shoulder. “You coming?”

Twilight shrugged and followed, morbidly fascinated at the fact that Pinkie seemed as adept on three legs as she was on four, easily hopping up the slippery side of the riverbed with little difficulty. The unicorn shook her head, the beings around here were strange, that much was certain. Once on top of the cliff, Twilight stopped and took a breather, taking the time to look around for Fluttershy.

The troll didn't notice and bounced further into the forest. “Wait up Pinkie, we have to find my friend Fluttershy.”

Pinkie spun around and giggled. “She's right above your head, silly.”

Twilight looked up to find a very awkward hawk doing its best to hide its bright teal eyes. “Oh um, hello Twilight.” The bird winced and hid behind a wing.

“What’s wrong? You didn't get hurt trying to find help did you?”

“N-no.”

“Did Angel get hurt?”

“No.”

“What’s the matter, Fluttershy?”

The bird gulped. “I just… I couldn't… You almost died and I couldn't do anything.”

Twilight smiled softly and extended her hoof up towards the bird. “It's not your fault.”

“But—”

“No buts, you did your best and in the end it all worked out.”

Peeking out from behind its wing, the bird stared down at the unicorn. “You mean that?”

“Of course, now hop on and let's go see this Zecora pony or being or whatever.”

Gingerly, the bird hopped down Twilight’s extended leg and perched on her back, settling into a comfortable spot. “Hiya, Fluttershy!”

“Oh, hello Pinkie Pie. I see you lost righty again.”

“Yup!” Pinkie waved her stump leg at the pair, much to the dismay of Twilight’s stomach.

The bird just laughed. “I don't suppose Zecora would have something to help with Twilight’s leg, would she?”

“Oh pisha Flutters, we don't need Zecora for that. Why I already got a super awesome brew that should fix our new friend up right as rain!”

New friend. Twilight stopped and blinked, she had made two friends already. Funny, she had spent sixteen years in Canterlot and had never made even a single real friend. Thoughts of Moondancer were pushed from her mind, she had real friends now. The thought left a bitter taste in the back of her mouth, in the sixteen years she had lived amongst her own kind she hadn't made a single real friend but she stumbles blindly through the Everfree for a mere day and meets two.

As Twilight followed Pinkie deeper into the forest, she couldn't help but grin. Sure, she still had to avenge her mother and reach her family once more and despite the frequent danger that seemed to be doggedly following her, things seemed to be looking up. The thought of gaining friends so quickly made the unicorn’s paranoia spike, the fact that it felt so natural put her fears to rest for now.

The rest of the walk to Zecora’s place was a quiet one, occasionally Fluttershy would take off and scout around, but the forest seemed clear of anything dangerous save for a poisonous plant or two. Twilight could tell the troll wanted to speak, several times she would turn and open her mouth only to stop and mutter about it not being safe here. Trusting her new friend more than she cared to admit, Twilight kept her mouth shut and her eyes open.

It was as if the woods themselves could feel their vulnerability and had decided to pity the poor trio. Or perhaps it was simply intimidated by the defeat of one of its more dangerous denizens. Either way, they made it to the shaman’s residence without being interrupted, stopping only once when they found a blackberry patch and even than they only paused long enough to eat a couple hooffuls of the juicy fruit before moving on.

With blackberry stained hooves and beak, the trio pushed through the last wall of foliage that divided the forest from the shaman’s residence. Twilight’s mind had run rampant, imagining the fairytale like abode that such a renowned healer must have and was not let down one iota. In a small clearing a large squat tree had been hollowed out and was clearly being used as the shaman’s residence. Masks hung from branches all around the clearing, all facing away from the tree home. Twilight deduced they must have been used to scare off animal life as the clearing was strangely quiet and devoid of the usual chatter of the forest.

Fluttershy gripped Twilight’s back with her talons, her eyes darting back and forth. “You alright back there?” Twilight asked, turning to face the frightened hawk.

“Y-y-yeah, Steven is just a little scared of the masks.”

“If you close your eyes I will tell you when we are inside.”

“Thanks, Twilight.” Breathing a sigh of relief, the hawk hid beneath her wing and shut her eyes tightly, calming the body it resided with a quiet hum.

Inside the house tree Twilight could see several candles burning and beyond that a larger fire set beneath a great pot at the center of the home. Stowing her curiosity for now, Twilight quickly trotted past the masks and the door held open by a smiling troll.

“Were inside now, Fluttershy,” she whispered.

The hawk peeked from behind its wing and looked around the hut in wonder. “It's so cozy in here. I never saw the inside before...”

Pinkie grinned from ear to ear. “Thanks! Part of being her apprentice means keeping everything spic and span!”

Twilight’s mouth hung open as she inspected the home. In one corner several masks rested against the wall in various states of completion. In another she could see a small bed fit for some being much smaller than her, next to it on the floor was a bed roll just barely bigger than Pinkie Pie. Twilight rolled her eyes at the sight, it was almost as pink as her troll friend and had tiny blue and yellow balloons sewn all over it.

Beyond that, every nook and cranny of the hut seemed filled with ingredients both mundane and extraordinary. In one corner Twilight could see simple sage and black rush next to what looked like dragon scale and ironbark. Perhaps most impressive of all was the large pot that sat in the center of the room, where a small fire burned beneath. Though it didn't seem to give off any smoke, she could feel heat emanating from it. Twilight leaned closer, inspecting the base of the flame and finding a small pile of gems pushed close against the pot.

“Are those fire rubies?”

“Yuppers!” Pinkie responded cheerfully, grabbing a hoofful of the same gems from a nearby ledge and showing them to Twilight.

Grinning, Twilight reached out for them only to stop. “May I?”

“Sure! They are pretty neat, plus they make for a good snack too! Nice and spicy.” The troll hoofed over all but one which she popped into her mouth and began crunching away.

Fluttershy winced at the sound of the gem being crushed in the troll’s teeth while Twilight just gawked. After every few bites a small gout of flame would escape the troll’s lips which she didn't even seem to notice. “Wow.”

Remembering she had a few in her hoof Twilight inspected them as the troll finished her snack. The rubies were about the size of a bit and perfectly round, within them glowed a faint light, like a flicker of a candle. Twilight was pretty sure she had enough curiosities to study for at least a decade and she had only been in two buildings and met a couple beings. What wonders will the rest of the town yield?

Handing the rubies back to Pinkie Pie, the troll swallowed the last of her snack. Her eyes screwed up and after a second of confusion on her guests part Pinkie belched loudly, a small torrent of flame rushing out of her lips and nearly singing Twilight before she ducked out of the way.

“Wow,” Twilight and Fluttershy said in unison.

“I thought trolls were hurt by fire?” Fluttershy hopped closer, eyeing up the much larger being with concern.

“We are! Fire rubies’ fire is different. It doesn't burn like fire fire does, ya know?” Both other beings shook their head, making Pinkie groan. “Fire rubies burn like peppers and fire fire burns like fire. Get it?”

Twilight scratched her chin. “Basically you are saying magical fire doesn't harm you like natural fire would.”

“That's one way of putting it, I like my explanation better though.” The troll’s eyes shot open suddenly and she slapped a hoof to her head. “I almost forgot!” Spinning around, the troll grabbed a small vial from one of the numerous shelves hidden all over the tree home. “Here! This will fix your leg right up.”

Twilight reached out to it, only to stop and eye the troll warily. “How much does it cost?”

“For a new friend? Diddly doodily neighborino!”

“Really? I may not know much about potions, but aren't the ingredients for this type of potion rare?”

“Little bit, but if it helps a friend and helps bring a smile back to your face then it's worth every gem!” The troll fixed her with a huge toothy grin, brimming with confidence, showing off sparkly crushed bits of gem stuck in her gums.

Twilight couldn't help but smile and take the vial, the troll’s happiness infectious. “So what do I do? Drink it… or?”

The unicorn eyed the strangely thick brew in the vial cautiously, the brown liquid hardly moving as she shook the glass container.

“Yup! Just pop it back, all in one go and try not to throw it back up. Trust me on this one it’s twice as nasty coming back up as it is going down.”

Twilight nodded and braced for the worst. Tossing aside the stopper, she took a whiff of the potion. Her assumption was off, slightly. It smelled unpleasant but it also didn't smell as bad as she anticipated, it reminded her of the black tar smell that she remembered from her childhood when they paved the street outside her window.

Before she could think about it, she tossed back the vial and winced prematurely. However after a few seconds of nothing happening she opened her eyes to see the stuff had just barely shifted enough to start flowing down the vial.

“Does this stuff react badly to magic?” Twilight asked, eying the troll.

“Oh what? No.” The troll scratched her head absently. “I don't think so anyway.”

Gripping the substance in her telekinetic field the mare pulled it out of the vial and tossed it down her throat. The thick mucus-like substance slid into her gullet at a painfully slow pace. She had just barely managed to avoid her tongue with all but a few drops. The taste was surprisingly close to what she assumed the black tar stuff the workers had used would taste like.

“Blech.” Twilight swallowed over and over until she was sure she had sucked down every last drop. A thought occurred to her suddenly as she felt the strange concoction slide down her throat.

Why had she trusted this being she had met mere minutes ago? She was sure that if she was in Canterlot, she would have never trusted another pony with such a disturbing liquid but here she tossed it back without much of a second thought. Shaking her head, the mare grinned.

“Thanks Pinkie, how long does it take to work?”

“Oh that?” Pinkie rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. “I’m not the best at potion making, so it should take about a week.” The troll winced.

“Oh, well that's not bad.” Twilight winced and looked over her shoulder at the hawk.

“Hug her, silly,” the hawk whispered. “She seems self-conscious.”

“Um okay.” Twilight awkwardly stepped over to the troll and after the hawk had hopped off her back, the mare stood on her back hooves and awkwardly hugged the large being.

Slowly the troll hugged back, her own awkwardness vanishing along with her sense of failure. Squeezing the thinner being tightly, the troll giggled. “I like your hugs, they make me all tingly!”

Twilight smiled, that didn't sound like a compliment to her but she chose to take it that way. Disengaging from the stronger being, Twilight stepped back. “Really Pinkie, thank you, but shouldn't you have used that potion? I mean your leg is a little worse than mine.”

Pinkie waved around her leg stump that had thankfully stopped bleeding a while ago. “Nah, that's a busted leg potion, not a leg maker potion.” Grabbing a hoofful of sandstone from a nearby shelf, the troll tossed it back and began to chew loudly. “‘Sides, I just gotta keep up my nutrition and my leg will be back in no time!”

Twilight nodded, she had so many questions about trolls and potions and everything she had seen, but she stowed them away for now. If she had a week of being unable to walk properly, then maybe she could find a library around her and fulfill her seemingly boundless curiosity. Though there was something more pressing she needed to, and that was plan.

First things first, she would need gems in order to get home, though she knew not how she would earn them. She would need supplies, a guide, a weapon of some kind as well as a disguise and fake identification to get back into the city of her birth. Even then, she didn't know how to get any of those things. She would cross that bridge when she got there.

“Hey Pinkie, Fluttershy, do you know where I can make some bits, er, gems?”

“I usually just find my gems lying around, plenty of beings drop them and my animal friends pick them up and bring them to me. Sometimes beings just give them to me. Sorry, I can't help more...”

“That's fine, thanks anyway, Fluttershy.”

“I used to work on my family’s rock farm but that's all the way near the bottom of Cliffsdale. After I left home I was lucky enough to find out about Zecora and after plenty of convincing she let me stay with her and let me learn all the super neat stuff she knows. I never really needed to make any gems, but Zecora gives me some occasionally for helping her with tough stuff. Oh and I make all my party supplies myself!” The troll grabbed a hoof full of homemade confetti and threw it into the air.

Twilight smirked at the display, it looked like dry grass that had been dyed different colors. She had to admit that was a pretty ingenious improvisation. “Darn, you girls aren't leaving me with a leg to stand on.”

“Hehehe, good one Twilight!” The troll laughed deeply, her rumbling laughter so present Twilight could feel it.

She blinked. “Oh yeah, I suppose that was pretty clever. I guess you got the leg up on me there.”

The troll’s laughter doubled and she rolled on the floor, clutching her sides. Twilight was a little more reserved, merely snickering at her own terrible puns. Fluttershy just sighed and covered her face with a wing.

“Not another one of you,” the hawk said with a sigh

Twilight giggled at the hawk’s annoyance. “Can't take the punishment, Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy groaned louder while Pinkie Pie laughed harder, only stopping long enough to add her own pun. “Well you know what they say Fluttershy, birds of a feather flock together!”

While the two other mares laughed, Fluttershy scowled as much as a beaked creature could scowl. “Getting back on topic, I’m pretty sure there is a farm at the edge of town that was looking for help the last time I passed through. No offence though Twilight, but you don't look like you could do a lot of farm work.”

Twilight waved a dismissive hoof. “No, no that's fine, I’ve never been athletic.”

“Oooh that's good thinking Fluttershy, I’m sure Applejack would help Twilight out. Plus it’s almost her big brother’s birthday!” The troll gasped and suddenly reached over and grabbed Twilight’s cheeks. “Do you know what this means?”

“Nwo wut?”

“Double party!”

“Double party?” Twilight shared a confused glance and shrug with Fluttershy.

“Well yeah, we gotta throw you a Welcome to Ponyville party! Plus we can have it at the farm and make it a double party! The fun has been doubled! Huzzah!” The pink mare took on a more regal posture with the last two sentences as if quoting somebeing Twilight had never heard of before.

“Anyway… Thanks again Pinkie Pie, I must have been really lucky you had made a ‘leg fixing’ potion.”

“No luck about it, my Pinkie sense told me someone was gonna come along and need a leg fixer potion.” The troll tapped the side of her head with a hoof and grinned.

“Pinkie sense?”

“Yeah! It was a tail shake followed by a scratchy nose followed by my legs feeling all noodly. After that I just knew someone was gonna need a leg fixer potion…” The pink being scratched her head awkwardly. “Or it was warning me I was gonna get my leg nommed on.” She shrugged. “Oh well.”

Twilight merely shrugged as well, realizing it was just Pinkie being Pinkie. Even being around the troll for mere minutes seemed to make the unicorn realize that trying to think too hard about the strange pink creature would only make her head hurt. Which was a far cry from what usually happened in other realities that involved their meeting, I wonder if it was because this Twilight went through so much craziness in her life so quickly and that made her more accepting of the odd pink being.

“Well it was nice meeting you, Pinkie Pie. I look forward to the party,” Twilight said with a poorly mustered smile.

“Yuperino! Oh before I forget, strawberry, vanilla or chocolate?” The troll pulled a pencil and notepad from her mane and eagerly awaited Twilight’s response.

“Strawberry… no wait chocolate! No wait…” Twilight frowned, deep in thought.

“Why not both?” Fluttershy added.

“That’s perfect, can you do both Pinkie?” Twilight asked.

“Of course! I’m so excited I can't wait until your party with all your friends, it’s gonna be great! Now out you two get going, auntie Pinkie has plans to make and cakes to bake!”

“I’m a year older than you,” Fluttershy mumbled.

“Toodaloo!” With a swift push the pair was out the door and on the curb, the door closed firmly behind them.

Twilight blinked repeatedly. “What just happened?”

“You got invited to a Pinkie Pie party.”

“Oh uh, does she do this for every being?”

Fluttershy simply nodded.

“I’ve never been to a party for me before.” Twilight stared down at the ground between her hooves, lost in thought.

“Not even one?”

Twilight shook her head. “I’ve only been to one other party and that was a disaster.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” the hawk asked sweetly, hopping closer to the mare.

“Not really, sorry it still kind of hurts.” Twilight winced.

“That's okay. We don't have to talk about it unless you want to. Now, why don't we go get some rest, I’m sure you are tired after all the excitement we had today.”

“Yeah…”

The pair picked themselves off the front step and started back towards town with Fluttershy leading the way. As they walked and flew Twilight’s mind drifted back to thoughts of the pink troll. Sure, she was strange and seemed to defy the laws of linear causality, but considering everything else that's happened recently this just seemed par for the course.

Twilight smiled, she wasn't sure why but becoming friends with her felt… right. As if it was meant to be. Maybe it was how nice and funny the being was or maybe it was something else… Nah, that was silly, she dismissed the thought. It probably wasn't some sort of cosmic destiny, but the pink troll’s sense of humour surely had a fair share in it. Twilight hadn't laughed or smiled as much as she had while in the pink troll’s presence. Not since her brother’s last birthday...

No, she wasn't going to think about that, not now, not while she was starting to make progress back home. Instead she chose to think about the jokes they had shared, much to Fluttershy’s dismay. When she had woken up earlier today lost and alone and so far from home, she had believed she would never laugh again, never feel kindness again nor be able to locate a soul that would stand with her, but here she was.

With hope blossoming in her chest Twilight lifted her head high and dared to dream of a better tomorrow. Of a world where her life was not one horrible misstep after another, blundering further and further towards her own demise.

The mare smiled and picked up her pace, quickly catching up to Fluttershy and smiling widely at the hawk. Who in turn couldn't help but smile back, though that came out more in the being’s eyes as smiling with a beak was a rather difficult task.

Making their way back to town the pair took a more wary pace, frequently stopping while Fluttershy scouted ahead while Twilight lay low, ensuring this walk through the forest would not end at the jaws of some beast. All the while they talked idly, Twilight’s curiosity burning bright as she finally had time to ask some of the many questions she had thought of since her arrival at Ponyville. Fluttershy did her best to answer but she had never really been interested in the how and why of what happened, save for when animals were concerned.

The evening star pulsed joyfully, its light matching the identical flickers from a nearby star. This one was different from the others that had shone so far, its light was pink and where the others stayed in the same spot, unmoving in the sky, this one seemed unbound by the laws of gravity and hopped happily across the night sky.

After a time the stars dimmed and reassembled into their places, their light disappearing once more, fading into the background of many other brighter stars.

Author's Note

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Insight

Rainbow Dash peered into the bathroom mirror, staring intently into her own slitted eyes. Her confidence wavered as her mind summoned scenes of failure and disgrace, ranging from the probable to the incredibly unlikely. She shook her head when her mind went down a particularly insane road, imagining her getting chewed out and fired for chewing gum that one time over a month ago.

“You can do this Rainbow Dash, the sergeant asked for you by name. All you gotta do is go up there and look professional. You haven't screwed up too badly recently, so it's probably good, right?” The thestral wilted, her bat-like wings tucking into her sides.

The mare frowned as she stared at her fur with disdain. It was too bright for a thestral, and every time she looked in the mirror, she couldn't help but frown at the sight. Some namby pamby pegasus genes on her father’s side gave her fur of a brighter coloration than she would have liked and a name that she couldn't stand.

It had grown on her somewhat as time went on, but when you were surrounded by others with cool names like Night Stalker and Silent Step, Rainbow Dash stuck out like a black eye. “Why couldn't I have been named something cool, like Night Wing or Red Robin? Actually that second one kind of stinks.”

The mare blew a stray strand of hair out of her eyes. “Augh.” She hated her mane most of all, what kind of thestral had a rainbow mane? Worse still, the last time she had cut it she missed a few errant hairs that were far longer than the rest, now sticking haphazardly out of her mane. She would have gone to a hairdresser but she was embarrassed enough as it was. She frowned and yanked a few of the hairs out of her skull but quickly stopped as the pain beat out her frustration. She would just have to be happy with a short mohawk that had a few stray hairs until she got home and fixed that.

Sighing to herself, she slumped closer to the ground, only for a thump at the door to draw her attention. “You going to take all day in there, Crash?” yelled a deep, yet feminine voice.

“N-no, Ma’am!” Rainbow stuttered back.

“Good, because Swift Wing just came back from town.”

“Uh, so?”

“It's Thursday, Crash,” the thestral officer stated.

Rainbow Dash shuddered, bean day. “Out in a minute!” The mare on the other side of the door merely grunted and left, leaving the thestral alone with her thoughts once more.

The mare took a deep breath and steadied herself, running her hoof over her uniform once more. She silently lamented the fact she wasn't allowed to wear her armor while off duty for what was probably the millionth time. With her uniform straight and orderly, the mare stepped out of the bathroom and back into the barracks.

Down the hall to her left, she could hear the night shift idly chatting with their day comrades as they were changing. There had been more than enough time for the official debriefing to happen, so now it left friends and stragglers to converse while testing their superior’s patience. She yearned to join in and maybe find another friend amongst the guard, but today would not be the day. She sighed, at least this time it wasn't because she was getting teased about her giant clumsy wings.

She turned to the right and made her way up a nearby set of stairs, climbing the tower to the third floor before walking down another hallway and up a different set of stairs to the where commander Dark Hallow’s office was located. When she reached the top of the stairway, she waved at the commander’s assistant who was leaned back on her chair, sharpening a fang with a small file.

The commander's tower was small and there was room for little more than the stairway, a single chair for those waiting for an appointment and Dark Hallow’s assistant’s small desk that sat next to the door to the commander’s office. Rainbow thought it was a little cramped, but to a pure blooded thestral like the commander and his assistant, it was downright cozy.

Rainbow Dash instinctively pulled her upper lip higher, hoping to show off her own diminutive fangs more prominently. The receptionist ran the file over her tooth a few more times before touching it with her tongue and smiling to herself. “You are here to see the commander I presume?”

Dash gulped and nodded. “Yeah, he said to be here ten minutes from now.”

The receptionist blinked owlishly and looked up at the clock hanging above the stairwell. “Well would you look at that, you are not late for once.” Dash frowned which only made the other mare laugh. “Don't be like that Crash, I’m happy for ya, honest. The commander having nothing to complain about makes my life easier.”

“Heh, well this time I had a little extra push to get out of the barracks what with it being bean day.”

The assistant groaned. “Don't tell me Swift Wing is on shift today.”

“Yup!”

“Augh. I’m going to have to sneak into one of the officer bathrooms again.”

“Again? Is it true they got heated seats?”

The mare’s eyes went wide and she leaned in conspiratorially. “That's not the half of it, they even got these fancy things that dry your hooves for ya and—”

“Is that Rainbow Dash out there, Mrs Ever Flight?” yelled a slightly shrill stallion’s voice from inside the office.

“Yes, Commander Hallow!”

“Send her in, would you?”

“Right away!” The receptionist turned back to the other mare and shrugged. “You better get in there, he's usually a stickler for his schedules so this must be serious.”

Rainbow fidgeted nervously for a few seconds before the other batpony motioned to the door and whispered, “Go on.”

Gulping down her trepidation, Rainbow pushed open the door and was immediately assaulted by the musty smell of very old books. She crinkled her nose in disgust and tried to suppress the urge to sneeze that crept through her muzzle. The dust that hung heavily in the commander’s office always rankled the young thestral and irritated her sinuses.

She saluted quickly, shaking off the smell. “Commander.”

“At ease,” said the old stallion, motioning to the empty chair across from him. A large easy smile spread across his face, showing off the prominent set of fangs. “Take a seat please, we have a lot to talk about.”

The old stallion was a shining example of a pure blood thestral and even in his advanced age, his mane and tail were still a stark black. Only his deep grey coat had become lighter somewhat as the years had gone by. Even his eyes and size were the epitome of the thestral blood line. His eyes nearly shone in the darkness and Rainbow was quite sure he could probably see in all but the most absolute darkness, his irises were the soft blue of a cloud illuminated by moonlight. His wings were much smaller but Rainbow Dash knew that was in part what made them so perfect, he could duck and weave with precision she could only dream of.

Rainbow Dash gulped and did as she was told, tearing her eyes away from the old stallion. She tried to remain as professional as she could while a nagging voice in the back of her mind told her she was doomed. “Is there a problem, Sir?”

“No, no problem, Private Dash, why quite the opposite. First things first though.” The stallion turned the head of a small bust on his desk. A brief glittering blue sphere expanded outward from the head, rapidly filling the room and passing through everything until it met the walls where it brightened briefly before fading. “There we go, that should stop anybeing from listening in on us.”

Behind the door Mrs Ever Flight cursed silently and put away the cup she had held to her ear, grumbling about Dark Hallow taking away the sole fun part of her job.

Back inside the office the wiry old stallion stroked his chin. “I just want you to know that I noticed what you did the other week down at the Twinkle residence. Stars know that kid has been through enough, and it does this old heart good to see at least one of my guards knows how to handle the young ones.”

Rainbow Dash blushed and rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. “It was nothing, Sir. I just couldn't sit around when I heard it was her birthday, especially after what happened to her parents.”

The old stallion’s smile widened. “And that is what we need more of in the guard. It’s not enough that the beings here respect us, they must trust us. What you did is precisely how trust is gained.”

The young thestral’s blush deepened and she looked away from the stallion, withering under the unusual amount of praise.

“Which is also why I am choosing you for a special mission.” The mare blinked, the blush gone in an instant. “You know Fluttershy from your foalhood, correct?”

“Uh, yeah?”

“Good.” The stallion stood and began to pace between the large bookcases that lined either side of his office while looking out the window directly behind his desk. His eyes scanned over the town below idly. “Would you be a dear and pack my pipe for me? I’m afraid my old hooves are having trouble with that nowadays.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Top drawer on the left, thank you young one. Getting old is the best reward for an old stallion but the worst curse for a young colt.” He laughed bitterly as he looked out the window.

Rainbow quickly opened the drawer and did her best to ignore all the other cool stuff in there. She rummaged through the contents, avoiding the several medals the commander had won and a ceremonial dagger left without a sheath in the desk. Pulling out the pipe case, she quickly got to work, packing the ornate petrified mushroom pipe with some of the sweetest tobacco she had ever smelled. Which was one reason she didn't mind doing this for the old commander as at least he had a good taste.

“Now, I know I said special mission, but I don't want to get your hopes up. This is going to be little more than a bit of glorified snooping.”

“Snooping, Sir?”

The stallion grunted and turned back to the mare. “Have you heard of the newest arrival in town?” The mare shook her head. “Figured you wouldn't. She just came through town yesterday evening and left just about as quickly as she came, heading back out into the Everfree.”

“She, Sir?” The mare finished packing the pipe. She closed the wooden pipe box and handed the pipe over.

“Thank you, and yes, her. Seems like Ponyville is playing host to a unicorn. Private Dash, do you know what that means?” The young thestral blanched and shook her head. “I assumed as much, you young ones never study history. My pops always said, ‘every stupid thing that could ever be done has been done’ then he’d give me a new history book to read.” The stallion laughed at the memory despite the fact that he had told the same story an innumerable amount of times already.

“Anyway, what that means is that either she is a visitor from the far east or she is from Sun Rock.”

The mare gasped. “Is she a solar spy?”

The stallion lit the pipe with a match and let the nervous mare stew in her anxiety while he gently pulled on the pipe and exhaled slowly. “We don't know. Which is where you come in as that is something we need to know. She was last seen in the company of your old friend, so start your search there, Private Dash.”

The young thestral nodded eagerly. “You can count on me, Sir.”

“Good, I want you to watch her, keep your distance at first but if she seems like she's doing something spyish, then call for backup before going in. I don't want one of my rising stars going missing just because she thought she can handle it all by herself, understood?” The mare’s face lit up at the comment and she nodded quickly. “You will answer only to me for as long as she's in the Everfree. Reports are expected to be on my desk every other day. Oh and before I forget.” Dark Hallow opened another drawer and placed a small bangle on the desk.

It was relatively simple, a thin dark grey metal ring with a raised section in the center. A stylized fruit bearing vine was wrapped around it with a large berry on the raised section.

“You are going to need that. It was a gift from an uncle of mine that had done some exploring in the deep wood. Should make you not need to eat or sleep while you wear it but when you take it off, make sure you are in bed because you’ll pass out immediately.” The stallion pushed it closer to the mare and smiled. “Try it on, I’d hate to go through all the trouble of digging it up only to find out it doesn't fit.”

Rainbow Dash’s trembling hoof grabbed the deceptively heavy bangle. “Are you sure, Sir? Treasures from the deep wood are…”

The stallion waved a dismissive hoof. “Don't worry about it, besides I know you won't lose it, right?”

“Never! I mean, no, Sir.” Rainbow slipped the bangle over her leg and frowned at how easily it went on, right when she was about to take it off, the bangle shrunk and fit snugly on her right foreleg a few inches above the hoof. The young thestral squeaked in alarm and nearly tried to pull it off before realizing it wasn't continuing to get tighter.

The stallion merely laughed at the mare’s reaction. “I didn't know it could do that, I must be going senile in my old age.”

The mare stared in awe at the bangle, eyeing it up from multiple angles with wide, wonder-filled eyes. The stallion leaned back in his chair and puffed on his pipe for a few times, letting the filly-like wonder burn itself out.

“Now, unless you have something else you need to know about your mission, I have a schedule to keep and interviews I need to prepare for.”

Rainbow smiled widely and saluted. “I won't let you down, Sir!”

“I know you won't, Private Dash, I’m counting on you. Dismissed.”

The young thestral trotted out the door and once outside, she squealed at a high enough pitch half the dogs in Ponyville began barking. Mrs Ever Flight clamped her hooves over her ears and grimaced. “What the hell, Crash? Trying to make me deaf or something?”

“No time to explain, I’m on a top secret mission!” Then with a pump of her wings she shot down the staircase and was out of the building in four seconds flat. It had the unfortunate side effect of sending all the papers that had been carefully laid out for the commander’s approval flying all over the room, leaving behind a rather angry assistant cursing the rainbow maned thestral.

Inside the office Dark Hallow took one last long drag on his pipe before exhaling and knocking out the remnants of the tobacco left within. Once his pipe was away, he looked back out over the town of Ponyville. From his tower he could see a good portion of the town and the many beings wandering around. His smile slowly grew until he was grinning like a maniac.

Turning suddenly, he gripped a small moon sculpture from his desk and hugged it briefly. “This mare might be the key, the expert that analyzed the hospital room in which she used her magic has already brought back promising results.”

He lifted the moon statue high in his grip and laughed. “A long shot though it might be, you may soon rise and then we shall finally—”

The door slamming open suddenly broke him from his monologue and he spun around to see a sheepish Rainbow Dash blushing. “Uh, did I interrupt something?”

“No, no of course not. I’m actually practicing for a play I am a part of and I’m rather embarrassed that I keep forgetting my lines. Now what do you need?”

“Well I was wondering if you, uh, knew where Fluttershy went so I can start my search? The Everfree is really big…”

“Oh, uh, yes. She went to the Zecora’s last I heard. Do remember to knock next time.”

“Sorry about that.” Rainbow Dash quickly retreated into the other room and closed the door behind her.

“Where was I? Oh yes— Soon you shall rise aga—”

A rainbow maned thestral poked her head back in and whispered, “Like super sorry.”

Dark Hallow was a patient stallion, but even his seemingly limitless patience had been stretched too far. Hoisting the moon statue up in one hoof, he moved to throw the wooden object at the offending mare, only for her to bolt out the door. Of course he didn't intend to actually throw it, but he got his point across. Unfortunately Rainbow’s quick retreat had the poor side effect of ruining what little progress Mrs Ever Flight had made.

Leaving the mare’s curses behind, Dark Hallow locked the door firmly and walked back to his spot by the window and gripped the statue once again. Only to hold it up and feel none of the power, none of the energy he had first felt. He fell into his chair and tossed the small statue back to its spot.

Leave it to that mare to ruin a perfectly good monologue. He frowned and glanced down at his empty pipe. Maybe a little more wouldn't hurt, after all he did seem to have a headache coming on.

Sunset Shimmer sighed and pulled at her eyelid, staring into her rune-inscribed eyes with disdain in the bathroom mirror. She cursed herself for having wasted so much time gazing at the runes and glowing lines of power that subtly infused nearly every part of her body. She had at first used the excuse that she was searching for a weak link in Celestia’s bindings, but there were none. Now she had degraded to the point where she stood in horror upon realizing that her very eye sockets were infused with Celestia’s hoof work.

She didn't know what the runes around her eyes would do, but when she looked straight up, she could see them better. What little information she could glean was unpleasant in the extreme. The runes seemed to have the basis of a remote viewing spell, but there were many extra lines and layers added that Sunset could only guess at. The fact that somepony could be looking through her eyes at this very moment was a disturbing one, so much so that she had wasted nearly half an hour of her remaining freedom desperately twisting her eyes in their sockets and trying to figure out more.

She put her hoof back down on the cold sink and let out a ragged breath. She had less than an hour of freedom before she was put back in the hole and she would not waste it agonizing over things she had very little chance of changing. Brilliant though she may be, Sunset Shimmer held no illusions that she could break the princess’ enchantments, she had a millennium to spend studying the field and Sunset had only ever been able to study their effects. Adding on the fact that any damage Sunset could do to the enchantments would inevitably be fixed when she was put back under, she quickly realized the futility of resistance.

She threw on a snarl and stepped out into the small apartment she was allowed to reside within for the several hours of freedom she gained every few years. Although using the word freedom was a little exaggerated.

The ‘apartment’ was relatively small and despite the large windows that displayed the city, it did not mean she was several stories above the ground as the view might suggest. The windows were merely remote viewing spells tied to glass and behind them was a solid stone wall, something Sunset had figured out the first time she was allowed to stay here.

Sunset chuckled darkly at the memory, remembering when she had scanned the window only to realize there were no protective barriers. She had leapt through the fake window within seconds, imagining Celestia had merely forgotten to reinforce them only to impact the rock wall a few inches behind them.

Sunset rubbed her forehead at the memory, that had not been a pleasant experience and despite the fact that she had no evidence, she couldn't help but imagine that Celestia had made there be a space between the wall and the fake window which allowed Sunset to build up enough momentum that her impact hurt more.

Shaking her head, Sunset looked around the room. The small cot in the corner lay unused, and though tempting, Sunset had decided not to sleep her freedom away this time. The small kitchenette had a few fresh fruits left in a small bowl that had been welded to the table which was in turn welded to the ground. The sink was tied to a water summoning and water banishing subset of spells, meaning there were no pipes to use as an escape means. Finally in the far corner of the room was a small bookshelf that held several books, most of which Sunset had read several times.

Or, in the case of one book, had written herself. She gently ran her hoof down the spine that bore her name, Reinventing the wheel by Sunset Shimmer. It was not a large book, nor was it professionally bound, but Sunset still swelled with pride every time she saw it. To this day she didn't know why Celestia had let her keep it, maybe to allow her a tiny amount of joy in her life or, what seemed more likely, a grim reminder of her so called fall.

She pulled her hoof from the book as she heard the metal squeal of her ‘apartment’ door opening.

“Down on the ground prisoner 11248!” commanded a strong, slightly distorted voice.

Rolling her eyes and sighing, Sunset lay on the ground, hooves splayed in all directions and eyes facing the ground. The heavy hoofsteps of the guard circled her quickly and plunked the now familiar feeling of a custom inhibitor ring on her horn.

Goodbye magic, she thought glumly.

Next a collar was clamped around her neck and a leash attached to that. Sunset knew very well that such an action was unnecessary but it seemed as though Celestia enjoyed her humiliation. With a sharp tug she stood up and turned toward the door. The guard stared down at her through the gold lenses of his helmet with what Sunset imagined was disgust.

“Follow me, the princess has demanded your presence.” Before Sunset could ask why she was being summoned, her leash was pulled again and she was forced to scamper to catch up with the stallion tugging at her throat.

Sunset was tempted to growl in annoyance or defiance, but she knew how that would end up and she did not desire more pain, despite the brief bit of catharsis she would be granted.

Instead she merely observed the stallion that was now leading her out of the apartment and into the dull grey halls beyond. The guard wore the same full plate that every other did, gleaming steel met gleaming steel to create a seamless blend between plates, revealing not a single patch of fur or flesh. His mane and tail were most likely shaved as there were no traces of either and the armor made no allowances for unnecessary hair.

The silver and gold armor went all the way up to the stallion’s neck where a thick silver mesh of smaller plates bridged the gap between helmet and armor. Sunset was fairly sure that the armor’s seals functioned in such a way that negated gas attacks and most likely pressurized the inside, judging from just how completely the guard was covered. Which would explain the slightly distorted voice that was most likely magically reproduced as the helmet wrapped around the entire head and encapsulated even the guard’s horn.

Sunset wasn't quite sure how they had managed to do that as usually such an act would make spellcasting impossible, but she did not have the time to think about it as the guard stopped suddenly in front of a large oak door the likes of which they had passed dozens of in the time they had spent walking.

“Hold, prisoner,” the guard commanded.

Sunset frowned but did as she was told, standing perfectly still on the spot next to the door that the guard indicated. A golden aura surrounded the guard’s encased horn and the door opened slightly.

“Princess, I have brought the prisoner, are you ready for the interrogation?” The gruff, commanding voice from before was replaced with one of deference and supplication, to which Sunset scoffed.

“Yes, bring her in and then you may leave, your presence will not be needed,” came the reply from what Sunset assumed was Celestia.

“By your will.” The guard nodded once and turned to Sunset. “You heard her, prisoner, get in there.” The guard yanked on her leash and lead her inside.

Sunset bit her tongue and followed closely into the room, only to stop as she noticed the strangeness therein. It was not the tea lounge Celestia liked to use when she gloated, nor was it her containment cell as that was much much further from her little ‘apartment’. The room she was in was much, different than the others she was usually lead to after a mission.

Knives and blades of many different sort lined the walls and in the center was a wooden horse with bindings set in such a way that whomever was placed within would be completely unable to escape. Panicked eyes spun around to see numerous other items of torture, including the equipment necessary to create additional runes. Sunset Shimmer shuddered at the thought of any more of the cursed things being placed on her.

She had been put under for when the majority of the runes was inscribed into her flesh, but the few she had been awake for had been the most painful experience of her life.

“Front and center prisoner!” the guard commanded, tugging her leash hard enough that she nearly choked.

“That will be all, thank you,” Celestia added. The guard nodded to the princess, hoofed over the leash and stepped outside, the door slamming shut behind him.

“Would you kindly take a seat, please?” Celestia extended her hoof, indicating the wooden horse.

Sunset grunted and felt her hooves move on their own, carrying her up and onto the horse without her consent. Once on top, she felt leather straps tighten across her legs and neck, immobilizing her completely.

“Why are you doing this, Celestia? I did exactly as you commanded, yes there was some… fallout, but that was hardly my fault!”

Celestia’s jaw tightened. “That mare’s memories would be nearly impossible to alter with how close those two were. The fact that she is dead does not concern me.”

Sunset gritted her teeth as she felt the straps tighten painfully so. “Then why am I here?”

The alicorn ignored the question entirely and stood before the mare, staring intently at the wall of knives. She reached out for a long sharp knife made for piercing, only to stop and reach for another smaller, serrated knife.

Sunset snorted. “What are you going to do, torture me for fun?” She spat on the floor in disgust. “Just when I thought you couldn't get lower.”

Celestia sighed and stepped around the offending glob of spit, the knife held aloft in her magic. “You are close in your assumption. Yes this is fun, but it is not solely for my enjoyment.” The mare walked around her captive, running the dull side of the knife across her captive’s flanks. “You keep up this facade of ruthlessness and a desire to kill in an attempt to convince me that I should not keep you as a specialist. Isn't that right?”

“You know as well as I just how much I enjoy the act,” Sunset spat.

“Speaking of act, why don't you drop yours?” Celestia stopped and pressed the knife against the other mare’s flanks.

Sunset growled and flicked her tail into Celestia’s face. “If you think this is an act you’re more deluded than I thought.”

The alicorn recoiled slightly, a frown marring her usually perfect mask. Gripping Sunset’s tail, Celestia pulled it straight and swiftly removed the offending appendage in one swift slash. The unicorn merely smirked at the sudden removal of her tail. “Oh no, you’ve cut off my tail! What horrific torture is next?”

“Oh that? I was just removing something that might get in the way. You see Sunset, I had yet another annoying suitor come in today and I got to thinking. What these horny stallions need is a good way to vent their frustrations. Wouldn't you agree?” The mare smirked, giving Sunset’s flank a firm smack.

“You wouldn't…”

The alicorn lifted the unicorn’s chin and forced their eyes to meet, one set of eyes filled with steely resolution, the other filled with desperation. “You are right, I wouldn't.” The alicorn dropped Sunset’s head. “Well not yet anyway, tell me Sunset, in your own words. What happened to Twilight Sparkle?”

“What, are you going senile in your old age? I told the handler everything and you know I cannot lie in those reports.”

Celestia sighed and suddenly slapped the mare hard and fast enough to make her neck strain to as far as it could go without snapping. “Fuck what the hell?” the unicorn spat.

Celestia wiped the blood from her hoof onto Sunset’s flank and tsked. “Language young one. Now I will not repeat this again, in your own words, what happened to Twilight Sparkle?”

“You know very well what happened, you crazy bitch! I popped her heart with the spell you taught me.” The mare snarled, wishing as hard as possible that she could spit in the mare’s face but some latent command laced into her body made such an action impossible to follow through.

“You know very well that I did not teach you that spell. I allowed you to view the unaltered first telekinesis spell. It is you who used it for evil!”

“Evil? Celestia, I was trying to enable doctors to perform surgery without ever having to open a pony up! But all you saw was a way to kill and jumped to the stupid conclusion that I was—”

Another back hoof, this one just as hard and just as fast. Thankfully Sunset saw this coming and was able to brace herself at least a little before the blow came.

“I will not be spoken to in such a manner, you have lost your right to speak until somepony asks you a direct question.” Sunset felt something spark to life within her and the insult that was forming on her lips become unintelligible noise. “There, much better. Maybe a stay in the tank will set you straight. This should give you ample time to regret underestimating a necromancer and undermining the utopia I have spent millennia building.”The alicorn’s face morphed into one of overdramatic pity. “What is it, specialist Shimmer? No come back, no spit of defiance? Why, I am shocked.”

The alicorn tossed aside the blade and walked towards the door, ignoring the incoherent rambling coming from the unicorn. The mare walked through the door and moved to close it behind her, only to stop at the last possible second. “Oh yes, I almost forgot. Silly me, here I was so preoccupied with thoughts of a massage and cake that I nearly forgot to enact your punishment.”

The mare lit her horn and with a flash of power the room went pitch black and the unicorn’s nonsense cries were silenced, the only light or sound emanating from the still open door. “There we are, oh yes and one last thing, Miss Shimmer?” The unicorn blinked and looked up towards the door. “Burn.” With a smirk the alicorn was gone along with all light and sound, leaving Sunset alone.

Alone with the sudden pain of having every inch of her body immolated. Her muscles twitched, her horn sparked and her mouth screamed a wordless cry. She could not smell a fire or feel its heat, but she could feel its fiery touch over every inch of her body.

Thoughts of defiance and promises that she would escape fled the unicorn’s mind, replaced by a seemingly endless pain that burned her to her very soul without damaging her body in the slightest.

In the darkness one mare was given purpose and direction while another suffered untold agony, alone in the abyss.

Author's Note

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Sustenance

Exhaustion, the bane of the mighty, bringing down alicorns and mortals alike. The foe even the movers of the heavens could not overcome had finally settled into Twilight’s bones and the unicorn felt its burning presence acutely.

“Wait.” Twilight gasped and put up her hoof. “Just wait a second.”

Fluttershy landed on a nearby branch and cocked her avian head to the side, staring intently at the unicorn. “Is something wrong, Twilight? Is your leg hurting again?”

The unicorn shook her head. “No, I just need to catch my breath.” She wheezed, her knees shook and her balance wavered, for a second Fluttershy feared her friend may collapse where she stood.

“Maybe it would be best to lay down before we go into town and find you some food.”

“No, I can make it.” The unicorn smiled weakly and took a step forward, only to trip and end up in an undignified heap. “Ow.”

Fluttershy fluttered down to the forest floor and poked the unicorn’s nose with her beak. “Should I go find Mr Bear and carry you back? My burrow isn't far from here.”

Twilight groaned weakly. “Maybe a nap would be for the best, despite my rumbling stomach. I don't think I can make it all the way back to town.”

Fluttershy smiled faintly, or would have, if she had lips. “Okay Twilight, it's not much but I do have a few blankets and pillows for guests.”

“Thank you, Fluttershy, I’m sure it will be perfect. Would you back up a bit? I don't want to fall on you if my legs go weak again.”

The hawk took a few hopping steps back and eyed her friend cautiously, watching as she rose to her hooves once more. Once again on all fours, Twilight’s knees shook and for a moment she seemed as though she was about to fall again. One deep breath later, her limbs ceased their quaking.

“Okay, I think I’m good,” she said more to herself than anyone else.

Fluttershy nodded and took wing once more, never going more than a few feet away from the still wary and unsteady unicorn. Slowly, the pair made their way through the woods, stopping occasionally to allow Fluttershy to scout ahead. They were close now, closer than they were when they met the timberwolf, but neither individual let their guard down as they did before, the stinging reminder for letting their defences lax still present in their minds.

The hawk settled in on a branch just above Twilight’s head and nodded down to her friend, extending a wing north before taking flight once more.

Twilight didn't waste the energy to even nod an affirmation, merely putting her head down and following at a slow pace. At this point she didn't even care that Fluttershy had said burrow and not home, a hole in the ground would be a fine place to sleep.

Eventually, they made their way to the edge of a small clearing, the first thing Twilight noticed was the potent stench of rot. Her nose crinkled up in disgust and she looked around to the source of the foul smell.

All around the edge of the clearing were bits of bones. Scraps of flesh formed small piles near the base of a tree. Twilight took a step back in disgust and looked to Fluttershy for an answer.

“Oh sorry, I should have mentioned the protections my burrow has,” the hawk said casually, looking down at the unicorn from a low hanging branch.

“Protections? How does dead stuff protect you?”

“It keeps predators away. We are close to town but not close enough to be included in the night guard’s patrols. All this,” Fluttershy sweeped a wing over the piles of dead things, “keeps the worst of them at bay and marks this place as my home. Sorry if it’s a little strange to you.”

Twilight shook her head, her reasoning did sound good and she didn't notice any pony-like skeletons in the mix. Most were either wolves, or other canines and a small mixture of other minor predators.

The unicorn held her nose closed and passed through into the clearing. “Wow,” she muttered, her eyes scanning the strangely well-lit section of the forest.

All around her small prey animals scurried, from squirrels to rabbits to many others Twilight didn't know the name of. Above her numerous small song birds welcomed their host with a chorus while larger birds peered down at them with curiosity. At the far end of the clearing a large bear slept soundly, its snoring audible despite the distance.

In the center sat a thin, but very tall tree with many, many branches that spread to cover almost the entire clearing in their shade. Its bark was the lightest shade of brown Twilight had ever seen and its leaves shone with a soft pink when the light hit them just right.

“What kind of tree is that?” Twilight asked, dumbfounded.

“Oh, um, it’s unique. Sometimes the forest grows trees that aren't like any others and this is one of them. I like her a lot,” Fluttershy said with a smile.

Twilight looked down to the bunny Fluttershy now inhabited and started to ask a question, only to stop and mumble, “Sleep first.”

Fluttershy laughed and hopped toward the tree. “Follow me and I will show you around.”

The unicorn’s hooves followed the bunny but her eyes did not, they stared in wonder at the strange tree. Its trunk seemed to be too small to support the weight above it and its coloration was bizarre. Fluttershy said the forest just decides to grow a unique tree. What could that mean?

She shook her head, this wasn't the time for curiosity, maybe one day soon, but not today.

As she neared the tree, she noticed the ground began to slope and large powerful roots could be seen bulging up through the forest floor. Ahead of her a yawning opening revealed itself at the base of the tree, though small, Twilight only had to duck in order to sneak inside and she had no doubt that a bat pony wouldn't have had to duck at all.

Once inside, her eyes adapted remarkably quickly to the darkness, allowing her to see all the strange nick nacks that lined the walls, held up by roots that served as shelves. The inside smelled of earth and wood and... the soft smell of incense?

Twilight sniffed a few times. Yes, that had to be what she smelt.

“Do you like it?” Fluttershy asked nervously, drawing the unicorn’s gaze down and to a corner where a small altar sat, several aged photographs in picture frames leaned against the earth wall, right below a small infinity symbol that seemed to be made of brass. In front of all that was Fluttershy, holding a small gem to the end of a stick of sweet smelling incense.

Twilight nodded her head. “Yeah, it’s sweet, reminds me of cooking with my mom.”

Fluttershy smiled faintly and put down the gem. “It reminds me of my mom too. Sweet Scent in town brings me a bunch every month and these are my favorite.”

Twilight laughed. “She has a very apt name.”

Fluttershy giggled with her. “I suppose she does, these are her specialty after all.” The bunny’s eyes suddenly lit up and she quickly hopped over to a corner and grabbed a small bundle of blankets and pillows. She tried to pull them to a large furry rug in the center of the room but her tiny paws were not enough for the task.

Twilight giggled. “Need a hoof?”

“Mph pwease,” came the muffled reply.

Twilight lit her horn and carried the pile, along with the bunny over to the center and quickly spread them out just so.

Once free from the blankets, Fluttershy blushed and hopped out of the way. “Need anything else?”

Twilight looked down at the small pile of blankets and the rug and shrugged. “Nope, this should be perfect. Thanks, Fluttershy. Are you going to sleep as well?”

Fluttershy shook her head. “I don't need to sleep and I got a snake family I want to check up on before I can relax.”

The unicorn quickly snuggled into the blanket and grinned when she found it to be just as comfortable as it looked, even the pillow seemed brand new. Despite the fact that it was being stored on the earthen floor, it didn't seem to have suffered any damage or have any real trace of dirt.

Even the ground she lay on was oddly smooth. Wrinkling her nose, Twilight tapped her hoof against the rug. The soft thump of wood answered her question, clearly Fluttershy had gone the extra mile in case she was forced to entertain guests.

Twilight cast an eye back to the exit of the burrow and smiled warmly at the waiting bunny. “Thanks again, Fluttershy. I promise I will find a place to stay as soon as possible and pay you back for all this.”

The bunny blushed. “Don't worry about it, what are friends for? You just focus on getting a good sleep and we can start working on that tomorrow. Blessed be your dreams.” With that, the bunny hopped away, pulling a hidden blanket down in front of the exit and disappearing.

“She really did think of everything, didn't she?” Twilight smiled, snuggling into her blanket and closing her eyes.

After a minute the animal sounds outside dulled and silence reigned through the burrow, but still she didn't find sleep. Frowning, Twilight squeezed her eyes closed tighter. She had always fallen asleep quickly and had a reputation for being able to sleep in the weirdest places, but now that seemed to have changed.

Twilight tossed and turned every few minutes, each new position being just as uncomfortable as the last. Finally with a groan, Twilight tossed aside her blankets and sighed audibly.

“What is wrong with me? Is it stress? That seems likely but I am dead tired and can hardly hold open my eyes.” Twilight’s frown deepened. Maybe getting up for a minute would help her think.
Making sure to bend her knees and duck, and pointedly keeping her horn down, lest she carve out a chunk of the ceiling, Twilight got up and looked around the burrow.

Her eye caught the glimpse of something shiny and she found herself drawn towards a small collection of trinkets along one of the walls. A glossy stone with a bit of fool’s gold in the center stuck out and instantly an image of Pinkie Pie jumped to the forefront of her mind. She couldn't help but imagine that the strange troll had given Fluttershy the stone or otherwise had been involved in Fluttershy’s acquisition of the stone therein.

Beside it was a small collection of teeth and at first Twilight was a little shocked the strange being would keep a morbid trophy. Twilight looked closer and giggled. They were carved from some sort of deep white rock, the cord binding them appeared long enough to comfortably drape over the neck of a bat pony, but a full grown unicorn like Twilight would have trouble putting it on.

A letter, still sealed with wax, lay next to the necklace and under a black mug holding a single bright red flower in water. Odd, Twilight thought. Maybe she wanted to keep the letter but didn't like thinking about it? Either way, it wasn't her business to pry.

The rest of the nick nacks varied greatly from postcard to a piece of an eggshell to a single long, vibrant feather from some rare and unknown bird. Twilight turned and glanced over at the altar in the corner. Slowly making her way over, Twilight stopped. Was this snooping? Twilight’s hoof recoiled.

She shook her head, she was just having a brief look, that wasn't rude to her host, right? In any event, her curiosity got the better of her and after promising to only look for a minute, Twilight leaned in, gazing at the strange altar.

The shelf Twilight had thought had been a piece of furniture was actually an enormous root that had emerged from one wall and entered the other, allowing Fluttershy to use it as a table. On it were two pictures, one much older than the other. The older one had the strange aetherial quality Twilight knew indicated that it was created by a spellcaster of some kind. She herself knew the spell and also how much time and effort had to go into its casting. It was no small thing to say the least.

There was a smiling thestral in the center of the picture, her fang-filled grin was undeniably cute, her long pink mane over one of her eyes and nearly obscuring her joy-filled face. Her fur was another oddity, through a dull color, it was still undeniably yellow ,which stuck out against her dark wings and deep teal eyes. She was obviously still very young, but due to the angle of the photo, Twilight couldn't see her cutie mark.

She was flanked by pair of grinning thestrals from both sides, their joy outshining what looked to be their child’s. The male one to the left held aloft a small trophy of bronze, fashioned in the likeness of a small thestral with outstretched wings. However, his hoof obscured the inscription at the base. He was more along the norm for thestrals; his coat, well-groomed moustache and finely coiffed swirly mane were all a deep shade of green, bordering on blue. His mane was lighter, to the point of being almost white with a few grey streaks. His smile seemed more genuine, more wild, his hoof around the filly clutched a little tighter than the mother’s as if he could hardly contain his excitement.

To the filly’s right was an equally happy female with coat and mane brighter than her husband’s. Her burnt red mane was well-brushed and done up in a single swirl that sat on the center of her brow. Her eyes matched her mane and stuck out against her deep yellow coat. A large, wide-brimmed pair of mauve glasses sat prominently on her nose and a set of pearls curled around her neck.

Twilight couldn't help but smile and imagine the filly being Fluttershy once upon a time.

The other photo was much newer and was clearly a machine-made one. The image within was a stark contrast from the happy-go-lucky other photo. A large hydra lay dead in the center of the photo and whoever took it probably had to have stood a good distance back as they managed to get a good chunk of the creature in the photo. All around the deceased hydra stood or flew numerous night guards in full armor. Their features were all obscured, save for one that stood at the center of the shot, helmet in one foreleg, a blue-eyed wolf in the other.

The night guard was odd, and stuck out from her compatriots, her mane was all the colors of the rainbow and her fur a much brighter blue than her fellows. She also wore a much easier smile on her face, beaming with pride. All these qualities the wolf, that was presumably Fluttershy, lacked. The shy being smiled faintly, but her eyes were drawn to her left, towards the many heads of the fallen hydra, a sense of pity and guilt could be seen in the teal orbs and Twilight couldn't help but feel as though this was not the desired outcome.

Twilight inhaled a lungful of the still burning incense and forced a smile to her lips. She couldn't help but feel as though she had intruded on her host’s life somewhat, but she also couldn't deny that she felt as though she had learned something about the shy being.

The infinity symbol was strange compared to the rest, though, and its placement moreso. It hung from the earthen wall by a string drawn around an errant root that jutted out a little further than the rest. It seemed old, as if someone had kept it in a bag or pocket for many years. It reminded Twilight of the altars some ponies erected in their homes back in Canterlot, though those tended to have several candles instead of pictures and usually had a crude likeness of Celestia’s cutie mark hanging above.

Twilight scowled at the thought. Great, she was pissed off all over again. This was really gonna help her sleep, she thought sarcastically.

Sighing, the unicorn flopped down into her bed and angrily scrunched up into an angry ball of insomnia. Stupid Celestia. Thoughts of her mom suddenly came to the forefront of her mind, swallowing everything else that entered her head. She squeezed her eyes closed and forced the images away, that wouldn't help anyone now, not while she needed to keep her head.

With angry determination she lit her horn and cast a quick knockout spell on herself. Her last thought being, if her body didn't want to go to sleep, she was going to make it. Oblivion took her in seconds and she drifted off to an empty and dreamless sleep.

Twilight shot out of her bed and looked around, hardly remembering where she was. Part of her had half-expected to wake up in her own bed, the mid-afternoon sun poking through the edges of her curtains and teasing her awake with the promise of another amazing late breakfast made by her mother.

The grim reality of a tiny, windowless hole in the ground was a stark difference for her half-conscious mind.

The mare sighed and flopped down on her back. She felt rested, remarkably, but that seemed to be the only blessing she had received. Within a few moments she felt the harsh sting of hunger that pulled her out of her melancholy.

Groaning in annoyance, the mare rose to her hooves once more, nearly bumping her head on the low roof in the process. Standing once more, she grabbed the blankets and pillow and gently folded and placed them back in the corner where they belonged. She stretched her back as much as the small room allowed and silently marveled at the lack of cracks and pops that came from her body that had just spent a night on the hard wooden floor.

“I wonder how long I was out for…”

She made her way out of the burrow, pushing aside the drapes and stepping out into the moonlight. She blinked and looked up, yes, it definitely was moonlight, but it had been night when she had passed out, did she sleep for a long time or not long at all? Either way, she needed to find Fluttershy.

She looked around the curiously empty clearing, not a creature stirred, though she did see a few birds higher up in the trees and a few bunnies. They all hid and watched the strange unicorn as she looked around.

“Oookay then, time to find Fluttershy,” Twilight mumbled.

“Who?” asked a strange voice.

“Fluttershy, the being who lives here?” Twilight answered, looking around for the voice.

“Who?” asked the voice again.

Twilight looked almost straight up, directly into a pair of yellow orbs looking down on her. The unicorn nearly facehoofed at the realization. “Right, of course you are an owl.”

“Who,” the owl said back.

The unicorn sighed. “I don't suppose you know where Fluttershy is, don’t you?” It was a long shot, but…

The owl hooted and took flight, going a few feet away before turning its head, as if beckoning the unicorn to follow it.

“Apparently I can talk to owls now, I guess it could be worse.” She shook her head and followed the strange avian creature.

She had only made a few steps before she heard the soft crunch of something under her hoof. Twilight stopped and looked down, only to see a plethora of fallen leaves, all as brittle as if they had fallen before winter, but it was not even summer yet. Even the grass seemed dead, as if kissed by the first frost of the season.

Twilight shook her head, this forest was weird and her head already hurt just trying to figure it out. She dismissed the notion entirely and continued following the owl, who sat perched on a low hanging branch, its head twisted to the side and looking at her inquisitively.

“I'm coming, I’m coming.”

The owl hooted back and took flight once more, slipping past the edge of the clearing and into the forest proper. Thankfully it didn't go far as Twilight’s brace had come loose over the night and her speed was diminished slightly as she tried to keep off her leg and not make the problem worse.

Just a few feet into the forest, nestled in the crook of a large oak, was a fox curled up in a ball, amidst a small pile of green grass and collected leaves. The owl sat atop a branch above the fox and hooted proudly.

“This is Fluttershy?” She eyed the owl. The bird nodded. That was so weird, she thought.

She extended a hoof to prod the fox only to stop, what if it wasn't Fluttershy? Could she get a disease from the wild animal? She doubted an animal would be capable of such duplicity, but then again, she doubted an animal could understand her just a day ago, so all bets were off.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, she reasoned. Extending a hoof, she prodded the fox. “Fluttershy, is that you?”

The fox stirred and mumbled something in Equine. Twilight rolled her eyes, it was most likely Fluttershy. Wait a second, didn't she say she didn't need sleep? She eyed the fox in a new light, observing it for injuries or something being wrong. There was nothing obviously wrong and judging from the bed it had made itself, it had chosen to rest here.

“Fluttershy?” Twilight asked cautiously.

Slowly the fox rolled over and its eyes opened, revealing the teal irises of her friend. “Oh, hello Twilight, did you have a good sleep?”

The unicorn shrugged. “Could have been worse, what about you though? I thought you said you didn't need sleep.”

The fox got to its paws and stretched like a cat, yawning loudly. After it gave itself a shake, it eyed the unicorn. “I don't, but after you fell asleep I suddenly had the urge to cuddle up with Mrs Fox after getting the strangest headache.” The fox rubbed her head with a confused expression. “It's gone now, though.”

“Odd, aren't you a spirit?”

The fox nodded but seemed unperturbed by the revelation. “Maybe the forest wasn't in a good mood. I hope he's feeling better now.”

“How can a forest feel good?” Twilight asked.

The fox giggled. “No offence, Twilight, but you wouldn't understand. I've met beings from outside the forest before and they all think it's just lots and lots of parts, but when you’re born in it, you can feel it’s alive.”

Twilight opened her mouth to speak, then closed it. There was clearly wild magic at work and the studious mare could never find anything concrete about the subject. What little she knew was that it worked in bizarre ways that bent the natural laws and the laws governing magic. So if that force was involved, well, who knew, maybe it was really alive? Strange though it may seem.

Twilight followed the fox, her head in the clouds as she considered the possibilities. If the forest was alive, was it omniscient within its boundaries? Was it a true intelligence or a series of reactions that were closer to an emergent intelligence? Regardless of the answer, Twilight knew she would have to keep an open mind on the subject.

“What's the name of this little guy?” Twilight asked, tilting her head up towards where the owl sat, watching them curiously.

“Oh, I don't know, I have not seen him around yet.” The fox turned and looked up at the owl. “What's your name, Mr Owl?”

The avian hooted back a few times, the fox frowning, only for the corners of her lips to raise by the end.

“He says he doesn't have a name and that he wants you to give him one.” The owl hooted excitedly a few more times. “Something cool, he says.” The fox giggled.

“Something cool, huh?” The unicorn rubbed her chin as she thought. She had never been good at names, except for when it came to helping her brother name his Ogres and Oubliettes characters.

The sting of the memory was quickly wiped away with a thought, I will grieve when I see your body and not a moment before, Shining Armor.

She was still rather out of practice when it came to ‘cool’ names. What was that one pop song Moon Dancer had sung that one time while she waited for Twilight? Fergalicious? That was cool, right?

She nodded. “Owlicious will be your name.”

The owl cocked his head and seemed to think about it, only for him to suddenly began hopping on the branch, hooting excitedly.

“I think he likes it.”

Twilight giggled. “What do you think, Mr Owl? Like it?”

The bird nodded and hooted an affirmation and the trio quickly fell into a quiet conversation as they made their way to town. It mostly consisted of Twilight asking a litany of questions, Fluttershy answering and Owlicious adding his two cents occasionally while he sat on Twilight’s back.

“Wow, so that's how a chimera is made?” Twilight asked, stunned.

Fluttershy nodded, a blush slowly spreading across her face. “Oh yes, but it’s very rare as most are infertile due to the wild magic and three beings in one body.”

Twilight cocked her head, trying to imagine the physics of what Fluttershy had just described. To think they have three heads and three-

A sudden loud hoot in her ear derailed her train of thought. She blinked twice and looked around. “Oh, we’re here. So, food first, right? Is there a soup kitchen around here?”

The fox stopped and cocked her head. “Soup kitchen? Isn't every kitchen a soup kitchen?”

“You are technically correct, but a soup kitchen is where poor ponies... er, beings, would go to get a free meal if they were down on their luck.”

Owlicious cocked his head as well and hooted at Fluttershy.

“That does sound nice, but I’ve never heard of something like that.”

Twilight groaned and facehoofed. Of course they didn't have a soup kitchen, they had paid hospitals! Grumbling to herself, Twilight punted a tiny rock in anger, sending it flying into the woods.

“Well, I know where some good berries are, oh! And there should be some shiitake fruiting soon.”

Twilight’s nose wrinkled in disgust. “Language, Fluttershy.”

“What, but it’s a- oh, you were joking.” She giggled and playfully swatted Twilight’s leg. “Good to hear you making jokes that aren't puns.”

“Seriously, no offence, Fluttershy, but I have not eaten in a day, I think I need something a little more substantial than that.”

Fluttershy’s muzzle scrunched up in thought, only for her eyes to suddenly go wide in realization. “Oh, there is this really nice being that always gives food to my animal friends, maybe she can help you? She's very generous.”

“Well… I don't like to beg, it's one thing to get a meal from a soup kitchen, another to actually ask someone. Buuuut... if she's that generous, she's probably quite successful and should be able to afford it.”

“Oh yes, she's one of the few tailors around and makes very beautiful dresses.” Fluttershy blushed slightly and looked away. “Or so I’ve heard.”

“Well, where does she live, then?”

“We are already here.” Fluttershy pointed up to the strange, round structure before them.

“She lives inside a carousel? What a strange being.” Twilight’s stomach chose to rumble at that moment, making the owl and the fox giggle at the sound. “Well, I better hurry before I get in the mood for fox!”

“Oh my, not Mr Fox, he's all skin and bones!” Fluttershy replied in mock horror.

The two beings giggled while the owl hooted inquisitively, confused as to the use of sarcasm, but shrugged it off. Ponies were weird.

Twilight lifted her hoof to the door and knocked twice. “What did you say her name was, Fluttershy?”

“Oh um…” The fox blushed. “I don't know.”

Twilight blanched. “What do you mean you don't know? What am I supposed to say?”

The fox shrugged. “I just look cute and she gives me food. Err, so I’ve heard anyway.” The fox looked away, awkwardly rubbing her neck and avoiding eye contact.

“I’m afraid we closed an hour ago, but if you wait right there, I’ll be with you in a moment!” called a feminine voice from within the building.

That certainly wasn't what Twilight was expecting when Fluttershy mentioned this generous being. Sure, there was a slight warble to her speech establishing that it wasn't an equine voice, but removing that, Twilight would have assumed the being within was some sort of singer or Canterlot noble.

The scurrying sound of many legs on wood was all the warning she received before the door opened to reveal the smiling face of the strangest pony Twilight had ever seen. Her main body was supported by eight long, spindly spider legs, but rising from the foresection of the body was the torso of a mare. Her fur was the same white as the rest of her body and a vibrant magenta mane fell from her head in a perfectly coiffed wave. It cascaded so low that it nearly brushed against the mandibles extending from her lower jaw. Her deep sea blue eyes widened in surprise and her strange hoof-ended forelimbs extended from her torso, gripping Twilight’s shoulders.

“Stars above, I thought I’d never see another one of you enchanting creatures again!” She quickly covered her mouth with a hoof and took a skittering step back. “My word, I’m so sorry. You are not a creature and that was a terribly rude thing to say. My name is Rarity.” She extended a hoof in greeting.

Twilight’s brain slowly caught up to reality and she shook the extended hoof in dumbfounded silence. After shaking her hoof for what was probably much longer than what was comfortable, she took her hoof back. “Twilight, Twilight Sparkle.” She winced, suddenly realizing how long she had been gripping the arachni’s hoof. “Sorry about that, I was just startled. I’ve never met an arachni before.”

Rarity winced, but quickly covered that with a smile, shaking her hoof in order to return the feeling to it. “That's quite alright, though I must say I’m impressed by your grip.”

This time it was Twilight’s turn to wince. “Sorry about that.”

“Don't you worry a single hair on your head. Now, what can I do for you? I don't suppose you came here to have something made by chance?” Her eyes lit up and her mandibles shivered.

“Err no, sorry I, um, well I was hoping that you would...”

“Yes?” The arachni leaned in, closer, her smile growing.

“I don't have any money and I’m really hungry.” Twilight hung her head in shame, unable to meet the other being’s gaze.

“Stars above, look at you. You are practically a skeleton, don't you fret, darling, Rarity never turns away somebeing in need. Give me a moment to get my purse and I will be right back.” The arachni quickly skittered off deeper into the building, leaving the door open and allowing the pair to look inside.

Twilight looked down at Fluttershy. “What just happened?”

“Her name is Rarity and she offered to take you out for something to eat,” Fluttershy stated, quite matter-of-factly.

“Oh.” Twilight blinked. “That was easier than I thought.”

Twilight leaned forward and looked around the interior, staring wide eyed at all the strange and wonderful creations within. All around her various mannequins wore clothes of all kinds, from simple to extravagant, though there seemed to me more of the former. Most intriguing to Twilight, though, was the variety of the inanimate beings. There were small ones, designed to look like bat ponies. Larger ones that resembled Pinkie Pie and larger ones still that seemed to be designed after some massive fanged creature that appeared to be more wolf than pony.

The mare was about to step inside in order to satiate her curiosity, but the sudden presence of Owlicious landing on her head made her stop. The owl hooted excitedly, an undercurrent of worry evident in his voice.

Fluttershy blanched and covered her mouth with her paws. “Oh my! Are they alright?” The owl hooted a few more times and gestured south with a wing. “We better hurry!”

“What's going on, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked, noting the panic in her friend’s eyes.

“A poor, hungry manticore wandered too close to town, I have to hurry before somebeing gets hurt.”

“Stay safe, Fluttershy.” Twilight scratched her head. “Err, keep everyone else safe, I guess.”

Fluttershy snickered. “Thank you, Twilight. I will catch back up with you later, best of luck on your lunch date!”

“Thanks!” Twilight waved, watching the fox and owl run and fly towards the source of a growing commotion at the edge of town. “Wait… what?”

The mare’s blush doubled when the arachni skittered up to the door, now wearing a wide brimmed sun hat, curled lashes and delicately painted hooves. “Where did your little friends go? I didn't scare them off, did I?” Her smile faltered somewhat and the spider pony looked around for the wayward critters.

Twilight gulped down the sudden lump that had formed in her throat. “No, Fluttershy and Owlicious had to leave in order to help a manticore.”

“So that was Fluttershy! I should have known she would bring by another hungry stray.” Her soft smile and soft tone stopped Twilight’s panicked apology in her throat.

“I’m not a… actually I guess I am a stray.” Twilight reluctantly admitted.

The arachni eyed her inquisitively as she moved to lock the door behind her, placing the key back into a small purse she tossed over her shoulder. “What do you mean by that, are you in trouble?”

“No, well, sort of. Celestia tried to kill me, my mom died and I’m probably wanted by the royal guard.”

The arachni stopped and blinked. “What? That's terrible, darling!” Rarity turned suddenly and gripped her shoulders with her hooves. “If there is anything you ever need, don't hesitate to come talk to me, understood?”

Twilight blushed and looked away. “I don't want to be a bother.”

Rarity tightened her grip on the mare’s shoulders. “I will not take no for an answer, understood?”

The unicorn nodded weakly. “Yes, ma’am.”

The lighthearted smile slowly returned to the spider pony’s face and she released the unicorn’s shoulders. “Good, now, first you need something to eat. Unicorns are omnivores, correct?”

Twilight blanched. “Technically yes, but I would prefer a vegetarian meal.”

Rarity subtly shifted their path more to the right, forcing them down a different street. “Then I know just the place. I come here with my vegetarian friends all the time.”

“Are you an omnivore as well? I’m sorry if this sounds rude, but up until yesterday, I’d never met a being that wasn't a pony.”

“Don't worry, darling, a little curiosity never hurt and to answer your question, I’m a carnivore myself, we arachni can't digest most plant matter.” Noticing the already limited amount of color draining from the mare’s face, Rarity recoiled slightly. “If it makes you feel any better, I can stick to the few vegetables I can eat.”

Twilight shook her head. “No, that wouldn't be fair to you. Especially since you are the one with the gems.”

“Are you sure, darling? Really, it's no trouble.”

“It wouldn't be right to ask you to take my dietary needs into account and not your own. Really, I’m fine, plus I should probably get used to it. Something tells me I might be stuck here for awhile.”

“Well, as long as you are sure… ah, here we are!” Rarity extended a hoof upwards toward a large sign displaying the words ‘The Lilypad’ in bright green letters. “A most charming cafe that serves all dietary needs equally and makes a wonderful orange jasmine blend that is to die for.”

“The Lilypad? Interesting name.”

“Oh yes.” Rarity giggled. “Chef Pond was inspired to use a lilypad in her tea and after the success of her teahouse, she chose to expand and name the new cafe after the source of her success.”

“Well, her tea does sound interesting, jasmine is my favorite, but I am not so sure about the addition of orange.”

“Trust me, darling, I thought the same thing and all it took was a single cup to make me a believer.”

“I suppose a single cup couldn't hurt.” Twilight looked around at the outdoor eatery, noticing several empty picnic tables adorned with lace table cloths and sets of silverware. Guess crime must be pretty low around here, that silverware looks expensive.

“Hi there, where would you like to sit?”

“Bah!” Twilight stumbled back from the sudden appearance of a small orange and violet bat pony, who stared up at her with huge, expectant eyes.

“The usual spot, if you don't mind, Chef Pond, and a pot of your specialty, I brought you a new customer that’s never partaken before.”

The thestral’s wings shot open in excitement and her already impossibly cute eyes became even cuter. “Really? Oh, that's splendiferous, Rarity! Go right ahead, I will have your booth clear in a moment.” Just like that she was gone in a flash, disappearing into the cafe in an orange and violet blur.

Twilight blinked and looked over to Rarity, who only giggled at her dumbfounded look. “Just how many Pinkies does this town have?”

“Pinkie? So you have met Zecora’s student. That would explain the invitation I received not long ago.” Twilight groaned, something told her there were going to be more beings at the party than she'd like. Rarity extended her hoof towards the door. “Shall we?”

“Err, of course, lead the way.”

The pair walked inside the cafe, one with mild indifference, the other with a slowly growing fascination. A plethora of smells assaulted the mare’s nostrils, tantalizing her with smells she had never experienced before her in her life. Some were strange, others were too strong for her taste, but others still drew her like a siren song towards the counter.

Dozens of strange food items sat behind a display, upon which three kettles sat on, ready and waiting for some lucky customer to order a cup. Above the counter hung a large sign that went from wall to wall and displayed what must have been hundreds of different food and drink items. Plenty of plants and some animals Twilight had only ever heard of in rare books were listed as ingredients. Though a part of her was repulsed by how common meat was as an ingredient, she couldn't help but try and imagine what it must taste like.

“Quite impressive, isn't it? And to think she does it all herself most days.”

At the sound of Rarity’s voice, Twilight pulled herself from her thoughts and shook her head. “Uh, yeah, that is pretty crazy. Hey, uh, I know this will probably sound odd but… how old is she?”

The spider pony giggled. “Don't worry about it, darling, I asked her the same thing the first time we met. She’s…” the spider pony tapped her mandibles with a hoof, her face scrunching up in thought, “twenty-three, I think. It has been a number of years that she has been running the cafe.”

“Twenty-four actually.”

“Bwah!” Twilight spun around and glared at the small mare, who grinned sheepishly.

“Sorry, your table is ready and your tea will be there in a moment,” Pond announced before zipping back into the kitchen.

“Come along, darling, don't want to lose our spot now, do we?” Rarity made her way over to the corner of the shop where a one sided booth lay, far away from the other tables. One side was a traditional booth, while the other had a single large pillow laid out, which the spider pony delicately snuggled into.

Twilight slipped into the booth and was surprised at just how comfortable the seat was and she hoped the tea will get here soon, lest she doze off. As if on cue, the purple and orange blur returned with two tea cups and a steaming tea pot all balanced on one hoof. In a flash the tea cups were set, filled and menus dispensed.

“There you are, is there anything I can get you two, or do you need some time?” the bat pony asked, her short stature demanding she put her hooves on the edge of the table and pull herself up to their head level.

“The usual, Miss Pond, but if you wouldn't mind waiting for my friend here, that would be perfect,” Rarity answered.

“Oh no, go ahead. It’s going to take me forever to go through this menu and find something I want, you go ahead and order.”

“Well if you are sure, darling. I am rather hungry.”

The bat pony grinned and stuck Rarity’s menu into a side pocket in her cute little server’s outfit. “Alright, one usual for the arachni and more time for the unicorn, be back in a few!”

Twilight nodded, her attention instantly grabbed by the enormous menu. All in itself it wasn't enormous, but the sheer amount of things was intimidating to the unicorn, but even then it was almost familiar. The tiny text, the tightly packed grouping of words reminded her of her many long study sessions and she couldn't help but smile a little at that.

A nervous clacking sound made the mare’s ears go up and she glanced at the arachni across the table. Rarity seemed on the verge of bursting with things she wanted to say. Twilight cocked her head. “Are you alright?” she asked.

“Never better! I just can't contain how excited I am to meet another of you.” The arachni’s eyes went wide. “I’m terribly sorry, that was rude of me. I must admit I am rather flustered around unicorns.” She slapped her forehead with a hoof and whispered, “That was even worse, keep it together, Rarity.”

Twilight couldn't help but smile, she had always known herself to be socially awkward, but to see the eloquent arachni stumble was kind of cute. “Well, what did you want to know? I am afraid I’m not very interesting.”

Rarity’s eyes and mandibles went wide and she placed a hoof over her heart as if she had just been gravely insulted. “Nonsense, darling, you can perform magic; a rare feat in Ponyville. I don't suppose you have very much practical knowledge of the art by chance? I’ve never been able to do more than lift my needle and thread and I would love to see somebeing do real magic.”

“Well, I was working on my master’s in theoretical magical properties before I was, erm, displaced.”

Rarity didn't seem to notice the hint of sadness that slipped into the mare’s features. “Oh, you must show me something before you return home. What's wrong, darling? I’m terribly sorry if my enthusiasm is bothering you, I just-”

Twilight held up a hoof and swallowed hard. “I can't return home, not yet anyway.” She gave the arachni a weak smile. “I could show you a few things I learned, I know quite a few spells.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” The mare shook her head. “I understand, that's perfectly fine.” The arachni reached across the table and gently squeezed the unicorn’s hoof. “Now enough of this melancholy, please try the tea before I manage to fit my hoof any further in my mouth.”

The mare wiped a solitary tear away and gripped the teacup in her magic, drawing an eager ‘ooh’ from the spider pony. Twilight brought the cup to her lips and gave it a sniff, the strange mixture of smells once more put the unicorn off, but she pushed past and gave it a sip. “Mmm, that is good!”

“What did I tell you? Trust me, darling, her combinations may be out of the ordinary, but they are fantastic. Speaking of which…” the arachni glanced towards the kitchen just in time to see the diminutive bat pony walk through the double doors with a large steaming bowl of soup in one hoof.

The smaller pony grinned and quickly made her way over, depositing the soup onto the table. “One chicken noodle soup with extra noodles and a BLT.” The bat pony grabbed the sandwich balanced on her back and placed it next to the bowl. “Now, what can I get you, miss?”

Twilight blinked, looking across the table at the lily pad floating in the middle of the soup. Rarity gently plucked it out of her soup and placed it on a napkin. When she had been looking over the menu, Twilight hadn't found anything appetizing, but something about the lily pad, that seemed to have been used as a garnish, caught her attention.

“May I?” Twilight pointed to the lily pad, drawing a confused glance from Rarity.

“Go ahead, darling.”

Twilight licked her lips and picked up the lily pad in her magic before tossing it into her mouth. Instantly her senses lit up, the tea had tasted pretty good, but this, this was amazing. She didn't know what had been used on it or why a lily pad would ever taste this good, but she didn't care, she quickly swallowed it and turned to the confused waitress.

“Can I get a plate of those?”

The bat pony looked to the spider pony, both of them shrugging. “Uh, sure, one plate of pads coming right up, miss!”

The thestral hopped down and quickly disappeared into the kitchens. Rarity sipped her tea quietly, pondering as to how anybeing would actually enjoy the taste of lily pads. But then again, who was she to judge? She shrugged and began to dig into her sandwich, blowing on her soup between bites.

All the while Twilight ran her tongue all along her mouth, trying to find any last scrap of that delicious plant. She frowned after finding nothing, almost upset at realizing that there wasn't even the tiniest shred of the tasty morsel left behind.

Within a few minutes, the cafe owner returned with a plate heaping with lily pads. “Here you are, miss, seven lily pads, fresh from my personal pond.” Just as she was about to put the plate down, she found it yanked from her hoof and brought before the unicorn, who began to devour them. The bat pony blinked. “I didn't think anybeing liked to eat lily pads, I usually just use them to add a little flavor, plus they look nice.” She shrugged and wandered off to serve the few other patrons still around at this time.

The rest of the meal was eaten in relative silence, the unicorn oblivious to anything other than her meal, and the spider pony tried not to stare too much. As the last of the lily pads slid past the unicorn’s lips and descended into her gullet, Rarity swallowed the last spoonful of soup and stared in wonder.

Twilight leaned back and let out a low, contented sigh. “That was amazing.”

“I would hope so, did you even chew?”

“They didn't taste quite right if I chewed them too much. Sorry if I was a little uncouth, but I have not eaten in just over twenty four hours.” The mare scratched her head. “I think.”

Rarity waved a dismissive hoof. “Pish posh, darling, I’m just glad you are not going to keel over on me. You weren't looking well when I first saw you, but now you seem to have regained some color.”

Twilight blushed. “Thank you again for this meal, I really should find a way to make some gems in order to pay you back.”

“Think nothing of it, in fact, I would like you to accept this small bag of gems.” The arachni reached back and pulled forth a small brown bag and placed it on the table before the unicorn.

“I can't accept this, I-” Twilight was hushed by a hoof placed against her lips.

“You don't have anywhere to stay, or any money for food and I feel as though you have suffered greatly. It is the least I can do.” She pushed the bag a little closer, smiling widely at the nervous unicorn.

Twilight reached for the bag only to hesitate, after a moment of indecision she grabbed it and placed it beside herself on the bench. If she was going to survive, she would need money and despite the fact that it wounded her pride, she couldn't turn down Rarity’s generous offer.

“I will pay you back for this.”

Rarity just smiled. “I won't accept it. Now, I am sure you are going to be in need of little more than a hoofful of gems, so please do come around my shop in a few days and I will hopefully have something for you by then.”

“What do you mean?”

“I will talk to my contacts and see if anybeing needs your help. Talented magic users are rare in Ponyville and I’m sure there are many that would pay quite handsomely for your help.” Rarity sipped her tea and watched the myriad of different expressions cross the unicorn’s face.

First was disbelief, followed by curiosity, then realization and finally… sadness? “Are you alright, dear?” Rarity asked quizzically.

Twilight shook her head. “That was the most generous thing that’s ever happened to me in my entire life.” Tears welled at the edges of the unicorn’s eyes and she suddenly lurched across the table and squeezed the spider pony hard enough to make her squeal.

Rarity gently patted Twilight’s back. “Not a problem, dear, but... would you kindly let go? I need to breathe.”

Twilight instantly let go, an embarrassed blush spreading across her face. “Sorry.” She smiled weakly, sinking back into her seat.

“Yes, well, don't thank me yet, I can't promise anything will come of asking around, but it certainly couldn't hurt. Oh, and if I were you, I would stop by the Apple family grove at the east side of town, they are always looking for an extra pair of hooves and I’m sure bucking a few apple trees won't be too hard for you.” Rarity winced and realized the sorry state of the mare’s hind legs. “At least you can use your magic until your leg heals.”

“I better head over there before it gets too late.” The unicorn moved to stand, only to stop. “If that's alright with you, I don't want to seem rude.”

Rarity smiled gently. “That's perfectly alright, tell Applejack I said hello.”

Twilight quickly got out of her seat and trotted to the door, only to stop and turn. “Which way is east?” Rarity giggled and pointed the way. “Thanks!”

With the strange unicorn gone, Rarity chuckled quietly to herself and drank the last of her tea, waiting patiently. She didn't have to wait long and the same purple and orange blur flew up to the table with wide and curious eyes, a million questions threatening to burst from her lips.

“Grab another pot darling, we have much to discuss.” The bat pony grinned and ran off.

Rarity’s hooves tapped together while she stared at the last place she had seen the strange unicorn. “Much to discuss, indeed.”

Author's Note

Editing done by the wonderful everfree pony!
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A New Home

The soft crunch of leaves underhoof was an interesting, but altogether confusing sensation for the wayward unicorn. She stopped and stared down at the brown leaf that lay crushed beneath her hoof. She could already feel another headache coming on as she looked around to see more of the dry leaves, despite the fact that it was the middle of spring. She scratched her head and looked up through the tree top. At least she thought it was spring.

She shook her head and walked over to a tree at random. Its bark looked like that of a typical oak tree, everything else about it seemed to indicate that it was just that; a typical oak tree. Save for the fact that its leaves had changed color and were falling to the forest floor. She put a hoof to her chest and breathed deeply, forcefully putting away the thought and chalking it up on an ever growing list of random phenomena that she would look into when she had the time.

She resumed walking towards the orchard, growing only slightly more annoyed when she realized that the trees, that for whatever reason were acting as though it were winter, were increasing in number. Yes, they were just as sporadic, but as she got closer to the supposed orchard, the number of the odd trees increased. Worse still for her sanity, she also noticed that the shrubs and bushes that dotted the ground became fewer than normal, making the walk easy and the path straight.

Twilight groaned, something told her that she was going to have to learn to accept a certain amount of randomness to her life if she was going to survive the forest and Pinkie Pie.

Sure the general chaos was annoying, but when put in contrast with Canterlot, a picture of control, the difference was a bit much for Twilight. She idly wondered if there was a way to weaponize it, to throw a wrench in that bitch Celestia’s plans. The unicorn unconsciously ground her teeth together in anger, not noticing the blackened hoof prints marking her wake on the grassy path.

When her walk eventually devolved into little more than angry stomping, she forced herself to stop and breathe. She was in the middle of a short breathing exercise when she heard a branch snap to her right. She spun around instantly to face the potential danger, the lack of travelers on the road had not helped one bit and her paranoia had run high. Her horn glowed with the first part of a mana bolt spell.

She squinted into the woods, but only saw the the numerous trees and underbrush that made up the forest. Staying still for a few moments longer proved equally as useless and she shook her head and dispelled the magic. “Must have been my imagination,” she mumbled, not noticing the dark lumbering form of a predator a mere thirty feet away.

Her ears swiveled at every sound, but she forced herself to remain calm. I am still close to town, I’m sure it's just another animal. It might even by Fluttershy!

Her fear pushed from the forefront of her mind, the unicorn held her head high and tried to look like she was not ready to jump at every single sound the forest made. While she walked, the surrounding foliage had grown more and less uniform at the same time. The trees began to form neat orderly rows, but they also seemed to be in various stages of different seasons. A group to her right was budding with new leaves while a tree in its midst was ready to drop its deep orange leaves. Each one appeared to be the same species though, and her nose could smell the distinct aroma of apples carried on the slight wind. Up ahead she could see the source of the smell.

A small basket of apples sitting beneath a tree drew her attention and was the first indication she had received that anybeing tended to this odd orchard. There were no mailbox, fences or signs that anybeing worked here. She walked a little further, glancing down at the basket of apples and licked her lips at the sight of the pile of fresh fruit with a single green apple sitting atop. Only the single green apple tempted her, but even if she was tempted, Twilight wasn't going to take it, that would be stealing after all. She retracted her hoof from the basket and kept walking. Even if it was only a single apple, it still felt wrong to take it. She made a note of asking this mysterious Applejack individual if she could have one of her good apples, assuming she found this illusive being at all.

She stopped in a random row of trees and looked back and forth, trying to find any sign of civilization like a house or barn, but only the sight of hundreds of twisted and chaotic trees could be seen in either direction. The mare’s frown deepened and she continued along the path, unsure if she was going in the right direction, but stubborn enough not to try anything different. She was on a path, so it must lead somewhere, right?

After several minutes spent walking seemingly in a straight line, she came up to a very familiar basket of apples. Twilight stopped and blinked, she was absolutely sure that it was not the same basket, as such a thing was obviously impossible. She looked to the right and back, noting that there was the very familiar group of odd trees, but that could be a simple coincidence.

Her steps became hesitant and she couldn't help but fear what she would see, she remembered the single green apple and hoped that it would not be there. Hesitantly she peaked over the side of the basket and stopped.

A single solitary green apple stood atop the pile of red ones, staring definitely at the now visibly annoyed unicorn. “Damn this stupid forest to Tartarus,” she cried angrily, stomping in circles and mumbling obscenities.

“Well, that seems downright uncalled fer, what did the Everfree ever do to ya, huh?” asked a small, but clearly annoyed voice.

The unicorn spun back around and was shocked to see what looked like a completely normal earth pony looking back at her. That couldn't be right, could it? She leaned closer, inspecting the filly with a sharp inquisitive eye.

She wore a large pink bow tied into the back of her vibrant crimson hair, it was almost as large as the filly’s head and Twilight had to admit it looked incredibly cute on her. The orange eyes looked up at the unicorn with disgust, which Twilight also had to admit looked pretty cute on such a tiny pony as well. Something caught her eye though, the filly’s light yellow fur was marred by a spiderweb of green, spreading across her body like tiny roots and a small patch of what looked like bark covered several inches of her back.

The filly snorted angrily. “Well?”

Twilight blinked twice, realizing she had been staring. “Well, I just wanted to meet this Applejack pony, but it seems as though I got turned around somehow.”

The filly rolled her eyes. “And that's the forest’s fault how?”

“I... er well…” Twilight scratched her head awkwardly, realizing just how dumb she would sound if she announced nonchalantly that she had been mysteriously teleported without noticing. “It's a lot more confusing than the forests I’m used to, is all.”

That seemed to appease the filly somewhat and her glare lightened. “Well, ya do seem like ya ain't from around these parts. Why are ya lookin fer my sister anyway? Are ya a spy?” The filly’s eyes narrowed and her glare returned with vengeance.

Twilight just rolled her eyes. “I am not a spy. I heard she might need some help and I’m a little short on gems right now.”

The sharp, but still cute glare lasted a few seconds before she suddenly turned around and bellowed in a voice three times louder than a filly her size should be able to produce, “Applejack! We got somebeing out here lookin fer ya!”

Twilight rubbed her ear and looked down at the filly with newfound appreciation, clearly whatever this being was, it wasn't a true pony. Which sounded awful now that Twilight thought about it like that. She made a note to not say that aloud.

“I’ll be there in a second!” hollered back an equally impressive voice, one that seemed to have been carried for what sounded like miles.

The filly turned back around and continued to eye Twilight up as if she expected the unicorn to jump at her and attack at a moment’s notice.

Twilight coughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of her neck. “So… how old are you?”

“I’m twelve.” The filly took what she thought was an intimidating step forward, her eyes narrowing dangerously. “Why do ya want to know?”

“Like I said, I’m not from around here and I didn't want to assume you were a foal, it’s confusing enough with all those small bat ponies that make guessing ages difficult.” Twilight quickly realized what she had said might be taken the wrong way and her eyes went wide as her mouth tried to sputter out an apology.

The filly just snickered at the comment. “They are pretty tiny, aren't they? We Apples grow mighty big, so don't let my small statyour fool ya!”

The unicorn cocked an eyebrow at that. “Did you mean stature?”

“Yeah, what ya said.”

“So, you are saying your species is called Apples? Well, I suppose there are worse names out there, I’m pretty sure there are at least three species of beetles whose name means poop in another language.”

The filly recoiled as if she had just stuck her nose in a pile of cow manure. “What, no! We ain't called apples, my family is called Apples. I mean, we are the Apple family!” She puffed out her tiny adorable chest with pride, which brought a grin to the unicorn’s face.

“Good to know, little one. My name’s Twilight Sparkle, what's yours?” The unicorn leaned down and extended her hoof.

The filly reached out to bump it only to stop herself, her indecision did not last long and she shook her head and bumped her hoof against Twilight’s, receiving a slight jolt for her effort. She shook her hoof, trying to dismiss the strange tingling. "What did ya do to my hoof? Felt like ya shocked me or something.”

Twilight winced. “Sorry about that, I thought I grew out of that when I was a foal, but every once in a while my magic goes a little haywire and decides to zap someone. Are you hurt?”

The filly stomped her hoof a few times and shook her head. “Nah, just took me by surprise, is all.” Her eyes went wide and her brain suddenly caught up. “Did ya say magic?”

Twilight nodded. “Yeah, I was studying to become a mage before…” She swallowed hard, unable to speak another word.

“Would ya know how to turn a being into a different species? Like a…”

“Now I know ya weren't about to ask this stranger what I thought ya were gonna,” said an authoritative voice from somewhere behind the filly. Instantly Apple Bloom gulped and closed her mouth with a snap.

“That's what I thought,” said the slowly shambling tree walking towards her.

Twilight’s mouth opened to ask who was there, but her voice was robbed by the sheer strangeness of the creature before her. It walked on all fours like a pony, had two large eyes like a pony and sported nearly every other noticeable characteristic of a pony, save for the tree growing out of the being’s back. The tree itself seemed to be an apple tree that was budding several small pink bulbs. It was only a few feet tall and reminded Twilight of the bonsai tree her aunt had given her when she was twelve. The bonsai tree had died, but not Twilight’s interest in dendrology. A stetson sat proudly on the creature’s head.

The tree’s roots seemed to wrap around the pony’s back, running down all four of her legs and up her neck and toward the pony’s muzzle, ending just shy of her nose. The roots varied in size and seemed half-burrowed into the pony’s body, half-running over the surface of her skin. Twilight couldn't help but wince at the sight of the poor being, its every movement must have been incredibly painful.

The being didn't seem to notice Twilight’s pity and extended a hoof and a wide friendly smile. “Hey there stranger, name’s Applejack and this here is my sister Apple Bloom and behin’ ya is my big brother, Big Macintosh.”

Something behind the unicorn snorted, sending her mane aflutter. Slowly she turned around to see the single biggest pony-like being she had ever seen. He was easily twice as large as the unicorn and where Applejack seemed as though she was slowly being consumed by a tree, this being was one with it. His whole body was a mixture of wood, roots, and short branches that covered nearly all of his skin. A good majority of his body was covered in a thick woody exterior, occasionally broken up by patches of thick bark. One eye had the look of a normal pony eye with a light green iris, while the other was completely wrapped in the strange wood and the eye within was pure green and glowed slightly.

The being’s eyes narrowed and he leaned in closer, causing Twilight to back up slightly. The wood-imbued stallion sniffed once, twice, then took a step back and eyed his supposed sister.

“Nope,” the stallion rumbled.

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Come on, Mac, there is no need fer the scary big brother routine. We got ourselves a guest, and one that looks like she could use some Apple family hospitality.”

The woody stallion snorted again and shook his head, which made Applejack frown. “Now lookie here mister, just cuz ya got a bad feelin’ doesn't mean nothin’. It's probably that bad apple ya ate yesterday.”

The stallion looked away from the unicorn and fixed his sister with his strange, intense gaze. “Nope.”

Applejack’s patience seemed to run out quickly. “Ya get on out of here, skedaddle now, ya got chores to do and ya ain’t helpin’ here.”

The stallion snorted and turned to leave. “Eeyup.”

Twilight watched him leave, amazed that she couldn't so much as hear a single step of his mighty hooffalls.

Applejack coughed politely, diverting Twilight’s attention back to her. “Sorry about him, got a little bit too much of the forest in him. Tends to trust his gut a little too often fer my likin’, but he means well.”

“Ya better not be saying our brother is dumb or I’m telling Granny,” Apple Bloom added.

The older sibling rolled her eyes and plunked her hoof down on the filly’s head. “I ain't sayin’ that, I’m just sayin’ he should use his head fer thinkin’ and not that belly of his. Now you skedaddle too or ya are goin’ to be late.”

“Sweetie Belle’s recital, that's right! Thanks, Applejack!” The filly spun around and dashed in a seemingly random direction, quickly disappearing into the forest.

“Don't stay too late ya here, ya got school tomorrow!” Applejack shouted at the now vanished filly.

“Sorry again about my kin, they mean well, but don't have much in the way of tact.” Applejack once again offered her hoof in greeting, which Twilight bumped with a smile. The mare retracted her hoof and shook it briefly. “Apple Bloom wasn't kiddin’, ya got some static built up in ya or something.”

Twilight shrugged. “Sorry about that. It usually doesn't last this long, must be from all this stress.” The unicorn rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, taking a mental note not to touch anybeing until she got her magic under control again.

Applejack waved a hoof, urging the other being to walk beside as she started to trot back up the path Twilight had just gone down. “Walk with me, sugarcube, and tell ol’ Applejack what the matter is.”

Twilight quickly picked up her hooves and trotted beside the strange pony... thing. “Old? You don't look much older than I am.”

Applejack gave the unicorn a sidelong glance before snorting and turning back to the path ahead. “Probably about right, never met a unicorn before though, so I can't rightly tell. Now what's buggin’ ya, friend? Ya look hungry, tired and in a mighty need of a bath, if you don't mind my sayin’.”

Twilight giggled. “No offence taken, I probably could use a good meal, and a good sleep and probably a good wash while I am at it.”

“Well, ya don't worry about that none, ya just follow me and I’ll get you right fixed up. What brought ya out here anyhow?”

Twilight smiled awkwardly, unused to the strangely common show of generosity. “I heard you might need some help with tending to the trees, but they seem to have some sort of affliction.”

“Affliction? What makes ya think that?”

“I noticed a few shed their leaves already and it's not even summer yet.”

“Ahh, I wouldn't worry about that. It's just the forest playin’ tricks on us again, ain't nothin’ anybein’ can do about that.”

Twilight cocked an eye at that. “What do you mean it's the forest playing tricks? Forests can't play tricks.”

“I don't know where ya’re from, but around here the forest does and will play tricks on ya if ya ain’t careful.” Twilight opened her mouth to ask something, but was interrupted. “Ahh, here we are. Home sweet home. I’ll fix ya up a slice of some apple pie and we can chat more about what ya can do to help out round here.” The tree-bearing being gestured toward an aged farmhouse, a wide grin on her face. “After you.”

The canopy parted, allowing rays of moonlight to illuminate the seemingly ancient farmhouse sitting across the clearing from them. She could also see a barn off in the distance and a shed as well, but they were less interesting than the house. It was huge, at least three floors high and with the looks of a basement to boot, though the top floor windows were empty unlike the others that had some sign of habitation, be it a candle or decoration.

Twilight smiled, some of her apprehension slowly dissipating, beaten down by Applejack’s unrelenting kindness and unspoken understanding. “Why thank you-”

The door to the farmhouse suddenly opened with a slam, the aged screen door flying open to reveal a startlingly old version of what Twilight imagined Applejack would end up becoming.

The small, shriveled prune of a being was nearly completely covered in roots and branches blotting out her eyes and almost every patch of fur on her body. “Applejack!” the aged tree-bearing being shouted through her cracked and broken lips.

The farm pony sighed. “Yes Granny, I’m right here.”

“Oh thank the stars, quick, get inside before the darkness shows up.” She opened the door wide, casting a quick and useless glance left and right.

Applejack turned to Twilight and shrugged apologetically, the unicorn understood the gesture and merely smiled gently and took a step away. Turning back to her still frantic-looking Granny, Applejack stepped closer, speaking in a low, reassuring tone of voice. “Remember what Doctor Mindseye said. There ain't no darkness, now get back inside, ya are gonna catch a deathly cold out here.”

“I know what that crook said and I’m telling you the darkness exists! I seen it in my dreams and now it's at our farm! I can feel it in my bones, young one. It’s watching us right now.” The old mare took a step back and ushered Applejack inside.

“There ain't no darkness, Granny, there is however a guest that ya are probably scaring the wits out of.” Applejack stood next to her Granny and waved Twilight over. “Come on in, err… I never did get yer name.”

“Twilight, Twilight Sparkle.”

The old timer’s face lit up and she grabbed Applejack’s hoof in an attempt to pull her inside. “It's the darkness, Applejack, it's right here! Get inside before it steals your soul!”

Applejack sighed, easily resisting the older being’s attempts to pull her inside. “Sorry about this, Twilight, ol’ Willbor got in her brain a few years ago and she ain’t been the same since. Just wait by the barn while I get her back to bed.”

“Consarnit, Applejack, get inside and quit talking to the darkness already!” the old being screeched, still frantically tugging on the other being’s leg.

“I’m coming, I'm coming, hold yer horses already.”

The pair disappeared inside, leaving Twilight alone, confused and a little bit intrigued. The older being had fur the same color as Big Mac’s eye color, and the bark around where her eyes would be the same as that of Applejack’s fur; bright orange. The older being also had a clearly more advanced case of whatever Applejack was afflicted with, the tree growing out of her back was large and despite the old mare being scarcely taller than a foal, the tree growing on her back was taller than Applejack’s, and with large, leafy branches that shook as she moved.

Twilight wasn't sure what or how one ended up with a tree growing out of them, but whatever the affliction was, it was obviously hereditary. The older mare’s movements were choppy and one of her back legs had looked like it didn't move at all, so covered in wood and roots that it was unable to even bend. Stranger still was her lack of eyes and the strange coloration of the bark where they should be. Maybe there was a difference between Big Macintosh and this Granny character?

Twilight shook her head, clearing her mind of the curious thoughts. She would have time for questions later, for now Applejack had mentioned a barn she should wait by. She looked around the clearing, searching for the barn she had seen earlier and finding it far to her left, half-hidden amongst a group of apple trees.

The unicorn gulped nervously, suddenly unsure of waiting by the kind of spooky barn when the clearing she was standing in was perfectly bathed in moonlight and was way less creepy. She gulped again and looked back towards the house. Applejack probably did have a reason for asking though, maybe…

Twilight stopped and slapped her hoof to her forehead. “Stupid aura.”

She felt like an idiot for having forgotten about the fear aura that had made her life difficult since as far back as she could remember. She grumbled and stomped over to the barn, her angry hoofsteps the only sound save for a distant unknown type of bird. Midway to the barn, she stopped suddenly, a thought occurred to her. But the nurse hadn't noticed it, neither had Pinkie, or Applejack or Big Mac or even the filly. What had changed? Her mother had mentioned the fact that those with a strong will didn't become fearful, but surely someone as young as Apple Bloom didn't fit in that category?

She trotted over to the barn and plunked down on a bench, deep in thought. Was it the forest? No, that was silly. Maybe it was due to her magic fluctuating? Possible, but she had never figured out why her magic fluctuated, it hadn't happened often and it only seemed to happen when she was forced to be alone for an extended period of time when her parents and brother were out of town. Loneliness, maybe? No, that was equally as silly.

As she ran through every possibility in her mind, she slowly became aware of a small set of glowing green eyes looking up at her from the corner of her eye. She turned quickly, startling the tiny timberwolf and making it scramble backward, its small paws ripping up the dirt as it tried to get away.

Twilight placed a hoof on her chest and forced herself to breathe. It wasn't the timberwolf that had attacked her, it was just a baby… or something. She looked over to the edge of the barn where the wolf had run off to, spying its small eyes peering curiously at her from around a tree.

When their eyes met, the wolf ducked behind the tree. Twilight couldn't help but smile despite the unpleasant memory the creature’s appearance brought to mind. “You’re not a big scary timberwolf, are ya? You are just a little one.”

The unicorn’s soft tone drew the wolf from its hiding spot and it edged around the side of the tree, eyeing the pony cautiously.

“D’aww, you’re adorable.” The unicorn got up off the bench before sinking down close to the ground, trying to be as nonintimidating as possible.

The wolf, emboldened by the mare’s nonthreatening posture and kind words edged closer, its body low to the ground and ready to leap away at a moment’s notice.

“C'mere, little guy, I won't hurt you,” Twilight commanded, unaware of her horn glowing a soft reverse light.

Instantly the wolf stood up, suddenly unafraid and trotted right up to the unicorn, expressionless. Twilight cooed softly and ran a hoof along its chin, noting that despite it being made up of wood and bark, it was surprisingly soft. “I wonder if you like ear scratches. My neighbor’s dog used to love it when I scratched behind her ears… until they stopped letting her outside for some reason.”

The mare reached behind the pup’s ears and used her hoof to scratch the soft bark that made up the back of the wolf’s head. The pup’s ears instantly went up and its tail began to wag. “You are just the cutest little thing and so docile too!” She continued to gently scratch the back of the pup’s head, unsure of how much pressure to apply to the strange wolf-thing made of sticks.

“Well, I’ll be. Winona likes ya more than Granny.”

Twilight looked up to where Applejack stood a few feet away, startling her. “Wha... how do you guys do that? You are so quiet.”

The mare just laughed and ambled up next to the timberwolf pup, who was pouting adorably and looking up at Twilight expectantly. “Apple family secret. Now then, I promised ya pie and I never break a promise, specially when pie is involved.” The mare reached behind her back and pulled out a plate absolutely filled with one enormous slice of pie the size of a whole meal.

Twilight smiled, and though she still felt hungry, the pie didn't seem appetizing. She couldn't figure out why though. It looked good, she leaned in close and sniffed it, it smelled good, but she felt no desire to eat it. She shook the thought away and grabbed the fork and plate in her magic.

“Woo nelly, is yer horn supposed to do that creepy black light thing?” Applejack asked, taking a subtle step back.

Twilight frowned and looked up at her horn. “I don't know why, but it’s been doing that for a few days, it's not painful and on the walk over, I went through all the steps I could remember to self diagnose any magic-related illnesses and came up with nothing. I think it might just be the forest, I’ve felt… strange ever since waking up here.”

“Waking up here? Now that sounds like quite the story. I won't bother ya fer the details though, it seems like ya are still hurtin’ in a way us Apples know all too well.” Applejack’s usually kind and gentle eyes grew dark and Twilight’s heart fell.

“Thanks, how did you lose your? No, I’m sorry, I shouldn't have asked, especially after you were so kind not to.” Twilight winced, expecting anger.

She did not expect a sympathetic sigh and for the mare to wrap a hoof round her shoulder, squeezing her gently. “Ain't much to tell. My ma got sick and joined the forest, my pa couldn't live without her and just faded away until they were together again. That's the thing with us Apples, we grow deep roots. Pun not intended.”

Twilight smiled back. “Well, at least they are together again?”

Applejack pulled her limb from around the mare’s shoulder and gave it a shake in an attempt to get the pins and needles out. “Yeah, that's what I like to believe anyway.” The apple pony adjusted her hat and stood up suddenly. “But I’m sure ya are not here to listen to my life story, how can I help?”

“Well…” Twilight tapped her forehooves together nervously. “I need to get home but that's going to take money, money I don't have. Never mind the fact that I don't have anywhere to stay, or anything to eat for that matter.” The mare’s ears fell flat and her eyes drifted to the ground, staring down at the tiny timberwolf that looked up at her with an equally forlorn expression.

“Well shucks, I can help with most of that. We got an old cabin out back that an uncle of ours used to live in, he joined the forest decades ago and it's sat empty ever since. Shouldn't be in too bad a shape. I go down there once every few months to make sure nothin’ nasty has tried to move in. As fer food, well, we got plenty of apples that are ready to go bad that still make fer good eatin’, but I don't feel right sellin’ ‘em. Aside from that, ya could work as a scout and let us know which trees need buckin’.” The apple farmer smiled. “What do ya say?”

The unicorn would have been taken aback by the sudden generosity, but it seemed as though every being was more than ready to open their hearts and homes to a stranger like her. She had to make it up to at least one of these generous beings and it would start with Applejack. She would be the best damn scout this farm had ever seen!

Something caught her and started a chain reaction of thoughts in her brain. She blinked, the tears forming at the edges of her eyes disappearing. “Could that work, no… maybe.” She looked past the apple farmer, her mind churning with ideas.

Applejack cocked her head and followed the unicorn’s gaze, after finding out she was just staring at a seemingly random tree she scratched her head awkwardly. “ Ya alright, sugarcube?”

“More than alright! I think I know how to fix your forest affliction!”

“Wow, slow down there girl, it ain’t really a problem and trust me when I say the Apples have tried everythin’ over the years and the forest didn't like none of ‘em.”

“It wouldn't fix the problem, but it would fix the symptoms. I’m afraid whatever crazy magic is in this forest is a bit beyond me, but I could make a er…” The unicorn scratched her head and cast a quick spell to create a small illusionary picture of the farm.

“Diorama? Scale replica?” Applejack offered.

“Yeah, pretty much but not just that.” Her horn lit with its strange reverse light and one of the tiny illusionary apple trees had grown several large healthy apples. “It could indicate which trees are ready to harvest, so you wouldn't need a scout.”

Applejack frowned. “I dunno, the forest don't much like spellcraft or meddlin’.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “That's just it though, it wouldn't directly affect the forest, it would just scan it in order to figure out which trees were ready. It wouldn't change the trees in any way. It would take a while as I don't have much in the way of reference material for that type of spell, but with time, I think I could do it.”

The mare stood suddenly, scaring Winona who scrambled behind her owner’s legs while watching the strange unicorn make her way over to a tree and pick up a rotten apple from the ground. “All I would need is a few dozen apples in various states of maturation and maybe a few crystals but where would I find a…” Her face scrunched up in thought, oblivious to the growing smile on Applejack’s face.

“Ya could really do somethin’ like that?”

Twilight blushed slightly, glad she was facing away from the farm pony. “Well, like I said, it would take time and a few base components that I don't have, but it shouldn't be hard and the spells wouldn't try and manipulate the forest in any way, so we should be fine in that regard.”

“Well shoot, if ya could do that, ya would make us a whole mountain of gems! The rottin’ apples are good compost, but we got so much of the darn things we can hardly use half of it, we usually just end up tossin’ ‘em into the creek.” Her face grew stern suddenly and her voice flat. “I need to ask ya something first though, Twilight.”

The unicorn turned, tossing aside the rotten apple and scraping her hoof on the grass. “Sure, go ahead, Applejack.”

“Can ya really do somethin’ like that? We are used to hearing gussied up words from busy bodies tryin’ to make a dime off our hard work and, no offence, but ya wouldn't be the first to offer a solution to our problem.”

The mare eyed Twilight with a sharp critical eye, reading the unicorn like an open book. “Well, I, uh, never did something like that, but how about this; I’ll give you the completed rune array and everything for food and lodgings and if it works I’ll take a cut of the profits. We can talk numbers later when I get it working.”

For a second Applejack’s eyes narrowed, but Twilight didn't falter, she knew her possible array could work and she didn't feel like she was asking for much. After a few more seconds of intense scrutiny, the apple farmer smiled. “Well, I’ll be. That's the fairest offer anyone’s ever given us. Ya got yourself a deal.” The pony suddenly spat in her hoof and presented it to Twilight, who grimaced. “Oh, I suppose ya city folk ain’t used to such tradition.” The mare put down her hoof and wiped the spit off before extending her other, non spit covered hoof.

“It's a deal.”

Their hooves connected with a brief jolt of electricity passing between them. Applejack shook her hoof again, trying to regain feeling in the appendage. Twilight grimaced. “Sorry about that. I’ll try to get my magic under control soon.”

“Well, so long as ya don't light my farm on fire, I think we'll be fine.” The apple farmer turned back towards the farmhouse and beckoned the unicorn to follow her. “C’mon, I’ll grab ya the keys and in the evenin’ we’ll grab ya a few bushels of apples to stock yer cupboards fer now while we work out the details.”

Twilight smiled and followed the mare. “Sounds good to me. Thanks again, Applejack.”

“Don't mention it, helpin’ folk get back on their hooves is what any good Ponyvillian would do.” The mare grinned at the unicorn before making her way up to the farmhouse and disappearing inside.

Twilight’s smile lingered and she couldn't help but wonder how lucky she had been to meet the beings she did. Fluttershy’s kindness, Pinkie Pie’s gift of healing and laughter, Rarity’s generosity and finally Applejack’s honest and straightforward nature were all things Twilight would have to repay, but for now she thanked the stars they had been delivered to her.

She shook her head and looked down at the little timberwolf that had dutifully followed her owner. She was suddenly struck by the realization that this wolf or dog had died alone and lost in the woods, taking up residence within the wood it had probably died near. She pushed that thought away, Winona looked happy, if a little shy. No point in getting depressed over something that might have happened decades ago for all she knew.

She looked up to the farmhouse to see Applejack’s strange form stepping across the threshold with a silver pair of keys in hoof. She tossed them to the unicorn, who in turn caught them in her magic. “Nice catch. The cabin ain’t far, though I warn ya, it's a mighty bit creepy round that part of the orchard, we ain't had the hooves to tend it as much as we'd like to.”

Twilight smirked. “I think I can handle a few spooky trees.”

Applejack shrugged. “If ya say so. Stick close, don't want to get turned around in here, mighty easy to get lost if yer new to the orchard.”

Twilight followed suit, confidence building in her chest by the second.

A mere ten minutes later and said confidence was completely and utterly gone, replaced by a vague anxiety and a building paranoia. Though they weren't that far from the farmhouse, it felt much further than it was, the path had become overgrown and the majority of the time spent so far was used up clambering over fallen logs and leaping over puddles that persisted despite there not having been rain for days.

That wasn't that bad in Twilight’s mind as the real thing that had begun to bother her was the cramped nature of this part of the orchard. The canopy, which was usually soared to incredible heights, seemed just beyond the tip of Twilight’s horn and though she had crossed through parts of the forest like this, it was in the company of Fluttershy. If she lived here, she would have to travel this path often, and alone, which was an unpleasant thought.

She looked down at the shy timberwolf pup that followed close beside her. Maybe not completely alone anyway.

“Not too far now, how’s yer leg doin’?” Applejack asked.

“Not bad, it's feeling a lot better, but I should tighten it once I have a moment to sit down.” Applejack nodded knowingly, stepping carefully over a small, but thorny bush. “Do you mind if I ask you a few questions, Applejack?”

“Sure, got a minute or two till we’re there anyway.”

“I was wondering what you were called. Err, what your type of being was called.”

Applejack stopped in the path and tilted her head to the side. “Ya mean what type of pony I am?”

“Yeah, sorta.” Twilight scratched her head. “I mean, you look like earth ponies, but with the whole tree thing...”

Applejack smirked and turned back to the path. “Well, ya are kinda right. Our ancestors were earth ponies who made a deal with the forest, they didn't want to clear it to make a farm and we couldn't grow or find enough food in the forest. Or so the legends say anyway, not sure if I buy the whole deal with the forest, it don't seem the type to make deals. Anyway so, apparently this,” the apple farmer waved a hoof towards the tree growing out of her back, “was part of the deal.”

Twilight’s muzzle scrunched up in thought and she nearly tripped over an exposed root as she mulled over the farmer’s words. Thankfully Applejack was quick on the draw and pulled her back up before she even hit the ground.

Twilight blushed. “Thanks.”

“No problem, sugarcube, but ya should save the deep thinkin’ fer when ya got a roof over yer head.”

Twilight’s blush persisted and she looked away from the tree-bound mare.

After a few more minutes and a few more close calls with things getting in Twilight’s way--which was something she was becoming increasingly annoyed by--and they had reached their destination.

Applejack smiled proudly and swept her hoof towards the small structure nestled atop a slight rise that was devoid of trees, save for one right next to the building itself. “Here we are, Uncle Crab Apple’s cabin.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow at the structure, noting that it was little more than a shack roughly the size of a large outhouse. “Uh, I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but is that it? There aren't even any windows.”

“Great Uncle Crabby was a strange one. Was convinced that Sol herself was goin’ to come down here and torch the whole orchard, so he built the whole cottage underground, what ya see there is just the exit. Hope ya ain’t claustrophobic cuz it's big on the inside, but the climb down can be somethin’ else.”

Twilight shrugged. “I’m not claustrophobic, nor am I overly fond of the sun, but I am curious as to how he got the well, waste, out. I don't see an outhouse.”

Applejack made her way over to the door and beckoned Twilight to open it. “He got some Arachni from Cliffsdale to come down and do a bunch of enchantments on the place to handle that sorta thing. Runnin’ water, waste disposal, even got a little stand thing to teleport down the heavier furniture cuz he built the stairs too small. Though I believe that part’s busted, now that I think about it.”

“Well, so long as I don't have to pee in the woods, I’m fine,” Twilight commented while levitating the keys down. “Are they both for the door?”

“The round one is fer the door, the other is fer a safe he kept in there, darn thing is too heavy to take out, so I figured ya might find some use fer it.”

Twilight nodded and placed the round key in the hole and turned. The door opened with a lot more resistance than Twilight thought it would, and it turned out to be much denser than its seemingly crude exterior would indicate. The room inside was much smaller than what Twilight had seen on the outside, indicating it was far more reinforced than was normal.

Directly before her was a staircase spiralling down with a metal plate hinged to it, allowing someone inside to pull the plate down and seal themselves inside. Shrugging off the strangeness of the situation, Twilight stepped back, allowing Applejack to take the lead, which she politely declined. “If it's all the same to ya, I will leave ya to the tour, stairs don't much agree with me and Bloomberg here.” She motioned to the tree on her back. “Hard enough to amble up and down those stairs every few months or so and they ain't gettin’ any easier, I’m afraid.”

Twilight looked down the tight, worming stairs and back to Applejack, forcing a confident smile onto her face. “Yeah, of course. Thanks for everything, Applejack, anything I should know about the place?”

Applejack shrugged. “Not much really, there is a little doohickey on the wall that controls the magic torch thingies he bought. Other than that, it's a normal cabin... thing.”

“Alright, thanks, Applejack. Oh, before I forget, I don't suppose you'd mind if I could have any green apples lying around?”

“Sure! There are some in the barn, I can rustle ‘em up fer ya by tomorrow. Oh yeah, ya almost forgot yer pie back there at the barn, here ya go.” The mare reached around to her back and passed Twilight a familiar pie-filled plate. “We got to talking so much I darn near forgot about it.”

“Oh thanks! I’m going to eat this inside where there is a table.” Twilight turned, only to stop. “There is a table, right?”

“Well shoot, of course there's a table. Enjoy!”

Twilight nodded and closed the door and sighed. For whatever reason, the pie still did not look appetizing. She admitted it looked aesthetically pleasing, but whenever she looked at it, her hunger seemed to dull and she couldn't help but recoil slightly at the thought of eating it.

She glanced down to the stairwell and shrugged, relying on kindness had gotten her this far, surely Applejack wasn't leading her into some sort of trap, was she? No, that was silly, she shook her head and started down the wooden steps. She quickly remembered the rune on the wall and pressed her hoof against it. The stairs and the room instantly lit up in a pale blue light emanating from several small torches lining the wall and stairwell.

Her pace slowed as her mind imagined all the things that could be down there, lurking in wait for her in the unknown depths. She forced the thoughts away once more and made her way down with firm confident steps.

After a few more twists of the stairs, they suddenly stopped and a large room opened up. The room she was in was about the same size as her living room back home, but the roof was slightly taller and the walls made of harder wood and without any windows to speak of.

Looking around, Twilight could see a couch, a small, nearly empty bookcase, a table complete with three chairs and a small kitchenette with a stove and a sink.

“Well, would you look at that.”

Against the wall to her right was an open door that appeared to lead into a bathroom. To the left was another opened door, presumably to the bedroom. She glanced into the bathroom first, noting it had a sink, a toilet and a shower like every other bathroom she had ever known, save for the slightly cramped nature of it. Other bathrooms also didn't have everything wooden, but the earthy color of it was relaxing to the unicorn.

The couch was old and dust-covered, but appeared to be in a good shape and quite comfortable despite its age. She looked closer at the bookcase and smirked when she noted the titles. Farming, the basics. Several other books were next to the first, all on the same topic, though it varied from an entire thick book solely about manure to a thin one about the effects of magic on crops.

Despite her curiosity about the last tome, she moved on to the bedroom and was happy to see a large bed and a small writing desk with a chest of drawers along the wall to her left. The walls were made of the same wood as the rest of the ‘cottage’ and the blankets and pillows were all the same, deep brown color.

She gripped the bed in her magic and moved it into the corner. “There, perfect.”

She turned around and deposited the pie next to her bed on the small desk. Maybe she would be hungry later.

“Alright, what's next?” she asked the empty room.

When the said empty room did not respond in any meaningful way, she started a mental checklist as per usual. “First, learn more about the cottage, then maybe read that farming book and finally get to bed within a few hours in order to better align my sleep schedule to the local population.”

Nodding to herself, Twilight set about her first task, ignoring the ever present pang of hunger that troubled her, instead she drank deeply from the surprisingly fresh tap water and hoped it will help. It didn't.

Eventually, she retired to bed and when sleep did not come as easily as she hoped, she once more was forced into simply zapping herself asleep with a spell. This time while she lay slumbering, her body did not find any readily apparent source of energy and in its desperation, it extended its aura, seeking something, anything to satiate itself.

The pie that still lay on a plate next to her began to mold rapidly before disintegrating entirely, becoming little more than a small pile of dust. It was not enough, it needed more and so it continued to expand, hoping to find more sustenance.

Outside Applejack hummed a small tune to herself while walking back to the farmhouse, mumbling the melody of some song she had forgotten the lyrics to. She ducked under a low hanging branch before hopping over a puddle, silently making a note to clean up the path a little if Twilight was going to end up staying there for awhile.

Thinking about the strange unicorn, Applejack couldn't help but speculate. She had lost family, that much was obvious, her pain was intense and familiar, but she also seemed angry and guilty. She had always been receptive to the pain of others before, but it seemed especially easy to pick up on what the strange being staying in her cottage was feeling.

She brushed the odd train of thought aside, as Twilight seemed a little sheltered, which was probably why she was so easy to read. Poor girl’s probably not used to hiding how she feels and Applejack couldn't help but smile at the accidental honesty. What else did she know about her? She was from a city, judging from the reaction she had to AJ’s city slicker comment. Probably hasn't worked much either as her legs were twigs and she looked almost sickly, then again she was awfully gangly too, so that might explain it.

She was startled out of her reverie by a shape moving in the forest to her right, however one glance was enough to rob her of any anxiety she might have felt.

“Come on out, Big Mac, ya ain't gonna be able to sneak up on me and I know ya got somethin’ on yer mind, so just spill it.”

Sure enough, the shape stopped and sullenly made its way over. Once close, the moonlight was enough to illuminate the stallion, who stood tall and opposing, which meant little to the orange mare, who merely snorted at her brother’s attempt at intimidation.

“She ain’t with me, so ya can knock off the tough guy routine.”

Big Mac shrunk slightly and looked around before walking up beside his sister, joining her on the hike back. They walked in silence for a few minutes, though Applejack could tell he wanted to break the silence, it usually took him a while to gather his thoughts. So, in the meantime she merely waited.

Finally, he looked from Applejack back to the cottage with questioning eyes.

Applejack frowned. “What are ya gettin’ at?”

He rolled his eyes and looked back the way they came, before pointing in the general direction of Canterlot.

“So? Who cares where she's from, she needed help,” Applejack responded indignantly.

The stallion stopped his sister and placed a hoof to her heart before pointing back at the cabin, the quizzical expression returning to his features.

“Why do I trust her?” He nodded. “She lost somebein’, somebein’ close to her and recently no less.”

The stallion frowned and drew one hoof over his face and smiled at his sister, only to draw the invisible curtain over his face, which had grown cold and with an evil grin.

“She ain't fakin’ it, mister.” She placed a hoof over his own heart and leaned in close. “I know ya could feel it too, that filly is hurtin’ and needs our help.”

He seemed to mull it over, half-agreeing with the mare, but still stubborn. To which she just snorted. “Ya trust yer gut on everythin’, but trustin’ other beings.”

The stallion frowned at her and pawed the dirt nervously.

“Look, I know ya are anxious and I get it, I am too. She's a stranger from the mountain, a unicorn to boot and she's got a weird aura about her.”

He raised an eyebrow at that.

“Ya know what I mean, I know ya felt it, hell even Granny could feel it clear inside the house.”

He put his hoof slightly off the ground, the exact height of their sister, before casting a glance at Applejack.

“I dunno about Apple Bloom, but she's awful fierce fer her age, wouldn't surprise me if she ignored it.”

He looked doubtful, but didn't ‘voice’ it.

Applejack sighed. “Look big guy, I got a good feelin’ about her, plus she might have a way to make our jobs easier with the trees. Says she might have a way to use magic to tell us which trees need buckin’ and when.”

He raised an eyebrow and frowned deeply.

“I know that look, but trust me, her solution don't meddle with the forest none and it don't cost nothing to upkeep. Hell, she didn't even ask fer money up front like those other idiots.”

His eyebrow fell and he looked down at her with more curiosity, and less disdain.

“I know it sounds too good to be true, but all she wanted was a place to stay, a little food and maybe some gems down the line, but only if her idea works. If not, she volunteered to scout fer us.”

This got him intrigued and he got up, and the pair proceeded towards the farm house.

“I got a good feelin’ about her, I’m telling ya, Big Mac, she's gonna help turn this place around and help us go from barely able to supply ourselves to feedin’ the whole gosh darn town.”

He rolled his eyes with such intensity she could almost hear them in their sockets.

“I know I talk big, but think about it. Imagine if we could harvest every bushel of apples when they were at their peak. No more harvestin’ ‘em before or whenever we happened to get lucky enough to see ‘em get ripe.”

He looked over, studying her features and after finding no hint of deception he allowed a small smile to spread across his face.

“Besides, if she does end up hurtin’ somebein’, ya can tell me ya told me so.”

He snorted and stomped his hoof before sharing a laugh with his younger sister, the pair proceeding inside the farmhouse in high spirits.

Far above the world and its pain, a distant star flashed in the sky. It wasn't the brightest, or the biggest, but it was centermost in the small collection of strange colored stars. Its light was warming, calming and made one think of home and family and its resurgence made the others shine brighter.

Even the dim teal star that weakly shimmered in the night sky joined in. Though it was small, unsure of itself and unconvinced by the other’s light.

All that was overshadowed by a lavender star becoming darker, its light fading into nothing until eventually it began to absorb the light of the others. Whatever was the cause of this sudden shift would need to be remedied, and soon. For every second the formerly lavender star thirsted for the light of its sister stars, the others dimmed and threatened to go out altogether.

Until the pink star, liveliest of the bunch moved to investigate and grew a little too close.

Author's Note

Suffering in Silence

Shining Armor took a deep breath and pressed his hoof against the doorknob, only to stop. The weight of the acceptance papers, though miniscule, weighed down the stallion. The three thin slips of paper were the only things in his saddlebags, yet he felt the pull of the cloth bag intensely. He shook his head and straightened his back, pushing away the doubt that plagued him.

You are going to go in there, and tell your father that you’ve signed up for the royal guard and that you are leaving in a matter of days and you are going to like it! he thought grimly.

After one last deep breath, he pushed open the door to the hotel room him and his father were staying in. The heavy door slowly opened to reveal their shared room, the scent of cooked vegetables and empty whiskey bottles attacking his nose. It was a small, cozy affair with a breakfast nook and a small area to make food, opposite of him were two large sliding glass doors that revealed the narrow balcony beyond.

His father stood over a skillet, staring down into the food, his mind a million miles away. Shining Armor frowned at the sight and stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a little more force than what was necessary, sending the small box of empty bottles beside the door rattling.

Blinking, Night Light turned to his son and smiled faintly. “Hey Shining, how was your day?”

“Not bad, I, uh…” He wanted to finish that by saying ...got accepted into the royal guard and will be leaving soon, but his traitorous mouth refused to speak the words.

His father didn't seem to notice, having turned down to the skillet, shaking it a few times before looking back. “You say something?” he mumbled.

Shining shook his head meekly. “I was just saying I didn't get any headaches today, I think I finally beat them.”

Night Light smiled a little wider, a hint of genuine happiness threatening to slip past. “That's great to hear, Son. Why don't you take off that bag and sit down? Supper is almost ready.”

Shining Armor obliged, but stopped short as he was putting his saddlebags down next to his bed. “Dad, it's four thirty. Don't you think it's a little early?”

The old stallion stopped his intense scrutiny of the supper and looked up. “Oh, is it…” he trailed off, staring into space for a few seconds before shaking his head. “I was just hungry, is all. Do you want some?”

Shining Armor hopped up on the bed in order to see what was being made. Sure enough his nose hadn't lied and he could see potatoes, onions and a few other vegetables in the pan before him. He smiled weakly, his father had never been a good cook and this was the same vegetable medley he had made for the last three nights in a row.

Looking into his father’s expectant eyes, Shining Armor couldn't help but feel his hunger return. “Yeah Dad, looks good.”

“That's good to hear, your mother was always the cook and I...” His smile faltered and he turned his attention back to the vegetables, staring vacantly as they sizzled.

Shining Armor sighed, glancing over at the small pile of empty bottles near the door. At least six empty bottles of whiskey sat in a small cardboard box, ready for the chambermaid to remove them. Hopping down from the bed, the stallion trotted over to the small pile of plates and deposited two of them and a set of cutlery at either side of the breakfast nook.

He jumped up onto the seat and sat down in his place and just when he got comfortable, his father came over with the skillet. Shining pushed his plate forward slightly, watching as the slightly burnt vegetables tumbled down. He frowned, they were only black on one side, indicating his father had gotten distracted again.

Ignoring the burnt sections, the stallion grabbed his fork and put the least burnt vegetable he could find into his mouth and chewed. Across from him his father had applied a liberal layer of ketchup to his vegetables and dug in as well.

The pair sat in silence for several minutes, both eating their meals, deep in thought. Shining Armor could only guess at his father’s thoughts, but he assumed from the vacant stare that they were dark memories. On that thought, the stallion tensed up and felt courage surge within himself.

“I got accepted to the royal guard,” he said suddenly.

For several seconds nothing happened, his father stared at his plate, unmoving. Until his fork suddenly clattered to the table and he fixed his son with a look that made the small stallion want to take his words back.

“You are bluffing, you are too small, sickly. You’d never get accepted,” he whispered.

Shining’s jaw tensed. “The last physical found nothing wrong with me.”

“That's good!” Night Light smiled suddenly, his mood shifting rapidly. “You should use this to finally get on the hoofball team.”

“I don't want to play hoofball, Dad. I finished my last class, I will be leaving in a few days.”

The old stallion’s sudden cheer vanished. “It's too dangerous, you should be well-aware what the terrorists do! This family knows well enough what those terrorist scum are capable of.”

“Which is why I’m joining the guard, they can help make me strong! Strong enough to protect you.”

“I don't need protecting, Shining, you do! Putting yourself in harm’s way won't help anyone!” The stallion shook his head and muttered darkly, “You can't protect anyone if they kill you too, Shining. Don't you see?”

Shining sneered. “I see perfectly clearly, Dad. I see that you don't want to get the ponies that killed Mom and Twilight!”

Night Light rolled his eyes. “That's not what I am saying at all, one pony isn't going to bring down the terrorists overnight! They have been trying to destroy this city since I was a child. Leave that for the guard and the princess.”

“Even one pony can make a difference! Even if it takes the rest of my life, I will find out who made the bomb and bring them to justice!” The meak stallion slammed his hoof against the table, hardly rattling the plates.

The old stallion sighed and ran a hoof down his face. “That isn't the point. What matters is that it is too dangerous. You can't go putting yourself in danger for some misbegotten sense of justice.”

Shining Armor’s muscles twitched, and his anger peaked at what he saw as his father’s cowardice. He had been the one to hit the bottle, even before the accident he had drank to flee from Twilight’s affliction. A problem only exacerbated by the sudden death of his daughter and wife. He had chosen to run from his problems and accept Celestia’s offer of a new house, one closer to the castle. All his father did was run, but he was not his father. Shining Armor would stand up for what was right and fight against the forces that had corrupted his sister and killed her and his mother.

“Danger is everywhere! We know better than anyone!” the colt cried. “If I am not safe at home, or in the castle, where am I safe?”

Night Light froze and for a second, Shining Armor thought he had delivered his point across, only for the old stallion to suddenly get up and make his way to the door.

“Where are you going?” Shining asked incredulously.

“I’m going to check on the movers, they said they were going to be done tomorrow.”

“You can't just run from all your problems.”

Night Light stopped, his hoof wavering over the door handle, only for his head to shake. “You aren't thinking about this rationally. Your mother isn't even cold in the ground and you are already using her death to win arguments.”

Shining Armor staggered back as if struck, only to put a hoof to stop his father. “Wait-”

The door slammed shut, ending their argument and driving a spike of guilt into the stallion’s heart. He hadn't meant it like that, he wanted to…

He didn't know what he wanted.

The stallion crumpled, like a puppet with its strings cut, unable to stay standing. Why did he want to become a royal guard so much? Was it truly because of the recent disaster? Sure, he had desired to join before, but he had wanted to join the Equestrian guard in order to see the world.

He shook the strange train of thought from his mind. He needed to see justice done and even if he didn't find out who made that bomb, he was damn sure he would do everything he could to put a stop to the terrorists.

He may not be able to stop them all, but if he could bring justice to at least one of the animals that had taken his family from him, he would be proud. And if one day he could somehow manage to kill every single last terrorist in Equestria, then he could die happily.

Night Light groaned and rubbed his head, pressing his face into the pillow. He fumbled blindly for the the cup of water he had left on his end table. Once found it, he threw back the meager amount of water and groaned. This was not a good start to the day.

The stallion tossed aside the blankets and stumbled to the floor, standing there for a few moments as the world around him slowly stopped spinning. Once more in control of his faculties, the stallion shook his head. Keep it together, Night Light, you still got one pony left in your life, can't give up yet.

Making his way across the room in his half-awake, hungover state, the stallion was barely able to dodge the various boxes that littered the floor randomly. He had meant to start unpacking already, but days had passed and he had yet to touch the things. Something about the act of unpacking added a sense of finality to the move that he couldn't bring himself to go through with.

He slowly made his way downstairs, his headache subsiding as his body started to wake up. By the time he got to the bottom of the stairs, he felt almost normal. The dull ache in his heart was still there, but at least his head was clear.

He looked around the small main floor, easily able to see everything from his spot at the bottom of the stairs. Where the old house had thick wooden beams that had been left unpainted and exposed for all to see, the new house used some fancy technique to hide the supports that held up the house and covered them up with flat walls that were easy to paint over.

He liked it at first, but everyday he looked at the flat, even, perfectly painted walls of his new house, he couldn't help, but miss the character of his old home. It had its faults, but it was honest about them, but here, every fault and imperfection was hidden behind a thick veneer of perfection.

Musing silently to himself, he turned away from the living room before him and to his right, where the small, humble kitchen sat empty. Unlike the rest of the house, it had been filled first, his late wife’s many pots, pans, cutlery and other kitchenware lovingly put away before he had even so much as looked for the box containing his clothes.

He winced as he made his way into the kitchen, the windows were large and were a nice selling point of the house, but in actuality, everything seemed to reflect into them and blind the stallion every morning. The passing sets of gleaming armor, strapped to the powerfully built guards, seemed to reflect every stray bit of light directly into his eyeballs.

With a flash of magic the stallion drew the curtains and sighed, the darkness doing wonders for his lingering headache. He grabbed a large cup and filled it to the brim with ice cold water and made his way back to the living room. His hangover had robbed him of any desire to eat, so he passed by the small tray of muffins he had bought yesterday without even looking at it, despite a nagging voice reminding him they would go bad soon.

Flopping down into his favorite chair, the stallion breathed a sigh of relief. Even when things changed, something always stayed the same and for him, this chair was that rock. He had it since he had moved out of his parents place and it somehow managed to survive two kids and the rigors of time without gaining more than a few small scuffs.

His eyes closed and lips curled into a grin, and the stallion drank deep from his glass, feeling the cool relief slide down his throat and refresh his very being. Now feeling awake, alert and relaxed, he put down his glass, only to notice there was a folded piece of paper on the small table beside his chair.

Curious, he leaned closer, noticing there was only a single word written on the front. Dad. That wasn't good, Night Light felt a certain sense of unease at the sight of the slip of paper. It was written in the neat and punctual horn writing of his son and after the last argument they had only the night before, the stallion couldn't help, but imagine the worst.

The stallion flipped over the paper and unfolded it, revealing the same neat script nearly covered the other side. Somewhere deep down he knew exactly what this note contained, but he read on, stubbornly hoping it was not as he feared.

I am sorry.

I cannot take the job you managed to get me down at Donut Joe’s. I know you meant well in getting it for me, but I can't just relegate myself to a restaurant job when I know destiny has bigger plans for me.

I am sorry for bringing up what I did the other night. It wasn't right of me to say what I did. You were just trying to look out for me, like you always have.

But I can't do this, I can't go back to a normal life. Not after what happened.

I need to do this and I’m sorry you disapprove, but I must follow this through to the end.

One day I’m sure you will understand.

Thank you for all you've done.

We’ll talk more after I’ve completed basic. If you still want to see my face after this.

Shining Armor
Royal Guard.

The cup flew from his hoof and shattered across the perfectly painted wall, sending uneven shards of glass in all directions. The paper followed suit, having been crumpled into a ball and jettisoned across the room, but it did not make quite the satisfying crash that the glass did.

The stallion toppled from the chair, falling gracelessly to a heap on the ground, where he pounded his hoof into the perfectly white floor. No no no no no!

Night Light lurched into a standing position, running towards the stairs and clumsily climbing them, moving too fast for his hooves to catch up to him. “Shining! This better be a joke!”

Careening across the landing, Night Light only barely managed to turn in time to face his son’s door. Throwing caution to the wind, he lit his horn and cast aside the door, charging through into an empty room.

The small, box-filled bedroom was almost exactly the same as it was the day before, save for the absence of a few things. Shining’s bag of clothes was gone from its perch atop the pile of boxes in the corner and the stallion’s favorite hat, along with the pictures of his mother and sister, that had sat on his end table were also gone. Worst of all, the stallion himself was absent, leaving the suddenly very old stallion shocked and terrified.

This was it, the moment he had feared since that hellish night. The moment where he was well and truly alone. His daughter was gone and though a part of himself was relieved at the thought, the rest of him crushed that feeling. He had never wanted her truly gone, only away, somewhere her condition would harm nopony, somewhere they could visit as much as they wanted without suffering as his wife had. Worst of all, his wife had been taken from him by the very daughter he had ostracized, having been seduced by the terrorists into carrying a bomb for them. Despite all the hatred boiling in his heart, he couldn't direct it towards the daughter that had started his family down this dark path.

No, he would never blame an innocent, not when he carried the guilt for all of this happening. If he hadn't pushed her away she wouldn't have been so easily seduced by the twisted tongue of the terrorists that despised their way of life. Even his son, the last living family he had left was pushed away because of him. It was all his fault, everything that had happened had been his fault one way or another.

The stallion surged from the ground where he had lain crumpled in despair, lurching awkwardly on uncoordinated legs as he made his way back down the stairs, only to trip and tumble down the last few steps, landing once more in a heap on the floor. He quickly righted himself again and stumbled into the kitchen, tears pouring down his face and dripping to the floor.

When had he started crying? He didn't remember and it didn't matter.

He tore the cutlery drawer out, the various cooking implements scattering across the floor. The stallion cursed, searching for the one piece of steel that would end all this misery. A glint from across the room caught his eye and hastily the stallion scrambled towards it, grinning madly as he saw the object of his freedom.

The large, sharp knife lay on the ground, waiting for the stallion to reach out and grab it. As he did, he felt a surge of something push through his mind and almost without thinking he found the knife pressed against his own throat. Something stopped him though, something small, just a whisper.

“Take care of them, Nighty, please?”

His hoof trembled and the knife pressed dangerously against his flesh, mere millimeters from opening up his throat. He was so close, all he had to do was push a little forward. It wouldn't be hard, only a moment of pain for an eternity of release, it would be worth it, right? A dark voice within his mind whispered.

“Take care of them, please. For me,” the ghost breathed.

The knife clattered to the floor along with the stallion. Velvet would never forgive him for abandoning them, not when he had one child left. He wasn't gone, not yet anyway.

He remembered the words he had spoken that night so long ago. He had lain on his side, his legs wrapped around his wife, who clutched their newest bundle of joy in her grasp. The tiny filly lay still, her chest rising and falling only faintly.

“I know you will, my love, but please let me hear you say it,” Twilight Velvet whispered.

The words had come to the stallion’s lips without him even having to think of them. “Until my dying breath.”

His wife smiled and pulled the tiny bundle closer to her chest, a small hint of sorrow gracing her features. As the memory faded, Night Light couldn't help but wonder what had brought on the sudden demand. Had she known what was going to happen, all those years ago? Or had she merely been scared of leaving her children alone, in an uncaring world?

Night Light didn't know, and he didn't care. For as long as his promise was left unfulfilled, he could not rest. No matter how much he desired to and no matter how much the dark voice at the back of his mind demanded him to end it.

Shining Armor dragged his hooves down the long hallway that lead to the barracks. The pack on his back was relatively small, but to the stallion, it might have weighed a ton for how much it dragged him down. Every step he took from his home towards the place that would become his new home was harder than the last.

Leaving at the break of dawn had been easy, his steps pulled by an unforeseen force that had dragged him along at an incessant pace. His anger towards his father, his guilt at not being able to help his sister and mother both driving him onwards and upwards. But it were not the steep streets or the few ponies out at such an early hour that slowed him down, but a worry that festered in his soul.

His father had been strange and distant since the bombing and Shining couldn't help, but worry that the old stallion might do something rash in the heat of the moment. When he had passed through the enormous gate to the castle, his worry compounded, how long would it be until he could see him again? Would the self-destructive path he had already been on only get worse? Would he be responsible if…

“Recruit Armor?” a voice asked gruffly.

The scrawny stallion blinked and looked up to see a tall, imposing royal guard clad in gold armor looking down at him with obvious disgust on his face.

“Yes?” Shining answered awkwardly, unsure as to what he had done to deserve such distaste.

“Come with me.” The stallion turned, not waiting to see if the colt was following him before trotting off down the hall.

“Wait! I haven’t put my stuff away!” Shining Armor pleaded, running after the taller, longer-legged stallion.

“You won't be putting your things in this barracks anyway.”

Shining Armor took his saddle bags in his magic and placed them on his back, moving all the while in order to not get left behind. The guard’s quick pace carried them down several halls in no time at all, leaving the shorter stallion scrambling to keep up. The guard turned suddenly after taking a few steps up a winding spiral staircase, casting a curious eye at the stunned stallion, who had stopped short of the steps.

“What is it, Recruit Armor?” he asked tersely.

Shining Armor gaped. “But that's towards the officer barracks. Surely there must be a mix up.”

The guard shook his head. “No, the princess, in her infinite wisdom, has selected you to be fast tracked for officership. You will be stowing your gear in the third floor with the others training to lead.” He took a few steps up the stairs, but stopped when he didn't hear Shining Armor’s hooves. Turning back, he frowned at the short stallion. “Is there a problem, recruit?”

“Yes, there is. I won't accept nepotism. I know Celestia pities me for what happened to my family, but this isn't right. Tell her I do not accept her offer.”

The guard blinked, his mouth opening to speak, only to close, his opinion of the small stallion soaring. “I... well then.” He tapped his chin, suddenly unsure of what to do. “I was ordered to bring you to Celestia regardless. So... you should bring up your refusal with her. For now we can skip stowing your gear and we will make it directly to the royal suite.”

Shining’s confident appearance melted at the thought of denying the princess to her face. He gulped and stepped after the guard, who seemed to eye him with a burgeoning respect. Together, the pair climbed to the third story, passed a security point, then entered a different set of spiral stairs and climbed an additional two stories, only to repeat the entire process one last time.

By the end of it, Shining Armor was left wheezing and his heart hammered in his chest. His legs felt heavy and he couldn't help, but curse whomever had designed this section of the tower with so many spiral staircases. A part of him knew this was because most ponies were right hoofed and the construction of the staircase ensured the defenders had the advantage, but the rest of him was too busy wheezing and trying not to collapse to the floor to care about that little nugget of information.

The guard stopped, waiting patiently for Shining to crawl up to the last security post. “How… how many stories was that?” Shining wheezed.

The guard snorted, amused by the smaller stallion. “We are on the forty-second floor.”

Shining Armor gasped. “What? But... what?”

The guard chuckled. “We took the enchanted stairs, since our identity was confirmed. An invader could get lost for days in the maze of stairs if they didn't know where they were going, so keep that in mind if you ever think you are going to sneak somewhere you’re not supposed to. Now come on, the princess’ suite is just up ahead.”

Shining Armor nodded, pulling in a few last frantic gulps of air and silently hoping the wobbling in his legs wouldn't get any worse, he would hate to fall over in front of the princess. They trotted past one last pair of guards that appeared to be identical to the rest. Tall, stoic, powerfully built and with the same gold armor and sleek white coat as the rest. The unicorn and pegasus guards didn't even look at Shining or their fellow guard, their eyes staring straight ahead, unblinking.

After passing through the archway, the hall suddenly shifted, growing far larger than the narrow tower they were now in should allow. Within several feet, the hallway opened to the left and right, both of the new hallways extending a dozen meters over what would have been the outside of the tower, numerous doors along their paths. That was of course assuming Celestia’s suite obeyed normal laws of physics, which it clearly didn't.

As such they passed numerous rooms, antechambers, a lounge and even what appeared to be a smoke room before they hit the end of the hall and were forced to take the stairs. There they again passed by numerous rooms, each more oppoulent than the last. A sauna, a pool, an art gallery, an enormous library, a private spa, a gym, Shining shook his head in disbelief. There was more space in the two floors he had seen of the tower than the entire rest of Canterlot Castle.

The entire time he walked he was flanked by ancient and renowned art, from paintings to statues to stained glass to ornate and antique weapons. He had no doubt that what little he could see from his current angle would be enough to keep him and his entire extended family in exorbitant wealth for generations if they were to be sold. That was also discounting the sheer amount of gold and jewels that lined the decedent halls. Vases of what looked like pure gold were inserted randomly into the endless sprawling halls of Celestia’s suite. The door handles were almost exclusively made of gold and many of the ornate doors were made from some ancient tree and were inlaid with gems of a size the stallion had never seen before.

The sheer scale of Celestia’s wealth would normally look gaudy, but there was such artistry in the placement and such perfection in the subtle blending of color with the natural light, that somehow streamed in from seemingly everywhere, that it all worked perfectly.

“It's a lot to take in, huh?” the guard asked.

Shining shook his head in disbelief. “This is crazy.”

The guard snickered. “When you’re around for as long as the princess, you tend to collect a few things. I shouldn't have to tell you, but don't touch anything. Most of what you see is worth more than your life’s salary and that's assuming you somehow make captain of the guard.”

Shining snorted. “That will never happen.”

The guard laughed and motioned towards a seemingly random door in the middle of the hall. “Let's go, the princess will be waiting for you.”

The younger stallion breathed deeply and straightened his spine, standing tall and unafraid. “Right. Ready when you are.”

The guard nodded and smiled faintly before opening the door with a hoof and beckoning for Shining to enter. The stallion did as asked and proudly trotted into the room. That pride didn't last long and his step quickly faltered as he looked around. It had a bed in it, but Shining wasn't sure if that was enough to classify it is as a bedroom. The ceilings were high enough to allow a whole flock of pegasi room to fly and it was probably large enough to hold his entire childhood house within its four walls and still have enough space left for the yard to fit as well.

The roof itself was a piece of art unlike anything the stallion had seen. From one corner to the other was a great painting that depicted hundreds, if not thousands, of smaller pictures. From his brief glance he could tell that it was a history of Equestria, but he could only guess at what half the scenes were meant to show as history had never been his forte. Even then he saw scenes that he was pretty sure no history book would ever depict. Blushing madly, the stallion pulled his gaze down and looked around the room.

Several doors exited the main room, though they were all closed, leaving Shining to guess at what new and opulent room lay beyond. A walk-in closet with room for hundred dresses? A bathroom large enough to have a small pool in the center while still having room for the necessities? Shining pushed the thoughts from his head and forced himself to look away from the gleaming gold and red that covered the room from top to bottom and towards the thin line of yellow that fell across the room from the open archway to his left.

Upon noticing the thin line of sunlight, Shining Armor’s ears perked up and he realized that the room beyond was filled with the sound of music, so much so a small tune could be heard. The soft plucking of a harp intermingled with the hushed tone of an enchanting songstress carried the stallion past the arch and onto the large balcony before he even realized his hooves had moved.

To his right were the sources of the music he had heard, a tall elegant looking earth pony mare plucked at a harp while an equally as elegant, but slightly leaner pegasus sung beautifully. The sound was like the burbling of a brook, indistinct, but relaxing and utterly enchanting.

Closer to the balcony’s edge was her. Celestia herself, the Unconquered Sol, the Empire Maker. From her perch atop a small mound of pillows, she gazed out at her city, while a pair of younger ponies stood nearby, a unicorn filly waited close at hoof, levitating a fork full of angel food cake. The princess opened her mouth and the unicorn dutifully placed the cake into her mouth and quickly cut off another piece and readied it. The other foal appeared male and like his counterpart, he was dressed in a silky, yellow and gold dress that dusted the floor.

Shining gulped, noticing the pair of musicians eyed him cautiously, though not overtly enough to interrupt their song. Without turning her gaze from the city below, the princess spoke, “You may go, Sun Speaker and Whisper Wind. Please, find some breakfast and return in an hour.”

The musicians nodded and left without a word, the absence of their song leaving the stallion despondent for its loss. Shining opened his mouth to speak, but Celestia beat him to the punch.

“Come to me,” she whispered huskily, while smiling warmly and patting a spare cushion she had pulled from the pile she sat on.

Shining Armor blinked, his hooves moving as if of their own volition, carrying him to the pillow and plopping him down near the edge of the balcony, his head just barely enough to see over the railing. Celestia’s smile widened and her eyes sparkled as she beamed down on the stallion.

“Good. Now before you ask anything, I want you to look out over Canterlot and tell me what you feel.” The alicorn slipped in closer to the stallion, rubbing a hoof down his back and drawing a shiver from the much smaller pony. “Tell me what stirs within your heart when you look out over our city.”

The stallion gulped, every fibre of his being calling for him to move away from the enchanting alicorn, but there was something about her presence, the closeness, that soothed him. He relaxed, leaning slightly against the mare’s leg, feeling worries of protocol and politeness flee from his mind.

He cast his eyes out over the city, looking down upon the great spires of gold and marble that dotted the cityscape. He marveled at the great and ancient city, his mind awash with numerous emotions. To the point that he almost forgot about the alicorn’s request, so lost amidst the seemingly endless towers, roads and numberless ponies that walked and flew amongst them.

“I feel… nervous,” Shining mumbled.

The alicorn raised and eyebrow and leaned closer to the stallion. “Why do you say that?”

“It looks so fragile, like the boats in bottles my father used to make when I was little. It’s perfect, too perfect,” he muttered darkly, his gaze lingering on a particular set of towers that were so small he felt as though he could reach out and snap them off with his hoof.

The alicorn hummed in thought, looking out over the city and sitting in silence for a few moments. “Do you know what the terrorists feel when they see our fair city?” Shining Armor shook his head. “Greed, envy, and the all-consuming desire to take. To them, Canterlot is a great treasure chest, filled with the spoils gained by thousands of industrious ponies over generations. They see our great work and they envy us for it.”

Celestia gently placed a hoof on the stallion’s chin, caressing his cheek and pulling his eyes up to meet hers. “Which brings me to you, and why I want you among the officers of my royal guard.” He opened his lips to speak, but Celestia placed a delicate, lilac scented hoof over them. “I know what you are going to say and I know how you feel. You think you don't deserve it, but you also have something that my guard sorely lacks. Do you know what that is?”

The alicorn lowered herself until her face was mere inches from the stallion’s own, their muzzles nearly touching. It took every ounce of willpower Shining Armor had not to look away. He just shook his head, unable to make the words reach his lips.

“Drive.” She smiled and stood tall once more, allowing the stallion to breathe easier. “Most of my guards are here out of obligation, they cannot see the big picture and they strive for nothing. They have seen our society and they have grown fat and lazy, confident in our power. To them, guarding the city is an afterthought to their wants and desires, something to keep themselves busy with while they pursue other interests.”

The alicorn frowned and stomped her hoof, the two foals shirking away from the small tremor that ran through the balcony. “They have not visited the border cities or seen true strife. They care little of the fledgeling nations that edge closer to our borders every day. But you! You have seen the danger lurking within even our fair city. I can taste the powerful will within you.” Celestia smiled and pulled the stallion closer to her. “You will succeed because you have the vision and the drive that my officers seem to lack and you will set an example to the layabouts that clutter my guard. Now, do you understand why I want you inside my guard?”

Shining’s mind felt hazy and though he wasn't quite sure if he agreed with a promotion so soon, he couldn't help but find himself agreeing with the alicorn. Most of the guards he had met seemed unconcerned, lacking the fire he expected to see in those brave few who were tasked with safeguarding Canterlot and Her Majesty Celestia.

“Do you… do you really think I have what it takes?” he whispered, turning his head and staring out over the city, unable to meet her gaze.

Celestia smiled, he couldn't see her lips turn, but he could feel her confidence. “I know you do.”

After running his eyes over the cityscape one last time, he sighed. “Then I will not let you down, Princess. You have my word.”

The alicorn gave him a gentle squeeze, subtly shifting his body even closer. “Good, you just have to do one little thing for me.” Celestia’s grin grew twisted, her tongue slipping from her mouth and licking her lips.

A small, demure unicorn with soft blue fur and a purple mane and tail sat nearly motionless, a book held in her dainty hooves and a small frown on her lips. She shifted slightly in her seat, her cutie mark of two deep blue moons visible for only a second, quickly hidden behind her saddlebags. From her elegant and flowing mane style to the well-manicured hooves, everything about the pony screamed the fact that she belonged here.

Moonlit Echo sat silently on the bench across the street from a newly refurbished home, deep into the most expensive part of town. She flipped the page of the book she held, though she had not read the contents of its pages. All around her the street lay silent, occasionally broken by the sound of laughter or the chatter of ponies from inside one of the many houses. It was a peaceful calm, one brought about by the closeness of the castle, an object that brought an intense paranoia to the lounging unicorn.

She didn't care about any of those things though, the enchanted glasses on the end of her nose allowed her to see the house across from her as if she were standing just outside the window and it took every ounce of her attention.

Night Light stumbled in front of the window at the bottom of the stairs, tossing back the bottle in his grip only to stop, look up at the empty bottle, only to fling it aside. Moonlit could all, but hear the clatter as the glass was thrown, hopefully into a garbage bin. The stallion stumbled up the stairs and entered his room, made evident by the flickering glow of his horn. Within seconds the light disappeared and the stallion no doubt passed out.

The mare sat quietly on the bench, her head moving slightly from left to right, giving any passerby the assumption she was reading while her eyes stayed fixated on the window. After counting for several minutes, she turned the page and placed a bookmark in her place. She placed the book, Nothing to Envy, in her saddlebag and stood up. After a brief stretch and the subsequent series of pops that came from her back, she turned away from the castle and began to trot towards lower Canterlot.

Her steps were measured, each one timed and perfected in order to give off the air that she was aloof, yet confident. Any passerby would take one look at her and judge that she was meant to be there, from her perfect stride to her well-manicured mane and tail, everything about her was just so.

She made her way down, her hooves carrying her for nearly an hour before she reached the gate that divided upper Canterlot from middle and lower Canterlot. The traffic had increased, as did security, the now numerous guards overlooking her from the parapets above as well as from the gate itself. Even with so many eyes on her, including the many ponies coming and going, she did not break stride or spare them a glance.

Not a single pony, guard included, gave her so much as a second thought as she passed through the gate. The hidden charms and wards passed over her, hardly even noticed by most. Once past, she let out a small breath of relief, her countercharms, wards and enchantments had all worked flawlessly, but the gate still made her anxious no matter how many times she walked through it.

The mare dodged around a small family making their way towards upper Canterlot, picking up her pace. She danced her way through the crowd and quickly slipped into one of the less trafficked streets that went even lower. Middle Canterlot passed by quickly and transitioned seamlessly to lower Canterlot. Gone were the sprawling apartments and towers that housed the general population, replaced by plentiful market squares and shops that covered every street corner. The third and least reputable section of Canterlot was still opulent by the standards of someone who grew up in the frontiers though and even the smallest home was still at least two stories tall and polished to a shine.

Hundreds walked the streets even with the sun setting, confident in their safety and uncaring of the hour. Moonlit couldn't help but grin, thankful that she worked in such a place. Amongst the frontier towns it was dangerous for a mare to travel to such places alone at such an hour, but here, in the heart of Equestria, it didn't even occur to most that their safety might be in jeopardy. As such she still did not bat an eye, even when she slipped down an unmarked alley and behind a dumpster that nearly occupied the entire alley.

The mare cast a quick glance back and forth, seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she reached down and gripped two cobblestones a few feet apart from each other that rose slightly from the otherwise flat ground. With a slight heave and a grunt the ground between the stones lifted, revealing a ladder down into the darkness. The mare set aside the fake cobblestone road section and got onto the ladder. With one last grunt she lifted the circular block of fake cobblestone back into place with her magic, the faint click of the hatch like music to her ears.

After a moment spent catching her breath, the mare began descending the ladder, deeper into the darkness. Though it should be nearly impossible for anyone to see in such an environment, she had no such issue. The smell of stagnant water and mold tickled the mare’s nose, but she had long since grown used to the scent and easily ignored it. Eventually, she made her way to the bottom and stepped out into a narrow circular hall that hung low, meaning she was forced to crouch down slightly.

Turning right down the hall, the mare passed by several other intersections that branched in either direction. After counting off three intersections she took a right, then a left and finally after counting off fifty steps she stopped and turned left in front of what looked like a completely normal brick wall.

The mare breathed a sigh of relief, the catacombs that served as the city’s old sewer were supposedly completely sealed save for their secret entrances, but Moonlit couldn't help, but imagine a monster or royal guard around every corner of the ancient underground, despite all the hours spent crawling through the moldy passageways without any issue.

She placed her hoof against the wall and after a short wait, her limb glowed blue for a moment before fading. Smiling softly to herself, the mare took a step back, and on cue the wall slid away soundlessly, slipping neatly into the side to reveal two determined-looking stallions standing with spears raised, barely illuminated by a small crystal overhead, only their thick black robes and shining spears visible.

“Identity?” one barked.

“Moonlit Echo, back from my mission overseeing the Sparkle residence,” she replied back calmly.

The stallion nodded. “Password?”

“Love burns eternal.”

The pair breathed a sigh of relief and lowered their spears. “Thank the stars you are back. We have been hearing a lot of noise coming from the catacombs and one of our patrols hasn't returned yet.”

Moonlit made her way inside, chuckling all the while. “Was it Twitch and Daisy?”

The stallion cocked his head. “How did you know?”

She rolled her eyes and placed her glasses and saddlebags on a nearby table. “Those two have been making goo goo eyes at each other for weeks.”

The stallion snickered and hit a lever on the wall next to him, causing the wall to slide neatly back into place. Only then did the other stallion seem to relax and place his spear along the wall as his partner had done already.

Moonlit took a few steps forward and hit a button on the wall opposite of the one she entered, causing the crystal to glow much brighter. After blinking a few times, the mare looked around, noting her companions had shed their enchanted robes and were placing them on racks next to the entryway. One was smaller, a little leaner and much younger with a quill for a cutie mark and with a pair of wings on his back. His coat was a soft yellow and his mane and tail a deep auburn.

The older stallion was much bigger built with wide, powerful shoulders and an impressive stance. The horn on his head was filed to a deadly point, adding an extra layer of intimidation that the bloody spiked club on his flank already did an amazing job of.

Moonlit smirked as the pair moved to the table in the room, the older stallion drawing a pair of cards from somewhere. “They stick you with the newbie again, Mace?”

The older stallion snorted and settled down at the table, his chair squeaking under the weight. “Unfortunately. Didn't even let me take Lavender with me. Said it scared the newbies too much.” The stallion snorted again.

Moonlit chuckled and moved to the door, casting one last glance at the old bruiser before shaking her head and stepping through the portal. The next room was much larger and much busier than the small guard station. Tunnels crisscrossed every ten feet and ponies trotted to and fro, carrying boxes or stacks of paper or the occasional odd weapon. Maneuvering through the mix easily, Moonlit made her way through the horde of ponies and deeper into the headquarters, only stopping at the several security stations before coming to a large iron door.

The mare drew herself up and took a deep breath before knocking. “Just a second!” a distinctly feminine, but oddly gravelly tone answered.

Moonlit looked around, spying the odd thestral and even a minotaur hauling boxes and bags. “Must have finally gotten that resupply…” she muttered.

“You can come in now!” the strange voice yelled again.

Moonlit pulled the door open and quickly slipped inside, shutting the door behind her. “Ahh, Moonlit. Come to report directly to me again, despite being asked to submit a report like everyone else.”

Moonlit snorted and plunked down in a chair, shaking her head at the alicorn across from her. “I don't do paperwork and this is news you would want to hear.”

Across from her the alicorn smiled gently, her cut up lips revealing far too much of her teeth. “Why don't you drop that disguise first, you know my policy on changing while at base.”

The mare rolled her eyes and did as she was asked, dropping her disguise and revealing her black chitin-clad form for all to see, rolling her solid blue eyes in annoyance. “Now can I tell you?”

The alicorn nodded. “Yes, but remember we shouldn't be ashamed of ourselves, not down here at least.”

Moonlit sat a little easier at that, normally a pony saying something along those lines would have made her annoyed, but Cadence was different. Her pink fur only covered parts of her body, the rest of her skin was a dense web of scar tissue. One leg ended at the knee and her horn was broken, but she didn't seem to notice, her singular eye was open wide and she smiled unashamed at the small changeling.

“Hungry?” the alicorn asked in her strange, gravely voice.

The changeling shook her head, only to stop and blush as she felt just how much the day had drained her. “Maybe a little. Do you mind?”

Cadence scoffed. “Of course not.” Then, before the changeling could change her mind, the alicorn lowered her head, pointed her shattered horn at the changeling and poured an ample amount of love into the mare.

The changeling shivered as she felt the love wash over her, drinking deeply. Her eyes fluttered open a few seconds later, having drunk from the intoxicating well of love Cadence seemed to overflow with. “Thanks, boss.”

The alicorn waved her stump leg dismissively. “Don't worry about it. Now, what is this info I couldn't wait to hear?”

“Well, as you know, I’ve been tasked with watching the Sparkle residence and it turns out this morning Shining Armor left in order to join the royal guard without telling his father.”

Cadence grimaced. “That couldn't have gone well.”

“That's an understatement, the old pony nearly killed himself.”

The alicorn gasped and reeled back. “No way! Shiny would be devastated.”

The changeling rose a non-existent eyebrow at that, but said nothing on the subject. “Yes, well, it doesn't stop there. After he nearly decided to end it all, he left the house suddenly and donated pretty much everything he owned to charity, only keeping sentimental stuff, and the things his kids left behind. After that, he threw out all his booze except for one last bottle, then drank it and passed out.”

Cadence shook her head. “What do you think he's planning on doing?”

“I don't know, but he seems like he's in a slightly better place now. Could be a good time to contact him?”

“I could use my public persona to talk to him. Maybe feign me interest in Shining and inquire as to where he has been, which would confirm a few things for us at least.”

The changeling nodded. “Perfect. If we do manage to win him over, his help would be invaluable as I don't think we have ever managed to get into the royal observatory before.”

Cadence rubbed her chin with her stump leg. “It could be useful, but I doubt my dear old aunt really has anything too nefarious hidden up there.”

Suddenly, the iron door swung open, startling them from their thoughts. “Ma’am! News from Ponyville!”

Cadence tsked. “Knock first, remember? We went over this, Swift River.”

The blue and green stallion shrunk. “Uh, sorry about that.” The changeling shot him an angry glare and pulled herself off the ceiling, slinking back into her chair. “You just wanted to know the minute we got news from Ponyville, so I thought…”

“It's okay, Swifty, just remember to knock next time.” He nodded and the alicorn smiled. “Well, what are the news?”

Swift shifted nervously, taking a step back. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

“Nothing terribly important, go on, Swifty.”

“The supply mission was a success as you know, but we also managed to recruit a few more wayward changelings.” He winced. “They are in bad shape, but the doc says they’ll live. Might have to amputate a few limbs though, a couple had some bad chitin rot.”

Moonlit winced, a shiver running up her spine, Cadence’s cheery tone breaking the horrid images that threatened to invade her thoughts. “That's great news! Was there anything else?”

The pegasus stallion nodded. “There were rumours of an outsider that wasn't one of ours, who appeared in Ponyville, only to vanish again.”

Cadence blinked and looked at Moonlit, who only shrugged. “She's not one of ours. All our changelings are needed here in Canterlot.”

“What did this outsider look like?”

Swift scratched his head. “Well, reports are sketchy. The only pony who got a real good look at them was the town drunk and she rambled on and on about how terrifying this pony was, but when we pressed her for details, she didn't sound scary at all.”

“So what did she have to say about this scary… mare?” Cadence asked.

“She just said she was tall, a little lanky, awkward and with a strangely long and curved horn. She had purple fur and-”

“Short, clean cut mane and tail that was a deeper purple then her fur with a strip of pink and lavender running through it?” Cadence finished.

Swift River blinked. “Uh, yeah. How’d you know?”

Cadence’s torn lips turned up into a huge grin and a sudden burst of laughter dashed forth.

“Uh…” The two other beings eyed each other worriedly, both wondering about the state of their commander’s sanity.

“You alright there, boss?” the changeling asked.

Cadence’s laughter slowly stopped and she breathed deeply. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear that, Swifty. Get our best agent to track her, but don't interfere.”

The changeling reached across the table and gripped the alicorn’s head, staring into her lone eye with a strange intensity. “You alright in there, boss? No way you just told me what I think you did.”

Cadence chuckled. “Yes, I did. I want you to pull Queenie off whatever she is doing and stick her on this.”

Moonlit’s eyes narrowed, only to pull back and shake her head. “You are serious. And not completely nuts. What's going on, boss? Who is this pony?”

The alicorn’s eyes sparkled and her lone wing twitched at her side. “Someone special. She's going to close the circle, Moonlit, after all these years, Twilight Sparkle has returned.”

Author's Note

A Dawning Revelation

Twilight Sparkle smiled while looking out her bedroom window from the comfort of her bed. She gazed past the oaken limbs that extended from her tree home and towards the bright, sunny town of Ponyville. She could hear birds chirping in the distance, interrupted by the yells of excitement from a small group of foals chasing a ball. The sun was bright, but not oppressively so, adding just the right amount of illumination to the small hamlet.

The unicorn sighed, breathing in a deep lungful of the relaxing woody scent that permeated her home. She guessed it was around ten in the morning and though a part of her wanted to get moving on her day’s schedule, the temptation to laze about for a few more minutes won out in the end.

Her hooves clopped against the living wood floor until she made her way to the window and threw it open, letting in the surprisingly cool mid-morning breeze. She could feel the last vestige of the cool night air that stubbornly held on. It reminded her of the coming winter and though the reminder was grim, she quickly chastised herself for her negative thoughts. She had nearly two months before winter would arrive, but summer would be back before she knew it. Do not bemoan the summer for its mortality.

Those were words to live by if ever she heard them. She sighed, leaning against the windowsill, and staring out over the town from on high. She could see over most of the single story, simple dwellings of the hamlet with ease, allowing her to look out over the entirety of the settlement. Her gaze lingered over a few colorful shapes that might be friends, family or other ponies she knew, all of which were too far away for her to be certain.

Which was for the best Twilight thought, she was in a dour, introspective mood this morning and didn't want to ruin anyone’s good cheer quite yet. A feeling of foreboding had been growing on her since she awoke, one she could not shake despite all her fervent attempts to distract herself. Inevitably, her eyes were drawn upwards, away from the town’s life and its cheer and towards the looming forest beyond.

Where the burgeoning hamlet was a bustling center of life, prosperity and minor trade, the forest was the opposite in every way. The inhabitants of the wood were savage, powerful and utterly bestial, not capable of prospering for long before being eaten by a bigger predator. She felt the smile she had forced onto her face begin to slip when she noticed two shapes standing at the wood’s edge. Their coats were a burnt orange and pale blue and they both swung gleaming axes at a large stubborn tree that had seemingly grown overnight at the edge of the forest.

She could almost hear the mixture of country-flavored frustration and the harsh, foul language of the former captain as they futile attempt to chop down the tree. She shook her head and sighed, knowing full well what was about to happen.

Sure enough, a few minutes later the pair threw their hopes and their axes aside. The light blue colored one threw her axe into the woods and no doubt cursed while the other ground a straw hat into the dirt angrily, taking her frustrations out on her chapéu.

Twilight pressed her hoof against her forehead and groaned. She had told those two that simply chopping it down wouldn't work and neither would fire, yet here they were again. Maybe Luna was right and the forest truly was unstoppable, but she couldn't just give up, right? Celestia had grandly stated that she would fight it with all she had, but what had that accomplished, other than getting a few squads of guards killed?

Twilight sighed, laying her chin down on the cool window frame and sighing with exhaustion. Her own studies were inconclusive, nonsensical or otherwise baffling. The forest was alive, that much was obvious, but it defied all reason. Trees grew from seeds to full size overnight while others were healthy one day and a withered husk the next, and that wasn't even considering all the bizarre creatures found in the depths of the otherworldly forest!

When she had learned of the timberwolf epidemic, she hadn't slept for several days. The question of just how such a creature could come to exist had driven her late into the night in search of an answer, which ultimately turned out to be a futile effort. The creatures acted like they were alive, but to her spells, they simply weren't. They clearly weren't golems, as they acted without orders and retained their wolf-like characteristics.

She shut her eyes and focused all her attention to the cool breeze rolling through her fur. It couldn't ease her worries completely, but it was nice, soothing even. The questions, curiosities and endless thoughts were pushed aside in favor of simply enjoying the moment.

Do not bemoan the summer for its mortality.

She wasn't sure where she had read it, but it was poignant and something certainly worthy of remembering. Maybe later she would search through her poetry books in order to find where she had heard it first…

A knock on her door broke her train of thought and a small masculine voice shouted through the oaken portal. “Your breakfast is ready, Mom! Are you awake?”

Twilight couldn't help, but smile at the sound of his voice. “Yeah, I’m awake. I’ll be down in a minute.”

When she didn't hear the telltale scampering of footsteps, she turned her gaze towards the door where a rather frantic set of draconic eyes peered at her nervously. The unicorn sighed and trotted over to the door, pushing it open to reveal her adopted son Spike, standing there awkwardly, clutching a wooden spoon in one claw.

“What's wrong, Spike?” she asked in the calm, motherly voice she had copied from her own mother.

The small green drake frowned and looked down, unable to meet his mother’s gaze. “Some of the townsponies said it was the dragon’s fault for the Everfree growing out of control… That their war with the griffons is making all this bad stuff happen.”

Twilight lowered herself down to the diminutive dragon’s height and picked up his chin with her hoof. “Those ponies are just scared, they are trying to find excuses rather than solutions.” She frowned, noticing the faint buildup of tears at the edges of the dragon’s eyes. “Do I have to get Little Seed to beat some jerks up for you?”

Spike chuckled and wiped away the tears, mumbling a weak, “No.”

“Good. Remember, little flame, it's not your fault.” She fixed him with a semi stern glare. “Got it?”

The dragon smiled back weakly and reached out to hug her, an action she eagerly reciprocated, pulling the tiny dragon close and squeezing him tightly. After a few moments passed and his breathing returned to normal, she gently pushed him back and shot him a wide smile. “Why don't we go eat breakfast and after that, we can even go see if Sterling Gem found anything good this time.”

The little dragon’s eyes sparkled. “Really?”

“Yup! But only if you eat all your other food, dragons who only eat-”

“-gems go to bed with a tummy ache. Yeesh, you say that every time,” Spike finished.

“Well, sometimes the most important lessons need to be repeated.” She stood up only for a sudden weakness to grip her, causing her to crash down to her knees.

Her adopted son scampered up to her with worry in his eyes. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

Twilight gasped, a hoof gripping her chest. “Send a letter to Luna, tell her it's an emergency.” She looked up to the unmoving dragon and pushed him gently. “Go. I’ll be okay.”

Spike looked from her towards the stairs, where the writing supplies were, then back to the mare crumpled on the ground. He nodded and scampered off, eager to relay his mother’s message, leaving Twilight alone, where she breathed a sigh of relief.

Just hold on a little longer, Twilight, we still have work left to do.

Despite her valiant attempts to stay conscious, she knew it was a losing battle. Her last thoughts before the void took her was a whispered apology to Spike for putting him through all this.

Twilight Sparkle awoke with a start, her breathing heavy and her mind a flurry of confusion. “What the?” she whispered, running a hoof across her face.

Was that a dream? If it was, then who were all those strange individuals? She didn't know any of the names, though a few seemed familiar. More off-putting than that was the small dragon she had been holding, she felt like she knew him, but with each passing second she forgot more and more about him until all she was left with was a blurry greenish purple blob and his name, Spike.

She felt something cold crawl down her cheek, confused, she reached a hoof up and brushed away a tear she hadn't known she had shed. She blinked, looking down at her wet hoof, baffled. She wiped her hoof on her blanket and lit her horn, hoping to illuminate the room. However the eerie reverse light did little to illuminate the surroundings, making her frown.

I really need to figure out what the heck that is. Thinking quickly, she cast a quick light spell over her horn, which began to glow the telltale color that her magic used to.

“What in the world?” She gaped, looking around the devastated room in confusion. The paint had peeled off the walls, exposing the now blackened wood beneath. Her bedding had dried to the point that she felt like she was draped in little more than dust, her pillow felt like it was filled with ash, and the wooden bed posts were pitch black.

“How did this happen?” she muttered, looking around to where her pie had been and noticing there was a tiny pile of dust where she had left it. Even the candle that had been next to the bed had been afflicted by the same strange rot, crumpling into a small dry pile.

She got out of bed and stood on the formerly carpeted floors that now seemed to resemble coarse hair rather than carpet. The mare coughed, suddenly aware of all the dust she had kicked up. Covering her mouth, hacking, she stumbled into the next room, only to find it in a similar state of destruction.

In her confusion she forgot to maintain her light spell and her horn flickered and died. Rather than relighting it, she reached out to the rune on the wall. Instantly the same blue lights flickered into being, at least for several seconds anyway, until they flickered and died as well.

Twilight lit her horn and cast the same light spell, this time taking an extra few seconds to infuse it with enough mana to keep it going for a few minutes. With her horn relit, she looked out over the room once more. Barely noticeable over the visible destruction and rot beyond was a small handwritten note crumpled on the ground.

Every piece of wood was black, as if it had been charred, the delicate lace tabletop was little more than dust, the books hadn't fared much better either. Even the magical torches along the wall were nearly destroyed, most were little more than stumps and wherever she looked, the runes were dull and flickering or out entirely, meaning the enchantments had been broken or drained.

She suddenly became aware that all the support beams were wood, and that said wood was black and most likely not as stable as it once was. Quickly, she trotted over to the staircase that was in similar state. She placed a cautious hoof on the bottom step and leaned against it. The wood seemed to hold, but it groaned as it took her weight.

Good enough, she thought darkly, she really didn't want to get trapped down here if one of the steps gave out under her.

Slowly, carefully, she shifted her hooves up the stairs, climbing at a painfully slow pace in order to make sure she never put her full weight on a single step. For a while the only sound was her breathing, which was short, frequent and marred by panic.

Then, when she was about halfway up the stairs, she began to hear voices, they seemed to be coming from above her, but were a great distance away. Confused, she looked up the staircase only to see not a single stray shaft of light from above. Which was understandable, she supposed, but still disconcerting.

A few more minutes passed and she finally made her way to the top of the stairs, where she noticed why there was no light and the voices were oddly distorted: someone had dropped the plate, sealing the underground home. Confused, Twilight reached out and pushed the plate lightly.

The thin metal shifted slightly, indicating she hadn't been barricaded inside. Breathing a sigh of relief, Twilight put a little more force into her push and shoved the plate up and out of the way. The voices stopped, she heard a the distinct sound of hooves just outside and for a moment she stood there, confused and frightened.

“H-hello?” she asked, weakly, edging closer to the top of the plate.

The door was open and the soft light of the moon illuminated a rather intimidating-looking bat pony staring down at her angrily. Her fur was a surprisingly vibrant teal and what little of her mane was visible beneath her the sleek black armor was all colors of the rainbow.

A sudden twinge of fear shot through the bat pony when their eyes met and Twilight shrunk back into the stairwell when the pony’s lips pulled back to reveal a pair of diminutive fangs. The brief bit of fear seemed to pass quickly and the guard flared her wide, leathery wings. “What did you do to Pinkie Pie!” she shouted down at the unicorn.

“What? Who are you-” Twilight tried to ask.

“I’ll be asking the questions here, outsider! What did you do to Pinkie Pie?” Her eyes narrowed dangerously and Twilight became quite aware of the fact that the bat pony’s armor extended up to her wings and ended in a small, but incredibly sharp pair of blades.

“Look, whoever you are, I don't know what you are talking about, but I can assure you I would never hurt Pinkie Pie,” Twilight calmly asserted.

Applejack shook her head and spat, which surprised the unicorn as before than she hadn't even noticed the farmer. “Well then, tell us all how Pinkie Pie went down in there, tryin’ to deliver you an invitation to the party she was organizin’ for yer sorry ass, only to come outta there with one less leg than when she went in?”

Rainbow Dash sputtered and jabbed a hoof at Twilight. “Yeah, what she said!”

Twilight backed up, noticing a small set of retractable blades attached to the hoof armor being pointed at her. “I don't know, honestly. I wanna figure out what happened to Pinkie Pie as well, maybe it would explain why the whole underground house looks like it’s thousand years old all of a sudden.”

Applejack scratched the side of her head and tried to peer past the tall unicorn. “What in tarnation are ya talkin’ about? Looks fine from here.”

The unicorn rolled her eyes. “Inside is where, whatever happened, happened. The wood’s black, the paint has nearly peeled off completely and the whole place looks like it's about ready to crumble at a moment’s notice.”

“Now I know that ain't right. That wood was treated and sealed with this fancy stuff that made that kinda thing impossible,” Applejack replied confidently.

“I noticed, which is why this is so perplexing. Maybe it has to do with what happened to Pinkie-” As Twilight spoke she took a few more steps up, not wanting to test her luck with the rickety stairs any longer.

“Hey!” The rainbow maned bat pony jumped into a hover in order to look Twilight in the eye and fix her with the meanest glare she could muster. “What part about I’m asking the questions don't you get, outsider? Now you are coming with me back to the umbral tower and no funny business, capiche?”

The longer Twilight spent in the company of the strange bat pony, the less she was intimidated by her. “Uh, yeah sure, I’ll be right behind you.”

The bat pony’s slitted eyes narrowed. “You are going to be in front of me, so I can make sure you don't try anything.”

Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes. “I don't know where this umbral tower is.”

“Applejack, would you mind bringing up the lead, then?”

The tree-bound mare shrugged her large shoulders, sending the branches on her tree shaking. “Sure, so long as I’m back on the farm by lunch.”

“Good.” The mare moved out of the way and ushered Twilight forward, to which she obliged.

The unicorn tried to ignore the odd thestral as best as she could but she could almost feel the daggers being stared at her from the bat winged pony. She trotted a little closer to Applejack, who eyed her cautiously, but said nothing.

“Hey uh, Applejack, what happened to Pinkie Pie exactly? She lost a leg somehow?”

Applejack lifted an eyebrow at that, studying the mare’s face. After a few quiet moments, she snorted. “Just fell right off, was the damndest thing.”

Twilight winced. “What did the wound look like?”

“Ya really didn't do it, did ya?” the farmer asked incredulously.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Of course not, you, Pinkie, and Fluttershy have been nothing but kind to me. Why would I try and hurt any of you?”

“Couldn't tell ya, Rainbow thinks you are some sort of spy.” The farmer rolled her eyes and glanced back to the bat pony hovering just behind them, ready to swoop in at a moment’s notice.

“Hey! Quit talking to the prisoner! She might use some sort of mind magic on you!” Rainbow Dash physically pulled the two ponies apart, glaring at the unicorn all the while.

Twilight took a step back and sighed. She wanted to correct the bat pony and explain that such magic didn't exist, but she quickly realized that she hadn't believed Celestia would ever want to kill her either and that was apparently a thing. That, and she was pretty sure the nervous thestral would take anything she might say as proof that Twilight was some sort of spy.

So she just shut her mouth and marched silently into town, the guard hovering mere feet behind her. Eventually, the trio made their way to their destination, the farmer guiding them around the town and avoiding most other people that may have been wandering around, something Twilight was immensely thankful for. Only stopping for a moment in order for the farmer to whisper a quick apology for the hostility, which Twilight brushed off. The unicorn could understand the fear and hostility and couldn't help but admit that if the tables were turned, it would have likely turned out much worse.

During most of the walk there, Twilight had used her time to imagine many terrible versions of this umbral tower. Her imagination had run wild with thinking of a great black tower that pierced even the high canopy of the Everfree, splitting the sky like a jagged obsidian scar. What she had not imagined though was a four story tower, which multiple smaller towers budded off from. Though it was a deep black color, this real umbral tower was not nearly as intimidating as the one Twilight’s imagination had come up with. The real tower’s black exterior was dotted with hundreds of stars, making the entire exterior blend in with the night sky seamlessly and was a work of art the likes of which Twilight had never seen before in her life.

It wasn't the least bit intimidating, in fact Twilight felt herself drawn towards the structure, her eyes running up and down the exterior and marveling at the intricacy of the stars. Her starstruck reverie was interrupted when the brash thestral bumped her shoulder and pointed to a door at the base of the tower that was flanked by two guards in similar identical sets of armor.

“Over there and no dawdling, outsider!” The bat pony jabbed Twilight in the flank with her steel clad hoof.

“I’m already walking,” Twilight tiredly replied.

Applejack swatted the thestral’s hoof out of the air. “Cut it out, Dash, she’s not hurting anybody.”

The thestral recoiled her limb and stuck her tongue out at the farmer. Twilight rolled her eyes again and made her way over to the pair of guards by the door. The hovering thestral finally landed and smiled broadly at the pair of waiting guards. “I’ve brought in the spy that assaulted Pinkie Pie.”

The pair exchanged a confused glance, the larger guard leaned to the right, glancing at the farmer and the unicorn. “I am so sorry, ma’am. The night guard wish to extend an official apology for buck Private Rainbow Dash’s actions today.”

“Bwuh?” Rainbow blinked.

Twilight smiled faintly and let out a small sigh. “Oh, thank the stars.”

Applejack snickered. “Lemme guess, you went out and arrested someone before the guard even got a warrant again.”

The larger guard sighed. “Unfortunately. Someone from command is waiting inside to give you new orders. Oh and send out Pinkie Pie while you are in there.”

“But, I... She… Augh.” The mare’s head sunk and she slunk into the tower, defeated.

As she passed by the door, the thestral brushed the smaller guard, who jumped, drawing a crescent sabre and pointing it towards the unicorn. Twilight took a step back, but the older guard didn't even flinch, turning to the smaller guard with barely contained annoyance. “What exactly are you doing, Private Moon Breeze?”

The other guard began to shake hard enough to make her armor rattle. “D-don't you feel it, sir? That… thing exerts some kind of pressure. Like it's trying to crush me.”

The larger guard trotted over and smacked the blade from his subordinate’s hoof. “I will not hoof out two demotions in as many minutes, you will get ahold of yourself or you will be polishing the whole flight’s armor. Am I understood?”

Moon Breeze gulped, slowly picking up and putting away her sabre, but not withdrawing her gaze from the unicorn for a second. Twilight shared a nervous glance with Applejack. “Is everyone usually this twitchy?”

Applejack snorted. “Not usually, seems like you have some damned bad luck.”

“Must be part of my family’s curse,” Twilight added.

The guard’s brow lifted. “Are you sure about that? The magical crimes division says curses aren't real. Enchantments and hexes sure, but curses that cling to a blood line? Sounds like a load of nonsense to me.”

Twilight frowned. “I wish it was nonsense, at least then others would stop being scared of me all the time.”

The stallion chuckled. “You, scary?” He gestured towards Applejack. “This pretty tree lady is scarier than you.”

Said tree lady scratched her head awkwardly, blushing slightly. “Thanks, I think.”

The door opened and all idle conversation died. A rather sickly pink troll hobbled out the door, supported by glowering Rainbow Dash. The usually excited pink being was moving oddly slow, her limbs heavy as if she were pushing through a thick mud. Her mane and tail hung loose and her eyes were slightly sullen, distant and lacking the distinct sparkle they had before. She had lost a lot of her color and she wore some fabric around her neck that hung down and obscured the missing limb from view.

Twilight’s heart fell and her jaw clenched with determination. “Pinkie, is that really you?”

The pink being looked up at the unicorn, only to shy away from her gaze. “Hey, Twilight. Sorry I couldn't deliver your invitation, but I started feeling all woozy doozy when I was dropping it off.”

“I don't care about the party, what happened to your leg?” Twilight extended a hoof to peek beneath the fabric, only to have her hoof swatted away by a protective Rainbow Dash.

“You’ve done enough damage, outsider! Keep your hooves to yourself,” she hissed at the unicorn, her lips pulled back to reveal her small fangs.

Twilight winced, pulling back her hoof and taking a step back, not due to the violent reaction of the thestral guard, but rather the terrified look that entered Pinkie’s eyes for a moment. The unicorn had felt as though a knife had been plunged into her heart the moment she had seen her friend, but seeing the fear in her eyes when she was close twisted that knife brutally.

“Pinkie is outside now, are you happy, Shade?” Rainbow snarled.

The guard sighed and turned to the shriveled troll. “Is this the being that attacked you?” He jerked his head towards Twilight, who shrunk under the attention.

“No, I got bit by a snake,” Pinkie Pie muttered.

“What! But you. She… Augh!” Rainbow’s slitted eyes narrowed and she stared at Twilight with unabashed hatred. “I’ll be watching you, outsider. Just because you did something to Pinkie to make her lie will not stop me.”

The guard rolled his eyes so hard it was nearly audible. “Look, Crash, even when she was surrounded by the guard in the most secure place in town and after she had been cleared for possible mind-tampering and drugs, she gave us the same line. Now go back inside and receive your new orders, or did you forget that part, buck Private Rainbow Dash?”

The thestral growled low, but ultimately hung her head in defeat once again. “No sir, just make sure Pinkie doesn't fall over.”

He snorted. “Of course.”

With that, the pair traded places, the guard swiftly switching places and holding up the much larger being with an ease that masked his diminutive stature. “Thanks for helping Dash by the way, Applejack. Give Granny my regards.”

The apple farmer blinked. “Oh uh, yeah sure. Twilight, when you head back to the farm later, make sure to stop in at the house, alright? I reckon we should have a little heart to heart.”

Twilight gulped. “Yes, ma’am.”

The apple farmer snorted. “And none of this ma’am nonsense. Makes me feel old.”

Twilight and the guard watched Applejack quickly disappear into the forest, vanishing around a nearby tree. The guard just shook his head at the sight. “Apples. If they could teach the night guard that trick it would make our jobs a hell of a lot easier. Whelp, we better get you back home in order to heal up. Where am I taking you, miss?”

Pinkie looked down at the small bat winged pony and frowned. “You sure you can manage, Shadey?”

The guard grunted. “Just because I ain't as big as you doesn't mean I can't hold my own and then some,” he said with a wink.

The troll hummed and hawed, only to shrug. “I guess I’ll head back to Zecora’s. You should come too, Twilight.”

“Do you really want to be near me after,” she winced, “all that?”

Pinkie sighed. “It was an accident, my granny Pie always said accidents can hurt, but they can be forgiven.” She smiled suddenly, perking up slightly. “Besides, I got a feeling Zecora’s gonna be home soon and I thiiink she’s gonna wanna talk to you.”

“How do you know that?” Twilight asked.

“Juuuust a feeling.” She winked exaggeratedly at the unicorn.

Twilight considered simply turning and returning to the farm, but a grunt from the small guard doing everything to help the troll along forced her to make up her mind. “I’ll come with you, but first I… I’m sorry Pinkie”

Pinkie smiled faintly and allowed the guard to guide her forward. “I’ll forgive you after you talk to Zecora. Oh oh and you gotta get me a whole pile of shiny rocks!”

Twilight giggled. “I think I can do that for you, Pinkie.”

The troll licked her lips and looked off into the distance. “Fool’s gold is my favorite. It's crunchy and poppy and kinda spicy. Oh oh! But if you find any quartz then grab that instead! No wait, rubies!” She scratched her head. “I’ll have to think about this.”

“Oh, what does this fool’s gold taste like?” Twilight asked, her guilt slowly falling to the wayside as her curiosity got the better of her.

“Well…”

And so the trio slowly made their way back to Zecora’s, this time in the capable care of an alert and trained guard, meaning they didn't meet any unexpected resistance. The pair managed to talk about nothing, save for the taste of various rocks and minerals the entire way back, which would have bored the guard to tears if he didn't also have to worry about keeping Pinkie vertical while watching for any sudden movements.

When they drew close to the troll’s hut, he finally relaxed and the conversation shifted suddenly, Twilight having broken the relative silence that had fallen over them. “So uh, I have to ask, but what exactly is Rainbow Dash’s, well…” The unicorn scratched the back of her head awkwardly. “Deal?”

The guard snorted. “Pinkie, do you want to handle this one?”

The troll sighed. “It's complicated. Do you want the short version or the super duper long one?”

“Uh, the short version? We aren't far right?”

Pinkie shook her head. “We are not far now. The short version is well…” She turned to the guard with a pleading look. “Are you suuuure you can't explain this one?”

The guard shook his head. “I don't feel like it’s my place to say. I may be a fellow member of the night guard, but unlike you, I am not her friend.” There was no malice in his voice, rather he was simply stating the fact.

“So, the super short version is that her family got betrayed by some big jerks and she left Sliffsdale with only a hoofful of gems. When she got here, we helped her find a place to stay, a place to work in order to get some gems and some kind beings gave her enough food for her to get by.”

Twilight smiled. “So I’m not the only poor soul this town has helped. Interesting.”

Pinkie smiled faintly. “Yeah, Ponyville has always liked to give to those who just need a little help. Anyway, so after she got back on her hooves, she wanted to give back, so she joined the guard and gave the town the only thing she had left to give, her loyalty.”

The guard snorted. “I didn't know you were so poetic, Pinkie.”

The troll giggled. “You can thank Mistress Zecora for once. When it comes to spinning words, she is second to none.”

The guard and troll both shared a laugh, leaving the unicorn confused. “Is she some kind of poet?”

“No, no, you’ll see when we meet her. If you want to know more, I’d ask Rainbow Dash. She probably wouldn't want me telling just anyone, now that I think about it,” said the blushing troll.

Twilight sighed, now that she knew at least a small part of the story, she couldn't help but feel at least a small part of her annoyance at the thestral begin to disappear. She was being protective of her adoptive home and family and even though Twilight couldn't really sympathize with her completely, even she had to admit that she felt a burgeoning sense of loyalty towards the small town and its peoples. They were so kind, generous and honest that it was difficult to feel overly mad at the mare for her misbegotten sense of loyalty.

The group was silent for the last leg of their journey, the forest was relatively flat and lacked the usual abundance of undergrowth, allowing Shade to relax a little more. Only the near silent plodding of their hooves could be heard above the gentle sound of the forest. The thick, powerful hooves of the troll were thunderous compared to the barely audible sound of the thestral’s light hooves, with Twilight’s somewhat awkward gait bringing up the rear.

It didn't take long to reach the hut from there, but even a few minutes felt like an eternity to the unicorn. In the absence of any distractions, she had been forced to face the fact that whatever had happened to Pinkie had likely been her fault somehow. Logically she didn't have any true evidence for this, but in the ensuing silence, she was forced to face the fact that there were no other suspects.

The creaking of the door mercifully pulled the mare from her thoughts and she glanced up to see the entrance to Zecora’s hut opened wide and the guard and troll just inside. The pair hobbled over to Pinkie’s bed, which she promptly fell into with a content sigh.

Shade brushed off his armor with a leathery wing and turned to the unicorn who still stood outside. “Twilight Sparkle, would you mind if I spoke to you alone for a moment?”

The unicorn blinked. “Oh uh, sure.”

The guard silently slipped outside, shutting the door behind him firmly. With a tired sigh, he slipped off his helmet and placed it on the ground under his hoof. Now free of the helm, his mane fell to the side of his face, obscuring one of his eyes and hanging nearly to his knees. “Look, I know it was you.”

Twilight’s heart instantly began pounding in her chest and she took an awkward step back. “I-”

“But I also know it was an accident.” Shade smiled softly and trotted over to a fallen log and sitting, beckoning for the unicorn to do the same.

Slowly, the mare made her way over and sat next to the guard, who was looking up at the night sky through a break in the trees. “We live in strange times, you know. Over a thousand years ago all they knew was peace.” He frowned, gripping his helmet tightly. “And not just the reluctant peace that falls between conflicts, real actual peace.”

“I thought the frontier was quiet.” The incredulous stare from the bat pony made the unicorn shrivel slightly. “-or so the papers say anyway.”
The guard chuckled darkly. “You know, you are a hard mare to hate. Sol’s forces relentlessly press against any race that is not judged as pure. It is only a matter of time before another offensive and there are a lot of individuals out here hurt directly or indirectly by her. And in the midst of all that, you just wander in, innocent as a babe.”

“I didn't know, the papers talk about conflict and the occasional skirmish as well as attacks by terrorists, but I’ve never left the capital.” She shrunk a little, looking down. “I hardly even left my house.”

“Look, I’m not blaming you, far from it. All I’m saying is that for a lot of folk out here, Sol’s forces are a faceless entity that has hurt them or the folk they know. When they see your face, well… just don't wander too far from Ponyville. Sol’s fury rarely touches anyone this deep in the forest, but others haven't been so lucky.”

“Yeah…” There was a deep weight to the word and Shade instinctively knew that this wayward unicorn had tasted such fury.

He sighed heavily and picked himself up from the log. “I’m not very good with words and I get kinda rambly, but what I’ve been trying to say is that I know you are just someone caught up in bigger things but not everyone’s gonna see it that way.” He dropped his helmet down on his head and spread his wings. “Stay safe.”

Then, he was gone in a surge of wind, vanishing into the night sky.

The unicorn lingered, her eyes drawn upwards towards the stars above, for a moment she sat there, not thinking of anything and merely letting the cool breeze run through her fur. She wanted to go inside, to make things right with Pinkie, but that could wait a minute or two. Right now her eyes were glued to the wide starlit sky peeking out through the branches. Away from the light of the city, the stars were brighter, despite the clinging canopy of the Everfree, or perhaps because of it. Twilight wasn't sure which.

Her gaze lingered and she allowed her mind to wonder about times past. She had always been fascinated by the night sky, but after finding out how much her father loved it, her interest had soured somewhat. Now she wished she had held onto that love, it was beautiful, infinite and mysterious. She remembered reading about the many theories that sought to explain the origin of the stars, the moon and other planets, but they for the most part had always sounded so… boring.

Logically she knew that them simply being balls of burning gas or cold rock way out in the universe was the most likely answer. On the other hoof though, those things would forever be theories, shrouded in mystery. Even if their tools and magic got better, they would never be able to go out there and observe any of these strange other worlds with their own eyes.

In a way she rather liked the now discredited theory that her mother had always talked about. Even at a young age, Twilight knew her mother’s stories of each pony’s destiny being tied to a star were just that, a story. But it was perhaps the most fitting story of the origin of the stars, and was one that could never truly be disproved. She wondered if there was a star up there for her and if she saw it, what would she learn?

She shook her head off such silly thoughts before getting up and making her way back to the hut. She didn't have time to muse on impossible theories and stories of the stars, she had much more pressing concerns than such esoteric subjects. Namely an injured friend, one that had insinuated she may have answers to Twilight’s most pressing questions.

Twilight pushed her way into the hut, warily glancing around and finding the pink mare on her bed, a sparkling, obsidian brick balanced on her sole forehoof. She stared at it for a moment longer before dropping it to the bed and turning to the unicorn.

“Oh hey, Twi. Beautiful night, isn't it?” the troll remarked.

Twilight couldn't help but smile. “Yeah, it sure is something. I could never really appreciate it in Canterlot, too many lights.”

The troll chuckled. “In a city of light, the most difficult thing to find is the stars.”

The unicorn cocked an eye at the pink being. “You sure do have a way with words.”

She rolled her eyes. “Pisha, Mistress Zecora reads so much poetry that it's hard not to pick up a little.”

“Zecora… that's a strange name. Zebrican, right?”

Pinkie winced. “Yeah, but don't bring up her homeland, alright? It's a bit of a sore spot.”

“Oh yeah, sure.”

A lingering silence fell over them and Twilight nervously pawed at the floor, looking at anything other than Pinkie Pie. “So uh… About what happened.”

The troll sighed and fell to her side. “It's going to take a whole lotta rocks to make my leg grow back this time, so how about a trade?”

“A trade?”

“Yeah, I thought of the perfect rocks! All you gotta do is promise to find me more bricks like this one and I’ll forgive you.” The troll extended her foreleg with a smile.

Guilt washed from the mare and she found herself already reaching for the offered hoof, only to stop. “These aren't super rare bricks or something right?”

Pinkie giggled. “Noper doper! You just gotta go by the old castle and grab a bunch. Wouldn't take more than an hour or so and most creatures are scared of that place, so it wouldn't even be too dangerous.”

The unicorn shook the offered hoof quickly, paranoid that she was going to cause whatever happened before to happen again. “I’m curious though, Pinkie, why did you offer a trade? If the rocks were so easy to get?”

Pinkie rolled her eyes. “Would you feel like you earned your forgiveness if I just gave it to you?” Twilight’s smile faded and she was forced to admit that no, she wouldn't have felt worthy of forgiveness. “Exactly! I can tell from the look on your face that you get it.”

“You are one wise troll, you know that?” Twilight remarked with a smile.

Pinkie Pie blushed and covered her face with her forehoof. “Thanks, Twi Twi!” her blush suddenly faded and she rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. “That was probably one of Zecora’s lessons though.”

“Still, a lesson well learned honors the teacher and the student.”

“Now who's the wisey Mc Wisey Pants!”

The pair giggled, the sense of unease that had settled over them beginning to slip away. As their laughter slowly dwindled, Pinkie got up and patted the empty part of her bed. “Now tell auntie Pinkie about this silly curse business.”

Twilight rolled her eyes but did as the troll asked, plunking herself down beside her friend. “Well, what do you want to know? It’s apparently been around for generations and my father claimed to go as far back as they could remember.”

Pinkie frowned. “Did he ever say why you guys were cursed?”

“No… He just said a shadow hung over this family due to the ‘sins of the long shadow’. He didn't even know what the saying meant, it's just something handed down I guess.”

Pinkie rubbed her chin with her brick, nibbling at it occasionally in short crunchy bursts. “What does the curse do?”

“I overheard my mother whispering about my great aunt, whose presence made flowers die.” Twilight waved her hoof dismissively. “She was an old and strange unicorn though, lived alone with a houseful of plants and more cats than you could count.”

Pinkie’s muzzle scrunched up in thought and she noisily crunched on the brick, biting through chunks of it like it was little more than a loaf of bread. After a few minutes of near silence, she swallowed the last bit of the brick and sighed loudly. “Ahh, that feels good. Nice and spicy.”

“How exactly can a rock be spicy?”

“It's got lots of funny magic in it, makes my tummy all rumbly, but feels really good.” Twilight had more questions, but the expression of utter bliss that crossed the pink troll’s face made her just shake her head and give up.

She would just have to quench her thirst for knowledge when she went to this castle in order to make it up to Pinkie, even though she still wasn't quite sure what she had done. Regardless, there was a small part of her that knew she was at fault somehow and that was enough for the unicorn.

As the unicorn stewed in her grief, Pinkie picked up any pebbles that had broken off her brick and tossed them into her mouth, chewing loudly. Something about eating off the bed irked the unicorn, but she quickly realized that this was a rock-eating troll, if there was something on the bed that may cause her harm, she doubted it would survive past whatever inequine stomach the being had.

Another curiosity to add to the pile, Twilight reluctantly thought. If the pile was a physical thing, it would probably be about the size of an adult pony and something told the unicorn that it was only going to get bigger before she would start getting answers. The unicorn plopped down on the floor next to the troll’s bed, idly wondering if the floor was a part of the tree or if it were made of boards like a normal house.

Pinkie giggled at the strange intensity at which the unicorn stared at the floor, only to stop suddenly, her left ear flopping about. “Oh! Zecora’s home!”

Twilight turned to the mare and then the door, cocking her head slightly. She knew better than to doubt the troll, but still, there was no way her hearing was that good, right? She stared at the door for several long seconds only to sigh and turn to the troll. “Are you-?”

The unicorn found her words stopped dead by a hoof pressed against her lips. “Shh, she's going to make a dramatic entrance.”

The mare merely rolled her eyes and looked over at the door only to find it open with an aged zebra standing in the doorway. Her hair was longer than what Twilight would have imagined and though it may have been a mohawk in her younger days, it was long and frazzled now, sticking out at seemingly random angles.

Her jaw hung open and she stared wide eyed at the increasingly flustered unicorn. “Umm, hello?” Twilight whispered meekly.

“Twilight, is that really you?” the zebra whispered back, the color having drained from her face.

“I told you it would be dramatic! Yipee, story time!” Pinkie clapped her hooves together triumphantly.

Author's Note

Moving On

Moonlit Echo lit her horn and activated one of the many enchantments on her glasses, replacing the quiet bench, she was currently sitting at, with a three story tall view in upper Canterlot. The magic took a moment to calibrate, but once done, the changeling was given a perfect view of the Sparkle residence from atop one of the houses nearby. The enchantment itself had been placed on a small gargoyle sculpture, which felt fitting to the changeling, as if the statue meant to invoke protection for the house’s occupants was actually doing its job.

Looking through the statue’s eyes, the changeling could see all the traffic coming up and down the road in front of the home and a good portion of the entire neighborhood as well. To her right she could see a small group of middle-aged mares chatting and trotting down the road. They wore colorful headbands and spoke in jovial tones as they enjoyed a mid-morning jog. To the left a business pony wearing a perfectly form-fitting suit walked towards the castle, his head held high. A few other ponies dotted the streets here and there, but for the most part the road was barren and the houses dark and silent.

The agent scanned the streets once more, her experienced eyes picking out every little thing that seemed out of place. A pegasus lingered above the Sparkle residence a bit too long, aiming a newspaper far longer than necessary. As he passed by the third house up the street, he exchanged a brief nod with a unicorn mare sitting on a bench reading a paper. It would have been a small innocuous thing, had they not looked so serious when they passed one another.

The changeling could easily pick out several other minor things that stuck out and in a matter of minutes she had a small list of enemy agents stationed outside the Sparkle residence. The two from earlier were obvious, but less obvious was the entire group of middle aged unicorn mares who for whatever reason had jogged the same block three times this morning. That in itself wouldn't be too strange as the neighborhood wasn't that large, but they dropped the jovial conversation the instant they passed from sight of the Sparkle house and picked it up once they were back in sight once more. As if their conversation was a play and the only audience member was Night Light.

“Amateurs,” she muttered.

Celestia was subtle, compared to most ponies, but to a seasoned changeling, her attempts at stealth were the half-hearted attempts of a fool. Still, this was a stark contrast from the last several hundred years of operation as she had always favored more straightforward and bombastic approaches. Grand works of magic that hampered stealth, and caused ponies in the area to be unable to lie, easily dodged by being duplicitous without outright lying. Solar agents outfitted with powerful armor so strong it turned a small squad of unicorns into a four pony wrecking crew, easily dodged for their enormous weight and the fact that they could be heard from a block away. These were only a few of the hammeresque attempts Celestia had made to try and ferret out the supposed terrorists.

The fact that she was attempting stealth at all had given Cadence pause for concern as the alicorn had bullheadedly tried the same brash and over the top plots for as far back as she could remember. If Celestia was changing her tactics now, after all this time, it obviously meant something big had happened. Cadence and her advisors had easily deduced that she must know of Twilight Sparkle’s survival, and was changing their approach out of fear.

The lights flickering within the near empty home alerted the changeling that her quarry was awake and moving about, drawing her from her reverie. The changeling flicked the page of the book she had been pretending to read and gave a quick glance around her. Sure enough, the park she sat in was relatively empty and most ponies gave the well-treed area she sat in a wide berth. With her position secure, she looked back down in time to see Night Light pass by one of the windows.

Judging from the time and the bleary eyed state he was in, he was probably heading to the shower. Giving the changeling about eight minutes to change position, as she had remained here for far too long already. The agent pushed the glasses further up her nose and closed her book, placing it in her saddle bags. She gave only a cursory glance around before heading off towards one of the smaller parks in the area that she knew would be empty at this time of morning.

As she walked, she pulled out every trick she had, scanning the area for emotions, using a remote viewing spell set fifty feet above her, and several other, more mundane techniques that ensured she checked for anypony who might be suspicious of her. Other than a child who was gaping at her from the window of a house, nopony had even given her a second glance. The changeling stowed a laugh, merely smirking as she passed within inches of solar agents without garnering even a second glance.

The energy she expended in order to cover her back was not small and using that much love in a short period was always a pain. In the end though she knew it was necessary, but some primal part still cried out every time she used so much love on something so small. As she walked to her secondary position, she lamented, not for the first time, the limits of the remote viewing spells they had placed around Night Light’s house as they needed the caster to remain in the area and outside.

She was a professional though and even with these limitations, she had more than easily managed to remain inconspicuous for several weeks without drawing attention to herself. Noticing the smaller park completely empty, the changeling trotted over to a more secluded area beneath a large oak tree. Plunking down under it, she pulled out her book and lit her horn, reactivating the remote viewing spell and bringing the Sparkle residence back into view.

She frowned, instantly noticing the fact that the stallion was standing in the front entryway of his house with his bags on his back and a piece of toast in his mouth. It seemed as though he had skipped his morning shower and chosen to go to work early, something not outside the realm of possibility, but still an unfortunate change to his schedule. The stallion stepped outside and locked the door behind him before tossing the last bit of burnt toast into his mouth and grimacing, drawing a chuckle from the changeling.

Evidently his cooking skills hadn't improved over the last few weeks and even a toast seemed out of his range of skill.

With his breakfast eaten, the stallion trotted towards the castle and Canter mountain itself. Moonlit grimaced, having just gotten cozy in her new spot beneath her favorite tree. She reluctantly packed herself back up and began her long trot to a cafe closer to Night Light’s work, which she knew would be open by the time she got there.

And so her day continued much the same way as it had began, with the changeling shifting from reading, to writing, to conversing with random civilians, all while keeping an eye on her charge through conventional or magical means.

His work day was average for the most part, with him arriving way before his coworkers and staying within his corner office for the most part, studying an odd comet the observatory had been tracking for several weeks. The changeling couldn't help but frown at the sight, it was obvious that he was lonely and hurting, but the few ponies who did try to speak to him did so in such an inelegant way that Moonlit cringed as she watched them flounder in their attempts to converse with the stallion.

All the while a veritable storm cloud of negative emotions followed him around everywhere he went. The agent didn't even have to be a changeling to see that he was still suffering as his mere body language told her.

It got to the point that the changeling was going out of her way to use more magical surveillance than normal, even if it ate up her love reserves as it allowed her to not have to be near the odd stallion. So oppressive was the miasma of negativity that merely being in his presence made her feel physically ill. The sadness was so consuming that the changeling couldn't help but wonder if there was something more going on. Grief was crushing, but this seemed even beyond that. She brushed aside the thought, choosing to bring it up later with her commander, rather than let it consume her while on the job.

When he had finally left work, he returned home late, his bags bulging with books of various subjects. From atop her magical perch, Moonlit could see several titles ranging from a set focused entirely on shield spells to ones on general magic and even one that likely contained the most advanced battle magic not outlawed by Celestia.

It was concerning to say the least, but Celestia always put backdoors into spells available to the public, allowing her agents to easily shut down any rogue spellcaster with ease. Which of course allowed Moonlit’s organization to do the same once they found those same loopholes. Still, the small selection of battle magic not outlawed was, for the most part, lacking the usual backdoors and loopholes that allowed it to be dismissed quite as easy.

The stallion was clearly preparing for something, but what exactly that was, Moonlit didn't know and as time passed, she only became more confused by what she saw.

Night Light lived up to his name that night, staying up late and only retiring several hours before the sun came up. During that time he spent almost every waking moment practicing various spells, rarely stopping for breaks or even to eat, causing his basement windows to light up with the occasional burst of light from his horn.

The changeling agent shook her head and sighed at the sight, this added another layer of complication, something Cadence wasn't going to like.

When the stallion had finally collapsed into his bed after a brief shower, he had fallen asleep almost instantly. With her charge incapacitated, the changeling got up and stretched, wincing slightly as her back popped and cracked along with her forelegs. The last few hours had seen her sitting and writing at an outdoor restaurant and by the end of it, her love reserves were low and her body was exhausted.

Shaking off the fatigue, she got up and made her way down the street, pausing only to exchange greetings with a mare she had seen frequent the same coffee shops as her. With no other distractions in sight, she made her way out of the royal quarter and proceeded down to the lower levels.

It didn't take long for the changeling to get back to the labor quarter of Canterlot and it took even less time for her to find a familiar path that lead to their secret headquarters. This entrance was different from most as the actual way of entering the secret sewers was within a resistance owned restaurant. Slipping past the cooks, the changeling slipped into the walk-in freezer, pulled a hidden lever and stepped down the staircase that had opened up in the center of the floor. Once down, she hit another lever, this one resealing the tunnel and indicating that it shouldn't be used for another twenty-four hours.

The musty, mold-filled caverns brought a sigh of relief to the mare and she picked up the pace, determined to catch Cadence before the mare was finally convinced to get some sleep. After exchanging a familiar password and passing by an increasingly familiar pair of guards, the changeling trotted happily up to Cadence’s door and knocked twice.

After a few seconds of silence Moonlit frowned, leaning against the door and extending her emotional detection into the room beyond. She could feel the familiar warmth of love within, but it obviously wasn't directed at her, more confusing was the fact that she could barely hear anything, even with her more advanced hearing.

The changeling shrugged and pushed her way into the room, slipping past an unseen sound barrier and stopping instantly. “Mother?!”

The blush nearly covering Cadence’s face suddenly vanished and she glanced over at the changeling with wide, panic-filled eyes. “M-M-Moonlit! I thought I told you to wait outside?”

Beside the scarred alicorn stood a miniature replica of Chrysalis, complete with missing horn and the branded heart cutie mark on her flank. She smirked at the younger changeling, her voice far more cheery than normal, “Oh, what's this? Moonlit, was it? Why don't you wait outside, dear, I was just in the middle of something with my little love bug.”

Moonlit glanced back and forth between the alicorn and the changeling, blinking rapidly. “What exactly is going on here, were you two…?”

Cadence blanched, the blush quickly returning to her features. “N-no!”

“Yes,” the queen said with a smirk.

Moonlit blushed as realization settled in. Her mother, Queen Chrysalis had been in the middle of what she could only assume was a very lengthy make out session as it had taken a second for the changeling’s tongue to extract itself from Cadence’s mouth. Moonlit’s legs finally seemed able to move again and she quickly backpedaled into the hall and shut the door.

Inside, Chrysalis chuckled while Cadence continued to blush profusely. “Did you see the look on her face? Priceless!”

“Queenie! Now she knows!”

“Knows what? That I am an excellent queen and capable smoocher?” The queen wiggled her non-existent eyebrows at the blushing alicorn.

“Smoocher, really?”

The changeling leaned closer. “Admit it, you find it adorable.”

“M-maybe. But that's besides the point! Shouldn't you be watching the asset?”

The queen shrugged noncommittally. “Meh, they camped early after attracting the attention of a pair of timberwolves.”

“Timberwolves? I thought you said they were keeping to the path?”

“Yeah, I’m going to have to look into that, something seems to be agitating them.” The changeling shook her head. “Regardless, I’ll give you my full report in a bit, I think we let Moonlit stew for long enough.”

“R-right.” The alicorn cleared her throat. “You can come in now, Moonlit!” Only to wait a few seconds and facehoof. “Right, the sound barrier.” She leveled her broken, sparking horn at the door and with a gentle glow of teal magic, the enchantment cracked and shattered. “Come in!”

The now undisguised changeling poked her head inside and breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh thank the stars.”

The queen giggled while the alicorn blushed.

Cadence coughed, destroying the awkward silence that had threatened to settle over the conversation. “Please, sit. What was so important you needed to tell me right away?” The alicorn gestured to the seat across from her while the queen took position very close to the alicorn’s right.

“I, erm… Are you two…?” The now sitting changeling rolled her hoof and winced.

“Fucking?” the queen offered.

“WHAT?” the field agent screeched.

The alicorn growled and lightly punched the queen in the shoulder with her good hoof. “Shh, you! Can't you see she's riled up enough as is it?”

The queen giggled while rubbing the sore spot. “Hey, it's not my fault she's the most pony-like of my children. She’s too easy to tease.”

The sitting changeling frowned, crossing her hooves. “Hey!”

“Now, Queenie, let's not start this again.” The alicorn smiled. “Please, continue with your report.”

“R-right. I just, well...” She shook her head, clearing her mind of unwanted thoughts. “The target went to work early, and came home late with a saddlebag of books. This wouldn't be too strange, but they were all books on spellcasting and ranged from shields to offensive magic.”

“Odd.” Cadence tapped her chin and turned to the queen. “What do you make of this?”

The other changeling shrugged. “I don't know. It's obvious he is still grieving… maybe he believes the official statement and is now trying to go all batmare on us?”

Cadence giggled. “I don't think a stallion as old as Night Light is going to, ‘go all batmare’ on us. Still, this is strange.” She looked over at the changeling agent sitting across from her. “If you are up for some more recon, I think I’m going to keep you on Night light for a little while longer.”

Moonlit blinked. “Really? But I’ve been shadowing him for weeks, isn't it about time to change operatives?”

“Yes, but I feel as though it's important to keep the same pony on him, at least until we figure out what he plans to do.”

The queen nodded. “I concur. Changing operatives now would be inopportune, best to figure out what he wants and then switch. In case he needs to be contained, or brought in.”

Moonlit gulped. “If those are your orders boss, I can get back on him tonight if you'd like.”

“Good thinking, I want around the clock surveillance. Take a love vial with you for tonight and I’ll have someone trained to be your second by tomorrow.” Cadence smiled, revealing her teeth. “Is there anything else?”

Moonlit looked down, shuffling her hooves awkwardly. “Kind of…”

Chrysalis nodded to the mare. “Speak, child. You must trust your intuition.”

“R-right.” The changeling sighed. “I think he may have had a spell cast on him, or perhaps a curse.”

The alicorn’s eyebrow raised and she leaned closer to the mare. “Are you sure? What happened?”

“I can't be certain, but he has an almost oppressive air of sadness around him that it makes me feel ill just to be near him.” Moonlit shook her head. “Even when he appears happy, the sadness is still there, just as intense.”

The queen shrugged. “He just lost most of his family and may feel as though he was abandoned by his son. It's only natural for a pony to be sad in this instance.”

“Are you sure it's not simply the loss of his loved ones?” Cadence asked.

“I am not so sure… Depression, sadness and grief are like other emotions, they come and go at times even if they may not feel that they do. This…” She shook her head. “Is not like that. Even while he sleeps I can feel that sadness weighing him down.”

Cadence grimaced. “That is strange… During sleep a pony’s emotional state fluctuates as their subconcious shifts.”

“That is odd,” the queen added. “If you find yourself close enough to detect a spell then do so, otherwise do not compromise your position, it's too dangerous.”

“Right.” The changeling nodded.

Cadence tapped her chin, leaning back in her chair. “Now… How do we get you close without causing suspicion. Oh!” Her eyes went wide and she leaned on the desk with her good hoof, a manic grin spreading across her face.

The queen rolled her eyes. “Oh no, not again.”

“Not again?” Moonlit asked.

“Yes, this is perfect! We’ll alter your cover story to include the fact that you are also my public persona’s assistant so when I visit him, you two can hit it off.” The alicorn giggled excitedly. “Oh, this is going to be so fun.”

Chrysalis pressed a hoof against her face. “Augh, please stop trying to hook my changelings up with ponies.”

“Wait, hook up? You don't mean…” Moonlit Echo gulped, casting a glance over her shoulder at the only way out of the room.

Suddenly the alicorn was inches apart from the changeling agent, her eyes sparkling. “Tomorrow you will accompany me to the Night Light’s residence and aid me in figuring out his plans, and if things go well, you two will be seeing much more of each other.”

Moonlit gulped. “A-alright boss, whatever you say.”

“Good!” The alicorn nodded. “Now, continue your watch after getting a little pick-me-up, then meet me at the corner of Sherbert and Castely at 10 A.M. sharp! Dismissed!”

The changeling leaped from her chair and saluted. “Yes, ma’am!” She quickly scurried from the room, trotting off towards the changeling barracks in search of something to help her stay up.

Now alone, with the door firmly closed and locked, the alicorn turned to the changeling and giggled excitedly. “Oh, this is going to be perfect, Queenie!”

The queen rolled her eyes. “If we did not benefit from their love so much, I would tell you to cut it out.”

“And you think I’d listen?”

The changeling laughed. “Probably not.”

Cadence held open her hooves expectantly, making the changeling blush. “You know I hate it when you cuddle my proxies like this.”

“You know I love it when you get all blushy.”

The changeling harrumphed, and crossed her hooves but ultimately allowed the alicorn to pick her up and hold her tightly. Cadence giggled, nuzzling the frowning changeling and occasionally kissing her cheek or neck. After a few seconds the queen finally relaxed, allowing the snuggly alicorn to pull her in closer.

The changeling sighed. “Alright Cadence, this one can't consume anymore love or else he's going to throw up all over you.”

The alicorn pouted and reluctantly placed the changeling back on the ground. “Fine. But when you get back, I am going to snuggle the shit out of you, understood, missy?”

The changeling shivered, a wave of arousal crawling up her spine. “You are ridiculous, I love it.”

Cadence giggled and sat back at her desk. “Alright, so what was your report again? Before we got uh… distracted.”

The queen hopped onto the chair across the desk. “I was trying to tell you that none of them have any idea I’ve been shadowing them.”

“Speaking of which, are you sure you are in a secure enough place to talk like this?”

The queen scoffed. “Of course! I have found a small cave not far from their camp and used the scrolls you supplied me with to create a temporary base of operations.”

“Right, sorry to doubt you. I was just…”

“Worried?” The queen scoffed. “Don't be. Even without the ability to disguise or use magic, I am still more than a match for these children.”

“That I don't doubt. So, tell me of this wolf problem.”

The queen frowned. “It's like I said, they seem agitated for some reason and completely heedless to harm, charging the purple one much to their detriment.”

“As a necromancer, she does have a connection to the undead wolves, but it shouldn't attract them, in theory anyway.” She shook her head. “If you have any idea why, please let me know.”

The queen nodded. “Of course. What should I do about the other group that is also shadowing them?”

Cadence frowned. “There was four of them, right, all thestrals?”

“Yes, though they seem to be meeting with one of those forest spirits occasionally.”

“Hmmm.” Cadence tapped her chin with a hoof, staring off into space. “I will get in contact with the cell placed in Ponyville and try to figure out who these mystery ponies are. In the meantime see if you can find out anything distinct about the other group. Markings, tattoos, you know the drill.”

The queen nodded. “What are you thinking, Cadence?”

“Well, I’m not saying it's them, but the Black Rose has been quiet for a long time and it would make sense for them to follow this particular mare.”

The queen scoffed. “Those old fools have been trying to raise the moon for centuries, why would they follow around those six?”

“Well, Twilight is a necromancer. Maybe they seek her help?”

“They have necromancers of their own, why seek one who is not even educated in the art?”

Cadence rolled her eyes. “You know as well as I that Twilight’s skill is far beyond that of a normal necromancer.”

The queen frowned. “That may be, but she has no training and knows not of her strength.” The changeling shook her head. “Regardless. Have you considered the possibility that they may be trying to get rid of her?”

The alicorn tensed. “Why do you say that? Surely they would not dispose of a possible asset.”

“Well, what if they believe she might raise the moon and maintain control of her?”

“Preposterous, no mortal, not even Twilight Sparkle could control the moon.”

The queen shrugged. “Yes, but do they know that?”

“I…” The alicorn withered slightly. “Don't know.”

The changeling shrugged. “Either way, I will keep an eye on them.”

“Good, no reason to get in their way quite yet, but that might be necessary. For now stay the course and gather info, we can decide what to do once we understand their motives.”

“You are quite the slave driver, you know? First you get me to chase down some ancient rocks for you, now you have me following around some child. I haven't had a break in months.”

The alicorn sighed deeply, her shoulders sagging. “I’m sorry, Chrysalis, it's just you are the only being I can really count on right now.”

The changeling made her way over to the other mare and placed a reassuring hoof on her shoulder. “Woah there, love bug, I was just teasing you. It's alright, really.”

Cadence took the changeling’s hoof in her own, pressing it against her cheek. “Sometimes I miss it, you know.”

“Miss what? Other than me?” The changeling smirked.

“Well that and sometimes I miss the days after our escape. Just you, me, and the open road.”

“... and the three hundred or so ponies desperately trying to chase us down and murder us.”

Cadence coughed. “That part I don't miss.”

“I know what you mean, my little love bug.” The queen took the alicorn’s chin in her hoof and pulled her close into a kiss. “It was simpler then.”

Cadence sighed. “Yeah…”

There they remained for several long moments, both mares holding each other and just being close to one another, drawing strength from the other’s proximity. “I should really go,” Chrysalis announced sadly.

“Must you?” Cadence pleaded, her wide eyes sparkling.

“You know I should. I have not checked up on them in over an hour, or the uninvited guests for three.”

The alicorn wilted. “You are right, Chrysalis. I suppose we should let Muddy Waters have his body back as well.”

“His name is not… you know what, it doesn't matter.” The changeling chuckled, shaking her head. “You ponies and your desire to name everything.”

Cadence winked, giving the queen one last kiss on the cheek. “You know it, Queenie.”

The queen reluctantly pulled away. “I miss it too. Maybe one day we can find some peace and quiet.” The changeling’s eyes closed and before Cadence had a chance to say goodbye, a wave of green fire cascaded over the bug pony’s body.

It revealed a slightly taller, male changeling who had his horn intact. As his eyes flickered open, to reveal not the clear distinct eyes of a queen but rather the faded blue of a drone, he suddenly stumbled forward. “Woow.”

Cadence chuckled. “Do you need help, Muddy?”

The changeling gripped the back of the chair tightly, slowly regaining his bearings. “No need, boss, just gotta get my head back on straight.”

“Take all the time you need.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” After his legs stopped wavering under him, he looked up at the alicorn with an odd expression. “Did you two really have to get all lovey dovey? It's gonna take me weeks to work all this love off.”

Cadence blushed and profusely. “I assure you it was necessary.”

The changeling shook his head and slowly trotted out of the room. “And why does my mouth taste like bubblegum?”

Moonlit Echo stopped just below the ladder leading to the surface. A quick glance told her that she had remained completely alone. Reaching into her bags, she produced a single vial of bright pink liquid that glowed faintly in the near complete darkness. The mesmerizing liquid twisted and turned inside the glass container, as if begging for release.

Still, after years of service she had yet to stop being amazed by the sight of pure liquid love, undiluted by lust or sadness and even directed at a changeling no less. She tipped the vial back, draining it in one gulp and shivering in sudden ecstasy.

The feeling of having pure love pumping through her system was the equivalent of gulping an entire pot’s worth of Mace’s worst/best coffee and everything suddenly burst into focus. She felt energized, but not artificially, it was as if she had just slept an entire eight hours, then ran around the base. With her body ready and her mind focused, she climbed up the ladder with confident, purposeful steps all the while shifting into one of her intermediary disguises.

A small pile of trash shifted around awkwardly before being hastily placed back in the same spot. A second later a pair of yellow eyes peered from around the side of the garbage, observing the oft used alley that lay hidden between a pair of decayed buildings near the lower east side of the labor quarter.

Such squalor would usually disgust most Canterlot ponies, but to a mare like Moonlit Echo it made sense, even if she didn't agree with it. Everypony couldn't be rich, couldn't be successful and couldn't have what they wanted, there simply wasn't enough wealth to go around and even if there was, who would be left to clean the streets and do other menial tasks?

The changeling pushed aside such esoteric rambling and checked her appearance.

Other than some dirt and grime that stuck to her hooves, her disguise was more or less perfect, with only a few hairs out of place that were quickly corrected. With that fixed, the changeling made her way out of the alley and towards the closest populated area.

Unfortunately for her, she didn't make it far before she was stopped by a trio of ponies moving to block her way. The changeling gritted her teeth and cast a quick glance over her shoulder. Sure enough, there was nopony else all round, guard or bystander alike. She took a step back and eyed the three ponies cautiously.

They were all young, barely old enough to have received their cutie mark. Two earth pony mares flanked each side of a slightly older, taller mare who carried herself with confidence. The earth ponies were shorter than the unicorn, but slightly larger, their cutie marks were of a brick, and switchblade. The taller, more angular unicorn sported a scar on her lip and rather disturbingly had a cutie mark that depicted the outline of a pony who had what looked like a knife plunged into its back. The unicorn rolled her toothpick to the right side of her mouth and smirked at the disguised changeling.

“Look what we got here girls, looks like someone is lost,” the leader remarked.

“Sure looks lost, boss,” the bright green earth pony to her right added.

“Wouldn't want that boss,” said the off yellow mare to her left.

“Quite right girls, so what do you say, stranger? Need a hoof in the right direction?” The unicorn tossed her mane to the side, shifting the long flowing mass of teal hair out of her way.

The small changeling bristled. “What are you, twelve? Shouldn't you be in school?”

The leader scowled at the changeling. “And shouldn't you know better than to antagonize ponies?”

“That just isn't nice.”

“And we were trying to be right friendly like too.”

The leader breathed easier, tossing her mane to the side again. “You look smart, just give us your bits and we will help you get to where you’d like to go. We'd do it for free, but these streets are mean, see?”

The changeling sighed. “Look, I don't have time for this. I’m giving you one warning, my employer would not like to hear I was late because a couple of punks got in my way.”

The goon to the left gulped. “I dunno boss, this one looks like she knows where she's going.”

The unicorn snorted and spat out her toothpick. “Why don't we give this pretty little thing a reminder as to why ponies tend to stay off our turf?”

The two earth ponies grinned, cracking their necks in unison. “Sure thing, boss,” they both intoned.

“Aww, pony feathers,” the changeling mumbled.

Time seemed to slow as the unicorn powered up her horn and her lackies both charged with hooves raised. As the milliseconds stretched on, Moonlit Echo pondered her options carefully. It wouldn't be too hard to knock the two punks out but they had seen one of her intermediary disguises, one that was supposed to belong to a middle class working mare who served a mid-tier noble. Though it was unlikely for these punks to go to the guard, it was a possibility, one that would ultimately bring a lot of scrutiny down on her. With the decision to flee made, she briefly scanned the area quickly before ducking low and sprinting to the right.

Time asserted itself once more, and both goons missed the dodging changeling, having opted to start the fight with clumsy haymakers. The unicorn was a little quicker on the draw, having opted for a simple mana bolt, which grazed the changeling’s flank a second before she disappeared down the alley.

“After her!” the leader called.

The changeling tossed a glance over her shoulder, noting that both earth ponies were chasing her while the third was strangely absent. The mana bolt burn had already healed itself in the several seconds of running, her love infused body quickly replacing the damaged tissue. The agent leaped over a pile of garbage before making a hard right, smiling as she heard the faint sound of cursing as somepony couldn't stop in time. The slim changeling was obviously far faster than the two bumbling earth ponies and within a matter of seconds, she was already outpacing the clumsier ponies.

Though they were losing ground, they didn't seem to care and continued to give chase, occasionally yelling insults or hurling debris at the running changeling. It didn't take long for the lead she had to become apparent, the two earth ponies still giving chase despite the fact that they were obviously outmatched. Wanting only to end this waste of time, the changeling leaped from the ground, kicked off a nearby wall and deftly hopped over a chain link fence nearly twice as tall as she was. The earth ponies quickly skidded to a halt, trapped behind the fence.

Knowing better than to just give up while ahead she decided to put a little more distance between her and the goons before turning and looking down the alleyway. Sure enough the two street ponies stared at her through the fence, massive grins on their faces. “Hey, flower butt!”

Moonlit blinked, only to remember that her false cutie mark was a baby’s breath arrangement. The changeling cocked her head to the side. “Yes?”

“What’s dumb and ugly and about to get splattered all over the pavement?”

Just as the changeling was about to pass off the insult as little more than the ravings of a madpony, her emotional senses began screaming at her, alerting her to a sudden burst of joy several feet above her head. With pure love still pouring through her body, she leaped back with more strength and speed than a normal pony should be capable of.

A second later there was a crack, and then a scream as the pony that had been about to land directly onto the changeling’s unprotected back instead landed hoof first into the stone ground. The changeling spared the screaming mare a glance before turning and running the opposite direction, ignoring the cries of her goons, the pool of spreading blood from the unicorn and the unnatural angle her leg was bent at.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid!” The changeling gritted her teeth and sprinted towards one of the more occupied junctions in the area, only stopping when she saw a small crowd gathered outside a club.

She spared a glance over her shoulder, but sure enough nopony had followed her. She placed a hoof against her forehead and sighed, mentally berating herself for her failure. Of course the unicorn had access to a forbidden teleportation spell! This was the labor quarter, there were no rules down here! Of course she would use that spell to her advantage and of course her goons were merely a distraction. She had been so hopped up on love that she had grown arrogant in her supposed victory and because of that arrogance she had nearly gotten her skull caved in by some run of the mill street punks.

The changeling placed a hoof to her chest and forced herself to breathe, using the breathing technique Chrysalis taught every one of her infiltrators. She looked up to find the group of ponies milling about the exit of the club giving her odd looks, a rather inebriated stallion already meandering over to her with a glazed look in his eye.

She chuckled at the sight of him, but quickly turned and trotted away before he even had a chance to try his best pick-up line on her. With the assurance of the wide open, and more importantly patrolled streets ahead of her, Moonlit Echo took a more leisurely pace up to the gate to the middle quarter.

Once close by, she ducked into a late night cafe, slipped into a bathroom and hastily checked her bags and, more importantly, the many enchantments and talismans tucked away inside that were ultimately responsible for her able to pass through the gates with ease. With that done, she quickly fixed her appearance in the mirror, took a drink from the sink and trotted back out, her head held high.

With everything secure, she quickly made her way up to middle Canterlot, or the so called merchant quarter. This time her passage through a quarter was unhindered and the few guards who gave her a second glance seemed more worried about the ponies around the mare than the mare herself. She chuckled to herself as she slipped through the crowd, glad to see that chivalry wasn't quite dead.

It didn't take long for the mare to get through the merchant quarter and up to the noble or upper quarter. Once through and away from the prying eyes of security spells and guards, she found a nice quiet park to change disguises and made her way towards the Sparkle residence.

Of course she didn't go straight there, that would be rather obvious. Instead she took a long, meandering path through the noble quarter, one that conveniently ended at her target’s street.

It was quiet, as one would assume if they were to walk the mostly residential streets of the noble quarter at night. Other than the odd guard or group of party goers returning home late, she was mostly left to herself, allowing her plenty of time to come up with a plan.

She walked slowly, her head down as she tried to think of some good excuse her cover would have to lurk near the residence. There were the parks, but they all had ‘no loitering’ signs outside, and she didn't want to have a run in with a guard, even if they would likely just tell her to go find somewhere else to sit. She hummed quietly to herself, not even noticing as an equally distracted being trotted right into her.

In her confusion the changeling was knocked clean off her hooves, leaving her stunned and confused as she looked up at a familiar sight, the apology she had automatically began to speak dying on her lips..

The older unicorn stallion rubbed his shoulder, wincing. “Wow, you are tougher than you look.” He lifted an eyebrow at the gaping mare. “You alright? I didn't bump you too hard, did I?”

Getting this close to her charge was not the plan, and now that she was here she was nearly overwhelmed by the all consuming sadness that seemed to reach out and grip the changeling’s very soul. “I-I’m alright I just I’m…” She gulped, trying her best to hold back the sudden surge of tears that came unbidden to her eyes. “I’m very sorry for your loss.”

The stallion sighed tiredly. “I appreciate your concern but… are you crying?”

The changeling wiped her face. “N-no I just... I have to go!” She got up and tried to brush past him.

But the stallion held out a hoof, blocking the changeling’s escape. “Wait, I never got your name. I’m Night Light, as you probably already know.”

The changeling blinked, looking down at the offered hoof awkwardly before giving it a weak shake. “I’m Moonlit Echo. I’m sorry, but I really must go.”

The stallion stood awkwardly, watching as the crying mare fled down the street. “Such a strange pony.” He looked down at the hoof he had offered, perplexed as to why she stuck out so much from every other pony that had offered their condolences.

Then it hit him. She was the only pony that seemed truly touched by what had happened to him, which only made him more distracted by her. Had she suffered and lost someone as he had? Or was she just one of the rare few who truly cared, and felt his sorrow as if it were her own?

He gave one last glance at the vanishing form of the strange pony before continuing his walk. He decided right then and there that if they ever met again, he would go out of his way to treat her in some way, it seemed only right. He blushed slightly, his thoughts consumed by the first truly kind act he had witnessed in what felt like forever. It reminded him of one of his wife’s stories she had edited a long time ago. In it the two lovers had met due to bumping into one another and here he was, doing the same thing like some sort of cliche romance novel character. A fierce blush suddenly overcame the stallion and he facehoofed as the realization had settled in. He had just knocked some poor pony over and not even apologized.

He spun around in place, ready to run after the mare, only to stop before he had moved more than a foot. The mare was gone, and the street was dark and empty, without a single soul in sight.

“Aw, pony feathers,” he cursed, before turning once more towards his late night goal.

The changeling placed a hoof against her chest, panting with the exertion and trying to catch her breath. It wasn't even that her body was particularly taxed, but rather it was her very spirit that felt heavy. Such sorrow, such sadness had come from the stallion that she couldn't help but feel her own fears and moments of desperation to come to mind with a disturbing clarity, and in that moment completely forgetting about her secondary mission.

Images of her first flight, of the death of her pony family and lastly the first mission she had ever gone on. All those strange thoughts and images had flashed through her mind and unsettled her stomach. Though tempted to empty her guts all over the alley, she could feel the eyes of another on her and she needed to move, painting the street with her stomach contents would have to wait.

She could hear the distant sound of wings and the soft, padded steps of somepony trying to be stealthy. Though they kept their distance, there was no promise that they would be happy simply observing her. So rather than take any chances, she beat a hasty retreat, using her years of experience to easily elude the less stealthy royal guards.

A half hour later and significantly more tired, she slipped into the side door of a hotel, exchanged coded messages with the receptionist and was rewarded with a key. Which, in turn, opened a door to a small safe house, tucked away behind a false wall in a janitor’s closet.

The room was small, barely able to contain two cots, a pile of boxes and an alchemy set, stocked with all the necessary components a field agent might require. None of which interested her in the slightest, other than the dirty cot and meagre blankets that covered it. After making sure to lock the room down tightly and to activate the defence wards and alarms, the changeling settled into the cot and after her stomach stopped turning, fell quickly to sleep.

Shining Armor was not a large pony, in fact some might think he was malnourished or perhaps had some sort of disability, none of which could be further from the truth. Now however, with his sister having been killed, the source of his demure stature was now gone, allowing the stallion to finally begin to add muscle mass for the first time in what felt like forever.

Still, he had a lot of bulking up to do and so far had only had several weeks to do said catching up, meaning that his attempts at sprinting were lackluster at best, and kind of pathetic at worst. For despite his will, and the small improvement he had seen, the truth was obvious, he was far behind his peers. To the point that even the overweight recruit who looked to have over a hundred and fifty pounds on him was now beating him in a simple race.

“Come on, Recruit Armor! I’ve seen mountains move faster than you!” shouted the drill instructor, who trotted several feet behind said recruit.

The overweight recruit wheezed a little harder, his lungs too overtaxed to actually allow him to laugh. “And that goes double for you, Stout Shield! You got no excuse for being such a butter ball!”

The round stallion picked his head up and ran a little faster, putting even more distance between him and Shining Armor, whose hooves were beginning to shake with exertion, and his breathing coming in short, rapid breaths.

The thunderous sound of hooves was rapidly picking up on the small stallion and within seconds the main group of his fellow recruits lapped him once more. Though the appearance of the drill instructor kept insults, and snide remarks to a minimum, Shining Armor could still hear a few scathing remarks about his ability as the group passed him by.

Shining Armor gritted his teeth and ignored the jabs of his fellow recruits, choosing instead to focus on the nearly all consuming desire to finish the damn test. Seconds became minutes and though the stallion could feel his legs becoming weaker and weaker, he refused to give up. Eventually everypony but him and Stout Shield had finished the race and still the gaunt stallion had yet to catch up to the much larger pony.

The drill instructor had grown quiet, only occasionally remarking about Shining Armor or Stout Shield’s lack of progress. Unknown to either recruit, the instructor was silently considering an alternative exercise plan and was watching the two closely, trying to gauge where exactly they most needed improvement.

Stout Shield had merely been lazy for the most part and other than diet and exercise, he didn't actually need anything special. Shining Armor on the other hoof required something much more focused and personal. A protein heavy diet, plenty of weight lifting, and perhaps even some alchemical assistance would be necessary to truly make him into a pony capable of fulfilling the duties of a royal guard. He had the bone structure, but lacked muscle or even fat, and the instructor couldn't help but grow concerned the longer he looked.

The recruit jogging and wheezing before him was clearly driven, perhaps more driven than even the rest of his fellow recruits and yet he was… emaciated, sickly even. How would a pony as driven as him end up in such a state? The instructor pushed such thoughts from his mind and peered over his aviators at the gasping and wheezing pony he had been tasked with training.

“You are almost done, Recruit Armor, don't you dare give up,” he barked.

“Sir, no sir!” the recruit shouted back.

The instructor’s frown deepened and he looked up, calculating that they had at least three hundred metres before the end of the little race and still the stallion was several metres behind the larger recruit. “Recruit Armor, if you do not finish this race before Recruit Shield, I will make you do this entire race again.”

“But sir-”

“That's an order, recruit, hop to!” the instructor shouted back.

The stallion gritted his teeth and looked up, noting that Stout Shield didn't seem to have heard their little conversation. His jaw clenched and suddenly the stallion broke into a sprint, nearly catching up to the other recruit before he was noticed.

Stout Shield blinked, looking back at the rapidly approaching form of the sickly stallion. “Stout Shield, if you finish last I’m halving your rations for a week. Am I understood?”

“Sir, yes sir!”

The two recruits exchanged a glance of determination before both poured themselves into one last burst of speed. Shining was small and a little faster than his larger counterpart, but Stout seemed to have a bit more endurance than the sickly stallion. All he had to do was pray his opponent ran out of energy before he passed the finish line and he was home free.

Seconds dragged on and the two stallions gained a surprising amount of onlookers, some of who were beginning to take bets on who would come in last. The instructor didn't seem to care, his eyes focused firmly on the two stallions who were by now nearly neck and neck. Shining Armor seemed to have lost whatever edge that had enabled him to catch up to the larger stallion though and the tiny lead he had was bleeding away.

“Your opponent is nearly twice your size. Recruit Armor! That sack of lard probably has more chins than you can shake a stick at and you are going to lose to him!”

The two stallions gritted their teeth, focusing on the last few seconds of the race. The instructor’s eyes narrowed, thinking about what exactly drove this strange recruit and how best to tap into that drive. “Recruit Armor, you will pass this pile of sentient fat this instant, that is a direct order!” he shouted.

The sickly stallion’s eyes shot open and something deep inside him clicked and before he even knew what was happening, he found himself breaking out into one last sprint. Stout Shield gaped at the other recruit’s sudden burst of energy, as up until now he had looked as though he may pass out at a moment’s notice. With the threat of seeing his already diminished portions shrunken even more, the large stallion threw on his own burst of speed.

The two stallions were neck and neck, the finish line closing fast and with only seconds left in the race. Stout Shield had managed to squeeze ahead a few times but every time he did, Shining suddenly burst into another sprint that put more distance between them. In the end, the larger stallion simply didn't have the will to keep trying in the face of such dominance and with mere metres left in the race, he slowed his pace and accepted the fact that he was going to be suffering through even smaller rations for the next week.

With his lead secured, Shining Armor sprinted into the finish line, his hooves giving out after several steps past the green line in the sand that indicated the race’s end. His chest heaved and his breathing was labored and a small part of him wanted to throw up but he had done it.

Stout Shield had enough energy to limp over to the grass before tumbling over into a heap and panting, leaving the instructor to walk up to the gasping stallion who lay sprawled out in the finish line. “Great work, Recruit Armor. I see much potential in you.” The grizzled old unicorn turned to the small group of recruits standing around the finish line, some of whom were exchanging small hooffuls of bits. “You two!” He pointed towards two of the only ponies who weren't a part of the impromptu gambling ring. “Haul Recruit Armor to the infirmary and tell the medic that he's to be treated for exhaustion.”

“Sir, yes sir!” the two recruits yelled back in unison.

“Good. As for the rest of you.” His eyes narrowed and an evil grin spread across his face. “Gambling is against guard protocol and the usual punishment is the lash, but I am a fan of punishments that fit the crime. So, you lot will be running this track until I manage to flick five bits and for all of them to turn up heads.”

“But that could take hours!” One recruit yelled back.

“And you will be running until I get bored of watching you suffer! Anypony else has something dumb to add?” The recruits all turned and began sprinting down the dirt track, leaving the instructor alone with a gasping Stout Shield.

He shook his head and walked over to the prone form of the pony before heaving him back to his hooves with a burst of telekinesis. “On your feet, recruit! Your training is done for today, so I expect you to get the hell off my track.”

The stallion nodded weakly, trotting wobbly towards the barracks, occasionally swaying back and forth every few steps. Now completely alone, the instructor watched the scrawny stallion get dragged towards the infirmary, his eyes twinkling behind his reflective sunglasses.

“Finally, Celestia sent me a pony with heart. It's about goddamn time.”

“Prisoner 11248, get up and prepare to receive Her Royal Highness, Princess Celestia,” a voice shouted.

“Whuh?” Sunset Shimmer muttered, her unfocused eyes only seeing a mass of gold and silver standing over her.

The voice sighed. “I said get up! You will have company soon and I will not waste Her Majesty’s time with scum like you.”

Sunset’s body felt distant, and there was a long delay from her brain telling her body to move and her body actually moving. After several seconds of weakly flailing for the edge of her blanket, she saw the blurry gold shape’s horn began to glow and suddenly a bucket of water was hurled over her.

“HOLY FUCK!” Sunset screeched.

The water was ice cold and thrown at her with enough force to cause her to get knocked off the small cot she had awoken on and tumble to the even colder stone floor of her cell. “What the hell, Sun Spear?”

The stallion snorted. “Sun Spear was my grandfather. Now get up and get ready for Her Majesty’s arrival, her time is precious.”

The cold unicorn wiped the water from her face and shakily got to her hooves. Her vision had cleared enough for the mare to see that she wasn't in her usual cell. I must have finally passed out. Sunset sighed, the memory of her most recent torture was still fresh in her mind, but Celestia’s magic kept such thoughts from becoming all-consuming, and pushed them away from the forefront of her focus. It was strange to feel such an integral part of her being manipulated through magic, but by now she was used to it, or perhaps that was the same spell working its way into her thoughts, either way she didn't know.

She gripped the meagre blanket she had been given and used it towel off as quickly as possible, robbing the ice water of most of its bite. As an afterthought she summoned her magic in an attempt to create a source of heat, only to find the usual mental block had stopped that before it could even actually happen. The mare sighed and went about it the old fashioned way by squeezing the water out of the thin blanket and wrapping it about herself.

The stallion turned and gestured towards the cot. “Sit. Her Majesty has indicated that she will be a few minutes, which will allow you enough time to eat.”

The mare nodded, sitting down on her cot and looking over to the heavy iron door where the implacable guard stood . Sure enough, a minute later an attendant had shown up with food in hoof and handed it over to her wordlessly before turning and leaving. He had the exact same armor as the rest of the guards and seemed exactly the same height as them as well, making identification impossible.

Still, it was interesting to know that her primary handler was no longer Sun Spear, which only gave rise to more questions. She grabbed the spoon on her plate and began the regrettable task of consuming the mashed up gruel they called food.

As she ate, her mind wandered to what she had heard from the guard. If Sun Spear was indeed this guard’s grandfather, then that meant a lot more time had passed than what she had thought. Her spoon stopped halfway to her lips as a thought occurred to her. If it's been that long since her last mission and there had been an indeterminate break between that one and the three missions before… How long had she been here? How old was she?

Sure, she had seen some changes in her brief travels in Canterlot, but the strings that bound her ensured she never wavered and never stopped long enough to even glance at a newspaper. There had been only a few notable changes in Canterlot, but other than the absence of a few businesses, there really wasn't anything to tell her how much time had passed.

The guard’s remark of his grandfather had truly been the first time she really had an inkling of the passage of time. Though Celestia had used to tell her how much time had passed since she had been woken up, she had stopped doing that a while ago.

Just how long had she been on Celestia’s leash? It was easily over a hundred years, but how big was that number? Two, three, or maybe even four hundred years? Was her sentence over, or was that merely a ruse Celestia had abandoned over time as she grew bored of it?

The mental magic kicked in and shunted that line of reasoning out of the forefront of her mind and she slowly began to eat once more, the moment of panic now behind her. She gulped down the last of her food quickly, knowing full well what would happen if she wasted anymore time.

With her food done, she placed the metal bowl and spoon at the end of her cot and sat on the other side, allowing the stallion to pass them off to another guard who had been just outside the door. The two guards exchanged a quick, silent conversation which ended with the first guard nodding and the second disappearing once again. This time the door did not close and the guard stepped outside.

“Her Majesty will be delivering your next assignment in the situation room, stand still,” he commanded.

The mare sighed, knowing what would come next, but unable to do anything about it. The guard approached and fastened a collar around her neck before attaching a leash to that and placing an inhibitor ring on her horn. All of which seemed unnecessary as the mental blocks placed on her stopped any unallowed spellcasting already. Then again, the entire thing wasn't about necessity as she could not willingly leave anyway, which made the collar and leash obvious tools of humiliation.

“Follow me, prisoner.”

The mare lowered her head, already feeling her legs getting out from under her and carrying her to the door before she even chose to move. The guard moved quickly, occasionally tugging at her leash and urging her to go faster. Which she complied with instantly, trotting behind the guard as he made a beeline for the situation room that lay much deeper into the underground complex.

The only sound was the clank of his armored hooves as they impacted floor, the only light the meagre magical torches that lined the walls and the glowing gold magic that held her leash aloft. The dull grey stone walls and numerous iron doors lining the hall gave way after they made a turn and climbed a spiral staircase. After passing another group of similarly armored guards, they walked through a brief security checkstop and after a short scanning spell were admitted past a large, rune-bound steel door.

Within was a large round table above which a magical representation of Equestria floated. Other than Sunset Shimmer and her guard, the room was occupied solely by the domineering presence of Princess Celestia herself. She seemed distracted, her gaze lingering on the floating map as she tapped her hoof on the table.

“Sunset Shimmer, it's about time.” Celestia turned to the pair and flicked her head towards the door.

The guard nodded and turned to leave, sealing the door once he had passed through it. The leash that had fallen slack when the guard had left was quickly picked up by Celestia’s magic. “Come here and look at this.”

Sunset ground her teeth, but did as she was told, maneuvering to the other side of the table and allowing her a view of the map. On it was a zoomed in view of Equestria with Canterlot at the top left, the rest of the map almost completely dominated by the Everfree forest.

“Tell me, Sunset, what do you know of the Everfree forest?” Celestia turned to the mare, gazing down at her appraisingly.

Sunset wanted to say something snarky like, It's the one place in the world not under your iron hoof. But her lips betrayed her, already moving without her consent. “I know everypony avoids it and that although Equestria surrounds it, nopony lives there and no colonists have tried to live there in centuries. It's also the only place on Equis where wild magic springs forth naturally.”

Celestia nodded. “That is true. It is also the last place on the entire planet that has access to the knowledge of necromancy.” Her eyes narrowed and she glared down at the unicorn. “Which is where Twilight Sparkle currently resides. Do you understand my distaste, Sunset Shimmer?”

“Yes.”

The alicorn’s glare lingered for a few seconds longer before she finally turned back to the map. “You will be dropped here.” She pointed to a point on the map north east of the forest, a few kilometres away from Canterlot, near the winding Canter river. “That is the last point our long range scanning spells could detect her magic. You should be able to pick up the trail from there.”

“What makes you think I’ll even be able to pick up a trail? She was dead, her heart crushed and her body tossed off a cliff.” Sunset remarked with a roll of her eyes.

Celestia yanked the leash hard enough to choke the mare, dragging her over to the raging alicorn, who gripped her neck in both hooves. “Think for just one second and tell me why it's significant that her magic was picked up there.”

Sunset struggled to breathe, wanting nothing more than to fight back and free herself from the alicorn’s grip, but unable to lay a hoof on the princess due to the magical conditioning. Her mind whirled with possibilities as to the significance before her realization settled in.

“Magic is only found in living things.” The unicorn managed to squeeze out before the pressure suddenly vanished and she found herself on the ground panting desperately.

“Exactly, so if she was killed, and her magic was picked up, then…” She rolled her hoof, gesturing for the unicorn to finish the thought.

“That means somepony reanimated her or she wasn't dead.”

The alicorn nodded slowly. “Exactly. I don't know the specifics of necromancy, but I know enough that the sudden reappearance of her magic signifies something terrible.” She jerked her head towards the door. “Now go, the good sergeant will have all the supplies you need for the journey. You are allowed to use any methods necessary to ensure the target has been put down permanently, which means incineration.”

Sunset got to her knees and rubbed her neck awkwardly. “R-right.”

“You will also be allowed to kill anything that gets in your way. You are not to even think of any information that will lead her back to me, if questioned and if you are detained or captured you will activate the harakiri protocol.”

“You can't be serious, Celestia I’ve followed every order you’ve ever-!”

“Be silent.” The unicorn’s mouth clacked shut. “These orders are not up for debate, now go. I want that thing removed from my world and I want it done yesterday.”

Sunset nodded once and turned towards the door, her eyes burning with hatred that she could not give voice to. She crossed the room in silence, her leash dangling between her legs. As she reached for the door, Celestia spoke once more, only this time her voice wasn't quite as deep, and it strangely lacked the barely contained rage that it usually did.

“Sunset, wait!” The unicorn blinked, stopping dead in her tracks and turning toward the alicorn. “I’m sorry she's done this. I authorize you to be released from your-mf!” The alicorn’s hoof shot up and covered her mouth suddenly.

The alicorn yanked her head to the side while her other hoof grabbed her other forehoof and tried to remove it. All over her body muscles twitched seemingly at random and often times contradictory, as if she were trying to move in two different directions at once. The alicorn seemed to wrestle with herself for several seconds, both sides vying for dominance as one side tried to remove the hoof from her mouth while the other turned any attempt at magic into a shower of sparks while keeping their mouth shut.

Through it all Sunset stood baffled by the sight. Was this some sort of trick? Another cruel joke by the twisted alicorn who had eagerly revelled in her suffering? The alicorn’s face twisted from one of rage, to one of fear then back to rage in the span of milliseconds. Then it stopped all at once, leaving the alicorn panting and a slick line of sweat covering her brow.

“Go, now!” the alicorn growled, her burning, hate-filled eyes instilling an almost primal fear within the mare.

Sunset Shimmer’s hooves shot out from under her, and only when she was out of sight of the alicorn did she slow down and glance over her shoulder.

“What the hell was that?” she muttered.

Author's Note

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Editing done by the wonderful everfree pony!

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Friendship is

“That sure was nice of Pinkie to go out of her way and help us out. Couldn't have been easy what with her missing righty again,” Applejack remarked, ducking under a branch in the path.

Twilight ducked under the same branch, following the other mare close behind. “Yeah, though it makes me wonder just how often this happens if everyone knows she calls her right hoof righty.”

Rarity rolled her eyes, following the example of the female in front of her and pushed the branch aside with her magic. “Pinkie Pie loses her leg so often I’m pretty sure the guard have a pool on how she's going to lose it the next time.”

Rainbow Dash laughed in an oddly triumphant manner. “Yup! And I was the one who put her money on timberwolf and won big. Those big wigs had everyone convinced that it wouldn't be timberwolves again, but I just knew she'd run into more trouble.”

Fluttershy frowned, and shook her avian head. “That doesn't sound very nice, even if it's true…”

The other four beings chuckled at the spirit’s remark, Rainbow Dash a little harder than the rest only to stop suddenly, a curious expression on her face. “Hey, ya think if we found all her legs we could make a second Pinkie?”

Rarity gagged audibly. “Augh, why on earth would you think such a thing?”

“Yeah, and she'd be all leg so it wouldn't work,” Twilight remarked dryly.

“I don't know girls…” Rainbow Dash said, with the biggest shit-eating grin anyone had ever seen. “I think she'd be… all right! Bwaha!”

The rest of the party groaned in unison, with Rarity even massaging her temples and trying to work out the beginnings of a migraine.

Applejack snorted in annoyance, rolling her eyes at the dry pun. “I swear if you make one more pun, not even those leathery wings a yours are gonna save ya from these hooves!”

The thestral rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. You'd never catch me and even if you did, I am a guard. You ever trained for combat before, huh?”

The apple farmer stopped and looked up at the thestral, eyeing her up and down. “I could take her.”

Twilight giggled. “Yeah, I wouldn't piss her off if I were you, Rainbow Dash.”

Rarity hid a chuckle. “Her family is the toughest bunch around…”

Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and surged ahead of the group, looking over the line of ponies with a shocked expression. “What? None of you think I could take her? Come on Fluttershy, back me up here.”

The pigeon resting in the branches of Applejack’s tree looked away, hiding beneath a wing. “I don't want to think about my friends beating each other up.”

Rainbow Dash withered and landed before the group, walking backwards as she talked. “Sorry, Fluttershy. We’ll talk about this later, farmer.” The thestral spat, before launching back into the air and resuming her scouting.

Applejack merely rolled her eyes, much to Twilight’s confusion, who couldn't help but ask. “Why did she say farmer with such… vitriol?”

The apple farmer shrugged her massive shoulders, jostling the tree on her back. “She's from Cliffsdale, last I heard those folk don't much appreciate farmers. Something about it being unnatural and that hunting and foraging is the only way to live.”

Fluttershy sighed, flapping down from her perch and resting on Applejack’s hat. “It's true, a lot of thestrals and other creatures that live there don't think farming is a good thing.” She frowned, which was quite the accomplishment as her current body had a beak and no lips. “Some even go so far as to claim that any attempt at planting anything is going against the will of the forest.”

The unicorn trotted up next to the pair, sparing a glance at the pigeon. “What, so they never plant anything? How do they survive?”

“They hunt and forage,” Fluttershy remarked simply. “Cliffsdale gives you a good vantage point to survey miles of forest which makes it easy to find food.”

Twilight furrowed her brow at the remark, trying to imagine a massive cliff city, only to think of Canterlot. “I mean I guess, but this place sounds like there are a lot of pon- I mean beings that live there. Surely they don't all survive on hunting and foraging?”

“Oh, I know this one,” Rarity offered, skittering closer to the group. “Many different kinds of mushrooms grow naturally in the cave system deep inside Cliffsdale. It's also where this lovely kind of thread comes which is made from the cap of a sagarius mushroom.”

Twilight blinked. “Huh.”

“That about answer yer question?” Applejack asked.

Twilight thought about it, staring off into the darkness of the wood. “Sorta, but I’m more curious as to why some beings believe the forest is some sort of… god.”

Applejack hummed thoughtfully. “Well, most folk don't treat it like a god, more like a neighbor.”

“Or a spirit,” Rarity offered.

“Or a-” Fluttershy was about to say, only to be interrupted by the swooping form of Rainbow Dash landing in front of them, a strange look on her face.

“You guys are not gonna believe this,” she announced.

Rarity rolled her eyes. “What? Did you belch really loudly again?”

“What, no. I mean, yeah I did but that's not what I’m talking about.” The thestral pointed further up the path enthusiastically. “Come on, you’ll see.”

The four beings shared a glance, shrugged, and followed the excited thestral who had flown ahead, but never out of sight. Twilight shifted a little closer to the tree-bound pony, and the pigeon on her head. “Hey, uh Fluttershy? When is Owlicious going to come back?”

The pigeon turned and smiled at her friend. “He said he's going to be back this morning, he needs to catch a nap and some mice.”

Twilight nodded slowly, her gaze lingering in the direction she imaged the owl was.

After a few minutes of walking, they came upon a sudden crossroads, where the path diverged in two directions.

Applejack stopped first, her jaw falling open. “Well I’ll be… I’ve walked this trail a hundred times and never seen this before. The forest sure likes throwing curve balls at ya, don't it?” she asked, turning to Twilight.

The unicorn groaned and kicked the dirt. “I don't want more excitement! Just answers.” She growled and threw a rock, venting her rage by whipping the hoof sized chunk of stone into the woods with all the strength she could muster.

Rarity tapped her chin and walked towards the right path, only to stop and do the same to the left. “Interesting… I’ve seen the forest do this before, but usually the paths are the same, and end up leading to the same place. These however, are much different.”

Fluttershy inspected the paths as well. “That's really strange, I wonder what it means.”

Twilight followed the other two’s lead and inspected the trails. The one to the right seemed to extend almost straight out of the main path. It was also even, well cared for and had the symbols that Pinkie Pie said would ward off danger, which had so far been less than helpful. The other path was the polar opposite, it was narrow, dark, overgrown, and went almost completely straight left and up a hill.

“Which way did you say the castle was?” Twilight asked.

Rarity pointed almost perfectly down the right path. “I think it's that way.” Fluttershy nodded her ascent as did Rainbow Dash.

Applejack didn't seem so sure and had pushed her hat back to scratch her head. “It doesn't feel right.”

“Doesn't feel right? I do hope you have some sort of facts, darling.”

“I’m with Rarity on this one. This one seems to go right where we want to go,” Twilight added.

“Look. I can't really explain it, but I’m gonna need y'all to trust me on this. That right path doesn't go where you want it to go,” Applejack stated.

Rainbow Dash landed with a dull thud, staring the farm mare up and down with barely contained annoyance. “Really? That's the best line you got? Trust me?” The thestral rolled her eyes.

“What Rainbow is trying to say is that all the evidence points to this path. Why should we trust you, exactly?” Rarity asked, attempting to put it delicately.

“Ah know this forest, and ah got a feeling. My gut is telling me left,” Applejack stated, head held high.

Fluttershy shook her head. “But the right path goes straight towards the castle. Why would someone make a path that goes to where we want to go only to not end up going there?”

The conversation devolved into the group argument, while Twilight stood stock still, staring intently at the apple farmer and trying to read her intentions. The unicorn had never been the best with the more social areas of study, but something about the way the half plant, half pony spoke instilled a confidence in the unicorn. Those emerald orbs of her held within them the same honest purity that they did on the day they met and something about the way they twinkled told Twilight all she needed to know.

“Look, ah can't explain it, but-”

“I trust her,” Twilight interrupted.

“Wait, ya do?” Applejack asked, dumbfounded.

“You do? But why?” Rarity added.

The unicorn shook her head. “I don't know, but would Applejack knowingly lead us astray?”

“Well no…” Rarity admitted. “I may not know the Apples very well, but they have always been honest and kind whenever we had dealings in the past.”

Fluttershy looked from Rarity to Twilight and finally to Applejack. The pigeon nodded, flapping her wings and settling back into Applejack’s tree. “I trust her,” the bird stated.

“You can't be serious,” Rainbow Dash lamented, gesturing towards the right path with both forehooves. “Look at that path! It's perfect! I even took a look from above and it looks like it goes straight there.”

“But do you know it goes straight there and doesn't veer off?” Twilight asked.

The thestral frowned. “Well no, but neither do we know for sure that the left doesn't do that either!”

Applejack trundled toward the left path, ignoring the thestral’s comment. “Y’all coming?”

“Right behind you, darling.”

Twilight nodded, following the arachne.

Leaving Rainbow Dash to stand in the middle of the crossroads, shaking her head. “Stars above,” she muttered before reluctantly following the other four beings down the twisting, rocky path.

The tree cover was dense on the left path, forcing Rainbow Dash to walk with the rest of them or fear being split up by the chaotic and winding wood. The path only grew more winding, dense and rocky as time went on, forcing them to walk single file and slow to nearly a crawl as they dodged around rocky outcroppings, strange flowers and dense vegetation. All the while Rainbow Dash grumbled her annoyance every time she so much as bumped her hoof on a rock or nearly got her wing caught in a branch.

The thestral stumbled out of a thick bush that grew in the middle of the path, spitting leaves out of her mouth and trying to pull a branch that had somehow got lodged in her helmet. Only for the mare to run right into the back of the purple unicorn. “Hey, what's the big deal? Why did you stop?”

Twilight tugged the branch out of the thestral’s helmet and tossed it aside. “Look,” she said simply.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and looked around, only to notice the trail had suddenly gotten a lot wider. “What the..” she muttered, until finally seeing what exactly Twilight was pointing at.

There on the nearest tree was another charm of Pinkie’s design, glowing faintly in the moonlight. “What in Tartarus?” the guard muttered.

Applejack smirked, walking up to the thestral with a huge grin on her face. “Got anything to say now?”

The guard just shook her head. “I guess you were right.”

Applejack smiled. “Well maybe next-”

“This time anyway,” the guard added, before launching into the air with a smirk.

Applejack tore off her hat and stomped on the offending clothing until it was nearly invisible due to the sheer amount of mud and dirt on it. “Consarnit, Rainbow Dash, just admit you were wrong, you bull-headed mule!”

Twilight winced and draped a hoof over her friend’s shoulder. “You were right, Applejack.”

The apple farmer sighed, picking her hat off the ground and trying to knock off some of the dirt and mud that clung to it. “Thanks Twi, guess I let that featherbrain get to my head. No offence,” Applejack added, nodding to Fluttershy who merely shrugged.

“None taken.” The bird fluttered over to the tree on Applejack’s back and settled in. “I’m sure she didn't mean to be so rude.”

Rarity rolled her eyes. “It sure seemed like she did.”

The bird sighed, fluffing her wings. “I think work is putting more pressure on her again. She doesn't usually lash out like this.”

“What do you mean, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked.

The bird opened and closed its beak a few times, seemingly searching for what to say. “She has gotten in trouble with work before for helping beings that didn't think they needed the help.”

Applejack finished dusting her hat off and plunked it down on her head, choosing to ignore the fact that it was still covered in a fair amount dirt. “Well, she doesn't have to take it out on me. Come on y'all, were burning moonlight here.”

Twilight sighed, pulling back from the apple farmer and watching as her and Rarity continued down the path before joining them a few seconds later.

The next few hours of walking were surprisingly uninteresting, with Rainbow Dash only popping in every fifteen or so minutes in order give the four beings a brief scouting report before taking to the canopy once more. Twilight couldn't help but notice that Applejack’s anger bled off in a few minutes and by the second time Rainbow Dash flew back in, the apple farmer didn't even flinch or tense up. Which was encouraging to see, as Twilight was worried about their chances if their guide and their guard were suddenly at each other’s throats.

With such a lul in danger and the wide, even path, the unicorn was able to do her favorite thing in the world, studying. At first she stared intently at all the many types of flora and small fauna that crossed their paths, but quickly grew frustrated by just how truly chaotic the forest was.

Mushrooms grew on the sides of trees, despite the fact that such a thing should be impossible for that particular species. Small rabbits crossed their path, only to turn and look at the group and reveal the fact that they had fangs and horns. Birds Twilight knew belonged in much warmer climates shared branches with avians from colder climates, which was also ignoring the fact that the two were apex predators and should be at each other throats.

In the end Twilight gave up her meager attempt at studying the forest and instead turned to Rarity who was humming softly to herself as she weaved some sort of design with only a few threads of colored string. The spider pony twisted her hooves this way and that, moving them up and down at odd angles, somehow managing to weave a small cloth of some kind that appeared to have a spider web design. It was small, but getting larger every second as the arachne fed more string into her weaving, and as Twilight watched, it grew to become a moderately sized handkerchief in a matter of minutes.

“Wow Rarity, how do you do that?” Twilight asked, pointing to her creation.

“Oh, this little thing? A little magic, and a little dexterity is all.” With a flourish of her small horn, the strings all fed into the central mass, tying up all the loose ends and completing her handkerchief.

“That's quite impressive, such fine control is usually rare even amongst the most powerful unicorns,” Twilight remarked.

The arachne stiffened somewhat, unsure how to take the other being’s remark. In the end her shoulders relaxed at the sight of the childlike wonder in Twilight’s eyes. “Thank you, darling.”

“I wonder if we could-”

Applejack stopped suddenly and held up a hoof. “Whoa there girls, somethin’s off.”

Twilight looked around, noticing only that most of the trees growing around them were short, and rather stubby-looking. “What is it Applejack?” she whispered.

Rarity gulped, her eyes scanning their surroundings. “Please tell me it's not another timberwolf.”

The apple farmer shook her head. “Something feels off about the ground, like it's recently been disturbed. Don't move.”

Twilight glanced down nervously, noticing that Applejack was indeed telling the truth as the ground all around them seemed to have been dug up recently, the earth uneven and broken but done in such a way that they couldn't tell until they were right on top of it.

From atop her perch on Applejack’s hat, Fluttershy gulped and looked down. “Should I find Rainbow Dash?”

Applejack shook her head. “No, that would only make things worse, we need to move slowly to the edge of this pit one at a time. No sudden moves.” The other beings nodded and Applejack raised her hoof slowly, preparing to inch her way towards the edge of the disturbed earth.

Only to be interrupted by the swooping sound of a pair of batlike wings. “Hey girls, you’ll never believe what I found! There is a whole mess of rainberries a few minutes ahead!” Rainbow Dash broke through a hole in the canopy, landing with a thump in the center of the group and receiving a glare from everyone. “What?”

Before anyone had a chance to say anything, the ground beneath them gave out and all at once the five beings were suddenly airborne. For a moment the world became a mess of flailing limbs, dirt and screaming as every being tumbled end over end into the pit below. Wings got tangled, magic fizzled as the two horned beings were battered with falling earth.

Ground was suddenly under them once more, except it was not the soft flat earth they had been hoping for and with a chorus of cries they all bounced sideways as the tunnel bent to the right. Twilight for her part did everything she could think of to protect her horn and brace, not wanting to imagine just how much a horn repair or a replacement brace would cost her.

Then just as quickly as it had started, the five friends found themselves airborne once more. Twilight opened her eyes hesitantly, catching a few rays of moonlight before she landed in a heap in the dirt, her jaw bouncing off the cold hard ground.

The unicorn rubbed her chin lightly, her head swimming as her eyes seemed to roll around in their sockets. She could hear a chorus of groans all around her as the rest of her friends voiced their displeasure and she looked up just in time to see Applejack’s hat float down and land directly on her head.

Rarity was the first to rise, giving her entire arachnid body a once over, and silently cursing at the many scuffs she had suffered and dirt that clung to her. She turned to the rest of her friends, forcing down the voice in her head that raged at being dirty. “Is everyone alright?” she asked hesitantly, after giving her mane a brief comb.

Twilight groaned, placing a hoof against her head in a vane attempt to stop the pounding therein. “I think I’m alright,” she muttered.

The unicorn heard the pitter patter of many legs as the arachne made her way over to the unicorn, and extended a helping hoof to the fallen mare. “You look alright darling, let's get you standing and see if you are injured.”

Twilight nodded, reaching up to the hoof and allowing the surprisingly strong spider pony to hoist her to her hooves. A quick pat down revealed that her lanky body was exactly the same as it was, save for being covered in dirt and a suffering few bumps and scratches. “Yup, seems like it,” she answered, then pushed some power into her horn and watched as it lit up properly without causing her any discomfort.

They both glanced over to Applejack who lay in a heap off to the side, a pained expression on her face as she looked back to her tree. “Consarnit.” She cursed, reaching out and poking the broken branch and wincing.

“Is Fluttershy alright?” Twilight asked, her head spinning, unable to find a glimpse of the bird.

“I’m fine,” came a small voice from inside Applejack’s tree.

Twilight sighed and walked over to the tree-bound mare and peered within the mess of branches. She lit her horn and gently parted the branches, causing only a tiny wince from the apple farmer. There in the midst of the mess of branches and leaves was the bird, who was now thoroughly tangled, but did not seem to be any worse for wear.

The bird nodded slowly, her teal eyes filled not with pain or fear, but simple confusion. “I’m fine, but I seem to be a little stuck…”

Twilight chuckled at the oddly cute expression on the bird’s face. Using her magic, the unicorn tried to move as few of the tree’s limbs as possible while extracting the bird. Once free from her organic prison, the bird sighed before giving its feathers a fluff and picking out a clinging leaf. “Thanks ,Twilight,” Fluttershy said.

Twilight nodded, giving her companions another once over. Rarity seemed fine and was busy fussing over her frazzled mane while Applejack poked the semi-broken branch morosely. “Are you alright, Applejack?”

The farmer shrugged. “Need to break it the rest of the way or else it will only get worse.”

Twilight gulped. “Do you need help with that or-”

With a quick flick of her hoof the branch broke and clattered to the ground. The apple farmer grunted in pain, her jaw clenched tightly. “Nah, I’ve taken a tumble enough times to know what I’m doing. Thanks though.”

The unicorn nodded before suddenly realizing something. “Where is Rainbow Dash?”

Twilight spun suddenly, alerted by a mound of earth behind them shifting suddenly. With a mighty heave the dirt went flying in all directions as the thestral guard exploded from the small mound. Instantly she landed into a defensive posture, the one eye not obscured by her off-centered helmet scanning her surroundings. “What's going on, who’s there?”

The thestral blinked, suddenly realizing her helmet was skewed and fixing it with a grunt. Twilight rolled her eyes and gave the guard a look. “Are you alright, Rainbow Dash?”

The guard shifted from hoof to hoof, checking her limbs and armor. “Seems like it…”

Twilight nodded, looking around them and finding a sheer rock wall on one side and the forest on another. Along the wall about five feet off the ground was a large circular hole that they had no doubt emerged from. “Where are we?” she muttered.

Rainbow Dash looked up, trying to peer through the canopy. “We couldn't have gotten far, we were only falling for a few seconds.”

“Um, girls, I think we got bigger problems,” Fluttershy’s tiny voice pointed out.

The guard and the unicorn both turned as one, to where a large manticore had emerged from the tree cover. Twilight took a step back as Rainbow Dash flew forward. “Stay back Fluttershy, I can handle this.”

“Wait, Rainbow Dash, don't!” Fluttershy pleaded, only for the guard to whizz past her.

The maneless lion head swiveled to the sound of the voice, its eyes going wide for a moment before narrowing almost instantly. Its wings flared, making it appear much larger than it actually was. Its stinger pulled back, ready to strike. Rainbow Dash wasn't intimidated by the display however and barreled toward the manticore with all the speed she could muster. All in order to deliver a devastating punch to the manticore’s cheek, causing the beast to recoil backwards, surprised by the force behind its flying foe. She would have drawn her blade, but she knew well the ramifications that came with killing a creature of the forest.

Rarity, who had pulled back after the initial appearance of the yellow and red beast scurried forward the instant their guard had rushed in. The arachne threw a ball of web directly at the beast’s face, the ball unraveling mid flight and clinging to the creature, obscuring its vision. “Take that, you ruffian!”

“Come on girls, we gotta help Rainbow Dash!” Applejack announced, charging headlong into the fight.

Leaving behind a confused unicorn and an irate bird who fluttered angrily. “Wait, girls don't attack it, it's just-”

The bird was forced to duck suddenly as Rainbow Dash flew through the air, knocked aside by a wild backhand from the enraged beast. The manticore roared in pain and confusion, one paw swiping randomly while the other clawed at its face, trying to free its eyes from Rarity’s web. Applejack used the distraction to charge low, delivering a powerful buck to the creature’s back leg in an attempt to trip the great beast. Unfortunately for the apple farmer, the manticore was tougher than even the wild apple trees of her farm and it shrugged off the blow and forced the farmer back with a series of wild strikes with its tail.

“Whoa nelly,” the farmer muttered, taking a few quick steps back, narrowly dodging the poisonous stinger.

Rarity reluctantly skittered back as well, her second ball of web being knocked harmlessly aside by the beast’s thick paws before it ripped the entire netting from its face with a lucky swipe. With a triumphant roar the beast looked down, searching for its prey, quickly finding the five beings huddled back near the rock wall, trapped and defenceless.

“What do we do?” Rarity yelled, gripping a shaky Rainbow Dash by the shoulders and shaking her even more.

The thestral’s head lolled around on her shoudlers, her thoughts scrambled after her brain had been bounced around in her skull. “The snozzberries taste like snozzberries,” she muttered, a dumb expression on her fanged lips, as her eyes rolled around in her head.

Rarity sighed, only now noticing the dent in the thestral’s helmet. “Great, the one being who knows how to fight and she catches a rock to the head.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and lit her horn. The strange unlight flared to life briefly, causing the manticore to stop and stare in confusion. A second later a large domed shield made of deep grey light suddenly lit up, surrounding the five beings just in time to absorb a tail strike from the manticore. The unicorn winced, her legs nearly buckling under the recoil of the blow.

“I can't hold it for long! You girls better have a plan!” she cried, falling to one knee as the manticore slashed the shield with its enormous, dagger-like claws.

“Girls!” the bird screamed suddenly, getting the other beings’ attention just as they were about to launch into another argument. “Listen to me, I know a way out, but its going to sound crazy.”

Applejack looked from the bird to Twilight, an action the rest of the group mirrored as well. The unicorn grimaced, her expression darkening and her eyes beginning to glow with a black, aetherial light, which increased as she fed more and more power into her horn. “I don't know! Just listen to her!” she yelled, not noticing the grass around her hooves beginning to shrivel and die.

The thestral shook her head slowly, when she felt a strange warmth emanate from within her bag, she looked over just in time to see the gem her captain had given her change from a bright white to a deep black color, making Rainbow Dash’s worst fears come to light.

The bird nodded slowly, noticing that she had gotten the group’s attention. “Trust me, this will work, all you need to do is-”

Outside the shield, the manticore lifted both paws over its head and brought them down towards the shimmering globe, preparing for another titanic strike. The beast channelled all its rage and fear into a devastating attack that could knock down a fully grown oak tree.

The shield by then was already riddled with a spiderweb of cracks and the tiny pony with the weird horn looked ready to pass out. The manticore’s tree trunk-sized limbs slammed down with incredible speed, ready to destroy the pony’s shield and end this threat once and for all.

Or at least that's what it had tried to do.

Instead of feeling the crack as its paws shattered the pony’s shield, the dome instead grew brighter and brighter, expanding as it did. The manticore’s eyes went wide and it nearly tumbled backward out of confusion, trying to escape whatever magic the tiny creatures were trying to use against her. As the light cleared, the beast rubbed its eyes, searching for any sign of the creatures that had threatened her.

The manticore blinked suddenly, her eyes finding the five beings but instead of standing tall and resolute, they lay on their sides, unmoving. It sniffed the air, leaning close to the fallen beings cautiously. Its keen sense of smell could detect the food in their bags and the dirt covering them. It raised its paw to strike, only to catch a whiff of death on the wind. Its nose crinkled in disgust and some primal instinct told it that eating them would be more harm than good.

Its muscles relaxed, relieved the threat had been dealt with.

The manticore gave the five corpses one last look before huffing and making its way over to the tree line, where three tiny pairs of eyes peered out from behind a large spruce tree. When their eyes met, the large manticore relaxed completely, the last dregs of its maternal instincts blowing away.

Throwing one last glance over its shoulder, the great beast used its nose to push the young manticores into the tree line and away from the strange beings that had startled it.

After nearly a minute of tense silence, Rainbow Dash suddenly spoke up, “Is it gone?” only to receive a swift hoof to the gut from an annoyed Applejack. “Oof. What the hay, AJ?”

“You’re damn lucky it's gone, you moron,” the apple farmer remarked, casting a curious glance around the small clearing.

The lone avian perked up and looked around, wiping a bead of sweat from its brow. “Alright, I think she's gone.”

Twilight slowly looked around as well, breathing a sigh of relief when she noticed the coast was indeed clear. “That was quick thinking, Fluttershy.”

“Most ingenious darling, though I would rather do without another meeting with the dirt so soon,” the arachne griped, brushing off her many dirt covered legs.

The bird chuckled, shaking her head at the sight of the pernickety arachne having to wipe herself down twice in such a short amount of time. “I’m just glad no one got hurt.”

“Speak for yourself,” Rainbow Dash grouched, while clutching her stomach and shooting a glare at Applejack, who merely shrugged.

Twilight shook her head slowly, glaring at the thestral. “You should be more thankful, ya know. A hoof to the gut is the least of what you would have gotten if Fluttershy’s plan didn't work and you gave us away.”

The thestral merely shrugged. “If that thing mauled me, I would have just came back to haunt Fluttershy forever.”

The avian chuckled at her friend’s odd choice of words. “I would have appreciated the company.”

Rarity giggled as well, picking her bags from the ground and ensuring she hadn't dropped anything. “Has anyone seen my comb?” The other four all laughed at the sight of the arachne picking through the dirt, unfazed by her recent brush with death. “What?”

Rainbow Dash groaned. “Augh, I can't believe we still haven't gotten there yet. We should have been there like yesterday. Are you sure you are not lost?”

Applejack snorted. “It ain't mah fault the forest seems to be throwing us for a loop. It shouldn't be too much longer though, we just passed the big rock with the yellow squiggles in it.”

“Yellow squiggles?” Twilight asked.

The apple farmer nodded. “Yeah, you remember that huge rock on the left side of the path about five minutes ago?”

The unicorn blinked. “I think so. What does that have to do with anything?”

“Well, that means we ain't far away. Just got the twisty oak tree and that funny-looking hedge and we’re there!” she announced, much to the confusion of the rest of her group. “What?”

“It's just that your system of memory is a little unorthodox, is all,” Rarity offered, glancing at Twilight for support.

“Just a little bit,” the unicorn added.

Applejack huffed. “Well, you try navigatin’ these woods for over a decade and see if you can think of a better way of doin’ it.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Whatever, I’m gonna go scout out the area.” The thestral leapt into the air, pumping her wings and dipping through a break in the canopy.

The unicorn shook her head and moved a little closer to the tree pony. “I trust you Applejack, it's just a little odd.”

“Aww shucks, I know how it sounds. Just wish I got a little more respect, is all,” she griped.

“Why of course we respect you, Applejack,” Rarity added, only to wince. “Well, the rest of us do anyway.”

Fluttershy sighed and was about to speak before her head suddenly jerked upwards and she raised a wing. “Did you girls hear that?”

Twilight blinked, straining her ears into the gloom. “No?”

Rarity followed suit, the whole group coming to an unsteady stop as they all scanned the forest as best they could. “I don't hear anything darling, what did it sound like?”

Fluttershy frowned and peered intently at a spot of darkness, only to shake her head. “I don't know…”

“Whatever it was, we better keep moving,” Applejack added, walking a little faster than usual.

The rest of the group followed closely, with Rarity almost walking directly behind the apple farmer, her forelegs held tight to her chest as her head twisted this way and that, in search of anything lurking within the forest. Twilight herself was a little put off, she had been trying to get a primitive scanning enchantment to work, but something about the way her magic now functioned seemed to make casting the spell impossible. Every time she tried to cast the relatively simple charm it merely fizzled, as if her new magic was simply incompatible with the divination spell.

With the forest growing darker by the minute and Fluttershy’s warning still fresh in her mind, Twilight tried the spell over and over until she finally gave up after the twentieth attempt. She looked around, shrinking slightly when she noticed that the tall broad limbs that lined the path had grown denser, blocking out almost all of the already faint moonlight. Ahead of her Rarity held Applejack’s tail in her hooves, her teeth chattering as she looked back and forth rapidly.

Applejack didn't seem to be faring much better either and she seemed to glare at every pocket of darkness that lined their path, as if she could intimidate whatever hid within. The only part of Fluttershy that could even be seen was her small white tail feathers poking out from under Applejack’s hat which trembled violently.

Rarity sniffed the air suddenly, gaining the attention of her friends. “What is it, Rarity?” Twilight whispered.

“I don't know… It smells awful though,” she remarked, scrunching her nose up in disgust.

Applejack sniffed as well, her own nose wrinkling, and the strange smell making her recoil, her stomach turning. “That's not good.”

Twilight smelled the air as well, only to find that the familiar scent of the forest was all she could smell. “What is it?” she whispered back.

“Smells like something died,” the apple farmer muttered, garnering a shriek of panic from the arachne who clutched Applejack’s tail to her chest.

“T-Timberwolves smell like death, you don't think?” The arachne gulped.

The farmer didn't seem to mind having her tail clutched, as she had backed up until she was mere inches away from the spider pony. While the three beings at the front of the line flinched at the slightest sound and seemed ready to bolt at a moments notice, Twilight on the other hoof didn't seem to mind at all. She looked around, noting that it did seem a little darker but that in itself wasn't that scary as the forest was always dark and her recent death seemed to have given her a measure of dark vision. She also couldn't seem to smell what they were smelling either, and each time the unicorn took a deep breath through her nose, the only thing she detected was the potent scent of wildflowers and the general smell of the forest.

“There it is again!” Fluttershy yelled, standing up inside Applejack’s hat.

Applejack yelped and spun around, glaring at a spot to her left. “Where? Where is it, Fluttershy?”

Rarity screamed, pointing to their right at a seemingly random spot in the line of trees. “There! To the right!”

Applejack spun around, ready to pounce on whatever it was only to see nothing but the dark limbs of another gnarled and twisted tree. “I don't see it.”

“It vanished. Oh stars above, it better not be another pack of timberwolves,” Rarity exclaimed through clattering teeth.

Applejack gulped, her head moving constantly, looking up and down the tree lines, her ears twitching with every minute sound. “Is it… is it gone?” she whispered.

Fluttershy poked out from under Applejack’s hat, peering into the woods along with two of her friends while Twilight just blinked, trying to figure out what they were hearing and seeing. The unicorn hadn't sensed any movement other than the odd bird and a squirrel that had ran across their path and even now she couldn't find anything that would explain her companions’ sudden bout of paranoia.

“The smell is getting worse, they must be close, get ready girls,” Applejack remarked, stopping completely and lowering her body, ready to pounce on any would-be attackers.

Rarity huddled close behind the apple farmer, lifting a small pair of sewing needles and brandishing them like tiny knives. “I can even taste it! It's in my mouth, Applejack!”

“I sure h-h-h-hope we haven't stumbled into another dead zone.” Fluttershy squeaked, gripping Applejack’s hat and covering her face with it.

“Sure seems like it, Fluttershy, keep your wits about you and we just might make it out of here in one piece,” Applejack announced, her voice filled with grim determination.

The spider pony took a hesitant step backward only to brush against something, eliciting a scream from the high strung being. Applejack spun around, instantly moving to cover her friend only to find that it was simply a gnarly branch sticking out from the side of the path. The apple farmer breathed a sigh of relief, but the familiar sound of cracking wood sprung up from all around them, the forest echoing strangely.

A second later Rainbow Dash landed in the center of the group with a massive thud, her eyes wide with panic as she brandished her weapon wildly. “Timberwolves!” she screamed.

Like a match thrown on a pile of timber, the entire group erupted in screams. Rarity ran around in circles, trying to dodge the tree she kept bumping into. Fluttershy was quivering underneath Applejack’s hat, only the tips of her tail feathers visible from under the stetson. Applejack herself had leapt onto a timberwolf and was viciously punching the plant with all her might while screaming. “You won't catch an apple unaware! Take that, you varmint!”

Rainbow Dash was flying around as fast as she could, kicking and hacking at any branch or bit of wood that even resembled a timberwolf, while yelling some thestral battle cry that Twilight only managed to hear bits and pieces of.

All while the unicorn stood there, utterly baffled by the strange turn of events. Applejack was attacking what looked like a bush, while Rarity had now resorted to quivering behind a tree, her hooves held over her head as she cried and muttered a prayer of some kind. Rainbow Dash was wrestling what looked like a large tree branch, biting and twisting as if she were fighting a great beast of some kind.

“Snap out of it girls!” she yelled, running over to the quivering Rarity and shaking her.

“Oh great moon above, please don't take me to the great beyond! I swear I’ll be twice as nice and three times as generous if you let me live! I’ll even build you a proper shrine!” the arachne screeched, staring upwards at the break in the canopy at the moon above.

“There are no timberwolves! Get ahold of yourself!” the unicorn yelled, shaking Rarity one last time before giving up and turning her attention to Applejack, whose hooves were covered in cuts due to the thorny bush she was viciously assaulting with her hooves.

Twilight lit her horn and tried to pull the powerfully built pony away, only for the farmer to lurch forward, breaking her control and leaping back on the bush, a battle cry on her lips. “For the Everfree!” she yelled.

She looked around, panic beginning to grip her unbeating heart. Maybe they are right, maybe there is something out there and I just can't see it. The unicorn spun around, hearing the crack of wood, only to for the image of Pinkie Pie to suddenly flash through her mind. The growing dread that threatened to grip her vanished, replaced by the same warmth the unicorn felt whenever she saw the pink troll’s familiar smile.

What would Pinkie do? she thought.

A smile slowly cracked her face and all of a sudden the unicorn burst into laughter, throwing her head back and laughing for all the world to hear.

Pinkie Pie stopped mid-mix, the large paddle-sized spoon suddenly still in her lone forehoof. Her mentor stopped her incantation, giving her student an odd look, a question on her lips.

Whatever she was about to say was cut off by an odd series of twitches that started with the troll’s mane going straight, then her back hooves shaking, ending with her half-grown right foreleg flailing in circles.

“That was quite the scene, whatever did that mean?” Zecora asked cautiously.

Pinkie Pie blinked, her gaze drawn to a seemingly random point along the wall of the hut, unaware that she was staring straight towards her five friends. “I don't know…” she whispered.

Twilight’s laugh echoed through the forest, animals big and small who heard the strange sound instantly leapt up, flying or running in the opposite direction of the laugh.

The unicorn laughed long and hard, the absurdness of the scenario striking her as bizarrely funny, despite the circumstances.

All around her friends stopped what they were doing, blinking owlishly and looking around with quizzical expressions on their faces. Rarity seemed the first to recover and she looked around slowly, seeing only the strange, unchanging forest and nothing out of the ordinary. She slowly rose up, looking over at the laughing unicorn who had doubled over and was pounding the ground with a hoof.

Applejack pulled her hoof back to deliver what she knew was going to be a devastating blow to the pinned timberwolf’s jaw, only to stop and blink as the wooden creature was replaced by a thoroughly crushed bush. “What the hay,” she muttered, only now noticing the many cuts that lined her hooves. The potent smell of death that had clung to her nostrils seemed to vanish as well and all at once she heard the oddly raspy sound of Twilight’s laughter.

The lone thestral of the group dove to the side, ducking out of the way of what she thought was the swipe of a timberwolf, only to roll and spin back around, her hoof cocked and ready to strike, her blade ineffective against the wooden creatures. Except there was no timberwolf following her.

She looked around, expecting to find the timberwolf nearby, only to see nothing of the sort. “Huh,” she muttered, baffled by the sudden turn of events.

The sound of Twilight’s sandpaper laughter suddenly reached her ears and she angled her body towards the source, confused by the odd burst of mirth amidst what the thestral had thought was a fight to the death.

The guard landed with a soft clank, looking around at her traveling companions who had the same baffled expression as her. “Twilight?” she asked, her hoof brushing the mare’s shoulder.

Twilight pounded her chest with a hoof, her laughter petering off as she struggled to catch her breath. After a few seconds of wheezing, she wiped away a tear and grinned up at her friends who looked down at her with mixed emotions.

“Oh thank goodness you girls are alright,” Twilight remarked, looking around at the mostly unhurt group of friends.

“Yeah,” Applejack muttered. “What happened back there?”

Rarity shook her head, looking around at the now normal looking forest. “It felt like a dream, there were timberwolves everywhere and one of them was standing right over me, its drool dripping into my mane.” The arachne shivered, her hooves running through her mane.

“I don't know, but all of a sudden you guys suddenly started acting like you were being attacked by timberwolves,” Twilight answered.

“Then what happened?” Rainbow Dash asked, moving closer and eyeing the unicorn with an odd look.

“Suddenly I thought of Pinkie and then I couldn't help but laugh,” Twilight remarked, a faint, wistful smile spreading across her face.

“Well, I don't rightly care what the hay happened, but we should get out of here before it has a chance of happening again,” Applejack remarked grimly.

Twilight nodded. “Good thinking. You girls coming?”

Rarity nodded. “Right behind you, darling.”

Rainbow Dash hesitated, glancing at the black gem she had been given before up at the smiling face of the unicorn who looked back at her. “Yeah, I’m coming.”

Rarity hummed in approval, tying a heavy wool scarf around her neck. “Thank goodness I brought a scarf, that wind can be biting at times,” she remarked.

Twilight nodded, not bothering to announce the fact that she didn't feel cold at all.

The arachne threw her stylish bag onto her back only for something shiny to fall out of it and clink on the ground. “Oh fiddlesticks,” she muttered, reaching for the object.

“Wow Rarity, that's the biggest ruby I’ve ever seen.” Fluttershy pointed out.

The arachne sighed. “I must have forgotten it at the bottom of my bag.” She stuffed it back into the bag and closed it more securely this time. “No wonder I couldn't find it.”

“Well, keep it secure this time, wouldn't want to lose it out here,” Applejack added.

“Of course darling, it is the centerpiece of my newest masterpiece after all.” The arachne giggled giddily. “Oh I cannot wait until I get back and finally finish that dress, it's going to be spectacular!”

Twilight couldn't help but smile, Rarity’s energy was truly infectious. “Well we better get moving then and find a good place to camp.”

Applejack nodded solemnly. “There should be a river up ahead, if we follow it along for a little while, we should come to a bridge, after that there is a good spot to set up camp.”

“Oh, I sure hope so, Roger is starting to get tired and I am going to need to find some animal else to borrow for tomorrow if Owlicious doesn't come back,” Fluttershy announced.

“Daw shucks, feels like we were just getting to know lil Roger here. Well, make sure to tell him he's welcome on the farm anytime.”

Fluttershy grinned and nodded eagerly. “I can tell he enjoyed riding your hat and I’m sure you’ll see more of him.”

“Do you hear that?” Rarity asked, her body tensing as she raised a hoof.

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Come on, Rarity, it was funny the first time Rainbow Dash did it, but now it's just annoying.”

The aforementioned guard stopped as well, her ears twitching. “I hear it too, sounds like water ahead.”

“Nice going, Applejack,” Twilight complimented, shooting her friend a wide smile.

The farmer blushed, pawing the ground awkwardly. “Aww shucks, ain't nothin special.”

“Blech,” the thestral groused, sticking her tongue out. “I’m gonna go take a look around, try not to make out too much while I’m gone,” Rainbow Dash announced before leaping into the air and slipping through the canopy.

“What's eatin’ her?” Applejack asked, nodding towards the spot Rainbow had stood only moments before.

“I don't know…” Fluttershy answered sadly. “It's not like her to be this grouchy for this long.”

Twilight shook her head, a concerned look on her face as she watched the bat pony leave. Something about the way Rainbow Dash spoke, and the way she bit her lip whenever she thought no one was looking, had made Twilight begin to worry as well. The unicorn pushed off that worry for now though as she heard the faint sound of leathery wings that signalled the thestral’s surprisingly quick return.

The guard landed hard, skidding to a stop and kicking up a small plume of dust. Rarity and Applejack covered their mouths. “You were right,” Rainbow Dash remarked. “But this doesn't seem like a normal river.”

“What do you mean? Seemed pretty calm last time I was through these parts, was even a few spots to cross if the bridge is out.”

The thestral jerked her head towards the path. “It's not far, you’ll see.”

The four other beings followed the guard closely, the sound of water growing closer by the second, drawing a frown from the apple farmer. “That don't sound right, what the hay happened… Whoa nelly.”

As soon as the group emerged from the tree cover they were blasted by the sound of rushing water. Just ahead of them thousands of gallons of water flew past them, carrying various bits of debris in their clutches. Applejack walked ahead, leaning over the side of the river and giving the the raging water a quick inspection before backing up. “Musta flooded somewhere up stream, there's a whole mess of stuff caught up in it.”

Twilight leaned over as well, only to immediately step back when she realized just how close she had gotten when a splash of water hit her nose. “I sure hope that bridge is functional, because I don't think we are crossing this river anytime soon.”

Rarity sighed dramatically. “Why can't anything be easy for once!”

Rainbow Dash laughed. “Speak for yourself, ground walker.”

“Yeah, well, we can't all have wings,” Applejack groused. “Yo RD, mind making yourself useful and checking on the bridge? Should be a little further south.”

The guard crossed her hooves over her chest, hovering a few feet above the ground. “I don't take orders from you.”

“Would you please check the bridge, Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy offered, batting her tiny avian eyes at the thestral.

A tiny smile slipped onto the edge of Rainbow Dash’s mouth, only to be swiftly wiped away. “Alright fine, but only ‘cause you asked nice.”

Fluttershy giggled at her friend’s antics. “Thank you, Rainbow Dash.”

With that, the thestral pumped her wings and rolled into a backflip before disappearing further down the trail. “Thanks Fluttershy, didn't think I'd be able to get that bird brain movin’ on my own. No offence Roger.”

“You shouldn't be mean to someone just because they aren't in a good mood. Sometimes all you need is a little kindness,” Fluttershy explained.

“True, I just hope she opens up about what's bothering her soon, I don't know how much more of her remarks I can stand,” Rarity added.

Twilight chose not to say anything, instead standing a little further back and looking around the river, scanning the small winding path they were walking on. It was just barely wide enough for two of them to walk abreast and still leave a couple feet between them and the edge of the raging river. Which still wasn't enough room for the unicorn’s liking and she walked as far to the right as possible, eyeing the river like it was some great serpent that was about to come to life and swallow her whole at a moment’s notice.

She only looked up from the river when she heard the distant wingbeats of their returning thestral guard. “Heads up, Rainbow Dash is back.”

The rest of the group looked up and sure enough a few seconds later the rainbow-maned thestral landed with a thump a few feet in front of the troupe. “I got good news and bad news,” she announced with a frown.

“What's the bad news?” Rarity asked hesitantly.

“Bad news is there is a troll by the bridge, I didn't catch a good look, but what I did saw wasn't good.” Rainbow Dash shrugged.

Twilight cocked her head. “And the good news?”

“At least the bridge is in one piece.”

“Well at least there's that,” Applejack remarked.

“Hopefully this troll can be dealt with diplomatically. I don't know how much magic I have left after that fight with the manticore,” Twilight said with a frown.

Applejack shrugged. “Don't you worry none, Twilight. Kicks Mcgee and Thunder still got plenty of oomph left in them.”

“Did you name your hooves?” Rainbow Dash asked, barely able to hold back a snicker.

Applejack blushed. “Err, maybe.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Come on you two. The longer we wait around, the longer it will take until we can set up camp.”

Rainbow Dash snorted as the unicorn passed, ready to launch into the most creative insult she could think of. Only for Fluttershy to glare at the thestral, making her mouth slam shut. “Fine,” she muttered. “But if this troll turns out to be a jerk, I’m not helping.”

“Pfft, like you help much anyhow,” Applejack murmured, brushing past the thestral.

Rainbow Dash hissed and launched back into the air, disappearing two seconds later when she slipped through the canopy once more. With the thestral gone, Applejack sighed and patted the bird’s head. “Sorry ‘bout that, Fluttershy.”

“Don't worry about it, Applejack. I’ll talk to her later and find out what's wrong.”

The rest of the trek was done so in silence and it didn't take them long to approach the site of the bridge. The path crested a brief hill, from which they could see the bridge below them. The wide stone arch crossed the river and despite the rapids mere feet below, it seemed unmarred by the fury of the current or the wooden debris caught in its grip. The group hesitated for a moment, all pairs of eyes scanning the bridge in search of the aforementioned troll. Other than a brief flash of movement from under the bridge, no one was able to detect anything of note, so after a moment to gather her courage, Twilight stepped forth.

“You girls coming?” she asked, hoping her voice sounded more confident than she felt.

Applejack nodded. “Better hurry up and get this over with.” Fluttershy gulped, ducking a little deeper into the top of Applejack’s hat until only her eyes and beak could be seen peeking out from beyond the rim.

Twilight’s confidence didn't last long and when she neared the bridge, she stopped altogether, scanning her surroundings. To the right, a wide road extended for only a few feet before it seemed to be swallowed by the forest. To her left the bridge sat silently, its sheer size striking Twilight as odd.

It was large, easily big enough for a carriage to cross on either side and still have enough room left over to do so with ease. Its stone structure was almost completely undamaged by the passage of time and the rigors of the rapids, though grime and mud clung to it in abundance, Twilight could not see a single stone out of place. Whatever this bridge was meant to connect, it had evidently been important enough to warrant a very sturdy construction.

The unicorn glanced over to her four friends, unsure of how to proceed. “What do we do?” she whispered.

Fluttershy shrugged, shaking so hard it made Applejack’s hat vibrate.

Applejack frowned, peering intently at the right side of the bridge. “Get ready for a fight y'all.”

Twilight gritted her teeth and lowered her horn, slowly walking forward. “Come out here and face us! We know you are there!”

The three beings all peered at the same side of the bridge for several long seconds before finally an enormous hoof emerged from the darkness, gripping the side of the bridge and hoisting up a truly massive troll. Its fur was almost completely replaced by craggy rock formations that were a slightly lighter color of grey than the few hairs that poked out around them. As it emerged from beneath the bridge, Twilight took a step back, her mouth hanging open at the sheer size of the being. It was easily twice the size of the already quite tall unicorn and no doubt weighed three to four times as much as even Applejack. In its left forehoof it dragged a massive club that seemed more like a tree it had ripped out of the ground rather than anything fashioned for combat.

A long tangled mess of a mane tumbled down the back of its bulky neck and two piercing blue eyes glared at the three. “If you want to pass, you will pay the toll,” it commanded, its voice so deep that it sounded like a group of boulders being rubbed together to produce sound.

Twilight gulped nervously, glancing over at Applejack who stared with wide eyes at the enormous being, her own confidence waning at the sheer size of the troll. Fluttershy was huddled in Applejack’s hat, her wings over her head as she trembled in fear. Rarity seemed to be the only one unaffected and was merely frowning at the sight of the creature, her eyes looking it up and down appraisingly.

“Do you not understand the common tongue?” the great troll asked, peering intently at the small group.

“Y-y-yes,” Twilight stammered, glancing at the tree trunk it had slung over one of its massive shoulders.

“Good, then you understand that this is my bridge and to cross you must pay a toll,” it pointed out, as if it were stating the simplest of facts.

“Hey now, no one owns this here bridge! Why I’ve been using it for years!” Applejack yelled angrily, only to shrink when the troll’s gaze fixated on her.

“The strong take, such is the way of the forest. Now hoof over your valuables before I crush your tiny bodies and pick the shiny bits out of the paste.” The troll shifted its weight slightly, gripping the makeshift club tightly.

Twilight turned to Rarity, only to cock her head at the sight of a smile on the arachne’s face.

Rarity pulled off her scarf and with the faint glow of her magic she floated it over to the troll who eyed it cautiously. “You looked a little cold, please, take my scarf. You need it more than me.”

The troll’s eyes narrowed, but it reluctantly took the offered scarf, draping it around its massive shoulders. “That is a good start, now hoof over… wait is that cashmere?” it asked suddenly.

Rarity’s eyes lit up. “Yes it is! It was quite hard to find all the way in Ponyville but it was worth it, no?”

The troll nodded slowly, rubbing its cheek against the fabric.

“But that simply won't do, that scarf is not nearly enough to cover those broad shoulders of yours.” Rarity reached back and rummaged in her bag before eventually pulling out a pair of mittens she had brought along.

“I think those are a might bit small,” the troll pointed out.

Rarity merely rolled her eyes. “Not to worry, give me but a moment.” The arachne gripped a mitten in both hooves, tugging hard on a section near the base of the mitt until it tore the stitching. She then tore the other one in a similar manner and with a swirl of magic, unraveled the two mittens and weaved them back together before levitating it over to the troll who took it and added it to the other scarf on his shoulders.

“That's very nice. I don't suppose you have a gem in there? I am rather hungry,” it remarked, peering inside Rarity’s open bag.

The arachne scoffed. “I bet you haven't had a home cooked meal in ages, staying way out here in the woods.”

“Well now that you mention it…” the troll remarked, tapping its chin with a hoof.

The arachne shook her head and tsked. “That simply won't do, Applejack be a dear and gather up some firewood, would you?”

“Err, sure thing Rarity.” The apple farmer turned, giving Twilight a small shrug before disappearing into the woods.

Twilight slipped a little closer to the spider pony as she fished through her bag. “Psst, what are you doing, Rarity?”

“Trying to find.. Oh here it is!” The arachne pulled the enormous ruby from her bag and held it triumphantly.

“Stars and sun,” the troll muttered, his eyes growing two sizes larger at the sight of the gem.

“Wasn't that important to your dress?” Twilight asked.

Rarity merely shrugged. “There are other gems out there.” The arachne clapped her hooves together. “Now then, where is our dear apple farmer?”

“Right here,” Applejack replied, heaving a small pile of dead wood before the spider pony.

Rarity nodded. “Excellent. Thank you, Applejack.” She turned to Twilight expectantly. “Would you mind lighting the fire?”

“Sure.” The unicorn lowered her horn and fired a small jet of sparks at the tinder which instantly lit.

The troll seemed to eye the unicorn cautiously, but took a small step forward. “What are you doing there, missy?” it rumbled.

“It's going to be rather primitive, but I thought a nice soup would warm that belly. It must get awful cold near the river,” Rarity stated simply, fishing out a large pot from her bag and placing it directly on the fire. “There we are, now we add the water, then a dash of this and a little of that…” the arachne added small shots of their already meagre supply of spices and was ready to add a drop of hot sauce when Rainbow Dash swooped down from a nearby branch and held her back.

“Not the hot sauce, that's all I brought!” the thestral cried.

Twilight let out a surprised yelp, nearly falling onto her butt from the sudden appearance of the guard. Rather than be surprised, the troll just rolled its massive eyes.

Rarity yanked the hot sauce away from the thestral and shot her a look. “I can buy you more hot sauce when we get back to Ponyville.”

“Aww, come on, Rarity you know I can't eat your cooking without my sauce,” Rainbow Dash griped, making another swipe at the bottle, only to come up empty-hoofed.

“Rainbow Dash, you are acting like a child! Now go stand over there with Applejack and I’ll pretend like you didn't just whine at me like a foal,” Rarity said sternly.

The thestral wilted slightly and plodded over to a spot next to a snickering Applejack, whom the guard shot a glare at.

“Now then.” The arachne gestured to the troll, levitating the gem over the boiling pot. “If you would do the honors of crushing it, I can finish your soup.”

The troll took a step forward, its club mysteriously absent from its shoulder. It reached out with a hoof, only to stop. “But crushing it makes it lose all the flavor.”

Rarity smiled confidently up at the enormous troll. “Trust me darling, this is going to taste even better.”

The troll stared into the arachne’s eyes for several long seconds before it reached forward and gripped the gem in both hooves, crushing the gem like it was little more than glass. The small rain of red shards falling into the soup joined the mixture, which began to take on a reddish hue.

Together they sat around the small fire, peering within and waiting as Rarity occasionally stirred the pot, humming softly to herself. After a few minutes of rather tense silence the arachne withdrew her spoon and smiled up at the troll. “Alright it's ready. Bon appetit!”

The troll licked its massive lips and grabbed the pot in both hooves and tossed it back.

“Watch out, it's rather… hot,” Rarity added, only to stare as the troll chugged the entire contents of the pot in one long pull, not even noticing the red hot metal it was gripping. “Huh,” she muttered.

The troll tipped back the last of the soup and wiped its lips before belching loudly, a small smile spreading across its lips. “That was simply divine, miss, uh?” ie asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Rarity,” the arachne replied, extending a hoof.

The troll took the spider pony’s hoof and gently bumped it. “Charmed. I’m Rolling Boulder and I must say that was the best soup I’ve had since my wife…” It coughed suddenly and stood off to the side, gesturing to the bridge. “Go on, sorry for keeping ya.”

Rarity merely shrugged. “Not to worry, my friend but you really should come by Ponyville sometime, I know this perfect little restaurant that I think you would love.”

The troll plopped down on its butt, an act that sent a small tremor that rattled the hooves of everypony around. It rubbed its chin with a hoof, staring up at the starry sky. “Well, my daughter has been bugging me to come see her fashion show, maybe...”

Rarity nodded, flashing the troll a winning smile. “Well, if she ever wants to show off her line in Ponyville, tell her to stop by my shop and I would be happy to work something out with her.”

A smile slowly spread across the troll’s face and he nodded. “That does sound awful kind of you. Maybe Inky is still in Cliffsdale…”

The arachne strutted across the bridge, followed closely by her stunned friends who gawked silently until they were over the bridge and out of sight of the mountainous troll. Rainbow Dash was the first to break the silence and she suddenly zoomed out in front, grabbing Rarity by the shoulders. “What the hay was that?”

“What?” Rarity asked sweetly. “Some beings just need a little helping hoof, is all.”

Applejack shook her head, tilting back her hat. “Slather me with butter and call me a biscuit. If that wasn't the most generous thing ah ever saw, then I don't know what was.”

Fluttershy took wing, hovering just in front of the spider pony, a huge smile on her beaked face. “Oh that was wonderful, Rarity!”

The arachne blushed, batting a hoof at the bird. “Oh stop, I just did what any being would do.”

The thestral landed next to the arachne, some of her anger dissipating. “I’m holding you to that promise about the hot sauce.”

Rarity rolled her eyes and patted the thestral on the withers. “I wouldn't have it any other way.”

The intrepid group of friends had established a camp despite the fact that they had yet to reach the castle, in stark contrast to the one hour estimation Pinkie had made before they left. A fact that was not lost on the five beings who were gathered around a small fire.

Rarity gagged, magically removing a thick clump of mud that had clung to the underside of her body. “Oh, I simply cannot wait to get to the castle, at least I won't have to worry about quite as much mud.”

Applejack snorted at the arachne, settling her weight into the dirt a little more and giving her butt a wiggle. “Oh come on, ain't mud good for the skin?”

Rarity looked down her nose at the plant-bound pony, whom was caked up to her shoulders in mud and dirt. “Well some of us don't have a tree growing out of our backs.”

“Fair,” Applejack muttered, setting her head down on the ground with a content sigh, not bothered in the slightest by the splash of mud that coated most of her muzzle.

Twilight chuckled at the display, wondering idly just how much of Applejack’s love of dirt was her own, only to be distracted by the sound of clinking armor as Rainbow Dash continued to pace.

“She’ll come back, she always does,” Twilight pointed out.

The thestral didn't seem to agree and bit her lip as she stared off into the growing light that peeked through the treetops. “You never know,” she muttered silently.

“Darling, please sit down, you’re giving me a migraine, pacing back and forth like that,” Rarity lamented.

The guard stopped briefly, reluctantly plunking her weight down on a log they had found. “Fine.”

Twilight placed a hoof on the worried thestral’s shoulder. “She said Owlicious was close, I’m sure she will be back any second.”

Rainbow Dash jerked her shoulder, removing Twilight’s hoof. “You don't know anything, outsider.”

The unicorn sighed and looked away.

“Well, seems like this is the perfect time to talk about it. Rarity, would you do the honors?” Applejack asked suddenly.

“Talk about what?” Rainbow asked defensively, glaring at each being in turn.

“You are awfully high strung lately and we all have been worrying about you, Fluttershy included,” Rarity added, emphasizing the spirit’s name.

“It's just…” The guard glanced around at the other three beings, sighing when she saw the worry in their eyes. “Work stuff. I got demoted, again.”

This time when Twilight wrapped a hoof around the thestral’s shoulders she didn't brush it off, even leaning a little closer to the unicorn. “Maybe if you just waited a little more and thought things out?” Twilight offered, already flinching for the incoming remark.

Only for it to never come.

The thestral merely sighed, shrinking slightly. “Maybe,” she muttered.

The unicorn blinked, looking around the circle at her other friends for support, only for them to both shrug, eliciting a groan from Twilight. Not really sure what to do, the unicorn merely patted Rainbow’s armored shoulders, hoping it gave her some sense of encouragement.

Thankfully the flutter of wings diverted everyone’s attention to the edge of the camp where a bright eyed Owlicious flew into view. The owl landed next to Twilight and let out a small hoot, nuzzling the unicorn’s side happily.

Twilight gently patted his head and looked around for their spirit friend. “Where's Fluttershy?”

The owl hooted and pointed a wing to where he had flown, from where a shimmer butter yellow aura was zipping through the trees. The group watched in awe as the shimmer flew over to them and then to the owl where it floated for a few seconds before the owl nodded. With the animal’s assent, the spirit flew into the owl, filling its body with light until its eyes fluttered open, revealing the bright teal orbs of Fluttershy.

“H-hi girls. Did I miss anything?” The owl asked nervously, looking around the circle at all the stunned expressions.

Rainbow Dash reacted first, leaping over and scooping up the owl into a tight hug. “Fluttershy! I’m so glad you are back, you had me worried there for a second.”

The owl hooted nervously, some of its animalistic instincts peeking through the spirit’s possession. “I’m fine, really!”

The guard gave one last squeeze before reluctantly releasing the owl and settling down next to it.

Applejack nodded to the bird. “Good to see you are back, hope you didn't run into any trouble.”

Fluttershy shook her head. “No, Owlicious just loaded up on a bit too many mice and was taking a nap when I found him.”

“That is good to hear, darling, I don't think any of us would be able to sleep knowing you were still out there.”

Fluttershy blushed somehow, covering her face with a wing. “Aww, thanks girls.”

Twilight smiled, sitting back and watching as Rainbow Dash doted over the owl. The guard had pulled a leaf from the owl’s wing and reprimanded Fluttershy on proper wing maintenance and was sternly demanding that the owl remember to check its wings before flying.

The unicorn was content to watch the scene play out around her, not really sure what she should do or say in the context of a social gathering, that was until a rather unfortunate subject was broached a few minutes later.

“Twilight, I must admit I am rather curious about your condition, and you did mention that you would explain it to us once you had a moment, so...” Rarity opened, eyeing the unicorn nervously.

“Yeah, what's with that weird light round yer horn anyhow?” Applejack added.

Rainbow Dash stayed remarkably silent, her hoof reaching into a bag as she stared at Twilight with a mixed expression.

The unicorn sighed, looking out over her friends with a sad look. “Do you really want to know?”

Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Rarity all nodded, but Fluttershy seemed to disagree and hopped over to the spot next to Twilight, extending a wing to the unicorn. “You don't have to if you don't want to, Twilight. We trust you.”

Applejack sighed. “Suppose it's only right to trust you after you trusted me. If you don't want to say anything, that's fine in my books.”

Twilight smiled brightly, overcome by emotion at such an outpouring of support. “Thank you, but I think I owe you girls a proper explanation.”

Rainbow Dash shifted closer, trying not to make it obvious just how intent she was.

“Really darling, if it hurts this much…”

Twilight shook her head. “It hurts to talk about, but it also hurts not to tell my only friends what I’m feeling.”

“Only friends?” Rainbow asked, lifting an eyebrow at the remark. “I thought you lived up in Canterwhatever all your life.”

“I did…”

Despite the lingering bit of xenophobia that still roiled in the thestral’s heart, she couldn't help but wince at the pain in the unicorn’s voice. “Sorry,” she muttered.

“It's okay.” Twilight shook her head. “Where do I start?”

“Well, why don't ya tell us a little more about yourself?” Applejack offered, steering the conversation in a somewhat nicer direction.

The unicorn smiled, her mind going back to her years of study at home with her family. “I’m a student of magic and I’ve been studying it and any other subject I could think of for as far back as I can remember.” Twilight chuckled suddenly, blushing as she thought of a rather embarrassing memory. “It may sound silly, but when I was little, I always thought that if I knew everything, I could raise the sun like Princess Celestia.”

The others laughed politely, with a particular thestral imagining the unicorn’s head becoming six times its regular size in order to contain all the information, causing her to laugh a little harder.

“It wasn't always easy though, I was born with a condition that made ponies fear me, which also made me clumsy in addition to making me a taller then normal.” The unicorn extended one of her limbs in emphasis and gestured to her horn. “It also curved my horn a little, which in Canterlot is an ill omen.”

“Why though? I think it makes you have a certain air of mystery and intrigue,” Rarity pointed out.

“Suits ya,” Applejack added.

Twilight giggled. “Thanks girls. In unicorn culture, a curved horn indicates that a ponies magic flows differently, this difference is usually perceived negatively.” She shrugged. “I didn't care though, I had my mom and my brother and my books which were all I needed in my life.”

The unicorn sighed heavily, her shoulders sagging. “Until Celestia came and offered me a chance to join her school.”

Rainbow Dash couldn't hold back a hiss at the name, a sentiment the rest of the group shared. Applejack gritted her teeth and snorted while Rarity remained perfectly still, and Fluttershy shivered in terror. The words of Shade flashed through Twilight’s mind, reminding her that these beings may well have suffered at the hooves of the dreaded alicorn.

“After that things got worse, in the middle of the night she struck, sicking one of her twisted enforcers on my family and killing my mother. My brother had tried to save us, but wasn't able to defend against that monster.” She gritted her teeth, flashes of the orange unicorn’s insane smile still pressed firmly in her memory. “In the end she accomplished her mission.”

The unicorn looked up, her gaze flickering among the stunned faces of her friends. Even Rainbow Dash seemed shocked, her jaw hanging open as she stared at Twilight. Twilight sighed a little deeper, knowing that the next part of her story may well make or break their friendship.

“What was her mission?” Rainbow Dash asked, in a volume barely above a whisper.

“She was sent there to kill me.”

“Then you are…” Rainbow muttered, her eyes growing wide.

Twilight nodded sadly. “Zecora helped me realize that I didn't really survive like I had thought. It turns out my condition made it so that my lambda system absorbed my soul, reanimating me. Sort of.”

Rarity recoiled slightly, only to cock her head and eye the unicorn up and down. “Shouldn't you be rotting, if you are dead? I mean you could use a long bath, but…”

Twilight shrugged. “I don't really know. Apparently I’m still sort of alive because of my condition? It's all so strange, which is one reason I wanted to go to the undertower.”

“Why is that?” Rainbow asked pointedly, her eyes narrowing.

“Zecora said it held the answers I seek.” The unicorn sighed suddenly, kicking a rock near her hoof. “But after getting to know all you girls, I don't know if I can go through with it.”

“Why not?” Fluttershy asked, squeaking under the sudden gaze of the rest of her friends. “If you don't mind me asking, that is…”

“It's just…” Twilight pawed the ground nervously, glancing over at each one of her friends in turn. “You girls mean so much to me and I don't know what I would do if you were to get hurt.” She shook her head suddenly, gaining determination. “My answers aren't worth that.”

Rainbow Dash glanced down at the bracelet she was given, thinking about the gem in her bag. With her own mind a whirl of confusion she looked over at the rest of her friends, gauging their reactions. Applejack seemed conflicted, as if she had a sour taste in her mouth, but was trying to swallow it anyway. Fluttershy was a difficult read due to the beak and the avian features, but when the thestral glanced into her eyes, all she could see was the same boundless kindness she always saw. With a resounding sigh the thestral dropped the near permanent frown she had held for what felt like days.

“Bullshit,” she announced proudly.

Twilight blinked, recoiling from the thestral. “What?”

“Bullshit. It's a minotaur term, means ‘screw that’,” Rainbow said with a smirk.

Rarity cleared her throat. “Although I don't agree with such uncouth language, I must confess that I feel similarly.”

Applejack nodded. “Exactly. If ya are out here for us, then it's only right that we do right by you.”

“But it's dangerous!” Twilight pulled out one of the books out of her bag and flipped it to a page that had a rather long list on it. “There are deadly traps, monsters, even the air on one of the levels is dangerous!”

Applejack merely shrugged. “So? We’ll get through it, like how we got through everything the forest threw at us today. Right girls?”

The other three all cheered, with Fluttershy raising a wing triumphantly and hooting.

Twilight shook her head, once more surprised by how far these four friends would go just for her. “Girls…”

Rainbow Dash gave the unicorn a lighthearted punch on the shoulder. “Aww, don't get sappy on us now. I was just startin’ to like ya.”

Twilight sniffed, wiping her eye and suddenly pulling the thestral into a tight hug. “Thank you,” she muttered into the thestral’s shoulder.

Rainbow Dash patted the unicorn’s back, gently pushing her back after a few seconds of awkward cry hugging. “That's quite enough of that for one day.”

Twilight nodded, tears building at the edge of her eyes.

“I feel like I’ve known you girls for years,” Twilight said with a smile.

Rarity nodded. “Me too. I may have known most of you in passing until now, but after these past few days I can't see going back to my normal life without you girls in it.” The arachne sniffed, pulling a hoofkerchief from the bag on her back and blowing into it.

Fluttershy nodded, along with Applejack and Rainbow Dash who all had wide, confident grins on their faces.

Twilight seemed on the verge of tears again and she spread her forelegs wide. “Can I get another hug from you girls, or would that be strange?”

“Of course you can.”

Fluttershy leapt into the unicorn’s embrace, followed closely by Rarity and Applejack who all squeezed her back. Twilight grinned from ear to ear, only to notice one of her friends was missing. Looking over Applejack’s shoulder, she saw Rainbow Dash at the edge of the fire, oddly hesitant.

“Come on, Rainbow Dash. Just one little iddy bitty hug?” Twilight asked with a pout.

“I don't know…” the thestral muttered, a small blush spreading across her face.

Twilight’s pout turned into an oddly impish smile and she leaned in, whispering to the other three. Rainbow Dash’s powerful ears could only hear snippets of the conversation and she leaned closer, curious as to what the unicorn was saying. The whispering stopped suddenly and all three turned to her with the same impish smile.

“What are you- nononono!” The thestral turned and tried flee.

Only to get tackled out of the air by an owl who was followed closely by the heavy form of Applejack and finally Rarity and Twilight who all eagerly hugged the groaning thestral. Eventually even she succumbed to the cuddle pile and together their laughter echoed throughout the forest.

Twilight smiled, feeling warmth and strength flowing from her friends and into her. “Is it just me or does it feel like Pinkie Pie is here with us?”

Rarity nodded eagerly. “It does feel like she's here, doesn't it?”

“Almost like she's right around the corner of that tree!” Rainbow yelled, pointing to a random tree. The other four all gasped, only to notice no one was there.

When they looked back they noticed the sneaky thestral had somehow managed to slip out from beneath their group hug.

“Get her girls!” Fluttershy yelled giddily, pointing to her. Rainbow Dash had flown across the camp and was busy dusting off her armor.

She gulped, her eyes going wide. “Oh fu-”

Much later and after a brief chase, the five friends had settled down for the day, all slipping into their tents, sleeping bags, or just the dirt in the middle of the camp as was the case with Applejack. After they had of course put up some defensive runes and cast a tripwire spell around their camp. With their camp secure, and the night having taken quite the toll on them, all five had slipped off to dreamland. All save Rainbow Dash who lay awake near the edge of the camp, her gaze drawn up to where the night sky was slowly being replaced by the light of day. The moon hung nearly perfectly above her head, in the same place it had been since as far back as anyone could remember and she couldn't help but feel like it was watching her.

With a sigh, the thestral sat up and slipped out of her sleeping bag, making her way over to the edge of the camp and staring out into the forest. A sudden grumble made her turn towards the fire pit where Applejack lay sprawled out on her belly, a healthy layer of dirt covering most of her.

“I don't wanna go to town Granny, Big Mac says he's gonna jump the shed,” she mumbled before thrusting her muzzle into the dirt and snoring loudly.

Rainbow Dash shook her head and started a small patrol, hoping that the burning questions that had been pestering her would leave after she calmed her nerves.

As she continued her impromptu patrol the questions returned, and with a vengeance. What does Twilight mean to her? She's a friend, that much is obvious, but she's also supposed to be spying on the unicorn. Can you spy on a friend and still be friends? The thestral felt strangely dirty about the whole idea and she couldn't help but feel as though she were betraying the newfound trust the unicorn had placed in her.

On the other hoof there was a promotion and potentially her job on the line if she failed.

Could she betray her adoptive home town for one random pony?

She shook her head and slapped herself. “Get it together, Dash,”

After giving her head a second firm shake she took a deep breath and continued her patrol, only making it a few feet until she heard a soft thunk come from a nearby tree. Instantly her training kicked in and she dropped low to the ground, her crescent blade in her mouth in the blink of an eye. After a brief look she leapt to the side, dodging behind the same tree she had heard the sound from and casting a glance around the trunk.

After seeing no one she looked up at the arrow, instantly recognizing a scroll tied to the end as it was bound by the night guard seal of a crescent blade across two batlike wings. Instantly she felt her body relax and with annoyed huff she reached up and plucked the arrow from the tree. “I swear to the moon that if this is another prank…”

Her words died in her throat.

Follow the archer, you will be debriefed by a field agent.
-By the light of the moon.

She looked up, scanning the treeline one last time before sighing and looking over her shoulder. None of her friends seemed to notice, with Rarity and Twilight’s shared tent having not moved an inch while Applejack’s snores still resounded through the small clearing they had made camp in.

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but gulp, the moment of truth coming faster than she had wanted. This is it, she thought glumly.

With a resounding sigh of defeat the thestral tossed the arrow aside, and stuffed the note into a pocket in her armor.

“Time to face the music,” she muttered darkly, her hooves carrying her deeper into the forest.

Author's Note

Edited by the everywonderful, everfreepony!
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Magic

No leaves rustled at her passing, no twigs broke underhoof and to all but the most careful of observers the changeling was invisible. Decades of hard training and millennia of experience had long since made trekking through even the Everfree an easy task.

That was excluding the last few days, of course, they were a strange outlier. The path the five beings had chosen should have only taken them an hour or two to reach the castle and yet the forest had seemingly taken it upon itself to test the small group of friends.

Chrysalis didn't understand why or how the forest did it, but she could clearly tell that each test and obstacle the forest threw at them was meant for one of their party. Even then, after realizing that the forest had been testing them, she still didn't get the point of the dead zone the forest had thrown at them. Why would the forest do such a thing, if it was indeed a planned event at all?

She didn't know and though she made a note of it for her report, she pushed it out of her mind for now. Coming to a halt outside the group’s camp, Chrysalis stealthily climbed a tree that allowed her a perfect line of sight of all five of the group, while still offering her ample cover to hide. From her new vantage point she easily picked out the five shapes of the group.

Rainbow Dash seemed to be trying to sleep, but was merely tossing and turning beneath her sleeping bag. Inside the tent Chrysalis could detect the slumbering forms of Rarity and Twilight. Outside, in the center of the camp, Applejack lay sprawled out in the dirt, nearly covered in the stuff. Beyond that she could tell there was an owl hunting further to her right, but even its keen senses would be little help in finding the stealthy changeling.

As she watched, she couldn't help but feel, amusement? Mixed with an odd sensation of responsibility.

She wanted to go out there, to help the five beings and to guide them to their goal, but she had her orders. She paused, realizing just how foreign such a feeling truly was to the ancient queen.

“I’m spending too much time with Cadey,” she muttered, a smirk crossing her muzzle.

Still, even then she couldn't help but think of the five beings as little more than grubs, and something about that comparison seemed to urge her to go out there and help them. She sighed, silently wondering if she had perhaps put off birthing more drones for too long, as her motherly instincts were starting to overflow onto random ponies.

Even if they were adorable ponies.

The queen shook her head and forced herself to review what had happened after the last few hours before she had done a quick sweep and checked on the other group that was camped nearby.

She had heard the five beings talk, and had listened closely as Twilight had admitted some rather interesting news. Even the fact that she was a proto-lich was overshadowed by a different tidbit of information that the queen stumbled on, through what seemed like pure chance. When the five beings had drawn close, and had convinced Twilight to let them help her, Chrysalis had detected something strange.

Not with her eyes, ears or other normal senses, and not even with the emotional senses that all changelings had, but rather her finely tuned magical senses that only the oldest and most capable beings had. The sense itself allowed her to feel great stores of magic and if she focused, she could easily tell what school of magic the lingering originated from. And if she was lucky, even get a hint of its purpose. So when the five beings suddenly flared with magic, the queen had instantly focused her magical senses on the them, trying to figure out what exactly had happened.

Only to come up with… nothing.

She didn't know what school the magic was from, where it had originated, where it went or what its purpose was. It dissipated quickly, the five beings all disengaging from the hug pile they had briefly formed and sure enough by the time they stood apart, the magic was gone, as if it had never existed in the first place.

Chrysalis pushed the thoughts of the strange magic from her mind, there was no point dwelling on it now, especially with her quarry so close at hoof.

As if on cue, Chrysalis saw the thestral wiggle out from inside her sleeping bag and quickly don her armor. “What are you up to, little pony?” the queen whispered.

Chrysalis slithered down the tree, her eyes never leaving the pony as she strapped herself up and belted her sword to her side. The changeling watched as the thestral slowly began to circle the camp, her eyes scanning the treeline, though the sun shining overhead seemed to hinder her sight. Not like it would matter of course, Chrysalis was an expert infiltrator and she doubted the thestral would be able to see her even if the changeling were mere feet away.

The pony circled the camp a second time, her eyes flicking over the sight of her friends and lingering on the tent more often than not. Chrysalis could tell even from a distance that the thestral had some sort of conflict with one of the beings in the tent and by the third circle the changeling was sure it was Twilight.

But why? They had been so close only mere hours ago, was there something the changeling didn't notice?

Impossible, the changeling thought to herself.

As she watched and analyzed the bat pony’s emotion, the puzzle began to unravel and soon enough Chrysalis began to understand the thestral’s sudden about-face.

The thestral was obviously conflicted by the knowledge she had gained earlier, which would explain the small amount of fear she felt as it wasn't for her, but for Twilight. What would she have to fear though? Perhaps she feared what her fellow guards would do once they knew that they had a necromancer in their midst? They seemed reasonable though, but then again Chrysalis had to admit that if a day pony wandered into her camp and showed incredible power and questionable loyalty, the queen was likely to kill them just to be safe. Was that what this pony was about to do?

Chrysalis waited and watched as Rainbow Dash continued her patrol, never once getting closer to Twilight’s tent and never drawing her weapon. The changeling slowly slunk back down into her hiding spot, her muscles relaxing as evidently the thestral did not wish to at least directly harm the queen’s charge.

A sudden twang and the changeling was already on the ground less than a millisecond later. After a quick emotional scan of the surroundings, she felt a presence retreating into the forest, but far enough away that the queen was unlikely to have been the target. The changeling peeked around, quickly finding that the thestral had followed her lead, though of course she didn't know it.

Rainbow Dash’s head poked up and scowled at the arrow embedded in the tree beside her, making Chrysalis have to suppress a snicker. Evidently it wasn't just Cadence and her little resistance that had a flair for dramatic, but rather the night guard as well.

Her hooves pumped under her and within seconds she was already over the shoulder of the thestral, catching a brief glimpse at the paper in her hoof. Chrysalis had already drawn a blade when a sudden burst of emotion made her stop.

She had been seconds from dropping on the thestral and ending her before she had a chance to alert her fellow guard, only for a surge of panic to explode from the thestral. A would-be murderer did not fear the order to kill a sleeping pony, the guiltless did not fear the result of their actions, and this thestral was anything but guiltless.

Thinking quickly, Chrysalis stowed her blade and retreated higher up into the canopy, her spindly limbs carrying her soundlessly into the tree tops. Sure enough a few seconds later she heard the somber hoofsteps of the thestral guard as she stomped off into the woods. Not fly, not trot, but stomp, an act that further confused the changeling.

She decided to simply sit back and watch, hoping she didn't have to end this poor pony’s life quite yet. Chrysalis ignored the part of her that raged at the thought of pitying prey, but she stuffed that part of her down deep.

As the thestral stomped off towards her fellow guards’ camp, Chrysalis could feel her go through a variety of emotions. From fear, to confusion, to anger, the thestral ran the gamut of confused emotions as she walked ever closer.

All the while the changeling had no trouble staying up and out of sight, even slipping through a guard patrol of three thestrals that whizzed through the trees. In the distance she could see the glint of steel and a few tents standing in a small clearing, a large, rather imposing thestral looming at the center. The pony easily stood a foot taller than his fellow guards and his armor was significantly thicker. Most interesting of all was the small pair of wings on the back of his helm that indicated that he was the commander of this little operation.

Nestling into the crook of a large oak, the changeling hid herself well and lay in wait, extending her senses into the camp.

Below her, Rainbow Dash slipped through the ring of trees and winced at the light that shone through the break in the canopy. She shielded her eyes with a hoof and walked into the center, blinking rapidly in hope of her eyes adapting to the light.

She exchanged a brief word with a camp guard before being pointed towards the stallion at the center, whose frown seemed to grow even deeper at the sight of the rainbow-maned thestral. As she approached though, the captain seemed to stow such emotion down deep, replacing it with determination.

“Greetings, Private Dash, how goes your scouting mission?” he announced warmly.

The thestral didn't seem to be having any of it and snorted at the warm greeting. “Cut the crap, are you spying on me?”

The captain rolled his eyes. “No, we are merely your backup in case things hit the fan, as they say.”

Chrysalis could feel the thestral’s relief and her posture slumped slightly. “Good, ‘cause something tells me this whole expedition is only going to get more complicated from here.”

The captain nodded. “That may be. Now, have you discovered any information on our little visitor?”

Rainbow Dash tensed, and Chrysalis could feel the fear coming off of her all the way from her hiding spot. “Sort of.”

The captain nodded. “Anything you know about why she's here, anything strange she may have done, where she's from and who sent her would greatly help our investigation.”

The smaller thestral gulped at her captain’s commanding tone. “Yes, sir.” She breathed deeply, and suddenly the fear and confusion was washed away. “She is not here by choice, she just wants to go home, but does not know anything about the forest or its denizens.”

“Interesting. How did she end up here?”

Rainbow Dash hesitated. “It seems as though she had a mishap with the solar guard and fled.” Her confidence surged, an idea no doubt forming in her mind. “From there she rode the river into the forest, but lost consciousness.”

The captain was quiet for a long moment, his gaze distant. “What kind of mishap?”

“She was, vague. Sir.”

“Elaborate.”

The younger guard’s stance wavered slightly. “Her and her family seemed to be at the wrong end of the law, but refused to say how exactly. I have been able to infer that it doesn't seem to be a law that we have, but rather one that's exclusive to the day realm.”

“The plot thickens,” the captain remarked.

“Sir?”

The captain shook his head. “Nothing, merely the musings of an old soldier. Anything else to report?”

“Only that she intends to use this trip as a way to pay back the various debts she's accumulated over the time that she's been here,” Rainbow Dash added.

“Oh? Like what?”

“Applejack wants something from the castle, though I don't think she's stealing, rather she seems to be trying to find something presumed lost. The outsider seems confident she can help in this matter and is eager to do so as she has been receiving free room and board from the Apples.”

The captain nodded. “Go on.”

“Rarity seemed to have helped her find her way around town and bought her some food at a different occasion and she is here to study the banners in the main hall.”

The larger thestral tensed slightly. “She doesn't intent on taking them, correct?”

Rainbow shook her head. “No, she knows our laws and respects them. She just wishes to study the banners in hopes of replicating the fabric.”

“Good, and this forest spirit, Fluffershy?”

“Fluttershy, sir.”

“Why is she here?”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “She's too kind for her own good.”

The captain cocked his head, only to burst into laughter. “That does sound like our resident spirit.” The larger thestral smiled suddenly, joy trickling out of him. “Good job, Private Dash. At this rate you may get your shadowbolts like you always wanted.”

The smaller thestral grinned. “Thank you, sir. Is that all?”

“Yes,” the guard captain said, only to trot after the mare. “Oh, I nearly forgot, do you still have the gem on you?”

The rainbow-maned pony gulped, a spike of fear emanating from her. “N-no. I’m sorry but it was lost during a fight with a manticore matron.”

The captain slumped slightly. “Too bad, that would have really helped us find out what kind of magic this unicorn has to offer.”

“I better get going sir, they might start wondering where I went off to.”

He nodded, giving the smaller thestral a clap on the back. “Good work, Rainbow Dash. Keep it up.”

Rainbow grinned from ear to ear and shot the captain a quick salute. “Thank you, sir!”

Then, before the captain could think of any other questions, the thestral opened her wings and shot off into the forest, leaving the guard captain to roll his eyes and cough as he was caught in her fleeting dust cloud. He turned, making his way back to the tent, only to be interrupted by another guard who approached, a nervous look on her face. She was smaller than the captain, much smaller and seemed so filled with fear that she would probably jump at the sight of her own shadow.

“Yes, Lieutenant Swift Shadow?” the captain asked, already annoyed.

The smaller pony gulped. “I was just wondering if you believe her, sir.”

The captain’s eyes narrowed and Chrysalis could feel a small spike of anger erupt from the stallion. “And why do you ask that?”

“Well, no offence to Rainbow Dash, but she isn't exactly the brightest and-”

“Let me stop you right there, lieutenant.” The captain’s eyes narrowed and he leaned closer. “I do not accept such talk under my command. If you have a problem with someone, then talk it out with them, do not let it color your perception. Am I understood?”

The poor little guard was shaking like a leaf by this point, barely able to keep a grip on her weapon. “Y-yes sir!”

The captain nodded. “Good, and though I know she isn't the brightest, she is smart in other ways and loyal to the core. Something I wish all of my guards emulated.”

Chrysalis ignored the rest of the conversation, opening her wings and propelling herself from her hiding spot and flying towards where she had seen Rainbow Dash go. The changeling had heard all she needed and though the jury was still out on this odd guard, Chrysalis felt a bit of relief after hearing what she had.

Despite losing sight of the thestral, Chrysalis had felt confident that she was heading back to their camp, only to stop suddenly mid-flight as she felt a burst of confusion and indecision from her right. The location was deeper in the woods and closer to a small creek that ran through the area. Intrigued by the emotions, the changeling shifted course and flew the treetops until a certain prismatic thestral came into view.

The guard stood above the ravine, her leathery wings holding her aloft as she gripped a small white gem in her hoof. She was staring into it, unaware of her surroundings as she peered within the gem, as if looking for the answer to some unasked question.

Didn't she lose that? Chrysalis thought, recalling those tumultuous few minutes after the group had fallen through that hole and accidentally evaded the queen.

The sound of the thestral’s voice drew the queen from her musings. “Is this really the right thing to do?” she asked the gem.

When the gem didn't answer, the thestral sighed. “She's my friend, but…”

Her shoulders sagged and she looked down at the gem in a new light. “Maybe I should give you to the captain.”

But instead of turning and heading back to the guard camp, she just hovered there, staring deep into the pure white gem. After almost a minute of silence she spoke, “No, I can't do that to her. Not after she trusted me to keep her secret.”

The gem slipped from her hoof and dropped into the ravine, quickly being carried away by the current. With her decision made, the thestral sped off towards the direction of their camp, leaving the queen behind.

Thinking quickly, the changeling raced down the side of the ravine, searching for the gem before it could get carried far. Sure enough, the queen found it within a few minutes, the gem having gotten tangled in a matt of weeds that grew near the water's edge.

With a deft hoof she scooped it out of the water and eyed it cautiously. Though she lacked a horn, she knew what this gem was supposed to do, but without a way of activating it she was forced to stow it away for now.

“Cadence is going to want to see this,” she muttered, before following after the thestral guard.

Sunset Shimmer was not a happy pony.

She wasn't a happy pony in general, and wasn't especially known for her being joyful even before her unfortunate arrest.

Still, even with all that in mind, today Sunset Shimmer was an exceptionally unhappy pony.

She stood at the edge of the Everfree, small twisted trees and bushes that dotted the lead up to the forest were now behind her and the central mass of the true Everfree lay just before her.

She could feel the commands placed inside her, urging her onwards, but she refused that call, at least for another few minutes. She couldn't help but idly muse at the fact that there was something completely different about knowing you are about to do something incredibly dangerous and most definitely life-threatening and actually doing it. Thus she stood sentinel, the river to her left being the only sound other than the thunderous beat of her own heart.

She had heard many stories about the history of the forest, read many tomes about the bizarre life within it and heard many tales of the horrors that awaited within this cursed wood and none of them could prepare her for this moment.

The sense of wrongness was the first thing that struck her, it was as if the forest itself wanted her gone and had made its displeasure known. The feeling of guilt was akin to being glared at by an older pony after Sunset had just done something she knew was wrong.

With great difficulty she pushed the feeling aside, reminding herself just how many of those stories, and books were probably just lies perpetuated by Celestia. The sentiment had weight in the unicorn’s mind and she did believe it and yet the feeling remained. She couldn't help but gulp as she lifted her hoof and took the first step into the Everfree Forest.

Instantly she was met with a sharp stinging sensation coming from her leg and she looked down to see a small bee, its stinger buried in her limb, its tiny wings buzzing furiously. With a groan of annoyance she plucked the bee out, using her magic and tossed it aside, only to see the tiny bug spin around in mid-air and come right back at her.

Her programming flared unexpectedly and her telekinetic aura squished the bee into a fine yellow paste.

The unicorn blinked, silently groaning at the very minor headache that washed over her. She hated that feeling, but despite this pain, she couldn't help but feel a little bad for the poor bug. She hadn't wanted to do that after all and the feeling of having her will torn away just to squish a bug seemed like overkill.

With a resounding sigh, the unicorn let her head fall and her hooves carry her into the forest, casting a glance over her shoulder at the shining city that was now little more than a speck in the distance. Even though much had changed and this Canterlot wasn't the one she knew, it still felt strange to leave the city of her birth behind her.

She turned back to the trail at head, oblivious to the fact that she would die before seeing that golden city again.

Sunset Shimmer was not a happy pony, this much was true, and though she thought she knew the bottom of the barrel, she would come to understand just how little she knew.

“Fuck!” she yelled, pulling another burr from her fur and tossing it aside with an angry burst of yellow magic.

With a grunt she looked down at her burr-free fur that was significantly more discolored than what she was used to suffering over the course of her missions. Numerous cuts, bruises and the former insides of many strange bugs now marred her coat. She sighed, noticing that at least there weren't anymore lance bugs jabbing their proboscides into her flesh.

The unicorn shivered at the thought, casting a wary eye on her surroundings and confirming that no more of the dreaded bloodsuckers had survived. With none of the horrid creatures in sight, she shook her head and looked up to the path ahead, only to groan.

The trees had moved since she had stopped to pick off the burrs and the already tight and winding path only grew even tighter and more winding. She took a step, only to stop, narrowing her eyes at a burr patch that hadn't been there a minute ago.

“I’m watching you,” she muttered, her eyes glued to the bush as she walked past, not noticing another lance bug that emerged from behind her.

“YOWCH!” she screamed, her head spinning to see the nasty critter eagerly drinking her blood with what she hesitated to call a smile on its tiny buggy face.

Her programming activated and for once she agreed, as she was happy to get rid of it with all due speed. The dull gold glow around her horn faded and she tossed aside the liquid remains of the lance bug, glaring at the mark that now besmirched her behind.

With a growl the unicorn turned, her every step causing her to wince in pain.

She had been tempted to stop and have a bite to eat, but the last time she had done so, a bird roughly the size of her head had swooped down and plucked the apple right out of her hoof before disappearing.

“How could this possibly get any worse?” she groaned, voicing her complete and utter discontent for the forest to hear.

A distant roar and the sound of a falling tree seemed to answer her question and the unicorn facehoofed so hard she almost gave herself a black eye. “Ouch,” she muttered.

She shook her head and kept walking, her ears up and alert, ready to detect any other movement coming from the direction of the roar. Seconds ticked past as she slowly, methodically, made her way through the underbrush.

There was no sound of snapping twigs or tumbling trees or roaring beasts, only the slightly distant sound of the river. It hadn't been far, maybe only a few hundred metres that she had heard the roar, though thankfully it sounded like it was on the other side of the river, granting her at least somewhat of a barrier.

With her attention drawn between ensuring that she didn't step in anymore poison ivy, while also listening for whatever had roared, her nerves were drawn thin. Her eyes frantically scanned the treeline as her ears twisted this way and that, desperate to find the source of the distant roar.

Seconds became minutes and still only the sound of water met her ears, the gentle lapping of the river her only companion. Then, out of nowhere a mighty roar erupted from her right, and from the sheer power and intensity it was obviously very, very close.

With a frightened squeak the unicorn bolted to her left, hoping to find someplace to cross the river and escape whatever great beast lurked nearby. Her programming pushed her and she was all too happy to obey the spell’s orders to flee.

She burst through a bush, using her magic to blast apart the vegetation and allowing her to pass. As if angered by the bush’s destruction, the creature roared again, this time much closer which had the unfortunate side effect of allowing Sunset Shimmer to hear that it was not just one roar, but rather a roar, a bleat of some sort of a goat and the hiss of a great snake.

The unicorn shivered in fear, her panic putting even more speed into her frantic hooves.

She leapt over a fallen log and skidded around an enormous willow, finally catching a glimpse of the rushing water just beyond. Her heart leapt in her chest and the mare put her head down, hoping to find someway across.

The creature wasn't far behind her now and despite it being large enough to make the ground rumble with each bounding step, she couldn't hear the snap of twigs or the toppling of trees. Whatever this creature was, it was agile enough to duck between bushes and trees that even Sunset had difficulty slipping past.

She threw a frantic glance ahead, her eyes lighting up as she saw the distinct form of a beaver dam several metres downstream. The sight seemed to elicit a different emotion in the creature and Sunset was once more beset by the thunderous cry of the three-voiced roar.

The spell inside her churned to life, her eye having caught a glimpse of a large tree near the water’s edge that lay just before her. With a blast of her horn the spell used the unicorn’s magic to perfectly weaken the aged tree. With a groan the tree began to list heavily, allowing Sunset mere milliseconds to sprint under it before it fell.

The creature let out an oddly mournful keen, its thunderous bulk stopping for a moment.

Sunset would have smiled at any other time, but with fear still pulsing in her heart, she dared not waste even a moment.

The unicorn leapt over a small bush before digging in her hooves and turning on a dime. With a quick spell to make her weigh less, she jumped out from the bank, her hooves landing gracefully on the enormous beaver dam that stretched the entire river.

The random bits of wood and debris groaned under her weight, but despite their protests they held, allowing the unicorn to cross unhindered. As she crossed the middle of the dam, she hazarded a glance over her shoulder and instantly wished she hadn't.

The creature sat impassive at the other end of the dam, its three heads all glaring at her with barely contained rage. It was large, easily over seven metres tall and almost as wide. One head was that of a sabre-toothed tiger, its colors a deep orange with black stripes. The other forward facing head was that of a great fanged ram, a large pair of horns spiralling out of either side of its head. From the rear of the creature loomed its third and final head, a great cobra-like snake that had large fangs jutting from its mouth.

Sunset Shimmer knew well the sight of a chimera, but whatever this creature was, a simple chimera it was not. Where the chimera had three different colored eyes, this creature had only only bright yellow sclera and blood red pupils, lacking irises entirely. Stranger still was the fact that instead of having two pawed feet on the front, it had a single pawed limb and a strangely clawed hand, like that of a griffon and on the back where there should be two hooved limbs was only a single hoofed leg and in addition scaled limb like that of a dragon.

With a terrified shriek, the unicorn bolted across the rest of the dam, only stopping when she had reached the other side. Sure enough the creature was wary of the beaver dam and eyed it cautiously.

With a sigh of relief, Sunset Shimmer picked up the pace, sprinting along the side of the river all the while keeping an eye on the creature. However she didn't make it far before she stopped, dumbstruck by what she saw.

The strange chimera had stepped out onto the dam, its horns glowing with the same color light that Sunset’s own horn had mere moments before. “Oh no,” she muttered.

The creature took a second step, then a third, its entire weight on the dam and still it held.

Before she could come up with a plan, her programming leapt to life, powering her horn with a catastrophic amount of energy, unleashing it in the form of an explosive burst of power that rocketed towards the dam. The shimmering sphere of energy slammed into the side of the dam and erupted into an enormous outpouring of force that tore through the beaver’s home like a thousand knives through hot butter.

With a strangled screech of panic, the dam gave way beneath the great creature and the ensuing flood of water carried it down the river and towards Sunset Shimmer.

Thinking quickly, the unicorn dove to her left, barely missing a panicked swipe from the twisted chimera as it was carried past her by the surge of water. Its frantic limbs pumped and for a second it looked like its limbs managed to find purchase on the riverbank, only for the branch to slip from its grasp. With one long, annoyed roar the creature disappeared from sight, vanishing along with several hundred pounds of wood that used to be a beaver dam.

“What was that?” the unicorn muttered.

Author's Note

The Castle

“Finally! It's about time you showed up, you stupid castle!” Rainbow Dash yelled, shaking her hoof at the building.

Applejack rolled her eyes and stepped up beside the thestral. “I don't rightly think it's the castle’s fault there, RD.”

The thestral snorted. “Well, it's someone’s fault.”

Rarity peeked out from the bush she was only half hidden in, casting a wary eye about the area before stepping up next to her friends. “Well, I’m just glad we are finally here.” The arachne picked a branch out of her mane and disdainfully tossed it aside. “I’m almost out of foundation and all this moonlight is not doing my skin any favors.”

Fluttershy, who was currently inhabiting the body of Angel the bunny, hopped up onto Rarity’s back and peeked over her shoulder, gazing nervously at the ancient structure. “Oh, I hope there is some more moon carrots around here. They are Angel’s favorite.”

Twilight Sparkle was the last to emerge from the wall of trees, only to walk into another tree almost immediately.

“Whoa there, what's the rush?” Applejack remarked, turning around to find her unicorn friend still nose deep in a book.

“Yo Twi. Everfree to Twi.” Rainbow Dash tapped the mare’s head, finally knocking her out of her intense concentration.

“Oh uh, sorry about that.” Twilight blushed slightly, tucking the book back in her bag.

“What were ya reading so intensely that you tried to get familiar with my backside?” Applejack said with a snicker.

“The nightmare of the undertower.” The unicorn blushed awkwardly, lifting an eyebrow when she noticed the rest of the ponies all blanched. “I’m assuming you girls know something about it?”

Rarity shivered, holding herself tightly with her hooves. “My grandmother used to tell me that the nightmare was not a creature at all, but rather all the horrors of the war made real.”

Fluttershy cocked her head. “Strange, my father used to tell me that it was a guardian spirit that had been corrupted by the evil that was within the hearts of those that sought out the tower. Apparently those who desired the knowledge found in the undertower tended to not have the best of intentions.”

“I didn't think your parents would know anything about the undertower,” Rarity remarked.

The bunny shrugged. “My father liked to travel in his youth.”

“Well, I heard it was a pony that broke a contract with the forest and was cursed to the deepest depths of the old castle,” Applejack added.

Rainbow Dash snorted. “Fluttershy is the closest. The higher-ups say that the nightmare is some sort of guard that watches over the deepest levels of the undertower. No one knows how to get around it or what you need to appease it and worse still, it's incorporeal, but can still touch ya at the same time.” The thestral wiggled her hooves at the unicorn for dramatic affect.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Either way, we probably won't even go deep enough to run into this thing.”

Rainbow Dash laughed. “You big babies. All the areas the nightmare prowls are mapped and it never leaves those spots. It's not just gonna sneak up on us outta nowhere.”

“Rainbow Dash! You are going to jinx it!” Rarity hissed.

The thestral rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Let's go already, we’re burning moonlight out here.”

As the group crossed the craggy, rock strewn lawn that separated the forest from the castle, Twilight took the time to look around and really take in the new area. The first thing she noticed was that the rocks littering the ground were oddly uniform and levitating up one such object revealed that it most likely used to be a part of a wall. The chunk she was holding still had a bit of mortar stuck to the bottom. A glance at her surroundings told her that whatever had destroyed the top of the tower had to have had a lot of force behind it as it had managed to scatter rubble for hundreds of metres in seemingly every direction.

A glance up at the castle revealed it had been a rather simple structure, four towers with large walls connecting them surrounding an inner keep that rose above even the towers. At the centre of the wall directly before them a simple guardhouse stood, surprisingly undamaged, with even its large wooden entrance still on its hinges. The closest tower was easily the most destroyed part of the castle and the unicorn guessed that it must have been the source of the rubble. The entire structure was clearly ancient, judging from its rather rudimentary design and simplistic nature. It lacked what the good majority of modern defensive structures had and didn't even have a moat or anything to slow down any would-be attacker.

Yet despite just how ancient it was, it seemed as though the forest kept a respectful distance, no large trees growing within a hundred metre radius of the hill the castle stood on. Sure there were a few bushes here and there and Twilight could see some moss and vines growing on the structure, but nothing taller than her waist grew within this strange exclusion zone. Twilight made a note of coming back here and studying it in more detail, she was sure it would help shed light on early castle design.

The unicorn stopped and slapped a hoof to her forehead. “I almost forgot. Do you know what kind of bricks Pinkie Pie wanted or just any?” Twilight asked, turning to Fluttershy.

The bunny shrugged. “I’m not sure, but she did mention that you would know which ones she wanted if you felt them.”

“Right.” The unicorn turned and scanned the ground, seeking out any bricks that caught her eye.

As the rest of the group continued forward, Twilight hastily assembled a large mass of bricks. Levitating the collection in front of her, she reached out a hoof and touched one of them at random. Other than feeling cold, Twilight couldn't tell if it had any of the strange properties Pinkie Pie liked. Tossing it aside, she grabbed another, this one instantly making her eyes go wide. “Whoa,” she mumbled.

“Found some funny rocks, did ya?” Applejack asked.

Twilight nodded. “Yeah, this one feels strange, like it's hot and cold at the same time.” The unicorn shivered. “Weird.”

Rarity giggled. “I guess we finally figured out why Pinkie Pie is so different.”

Rainbow Dash scoffed. “Hah! Eating funny rocks ain't the half of it. Plus from the way I heard it, she came here already strange. She was odd well before she got to Ponyville.”

“Don't you think it's a little rude to talk about a being that isn't around?” Twilight asked rather pointedly.

“Are you alright, my young apprentice? Was there something in the lettuce?” Zecora asked, glancing down at the salad the two were eating.

Pinkie Pie wiped her nose of the snot a sudden sneezing fit had brought on. “No, I think it's gone now.”

“Odd,” Zecora remarked quietly, glancing at her pepper shaker before slowly pushing it away.

“Quite right,” Rarity agreed.

Twilight nodded, following along as the rest of the group made their way closer to the castle while she continued to inspect the bricks one by one. Eventually she had worked her way through the pile of stone, leaving her with four very strange and surprisingly light bricks that she tucked away in one of her bags.

Happy to not have to lug around a pile of heavy bricks for the rest of their little adventure, Twilight quickly caught up with the rest of her friends as they approached the entrance to the castle.

It was a tall and wide door, but not so much so that it would allow more than a small cart through. Probably due to the fact that any winged beings could simply lift everything over the walls, making the lack of a real gate a boon for defence and not a loss for the occupants of the castle. As Twilight looked around, she noted that defence was their primary worry as around the heavy iron wrought oak door were many arrow slits and even an opening several feet above the door that would allow the defenders to pour boiling oil from. The unicorn shivered at the thought, her imagination running wild with images of screaming ponies covered in burning pitch.

She pushed away the thoughts and approached her friends.

“Ready to go in?” Twilight asked.

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “Not yet. First we have to request the favor of the spirits. The castle can be a bit of a pain if they don't favor you.”

Twilight lifted an eyebrow, but a quick glance at the rest of her friends told her they all agreed, most nodding somberly along with Rainbow’s assertion. “Okay then,” Twilight muttered, reluctantly going along.

There was, after all, a spirit inhabiting a bunny right next to them, so the concept wasn't that farfetched.

Rainbow Dash bowed low towards the castle, her forehead nearly touching the ground, and her blade lying next to her in the dirt. The rest of her friends followed suit, with Applejack grunting as she bent as much as she could while Rarity ducked into an elaborate bow.

“Spirits of the Everfree Castle, we beseech you. We ask that you allow us safe passage through your home and if you are willing, protection. We promise to be respectful, and that we will not tarry in your hallowed home.” The thestral nodded her head, retrieved her blade and stood up. “Alright then, let's-”

Whatever she was about to say was interrupted by the door suddenly flying open, nearly knocked off its hinges by an incredibly cold wind that suddenly billowed out of it and over the four friends. The living beings all shivered, staring in awe at the empty doorway while Twilight simply let her horn dim and the power to fade.

“What was that?” She asked.

Rainbow Dash shook her head, placing her sword back in its place. “Never seen that happen before. The spirits must have taken a liking to us.”

“Odd. We didn't even make an offering,” Rarity added.

“Better to not question good luck, as Granny Smith always says.” Applejack motioned for her friends to keep moving. “Come on y'all, I wanna set up camp before dayfall.”

Fluttershy emerged from behind one of Rarity’s legs and let out a sigh of relief, glancing over at Rainbow Dash. “What do you think?”

The guard straightened her helmet and nodded. “Sounds like a plan. I’ll take point.”

“What are we keeping track of points for?” Applejack asked, much to the thestral’s amusement.

“It means I walk in front,” she corrected.

“Oh uh, I knew that,” Applejack muttered.

“Riight.” Rainbow Dash stepped to the fore of the group, keeping a hoof near her weapon as they trotted into the castle.

Next came Applejack, then Rarity and Fluttershy and last but not least, Twilight who took up the rear, her horn glowing faintly, ready to cast a defensive spell at any moment. Together the group entered the guardhouse, which was a simple square room large enough to fit thirty ponies with relative ease. The walls were dotted with arrow slits and the roof seemed carved with an ancient rune that had long since been rendered useless. To the right was an iron door that seemed warped, having been fused into the wall due to what looked like extreme heat. Across from them, a set of double doors hung half on their hinges, having been blown outwards and gotten lodged in the dirt of the courtyard.

Twilight couldn't help but realize that the breeze had to have been magical or supernatural in origin as there was no was nowhere it could have come from.

The group eyed the slits carefully, but despite their paranoia nothing moved, and no harm came to them as they passed through the room.

Beyond the entrance, the courtyard opened up and like the exterior, it was filled with debris and destruction that had rained down from the destroyed upper layers of the keep and the tower. Few of the minor structures not made of stone were left standing after all these years. Small barracks to the right seemed to have been partially crushed by a chunk of falling stone work as were most of the other buildings that hadn't simply rotted to nothing.

The keep itself loomed before them, rising several magnificent stories before shattering, its top forming a jagged crown that would have pierced the canopy.

The group, minus Rainbow Dash, all stopped and stared for a moment, distracted by the former majesty of the grand structure. They all gawked in silence, before following Rainbow Dash who kept a few feet in front of them, her gaze drawn down to the keep ahead.

“Hold up,” the guard commanded, raising a hoof and signalling a stop.

“What's the hold up?” Applejack asked, peering over the thestral’s shoulder.

“Look.” Rainbow pointed to a set of chalk markings next to the door.

One marking looked like a poorly drawn skull, the second was an S with several lines under it. “Strange, I’ve never seen this kind of markings before,” Rarity remarked.

Twilight walked to the forefront. “Looks like short script.”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “Good to know you are actually reading the important bits first. That is short script and it means danger.” She pointed to the skull. “And spiders.” She pointed to the S, then to the lines underneath. “Lots of spiders.”

“Lots of dangerous spiders.” Applejack shrugged. “So what? Either we ask ‘em nicely to leave or we squish ‘em.”

Rarity shivered, clutching her midsection. “Don't use the S-word please!”

“What, squish?” Applejack asked.

Rarity shivered again, her ears falling flat against her head. “Yes!”

Twilight ignored the two, turning to a pondering Rainbow Dash who stood next to the writing. “What do you make of this?” the unicorn asked.

“It looks new.” The thestral brushed her hoof across the chalk, noting that a bit of it stuck to her hoof. “Hasn't even had enough time to really adhere. Meaning it couldn't have been here for more than a few days.”

“That makes sense why we didn't get a warning about them,” Twilight added.

“Right,” Rainbow Dash agreed. “They must have arrived here just when we were leaving town.” She snorted. “Just our luck.”

“How dangerous are these spiders anyway? The book didn't have too many entries on them,” Twilight asked.

“I can answer that,” Rarity announced, stepping up beside the pair. “I am assuming that since a patrol came through and the spiders were not cleared out, they must be of the giant variety.”

Rainbow nodded. “If it was a minor infestation or a couple more animalistic spiders, they would have cleared them out and not bothered with a warning. The guard is probably mustering as we speak.”

“Exactly. Which means this is likely a group of wandering goliath spiders,” Rarity added.

“What are those?” Fluttershy asked nervously, peeking out from behind the arachne’s shoulders. “I have never heard of that kind of spider before.”

“They are rare. Tending to stick near burrows in the deep woods and rarely venturing forth.” Rarity glanced back to the warning, running a hoof over the stone. “They are intelligent, but incredibly superstitious.”

“So we can just talk to them, right?” Twilight asked hesitantly.

“Stars above, no.” Rarity scoffed. “They eat just about anything and the males are almost completely unintelligent. Plus they have their own language and most refuse to learn the common tongue.”

“And let me guess, you don't know their language?” Twilight asked.

Rarity sighed. “Yes, I’m afraid my Sissezeth is a little rusty. Mother forced me to attend a few lessons when I was young but I stopped after the first year.” She shrugged. “All I remember is sheeeshalana which means please, and kshashee, which means parlay.”

“That sounds like an odd set of words to remember,” Applejack remarked.

The arachne shrugged. “The mind remembers what it wants to.”

Twilight nodded. “That just might help us. At least we can ask to parlay if given the chance.”

Applejack shrugged. “How big are these things anyway, you sure we can't just sq- I mean, deal with them?”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “They are fairly intelligent and if guided by a matron they may be outfitted with weapons and silversilk armor. She gestured to the castle. “Plus they have had days to set up traps and defences, lucky for us the castle’s traps have been disabled. They will however know the second we step inside, unless we are very careful where we step.”

“Oh that's right, they have silversilk!” Rarity clapped her hooves together happily. “Oh, to think I could learn the art of weaving such an amazing thread.” She sighed. “But that will never happen.”

“Alright, so if we ain't going in there, why don't we just wait for the guards to show up?” Applejack asked.

“I agree! We can just wait for those big strong guards to help us,” Fluttershy added.

“They might not even bother. Goliath spiders need a lot of food, which the castle doesn't have. They might just wait ‘em out and steer away any townsfolk in the meantime.” Rainbow Dash pointed out.

“Damn,” Applejack cursed.

“And we don't have the supplies to wait around.” The arachne sighed. “This entire trip has been a bust.”

“Not yet,” Twilight announced.

The other beings all stared at the unicorn.

“Err, why do you say that?” Fluttershy asked.

“We have to try. We couldn't have come all the way out here for nothing,” she exclaimed. “And there is a chance we can talk it out.”

Rainbow nodded. “I think we can take ‘em.”

Applejack stomped a hoof and snorted. “So long as we avoid the matron, we definitely can.”

“I would really like to meet the matron,” Rarity remarked, much to her friends’ chagrin. “But our original goal would be good too,” she added quickly.

“I think avoiding the spiders entirely would be our best bet as we don't have to fight,” Twilight added.

Fluttershy sighed. “That sounds like a much better plan.”

The unicorn grinned. “Right. So the plan is we avoid them as much as possible and if necessary, try to handle things diplomatically. How does that sound?”

The rest of her friends nodded back with mixed degrees of enthusiasm. “Fine, but I want you on point with me,” Rainbow Dash said sternly. “Rarity, I want you watching our backs, Applejack you’ll be in the middle, ready to back up Rarity or us when needed. Fluttershy, you can sit on Bloomberg and use those big ears of yours to let us know if you hear anything.”

Everyone nodded, save for Twilight who raised a hoof. “Wait, why am I on point?”

“Your night vision seems to be one of the best, plus I may need that fancy magic of yours. Just stand to the side of me and back a little. Alright?”

Twilight nodded slowly. “Alright, I’ll trust you.”

A wide smile crossed the guard’s face. “You girls ready for this?” The other four all nodded their assent. “Let's do this.”

The thestral turned and kicked open the door, which was exactly like the one they had passed through mere moments ago. Twilight rolled her eyes at the resounding bang that echoed through the castle walls. “Did you have to do that?” she asked incredulously.

Rainbow smirked, striding confidently into the room. “Goliath spiders may have great eyesight, but their hearing isn't very good and echoes easily confuse them. Just keep an eye out for any stray webs and we’ll be fine.”

Twilight sighed, following close behind the thestral as she walked deeper into the castle. The others all followed, with Rarity bringing up the rear.

Twilight paused, pointing towards something faint that had caught the light. “There, watch out.”

Rainbow Dash nodded, giving the almost completely invisible thread a wide berth and ensuring that the rest of their group did the same. “Good eye there, Twi.”

“Thanks. Apparently dying gives you night vision,” Twilight remarked morosely.

Rainbow Dash snorted. “And apparently gives you an appreciation for gallows humour.” She trotted a little faster, making her way back to the front of the group.

The halls had grown tight, rubble cluttering the corners not occupied by some ancient half destroyed statue or other art of some kind. A partially burnt carpet lay beneath their hooves, a carpet that Twilight noticed still felt quite comfortable even after all these years. Something about it made her stop and turn back, gazing to where the strand was. Sure enough the bit of webbing seemed anchored from the wall to the floor, but gave the furniture, including the carpet, a wide berth.

“Have you noticed that the webs don't touch anything other than the stonework?” Twilight asked.

The guard nodded. “They respect anything touched by the spirits. Though that respect apparently doesn't extend to the walls or floor.” She shook her head and continued on.

The group passed by more ruined furniture, a smashed statue and past a pair of rooms that had collapsed completely. “This place is like a maze,” Twilight remarked, glancing ahead where a staircase loomed.

“The castle is only partially restored, turning it into a bit of a labyrinth,” Rainbow Dash mentioned, gesturing behind them. “If we could get through the first doorway we saw when we entered the castle it would be a straight shot to the throne room. Unfortunately the pile of rubble that blocks that door is now load bearing. Meaning we gotta go up a flight of stairs, down another, up two and finally down through a hole that we added stairs to.”

Twilight glanced around nervously. “Are you sure it's safe to even be here?”

The thestral shrugged. “The guard spent a fortune to make sure it isn't about to collapse. So unless you plan on knocking over a bunch of support beams we should be fine.” Her eyes narrowed. “That isn't your plan, is it?”

Rolling her eyes, Twilight merely ignored the comment, noticing right away that the question wasn't actually a serious one. “Oh yes, you got me this time. Rainbow Dash. My plan was to go into the castle, then collapse it on myself all along.” She rolled her eyes and chuckled.

“Did someone say something about getting crushed by the castle?” Rarity asked, her voice raising a few octaves as she nervously looked around.

“No one is talking about getting smooshed, Rarity. Now keep an eye on our six.” Rainbow Dash chuckled, trotting ahead a few feet.

Twilight took up position just to her side, her horn no longer glowing.

The stairs just ahead would have been luxurious, but a gaping hole in one of the walls left it open to the elements and as such, the corridor was covered in a thin layer of mold. Climbing the stairs revealed another hallway in various states of dilapidation. Most rooms therein were either unaccessable or were filled with half rotten furniture and little else. Twilight’s heart lifted at the sight of a bookshelf in one of the rooms, only for a cursory glance to tell her that the books had all been thoroughly destroyed by the elements.

Continuing on, the group was forced to take a detour through a destroyed room as the main hall had been blocked off by a fallen set of support beams and a considerable amount of rubble. Skirting respectfully around a collapsed bed, they passed through a hole in the room’s wall and into the next room that was mercifuly lacking any moldy bedding. Turning back to the hall, they were able to come out on the other side of the rubble.

Fluttershy immediately jumped to attention, her long ears standing straight up. “Wait,” she whispered.

The group stopped, with everyone looking around, searching for the source of whatever Fluttershy had heard.

A second later the bunny slumped slightly, shaking her head. “It's gone.”

“What did you hear?” Twilight asked.

The bunny frowned, staring further down the hall. “I don't know. It sounded like a spider, but it was so distant that it could have been anything.”

Rainbow nodded grimly. “Be on the lookout and don't forget to watch overhead. They might not have set many traps so far, so they might be banking on ambushing us by dropping from the ceiling.”

Twilight glanced upwards, noting the vaulted ceiling was perfect for hiding any number of things. The unicorn gulped, silently rethinking her earlier confidence.

Together they crossed the hall and neared a second set of stairs, this one going back down to the floor they had just been on. On either side of the stairwell were a set of statues, one bronze, the other onyx, one a pegasus, the other a thestral. The bronze statue stood to the right, though it had an immense twinned scratch cleaving right through the centre, leaving the proud armored pegasus stallion nearly sliced in twain and barely upright. Whatever it had been holding had been removed and its face was a mess of scratches and holes.

“You've seen better days,” Twilight whispered, staring up at the scared and defaced statue that had once stood proudly over the stairwell.

Applejack snorted. “Ain't too many folk around here with love for her.” The pony horked and spat at the base of the statue.

Rainbow Dash stepped forward, peering intently at the twin scratches that went deeper than the thestral had first thought. “That's new.” Reaching out a hoof, she gently touched the edge of the sheared bronze. “Pretty clean too.”

“What could have done this?” Fluttershy asked nervously.

The thestral took a step back, wiping her hoof on the moldy carpet. “It looks like a spider claw, but they shouldn't be able to cut through bronze like this.”

The bunny whimpered, tucking her ears into Bloomberg’s bulk.

Twilight cast a curious glance at the other statue, noting that it appeared to be brand new, having been recently buffed to a shine. Without the plethora of scratches, dents and damage the other one had, the unicorn could actually tell more about the statue. It was as tall as its pegasus counterpart, only it actually still held the sword it was meant to, not the simple short gladius of the pegasus, but rather the long curved blade that Twilight had seen some of the night guards carry.

Its face was incredibly well detailed, to the point that if it wasn't all one color, Twilight could have sworn it would come alive at any moment.

The statue itself depicted a thestral clad in plate armor that covered nearly its entire body, save its head, missing ahelmet. Across its shoulders and dangling down to its knees was an odd scarf adorned with pins, medals, and a pair of moons at the end of each side, one waxing, one waning.

“Huh,” the unicorn muttered.

“Hey, you coming or what?” Rainbow Dash asked impatiently, jabbing the unicorn’s flank with an armored hoof.

Twilight huffed and turned back to the stairs. “I am sorry I took so long marveling at the art.”

“It really is something, isn't it?” Rarity added, gesturing to the statue. “I wonder if he had a name.”

Sighing, the guard pointed down to the plague that lay smashed next to the statue. “We’ll never know, one of that she-bitch’s slaves smashed it on their way out.”

The other beings all grimaced, with Applejack horking up another loogie at the mere mention of the solar alicorn.

“Either way, let's get moving. The sooner we get in, the sooner we can get out,” Twilight added.

Rainbow Dash nodded, taking a step down the stairs, only to stop and cock her head. “Did you hear that, Fluttershy?”

The bunny shook her head slowly. “There was something, but it's gone now.”

“Weird,” Applejack said with a shrug.

“Quite,” Rarity added.

Shaking her head, Rainbow Dash proceeded down the stairs, her ears swiveling atop her head.

Everyone else remained close behind, each glancing at their surroundings as if a spider was about to burst out of every nook and cranny. As they neared the bottom of the stairs, Rainbow Dash raised her hoof. “There it is again!”

Fluttershy nodded. “I think it was coming from below us.”

“Why would it be coming… Everyone run!” Rainbow Dash made it a half step before the ground suddenly gave out, sending everyone falling into a deep pit.

Twilight poured magic into her horn, but the sudden fall robbed her of the concentration needed to finishing casting her teleportation spell. Rarity scrambled uselessly, her many limbs scratching at the wall as she fell along with her friends. Applejack just sighed, and did not resist, determined to at least land on her hooves.

Their fall was mercifully short, with the entire group landing in something soft and clingy. Twilight tried to wrench her foreleg from whatever she was stuck in, only to find she was unable to move more than an inch. Looking around, she found the rest of her friends in a similar situation, with Applejack standing there in the centre of the web with an annoyed expression on her face. The farm mare hardly struggled, merely tugging at each of her limbs independently before sighing and resuming her angry pouting.

Fluttershy lay on her back just beside the tree-bound mare, her limbs tucked tight against her body as she shivered in fear. Rainbow Dash had managed to react the quickest, but had still gotten a hind leg firmly tangled in the webbing. Her wings pumped uselessly as she tried to escape the webbing, tugging on the limb to no avail. Rarity on the other hoof had just realized she had managed to land on her six spidery limbs and breathed a sigh of relief.

The spider pony looked around. “Is everyone alright?” she asked.

“Just peachy,” Applejack grouched.

“F-f-f-fine!” Fluttershy yelled.

Twilight sighed, giving up her attempt to remove herself from the webbing. “I’m okay.”

Glancing over at the struggling and cursing Rainbow Dash told the arachne all she needed to know. “Don't worry girls, I’ll get out of here and get help.” The fashionista did just that, climbing her way up the side of the web and towards the bottom of the stairs, only to shrink back down, a look of fear plastered on her face. “Nevermind.”

“What did you-... oh,” Twilight muttered, looking up at the many, many eyes that now looked down on them. “I thought you said the castle’s traps had been disabled.”

Rainbow Dash grunted, yanking at her leg once more. “They were!”

“Then how are we down here?” Applejack yelled, lifting a webbed leg in emphasis.

“I -umf- don't know!” Rainbow yelled back.

“Girls. What do we do?” Rarity asked nervously, glancing up to where the spiders were creeping closer, their jaws open and spit dripping down upon them.

Twilight’s mind whirled with possibilities, as her horn glowed faintly, her power fluctuating as various spells flashed through her mind. She could teleport out, but that would leave her friends behind. A fireball spell could potentially light the web on fire as well, dropping them to wherever the trap had originally intended to put them. Numerous spells and combinations flashed through her mind before she suddenly stopped, her eyes going wide. “Sheeeshalana, kshashee!” she yelled.

The spiders stopped suddenly, each one glancing at another in confusion. Near the back a larger one bumped another expectantly, gesturing further down the hall and whispering something. The smaller one rolled its eyes and did as it was told, skittering off into the darkness. The rest of the spiders glanced up to the larger one, who shook its head and took a step back.

“Quick thinking, Twi,” Applejack congratulated.

“Thank Rarity, she's the one that remembered,” Twilight replied.

“I never thought that would ever come in handy… maybe I should brush up on my Sissezeth.” Rarity tapped her chin and frowned. “Then again, it uses gendered nouns and that's just gross.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “How are you holding up, Fluttershy?”

The bunny shivered. “G-g-good.”

The unicorn sighed, leaning down and gently nosing the bunny. “It's going to be alright.”

Fluttershy’s shivers abated and she peeked out from behind a paw. “Are you s-s-ure?”

“Absolutely,” Twilight reassured.

The spiders shifted around, parting down the middle and drawing the unicorn’s attention upward to where she heard a strangely equine voice speak. “What's this? Didst thee finally catcheth something worthy of being a meal for mother?”

The larger spider stepped aside, nodding its head and pointing a hairy leg down at the five stuck beings.

A blue equine head peaked out over the lip of the trap, its wide purple eyes gazing down at the trapped beings. A horn rose out of the center of the pony’s head, only it was slightly longer and sharper than any unicorn Twilight had not seen in a mirror. The strange unicorn had a wild unkempt two toned light blue mane that was tied tightly together and bound across her neck and side, nearly touching the ground. Her fur was just as wild, and was also longer and thicker than what Twilight had ever seen before. Her ears and nose had several large piercings and a heavy necklace sat around her neck.

The pony’s eyes narrowed and she glared down at the trapped beings. “Not very big, art they? Oh well, they shall have to do, mother is filled with pangs of hunger and needeth to consume.”

“W-wait!” Twilight called. “Sheeeshalana, kshashee!”

The blue pony recoiled, covering her ears with her hooves. “What a truly horrid accent, and that wasn't even close! It's pronounced, sheeshala, kashee.” The pony stuck out her tongue in disgust. “How any of mine own brothers understood thee is a miracle.”

“Wait, brothers?” Applejack wondered aloud.

The pony rolled her eyes and struck a pose. “Don't thee seeth the family resemblance?”

The farm pony raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “Err yeah, totally.”

“Regardless, thee has begged for safe passage and I am honor-bound to giveth thee such.” The pony turned to the larger spider, and began speaking in a low hushed tone. The fast, foreign words blended together into a stream of S’s and H’s that had Twilight captivated. To hear such a foreign language used with such ease was strangely fascinating and if she stopped paying attention, it almost sounded like one long hiss occasionally broken up by occasional l’s and N’s, but little else.

The large spider nodded before crawling down the wall and making its way over to Twilight, who gulped and looked up at the scraggly unicorn. “Thee doubteth mine own honor? Fi! I am the most wondrous and powerful Trixie and mine own word is mine own bond.”

Twilight pushed down the feeling of panic and stood patiently as the spider made its way over to her before kneeling down and gently plucking the mare’s hooves from the webs before unceremoniously picking her up and carrying her back to the edge of the trap. “H-hey, watch the appendages!”

The pony rolled her eyes and frowned as Twilight was placed back down on her hooves. “Cometh, we wilt speaketh with mother, the matron shall knoweth what to doth with thee.”

“Wait! What about my friends, we can't leave them down there!” Twilight pleaded.

“Yeah, get me out of here, you overgrown pests!” Rainbow Dash yelled, shaking her hoof up at them.

A few of the spiders hissed in response, but were rendered silent when Rarity cuffed the thestral across the back of the head.

Trixie nodded. “I liketh her.”

The arachne bowed slightly, as Rainbow Dash grumbled, trying to fix her helmet that was askew once more.

“Thy friends shall be hither at which hour thy talk with mother is over,” the unicorn announced before turning and walking towards a collapsed section of wall.

Twilight received a jab to her back, prompting her to trot after the unicorn, and shoot a glare at the large spider following close behind. Whom merely rolled all eight of his eyes and walked silently behind her.

Twilight looked around, noticing that the collapsed archway before her must be the one Rainbow Dash had mentioned earlier. Which meant that she was nearing the throne room.

The unicorn looked around, only noticing now that there seemed to be two halls, one that had a golden sun above it and the other, a full moon. The average sized door to sun hall hung open and a glance through it told Twilight that it didn't go far before collapsing as well, a small shaft of light coming from the left telling her that it must be the usual way they used to circumvent their way to the throne room.

To the right, where the strange unicorn was standing, was the moon hall, the entrance to which was large enough to admit a dragon, now unfortunately blocked by what looked like several tons of debris. As they approached the moon hall, the blue unicorn’s horn began to glow briefly before the debris disappeared. It caused Twilight to stumble for a moment and receive another jab to the back, which she ignored.

“How did you do that?” Twilight asked.

The blue unicorn struck a haughty pose, her nose raised high in the air. “Dideth we impress? We art a most proficient illusionist after all.”

The pose had the unintended side effect of showing off the mare’s cutie mark which was of a blue crescent moon that had a star wand over it. “Most impressive,” Twilight remarked, tearing her eyes from the mare’s flank and up to her raised head.

“I knoweth. Cometh, we shouldst maketh mother to wait.” The strange unicorn turned and marched down the hallway that had appeared.

The mare nodded, giving one last glance over her shoulder before following close behind, not wanting to receive another jab to her spine.

Walking into the new hall, Twilight was instantly hit by a sense of strangeness that took a second to process. She lifted a hoof and glanced down to the fresh, unmarred carpet beneath her hooves. “Woah, that's strange.”

“Thee must cometh from a strange house if thee doth not knoweth what clean looks like,” the blue unicorn announced with a snort.

Twilight stowed her coming remark and merely looked around the hall as she continued to follow the mare. The hall itself was immaculately restored, with only the ancient stonework not receiving the love and care the rest of the room did. Paintings that had been covered in grime and almost completely destroyed were returned to as nice of a condition as possible. Suits of plate mail were polished to a shine and stood at even intervals on either side of the hall. The carpet kept the same color and appearance that it had in the rest of the hall, yet looked brand new. Even the chandelier above them sparkled with life, a plethora of candles glowing faintly.

“Whoah,” Twilight muttered.

In this new light the castle looked every bit the refined house of nobility that it was seemingly intended to be.

So enraptured was the unicorn that she almost ran into the back of a smirking illusionist when she stopped.

The teal unicorn gestured to the enormous double doors that lay before them, her chest puffing out pridefully as she waved a hoof.

Twilight’s jaw hung open as she beheld the sight of the door itself, silently kicking herself for having been so hyper focused on the things along the wall and floor to not look ahead.

The doors were massive and spanned nearly the entire breadth of the hall, nearly touching the ceiling. The entire surface of which was covered from top to bottom in various scenes that Twilight assumed were historical. She could hardly see the top of the door from her current position, but something told her that it would have the most recent history depicted there. From what she could see there were two alicorns meeting at the centre of the door, their wings were flared and their horns ablaze, the beams from which meeting at the centre and forming a single circle that was half moon, half sun.

Twilight was captivated by the scenes depicted on the doors and was eagerly scanning upwards when suddenly the massive portals parted, obscuring the rest of the scene. She frowned, reluctantly stowing away her complaints and watching as the doors parted completely, revealing a surprisingly personal throne room. A simple blue carpet led from the door, to a relatively simple chair that sat at the centre of the room. The chair itself was a dark obsidian, with a waxing moon atop the back, adding a small amount of artistic flair to the otherwise simple object.

To the right of the chair were several others, all of which were the same obsidian, merely lacking the moon that the first chair had. To the left was a simple looking iron door covered in webbing.

Twilight paused, realizing there was no one here and her guide had stopped, merely standing in the centre of the room and tapping her hoof impatiently. “Cometh out mother, I knoweth thou art hither.”

“You are no fun, my child,” whispered a surprisingly deep, yet distinctly feminine voice.

“Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you,” the teal unicorn muttered.

The voice laughed a strange, raspy laugh, seemingly coming from all directions at once. “You have learned well, my child.”

A shape suddenly bulged out of the darkness of the roof, and the form of an enormous spider descended from on high. Twilight was tempted to light her horn, to prepare a defensive spell or think of a way out, but some instinct told her that she was already much too close and any fight would be as brief as it was one sided.

The spider’s body was massive, easily bigger than even the manticore she had seen earlier. Yet despite the creature’s size and the fact that it was heavily scarred, it was also strangely lithe, its form clearly a feminine one. Her eyes were keen and bright, eight orbs of the deepest blue that peered into Twilight’s soul and showed a terrifying intelligence. The spider’s form had several patches of a strange off-white armor that resembled plate, with the only real clothing being a single long scarf that draped over its midsection and hung to the floor, the ends of which had a waxing and waning moon upon them.

Instantly something clicked in Twilight’s mind and she nodded her head, her hoof placed over her heart, mimicking a greeting she had seen Rainbow Dash do when meeting a fellow guard. “Greetings, matron.”

“Dignity and respect. Truly you are a strange sun spawn, aren't you?” The spider tittered, walking closer to the bowing unicorn and inspecting her closely. “And to think my own daughter does not give me such respect.”

Trixie rolled her eyes. “Thee knoweth very well I love and respect thee.”

The spider laughed its strange laugh, brushing a long furry limb across Trixie’s cheek. “And I you, my child. Now tell me, where did you find the sun spawn?”

Trixie blushed, before coughing and brushing aside the spider’s leg. “Mine brothers hath found these creatures in the trap thee setteth near the halls.”

The spider seemed to snort, or at least as close to such an action that a spider could reproduce. “Good. It's about time they earned their place.”

The spider turned to Twilight, and nodded. “I have not seen such a greeting in hundreds of years. You are a strange sun spawn indeed. Tell me.” The spider leaned in, her many eyes narrowing. “How did you came to learn of such an action?”

Twilight gulped. “My friend, Rainbow Dash. She's a guard in Ponyville, I saw her do it a few times and assumed it was an act of respect.”

The spider continued to stare for a moment longer before backing up a few feet. “It is indeed. Back in my day it served as a quick honorific to give someone you respected. Much faster than a bow, and easier for those of us that can't perform such an act.”

Trixie trotted off before plunking down in one of the chairs and watching from the side lines.

Twilight blinked. “That must make you over a thousand years old.” She shook her head. “I didn't know your kind were capable of such a feat.”

The spider laughed, this time it seemed to lack some of the raspiness that it had before, instantly striking Twilight as more genuine. “I am a surprised a sunspawn would know anything of my kind, interesting. To answer your question, we may live a century or two if we are lucky. I however, am a servant of the mistress, and as such live as long as I am useful. And I am very, very useful.”

“Sorry to interrupt, but may I ask why you keep calling me sun spawn?” Twilight asked nervously.

“You were born of the light, though I feel like that connection to your birthright is dwindling by the night.” The spider twisted this way and that, peering down at the unicorn from various angles. “I wonder what will happen when your connection fades completely. Will you become a night born, or perhaps something else?” The spider twisted in one final direction before settling back down. “Curious.”

The spider turned suddenly, looking over to an unamused Trixie who was picking at her hoof with a splinter. “Tell me, child,” the spider boomed, “did these creatures mention why they sulley her tomb?”

“Neigh,” the illusionist replied simply, extending her hoof and frowning before continuing to pick at it.

The spider turned back around, her eyes gaining a dangerous light. “So tell me, sun spawn, why do you come to the mistress’ tomb?”

“I…” Twilight’s mind whirled with possibilities as she desperately thought of how to talk her way out of this one.

She doubted that admitting she was here to plunder secrets based on the whims of a zebra shaman were going to get her anywhere other than a second death. Wait, why is she here then? Is she just guarding the castle? If so, why bother restoring it, what point was there in guarding a corpse? Unless she intended for this mistress to come back and she is restoring her ancient home?

“I am a necromancer,” Twilight announced.

The spider blinked. “Interesting.” She leaned in closer. “I knew you were some form of undead, but to know you can command the dead as well...” The spider cast a sidelong glance at Trixie, whom had dropped her splinter and gaped silently at the other pony.

The teal pony leapt from her chair and trotted up to the other unicorn. “Truly thee can bringeth back the dead? Thee wilt teachest me this art!” Trixie gripped the other mare’s hoof in her own, peering intently into Twilight’s eyes. “Mother hast-” She looked up to the spider and clamped her mouth shut, taking a step back and releasing Twilight’s hoof.

“So you are a necromancer, that does not explain your purpose here,” the spider stated evenly, skittering around the dead unicorn. “Tell us honestly what your plans are and you may just avoid your final death this night.”

Twilight clenched her jaw and forced her stance tall and proud. “I am here to bring back the Mistress of the Night.”

The spider stopped suddenly, her body remaining stock still before suddenly exploding in a shrill, harsh laughter. “I doubted your resolve little spawn, yet here you are, aiming for the truly impossible.”

The unicorn watched as the spider skittered before her once more before sitting as much as a spider could, a smile crossing what passed for a face. “Do you know how long I have waited for this moment, little sun spawn?”

“No,” Twilight admitted.

“Over one thousand years I have searched.” A shuddering sigh ran through the spider, drawing a wince from Trixie who ran to her side and gently ran a hoof down one leg. “I have suffered much in my service, it is good to finally have hope once more.”

“I cannot promise anything.” Twilight winced as Trixie turned and glared at her, hate in her eyes. The spider however remained silent, her expression calm. “I have the ability to use necromancy, but Celestia has done all she could to stomp out knowledge of soul magic.”

“Then you will need guidance and the proper literature,” the spider announced, tapping a limb against the ground. “You will find both in the catacombs beneath us.”

“Surely you jest, mother. We cannot trust this outsider with such an important task! Let Trixie study these texts,” Trixie exclaimed, jabbing her hoof at the dead mare.

The spider nodded slowly. “Soul magic is not something you can simply study. At one time such a thing was possible, but that time has long passed. There is hope that you will one day become adept at the art, though even then you will not be able to reach the heights of mastery that this gifted mare is capable of.”

The teal unicorn huffed, stomping her hoof, a cry of condemnation already on her lips. The spider’s long limb pulled her out of it before she could begin, squeezing her tightly against the spider’s side. “Worry not for your pride, my child. She is talented in the art but she will never be able to touch your skill in illusions.”

“But mother, I-!” Trixie began.

The spider fixed her with a stern glare. “We are all unique, little one. Would you measure yourself against my ability to spin thread and bemoan your inability?”

The teal mare shrunk. “I would not.”

“And you will not measure yourself against one who has a different kind of gift.” The spider rose once more, giving Trixie one last squeeze. “I will hear no more on this subject.”

“Does that mean you are letting me go?” Twilight asked nervously, glancing over her shoulder.

“It does indeed,” the spider matron replied.

“And my friends?” Twilight asked.

The spider laughed. “A bunny and a crunchy pony would make for poor meals. The thestral is a fellow servant of the night, and our cousins are never food.” The spider gained a bemused expression and leaned in close to the baffled unicorn. “And we do not eat the dead.”

Trixie smirked, pointing at Twilight and giggling. “Didst thee think we were going to consume thee? Don't be absurd.”

“B-but,” Twilight stammered.

“Fear is a powerful weapon and a potent motivator.” The spider chuckled, skittering her way past the stunned unicorn and over to the doors. “It has a habit of producing the truth without the need for violence.”

Twilight sighed, running a hoof down her face, groaning. “Of course you wouldn't eat us.”

Trixie trotted up beside her, casting the dead mare a smirk. “Cometh, allow us to retrieve thy associates.”

“Are you not coming with us?” Twilight asked, glancing to the spider who stood sentinel by the massive doors.

“I have other projects to attend to. It would be ill-fitting for the mistress to return and her home to still lie in ruins.” The spider smiled and gently ran a limb against the underside of Trixie’s jaw, making the unicorn blush. “My most treasured daughter will accompany you in this endeavor while I focus my efforts elsewhere.” The spider smiled and gave one last touch to the teal mare’s chin. “Come back to me, my child.”

Trixie nodded back. “I will, mother.”

The great spider smiled faintly, retracting her limb and ushering the pair towards the door. “Oh and if you do succeed, tell the mistress Nebula is still waiting for that treat!”

The pair both nodded before beginning the short trot back to Twilight’s friends. As they walked, Twilight felt her fear and anxiety slowly begin to lift, and the realization of what just happened to settle in. “Wow,” she muttered to herself.

Trixie smirked and bumped the unicorn with her hip. “Still awestruck by our beauty, I see. Or perhaps our mother’s?”

Twilight chuckled and shook her head. “I'm just amazed how well this all is turning out. I was just kind of winging it there for a bit.”

“And without wings nay less, impressive,” Trixie quipped.

Twilight smiled faintly. “Yeah.”

“Oh thank the stars, Twilight is back,” Applejack remarked.

Looking ahead, Twilight saw her friends standing off to the side of the hall, no longer trapped in the web but still surrounded by the male spiders, whom seemed more bored than anything. Applejack and Fluttershy stood at the forefront, with the bunny perched on the pony’s shoulder, a huge smile crossing her face.

“Oh, thank goodness,” Fluttershy said with a sigh.

Rainbow Dash stood next to the pair, one hoof on the hilt of her blade, her gaze lingering on the nearest spider. Beside her stood Rarity, who was peering intently into the eyes of the larger spider from before. “Sheeshala, kashee?” she asked nervously.

The spider nodded slowly, a blush spreading across his features. He mumbled something no one seemed to understand, his forelimbs covering his face.

“I’m sorry, I didn't quite catch that darling, what did you say?” Rarity asked.

“He said you did well, and he thinks you are pretty,” Trixie said with a smirk, earning herself a glare and a hiss from the larger spider. “Oh, hush you.”

Rarity blushed, batting her eyes at the enormous spider. “Tell him he can be quite dashing when he wants to be.”

Trixie rolled her eyes. “I am not saying that.”

“Augh, who cares about Rarity’s weird crush?” Rainbow Dash blurted out. “Are we going to have to fight our way out or what?”

Twilight placed a calming hoof on the mare’s shoulder. “No. In fact they are going to help us and even gave us a guide.” The unicorn pointed to Trixie, whom had already struck a proud pose.

“The most wondrous and powerful Trixie hath spent days fixing up the catacombs and will help you find what you require,” she announced proudly.

Applejack whistled. “Hoo doggy, things are really looking up now.” She bumped the bunny on her shoulder and smirked. “And you were worried Twilight was gonna get eaten.”

The bunny smiled softly. “I am glad you are okay.”

“I am more than okay,” Twilight announced before turning to the rest of her friends. “Is everyone ready?”

Her companions all nodded, with Rainbow Dash finally relinquishing the grip she had held on her sword.

Trixie turned and made a few commands to her brothers who nodded back before skittering away, all save the largest who hesitated, casting Rarity one last sidelong glance before reluctantly returning to his duties.

Trixie nodded. “Ready.”

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T Sparkle

A Spooky Interlude

Author's Note

This chapter (and other future interludes.) are not wholly necessary to the story, and may or may not be canon, so feel free to ignore them if you would like.

A Spooky Interlude

Oh, hello there, sorry if this is a little startling, me speaking directly to you that is, but I felt the need to offer a sort of disclaimer before this particular story could begin. First off, I would like to thank the hundreds of you that have come to hear a silly old bat’s stories. The fact that you all come back month after month to hear more about Twilight and her adventures keeps me going sometimes.

But enough about that.

I know you want to hear more about your favorite necromancer, but I thought that in honor of your universe’s Nightmare Night, I would share with you a story about this universe’s Halloween. Now I know you have many questions, like what my identity is, but unfortunately the barrier between realities ensures that the only thing you are able to perceive is my voice as text.

So with that in mind, allow me to introduce myself properly, get into my storytelling chair and I can help you see what I see.

Before you was a humble room, barely large enough to contain a piano, a couch, a chair, numerous curios and pictures and a single mare seated upon the aforementioned chair. She was old, easily into her sixties, yet despite her advanced age she noticed your almost imperceptible presence instantly, cracking a wide smile at your appearance.

“Ahh, good. There we are,” she said, chuckling slightly as your eyes meet.

Her eyes were strange, the twin pools lacking anything distinctive, merely being two orbs of swirling darkness. The longer you stared into them, the more you realized just how truly strange they were. The darkness you thought you saw was actually tinged with flecks of white, as if the mare’s eyes were windows into the void between stars, reflecting the images of the great beyond.

“I suppose you are wondering about these peepers of mine, eh?” The mare chuckled, leaning back in her chair.

“When I was young, probably younger than most of you, I looked up at the moon and was fascinated by what I saw. So fascinated that young me wouldn't look away, not for hours, or even days.” She sighed faintly, a smile crossing her lips.

“My world is a strange one. The moon does not move in the sky, and in some places deep inside the Everfree, there are spots where night is forever. Which is a good segue to where I grew up.” The mare stood slowly, slipping down from the chair and walking over to a large painting on one wall that you hadn't noticed until now.

The painting was of a town or village nestled in a small valley, a large white moon hanging overhead. In the streets many creatures are walking to and fro, every single one sporting a pair of bat wings on their back. The town is a simple one, and just off to the side, nestled between two houses built into massive fungi, is standing a filly, barely older than ten. She is small, clearly awestruck, and has a trio of bubbles on her grey flank. Her body is tense, her gaze upward, staring in awe at the moon, her mouth hanging open, her eyes wide.

“As you may have realized, that is me. And the astute among you may realize my name already.”

The mare smiled and ducked into a short bow, her knees cracking audibly as she did. “If you do not already know, allow me to introduce myself. I am Ditzy Doo, but my friends just call me Derpy.

“Oh, and the painting was merely a coincidence by the way. Found it at a thrift store a number of years ago, turns out a handsome young stallion was painting my town just as I realized my special talent, and was gifted with my special sight.” She gestured to her strange eyes.

“The night mistress is a strange and fickle being, and I had apparently pleased her so much with my childlike fascination that she gifted me with sight beyond sight. Alas,” she sighed, “the only beings that believe me are you, because you are the only one I am able to prove my powers to.”

She shook her head and made her way over to the chair before slipping back into its warm embrace. “But I’m sure you didn't come here to watch an old mare ramble about her youth. No, you are here for a story.” She tapped the side of her head and grinned, revealing a wide toothy smile. “And I got just such a story for you.”

She leaned back in her chair, sighing contently as the plush piece of furniture supported her aged joints perfectly. “Now before I begin, I must forewarn you that this may be an alternate reality, or perhaps something far in the future.” She shook her head slowly. “I do not know if this will come to pass. Only that it happened somewhere, at some time, so take what you hear with a grain of salt.”

“Now.” She clapped her hooves and sat up, eagerly staring into your eyes with her night filled orbs. “Let me tell you of a fun little story, of when Twilight Sparkle tried to scare her dear friend Pinkie Pie.”

The mare smiled and flashed you a wink.

Twilight Sparkle walked down the main thoroughfare of Ponyville, her eyes wide and filled with wonder as she looked around, taking in the sight of just about everyone she knew all dressed up for the holiday. She watched as a young thestral disguised as a snake crept up behind an arachni dressed like a knight, then, when she was close, the thestral leapt on the spider pony’s back and hissed in her ear. The arachni shouted, trying to spin around and find whatever had made the noise, only for the thestral to begin to giggle, alerting the knight that there was no danger. Looking over her shoulder, the arachni shook her head and laughed as well.

The dead mare grinned to herself, endlessly amazed by this strange and wonderful holiday.

Trotting deeper into the town Twilight watched as children of all shape, size, and race scampered about in costumes, going from house to house. The sheer joy in the air energized the lich, making her feel more alive than she had in a long time. She suddenly didn't regret leaving Spike behind to watch the tower as she was sure he was enjoying handing out candy almost as much as the children enjoyed receiving it.

A part of her still felt a little bad for leaving the young drake behind, and she decided then and there to make it up to him. “Maybe Bon Bon has some candy with gems in it,” she wondered aloud.

She shook her head and continued walking. “I’ll wait for the sale in a few days and get him a whole bunch, right now I got a bug to find.” She stopped and nearly facehoofed, mentally berating herself for talking to herself again. Remember to get out of the tower more, she thought to herself.

Glancing further down the street, Twilight could see a group of minotaur foals, children, she wasn't sure what the proper name was, only that they were young and minotaurs. Either way, the group was standing near a coffee shop, and were all wearing various armors ranging from simple cardboard and paper to all the way up to sets that looked completely real. Each one was different and Twilight could tell even at a distance that they were from different time periods, and armies.

The young minotaurs were all gathered around a table near the edge of the coffee shop and were in what looked like a heated debate of some kind. Straining her hearing, Twilight could tell that it seemed to be about which minotaur king or queen from throughout history could win in a fight and, judging from the pile of candy in the center, they were betting the most precious resource of all, sugary treats.

Rolling her eyes, Twilight was about to continue walking, but something made her look up, to where she saw numerous dark shapes descending from on high, their forms obscured by the darkness of the canopy. Focusing her magic into her gaze, the mare’s eyes glowed a faint white before returning to their normal subtle purple glow.

After a few rapid blinks she looked up at the shapes, instantly recognizing them as goliath spiders, accompanied by what looked like a young matron, though Twilight’s enhanced senses knew better.

She stood by and watched as the spiders landed all around the minotaur children, leaping at the now terrified youngsters. They in turn screamed and ran out the small opening the spiders had left for them. The scared minotaurs sprinted past her, a few of them screaming as they did, most having wide smiles on their face.

Twilight ignored it all and approached the table that was now occupied by spiders, one of whom had tossed back a bunch of sweets and was chewing loudly. As she got closer, one of the spiders ran up at her and hissed, baring it's fangs and raising its forelegs high above its head.

“Hello Pupa,” Twilight greeted.

The spider blinked, before disappearing in a flash of green. “No fair, Auntie Twilight!” The changeling pouted before plunking down on the ground and crossing her hooves.

Twilight rolled her eyes and approached the table, ignoring the rest of the ‘spiders’ that gave her a respectful berth. As she approached the table, the young matron she had seen earlier flashed a brilliant green before revealing the form of a familiar changeling queen. “You know Pupa’s got a point,” Chrysalis remarked, her mouth still full of partially chewed candy.

“It's a part of who I am,” Twilight stated. “It would be as much cheating as your ability to disguise yourself.”

The changeling queen shrugged dismissively. “What do you want anyway, Sparkle?”

“I was just wondering where Cadence was, a messenger said she wanted to-”

The unicorn’s train of thought was interrupted by the queen suddenly lunging right up to her and hissing, spittle flying all over the mare’s face. Twilight sighed, and closed her eyes, waiting until the hissing finally died down.

“Are you done?” she asked.

The queen hissed one last time for good measure before stepping back. “Yes.”

The dead pony ran a hoof down her face, wiping the spit that had accumulated there. “I’m dead, remember, I don't even experience that. Nevermind, she's my sister, sort of.”

The bug queen shrugged, tossing back another hoofful of stolen candy. “Can never be too careful.”

“I would understand the first time, but we've known each other for years.” The queen stifled a giggle, a laugh that was shared by the other changelings who quickly joined in.

Twilight sighed. “Let me guess, this is an excuse to spit on me.”

“Maaaybe,” Chrysalis said teasingly.

Twilight groaned. “Look, are you going to tell me where she is or not?”

Chrysalis shrugged. “Yeah sure, she's in the hive with our newest clutch.” The changeling’s eyes glazed over slightly, gaining a wispish expression as she stared off into the night. “She's knitting our grubs tiny sweaters for winter.” She giggled. “Isn't it the cutest?”

A chuckle from the changeling to her right brought Chrysalis out of her daze and she smacked the disguised changeling off the chair, regaining her hard expression in an instant. “Hey, I didn't say you lot could laze around! Fear may not taste the best, but it's still food and we got quotas to meet.” The queen pointed dramatically towards the town. “Now go and feed, my children!”

The changelings all scuttled off, giggling like a pack of hyenas.

Chrysalis was about to join them when she suddenly turned to Twilight with a deadly serious expression. “I would change if I were you.”

Twilight blinked, looking down at the red and black cape she wore. “What, why?”

“Vampires are beings too, ya know, and you dressing up like them is kinda disrespectful. They are a people, Twilight, not a costume,” the queen pointed out.

Twilight wilted and began to unbuckle the cape she wore, only to stop and suddenly glare at the queen. “Hey! Vampires aren't real. I should know, I’m a lich!”

The queen’s hard expression lasted a second longer before she suddenly exploded with laughter. “Oh, you are too easy! Your confusion is just-” The changeling ran her tongue along her lips. “Delectable.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and slapped the queen’s hoof away. “Yeah yeah, now why don't you just bugger off already.”

Chrysalis’ eyes narrowed. “Not funny, Sparkle.”

“Oh I beg to differ, bugging you is very funny.”

Chrysalis groaned. “Augh, puns.” The queen disappeared in a flash of green fire, being replaced by the same matron spider form from a moment earlier. She cast one last amused glance over her shoulder before skittering off after her brood.

Leaving Twilight to shake her head and chuckle, a smile growing across her face.

Twilight nodded to the two old changelings standing outside the chamber, who in turn both smiled and nodded back, one even lowering themselves in a deep bow.

The unicorn blushed, trotting into the next room in order to hide her embarrassment. Something about the respect of the changelings always bothered her. Sure, she had helped ensure their race survived and that whole business with restoring order to the world, oh and stopping that doomsday plot a few months ago.

She shook her head, reminding herself the price of ego.

She smiled, instantly finding a heavily pregnant Cadence leaning on a small mound of carefully placed pillows, a changeling servant close at hoof and oddly enough, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. “Look who came to join us,” Cadence announced. “Come, sit. We were just talking about special someponies.”

Rainbow Dash, who sat next to her, blushed and awkwardly looked away, sipping her tea and trying to avoid eye contact.

Pinkie Pie, who sat next to the thestral, smirked and elbowed her friend in the midsection. “What, cat got your tongue, or should I say bunny got your tongue?”

The thestral slurped her tea audibly, using her leathery wings to hide her face.

Rarity scoffed. “Well, I for one am proud to say that our anniversary gift is coming along nicely. Trixie even said that I am learning faster than anyone she's ever taught.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “She's never taught anyone to speak a different language before.”

The arachni shrunk slightly. “Oh poo, I knew she looked a little too happy while giving out that compliment.”

Cadence stifled a giggle, turning to Twilight. “Oh and what about you? How goes your foray into the world of love?”

The lich blinked slowly. “I’m dead, Cadence.”

The alicorn shrugged. “And Chrysalis is a bug. Love knows no bounds, Twilight.”

Twilight sighed. “Regardless, I was informed you were looking for me.”

Cadence nodded slowly, gesturing to a spare pile of pillows she had already neatly arranged. Twilight obliged, sitting down and grabbing a teacup for herself before magically retrieving her own special blend and adding it to the boiling water.

With her guest now comfortable, the alicorn smiled and leaned in as much as possible, which meant she hardly moved. “You are probably wondering why I summoned you all here.”

“I thought it was for tea and gossip,” Rarity admitted.

“That is partly the reason, but first.” She turned to Pinkie Pie. “Shouldn't you be setting up the party?”

The troll shrugged. “I got time.” Cadence’s eyes narrowed, making the troll squirm. “Or I could start right now.” The pink troll hopped up. “See ya later, girls!” she called, before trotting out the door, the rest of her friends saying their own goodbyes as she did.

Cadence nodded to her attendant, who in turn left the room, sealing the door behind her.

“Now for the real reason you are here.” She leaned in with a devilish smile on her face. “We are going to scare Pinkie Pie.”

Rainbow Dash snorted. “Yeah, that's not happening. She didn't even flinch when staring down that she-bitch. I don't think we are gonna manage something scarier than her.”

Cadence frowned. “True, but there has to be something she's afraid of.”

“Can I ask a question first?” Twilight asked.

Cadence nodded. “Of course.”

“Why exactly does this holiday exist, exactly?” Twilight asked, looking around at the stunned faces. “What? No one ever gives me a straight answer.”

“It's to celebrate the return of the night mistress’ soldiers!” Rarity exclaimed. “When they returned after a battle, they were afflicted with nightmares so everyone dressed up and showed them there was nothing to fear!”

“Then where does the candy come from?” Twilight replied.

Rainbow Dash snorted again, crossing her hooves over her chest. “It's the greeting card companies trying to make more money. First valentines, now Nightmare Night.”

Rarity frowned. “But I thought candy was started after one of the soldiers was so happy that he made everyone candy, and then it became part of the tradition.”

The guard jabbed a hoof into the arachni’s chest. “That's just what they want you to believe.”

“Girls please, I think we answered Twilight’s question well enough,” Cadence remarked pleadingly.

The lich nodded. “Quite.”

“Now then, Twilight I want you to bring Pinkie Pie to the castle tonight. I got the whole hive working on making it as scary as possible, so when you two show up, be ready for the scare of your life!”

Twilight just rolled her eyes. “You really think some disguised changelings are going to scare us? After everything we went through?”

Rarity placed a hoof on the lich’s shoulder, smiling faintly. “Sometimes it's nice to be scared, it reminds us we are alive.”

“Yeah, go with the flow, Twi,” Rainbow Dash added.

The lich sighed. “I suppose you are right.”

Cadence grinned. “Of course we are. So are you girls in?”

Rarity nodded. “Though I doubt our success, I must admit I would very much like to see Pinkie Pie scared for once.”

Rainbow Dash smirked. “Same here. But if we are going to do this, we are going to have to break out the big guns.”

“Any idea how to get around her Pinkie sense?” Twilight asked, sipping her tea.

The alicorn nodded slowly, motioning for the other beings to gather round.

“I got a few tricks up my sleeve.” She leaned closer, pulling the other beings close and whispering quietly.

“Thanks for inviting me to this spooky Nightmare Night date party, but are you sure we will have enough time for both this and the one I was planning back at the hive?” Pinkie Pie asked nervously, glancing over her shoulder to where the hive was slowly disappearing in the distance.

“It's not a date, just a fun time going through a haunted house together, remember?” Twilight deflected, a slight blush coloring her cheeks.

The troll smirked, bumping Twilight’s midsection with an elbow. “Suuure.”

The lich shook her head. “Like I said, Pinkie. This also isn't a party.”

Pinkie Pie frowned. “Strange, my Pinkie sense says it's a party.”

“Well, it's not,” Twilight declared.

“Fine, Miss Grumpy Pants,” Pinkie Pie muttered, sticking her tongue out at the lich.

“Hey look, the road is back!” Twilight said.

Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes, but reluctantly allowed the dead mare to change the topic. “Yeah, it's super nice that the forest finally let us build a road straight to the castle.”

“Quite,” Twilight agreed.

Together the pair trotted down the wide, long road that lead directly to the old castle. It took a little while but the beings made good time, reaching the castle within twenty minutes of leaving for their destination. The castle itself stood tall and proud, its ramparts buffed to a sparkle only to have pumpkins placed atop them, most of which had some sort of face carved into them, and a candle inside their hollow interiors. Fake bats and spiders were plastered all over the walls, along with other intimidating and equally as fake insects. Streamers and candles dotted the battlements, punctuated by the occasional scare crow or gargoyle.

“Oooh, neat!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

Twilight nodded. “They really outdid themselves this year,” the lich remarked, her gaze lingering over the numerous decorations placed all over the exterior of the castle.

Two enormous black shapes swooped down from the canopy, landing with a heavy thump before the pair, revealing two mountains of muscle in the shape of lunar guards. The one to the right drew his sword and pointed it at them. “Halt!”

Twilight rolled her eyes, as did Pinkie Pie, who stifled a giggle. The second guard leaned forward, his heavy plate armor clanking as he did, his slitted eyes narrowing as he glared at the pair. “And where are you two going at such an hour?”

“Yeah!” the first one added, leaning in exactly the same way his counterpart had. “Where are you going?”

Pinkie Pie pointed towards the castle. “We are going to a party.” She gasped suddenly. “Do you guys wanna come to?”

The guards shared a look, one about to agree before the other glared at him. “No. We wanna not,” the first one announced before drawing his own sword and pointing it at the troll. “And you need to give me some sort of identification!”

“Yeah!” the second one added, jabbing his sword at the troll. “And hurry!”

Twilight sighed. “We don't have any identification. We haven't even worked out the process to obtain such an ID with the princess yet.”

The guards blinked owlishly, before exchanging a look. The first one’s eyes narrowed and he glared at the lich. “All I hear are excuses.”

“Yeah, excuses!” the other one added, earning himself an elbow from the first guard who shot him a glare.

Pinkie Pie poked the first guard’s sword. “Oooh, foamy.”

The guards both sighed, with the first one grumbling silently. “I knew we should have gotten wooden ones.”

“Plan B, Hack?” the second guard asked, sheathing his foam sword.

“Yes Slash, plan B.” With a nod, both guards reached into their bags and threw a hoofful of something long and wiggly at the pair.

“Eat worms, evil doers!” they both yelled before running off.

Twilight sighed, letting the rain of worms fall over her before she used her magic to pick the wriggling invertebrates from her body and tossed them to the side.

PInkie Pie was similarly unfazed, giving her entire body a good shake before giggling. “Ooh, that was new.”

“Come on, Pinkie, let's go,” Twilight remarked.

She only made it a few feet before she noticed that Pinkie Pie wasn't following her, so she turned around and was about to ask what the hold up was before her jaw hung open.

“What?” Pinkie asked, a half eaten worm hanging out of her mouth. “It's a gummy, see?”

Twilight just shook her head. “I don't want to know.”

Twilight pulled open the door to the castle, bowing slightly to Pinkie Pie. “After you, madame.”

The troll blushed and slipped inside. “Oh, why thank you, garcon. Oooh.” The troll gaped, looking around the spider web filled room.

Webs covered everything from top to bottom, blocking off the staircases on either side while the archway to the throne room was similarly blocked, except this time by a blue wall of magic. Before the arch was a small stand from which a board was nailed.

“Oooh, what's this?” Pinkie asked, bouncing over to the board. “Oooh, a riddle. I love riddles!”

Twilight trotted up beside the troll, barely noticing as the door slammed behind them. “What does it say?”

“Poor people have it. Rich people need it. If you eat it, you die. What is it? Answer the riddle to proceed!” Pinkie Pie paused, scratching her chin with a hoof. “Hmm, this one is a toughy.”

Twilight kept her mouth shut, having already guessed the answer.

As the troll pondered it, Twilight sat still, wondering what the point of the room was. Until her new senses alerted her to something above her. Trusting that it was not dangerous, the lich sat there quietly, pretending to think on the riddle as well.

Just as whatever was mere feet over their head Pinkie suddenly shot up, her mane going straight, then her hooves shaking. Faster than what should be physically possible the troll rolled forward and pointed up to where she had just been. “Aha!”

Twilight looked up to find a rather defeated goliath spider hanging above where Pinkie Pie had been. Looking straight up, she saw Rarity hanging from a similar thread.

The spider muttered in his native tongue under his breath, slowly landing on the ground and letting go of the thread he had been holding onto. Rarity quickly skittered up beside him, placing a hoof on the spider’s back.

“Shhh darling, it's okay,” the arachni whispered, rubbing the spider’s back.

The spider sighed in defeat, making Pinkie Pie wince. “Sorry,” the troll muttered.

Rarity pulled the spider away, whispering assurances in her friend’s ear.

Twilight shook her head and made her way over to the blue wall of magic. “Nothing.”

“Wait, what?” Pinkie Pie muttered. The magic shimmered briefly before dissipating, breaking away to nothing. “Ooooh, it's the answer,” the troll muttered.

Twilight nodded. “Come on, there's more where that came from.”

The troll winced, glancing back at the spider. “I hope not, Steve looked awful sad.”

“That's not his-” Twilight chuckled. “You know what, nevermind. Let's just keep going.”

Pinkie Pie perked up and hopped forward, bounding up the stairs, pausing midway. “Hey, Twilight, remember when we got caught by Nebula’s kids?”

Twilight nodded. “It was right here.” The lich tapped her hoof against the stairs she stood on.

The troll sighed. “Good times.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and chuckled.

Several minutes and many failed attempts at scaring later the pair entered another room, this one resembling a barracks filled with zombies, some of which moved while others simply lay there. Twilight glanced at the nearest one and raised an eyebrow before shaking her head. “That's not what a zombie looks like at all,” she remarked.

Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes and kept walking. “Don't think about it so much, Twilight, besides, listen to that ambiance!”

Twilight paused, listening to the unearthly wails that echoed throughout the long room. “Well, at least they got the moaning down pat.”

Pinkie Pie giggled and hopped over to her friend. “Ready to escape the barracks of the dead? OOooooooOO.”

“You know it, Pinkie Pie,” Twilight announced, trotting deeper into the room and hopping over a fallen zombie.

The troll trotted just behind her, hanging back slightly.

The pair ducked under a partially collapsed bunk bed, narrowly avoiding the hoof of one of the zombies. Twilight giggled and made her way around another undead pony that reached out in an attempt to grab her. “Hey, this is pretty fun. We should do this every year,” she remarked.

“Yeah…” Pinkie Pie announced morosely.

“What's wrong, Pinkie?” Twilight asked, dodging out of the way of a rotten limb swiping for her head.

The troll sighed. “I know you girls are trying to scare me. Ever since spider Steve looked all saddy waddy, I can't help but feel baddy waddy.”

“Oh, Pinkie Pie.” Twilight placed a hoof over the other being’s shoulders, pulling her in close. “It's fun just trying to scare people, even if we don't always succeed.”

“I guess…”

“Chin up, Pinkie Pie.” Twilight squeezed the other mare. “Surely you are having some fun.”

The troll nodded, a small smile creeping across her face. “They have done a really good job setting everything up.”

“See, there you go.” Twilight was about to keep going, but an odd look from Pinkie, coupled with a sudden twitch of the mare’s knees made the lich stop. “What was-”

The troll leapt forward out of nowhere, narrowly dodging the hooves of a now partially invisible mare.

“What the hay?!” Twilight yelled, toppling backwards.

A pair of hooves landed on the floor, dispelling the enchantment and revealing the grinning form of Rainbow Dash clad in a strange black bodysuit. “Ha! I may not have scared Pinkie, but I got you good, Twilight!”

The lich placed a hoof over where her heart should be. “I’ll say. How did you do that? I didn't even sense you coming at all.”

The thestral struck a pose, showing off her muscled form as well as the black suit she wore. “Like it? Chrysy says it stops me from being seen by anything, including spells, enchantments, and whatever.”

Twilight slowly stood back up, shaking her head at the sight of such a strange set of clothing. “Wow, remind me to ask Chrysalis about it next time. That's fascinating.”

Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes. “Are you two done eggheading? There are scares to be had and parties to go to!”

“Hey, I’m not eggheading!”

“You kinda were, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight pointed out.

The thestral crossed her hooves over chest. “Hmph!” Rainbow Dash leapt into the air, vanishing from sight once more, leaving behind two giggling beings who both shook their head.

“Shall we?” Twilight offered, gesturing to the exit.

Pinkie nodded. “We shall.”

Twilight staggered into the hall, small plumes of smoke still drifting from her burnt fur. “That was crazy!” She lit her horn and quickly patted out the flames.

Pinkie Pie gave her mane a shake, dislodging the soot that had collected in it. “How did they talk a dragon into doing that?”

“I do not know Pinkie. I do not know.” As they approached the next door, Twilight hesitated. “Would you mind waiting here for a second, Pinkie?”

The troll nodded. “Sure, but why?”

The lich hesitated. “I just need to talk to the performers in the next room.”

“Okay dokie lokie.”

Twilight nodded. “Thanks Pinkie, I’ll be right back.”

Ducking into the room, the lich left Pinkie Pie behind.

The troll, now without anything to do, plunked down on the floor and began humming to herself. “Guffaw at the grossly. Crack up at the creepy. Hmmm hmm.”

Unfortunately for her, the pink troll’s attention span ran thin rather quickly, causing her to fall forward and land on her belly with a sigh. “I sure hope they aren't switching things around just to try and scare me.”

She let out a sigh, letting her chin rest against the cold stone floor. “‘Cause I don't know if I can see another sad spider face today.”

The troll lay on the floor, pouting and sighing until Twilight came back a minute later, a huge smile on her face. “It's just going to be a few minutes.”

The pink troll leapt back up, slapping a grin on her face. “Great. What is it this time? Another dragon? More spiders?” She gasped, her eyes going wide. “A spider dragon?”

Twilight chuckled. “No Pinkie, it is not a spider dragon. Though that would be pretty freaky. Eight furry legs and scales and a giant dragon’s head.” The lich shivered.

“Yeah that would be pretty good,” Pinkie Pie remarked, already deep in thought as to what creature combination would be the scariest.

The minutes flew by and the two debated the hotly contested topic of what two animals would make for the scariest combination. By the end Twilight had settled on spider millipedes because the legs would freak her out, but Pinkie was convinced that monkey minotaurs would be the scariest thing imaginable. Twilight didn't quite understand what was scary about a minotaur with feet and no horns, but Pinkie Pie assured her it was terrifying.

Just as the argument seemed to be starting back up again, with Twilight denying that a monkey taur was scary, the door cracked open to reveal the wide eyes of a young changeling staring up at her. “We’re ready, auntie Twilight!”

“Great! We’ll be right in.”

The changeling nodded before closing the door.

“Ready for some more fun, Pinkie Pie?” the lich asked.

The troll shrugged. “I guess. I just hope I don't disappoint anyone when I don't get scared.”

“Trust me, you won't be disappointed,” Twilight said cryptically before opening the door and bowing slightly. “After you, madam.”

“Why thank you, garcon?” Pinkie Pie stopped halfway through the door.

All around her were the various trappings of a great party, yet the room was silent. She looked around, finding that there were indeed many beings of all shapes and sizes seated about the room. There was a long refreshment table stocked to the gills with every snack, dessert, and sugary thing Pinkie Pie could imagine, along with drinks both alcoholic and not. Decorations hung from every perceivable surface, yet it wasn't overwhelming and seemed to work well, giving off the perfect amount of festive flair.

“Why is everyone so quiet?” Pinkie Pie asked nervously, glancing over the numerous changelings, minotaurs, dragons, and other beings that littered the grand hall.

Twilight yawned, plunking down in a nearby chair and resting her head on the table. “What are you talking about, Pinkie Pie?”

The troll gasped. “No, not you too, Twilight! Don't worry, I’ll get this party hopping in a second!” The troll turned this way and that, desperately scanning the room for something to play music on. “Aha!”

Pinkie Pie sprinted over to a table in the corner that had a record player on it, glancing down the troll could instantly tell it already had the perfect party tunes ready to go. With a nod, she set the needle and turned it up, smiling contently as the upbeat tunes belted out of the machine.

“Alright, now let's get this…” She spun around and blinked, a growing sense of dread building deep inside her.

All around her the beings sat in the same state of lethargy that they had been in moments ago. “How?” Pinkie Pie muttered.

She ran over to a nearby elder changeling, shaking his hoof. “What's wrong with you guys? This party is hopping!”

The changeling sighed, and slowly fell back to the table before closing his eyes and beginning to snore loudly.

Pinkie Pie stood there, momentarily stunned by the reaction she had gotten. With all due haste the mare sprinted around the room, trying to urge everyone to get up until she worked her way back to Twilight, who was now joined by the rest of their friends.

“Twilight!” The troll grabbed her friend in both hooves, shaking her vigorously. “I think everyone has been replaced with body doubles that don't like parties! Or maybe there is an evil curse placed on this room where no fun can occur. Unless...” She gasped again, spinning around in circles.

At about the fourth spin, the party pony gasped suddenly. “I got it!” she announced.

“You have all been replaced by evil space ghosts from the red spider nebula!” The troll’s eyes went wide. “Which means I’m next!”

With an ear splitting cry of terror, the troll bolted out of the room on only her back legs, her forelimbs waving in the air.

Her cry slowly dissipated until vanishing entirely, leaving the room in dead silence. “Okay, guys, I think we got her,” Twilight announced, getting up and smiling.

“Oh, thank the stars,” Rainbow Dash grouched, stretching her neck. “I don't know if I could stay sitting for even a moment longer.

Chrysalis walked up to the lich, a disbelieving look on her face. “How did you do it, Sparkle? Even my best shapeshifters couldn't get a peep out of her and you managed to give me such a surge of fear that I can still sort of taste it.”

Twilight shrugged. “Her Pinkie sense detects anything trying to sneak up on her and helps her differentiate danger. But.” She held up a smug hoof. “What if I let her think there was danger where there was not?”

“Her weird senses wouldn't warn her of that,” Chrysalis finished, nodding slowly. “Impressive work, Sparkle.”

“Exactly, now without further ado.” Twilight turned to a banner that had yet to be unfurled. With a yank of her magic the banner unfurled, revealing two giant words.

Got ya!

Chrysalis raised a nonexistent eyebrow and looked down at the lich. “Are you sure she's just going to come rushing back? We did scare her pretty good.”

Twilight smirked. “Three, two, one and-”

“Hey guys, my party senses were tingling. Are you still possessed by evil fun hating alien ghosts from Xenu?” Pinkie Pie asked nervously, peeking in from the side of the door.

Twilight shook her head and pointed up to the banner.

Following the lich’s hoof the party troll looked up, her jaw falling open. “Woah, did you do all this for me?”

Twilight nodded. “Yup! I got Chrysalis and everyone to move the party you set up at the hive to here.”

“Really?” the troll asked, slowly walking into the room.

Rainbow Dash nodded. “Really really, now let's get this party started!”

A watery eyed look from Pinkie made Twilight roll her eyes and giggle. “Come here you.”

The troll leapt into Twilight’s forelegs, squeezing her tightly. “Oh, thank you so much! This is the best scare ever!”

Cadence hobbled up next to Pinkie. “So, did we get ya?”

The pink troll nodded. “You guys sure did. Oh, I can't wait to see what happens next year!”

The alicorn chuckled, placing a hoof on the other female’s shoulder. “Don't get too far ahead of yourself. Now, what do you say we get this party really started?”

“You can count on me!” The pink troll sprinted across the room and cracked up the volume on the record player before bumping aside several tables, creating an impromptu dance floor.

In the span of a few seconds Pinkie had already managed to fill the dance floor with beings that were eagerly dancing away, drawn into the spirit of the party by the energetic troll.

The party troll was a blur of movement and in no time at all everyone in the room was moving and having fun, either by dancing, partaking in several games, or merely enjoying an animated conversation with snacks.

With a content sigh, the pink troll settled back into the table Twilight, Cadence, Chrysalis and Rainbow Dash were seated at. “I love the sound of fun in the evening.”

Rainbow Dash threw back a mouthful of cider and grinned. “You are telling me, Pinkie Pie. It seems like we got just about everyone here!”

Twilight smiled, munching on some cookies of her own creation. “The others should be here in a few minutes, though I wonder if-”

“What's this? A party and I wasn't even invited?” a regal voice asked.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “You were invited, I gave it to you this morning. Remember princess-”

The Library

The five friends and one accomplice marched silently down the stairs, making their way deeper into the catacombs. Twilight and Rainbow Dash walked at the forefront, keeping their eyes peeled and their senses sharp, followed close behind by Trixie, who was quietly humming a tune no one could place. Behind her, Applejack and Fluttershy trotted, with the treebound mare occasionally grunting and complaining about all the stairs. Fluttershy did her best to assuage her friend’s pain, but there was only so much a single bunny could do. Rarity hung at the back, her wider body and many legs making it necessary for her to walk alone.

The stairs were wide, easily enough for three ponies to walk abreast if they didn't mind walking shoulder to shoulder. The stone beneath their hooves, though ancient, had clearly been swept and cared for recently, something Trixie eagerly took credit for and Rarity appreciated. The fashionable spider pony’s whining having finally relented after learning that at least the first floor, which encompassed a few rooms and the library, would be free of the dust and clutter that she so detested.

“How long is this going to take?” Rarity asked, breaking the relative silence that had settled over them.

“I’m not sure.” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “It could take days to reach the bottom, if we are being careful, or mere hours if we weren't worried about surviving the journey.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Well, I don't know about you girls, but I am quite done with dying for awhile.”

Applejack chuckled. “With Trixie’s mom helping us out, our supply issue shouldn't be a problem for much longer, so I say we take this nice and slow. Ain't no reason to go rushing into trouble.”

“That sounds like a great idea,” Fluttershy added. “The undertower is not something you want to rush through.”

“Fi! Where is the glory in taking forever?” Trixie complained.

“We are not going to risk our lives for glory,” Twilight pointed out.

The teal mare rolled her eyes. “Still, ‘twould be a most glowing accolade if we had delved such a depth in little time.”

Rainbow Dash groaned. “Why do you keep talking like that? I mean really, who says fi?”

Trixie huffed. “I don't knoweth what thou art talking about.”

“Does everyone speak in old Equish where you come from?” Fluttershy asked, leaning forward on the branch she was standing on.

“Old Equish? We art just speaking Equish, it is thee who art speaking in tongues.” Trixie recoiled in disgust, sticking out her tongue. “Thy words art blunt and inelegant, like a mere foal’s.”

“Wait a second,” Rarity butted in. “Are you telling me you've never heard anyone speaking modern Equish?”

“No, that can't be true, the matron spoke modern Equish,” Twilight pointed out.

“True, mother occasionally speaks in a less intelligent tongue, but it is only at which hour she doth speaketh to outsiders,” Trixie remarked. “At which hour mother is high-lone we speaketh in our native tongue. Besides, our mother only learned such blasphemous speak from a friend who doth visits occasionally.”

“Hold on a minute.” Twilight stopped, turning back and looking up at the teal mare. “I knew I saw those styles of piercings somewhere. What year do you think it is?”

Trixie scoffed once more. “Wherefore doest it matter? The forest twists all things, time included. To tryeth and track it is a fool’s errand.”

“You mean to tell me you are from the past or something?” Rainbow Dash asked, while scratching her head. “‘Cause that's just ridiculous. I know time can get distorted in here, but I very much doubt you were from the original Ponyville.”

“Yond hamlet at the edge of the woods?” Trixie rolled her eyes. “I may originally beest from thither, but it holds not mine own allegiance.”

“Excuse me,” Fluttershy interrupted, “I think this is a fascinating conversation, but can we finish this at the bottom? Applejack is in a lot of pain.”

The farmer grunted. “I wasn't gonna say anything, but these stairs and me don't mix.”

“I’m terribly sorry, Applejack, why don't we finish this later?” Rarity added.

Trixie shrugged and motioned for Twilight and Rainbow Dash to turn back around. “What art thee waiting for?”

“Err, right.” Twilight began walking down the stairs, following close behind Rainbow Dash, who held no qualms with abandoning the rather boring discussion.

The thestral bumped shoulders with the undead mare. “So, oh fearless leader, what's the plan?”

“There are a few rooms we can set up camp, then I thought we could go to the library.” Twilight paused. “Wait, since when am I the leader?”

Trixie nodded. “Forsooth, I knoweth mine own way around, so it is only natural that I leadeth.”

“Actually, I agree with Rainbow Dash on this one,” Applejack muttered, grunting as a particularly bad step jostled the tree in her back.

“Me as well, darling,” Rarity added, while Fluttershy nodded.

“See? We all agree,” Rainbow Dash added, ignoring the glare coming from Trixie.

“Why though? Shouldn't you lead?” Twilight remarked. “You are the guard after all, if anyone should be making decisions, it's the one of us who is trained to deal with this sort of situations.”

“True.” Rainbow Dash smirked. “But, I admit I ain't much of a plan ahead type of thestral.” She jumped into the air and used her wings to hold her up while boxing with some unseen opponent. “I’m more of a fighter than a planner.”

“Err, I guess that makes sense but what about-” Twilight began, only to be interrupted by a bunny landing on her back and placing a paw on her shoulder.

“Twilight, we trust you to keep things organized and make sure we don't get mixed up.” Fluttershy smiled. “It's a compliment.”

The undead unicorn grinned, feeling the trickle of positive energy flowing into her. “That's really nice of you girls. Thanks.”

“No problem, now can we please pick this up? Bloomberg is killing me,” Applejack griped.

“Agreed,” Rarity added, wincing as her own back cracked in several places.

Trixie grunted and rolled her eyes. “I still think I would be the most wondrous choice to leadeth.”

The group of beings all shuffled out of the stairwell, assembling near the bottom and stretching their many and varied limbs. “Oh, thank the stars,” Applejack muttered, stretching her legs and making her joints pop in several places.

“How many stairs were there? It feels like I walked across the whole of Ponyville,” Rarity lamented.

“There are quite a few sub levels that are only traversable via magic, as well as several secret floors that don't show up on any blueprints and have only been theorized of,” Twilight pointed out.

“Plus this is the quickest and easiest way through the catacombs to the library and undertower. Meaning we had to bypass all the rest of that stuff,” Rainbow Dash added.

“Well still.” Applejack grunted, giving her back a shake. “You think they could have installed some sorta magic door or something.”

Trixie rolled her eyes. “Enough whining, let's findeth the camping spot and setteth it up already. I wanteth to receiveth an early start tomorrow night.”

“Trixie does have a point,” Rarity agreed. “It would behoove us to get the camp set up and maybe take a peek into the library before we start going deeper into the tower.”

“Fine, but I want to get AJ’s thing out of the way before we bed down for the night,” Rainbow Dash added.

“Err alright,” Applejack murmured, glancing over at Twilight who nodded her assent.

Fluttershy hopped down from her perch on Applejack’s shoulder. “Let's get going please. I need to let Angel bunny have his body back soon.”

“Right.” Twilight nodded, gesturing for Rainbow Dash to lead the way, something she eagerly did.

Looking around, Twilight found that the stonework was much more detailed and seemed to have survived surprisingly well under the grueling touch of past ages. There were few cobwebs this deep, and even less dust and dirt marred the long, nearly immaculate hall that lay before them. She could easily see from her position at the bottom of the stairs that numerous rooms opened up around them, and a hallway could be seen further up, one that ran through the one they were already standing in.

Walking deeper, the dead unicorn could tell that many of the rooms they had passed hadn't survived as well as the halls had, and some were either filled with the smell of rot, or had partially or totally collapsed. Though it made sense now that she thought about it, as the thestrals must have spent their effort in maintaining a path into the deepest reaches of the undertower, and not nearly as much on the more mundane aspects of the side rooms that were less important.

The entire area was poorly lit, and though Twilight could see a few magical torches burning at random intervals, most of the halls and rooms were pitch black. Not like that bothered her or her friends, as all of them seemed to have at least somewhat decent night vision, including Trixie, somehow. The unicorn sniffed the air, the scent of hundreds of years worth of dust tickling her nose.

Glancing at her friends, and Trixie, they all seemed relatively relaxed, as if they weren't plumbing the depths of a spooky half abandoned castle deep in the Everfree. The unicorn shrugged, reasoning that if they weren't upset by this, then why should she?

Together they walked deeper into the winding depths of the castle, with Rainbow Dash taking a right after the intersection. “The library is straight, by the way, the other direction just has some musty old rooms and a few barrels of cider that went bad a few centuries ago.”

Twilight peered into the darkness, staring down the path ahead of them and finding that she could just barely see a statue of a pony with both wings and what looked like a horn standing inside. “Huh,” Twilight muttered, her curiosity piqued at the thought of ancient and forgotten knowledge being so close at hoof.

Trixie sighed. “The most wondrous and powerful Trixie hast not the time to restore any other functions or rooms of the catacombs, I’m afraid.”

Fluttershy smiled, patting the unicorn on the fetlock. “That's okay, Trixie, I’m sure you’ve done a great job.”

“Thank thee, dear Fluttershy.” Trixie smiled, picking her head up. “I admit, this hast been tougher than I bethought. So much debris and so many walls, ceilings and floors to fix. I am an illusionist, not a mason.”

“Perfect, they even left the torch behind,” Rainbow Dash announced suddenly, trotting a little faster and making her way over to a seemingly random side room that had a large torch sitting in a holder just outside it.

“What does this torch do anyway?” Twilight asked, lighting her horn and turning the torch about in its holder, only to find that it seemed like a perfectly normal, everyday torch. “It doesn't look very special.”

“It wards off most of the creatures found in the lower levels, and ensures that none follow you back up to the surface or surprise you while you make camp,” Rainbow Dash pointed out, hefting the torch and blowing against it.

“Whoa,” Applejack muttered.

“Whoa indeed,” Twilight agreed, watching as the torch lit with a strange purple light, before flickering a moment, burning brighter.

“Doesn't last forever though, so don't use it unless we are bedding down for the day.” Rainbow Dash turned it upside down, the flames instantly snuffing themselves out.

“Aye, aye, let's start making camp already. Trixie doth requires her beauty sleep as well as ample time to practice my illusions,” Trixie announced, stepping into the room and looking around. “That corner shalt be mine.”

The rest of the group filled in after the unicorn, picking out spots and starting to lay down bed rolls and other camping equipment. Twilight walked in last, instantly noticing that this room seemed off, almost special in a way. Though there were several arches along the wall, indicating that there had been several other adjoining rooms, they had all collapsed, leaving only this single wide area accessible. The floors, ceiling and walls were all wooden, though parts had rotted through and revealed the stone behind. The room itself had no door, but there were large hinges still hanging on the frame, indicating that only a single door had spanned the wide opening.

“Hey Rainbow Dash. Do you know anything about this room?” Twilight asked, a hoof brushing across the hinges that were left behind.

“Not really.” The thestral shrugged, spreading out her bed roll and placing her bags against the wall near the door. “We suspect that it was a visiting dignitaries’ room or perhaps a royal librarian’s. It was clearly important, and relatively deep into the lunar wing of the castle, making some suspect that it was specifically tied to the moon princess and not her.”

“‘Tis a most peculiar lodging.” Trixie agreed, setting her own meagre possessions in her corner. “The colors are different from both the mistress’ as well as the nemesis’.”

“Nemesis?” Applejack frowned. “What nemesis?”

“Thee knoweth her. She who shalt not be named.”

“Celestia?” Twilight asked.

The teal unicorn’s eyes went wide and she sprinted across the room, closing the dead unicorn’s mouth with a hoof. “Forgive her, she knoweth not what she speaketh.” The unicorn made a symbol in the air before relinquishing her hoof from the other mare’s jaw. “Stayeth thy tongue, naive. To utter her name in the mistress’ hallowed halls is a grave insult.”

“Err alright.” Twilight relented, exchanging a glance with her slight less confused friends.

“I know it's not nice to bring her up, but is it really that big of a deal?” Rarity asked, while absentmindedly fiddling with a surprisingly lavish tarp she drew across her area, giving the arachne a small amount of privacy.

“Would thee bringeth up the being that hath killed thy grandmother in her own home?” Trixie questioned, eyes narrowing.

Rarity paused, wincing as she realized the depth of her words. “Point taken.”

Twilight winced as well, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. “Sorry Trixie, I didn't think of it that way.”

The unicorn sighed and nodded. “It's fine, just be more mindful, thou art running of valorous graces, sunspawn.”

With that the unicorn turned, and marched over to her corner, before throwing up a thin barrier and applying an illusion that made it perfectly resemble wooden walls, complete with door, which Trixie opened and disappeared into. Leaving a rather confused Twilight to stand there, twiddling her hooves.

“Don't worry about her, sugarcube. She just seems to worship ol’ moon a little more than most, is all,” Applejack added before tossing her stuff in the shallow hole in the floor.

“I have to agree with Trixie, unfortunately.” Rainbow Dash frowned. “It would be kind of rude to bring up my killer back in my own house.” The thestral scratched her head. “Though I would be dead so…” She shrugged and went back to pulling out her supplies and strapping her armor back on.

“Anyway.” Applejack trotted up to the entrance. “Who is all coming with me to the library?”

“I am,” Rainbow Dash announced, tightening the strap of her sword and straightening her helmet. “Someone’s gotta keep an eye on you lot, I’ll leave the torch here just in case.”

“Good thinking,” Rarity remarked, peeking out of her makeshift tent house. “I will be remaining here in order to set up our camp and to hopefully bother Trixie into teaching me a few things about weaving.”

The unicorn popped out of her room and pointed at the arachne. “I shall doth so, merely allow me mine own beauty sleep first.” Her eyes narrowed. “And doth not wake me, lest thee shalt knoweth mine own wrath.”

Rarity gulped. “Yes ma’am.”

Trixie ducked back into her room, slamming her magical door behind her.

Fluttershy chuckled. “I need to let Angel have his body back in a few minutes, so I’ll be staying here as well.”

“I think I’ll go with you.” Twilight grinned, rubbing her hooves together excitedly. “I can't wait to read some of the books they have down here.” She stopped and frowned, looking over at Rainbow Dash. “I’m allowed to read them, right?”

The thestral snickered. “Yes, egghead, you are allowed to read them. Just be careful, don't leave with any books and you’ll be fine.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I knew that much at least.”

“Good,” Rainbow Dash remarked. “Oh and don't touch anything unless I say you can. There are a few priceless artifacts stored in the library, either because they are too heavy or too brittle to move.”

“Yes, Captain Rainbow Dash,” Twilight replied back with a salute.

“Captain Rainbow Dash…” The thestral paused, tapping her chin. “That has a nice ring to it.”

“Would you two quit lollygagging?” Applejack yelled from down the hall. “There ain't many hours left in the night and I want my sleep too, ya know.”

“Last one there's a rotten egg!” the thestral announced before shooting out the door, leaving a prismatic trail in her wake.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “That girl is gonna run into a wall one of these days.”

“Oh, she has,” Rarity added.

“Many times,” Fluttershy remarked sadly. “I sure hope she doesn't run into anything down here though, I don't think stone is quite as forgiving as wood.”

Twilight leaned down and rubbed the bunny’s head. “Don't worry, I’ll keep an eye on her.”

Fluttershy beamed up at her friend. “Thanks.”

The dead unicorn straightened her back and turned towards the door, making her way down the hall at a brisk trot while taking in all the sights and sounds along the way. Including a large double door bound by an enormous set of chains that wound through the handles, which were in turn secured by a large padlock.

“Huh,” Twilight muttered, pulling on the doors and noting that she couldn't even open them enough to glimpse what lay beyond. “Must be how the lower levels are accessed.”

Turning back, Twilight trotted the last of the way to the library, where she was able to get a much better look at the statue she had seen earlier. The first thing that struck her was just how tall it was, as it easily stood several feet over her head and if the statue was real, would easily be the tallest pony, or even being, Twilight knew of. The second thing that struck her was just how featureless it was, sure she could tell it had a horn, wings and a flowing mane, but the finer details of the face, the eyes, and several other key points were lacking.

It was clearly feminine, that much was obvious but it seemed like most of the truly distinguishing features had been scrubbed away. Was this a purposeful act to make sure the mare was forgotten? Or had it been exposed to the elements before being moved down here? Twilight wasn't sure, and she put that question out of her mind for now, focusing on the fact that the statue had the wings of a thestral, and a horn that resembled her scimitar shaped one.

The alicorns were supposed to be sisters, so did that mean they had different fathers because Celestia did not have leathery wings or a horn like Twilight’s? Or perhaps they had different mothers? Or perhaps this was an artist’s impression? Or there was the possibility that the darker sister had undergone a magical transformation to further differentiate herself from Celestia. Again, Twilight wasn't sure which was right, and she was forced to set that aside, along with the multitude of other mysteries that had plagued her since she came to this place.

The statue itself was sitting on the ground, its mane and tail close to its body as its wings were partially extended, its eyes peering upwards as if gazing into the night sky. It had an almost contemplative expression that was partially marred by whatever damage it had received. Though Twilight had initially been put off by its sharp horn and sheer size, the longer she looked the more she felt a sense of calm radiating from the statue, as if the stone mare was inviting her to gaze out into the cosmos with her.

“Took you long enough.”

“Bwah!” Twilight yelled, nearly tumbling sideways in her attempt to get away from a smirking thestral.

“And I wasn't even trying to scare you.” Rainbow Dash brushed some invisible dirt from her shoulder. “Damn, I’m good.”

The unicorn tried to calm her breathing, placing a hoof over her thundering heart, only to realize that her body didn't actually need to do either of those functions. “Warn me next time. If I had a functional heart, I’m pretty sure it would have flown through my chest cavity.”

The thestral rolled her eyes. “Oh, it wasn't that bad.”

“Still…” Twilight perked up suddenly, looking around the library. “Where's Applejack?”

“The farmer wanted to figure out this riddle all by her lonesome.” Rainbow Dash turned her towards the back of the library and yelled. “Like an idiot!”

A grunt from somewhere in the back was all the answer she received.

“Right.” Twilight chuckled. “She can do it alone if she wants to Rainbow Dash, I’m sure she can figure it out.”

“I guess, but it's going to take forever, and why bother when you got a walking library right here.” The thestral gestured toward Twilight.

“Very funny, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight groused.

Rainbow Dash smirked. “I know.”

Rolling her eyes, the unicorn pushed past her friend and walked deeper into the library. “If you don't mind, I’m going to find the history section.”

“What a snoozefest,” Rainbow Dash whined before leaping into the air. “I’m gonna find a spot to nap, err that has a better vantage point.”

Twilight chuckled, watching the thestral as she flew up over the stacks and disappeared into the gloom.

The unicorn shrugged and began to wander the stacks of the library, only to quickly realize that the organizational method was not the one she was normally used to. Leaning in, she noticed that the books themselves also didn't come with the handy magical stickers that enabled easy locating and worse yet the stacks as well were without identification. With a sigh, she began to wander at random, occasionally catching a glimpse of a sleeping Rainbow Dash napping on top of a stack or a suspicious looking Applejack who always pretended to be doing something else when Twilight wandered by.

After about an hour of wandering around, Twilight had come to several conclusions, with the first being that this library was enormous. There didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the placement of the stacks, and the sight lines were short, narrow and sometimes ended suddenly and without warning. It was strange, to say the least, but despite Twilight’s frustration at the sheer chaos of the library, it was hard to stay mad as it was uniquely beautiful.

Small things, like the book ends were not the simple metal holders that ensured a row of books didn't fall over but an intricate pieces of art. Some stacks of books were held back by comically small statuettes that were pictured struggling against the mountain of knowledge they held back while others were of stylized moons, or of proud thestrals. And the artwork didn't end there, as the small spaces between the stacks always seemed to be occupied by some piece of art, either a faded painting or ancient statue.

The entire thing struck Twilight as more of a museum or art installation that just happened to have books in it, rather than a structure that was merely intended to hold books. Something the high vaulted ceilings and numerous and oftentimes hidden reading areas seemed to indicate.

Twilight’s mind went back to the one time she had been allowed into Celestia’s royal library, before she accidentally caused one of the old librarians to have a heart attack and was banned. The golden structure had been utilitarian to a fault, and though everything was easily found, and was perfectly preserved, every minute spent in those long, perfectly straight halls were a minute that Twilight felt like she was in a prison, rather than a library.

The mare wondered if this strange castle that had two separate yet close throne rooms also had two different libraries hidden beneath them or if this facet was unique to the lunar section.

“Just another mystery,” Twilight muttered to herself.

As she continued to wander, so did her mind, only for the mare to quickly realize a fact that made her laugh out loud. “Of course, it all makes sense!” The mare doubled over, using a nearby stack to keep from tipping over completely. “One is too ordered while the other too chaotic. They truly were polar opposites.”

Twilight shook her head, the last of her laughter petering out as she made her way deeper into the winding labrinth that held a surprising amount of books. Eventually she managed to find the section she was looking for, the pony having gotten used to the fact that there weren't any indicators as to where one section started and another ended. Making it so Twilight was forced to judge sections based on a glimpse at their spines and hoping that at least one of them had a title printed therein.

“Ahh, The History and Foundation of Modern Equestria by Night Wing,” Twilight muttered. “Sounds like a thestral name, maybe this retelling will be a little different.”

Flipping it open, Twilight began to read a few lines before stopping and blinking. “Wait, what?”

Shaking her head, the mare closed the book and trotted over to one of the reading nooks she had spotted earlier. Plunking down in one of the aged chairs, Twilight placed the book on the reading desk before her and started back up in the same place she had left off.

The solar princess has shown her true colors today and broken away from the Everfree kingdom her and her sister made. She took what races she deemed ‘pure’ and made for the Canterhorn, claiming that she was going to build her own kingdom away from the ‘corrupting’ influence of the forest. Though initially this self imposed exile began peacefully, blood was spilled when a large group of the solar princess’ soldiers raided a guard depot for weapons and supplies. They claimed it was theirs by right, and that they had negotiated for the contents of the depot to be sold, but when the local guard captain was informed of this event he claimed no knowledge of the sale. This would be the spark that started the first battle of Ponyville and it would be first time the Everfree monarchy fought against the new Solar Empire and it would not be the last.

Recoiling from the book, Twilight couldn't help but wonder the implications of what she had discovered. “Is he merely biased? Or were both retellings incorrect? Perhaps neither is true…” the unicorn muttered to herself, remembering well how the history books she had read referenced that ‘the darker sister’ had gone mad and left, not the other way around.

Shaking her head, Twilight read on, becoming increasingly confused as time passed.

Setting down the book, Twilight placed a hoof against her head, the warring pieces of information roiling about in her mind. She glanced over to the piece of paper she had managed to find underneath a stack, which now contained a list of her thoughts that had come up during her reading.

The Everfree Castle is definitely older than the Canterlot Castle.
This means the Everfree kingdom is possibly older.
Celestia was the one who left, which means she either annexed the Canterlot Castle from Luna, or built it shortly after she seceded.
This is all very confusing.

There were several other numbered lines beneath that, but all of them were crossed out or were otherwise covered in corrections, rendered illegible.

Tapping the quill she had summoned against the page, Twilight pondered the deeper implications of the book’s meaning and mused on just what it meant for the history of the world. It was clear they had fought more than a single battle like Celestia seemed to want her ponies to believe and it was obviously not quite as black and white either.

“Augh,” Twilight groaned, slamming her head against the history book. “This isn't what history is supposed to be like. It's about facts and evidence, not opinions and lies.”

“Well, you know what they say, sugarcube. History is written by the victors.”

“Applejack?” Twilight blinked, peeling her face from the book and turning to see that it was indeed her farmer friend. “What are you doing here? Did you find what you were looking for?”

The farm pony winced, rubbing the back of her neck. “Not exactly. It seems like things are a little muddier than I remembered.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked, getting up, and only now noticing the small piece of paper Applejack clutched in a hoof.

The farm pony pressed the piece of paper against her chest and winced. “Look, I kind of need yours and RD’s help.”

“Of course Applejack, do you want to find her before you explain or?”

“If you wouldn't mind finding her first, I’d appreciate it.” The farmer pony smirked. “Don't rightly enjoy repeating myself much, to be honest.”

“Fair enough.” Twilight took a step forward, only to stop and look around. “On second thought, why don't you lead the way?”

Applejack chuckled. “Forgot how you got here?”

“Maybe,” Twilight muttered.

The farm pony shrugged. “You live here long enough and I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Now come on, ain't much time left in the night and I want this done before we hit the hay.”

It didn't take long for the two ponies to find the lazy thestral, as her hooves were dangling off the edge of one of the stacks, her helmet and sword lying next to her while her wings covered her head. The two ponies exchanged a brief glance and a chuckle at the sight, with Twilight baffled by the thestral’s apparent ability to fall asleep anywhere without issue.

“Hey Rainbow Dash!” Twilight yelled, lobbing her ball of paper at the slumbering pony. “Wake up!”

Rainbow Dash’s head jerked and her wings recoiled with the mare looking about in confusion only to look down and notice the two ponies looking up at her. “I wasn't asleep, I just closed my eyes for a like... an hour.”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Well, come on down for a moment, I wanted to talk to ya.”

“We’re talking right now, aren't we?” Rainbow Dash shot back.

“Oh just get your lazy carcass down here already, wouldja?” Applejack snapped.

“Oh alright,” the thestral whined, plunking her helmet back on her head before strapping her sword onto her side and gliding down. “Alright, now what are we doing again? Please tell me it's not cataloguing.”

“I hope not,” Twilight remarked, a shiver running down her spine.

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Nah, it's a riddle or something, but first y'all have to swear you won't tell anyone of what happens here. Got it?”

“Err, sure thing, Applejack,” Rainbow Dash responded.

“This is serious, you have to swear you won't tell anyone.” Applejack’s eyes narrowed. “Ever.”

“I swear I won't tell anyone,” Twilight said, hoof over her heart.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, reluctantly putting her hoof over her heart. “I swear I won't tell anyone. Now will you tell us what this is all about?”

The treebound pony sighed. “Mah family owned a lot of land in and around Ponyville, even where we’re standing right now used to be owned by mah family.”

“Really?” Twilight blinked. “Wow, you must have been quite wealthy way back then.”

Applejack shrugged. “Sorta, the family was bigger back then, had a lot of cousins and whatnot living on the land, so it's not like we made a lot off it.” She shook her head. “That's not the point though. The point is we gave the land up voluntarily, and in return we asked that our family be granted a vault in the castle.”

“So you did have a ton of gems!” Rainbow Dash smirked. “You sly dog you.”

“That ain't…” Applejack sighed. “We had a little, but that's not the point. We wanted a place where the whole family could keep stuff that meant something without having to worry about it none.”

“I’m assuming this is before the invention or wide spread use of banks?” Twilight offered.

Applejack shrugged. “I don't rightly know but that was before even the castle was built, Equestria was like three towns big about that time. Regardless, the sisters let mah family have our vault, but she worried it might be a target so she had it hidden from her sister so only she and mah family would know about it.”

“You’re telling me your family was that close to her?” Rainbow Dash asked pointedly, eyebrow raised. “Really?”

“Wait, her? You mean Lu-” Twilight shrunk when they both glared at her. “I get it, don't speak the name of the pony in their tomb.”

Applejack nodded slowly. “Eeyup.”

“Okay, so they hid this vault in her library, then what?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Well…” Applejack frowned. “The few of my kind that knew where it was and how to get into it kicked the bucket during the war.” Her frown deepened. “By the time anyone remembered it even existed the whole damn forest was still a mess, the castle was in pieces and no one even knew how to get into it. So we just kinda, didn't bother doing anything about it.”

“So we are trying to find it then?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah pretty much, there's something mighty important in there,” Applejack answered.

“Like what?” Rainbow asked eagerly, a wide grin spreading across her face. “Is it your family’s lost treasure or maybe some kind of artifact from before the war?”

“What?” Applejack scoffed. “Nothing like that.”

“Then like what?”

Applejack frowned. “I’ll tell ya if we manage to open it. Till then all you need to know is it ain't worth nothing to nobody but mah family.”

“Fine, keep your secrets.” Rainbow Dash scowled.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I’m assuming you have something to go on at least?”

Applejack nodded. “Yeah.” She opened her hoof, revealing a thin slice of paper with a seemingly random assortment of numbers and letters on it. “My great uncle was supposedly the last one of our family to get into the vault, may his soul rot in Tartarus.” The farm pony turned and nearly spat before she caught herself, leaving her to reluctantly swallow the glob of spit. “Left behind this, said it would be all we need to find it eventually.” She scratched her head. “Except I can't make heads or tails of it.”

“Odd,” Twilight muttered, grabbing the paper and bringing it close to her face. “It almost looks like a classification number, but not one that I recognize.”

“Really?” Rainbow Dash asked, leaning over the unicorn’s shoulder and chuckled. “Here I thought you were a library nerd.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I have studied library classification systems before, but this is not one I’ve ever seen used in Canterlot.”

Rainbow Dash’s gaze narrowed and she leaned closer. “Wait a second.” She swiped the paper from Twilight’s magic, peering intently at it. “This is the same classification system we use for the guard’s library.”

“Wait, you have a library?” Twilight asked skeptically.

“Well yeah, there are tons of things out there that we've found that would be dangerous if ithey got out to the public, but could also be useful to the right type of beings,” Rainbow Dash pointed out. “Where do you think we put all the books too important to just leave in here?”

“I never thought of it like that…” Twilight muttered, her gaze lingering on the many shelves, only now noticing that none of them were full.

“It took a lot of offers to convince the spirits to give up the books, but in the end even they understood that there are some things that need to be under lock and key.” Rainbow Dash shrugged.

Applejack’s eyes lit up and she leaned in, grabbing the thestral by the shoulder. “So you know where this book is?”

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Sure, I mean it would take awhile to figure out where this section is, as there are tons that aren't labeled, but I’m pretty sure I could find it given a few hours.”

“Wait, what section is it in?” Twilight asked.

“Non-fiction, journals and compilations of written accounts,” Rainbow Dash responded mechanically.

“That's really specific,” Twilight muttered.

“I guess.” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Don't suppose you found the non fiction section by chance, did ya?”

“Actually, I did,” Twilight announced happily, only to stop and stare at the thestral. “Wait, since when did you know anything about cataloguing systems?”

The thestral rolled her eyes. “Since the day I passed basic. Every recruit has to know how to find stuff in the archive.”

“I suppose that makes sense.”

“Well, what are we dawdling for?” Applejack asked. “Let's get moving already.”

“Right. It's this way.” Twilight turned, leading them deeper into the library.

“Here we are.” Twilight gestured to the section. “This is where I found that history book I was reading earlier.”

“Which means it should be over here,” Rainbow Dash muttered, eyes scanning the wall of books. “Aha!”

“Where is it?” Applejack asked nervously, trying to follow Rainbow’s gaze.

“Right here.” Rainbow Dash reached forward to grab a slim, black spined leather book that had neither title nor author, only for Applejack to leap forward and grab it out of her hooves. “Whoa, watch it.”

Rainbow Dash and Twilight watched as Applejack tore through the book, flipping through pages before turning the whole thing upside down and giving it a shake. “No keys or nothing. Damnit, I really thought this was it.”

“It might be a clue.” Twilight pointed out. “Is there anything else on that piece of paper not used to identify this book?”

Rainbow Dash glanced down. “Yeah, there's an extra number three at the end of it.”

“Maybe that's a chapter.” Twilight’s eyes lit up. “Can I see it?”

“Sure.” Applejack gave her the book. “Though I’m not sure what you are going to find in some book.” She frowned. “It's not like reading it is gonna make the vault pop out of nowhere.” Her eyes went wide. “Twilight, is the book magical?”

“It seems like a plain old book to me.” She lit her horn, running a scanning spell over the book before shaking her head. “Nope, just a light preservation spell.”

Rainbow Dash swiped the book out of Twilight’s magic. “Quit lollygagging and let's find out what this book is even about… Stories of the first settlers and tales of the Everfree, huh.”

Applejack jabbed her hoof at the book. “Turn to chapter three.”

Rainbow Dash did just that. “Accepting the unacceptable, by her.”

“Wait her?” Twilight gazed over the mare’s shoulder. “Oh wow, it is by her.”

“Would you look at that,” Applejack muttered, pushing her hat up. “Well, what are we waiting for? Read it.”

“Err alright, but it's all in old Equish. Guess I’ll just translate it so I don't sound like that stuck up Trixie.” Rainbow Dash stuck out her tongue in disgust.

“Oh this is so exciting. A tale written by one of the two sisters, I wonder what wisdom it might hold.” Twilight’s eyes shone as she gazed at the page in wonder. “Do you think it has some sort of hidden meaning or spell coded into the story?”

“I don't rightly care one way or the other, just read it already and let's get this over with.” Applejack grouched.

“Alright alright, sheesh.” Rainbow Dash cleared her throat. “It all began when I was traveling back to the quaint little hamlet of Ponyville. Sir Night Song told me of this wonderful little bakery that had just opened and I had to see it for myself...”

“Ahh, what a wonderful day for a walk in the woods,” Luna said with a smile, breathing deeply of the fresh spring air. “It's enough to make an old mare feel young again.”

With a smile still plastered firmly on her face, the alicorn trotted further down the well manicured trail, glancing occasionally at the passing trees and other vegetation that dotted the edge of the path. Having abandoned her usual escort of guards, Luna was free to linger at any flower that caught her attention and generally spent as much time as she wanted trotting to town, something she eagerly partook in.

With a sigh, the alicorn turned away from the rose she had been smelling and began to trot towards town at a more determined pace, her stomach having rumbled, alerting her to just how much she was looking forward to the bakery her friend had mentioned. “I wonder if our dear Twilight will be able to join me?”

Shrugging off the question, Luna trotted a little faster, easily managing to reach the end of the path in no time, Ponyville appearing slightly to her right. “Wait, that's not right…”

Trotting a little further, the alicorn broke from the tree line before turning back around and noticing the path was exactly where it was a moment ago, which was not where it should be. “The last time I used this path I could see the whole of Ponyville open up before me.”

She glanced to her right, where Ponyville now stood. “What in the world is going on?” she muttered.

Looking around, the alicorn saw no obvious reason to explain how this had happened and sprinting to her left revealed another path, this one identical to the one she had just exited. Looking down it revealed a nearly perfect copy of the path she had just walked, though there were a few things that were slightly off, like a small row of orchids that grew near the path’s end. Walking into the path and turning around confirmed this was indeed where she had exited before, further confusing the alicorn.

“How?” she muttered.

Scratching her head, the alicorn pondered her predicament, only to shrug and turn away, walking towards the town of Ponyville and the bakery therein. Though even with her stomach rumbling and her brain telling her to simply forget the path and get food, she could do no such thing and with a regretful sigh she turned back to the path.

“This is going to bother me to no end,” she muttered before teleporting back to the castle.

Several minutes later, the alicorn began to walk the same path, starting from where it emerged behind an old red wood that seemed to grow randomly at the edge of the treeline near the castle. With a small book, quill and ink pot now in her possession, the alicorn levitated these objects, taking notes as she walked. Over time her irritation at the forest seemed to dull and she began to enjoy the closeness of nature, until she turned the last corner and saw Ponyville.

Her eye twitched dangerously and she very nearly crushed the ink pot in her magical grip. “HOW?!” she yelled.

The source of her ire was the fact that Ponyville did not appear directly before her, or to her right, but rather to her left, a small bush of roses marking this end of the path as different from the other two. Through gritted teeth she marked this down before spinning on her heel and trotting back down the path, only to repeat the process.

Over and over she went, walking the path back and forth, getting different results each and every time, and by the time the sun began to dip low on the horizon she had emerged from over twenty different exits. She had found no break in the path, though the turn seemed to signal a transition, as everything after that was slightly different. The only visually distinct thing she could notice was the different kinds of flowering plants found near the end of each path.

With her heart thundering in her chest, the alicorn turned down path number twenty two, noting the familiar low hanging branch that signalled the turn towards town. Her steps slowed, her eyes widened, and with fumbling, awkward steps she fell to the dirt, her ink pot, which had run low, tumbling from her grasp as did her now nearly full book and nearly blunt quill.

“How?” she muttered weakly.

As she lay there, staring at the small birch sapling that grew at the end of the path, Luna pondered if she was, perhaps, going completely mad. The mare lay there for a few minutes, contemplating the possibility of her madness, until a bunny hopped past her, undeterred by the sight of the alicorn and only stopping to give her a sidelong glance before continuing down the path.

Luna couldn't help but watch the small creature as it hopped down the trail, only to stop when it reached the end, where it looked around in apparent confusion. Then, with a shrug of its tiny shoulders it turned to its right and continued to hop away, unperturbed by the realization that it was not where it was supposed to be.

“Ha.” What began as a single syllable turned into a deep, irritation fueled laugh that saw the alicorn rolling around on the forest floor, tears staining her cheeks.

Eventually, when her laughter finally petered out, the alicorn now lying on her back and gazing up at the twilight sky. “I guess I’m not crazy.”

The mare shook her head and turned herself over, stood up, and with all the strength she could muster, whipped the book into the woods, following it closely with the quill and now empty ink pot.

“To think, a rabbit could lead me to an epiphany. Celestia is going to find this hilarious.” The alicorn shook the twigs from her mane, and after a second of consideration, turned to follow the rabbit, giving herself over to the whims of the woods.

“Huh,” Twilight muttered. “That certainly was… interesting.”

“I wouldn't go that far,” Rainbow Dash added.

“What do you suppose it means?” Applejack asked.

“I don't know, but the bunny clearly has some sort of significance,” Twilight offered. “Is there a rabbit statue, or painting in the library?”

“Well, that's just silly,” Applejack pointed out. “Why in the world would there be a statue of a bunny in a library?”

“Normally I would agree with you Applejack, but this is her were talking about. This entire library is kind of well… random,” Rainbow Dash remarked with a shrug.

Applejack sighed. “Fair enough.”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes suddenly lit up. “Wait! I think I remember seeing a rabbit statue when I was nap- I mean watching for danger.”

“Where?”

“It's peering over the side of one of the stacks near the entrance to the library.” Rainbow Dash turned and leapt off the ground, flying in the direction of the entrance. “Come on!”

Applejack and Twilight shared a look before they began to trot after their friend, quickly re-emerging into the entrance of the library and finding Rainbow Dash gazing up at a small bunny statue that was indeed peering over the side of the stack. “See, look? I told you.”

“How didn't we see that earlier?” Applejack asked incredulously while scratching her head.

“I don't know,” Twilight muttered.

“Well. Now what?” Applejack remarked.

“I don't know,” Twilight repeated.

“Wait a second,” Rainbow Dash whispered. “Shouldn't there be a button or something? Maybe it's looking at a switch or lever.”

The thestral spun in a circle, following the statue’s gaze down towards the base of the Luna statue. “Huh… nothing.” She was about to poke the part of the statue the bunny was looking at, only to slowly pull her hoof back, thinking better of it.

“What was that last thing she said in the story?” Applejack asked suddenly.

“Celestia is going to find this hilarious?” Rainbow Dash offered.

“No not that. The one before.”

“To think, a rabbit could lead me to an epiphany,” Twilight added.

“Yeah, that's it!” Applejack turned and looked up at the bunny statue. “What's the most forward facing part of a bunny?”

“Its nose?” Twilight asked.

“Exactly, which means that would be the part of it that would lead. Maybe that line was a clue,” Applejack added.

“Good thinking!” Rainbow Dash remarked, flying up to the statue and hovering a hoof over its nose. “Wait. What if this unleashes some sort of trap or something?”

“I very much doubt they would tie a trap to the opening of the vault,” Twilight muttered dryly.

“I guess, but how can we be sure?” Rainbow Dash glanced over at the bunny warrily. “Maybe it's tied to some sort of gas trap or maybe-”

Twilight shook her head, letting her horn dim. “It's tied to a mechanism, but as far as I can tell it doesn't seem like it has any spells tied to it. If there is a trap, it's purely mechanical.”

“See? Now stop lollygaggin’ and boop that snoot.” Applejack remarked angrily.

“Fine. But if something goes wrong, I’m blaming it on you.” Rainbow Dash huffed, turning back to the bunny and after a moment of hesitation, pressing her hoof against its nose.

For a second nothing happened, then a click could be heard from within the wall, followed by the whir of gears that ended near the base of the statue, followed by the grinding of stone against stone. The three ran over to the statue, noticing now that the space directly before it had a small two foot by two foot, half completed picture made up of various blocks. Over three dozen blocks made up a half completed picture of the castle at night, the top half of the simple puzzle not yet complete.

“Wow, that's… obvious,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“There has to be more to it,” Twilight remarked. “It can't just be a simple picture puzzle. Can it?”

“There’s only one way to find out.” Applejack bent down, laying on the floor next to the puzzle and beginning the slow process of finishing it.

Within minutes she had moved nearly all the blocks into place, leaving one final block out of position. “Ready?”

Twilight lit her horn while Rainbow Dash nodded, a hoof over the hilt of her blade. Noticing her friends were braced and ready for anything, Applejack pushed the last block into place before jumping back up, her ears up and alert.

After a tense moment of silence the trio looked around in confusion. “Did anything happen?” Applejack muttered.

Twilight shook her head. “I didn't notice anything, what about you, Rainbow Dash?”

“Nothing,” the thestral answered.

“Weird.” Applejack scratched her head. “I guess it wasn't that simple after all.”

“That's weird.” Rainbow Dash rolled her shoulders, forcing her muscles to relax. “Why lead us to a puzzle if we aren't supposed to solve it?”

“I don't know.” Twilight muttered while staring at the puzzle, noting that it did indeed look exactly like the castle at midnight, with a large full moon hanging overhead.

Peering closer, Twilight didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, the picture itself not detailed enough to gleam any potential clues from. The trees were three simple colors and even the castle itself was rendered rather simplistic, along with the sky, with only the moon being out of the ordinary, its surface and many craters drawn in considerable detail.

“Huh.” Twilight leaned down, tapping the moon block absently. “Everything else is pretty plain other than the moon.”

“Do you think it's a clue?” Applejack asked.

“I don't know.” Twilight shrugged. “But it's gotta mean something, right?”

“Unless it's a red herring,” Rainbow Dash pointed out.

“True.” Twilight stood slowly, tapping her chin as she began to pace.

For a long while the three ponies all stood, paced or lay on the floor, contemplating the deeper meaning of what had looked like a simple puzzle before Rainbow Dash suddenly spoke up. “Maybe it opened something somewhere in the library but doesn't have an auditory clue?”

“Might as well do a flyby,” Applejack pointed out.

“Right.” The mare put her helmet on the floor next to the door. “I’m on it.”

Then, in a burst of wind the thestral was gone, flying off into the crowded stacks and deeper into the library, leaving the other two ponies to continue pondering the mystery that was this strange puzzle. After a few more minutes Rainbow Dash returned, shaking her head. “Nothing.”

“Consarnit,” Applejack cursed, taking off her hat and giving it a good stomp. “What in the hay is the point of a picture puzzle if not to complete it?”

“Wait.” Twilight’s eyes widened and she suddenly sprinted over to the picture. “This is exactly like the moral of the story!”

“Wait, what?” Applejack asked, plunking her now slightly dustier hat back on her head.

“Lu-she, expected one result, but got another and-”

“Only when she accepted the chaotic nature of the forest was she happy,” Rainbow Dash finished. “That's brilliant.”

“So all we gotta do is mix it up?” Applejack asked, glancing down at the picture puzzle quizzically. “That doesn't seem right, but that might be the whole point.”

Twilight lit her horn and began scrambling the puzzle, in minutes the entire thing was unrecognizable, and only then did something strange happen. Applejack took a step forward, placing a hoof against the unicorn’s shoulder. “Wait, stop. Go back.”

The unicorn did just that, shifting the last block she had moved back into position. “See that?” Applejack pointed to the two blocks closest to the one Twilight had just moved. “It's like a design or something, the trees fit together.”

“You are right.”

“Move the top left one down, I think I see a pattern start to form,” Rainbow Dash added.

Twilight nodded, doing as she was told and finding there did indeed seem to be a pattern. The edges of the moon piece were a faint black, and after locking in the rest of the sky pieces around it, the pattern became more evident. Within minutes Twilight had managed to assemble nearly the entire thing, with the castle pieces somehow fitting in around the sky pieces, followed by the tree and grass pieces that made up the last layer.

“Wow.” Applejack muttered, noticing how the entire thing was like someone was looking at the castle through the reflection of a puddle.

“Agreed,” Twilight added.

“Hurry up and put the last few pieces in!” Rainbow Dash complained. “I want to see if this will work!”

Twilight nodded. “Right.” With a flick of her horn the last few pieces were moved into place, the entire picture now becoming complete.

For a moment nothing happened, and just when it seemed like Applejack was about to say something, a sudden click drew her attention down. The ground shook as massive hidden gears began to grind, crushing the decades of dust and dirt that had fallen between the cracks. The grinding continued, as the puzzle slid into the ground, revealing a hole that began to open up beneath where the picture had been only a moment earlier.

The trio stood in shocked silence, watching as more and more of the blocks slid out of the way, until a shaft, complete with ladder, now loomed below them. The grinding stopped, and light flickered below them, several blue torches appearing along the side of the tunnel, revealing a short drop that opened up into a larger area.

“Wow,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“Agreed.”

“You girls watch up here, I’m going in,” Applejack announced only to stop as she realized just how impossible that action was due to the tree that grew on her back. “Oh, for shitsake.” The farmer sighed, turning to Twilight. “Can I trust you to go in there and get what I need?”

Rainbow Dash frowned. “Hey, I could do that too, ya know.”

“Ah know, and don't think ah don't trust ya. It's just, Twilight here has magic, which will make hauling up whatever’s down there mighty easy,” Applejack pointed out.

The thestral wilted. “Fair enough.”

Twilight made her way over to the farm pony, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “Is there anything I should know before I go down there?”

“Be careful, for one.” Applejack smirked. “There should be a deed down there, it's old, so be gentle with it. Other then that we might as well clear out the vault so grab everything else you find. I’ll wait up here and catch whatever you pass up.”

Twilight nodded. “Alright, and don't worry, I’ll be as careful as possible.”

“I know you will.” Applejack smiled.

The unicorn turned, noting the way her heart seemed to flutter for a moment after parting. Glancing down the shaft, Twilight quickly realized that her leg brace was no longer lit up. The unicorn leaned down, prodding the brace with her magic, only to recognize that it was merely an inert hunk of metal, having lost all charge. “How long has it been like this?” she muttered.

“Awhile.” Rainbow Dash cocked her head. “Wait, you didn't know?”

The unicorn blushed slightly. “I didn't really think about it after the first day out.”

“Can we deal with this later please?” Applejack asked anxiously. “I really want to know if it's still there.”

“Right, of course.” Twilight shook her head and began descending the ladder, quickly finding that her normally clumsy and useless hooves now had absolutely no trouble utilizing the metal ladder that was bolted to the tunnel wall.

The mare shook her head. “Just another mystery,” she muttered.

Focusing on the task at hoof, Twilight slowly descended down into the vault, tentatively stepping onto the hard stone floor and looking around. The area was small, and was brightly lit by a trio of torches that illuminated the well fortified vault. Even after a single glance Twilight could tell for certain that whomever had built it was well versed in magic as she could feel several different protection spells thrum in the back of her mind, protecting the vault from being pierced by any who did not come from the shaft above her.

Beyond that, the vault was only sparsely populated, with only a two bags of something sitting in the corner. Making her way over, Twilight quickly noticed that a small book was half hidden behind a bag and a single rolled up piece of paper bound by a royal blue bow was wedged between the bags.

Pulling out the book, Twilight realized from the look of it that must be a scrapbook of some kind and flipping it open, her assumption was validated when she beheld a simple and rather grainy picture of a black and white apple tree. Below it, the words ‘The Apple Family’ were printed.

Flipping past, Twilight found herself looking upon what must have been the earliest picture of the Apple family, as there were only several members standing proudly beside a tall apple tree, one and all wearing a beaming smile. As she continued to flip through the book she noticed the family grew and grew, as did the orchard, until all of a sudden the orchard was being slowly overtaken with other trees, the smiles having vanished from the faces of the family members.

At first the trees in the background still resembled an orchard, albeit one that was surrounded and being slowly infiltrated by other trees but after a few more pages the pristine farm began to resemble the orchard Twilight had seen only a few days ago. By then the faces of the family members’ were downcast, none of them sporting the wide smiles they had only a few pages ago.

Twilight flipped the page, only to stop dead in her tracks, her jaw hanging open. She had noticed that the last few pages had shown the family beginning to have the familiar signs of what could only be described as ‘corruption’. Small sections of fur had been replaced by bark, and small branches had begun to poke out from some of their manes. During this time the family seemed to have stopped growing, appearing to stay at about the same number of members. Then suddenly the corruption was gone, just like that.

Flipping back Twilight could tell the signs of corruption were there on the page before, then she flipped back, all signs of the forest’s influence were completely gone. Their happy smiles returned, and for a few more pages they seemed to grow in number, before the pictures stopped entirely. Flipping through the rest of the book revealed nothing of interest, with every page being completely blank. Turning back to the last occupied page, Twilight realized several pages had been torn from the book, leaving behind no indication of what they had once contained. Turning to the last page one final time, Twilight stared a little closer at each member of the family in turn, finding nothing out of the ordinary until her gaze lingered on the fetlock of a well built mare who had, what Twilight assumed was moss growing up her leg. It was only a few inches, but Twilight could tell something was off, though it didn't look like the signs of ‘corruption’ she saw earlier in the scrapbook.

“Huh,” the unicorn muttered.

“Y'all right down there?” Applejack yelled.

Twilight shook her head. “Yeah! Just got distracted. The spellwork is amazing down here.”

She could hear Rainbow Dash snicker from above, but the unicorn brushed that aside, placing the book next to the bottom of the stairs before noticing a piece of paper that had fallen out of it. Picking up the folded piece of paper Twilight was tempted to open it, but the words printed on the front made her stop.

To my family.

She figured she had snooped enough and tucked it back into the front of the book, making sure it poked out the side slightly. Turning her attention down to the scroll bound by the blue ribbon, Twilight grabbed it, turning the paper over in her hoof.

“Interesting,” she muttered, noticing that it was stamped by the seal of the moon, and that the relatively simple piece of paper carried with it a powerful spell placed within.

Placing it on top of the book, Twilight put the scroll out of her mind and glanced down to the two bags she had noticed earlier. Pulling one of them open, the mare’s eyes went wide, the familiar gleam of gold coins instantly captivating her. Grabbing one of them, the unicorn brought it up to the light, noticing that it wasn't a bit, but rather some other, more ancient coin. One that had Luna’s face on one side and Celestia’s on the other.

Dropping the coin back into the bag, Twilight sifted through the container for a moment before determining it was completely filled with the old coins. Turning to the other one revealed another bag that was filled with identical coins, and from her brief inspection, Twilight figured there must be at least several thousands of the things.

Shaking her head, Twilight walked back over to the shaft and looked up, noticing the worried Applejack looking down on her. “There were two bags of really old coins, a scrap book with a note in it, and some scroll with a blue seal. Is that what you were looking for?”

“You betcha! Now be careful with that scroll. That there is probably the deed to the farm,” Applejack remarked.

“Will do,” Twilight responded, before lighting her horn, and creating a bubble around the scroll.

She then took the bubble in her magic and gently levitated it up to a waiting Applejack who only seemed to relax when the bubble was in her hooves. “Alright now, I got it.”

Twilight dismissed the bubble, and drew a sigh from Applejack who placed the deed aside with all the care of a mother placing a newborn in the crib. Levitating the rest of the items took little time, and Twilight quickly followed after, climbing the ladder and emerging once more into the library.

The second she stepped away from the vault, the familiar sound of gears could be heard, and in a few seconds the vault sealed itself once more. The floor where the shaft had just been appeared as if nothing had even happened, with even the dirt and dust returning to where it had been moments earlier.

Rainbow Dash peered over the farmer’s shoulder. “So, what is all this stuff?”

Applejack pushed the eager thestral away. “Hold on a second, I don't remember Granny ever talking about a note.”

The apple farmer flipped the piece of paper open and read quickly, steadily becoming more and more angry as time passed until finally she threw the paper on the ground and began stomping on it as hard as she could. “That no good, rotten piece of… augh! I’m so mad I can't even think of a curse.”

“No good rotten piece of guano, that deserves not even the air it breathes?” Rainbow Dash offered.

“Where did you even learn such a foul saying?” Twilight asked.

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “There are a lot of stallions in the guard.”

Applejack finally stopped stomping on the piece of paper and sighed heavily. “If that no good slime ball is still alive, I am gonna hunt him down and change that.” The treebound pony breathed deeply before placing a hoof against her heart, forcing her muscles to relax.

“What did it say, anway?” Twilight asked.

“That great uncle I mentioned cleaned out the vault and used all the money to fuck off to Cliffsdale with some thestral hussy.” Applejack turned to Rainbow Dash. “No offence.”

“None taken.”

“Anyway, he left this note, ‘apologizing’ and mentioning that he didn't bother taking the deed as it wasn't worth anything on account of the curse that came with it.” Applejack sighed suddenly, placing a hoof against her forehead. “Granny ain't gonna like this, she always did think the world of him.”

“Are you alright?” Twilight asked, leaning close to the still fuming mare.

“I will be… oh and thanks.”

Twilight blinked “For what?”

“Helping, keeping this all a secret and whatnot.” She shoved a bag of the old coins at the unicorn. “I’d like you to have this, it ain't worth much nowadays, and think of it as a way of me saying thanks for keeping all these secrets, including the one about this scrapbook.”

“Why does that matter? It's just a scrapbook,” Twilight asked curiously.

“Yeah that, and where's my bits?” Rainbow Dash added.

Applejack rolled her eyes and thrust the other bag at the thestral. “That book has evidence that this ‘curse’ can be beaten and I don't want that getting out quite yet. Not everybody is gonna think beating this thing is a good thing.”

“That makes sense… I guess. What exactly is going on in those pictures anyway?”

Applejack sighed. “Guess I might as well tell ya the story.” The farm pony stood a little straighter. “It all started back when my family first made a deal with the forest. We worked the land, and in turn we avoided the changes that afflicted other farmers at about that time. Apparently we did some ritual or something that appeased the forest and allowed us to go without the issues others did.”

“Obviously that didn't work,” Rainbow Dash added, earning her a hoof upside the head.

“I was getting there!” Applejack grunted. “What I was gonna say was that was how it worked until the war started, and everything went down the crapper.”

“Did the orchard get attacked?” Twilight asked.

“Well yeah, but that's not the real problem here.” She shook her head. “No, what the real problem was that everyone who knew the details of this agreement we had with the forest went and kicked the bucket. Leaving us without a way to keep up our side of the arrangement.”

“That does seem like a problem,” Twilight remarked. “I suppose that is why your family is so… different?”

Rainbow Dash chuckled. “That's one way of putting it.”

Applejack raised her hoof menacingly, shaking it at the thestral. “Yes, that is the reason for our changes, and why my family is considered cursed by some folk out there.”

“I know this isn't going to sound very nice, but have you thought of…” Twilight winced. “Following the story now?”

“What do you mean?” Applejack asked flatly.

“Well... In the story she stops worrying and trusts in the chaotic nature of the forest. That story brought us to the vault, helped us open the vault and seems to be linked in some way with your family,” Twilight pointed out.

Applejack scratched her head. “I’m not sure I follow.”

“Well.. How do you farm your apples?”

“What in the…” The farmer’s eyes narrowed. “Are you trying to tell me I’ve been doing it wrong?”

“Not cool, Twilight,” Rainbow Dash added.

Twilight winced. “Just hear me out. If that deed doesn't have the information, then maybe what you did for the forest wasn't a ritual but an attitude. Maybe you should let the forest do more.” She sighed. “I’m just trying to say that maybe there is a way you can harvest apples that follows the message of the story.”

“That's…” The apple farmer frowned for a moment before looking up. “Actually a good idea. Maybe there is something to what you are saying.” Applejack shook her head. “All I know is that we need to get back to the farm before any of this can be put to the test.”

“Right.” Twilight gulped. “I hope you are not mad at me.”

Applejack shook her head and smiled. “I could never be mad at someone because they were trying to help.” The farmer turned and trotted to the door. “Now come on, we better get back before I fall asleep standing up.”

Rainbow Dash groaned. “Finally!” The thestral trotted ahead without looking back.

The two non-winged beings took up the rear, until Applejack turned suddenly, pulling the unicorn into a bone crushing hug. “Thanks for all the help, partner.”

Twilight smiled, hugging the tree pony back, the exhaustion that hung over her until now suddenly lifting. “Don't thank just me, Rainbow Dash was a surprisingly big help.”

“I know.” Applejack pulled back. “She ain't the huggin type though.”

Twilight giggled. “Fair enough.”

“Oh and don't worry about that hole in the ground none.” Applejack shrugged. “Far as I’m concerned we’re square and well if this whole idea of yours works, well, we'd be more than square.”

“I wouldn't go that far, I’m sure anyone of our friends would do the same if they could,” Twilight responded.

Applejack shook her head. “But they didn't and ain't, you are. If we are able to fix this thing that's hung over my family for generations, then I figure we'd owe you about as much as we owe the forest. And that ain't a debt that can be repaid.”

Twilight sighed. “I’m not going to be able to talk you out of this, am I?”

“Nope!” Applejack proclaimed proudly. “Oh and if this works, be prepared to have the life squeezed out of you by Big Mac. He doesn't look it, but he's quite the hugger.”

“Oh joy,” Twilight muttered, imagining the enormous half tree half pony squeezing the soul out of her body.

“Hey, you two coming or what?” shouted Rainbow Dash.

“Yeah, we’re coming!” Applejack hollered back. “Best get going, we can talk more about this whole mess later.” The farm pony slipped the deed under her hat before tucking the book into the crook of a branch, while Twilight levitated her bag of coins.

Together the pair trotted the last little bit back to their camp, instantly noticing that a lot had changed during the last few hours. Balls of web now lay tossed about everywhere, with Rarity and Trixie in the middle of what looked like a heated exchange, the arachne waving her hooves in the air as she spoke animatedly.

Rainbow Dash had tossed her bag of coins in a corner before piling her stuff over top of it, trying to hide the bag of money to the best of her ability. Upon seeing that the last two members of their party had returned, Rarity sighed, putting away the thread she had been holding and ignoring Trixie. “Hello darlings, welcome back.”

The teal unicorn merely grunted before making her way over to her makeshift house in the corner, slamming the door shut behind her.

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Trouble in paradise?”

Rarity sighed, running a hoof through her messy mane. “You could say that again. Trixie seems to be opposed to my method of weaving and has vehemently claimed I need to forget everything.” The arachne rolled her eyes. “As if that would solve anything.”

“Well, she is the expert,” Applejack pointed out.

“I know.” Rarity sighed. “It's just easier said than done. How would you like it if someone told you to forget everything you knew about apple farming?”

Applejack and Twilight exchanged an amused glance before they both erupted in laughter, causing Rarity to glance at Rainbow Dash. “Was it something I said?”

“Something like that.” Rainbow Dash shook her head. “We’ll tell you later. Right now I’m tuckered out.” The thestral trotted over to the door, before lighting the torch, putting it in its place and making her way over to her bedroll. “Hey, where is Fluttershy?”

“She was helping Angel back to where she found those carrots he liked, she’ll be back in the morning with a new animal friend,” Rarity answered.

Applejack wiped a tear from her eye and gave Twilight a pat on the shoulder. “Speaking of which, we should probably turn in. I bet it's mighty early by now.”

Twilight nodded. “Agreed, I’m exhausted.”

The dead unicorn settled into her own bed, snuggling into the overly fluffy pillow Rarity had provided her days earlier. Silence settled over the room quickly, with exhaustion quickly claiming the room’s occupants who fell asleep in mere minutes. Just as Twilight was about to follow them into the realm of dreams, she noticed something moving at the edge of her perception.

Looking up, Twilight saw a vaguely equine shape slip through the wall of their room. Her eyes widening, Twilight lit her horn and hopped up, following the shape until she was looking over at a sleeping Rainbow Dash whom the butter yellow ghost was floating overtop of.

Just as Twilight was about to unleash a bolt of magic, the shape turned to her, revealing it to be what looked like a pegasus with deep teal eyes. The aetherial pegasus was young, probably not more than a teenager, her limbs still long and gangly and her eyes a little too big for her face. A smile began to cross the ghost’s face, only for her brow to crease when their eyes met and panic began to replace the mirth Twilight had seen a second earlier.

“Fluttershy?”

Author's Note

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Dreams, and Memories

“Fluttershy?” Twilight blinked, staring down at the now terrified looking ghost. “Is that you?”

Rainbow Dash groaned, rolling over and looking up at Twilight with a tired and utterly unamused expression. “Who are you talking to?”

“Fluttershy, she's floating just over you.” Twilight frowned. “Can't you see her?”

Rainbow Dash turned and looked past Twilight’s hoof and to where the aetherial pegasus was floating. The thestral groaned once more, turning over in her bed. “Give it a rest, Twilight, she's not here.”

The ghost seemed to relax slightly, only to meet Twilight’s gaze once more, causing it to panic and fly through the roof, vanishing in an instant. The dead unicorn’s frown deepened, and she rubbed her eyes. “I could have sworn she was floating right there. She looked really young though…”

Rainbow Dash stiffened suddenly, turning towards the unicorn. “What did you just say?”

“I said she looked young, a teenager maybe, tall too.” Twilight shrugged, and turned away. “Great, now I can add waking hallucinations to the list of things wrong with me.”

“Wait, hold on.” Rainbow Dash shrugged free of her blanket and grabbed Twilight’s shoulder.

Twilight turned, a frown on her face. “Don't tell me you could see her this whole time and this is some dumb joke?”

“No, and keep your voice down,” Rainbow Dash hissed.

Twilight raised an eyebrow, glancing around the quiet room and noting that only Applejack seemed halfway interested, eying them curiously from her bed of dirt. “What's going on, Twi?” she asked, glancing at Rainbow Dash. “Did ya hear something?”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “It's nothing. I just wanted to talk to Twilight about something.”

Twilight opened her mouth to speak, only to find Rainbow Dash’s hoof jammed into her noise hole. “Something private.”

The unicorn rolled her eyes and pulled the thestral’s hoof from her mouth. “Why don't we do that outside then?”

“Well alright, I’ll keep watch till you are back,” Applejack remarked, getting out of her dirt bed and trundling over to the door.

“Thanks,” Rainbow Dash mumbled, before turning and grabbing Twilight. “Now you are coming with me.”

“I’m already walking, yeesh,” the unicorn whined as she was dragged from the room and into the hall.

Rainbow Dash didn't stop there though, and the dead mare found herself dragged bodily down the hall and into the sole room that had a mostly intact door. A door that was quickly slammed shut behind them. The room itself was almost completely full of debris, with only a small area cleared near the door where they could stand comfortably.

“What is this all about, Rainbow Dash?” Twilight asked hesitantly.

“Just, describe what you saw again, please.”

Twilight paused, noting just how tense and serious Rainbow Dash had become. “Okay then.” Twilight tapped her chin. “She was young, probably a teenager. I’d say around thirteen or so, but with long lanky legs and big eyes. She had yellow fur, and was looking down at you fondly, as if watching you fall asleep.”

Rainbow Dash paused, a slight tint of red coloring her cheeks. “That is…” She shook her head, the serious expression she wore returning with a vengeance. “Please don't bring this up with the others.”

“Why?” Twilight winced when Rainbow Dash’s eyes gained an almost cruel sheen. “I won’t say a word, but I am curious as to what's going on. Up until a week ago I wouldn't have thought necromancy was a thing, and now I find out ghosts are real too? It's a lot to take in.”

The thestral sighed. “She's not a ghost, she's a spirit. I know it sounds like a small semantic
difference, but that small difference changes everything.”

“Err, okay. How so?”

“A ghost is a tortured soul that died with such an intense longing for something that they linger, their own negative emotions turning them into little more than mindless creatures that hate the living.” Rainbow Dash sighed. “Spirits are semi-living apparitions born from strange circumstances, they remain sane and can interact with the living world.”

“Wow. I didn't know your knowledge on the subject was so… complete,” Twilight remarked.

“Yeah well, when you are friends with a spirit, it pays to know.” She sighed. “And I ask you not to tell the others because well… Fluttershy doesn't want anyone to know. She wants everyone to think of her as the animals she possesses and not some floating spirit that may or may not be spying on them.”

“That's… odd,” Twilight muttered, “but if it's what Fluttershy wants, I guess I can understand that.”

The thestral sighed heavily, her shoulders visibly sagging. “Thank you. I know this entire situation is odd, but it's not my place to give out any information and I’m sure Fluttershy will want to talk to you now. Or whenever she musters the courage to come back to us.”

“Don't worry, Rainbow Dash, I promise not to tell anyone.” Twilight smiled. “Fluttershy must be happy to have such a good friend like you.”

The thestral blushed, rubbing the back of her neck. “She would do the same for me, probably.” She suddenly inhaled, slamming her hooves into the ground. “Now then, enough of this mushy garbage. We got a big night tomorrow, and I refuse to get moving before I’ve had my eight hours.”

Twilight chuckled. “You and me both. I may be dead, but that doesn't seem to have changed my need for a good, long rest.”

“You know I was gonna ask about that. I know you don't have to eat, but do you still have to breathe and stuff?” Rainbow Dash asked, holding open the door for Twilight.

“Hmm, let me see.” The unicorn inhaled, only to stop herself and simply hold her breath.

Together they walked back to camp, with Twilight pinching her nose shut the entire way there. When they reached the door, Twilight released the hold she had, shaking her head. “Nope. I guess breathing is just a force of habit now.”

“Weird. And you still get tired?” Rainbow Dash asked, turning and locking the door behind them.

“Oh yeah, I’m dead tired,” Twilight replied with a snicker.

Which drew a groan from both Applejack and Rainbow Dash. “Augh. That was terrible,” Applejack remarked, before turning and lying back down in her bed of dirt. “Wake me up when you get some new material.”

“Yeah, Twilight, at this point you are just beating a dead horse,” Rainbow Dash added.

“Yeah, I guess I…” Twilight grinned and looked over to Rainbow Dash, who had the exact same shit-eating grin on her face.

“Augh!” Applejack planted her face in the dirt. “Would you two stop already, you are killing me here!” The apple farmer blinked. “Damn, now I’m doing it.”

“I’d love to keep this alive, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to call it quits.” Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Goodnight, everybody.”

“Goodnight, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight replied, slipping into her own less than comfortable bed on the floor and pulling her meagre blankets up to her chin.

The room quickly grew quiet, with everybody quickly finding the most comfortable position possible before nodding off, with Twilight falling asleep surprisingly quickly. The mare lulled into a state of serenity from just how good it felt to be surrounded by friends who genuinely cared for her.

Twilight woke with a start, sitting bolt upright in her bed. “What, where-”

The mare was forced back into the confines of her comfortable sheets by a patient purple aura of magic that gently pushed her down, holding her there. “I swear to the stars, if you do that again, I am going to have a heart attack,” an irritated voice remarked.

Twilight turned, relaxing in her bed as she looked up to the stern face of her friend and confidant. “Oh, Luna.” She sighed. “Where am I?”

“At the apothecary's.” She gestured a hoof towards the other occupants of the room.

“Hey, Twilight! I’m glad you are finally awake,” a rather nervous purple dragon commented, smiling down at her.

“My sentiments exactly, young Spike,” the aged apothecary remarked, shuffling over to the corner of the room and snuffing out a candle. “I suppose we don't need this anymore.”

Luna turned and smiled. “Thank you, Miss Mortar.”

The grey maned and white furred earth pony chuckled, trotting slowly over to the door. “Think nothing of it, child. I will give you three some space.”

Twilight blinked, watching the old mare go before turning back to Luna and allowing herself to relax more fully. “What happened?”

Spike frowned, gripping the blanket he held in his claws a little tighter. “You just fell all of a sudden. You were making weird noises while you were out, after that I sent your letter and Luna showed up within an hour.” His big eyes grew even larger and he nervously shuffled forward. “Are you… Are you going to be okay, mom?”

“I…” Twilight hesitated.

“She's going to be just fine, Spike,” Luna remarked, stepping in. “We’re going to get to the bottom of this and make sure your mom lives a long, long life.”

Twilight smiled. “Exactly.” She reached out a hoof and ruffled the dragon’s scales, making him huff in irritation. “You can't get rid of me that easily.”

“Now then.” Luna turned, placing a hoof on Spike’s shoulder. “If you wouldn't mind waiting outside, I need to have a conversation with your mom real quick.”

“Okay…” Spike sighed, allowing Luna to gently push him from the room, only stopping at the door and grabbing the alicorn’s hoof. “Just make sure to give her a good talking to, okay?”

Luna chuckled. “Just try and stop me.”

The door closed behind the drake, Luna’s shoulders sagging the instant it did. With great reluctance she turned back to Twilight and looked down at her with concern. “How bad was it?”

“Fainting spell, extreme weakness.” The unicorn sighed. “No pain, thankfully, but it did feel, incredibly uncomfortable.”

“Any pinching or other sensations?” Luna asked.

Twilight shook her head. “No, other than some lingering fatigue I feel fine.”

“Twilight, I…” Luna caught herself, a small smile spreading across her face. “I’m glad you are okay.”

“Thank you, Luna.” The unicorn smiled. “Did Celestia stop by at all? We were going to go over a few things before I took a surprise nap.”

The alicorn’s face tightened for a moment. “No, I’m afraid she was busy with her most recent attempt to drive back the forest.” The alicorn shook her head slowly. “She still seems to believe it's possible to fight it.”

Twilight sighed. “Don't tell me she tried to use fire again.”

Luna snorted. “Don't worry, Twilight, this time it's super fire. It will toootally work.”

The pair snickered, before falling into an uncomfortable silence.

Twilight suddenly blinked, pushing herself up onto her elbows. “We need to stop by the tower, I left several important experiments running.” She stopped. “Wait, how long have I been out?”

“Two days,” Luna remarked. “And don't worry, I got Beaker to look after your tests.”

“Augh, Beaker.” The unicorn blinked. “Wait! Two days? But it felt like…” She slumped into her bed, staring up at the ceiling in shock. “How could this have happened?”

“I don't know,” Luna remarked sadly. “All we could really discover was that something was keeping you asleep.” The alicorn shrugged. “After that it was just a matter of keeping you hydrated and full while we kept trying to wake you up.”

“That explains the whisper herb I smell,” Twilight pointed out. “Did… did Celestia come and see me?”

Luna’s features darkened, and her jaw clenched, forcing the mare to turn to the sole window in the room in order to hide her dour expression. “She did, briefly.” She sighed. “She tried to blame me for what happened, saying it was due to our study of the forest.”

“That's crazy.” Twilight pushed herself back up. “Don't worry, Luna, I’ll talk to her and get this all cleared up.”

“I hope you are right, for all our sakes.” The alicorn turned and smiled. “Even still, I would not take back even a single minute of our studies.”

Twilight smiled back, accepting the offered hoof Luna produced, helping her to the ground. “Me neither. I’m sure Celestia will calm down after I explain what happened.” She winced suddenly, rubbing her right foreleg. “Ouch, muscle cramp.”

Luna chuckled. “Two days of lying in bed, dead to the world and the worst you suffer is a leg cramp.” She snorted. “You are a tougher mare than you look.”

“And what do I look like?” Twilight frowned. “On second thought, don't answer that.”

“Oh, come now, you must admit you look and act the part of a librarian to a T,” Luna pointed out, helping said librarian up and to the door. “Now then, where would you like to go? Perhaps some nice sandwiches while you catch up with your friends, or-”

Twilight shook her head. “I’m afraid there was a very important experiment I had running that I must check. That cannot wait.” She sighed, a frown creasing her lips. “I’ll have to catch up with the girls later I’m afraid.”

Luna raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure? They have been most attentive, taking shifts staying outside your door both day and night.”

The unicorn smiled sadly. “That's sweet, but I’m afraid this can't wait.”

“Alright, but you must at least inform the friends waiting outside this door,” Luna remarked pointedly. “They have earned that much.”

Twilight sighed. “I suppose you are right. Just- just stay with me, please.”

Luna nodded, a small blush crossing her face. “Of course. Take all the time you need.”

The alicorn pushed open the door, revealing a small room with two ponies and a dragon waiting patiently. The first pony was a pegasus with grizzled features, and one eye hidden behind an eyepatch while the other was staring intently at the unicorn. Several teeth were missing, but that didn't seem to bother her as she sat there, tapping her hoof impatiently. Next to her was a taller, larger built earth pony with copper colored fur and a two toned red and orange mane that was tied back into pigtails that were mostly hidden by a wide straw hat.

Beside them was an even more nervous Spike, who immediately jumped up at the sight of the two mares. “Mom!” He sprinted up to the unicorn, throwing his arms around her and squeezing tightly. “Does this mean you are coming home today?”

Twilight winced, rubbing her adopted son’s back. “Whoah, ease up for a second.”

“S-sorry.” He gulped, tapping his claws together. “So, does it?”

“Yes, I am coming home today. I just have something urgent I need to deal with first.” Twilight turned to her friends, only to get a face full of angry pegasus.

“And what have I told you about keeping secrets from your friends?” the pegasus all but shouted in her face. “I swear, if this is going to be a repeat of the doll incident, I am going to draft you for the sole purpose of enabling me to court martial your sorry butt!”

“H-hey now ,Gale,” the earth pony remarked, getting up and putting a hoof on the angry pegasus’ shoulder. “I’m sure she's got a good reason, ain't that right, Twilight?”

“This did happen before.” Twilight raised a hoof, cutting off Gale’s angry tirade before it began. “But it only lasted a few seconds and just made me feel a little lightheaded. I thought I had it under control when I increased my fibre and started getting more exercise,” Twilight lied. “It is not a repeat of the doll incident.”

The pegasus wilted slightly, taking a step back and running a hoof through her mane. “Fine. You are off the hook this time, but don't expect me to be so nice next time.”

Twilight smiled. “Trust me. There won't be a next time.”

Gale snorted. “I’m holding you to that.”

The earth pony sighed. “I'm just glad you are alright. Sterling and Shutter just about had a conniption when they heard ya fell like that.” She perked up suddenly. “Speaking of which, we better go give ‘em the good news, eh?”

“About that…” Twilight winced, rubbing her leg awkwardly, unable to meet her friend’s gaze. “I have something I need to do first. Don't worry, it won't take long. This is just really important.”

“You are serious, ain’tcha?” The earth pony leaned in, eyebrow raised. “Alright. I don't like it, but I suppose me an’ Gale can go tell the others what happened.” She frowned. “You are better now, right?”

Twilight gulped. “I don't know. Me and Luna are going to work on it though.”

“Quite right, my friend,” Luna announced proudly. “There shall be no expense spared to cure our friend of whatever dare harm her.”

“Should I meet you at home then?” Spike asked cautiously, taking a small step forward.

“Don't worry, Spike. We will be going home first, so we can walk together,” Twilight replied.

“Oh, thank goodness,” he exclaimed.

Luna smiled, walking over to the exit of the small waiting area. “Well, we better get going. Oh and don't worry, I’ll drag her back home after we get a firmer grasp on what's happening.”

The pegasus sighed. “Thank you, Princess.”

“Y'all know where to find me. Best of luck,” the earth pony added.

With that, the two ponies and one dragon stepped through the door and into the world beyond, beginning their journey back to the library. All around them ponies of all shapes and sizes went about their day, with most hardly giving them more than a glance before continuing on their way, though even then there were a few who lingered, casting cautious, side-long glances at the trio.

“Did you maintain the array?” Twilight asked suddenly, drawing Luna from her thoughts.

“Of course. In fact I fitted it with a rather powerful crystal that should keep it fed for a few centuries, potentially.” Luna smirked. “That is not an excuse to spend all day and night in your tower though. You are still the town’s only librarian.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I trained Spike how to handle all the day to day things, you hardly even need me there anymore.”

“If you are putting me in charge of the library, can I at least get a raise on my allowance?” Spike shot back, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I…” Twilight chuckled. “We can talk about that when I get back from the castle.”

“You are going to the castle? Can I come?”

“I’m afraid I just have to check on something, we will be back in a few hours.” Twilight smiled. “Do you think you can watch the library for just a little bit longer?”

“I guess…” Spike frowned. “But you have to bring me back some dessert from the kitchens!”

“That sounds like a fair trade,” Luna added. “What do you think, Twilight?”

“Augh, fine.” She pointed at her assistant with an accusatory hoof. “But you are going to actually take a crack on that return pile, mister.”

The little drake frowned. “Alright, alright. Sheesh.”

The trio turned down a side road, going around a large covered wagon pulled by a duo of powerfully built earth ponies.

“I don't suppose you could just teleport us the rest of the way?” Twilight asked hesitantly, looking up at Luna. “I would do it myself, but I don't want to push it too much.”

“Twilight, think about what you just said. If you are worried about pushing your magic, then maybe you should also consider the possibility that teleporting so soon would also raise similar possibilities,” Luna pointed out.

“Yeah!” Spike agreed.

The unicorn sighed. “I suppose you are right. At least the array is grounded, so there won't be any issue.”

“Exactly.” Luna clapped her friend on the back, grinning widely. “No need to rush quite yet. Besides, Celestia has given us an acceptable afternoon. It would be a shame if we didn't enjoy it.”

“True.” Twilight looked up, noting the few stray puffy white clouds scattered across the sky.

The trio sighed, collectively looking up at the bright afternoon sky and watching as pegasi flitted this way and that, a few pushing around the odd cloud while another collection was sitting around laughing and talking from atop a bulbous cumulus. Luna’s eyes met one of the pegasi’s, causing a commotion as they all shifted a little closer, ensuring no ground-bound pony could see what they were doing.

The alicorn frowned, pushing that small nugget of irritation to the back of her mind.

Together, they rounded a corner, the tree coming to view at the end of the long road.

“Sooo,” Twilight muttered, “what was Celestia trying this time? Other than super fire?”

Luna snorted. “Fire infused with power of law. Or so she said anyway. To be honest, she could be making the entire thing up, it does sound rather ridiculous when I say it out loud.”

“The power of law?” Spike’s eyes went wide. “Is that anything like Dungeons and Dragons and the plane of Law?”

“I suppose that's one way of looking at it,” Luna remarked. “Celestia has claimed to have gained the ability to ‘align’ magic with the concept of law itself.” The mare rolled her eyes. “More than likely this is just some slightly more powerful fire spell that she's selling in order to make this particular attempt seem less useless than the last.”

“That is Celestia for you. As stubborn and unyielding as ever.” Twilight shook her head. “It would be a more helpful set of traits if she focused that energy on researching the cause for this strange predicament, rather than charging headlong into it.”

“True,” Luna remarked with a sigh. “But it's like you said, that's just who she is.”

“Yeesh,” Spike remarked. “What did Celestia ever do to you?”

“Oh, Spike,” Twilight began, “we can talk about a pony’s personality traits without hating the pony herself. Right, Luna?”

“Er, of course.” Luna smirked. “Like how I am just so beautiful that most ponies are intimidated by my awe-inspiring presence.” The alicorn struck a brief pose, extending one forehoof skyward.

Twilight rolled her eyes, and opened the door to her tree home. “Nevermind just how incredibly humble you are.”

“Oh indeed,” Luna agreed, strutting into the tree library and standing a little taller. “I am the most humble pony to have ever lived.”

“Would you two stop flirting all the time?” Spike whined, plunking down behind the desk next to the door. “We are still in public, you know.”

“I- we-” Twilight groaned, “we were not flirting.”

“Speak for yourself,” Luna remarked with a smirk.

The unicorn sighed, rolling her eyes. “Regardless, I have an experiment that I absolutely must check in. So if you don't mind.”

Luna followed close behind the mare, making their way towards the basement. “Yes, I suppose we should get going.” She scowled. “Spoilsport.”

“Hush you,” Twilight shot, before slipping down the stairs

The alicorn rolled her eyes, huffing silently to herself as they descended deeper down the winding steps that clung to the walls of the basement. Together they slowly circled the entirety of the room before finally reaching the basement floor some thirty feet below the entrance to the room. This space had several doors that lead to unseen rooms, while the area they now stood in served as a repository for damaged and unwanted books that seemed to fill every square inch of the room not given over to thin paths that allowed you to walk from one point to another.

“Sorry about the mess, I’ll get around to finding a home for them…” Twilight frowned, looking around the room. “Eventually.”

Luna shrugged. “It's no trouble, my friend. I can tell you have a system of some kind going on here.”

“Exactly!’ Twilight exclaimed. “No one seems to understand that just because it doesn't look like it, I know what I’m doing.”

“Still.” Luna kicked a box at random. “You could do for a little tidying.”

“Augh, not you too,” Twilight whined. “It's bad enough from Celestia.”

Luna shrugged, making her way over to the door beside which Twilight stood. “Oh, don't get me wrong. I think it's fine, I would just hate to hear you tripped and knocked yourself out on a box.” She smirked. “I’d rather see it for myself.”

“You are the worst,” Twilight lamented.

“-at being the worst,” Luna added, sticking her tongue out.

Twilight groaned, muttering something about being surrounded by foals while fiddling with the lock on the door. Eventually she gave up with a second groan. “Stupid lock,” she cursed.

“Is this that magical field identifying whatchamajigger?” Luna asked, peering down at the rather complicated looking door handle that had a large dull grey crystal embedded into it.

“It is a thaumatic field identifier,” Twilight remarked with a hint of pride. “Or TFI for short.”

“That's not actually much shorter,” Luna pointed out.

“Hush, you,” Twilight silenced, summoning her magic once more and pushing it into the crystal.

After several quiet moments the crystal flashed a bright purple before the door cracked open. “Huzzah!” Twilight yelled.

“Fascinating,” Luna exclaimed, staring intently at the door handle. “I assume it's affixed to your own thaumatic field, allowing only you to pass?”

“Exactly.” Some of Twilight’s bravado seemed to bleed away, her shoulders slumping. “Though it seems to be getting more and more finicky as time passes.” She paused, tapping her chin as she stared down at the lock. “Perhaps there are some bugs to work out after all.”

Luna shrugged. “Regardless, we have a job to do first, yes?”

“Exactly.”

The pair turned back to the room, with Luna pausing mid-step, realizing that she had only ever been on this side once. She was amazed by the strange, circular room, as the wall was a simple mix of roots, dirt and a few supports that crisscrossed between them. At the centre of the room was an elaborate series of painted lines that came together to look like a slightly mutated pentagram that had tall braziers affixed with crystals instead of torches standing at regular intervals around its edges.

“Interesting…” she remarked quietly.

“That's right, you’ve only seen this side once, haven't you?” Twilight smiled proudly, trotting to the centre of the circle. “The next time we get a minute, I can tell you how it was made if you’d like.”

“I would enjoy that.” Luna shook her head. “But for now we should go see how this mystery experiment of yours is doing.”

“Of course.” The unicorn maneuvered her hooves into specific places, ensuring she wasn't touching any of the lines. “Do you remember the rules?”

“Don't touch the lines, keep your back straight, eyes forward and above all, don't move.” Luna frowned, scratching her head. “That was all of them, right?”

“And keep your wings at your sides,” Twilight added.

“Right.” Luna nodded. “I’m ready to cast the spell whenever you are ready.”

Twilight took a deep, calming breath after placing a hoof against her heart. With her breathing under control she placed her hoof down and nodded confidently. “Ready.”

Luna eyed her cautiously, before lighting her horn and going through the motions of casting the familiar part of the spell. From there her horn grew brighter as she changed from simply readying a teleportation spell, to instead casting the necessary additions to the spell that would ensure they ended up where they wanted to go.

Twilight meanwhile, remained stock still, watching as Luna moved from one part of the spell to the next, her horn glowing brighter and brighter before becoming nearly blinding. Twilight’s experience with the spell being so immense that as she watched she could recall each individual piece of the spell based solely on the energy she could see being emitted. She would have laughed at the absurdity of it all, but she dared not move, knowing full well that the spell had only just enough safety precautions to allow her to simply breathe.

Slowly, cautiously, the spell was completed, and right before it was released, Luna looked down into the other mare’s eyes. With only a slight movement of her head, Twilight nodded, conveying through her eyes that the spell was perfect. Confidence now surging, Luna cast the spell, and in the same second that the light of her spell exploded throughout the room, it was simultaneously eaten by the crystals and their vision blurred.

For a split second there was nothing, and then they returned to reality with a jolt, reappearing in an empty, nearly identical square stone room. Twilight nearly toppled over, only barely able to stay standing, her legs shaking as she struggled to stay vertical. Luna was there in an instant, a comforting hoof on the back of her friend. “Are you alright?” she whispered, her horn already alight with a diagnostic spell.

“I’m fine.” Twilight breathed slowly, before nodding. “I’m fine,” she repeated.

The alicorn frowned, and removed her hoof, but kept up the diagnostic spell until it was done. “The spell says you are fine as well but if you fall over on me again, I will put you in a wheelchair.”

Twilight chuckled, bumping her hip against her friend’s. “Are you threatening me, Miss Luna?”

The alicorn rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. Now c'mon, before I change my mind and chain you to your bed.”

Luna took the lead, opening the door and trotting out into the long stone hall dotted with familiar looking archways. After taking a right Twilight suddenly perked up, stopping in the middle of the hall. “Wait here a sec, I want to grab something.”

Luna frowned, glancing to her left where she saw the familiar door to Twilight’s room. “What, pray tell, do you have in your quarters that needs such attention?”

“Just a little side project I had cooking up, the ingredients of which should finally be set.” The unicorn slipped into her room without another word, leaving Luna standing there in the hall, forced to tap her hoof and watch the odd, batwinged servant pass her by.

After a few minutes the door reopened, admitting a grinning Twilight back into the hall. “It worked!” she announced triumphantly, holding aloft a strange, blue flamed torch.

“Great…” Luna cocked her head. “What does it do?”

“Well, you know how there are so many monsters in the forest, and traditional walls and whatnot wouldn't exactly work for a forest settlement?” She paused. “You know what I mean.”

“Right.” Luna raised an eyebrow. “And?”

“And this would allow us to have a wall without ever laying a brick.” She raised the torch a little higher, placing it in the sconce next to her door. “The blue flame should drive away most monsters, and other strange creatures due to emitting a low grade fear aura.”

“Interesting. I don't feel a thing,” Luna remarked.

“You shouldn't. In fact it should only be noticeable to animals and maybe foals.” Twilight shrugged. “It might need more testing.”

“Of course.”

Twilight turned and they took another right, the library opening up before them. “I still can't believe you brought that thing inside,” Twilight lamented.

Luna gasped dramatically, extending a hoof towards the statue that stood just inside. “I will have you know that it is an ancient statue made by a world famous sculptor and I would not part with it for the world.”

“A, the forest did a number on it, B, you sculpted it, and C, why the library?” Twilight asked incredulously.

“Hey, so what if it's a little banged up, and I sculpted it?” The mare frowned dramatically.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I guess you have a point there, but you really shouldn't refer to yourself as a world famous sculptor.”

“I am the princess of a country, and a sculptor.” Luna smirked, leaning in close. “Quid pro quo, I’m a world famous sculptor.”

Twilight opened her mouth to speak, only to stop and frown. “Fine, but you didn't answer the last part of my question. Why the library? Doesn't it look out of place?”

“It's the only place that had space,” Luna remarked, lying through her teeth.

“Huh.” Twilight smiled. “You know, I think it's growing on me.”

“Good, because I am not teleporting it ever again.” She snorted. “As far as I am concerned, they are going to have to shrink the damn thing if someone wants to move it.”

Twilight shook her head. “Well, are you ready to-”

“Mistress Luna,” a short, teal furred earth pony interrupted. “I am sorry to butt in, but I thought it prudent to inform you that Celestia’s attempt to hold back the forest has failed and she has retreated to her room. I was informed that she wishes to speak with you in a few hours.”

“Probably after she's had some time to cool down,” Luna added, sighing. “I will speak to her during supper, until then I will be looking after Twilight here.”

“I do not need to be looked after,” Twilight hissed.

“Says the mare who nearly fell over only five minutes ago,” Luna shot back.

The unicorn wilted. “Fair point.”

The alicorn nodded to the still bowing earth pony. “Thank you for the message.”

“By your will.” With that the earth pony was gone.

Luna let out a long sigh, her shoulders sagging as she shook her head. “Sometimes I feel like we aren't even related.”

Twilight opened the lock to the double doors before pushing them open. “I think you two are more alike than you realize. Even if you fall on opposite sides of the spectrum when it comes to a lot of things.”

The alicorn snorted derisively, trotting past her friend and down the short hallway. “I am less certain. It seems like she is always ready to dive headfirst into anything, while stubbornly clinging to this frankly bizarre idea that she can simply force things to go her way.”

“Well, you must admit it has worked rather well for her for the most part,” Twilight pointed out.

“Only because I’m there to ensure her social blunders don't cause an international incident,” Luna hissed. “That mare nearly started butting litteral heads with the last zebra ambassador to show up.”

Twilight refrained from mentioning the time when Luna’s subtlety nearly caused an incident with a certain yak queen, though only barely. Instead she decided to shake her head and continue down the long winding staircase, trotting briskly from one staircase to another, crossing certain floors while breezing past many of the wards she had placed, using only her memory to guide her. “That's one reason you two make such a good team. You are the subtle one, while she is the obvious one. The dagger and the sword as uncle Steel Horn would say.”

“That's an interesting way of looking at it,” Luna admitted. “Though I agree with you, partially, I would rather we not bash our heads against the wall that is the Everfree.”

“Fair,” Twilight relented.

Walking deeper into the undertower, both ponies casually passed by a few research assistants, librarians and the odd guard. Though other ponies were uncommon in the depths of Twilight’s tower, the pair knew every pony’s name and took the time to say a brief greeting before continuing deeper.

“So, what kind of experiment could be so pressing as to get you out of bed before you were healed?” Luna asked as they turned the corner and began to descend another set of spiral staircases.

“Well…” Twilight paused, pushing her way through another door and nodding to the guard standing on the other side. “You know how timberwolves aren't alive in the traditional sense, but neither are they dead?”

Luna frowned. “Yes, it is most vexing.”

“I established a series of wards that should be able to analyze the wood and tell me exactly what type of magic is animating it,” Twilight explained. “My end goal is miniaturizing it in order to make it easier for other unicorns to cast or maintain, but that's a bit far off.”

“Fascinating,” Luna remarked. “Would you be able to find out the identity of the one who cast the spell in the first place?”

Twilight stopped suddenly. “Potentially. It would take a good deal more work but it's certainly not impossible,” she continued, making her way down the last hall and towards a solid steel door laden with over a dozen wards, before which a simple halberd wielding guard stood with a bored expression on her face.

“Greetings, Princess,” the guard said, standing a little taller while nodding to the alicorn, and the unicorn in turn. “And to you as well, head researcher.”

“Good afternoon, Sharp Eye.” Twilight smiled. “How have things been in my absence? Beaker didn't blow anything up again, did he?”

The guard winced, rubbing a patch of missing tan fur around her right foreleg. “No. Thankfully.”

“Good,” Luna remarked, gesturing to the door. “If you would be so kind.”

“Of course.” The guard turned and lit her horn and began the process of interlocking her magic with the wards, deactivating them one by one. “There we are,” she remarked, pushing the door open and allowing the pair access to the deepest and second most well guarded section of Twilight’s tower.

The unicorn researcher breathed deep of the chemical-tinged air, trotting slowly into the room and allowing herself to relax in the presence of her many projects. “I love the smell of science in the morning.”

“Afternoon,” Luna added, quite unhelpfully.

“Whatever,” Twilight grumbled.

Luna stood by the door, watching as Twilight moved around the large open room, going from one table to another and checking in on the many, many experiments that littered the open room. Beakers boiling with unpleasant blackish liquid sat beside glowing runic circles in which several crystals sat motionless, after glancing over the first few experiments Luna’s eyes began to glaze over and she settled on watching Twilight. Over the course of the first fifteen minutes Twilight had managed to check on over a dozen of her experiments and still more required her attention, causing the researcher to flit this way and that, stopping, starting or otherwise maintaining her many important studies.

After nearly a half hour spent checking her experiments, during which time Luna had grown bored and had taken up reading Twilight’s notes, the unicorn returned, a confident smile on her face. “Well, nothing bad happened while I was gone, though I’m going to have to redo the thaumetic contamination study I had going.”

“Beaker did his job?” Luna asked, incredulously. “Impressive.”

“Yes.” Twilight scowled. “Impressive.”

The unicorn winced suddenly, rubbing a hoof over her right foreleg just below the knee. In an instant Luna was on her, horn alight and worry evident on her face. “Is the timberwolf bite still bothering you?” she asked.

“No.” Twilight chuckled, only to stop and wince as the limb began to throb with pain. “You two pumped me with enough healing magic to make even the scar tissue vanish. I don't know what this is, but I’m sure it's not from that.”

“We should probably get it checked regardless.” Luna frowned, poking the mare’s limb with a hoof. “Body parts don't just hurt for no reason, you know.”

“Fine.” Twilight sighed, standing fully upright once more. “There is just one last experiment I was hoping to check up on, and it's one I figured you'd be interested in.”

“The timberwolf one?” Luna asked.

“The very same.”

Together they turned toward the back of the room where several large bookcases obscured a section of the room not visible from the door. This second area wasn't quite as large as the first and was dominated by several writing desks littered with books, scrolls and notes. In the corner was one such paper strewn desk that was dominated by a complicated, floating array of crystals bound together with copper wire and spell matrices. Below it was a small piece of what looked like ordinary wood at the centre of another set of runes, the centre of which was glowing a soft purple.

“Here,” Twilight said, indicating the desk.

Luna raised an eyebrow, noting the nearly two foot tall floating mass of crystals and copper. “How long does it take to analyze?”

Twilight walked over to the table and grabbed a pile of paper above which a self levitating quill stood sentinel over. “I don't know, but it must not have been long,” she remarked, reading the paper and growing increasingly confused. “This must be wrong.”

“What does it say?” Luna asked, leaning over the unicorn’s shoulder.

“It says that the magic used to animate the wood was necromancy, but that's impossible. Only you and Celestia know how to use necromancy,” Twilight remarked with a gasp. “How is this possible?”

“I don't actually know how to use necromancy, only Celestia does. I know the signs and some defence techniques, that's it,” Luna replied, extending a hoof. “Do you mind if I take a look?”

“Of course.” Twilight hoofed over the paper and watched as the alicorn’s expression turned from one of curiosity, to one of confusion and back again. “This is… baffling.”

“Let me guess, you got the same result as I did?” Twilight asked, already dreading the response.

“Pretty much.” Luna shook her head and handed the sheet of paper back to Twilight. “Celestia has always disliked necromancy and has made it somewhat of a personal mission of hers to ensure no one knows how to use it. I can't imagine who, or what, had the knowledge to even complete a spell complicated enough to animate dead wood.”

“And with a soul no less,” Twilight pointed out.

They both shuddered at the thought, standing there in silence as they both complicated this strange turn of events. Twilight’s thoughts were drawn to the specifics of the circumstance, wondering what kind of components and matrices would be necessary to accomplish something so complicated. Luna meanwhile, was more baffled by how the knowledge of necromancy had even gotten out, her sister had destroyed most records of it, not even trusting their staff to safeguard it and instead burnt all record on the spot.

Both of their musings were interrupted by the sound of the door opening and a young stallion yelling, “Hello? Are you here, Twilight? I’m sorry about the thamatic field experiment!”

The unicorn sighed, running a hoof down her face. “Luna, would you mind dealing with him? I really don't have the patience right now.”

“Augh, why do I have to?” Luna grouched. “Can't I just teleport him away?”

Twilight seemed to consider it a second before chuckling. “No, we better not. Otherwise I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“That sounds more like your problem,” Luna pointed out.

Twilight rolled her eyes and shoved the mare towards the door. “Go on, before he breaks something else.”

“I’m going, I’m going,” Luna whined, sulking away.

Twilight rolled her eyes and waited, listening to the two ponies talking, with Luna politely attempting to get the stallion to leave, failing utterly. Now alone, the smile fell from the unicorn’s face and she turned and swept aside the wood, placing her own foreleg under the large crystal array. With a small pulse of magic the array was activated and a soft purple glow encapsulated the mare’s limb.

Twilight winced at the slight pinching sensation she felt from within her leg, trying to keep her attention glued on the sound of Luna and Beaker talking. “Come on, come on,” Twilight whispered, urging the inanimate object to move faster.

She could tell from the ink alone that it hadn't taken nearly as long to analyze the wood than she had first thought. Judging from the speed at which the spells were being completed, Twilight guessed it would take little more than a matter of minutes if her calculations were correct. As time ticked by, her blood pressure rose and she found herself growing increasingly nervous. The sight of the quill suddenly moving on its own was like a breath of fresh air and she watched with bated breath as ink met page and the results were delivered.

“Yes, that's very nice, Beaker, but I would really like it if you-” Luna sighed. “No, I do not know if he is interested in you like that, I-what? Fine, but-”

Twilight would have laughed at her assistant’s antics if her eyes weren't glued to the readout. Information slowly crawled down the page, most of which she could tell was simply a long description of her own body’s internal magic. “Just a little further now,” she whispered.

She could hear the conversation between Luna and Beaker begin to die down, their hooves clopping against the cold stone floor as they made their way to the door. With bated breath Twilight watched every twitch of the quill as it moved this way and that, filling the page with more and more numbers that would have been nonsensical to anyone else but her and Luna.

Then, just when she dared hope that there was nothing wrong with her, she saw it. A string of numbers and words that indicated that there was magic within her limb that was not hers. It didn't seem to be anybody’s, yet despite its lack of a caster it was undoubtedly-

Necromancy.

The mare wrenched her limb away, her horn turning off the contraption while her hoof grabbed the sheet of paper and tucked it away between the pages of a random book on the wall. She turned around just in time to see a rather irritated Luna stomp back into the back half of Twilight’s laboratory. “How'd it go?” she asked, a little too loudly.

Luna snorted irritably. “The buffoon somehow managed to convince me to find out if Star Crossed has a thing for him.” The alicorn shook her head and sighed. “How a schmuck like him managed to acquire such a silver tongue is beyond me.”

“That is weird!” Twilight yelled, only to gulp and take a step back. “I mean, he is a strange one, haha.”

The alicorn raised an eyebrow, gazing down at her friend in concern. “Err, is something wrong?”

“Me?” Twilight scoffed. “No, just want to get back and talk to my friends.”

“Are you sure? You are doing that weird thing you always do when you are trying to hide something,” Luna pointed out, gesturing to Twilight’s face and more specifically the eyebrow that was now twitching wildly. “Seriously, it's freaking me out.”

The unicorn used a hoof to hold her eyebrow in place. “I uh…” she gulped, “I’m just worried, is all.”

The alicorn trotted beside her friend and extended a wing over her back, pulling her close. “Don't worry, Twilight, well figure this out. Besides, if you and your friends can kill Discord, what's a little illness like this?”

“Yeah, totally,” Twilight remarked with little enthusiasm.

“No frowns allowed, missy.” Luna chuckled, giving her friend one last squeeze before trotting forward, pulling Twilight along for the ride. “Come on, I know just the thing that will cheer you up.”

“I swear to the stars if you say quesadillas, I will banish you to the moon,” Twilight deadpanned.

“But Twilight! Think of the cheese!” Luna exclaimed with mock shock. “The cheese-y cheese.”

The unicorn shuddered. “The horror.”

Snickering all the way, Luna pulled her friend from the back of her lab and in the direction of the kitchens, unaware of the dark thoughts now swirling within the unicorn’s mind.

Author's Note

(updated with improved grammer and spelling)

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Level Nine

Twilight groaned groggily, her hooves flailing weakly in the air as her eyelids flickered at random. Consciousness returned slowly to the dead mare, with her brain, or whatever part of her that was in charge of making thoughts happen, struggling to keep up with the sensory information her body was feeding it. Eventually Twilight managed to awaken completely, the mare relaxing when she noticed she was back in the dark, dusty room beneath the ancient Everfree castle.

The unicorn lit her horn and conjured a small mirror that allowed her to look back into her own odd visage in order to further ascertain where, or perhaps when, she was. Thankfully whatever power enabled her to see well in the dark, also enabled her to see her own reflection well, and what she saw made her pause.

The swirling mass of energy that seemed to emit from the tip of her horn was as odd as ever, the weird unlight almost obscuring the what little specks of magenta still swirled within her magic. The sight made her pause and smile, the unicorn happy that at least some of her old color was still in her magic, small thought it was. The horn itself was intimidating as always, something not improved by the fact that she had gone too long without a filing. A thought that made her blink, her mind trying to go back in order to figure out if her horn had continued to grow after her death, and if such a thing was possible. With a shake of her head the unicorn dismissed the thought, realizing that her horn had been a little unkempt before her death, but she couldn't be completely certain of that fact.

“I’ll have to file you and see what happens after that,” she muttered to her horn.

Turning her attention down, she noted that her dark, nearly black purple fur seemed to have gained a slight shimmer to it, though she wasn't sure if this was an effect of her new night vision, or if her coat had somehow been rejuvenated by her death and the adventure that happened after that. She snorted mirthlessly, wondering what her mother would say to the fact that after years of being told she needed to take better care of her fur, Twilight had only done so after she died.

The unicorn quickly pushed thoughts of her mother from her mind and dismissed the temporary mirror after noting that the rest of her seemed as normal as ever. Or at least as normal as my life now is, she thought to herself.

She looked around the room and quickly found that despite the circumstances, she couldn't muster the needed negative energy to be sad or even angry. She just felt nervous, partly because what was coming, and partly because of the many, many questions she had yet to answer.

Twilight shook her head and rolled over, looking around the room once more and really allowing her eyes to take things in this time. A smile bloomed across her face and she waved a hoof towards the yawning tree-bound earth pony who was now smacking her lips as she struggled to wake up. “Good morning,” Twilight greeted.

Applejack blinked in shock. “Well I’ll be,” she muttered. “What are you doing up so early?”

Twilight shrugged. “Had a weird dream.”

“Really, darling?” Rarity asked, peeking out of her curtained off area and lifting an eyebrow. “I don't think I heard you move the entire night.”

“How would you know?” Twilight asked back, rather confused.

The arachne shrugged. “It's a talent of my race. The faintest of tremors feel like tiny earthquakes. It's one reason I usually sleep on such a soft bed as it's the only thing that can absorb the vibrations well enough to sleep.”

“Huh,” Twilight muttered.

“Neat,” Applejack added as she began to do a series of stretches that mainly focused on her back and legs before gulping down several buckets of water.

Rarity had opened wide the flap to her private abode, and was busy doing her makeup, right now in the middle of applying a liberal application of lipstick. Twilight shook her head at the sight, amazed that the arachne would try to keep up her appearances even while in such a place.

“So,” Applejack began, only to stop and belch loudly. “What was this dream about?”

“It's rude to pry, you know,” Rarity replied without looking down.

The farmer shrugged. “I’m just asking. Granny always used to say the moon can give you visions in your dreams. If’n it has a grand purpose in mind for ya.”

The arachne raised an eyebrow. “Really now? My grandmother had a similar tale, only the way she told it was the nightmare and she gave all the evil boys and girls terrible dreams.”

“Well I don't know about a nightmare, but it was certainly odd,” Twilight began, tapping her chin as she tried to recall the details of the strangely realistic dream. “It was just so… real.”

“Now you gotta tell us,” Applejack implored.

“Well alright,” Twilight began with a shrug. “A little while ago I had another weird dream like this, and this one seemed to pick up where that one left off. In this dream I woke up, and was in a sort of old timey apothecary and there was a different version of Applejack and Rainbow Dash there.”

“Whoa,” Applejack muttered. “What did I look like?”

“Kinda like you are now, only you were taller, bigger, and had different colors. Also you wore a big straw hat,” Twilight replied.

The apple farmer hummed thoughtfully to herself, imagining what that might look like and considering the possibility of changing up her style.

“And Rainbow Dash?” Rarity asked, having stepped closer and abandoned her routine.

“She was older, gruffer, and in some sort of military and had plenty of scars.”

“That certainly is believable,” Rarity responded. “Did you meet any other alternative versions of us?”

“Not really, but I heard some names that kinda sounded like you guys. Like Shutter and Sterling.” Twilight pursed her lips and tapped her chin. “Though I can't remember a different version of Pinkie Pie.”

“That's kinda spooky,” Applejack muttered. “What happened next?”

“Luna and a dragon named Spike, who was apparently my son, were there too and they were worried about me.”

“Luna? You mean the Night Mistress was in your dream?” Applejack asked, her eyes growing wide as she stepped closer to the unicorn. “What was she like?”

“Wait just a moment, darling, you had a dragon for a child?” Rarity asked, scratching her cheek with a hoof. “How exactly does that work anyway?”

“It felt like he was adopted at a young age,” Twilight replied with a shrug. “But that wasn't explicitly spelt out, so I am not sure. As for Luna, she was an alicorn with deep blue fur and stark teal eyes. Her mane and tail flowed behind her in a wavy mass of stars that swirled within . It was almost ethereal.”

Twilight stopped a moment, noticing that the two beings were staring intently at her, having edged their way within several feet. “What did her cutie mark look like?” Applejack asked.

“Or did she even have one?” Rarity added with a gasp.

“She did,” Twilight began, pausing to think back and really focus on the image of the mare’s flank, only to realize that in the dream she had actually spent a lot of time looking there, even when the situation did not warrant such a gaze. “It was of a crescent moon on a dark background of a cloudless night sky.”

Both creatures nodded slowly, with Applejack sporting a wide, knowing grin. “Ha. I always told Granny it would be a crescent moon, but she always said it was a full moon.”

“Twilight’s vision is interesting, but I doubt we can quite take it as gospel yet,” Rarity admonished.

“I don't even know if it was a vision anyway.” Twilight shrugged. “Maybe the dead just have weird dreams.”

“Or haply, thy is just weird,” Trixie added, groggily glaring down the end of her nose at the unicorn with an irritated look on her face.

Rather than be insulted Twilight merely shrugged. “I mean you're not wrong. How many dead ponies do you know?”

“Too many,” Trixie replied with a snort.

Applejack’s excitement was so palpable at this point that Twilight could hear her leaves trembling as she nearly shook with barely contained energy. “What happened next?” she asked eagerly.

“I uh, think I came here, to the undertower.” Twilight gestured all around her. “This room was apparently my home away from the library and this blue torch was created by me, I mean, the other Twilight.”

“What did she say it was used for?” Rarity suddenly inquired. “I don't think I’ve heard of the reason for its creation before.”

“The other Twilight was trying to make a bunch of them to create a sort of wall around a forest settlement in order to keep out monsters and such,” Twilight replied. “I’m not sure how it was all made, but I feel like I might be able to figure it out now that I saw some of her notes.” The unicorn blushed, scratching the back of her neck. “I mean, if this dream wasn't nonsense, of course.”

Trixie snorted in irritation but said nothing.

Twilight shook off the blush that colored her cheeks. “At least with that I’ll be able to test if it was real, right?”

Rarity and Applejack nodded while Trixie groaned and rolled onto her back, looking at the unicorn from upside down. “Poppycock.”

Applejack shushed her. “Let the girl speak.”

“Yes, do go on, darling,” Rarity added.

Twilight looked at each of her companions in turn before slapping a hoof to her head. “I forgot to mention that we walked back to this big library in a tree where-”

“You saw the Tree of Knowledge?” Applejack muttered, her jaw hanging open.

“I mean it was a tree with books in it, so uh, yes?” Twilight replied weakly.

“Wow,” Applejack whispered.

“That is quite fascinating,” Rarity replied in a slightly less shocked tone of voice. “Tell me, did anyone tell you the legend of the Tree of Knowledge before tonight?”

The dead unicorn shrugged. “I didn't even know it was a thing that existed until thirty seconds ago.”

“Curious and curiouser,” Rarity mused.

“So where is it then?” Trixie inquired, pointing an accusatory hoof at the other unicorn. “If it be true that thee truly did see the tree, then thy should know where it lies.”

Twilight sighed. “I mean I could try, but the dream really didn't focus on that. Plus even if I did I would only know how to get there from an apothecary that may or may not exist anymore. And that's ignoring the fact that all the landmarks are different.”

Trixie rolled back over and frowned. “Fair enough.”

“So what happened next, darling?” Rarity asked.

“Well, after we teleported from the library to the castle, we went down to the bottom of the undertower where the other me was running all these experiments,” Twilight continued, suddenly remembering tidbits of information she thought she forgot. “There was this enormous door at the bottom, and a mare named Sharp Eye that guarded it. Once inside the other me checked up on all her experiments that were kept running by a queer stallion named Beaker who was apparently not the best at his job.”

Rarity giggled to herself. “Oh, that is too cute.”

“Shh,” Applejack whispered harshly. “She's telling us about her vision.”

“That's quite alright, Applejack,” Twilight admonished.

“Sorry, this is just really fascinatin’.”

“As I was saying,” Twilight continued, clearing her throat. “I went from table to table, checking up on all of the experiments before going to the back and finding the one experiment I cared about most which was a test to figure out what was animating the timberwolves as apparently that hadn't been figured out back then.

“It was necromancy, obviously, but from the way they talked about it made it seem like this was the first time anypony had studied a timberwolf before. After that I, er the other Twilight, scanned her leg where she was bitten by a timberwolf and found out that she had necromantic energy inside her. Information she hid from Luna, who I felt like was one of her closest friends.” Twilight sighed. “After that, I woke up.”

Her friends were silent, with Applejack sitting there and slowly shaking her head in shock. Rarity was distant, her gaze lingering on something unseen as she pondered an unspoken question. Trixie on the other hoof had the strangest reaction, her gaze piercing, her eyes glued to Twilight’s face as she seemed to scan the other unicorn for something only she could see.

All that came to a close when Rainbow Dash suddenly sat bolt upright and yawned loudly, stretching her limbs to the heavens, her forelegs cracking and popping. The mare shook her head vigorously, only to realize that everyone in the room was staring at Twilight with mixed expressions. “What did I miss?” the guard asked, her voice several octaves lower than normal.

“Twilight just got a vision of the past where she saw the Tree of Knowledge, was friends with the night mistress, traversed all the way to the bottom of the undertower after teleporting here where she found out that her former self was infected with necromantic energy,” Applejack blurted out.

“Huh,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“It was a dream,” Twilight elaborated.

“‘Kay,” the thestral muttered before winding up and smacking herself across the face. “Well would you look at that, this is a not a dream.”

Trixie chuckled. “Thee should tryeth it again, this just might beeth another dream.”

“Right,” Rainbow Dash muttered, lifting her hoof only to have it forcefully placed back at her side by a glaring Twilight and her magic.

“This is not a dream, Rainbow Dash,” she stated.

The thestral eyed her friend carefully. “Are you sure about that?” The room was quiet for a few seconds before Rainbow Dash frowned. “You know it could very well be a vision. We should find a way to prove it.”

Twilight crossed her hooves over her chest. “Don't tell me dream visions are a normal thing around here.”

“I mean, did you learn anything you didn't already know?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“She didn't know how to make this blue torch ‘till now!” Applejack pointed out.

“I would still need to do a lot of gathering to verify some things, nevermind a lot of research before I could even do that much,” Twilight replied with a frown.

“Hmmm.” Rainbow Dash got up and trotted over to a small table they had erected in the corner of the room, wherein a small map had been placed. “You said you made it all the way to the bottom of the undertower, right?”

“Uh yeah. Why do you ask?” Twilight responded.

“There are ten floors, almost all of which are being watched over by a group of golems. Do you know how to get past them?” Rainbow asked.

Twilight frowned. “There weren't any golems in my dream.”

“What about the layout of the tower? Do you remember that?” Rarity offered, stepping up beside her friends.

Again, Twilight frowned, this time even deeper. “We went through it so quick I couldn't commit it to memory.”

“I toldeth thee,” Trixie interrupted. “‘Tis a fool’s errand.”

Rainbow Dash pointed to the floor immediately below them, which was helpfully labeled as nine, beside which there was a single skull out of a possible five, the rest being greyed out. “The golems only come up here every few days, so it shouldn't be too dangerous. But it also means going through a gas filled chamber that would require us to don masks. Do you know of any way around it?”

Twilight peered down at the map, noting that there used to be a straight hallway through the center with two large oval rooms on either side, one of which was broken up into two smaller halves. Now however, things were different and the entire layout had changed as the center part of the floor had collapsed, necessitating any travelers to go through the right-most room in order to reach the stairs down. The furthest room to the left had no obvious method of entrance either, making Twilight stop and wonder if it had simply been left out of the drawing or if there was some secret in the other half of the room.

“How do you get into this room?” Twilight asked, pointing to the one that looked blocked off from one side, but was accessible from the other side due to a collapsed wall.

“We don't know. Current thoughts are that it was either a secret room, or the door is simply buried under the rubble,” Rainbow Dash replied.

“That's strange,” Rarity muttered, peering down at the map. “It's too obvious and large to be a secret room. What used to be in it?”

The lone thestral shrugged. “I’m not sure to be honest. It was empty when we first found it, and other than some residual magical energy there really weren't any clues to its origin or purpose.”

Trixie snorted. “Or the golems did geteth there first.”

“That is a possibility,” Twilight concluded. “Regardless, nothing is coming to mind. Maybe a visual inspection will help me remember.”

Rainbow Dash stared into her friend’s eyes, searching for some sign of duplicity, only to shrug after she could find nothing to insinuate such a thing. “You really are committed to this vision thing, aren't you?”

Twilight sighed. “I’m going to be honest, I don't know what to believe. A few months ago I didn't think anyone lived here, or that ponies could come back from the dead, or even that Celestia had a sister. Impossible is the new normal, maybe this is possible too?”

“‘Sides, plenty of weird stuff happens down here,” Applejack added.

Rainbow Dash pursed her lips and sighed. “I suppose the manual did mention that the nightmare does sometimes send people weird dreams.”

Rarity shuddered. “Well let's just hope we don't run into that… nightmare thing.”

“I agree,” Trixie added.

“Wait, I thought you two were staying up here to work on your weaving?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Trixie shrugged nonchalantly. “I gaveth some thought and I cannot in valorous conscience alloweth a day walker to traipse around her majesty’s castle without an escort.”

“I was going to mention this later, but I feel like it would be safer beside you girls than up here, especially if I was going to stay up here alone,” Rarity added, shivering at the mere thought.

Rainbow Dash ground her teeth together, glaring at each of the beings in turn. “Fine, but remember, follow my rules and do as I say or you may be dead before you can even whine about being bossed around. Got it?”

Both beings nodded dutifully, though Trixie seemed to do so only reluctantly.

“What about Fluttershy?” Twilight asked.

Rainbow Dash shrugged nonchalantly. “I wouldn't worry about her, she knows the dangers and the golems for the first few levels largely ignore animals.”

Applejack righted her hat and nodded. “Alright, we ready to go?”

“Err just give me a second,” Twilight muttered, turning and packing up her miniscule amount of supplies.

Just about everyone else was doing something similar, save for Applejack, who seemed to only be bringing water, a bunch of apples, and her hat. Rainbow Dash was all ready to go and was standing next to the door, staring off into the distance as if looking for something. Twilight tucked away the last of her belongings before closing her eyes and checking her internal energy supply.

She had only done it a few times, but it seemed to come naturally to her, allowing the dead unicorn to figure out that she had plenty of energy left inside her. She smiled as she thought about it, reasoning that her friends’ closeness was giving her the power she needed without having to actively feed on anything. The mare shuddered at the thought, making a note to come up with a better way to express that thought, as feed made it sound strangely visceral, as if she was some sort of vampire or monster.

When Twilight opened her eyes, everyone seemed ready to go, with Rarity being the last to join, as she had finally been convinced by a stern Rainbow Dash that she could not, in fact, bring her makeup bag deeper into the undertower. Though this did earn her a generous amount of pouting, something the guard was quite easily ignoring.

“Okay, marching order is me, Twilight, Applejack, Trixie, and then Rarity,” Rainbow Dash announced.

Twilight and Applejack nodded, while Trixie was busy staring at her hoof, which she was filing absently, while Rarity seemed nervous, and raised a hoof. “Why must I stay in the back?”

“You are taller, and you’d break line of sight if you were in the middle,” Rainbow Dash pointed out. “Plus your night vision is one of the best so it makes sense to leave you to watch our rear.”

Rarity crossed her hooves over her chest and pouted. “I suppose I can't argue with you on that.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Alright everyone, fall in.”

The beings all assembled into the line Rainbow Dash had devised, with Twilight nervously looking down at the thestral as they began to trot out into the hall. “Um, why did you put me second?”

“Your knowledge of magic is going to be important.” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Plus I am kinda curious if this vision thing of yours is real or not.”

“I suppose…” Twilight muttered, only for a hoof against her shoulder to bring her attention down to a smiling Applejack.

“Don't worry about it, Twi. RD may not be the smartest bat around, but if there is one thing she does know, it's dangerous stuff like this,” Applejack announced.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Rainbow Dash replied, rolling her eyes.

The troop fell into a sort of comfortable silence, with Rainbow Dash occasionally stopping them while she listened or checked on something. In no time at all they were back in front of the chained off door, which Rainbow Dash quickly discarded after pulling out an aged key from one of her many pockets. With the chain and lock now resting on the ground next to the door, the thestral pulled the door open wide, allowing a strange surge of dank, musty air to rush out.

The company shuddered in unison, the gust carrying a waft of dust and something far fouler into the surprised beings’ faces. Twilight’s entire face crinkled in disgust and she recoiled, holding her nose shut, only for the smell to have already invaded her nostrils.

“Ugh, what is that dreadful aroma?” Rarity whined.

“Get used to it, the first three floors reek of this stuff,” Rainbow Dash replied, while trotting through the door and the hallway beyond.

Applejack shrugged. “It ain't as bad as a timberwolf.”

“True,” Twilight agreed, the comparison having robbed the stench of some of its power.

The thestral strode forward confidently, trotting down the hall, and into a large spiral staircase wide enough for three ponies to walk abreast with ease. The thestral paused after a few steps, raising her hoof and signalling that her troop should stop. Once the order was followed, the mare’s ears rotated forward, straining to hear something from deeper in.

After several silent moments she nodded. “I don't hear the golems, it should be clear.”

“Oh, thank goodness.” Rarity sighed.

Trixie shrugged. “How tough can they be?”

Rainbow Dash stopped and turned around, facing the unicorn, a grim expression on her face. “Were you not there when I explained this?” Trixie shook her head, prompting Rainbow Dash to sigh. “They are eight feet tall, weigh over a ton, are resistant to almost all forms of damage and worse yet they can rebuild themselves using nearby rock.”

Trixie frowned. “That is most distressing.”

The thestral snorted and turned around, taking her place back at the front of the pack. “They are fast on top of being capable fighters. The only reason we've explored at all is due to their programming weaknesses, and the fact that they don't seem to recognize the new layout of the tower.”

“Interesting,” Twilight mused.

Applejack, however, frowned. “Well I for one find it a might bit offensive. We should do something about these damnable things.”

“I agree with you, but you have to realize that we don't even know what's in the bottom of the undertower. The golems might very well be the only thing keeping the nightmare restrained,” Rainbow Dash replied.

The five friends continued the rest of the way in silence, descending the long, winding staircase. The stone walls, floor and ceiling were dirty, dusty and in some spots even had roots poking out from between the cracks. Though that was thankfully an uncommon occurrence, the fact that it was happening at all was distressing to Twilight. She knew little of masonry, but she didn't need to be an expert to know that having roots poking out of the sides of the stairwell was not a good sign. The floor was also covered in a thin layer of dust, dirt and debris. The troop occasionally passed by some discarded item left behind by a past group.

Broken swords were heaped in a small pile near the third turn, discarded flasks, bottles, and other minor items were dropped sporadically throughout the winding staircase. Making Twilight’s inner OCD begin to flare up and make her want to stop and pick up the trash, or at least put it in one central pile. The unicorn dismissed such a silly thought quickly however, reminding herself to keep her eyes open and her magic ready.

Thankfully they reached the bottom without incident or even having to stop, something they only did when they all assembled near the bottom of the staircase. “Wait a second,” Rainbow Dash whispered, holding up a hoof.

“What is it?” Twilight whispered back, looking around the room, noting that the area appeared to be just as Rainbow Dash’s maps had indicated.

To the left was a small library, or at least what had been a library many centuries ago, the books having rotted or burnt away, as had the couches and even the shelves. The only thing that seemed to indicate that it had been a library at all was the way the piles of ash and rot were spaced, indicating that at one time the outermost circle had been dominated by a large piece of furniture. In front of them was a short hall, that went for all of fifteen feet before ending abruptly, a pile of rubble from the ceiling having fallen in. To the right was the gas filled room that Rainbow Dash had mentioned, the entrance to which was a shimmering wall of blue force that held back the swirling mass of green smoke that lay just beyond.

Twilight didn't know what the gas did, but in every Daring Do book ever written, green smoke was never a good thing.

Rainbow Dash relaxed and gestured to the small library to the left. “We should be safe up here if you want to check out the library, or what's left of it.”

“Right,” Twilight muttered, looking down at the piles of ash and rotted wood that had once been a small, but respectful library. “I’ll get right on that.”

“The rest of you feel free to wander around, just do not, under any circumstances, go beyond this door without first getting the safety equipment from me,” Rainbow Dash announced sternly, meeting the gaze of each of her party member’s in turn. “Got it?”

A chorus of acknowledgements, or murmurs of agreement met the mare, who nodded. “I’ll be readying the equipment just in case.”

Applejack took a step forward. “Need any help?”

Rainbow Dash nodded, unslinging a pack from her armor. “Sure, if you don't mind holding some stuff for me.”

Trixie and Rarity quickly involved themselves in their own conversation that mainly centered around the weaving of more complicated webs, with the unicorn offering the arachne some rather pointed criticisms. Rarity seemed to take this in stride however, and Twilight watched the pair for several more seconds before shaking her head and turning to the remains of the library.

“Now how in the heck am I going to do this?” she muttered to herself, gazing at the piles of debris in irritation.

She had expected more than this, though now that she thought about it, it made sense that there was nothing left, as it had been several hundred years since this place had been properly maintained. Add to that the fact that there was apparently deadly gas, powerful golems, and a powerful magical creature still stalking the halls and Twilight reasoned she should be happy there was anything left behind at all.

With a frown she walked up and down the rows, looking down at the piles and trying to find something, anything for her memory to go off. Her magic sifted through the piles at random, hoping to find something that had survived the destruction. It took several long minutes, and in the end though Twilight had not come up empty hooved though she may as well have, considering the fact that she now held only several paper clips, half a stapler, and what looked like the rings of a binder.

With a growl of irritation she tossed the junk into a nearby pile of ash, her thoughts returning to the idea that this entire thing may very well have been a fool’s errand. No, there has to be something. The dream was too real to just be made up, right? She frowned, glancing down at the piles and trying to imagine what they once held.

Across the room she could hear that her companions had relaxed, and were chatting animatedly about several topics. A fact that Twilight pushed from her mind, trying and failing to focus on the task at hoof.

With a frown now plastered firmly to her face, Twilight plunked down in the middle of what must have been a row of books, the mare crossing her hooves over her chest. “Come on, brain, think of something,” she muttered to herself.

Closing her eyes, Twilight wondered what spell might help her, only to come up with nothing, having realized that she could no longer use the one school of magic that may assist her here. Divination had never been her strong suit, but she would have gladly given just about anything to use even a simple detection magic spell. She sighed, her shoulders slumping, and her spell fizzling, the relatively simple cantrip falling apart after only a few seconds of concentration, her magic no longer flowing like it once did.

The unicorn frowned, and simply stared at the piles of detritus that littered the floor, imagining what they must have looked like in their hay day. Sure the area itself wasn't terrible large, but it seemed to be structured with love, and careful attention, the rows narrow, but not so close as to become claustrophobic. The reading areas were small, tucked away between the rows and primarily being made up of what must have been simple cushions, as the small mounds of ash and dust were surprisingly small, meaning they likely weren't chairs or couches.

She imaged the tall, proud rows of cedar built shelves holding numerous books on a variety of topics ranging from the mundane, like cooking and carpentry, to more esoteric, though still base level things like rudimentary magic, or astrology. Twilight stood up suddenly, walking down the row and extending a hoof, imagining that she was running the limb across the many spines of the books, caressing their aged exteriors lovingly, a smile crossing her face.

It felt good to touch the books, the simple tactile feel reminding the unicorn of her younger days which were spent under the moon or sun, being trained by the two sisters for the vaunted position of vizier. They had been demanding back then, buying her books on what felt like hundreds of topics and expecting her to master each in turn. Sure it had been hard, but it had also been worth it and in the end Twilight had become the advisor they so needed. Successfully managing to bridge the divide not only between each other, but between them and the public they had become so alienated from.

She breathed deep of the scent of the books that had come from those first years of study and testing. The creation of this small library was not as big a deal as her other contributions like the various labs below her, or the small museum she had established across from the library, but it meant a lot to her. In a way this very library was a museum, one to herself, and the studies and interests she held in her younger years.

Still, her inner librarian couldn't help but want to share these books with the world, even though only castle staff could check them out, it was still nice that she could at least do that much. Her hooves trotted down the well-maintained isles of her semi-private library, her eyes drawn to the small section of wall devoid of all poster or shelf.

Lifting a hoof, the mare gently touched the wall, noting that the wards lit up properly, scanning her mana signature and allowing her access to the reserved section of the castle library. She stayed there a moment, wondering if she should go inside and look around as it had been a while since she had checked the stacks. Never mind the fact that the restacking golem she had designed to maintain the library had already shown that its programming was not perfect, making her wonder if the reserved room was as messed up as the rest of the library had been last she checked.

Smiling faintly to herself, the mare trailed her hoof lower until she reached the spot where the matrices overlapped, allowing the magic to scan her hoof and allow her to push open the less than secret door. As she did she smiled faintly, remembering all the times Celestia and Luna had teased her about her hidden library which was contained in the very design documents of the library, and was plainly obvious to any outside observer. She had been resolute in her design however, as Twilight had always wanted to make a secret fake wall, and this seemed like the perfect excuse.

The stone wall ground a little harder than usual, something having gotten stuck between it and the floor, a fact that made Twilight pause. Only for a strange and foreign voice to startle her out of contemplation.

“What in the hay?” Applejack muttered.

“Look! Twilight found the door!” Rarity announced excitedly, her many legs carrying her closer to the dead mare.

Twilight paused, looking forward into the neat, short rows of books beyond the door, only to blink and realize they weren't there at all. In fact there was nothing there but rubble and ash, everything within her beloved ‘secret’ library having long since been turned to dust.

By the time the mare returned to reality she was surrounded by her friends, all of whom were asking her a variety of questions. “Hold on a second, what just happened?” Twilight exclaimed, raising a hoof and silencing her companions.

“You just walked over to the wall and suddenly pushed it open,” Rainbow Dash explained, cocking her head. “What did you think happened?”

“I thought I was in a library, and was going into the less than well hidden secret area,” Twilight muttered, gazing down at her hoof in disbelief. “I was going to check on the golem I placed in charge of maintaining the stacks then all of a sudden I was back here.”

“Hmm, most interesting,” Trixie murmured, staring up and down the mare, eyebrow raised.

“Is something the matter, darling?” Rarity asked, placing the back of her hoof on Twilight’s forehead, a concerned expression crossing her face. “You are oddly warm, all of a sudden.”

“I am?” Twilight brushed off her friend’s hoof and placed the back of her own limb where Rarity’s had been, only to find that she was indeed far warmer than she had been since her death. “Odd.”

Applejack shrugged. “So you are not quite so cold, what's the big deal?”

“I don't know,” Twilight murmured, letting her hoof return to the floor.

“Regardless, the way is cleareth, shouldst we not conintueth?” Trixie offered, gesturing to the now open door.

Rainbow Dash grumbled silently, stuffing back all the enchanted face masks she had pulled out of her bag. “Just gimme a second.”

Twilight looked down at her hoof, then back to the library behind her, only to find that it was all little more than ash and dust once more. As the seconds ticked by, reality seemed to assert itself completely, and the strange alien feeling of displacement vanished as the unicorn seemed to settle back into her own body.

Shaking her head once more, Twilight noticed that Rainbow Dash had stowed her gear once more, and was now just beyond the door, peering within, her ears standing up and at the ready. After several more seconds, she nodded and stepped through the portal. “I think we should be good,” she mentioned.

“How disappointing to loseth so many over such foolishness,” Trixie remarked sadly.

“Indeed,” Rarity agreed.

Applejack shrugged, and followed after. “Maybe they managed to get all the books out before the fire?”

Twilight shook her head. “There is a sadness that hangs over this room like a fog. I don't think they did.”

Rainbow Dash stepped forward, hefting her bag onto her shoulder and taking point. “The stairs down are broken in certain spots, do not fall down. The golems may not be able to hear, but they can see just fine and if they so much as catch a glimpse of you, run and don't look back.”

Twilight gulped. “Is there a point that they stop chasing?”

“They usually only go so far as the first floor, but sometimes they will go all the way outside the castle.”

Applejack gulped, looking down the stairs with newfound apprehension. “Well I don't know about y'all, but I say we take this nice and slow like.”

The rest of the companions all nodded, with Rainbow Dash taking the first step down the stairs before them. Following the lead set by the thestral, everyone else resumed the same marching order as before, with Twilight taking a nervous second place behind the guard pony.

Sure enough, the ground was as uneven as the mare had mentioned, with entire stairs missing, and chunks of the wall having vanished entirely. Leaving behind holes that sometimes went so deep that dirt would trickle out and onto the staircase. With Rainbow Dash’s guidance it didn't take them long to reach the next flight of stairs with no one even so much as tripping. The next floor was much different, and seemed to have suffered much more damage than the first. Rubble was strewn everywhere across the area. The sight made Twilight wonder, not for the first time, how this entire place was still standing at this point.

Rainbow Dash kneeled down next to a pile of rocks and motioned for everyone to come in close. “Now I need you guys to do exactly as I tell you, when I tell you. There is a golem just beyond the first pile of rocks.” The thestral raised a hoof, silencing Rarity’s concerned comment before it could even be spoken. “This one is easy, it just walks back and forth in a straight line and all we have to do is move while its back is turned.”

“We going one by one or what?” Applejack whispered, glancing out from behind the pile and trying to catch a glimpse of the thing, only for Rainbow Dash to pull her back.

“Did I tell you to reveal yourself?” she hissed, her face pressed nearly against the farmer’s.

“Err, no ma’am,” Applejack muttered weakly.

“That's what I thought.” Rainbow Dash relaxed slightly and pulled back, revealing that she held a simple mirror on a stick. “For some reason the golems can't see reflections. I don't know why, but it will help us get around them.” She pointed at herself and then Twilight. “We will be going first, after that I want Applejack and Trixie to come together. Rarity, you will be going last, by yourself.”

Applejack and Trixie nodded resolutely, while Rarity seemed on the verge of a nervous breakdown before suddenly pressing a hoof against her chest and breathing deeply. “Okay, darling. I’ll trust you.”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “Good. Ready?”

Everyone nodded, prompting Rainbow Dash to lean a little closer to the mound of rocks and peek the mirror around the side. Twilight had taken up position just behind the thestral, allowing her a good view of the golem stomping down the hall. Its head nearly scraped the ceiling, and its shoulders nearly brushed the walls, though the strangest part by far was the fact that it had two arms that stuck out from the front of its body as well as a mere two legs.

It's bipedal? Twilight thought to herself, shocked to see such a strange golem. Was it even made by ponies?

The mare shook off the questions running around in her head for now, and merely watched as the bipedal golem walked closer and closer. Its footsteps, which had been distant at first, now thundered ever closer. Its huge granite body was made up of hundreds of smaller rocks and boulders, all held together by glowing lines of golden light. The strange thing had no face or distinguishing features whatsoever, with only a single golden sunburst emblazoned on its chest, allowing Twilight to differentiate it from just another pile of rocks.

Twilight glanced to the side, noticing that at about the midway point of the golem’s path there was a relatively large section of wall that was still partially standing, the base of which was surrounded by loose rocks. Whatever had been in the rooms had been lost to history, and there existed nothing but piles of loose stones and small sections of walls to even differentiate between where one room started and the other ended.

The golem’s heavy footsteps boomed in the mare’s ears, the inanimate creature drawing closer and closer. The rest of the group looked nervously at Rainbow Dash, who had not moved an inch the entire time. Noticing that their leader had not so much as flinched, Twilight relaxed and waited a few more seconds.

Sure enough, the golem stopped a few steps from the pile of rubble they hid behind, paused, looked around, and then turned right back around, beginning its slow, ponderous pace back towards the other side of the room. Rarity and Applejack breathed a sigh of relief, while Trixie remained strangely nonplussed by the entire encounter, her gaze lingering on the golem’s backside.

Rainbow Dash placed the mirror stick on the floor before pointing to Applejack. “Use it, but leave it for Rarity who will be bringing it with her.”

Applejack quickly snatched up the stick and nodded, with Rarity mirroring the movement a second later.

The thestral glanced one last time at Twilight before breathing deeply and dashing around the corner, sprinting towards the pile of rubble at the centre of the hall. Twilight scrambled to keep up a second later, the lanky unicorn nearly tripping over a loose rock. The sprint was short, but terrifying, with Twilight’s eyes firmly latched onto the golem’s back as it made its way back down the hall. A hoof gripped the mare’s leg and pulled her in behind the pile of rubble, where Rainbow Dash was waiting with a glare.

“Eyes on your goal,” she hissed, pointing from Twilight’s face to the pile of rubble they were now using as cover.

Twilight gulped awkwardly and nodded. “S-sorry.”

“Don't apologize to me, it would have been your funeral and something tells me you wouldn't exactly hop back up after being pounded into paste,” Rainbow Dash whispered.

Twilight tried not to image what she would look like after being pounded into the dirt by a massive pile of semi-sentient rocks only to fail and shudder at the thought.

The golem stopped, and after a second turned and began its arduous trek back up the hall. The two creatures pushed themselves against the pile of rubble, not trusting their safety to the meagre pile of stone. Thunderous, monotonous footsteps came closer and closer until they passed them by completely, allowing Rainbow Dash the opening she needed to dash out from behind the rocks and towards the end of the room which lead to a staircase which in turn led down to the floor below.

This time Twilight had no distractions to get in her way and she followed close behind the thestral as she sprinted across the room and ducked into the stairwell. For the next few minutes the two would remain there, pressed against the wall as they listened and waited. A little while later two terrified creatures all but leapt into the stairwell, landing in a panting heap of tangled limbs. The sight of two of her friends unharmed helped to alleviate a bit of Twilight’s worry, but that didn't help the fact that the one party member she worried about the most had yet to arrive.

Conjuring a magical mirror of her own, Twilight peered around the corner, and what she saw nearly made her heart stop again. Rarity was larger than the rest of her friends, easily towering over even Twilight, meaning the pile of rocks and debris that easily hid them, could barely obscure the arachne’s larger form. The fashionista was awkwardly bent behind the cover, her eyes wide with fear.

The golem was fast approaching, its footsteps thumping in the distance, growing ever closer to the cowering form of the spider pony. Then, just when Twilight was convinced she was going to see something terrible happen, the golem passed Rarity by without pause. The arachne looked up, noticed she was still alive, and sprinted with all haste towards the stairwell at the end of the room.

Noticing that her friend was terrified and not slowing down, Twilight took several hastey steps back and lit her horn, allowing her to catch the terrified arachne as she ran screeching into the stairwell. Muffled cries of panic of surprise could be heard in all directions as the larger creature came barrelling into the awaiting group, Twilight’s magic keeping her upright but not stopping her momentum. Limbs slammed against stone and each other equally, metal clanged metal, and after several short, painful seconds the group landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairwell, all save for a certain arachne who was wincing and looking down at the moaning pile of ponies now lying on the floor.

“Sorry,” she muttered weakly, extending a hoof to Twilight who eagerly accepted the assistance, allowing the creature to hoist her into a standing position.

“Don't worry about it, Rarity,” Twilight replied, dusting herself off.

Applejack groaned, righting her hat and stumbling awkwardly into a standing position. “Well, that certainly could have gone better,” she muttered.

Trixie grumbled curses under her breath, gripping either side of her head to stop her eyeballs from rolling around in their sockets. “Agreed.”

Rainbow Dash was the only one unharmed, the thestral having somehow managed to twist out of the way and dodge the ball of flailing spider pony limbs. She walked calmly down the last of the stairs, a sigh on her lips. “I knew this was a bad idea.”

The arachne rubbed her hooves together nervously. “I really am sorry, darling. I just saw the golem right there and I-”

The thestral reached up and placed a calming hoof on the arachne’s side. “It's alright, really. It just means you are in it for real. There's no going back now.”

“Fiddlesticks,” Rarity cursed.

“This floor is the safe one, right?” Twilight asked, looking around the small room they now found themselves in. The walls were painted to resemble wood and two large doors barely hung onto their hinges, barring access to what lay beyond.

“There are no golems, but there are plenty of traps,” Rainbow Dash replied with a shrug. “So don't touch anything.”

“Got it.” Applejack saluted, tucking the last of their scattered supplies back into her bags.

“Good. Now, we are going to have to go even slower than we did before if we are going to make it out of here. The first trap is going to be a simple sound detecting spell attached to a mana bolt spell matrix, so we have to-” Rainbow Dash began, only for Twilight to take a step forward and light her horn.

“I don't mean to interrupt you, Rainbow Dash, but do you mind if I ask you a quick question?” Twilight inquired.

The thestral shrugged. “Sure, fire away.”

“Are all of the traps magical?”

“More or less, if they aren't completely magical, they are triggered by magic. It's how they are able to keep operating after all this time. The golems simply walk through them, or are unharmed by them, and the traps reset themselves shortly after,” Rainbow Dash explained.

“Why haven't they been dispelled?” Twilight asked as she gently pushed one of the more intact doors open.

“No one knows how to,” Rainbow Dash replied with a shrug. “Most creatures don't have the magical capacity necessary to take them down, and the few we could destroy haven't changed things much.”

“I’m gonna give it a shot,” Twilight announced suddenly, her jaw set, and a look of determination crossing her face.

“Are you sure that's wise, darling?” Rarity interjected, stepping forward and placing a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “I know you are a powerful mare, but these traps were made by someone very, very powerful.”

“I have a good feeling,” Twilight replied confidently, placing a hoof on Rarity’s.

“Wonderful,” Trixie muttered, before turning and finding a corner to sit in while she read a large black tome she had pulled from one of her saddlebags.

Applejack merely shrugged, and looked over at Rainbow Dash, whose lips were pursed, her gaze distant as she stared at the glowing hallway just beyond. “What do you think, boss?” Applejack asked.

The thestral shook her head and sighed. “I don't like it. But it would make it safer and quicker.” She stood suddenly, and trotted over to the dead unicorn. “You can try, but the second I see things starting to go south you pull out ASAP. Got it?”

Twilight nodded. “Thank you, for trusting me.”

Rainbow Dash shrugged nonchalantly, hiding a small blush by turning and pushing Rarity away. “That's enough chatter, you guys sit back and give the mare some room to work, I’ll keep eyes on the hall.”

Rarity smiled faintly. “Do be careful, darling.”

“I will, Rarity,” Twilight replied, before turning to the hall just beyond.

It was long, unnaturally so, to the point that Twilight realized it was probably an illusion, which would explain how it was able to twist her perceptions. Closing her eyes, Twilight tried to reach down inside herself, calming her muscles and allowing her mind to flow down towards the strange paths that had allowed her to glimpse at the library that was no longer there.

She was hesitant to do this, but the dream had breezed through this floor so quickly that she had no real memory of it. Luna’s smile, and conversation they had were the only things she remembered from this area other than simply walking down a single short passage.

Breathing deeply, the mare tried to ignore the logical part of her mind that reminded her that the act of doing so was largely pointless, and instead focused on the feelings she had experienced when she had fallen into this sort of state back in the library. When she opened her eyes once more, the dust, debris and detritus that clung to every surface was gone, and the long expanse was gone, replaced by a short tunnel that twisted to the right.

Twilight smiled as she lit her horn, happy that her complicated series of illusion spells was working correctly. A quick scan told her that her defences were also working correctly, though she still did not like their existence in the first place, she had been convinced by a rather persistent Celestia, whose words suddenly came to mind.

“Just because no one in the their right mind would steal from you, doesn't mean no one will. Living beings are nothing if not irrational,” she whispered into the mare’s ear as they looked down on the outline for Twilight’s initial drawings for the undertower.

The mare pursed her lips and sighed. “And let me guess, the illusion that will ultimately turn them right back around won't be enough.”

Celestia sighed, and placed a hoof on the young mare’s back. “Like a child reaching for the cookie jar, you must reprimand the attempt or they won't stop trying.”

The unicorn frowned and began scratching down a primitive outline of what she assumed would be enough to appease Celestia while also holding back any would be invader with minimal lethality. Pushing herself back from her desk, she motioned for the alicorn to look. “What about this? It should gradually become more lethal, offering up plenty of chances for the individual to realize their folly.”

Celestia nodded slowly. “I approve,” she announced, smiling down at the mare. “Your kindness is, as always, a breath of fresh air, my dear.”

Twilight beamed under the praise, a slight blush coming to her cheeks. “T-thank you, Celestia.”

The real Twilight breathed heavily, a hoof pressed against her temple. That was stronger than last time, she thought to herself, wondering the implications thereof.

Shaking off the thought, Twilight looked up, and instantly noticed that the illusion had been shattered completely. The long hall replaced by the one in her vision, with the hall turning sharply to the right. The dust and detritus had returned, and the familiar scent of ruin and rubble filled the mare’s senses, reaffirming that she was once again in the present. Lighting her horn, Twilight extended her magical senses and got to work on the wards and matrices that filled the hall.

After seeing their initial versions written out in plain Equish, picking them apart now was surprisingly easy, and the unicorn worked through the first patch of the hall in no time at all. Turning to the right, Twilight continued to pick apart the magic holding together the defences, tugging at loose strands of mana here and overloading certain defences there, all while going deeper down the winding hall.

By the end of it Twilight had gone right, left, then left again, with finally one last right revealing the exit, and a small simple sitting room that was somehow still intact.

Her companions slowly emerged from behind her, looking on in wonder at the simple benches still left standing after all this time. Sure, the rest of the room was more or less destroyed, but seeing that anything was left standing was a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one at that.

“I didn't think you had it in you, Twi,” Rainbow Dash muttered, looking back at the hall in naked wonder. “Good job.”

Twilight smiled faintly, the lingering exhaustion she had been fighting the last several minutes returning with a vengeance. “Thank you, Rainbow Dash, but I think I may need to sit for a few minutes.”

“You certainly have earned that much,” Rarity remarked with a smile.

“Yeah no kidding,” Applejack muttered, taking a seat on one of the remaining benches.

“Thanks.” Twilight yawned suddenly. “I am feeling kinda sleepy all of a sudden though.”

Rainbow Dash nodded and unslung her bag. “Take a few minutes. We shouldn't have to move for a little while at least.”

“We shall keep watch, darling,” Rarity commented, giving Twilight a confident nod.

“Speak for thyself,” Trixie added, sitting back down, her nose having never left her book.

Twilight chuckled, and lay down on the empty bench across from them, smiling faintly as she settled down and began to relax. For a few minutes it seemed like a pleasant nap would evade her, only for the siren song of sleep overtaking her out of nowhere, the mare falling into a deep slumber before she had a chance to even consider otherwise.

Twilight shook her head suddenly, an odd thought having suddenly entered her mind. The mare paused and rested a hoof against the side of her head, silently wondering why she had just imagined destroying all the wards she had placed in her tower.

“Are you alright, Twilight?” a calm, yet strained feminine voice inquired.

“I’m fine, Celestia, really. Just had an odd day dream I suppose,” Twilight replied, shaking her head and smiling up at the concerned alicorn.

The other mare was tall, her face strained with worry and stress, the weight of the forest and Twilight’s ill health weighing visibly on the mare. She had shed her usual regalia, and wore only a simple sundress that allowed the evening air to gently caress her fur without allowing it to cool her too much. Though the dress was simple, and light, and Twilight had seen it a dozen or so times, the mare still felt her gaze drawn down the length of the flowing golden clothing and the perfect fur just beneath.

“I see you are doing well enough to have an appetite again,” Celestia quipped, smirking down at the now blushing unicorn.

“I didn't- that's not what I-” The mare stopped herself, her cheeks puffing out as she tried to glare at the alicorn. “I like your dress.”

“Why, thank you,” Celestia replied, ignoring the bitterness in Twilight’s tone.

Twilight slowly smiled, the faint feeling of tension that had hung over them having been dismissed in an instant, replaced by a calm, accepting aura that washed over her. “Thank you, Celestia,” she whispered, trotting deeper into the garden and looking out over the many flowers that filled the quiet courtyard.

“For what?” Celestia asked, quickly taking her place to the left of the unicorn.

“For taking time to visit with me.” Twilight sighed. “It feels like forever that we've found the time to simply take a stroll through the gardens.”

“Yes, you two have been busy, haven't you,” Celestia stated, a hint of resentment seeping into her tone.

“We all have,” Twilight corrected. “But that isn't an excuse to come together more often, is it?”

“You are right, Twilight.” Celestia sighed, looking up at the sun that was just peeking over the wall of the castle, its fading rays illuminating the courtyard in an elegant golden light. “Do you think…” The alicorn bit her lip, before pushing herself to speak the words that burned on her lips. “Do you think I am wrong to resist the forest?”

Twilight sighed as well, turning down a side path and making her way over to a large weeping willow, beneath which there was a bench large enough for both of them. “I’m going to be honest. I don't know.”

Celestia frowned and took a seat beside her friend, her gaze lingering on the long branches that came down like a curtain, obscuring them from passing observers. “Why do you say that? Luna is quite against my approach and she seems to insinuate that you are taking her side on this matter.”

“Celestia, please. There are no sides to be taken.” Twilight placed her hoof on the mare’s shoulder, forcing their eyes to meet. “There is only us, and the problem.”

The alicorn’s frown weakened, softening into a small, reluctant smile. “You are right as usual, Twilight. I just wish my sister and I saw it as you do.”

“Don't think I’m letting you off the hook though,” Twilight began, her tone containing an edge of humour to it. “Luna’s position may not be perfect, and neither are her ideas, but it is becoming more and more clear that this forest situation will not be easily remedied through force.”

The alicorn shrugged off her friend’s shoulder and stared down into the younger mare’s eyes. “How can you say that? You killed Discord itself. Your friends have done the impossible, compared to that what are a few weeds?”

The unicorn’s brow creased with worry and for a moment she considered holding back the words she felt building in her throat, but she couldn't, Celestia needed to know. “I’m not sure if we should have. What if this all started because of Discord’s death?”

“Nonsense!” Celestia stated, pounding her hoof into the bench. “He threatened the lives of our little ponies. He drove them to madness, slaughter and unspeakable acts the likes of which no one should experience. His death was nothing short of a blessing.”

Twilight sighed, her gaze falling to the well-manicured grass just beneath her hooves. “I know what he did was wrong, but I’m not sure if death was the right answer. I mean all of this-” Twilight extended a hoof towards the wall in the distance, gesturing in the direction of the encroaching forest. “-started only after he died.”

“This is madness,” Celestia muttered. “The spirit is dead, his essence dissolved utterly. There is no way he could have an affect on anything, much less something quite on this scale.”

“I want to believe you. Truly I do. But these tests don't lie. The forest only began to change after his death, and worse still the forest has grown stranger. Creatures I’ve never heard of have been spotted in the twisted boughs of the chaotic forest.” Twilight leaned closer, a worried look crossing her face. “Worse yet I’ve heard reports of something truly terrifying, a great beast with eyes the same color as his was seen walking-

Twilight jerked upwards, Applejack’s strong hooves gripping her shoulders and shaking her gently. “Whoa there, sugarcube. Nothing’s wrong, Rainbow just wants us up and moving so we can get to the next safe area before we have to bed down for the day.”

“R-right,” Twilight stuttered, stumbling to a stand only to find that she felt strangely invigorated.

Looking down, she noticed that there was something new about her neck, namely the fact that there was now a simple spider silk scarf around it. Looking up, she found a hesitant Rarity shuffling nervously before her. “I hope you like it. I couldn't make it as thick as I’d like, but I wanted to make you something as thanks. For what you did.”

Twilight ran her hoof across the fine silk scarf, amazed by just how soft it was. “Thanks, Rarity. I love it.”

“No, thank you, Twilight,” the arachne replied with a smile.

The unicorn perked up suddenly, remembering the odd way she had fallen asleep. “Hey, Rainbow Dash, does the undertower have a sleep aura placed on it?”

The soldier shook her head. “None that I’m aware of, why?”

Twilight frowned. “It's just, odd. I wasn't really tired but then all of a sudden I felt as though I was being forced to sleep.”

Applejack’s eyes lit up and she ran up to the unicorn. “Did you receive another vision?”

“I don't know, maybe?” Twilight muttered, rubbing the back of her neck. “In it I was just talking to her.”

“I wouldn't worry about it too much,” Rainbow Dash began. “The nightmare has been known to usher some to the realm of dreams in order to show them something. Though why it does this is unknown. That being said, some beings think it's just the lingering essence of a powerful sleep spell that was cast somewhere in the undertower, so your guess is as good as mine.”

Twilight frowned, her mind replaying the odd events she felt as though she had just experienced. It was becoming more and more clear that this was not a mere dream as Twilight doubted even her unconscious mind would imagine being polite to the mare who had taken everything from her. Reluctantly the unicorn shook her head and sighed, letting the question fade from her thoughts and be reluctantly added to the veritable mountain of unanswered questions.

The group began their descent once more, climbing down the stairs and proceeding deeper into the undertower. Together they faced down more strange traps, snuck by over a dozen golems and emerged unscathed into a minor resting area several hours later. Throughout it all Twilight couldn't help but think about the vision she had, and if something like it would come again.

Looking around the room, Twilight noted that her companions were all in varied states of exhaustion, with Rarity being the worst off, the arachne flopped out on the floor, her ten limbs all pointing in different directions as she lay there panting. Trixie and Applejack seemed to be a little winded, but were more or less fine, the two beings both eying one another with a newfound respect. Rainbow Dash was the only one other than Twilight who was completely nonplussed by the entire event, and was sitting at a ruined desk while flipping through her field guide.

The room they were in now seemed to have been a storage room of some kind, which would explain how it had escaped the fighting, the fire, and the golems. Piles of desks, chairs and other furniture were piled here and there in various states of disrepair. A small area in the centre had been cleared for the same purpose the group was now using it: rest.

Twilight considered trying to get more sleep, curious if she was going to be shown something new and hopefully useful.

“Alright, everybody, we will rest here for about an hour so grab some food, water and a short break because after this it's going to be a slow crawl to the next rest area where we’ll bed down for the day,” Rainbow Dash announced. “Also, great work distracting that last golem, Trixie, you really saved our butts back there.”

The unicorn stood tall before bowing low. “‘Twas nothing.”

Applejack smiled and gently punched the mare across the shoulder. “That was not nothin’, that was brilliant.”

Twilight watched her friends go back and forth complimenting Trixie, and eventually peeling Rarity off the floor in order to make sure she was alive, and that she got some much needed water. Alone, and away from her friends, Twilight felt her gaze lingering over Trixie who had quietly excused herself from the group after she had milked them for all the compliments they could reasonably give.

“Don't bethink I didn't notice that little trick with the conjured mirror in the laser room. That was inspired,” Trixie whispered, leaning closer to the other unicorn.

Twilight smiled. “Thank you, Trixie. Say, do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”

The illusionist smiled, sitting a little straighter. “A showmare is at each moment ready for an interview.”

“Why do you talk like that?” Twilight blurted out. “The real reason, I mean.”

Trixie shot the dead unicorn a scowl, placing a hoof against her chest and raising her nose. “I shall have thee knoweth that every entertainer worth their salt spoke in such a manner.”

“No, but really,” Twilight pressed. “Why do you talk like that?”

The other mare’s scowl intensified. “It may not beest in style anymore, but Trixie is a purist and the lady refuses to changeth to fit these times.”

The dead unicorn sighed. “Let's forget that a moment and get to my next question. You said you were a showmare, where did you perform?”

“In Trixie’s day the lady traveled to many places. From Ponyville to even the far-off lands of the changeling badlands and the minotaur plains.” Trixie swept a dramatic hoof before her. “The lady performed for everyone from royalty to the common being. All were equal to the most wondrous and powerful Trixie. In fact the lady even performed for the elements of harmony after they did free the land from the dreaded Dis- oh you fell asleep.”

Trixie scowled at the slumbering Twilight who lay sprawled out on the ground next to her, the dead unicorn having toppled from her position without even waking up. “Fi,” Trixie cursed, crossing her hooves over her chest.

Twilight sighed and ran a hoof through her mane, unable to look her former mentor in the eye. “Look, I’m just asking if there is any information at all left on necromancy. I do not wish to raise the dead, curse anyone, or even speak with the deceased. I just want to know if there is any information left. That's it!” Twilight exclaimed.

Celestia’s frown deepened, her entire body growing tight as her muscles tensed. “And I am telling you there is nothing left. It's all gone, Twilight.”

The younger mare sighed and looked down at her hooves, absentmindedly noticing that the fur was much darker than usual, becoming nearly black in appearance, though it still had the slight tinge of purple left within. This change had been relatively new, and though it had been disconcerting to say the least, it was the smallest of Twilight’s recent changes and was the least of her worries.

“When you say destroyed, do you mean all known texts are lost, or do you believe there is a chance that there is more information out there somewhere?” Twilight asked, looking across the table to an increasingly irritated Celestia who had long since abandoned any pretense of enjoying a relaxing cup of tea with a friend.

“I personally destroyed the last trace of necromancy and scattered the ashes to the six winds,” Celestia announced, her gaze firm and her tone strict.

“Why though? We need that information. What if another necromancer pops up? How are we going to know how to fight them?” Twilight implored, reaching across the table and attempting to grip Celestia’s hoof.

The alicorn was far too angry for such a thing however and she brushed aside the unicorn’s advance with a dismissive hoof. “We know enough. We know that they can be killed through conventional means and the powers of restoration magic destroy their minions and bring harm to them. That is all we need to know.”

Twilight paused, the strange reverberating tenor that had wormed into Celestia’s voice near the end of her statement making Twilight stop. “What was that?” Twilight inquired, worry creasing her brow. “For a second there your voice changed and-”

“It did not!” Celestia yelled, only to realize the tone of her voice and stop, sitting down. “It was nothing. You must be hearing things.”

“Look, Celestia. I know things are strained right now, but please. If you have information at all about necromancy I need to know. Luna and I’s investigation is bearing fruit, but it's also revealing the troubling possibility that there may be something out there that is saturating the forest in necromantic energy,” Twilight implored.

The alicorn sighed. “I may have something left after the last purge. I will go down to the vaults and check again. Just please promise me you will not walk this path.” Celestia reached across the table and gripped her friend’s hoof in two of her own. “Please, Twilight, stay safe. I- we need you. Equestria needs you.”

Twilight reluctantly clutched Celestia’s hoof in her own, squeezing it tightly. “I know.” She smirked. “Where would you two be without your vizier anyway?”

“I don't even want to think about that,” Celestia replied, gaining a smirk of her own. “Though I have a feeling there would be a lot less overworked research staff in the castle.”

“I will have you know that Beaker and my team are not overworked, and are in fact simply motivated,” Twilight replied, pulling her hoof back.

A knock on the door turned the pair away from each other’s eyes and towards the door. “Enter,” Celestia commanded, the alicorn’s body becoming rigid, as she once more donned the mask of the immortal ruler.

“Your grace,” the young, white coated unicorn stallion greeted, bowing low. “The report from the fringes is back, and I was informed to deliver it to you as soon as it had arrived.”

“Thank you, guard,” Celestia replied before turning to Twilight. “Do you mind if we pick this up at a later date?”

Twilight nodded, and pushed herself into a standing position after nearly tripping over her longer, more clumsy legs. “Absolutely.”

Celestia nodded one last time before turning to the guard and saying something.

What that was, Twilight didn't really care, as she was already headed to the door, her mind consumed by what had happened minutes earlier. It had been small, but noticeable, and the way Celestia seemed to deny her voice changing only made Twilight even more concerned. The vizier’s mind began turning through potential solutions and causes, beginning with a potential sickness and ending with demonic possession, all of which she dismissed out of hoof.

Now standing in the halls of Everfree castle, the unicorn pondered her next destination carefully, and quickly realized that there was only one party that could potentially offer a solution to this newest question.

Luna.

The mare turned and made a beeline for the other princess’ section in the southern area of the castle, knowing full well that she was likely in her private residence at such a time of day. The long slanting light of the evening sun illuminated the unicorn as she hastily made her way through the castle, ignoring the pointed stares of the day guard all the while. Though it was true her affliction had changed her appearance, she refused to listen to their whispers of conspiracy, pushing the murmurs of her lessers to the back of her mind.

In short order the vizier made her way to Luna’s residences, the guards’ atitudes going from naked disdain to more passive, neutral expressions. The change of pace was a pleasant one, as even though Twilight had learned to ignore the stares of the more diurnal individuals, their disgust still irritated her. Now in the realm of Luna, Twilight quickly found her hooves slowing their frantic pace, allowing her to take in the scenery a little more.

The lunar half of the castle was easily the most well decorated, with the plain banners and paintings that dotted Celestia’s half being replaced by lavish drapes, coats of arms and busts of the many individuals important to Luna. Generals, friends, and painters all shared the same space together, the darker alicorn viewing them all as equals in her eyes.

Spotting another set of guards ahead, Twilight spared them a small nod and smile, noticing that this pair was some of the few beings Luna trusted to guard her personal room. “Is Luna available?” Twilight asked, stopping just before the pair of bat ponies.

The twin mares smiled and nodded in unison, gesturing to the door at the same time. “She is inside working on something,” one began.

“But she gave us orders to allow you entry,” the other finished.

“Thank you, Filigree and Sterling,” Twilight replied, reaching forward and pushing open the doors.

She strode confidently into the large room, knowing before she entered that this was one of Luna’s studios. Even if she didn't know the purpose of such a room, she would have realized the answer the second she stepped inside. Heavy drapes covered the walls and windows, several half-finished paintings of ponies, landscapes and fruit bowls littered one corner of the room while the other was dominated by a massive desk. A desk that had a hunched over Luna sitting and working away at, various minerals, jewels and other precious metals littering its surface, a large maneuverable magnifying glass positioned just in front of the alicorn’s face.

“Luna?” Twilight asked, startling the alicorn from whatever she was concentrating on.

Luna swept whatever she was working on into a box, clamping the wooden container shut and locking it firmly. Twilight only caught a glimpse of whatever she had been working on, noticing that it looked like a necklace with a silver chain, though any additional details were lost on the unicorn.

Spinning around in her chair, Luna smiled widely and walked over to her friend. “Twilight! How wonderful it is to see you. What brings you to my humble studio today?”

“I was just going to…” Twilight leaned to the right, trying to catch a glimpse of the drawings clipped to the edge of the desk. “What were you working on?”

“Nothing,” Luna muttered, turning back and glaring at the spider crawling out from beneath a pile of gold leaves. “Nebula, hide the drawings,” Luna commanded.

The tiny blue-eyed spider saluted and quickly scampered over to the pile of paper, collecting it and stuffing it in a bag out of view. Twilight smiled at the sight of the dutiful pet following Luna’s orders. “D’aww and you brought Nebby with you.”

The spider stopped and glared at the unicorn, pointing from her own eyes to Twilight’s, signalling that she was being watched. Which did little to stop Twilight from wanting to go over there and cuddle the cute little arachnid.

“Her name is Nebula,” Luna corrected, standing between the unicorn and the spider. “And she would appreciate if you called her as such.”

Twilight pouted. “Oh fine.”

Luna stopped suddenly, the smile falling from her face. “Is everything alright, Twilight?” The alicorn lowered herself to her friend’s height and eyed her cautiously. “You seem concerned by something.”

“It's about Celestia,” Twilight muttered.

The alicorn sighed and rolled her eyes. “What did she do this time?”

“Oh, stop it, you,” Twilight shot back, lightly slapping the alicorn’s shoulder. “Don't just assume she did something wrong.”

Luna winced. “You are right. My apologies, Twilight.”

The unicorn nodded. “I’m concerned that she may be stressed or… something.”

“Or something?” Luna asked, raising an eyebrow.

“She was angry with me, and for a moment it sounded like her voice changed.” Twilight sighed. “It was probably nothing, but I can't stop thinking about it for some reason as it just felt…”

“Wrong?” Luna concluded.

“Yeah,” Twilight muttered, shaking her head. “Do you know what that might mean?”

Luna’s features darkened and she turned to the window, drawing tight the blinds that obscured her from the outside world before lighting her horn and completing a complex series of spells and incantations that hid the room from magical and conventional sight. Throughout it all Twilight grew increasingly nervous, her mind constructing a thousand scenarios wherein such privacy would be necessary, each more terrible than the last.

When the alicorn’s horn dimmed for the first time in minutes, Twilight couldn't resist touching Luna’s shoulder. “Is that really necessary?”

The alicorn nodded, gripping her friend’s hoof and giving it a gentle squeeze. “It is not hyperbolic to say that what I will tell you has the chance to change your view on magic, and of my sister and I.”

Twilight gulped nervously, taking an awkward step back. “Should I really be trusted with this information?”

“You are the only pony I would ever trust with this information,” Luna replied with a gentle smile, which slowly slipped away. “Though I would ask that you swear to never reveal this information under any circumstances. You are just going to have to trust me on this, as I know you will understand after you hear it.”

Twilight stared intently into the other mare’s eyes for several long seconds before nodding resolutely. “I trust you, Luna.” With that being said the unicorn lit her horn, placed her hoof over her heart and spoke calmly and evenly, “I, Twilight Sindara Sparkle do hereby swear to never utter a word of what was spoken here today.”

Luna’s frown slowly lifted as the magic around Twilight’s horn died. “Thank you, Twilight. I would not ask this of you unless I believed it to be truly necessary.”

“So what is it anyway?” Twilight asked, shifting nervously from hoof to hoof, her curiosity already burning brightly, the unicorn barely holding back the urge to ask one of the many questions swirling in her mind.

“As you know, we alicorns are powerful, and though some may believe we are infallible or that our longevity is without downsides, that is not true,” Luna explained, pressing a hoof to her chest. “We are not truly immortal, and though we can be killed, it just takes a lot, and our spirit lingers in this realm for many centuries after our death.”

Twilight gasped. “How did you-” She clapped a hoof over her muzzle, her eyes going even wider. “Does that mean your mother…?”

Luna sighed and nodded. “She and the other alicorns either moved on or perished. Those who are no longer alive in this or any other reality stayed on Equestria for centuries and sometimes millennia, watching, waiting and subtly influencing the world as little more than spirits.”

“Which would explain the tree and the elements,” Twilight muttered weakly, tears budding at the edge of her vision. “Oh Luna, I’m so sorry.”

The alicorn gritted her teeth and looked away from her friend, unable to bear the weight of sadness that bore down upon Twilight. “It's fine. Celestia and I have had time to cope with this loss. But that's not what I am speaking of now.”

She sighed deeply, clearing her throat and forcing down the urge to sob uncontrollably. “This leads me into my next point, which is the fact that magic is strange and not always cooperative. Do you know of the most prominent theories for its origin?”

Twilight wiped the last of her tears and nodded. “I-I remember being taught that it was force a lot like gravity, but my mother believed that it was a gift from an alicorn more ancient than even the old gods while my father believes it comes from the stars themselves.”

“All of those theories may be true,” Luna exclaimed. “Magic is odd, and one thing that we can count on it to do, is react badly when stored in one place.”

“Which is why mana batteries need to be stored apart from one another,” Twilight continued.

“Exactly,” Luna commended. “The bound magic can explode, spontaneously vanish or cast spells the likes of which no sentient mind could concoct.” Her features darkened once more, and she looked down at Twilight with a disturbingly grim expression. “Which is why we ask unicorns of your power level to frequently keep their reserves of mana low, as this may present complications if it is allowed to remain inside you for extended periods of time. That being said, as you know an alicorn has power levels that do not allow such simple measures of control.”

Twilight’s wide eyes grew wider still and her hooves shot up to her mouth. “Oh my gosh.”

“However, unlike in other scenarios, the magic within an alicorn always seeks to harmonize with itself, necessitating the creation of an entity to control that power,” Luna explained, pointing to her chest. “This entity is not truly intelligent, and exists within us, and our magic.”

“Does that mean Celestia’s entity is controlling her somehow?” Twilight asked.

“I know not if that is true, only that she denies its existence, and also the darkness in her heart.” Luna shook her head and sighed. “We are mortal, we are fallible, and even alicorns carry the weight of sin. The only difference is where Celestia denies this facet of her being, I embrace it.”

Twilight eyed the alicorn in a new, strange light, a hint of worry building in the back of her mind. “What does this mean, Luna? That you have something inside you making you do things?”

“No,” Luna stated, grabbing her friend’s face and forcing their eyes to meet. “Look at me, Twilight. I am the same mare you have known your entire life. No matter what, I will always be me. My will is my own, as is my life. You know this to be true.”

Twilight gulped and nodded. “S-sorry,” she stuttered. “Just the way you said it…”

“It's fine, Twilight.” Luna pulled back, releasing her friend. “It is a strange circumstance to find oneself in, but I have found solace in speaking to her, learning from her, and ultimately coming to realize that she is not a true darkness, nor a pale reflection of our darker self. She is instead, a simple reflection, neither good nor bad, a version of myself that merely lacks the higher thought processes one would assume from another sentient being.”

“That is quite fascinating,” Twilight muttered, tapping her chin. “Does she have an identity of her own? Hopes, dreams, and wishes outside of yours?”

“Yes and no.” Luna shook her head. “I would elaborate, but I feel it would be easier if I merely facilitated your meeting, if that's alright with you?”

Twilight nodded without hesitation, a single glance into Luna’s confident face being all the assurance she needed to trust in the alicorn. “Okay.”

Luna smiled from ear to ear. “Thank you for your calm reaction, Twilight, I just know you two are going to be fast friends, though you must forgive her inability to communicate in the traditional sense. I trust that you two will concoct a system in no time.”

The alicorn’s smile fell away and she closed her eyes, her horn glowing with a slightly darker version of her normal magic. The light given to the room by the plethora of candles burning on just about every surface seemed to dull as the shadows lengthened. The glow around the alicorn’s horn became so dark as to nearly become invisible against the background.

Twilight’s heart quickened and she looked around the room with a growing sense of dread, a thought that she buried deep down inside herself. Trust in Luna, she is our friend, Twilight reminded herself, steeling her resolve and fighting back the wave of worry that threatened to overcome her better judgement.

The lengthening shadows receded once more, retreating closer and closer to the alicorn until they pooled around the shadow that now stretched out before her. So dark was this mass of shadow that Twilight could no longer see the deep blue rug mere inches in front of her. Just as the mare was about to ask what they were waiting for, the mass shifted, as if something inside of it was alive with its own will and intent.

A hoof emerged from the center, gripping the floor and using the leverage to hoist itself up and out of the pool of shadow that was its body. A head emerged, one that Twilight instantly recognized as a dark imitation of Luna’s, its form perfectly mirroring the dark alicorn. Its eyes flickered open a moment later, revealing not the white sclera of a living being, but rather a pitch blackness punctuated by deep blue iris, that in turn surrounded an even darker pupil.

Twilight barely resisted the urge to flee in terror of the strange creature, only the faint sparkle of intelligence and curiosity that shimmered within the creature’s dark orbs staying that frantic urge. With great determination Twilight stayed that instinctive urge, keeping her butt rooted firmly in place while the creature continued to pull more and more of its form from the central mass of pooled shadow.

Wings, hooves, torso and tail emerged in rapid succession, the entire entity’s body pulling itself from the ground and standing firmly after only a moment of weakness. The slight stumble of the creature’s hooves made Twilight’s heart flutter and despite her initial misgivings, she found herself reaching forward, prepared to catch the creature if it should require her assistance. An act that earned it a faint smile from the entity, who had managed to catch itself at the last moment.

Only then did the light of the alicorn’s horn darken once more, a small, nervous smile crossing her lips. “Twilight, I would like you to meet Nightmare, my other half.”

The creature ducked into a low bow, one wing coming forward and sweeping the ground as if it were the cape of a cloaked gentlecolt, the stars within the creature’s wings moving to create what looked like words, which spelt out…

Greetings, Twilight.

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Traps and Curses

Twilight awoke with a start, the image of the strange creature rising from the darkness shocking her awake. “What the hay?” she muttered.

For a long moment she merely lay there confused, trying desperately to imagine an explanation for what she had seen, only to come up with absolutely nothing. She was a learned mare, and knew demons weren’t real, and neither were shadow creatures, but then again, with Celestia’s oppression it was difficult to say that she truly knew anything at all. In the end she was forced to admit that what the dark princess had said was indeed true and the shadow creature was a part of the alicorn’s very soul.

The thought disturbed her for reasons she couldn't fully explain, and the very idea that there was a part of Luna separate from her conscious mind was a strange one. Pushing that thought aside for now, Twilight contemplated the true depth of this realization.

For one, it meant that there may be an explanation for Celestia’s strange changes that occured over the course of Twilight’s dreams. The sun princess had changed physically, growing slightly taller, and larger, but that paled in comparison to the mental changes that were far more evident in the mad princess.

The Celestia of her dreams was kind, something Twilight would never say of the one she knew from this time period. More than that she was also caring, and empathetic as well as far more stubborn and quick to emotion than the image Celestia seemed to project at all times. The alicorn Twilight had spent all her years hearing about was nothing if not serene, calm and calculating, her patience being the stuff of legend. Yet the pony she saw in her dreams was not that, not by a long shot, even though she did have a few moments where she displayed those traits, those moments were infinitesimally small.

Maybe she was taken over by her other half, Twilight thought, only to snort and push herself off the ground and give her body a shake. I can't think like that. She killed my family, and destroyed my life, no matter who she used to be or what she may have going on in her head, that's not who she is now.

Though she dismissed the importance of the changes she had seen occur to the alicorn, Twilight could not so easily pretend that those changes didn't bother her. It showed a pattern of devolution that may very well explain the wars, cruelty and other things that became synonymous with her reign over the last thousand years. With a growl building in her throat, Twilight stomped her hoof and shook her head harder than before, willing the thoughts away and forcing her mind to think of something else.

Something like looking around for starters.

A glance around the room told her that this was not another dream, as it was the same drab storeroom that surrounded her, rather than the well-maintained halls of the castle from her memories. Rainbow Dash lay sprawled out on the ground nearby, her legs twitching in the air, her bedding spread all over the place. Rarity was lying on a small bed she had made for herself, her legs tucked neatly at her sides, a blindfold over her eyes. Trixie lay near Rarity, the unicorn lying on her side, nestled tight into her sleeping bag, a blissful expression on her face.

“Yes, that's right, give Trixie all the bits,” she whispered in her sleep.

Twilight rolled her eyes and chuckled. “I wonder what you are dreaming of.”

“Probably the same dream she’s had for the last few nights,” a voice piped up, shocking Twilight from her stupor.

Looking up, she noticed that Applejack was lying next to the door, the pony smirking at Twilight’s shock. “I thought we were going to go deeper before turning in for the night,” Twilight muttered dumbly, looking around the room again and finding that everyone else was indeed asleep.

“We were gonna do that, but after seeing you sleep so soundly, none of us could muster the nerve to wake ya,” Applejack remarked. “Besides, it was getting mighty early and Rarity turned out to be more tired than she had let on.”

“That makes sense,” Twilight muttered, her gaze lingering on the arachne, her mind conjuring images of the panting creature stumbling through the last floor of the tower, her legs only half working and doing a poor job of carrying the spider pony to safety. “Something tells me she hasn't gotten much in the way of exercise before this week.”

“Other than carrying a bunch of dresses to the market one time, I don't think I’ve ever seen her do anything physically demanding.” Applejack smirked. “Though something tells me she's regretting that now.”

“And nevermind all the dust and sweat that must be clinging to her right now,” Twilight added with a chuckle.

Applejack laughed nervously, her mind already imaging the whining that's going to be uttered when Rarity made that particular realization. “I am not looking forward to her waking up.”

“I can already hear the complaints now,” Twilight added. The pair snickered as they gazed down on the slumbering arachne in amusement, only for Twilight to stop suddenly when she realized something. “How long was I out?”

Applejack shrugged. “Quite a while. Maybe six hours or so?”

Twilight’s jaw fell open, and the mare fell into a sitting position without thinking. Sure she knew that it felt like a long time had passed while she was in the dream, but she never assumed that time had passed here as well, though it did make sense when she thought about it. The young unicorn had eaten up every last scrap of information on dreams, a topic that had strangely little written on it, thus giving her the knowledge that time spent in dreams was comparable to in real life. As she was thinking about it, Twilight suddenly understood why that particular area of study was so poorly understood.

Luna looked after our dreams, Twilight thought to herself. That explains why there is so little written on the subject.

What little research that was allowed seemed to only scratch the surface of dreaming, explaining things like time passing in dreams was the same in real life, and how lucid dreaming was possible. Twilight pushed that particular train of thought from her mind for the moment, focusing on the fact that she had slept for seven odd hours without really trying, and apparently having spent those hours lying on the floor with no pillow or blanket.

Twilight blinked, looking over to the spot where she had been lying, and realizing that last thought wasn't wholly true, as there had been a pillow under her head. “Who-?” She began, only to be cut off by a smiling Applejack.

“Trixie. She gave you one of hers, after ranting at length about you being a poor conversationalist,” Applejack explained. “What happened there anyway?”

“I may have fallen asleep while we were talking,” Twilight whispered back, a blush crossing her face. “I didn't mean to or anything.”

The apple farmer shrugged. “Oh I believe you, and I think Trixie understood in the end. She just had to give her two cents on the matter.”

Twilight smiled and glanced down to the slumbering unicorn wrapped tight in her sleeping bag. “True, she does seem to have a lot of pennies though, doesn't she?”

Applejack grinned and snorted. “That's one way of putting it.”

For a long while the two beings sat in silence, with Applejack staring off into space, her thoughts returning to the home she had temporarily left behind and the danger that lay before her. Twilight, meanwhile, was left to ponder the implications of Trixie’s tale, her mind churning with theories as to what the strange pony’s origins may be.

“Wait,” Twilight muttered.

Flashes of their last conversation popped into her head, reminding the dead mare as to what had been mentioned. “She said she performed for the Elements of Harmony after Discord was defeated. But that would mean she's well over a thousand years old,” Twilight muttered, aghast.

Applejack cocked her head. “Now I don't doubt ya, but does Trixie really seem like an immortal to you?”

“Err, not really. But maybe that means she's a time traveler?” Twilight offered weakly, only for Applejack to raise an eyebrow. “Hey, it's all I’ve got to go on right now.”

“True, though I don't think she's got the magical know-how to do something that complicated,” Applejack remarked.

“Possibly, I am curious as to how you know that though,” Twilight replied.

The farm pony shrugged. “I read enough to know that if it sounds complicated, it probably is.”

“Really?” Twilight scoffed dramatically. “A country bumpkin like you reads?”

Applejack’s eyes narrowed, and she stared intently at the dead unicorn, her gaze boring into Twilight’s soul. She kept that same look for several long seconds, until Twilight wondered if she had accidentally stepped over a line, only for the tree pony to explode with barely stifled laughter.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Twilight wiped the sweat from her brow. “You had me going there for a second.”

The farm pony snickered. “One good joke deserves another, as Granny Smith always says.”

“Fair enough,” Twilight whispered back, a smile slowly crossing her face.

As they sat in the comfortable silence that followed the conversation’s end, Twilight felt that smile grow more and more, the mare vaguely aware of the energy flowing into her. Rather than try and stop it, she merely sat back and analyzed the feeling, studying it closely.

It was a very distinct feeling, though it did vaguely remind the pony of the act of drinking something cool and refreshing in a way that it seemed to swirl in her chest, relaxing her muscles. She had felt this same sensation many times since she had begun her journey, but never really had the chance to study it closely.

She had figured out rather quickly that she was being given energy from Applejack, and that it seemed to be tied with kindness, and the feelings of camaraderie they shared, but what exactly that energy was or how it was transmitted was lost on the unicorn. In better circumstances and safer conditions she would have liked to study that energy, but that was just another thing that had been filed away into the back of her mind for later. A file that was growing in size with each passing day, the mare’s curiosities leading her down many paths of consideration.

For a moment Twilight let her mind wander, her imagination conjuring images of all the experiments and studies she could do just on the things she had run into so far. She could spend years, neigh, decades in this castle alone and not uncover half its secrets and that wasn't even taking into consideration all the research she needed to do into her own body or into the spiders that had taken up residence here. With a shake of her head the unicorn dismissed such thoughts entirely, choosing to instead focus on what lay before her.

When she looked back up, Applejack was chewing noisily on an apple that she had pulled from a sack. At the sight of the apple, Twilight’s stomach rumbled and she only now realized that she hadn't actually eaten anything with a physical component in a while. “Hungry?” Applejack asked, offering the other pony a ripe red apple.

“Err, sort of,” Twilight murmured, taking the apple in her magic and inspecting the piece of fruit.

It looked normal, and still very much alive despite the fact that it had no doubt been picked over a week ago at the latest. As she stared closer she realized that she could feel the faint sensation of magic still surrounding the apple, indicating to the unicorn that there was more to it than meets the eye. “Did you use a preservation spell on it?” Twilight asked suddenly, turning to her friend.

Applejack swallowed the last of her meal and placed the core into a seperate bag. “Not in the traditional sense.”

Twilight lifted an eyebrow and glanced at the apple, realizing that the magic she felt was unlike any unicorn magic she had ever noticed before. “You used earth pony magic on it?”

“Yeah, it’s a minor spell that infuses all the apples we pick with a bit more oomph to keep them from going bad too quick,” Applejack explained, pointing to the apple. “It might even taste better to you of all ponies given your unique diet.”

“Only one way to find out,” Twilight remarked, lifting the apple to her mouth and taking a bite out of the fruit.

Flavor the likes of which Twilight hadn't tasted since she was alive suddenly exploded across her tongue and she eagerly gulped down the mouthful before turning to Applejack. “Why haven't you done this on the other apples?”

The apple farmer shrugged. “It takes some doing and we don't usually bother unless someone special orders ‘em for long trips, we haven't needed to dip into these ones till now.” Applejack smirked. “I’m guessing from the look on your face that you like it.”

The unicorn couldn't reply as she was busily inhaling the rest of the apple, core and all in several messy bites. In seconds the dead mare had eaten it all and a content smile crossed her face, her brain barely even able to pick apart the strange flavors that still danced across her tongue. It was, without a doubt, the single best apple she had ever tasted in her entire life, and unlife, but more than just taste, there was something else there that made her think. Some hidden texture to it that made Twilight realize that what she was eating was more than a simple apple.

Magic, it had to be the earth pony magic that lingered on the fruit, it was the only explanation for what she was tasting, and though a small part of her was concerned that she had somehow managed to consume magic itself, the taste was well worth any existential dread that came with such a realization. So enamored was the mare that just a look told Applejack that she had best fork over another apple or perhaps lose a hoof.

“Well alright then,” Applejack muttered, tossing the mare another apple and blinking in shock as Twilight snatched it out of the air with her mouth, noisily chewing on the fruit.

A dreamy look crossed Twilight’s face and for just a single brief moment she forgot where she was, the mare suddenly transported back through time, to a distant point in the past where she had tasted something similar. The mare that had given her the apple was similar as well, the situation they had met in was also similar, and Twilight could very nearly imagine the other pony’s name before the flavor dulled and she returned to her own body and time period once more.

“You alright there?” Applejack asked. “You had a weird look on ya for a second.”

“Yeah, I’m fine, it just reminded me of something from when I was, er… younger,” Twilight muttered.

For a moment she had almost felt like she was asleep, like she was back in the previous Twilight’s body, but she hadn't gotten a vision, just taste, and a vague sense that it was familiar before being put back in her body. Filing that one away for later, Twilight shrugged off the strange thought and returned to the here and now.

“That was absolutely amazing, and to answer your earlier question, I will be undoubtedly spending every last gem I find on more of those apples,” Twilight exclaimed.

Applejack raised an eyebrow and pushed back her stetson. “Well I’ll be, I didn't know they were that good. Just tastes like an apple to me.” She shrugged. “Then again it's not like I’m some kinda undead thing. No offence.”

“None taken,” Twilight replied.

“Is it evening already?” avoice whispered from the floor to Twilight’s right, alerting the pair to the fact that a bleary-eyed Rarity was now awake.

Applejack paused, and put a hoof to her chin, a look of deep concentration crossing her face. “Just about, the sun will be down completely in about an hour or so I’d say.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow at the farm pony’s confident assertion but chose to ignore that bit of information as it wasnt even the weirdest ability one of their troupe possessed. “Did you sleep okay?” Twilight asked, watching closely as Rarity lifted the sleeping mask from her head and yawned dramatically.

The arachne rose slowly, her long insectoid legs stretching languidly as her forelegs did the same. Cracks and pops could be heard from all over the creature’s body and Twilight snickered at the chorus of noise that came from the simple act of getting up. “I can't complain too much, though I wish I had the time to weave another web. Stone isn't exactly the nicest to sleep on.” Rarity half stated, half complained, a forehoof pressed against her lower back.

“Twilight didn't seem to have a problem,” Applejack pointed out, to which Twilight nodded in agreement.

“Well some of us have to worry about our limbs falling asleep, me more than anyone,” Rarity replied with a giggle, the arachne preparing for her day by waking surprisingly quickly, already beginning to apply the minimal make up she brought with her.

“Now that you mention it, I didn't even cramp up or anything,” Twilight muttered, flexing her limbs one at a time. “I wonder how my muscles work if I don't actually have blood flowing through my body.”

Rarity paused just as she was applying some rouge to her cheeks. “Can we not talk about blood this early in the night please?”

“Fair enough,” Twilight admitted, blushing slightly.

“Doesn't look like these other two lazy bones are gonna get up,” Applejack announced suddenly, glancing at the still snoring unicorn, as well Rainbow Dash who was somehow still lying on her back with all four legs sticking straight up. “You wanna handle Trixie?”

Twilight nodded. “Sure.”

The dead unicorn leaned down and gently poked her living counterpart in the shoulder. “Hey, Trixie, it's time to move.”

The showmare grumbled something Twilight couldn't make out and pulled her sleeping bag further up her body, hiding her face.

Rolling her eyes, Twilight summoned her strange, black colored magic and forcibly pulled down the other mare’s sleeping bag, revealing a now shivering Trixie. “Come on, Trixie, don't make me use some of our water just to wake you up.”

“Augh fine,” Trixie murmured, one eye cracking open. “Trixie would be most displeased if you were to waste some of our precious supplies on something so small.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Yes, because that's the part you are worrying about.”

The living unicorn huffed in irritation, but also did not dismiss the other mare’s point, merely crawling the rest of the way out of her sleeping bag and ignoring Twilight entirely. Catching her drift, the dead unicorn trotted closer to the door, where Applejack was holding a still slumbering Rainbow Dash up into the air, the bat pony’s wings outstretched.

It was such an odd sight that Twilight paused mid step and raised an eyebrow. “She looks like a bat,” Twilight announced.

“I know right?” Applejack replied, shaking the sleeping bat pony slightly.

In reaction to the shake Rainbow Dash merely remained in the exact same position, snoring loudly as her wings twisted this way and that, as if compensating for the movement. “We really should wake her up though,” Twilight pointed out only half-heartedly.

“True,” Applejack admitted.

The earth pony looked down at her bat pony friend, only to shrug and simply drop her to the floor. A split second before Rainbow Dash hit the ground her eyes flew open and her wings flung open, and she let out a terrified half second of screeching before hitting the ground and rolling onto her side.

“Woah there girl.” Applejack murmured, her forehooves going up to her now damaged ears. “It's just us.”

The guard shot up to her hooves and looked around, the hair on the back of her neck settling when she noticed everyone was present and accounted for and that nothing was out of place. “Well good evening to you too,” she muttered angrily. “You shouldn't do something like that, you know, I have amazing reflexes.”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Sure ya do.”

“If shrieking is a reflex,” Twilight added with a snicker.

Rainbow Dash’s eyes narrowed for a moment, only for the bat pony to snort in irritation and turn her attention to the task of donning her armor.

Shaking her head, Twilight turned to her friends, noticing that they had all begun to gather their gear and had packed up most of their stuff, save for Rarity who was still applying eyeshadow while staring into a small hoof mirror she held aloft in the dim glow of her magic. Noticing that everyone was ready save for her, Twilight trotted over to her spot and hastily packed her supplies before double checking that everything was in place.

With the knowledge that her belongings were secure once more, Twilight trotted back to the door in time to meet the rest of her troop who was now up and ready to go. Rainbow Dash had donned her weapons and armor, and Rarity was looking as gorgeous as ever, though the arachne prefered the term minimalist since she couldn't bring all of her supplies with her this deep.

With a knowing nod, Applejack turned and put a hoof on the door. “Ya’ll ready to go?”

“Just a sec, Applejack,” Rainbow Dash interrupted, taking a step forward and taking point at the front of the group. “Do you all remember the plan to get to the next room?”

Twilight raised a hoof. “We are to stay behind you in order to determine if the golem is past, and if it is, we are to cross a floor of minor traps that reload, giving us enough time to sprint through them by one by one.”

“What she said,” Trixie added.

“Exactly,” Rainbow Dash replied with a smile. “After we are able to date the passage of the golem, we will have plenty of time to get through the traps, all of which should be relatively easily done if you keep a good pace.” Raising a hoof, the guard suddenly donned a very serious expression. “Though that doesn't mean this next part isn't as serious or should be taken lightly. The traps in the next floor are as deadly as ever, and one wrong move and you may lose a limb, or your life.”

Rarity gulped and raised a shaky hoof, to which Rainbow Dash nodded. “I assume you will be going over the safety details again once we are closer?” Rarity asked nervously.

“I will make sure to remind you of the procedure, so without further ado…” Rainbow Dash turned ad gestured to the door.

Applejack grinned and heaved it open, allowing the bat pony to trot out into the hall first, followed by the rest of her friends in the same order that they had marched down the first set of spiral stairs. By now that marching order was firmly drilled into their heads, the troupe easily and without incident falling into lock step.

The hall before them was littered with the pockmarks that covered the walls, ceilings and floors alike. They were relatively shallow, making Twilight think that some weapon or spell had been used repeatedly in the defence of the tower. Either way, she didn't have time to give it much thought as Rainbow Dash crept forward, a hoof scraping against the floor at seemingly random intervals.

Bringing a soot-covered hoof up to her face, Rainbow Dash peered intensely at her limb for several seconds before nodding and wiping the dirt off on her other foreleg. “They passed by an hour ago, we should be fine, everyone.”

Twilight and the rest of their troop all let out a shallow sigh, with Rarity visibly relaxing, and no longer casting wary glances over her shoulder anymore. “Oh, thank the stars,” the arachne muttered to herself.

Twilight smiled and continued deeper, her attention focused on the story this last hallway told. It wasn't very far until the next set of stairs, but judging from the way the pockmarks were angled, the person whom had cast the spell that made them was standing near the bottom of the stairs. That fact alone made Twilight think that whomever had cast the spell or spells, had indeed been a defender. A few scorch marks near where the spell originated told Twilight that the attackers had fired back with what seemed like lightning bolts or perhaps small fire balls.

One way or the other, whomever the attackers had been, they were able to cast spells, meaning it wasn’t purely golems. Which inevitably made Twilight wonder once more why the golems were even still here, as they didn't seem to be defending something, or else they would simply be standing outside of the door and stopping any who entered.

As the unicorn pondered the many riddles this place had, the troop trotted deeper into the tower, proceeding down the wide curving stairs. Silence reigned over the group and Twilight could tell that Trixie and Rarity were still half asleep, the pair’s adrenaline doing a lot to help them wake up, though they were still a little off. Applejack, who had been on watch for the last half of the night, seemed unbothered by the fact that she had gotten less sleep than anyone, though Twilight did notice that a few of her leaves were starting to wilt, and that she walked a little slower than she had a day ago.

We need to finish this quickly, Twilight thought to herself, the unicorn beginning to worry about her tree-bound friend and the potential health complications that may arise from being away from natural light for too long. She knew that the earth pony didn't need to be under the sun, as she was nocturnal like the rest of her friends, but Twilight was starting to think that the lack of moonlight combined with the cold dry air may be getting to her.

Putting it out of her mind, Twilight stepped down the last of the stairs and stopped when Rainbow Dash raised a hoof. “I need to check something,” she announced before taking a step forward, her nose nearly against the ground.

Twilight took this moment to look around, noticing that there was only a single long hallway forward. The floor of said hallway had large stone tablets that looked to be about five feet across in both directions. This trend of large square stones followed to the walls, which were stacked two high, as well as the ceiling. Twilight focused inward, her horn glowing as she enacted a simple spell which would reveal hidden wards.

Her eyes glowed briefly, and when they returned to their normal correlation, Twilight could tell that her assumption was indeed correct, the hall was trapped, and the large square plates were the key. Spells of all sizes were inlaid into the walls and ceilings, ranging from simple mana orb spells to lightning bolts and even a few flame pillar spells. Even at a glance Twilight knew they wouldn't be undone very easily, the enchantments linked to somewhere else in an interlocking web that would see them all fired one after another if any of the floor plates were stepped on. It also meant that once activated the spells would need to be reactivated, and judging from how Rainbow Dash explained it, that was where their window lay.

This seemed like an error upon first glance, as it allowed someone to simply activate the spells, then a second later run between them, the spells firing just in front of and behind them. The more Twilight thought about it, the more it made sense to the dead unicorn, as most spells seemed like tests rather than pure obstacles.

She recalled the hesitancy she, or at least past Twilight, had experienced when designing the spells, favoring a shock and awe that would hopefully dissuade any would-be attackers rather than try to stop them completely. Though current day Twilight saw this for the error it truly was, she couldn't help but think that the old Twilight’s heart had been in the right place, even if she had a rather naive view of the world.

Rainbow Dash stood up and nodded. “The spells are still working as intended,” she announced before pointing to Applejack. “Applejack will be going first, followed by Twilight, Rarity, Trixie and finally myself. Got it?”

The troop all nodded in agreement, save for Rarity who raised a hoof. “Why exactly are we taking that order?”

“Because I want to make sure none of you buck this up and get your asses killed, and Applejack already knows the plan,” Rainbow Dash replied.

Rarity sighed and lowered her hoof. “Alright darling, we trust you.”

The guard’s posture straightened somewhat and she turned to the apple farmer. “Alright, show ‘em how it's done.”

“Right,” Applejack announced sternly.

“Watch closely how she triggers the spell, waits a second and then runs down the corridor. At no point should you hesitate or slow down, there is a reason for the slight wait. There may be spells that seem like they are going to hit you, but trust me when I say they will not,” Rainbow Dash continued, her voice gaining a stern edge to it that reminded Twilight of a drill instructor. “Got it?”

“Got it,” Twilight replied, with Rarity and Trixie murmuring their own agreement.

“Okay good.” Rainbow Dash turned and nodded to Applejack, who nodded back before turning to the hall.

Her hoof stretched and gently touched the first tile before pulling back in an instant. The second her hoof was out of harm’s way, a bolt of lighting crashed down from the ceiling before dissipating against the stone floor, leaving not even a trace of a scorch mark.

“One, two, go!” Applejack muttered, launching herself down the hall at a sprint.

Pillars of fire, flurries of mana bolts and a trio of lightning orbs all crashed down around her, the earth pony running head first through it all and emerging unscathed. Like Twilight had assumed and Rainbow Dash had confirmed, the spells fired just behind her as well, the window between reload and firing allowing just enough space for a pony to run the gauntlet without being touched by the many dangerous spells.

After several pulse pounding moments, that had Twilight chewing nervously on the edge of her hoof, the spells finished their cycles, revealing a grinning Applejack standing on the far side of the hall, a wide confident smile on her face. “That sure was something, eh?” she yelled back.

“You are telling me,” Rarity muttered, relief emanating from the nervous arachne in waves.

Trixie merely scoffed. “‘Twas nothing.”

Applejack rolled her eyes, Twilight able to tell even from here that the apple farmer took the showmare's grand standing with a grain of salt.

“Ready, Twilight?” Rainbow Dash asked.

The unicorn nodded and took her place near the entrance to the hallway. “Out of curiosity, how do the golems get past this trap?” Twilight asked.

“They don't,” Rainbow Dash replied with a smirk. “They just walk right through it, none of the spells are strong enough to destroy them completely, so they just walk through it.”

“Huh,” Twilight muttered, her imagination conjuring images of a golem slowly being destroyed as it shrugged off bolts of lightning and great pillars of flame with impunity. “How long does it take to heal from that?”

The guard frowned. “A couple of minutes, maybe thirty, I think.” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “The guide was a little lean on information in that regard.”

“Fair enough,” Twilight remarked with a shrug.

The unicorn breathed deep and looked down the tunnel, noticing the faint wisps of smoke that still drifted in the hall, remnants of the many spells, though none seemed to have left a mark on the stone itself. Her breathing now under control, Twilight turned to Rainbow Dash, who nodded back, gesturing to the hall and inviting the unicorn to begin.

Twilight stood there a moment, the unicorn mentally preparing herself for the terrifying run ahead of her. Sure it didn't exactly take long, but then again she was still risking her life, even if it was only about three seconds of continuous life risking. Or could it even be called that since she was dead? Twilight shook her head, determined not to get too caught up in the semantics and merely focus on the task at hoof.

Raising her right foreleg she hovered it over the first stone before gently pressing it and yanking it back. A second later and the first spell fired, nearly blinding Twilight who subsequently almost missed the countdown Rainbow Dash had started.

“One, two, go!” the guard shouted.

Acting on instinct, Twilight surged forward, her long, awkward legs resulting in barely coordinated messy run. An awkward half sprint that continued until she had put some distance behind her, at which time her legs seemed to remember how they worked and ran at a normal pace. With her balance stabilized, the unicorn focused instead on the rising panic at the edge of her thoughts and began to beat the notion down. Thankfully it was as easily driven back as her poor coordination, though a particularly close lightning bolt nearly made the mare hesitate.

Putting that behind her, Twilight was able to cross the last bit of the hall and join Applejack at the other side. Where she promptly collapsed to the floor, limbs splayed in all directions. “That. Was. Terrifying,” Twilight muttered, breathing heavily.

Applejack nodded knowingly. “Sure does get the blood flowing, eh?” She winced, rubbing the back of her neck. “Er, metaphorically anyway.”

Twilight just shook her head. “Very funny, Applejack.”

“Are you alright?” Rainbow Dash called from down the hall.

“I’m fine, just winded!” Twilight yelled back.

“You don't even have to breathe, how are you winded?” Rainbow Dash yelled.

“I don't know!” Twilight exclaimed with a sigh.

The bat pony shrugged and turned back to the small group left on the other side. “Ready for this?”

Rarity visibly blanched, looking from the Applejack and Twilight back to Rainbow Dash. “Are you sure this is the only way through?”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “If there was another way, I would have gone that way. I don't like this anymore than you do.”

“Says the mare clad head to hoof in armor,” Rarity muttered.

“Armor wouldn't do anything against a lightning bolt and furthermore-”

“Well?” Trixie interrupted, stepping up next to the spider pony. “Are thee going or what?”

“Just give us a second,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, the mare placing a calming hoof on Rarity’s shoulder, an act only made possible after the diminutive bat pony took wing and flew up to the arachne’s height. “Look, Rarity, this is going to be terrifying, but trust me when I say that all you have to do is keep your eyes forward and your head down.”

Rarity scoffed, brushing Rainbow Dash’s hoof from her shoulder. “Oh, that is rich coming from you, but not all of us can simply put our head down and ignore what is happening right in front of us.”

“Augh, that's not.” The bat pony stopped and took a deep breathe. “I haven't done this yet either. Yes I’ve studied it, but I haven't actually stepped out there before, so we’ll be crossing this bridge togeth-”

Whatever Rainbow Dash was about to say was cut off when she noticed a particular unicorn had stepped ahead and had her hoof positioned over the stone tile. “Wait, stop!” Rainbow Dash yelled, only for Trixie to do exactly what the guard hadn't wanted her to do.

Spells began to fire, and two seconds later, Trixie was sprinting down the hall, head down, a gleeful smile on her face. “Thy snooze, thy lose!” she yelled over her shoulder.

Rainbow Dash sighed, and landed on the floor, one hoof outstretched in order to keep Rarity in place. Together the pair watched as the spells fired and finally stopped, revealing a smirking showmare standing on the other side, not a single hair having been damaged.

“See? I told you I could do better,” Trixie announced, raising her nose to the heavens.

Applejack snorted dismissively. “I wouldn't go celebrating yet, something tells me you and Rainbow Dash are going to be having words soon.”

Trixie’s confident smirk fell away as she looked back at the glaring bat pony guard standing on the other side of the trapped hallway. The bat winged pony lifted a hoof and pointed to her eyes, then to Trixie, before letting her hoof fall to the floor.

The showmare gulped. “Maybe I was a bit hasty…”

“Ya think?” Applejack replied.

Twilight chuckled silently, simply happy she hadn't been forced to watch someone get vaporized by the many spells.

On the other side of the hall, Rainbow Dash was shaking her head and muttering curses under her breath. Turning to Rarity, she noticed that the arachne was significantly less nervous than she had been moments earlier. “Now are ya ready?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

Rarity nodded confidently. “After seeing even that buffoon do it, I think I can as well.”

Rainbow Dash chuckled, happy that the arachne had spoken quiet enough that she didn't have to deal with an angry showmare. Taking position next to Rarity at the hall’s entrance, the bat pony put out a hoof before Rarity could take a step forward. “Remember what I said?”

Rarity took a deep breath and placed a hoof over her heart. “Keep your eyes forward and head down.” Her confident smile wavered for a moment and she looked down at Rainbow Dash. “Right?”

The bat pony nodded, patting her friend on the back. “You got it. You want me to count you down?”

“Please.”

Rarity extended a limb slowly, the spider leg hovering over the stone tablet for several long seconds as she looked down at Rainbow Dash. The bat pony flashed her friend a winning smile, giving her just enough confidence to begin the process, her leg pressing against the tablet and starting the chain reaction.

“One, two, go!” Rainbow Dash yelled, smacking the arachne across the back.

With a terrified yell, Rarity ran forward, her many legs skittering across the floor as she sprinted down the hall. On one side, Rainbow Dash stood stock still as she stared down the hallway, her jaw clenched tightly and her wings outstretched, ready to throw herself into danger should the spider pony falter midway down the hall. On the other side, the other three beings stood off to the side, aware of just how large the spider pony was and making sure they wouldn't get caught up in her mad dash whenever she managed to clear the hall, if she did at all.

And though she screamed bloody murder the whole way down the hall, Rarity didn't once hesitate, her many legs easily able to keep the same pace the others had maintained.

Once she reached the other side the arachne leapt into the air, only to come crashing to the ground, where she lay sprawled out, chest heaving as air forced its way into her lungs in massive gulps. With limbs splayed in all directions, the spider pony lay there panting, yet despite exhaustion knocking on the door, a triumphant smile came to her face as she raised a weak hoof into the air.

“Yaaay,” Rarity muttered weakly.

Applejack chuckled to herself, patting the spider pony’s back reassuringly. “You did good, Rarity.”

Twilight nodded her agreement, making her way over to the fashionista and smiling down at her, her hoof extended. “Need a hoof?”

The spider pony shook her head slowly. “I think I’m just gonna lay here for a moment and catch my breath.”

“Fair enough.” Twilight took a step back and looked up to see Rainbow Dash looking back at her.

“How is she?” the guard yelled.

“She’s fine, just tired!” Twilight shouted back.

Rainbow Dash visibly relaxed and took a step forward. “Get ready, I’m coming through.”

“Wait, why don't you fly?” Twilight yelled.

The guard paused before shrugging, flashing her friend a wide confident smile. “And let you all have the fun?” She chuckled before moving into a runner’s start. “Ready?”

Applejack took the suggestion personally and managed to move Rarity out of the way before taking up a spot near the wall, ensuring she didn't get in the way. “Ready!” she yelled.

Once more the now familiar song and dance was repeated, this time there was little worry, as Rainbow Dash easily breezed through the series of traps all while wearing a wide confident smile. Coming to a stop at the other side, the bat pony shot her friends a smirk and trotted up to Rarity. “Ready to go?” she asked.

The spider pony sighed and slowly rose, pulling her eight long legs under her. “I suppose we must,” she muttered grimly.

Taking the offered hoof, Rarity took her spot at the back of the party once more.

Rainbow Dash gave the troop a once over before nodding confidently. “Alright, we can take the next level at our own pace, but once we are near the next set of stairs we are going to have to take a break and wait for the golem to pass us by.”

The other members of the party all nodded their assent, with Twilight taking a step forward, a confused look on her face. “When you say at our own pace do you mean I could take a look around?”

“Sure, but don't take long, the golem should be by in about a half hour and that's one timetable I don't want to test,” Rainbow Dash answered.

“Twilight’s smarter than to muck around with something like that. Ain't that right?” Applejack announced, giving her friend a hearty pat on the back.

A hearty pat that would have knocked the wind out of the mare if she actually had to use her lungs. Thankfully that wasn't true, and after straightening out her spine, Twilight nodded. “Of course, I don't want to have to learn necromancy that quickly.”

The rest of her friends snickered, save for Trixie, who grumbled silently to herself.

She must not be over the fact that I will be better at it than her, Twilight reasoned, filing that nugget away for later, after making a note to ensure that there was no bad blood between them. Wouldn't want that feeling of resentment to grow into something nasty.

Rainbow Dash turned and began the long trot down the stairs, the guard taking her job as the leader of their troop quite seriously despite the apparent safety of the next floor. Twilight, on the other hoof, did her best to keep her eyes out, but found her mind wandering the instant they stepped off the stairs.

Unlike most of the floors, this one had been saved from the devastation, and she could tell that the area used to be a laboratory at one time, though it was odd due to the fact that it was all wide open, with only a quartet of support beams holding the roof above. The only other space was a small room near the back that was marked with numerous warning symbols as well as labels that had long since faded to the point of unreadability. Upon closer inspection Twilight could tell that the room itself had been intended to contain dangerous experiments, and was surprised to find that it was quite large. The enormous metal door that barred entry now hung open, revealing an empty interior that contained only dust and a single large purple crystal set into the ceiling.

As the rest of their group slowly trotted through the room, and occasionally glanced at the experiments still lying around, Twilight paused every foot or so to marvel at something else she had seen. Though the books, and scraps of paper had long since crumbled to dust, most everything else was unaffected, giving Twilight the tantalizing possibility of unraveling dozens of different riddles. Looking around the room, the unicorn tried to categorize the most important of the experiments, in order to help her establish where to begin, but that quickly proved too difficult a task as she was having trouble finding one she didn't deem important in some way.

Shaking her head, Twilight walked over to one that seemed to resemble a miniature duplication of the trap hall they had seen up stairs. On the ancient desk was a perfect replica of the hall, with plates highlighted with various symbols indicating the spell that would be attached to each. The rest of the table was dominated by several crystals, as well as a small bundle of them wrapped in what looked like simple copper wire. Lifting the stack, Twilight noticed how the crystals seemed to pull at her magic, as if trying to siphon off the dark energy and store it within themselves.

Releasing her hold on the crystals, Twilight watched as the crystals slowly dulled until finally losing the small glow they had gained only moments ago. “Fascinating,” Twilight muttered to herself.

She reasoned that was how the spells were still active over the centuries, what confused her was just where they were getting the magic from, as it wasn’t like there was a well spring of mana inside the tower. Furthermore she hadn't felt it tugging at her own magic when she was running through the hall like it had when she had picked up the crystal, so either it was such a small syphon that she didn't notice it, or it was pulling magic from another source entirely.

Pushing that thought aside, Twilight trotted over to the one table that she could see had something with legible words printed on it, curious as to what it said. Carefully walking up to it, Twilight noticed that it was a small plaque of some kind, the words having been engraved into the metal by what had to be spellcraft.

Welcome to the idea room, if you would like to give your opinion, or submit an idea of your own, feel free to write it on one of the pages provided.

Raising an eyebrow, Twilight glanced out over the room, only half aware of the fact that the rest of her friends were now inside the magical testing room and were in various stages of relaxation, their bags partially unpacked as they ate breakfast. The dead mare’s mind was elsewhere entirely though and with wide eyes she realized the true importance of the room, and why it may have been saved.

“Fascinating,” she muttered to herself.

To think, she devoted an entire level of the tower where visitors would be forced to walk through and look on her ideas, Twilight thought to herself. She certainly was naive, I wonder how many of her ideas were stolen by opportunistic assistants or random passersby.

With a snort, Twilight turned and trotted over to the testing room as well, putting the odd room behind her and stepping into the bleak little room with the rest of her friends, part of her mind already complaining that they had to leave so soon.

Rarity was in the middle of fixing her makeup, a hoof mirror floating in her aura and allowing her to look into her own reflection while Rainbow Dash was inspecting her weapon closely, whetstone in hoof. Applejack was yawning and leaning against the wall, gazing out over the room with clear disinterest. Trixie seemed the most interested in the room they now found themselves in and she looked around in wonder at her surroundings, horn glowing faintly.

“It was a testing room of some kind,” Twilight explained, the door slamming shut behind her.

“Interesting,” Trixie murmured, staring up at the crystal in the centre of the room.

“They must have used that to get readings on the experiment, though I’ve never seen a crystal with such a fascinating structure,” Twilight continued.

Trixie merely nodded, her curiosity somehow managing to beat back her desire to speak at length on any topic she could.

“So what now, boss?” Applejack asked, prodding Rainbow Dash in the side.

“We relax for a few minutes, and then I break out the map and we talk about our next move and what lies below,” Rainbow Dash replied, not looking up from her weapon.

Applejack shrugged. “Y’all bring any cards with you?”

Trixie nodded, using her magic to retrieve a deck from her bags.

Rarity raised an eyebrow, the mare’s strange quiet getting even the fashionista’s attention. “Don't you want to show us a trick, darling?”

The unicorn shrugged. “Not really.”

Rainbow Dash looked up from her weapon and raised an eyebrow. “Now that doesn't sound like Trixie, don't tell me queen bugbutt replaced you.”

Trixie snorted. “No creature can replicate the majesty of Trixie. I am merely thinking, is all.”

Stepping a little closer, Twilight flashed the other unicorn a wide smile. “Would you mind if I asked you more questions? Since our last session ended prematurely.”

Once more the unicorn shrugged, taking a seat on the cold stone floor. “Ask away.”

Looking around the room made Twilight realize just how much her friends seemed to agree with her assertion, and Applejack motioned to the showmare, as if telling Twilight to get on with the questions. “Right,” Twilight muttered to herself, before clearing her throat and sitting up straight. “You said you did a show for the Elements of Harmony. You didn't happen to see them by chance, did you?”

Trixie shook her head and sighed. “I did not. The lights coming from the stage meant they were little more than colored blobs at the edge of my vision. They did send their regards though, and claimed to like my act.”

“What happened to the accent?” Rainbow Dash blurted out.

“Why? Do you want me to go back?” Trixie teased, smirking at the bat pony.

“Err no, this is fine,” Rainbow Dash admitted.

The unicorn shrugged. “I merely realized that for better or worse we are stuck with one another, and I find the stage voice tiresome after a while.”

“Well, I appreciate your candor, darling,” Rarity offered, smiling gently at the showmare.

“Yes, it is quite refreshing to hear the real you,” Twilight added.

Trixie smirked. “You should feel grateful you know, you are the first group of beings that were not spiders that have earned such a right in over a thousand years.”

“Damn, I really shoulda taken up your bet RD,” Applejack remarked, cursing under her breath.

Rainbow Dash snickered to herself. “To think, you'd be thirty gems richer right now, I’d you had.”

Twilight however, was not so easily convinced, and she leaned forward, eyes narrowing. “So you are admitting you are over a thousand years old. How is that possible?”

“Oh, no I’m not a thousand years old. I merely said it's been a thousand years since that happened.” Trixie tapped her nose knowingly. “There is a difference, you know.”

“How?” Rainbow Dash asked bluntly.

Trixie rolled her eyes and crossed her hooves over her chest. “Do you have no love for riddles? Come on now, this one isn't even that hard.”

“No, I hate riddles, they are dumb, boring and are only used to make smart people feel smarter,” Rainbow Dash shot back.

“You were transported through time,” Twilight interrupted. “Right?”

“Well at least someone’s intellect is near Trixie’s own,” the showmare remarked haughtily. “And yes, you are correct.”

“It was the forest, wasn't it?” Rarity added, a wide smile crossing her face.

“You are correct as well, Lady Rarity,” Trixie concluded.

“Oh I just knew it!” Rarity announced happily, clapping her forehooves together excitedly.

“How does that work exactly, anyway?” Applejack muttered, scratching her head. “I know the forest messes with time a little bit, but a thousand years? That sounds a little farfetched.”

“Oh but it is true,” Trixie announced, a wide smile coming to her face as she extended a hoof and used her cape to obscure a part of her face. “The mists of time hide many secrets, one of them happens to be Trixie’s long and storied history.”

“You are not that old,” Rainbow Dash announced. “You can't be more than thirty.”

The showmare rolled her eyes. “My physical age is but a mere thirty one or so, I am much more experienced than you babes.” Trixie rolled her hoof dismissively. “Though Trixie may have gotten some of the dates mixed up when I was lost in the forest’s embrace.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked, scooting a little closer to the unicorn, her eyes wide with wonder.

Noticing the other pony’s anticipation, the showmare smiled and lit her horn, conjuring an illusionary image of a small town inhabited by two-dimensional ponies walking to and fro. Though the image wasn't perfect, it was by far better than anything Twilight could have conjured and the dead mare made a note of asking for lessons from the talented illusionist when they had the time.

“A millenium ago, there was a small town called Ponyville that-” Trixie began, only to be interrupted by Rainbow Dash, who raised her hoof.

“Actually the town is still there,” the bat pony explained.

Trixie rolled her eyes. “I would hardly call the town that now stands where mighty Ponyville once did, Ponyville.” She frowned, scratching her chin. “More like Ponyville Two.”

“That seems a bit mean, don't ya think?” Applejack asked.

“Don't get me wrong, it's a nice place, or at least of the little I’ve seen. It's just different and if you’ll pardon the pun, like night and day,” Trixie explained.

Twilight smiled, silently wishing Pinkie Pie was here, as she was about the only one of them that may have been able to enjoy such wordplay. “You were saying?” Twilight offered, gesturing to the image still floating in midair.

“Oh right.” The unicorn coughed into her hoof. “The Great and Powerful Trixie was holding a small show at a local tavern when a bunch of brutes came bursting in and demanding that everypony either swear allegiance to Celestia or get taken outside.” She sighed. “Trixie didn't need to be a genius to understand where that was going, so Trixie hopped out a window and bolted towards the forest.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Why the forest? Why not closer to town, or a garrison of some kind?”

The showmare shrugged. “Even back then the forest was intimidating and well, random. My goal was to simply hide at the edge for a while, wait for the night guard to arrive and hope some of my supplies survived the ensuring fight.”

“Evidently that didn't happen,” Rainbow Dash muttered angrily, her eyes fixated on the tiny gold clad soldiers outside the illusionary inn.

“Yes.” Trixie sighed again, her shoulders sagging. “The forest turned into a labyrinth, and when I tried to return to Ponyville I found that it was years later. Lost and confused, I had tried to make my way to the castle, hoping against hope that Luna would still be there.”

“What did you find?” Rarity asked, leaning a little closer.

“She was gone, it had been many centuries, and I was captured by the oh so ferocious spider matriarch you met earlier,” Trixie explained, adding air quotes around ferocious.

“Then you tagged along with them for the last decade or so?” Twilight concluded.

“Pretty much, mother taught me much, and brought me into her family.” Trixie smiled. “I may have lost my birth family to time, but I gained another.” She shrugged. “It all worked out in the end I guess.”

Applejack nodded slowly. “That's quite the tale, Miss Trixie. Family means a lot though and I’m glad you found another.”

“Quite so,” Trixie replied, nodding confidently.

“I can't believe I’m sitting next to someone who was alive when she was,” Rarity gushed, grabbing one of Trixie’s forehooves in her own. “You must tell me everything you know of her.”

“Err, you mean Luna?” Trixie asked, a small blush growing across her face.

“Of course!” Rarity remarked with a scoff. “I would never speak positively of the sun demon.”

Trixie’s blush continued to grow the longer Rarity held her hoof. “Well, I did meet her, once or twice.”

The fashionista gasped, pulling the mare’s hoof close to her chest. “Really? You must tell me more. What did she wear? Was it formal? Or perhaps she favored something more… casual.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “While you two love birds gab about fashion, the rest of us are going to go over the plan again.”

Rarity waved her hoof dismissively at the bat pony. “Don't mind us,” remarked the spider pony as she tugged Trixie away, Rarity launched into a barrage of questions that left the normally confident Trixie blushing profusely and unable to muster a well-thought out response.

With those two out of the picture, Twilight turned her attention back to Applejack and Rainbow Dash who were clustered around a map laid over the largest pack they had which was now set on the floor. Looking closely, Twilight was able to discern that the map depicted the floor below them, and even at a glance Twilight could easily figure out that although it looked more beaten up than the others, it was relatively trapfree. Which made sense considering just how many walls were labeled collapsed in bright red ink.

“What are we looking at?” Twilight asked, sitting down around the impromptu table along with the other two.

“The next floor has not many traps, as you can probably tell,” Rainbow Dash muttered, a hoof pressed against her chin. “The guide said to sprint through the level, the golem rotation is weird though, so we have to wait for one to come up for the second time in an hour, before we go back down.”

“Does that mean that the golem would still be heavily damaged from that trap hallway when it eventually patrols the floor below us?” Applejack asked, pointing to the map indicating the level they had just passed through.

“Yes and no,” Rainbow Dash replied.

“What does that mean?” Twilight pressed.

“It means, it will be damaged but it will be large enough that it will easily flatten you if you are not paying attention.” Rainbow Dash jabbed a hoof at the unicorn. “So don't even think about trying to destroy it, okay? I will not be having any heroics on this expedition.”

Twilight nodded. “Of course, I was merely curious.”

“Well put that thought out of your head,” Rainbow Dash commanded. “I don't need to remind you just how terrifying those things can be.”

“We get it, RD, simmer down,” Applejack interjected, laying a hoof on the other mare’s shoulder.

“Just making sure, is all,” Rainbow Dash concluded.

“So, what is this next floor anyway?” Twilight asked, pointing to a closed room about halfway through the floor that had a large question mark on it. “And what does that mean?”

“It means no one has gotten in there, either spirit, or corporeal being,” Rainbow Dash announced. “It's completely sealed and impossible to glimpse inside of with even the most powerful scrying spells at our disposal.”

“Odd,” Applejack murmured. “What's so special about this room anyway?”

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “We don't know for sure, but some of the documents we found indicated that it was supposed to be a safe room of some kind, like a panic room for VIPs but that seemed to have been altered at some point. The theory right now is that it is a link room, which was an ancient and now forgotten form of long range teleportation.”

Twilight’s eyes lit up, and for a moment she couldn't help but imagine one of her visions where she had used such a room to get into the tower itself. Which would explain why I haven't recognized very much! Twilight thought to herself, her mind putting together the scattered pieces of her memories.

“Wait, I know how to get in there,” Twilight stated, jabbing a hoof into the mystery room.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and crossed her hooves over her chest, shooting the unicorn a neutral look. “I highly doubt that. As far as we've been able to tell, no one has been in there in over a thousand years.”

“Exactly,” Twilight shot back, a wide smile brimming across her face. “The old Twilight used that to get from her library to the castle without having to walk, I remember what she had to do in order to get past the door.”

“Well that sounds like a load of shit,” Rainbow Dash remarked with an irritated snort.

Applejack held up a hoof, stopping the guard’s tirade before it could truly begin. “Wait a sec, Rainbow, I think we should listen to her.”

“Why should we?” Rainbow Dash shot back.

“She was right about that other thing, wasn't she?”

The guard wilted slightly, her gaze falling to the map laid out before them, where it remained for several long seconds. “Fine,” she muttered. “We should have a few minutes to test this theory, but no more than just a short test, understood?”

Twilight nodded. “I know. Trust me when I say that I don't want to find out whether or not I can survive getting turned into paste.”

Rainbow Dash uncrossed her hooves and sighed. “Though I am curious of that myself, I suppose you do make a point, it's not like being a pancake would be a very fun experience.”

“I think if Pinkie were here, she’d disagree on account of the ‘getting covered in maple syrup part’,” Applejack interjected.

The three mares all laughed at that, with Twilight shaking her head. “That does sound like Pinkie Pie.”

“True, though I think you underestimate Pinkie’s love of pancakes,” Rainbow Dash added with a snicker. “I would put a lot of money on her regularly piling pancakes higher than she is tall.”

“That's one bet I ain't takin,” Applejack replied.

Their laughter was interrupted by a soft, almost imperceptible knock at the door, something only Twilight and Rainbow Dash seemed to notice. The two shared a glance, with Twilight’s features falling as she turned and glanced nervously at the door. “Golems don't knock, right?”

Rainbow Dash snorted and stood up. “Nope, and even if they did, I think they would be a little more assertive than that.”

“True,” Twilight concluded.

“What are y'all talking about?” Applejack intruded, following their gaze to the door. “Did someone knock?”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “It was probably Fluttershy back with a new animal friend.”

“Well go on then,” Applejack exclaimed, gesturing to the door. “Open it.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and did as she was told, trotting up to the door before casting one last glance back at Rainbow Dash. She proceed to roll her eyes and sigh, reassuring Twilight that this was not some sort of elaborate joke at her expense. Reaching forward, the unicorn pulled open the door after pulling back the trio of deadbolts that had held the door shut.

Peering between the crack in the door, Twilight looked down at a nervous looking bunny with baby blue eyes. Upon seeing the now familiar animal, Twilight let out the lungful of air she hadn't known she was holding.

“Oh, thank the stars, it's just you, Fluttershy,” Twilight muttered, opening the door wide to accept the possessed rabbit.

“Oh um, thank you,” Fluttershy whispered, her gaze fixated on anywhere that wasn't Twilight.

Sighing quietly, Twilight pushed the door closed behind her friend, bolting it shut once Fluttershy was inside. The mare remained at the door for a minute longer, watching Fluttershy as she was greeted by the rest of their friends, unable to follow her. Twilight wondered if this was going to be a long running thing, or if they were going to be able to work past the awkwardness she could already feel building inside her. The unicorn already felt unpleasant in her friend’s company and this was not something she wanted to put up with for long if she could help it.

Shaking her head, Twilight looked down to see a nervous Fluttershy looking up at her, their gazes meeting. “Um, do you mind if we talked in private for a bit?” she asked hesitantly, her paws nervously pressing against each other.

“Sure, do you want me to cast a privacy spell?” Twilight offered, inwardly ecstatic at the possibility of doing away with the awkwardness before it had a chance to fester.

“If you don't mind,” Fluttershy replied, smiling slightly.

Twilight nodded and lit her horn, conjuring up a simple barrier spell that would keep sound from escaping a four foot square. Hmm, I wonder if it's working, Twilight thought. “Hey, Rainbow Dash, your hooves reek!”

Fluttershy gasped in shock before turning to Rainbow Dash, who was looking at them with a confused, but not angry expression. “Did she hear you?” Fluttershy whispered, leaning towards her friend.

“I don't think so,” Twilight muttered. “Here, look away for a sec.”

Fluttershy did as she was told, the bunny barely able to tear her gaze from the baffled looking bat pony that was still staring at them.

“Rainbow Dash can't even cook beans!” Twilight shouted.

Fluttershy could barely control her giggling, and she glanced over her shoulder towards Rainbow Dash, who merely shrugged and went back to whatever conversation she was having with Applejack, oblivious to the slight against her cooking skills. “Did she burn them again?” Fluttershy inquired, turning back to her friend.

“Reduced everything in the pot to charcoal,” Twilight answered with a smirk.

“Oh, Rainbow, when are you going to learn that you simply can't rush cooking,” Fluttershy murmured, shaking her head.

“I’d say at about the same time Applejack stops being stubborn.”

The bunny giggled. “Thank you, Twilight.”

The unicorn cocked her head. “For what?”

“Breaking the ice, and not telling the others.” The bunny looked down, pressing her paws together. “I may have spied on you a little after you, uh, saw me.”

“Of course I wouldn't tell them.” Twilight smiled. “Rainbow Dash told me how important it was to you.”

The bunny sighed, looking up at the unicorn with hope glimmering in her teal eyes. “I am sure you have questions, but before we get to that, let me just say that this isn't something I really want to talk about.”

Twilight smiled, sitting down across from her friend. “That's okay, you can just tell me what you can.”

Fluttershy breathed deeply and nodded. “What you saw was me before I gave myself to the forest. I was younger, but I knew what I was doing, and I just don't want others to think of me as that… thing.”

“Thing? What are you talking about, you seemed perfectly normal to me,” Twilight asked incredulously.

The bunny sighed again, her ears drooping. “That's just it, I was normal to you. Pegasi are not native the forest, and it was a curse that made me into that which you saw.”

Twilight was taken aback, the sheer vitriol that the spirit had for her former self being more than enough to start ringing alarm bells in the pony’s head. “What do you mean, cursed?”

“I am not sure,” Fluttershy muttered. “All I know is that my parents were thestrals, and so were my grandparents, as well as their parents, yet I was born a freak of nature.”

“That could just be bad luck as far as genes go,” Twilight remarked. “I had a friend, err associate, that was a unicorn born to an all earth pony family.”

The bunny shook her head. “One way or the other, it was a curse.”

Twilight smiled sadly. “I’m glad you are happy now. You are happy now, right?”

“Oh yes,” Fluttershy replied instantly, nodding heartily. “I get to look after my animal friends in a way that no one else can and the forest gives me so much, making sure that my grove is always able to provide for all the animals that pass through.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Twilight concluded.

“I think that's all I can say though,” Fluttershy murmured. “I’m sorry, Twilight.”

Standing up, Twilight gently patted the bunny’s head in a way she hoped wasn't as awkward as it felt. “It's okay, Fluttershy, I understand. I just hope that someday we can talk more about this.”

Smiling up at her friend, the bunny nodded. “Maybe one day.”

Lighting her horn, Twilight dismissed the invisible field that had surrounded them, ushering in the sound they had not been privy to until this very moment. Rarity and Trixie were still speaking animatedly in the corner, both beings apparently quite into their conversation, their eyes locked on one another. Rainbow Dash and Applejack, on the other hoof, sat at their impromptu table, silently staring at Fluttershy and Twilight.

“Well, you get things figured?” Applejack asked.

Twilight nodded, trotting over to her spot. “We sure did, right Fluttershy?”

The bunny hopped up on the table to Twilight’s right, nodding her head. “We did.”

Rainbow Dash sighed, a faint smile crossing her face. “Well that's a relief. I was not looking forward to that kind of awkwardness for the rest of the adventure.”

“What was all that about anyhow?” Applejack interjected.

“Hey, what did I tell you about asking something like that?” Rainbow Dash snapped.

The farm pony raised her hooves defensively. “Alright alright. I was just curious, is all.”

“Sorry, Applejack. It's personal,” Fluttershy whispered, her shyness getting the better of her.

“Can't argue there, just seemed mighty intense for a second, until y'all started laughing about something.” Applejack chuckled. “I was more curious about the joke than anything.”

Twilight barely restrained a giggle, the mare holding a hoof to her lips and only just holding back the her laughter. “We may have been talking about Rainbow Dash’s cooking skills.”

“And about how shite they are?” Applejack added, earning her an elbow to the ribs from an irritated bat pony. “Hey, what gives?”

“I am not that bad!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, only to earn a trio of deadpan looks, making the guard wilt slightly. “Okay so I might have rushed that last can of beans, but it was one time!” The trio shared a glance before continuing to level their looks at Rainbow Dash. “Or three… ish times,” she admitted, tapping her forehooves together awkwardly.

The other three beings broke out into a fit of laughter that Rainbow Dash eventually joined, the awkwardness that threatened to settle over them firmly beaten back.

Rainbow Dash’s eyes narrowed and she leaned heavily against the door, her ear pressed tight against the metal. Behind her the rest of the troop stood silently in the same marching order the guard had assigned when they began their delve into the undertower. Twilight frowned, glancing nervously over the bat pony’s shoulder, her curiosity burning hot in her chest while visions of the teleportation room danced in her head.

“Is it-” Twilight began, only to be shushed by everyone else, save for Rainbow Dash.

The unicorn grumbled silently to herself, reluctantly remaining quiet as the bat pony listened closely.

For several tense moments they remained there, until Rainbow Dash lifted a hoof. “It's right outside the door, we’ll wait thirty seconds until it starts going up the stairs and we’ll head out. Got it?”

A chorus of agreements came from the troop, a chorus Twilight joined eagerly, the unicorn having since become oddly claustrophobic after sitting inside the bare room for over an hour and a half.

“Alright, and…. now!” Rainbow Dash announced, throwing open the door and dashing to the left.

Twilight followed close behind, being patient enough not to accidentally step on her bat-winged friend’s heels, but quick enough to keep an easy pace with the lightning fast thestral. The dead unicorn could hear the rest of her friends keeping a similar pace, save for Fluttershy who was riding on Bloomberg, the bunny feeling oddly at home on the tree pony’s back.

Together they made their way towards the stairwell, each member of the party distinctly aware of the sound of the golem walking on the floor above them, small motes of dust floating down from the ceiling after each thunderous step, the sound of the spells firing above them hidden completely.

Keeping their heads down, the troop made short work of the winding set of stairs, each being very much aware of just how important speed and stealth were. Twilight hit the bottom stair just after Rainbow Dash had, and looked around, quickly taking in her surroundings.

The only way forward was a narrow hall that wound around the right edge of the circular tower, only for the ceiling to collapse at the centre of an intersection, necessitating a left turn. After taking said left they ran deeper into the floor, passing a trio of empty rooms that contained little more than dust and rubble. Running into the last room at the end, the party entered into a much larger room, one that had a small and familiar side room, as well as a collapsed section of wall that revealed the stairs down to the next floor, though they would have to jump a small gap first to use said stairs.

Skidding to a stop, Rainbow Dash pointed to the large door of the mystery room before pointing to the rest of their troop. “I want Fluttershy and Rarity near the stairs down and ready to run at a moment’s notice. Twilight, get to work on that door, Applejack stay with her, I’ll take watch on the stairs coming down.”

Her friends all moved into position without complaint, the guard’s tone of voice brooking no avenues of argument.

Twilight turned her attention to the door and took a step back, taking in the entirety of the deep brown door with a tinge of awe as well as panic that stemmed from the fact that it was different from the one Twilight had seen in the library basement. The piece was exquisite, and the craftsmanship that went into its construction was worthy of recognition in itself, though more impressive still was the magic she could feel emanating from the object.

Even at a glance Twilight could feel a veritable wall of spells hidden just beneath the wooden door, their ancient caster having apparently put enough power into them to make them last the many centuries. Shaking her head, Twilight dismissed the magic that had been building around her horn and instead simply observed the physical object, trying to ignore the tug of her curiosity.

The door had no handle or obvious mechanism for opening, the wood perfectly flat, without crease or groove. So perfect was its construction that Twilight couldn't even find hinges or a crack in the door itself. Running a hoof across the smooth, cool wood, Twilight realized that it was as smooth as it appeared and after finding no hidden latches or other methods of opening it, the mare took a step back and lit her horn.

By now she had gotten at least a slight inkling of what her past self was like, and after filling her horn with power she cast a quick magic detecting spell, which ultimately fizzled. Groaning and rolling her eyes, the mare tried again, this time reworking the spell on the fly in an attempt to brute force her way past whatever was obstructing her spell. Though it took far more power and far more rewarding than what she initially thought was necessary, Twilight managed to cast the spell.

Her eyes now glowing a soft magenta, the unicorn scanned the door once more, instantly noticing the flowing purple script inscribed on the door just above eye level.

You can carry me everywhere you go and I never get heavy, what am I? it said, making Twilight blink. “Well that's easy. A name.”

When no response came, Applejack walked up to the unicorn and gestured to the door. “What's that all about?”

“There is a riddle written on the door in arcane script,” Twilight mentioned, pointing at the spot it was written. “It says ‘You can carry me everywhere you go and I never get heavy, what am I?’”

“Well a name sure sounds like the right answer,” Applejack murmured. “Have you tried saying your name?”

“Oh, good idea, Applejack,” Twilight commended before turning back to the door and clearing her throat. “My name is Twilight Sparkle.”

The pair stood there silently for several long seconds before Twilight frowned in irritation. “What the heck?”

Rarity peeked around the corner, a curious bunny sitting atop her head. “What's the matter darling?”

Twilight repeated back everything that just happened before gesturing angrily to the door. “I know that's the answer, but it's not opening.”

“Have you tried writing your name on the door?” Fluttershy offered.

Twilight’s open mouth slammed shut. “No, I have not.”

Digging into her bags, Rarity retrieved a simple piece of charcoal and levitated it over to the unicorn. “Here, give it a try,” she offered.

Twilight wasted no time in doing just that, scrawling her name on the door before taking a step back. When nothing happened, she said her name again, only to growl when the door remained closed, the curiosity that had been burning at the back of her mind suddenly flaring to life. “What the heck was old Twilight thinking?” the current day Twilight murmured angrily. “This is the right answer, I’ve heard this riddle before.”

“Huh, this sure is a head scratcher,” Applejack muttered while doing just that.

“Golem’s on the way back!” Rainbow Dash shouted, startling everyone out of their concentration.

“Tell me when it's safe to come out please,” Fluttershy whispered, having retreated to the arachne’s back, hiding amidst her supplies.

Rarity smiled faintly before turning and making her way back over to her assigned spot. “Well we certainly gave it a good try, maybe on the way back we can try again.”

“Yeah Twi, we better get movin’,” Applejack added.

Throughout it all Trixie remained quiet at the back of the party, her gaze firmly on the door, her brow furrowed.

Despite her friend’s warnings, Twilight couldn't bring herself to move, her attention fixated on the door, and the curiosity that threatened to consume her. As she stared, she realized that there was an odd sensation dancing at the edge of her perception, just out of focus. It was a strange feeling, and it reminded her of when she had bitten into the apple, in the sense that it felt like a memory, only not one that came with images or explanation but only sensory stimuli. The woody scent of the unique colored door brought forth thoughts of home, and long hours spent exhausted. She could hear the faint humming of somepony nearby as she stared at the door, her mind pursuing these fleeting thoughts only to find them too elusive for the unicorn to hold onto.

With a growl of irritation the mare bit her lip and held up her hoof. “Just a second, I almost got this,” she exclaimed.

Applejack frowned, casting her gaze back over to where Rainbow Dash had disappeared. “Well hurry up, ‘cause I don't rightly feel like being turned into a pancake.”

Twilight, meanwhile, was completely absorbed in the problem she saw before her, the mare’s mind unable to think of anything else other than completing the puzzle that was confounding her. Only that wasn't wholly true as she had since abandoned any attempt to figure out the puzzle and was instead doing everything in her power to push towards the fleeting memories that she could feel flickering at the very edge of her mind.

A gust of wind nearly broke her concentration, a frantic looking Rainbow Dash swooping into the room with a shocked look on her face. “What are you doing still here! We need to move!” she yelled, jabbing a hoof towards the stairs down.

“I got it, just give me two more minutes.” Twilight shot back, her eyes still closed tight.

“We don't have two minutes, it's nearly here!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, a small plume of dust wafting from down the hall.

Trixie gulped, peeking from around the corner. “Is it too late to run away?” she asked nervously.

The guard nodded slowly, ripping her blade from its place at her side and hefting it in her left forehoof. “Applejack you are on my right, Trixie on my left, aim for joints, and maintain distance, don't get too close lest we get in each other’s way.”

Applejack gulped and nodded, mirroring Trixie’s sentiment.

Moving forward, Rainbow Dash stepped into the hall and out of the view of Twilight, who had yet to turn from the door. Rarity stood nervously nearby, the arachne tapping her legs randomly. “What is going on? Is it safe to come out yet?” she asked, looking back to the hall where Rainbow Dash and the other two had disappeared into.

“They went to fight the golem,” Twilight murmured, eyes still shut tight, her curiosity utterly controlling her.

The unicorn was vaguely aware that both Rarity and Fluttershy were talking, but Twilight was too focused inward to really notice what was being said. Not even the clash of steel on stone, and the shattering of a nearby wall could dissuade the mare from her single-minded pursuit.

Come on, Twilight, it's right there! she thought to herself, her horn glowing as she tried desperately to get at least a little closer to the memory she could feel was nearly within her grasp.

Rarity shook her head slowly, glancing from the straining unicorn to the hall where the sounds of battle could be heard. “We have to do something,” Fluttershy whispered, tugging on the arachne’s mane.

“I know darling, but what?” Rarity murmured, wincing when she heard the crack of lightning coming from down the hall.

“I think we should trust Twilight and help the others hold off the golem,” Fluttershy replied, glancing nervously at the unicorn.

After a deep sigh, Rarity straightened her shoulders and lit her horn. “You are right, let's give that ruffian what for!”

The eight legged spider pony dashed down the hall, and towards the scene of chaos unfolding only a matter of meters away.

Leaving Twilight to grunt and strain alone, the mare’s face creased with effort, her muscles bundled tight as she pushed herself as far as she felt possible. Come on, come on, I can just about feel it! Twilight thought.

Abandoning her brute force tactic, the mare relaxed and let the magic in her horn fizzle, her mind going back to the apple, and what it made her feel. When she had been chewing the delicious treat she had hardly noticed it at the time, but the unicorn had nearly slipped into another memory without thinking, the flavor being enough to bring the past into a sharp and sudden focus.

Leaning closer to the door, Twilight inhaled deep of the scent of the wood, not noticing the cries of panic and alarm coming from nearby.

Focusing on the scent, Twilight was able to go deeper this time, her body becoming lighter, shorter, and the familiar humming returning. This time the unicorn did not fight the sensations, and neither did she focus on them too much, merely allowing them to slowly cascade over her, pulling her back into the past.

Twilight hummed thoughtfully to herself, the half remembered tune filling the silence that hung heavy over her workshop. It was late, as usual, and the mare was working on a clever bit of magic that would keep her teleport array from being accessed, save for the very few people she allowed to use it.

The spell was relatively simple, several words scrawled into the door acting as the hint that reminded any who desired entrance on how to accomplish such a feat. The mare giggled at the simplicity of it all, wondering why she had ever considered doing something as plain as a normal lock spell. Her method was much better, and though conjuring one’s magic while speaking their name was not a new way of keeping one’s belongings locked, it was a rather clever and poetic one.

The spell would be able to tell if it was her, even if her magic were to take damage or be altered due to exhaustion, just in case, while Luna and Celestia’s magic would be so strong that it would simply brute force its way past the identification stage entirely, rendering that stage moot. She didn't have to worry about anyone else doing this though, as only an alicorn could truly muster the energy necessary to accomplish such a task.

With her confidence surging, the mare lifted the page upon which she had written her formula, and smiled widely. “This is going to be great,” she muttered.

Only to pause when she felt an odd sensation coming over her. “Whoah, deja vu,” she muttered to herself.

Pulling back, Twilight Sparkle felt her hooves under her once more, her own flesh and blood once more at her beck and call. Shaking her head, Twilight quickly lit her horn and pulled forth her magic, hastening her simple spell after hearing a dull boom that sounded a lot like another wall getting destroyed. Lifting her hoof, the unicorn pushed her magic into the limb before clearing her throat and speaking loudly and clearly. “Twilight Sparkle.”

The soft click of the door opening was barely audible over the crumbling stone heard in the distance, but Twilight’s powerful ears were able to catch it. Shoving the door open, Twilight didn't even bother to look inside before turning and yelling back to her friends. “It's open! Come on!”

A cacophony of limbs meeting stone and panicked cries met the mare’s announcement, the entire floor alive with the sound of sprinting beings coming towards her. Backing up, Twilight made room for her friends to come charging in. First was Rarity who was holding a wide eyed and surprisingly normal looking bunny. The arachne was sporting a small shallow cut on her cheek, and other than a panicked expression, the bunny seemed fine.

Next came Trixie, who was sporting a shiner and was positively covered in dust and debris, her blue wizard hat slightly askew on her head. The unicorn sprinted past Twilight and made her way inside, followed close behind by a wounded Applejack. The earth pony had a noticeable limp, and her lip was broken, blood dribbling down her chin and landing on the floor. Twilight’s heart leapt into her throat, and it was at that exact moment that she realized just how damaging her bout of intense curiosity may have been.

“Here it comes!” Rainbow Dash yelled, backing into the room, blade raised high.

The bat pony was the most injured of the bunch, one wing hanging loose at her side, her armor dented in several places while the breastplate was nearly completely crumpled inwards. Her helmet was gone, and a shallow cut across her forehead drenched her face in blood. Though she was obviously in pain she gave no indication of this and merely gritted her teeth, defences up and waiting for a strike Twilight couldn't see coming.

Thinking quickly, Twilight magically shoved the bat pony aside and slammed the door shut, throwing herself in front of it. The unicorn gritted her teeth, ready to give her body in defence of her friends, the mare hoping to make up for the pain she accidentally caused.

“Move aside, you idiot!” Rainbow Dash yelled, hooves pressed against Twilight’s shoulder. “That door isn't going to stop it!”

“And your sword will?” Twilight shouted back.

Rainbow Dash ground her teeth together and was about to launch into another retort before Applejack suddenly stepped forward. “Hold on a second, do you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Rarity asked.

“That's just it,” Applejack replied, gesturing to the door. “It’s not coming.”

Twilight and Rainbow Dash shared an awkward look before directing their attention to the door. “Huh,” they both muttered.

Twilight took a step back and released the hold she had on the door, when nothing happened, she breathed a sigh of relief. “It's programming probably doesn't allow it to enter this door for some reason. Or the spells on it are enough to hold it at bay,” she reasoned.

The rest of the beings in the room let out a collective breath, with Rarity sliding to the ground, her legs spreading in all directions. “Oh, thank the stars,” she muttered, wiping a hoof across her forehead.

Twilight was about to apologize, only for a familiar spectre to float through the ceiling and disappear into the bunny, whose eyes opened to reveal Fluttershy’s familiar teal. “What happened, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked, noticing the odd look on the bunny’s face.

Fluttershy shook her head. “I distracted the golem but after it realized it couldn't actually touch me, it kind of stopped.”

Whatever Twilight had been considering saying was quickly forgotten when Rainbow Dash stomped over to her and delivered a solid back hoof across the unicorn’s cheek. “If you ever risk all of our lives over a simple curiosity, I will end you,” she muttered through gritted teeth.

The dead mare stumbled to the ground, one hoof clutching her jaw, despair filling her.

“Whoa there,” Applejack interrupted, stepping forward and putting a hoof on the bat pony’s withers. “I’m sure Twilight had a reason for all this. Why don't we let her speak before we go hitting each other.”

The unicorn stood back up and gave her jaw a wiggle before ascertaining that it was not in fact about to fall off. “First off, I deserved that.”

“Agreed,” Rainbow Dash huffed.

“I deserved that too,” Twilight admitted with a sigh. “I just, well, this is going to sound stupid, but this room felt important.”

The unicorn gestured at the room around them, making several members of their troop gasp at what they saw. The area was relatively simple, with the stone walls, roof and floor being a standard slate grey, while in the center was a far more abnormal sigh. An odd looking pentagram was painted on the floor, and tall braziers affixed with crystals instead of torches stood at the end of each point of the symbol. The entire room was lit in a strange purplish pink light that emanated from the crystals, casting everything in an odd, almost semi-unreal light.

“Well that's odd,” Trixie muttered, reaching up a hoof and tapping one of the iron braziers.

“Okay, so you found a room with some weird torches, so what?” Rainbow Dash remarked with an irritated huff.

“It's not just a strange room, it's a linked teleportation pad.” Twilight stepped forward and tapped the symbol on the floor. “This should be able to send us back to Ponyville to the library to be exact.”

“Wait, when you say library, you don't mean the library, right?” Trixie asked.

“I only know the tree library, is there a second one other than Golden Oaks?” Twilight replied, only for her friends to collective gape at the question.

“What?” Twilight muttered, looking around, half expecting for the golem to have somehow quietly kicked down a wall.

“That's not just any library, Twilight, remember? It's been lost for over a thousand years,” Fluttershy explained.

“But how-” Twilight frowned, only now remembering the answer to her own question. “That's right, the forest hid it for some reason.”

“Wait, you are telling me that this room could teleport us to the library of knowledge?” Applejack chuckled. “Well hot dog, I’d say it was worth a little scrape then.”

Rainbow Dash nodded grimly. “I’d chop off my own wing to be the one to find the library.” She sighed, before reluctantly clapping Twilight on the shoulder. “I guess you are off the hook this time.”

Twilight’s frown deepened and the mare shook her head. “No, it's not okay. I risked your lives, for what, at the time, felt like a hunch.” She stood up suddenly and began to slowly walk across the room. “I know I’ve been doing okay with this whole having friends thing but you guys are my first real friends, and for a moment I was back at home with my books, where the only thing that mattered was my curiosity. I’m really, really sorry.”

Rarity smiled gently and reached forward, pushing a stray strand of hair from Twilight’s vision. “We forgive you, Twilight, isn't that right?”

Applejack nodded. “So long as ya learned and it ain't about to happen again.”

Fluttershy smiled. “I forgive you, Twilight.”

Trixie grumbled silently before sighing and crossing her hooves over her chest. “I suppose the great and powerful Trixie forgives you as well.”

Twilight turned to Rainbow Dash, only to earn another glare, only this one was remarkably softer and was oddly kind. “My wing and armor look worse than they are, and both can be fixed with time, but this.” She gestured all around her with a hoof. “This will put us in the history books. If it works the way you say it will.”

Twilight smiled faintly. “Thank you, Rainbow Dash. I promise I will never do something like that again.”

The guard grumbled to herself before turning away and beginning the arduous process of shedding her mostly useless armor. “You better not,” she muttered under her breath.

Rolling her eyes, Twilight turned her attention back to the center of the room. “The spell of sending didn't look very complicated, but it also doesn't allow anyone to move while it is being cast. Which means, when I light my horn, noone is allowed to move a muscle, so pack your stuff now.”

Her friends all nodded their assent before turning and doing just that, every member of the troop going over their personal effects in order to make sure nothing was lost in the brief fight with the golem. By the time Rainbow Dash had shed the last of her armor and bandaged the base of her wing as well as applied a tensor to it, everyone else was ready to go.

“So we just stand here then? And your gonna teleport us all the way back to Ponyville?” Applejack asked, doubt evident in her almost sarcastic tone.

“You didn't doubt her a minute ago,” Rarity interrupted.

“Well, it didn't sound quite so silly a minute ago,” Applejack shot back.

“It will work,” Twilight concluded with a confident nod. “I know it will.”

“And it will take all of us?” Fluttershy asked, hope brimming in her tone.

“So long as we can fit in the circle,” Twilight answered.

Rainbow Dash gave the group a quick inspection before taking a spot to Twilight’s left, squeezing between her and the other unicorn. “We look good, though it is gonna be a little tight.”

“Alright, everyone don't move a muscle until I say so, don't even speak, and breathe as shallowly as possible,” Twilight instructed, gazing sternly at each member of their party in order to impart the seriousness of the situation.

When each person seemed to understand the gravity of her instructions, Twilight lit her horn and began the long and complicated process of sending them to Ponyville. As she worked through the first few stages of the spell Twilight scanned her memories, remembering well how her past self stared intently at the alicorn as she cast the spell itself. Twilight could even remember her past self idly running the numbers and imaging the process of casting it herself.

She was suddenly very glad that old Twilight seemed to have the same intense neuroticism that she did, meaning that between old Twilight’s thoughts and her keen observation it didn't take long for current Twilight to master the spell. That being said, she did take an extra long time casting it, the pony ensuring that she knew it in and out before finally preparing the final part of the spell.

She had already screwed up once today and she was determined to not do so again.

With the last bit of the spell completed and ready to be fired, Twilight gave her friends one last look. Seeing their serious expressions and rigid forms, Twilight knew they were as ready as she was, and with one last push of magic they vanished in a flash.

Leaving behind an empty and now silent room.

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The Library

With a gasp and a sudden clattering of hooved limbs, the six creatures appeared far from where they had been only a second earlier. Cries of confusion and shock rang through the air as everyone tried to get away from one another at the same time. This sudden panic was due in no small part to the fact that the teleport had not been without its bumps, and most creatures appeared rather green around the gills. All save for Twilight who didn't seem bothered one bit, and was looking down at her dry heaving friends in confusion.

“That's funny, I could have sworn I did everything perfectly,” she muttered, watching as Trixie rolled around on the floor clutching her stomach.

“The back of my eyeballs itch, how is that even possible?” Rainbow Dash groaned, clawing at her eyes.

“I feel like I got turned inside out and then did the same thing in reverse,” Applejack remarked, one hoof pressed firmly against her lips.

“That is not the most eloquent way of putting it, but it certainly is the most apt description I could imagine,” Rarity muttered, her hooves gripping her stomach as her spider legs clattered this way and that, only barely keeping the arachne standing upright.

Twilight frowned down at her friends. “Well, it seems fine to me anyway.”

The rest of her friends save for Fluttershy all glared at her with barely concealed irritation. “Yeah well, every living creature feels like shit, so maybe there was something wrong with your little spell,” Rainbow Dash spat before her eyes suddenly went wide and she ran over to a wall, gagging hard while trying to contain her lunch.

The dead pony shrugged. “Fair enough, I suppose. But look, we made it! We’re in the library.”

Everyone who could look up did so, their gazes scanning over the root encrusted room that surrounded them. The same mirrored and slightly mutated pentagram complete with braziers and crystals were in the center of the room, while a larger crystal that was only slightly brighter was embedded in the ceiling. A ceiling that was made entirely of grey roots that cascaded down the walls, with only the floor being made of slate grey stone of some kind. The supports Twilight had seen in her dreams slash memories seemed to be gone, though if that was due to them no longer being needed or having collapsed and disintegrated over the millennia she didn't know.

Twilight frowned and walked over to the wall, a hoof running down the grey roots and making the mare realize that something was definitely wrong. “It's stone, everything is stone,” muttered the unicorn, pulling her hoof from the wall.

“Everything but the door anyway,” Applejack offered, pointing a hoof at said door.

The portal appeared average on first glance, other than the fact that it was made of an unknown type of wood and the knob had a dull white crystal embedded in it. The knob she recognized from her dream where she accompanied Luna, prompting Twilight to remember that it could only be opened by someone with the same magical signature as her old self. She hoped that whatever had changed when she had died and been reborn only to die again, did not include her magical signature, as she wasn't a fan of being stuck in a weird petrified room until she died again.

“This is amazing,” Trixie muttered, running her own hoof down the petrified root wall. “So the legend was true after all.”

“What legend?” Twilight asked. “I feel like I’m missing something here.”

“Well, you see, darling, the library is often referred to as the heart of Ponyville and as you know, it's been lost for eons,” Rarity began, gesturing with a hoof at the room. “No one knows how the forest hid it, but before that happened it was occupied by someone only known as the Librarian.”

“A mysterious figure that was supposedly very important to both princesses and was often called the Bridge by some folk,” Applejack added.

“That's all well and good, but can we skip the history lesson until we are out of this room at least?? I’m starting to feel claustrophobic down here,” Rainbow Dash asked only to grab the knob and turn, receiving a light shock for her effort. “Yowch.”

Now sucking her wounded hoof, Rainbow Dash grumbled silently to herself and took a step back, allowing Twilight room to walk up and grip the knob. “Allow me, Rainbow Dash, it's coded to my magic, but I don't know if it will still work, as I am not the same Twilight.”

“True, but you are about as close as we are going to get,” Trixie added.

Twilight nodded, funneled her magic into the crystal, gripped the knob and twisted in one swift motion. The door opened without issue and her premature wince of pain slowly disappeared when it became obvious that she was not about to get electrocuted. “Huh, so it did work, strange,” Twilight muttered, stepping into the next room and looking around.

It was almost exactly like her dream, unlike the room they had just stepped out of, which had changed somewhat due to the addition of the crystal that had been set in the ceiling. Taking a step back, Twilight looked up at the crystal, allowing her friends to wander into the next room while she inspected the strange object.

It hadn't struck Twilight as strange at first, but the fact that she did not remember it was odd in itself. The longer she inspected it, the more she came to realize that it seemed to have grown out of the roots, rather than be placed halfway inside them by some unknown force. How a crystal of such size and intricacy just grew out of the ceiling was beyond Twilight’s understanding and she put it out of her mind and made her way into the other room, where her friends were assembled.

“Well, that's unfortunate,” Applejack muttered as she lifted a solid stone book that had definitely not always been made from rock.

“Do you think they are all like that?” Rarity asked as she continued to rummage through the stone boxes and pushing aside stone books.

Lifting an eyebrow, Twilight looked around to find that just about everything seemed to have been turned to stone. From the books, to the shelves to even the boxes that held them, everything was stone. That was of course, all but the doors, though why that would be was beyond Twilight’s understanding as it was obvious at least to her that it followed no clearly discernible logic. The boxes hadn't even been a part of the structure but they were stone, yet the doors definitely were part of the library, yet they weren't stone like everything else.

Whatever the reason was, Twilight couldn't figure it out, and she was too excited to explore to sit down and try and consider the possible reason right now. “That's strange, but we should keep exploring, we might be able to find something useful, and maybe even find a way out for that matter,” Twilight remarked.

“Quite right, darling,” Rarity agreed.

“Sounds like a plan, but keep an eye out for danger, we don't know what is in here, or if there are more traps,” Rainbow Dash added.

Applejack snorted and started walking up the stairs. “No offence, but if Twilight really was this Librarian at one point in history, I don't think she would be the type to put a trap in a public place.”

“I wouldn't, but that wasn't exactly me,” Twilight replied with a slight frown.

“Just keep an eye out and don't do anything stupid,” Trixie muttered, pushing her way past Applejack and climbing the stairs.

The rest of the group filed after the mare, climbing the stone stairs and making their way deeper into the library. Something that most creatures found easy, save for the arachnee who was so physically large that she had trouble walking the stairs normally. Something she didn't seem to mind though, as she half crawled on the wall, half climbed the stairs, a sight that Twilight found a little strange, but normal for as far as Ponyville went.

Twilight paused as she reached the top of the stairs, the mare turning her head and looking down at the basement one last time, something telling her that she was missing something. As she stared she realized that there had been more doors in the basement other than the one they had exited from, yet she couldn't see any.

Shrugging to herself, Twilight turned and followed her friends into the library proper.

Once she reached the top of the stairs, Twilight noticed that her friends had gone on without her, leaving her alone in the odd hall. A hall that went from the main area to her right, and a small secondary room to the left. Deciding to check out the smaller room first, Twilight trotted down the hall and found that it was a small reading room that had several bookshelves filled with stone books, as well as what was once a comfy couch, but was now stone, like everything else.

Stranger still was that despite there being a window in the room, it was solid stone and could not be seen through for obvious reasons, or moved for that matter.

“Oh, hello Twilight,” a small voice greeted, bringing Twilight’s attention down to Fluttershy who had slipped out from between the two bookshelves.

“What were you doing in there?” Twilight asked.

The bunny sighed. “I was hoping there would be a mouse hole or something, but there is no way out, and something is blocking even the erm... Ghost me, from getting out.”

Twilight lifted an eyebrow and tapped the stone window. “It seems like normal stone, but let's see what my magic says.”

Lighting her horn, Twilight scanned the stone and found that although it was odd in the fact that it was unlike any stone she had ever analyzed, it didn't seem to have any other odd facets to it. “It seems normal, other than the rock being a little more like petrified wood than real stone, but that's to be expected as it was once wood,” Twilight muttered to herself, her horn brightening slightly. “Hmm, there is some low level magical disturbance, but it shouldn't be strong enough to stop ghost you from leaving.”

Fluttershy sighed. “I’ll keep looking for a way out. I know Angel wants to go see his family again.”

“You do that, but don't go too far by yourself, we don't know what's here,” Twilight reminded.

The bunny nodded and turned, hopping between the couch and the wall in search of another exit. Twilight turned and left, the mare trotting down the hall and trailing a hoof against the solid stone, silently contemplating what might have happened to the ancient structure. Though she hadn't exactly done much research into Ponyville history, she at least knew that trees spontaneously petrifying wasn't something that happened often, or at all outside this one time.

Walking into the largest area, Twilight looked around to find that Applejack and Trixie were already in the room. The farmer was tugging on the stone handle to the stone exit, her face contorting as she tugged as hard as possible. Trixie on the other hoof was using her magic to tug stone books from the many large book shelves that covered most of the walls.

Looking around, Twilight realized that this was indeed the same room she had seen in her dream. The same bookshelves stuffed with numerous tomes covered the walls, the same couch sat off to the side of the room under the large bay window. The same reading table sat near the center of the room which had a carved bust in the center. All of which was completely stone, including the windows, exit, walls, and everything in between.

“I wouldn't bother, Applejack,” Twilight remarked, placing a weary hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “You are just going to hurt yourself.”

The farm mare gave one last tug before reluctantly sighing, and taking a step back. “I suppose you are right, but I had to try. My family could be right out there!”

Twilight nodded. “I’ll figure out something and worst case scenario, we take the long way back.”

Turning away from her friend, Twilight glanced over at Trixie who was content reading the titles of the various stone books before putting them back into the same spot she found them in. Something about this respect for library protocols pleased the dead mare, though why that was, she didn't know.

Shaking her head, Twilight turned to the only other non-stone door in the room, one that was located right next to the bottom of the stairs. Pushing it open, Twilight took a peek inside, and found the room empty, the kitchen and small attached dining room being fairly plain other than the fact that they were built into a tree. A small breakfast nook sat to her left, while the right was jam-packed with a small, cramped kitchenette that was just barely big enough to house a full-sized stove, refrigerator, sink and a few cabinets and counters.

All of which were predictably made of stone, including the large window that hung over the sink.

With a shrug, Twilight turned away from the kitchen area and began to trot up the stairs that went up to the second floor. Stairs that ended in another door, one that was thankfully not made of stone and swung open easily. Twilight noted that other than the one in the basement and entrance, this was the only other door that could be locked.

Proceeding past the door, Twilight instantly got the feeling that this was almost like a small apartment, save for the fact that it lacked a kitchen, for obvious reasons. There was a short hall with two doors on each side and at the end of which was a large window that would have bathed the hall in light, provided it could be seen through that is.

The first door to her left lead to a bathroom, a sight that initially made Twilight sigh in frustration, as she assumed the pipes would be stone as well. Much to her shock, everything other than the walls, floors and ceiling was not, in fact, stone, baffling the mare even more.

“There is absolutely no rhyme or reason here,” she muttered under her breath.

Still, despite the fact that there was no apparent logic to the pattern of what was stone and what wasn't, the bathroom was still a sight for sore eyes. She had never anticipated the problems that would come with needing to relieve oneself in what amounted to a dungeon. There was a disturbing amount of bagging one’s own refuse or squatting in corners while someone stood nearby, keeping watch. Something that was thankfully over, for now at least, provided it all worked, which now that Twilight thought about it, sounded a little farfetched.

Approaching the sink slowly, Twilight eyed the surprisingly normal pearl-white object like it was about to turn into a snake and bite her. Her hoof slowly gripped the central tap and pushed it up and to the left, prompting the tap to slowly trickle a steady stream of water into the bowl. A bowl that actually drained and didn't seem like it was about to get clogged any time soon.

Catching some of the water in her magic, Twilight analyzed the water with a simple spell, and was surprised to find that it was drinkable and pure. “This is beyond weird,” she muttered.

Sure enough, both the toilet and the shower seemed to work fine, surprising her yet again and bringing a huge smile to the dead mare’s face and prompting her to run out of the bathroom and yell, “The bathroom works!” at the top of her lungs.

For a moment, there was silence, followed by a stampede of hooves up the stairs, both Applejack and Trixie fighting to be the first up, a terrified Fluttershy hanging onto Applejack’s back. Stepping aside, Twilight allowed the two mares to fight it out before making her way to the next room on the left and ignoring the continued shouting and insults being thrown back and forth.

Putting her friends’ antics out of her mind, Twilight scanned the room and was surprised to find a small bed, and an equally small shelf filled with comic books as well as a few chapter books. There was also a wardrobe off to the side and a hat rack that had several hats on it, all of which were again made of stone.

Walking around the room, Twilight got the feeling that this must have been the room of the young dragon, which she had seen in her dreams, as the bed was slightly larger than he was, and she remembered him holding a comic book in one of her visions. Flipping through the bookcase revealed that there were a few comic book titles that jumped out at her, namely the Power Ponies and a few others that stirred deep memories in the mare. Each comic book or chapter book seemed to bring back another wave of nostalgia, or other strange feeling that Twilight couldn't place.

Though it felt oddly normal, it also was completely disturbing. These were books Twilight knew she had never seen, and yet she felt as though she had, memories not her own apparently lurking in the back of her mind, waiting to be sparked.

She put down the books and took a step away from the bed, casting one last look around the room before sighing and stepping out. Maybe if she ever did meet Spike in this life, those memories wouldn't be quite so awkward, but right now it made Twilight feel weird, and unpleasant to have what felt like another pony’s memories in her head.

Putting that entire room behind her, Twilight walked back into the hall, instantly noticing Trixie standing outside the bathroom with an exaggerated frown on her face. “Lose the battle, eh?” Twilight offered.

“She's smarter than she looks, not a lot smarter, but still smarter,” Trixie muttered angrily.

“Now that I think about it, maybe I’ll just kick this toilet to pieces after I’m done with it!” Applejack yelled. “You know, just for fun.”

“You wouldn't dare!” Trixie shouted back through the door.

“Try me.”

Trixie grumbled to herself but reluctantly remained silent.

Shaking her head, Twilight turned to the first open door on her left, only to find Rarity holding up a simple soft purple dress, eyeing it up from every angle. A quick glance around the room told Twilight that this was the master bedroom, and perhaps one of the strangest rooms in the house. It was like the bathroom in the sense that only the tree itself was stone, with the exception being the large windows that upon a second glance looked like glass doors that presumably lead out onto a balcony of some kind.

The bed, the wardrobe, the end tables, the book shelves, the books on said shelves, the bed, the bedding, and just about everything else wasn't stone. “Nice dress, Rarity, where did you find it?” Twilight asked.

Rarity jumped and wheeled around, her wide eyes shrinking slightly when she realized it was Twilight that had spoken. “Oh dear, you nearly scared the legs off me,” Rarity muttered, a hoof pressed over her heart. “But yes, this is a nice dress, but that's not what's so intriguing about it.”

Twilight walked up to her friend and took a closer look at the dress, her calculating eye figuring out that other than it being made for someone a little slimmer and a little taller than the average pony, it seemed normal and rather plain. “I guess the color is… unique?” Twilight offered halfheartedly.

Rarity nodded slightly. “It's very average, but see here, along the seam, do you notice the unique way it's stitched? I’ve never seen anyone else use that method of stitching, other than myself and when I look at it I feel oddly… nostalgic? I’m not sure what it is I’m feeling.”

Though Twilight did indeed notice that the stitching was unique, it meant little to her. “Wait, now that you mention it…” The dead mare took a step back and looked at the dress one more time, this time getting a strange sense of deja vu that nearly overwhelmed her. “I think I get what you mean. You didn't happen to make a dress like this before and have it displayed at your shop by chance, did you?”

Rarity shook her head. “Ponies this tall and slim are rare, it would have to be a special order, an order I’ve never done before.”

“Weird. Well, what else did you find?” Twilight asked, noticing that one of the wardrobe’s drawers were open.

“Not much, whomever lived here had a very good sense of style, but they also didn't own very many garments, making me think that they simply got them as gifts or only owned enough to cover a variety of special events,” Rarity muttered, lifting various dresses, all of which were relatively plain, and stuck close to the same purple coloration that Twilight had seen in the first one.

“They also certainly don't look like dresses that have sat in a drawer for a thousand years,” Twilight concluded as Rarity tucked the dresses back into the drawer and closed it.

“It's the strangest thing, they even kind of smell nice, like someone just dried them on a clothesline or something,” Rarity remarked.

“Odd.” Twilight shook her head. “Have you checked out the books by chance?”

Rarity shook her head. “I didn't have the chance I’m afraid, though if what you say about a functional bathroom is true, I may have to belay my curiosity until after I’ve had a chance to do a few touch-ups to my makeup.”

Twilight snickered to herself as she watched Rarity grab her make-up kit and make a beeline for the bathroom. Leaving Twilight alone, and allowing her to peruse the small selection of books idly. Upon first glance most seemed surprisingly normal, with a majority being simple adventure books, or adult fiction of some kind. But there were also a few books that were tucked off to the side, all of which were non-fiction, and ranged in topics from the study of magic to structural engineering which caught her eye. Reaching near the end, Twilight grabbed an odd grey covered book, only to find that it was solid stone, while the rest were not.

“Huh, it looks like a journal of some kind,” she muttered, turning over the surprisingly plain looking little book that had the word ‘Journal’ written on the front in flowing script. “Why is this one stone, but the rest aren't?”

Confused, and evidently not about to find any answers here, Twilight put the book back on the shelf and walked over to the last door, slowly pushing it open and finding herself in a small study. Wherein Rainbow Dash was grumbling to herself as she tried and failed to get past the lock on a small stout chest resting on the floor. The room was mostly stone, save for the chest, which even at a glance, radiated magical energy in the form of what looked like a locking enchantment, a reinforcement enchantment and several other spells that did similar things.

Whomever had locked the chest had evidently wanted it to stay that way, and though Twilight was certain she could probably pierce said enchantments, she knew it would take a while, and she didn't exactly have that kind of time right now.

“Stupid lock,” Rainbow Dash muttered before turning to Twilight. “Don't suppose you can pop it open, eh?”

Twilight shook her head. “I could do it, but It would take weeks to break through the wards.”

“Hmm.” Rainbow Dash rubbed her chin as she stared down at the chest. “Maybe after we get the tower figured out, we can work on this little mystery.”

“Indeed,” Twilight agreed.

“Now then. Did you find anything interesting?”

Twilight shrugged. “I found some books that weren't stone, but the entrance won't budge, the windows are stone, and most of the collection is stone as well. The bathroom works though.”

“Well that's something at least. We were able to save enough food that we won't have to ration too much, but the water supply was destroyed, meaning we could hang out here for a day or so in order to get our bearings and plan our next move,” Rainbow Dash reasoned.

“That's all well and good, but unless we can figure out how to make the tree unpetrified I don't think we are getting back to Ponyville without walking back from the castle,” Twilight continued.

“Which means another teleport.” Rainbow Dash shivered. “Hopefully we figure out something then, because that was worse than the entirety of boot.”

Rainbow Dash looked down suddenly, directing Twilight’s attention to Fluttershy who was standing nervously to the side. “Did you find anything?” Twilight asked.

The bunny nodded vigorously. “I did actually… but, I think Rainbow Dash should come as well.”

“Is it another trap?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

Fluttershy frowned. “I don't know what it is, but I get a weird feeling from it.”

“Before we go check that out, would you girls mind filling me in on the history of the library?” Twilight asked as the trio walked out into the hall and towards the stairs, passing by Trixie, who was still in line for some reason, despite the fact that Applejack was whistling nearby.

“Like we said, the Bridge, the Librarian, or whatever you call her, was possibly your former reincarnation and may have worked here,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, gesturing a hoof around the main room. “After you or her, or whatever, died, the tree apparently shriveled up, unable to take the heartache of losing its friend.”

“That is… weird, but go on,” Twilight muttered, stopping in the middle of the library area.

“Anyway, the tree apparently swore to keep everything safe for its friend’s return, though the story doesn't exactly elaborate how a tree spoke, or was even able to perceive anything but whatever.” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “After that, it remained in the center of Ponyville for a few years until the forest swallowed the town, and no one could find the library again.”

Fluttershy sighed, hugging her fuzzy body tightly. “It's a sad story, I don't know what I would do if I found out you girls disappeared.”

“Would you petrify yourself and wait for us to come back?” Rainbow Dash remarked with a snicker.

The thestral was too caught up in her own humour to notice that Fluttershy seemed to consider it a second, though that didn't escape Twilight’s notice who recognized the expression on the bunny’s face before it faded away. “I wonder if…” Twilight muttered before clearing her throat and yelling, “I’m back!”

For a second she stood there quietly, only to shrug when nothing happened. “It was worth a shot,” Fluttershy remarked.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Nothing is that easy.”

“Still. I would kick myself if that turned out to be the solution and we simply never tried it,” Twilight exclaimed before turning to Fluttershy. “So, what did you find?”

“A door, in the basement, but not the one we used.” Fluttershy beckoned with a paw, urging the group down the hall and towards the basement door.

Twilight spared a glance with Rainbow Dash, who nodded confidently, taking point and pulling the door open just enough to peek inside. The thestral stood there a moment before pulling back and shrugging. “Well, it certainly looks like a door, though how it just appeared where there was only roots I couldn't tell ya.”

“There were several rooms in the basement in my visions, maybe the tree was hiding them somehow?” Twilight offered.

“How would a tree hide a door?” Rainbow Dash sighed and ran a hoof down her face. “On second thought, don't answer that because something tells me your just going to ask how a tree spontaneously petrifies itself in the first place.”

Twilight chuckled. “Pretty much, strange is pretty normal around here.”

“Fair.” Rainbow Dash turned to Fluttershy. “Make sure the girls stay upstairs for now. I don't think it's dangerous, but you can never be too certain about this kind of thing.”

The bunny nodded, giving the thestral a cute little salute. “You got it, Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow Dash held the firm neutral expression she had on her face for a few more seconds, until Fluttershy rounded the corner and disappeared. “That was adorable,” she declared.

Twilight just barely stifled a giggle. “Totally.”

“Now then, on to mystery door number two.” Rainbow Dash stepped into the basement, opened her wings, thought better of it, and walked down the stairs.

Followed closely by Twilight who looked down to the door, trying to remember anything she may know about what lay behind it. Only for the unicorn to frown when she realized that she knew nothing of what lay behind the door. The only inkling of information she could gather was a feeling of importance when she had looked over the various doors when she had used the teleportation array in her dream.

The door itself was directly across from the teleportation array and though the roots remained stone, they had somehow parted enough to reveal the wooden portal. It mirrored the teleportation door, save for this time it had two different crystals in the handle, one on top of the other.

Reaching the bottom, Twilight and Rainbow Dash approached the door, with the dead unicorn lighting her horn and analyzing the crystals. Though one felt identical to the crystal to the teleportation room, the second was strange, and it took only a few seconds to realize that this one was keyed for another creature’s magic entirely.

“Interesting. This crystal is green, and enables someone else to open the door, not only me.” Twilight muttered, pointing to the second crystal.

“That makes sense, any idea what's inside?” Rainbow Dash replied.

Twilight shook her head. “No idea. Though it's important, I couldn't even begin to tell you what's in it.”

“Open it and stand to the left side of the door,” Rainbow Dash commanded.

Twilight nodded. “Right.”

Pushing her magic into the crystal, Twilight unlocked the door, and with a twist of her telekinetic grip, it opened, revealing a small, dark room beyond. The door that had appeared normal at first glance was also far thicker then Twilight would have thought, and was nearly a foot thick and bristling with numerous enchantments. Whatever was inside this room was meant to be protected, though for what reason Twilight could only speculate at.

Leaning closer, Twilight peeked inside the room, only to find that it resembled a sort of panic room, with the walls, ceiling and floor all being solid stone as opposed to petrified wood, and it contained two small beds, a toilet, sink, stove, and collection of canned goods. All of which, were predictably solid stone.

Pulling back from the entrance Twilight shrugged. “Looks clear.”

“Stand back, I’ll double check,” Rainbow Dash replied before stepping past her friend and slowly creeping into the room.

Twilight watched closely as Rainbow Dash scanned the room, only to take a glance behind the door and nearly leap out of her skin. The thestral stopped mid-jump though, and quickly settled down. “You are going to want to see this,” she muttered, pointing behind the door.

Slipping quietly into the room, Twilight turned the corner, only to find herself nearly face to face with the statue of a young dragon. His body was pulled nearly into a ball as he huddled in the corner of the room, his face contorted in fear and sadness as stone tears paused midway down his cheeks. In his clawed hands was a necklace, one that instantly sparked a memory in the unicorn, making her think back to when she had accidentally walked in on Luna while she was making… something.

Anything more seemed fuzzy, and indistinct, with Twilight unable to come up with any idea what the necklace actually was or how it fit into what had happened here. Crouching down, Twilight was able to tell that the necklace itself wasn't stone like everything else in the room was, and despite the centuries that had passed, seemed untouched by time.

It had a long silver chain made from the smoothest metal Twilight had ever seen. At the end of which dangled an intricately carved full moon which glowed softly in the faint light. Upon closer inspection Twilight noticed that the level of detail was far beyond what she had first thought, as every last crater and dot on the moon was represented in perfect detail. As Twilight stared she realized that even the craters were perfectly placed, and were even to scale.

If Twilight didn't know better she would have imagined that someone had shrunk the moon down to the size of a golf ball, flattened it, and put it on a necklace. “Woah,” Rainbow Dash murmured, the thestral peering intently at the amulet. “What do you think it does?”

“I have no idea, give me a second,” Twilight muttered before lighting her horn and scanning the magic that resonated from the silver object.

Instantly Twilight’s face screwed up in confusion, baffled by the sheer scale of spellwork that was hidden just beneath the metal. The intricacy astounded her, but more than that was the way that there was simply so much inside such a tiny object. A minute later and Twilight pulled away, her horn dulling as she shook her head.

“I have no clue what's all in it, but there is a lot of spells stuffed into that little amulet,” Twilight muttered.

“It looks like an old protection amulet that I saw in a museum, but I haven't seen anything as detailed, or as well made as this,” Rainbow Dash added, gently cupping the amulet and pulling it a little closer.

“That feels right, as there was some kind of protection charm in it, but it's so layered with other spells and hidden clauses that I’m not even sure it can even be called a protection charm anymore,” Twilight replied.

“We should take it with us, maybe the archives or someone back in Ponyville might know more about it,” Rainbow Dash offered.

“Though I agree, I don't know if I have the heart to take it from him,” Twilight murmured, gesturing to the sobbing face of the utterly despondent stone drake.

“Pfftt, whatever, you weenie.” Rainbow Dash scoffed before leaning forward and lifting the amulet slightly, only to stop when her eyes gazed into the dragon’s. For a second the thestral simply stood there, staring into the statue’s unblinking gaze. “You know, it kind of does feel like robbing the dead.”

“Yeah…”

The thestral gulped and slowly lifted the amulet from the dragon’s claws, gently removing it while keeping a close eye on the statue. “Don't worry, little guy, I’ll give it back. If you ever unstatuify yourself anyway,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“Thanks, Rainbow Dash, I’m not sure why, but that kind of makes me feel better about this whole thing. Though I don't think unstatuify is a word,” Twilight muttered.

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “No problem, ya want to check it out, I assume?”

Twilight nodded and took the amulet from Rainbow Dash’s offered hoof, the mare staring down at the piece of jewelry in wonder. Though it looked heavy, it was little more than a feather in Twilight’s hoof, and the mare had to stop herself from donning it. Brushing aside the strange urge which had come out of nowhere, Twilight gave it a gentle toss and caught it out of the air, strange thoughts and memories not her own swirling through her mind.

“You alright, Twi?” Rainbow Dash asked, leaning closer, an eyebrow raised. “Looks like you are a million miles away.”

“More visions, only they aren't… complete,” Twilight remarked, giving the thestral a shrug. “I get feelings of nostalgia, safety, and guilt for some reason.”

“Weird. You wanna check out the room more or get some rest, ‘cause I’m exhausted!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, the mare yawning at the end of her sentence.

Twilight chuckled. “I’m getting hungry?” Twilight half asked, half stated. “I don't really know how to describe the feeling of needing more energy. Either way, I’ll join you for supper before coming back down to study this room more.”

“Sounds good, you should bug Rarity. I’m sure she wouldn't mind giving you a little energy, plus she has trouble sleeping, something you might be able to help with,” Rainbow Dash offered before turning and slipping out the door.

“Right…” Twilight muttered, casting the weeping drake another glance before frowning and following after her friend.

With the door shut behind them once more, Twilight tried to shake off the strange shroud of negative emotions, that hung over her mind, only for the miasma to cling tight to her every thought. “You alright there, Twi?” Rainbow Dash asked, bumping into the dead mare’s side.

“Yeah, I just can't get over that dragon. He looked so sad and it feels like I should know why, but there's only darkness,” Twilight exclaimed before sighing. “I just wish I had all the answers for once, it constantly feels like I’m ten steps behind where I should be.”

Rainbow Dash shrugged and began trotting up the stairs. “That's the Everfree for ya. You only know enough to know that you don't know.”

Twilight smirked, the mare barely suppressing a giggle. “That's pretty deep, coming from you.”

“Coming from me?” Rainbow Dash spat, spinning around at the top of the stairs and shooting Twilight a glare. “What's that supposed to be?”

Twilight rolled her eyes and brushed past the thestral. “It means I didn't think you were the type to try and remember stuff like that.”

Rainbow Dash huffed silently, trotting beside her friend as they made their way back into the main library area. “I will have you know that I have a great memory, and that was a quote from my grandfather, if you were curious.”

“Your grandfather sounds like a wise stallion, it's too bad you didn't inherit any of that.” Twilight snickered.

Earning her a punch across the shoulder, from a pissed, but grinning Rainbow Dash. “I will have you know that even a broken clock is right twice a day.”

“True.” Twilight paused, and caught the thestral around the shoulder, stopping her friend before they entered back into the main area where they could see a few of their friends gathering around. “Thanks for having my back.”

The thestral smirked, and brushed the other mare’s hoof from her shoulder. “Don't worry about it, egghead, what are friends for anyway?”

The dead mare watched her friend trot away, joining the rest of the group and sitting down next to a sleepy looking bunny. Though Twilight wanted to join them, she hesitated a moment, her gaze lingering over each one of the room’s inhabitants. Rainbow Dash’s words continued to bounce around in the mare’s mind, making her stop and truly consider their significance.

They were really her friends, not merely hanger-ons, or one of the many who pitied the dead mare in her past life. She was strange, as were they, and they cared very little for all the ways Twilight was different. They had backed her up when she had asked for it, forgiven her for being bullheaded and easily distracted, and had ultimately stuck with her through thick and thin.

The entire time they were journeying through the forest, and the tower, Twilight couldn't help but wonder if this was truly real, and if these creatures were truly her friends, now though? Now there was no doubt in the unicorn's mind, they were her friends, and friendship was definitely worth the effort which Twilight had refused to give, until now.

“Are you joining us or what?” Trixie asked, glancing over her shoulder at Twilight while she levitated several apples over to her plate.

Around the table, the rest of her friends sat, their plates stacked high, and each one looking over at the unicorn in concern. Twilight took a step forward and opened her mouth to speak, only for the world to blur for a half second, and her friends were replaced by six nearly identical creatures that shared their colors, mannerisms, and heights. Only Trixie was truly different, the show pony having been replaced by a fiery maned unicorn mare who wore a prideful smirk on her face, and had a flaming horseshoe on her flank.

Then it was gone just as quickly as it came, with Twilight left with after images of what her friends would look like if they were members of the three more average pony tribes. “Yeah I’m coming,” Twilight replied, awkwardly trotting over to the table and plunking down between Rarity and Trixie.

“Are you alright, darling? You looked a little uncertain for a second there,” Rarity whispered, her own plate far emptier than most, with only a small bar made up of squashed bugs and nuts held together by some odd looking fruit mash sitting on her plate.

“It's nothing, Rarity, I just had a weird vision,” Twilight replied, grabbing one of the special apples for herself before biting into the incredibly fresh flesh of the delicious fruit.

“Anythin’ interesting?” Applejack asked before tossing back an entire apple and chewing the whole thing at once.

Twilight shrugged. “Not really. Did you girls find anything else?”

Fluttershy sighed, dropping the bundle of grass she was nibbling on. “I’m afraid not. There doesn't seem to be a way out of this place without going back to the tower.”

“The stone is harder than it looks too.” Applejack grunted. “Damn near chipped a hoof trying to kick the door down.”

“You really should ease off on the violence, darling, you wouldn't want to break a hoof down here,” Rarity reprimanded.

The apple farmer sighed, her shoulders falling. “I know, it just sucks being this close to town, only to not be able to do anything. Like, I bet there are folk walkin’ around like thirty feet ‘a this place and they don't even know we’re here.”

“When you put it that way it is kinda weird,” Rainbow Dash remarked, before biting a chunk off a mango and chewing the squishy fruit with gusto.

“I remember walking by it once after one of my shows. The library was pretty close to the center of town too,” Trixie began, tapping her chin with a hoof. “I tried looking for it a few years ago, but it seems as though the forest didn't want me to succeed.”

“Well either way, maybe we’ll find something that will turn the tree back to normal and we won't have to walk all the way back,” Twilight declared hopefully.

“True. I am not looking forward to going back the long way,” Rainbow Dash remarked with a snort of irritation.

“I’m sure my animal friends are worried about me too…” Fluttershy whispered, her tiny forepaws pressing nervously against each other.

“I’m sure they are fine, darling, they seemed like a well-behaved bunch of critters,” Rarity assured, the arachne gently patting Fluttershy on the back and making a faint smile to spread across the bunny’s face.

“True,” muttered the animal.

“Now then, who’s first in the shower?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Because I don't mind going last.”

“First!” shouted Trixie, who raised her hoof above her head. “I have not had a good shower in…” She paused, and tapped her chin. “I don't even remember to be honest with you.”

“I suppose I could go second then,” Rarity offered.

Applejack shrugged. “I’m just fine the way I am, but Bloomberg needs a good soak. Been a while since we’ve had a chance to enjoy a nice rain.”

“Then it's settled, Twilight you can go second last,” Rainbow Dash declared.

“That's fine with me. I was gonna head back into the basement for a while anyway and see if I can't figure this whole thing out,” Twilight replied.

“Best of luck, darling, I’ll be down in a bit to help you out,” Rarity added, touching the mare’s shoulder and flashing her a kind smile.

“Thanks, Rarity,” Twilight replied, a faint blush on the dead mare’s cheeks.

“Alright, after that I suggest we get some shut eye, as something tells me this is going to be the last chance we get to really sleep peacefully without having to watch our backs until we make it back to Ponyville.” Rainbow Dash nodded to Twilight. “One way or another.”

“True, who's getting the bed though?” Applejack asked.

“Seems only fair to leave it for Twilight,” Fluttershy offered. “It is hers. Kind of.”

Twilight shrugged. “I don't need as much sleep as you girls, so whoever wants it can have it.”

“In that case I vote for Rainbow Dash to have the bed,” Rarity announced with a smile. “After all, she has done a stellar job guiding us so far.”

Trixie crossed her hooves over her chest and frowned. “Fine, but if we stay here another night, I’m getting it next time.”

“Fine by me,” Applejack exclaimed.

“Any other orders of business?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Don't think so,” Twilight replied.

“Good, because I am starving,” declared the thestral and began to bite into her mango with renewed gusto.

Twilight chuckled, and chewed on her second apple as she watched her friends eat, a small smile crossed her face. Here we are again, after all these years.

Twilight pulled away from the arachne, the dead mare’s legs twitching as energy filled her body and her eyes snapped open, a fresh surge of wakefulness coursing through her. “Thank you for that Rarity. Though I admit I still feel rather bad about using you in such a way,” Twilight exclaimed, gesturing to Rarity’s wobbly limbs.

The arachne shook her head and placed a hoof on the mare’s shoulder, partly for reassurance, partly for balance. “Don't worry about it, darling. In fact, after everything we've been through, I’m using you as a sleep aid,” the fashionista remarked with a chuckle.

“True,” Twilight murmured. “Do you need a hoof upstairs?”

The arachne shook her head. “Oh no, I’m fine. I just need a moment to get past the woozines and I’ll be out of your hair, darling.”

Twilight nodded and watched as the arachne shook her head and breathed deeply, her legs ceasing their wobbling and the arachne standing tall and firm once more. “Have a good sleep, Rarity,” Twilight offered.

Rarity nodded and gave her friend’s shoulder one last pat. “You too, darling. Don't stay up too late, you do need some sleep, you know.”

“I will, Rarity,” Twilight replied confidently.

The dead pony remained standing in the centre of the room as she watched Rarity skitter up the stairs and out the door, the arachne’s balance perfect despite the fact she had been nearly falling over only a few minutes earlier. With a sigh, Twilight turned from one door to another, this one housing something far less pleasant than the generous arachne. With slow, tentative hoosteps, Twilight walked into the room and turned to where the dragon statue remained.

Though she hesitated a moment, the mare ultimately reached out and caressed the cheek of the dragon, sighing sadly when she realized she couldn't dismiss the young drake’s tears without first unpetrifying him. “What happened to you?” whispered the mare.

The stone dragon remained as motionless as ever, his sense of terror and sadness so palpable that Twilight herself felt a little sadder just looking at him. Pulling the necklace from her mane, Twilight looked down at the moon amulet for several long seconds before gingerly lifting it over her head, only to stop and pull back again. “It doesn't feel right to put it on,” she muttered.

Though she thought of other, less emotionally based arguments against wearing it, they all felt weak when compared to the fact that it felt like she had robbed a corpse and had been about to wear its jewelry. Even though the dragon wasn't dead, as petrification could be reversed, though Twilight knew not how, the feeling of wrongness remained.

Not for the first time, and certainly not for the last time, Twilight kicked herself for having ignored the medical section of her home library in favor of continuing her endless research into ever more esoteric studies of magic.

With a sigh, the mare went back into the main room, grabbed her bedding and brought it into the smaller area, the pony laying out her gear next to the bed, before lying down and staring at the dragon for a few minutes. Though it was weird to sleep here, so close to him, Twilight also felt a strange connection to the petrified creature, and she knew that he would have taken a small modicum of joy from her presence, if he could perceive it, that is.

“Goodnight. Or is it good morning?” Twilight chuckled mirthlessly. “I still haven't quite gotten used to which is which yet.”

The dead mare sighed and lay back down, pulling her blanket up to her chin and closing her eyes. The last thoughts that flickered through the pony’s mind were vague, only half remembered memories of times she had shared with the dragon. Though fleeting in the extreme, Twilight felt a small smile cross her face when she caught a half second of the dragon’s unique, and expressive laugh.

I’ll get you out of there someday, Spike. I promise.

Twilight stifled a giggle, the mare leaning in conspiratorily. “You didn't,” she whispered.

Luna flashed the mare a wide smirk while continuing to trot down the road, her friend close by her side. “And what if I did?” she asked with a hint of mischievousness.

“I’d tell you to cut it out ‘cause you are not helping matters.” Twilight’s stern expression fell away in an instant and she looked left and right before leaning in. “Off the record, I would also say that was a perfect prank played on a pony who definitely deserved it.”

Luna smiled and wrapped her hoof and around the other mare’s shoulder. “Good, because I put another bucket over the exit to his massage parlor, a bucket he will be learning about in oh, five minutes I’d say.”

Twilight barely contained another giggle. “Blueblood is going to be so pissed after he finds out.”

The alicorn released the other mare and scoffed as they continued to trot down the main road of Ponyville. “You underestimate me, Twilight. I’m the Princess of the Night! I can go wherever I please and nopony will ever be the wiser.”

“That's if you didn't also have a habit of leaving calling cards to make sure the ponies you prank know it was you,” Twilight shot back, poking the mare in the shoulder.

Luna shrugged. “I suppose, but after the last time I don't really need a calling card, now do I?”

“I guess,” Twilight remarked with a shake of her head.

Though on the one hand, she was quite happy that Blueblood was getting some sort of commopance for his unpleasant behavior, Twilight also knew that this kind of revenge never seemed to work out like Luna wanted. Twilight remembered well just how big a scandal it had been when somepony discovered that Luna had been tricking ponies into calling Celestia ‘Tia’ and that had been a fairly harmless prank. Yet it had still managed to blow up into nearly a two month long back and forth between Luna, and her critics, who conflated the harmless prank on her sister into a grand assault on the solar princess, as well as an attempt to undermine the very authority Celestia stood for.

Though ridiculous, they appealed to the common pony’s emotions, and generally negative opinion held about Luna. Though that couldn't be said for Ponyville, which was visited so often by the lunar mare that nearly every member of the small village considered her an honorary neighbor, a title given out surprisingly sparingly despite Ponyvillians’ friendly nature.

Twilight’s musings were abruptly stopped when the mare caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror-like finish of a nearby shop’s window. The appearance she beheld within the polished glass made her stop and stare, her eyes going wide when she realized just how much she had changed.

Her legs had grown longer, more angular, something her horn had done as well, becoming nearly as long as Luna and Celestia’s horns. Though her fur and mane had darkened significantly, they seemed to have stopped after shifting only a few shades darker. Something Twilight was immensely thankful for, as the rest of her transformation had been disturbing enough and that was without her fur turning completely black. Tugging at her eyelid, Twilight leaned closer to her reflection and gazed within the slightly darker orb set in her skull.

Though her deep purple orbs had become slightly darker and then had stopped changing early on, the mare was convinced that her pupils were narrowing, though no one seemed to agree with her on that sentiment. “Twilight, are you alright?” Luna asked hesitantly.

“Uh yeah.” Twilight took a step back and shook her head, forcing herself to look away from her reflection. “Just, a little put off by everything, you know?”

Luna nodded slowly, eyeing the mare carefully. “You know you can't keep hiding this from Celestia. Eventually she's going to either find out, notice you are avoiding her, or you are going to run out of mane dye.”

Twilight sighed and pawed the earth nervously. “I know, it's just… She was my teacher for a long time, and it's my fault that I’ve changed. I should have never studied that stupid timberwolf.”

“Hey now, think about what you are saying,” cautioned Luna. “We made great strides in our research due to capturing the beast, and if it was anyone’s fault, it was my own for having not contained it properly.”

“You are right about the research part at least,” Twilight muttered. “We both underestimated just how strong it was.”

“I suppose that is true, though in our defence it's not obvious that wood could trump well-forged iron,” Luna exclaimed with a smirk.

“True…”

“Now are we gonna stand around all day or are we going to go get some food?” Luna demanded, flashing her friend a wide smile.

“I suppose we should get some food, I haven't eaten since supper last night,” Twilight remarked idly, only to notice the look of shock from Luna. “What?”

“It's almost two in the afternoon! How are you not dying right now?” Luna asked in an over dramatic fashion.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Oh it's not that long ago, besides, I’m still working off that librarian chub you pointed out a few weeks ago.”

“Though I’m tempted to congratulate you, you must realize that chub is already gone,” Luna pointed out, gesturing to the mare’s torso.

Twilight blinked, stopped and looked down at herself. “Huh, well would you look at that.” She shrugged. “I just haven't been feeling quite as hungry lately, I guess.”

“Except when it comes to more of Apple Turnover’s new preserved apples,” Luna pointed out. “You’d live on the stuff if Spike didn't make you eat something else every once in a while.”

“What? It's good and it's fresh. Apples are awesome,” Twilight muttered defensively. “There is nothing wrong with craving them occasionally. Besides, Apple Preserve does good work and we should support his efforts to make transporting fresh produce easier.”

Luna rolled her eyes as she trotted next to her friend, passing by a trio of mares as they turned a corner and proceeded towards the restaurant at the end of the street. “Though that much is true, I saw you eat an entire crate of them the other day. It's obvious you are not just helping an independent farmer. You need more than just apples in your diet, you know.”

“Fine,” Twilight admitted in defeat. “I’ll try and add other stuff to my schedule.”

“Good, ‘cause we were worried you’d get some sort of deficiency if you kept this up,” Luna shot back.

“I wouldn't worry about that,” Twilight declared, stepping forward and tugging open the door, holding it with a smile. “After you, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you, my good mare,” replied Luna as she trotted through the open door.

“My pleasure.”

Together they trotted into the restaurant, a restaurant which was at about half capacity currently and was mostly filled by earth ponies and pegasi, with the odd unicorn intermingled here and there. Though most tribes of ponies seemed to associate only with members of the same tribe, there were a few exceptions. Namely a very distinct table off to the side which seated two earth ponies, two pegasi, and a unicorn who were all laughing at a joke no one but them heard.

Twilight instantly recognized the familiar forms of each one of her friends, and was surprised to note that she was the last one to arrive, for once. Gale Force was always early, no matter what, and it seemed like today was no different, as the teal-furred pegasus mare was sitting on the far side of the table. Her usual black eyepatch remained fixed over her left eye as usual, the mare grinning widely, uncaring about just how many holes she had in her smile. Her mane had been cut exceptionally short recently, the two toned sky blue and darker royal blue hair so short that it made her look a bit like a stallion.

Apple Turnover on the other hand had an exceptionally long red and orange mane which was currently pulled back into her trademark twin pigtails, both were nearly hidden behind her wide brimmed straw hat. The earth pony was smirking as she sipped on what looked like hot apple cider, her copper fur as lusterous as ever despite the long hours and physically demanding work.

Twilight made a note of getting the secret for perfect fur from the earth pony the next time they were alone.

The lone unicorn at the table was leaning forward conspiratorily, her sharp blue eyes glinting with mischievous intent as she unloaded some form of gossip. Though her grey fur was, as usual, dusted with bits of coal, the unicorn was otherwise the picture of beauty and poise. Her short white and silver mane was styled immaculately, naturally drawing the viewer's eye to the mare’s own striking orbs. Her right hoof gripped her coffee cup, while the other held tight the other mare’s who sat to her immediate right.

A mare named Shutter Bug, who held a hoof over her mouth as she barely contained a giggle, no doubt already knowing where her partner’s story was about to end up at. Her pink fur shone in the dim light of the restaurant, and though she had a bit of soot and coal dust on the left side of her coat, she didn't seem to mind. As she was too engrossed with the story to care it seemed, and her deep green eyes glinted with joy from beneath the canopy of yellow hair that was as usual, pulled to one side and hung down the other side of her neck.

More engrossed than even the storyteller’s significant other was a mare by the name of Taffy Pull, who was leaning heavily on the table, making the entire thing tip slightly in her direction. The heavy set, white coated earth pony apparently not giving any attention at all to the ramifications of her actions. Her royal blue mane was pulled back into the usual massive bun that rested on the back of her head, keeping her mane out of the way and enabling all to see her merigold-colored eyes shine with barely contained excitement.

When the group erupted with laughter once more, Twilight couldn't help but grin and chuckle along with them, though she hadn't actually caught the punch line, their enthusiasm alone enough to make the mare laugh aloud.

“You coming?” Luna whispered, gesturing towards the table and smiling.

Twilight nodded. “Right behind you.”

Together the duo trotted up to the table, only for Taffy Pull’s lone, left ear to wiggle and the pony to spin around, a massive smile on her face. “You are here!”

“We are!” Luna replied with a smirk.

“I told you they were coming, Gale,” Taffy Pull announced, glaring at the aforementioned pegasus.

The former guard merely shrugged. “I never said they weren't gonna show up, only that there was a chance they were gonna spend all day snogging.”

“Snogging? What's that?” the youngest member of the group asked, pushing her hat further up on her head and looking around with a confused expression.

Shutter Bug sighed and leaned over, intent on whispering it in the young pony’s ear, only for Taffy Pull to beat her to the punch. “It means they were bumping nasties, doing the ol’ vertical mambo, ya dig?”

The other earth pony’s jaw hung open. “Oh,” she whispered, her copper cheeks becoming redder by the second.

“Oh, do behave, dear. We are out in public, after all,” Sterling Silver reprimanded.

“What? I didn't swear this time,” Taffy muttered, with a shrug.

“There is so much wrong with what you just said,” Twilight growled, rubbing her temples with her forehooves. “The most prominent of which is that our relationship is not like that.”

“Yet,” Luna added and shared a hoof bump with a snickering Gale Force.

“Augh, you are not helping!” Twilight groaned, the mare’s cheeks burning bright under the teasing of her friends. “Seriously, even my own mother assumed we were doing that, the other day.”

Luna snickered. “Was she annoyed I didn't ask for your hoof yet?”

Twilight’s face went from a two shades redder, to six in the blink of an eye, and the mare stammered uselessly for several seconds only to stop and glare at the alicorn. “I hate you.”

“Maybe we should leave poor Twi alone, at least for a few minutes?” Shutter Bug pressed, smiling weakly.

“Yeah you two better take a seat before they call the guard to remove you for loitering,” grunted Gale.

“Did you girls order yet?” Twilight asked as she pulled up a chair and sat next to Taffy Pull, with Luna taking a seat to the unicorn’s right.

Everyone nodded. “I wasn't sure what ya wanted so I ordered you some tea and brought these along,” Apple Turnover remarked, reaching under the table and pulling out a small bag of familiar looking apples.

Apples which instantly made Twilight’s mouth water and her horn to light, the unicorn pulling them over to her, only to be stopped by a teal hoof. “Now you wouldn't be thinking of eating before the rest of us, now would ya?” Gale Force asked.

“Oh just let her eat them, the poor dear looks like she's famished,” Sterling remarked, smacking the old guard’s hoof away and allowing Twilight to retrieve her prize.

“Don't worry, I won't eat them yet,” vowed Twilight.

“Good, ‘cause last time you dove in, I got hit with the viscera.” Luna snorted. “Did you girls order anything for me?”

“The usual,” Gale Force replied.

“Excellent,” Luna declared.

Twilight smiled faintly. “So, how are you girls doing today?”

“Oh oh, I’m doing fantastic!” Taffy Pull declared with a wide grin. “Why, just the other day the Pie twins were running around the bakery and-”

With conversation flowing smoothly, the mares fell into the usual routine of each speaking about the interesting day they had as well as anything else that was new in their lives. By the time each pony had a chance to speak, their food had arrived and just about everypony dug into their meals with gusto. While they ate, conversation was minimal, with everyone too hungry to really offer much in the way discussion.

Once everything was consumed, and most were satisfied, a few ponies ordered dessert, while the others enjoyed a full stomach and pleasant conversation. Which had turned from their lives, the weather, and the happenings of Ponyville, to the new shop being built in town. Once that trail of conversation and opinion sharing had been consumed entirely, and dessert had been eaten, an unfortunate topic came up.

“But I thought Celestia said the forest was bad news,” muttered Apple Turnover, who cocked her head at Sterling. “How is all those nasty trees supposed to help anybody?”

Sterling Silver winced, and released Shutter Bug’s hoof. “I just said that the forest is better for mining, wherever it grows there are more crystals in the mines. That's all I said.”

“But those same trees choke out the apples, how is that a good thing?” Apple Turnover demanded, her gaze narrowing as she leaned forward.

Sterling held up her hooves defensively. “I’m not saying the whole forest is good, just that it's good for me is all, I don't have to dig as deep, or as often, less chance of cave-ins too.”

“Plus there are so many new species migrating close to Ponyville,” Shutter Bug declared, her wings twitching excitedly on her back. “It's a wonderful opportunity to photograph different species.”

“Except when the forest up and eats all the grassland. Why, there are hardly any gophers round these days!” Apple Turnover declared. “Help me out here, Taffy, your family are farmers right?”

The larger mare’s shoulders sagged somewhat and she nervously scratched her foreleg. “Y-yeah, they aren't doing so good. They might have to move since the forest is getting so close. The wheat doesn't want to grow anymore.” She sighed. “But Pa is so stubborn I’m not sure they will.”

“I’m sure it's not all bad,” Luna began, leaning in and smiling. “Has your family considered moving to raising animals perhaps? I know goats don't mind rocky ground and they eat just about anything.”

Taffy Pull sighed and shrunk even lower still. “N-no. Ma says goats are the herald of disharmony, ever since Granny Pie had a nightmare about a terrible demon and all she could remember was that it had the horn of a goat.”

“Superstitious nonsense,” Luna remarked, the alicorn rolling her eyes.

“Now Luna, I don't think that's very nice to say. Taffy’s family may be different, but their beliefs are not nonsense,” Twilight counseled.

“Yeah! Shouldn't you know the power of dreams better than anyone?” Apple Turnover accused, jabbing a hoof at the alicorn.

“What is that supposed to mean? Do you doubt my knowledge of the dreamworld, mortal?” Luna accused, glaring right back.

“I’m sayin-” Apple Turnover began, only for the eye patch wearing pegasus to stand suddenly and grab everyone’s attention.

“Maybe we should call the afternoon here,” Gale Force announced before turning and leveling a glare at Apple Turnover. “Before one of us says something stupid to the princess.”

“Y-yeah, I think I gotta go back home for a bit anyway…” Taffy Pull murmured, stood up and turned around to walk away. “Later, girls.”

Twilight opened her mouth to speak, only to sigh. “Yeah, we better go too.”

“Yes, I do believe we had plans to visit my parents soon, right, my dear?” Sterling Silver asked, turning to Shutter Bug, who nodded.

“R-right. That's tonight,” she murmured.

The remaining ponies quietly excused themselves, with Twilight and Luna walking out of the restaurant and turning towards the edge of town and towards the park, the alicorn leading the way. “What a load of nonsense,” muttered Luna. “I’m the Mistress of Dreams, I know more about them than anyone alive today.”

Twilight sighed. “I think everyone is just a little tired of all the division recently. Plus Apple Turnover’s aunt and uncle’s farm has been hit the hardest and they've lost a lot of land.”

“And whose fault is that anyway?” spat Luna. “If Celestia and her solar guard were out there helping us research how it works, we’d know how to live with it.”

“Not everyone wants to live with the forest, Luna,” Twilight placated.

“I know…” Luna frowned. “I just wish my sister wouldn't fill our ponies’ heads with ridiculous ideas like they are going to hold back the Everfree.”

“You haven't exactly helped in that regard, Luna,” Twilight pointed out as the pair trotted past the entrance to the small park.

“What do you mean?” Luna replied.

“I mean it takes two to tango, and you releasing your own statements to the press creates as much confusion and division as Celestia’s constant assurances that the crown is working to halt the forest in its tracks,” Twilight explained.

“It is not my fault she continues this mad quest of destruction,” countered Luna. “She refuses to see my side, or even look at the data we’ve gathered. Imagine how far we could come if Celestia’s solar guard stopped wasting time throwing spells into the woods and actually tried to figure it out.”

Twilight shook her head. “But Celestia doesn't see it as a waste, and she is actually researching the forest too, only her focus is merely in resisting its influence and keeping it at bay.”

“‘Tis a wasted effort though!” Luna declared. “You have seen first hand the power the forest holds, its will can not be so easily resisted.”

“And you haven't seen how Celestia actually managed to push back the forest for a bit,” objected Twilight. “You are both too set in your own ways, why can't you both see this?”

Luna sighed and hung her head in defeat, the mare coming to a stop at the midway point of a small bridge overlooking a burbling brook. “Maybe I have been a little bullheaded.”

“And so has Celestia,” Twilight added, coming to a stop next to her friend and resting a hoof on her shoulder. “No matter who's right and who’s wrong, you both need to meet in the middle and talk this out, sooner rather than later.”

“Surely it's not that much of an issue that it requires such immediate attention,” retorted Luna. “It is merely a… sisterly spat. We will talk it out soon enough, I’m sure.”

“Your sisterly spat makes everyone nervous,” Twilight scolded. “Already there are ponies out there declaring allegiance to you or Celestia, as if a civil war is about to start tomorrow.”

“Now that seems a bit much. I love my sister dearly and there is no divide too large that we cannot cross together,” Luna countered.

“That's not how everyone sees it though,” Twilight continued, the mare leaning on the edge of the bridge. “I overheard Moon Willow talking about how her store was vandalized after she mentioned her support of you over your sister.”

“Well that's-” Luna began, only to be cut off by Twilight.

“I’m not done,” Twilight chastised. “I’ve also seen ponies start to get nervous and begin to stock canned goods. Sure it's not crazy yet, but you have to realize that when the royal family sneezes, the common pony catches a cold. Your actions have wider consequences, even if they are admittedly stupid consequences that only dumb ponies believe.”

“You are right, Twilight, as usual,” Luna declared with a small smirk. “When did you become so wise? Surely it wasn't my sister, and I doubt it was me.”

The unicorn rolled her eyes. “I learned that one from my piano teacher actually. She always seemed to have a quote stored in her back pocket, ready to be used whenever the time came.”

“Ahh Miss Ivory. I think I remember her. She is that tall, white-maned mare that lives on the east side of town, right?” Luna mused.

Twilight nodded, the mare using her magic to swirl the water flowing beneath her. “So, are you going to tell me why you are here or are we going to keep beating around the bush?”

“Can't I hang out with a good friend of mine for no reason?” Luna replied, leaning on the ledge of the bridge and grasping at her heart in a dramatic fashion. “Truly you wound me, Twilight.”

Twilight sighed. “We both know you have something planned, what is it?”

The lunar princess fell back to her hooves and frowned. “I was hoping things would turn out a little better with your friends so that we may have an excuse to wander the park alone and speak on lighter topics. It seems as though that possibility has been ruined however.”

“Quite,” Twilight deadpanned.

Luna winced and reached back into her mane and produced a small silver necklace, at the end of which hung a strange circular amulet that radiated power. “After walking with you in the gardens, I was hoping to find a more romantic opportunity to give this to you, but I suppose this awkward moment will have to suffice.”

Twilight lifted an eyebrow at the gift and leaned closer. “What is it exactly?”

The lunar princess presented the amulet to Twilight in her magic, allowing the unicorn to see the jewelry in all its beauty. The silver chain from which a small moon hung was made of the finest metal Twilight had ever seen, and looked surprisingly smooth. At the end of said chain hung the small silver moon which appeared to be a perfect replica of the real thing, albeit in miniature. Twilight watched closely as the amulet spun slowly on the chain, revealing the back side, and the darker, hidden half of the moon.

“It's a protection amulet,” Luna declared. “It comes apart like this in case you want to spread its protective charms across two people.”

Luna twisted the side of the moon, allowing the darker half of the moon to fall off and rest in her hoof. Yet where Twilight assumed there would be exposed gears, or some kind of mechanism there was nothing, only a tiny, hidden switch on the side of the silver moon that enabled the two halves to hook together with ease.

“When it is apart, it acts like a simple protection charm, keeping you safe from minor dangers, and ensuring that whoever is wearing it has no need to fear my night,” Luna explained before pressing the two halves back together and clicking them in place. “Then once it is whole once more all you must do is focus on it and ask for aid, and the nightmare will come to you. She will protect you, and keep you safe from all but the most thorough assassin.”

“W-why would you make something like this?” Twilight asked hesitantly. “Surely being separated from her would be… unpleasant.”

“It is not a feeling I relish, I admit,” Luna replied, before smiling faintly. “But it would be well worth it to know that you are safe, and that a part of me is with you, always.”

“I don't know what to say,” Twilight whispered.

“Well usually one would thank the pony giving such a wonderful gift,” Luna teased, extending her hoof and offering the amulet to Twilight.

“I don't know if I can accept something like this,” Twilight muttered. “It's obviously a very expensive gift.”

“It cost me a mere twenty bits to make,” Luna replied flippantly. “Take me out to dinner sometime and we can call it even.”

“Are you sure?” Twilight asked hesitantly.

Luna nodded confidently. “Absolutely.”

The unicorn’s frown slowly vanished and she reached out and took the amulet into her hoof, feeling its weight. “It's so light.”

“If you wish to learn how to make something like this yourself, I could be convinced to teach you sometime,” Luna replied coquettishly, smirking at the unicorn.

“That would be nice…” Twilight murmured, a blush coming to her cheeks. “Is there any way to find the other half if I were to lose it somehow?”

Luna nodded and tapped the silver half of the moon. “Simply focus your mind while wearing or holding one half and think of the other side, after that it should be able to impart a rudimentary sense of direction that will lead you to the other half.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Twilight whispered, a hoof over her heart.

Luna giggled. “I know how scatterbrained you can get.”

The unicorn slapped her friend across the shoulder, though her own giggle dismissed any notion that she was genuinely angry with the other mare. “You are the worst.”

“At being the worst!” Luna declared. “Go on, try it on.”

Twilight nodded and gently lifted the amulet up and over her neck, the thin silver chain smooth and cool against her flesh. For a moment it seemed like nothing had changed, only for the protective aura to settle over her body, and for Twilight to instantly notice that she felt… invincible for lack of a better word. She could see into even the darkest shadows, and not only did her vision improve but so did her hearing.

“This is amazing,” Twilight whispered, extending a hoof and noticing a brief shimmer that covered the limb, making the unicorn’s eyes widen. “Did you finally master the reactive shield armor?”

Luna shook her head. “It's not quite perfect, but it should deflect most bladed weapons and some spells. Just don't try and catch a falling boulder or something because it won't help much against that.”

“That's amazing, Luna.” Beamed Twilight. “But why would you give me something like this? Don't get me wrong, it's truly a masterpiece, but why me?”

Luna smiled faintly and took a tentative step closer to the unicorn. “It's simple, Twilight,” she whispered, a hoof slowly running across the other mare’s cheek. “You mean a lot to me, and though I doubt we will ever have to worry about some sort of conflict, I want you to feel safe, no matter what happens.”

“Oh Luna,” Twilight whispered back, the unicorn caressing the other mare’s foreleg gently. “I don't know what to say.”

“You don't have to say anything,” Luna declared, leaning forward.

Twilight jerked backward suddenly, waking from her dream a second before her lips touched Luna’s. The dead mare had to blink several times and look around the room before her brain finally seemed to realize that the alicorn was no longer around. Though the curious part of her wanted to know if she actually did kiss Luna, or if the bit of hesitation and doubt in her dream counterpart had bloomed and stopped things a second before they kissed, Twilight was glad she didn't know.

It was bad enough that she already felt strangely about a mare whom she had never actually met, and may very well be dead but it felt like that kiss would have sealed things for the unicorn. “Come on, Twilight, get ahold of yourself, you’ve never met Luna,” muttered the unicorn. “But she smelled so nice, and she is so kind, and gentle.”

The unicorn blinked, only now realizing what she was saying. “Augh,” groaned the mare and threw back her sheets. “Stupid past me, stop thinking about Luna’s sweet, supple lips.”

“Augh!” she yelled, grinding her hooves into her eyes as she continued to grumble.

Sighing, and falling back into her makeshift bed, Twilight stared up at the ceiling in utter defeat. Her mind churned with ideas on how best to insulate herself from the feelings that weren’t hers, but without any real knowledge of how she was even getting these visions in the first place all she could come up with was never sleeping again. Something that was as stupid as it was impractical.

“Maybe if I nail my eyelids to my forehead I won't have to sleep anymore,” muttered the mare.

With one last sigh of defeat, Twilight put all thoughts of sexy alicorns from her mind, and reached over to her bags and grabbed the amulet. Turning it over in her hooves, Twilight nearly facehoofed when she realized she hadn't noticed how flat the back part was the first time she had looked at it. Now that she knew how the two sides attached, the amulet no longer felt… right, like it was missing something.

“I wonder if it still works,” Twilight whispered, sitting in her bed and gently levitating the amulet over her head and onto her neck.

For a second, nothing happened, then all at once, there were no shadows, and the room was lit up like there was a roaring bonfire at the centre of it. “Wow.” Twilight gasped.

Extending a hoof revealed that although she didn't feel quite as invincible as she did when she had worn the complete amulet, the fact that her already quite good night vision was improved significantly, was amazing all by itself. Her hooves, and the rest of her body also felt more… solid, for lack of a better word, like it would take more to injure her.

Wearing the amulet also made her feel oddly warm, and she couldn't help but blush slightly as her mind wandered back to thoughts of Luna. In a way it felt like she was no longer alone, like the dark alicorn was standing beside her, ready and willing to offer a hoof in any way Twilight needed. Shaking her head dismissed this feeling for the most part, but the warmth she had felt still remained, making Twilight smile despite the weirdness of the situation.

“Focus, Twilight, maybe the other half will lead you to more answers,” Twilight reminded herself.

The unicorn gripped the amulet tightly in her hoof, and followed Luna’s instructions, thinking about the other half, and putting a shred of her magic into the amulet. Though at first it seemed like it wasn't going to work, after Twilight relaxed, and allowed her thoughts to flow more normally, she got the feeling that the other half was behind her. Focusing even more revealed only a vague feeling of distance that Twilight assumed meant the other half was back in the tower.

Releasing her grip on the amulet Twilight smiled faintly, hope blooming in her chest. “This is it, this is the key. I’m sure of it,” she declared, only to stop and plant a hoof into her forehead. “I have got to stop talking to myself.”

A thought suddenly occurred to the mare, and she couldn't help but think back to the distant memories that contained her first visions. She focused on the images of her friends, of what they looked like, and what their cutie marks were.

Gale Force’s cutie mark was the easiest, as it was simply a gust of wind underneath a gold and silver shield. Apple Turnover’s was one of the strangest, as it was of an upside down apple, something Twilight didn't know the significance of. Sterling Silver’s was easy, as it was a bar of gleaming silver, while Shutter Bug’s was of a picture of a large dragonfly inside a frame of some kind. Taffy Pull’s was about as what you would expect, being of a stretched piece of orange taffy, pulled tight between two invisible hooves.

Their appearance came to mind easily, and yet Twilight remembered that they hadn't looked that way in her earliest visions.

Or had they?

Twilight groaned and flopped back onto the ground. “I swear to the stars. If this is going to be yet another mystery I’m going to tear my mane out. I better just be going crazy.”

Author's Note

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Vows

Twilight groaned as she slowly trotted up the stairs, her hooves heavy as she stumbled her way out of the basement and into the library proper. Memories of her most recent ‘dream’ flashed before her eyes and she silently began to wonder if this was going to be the end of the weird romantics, as she wasn't sure how much more she could take. She hadn't been able to bring herself to think of such a subject now that she herself was effectively dead, but to imagine such a thing while both her, and her target of wonder were both dead was just too weird. Even for her.

Giving her head a quick shake, the mare climbed the last few steps and turned towards the main area, her ears already picking up the sound of conversation. Though Twilight’s paranoia-filled mind began to conjure thoughts of her friends devising a way to abandon her. Upon getting closer the dead mare quickly realized that they were only being quiet because they assumed she was still asleep.

“When do ya think the others are going to be up?” Rainbow Dash whispered, leaning closer to Applejack who sat across from her.

The farm pony shrugged, and pulled the stem from an apple. “I dunno. Why don't you go wake ‘em up?”

“Rarity and Trixie were up late talking about weaving, and I don't wanna mess with Twilight, that basement gives me the creeps,” Rainbow Dash replied, the thestral shivering at the thought.

Twilight chose that moment to walk into the room, the mare clearing her throat as she did. “Hey girls,” she greeted. “How was your sleep?”

“Surprisingly good,” Applejack replied without looking up. “Feels kinda homey in here, though maybe that's just Bloomberg feeling at home.”

“Your tree feels at home being inside a tree?” Rainbow Dash deadpanned. “That's weird.”

“Well it's not like that, I just…” Applejack snorted. “You wouldn't understand.”

Twilight settled between the two ponies at the table, her joints popping loudly when she did. “You’d think being dead would mean I’d escape my joint problems.”

Rainbow Dash snickered. “You should have been more active when you were alive, maybe then you wouldn't have such issues.”

Twilight mumbled, the unicorn grabbing one of the special apples set aside for her and pulling the stem off it. “It's a little hard to go for a run when you may accidentally cause a fear-induced stampede just by taking a jog.”

Applejack frowned. “City folk really are that weak?”

“I don't actually know for certain, but I do know they don't have to deal with as much danger as you forest people do,” Twilight answered before biting into the apple.

“We take offence to that, you know,” Rainbow Dash shot back, jabbing a hoof at the unicorn.

“Oh, cut it out,” Applejack replied, smacking the thestral’s hoof out of the air. “You know very well no one cares about that sorta thing, not even my family.”

Rainbow Dash retracted her hoof and shrugged while shooting Twilight a smirk. “Ahh, Twilight knows I’m just busting her chops.”

The unicorn swallowed and shot her friend an odd look. “I wasn't aware ponies had chops. Tell me, Rainbow Dash, where are these chops located on a pony?”

“I err…” The thestral opened her mouth to speak, only to notice that Twilight was holding back a smile. “Haha. Good one.”

Both unicorn and earth pony snickered at the comment, the two mares eating their respective apples in peace while Rainbow Dash looked on with a bored expression on her face. That was until they heard the sound of wood shifting, followed by a pony groaning and looked up to see a tired Trixie trudging down the stairs.

“Careful, there ain't a railing on there,” Applejack called out. “You don't want to follow Rainbow Dash off the side of the stairs.”

“I did not fall,” Rainbow Dash hissed. “I meant to glide to ground level.”

“Sure ya were, sugar,” Applejack remarked with a tired shrug.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie is fine,” Trixie replied dismissively, though her continued stumbling did little to make her companions any more confident in her assertion. “I merely had a good sleep for once, and it seems as though my body isn't waking up in a timely fashion.”

Rarity followed close behind the unicorn, her hooves applying makeup while a small mirror floated in front of her. Her lips were already clad with a light sheen of lipstick while her eyelashes were styled to perfection, leaving only a slight touch of blush that needed to be used. “I did tell you my hammocks were to die for, darling,” Rarity remarked while applying her makeup.

“You weren’t joking,” Trixie muttered as she landed on the bottom of the stairs and turned towards the table, the unicorn only now getting her bearings and walking straight. “I shouldn't have been so generous when we were trading information, sleeping on one of those every night would make this entire excursion easier to deal with.”

Rarity blushed slightly as she finished up her makeup and followed the unicorn over to the table in the centre of the room. “I wouldn't mind making you one every night, provided I have the strength after a long day.”

“R-really?” Trixie stammered, stopping beside the table. “I will have to speak to mother when we return, perhaps she will be able to offer some extra pointers.”

“If you two are done flirting, we got a long day ahead of us and I for one can't wait to leave this place altogether.” Rainbow Dash deadpanned, the thestral’s forehooves crossed over her chest.

“T-Trixie was not doing anything of the sort,” Trixie declared.

Rarity remained quiet as she settled into Twilight’s left, the arachne folding her legs neatly under her, a slight blush on her face. “Speak for yourself, darling,” whispered the spider pony.

Twilight smirked, aware of the fact that none save her had heard the other being’s words. “Where's Fluttershy?” she asked suddenly, only now realizing that the bunny was nowhere to be seen.

Rainbow Dash snickered and used a wing to open one of the bags that were strewn across the messy table. “She's close by,” remarked the thestral cryptically.

Lifting an eyebrow, Twilight peered within the bag, her enhanced eyes easily picking up the shape of a slumbering bunny inside. The small forest animal had a carrot sticking out of its mouth and was snoozing soundly despite the fact it was currently slumbering on a small mound of apples. A chorus of daws echoed around the table, a chorus that even Trixie joined in after she leaned over and took a look.

The bunny twitched, its whiskers flicking this way and that before its eyes opened, revealing the familiar teal the group easily recognized. “There she is,” Applejack exclaimed, a grin already on her face.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” whispered the bunny as she crawled out of the bag, bringing the carrot she had been chewing on with her. “Were you girls all ready to go?”

“Nah, we were just having breakfast and thought we’d wake you,” Rainbow Dash replied while patting a small pillow she had placed on the table next to her.

The bunny nodded meekly and crawled over to the pillow before sitting down and chewing on her carrot. “Thanks, Rainbow Dash,” said Fluttershy.

While the rest of her friends all began to dig into their food, Twilight merely sat there, the unicorn knowing that her energy reserves were good enough that she no longer required sustenance. Though there was a part of her that wanted to appear normal, and to eat like her friends, she knew it would be a wasted effort, and that their food was limited. With little else to do, she stared off into space, slipping in and out of the scattered bits of conversation that popped up here and there.

Most seemed to have had a good, and restful sleep, while everyone definitely enjoyed the running water and fully functional bathroom. Something no one had expected to experience for another week at the bare minimum. Eventually, when breakfast was eaten, and the half-hearted conversation began to die down, Twilight sighed, the unicorn knowing that what she was going to say next was going to be divisive.

Yet she knew it must be done, and with a window in their conversation now open, she cleared her throat and leaned forward. “So, what's the plan now? Because I was kinda, sorta hoping that we could go a little deeper.”

Her friends looked at her in mixed levels of shock and confusion, all save for Rainbow Dash anyway. “Nuh uh, no way,” Rainbow Dash declared instantly. “We found the library, and had our adventure, now it's time to go home and let the experts deal with this.”

“Yeah, I gotta say this is pretty crazy already,” Applejack added with a shrug. “S’ides, we already found the tree of knowledge, what's left to find?”

“There is more,” Twilight assured them. “I… I had another dream.”

Rainbow Dash frowned, and crossed her hooves over her chest, but couldn't stop herself from leaning forward slightly, her curiosity getting the better of her. “So what is it this time?” she asked, trying to sound uninterested. “More dreams of our princess flirting with you?”

“Shh, darling, let's hear her out,” Rarity interjected.

Trixie nodded. “I am most intrigued to hear what you saw.”

Applejack nodded, while Fluttershy did nothing, though Twilight could tell she was interested as her eyes seemed barely able to contain her excitement. “Fine, you may as well tell everyone,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

Twilight nodded and leaned forward. “Right, so it all started like a normal day, but Luna was there and we were meeting your former incarnations in Ponyville, but-”

“And then I think we kissed,” Twilight muttered, her face bright red despite the fact that she no longer had blood flowing through her veins.

“Well then, ain't that something,” Applejack murmured.

“That certainly is a tall tale, but it sounds feasible,” Trixie remarked, the unicorn tapping her chin, deep in thought. “I do remember the restaurant you mentioned, they had terrible coffee.”

“You think you did, or you did?” Rarity pressed, the arachne’s eyes wide as her hoof gripped Twilight’s shoulder. “You must tell me, darling.”

The dead mare blushed brighter somehow. “I d-don't know actually, I woke up right before it happened.”

Rarity practically swooned. “That is so romantic.”

“I don't know about romantic, seems like a buzz kill to me,” Applejack remarked with a shrug.

“Philistine,” Rarity hissed.

“Anyway,” Rainbow Dash interrupted. “What is really important is this amulet, are you sure it does as you say it does?”

Twilight nodded, grabbing it in her magic and lifting it over her head. “Absolutely, see for yourself,” she announced, offering the jewelry to her friend.

Rainbow Dash blinked, and tentatively took the amulet in her hooves, as if the metal object was actually made of glass, and any arrant twitch might destroy it. “Are you sure?” she whispered, her gaze drawn to the object.

Twilight nodded. “Just do as I said and it should activate.”

“But don't you need to have magic?” Applejack asked, while scratching her head. “Seems to me like you need to be a unicorn in order to ‘summon the magic’ like you said.”

Trixie laughed and shook her head. “Oh, what are they teaching you these days? Everypony has magic. Even creatures that aren't strictly ponies anymore have magic. Even mother has her own kind of magic.”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “The night guard teaches that all creatures that have even the faintest amount of pony blood have magic, the only variable is just how much you have at your disposal.”

Twilight nodded along with her friend. “Any creature whose ancestry includes some amount of creatures who are imbued with magic will retain this gift.”

“Huh, guess Granny must have skipped that lesson,” Applejack remarked with a shrug.

“Wait, you were homeschooled?” Twilight asked, giddily. “Me too!”

Rainbow Dash gulped, and chose that moment to put the necklace over her shoulders, ignoring her friends. Closing her eyes, the mare focused on her magic, and did as she had been told. When her eyes opened, blue light could briefly be seen leaking from either side of the thestral’s violet orbs before quickly vanishing. “Whoah.”

“Pretty cool, huh?” Twilight asked.

“What do you see?” Trixie asked, prodding Rainbow Dash on the shoulder.

“My night vision is even better,” muttered the guard. “It's like I can see everything.”

“Now try and focus on the other half,” Twilight prompted.

Nodding, Rainbow Dash did just that, the mare focusing intently, while the room fell quiet. After several seconds of tense silence, the guard pony frowned, and pulled the necklace from her neck. “It's there. Probably a little below where we were judging from our current position,” Rainbow Dash remarked. “Though I could be wrong, as we are pretty far away.”

“That's the same feeling I got,” agreed Twilight, who took the necklace back and put it over her neck.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie is in, as they say,” declared the showmare confidently. “I have no doubt that finding this other half will help mother achieve her goal.”

“You can't be serious!” Rainbow Dash remarked with a groan. “It's near the bottom of the tower! The nightmare is down there!”

“Yes, well if what Twilight says is true, then we shouldn't have much to fear in that regard,” Rarity muttered.

“Not you too!” Rainbow Dash whined, the mare’s chin falling to the table.

Rarity winced slightly, throwing up her forelegs defensively. “I didn't agree yet, I’m just saying that the nightmare may not even be in our way anymore.”

“But there are still a whole bunch of scary traps and golems down there,” Fluttershy added, the bunny clutching her sides and shivering.

“I have no doubt there is, but I believe that between Rainbow Dash’s expertise, and my knowledge of the tower, we can do it,” Twilight declared with as much confidence as she could muster.

Rainbow Dash frowned and ran a hoof down her face. “Look, that's not the point. We already found this place, why go any further? It's the freaking lost library of knowledge for crying out loud! We should run back to town and try and figure out how to get it back, not risk it all by going deeper.”

“Have I mentioned that it's dangerous down there?” Fluttershy whispered, raising a tiny paw. “Because it is very, very dangerous.”

“We know, Fluttershy,” Twilight placated. “Think about it though. We could be on the threshold of the greatest discovery in a millennium.”

“Or one of the worst tragedies in recent memory,” Rarity remarked, only to hold her hooves up defensively once more when Twilight shot her a glare. “Sorry darling, but you must admit that is a possibility.”

The unicorn frowned, and crossed her hooves over her chest. “We are all the way down here already, why not go a few floors deeper, would you girls really want to have to do it all over again?”

“I’ve been having nightmares about leaving this place, nevermind coming back,” Fluttershy whispered, the bunny nervously clinging to the last of the carrot.

“I’m in,” Applejack declared suddenly, the earth pony clanging her hoof against the table. “Let's do this.”

“You can't be serious,” groaned Rainbow Dash.

“I am,” Applejack replied sternly.

Fluttershy sighed. “If Applejack is going, then so am I. You might need my help.”

“What?” Rainbow Dash muttered, mouth agape. “This is ridiculous! Noone has come back from the last floor, nobody. Not even Daring Do was able to best the traps and guardians down there! What possible reason could you have to think we could do better than her?”

“I don't have a reason,” Applejack announced. “It's just a feeling, like we’re meant to be here. That this all was meant to happen. I can feel it in my bones.”

Rainbow Dash let her face fall to the table, where it clunked audibly. “You have got to be kidding me. Please would someone tell Applejack that it is not her destiny to wind up dead after getting offed by some trap in the undertower? I’m pretty sure her cutie mark is of an apple and not her own corpse.”

“Wait just a second, darling,” Rarity interjected. “I feel it too, like my star is burning brighter.” The arachne rose suddenly, her eyes sparkling. “Something important is going to happen.”

“Your death is a pretty important part of your life considering it's the end of it,” murmured the guard glumly.

Rarity shook her head. “My mother always told me that we all had a star, and that in times of great importance we will be able to feel that connection to the eternal sky. This is one of those times, Rainbow Dash, can't you feel it?”

“You know as well as I that's a load of hogwash.” Rainbow Dash deadpanned, the guard peeling her face off the table. “That's just an old mare’s tale from before the coming of the moon.”

“So, what are you going to do then, hmm?” Trixie asked. “Just go back by yourself while we forge ahead?”

Before Rainbow Dash had a chance to answer, Twilight frowned and clopped a hoof against the table. “No, we can't do this without Rainbow Dash, either we all continue on, or all go back.”

The collective look of everyone at the table turned to Rainbow Dash, who quailed beneath the sudden attention. For a moment she seemed ready with some fiery rebuttal, her jaw tense and her hoof already jabbing towards Twilight, only for her features to soften suddenly. “What is your plan then? Follow the amulet and pray it's not in a wall or on a golem?” asked the guard.

Twilight nodded. “I studied the amulet last morning when I woke up and I can say for certain that the other half hasn't moved.”

“So we just need to follow it and find a way to control the nightmare somehow,” Applejack concluded with a nod. “Sounds like a good plan to me.”

“Provided the nightmare even can be controlled,” added Fluttershy.

“Which isn't something we know for certain,” Rarity muttered.

“I…” Rainbow Dash grumbled to herself. “I feel like this plan will work, though I don't know how.”

“So, you are trusting your gut now eh?” Applejack prodded, while smirking at the guard. “What brought this on?”

“When I put on the necklace it was like... I knew I could do it, but I needed the other half,” Rainbow Dash replied, only to sigh and shake her head. “It's hard to explain.”

“I felt it too,” Twilight added, placing a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “The connection you share with it when you put it on is powerful, but it's not as strong as it could be.”

“Exactly,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“So, if we find this other half we could control this nightmare thing?” Trixie asked, while scratching her head. “But isn't that a part of Princess Luna, who is well, not with us?”

“She is always with us,” Applejack replied instantly.

“Yes, I must agree with Applejack, anyone who looks upon the moon can feel her presence,” Rarity added wistfully.

“The moon is her promise,” Rainbow Dash began. “For as long as you can feel her gaze, she is with us.”

Trixie held up her hooves defensively. “Alright alright, I get it. You are worse then mother sometimes.”

“I know how you feel, Trixie, but I think it's something to do with being nightborne, or whatever,” Twilight muttered.

“While sunspawn feel a connection to that horrifying rage orb.” Rainbow Dash snorted.

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Though I am even less of a fan of the sun as you, I feel like we should at least call it for what it is.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Rainbow Dash replied dismissively.

“Anyway,” Twilight interrupted, “we need a plan, and we need your help, Rainbow Dash. Help us get to the bottom of the tower and I promise you answers, I can-”

“If you say I can feel it, I’m going to punch you in the face,” Rainbow Dash declared, though her words lacked any seriousness.

Twilight smiled. “So you’re in?”

“Yeah yeah. But I’m only doing this to make sure you don't all end up as a red stain on the floor somewhere,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Yay!” Fluttershy yelled, her voice barely rising above a whisper.

“But,” Rainbow Dash raised a hoof, grabbing everyone’s attention, “you are going to follow my orders at all times, and we are planning this properly.”

“Absolutely,” Twilight replied.

“You got it, boss,” Applejack added, the mare throwing in a short salute.

“I suppose I could take a few orders, but don't push your luck,” Trixie muttered, her eyes narrowing.

Rarity nodded. “Excellent, now then. Where do we begin?”

“Well we are going to have to adjust our plan upon reaching each floor’s safe house,” Rainbow Dash whispered, the guard tapping her chin while deep in thought. “Once we figure out where the other half is, we should be able to hunker down and devise something more serious in order to seek it out.”

“So, this next floor, what are we in for?” Twilight pressed.

“It's fairly light, minimal golem presence, but there is some sort of blue liquid all over the floor that makes it impossible to walk across it,” Rainbow Dash began, the thestral pulling out a small map and using the digit atop her wing to draw out a quick visual representation. “So we will need to hop from one point to another.”

“I don't know about that,” Applejack muttered. “Bloomberg and I don't exactly do jumping.”

“I should be able to lift you over any obstacles, but we can't break my concentration though,” Twilight added.

Rainbow Dash nodded. “Perfect, with that solved let's move onto-”

Six females piled into a small room that was strangely devoid of any kind of damage. The wooden walls seemed unaffected by the passage of time, and the small bedroom was complete with a bookshelf, a bed, an armoire, and several empty chests which were hanging open. The entire room was lit up by a trio of glowing fake torches which gave off a light that looked close to true moonlight. The floor was even still carpeted, and the bed still had the sheets and pillows on it, a fact that was eagerly taken advantage of by Rarity who all but threw herself into it.

“I can't believe we managed to get past that last golem,” she muttered, the arachne face-down in the luxurious pillows.

“I can't believe Applejack tripped on nothing.” Scowled Rainbow Dash as she fell to the ground and sighed.

“It was not nothing,” Applejack growled back, only to wince and rub the back of her neck. “It was just a small rock, or something, I didn't see it is all.”

“It's fine. We made it out and everyone is okay. That's what matters,” Twilight reassured, the unicorn crossing the floor and seating herself upon a small mound of pillows.

Trixie nodded. “And we are an entire story lower than first planned.”

“Something I was hoping to avoid…” Rainbow Dash remarked, only to sigh. “Regardless, we are here now, and we had better make the best of it.”

“I agree,” Fluttershy added, hopping off Applejack’s back and landing on the bed. “We should be close to the bottom by now, right?”

“We should,” Rainbow Dash began. “But we need to figure out how close we are to the other half.”

“Right,” Twilight replied, nodding confidently before closing her eyes and focusing. “We’re close. It feels like it's right below us.”

The guard gulped. “I was afraid you'd say that.”

“Is that where this nightmare thing is? ‘Cause so far you haven't exactly scared me with all yer talk.” Applejack shrugged.

“The nightmare comes out of nowhere and shows you the most horrifying thing you can imagine,” Rainbow Dash announced, glaring firmly at the farmer. “Which is usually enough for most to run screaming in terror.”

“That doesn't sound so bad,” Trixie remarked. “Being scared isn't a pleasant feeling, but it's not as bad as getting your legs chopped off or something.”

The guard snorted. “Those are the lucky ones, the others are shown their worst nightmares or most horrifying memories and forced to experience them over and over while their bodies wither and die and that's if it doesn't simply kill you outright.”

“It won't harm us,” Twilight began, her confidence slowly waning. “I have the amulet after all, it's supposed to protect me.”

“Yeah, but what about the rest of us?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“I-I don't know…” Twilight stuttered, the mare looking down at the amulet with mixed emotions.

“It will be fine, right darling?” Rarity stressed, the arachne pressing her forehooves together nervously. “The amulet was supposed to give you control over it, right?”

“If I had both sides, yeah,” Twilight replied glumly.

“So we’ll run away if Twilight can't stop it,” Applejack piped up. “Right?”

Rainbow Dash shook her head slowly while studying her sword carefully, wary for any dents or dings in the metal weapon. “Noone has ever managed to see the nightmare coming. It doesn't follow the laws of this world, and can pass through solid objects with ease. The most you might see before it's upon you is a flash of darkness, and then, nothing.”

Fluttershy gulped, the bunny clinging to Rarity’s side and shaking. “M-maybe we should turn around.”

“Or maybe I should go alone,” Twilight offered suddenly.

“Hey now, we don't have time for this hero nonsense.” Applejack snorted, the earth pony stamping her hoof in emphasis. “We are in this together, dammit.”

“You heard Rainbow Dash, the nightmare may not even respond to the amulet,” Rarity replied hesitantly. “I don't want to leave Twilight alone either, but I also don't want to…” Her voice trailed off and the arachne looked down, a sad frown on her face.

“Hogwash,” Trixie announced suddenly, smirking at the other beings. “We already talked about this before, we are in this together. But if you would all like to leave the glory to Trixie, then I will not be opposed to leaving you lot behind.”

“You don't have to do that, Trixie, it's going to be incredibly dangerous,” Twilight began, the mare putting a hoof on the other unicorn’s shoulder.

Only to be rebuffed by the showmare, who brushed off the limb and flashed her a winning smile. “I am merely doing my part to aid in mother’s vision, I am not helping anyone but myself.”

“That's strangely comforting,” Twilight muttered.

“So are you girls in or what?” Applejack pressed. “‘Cause I sure don't feel like having this conversation every time we stop.”

The arachne sighed, and ran a hoof down her face. “I’m still in, as they say, but I am just… scared, is all. This is much more dangerous than just making clothes.”

“You don't have to come along, Rarity. You don't have a dog in this metaphorical fight,” Twilight replied firmly. “I need answers, you’ve already gotten what you want.”

The arachne rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, unable to meet the unicorn’s gaze. “That's true. Trixie did teach me how to do the basics, but I’ll still need more lessons.”

Trixie shrugged. “Mother is already planning on teaching you how to weave like her. She told me as much before we left, one of my siblings will summon you when she has the time.”

“I-” Twilight began, only to be cut off by the sharp clop of an armored hoof.

“We are joining you and that's that,” Rainbow Dash declared. “Now, let's get everything prepared, in ten minutes the golem will pass us by and we need to be ready.”

Twilight’s jaw hung open, and she watched lamely as the guard slipped her sword back into place. With a sigh, the unicorn shook her head, and chose to drop it, silently reminding herself that this was just a thing friends apparently did for one another. How on earth am I going to pay them back for this? Twilight thought to herself.

As she watched her friends pack their stuff back up and get ready, the dead mare considered the implications of what she had just thought in more detail. She needed to do something to pay them back, no matter how much they may disagree with her in this regard. Applejack was easy, she just needed to figure out the map she started building after she arrived in Ponyville, but now that she thought about it, that didn't seem to be enough. That was payment for room and board after all, not putting her life on the line for answers she didn't even need or want.

With one last sigh, Twilight shook her head and decided to think more on the subject after she got the answers she sought, as right now they had more pressing concerns ahead of them.

“Ready?” Rainbow Dash asked, waving a hoof in front of Twilight’s face.

The unicorn gave a look over her supplies, and nodded. “Ready.”

“This has got to be the weirdest trap I’ve ever even heard of,” Rarity muttered, the arachne looking up at the ceiling where four different colored crystals hung from the ceiling.

“It seems kinda easy too,” Applejack added.

In the center of the room Twilight stood at an altar which had four smaller pads made of identical colored crystal. Each one corresponded with one on the ceiling and after some trial and error they had figured out how to get past the puzzle. For now though, they waited, each being staring up at the ceiling, tense, and ready for the next flash of lights.

“This is pretty anticlimactic,” Rainbow Dash remarked with a snort.

“Shh, it's starting,” Twilight hissed.

The ceiling crystals lit up faintly, before the red crystal glowed brighter than the rest, followed by the green, then the blue, then the yellow. After that, the different flashes of colors became so fast that no one save for Twilight seemed to have any idea what order they came in. When finally it died down, the unicorn held her eyes shut, thinking long and hard before she suddenly lurched into motion and her hooves became a blur.

The process was a long one, but through it all, Twilight remained confident, and collected. Unlike her companions, who looked on with mixed levels of anticipation and confusion. Rarity and Fluttershy shivered at the sight of the strange glowing crystals, and cast fearful glances at the oddly crystalline room they found themselves in. Applejack seemed a little nervous, but was generally more ready, than scared, while Rainbow Dash and Trixie were completely aloof and unbothered by the odd situation. Either confident of their friend’s success, or simply assured by the knowledge that this particular puzzle didn't seem to fault someone for failing.

After several relatively tense moments of furious button pressing, Twilight pressed the final one four times in a row before taking a breath and a step back. “There,” she declared firmly.

The room remained silent for several seconds before a sudden grinding sound could be heard from behind them, where a wall of crystal slowly rose into the ceiling, allowing the group to continue deeper. Twilight grinned and pumped a hoof in the air triumphantly. “Yes!” she yelled.

“That was something else,” Applejack expressed, the mare pushing back her hat and shaking her head. “How many of those light thingies were there near the end?”

“Sixty-two,” Twilight declared.

Applejack whistled and shook her head. “Well shoot, I can safely say we would have never gotten through that one without your help.”

“Yeah Twilight, that was really impressive,” Fluttershy added.

The unicorn blushed and rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. “Aww, I’m sure you girls would have gotten it eventually.”

“Yeah maybe by the time we turned fifty.” Rainbow Dash snickered, while making her way over to the door. “Well come on. We may have put the golems behind us but we still got one last trap, and after that a final obstacle.”

“So what's this last trap anyway?” Trixie asked, the unicorn trotting beside the others as they all made their way from the room and into the hall beyond.

Rainbow Dash sighed and shrugged. “The only group to ever get past this point somehow managed to get past this mystery trap, but before they could send their full report they were attacked by something and the last letter they were able to send back was damaged. All that we know is that they called this next trap impossible.”

“That doesn't sound good at all,” Rarity replied with a frown.

“Well they made it through, so it isn't completely impossible,” Applejack added. “Right, Rainbow Dash?”

“Well sorta, all the letter said was that it was impossible, and that they made it through somehow. They could have found a way around it and avoided the whole thing.” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “We’ll just have to see.”

Twilight frowned, the unicorn searching through her memories and trying to figure out more about this impossible trap, only to realize that not only did she know nothing of this mystery trap, but also knew nothing of the puzzle they just passed by. She began to wonder how she had missed something like that, only for another memory to come out of nowhere and make her stop dead in her tracks.

“Wait, what?” Luna muttered, scratching her head. “How is that even possible?”

“It's simple. I’ve bent spacetime in such a way that certain levels only exist after the alarm has been sounded,” a much younger Twilight Sparkle replied while pointing to a spot on the enormous, labyrinthian plans laid out before her. “After the alarm is sounded they will spring into existence and halt any would-be invader dead in their tracks.”

“I… but you…” Luna blinked. “I need a drink, a strong one.”

Celestia, on the other hoof, merely chuckled, the alicorn gazing down at the unicorn with an amused expression. “She truly is our better,” mused the immortal.

“You are telling me. I would have literally never guessed that was even possible,” Luna answered, the alicorn placing a hoof on the younger mare’s back. “You truly are amazing, my friend.”

Twilight opened her mouth to speak, only to find that her words caught in her throat and she merely stood there awkwardly, her jaw hanging open as a blush spread across her face. She continued to stand there for nearly a minute before Luna leaned over and looked her in the face. “Oh no, Tia, it seems as though we have broken our Twilight,” she muttered in fake shock.

“It seems so, dear Lulu, mayhaps a kiss will break her from her stupor,” Celestia replied with a smirk, the alicorn already licking her lips.

“Oh yes, but who shall do it? Or maybe we should both kiss her,” Luna remarked, prompting the unicorn to blush even brighter.

“Auuuuugh!” cried the flustered pony, her face having become so red that one may have assumed she was turning into a tomato.

“Bwuh?” Twilight Sparkle muttered.

“You alright there, Twi?” Applejack asked, the mare waving a hoof in front of her friend’s face. “Ya kinda zoned out for a second there.”

“Just another memory, it's nothing,” Twilight replied, shaking her head.

“Well try not to get one when we need ya.” Rainbow Dash snorted. “I don't feel like having to carry you if you decide to zonk out for an hour or something.”

“R-right,” Twilight muttered, the unicorn following her friends as they climbed down the stairs and entered the final layer of the much feared undertower.

“Sooo,” Rarity whispered, the arachne following close behind the unicorn, a salacious grin on her face. “Did you see Luna again?”

“Why do you ask?” Twilight replied defensively, the unicorn silently happy that no one could see her huge blush, or at least she hoped so.

“Oh nothing, but you may wish to wipe that tomato off your face by the time we get to the bottom.” Rarity snickered, the arachne falling back a step and giggling at Twilight’s obvious discomfort.

“Stupid alicorns,” Twilight muttered, the mare grumbling under her breath as she tried to think of something, anything else.

“We are here,” Rainbow Dash announced, the guard stepping out into the final floor, and gesturing towards a long, featureless hallway that ended in a nondescript wooden door.

“Hmmm, hold on a second, I don't remember this,” Twilight replied, the mare focusing her magic on the amulet and detecting that the other half of it was indeed straight ahead of them.

“Well?” Trixie asked impatiently.

“It's straight ahead, but I can't remember there even being a trap here,” Twilight replied hesitantly. “Someone other than old me must have put it here.”

“Now that definitely doesn't inspire confidence,” Rarity muttered nervously.

“Oh come on, I’m sure it's not that bad,” Applejack shot back, the earth pony taking a step forward, only to be stopped by Twilight’s magic.

“Just hold on a second while I scan the area,” Twilight pressured, the unicorn taking a step forward. “I might be able to figure out what this quote unquote impossible trap is.”

“Alright, we got the time, so feel free to use it,” Rainbow Dash replied, before sitting down and pulling off her pack.

The rest of her group quickly followed suit, leaving Twilight standing there alone as she stared out over the hallway. Summoning her magic, she quickly cycled through every scanning spell she knew, only to come up with nothing. The hallway was normal by all known measurements, the stone was just stone, the floor contained no hidden mechanisms, and though magic filled the area, it wasn't part of a spell but rather felt the same as the ambient magic that seemed to fill most of the lower levels of the undertower.

Though she was tempted to try her spells again, she knew that she had done them properly the first time, and knew the attempt would be a wasted one. Instead, she tried to force another memory, the mare thinking of this exact space, and following the same motions that had brought on the last few flashes. After several minutes of standing there with her eyes closed, Twilight frowned and looked out over the area once more.

No memory came, and no clue could be unlocked, there was only a hallway and a door, with nothing impeding them.

“There's nothing,” Twilight muttered. “No magic, no hidden mechanisms, nothing.”

“You sure about that, sugarcube?” Applejack asked, the earth pony slowly standing and taking a spot to the unicorn’s right. “‘Cause I can tell you something don't feel right about this place.”

“Yeah, it can't be that easy, can it?” Fluttershy asked hesitantly.

Rainbow Dash frowned. “It doesn't exactly look impossible.”

“Or maybe the letter was more mixed up than you thought,” Trixie offered. “You did say they probably perished shortly after. What if it wasn't them that sent it?”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “That's not how our report system works. We would know if someone else sent it.”

“Why don't we see?” Rarity offered, gesturing to the hallway. “There's only one way to find out, right?”

“Though I don't like it one bit, I think Rarity is right here,” Applejack added, the earth pony straightening her hat with a hoof. “Only one way outta here by the looksa things.”

“I don't like it either,” Twilight began, before turning to their resident guard. “What do you think, Rainbow Dash? Should we try it?”

The mare seemed shocked that she was being looked to for guidance, only to quickly set her jaw and take on a professional expression. “Most traps are either non lethal, or had some manner of warning system before they went off, I don't think we will be seriously harmed if we give it a shot.”

“Finally,” Trixie groaned, the unicorn took a few steps forward before turning around. “Are you coming or what?”

With a shrug, Twilight joined her, with the rest of her friends close behind. Together the varied beings trotted down the hall and towards the exit, which was fast approaching at this rate. At about the halfway point, Twilight felt a sudden shift in her gut, but after looking around, didn't notice anything out of place. By the three quarter mark, this initial shift suddenly returned, accompanied by the floor beginning to glow, stopping the troop dead in their tracks and making them look down in confusion.

There on the floor, was an enormously intricate sigil spell of some kind which stretched from one side of the hall to the other, and was nearly twice as long as it was wide. Though the entirety of it was not illuminated completely, and there were several minor symbols that werent quite visible, Twilight could already tell what this rune was meant to do. “Stop!” she shouted.

“Err, we already did,” Applejack remarked, the earth pony cocking her head. “What's the deal, Twi, these fancy lights don't seem that scary.”

“I must agree with Applejack, this circle only appears half complete,” Rarity added.

“That's because it's not fully activated yet,” Twilight explained. “If it was, we’d all be dead.”

“Woah, are you serious?” Rainbow Dash asked hesitantly, only to notice the serious expression on her friend’s face. “Nobody move.”

“This is beyond Trixie,” added the showmare, who gulped and looked down at the floor with fear in her eyes.

Twilight studied the sigil quickly, and came to the realization that it wasn't even twenty percent activated, a realization that made her breathe a sigh of relief. “I think if we just take a step back we can make it turn back off,” Twilight explained slowly.

“I’ll go first,” Fluttershy offered, the bunny hopping off Applejack’s back and landing back outside the circle.

Looking down revealed that the sigil remained unchanged, and Twilight turned to the apple farmer herself. “Alright, you next,” she commanded.

The tree-bound mare nodded and slowly did just that, leaving only Twilight and Trixie inside the circle itself. This time it did dull, though it wasn't by much, prompting Trixie to look over at the other unicorn with barely contained fear. “N-now what?” she asked hesitantly.

“Slowly walk back and join the others,” Twilight replied slowly.

After Trixie joined the rest, Twilight looked down and noticed that the sigil had dimmed even more, though it was still illuminated slightly. A sudden idea came to mind, and the unicorn extended a hoof, prompting the sigil to glow brighter, only for it to die down slightly when she recoiled the limb. “Strange, it doesn't care how many people are on the sigil, only how far across you are,” Twilight reported.

“Land sakes girl, warn us before you do something like that again,” Applejack replied, one hoof over her heart.

“Sorry Applejack,” Twilight muttered sheepishly.

“Don't worry about it, just come on back, you are freakin everyone out,” the farmer replied.

Twilight nodded and stepped back off the circle, causing the entire thing to dim until it disappeared completely. “Well, that was terrifying,” Rarity murmured.

“What exactly was it anyway?” Fluttershy asked. “I’m not doubting you, Twilight, but I don't really know much about magic.”

“It’s called a life ward,” Twilight explained. “It detects when living beings pass over it, and, if activated, would kill everything inside a designated area.”

“How big of an area are we talking about here?” Rainbow Dash inquired, the guard giving the spot the sigil had appeared on a wary look.

“Not large,” Twilight replied. “I was able to tell that it would both only activate when someone crossed over it, and that it would only kill anyone inside of it.”

“And it ain't like Rainbow Dash can just fly over it, eh?” Applejack half asked, half stated.

“Unfortunately no. The spell is instantaneous, so even if she flew her fastest she’d still be dead before she passed over the other side,” Twilight explained.

“Well, there goes that idea,” Rainbow Dash muttered, the guard kicking a rock randomly and sending it skittering across the ground.

“But aren't you already dead?” Trixie questioned. “I mean, I don't know necromancy very well, but it seems like it shouldn't affect you of all people.”

Twilight pursed her lips for a second before shaking her head. “I’m still sort of alive from what I’ve been able to gather. The truly dead have neither soul nor mind, two things I still obviously retain as I am both sane and able to cast magic.”

“And here I thought having a zombie would come in handy.” Trixie smirked.

“She is not a zombie,” Fluttershy corrected.

“She's dead and yet not dead, until you come up with a better word for it, she's a zombie,” Trixie remarked with a shrug.

“I think revenant would be the most appropriate, though I suppose I could technically be called a lich, if my own body has become a phylactery of some kind,” Twilight puzzled.

“We can argue semantics and whatever later, right now we got a death ward to deal with,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, the guard gesturing to the spot the sigil had appeared on only moments earlier.

“Would it still be there? Maybe it went away after we stepped back,” Applejack offered.

Twilight shook her head. “That's not how it works I’m afraid, see?”

The unicorn extended a hoof over the spot, prompting the room to fill with purple light once more, the sigil appearing right where it had been only a minute ago.

“Jumpin’ jackrabbits, get that leg of yours back here this instant,” Applejack reprimanded.

Rolling her eyes, Twilight did as she was told, the sigil slowly dulling and eventually disappearing. “It's fine, Applejack. So long as we don't go all the way across, it won't go off.”

Applejack shuddered. “Still, having that thing light up like that gives me the heebie jeebies now that I know what it is.”

“So how do we get past it then?” Rainbow Dash asked. “‘Cause I don't see a way around it.”

Twilight shook her head. “I have no idea.”

“Well, that's just great,” Trixie muttered, throwing her hooves up. “We manage to get all the way down here only to get stopped by a trap that is guaranteed to kill at least one of us.”

“There has got to be a way around,” Rarity added. “It's not like past Twilight to leave something like this. All her traps were annoying, or meant to injure and sometimes even maim, but never outright kill”

“Unless it wasn't her,” Fluttershy corrected.

Twilight pursed her lips and extended a hoof over the sigil again, ignoring the arguing of her friends and focusing on the actual ‘trap’ itself. Recalling her other past memories, Twilight quickly built up a firm understanding of how she created sigils and generally cast spells. After a good few minutes of running over every image and memory that she could find on the subject, Twilight looked down once more.

This time it all seemed vaguely familiar, and though no new memories came back to her, she could feel a hint of recognition amongst the magical circle. From the way she overused the enhancement charm even when it was redundant, to the way that she employed flowing, almost calligraphy-like lines when constructing the base magical structure. Now that she had a chance to really stare at it, the sigil even felt like something she would create and it was akin to looking down at a note that you only now realized was written by you.

Her eyes snapped open, and she looked around, aware of the fact that her friends were still arguing about the sigil, and how to get past it while ignoring her completely. With a smirk on her face, Twilight silently trotted across the sigil until she reached the far side, when Rainbow Dash’s terrified voice suddenly spoke up. “Wait, stop!” she cried.

Holding out a hoof, Twilight made the thestral pause right before she was about to dive in and ‘save’ the unicorn. “Trust me. This is something past me created, and I know her. She wouldn't make something that would demand a sacrifice of some kind.”

“How can you be sure, darling? Ultimately, you are not her,” Rarity pressed, the arachne shifting nervously from side to side.

“Just trust me, I know this is going to work,” Twilight restated.

Rainbow Dash frowned, her wings slowly slipping back against her sides. “Fine, but if you die, you are not allowed to haunt us.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to die. Past me was kind, compassionate, and wouldn't make something like this.”

The unicorn took a step over the other side of the sigil, only for nothing to happen. “Unless it was all an illusion meant to dissuade someone from getting this far.”

“Well, would ya look at that,” Applejack muttered.

“And here I thought I was the master of illusions,” Trixie whispered.

Fluttershy stomped across the sigil and walked right up to the unicorn, before making a ‘come here’ motion with her paw. When the unicorn leaned down, the bunny gave her as firm a smack as possible, which was about the lightest tap Twilight had ever felt. “Don't you ever do that again, missy!” the bunny yelled, voice quivering.

Twilight sighed and gently picked her friend from the floor. “I’m sorry, Fluttershy, but it was the only way.”

“That doesn't mean I have to like it,” Fluttershy declared while wiping tears from her eyes.

The rest of her friends joined her on the other side without delay, all save Applejack who eyed it carefully for nearly a minute before sprinting across the sigil like it was made of hot coals. “Drama queen.” Rainbow Dash deadpanned.

“It freaks me out, okay?” Applejack shot back, the earth pony shivering slightly.

“Come on, we got a mystery to solve and an alicorn to bring back to life,” Trixie declared as she reached for the door handle.

Twilight was about to interject, as she felt a familiar pulse of magic, but it was too late, and the showmare had already turned the knob. Twilight couldn't so much as shout a warning before the world itself seemed to crack, and their surroundings suddenly exploded, the very walls having been turned into what looked like enormous chunks of glass. Though that glass neither cut, nor even seemed to exist as each peice dissipated the second it touched something, revealing what lay beyond the surprisingly detailed illusion spell.

“What the hay?” Applejack bellowed, the earth pony backing up as she looked around frantically.

Rainbow Dash had already retrieved her sword and was standing over a terrified Fluttershy. “Get behind me,” she commanded.

Throughout the confusion, Twilight’s mind reeled as she recalled the last obstacle Rainbow Dash had mentioned. An obstacle that came in the form of a halberd wielding unicorn skeleton who seemed to be watching them closely, itss magic glowing yet not forming any particular spell. It stood next to a single large door that seemed strangely plain, though Twilight knew otherwise. Thinking quickly, and before her friends had a chance to freak out, Twilight held out a hoof, hoping to calm them before someone did something stupid.

“Wait a second, I know her,” Twilight reassured.

“Wha-” Rainbow Dash turned to the skeleton, and her eyes went wide. “Stay back! That must be the thing that killed Daring Do!”

“Do not move, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight hissed, while shooting the mare a withering glare. “Trust me. Like you trusted me before.”

The thestral relaxed slightly, and let her sword dip. “Fine, but make it snappy, I don't like looking at this murderer.”

The rest of her friends exchanged nervous glances but otherwise remained silent, each one putting away their respective weapons, or otherwise relaxing slightly. “Do be careful, darling. I think one heart attack a day is enough, thank you very much,” Rarity whispered nervously.

“I got this,” Twilight reiterated, the unicorn hiding the very real doubt that even now swirled at the back of her mind.

Sure she had sounded confident, but all Twilight had to go on was the fact that she knew the skeleton’s owner from her memories. Twilight didn't know who raised the pony, or what orders she had been given, but she also knew that she would have to try and communicate with it. The unicorn cleared her throat and took a step forward, noting that the undead’s eyes tracked her, though she did not grip her weapon tighter, or begin to cast a spell.

“Good afternoon, Sharp Eye.” Twilight smiled. “How have things been in my absence? Beaker didn't blow anything up again, did he?”

Though the skeleton had no means of smiling, Twilight could instantly tell that it was doing just that, and after a tense moment, the skeleton placed its halberd against the wall, and bowed slightly. “Greetings to you, head researcher. It is good to see you well and no, Beaker is no longer able to damage anything, I’m afraid,” spoke the undead creature, its voice strangely familiar to the dark purple unicorn, while at the same time being slightly off when compared to the voice she remembered.

“Holy crap, it talks,” Rainbow Dash muttered in shock.

“Am I to assume that these… creatures are guests of yours?” the skeleton asked with a hint of condescension, its rusted armor rattling somewhat when it pointed a hoof at them.

“Yes, they are with me. So they are to be protected as you would I,” Twilight declared as confidently as she could muster.

The skeleton nodded slowly. “It will be so, head researcher.”

“Could you open the door please?” Twilight asked.

“Of course,” the skeleton replied, bowing slightly before turning, lighting its horn and beginning the process of interlocking its magic with the wards before bringing them down one by one.

After one final, resounding click, the undead’s horn stopped glowing and it pulled open the door with a skeletal hoof. “There we are. Welcome back, Twilight.”

Twilight nodded with what she hoped looked like an air of authority before hastily turning to her friends . “Come on, inside, quickly,” she commanded.

Her friends looked at one another, and then the skeleton, before reluctantly filing through the door, each one keeping a close eye on the undead creature as they passed it by. Once they were all inside, Twilight pulled the door shut behind them, allowing the group to breathe a collective sigh of relief.

“That was… unnerving,” Rarity remarked nervously, the arachne glancing over her shoulder as if expecting the skeletal creature to have followed them somehow.

“Y-yeah,” Fluttershy whispered, the bunny hugging herself tightly. “I’m not sure I like it.”

Trixie shrugged. “Why are you complaining? We didn't have to fight anyone or even do anything this time.”

“Even you have to admit that seeing that thing was a tad creepy,” Applejack remarked while gesturing towards the door behind them.

“Her name is Sharp Eye,” Twilight corrected, the unicorn feeling strangely defensive all of a sudden. “And she is an honorable pony.”

“Hey now, we ain't claiming otherwise, it's just a strange situation,” Rainbow Dash replied diplomatically.

The unicorn sighed, and turned back around. “Let's just keep… moving?”

Twilight only then realized that they weren't alone yet, as the large open room they were currently in was also inhabited by a short, stocky undead unicorn stallion who was little more than bones. On hastened hooves, he ran from one destroyed experiment station to another, muttering something under his breath with each step. Upon reaching another station he would nervously step from hoof to hoof while berating himself for his foolishness and sprinting off towards another long-since destroyed pile of beakers and jars.

“What in the hay?” Applejack murmured.

“Oh, this is no good at all, not at all,” the creature murmured as it passed them by, not even seeming to notice the group as they stood near the door.

“Uh, Twilight, who is that?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“That's Beaker, I think,” Twilight replied, her gaze narrowing on the distraught skeleton.

Most workstations were destroyed either wholly or at least partly, but between time, and the damage sustained from whatever fight that had occurred here, everything had been rendered useless. Every last bunsen burner was smashed, and every book was burnt or had otherwise been rendered unreadable. Even the ceiling had been damaged somewhat, and in one corner Twilight could see a small mound of skeletons that had been stacked haphazardly.

“Beaker!” Twilight shouted as it came closer.

The skeleton skidded to a stop, its vacant eyes turning to the unicorn and looking her up and down. “It's you, it's really you! Oh stars above, I really screwed up this time. You have no idea how sorry I am.”

“Why are you sorry?” Twilight asked, looking around. “I doubt you caused all this fighting.”

The skeletal creature collapsed several feet away from the mare, its hooves going to its eyes, as if weeping. “I’m so sorry, Twilight, you have to believe me, I didn't know they would do that! It was all an accident. I’m sorry!” it cried, its voice even sounding like he was weeping audibly despite the clear lack of tear ducts or even eyes.

“Anyone else a little weirded out here or is that just me?” Rainbow Dash murmured.

A small chorus of murmured agreements could be heard, with most beings nodding along. All save for Twilight, who looked down at the skeletal creature with a strained expression, silently wondering what it was referring to. “Beaker, tell me what happened here,” Twilight commanded with as much authority as she could muster.

The skeleton didn't seem to notice though and merely continued to weep on the ground, its hooves pressed firmly against its eye sockets. “I’m so sorry, Twilight, he said he was trying to help. I was a fool! I just wanted to save everyone!” it cried, voice hitching every other word.

“What are you talking-” Twilight began, her hoof extending to the creature and brushing across its shoulder.

Beaker breathed hard, his magic straining to lift what felt and looked like an enormous stone tablet as he hurried his way through the door and into the laboratory proper. Behind him the sounds of battle grew dimmer, and he dare not look Sharp Eye in the eye, as he could tell without looking that she was conflicted. He was as well, though he stowed such confliction deep down inside himself, silently sure that no matter how confused he may be about the situation, he was doing the right thing.

Careening around a table, the stallion made a beeline to the back of the room, keenly aware of an explosion that went off somewhere above him. A second later the door slammed shut behind him and the dull din of battle vanished, replaced only by the deep thuds that came when powerful spells were cast. His journey through the tower had not gone perfectly though, and he sported a small burn on his hoof, as well as a trio of paper thin cuts across his cheek.

The pain was minor, and not what ultimately bothered him, as not even the considerable weight of the tablet could drag him down quite as much as the knowledge of what was happening above his head did. Gods warred in the skies above, making the earth tremble and armies to clash. Blood flowed in rivers, and though his sprint through the tower had been brief, he had seen more than enough horrors to ensure he never again slept soundly.

Pushing such terrifying thoughts from his mind, the stallion continued onward, determined to bring the head researcher what she had desired. He wasn't sure how this would help her, but he also knew that in the end, he would help bring about stability even if it killed him in the process.

Rounding the last table, the stallion ran up to a blank section of wall and pressed his hoof against a random brick. A click, followed by the sharp hiss of steam alerted him to the fact that it had worked as intended and he retrieved his hoof, leaving behind a bright red print where it had been a second earlier. He winced at the sight, but had no time left to wipe it away, and after hefting the tablet up once more, jogged through the door and into the room beyond.

A room that seemed to have been hastily carved from stone, with tools scattered everywhere and partially dug alcoves set into the wall at regular intervals. Though it was only half complete, it had the space they needed, as it was roughly thirty feet across, with enough height to allow a full grown alicorn to stand upright without issue. The stone itself was plain and unadorned, leaving the room feeling more like a cave, than something designed by pony hooves, all while a powerful stench of rot and decay seeped into his pores.

At the center of it all stood a panicked unicorn mare who was hastily scrawling sigils on the floor with four brushes at the same time. Each sigil she drew connected to another with such intricate artistry that it was hard to tell where one ended and the next began. Already the sigils encompassed nearly every last bit of the floor that was not otherwise occupied by the tall, imposing unicorn, or the large bones of what looked like a half dozen different creatures of varied size.

“I brought the tablet, Miss Twilight,” Beaker shouted, raising the tablet above his head.

The unicorn spun towards him, her brushes becoming still as her pitch black eyes bore into his. Instantly the male flinched backward, unnerved by the strange, otherworldly nature of her midnight orbs. That wasn't the only thing that had changed about the mare though, as she had also grown much, much taller, to the point that she would have towered over most mortal ponies, and was now equal in height to Luna herself. Her horn was also far longer than even an alicorn’s having also become curved slightly, as well as becoming far sharper.

Her fur had also grown so dark that it was nearly black, something her mane and tail had also done. Her eyes seemed sunken slightly, her ribs clearly visible, and her limbs so thin that Beaker wondered how she stood as clearly there was little muscle left on her legs. Most disturbing still was the fact that she seemed to radiate an evil aura so dark that it pulled the very light from the room, dulling the roaring torches that burned at regular intervals along the wall. An aura that was exemplified in her horn, which glowed with what could only be described as purple unlight, leaving the pony with a downright disturbing appearance.

“Quickly, Beaker, lay the tablet just above Discord’s head!” boomed the unicorn, her voice crawling into the stallion’s ears like a horde of maggots.

“Y-yes, Twilight,” Beaker stammered, the assistant looking down to the bones with a newfound respect, and fear.

He knew what she was doing was strange, but he never would have assumed that she would experiment with Discord’s corpse at a time such as this. Then it struck him, and he turned and looked to one of the complete alcoves, where a trio of massive black tomes lay. The very sight of the arcane tomes of knowledge seemed to tug at his soul, as if they were trying to pull his spirit from his body.

“Are you trying to raise-” Beaker began, only for Twilight to spin back around, and her midnight orbs to rob the breath from his lungs.

“Close the wall, Beaker,” Twilight whispered, her voice losing some of the strangeness it had a moment earlier and gaining a calm command that Beaker knew well.

“Y-yes, Ma’am,” Beaker replied, the unicorn quickly turning and using his magic to close the solid stone wall, and watching closely as it slid into place, leaving what looked like a cave wall in its place.

“And yes, I am raising Discord,” Twilight explained, her gaze thankfully having turned back to the task at hoof, her brushes continuing to slather bright red liquid across the ground. “Harmony needs to be restored.”

Beaker bit back his retort and merely looked on in horror, silently amazed that she had been able to both find and acquire the bones of the draconequus. He wanted to fire back and tell her that harmony was doing well without its antagonist, but knew that argument would not end well. Instead he merely stood there awkwardly, watching and waiting, until he noticed something out of place and took a step forward, eager to help.

Only for the very darkness that enraptured Twilight’s form to peel off of her body and lunge directly into the stallion’s face, coalescing into the form of a dark, alicorn shaped figure. Before its enormous, dagger-filled maw could close over his head, Twilight growled, and stamped a hoof. “He was not trying to harm me, or disrupt the ritual,” she muttered in a harsh, low tone.

The dark shape recoiled as if slapped and slowly shrunk until it was able to slink into the unicorn’s imposing shadow once more. Twilight released the grip she held on the odd moon shaped amulet she wore around her neck before continuing to get back to work. The unicorn’s brushes becoming a flurry of motion once more, though she had apparently enough concentration left unused to turn to speak, and quickly cut off the flood of questions she felt coming from her assistant.

“Are Luna and Celestia still fighting?” stated the dark unicorn.

Though it was obvious she knew the answer, Beaker still nodded. “I’m afraid so, head researcher, but Celestia seemed to be winning, last I heard.”

The dark, imposing mare grew ever more intimidating, her aura deepening at the same time Beaker could hear faint whispering at the edge of his perception. He knew not what the words said, but he knew in his heart that what they promised was as dark and as terrible as the mare that stood before him. “We must finish the ritual quickly while there is still a chance I can deffuse the situation,” she muttered, more to herself than Beaker.

Who nodded weakly, and took an awkward step back. “What are those books?” he whispered, a shaky hoof pointing to the strange, unearthly tomes that rested against the back wall.

“Textbooks left behind by…” her voice trailed off and the mare shook her head suddenly. “It hardly matters where they came from, only that they were able to teach me the necessary ritual to raise a god. All you need to worry about is keeping them out, and ensuring the ritual is undisturbed, if anything goes wrong, the fallout could be catastrophic.”

Beaker pursed his lips, the stallion silently doubting the mare’s words, though she was too absorbed into the ritual to notice his worry. “Okay, Twilight, I trust you,” he whispered half-heartedly.

And then the brushes stopped and were hastily tossed against the wall, Twilight’s body became rigid as her voice lowered, and her aura grew darker still. The whispers grew louder, though they remained distant, and unintelligible. The stench grew worse still, and Beaker had to hold his nose shut, though that wasn't enough to stop him from dry heaving. He had grown used to the smell over time, but nothing could prepare him for what smelt like a thousand dead and decaying rats that seemed to lie all around him. All while the mare’s voice grew deeper and deeper until it sounded like the stones themselves spoke her words, as no throat of flesh and blood could produce such sounds.

Words that made the stallion’s spine tingle, his very bones to itch and the muscles beneath his skin to crawl as if filled with centipedes. It took every last bit of willpower the stallion had left in his body to resist the urge to curl into a ball while vomiting uncontrollably. The knowledge that there was something left undone, and help he needed to give kept him at least mostly upright.

Twilight’s voice grew louder, more dominating, and her words all but drowned out even the faintest whispers Beaker could not banish. On the floor he could see the bones begin to rattle, and the tablet begin to glow, power seeping from the stone to the corpse. His gaze fixated on the tablet, only now studying its strange surface despite the fact that he had carried it for almost five floors.

It was filled with strange writing that covered every last bit of space available on the front, while the stone itself looked more like a scale that had been peeled off a great black dragon. Both of which struck Beaker as strange, as the great wyrms of old had been slain en masse before even the time of ponies and yet here he was, staring at a massive scale, covered with what looked like draconic script. Though he wished he had time to study it further, it was everything he had merely to pinch his nose shut while waiting for the signal.

He didn't have to wait long though, as time seemed to pinch and stretch, as if distorted by the sheer power the dark mare had at her disposal. An eternity passed one moment only to stop suddenly, and blur past him by in an instant the next, the result being that it felt like both years, and only seconds had passed in the same breadth of time. A sudden crash against the wall behind him alerted him to the fact that there existed something outside of this strange, and terrifying place and he slowly rose to his hooves.

Though reality itself seemed to swim before him, his perception bending in unexpected and horrifying ways, he pushed himself forward. As he walked towards the wall, he felt his form shift and bend, and one moment he was younger, and the next he was so old he could only limp forward. More disturbing than even that was the way he could feel his mind and soul twist and bend while he waded through the waves of power, his spirit shifting and writhing inside him. His bones ached, and when he neared the door, and raised his hoof, he lifted only bleach white bones.

He wanted to scream, but the sound did not come, and he was left to stare in horror for several seconds before the limb reverted back into its normal form. When that happened he realized how long he had been standing there, as the thumping was growing louder.

“We know you are in there! Open up!” yelled a male voice from beyond the wall, the sound obviously amplified by some manner of spell, as it had managed to pierce the stone wall and Twilight’s chanting with ease.

“Stop!” shouted one of Twilight’s many voices, this one sounding like a much younger version of herself. “Don't open that door!”

Beaker turned around and instantly regretted the action, as the sight he beheld would be one that would remain with him for over a thousand years. The mare’s dark form was twisted even more than normal, and it seemed to fluctuate almost at random, other versions of herself emerging from her body only to flicker in and out of existence. For a moment she was taller, darker, and had great purple wings, the next she was younger, smaller, and little taller than a foal of twelve.

“This must end, Twilight!” he shouted back, gesturing to the vibrating bones and glowing tablet. “The age of chaos cannot return!”

“You don't know what you are doing, the circle is nearly complete! If we stop now, horrible things will happen!” Twilight yelled back, her form continuing to twist and writhe as her many other voices continued to chant in an unknowable language.

“It's over, Twilight! Luna is dead, and the rebellion is over!” bellowed the male from behind the wall, his voice filled with malice. “The rightful queen rules over all, and she has decreed that the ponies of Equestria will live in harmony for eternity!”

“No!” Twilight growled, her hoof extending towards her assistant, the limb twisting, and growing longer and shorter seemingly at random. “Please, Beaker, you have to trust me, this is the only way!”

The stallion shook his head. “They told me the truth, Twilight, we can't let him return.”

Then, before she had a chance to offer any kind of rebuttal, he pressed his hoof forward and made the wall rise, revealing a cadre of gold-armored unicorns. Beaker opened his mouth to speak, elatation burning in his chest as salvation itself neared. Only for the flash of steel and the splash of blood to sever all such elation and leave him confused and mute on the ground, his hooves clutching his open throat.

Before him, the soldiers walked forward, none giving him so much as a glance as they advanced upon the chanting unicorn and her ritual.

The last thing he saw before succumbing to darkness was a gold armored hoof touching the edge of the ritual circle.

Then, darkness.

“I’m so sorry, Twilight!” wailed the skeletal creature, who was now clutching Twilight’s hoof tightly. “I should have listened, I should have trusted you, but she convinced me. I was just a fool!”

For a moment the unicorn didn't know where she was, and even looking around the room didn't help in that regard. “What’s going on, how did I?” she muttered, a hoof going to her amulet, which she quickly realized was only half complete.

Memories not her own swirled within her mind, and though they were all as terrifying as they were confusing, one stood out from the rest. A memory that Beaker himself didn't know was significant, but Twilight did, as while her past self continued to twist and writhe as the flow of reality bent around her, a familiar shape emerged. It had happened for only a moment, but in that moment Twilight Sparkle did not see another version of herself from the past, but herself as she was right now, in this very moment.

She shuddered in barely contained rage and guilt, before the emotions suddenly fled, leaving her standing in a dark room, a skeleton clutching at her hoof as it sobbed on the ground. Looking down, Twilight could feel only pity, though in her mind she felt that rage was a justified emotion, the anger never came. He had been doing what he thought was right, and after not only walking in his hooves, but living as him, she understood.

That didn't mean she had to like it though.

“Beaker,” Twilight whispered, “go stand with Sharp Eye while I deal with this.”

The skeleton's voice hitched and it looked up at her a moment before slowly rising, sniffing all the while. “Y-yes, I’ll get right on it,” it muttered, before turning and walking away.

Leaving Twilight in an oddly quiet room, alone, and with not but her thoughts as company. A realization that stung her and made the pony turn quickly, eyes wide and filled with fear. Sure enough, her friends were behind her, yet she was alone still, as they stood silently, eyes glassy and unfocused.

“Rainbow Dash, wake up!” Twilight yelled, the unicorn running over to her semi-armored friend and waving a hoof in front of her face.

The thestral swayed slowly, her eyes open, but distant, leaving little doubt that she was no longer with her.

“Wake up!” Twilight screamed, only to find that her efforts have once more been rendered moot by some unseen force.

Shaking the mare did little, and the bat winged pony seemed as solid as stone, her muscles tight, as if locked in place.

She sprinted over to Rarity next, yelling and waving her hoof in front of the arachne’s face. “Rarity, it's me, Twilight! You have to wake up.”

When nothing happened she growled bitterly and rose to her back hooves in order to stare the pony in the eye, hoping that would be enough to wake her up.

The clawing branches of a thorn bush pressed in on all sides, though even the stab of a hundred tiny pricks was not enough to get her attention. Her gaze remained on the gulch before her, where two arachnes much older than her lay bleeding, their bodies peppered with arrows. One gurgled faintly, her pink forehoof reaching towards her, tears in her eyes, and blood all over her body.

The words on her lips were never spoken though, as a gold armored hoof came down on the back of her head, making the female collapse, unable to utter her final words.

Stumbling backwards, Twilight recoiled from the sudden and intrusive memory. Her eyes shut tight, and her hooves pressed against either side of her head as she tried to make heads or tails of what she had seen. The arachni in the vision were clearly traders of some kind, as their had been numerous arachne-made objects strewn around them. They were also no doubt related to Rarity in some manner as they both had stubby horns, and similar coat colors to the fashionista.

“What have you seen?” Twilight muttered, staring aghast at her friend as she stood there rigidly, her eyes welling with tears that never seemed to come.

Shaking her head, Twilight took a step back and lit her horn, her mind trying to concoct a spell that would help wake her friend. Flash after flash darkened the room, as the unicorn went through every spell that could possibly help. Yet when she stood there, panting and without any ideas, so too did Rarity, her eyes as empty and vacant as the second Twilight had first seen her standing there.

“Maybe the answer is in these visions,” Twilight muttered to herself, unaware of how frantic her voice had become, and how wild her mane now was. “That has to be it, right? Why else would I be shown such horrors?”

Nodding hysterically to herself, Twilight ran over to the nearest pony, who happened to be Trixie. Though her eyes remained as unfocused as the rest, the glazed orbs also twitched occasionally, as if the pony were frantically looking around for something. After a reassuring gulp, Twilight gazed into the other pony’s eyes as she had in Rarity’s.

She was alone, painfully alone, and around her the forest blurred as she ran from one tree to the next. Time itself had seemingly come unhinged shortly after she had fled Ponyville and years passed in seconds. Beneath her, the forest floor shifted and contorted as trees she had seen one moment earlier disappeared the next second, replaced by a half-rotten stump.

Her breathing grew sharper still, and she poured on the speed, twisting her way through the distorted landscape as she pressed ever deeper into the wilder woods.

This time Twilight was ready, and when the vision ended, she calmly took a step back and considered what she saw. Trixie had been lost in the woods, that much was obvious, but what was not obvious was how much time had been passing. More pressing then that was the feeling of something being… off. Though Twilight could not put her hoof on what detail of Trixie’s previous story was wrong, she knew something was not as it seemed.

Shaking her head, Twilight stepped away from the pony, her mind churning as she tried to connect any dots that may exist between the two visions. Only to come up with very little, other than the forest which seemed ever present through it all. With a final shake of her head, Twilight dismissed the cloying memories and made her way over to Applejack, who stood nearby.

The apple farmer was different from the others, as though her eyes were distant, they contained neither terror, nor fear, only a deep resounding sadness that made Twilight’s heart lurch at the sight. This was the gaze of someone who had witnessed something so profoundly terrible that their mind recoiled from the sight, unable to process the true depth of their own agony. With that thought firmly in mind, Twilight paused as she neared the mare, wondering silently if she could truly face whatever her friend had faced.

The unicorn bit her lip and forced away such thoughts for now, focusing completely on the tantalizing possibility of answers, and a way to free her friends.

Twilight stared into Applejack’s eyes, and was once more transported far from where she had been standing a second earlier.

The rough and irritating grass and weeds beneath her body would normally be enough to make her wince and stand back up, yet she found herself unable to do so. Her body was utterly powerless, unable to move an inch while she beheld the most horrifying sight she could ever imagine. Though to untrained eyes it was a calm, almost beautiful scene, Applejack knew better than most.

Before her, twin trees curled about one another, their trunks intertwining and separating, as their canopies did much the same. Pears and apples growing side by side and leaving behind a space in the center in the rough shape of a cartoon heart. She tried to focus on that beauty, rather than the bones that poked out from the wood at odd angles, or the skull that had been picked clean of meat which emerged halfway up the trunk of one tree.

And failed.

“How? They had been alive that morning,” Twilight found herself muttering, barely noticing the transition from vision, and reality.

“It's not your fault Applejack,” Twilight stated, while giving her friend a shake. “You couldn't have known!”

Not waiting for a response, she rushed back over to Rarity. “You couldn't save them! It's not your fault either!”

When nothing happened, she trotted up to Trixie and laid a hoof on the unmoving pony’s shoulder. “You did your best, you survived. The past can't harm you anymore, your family is here.”

She knew it was a wasted effort, that her friends couldn't hear her anymore, but she had to say it, a part of her unwilling to accept that they were beyond her reach. Pushing past that, she made her way over to Fluttershy, the bunny’s ears drooping, and its paws hanging loose at its sides. With a sigh, she leaned down and looked the furry creature in its glassy eyes, ready for anything.

The crinkle of dried leaves under hoof was usually a pleasant experience, one that Fluttershy reveled in, but today things were different. Today she merely trod through the underbrush without a care, hardly giving a passing thought to her surroundings. She paid no attention to the dangers that might be lurking just out of sight, as she was here for a reason after all, one that she would need a clear mind for.

Or at least as clear as she could manage anyway, as right now she couldn't stop thinking of the bruise on her cheek, and who had left it there. Love, it seemed, was not something she deserved, and so she chose today to give the last of the love she had to the only thing that had ever cared about her. The forest, and in its tender embrace she would exist forevermore, free from the pain and sorrow that had nipped doggedly at her heels for the entirety of her brief existence.

A sentiment that Twilight couldn't help but agree with, at least in part.

Shaking her head, Twilight brushed aside the tears on her cheek and hugged the bunny as much as she dared. “You are loved, you are worthy of love. Things will get better,” she whispered, a hoof gently caressing the furred creature’s back.

With a sigh, she placed the bunny back in the spot it had been standing in a moment earlier and took a step back. Sure enough, Fluttershy hadn't awoken, or so much as twitch, yet Twilight continued, trotting slowly up to the one pony she should have started with.

“Sorry about the breach of privacy everyone, but I was hoping it would help. Maybe it still will,” Twilight muttered weakly.

She hardly had the energy to look into the thestral’s eyes, but she knew that if there was even a one percent chance that this would help matters, she would do it, no matter what that meant for her own mind. “This had better work,” she muttered before gazing into the thestral’s glassy orbs.

The rage burned hot in her chest, and she stomped her way into the small cave and bucked down the door. Tears stung her cheeks as she was approached by an irate thestral female, who had a long cigarette sticking out of her lip. Pain thundered through her hoof when it connected with the thestral’s face, shattering her glasses and sending her toppling to the floor in a heap.

Her lips spewed icy insults and angry accusations, her thoughts consumed by images of the strange tree she had found, which grew on the same spot she had found her friend’s body. A bottle crashed upside her head, and sent the angry teenager to the ground, her muzzle landing on the dirty, unwashed floor. Even while hooves pounded away at her back and legs, she struggled on, desperate to eke out a bit of revenge even after she felt her leg snap under a particularly brutal kick.

“She didn't deserve you, she didn't deserve what you did,” Twilight growled, only to realize that she was herself once more, and was no longer Rainbow Dash.

Sighing, the unicorn took a step back and wiped the tears from her eyes. “It wasn't your fault, Rainbow Dash, you couldn't have known,” she explained, hooves gripping the thestral’s shoulders. “Some pain we don't share with even our closest friends.”

When nothing happened, Twilight sighed and turned away. “Well, it was worth a try,” she muttered, her hooves clacking across the stone floor.

Behind her, the companions who helped her through thick and thin stood a silent vigil, their eyes seeing nothing, and their minds no longer in this moment of time. Before them, Twilight strode as confidently as she could towards where she knew the secret room lay waiting for her. Upon reaching the entrance, her hoof went to her amulet, which she gripped tightly, and focused her magic into.

This time when she detected the other half of the amulet, she could feel that not only was it close, but that it lay in the very next room. With her spine straightened, and her will steeled, Twilight glanced back over her shoulder one final time.

“I’ll save you. I swear,” she vowed, before turning and pressing her hoof against the switch.

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Clarity Through Agony

After a deep, calming breath Twilight pressed the button, opened the door, and stepped inside the ritual chamber.

Inside was the same unfinished cave-like structure she had witnessed in Beaker’s memories, though upon closer inspection it was actually slightly different than how the skeleton remembered it. Discord’s bones were gone, as was the tablet, and the ritual circle itself was absent, though if they had been removed purposefully or had been destroyed by the ravages of time, Twilight didn't know. The only thing that actually did seem to survive was a unicorn skeleton that sat off to the side, its hoof clutching something around its neck.

The long horn and above average height made Twilight realize that she gazed upon not only a corpse, but her own corpse. The feeling she got when she looked down on the body was one akin to vertigo, though it also made a yawning depth open up in her stomach, and brought forth a surge of unpleasant thoughts. Brushing that feeling aside hastily, lest it knock her to the ground, Twilight did her best not to look down on her own body, and instead focused on anything she may have missed.

Only to find that the tomes she had seen in the memory had remained exactly where they had been the last time she had seen them. Though she wanted nothing more than to dive into their pages, and learn everything they had to offer, she had a mission to complete, and friends to save before she could do that.

Which meant turning back and looking down at her corpse. Something Twilight did only after gulping down her fear, and slowly began to extend a shaky hoof towards it, intent on retrieving the other half of the amulet it still clutched. A task that wasn't as easy as she would have liked, as the skeleton was clutching the other half with booth hooves. Its grip was tight, and it was as if death itself couldn't dissuade her former incarnation from releasing its hold on the piece of jewelry.

She stopped and for a moment considered turning back, the unpleasant realization that she was robbing a corpse coming to mind, only to shake her head at the thought. Don't be stupid, it's not grave robbing if its your own grave. Right? The thought made Twilight frown when she realized just how weird this situation was. I am going to need so much therapy when this is all over, she thought to herself.

Her hoof extended once more, and she confidently reached towards the moon half of the amulet clutched in her former self’s skeletal hooves. When her limb neared its goal, and victory was in sight, a sudden wall of black rose up, and obscured nearly everything. Thinking quickly, Twilight backpedaled and gripped the amulet, pushing a bit of her own magic inside and speaking the first command she could think of, “Stop!”

The looming shape of what looked like a massive, bat-winged alicorn made from pure darkness stopped mid-pounce, its enormous maw hanging open as its body hung in the air. Evidently gravity was not its master, as it remained there, merely gazing down upon the pony with what could only be described as a look of amusement. Twilight cleared her throat, and kept her hoof wrapped tight around the magical piece of jewelry.

“Get back!” she bellowed, jabbing a hoof at the shadow creature that loomed over her menacingly, wings outstretched.

Its hooves touched the floor, and it seemed to consider the pony’s words for a solid ten seconds or so, before it sniffed the air and turned to the corpse. Seeing where this was going, Twilight stumbled back a step. “She's me, I can explain!” Twilight exclaimed hastily, her hoof outstretched, as if the limb would ward off the nightmare.

The creature turned back towards the undead mare and shook its head before setting its hooves wide apart and lunging directly at the pony. A desperate cry filled the room, and sparks flew as Twilight attempted to defend herself, only for the darkness to close in around her anyway, unaffected by the weak spell. In an instant, all feeling in her body was lost, and her eyelids grew heavy. A second later the unicorn felt as though she were falling, and then, nothing.

Opening her eyes, Twilight watched as her mother bounded towards her, eyes wide and filled with terror. She was saying something, or at least trying to, but Twilight couldn't hear the words, for her own heart pounded so loudly that it obscured any other sound. Twilight knew there was some kind of intruder in the house, that much she was able to gather from her mother’s words, but everything else was lost. For a moment the world seemed to slow, and though she was aware of her brother tugging at her, trying to get her into the third story of their house, and away from whoever was invading their house, Twilight found herself unable to move.

She watched in horror as a thin lance of golden magic shot up the stairs, and pierced her mother’s shoulder, gouging deep into the elder mare’s flesh and making a jet of blood shoot out the other side. She tried to cry out, to warn her mother, but she found her hooves nailed to the floor, and her gaze locked on her injured parent’s face as she cried in agony and lurched across the doorway.

She realized in that moment that this was her fault, she had seen her mother move to dodge out of the way, but then wince. She had aged too fast, unnaturally so, and though Twilight had always told herself it wasn't her fault, now that she knew what she was, she could deny it no longer. The crows feet visible on the edges of her mother’s eyes at forty, the limp she had developed in the last few years along with the loss of her hair color.

It was all her fault, she had been feeding unconsciously off the mare all this time, and not even known it. Suddenly all the tender nights Twilight spent sobbing into a carefully placed towel took on an entirely different connotation. For as she clutched her mother tight in her forelegs, Twilight had drawn not only warmth from the mare, but also her very life force.

Twilight’s jaw moved as her mother stumbled, and nearly fell, a cry on her lips, but Twilight didn't hear that, as her mother’s killer’s voice echoed as if she were speaking right in front of her.

“Yes, that's right, fight fight fight! I want to feel you squirm beneath my hooves before I crush you,” she said, her voice dripping with such cruelty that it bordered on comical, though in this moment Twilight couldn't find much humour in it.

Gathering Twilight in her magic, Twilight Velvet surged forwards, grabbing her brother before sprinting up the stairs, blood trailing behind her. The younger mare couldn't struggle, couldn't even move as she felt herself hoisted up and all but tossed onto the next floor by her grim-faced mother. Shock seemed to fill the young pony and she found herself standing there weakly as Shining Armor ran over to the top of the stairs and summoned forth his best shield.

A second later and the assassin followed, running nose-first into said shield and recoiling. “Oooh, that tickles. It is going to feel so good killing you,” she announced with a vile, twisted smirk.

Twilight could only watch as her mother used her magic to try and heal herself, only for the spell to fizzle as the wound was too deep, and was thus beyond her magical abilities. The young unicorn wanted to help, to cast a healing spell of her own, but she knew that such spells seemed to react violently when cast by the strange mare. So it was that she could only stand there in horror, watching as her brave brother stood up to her mother’s would-be killer.

“Who are you and what do you want from my family?” he demanded, glaring up at the fiery-maned unicorn who stood at the top of the stairs.

Twilight looked on and realized that the colt looked small, weak, his body unable to cope with the theft of his life force by his own sister. This, Twilight knew, was her fault as well. The young colt was brave, indomitable, and fiercely protective, sticking by Twilight when nearly all other family had written her off as a freak. He was there, along with her mother, when she needed comfort and even when she had pondered ending her life just so that her family could live without the burden she imposed upon them.

“Well, before I beat your father I said I was the garbage mare,” the orange-furred unicorn announced with a haughty laugh. “But I think that joke has run its course.”

Shining Armor, ever the protector, ground his teeth and set his stance wider after Twilight let out a gasp of shock. He seemed ready to launch into an insult of some kind, but Twilight Velvet beat him to it, stepping forward with strength a mare in her shape should be impossible to have.

“Don't you dare touch him!” she boomed, pointing down at the unicorn.

Smiling widely, the mystery mare’s teeth glinted in the semi darkness of the poorly lit room. “Oh, he's fine. He’s just taking a brief tour of the dungeons and receiving a first hoof lesson on neuromancy,” the assassin declared with a chuckle. “As for who I am, and what I want… The first doesn't matter, and the second is her,” she exclaimed, jabbing hoof at Twilight’s lanky form.

The undead mare knew why she was here, knew why she was so ready to kill her, but she felt her lips move of their own volition. “Why?” Twilight asked.

“Why?” asked the faux-perplexed looking mare. “Well, to Celestia you are a danger. To me-” She smirked. “You are just a fun little challenge.”

Realization dawned on the three ponies, each one coming to the same conclusion at the same time. Sunset Shimmer, the butcher of Canterlot, was here in the flesh. And my mother is about to die, Twilight thought to herself.

Then, before anypony could gather themselves after such a terrifying realization, said butcher conjured forth a golden tack the size of a pony’s hoof and brought it down hard against Shining Armor’s shield. The effect was immediate, with enormous cracks appearing all along the glowing magenta barrier, and knocking her brother to his knees. Twilight knew how impressive such a display was, as even she struggled to damage or even crack her brother’s shield. While here Sunset Shimmer had nearly destroyed it utterly in a single, half hearted attack.

The assassin whistled while looking up and down at Shining Armor’s shield with a newfound appreciation. “Impressive. I’ve popped barriers made by ponies twice your age with half the effort,” she began, before pointing down at the colt. “Quick lesson before I beat you and your mother unconscious and then murder your sister; the modern shield spell is designed to refract force larger than a hoof. Once you go smaller, the damage done multiplies exponentially.”

Twilight winced, but found herself unable to look away, her eyes glued to her brother as his horn began to glow a little brighter, the colt trying, and failing to summon an extra layer of defence before the mare struck again. It was all for naught, however, as the second tack appeared where the first had vanished, and flew unerringly towards the barrier. Twilight herself had also summoned her magic, intent on reinforcing her brother’s spell, while still knowing she couldn't actually help in time.

This too, she realized, was her fault.

The colt was strong, strong enough to block a powerful spell from one of the most powerful mages in history, but he could have been stronger. If Twilight had not been so selfish and fed from him, perhaps he could have been strong enough to hold her off long enough for Twilight to reinforce the colt’s shield as well. Perhaps then, they would have been able to teleport away, to live another day, and perhaps even, to escape Celestia’s cursed city alive and unharmed.

None of that would happen, Twilight knew, for as the tack flew forwards, it morphed into a beam of light, and turned towards her. She wanted to close her eyes, to look away, to not watch her mother die again, but she knew it was coming, and knew she couldn't look away. The world slowed once more, and she watched on in horror as the golden bolt of magic destroyed her brother’s shield and sent him tumbling into unconsciousness.

After that, it felt like a small eternity as the bolt closed the distance, intent on destroying Twilight utterly. Twilight herself would have welcomed such an end, but she knew she wasn't going to die yet, but someone far more important than her was going to.

Hooves connected with her shoulder, shoving her out of the way, and taking her place in the path of the spell. Twilight could feel her magic fizzle away, dissipating into nothingness as a small part of her mind realized it was a wasted effort. She hardly cared though, for in that moment the only thing she could think of was that she should be where her mother now stood.

All of this was her fault, if she hadn't robbed her mother of her youth, she would have been faster, stronger, and more able to protect them all. If Twilight had not robbed her brother of his vitality he would be more powerful and combined with their mother’s strength, could have saved them. A third, and even more damning thought entered her mind, making her realize the fact that if she had never existed, Sunset Shimmer would have no reason to even be there in the first place.

Twilight knew, a second before her mother died, that the undead mare deserved the hell she was in, and she deserved what was coming.

“I love you,” Twilight Velvet, mother of two, whispered, her final words crashing into Twilight’s heart like a hammer blow.

Twilight felt herself reeling in shock and terror, for she had not thought her mother had actually been able to speak those words. Though she wasn't sure if it was her addled mind merely imagining it or not, it didn't matter as she didn't have time to contemplate the words before the golden ray of magic flew through the elder mare’s body. Suddenly the heartache and terror of her mother’s death came roaring back all over again, and Twilight wanted nothing more than to scream, weep or do anything to help release her anguish.

Yet, she couldn't, sure her body continued to move, but her mind was blank, the mare merely accepting that in the end, she deserved to watch her mother die all over again. For the fault was hers and hers alone.

The moment was shattered, and Twilight Velvet was cleaved in half, each piece of her flying in a different direction. Twilight watched on in muted horror as she saw her mother’s entrails pinwheel through the air, spraying the room in a fountain of blood and gore. She hoped her mother didn't suffer too much, but Twilight knew it hardly mattered at this point in time.

Her face contorted in rage, and though her horn sparked with power, deep down inside, Twilight felt only apathy. She didn't blame Sunset Shimmer, not anymore, not while her mother’s blood was on her hooves. Twilight was more a killer than Sunset was, decided the dead mare, even as she screamed the word ‘No’ at the top of her lungs.

Raw mana and directionless spells seemed to pour out of her horn, the mass of purple power twisting and writhing as it exploded at the golden pony. Yet even this titanic outpouring of power and emotion did little to stir the true Twilight’s mind, as she gazed through the windows that become her own eyes. Power strong enough to vaporize all but the most hardiest and well enchanted metal erupted in a great explosion, tearing through the air and flying at the golden mare across from her.

Who had erected her own shield of magic just in the nick of time.

Even still, Twilight felt her voice continue to scream, continue to vent the rage and grief she no longer truly felt. Sure, there was a sliver of her that still mourned for her mother’s death, but all she could think about was the simple fact that this was all her fault.

She screamed louder, and poured more power into her spell, obliterating everything in a six foot sphere around the pony. Wooden walls, floors and ceilings vanished, leaving behind not even dust. Their house shifted as supports were annihilated, and the weight of the upper floors moved, threatening to bring down the entire building. None of which mattered to Twilight as she continued to watch herself scream and yell at the pony, trying to foolishly overwhelm her with raw power alone.

When finally the flow of magic stuttered to a stop, and Twilight felt her hooves grow weak beneath her she knew it was nearly over. And that her end, was coming.

Before her, a shimmering sphere of golden magic flickered and died, revealing an unharmed and unconcerned Sunset Shimmer standing within. And though Twilight’s body gasped in shock, amazed that anything had survived the blast she had unleashed, Twilight’s mind was unsurprised by the turn of events. Of course such an attack would be useless against the well-trained pony as the attack was strong, but spread over such a large area that Twilight may very well have thrown a pillow at the pony for all the good it would have done her.

Gulping down her fear, Twilight felt her lips begin to move, the dead mare remembering well her attempt at being clever. “Why does Celestia want me dead?” Twilight asked quickly, as Sunset Shimmer strode forward, unbothered by the devastation that was all around her.

“You are a necromancer,” she announced with a shrug.

“Necromancy is impossible!” Twilight shouted angrily, though she did not feel so much as a single iota of such an emotion.

“Tsk tsk, Twilight. Some would say that living without a nervous system was impossible too, but yet, here you are,” Sunset Shimmer declared excitedly, gesturing to Twilight with a hoof. “Yes, I know about your little condition, and I know it only got worse as you grew older. You shouldn't be able to move or even breathe, but yet here you are!”

Sunset Shimmer waved a dismissive hoof over Twilight’s body. “And necromancy isn't impossible, just really, really difficult, and only able to be learned by a select few,” she explained.

Twilight could feel her features fall slack, though the realization that her enemy’s words brought on had already been discovered before she uttered them. “You don't mean…” Twilight murmured.

“Oh yes, you can learn the magic of the soul. And to top it all off, you gave the old bitch the silent treatment for an entire day. That's usually enough to earn a quick death,” the golden mare remarked with a smirk.

Twilight could feel her heart pounding in her chest, and though her body was experiencing terror the likes of which it had never felt before, Twilight’s mind remained impassive. She knew what was coming, but couldn't stop it even if she wanted to, nor could she stop her lips from moving on their own.

“Why are you here? I thought you were killed by the guard five years ago-” she began, only to be cut off.

“Blah blah, my patience is running thin, and I have one last thing to say to you. Which you will be surprised to know is a compliment,” the golden mare remarked with a wry smirk. “Your spell use was impressive, your overcharge of mana bolt was simple and elegant, easy to cast and just as easy to dump more power into. I like it.”

She leaned a little closer, a glint in her eye. “You know another good spell that’s simple but can be used quite elegantly? Telekinesis.” The mare’s smirk grew into a huge wolfish grin as her horn lit with maleficent power.

Twilight could feel her body begin to panic even harder as it struggled to react to whatever it was that Sunset Shimmer was doing. “Wha-hrk.” Her body’s confusion melted away, replaced with pain, the energy gathering around her own horn dissipating as she felt a bizarre tightness bloom in her chest. Reconciliation

Looking down, Twilight knew what she was about to see before her eyes even beheld her glowing chest. Golden magic radiated out from her body, and Twilight felt her heart all but stop as a force seemed to grip it tightly. Twilight wanted to close her eyes, to simply go quietly into death’s embrace once more, but her body continued to move of its own volition and she was forced to listen to Sunset Shimmer speak.

“With telekinesis, I can grab your heart and hold it like I am right now, stopping you from doing anything and making your body utterly panic without killing you,” Sunset Shimmer explained, her horn glowing brighter and making Twilight’s body collapse to the floor. “Or I can give a gentle squeeze and pop it like a grape, like this!”

The tightness quintupled and suddenly Twilight was vaguely aware of a faint popping sound and several panicked seconds passing before oblivion took her. Her last moments before darkness took her were consumed by the realization that she might indeed be in hell.

Then, there was nothing.

Opening her eyes, Twilight watched as her mother bounded towards her, eyes wide and filled with terror. This was it, Twilight realized, she was dead, and finally in hell for all the things she subjected her family to. Before her the familiar moment began to play out once more, everything moving exactly as it had last time. Even Twilight’s body reacted as it had the very first time, leaving Twilight’s mind unable to do anything but watch as her mother got hit again.

As her brother raised a shield, again. As it failed, again, and as her mother died, again. Finally at the end of it, Twilight died again, and it all began again.

No matter how hard she tried to look away, she couldn't, and even her own body felt foreign and distant. She couldn't move, couldn't look away, couldn't utter a word that she hadn't already uttered. The world, it seemed, was set in stone.

All there was left to do was to give in to despair and pray that in time, even the loss of her mother would become meaningless. Darkness coiled around her, seeping into her mind and driving her deeper into the dark recesses of her own psyche and smothering all thoughts of hope.

Words quickly became meaningless, and even the events playing out before her seemed to slowly fall away. Her body slipped from her grasp, leaving her without a sense of touch, followed quickly by the rest of her senses. There was no sound within the void, nothing to touch, nothing to smell, nothing to see, until finally even darkness itself seemed to bleed into non-existence. Her own thoughts became more distant by the second, growing so small, and so quiet that even Twilight didn't know what she was thinking any longer.

Here, there was nothing, she was nothing, and there was only oblivion.

Time had long since lost all meaning and Twilight wasn't even aware of how many times she had experienced the same nightmare before falling between the cracks in reality. It felt like a small eternity however, until something changed and her world gained a small sliver of light amidst the endless nothingness.

The mare recoiled from it, pushing the light away, and trying to flee from the truth she knew it would bring.

“Abandon your own perception,” spoke a voice startlingly familiar to the one she had once claimed ownership over.

Twilight wanted to deny the voice’s demands, to stay here, in the void, forever, but she couldn't deny the power of the voice’s words and with great reluctance she felt herself turn to the light. Though it was only a shred, a mere crack in the endless expanse of nothing, it was enough, Twilight knew, for her to emerge once more into the nightmare she had fled from.

Form returned to her slowly, and Twilight could feel her senses and body return bit by bit as she flew towards the light. Until finally, her outstretched hooves emerged into the realm beyond and she felt her eyes open once more.

She saw her mother begin to sprint across the doorway at the top of the stairs, and though she wanted to lament being here and being forced to view the same moment again, Twilight felt as though something was different this time. Looking at her mother, Twilight could see there was a sort of acceptance in her eye, an understanding that this may be the last thing she did. Yet she crossed the distance regardless, diving towards the two ponies she cared about most in this world. She accepted the bolt of magic with only the slightest of winces, and continued to carry her children up the stairs and to what she hoped was safety.

This time Twilight saw her brother, the young, brave colt, recoil with fear in his eyes, and realization on his face. He knew who this pony was upon only catching a single fleeting glimpse of her, yet he stowed that fear away quickly when he noticed Twilight’s gaze upon him.

Even Sunset Shimmer’s words seemed to change, and Twilight nearly ignored them at first, only for the subtle shift in cadence to catch her off guard.

“That's right, fight, fight, fight!” she yelled almost hysterically, as if she was trying to make Twilight resist her in some way.

“I want to feel you squirm beneath my hooves before I crush you,” she bellowed in a voice that was so campy that it sounded a little ridiculous, like she was putting on a voice rather than speaking naturally.

Even while Twilight was being levitated up the stairs, and tossed onto the next landing, she watched Sunset Shimmer out of the corner of her eye. Catching sight of something she had not seen yet, a rare moment of weakness and pain amidst the villainous act she was putting on. There at the bottom of the stairs, the golden mare paused to wipe tears from her eyes before her hoof suddenly jerked back down and her body began to move once more.

It was as if her body was being pulled along by strings, and the mare herself was merely along for the ride. Then, Twilight’s hooves were under her once more, and the assassin was out of sight, leaving only her mother and brother in view.

Though her body continued to move on its own, her lips creating words on her, Twilight felt as though she had gained some control over her eyes at least, and was able to direct her attention in ways she hadn't originally been able to. Allowing her to watch as Sunset Shimmer closed her eyes a second before Shining Armor’s shield popped into existence, creating an opening for the spell to coalesce without interruption. Something she knew would be relatively easy for the expert mage, who needed only to cast a quick dispel to stop Shining Armor’s complex shield spell to collapse before fully forming.

When her eyes opened once more she ran face-first into the force field, and for a moment, Twilight thought she saw a smile on the mare’s face before it vanished. “Oooh, that tickles. It is going to feel so good killing you,” she exclaimed in the same almost fanciful villain voice of hers.

She tapped the barrier with a hoof, an act small in itself, but strange as she had already touched the barrier. She should know how strong it was, why bother with wasting time by prodding it unless she was trying to give them more time? Twilight brushed off that thought, as she had little evidence to support it, though she couldn't help but imagine that it was a distinct possibility, one that went against everything she thought she knew of the butcher of Canterlot.

“Who are you and what do you want from my family?” Twilight’s brother yelled, voice quivering with fear Twilight had not noticed until now.

Oh he tried to look intimidating, to appear every bit the stallion he felt he already was, but Twilight could tell he was scared.

“Well, before I beat your father, I said I was the garbage mare,” the fiery-maned unicorn exclaimed, wincing slightly. “But I think that joke has run its course.”

Was that, regret Twilight saw in her eye? A flash of empathy appearing amidst the seemingly endless displays of brutality and evil that only made Twilight wonder what was truly going on.

“Don't you dare touch him!” Twilight Velvet demanded.

Sunset Shimmer frowned for a moment before forcing herself to smile. “Oh, he's fine, just taking a brief tour of the dungeons and receiving a firsthoof lesson on neuromancy,” Explained the unicorn, her voice rising as she emphasized the last word, stressing it strangely. “As for who I am and what I want... the first doesn't matter and the second is her.” The yellow hoof poked out of the gloom and pointed towards the lanky purple mare towering over her brother and mother.

Twilight felt her body continue to move, her face shifting into a grimace, but her mind was elsewhere even while she asked. “Why?”

Twilight had seen a flash of pain and guilt when Sunset Shimmer spoke of who she was, as if the killer genuinely believed that her very identity didn't matter. It was the strange inflection in her tone that made Twilight realize this, and she began to wonder if there was more to her mother’s killer than what she had first anticipated.

“Why?” Sunset Shimmer asked in a disgusted tone. “Well to Celestia, you are a danger. To me, you are just a fun little challenge.”

Every word that seemed to come out of her mouth sounded different, felt different and carried an altogether new meaning than what Twilight had witnessed until now. The way she spoke of Celestia made Sunset Shimmer sound like she truly hated the mare, before reverting to the weird, villainous voice that she used for the most part. Even the summoning of her magic, and the subsequent attack felt oddly lethargic and restrained, like she was holding back. In that instant Twilight knew that she could have broken the colt’s shield the first time she launched her spell.

Again, it didn't break, but instead sprouted a great spider web of cracks from the point of impact. Twilight didn't have to look around to notice that her family was now aware of who was standing before them. She put that out of her mind though, the illusion had been broken partially, and Twilight no longer saw them as her family members but cruel imitations meant to torment her. Resolve burned hot in her breast, and as time passed, that resolve only grew hotter, and stronger, until Twilight could almost wiggle her hoof.

Sunset Shimmer whistled, in what sounded like genuine appreciation. “Impressive,” she remarked. “I’ve popped barriers made by ponies twice your age with half the effort. A quick lesson before I beat you and your mother unconscious and then murder your sister; the modern shield spell is designed to refract force larger than a hoof. Once you go smaller, the damage done multiplies exponentially.”

The way she spoke was more like a teacher giving a lesson, one that was directed not only at Shining Armor, but Twilight as well it seemed. It still had that slight, gloating edge to it, but it was also stern, confident, and Twilight noticed the killer’s gaze flash past her, as if checking to see if her lesson was understood. Could she have been hoping that Twilight and Shining Armor had enough time to react and reinforce their shield? Or was she merely gloating and this was just another way she went about doing just that?

So many questions rolled in Twilight’s head, only for Sunset Shimmer’s horn to glow once more, and a second construct of solid magic came into being. This time Twilight noticed something different about the energy that gathered around her killer’s horn, most notable being the fact that it was a different color. Sure it was still gold, but it also lacked the distinct red parts that Twilight had noticed around her horn until now.

What did it mean? Was it perhaps related to how she was being puppeted? Or perhaps it meant nothing at all and Twilight was seeing clues where there were none.

Time slowed once more, the usual events playing out again, but even the coming loss of her mother playing out once again did not bother the dead mare. She watched as Sunset’s face briefly flashed with confusion and resistance, as if the pony was struggling to stop herself from casting her own spell. Then it was gone, and Shining Armor’s shield broke, Twilight was pushed out of the way, and her mother died again.

No matter how much looking away hurt her, Twilight was determined to stay focused on Sunset Shimmer throughout it all, hoping to find some sort of hint that may help her unwind this puzzle. Twilight didn't see her mother try to speak her final words, nor did she watch as the elder mare died, Twilight’s gaze glued to a terrified and guilt-stricken Sunset Shimmer. Who stood there, shocked and confused by what had occurred, her horn dull and her eyes wide.

Then Twilight felt her body move and power grow, and though Sunset Shimmer did indeed light her horn and conjure a barrier, she seemed to struggle with the action. Magic came slowly to her, and for a moment her shield was only a single flat wall before whatever was controlling her won out and forced her to construct a more complete dome shield. Twilight couldn't help but wonder what she was resisting, what she was fighting against, and why she resisted at all.

She heard herself yell, felt magic course through her and erupt from her horn in a torrent of magical power the likes of which she had never attempted before. The house shifted, her beam increased in size and scale, yet Twilight knew that Sunset Shimmer would be unharmed. The past was written already, and Sunset Shimmer could not be injured, no matter how many times Twilight lived out these events.

Her horn dulled, and the magic sputtered to a stop, and a second later the dust and debris cleared to reveal an angry-looking unicorn. Yet her rage was not directed at Twilight, but rather some other direction entirely, though what that was, Twilight didn't know.

“Why does Celestia want me dead?” she asked, not meaning a single word.

Twilight’s heart pounded, her mind reeled, and she could feel panic set into her body, yet not her mind. The dead mare could feel more power return to her, and she felt as though she could move a leg or two if she wanted to. Yet she didn't, not yet anyway as the mare told herself that her time would come soon, but patience was necessary, for now.

“You are a necromancer,” Sunset Shimmer replied weakly, a frown on her face.

“Necromancy is impossible!” Twilight yelled, her lips continuing to move without any direction on her part.

“Tsk tsk, Twilight. Some would say that living without a nervous system was impossible too, but yet, here you are. Yes, I know about your little condition, and I know it only got worse as you grew older. You shouldn't be able to move or even breathe, but yet here you are!” Sunset Shimmer declared with what seemed like genuine admiration.

The fiery maned unicorn trotted forward, standing tall and unafraid. “And necromancy isn't impossible, just really, really difficult, and only able to be learned by a select few.”

Why was she talking like that? Twilight wondered. Why was she talking like she was giving another lesson to her? What was the point of spouting such strange exposition, knowing that she was going to have to kill Twilight in the end?

“Oh yes, you can learn the magic of the soul. And to top it all off, you gave the old bitch the silent treatment for an entire day. That's usually enough to earn a quick death.” The golden mare chuckled, real mirth coming to her eyes.

“Why are you here? I thought you were killed by the guard five years ago-” Twilight began, only to be cut off when Sunset’s horn began to glow for a second.

Then it was gone, dismissed by the unicorn suddenly stepping forward, her movements jerky, and uncoordinated for a reason Twilight could not explain.

“Blah blah, my patience is running thin, and I have one last thing to say to you. Which you will be surprised to know is a compliment.” The golden mare smirked though Twilight could tell that beneath the cocky expression she was clenching her jaw, and holding back something.

“Your spell use was impressive, your overcharge of mana bolt was simple and elegant, easy to cast and just as easy to dump more power into. I like it,” Sunset declared, a small genuine smile flashing across her face before it was wiped away. “You know another good spell that’s simple but can be used quite elegantly? Telekinesis.” The mare’s smirk grew into a cartoonishly wolfish grin as her horn lit with power, as if she were demonstrating the spell rather than simply using it.

The pain that bloomed in Twilight’s chest was small, and she watched closely as Sunset Shimmer took another step forward, her limbs continuing to jerk and pull her body forward. “Wha-hr,” Twilight grunted and looked down, only to find that there was more to the glow then what she’d first noticed.

There on her chest was a detailed arcane script of sorts, illuminated in golden magic and displaying how to cast an altered telekinesis version of the standard telekinesis spell. Twilight’s head jerked away immediately, and she understood why she hadn't noticed the detail within the glow now, for she only gazed upon it for mere milliseconds before turning away in terror. Yet now, Twilight was able to look down upon the script and commit it to memory as Sunset Shimmer took another jerky step forward.

“With telekinesis, I can grab your heart and hold it like I am right now, stopping you from doing anything and making your body utterly panic without killing you.” The tightness increased threefold and Twilight’s legs fell out from under her.

Though her gaze was drawn down to the ground as her vision swam, Twilight forced herself to deviate slightly and looked up and saw the tears as they ran down the other pony’s face. She saw all the heartache, guilt, and agony that flowed through the pony’s features like water, her voice becoming strained as she moved to kill Twilight once again. “Or I can give a gentle squeeze and pop it like a grape, like this!”

Yet the tightness never increased, as Twilight was no longer on the ground, but was instead lurching forward. Her body, which had up until this point been distant, and unable to follow her commands suddenly heeded her call once more. Hooves extended and Twilight wrapped them tight around the neck of her mother’s killer, squeezing tightly.

“I forgive you,” Twilight whispered.

“W-what?” Sunset Shimmer muttered, her horn winking out as the world began to fall apart around them.

“I know she’s controlling you, making you do these things,” Twilight whispered, tears flowing down her face. “I know you want to die, I know you wanted me to kill you and I… forgive you.”

Great shards of the house fell away like chunks of glass, revealing a writhing darkness just behind it. Twilight’s family vanished, the street beyond vanished, everything breaking apart until nothing was left but Twilight and Sunset Shimmer. She squeezed tighter, hoping against hope that the real Sunset Shimmer, wherever she was, got the message.

“I’m sorry.” Sunset whispered, a tear trailing down her cheek.

And then, even they shattered, leaving behind nothing but darkness.

Twilight lurched forward, her legs having turned to jello and leaving her sprawled out on the ground. Images of the last moments she had shared with Sunset Shimmer flashed through her mind, memories of the spell she had been given remaining fresh in her mind. Twilight wondered if Sunset Shimmer was alive somewhere, and if she knew how Twilight felt. If that were true, Twilight knew she wouldn't find out for a long time, if at all, but the knowledge that she had at least tried felt good.

Putting her hooves under her once more, Twilight forced herself into a standing position, though her legs continued to shake and her body seemed ready to rebel against her. After several shaky and unnecessary breaths, the lanky unicorn rose fully and looked around the room. Which seemed the same, with little having changed save for the fact that the great nightmare which had menaced her up until now was now little more than a mewling mass that writhed before the unicorn.

It looked and acted like a beaten dog, recoiling from Twilight’s gaze and attempting to hide in the darkest corner of the room. Upon seeing the nightmare Twilight felt rage and righteous indignation flare in her chest and for a moment she considered destroying the creature. She quickly put such a thought from her mind however, as the creature was not truly sentient, and was also most likely acting upon her own final command. An ironic and utterly unfunny twist of fate, Twilight decided.

With a sigh, she turned from the nightmare and surveyed the rest of the room.

Behind Twilight stood her friends, each one locked in the same stance they had been in since Twilight had walked into the room. Though they had not moved, Twilight could tell something had changed, as they all seemed slightly thinner. How long had they been standing there? How much longer could they take?

Twilight didn't want to think of the answers to those questions and instead focused on the bones of her past self and the necklace it held in her grip. Walking over to it, Twilight leaned down and sighed. “Thank you,” she whispered to the corpse.

After a moment of silence, Twilight reached forward and grabbed the other half, knowing full well that another memory was coming.

She stood over a table at the basement of the library, a great number of papers splayed out before her. They covered a great many topics, from dragon culture to myths to magical theory and seemingly everything in between. Notes scrawled on slips of yellow paper were placed here and there throughout the great pile, though Twilight didn't know what they said.

She felt her hoof rise and point to a seemingly random chunk of papers as if they were important. “Discord is the key to all of this,” Twilight declared.

Beside her, Spike leaned on the table and looked at the spot, only to scratch his head with a clawed finger. “How does ancient dragon legend make sense of any of what has happened?” he asked.

“It doesn't matter anymore, but suffice it to say he's the key to everything, Spike,” Twilight declared swiftly, before turning towards the diminutive dragon and wrapping him in a tight hug. “What matters is that the tree will protect you if anything happens.”

“If anything happens? What are you talking about, Twilight? What is going on? I just wanted to know what all this was about and what you were doing down here,” Spike demanded, gripping the lanky limbed unicorn by the shoulders.

“There is no time to explain. Something terrible is brewing, and we need all the allies we can get if we are going to fight order,” Twilight explained.

“Fight order? Twilight, please just tell me what's going on,” Spike pleaded.

Twilight sighed, and gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I’m afraid I can't, time is short enough as is. All you need to know is that the tree is old, and such things tend to gain a personality, trust in it to protect you and I swear I’ll return one day.”

“Return? You are not going to leave me, are you?” Spike begged, his clawed hands clutching Twilight tighter.

“I might have to,” Twilight announced with a gentle frown. “The circle has been established, and must be broken. I don't expect you to understand, please, just trust me on this.”

Spike nodded meekly, tears flowing down his cheeks, the dragon trying to contain his sobs in an attempt to appear as strong as he wished he was. “I’m scared, mom,” he whispered.

“I’m scared too,” Twilight whispered back, planting a kiss on the dragon’s forehead. “If something goes wrong, one half of the amulet will teleport to you. At which you are to go to the panic room and not come out until you hear my voice, got it?”

“Why though? I thought you said the amulet will protect you, don't you need it?” Spike pressed.

Twilight sighed, and gently wiped away the dragon’s tears with a hoof. “If it returns to you I won't need it anymore, but she will.”

“Who is she? What are you talking about?” Spike pressed, his voice becoming desperate.

“I’m sorry, Spike, I wish I could tell you more, but there isn't any time.” Twilight pulled the young dragon into one last tight hug, squeezing him tightly. “Please, look after the library, okay? She’s old, and needs someone to look after her.”

The young dragon wept openly, tears crawling down his features and matting the fur around Twilight’s shoulder. The unicorn smiled softly and gently began to rock him side to side, humming softly. Slowly, Spike’s sobbing softened, his tears no longer a stream but only a steady trickle, until finally he stood there, sniffing softly, his grip as tight as ever.

“I promise you that somewhere, somehow, we will meet again,” Twilight vowed, gently, but firmly pulling Spike away from her shoulder so she could look him in the eye. “I swore I would never leave you, right?”

Spike nodded weakly. “Y-yeah.”

“And have I ever broken a promise to you before?” Twilight pressed.

Spike shook his head. “No.”

“And I don't plan on starting now.” Twilight leaned in and smiled. “Plus I’m pretty sure the whole apple clan would whoop my butt if I did.”

Spike smiled even while a few stray tears ran down his face. “They’d tan your hide, mom.”

“That they would,” Twilight declared with a smirk. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Spike replied quickly, taking an awkward step back. “What now?”

“Now you stay strong, and wait for me,” Twilight replied, rising to her full height once more and flexing her appendages.

Spike nodded slowly. “Good luck.”

“Thanks, Spike, stay safe, and remember, I’ll always be with you.”

Twilight blinked and looked around, quickly establishing that she was back in the dark room once more, a complete amulet in hoof. After placing a hoof against her chest, and deducing that she was indeed back in her regular body, she looked down upon the amulet. Turning it with her magic, Twilight could tell that the other half had been affixed perfectly, and the piece of jewelry was now well and truly whole.

Turning to where the nightmare cowered in a corner, Twilight gripped the amulet in one hoof, and pushed her magic into it before speaking loudly and confidently. “Come to me,” she commanded.

The nightmare seemed to strain against itself, one part of its body clinging to the darkness of the corner while the rest reached out towards her. “Come here,” Twilight repeated.

Instantly the nightmare lurched across the space, the alicorn-shaped shadow cowering before Twilight. “Release my friends,” Twilight spoke, pointing to her still catatonic companions.

The nightmare nodded quickly and zipped away, moving from being to being and releasing the hold it had on them. One by one, they seemed to awaken from their slumber, only to fall to the ground panting, and confused.

“What happened?” Rarity demanded, her wide eyes latching onto Twilight.

“And why am I so hungry?” Rainbow Dash added, a hoof clutched to her stomach.

“Trixie feels quite unpleas-” Trixie began only to turn and toss whatever still remained in her stomach into a nearby garbage bin.

“Oh no, Angel Bunny!” Fluttershy cried, the spirit spinning around as she searched for her friend and former vessel.

Twilight spun around and telekinetically dragged the nearest skeletal pony over to her. “Where is the bunny that was here?” she demanded.

The skeleton gulped, despite the fact that it had no muscles to do so with. “A few minutes after you all stopped moving he fell over and woke up an hour later. He tried to wake you all for a while but eventually gave up and hopped away.”

“Oh no!” Fluttershy cried, the spirit floating over to Twilight, temporarily forgetting her fear of being seen. “Twilight, we have to find him, he could be hurt!”

“Fluttershy, stay calm, he's a smart bunny, chances are he left to go find food and is sticking nearby,” Twilight reasoned, placing a hoof on the non-corporeal being’s shoulder. “We are safe now, you can go find him. We’ll meet back up in town, okay?”

“Y-yes. Please tell the girls I didn't abandon them, and that I’ll see them again soon,” Fluttershy added, the young spirit glancing over her shoulder at her friends who were in various states of disarray and sickness.

“I will, Fluttershy, I promise,” Twilight vowed.

“Uh, can you let me go now, please?” Beaker asked.

Rolling her eyes, Twilight dropped the skeleton, and turned her attention to her friends. Some of whom were relieving themselves behind tables, or were otherwise throwing up and generally feeling unpleasant. “Fluttershy is fine and is going to look for Angel Bunny, she wants you all to know she didn't leave you and that she’ll see you soon,” Twilight yelled.

A chorus of weak affirmations could be heard scattered throughout the room, with only Rainbow Dash’s enthusiastic, “Thank the stars,” audible over the sound of sickness.

“What is wrong with them?” Twilight asked, turning back to Beaker.

“They have been standing in one place for a week. Even with the magic of the tower helping to sustain them, they will still suffer some unfortunate reactions. Such as, but not limited to vomiting, nausea, disorientation, diarrhea-” Beaker explained, only to have his muzzle slammed shut by Twilight’s magic.

“I get it,” she replied, before releasing him.

Looking out over her friends, Twilight frowned, both glad for and annoyed by her status as a member of the undead. For though she did not suffer any ill effects of standing in one place for so long, she also couldn't summon any serious healing magic to aid them. Though she supposed raising them from the dead would be a kind of aid, if she actually knew how to do such a thing of course.

Sighing, Twilight turned back to the nightmare, who visibly wilted under her gaze. “Gather the books and bring them here,” she commanded, pointing to the heavy tomes her former self had coveted so much.

The creature nodded before zipping away, with Twilight putting its presence quickly from her mind. Though she couldn't really blame the creature for what it had done, it still irked her that it had tortured her friends in such a brutal manner. The sound of the books being placed next to her drew Twilight from her thoughts, and she turned and quickly stowed the heavy books in her bags, tossing aside the rotten fruit and contaminated water that had been taking up space.

“So, how do you girls feel?” Twilight asked hesitantly, watching Rainbow Dash as she wiped her lips and straightened what armor she had left.

“Like I just went through boot again,” she lamented dryly. “How much of our supplies are left?”

Twilight shrugged. “Anything not magically preserved is likely gone.”

“Dammit all. We are going to need to get back to town or otherwise find supplies tonight, or we’re gonna start dropping like flies.” Rainbow Dash lamented.

“Did someone mention flies?” Rarity asked, the arachne scurrying up to them.

“No, not flies, flies,” Rainbow Dash replied, wiggling her wings in emphasis.

“Oh poo,” Rarity lamented. “I’m so hungry I wouldn't mind going au naturale.”

“Your tellin’ me,” Applejack replied, the mare stumbling past a half destroyed table and revealing that she had lost a significant amount of color, and the tree upon her back had lost a lot of its leaves. “I feel like ground manure.”

“Darling, you look dreadful!” Rarity declared, running over to her and uncorking her water bottle. “Please drink, you need to keep your strength up.”

“Thanks, Rares,” Applejack replied weakly, before gulping down every last drop of water she could. “That was good, but if I don't see the moon soon, I’m gonna shrivel up for good here.”

Trixie stumbled over to them, seemingly the least worse for wear. “And I must return to mother soon, she is likely worried sick by now.”

“Do you need an escort?” Rainbow Dash offered. “‘Cause I can't offer much help unless you come back to town first, my duty is to my friends first.”

“Though that is admirable, I do not need assistance whatsoever,” Trixie declared with a smile.

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure? There are a lot of traps out there, and that's not even taking the golems into consideration.”

Trixie smirked. “I am more resourceful than you give me credit for, Sparkle!” The unicorn’s smirk grew wider still. “Plus I copied all of Rainbow Dash’s notes and maps while she slept.”

“Why you little, those are night guard property! You cannot replicate them without authorization!” Rainbow Dash declared, jabbing a hoof into the mare’s chest and nearly falling over when she didn't hit anything solid.

“Trixie needs no one's permission!” yelled the illusionist from across the room, before laughing haughtily as she walked out the door and disappeared into the gloom.

“If I ever see her again, I’m going to strangle her with that stupid hat of hers,” Rainbow Dash declared, as she picked herself up off the ground.

Snickering to herself, Twilight turned to the nightmare which was hiding in her shadow. “Now girls, I know you are going to freak out, but the nightmare is on our side now, and we are going to need its help if we are going to get out of here in a timely fashion.”

“You what?” Rainbow Dash groaned and facehoofed. “That thing nearly killed us all, well, except you.”

“Yeah, I don't know how I feel about relying on something that nearly killed me an’ Bloomberg, never mind the rest of y’all,” Applejack added hesitantly.

“Well I for one will just be glad to leave this place and if it can help us do it, then so be it,” Rarity declared.

“Yer just saying that ‘cause it helped ya loose that pesky ten pounds you were always complainin’ about,” Applejack remarked with a snicker, which turned into a dry, raspy cough.

Smiling gently, Rarity gently patted her friend on the back. “Though true, I am a little more worried about you.”

Rainbow Dash sighed and leaned in close. “Look, can this thing bring us back to the teleporter thing quickly or not? And I assume you have a plan to unstone the library?”

Twilight turned and looked down at her shadow. “Can you bring us there?” A small equine shape rose from the darkness and nodded. “I have a good idea on how to remedy our library issue as well.”

Rainbow Dash pursed her lips but reluctantly nodded. “We better get moving then.”

“Rise and present yourself to everyone,” Twilight commanded.

The nightmare creature slowly rose, until it was the same height as the average pony, its body resembling Luna’s from Twilight’s memories, only lacking all definition, and being as black as the night. Responses from her friends were mixed and muted, though all at least understood the necessity of the creature’s assistance.

Stepping forward, Applejack nodded to the thing and extended a hoof. “Name’s Applejack.”

The nightmare seemed to raise an eyebrow and glance down to Twilight, who nodded. Shakily, the shadow creature bumped her hoof against Applejack’s, who chuckled. “Kinda feels like petting some sorta weird cat,” she exclaimed.

Rarity cleared her throat and stepped forward. “Though I do not forgive you for what you’ve done, you may begin to make it up to us by assisting in our escape.”

The nightmare nodded and glanced down to Rainbow Dash, who snorted in barely contained irritation. “I forgive you. You are pretty much an aspect of the moon, and I know you were only acting on orders. Or at least I am pretty sure you were.”

Twilight nodded. “I think she was charged with protecting me, only to not stop doing that after my previous incarnation died.”

“Wait, don't tell me those were your bones back there?” Applejack grimaced.

“In a way they were,” Twilight remarked slowly, shaking her head. “None of that matters now though. Nightmare, please use whatever manner most expedient to return us to the teleporter platform.”

The creature nodded once before sinking back into the ground and stretching out until the floor around all four of them turned as black as its body was. “Twilight, what is it doing?” Rainbow Dash asked hesitantly, watching the thing as it continued to grow.

“I believe she’s using a teleportation method called shadow gating,” Twilight began, only to pause and scratch her head. “I’m not sure how I knew that though.”

“Goodbye. Please come back soon and give us some new orders!” Beaker interrupted.

“I will. For now you two can continue to guard the door and not let anyone in,” Twilight replied.

Rarity sighed and lifted a leg, glancing down at the puddle of darkness she now stood in. “Well so long as we don't have to waaalk!” she cried, the arachne and her three friends briefly becoming airborne for a split second after the ground opened up.

Then, before anyone knew it, solid ground was under them once more, and around them was the now familiar sight of the teleportation room. “Well, that wasn't so bad,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Speak for yourself,” Applejack replied, a hoof pressed against her lips, her cheeks bulging.

“Come on, we don't have much time. Beaker mentioned the magic of the tower helped to keep you girls alive and healthy, but we don't know what kind of side effects might occur,” Twilight hastened, already standing in place atop the teleportation pad.

Off to the side, the nightmare reformed and shook its head, pointing a hoof down at the ground.

“Somethin tells me it ain't comin’ with us,” Applejack remarked.

“You have orders to remain here, don't you?” Twilight asked, prompting the nightmare to nod. “Ones I can't override, huh?”

Again, the nightmare nodded.

“Continue to guard the remains of my previous self, but don't kill anyone, remember?” Twilight commanded, her eyes narrowing.

The nightmare nodded meekly, and sunk into the shadows, quickly disappearing from sight.

Upon its departure, everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and assembled around Twilight. “Remember the rules?” Twilight asked, prompting her friends to all nod. “Good, now hold on tight, and try not to throw up on each other.”

“No promises,” Applejack muttered.

“I don't think I have anything left anyway,” Rainbow Dash added dryly.

“Please hurry, Twilight, I have no doubt my sister is worried sick by now,” Rarity remarked nervously.

“Right, hold on,” Twilight replied, her horn glowing brightly.

In a flash of light, all four beings found themselves once more within the depths of the Golden Oaks Library. The strange scent of petrified wood hit them at the same time that the oddly fresh, yet still slightly stale air did. Everyone save for Twilight continued to brace themselves for a few more seconds before looking around in confusion.

“I would have expected a greater discomfort,” Rarity murmured.

“Yeah, that wasn't half bad…” Rainbow Dash added.

“Let’s just get moving. Maybe we can figure out how to unpetrify this place upstairs. If not I’m busting one of these walls down,” Applejack declared with a snort.

Twilight nodded grimly and followed her friends up the stairs until they once more stood in the library proper. “I’m going to try announcing myself again,” Twilight began. “Maybe now that I have the complete amulet it will work.”

Applejack shrugged. “Might as well give it a shot I suppose.”

Without any additional prompting, the unicorn took off the amulet and raised it into the air. “My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I ask that you unpetrify this door!”

After a few moments of silence, Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Well it was worth a try anyway. What's the plan? ‘Cause right now busting down that door sounds like a good idea.”

“Wait, hold on,” Rarity interrupted, the arachne standing up as tall as possible. “Do you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Applejack asked, looking up. “Sounds mighty quiet to me.”

“I hear it too,” Twilight murmured, the unicorn settling the necklace back around her neck.

“Is that… leaves rustling?” Rainbow Dash asked.

As if answering her question, the roof of the library began to glow a bright, vibrant purple light which slowly began traveling down the walls, revealing brown, living wood in its wake. A chorus of shocked gasps came from the friends, who watched in awe as the tree unpetrified itself, seemingly of its own volition. The glowing ring of magic fixed books, shelves, and everything else it touched, revealing the items to be completely normal, and utterly unharmed by spending a millenium in stone.

Pale moonlight spilled through the now normal windows of the library, revealing the confused faces of passers-by, and a sight that filled everyone with relief. Ponyville, in all its strange, and beautiful glory now surrounded them, showing that they were now near a busy street at the very heart of the small village.

“Gawking can wait, we need to get you two medical care immediately,” Rainbow Dash announced, as she pushed open the door.

“I’m just a little famished is all,” Rarity replied, only to wince when her stomach began to turn. “On second thought, that does seem like a good idea.”

“I need to tell Granny, Mac and Bloom that I’m alright first,” Applejack declared with as much conviction as she could muster, which wasn't much as she very nearly fell over after taking two steps out the door.

“I’ll send a runner as soon as I can, and they can meet you in the hospital,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, glaring at the stumbling pony.

“Fine, but y’all better do the same for Rarity’s sister,” Applejack replied.

“Of course,” Rainbow Dash vowed, before turning to Rarity. “Do you need a hoof?”

“No, I think I can manage walking there,” Rarity answered. “Though I do think our stubborn friend is hurting more than she’s likely to tell us.”

Rainbow Dash nodded and trotted next to Applejack, allowing the farm pony to lean on her, despite how much she didn't want to admit needing said support. Grumbling to herself, Applejack continued to trot towards the hospital in the distance, only to stop after a few feet, her breathing coming in labored gasps.

“Should I come too?” Twilight asked hesitantly. “I know I’m not exactly alive, but I’d like to still be there for you girls.”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “The guard is gonna come running in a matter of seconds, you better stay here and answer any questions while keeping the general public out of the library. They might mean well, but we can't have anyone running off with the books before we know what's in them.”

Twilight nodded, and took a step back. “Please let me know what the doctor has to say.”

Rarity smiled, and placed a hoof on her friends' shoulder. “Of course, darling, you just relax and hold down the fort, I’m sure we'll be back in a jiffy, as they say.”

Twilight smiled faintly. “You can count on me.”

With one last squeeze, Rarity pulled back her limb and turned down the street where Rainbow Dash and Applejack had disappeared. Leaving Twilight alone, with the whispering crowd of confused individuals who were gathering near the entrance. Summoning her courage, Twilight took a step forward and rose to her full and considerable height.

“The library is not open yet I’m afraid. If someone could find a night guard and alert them of this change that would be wonderful, thank you,” she announced.

The crowd suddenly grew silent, and a short, sickly changeling took a step forward. “So it's true. The Tree of Harmony has really returned?”

“I’m pretty sure it's called the Golden Oaks Library, not the Tree of Harmony, but yeah, it’s back,” Twilight corrected.

More shocked gasps and renewed muttering, but before anyone could say anything of importance, a pink blur rocketed out of the crowd and tackled Twilight to the floor of the library. “Ohmygoshyouareokay!” it blurted.

After her eyeballs stopped rolling around in their sockets, Twilight looked up to see a teary eyed Pinkie Pie looking down at her. “Pinkie, how did you get here so fast?”

“My Pinkie sense kept telling me to come to Ponyville everytime I tried to go looking for you, so I stayed in town and searched but couldn't find anything. Until now of course!” the earth pony announced before gripping the dead unicorn and hugging her tightly. “Oh I’m so glad you are back, how are the rest of the girls?”

Twilight silently thanked whatever god was listening for the fact that she did not actually need to use her lungs anymore as something told her she would have asphyxiated then and there. “Injured, but not life threateningly. They were heading to the hospital if you want to go visit,”

Pinkie gasped while recoiling, eyes wide. “Are they really all okay?”

Twilight nodded, the unicorn able to feel the veritable flood of energy that was emitted by the pink troll. “Exhaustion and malnutrition will likely keep them down for a few days, but they will make a full recovery, I’m certain of it.”

“And you? Are you hungry too? ‘Cause I made a whole batch of super special pick me up brownies for just such an occasion!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, pulling an entire pan of baked goods from her mane.

“As tempting as that sounds, you’ve already given me all I need, Pinkie. Now if you don't mind, I think the guards are here,” Twilight replied, pointing to the door where a pair of bat ponies stood looking in.

“Oh right!” Pinkie hopped off the unicorn and pulled Twilight up all in a single fluid motion. “Make sure to wait for me before you go on your next adventure!”

“You were there, Pinkie.” Twilight dusted herself off and nodded. “In a way”

The troll paused mid-stride and cocked her head. “What do you mean?”

“You were there in spirit,” Twilight responded with a smile. “Oh and try not to pressure the girls into telling you what happened. It was…. harrowing.”

Pinkie stopped by the door and flashed Twilight a winning smile. “Okalee dokalee, see you at the victory party!”

In a flash, the pink troll was gone once more, leaving Twilight with a pair of confused guards. “So, I’m assuming you are going to want answers,”

“Actually, we have standing orders to lock down the library should it ever appear. We were just hoping you would let us know if there are any other ways to get into the premises that isn't through a window or door,” the thestral mare replied.

Twilight blinked and scratched her head. “Well, there is a teleporter in the basement, but it’s connected to one of the lower levels of the undertower and can only be used by someone with a horn.”

“So we don't have to worry about anything else then,” finished the mare’s partner, a slightly shorter thestral with an identical dark coat and steely blue eyes. “I’ll take roving patrol if you wanna stay on guard.”

The mare nodded. “Got it, oh and Sparkle?”

“Yes?”

“Commander Dark Hallow is on his way, you’d best have your story straight by the time he gets here,” the mare replied before pulling the door closed.

Twilight bit her lip and began to pace, her mind already conjuring numerous possibilities, each more gruesome than the last. “Calm down, Twilight, you didn't do anything wrong. You are just freaked out because this whole thing is moving so fast all of a sudden”

Looking around for something to distract herself with, she only then realized that she was in a library. Slapping herself upside the head, the unicorn trotted over to the veritable wall of books before her. With her curiosity sparked, and the exhaustion she had felt nipping at her gone now that Pinkie had helped her in that regard, she no longer craved sleep and instead found herself feeling listless.

The excitement of her most recent brush with death still lingered, and while she felt as though she should speak with someone about what had happened, she knew no one would understand what she had gone through. Her friends might, but they were indisposed, and with her only halfway decent option now gone, Twilight determined that a distraction was needed in order to keep her wandering thoughts from dwelling on what she had seen. It was hard to do however, as there was a considerable part of her that knew something was wrong with her, that some deep part of her had become unmoored after her recent traumatic experience.

The suffering she had experienced had felt surreal after washing up on the bank of that river, but now after she had been forced to go through it all over again, it felt real once more. Picking her way through random books, Twilight hunted for something mentally challenging, lest she see her mother’s face once again.

“Linus’ Big Book of Riddles and Puzzles. Not what I’d usually pick, but at least you can help me eat a few hours,” Twilight muttered to the book.

Sitting down on one of the chairs, Twilight flipped open the book to a random page and began to read. She hardly made it more than a handful of riddles before she heard the basement door open, breaking her concentration before she could even get into the book.

Turning around, Twilight heard someone gasp, and then something warm suddenly impacted her chest, a pair of arms wrapping around her. “You are alive!” cried the dragon.

Twilight’s jaw hung open when she realized she had completely dismissed the dragon as relevant, her mind evidently still reeling from what she had just experienced. Though the unicorn knew it was a silly assumption, Twilight had merely guessed that unstoning the dragon would only be possible after going on another adventure of some kind. Now that said dragon was hugging her tightly, and crying on her shoulder, she was left baffled, and too confused to utter anything other than a single word.

“Spike?”

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The Watcher

The changeling queen watched closely as Twilight and her friends made their way past the final trap. She continued to observe as the motley crew walked through the door and past the skeletal guard. At first she considered slipping in after them, but she knew the undead pony had a good chance of catching her in the act. As she ruminated over her options, she noticed that the door was closing, and thus her window of opportunity was as well. With little choice in the matter, the changeling gathered herself up and dashed forward, slipping through the narrow space in the nick of time.

The enchantments on her cloak must have been working overtime as the skeletal guard didn't even seem to notice her passing, its body remaining perfectly still and unmoving as Chrysalis dashed past. Slinking inside, the changeling ducked out of the way, and hid behind a nearby desk which was more or less intact. Around her she could hear the various beings speaking animatedly about what they would do next while a pair of hooves trotted this way and that.

Tightening the hood about her cloak, Chrysalis ran a hoof down the tattered, seemingly damaged piece of black clothing. Under her hoof the enchantments glowed faintly before dulling once more, revealing that although drained, they were still functioning as intended. With that worry now gone, Chrysalis peeked around the side of the desk and did a quick scan of the room.

Realizing that no one seemed to have noticed her presence yet, she glanced over to Twilight who had gotten the attention of another skeletal pony. While this was happening the rest of her friends had mostly fanned out, some looking at random items, while others remained close to the undead unicorn. Fluttershy seemed worried, and though the rest were also similarly concerned, they hid it better than the bunny did.

Pursing her lips, Chrysalis was tempted to continue watching the various beings as they went about their exploration of the room but a sudden shift in the shadows made her stop. Chrysalis dove back beneath her cover and held her breath, her entire being becoming perfectly still, and utterly silent. After a few seconds of silence, she peeked out around the corner once more, noticing that little had changed other than the fact no one was moving.

Twilight was touching the skeleton pony, and both seemed in a sort of trance as they stared at nothing, unblinking. Behind them, the rest of their companions seemed to be locked in a similar trance of some kind, each one standing stock still. Movement caught the changeling’s eye, and she noticed as a particularly dense blob of shadows made its way across the room and disappeared near a seemingly random wall.

Raising an eyebrow, Chrysalis was tempted to check on the ponies, or perhaps get closer, but she chose not to risk discovery. She knew the nightmare had done something to them, though what that was, she wasn't wholly certain. Without any information to go on, Chrysalis stuck to her mission and refused to come out quite yet, merely hanging back, studying the various creatures as they stood there.

After several minutes, Twilight gasped and looked around, followed by the skeleton wailing, “I’m so sorry, Twilight!” quite loudly.

The skeletal pony clutched Twilight’s hoof ever tighter. “I should have listened, I should have trusted you, but she convinced me. I was just a fool!”

For a second the unicorn seemed confused, only to mutter, “What’s going on, how did I?” faintly as she touched her amulet with a hoof.

Realization seemed to flicker across her face for a split second before confusion reigned once more and she stumbled for a moment. Emotions flickered through her eyes one after another. Rage, guilt, pity, elation and more all coursed through her, until suddenly there was only dull anger and pity left behind.

“Beaker,” Twilight whispered, “go stand with Sharp Eye while I deal with this.”

The skeleton sniffed.“Y-yes, I’ll get right to it.”

Head down and shoulders sagging, the undead trotted away, leaving Twilight oddly alone.

Shifting her weight around to the other side of the desk, Chrysalis kept her body pressed tight against the wood, not wishing to alert the room’s other inhabitants to her presence. Sure enough, the skeleton didn't seem to notice the changeling at all, and merely slipped through the door and left without sparing a glance in either direction. With that out of the way, Chrysalis peered over the top of the desk, her hood drawn and her eyes peeled.

Strange, they don't seem to have woken up when Twilight did, Chrysalis thought to herself, watching as the undead mare turned and gasped, only now realizing what the queen had figured out several minutes earlier.

“Rainbow Dash, wake up!” Twilight yelled, the unicorn running over to her friend and waving a frantic hoof in front of her face.

Grimacing, Chrysalis watched as Twilight grew more and more panicky and unhinged, going from the rainbow-maned thestral to the next closest being, who happened to be the persnickety arachne they had picked up in town. Yelling at her did little, and even telling Rarity it was not her fault and asking her to awaken were ineffective.

The queen’s heart went out to the unfortunate pony, only to become confused when she noticed Twilight suddenly lock up. A few seconds later and she stumbled backwards, clutching her head. “What have you seen?” whispered the unicorn.

Chrysalis’ frown grew deeper when she noticed a veritable flood of pity emerge from the undead pony, a flood which seemed directed at the arachne herself. This began a sort of chain reaction, with this unfortunate interaction playing out with each one of her companions one after another. Each time Twilight came back to her senses she seemed even sadder than before, her emotions flaring and shifting every few seconds. When finally it came to an end she seemed older in a way, as if what was left of her naivety had been dashed and replaced with a sort of grim sadness.

Her shoulders were stooped and her body language displayed what Chrysalis knew was obvious. A pit of sadness had opened within her and it was accompanied with a healthy dose of anger, pity, and strangely a bit of joy. The joy was perhaps the strangest of the various emotions, as Chrysalis had deduced that the mare had witnessed some manner of dark moment from each of her friend’s pasts which explained the other emotions she experienced. Tasting the emotion, Chrysalis rolled it around in her mouth, savoring it and trying to figure out more about it.

After a few seconds, she swallowed it down and grimaced, having come to a rather unfortunate conclusion. It was the joy of shared experience, of shared pain, and though it was in fact joy that Twilight was experiencing, it was also a bitter, uncomfortable thing. Though nutritious, Chrysalis only swallowed it with great reluctance, and only because expelling it would reveal her position.

Looking back over the table, Chrysalis watched as Twilight trotted over to the wall wherein the nightmare had disappeared, her body straight and her will evidently steeled. “I’ll save you. I swear,” she whispered to the unresponsive creatures before pressing her hoof against a seemingly random bit of wall.

Which prompted a good section of the stonework to lift up and reveal a hidden area just beyond. A few steps later, and Twilight was gone, the door having closed shut behind her, leaving Chrysalis in a strange situation. She empathized dearly with the poor beings trapped here, but she could do nothing but watch, as she didn't know if the nightmare would return and force her to join the statuary.

The queen herself feared neither death nor torture, but she couldn't bear the thought of leaving Cadance alone in this world, and thus refused to put herself in harm’s way, just in case. Yet she knew she might have to do just that, as these beings were important enough for her lover to bet everything on their success. Though Chrysalis wasn't even sure what they were supposed to be succeeding at, she knew better than to question the alicorn when she got this way.

Falling behind the desks, the changeling chewed on her hoof as she considered her options. She could try and wake them. After all, the queen’s knowledge of anatomy, pony physiology and potions was vast, but she dare not break from cover quite yet. It was a mere fluke that the nightmare had not been able to sense her, as the enchantments she wore were strong, but not strong enough to hide her from an alicorn’s shade.

How long would her luck hold out? Chrysalis wondered.

Unsure of what to do, the changeling sighed, and tucked herself tightly beneath the desk, covering herself with her cloak and ensuring what meagre supplies she had brought with her were hidden as well. With those worries dashed, the changeling breathed deeply and began to go through the motions necessary to immerse herself in the hive mind. After being alone with only her own consciousness for so long, it took several minutes for this process to complete, lest Chrysalis suffer the potential ill effects of diving too deep too quickly.

Her breathing slowed, as did her pulse, and as she carefully guided her mind into a sort of self-induced trance, with her mindscape opening and her senses falling away. Eventually even her body disappeared and the queen was awash in her thoughts, as well as the thoughts of all the changelings nearest her. Their minds were small when compared to hers, but glowed a bright green in the vastness of the mental landscape, each one lighting up briefly as they felt their queen’s consciousness brush against their own.

Ignoring the myriad of thoughts that came from them, and what few changelings she could sense in Ponyville, Chrysalis focused on a distant mote of light. Pushing her mind in that direction, she was able to connect herself with the veritable ocean of thoughts that came from the city on the mountain. Once that was established, it didn't take long for her to filter down to the point that she was able to locate what she sought.

A pale pink light could be seen flickering in a room, alerting the queen to the fact that her target was most likely alone. With that in mind, she sought out the nearest changeling, who happened to be standing outside that very same room.

Child, I have need of you, may I borrow your vessel for a moment? Chrysalis asked.

The changeling jerked upward and looked around, only to realize what was going on. Err, yes of course, Mother, what's going on?

I will leave Cadence to inform you of any relevant information, but suffice it to say something has come up, replied the queen.

R-right. I’m all yours, Mother, replied the drone.

Pushing her mind into the smaller changeling’s, the queen was dimly aware of her senses returning all at once and being consumed by a flood of green fire flowing over her new body. After a brief shake of her head, Chrysalis looked down and found that she was indeed in the young female changeling’s body.

With a nod, she dropped the folder she had been holding and trotted over to the metal door of Cadence's office. With a heave of her magic, she threw open the portal and stepped inside, instantly turning to the confused minotaur who had been mid-report when she walked in. “Out,” she commanded simply, pointing to the door.

Raising an eyebrow, the elderly bull looked down at Cadence, who nodded slowly. “You heard the queen. We’ll pick this back up in a few minutes,” replied the alicorn in her normal, gravely tone of voice.

The bull shrugged and closed the book he had been holding, gathered up his papers and walked out, giving the queen a brief glare as he passed her by. With a snort, he closed the door behind him and vanished, leaving the queen and alicorn alone.

Cadence herself seemed tired, but no different than usual, Chrysalis realized as the mare seemed predictably haggard but not overly exhausted. Her sole remaining wing was tucked against her side, her eye gazing down on the queen with worry and a sort of nervous excitement. “What news do you have?” she hastily asked, sparing no time for the usual banter.

Chrysalis nodded and looked up at the mare, ignoring the eyepatch that covered one eye. “Something’s happened.”

“Oh? Well don't leave me in the dark,” Cadence replied.

“The nightmare has done… something, and forced all but Twilight into a deep, horror-filled sleep,” Chrysalis explained, the changeling pacing in front of the alicorn’s desk. “It seemed like it had taken Twilight as well but she was avoided for some reason, but I believe that she will likely succumb to the same fate in mere moments.”

“Why is that?” Cadence asked, her gaze narrowing as her sole forehoof pressed against her chin.

“She sought out the location of the nightmare’s roost, no doubt seeking the other half of her amulet and hoping to save her friends,” Chrysalis continued. “It is likely that the previous missed attempt by the nightmare was a mere fluke, as Twilight was caught in another unrelated memory and was thus not affected.”

“Which would explain quite a bit,” Cadence remarked.

“Indeed,” Chrysalis concluded as she stopped just before the alicorn’s desk. “I am unsure of how to continue. I may be able to continue watching them for several days but I doubt they will survive long if this curse cannot be broken.”

Cadence shook her head. “This is an important piece to bringing back Luna, Twilight needs to do this herself. We cannot interfere.”

“But if she fails for whatever reason we will lose not only this circle breaker of yours, but her associates as well,” Chrysalis retorted. “They may not be important in the grand scheme of things, but we cannot just leave them to their fate.”

“And we won't,” Cadence exclaimed, laying her forehoof on Chrysalis’. “Twilight might yet succeed, we cannot give up hope while there is still a chance.”

Chrysalis sighed, and placed a hoof over Cadance’s own, squeezing it slightly. “I’m sorry, dear heart. I’m merely concerned about this entire situation we seem to be embroiled in, as we apparently have much riding on her success.”

“I know, my love, I know,” Cadence whispered back. “The tower will help keep them alive, but they will need additional assistance. How long do you think you could keep them healthy?”

“A week, possibly two provided I am able to go back and get supplies soon. The bunny however won't last more than a day or two.” Chrysalis remarked sadly.

“Though sad, the loss of Fluttershy’s pet wouldn't be the end of the world,” Cadence murmured, only to shake her head. “Remain in position, watch them for a couple more hours and if the situation doesn't change, then go back for supplies and do what you can to keep them alive.”

“What if they are never able to break this curse?” Chrysalis asked as she retrieved her hoof.

“We will cross that bridge when we get there,” murmured Cadence, who shook her head and dismissed the sudden bout of melancholy that threatened to overwhelm her. “But we don't have to worry about that quite yet, until then you know what to do.”

The changeling sighed. “I suppose, but it doesn't make me feel any better about this whole thing.”

The alicorn smirked, revealing far too much of her teeth. “I know, but as it stands right now it is neither a success nor a failure, and with your help we may be able to ensure it becomes the former rather than the latter.”

Chrysalis nodded confidently and rose from the chair. “I suppose I should leave you to it then. I’ll contact you if anything changes, and report in when I have news.”

“Wait,” Cadence interrupted, the alicorn awkwardly stepping out of her chair and stumbling to the other side of the desk.

Where a concerned changeling quickly caught her and held her up. “You know you shouldn't be walking around like this without your brace,” Chrysalis remarked.

“I know, I just couldn't bear the thought of you leaving without getting a chance to hold you again,” Cadence whispered, her stump leg reaching around the changeling and squeezing her.

Chrysalis rolled her eyes and smiled. “I’m not going anywhere, you know.”

“I-I know that,” Cadence whispered, squeezing the changeling as much as her lone foreleg could manage. “I just… I just…” She sighed. “Just stay safe, please.”

Chrysalis’ features softened and she hugged the alicorn a little tighter. “I will. After all, I have a promise to keep.”

Smiling softly, Cadence gently pushed the changeling away. “You better give one of your daughters their body back and get to it then.”

Nodding, Chrysalis took a step back, gently lowering the alicorn’s leg, only to stop midway and give her knee a small kiss. “I will see you soon, my little love bug.”

“And I will be waiting,” Cadence replied as she leaned against the desk for support.

The changeling turned and slipped away, exiting the door and putting the host drone back into the same spot she had found her in. After taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and began to retract her consciousness back into her body, dimly aware of the confused gasp of the drone she had been utilizing. “Why am I so full?” she muttered, a second before Chrysalis disappeared into the hive mind.

Emerging into her own body once more, Chrysalis snickered as she imagined the changeling returning to her body only to find her belly was full of love. Shaking off the lingering joy of seeing her alicorn lover, Chrysalis put her metaphorical game face on, after all she had a mission to complete.

Slowly uncurling, Chrysalis shook her body as much as she dared, dismissing the strange sensations that came with returning to a vessel that had been previously ‘empty’. After she felt at home in her own chitin once more, she made a mental note of getting ahold of her contact in Ponyville again. She would need more supplies, and soon, in addition to the meeting she would have to set up between herself, the commander of the guard, and Twilight.

If the undead unicorn survived this latest trial, of course.

Glancing around the side of the desk, Chrysalis took stock of the various creatures and noticed that the bunny was looking a little woozy. Growing worried, the changeling began to crawl forward, slipping around debris and furniture while working her way closer. Upon reaching a better, closer vantage point, she peeked out once more, just in time to see the bunny fall over.

Cursing, Chrysalis quickly scanned the room, and after finding no trace of the nightmare, bolted out of cover, scooped up the bunny, and proceeded to wind her way back across the room. Now as far away from the spot the nightmare and Twilight had disappeared into, Chrysalis gently laid Angel down. Though his breathing was hoarse, he didn't seem to be suffering any ill effects, other than a bout of weakness.

It's been a while since I’ve spoken bunny, I hope I don't still have that squirrel accent, Chrysalis thought to herself.

Noticing that the bunny was coming around and was beginning to look up at the queen with wide, terrified eyes, the changeling cleared her throat. “Squeak squeaker, squeaking,” she whispered.

The bunny blinked several times, before making a series of squeaking noises back at the queen.

“You can understand common? Thank goodness, my bunny is atrocious,” murmured the queen.

Angel rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath.

“Oh come, it's not that bad,” Chrysalis shot back, only to cover her mouth with a hoof. “Look, your owner, friend or whatever, isn't going to wake up anytime soon, and we gotta get you outta here.”

The small forest animal crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head, whispering a series of angry squeaking noises.

“You're exhausted from standing there as long as you have and you are going to need rest,” Chrysalis remarked pointedly. “What would Fluttershy think if the first thing she woke up to was your lifeless body, huh?”

The bunny wilted, but kept his arms over his chest, whispering back a slightly more reserved response of his own.

“I know you could probably make it past the golems and the traps, but what about the spiders? Do you think they would let a delicious little morsel like you pass through their territory unhindered?” Chrysalis countered, poking the bunny in the chest for emphasis.

Angel’s arms fell to his sides and he sighed deeply, his own response much quieter than the last time he had spoken.

“That's what I thought,” Chrysalis declared. “Don't worry, you can stick with me, and help make sure Fluttershy and her friends stay safe, we already have a plan.”

Angel’s eyes widened and he looked up at the queen with a mixture of hope and a healthy dose of cynicism, his response short and clipped.

“I’m afraid I can't tell you why we are helping them, as you will no doubt tell Fluttershy, and they can't know. Yet,” Chrysalis explained.

Angel’s eyes narrowed, and the two beings stared at one another for several tense moments before finally the bunny harrumphed and turned up his nose.

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “Whatever, just hide in my bag while I try and sneak past the guard.”

Angel grumbled, but did as he was told, climbing into Chrysalis’ bag and disappearing from sight.

Pulling the hood up on her cloak, the changeling scanned the room, and after finding that no new threats had emerged, she began the slow crawl towards the door. Though she was tempted to simply break cover, the changeling didn't want to tempt fate and chose to remain in the shadows the entire way over.

Upon reaching the door, Chrysalis realized there wasn't a readily obvious way to get past the enormous portal without alerting the guards in some small way. She had to open the door after all and without magic that was something she could only do with her own two hooves. The queen looked around, her mind scrambling to figure out how to get past this barrier, only for the door to open on its own.

“You may leave, if you desire,” spoke a calm, slightly ethereal female voice.

Glancing through the crack in the door, Chrysalis realized the female sounding voice came from the skeletal guard she had seen earlier. “Uh, hello?”

The skeleton pushed the door open a little wider and motioned for the changeling to step through. “You need not fear me, my friend. I can sense your intentions are pure and you may pass uninhibited. Though be aware I will be watching you.”

Chrysalis raised a non existent eyebrow, and slowly pulled down the hood of her cloak. “You saw me enter, didn't you?”

The guard nodded slowly as Chrysalis walked through the door and stood before the skeletal guard, and the nervous undead lab assistant. “Your enchantments are strong, but not strong enough to hide you from my sight. You know for a changeling you sure wear your heart on your proverbial sleeve.”

Chrysalis was temporarily caught between being annoyed, insulted and genuinely surprised and she stood there for a moment, unable to muster a word before frowning suddenly. “Let me guess, the armor is enchanted.”

The guard nodded. “It is indeed. The late Twilight Sparkle gave me many gifts to help ensure I would be able to continue my duty long after my flesh expired.”

“So you knew that wasn't the same Twilight then?” Chrysalis pressed, pulling back her cloak and allowing the bunny to pop out of her bag and look around.

“Of course, though I could do little to oppose her if I truly wanted to as Beaker and I remain bound to her,” the guard replied solemnly.

“Interesting,” Chrysalis murmured, tapping her chin with a hoof. “Would you mind not telling her of my presence here? Cadence and I wish to keep our involvement secret for now.”

The guard nodded slowly, eyeing up both the changeling and the bunny. “I can, though if she asks directly if you were here I will be obliged to speak honestly.”

“I suppose that's acceptable,” Chrysalis replied with a shrug. “We go now to acquire the supplies necessary to keep the room’s occupants alive, you will allow us free passage from here on out, correct?”

“I will and Beaker here will assist in anyway possible,” the guard intoned, speaking half to Chrysalis and half to the undead assistant who stood awkwardly next to her.

“I-I will?” he whispered.

“You will indeed,” the guard answered. “The mistress requires our assistance and you will give it.”

“R-right. Twilight Sparkle needs us. Of course, I’ll help in anyway I can,” Beaker replied a little more confidently.

Chrysalis nodded and turned to her animal companion. “It seems as though this will be easier than anticipated.” The changeling donned her hood and turned back to the skeleton. “Meet me as high up the tower as possible. You will ferry supplies down here.”

Beaker nodded and gave the changeling a quick salute. “You can count on me.”

“Well, my little friend, it seems as though we may very well make this work,” Chrysalis replied, turning to the bunny.

Who chittered knowingly.

Chrysalis snorted and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, buddy.”

Chuckling to herself, the changeling queen slunk away into the darkness, confident in her plan and glad to finally be doing something other than lurking in the shadows.

“I’m sorry,” Sunset Shimmer whispered.

For a moment the mare sat there, confused by the strangely out of body experience that had just come over her. The simple, rudimentary camp she had established looked the same as it had when the mare had fallen asleep and a barely noticeable shield shimmered all around her. Her fire had long since died and little was illuminated by the still rising sun, yet something still felt off. She could hardly see, but that wasn't only due to the poor lighting. The pony reached up and touched her wet cheek.

The mare looked down at her hoof, only now realizing that she had been crying, no not crying, weeping. Her entire face seemed coated with tears, her fur matted and her eyes no doubt bloodshot. “What happened?” she whispered.

Conjuring a magical mirror, the mare gazed into her reflection and found that her eyes were even worse than anticipated. It appeared as though she had been crying for quite a while, and some of that time had evidently been spent face down if her messy fur was any indicator.

Dabbing her face with her blanket, Sunset Shimmer quickly tried to brush aside the strange, almost foreign emotions that welled inside her. Images of her most recent ‘successful mission’ still whirled in her mind, and she couldn't shake the sight of a young Twilight Sparkle’s scared face. Sure it had bothered her before, and had plagued many of her dreams, but this was new and different from those other times.

“Come on, butcher, we got work to do,” she whispered to herself.

Rising from her small cot, the unicorn turned and quickly dismantled her campsite, tucking everything she had into a pocket dimension before dismissing the enchantments one by one. First came down the shield, then the illusion spells that hid her from sight, and finally the many defensive wards she had erected. With that done, she retrieved an apple and began to eat as she let the spells within her point her in the right direction.

By the time they seemed to locate her target, her breakfast was gone, her face was clear and Sunset Shimmer was ready to set out. Her features were stern, but her mind wandered despite her attempts to reign in her errant thoughts. Regret, guilt, and pain swirled within her, clinging to her and coloring her perception of the forest itself.

The branches of the many tall, and imposing trees seemed to reach down towards her, ready to grab the unicorn and squeeze the life out of her if she didn't give them a wide berth. The usually quiet forest was alive with movement and sound, though every noise seemed sinister for some reason. Crickets made her jump, bird calls made her wary, and the snap of branches and twigs made her imagine an enormous predator in every shadow.

Despite that, she continued onwards, marching deeper into the forest, driven ever onwards by a desire not her own.

Her ears stood nearly straight up on her head, her eyes flashed this way and that and even her nose twitched near constantly. She knew not where these emotions came from, but they had made her their thrall, fully and completely. Her only hope was that eventually these feelings would fade and she could relax a little, something easier said than done in the Everfree Forest.

Sighing to herself, the mare continued to stomp deeper into the winding wood, temporarily following what looked like a deer trail. “Let's get this over with,” she muttered.

The pony tramped around a tree before hopping over a fallen log, her eyes forward, and her head raised. “This is strange,” she muttered to no one in particular.

Normally she wouldn't speak aloud in such a manner, but weeks of being alone, constantly battling against the denizens of the forest had done a number on her both physically and mentally. Supplies were dangerously low and though there were plenty of foraging opportunities, Sunset Shimmer had no training in that regard and had no idea if it was safe to eat half the things she assumed were edible. For once, her food situation wasn't her primary concern as something much stranger had captured her attention.

Or rather, it was the absence of something that was strange.

The forest, which had so far assaulted her with everything from carnivorous plants, to swarms of insects, to even the occasional large predator, had not thrown anything at her for several hours. In fact, Sunset Shimmer was fairly certain nothing bad had happened all day, for once. Curious, the pony shielded her gaze and looked up at the noon sky, noting that the sun was almost perfectly overhead.

“Almost six hours and nothing has happened, this is weird,” Sunset Shimmer murmured to herself, having stopped in order to scratch her chin and ponder this odd development.

She wasn't opposed to this change, but was rather simply baffled by it because if this shift was heralded by something she didn't know what it was. The only real difference had been a particularly nasty nightmare, but that couldn't be the reason, she thought to herself. There was no way the forest itself was sentient, and if it was, it wouldn't take pity on her just because she had one exceptionally unpleasant night. Right?

Shrugging that off, the pony shouldered her small pack and continued deeper into the forest, wary of danger. One part of her wanted to revel in the quiet, to enjoy the fact that she no longer constantly feared for her life, but the more dominant part of her demanded that she stay at the ready. After all, this may all be a ruse to make her drop her guard.

Sure enough her suspicions seemed to be proved correct when she heard the telltale sound of rustling leaves, signalling that all was not as well as she would have liked. Spinning around, the pony summoned her magic, and began to channel a mana bolt only to stop dead in her tracks.

The creature was back.

Sitting between a rose bush and a tall cherry blossom tree was the strange creature she had first seen several weeks ago. Its strangeness still struck the pony and she found her spell sputtering out of control as her gaze was all but forced onto its bizarre body. All three of its heads stared at her silently, as if judging the pony, studying her in a manner that no mere beast should be capable of. Its massive bulk made Sunset Shimmer wonder how it had snuck up on her, as it was easily over seven meters tall, and looked to be about as wide.

Its steps should be thunderous, its path should be littered with destroyed foliage, yet it was as silent as death itself. Its sabre-toothed tiger head had orange and black stripes, and watched her a little closer than the other two heads did. The other forward facing head was that of a ram, albeit one with large fangs, and a pair of spiral horns that sprouted from either side of its head. The last head was that of a great cobra that had even larger fangs protruding from its reptilian lips.

Its eyes still stuck with Sunset Shimmer to this day, and she found her gaze nailed to them, unable to look from the bright yellow sclera and blood red pupils which lacked irises entirely. Its forelegs were a mismatch of padded foot and clawed hand, while its back limbs were a hoofed leg like that of a pony, and a scaled foot like that of a dragon. The bizarrely mismatched nature of the creature made something deep inside the pony twist and writhe in disgust and hatred.

She didn't know what that feeling was, or where it came from, but she didn't like it. Where normally the compulsion within her would drive her to attack whatever danger that presented itself, now it did something completely different and demanded she run. For once she wholly agreed with what it wanted her to do, and in a flash of light she was gone, having teleported as far as she could from the beast.

Reappearing in a flash, the pony hit the ground already running, hooves pumping, and heart pounding. Whatever that thing was, it was more than a match for her, even with the extra dose of alicorn magic that lingered in her system. A worrying thought considering the creature’s strange relationship with the forest and the bizarre manner in which it managed to get around so quietly.

Shaking off such thoughts for now, the pony focused wholy on getting away from it, no matter the cost.

To that effect she cast a quickening spell on her hooves, increasing her speed and enabling her to move even faster. With speed on her side, the forest now more open and with fewer trees and shrubs to obscure her line of sight, she looked around. The area seemed relatively normal and a glance over her shoulder told her that the creature had not managed to catch up to her. She also couldn't hear it coming, and she briefly wondered if it could even sprint while remaining silent.

The thought turned her blood to ice, and she quickly looked forward once more, not wanting to even imagine how terrifying the creature would be if it could move that fast without making a sound. Noticing a small ravine coming up, the pony poured on the speed and leaped over it, hitting the ground and continuing deeper into the forest without slowing for a moment.

Dashing around trees, bushes, and around the occasional cliff that liked to sprout from nowhere, Sunset Shimmer kept alert. Her pace slowed after a few minutes, and she very nearly dismissed the enchantment placed on her hooves before she came careening around a particularly thick knot of trees and come face to face with the creature once more.

It was closer this time, sitting only a dozen or so metres away, looking down at her with what could only be described as disappointment on its face.

Without thinking, Sunset Shimmer cast a blind teleport straight up.

Now high above the forest, she had to think fast, as the wind was already whistling around her ears, and her fur was similarly buffeted. Thinking quickly, she cast a featherfall spell on herself, and after her speed dissipated to almost nothing, looked down. After finding a suitable clearing far, far from the creature, she channeled a greater amount of mana into her horn and disappeared once again.

In a flash, she appeared in the clearing she had seen previously, landing on all four hooves. She just barely had enough time to brace herself for the ensuing impact before hitting the ground and taking off running once more. This time her compulsion did not guide her as it had previously, allowing Sunset Shimmer to take off in a seemingly random direction.

Hopefully this will help, Sunset Shimmer thought as she rapidly switched from right, to left and snapped off another quick succession of teleports. Reappearing a good distance away, she switched which way she ran slightly, heading back and away from where she had first seen the creature. Hoping this would throw her pursuer off her scent, the pony repeated this action several times, until she was certain there was no way it could follow her using any traditional means.

Only then did she begin to slow, her breathing coming in deep and raspy breaths and her horn still glowing slightly from the sheer expenditure of mana. She knew better than to stop completely though, and even while her legs began to burn, she ran on, gathering speed before leaping a ravine and landing on the other side. Upon landing, she nearly stopped, a sense of deja vu coming over and drawing her attention down.

Where she noticed an identical set of hoof prints already leading forwards and away from the muddy bank of the ravine. “What the hell,” she muttered, stumbling to a stop.

Placing a hoof within the track revealed that they were indeed hers. “How is that possible? I made sure not to get myself turned around,” she murmured.

Spinning around, the pony expected the chimera to hop out of nowhere and strike her down, only for the attack not to come. Gulping down her fear, Sunset Shimmer turned and ran in another direction, purposefully keeping an eye on her tracks for as long as possible. After making sure she wasn’t getting mixed up again, she turned around and began to sprint once more. Only this time she kept a bit of magic in her horn, ready to snap teleport away at a moment’s notice.

The technique was difficult and put a strain on both her mana and her body, but she had to be ready for the unexpected.

And sure enough, it wasn't long before she stumbled into a small clearing, saw her own muddy tracks, and looked up to find a familiar rose bush, cherry blossom tree and chimera, which looked down at her impatiently, tapping its pawed foot, a bored expression on its face.

In an instant, her magic fizzled, and her legs threatened to give out. She hadn't even been running for more than an hour, but already Sunset was exhausted and could even feel her expansive reserves of mana beginning to dwindle. Weeks with little sleep, getting assaulted every waking hour and generally being miserable from the moment she woke up to the moment she fell asleep hit her all at once. This was it, she would need to fight or die, and given that she couldn't disobey her programming and just let it happen, no matter how much she wanted to, Sunset Shimmer readied an offensive spell.

Rather than be intimidated, annoyed, or even concerned in the slightest, the creature yawned and turned around, taking a few ponderous steps away before stopping and turning to her. The demand was clear, and it was obvious that it intended on making her follow it, to where exactly, she didn't know.

With a deep sigh, she let her magic dissipate once more, her mind at war with Celestia’s spells. In the end, the pony won out and she was allowed to follow the creature, her compulsion dying down and finally falling silent after nearly an hour of it roaring inside her.

Its absence was pleasant, but ultimately left the pony confused, as it all but confirmed that both it and her agreed that this was the only way they had a chance of surviving.

Brushing aside the strangeness of it all, Sunset Shimmer trotted a little faster, ensuring she didn't lose the chimera in the thick bush, as it left no sign of its passing. No footsteps could be seen in the forest floor, even after they passed over a now familiar ravine, the mud apparently refusing to cling to the beast’s body. Sunset Shimmer considered just slowing down and losing the beast, but she knew that wouldn't end well, if it was even possible in the first place.

It had powers, abilities, and a strange amount of control over the very forest itself, and she had no doubt that it could find her again if it wanted. Not wanting to push her luck, she kept her gaze glued on the chimera’s backside and the snake head that was carefully observing her. She had not noticed it before, but the snake’s gaze unnerved her slightly, the piercing reptilian eyes making her shiver.

Thankfully their little jaunt through the woods didn't last long and after only a few minutes and a hooful of twists and turns, the creature stopped and sat. Trotting up next to the creature, while still giving it a good berth, Sunset Shimmer followed its gaze and found herself at a treeline.

Before her was a large open field, at the center of which was a small hill, with a relatively short stone tower on top. Even a glance told her that the tower was old, as the entire thing was covered completely in vines and moss, yet she could see something glowing in the windows.

Looking back at the chimera, Sunset noticed that it was eyeing her carefully and after a few more seconds it nodded and turned away, vanishing into the woods after only a few steps. Now alone, Sunset Shimmer considered her options, and took stock of her surroundings.

The field was nearly perfectly circular, with only short, stumpy grass growing between the tower and the forest. She wondered if this was the result of some sort of ward, or field, but brushed that thought aside for now, as speculation would do her little now. More importantly, she was hungry, thirsty, tired, but above all curious, and hopeful, as where there was fire, there were ponies.

The creature wanted her to be here, wanted her to see the tower, did that mean it also wanted her to go inside of it? Would that also mean that she had to do so, lest they repeat the same dance that had caused her to be lead here in the first place?

The compulsion within her was strangely silent, not pushing in her in any one direction.

Deciding to take the reigns for herself in the absence of orders, Sunset Shimmer began to walk in the direction of the tower, intent on enjoying at least a small amount of security the tower would give her, if it turned out to be empty after all. With that thought firmly in mind, the pony began to trot towards the tower at a fair clip, hoping against hope that she may finally find some company inside the walls of the ancient structure.

Sure enough, she could see the glow of candle light inside both the small window on the third story, and around the cracks in the wooden door directly before her. Pausing for a moment, the pony looked around, only now realizing that she saw no tracks or signs of anyone passing through the area recently. The ground was relatively rocky, so it was unlikely that the tracks would be obvious, but Sunset Shimmer knew that if someone lived here, there would at least be a rough path beaten down from frequent use.

Yet there was none, in addition there was no cart left against the exterior of the tower, or any sign that someone was even inside, as it was dead silent. Realizing how weird that was, the pony looked around once more, noticing that no small animals flitted through the field and no birds flew overhead. Not even the relatively common sound of buzzing insects or annoying crickets could be heard, unnerving the pony even more.

Walking back around the front, the mare lifted a hoof to knock, only to stop herself. Thinking better of it, she put her hoof back down and scanned the door with a spell, only to stop and blink in confusion. There was a series of warding spells on the door, but they had been placed there by none other than Celestia herself.

The unicorn had enough experience to know it was Celestia from even the magical equivalent of a glance, as even the small spell casting flourishes Celestia used were all but ingrained in Sunset Shimmer’s memory. More than that she could also tell that the wards were meant to preserve everything within the tower, and let pass only someone who had the alicorn’s magic within them.

Sunset Shimmer very nearly laughed aloud when she realized that, as she couldn't help but imagine that this may very well be known to the beast as well. “Right, because a chimera figuring out the innermost workings of one of Celestia’s enchantments and discovering that I have a bit of her magic makes so much sense,” she exclaimed to no one.

Pressing a hoof against her forehead, Sunset Shimmer grumbled to herself, annoyed by just about everything that had happened over the last hour. This was too strange, even for her, and she very nearly turned around before her curiosity got the better of her. The compulsion had not returned, a small voice announced, reminding Sunset that she still had her free will. Perhaps there is something inside that will help, or at least serve as a better bed than that awful cot, the voice added.

Trapped between potentially facing the beast again and her own curiosity, Sunset Shimmer raised her hoof and knocked twice upon the door. “Hello! Is anyone in there?” yelled the pony.

After a few tense seconds, Sunset Shimmer leaned against the door and listened closely, only to find that it was as dead quiet inside as it was outside. Taking a step back, the unicorn reached for the door knob and with a twist, opened the door a sliver. Taken aback by the ease at which she had gained access, Sunset Shimmer pulled the wooden portal open, revealing a sight that she would have never guessed she would see.

An empty tower, devoid of dangers, pitfalls, enemies, or seemingly any kind of opposition whatsoever. Even the door seemed to open strangely easily, as if the thing had been greased, and recently at that. She tore her gaze from the relatively empty interior and reached out with a tentative hoof, prodding the space where the door had been a second earlier.

Other than a small pinching sensation and a dull golden glow that encompassed her hoof, she was unharmed and unopposed. Retracting her hoof, she looked down at the limb and found that it was indeed undamaged, something a quick magical scan reaffirmed for her. “Odd,” she murmured to herself.

Extending her hoof again, the pinch returned, only even smaller this time, revealing that it was little more than a scan, rather than some sort of abysmally ineffective defence. After taking another deep breath, the mare hopped through the doorway and landed solidly on the other side. Though it felt as though her entire body had been pinched in a way that she couldn't quite explain, she was inside and safe.

Looking around, the pony found herself in the middle of a strange situation. Bits of armor, weapons, and supplies were strewn about the room haphazardly, with small defensive positions half built near the entryway. Tables had been turned over and reinforced with sandbags, though whomever had started had evidently stopped in a hurry as they were only half complete. Looking closer revealed that there was no blood, scratches, or other signs of fighting on or around the defences.

“Very odd,” she whispered as she stepped around them.

Walking further inside revealed that whoever had occupied the tower had evidently took off in a hurry, as there was a large table in the center of the room which had evidently served as a sort of command post. A large map was half spread out in the center of the table, as if someone had tried to roll it back up only to give up after nearly completing their task.

Pushing it back open, Sunset Shimmer looked down and found that it was a map of the area, with markers for Cloudsdale, Ponyville, Everfree Castle, and more all over the place. Leaning closer, Sunset Shimmer tried to find some sort of equivalent to a ‘you are here’ marker, but after finding none, she grumbled silently. It was nice that she had a map, but without any point of reference it did little to help, beyond that, the map was also… off in some way that wasn't readily obvious to the mare.

After staring at it for a few seconds Sunset Shimmer groaned and slapped her hoof against her forehead, realization dawning on her. The forest was also labeled, but rather than encapsulating everything, it was small, and relegated only to the top left of the map. This map was not only grossly out of date, but was also now more or less useless as the woods themselves seemed to bend the laws of reality on a whim.

Despite the map’s apparent uselessness, the pony rolled it up and tucked it away into her extradimensional space anyway, just in case. The rest of the table had a few scattered notes and bits of random letters or pages from books, but none of it was very useful. Most letters seemed to be in code as were the notes, and though the book pages were written in common, they were completely random. One was from an enchanting book of some kind, another from a survival guide, and a third was from a child rearing guide, oddly enough.

Pushing them into a pile, the pony magicked them away as well, unsure if they would ever come in handy but grabbing them regardless. After all, she had more than enough space now that she had almost no supplies. With that done, she began to pick through the bits of armor and weapons that littered the floor seemingly at random. Though the majority of what she found was leg armor and the odd helmet or two, there were still a few swords and daggers scattered here and there.

“They must have had to leave midway through gearing up,” she remarked, tossing aside another dagger she found. “And quickly too. Wait, what's this?”

The pony grabbed a random chunk of armor that had rolled under the table and pulled it out to reveal what looked like an antiquated sun motif stamped on the side of it. What struck the pony first was just how old it was, as the design could hardly even be described as a sun. It was a simple circle with triangles jutting off of it, though the armor itself was a plain grey color unlike Celestia’s guards which wore all gold. Were they mere soldiers of some kind? If they weren’t, why would they be branded as members of Celestia’s army?

“Too weird,” Sunset murmured before tossing aside the shoulder plate and looking around once more.

The rest of the room was relatively plain. There was a set of stairs that clung to the exterior wall and went up to the next floor, as well as a few boxes and crates here there with candles burning atop some. Stopping for a moment, the pony leaned down and stared at the candle, noticing that it seemed to flicker occasionally without getting any lower. No wax dripped down the exterior of the candle, and as the minutes ticked by, that didn't seem to change.

Positioning her hoof near the flame revealed that it was indeed hot, yet the wax didn't melt, all while not being magical in nature. Her horn dulling, Sunset Shimmer was tempted to cast another detection spell only to roll her eyes and step away, she had better things to do then figure out some dumb candle.

Namely, going upstairs and double checking if there was anyone else here. Something Sunset Shimmer was beginning to doubt more and more as time passed.

Travelling up a floor revealed what looked like barracks of some kind. Rows of neatly organized beds filled almost all the available space that wasn't occupied by a single bookshelf, and a pile of crates. The stairs she was standing on resumed their climb up and against the wall several feet in front of her.

Trotting around the beds, Sunset Shimmer noticed that some were made, others weren’t, and nearly all had a small trunk at the foot of each one. Tugging the containers open one by one revealed very little, as only a few pairs of clothes, a hat, and some socks had been left behind. The crates at the other end of the room had also been almost entirely emptied, though Sunset Shimmer did find one crate that was still packed full.

Prying it open revealed a plethora of dried goods ranging from simple fruit and nuts to even what looked like salted meat. Sunset Shimmer left the meat behind, but stowed everything else in her extradimensional space, happy to have some supplies, finally. As she was stowing them away, she gave each package a brief inspection, noting that the small bags were each stamped with the same sun logo as the armor had been.

“These must have been military rations,” she mused.

Feeling much better about her situation, she took a glance at the bookshelf and found that it was completely empty save for two books which seemed a little warped for some reason. Picking them up revealed that they had suffered some sort of water damage, and were completely unreadable. Brushing that aside, the pony trotted up the stairs, hopeful that she might find more supplies, or something else of value on her impromptu quest.

This time the stairs ended on a small landing with a door to her right, and a window to her left. The door was closed, but also unlocked, and after a quick scan, Sunset found it was also untrapped and had no manner of magic placed on it. Pushing the door open, the pony found herself in the middle of what looked like a crafting area of some kind, as several tables covered with various items filled the room.

This room, unlike the others, was a complete mess, and odds and ends were strewn about randomly. Books lay open on some tables, while broken glass covered several sections of the floor, making Sunset Shimmer take on a much slower pace when compared to the last two floors she had inspected. Her first instinct proved correct, as the pony was able to identify the familiar sight of a potion making station as well as a small area devoted to creating scrolls and other minor magical items.

Nothing of any real value was left behind however, only a few beakers, minor reagents, and a plethora of paper having been forgotten, or ignored during the hasty retreat. After checking through it all just in case, Sunset Shimmer found that it was as worthless as she had first thought and abandoned her search of the room.

Closing the door behind her, Sunset Shimmer climbed the stairs up to the top floor, which seemed identical to the one she had just came from. Save for the fact that the stairs going up even further ended with a wooden panel that presumably lead to the roof. Sunset Shimmer was about to scan the door before she realized it was open a crack, and that several candles burnt within.

“Hello? Is anyone in there?” she called, leaning close to the door.

After several seconds of no response, Sunset Shimmer shrugged and pushed open the door. Upon first glance the room seemed normal, and to be devoted to a commander or higher ranking officer as it was a single large room outfitted with all the amenities. Her train of thought quickly derailed when she noticed that there in the corner, hunched over a desk, was a pony who had a knife sticking out of her back.

She appeared young, probably only mid-twenties, with a long, two tone orange mane that flowed over her face on one side and around her neck on the other. Her fur was a deep crimson, and her cutie mark was that of a flaring star, which was partially covered by a thick padded shirt, the kind one might don before putting on plate mail. It had not stopped the dagger though, which was buried hilt deep in the mare’s spine.

Sprinting over to the pony, Sunset Shimmer lit her horn, and was ready to cast a healing spell only to realize something was off with the pony. Her horn was slightly longer, more curved, and that her body was deathly cold. Turning her healing spell into a scanning spell, Sunset Shimmer quickly discovered that the pony was dead, not only that but she had been dead for a very, very long time. There was little doubt that this unfortunate soul had been left behind during the evacuation, and had been preserved by whatever magic that kept the candles burning after multiple centuries had passed.

Frowning, Sunset Shimmer took a step back, and let the corpse slump back into the same position she had found it in. Was this one of Celestia’s soldiers? How long had she been here? Who killed her? All those questions and more ran rampant through the pony’s mind, and she was forced to brush them aside for now, as the dagger in her back was plain and unadorned by any symbol, giving her little idea of who had planted it there.

With a sigh, she picked up the pony in her magic, and carried her in front of her while proceeding down the stairs of the tower. Regardless of what side the pony had fought on, and what they had done, they deserved at least a semi decent burial. Sunset Shimmer knew she shouldn't bother, as she had limited time and was running low on magic, but she was bound and determined to do at least something kind before she no doubt met her end in Ponyville.

No matter how small that act of kindness was.

Pushing open the front door, Sunset Shimmer maneuvered the corpse through the door and laid her down next to the tower before searching for a proper spot to bury her. There wasn't much ground not covered in rocks, but after finding a small section that wasn't, the pony quickly got to work. Using a combination of her own muscles, and a healthy application of magic, Sunset Shimmer was able to dig a relatively deep grave in just under an hour.

Hauling herself out of the open grave, Sunset Shimmer turned and lowered the body down into it, and removing the knife from its back after she did so. She couldn't imagine being buried with the weapon that killed her after all, that was just cruel. With that done, she summoned up the last dregs of her magic, and pushed all the dirt back into the grave in a single heave.

Sunset Shimmer wiped the sweat from her brow, and was about to turn back only to stop, her gaze lingering on the fresh grave. “I should probably say something, shouldn't I?” she asked no one in particular.

Sighing, the pony lowered her head. “Though I did not know you, I hope you are at peace now. May you trot forever in the fields of Elysium,” she whispered reverently.

She stayed there for several seconds before opening her eyes and walking back inside, a feeling of peace having washed over her. The pony trotted back up to the commander’s room and began to look around, this time at a much more sedentary pace. The finding of the body made Sunset Shimmer’s curiosity dull and she finished her search robotically and more out of obligation than anything.

The large four poster bed was untouched, its satin sheets surprisingly low quality considering just how fancy they appeared to be on first glance. Pillows filled with feathers covered the top of the bed, though that seemed to be where the opulence ended. The trunk at the end of the bed had few clothes in it, and what was in it were well-loved and hole-ridden.

“Finally, a mare with her priorities in the right place,” Sunset Shimmer remarked with a dry chuckle.

The rest of the room seemed untouched, like the soldiers had simply left without having even checked on their commander. Whatever the reason, there was a bag of gold, some rations, personal effects, and a full suit of armor, complete with gladius and a long dagger. The armor was far too small for her, but Sunset Shimmer spent a while looking at it anyway, intrigued by its relatively simple design.

The metal was tough, but also primitive, and not nearly as strong or as durable as modern plate mail. It was a step up from bronze, but not much more than that and Sunset Shimmer was certain it would do little against a modern weapon. In addition, it had the same sun symbol stamped on it, but it also had a second, smaller symbol next to it. This one was one more akin to the pony’s cutie mark, though it was slightly different and Sunset Shimmer assumed it was the symbol of the pony’s family, or perhaps a rank of some kind.

Either way it didn't matter anymore, and with that out of the way, Sunset Shimmer turned to the desk, which she had so far ignored due to the fact that it was where that other pony had died. Pushing past the unpleasant feeling festering in her gut, the unicorn slowly trotted over to the desk and gathered up the letters before lying down on the bed and splaying the notes out before her. Some were obviously personal and remained sealed, while others had yet to receive a wax stamp of their own, and one was only half complete.

Deciding to start there, Sunset Shimmer began to read.

To Captain Evening Twinkle.

Our forces are spread thin and the fighting has only become more intense now that the betrayer is out of the picture. Though they lack a standard hierarchy, the lunar guard fight like cornered animals, ripping and tearing with hoof and fang if necessary. Their barbarcy has given them an edge, and has begun to shake the morale of our troops to the point that only the direct intervention by Celestia herself is able to drive back their offensives. This is rare however, as they have gone aground for the most part, and have focused on hitting our supply chains and other vulnerable areas.

Even more embarrassing than a few lost wagons was the fact that we were forced to abandon the castle after mere hours of taking it for crying out loud! This is ridiculous, and I would complain that this was the fault of cowardice on the part of our soldiers, but I know better than that. Furthermore, my squad and I were only barely able to escape with the plunder Celestia told us to acquire. Only some miserable stone tablet and a pile of worthless books escaped that accursed tower.

We would have had more, but the tomes we had been told to get were cursed and Moldy Vine didn't end up making it after only touching one of them. I fear what Celestia will say when we return, as things have only gotten worse since then. Several of the books had some previously unknown defence mechanism, and after opening them, they shot water everywhere, ruining everything. To make matters worse, the last of our stone golems has suddenly stopped working as well, meaning we are unable to transport the stone tablet any further.

This is merely my opinion, but I’m glad for it, as that thing unnerved everyone.

Regardless, the tablet is in the basement of the tower, sealed away and waiting for the time when Celestia will reclaim it. Until then, I’ve activated one of the defensive ward scrolls the princess gave me in case of just such an event. In around forty minutes or so this entire tower will be fortified by the sun’s might, and our position will be unassailable. The spell nearly needs a little longer to work before we can safely retreat without having to worry about failing our mission.

I’d request reinforcements, what with lunar soldiers being spotted in the tree line, but with the nightspawn and the forest closing in I know you are drawn thin as is. Still, I hold the flame of hope tight in my chest, and my thoughts, as always, turn to you, my love.

I know you don't like terms of endearments in official reports, but with all the talk of desertions, and assassinations I feel like this may very well be the last chance I can say it.

Here's to hoping that after this we can finally settle down and start that vineyard that we always-

The ink trailed off at the end, the writer having evidently been killed before she could finish.

Sunset Shimmer sniffed and wiped away a tear, determined not to let the moisture ruin the delicate parchment. For a moment she considered opening the other letters, but decided against it, merely tucking them into her extradimensional space in hopes of delivering them some day. She knew the pony the letters were addressed to was dead by now, but Sunset Shimmer refused to just let them lie there.

Wiping away the last of her tears, Sunset Shimmer crawled off the bed and trotted over to the window which overlooked the field beyond.

“They must have left without having checked on her, or perhaps they had killed her in order to flee before the spell completed,” Sunset Shimmer mused grimly.

For several minutes she continued to stare out the window, before a gurgle from her stomach made her remember one of the main reasons she had wanted to enter the tower in the first place. Turning from the window, the pony trotted down the stairs, intent on making herself something more significant than her usual rations of apples and a bite or two of whatever else she had left.

Now though she had something filling and fresh to eat, and after gorging herself on as much of the dried rations as she dare to eat at once, she reclined in the chair. With a hoof on her stomach, she gazed out over the first floor of the tower, idly considering cleaning the place up, only to shrug off that impulse. With surprisingly good food in her belly, the pony found herself growing tired, but also curious once more, for there was no obvious method of entry to the aforementioned basement.

Getting off her chair, Sunset Shimmer kicked aside a helmet and made her way behind the stairs. Sure enough, her instincts were again correct and there was a very obvious section of stone work that was different from the rest. Figuring out what mechanism would open it would have been difficult for anyone other than her, as her talents for telekinesis were unmatched.

Lighting her horn, the pony concentrated and slipped her magical field between the cracks of the stone floor, slipping between the tiny spaces left behind after the tower’s hasty construction. After a few minutes of fishing around, the pony was able to locate something that felt important, and followed it back to its source under the main table. Where a small metal lever had been hidden away in one corner, nearly invisible amidst the regular bumps and grooves in the wood.

Tugging it caused a series of gears to begin to turn and grind audibly somewhere beneath the floor. A few seconds later and a six foot by two foot section of stone suddenly sunk into the ground and began to move to one side, revealing a staircase going down. Taking a peek into the basement revealed a deep room illuminated by what looked like a glowing golden field of some kind in the center.

Taking a few steps down, Sunset Shimmer peeked around the side of the staircase and was surprised to find that the lower level was a story and a half tall. Leaving plenty of space in the middle of the room for a large raised platform which was covered by a golden dome of force. Trotting down the stairs, Sunset Shimmer looked on in awe at the enormous field of magic.

The spell was obviously incredibly powerful, and after a few short scans, Sunset Shimmer quickly realized that even with a bit of alicorn magic inside her, she wasn't about to break through it anytime soon. Not like she wanted to, as a single glimpse at the strange stone tablet within made her gut start doing backflips. Fearing the loss of her supper so soon after having just eaten it, the pony looked away and took several deep, calming breaths.

With nausea no longer plaguing her, Sunset Shimmer walked the interior of the room, searching for clues, and after finding none, stood at the bottom of the stairs. The wards were perfect, the defences immaculate, leaving Sunset Shimmer with little doubt that no one short of an alicorn could break into it. Sure, there might be a way to make the field come down without breaking it, but with no clue as to what the phrase or spell might be, she was left with little to do.

Shrugging to herself, the pony trotted back up the stairs, and after a moment’s contemplation, shut the secret entrance once more.

“Whatever the hell that is, it's above my paygrade,” muttered the mare, while shaking her head. “Screw this, I’m going to bed.”

Author's Note

What Drives Us

“Spike?”

The dragon sniffed and wiped a clawed hand across his nose. “It’s you. It's really you. I can't believe you are alive.”

Twilight felt compelled to wrap a hoof around the young dragon and to hug him tightly. An urge she quickly decided not to resist, as there was no doubt that he needed someone right now. She wanted to say something, to comfort him, but she knew there was something she needed to say first. “I’m…. I’m not Twilight. Or at least, I’m not your Twilight,” the unicorn whispered slowly.

Spike blinked and looked up at the pony with wide, terrified eyes. “What do you mean you are not Twilight?”

“I’m not your Twilight. The one you knew, she passed away around a thousand years ago,” Twilight explained, the pony lowering herself to his level. “I’m a reincarnation of hers, though I have some of her memories.”

“How- wait…” Spike blinked, and looked Twilight up and down. “But you look exactly like her. I mean, you are not quite as tall and don't smell very nice, but other than that you are the same!”

“I know. Some reason I, or we have been reincarnating as almost the exact same pony over and over again,” Twilight continued. “I don't understand the exact details of all that, but I know she loved you very, very much.”

Spike stood there a moment, too shocked and confused to know what to feel. Then, a dam burst, and tears flowed down his cheeks, the young dragon sobbing uncontrollably. Twilight stood there awkwardly for a moment before leaning forward and pulling the younger being into a hug. One that he fought against for a few seconds before reluctantly giving in and pressing his face against the fur under Twilight’s chin.

The unicorn sighed and began to rub the younger being’s back in slow, gentle circles. Though Twilight knew this should feel awkward and unpleasant, there was a part of her that celebrated being able to do this for the dragon. Being able to help the young drake in some small way made her heart rejoice in a manner she couldn't quite explain. In the end she decided to merely let it happen and channel whatever part of her former self that lived on through her.

“There there, Spike. I know I’m not your Twilight, but I’d still like to be there for you. If you would let me,” Twilight whispered.

Spike sniffed. “R-really?”

Twilight nodded slowly. “I saw you grow up, in a way. I know this whole situation is strange, but I feel like I already know you.”

“Well you are right about one thing. This is really weird,” Spike replied while taking a step back.

Twilight winced and rubbed her forehoof. “I know and something tells me it's only going to get weirder before it gets more normal. Normaler? Whatever the word for it is.”

Spike sighed. “I don't suppose you know where she is buried by chance. Do you?”

Twilight grimaced. “She wasn't and isn't. Been buried yet, that is. Her body was left in the undertower this entire time and I was just now able to reach it.”

The dragon nodded, a strangely intense look crossing his face as he began to pace. “Then we need to recover it. Twilight always said that she wanted to be buried along with her mother in Ponyville cemetery.” He frowned and rubbed his chin. “That's assuming it’s still there.”

“I don't actually know the answer to that,” Twilight muttered. “I’m sure someone around town knows though.”

“I should get to work then,” Spike remarked. “Twilight deserves to rest easy.”

“Trust me, Spike. She's resting soundly knowing you are safe,” Twilight added with a faint smile.

For a moment the serious mask the dragon had donned slipped and Twilight could see the hurt and guilt just beneath. “I-I need time to plan. She would want a funeral and to be cremated. I remember that much.”

“That can wait,” Twilight interrupted, trotting up to the dragon. “She's waited a thousand years, so she can continue to do so just a little bit longer.”

“No, you don't understand,” Spike declared angrily, brushing off Twilight’s hoof. “That's exactly why this can't wait!”

“It's not safe yet. There are golems down there,” Twilight explained. “What would Twilight think if you rushed off and hurt yourself at this point, huh?”

Spike stopped and let his hands fall to his sides. “I guess you are right.”

The unicorn breathed a sigh of relief. “Everything has changed. The world is going to seem strange and wrong for a while. Just relax and focus on taking it all in. We can have a funeral for her soon.”

The dragon sniffed and nodded slowly. “So what do I call you?”

Twilight blinked and cocked her head. “What do you mean?”

“Well I can't call you Twilight. That just feels… wrong in a way,” Spike replied, wincing slightly as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry, I know how that must sound.”

“That's okay, Spike. I understand where you are coming from,” Twilight reassured, placing a hoof on the dragon’s shoulder. “What would you like to call me?”

“Umm…” Spike tapped his chin. “How about Dusk Shine? It was Twilight’s pen name.”

Twilight had to resist laughing aloud when she realized that she had taken the same pen name. “Sure, you can call me Dusk Shine.”

“Okay… Dusk,” Spike remarked, a weak smile on his face.

“You know, I’m impressed you are taking this as well as you are,” Twilight exclaimed proudly, taking a step back.

The dragon sniffed and nodded. “Twilight always taught me to keep calm and to think about things logically.” He chuckled darkly. “I’ll probably end up crying myself to sleep tonight though.”

Twilight frowned. “I know you don't know me very well. But if you need to talk, I’ll be there for you.”

“Thanks, but I don't know if I can be around you right now.” Spike winced and looked away guiltily. “It's just… you look so much like her.”

Twilight nodded. “It’s okay. Just, remember I’m here, and that this is still your home.”

The dragon nodded and turned away. “I think I’d like to be alone for a while.”

Twilight’s frown deepened, but she nodded anyway. “Okay. I might leave in a bit, but I’ll be back tonight or later today.”

Spike gave the pony one last look before turning and scampering up the stairs, and disappearing into the second story, the door closing firmly behind him.

Now alone, the unicorn let out a long breath. “That was awkward,” she murmured to herself.

Using her magic, Twilight placed her riddle book back where she found it. “Now what?” she asked noone.

When no answer came, Twilight trotted into the kitchen and looked around, a strange urge suddenly overtaking her. She pulled open a few cabinets and found that they contained all the necessary cutlery and crockery for two beings. There was even an entire cupboard dedicated to spices of all kinds, some of which Twilight had never seen before.

Opening a few revealed that they still smelt good, meaning they were likely preserved by the same petrification process that had kept Spike safe. “Well, that's one less thing to worry about,” Twilight muttered, closing the door.

Turning to the fridge, Twilight was surprised to find that it too was working properly and its contents had been preserved. The freezer was similarly fine, and the enchantments keeping it, and the rest of the fridge cold were still functioning perfectly. It was also filled with food of all kinds, meaning she didn't have to worry about Spike going hungry. But he was a dragon though…

With that thought in mind, Twilight opened up the last cupboard, which lay directly above the fridge, and found it to be full of gems. Somehow she knew that was where they were, yet she was still surprised to see them, unnerving the pony slightly. These odd, foreign urges were becoming more prevalent, and she was starting to feel as though her old self wasn't quite as dead as she thought.

Before she could really contemplate such a notion, she felt compelled to walk toward the door of the library. Opening the wooden portal revealed the same bat pony she had seen earlier, hoof raised and ready to knock. “Can I help you?” Twilight asked.

The bat pony blinked, and lowered his hoof. “I, err, yes, yes you can.” He cleared his throat. “The commander has decided that you will meet him at a different location, rather than here.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “And why is that?”

“Well, see for yourself,” the bat pony offered, taking a step off to the side and gesturing to the crowd of beings that surrounded the library, some of whom were merely passing by while others stood there, gawking at the enormous tree.

Twilight frowned. “I suppose they would be a bit of a security risk,” she admitted.

“Indeed they would. Furthermore, the location he chose is much more private and easier to secure,” added the bat pony. “If you will just come with me, I will take you to him.”

“I don't really have a choice in the matter, do I?” Twilight muttered.

The bat pony blinked. “Of course you do. We can't arrest you on anything. If you really don't want to come, you can stay here and commander Dark Hallow will merely communicate with you via correspondence.”

Twilight’s jaw hung open, the pony shocked that she actually had a choice this time around. She briefly considered staying home and forcing this Dark Hallow fellow to come to her, but something told her Spike really needed to be alone. Furthermore, Dark Hallow did potentially have more answers for her, ones that she wasn't about to wait for, if she didn't have to. Add to that the fact that her friends were likely still getting settled into the hospital or home, and she couldn’t exactly see them either, narrowing down the places she could go considerably.

She sighed. “Lead on.”

The bat pony nodded and motioned to someone above them, signalling another guard who landed next to the door and took up position. He was a little taller than the bat pony Twilight stood next to, which made the unicorn feel a little more comfortable for whatever reason. She couldn't help but think that Spike was better off with a larger, more intimidating pony watching over him.

Twilight shook her head. “He's not yours, Twilight.”

“What was that?”

The unicorn grunted, and waved a hoof dismissively. “Nothing, let’s go.”

“Alright…” the bat pony muttered, before turning and pointing down the street. “It’s at the edge of town, follow me.”

Twilight nodded and trotted after the other pony, easily keeping pace with the much shorter-legged stallion. It was at that point that Twilight couldn't help but notice just how short the guard was, as the top of his head only came up to Twilight’s chest and even then, only just barely. Not wanting to embarrass the proud night guard, Twilight kept her thoughts to herself and focused on the road ahead.

A road that quickly emptied of beings, which made sense, as it was getting fairly late, or early, depending on how you thought about it. Twilight shook her head, ignoring the fact that she had yet to fully adapt to this reversed land of darkness. Meanwhile the town passed her by, relatively unnoticed by the focused unicorn, who would have normally stopped and stared at the many odd and unique structures that littered the town.

Now though, even the four story tall house carved from the trunk of some enormous, and long dead tree did not garner her attention. Twilight had more important and pressing matters to consider for once. The first was Spike himself, as Twilight felt oddly conflicted when she thought about him. On one hoof, he was a minor that had essentially just become an orphan, and Twilight felt an odd connection because of that. There was also a deeper, more primal urge that made her want to… mother him, for lack of a better word.

She wanted to hug him, squeeze him tightly, and never let him go, or at least not until he was happy again anyway. That feeling was as unpleasant as it was strong, and Twilight couldn't help but be unnerved by its intensity. She hardly knew how to be a good friend, never mind a parent, or whatever this urge wanted her to be.

With a sigh, she did her best to ignore that feeling and focus on what was happening right now, namely the fact that she was currently at the edge of the town itself. Looking around revealed that there didn't seem to be any houses in the area, or any sign of civilization other than a rough path that led to the hospital. “So, where exactly is this place anyway?” she asked.

The guard chuckled and stopped in front of a large oak tree. “Right here,” he declared, before tapping three times on the side of the tree.

The bark melted away to reveal a spiral staircase leading down into the ground. A flameless purple torch burned just within, and a glance inside revealed that the staircase was completely illuminated in the same purple light. “You can't just have a meeting at someone’s house or something?” Twilight deadpanned.

The guard shook his head. “The commander has a flair for the dramatic. Besides, an underground meeting place is convenient, easy to defend, and very secret.”

“I mean I guess,” Twilight admitted reluctantly. “I should have guessed something like this would have happened, shouldn't I?”

“It’s Ponyville,” the guard declared with a shrug. “What would you have expected anyway?”

“Point taken. So, do I just go down?” Twilight asked.

“I’ll be right behind you. I just have to seal the exit first,” the guard replied, before extending his hoof. “Oh, and the name’s Bright Silver.”

“Twilight Sparkle. Nice to meet you,” Twilight replied, clopping her hoof against his.

The guard pulled back the limb and gave it a brief shake. “Huh, that does feel kind of odd.”

“Sorry about that. I guess I’m a little hungrier than I thought.”

Bright Silver shook his head. “It’s fine, just go on in.”

Twilight nodded and did just that, trotting through the hole in the tree trunk, and beginning her descent. For almost a minute she walked in silence, before she could hear the smaller, lighter hooves of her companion catch up to her. Shortly after that they emerged out into a long hallway, lit by more of the same purple flameless torches. The walls were well-cut stone, and were tall and wide enough to allow an arachne to pass through with ease.

After a few dozen feet the hall split left and right, and Twilight paused, waiting for the bat pony guard to catch up. When he did, he pointed to the left. “It’s down there,” he announced with a smile. “Oh, and don't go to the right.”

Twilight leaned forward and looked down the long hallway to the right, noticing that although there were many oaken doors, it didn't look intimidating or like it hid anything secret. “Why?”

“Noone’s allowed down there but the commander, and maybe a few others. Trust me, it's better not to know,” Bright Silver answered.

Twilight shrugged and turned to the left, and found that it was identical to the right passageway, only at the end of the hall there was a large door, rather than a flat wall. Making her way to the end of the hallway, Twilight paused and stood off to the side, allowing Silver to walk up to the door and place his hoof on a moon seal just under the door handle. After a second, the door clicked and the bat pony pulled it open, bowing slightly to the unicorn.

“After you.”

“Thank you,” Twilight said, slightly awkwardly, unused to such acts of kindness.

“You are welcome,” Bright Silver replied. “Oh and watch your step.”

Twilight stopped and looked down, noticing that the floor was an inch lower than the hallway. “Thanks again, I guess.”

“No problem. Now all you have to do is stand in the center of the room so we can make sure you don't have any spells or hidden weapons. Then you can talk to the commander,” Bright Silver announced, pointing to the center of the room.

Twilight frowned when she recognized the familiar scanning array in the middle of the room. It was large, well-designed, and seemed intended to search out everything Bright Silver had mentioned. Other than that, the room seemed to serve as a storage room of some kind, with weapons, boxes, and racks of armor along the wall as well as a few random barrels.

Not seeing another way out of this, Twilight trotted into the center of the room and stood patiently, waiting for Bright Silver to get into position. Only for a thought to occur to the mare and make her nose wrinkle in confusion. “Wait, how exactly do you use a scanning circle anyway? Don't you need magic for that?” Twilight asked, watching the bat pony out of the corner of her eye.

“Who says we don't have magic?” replied Bright silver, who extended his wings, before pulling them forward, and pointing the tips of them at the circle itself.

Immediately his dark purple wings lit up, illuminating the room even more and allowing Twilight to see his short silver mane that was almost completely hidden by his helmet. Though his appearance was unique, that wasn't what caught Twilight’s attention, rather it was the familiar aura of magic that now surrounded his wing tips that made her stop and stare. Having spent the majority of her life practicing magic, Twilight knew well the sight of one’s personal aura, which for Bright Silver was a slightly lighter shade of purple than his fur.

That aura flowed down his wings, building from the base of his spine and extending down to the ground and the circle drawn upon it. Sure enough, just like if he was activating the circle as a unicorn, the scanning spells jumped to life and began to work. Despite the shock Twilight felt, she had enough presence of mind to remain still, waiting for the spells to finish, and the circle to dull before she stomped over to the stallion.

“You must tell me how you did that,” she demanded, her hooves gripping either side of his face.

The smaller being blinked. “Erm Mokay,” he muttered. “Can oo et go a mah fasche?”

Twilight blushed and took a step back, releasing the hold she had on him. “Sorry about that.”

“No problem,” he muttered, rubbing his cheeks. “Though I’m surprised you are interested in our brand of magic. The few unicorns I’ve met have always dismissed it out of hoof.”

Twilight scoffed in disbelief. “You are casting spells without the use of a normal focus. Of course I’m interested in hearing about your magic.”

Bright Silver’s lifted an eyebrow, the male temporarily shocked by just how passionate the unicorn was. “Er well, you see it has to do with our connection to the night. After we become attuned properly, we can cast a limited number of spells. I would like to tell you more, but I’m not sure how much of this information is supposed to only be known by members of the guard.”

“Can I just ask you one teensy weensy question then?” Twilight asked, hope swelling in her voice.

“Sure. So long as it's not super secret,” Bright added hastily.

“What is involved in this attunement thing?” Twilight asked hesitantly.

“It's not some ritual or something, if that's what you are asking,” Bright Silver began. “It's a matter of connecting one’s self to the aspect of the night, and seeing it reflected within yourself. It's an intensely personal experience that's different for everyone, which is one reason it's hard to explain.”

“Sorry if that sounded acustory.” Twilight breathed a small sigh of relief. “I must admit that although I’ve left Canterlot behind, it's sometimes hard to stop myself from imagining a circle and a blood sacrifice when you say something cryptic like that.”

“That’s fair, it does sound kinda culty, doesn't it?” Bright replied.

“Just a little bit,” Twilight admitted.

Bright Silver clopped his hoof against the floor. “Well, we better get moving before commander Dark Hallow gets bored and starts bothering our other guests.”

“Other guests?” Twilight asked.

“You’ll meet them in a bit. Oh and the scan was good, obviously. Though you should check out that foreleg of yours, you got some pretty nasty bruising going on,” Bright Silver pointed out, before walking past the pony and to the door.

Leaving Twilight to lift her forehoof and remember that it had been broken quite badly not long ago. Yet now it felt nice, though a little sore. It definitely did not feel like it had been badly broken not long ago. Am I still healing somehow? Furthermore, what mechanisms could even help a corpse heal itself anyway?

Twilight sighed and mentally filed that away amongst all the other things she wanted answered. Giving her head a shake, she followed after Bright Silver, who was holding the door open for her.

Nodding to the stallion, Twilight stepped into the next room only to feel as though she was transported to somewhere far from where she had just been a second ago. Gone was the cut stone, and vaguely creepy underground feeling, replaced by the homey warmth that came only when a room was well-lived in. A sentiment further reinforced by the fact that it looked like a room from someone’s home as well, if the carpeted floors and the exhaustively decorated interior was anything to go by.

The carpet was a soft brown and the wall paper was a mix of green and brown stripes that stopped halfway up the wall before becoming a dark solid brown. A fireplace burnt in the middle of one wall, and five large, high backed leather chairs faced it while forming a semi circle, though Twilight could tell only two were occupied. The rest of the room had a similar sort of rustic feel, with a few end tables sporting ash trays, one of which had a hefty cigar resting in it. Along one wall was rack after rack of dark bottles no doubt filled with alcohol, while another was completely covered in an enormous book case, the titles of which were completely new to Twilight.

“And I’m telling you that's a load of horse apples,” declared a slightly elderly and clearly male voice. “There is no way that Supermare would lose to her!”

Another, far more feminine, yet also far stranger, more alien voice scoffed back, “Like Batmare would ever fight her without preparing first.”

“But Supermare could just fly up to her and punch Batmare’s head off!” declared the angry male voice.

“But why would she do that? Hmmm?” asked the alien voice rather arrogantly. “If she were under the effect of black kryptonite, Batmare would know about it and have a counter ready.”

Bright Silver groaned and leaned towards the lone unicorn. “Good luck,” he whispered, before turning and leaving Twilight alone, slamming the door behind him.

Instantly the conversation stopped and two very different, very strange faces peeked out from around the chairs in order to look at Twilight. One was very obviously a bat pony and a relatively normal one at that, while the other was a changeling, but there was something off about her, and it wasn't just her missing horn. The bat pony stallion was a little shorter than Twilight, but was clearly a thestral through and through as even in his older age his mane and tail were still a stark black. His grey coat was the only real sign of his more advanced age, as his gentle blue eyes remained sharp, as did his long, prominent fangs.

The other being was no doubt a changeling, that much was clear, but she was also very obviously not one of the usual shapeshifters Twilight had seen around Ponyville. For a moment the unicorn kicked herself for not learning more about the insectoid race before coming here, but then again it was not like she had been told who exactly she was meeting with. The most obvious difference Twilight could notice was the other creature’s height, as this changeling towered over even Twilight, though her stumped horn diminished her stature slightly.

Her mane was long and ragged, hanging nearly to her knees, and framing her incredibly sharp green eyes quite well. The look she gave Twilight was the first big thing to jump out about her, as it was quite intense, and the unicorn felt as though her very soul was being appraised and judged under a harsh and indifferent light. There were other, smaller differences like a small black crown that rested on her head, which had bluish pearls sitting on the ends, in addition to a multitude of scars that covered her body but nothing quite struck the pony like the changeling’s gaze did.

“Ahh, the prodigal daughter has returned at last. Cadance is going to be quite happy to see you alive, and in one piece no less,” exclaimed the changeling, who patted the seat next to her. “Come, sit. We have much to discuss, you and I.”

Twilight looked to the bat pony for help, only to have him shrug and pop his cigar back in his mouth. Grumbling to herself, Twilight stomped over to the spot the changeling had indicated and sat down in it. “Ooh, that's comfortable,” she remarked suddenly, her irritation instantly gone.

“It is, isn't it?” replied the bat pony with a hint of pride. “This is one of my favorite rooms to receive visitors in.”

“You just like showing off all the books you’ll never read, and the booze you’ll never drink,” remarked the changeling pointedly.

Rather than be offended, the bat pony merely laughed. “You say that like I won't spend my retirement years either drunk or reading.”

The changeling chuckled harshly. “That's if you make it to retirement. You know those things'll kill ya.”

The bat pony looked down his nose, to where his cigar stuck out of his mouth, before rolling it into the corner of his mouth. “Ahh, it can't be that bad. My father smoked his whole life, and he made it to retirement.”

“Your father was also twice the stallion you are,” shot the changeling.

“Uh, why am I here?” Twilight asked, interrupting the bat pony just as he clutched his chest, and dramatically readied himself to act offended.

“I suppose we should start with introductions,” exclaimed the bat pony, who sat back up in his chair, and placed his cigar on the ashtray.

The changeling sighed. “Yes, yes, banter can wait.” She turned to Twilight. “I am Chrysalis, Queen of the changelings. You may call me Your Highness or Your Majesty.”

Twilight blinked. “Uh hello, Your Majesty, I’m Twilight Sparkle.”

“We know,” Chrysalis replied evenly.

The bat pony rolled his eyes. “Oh don't let old buggy boo get under your skin, she's just being a bother ‘cause she can.”

“I swear on the very stars, if you call me that again I will flay you alive,” Chrysalis declared, fangs bared.

“See? Total kidder... I hope,” the bat pony added hastily.

“And you are commander Dark Hallow, I presume?” Twilight asked pointedly.

“Ahh yes, it's a pleasure to finally meet you, Twilight. Would you like a drink or a cigar?” asked the bat pony, who was already reaching towards a case.

“No, I’m quite alright. Thank you though,” Twilight replied hastily.

“Alright, suit yourself,” Dark Hallow replied, before puffing on his impressive tobacco product.

“I don't mean to be rude, Your Majesty, but why are you here?” Twilight asked, turning to the changeling. “I was under the impression it was just commander Dark Hallow that wanted to talk to me.”

“Oh this is bigger than just you, I’m afraid,” the changeling announced rather cryptically. “Bigger than myself as well, if you can believe such a thing.”

Twilight blinked, only now noticing that the queen had a heart brand on the spot where her cutie mark would be, if she were a pony. Noting how ugly the brand was, Twilight hastily looked away, staring down at the floor. “S-sorry,” she blurted out on instinct.

Chrysalis sighed and shifted in her chair until her sides were no longer visible. “Worry not, child. You have offended noone.”

Dark Hallow cleared his throat and gestured to one of the empty chairs. “So is she coming, or?”

The changeling nodded slowly and pulled a crystal from seemingly nowhere. “She is quite busy at the moment, but has made the time to meet with you all as best as she can.” Chrysalis grinned and leaned towards Twilight. “Her name is Cadance, but she likes to be called Candy Flanks. You’ll earn some big brownie points if you call her that.”

Twilight blushed and nodded quickly, still unable to look the changeling in the eye. “O-okay.”

Dark Hallow sighed. “Would you stop teasing her, Chrysalis? The poor girl looks like she's ready to give you her lunch money and beg not to get a swirly.”

The queen winced, and placed a hoof on Twilight’s back. “You are right, Dark Hallow. I was just teasing you. Call her Cadance.”

Twilight smiled, distinctly aware of the small flow of positive energy that came from Chrysalis’ hoof. “Thanks.”

The queen snorted and pulled back her hoof. “You want a tip? Grow a spine. It will serve you well.”

“I was fine, but being around you guys made me remember the brief time I went to school,” Twilight whispered darkly.

The changeling let out an irritated chirp. “If it was up to me Bulk Triceps would have been expelled, not just slapped with detention.”

“Wait, how did you know about that?” Twilight asked in shock.

“We see more than you know, little morsel,” Chrysalis replied cryptically, before tossing the crystal into the chair across from them.

“What do you-” Twilight began, only to be shushed by Chrysalis, who pointed to the dull grey crystal, which was rapidly becoming far less dull, and far less grey.

Frowning, Twilight did as she was told, watching as an alicorn shimmered into existence in the center of the chair. Or at least, Twilight assumed it was an alicorn, as the pony that appeared had a shattered horn, one eye, one foreleg, and had suffered numerous other injuries, if her dense web of scar tissue, and spotty covering of fur was anything to go by. She would have been beautiful, Twilight thought, only to silently curse and remind herself that the alicorn was still beautiful. The gentle and kind look in the alicorn’s eye was more than enough to prove that she was relatively unbothered by her physical limitations.

“Ahh, Twilight Sparkle. It's so wonderful to meet you,” announced the mare in a slightly gravelly voice, her ruined lips revealing too much of her teeth.

“It's nice to meet you too, miss…” Twilight replied expectantly.

“Mi Amore Cadenza, but my friends just call me Cadance,” replied the pink-furred mare, who flashed Twilight a wink.

Already Twilight could tell that some part of her knew this strange and unfortunately mutilated pony. Though her past self’s memories had never shown her this particular alicorn before, nor did they explain the oddly familial feelings swirling in her chest. Stuffing those feelings down deep inside of her, Twilight ignored the look Chrysalis was giving her, and smiled as best she could. “A pleasure, Cadance,” she replied at length.

Cadance smiled, only to gasp. “Oh, pardon me, you are all sitting down. Give me a moment.”

The pink-furred alicorn turned and limped over to the chair next to the crystal and slowly sat down, wincing when she did. That alone made Twilight’s blood boil, the sight of Cadance barely able to complete a normal task filling the unicorn with an unpleasant amount of alien rage. Cadance however, didn't seem to notice, and smiled at the other mare. “I assume you have all introduced yourselves, and my other half hasn't teased you too much. I hope?” Cadance half asked, half stated, her gaze leveled on Chrysalis.

Who snorted dismissively. “Of course. I would never bug such an important ally.” Chrysalis turned and flashed Twilight a quick wink.

The undead mare nearly giggled, only for something to suddenly stick out about what Cadance had just said. Namely the way the words ‘other half’ were used, and the implications behind the word choice, which sparked a memory she didn't even know she had. It was brief, only a few seconds long, but in it Luna referred to the nightmare as her other half with that same strange inflection. An inflection that Cadance used when referring to Chrysalis.

“Huh,” Twilight muttered, “I remember Luna saying the same about the nightmare before. The other half thing, that is.”

The temperature in the room plummeted, and Twilight was suddenly aware of Chrysalis’ gaze turning from slightly guarded but kind, to icy in an instant. “I wouldn't ask about that, if I were you,” warned the changeling.

Twilight blinked and looked over to the alicorn, who was shaking slightly, clearly hurt. “I’m sorry, I didn't know,” blurted the unicorn.

“It’s- it’s fine,” Cadance replied at length. “It's just not something we want to talk about.”

“I won't mention it again,” Twilight added hastily.

“See to it that you don't,” Chrysalis remarked with a snort.

“So uh, why am I here?” Twilight asked, turning to Dark Hallow, hoping to change the subject.

The thestral sighed and stood up from his chair. “Before we get into that, would you like some wine at least? It’s an excellent vintage.”

“I doubt I would be able to taste it,” Twilight replied sadly.

“Chrysalis?”

The changeling shook her head. “I’m afraid I must abstain. For now.”

The bat pony shrugged and poured himself a glass from one of the wine bottles on the racks. Trotting back to his chair, the thestral plopped back down and took a long sip of the red liquid. After a content sigh, Dark Hallow glanced over at Twilight. “Well, to start, I’d just like to apologize for all this cloak and dagger. I’m not a fan of secrecy myself, as I feel like it alienates potential allies.”

Twilight snorted. “Could have fooled me.”

“Yes, well. Strange circumstances require different approaches unfortunately,” Dark Hallow replied.

Twilight frowned and crossed her hooves over her chest. “Don't expect to win much trust like that.”

“I know, I know. Just, give us a chance okay?” Dark Hallow requested. “Things have not been good for us over the last ooh, eight hundred years.”

Chrysalis laughed bitterly. “Too true.”

The unicorn sighed. “I suppose that's true. Alright then, why should I trust you?”

“For one, I can promise you there won’t be any more lies, spying, or anything else happening behind your back,” Dark Hallow declared with a bittersweet smile.

“Anymore?” Twilight asked, leaning forward in her chair.

“Yes, I’m afraid Rainbow Dash’s original goal was to spy on you, but her mission has changed,” Dark Hallow admitted before sipping more of his wine.

“Wait, she was spying on me? For how long?” Twilight demanded.

“Not long, actually,” Dark Hallow replied. “You seem to have won her loyalty rather quickly.” He shrugged. “I suppose that's on me though. That mare doesn't have a dishonest bone in her body.”

Twilight opened her mouth to say something, only to stop before the words reached her lips. Rainbow Dash had been spying on her, but had stopped of her own volition, going against orders, and potentially sabotaging her career in the process. Something that meant more to the pony than pretty much anything else in her life, save for maybe Fluttershy. Realizing that, Twilight felt a lot less angry, and couldn't help but forgive the thestral, despite how angry she wanted to be with her.

“Fine,” Twilight muttered, sitting back in her chair. “So what is her mission now then?”

“To make sure you don't get in over your head,” Dark Hallow replied simply.

“Like it or not, Twilight, you have a rather important part to play in the destiny of not only the Everfree, but Canterlot as well,” Cadance added.

“So don't discard any potential allies just for doing their job,” Chrysalis exclaimed.

“I wasn't going to,” Twilight admitted, looking down. “She's saved my life already, and done a lot to help me. Even if she spied on me, that doesn't change the fact that she's my friend.”

“Well that's good,” Dark Hallow commented. “Because I was hoping you would accept her as a sort of bodyguard. Obviously you don't have to tell her where you are going at all times or anything like that, but if you wouldn't mind taking her with you before you go somewhere dangerous that would be beneficial to not only us, but yourself as well.”

Twilight chose not to admit that she was already thinking of doing that, and just nodded. “I’ll think about it, but you have to give me something in return.”

Dark Hallow blinked, and stopped mid-sip, his blue eyes gazing over the lip of his glass. “I suppose I could at least hear you out.”

“I want you to give Rainbow Dash a promotion, and more options to help out the community,” Twilight declared as sternly as she could muster.

Dark Hallow swallowed hard, put down his glass, grinning madly. “No wonder you earned her trust so quickly.” He laughed and shook his head. “And here I was preparing to pay some kind of reparations for putting you through all that.”

Cadance giggled. “That is adorable. Well said, Twilight.”

The unicorn blushed and rubbed her forehooves together awkwardly. “I mean, a little money would be nice. I didn't exactly bring anything with me.”

“That’s fair,” Dark Hallow reclined in his chair, and puffed away on his cigar. “We can talk about it more later, but there has been an opening for a researcher here in the guard. Something I believe you would be able to do quite well.”

“That would work.” Twilight paused and pursed her lips. “Though I’m curious as to what you would have me research.”

“Just spit it out, Dark Hallow,” Chrysalis remarked with a sneer. “The young thing deserves to know our intentions with her.”

“Yes, it would help build trust,” Cadance added.

The bat pony nodded slowly. “I suppose it would.” He put out the last dying embers of his cigar, crushing it into the ashtray. “We have a request of you, Twilight Sparkle.”

“And that is?” Twilight replied hesitantly.

“We would like you to raise the moon,” Dark Hallow announced coldly.

“Luna needs to return to the world of the living,” Chrysalis added, quite matter of factly.

“You want me to bring back an alicorn?” Twilight asked in disbelief. “That's impossible, for multiple reasons.”

“We know you can do it, Twilight,” Cadance declared with complete and utter confidence.

The unicorn raised an eyebrow. “How do you know that? The energy required to raise an alicorn could only be wielded by another alicorn, or at least that's what I’ve been able to gather from the scattered memories I’ve received.”

“Trust me. You can,” Chrysalis added with the same level of confidence that Cadance had.

Twilight looked from the alicorn to the changeling queen and back again. The amount of confidence on their faces, the assuredness in their tones, it all made Twilight wonder whether her past self had done this before. Or had they already been here before, and had this same conversation before? There were too many questions, and Twilight quickly shook her head, doing her best to dismiss those cloying thoughts for now.

“Okay, so I have a few questions,” Twilight began. “Like for one. Why do you want her back?”

“Is it not enough to right a wrong?” Chrysalis snapped.

The unicorn wilted slightly and tapped her forehooves together. “Err yes, but surely there is more to it than that.”

“There is,” Cadance declared. “I may have fallen into the leadership role of this makeshift alliance of resistance fighters and scattered towns, but I am by no means a good leader.”

Dark Hallow nodded slowly. “The creatures of this forest will simply not rally behind anyone but the moon. She is the only being who could gain the support of every community hidden within the Everfree.”

“Luna’s cult of personality has only grown over the centuries,” Chrysalis explained. “With her rise, just about every city, and scattered band of woodland wanderers would flock to our cause.”

“And Luna herself was a brilliant tactician, as well as a world class general,” Cadance remarked. “In addition, she was an excellent fighter and also a potent war mage.”

Twilight glanced over at Cadance curiously. “You say that like you knew her.”

The alicorn smiled. “I did, though not as well as you did. Or as your former incarnation did, I should say.”

The unicorn blushed when she remembered just how close her past self had gotten to courting the lunar princess. “I suppose. You must tell me about her sometime. The memories are… incomplete.”

Cadance nodded. “When the time is right, I will tell you all I know.”

“And that will have to do,” Chrysalis added pointedly, shutting down the questions swirling in Twilight’s mind.

“Getting back to the point,” Dark Hallow interrupted. “The moon is the only being capable of holding back a determined Celestia. Something the forest itself has done until now.”

“I remember the books mentioning something about that,” Twilight muttered, tapping her chin with a hoof. “I was told the forest is inhospitable and infected with chaos magic. Or at least, that's what Celestia likely wanted us to believe anyway.”

Dark Hallow chuckled. “That is true, and not quite true at the same time.” He shook his head. “Regardless, that is a topic for another time. The point is, if Celestia really wanted to, she could assault the forest directly, and we would have little hope of resisting her without the forest’s help. With balance restored, and the moon returning to us, we could hold our own.”

Twilight leaned back in her chair and chewed on her bottom lip nervously. “I just feel like this might be asking for trouble. I mean, if Celestia knew Luna had returned, wouldn't that prompt her to attack the forest like you all fear she would?”

“Although not untrue, I don't think it's quite so simple,” Chrysalis responded.

“I’m afraid Chrysalis is right. Celestia has been mobilizing for a while already, and although we think its because she intends on launching another assault on the dragon lands, we can't be certain of that,” Cadance explained. “It might well be that she has figured out a way to bypass the usual barriers the forest puts in her way.”

“Which would mean the destruction of pretty much all we know and love,” Dark Hallow concluded.

Twilight ground her teeth together, and thought hard on the subject, unsure of just where she stood. It was the right thing to do, raising Luna that is, but that was assuming Twilight even could, which was something she wasn't totally certain about, even if Chrysalis and Cadance were confident that she could do it. Even then, it would mean war at the very least, the only variable was time, and just how long it would be until there was some manner of conflict. Provided it wasn't already coming anyway, something that was distinctly possible given Celestia’s well-documented expansionist tendencies.

“I suppose you are right,” Twilight admitted, after a long pause. “Though I still don't like the implications this action may have.”

“But you will do it anyway, right?” Cadance pressed.

The lone unicorn nodded. “Yes, but there are complications, and things that I want out of this deal as well.”

Chrysalis raised an eyebrow and seemed to appraise the mare carefully. “And what, pray tell, do you want, exactly?”

“I want my brother to be safe,” Twilight declared confidently. “He’s innocent in all this, and doesn't deserve to be dragged into things.”

Cadance nodded. “That may be possible, if it isn't already too late for that.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked quickly, her voice falling significantly.

“He joined the royal guard in a misguided attempt to find your killers, I’m afraid,” Cadance began with a sigh. “The official story is that terrorists blew up your house after convincing your mother to carry a bomb for them.”

Chrysalis snorted. “Which is ridiculous, as we would never endanger an innocent in such a manner and there simply are no other resistance movements around.”

“So it's all just a hoax perpetrated by Celestia,” Twilight muttered, her shoulders slumping. “I guess it's to be expected that she would do something like that, given all the propaganda she uses.”

“Don't worry, that won't stop me from trying. I’m just putting it out there so as to not get your hopes up too much,” Cadance cautioned.

“If anyone can turn that brother of yours around, it's Cadance,” Dark Hallow declared confidently.

“I guess,” Twilight muttered, only to sigh. “I suppose you should also make sure my father is okay as well… Not even he deserves to get caught up in whatever Celestia is planning.”

“Your father loves you very much you know,” Cadance cautioned.

Twilight snorted. “Really? Did he love me when he blamed me for what happened to-” Twilight caught herself, only now realizing that her father was right, and that just about everything he had ever said had been right as well. Somehow the knowledge that her father was right about almost everything, wasn't a pleasant one, and Twilight ground her teeth together in barely contained irritation.

“I know he may have said some hurtful things, but he's still your father, and trust me when I say he has suffered greatly at the hooves of Celestia,” Cadance added.

“What do you mean?” Twilight inquired nervously.

“Your history has been more or less erased, or smoothed over for lack of a better word. His memories of you are pure, knowing you only as his scholarly young daughter, and loving you unconditionally,” Cadance explained.

“And he's been put under a curse,” Chrysalis remarked with an irritable snort. “A dark magic curse no less, the twisted bitch.”

“R-really? Why would she do that?” Twilight asked in disbelief.

“She likely wants him out of the way, as he's another witness to one of her atrocities,” Cadance muttered, her entire body shaking with rage. “She likely thinks that because Shining Armor is young, he can be molded into a useful tool, while your father is simply a loose end.”

“What kind of a curse is he under?” Twilight inquired, the pony chewing on her lip as her mind churned over just how to feel right now.

“It's… not good,” Cadance replied slowly, the mare placing a hoof over her heart and steadying herself. “I struggle to imagine what kind of monster came up with such a dreadful curse.”

“What Cadance is too polite to say, is that he's under the effects of a miasma curse,” Chrysalis explained. “It turns one’s thoughts towards their darkest possible conclusions, and makes the mind ponder their implications at length. This usually has the affect of driving someone to madness, or suicide within days.”

Twilight gritted her teeth and stared down at the floor, her mind a million miles from her body. Her first thought was just how cruel such a curse truly was. He may have been many things, but Twilight struggled to rationalize her hatred for the stallion knowing he had just lost his wife, and daughter only to be cursed to basically kill himself. That was not something Twilight wished on anyone, save for maybe Celestia herself, of course, but even then the unicorn would have preferred if she was able to kill the alicorn with her own hooves.

“I suppose we’ll have to cross that bridge when we get there,” Twilight remarked after a long pause.

“I should be able to talk your brother out of this whole royal guard business, but it's likely that Celestia has sunk her talons into him already,” Cadance announced with a sad sigh. “He hasn't left the castle in a long time, and I doubt it will be easy but I swear to you I will do my absolute best to save him.”

“I suppose that's all I can really ask for, huh?” Twilight sighed.

“Don't worry, kid. One way or another we’ll save them both,” Chrysalis commented.

“Thanks,” Twilight whispered, the pony still a little confused by the way the changeling’s tone and mood seemed to shift so quickly and so radically as well. The unicorn didn't quite know what to make of her, or the way that she went from kind one second, to angry the next, but Twilight knew it wasn't her place to judge.

“So, does that mean you are onboard?” Dark Hallow pressed.

“I suppose I am, but I want a few other things, if at all possible,” Twilight answered after a brief pause to think about it.

Dark Hallow raised an eyebrow, but nodded regardless. “Go right ahead.”

“But don't push your luck too much,” warned Chrysalis.

“I won't,” Twilight declared. “I just want it recognized that the library is my private residence, or at least the basement and the apartment sections of it anyway. If you have plans of using it as a library again anyway.”

“No, the regular library will serve just fine, we don't need a second one,” Dark Hallow answered, only to lean back in his chair. “As for the rest of what you asked for… I’ll consider it.”

“If it helps any, my previous incarnation owned the library, and had the same name as me,” Twilight added hesitantly, unsure if such a gambit would even work.

“Well actually that does help out the process somewhat,” Dark Hallow commented. “We do have records going all the way back to before the rise of the sun, or when Celestia took over.”

“I figured as much,” Twilight remarked.

“So is that it then?” Chrysalis inquired.

The unicorn shook her head. “I also want Spike recognized as my adopted brother, and that we are both residents of Ponyville,” Twilight insisted. “And Rainbow Dash gets that promotion we talked about.”

“Provided this Spike being consents to such an action, then I don't see a reason I couldn't have all that done for you,” Dark Hallow replied after a few seconds of consideration. “That would make things easier in some regards and it's not like the citizenship test is very difficult.”

“And of course I want that other stuff we talked about already, like the job,” Twilight added, looking to Cadance.

The alicorn nodded slowly. “So long as you understand that nothing is guaranteed, you have my promise that we will do our absolute best.”

Chrysalis nodded as well. “Don't worry, squirt, we’re experts when it comes to this type of thing.”

Twilight let out a breath she wasn't even aware she had been holding. “That's wonderful to hear. I can't wait to see them… one day.”

“Is there anything else you need?” Dark Hallow offered.

“Yes, just one last thing,” Twilight replied, with a soft chuckle. “Time, I’m afraid. I simply don't know anything about necromancy, and though I have a book now at least, I still don't have a teacher or anything.”

The thestral nodded slowly. “That is very true. Not even Zecora could teach you very much on the subject I’m afraid.”

“And my memories of my former life are patchy and generally unhelpful in this regard,” Twilight added. “Without any kind of information on what to do and what not to do, I’ll be learning from experimentation alone pretty much.”

“Which might take a while,” Chrysalis pointed out.

Twilight nodded. “I’m afraid so. Other than that I have some unfinished business with my new friends. Things they need help with, and things that I owe them that need to be done first.”

“Oh, like what?” Cadance asked, leaning forward, a smile on her lips.

“Like… things,” Twilight replied, wincing slightly. “I’m sorry, but it's personal. I don't think they would want me to air their darkest nightmares in such an open manner.”

Thestral, changeling, and alicorn alike all nodded, with Cadance smiling a little wider when she did so. “I think we can trust you to handle such issues while managing your own research time.”

“And if we have anything on necromancy, we will make sure it reaches you,” Chrysalis declared before turning to the lone male in the room. “Isn't that right?”

Who nodded enthusiastically. “We don't have much, but I’ll make sure everything we have gets to you within a week or so.”

“That would be very helpful, thank you,” Twilight remarked, only to pause. “I’m assuming you guys know where Luna’s erm, body is? Because I really don't feel like going on another big adventure looking for it.”

The commander of the night guard nodded. “We do indeed. No need to look death in the eye in order to find that out at least.”

“That's one less thing to worry about then, I suppose,” Twilight commented.

Dark Hallow stood suddenly, grinning like a mad man. “You have no idea how good this feels to get right out with everything!” Before Twilight knew what was happening, she found herself being hugged by the smaller being, who was surprisingly warm. “This night is truly one for the history books.”

Twilight blinked and awkwardly patted the stallion on the back. “Err absolutely.”

Dark Hallow backed up, still grinning happily. “If I had grandkids, this would be a story I’d definitely pass down to them.”

“What, is Silent Sanctuary not planning on giving you some kids?” Chrysalis interjected with a snicker.

The male laughed heartily. “Certainly not for lack of trying, let me tell ya.”

Cadance shook her head. “As great as it is to hear that you two are still very much in love after all these years, I was hoping to speak to Twilight before I had to go.”

Twilight perked up. “Oh, what did you want to say?”

Cadance smiled and patted the empty seat next to her. “Would you come here a moment? I don't feel like this is something everyone needs to hear.”

Chrysalis nodded, got up, and pulled Dark Hallow aside. “Why don't you fix me that drink, and you can tell me all about what Silent has been up to recently.”

“Ahh, trying to get me to leave those two alone by making me gush about my amazing husband,” Dark Hallow declared with a smirk. “You are lucky it’s my one weakness.”

“One of many,” Chrysalis muttered under her breath as they walked away.

“You know us thestrals have great hearing you know,” Dark Hallow quipped.

“Who said I was trying to be subtle?” Chrysalis shot back, before laughing along with the stallion.

“Those two. I swear he's the only one who can put up with Chrysalis’ endless teasing,” Cadance remarked, before turning to Twilight, who now sat next to her. “Sorry if that was you a few minutes ago. Chrysy can be a little rough around the edges when it comes to new people.”

“It's fine…” Twilight murmured, glancing over at the changeling, who was now sipping from a small glass of wine while Dark Hallow told some lengthy tale. “She wears her heart on her sleeve, and is surprisingly honest. It's hard to be angry at her.”

“She does, doesn't she?” Cadance whispered, her gaze lingering on the changeling queen.

“So, what did you want to say to me?” Twilight pressed.

Cadance shook her head, dismissing her glazed expression. “Err yes. I have a message from your previous self. She wanted me to tell you to be patient and to remember to look for allies even in the darkest places.”

“Wait, what?” Twilight exclaimed. “How did she give you a message? How does that work?”

Cadance shrugged. “I have no idea how this all works. The other Twilight tried to explain it, but I never was the best spellcaster in the world, so it was all Greek to me.”

Twilight ground a hoof into her forehead. “Augh. Just when I think I’ve got it all figured out.”

“She also told me to tell you all I know of the past only when we meet in person,” Cadance continued. “I’m not sure why, but she was quite insistent on this.”

The unicorn sighed and breathed in and out slowly and repetitively. Until finally she was no longer quite as bothered by this newest and most irritating revelation. “Okay, so is there anything else I should know? Any other dark portents that read like fortune cookies and play out like horror movies?”

Cadance giggled and shook her head. “Not that I know of. But I wouldn't put it past her, er you. No matter what life you live, you always seem to turn out morbid.”

“Wait, no matter what life I’ve lived. Have we done this before?” Twilight asked.

Cadance smiled knowingly. “I don't know Twilight Sparkle. Do you recognize me?”

Twilight frowned and shook her head. “I mean, kind of. It's hard to explain.”

“Anything is possible, my friend,” Cadance exclaimed cryptically. “Either way I’m thankful you came around to our proposal. Hopefully things will work out better this time.”

“Wait, I have questions,” Twilight insisted.

“And I’m all out of time,” Cadance interjected, the mare placing a hoof on Twilight’s foreleg. “We will speak again soon. Trust me.”

The unicorn sighed and grumbled for a second before stuffing down her annoyance. “It was nice to meet you.”

“The sentiment is mutual, sister dearest,” Cadance announced before vanishing all at once.

“Augh!” Twilight shouted. “Enough of this cryptic nonsense!”

Chrysalis chuckled evilly as she leaned on the back of the nearest leather chair. “She dropped the ol’ S bomb on ya, didn’t she?”

“Yes! What does that even mean?” Twilight asked in disbelief, turning to Chrysalis.

“Look, I’ll save you the headache and just tell ya,” Chrysalis responded, slipping around the chair and plunking down next to Twilight, after moving the crystal out of the way. “Way back she was married to your former sister. Also, you two share a rather interesting history but your memories may not contain a lot of references to her as the last few years of your former life Cadance was abroad.”

Twilight sighed, sinking fully into her chair and falling slack. “That makes sense. Thank the gods.”

“I wouldn't bother, their all dead,” Chrysalis quipped, before slipping away.

“Augh!” Twilight shouted, catching Chrysalis in her magic and stopping her in place. “Please tell me you are going to add some context to that. I was always told that the gods were merely silent and had grander concerns.”

The queen brushed off Twilight’s telekinetic aura, and walked back over to her. “First off, don't do that again.”

“S-sorry,” Twilight exclaimed hastily.

“Don't worry about it. And second. The gods were alicorns, and they died fighting dragons, but not the dragons you know, but their ancestors. True immortals with unimaginable powers,” Chrysalis explained. “There is more, but frankly I’m a little ticked about you grabbing me like that.”

Twilight frowned. “That’s fair.”

The queen shrugged. “It was an honest mistake, just don't let it happen again. Oh and Twilight? I was gonna pull this whole tough guy act and say something like ‘if you disappoint Cadance, you’ll regret it’ but I’m pretty sure you wouldn't do such a thing on purpose. Right?”

Twilight shook her head. “Not intentionally, no.”

“Cool. Then just pretend like I said that instead of this.” Chrysalis smirked. “I got a reputation to uphold after all.”

“Err s-sure thing, Your Majesty,” Twilight stuttered.

Chrysalis chuckled. “I like you. Don't screw this up, kid.”

“I don't suppose it's going to be another year before I see you again,” Dark Hallow announced with a smile, pulling Chrysalis into a begrudging hug before she had a chance to resist.

“It won't be that long, unless something happens,” Chrysalis replied, giving Twilight a quick, sidelong glance when she did.

“Oh, I think we’ll have more time than that before things start to get hectic again,” Dark Hallow declared, only to smirk. “Or at least it better, or I’m going to have to hunt you down. You know I’m not far from giving this whole thing up, you won't be able to bug me much longer.”

“You’ve been saying that for the last ten years, you old fart,” Chrysalis pointed out before roughly pushing him back a step.

If the thestral was bothered by her roughness, he didn't show it. “And it only gets more true with each time I say it,” he replied with a grin.

The changeling shook her head. “You are ridiculous.”

“It’s a gift.”

The queen quickly slunk away, shaking her head nearly the whole time, not making a sound, and leaving without saying another word.

Now alone with the male, Twilight rose from her seat. “I suppose we’ll be in touch soon then, correct?”

“Absolutely. We can walk and talk more while we sort out some of the details,” offered the stallion, who turned to the door.

Twilight nodded and followed him closely. “I appreciate you being so open to my demands.”

“To be entirely honest, they were all things I was hoping you would want,” Dark Hallow admitted, the stallion holding the door open for the female before walking through after her. “I wanted to offer those things at the beginning, but I was convinced to let you ask for them. Partly because it helps my negotiating position, partly because we weren’t totally sure you would even want all that to begin with.”

“Well I’m glad we can be honest from here on out,” Twilight concluded with a sigh. “Now, about the citizenship test, you said it was-”

“And that's it then?” Twilight asked in disbelief. “I could have everything I asked for within a month?”

“Indeed you could!” announced the thestral with a smile. “I don't know how things work where you come from, but here we don't have a lot of red tape and other such nonsense. Most folk tend to be honest and this is still a small community so people have a tendency to hear things if you try and skirt our loose rules.”

“That certainly is an interesting method of government,” Twilight admitted.

“It is, and it works great for us anyway. The larger you go, the more bean counters you need, I’m afraid.” Dark Hallow shrugged. “But none of that matters right now. All that matters is that we have hope and you are alright!”

Before Twilight had a chance to offer anything in return, she felt the older being hug her suddenly and tightly again. “Err, yeah,” muttered the unicorn, who awkwardly patted the stallion on the back, while feeling an odd sense of deja vu.

“You have no idea how much this means to me, and everyone else in Ponyville.” Dark Hallow backed up and slapped a hoof upside his head. “Speaking of which, don't go blabbing too much about this to people you don't know. Rainbow Dash is fine, and maybe your other friends, but the general populace doesn't need to know about this kind of thing. Can't accidentally let Celestia know, ya know?”

Twilight nodded slowly as she watched the stallion run a hoof down his chest, straightening his fur once more. “I understand completely,” Twilight replied slowly. “I’ll make sure to keep this on a need to know basis.”

“Excellent! I’m glad you understand discretion in this matter. I can't wait until I can break the news though. Everyone is going to be so excited!” Dark Hallow exclaimed almost giddily.

Twilight found his enthusiasm contagious and couldn't help but smile along with him. “Yeah, it certainly is going to change a lot of things.”

“You have no idea how right you are. Why this is one of the most freeing moments of my entire life! To think, the next generation won't have the spectre of invasion and genocide hanging over their heads.” Dark Hallow sighed. “This will be a defining time, I just know it.”

The unicorn gulped. “Y-yeah.”

“Oh, but don't let this get to ya. You’ve got friends, now you have allies, a place to call home. As a chipmunk friend of mine once said, ‘it's all coming together’,” Dark Hallow remarked.

“Err right, well I better get going then. I got a lot of reading and planning ahead of me,” Twilight replied awkwardly, turning in the direction of town.

Dark Hallow smiled and waved. “If you ever need anything just come on down to the depot and I’ll do my best to make time for ya.”

“I appreciate it!” Twilight called from several feet away.

“Seriously, anything you need, just ask!” Dark Hallow shouted after her.

“I got it!” Twilight yelled again, only to shake her head when the stallion disappeared from sight. With the friendly, if a little overbearing male now gone, the unicorn’s pace slowed, and she sighed. “Alright, now where to start?”

Sunset Shimmer stumbled through a bramble bush, cursing all the while, her magic plucking the irritating things from her fur. “Stupid forest, stupid Celestia, stupid burs,” she muttered, grimacing each time she yanked another from her fur.

She was glad that it wasn't quite as bad as it used to be, as the forest seemed to have let up on her a little, but it certainly wasn't easy. Even without the landscape twisting every few minutes, and the pony waking up to find that she had lost several days of travel while asleep, it wasn't a walk in the park. Sunset was able to figure out that this likely wasn't due to any meddling by the chimera… thing, but rather was a natural part of the forest itself. The thought was nice, and a little intimidating at the same time as it meant that she wasn't being driven away, at least not intentionally anyway.

After ripping the last bur from her fur, Sunset looked around, wholly expecting to find herself in another small clearing, or perhaps a grove if she was lucky. Yet that wasn't it at all, and Sunset’s jaw hung open when she realized that there were signs of civilization in front of her.

A path was laid out before her, and unlike the deer trails she had gotten rather used to seeing, this one was wide enough for three or four ponies to walk abreast on. Even more heartening was the fact that she could see wagon tracks in the mud, making Sunset’s heart surge. Finally something indicating that she was going in the right direction, and wasn't mindlessly running in circles without a hope in Tartarus of reaching her goal.

She couldn't help it, Sunset ran along the path, uncaring to the way the mud sucked at her hooves, threatening to slow her down. She didn't mind any of it one bit, and even relished in the sensation of it all. Within a few minutes, she stopped once more, skidding to a halt when she saw something she had genuinely believed she would never find.

A sign, only this one more literal than the last.

“Ponyville, ten miles!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Author's Note

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Death And Rebirth

Twilight frowned as she watched what was left of her old body begin to take light, the magical flames she had conjured consuming the bones of her former incarnation. The small ritual room where the former Twilight had died have been turned into a sort of twisted funeral parlour. One that contained only Twilight herself, and Spike, who stood there sobbing softly as he watched the flames grow higher.

The bright green illumination was the only source of light in the room, casting the two creatures in a strange, unnatural light. Despite the morbid scene, that wasn't what bothered Twilight though, nor was it the fact that she was burning her former self’s bones. No, it was the emotions swirling within her in regard to Spike that made her so confused and ill at ease.

She desperately wanted to hold him, to cry with him, and to tell him it was all going to be okay. But she was just his friend, a relatively new one at that, which meant doing something so intimate was not something she was comfortable with at this time. Furthermore, she didn't wish to take away from the moment Spike was having, and so just stood there awkwardly as the dragon quietly sobbed.

With nothing else to do, Twilight inspected the urn Spike had chosen to carry her former incarnation’s ashes, noting that it was a bright magenta egg. Twilight was struck by just how small the urn was, and how much mass the bones had, and she wondered if the container would be big enough. She knew better though, and brushed aside those thoughts, dismissing them as little more than the panicked contemplations of someone who felt incredibly awkward.

Sighing to herself, Twilight simply stood there and watched as the bones burnt down to little more than a tiny pile of ash. After that it didn't take long for the flames to die, and the ashes to cool, signalling the end of their impromptu ceremony. Looking down at Spike, Twilight couldn't help but feel an alien sense of pride as he continued to stand straight even as tears streaked down his face.

“Would you like to say a few words, Spike?” Twilight offered.

The dragon shook his head. “No, I’ll save them for when we can spread her ashes at the graveyard,” he replied hastily.

Twilight nodded, and she delicately poured the ashes into the egg shaped urn before sealing it with the other half, twisting it shut. “Would you like to bear her? Or should I?” Twilight whispered, eying the dragon closely.

“I… I’ll do it,” Spike replied after a brief pause, extending a hand. “Someone who knew her should do it.”

Though Twilight wanted to disagree with him, as the undead mare had quite a few of her former incarnation’s memories, she chose to ignore that urge, and simply gave him the urn. “She would want you to do it,” Twilight added with a wane smile.

“Y-yeah,” Spike muttered, the dragon appearing physically weighed down by the relatively light object. His shoulders slumped, he carried the small urn in both hands, his gaze turned down towards the small object.

The urn glowed briefly before the former Twilight’s cutie mark appeared upon it, making Twilight sigh with relief, the mare worried that the urn was defective in some manner. The appearance of the mark made a fresh surge of tears come to Spike’s eyes and this time Twilight could not resist embracing him. A single hoof wrapped around his shoulder and pulled him close, pressing him against the mare’s warm body and holding him there.

The dragon resisted for a moment before sighing deeply and hugging the unicorn back. “Thank you. For cremating her and bringing me here. I know it’s still dangerous, and I appreciate you figuring out how to get me here safely.”

Twilight smiled. “It was my pleasure, Spike. I just needed a few days to make sure we could do this safely. I couldn't bring myself to put you in danger, even for this.”

“Still. Thank you,” Spike added, before gently patting the mare’s shoulder.

Twilight took the hint and took a step back. “Are you ready to get back to Ponyville? If not I can wait outside for a moment. I need to talk to my assistants anyway.”

“That would be nice,” Spike muttered, looking down at the urn. “I didn't even have the chance to say goodbye.”

“Take your time. I’ll be right outside if you need me,” Twilight added, before turning and walking away.

A button press later and the stone door lifted, leaving behind the now barren and almost completely empty room. Her hoof lingered on the button which would close the door to the room and leave the dragon alone in the darkness. One part of her wanted desperately to keep holding him, but the rest of her knew he needed time to himself.

So it was with great reluctance that she pressed the button, and left the dragon alone in the dark room his mother had died in. The grim thought made Twilight contemplate how wise a move it truly was. The unicorn was silently thankful that a dragon’s night vision was as good as her own, and that she had time to clean the bottom floor of corpses and signs of battle.

Which in truth had been the only reason why she had told Spike it would take time to set this up, as the nightmare could have simply teleported them here the same day Spike had been unpetrified. That had been out of the question though, as Twilight refused to subject the young dragon to the horror that would have come to witnessing such a grotesque scene.

This was bad enough as is.

Shaking her head, Twilight looked around the room, noting the great pile of garbage in one corner, and the otherwise barren room. The broken desks, shattered glass, and skeletons were gone, leaving behind only a pile of detritus which had yet to be cleaned, and a small collection of undamaged objects that placed carefully nearby. That last pile was growing slowly over time as the nightmare made its way through the tower and collected anything worth salvaging.

Which so far wasn't much and made Twilight want to cry given just how much knowledge had been lost. That was without thinking about the numerous artifacts and other objects of power which had been destroyed or stolen, or the lives lost. Still, it was a visual reminder that despite the damage, the tower was being returned to its former glory. Slow though the process was it was nice to see that something good could be salvaged from all that destruction.

Looking around, Twilight realized that she was alone, and neither of her skeletal assistants were nearby. Touching her necklace, Twilight pushed a little magic into it and used that power to urge the nightmare to return to her. Pulling back, Twilight waited for the return of the shade, something that didn't take long, as a shadow near the door lengthened until it broke off, and crossed the room.

Standing a little straighter, Twilight watched as the nightmare rose up from the ground, growing until it was the size of a full grown alicorn once more. The unicorn was about to say something when the black alicorn-shaped shadow grinned and raised its head proudly.

“Well, I was going to ask how you and the spider clan were doing, but I assume from the look on your face that it's going well,” Twilight inferred.

The alicorn nodded and clopped a hoof against the ground twice.

“That’s how many golems are left?” Twilight asked.

Again, the shade nodded.

“That's good. And the process of entombing them has worked out well?” Twilight pressed.

The shade grinned.

Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. “That is wonderful news. And what about the rebuilding of the tower itself? It isn't about to collapse on us, is it?”

The dark alicorn raised a wing and wiggled it with her face drawn and unsure.

“About a fifty fifty then, eh?” Twilight guessed.

The shade nodded sadly.

“Hmmm, well the tower hasn't collapsed yet, so as long as we avoid the more damaged sections we should be fine,” Twilight muttered half to herself. “With the golems dealt with, Trixie should be able to assist us in cleaning out the various layers. I could also contact someone in town and see if they could help…”

The shade prodded Twilight’s shoulder and pointed to its mouth where she mouthed the words night and guard and then turned her head in a questioning manner.

“They could help…” concluded Twilight. “There are still artifacts that need to be recovered, and dangerous magic to be contained.” The unicorn pursed her lips. “They would also be able to get me in touch with a stone mason, and other creatures who we will need the help of.”

The shade nodded eagerly, energized by all this change after a thousand years of relative boredom.

Twilight smirked and prodded the dark alicorn’s chest. “You aren't spending all your time pranking Nebula, are you?”

The shade blinked in shock before looking away and rubbing a foreleg awkwardly, making Twilight chuckle.

“Luna must have really loved that spider,” Twilight reasoned. “I wonder what they were to one another? Pet and owner? Friends? Maybe one day I will be able to ask her…”

The shade’s features fell and it looked down at the ground, slightly dejected.

“Oh, I’m sorry, that was rude of me,” Twilight muttered before grabbing one of the nightmare’s forelegs. “I will bring her back. I swear it.”

The nightmare nodded slowly.

The unicorn took a step back and sighed. “Right then. Focus on the lowest levels first, and stick to recovering any dangerous artifacts and clearing any hazards. Don't bother with the garbage, or any structural damage as Beaker can handle the garbage and hopefully Dark Hallow can take care of the structural issues once I get his help.”

The nightmare nodded again, this time more confidently.

“Speaking of which, where are those two helpers of mine right now?” Twilight asked while looking around.

The shade extended a wing and pointed towards the closed doors that lead out into the undertower proper.

“Isn't that nice of them,” Twilight muttered. “Make sure you relay my thanks, and my orders after you return us to the library. Perhaps one day I can even bring them back to Ponyville, and try to give them a life of their own. They deserve it after all they were put through.”

The shade smiled a little wider and clopped her hoof proudly.

“They've waited a thousand years already. I hope they don't mind waiting a little longer while I figure this out,” Twilight exclaimed, while nibbling her hoof nervously. “This whole necromancy thing is harder than any other school of magic I’ve studied before.”

The nightmare leaned forward, grabbing Twilight’s attention and shaking its head, dismissing the worry building in Twilight’s chest.

“You really think so?” Twilight asked hesitantly.

The nightmare nodded confidently.

The unicorn sighed once more, her shoulders falling slack. “That makes me feel better. Maybe one day I can even give them back a body of some kind.”

Smiling, the nightmare turned suddenly, looking over Twilight’s shoulder towards the ritual room that had served as a funeral parlour.

Following the nightmare’s gaze, Twilight glanced over her shoulder to where she saw Spike standing awkwardly, the urn held in his hands and his eyes puffy and red. Twilight’s hooves moved before she even realized it, the pony swiftly trotting up to the young dragon. “Are you okay?” she asked without thinking.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Spike muttered. “Let's just go to the cemetery. If you’ve found it, that is.”

Twilight nodded. “Applejack mentioned that it was attached to the farm somehow and that she would help us access it.”

“That’s…” Spike trailed off and shook his head. “Nevermind. Let's just go.”

Twilight frowned, but reluctantly turned to the nightmare. “Please, take us back to the teleport array.”

The dark alicorn nodded before growing rapidly, wrapping both creatures in its midnight embrace.

For a moment both dragon and pony felt weightless, then light and gravity returned, and they found themselves in the teleporter room once more. Stepping back and recoiling from the pair, the nightmare extended a wing, and bowed slightly, waiting for the next order.

“You may go,” Twilight commanded. “You have your orders.”

The shade’s form fell away, the shadow it left behind slipping out the door and vanishing completely.

Spike shivered. “I can't believe that thing is or was a part of Luna.”

“Magic is a strange thing,” Twilight muttered, her gaze lingering on the door for a few moments before she turned back to the teleporter proper and took her usual position. “Ready?”

Spike gulped and nodded. “About as much as I can be anyway.”

“You’ll get used to it,” Twilight replied dismissively.

“That's what she said too,” Spike replied with a grumpy snort.

Twilight stifled a giggle and lit her horn, the unicorn going through the usual motions before casting the now familiar spell. Once more there was a feeling of brief weightlessness and darkness before they returned to reality, appearing on the opposite platform in the basement of the library. Immediately Spike began to stumble forward, one hand going to his stomach while the other went to his head.

“Augh, I hate that thing so much,” he muttered, before clamping a hand over his mouth.

Twilight just laughed. “Really? I didn't notice anything. Maybe your belly is still part rock.”

The dragon shot her a glare, though Twilight could tell that he was resisting the urge to laugh at the same time.

“Oh, and Spike,” Twilight began, nervousness beginning to creep up her spine, “I was meaning to ask if you would…” The unicorn paused and took a deep breath before looking up at the dragon. “If you would like company putting Twilight to rest. If not, I can bring you to the farm and wait for you there.”

Spike frowned and bit his lip, looking down at the egg and thinking about it for a moment before nodding slowly. “I suppose a little company wouldn't be bad. Thank you, Dusk.”

Twilight smiled. “It is my pleasure, Spike. Now, do you need to grab a snack or something before we go?”

The dragon snorted. “No, and no, I do not need to use the bathroom.”

“Good, ‘cause I’m fairly certain they only have an outhouse at Applejack’s,” Twilight replied with a shudder.

Spike paused just as the pair began to walk towards the exit of the basement. “Maybe I should go again, just in case.”

Twilight snickered as she opened the door to the basement. “And I’ll make sure to grab a few gems and a glass of water for you when you are out.”

“T-thanks,” Spike muttered before hastily scampering out the door and up the stairs, followed closely by Twilight.

Who contemplated the strange urge to mother the young dragon and in the end, decided to roll with it, for now anyway. He deserved it after all he went through.

“And here we are, Sweet Apple Acres,” Twilight declared, sweeping a hoof over the twisted lines of malformed trees.

“Haha, very funny. Now where are we actually?” Spike replied, crossing his forearms over his chest.

Twilight sighed. “This really is it, I’m afraid.”

“Really?” Spike muttered while inspecting the nearest tree which seemed to be only half alive, the other half bearing rotten apples that still clung to its branches. “That's… sad.”

Twilight stiffened and turned to her left, only to sigh. “Oh it's just you, Big Mac,” she muttered, smiling gently. “I was supposed to meet Applejack here by now.”

Spike turned towards where Twilight was looking and shrieked in surprise before clamping himself tightly around the unicorn’s foreleg. “W-w-w-what is that?!” he shouted, pointing to where the partially wooden, wolflike stallion stood.

He snorted and stood tall, his woody, bark covered skin bending and creaking as he moved. The enormous stallion towered over the duo, his solid green eye glowing brightly as he inspected them both.

“That’s Big Macintosh and he is a very nice stallion,” Twilight explained while grinning down at the drake.

Who only now realized what he had done in his haste and quickly backed up, releasing the hold he had on Twilight’s foreleg. “I knew that,” he proclaimed nervously.

“Eeyup,” muttered the stallion with all the sarcasm he could muster in a single word before turning and walking away, stopping after a few feet and turning back to the pair.

“Come on, Spike. I’m sure Big Macintosh will help us find Applejack,” Twilight exclaimed.

The young dragon gulped, and continued to walk behind the unicorn, unconsciously putting the mare between himself and the enormous timberpony. Together they silently trod through the rows of trees, taking turns seemingly at random, until Spike was sure the stallion was leading them astray. He was about to pipe up and mention this growing distrust when they suddenly emerged into a clearing and a house appeared.

Before them, the canopy parted, allowing the rays of moonlight to illuminate a farmhouse so old and so much like a tree that it looked like it first sprouted out of the ground a millennia ago. Off to their left Spike could see a barn, a shed, and all the usual things one might expect to see on a farm but that wasn't what grabbed his attention. The three story tall house held Spike’s gaze and kept him fixated on its strange exterior.

“It's still here,” he muttered.

Twilight stopped and turned to him. “What's still here?”

“The house,” Spike replied, pointing to the building before them. “That house is over a thousand years old. How is it still standing?”

“Is it really a thousand years old?” asked a female voice from Spike’s right, making the young dragon shriek and leap to his left.

Apple Bloom blinked and looked around. “Was it something I said?”

Twilight chuckled and gently pulled Spike off of her foreleg. “He's just a little jumpy. It's a long story, but suffice it to say he’s not from around here in the spacetime sense.”

The filly cocked her head. “You have a strange way of saying stuff.”

Spike gulped and awkwardly extended a hand. “I’m Spike. I spent the last thousand years in stone, but I used to live here. In Ponyville I mean.”

“Really now?” Apple Bloom replied in disbelief, the filly shaking his hand with her hoof. “How did you do your business if you were in stone?”

“I didn't,” Spike replied awkwardly, pulling back his hand. “It was like one moment I was there, the next second I was here.”

Big Mac raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “Eeyup?”

Spike gulped again and nodded. “Y-yeah. I used to come to the orchard all the time, back when Apple Turnover lived here.”

“Really now?” Applejack suddenly asked, the pony appearing behind Spike and making him jump yet again.

“By the stars, stop doing that,” Spike exclaimed, one hand pressed against his chest as he tried to slow his pounding heart.

“Sorry about that. Us Apples can be mighty sneaky don't cha know,” Applejack replied flippantly.

“Well I do now,” Spike replied while shaking his head. “Apple Turnover was about as sneaky as an angry bull and about twice as stubborn.”

Applejack chuckled. “So the stories are true then.”

“Don't tell Granny you know all this. She’d spent all day asking ya questions,” Apple Bloom added.

Big Macintosh chuckled. “Eeyup.”

“I don't suppose you have a minute to guide us to the old graveyard by chance, do you?” Twilight interrupted, pointing towards the urn Spike still held in his grasp. “We were hoping to get something important done.”

Applejack nodded. “Right, let’s not keep her waiting then.” She turned to her family. “I’ll be back in a bit. You lot better keep Granny occupied. I don't want her bothering the guests again, ‘specially considerin’ why they are here.”

“Eeyup,” exclaimed Big Mac, who gently pushed his youngest sister towards the farm house.

“Daww, but I wanna hang out with the dragon more,” she whined.

“Right, let's go then. This way,” Applejack declared, before turning towards the barn.

Twilight smiled and trotted after the farm pony only to stop after a few feet when she noticed that Spike wasn't following her. “Spike?”

The dragon was rooted in one spot, looking up at the farm house, his attention fixated on something, or someone, standing on the steps. Twilight followed his gaze, and sighed when she realized what it was he was looking at.

“Come on, Spike. That's just Granny Smith,” Twilight explained, gently tugging along the dragon.

“What's wrong with her? I know Applejack and the others have something wrong with them but not like… that,” whispered Spike as he slowly walked away, looking over his shoulder the whole way.

The older pony merely stood there, the space where her eyes should be fixated on the duo as they walked away. The large tree on her back shook gently in the wind, and her root and bark covered body was illuminated perfectly by a shaft of moonlight.

“They are just… different,” Twilight explained gently. “They are supposed to look like Applejack, but Big Mac has a little too much of the forest in him. Or at least that's what I was told.”

“Does it hurt?” Spike asked hesitantly.

The unicorn shook her head. “I asked Applejack one time and she said it didn't hurt at all.”

Spike finally turned his head and faced forward, the young dragon and his unicorn companion meeting back up with Applejack at the back of the barn.

“You two done lollygaggin’?” she asked.

“Granny was giving us the equivalent of the stink eye,” explained Twilight.

Applejack sighed. “At least she ain't shoutin’ about the darkness this time. Well, we better hurry up, we’re burning moonlight.”

“We’re right behind you, Applejack,” declared Twilight.

Spike leaned in close and whispered to the unicorn, “You are going to help fix them, right?”

Twilight nodded her head discreetly. “When the time comes. I’m going to try.”

“Good,” exclaimed Spike. “Because this isn't right.”

“I agree,” Twilight whispered back.

“So. You are finally out of the library,” Applejack announced suddenly, the mare appearing next to Spike. “Sorry to see it's not fer the best of reasons.”

“Y-yeah,” Spike muttered, looking down at the urn in his hands.

“Does this mean we’ll be seeing more of ya now?” Applejack continued. “Because I gotta say, there are plenty of folk who are interested in talkin to ya. Myself being one of them.”

“Really? Why though?” Spike replied.

“You were around a thousand years ago. Back when all of this was plains and whatnot,” Applejack began, waving a hoof before them. “I can't speak for everyone, but I’m intrigued to hear what it was like afore the forest moved in.”

“And it's definitely not just because he knew your ancestors,” Twilight interjected with a smirk.

“Well, that too,” Applejack reluctantly admitted, a small blush crossing her face.

Spike hummed thoughtfully, his gaze lingering over the rows of twisted and strange trees, though he saw not the dense foliage before him. Rather, he did not see the present at all, but instead beheld the distant past, and the slight hill that rose just next to the Apple family farm. On it rested the small, private cemetery that a few families had reserved plots on, including a plot gifted to Twilight Sparkle by Apple Turnover herself, who proclaimed the unicorn was officially family in that moment of generosity.

“So, does it look like how you remember it?” Applejack asked suddenly, startling Spike out of his contemplation.

The dragon blinked and looked around, noticing that the graveyard was as overgrown as everywhere else outside of Ponyville proper was. Though even still, there was an odd respect that Spike could see, starting with how the mushrooms grew only at the edges of the graveyard to the way the branches of most trees did not extend over the short iron fence, as if making sure the dead were not robbed of the moonlight.

The next thing Spike noticed was that every plot had been taken, even the one Twilight had been promised by Apple Turnover. “That’s… unfortunate,” muttered Spike who trotted over to the spot he knew it was supposed to be.

“What's that?” asked Applejack.

“Twilight was gifted a plot by…” Spike’s words fell away as he gazed down at the headstone that stood where his Twilight’s would have been.

Twilight Twinkle.
Named after her aunt, to carry on her spirit.
3-16

“What does that bottom line mean?” asked Spike, who turned to Applejack.

The apple farmer sighed. “That's Twilight Twinkle. She was one of the first to be born with… this.” Applejack gave her back a wiggle, making the tree on it shake. “She died on her thirteenth birthday. After the night mistress fell, a new age began, thus the odd dates.”

“That’s terrible,” muttered Twilight, who only then noticed a familiar name on the mold covered headstone that stood next to the first one. “Is that…”

She hesitated for a second, before gently brushing aside the small amount of moss that had dared to grow on it, fully revealing the name.

Apple Turnover
Inventor, mother, daughter, Element of Harmony.
Follow your own path.
3196-16

Applejack looked from the dragon, who had tears building at the corners of his eyes, and Twilight who seemed confused and saddened in equal measure. Applejack opened her mouth to speak only to think better of it and silently excuse herself, trotting over to the entrance of the graveyard and turning her back on the pair.

“She was named after Twilight,” Spike whispered. “The old Twilight.”

Twilight shook her head and looked over to Spike, who now had tears flowing down his face. “What?”

The dragon pointed to the headstone. “The old you was given a plot here. She wanted to be buried next to her adopted family, but…”

Twilight wrapped a hoof around the young drake’s shoulder and squeezed. “I think she would want you to spread her ashes here.”

“Y-yeah,” Spike muttered as he lifted the urn, only to be stopped short when he was about to open it.

“Shouldn't you say a few words first?” Twilight interjected.

Spike nodded. “You are right. Thanks, Dusk.”

The dragon placed a hand on his chest and breathed deeply before looking down at the urn. “You were the best person I ever met. Kind, loyal, generous… in some ways it felt like you were more than just the Element of Magic, but were all of the elements at the same time,” he muttered, growing bolder the longer he spoke. “Though you had no family of your own, you took me in the moment you heard my egg had been abandoned.”

He smiled faintly as he rolled the urn around in his hands so he may look upon the cutie mark emblazoned on one side. “They said you couldn't do it, that no one except another dragon could hatch a dragon’s egg, yet here I stand. Proof that above all of your other great qualities, you were more stubborn than kind, and even more bull-headed than you were generous.”

Spike laughed bitterly as tears streaked down his face. “You were never so stubborn as to become mean, or rude, just enough to never let something get in the way of what you thought was right. Only fifteen and recently lost your entire family? Demonstrate your magical skill to the royal sisters and demand one of them take you on as a student. Find a dragon egg that everyone, even the alicorn sisters told you couldn't be hatched? Hatch it anyway.”

He sniffed, wiping away his tears and looking down at the plot before him. “Even death itself couldn't stand in your way, at least not for long. You never gave up, never accepted second best, and in the end gave everything you had to try and right one of the few regrets you had.”

Sighing, Spike twisted open the urn. “You were everything I ever wanted to be and though I know you didn't believe in the fields of the everafter or elysium or whatever. I hope you are there, and can finally rest.”

Twilight sniffed hard, the unicorn barely able to restrain her urge to squeeze the dragon tightly, and never let him go.

Spike himself sighed one final time before pouring the ashes out over the grave of a pony whom had taken his mother’s name and had shouldered her legacy. As if waiting for this exact moment, the wind picked up and gently blew over the graveyard, carrying away the ashes and leaving behind only stillness.

Unable to take it anymore, Twilight pulled Spike into a hug, the unicorn crying her eyes out as Spike stood there awkwardly, embracing his mother’s reincarnation as his thoughts remained on the first pony to bear her name. Reluctantly, he wrapped his arms around this newest pony, hardly noticing that he was crying as well before he felt the tears slide down his face. For a long time they remained there, shedding their sorrow and embracing one another like a pair of shipwrecked survivors clinging to the last piece of flotsam.

Then the unicorn pulled back, sniffed, and tried to wipe away her tears as best as she could. “Spike. Do you… could you tell me about her?” she asked hesitantly.

Spike smiled faintly. “I’d like that.”

Twilight sighed and gently wiped away the dragon's tears with a hoof. “Thank you. I know it would be hard to talk about her so soon, but I just feel like I need to know more about her.”

“It’s okay. It would be kind of nice to talk about her. That way someone else can help me remember her,” Spike replied. “Do you want to say something to Apple Turnover before we leave?”

Twilight shook her head and glanced sadly at the gravesite. “No. No matter how many memories I have of her, she wasn't my friend and I didn't truly know her. I only hope that one day I might be able to meet her and change all that.”

“You would have been great friends. I just know it,” Spike declared confidently.

“Thanks, Spike.” Twilight sighed. “I suppose we should get moving soon. Are you going to keep the urn?”

The dragon shook his head and leaned down, nestling the urn between Apple Turnover and Twilight Twinkle’s grave sites. “She would want to stay here, with her family.”

“You were her family too, you know,” Twilight softly reminded him.

Spike nodded. “I know, but I can come visit anytime I like. It would be selfish to keep her all to myself.”

“Come on. I think we should let them catch up,” Twilight added with a smile.

The dragon chuckled. “True. Twilight and Turnover were really bad for that. Whenever they met in public they just had to spend an hour chatting, no matter where we were. It made shopping with her really boring.”

Twilight laughed as well and gently touched his shoulder. “Well, we better get moving then, wouldn't want to get roped into the conversation, now would we?”

Spike wiped away the last of his tears and turned from the gravesite. “Y-yeah. Say, do they still have an ice cream place around here?”

Twilight smirked. “I think there was a place near the market that sold ice cream.”

“Could we stop there after you give me the tour?” Spike asked hesitantly.

Twilight laughed. “I should be asking you for permission. You are over a thousand years old, you know.”

The dragon blinked in shock, only to grin. “In that case we will be stopping there after you take me for the tour.”

“Yes, sir,” Twilight exclaimed, giving the drake a quick salute before the pair shared a laugh and trotted towards the exit.

“I’m glad y'all are looking better,” Applejack added, stepping out from the shade of a nearby tree.

“It was nice,” Spike replied hesitantly. “I’m glad we could put her to rest.”

Applejack smiled. “And don't you worry about her none. Something tells me she's going to be right at home here.”

“Thanks, Applejack,” Twilight added.

The farm pony shook her head. “Don't thank me. I didn't do nothing.”

“Still, thanks for the guidance at least,” Spike exclaimed.

“Aww shucks. You woulda found your way here right quick with or without me,” Applejack replied cryptically, only to turn. “Now come on, we better skedaddle. I got chores to do.”

“Right.”

Behind them, the urn rested comfortably between the two plain and unadorned stone grave markers. Wind occasionally rustled the grass, and the leaves on the branches above, heralding the return of winter, though even then, the wind remained relatively calm, and respectful of the quiet place. The few creatures that called the graveyard home avoided the graves themselves, scampering around each plot.

In the distance a bird sang a somber, slow song, one joined by several other avians of various species. As if called by the song, a strange wind began to blow from the north, twisting this way and that as it made its way into the graveyard. The breeze slowed and fell low to the ground, winding around the many graves, as if seeking one out in particular.

Only when it reached the land’s newest inhabitant did it slow, curling itself around the urn and blowing away any dust or dirt which had dared to touch it. As it did so, the gust grew more powerful, its whispering howl calling forth with a primal power, one answered by the forest itself.

Roots emerged from the ground and wrapped around the base of the urn just high enough to get a firm grip on the small object without cracking or otherwise besmirching it. With that done, the ground shifted and heaved as more and more roots emerged from the ground, raising the urn up into the air. Until the cutie mark emblazoned upon it was raised to a height of Apple Turnover and Twilight Twinkle’s names were before finally stopping.

Earth trembled, and slowly settled back down, the ground becoming even and leveled once more. The roots meanwhile continued to shift and move until they resembled a small column constructed completely from wood. Above the graveyard, trees shifted and leaned, as if inspecting their handiwork, and ensuring it was perfect.

Only when the gust suddenly emerged again, and ascended up into the heavens, did the trees lean back into their normal place, safe in the knowledge that their jobs were done.

And then with the gust gone, and the newest resident raised to a place of respect, the grave became calm and serene once more. Only the distant song could be heard, and not a single cloud filled the dark, moonlit sky.

“Here we are,” Applejack proclaimed as they stepped out of the denser woods and into town. “Ponyville proper.”

“Thanks again, Applejack. Are you and the girls still going to be able to come by tomorrow?” Twilight asked while looking out over the town. “Because I think we’ll have a lot to talk about provided Rarity is feeling better by now.”

“Oh, I’ll be seeing you sooner than you think,” Applejack replied with a smirk.

Twilight lifted an eyebrow and glanced over her shoulder to where she thought Applejack was, only to find that the apple farmer was gone. “Huh.”

“You weren’t kidding. She is really sneaky,” Spike muttered while looking around.

The unicorn snorted irritably. “You can say that again.”

“Alright, on to the tour? Where do we start with this strange, mixed up version of Ponyville anyway?” Spike asked, turning to Twilight.

Who paused and rubbed her chin. “We will start by walking along the edge of town, as I don't really want to deal with anyone quite yet and I have a feeling that neither do you.”

Spike smiled. “Good thinking.”

“And you can tell me all about what used to be there. So I can tour your Ponyville while you tour mine,” Twilight added.

“That could be interesting. Let's hope I remember everything,” Spike muttered.

“Perfect! But before we begin, I just want to say I’m glad you are willing to get out and see the world again,” Twilight announced, pride brimming inside her.

Spike nodded, smiling faintly as he looked out over the strange new landscape. “Me too. I was moping for long enough. It's time to face the facts and start putting the past behind me.”

Twilight restrained the urge to squeal in happiness and instead simply turned and began to trot away. “Right, so over here we have the Chitin family. They are a bunch of changelings who mainly work as carpenters and builders of all sorts.”

“Really?” Spike replied, eyeing the tall, strangely organic looking house that had several towers growing from the top of it. “A thousand years ago changelings were only myths and were often depicted as giant apelike creatures that snuck into people’s houses and stole all their food during the night.”

“Huh,” Twilight muttered. “I wonder what came first, the legend or changelings themselves.”

Spike shrugged. “Maybe we should ask one.”

Twilight shook her head. “I have enough mysteries right now. Perhaps once I have more time on my hooves we can get to the bottom of that particular mystery.”

“Right, so what's next?”

Twilight pointed to a large toadstool house that grew next to the changeling mini-hive. “I don't know who lives there but their house is really interesting. You see that particular type of mushroom is actually poisonous but-”

“And this is Rarity’s boutique,” Twilight pointed out. “She’s probably busy though, so we shouldn't bug her right now.”

“Right, where to next?” Spike asked, looking around the row of strange and unfamiliar buildings that dotted the relatively quiet street.

Twilight tapped her chin as a family of minotaurs passed them by. “I did say we could get ice cream, so maybe we should head towards the market now… wherever that is.”

“Maybe we could ask that pony for help,” Spike offered, pointing off to the side. “Is she a thestral or a pegasus? I can't tell because of the bunny ears.”

Twilight blinked and followed Spike’s gaze only to smile. “Both, but she's more proud of her thestral heritage, so I wouldn't call her a pegasus. Also, her name is Rainbow Dash, and I’ve been meaning to introduce you two properly.”

Spike nodded slowly, eyeing up the rainbow-maned thestral as she stepped out of a nearby shop with a bag under one wing, and a bunny on her head. “The mane should have given the name away.”

Rainbow Dash blinked and began to walk over to the pair, a grin spreading across her face. “Oh, hey guys. I see you finally got Spike out of the library.”

“It's nice to meet you, Spike,” added the bunny, who hopped down from the thestral’s head and extended a paw.

“Err you are the spirit, right?” Spike asked nervously, extending a clawed hand and shaking Fluttershy’s paw.

“Yes, though I prefer Fluttershy,” the bunny replied with a giggle.

Spike chuckled awkwardly as he withdrew his hand. “So, what are you guys doing?” he asked.

“Fluttershy here was looking for something to help one of her animal friends, and it turns out Derpy had just what she needed,” interjected Rainbow Dash who gestured to the store they had just exited a minute prior.

Spike looked up at the boat which sat on dry land and had a door in its hull, as well as a trio of windows and a large sign that read ‘Derpy’s Bizarre Bazaar’ bolted above said door. “How did I miss that?” muttered Spike as he continued to stare at what appeared to be a fully functional corsair that was in the middle of town.

“Derpy’s shop and the proprietor herself are… interesting,” Twilight remarked rather charitably.

“She’s moon-touched is what Twilight’s trying to say,” interrupted Rainbow Dash. “Which is a fancy way of saying she always seems to have what you need, when you need it.”

“And she's very nice,” added Fluttershy.

“Oh and heads up, Pinkie Pie is probably going to give you an invitation to a Welcome to Ponyville Party pretty soon,” remarked Rainbow Dash.

“Wait, to me?” Spike asked, pointing to himself.

“Heck yeah, little dude. You haven't arrived until Pinkie Pie has thrown you a party,” exclaimed Rainbow Dash with a grin.

“She's quite good,” added Fluttershy. “If you don't want a big party, she’ll know.”

Twilight nodded. “I wouldn't worry about it, Spike. Pinkie’s parties are the best.”

The dragon frowned. “Well I didn't really want a party. I mean, I’ve technically lived here longer than any of you, but if you say she’s good, then I guess I’ll trust you on this one.”

“Greeeat! Here you go!” exclaimed Pinkie Pie who appeared out of nowhere with an invitation in hoof.

“Bwah!” shouted Spike who leapt into the air and suddenly struck a pose like he was about to karate chop the pink troll.

“Oops, sorry,” exclaimed Pinkie Pie hastily as she backed up a bit. “This better?”

Spike blinked and let his arms fall to his sides. “Err yeah. I’m sorry too. We just visited the Apples and-”

“Say no more,” interrupted Rainbow Dash with an irritable snort. “They kept popping up out of nowhere, huh?”

“Yeah… wait.” Spike turned to Twilight. “You didn't jump once!”

The unicorn smirked and shrugged. “I’m used to it, plus being dead comes with some very fringe benefits.”

Spike grumbled and glanced down to where Pinkie Pie was still holding his invitation. Sighing to himself, the dragon took it from the now grinning troll and read it over.

Hi Spike! I know you’ve technically been living here for longer than anyone, but I still think a Welcome to Ponyville Party is in order. Speaking of which, you are invited to said party, the date of which will be when you least expect it. To RSVP, nod your head.

The dragon thought about it for a second and nodded. “Sure I’ll come. After all, I haven't been to a party in a thousand years.”

Pinkie Pie giggled. “Good one, Spike. I hope you like caaaake!” Pinkie Pie announced in a sing-song tone of voice before disappearing in a flash of pink smoke.

Spike shook his head and smiled as the sound of troll giggles slowly vanished into the distance. “I like her.”

“She is pretty likeable,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed with a nod.

“Well it was nice meeting you, Spike, but we really need to be getting this medicine to mister badger,” Fluttershy remarked hastily. “We’ll see you soon though.”

Twilight nodded. “Hopefully this wasn't a one time thing.”

Spike crossed his arms over his chest and grumbled. “Don't worry, I’ll try and get out more. Sheesh.”

Twilight chuckled as she shook her head. “I’ll see you girls later.”

Both thestral and bunny repeated their goodbyes before turning and leaving Spike and Twilight standing alone in the middle of the road.

The unicorn smiled faintly as she watched her friends go. “So, ready to get that ice cream?”

Spike nodded slowly, his attention fixated on the two creatures walking away from them. “You know, they are a lot like Twilight’s old friends. Do you think maybe you are not the only one getting reincarnated?”

Twilight was about to respond before she actually thought about it, then she just stood there for a moment as that idea slowly sunk in. “I don't think so. I feel like we might be linked in some way, but I don't think they are the same ponies that old Twilight knew.”

“I mean they do share a lot of similarities,” Spike pointed out. “They are mostly the same tribes too. Basically.”

Twilight sighed. “Regardless. I don't think that's one mystery we are going to get to the bottom of today, so why don't we put that on the back burner for now and stick with the tour?”

Spike nodded and tore his gaze from the pair before turning back to where they had been about to go a few minutes earlier. “Right, where to next?”

“Well, were pretty much done so I figured ice cream sounded good. What do you think?” Twilight asked.

Spike nodded. “Sounds like plan there, Stan.”

Twilight blinked. “My name’s not Stan.”

“It's not…” Spike sighed and facepalmed. “Nevermind, let’s just go.”

Twilight licked her lips as she watched Spike bite his ice cream and chew on it, his elbows resting on the picnic table they sat at. “Not even your barbarous method of consumption can make that ice cream look any worse,” Twilight remarked.

Spike snorted and swallowed his ice cream in one gulp. “What's so bad with chewing ice cream? It's got gems in it for crying out loud.”

“I know, but it just looks wrong. Like eating yogurt with a fork or something,” Twilight muttered.

Spike shrugged. “So why didn't you get one?”

Twilight sighed. “Everything I eat turns to ash in my mouth, unless it's infused with life force.”

Spike raised an eyebrow and stopped just before he was about to take a bite. “That doesn't sound right. Twilight used to be able to taste stuff, but only if she was full on life force already. Here, raise your foreleg for a second.”

Twilight blinked and did as she was told, raising her left leg. “Like this?”

“Oh geez, you are thinner than I thought,” Spike remarked with a grimace. “You need to get some more plants around the library.”

“It’s fine. I feel fine,” Twilight retorted.

Spike shook his head as he chewed and swallowed his vanilla and amethyst ice cream. “That's because the tree is giving you enough to ensure you don't starve. Plants create like a butt-ton of extra life force that they give freely. Twilight said sleeping in a plant-filled room made her always wake up feeling full and energized, she hardly even needed to sleep for more than like, three hours a night or something crazy like that.”

“Really?” Twilight muttered, tapping her chin. “That would be really convenient. I have a lot of studying to do, and other projects that I’ve been meaning to work on.”

Spike nodded as he picked out an amethyst and tossed it into his mouth, chewing noisily. “Oh yeah, it’s like shoper cheap too.”

“Don't talk with your mouth full,” scolded Twilight.

Spike rolled his eyes and swallowed. “So, what are you studying anyway? Still working on… those spells?”

Twilight nodded gravely. “Yeah. Though I can't seem to work out some of even the most basic of spells. Like the…” Twilight looked around, and found that there were scant few other creatures in the ill-used park and she leaned forward and began to whisper, “Speak with dead spell. It's supposed to be easy, but I can't seem to make it work.”

Spike rolled a gem around in his mouth before shattering it and swallowing the shards. “Twilight ran into that as well.” He swallowed again and leaned forward. “How are you imagining the spell-casting process?”

Twilight cocked her head. “Like normal? The book never said to do it differently.”

“That’s ‘cause that book you got is likely a grimoire. Which is a collection of spells used for reference, not teaching,” Spike explained. “And you have to start by visualizing the spell coming from your heart and ending at the point of your body that is connected to the spell itself. Like speak with dead is probably at your mouth or tongue.”

“That's weird,” Twilight muttered. “Do all of necromancy spells work like that?”

The dragon nodded. “Uh huh. Twilight said that it's due to necromancy being a school technically any race or tribe could learn provided they had an aptitude for it.”

“So it would make sense that the most fundamental part of unicorn spell-casting wouldn't work,” concluded Twilight and leaned back. “No wonder I couldn't cast even the most basic of spells. Why wouldn't that be included in a spell description then?”

“Probably ‘cause it's just assumed you knew about it,” Spike replied before throwing the last bit of the cone into his mouth and chewing loudly.

Twilight hardly noticed this though, as she was busy contemplating all the spells she could cast, provided she figured out the proper visualization technique.

“So, do you want to head back to the library now?” Spike asked, before swallowing the last of his treat.

“Do you mind if we take a little detour? I was hoping to bounce some more thoughts off you first,” Twilight replied slowly.

“Sure, like what?” Spike replied.

“Well, history, for one. It's been hard to unlearn some things that Celestia has said about the world and I was hoping you would help correct some of them for me,” Twilight asked while tapping her forehooves together.

“I thought you had books and stuff for that?” Spike replied.

“I do… but it's easier to talk to someone who was around before the truth got muddied in so much ideology,” Twilight replied, only to sigh. “Plus I think it would help me unlearn some of the more… xenophobic things Celestia taught.”

Spike frowned. “It's really weird knowing that Celestia is a bad guy now. She used to be so nice. Why even when she decided to leave the kingdom, her and Luna were still on speaking terms. I wonder what happened between them?”

“Yeah… Me too,” Twilight replied.

The pair sighed in unison, before Twilight suddenly shook her head and clopped her hooves against the table. “Right, you still up for one last jaunt?” she asked.

Spike nodded and stood up from the table. “Sure, I need to stretch my legs anyway.”

Twilight smiled and rose as well. “Okay, so I was thinking-”

“So what you are trying to tell me is that Celestia is convincing everyone that these ‘old gods’ are still around and that they don't talk to mortal ponies anymore because they don't rule the world?” Spike scoffed. “I know she's apparently a bad guy now, but that is a bit much. Ponies never truly ruled the world.”

“It’s true,” Twilight replied as they trotted slowly down the road, the moon remaining motionless above them. “She even commissioned songs, plays, and a bunch of books that all talk about the fall of ponykind and how we are unworthy to be graced by their divine presence.”

Spike shook his head. “That's messed up yo. And all to excuse her endless expansionism and ponycentric ideology.” He sighed. “Did you know that Celestia was the first one to accept non-ponies into the Everfree Kingdom? Not even Luna thought it was a good idea until Celestia convinced her otherwise.”

“Now that I can't believe,” Twilight replied dryly.

“It’s true.”

“Regardless. What is the real answer then? About these ‘old gods’, not about Celestia’s past, which didn't come up much in former me’s memories,” Twilight asked.

“Simple, they were alicorns who came from space,” Spike replied with a shrug, the dragon stretching and putting his hands on the back of his head as he walked.

“That's not simple at all,” Twilight muttered.

Spike chuckled. “From what Luna told me, alicorns came here from somewhere else, dropped off some ponies and then left for a while. She said this was in order for the alicorns to return to a world that had a healthy population of ponies whom could serve them. They did not know that dragons lived under the surface of the planet though, and when they came back the dragons had been awoken by pony magic and ruled over them like gods.”

Twilight stopped. “No way. You mean magicless dragons were able to beat ponies? I know this might be Celestia talking, but that doesn't sound right.”

“Nah, modern dragons are all part pony and lost their ability to cast the old magic,” Spike began. “From what Luna told us, that happened right near the end of the war with the alicorns who had nearly been wiped out at that point. Old dragons were super tough, could use necromancy, mind magic, and all sorts of nasty stuff. They were also way, way bigger and way meaner than alicorns.”

The unicorn hastily trotted up to Spike and looked down at the diminutive dragon with a new appreciation. “So the alicorns nearly all died then or what?”

“Pretty much,” Spike remarked with a sad sigh. “There were quite a few left after they won the war, but almost all of them decided to leave this world and forget the whole thing ever happened. Only Luna’s siblings and mother were left to pick up the pieces after that, but unfortunately her mom disappeared shortly after.”

“Wait, siblings? As in plural?” Twilight remarked. “Now I know you are messing with me.”

Spike shook his head. “Luna and Celestia never gave me a straight answer, but there was at least one more royal sibling out there, somewhere.”

Twilight’s frown deepened. “So, how did they win this big war anyway? I’m assuming it has to do with modern dragons all being part pony and that spell, right?”

“You got it,” Spike replied, waving his hands in the air. “The whole world was bathed in a mega spell that either made all the old dragons sleep forever, or become part pony. The spell itself has something to do with the mystery royal sibling, but both Celestia and Luna were really hush hush on the details.”

“Wow, that is… a lot to process,” Twilight muttered while shaking her head. “I feel like I have to forget everything I’ve ever learned. I mean I was trying to do that anyway but wow, that's… a lot.”

“That’s one thing that really bothers me about this time period,” Spike began, gesturing up to the night sky. “Not even flipping my sleep schedule has been difficult. I mean I can see perfectly fine at night, so it's not a big deal but still.”

“What do you mean exactly?” Twilight pressed.

Spike sighed. “It's just that the truth has become so distorted. If Celestia is not flat out rewriting it then it’s forgotten, or altered accidentally because of the intrinsic biases and problems that come with a decentralized form of governance.”

Twilight smirked. “Let me guess, past me home schooled you?”

The dragon chuckled. “She was a great teacher. Technically I’ve taken enough courses to graduate from college, but I never actually studied anywhere.”

“Well, she did a great job. You turned into an intelligent and kind adult.” Twilight blinked. “Wait, how old are you now? Minus the millenium in stone.”

“Seventeen,” Spike replied, raising an eyebrow. “I thought you knew that.”

Twilight shook her head. “The memories of my past life are… random and incomplete, I’m afraid.”

Spike shrugged. “Well, either way my birthday is in June.” He paused and scratched his head. “What month is it anyway? I never did change the calendar at the library. We still have the same months, right?”

“I think it's October and yes we have the same months, though apparently an age ended and the years reset, but that's only recognized in the forest,” Twilight replied hesitantly as they turned a corner and the library came into view.

“Wait, you aren't sure if it’s October?” Spike shot back.

“Time works different in the forest and the seasons are weird.” Twilight blushed slightly and looked down. “And I may not be very good at keeping track of the date…”

Spike burst into a fit of laughter. “That's too funny. You two really are the same pony.”

Twilight grumbled under her breath, only to notice that Rarity now stood outside the door to the library, the arachne looking around while rubbing her forelegs together nervously. “Oh look. Rarity is here. I better introduce you two.”

Spike chuckled as the unicorn picked up the pace and fled from the last conversation.

“There you are, darling,” Rarity greeted slightly awkwardly, the arachne struggling to smile. “And I see young Spike has indeed emerged from that basement of yours.”

The dragon rolled his eyes. “Yeah yeah. It took me a while to deal with everything…”

“Oh, I’m terribly sorry, that was insensitive of me,” Rarity hastily exclaimed, the arachne lowering herself to Spike’s level and extending a hoof. “My name is Rarity and I am truly happy to see you doing better. Ponyville is a better place with you in it.”

Spike smiled a little and shook the arachne’s hoof. “Thanks. It's different, but I think I’m going to like it here or now.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Rarity remarked, while rising back to a stand.

“So, what can I help you with?” Twilight announced.

“Oh right. Pinkie Pie is throwing Spike a party but didn't want to surprise you too much and cause some avoidable accident by startling you two, so I volunteered to warn you,” Rarity began. “I also wished to speak with Twilight about something a little more personal, if at all possible.”

“Wow, she really did think of everything,” muttered Spike. “I guess I’ll meet you inside then?”

Twilight nodded. “I think that would be for the best. Enjoy the party, Spike.”

“I will.” Spike reached for the doorknob only to stop and grin, turning to Twilight. “Oh, and Dusk? Thanks for a great afternoon, or whatever this counts as,” he exclaimed, gesturing to the still dark sky above them.

“It was my pleasure, Spike,” Twilight replied with a smile of her own.

The dragon took a breath and opened the door, stepping into the library and being instantly greeted by a small amount of half shouted surprises. Just about everyone he knew was there, which was many considering he only knew Twilight’s friends and the guard who had been stationed outside the library.

“So, what did you want to talk to me about?” Twilight asked.

Rarity sighed, the arachne continuing to nervously wring her hooves together. “It’s a personal matter. One that I didn't think anyone would ever be able to help with.”

“Does that mean your request has to do with my more… unique talents?” Twilight inquired.

“Y-yes,” Rarity stuttered, the arachne unable to meet the pony’s gaze. “I need your help. Tomorrow if at all possible. You would need to bring along whatever components you require for those spells and supplies for a short trip. You can also bring Spike over to the boutique if you would like him to have some company while we were gone. I’m sure Sweetie Belle wouldn't mind someone else being in the house while I’m out.”

“He’s old enough to stay home alone, but I do worry he might feel isolated if left alone, so that does sound like a good idea…” Twilight shook her head. “That part can wait though. What exactly do you want help with? And why all the secrecy and suddenness?”

Rarity nibbled her bottom lip. “I know we haven't talked very much about what happened down there, but well…” She sighed. “I feel like I can trust you enough to tell you what happened to my parents.”

“You don't have to say anything,” Twilight exclaimed. “I saw a glimpse of your worst nightmares and well… I know enough.”

The arachne sighed. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“You want help avenging them then?” Twilight pressed.

“I don't know…” Rarity admitted after a short pause. “I know someone deserves something, but the details around what happened are murky and I’m afraid only the dead have the answers I seek. As for why, tomorrow is the anniversary of their passing, and this year I wanted to do… something.”

“You don't mean to…”

“Yes,” Rarity declared confidently. “I want to speak to my parents and find out why what happened to them, happened to them.”

Sunset Shimmer paced nervously in the treeline, annoyed that her attempts at following Twilight when the dead mare had entered the forest had only gotten her lost. When she had finally found her way back to the edge of Ponyville, her target was too far ahead of her, and now she was stuck at a crossroads of sorts.

Her programming wanted her to follow Twilight, to find where she lived and to murder the other unicorn in her sleep. However, with so many variables, that urge to hunt Twilight down and kill her was dulled somewhat. After all, Sunset herself wasn't sure what kind of defences the town might have, especially given the fact that there were a lot of non-ponies there as well.

What she did know was that there was a crack team of bat-winged ponies patrolling the area, and it had only been through a constantly applied invisibility enchantment that she was able to avoid them. They were smart, fast, and very, very perceptive, meaning it wasn't likely that she would be able to successfully infiltrate the town, even with her invisibility spell. Which meant that she couldn't really do much of anything, other than stand here and chew her hoof while she watched the town go about its day.

“Recon. I need to do more recon,” Sunset Shimmer muttered to herself.

That seemed to settle the unpleasant urges placed within her by Celestia, easing some of the anxiety clouding Sunset’s mind.

Creeping silently through the underbrush, Sunset began to plan a long and ambitious reconnaissance mission, which would take a considerable amount of time to complete. One that would also, hopefully, give her target the time she would need to gather the power necessary to defend herself.

With a sigh, Sunset gave one last look to the town. “Please be ready.”

Author's Note

An Apple's Anguish

Twilight slowly trotted between a pair of tall bookshelves in the now partially restored library which lay on the first level of the undertower, her hoof trailing over the spines of the ancient tomes. None would help her, that much she knew for certain, but that didn't mean she would give up yet, it just meant she needed more inspiration. Something that had yet to come no matter how long she wandered the rows of books and observed the sometimes hidden art installations tucked into the nooks of the library.

No titles seemed to offer anything that others had not already done, and there were very few that even sparked Twilight’s personal interest. She wasn't here for herself though, she was here for Applejack, and so she ignored those few that caught her eye and kept going. Until she eventually found herself wandering back into the main reading area wherein the alicorn statue still stood tall.

Sighing, Twilight glanced over to her little reading nook which contained a clean and restored desk, her writing materials, and a small pile of books. All of which had done nothing to illuminate the mysteries of the apple family or their strange bargain with the forest. Her only avenue of research left was the study of chaos magic, and though books discussing the nature of chaos were much more common than in Celestia’s library, it was still an esoteric field with little facts and a lot of speculation.

Ignoring her little desk, Twilight trotted over to the statue and looked up to where its eyes would be, noting that the same sense of calm still radiated outward from the stone pony. The longer she stared up at it, the more Twilight felt her thoughts begin to drift, and her gaze became more and more unfocused. Until it felt as though she had left the library behind, and was now lost amidst the many stars in the sky, adrift in space with nothing but her thoughts.

Thoughts that were consumed by worry and a little bit of fear. Worry brought on by the fact that she had yet to be able to help the apple farmer or her family, and fear that she may never be able to. This fear was not unfounded, as it seemed as though the elder Apples had taken the knowledge of their deal with the forest to their graves, leaving their living relatives to slowly become corrupted while the farm withered.

Worse yet, Granny Smith had begun to grow ill, a change that darkened the mood of the usually optimistic Applejack and the rest of her family. Twilight remembered well the disturbing sight which waited for her the day she arrived at the farm. Finding Granny Smith outside, Twilight had greeted the elderly Apple warmly, only to get no response, prompting her to trot a little closer. Upon nearing the tree bound pony, Twilight recoiled, for the elderly mare’s mouth was almost completely sealed by roots and bark which stopped her from being able to speak.

Twilight shook off the disturbing image of Granny Smith struggling to speak, her voice little more than a harsh, garbled whisper. Putting her mind back to the task, Twilight felt the weight of her continued failures wear on her once more. Worse yet, she was beginning to feel as though nothing would ever work, and that the Apple family was bound to simply fade away into little more than a memory. Staring up at the alicorn statue, Twilight wondered if the mare it was meant to represent would have known the answer.

“Or would you even concern yourself with what happens to a small farming family at the edge of your domain?” Twilight muttered.

“She most certainly would,” declared a soft, though distinctly alien voice.

Twilight spun around to find herself face to face with a pony-sized spider, only this one was much different from the males which roamed the upper halls. “You nearly scared me half to death, Nebula,” Twilight muttered while placing a hoof over her dead heart.

The spider laughed a strange and slightly raspy laugh. “If such a thing were possible, I would be wary, but considering your state I don't think I shall.”

Twilight grumbled and turned away from the scarred spider and looked up at the stone alicorn. “So would she really help the Apples? Cel- she kept no record of her sister, or any of her apparent siblings. The townsfolk vary as well, with some claiming that the dark mistress was the kindest pony to ever walk Equiss, while others seem to indicate that she was unconcerned with the lives of the citizenry.”

The spider trotted up beside the pony, her eight blue orbs staring up at the statue. “She is all of those things, and none of those things.” Nebula sighed and ran a hairy limb down the side of the statue. “It was true that she was mercurial at times, but she was nothing if not passionate. If she cared about something, she would die for it. If she ignored something, she would never think of it again.”

“Then how can you say she would help the Apples?” Twilight countered.

“Simple, she really liked apples.” The spider had no lips to smile, but Twilight got the distinct impression that she would be doing just that if she could. “Plus the mistress always had a soft spot for the downtrodden and those who may have had a string of bad luck. I have no doubt that she would be doing what you are doing right now, if she were here with us.”

“Really now…” Twilight murmured, her gaze drawn up to the slightly curved horn on the statue’s head. “Another similarity…”

“What did you say, dear?” asked the spider.

“It's just apparent my past self was a bridge between her, and her,” Twilight exclaimed, gesturing to the statue. “But I don't feel as though I have much in common with she who shall not be named. Yet my past self cared a great deal for both of them.”

The spider did its best facsimile of a nod. “Perhaps you simply haven't glimpsed that part of yourself quite yet.”

“It's possible, I suppose,” Twilight admitted.

The two very different beings looked up at the statue for several minutes before the spider placed a hairy limb on Twilight’s shoulder. “Thank you, by the way.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow and looked down at her companion. “For what?”

“For helping like you have. From just assisting Trixie in learning the shrink spell that allows me to move around easier to everything else you’ve done,” the spider continued. “You are a true friend of my family, and the night itself.”

Twilight smirked. “And I bet you're also thankful that I only thought to teach her that spell after she had already cleaned up a good chunk of this floor by herself.”

The spider chuckled. “I might be. Though I admit it was rather nice to simply leave that job to Trixie and let her feel as though she accomplished something important.”

“Speaking of which, how are the lessons with Rarity going?” Twilight inquired.

“Not bad. My cousin may lack some of the physiological aspects that make weaving such an intricate web easier, but she is adapting and using that magic of hers to replace the parts she lacks,” Nebula declared, only to chuckle. “Sometimes I think Trixie is having more trouble learning from a fellow unicorn, than young Rarity is from me.”

Twilight chuckled as well. “I am no teacher, I’m afraid. I may be knowledgeable, but this is my first time trying to teach a thousand years of magical study and a field of magic I didn't even know existed until very recently.”

“Still, you have a commendable amount of patience, if nothing else,” replied the spider, who pressed her hairy limb against Twilight’s shoulder one final time before pulling it back. “A trait you and young Rarity have in common, as she is proving to be a resilient student. Though I still fear it may be quite a while before she masters the art of the weave.”

Twilight smiled. “It's only a matter of time before she figures out how to do it, or concocts a better way to do so.”

The spider bobbed her body up and down, replicating a nod. “That is very true. I suppose I should also thank you for donating that gold to the restoration efforts. You’ve given us quite the boon, you know.”

A blush slowly creeped across Twilight’s face, and she looked away while scratching the back of her neck. “Oh, it's nothing. I had little need for the money anyway.”

“Still. The trade your coins have allowed for has connected my rather reclusive family to the wider world, and for that I thank you,” Nebula exclaimed, the spider bowing slightly while extending two of her legs outwards like a curtsy.

“Really, it's nothing. I have been given more than I need, and I’m just glad I can give back,” Twilight replied. “With that said, have you considered Dark Hallow’s proposal by chance?”

“Ahh yes, the funny little thestral.” Nebula giggled. “He is quite the talker, though I fear that it will still be quite a while before I will allow anyone else to enter this hallowed place. It must reclaim some of the dignity it has lost before I will accept anymore visitors.”

“But once that is done…” Twilight half asked, half stated.

“After that is done, I will allow his entrance and will agree to his little plan,” Nebula replied, before turning. “Walk with me. I find that all of this standing around is making me twitchy.”

Twilight smiled and followed after the spider as they walked out of the library, and into a hallway. “He’s going to be excited to hear that. I bet he's going to have a dozen masons on stand by until the very second you give him the okay,” Twilight remarked.

Nebula sighed. “I wouldn't put it past that excitable stallion. Regardless of his nature, his help will be appreciated. As even with the assistance of all my sons and daughter, there is only so much we can do on our own.”

The duo passed by gently burning torches, empty, but clean rooms, and freshly polished archways, their pace slow and ponderous. “I am curious. How have your own studies gone? I hope your tutelage of my favored daughter has not slowed you down too much,” Nebula inquired.

Twilight quickly shook her head. “Definitely not. In fact I would say that gaining a study buddy has helped me considerably. Having someone to bounce ideas off is great, especially since she is quite a well-versed mage, even if she would not agree with such a statement.”

Nebula beamed. “Yes, she is quite adept, isn't she? But that doesn't answer the underlying question. Have you learned anything pertinent to the mission you had so boldly proclaimed not long ago?”

Sighing, Twilight shook her head once more. “Unfortunately not. Necromancy seems to build off itself in a strangely organic manner, and in order to learn how to raise a spirit, I’ve had to master the art of enfeeblement among other such spells.” She stuck out her tongue in disgust. “I always hated curses.”

“You have mastered this first step though, yes?” Nebula replied, the spider eying Twilight critically as they passed through another arch, and by another empty room.

“I did, yes, but that only means I can raise a spirit and for only a day at most.” Twilight snorted irritably. “To raise a skeleton requires mastering a half dozen other spells, which in turn will allow me one half of the necessary knowledge to raise a zombie. And so on and so on until at the end of it all is true resurrection. Though even that spell will have to serve as a stepping stone for constructing one able to bring back an alicorn.”

“I would not bemoan your newfound knowledge overmuch. Something tells me you will need all of these new spells, given your penchant for adventure,” Nebula declared.

Twilight nodded. “True. Though I hope to avoid anymore adventures for a little while. At least until I’ve been able to pay back my friends for all that they’ve done for me.”

“Your progress is still remarkable though. It's only been a few short weeks since you’ve begun training in earnest, after all,” Nebula reminded the unicorn.

“I know…” Twilight sighed and hung her head. “It's just, there are so many variables that I’ve never had to think about before. Like the language I speak, the somatic component of the spell, and how long the target has been deceased for. Even all that is just the tip of the iceberg, and to make things worse, I think my non-necromancy spells are getting… weaker.”

Nebula stopped and turned to the unicorn. “Is that true?”

The unicorn frowned and nodded. “I’m afraid so. It seems as if the more necromancy I learn, the weaker my normal spells become. Only a few more basic things like telekinesis have been left unaffected. I can hardly even teleport anymore.”

The spider tapped her right frontmost leg as if nodding. “I should have warned you of such a possibility. Necromancy when practiced extensively tends to take over one’s soul and make it harder to cast other kinds of magic.”

“I wish you would have told me that before I began all this,” Twilight muttered angrily.

“Would that have changed anything?” Nebula shot back.

Twilight’s anger withered and vanished. “No. I guess it wouldn't.”

“Then I suppose it doesn't matter, does it?” Nebula remarked before turning and beginning to walk once more, with Twilight quickly joining her a second later.

“Still, I am going to miss how easy everything is,” Twilight murmured.

“Oh I wouldn't worry about that too much. Necromancy has more applications than any other school. I’m sure you’ll find a replacement for all of your most favored spells,” Nebula cryptically declared.

Twilight’s eyes went wide. “Really? Even teleportation? Wait, where did…” The unicorn sighed, only now realizing that the spider had somehow managed to vanish without a trace while Twilight wasn't looking. “Great, right when you got my hopes up.”

Sighing, Twilight turned and trotted back towards the library, her thoughts consumed by the slow realization that she may very well have to relearn just about everything she knew. “Stupid necromancy, stupid magic,” Twilight muttered under her breath.

Stopping before the alicorn statue, Twilight looked up into its eyes. “I hope Spike is having a good day hanging out with his new friend and getting to know the town better.”

Shaking her head, the unicorn trotted over to her desk and began to pack up her stuff. “I’ve been banging my head against this problem for too long. I need more raw data if I’m going to have a chance of figuring this whole thing out.”

She stopped just as her bags had been filled. “Plus I’ve been down here long enough that I’m starting to talk to myself again, which is never a good sign.”

Stuffing the last of her supplies into her saddlebags, the dead mare threw them over her back and swiftly put away her books. “I may even have to try out that spirit-raising spell, though I hope it doesn't come to that as disturbing the dead still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.” After placing the final book in its proper spot, Twilight turned to the exit. “Still, that's assuming I even can, as they would have been dead for over a thousand years at this point.”

She sighed. “This is going to be difficult, I can already tell.”

Walking to the orchard didn't take too long, and within an hour Twilight found that her hooves trod the winding path which lead from Ponyville to the Apple family farm. The familiar crunch of dry oak leaves was vaguely nostalgic, reminding the unicorn of her first trip to the otherworldly orchard. Now, like then, the trees seemed to ignore the season with some growing new buds while others stood naked, without leaf or needle alike.

As she walked, Twilight could feel her destination slowly coming closer, the general ebb and flow of the forest beginning to feel familiar to the dead mare. It was a stark contrast from the first time she had come here, that much was certain, as for one, the chaos no longer bothered her quite as much. The headache inducing randomness still made her curious, but she no longer wished to study everything or force the forest to act normally.

It helped that she could feel that she was on the right path this time, though the pony couldn't explain such a feeling if someone were to ask her. It was akin to a gut reaction, the vague tingle at the back of her skull telling her that this was the right way, and to just keep going. So she did just that, trodding down the winding path as the foliage which surrounded her slowly changed from oak and aspen to the more familiar apple trees.

Inhaling the scent of fresh apples, Twilight felt a smile slowly cross her face, and she couldn't help but wonder if Applejack had prepared anymore special apples for her. Her hunger died quickly though, the scent of rot overwhelming the familiar aroma of fresh produce. Turning her nose up at the smell, Twilight looked around for its source, only to find a familiar basket of apples beneath a tree that was also vaguely familiar.

The small basket contained few apples, most of which were green, all save for a single black, rotten one which sat atop the bunch. Reaching with her magic, Twilight tossed aside the top apple and winced when she heard it squelch against the ground. Trying to put that strange bit of randomness behind, Twilight continued on, though her mood had been ruined for some reason.

Trotting further down the path, Twilight found that things became even more orderly, with long lines of apple trees stretching off into the distance. Though she passed no sign, mailbox or fence, Twilight knew she had definitely entered the apple family farm. She could tell because of the basket’s appearance, as it seemed to always be there, no matter how many times Twilight visited.

The rustle of leaves alerted Twilight to the fact that she wasn't alone, a fact made even more certain by her new senses picking up a nearby heartbeat. Turning towards a seemingly random apple tree, Twilight was able to catch a glimpse of something pink before it vanished. Smiling to herself, Twilight opened her bag and pulled out a large parchment-wrapped piece of chocolate.

“I got you your favorite this time,” Twilight declared while waving the chocolate bar around. “Bonbon even added extra nuts, just like you asked.”

Apple Bloom’s head popped out from the side of a tree, glaring at the unicorn. “What did you do to Granny Smith?” she demanded.

Twilight blinked. “Nothing. Why? She hasn't gotten worse, has she?”

Apple Bloom’s eyes narrowed. “She might have.”

Twilight sighed. “Look, can we just talk about this? I’m here to help.”

“A likely story,” Apple Bloom declared, a glare remaining firmly on her face as she stomped up to the unicorn.

“Would you please just tell me what's going on?” Twilight pleaded, lifting the chocolate bar out of the filly’s reach. “If you do, I’ll give you half of the bar.”

Apple Bloom frowned. “Fine. She can't get out of bed, and Applejack won't tell me nothin’. Big Mac is even quieter than usual too. He just works all day and night without talkin’ to anybody.”

Twilight broke off a piece of the bar and handed it to the filly. “Is there anything else that you can tell me?” she inquired.

The filly snatched the piece of chocolate from Twilight’s hoof and greedily began to devour it, allowing Twilight to notice that the bark on Apple Bloom’s back had grown significantly in a short time. The green veins which extended throughout the filly’s body were also growing thicker and more numerous than ever. It was an unpleasant sign, but Twilight quickly put that out of her mind for now, she had other even more pressing concerns.

After swallowing the last of her treat, Apple Bloom looked up at the unicorn, studying her closely before nodding. “I might.”

“You are not getting anymore chocolate,” Twilight warned. “I know you don't get it very often, but you're going to get a stomachache at this rate.”

The filly and the mare stared at one another for another minute before Apple Bloom looked away, the younger pony throwing her nose up. “Hmph. I guess since Applejack trusts you, I should as well.”

Twilight chuckled. “I appreciate it, Apple Bloom.”

“Are ya really gonna help Granny?” inquired the filly.

Twilight nodded. “That is the plan, but I’m going to have to find Applejack for that to happen.”

“She was in the barn, last I saw,” Apple Bloom replied. “Come on, I’ll show ya the way.”

Twilight silently followed after the filly, her attention lingering on Apple Bloom. The unicorn grew more and more concerned. The filly wasn't moving quite as fast, or seemed quite as upbeat, though both of those things could be due to her grandmother’s current state, it didn't explain the limp Apple Bloom was trying to hide. Could it be that this corruption was speeding up? Or was it merely a natural part of life for the members of the Apple family?

She wasn't sure, but Twilight was determined to find out.

They continued to walk in a straight line, with Apple Bloom remaining quiet while Twilight contemplated the many possibilities which lay before her. “Say, Apple Bloom. How have things been going with Spike? He hasn't mentioned anyone but Sweetie Belle recently,” Twilight suddenly asked.

“That’s ‘cause him and Sweetie Belle are always busy going on their not-dates,” Apple Bloom replied, the filly sticking her tongue out in disgust. “It's gross, and I wish they would cut it out already. I wanna hang out with my friend again.”

“I’m sure that when you get a little bit older, you’ll understand,” Twilight exclaimed, only to realize how hypocritical that sounded, considering the unicorn had never even had a crush on anyone before. “At least that's what mom always said.”

“I know I’m the youngest of my friends, but that doesn't mean you can talk down to me,” Apple Bloom retorted.

Twilight shook her head. “I wasn't talking down to you, and I’m sure things will go back to normal once they figure out their feelings.” At least that's what happened in all my books, Twilight thought, the unicorn keeping that last part to herself.

The filly huffed and faced forward once more.

Leaving Twilight to sigh and merely follow the filly in silence.

After another minute or two of walking, they seemed to be near their destination, as Apple Bloom turned to her right, the farmhouse appearing a second later through a break in the trees. The brief bit of jubilation Twilight felt was quickly stifled by the sound of a grunt, followed by a heavy thump that came from nearby. Looking to the source of the sound, Twilight found Big Macintosh panting as he leaned against an apple tree, the baskets he had arrayed containing only a few of the red fruits while the rest remained in the tree above him.

The pony-tree hybrid seemed exhausted, his tongue sticking out of his mouth as he struggled to catch his breath. Even Winona who rested nearby seemed exhausted, the timberwolf puppy lying in the crook of a nearby tree. Her ears were tucked against the side of her head, and though she watched Twilight pass by, the wolf didn't move an inch.

“You comin’ or what?” asked Apple Bloom.

Twilight frowned and reluctantly turned away from the stallion and dog. “Coming,” she replied.

Trotting quickly to catch up with her guide, Twilight barely gave the old farmhouse a second glance before turning towards the distant barn. Apple Bloom had already gone on ahead, the filly darting between the open barn doors and disappearing inside. Leaving Twilight once more with her thoughts, thoughts which were growing darker by the second.

The feeling of dread was perhaps the worst part, as it had only grown each time she met another member of the apple family. Apple Bloom was usually so carefree, so seeing her grow paranoid and distrustful tugged at Twilight’s heart strings. The sight of an exhausted Big Macintosh made Twilight worry even more, as she had never seen the giant stallion get winded.

Add to that the fact that the proud and stubborn Granny Smith was stuck in bed, and things were not looking good for the Apple family. Twilight merely hoped that at least Applejack was feeling alright, or else the dead mare feared she may have to solve this riddle on her own. A thought that filled the unicorn with dread, and she hastily trotted up to the old barn before hurriedly slipping inside.

“About time you showed up,” Apple Bloom deadpanned.

Twilight sighed as her gaze lingered on the general chaos that was the inside of the barn, noting that things seemed even more disorderly than usual. “I’m sorry, Apple Bloom. I couldn't help but worry about Granny Smith,” Twilight admitted.

The filly paused mid-step, only to frown and slowly trot up the unicorn, a guilty expression on her face. “Ahm sorry too. For bein’ rude to ya,” she whispered.

“Your family is going through a lot. I understand,” Twilight whispered back, the unicorn giving the filly’s mane a rustle.

“Still,” Apple Bloom murmured, before gesturing towards the back of the barn. “Applejack’s working on the cider machine in the back. Oh, and Twilight?”

“Hmm?”

“I hope you really can help. We need it.”

Twilight nodded slowly. “I’ll try.”

With that the filly scurried out the door, leaving Twilight feeling alone only for a muffled clang followed by a curse to catch her attention. Looking around, Twilight noticed the stalls of the barn contained no animals, but rather piles of apples of various kinds and ripeness or the odd mound of tools. All save for one near the back, which contained a large brass cider press, one that Twilight remembered had been constructed nearly a thousand years ago after a fire wiped out nearly the whole farm.

Walking over to it, Twilight peaked within the stall to find the Applejack’s head and forelegs inside a circular opening at the front of the machine. The fit was a tight one, but it didn't seem to bother the pony very much, as she continued to work away, muttering curses all the while. At least Applejack seemed fine on the outside, as she looked the same, all save for a single apple which now grew from one of the branches of the tree upon her back. Twilight quickly looked down, noticing the small mound of screws, tools, and other equipment which littered the ground.

“Hey, Applejack, can you hear me?” Twilight asked, only to get no response, prompting her to try again, only louder this time. “Hey, Applejack!”

“Who the- ow!” Applejack exclaimed, the pony jumping just enough to bang her head on the inside of the machine.

Wincing, Twilight took a step back. “Are you alright?”

Applejack awkwardly took a step back, the pony rubbing her head with a hoof as she continued to grumble. “Yeah, I’m alright. Just startled me, is all. What can I do for ya, sugarcube?”

Twilight blinked, unable to not notice the deep rings which were visible under the farmer’s eyes. “Are you sure you're alright?” pressed the unicorn.

“Why do you ask? I didn't cut myself again, did I?” Applejack asked, the pony touching her face, looking for the source of Twilight’s concern.

“No, you didn't cut yourself,” Twilight replied. “I was just concerned because of the dark circles under your eyes.”

The farm pony sighed. “Oh. That. Well, don't you worry none. I may not have been getting enough sleep recently, but trust me, I’m still up to helping you with whatever it is yer here fer.”

“I was hoping to gather some more data on your farm and family as well as ask you a few questions,” Twilight stated, only to frown. “But now I’m more worried about whatever it is that has everyone so distraught. Granny Smith isn't that sick, is she? I can help pay the hospital bill if that's what you need. I haven't even touched my stipend yet.”

“Woah there, partner. Ain't no need for that,” Applejack quickly replied, raising her hoof placatingly. “This ain't an illness those fellers can help with anyhow.”

“What do you mean? Granny Smith isn't that old. Is she?” Twilight asked while scratching her head.

“Ain't a matter of age, I’m afraid,” Applejack remarked with a sigh. “The forest is about ready to have her join the orchard.”

“You don't mean…” Twilight gulped. “Oh no.”

“Yeah…” Applejack grabbed a cloth from her toolbox and wiped her brow before retrieving her trademark stetson from a nearby pole and plopping it on her head. “She can hardly move, and her constant moaning is keepin’ the whole family up.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. There isn't anything we can do, is there?” Twilight asked hesitantly.

“Not unless you figured out how to go back in time and somehow save mah ancestors who died in the war,” Applejack muttered bitterly, only to sigh. “Sorry bout that. I know you're just tryin’ to help.”

“Well, I may be able to do something, but it's going to be a long shot,” Twilight replied hesitantly, the pony unable to meet her friend’s gaze.

Applejack nodded. “Well, shoot. If there’s a chance we may as well try, right? Where do we start?”

“I had a few more questions before we did anything, but before we do that, are you sure you don't want some water or something?” Twilight asked.

“I’m fine, trust me. Nothing a little fresh air won't fix,” Applejack declared.

“Alright…” Twilight muttered.

“So what kinda questions did ya have in mind?” Applejack inquired as the mare began to trot towards the exit of the barn.

Twilight easily kept pace with the shorter-legged being, following close to her right. “Well, I was wondering if you managed to get an answer out of Granny Smith before she…”

Applejack nodded. “Eeyup, I sure did. It was close, but I managed to answer all those questions you left for me the other week.”

“Excellent, let's start with the story. Has your family tried following it?” Twilight started, the unicorn opening the barn door with her magic.

Applejack nodded her thanks before trotting out into the open air and breathing deeply. “‘Fraid so. Apparently Granny Smith and the rest of her family did their best to try and listen to the forest, but even after sticking to it for ten whole years they didn't see much of a return.”

Twilight frowned deeply. “Was there any noticeable difference? Perhaps they didn't keep up with it for long enough.”

Applejack shrugged. “Granny said the last year was a bit better, but after nine years of increasingly weak crops, it wasn't much.”

Twilight frowned and let her gaze linger on the farmhouse until they passed it by. “I guess my plan of creating that map wouldn't help very much. Not with Granny Smith at least,” Twilight exclaimed.

“I’m glad you kept that in mind, but I’m afraid I’m gonna have to agree with you on this one,” Applejack remarked. “We can't keep dealing with the symptoms anymore. We have to get to the root of this problem. Pun not intended.”

Twilight sighed. “That makes the rest of my questions more or less irrelevant.”

“I don't suppose you got any other ideas in that head of yours, eh?” Applejack inquired as the pair passed through the first row of trees.

“One, but you are not going to like it,” Twilight warned.

“Try me,” Applejack challenged.

“I’ve recently learned a new spell, one that may be able to bring back the spirit of someone who died over a thousand years ago,” Twilight explained.

“But I thought you said there was no way a spirit would linger for that long?” Applejack countered. “Or am I getting yer spells mixed up again?”

“No, you are right, but with the right added components we can effectively beseech the spirits of those who passed on from this world,” Twilight continued.

“Really now?” Applejack asked in shock. “Normally I’d be against it, but our options are running out and you make it sound like your spell thingy is more of a request which makes me feel a little better about this whole thing.”

“It is,” Twilight stated.

Applejack hummed thoughtfully as the pair trotted through the orchard, the farmer’s gaze lingering on the many dead or dying trees which marred her farm. “I’m in.”

Twilight blinked. “You are? Are you sure?”

“As sure as I can be about this kinda thing,” Applejack replied. “I may not like it, but if we can do it respectfully, and if it might help Granny, then how can I say no?”

“Oh, before we forget. Did Granny Smith happen to remember why the corruption started only to get reversed?” Twilight questioned.

“Yer talkin about those pictures we saw in the family history book, right?” Applejack replied.

Twilight nodded. “Yeah, they seemed to show the corruption being beaten back somehow. Did Granny Smith know anything about that?”

“She did, but couldn't say much, I’m afraid.” Applejack sighed and trailed a hoof through the fallen leaves of a random apple tree. “Granny said that the family grew arrogant, thinkin’ they knew better than the forest, but after they righted their wrong and showed their respect, everythin’ went back to normal.”

“Showed their respect… that word choice sounds quite deliberate. Did they perform some manner of ritual?” Twilight pressed.

Applejack shrugged. “Dunno. Granny couldn't recall anything other than that bit I told ya and even that had to be pieced together from a bunch of random stories she had been told over the years.”

“Hmmm, well hopefully the spirit will be able to help us figure that out, as something tells me it’s important,” Twilight remarked.

“Why do you sound so certain about that? What if it's just, ya know, symbolic?” Applejack inquired, the farm pony eying her friend closely.

“I don't know, to be honest with you. It just feels important for some reason,” Twilight muttered.

“I say we should trust that feeling, the head may lie, but the gut sure doesn't,” Applejack stated with a smile.

“I don't know about that. Spike sure likes to say he's hungry right after we ate supper,” Twilight countered.

Applejack chuckled. “Nah, that's the stomach, it lies all the time. The gut is different, it's totally honest. Take it from me.”

Twilight giggled and shook her head. “Right, sorry. How could I ever forget.”

“Apology accepted,” Applejack exclaimed, only for her good cheer to quickly vanish a second later. “If we’re doing this, we should do it now.”

“Right now?” Twilight asked. “But I don't even have what I need.”

“Then run back and get it,” Applejack replied, the farm pony stopping and fixing Twilight with a firm gaze. “There ain't much time, plus we gotta do this in secret and you know how much I suck at hidin’ stuff from my family..”

“R-right,” Twilight stuttered. “I’ll just run back to the library and grab my stuff.”

“I’ll meet you at the entrance to the farm,” Applejack stated before reaching forward and pulling the unicorn into a tight hug. “Thank you for this.”

“But I haven't done anything yet,” Twilight muttered.

“I know, but you’ve given me hope. Somethin’ we’ve all been a little short on recently,” Applejack exclaimed before taking a step back. “Is there anything you need from me?”

“If you can find any possessions which connect to the deceased, that would be great, but given the time period, the family history book may be our only hope in that regard,” Twilight replied.

Applejack sighed. “I’ll look through the stuff in the basement just in case. Besides, we got all kindsa junk down there from family members I’ve never even met.”

“Meet back in an hour?” Twilight inquired.

Applejack nodded. “Sounds good.”

“Alright. Good luck, Applejack,” Twilight declared, the unicorn giving her friend’s shoulder a light squeeze.

“Thanks. I think I’m gonna need it,” Applejack muttered.

Twilight stopped and bit her lip, a hoof going to one of her saddlebags. “You’ve checked them four times already, Twilight. It's fine,” she muttered to herself, chastising her continued trepidation.

Forcing herself to merely focus on putting one hoof in front of the other, Twilight slowly pushed past the worry and doubt which plagued her constantly. “This is the only way we have a chance to help Granny Smith,” Twilight whispered to herself as she turned down the road which lead to the farm.

“So what if you're going to disrespect and potentially defile the graves of the family that has taken you in and treated you like a normal person? That's no big deal,” Twilight asked herself, only to chuckle nervously. “Oh, who am I kidding? I’m definitely going to end up as a red smear on the ground the second Big Mac finds out what I’ve done.”

Sighing to herself, Twilight hung her head in defeat, barely even registering as her surroundings slowly changed, becoming slightly less chaotic and a little more organized. The unicorn only bothered to lift her head when she caught the scent of apples, the pony finding herself standing at the unofficial entrance of Sweet Apple Acres. Looking around revealed the same basket of apples that was always rested next to the road, as well as a panting Applejack who was jogging up to her.

“Find anything?” Twilight inquired.

“Only a statue that apparently belonged to Twilight Twinkle,” Applejack replied, the pony giving her bags a tap in emphasis.

“Let’s uh, save that one for last. And did you bring the book?” Twilight continued.

Applejack patted the other bag. “Sure did.”

“Only one item… that does not bode well for our chances. Even if we have the book,” Twilight murmured.

“It's better than nothin’ though, right? Come on, we better get movin’. Pretty sure Apple Bloom saw me rummaging around in the basement, and I don't want her gettin’ involved in all this,” Applejack exclaimed.

“Wait! I, uh, was just wondering if you are still sure this is a good idea.” Twilight winced and rubbed the back of her neck. “I really don't want to cause offence or anything.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “What are ya talkin about? I thought you said this spell a yours is respectful.”

“It is. I’m just having second thoughts, I guess.” Twilight looked down, unable to meet the farm pony’s gaze. “I know I’m just an honorary Apple, but you guys are the only family I have left, and I don't want to push you away.”

Applejack sighed and trotted over to her friend, the pony extending a foreleg over Twilight’s shoulders. “Look here, sugarcube. You are tryin’ to save the oldest Apple around and potentially the whole rest of mah family. Ain't nothing disrespectful about that.”

“I know, but…” Twilight’s voice trailed off, the words she wanted to speak eluding her grasp.

“Look, if it makes ya feel any better, most of my family would fall over themselves to help if they could. Way I see it, this ain't any different,” Applejack declared, the pony giving her friend’s shoulder one last squeeze before taking a step back. “Besides, if anyone tries to give you any guff, I’ll say it was all my idea.”

“Pfft, you, lie?” Twilight scoffed. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“Well, believe it, buster. There is only one thing worth lying fer and that's family. Now c'mon, it's getting early and I don't want to be in a graveyard during the day. Gives me the heebee jeebees,” Applejack remarked, the farmpony’s entire body shaking at the mere thought.

Twilight chuckled and shook her head, the last speck of doubt she had left slowly vanishing. “Thanks, Applejack. Alright, lead the way.”

Applejack nodded and turned away. “Stay close, the forest gets mighty creepy this close to dawn.”

“Oh hey, Spike told me something interesting when I was gathering the supplies,” Twilight exclaimed as they began to trot down the path.

“Oh, what's that?” Applejack asked without turning around.

“Well, I had gotten curious about the comment he made about the house being over a thousand years old and after some discussion we came to the conclusion that this may not be the original Apple family farmstead,” Twilight remarked.

“Not the original? What do you mean?” Applejack inquired, the pony glancing at her friend curiously.

“Well, the timelines don't quite fit, so Spike and I figured out that someone built a nearly perfect replica of the first house on the foundations of the old one,” Twilight explained.

“Really now? Well, I suppose that explains why it had supposedly burnt down, yet Spike remembered it. Though I wonder why they would rebuild it in the exact same spot and make it look damn near identical,” Applejack mused.

“Well, if the foundation is already there...” Twilight offered.

The farmpony nodded. “Fair enough, though now that we’re talkin’... I’m kinda curious to find out how the whole fire started in the first place, and why the knowledge of whatever ritual my family was involved in was so secretive.”

“I thought you said it burnt down during the war,” Twilight pointed out.

“That's just it. The fire started during the war, but no one knows who started it, or why. Heck, the only thing we do know is some of her damnable soldiers were the ones to kill most of my kin,” Applejack remarked, before turning and spitting a loogie into the dirt.

“Add to that the fact that time doesn't exactly work the same in the forest and we have a very strange situation on our hooves,” Twilight exclaimed with a frown.

Applejack shrugged. “It's not that big a deal though right? I mean ,who cares if things don't make perfect sense.”

Twilight sighed. “I guess you're right. Still, it would be nice to have a clear series of events. If we did, there might be some manner of clue in there somewhere.”

“Life doesn't work out that way, I’m afraid,” Applejack stated gruffly.

“Let's just get to the graveyard. All these time shenanigans are making my head hurt,” Twilight muttered bitterly.

Applejack chuckled. “Sure thing. Shouldn't be too far now.”

Together the two ponies walked in silence, each one contemplating the mystery they had found themselves smack dab in the middle of. Twilight was busy trying to order the series of events that lead up to where they were now, while Applejack was still ruminating on their plan. It was a good one, the farmpony had decided, though even after assuring Twilight of its validity, the entire thing still left a bad taste in Applejack’s mouth.

Meanwhile, the sparse and semi-orderly foliage of the orchard gave way to the wild untamed wilderness that surrounded the farm. The ever present moon was blotted out by a passing cloud, its light nearly completely blocked by the many limbs of the trees which loomed over them. The darkness which at one point would have made Twilight feel uneasy now felt comforting, the shadows comforting rather than terrifying.

That changed when they noticed the black iron fence which surrounded the private cemetery, the vines and foliage rendering it almost invisible. The land rose before them, the slight hill barely noticeable until the sky opened up and the moon shone brilliantly once more. Sitting in the same position it always did, the white celestial orb bathed the open expanse in moonlight, illuminating the numerous headstones therein.

The sound of animals and insects stopped the moment they stepped foot inside the cemetery, the normal noises of the forest all but vanishing and leaving only a gentle wind to fill the void. Twilight shuddered, but kept close behind Applejack as the farmpony strode confidently into the graveyard. Though even then, Twilight could tell that her friend could also feel the tense atmosphere, and sense how the forest seemed to be holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

“This is weird, right?” Twilight asked hesitantly as she looked around the open space.

Applejack nodded. “Feels like were bein’ watched, but not like a mean kinda bein’ watched.”

“Like someone is waiting for us to do something,” Twilight finished.

“Yeah…” Applejack muttered, only to gulp and point to a nearby headstone. “Let's start with Uncle Eastwick. Granny said he was supposedly a right honorable stallion.”

“Right,” Twilight muttered, the unicorn moving to the grave and unslinging her bags, while doing her best to ignore the urn which rested only a dozen or so feet away.

To say it was strange to be back here so soon after she had laid her previous incarnation to rest would be an understatement. Still, she had a job to do, and she wasn't about to let that stand in the way of helping her friend and her adopted family. Even if that job meant bringing back one of Applejack’s ancestors and hoping against hope that they knew something forgotten to history.

“Alright, let’s begin,” Twilight muttered, the unicorn pulling forth a dozen candles from her bag and arraying them around the grave in a simple star pattern.

Applejack stood nervously off to the side, the pony watching closely as Twilight lit the candles as well as a long thin piece of incense, which the unicorn stuck into the ground just in front of the headstone. Positioning herself at the foot of the grave, Twilight lit her horn, and began to hum a nameless tune which quickly sprung unbidden from her lips. As she sung, she moved and twisted her body this way and that, the magic coming surprisingly easy, and moving her in a manner she had not expected.

If there was one thing necromancy encouraged, it was adaptation, and so Twilight merely allowed herself to be moved by the winds of fate. It was strange and unfamiliar to the dead mare, but she had read enough to know that this was always a possibility when it came to necromancy. Though even then her resolve was challenged when her tune suddenly gained lyrics, and she could hear distant drums begin to beat.

Steeling her resolve, Twilight allowed the song to move through her, unconcerned as she had read about the ancient necromantic phenomenon called the heart song. The distant drums seemed to grow closer, and though she mostly spoke in a language even she did not understand, Twilight could feel the weight of her words. The song spoke of a hearth, of a long road upon which weary travelers tread, and of yearning for the comforts of home.

“Upon i hearth i naur na- naru, Beneath i telu ennas na- a haust; But ú- yet gum are mín feet, Still round i nas mín lothron govannon- A bragol nimloth ben standing sarn plural serni i none gar- seen but mín eriol. Nimloth a lóth a las a thár, Let hain aglon! Let hain aglon! Amon plural emyn a nen no aiwenor, aglon hain bui! Aglon hain bui!” Twilight sang, the song stopping mid-note the second the last word left her lips.

The spell released, and the grave glowed a faint purple light from deep within the earth. Twilight and Applejack alike stood hesitantly next to it, staring anxiously, awaiting the results of the unicorn’s spell. Though the glow grew stronger, more powerful, that didn't last long and the light quickly faded a moment later, leaving both beings standing there in defeat.

“I’m guessin it didn't work?” Applejack asked.

Twilight nodded. “The spirit is too far gone and its connection to this world too weak.”

“Well, we better get onto the next one then,” Applejack muttered, the pony turning away and trotting several feet to their right.

Twilight sighed, and gave the grave one final glance before nodding her thanks and retrieving her supplies. The weight of her most recent failure was significant, but Twilight wouldn't let it get her down, not while she still had a chance. Even as the song and the strange words she spoke echoed in the back of her mind, leaving the pony with the sense that the song was not quite complete.

Following behind Applejack, Twilight noticed that there were very few graves that appeared to be the same age as the one they had just passed. “How many chances do you think we’ll get?” Twilight asked nervously.

Applejack frowned. “Other than this one? Only two more.”

“Those last two, are they Apple Turnover and Twilight Twinkle?” Twilight inquired as she arrayed the candles out in the proper positions and jammed the incense into the dirt.

“Yeah…” Applejack muttered. “Let’s just hope this works.”

“R-right,” Twilight stuttered, the pony quickly getting back to work.

In a few seconds everything was in order once more, and Twilight took a moment to read the headstone more carefully this time. Verdant Fields, a doting grandmother to all but mother to none. The dates were unreadable, but the headstone itself seemed ancient enough to fit the right time period. Before she spoke, Twilight did her best to hold what little she knew of the pony close to her heart, focusing on that information as she lit her horn.

This time the song came quickly, surging to the pony’s lips as the drums continued mid-step, as if they were merely waiting for her return. Careful not to resist the tug of the heart song, Twilight poured herself into the act, doing exactly as the winds demanded of her.

“Still round i nas ennas lothron darth- A siniath road ben a dolen fen, a though mín aglon hain bui sír, Tomorrow mín lothron tul- hi té a take i dolen paths i nor- Towards i Luna ben na i Celestia. Apple, reg, a nut a sloe, Let hain glenn-! Let hain glenn-! Sand a sarn plural serni a both a dell, Fare cin eithel! Fare cin eithel!” Twilight sang.

Again, the spell released, and again the grave filled with light, a purple glow seeping up through the cracks in the earth beneath their hooves. Yet again, that glow grew dimmer until it faded away completely, leaving the two ponies to stare down at it in defeat. By now it was clear that the song was not yet complete, yet it had stopped anyway, halting after a second verse and leaving Twilight confused.

To make matters stranger, the words were becoming easier to understand, as if the language itself was revealing its secrets to the unicorn bit by bit. Yet still, Twilight couldn't quite understand every last part of it and she was left standing there, growing ever more confused the longer she thought about it.

“Same as before?” Applejack asked.

Twilight nodded solemnly. “Her business was done. Her spirit is at rest.”

Applejack sighed and turned away. “I guess we’re just going to have to try again.”

Twilight frowned and began to gather her supplies once more, her mind churning with many, many questions and very few possible answers. At least her singing voice had improved since her death, though the unicorn had a feeling that it was the magic of the soul which guided her in this regard. As the pony had not been much of a singer and had previously never even attempted to hit the high and low notes she had just barely sung.

“So, uh, what was that language you were speaking?” Applejack inquired as Twilight set out the candles and incense in front of a different grave.

“I’m not sure. It feels powerful though, but also gentle, and kind in a way,” Twilight remarked with a shrug. “It feels like the magic is slowly helping me understand it, but it's just so strange.”

Applejack nodded. “I’ll say. Though the song is beautiful, and your voice is…” the farmpony’s sentence trailed off as she struggled to find the right words to express how she felt.

“Weird.” Twilight finished with a snort. “I could never hit those notes before, or stay on key for more than a second or two. It hardly even feels like I’m the one singing and is more like I’m a puppet for something else.”

“Still. That was sure was somethin’. Where do you think it comes from?” Applejack inquired, the mare taking a step back when Twilight took position at the foot of a new grave.

“The soul, I think. I have vague memories of that kind of singing being slightly more common a thousand years ago, but I don't have any clear memories of it happening before,” Twilight explained.

“Must be a necromancy thing. At least it isn't taking as long as you thought,” Applejack offered.

“I suppose you’re right.” Twilight sighed. “Alright, Apple Turnover, let's hope you're up to helping us out, because I do not want to raise your daughter.”

Lighting her horn once more, Twilight prepared herself for the song to return, and return it did, the words all but exploding from her lips as the music surged. The drums from before had been subtly replaced with the sound of strings and a piano, making the song even more beautiful. The changes were small, and Twilight’s voice seemed to follow the tone of the music more closely, her words soft, and her movements slow.

“Bar na- adel, i ambar ahead, a ennas are limb paths na tread trí shadows na i pel -o dú, Until i elena are all alight. I ambar adel a bar ahead, mín'll amro- back na bar a haust. Hith a tindu, fán a lumb, Awaui shall thinn-! Awaui shall thinn-! Naur a calar, a aes a bas, a then na haust! A then na haust!” Twilight sang, the song ending on a somber, half-whispered note.

The spell was completed, and once again purple light shone through the earth, emanating from far beneath their hooves. Though brighter than either time that came before, this light faded quickly, leaving both ponies confused and disappointed.

“I don't understand. The song was complete, the spell worked, but she is just… too far,” Twilight murmured, the unicorn staring down at the grave as the light flickered and finally died completely.

“Are ya sure that's what happened? There wasn't a mishap with yer casting or somethin’ like that?” Applejack asked.

Twilight nodded confidently. “I could feel it deep down inside of me. The song was complete, and the spell was done correctly.”

Applejack sighed. “Well, I suppose this is our last chance then.”

Twilight nodded meekly, the unicorn using her magic to shift the candles and incense from one grave to another, all while avoiding the sight of the urn which rested between them. As Twilight did this, Applejack pulled open her bag and placed a rather strange, wooden statue in front of the next headstone. The statue which sat upon a wide, wooden base was a strange mishmash of creatures, whose body was stretched out in such a manner that made Twilight imagine the creature it depicted had been caught mid-song and turned to wood.

Its back legs were a combination of the hoof of a pony, and the scaley clawed limb of a dragon, while its long, noodly torso had the fur of a lion, and of an equine, while its tail was clearly draconic. Its right arm was that of a lion, while the left was clearly that of a griffon and it also had one bat wing, and one pegasus wing. Its face was perhaps the strangest mix, as it had the ears of what looked like a donkey, an antler of a deer, and the horn of a goat. To top that all off, it also had one large tooth, a pair of bushy eyebrows and a tuft of hair which sprouted from its chin.

The statue itself was surprisingly realistic, making Twilight feel as though it could come to life and continue its song at any moment. Shaking off that strange thought, Twilight continued to ready herself for the coming spell, going over her preparations several times. After she was certain, Twilight turned to Applejack, ready to ask the mare if she had any other last insights. Only for her her ears to twitch and her question to change just before she had been ready to speak it.

“Do you hear that?” Twilight asked, the pony slowly turning in place, trying to locate the source of the distant sound she had just noticed.

“No, what is it?” Applejack replied, the farmpony looking around nervously.

“Sounds like something really big coming this way,” Twilight muttered, the unicorn taking a step back and lighting her horn.

“I don't hear…” Applejack paused, the color draining out of her face. “Twilight, we need to run, now.”

“What are you talking about?” Twilight demanded a second before an enormous shape broke through the wall of trees.

A massive three headed creature exploded into the graveyard, its great limbs carving deep furrows in the soft earth, destroying plants and graves alike. The creature was a quadruped, with its forelimbs resembling the paws of an enormous sabre-toothed tiger. Its back legs were that of a ram, and from its tail grew an enormous cobra which loomed over the main body. From its neck sprouted two heads, one being that of a tiger, the other a ram, all three pairs of eyes glowing an angry red light, its fur standing on end.

The creature let out a wail of anguish as it thrashed its two central heads, its limbs throwing huge chunks of dirt into the air.

“What the hay is that?” Twilight demanded, the unicorn backpedalling rapidly.

“A chimera, they are usually really smart, and one even runs a farm on the other side of town,” Applejack replied quickly, the mare backing up with her friend. “We gotta take it down without hurting it too much. Ya think you can do that?”

“Maybe... why can't we defend ourselves or run away?” Twilight shouted, watching in horror as the chimera threw itself against a nearby oak tree and knocked the entire thing over with ease. “I know they are smart, but this might come down to us and it.”

“It’s obviously hurtin’ and not in its right mind. If we are going to have any hope of saving Granny Smith, we gotta stop it from destroying the graveyard,” Applejack hastily explained.

Twilight gritted her teeth and silently bemoaned her poor luck, as for one there was little chance of escape given how fast the chimera was. Beyond that, Twilight refused to run anyway, as this land meant they had a chance to save the mare who had raised her friend and potentially her entire family. If that meant Twilight was going to have to go into a tough fight with one hoof tied behind her back, then so be it, she thought.

“Stay low, keep moving, and grab its attention. I’ll layer on the curses until it can't even move. Then we figure out a way to help it,” Twilight exclaimed.

Applejack nodded. “Right, let's do this.”

A powerful roar split the night, the chimera rearing back and crying out in all three of her voices. It was enough to make Twilight’s teeth rattle, and for a moment doubt entered her mind, only to be pushed aside as quickly as it came. Lighting her horn, Twilight reached into her bag and produced a satchel of dark purple flowers, opening it quickly. Pulling one of the bell-shaped flowers, Twilight yelled a gutteral word of power before slamming the flower into the ground.

A purple tear surrounded by a circle suddenly appeared on the chimera’s right foreleg, burning away its fur, the monster nearly collapsing as its leg gave out. The bestial roar of rage turned to one of anguish, and the chimera spun, suddenly facing the two ponies. Its gaze seethed with rage, red energy sparking from the corners of its eyes a second before it lurched forward, charging the ponies with a long, lopsided gait.

Applejack sprinted forward, meeting the chimera in the center of the graveyard and ducking under a furious swipe. Reacting quickly, Applejack spun and kicked out the chimera’s knee, sending the already lopsided creature crashing to the ground. The farmpony proved too fast once more, leaping backwards out of a bite from the sabre-toothed head, and then to the left in order to dodge a second bite from the cobra.

Cursing under her breath, Twilight quickly retrieved a second flower and in moments was ready to cast the same spell again. Only this time the moment she yelled, the cobra head spun around and launched a blob of green liquid in her direction. Leaping to the side at the last second, Twilight narrowly missed the strange liquid which splattered against the ground where she had been standing a second earlier.

“Oh no,” Twilight muttered, her gaze quickly scanning the ground for any of her lost spell components only to watch as they slowly melted into a puddle of goo.

Cursing her foul luck once more, the unicorn dashed to her left, doing her best to keep Applejack between herself and the chimera. The farmpony hadn't been idle though and delivered a powerful buck to the side of the tiger’s head, sending it careening against its sister. With the creature temporarily stunned, Applejack tried to line up a second kick, hoping to end this fight before it even had a chance to truly begin.

A green blur stopped that plan dead in its tracks however, and Applejack dropped to her belly just in time to see the cobra head fly over her head. The far pony hadn't gotten out unscathed however, as a good chunk of her branches had been torn off, and a jolt of white hot pain shot through her body. Gritting her teeth, the pony scrambled back into a stand, knowing instinctively that she had little time before the tiger bit her in half.

Applejack had even less time than she thought she did, but thankfully for her, Twilight noticed this, and fired a black ray from her hoof. The spell flew true and landed smack dab between the tiger head’s eyes, causing the entire body to stumble to the side. With just enough time to get out of the way, Applejack dashed around the left side of the chimera, hoping to use this moment of weakness to knock it over completely.

Twilight’s horn burned as power coursed through her body, magic pouring out of her hoof, and into the tiger’s head. It tried to jerk out of the way of the spell, but it only managed to get about a foot before its eyes suddenly closed, and the entire left half of its body fell to the earth. With her spell done, Twilight quickly followed her friend’s lead, running to the left and doing her best to keep out of range of any counter attacks.

Thankfully for the unicorn, the chimera was plenty busy just trying to pin down Applejack, who was taking full advantage of its partially paralyzed state. The cobra head snapped, but with the farmpony so close to the chimera’s side it was hard for its fanged jaws to hit the pony and not itself in the process. Noticing this, Applejack leapt forward, grappling the base of the cobra and wrestling it to the ground, pinning it under her in a single swift movement.

Twilight silently cheered as Applejack’s forelegs wrapped around the cobra’s jaws, holding its mouth shut and effectively shutting down the second head. Readying another ray, Twilight aimed for the ram’s head, only to notice that it had coiled its right half under its body. Temporarily confused by the strange act, Twilight hesitated, accidentally giving her opponent the time it needed.

With a mighty heave, the entire Chimera flipped backwards, its entire bulk about to land directly on top of Applejack. The farmpony once more proved that she was quicker then she looked, and hopped to her hooves just in time to catch the beast mid-fall. With her forelegs now keeping the beast from crushing her, and one back leg keeping the cobra’s jaw firmly shut, Applejack could do nothing but stand there as she was slowly squished under the chimera’s bulk.

“Do something!” Applejack shouted, her muscles bulging as she struggled to keep herself from being crushed under the creature’s body.

The move had been a desperate one, and it left Twilight with few options, as even if she managed to knock the creature out, that would not help Applejack’s situation. Panic began to claw at the back of Twilight’s mind, and the urge to run or give up was nearly overwhelming, only for an idea to suddenly spring to mind. She needed to do two things at once, lift the chimera with a telekinesis spell, but also knock out the goat head.

Normally such a feat would be impossible, given the fact that a unicorn couldn't cast more than one spell at the same time, but those unicorns didn't know necromancy. Soul magic didn't need her horn to work, and thus, in theory, she could cast both spells at the same time. With no time to lose, Twilight began to go through the motions to cast another ray of enfeeblement. This time targeting the chimera’s exposed belly while at the same time lighting her horn, powering up a telekinesis spell aimed to grab the creature the second her ray fired.

Sweat and sap poured down Applejack’s back, the strain from holding up the thrashing, enraged monster exacting a heavy toll on the mare. The sheer strain was enough to make her grip weaken, and Applejack could feel the cobra begin to slip out from under her. Steeling herself for her possible demise, Applejack tried to push back, only to find that the chimera was too much for her to move.

Twilight meanwhile had just pushed through the wall of resistance, which held back her attempt to cast two spells at once and with one final heave, she released her magic. The beam of black energy exploded from her hoof as at the same time, her strange, unnatural aura wrapped around the chimera’s body. The amount of magic she needed to cast both spells was immense, and the unicorn gritted her teeth as the three-headed beast tried to fight back.

Its limbs flailed, its body twisted, but still Twilight continued to grab at it while pouring more of the black energy into its belly. As Twilight’s telekinetic grip tightened, resistance increased, with the monster flailing as hard as it could in an effort to break free. For a moment the creature seemed as though it was going to win, only for the eyes of the ram head to flicker and close.

With a triumphant shout, Twilight’s grip tightened, and she threw the creature to the right, giving Applejack just enough time to slip out from under it. The beast crashed to the earth in a heap, crushing headstones and flowers alike as it tumbled to the earth. Twilight let her spells fizzle, and the unicorn nearly followed her opponent to the ground, trembling so hard she only barely stayed standing.

Panting hard, Twilight kept her magic ready, a spell waiting should the creature stir once more. No movement came from it however, and as she watched, the red aura which surrounded its now-closed eyes began to dissipate. Leaving behind a slumbering chimera, which lay half on its side, its entire body sprawled out like a doll that had been tossed aside by an uncaring child.

With the immediate danger now out of the way, Twilight looked over to where she had seen Applejack go down. “Applejack, are you okay?” Twilight shouted.

Rising from one of the forrows the chimera had dug a moment earlier was a single orange hoof, followed by the bruised face of a familiar farmpony. “I’m in rough shape, but I’m alive,” Applejack shouted back.

Twilight began trotting over to her friend, only to wince when her right foreleg touched the ground. Glancing at the bottom of her limb revealed that it was now completely black, Twilight’s overcharging of the enfeeblement spell having evidently taken its toll on her body. Limping, Twilight trotted up to her friend just as the farmpony had pulled herself upright once more.

“Are you sure you are okay? That looks… bad,” Twilight muttered while pointing to the mare’s back.

Applejack winced as she looked over her shoulder and saw the damage the cobra had done to Bloomberg. Only a few branches were still attached to the main trunk, and even then they were almost completely bereft of leaves. Somehow one of the branches to survive was the one which had managed to produce the apple, the fruit still dangling from the green limb.

“No wonder this hurts so bad,” Applejack muttered.

“Are you going to be okay?” Twilight asked nervously.

“If Bloomberg goes, I go with him... and things don't look good for the old tree,” Applejack remarked, wincing as she plucked a branch which had been hanging on by a thread.

“You are tough though, right? You can come back from this,” Twilight pressed.

Applejack seemed pensive for a moment before shrugging her shoulders. “I got no idea. Trees die real slow though, which means we still got time to get the job done.”

“Applejack, you need to go to the hospital,” Twilight continued. “I know it's not you that's hurt, but surely they could do something for you.”

The farmpony snorted as she made her way over to the inert chimera. “You saw what happened to my parents, you know what happens if we should fail.”

“Applejack…”

The farmpony shook her head. “I’d give my life for any one in my family, besides, ain't no one around that knows apple trees better than Granny Smith. If we can help her, she can help me.”

Twilight bit her lip and looked from the farmpony to the chimera. “Fine, but we need Big Mac here, or someone as that red light we saw in its eyes was a frenzy spell. Someone or something sent that chimera after us and may very well have more tricks up their sleeve.”

Applejack glanced over the chimera’s enormous form before sighing. “Yer right. We need him, but with all the ruckus, chances are he's already on his way here.”

“Eeyup,” declared a deep, familiar voice.

Author's Note

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A Family Reborn

“Eeyup,” declared a deep, familiar voice.

The two ponies spun towards the entrance to the graveyard, where a pensive Big Macintosh was observing the area. He gestured to the chimera questioningly as he walked up to the pair.

Twilight shook her head. “She won't be a problem and most likely won't have any permanent damage.”

Big Macintosh nodded, before turning to Applejack, his expression falling the second he noticed the true depth of her injuries.

“Look, I know what yer gonna say, and I’m tellin’ you right now. Don't start with me. We got a lot of work to do before we can worry about me,” Applejack declared.

The large stallion hummed and seemed ready to argue before changing his mind, nodding slowly and pointing to Twilight while raising an eyebrow.

A bark cut off Twilight’s response before it could even begin, and all three ponies turned to the chimera and the timberwolf puppy that was gnawing on its tough hide. The wolf’s tiny wooden teeth did little against the much larger creature’s hard exterior, but that didn't stop Winona from trying anyway. She bit down over and over, shaking her head occasionally, yet accomplishing next to nothing.

“Winona, get over here before you wake her up early and accidentally get flattened!” Applejack shouted.

The puppy looked towards the trio of ponies before turning and kicking a bunch of dirt on the chimera and scampering up to Applejack’s side.

“Err, as I was about to say,” Twilight began, the unicorn glancing hesitantly towards Big Macintosh. “I was hoping to bring back the spirit of one of your ancestors in an attempt to find out what manner of deal your family had with the forest.”

“And before you say anything, it was all my idea,” declared Applejack who stepped forward. “So I won’t hear no tough older brother routine out of you.”

Rather than get irritated, Big Macintosh seemed unusually reserved, the stallion’s gaze lingering on Twilight Twinkle’s grave for several long seconds. “Eeyup,” he replied after a long pause.

“So you’ll help us?” Applejack asked in shock.

The stallion nodded. “Eeyup,” he repeated.

“That's great. We just need someone to help watch our back while Twi does her thing,” Applejack added, only to wince as a jolt of pain ran down her back.

“And there is only one grave left anyway,” Twilight remarked sadly. “If this doesn't work, then… I don't know what we could even do.”

Big Macintosh sighed deeply and turned to the timberwolf puppy, pointing down at her, then to himself and finally the grave. This seemed to get his message across perfectly, as the timberwolf stopped licking Applejack’s injured leg and scrambled next to the stallion. Turning away, the pair began to patrol the area, both doing their best to sniff out whomever had tried to disrupt Twilight’s spell.

“Alright, let's do this thing,” Applejack exclaimed.

Twilight nodded and trotted over to the final grave. “Well, at least the chimera didn't ruin my circle.”

Applejack nodded. “We’re right lucky, is what we are. All yer candles are even still lit.”

“Right, just give me a moment. Necromancy requires that the caster get into a proper state of mind, lest their spell get away from them,” Twilight explained before closing her eyes and breathing deeply.

Sure she knew she didn't have to breathe, but the act calmed her and allowed her to focus on her spell. Though the magic came easily to her, Twilight didn't start casting her spell quite yet, instead focusing on what she knew of the pony she was trying to bring back. Twilight Twinkle had been young when she had passed, and seemed to have a fondness for strange creatures. Besides that Twilight knew very little of the girl, other than the fact that her former self was her aunt, sort of.

They also shared a name, one which was given to Twilight Twinkle with the intention of allowing her previous self’s spirit to continue living. It was a bit morbid in a way, but it was also undeniably beautiful, a selfless act of remembrance and also respect. Holding onto the feeling of pride, and melancholy that filled her chest, Twilight began to sing, trotting slowly around the grave as she did so.

This time there was no music that joined her, and the language she spoke was her native tongue. Yet Twilight felt as though her words carried even more power than before, her every utterance sending a vibration through the air. The only accompaniment that she received for her song was the soft whistling of the wind and the flutter of leaves on the breeze.

In a way it felt as though the very forest sung with her, the wind, the leaves, and the plants all moving in harmony, turning her song into a sort of strange duet. Twilight didn't think about that particular fact too much as her entire being was dedicated only to the small gravestone and the statue that stood before it.

“Still round the corner there may wait. A new road or a secret gate,” Twilight sang, a soft, sad smile coming to her lips as she approached the headstone.

“And though I oft have passed them by, a day will come at last when I,” Twilight continued, the unicorn vaguely aware of the fact that the tiny wooden statue was moving ever so slightly, swaying on an unseen breeze and singing along with her.

She didn't think about that though as she focused solely on the feeling she held deep down inside of herself. “Shall take the hidden paths that run west of the moon and east of the sun.”

Twilight smiled faintly, unaware of the fact that Applejack, Big Macintosh, and even Winona had stopped mid-step in order to listen to her song.

Leaning down, Twilight’s smile waned, and she brushed a bit of dirt from the grave. “Come, sweet child, give us your wisdom this day and show these lost souls the way,” Twilight whispered, the forest falling silent as she pressed her lips against the cold stone of the headstone.

Magic flowed from the mare’s hooves and was all but sucked into the dirt, pulled by some unseen force that lay beneath them. As this happened the small statue blew a kiss and bowed low before moving no more, its form becoming solid once again. Twilight lifted her head slowly and smiled down at the grave, the feelings she had held close in her heart slipping from her grip.

For a moment it had felt as though the unicorn had known the pony buried here, the feeling of connection being one akin to that which she had shared with her brother. The thought brought on a pang of guilt and longing, but Twilight brushed that aside for now. Her reunion would come, and revenge would be hers, it was only a matter of time. Which was something she now had in spades.

“It's working, Twilight. Look!” Applejack shouted.

Twilight blinked and looked over to the grave where a deep purple light shone brilliantly from beneath the earth. The light grew brighter and stronger by the second while also focusing itself on a single point, becoming vaguely pony-sized in the process. Big Macintosh appeared next to the unicorn, the enormous stallion staring in wonder as the light began to shift.

The light contorted briefly, the color changing until it was both a deep orange and a dark purple. A second later the head of an earth pony rose from the ground, her mane short and styled in a bowl cut. Her eyes were a soft mauve and contained both a sense of determination and agelessness about them.

The spirit’s neck and shoulders emerged next, followed quickly by a stocky torso and four powerfully built legs. Depicted on her flanks was an orange horizon that was illuminated by a purple starburst which just barely peeked over the edge. Though the spirit’s head only reached Twilight’s collarbone, the unicorn knew that she had been tall for her age, and that she would have grown as tall as Twilight herself given time.

She also knew that the connection they shared was deeper than what the unicorn had first anticipated, the visual similarities not ending with their height. The pony’s mane and tail also had two smaller strips of color running through them, each one a slightly lighter shade of orange and purple. Looking into the spirit’s eyes also brought forth a pang of deja vu, and Twilight instantly felt as though she was not looking into the eyes of another, but was instead peering into a mirror.

The spirit however didn't even seem to see Twilight, and turned her head to the right, in the direction of the farm house. “I feel your need, children of the soil and star-sworn,” spoke the spirit, her voice that of a child while also containing a deep power that was obvious to all who heard her.

Twilight and Big Macintosh backpedalled out of the way. “What do you mean? What's a star-sworn?” Twilight asked.

Still, the spirit didn't acknowledge the unicorn’s presence and simply began to trot in the direction of the farm’s center, leaving three confused ponies to exchange a glance before simply following after her. Twilight made it a few steps before she noticed that the ground itself was moving slightly, vines, other plants, and small animals all emerging from the forest.

The animals set about clearing debris, filling in holes, and shifting the earth while the vines straightened any toppled headstones and repaired those that had been broken. Shattered stone was gathered and plants grew between the cracks, rebuilding what had been lost in a uniquely chaotic way. The sight would have been enough to bring the Apple family siblings to tears, but they hardly even looked, as they all collectively felt the weight of destiny rest upon their shoulders.

What was happening now would shape the future of their family, and they could not turn their attention from the spirit. Twilight hastily trotted after them, her gaze having lingered too long on the strange sight, the unicorn nearly getting left behind for her curiosity. That was not the end of the strange sights however, as it seemed as though the very land around them moved according to the spirit’s whims.

The path which would have taken them many minutes to walk took mere seconds, the small group emerging out into the clearing which housed the Apple family farmstead in mere moments. Wherein they met a confused looking Apple Bloom who stood a few feet away, her jaw hanging open. She looked from Applejack to the spirit, and finally to Twilight before hastily scuttling out of the way, allowing the spirit to step fully into the yard.

“This is wrong,” stated the spirit, who shook her head as she looked out over the various buildings which lay before it. “We were meant to live as one with the forest, not to be its masters. Yet I feel as though this perversion was not intentional on your part.”

Applejack shook her head. “No, ma’am.”

The spirit frowned. “Your ignorance can be forgiven, but a ritual must be held, and proper respect given.”

“What do we have to do?” Apple Bloom asked hesitantly.

“You must burn down this affront to the forest, and give the land its respect. Only then will you be given the purity of form which you were always destined to achieve,” stated the spirit.

“Burn what down? The house?” Twilight inquired.

“The house, the barn, all must go,” declared the spirit. “I will return when you have accomplished this task. May you make haste, children of the soil.”

The spirit bowed her head and sunk into the earth, leaving the ponies left behind to glance nervously at one another.

“Are we really going to do this?” Twilight asked nervously.

“I would burn down every last inch of this place if it meant saving any one of you,” Applejack replied.

Big Macintosh nodded. “Eeyup.”

“But it's the family farm,” Apple Bloom interjected. “Wouldn't that be disrespectful?”

“The farm is not the house, the barn, or even the trees.” Applejack tapped the ground. “It's the dirt beneath your hooves and the family all around us.”

The filly sighed. “I guess yer right. I just ain't keen on sleeping on the dirt, is all.”

“Don't worry, youngun, we won't be sleeping on the dirt,” Applejack proclaimed.

Twilight glanced at the broken tree on the apple farmer’s back, noting the way that its bark was beginning to peel and slowly take on a more sickly appearance. “We had better get moving then. I’ll go get help,” remarked the unicorn.

“Nope,” interrupted Big Macintosh.

“I gotta agree with my brother on this one,” Applejack added.

Twilight turned to the mare. “Time is of the essence, Applejack, we need help,” she urged.

“This is family business, Twilight,” Applejack declared, wrapping her foreleg around the unicorn’s. “Which means it's up to us to get it done.”

The feeling of pride that surged through Twilight nearly brought a tear to her eye. “Right. Big Mac, you handle the stuff in the barn. Grab everything that can't be replaced and leave the rest. Apple Bloom, you and Applejack will unpack the house, again, grab only what you need and leave everything that you don't.”

The Apple siblings all nodded.

“What will you do, Twilight?” asked Apple Bloom.

“I will get to work constructing the fire runes which will help speed things along. Time is short, and we won't be able to wait for it all to burn naturally, I’m afraid,” Twilight declared.

“Eeyup,” agreed Big Macintosh.

Applejack nodded. “Then let's get it done, Apples.”

Twilight’s eyes were pressed tight as she ran through the spell in her mind, the various formulas and matrices coming easily, though the pony found her magic was resisting her call. With a sigh, she let the spell fall away, confident that she could at least cast it once when needed, though it would take a bit out of her. Opening her eyes, Twilight found that the Apple family was just about done with their various assigned tasks.

Big Macintosh stood outside the barn with an old plow under one hoof, the stallion tossing it into a pile with the rest of the equipment they needed to keep. It wasn't much, but at least they had managed to salvage most of the apples so even if this didn't work they wouldn't starve at least. That was a cold comfort though, one which was made even colder when Twilight glanced over to the pile of valuables that had been extracted from the house.

A few beds, a couple dozen boxes, as well as a scattering of furniture was all they had managed to extract from the house. The last and most important piece was being pulled from the house at that very moment, though she wasn't making things difficult. Granny Smith was deceptively heavy, with both Applejack and Apple Bloom struggling to carry the old pony and her rocking chair out of the house.

Granny Smith herself seemed only partially lucid, the tree which grew from her back now covering nearly her entire body, the older mare so hunched over that she looked to be about the size of a foal. She could hardly see anything due to the bark that covered most of her face, including a good chunk of her mouth. Twilight moved to help, but Big Macintosh was faster, the stallion swiftly moving into position and relieving Apple Bloom just as the filly seemed ready to collapse under the weight.

With the stallion’s help they managed to transport the older pony next to their starting position, placing Granny Smith and her rocking chair just off to the side. The older pony merely stared unblinking at her home, though Twilight wasn't certain if she even understood what was going on anymore. There was little flesh visible on the pony, and the mare now looked like a pony-shaped tree.

It was a sad sight, as was Applejack who seemed to be steadily losing color as deep rings formed around her eyes. Bloomberg was doing even worse, the tree having shed all but one of its branches and every leaf it had. Applejack stumbled next to Twilight, propped up by a helpful Big Macintosh who seemed as worried as Twilight was.

“I think that's about everything we have the time to save,” Applejack muttered between labored breaths.

Apple Bloom trotted up to her sister, Winona close on the filly’s heels. “Are you sure that's all we could save?” she asked. “There was so much stuff left in the basement.”

“All of that junk was from family that's long since passed on. It don't feel right to take it with us if we are burning the past as it were,” Applejack muttered.

“The spell is complete, Applejack, but are you sure you want to do this?” Twilight pressed. “As soon as I activate it, that's it. There's no taking it back.”

Applejack nodded slowly, her thoughtful gaze lingering on the farmstead. “It's what's gotta be done, Twilight. Ain't no point going back now, after all we did.”

Big Macintosh nodded. “Eeyup.”

Twilight sighed. “It's your call. I just hope we don't regret it.”

“We gotta try, Twilight,” Applejack stated grimly. “Do it.”

The unicorn lit her horn, and within moments the spell was nearly complete, though like Twilight had guessed, it was taking a lot out of her. With one final grunt of exertion she released the magic, activating the runes she had drawn within the barn, shed, and farmstead. Flames exploded out the windows of the lower level of the house, the entrance of the barn, and the door to the shed.

A second later the light of the moon was eclipsed by the light of the fire which hungrily lapped at the buildings, its long red teeth sinking deeper into the structures. In moments the shed was all but consumed, its supports collapsing and causing the entire thing to fall into a heap of burning wood and scrap metal. The barn was faring only a little better, but with the fire now reaching the ceiling, it wasn't likely that its luck would hold out much longer.

Granny Smith grunted suddenly, a weak hoof cracking as it extended towards the burning farmstead.

Applejack sighed and gently pushed the limb back down. “It's alright, Granny Smith, we gotta do this,” she whispered.

Apple Bloom nodded and slowly ran her hoof down the old pony’s bark-covered back. “It will all be okay, Granny. We’re going to fix you up good as new. You’ll see.”

Big Macintosh merely hummed thoughtfully, the stallion’s gaze fixed on his childhood home, which was now almost completely engulfed in flames.

The inferno’s maw slammed shut over the house, having stretched up from the first floor all the way to the roof. The heat was intense, even at this distance, though no one dared move as the act somehow felt disrespectful for a reason they couldn't quite put to words. This was, after all, the funeral of their Apple family home, and no one would look away as the wooden structure was consumed in fire.

A resounding crack came from somewhere inside the barn, and a second later the entire structure began to lean slightly before falling inwards on itself. By then the shed was little more than a pile of ash and coals, from which a thin wisp of smoke emanated. With all of the fire’s fuel now in one spot, the flames grew hotter and higher, turning the former barn into little more than charcoal in under a few minutes.

The house however continued to stand tall and proud, the ancient structure resisting the fiery inferno’s attempt to bring it down. Windows which had not already shattered now melted, small chunks of siding and shingles falling from the sides and tumbling to the earth. Yet for all of the old home’s resilience, it could not hold out forever, and after a series of loud snaps, the floor gave way. The rest of the structure quickly followed suit, collapsing straight down until there was hardly anything left.

Apple Bloom wiped away a tear and gripped Granny Smith’s hoof a little tighter while Applejack merely clenched her jaw, trying to remain impassive. Twilight could see that she too was having trouble watching her childhood home be consumed by the conflagration. Big Macintosh seemed the most moved of them all, and Twilight could see yellowy, sap-like tears budding at the edges of his eyes, though the stallion refused to shed them.

By the time Twilight looked back to the house, there was nothing left, the basement’s walls having collapsed in on the ashes, burying them neatly and leaving hardly any evidence that a building had been there at all. By then the barn and shed had burnt out completely, a breeze carrying their ashes to parts unknown and leaving only twin scorch marks to mark where they had once stood. It was a grim sight, but it was also a place ready for new growth, the earth positively humming with life and energy that was merely waiting to be set free.

As if waiting for this exact moment, the spirit rose from the ground, appearing from the exact spot she had disappeared only a short while earlier. Her ethereal eyes scanned the area, peering intently at the remains of the structures which had marred the land so gruesomely until recently. It nodded slowly, turning to Applejack, features neutral and unreadable.

“You have done as asked, and the forest is ready to give back. You have but to give your respect and in turn you will be given all that the forest promised your family a thousand years ago,” stated the spirit.

“What would you have us do?” Applejack inquired.

“You must give a piece of yourself to the forest, be it a lock of hair, a drop of blood, or a twig from your back,” replied the spirit of Twilight Twinkle, her gaze falling on each member of the Apple family before settling on Twilight herself. “Even you must make an offering. Bury your offerings in the light of the moon and all will be remade anew.”

“Will that heal Granny?” Applejack asked, her voice tinged with desperation.

“If it is the forest’s will,” replied the spirit.

The Apple family siblings exchanged a look before nodding.

“Your minds are made up, and your path is clear. I will leave you now, but not before I offer a word of warning.” The spirit turned to Twilight. “A wise being once told us that when a deep injury is done, we cannot heal until we forgive.”

With that the spirit bowed her head, her form crumbling like a pile of leaves which was quickly carried away by the breeze. Twilight found herself pondering the spirit’s words for a moment before she quickly brushed them aside. She had more important things to do, and she swiftly summoned a blade of magic before lopping off the majority of her tail.

That seemed to break the rest of her companion’s out of their reverie, each one suddenly moving with purpose. Big Macintosh reached down and in a single scrape of his hoof, dug a nearly foot deep hole in the ground. Applejack glanced over her shoulder and gripped the last apple Bloomberg had ever made before plucking it from its branch and dropping it into the hole.

Apple Bloom leaned in close, whispering something to Granny Smith, something which prompted the aged mare to nod slowly. Apple Bloom sighed, and reached up before plucking a leaf from the older pony’s back and dropping it into the hole as well as a tooth which Apple Bloom plucked from her jaw. Twilight added her hair to the mix, and lastly Big Macintosh pricked his hoof with a sharp tooth before adding several drops of greenish blood to the offering.

With that done, the stallion pushed dirt over the hole before taking a step back and glancing nervously at his family.

Applejack gritted her teeth and nodded, the pony visibly struggling to stay standing. “Well, it looks like this is it. If this doesn't work, this might very well be the end of the Apples, and if it is, well, I just wanna say it was a good run, and that I love y'all.”

“We love you too, Applejack,” Apple Bloom added, tears beginning to drip down the filly’s face.

Twilight nodded. “This isn't over yet. This will work. It has to.”

“Eeyup!” exclaimed Big Macintosh.

“I’m just gonna lie down for a moment. Let me know when Granny Smith is okay,” Applejack muttered before all but collapsing to the earth.

Twilight wanted to catch the pony, but a sudden burst of moonlight stopped her dead in her tracks. Looking to where their hole had been covered over revealed a thin beam of white that illuminated the small spot of recently disturbed earth. The light pulsed suddenly, and a moment later a second pulse erupted from the patch of dirt, the ground rippling like a pond that had a stone dropped into the center of it.

The wave quickly passed beneath the stunned ponies’ hooves, and disappeared into the distance, vanishing out of sight. The confused creatures looked around in shock, silently wondering if that had been all that was supposed to happen. A second later their questions were answered when the pulse returned from the edges of the farm, slower this time, and far, far larger.

They watched in stunned amazement as dead trees suddenly sprang back to life, new growth bursting from their rotted trunks. Whole new trees, bushes, and grass sprouted from the ground, some of which quickly grew to the point that fruit budded from their branches. Which also inadvertently revealed that the orchard now sported dozens of not only pear trees, but orange and banana trees as well.

Thick bushes of raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and more were intermingled throughout the rejuvenated orchard, new life springing out of every crook and cranny available to it while also leaving clear paths between the rows. For a brief moment an apple and a pear tree grew taller than the rest, their trunks and branches twisting and interconnecting. Then it was overshadowed by newer trees which hid the strange fruit tree behind a wave of green.

Twilight didn't have long to ruminate on the strange trees for long, as the pulse had reached the spot where the shed used to stand. There the earth heaved, rising a dozen feet into the air before collapsing on one side, revealing an entrance to what looked like a shallow cave. Vines swiftly grew over the entrance, the mass of green twisting into the vague shape of a door, complete with a wooden handle.

The strangest event had yet to come, but before that could happen, the pulse reached the barn, and a dozen fully formed trees burst from the earth. Rising from around where the walls of the barn had stood only a few minutes ago, the trees continued to grow until they were nearly twice the height of the former farm building. Their trunks continued to expand as their canopy intertwined, forming a natural roof while at the same time the trunks of the trees met, forming a wall of wood. A door quickly sprouted a moment later, grown from two short reddish trees which grew where the old entrance had been.

Like the shed, the new barn was bigger, taller, and far more impressive, its increased height and length meaning the family would never have to worry about space again. That wasn't the end however, as by the time the barn had finished growing, the pulse had reached the point where the farmstead used to stand. The green wave passed over the foundation, and for a moment it seemed as though nothing was going to happen. Then a rumble emanated from deep within the earth and a second later the single largest apple tree Twilight had ever seen all but exploded from the ground.

The trunk was huge, easily a dozen metres across and still growing, its canopy already towering over its neighbors and still it grew. Until its trunk was slightly wider than the old farmstead used to be and the tops of its branches easily reached eight stories tall. The trunk extended about five stories up as well, and as the ponies watched, windows and doors emerged all over the tree. Branches sprouted from the front of the towering apple tree, swiftly forming an enormous wrap-around porch. The entire structure seemed large enough to house a group of ponies easily five times the size of the Apple family.

That wasn't all that sprouted from the sides though, as balconies, and even landings that seemed designed for winged beings also grew around the trunk. As Twilight watched, she could see through the windows that the interior was still shifting and changing, rooms and floors constructing themselves at a lightning pace. The unicorn didn't care to watch any longer though, as she was nervously staring down at her fallen friend who had just closed her eyes, a smile crossing her face.

Twilight’s instincts told her to move, to try and cast some manner of healing spell, but she resisted that urge no matter how painful it was to do so. Something powerful was happening, and Twilight knew that interjecting at this pivotal a moment may very well do more harm than good. And so the unicorn merely watched as the pulse passed under each of them in turn before ending at the point from which it had first emerged.

Immediately a deep green light shone from within each member of the Apple family, with Apple Bloom reacting first. The growth of wood along her back sunk into her flesh before spreading outwards, the pony’s fur and skin being replaced by an almost fleshy wood. The pony didn't seem to panic though her eyes went wide when the growth reached her tail, and swiftly replaced the hair with crimson vines from which sprouted numerous red leaves.

The same happened to her mane a second later, with the filly squeezing her eyes shut as the wave of yellowy bark briefly covered the rest of her face. When she opened her eyes once again, they revealed a pair of bright yellow orbs which glowed faintly in the waning moon light. The pony and plant aspects of the filly had fused perfectly, creating a hybrid that even stood a little taller than she had a second ago.

Big Macintosh was next, and as Twilight watched, his entire body glowed a bright green before his barky skin started to grow thicker. In mere moments the bark covered every inch of the stallion’s exterior, obscuring his startled expression beneath a thick brown exterior. Twilight wanted to help, but she shut down that urge, merely waiting and hoping that she had made the right decision.

A second later and she was proved right, as the woody cocoon began to crack and a hoof tore through the bark, long thornlike claws extending from the limb only to retract after the job was done. The stallion made short work of the rest of his woody prison, emerging from the shell a changed pony. Though he resembled Apple Bloom, in the way that he appeared to be a hybrid of pony and plant, it was evident that he was different.

His mane and tail were short, and though they looked like bark, they were the color of straw and moved like you would expect hair to. His hide was also noticeably thicker, more durable, and had a few thorns sprouting from it, though they disappeared after the stallion relaxed. His eyes were now two pits of glowing green energy which burned intensely as he looked over his new body.

“Well, this is strange,” he muttered, his hoof immediately going to his lips when he realized what he had managed to say.

Twilight silently cheered for the laconic stallion, but turned her attention away when she noticed that both Applejack and Granny Smith were glowing, though Applejack’s light was the duller of the two. The older pony seemed to react first, the mare not even moving as her barklike exterior began to twist and writhe. The tree which grew from her back shrunk, its bulk pulling inwards on itself until it was completely gone.

The wood which covered Granny Smith’s exterior grew thinner, and more flesh-like, though it still somehow managed to look old in a way that Twilight couldn't quite explain. A short white mane and tail made of clumps of white leaves grew back a second before Granny Smith’s trademark shawl was replaced by a wreath of yellow and orange leaves which grew about her neck. The pony remained still and unmoving even when her flesh stopped shifting, her body having finally finished its metamorphosis.

Apple Bloom prodded the older pony’s side nervously. “Granny Smith? Are y’all okay?”

The older pony’s eyes snapped open, revealing a pair of yellowish glowing orbs much like Big Macintosh’s. “What? Where am I? What's going on?” asked the confused and scared old mare.

“You are outside. We did a ritual to heal the farm, remember?” Twilight explained.

The pony blinked. “What are you talkin’ about, youngin? I was just in a field talking to Bright Mac and Pear…” her voice trailed off as she looked down. “Hookay Dinah! What in the hay happened to me?”

“The forest fixed you, like it did Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom,” Twilight pointed out.

“Well, would you look at that. By the stars, y'all look amazin’,” Granny Smith muttered while lifting a leg. “Lookie here, Applejack? I’m young again. Applejack?”

Everyone present looked down to Applejack who lay on the ground, her body having healed, but yet her eyes remained closed, a smile still firmly on her lips. Bloomberg was now standing tall and proud once more, though its roots now grew over the pony’s flesh, creating a sort of orangey wooden armor. This armor-like exterior even covered Applejack’s face, though it left openings wide enough for her eyes, nose, mouth and ears.

Big Macintosh leaned down and gently prodded the mare’s shoulder and when Applejack didn't move, the stallion quickly leaned down and gripped the pony tightly, pulling her up and into a hug. Apple Bloom sniffed and stepped forward, hugging the limp pony along with her sobbing brother. Granny Smith quietly joined a second later, the older mare resisting the urge to cry, though it looked like only a matter of time before she too broke down in tears.

“My poor little sprout,” whispered Granny Smith.

Twilight awkwardly stepped forward, grabbing Applejack about the neck and sobbing into the inert pony’s shoulder. The unicorn’s tears sparkled like drops of liquid moonlight, the tiny orbs of blue catching the first rays of morning sun before landing on the apple farmer’s neck. Unseen by anyone present, those tears seeped into the pony’s woody exterior and caused Bloomberg to twitch ever so slightly.

“Oh, Applejack,” Twilight whispered. “If only I had been quicker. This is all my fault.”

“No, it ain't,” Big Macintosh interjected. “If I had joined you from the start, I coulda helped against that chimera and stopped this whole thing from happenin’. If it's anyone’s fault, it's mine.”

“Whose fault is what now?” asked a familiar and confused voice.

The ponies gasped and looked up to where Applejack hung limply in her brother’s grip.

“Applejack, you are alright!” Apple Bloom shouted.

“‘Course I am. What's with the waterworks? Y'all look fine to me,” Applejack exclaimed.

Big Macintosh gently placed the farm pony back onto her own four legs. “We thought we lost you for a second there,” Big Macintosh whispered.

“The grim reaper is gonna have to wait. Something tells me I get a whole wagon load of new chores to do. I mean, look at this place.” Applejack gestured to their surroundings. “We got ten times the trees for cryin’ out loud!”

Granny Smith grinned. “Darn right ya do, but don't you worry none, ‘cause I feel twenty years younger.”

“How do you feel, Applejack? Are you alright? Does it hurt?” Twilight asked, her horn glowing as she moved Applejack this way and that, inspecting her for injuries.

“I feel fine. Better than fine, actually,” Applejack muttered, her family stepping back enough to allow the pony to stretch. “Feels like Bloomberg is actually pulling his weight instead of just sitting on my back.”

“Well, ya sure look tougher,” Apple Bloom noted, the filly tapping Applejack’s woody exterior in emphasis.

Applejack blinked. “Would ya look at that. It's like I’m some knight in shinin’ armor or somethin’.”

Twilight sighed, her horn dulling. “Three of your ribs are still cracked, but so long as you don't do anything strenuous, you should be fine.”

“Were you workin’ with busted up ribs?” Big Macintosh asked pointedly.

Applejack shrugged. “So what? We needed to get the stuff out of the house, didn't we?”

“I mean yeah, but-” Twilight muttered.

“But nothing,” Applejack interjected. “Everything worked out in the end, didn't it? Granny and I are okay. The farm is better than ever and no one can call my brother laconic anymore.”

Twilight sighed. “Your optimism is endearing.”

“What are we standing around for, huh?” Granny Smith interrupted. “We gotta whole new farm to explore and stuff to move!”

Apple Bloom snapped off a quick salute and grabbed a box before following after her grandmother. “Aye aye, Granny!”

“Atta girl. Come on, you three. It's early, and you know I ain't a fan of the sun. Let's get the essentials inside before it rises and ruins my night,” Granny Smith barked before grabbing her rocking chair and throwing it on her back as if it weighed nothing.

“Right. I better get workin’,” Applejack muttered, only for the combined intensity of Big Macintosh and Twilight’s glares to make her stop just as she was reaching for a particularly large box. “Heh, maybe I’ll just help Granny organize.”

Big Mac shook his head as he watched Applejack walk into their new house. “Sometimes I wonder if that girl doesn't have a block of marble between those ears of hers,” muttered the stallion.

“She is rather stubborn, isn't she?” Twilight mused.

Big Mac nodded before turning to Twilight. “Thank you again for all yer help. I can't tell you how much this means to me and my family. Or should I say our family.”

Twilight was temporarily taken aback. “I don't know what to say. I was just doing what any good friend would have done.”

The enormous stallion erupted with laughter which ended with him wiping a stray tear from his eye. “You didn't strike down the chimera when I knew ya could. Ya protected the family plot when ya coulda ran. You stuck around when things got strange and ya put in work when ya didn't have to.”

“Well I-er,” Twilight muttered.

“What are you two still doing out there? Don't ya see the sun comin’ up? Get inside already before ya get heat stroke!” Granny Smith shouted from the doorway.

“You heard the lady. Come on. You can worry about this junk later,” Big Macintosh stated, the stallion grabbing the unicorn by the shoulder and all but dragging her towards the farm house.

“T-thanks, Big Mac.” Twilight blushed and looked down. “I should probably get back to the library though…”

“Nonsense. Spike is old enough, and you must be exhausted,” Big Macintosh replied. “I’ll grab you a bed so you can get some rest.”

Twilight nodded weakly, the unicorn only now becoming aware of just how truly exhausted she was. “Those spells took more out of me than I thought…” Twilight admitted.

“Better bring your appetite in the mornin’. Something tells me Granny is going to be baking up a storm now that she's up and about again,” Big Mac added with a smile, the stallion holding the door open for Twilight.

The unicorn smiled faintly as she peered within the Apple family’s strange new home. “I look forward to it,” Twilight replied.

Behind them the sun slowly rose, illuminating a new farm and a forest absolutely buzzing with activity. Where once the only insects that seemed to flit between the boughs of the orchard were flies and the odd mosquito, now there were critters beyond counting. Butterflies returned immediately, spiders began spinning their webs, and beneath the earth worms began to dig in search of sustenance.

Life had returned to the half-dead orchard, and both the farm and the family started a new chapter.

Author's Note

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A Romantic Interlude

Spike sighed as he looked up at the moon, its sight filling him with a number of conflicting and strange emotions. Several weeks had passed since his reawakening, and yet he was still struggling to come to grips with the strange new world he found himself in. The time at which he woke up and went to sleep were the most obvious changes, but they weren't the ones that bothered him. After all, he had always been a night owl, and with his draconic heritage seeing in the dark was easy for him.

Rather it was all the smaller details that continued to plague him, leaving him feeling uneasy and strangely lonely in a way. Everyone he talked to liked different books, had experienced a different childhood, and had a largely alien culture. Sure, there were some passing similarities, such as the fact that this was still Ponyville, but those resemblances served as a reminder that this wasn't his Ponyville.

The dragon sighed again, his arms hanging limp about his sides as he looked around the street, observing the many different people who filled the town even at such an early, or late hour. He was still finding it difficult to the proper vernacular, as it was both early, yet the sun had just gone down. Shaking his head and dismissing the odd train of thought, Spike continued to stroll down the street, watching the various inhabitants he passed by.

The first thing he noticed were a pair of minotaurs who stood at the entrance to their tall, stone home with smiles on their faces. They both kept a close eye on a third, much younger minotaur who was trotting nervously to the edge of their property. He was young, probably no older than ten or twelve, if Spike’s reference books were anything to go by. He also seemed to be ready to go to school, as he wore a backpack and what looked like a simple uniform.

Did they even have the kind of schools Spike had heard so much about? Spike himself had never gone to one, but the fact that they may not have the same kind of education system as the one he knew left him feeling strange. What else was different here?

Spike silently ruminated on this question as he passed the child and his parents by.

As he walked, Spike slowly left the more residential area of town behind with stands, stalls, and shops suddenly popping up after he crossed into the town’s center. Here the changes were the most obvious and most numerous as strange sights, sounds, and smells assaulted the dragon’s senses. Where before he would have smelt fresh produce, heard the sweet sound of common Equish mixed with music, and seen many pastel-colored ponies, now things were different.

Much different.

For one, the familiar smells were gone, replaced by strange aromas of open air food wagons selling exotic meals which Spike had never even heard of before. Sure, the general scent of the market was still there, but it was too different, as there was very little of that he recognized. Applejack’s stand was curiously absent, though the mushroom vendor and the mineral salesman which flanked her usual spot were still there. The sight of them made Spike sigh and turn away, the dragon quickly maneuvering his way through the crowd in the direction of a small park.

It was all too much to take in, and though he had left the house with the intention to better familiarize himself with the town, he felt as though he had already failed. It was just so overwhelming to the dragon, who only saw what had used to be, rather than what now stood in its place. Like the stone tower, an aptly named building that now housed the mason’s guild, but which used to be the location of Spike’s favorite restaurant, The Gourmet.

There were other, smaller things like how his favorite bookstore now served as a multifamily dwelling with several entrances sprouting from the now ancient stone structure. Or how the town hall had been destroyed and rebuilt into a much boxier, more utilitarian structure at some point.

Spike frowned, wondering how Twilight handled it all, only to instantly remember that this wasn't his Twilight, no matter how much they had in common. Dusk was a different pony, one that had spent her life cloistered and away from society, meaning that this wasn't such a large change to her. Indeed, it seemed almost freeing to the undead pony, who was merely happy that she was no longer looked at in fear.

Sure, there were still a few of those who viewed her with apprehension or suspicion, but to most of the town she was simply another oddity. Yet another strange being who had washed up on their chaotic shores looking for salvation and a place to call home. And they had accepted her, as they had accepted Spike, though the dragon found it difficult to accept them in turn.

As he thought about it, Spike couldn't help but wish that he had lost his memories, as maybe then this would be easier on him. The dragon quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought with a vehement conviction. To forget would mean abandoning Twilight, to let her memory pass on and to forget all that she had taught him. As much as it pained the dragon to remember, and to feel those memories clash with his current reality, he would simply have to deal with it.

Looking around, Spike found that he had inadvertently wandered to his destination which lay just north of the market. The green space wasn't the biggest, but it was dense, with bushes, trees, and flowers filling most of the space. Though chaotic upon first glance, there was an underlying order to the park that Spike had come to appreciate, one that soothed his nerves whenever he trod its well-maintained path.

He glanced past the plaque which marked this as the former site of the solar guard’s barracks and also told of the battle which had occurred here. One that had apparently seen the deaths of several innocents, as well as soldiers on both sides of the conflict. Even just thinking about this apparently ancient event left Spike feeling even more uneasy, as he was still processing the fact that an entire war had been fought right here in Ponyville.

Extending a hand, Spike caressed the soft leaves of a thorny bush that had red leaves, a small smile coming to his face. The forest may be different, but it was still beautiful, even if it was a little wild for Spike’s tastes. Pulling his hand back, he glanced over to the small, open area that served as his favorite thinking spot. Around it was a wall of wood and undergrowth, obscuring those who sat upon the small bench within it from all, save for anyone who flew directly overhead.

It was supposedly called a moon door, the foliage specifically cut in a manner to allow the moonlight to shine down upon those who sat on the bench. Spike didn't care for the spiritual or political implications, it was just really nice, and was out of the way from most foot traffic. Unfortunately for him, it was occupied this time around.

“Derpy? What are you doing here?” Spike asked.

The strange old bat pony was staring up at the moon, her void-filled eyes gazing unblinking upon the lunar surface. She didn't seem to notice him at first, but after a moment she nodded as if confirming something the moon had said and turned to Spike.

“Ahh, young Spike. How are you this fine evening?” she whispered, her voice echoing slightly despite the fact that such a thing should be impossible.

Spike shrugged. “Not bad, I suppose. What are you doing out here on your own?”

“Just telling a story,” Derpy replied with a smile, her black eyes flickering with an odd intensity.

“Oh? And how is that going for you?” Spike replied.

This time it was Derpy’s chance to shrug, and the aged bat pony turned back up to the sky, an oddly pensive expression crossing her face. “Strangely. I fear that things are going slightly off course for the moment, but I’m sure it won't be long until my tale is righted once more,” she replied.

Spike nodded slowly. “Well, don't take too long. I doubt Luna has a lot of patience for a long-winded tale.”

The bat pony chuckled. “Oh Spike. This tale will take my entire life to tell properly, and she is not the one who's listening. You are.”

The dragon gave the pony an odd look. “Err, I won't keep you too long then. Have fun with your story.”

Derpy smiled, her attention never wavering from the moon above her. “Don't worry, young Spike. Telling stories is my most treasured joy in this life.”

Spike frowned briefly before continuing down the path, leaving the strange, starry-eyed mare to look up at the moon and return to whispering to the celestial object. The dragon was tempted to contemplate the strange pony and her odd fascination with talking to the moon, but brushed that thought aside as well. After all, he had experience in having a friend who defied logical explanation, and by now he knew well not to think too long on the subject.

Maybe he’d ask Dusk about it once she returned from the undertower and completed her self-imposed mission to help Applejack’s family.

“I wonder what Sweetie Belle is up to…” Spike mused, his loneliness driving his thoughts towards an idea he considered more and more as time went on.

With his thinking spot occupied, and the library containing too many memories, there wasn't a place for him. Except of course, by Sweetie Belle’s side.

The arachne always seemed to calm the dragon, and despite her strange appearance, she was pleasant to talk to, and Spike considered her a good friend. The dragon felt his heart begin to flutter in his chest and his cheeks grow hot just thinking about her. Banishing such strange thoughts weren't easy, as despite her strangeness, some part of Spike still yearned to be with her.

“She probably doesn't even like you,” Spike muttered to himself. “She's part spider and part pony, two things you are not.”

The argument felt sound in the dragon’s head, but once it left his lips, it sounded hollow and the longer he thought about it the more confused he got. Her appearance unnerved him and also excited him, the exotic nature of it all making him more than a little curious. It was a strange, and conflicting mess of emotions, and they only grew more distracting the longer he thought about her.

He knew better than to judge based on appearance, but that didn't get rid of the feeling of repulsion that flared within him. Spike sighed as he turned a corner, passing by a trio of chatting changelings who gave him a sidelong glance, which the dragon didn't notice. Breathing deeply, Spike nodded confidently, having made up his mind while he had walked across town.

“She's a good friend, and that's okay,” Spike whispered to himself.

It still rang a little hollow to him, but it was better, and it at least put his conflicting thoughts to rest, for the moment anyway.

As he walked, Spike didn't pay his surroundings much attention, his gaze fixed firmly on what lay ahead of him. The many strange and wondrous sights he had witnessed since his reawakening were little more than flickers in his periphery. The dragon was on a mission, one that may not require his full attention, but was going to get it regardless.

Upon seeing the boutique in the distance, Spike began to walk slightly faster, his heart beating a little quicker. He scampered up to the door and slipped inside, hastily looking around for any sign of Sweetie Belle. He did not find the beautiful arachne, though he did notice a rather large female griffon who was standing across the counter to Rarity, a bag of gems in one hand and a dress in the other.

Not wanting to interrupt what sounded like a heated discussion, Spike distracted himself by looking over the interior of the boutique, something he hadn't done much of before. The dragon was surprised to find that there were clothes for all sorts of creatures, both large, small, common, and exotic. Various sizes of draconic clothing could even be found, though that particular section was small, likely given the fact that most dragons would need something custom made given their wide variety of proportions.

Still, it was enough to make Spike wonder if he should get some sort of shirt or something similar made for him. He tugged at the backpack he had thrown over his shoulder an hour ago, silently wondering if it made him look young. His more rounded features already did that, and the dragon was keenly aware of the fact that most ponies thought he was a child when in fact he was almost an adult.

Maybe a coat of some kind, Spike thought to himself. At least that would have some pockets so I could keep my bits, err, gems in without having to worry about losing them.

The sound of footsteps alerted him to the fact that Rarity was done with her transaction, and the dragon turned and walked up to the rather exasperated-looking arachne. “I hope she didn't give you a hard time,” Spike greeted, jerking a thumb over his shoulder.

Rarity sighed and shook her head. “That girl always tries to get a discount for the silliest reasons. I know that bartering isn't exactly frowned upon, but I’m not about to let something go for half off just because she doesn't like the smell of it.”

“People really do that?” Spike asked.

“I hate to generalize, but it's usually griffons who are so blatant,” Rarity muttered before clearing her throat. “But where are my manners? How can I help you today, young Spike?”

“Well, I was thinking about maybe getting a vest or a coat maybe? I want something a little more mature-looking than a backpack,” Spike replied, jostling his bag in emphasis.

“A vest certainly would suit you, perhaps one that was a deep, vibrant green.” Rarity tapped her chin, as she stared intently at the dragon’s chest. “Yes. Now that I think about it, a vest would be perfect for you.”

“Also, I was wondering if Sweetie Belle was busy?” Spike inquired nervously.

The arachne’s contemplative expression vanished, and was replaced by one that was far more inquisitive, Rarity’s eyes boring into Spike. “Why? What did you have in mind?” Rarity asked pointedly.

Spike looked down and swung his arms anxiously. “Oh, I was hoping to talk to her about some stuff. That's all.”

“Like what kind of stuff?” Rarity pressed, the arachne leaning forward and peering down on the short dragon.

Who gulped. “I was hoping if she could tell me more about the town and its history.”

The spider pony glared down at the increasingly nervous dragon for several seconds before nodding slowly, her ears twitching. “She will be down in a moment. Don't leave town and have her back before dinner. Understood?”

Spike nodded eagerly. “Yes ma’am.”

Rarity waved a dismissive hoof. “And please don't call me ma’am. It makes me feel old.”

“Oh, and what about the vest? What do I owe you?” Spike asked.

“Show her a good time and treat her well, and I’ll consider your debt paid in full,” Rarity declared.

Spike nodded again. “Don't worry, Rarity. I will!”

“See to it that you do,” Rarity warned.

The sound of insectoid limbs skittering down the stairs turned their attention to the landing, where Sweetie Belle now stood, a frown on her face. “Rarity, you aren't intimidating anymore of my friends, are you?” she questioned, jabbing a hoof at the other arachne.

“I am not,” Rarity declared. “I was just talking business with our associate here. Isn't that right, Spike?”

Spike gulped, the dragon quickly finding himself drawn between the silently glowering Rarity and the inquisitive young Sweetie Belle. “Err yeah. I was gonna get a vest, so I don't have to carry around this ugly backpack whenever I want to buy something,” he replied, donning an awkward and all together unconvincing grin.

Sweetie Belle glared up at her sister, her eyes narrowing for a second before Sweetie Belle sighed. “Fine. But if I hear you were being mean to another one of my friends, I’m gonna be so mad.”

Rarity smiled and gently pulled the younger arachne into a brief hug, planting a kiss on her forehead. “Don't you worry about that, dear sister. Now go have fun,” she urged.

Sweetie Belle blushed slightly and quickly skittered out from under her sister’s grasp. “How long can I stay out for?”

“Just be back for dinner and don't go far, okay?” Rarity replied.

The younger arachne nodded and turned to Spike. “So, what did you have planned? Did you want to hang out with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo again?”

Spike glanced up to Rarity before quickly looking away. “Err maybe. I was hoping we could just talk for a bit. Maybe go for a walk.”

“O-oh,” Sweetie Belle muttered, a blush coming to her cheeks. “Could we get some snacks while on our walk?”

Spike nodded eagerly. “Absolutely. Let's just get outside first.”

Sweetie Belle glanced over to her sister, who was organizing her counter and doing her best to look busy. “Good thinking,” Sweetie Belle remarked.

Together the pair trotted out of the store and into the street, wherein they both immediately relaxed. “Your sister is scary,” Spike whispered, a shudder running down his spine.

Sweetie Belle sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. “Sorry about that. She’s just… protective, is all. So, what did you want to talk about?”

Spike had enough tact to ignore the rather blatant attempt to switch the subject, and began walking, Sweetie Belle at his side. “Oh, just the town, ya know? It feels like only yesterday everything was different, and now… it’s like a whole new world,” Spike exclaimed.

The arachne glanced down at her slightly shorter friend curiously. “Why don't you talk to Twi--I mean Dusk, if you wanted to know more about the town? I overheard her and Rarity talking about history just a few nights ago.”

“It's still weird between us,” Spike admitted while looking down at the road, unable to meet his friend's gaze. “She looks and talks too much like my Twilight.”

Sweetie Belle winced. “Oh right. Sorry, I should have thought of that.”

“It's okay. It's just weird and well, I need to get out of the library more often, you know?” Spike offered.

The arachne nodded as they passed by a group of female trolls who were all gathered around a stroller wherein a much younger troll lay sleeping. “I know what you mean. Rarity has good intentions, but sometimes it can get a little stuffy in the boutique,” Sweetie Belle admitted.

“Dusk can be a little like that too sometimes, but she always gets awkward whenever she worries about me,” Spike added.

“This is depressing. Can we talk about something fun instead?” Sweetie Belle asked.

Spike nodded eagerly. “Yes please. Anything is better than moping.”

“How about… Oh, I know! What kind of snacks do you like?” Sweetie Belle offered.

“Anything sweet, but rubies are my favorite.” Spike rubbed his belly. “They taste a lot like strawberries, only even sweeter and with a hint of cinnamon.”

“Woah, that sounds pretty good,” Sweetie Belle remarked. “I wish I could eat gems.”

“Hey maybe I could make you something that tastes similar to it,” Spike exclaimed with a grin. “I am a pretty good cook, you know.”

“Really?” Sweetie Belle asked, her eyes sparkling. “How did you get good at cooking? What's your secret?”

Spike blinked, temporarily taken aback by the sudden intensity of his friend’s question, nearly walking into a changeling who was busy peering into the window of a nearby bookstore. “Well, my Twilight wasn't very good at cooking, so when I was really young I decided I would help her by taking over for her,” Spike replied, a wistful expression crossing his face. “We almost always ate out because she would start cooking, only to get distracted and end up burning everything.”

Sweetie Belle’s blush grew slightly larger. “O-oh. Really?”

“Yeah, it was really bad,” Spike continued. “One time she managed to burn a milkshake. She said she was trying to use a spell to make it taste better.”

The arachne’s cheeks slowly grew redder still. “What a weird coincidence that I’m sure no one else has ever done before or after,” she muttered half under her breath.

Spike nodded, not noticing his friend’s sudden discomfort. “Totally. I doubt anyone could be as bad a cook as her. Still, it wasn't all terrible. It helped me find a hobby I enjoy.”

“Well that's good. Oh look, there's an ice cream place. We should grab something from there,” Sweetie Belle pointed out, the arachne already moving before Spike could answer.

“Oh uh sure. Ice cream sounds great,” Spike muttered, the dragon scampering after his friend.

The two beings ate their ice cream in relative silence, each one trodding the same ill-used path which went around the very edge of Ponyville. Spike enjoyed his vanila ruby blast, while Sweetie Belle relished her chocolate cockroach crunch. Spike eyed his friend a little cautiously as she bit down on a rather large concentration of roaches and shuddered in delight.

Swallowing his mouthful of vanilla and ruby goodness, Spike looked up to his friend. “Is that actually good?” he asked.

“Sho goob,” Sweetie Belle replied before swallowing. “It's super crunchy, sweet and juicy. Here, try some.”

Spike recoiled in disgust as the cockroach-filled cone of ice cream was pushed into his face. “No, thank you.”

“Aww, come on, try it. I promise you’ll like it,” Sweetie Belle pressed.

Spike winced and looked from his friend’s pleading face and then back down to the partially eaten ice cream cone which had insect legs poking out of it. “I guess a little bite couldn't hurt,” he muttered.

Leaning forward, the dragon slowly took a bite of the ice cream cone, immediately chomping down on a chunk of roach which flooded his mouth with its insides. Yet he wasn't completely repulsed by it and was only a little weirded out, as the flavour itself wasn't totally disgusting. Chewing quickly, the dragon swallowed it down, finding that other than the texture, it was fairly good.

“See, I told you so,” Sweetie Belle replied, the arachne eagerly returning to her ice cream cone as the pair resumed their walk once more, with Spike stuck contemplating what other assumptions of his may be wrong.

To their left the raw, untamed wilderness of the forest proper rose like a wall of green, while on their right, the town sprawled out into the distance. Beneath their feet was a small but well-worn path, one that occasionally had garbage cans and picnic tables along it. The contrast between the complete chaos of the forest and the relatively ordered chaos of the town was endlessly fascinating to Spike and was the main reason the dragon liked the path so much.

That and few other creatures cared to walk it, allowing Spike to be alone with the arachne and his conflicting feelings.

“So. I was curious about your people’s history,” Spike suddenly began. “Dusk mentioned that there was a time when arachne were unicorns, but she quickly got distracted on some tangent before she could explain what happened.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “You’d have to ask Rarity for the whole story, but from what I remember a bunch of unicorns went underground to try and find some gem that supposedly made whoever touched it immortal.”

“It's always after some quest for immortality… Wait a second. How did they even know about this gem in the first place, if it was deep underground?” Spike inquired before taking a bite of his ice cream.

The arachne shrugged. “Supposedly it was after the mistress told them, but I don't know if that's true. Either way a bunch of families got together in secret before descending down into this super deep cave. Then they set up camp in this huge cavern place and began sending out teams into the tunnels.”

“How big was this cavern anyway?” Spike pressed.

“I dunno. It must have been really big though, a few hundred ponies were supposedly all down there and they still had room to grow stuff and build houses,” Sweetie Belle replied.

“Woah, it must have been really huge,” Spike murmured.

The arachne nodded. “It was big enough to have a small lake, and they could even farm mushrooms and stuff down there. Oh yeah, and there was only one way out. They called it the throat, and it was super long and narrow.” Sweetie Belle winced. “I probably should have started with that.”

“Okay, so a bunch of ponies were in this cavern with only one exit. Then what?” Spike continued.

“They got trapped,” Sweetie Belle replied. “The throat collapsed, and with their only exit now completely destroyed, there was nothing they could do.”

“That musta sucked,” Spike muttered.

Sweetie Belle nodded as she bit off a chunk of her cone and chewed before swallowing. “There was like, a whole bunch of them down there, but with no way out they were kinda stuck. I think there was some guy who was in charge of the whole place, and he kept everyone together, but I can't remember.” She shrugged. “Either way, they had to rely on what they could find and what they could grow down there.”

“Which probably wasn't much,” Spike pointed out.

“Yeah. They couldn't farm much more than mushrooms, and they were still ponies, so they didn't eat meat or even bugs,” Sweetie Belle exclaimed. “So anyway, there wasn't enough to eat, and if they wanted to survive, they were going to have to find more food. There were also plenty of bugs and stuff, ‘cause apparently there were deep, but super thin tunnels that went all the way to the surface. So a ton of beetles and stuff apparently went down there to lay their eggs before climbing back up.”

“So they started eating bugs and turned into spider ponies?” Spike asked.

“Sort of,” Sweetie Belle replied, the arachne chomping down on the last of her ice cream cone and swallowing noisily. “In their dreams they talked to the night mistress and through her they learned that because of just how much damage had been done to the throat, it would be years before they could dig them out. So the mistress offered them an alternative, one that would ensure they lived.”

Spike munched on the last of his own ice cream cone. “So then they got turned into spider ponies?” he asked.

Sweetie Belle nodded. “Apparently the night mistress had a connection with the forest, and was able to convince it to change them. They weren't very happy about this at first, but they would survive, and in time they came to accept what had happened to them. They were also super thankful for what the night mistress did, as she apparently kept a close eye on their dreams, helping them a lot.”

“Woah, that's intense. I wonder if this happened while Twilight was her student.” Spike paused. “If it was, then she certainly didn't tell me about all this.”

Sweetie Belle shrugged. “I don't know when it was. Noone really bothers to keep track of that kind of thing.”

A vein bulged on Spike’s forehead. “Okay. Now I think I understand why Dusk was so annoyed with this place when she first got here.”

“I don't understand what the big deal is. Who cares when it happens?” Sweetie Belle replied.

“I suppose.” Spike sighed. “Okay, so then what happened? I presume they got out after some time.”

“The night mistress personally dug them out and helped them get adjusted to how much things had changed while they had been trapped,” Sweetie Belle continued, her gaze lingering over a particularly bright bunch of flowers which lay next to the path. “They were really grateful and ended up helping Luna out when she went crazy.”

“You mean Celestia?” Spike asked.

Sweetie Belle shot the dragon a harsh, but brief glare. “Don't say that name around here, Spike. It's rude.”

“Oh, uh okay,” Spike muttered. “Sorry, I didn't know.”

“It's fine, just be wary of who you say that around. Some people get really angry about that kind of thing,” Sweetie Belle warned.

“Thanks for the warning,” Spike replied.

Together the pair walked in silence for a little while, both locked in their own thoughts. Sweetie Belle seemed relaxed for the most part and was just enjoying the scenery, while Spike was busy pondering what he had learned. It was an interesting story, but ultimately it didn't occupy his thoughts for too long as he had something much more important to ponder.

Namely, a particularly intriguing arachne, and his own conflicting feelings for her.

“So…” Spike began nervously. “What's Rarity like? Dusk doesn't talk about her friends too much, and I only really see Rarity when I want to hang out with you.”

“She's the best big sister I could ask for,” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, only to frown. “Even if she is a little overprotective sometimes.”

“I guess that's understandable, given what happened.” Spike winced. “Sorry, that sounded better in my head.”

“It's okay,” Sweetie Belle replied quickly, her hoof touching Spike’s shoulder. “I was really young when they passed away, so I don't even really remember them. Rarity’s been more like my mom than my real mom.”

Spike smiled, his mind conjuring images of his Twilight Sparkle and all the happy times they had shared together. “I know what you mean. I was raised as Twilight’s brother for a little bit, but she got so protective of me when I was little that I ended up calling her mom all the time.”

Sweetie Belle blushed. “R-really? What did she say?”

Spike blushed as well, looking away while gripping the straps of his backpack. “She was nervous at first, but she talked to her and then Twilight just kind of accepted it and treated me like I was her own.”

“Hey uh, Spike, do you mind if I ask you a question? And you have to be honest,” Sweetie Belle asked suddenly.

Spike nodded. “Of course.”

“Do you think it's weird if I think of Rarity like that?” Sweetie Belle all but whispered, the arachne pressing her hooves together nervously. “I know she's my sister, but she’s taken care of me ever since I was really young, and sometimes I even think of her like… well, my mom.”

The dragon looked up at the vulnerable girl and couldn't help but feel for her. Despite how different they were, this was something they had in common, a problem that Spike had gone through and had come out the other side stronger for it. As he thought about it, something clicked in the dragon’s mind, though he wouldn't understand even what that decision was until later.

“I don't think it's weird at all,” Spike declared. “It may not be normal, but I mean, we’re all kinda strange, right?”

“Spiiike, that's not helping. I know I’m weird,” Sweetie Belle exclaimed with a pout.

“I meant that we are all different. So what if your sister acts more like your mom than your sister? It's definitely not a bad thing, so who cares?” Spike explained.

Sweetie Belle frowned and looked away, her gaze becoming more pensive. “I guess so. Maybe I should talk with her later.”

Spike nodded. “Be honest and open with your feelings, and I’m sure it will all work out in the end.”

Sweetie Belle smirked and glanced down at her friend. “When did you become so wise? This isn't Chitterax playing another prank, is it?”

Spike snorted, causing a short puff of smoke to shoot from his nostrils. “I can be smart sometimes, you know. Plus I’d like to see a changeling eat gems.”

“I know, Spike. I’m just teasing you,” Sweetie Belle replied with a smile, the arachne squeezing her friend’s shoulder lightly.

Desperate to change the subject, Spike looked around for a conversation starter, only to notice a small, fairly new-looking trail which branched off of the one they walked, and went into the forest. “Woah, I wonder where that goes,” Spike muttered, pointing to the path.

“Someone even left flowers behind,” Sweetie Belle remarked, pointing down to the bright red flowers which were spaced evenly all down the path. “Wanna check it out?”

“What do you think the flowers mean?” Spike asked as he picked up one of them and noted that it was a rather pristine rose.

“I don't know. They are pretty though,” Sweetie Belle replied.

Spike turned and handed the flower to his friend. “H-here.”

Sweetie Belle blushed and gently took the flower from him and placed it in her hair. “What do you think?”

Spike smiled. “I think you look radiant.”

Sweetie Belle blushed profusely while looking down. “I don't think anyone has ever called me that before…It's kind of nice.”

The dragon cleared his throat and extended a hand towards the path. “Shall we?”

Sweetie Belle nodded, the arachne walking a little closer to the dragon as they passed between a pair of trees which grew over the path, creating an arch.

The path beneath their feet was soft and new, but had evidently been created by a careful hand as the various nearby plants had all been cut back to better allow someone to pass between them with ease. Spike occasionally reached down, and plucked another rose from the ground, until he had amassed a small bouquet of them. The thorns couldn't pierce his tough, scaley exterior, and he made a note to put them in water once he reached the boutique.

“Who do you think did all this?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I don't know. But I hope we didn't wreck someone’s romantic date,” Spike replied.

“That would be terrible,” Sweetie Belle admitted, the arachne glancing over her shoulder. “Should we go back?”

“Lets just see what's around the corner. Maybe someone left it behind,” Spike offered.

Sweetie Belle smiled and stepped a little closer to Spike. “Sounds good,” she declared.

Together the two trod the last bit of the path, turning right at the end and emerging into a small, private grove. Above them the trees parted, allowing them to see the moon in all of its beauty. Around them, the trees and shrubs had been pruned back, leaving just enough space for them to enjoy a little privacy without feeling claustrophobic. Below them were numerous rose petals which had been spread all over the grove, and a small blanket, which lay at the very center.

“Woah. This is really cool,” Sweetie Belle muttered as she looked around.

“It is kinda nice.” Spike admitted, the dragon glancing down to the simple white blanket which had seemingly been left behind just for them. “I hope we aren't ruining someone’s surprise.”

“I’m sure they’d understand. Besides, you can see the moon and the stars perfectly from here.” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, her hoof pointing up to the hole in the canopy. “Hey look, it’s Rockhoof’s belt.”

“Would you look at that,” Spike muttered. “I guess it couldn't hurt if we hung around for a little while.”

Sweetie Belle sat upon the blanket, her legs tucking out of the way and leaving enough room for Spike to sit close beside her. Something he awkwardly did, noting that the blanket was only just big enough for the both of them and forcing him to sit very close to the arachne. Something Sweetie Belle didn't seem to notice, as the girl was too busy staring up at the sky with wide, wonder-filled eyes.

“It's not usually this clear out,” Spike pointed out.

“This is perfect,” Sweetie Belle muttered.

The dragon smiled as he looked up at the night sky as well, his many astronomy lessons returning to mind as he studied the stars. Together the pair sat in silence, slowly leaning against one another as they gazed upon the majesty of the clear night. Time passed slowly for the pair, who both simply sat there in wonder, the many bright stars twinkling high above them.

“Thanks, by the way,” Spike whispered.

“For what?” Sweetie Belle asked, turning to the dragon.

“For hanging out with me. You and your friends have really helped me get used to all this change.” Spike blushed. “Though I guess it's mostly you doing the helping.”

“It's been nice having someone I can talk to about that kind of thing. Scootaloo isn't the best when it comes to serious stuff, and Apple Bloom has had a lot on her plate recently,” Sweetie Belle exclaimed with a small, shy smile.

“Don't mention it. I’m just happy to help.” Spike replied, only to gulp. “H-hey, Sweetie?”

The arachne blinked and looked down at the drake. “Yes, Spike?”

“Um, there was something I was meaning to ask you,” Spike continued, the dragon looking down as he clenched and unclenched his fists.

“Oh? Like what?” Sweetie Belle asked eagerly, her cheeks becoming bright red as her heart thumped in her chest.

“Well, it's just we’ve been having a lot of fun recently, and I really enjoy the time we spent together,” Spike murmured, his own blush growing hotter by the second.

“I feel the same way,” Sweetie Belle whispered, her hoof slowly reaching towards the dragon’s hand.

“And I heard about this big play thing happening in a month, and I was wondering if you wanted to go with me,” Spike exclaimed, his fear suddenly getting the better of him and making him change his mind at the last second. “As a friend.”

Sweetie Belle’s hoof stopped cold, and her heart sank. “Spike, I-” she began, only to be cut off by a sudden crash.

Small branches and dozens of leaves rained down around them, and a second later a tall, imposing black form landed before them. Though obviously a changeling, she was much taller than any Spike had seen before, and though her stump of a horn did much to diminish her visage, she was still quite imposing. She towered over both of the teenagers by a considerable amount, and her scarred form only added to her aura of intimidation.

“Wrong answer!” she shouted before jabbing a hoof at Spike. “You, tell her that you like her.”

Spike gulped and looked over to Sweetie Belle. “Uh, I like you?”

The changeling nodded before pointing to Sweetie Belle. “You, say it back.”

“Uh I like you?” Sweetie Belle nervously replied.

The changeling nodded before pointing to Spike once more. “And you want to ask her out on a date, not as friends.”

“Uh…” Spike turned to the other being and shrugged. “I want to take you out to that play thing, not as friends.”

“And what do you have to say to that?” the changeling asked, peering intently at the arachne.

“That would be nice,” Sweetie Belle muttered, blushing hard.

“Great. Now kiss,” demanded the changeling.

Both Spike and Sweetie Belle blushed even harder and looked at one another hesitantly, both silently wondering if they should risk the strange changeling’s wrath.

“I said kiss!” shouted the changeling.

Spike lurched forward and awkwardly planted his lips against Sweetie Belle’s before pulling back a second later, both teenagers blushing furiously. “S-sorry,” Spike stuttered.

The changeling sighed. “You are not supposed to apologize after your first kiss. You know what? Whatever. This was still a huge success.”

With that, she turned and began to walk away, her ratty black cloak billowing behind her.

“I don't know why Cadance always makes this matchmaking thing sound so difficult. It's super easy,” muttered the changeling. “Wait. Wasn't I supposed to be watching her? Whatever, I probably didn't miss anything important, she was only at that smelly farm.” The changeling paused and looked around, only now realizing that the two teenagers were still staring at her. “Oh uh, go about your night.”

“Oookay then,” Spike murmured as the changeling disappeared around the bend.

Together the teenagers sat in silence for several seconds before Sweetie Belle suddenly spoke up.

“Did you really mean that?” she asked nervously.

“Y-yeah,” Spike admitted. “I was just too scared to say anything until well… you know.”

“I really do want to go on that date,” Sweetie Belle added.

“Really?” Spike asked, looking up at the taller being with hope in his eyes.

“Totally,” Sweetie Belle replied.

Spike beamed, only to shrink slightly. “Oh, and sorry about that terrible kiss.”

“It's okay,” Sweetie Belle muttered, her hoof brushing against Spike’s hand. “Maybe we should forget that kiss even happened and try again.”

“You're not scared that she’ll come back?” Spike asked, his hand gripping Sweetie Belle’s hoof.

“She was weird. But I think she was harmless.” The arachne blushed. “Unless you don't want to try again.”

Spike quickly shook his head. “Oh no, I definitely do,” he declared hastily.

Sweetie Belle smiled and leaned towards him, allowing the dragon to kiss her again, this time far less awkwardly. The teenagers closed their eyes and held each other close, remaining there for several seconds before pulling back. They exchanged a brief and heated look before blushing and turning their gazes skyward once more.

“That was nice,” Sweetie Belle whispered.

“It was,” Spike agreed.

Maybe this new Ponyville wasn't so bad, Spike thought to himself.

Author's Note

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The Regrets Of A Bat and A Rabbit

Twilight hummed thoughtfully as she gazed out over the worn ancient scroll which rested upon her desk. The spell described within the aged parchment wasn't terribly difficult, but like seemingly every necromancy spell, it had its subtle complications. It also wasn't a very useful spell in Twilight’s opinion, as it was intended to make the caster become a beacon of necrotic energy. This would ultimately draw any nearby undead to her, and if she focused, allow her to heal their rotten flesh.

Two things she didn't ever plan on doing, but given the structure of the school the spell was a part of, it was necessary to learn. Plus if Twilight was being honest with herself, she didn't even really care how useful the spell itself was. It was a bit of knowledge seemingly lost to the ages, forgotten by all save for maybe her new shadow, but that was debatable given its limited intelligence.

And this ancient spell known by none was hers, and hers alone with the unicorn holding sole ownership of magic that no one else could even cast. That realization made the dead mare feel a little giddy, and she couldn't help but grin as she gazed out over the spell one final time. Twilight thought about what she should do next and, after a moment of consideration, decided to test her newly memorized spell.

Twilight tried not to look at the strange unlight that emanated from her horn, or ponder the fact that it was somehow brighter and more vibrant than usual. Moving through the steps, Twilight allowed the spell to flow through her, prompting her to kneel down. As the spell built she slowly stood, until finally it was complete and she extended a hoof toward the heavens.

The spell fired and seemed to work correctly, though it had little actual effect other than making Twilight’s skin feel a little more sensitive for a few seconds.

“Kinda tingly,” Twilight muttered.

Shaking off that strange feeling, Twilight glanced out the window and looked down from the second story of her library to the dark streets of Ponyville, where creatures of all shapes and sizes went about their business, some of whom stopped and glanced up at Twilight’s home with wide, curious eyes. The sight brought a smile to Twilight’s face, and she waved to a passing thestral mare who had caught her eye. The mare blushed profusely and quickly scurried away, smiling as she disappeared into a nearby crowd.

“Is something on my face?” Twilight whispered to herself.

She blinked and glanced at her reflection in a nearby mirror, only to find the same sight she always beheld. Sure she had begun to look more… alive than usual, and she wasn't quite as thin, but it wasn't that big of a difference. The thought that someone might like her made Twilight feel strange, as if she had swallowed a dozen butterflies, or perhaps a bowl of maggots.

Shuddering, Twilight walked over to the scroll and gave it another look, confirming that she had indeed followed it perfectly. “It's a good thing I mastered that domination spell or I would have never been able to cast this one,” she exclaimed, before looking around the room. “Now what do I do?”

When the empty room did not give her a response, Twilight sighed. “I suppose I should talk to Pinkie Pie. I’ve put this conversation off for long enough,” she muttered to herself. “Though I should probably check up on Spike first before I go anywhere.”

The pony stopped mid-step. “Also, I have to stop talking to myself.”

Shaking her head, Twilight trotted out of the room and was about to descend to the main level when she heard someone humming in the room below her. Pausing at the top of the stairs, Twilight peeked over the ledge to find Spike sweeping the floor while singing to himself. Though describing what he was doing as sweeping was a bit of a stretch, as the dragon was actually dancing with the broom.

That's adorable, thought Twilight as she watched him swing this way and that, humming his strange tune while dancing with the broom.

The dragon spun his bristled partner around and then dropped it into a brief dip, before falling silent.

“Bravo!” Twilight shouted while clapping her hooves.

Spike blinked and looked up to where Twilight stood, an enormous blush spreading across his face. “D-D-Dusk? How long have you been standing there?” Spike shouted, his voice squeaking at the end.

Twilight chuckled as she trotted down the steps. “Not long, just enough to see your grand finale. Let me tell you, if you pulled that off with Sweetie Belle she would absolutely fall head over heels for you.”

Spike blushed even harder and clutched the broom tight against his chest. “I don't know about that. It wasn't that good.”

“I disagree, but regardless. How did things go the other day? You never told me,” Twilight exclaimed, before plopping down on the couch.

“Oh uh right. I guess the whole farm thing kind of overshadowed my own little adventure,” Spike murmured before sitting down across from the pony.

“So, how did it go? I assume it went well, considering the good mood you’ve been in,” Twilight pointed out.

“Yeah, I guess you could say that,” Spike mused.

“Well, go on,” Twilight urged.

“There isn't much to tell, I took her for a short date, bought her ice cream and then put the moves on her,” Spike exclaimed while leaning back on his chair.

“Really? ‘Cause Chrysalis tells it another way,” Twilight retorted with a smirk.

Spike grumbled and crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, after that changeling left, I put the moves on her.”

“Who says Chrysalis ever did?” Twilight replied.

Spike threw up his hands in defeat. “Fine, I was awkward as heck, but it all worked out. Is that what you wanted to hear?”

“Relax, I’m just teasing you, Spike. You’ve already done more than I ever have,” Twilight stated.

“Really? But aren't you like, way older than me?” Spike inquired.

“I mean, sort of. What are you, seventeen?”

Spike nodded. “I think so? They might have added a month to the calendar at one point so I’m not actually sure anymore.”

“Then I’m not actually that much older than you. But I suppose dying and reliving parts of your past life has a way of aging someone,” Twilight mused.

“Yeah no kidding. Say, how is that going by the way? I heard you casting spells earlier.”

Twilight nodded. “Necromancy is not the easiest school of magic to grasp, but I’ve been told I’m learning much faster than anyone else, though it certainly doesn't feel like it. But enough about me, does this mean that you and Sweetie Belle are, you know… an item?”

“An item? Who says that? That was old when I was young,” Spike retorted.

“Spike, you're not even an adult yet. You’re not allowed to say stuff like ‘when I was young’,” Twilight pointed out.

“You know what I mean.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “That doesn't answer my question.”

The dragon sighed and twiddled his thumbs. “I don't know, maybe? We’ve been hanging out a lot and we kiss sometimes.”

“Daww, that's adorable.”

Spike puffed out his cheeks. “And what about you missy, what have you been up to?”

Twilight shrugged. “Not much. Just practicing, hanging out with the girls, and trying to think of how best to help Pinkie Pie.”

“I don't know, that girl seems to actually have her stuff together,” Spike exclaimed.

“It seemed like Rarity and Applejack did as well,” Twilight countered.

“I mean I guess. But anyone could see that the farm wasn't exactly in the best place,” Spike muttered.

“I suppose that is true. Regardless, I’m still going to try at least. It would be nice if I could do something for her,” Twilight stated.

“Other than bring her all the weird bricks she can eat,” Spike replied.

“True. I guess I won’t find out until I talk to her,” Twilight announced before rising from her seat.

“Have you thought of helping Fluttershy or Rainbow Dash first? ‘Cause no offence to Flutters, but something definitely feels wrong there,” Spike asked.

Twilight frowned. “I have a few ideas, but I’ll admit that I’ve been putting that one off. Her condition is so unique, and there is so little written about creatures like her that I’m a little hesitant to offer my assistance.”

“Well then it's a good thing you're going to see Pinkie Pie. I bet her or Zecora would know something on the topic. Hey, maybe Zecora has some pointers to offer on your necromancy practice,” Spike offered, the dragon rising from his own seat and following Twilight to the door.

“Yeah, maybe. She sure is mysterious,” Twilight muttered.

“Hey, do you think she's a time traveler or something?” Spike inquired.

“Ha, I doubt that. Though it would explain how she's so knowledgeable.” Twilight shook her head. “Regardless, I should probably get moving if I want to be back before sunrise.”

“It's so weird that that's normal,” Spike mused.

“Yeah it kind of is, isn't it? Everything just feels backwards,” Twilight agreed.

“Anyway, I’ll see ya later, and don't worry about me. I was just planning on doing some studying, gotta catch up with the times, ya know?” Spike declared a little too loudly.

“Right, the times.” Twilight chuckled. “Just make sure to have her home before I get back. I do not want to get another earful from Rarity about you two staying out early, understood?”

“Oh come on, this time I really was planning on studying!” Spike exclaimed, throwing up his hands.

“Right, sure you were,” Twilight remarked before turning and walking to the door.

“I hope you trip and fall in a river,” Spike muttered.

“And I hope you get splinters after making out with the broom,” Twilight retorted, glancing at the dragon over her shoulder.

The two beings stared one another down for several seconds before both erupting with laughter.

Spike grinned. “Good luck.”

“You too, lover boy,” Twilight offered in return before turning and slipping out the door.

“Watch out,” cautioned the guard.

Twilight paused mid-step and looked down to where a small bouquet of flowers sat on her doorstep. Leaning in closer, Twilight was able to see that it was filled with flowers that were native to Ponyville and Ponyville alone. They were also housed in a slim, crystalline container that had been partially filled with a thick, greenish liquid.

The flowers werent as bright as the ones Twilight had grown up with, but the dark plants did have a unique majesty all their own. Together they resembled the night sky, with soft purples and deep blues creating an almost perfect recreation of the heavens above. Though undeniably beautiful, they were also quite confusing to the sheltered mare who looked down on them apprehensively.

“Why are they here?” Twilight asked, turning to the guard who stood outside her home.

He raised an eyebrow in response. “It's a gift. Someone wanted to thank you for something. That arrangement is usually reserved for an impersonal sign of thanks, by the way.”

“Which means… what exactly?” Twilight pressed.

“It's the same kind you may deliver to your doctor, or the individual who teaches your children. Something like that,” elaborated the short, stocky young thestral stallion. “It's not poisonous by the way.”

“Err right. I should bring these inside,” Twilight muttered, nervously taking the flowers in her magic before ducking back into the library.

And meeting a confused Spike. “I thought you were leaving.”

“I was, but then I was given this,” Twilight replied, gesturing to the flowers.

“Oh wow, those are really pretty. You must have really done something nice for someone,” Spike continued, taking the flowers from Twilight’s grasp and placing them on a nearby window sill.

“I guess I did,” Twilight murmured before turning back around once more and stepping back outside. “Excuse me, was there a note with the flowers?”

The guard shook his head, inadvertently revealing that his helmet didn't quite fit. “No, but she did mention that she appreciated what you’ve been doing for people and that she wished to apologize for judging you too harshly. Even if it was only from a distance.”

“Wait, she?” Twilight asked, her mind conjuring images of the random thestral mare she had seen out the window a few minutes ago. “Augh, I should have been paying more attention to what she looked like.”

“She was pretty cute, to be honest.” The guard coughed. “A little heavier and shorter than most, put she had a really nice smile.”

Twilight hummed thoughtfully, the nervous, blushy smile of the thestral mare coming to mind. “Huh, well, that's uh… weird,” Twilight muttered.

“Oh and before I forget, there was someone lurking around the exterior of the library earlier today. I wasn't able to track them down, and though I don't think it's anything menacing, I just thought you should be aware,” added the guard.

“I appreciate it.” Twilight blinked. “This is all so strange.”

“Oh yes and Braeburn, Applejack’s cousin came down and offered his assistance should you ever require it,” the guard added.

“Why didn't you let him in?” Twilight questioned.

“You were both asleep,” replied the guard. “I didn't think it was that urgent.”

“Oh well, in that case thank you. Is he staying at the farm?” Twilight continued.

“For the next week or so I believe.”

“That's…” Twilight shook her head. “I’m just so blown away.”

“Why? You’ve helped one of the most beloved families and shop owners in Ponyville,” the guard stated before gesturing to the library itself. “And you’ve brought back the Tree of Knowledge, something that most considered to be merely a legend from a bygone era.”

“Well, I mean it's not like it's helping the town that much right now. The books found within have to be carefully screened by the guard and approved one by one,” Twilight retorted.

“Regardless. People have taken note of what you’ve been doing and have begun to consider you something of a local hero,” the guard replied.

“I don't…” Twilight’s initial reaction was to finish that sentence by stating she didn't believe him, but the evidence was staring her right in the face. Furthermore, all she had to do was turn her head and she could see that some of the passersby looked at her with a twinge of awe.

“I guess so,” Twilight whispered.

The guard laughed and patted Twilight on the back with an armored hoof. “Don't look too happy! Wouldn't want anyone to think the fame is going to your head,” he declared.

“I am not letting it go to my… Oh, you're being sarcastic,” Twilight muttered.

“I told you you're well-loved and you look like I just informed you your dog died. Do you not like people or something?” inquired the guard, raising an eyebrow and glancing at the unicorn curiously.

“Up until I came here I didn't have friends, and now suddenly people actually like me.” Twilight shook her head. “It's just a lot to take in.”

“Well, get used to it. ‘Cause unless you do something crazy, I got a feeling you're only going to get more famous,” stated the thestral.

“Huh,” Twilight murmured before beginning to trot away, so at a loss for words that she couldn't even mutter a goodbye to the stallion.

It took the unicorn a few minutes of wandering before she remembered why she left the house in the first place, but when she did, Twilight had to turn right around. Now with a clear direction in mind, the pony contemplated the information she had just been given as she trotted through town. Information that became more and more true each time she passed someone who gave her a small nod or smile, conveying the fact that they knew of her.

The default response she had gotten when first entering town was one of dispassionate rejection. Yet now they seemed to have warmed up to her quite a bit, unnerving the pony almost more than when they disliked her. It was an odd feeling to say the least, though as Twilight made her way across town, she began to grow appreciative of the change. It made the town feel more like home than even the building she had grown up in, and by the time Twilight reached the outskirts of Ponyville, she had a wide smile on her face.

“I wonder how long this has been going on, and I didn't even notice?” mused the mare, shaking her head. “Contemplate that later, now is not the time.”

Making her way into the forest, what little trappings of civilization quickly fall away, replaced by the wild, untamed nature that was the Everfree Forest. A transition that had at first been jarring, given how quick it happened, but now was oddly comforting, and to Twilight felt a lot like how walking to Applejack’s did. Though there were a few scattered paths, and some signs that someone had passed through the area recently, the forest quickly grew thick and snuffed out any sight of other travelers.

Walking a little further, Twilight was able to find a small hollow surrounded by bushes which would obscure her from the sight of any possible passersby. She briefly considered going deeper into the forest before enacting the ritual, but to do so would be dangerous. After all, she was being hunted by someone or something, and though she was confident she didn't need Rainbow Dash’s help, she did require some kind of assistance.

And so she carved a set of interlocking symbols bound within a circle with her hoof in the soft wet ground. Though the simple dirt circle wasn't exactly the most powerful, it didn't need to be for the spell to work properly. She had a solid working knowledge of the magic, and the circle would give her the extra oomph she would need to ensure it went off without a hitch.

Upon completion, she gazed down at her work and smiled faintly, confident that it was the best it could be given how much time she had spent on it. With that done, Twilight lit her horn and began to cast the spell she had spent most of her day practicing. When it was done, she turned and cast the spell not up like the scroll had said to do, but down and into the sigil she had carved into the earth.

The rune absorbed the magical energies and seemed to increase their potency, for when the magic was released for a second time the energy was far greater than anticipated. In fact it was so large that Twilight stumbled back, a little baffled by the eruption of blackened smoke which poured forth from the ground. The smoke billowed through the leaves of the surrounding trees, surging into the sky and creating a cloud which hung over the hollow, obscuring it in darkness.

“That's not good,” Twilight murmured. “I didn't mean to make it that powerful.”

Her train of thought was cut off when a chorus of howls suddenly sprung up from somewhere in the distance. Almost immediately Twilight could feel the familiar pull that she always sensed when a timberwolf was nearby. Only this time it was different, there were more of them, at least a small pack’s worth, and Twilight wasn't certain her domination spell would work on all of them.

“If the call was more powerful, the turn undead spell should be as well,” Twilight hoped, the mare already gathering power as she waited for the wolves to heed her call.

The interim didn't last long as the sound of crashing footfalls quickly began to echo from all around her. As they closed in, Twilight could feel a bit of fear worm its way into her heart, but the necromancer quickly stamped it out. This spell required her to be confident in order for it to work, and Twilight refused to die by her own hoof.

A few seconds later a trio of large wooden wolves burst into the hollow, their gazes locked on Twilight. The centermost one stood taller than the rest, its bulky size nearly dwarfing the two others. This wolf leader also seemed tougher than the others, as it had more bark covering its exterior. The bark seemed almost a little redish for some reason.

The one which stood to its right was thinner, more angular, and was covered in a purplish moss of some kind. It also had longer claws, and seemed lighter than the other two. Leafy growths sprouted from its back. The final wolf was just barely taller than the center one, now that Twilight really looked, and it too was more angular than it. Stranger still were the large white mushrooms which grew all over its form, including its face where a rather large one sprouted from between its eyes like a horn.

The centermost timberwolf growled low and slowly stepped forward, its gaze remaining fixed on Twilight. Shaking off the bit of surprise, she breathed deep, stared it down for several seconds before releasing her spell. The effect was immediate, and the timberwolves’ eyes went from green to a deep magenta, nearly mimicking the coloration of Twilight’s own.

As soon as that happened, the wooden creatures relaxed visibly, with the leader yawning and lying down while its fellows looked around curiously. Twilight blinked, watching as the tall, mushroom-covered wolf wandered over to her before sniffing the unicorn. They were clearly very different, in both appearance and action, nevermind how intelligent they seemed to be. It took all of Twilight’s willpower to not abandon her mission and spend the rest of her night studying these unique creatures.

“We got a job to do,” Twilight murmured before straightening her spine and standing tall.

The wolves jumped to attention, as if waiting for an order from their new leader.

“Stay close, watch my back, and alert me to any threats,” Twilight commanded, looking from one wolf to the other. “Got it?”

The undead creatures nodded.

“Good. Now let's go, something tells me this is going to be a long night,” Twilight murmured.

The wolves turned and formed a V around the mare, protecting her flanks, with the more bulky wolf taking point once more. Twilight made a note to study these particular wolves when she had the chance, as they were definitely more intelligent than the others Twilight had seen. For now though, their intelligence just meant that the pony had more adept guards than she had anticipated, and that she could breathe a bit easier knowing that.

Emerging into a somewhat more orderly section of the forest, Twilight hopped over a fallen log and leaned against a tree before plucking a bur from her hoof. Grimacing in pain, she then lifted her other forehoof and wrenched a thorn that had become embedded within it. Tossing both aside, Twilight muttered angrily to herself, though she was internally quite glad that she didn't seem to have any blood as it likely would have attracted predators.

“That is the last time I’m following your advice, Red,” Twilight exclaimed while glaring at the largest timberwolf.

Who blinked and cocked its head in confusion.

“Ahh nevermind. White, you're in charge of guiding me from here on out,” Twilight commanded.

The mushroom-covered wolf seemed to grin and stand a little taller, as if flaunting its newfound status over the other wolves. Who both seemed a little annoyed at the tall thin wolf and glowered silently at it in protest.

Twilight gave her legs a brief once over before looking around. “Alright, now where are we?”

The mushroom-covered wolf pointed its nose east, to where the trees grew thick and the undergrowth was plentiful. A sight which initially irritated twilight, who was already regretting having to make her way through it, only for her spirits to immediately lighten. For one of the trees was a warding totem, one that would keep away most mundane threats, and marked this area as one protected by a shaman.

It was also a tree Twilight remembered, though it was in a different position than the last time she had seen it. The forest was strange though so some manner of confusion and odd circumstances were to be expected.

“Keep a perimeter, and make sure nothing hostile is able to enter the area around the house,” Twilight exclaimed.

The wolves all bowed briefly before running off, all save for the largest wolf who turned around and plopped down. Twilight glanced at it for a moment, noting that it seemed to be focused on something, though Twilight didn't know what. Shrugging that off for now, Twilight used her magic to push her way through the thick plant life and into the clearing beyond.

Looking around, Twilight found herself in the secluded area of the woods claimed by Zecora and her young apprentice. The undergrowth was mercifully short, and not overly thick, allowing Twilight to easily make her way towards the center. Where a short, squat tree grew, as if from the stump of some far larger and far more ancient plant. It had been hollowed out and made to serve as a home of sorts for the eclectic shaman and her student.

The strange masks, hanging bottles of potions, and many odd, foreign flora Twilight had come to expect were all there. Though there was one thing that was off, namely the thick black smoke that poured out of the open door and two windows. Twilight was about to sprint towards the structure, only for something to caution her not to do so. She lit her horn.

Approaching the house, Twilight felt as though she was ready for anything, only to be surprised when Pinkie Pie popped out of the ground. “Hiya Twilight!” shouted the troll.

“Ahhh!” Twilight screamed before rearing up and then falling onto her back, magic sputtering out.

Pinkie Pie loomed over the fallen pony. “I didn't think I was that scary. I don't have another tarantula on my face, do I?”

Twilight blinked. “Uh no. I was just surprised, is all.”

“Well, that's silly, because you were the one that totally surprised us! What with those wolves and all. I thought we were under attack for a second there,” Pinkie Pie replied, offering the unicorn a hoof in assistance.

“Thanks,” Twilight muttered before accepting the limb and getting roughly pulled up. “Was that why you were hiding?”

A nearby mask twisted into a familiar face and Zecora stepped out of the shadows. “A trap was seeded, though it was not needed,” declared the zebra.

Twilight frowned as she gazed upon the aged zebra closely. “Ah, so what's with the smoke?” Twilight asked, gesturing to the tree.

Pinkie Pie winced and rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. “That may have been a teensy weensy bit my fault.”

Zecora merely stared at the pony and slowly raised a single eyebrow.

“Okay, so it was all my fault. I said I was sorry,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, shrinking slightly.

“It is quite alright my young learner, I should know not to trust you with the burner,” Zecora replied.

Twilight grinned. “And Righty is back. That's great to see.”

Pinkie Pie blinked and looked down at her now fully regrown limb. “Oh yeah. And it finally stopped being tingly too.”

“Well, that's great, but isn't your house kind of on fire?” Twilight inquired, turning to Zecora.

Who shook her head. “There will be no permanent damage, though cleaning will be quite the challenge.”

“Don't worry, boss lady. I’ll handle it,” Pinkie Pie proclaimed.

“There is no harm you can do with soap. Or at least, that is my hope,” Zecora stated before ushering the pair over towards a small grassy spot nestled at the base of two large trees which stood across from one another.

The troll and pony followed diligently, seating themselves on pads of moss which seemed to have been grown for just such an occasion. Twilight found herself surprisingly at ease once she sat down, and she watched as the shaman and her apprentice did likewise.

“I would offer you tea, but I don't know how long this will be,” Zecora exclaimed, waving a hoof at her home.

“That's quite alright. I’m actually not here on a social visit,” Twilight stated.

“I figured. You got that look that you only seem to get when you got a mission in mind,” Pinkie Pie declared with a knowing grin.

Twilight blushed slightly. “Yes, well I was hoping I could ask Zecora a few questions before I got to that.”

The zebra blinked. “Oh, and what exactly did you have in mind? I hope you are not in another bind.”

Twilight shook her head. “Nothing like that. I just had a few general questions I was hoping you could answer. Like for example, are there any other tidbits of wisdom you can cryptically give me?”

“Depending on the question, I may be more inclined to grant a cession,” Zecora replied coyly, grinning slightly.

Pinkie Pie giggled. “The master teaser is at it again.”

Twilight narrowed her gaze and shifted uncomfortably on her seat of moss. “I admit I don't really know what the right question might be. I don't suppose you have any suggestions for me?”

“Hmm, I suppose I could offer you one. Though after that I will be done,” Zecora warned.

“Err alright. Fire away, I suppose,” Twilight murmured.

“Hatred will leave you blind, in a moment when you will need to be kind,” Zecora exclaimed.

Twilight frowned. “Someone else said something similar, but I can't remember who said that all of a sudden.”

“Neat. I wonder if it's gonna be one of those times where you only realize how useful the suggestion is after the fact?” Pinkie Pie mused aloud, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Either way. I’m sure it will only come to me after everything is said and done.”

“That is true of all advice, for such realizations come at a price,” Zecora proclaimed.

Twilight blinked. “I never thought about it like that, but yeah, you're totally right.”

“So did ya come all that way just to get some spooky advice or was this just an excuse to see my cute face?” Pinkie Pie asked, the troll squishing her cheeks and fluttering her eyelashes.

Twilight chuckled and shook her head. “It's like you said. I had a mission in mind. One that I was hoping you could help me with.”

Zecora nodded. “You are here to offer aid, for you feel a debt must be repaid.”

The unicorn winced. “When you say it like that, it seems almost rude.”

“Aid, debt, what are you two talking about?” Pinkie Pie inquired.

Twilight shuffled a bit to her right in order to face the troll fully. “You’ve helped me when you didn't need to, and without asking for anything in return. I want to give you something back, to help in some manner, if possible.”

Pinkie Pie blinked owlishly. “What are you talking about?”

“You know, with the whole castle thing and helping me learn about myself. Directing me to Zecora,” Twilight explained, only for Pinkie Pie to remain visibly baffled.

“She feels indebted, an action she's regretted,” Zecora explained.

“I mean I get that part. But I was just being nice. I don't really want anything in return,” Pinkie Pie replied while scratching her head.

“I know you don't, but I still want to do something nice for you. Like how I’ve helped both Rarity and Applejack,” Twilight declared.

Pinkie Pie shook her head and brought her hooves down in front of her in an X motion. “Nuh uh. No way do I need that kind of help.”

“What do you mean by that?” Twilight asked, her voice tinged with hurt.

“What my pupil means to say, is that she has no great enemies to slay,” Zecora offered.

Pinkie Pie nodded vigorously. “Yeah. I mean the only problems I’ve ever really had was not having an outlet for helping people, and feeling kind of directionless after I found that outlet. Two things that Zecora and you have already helped me with.”

“I’m not sure what you mean. How have I helped you with either of those things?” Twilight puzzled aloud.

“Well, Zecora helped me discover that I could help people if I trained with her, and after that I still felt a little directionless.” Pinkie Pie smiled. “But after hanging out with you and the girls and hearing about how you’ve helped them, I’ve been really inspired. Plus we’ve really started to feel like a team, you know.”

Twilight blushed slightly. “I guess so. I never thought about it like that.”

“And hey, the next big adventure might be just around the corner,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

Zecora chuckled. “You may be on the very brink, but that's just what I think.”

Twilight frowned and ran her hoof across the moss-covered ground. “I guess I’ve never really considered it like that. Well, either way, I’m glad I was able to inadvertently pay you back, but I still would like to do something.”

Pinkie Pie hummed and tapped her chin. “Oh, I know! Why don't you help with the play later this week? Dark Hallow’s stage director is down with the beer flu, so they need someone to fill in for her, and you're great at organizational stuff.”

“The beer flu?” Twilight asked, turning to Zecora. “Should you guys be worried about that?”

“Oh, I wouldn't worry, it only affects those who aren't furry,” Zecora explained.

“I still don't understand,,” Twilight deadpanned.

“The stage director is a crystal pony,” Pinkie Pie added.

“Oh I see. Yeah I could do that. I’ll bring it up with Dark Hallow during our next weekly meeting, which is tomorrow, I think,” Twilight declared, before frowning suddenly. “Though I should probably read up on the plays Dark Hallow is putting on. Which one are you in again?”

Pinkie Pie grinned and raised her hoof dramatically. “Titus Andronicus! I play random background soldier number twenty-three, but I like to think that twenty-three has a vast inner monologue that the play cannot fully capture.”

“Riiiight,” Twilight muttered.

“And Zecora is the narrator,” Pinkie Pie added, squeezing the zebra around the shoulders.

“To this day I have no idea how you did that.” Zecora grumbled. “After this we are going to have to have quite the chat on that.”

Pinkie Pie giggled. “It's not like I hypnotized you or anything.”

“When you say it with a pout, you give me reason to doubt” Zecora retorted, before gently pushing Pinkie Pie away.

“Well alright then, I guess it's settled.” Twilight turned to Pinkie and fixed her with a firm look. “But if you ever need my assistance with anything, you have but to ask.”

Zecora glanced over her shoulder, a grin springing across her face. “It seems as though your little mishap has played its course. Though I should go and double check the source.”

The zebra stood and began to walk away, with Pinkie Pie hopping up to follow her. “Oh good thinkin’, I’ll come help you start sweeping,” declared the troll.

“Actually Pinkie,” Twilight interrupted, catching the troll by the shoulder. “I was hoping we could talk for a little bit longer.”

“If that's okay with Zecora,” Pinkie Pie replied hopefully.

“Of course you can help your friend. I’d rather not see her story end,” Zecora shouted without looking back.

Pinkie Pie shrugged and plopped back down across from the unicorn. “Okay, so what do you need to know?”

Twilight frowned and shifted from hoof to hoof nervously. “Well, you see, it's about Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.”

The troll’s mood darkened, and her hair lost a twinge of its poofiness. “I sure hope you know what your doing, Twilight, because that is a hurt that goes really deep.”

The unicorn nodded and tapped her forehooves together. “I understand, but those two have also helped me quite a bit, and I feel like there is a mystery there. Or at least something that my unique skills can assist with, ya know?”

Pinkie Pie frowned. “I know you mean well, but this is a subject that if brought up could make a lot of things worse.” She sighed. “The only time I ever tried to talk to them about what happened they both ended up arguing and didn't talk to one another for like a week. Which is a lot for them.”

“That does sound… extreme.” Twilight shook her head. “Still. I have to try. If my assumption is correct, then the issue which lies at the root of all this is one that only I can help with. I know that sounds egotistical, but it's just what I feel.”

Pinkie Pie nodded. “I get it, but still. Think long and hard about this, Twilight, ‘cause if things go wrong, you may lose a friend or two. At least for a little while anyway.”

Twilight took one of Pinkie Pie’s forehooves in her own and clutched it tightly. “Which is why I need your insight. Surely you have some bit of wisdom to offer on this matter.”

Pinkie’s frown dissipated and was replaced by a small, optimistic smile. “I suppose I could offer a few pointers.”

“Thank you, Pinkie Pie,” Twilight exclaimed, dropping the mare’s hoof.

“For one, do not under any circumstance insinuate that Fluttershy’s decision was a rushed one, or defend her parents. Those topics are a good way to end up in a yelling match with one or both of them at the same time,” Pinkie Pie warned.

Twilight nodded. “That seems obvious enough.”

“Also, sit down with both of them together,” Pinkie Pie declared with uncharacteristic firmness. “They both act different when they talk about this subject alone. If they are going to figure out their issues, then it has to be as a team.”

“As a team, got it.”

“And lastly, try not to see this whole mess as a puzzle. It's not going to have an easy end, or even a firm conclusion for that matter, and also don't forget that the forest is protective of its chosen,” Pinkie Pie concluded before standing.

“Okay. That's… vague, but I should have assumed as much,” Twilight exclaimed.

Pinkie Pie shrugged. “Rarity and Applejack’s issues had a nice, easy ending to them, and though I feel like someone will come out of this changed, it won’t mean that the problem has gone away. Sorry, Twilight, I know how that sounds.”

“No, that's okay. I shouldn't have assumed there would be some easy ending to begin with,” Twilight hastily replied.

Pinkie Pie pulled the unicorn into a brief, tight hug. “You're a remarkable pony, Twilight Sparkle. If anyone is going to help heal the hurt they hold in their hearts, it's you.”

“I… thank you, Pinkie Pie. Your faith in me is somewhat scary,” Twilight admitted.

Pinkie Pie leapt up and took a step back. “And remember, if you don't have faith in yourself, have faith in me, who has faith in you.”

Twilight chuckled. “I will.”

“Best of luck,” Pinkie Pie offered before turning and walking towards the house which was no longer smoking, though the inside had been turned black.

Twilight shook her head. “Well, she has her work cut out for her, that's for sure.”

Sighing to herself, Twilight began to trot back towards the edge of the clearing, to where she assumed the large wolf was still lying. Once the unicorn had pushed through the foliage and emerged out the other side, Twilight was surprised to find that all three were standing at attention, waiting for her. They had also received some damage, with White and Purple appearing slightly charred while Red was missing its entire lower jaw.

“What happened to you?” Twilight asked, rushing up to the largest timberwolf and inspecting it closer.

The wolf shrugged and gestured deeper into the forest halfheartedly.

Frowning, Twilight followed the timberwolf’s look to where she was able to see tracks both familiar and not so familiar. Her own were relatively easy to spot as she had approached at a steady, even pace, while the wolves were recognizable for obvious reasons. There was also a third set, one that seemed to have been made by a hooved being, but which ended abruptly as if the person had simply vanished.

“Did you three get in a fight with someone?” Twilight asked, turning to the three wolves and eying them curiously.

The three nodded in unison, and Twilight was left even more confused than before. “Well, it's not like I can ask you to describe the attacker or anything.” She sighed. “Come on, I’ll heal you up but after that we are heading back to town.”

The three wolves merely stared blankly at her as Twilight cast a quick spell and mended the damage they had received. Once done, they assembled around the mare before setting off in the direction of Ponyville.

With the town now in sight, Twilight hopped off the back of the largest wolf, who nuzzled her suddenly. “Daww, I like you too,” Twilight replied, returning the affection in kind.

The other two wolves both nuzzled the unicorn briefly before parting.

“Alright, I guess I have to let you guys go now. I really appreciate you helping out even if it wasn't really your choice.” Twilight winced. “Augh, now I feel bad for a semi-sentient collection of tree branches.”

The smallest wolf snorted.

“Sorry, I’ll let you go now. Just don't attack anyone, please?” Twilight requested.

The largest wolf nodded, and when Twilight lit her horn and undid the spell she placed on them, the wolf shook itself briefly before turning and leaving. The mushroom-covered wolf gave Twilight a slight nod before following its fellow, and the last one did so as well, but only after it shot Twilight a glare. Confused, Twilight watched as the trio slipped deftly back into the woods, vanishing behind a set of small bushes despite their massive size.

“Well, that was… interesting,” Twilight murmured. “I really should find the time to do a research paper on timberwolves, the books available are surprisingly light on information regarding them.”

Twilight shook her head and turned back to town, making her way through the light underbrush on the outskirts and onto a more solid path. Once she had done that, the pony made her way towards a pair of mushroom houses, and to the street they sat at the end of. Silently hoping that she wasn't trouncing through someone’s herb garden, Twilight trotted out of the woods and back into civilization.

Looking around, she noticed that very few people were out and about, but that made sense as most were probably still working at this time. With that in mind, Twilight made her way towards where she hoped to gain information on Rainbow Dash’s whereabouts, her library. Walking the streets, Twilight found her spirits slowly rising despite the rather dire final conversation she had with Pinkie Pie.

The friendly waves and greetings sent her way made a smile slowly come to the mare’s face and she couldn't help but hope. After all, Twilight had managed to help three of her other friends, even if one was only incidentally and hardly counted. Still, she had a one hundred percent success rate so far, though Twilight was very cognizant of the possibility that she may become overconfident.

Shaking off her bit of introspection, she made her way around the town square and to the library, where the same slightly short guard stood. Trotting up to him, Twilight smiled and glanced through the window to her home.

“Is Spike still here?” she inquired.

The guard shook his head. “No, he left not long ago. He mentioned something about wanting to see Sweetie Belle again. Took a book about plays along with him.”

Twilight smiled faintly. “He must be trying to read up on the play before they go on their big date... Oh, I just realized I never asked your name.”

“It's Night Flight, and don't worry, this is the first time you’ve asked,” the guard replied with a grin.

“Whew, well at least there's that,” Twilight muttered. “Say, you wouldn't happen to know where Rainbow Dash is by chance, do you? I hope she is off work soon.”

Night Flight hummed and scratched his chin. “I think she was on market duty today, but if you need her for something, there are standing orders that she is to assist you without delay.”

“That's right, Dark Hallow mentioned something like that.” Twilight smacked a hoof against her head. “Darnit. If I hadn't gone around the square, I would have seen her.”

“It's all good. You made my afternoon at least a little more entertaining,” remarked Night Flight.

“Well, that's good! Oh and one last thing. Was the being you saw earlier pony-shaped and did they leave behind any tracks?” Twilight inquired.

The guard nodded slowly. “They were vaguely pony shaped, but I never got close enough to tell for sure. As for tracks, I didn't notice any at the time, but I chased them under your balcony, so if there were any, they would be there.”

“Thanks again, Night Flight,” Twilight remarked, nodding to the guard before turning and walking away.

It didn't take long to trot over to the spot he had mentioned, and though upon first glance there didn't seem to be any kind of markings, Twilight wasn't about to give up. Leaning close against the ground, she cast a quick spell, only to find it was a little more difficult than anticipated. Still, once it was cast, she could see the ground a little better than when relying on her dark vision alone.

It also revealed that there were indeed two sets of tracks, one a little deeper and closer together, which were likely Night Flight’s, as well as a second set. These tracks were a bit wider apart and not quite as deep, suggesting their gait was longer, and they werent quite as heavy. They also looked similar to the ones Twilight had seen in the woods, and they too ended abruptly, same as the last ones Twilight had tried to follow not long ago.

“Definitely a unicorn,” Twilight murmured. “Either that or someone who has access to a spell stone, but those are too rare to use this frequently.”

The unicorn stood bolt upright all of a sudden. “It must be Sunset Shimmer. It's the only explanation. But how could that be possible? How could she have followed me here?”

Twilight began to pace as she muttered to herself. “Think, Twilight, is there anything she could have used to follow you? Maybe it was just luck and she followed the river before finding my tracks. That doesn't seem plausible though. Especially given the bizarre nature of the forest itself.”

Letting out a deep sigh, Twilight turned to the market square at the center of town. “No time to ponder that right now. Though I better place some wards on the library when I can.”

As she walked, Twilight continued to ruminate on this disturbing bit of information, only to slowly grow angrier by the second. Sunset Shimmer threatened to ruin everything that she had managed to build since the death of her mother. She had friends, a home, and a family, one that she had found in the last place she would have ever anticipated.

Rage burnt hot in the unicorn’s chest, sparked by the real possibility that Sunset Shimmer could take away something else of hers. That rage was followed by guilt stemming from the fact that the assassin was merely a puppet, one that was ultimately controlled by Celestia. Then it was right back to anger, with her thoughts consumed by the hated alicorn and the harm she had done to Twilight.

“Woah, you alright there, Twi?” a friendly voice asked.

Twilight blinked and looked up to where Rainbow Dash stood a few feet away from her, a worried expression on her face. The thestral wore all of her usual light plate mail armor, and on her side was the crescent blade she always wore. Following Rainbow Dash’s gaze, Twilight realized that she had inadvertently killed the grass beneath her hooves. Worse still, she had been leaving blackened hoof prints for a good number of feet, further driving home the guilt she felt.

“Oh uh, woops,” Twilight muttered, kicking a bit of dirt over the black spots she had left.

“Are you okay? This is a necromancy thing, right?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

“I think so. It probably has to do with my mood,” Twilight remarked, frowning as she looked at the damage she had inadvertently done.

“Well, what's buggin’ ya? Rarity didn't try and stick you in another dress, did she?” Rainbow Dash pressed.

“Ha, no. If only that was all I had to worry about,” Twilight murmured.

“You’re right. Not enough holes in you for that. So if that ain't it, what's got your knickers in a twist this time?” Rainbow Dash asked, smiling faintly.

Twilight looked left and then right before leaning closer. “It's Sunset, she might be here in Ponyville.”

“Really? She didn't exactly strike me as the sneaky type from what you’ve mentioned of her,” Rainbow Dash pointed out.

“Well I mean, I don't know for sure that it's her, but it's the most logical conclusion given that a spell casting assassin has been trying to kill me,” Twilight stated.

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “I wouldn't worry about it. I’ll talk to the boss and we’ll have the guard doubled just in case. She can't out sneak the night guard, and when we catch her, she’ll be dead or in jail so fast it will make her head spin.”

Twilight chuckled. “You know what, yeah! I have a whole bunch of new allies, I shouldn't worry about her so much.”

“Exactly,” Rainbow Dash declared, before wrapping a hoof about Twilight’s shoulder. “Now was that it? Or is Auntie Rainbow Dash going to have to threaten you with a noogie before you tell her why you're really here.”

“Har har, Rainbow Dash, you’re worse than Pinkie Pie,” Twilight muttered, shrugging off the other mare’s hoof. “And that was only partly why I was here, the main reason was to talk to you and Fluttershy.”

“Me and Flutters? Why? What’s up?” Rainbow Dash asked, the mirth slowly slipping from her voice.

“It's… personal. I just need to talk to you both somewhere private,” Twilight stated evenly.

Rainbow Dash nodded. “I can do that at least. The shift was over in ten anyway. Just let me go talk to Stink Weed, and I’ll get back to you.”

“Stink Weed? Oof, someone’s parents must not have been in a good mood when they were born,” Twilight remarked.

Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Oh that's not actually her name, though it is fitting.”

The thestral leapt into the air, and flew over to a nearby rooftop wherein a tall, lanky female thestral guard sat staring out over the crowd. Twilight hummed thoughtfully to herself as she considered how exactly she was going to broach the subject she had in mind. It wouldn't be easy, that much was certain, as it was a painful one for both Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.

It also didn't have any real mystery or obvious solution either, so it wasn't likely that Twilight could just spell the issue away. Now that she thought about it, she wasn't even certain if there was a way to ‘solve’ this little issue in the first place. After all, the hurt they felt stemmed from an event that had already come to pass, one that couldn't be undone, or at least not undone by traditional magic.

Twilight shook her head though, stopping that train of thought and reminding herself of what Pinkie Pie had said about treating it like a puzzle. Furthermore it wasn't like there was a necromancy spell capable of bringing back someone who was already sort of undead. And to make matters worse, Fluttershy wasn't exactly normal even when it came to those who had returned from the realm beyond.

The spirit had been infused with a piece of the chaotic forest itself, and though certainly not alive, Twilight wasn't certain if Fluttershy could even be classified as undead like Twilight herself was. The unicorn stowed away such concern when she noticed Rainbow Dash gliding down towards her. The thestral wore a slight smirk, though that expression vanished by the time she reached Twilight.

“So, how did it go?” Twilight inquired, gesturing to the other guard.

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Weedy didn't like it, but she couldn't really complain. It's not like there was a lot going on today anyway.”

Twilight glanced out over the relatively small group of beings who had gathered at the market. “So, do you know where Fluttershy is? Or perhaps where her grove is? I haven't been able to go back there since the last time I was in trouble,” Twilight exclaimed.

“That makes sense. Fluttershy’s grove can only be found when she wants it to be found, though it usually pops back up near town in about the same spot.” Rainbow Dash tapped her nose and winked. “Thankfully I know a sure fire way of finding her.”

“Oh really? And what is that?” Twilight replied curiously.

“You’ll see.”

“I can't believe this is your plan,” Twilight deadpanned.

Rainbow Dash blinked and glanced over her armored shoulder. “Well, if you don't like it, then come up with something better.”

Twilight sighed and ran a hoof down her face. “I-”

An ear splitting screech from the thestral made Twilight wince, and she clamped her hooves over her ears. “Would you cut that out for two seconds?” Twilight shouted.

“Look, I don't know what your issue is. If Fluttershy hears an injured animal, she’ll come running,” Rainbow Dash replied.

“That's not where my annoyance stems from. It's more so the mind-rending shrieking noise you keep making. You sound like a tea kettle, only somehow a hundred times more shrill,” Twilight complained.

“It's an injured bat,” Rainbow Dash replied. “And I’ll have you know my imitation is on point.”

Twilight sighed again and put her hooves back over her ears. “Just let me know when it works.”

Rainbow Dash shrugged and turned back around, ready to screech once more, only to stop before she did so. “Oh hey, Fluttershy. There you are.”

The bright blue-eyed bunny hopped over to them. “Oh,Rainbow Dash. You didn't happen to see an injured bat by chance, did you?”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “It was just me. Twilight wanted to talk to us about something.”

Twilight glanced past Rainbow Dash and slowly removed her hooves from her ears. “Oh, thank goodness. We found Fluttershy.”

“So what did you need to talk to me about?” asked the bunny, who hopped over so the three beings stood in a circle.

“Before we get to that, I was hoping to talk about it somewhere a little more private,” Twilight urged. “I may or may not have an assassin on my tail.”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “Right, so if we could move this conversation to your grove, that would be wonderful.”

“Oh, um, absolutely,” Fluttershy declared before hopping deeper into the forest.

Twilight slipped in next to Rainbow Dash before following after the woodland creature. “You know we could have gone back to the library,” Twilight whispered.

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “We could, but if it's a serious conversation I would rather it be had somewhere Fluttershy is comfortable.”

The unicorn’s gaze lingered on the bunny. “I suppose I can't fault you there.”

“Besides, it won't take long,” Rainbow Dash assured.

Sure enough, it didn't take much time at all, and after only a few minutes of walking, Twilight was greeted with the pungent scent of rot once more. Now that she was ready for it, the smell didn't quite hit as hard as it did the first time, but it wasn't exactly pleasant either. Still, Twilight steeled herself and tried her best not to look at the small mounds of rotten flesh near the base of some of the trees which fringed Fluttershy’s grove.

The tall trees and thick bushes which surrounded the spirit’s home were as impressive as ever. The grove itself also seemed to jump out of nowhere like usual, with the path they had been following swerving to the right and bringing them to the edge of her abode rather suddenly. Pushing through the thick foliage, Twilight bore witness to the strange splendor that was Fluttershy’s home once again.

The chorus of birds sang a now familiar tune, welcoming Fluttershy back home. Rabbits, squirrels and other small prey animals flitted about the area, most of whom eyed Twilight curiously and ignored Rainbow Dash completely. Glancing across the grove revealed that the large bear Fluttershy had befriended was still slumbering in the same spot he always seemed to be.

And standing in the center of it all was an oddly thin, but incredibly tall tree which blanketed the grove in its leaves. Leaves which were a soft pink when the light of the moon struck them at the perfect angle. A sight made slightly less strange by the incredibly light brown bark of the odd tree, which looked healthier than the last time Twilight had seen it.

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash stopped by a small open area surrounded by oddly sized stones, before sitting down next to one another. Twilight followed close behind, positioning herself across from the two other beings and noting that the ground felt surprisingly comfortable. The unicorn idly wondered if she was just getting used to sitting on dirt, or if it was actually kind of comfortable.

“Right, so I’m sure you're wondering why I wanted to talk to you,” Twilight began.

“I thought it was because of this assassin,” Fluttershy remarked before chewing her lip and looking around nervously. “It isn't her, is it?”

“I’m not entirely sure to be honest, but regardless that's not why I’m here.” Twilight cleared her throat. “I’m here to discuss what I saw back at the tower.”

Rainbow Dash stiffened slightly and eyed the unicorn closely. “What exactly do you mean?”

“Like I mentioned after that whole adventure finally concluded, I saw visions of your darkest moments,” Twilight hesitantly began.

“I remember that part, but you never said what happened in those visions,” Rainbow Dash replied.

“Actually, Rainbow Dash, she tried to. You, um, well. Didn't want to hear it,” Fluttershy offered weakly.

The thestral crossed her forehooves over her chest. “I just don't like the idea of someone knowing a dark secret about me, okay?”

“I know and trust me, if at the time I did not believe one hundred percent in the idea that seeing them would help save you from the nightmare, I wouldn't have seen them,” Twilight stated.

Rainbow Dash’s frown deepened, and she let out a low sigh. “I guess I shouldn't get all huffy when I don't know what it even is.”

“I would like to know as well,” Fluttershy added.

“Just remember I didn't intend to see any of what I did, and if I could just erase it from my memory, I would,” Twilight declared, almost pleadingly.

Fluttershy placed a fuzzy paw on Twilight’s leg. “It's okay, Twilight. Just tell us what you saw.”

The unicorn let out a sigh. “Okay, so. Fluttershy, I felt you running through the woods. You were crying recently, and there was a fresh bruise on your right cheek.”

The bunny recoiled slightly, her eyes going wide, while at the same time Rainbow Dash became even more on edge. “Well, go on,” Rainbow Dash urged.

Twilight glanced at each of her friends before gulping. “R-right. So you were running through the woods, searching for something and thinking about how you loved the forest. You thought it would shelter you, protect you and provide for you so you kept on running until you were near something important. Then I was pulled out of the vision.”

“You didn't happen to know why I got that bruise, did you?” Fluttershy whispered.

Twilight winced. “I might have. Your thoughts were vague, but I got enough clues to figure it out.”

“I… I need to be alone for a moment,” Fluttershy announced before standing suddenly.

Then, before anyone could say anything, the bunny suddenly went slack, and Twilight watched as the pegasus’ spirit leapt out of its body and flew towards the tree at the center of the grove. The ethereal being vanished the second she touched the bark of the plant, leaving Twilight alone with a slowly recovering Angel and an irate looking Rainbow Dash. The guard fumed silently, seemingly unsure if she should yell at Twilight or run off to try and help Fluttershy.

“R-rainbow, I-” Twilight began, only to be cut off.

“But nothing,” Rainbow Dash growled, jabbing a hoof into the unicorn’s chest. “That was the worst time in her life, a moment she had only ever told one other person of.”

“I-I didn't know, I just assumed-” Twilight began.

“Exactly, you didn't know, but you still blundered recklessly in anyway,” Rainbow Dash hissed. “And now you’ve gone and dredged up a hurt that had finally been put to rest.”

“Look, Rainbow Dash, I know what I did wasn't the brightest thing ever, but it had to have happened for a reason,” Twilight urged, gesturing in the direction she assumed the farm was. “I mean just look at what I’ve been able to do. I helped help the Apple family after I was shown Applejack’s darkest memory, and Rarity’s too for that matter.”

“That's different. They had things left undone, things that you could use your freaky magic to help with,” Rainbow Dash retorted, jabbing her hoof repeatedly into the other mare’s chest. “This is not a problem you can magic away unless you can go back in time and save Fluttershy from that horrible household of hers.”

“Rainbow Dash, you're hurting me,” Twilight pleaded, shoving away the mare’s armored hoof.

Rainbow Dash pushed herself back, but kept her gaze firmly locked on Twilight. “If Fluttershy ends up avoiding everyone for over a week because of this, you are going to be sorry.”

Twilight grimaced. “Look, I know this isn't ideal, but this has to mean something. Surely there is something I can do to help. I was able to help the others.”

“Not everyone wants or needs your help, Sparkle,” Rainbow Dash retorted bitterly.

Angel stood back up, the bunny’s eyes having returned to their natural black. Once standing, the bunny glared at the unicorn before turning to the thestral and glaring at her as well.

“What's with the look? I’m just trying to protect her, like I always have,” growled Rainbow Dash.

The bunny shook its head.

“I think he's trying to say we both messed up,” Twilight offered.

Rainbow Dash frowned. “I didn't do anything wrong.”

The bunny sighed and planted its pawed hand against its forehead.

“So what now? Are we just going to wait until Fluttershy comes back?” Twilight inquired, glancing from Angel to Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash snorted irritably. “I guess I kind of want to know what you saw of me, but it wouldn't be fair if Fluttershy wasn't here.”

Twilight was about to agree when she suddenly noticed Angel was looking past her, towards Fluttershy’s tree. Following his gaze, Twilight was able to spot a nervous spirit who was making her way in their direction. Twilight quickly looked away, painfully aware of just how much Fluttershy didn't enjoy being seen in her natural form.

“I think she can hear us,” Twilight exclaimed.

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow and glanced down at Angel. “Is this true?”

The bunny nodded, and Rainbow Dash relaxed slightly.

“That's something, I suppose.” The thestral sighed. “Fine, we may as well get this over with.”

Twilight took a deep breath and steadied herself. “So the first thing I noticed was that you were very angry, and that you were flying towards a cave, one you knew.”

“Fluttershy’s parents' home,” Rainbow Dash remarked somewhat angrily. “How much did you see?”

“I saw and felt everything up until your leg broke,” Twilight murmured.

Rather than be angry, Rainbow Dash merely hung her head. “Then I guess you know why I did what I did then.”

“I do.”

Rainbow Dash let out a long, withering sigh. “I got really lucky after that. Word got out over what had happened, and the case against me was quietly settled out of court. I was still allowed to join the guard too, because I didn't have a record. Even if everyone knew what happened.”

“I’m glad you were able to do that. You aren't too angry with me, are you?” Twilight asked nervously.

Rainbow Dash took off her helmet and placed it beside her. “I’m not, and I’m sorry I was before.”

“It's no problem, Rainbow Dash. I know how stressful that must have been,” Twilight offered.

“Still. I was rude.” Rainbow Dash sighed.

“Really, it's fine,” Twilight stated softly.

Fluttershy floated above the distraught guard, her ethereal hooves running down Rainbow Dash’s shoulders. “I thought she wasn't going to speak to me again, you know,” Fluttershy whispered.

Twilight perked up and glanced at the pegasus spirit as she laid her head on Rainbow Dash’s armored shoulder.

“It took a year and a day for my tree to grow large enough so I could manifest again,” Fluttershy continued. “I thought for sure that I would end a million miles from everyone, and that we would never see one another again.”

Rainbow Dash perked up suddenly. “Is she talking to you?” whispered the thestral.

Twilight nodded. “She’s talking about how long it took for her to grow, and that she never thought she’d see you again.”

Rainbow Dash blushed slightly. “Well, uh, tell her I still think it was silly she thought that.”

“I’m pretty sure she can still hear you, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight replied.

Fluttershy smiled faintly, the spirit draping herself over Rainbow Dash’s seated form. “I know it was a silly assumption, but I’m glad I was wrong.”

Rainbow Dash gulped and tugged at her armor. “Oh, okay. So uh. What do we uh, do now?”

“I’m not sure,” Twilight replied with a shrug.

Fluttershy kissed the top of Rainbow Dash’s head, prompting the mare to shiver and blush. The spirit quickly floated over to Angel, who stood with a smile on his face, arms outstretched. Together the spirit and the bunny seemed to almost dance for a moment, before Fluttershy fell into Angel, vanishing.

When next the animal’s eyes opened, they revealed twin orbs of the purest teal.

“Thank goodness,” Rainbow Dash muttered. “You had me worried for a minute there.”

“Y-yeah. I just needed some time alone. It's hard to deal with your own emotions while you're in someone else’s head,” Fluttershy explained.

“So, clearly there is something we can do to better put this issue to bed, right?” Twilight urged.

Rainbow Dash nodded and banged a hoof against her armored chest. “Heck yeah there is! We gotta get revenge and really tell those jerks how they made Fluttershy feel.”

The bunny wilted, its ears falling in front of its face. “Can we maybe, not do that? I would really rather never see them again.”

“I mean did they at least get in some kind of trouble with the law?” Twilight questioned.

“They had to pay a fine and had a brief stay in prison but that was for like, only six months,” Rainbow Dash explained.

“They may have deserved a little more than that, but that was the maximum penalty,” Fluttershy pointed out.

Rainbow Dash scowled. “I get it, and the law is good and whatever, but sometimes it can't do what it should do.”

“Woah there. Let's not do anything crazy now. I don't want to get tossed in prison,” Twilight cautioned.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and scoffed. “We won't go to prison because we won't get caught.”

“Wait, what are you planning on doing?” Fluttershy stood up and crossed her tiny furry limbs across her chest. “Because I am not okay with whatever it is you have in mind.”

“But you haven't even heard it!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed before throwing up her forelegs.

“Look, why don't we all just take a breath and wind this conversation back-” Twilight began, only to be interrupted when the world suddenly began to spin.

Both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy cried out in confusion, the beings clinging to one another as everything shook violently, reality blurring together.

And then it was over, and all three friends were lying face down in the grass, groaning as they felt their eyeballs spin around inside their skulls. Twilight felt like someone had just kicked her in the head, and for a moment she wasn't even sure where she was. When feeling returned to her entire body she slowly stood up, her shaky limbs slowly coming back under her full control.

“Okay, what the heck just happened?” Twilight muttered.

Rainbow Dash banged a hoof upside her head, as if trying to knock the sense back into herself. “I don't know, but I feel like I just stepped back into the ring with my close combat instructor,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“Girls. I don't think we’re in my grove anymore,” Fluttershy whispered.

Twilight blinked and looked around, the unicorn quickly finding that her friend was indeed correct. “H-how did we get here?” Twilight murmured.

“I think the forest moved us somehow,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed before reaching for her helmet and realizing it was gone. “Damn, well at least I still have my sword.”

“Wait, what do you mean the forest moved us?” Twilight asked.

“It does that sometimes, but I’ve never heard of it sending someone to a ruin before,” Fluttershy remarked.

Twilight hastily surveilled her surroundings, only for her jaw to drop. “Woah. How did I not notice that earlier?”

“Not notice wha- woah you weren't kidding,” Rainbow Dash muttered as she gazed upon an enormous stone structure that rose from the jungle they found themselves surrounded by.

“We are very far from Ponyville,” Twilight muttered as she observed just how different the local flora was.

Gone were the chaotic yet still slightly organized Everfree Forest Twilight had come to love. Though strange in the fact that it had trees of all shapes and sizes, some of which shouldn't be native to the area, the Everfree was at least visibly a forest. This however, was undeniably a jungle, one that was as twisted and as overgrown as the forest they were presumably in a different part of.

“I’ve never been this far from Ponyville before. Where do you think we are, Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash inquired, turning to the bunny.

“I don't know. I’ve never been this far either, but it feels like we’re still in the Everfree at least,” Fluttershy replied.

Twilight couldn't help but stare at the five story tall pyramid of stone which towered over most of the landscape. A set of stairs went from the ground all the way to the very top, where a statue stood tall, proud and completely overgrown. The finer details of the structure had been similarly covered up by vines, shrubs or moss, but from what Twilight could tell the structure was undeniably ancient.

“What is it, Twi?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“I think it's a ziggurat,” Twilight muttered. “A really big one at that.”

“What is it doing out here?” inquired Fluttershy, who stood next to her friends as they all stared at the bizarre structure.

Twilight shrugged. “I have no idea.”

Author's Note

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From The Ashes

“So what do we do now?” Rainbow Dash muttered, glancing from Twilight to Fluttershy curiously.

“I don't really know,” admitted the bunny, shrugging. “This kind of thing doesn't happen often, but when it does, it's usually for a reason.”

“Then why are we here?” Twilight remarked.

“Maybe the forest agreed with me and is helping me prove my point,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

Twilight groaned. “Now let's not start that again. We have more important things to consider than that silly squabble.”

“Though I will agree with Twilight that we should put our disagreement behind us, I wouldn't say it was silly,” Fluttershy stated firmly.

Rainbow Dash nodded. “Right, we can talk more later when we aren't a million miles from home.”

Twilight sighed. “So I guess there is only one direction to go. Unless you girls have any other ideas?”

“If the forest wants us at this place, then that is where we should go,” declared Fluttershy.

Rainbow Dash stepped forward. “I’ll take point since I still have my weapon. Fluttershy you can be on the lookout while Twilight gets ready to back me up at a moment’s notice.”

“Of course,” Twilight replied instantly, placing the bunny on her back and taking position a step behind Rainbow Dash.

Fluttershy quickly orientated herself on the pony, using her paws to grip Twilight’s neck and better allow her to look around.

Together the three beings walked slowly towards the stone pyramid, wary of any potential threats that may be native to this strange section of the forest. No monsters, ponies, or otherwise emerged from the forest however, and the area remained relatively quiet, save for the distant sound of birdsong and the odd insect. Even the clouds above them were sparse, allowing just enough light through to let the three friends see their surroundings with ease.

When they reached the base of the pyramid, Rainbow Dash took to the air, hovering overhead while also staying close by. With her sword in hoof, the guard continued to scan the surroundings and make her way towards the strange statue atop the structure. Twilight felt her nervousness begin to slowly wane as time passed, replaced by a familiar sense of curiosity.

Lighting her horn, Twilight cast a quick scanning spell over the area, looking for any magical irregularities. The normal amount of background interference from the forest was there as usual, though it felt slightly different now for some reason. Either way, it was not enough to hide the distinct thrum of powerful wards which came from somewhere below them.

Stowing that thought away for now, Twilight continued to follow close behind Rainbow Dash and make sure most of her attention was focused on what lay before them. Which happened to be a large statue of a pegasus mare who stood tall, her chest pushed out and confident, with an almost cocky grin on her face. An eyepatch covered one eye, and a scar marred the other, as well as a good chunk of her cheek and forehead.

Twilight stopped the second all four of her hooves stood upon the topmost level, her gaze held hostage by the stone pony. “Is that… Gale?” she muttered.

“Who?” asked Rainbow Dash, landing in front of the unicorn.

“She was your former incarnation.” Twilight shrugged. “Sort of.”

“Strange,” Fluttershy murmured. “I’ve never seen a pony receive such a tomb before.”

“Tomb?” Twilight asked, glancing down to Fluttershy. “I thought you didn't know anything about this thing.”

“I have a few guesses now that we’ve been here a little while,” Fluttershy stated, wiping away a bit of grime and moss which now covered the plaque at the base of the statue.

“Well, would you look at that, it is Gale Force,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

Twilight frowned as she read the inscription. “Gale Force, born a pony, forever remembered as our most stalwart defender.” The unicorn leaned forward, squinting. “What is that last part? I can't read it.”

“Looks like it's thestral,” Rainbow Dash replied. “I’m a little rusty, can you read what it says, Fluttershy?”

“It's a warning of some kind.” Fluttershy stepped forward. “It says not to enter unless the great enemy has returned, and her service is needed.”

“Her service?” Rainbow Dash questioned, jabbing her sword at the statue. “But ain't she dead? Thus the whole pyramid ziggurat dealy?”

“I’m not sure what it means, to be honest,” admitted Fluttershy.

“Well there must be something important about this statue, otherwise the forest wouldn't have brought us here. Fan out and look around, but keep one another in sight,” Twilight commanded.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy both nodded, with the thestral rising into the sky and scanning the area while Fluttershy began wiping the plaque clean. Leaving Twilight to slowly trot around the statue of Gale Force, her gaze traveling up and down the stone pony, searching for anything out of the ordinary. At first she found little, as the only thing that was readily obvious was the great amount of detail put into the statue.

Every single hair had been rendered in great detail and even the pony’s short chopped tail looked oddly soft. The cutie mark was also easily recognizable despite the fact that the statue was all one color, the slight shifts in shade being enough to identify the mark. The stylized wind blowing across a resplendent shield was emblazoned prominently on the statue’s flanks and seemed to call the observer’s eye somehow.

Looking away, Twilight was about to give up when she suddenly noticed something strange about the block of stone the statue stood atop. Namely the fact that a small vine had managed to borrow underneath it, which wasn't something terribly weird on first glance. To Twilight though, it struck her as odd, and she quickly followed the vine only to realize that it wasn't growing into the statue, but out of it.

Tugging at the plant revealed that it went deep into the stone, and after a firm pull, a small recess was now visible. Casting a quick light spell was more difficult than Twilight would have liked, but in the end she was able to better peer into the space left behind by the vine. Though it was little wider than a keyhole, the opening was just enough to reveal what looked like a bronze gear that had been remarkably untouched by the passage of time.

“I think I found something,” Twilight announced.

Rainbow Dash landed next to the unicorn. “Well, that was quick. I was just about ready to start a patrol route.”

“What is it?” asked Fluttershy, the bunny hopping to the other two.

“There is some manner of machinery just beneath the statue, and though I don't know what exactly its purpose is, I have a hunch that it will open the way into the ziggurat itself,” Twilight declared.

“Well, it's not like there are any other ways into this thing,” Rainbow Dash declared, thumping her hoof against the stone floor in emphasis.

“Would you like me to check it out?” offered Fluttershy.

“If you wouldn't mind,” replied Twilight.

The bunny nodded. “Okay, just give me a moment.”

The small creature’s body glowed a faint teal before a ghostly thestral emerged from the bunny’s back and slowly stood up. Knowing how much her friend hated being seen in such a form, Twilight looked away, diverting her attention to the slightly confused bunny. Angel regained his composure quickly though and stood there with a scowl on his face, glaring up at Twilight.

“What did I do?” asked the unicorn.

The bunny snorted, tapping his foot while he waited.

“Angel isn't exactly the most patient of critters,” remarked Rainbow Dash, who received a glare from the bunny. “What? It's true.”

The woodland creature rolled its eyes and raised its nose, while at the same time the ghostly Fluttershy disappeared into the ground. With little else to do, Twilight busied herself studying the statue, while Rainbow Dash flew above them in a lazy circle, scanning for hostiles. It didn't take long before Fluttershy had seemingly found something important, as Angel suddenly jerked forwards.

The bunny’s eyes opened to reveal Fluttershy’s twinkling teal orbs.“Was I right?” Twilight hastily asked.

“You were, but I don't know how to activate it,” Fluttershy admitted. “There were so many gears and stuff down there that it was like a maze.”

“Try pulling on the statue’s legs or pressing the bricks around the area. Maybe one of them activates it,” Twilight offered.

“Wait, why don't you try pressing the letters o, p, e, and n,” Rainbow Dash declared. “Ya know, ‘cause it says open?”

“I mean I guess. But don't you think that seems a little too easy?” Twilight replied.

“We may as well try it,” added Fluttershy.

“I suppose, but where did that idea come from?” Twilight inquired.

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “I just looked at the letters and realized you could press them in order. Pretty sure I read that happening in a Daring Do book somewhere.”

“Would you like to do the honors?” Twilight asked.

Rainbow Dash grinned. “Heck yeah I do.”

The thestral leaned down and pushed the letters one by one, and upon pressing the final one, a click could be heard. Taking a hasty step back, Rainbow Dash watched as the block of stone upon which the statue stood began to slide backwards, revealing a staircase which went down several feet before reaching a landing and turning back around.

The ancient gears ground against each other, making a horrible squealing noise which was enough to prompt the friends’ to press their forelimbs over their ears. Thankfully the screeching sound didn't last long, and soon the entrance was completely exposed to the pale light of the moon. Allowing the three friends to peer down into the dark staircase, silently pondering what may lay below them.

“Well, Dash, aren't you going to go first?” Twilight asked, patting Rainbow on the shoulder.

“I guess I should. It's just…” Her voice trailed off as her gaze became distant.

“Um, Rainbow Dash? Are you okay?” Fluttershy gently inquired, her paw touching Rainbow Dash’s hoof.

The thestral jumped suddenly, her eyes wide as her foreleg gripped tight the hilt of her blade. “Where am I? What's going on?” she shouted.

“You're in the forest, remember? You were about to walk down the stairs,” Twilight offered, eying her friend closely.

“I was here, but not, and then…” Rainbow Dash’s jaw hung open and she turned to face Twilight. “That thing that happens to you sometimes, it just happened to me!”

“What thing?” Twilight asked.

“That visiony thing!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Slow down, Rainbow, tell us what happened,” Fluttershy interjected calmly.

“Right.” The thestral took a deep breath. “So, I was there with you, but like not you, past you, and then I, er Gale Force, was teasing you about something.”

“Sounds believable,” Twilight muttered.

“And then you told me about these dangerous plants you found, and how they made whoever eats mutate, and that I should avoid them,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “It was the craziest thing. One minute I was me, then the next I was her.”

“What do you think it means?” Fluttershy whispered.

Twilight shrugged. “I don't know. My working theory is that my proximity to the botched spell spread my consciousness across multiple reincarnations, but it's spotty at best. Rainbow Dash and Gale Force weren’t there for that.”

“I’m not like, gonna start seeing more vision things, am I?” Rainbow Dash asked with a hint of nervousness.

“I doubt it, but there is no way to tell,” Twilight proclaimed.

The thestral shuddered. “Well, I sure hope not. That was weird.”

“So do we keep going?” offered Fluttershy.

“I suppose so. Maybe we’ll find more information below,” Twilight exclaimed.

“We should still check for traps though,” interjected Rainbow Dash. “I don't know why, but I get the feeling Gale Force would be the type of pony to do something like that.”

“True,” Twilight admitted. “I’ll be right behind you.”

“Sounds good,” Rainbow Dash replied, swiftly turning around and inspecting the first stair.

“Do you really think she’d trap the first step?” Fluttershy whispered.

Twilight shrugged. “I have no idea, but I am kind of curious to be honest.”

“Aha, got you!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she tore the false stair away, revealing a narrow crevice filled with spikes which lay just beneath.

“That's dastardly,” Twilight muttered.

“And mean,” added Fluttershy.

“I gotta hand it to this chick. She seems like a real smart cookie,” Rainbow Dash declared before leaning back down. “Now then, onto stair number two.”

“Something tells me we are going to be here a while,” Twilight whispered.

“Did you bring any cards?” Fluttershy replied.

Twilight nodded. “Yup, wanna play some rummy?”

“You are on.”

“I got them all!” shouted a voice from somewhere deep beneath them.

Twilight smirked and dropped her hand. “Just in time too. Rummy!”

Fluttershy scowled and flipped over her hand. “I was so close.”

“Better luck next time, Fluttershy,” Twilight stated, using her magic to return her cards to her extradimensional storage space before picking up the bunny herself.

Together the pair proceeded slowly down the winding staircase, paying close attention to the disarmed traps which were practically everywhere. Twilight shook her head as she looked away from a disabled spike trap which would have impaled her onto a rather nasty looking serrated spear.

“This is… a lot,” Fluttershy whispered.

“You're telling me,” Twilight agreed. “It's starting to make me think that this isn't just a tomb.”

“Why do you say that?” Fluttershy inquired.

“Why bother with all of this if the only thing down there is a casket and a body?” Twilight replied. “It seems like it would have been easier to simply seal the exit permanently if you didn't want anyone to come down here.”

“That makes a lot of sense,” Fluttershy murmured.

A few seconds later the pair emerged out into a large room, whereupon Rainbow Dash stood with a smile on her face. “Sorry it took so long, there were some real nasty ones near the end there,” declared the thestral.

“So we saw,” remarked Twilight, while looking around the room. “Are you sure there aren't any in here?”

Twilight’s gaze went from the strange mural on the ground, to the double doors which stood across from them and the pair of stone statues which sat next to them. The creatures seemed to be recreations of ancient gargoyles, only with slightly more exaggerated proportions. They were also angled in such a manner that they would be staring directly at anyone who tried to enter the next room.

“Nah, I checked, but I don't know about those two though,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, gesturing to the two gargoyles sitting near the doors.

Twilight pursed her lips and cast a quick spell. “They don't seem magical in nature, what do you think, Fluttershy?”

The bunny shook her head. “They don't feel alive either. Maybe we should check out what is drawn on the ground.”

“Might be a clue. But where to start?” Twilight pondered.

Rainbow Dash jabbed a hoof towards a point near the seated gargoyles. “This seems like the place. All the rest of the pictures have scenes of fighting, but not there.”

Twilight trotted over to her friend and looked down. “Interesting. It seems like Gale Force is getting some kind of news.”

Fluttershy hopped over and gazed down, her brow knitting as she inspected the image. “Not very good news either.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow muttered.

The first image was broken into two parts, the first of which had Gale Force donning her armor and receiving a thestral guest. The male’s expression seemed drawn, as if he was nervous, and a little afraid, that changed however in the second image. As it seemed as though Gale Force had smashed a table upon hearing the news, and the thestral was shying away from the enraged mare.

The third image showed a resolute looking Gale Force who raised her sword to the heavens, as if proclaiming some sort of solemn vow. After that were dozens and dozens of similar looking pictures, each one of a different battle, but always focused on Gale Force. Who stood in the exact same spot, her sword raised in an identical gesture, though her enemies and the backgrounds changed with each image.

One scene had her in a jungle fighting alongside arachne against what looked like golems and the next she stood in a field fighting with thestrals against pegasi. Though her allies changed, and sometimes she appeared alone, her enemies were always the same. Celestia’s soldiers, and sometimes even Celestia herself faced off against the scarred warrior, and each time they did, Gale Force survived.

Though she gained more and more scars as time went on, the pony never seemed to suffer any serious injuries. Until finally, near the bottom of the room Gale Force stood with her sword raised as usual, only the next image was filled with a golden light. After that the pegasus lay broken and burned on the ground, her fur singed away, and her one good eye glazed over.

“Woah. Do you think that means Celestia solar beamed her ass?” Rainbow Dash asked, gesturing to the golden panel.

“I don't know, but it makes sense. It doesn't seem like anything less than that could take her down,” Twilight muttered.

“She was quite tough, if a little on the violent side,” Fluttershy remarked.

“Yeah, but she was fighting a war, Fluttershy, you have to be tough,” Rainbow Dash retorted.

“I guess, but it just seems like she should have been in charge by then, you know?” Fluttershy pointed out.

“True. It does seem like she was always in the thick of it,” Twilight muttered. “Let’s just see what happened next.”

The trio shifted slightly further down, to where there was a new image, this one showing Gale Force lying in a bed, and surrounded by several other beings. An arachne hovered at the base of the bed while a changeling, thestral, troll, and minotaur stood around the pegasus. Despite being covered in bandages which obscured her entire face, Gale Force was sitting up, and speaking animatedly to the arachne who seemed to be bowing slightly.

In the next image Gale Force was in some manner of tube marked with a G, and then nothing, as they had gotten all the way to the end.

“That's it?” Rainbow Dash muttered. “Where's the rest?”

“That's strange. Usually they show how the pony died,” Fluttershy remarked. “The purpose of this room is to show the most important parts of their life after all.”

“So this isn't normal, then?” Twilight asked, turning to the bunny.

Fluttershy shook her head. “No. Usually these structures have only two rooms. One that tells their story and the next which houses their body.”

“I’ve never heard of a tomb as elaborate as this though, plus did you see the size of the ziggurat thing up top? It was huge!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Yeah, usually they are a lot smaller,” Fluttershy admitted.

“Well there is only one way of finding out,” Twilight declared, gesturing to the doors.

“Right. I guess I should go first again,” Rainbow Dash muttered unenthusiastically.

“If you really don't want to, I could,” offered Twilight.

“Just give me a second. I just need to calm the ol’ nerves,” Rainbow Dash stated.

“No rush,” whispered Fluttershy.

Rainbow Dash set her shoulders, took a deep breath, and trotted over to the two large oaken doors. “Alright, let's do this. Twi, you got my back, right?”

Twilight nodded. “Of course.”

Rainbow Dash spared one final glance at the two stone statues before reaching out and grabbing the handle. When nothing happened, the thestral pushed open the first door, and then the second before taking a step back.

“Well, that was anticlimactic,” muttered the thestral.

“Maybe they are just statues,” Fluttershy offered.

“After all of those traps though? Surely she'd have one final ace up her sleeve,” Twilight retorted. “She does seem like the type of pony to do something like that.”

“Either way, it doesn't look like it's these dudes,” exclaimed Rainbow Dash.

“I suppose we’ll just keep going then.” Twilight stepped forward. “What's on the other side anyway? Looks like another hallway.”

Rainbow Dash stepped to the side, revealing that a narrow passage had emerged and wrapped around to the left, as if hugging the room they were in.

“Yeah, it looks like it,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, peeking around the corner. “Goes for a little bit, then stops at another door.”

“Uh girls? They're moving,” Fluttershy exclaimed, a shaky paw pointing toward one of the gargoyles.

Twilight paused mid-step, prompting the gargoyles to do so as well, Twilight’s leading hoof just barely stopping before it passed over the threshold. “Uh, Dash, ideas?” Twilight asked, while remaining perfectly stock still.

Rainbow Dash peeked her head back into the room and glanced at one of the gargoyles. “Uh, they’re with me?” The gargoyles slumped back into the same exact spot they had been in a second earlier. “Huh. Well, would you look at that,” she murmured.

“What do you think it means?” asked Fluttershy.

“Rainbow Dash’s connection to Gale Force must somehow allow her to command the defences,” Twilight remarked, stretching her hoof past the doorway. “Good thing too. All my best spells only affect living things.”

“Or dead things,” added Rainbow Dash.

Twilight frowned. “Things that at one point were living.”

“Are you sure it's safe though? I don't want to get Angel hurt,” Fluttershy remarked, the woodland creature looking up at her thestral friend.

“This bunny is with me as well, okay?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, jabbing a hoof at the statues. “I think they got it.”

Fluttershy took a deep breath, closed her eyes and leapt across the threshold, landing unharmed on the other side. “Oh, thank goodness,” she whispered to herself.

Twilight followed close behind the pair, her gaze remaining fixed on the gargoyles until she was completely in the next room. Using her magic, the unicorn quickly closed the doors behind them, shutting them firmly and taking a cautious step back.

“I don't know why you guys are so unnerved. It seems like they were under my control for whatever reason,” Rainbow Dash remarked, shrugging.

“That's exactly why it's scaring me,” Twilight muttered.

“Wow, rude,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, crossing her forehooves over her chest.

“Let’s just go, this place is freaking me out,” Fluttershy murmured, hopping down the hallway.

“It is pretty weird down here. Did anyone else notice that the stone feels, I don't know… older?” Twilight remarked, running a hoof down the wall.

Rainbow Dash paused mid-step and looked up. “I suppose it kinda does. Almost feels a little more… I don't know, ancient down here.”

“Maybe it wasn't always a tomb?” Fluttershy offered, hopping up on Twilight’s back. “It was obviously intended to look like one. But that seems to be it.”

“Hmm, true.” Rainbow Dash shook her head. “Either way, you two hang back a bit. I’ll check out this hallway.”

The thestral crept slowly down the L-shaped passage, studying the walls, floor and even the ceiling in case there were any more traps. While she did this, Twilight conducted her own search, though she was mainly focused on a single stone in the wall. Breaking off a tiny chunk of it, she used her magic to scan the sliver of rock, only to end up even more confused when her spell completed.

“What is it?” pressed Fluttershy.

“This stuff is stupid strong, like abnormally so. It's also projecting a pacification field,” Twilight replied, flicking the shard away.

“We aren't gonna get knocked out again like in the undertower, right?” Rainbow Dash shouted from down the hall.

“I don't think so. It's pointed down and to a single point for some reason. With such an amount of magic, it will likely cause problems for any spells I may cast.” Twilight frowned and glanced at the stone tiles beneath her hooves. “Though I’m more confused as to what could be so powerful that they needed to enchant every single brick.”

Rainbow Dash trotted up to the pair. “No traps by the way. It seems like those gargoyle things were her final line of defence.”

“Don't let your guard down. This entire thing is just getting weirder by the second,” Twilight muttered.

“Of course. So, uh, what do you think is down there?” Rainbow Dash asked, tapping her hoof against the ground in emphasis. “You don't think it's another alicorn or something do ya?”

“What, no way.” Twilight paused. “Well I mean, possibly. They are using a really big pacification array.”

“Or it could be nothing?” interjected Fluttershy.

“I mean, it's possible. But we aren't doing any good just standing here and talking about it.” Rainbow Dash jerked a hoof over her shoulder. “Help me with this door, something tells me we’ll find some answers in the next room.”

“Right,” Twilight muttered to herself.

As she trotted down the hallway, the unicorn couldn't help but feel more and more confused by this entire encounter. The most obvious point of frustration came from the fact that they were here at all, as it didn't seem to relate to the conversation they had been having. Then again, the forest wasn't exactly known for being clear or unobtuse with its actions, meaning the reason could be separate from their argument.

The second thing that struck her was just how ancient this place was, as it seemed to be well over a thousand years old. It made Twilight wonder who had created it, why they had bothered to do so, and if it had been adapted from its original purpose. It definitely felt like it, though Twilight couldn't exactly be sure why she felt as though that was the case.

Shaking her head, Twilight leaned down and inspected the door handle, eying the simple keyhole. “Looks like there is another slightly bigger room just beyond. I can't see much but it seems larger than the last one anyway,” Twilight exclaimed.

“Can you handle the lock, or should I contact the wrecking crew?” Rainbow Dash asked, a smirk on her face.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “No, I can get this just fine.”

Lighting her horn, Twilight cast decay on the mechanism within the lock itself, and a second later bits of dust spilled out of the keyhole. Grabbing the handle, Twilight gave it a firm twist, breaking the mechanisms inside the handle, allowing her to open the door. Which revealed a relatively large room, one that bent to the left, falling right behind the first room they had entered minutes earlier.

A line of large pony-sized tubes covered the far wall, while the closer one was dominated by a large work desk of some kind, one that was covered with numerous bottles and papers. However, most of the writing was now illegible due to the passage of time, and nearly all of the bottles were filled with dust. A few scraps of paper and several vials had survived, though they were few in number.

“What is this place?” Rainbow Dash murmured.

“Looks like a lab of some kind,” Twilight remarked.

“And look, isn't that the tube we saw in that picture?” Fluttershy remarked, pointing at one that was little more than scrap save for the former top of it, which lay on the floor nearby.

“It looks like something tore out of it,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “The G is there too. See?”

Twilight followed Rainbow Dash’s hoof to a bent piece of metal where the letter G was printed. “So it is. Regardless, we should fan out and see if we can find any clues as to what happened here,” Twilight ordered.

“I’ll check out this door. Fluttershy, you check out these tube thingies and see if you can figure out what was in them. Twilight, you should probably check out those notes and see if there is anything left that you can actually read,” Rainbow Dash added.

“Good thinking, Rainbow,” proclaimed Fluttershy before jumping off Twilight’s back.

The unicorn nodded. “Right. Let me know if it's locked.”

Rainbow Dash gave her friend a quick salute before kneeling before the door on the other side of the room.

Left to her own devices, Twilight began to scan the documents and bottles for any clue as to what had been done here. The various glass containers were useless, as the labels had since peeled away and upon first glance the paper was in an even worse state. There was even a small pile of ash on a metal plate, as if someone had burnt a great deal of notes and then left in a hurry.

Twilight picked up the sole intact book, only for the entire thing to crumble to dust in her grip. “Great. Just great,” muttered the unicorn.

She had been about to give up when she noticed something poking out of the pile that had at one point been a book. Pulling the slip of paper free, Twilight found that it was a letter, one that was addressed to Gale Force herself. Turning it over, Twilight ran a hoof across it, surprised that it hadn't fallen to dust or seemingly been damaged unlike everything else.

“Huh,” she muttered.

The two words printed on the front of the letter were written in a tight, neat script, as if whoever had penned it was used to writing quickly and effectively.

“The door isn't locked, but someone did leave behind a note inside of the keyhole,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, the thestral waving a slip of paper in the air.

“And the liquid in the tank is from a flower related to poison joke which was called monkey’s finger,” Fluttershy added, the bunny hopping out from between two of the tanks. “But it hasn't grown in the forest for over a thousand years.”

“At least the timelines sort of make sense then,” Twilight muttered, holding out her hoof. “Let’s see the note first.”

Rainbow Dash hoofed over the slip of paper. “It ain't much, just says to beware, and to not release her until the final battlefield is set.”

Twilight read the note and nodded. “So it seems. Fluttershy, what can you tell us about this flower?”

The bunny shivered. “I read about it when I was younger, and the book said it was a failed attempt to breed out the harmful parts of poison joke, but that's only partially true. The flower itself looks like a crooked brown finger, and it tended to grant the wish of those who ingested it, only in a really cruel way.”

“Like the story, and thus the name,” Twilight remarked.

“Exactly.” Fluttershy shrugged. “I don't know if it actually was natural or not. All I do know is that it died out shortly after the war, and that the forest really really doesn't like it.”

“That explains why such a coveted plant would somehow get wiped out.” Twilight frowned and revealed her own slip of paper. “I found this inside one of the books and before you ask, the book itself turned out to be useless.”

“What does it say?” asked Rainbow Dash, who eyed the letter curiously.

“I haven't opened it yet. It's addressed to Gale Force,” Twilight explained.

“Rainbow Dash should open it then,” offered Fluttershy.

“I know I seem to have some connection to this Gale Force pony, but have we stopped and asked ourselves why?” inquired Rainbow Dash.

“I have a feeling that you two are related by blood, or perhaps some sort of destiny,” Twilight replied. “For some reason history seems to repeat itself and at the heart of those repetitions are six friends.”

“It's been a thousand years, Rainbow, I’m sure Gale Force wouldn't mind you opening her mail,” Fluttershy argued.

The thestral rolled her eyes. “It's not that. I’m just confused by this all.” Rainbow Dash waved a hoof. “Screw the whole thing. We can talk about it later. Now is the time for action.”

Tearing through the exterior of the letter, Rainbow Dash pulled open the small slip of paper and began to read. “I know this probably isn't Gale Force who's reading it, but I’m going to pretend like it is,” Rainbow Dash began.

“What else does it say?” Twilight urged.

“I’m getting there, sheesh.” Rainbow Dash cleared her throat. “Do you remember that time I asked you why I stayed married to you even after everything we went through? And I told you that I just hadn't had the time to go around finalizing the divorce papers. Well, that was a lie, obviously. We both knew that, but I don't think you ever really understood what I meant when I said that.

“Oof, that's harsh,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“What else does it say? Do they get back together?” Fluttershy asked, the bunny peering intently over the thestral’s shoulder.

“Dunno, let’s see.” Rainbow Dash pulled the paper back up. “I married you while you were in bed with a broken wing and we had our honeymoon in the mess hall, getting drunk on moonshine. I always knew the war would take one or both of us, and I accepted the possibility that the first thing it may take is our relationship. What I’m trying to say is that I still love you, and that what I’ve done is not an act of malice. You deserve a break from all this endless fighting, and I know you wouldn't take that break unless I forced you.”

“She must mean the pacification field,” Twilight muttered.

“Shh, it's almost over,” Rainbow Dash chastised.

“Right, sorry,” Twilight hastily replied.

“Ahem. Though I know our solution will slow your aging, it is my hope that in the coming centuries you will pass gently in your sleep. I can't bear to think about seeing you suffer any longer, and so I pray that Luna will watch over you. Until we meet again in the next life. Signed, Anapidae.” Rainbow Dash sniffed and wiped away a tear. “I feel like I knew her.”

“There's something on the back,” Twilight pointed out.

Rainbow Dash flipped the piece of paper over. “It says only the magic of an alicorn will be able to awaken her.”

“That is strange,” Fluttershy murmured.

“Quite. Though I admit I’m tempted to see the effects of their experiment first hoof.” Twilight raised a hoof. “Don't worry, I have no intention of replicating such a test in any matter whatsoever.”

“I know you wouldn't, Twilight,” Fluttershy declared.

“I don't know about that. I feel like Twi would study it and then never use the knowledge just because she's curious,” Rainbow Dash stated, smirking.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “The old Twilight may very well have done something like that, but I, however, have learned an important lesson.”

“What's that?”

“Not all questions need answers.” Twilight chuckled. “Even if it would be nice.”

“True. So uh, are we going through this door? Or do you wanna head back up to the surface?” Rainbow Dash asked. “‘Cause I’m going to be honest with you, there's a part of me that wants to figure this thing out, and a part of me that feels like that's a really bad idea.”

“Y-yeah,” Fluttershy added, shivering. “I don't really want to see what happened to Gale Force.”

Twilight frowned. “Though I agree with you, I also feel like this is where the forest wants us to be. Like it wants us to find out what happened to her, and to learn something from her.”

“Are you sure you're not just curious to find out if one of your past friends is still alive?” Rainbow Dash interjected.

“It's been over a thousand years. There is no way she's still alive,” retorted Twilight.

“Really, you're going to say that knowing our luck?” Rainbow Dash replied, raising an eyebrow slightly.

“I suppose that's true.” Twilight sighed, shoulders slumping. “It does seem as though the universe is using me as an emotional punching bag.”

“I’m sure there's a reason for it,” Fluttershy whispered, paw touching Twilight’s leg. “I know that doesn't sound very nice, but it has to mean something. Right?”

“I suppose.” Twilight took a steadying breath and straightened her back. “So, are we going deeper, or leaving?”

Rainbow Dash glanced over her shoulder. “Sorry, Flutters, but it does kinda feel like we’re supposed to go down there, ya know?”

Fluttershy sighed. “I know what you mean, and I guess I sense it too. Even if I don't want to.”

“If it makes you feel any better, you could always scout it out ahead of time,” Twilight offered. “Make sure we aren't walking into a trap or something.”

“I suppose that would be a good idea,” Fluttershy murmured before nodding. “Alright, just a second.”

Twilight turned away just as Fluttershy’s ethereal form slipped out of Angel’s body and disappeared beneath the ground. Leaving the two ponies and one bunny to sit there in silence as they waited for their friend’s return. Something that thankfully didn't take long as Fluttershy’s spirit remerged only a minute later, taking up roost in Angel’s body once more.

“So, what did you find?” asked Rainbow Dash.

The bunny shuddered, gripping her head with her paws. “It was strange. There were just stairs, and this big black box in the middle of the room. I don't think there were any more surprises though.”

“Well, that's good. Should we go check it out?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

Twilight nodded. “I suppose so. We should remain on guard though. This entire thing has me on edge, like I’m perpetually waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

“I know what you mean. It feels like a fight is coming, though I don't know who the other party could be,” Rainbow Dash added.

“Hopefully we can talk our way out of it,” Fluttershy whispered.

“I hope so too.” Twilight stepped forward. “Come on, we aren't getting any answers here.”

“True.” Rainbow Dash drew her crescent blade. “I’ll take point, you two watch my back.”

Twilight nodded and positioned herself to Rainbow Dash’s left, peering intently over the other mare’s shoulder. While this happened Fluttershy jumped onto the ground, giving the pair a wide berth and staying well out of the way.

Rainbow Dash turned the handle and threw open the door, revealing a long flight of stairs which went down for several dozen feet before turning left, clinging to the side of the wall. They were also open, and lacked any kind of railing, allowing the three friends to gaze into the massive room which opened beneath them. Peering into the gloom, Twilight was able to see the black box Fluttershy had mentioned, but it was too far away to see any fine details.

“Wow. That's pretty big. It almost feels like this entire floor is suspended above it,” Twilight muttered.

“New plan. You two use the stairs, I’ll track you from the air,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

Twilight nodded and trotted after her winged friend, who walked down a few steps before jumping off the side of the stairs, extending her wings. With Fluttershy close behind her, Twilight began the long descent to the bottom floor, keeping her eyes peeled and her magic ready. The walls here were slightly grimier, and roots could be seen poking out from between the cracks at the odd point.

Still, it felt as though the entire place was still quite sturdy, and neither wall nor ceiling had suffered extensive damage of any kind. That reassuring thought wasn't enough to make Twilight feel completely at ease though, and she constantly scanned her surroundings. Something Fluttershy was not doing one bit, as the bunny was plastered as close to the wall as possible, clearly terrified of heights or of the black box below.

Not noticing her friend’s terror, Twilight continued down, watching as Rainbow Dash glided around the area while keeping one hoof firmly on her weapon. Thankfully no traps were sprung during the entire length of their descent, and it wasn't long before they had reached the bottom. Looking around, the entire space felt larger than what Twilight had assumed at first glance, and even the box seemed to have grown in the last few minutes.

The object itself stood upon a raised platform which had numerous colored crystals inlaid in the center of each tile. Twilight didn't need to cast anything to know that magic was flowing from the strange objects, as she could feel the mana pressing against her horn. They were clearly powerful, though their purpose wasn't as obvious, and Twilight was hesitant to cast any spells quite yet.

“Wow, this place is huge,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “And all to contain one person.”

“It does seem a bit overkill,” Twilight muttered.

“I’m just glad we’re on solid ground once more,” Fluttershy murmured breathlessly, the bunny standing tall for the first time in several minutes.

“Look at this,” Rainbow Dash announced suddenly, brushing her hoof against a wall and revealing several more tiles with crystals embedded within them. “What do you think it means?”

Twilight trotted over to her friend and swept aside more of the long dead vegetation. “It seems like a long range portal of some kind. Though I didn't think such a thing was even possible,” remarked the unicorn.

“Why do you think that?” asked Fluttershy, who hopped up onto her friend’s back.

“See these crystals?” Twilight replied, tapping one of them in emphasis. “They are meant to hold location data for a teleportation spell, but this one feeds that information into the wall. Which means that it has to be some manner of portal, one with a predesignated position, though I couldn't tell you where that is without using a spell.”

“Well, let’s just hold up on using any magic quite yet. The air feels a bit thick with the stuff, and I don't wanna mess with anything,” warned Rainbow Dash, who slipped her weapon away.

“Good thinking. The forest tends to screw up my spells, and something tells me that casting anything in here may wake up our guest,” Twilight replied.

“Can you sense anything inside of the box?” Fluttershy interrupted, the bunny standing on the edge of the platform, gazing intently at the strange object.

Twilight trotted next to her friend and stared up at the large, perfectly square cube. “Not without using my magic.”

“Maybe one of these crystal thingies could let us see what's inside,” Rainbow Dash offered.

“They do seem like they are controlling the spells, but I am a little concerned as whatever they are containing is huge,” Twilight remarked, gesturing to the cube.

“What do you think is inside? A manticore?” Rainbow Dash inquired, the thestral flying around the cube. “It seems too big to be a pony, and too small to be a full grown dragon.”

“I have no doubt that whatever is in there, was at one point Gale Force,” Twilight confidently declared. “It's the only thing that makes sense, given the rest of what we’ve found, and, more importantly, the letter we discovered.”

“True.” Rainbow Dash landed on a stair halfway up the wall and peered over the side. “So can you figure out what those crystal thingies do?’

“Just give me a few minutes, and I should be able to get at least some idea as to their purpose,” Twilight replied, tapping her chin. “Though it's going to be difficult to do so without using my magic.”

“Well, either way I don't want to unleash whatever it is that's contained here, so try to keep the spellslinging to a minimum,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Yeah yeah. I heard ya the first time,” Twilight stated, waving a hoof dismissively.

Fluttershy lay down next to her winged friend, a paw on the mare’s hoof. “I know this may be kind of sudden, but well… I’m sorry about things getting out of hoof back at my grove. I didn't mean to shout at you.”

Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Only you would consider that shouting.”

The bunny shifted uncomfortably as she gazed down on Twilight. “Still. I don't like arguing, especially with you.”

“I know what you mean, Fluttershy, it's just this entire thing has really dredged up some bad memories, is all.” Rainbow Dash sighed and crossed her forehooves. “I still think you should have confronted them or something, but I’m starting to see where you're coming from.”

Fluttershy leaned her head against her friend’s side. “At first Gale Force’s story made me feel a little vindicated because she wanted revenge and got a life of violence. But after hearing about how she found love even doing what she did, well, it makes me think about things differently.”

“It does?”

The bunny nodded slowly. “It makes me wonder if there was a better way. Perhaps if Gale Force had realized what she stood to lose she would have been more careful, or done something different.”

Rainbow Dash gulped down her trepidation and turned nervously towards her friend. “Fluttershy, I know we talked about this before but I was wondering if,-”

“I got it!” shouted Twilight.

“What were you about to say?” asked Fluttershy.

The thestral shook her head. “It's nothing. We can talk about it later.” Rainbow Dash sighed as the bunny hopped down the steps. “Dammit, Twilight. I almost got the nerve.”

Grumbling silently to herself, Rainbow Dash joined Fluttershy and Twilight by a seemingly random tile that had been fitted with a glowing red crystal in the center.

“To start, I’m not totally certain what will happen, but I do know that we will be able to see what's within the box after activating this crystal,” Twilight declared.

“What exactly do you mean?” Rainbow Dash asked, stepping forward. “It's not going to lift whatever field is keeping that thing contained, right?”

The unicorn winced and scratched the back of her neck. “I mean, probably? Without using magic I can only figure out so much, and well, I wasn't able to deduce a whole lot.”

“It's fine, Twilight,” Fluttershy reassured. “You’ve done your best under the circumstances, and now we just have to ask ourselves if this is what we want.”

“I mean, it feels like everything has been leading up to this moment.” Rainbow Dash tapped the black box with a hoof, causing ripples to travel from the point of impact. “This is why we were brought here.”

“It does feel that way.” Twilight sighed. “Well, enough beating around the bush. If we are going to do this, then let's do this.”

“Right. Enough talk,” Rainbow Dash declared before pressing her hoof against the crystal and causing it to sink into the tile.

The floor clicked, and a reverberating hum began to emanate from somewhere deep beneath their hooves, making their teeth rattle. Twilight’s horn began to itch a second later, but before she could figure out why that was, the box disappeared, revealing one of the strangest sights she had ever beheld. Though the creature within lay on its belly, limbs tucked underneath it, the sheer size and horrifying appearance still put Twilight on edge.

“What the he-” the unicorn began, only to have a hoof clamped over her mouth.

Rainbow Dash shushed the other mare, pointing to the creature’s scarred muzzle, from which a rumbling purring sound could be heard.

Steeling herself, Twilight took a step back and looked over the creature completely, quite glad that it was apparently still affected by the pacification field. Though its fur was still blue, it was now so dark that it borderlined on black, or perhaps even purple. Its coat was also much shaggier and mostly hid several yellowish spots that sporadically covered its body.

In one way it almost looked like an ursa minor, but that assumption was dropped when Twilight saw the creature’s enormous leathery wings. The great appendages were massive, and even with them folded at the creature’s side, Twilight could see that the markings resembled a starry night. Only not quite, as the colors were slightly off and made Twilight think of the sky during a meteor shower.

Though the creature’s tail looked fairly normal at first glance, hidden beneath the thick hair were several long tentacle-like appendages that ended in pointed spines. These objects lazily moved back and forth as the creature slept, its snores sounding almost buglike due to how high-pitched they were. This strange bug comparison was made more apt by the fact that its forehooves had been replaced with three clawed fingers.

Its cutie mark remained, though the gentle gust of wind had been replaced by three stylized shooting stars. The buckler upon which the shooting stars passed over had been changed as well, now sporting a more sinister, pointed kite shield. Her face and head had perhaps changed the most, having grown five large horns that protruded from atop her head like a crown. The middle one was easily the largest though and resembled Twilight’s, just even sharper and the same shade of white as bone.

Rainbow Dash slowly trotted before the sleeping creature, waving a hoof in front of its face and receiving no reply for her effort. Trotting back to the group, she shrugged and looked to Twilight expectantly. The unicorn paused and slowly inspected the mutated mare, silently judging the slumbering monster.

Despite sleeping for the better part of an entire millenium, and presumably not eating or drinking anything for that entire time, her body looked fine. The well-defined muscles that Twilight would have expected from Gale Force were still there, only with the scale of things cranked up to eleven. Which meant she was likely an order of magnitude stronger than in Twilight’s memories, and Gale Force was already known for being one of the strongest pegasi around.

Turning to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, Twilight motioned for them to relax and took a step forward. “Are you okay?” she asked in a calm and clear tone of voice.

“Twilight, what are you doing?” Rainbow Dash hissed, Fluttershy cowering behind her leg.

Twilight ignored them. “Can you hear me?” she inquired, slightly louder.

The creature didn't stir, nor did it even seem to notice them, and Twilight gestured to it with a knowing look on her face.

Rainbow Dash relaxed. “I guess it's fine then.”

“Are you sure it's okay?” Fluttershy whispered.

Twilight nodded. “She isn't actually sleeping as we know it. The pacification field puts her under, yes, but it also makes her unable to wake. I don't think anything other than an alicorn’s magic could ruin her slumber.”

“Well, that's a relief,” Rainbow Dash muttered, releasing the hold she had on her blade.

Fluttershy gulped and slowly crept out from behind the thestral’s leg. “Still. This is pretty scary.”

“Oh, I’m terrified.” Twilight remarked, chuckling nervously. “But so long as Celestia, Luna, or maybe the nightmare don't show up and start casting spells, we should be fine.”

Rainbow Dash hummed thoughtfully. “Fine. But for now we should avoid any spell casting whatsoever, okay?”

Twilight nodded. “Of course. I wouldn't chance it around Gale Force.”

“That's a relief,” Fluttershy muttered. “I don't know if she is more pony, or monster, but I’d rather not find out one way or the other.”

“I would like to know, to be honest,” Twilight began, raising a hoof defensively. “I’m not crazy enough to check, but it would be nice to figure out if Gale Force is still in there. I bet she would be able to answer a lot of my questions about the past, what happened to the old me among other things.”

“True.” Rainbow Dash frowned. “Maybe she’d even know where the mistress was laid to rest.”

“And why she is such a meany pants,” Fluttershy added.

“Those would be nice to know…” Twilight bit her lip. “I don't suppose we could just try and wake-” A firm glare from Rainbow Dash stopped Twilight in her tracks, and she raised a hoof in a placating manner. “Fine, fine, but I don't know how else we are going to get answers to those questions.”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something,” exclaimed Fluttershy.

“I suppose,” muttered Twilight, the mare kicking at a piece of dirt absently.

“So I guess we’re right back where we started, which is with the question. Why are we here?” Rainbow Dash half asked, half stated.

“Do you think we are supposed to put her out of her misery or something?” Fluttershy asked, gesturing to the mutated former pony.

“I don't think so.” Twilight scratched the back of her neck. “If the forest wanted her to die, then I think it could make that happen.”

“What if it wants us to do the deed?” replied Rainbow Dash.

“That is fair…” Twilight agreed.

“I think it has to do with our argument,” Fluttershy declared, the bunny hopping forward. “It feels like the forest wanted us to consider her story.”

“It was a compelling one,” admitted Rainbow Dash.

“And it does oddly mirror the issues you two have had in the past,” Twilight continued.

Fluttershy nodded her head. “Exactly. She fought long and hard. In the end she may have gone too far, but if she hadn't fought at all, then she would not have fallen in love and gotten married.”

“I suppose that is true,” Rainbow Dash murmured. “It feels like the forest is using Gale Force as an example that we should seek a middle ground or whatever.”

The bunny giggled. “That's one way of putting it.”

“So, what do you plan on doing, then?” Twilight asked, looking down on the bunny. “Because something tells me you aren't about to go back to your family and tell them off for being jerks.”

Fluttershy shook her head. “No. But I was thinking of having a winged friend of mine pay them a visit and drop them a surprise or two.”

“Yeah, go Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, pumping a hoof in the air.

The bunny spun on the thestral and glared up at her. “That also means that you are going to let this whole thing go. I know you have always just wanted to protect me, but I can deal with this on my own.”

Rainbow Dash wilted, nodding reluctantly. “You’re right, and I’m sorry for treating you like a child. I never meant for it to come off that way. I just really care about you, is all.”

“That's adorable.” Twilight chuckled when her two friends turned towards her, shooting her a pair of glares. “Sorry, shutting up now.”

Fluttershy smiled and touched Rainbow Dash’s leg. “I know you do, Rainbow, and it's why I’ve been so patient with you about all this. I think it's time we both moved past it though. I am who I was always meant to be, and there is no going back from that.”

Rainbow Dash kneeled down, smiling softly. “I know that, Fluttershy. I guess I never really accepted that, until now.” The thestral took a deep breath. “From this moment on, we’ll go forward as equals, I promise.”

“Thank you, Rainbow Dash. That means a lot to me,” Fluttershy whispered, patting the thestral’s foreleg.

“Uh, Fluttershy, are you supposed to be glowing like that?” Twilight pointed out.

Fluttershy blinked and looked down at her paw, which was now emitting a blood red light. “I don't know. I don't feel any different.”

“That doesn't look good.” Rainbow Dash stood quickly. “There isn't any weird magic thing going on, is there?”

“Guys, I-”

“No,” Twilight declared. “Or at least not that I’m aware. I haven't cast a scanning spell yet, so I can't be certain.”

“Well, do it then,” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“Calm down, I feel fine, Angel feels fine,” Fluttershy shouted, only for her pleading to fall on deaf ears.

“This will only take a second,” Twilight hastily declared, her horn pulsating with a swirling mass of twisting darkness.

The scanning spell fell over the bunny, washing away the red light and leaving behind a completely normal forest animal standing there with a look of confusion on its face.

“What does it say? What happened to her?” Rainbow Dash pleaded.

Twilight gently pushed her friend away. “It says she was fine, spirit and all, but there was some strange energy that-”

Twilight was interrupted by the snap pop of a spell firing, followed by a gust of wind which suddenly picked up. Spinning around, the trio looked on in horror as the portal opened, revealing a city of spires sitting on the side of a mountain top. The opening was positioned in such a way that they looked straight down on the city from what felt like a mile in the air.

“Canterlot? But how?” Twilight muttered.

They weren't able to contemplate that question for long however, as a deep rumble emanated from the mutated former pony. The creature’s massive form twitched, and a single eye opened to reveal a pitch black iris devoid of emotion. The creature slowly stirred, its muscles twitching and flexing as it woke from its thousand year long slumber.

“What do we do, Twilight?” Fluttershy shouted.

“We can't let it go through that thing. There are too many innocents,” Twilight shouted. “I’ll disrupt the portal, you see if we can't talk her out of it.”

Twilight turned and ran over to the opening, her magic already tugging on one of the crystals. Behind her, Rainbow Dash stood nearby, crescent blade in hoof and a worried look on her face.

“So, I don't suppose that long nap did any favours for your cherry disposition, huh?” asked the thestral, chuckling nervously.

The creature ignored her completely, stretching its enormous wings, the tips of which brushed against the walls.

“Try talking to it,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, turning to Fluttershy.

“Oh, uh right.” Fluttershy cleared her throat and stood as tall as her six inch frame would allow. “Um, Mrs Force, could you maybe relax for a moment? We were hoping to ask you a few questions.”

The rumble which emanated from the creature’s throat made the walls shake and the bunny to tremble in barely contained fear. “M-m-m-maybe just don't d-d-do anything violent? Please?” Fluttershy muttered.

“I don't think it's listening, Shy,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, gripping her sword tightly and taking a step forward.

“Got it!” Twilight yelled, one of the crystals coming loose and causing the portal to slowly begin to close. “Oh, come on!”

The creature let out another deep rumbling roar and swiped a three clawed hand at Twilight, who narrowly dodged out of the way in time. The unicorn deflected a follow-up strike with a quickly conjured shield, though her spell was left in tatters by the attack.

“A little help here?” Twilight shouted, backpedalling rapidly and narrowly avoiding several more swipes.

“On it!” Rainbow Dash replied, launching herself into the air and bringing her blade down hard against the creature’s back.

The gaping wound bled a bright green blood which cascaded down the creature’s side, matting its fur. The attack didn't phase the beast, however, and it spun its entire body away from its newest enemy, rapidly pivoting its body. Rainbow Dash was so surprised by the creature’s incredible dexterity that she almost got hit by one of the beast’s claws.

A burst of speed narrowly put her over top of the attack, and the thestral was forced to abandon her follow-up strike, as the mutated mare was already delivering one of her own. The creature’s jaws went to clamp down on Rainbow Dash’s head, only for the monster to stop and let out a howl of pain and rage. Black fire burnt along the beast’s side, charring flesh and filling the room with the scent of rotten meat.

“Not much longer, and the portal will be too small!” Twilight shouted. “Keep her distracted.”

A trio of whiplike tentacles smashed into the unicorn’s side before she could even think of mustering a barrier, sending her flying across the room. Rainbow Dash looked away, trusting her friend to survive and recuperate, provided the thestral was able to cover her. To that end Rainbow Dash leapt higher into the air, trying to get behind the beast and distract it, starting a deadly game of cat and mouse.

That didn't happen for long though as a sudden build of heat from the creature’s mouth made Rainbow Dash dive to the side. Narrowly avoiding a beam of white hot energy that tore through the wall and dug dozens of meters into the earth beyond. The aberration, having noticed that both of its targets were too busy to deal with it, turned on her heel and began to sprint towards the portal.

Though it was only half the size that it had started at, the portal was still just barely large enough for the creature to slip through. With an almost sadistic glee, the creature leapt towards the exit, forelegs extended, its body narrowing slightly.

“Stop!” shouted a voice.

The mutated pony screeched to a halt, its limbs, both clawed and hooved alike digging a deep furrow in the stone floor. The monster jerked this way and that, as if trying to tug at invisible chains which kept it from reaching its target. While it did this it also continued to roar defiantly, struggling against the compulsion that had been placed upon it.

“Don't move,” bellowed Fluttershy, who stood tall. “You are not allowed to go through there, you hear me! Not one step!”

The creature twisted its head and roared in an almost desperate, yet still angry manner, the sound almost resembling speech.

“Hold it for a second longer, Fluttershy! The portal is almost closed!” Twilight shouted, her magic fixing her leg which had been bent unnaturally upon impact with the wall.

“I’m trying, but she's really strong!” Fluttershy shouted, the bunny grimacing as sweat poured down her face.

Rainbow Dash launched back onto the offencive, leaping into the air and gripping her sword in both hooves before bringing it down hard against the creature’s back. Over and over she hacked away at the creature’s thick hide, having abandoned any attempt at clever tactics. The creature twitched and roared, Fluttershy’s hold lasting just long enough for the portal to close and the bunny to topple to the ground.

Without the spirit’s influence the monster was free to lash out at the closest opponent, striking Rainbow Dash with her multiple tails. A trio of jagged wounds opened up on the thestral’s side, though she was able to move just in time to ensure that she didn't suffer anything worse than several shallow cuts. Put off balance and forced to flee, Rainbow Dash hardly even noticed the creature’s follow-up attack before it slammed into a purple barrier which sprung up in front of her.

Making a note to thank her unicorn friend later, Rainbow Dash rose out of striking range of the creature and angled her body down and to the right. Seeing this, Twilight cancelled her shield and quickly fired off a thin beam of enervating energy, which slammed against the creature’s side. The muscles around the spot Twilight had hit began to slack, rapidly atrophying and causing the mutated mare to limp.

Blood now poured freely from the creature’s body, pooling in the cracks in the tiles, and gathering at low points in the floor. Even still, the monster fought on, its attention wholly focused on its thestral and unicorn attackers now that the portal was gone. Leaping straight up, the beast twisted to the left and smacked Rainbow Dash out of the air, the heavy paw knocking the wind out of the thestral.

Shocked by the sudden burst of speed from her opponent, Rainbow Dash could do nothing as she tumbled to the ground, only to be caught by Twilight’s aura and deposited next to her.

“Stay behind me, and when you catch your breath, try to get behind Gale, we’ll draw its attention in two different directions and defeat it that way,” Twilight shouted.

Rainbow Dash could barely even nod her head as her chest heaved, the thestral struggling to draw air into her oxygen-starved lungs.

Without having to divide its attention, the creature spun on Twilight and thought to end things in a single titanic slam of its forelimbs. Twilight was faster though, and several darts made of what looked like concentrated darkness shot into the monster’s forelimbs. Upon impact they sunk into the beast’s flesh, and made it let out a confused roar as its attack went wide, its entire upper body temporarily going numb.

By then Rainbow Dash was breathing normally, and the thestral gripped her fallen sword before jumping into the air, pumping her wings. Her ascent did not go unnoticed though, and with a powerful flap of the creature’s leathery appendages, it dodged out of the way of Twilight’s next spell. Putting her into Rainbow Dash’s path and forcing the thestral to bank hard towards the wall, running along it and dodging a deadly bite attack.

Pushing herself off the wall, Rainbow Dash brought her blade down hard against the creature’s neck, but it too was fast, turning the decisive blow into little more than a grazing hit. The attack still drew blood however, adding to the veritable ocean of greenish liquid which pooled below them. The beast itself wasn't about to let this insult go without a retort of some kind however, and with a flap of only a single wing, Rainbow Dash was nearly buffeted out of the air.

Remembering her storm training, Rainbow Dash tucked her wings tight against her side and dove through the current, opening her leathery appendages only once she emerged out the other side. While this happened Twilight was readying another spell, one that would suck the life out of her opponent and render it unconscious. Unfortunately the spell took too long to formulate, and the creature turned, energy building within its throat.

Already aware of just how devastating its breath attack could be, Twilight haphazardly shunted all the power she had built into a less than perfect shield spell. One which seemed to do its job at first, making the creature’s white energy to splash uselessly against the purple exterior, splitting it into dozens of much smaller beams. These smaller white lances of energy still tore through the wall and the dirt beyond which further destabilized the crumbling room.

Fluttershy stood slowly, paws pressed tight against her head, her consciousness coming back just in time to see her friends suddenly get pinned down. Rainbow Dash was caught in a mid-air balet, the thestral ducking, dipping, and dodging without being able to strike back. The bat winged pony sported several more cuts, and Fluttershy wondered just how long her winged friend could keep up her defence before she was struck somewhere more important.

It wasn't looking much better for Twilight, as the unicorn was only just barely keeping her defences up while under the incredible barrage of white hot energy. Cracks could already be seen forming along the exterior of the purple shield, ones which grew larger with each passing second. Yet, despite the direness of the situation, Fluttershy felt her gaze drawn to the creature itself, and the many wounds it had suffered during the fight.

Despite its current commanding position in the chaotic melee, the creature had suffered numerous injuries, and its forelegs hung uselessly from the front of its body. Green blood gushed from several deep cuts, and Fluttershy knew even at a glance that it was near death. The bunny also knew that an animal when cornered and dying was at its most dangerous.

Fluttershy understood what she had to do, and it took only a moment for the spirit to muster her courage and fling her ethereal body at the monster. Angel slumped on the steps, a paw weakly reaching out to stop his friend, but it was already too late, as her leading hoof had already touched the creature’s back. In an instant the entirety of the ghostly pegasus slipped beneath the mutated mare’s flesh, vanishing into the monster’s body.

Its breath attack stopped, and its tails fell still, its entire body twitching and spasming as if trying to vomit up a meal that no longer agreed with it. The black in its eyes flickered, and it fell from the air, one wing still flapping desperately to keep it in flight. Twilight’s shield cracked and dissipated just as Rainbow Dash was able to right herself and prepare for a counter attack.

Their plans to launch such an assault were dashed the second the creature’s eyes opened to reveal Fluttershy’s familiar blue. Swooping out of the sky, Rainbow Dash landed before the creature, looking up at the prone monster’s face.

“Fluttershy?” she asked.

“Hrrrngh,” grunted the monster, a clawed paw scratching at its face.

“Stay back, it might not work,” Twilight warned.

“R-right,” Rainbow Dash muttered, taking several steps away from the creature, never once relinquishing the tight hold she had on her weapon.

Twilight readied a spell, while Rainbow Dash stood nearby, ready to leap into action at a moment’s notice. As they waited, the creature continued to thrash and claw at its head, though it was growing more and more relaxed. Until it merely lay there, panting hard, its eyes looking curiously about the room with an odd look on its face.

“Wh-where am I?” it muttered, its voice so low that it sounded like two enormous boulders grinding against one another to produce speech.

“We don't know,” Twilight replied. “How are you feeling?”

“Angry, and...” Gale Force grunted. “Hurt.”

“Sorry, that was Twilight and I. You were trying to kill us,” Rainbow Dash replied, the thestral stepping up next to her friend.

“I remember everything.” Gale Force frowned. “I don't think I’ll have very long however.”

“I could heal you, if you like,” Twilight offered, stepping forward.

“My time has come and gone. I’ve left death waiting long enough.” Gale Force opened her mouth to say something, only to really look at the unicorn and blink several times. “How are you here? I saw your body.”

“I’m a reincarnation of the Twilight you knew, I have a few of her memories, and know of you as well,” Twilight replied.

Gale Force nodded, only to wince. “I understand now. She mentioned something about her coming back one time. Or at least I thought that happened. It’s so hard to think for some reason.”

“Sorry about all this, by the way,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, gesturing to the blood-splattered room and the mutated mare’s broken form.

“It's fine.” Gale Force chuckled. “This isn't the first time I’ll meet death. I’m just thankful that I’ll be able to meet her while I’m lucid and still myself. If anything, I should apologize to you three.”

Twilight waved a hoof. “It's nothing. I’ll be able to heal our injuries in no time, though it may take a bit of syphoning first.”

“Still. I am glad that you came, and that your friend was able to calm me.” Gale Force smiled and looked up. “It feels good to finally be myself again, even if it's at the end of my life.”

“Is there anything we can do for you?” Twilight gently inquired.

Gale Force shook her head ever so slightly. “Just being able to think without the crushing force of all that anger is more than enough, and more than I deserve.”

The mutated mare slumped to the ground, her limbs falling still, and her eyelids beginning to droop. “And so my story finally comes to an end. Tell me, child. How long was I asleep?”

“Around a thousand years or so,” Twilight exclaimed, shrugging. “I’m not sure how much time passed here though.”

Gale Force smiled faintly. “And they always said I’d never reach retirement age.”

Rainbow Dash chuckled. “They say the same thing about me.”

The mutated mare’s smile grew as she gazed down on the thestral. “Something tells me you’re going to prove them wrong too.” A sudden tremor shot up Gale Force’s spine. “But before I go, I have a message for you. One given to me by your past self, should this event ever come to pass.”

“A message, how?” Twilight asked.

“You will find the answer to that question soon enough.” Gale Force coughed suddenly, blood spurting from her lips. “As for the message, it read as follows. ‘All great beings have troubled dreams’.”

“Is that it?” Rainbow Dash asked skepticaly.

“That's exactly what I said when she fed me that prophetic nonsense. Some things just never change, I’m afraid.” Gale Force chuckled.

The mutated mare slumped into a heap, her eyes turning grey before closing and her laugh slowly petering off until finally, silence reigned.

Angel hopped between the two ponies, the bunny looking nervously at the body lying before them.

“Is Fluttershy going to be okay?” Twilight asked.

Rainbow Dash nodded confidently. “Of course she will.”

As if on cue, a weary teal shape emerged from Gale Force’s back, climbing out of the corpse and stumbling onto the ground.

“We’ll meet you top side,” declared Twilight, who scooped up Angel and placed the bunny on her back.

Rainbow Dash blinked. “So she's okay?”

Twilight nodded and trotted towards the stairs, a falling stone nearly hitting her. “She’ll be fine. Let's just get out of this place.”

“Right,” muttered Rainbow Dash.

“Are you sure she's alright?” Rainbow Dash whispered nervously, the mare tapping her forehooves together. “Maybe we should check.”

“She’ll be fine,” Twilight urged. “Right, Angel?”

The bunny nodded before perking up and pointing to a spot on the ground, wherein a soft teal glow could be seen. A second later Fluttershy emerged from the ground, only something was different, the young spirit was taller, her hair longer. She seemed to have grown significantly, in addition to appearing more solid, as Twilight could no longer see right through her anymore. Though ethereal like the rest of her, Twilight could also see that her spirit friend now sported flowers which bloomed in her mane, and vines which crawled up her legs.

“Oh wow, Rainbow Dash. I wish you could see this,” Twilight muttered.

“I can,” replied the thestral.

Fluttershy blinked and paused mid-step, her eyes meeting Rainbow Dash’s. “Y-you can?”

The pegasus nodded.

“Eep,” Fluttershy cried before sprinting towards the forest and running directly into a tree, falling onto her backside.

Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Angel all trotted over to the confused pegasus who lay on her stomach, eyes rolling around in her head. “Huh, I guess you’re solid now,” Twilight pointed out.

“I suppose so,” Fluttershy whispered while rubbing a hoof against her face.

“At least you made it here before you turned solid,” Rainbow Dash remarked.

“I guess.”

“Here. Let me help.” Rainbow Dash extended a hoof, smiling faintly.

Fluttershy blushed slightly and took the offered limb and was hoisted into a stand by a single firm tug. “Woah, you’re stronger than I remember.”

“I have been working out since I was twelve,” exclaimed Rainbow Dash.

Twilight stepped forward. “Alright, so what exactly just happened, why are you solid?”

Fluttershy shrugged. “I’m not sure, but it felt like I was changing right before Gale woke up and now it's complete. Or at least I think it is.”

Rainbow Dash winced. “I’m sorry about that, by the way. If I hadn't freaked out, Gale wouldn't have woken up, nevermind the fact that I had just apologized for treating you like a child only to act the way I did.”

Fluttershy smiled faintly and touched her friend’s shoulder. “It's okay. I understand.”

“T-thanks, Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash whispered, her hoof brushing over her friend’s.

“I don't mean to interrupt here, but are you okay, Fluttershy? You’re taking this awfully easily,” Twilight remarked.

The pegasus spirit took a step back and chuckled. “I know it may seem that way, but after possessing Gale Force I saw so much, experienced so many of her memories.” A small blush crossed her face and she glanced nervously at Rainbow Dash. “It really put things into perspective.”

“What do you mean?” asked Rainbow Dash, who was now sporting a small blush of her own.

“I know you have a crush on me, Rainbow Dash. I’ve always known,” Fluttershy declared, smiling faintly.

“Really?”

Fluttershy nodded. “And I’ve loved you from the moment you first saved me from that cliff.”

Rainbow Dash bounced from hoof to hoof, her excitement getting the better of her. “I love you too, Fluttershy. I always have,” replied the thestral.

The pegasus spirit stepped forward, the small movement emboldening the mare. “Rainbow Dash, would you go out with me?”

“Of course I would!” Rainbow Dash cried, surging forward and picking up the other mare, cradling her in her forehooves.

Fluttershy giggled and planted a light kiss on the other pony’s cheek. “I’m so glad I can do that.”

“Me too,” Rainbow Dash eagerly replied before planting a kiss of her own.

Twilight coughed awkwardly into her hoof, prompting the two ponies to suddenly remember that she was still there. “Oh uh, sorry. Continue,” Twilight muttered awkwardly.

Fluttershy’s blush grew until it encompassed her entire face and then all of a sudden, she vanished and in her place was a mouse roughly the size of a thimble and the color of the sky.

Rainbow Dash blinked. “Uh, Fluttershy, did you mean to do that?”

A second later Fluttershy was in the shape of a pony once more, her embarrassment only doubling since her accidental transformation. “N-no,” she stuttered.

Angel smirked and made a chittering noise.

Which only made Fluttershy blush even more. “I d-d-did not!” she cried, covering her face with her hooves.

“Hey, not cool, man,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, glaring daggers at the bunny.

Who merely rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Well, I don't know about you, guys, but I am going to need a long rest after this,” Twilight stated with a smile. “How about we put our adventures on hold, at least until after the play.”

Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Sounds good, boss. Gives me time to take my girlfriend on a date or two and really show her off.”

Fluttershy curled up into an even tighter ball. “Rainboow, stop.”

“No can do, Flutters. I’ve been getting teased about liking a bunny for years. Now I’m going to show those jerks that I’m not crazy,” Rainbow Dash declared before taking off into the air and flying back the way they came almost an hour earlier.

Twilight chuckled as she watched the two mares continue to argue. “What do you say Angel? Ready to go home?”

The bunny nodded and hopped up onto the unicorn’s back, chittering briefly.

“I’m going to take that as a yes.”

Author's Note

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An Overdue End, and a Compassionate Rebirth

“Are you seriously just going to sit there and stare at me until this is all done?” Twilight asked, glaring at the troll sitting across from her.

Pinkie Pie blinked. “Well duh. I gotta make sure you get to the play. It's tonight, you know.”

“I am well aware of the location and time of the play,” Twilight murmured, turning her attention down to a rather soggy tome held aloft over a warming enchantment. “I am also aware that you have an important part in that play, and that I only need to be there fifteen minutes early. Unlike you.”

“And I still have hours before they need me,” Pinkie Pie retorted, sprawling out on the couch. “So you may as well get used to me hanging around, because I’m going to make sure this thing goes off without a hitch.”

“I suppose I do owe you after all.” Twilight sighed. “Well, we could at least talk while I work. Having you stare at me unblinking for over an hour is rather unnerving.”

“Oooh, good idea,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, tapping her rocky chin and pursing her lips. “Now what to talk about… oh, I know! How do you think Spike’s date is going to go?”

“I’m sure it will go fine,” Twilight replied hastily. “Or at least I sure hope it does. Not like I know anything about dating though.”

“Oh, Twilight, you don't need to be a romance aficionado like Rarity to think they make a good match,” Pinkie Pie replied.

The undead unicorn turned the page and watched closely as they too began to dry. “I suppose that's true. It just seems like they are going awful fast. They hardly even knew each other before they started going out.”

PInkie Pie giggled. “Spike may be like a bajillion years old, but he's still a kid, you know. Teenagers move quickly, but they figure it out in time. Either that or they have a really awkward goth phase. Honestly it's fifty fifty.”

“What's a goth? Someone called me that back in Canterlot but noone ever told me what it means.” Twilight questioned.

“It's when you paint your hooves black, wear dark clothes and act all depressed.” Pinkie Pie bounced in her seat. “Oh oh, and you gotta listen to some bleak, sad music like all the time.”

“That doesn't sound very fun at all,” Twilight remarked.

“It's really hot though,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

Twilight gave her friend an odd look, but ultimately didn't delve any deeper into that topic and merely shook her head. “You know this shouldn't take long, you don't have to wait for me.”

“But think about it, Twilight, those books were inside, how did they get wet?” Pinkie Pie questioned, hopping off the couch and gesturing to the pile of wet tomes sitting on the coffee table. “And they are the super duper important ones too!”

“I wouldn't say they are that important,” Twilight corrected. “Most are just history books.”

“Ancient history books!” Pinkie Pie shot back, lifting one of the books and gesturing to the soggy title. “This one is from like, three thousand years ago!”

“Pinkie, would you put that down? I placed them in that stasis field for a reason,” Twilight declared, glaring at the troll.

PInkie Pie hastily put the book back. “Sorry, Twilight, but you know what I mean, right? It's super mysterious.”

“It's really not that mysterious. Trees aren't exactly known for being watertight. Besides, they were just sitting on an end table after I forgot to send them to Dark Hallow,” Twilight exclaimed.

“Still. Obviously someone has it out for you,” Pinkie Pie stated, crossing her hooves over her chest.

“Though I won't disagree with you on that, given all the craziness that has been happening over the last few months, I must assure you that this library is secure,” Twilight claimed, gesturing to the tree itself. “I mean, I have my own guards for crying out loud.”

Pinkie Pie’s smile fell away and she slowly shook her head. “You don't understand. I have a feeling, and it's a doozy this time, trust me. You’re going to want me here, otherwise you won't be able to help with the play tonight!”

Twilight sighed and placed the book she had been working on on the table, turning off her heating spell. “This is very important work that has to get done before the books are ruined forever. If you can't be quiet, then I will have to ask that you leave.”

“But, Twilight, it's a doozy, like a doozy doozy! Think of the play,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “You know I have absolute respect for your shaman things, but I have spent months layering this place in so many wards and spells that it would take an army to break through it all. Furthermore, I have two guards who are ready to jump in and help me at a moment’s notice. Both of whom are well-trained and well-equipped to handle any possible situation that may arise.”

“Yeah, but-” Pinkie Pie began, only to be interrupted.

“But nothing. My defences are nearly impenetrable, and may I remind you I am both already dead and a necromancer?” Twilight stood up and gestured to herself with a hoof. “I don't even know if it's even possible for me to get killed again, plus I have access to spells that only four people in existence even know about.”

“Look, I know you are confident, Twilight, but don't you think you are being a little too confident?” Pinkie Pie replied, frowning.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I’m the most powerful unicorn in a hundred miles. No one in this town can break through my wards. So unless Dark Hallow has secretly been working against me this entire time, I think I’m going to make it to the play in time.”

Pinkie Pie pouted and crossed her hooves over her chest. “Fine, but then you have to do two things for me.”

Twilight sighed. “Fine, what are they?”

“First you have to wear the necklace and keep it on the whole night!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, pointing at the unicorn.

Who nodded slowly. “Alright, and the second one?”

PInkie Pie tapped her chin and hummed to herself. “Gimme a second.”

“Pinkie. Why did you say there were two things if you didn't even know what the second one was?” Twilight muttered tiredly.

“Aha, I got it!” Pinkie Pie shouted, pointing at Twilight. “You also have to do your restoration work in the basement next to the teleporter room. Oh oh, and you also have to leave the teleporter door open and the array powered!”

Twilight pressed her forehooves into her eyes and sighed. “Pinkie, the necklace I can understand as it empowers me when I wear it, but no one can come through the other side of that portal.”

“Okay, so maybe it's not super likely that any of the nice spider people are going to help you, but at least you’d have an escape route, right?” Pinkie Pie pointed out.

“I suppose,” Twilight admitted, her hooves falling to her lap. “If I agree to this, will you let me work in peace?”

“Fiiiiiine,” Pinkie Pie whined. “But if you end up needing me, I am allowed to hold an ‘I told you so’ party.”

“Agreed.” Twilight extended a hoof.

“You better do it,” Pinkie Pie warned, taking the other being’s hoof and shaking it vigorously.

“A promise is a promise,” Twilight stated evenly.

Twilight snorted irritably to herself, glancing around the dull basement and the open door leading to the teleportation array. The roots of the tree formed the walls of this space, and though the area was bereft of decoration, Twilight felt her gaze drawn up and down the tree’s many contours. The panic room which she had found the petrified Spike within was gone, the tree having made the door leading to it vanish shortly after his return.

Now there were only two doors, one which ultimately led to the undertower, and one which opened into the library above her. Twilight turned the page slowly, careful to not crinkle the now dry pages as she continued to hold the book over her enchantment. It was slow-going, but once she had gotten all of her stuff into the basement, her work had proceeded smoothly.

The outgoing pile of books was now larger than the incoming one, and if her calculations were correct, she would be able to get all of them done before the play would start. The dead mare shook her head as she thought of the strange troll and her earlier insistence on staying near her. The very walls of Twilight’s home served to protect her, hiding rooms filled with bad memories, and generally stopping those who were not invited.

“Ridiculous,” Twilight murmured to herself, flipping another page and lifting up the book. “Hmm, well, at least this one is almost done.”

She didn't bother looking at the title of the book, as she knew she would have time to double check them later. Instead her gaze went down to the necklace which rested against her chest and the strange feeling of comfort she received whenever she wore it. The silver chain upon which the amulet hung was so perfectly crafted that it flowed like water and felt almost like ice, though not quite as cold. The full moon that dangled from the end was so perfect that it drew in the eye, as if demanding the viewer to behold its beauty.

Shaking her head, Twilight flipped the final page, and was about to grab the next book when she felt a presence near her home. It was strong, blazing with life, but also marred somewhat, as if it carried with it an incredible cancer that had somehow yet to kill it. Twilight felt her stomach turn and, as she tried to find the source, she couldn't help but be thankful that she no longer used her stomach.

“Strange,” muttered the dead mare, hoof already reaching for the next book after the strange life force vanished completely.

She never reached her target however, as her wards suddenly flickered and went down all at once. Standing up from her chair, Twilight lit her horn and was ready to figure out what had happened only for her spells to return a second later. Only now they were different, as if they had been rewritten by a skilled and knowledgeable mage. One who was capable enough to make Twilight’s defences all but useless while at the same time turning her most capable spells against the dead mare.

All over the house locking mechanisms were activated, and shields sprung into existence over the windows, blocking off any attempt to enter or leave. Twilight considered teleporting out of the library, only to realize that she couldn't even do such a complicated spell anymore. Her magic had become so altered by her necromancy that it was simply impossible, and she had yet to come up with a workaround for that particular spell.

Thinking quickly, Twilight turned and began to run towards the teleportation room, knowing full well that nothing could stop her from utilizing the powerful array. Only for the air in front of her to shimmer briefly before a familiar pony appeared before her, body covered in strange greenish rocks held together by thick black rope. The sight of the orange-furred and red-maned pony made Twilight’s heart leap into her throat and her entire body to grow tense.

Images of their last meeting flashed through Twilight’s mind, but she quickly pushed such concerns out of mind. If that pony was here, then she was here for a reason, and that could only be to finish the job she had started back in Canterlot. Twilight brushed aside her thoughts on the weird vest of rocks the other pony wore and lit her horn, the dead mare’s mind already formulating a plan of attack.

Sunset Shimmer was faster however, unleashing a wave of fire from her horn, the spell traveling along the ground and was heading straight towards the dead unicorn. Thinking quickly, Twilight leapt over the wave of fire, using the table as a springboard in order to clear the flames. Putting her directly in the path of a scorching ray aimed directly at her chest, slamming into the unicorn hard enough to send her flying.

Though Twilight was dimly aware of her ribs cracking and her skin coming alight in several places, there was only a sliver of pain. She didn't even bother extinguishing the fire, and merely reached out with her magic, latching onto Sunset Shimmer and attempting to drain her of life. The spell was quick to cast, and Twilight knew that like most necromancy spells, it couldn't be counterspelled, nor would a traditional shield block it.

The other unicorn didn't flinch however, even as Twilight began to greedily drink from the strangely massive amount of energy within the other unicorn. Several of the green rocks which had been tied together into the strange and primitive armor began to flicker and lose their light. Twilight didn't have time to ponder what exactly that meant before Sunset had already leapt forward and fired her next spell.

Twilight stumbled to the side, only partially escaping the eruption of superheated energy which exploded from the ground. Instantly the muscle attached to her back left leg was gone, leaving behind only charred bone and several scraps of flesh which barely clung to her hind quarters. Desperate, and with few other options, Twilight quickly cast a powerful fear spell, hoping to give herself some breathing room from her attacker.

Her smile faded when the fear aura settled over her opponent, only for the pony to glow a faint gold and the look of terror on her face to be quickly replaced by one of grim determination. Twilight continued to run, firing off several mana bolts which were easily deflected by a trio of perfectly conjured shields. Twilight was running a quick identification spell, trying to figure out what kind of defences the other pony had placed on herself.

When her spell completed, and information flooded her mind, Twilight felt the bottom of her stomach to fall out from under her. The other unicorn had placed more wards and enchantments on her flesh than what should even be possible. The only way such a thing would be feasible would be if the pony in question had carved the spell runes into her bones or onto her very muscles.

Sunset Shimmer was far from done however, and several flaming stones appeared above her head before shooting directly at Twilight. Though the dead unicorn managed to dodge two of the flaming orbs, the loss of a good amount of her flesh put her off balance. The final sphere slammed into her side with all the force of a thunderbolt, sending Twilight flying while at the same time burning through her decayed guts at a terrifying pace.

Skin burnt, organs boiled, and all Twilight felt was a hard pinch in her side which only let up after the white hot rock fell through her rib cage and landed on the ground in a pool of rotten flesh. Ignoring the pain wasn't terribly difficult, given the fact that she was already dead, but it was growing harder and harder as time passed. Unable to cast anything very complicated, Twilight pulled hard, trying to tear the life out of the strange rocks serving as Sunset Shimmer’s shield.

One by one they began to dim, filling Twilight with vigor, while at the same time the dead mare tried to run towards the stairs leading out of the basement. Her opponent proved faster yet again however, summoning a wall of flames to block Twilight’s ascent. Sunset Shimmer followed up that spell with a pulse of fire which caught Twilight on the shoulder and spread over her form, burning away her hair and a most of her skin.

Twilight cried out in pain and confusion as her eyes were flash boiled inside their sockets. As her eyeballs dripped out of her head, Twilight looked around in confusion, shocked that she could still see despite the loss. She didn't think about that for long though, as she poured everything she had into simply brute forcing her way through Sunset’s shield’s and draining the unicorn of every drop of energy she had.

More and more of the rocks began to dim, their energy funneling into Twilight’s mouth and vanishing into her ragged throat. So focused was the dead mare that she couldn't even muster a defence against the gout of fire which shot from Sunset’s horn. The eruption of fire burnt away what was left of Twilight’s flesh, leaving her as little more than charred bones and burnt keratin.

Collapsing to her side, Twilight tried desperately to hold the feeling of panic at bay, but the confusing sensations of having what was left of her flesh burnt away nearly overwhelmed her. She fell, confused and terrified onto her side, horn sparking as still more energy went from the strange stones and into Twilight’s mouth. That was until Sunset Shimmer walked up to her and kicked the dead mare’s horn right off of her head, stopping the flow and cutting off the last offensive weapon Twilight had in her arsenal.

“You are lucky to have such a powerful artifact you know,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed, gesturing to the amulet which remained untarnished around Twilight’s skeletal neck. “You would likely be little more than ash at this point without it.”

“Wha-what are you-”

“The necklace,” Sunset Shimmer interrupted, pointing down at the mare. “It was one thing I couldn't account for.”

Twilight blinked, or at least tried to, as her eyes had been replaced by twin purple flames glowing within an otherwise empty skull. “Why are you doing this? Why chase me to the ends of the world?” she asked, looking up at the other mare.

“For the same reason you defend yourself. Because we must,” Sunset Shimmer replied grimly, her horn glowing brightly as she gathered power for one final spell.

For a moment the universe stood still, time stopped and Twilight was left to sit there on the cold floor, contemplating her own mortality. She knew that Sunset Shimmer would be able to kill her once and for all, despite Twilight’s earlier bragging to Pinkie Pie. After all, Sunset Shimmer wouldn't be here if she wasn't certain that she could end their nearly six month long chase. With that in mind, Twilight also knew that her pursuer wouldn't be here if there was no chance of Twilight winning.

The dead mare remembered well what she had learned while trapped in the nightmare’s grip, and understood that the other pony didn't truly want to win. With that in mind, Twilight considered the pony’s words once more, quickly remembering the strange insistence Sunset Shimmer had placed upon the amulet Twilight wore. Realization dawned on the dead mare like a shooting star, and all at once Twilight poured everything she had into the necklace.

Every ounce of magical and spiritual power she had, including that which she had pulled from Sunset Shimmer was all but shoved into the moon-shaped object. The enchantments within struggled to contain the sheer amount of energy being pushed into it, the moon warping and bulging under the strain of it all. With no place for that magic to go, the amulet was seconds away from turning into a tiny bomb, but Twilight had a better direction to send all that energy.

Rerouting all that magic towards a single powerful call, Twilight put everything she had into summoning the nightmare. Time slowly began to return to normal, and Sunset Shimmer’s spell blazed with life, forming into a ball of white hot fire intent on obliterating Twilight utterly. The second before it left her horn, Twilight released her own spell and cried out with every drop of power she had.

The second the spell released the amulet was annihilated, having been reduced to dust by the sheer amount of energy that had coursed through it. Twilight couldn't even be sure that it had completed its job before being destroyed, but in the end it didn't matter as all she could do was hope. Hope and pray that she wouldn't die at the hooves of the same mare who had killed her mother not long ago.

The fireball erupted from Sunset Shimmer’s horn and rocketed towards the fallen unicorn, the ball of plasma screaming through the air. With a dull boom, it collided with something, detonating prematurely and violently throwing both unicorns back, blinding one of them. Twilight however, did not have the limitations of organic eyes, and so she was able to watch as the flames spilled overtop of a strange black wall which had sprung up between her and the deadly spell.

The wall descended into the ground, and slunk towards her, slipping into Twilight’s shadow and filling her with a strange warmth. That warmth quickly shifted, leaving Twilight with the feeling as though a thousand needles were getting jammed into her soul before injecting it with a strange and utterly foreign presence. Even through the pain and strange sensations Twilight knew that this wasn't an act of malice and merely gritted her teeth as the agony rolled over her.

And then it was gone, leaving Twilight strangely energized.

Rising to her hooves, the dead mare looked down at her opponent who was healing her charred eyes and wincing in pain. Twilight wouldn't give the pony a second to breathe and charged forward, summoning forth a spectral hoof to clock the pony in the jaw while Twilight ran. Though the blow was dissipated somewhat by one of the many enchantments Sunset had placed upon herself, it was still enough to disrupt her attempt at recovery.

Backing up, Sunset Shimmer abandoned her attempt to heal her eyes and summoned a spray of electricity, bathing the room in hundreds of tiny lightning bolts. Reacting on instinct, Twilight raised her right hoof, creating a wall of darkness which shielded her from the deadly attack. Twilight wasn't about to let Sunset Shimmer a moment to gather herself however and jabbed her hoof in the unicorn’s direction while at the same time reaching out with her magic, draining the mare of life force.

Energy flowed from the few rocks which were still filled with energy, their power giving Twilight a boost while her shadow stretched towards the mare, who had already conjured a bubble and had begun to try and heal her damaged eyes, only to receive a surprise hoof to the stomach. Undeterred by the shield, the nightmare had slipped through the cracks in the ground and was driving the pony back.

Several teeth flew from the mare’s mouth, and she stumbled back, her vision having been only partially returned to her. Squinting, the unicorn fired off a burst of kinetic energy, trying to force her opponent back and give Sunset the time to come up with a better plan of attack. The nightmare was not made of flesh and blood however and simply walked through the wave of force before headbutting Sunset square in the face.

Twilight strode forward, watching as the last of the odd green stones began to dull and fade completely. When it was drained of energy, a sudden crack filled the room, and Sunset Shimmer’s entire body glowed a faint gold. Her wounds closed, her teeth grew back and when next she opened her eyes, they stared intently at Twilight.

Unbothered by her opponent's sudden rejuvenation, the nightmare continued its assault, delivering a right cross followed by an uppercut. Sunset Shimmer swatted aside the first attack before rolling to the side and dodging out from under the second. The semi-sentient mass of shadow was close behind her, trying to stomp the pony into the ground by growing itself larger and bringing both hooves down on her.

It never managed to deliver such an attack as a flare spell caused it to recoil, its body nearly disintegrating under the intense light. Forced to abandon her attempt to sap Sunset of life force for the moment, Twilight pushed her magic into the nightmare, reforming it while also firing off a ray of black energy. The beam passed straight through the other unicorn’s barrier like a hot knife through butter and slammed into her back right leg. The attack caused Sunset Shimmer’s leg to fall slack and for a small circle of flesh to turn a necrotic black.

Biting her lip, Sunset Shimmer dropped her shield, ran to the right and fired off her own scorching ray, putting her attack in the path of both the nightmare and Twilight, who were both forced to dodge out of the way, lest they be damaged by the blinding golden flames. Rather than run away from Sunset, Twilight turned towards her, intent on closing the distance and attacking her from both sides at once with the help of the nightmare.

Sunset Shimmer seemed to see this coming however, and a flash of magic caused her to grow a pair of flaming wings. Which she flapped twice, leaping over Twilight’s head and evading the skeleton’s attack but not the nightmare’s. Which had come in the form of two enormous claws which left deep wounds in Sunset Shimmer’s flank. The attack seemed to tear through both the unicorn’s flesh and her magical defences in equal measure with enchantments flaring before bursting into a kaleidoscope of sparks.

Seeing her opening, Twilight stomped her forehooves into the ground, imbuing the nightmare with an aura of unnatural cold. Sunset hardly had a chance to right herself after getting airborne before she received another slash down her belly. Blood all but poured out of the gaping, blackened wounds, the nightmare’s attack freezing the flesh on the underside of the pony’s body.

Flaring her wings, Sunset Shimmer flapped hard, hitting the nightmare with a spray of fire and causing the dark creature to recoil in pain. Immediately after she drove one enemy away, the unicorn dove down, dodging out of a sickening brown beam that shot forth from Twilight’s forehead. Sunset followed this up with an attack of her own, firing off several orbs of fire in Twilight’s direction, not bothering to aim the attack itself.

Not like she needed to, as the flaming orbs exploded the second they hit the ground, bathing the area in fire and inadvertently incinerating the books Twilight had been working on. Twilight didn't give them a second glance however, and simply leapt out of the way before quickly firing a cone of cold. The small flames which had begun to lick at tree’s roots were instantly stifled, while at the same time the nightmare pressed its attack.

Its forelegs split into a dozen clawed limbs, each sporting two long hooks which reached out and grabbed at Sunset’s backside. Though the now winged unicorn managed to dodge the majority of them, two of the claws managed to bury themselves in her side. The wounds the attacks left behind festered angrily, as if they had already become gangrenous before the nightmare’s claws had even fully withdrawn.

More enchantments sparked and were rendered inert by the nightmare’s attacks, creating an opening the creature ultimately couldn't follow up on. This was due to Sunset Shimmer suddenly beginning to glow, her body radiating an amazing amount of heat and light which drove the nightmare back. Wounds were cauterized, and flesh closed, but the damage was already dealt, and blood was now splattered across a good chunk of the basement floor.

Twilight recalled the nightmare into herself, using its presence to shield herself from the waves of heat beating down on her skeletal body. Normally such an attack would be useless against someone without flesh to burn, but each pulse of magic hit the dead unicorn like a hammer blow. With the nightmare’s touch the attack lost a bit of its strength, something Sunset Shimmer seemed to notice as well.

The final pulse of heat was much more intense, and the ensuing wave of flames which spread over the library started several small fires. Twilight made a note to extinguish them as soon as possible while at the same time keeping her attention fixed on the airborne unicorn floating above her. Their eyes locked on one another, both combatants merely taking a moment to take stock of the damage they had sustained and dealt.

Sunset Shimmer had lost a good amount of blood, and both of her back legs hung limply in the air. Yet she had also received a considerable amount of healing magic which had staunched the flow of blood and had stopped her from bleeding out. One thing she could not repair were the wards and protective charms she had used on herself, as doing so would take minutes if not hours to accomplish.

Twilight, despite being little more than a skeleton with magenta flames for eyes, had not taken much damage. Sure, her flesh had been all but burnt away and her horn had been removed, but Twilight knew she didn't need the appendage to cast necromancy spells. Furthermore, her magical reserves were still strong, and had been bolstered even more after the nightmare’s arrival. That wasn't to say she had come out without a scratch however, and Twilight knew that if she ran out of magic, or her body took much more damage, she would die a second time.

A sudden twitch, and the battle was joined once more with the nightmare leaping upwards while Twilight fired a pair of energy beams towards the winged unicorn. Who flew overtop of them both before conjuring a wreath of flames around her hooves and bringing them down hard atop the nightmare’s head. The creature of darkness didn't dissolve this time, and merely split itself down the middle, causing Sunset Shimmer to overcompensate.

The two smaller nightmares leapt upon the flailing unicorn, one biting down on her back while the other scratched at Sunset Shimmer’s face. More enchantments sparked and failed as several more deep cuts opened on the unicorn’s form, a cry of pain and rage spilling from her lips. Twilight was quick to follow up this opening by firing a twisting, contorting mass of cruel green magic at her opponent.

Upon hitting the unicorn’s chest the magic visibly crawled into Sunset Shimmer’s open wounds, causing her skin to crack and flake away. The contagion spread quickly, causing muscle to atrophy and flesh to wither, but even still Sunset did not give in. Pushing magic into her wings, the unicorn willed the appendages to explode violently, bathing the area in another burst of heat and causing the nightmare to give up its attack.

Landing roughly, the unicorn stumbled forward, golden magic pouring out of her wounds like the pony was made of little more than paper. From the gaping hole in Sunset’s neck sprouted a glowing yellow snake with two deep pits of fire for eyes. Its appearance seemed to cause Sunset Shimmer no small amount of pain and discomfort, though her other wounds did begin to close.

Acting on instinct once more, Twilight scrambled backward before raising her hooves and recalling the nightmare to herself. The snake sprouting from Sunset’s neck brought its head back and belched another gout of fire, only these flames were pure gold and didn't seem to affect the tree at all. It did however, affect the nightmare, causing it to dissipate and recoil back into Twilight’s shadow the second the strange creature’s flames touched it.

Forced back, Twilight heaved with her magic, causing a second wall to appear just before the first had vanished. Unlike the first one, this one was made of pure life energy, and stopped the fire in its tracks, rendering the attack completely useless. In response, Sunset Shimmer lurched forward like she hung from the strings of a cruel puppeteer, her horn glowing a mix of gold and red as she did.

A circle of fire sprung up around Twilight’s hooves, forcing her to drop her shield and lurch forward suddenly. Immediately the snake’s mouth opened, and a pair of long fangs emerged, ready to deliver the killing blow Sunset Shimmer had not been able to deliver. A twinge of fear coursed through Twilight’s body, and for a moment she thought this may be the end for her, only for her body to compress until it was nearly two dimensional.

Though the feeling was uniquely disturbing, Twilight trusted the nightmare, and watched as she passed under the confused unicorn and emerged fully formed behind her. Without wasting a second, Twilight lit her horn and leapt forward, the nightmare molding itself around Twilight’s bones. When her hooves struck the other unicorn’s back, Twilight’s limbs had taken the form of a pair of swords which plunged deep into the living pony.

Sunset Shimmer screamed in agony, and the snake’s head which had grown from her neck turned towards Twilight. It seemed ready to strike, but the dead mare had one last trick up her sleeve, and began to pull at Sunset’s life force as hard as she could. Instead of the magic pouring into her mouth however, it was ripped directly from the unicorn’s body and funneled through Twilight’s forelegs.

The golden snake lurched forward, its body beginning to lose its definition even as it sought to bury its fangs in Twilight’s skull. With both forehooves trapped inside Sunset Shimmer’s torso, Twilight had no way to defend herself, thankfully for her, the nightmare faced no such restriction. The head of a raven lurched out from Twilight’s shoulder, catching the snake just as it was about to land its deadly attack.

The powerful beak clamped down hard on the serpent, stopping it dead in its tracks and causing it to hiss in pain. The nightmare wasn't done yet however, and with a turn and a sharp tug, it tore the magical entity out of Sunset Shimmer’s body and threw it to the ground. Without its support, the dying unicorn fell to the ground, her body collapsing under the weight of her grievous injuries.

The golden construct thrashed on the ground, writhing in agony while crawling back towards its former host. Twilight wasn't about to let that happen however, and in one swift movement she tore her hooves from Sunset’s back and slammed them down upon the magical beast. The serpent continued to burn for a split second before exploding in a burst of light, and in the stillness that followed Twilight felt profoundly changed.

Her magic felt different, her body felt different, her every sense changing in ways that no living being could ever experience. She pushed those thoughts from her mind however, and quickly trotted over to the dying mare bleeding out only a few feet away. As she approached, her vision went white, and she no longer looked down at a dying unicorn but at a kneeling pony whose head was bowed in supplication.

And then it was gone, leaving Twilight staring at Sunset Shimmer as the dying mare coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Twilight knelt before the pony, some part of her knowing that her opponent was no longer a threat. “I’m sorry it had to be this way,” she whispered.

Sunset Shimmer smiled faintly. “At least I get to die a free mare,” she retched suddenly, blood pouring out of her mouth. “Thank you, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight watched as the mare who killed her mother slumped to the ground in front of her, the light in her eyes flickering briefly before vanishing.

Sunset Shimmer hung weightless in a vast black void, and though her body felt distant, her senses remained keen. Despite knowing her senses were still with her, Sunset couldn't seem to detect any sound or sense other than the darkness that closed in all around her. It didn't last long however, the pony finding herself thrust back into a deep memory, one that saw a very young Sunset Shimmer playing with her favorite childhood toy.

That happened to be a velvet sun filled with some kind of small pebbles which the filly Sunset was busy chewing on. For a moment the unicorn felt a bizarre sense of vertigo, only for her mind to shift and she felt a wave of innocent calm and utter joy wash over her. There was a bit of embarrassment that came over the pony as she watched her much younger self, but the simple pleasures washed away that feeling.

I guess it's true, your life really does flash before your eyes when you die, Sunset thought to herself.

The scene didn't linger for long, just enough for Sunset to get reacquainted with the innocent pleasure of being a child. Things sped up after that, going through years in what felt like seconds, and yet Sunset Shimmer felt every last second of her life during that time. The unicorn could tell that the unpleasant moments of those early years were dulled, and the good parts shone through.

Playing with her toys, being carried around by her mother, Sunset’s first words, first steps, and first spell. It all felt so real, and yet slightly disconnected, her mind reliving every moment but also knowing full well that it was reliving those moments for a second time. Sunset Shimmer especially enjoyed seeing her mother again, even if those moments were bittersweet.

In every memory the grey-furred and red-maned mare was seen smiling, her bright blue eyes twinkling no matter how well-lit the room was. Though a tad thinner than what was probably healthy, Sunset Shimmer knew her mother was surprisingly strong. Which made sense, considering all the years spent serving as a royal maid. Sunset Shimmer felt her gaze lingering on her mother’s cutie mark which happened to be a single beam of sunlight illuminating a yellow flower atop a hill.

I wonder if I’ll see her again? Sunset Shimmer thought to herself, hoping against hope that she would indeed see the elder unicorn soon.

Images of the castle flashed through Sunset Shimmer’s mind, starting from the tallest tower and ending with the lowest hiding spot in the garden. Filly Sunset had seen them all, usually with her mother who carried the young pony in a pouch at her side while she worked. With a feather duster in her grey magic, the older pony would occasionally turn back to the baby strapped to her side, flashing her a smile.

Each time she did, Sunset Shimmer felt her heart swell with love, and she found herself unable to look away from those big blue eyes looking back at her. Years flicked past, and Sunset began to gain independence, attending the daycare in the ill-used east wing as well as going to kindergarten. Sunset attended school, made friends, went home to her single mother, and generally enjoyed her carefree early years.

An outside observer may have considered that time boring, but Sunset Shimmer coveted every single memory she witnessed. Though anything associated with Celestia would unfortunately be poisoned by the alicorn’s actions later in life, to a young Sunset Shimmer the world was just as it should be. That Sunset thought the sole ruler of Equestria was perfect, the alicorn having even assisted in getting her into a better high school than what her single mother would have been able to afford on her own.

The unicorn would have assumed that the memories she had of Celestia would make her blood boil, and yet it all felt so distant. Sunset Shimmer was dead, gone, and there was no reason to be angry anymore, no reason to rage at what the alicorn had done to her. All the hardships and horrors Celestia had put her through were things of the past, and soon Sunset Shimmer would be gone from this world.

And so time passed, with Sunset Shimmer graduating high school and starting to date a pegasus mare a few years older than her. Blazing Aria had been the mare’s name and the two of them had both a similar temperment as well as a similarily colored mane. They fought and butted heads more than the average couple, but in the end they almost always made up.

Years passed, and Sunset was accepted into a prestigious college of mages where all the teachers had been trained by Celestia herself. It was the chance of a lifetime, and though it was a demanding, stressful position, Sunset Shimmer relished the opportunity. Especially after her mother grew ill, the young unicorn threw herself completely into her studies, determined to help in some way.

Her time was split between visiting her mother in the hospital and spending every other waking moment studying. Her relationship faltered and finally ended, with both parties silently admitting that it was just something they couldn't handle. The two remained friends, though it was at a distance, with Sunset Shimmer focusing entirely on gaining the knowledge needed to save her mother.

In the end it simply wasn't enough, and the cancer won out against the best unicorn doctors in Canterlot. The funeral was small, the old maid having accumulated few acquaintances and even fewer friends over the years. What few beings did show up wept openly for the fallen pony, all save for Sunset Shimmer herself, who found herself unable to shed a tear.

Sadness and guilt still hounded her every thought, making the poor unicorn wonder if she could have done something different. In the end she buried her mother in a small plot on the edge of town, her tombstone bearing a fitting and simple epitaph.

Here lies a pony whose love knew no bounds.

It wasn't grandiose, but then again the mare herself had not been a grand person in life. She chose her friends carefully and, though open with those friends, she was generally a quiet, secretive mare. Sunset Shimmer’s father did not attend the funeral either, though Sunset Shimmer couldn't be certain of that as her mother had not once spoken of the stallion.

Even still, Sunset Shimmer had never felt unwanted, as her mother had gone to great lengths to express her profound love for the filly. Accident or not, it didn't matter to her, and thus it didn't matter to Sunset Shimmer herself. Now that she was gone however, Sunset Shimmer felt a weight settle on her back, and joy was a rare experience to the mare. Worse yet, without the older mare’s soft spoken wisdom, Sunset Shimmer felt as though she were lost and alone.

Loneliness and her became old friends as Sunset Shimmer plunged deep into her work, burying herself in ancient texts and lengthy equations. The loss of her mother may have stopped a lesser unicorn from pursuing knowledge, but Sunset Shimmer was not like most unicorns. She knew there were other Other ponies large and small whose lives would be inevitably ruined by a preventable and tragic death.

And so it was that years flew past like leaves born on an August wind, each one barely even registering in the unicorn’s mind. They were dull and filled with little more than theory, lectures, and long-winded conversations with helpful teachers. Only near their end did time seem to flow more normally, slowing down right when Sunset Shimmer had been granted access to the primal levitation spell.

The very existence of such a spell was a closely guarded secret, one that the young unicorn had been trying to access for as long as she had known about it. The spell itself was simple in the extreme which made sense given that young unicorns would unconsciously learn and mimic it when they saw an elder use the spell. Yet no one had actually laid eyes on the spell itself in ten centuries, with the ancient parchment having been locked away in Canterlot’s deepest vaults.

Her teacher had gone on and on about the importance of the spell’s secrecy, but Sunset Shimmer didn't even mind all the red tape. She was on the precipice of greatness and not even a three hour long lecture on special containment procedures could hamper the unicorn’s excitement.Time blurred as Sunset Shimmer’s studies recommenced, and months flew by in the blink of an eye until one day an epiphany was had.

Sunset Shimmer couldn't help but feel proud even at the very end of her life, and she smiled even despite knowing what would happen next. She expected to witness the damning meeting, to remember the pain and agony that came after, but Sunset Shimmer did not expect to get pulled so visceraly into the memory. The world blurred and suddenly she was no longer viewing things from a distance, but rather from behind her own eyes while inhabiting her own body.

Sunset Shimmer stood before the enormous doors of the throne room, her spell tucked away in a rune inscribed glass container which floated next to her. A few minutes earlier, Sunset Shimmer’s teacher had taken one look at the completed spell and pointed her towards Celestia herself. Such an event would normally have been exciting, and yet the grave look on the old stallion’s face had planted a seed of worry deep in Sunset Shimmer’s heart.

“You may enter,” announced one of the gold-armored stallions standing on either side of her.

Sunset Shimmer jerked upward and nodded. “T-thanks,” she stuttered, reaching towards the door and pushing it open with a hoof.

Taking a stumbling step into the enormous sunlit room, Sunset Shimmer found herself struck dumb by the sight. She had only ever been in this room once, and it had been after dark, and when she had been much younger. That first time had been at her mother’s side, with the maid having snuck her filly into the legendary hall under the cover of darkness.

There they had marveled at the panes of stained glass, the tall golden throne, and all the small intricate details carved into seemingly every surface. Together mother and daughter had gawked at the mosaics painted on the floor and the carvings done on the ceiling. They had spent what felt like forever walking in silence, merely staring with wide eyes until the guard that had let them in had informed them that they had to leave.

It had been an evening of quiet splendor, and it was a memory Sunset Shimmer cherished highly. Though now all those subtle artistic flourishes and images of long dead ponies seemed to stare down at her, judging the unicorn before she had even opened her mouth to speak. Worse still was the harsh, almost accusatory look being leveled her way by Celestia herself.

The alicorn sat tall and proud atop her throne, her regalia glimmering in the light which poured in from seemingly every direction at once. From her position on the ground Sunset Shimmer had to crane her neck just to meet the princess’ gaze. Steeling her nerves, the unicorn trotted forward and bowed low, as was expected of someone of her station.

“Rise,” Celestia commanded.

Sunset Shimmer did as ordered, standing as tall as she dared. “I was told to present my findings to you directly,” she shakily announced.

Celestia nodded slowly. “Your mentor sent word of your arrival, though he did not say why he was sending you before me.”

Sunset Shimmer breathed a little easier, silently thankful that she had at least a chance to defend herself. “I am not sure as to why he has deemed such a thing necessary either, but here I am.”

“Here you are, indeed,” Celestia repeated, gesturing toward the mare with an open hoof. “Well, go on then. We may as well humour him.”

The unicorn cleared her throat and retrieved her spell from its case, levitating it before her. “As you no doubt already know, I was granted access to study the original telekinesis spell several months ago. My intention was to create a tool that could assist surgeons and enable them, in conjunction with a scrying spell, to operate without having to open the pony up, so to speak.”

“A most daring proposition, but one that may be worth it, provided you have succeeded,” Celestia replied. “So tell me, Sunset Shimmer, did you do just that?”

“I did,” Sunset replied confidently. “Through much trial and error, I have been able to create a second telekinesis spell. One that would be able to do everything I had hoped it could.”

“Show me,” Celestia declared, extending an open hoof.

Sunset Shimmer levitated her spell into the other mare’s waiting hoof. “Of course, Princess. I think you will find everything is in order and that every precaution has been taken.”

Celestia nodded slowly and unraveled the spell. “I will be the judge of that, though your attention to detail is noted.”

The unicorn gulped silently and took an unconscious step back, watching closely as the alicorn began to read. The silence that followed was nothing short of oppressive, and Sunset Shimmer could feel sweat beginning to build on her brow. Worse still was the simple fact there was no one else around, only her, Celestia, and the many images of long dead ponies looking down at her from their stained glass prisons.

The soft, indirect lighting felt harsher by the second, and Sunset Shimmer stared up at Celestia as the alicorn poured over Sunset’s spell. The unicorn tried to remind herself that Celestia had been the one to help her get into a better school when she was younger and that the alicorn had even given Sunset a letter of recommendation, helping the young unicorn get into the highest echelons of unicorn learning.

Surely she would see how helpful her spell would be, and all the good applications it would have. Yes, there were some ways one may utilize it for nefarious purposes, but so long as it was only taught to a select few surgeons, that wouldn't be a problem.

Right?

The temperature of the room suddenly rose several degrees, and Sunset Shimmer scampered away from the beam of light on her flank. Glancing nervously up at the alicorn, Sunset Shimmer watched in horror as her spell was burnt to a crisp. The alicorn’s eyes blazed with an inner fury and her jaw clenched tight as she glared down at the much smaller mare.

“Sunset Shimmer. What exactly were your intentions when creating such a spell?” Celestia demanded, her voice low and carrying such a powerful weight that Sunset Shimmer couldn't help but answer.

“I wanted to help doctors,” Sunset Shimmer hastily exclaimed, the words feeling strangely hollow despite them being the truth. “I figured it could stop what happened to my mom from happening to other ponies if they had more tools to fight things like cancer.”

“So you did not intend to give every single unicorn in Equestria the ability to kill anyone at any time, and get away with it scot free?” Celestia retorted.

Sunset Shimmer recoiled, shrinking inwards. “N-no, I didn't, but I mean so long as it's only taught to a select few, then-”

“Then it will eventually be picked up by a child or someone learning magic for the first time, and it will spread like the plague,” Celestia finished.

“W-well, I wouldn't say that. It is slightly more complicated than the base telekinesis spell. I don't think it could be learned on sight like the normal spell,” Sunset Shimmer replied weakly.

“And how long do you think it will take before one of these doctors slips up and accidentally uses it around a particularly brilliant child?” Celestia retorted. “A hundred, maybe two hundred years?”

“Uh, n-never?” Sunset Shimmer replied, already wincing before she had even finished speaking.

“Everything gets out eventually,” Celestia stated, the alicorn’s eyes beginning to glow a faint gold. “You must always plan for such an eventuality. History has taught us that much.”

“I d-don't know of a spell that has-” Sunset began.

“You don't know, because I don't deem it necessary for you to know of such an instance!” Celestia shouted, her voice nearly knocking Sunset onto her backside. “Imagine if every single unicorn was capable of spreading death and destruction on a scale akin to the screaming sickness. Imagine if it didn't matter how much magic they had, imagine if a child could accidentally murder their mother because they wanted to grab something with their magic.”

“T-that would- I didn't mean-” Sunset stuttered, sweat pouring down her face.

“This spell could unwind our entire society singlehoofedly, you damned fool!” Celestia continued, the mare standing up suddenly and trotting slowly towards the unicorn. “I have spent eleven centuries fighting to uphold the delicate order our society, neigh, our very existence is built upon. And you would render all that effort moot in the span of a decade if given the opportunity.”

“No! I would never do such a thing. I swear!” Sunset shouted.

“And yet here you are, anyway. Doing exactly that,” Celestia replied, her every step closer increasing the heat in the room by several degrees.

“I just wanted to help ponies. Please, you have to believe me,” Sunset Shimmer pleaded, the mare falling to her knees.

“Oh, you will help ponies. I will make sure of that. But first I must ensure that you cannot teach that spell to anyone,” Celestia declared, her horn beginning to glow a bright, almost unnatural gold color.

“W-what do you mean?” Sunset Shimmer whispered fearfully, staring up at the towering alicorn.

“Do not fear, my little pony. Though you have become an agent of chaos through your foolhardy pursuit of knowledge, I will remake you into someone better. Someone who will help to uphold the order that stands as the central pillar of this great nation,” Celestia all but whispered, her eyes narrowing. “Now hold still. This will hurt, a lot.”

And then the screaming began.

The memory mercifully faded shortly after, leaving Sunset in an empty void for several seconds, as if to allow the pony time to adjust. A change of pace Sunset Shimmer was quite thankful for as the terrifying moment had stuck with her, reminding Sunset of all the horrible things done to her. Whatever force that controlled this strange memory movie quickly moved past that event, sweeping aside the torture that had followed.

It also seemed to know that Sunset Shimmer did not have any desire to see herself do the horrible things she had been forced to do as Celestia’s pawn. As such, it slipped past those events at a rapid pace, each memory hardly even registering in Sunset Shimmer’s mind before being brushed aside. The few that did were at least less horrible, such as her strange interactions with the forest beast.

As well the memory of when Sunset Shimmer had realized the chimera she had sent at Twilight had failed and had not been killed. She also remembered the brief scrape she had with the timberwolves that had been under Twilight’s control and the game of fetch she had played with them. More than that Sunset Shimmer remembered watching Twilight as she went through trials and tribulations both big and small.

Though her programming forced her to consider the unicorn as little more than a target, deep down Sunset Shimmer couldn't help but respect the dead mare. She was so willing to give up anything for her friends, all while she struggled with her own inner demons and loss which plagued her constantly. Yet even as her respect for the other pony grew, so too did Sunset Shimmer’s guilt whenever Twilight returned from another adventure.

It was clear to Sunset that this random strange unicorn was everything Sunset herself had wanted to be in life. She was kind, caring, and always put others before herself, while at the same time being one of the most brilliant beings Sunset Shimmer had ever seen. Though Sunset Shimmer herself had been called a genius and a prodigy she could tell that Twilight was on another level entirely.

The unicorn smiled as she watched her past self steal the love rations from the changeling merchant. That grin remained even as she fashioned them into an armor that would protect her while also giving Twilight a potent weapon. The creation of this double-edged sword was perhaps the closest she could get to helping Twilight without Celestia’s magic stopping it.

And so it was with a strange amount of joy that Sunset Shimmer watched herself take advantage of some random happenstance that left Twilight alone. The ensuing battle was brutal, but brought a weird smile to Sunset Shimmer’s non-existent face, though that faded soon after. As now that she was removed from the pain and confusion of the actual fight, Sunset Shimmer realized how close the battle had been. If Twilight had not worn the amulet, the dead mare would have been annihilated twice over, once when the protection enchantments had stopped Twilight from being turned to ash and a second time when it had allowed her to summon the nightmare.

Which was a sight that was as surprising as it was welcome.

The memory quickly wound down after that, ending with Sunset’s heartfelt thanks before fading away into nothing. Now utterly alone in the void, Sunset Shimmer breathed in and then out, a smile coming to her face as a sense of contentment filled her very being.

At long last, peace, she thought as the void began to swallow her whole.

And then her eyes snapped open, and she was left confused and more than a little startled by the skull which looked down at her, whose eye sockets were filled by a flickering purple fire, which happened to be a sight that stirred a distant memory at the back of Sunset Shimmer’s mind. Which in turn caused Sunset to shift awkwardly as her body felt strangely while her senses felt wrong for lack of a better word.

“Oh wow. It actually worked,” exclaimed the skull in a clearly feminine voice.

Sunset Shimmer wondered how the skull had spoken, given that it had no lips, nor a voice box for that matter, but she pushed such thoughts from her mind. “Where am I?” she asked. “This doesn't seem like the afterlife.”

“Well, I suppose technically it's your afterlife, but it's not the afterlife,” stated the skull, which giggled. “Sorry, necromancer joke.”

“Wait, necromancer…” Sunset Shimmer’s jaw hung open and she looked around the room, noting the familiar scorch marks which covered the walls of the basement. “You brought me back.”

“Sort of,” the skull winced somehow, “I am not capable of performing a true resurrection yet, so I’m afraid you are in the same boat as I am.”

Sunset Shimmer looked down, noting that her former enemy had not a single scrap of flesh left on her bones while Sunset Shimmer herself appeared normal on first glance. A quick visual inspection stifled Sunset’s relief however as the gaping wounds in her back were still there, as were the blackened patches of flesh. Yet Sunset Shimmer felt no pain, and though it was uncomfortable to say the least, she was strangely calm about the entire situation.

“I see that,” Sunset Shimmer muttered weakly, only to perk up slightly when a thought occurred to her. “Wait, you have to get away from me, quickly. If I’m alive, that means she is going to make me attack you.”

The zombie stumbled into a stand and began to backpedal, preparing to mentally fight off Celestia’s magic before it overwhelmed her.

“You don't actually have to worry about that,” Twilight stated evenly, the skeleton rising to a stand and walking over to Sunset Shimmer. “All remnants of her magic vanished the second you died.”

Sunset Shimmer heard what the other undead had said, yet she kept her eyes closed and remained tense for several seconds. That was until the unpleasant sensation of losing control did not return, and her thoughts remained free and unmolested. Opening one eye, Sunset Shimmer looked down at herself, half expecting her limbs to start moving on their own or for that terrifying embodiment of Celestia’s magic to return.

When neither of those things happened, the zombie fell to her knees, crying, her entire body becoming limp. Though no tears were actually shed, Sunset Shimmer didn't notice as the pony was completely overwhelmed with joy. Twilight winced as she watched her former enemy collapse into a heap and begin to sob uncontrollably.

“Sorry about the state of your body,” Twilight muttered weakly. “I don't know enough about necromancy to heal all the wounds you suffered.”

Sunset sniffed and shook her head. “Are you kidding me? This is perfect.”

Twilight’s fiery orbs briefly winked out, as if the skeleton was blinking in shock. “What are you talking about? You do know you’re a walking corpse, right?”

“That may be, but I’m free!” Sunset Shimmer stood suddenly and began to skip around the room, unbothered by the blood which trickled from her still open wounds. “I’m myself again!”

Twilight stood there as she watched the zombie hop, skip, and jump around like she had just won the lottery, rather than be told she was now little more than a reanimated pile of meat.

“I suppose that is true. The spell I used brought back your mind and spirit as they were on the moment of your death, so you should be completely free of her control,” Twilight explained.

Sunset Shimmer stopped and turned towards the skeleton, her eyes wide and filled with shock. “Why would you do that? I was just trying to kill you, for crying out loud! What if I got back up and tried to finish the job?”

Twilight winced under the angry tirade, raising her hooves defensively. “Well, I mean your magic will take a day or two to return, so no offence, but I don't think you’d be much of a threat.”

Sunset Shimmer tried to cast a spell, only to find that the skeleton’s words were true. “Still. That was dangerous. You should have at least set up a containment ward or something,” Sunset Shimmer retorted.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “That really isn't necessary. A necromancer can destroy undead with a wave of her hoof, or whatever manner of limb we possess.”

Sunset Shimmer nodded slowly. “Good, though I am still a little disappointed you brought me back at all.”

“Why?” Twilight cocked her head. “Don't you want to be alive, or at least half alive?”

“Of course I do,” Sunset Shimmer declared, stomping her hoof. “But I certainly don't deserve to be, especially not if it was you who gave me life.”

Twilight raised a hoof. “Woah there, it's okay, really. I had something of a revelation during an unfortunate encounter a while back. Which allowed me to understand you a little better.”

Sunset Shimmer cocked her head, noting that Twilight’s shadow seemed to stretch away from her, as if it were embarrassed. “What do you mean?”

Twilight shook her head. “I won’t get into details, but suffice it to say I was able to figure out that you were being controlled and that you didn't want to do those things you did.”

“That doesn't change the fact that I did them,” Sunset Shimmer retorted.

“Look, I brought you back for two reasons. One was that I had thought you would want to make up for what had happened and the other was that I assumed you wanted revenge,” Twilight explained.

Sunset Shimmer opened her mouth to speak, only to close it and really think about what she wanted to say. Twilight was right on both assumptions of course, but in the confusion of Sunset Shimmer’s sudden reanimation, the unicorn hadn't thought about either of those things. Her death had helped heal the hate in her heart, but now that she actually had a chance to get revenge while atoning for her past actions…. that changed things.

The unicorn dropped into a low bow, her nose nearly touching the ground. “Twilight Sparkle, I Sunset Shimmer, do hereby solemnly swear to serve you faithfully for the rest of my days. Until my bones are but dust and my very spirit gives its last in your defence.”

“Woah, you don't have to go that far,” Twilight hastily declared.

“I’ve seen the way you help ponies, witnessed how you are willing to sacrifice for them, and know that in your service I would be able to give back everything I’ve ever taken,” Sunset Shimmer replied, her nose still hovering above the ground. “Please accept this most solemn of vow.”

Twilight’s shoulders slumped. “You aren't going to take no for an answer, are you?”

“No, no I am not,” Sunset announced, smirking.

Twilight stared down at the zombie for several seconds before letting out a sigh. “Fine then. Sunset Shimmer, I accept your vow.”

Sunset Shimmer rose slowly, a smile on her face. “Well, I hope you don't mind looking at this ugly mug of mine, ‘cause I’ll be sticking with you until the end of time itself.”

The skeleton chuckled. “Well I can change that part at least, though it may take a bit of studying to figure out the best way to alter your appearance.”

Sunset nodded slowly. “I suppose a walking corpse may cause a bit of panic.”

Twilight waved a dismissive hoof. “Oh, I’m sure that part would be fine. I just worry that you may start to well… stink. Given that you are not a revenant such as I.”

“I’m so glad that was the sense that didn't come back,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

“It should return in a few hours. Hopefully by then we’ll have figured a way to patch you up,” Twilight replied.

“That would be too much effort. I’ll just burn away this useless meat,” Sunset Shimmer stated.

“Well I suppose if that's what you want,” Twilight remarked, shrugging.

Sunset Shimmer pursed her lips. “You do know she’ll send others now. Celestia won't let this insult go unanswered.”

Twilight smiled. “That's fine. We’ll face her together. All of us.”

Author's Note

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Rise and Fall

Celestia stared out over the horizon, a frown pressed firmly onto her face, and her gaze set on the distant forest. Though the wall of green was only just barely visible, even from her high vantage point, Celestia peered into the woods. Her mind conjured images of her faithful soldier going to battle, only to be bested by the foul necromancer which threatened her grand designs.

Only for her face to screw up into an odd look of confusion all of a sudden, rage vanishing in an instant. “Wait, where am I? What am I doing out here?” muttered the alicorn, looking down at the golden railing which surrounded the small platform she stood on.

Her eyes flashed a golden light and the pony shook her head. “Oh right, of course. I guess I must not be getting enough sleep,” she whispered.

Turning back towards the her lounge, Celestia began to pace, her hooves clopping audibly against the white marble floor. “But what am I going to do about her? If even Sunset has failed, then what hope do my other soldiers have?” she asked the empty room.

Shaking her head, the mare suddenly stood tall and proud. “We shall dispatch a much more powerful force, one that will head straight towards this den of villainy. We will also not trust wholly in mortal beings.”

The pony sighed and hung her head. “Yes, I suppose that is the best route, though I wish there was another way.”

She turned suddenly, snorting bitterly. “Some things simply must be rooted out with force. Lest we forget what happened to dear Luna.”

Tears budded at the edge of the alicorn’s eyes, even as she sneered at the distant mass of green. “You will not destroy what I’ve worked so hard to build. This I swear.”

Trotting back up to the balcony, Celestia grinned wolfishly even as tears poured down her face. “In fact, I think I’m going to destroy the precious little hovel you love so much. Maybe after I’ve leveled that pathetic hole to the ground, I’ll finally put that wretched forest to the torch like I should have done a millennium ago.”

The alicorn chuckled. “Soon, monster, soon you shall taste my wrath and when I finally crush you beneath my hoof, I shall-”

A sudden knock startled the mare, prompting her to spin around, eyes glowing a baleful gold. “Who is it?” she shouted.

“Um, Shining Armor, Your Highness,” whispered a meek voice.

Celestia sighed. “Come in, First Lieutenant Armor.”

The door opened to reveal a nervous young stallion holding a small arrangement of flowers bound together with a white bow. Once inside the room, the male closed the door gently before trotting excitedly up to the alicorn, his neck craning to meet Celestia’s gaze. Though he wasn't quite as sickly as he had once been, the alicorn still towered over him.

Extending his flowers, the stallion blushed nervously. “I got these for you.”

Celestia blinked and looked down at the mix of white and yellow plants with disinterest. “Why are you bringing me these?” she asked.

Gulping, Shining Armor withdrew the flowers. “Well, we did that,and I figured I’d surprise you since the guards said you were up here alone. And well, it seemed like it was a good idea considering...”

Celestia cocked her head. “Considering what?”

This time it was Shining Armor’s turn to blink. “You were crying recently.”

Celestia dabbed her cheeks absently, a frown crossing her face as she looked down at her tear-stained hoof. “I don't…” She sighed, wiping her cheeks with a handkerchief. “Please forget you saw that. I had merely heard of a poor creature murdered in cold blood in the docks and was overcome with emotion.”

Shining Armor nodded slowly. “I read the same report. Though I’m surprised you care, considering the creature in question was a griffon.”

“I know it was not long ago that we were at war with the empire, but that is in the past now,” Celestia replied, her features slowly softening. “She was a part of this great city, and she will be missed.”

“That's nice of you to say,” Shining Armor remarked, perking up slightly. “Oh, do you have some water for these by chance?”

Celestia glanced at the flowers. “I’ll take care of it, dear. Just leave them on the table.”

“Err, okay,” Shining Armor murmured. “Would you like to join me for dinner by chance? I know this place-”

“Shining Armor,” Celestia interrupted.

“Yes?”

“I would love nothing more than to take the time off and enjoy your company, but I was actually just about to go to an important meeting,” Celestia declared, a hoof caressing the underside of his chin. “How does next week Saturday sound?”

“I was going to visit my father then, but I suppose that could wait,” Shining Armor offered.

“Excellent. I will see you then, dear,” Celestia stated, planting a light kiss on his forehead.

With cheeks glowing hotly, the stallion turned and swiftly left, Shining Armor having known Celestia well enough to understand when he was being dismissed. When the door closed firmly behind him, Celestia’s smile and soft expression fell away, replaced by a firm scowl. Now alone once more, Celestia enacted a quick lock on the entrance to the room, ensuring she didn't get any more visitors.

After that was done, she lit her horn and disappeared in a flash of light, reappearing in what at first glance would appear to be a normal quarry. Rows of descending paths were cut into the rocky cliffs leading down to a flat central point which looked more like a laboratory than a mining operation with marble blocks inscribed with various symbols piled in random places, though usually stacked next to one of several large magical arrays.

Above the quarry itself was an enormous dome made of some manner of enchanted steel which obscured the sky and necessitated the use of large floodlights. These lights were focused mainly on the centermost area, where a dozen or so unicorns were busy working. Some were inscribing new runes onto freshly cut blocks of stone, while others were reading or conversing with one another.

Upon the appearance of their sovereign, everyone dropped to the ground, bowing low to the imposing alicorn.

“Rise, my faithful subjects,” Celestia commanded, smiling faintly. “Now would someone inform me as to where Tempest Shadow is located?”

“Here, Your Majesty!” shouted a voice from around behind a tall, bipedal stone golem.

Though not yet animated and only partially complete, the automaton already stood at a towering fifteen feet. It also had numerous spell matrices carved into its chest and arms, leaving its broad torso relatively untouched. The golem lacked any matter of head with its body ending abruptly at the neck, though glowing lines of mana had been etched up to where its head would be.

A grunt came from behind the golem a second before a large block of stone was pushed into place on the golem’s shoulders. A second later a strange unicorn leapt from atop some scaffolding and trotted around the front of her creation, bowing before the alicorn. Though quite tall and lithe, even for a unicorn, the dark orchid-colored pony still barely came up to Celestia’s chest. If her horn hadn't been a broken stub, the pony certainly would have come a lot closer to matching Celestia in height.

“Rise, my soldier,” Celestia commanded. “Rise and tell me how the project fairs.”

The lightly armored unicorn rose quickly, standing tall before the alicorn, her opal eyes quickly becoming distant.

“Where to begin?” Tempest muttered half to herself, running an armored hoof through her short, crimson mane. “The golems you requested are mostly done, but we had a few supply snags, so it will be a bit before we are able to complete them. This also means it will be a very long time before we could muster a significant amount.”

Tempest Shadow gestured towards the closest golem. “The enchanters were able to place all the spells you wanted, though it was a struggle to do so, and we will need to stress test them once more to be sure they are working.”

Scratching at the long thin scar that stretched over her right eye, Tempest hummed to herself. “Other than that, there have been a few minor disagreements among the staff due to my sudden appointment and lack of formal training, but that seems to be about the long and short of it, Your Majesty.”

“Good,” declared Celestia. “And the squad of mages I commanded you to assemble?”

Tempest Shadow grinned. “A few more drills, and I’m confident that they will be functioning like a well-oiled machine.”

“That is good to hear,” Celestia stated, her gaze lingering on the golem and its broad chest. “What, in your opinion, is the level of your team’s combat ability?”

The unicorn raised an eyebrow. “Gauged against what, exactly?”

Celestia rolled a hoof in the air. “Humour me. Say you are fighting an army, or perhaps monsters of some kind.”

“Ha, well, I can tell ya one thing. It would take more than an army or a bunch of monsters to stop us,” Tempest Shadow proclaimed. “In fact, I would say that if we were to fight, say, the entire minotaur army on even ground, we’d suffer only maybe thirty percent casualties.”

“That is quite low, considering you have but fifty golems, half that number of mages and only a handful of knights at your command,” Celestia retorted.

Tempest Shadow nodded confidently. “The golems are nearly indestructible, and their offensive power is unmatched. Why, I would say that if these things could fly, they might be able to take an ancient red dragon with relative ease.”

Celestia chuckled. “I’ll have to look into that. It would be rather nice to put an end to those damnable raiders once and for all.”

“Indeed,” murmured Tempest Shadow. “Give me a hundred of these things and I could take down Griffonia. Give me a thousand and I in turn could give you the world.”

Celestia smiled. “Now that is what I like to hear. Though you need not set your sights quite that high.”

“Oh? So you finally have a target in mind for us?” Tempest Shadow asked, raising an eyebrow. “Because I think I speak for the whole team when I say that we are eager to prove our usefulness.”

“I bet you are,” replied Celestia, who shifted her gaze towards the other ponies working behind her.

The alicorn scanned the area, and upon finding that none of the other scientists were nearby, turned back to Tempest, her voice barely above a whisper. “Your target is a single pony hiding in the depths of the Everfree. We have managed to get a lock on her location and as soon as your team and the golems are ready, you are to begin your assault,” Celestia stated.

The unicorn’s eyes opened wide. “The Everfree?”

Celestia nodded. “An earlier scout failed to complete her mission, though she did at least give us some valuable information on your target.”

“Like how to get around the spatial distortion abilities of the forest, I presume?” Tempest Shadow lead.

“Exactly,” Celestia proclaimed, smiling faintly. “Which is where your golems come in. They will simply flatten the forest, disrupting its ability to disorient those who enter and giving your mages the chance to cast spatial anchors. The forest’s effects are greatly diminished when it comes to non-sentient creatures, so this should be feasible.”

“Like these big guys,” Tempest Shadow finished, gazing up at the towering war golem. “Expected resistance?”

“Heavy,” Celestia stated simply. “There is a reason I am sending an army killer to take down but one pony.”

Tempest Shadow nodded slowly. “She must be quite the threat.”

“Do not underestimate her and her companions. The magic she wields is unlike anything you have ever faced,” Celestia remarked with a hint of bitterness.

“Oh? Is she a shadowmancer or something?” Tempest Shadow pressed.

“You will be told more after you are granted a higher security clearance. Until then all you need to know is that should you complete this mission, you will be richly rewarded,” Celestia replied.

The unicorn couldn't help but glance up at her shattered nub of a horn before looking back at Celestia. “Does that mean what I think it means?”

“It does,” finished Celestia. “In fact not only will the crown personally pay for the necessary thamautic grafting procedures, but you will also be placed on the anti-insurgent task force.”

Tempest Shadow’s grin nearly spread from one ear to the other. “I will have to redouble my efforts then. I wouldn't want to miss the opportunity of avenging my husband’s killer.”

“See to it that you do,” Celestia added, the alicorn lighting her horn and preparing a teleportation spell. “For if you complete your mission, you could get your revenge, your horn, and your rank by this time next year.”

The unicorn’s excitement was palpable, and a stray spark shot from her horn. “This is… amazing. I don't know what to say.”

“Say you’ll get the job done,” Celestia replied.

“I will,” Tempest Shadow proclaimed.

“That is all I needed to hear,” Celestia stated, smiling as she disappeared in a flash of light.

“Now are you sure I can't convince you into keeping your, well, everything?” Twilight asked, the skeletal pony gesturing to Sunset Shimmer’s body vaguely. “I’ve become rather adept at preserving a corpse, as strange as that sounds.”

Sunset Shimmer tried to roll her eyes, only to find that only one of them did so. “I appreciate the offer, truly I do, but slowly rotting is not exactly a fun sensation. Besides, I’d rather see a skull staring back at me in the mirror than this face.”

Twilight hummed, the undead mare silently wondering if it was worth it to bring up the obvious feelings of guilt which still plagued her zombie follower. In the end she merely frowned, and slowly shook her head, silently admitting defeat on this subject.

“Fine, but you are going to use the acid spell I found. I do not want to accidentally burn down the library,” Twilight retorted.

Sunset Shimmer tapped a hoof against the large metal tub she was currently standing in. “That's why we brought this out, remember?”

“I know, it just bears repeating, is all,” Twilight murmured.

“Alright then, are you going to give me some room now?” Sunset replied.

Twilight’s flaming purple orbs briefly winked out, as if the skeleton was blinking in confusion. “Oh, um yes, of course!” exclaimed the unicorn before stumbling back a few feet.

Sunset Shimmer shrugged and began to cast the acid splash spell that Twilight had taught her only a day earlier. As she did, the pony couldn't help but ruminate on the trials and tribulations they had gone through since their unfortunate reunion. To say that things had been awkward would be the understatement of the century.

Sure, Twilight had forgiven her, but Sunset could tell that a part of the other pony wasn't quite on board with that, as Twilight struggled to look Sunset in the eye. Though at least part of that was likely due to the fact that one of Sunset Shimmer’s eyes was perpetually pointing down. Sunset hoped that her little acid bath would help in that regard, as then Twilight wouldn't have to look at the face of her mother’s killer.

Sunset Shimmer tried not to think of the awkward catching up they had recently done, or the way that Twilight hadn't let her friends visit. Though Sunset knew Twilight’s excuse of wanting to be presentable again was partially true, the undead unicorn also knew there was more to it. Twilight had dealt with a lot of inner turmoil and baggage over the last two days, and studying was clearly her happy place.

In the end Sunset Shimmer hadn't interrupted much, only briefly speaking to the other unicorn a few times. The necromancer seemed at least a little more confident now, though Sunset Shimmer was still going to demand that she see a psychiatrist. The zombie hoped that Ponyville had such an individual, as she was going to need a session or two herself after all this was done.

And that was without considering all the post-traumatic stress bubbling just beneath the surface of her mind.

Feeling that her spell was now complete, Sunset Shimmer focused on her horn, putting her own inner turmoil aside for a moment. After checking that she had conjured the magic properly, the pony released it, watching as a greenish rune appeared above her head. A visual inspection revealed that the matrices were correct, and Sunset Shimmer closed her eyes, waiting for what she knew was coming.

A second later and what felt like a bucket of water was dumped on her head, causing her muscles to relax past the point of what should be possible. Though Sunset Shimmer could feel the remaining meat that clung to her begin to slough off her body, the sensation was oddly good. Almost as if she were shedding a heavy coat that had become weighted down during a downpour and was now becoming burdensome.

When she opened her eyes, she did so only metaphorically, as she lacked eyes, or even the flaming orbs that Twilight had. Extending a hoof, Sunset Shimmer found that not a single scrap of flesh remained on her outstretched limb. Every last speck of it was gone, leaving behind only pearly white bone that seemed to have been recently buffed to a shine.

“You know. I thought I would be more disturbed than this,” Sunset Shimmer openly remarked.

“It does feel oddly distant, doesn't it?” Twilight wondered aloud. “I’ve found that my sense of disgust is rather muted.”

“I’ve noticed the same. It's almost as if a part of me no longer sees my flesh as a part of my body,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed, stepping out of the bucket. “How do I look?”

“Like a skeleton,” Twilight deadpanned. “In fact if I didn't know it was you, I wouldn't be able to tell you apart from any other set of bones.”

“I don't know why, but that is an immense relief,” Sunset Shimmer murmured absently. “Regardless. Do you have a mirror?”

Twilight gestured to the corner of the room, where a full length mirror rested against a wall. “Go ahead.”

Sunset Shimmer trod nervously up to the object, as if her mirrored self was going to leap out and attack her the moment their eyes met. With one final push, the unicorn took the final step, standing fully before the mirror and gazing into her reflection. Only to be a little underwhelmed when the skeleton staring back at her felt oddly normal, as if she had been dead for decades.

A sentiment Sunset Shimmer had thought of before, though now it felt strangely appropriate for some reason. She had, after all, become so alienated from her very body that she hadn't truly considered it hers in a long time. It was more Celestia’s than Sunset’s, and it had been that way for so long that Sunset Shimmer did not even mourn its loss.

In fact, it felt almost invigorating to see the animated pile of bones in the mirror, its empty skull staring blankly back at her. She tried to make a funny face, and though she felt like she was doing so, her skull merely remained the same. Peering a little closer, Sunset Shimmer could also tell that all remnants of the enchantments placed on her by Celestia were gone.

No lines or marks besmirched her pure white bones, leaving the unicorn whole for the first time in what felt like forever. Relief nearly overwhelmed the now undead unicorn and laughter erupted from her non-existent lips. If she had tear ducts, Sunset knew she would be crying and if she had lungs she would sob, instead the skeleton merely stood there, giggling in her echoey voice.

“Is something wrong?” whispered Twilight hesitantly.

Sunset Shimmer shook her head. “Nothing is wrong. In fact, I feel like myself for the first time in a long time. Though I think I may need some manner of accessory in order to make me stand out a little more.”

“You should speak to Rarity when she is over later. I’m sure she wouldn't mind helping you,” Twilight offered.

“Are you sure she’d be so gung ho to do so?” Sunset asked nervously, glancing at her bare skull from different angles. “I mean, she didn't see what you saw, and she doesn't really know what it's like to be under the hoof of a mare like Celestia.”

“That may be,” Twilight replied cautiously, stepping next to the slightly shorter unicorn, “but she also did not feel the ramifications of your actions.”

Sunset Shimmer winced, or at least she felt as though she did, as her skull did not shift expressions in the slightest. “I guess,” she muttered.

“Look,” Twilight began, pressing a bony hoof against Sunset’s shoulder. “I know this is strange, and we are going to have to work at it together, but I also know that my friends will support you. Just tell them your story, and I promise you they will come around.”

Sunset Shimmer nodded slowly. “Thanks again, by the way, and sorry about well…” The unicorn trailed off as she looked up to where the shattered splinter of Twilight’s horn remained fixed to her head.

Twilight frowned, her twin purple orbs glancing at her reflection. “It's fine… My magic was already growing weaker, and soul magic does not require you to have a horn in the first place.”

“Speaking of which…” Sunset Shimmer turned to the other skeletal pony as she did the same. “Do you think you could teach me necromancy? I only ever wanted to heal people, and it seems like the perfect tool to remedy many of the diseases I studied.”

“Soon,” Twilight declared. “There is a certain amount of luck when it comes to necromancy, and though I’m not one hundred percent on it, I have a theory that it's tied to your cutie mark.”

“Oh? Like you are born with it or what?” Sunset pressed.

“Sort of,” Twilight replied, rolling a hoof in the air. “My necromancy is so powerful it was slowly snuffing out my ability to cast anything else, while Trixie can't heal or harm with soul magic.”

“Then what exactly is there for her to learn, exactly?” Sunset asked, scratching her skull with a hoof. “Because that seems to cover just about everything.”

Twilight chuckled and shook her head. “Oh, you sound exactly like me a few months ago. But to answer your question, there is a lot you can do with necromancy. In fact I’d classify soul magic not as a school of magic, but rather a dark mirror of all schools.”

Sunset Shimmer’s jaw hung open. “Explain.”

“You have noticed how I can levitate things, right?” Twilight prompted, and Sunset nodded. “Well you can also alter someone’s memory or personality via necromancy. Though not as powerful in this regard as traditional neuromancy, it also affects parts of a person that neuromancy cannot.”

“You are trying to find a cure for Celestia’s meddling, aren't you?” Sunset stated suddenly.

Twilight nodded slowly. “That was my hope. But we’ll speak more on that particular subject later. For now, let's get back to my example and Trixie. Who is quite good at creating false life signatures and hiding life energy. She is also quite adept at bestowing certain curses and boons on another.”

“Fascinating,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed in shock. “And to think, there was so much we could have learned if Celestia had not stamped it out.”

“Don't remind me,” Twilight murmured. “That is perhaps one of her worst sins. Among numerous others.” The unicorn shook her head. “Regardless. We are getting off topic. What exactly were we talking about again?”

“Uh… Your friends, I think,” Sunset Shimmer replied.

“Oh yes.” Twilight remarked, suddenly sounding quite melancholic. “I just hope Spike and them understand my need for time and distance.”

“If they are even half as kind as you have made them out to be, then I’m sure it won't be an issue,” Sunset Shimmer declared confidently.

“You’re right,” Twilight stated, half to herself. “I’m just glad I was able to figure out more about the nightmare and my new situation.”

“Speaking of which…” Sunset began. “Did you come up with an illusion spell like you talked about making?”

“Yes and no. I started on one, but quickly realized that it wasn't necessary, and that I probably didn't need to wait for your magic to come back,” Twilight explained.

“Oh? What do you mean?”

“Here, allow me to show you,” Twilight offered, taking a step back.

As soon as the unicorn had a bit more space, her shadow suddenly erupted from the ground and wrapped her skeletal form in black tentacles, which quickly coalesced around her entire body, creating an inky black layer of twisting darkness. This mass of shadow shifted colors and then began to move, slowly recreating Twilight’s old form nearly perfectly.

The only thing missing was her horn, which remained little more than a jagged spike sticking out of her forehead. Even her eyes seemed real and fleshy, though her body looked oddly smooth for some reason. Sunset’s guess was that the nightmare couldn't accurately reproduce fur, thus leaving Twilight in an uncanny valley.

“What do you think?” Twilight asked.

“The fur isn't there,” Sunset Shimmer pointed out. “You kind of look like a doll or something.”

“Oh pooh,” Twilight cursed. “Is it bad?”

Sunset Shimmer nodded quickly. “It's kinda creepy to be honest. I’d rather see a walking pile of bones.”

The mass of darkness quickly retreated back into Twilight’s shadow, leaving her as little more than a disappointed skeleton with two flaming orbs for eyes. “And we worked on that for so long,” she groaned

“Anyway,” Sunset Shimmer quickly retorted. “We didn't really talk too much during the last few days, and I was hoping we could run over a few things.”

“That's not true,” Twilight corrected. “You talked about your past, and… other stuff.”

Sunset Shimmer wished she could roll her eyes. “Twilight, I don't need flesh to feel the awkwardness everytime we are in the same room together.”

Twilight tried to sigh, only to forget she didn't have lungs. “I guess you're right. Look. Can we do this tonight? After everyone leaves?”

“Sure. I just thought you should know about this weird tablet I found in the bottom of some tower in the forest,” Sunset Shimmer remarked.

A sudden memory surged to the forefront of Twilight’s mind, reminding her of the stone slab she had seen her former self use when attempting to resurrect Discord. “Where exactly is this tablet, and what did it look like?” Twilight inquired, barely restraining her bubbling enthusiasm.

“I’m not sure where exactly it is, because it's, well, the forest, but it was in a rocky field,” Sunset began. “So it should be easily visible from above. As for the tablet itself, well, I’m not exactly certain. I couldn't read any of what was written.”

Twilight nodded slowly, scratching her bony chin with a hoof. “Interesting. I may very well know of the tablet you are speaking about, though it was my past self which saw it, not me.”

“Well, either way, it was in the basement of this tower, under a glowing golden dome of power and was heavily warded. Like, I don't think anything short of an alicorn could break into it,” Sunset Shimmer finished.

“Well, that's something…” Twilight shrugged. “Let's put that on the backburner as well. For now, we should probably go upstairs. I’m sure my friends will be here soon.”

“Speaking of which…” Sunset interrupted before Twilight could make it more than a single step. “Are you sure you want me there right away? Maybe you should talk to them first before introducing me.”

Twilight shook her head. “You were innocent in all this. Treating you as if that isn't the case will only make things worse.”

“I suppose,” Sunset Shimmer murmured.

“Come on,” Twilight prompted, patting the other unicorn on the shoulder. “Let’s go get things set up.”

Sunset nodded and followed meekly behind the taller skeletal unicorn.

Together the two ponies made their way swiftly upstairs and out into the main area of the library. Outside the tree home a few strange beings could be seen going about their day, making Sunset Shimmer feel oddly uncomfortable. Shaking her head, the unicorn reminded herself that there were privacy spells in place to ensure that nopony could see inside.

With her mind now at ease, the undead mare set herself to the task of creating a warm, welcoming space for Twilight’s friends. Pillows were fluffed, couches were rearranged, and chairs were brought over, along with a tea set which was placed on the coffee table in the center. A quick check into the mostly bare cupboards told Sunset that Twilight had not gone food shopping recently.

Tossing out the now rotten food, the skeleton found a package of what looked like dried crackers, which she brought out. Placing them beside the tea set, Sunset Shimmer sat across from Twilight who was awkwardly shifting on the couch.

Sunset Shimmer raised an eyebrow. “Are you alright?”

Twilight grumbled irritably to herself. “I’ve always had a bony ass, but now that statement is literal, I find myself unable to get comfortable.”

Sunset Shimmer snickered to herself. “I don't know what is bothering you. If anything, the couch is even more comfortable now that I don't have a butt.”

Settling into place, Twilight let out a sigh. “What time is it again?”

“It's still a half hour before they were supposed to arrive,” Sunset Shimmer replied. “You need to relax.”

“I can't relax,” Twilight stressed. “I nearly died again, and if I had listened to Pinkie Pie, that wouldn't have happened. Plus I’ve been avoiding them for two days, even Spike-”

Sunset Shimmer clopped her hooves together, silencing the other unicorn. “I would tell you to take a moment to breathe, but well… just try and focus yourself. Your friends will be happy you’re alive.”

“I know, but every time I get time to think, I can't help but worry all over again,” Twilight murmured.

“I know friendship is a relatively new thing for you, but you can't overthink it,” Sunset Shimmer advised. “Why don't we try and figure out how those books of yours got wet in the first place? I’m sure that will take your mind off of things.”

“That has been bothering me…”

“Do you have any leads?” Sunset questioned. “Because my surveillance of the place was relatively complete, and I didn't notice anyone enter the room at about that time.”

“Spike wasn't around then either,” Twilight added, tapping her chin. “It was also too far from the window, though this is a tree, so it's not like it's sealed or anything.”

“Can you view the memories of a tree with necromancy?” Sunset asked suddenly. “It is a living thing, after all.”

“And some fragments of a memory are stored in the soul,” Twilight finished. “You know, I’m not sure if I can, or can't, for that matter.”

“Well, there's only one way to find out,” Sunset proclaimed, opening her hooves and reclining into the sofa.

Twilight nodded slowly, and began to summon her magic, which took the form of a glowing violet aura which surrounded her flaming deep purple eyes. The first thing she did was reach out with her magic, searching for the surprisingly bright, but distant soul of the ancient tree. She didn't have to look long either, for it was as if the tree itself was guiding her and helping Twilight to find a verdant green orb deep beneath her hooves.

Touching the soul, Twilight began preparing the next part of her spell, only to have her senses suddenly overwhelmed. A memory built using pressure changes, the location of the moon, and the subtle shifting of the wind came to mind. Twilight was so startled by the very fact that she could perceive such things that she almost missed what the tree had been trying to show her.

Which felt like the room she had been storing the books in, if her assumption was correct. A second later, a pawed hand reached up onto the balcony, pulling open the sliding glass door and slipping inside. The paw held aloft what felt like a bucket of some kind, though Twilight didn't focus on that right now, as she was transfixed by the creature attached to the limb.

Which was a tall, strange mix of creatures which almost resembled Discord in a way, but not as how Twilight remembered him. The strange senses of the tree made identification difficult, but after a moment of confusion, Twilight felt it all fall into place. Sunset’s description of the creature helped her realize what she was perceiving, and Twilight watched in stunned confusion as the unnaturally long limb slipped closer to the books.

Questions swirled in the unicorn’s mind, threatening to overwhelm her, only to be shunted away when she felt the pail of water be tipped over. The tree felt the books being soaked, and Twilight watched as the paw slowly slipped out of the room, closing the exit behind it. The creature then gave the tree a gentle pat on the side before Twilight was thrust out of the bizarre memory and back onto the couch.

“What? How? But it…” If Twilight had a mane, she was certain it would have started to fray right about now. “This makes no sense!”

“Woah, what happened? You just kinda zonked out for a few seconds there,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

“It was that thing! The forest chimera thing!” Twilight shouted. “It soaked the books for some reason.”

“That is… weird, why would it do that?” Sunset Shimmer pondered aloud.

“I have no idea!” Twilight exclaimed, pressing her hooves against either side of her skull. “My wards should have stopped it! You should have seen it! The guards and townspeople should have noticed it!”

“Woah there. Let's take a step back,” interrupted Sunset Shimmer. “This is the Everfree Forest we are talking about.”

Twilight’s jaw clacked together. “You’re right. I’m acting like I just got here or something. This isn't even the weirdest thing that's happened to me.”

“Really? ‘Cause finding out that some sort of precognitant chaos entity is following you around is pretty weird,” Sunset Shimmer pointed out.

“Pfft, that's nothing. I apparently have a whole prophecy dedicated to me,” Twilight stated offhandedly.

“Just pretend like I gave you a shocked expression,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed, pointing to her face.

“Well, I shouldn't say it’s about me per say, as it's pretty vague, but everyone seems convinced it's about me,” Twilight began.

“What is it about exactly? You’re not the bringer of the end times, are you?” Sunset Shimmer pressed, lying down on her side.

Twilight chuckled. “You're actually right, well, sort of. It says that the moon comes when twilight calls and the world will burn in the fires of war for the final time.”

“That’s… dark,” Sunset Shimmer deadpanned. “Maybe you are the bringer of the end times after all.”

Twilight’s flaming orbs rolled in their sockets. “It does not mean that. I mean, come on. Twilight proceeds the night after all.”

“But that fires of war bit sounds pretty ominous, plus you can't deny that you and your past incarnations seemed to be tied to the alicorns of both the sun and moon,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

“True,” Twilight grumbled. “I just wish that I wasn't being put on a path that seems to lead to some grand conflict. All I want is my brother and dad back. Then as far as I am concerned, the rest of the world can burn.”

“You can't tell, but I’m giving you a questioning look right now,” Sunset Shimmer deadpanned.

“Okay, so maybe not burn per say,” Twilight muttered, tapping her forehooves together. “If I could help, I would, but I just wish that it wouldn't be necessary and that things could go back to some version of normal.”

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, I’d be totally fine not going on any big adventures,” Sunset Shimmer offered. “In fact if I could open some sort of hospital or clinic of some kind and finally start healing ponies--I mean, people, I’d be totally fine with that for a century or two. I’m kind of done with the whole violence thing.”

“I don't think fate is going to let either of us live quietly. Not for a long time at least,” Twilight muttered bitterly.

The two undead sat in silence, with Sunset Shimmer trying to think of something to say and failing, while Twilight merely stared off into the distance, deep in thought. A knock on the door startled both of them, and Sunset stood quickly, about to walk over to the entrance, only to stop herself.

“You did warn them that we don't have flesh anymore, right?” Sunset inquired, glancing over her shoulder.

“I did,” Twilight replied. “I also mentioned that you were here as well.”

“Well, that's good,” Sunset Shimmer muttered, the skeleton peeking through the window next to the door. “It’s Rainbow Dash.’

“That's weird. She isn't usually early,” Twilight murmured. “Would you let her in please?”

“Of course,” Sunset replied.

The skeletal unicorn tugged open the door to reveal an armored, though not armed, Rainbow Dash standing in the entryway. Her expression was hard, her eyebrows creased as she looked Sunset Shimmer up and down in a slow exaggerated manner.

“Sunset Shimmer?” she asked.

The skeleton nodded. “You’re quite observant.”

The thestral snorted and trotted into the room. “Twi mentioned she lost her horn, plus she's taller than you.”

The other undead waved a bony hoof at the winged being. “Hey, Rainbow Dash. Sorry I didn't contact you sooner.”

“It's fine,” replied the thestral. “We know you need your space, but next time I am going to have to insist you at least check in with us before going into isolation.”

Sunset closed the door and followed after her, sitting on one of the chairs, while Rainbow Dash did likewise. “She didn't even want to send you the letters,” added Sunset.

“Is that right?” Rainbow Dash, turning to the taller skeleton.

Twilight silently wished Sunset had truly been evil the entire time, as she really wanted to hate the other unicorn at that moment. “That is true. I was nervous at first. Partly because I felt stupid for doubting Pinkie Pie, and partially because I wasn't sure if you’d accept me now that I look like this,” Twilight admitted.

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow and glanced to Sunset. “I’m assuming you told her how stupid that was?” pressed the thestral.

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “I just had to point out the fact that there are literal emotivores, minotaurs, and spidertaurs walking around.”

“That's not the most polite way of putting it, but I’m glad you changed her mind,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

Twilight groaned. “I know I was overthinking things, but trust me. I feel a million times better now.”

“Good,” Rainbow Dash stated. “Because I don't think I could have held Fluttershy at bay for another day.”

The skeleton perked up suddenly. “How has she been, by the way? I haven't even checked in since she transformed into whatever it is she currently is.”

Rainbow Dash chuckled, a wide grin replacing her previously stoic expression. “She’s been fantastic. Her tree is growing strong, her grove is powerful, and she has a whole bevy of new abilities. Plus she has these luscious, kissable lips now.”

“You can't tell, but I’m fairly certain Twilight’s blushing right now,” Sunset Shimmer teasingly remarked.

“I don't even have any blood anymore!” Twilight cried, throwing up her hooves. “That makes no sense.”

“You were blushing on the inside,” Rainbow Dash offered.

“I don't have insides either!” Twilight added, her fake outrage slowly being replaced with mirth.

“At least you still got your sense of humour,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “As for our resident sunspawn, the jury is still out, but I got a good feeling about you.”

“Uh thanks? But what's a sunspawn?” Sunset questioned, turning to Twilight expectantly.

“I’ll tell you later. It's not exactly a bad thing though,” Twilight replied.

“I would beg to differ, but anyway. I’m just glad things have worked out so well for both you and Sunset Shimmer here,” Rainbow Dash concluded, chuckling to herself. “‘Cause I don't know how much longer I could have held onto the tough guy routine.”

“I was wondering why you were acting so serious,” Twilight quipped.

“I just wanted to see how Sunset reacted,” Rainbow Dash explained. “It's not everyday one of her assassins gets killed only to be brought back to life as an ally.”

“Then you really do see me as an ally?” Sunset Shimmer hesitantly asked.

“Yes and no,” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, but trust takes time. Something you’ve got in spades, I think.”

“Time or not, something tells me old age wasn't going to be my killer anyway,” Sunset Shimmer remarked.

Rainbow Dash chuckled. “That is so true. Twilight tends to attract adventure.”

The necromancer crossed her forelegs over her chest. “You say that like it's a bad thing.”

The thestral waved a dismissive hoof at the other being. “Nah, you know I like a little adventure. Besides, it's all worked out for us so far.”

“Let’s just hope your luck continues to hold,” Sunset Shimmer added.

“Let’s hope,” Twilight echoed solemnly, only to perk up. “Hey, where is Fluttershy anyway? I thought she would have come with you.”

“Nah, I went ahead in order to give ya the old bad cop routine,” Rainbow Dash began, stretching a leathery wing. “Flutters wouldn't be able to stand me asking a few hard questions. Speaking of which, Sunset is completely free, right?”

Twilight opened her mouth to speak, but Sunset Shimmer beat her to the punch. “Completely and utterly,” stated the skeletal pony. “Twilight and I have used every manner of dispel we can think of.”

Twilight nodded. “After death enchantments and compulsions fade as they are anchored directly to the flesh. Only necromancy can alter a pony in such a way that those changes would stay after death, and she may be many things but a necromancer isn't one of them.”

“Huh, well, so long as you're sure. I know the other girls were curious, so I thought I’d ask,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

A very soft knock on the door made the thestral smirk. “That would be Fluttershy.”

“I’ll get it,” Sunset offered, standing up before anyone could respond and walking over to the door.

Pulling open the wooden portal, the undead unicorn was prepared to find herself face to face with another strange being. Only to be a little surprised and put off when there was no one there at all.

“Hello?” she asked, looking around.

“Oh um, down here,” whispered a soft, squeaky voice.

Glancing down, Sunset Shimmer noticed a small, strange-looking mouse looking up at her, the rodent sporting a small flower atop its head. The undead unicorn found herself temporarily at a loss for words, that was until she remembered what Twilight had told her earlier.

“You’re Fluttershy, right?” Sunset Shimmer questioned.

“I am,” stated the mouse.

The unicorn took a step back and held open the door. “Come on in, and sorry for not recognizing you sooner.”

“Oh, it's quite alright,” murmured the small rodent, who scampered inside.

Closing the door, Sunset Shimmer stepped closer to the couches, though she didn't sit down this time. Instead she merely stood behind Twilight, allowing her to keep one eye on the door while still being a part of the conversation.

Fluttershy leaped into the air, turning into a cat mid-flight and landing in Rainbow Dash’s lap, purring contentedly as soon as she settled in.

“Miss me already?” Rainbow Dash teased, running a hoof down Fluttershy’s furry back.

“Maybe,” Fluttershy half admitted, blushing slightly.

“I’m glad you’re adapting well to your new form,” Twilight offered.

The cat nodded. “It took a little practice, but that doesn't matter right now. How are you?”

“I’m not bad, all things considered,” Twilight stated, extending a forelimb. “At least I finally dropped those pesky pounds.”

Fluttershy giggled. “I’m glad you feel that way. And Sunset? How are you dealing with well… everything?”

The unicorn wished she could smile as the kind look the cat was giving her made Sunset’s nonexistent heart swell. “The joy of freedom has not been lessened, even after being turned into a walking anatomy model,” Sunset explained.

Rainbow Dash laughed aloud. “You know I never thought of it that way. Oh, and think of all the awesome pranks we could pull!”

“Too bad April is so far away,” Sunset remarked, sighing softly.

“But Nightmare Night isn't far away,” exclaimed Rainbow Dash excitedly.

“What's Nightmare Night?” asked the confused unicorn.

“It's a different version of All Saint’s Eve,” explained Twilight. “But instead of honoring those who served the old gods, they honor the moon.”

“It's not just about that,” Rainbow Dash countered. “It's also about gaining independence and celebrating both the night mistress and the other great heroes.”

“It's not as serious as what Saint’s Eve sounds like either,” Fluttershy added, the spirit nestling itself in Rainbow Dash’s forehooves.

“It is a rather heavy holiday,” Sunset Shimmer remarked. “At least they stopped sacrificing animals.”

“I don't remember that ever happening,” countered Twilight, curiously.

“I suppose it has been a number of years since then,” Sunset Shimmer remarked, scratching her skull. “Sorry, my sense of time is a little mixed up.”

“That's understandable, given what you’ve gone through,” Twilight admitted.

“Anyway,” Rainbow Dash interrupted, picking up her girlfriend and looking her in the eye. “Is there anything you wanted to ask before the others get here?”

The cat giggled and shook her head. “No. I’m just glad that everyone is okay.”

“More or less anyway,” Twilight added, chuckling.

“Is there not a spell to get your body back?” asked Fluttershy, the spirit transforming into a bird and sitting atop Rainbow Dash’s head.

“Apotheosis is the spell’s name, and though it would most likely give me back my body, it would take a very large amount of energy to do so,” Twilight shrugged. “I’m not worried though. I’ll just craft a better illusion spell before going back out in public and then just save up in order to cast it.”

“I wouldn't worry about it. Most folk aren't easily spooked around here,” Rainbow Dash retorted.

“I’ll say,” muttered Sunset Shimmer. “The only thing that seems to unnerve Ponyvillians are people from outside the forest.”

“We don't exactly get a lot of visitors with good intentions,” Fluttershy remarked with a hint of sadness.

A light, rapid tapping sound made the room’s inhabitants turn towards the door once more. Striding over, the Sunset Shimmer turned the handle and tugged open the wooden portal. A tall arachne, as well as a short, diminutive dragon stood in the doorway, and Sunset Shimmer was about to bid them welcome when she got a scaled fist to the chin.

Her head popped off her neck and clattered to the ground, leaving the unicorn quite confused by the entire encounter. “What just happened?” she asked, body frozen mid-invitation.

“Oh my,” whispered Fluttershy, covering her beak with a wing.

“Spike! I thought we talked about how to deal with your anger,” reprimanded Rarity, who tugged on the dragon’s ear.

Spike winced. “Hey, I’m sorry, but seeing her standing there made it all come back.”

“It's fine. Though I’d appreciate it if someone grabbed my head,” Sunset Shimmer replied quickly. “It's hard to cast stuff while everything is upside down.”

“Of course, darling,” Rarity replied, plucking the skeleton’s head from the ground and awkwardly placing it atop the unicorn’s neck.

Gripping her skull in her forehooves, Sunset pressed down at the top of her head until it clicked. “Ahh, there we go. Nice right hook by the way, you’re pretty quick on the draw.”

“Gale taught me how to fight,” Spike began, only to wince. “Sorry. I know I shouldn't have lashed out like that.”

“You’re not a child Spike,” scorned Twilight who trotted up next to the dragon.

“It's fine, really,” Sunset Shimmer interrupted. “It didn't actually hurt, and honestly I’m just surprised it hadn't happened sooner.”

“I was tempted,” admitted Rainbow Dash.

“Rainbow,” Fluttershy whispered harshly, shooting the thestral a glare.

Who shrugged. “What? It's true.”

“How about we all sit down and have a little chat, hmm?” Rarity inquired, the arachne striding towards the sitting area. “I’m sure some tea and relaxation will do us all wonders.”

Twilight and Spike did as was suggested, while Sunset Shimmer remained behind, working her jaw into place. Only when everything felt like it was where it should be did the skeleton follow their lead, taking her place behind Twilight once more.

“So, how have you been holding up?” Rarity inquired, her voice straining ever so slightly.

Twilight shrugged. “Not bad honestly. I already didn't eat, so it's not like this is a big change for me.”

“You know I thought I would have been more creeped out, but I suppose living with my Twilight made me rather numb to the whole undead situation,” Spike remarked, the dragon glancing at the skeleton sitting next to him.

“I told ya most people would be fine with it,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, gesturing towards the arachne. “Rarity is the only one who's probably weirded out by this whole thing.”

“Oh, it's nothing like that,” Rarity quickly retorted. “It's just that, well, you look rather ghastly, I must say. If we just added a cloak, a hood, and some jewelry, you could make this new style work, but well, without it you appear to be a runaway medical skeleton.”

“Ha, that's what I said,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

“I don't intend on looking like this for long, mind you,” Twilight began. “I had thought the nightmare could disguise me, but it does not seem able to do so.”

The taller unicorn’s shadow shrunk, as if disappointed in itself.

“Ahh, in that case I will extend my services to just Sunset Shimmer then,” Rarity replied, turning to the other undead. “That is, unless she has grown to enjoy her current look.”

“I’d appreciate it, though I don't exactly have any bits or gems for that matter,” Sunset declared.

“Nonsense, darling,” dismissed the arachne. “All I ask for in return is to have a relaxed conversation with you.”

“That seems…” Sunset Shimmer paused, noticing that everyone else had suddenly grown pale, “...nice?”

The arachne clapped her forehooves together. “Excellent, then we are in agreement, and I will see you tomorrow at eleven sharp.”

Sunset leaned forward, whispering in Twilight’s ear hole. “Why did everyone get so serious all of a sudden?”

“When Rarity says she wants to have a relaxed conversation, what she actually wants to do is to roast you over an open fire,” Twilight whispered back. “Good luck having secrets when she’s done with you.”

“It couldn't be that bad, could it?” Sunset Shimmer muttered aloud, glancing over at Rarity.

Who had already sparked up another conversation while Twilight and Sunset had been whispering. When their eyes met, the arachne’s gaze narrowed, and a flicker of something indescribable passed through them. Sunset’s bones shuddered, and the undead unicorn wondered if the free outfit would even be worth it.

“Well, I’m glad that you are doing well, and that our town’s newest resident is settling in,” Rarity exclaimed, gesturing towards Sunset Shimmer.

“Speaking of which,” Rainbow Dash interrupted. “You gotta stop by the tower sometime soon. You’re going to need to become a citizen if you plan on sticking around.”

“What exactly do I have to do?” Sunset Shimmer inquired.

“It's not much, just answer a few questions, sign some things and swear that your aren't a threat,” Twilight answered.

“Pretty much,” Rainbow Dash added. “Though you may have a few extra interviews due to your unique history.”

“I wouldn't worry about it. Dark Hallow is a total sweetheart,” offered Fluttershy, who had turned to a snake and draped herself across Rainbow Dash’s shoulders.

“Well, that's good,” Sunset Shimmer murmured.

“Plus I’ve told him a little about you, so it's not like he has to start at square one,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

A firm, heavy knock ended the conversation abruptly, causing everyone in the room to turn towards the door.

“I got it,” Sunset Shimmer hastily exclaimed, trotting over to the entrance and turning the knob.

Revealing a frowning half plant and half earth pony hybrid, as well as a rock-covered pink pony standing nervously behind her.

“You must be-” Sunset Shimmer began, only to be interrupted when Applejack held up a hoof, silencing her.

Confused, Sunset Shimmer merely stood there while the strange pony looked her up and down in a slow, exaggerated motion. Seconds ticked by, and just when Sunset Shimmer was going to say something, Applejack nodded slowly, extending a hoof.

“Name’s Applejack,” she offered.

Sunset Shimmer clopped her bony hoof against the offered limb. “Sunset Shimmer.”

“Finally!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, throwing up her hooves. “I thought I was going to explode back here!”

Sunset Shimmer hardly had time to react before she was bowled over by a hulking earth pony, her bony chest pressed against the larger being’s stone and flesh one. “You know, I’m kind of glad I don't need to breathe, because something tells me I wouldn't be able to do that right now,” Sunset Shimmer remarked, hugging the troll awkwardly.

“That's how you know it's a good hug,” Pinkie Pie replied, pulling back and holding Sunset Shimmer off the ground. “I’m so glad that everything worked out and that you’re free!”

“Me too?” Sunset Shimmer half asked half stated, glancing to Applejack for answers.

The plant pony merely grunted and kicked the door shut. “She’s a shaman, they know all kinds of stuff that they probably shouldn't.”

“Like your crush’s name is-” Pinkie Pie began, only for Applejack to stuff a hoof into her mouth.

“I wasn't askin’ for an example,” muttered the farmer, who took a step back.

“Oh, I don't actually know her name, silly. I’m just teasing you,” Pinkie Pie replied, placing Sunset Shimmer on the ground and bounding over towards the couches.

“Wait, her?” Sunset Shimmer asked, turning to Applejack.

Who snorted bitterly. “She’s just trying to get a rise out of me.”

Despite the force behind the statement, Sunset Shimmer had a feeling there was some truth to the shaman’s words. Not wanting to step on anyone’s hooves so soon after meeting them for the first time, Sunset chose to say nothing. Instead she merely wandered back to her now familiar spot behind Twilight, listently to the conversation that had broken out.

“--how does next Thursday sound?” Pinkie Pie questioned, the troll having procured a notebook and pencil from somewhere.

“I really don't think-” Twilight began.

“Next Thursday is perfect. I know she doesn't have anything planned,” interrupted Spike.

“Hey! I had plans,” Twilight countered.

“Studying doesn't count,” Spike stated, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Fine, but don't invite too many people over. I don't want to freak people out,” Twilight cautioned.

“Pisha, we can just say it’s an early Nightmare Night celebration,” Pinkie Pie replied dismissively. “Everyone loves costume parties.”

“I’m just glad you’re alright,” declared Applejack, the plant pony gripping Twilight by the shoulder. “Y'all had us so worried that I nearly busted down that door of yours.”

“I have no doubt that you could have,” Twilight remarked, smiling. “Though I’m glad you gave me time to process things at my own speed.”

“It's no problem at all, darling,” Rarity offered.

“Group hug!” Pinkie Pie shouted, the troll leaping out of her chair and wrapping her forelegs around Twilight’s shoulders.

Applejack chuckled. “Aww, what the heck.”

The plant pony was quickly followed by Spike, who latched onto Twilight’s neck. “I’m glad you're alright, Dusk.”

Twilight chuckled and patted the dragon on the back. “Me too, Spike.”

Fluttershy joined them a second later, the spirit having returned to her pony form. “I’m proud of you for working things out with Sunset Shimmer.”

“And I’m just thankful that we didn't have to clean up the mess you two left behind,” added Rainbow Dash, who joined the hug a second later.

Rarity wrapped her own forehooves around the mass of beings a second later. “I too am glad you are okay. Though you are not allowed to scare us like this for at least another few months, got it?”

Twilight knew if she had flesh, she would be blushing right now, and she eagerly hugged everyone back as much as she could, warmth filling her chest. “I will do my absolute best, you guys. Thank you,” Twilight replied.

Sunset couldn't help but smile as she watched the pile of strange beings hug their friend, even if a small bit of guilt continued to burn at the back of her mind. Still, it was a sight that warmed her metaphorical heart and gave her hope that even somepony like her could find friends as good as them. The unicorn’s musings slipped away when she noticed a soft purple glow emanate from the center of the group hug.

“Are you casting a spell, Twilight?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

Twilight blinked, and her friends all pulled away from her, glancing at the undead unicorn in confusion. “No, not that I know of.”

“Maybe it’s ghost farts,” offered Pinkie Pie.

“It wasn't me,” declared Fluttershy, blushing furiously.

“Ghosts don't fart, you nincompoop,” added Rainbow Dash.

“Er Twi, is your butt supposed to be glowing like that?” inquired Applejack.

Twilight looked down to where an ethereal star glowed faintly over where her flank would normally be. Upon closer inspection Twilight realized that it was her cutie mark, only it shone far more brilliantly than ever before. The five smaller stars were also glowing their own unique colors, each one corresponding with one of her friend’s coat colors.

“I don't-” Twilight began, only to be shocked when flesh began to grow up from her hooves.

Muscle and cartilage were quickly covered with deep purple skin and similarly colored fur. Before anypony could mutter a word in shock, Twilight’s cutie mark pulsed, and tissues began to surge up Twilight’s legs. In seconds all four of her limbs were returned to their natural fleshy state, only now they seemed a little longer, and Twilight’s fur was a little lighter.

Where before the unicorn had been such a deep purple that it was nearly black, now it was a vibrant lavender that almost shimmered in the moonlight. Her torso received the same treatment as her legs did a moment later, the rippling wave of flesh traveling up to her neck. Though unlike before, the changes to the middle of her body were more obvious, with her body having become remarkably thinner.

Though her ribs weren't quite visible, the pony appeared gaunt, with little muscle present anywhere on her body. It was as if the undead mare lacked a good majority of the organs a living pony may have, leaving her appearing abnormally thin. Her cutie mark was also brighter, and more vibrant than before, the entire thing shimmering whenever the moonlight struck it at the right angle.

The rippling wave of flesh quickly traveled up Twilight’s neck, new tissue formed, shaped, and grown into place in a matter of moments. Throughout it all Twilight felt only the slightest bit of irritation, with her bones itching despite such a thing being logically impossible. Even as her face gained muscle, skin, sinew, and fur, the experience was little more than slightly uncomfortable to the undead pony.

A new mane sprouted from her scalp, and new eyes filled the previously empty skull, causing Twilight to be temporarily blinded. Blinking rapidly, she looked around in confusion, noting the stunned looks on everyone’s faces. Glancing up between her eyes, Twilight felt hope surge, only for that feeling to be crushed when she realized that her horn remained little more than a shattered splinter sticking out of her forehead.

The changes were not quite done though, and as Twilight looked on, her tail grew back to its regular length. Even her mane returned to its normal style, with the bangs only reaching just past the tops of her eyes before the two strips of color grew. Conjuring a mirror, Twilight noted that her mane was back the way it used to be, though her eyes now glowed a menacing purple.

Wisps of magic could also be seen drifting from the edges, becoming an almost ethereal smoke that drifted behind her. Inspecting herself briefly, Twilight found that other than being unnaturally thin, everything seemed to be back to the way it used to be. Nervously, Twilight stepped forward, silently hoping that her old awkward fumbling had not returned along with everything else.

When she didn't immediately fall, Twilight grinned, and after trotting around in a circle, the unicorn found she was even more coordinated than before. Indeed she felt almost like she had just finished puberty, and was now in the body she had always meant to have. Her every sense felt sharp, and if she focused, she could even feel what the nightmare felt, including a strange tugging sensation that she quickly dismissed.

“Holy crap,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“How are you feeling, darling?” Rarity asked hesitantly.

Twilight shook her head slowly. “Amazing, completely and utterly amazing. I can sense every living thing around me, and not only that, but I also feel strong, resilient even.”

Pinkie Pie punched the unicorn in the shoulder, only to recoil and shake her foreleg while wincing. “Wowee, you are tough. Even tougher than when you were wearing that amulet doohickey.”

“Taller too,” remarked Applejack, who had to look up at the towering unicorn.

“Too bad your horn didn't come back,” exclaimed Spike.

Twilight shrugged. “It's fine. I only need my necromancy anyway.”

“You look so thin though, that can't be healthy,” Fluttershy pointed out.

“I guess you could use even more meat on those bones,” chuckled Pinkie Pie.

Twilight rolled her eyes and grinned. “I suppose so. Though something tells me I don't have all the same parts that you girls do.”

“I wonder if you can taste stuff again. Hey, open your mouth. Let's see if you got taste buds on that tongue of yours,” Applejack commanded.

Twilight did as she was told, revealing a mouth filled mostly with flat teeth, a long tongue and four very prominent canines. “Well, at least you got a tongue anyway, even if it seems a little long,” Applejack muttered.

“Wicked set of chompers you got there, almost as cool as mine,” proclaimed Rainbow Dash, who rolled back her lips to show off her own fangs.

“They look sharp,” pointed out Spike curiously.

Twilight took a step back, running her tongue along the inside of her mouth. “Well, would you look at that. They are pretty sharp.”

“Hold on a second,” Sunset Shimmer interrupted, stepping forward. “What exactly does that make you then?”

“Well, she isn't a skeleton anymore,” remarked Pinkie Pie.

“Vampire? She's got the fangs for it,” Spike offered.

“Nah, those are canines,” replied Rainbow Dash. “She has to be a wight.”

“But I thought they hated all living things,” pondered Fluttershy.

“Well, I sure don't hate any of you,” Twilight quickly added.

“And she doesn't like eatin’ dead stuff, so she ain't a ghoul,” exclaimed Applejack.

“What about a lich?” offered Sunset Shimmer. “Or perhaps a revenant?”

“Wait, where do you even know those terms from? I thought she erased all knowledge of the undead,” Twilight retorted.

Sunset Shimmer scratched the back of her neck. “I may or may not have watched Spike when he went to that last gaming meetup.”

“Okay, first off, that’s creepy, second off, you gotta join us. We need another player,” Spike declared, a smile overcoming his brief look of disgust.

“Well, I don't think I’m either of those things,” exclaimed Twilight. “I didn't undergo any manner of ritual or cast anything right before my death, nor do I feel like a spirit possessing a corpse.”

“What about a draugr? They are said to be both alive and dead at the same time,” asked Rarity. “What? Do I have something on my face?”

“Where do you know that from?” questioned Rainbow Dash.

Rarity sighed and stared off into the distance. “It was the summer of my sixteenth year and this strapping young minotaur had just come into town. They were absolutely stunning, and after finding out that they came from the northern reaches, I devoted myself to learning as much as I could about their culture and history. Why, I even attempted to make them a traditional Minotaurian cape with this lovely-”

“I don't think we have time for your life story there, Rares,” Applejack deadpanned.

The arachne sighed and crossed her hooves over her chest. “Ruin all of the intrigue, why don't you? Regardless, these draugr appeared after a being of significant desire was buried improperly. They also were said to appear much like they did in life, only pale, as if they had only come back to life after remaining dead for several days.”

“Well, my fur is a little lighter,” Twilight remarked, glancing down at her foreleg.

“I thought draugr were from that one expansion, the rim of the sky,” remarked Rainbow Dash.

“Wait, you play?” Spike questioned.

“I think we’re getting off topic,” Sunset Shimmer interrupted.

“Whatever Twilight is, she is our friend,” Fluttershy declared. “And that is all that matters.”

“Exactamundo!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed.

“I agree, darling,” added Rarity, who sat back down upon her pillow and reached for the tea pot.

“Good thinkin’, Rares, I could use something to drink after all this excitement,” Applejack added, the plant pony resting on the ground next to her friend.

“And I brought cookies!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, pulling a box of baked goods out of seemingly thin air and placing them on the table.

Twilight watched as the lid was removed, revealing what appeared to be a two dozen double chocolate fudge cookies. Grabbing one with her magic, the unicorn took a bite, bracing herself for the usual feeling of strangeness that came whenever she had tried to eat something. Instead of feeling uncomfortable, she was blasted with an intense chocolate flavor, one which she had not tasted in what felt like years.

“Are you… crying?” asked Sunset Shimmer.

Twilight sniffed. “Ish sho goob.”

“Oh my gosh, you can actually eat normal stuff and cry without killing stuff with your tears!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, gasping suddenly. “There are so many recipes I’m going to have to try on you!”

“Well, that's good to see. I’d hate for you to miss out on all the Nightmare Night sweets,” Applejack remarked before biting into her own cookie.

Twilight hardly even heard her friends’ remarks, as she was slowly nibbling on the cookie, letting its flavor wash over her before swallowing. Even the feeling of the baked good sliding down her throat felt bizarrely nice, and Twilight relished every moment. When it was gone, the unicorn closed her eyes and merely breathed softly, her mind conjuring images of the last time she had eaten something so delicious.

It had been before her life had changed, and it had been a day when just her mother had been home. It had been a quiet afternoon and together the two ponies had baked a pan of cookies together before eating a few on the back porch. The sun had already sunk below their house, casting the yard in shadow, though neither pony minded one bit.

Their company was all that mattered, and they were both intent on enjoying the quiet moment to its fullest. Opening her eyes, Twilight couldn't help but smile as she watched her friends talk, eat, and drink. It wasn't quite like the moment she had with her mother, but it put Twilight’s heart at ease just the same.

Sunset Shimmer walked down the wooden steps as slowly and as softly as her bony hooves would allow. Once on the main floor, Sunset turned, quickly trotting into the basement and closing the door behind her. It was a short walk later and she was standing beside Twilight, who was applying a thin greenish paste to a lingering burn mark on the living wall of the library.

“How was Spike?” she asked without turning around.

“Asleep before I could even put him to bed,” Sunset Shimmer replied. “It was actually really cute.”

“He is pretty adorable, huh,” Twilight murmured, the unicorn sealing the jar of liquid and placing it on a nearby table.

“That he is,” Sunset admitted. “That little tea party really took a lot out of him.”

“Rarity did mention that he wasn't sleeping well at her house,” Twilight remarked. “I’m just glad to have him home.”

“Speaking of Rarity and the rest of your friends. Why didn't you tell them about your plan to secure that tablet I told you about?” Sunset questioned.

“I wasn't planning on doing that,” Twilight answered, though her statement felt oddly hollow, even to her.

“Come on, Twilight. Of course you’re planning on acquiring it,” Sunset Shimmer deadpanned. “Not only am I certain that you would do so out of sheer curiosity, it's also connected to your past self and Luna.”

“I suppose I was thinking about tracking it down and bringing it back here,” Twilight exclaimed. “But after I regrew my, well, everything, things changed.”

“Oh? How so?” Sunset Shimmer pressed.

“I can feel a tugging at the back of my mind. It's as if the nightmare is trying to pull me somewhere, though I don't know where,” Twilight answered, her expression growing distant for a second.

“You don't think it's trying to bring you to Luna’s body, is it?” Sunset half asked, half stated.

“I’m not sure what to think,” Twilight stated, sighing. “All I know for certain is that we need more information before we start acting.”

“And I’m assuming you have a plan to get such needed info?” Sunset Shimmer replied.

“I do, but the service is back on for Friday, and before then I need to practice a few spells to ensure I’m ready for any potential confrontation that may arise for when we grab the tablet,” Twilight declared.

“You know, I could train you on a few things,” Sunset offered, trotting before the other unicorn and looking up at her. “You may not be able to cast normal spells anymore, but I do know a few tricks that should be able to help you.”

Twilight wanted to resist, but after a moment of hesitation, she nodded. “I would like that. It would be good to get some help rather than always figure things out by myself.”

“As long as I’m around, you won't ever have to worry about figuring it out alone ever again,” Sunset replied, extending a hoof. “Are you ready for this?”

Twilight grinned and clopped her hoof against Sunset’s. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

Author's Note

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Adversity

“And with that we conclude our ceremony and commemorate Twilight Velvet Sparkle. Who though not a member of our community in this life, will hopefully become so in the next,” exclaimed a female minotaur clad in a simple black dress, upon the collar of which sat a simple blue moon pendant. “Now, at the request of the daughter of the deceased, a small celebration of life will be held at the Apple estate. I thank you all for coming, and Twilight especially for choosing to inter her memory in our most hallowed of halls.”

The minotaur then bowed before turning and trotting out of the large, urn-filled room, disappearing around a bend. For a moment everything was silent, and the small gathering of beings simply observed their surroundings quietly. Some felt awkward and unsure of what to say, while others were simply giving Twilight the space she needed.

Twilight herself felt strangely blank now that she had finally buried her mother, even if there was no body. All that was left was a small silver urn with the words Velvet Sparkle, the best role model one could ever hope for, printed on it. Resting in a small cubby next to hundreds of others, the spiritual resting place of her mother was plain but fitting nonetheless.

After all, Twilight Velvet had never considered herself anything more than average, and had thus never requested that she be buried anywhere fancy. Though the pony in question likely would have been stunned by the location Twilight had chosen to serve as her final resting place. As despite it being rather mundane in most Ponyvillian’s minds the Hall of Memories was anything but such a thing to a pony who had never left Canterlot.

The large, circular area that housed all of the urns was easily five meters tall, and every door seemed built to accommodate even an adult dragon. Which made sense in Twilight’s mind as she could see several draconic-sounding names among the numerous burial urns. There were also changeling, arachne, thestral, and other even stranger cenotaphs that Twilight found herself committing to memory, though she knew not why.

Her eyes strayed to the enormous, stained glass dome overhead and the strange way that it seemed to refract a single beam of moonlight onto every pedestal. The undead unicorn remembered well the sermon that had been delivered, and how the minotaur had espoused a belief that the moon itself was a portal into the next life. The single beam of moonlight was meant to act as a tether or guide for the lost and wayward spirits housed here within the Hall of Echoes, or so the priest had claimed.

Twilight wasn't sure if that was true, but she hoped that wherever her mother was, that the mare was happy. As Twilight looked out over the room once again, she suddenly realized that the two hallways on either side of the room pointed east and west. They were really committed to the moon motif and Twilight couldn't help but wonder if there were some other small details she hadn't noticed about this place.

“Twilight, you alright?” Applejack asked hesitantly.

Twilight shook her head, dismissing her idle thoughts and actually looking at the other individuals who were with her. Standing front and center was Applejack herself, behind which were the rest of her friends waiting patiently a respectful distance away. In addition, Commander Dark Hallow was there, the stallion off by himself, a soft and knowing smile on his face.

“I’m fine. Just... thinking about stuff,” Twilight muttered.

Fluttershy stepped forward, her form shimmering vibrantly in the moonlight. “I hope you liked the ceremony. I know it probably wasn't what your mother ever had in mind…”

“She would have loved it,” Twilight quietly declared. “Truly you guys have done a fantastic job.”

Applejack snorted. “I wouldn't go that far. After all, I wasn't able to get ya to plant a headstone at the old family plot.”

Twilight shook her head. “She didn't know your family, and besides, after I found out that you have an entire crypt for those with nothing to bury, I knew she belonged here.”

“I didn't think it would be common enough to warrant such a building,” remarked Spike.

“Many give themselves to the forest in their final days, though it is rare that they hear the call,” Rainbow Dash explained.

“Well, I think it was a beautiful choice,” Dark Hallow added. “And I was honored to be invited.”

“Of course,” Twilight replied, smiling gently at the thestral. “You have been nothing but kind and helpful since I’ve gotten here.”

“Though I’m surprised you didn't take the opportunity to bring out your dashing husband we have all heard so much about,” teased Rarity.

Dark Hallow blushed. “Maybe on a nicer day I’ll introduce you. But for now I just want to say that you made the right choice.”

“You're leaving already, boss man?” Rainbow Dash questioned. “I thought you were going to come to the celebration of life.”

The thestral sighed. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to excuse myself early. I have something that needs my attention. Besides, it seems like it's going to be more of a girls’ night anyway.”

Spike blinked. “Hey!”

Dark Hallow snickered, while bowing to Twilight. “When you have a moment, come speak to me. I have put together a team to help you out, but it will be a while before they will be able to do much as it's been surprisingly difficult just gathering them together.”

“I’ll make sure to see you as soon as I can,” Twilight promised, bowing back.

“Hopefully by then Iron Will has managed to dig up a lead for you. Until then may your nights be peaceful and your days short,” Dark Hallow replied, giving the mare a smile before slipping silently out of the room.

“Does he mean literal days?” Spike questioned. “‘Cause it's not like he wishes Dusk would die, right?”

Rarity nodded. “The eyes of a thestral and many other beings are injured by direct sunlight, so it is common to wish that one’s days are short.”

“We had to train a whole bunch during the day to make sure we were not useless when the sun came up. Let me tell you, it was not fun,” Rainbow Dash added, shuddering.

“Even I find the sun to be rather blinding,” admitted Fluttershy.

“So are we going to keep standing around and waiting for it to come up or are we going to the farm?” Spike questioned.

Applejack chuckled and patted the eager dragon on the head. “Hold on, little guy, I think Twilight needs another minute.”

“Actually, I think this is as good a time as any to get moving,” countered the undead unicorn, smiling. “I’m rather looking forward to telling you all about her when we start the celebration.”

“Oh, oh you’re going to love it, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed. “We all sit around, have snacks and cider while talking and telling stories. It's great!”

“It is a much needed change of pace after all this dour talk of death, I must admit,” remarked Rarity.

“True, well, what are we waiting for then?” Twilight offered, gesturing towards the exit.

Her friends all turned and began to file out of the building, the conversation quickly turning to the catering that Pinkie Pie had already provided. As the gaggle of creatures made their way to the exit, Twilight felt as though something was holding her back from leaving along with them. Her hoofsteps were heavy, and when she reached the edge of the room, she couldn't help but look back at the Hall of Memories.

Now that the space was empty, save for the many urns and the shafts of light that illuminated them, Twilight had to admit that it was a serene picture. The dome which filtered the moonlight was in itself an incredible piece of artistry, as the stained glass was a perfect recreation of the grey celestial body which hung above them. Twilight was about to turn away when something caught her eye, and she glanced over to her mother’s urn.

Where a purplish shape stood gazing at the container which bore Twilight Velvet’s name, as if studying it. Though vaguely pony-shaped, Twilight wasn't able to notice any other distinct features about it before the shape vanished. Lighting her horn, the unicorn scanned the room, trying to find any lingering spiritual essence to confirm that she wasn't losing her mind.

When nothing came back, Twilight was about to start searching the area in greater detail when a clawed hand grabbed her shoulder.

“You comin’, Dusk?” Spike asked curiously.

Twilight glanced around the room one final time and with a sigh, turned to the dragon. “Yeah. Just thought I saw something, is all.”

“It's probably ‘cause of all that sleep you’ve been skipping out on,” Spike exclaimed.

Twilight sighed as she followed her assistant to the door. “I told you, Spike, I don't need to sleep that much. In fact-”

Sunset Shimmer shifted awkwardly outside the Apple family homestead, distracting herself by tugging at the cloak which hid her boney appearance. The clothing itself had padding attached to the inside in order to give her a more pony-like general shape, and it seemed to catch on everything. The deep hood which hid her face also made her appear suspicious and no matter how much padding was added to her scarlet robes, it was obvious that she wasn't a normal pony.

The fabric hung too close to her neck, and though she wore black boots to hide her skeletal hooves, they were too small to be normal. That wasn't what bothered the undead however, as Sunset had already gotten quite used to the fact that she was now little more than a skeleton. Rather it was the fact that she was about to show up to a funeral for someone she had killed, and the fact that Twilight specifically invited her only eased her worries slightly.

Despite the moon sitting in the same spot that it always did, Sunset Shimmer knew at a glance that the hour was growing late, or early, depending on how you looked at it. The actual celebration itself was likely over, meaning that it was about time to start discussing what their next moves would be. A thought which only alleviated Sunset Shimmer’s guilt the tiniest bit, allowing the pony to finally work up the courage to knock on the door.

Her booted hoof clonked twice against the living wood, and a second later the door opened to reveal a familiar creature. His eyes glowed a bright green, and though he was clearly an earth pony, he appeared to be more wolf than equine. He was also looking down at Sunset with a piercing, yet curious gaze, studying the unicorn closely.

“Uh hi. My name is Sunset Shimmer and Twilight had asked for me to come here,” muttered the undead pony. “Are they done with the whole celebration of life thing?”

Big Macintosh nodded slowly. “Eeyup.”

“May I come in then?”

There was a pause, and for a moment Sunset Shimmer thought that the stallion may tell her to go away, only for him to snort. “Eeyup. They are straight through in the back lounge. If you get lost, just holler for help, and I’ll come find ya,” Big Macintosh exclaimed, taking a step back.

Sunset Shimmer nodded slowly, silently thankful that she had apparently passed the stallion’s unspoken test. “T-thanks,” she stuttered.

Sunset Shimmer quickly trotted past the looming stallion, feeling his glowing green orbs on her back the entire time she did so. The message was clear, he was going to be watching her, and Sunset Shimmer was certain that the big stallion knew exactly what Sunset had done. The skeletal pony tried to put such worrying thoughts out of her mind and simply focus on finding her way to this back lounge area.

Which wasn't too hard, but that was only because she didn't stray from the central hallway and wander any of the many rooms or side passages. She saw staircases that went up and down, large bedrooms, living spaces, a back exit, and even a kitchen during her short walk. Though not quite a mansion, the place was massive and felt more like a large communal apartment complex rather than a simple home.

In the end it was the sound of Pinkie Pie’s laughter that confirmed that she was going the right way and with hurried hoofsteps Sunset Shimmer trotted in that direction. Glancing into the last space before a mud room and the other exit, Sunset Shimmer found herself looking into what must have been the rear lounge. The first thing she noticed was a large bay window that overlooked the backyard and contained several large fluffy pillows upon which rested Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.

The spirit was in her equine form and had her much smaller mate tucked securely between her legs, a smile on both of their faces. The pleasant view wasn't the only disarming thing about the room though, as a large fireplace burned brightly in the far wall. How such a roaring fire managed to exist within a house made of living wood, Sunset Shimmer didn't know. What she did know was that Spike looked rather content sitting in front of it, his tail sticking into the flames.

Though only the size of a small dining room, the space was undeniably cozy and was made ever more relaxing by the addition of two large couches against the right wall. One of which was big enough to contain Rarity’s entire spider-like bulk with ease, the arachne’s many legs tucked beneath her. Pinkie Pie and Applejack sat upon the other couch, which somehow managed to hold up the rocky troll and the tree-backed earth pony without sagging.

Like all of the furniture in the room, the tall lounge chairs that stood on either side of the bay window appeared to be a century old despite having only existed for a month. Oak legs held up the main bulk which in turn had a deep earthy green trio of pillows resting upon it which perfectly supported Twilight’s long, gangly limbs. Left of the fireplace stood the only open seat, which happened to be another lounge chair identical to Twilight’s.

Sunset didn't move towards it, however, and clopped her hoof against the open door. “Pardon me. I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” she began.

“Nah, we were just talkin’ about all the food we plan on bakin’ for Twi,” Applejack replied.

Only to receive a rocky elbow to the gut from Pinkie. “Don't be rude, Jacky, she can't eat anymore,” hissed the troll.

“It's fine, really,” Sunset Shimmer stressed.

“Well, come in, darling, come in and make yourself comfortable,” Rarity offered, gesturing to the open chair.

Shooting a glance at Twilight, Sunset found that the mare was staring off into the distance, seemingly deep in thought. “Alright then,” muttered the skeletal pony.

Settling into her seat, Sunset let out a small sigh. “Oh wow. This is really comfy.”

“I know, right? Even the floor is comfortable enough to sleep on,” Spike exclaimed, patting the seemingly ancient floor boards.

“It's pretty cool that the house just straight up grew a bunch of pillows,” Rainbow Dash added. “Kinda makes me wonder what's in them though, like how are they so soft?”

“I think you’re even more huggable than the pillows,” whispered Fluttershy, the spirit resting her head atop Rainbow Dash’s.

The surprisingly unarmored thestral blushed and swatted her girlfriend’s hoof. “Not in front of the others,” she hissed.

Rarity took that as her cue and cleared her throat. “Regardless, I’m glad you could join us. Twilight had briefly mentioned you were going to be coming down after the celebration was over in order to discuss something important,” Rarity exclaimed, raising her voice slightly at the end in order to grab Twilight’s attention.

The other undead shook her head. “Oh, uh yeah,” she murmured, looking over to Sunset Shimmer. “What have you been told about Luna?”

“Uh, not much, I’m afraid,” Sunset Shimmer admitted, shrugging her skeletal shoulders. “I’ve been able to infer some things from Celestia’s various episodes though.”

“Episodes?” Twilight questioned, the lean unicorn leaning forward in her chair.

“Are you sure you want to talk about that?” questioned Fluttershy kindly.

“It's fine, really,” Sunset Shimmer assured.

“Well, if you’re certain…” Fluttershy murmured.

“I am,” Sunset Shimmer declared, turning to Twilight, “and to answer your question, I can recall two times where the topic of sisters was brought up. Each time it sparked a rather unpleasant reaction from her.”

“I’ll say. One shouldn't be able to commit sororicide without having some kinda guilt,” Applejack remarked.

“I’m not even sure it was guilt though,” Sunset Shimmer explained. “The first time she started talking about how wonderful her sister was, only to suddenly get this weird, distant look in her eye and stop talking. After that she just kinda left without saying anything, almost like she was sleepwalking.”

“That is… weird,” Rarity admitted.

“Quite,” Twilight added. “She always seemed sane, if immeasurably cruel.”

“So what was this other time?” prompted Rainbow Dash, the thestral’s sharp, batlike ears perking up.

Sunset Shimmer’s strange, aetherial voice lowered slightly. “That time she had an entire conversation with herself. Kept trying to convince someone that it was necessary and had evidently forgotten that I was even there.”

“Explain,” Twilight demanded.

The skeletal unicorn shrugged. “That's basically it. She just talked to herself about it being necessary, but never explaining what it is. I didn't know what she was talking about at the time, as knowledge of Luna has always been harshly suppressed.”

“But what about the moon?” Applejack questioned. “I mean, if that demon is associated with the sun, then wouldn't people wonder about the other celestial body?”

Twilight cleared her throat. “It is taught in school that when the gods left, they refused to move the moon any further. Only when ponykind rules over all will they return and make it move once more.”

“That's really messed up,” muttered Pinkie Pie.

“You’re telling me,” Sunset Shimmer remarked. “It's hard to think that I actually believed that for most of my life. Only for it to turn out that the moon is the way it is because Celestia killed her own sister and that the old gods were never real in the first place.”

“They might have been,” Twilight corrected. “Though the last alicorns most likely did not leave because ponies refused to try and take over the world, but rather due to low numbers. The mythology around them is a little muddy, I’m afraid, and my research has brought up many conflicting pieces of evidence.”

“In general, we who live in the moon’s light believe that such a question is irrelevant,” Rarity explained. “They are gone, and our goddess is dead.”

“It's so weird that you guys call her that, though I suppose Celestia only pretends to dissuade ponies from referring to her as a god,” Sunset Shimmer added.

“Regardless,” Twilight interrupted, “I have a reason to believe that resurrecting her is indeed possible.”

“She's an alicorn though. I thought you would need like, near infinite power?” Sunset Shimmer questioned.

“Yeah, Twi, you never really explained that part,” Pinkie Pie added.

Twilight sighed and scratched the back of her neck. “There is one part that is missing from my calculations, but I have a feeling that I will be able to figure that out in time. Right now we need to focus on finding her body, that tablet Sunset Shimmer saw, and any other information on necromancy.”

“Are you sure that's going to be enough though?” Rainbow Dash pressed. “‘Cause it seems to me like only a god has the power to resurrect another god.”

“That may be the only way, but…” Twilight frowned. “I know it's possible, only I can't explain why I feel so strongly about that fact.”

“Is it another vision from the past?” Fluttershy asked.

“Or maybe a vision from the future!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, raising a hoof into the air.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I don't think that second one is even possible.”

“Why not? Do you know how time travel works?” Pinkie Pie retorted.

“I…” Twilight’s mouth closed and the mare sat in silence for several seconds. “I admit I have no idea how this works. It just doesn't feel like going forward should be possible.”

“Well, if you are getting visions from the past doesn't that mean that some other version of you could be receiving the same kinda visions from you?” Applejack interjected.

“I suppose,” Twilight shook her head. “Either way, that part doesn't matter. What matters is that we focus on what we can do to bring Luna back.”

“Preferably before Celestia goes to war with us,” Rainbow Dash remarked with a snort.

“She wouldn't do that, would she?” Fluttershy whispered, squeezing the thestral a little tighter.

“Absolutely. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she was already making plans to do just that,” Sunset Shimmer replied.

“Do you think she’d try to kill Twilight again, or go straight to the whole war thing?” Pinkie Pie questioned.

Sunset Shimmer tapped the hoofrest of her chair. “Probably the second one. I feel like she’d likely send one more assassin and if they failed, she would probably try launching a full scale invasion of some kind.”

“The forest will protect us though, right?” Rarity asked, glancing nervously from Twilight to Rainbow Dash. “I mean, it has in the past, so why wouldn't it do so now?”

“She’s had to have figured out some way to counter the forest’s effects by now though. Or at least she has an idea or two,” Twilight concluded. “I mean, she’s been vying for control of the Everfree for almost a thousand years at this point.”

“I really hope Dark Hallow has something planned, because this can't end well,” Rainbow Dash murmured.

Spike suddenly stood up. “You can't be serious about all this. Celestia being evil now I can understand, even Luna passing away, but another big war? That's crazy!”

“She’s started at least nine wars during the time I’ve been alive,” Sunset Shimmer countered.

“No way…” Spike murmured.

“I’m sorry, Spike, but it's true,” Twilight replied.

The dragon sighed and slowly sunk back into his spot in front of the fireplace. “I hoped that by now you guys would reveal it's all a big joke or something, you know? This all feels so unreal.”

“The Everfree hasn't seen a big fight in centuries. We should probably warn the other towns and cities,” Applejack remarked, glancing to Rainbow Dash expectantly.

“Already done,” declared the thestral. “Though not all of them are heeding the warning, mind you. That being said, the big cities are raising armies as we speak.”

“Hopefully they are ready in time for whatever is coming,” Sunset Shimmer murmured.

“And in the meantime, I’ll be working with the nightmare to try and locate Luna’s body,” Twilight began. “Once we have it and the tablet, then there is a good chance I can start researching a way to bring her back.”

“I assume you have an idea as to where to start,” Rarity offered.

Twilight opened her mouth, only for her shadow to suddenly rise up, form a hoof, and point east.

“Well, that answers that,” concluded Pinkie Pie.

“Pretty much,” added Twilight, the shadow falling back into its natural position. “Now that it and I are connected, I’ve been able to understand it better. In time I feel like I’ll be able to find out exactly where Luna’s final resting place is.”

“So, what do we do in the meantime then?” questioned Spike. “‘Cause I admit I feel a little useless sitting on my hands while you guys go off on these big adventures.”

“Oh, Spike, you’re just a kid. You should just focus on making friends and enjoying yourself,” Rarity replied.

“But then I feel guilty for not doing anything,” countered the dragon.

“Why don't you take some classes in fighting?” offered Fluttershy, who blinked when everyone looked at her. “What? Is there something on my face?”

Rainbow Dash grabbed the spirit’s hoof just as she was about to start searching for anything that may be amiss. “I think they are just surprised that you were the one to suggest such a thing,” explained the thestral.

“Err, yeah, Flutters. You are like the least violent creature I know!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “And I know a lot of people.”

“It's not like I’m suggesting he go out and fight or anything,” Fluttershy murmured.

“I actually agree with her,” Twilight added. “If you want to feel like you’re helping, then you should start taking some lessons from a competent instructor. If nothing else, it would be some good exercise.”

Spike sighed. “Damn, Dusk. You really know how to sap all the fun out of learning how to fight.”

“Half of fightin’ is just bein’ tougher than the other guy,” Applejack countered.

“Yeah, and you can't be tough if you don't work out,” exclaimed Rainbow Dash.

Spike crossed his arms over his chest. “Whatever, so what are the rest of you going to do then?”

“I’ll be continuing my training as a shaman!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed.

“I’m going to spend some time with my family and maybe learn how this body works better,” Applejack replied.

Fluttershy nodded. “Me too.”

“I’ll be receiving some extra training myself. Boss man said something about trying to teach me shadow magic,” replied Rainbow Dash.

“I wanted to study more necromancy,” offered Sunset Shimmer hopefully.

“Don't worry, I was planning on teaching you as much as you have the aptitude to learn, while also hunting down some more information,” added Twilight.

“And I will continue to learn more of weaving,” declared Rarity. “Perhaps by the time things go south, I will be able to outfit you with the most resplendent silk steel armor.”

Rainbow Dash groaned and planted a hoof against her forehead. “You don't need the armor to look good, Rarity.”

“Au contraire!” Rarity exclaimed. “A dashing knight must be adorned with armor that fits their bravery.”

Twilight chuckled. “Either way, I’d just be happy to not be wandering around without any defences.”

Big Macintosh suddenly poked his head into the room. “I’m hitting the hay, it's getting early.”

Applejack cursed and glanced out the window, the farm pony noticing that a bit of orange light was beginning to creep into the orchard. “Shoot. We’ve been talkin’ so long I forgot all about my chores,” Applejack remarked bitterly.

“I did ‘em!” Big Macintosh shouted, the stallion having disappeared around the bend.

“Well, that's a relief,” Applejack murmured, relaxing in her seat.

“I probably should return home before Sweetie Belle begins to worry,” Rarity offered, rising from her seat.

“This does seem like a good time to end things for the night. Unless Twilight has anything to add…” Fluttershy stated expectantly.

The necromancer shook her head. “No. I’ve said all I wanted to.”

“I’ll see you girls soon!” Pinkie Pie declared, leaping out of her seat.

Goodbyes were said, thanks were given to the host, and soon enough the various beings were going their separate ways. All save for Twilight, Sunset, and Spike, who all went in the same direction and had thus taken the same path back to town. A path which wound silently through the orchard and around a small stream which popped up out of seemingly nowhere.

Twilight stopped, and glanced towards the burbling brook. “You two go on ahead, I just remembered I had to talk to someone,” Twilight remarked.

Spike raised an eyebrow and turned to the mare. “But I thought you discussed all you wanted with the girls,” he replied.

Sunset Shimmer stepped forward and grabbed the dragon by his shoulder. “Come on, Spike. Let her have some privacy.”

The teenager seemed ready to argue, only to shrug. “Alright, then. Keep your secrets.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Thank you, Sunset. I’ll be home shortly, don't worry.”

The skeletal pony nodded. “Take your time.”

The necromancer watched her two companions round another bend before walking over to a tree at the edge of the water. “We need to talk,” she stated simply.

A second later a black hole-ridden shape fell from above, landing deftly on all four hooves. “Impressive. Let me guess, you’ve been practicing your life detection ability ever since Sunset Shimmer happened?” Chrysalis offered, pulling back her tattered hood.

Twilight nodded. “It made me realize just how many of my problems could have been avoided if I had simply gotten better at it.”

Chrysalis shook her hoof at the pony. “Don't rely on it too much. If I had access to my magic, I could have easily hidden myself from this new ability of yours.”

“I know. Which is why I’ll be starting stealth training with Rainbow Dash in a few days in order to get better at finding hidden enemies,” Twilight replied.

The changeling queen smiled. “It's like our little Twilight has finally grown up.”

“No thanks to someone,” Twilight retorted pointedly.

Chrysalis raised her hooves. “I admit that Sunset Shimmer did manage to best me briefly, but it was only just barely. Besides, if I had dealt with her, she would not come back, and you would not have another powerful ally in your fight against Celestia.”

“Yeah, about that…” Twilight muttered.

“What's this? Did your desire for revenge finally burn itself out?” Chrysalis sniffed the air. “Because I still smell a lingering anger on you.”

“I do still want revenge. This entire thing has been so exhausting though, and I feel like I hardly know what I’m doing,” Twilight exclaimed in an exasperated tone.

“Well, you’ve done a fantastic job so far,” Chrysalis countered, flashing the necromancer a smile. “And don't sound too defeated, you have plenty of friends to help you now.”

Twilight wilted even more. “That makes it worse. I don't think I could bring myself to put them into harm's way. Even Sunset Shimmer for that matter.”

The changeling hummed thoughtfully. “That will be a question you have to deal with, but know this. If you do not find the answer to that question on your own, Celestia may very well force you to.”

Twilight nodded slowly. “I suppose it's just something I’ll have to face soon enough. I have a question of my own though.”

“Shoot.”

“Do we even have a chance?” Twilight inquired, wincing slightly and rubbing the back of her neck. “I know you’ve been undermining her for a long time, but she has so many ponies under her command and so much power. Even if we brought back Luna, would that be enough?”

“Yes and no,” Chrysalis cautioned, the changeling kneeling down and building a small pyramid out of loose twigs. “Celestia has ensured that every single facet of government relies on her and her alone. Which makes bringing it down relatively easy, as killing her would topple the entire regime, but if we did so, there would be other problems. Plus that's assuming that it's even possible to kill her in the first place.”

“Like what kind of problems?” Twilight prompted.

“Well, for one, the entire Equestrian government would collapse inward on itself,” Chrysalis explained, plucking a seemingly random stick from her pile and causing the entire thing to fall apart. “It would be chaos, and without the fear that Celestia projects on most of the known world, just about every other nation would declare war.”

The changeling stomped on the pile of sticks. “The dragons would wish to retake their ancestral burial grounds stolen from them by Celestia’s aggression. The minotaurs would demand the return of their holy relics stolen by Celestia’s assassins and used as leverage against them. The griffons would want their provinces back, and there would be no easy way of removing the half a million colonists that have since moved in.”

Each time she finished a sentence, the changeling stepped on the pile of sticks until there was nothing left. “And that's only some of the outside threats, nevermind the damage done by rebellions, potential Celestial loyalists, and general anarchy,” Chrysalis finished, brushing aside the pile of destroyed twigs.

Twilight let out a slow breath. “That is… a lot to deal with.”

“And remember that's assuming we can even kill her in the first place,” Chrysalis stated. “She is an immensely powerful alicorn that has spent well over a thousand years building up said power. I wouldn't be surprised if she has dozens of failsafes, hideouts, back-up plans, and other surprises in store for us.”

“I’m assuming you are working on figuring those things out though… right?” Twilight questioned.

The changeling shrugged. “As best as we can, obviously. It isn't an easy job and will only become harder the more Celestia devotes her country’s resources towards war.”

“I never really thought of it like that,” Twilight admitted, rubbing the back of her neck. “I always assumed that as soon as we got rid of Celestia that things would, I don't know… go back to normal?”

Chrysalis chuckled and patted the younger being on the back. “You’re young and haven't toppled your first regime yet. That will change.”

Twilight sighed. “So are you going to stay in Ponyville and keep watching over me?”

The changeling took a step back. “No, you seem to have gathered more than enough allies to make my assistance more or less redundant. At this point I’m pretty sure I’d just get in the way.”

“So you’ll be going back to Canterlot then, right?” Twilight pressed.

Chrysalis nodded. “I will, and though I still feel a little bad I wasn't able to help more than I did, at least you don't have to worry about that dragon or those flesh-mad parasprites.”

“Wait, what dragon and what's a flesh-mad parasprite?” Twilight asked.

Chrysalis chuckled. “Don't worry about it. Just focus on your studies of necromancy and trying to find Luna’s body.”

Twilight ground her teeth together and reluctantly sighed. “Fine, but can you at least tell me everything you know about my past self? You seem to hint that you knew her or at least knew of her.”

The changeling smirked and took a step back, raising her hood. “You don't need to know that right now. All you do need to know is that someone dangerous has been sent after you.”

“Wait, who is coming after me?” Twilight shouted, scrambling after the changeling as she began to fade into the darkness.

“Commander Tempest Shadow, and if Celestia’s reports are to be believed, she personally led a battalion of battle mages in the conquest of the Storm Lands,” Chrysalis whispered from somewhere nearby. “She did not come out unscathed however, and now she seeks to prove her value to Celestia in order to get her horn back after the Storm King himself took it from her.”

“Wait, Storm King? Storm Lands? What are you talking--and she's gone.” Twilight frowned.

Twilight grumbled as she made her way back towards town, annoyed that she was left wondering about something she should have known. The only thing that saved her from a foul mood was the fact that she had finally reached the point where this didn't happen everyday. Trotting through the woods, Twilight eventually emerged back into Ponyville, only to find that the early hour had driven away most other people.

Looking around, the necromancer hoped she could find a guard in order to find out about this Storm Lands place, lest she be unable to rest due to her curiosity getting the better of her. Winding her way through the streets, Twilight found that although there were a few people still out and about, they hardly even noticed her. The denizens of Ponyville avoided the light of the sun as much as possible, and today was no different.

She was about to give up and go back to the library in order to do a little research on her own when she noticed something strange. A surprisingly stocky thestral as well as a tall, thin troll and what looked like a bipedal cat were standing on a street corner chatting about something. Pushing down her still lingering social anxiety, Twilight made her way towards the trio, studying them curiously as she did so.

The troll was slim, sleek and was almost completely coated in small, greyish stones, or at least every bit that wasn't covered by armor, that is. She was also tall enough to look even Twilight in the eye, provided her long, black hair wasn't covering her sharp, blue eyes. The only bit of clothing she wore was the thick breast plate which covered the majority of her barrel, leaving almost none of her white fur visible.

The thestral which stood next to the troll had a wide grin on his face and wore the standard black armor of the night guard, though his helm was strapped to his side. Visibly younger than his companions, the bat pony was surprisingly well-built, with large deep violet wings to match. Unlike the troll, the thestral was almost wider than they were tall, though they clearly worked out and packed a lot of muscle into their pinkish-red body.

Unlike the other two, the cat wore no armor, though they did wear a simple vest one may expect a merchant to have. A longsword was belted at their hip and both of their hands rested comfortably at their sides, clearly at ease with their companions. Twilight inevitably felt her gaze drawn up to the creature’s sharp green eyes and slitted pupils which peeked out from the void that was their pitch black fur.

“Hello. I hope I’m not interrupting anything, but I had a few questions, if you don't mind,” Twilight greeted.

The troll nodded slowly, her eyes inspecting Twilight closely. “Not at all, citizen, do you need assistance of some kind?”

“Citizen? This is Twilight Sparkle!” exclaimed the thestral in a shocked tone. “If she has a problem, then chances are we aren't going to be able to help her with it.”

“Oh, I wouldn't go that far,” Twilight replied sheepishly.

“But I would,” countered the cat in a strangely androgynous tone. “I have only been in town for a few hours and already I have heard tales of your exploits.”

“Really? I didn't think I’ve done anything that impressive,” Twilight murmured.

“You not only survived the undertower, but reached the bottom, bonded with the nightmare, and brought back the Tree of Knowledge!” exclaimed the thestral, throwing his forelegs up in the air. “Noone has managed to do any of those things before.”

“Plus you're a necromancer and you’ve spoken to the nightwatcher herself,” added the troll in a monotone voice.

“I haven't heard of that last one,” admitted the cat creature.

“You mean Nebula?” Twilight asked.

“She told you her real name?!” gasped the thestral.

“Err, yeah?” Twilight muttered.

“You’re scaring the poor girl,” admonished the troll, who extended a hoof. “My name is Granite Shield. You’ll have to excuse my partner Feather Song. He’s a bit excitable.”

“And I am Night Eyes. Abyssinian trader and traveler here on business,” offered the strangely androgynous cat, who bowed slightly to the necromancer.

Twilight clopped her hoof against the troll’s and then bowed to the Abyssinian. “I’d introduce myself, but it seems like you already know who I am.”

“So what did you need help with? You aren't fighting another monster, are you?” asked the thestral inquisitively.

“Cindy Bindy and Mindy are not a monster,” stated the troll.

Feather Song rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean.”

“Actually, I was just hoping to ask a few questions,” Twilight began. “I was under the impression that the Storm Lands were little more than myth, yet I have heard that they were conquered by Cel--I mean, her.”

All eyes turned to the Abyssinian, who sighed. “It is indeed true, and though the majority of my people have fled into the relative safety of the forest, some are still thrall to the sun tyrant’s governor.”

“You may wish to read ‘The Storm Lands, a Land of Myth and Mystery’ by Long Gaze for more context,” offered Granite Shield.

“Oh, uh, thank you. I’ll definitely do that,” Twilight replied.

“Is there anything else you wish to know?” added the Abyssinian.

“I just wanted to figure out how it happened and anything you may know about Tempest Shadow,” Twilight exclaimed.

“She is as cruel as she is mysterious,” remarked Feather Song, who shuddered. “As much as I want her brought to justice, I hope she never comes here.”

“Err yeah, me too,” Twilight murmured weakly.

“She led the final assault which killed our king, a gnoll chieftain who wielded the staff of storms which have safeguarded our island home for centuries,” explained Night Eyes. “She only appeared after the assassination of our queen, having claimed responsibility for the foul deed.”

“Wait, what race was the queen? Is it possible that Tempest Shadow is her, but has been tricked into believing she's someone else?” Twilight inquired.

The troll let out a snort. “Unlikely. The body of the queen was displayed for all to see, and not only that, but the queen was an earth pony named Storm Surge.”

“And yet she married a gnoll of all people, there must be a story in there,” Twilight muttered aloud.

“Indeed, there is. It was quite romantic,” deadpanned the troll.

“She managed to find her way through the storm’s eye twice in order to get the king his favorite drink from the mainland after hearing talk that he missed it,” explained Feather Song. “Not quite the stuff of ballads, but if a mare did that for me, I’d marry her on the spot.”

The Abyssinian chuckled. “Our king was always a down to earth man, and the world is a worse place with him gone.”

“All you need to know about the war is that Tempest Shadow managed to infiltrate our lands, kill our queen, assault the storm’s scourge, and then murder our king in cold blood,” hissed Night Eyes. “She is a twisted assassin every bit as cruel and underhanded as Celestia herself.”

“When did this all happen though?” Twilight questioned. “I thought I would have heard something about that when I was in Canterlot.”

“Oh, about eight or nine months ago? Not long,” answered Feather Song.

“That must have happened like immediately after I was… exiled, for lack of a better word,” Twilight muttered.

“Don't worry about it, my friend. Getting used to how time flows within the forest can be difficult at best,” offered Granite Shield.

“I admit it's something that I struggle with to this day,” added Night Eyes.

Feather Song shrugged. “I don't know what you two are talking about. Sometimes time goes fast, other times it's slow.”

Twilight shook her head. “Regardless. I was curious as to why Celestia would attack this place. The Storm King sounded like a good person.”

“Oh he was, he was,” remarked the Abyssinian mournfully. “But he was also cognizant of how Celestia’s enemies suffered and did what he could to ease their worries.”

“So Celestia had him killed in order to stop this assistance he was giving them?” Twilight concluded.

“I am afraid that is true. Though since the Storm King died, many have fled into the forest or otherwise joined the armies of any who would stand against Equestria,” stated Granite Shield.

“Yeah, plus now the sun tyrant has to try and govern a dozen scattered islands out in the middle of nowhere,” added Feather Song.

“Is that all you wished to know?” inquired Night Eyes, who leaned forward, thumbs hooked into the arm holes of their jacket.

Twilight nodded. “It was. Sorry to bother you, I know it's early.”

“It was no problem,” exclaimed the troll.

“Any time!” added the thestral excitedly.

“I wish you well on your journeys, young seeker,” offered the Abyssinian, who bowed low, extending a hand, palm raised.

Twilight stepped back and began to trot away, her mind awhirl with questions and more than a little wild speculation.

“I can't believe the nightbringer spoke to me,” whispered Feather Song after Twilight had made it a few feet away.

“She has not earned that honorific quite yet,” corrected Granite Shield.

“But she might,” countered Night Eyes.

Twilight shook her head and turned towards the direction of home, trying to put the three strangers’ words out of her mind. Yet try as she might, Twilight could do no such thing and found herself wondering what she would do with her unlife. Revenge had always been at the back of her mind, yet now that urge seemed almost petty and small in the grand scheme of things.

The world was a big place, with even larger problems, and it was clear that simply killing Celestia was not going to cut it. She wouldn't be able to simply look away either, for if Twilight had the power to help, the necromancer knew she would try to do just that. One thing was certain, she would need to resurrect Luna and become much, much more powerful.

In for a penny, in for a pound, Twilight thought to herself as she reached the library, her mind already coming up with a list of experiments she wanted to do and books she wanted to read.

Tempest Shadow stood tall atop a toppled boulder, her back straight and her head held high as she looked out over her soldiers. They, like her, wore the armor of Celestia’s Chosen, their forms covered by a perfect shell of thick, golden armor. It did not weigh them down as several minor runes kept it light enough to move and cast in.

There were a select few who wore no protection, save for golden robes indicating that they were the most powerful spellcasters in Tempest Shadow’s cadre. Which numbered at exactly twenty-five, and that was without including their slightly heavier armored group of knights that surrounded them. With them, the total number of soldiers was only an one hundred strong, though even still Tempest Shadow was confident in her ponies.

After all, they had some of the finest war golems ever constructed, most of whom were clearing the forest all around them in preparation to set down their first camp of their journey. Their heavy, often bladed limbs made short work of even the largest of trees, deepest of bushes, or most impassable of vegetation. The ground was so littered with debris and destroyed plant life that it would have been an obstacle in its own right. That was if Tempest's soldiers had not utilized a large summoned disc of golden light to carry them deeper into the woods.

Now however, they stood on barren ground, using their magic to heft aside the fallen trees and clear a patch for them to set up their tents. It may have been a bit to soon to do so, given that it was only early evening, but Tempest Shadow knew that many of her ponies had not taken well to their sudden forced march. In the end the unicorn understood the importance of maintaining morale, and after their hastened training and extensive workload, they would need time to relax.

Humming thoughtfully to herself, the unicorn looked up at the evening sky, noting that the moon remained fixed in its usual place while thin wispy orange clouds hung above them. It was a beautiful sight, though the same couldn't be said to the trail of destruction nearly a kilometre long and twenty metres wide. Destroyed trees, toppled stones, and trampled vegetation covered the now desecrated forest.

Though a small part of the unicorn felt a little bad about causing so much devastation, she quickly dismissed that notion. The forest was the size of a small continent and could afford to lose a bit of mass, given its sheer enormity. Noting that her soldiers had begun to erect tents and her golems had completed a wide circle around them, Tempest Shadow was about to hop down from her post when she noticed something at the edge of the camp.

Trees shifted and parted like water, allowing one of the most enormous creatures she had ever seen to emerge from the forest. Towering over even the tallest of her golems, the monster stood nearly three stories tall and had three heads that peered out over the area with an inquisitiveness that a simple animal should be incapable of. Though on first glance it appeared to be a normal chimera that was different only due to its sheer size, Tempest Shadow quickly realized that such an assumption was incorrect.

For it had the regular number of heads of chimera, one tiger, one ram, and one snake, its eyes were all the same. Bright yellow sclera outlined three terrifying sets of blood red pupils which lacked irises entirely. Its limbs were also a mishmash of other creatures’, such as a tiger paw and a clawed hand that one may expect to find attached to a griffon. Its back legs were also different, as one ended in a hoof while the other sported scales and claws like that of a dragon.

Its eyes immediately landed on Tempest Shadow, and the unicorn couldn't help but feel a primal bolt of terror travel up her spine. Whatever this creature was, it knew that she was in charge around here, and it clearly didn't like what Tempest Shadow was up to. A second later the creature exploded into motion, leaping over the golems which had been awaiting orders, and made a beeline towards Tempest Shadow’s position.

“Knights to me, mages, recall your golems and prepare defensive matrix omega!” Tempest Shadow shouted, the unicorn leaping off her rock and sprinting towards her soldiers.

Who were already scrambling back into their assigned positions, with tents hastily thrown aside and a bubble springing up around them. Though the golden dome wasn't the thickest, it at least covered all of the pony soldiers, and was quickly reinforced as other unicorns quickly joined in. Just in time too, as the beast plowed into the wall with enough force to cause a shockwave to ripple across the ground.

A soldier next to Tempest crumpled to the ground, hooves going up to her sparking horn as a groan slipped past her lips.

“Focus, ponies! Remember your training, layers upon layers, not just one wall!” Tempest shouted.

A second later the dome gained definition, becoming a dome-shaped hexagon with dozens of overlapping sections, each at a different angle. This shift seemed to have the desired effect as the next time the creature slammed its shoulder into the barrier her mages didn't so much as flinch. Though that didn't mean her knights didn't stumble back a step, their horns glowing brightly as they gripped both swords and shields.

“Ma’am. The shield is holding. What are your orders?” shouted a pony Tempest Shadow recognized as Blazing Dawn.

“Recall three of the golems and get them to attack the beast. It's about time we found an opportunity to test their resilience and our mages’ ability to command them,” Tempest Shadow replied, watching as the great creature threw itself repeatedly at the shield wall, not gaining an inch.

“You heard the mare, get on it!” bellowed the short unicorn.

Immediately several golems, which had merely been standing around outside the shield, turned towards the monster and raised their weapons. Two were slimmer than most of the constructs and had two pairs of arms that each ended in blades that were nearly eight feet in length. The larger and bulkier golem stood a head taller than its fellows and wielded a shield in one hand as well as an enormous axe capable of felling a mature redwood in a single swipe in the other.

The very second her inanimate soldiers turned towards the beast, the monster stopped its attack and turned to face them. For a moment no one moved, and then after giving a nod to three of the mages, the golems exploded into motion. The slimmer ones flanked the three-headed creature from the sides, while the larger one banged its enchanted axehead against its shield, trying to grab the chimera’s attention.

Which didn't seem to work, as the monster quickly diverted its full attention to the rightmost golem, charging forward with its ram’s head lowered. Surprised by the strangely intelligent action, the golem’s operator was forced to raise all four limbs into a crossguard while also bracing itself. Horn met blade with a force that the unicorn controller had not been expecting, forcing the inanimate soldier to lean fully into the blow.

Which seemed to be exactly what the chimera wanted, as it hooked a horn beneath one of the golem’s arms and heaved the golem over its back. For a single horrified moment the gathered ponies watched on in shock as the enormous construct flew through the air and impacted its fellow. A resounding crash echoed through the clearing, the two golems landing in a heap and leaving their pony controllers struggling to untangle them.

In the span of seconds the creature had gone from cornered and about to fight three foes, to facing a single enemy with full range of motion. The larger golem’s operator had recovered from her shock by then and charged forward, axe raised and aimed at the ram head. Thousands of pounds of force slammed down into the horn which had been deftly maneuvered into position, the bony growth somehow holding out against enchanted steel.

Once more the golem’s controller found herself baffled by this move, leaving the construct open to the snake head striking at its elbow. Massive fangs sunk straight through stone like it was little more than butter, and for a moment Tempest Shadow wondered what the beast had hoped to accomplish. Only for her question to be answered when she saw the golem’s joint begin to turn from a resplendent white to an ugly greenish-grey color.

The golem’s controller tried to pull back on the arm, only to end up retrieving half of the thing, losing everything below the shoulder. The viper head then turned and spat out the crumbling stone limb, enchantments sparking briefly as they were destroyed. Now with just one hand and only a shield, the golem stumbled back, raising its sole arm in a desperate bid to protect itself.

“Everyone not on shield duty hop on a golem. I want this thing dead, now!” Tempest Shadow shouted.

While mages scrambled to cast the proper connection ritual, the chimera was busy batting aside the golem’s defences. It followed this up by scratching its chest with a tiger paw, the enormous claws somehow managing to slice through the magically enhanced stone with the same ease that its snake head had bit through it. The golem’s movements immediately became erratic, and the operator standing near Tempest struggled to stay standing as her horn grew increasingly bright.

Thankfully for her, the other two golems had managed to untangle themselves and were charging to assist, along with a dozen others who were approaching from the treeline. The creature noticed this, but didn't seem phased in the slightest, its horns glowing a strange miasma of rainbow colors before the ground erupted with green. Thick roots grappled at the golem’s feet, causing more than a few of the inanimate soldiers to trip and stumble as their operators struggled to realize what was happening.

Then, before anyone could free themselves, the creature punched straight through one of the already damaged golem’s front legs, toppling it forwards. It never hit the ground though, as the monster’s tiger head had opened its mouth wide before biting off the top section of the golem. Severing enchantments meant to stop ancient dragons with power to spare, the creature then spat out the offending hunk of rock and began to sprint towards the treeline.

“What are you doing? Free yourselves and don't let it get away!” Tempest bellowed, her horn sparking angrily.

Her subordinates struggled to react in time, and only one of thinner golems managed to slice through the roots gripping its legs. Meeting the creature with sword limbs raised, the beast didn't slow one bit, vaulting off the stone Tempest Shadow had been standing atop only a few minutes earlier. Even with its incredible strength, the unicorn soldier already knew that it wouldn't be able to leap right over it, and the golem raised its limbs, readying itself to strike.

Only for the creature to never come back down, as a pair of mismatched wings had burst from its back, each the length of its entire body. For a moment the sun was blotted out by the beast’s great wing span, and a titanic flap sent dust and debris flying into the air. The golem’s operator had been ready for a sudden shift in battle, however, and leapt straight up, blades swinging wildly, desperate to at least score a single hit on the monster.

And hit they did, though only just barely, drawing a tiny trickle of blood from the hooved back leg of the great monster. Who didn't even seem to notice the attack, flying straight over the gathered golems and landing back safely in the forest. As Tempest Shadow watched, the beast vanished in an instant and not a single bush was startled by its passing.

“Hold!” Tempest shouted, hoof raised.

Her soldiers finished freeing themselves, but otherwise remained in position, each one peering at the section of forest that their foe had vanished into. When it didn't return after several minutes, Tempest Shadow let out a sigh, nearly slumping to the ground once it was clear they wouldn't be fighting it again anytime soon.

“Hold shield, but divert power to backup crystals!” Tempest exclaimed, turning to her soldiers. “Salvage the damaged golem and fix it if possible. Otherwise I want as many unicorns as possible to be scanning the point where the creature injected that venom.”

Spinning on her heel, the commander ignored her soldiers scrambling to do what they were told and stomped right up to the lone golem operator who had managed to injure the beast. “I want you to instill a set of commands into your golem, have it run ahead of the main army and seek out our target. Before you do that, however, I want you to activate all of the remote scrying enchantments placed on it. I want to know exactly what we are dealing with before we run into it.”

The unicorn soldier nodded eagerly. “Right away, ma’am!”

“Good, because this little setback is going to push our timetable back considerably, and I will not suffer another one like it,” Tempest Shadow added.

“Understood, ma’am!” exclaimed the unicorn, whose horn began to glow ever brighter.

Grunting, Tempest Shadow turned from the operator, her gaze lingering in the direction she knew Ponyville to lie. “Let’s see how you deal with something that is neither alive nor dead, you filthy corpse lover.”

Author's Note

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Guided by Faith

“Alright, review time. Let's see what you’ve all managed to learn,” stated Twilight, who stood up from her desk near the corner of the basement and trotted over to the table Sunset Shimmer was using.

The skeleton quickly pulled back her book and watched curiously as her teacher approached her work space. “I know we are leaving for our little adventure soon, but you don't need to quiz me. I’ve got those spells down pat,” she assured the other undead.

Twilight nodded slowly. “And I trust that you aren't lying to me. I would just like to know for certain that you have it mastered, is all.”

Sunset Shimmer nodded, placed a mark in her book, and put it off to the side. “Alright, and how would you like me to demonstrate my knowledge of healing magic? I don't think it would be very ethical to drag someone off the street. Though I suppose we could hang around the hospital until someone shows up.”

“I don't think they’d appreciate us moving in on their business, and besides, I have a better idea,” Twilight stated, her eyes beginning to glow a faint bluish green.

Sunset Shimmer held her non-existent tongue and watched as her teacher worked one of the most complicated necromancy spells the skeleton had ever seen before. The underlying weave of magic was incredibly dense, with its central matrix layered with several overlapping layers. Then, just when Sunset Shimmer was certain she knew what Twilight was about to cast, the necromancer’s eyes flashed white and the spellform twisted.

It formed into the shape of a one-foot-tall, featureless purple pony, the magical creature testing each one of its legs before looking up at Sunset expectantly.

“You're not the only one who’s been studying,” quipped the necromancer.

“That is amazing,” Sunset muttered. “Is it alive?”

“Not exactly,” Twilight replied. “It doesn't think or feel, but when you use a scanning spell on it, your magic will think it's a living creature. I don't think I need to tell you how useful this thing is for testing more complicated healing magic on.”

Sunset Shimmer watched as the other unicorn grabbed a scalpel and ran it down the side of the magical construct. With eyes wide, the skeleton stared closely at the creature, expecting it to react, only for it to continue to stand there. Inspecting the part of its body that had been cut, Sunset found that there were no visible wounds.

Remembering what her teacher had said about the scanning spell, Sunset Shimmer lit her horn and cast just such a spell. “That is beyond weird. The spell thinks it's alive, and I can even imagine what the laceration would look like,” she muttered as information poured into her mind.

“Then you can proceed whenever you’re ready,” Twilight urged, gesturing to the magical construct.

Sunset Shimmer nodded and began to cast the healing spell she had in mind, only to remember that it wasn't from a traditional school of magic. The unicorn let her magic dissipate, and, instead of focusing on her horn, forced the energy to gather at the tip of her raised hoof. Which quickly began to glow with the color of her magic, the boney limb hovering over the injured side of the fake pony.

Once Sunset Shimmer was certain she had done everything correctly, she touched the entity, willing her spell into the target. The construct glowed briefly before returning to its natural purple coloration once more, signalling that it had received the spell. Sunset Shimmer wasted no time in lighting her horn once more, quickly going through the motions in order to scan the tiny creature.

When her horn flashed a second time, the unicorn immediately let out a gasp. “It worked. That's truly remarkable. How did you even come up with such a thing?” she asked, looking up at Twilight.

Who chuckled bashfully. “Oh, it was nothing. I just found a false life spell that was created with the intent of serving as a test dummy and then wrapped it around a simple shape in order to make it a little more intuitive.”

“So this is a wholly new spell then?” Sunset Shimmer asked, gesturing to the tiny pony.

“I guess so,” Twilight replied, shrugging.

“What are you going to name it?” Sunset pressed.

The necromancer blinked. “I… don't know. What would you call it?”

“Why not call it… the spell testing dummy? Or maybe paitent something?” Sunset Shimmer continued, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

“Patient zero?” Twilight asked.

“No that sounds like a disease spell of some kind,” Sunset Shimmer replied.

“I suppose… Aha, what about just ‘patient dummy’?” Twilight offered.

“That is descriptive enough,” Sunset admitted, shrugging. “I think that's good enough for now.”

Twilight chuckled. “You know, I didn't even think about naming it. I was just going to call it the false life matrix dummy.”

“Remove the matrix part, and I think it's perfect,” Sunset Shimmer remarked.

Twilight nodded. “Good thinking, and you did well by the way. Though you should remember to focus your spellwork solely on the point of injury. The chance is small, but if you try to heal something that isn't broken, you could cause a bunch of unnecessary tissue to grow, which would need to be removed.”

“Of course,” Sunset Shimmer replied quickly. “I admit I was a little startled by your dummy.”

“It's fine. Honestly you’re doing very well for how long we’ve been working at it,” Twilight exclaimed. “I wouldn't be entirely surprised if we could start moving up to more invasive treatments sometime next month.”

Sunset tried to sigh, only to remember she didn't have lungs and simply made the sound as if she were sighing. “Well, that's good. Perhaps I could even set up my clinic by the end of the year.”

“Perhaps,” Twilight said, trotting around the desk. “You would have to be clear on what you could and couldn't treat, but so long as you do that, I don't see a reason why you couldn't get started at least.”

“Provided the town council allows it,” Sunset Shimmer added, only to pause. “Wait, does Ponyville even have such a thing?”

Twilight chuckled. “You could call it that. From what I’ve heard, it's just a bunch of the major business owners, the mayor, and Dark Hallow who get together to drink as well as occasionally make decisions.”

“They certainly do seem rather lax in that regard,” Sunset Shimmer admitted. “It's quite the departure from Canterlot.”

Twilight nodded slowly. “Very true. Now then, how good have you gotten at channelling life energy?”

Sunset Shimmer would have winced, had she the necessary face muscles to do so. “Not great. I’ve spent so much time casting offensive spells, and my necromancy simply doesn't flow that way.”

“Your spells will fight you at first,” Twilight warned. “The pathways of your soul lend themselves to healing, not hurting, and it will take some time before your magic adapts to this.”

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “It's like a part of my brain, or whatever is now doing the thinking, can't get over the fact that I’m not trying to cast something offensive.”

“This push and pull will continue for some time, I’m afraid,” Twilight remarked sadly. “Even I took months to learn some of the more basic necromancy spells. Plus the way the knowledge builds off itself is hard to get used to.”

“It's almost like learning unlocks certain pathways within your soul. Allowing the magic to flow in different ways,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

“That is… a very apt description of what happens,” Twilight muttered.

“So, how exactly do I channel life energy anyway? I’m not entirely sure I’m doing it right,” Sunset Shimmer murmured.

“Simple. All you have to do is reach within yourself in the same manner that you would if you were going to cast a simple mana beam,” Twilight began, demonstrating such a thing by channelling her magic into her broken horn, which sparked erratically. “But instead of bringing that energy from your head to your horn, you must call the magic from your heart and grip it tight in your hoof.”

“I don't know if you noticed, but I don't have a heart anymore,” Sunset Shimmer remarked, waving a hoof around her empty rib cage in emphasis.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

“Still, that can't be all that's necessary, right?” Sunset Shimmer pressed.

“No, that's pretty much it,” Twilight countered. “Here. Watch me and after I’m done, you repeat what you’ve seen, so I can offer a few pointers.”

Sunset Shimmer tapped her hooves excitedly. “Oh, now this I want to see.”

Twilight took a few steps back and turned toward an empty section of their impromptu lab area. The scattered boxes of books and currently unused equipment that littered the ill-used space were thankfully not piled very high. It gave Twilight plenty of room to stretch, before standing as tall as her lanky frame would allow her to do so.

Pressing a hoof against her chest, the undead mare closed her eyes and focused inward, her skin glowing a faint teal. The light quickly shifted, becoming brighter as well as twisting into a greenish-blue coloration that morphed and folded in on itself. This folding miasma permeated through the unicorn’s flesh, emerging as a small bundle of strange otherworldly power.

Sunset Shimmer had only a few seconds to study the other pony before Twilight suddenly pulled her hoof away, raising it into the air. The mass of energy was all but pulled out of her, creating what looked like an orb of green and blue smoke which sat atop her hoof. Though even calling it smoke felt wrong to Sunset, as it flowed like water, yet hung in the air like it was a gas.

Odder still were the shapes which moved within the brightly glowing mass of energy, each one taking on a new and strange appearance. Some looked almost like the faces of ponies, while others were flowers in bloom, the branches of a dying tree, and even the moon itself. This writhing coagulation of colors instantly caught and held Sunset’s attention, keeping the skeleton from looking away.

Staring into the weird orb, Sunset Shimmer found herself struck with a sudden and intense hunger. One that was growing harder to brush aside the longer she watched the ball of magic twist and fold in on itself. Shaking her head, the undead mare tried her best to focus on the task at hand, only to once more find herself unable to focus.

She couldn't honestly even consider how she could replicate such an action, as it seemed too great of a feat to copy. It was an incredible example of just how powerful her new teacher was when it came to necromancy, and it reminded Sunset of staring directly into the sun. Just when she felt as though she was becoming lost in the strange flow of the ethereal energy, Twilight pressed her hoof back against her chest.

The magic vanished, and Sunset Shimmer was left standing there, the undead mare now quite glad that she didn't have facial muscles as the unicorn was certain she’d have a dumb look on her face. One that would have remained there until finally Twilight dismissed the glow completely and took a step back. The necromancer’s face tightened for a moment, the demonstration having evidently taken a toll on the pony.

“Sorry I couldn't describe what I was doing, but in order to channel it properly, you must focus every facet of your being into the act,” Twilight explained.

Sunset Shimmer nodded dumbly. “That was… amazing. I’m not even wholly sure what I just witnessed, but it felt significant.”

Twilight blushed and rubbed one foreleg with the other. “Oh, that's not all me. Some of that is the nightmare.”

The necromancer’s shadow bulged, a feline head emerging from the mass of darkness, followed closely by the neck and body of a cat as black as pitch. Pulling its paws from the gloom, the creature shook itself before rubbing its side against Twilight’s foreleg. Its pur was deep, rattling Sunset Shimmer’s bones and unsettling the skeleton almost as much as the nightmare’s void-filled gaze.

“Twilight, please tell me that thing isn't about to pull my soul out of what was my nose,” Sunset Shimmer muttered, her attention remaining fixed on the cat’s twin pools of inky blackness that served as eyes.

Twilight chuckled and ran a hoof down the cat’s spine. “The nightmare wouldn't do something like that. It just wants to see how you fare. Or at least I think that's what it wants.”

The cat nodded once before slipping out from under Twilight’s hoof and leaping atop the nearest desk, peering expectantly at Sunset Shimmer.

The skeletal mare shuddered, unable to stop herself from imagining the cat looking down at her despite the fact it was only a foot tall. “I guess so…” whispered the skeleton.

“You’ll do fine, Sunset,” Twilight encouraged. “You’ve already managed a few quite difficult spells. I’m sure you can channel quite a bit.”

Sunset Shimmer breathed deeply, or at least mimicked the action. “Alright. Just give me a moment.”

Twilight nodded and took a step back. “Whenever you are ready.”

It took a moment, but Sunset Shimmer managed to get her mind back on track and think back to what she had witnessed. After contemplating what she had seen for a full minute, Sunset Shimmer pressed a bony hoof over where her heart used to be. Though it took much longer than when Twilight had done it, Sunset Shimmer managed to conjure a weak glow under the limb.

She, however, did not have flesh, and thus the necromancer could see a small orb of teal magic visibly swell within her student’s chest. It didn't remain that color for long, however, as it morphed into a deep red orb tinged with flecks of the purest gold. The energy grew several times before at last Sunset Shimmer shakily extended and raised her forehoof, creating the same magical orb that Twilight had.

Unlike the necromancer, Sunset Shimmer could only conjure a third of the same raw power, and the ethereal orb was barely the same size as a golf ball. It seemed almost sickly in comparison, and Twilight leaned in close, peering intently at the strangely flickering sphere Sunset Shimmer had created. The first thing Twilight noticed was that her student’s magic rippled like a barely contained inferno, one that was quickly growing smaller with each passing second.

Turning her attention away from that aspect, Twilight focused on the flecks of gold which intermingled with the skeletal mare’s soul. At first glance she feared that some trace of Celestia’s influence remained, but Twilight quickly reminded herself that such a thing was impossible. Stranger still was the fact that Twilight could see brief images of the contemptible alicorn within the small flecks of gold.

Summoning her magic into her hoof, Twilight waved the faintly glowing limb over her student’s orb, only to be interrupted when Sunset slammed her hoof against her chest. The second this happened the unicorn all but fell forward, her body shuddering briefly, as if she was only just barely keeping herself together. Placing a calming hoof on the other pony’s shoulder, Twilight waited patiently for Sunset Shimmer to gather her wits once more.

“Who would have thought that pulling your own soul out of your chest would be so difficult,” Sunset Shimmer muttered bitterly.

“It's not… well, I suppose it kind of is,” Twilight admitted. “Though it's more apt to say that you are merely channelling and holding a part of your soul.”

Sunset Shimmer pushed herself back up, standing once more on steady hooves. “So, how did I do?”

Twilight winced. “I won't sugarcoat things. It wasn't great.”

Sunset Shimmer’s shoulders sagged. “I may have already known that, but hearing it outloud like this is still unpleasant.”

“Though I don't think it's completely your fault,” Twilight cautioned. “If the bits of info I’ve managed to piece together are correct, then extreme stress can create faults in one’s soul. I believe that these faults grew out of a preexisting predilection towards healing magic and ultimately cut off your ability to cast anything else.”

“Other than focusing my abilities towards healing, are there any other side effects?” Sunset Shimmer pressed.

Twilight hummed thoughtfully. “I don't know, to be honest. My past self wrote about such a thing happening, but it was vague and not terribly well-detailed. If I had to guess, then I would say that as you mentally heal from what happened, your magic will come easier.”

The skeleton placed a hoof against her ribs, as if attempting to still a heart that was no longer there. “Well that's… something, at least,” she murmured.

“So the next time I encourage you to make an appointment with my therapist, you are going to say…” Twilight began, glancing expectantly at the other unicorn.

“That it sounds like a good idea, and that I will do so right away,” Sunset Shimmer replied with a hint of reluctance. “I’m still not sure they will be able to help, though. I mean, who has experienced getting tortured and held prisoner by an alicorn?”

“Every situation is unique,” Twilight continued, the necromancer briefly touching her student’s shoulder. “You should trust that the experts will be able to help you.”

Sunset Shimmer shook her head. “Let's talk about this later. For now why don't you show off that fancy spell you were working on with Trixie the other day?”

Twilight perked up, a grin springing to her features. “I’d love to! But don't think for a second that I’ve forgotten about our little discussion.”

“I wouldn't dream of it,” swore the skeletal mare.

“First off, I have to warn you that it looks rather strange,” Twilight cautioned. “But don't worry, I won't be harmed unless I’ve really screwed it up.”

“That does not make me very confident,” Sunset deadpanned.

“Just stand back there and watch,” Twilight exclaimed, gesturing to the desk her student had been working at only a few minutes earlier.

Sunset nodded and did just that, trotting back over to her spot and noting that the nightmare cat was eying her curiously. “And what do you want?” demanded the skeletal unicorn.

The creature smirked knowingly, as if mocking the pony.

“I’d like to see you do any better,” muttered Sunset Shimmer.

The nightmare stuck its tongue out at Sunset before hopping down onto the ground and strutting back into Twilight’s shadow, vanishing.

The necromancer herself was standing across the room, her entire body glowing faintly in the dim light of the basement. The light surged suddenly, and Twilight collapsed to the ground, only for an ethereal copy of the pony to remain standing in the same place.

Sunset Shimmer watched curiously as her teacher looked around and upon seeing her own body lying on the ground, grinned excitedly. She then proceeded to walk around the room, a thin misty trail of greenish blue energy lingering behind her and connecting the ghost to her body. The skeletal unicorn watched as her teacher trotted around the area, before ending her little jaunt next to Sunset Shimmer.

The necromancer then proceded to move her mouth as if talking, but no sound came out. “I can't hear you,” Sunset Shimmer quickly replied, cutting off her teacher mid-sentence.

The ghost blinked and poked the false life dummy with a hoof, mouthing something in a slow, deliberate manner.

Sunset Shimmer planted a hoof against her forehead. “I cannot read lips either!”

Twilight rolled her eyes and raised a hoof, muttering some more unheard words before suddenly becoming corporeal once more. “I said-” was all the necromancer managed to utter before the false life dummy began to flicker, grabbing both of the undead’s attention.

Looking down, the two mares found that a thin strand of blueish-green connected it to Twilight. That same connection seemed to be sapping it of magic, as it began to shrink, losing more and more definition as time passed. The wards holding it together broke down completely, and the entire thing vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving behind only a few scattered motes of magical energy.

“That was new,” Twilight remarked.

“How did you manage to do that anyway?” Sunset Shimmer asked, the pony watching as the last flickering specks of magic finally died.

“I have no idea, but it felt like I stole some of its essence. Which is as useful as it is unnerving,” Twilight murmured.

“Couldn't you already steal people’s life force if you wanted?” Sunset Shimmer pressed.

“I try not to think about it, but yes, I could. Though not nearly as easily as that,” Twilight admitted.

“In that case, how are Trixie’s studies going?” Sunset Shimmer inquired, shifting the conversation.

“Very well, actually. She has recently started learning more complicated hexes and is actually teaching me a few things,” Twilight exclaimed, a small, proud smile slipping onto her face.

“You’re surprisingly good at this whole teaching thing, you know,” Sunset Shimmer pointed out, poking the other pony in the chest. “Maybe once this is all over, you could start a school of some kind.”

“A school of necromancy… Now wouldn't that be something?” Twilight whispered, her expression becoming distant.

“Speaking of necromancy, are we still going to try finding that tablet I saw?” Sunset Shimmer pressed, the unicorn closing a few of the books she had open. “I know we have been planning on doing so for a few days now, but I still think you should speak to your friends before we actually head out.”

Twilight shook her head. “I can't do that. Most wouldn't even be able to help in the first place, and second, it sounds like the tower itself is warded against the forest’s inhabitants.”

“Still…” Sunset Shimmer continued. “They are your friends, Twilight, and they would be more than willing to help you.”

“I know they would, it's just…” Twilight sighed. “I feel bad about dragging them around all the time and in this instance, I really do feel like it's for the best. The tower is warded, and as soon as we get the tablet, we’ll be teleporting straight back to the library anyway.”

Sunset Shimmer finished cleaning up her supplies and began to trot towards the stairs. “Well, I’ve been packed and ready to go for a few days now, so if you wanna do this thing, I’m more than willing to head out like right now as we originally planned.”

Twilight nodded. “That does sound like a good idea. I’ve been putting this off for long enough.”

The necromancer followed behind the other undead until they reached the top floor, where she caught the other pony by the shoulder. “Thanks, by the way. Trouble has a way of finding me and I have a feeling a little extra help will be welcome,” Twilight remarked.

Sunset Shimmer quickly brushed aside the other pony’s hoof. “Don't mention it, Twilight. Besides, I swore to serve you for all time, remember? What kind of knight would I be if I didn't accompany you into battle?”

Twilight chuckled. “Knight? You're more like a starving orphan I took under my wing.”

“Really? I thought I’d at least be a squire or something,” Sunset Shimmer retorted.

“Nah, she's more like an enemy you disarmed, then took pity on, and is now your indentured servant,” commented Spike, who stood at the end of the hallway.

“Well, yes, but also no,” Sunset Shimmer countered.

“Wait.” Twilight lifted a hoof and peered into the living room. “Is someone there… Wait, what are you all doing here?”

Pinkie Pie waved an excited hoof from her spot on the couch. “Spike told me you were going to run off on another adventure without telling us again, so I made sure to let everyone know first.”

Twilight frowned as she looked around the room, from Fluttershy who was currently a cat sprawled out on the back of a couch to Rarity who was inspecting one of the few books in the library as well as both Rainbow Dash and Applejack who were playing a heated game of tic tac toe. The only pony missing was Trixie, though even after all they had gone through together, Twilight hesitated to call the illusionist her friend.

“And we thought that was an absolutely dreadful idea,” Rarity continued, closing her book and placing a hoof on Rainbow Dash’s shoulder. “Isn't that right?”

“Err, yeah. I guess,” muttered the thestral with a shrug.

Applejack snorted. “Come on, Rainbow, you said it yourself. She can't go running off into danger whenever she feels like it.”

“I said that like three months ago,” Rainbow Dash countered, throwing up her hooves. “Since then she's become a veritable demigod and the single most accomplished necromancer in like a dozen generations.”

“I wouldn't go that far,” murmured Twilight.

“We’ll see here, Rainbow. We ain't no slouches either,” Applejack began, the pony rising out of her seat. “Why, I’ve been getting rather good at controllin’ plants lately, and I can take a hit like nobody’s business.”

“Plus I’m apprenticing for the most accomplished shaman around!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

“You must admit, we are rather formidable now,” Fluttershy remarked, the spirit leaping off the couch and turning herself back into a pony before she hit the ground.

“They got a point, ya know,” Spike exclaimed, gesturing to the small group.

“Look, girls, I appreciate your concern, truly I do, but there won't be anything for you to do,” Twilight began, stepping forward. “Heck, I’m pretty sure Sunset Shimmer is going to be the only one who will be able to help me with this.”

“Which is not something I ever thought I’d ever hear you say,” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

“Life throws us curve balls all the time, Twi,” Applejack continued. “If we weren't with ya when you went to the undertower, do you think you’d have made it as far as ya did?”

Twilight sighed. “No, but this is different.”

“How?” countered Pinkie Pie.

The necromancer stomped her hoof. “Because now I can take care of myself, and I don't have to keep putting my only friends in life threatening danger.”

“Darling, are you okay?” Rarity whispered, touching the necromancer’s shoulder.

“I’m fine,” Twilight retorted. “I just have to do this, okay? Don't you all trust me?”

“You know we trust you, Twilight,” Fluttershy exclaimed.

“Just please let me do this. I’ve planned it all out in advance and trust me when I say this won't be some grand adventure,” Twilight pressed. “I’ll be gone a day tops, and should it take longer, I’ll set up a two-way teleportation circle.”

“See? I told you she had it all planned out,” stated Rainbow Dash, who hopped off the couch and began to walk to the door. “Let me know if you need a hoof, until then, try not to get yourself killed again.”

Fluttershy bit her lip and looked from Rainbow Dash to Twilight. “I suppose if Rainbow is letting you leave without help, then I should too.”

“Now just hold on one cotton-pickin’ minute,” Applejack interrupted. “I ain't about to let one of my best friends go wander off on some wild adventure without at least someone going with her.”

“I’ll be there,” Sunset Shimmer offered.

The earth pony trotted up to the skeleton and suddenly grabbed her by the forehoof. “Promise me you’ll do everything you can to protect her.”

“Sunset, you don't have to-” Twilight began.

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “I promise.”

Applejack held the skeletal mare’s forehoof for a moment longer before taking a reluctant step back. “Alright, I trust ya. I expect you’ll round us up after ya get back to let everyone know how it went.”

“I will,” declared Twilight.

As Applejack walked away, Sunset Shimmer looked down at her hoof in confusion. “I feel like I just signed a deal with the devil.”

“That will happen,” Twilight remarked.

“I suppose if that's how you feel, Twilight, then I cannot in good conscious force my company,” Rarity exclaimed, pulling the necromancer into a brief hug. “Do try and be safe, darling. I would hate to have to attend another funeral for a Sparkle.”

Twilight hugged the arachne back. “Thank you, Rarity. I’ll be fine. I promise.”

“I can't do whatever is that Applejack does, but I will give you quite the tongue lashing if you come back as a ghost,” Rarity remarked with a giggle.

“Well, at least I’d have something to look forward to,” Twilight replied, taking a step back from her friend.

Pinkie bounced out of her spot and looked Twilight up and down. “Are you leaving right now?” she asked.

Twilight blinked and glanced to Sunset. “I think so. We had everything packed, right?”

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “We can leave in five minutes if necessary.”

“Wait, don't tell me you are going to leave without accepting help from any of your friends,” Spike stated.

Before Twilight could offer a response, Pinkie Pie had suddenly pulled him aside and whispered something in his ear.

Confused, the necromancer turned to her assistant. “Would you grab the bags please? I’ll finish up here in a moment.”

“Sure thing, boss lady,” Sunset Shimmer replied before trotting up the stairs and disappearing into the second floor.

When Twilight looked back at the shaman, her and Spike had parted, the dragon now seemingly content.

“I’ve decided to trust you,” he stated.

“I’m glad,” Twilight remarked. “What were you and Pinkie Pie talking about?”

“Don't worry about it, Twi. All you need to know is that I’m leaving, and that I’ll see you again soon,” Pinkie Pie declared.

“Oookay then,” Twilight muttered, watching as the troll bounced out of the library, leaving the necromancer alone with Spike. “So what are you planning on doing while I am gone?”

“I was thinking of doing some more reading and maybe plan out another dungeon for my play group,” Spike began. “After that, I’ll probably go see Sweetie Belle and probably have dinner at her place.”

“I made sure to stock the fridge and left plenty of gems on the counter in case you wanted to go out,” Twilight offered.

The dragon winced. “So you’re saying those weren't snack gems?”

The necromancer sighed. “I suppose that was for food anyway.”

“Got it!” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed, the skeleton stopping next to Twilight, a pair of bulging saddlebags on her back.

She also wore her usual outfit, as well as a mask she had been working on recently which obscured her face. Though it was completely featureless and white as bone, Twilight knew her assistant would have no troubles seeing with it on. With a thought, Twilight summoned a rugged set of hiking leathers which covered her form almost completely.

It wasn't quite as cumbersome as Sunset Shimmer’s red and yellow robes, but the simple brownish green set of studded leather suited Twilight just fine. The high collar offered some protection for her neck, and the cured manticore hide that it was made from would blunt most of the hazards that she would come in contact with. It also left the pony plenty of room to move, as the leather undershirt was loose without being so large that it became baggy.

“I’m glad you at least have some armor now,” Spike remarked.

“Yes, well, I hope to make something a little more protective than this, but at least now I don't have to worry about getting covered with burs again,” Twilight exclaimed.

“Or thorns,” Sunset Shimmer pointed out.

The necromancer snorted. “Yes, or thorns.”

“See ya later, Dusk, and best of luck acquiring that tablet thinger,” Spike shouted, before walking past the two undead.

Sunset Shimmer watched the dragon go before turning back to Twilight. “I felt like I missed something important.”

“It was nothing,” Twilight declared hastily. “He and Pinkie Pie had a brief talk while you were upstairs, is all.”

The skeletal mare shrugged. “Well, I’m ready to go when you are.”

“Are you sure you don't want me to carry some of that?” Twilight offered, gesturing to the stuffed bags which adorned the other pony’s back.

“Nah, I got it. Honestly I don't even feel the weight, and because of my, erm, state, it's unlikely that I’ll ever get tired,” Sunset countered.

“In that case I will follow your lead, Sunset,” Twilight exclaimed. “Hopefully the forest decides to cooperate today, and we can actually get to our destination relatively quickly.”

“Even if it doesn't, I packed plenty of bottled life essence so we should be able to march for a few days without having to stop,” Sunset Shimmer offered, wiggling her back and causing the bottles within her bags to clatter against one another.

“Perfect. Then let's get moving. I don't like leaving something so important out in the open while this Tempest Shadow pony is on her way here,” Twilight remarked.

“I wouldn't worry about it too much. It will be weeks before she shows up, provided the forest doesn't do away with her all together,” Sunset Shimmer replied.

“You managed to get here relatively quickly, and you are only one pony,” Twilight retorted pointedly, the necromancer trotting towards the exit.

“Yes, but I feel like I would never have made it, had the forest not decided to let me find you,” Sunset Shimmer explained, the skeleton opening the door and trotting out into the street.

“Why do you say that?” Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I told you how hard it was at first, right? And the tests the forest seemingly put me through?” Sunset Shimmer inquired, waiting patiently for Twilight to lock the door behind them and enact the defensive wards.

The necromancer’s hoof glowed briefly, and she turned from her home to her assistant. “I do remember you telling me something about that.”

“Well, I don't think I would have made it here, had I failed the forest’s tests, nor would I be alive right now,” Sunset Shimmer stopped and looked down. “Or half alive, for that matter.”

“That does make some sense,” Twilight admitted. “I mean, it did seemingly help you get into the library for whatever reason.”

“You don't think it can see the future, can you?” Sunset Shimmer asked as the pair began to trot towards the edge of town, passing by and occasionally waving to the odd creature who recognized them.

Twilight shrugged. “If it can't, then it's really, really good at playing the odds.”

“Have you considered the possibility that you may need security at this clinic you hoped to open?” Twilight inquired as she hopped over a fallen log.

Sunset Shimmer paused and glanced over her shoulder towards Twilight. “Are you sure that's necessary? I mean, I’m just trying to help people.”

“I don't mean to bring up bad memories, Sunset, but that's literally what got you into this mess in the first place,” Twilight replied.

The skeleton’s jaw slammed shut, and she stood there awkwardly. “I had not thought of it like that,” she admitted.

“Health is an industry out here, and where there is money, there is greed, and where there is greed, there are bad people,” Twilight continued.

“I suppose you’re right. Though who would attack a healer offering their services for free?” Sunset Shimmer asked, the unicorn trotting up to her friend.

“The same person who would charge you an arm and a leg for something you need to survive,” Twilight pointed out.

“I--wait, do you hear that?” Sunset Shimmer whispered, kneeling down next to a tree.

Twilight ducked behind a bush and focused on bringing up her ability to sense the life force of others, pointing it at where she had heard the same rustle that Sunset had. “One person, with a surprisingly robust soul that feels faintly familiar…” Twilight muttered.

A brief rustle of leaves and a pink hoof appeared on the path ahead of them, followed by the smiling face of a familiar troll. “Wowee, if it isn't Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer. Fancy meeting you girls out here!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, the troll bounding over to the pair despite the fact that they were almost completely obscured by the foliage.

Sunset Shimmer awkwardly stepped out from cover. “Hey, Pinkie Pie, what are you doing out here?”

“Yes, what are you doing out here?” Twilight pressed.

The troll blinked owlishly. “Isn't this the way back to Zecora’s?”

“I don't think so,” Sunset shimmer muttered, glancing at the much taller necromancer.

“You know very well that it isn't,” Twilight retorted.

“That’s crazy!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, throwing up her hooves. “Who would have guessed that the forest would put me here of all places?”

“It isn't that crazy. The Everfree is a strange place,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

“It isn't that weird,” Twilight murmured, glaring at the troll. “You weren't following us, were you?”

“Pffft, following you? No way I could do that. Not with your life detection spell thingy and those sharp ears of yours,” Pinkie Pie claimed, flicking the necromancer’s ear in emphasis and recoiling as if she had cut herself.

Sunset Shimmer chuckled. “I guess she's just going to have to come with us then.”

“Great idea, Sunny Buns!” Pinkie Pie happily declared. “It is the forest’s wishes, after all.”

Twilight glanced from her skeletal assistant to the troll companion before letting out a sigh. “I guess it is. Though I’d like to point out that you have quite a bit packed for someone who just a few minutes ago didn't even have any bags at all.”

Pinkie Pie looked down at her bulging saddle bags and shrugged. “I just picked up some snacks for the road and some supplies, a map, a rope, and a few other essentials. You know, walking around stuff.”

Sunset Shimmer used her magic to flip open one of the bags, revealing that it was nearly full to bursting with potions, cookware, food, and even a grappling hook. “Woah neat. I didn't think to bring one of those. We definitely should grab one for next time though,” Sunset Shimmer remarked.

Pinkie Pie hastily closed her bag and chuckled nervously. “Oh, that? It’s, uh… family heirloom. My Granny Pie was an adventurer, you know.”

Twilight shook her head. “I suppose things did go rather poorly the last time I ignored one of your warnings.”

“In the grand scheme of things, it wasn't so bad, right?” Pinkie Pie pressed, nudging Sunset Shimmer in the shoulder.

The skeletal mare nodded. “All things said and done, I honestly think what happened was about the best we could have hoped for.”

“Which is why I forgave ya for being a stubborn grumpy pants,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, bouncing around the necromancer. “Now come on, we got a laptop to find!”

“I think you mean tablet,” Sunset Shimmer corrected.

“Ah, right, I always get those two mixed up,” Pinkie Pie shrugged. “Oh well, onwards and upwards!”

Despite the disruption to her plans, Twilight couldn't help but smile, the presence of the upbeat troll turning her somewhat dour mood right around. “You know, Pinkie, we never got the chance to talk very much about your skills as a shaman. Maybe now you could regale us with a story or two,” Twilight offered, the necromancer following close behind her friends.

Pinkie Pie gasped. “Oh my gosh, you’re so right! Buuuut I’m not sure if I should go spilling the beans so soon. Wouldn't want to ruin the surprise.”

“What surprise?” questioned Sunset Shimmer.

“You’ll see!” Pinkie Pie declared, flashing the other pony a wink.

Twilight shrugged. “As long as it isn't another happy deathday party.”

“Oh, come on, that one was fun!” Sunset Shimmer proclaimed, only to frown. “If a little on the creepy side. Especially that animated tombstone that was in charge of the music.”

“Aww, come on, ol’ Tomby is the best!” Pinkie Pie replied, the troll eagerly bouncing around the trail, humming an upbeat tune that Twilight had never heard before.

“If you say so, Pinkie Pie,” Twilight murmured.

“Hold on, I smell something funny and not funny, haha,” Pinkie Pie reiterated, the troll crouching low at the edge of a clearing.

Sunset Shimmer stopped immediately, the skeleton looking hesitantly out into the open space. “What do you sense, Pinkie Pie? ‘Cause I don't see anything,” Sunset Shimmer whispered.

Twilight sent out a pulse of magic, searching the area for any life signs. “There isn't anything living around here. Other than all the plants, obviously,” remarked the necromancer in a low tone.

“This whole thing is all wrong,” Pinkie Pie murmured, her gaze narrowing as she scanned the area.

Twilight quickly followed suit, the unicorn doing her best to find whatever had set off her rocky friend. Only to come up with nothing as the clearing looked normal, with only a few burnt trees being the sign that anything had happened here. Even still, whatever had burnt them had likely passed quite some time ago as a few small bushes and tall grasses had already returned.

“I don't see anything,” Sunset Shimmer murmured.

“Yeah, Pinkie, are you sure-” Twilight began, only for the troll’s eyes to pop open.

“Aha! Wait right here,” advised Pinkie Pie before the troll turned and sprinted into the woods, vanishing into the thick foliage.

Twilight watched her go before quickly losing sight of her. “What was all that about?”

Sunset Shimmer shrugged. “I don't know, but I think we should wait for her though.”

“I’m not so sure. There isn't a single living thing in the area dangerous enough to threaten us,” Twilight began, her gaze returning to the clearing. “Plus I don't know about you, but I don't want to deal with those crown-of-thorn bushes that seem to litter the area.”

“You’re telling me. I don't even have skin, and still I don't want to deal with those things. They damn near tore through my bag,” Sunset Shimmer added.

“Right, I’m gonna head in and check things out. You hang back and let Pinkie Pie know where I went,” Twilight commanded, the necromancer extending a hoof to step into the clearing.

Only to be caught by Sunset Shimmer who grabbed the sleeve of Twilight’s leather armor. “Are you sure that's a good idea? Pinkie Pie doesn't say stuff for nothing, after all. Well, not when she gets serious.”

“I’m sure it will be fine, you heard the girls. I’m practically indestructible at this point,” Twilight assured the mare.

Sunset Shimmer relented, pulling back her hoof and giving her head a shake. “Alright, but for the record, I don't think this is a good idea.”

“You worry too much, Sunset,” Twilight proclaimed before extending her hoof once more.

The mare didn't even make it a single step however, as this time she was interrupted by Pinkie Pie. “Gangway, coming through!” shouted the troll a second before she appeared, an enormous rock held in her hoof and a grim expression on her face.

The two undead quickly stumbled out of the way, allowing Pinkie Pie to sprint up to the edge of the clearing. Where she stopped suddenly, throwing all of her weight into tossing the pony-sized stone through the air. The small boulder flew several dozen feet, impressing both Twilight and Sunset, right up until it vanished into the ground.

“What the heck?” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

“Where did it go?” Twilight asked, turning to Pinkie Pie.

“Shhh, watch,” Pinkie Pie urged, pointing to the clearing once more.

And so the three creatures sat in rapt attention, staring at the empty clearing and waiting for whatever it was that Pinkie Pie herself was waiting for. Just when Twilight’s attention had nearly run out and she was about to launch into a question, the entire clearing shimmered. It reminded Twilight of when she had assisted Trixie in testing out a new illusion spell that had ended up being a bit too draining for the other unicorn.

“Is that-” Sunset Shimmer began, only for the entire clearing to vanish and reveal an enormous conical hole in the ground.

Twilight looked on in a mixture of horror and curiosity, studying the strangely slimy-looking sides of the hole which lead down to a central pit. A pit the last ten feet of which was filled with downward facing spines and a single enormous lipless maw filled with dozens of sword-length teeth. The mouth heaved, and with a sound not unlike someone horking up a loogie, the hole spat out the enormous rock that Pinkie Pie had thrown into it a few seconds earlier.

The small boulder shot over their heads, forcing the trio to duck lest they get crushed by the projectile. Once it had passed, Twilight perked right back up, peering down into the strange pit to find that the mouth had closed itself. A second later the clearing flickered back into view, as if there wasn't some great beast right below them.

“What in the nine hells of Tartarus was that?” Sunset Shimmer shouted, pointing a shaky hoof to where the creature’s mouth had been.

“A Calrasian bull worm!” Pinkie Pie declared, nodding knowingly. “Very dangerous and very, very rare.”

“How did it do magic? I thought only sentients could do that,” Twilight stated nervously, stepping away from the edge of the clearing.

“Oh, it's not that smart, though it can do magic though,” Pinkie Pie helpfully replied. “Nobody knows for sure how it does that, but Zecora said that when it is very young, the creature creates a simple trap of leaves and sticks. Then after it's caught its first sentient victim, it eats the creature as well as its memories in order to rebuild the landscape with magic. This one must be really old though, ‘cause this part of the forest hasn't had a fire in like a few hundred years or so.”

“You're telling me there is an ancient worm that can use magic and eats people’s thoughts and we almost walked right into its mouth?” Twilight murmured.

“Nah, I knew something was wrong like a mile away, I just couldn't figure it out until we got here,” Pinkie Pie replied.

“And just like that, those thorn bushes don't seem so bad,” Sunset Shimmer offered.

Twilight nodded, taking another step away from the clearing. “I agree. Pinkie Pie, why don't you lead us around this thing?”

The troll grinned, and snapped off a salute. “You got it, el capitan!”

Twilight followed the excitable girl at a slight distance, her skeletal assistant joining her a second later. “I hate to say I told you so, but well…” Sunset began.

“No, you earned it. Go ahead,” Twilight bade.

“I did tell you,” Sunset Shimmer finished.

“Wait,” directed Pinkie Pie who stopped in the center of the path.

This time Twilight did as she was told, standing alongside Sunset Shimmer on the wide, well-worn path. The necromancer’s mind instantly went back to the strange creature that they had seen earlier, only to quickly dismiss such a notion. There was no odd clearing, only a wide path which stretched on into the distance, flanked on either side by towering pine trees which threatened to blot out what little light that was reflected by the moon above them.

“What is it?” Sunset Shimmer whispered.

“Twitchy tail, itchy neck, and achy hoof means magic of some kind, but I don't feel anything yet,” Pinkie Pie replied.

“Did you get the same feeling when we came to that worm thing?” Twilight inquired.

Pinkie Pie shook her head. “That was more like a general feeling of danger with a hint that some kind of animal would block our path.”

“What do we do then?” Sunset Shimmer pressed.

“I have a feeling that a spell I know will come in handy, but it isn't the most comfortable, and it may take a while to wear off,” Pinkie Pie warned.

Twilight’s initial urge was to dismiss such a notion outright, but she quickly resisted that desire. “If you think it prudent to cast this spell of yours, then I say do it,” Twilight reasoned.

The troll grinned. “Thanks, Twi. Trust me, this will only take a second.”

Sunset Shimmer and Twilight both watched as the shaman shucked off her bags and retrieved a small burlap bag the size of an apple. Which she reached her hoof into, the limb remerging with a thick blob of purple paste covering the end of it. Using her other hoof, the troll grabbed a hoofful of dirt, and after uttering a few strange words, sprinkled a pinch of the gravel over the paste.

This caused the mud-like concoction to glow a deep blue color, an event which seemed to be the desired response as Pinkie Pie grinned. “Alright, Sunset, you take off your mask and Twilight, close your eyes. This may sting a bit,” warned the shaman.

“What if we don't have eyes,” asked the skeleton, who removed her mask as requested, stowing it in her bag.

“Then just pretend to blink or something,” Pinkie Pie replied with a shrug, turning to Twilight. “Ready?”

After a brief moment of hesitation, the necromancer closed her eyes. “When you are,” she replied.

“Alright, now don't open them until I say so, alright?” Pinkie Pie asked.

Twilight nodded.

The unicorn could feel the troll’s hoof press against her right eyelid, the shaman smearing a good bit of the purple and blue mud against it. She also made sure to rub some around the eye itself as well, a process she repeated with the left a second later. The tingling started after Pinkie Pie had walked away, presumably repeating the same action with Sunset Shimmer.

Though not painful per se, it was quite distracting and felt like a great number of bugs were crawling all over Twilight’s closed lids. However, it wasn't enough to make the necromancer open her eyes prematurely as she trusted the troll implicitly at this point. So it was that she waited until nearly a minute later when Pinkie Pie muttered a few more strange, foreign sounding words and stomped her hooves against the ground.

“There, you can open them now,” Pinkie Pie declared.

Twilight did just that, the necromancer finding that nothing had changed other than the fact that the world had gained a slightly purplish tint to it. Looking around revealed that both Sunset and Pinkie Pie herself also had the strange mud-like substance smeared over their eyes. Which was particularly humourous when it came to Sunset Shimmer as the pony had no eyes, and instead the bones around where they would be had been painted.

“Did it work?” Twilight asked.

Pinkie Pie nodded. “Yuppers. We can keep going, but if it's what I think it is, then remember to stay on the path and not touch anything, okay? Just keep walking straight,” stressed the troll.

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “Just keep walking, got it.”

“Ready when you are,” offered the necromancer, gesturing to the path before them.

The troll’s smile flickered for a moment, a look of uncertainty passing over her features. “Right, let’s go.”

Twilight followed close behind, standing side by side with Sunset Shimmer who had pulled down her hood and was observing their surroundings closely. “What do you think it is?” whispered the undead mare.

“I have no idea. The forest is a dangerous place, and I am starting to think that it is becoming increasingly treacherous as of late,” Twilight remarked.

“You’re telling me. I never came across weird magic or a monster like that during my travels. I hope the forest isn't trying to kill us,” Sunset Shimmer considered.

“I don't think so,” Twilight replied after a short pause. “I always felt a presence before, now it's almost like it's gone. Or that the forest is focusing elsewhere.”

Whatever Sunset Shimmer had been about to say was cut off when she ran into Pinkie Pie’s backside, the skeleton bouncing off the troll’s rocky exterior and landing on her back.

“I was right,” Pinkie Pie whispered. “Remember what I told you.”

Twilight didn't even have a chance to question what the shaman meant before she began to trot away, vanishing into a sudden mist which had come out of seemingly nowhere.

Sunset Shimmer followed a second later, and Twilight did the same a moment after that, her gaze flicking about the area, searching for anything out of the ordinary. She didn't have to wait long to find what she was looking for, as an ethereal shape suddenly drifted before her. Though her instinct was to follow it, presuming it was Pinkie Pie or Sunset Shimmer, Twilight held back and searched for nearby life forces.

The pony ended up even more confused when she found that she was completely surrounded by the unique energy produced only by living things. It was at a very low level however, with slightly larger, pony-shaped blobs flickering in and out of existence all around her. Two more pressing and more vibrant concentrations could be felt in front of her, and, remembering Pinkie Pie’s words, Twilight kept her hooves pointed straight.

Trotting after the two shapes, the unicorn did her best to keep her eyes forward, though it was hard not to be distracted when she heard someone whisper something right next to her. Assuring herself that it was nothing, the necromancer continued down the path, catching what looked like a thestral passing by on her right. The shape seemed to be armed and armored, though he was the same color as the greenish blue fog that enclosed the unicorn from all sides.

He vanished a second later, and for a moment Twilight was alone until a heavily injured and absolutely massive troll passed in front of her. Easily twice her size, the creature was the same color as the fog, though he also sported dozens of small wounds as well as a deep cut that nearly severed his right foreleg. Pushing past the fear, Twilight trotted straight through him, catching a faint repeated murmuring from the enormous creature before he vanished.

This continued for several more minutes, with various creatures both large and small walking past her, through her, or over her. Each one seemed to be armed for battle or otherwise injured, with the majority being golden armored ponies of all three tribes. The whispering continued to bother the necromancer, becoming so constant at times that Twilight could have sworn one of her friends were talking to her.

It took a considerable amount of willpower and focus to remain on the path, but Twilight managed to do just that, emerging from the fog several minutes later. Like a great weight being lifted from her shoulders, Twilight took a deep breath, clearing her lungs of the cool fog. A brief look around told her that both of her friends had made it through, though not unscathed as they both wore haunted expressions on their faces.

“I think we both deserve an explanation,” Twilight offered.

Pinkie Pie nodded and wiped away a tear. “They all died suddenly, and their souls got all tangled up with the wild magic of the forest.”

“Now they just… wander?” Sunset Shimmer finished.

Pinkie Pie nodded and wiped the purple substance from her eyes. “There is nothing we can do for them.”

Twilight glanced over her shoulder, only to find that the fog was gone, leaving no trace of its existence. “There has to be some way to put them to rest,” she exclaimed.

The shaman shrugged her shoulders. “I doubt it, but I’ve never heard of a real necromancer making the attempt.”

Sunset Shimmer wiped her eye sockets clear of the strange substance. “We aren't going to run into those clouds often, are we?”

“No. I’ve heard there are at least three of them, though they usually remain close to the site where they died and the other two are really far away,” Pinkie Pie explained.

“Then let's keep going. I’d like to get as far as I can before sun up,” Twilight pressed.

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “Sounds good, Twilight.”

“It's getting early, how much further do you want to go?” Sunset Shimmer inquired, the skeleton brushing aside a low-hanging branch.

Twilight weaved around the obstacle. “Not much longer. I think we were getting pretty close, or at least I hope so.”

Pinkie Pie nodded. “I concur,” she declared. “Now that we are so close, I can almost smell the celestial magic from here.”

“You can smell magic?” Sunset Shimmer deadpanned.

“Kinda,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed with a shrug. “It's more like I know what the forest feels like and foreign magic makes it different somehow.”

“You know, I’m starting to notice that as well,” Twilight admitted. “The Everfree’s magic has a tinge of necromancy to it while Sunset’s normal spells contained none.”

“Hey, uh, girls, we got a problem,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

Twilight trotted up next to the other unicorn, emerging from the trees to find that she was standing in front of a sheer cliff face. Rising at least nine metres into the air, the wall of stone had no visible ledges to speak of, and it was utterly devoid of vegetation. They couldn't even see a single tree atop the ledge itself, though they couldn't be sure, given their current poor angle.

“Now that's a cliff,” Pinkie Pie remarked.

“It sure is,” Twilight added. “Ready to try out that grappling hook of yours?”

“Heck, yeah I am!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed, the troll quickly pulling out a length of rope and the metal attachment.

Tying them together, the troll stepped off to the side and began to spin the entire thing before releasing it in a powerful throw. The hook soared through the air, landing several feet back from atop the ledge with at least twenty feet of rope left over. Pinkie Pie chewed on her lip as she gently tugged the hook back, seeking out something to latch onto, but coming up with nothing.

The hook clattered down the cliff, landing back in front of the now disappointed troll.

“I’ll start trying to find a way around,” Sunset Shimmer offered.

Twilight nodded. “Don't go far.”

Pinkie Pie whirled the grappling hook once more, seeking out a slightly different spot, but ending up with the same result. She repeated this a dozen or so times before eventually giving up and plopping down on the ground with a sad sigh.

“This stinks. It's not like Zecora’s stories at all,” Pinkie Pie whined.

Twilight glanced down at her shadow. “Could you maybe scope out a spot to hook the grapple?”

The small patch of darkness grew an equine head, which it shook before producing a hoofed limb and pointing at the horizon. Where the sun rose in the distance, bathing the land in a thin veneer of gold light and causing the shadow to shrink back down.

“I guess it is pretty early,” Twilight murmured.

Sunset Shimmer strode up to them and shook her head. “It goes really far in both directions. I don't think we are going to get around this thing very easy.”

“What about your magic? Could you teleport us up there?” Twilight asked.

The skeleton shook her head. “I was never the best at teleportation magic, and I don't think I can get that far.”

“Ah, don't worry about it, girls, I got this,” Pinkie Pie declared, the troll using another length of rope to tie her bags to her midsection before biting down on the grappling hook.

Sunset Shimmer stepped closer to the other unicorn. “What do you think she’s doing?”

Twilight shrugged. “I think she's going to climb it.”

Sure enough, Pinkie Pie did just that, though it didn't exactly happen like either pony would have assumed it would have. As the troll simply rammed her hoof into the stone wall, creating a ledge which her back hoof could use to hoist her weight higher up the side. Repeating this action with one foreleg and then the other, Pinkie Pie rapidly ascended the cliff, leaving behind wide hoof holds for her companions.

“Huh,” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

A few minutes later Pinkie Pie disappeared over the top, returning a minute later with a smile on her face. “The rope is secured, come on up!” she shouted.

“Why didn't you do that from the start?” Twilight yelled back.

“Where's the fun in that?” Pinkie Pie replied, cocking her head.

“She’s got a point there,” Sunset Shimmer remarked.

Twilight shook her head. “I think I can feel a headache coming on.”

Author's Note

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Halloween 2020 Crossover Special

The sudden flash of a powerful light woke the theatre's inhabitants, shocking them out of their strangely deep slumber. Each one found themselves unable to move, or look away from the spotlight which shone down on the center of the stage, to where a small pony sized hole could be seen. Though the inhabitants of the theatre could see the stage, they could not seem to turn their heads, or look away from the single point of light.

Even still, they could sense that others were nearby, a fact that none of them could confirm as a heavy aura suppressed their magic. This would normally make most of them feel rather terrified, but there was something about the theatre that made them feel strangely at ease. Maybe it was the surprisingly comfortable chairs which seemed to have been custom molded to their unique bodies, or perhaps it was the smell of aged paper and popcorn that lingered in the air.

Either way, the assembled creatures could only watch and wait, which fortunately for them was something they didn't have to do for very long. A faint clunk signalled the activation of an unseen mechanism, and a second later a distant rhythmic thumping could be heard emanating from beneath the stage. After several seconds of near silence the head of a pony could be seen poking out from the hole, followed closely by the rest of their body shortly after.

The pony themself was missing most of the normal attributes of an equestrian citizen, lacking wings, horn, and the larger build most earth ponies sported. Standing only as tall as the average eighteen year old mare, they had a lithe frame, and a smile that lit up the room. Their eyes were a bright green, their fur a resplendent orange, and their mane was a combination of their fur color and a bright red. Done up in a wild looking mohawk, the pony oozed excitement, and reminded most viewers of Pinky Pie. A comparison that only became more apt when they saw that the pony had a multi colored jester’s stick for a cutie mark.

“Welcome, welcome!” shouted the pony, leaping onto the stage the second the floor was complete once more. “To the greatest game of Twilight’s outside of a certain natural born Derpy story.”

The pony all but bounced to the front of the stage, their grin as wide as ever. “I am Jest, and I will serve as your referee and game master for this evening. But before we get into the nitty and or gritty of all that, let's have a joke shall we?”

They cleared their throat. “Did you guys hear about the mathematician who’s afraid of negative numbers? He’ll stop at nothing to avoid them!”

A few creatures laughed, though it was awkward, and came out a little forced.

“I see math jokes do well with you, so here's another,” Jest remarked, straightening an invisible tie. “How many times can you subtract ten from one hundred?”

After a brief moment of silence, the pony grinned and threw up their hooves. “Once! The next time you would be subtracting ten from ninety!”

Their joke was met with a few more laughs, though not many, they were at least a little less forced.

“I guess I’ll save the jokes for when you aren't trapped in your seat. So without further ado, let's get into it,” Jest declared, clopping their hoof twice against the stage and causing the spotlight to vanish. “You are here to play a game, and don't worry its not some sort of stupid cliche death game where if you lose here you die. In fact you wont even remember being here when you are returned to your lives.”

Jest raised a hoof in the air. “But that doesn't mean this can't be both fun, and illuminating. For you see, I will be able to answer any one question the winner of our little game desires.”

“And to answer your next question, yes it will be one hundred percent truthful, and I have complete knowledge on all possible subjects you may ask,” Jest concluded. “So without further ado let's get this game started!”

The pony clopped their hoof twice against the ground, causing the ground to fall away only to emerge again a second later. The stage now had a large poker table as well as several chairs of various sizes, each seemingly designed for a different kind of creature. The second the stage had been set the various audience members felt their bodies start to respond to their commands once more.

Looking around the room, the creatures found that they were surrounded by what could only be described as themselves. Twilights of various shapes and sizes jumped or otherwise hopped out of their seats and began to look around in wonder. Though they were busy looking at one another, they also noticed that there were no exits to the theatre, nor any windows of any kind. The anti magic field remained as oppressive as ever, though the Twilights who were capable of magic found that they could at least use telekinesis.

Only one of the audience members seemed truly alien, and shared only purplish scales with the others. She stood taller than the rest, with great horns which covered the sides of her head and bent up, then down before curving upwards once more. She also had enormous clawed hands, legs which bent backwards after the knee, and a tail that was as long as a normal pony.

She also had keen purple eyes, a thick hide of dark purple scales with two small bumps on her chest serving as the only clue as to her gender. Overall she appeared to be some form of enormous reptile that was clearly out of place amongst the other Twilight’s who appeared mostly normal. Two of whom were alicorns, though one looked visibly stronger, while the other had a strangely empty gaze.

“Great, I bet none of them know morse code either,” muttered the towering lizard who blinked. “Wait, did I just speak normally?”

“Technically you all have different languages since you originate from wholly different realities or time lines, so I figured I’d translate for you,” Jest shouted from the stage. “I’m also ready whenever you are by the way.”

The various Twilights moved slowly, eying one another up carefully, and curiously, with most watching the Twilight in their midst who appeared to have been turned into a demon of some kind. A large black book was bound in silver chains about her neck, and her ethereal mane flickered behind her, shifting from black at her scalp to a light purple at the tips. Stars could be seen within the demon’s hair, though most were too busy staring at the large sword-like horn which protruded from her head.

A horn which was in the shape of a curved blade not unlike a khopesh, an appendage which she was evidently quite adept at carrying if her smooth confident steps were anything to go by. She too looked back at the other creatures, her piercing gaze looking down on them, scouring their very souls and weighing them each individually. Something she didn't have much trouble doing considering she was one of the tallest in the room, her svelte figure allowing her to tower over most other Twilights.

As one they collectively turned away from the demonic Twilight and her shimmering, deep purple fur to a rather strangely gaunt Twilight who towered over all save for the horned lizard among them. Her body was thin, almost skeletal in its appearance, the mare giving off the impression that she wasn't truly alive given just how unnaturally empty her torso appeared to be. She at least had the same cutie mark as the others, though hers shimmered slightly, and the six smaller stars that adorned it were each different colors.

That wasn't what grabbed the eye however, as it was her shattered horn which did just that, making each visitor wince at the sight. Her fur and mane were also significantly darker then the other two more normal looking Twilights who had a much lighter coloration in comparison. She also had an unnaturally deep shadow, and her eyes glowed a menacing purple, from which wisps of purple magic emanated.

The last Twilight among them was perhaps the strangest among them, though it wasn't quite as readily apparent as to why. She was one of the few unicorns among them who at first glance was not either crippled, or had been turned into a different species. That was until they noticed just how strangely well muscled she was, and the way her eyes glowed a bright yellow color.

This Twilight sported an unnaturally long horn and glowing yellow lines which traveled down her body, though most could be seen on her left foreleg. Which was slightly thicker, and wider than the rest of her tree trunk like limbs which clopped audibly against the wooden floor. All who met her gaze felt unnerved by the experience, the pony’s eyes containing a strange alien quality to them that made each creature realize that she was no normal unicorn.

“Done eying one another up like a pack of jackals?” Jest teased as they riffled and shuffled a deck of cards.

“Yes well, pardon me for taking stock of my strange companions,” remarked the demonic Twilight who was the first to climb the stage and take her seat next to Jest.

“You are all quite strange,” remarked the dead eyed Twilight. “Save for you, that is. In your reality did I get a gym membership?”

“Not quite,” remarked the slightly buffer alicorn Twilight. “I did spend the last twenty odd years adventuring and saving the world though.”

“Were you always an alicorn?” questioned the demonic Twilight.

“No. I was a unicorn at one point but after defeating Tirek I was ‘ascended’ if you could call it that,” remarked the alicorn, who found and sat at the seat which seemed to have been designed for her.

“I feel like we should probably go around the table and introduce ourselves, lest we end up wasting time asking one another an endless stream of questions,” declared the alien Twilight who sat on a wider, more reinforced chair.

“Ahh, that does seem like the best idea, though I have more than a few questions about this place that I would like answered first,” stated the undead Twilight.

“Ahh yes. The theatre,” Jest began, raising a hoof. “It is a pocket dimension gifted to me by a close friend. Here I control all facets of reality, all the way down to the subatomic level.”

“Curious,” murmured the demonic Twilight, who placed her chin in her hoof and leaned forward. “Just what are you then?”

“Just a humble entertainer. It is my creator who happens to have the real power here, but we shan't get into that,” Jest assured. “All you need to know is that violence is not allowed, you can leave at any time, though doing so would forfeit your chance at the knowledge I promised.”

“But if we will forget then why should we bother playing?” questioned the dead eyed Twilight.

“If you will forget anyway, why not enjoy yourself, and relish acquiring the answers you seek, if only for a moment?” Jest countered. “Yes it may be fleeting, but that just means there is no reason not to enjoy it while you can.”

“Sounds like a metaphor for life,” murmured the enormous lizard.

“Quite right my friend,” Jest proclaimed. “Now then, why don't you each introduce yourself, starting with the Twilight who suggested you do so in the first place?”

The undead Twilight shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “My name as you likely already guessed is Twilight and in my world, universe, timeline or whatever, Celestia rules Equestria with an iron hoof.”

“Did she experiment on you as well?” questioned the buff alicorn.

“No, though she did have my mother, and technically me killed,” replied the undead.

“I am so sorry,” whispered the great lizard, who tentatively touched the undead pony’s shoulder.

“It's fine,” muttered the other Twilight. “After that I fled into the Everfree, learned necromancy and have been steadily helping my friends all while I uncover many of the world’s secrets.”

“Fascinating. I assume necromancy can do more than simply make zombies in your world,” inquired the dead eyed Twilight.

The undead Twilight nodded. “It is also called soul magic and can be used for a great many things.”

“Which we don't have time to get into,” Jest added pointedly.

“Yes well, I suppose I should go next then,” stated the dead eyed Twilight. “My given name is Twilight, though if I am being honest I am not sure why I am here.”

“Why do you say that?” asked the lizard.

“Because I am spell, and am not truly alive, nor was I born in the traditional sense,” stated the Twilight. “If I had my magic I could show you what I mean, but in my reality I was created by Celestia as a stand in for Sunset Shimmer. The princess needed someone who could wield the element of magic after her former student ran away and to that end she implanted within me a spark of her magic in order to give me life, as well as control my actions.”

“Yeesh, and I thought it was bad that my Celestia created me in a more metaphysical sense,” remarked the muscled alicorn.

“That’s horrible,” muttered the undead Twilight.

The spell shook her head. “It is not as bad as it may seem. I can still enjoy the pleasures of the flesh. Though for reasons which should be obvious I cannot get pregnant. I am also immortal, incredibly powerful and I can freely alter my being if I desire.”

“But do you have free will?” questioned the demonic Twilight.

“Celestia told me that I didn't, though I was hoping to get a second opinion,” stated the spell, who glanced at the dealer.

Jest smiled. “And if you win, I will gladly give you such information.”

“I suppose I’m next,” offered the other alicorn. “Like I mentioned earlier, my friends and I are adventurers. The six of us became slightly isolated, considering we were constantly traveling and fighting various monsters. As such we sort of fell into relationships with one another. The last adventure saw us nearly losing to an incredibly powerful minotaur chieftain, and we only just barely survived because the nightmare within me saved us.”

“Strange, I had always assumed that an alicorn’s darker half only emerged after the pony experienced an extended period plagued by negative emotions,” the undead Twilight remarked.

“In my reality each alicorn has a second mind of sorts, which lies dormant until some event causes it to emerge,” explained the muscled alicorn. “Celestia attempted to remove my darker half after she ascended me, and only managed to make it revert to a more childlike state.”

“Fascinating,” whispered the demonic Twilight.

“Though I have questions of my own, perhaps we should continue,” pressed the alien Twilight.

The great lizard nodded. “I was perhaps most like the last Twilight before I was dropped into a different dimension by some unseen force. Before that point I had defeated Nightmare Moon along with my friends using the elements of harmony much like how the other alicorns both did by the sounds of it.”

Said alicorns nodded.

“Yes well, after that things were going well until I unexpectedly found myself in the body you see before you,” explained the lizard, who swept a hand down towards itself. “Which is apparently called a deathclaw. After that I was found by my companion Janey and we have since set out into the wasteland in search of my friends.”

“Wasteland?” questioned the alien Twilight.

“Yes apparently the mirror world, which some of you may know about, has a dark reflection of its own where the humans nearly wiped themselves out using nuclear weapons,” the great lizard answered.

Several Twilight’s nodded knowingly, while the rest merely blinked in confusion.

“These nuclear weapons you spoke of, how do they function?” pressed the alien Twilight.

“I don't know,” admitted the lizard.

“And it wouldn't matter if you did as none of you will remember what happens here,” added Jest pointedly.

The yellow eyed Twilight sighed, and leaned back in her chair. “It was worth a shot.”

“Unlike the rest of you, my name is Kanathara, and I am a keeper of secrets. Though at one point I was a unicorn like you all I was abducted by Tirek at a young age, and have since become a demon,” remarked the demonic mare. “Before you ask, yes I have met a few of these friends I think we have in common, and no I am not evil.”

“You sure appear evil,” remarked the buff Twilight. “In fact I think I defeated one of your kind a decade ago in the badlands. She was trying to resurrect some dead god to bring about the end times, though her plan was rather convoluted.”

“Aren't they all?” deadpanned the spell.

“Yes well, appearances aside I don't desire the death of the world or anything of the sort,” explained the demon. “In fact if I was not contracted to acquire the elements of harmony I’d likely spend the next century studying in relative isolation.”

“Now that sounds nice…” murmured the undead Twilight, who rubbed her chin. “Maybe after my friends pass on I’ll take a century off from public life.”

“As much as I’d like to hear your exhaustive reading lists you all have prepared, I must insist that we keep things going,” Jest interrupted, the pony glancing expectantly at the final Twilight at the table.

Who snorted. “I’m Twilight and like a few of you I was taken on as Celestia’s protege. In my world she is kind to a fault, and though I was infected by some form of alien parasite at a young age, she took me in. Since then I’ve trained nearly every day in order to defeat Nightmare Moon, something I turned out to be ill prepared to do.”

“She didn't really bring about eternal night did she?” the more muscled Twilight inquired. “In my world Luna claimed the whole night forever thing was a metaphor for people appreciating it more than the day.”

The infested mare snorted bitterly. “It hasn't been long, but since her return she has not allowed the sun to rise for even a moment. I’m starting to believe that she's trying to freeze the entire planet out of spite.”

“That seems slightly… unwarranted,” undead Twilight remarked.

Kanathara raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure she's not a prime evil? My nightmare Moon is likely a demon borne from the first act of planetary genocide, which fits the bill of yours quite nicely.”

The infested hummed thoughtfully and rubbed her chin. “That is a possibility, though to be honest I’m not wholly certain that demons are even a thing in my reality. Sure they are referenced in literature and stuff, but I’m fairly certain they are fictitious.”

“See? They are two very different things that are totally not the creator being lazy,” Jest proclaimed, riffle shuffling the cards in a dramatic fashion.

“The creator? You’re not religious are you?” questioned the spell.

“Not exactly,” Jest replied mysteriously or hamfistedly, depending on your perspective.

“Before we start, I presume that time doesn't flow normally here and that I won't come back five years later or something, right?” prodded the buff Twilight curiously.

“You will return to the exact moment I plucked you from your story and no one will be the wiser. Trust me,” Jest proclaimed, flashing the table a knowing wink.

“Right then. As curious as I am about you guys I would rather like my answer sooner rather than later,” infested Twilight proclaimed.

“Quite,” agreed the lizard.

“So, let us begin,” Jest proclaimed, the pony dealing the first hand in mere moments, his movements precise and lightning fast. “The game is Texas hold 'em, which I assume everyone knows how to play, yes?”

The assembled Twilights all nodded.

“Excellent, you will each find a set of chips with numbers on them before you, and the starting bet is one hundred points,” Jest finished. “Now then, Kanathara, you will be starting us off, and no I’m not just starting with you because everyone else answers to Twilight.”

“Uh alright, I’m in,” declared the demon, who tossed a hundred point chip into the middle.

And with that, the game had begun.

“Just call it or don't, but either way make up your mind already,” implored the infested Twilight.

The spell Twilight leaned forward. “I for one believe she is bluffing.”

The more well muscled Twilight grit her teeth and stared at the only other opponent left in this hand. Who sat behind a small mountain of chips, her cards laid against the table and a smile on her demonic face. Though no one was out yet several hours had passed and the more athletic Twilight was down to her final points.

In her hand she had a pair of threes, and combined with the pair of aces on the table it meant that she had at least something, though it wasn't much. Certainly not enough to bet what little she had left, though at this point if she didn't win something here she was going to end up out the next hand. Add to that the fact that their demonic counterpart seemed to bluff near constantly, plus was an absolute master at it and the more athletic Twilight found herself leaning on going in.

“I’m all in,” she declared, flicking her final chip into the middle.

Jest nodded knowingly. “Alright ladies, lets see what you got.”

“Two pair,” declared the first Twilight, who flipped her hand.

The demonic Twilight chuckled. “Not a bad hand but it's got nothing on my full house.”

Sure enough, when she flipped her cards over, the demon had exactly that, trouncing the other Twilight’s hand quite well… handedly.

“Dammit,” cursed the alicorn. “I don't suppose I can mulligan that hand eh?”

Jest shook their head. “I’m afraid not. It looks like this is where you get off.”

The pony sighed. “Well it was nice meeting you all.”

“It was nice meeting you as well,” offered the lizard, a sentiment which the rest of the Twilight’s shared immediately after, all save for one.

“Don't let the metaphysical door hit you on the way out,” teased the demon.

“Yeah whatever. I hope you choke on it,” spat the athletic Twilight.

“Before you go, what were you going to ask?” inquired the undead Twilight.

“I was going to ask if my story was ever going to get updated again,” replied the other Twilight who glanced expectantly at Jest.

Who chuckled, and tapped the table, causing a button to merge from the wood. “Totally!”

“Wait, really?” she questioned.

“Pfft no, this is all you’re ever going to get,” retorted Jest who slammed their hoof on the bottom, causing the floor to fall out from beneath the alicorn Twilight.

“I just wanted to be relevant again!” She cried while plunging into the darkness.

A second later and the hole vanished having been obscured by two pieces of wood which swiftly covered it and Jest’s button vanishing along with it.

“Alright then, with that done let's start the next hand,” Jest happily proclaimed.

“Oof, that was kinda dark don't you think?” pressed the undead who glanced at the spot their counterpart had been sitting a second earlier.

“Who cares?” remarked the demonic Twilight flippantly.

The other Twilight’s exchanged a knowing look with one another, a silent pact being formed between them as cards flicked across the table.

“Alright then, the buy in has been doubled, and with that let us start with Kanathara once more,” Jest offered, gesturing to the demon, who tossed the necessary chips into the middle.

“Lets see where this goes,” she remarked offhandedly, leaning back in her chair. “Say, I don't suppose you have a kitchen back there by chance do you?”

Jest chuckled. “Don't need one, here. Take a look at the menu and lemme know if you need anything. Something tells me we’ll be here a while.”

The strange pony clapped their hooves together and a set of menus appeared before the gathered Twilight’s.

“Finally, now things can really get going,” remarked the infested hungrily.

“This is ridiculous,” stated Kanathara bitterly, the demon leaning forward in her chair, her whiskey sour nearly toppling over onto the table. “How did things end up this way?”

The lizard shrugged. “I don't know how but at least it's over. It feels like we’ve been here for days.”

“Three days to be exact, but don't worry I got rid of the need to use the bathroom or sleep after it became apparent that this was going to take a while,” Jest replied.

“No wonder I haven't had to use the little girl’s room after I drank all those dacquires,” muttered the undead.

“Well, everything else aside it was rather nice to enjoy a caesar salad done exactly as I like it, among pleasant company” remarked the dead eyed Twilight, who tapped her lips with a napkin. “Noone seems to get the intricacies of making a good salad these days.”

“I’m glad you liked it,” replied Jest with a smile.

“Curiosity over this whole pocket reality aside, I’m more than a little baffled how things ended up like they did,” remarked the infested, who gestured to the table, wherein a great mountain of chips sat at the center. “How did this even happen exactly?”

“You girls were so bent on getting Kanathara out of the game that things got a little out of hand,” Jest replied, chuckling to themself. “Or should I say in hand?”

The deathclaw snorted. “At least it's over after this. I think my tail is about to fall asleep again.”

“Yes well, I suppose I’m glad that it will be finally done with,” agreed the undead.

“We are ready when you are, Jest,” declared the spell.

“Alright, let's make this as dramatic as possible, on three I want you all to flip your cards,” Jest offered, glancing around the room.

“Sounds fair,”

“Fine by me,”

“Acceptable,”

“If I have to,”

“We might as well,”

“Excellent, now before we get into the end game I would just like to say how much I appreciated your cooperation here. The porn Twilight’s were much more difficult,” Jest proclaimed, the pony shuddering briefly.

“Wait, porn Twilight’s what are you-”

Jest cleared their throat. “But enough about that. Three, two, one, and flip em!”

“Huh, I won,” muttered the undead pony, every Twilight looking down to find that she had indeed managed such a feat, with only a three of a kind at that. “I just assumed you girls had better.”

The spell sighed. “I knew this was a bad idea. Why did I stick with such a poor hand?”

“I don't know, but either way I’m glad I at least got a single pair,” remarked the infested.

The death lizard shrugged. “I may have only had one pair as well but I was never very good at gambling anyway.”

“Well I sure am,” muttered Kanathara bitterly.

“Oh don't be so mad, at least now you all get to go back to your own worlds,” Jest offered. “Oh and if you ever find yourself back here you’ll have the memories of this place restored.”

“Well it was nice knowing you all,” offered the lizard.

“Likewise,” remarked the undead.

“Too bad, I would have liked to know if we were going to be able to save the world,” stated the infested mare.

“And I would have liked to know how to defeat that wretched hag,” muttered the demon.

“Yes well, better luck next time,” Jest exclaimed before slamming his hoof against a button and causing all but one Twilight to vanish into the floor.

Once gone, the earth pony hopped off his chair, and clopped his hoof twice against the stage, making the table, and the last chair to slip beneath the ground. A second tap of Jest’s hoof later and a set of lights settled on them, a microphone popping into the strange pony’s grip.

“Alright then, this is it ladies and gentlemen. Twilight has won, and now it's time to get an answer to a burning question,” Jest began. “A question which… You know now that I think about it I’m not sure what you want to ask me.”

“Oh I want to ask you plenty of things, but to be honest I’m not sure if I even want an answer,” Twilight mused.

“What do you mean?” pressed the earth pony.

“Well I would like to know about my past, and about my previous reincarnations, and how or even if I can bring back Luna but after being in Ponyville for a while all of those things don't feel quite so pressing anymore,” Twilight admitted.

“Perspective is a wonderful thing isn't it?” exclaimed the earth pony.

“Yes, though I’m tempted to pick one at random just to know the answer for a little while, I don't know if I can choose only one,” Twilight continued. “The only thing I really want at this point is to see my mother again.”

Jest sighed, and wiped away a single tear. “Well this leaves us in a strange spot now doesn't it?”

“Sorry, I know it's rude to turn down an offer as generous as this but I think I’m going to have to,” Twilight replied with a shrug.

“No no, wait a second. I think there is something I can do,” Jest offered.

“You don't mean…”

Jest nodded. “I can let you see your mom again, and I’ll even throw in an answer to a question you didn't ask. Yes she will be put to rest, and you’ve done a good job doing so thus far.”

“I… don't know what to say,”

“It's fine, I’m sure the boss wouldn't mind me bending the rules this time,” Jest remarked, the pony glancing left and right as if he were checking to see if he were being watched before leaning towards her. “You are his favorite after all.”

“Favorite what?” Twilight muttered, scratching her head.

“Don't worry about that! Now take a step back and prepare yourself for the reunion of the century!” Jest shouted, the pony leaping into the air and clopping their hooves against the ground.

In response, white smoke began to billow up through the floor boards, the mass of twisting gas gaining a strangely purple tinge to it after a few seconds. This color grew more vibrant until it became the same shade Twilight remembered seeing in her mother’s mane and on her cutie mark. For a moment the smoke continued to pour from the ground, and shifted in the air, as if confused by its surroundings, but a clop of Jest’s hoof drew its attention.

Down to the spot in front of Twilight, where the smoke coalesced, forming into a familiar equine shape complete with horn. Twilight struggled to resist leaping out and hugging the pony, but held back when she realized that it wasn't quite over yet. After a few more tense moments, the smoke lost its ethereal quality, solidifying into a single mass, and gaining definition.

Eyes, hair and limbs emerged, with the final detail being the addition of two large expressive teal eyes. “T-twilight is that you?” she asked, hesitantly stepping forward.

“Oh my goodness, mom I can't believe you’re here!” exclaimed the unicorn a second before she threw herself into the older mare’s hooves.

“Where are we? And who is that?” Twilight Velvet asked, the pony patting her daughter on the back while eying Jest curiously.

“Don't worry about me,” Jest declared with a soft smile. “In fact, don't worry about anyone spying on you. This little reunion should be just between you two.”

“Thank you Jest,” Twilight offered, tears streaming down the pony’s face.

“Don't worry about it Twilight, enjoy yourself,” Jest turned to you. “Let's get out of here shall we?”

Author's Note

Queen Of The Wasteland . The Grand Marionette. Born In Light. The First Law of Magic(you are here). The Infestation of Equiss Prime all received similiar updates, though the ending is changed depending on which fic you are reading so if you think you are suffering from deja vu then just scroll down or press ctrl+f and search "Three, two, one, and flip em" to get to the new content!

Thanks again for all your support and I hope you enjoy this not very spooky but still special update.

The Brink

Pinkie Pie awoke from her slumber and lazily sat up in her cramped tent, the top half of her body wobbling back and forth as her heart struggled to pump blood to her extremities. Smacking her lips, the troll fumbled around with her blanket, tossing it aside before reaching for the snack she had left herself. When her hoof bumped into something hard, she blinked and looked down, finding that the brick was where she had placed it.

Grinning to herself, the troll opened her jaws wide and bit down on the slightly blackened hunk of stone, chewing noisily as her brain slowly woke up. As she crunched on her evening snack, she looked about her small tent curiously, noting that the light of the sun had faded significantly. Though still present, it was distant enough that it didn't bother her eyes, and she grinned excitedly as she thought of what was in store for her tonight.

“Mmm, I wonder if there are going to be any good-tasting rocks around here,” muttered the troll, who pulled out a jar of homemade whip cream and dipped the remaining half of her brick in it before tossing it into her mouth.

Packing up her things took little time, as the shaman had only a small pouch of ingredients and other alchemical items as well as her sleeping gear. Putting that away along with her tent didn't take long, as Pinkie Pie deftly flattened the simple cloth structure into its case. Even though she was only at it for a few minutes, it was still enough to remind the troll of the unnerving silence present throughout the small clearing.

Looking around, she noted that despite sleeping relatively close to the edge of the forest, there were very few bird calls or other sounds common in the dense wood. Putting that thought out of her mind, the troll happily bounced her way through the clearing and up the small hill. Before her stood the two undead, their backs turned to her as both peered intently at the simple wooden door, their horns glowing faintly.

Dropping her saddle bags near the entrance, Pinkie Pie bounded over to the pair, noting the frowns on their faces. “Hiya girls. How goes the studying?” she inquired cheerfully.

“Not bad, though we ended up getting distracted for a few hours when someone decided to remember they had a map of the area,” Twilight remarked slightly bitterly.

Sunset Shimmer threw up her hooves. “I’m sorry that getting killed made me forget about some minor details like a crummy map!”

“What map?” Pinkie Pie inquired, gazing at the space between the two undead.

“We put it away already, but it shows the surrounding area. Only it's a thousand or so years out of date,” Twilight replied, sighing. “And I am sorry about that, Sunset. This stupid door is just trying my patience.”

“You and me both,” Sunset muttered.

“I thought Sunset could get through,” Pinkie Pie began. “Didn't you already do so before?”

“It doesn't work anymore,” Sunset answered, raising a hoof. “See?”

Pinkie Pie watched as the skeleton reached forward and tried to press her hoof against the closed door, only to be blocked by a golden field which popped into existence. The yellow aura held firm as Sunset Shimmer pushed her limb against it, small ripples originating from the point of Sunset’s hoof. With a sigh, the skeleton took a step back and adjusted the light cloak she wore before glancing to the shaman expectantly.

“I don't suppose you have any ideas for us by chance, do you?” Sunset inquired.

“Anything at all, really,” Twilight pressed. “Because at this point nothing has worked, and I’m running out patience as well as spells.”

Pinkie Pie hummed thoughtfully, eying the door closely before shifting her attention to Sunset. “You said you were able to get through it before. What changed?” inquired the troll.

“Well, I died, for one,” Sunset deadpanned.

Twilight’s eyes widened. “And she no longer has that bit of Celestia’s magic in her! Do you think that was it?”

“Hmmm.” Pinkie Pie rubbed her chin. “Sunset, what did it feel like when you passed through the door the first time?”

“Kind of like it was fighting me right up until I felt a pinching sensation,” Sunset explained, shuddering slightly. “It was quite uncomfortable to say the least.”

“That's strange,” Twilight murmured. “It feels like there is a simple pass gate spell on the door. One meant to allow anyone of a certain designation in. Either you would be able to get in or you couldn't, there shouldn't have been any resistance.”

Pinkie Pie grinned and grabbed the skeleton by the shoulders. “Sunset, what did you think of the night before all the bad stuff with Celestia happened?”

The undead shrugged. “Normal, I guess? Though I suppose now that I’m thinking about it, I was a bit of a night owl. I’m fairly certain I didn't wake up before noon for my entire adulthood. Hell, I built my entire class schedule to allow me to stay up late.”

“Wait, you don't think she was a nightborne while living in Canterlot, do you?” Twilight questioned.

Pinkie Pie’s grin grew slightly larger, and she took a step back, releasing the undead from her grip. “I think that was the case exactly!” announced the troll.

“Which explains why it took a bit to get me through the door, because Celestia’s magic overruled it somehow,” Sunset Shimmer finished.

“And without it you are back to being a friend of the night once more,” Pinkie Pie declared.

“Okay, well, that explains that, but not what we are going to do about this door,” Twilight remarked, tapping her hoof against the golden barrier in emphasis.

“Could you do that again please?” Pinkie Pie asked, the troll already wearing a knowing smile.

Twilight blinked and pressed her hoof against the barrier. “I’m not sure why you wanted me to do that. I still can't get through it.”

“But what's different between you and Sunset?” Pinkie Pie pressed.

Twilight looked to the skeleton expectantly, a baffled, pleading look on her face.

Sunset meanwhile was inspecting the other undead’s hoof closely. “Wait, there are no ripples. It's not trying to push you away.”

Twilight looked to the door and found that her assistant’s assertion was indeed true. “But it's still not letting me inside though,” Twilight exclaimed.

“I’ve got an idea!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed, raising a hoof triumphantly in the air. “Wait right here, I’ll be right back!”

The two undead watched as their friend bounded over to where she had left her bags, which the troll began to dig through.

“What do you think she’s up to?” Sunset Shimmer whispered.

Twilight shrugged. “I have no idea. Though I’ve got a good feeling that she’s onto something.”

“You know I’m starting to think that neither of us are particularly good at lateral thinking,” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

The other mare snorted. “Tell me about it. We could both learn a lot from Pinkie Pie.”

“True,” Sunset admitted.

The troll popped back from around the corner, a pipe in one hoof and a small ruby in the other. “I got it! This will tell us exactly what we need to know.”

“I would say this isn't the time to have a relaxing smoke, but then again, I don't think that's what you plan on doing,” Twilight remarked, stepping back from the barrier.

“Noper doper! Besides, smoking is bad for you,” Pinkie Pie proclaimed before sitting down in front of them and putting one end of the long thin pipe into her mouth.

“I’m pretty sure Twilight would be fine even if she started smoking,” Sunset Shimmer pointed out.

“I don't know, have you ever smoked before?” Twilight countered.

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “Once, back in college.”

“And now just look at you,” Twilight replied, gesturing to the skeleton’s body.

Sunset pressed her hoof against her head and groaned. “That was terrible.”

“Good one, Twilight,” Pinkie Pie offered. “Though I’m pretty sure you annoyed Sunset Shimmer a bit. I think she's going to have a bone to pick with you from now on.”

The skeleton groaned even louder, burying her head in her hooves. “Why me?”

“I wouldn't worry about it. I don't think she has the guts to fight me,” Twilight added, sharing a snicker with the giggling Pinkie Pie.

“How do you two still have more? I would have thought you'd’ be sick of skeleton puns after all the ones you made on the walk over here,” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

“Nah, I’ll never get tired of them,” Twilight declared.

“I feel like there is one more pun in there, but I can see Sunset is in pain,” Pinkie Pie stated.

“Thank you, Pinkie,” muttered the bitter undead.

“Anyway, what's with the pipe?” Twilight asked, turning back to the troll.

“It will help us figure out if my guess is right,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, stuffing a small wad of dried plant matter into the end. “Now just sit down and get comfy, this only takes a second.”

Twilight and Sunset did as they were told, watching closely as Pinkie Pie sat across from them, the troll crossing her back legs under her. She then tapped the ruby twice against a nearby stone, causing it to glow faintly and emit a small wave of heat. Placing the pipe against her lips, Pinkie Pie then reached out and pressed the ruby into the small conical bowl at the end.

After several seconds of silence, Pinkie Pie lifted the stone and placed it beside her, all while taking short puffs. Once it seemed as though her ingredients were completely alight, the shaman took a much, much deeper breath, causing the entire pipe to glow faintly. Though it looked to be a simple wooden pipe that was only odd because of its length, that all changed when it began to light up.

Shimmering pink runes lit up along its exterior, each one flowing into another, starting at the very top of the bowl and ending at the mouthpiece. Though Twilight wasn't the best at recognizing runes, she could tell that these were meant to identify something, though what that meant, Twilight wasn't sure. While Twilight tried to figure out what manner of magic had been placed on the pipe, Sunset Shimmer was marveling at her friend’s lung capacity.

Pinkie Pie’s chest seemed to keep on inflating without end, until suddenly she stopped, removed the pipe, and slowly exhaled at the space above Twilight’s head. She then shifted to Sunset Shimmer, before releasing the last bit of smoke straight up, the smoke seeming to collect just above each one of them where it shifted and folded inwards on itself, eventually resembling a faintly pinkish-white cloud that seemed content to simply float there.

Both Twilight and Sunset Shimmer wanted to ask what was happening, but both mares had a feeling that they were going to get answers soon. Before that could happen, they were left with even more questions when the clouds above both Pinkie Pie’s and Sunset Shimmer’s heads turned black. Unlike her companions’ clouds, Twilight’s remained the way it was for a few seconds before shifting and becoming a mix of orange and white.

“It looks like the clouds you see on the edge of the horizon at sunset,” murmured Sunset Shimmer.

“Fitting,” Twilight remarked.

“Aha, I was right!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed, pointing to her cloud as well as Sunset’s. “We are both nightborne, but Twilight is neither.”

“How is that possible? I thought you were automatically one or the other?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

“Yeah, Nebula made it sound like those were the only two options,” Twilight added.

“Not so,” Pinkie Pie proclaimed, waggling a hoof at the pair. “Zecora taught me that it was possible to be neither, but it was incredibly rare. Thankfully this means that we will probably be able to get inside.”

“Really? Well, that's great. ‘ause my next plan was to dig under the whole thing,” Twilight remarked.

“I doubt that would have worked, but don't worry, I’m pretty sure this will,” Pinkie Pie declared confidently. “We just need to make the spell think that you are sunspawn.”

“How will we do that exactly?” Sunset Shimmer inquired.

“Simple, we gotta find some sunflowers, a dozen velvet teacup flowers and a jar of morning dew gathered from the pines of a coniferous tree,” Pinkie Pie explained matter-of-factly.

“That sounds like it may take some time,” Twilight murmured, tapping her chin.

“Nah, not really. I did that on the way here,” Pinkie Pie replied, pulling the needed ingredients out of her bags and setting them on the ground in front of them.

“Damn Pinkie, you are on fire today,” Sunset Shimmer praised, raising her hoof expectantly.

The troll giggled and clopped her own hoof against her friend’s. “Thanks, Sunny Bunny, but I can't take all the credit on that one. Zecora mentioned that these old places sometimes needed a sunspawn to get into them.”

“How did she know that?” Twilight questioned.

Pinkie Pie shrugged. “No idea. But she has plenty of really old stuff in her room, so maybe she explored them back in the day.”

“Regardless. How long should it take to make this potion or whatever it is you are going to make?” Sunset Shimmer inquired.

“Not long, only a few minutes, but if you guys could get a small fire started, that would help. In the meantime I’ll crush the sunflower seeds and pulp the stems,” Pinkie Pie replied, pulling a mortar and pestle out of her bags as well as several jars of varying size.

“Sunset, would you mind?” Twilight asked, turning to the skeleton expectantly.

Who nodded. “Sure thing. I think there was a bunch of deadfall not far from here.”

“I don't need much! Just enough for a small fire!” Pinkie Pie shouted at the retreating unicorn.

“Got it!” yelled back the undead.

Pinkie Pie began to hum as she mashed the ingredients, her focus entirely on the task at hoof. Twilight couldn't help but fidget and watch as Pinkie Pie got to work, opening her mouth to speak, only to close it immediately after.

“Hey, Pinkie,” Twilight began, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Yes, Twilight?” Pinkie Pie replied, not looking up from her paste which she was scraping into a smaller container before moving onto another set of ingredients.

“I know I said it before, but I’m sorry I didn't trust you,” Twilight exclaimed, her shoulders slumping. “Even after you proved yourself reliable and knowledgeable, I still didn't consider your council with the weight it deserved.”

Pinkie Pie hummed softly. “That's okay, Twilight. I know it might be a surprise, but a lot of people in Ponyville have trouble trusting me and don't usually take my advice. So I’m used to it.”

“Really? But you’ve lived there pretty much your whole life, right?” Twilight questioned.

“More or less,” Pinkie Pie murmured, applying a few drops of morning dew to the paste before working it into it. “I know I told you this before, but I grew up on a rockfarm, which was very isolated. Trolls can also eat pretty much anything, flesh, dirt, plants, rocks. My uncle exclusively ate rotten meat, said he liked the texture.”

“Well, that's… gross,” Twilight muttered.

Pinkie Pie shrugged and lifted up her concoction in order to observe it in the moonlight. “As such, some folk don't trust us or think we’re cannibals or something. Add that to the fact that I started learning how to be a shaman pretty young, and a lot of people take what I say with a grain of salt.”

“But that doesn't excuse what I did,” Twilight declared firmly. “You had proven yourself trustworthy, and I didn't even know any of that stuff anyway. Not like that would have mattered, mind you.”

“Thanks, Twilight.” Pinkie Pie smiled. “You know, I think the reason we ran into this problem is because we didn't get to go on any cool adventures to bond over.”

“I don't know, that timberwolf thing was pretty harrowing,” Twilight countered.

“Nah, that's like only a random encounter, not a whole adventure with traps and puzzles and stuff,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, the troll going back to mixing more of the ingredients together.

“True, well, I think this definitely counts,” Twilight declared with a smile.

“Totally!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, flashing the undead a toothy grin. “All we need is a third act twist and a boss fight, then we’ll have checked all the boxes.”

“Well, I’d like to avoid the boss fight if possible,” muttered Twilight absently. “Though I am looking forward to the loot at the end.”

“And don't forget all the experience!” Pinkie Pie added.

“Do you think we’ll level up?” Twilight asked, the mare holding back a laugh.

“Hehe, maybe. If so, then I’m totally putting a level in alchemist,” Pinkie Pie replied, the troll and undead sharing a well-deserved giggle.

“What did I miss?” shouted Sunset Shimmer as she trotted up to them, a bundle of wood roughly three feet in length and two feet in diameter held in her grip.

“Nothing, just having a laugh as it were,” Twilight explained.

Sunset Shimmer shrugged and deposited her bundle of twigs on the ground. “Is this enough?”

“You betcha, now stand back while I work my magic!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

“Are you sure I have to drink it? ‘Cause I’m not sure my body would even absorb it,” Twilight inquired, glancing expectantly at Pinkie Pie while holding a bottle of red liquid in her hoof.

“Eeyup!” Pinkie Pie answered, bobbing her head excitedly. “It's not about digesting it. The potion just has to be in your belly so that it overwhelms your natural aura and convinces the spell you're a sunslicker.”

“Well, that's good,” Sunset Shimmer remarked.

“Quite,” added Twilight who swirled the liquid around in its container. “What does it taste like?”

“Acidic hot sauce,” Pinkie Pie replied, shrugging when she got a questioning look from Sunset. “What? I like using it on my fries sometimes.”

“Well, down the hatch, I suppose,” Twilight murmured before tipping the small vial back and swallowing its contents.

Sure enough, it tasted exactly like a strong vinegar mixed with hot sauce, creating a less than fantastic combination that was at least palatable. Twilight had to admit that if it were atop some fries with some sharp cheddar, it might even taste pretty good, though it was much too strong by itself. Choking down the last bit of the liquid, Twilight licked the inside of her mouth, trying to rid herself of the lingering flavour.

“So how long do we have to wait before it works?” Twilight questioned.

“Oh, only a few seconds. You should probably get in there before it wears off in like a minute,” Pinkie Pie explained.

Twilight’s eyes went wide and the undead quickly turned around, scrambling for the door with a panicked look on her face.

Sunset Shimmer leaned towards the troll. “Does it really only last a minute?”

“Nah, I’m just messin’ with her,” Pinkie Pie replied, the two creatures sharing a giggle at Twilight’s expense.

The unicorn didn't even notice the exchange as she was too busy trying to get past the barrier which stood between her and the door. The pony shook her head before focusing on pushing past the light resistance that met her hoof. Though it took a second to accomplish, her hoof reached the knob, and Twilight was finally able to push open the door.

She didn't bother looking around and instead leapt through the opening, her nonexistent heart pounding in her chest. Once on the other side, Twilight let out a slow, unneeded breath and shot Pinkie Pie a scowl.

“You know you could have told me that before we started,” Twilight remarked slightly bitterly.

“Nah, this is way funnier,” Pinkie Pie replied, giggling all the while.

Sunset Shimmer chuckled. “She has a point, you know.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Just tell me where to go already.”

“First floor is where I found the map and seemed like where they were going to make a last stand,” Sunset Shimmer explained. “Above us is the barracks, then what seemed to be a storage area slash supply making space and finally an officer’s quarters that has a hatch to go onto the roof.”

“Do you know where the shield array is?” Twilight asked.

Sunset Shimmer shrugged. “Not sure. My first guess would be the basement, but those spells work best when cast from a higher point.”

“Maybe the roof then,” remarked Pinkie Pie hopefully.

“It's possible,” Twilight concluded. “I’ll start by giving the place a onceover and see if I can't find anything.”

“Best of luck,” Sunset Shimmer offered.

“Thanks, I’ll-” Twilight blinked. “Wait. If I don't manage to take down the shield, will I be stuck in here?”

Pinkie Pie rubbed the back of her neck. “Oops. I guess I didn't think that through.”

“Better find and disable it then,” Sunset Shimmer added.

Twilight let out a long sigh. “Fair enough. I’ll be right back.”

The undead unicorn turned around and gave the room a brief onceover, her eyes scanning the hastily constructed defences. The old armor and weapons scattered about caught Twilight’s attention, but the pony quickly brushed them aside, focusing instead on the main table. Though the map that once adorned it was gone, Twilight could tell where it had rested as piles of markers and slips of paper sat on the edge of where it would have been.

Glancing past that, Twilight peered towards the stairs down and after getting a strange crawling sensation up her back, decided to head upwards first. Climbing the stairs up onto the first floor, Twilight looked back briefly and noticed that her friends were busy chatting about something. Though she could listen in if she wanted, she ignored them and began to search the barracks, looking for any sign that this was where the array was located.

Alas there were no open spaces that a spell of such power would need, and though magic blanketed the area, it did not originate from this floor. Putting the rows of beds behind her, Twilight made a note of going through the trunks which lay at their base some other time. For now she had a mission, an important one that she couldn't ignore, prompting the mare to climb ever higher.

The next area was not wide open like the barracks and had a window on one side while a door sat on the other. Already open, Twilight pushed it the rest of the way and stepped through, observing her surroundings closely. Again things seemed disorganized, with bits of paper as well as random alchemical ingredients scattered all over the place.

A small part of the undead wanted to organize all the potentially valuable as well as ancient and possible rare reagents, but reluctantly resisted the urge for now. All that was important about this floor was that it didn't feel like the source of the spell, in addition to lacking the necessary open space. Pushing on, Twilight exited the room and ascended the stairs once more, making her way into the officer’s quarters.

Like the floor below this one, there was a door and a window across from one another, the latter of which hung slightly open. Remembering what Sunset Shimmer had told her of this area, Twilight was expecting to feel the presence of some upset spirit. When the undead walked into the room and didn't sense anything out of the ordinary, Twilight couldn't help but be a little confused by this.

Her spiritual senses had grown sharp after crossing paths with that strange fog, and yet there was nothing here. Closing her eyes, Twilight reached out with her magic, working in tandem with the nightmare which extended their shadow to all four corners of the room. Still there was nothing, and the pony was about to give up when she felt something strange and out of place.

Latching onto that, Twilight found herself drawn not to the place the pony had died, but rather the window. Opening her eyes, Twilight was shocked to find that she looked down not on the small clearing as it was, but rather as it had been. The trees only pressed in from one side, and in the distance she could see Canterlot rising above the distant horizon.

The scent of freshly tilled earth and the sound of a shovel hitting dirt tickled the mare’s senses as a faint feeling of longing plucked at her heart. Then it was gone, and she was back in the tower once more, looking down at the here and now. Twilight noticed that the nightmare had turned into a pitch black feline, its paws pressed against the lip of the window.

“You felt it too, huh?” Twilight muttered, already knowing the answer.

The cat nodded slowly.

“I wonder if she was ever reunited with whoever she was looking for,” Twilight wondered.

The nightmare dropped down from the ledge and trotted back into the room, Twilight’s shadow connecting the two beings.

“Feel like being solid for a while?” Twilight inquired.

The cat stopped, nodded, and then hopped into the luxurious bed.

Twilight watched as the creature gathered all the pillows and blankets into a central point and nestled into it, letting out a long sigh of relaxation. “I know what you mean. That was rather emotionally draining, wasn't it?” Twilight remarked.

The cat opened a single pitch black eye and glanced at Twilight before closing it and wiggling deeper into the covers.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Twilight murmured before turning back to the room.

Taking in the area once more, Twilight firmly crossed it off her list of potential array locations as it was simply too small and cluttered. The placement of the bed and desk would make it difficult for the magic to flow, leaving Twilight with only one option. Trotting back out the door, she walked up to the hatch and gave it a firm push, only to be surprised when it opened easily.

“Right, there wouldn't be rust on it, since it was being protected,” Twilight thought aloud.

Making her way up onto the roof of the structure, she noted that the crenelations were rather low and wouldn't serve as a very good cover. Then again, she was exceptionally tall for modern times, plus ponies of the past were a good foot or so shorter on average. With that in mind, it made sense as to why the battlements were so near the ground, and Twilight silently wondered what the night guard would do with this structure once it had been secured.

Either way, it wasn't her concern. She turned back and gazed down at the roof itself, immediately noting that it was completely barren. Even a moment of concentration was enough to reveal that the air was completely filled with magic. Trotting over to the edge, Twilight was about to shout down to her companions when her head bumped into something surprisingly solid.

Stumbling back, Twilight looked up to find the flickering remains of a golden bubble that had briefly popped into existence. Grumbling bitterly to herself, Twilight felt out the edges of the barrier before getting as close to the side as she could.

“Hey girls, I found it! Give me five minutes to bring it down!” Twilight shouted.

“We’ll be ready!” yelled an exuberant Pinkie Pie.

Twilight turned back to the center of the tower and began to channel her magic, only to stop. “Wait, how do I even do this anyway?” Twilight whispered to herself.

Grumbling, she lay down on the cold stone and began to feel out the array’s location. A task which turned out to be far more difficult than she would have liked, as the magic itself was easy to find but hard to pin down. While modern spells had tight arrays and wasted little power, this one was loose for lack of a better word and emitted a constant hum of background noise.

Like a kid drawing outside the lines, the actual structure of the matrix was hard to ascertain, and after several minutes of fruitless searching, Twilight gave up.

“Having trouble?” shouted the voice of Sunset Shimmer.

“It's fine, just taking a bit longer to do, is all!” Twilight yelled back.

Huffing indignantly to herself, Twilight was about to give up and simply destroy the roof before an idea struck her. She was looking at it all wrong, rather than trying to search for the spell normally, she should be measuring where the magic was strongest. With that thought in mind, she shifted her method of observation and quickly began to turn her luck around.

After a few minutes of mapping everything out, Twilight had a firm feel of where everything was, and what the array had been intended to do. It was a surprisingly simple spell, one that seemed to completely lack any and all necromantic influence whatsoever. This small realization made an idea pop into Twilight’s head, prompting the undead to conjure a drop of unfocused mana at the tip of her hoof.

Due to her necromancy growing so strong, the small orb was a faint bluish-green color, and a small plume of fog emanated from it. She then looked down and opened a small pathway into the spell array before dropping the blob into it. For a moment Twilight wasn't sure if her plan was going to work, but when the orb vanished, the array sprung to life, becoming visible even to the naked eye.

The proud golden lines stretched from one corner of the roof to the next, many different edges all feeding towards a central point where a large glowing rune emitted an almost blinding yellow light akin to the rising sun, forcing Twilight to shield her eyes. That golden energy didn't last for very long, however, as Twilight’s conjured orb of mana wormed its way from the tributary where she dropped it into the array’s very heart.

One by one the lines of magic meant to feed the main spell flickered and died, all while the central point pulsed angrily. It looked to Twilight like an organism fighting off a spreading disease, one it ultimately had no hope of containing. Necromancy seemed so antithetical to its existence that the spell fell apart in its presence, crumbling slowly until there was nothing left.

“Odd,” Twilight muttered to herself.

With a shrug, the pony rose, and after giving the now plain ground one final look, reached out for where she had felt the bubble of energy. Finding nothing, Twilight was about to depart the roof when she noticed the array flicker unexpectedly, springing back to life. Only now it was different, as the sub-runes meant to keep others out no longer functioned, while the preservation aura glowed healthily.

Or at least, as healthy as something that was emitting a bluish-green could possibly be anyway.

“It's probably fine, right?” Twilight asked, glancing down to where the nightmare was peeking out over the lip of the roof.

The cat looked up at Twilight and slowly lifted an eyebrow.

“Don't give me that look. It is so fine,” Twilight pressed.

The nightmare shrugged its shoulders before leaping up onto Twilight’s back, draping its forelegs over the undead’s shoulder and resting its head against the mare’s neck.

With a sigh, Twilight gave the array one last look before simply deciding to deal with it later. She trotted down the stairs. The weight on her back was small, but Twilight found that it grounded her in a way she couldn't quite explain. It was easy to forget about the nightmare she was bound to, but when it chose to manifest physically, it felt a lot less like having a soul parasite and more like an annoying pet.

Smiling to herself, Twilight scratched under the nightmare’s chin as she waited for her friends to arrive.

“Oh hey, Pinkie, she's back!” Sunset Shimmer shouted before turning to the other undead. “I assume it's down?”

“Nah, I just came back in order to trick you into running facefirst into it,” Twilight replied.

“That would be funny, but also not your style,” Sunset Shimmer replied, stepping confidently through the door.

Twilight chuckled. “True.”

Pinkie Pie trotted behind the skeleton a second later, chewing noisily on what Twilight assumed was a rock, given how loud the crunching was. “Shoree, shaw shome foos gowd,” Pinkie Pie explained, mouth still full of stones.

Twilight shook her head. “Well, whenever you’re done, I’m ready to check out the basement.”

“Remember to brace yourself,” Sunset Shimmer warned, the skeleton levitating their packs into the tower and placing them near the central table. “I know I said it before, but just looking at the tablet was rather disconcerting.”

“Don't worry, neither of us have lunch to throw up, though I am perversely curious as to what troll vomit would even look like,” Twilight mused.

“Like extremely chunky oatmeal,” Pinkie Pie explained.

“Augh, I don't even have a stomach, and I feel like I wanna throw up,” Sunset Shimmer muttered bitterly.

“Huh,” Twilight muttered. “Anyway, let's go check out this shield thingy and see if we can get past it.”

“Sounds good, oh fearless leader!” Pinkie Pie replied as she bounced into the room.

“Let’s just hope there is some easy way to get past it I didn't notice,” Sunset Shimmer added as she followed behind the two other beings. “‘Cause I’m telling you right now, I don't think we can brute force this thing.”

“Well, you mentioned that you didn't stay long, perhaps you missed something,” Twilight offered.

“Maybe,” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

Together the three made their way down the stairs and into the basement of the structure, the secret entrance having remained open presumably ever since Sunset Shimmer’s first arrival. Once more Sunset peeked over the side of the stairs, and once more she found herself looking down on the golden dome of magic. Unlike before however, now she had the advantage of perfect night vision, allowing her to see many of the details she missed on her first visit.

It was still a story and a half deep, with the majority of the space dominated by a raised platform at the center of the room. Though as soon as Sunset Shimmer tore her gaze from the strange stone tablet and the golden shield surrounding it, she noticed some differences. For one, the sight of the tablet didn't elicit quite the same feeling of unease as it had the first time, though it certainly wasn't a nice feeling.

It was more like she was being watched by someone or something, though she couldn't tell from what angle they were viewing her. What she could tell was that this otherworldly being was observing her in a harsh, almost judgemental light, making the undead feel rather small for some reason. Brushing that thought aside, the unicorn looked around once more, noticing several smaller details like how the walls were made of a different shade of stone than the one’s above them.

They reminded Sunset a bit of marble, though without any of the veins of grey or black which plagued most marble she had seen before. She also noticed that the shield wasn't quite as large as she had first thought, being only a few metres across and about as tall. There was also a slight lip near the magical bubble, but Sunset Shimmer was fairly certain she had just been in too much of a rush the last time she had been here.

“Unless it moved?” Sunset Shimmer whispered to herself, only to shake her head. “Nah, that's silly.”

“Did you say something, Sunset?” Twilight called from the bottom of the stairs.

“Nothing. I’ll be right there,” Sunset Shimmer called back, the undead trotting down the rest of the stairs and coming to a stop next to the taller mare. “So, thoughts?”

“It seems every bit as impenetrable as you said it was,” Twilight remarked with a frown. “Sorry, Sunset, but I was kind of hoping you were wrong.”

“No need to apologize. Ever since you mentioned wanting to retrieve this thing, I had been silently wishing that I had been mistaken,” Sunset Shimmer explained.

“Still, would you mind running through some scanning spells? I’m afraid I cannot,” Twilight inquired.

“Yeah, sure, where do you-” Sunset Shimmer began, only to be interrupted by a high-pitched whistle.

The two undead looked over in confusion as Pinkie Pie held the tone for several seconds while staring at the shield. The troll then frowned and pressed her face up against the dome, rubbing it against the smooth magical construct. Then, just when Twilight had been about to ask what the shaman was doing, Pinkie Pie licked the barrier and sat on the ground, an odd look on her face.

“So, uh, what does it taste like?” Sunset Shimmer asked in a slightly baffled tone.

“Like yellow grapes and arrogance,” Pinkie Pie replied, the troll’s gaze never leaving the spell for so much as a single second.

“Arrogance?” Twilight inquired.

“Yeah,” Pinkie Pie declared. “I make emotion-packed cupcakes for a few of my changeling friends, and this is exactly what arrogance tastes like.”

“That does sound interesting,” Twilight mused. “Say, Pinkie, do you think you could make a few more of those when we get back? I’ve always wondered what emotions would taste like.”

“Focus, Twilight, maybe this will help us somehow,” Sunset Shimmer interrupted.

Twilight blinked. “Oh uh, right. Pinkie, do you have any ideas by chance?”

“Not sure yet, gotta try some more stuff,” Pinkie Pie answered, suddenly hopping up off the ground. “One sec, I need my bags.”

The pair of undead watched as their companion sprinted up the stairs and vanished.

“What do you think she has planned?” Sunset Shimmer inquired, turning to the other mare.

“I have no idea, but knowing Pinkie Pie, it's probably for a good reason,” Twilight claimed.

Sunset Shimmer nodded slowly. “So, do you still want me to do those scanning spells again?”

“If you wouldn't mind,” Twilight began. “I had a few ideas where to go, but I have to know the exact thaumatic density of the shield first.”

“Fair enough, but I’m telling you right now, we are not breaking through this the traditional way,” Sunset Shimmer warned.

“We’ll see about that,” Twilight confidently declared.

“We are not breaking through that. Even the nightmare can't sneak around this one,” Twilight muttered, kicking the barrier angrily. “At least we determined that it is indeed the same tablet from my past.”

“You know, if I had lungs, I’m pretty sure I would be panting right now,” Sunset Shimmer muttered. “I didn't even know there were that many different scanning spells.”

“Sorry, Sunset, I had to be sure,” Twilight exclaimed.

“It's doooone!” Pinkie Pie announced in a sing-songy voice, the mare bouncing down the steps two at a time, a glass of swirling, smoky brown liquid balancing on the tip of her nose.

“What is done?” Sunset Shimmer inquired. “Let me guess, you made something that will help us get through the barrier.”

“Sorta,” Pinkie Pie replied, landing in front of Twilight and setting the potion next to the shield. “But first, did you guys try teleporting inside of it?”

Twilight nodded. “And use all the usual work-arounds like spirit-walking through it and dispelling it.”

“Did you try spirit-walking through the floor and getting under it?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“No, we uh, didn't,” Sunset Shimmer replied, glancing expectantly at the other undead.

“It's worth a shot,” Twilight muttered, trotting over to the barrier and focusing her magic into her hoof.

Unlike most times, Twilight’s entire body didn't become slack, only one of her limbs, which revealed an ethereal copy that was where its fleshy counterpart had been. Poking the ground, Twilight tried to extend her spirit limb through the floor, only to find that it was surprisingly solid. Trying several other spots, Twilight quickly gave up after it became apparent that her tactic had been accounted for by the shield’s creator.

“Well, it was a good idea at least,” Twilight remarked, giving her hoof a shake after it returned to normal.

“Well, I had hoped that we wouldn't need this, but I guess it's our only option,” Pinkie Pie muttered, the shaman grabbing the potion and trotting over to Twilight.

“What exactly does it do?” questioned Sunset Shimmer who peered expectantly over Twilight’s shoulder.

“This amplifies a being’s natural magic to incredible proportions. Though only temporarily, and that energy must be burnt quickly, or else their soul will explode!” Pinkie Pie explained, miming an explosion with her hooves.

“That sounds… dangerous,” Twilight muttered while eying the potion in a new and slightly uncomfortable light.

“Oh, don't worry. So long as you use all that power to cast a spell, nothing bad will happen,” Pinkie Pie replied with a shrug. “Think of it like eating a whole bunch of goodies and having to burn it off right quick or else it will go straight to your thighs.”

“That's one way of looking at it,” Sunset Shimmer added.

“Do you think that would be enough though? I know I’m strong, but this thing is incredibly powerful,” Twilight explained.

“She has a point, Pinkie,” Sunset Shimmer began. “Nothing short of an alicorn would have the raw power to crack this thing.”

Pinkie Pie hopped over to her friend and wrapped a hoof about the taller mare’s shoulders. “You’re underestimating yourself. You got the shadow of an alicorn on your side, plus every time you helped one of our friends, you got stronger.”

“I mean, a little bit, yeah.” Twilight frowned. “Wait, how did you know that?”

Pinkie Pie giggled. “We’re all connected, obviously. I mean, if we were not, then why would we all be on your butt?”

Twilight blinked and looked down to the different colored stars on her flanks. “I mean I guess, but how does that even work anyway?”

“Something tells me you aren't going to get a straight answer, Twilight,” Sunset Shimmer deadpanned.

Pinkie Pie giggled. “It's best not to question the stars, my friend. Their power is rivaled only by their mystery.”

Twilight let out a long sigh. “Whatever. I guess I have saved up quite a bit of life energy at this point, so my reserves are fairly well-stocked.”

“So, how are we doing this?” interrupted Sunset Shimmer, who waved a hoof at the shield. “‘Cause I don't think a simple overcharged mana bolt is going to get through that thing.”

“No, but a looped, overloaded dispel matrix could do the job,” Twilight began, the pony trotting around the room and eying the ground around the barrier closely. “I’ve never actually tried it before, but theoretically if we harmonized the underlying resonance frequency with our own array which was linked with a dispel rune, it could destroy the shield.”

Sunset Shimmer’s eyes narrowed. “Like punching a hole in a very large water balloon. Though that means you would need to hold that hole open.”

“Which is something I could probably do if this spell manages to boost my power by a good amount,” Twilight replied.

Pinkie Pie grinned. “So, you guys know how to get past it then?”

“Potentially,” Sunset Shimmer warned, eyeing the other undead closely. “You are aware that it may drain you completely? Plus if you don't manage to hold it open, the sub-runes will likely reabsorb the spent energy and bring it back to its old levels, right?”

“I am aware,” Twilight exclaimed, retrieving a long stick of chalk from her bags. “If it comes too close, I’ll cut the spell and we can try again later.”

“Make sure not to get super drained though, ‘cause I don't wanna get all the life sucked outta me,” Pinkie Pie warned.

“I won't let it get that far.” Twilight paused and bit her lip. “And if that does happen, then I’ll just try and focus on sapping the life force of the plants in the clearing.”

Sunset Shimmer hummed thoughtfully. “I suppose that would work, but I still don't like it. The room for error is too high.”

Twilight stood up and fixed the other undead with a firm look. “I can appreciate that I may have come close to biting off more than I can chew a few times, but this isn't one of those times. Besides, we need this tablet if we are going to have a hope of resurrecting Luna and freeing everyone under Celestia’s iron hoof.”

“I am well aware of what's at stake, I just wish there were other options,” Sunset Shimmer replied in a slightly exasperated tone. “We never did figure out exactly what would happen if you ran out of life energy, and I’m not keen on getting killed again.”

“It's fine, Sunny,” Pinkie Pie interrupted, throwing a hoof around the other being’s shoulder and giving her a squeeze. “Twi knows what she's doing and with a little extra help, I’m sure she can do it.”

Sunset Shimmer visibly deflated, shaking her head. “Fine, but if this whole thing goes sideways, I am so going to lord it over you forever.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Whatever, now are you going to help me with this or what?”

Sunset Shimmer clacked her jaw together. “I’ll charge the lines while you draw them.”

Twilight nodded and together the two unicorns got to work, leaving Pinkie Pie to hop up onto the stairs and dangle her hooves over the side. Humming a nonsensical tune, the troll watched as her friends slowly shifted around the room, their movements careful and precise. Almost as soon as Twilight Sparkle had laid down another line, Sunset Shimmer was right there to prime it with a bit of mana.

Together they made short work of the surprisingly detailed array, the nightmare having joined Pinkie Pie at the midway point. Now in cat form, the dark creature sat next to the shaman, eying its mistress’ work closely while also humming along to Pinkie’s song. After it had been completed and received three separate go-overs by everyone save for Pinkie Pie, the pair seemed ready.

“Potion time?” Pinkie Pie inquired.

Twilight’s gaze lingered on the array for several seconds before she nodded slowly. “Yes, Pinkie Pie. It's time for that potion.”

“Woohoo, I always wanted to see what this did to someone as powerful as you!” Pinkie Pie excitedly announced, hopping off the ledge, and bounced over to the pair, glass suddenly in hoof.

“Remember, all you have to do is yell stop, and I’ll cut the feed line from the shield to our array,” Sunset Shimmer offered.

“I got it,” Twilight insisted, retrieving the potion before facing the shield.

Glancing down at her handiwork, Twilight scanned the many lines and symbols which were interwoven to form one large circle around the barrier. From there a slightly smaller, but no less intricate rune was attached to the side by several glowing orange mana paths. Even from a few feet away the pony could feel that everything was fully energized, and all she needed to do was complete the circuit.

After giving one last nod to her friends, Twilight brought the small glass up to her lips and downed it all in one gulp. The taste was akin to dirt, though it burned intensely and left Twilight’s throat feeling as though she had just swallowed a hoofful of sharp rocks. With that strange sensation lingering at the back of her mouth, Twilight found that her chest was becoming oddly tight.

It was as if something inside of her was growing, and quickly at that, though a small part of her knew that it wasn't a physical sensation. It was almost like her soul was straining to escape her mortal coil and was pushing its way through her rib cage. Twilight took one final, unneeded breath before channelling her magic into her hoof and reaching forward, connecting the final piece.

From the side lines, the two mares were startled to see Twilight’s eyes glowing with an intensity that was quite unnerving. Not only that, but her shadow grew larger, and both her mane and her tail gained a strangely ethereal quality to them which it lacked before. Stars and galaxies swirled within the pony’s hair, and her fur sparkled in the low light of the room, captivating the two other beings.

That feeling of captivation didn't last long, however, for as soon as the circuit had been completed, Twilight immediately felt the pull on her internal well of magic. The unicorn’s oddly regal appearance flickered in and out before returning in full after nearly a minute of the odd tug of war. Twilight maintained her grip despite the immense amount of energy pouring from the shield and through the array.

So much magic was being ejected that a fountain of golden sparks began to shoot from the smaller rune, the display resembling a welder cutting through a thin piece of metal. Though only a foot tall at the moment, it was growing steadily, the stream of sparks shooting further and further before dying. None had landed near any of the room’s inhabitants, but both Pinkie Pie and Sunset Shimmer backed up just in case.

Meanwhile Twilight was struggling to hold onto the spell as more and more energy began to pour through her array. It felt almost like holding onto a water hose that was slowly increasing in pressure and swiftly growing out of control. Much like how a firefighter was carried by the force of the hose, Twilight felt her magic begin to slip from her grip.

With a grunt, the pony redoubled her efforts, regaining her footing and securing her hold on the spell using a carefully applied surge of magic. With the spell back under her guidance, Twilight settled in for the long haul, fully aware of just how much energy was stored in the shield. Even still, she was fairly confident that she could wait it out and eventually manage to wear it down in the end.

“Do you think she’s got it? She looks more confident,” Pinkie Pie whispered.

“It does seem that way,” Sunset Shimmer began, her voice tinged with caution. “But that doesn't mean this is in the bag quite yet. That spellwork was complicated, and it would have taken days of in-depth scanning to figure it all out.”

“So there might be a trap in there?” Pinkie Pie questioned.

“Or there might be nothing at all,” Sunset Shimmer replied. “It's hard to tell as you need to measure the thaumatic energy within every single line in order to accurately map the array’s intentions.”

“Which isn't something you guys had a chance to do,” Pinkie Pie murmured.

“Exactly,” Sunset Shimmer finished.

The two friends watched as Twilight continued to hold onto the spell, her hair whipping behind her as if being blown by the magic emanating next to her. Almost unseen between the mare’s hooves stood the nightmare, its gaze distant and its stance wary. It was as if the strange spiritual creature was standing at the ready, just waiting for when its aid was necessary.

And good thing too, for it only took a few minutes before Twilight began losing control of the spell again. It started with the jet of sparks forming into a single continuous golden flame, one which quickly grew until it was as tall as Twilight herself. In response, the nightmare melted into Twilight’s form, overlapping the mare in a ghostly shell of darkness.

Immediately Twilight’s pained expression vanished, though it was replaced not by a look of confidence, but rather one that was incredibly strained. Through their connection, Sunset Shimmer could feel the necromancer hemorrhaging magical power, losing the advantage she had held over the shield. In only a few seconds the tug of war went from being firmly in Twilight’s favor to being just barely even.

“What do we do?” Pinkie Pie inquired nervously, hopping from hoof to hoof. “We have to be able to help somehow, right?”

“I’m afraid there’s nothing we can do,” Sunset Shimmer shouted over the inferno. “The magic needs to be hers, and though Twilight can give me a bit of her power, I can't do the same for her.”

Pinkie Pie frowned as she watched Twilight continue to struggle with the spell, magical fire shooting several feet into the air. “I don't like this one bit, but Twi knows her limits. I say we trust her.”

Sunset Shimmer nodded slowly. “I agree. Just be ready if things go sideways.”

In front of them Twilight seemed to have regained control of the magic, though it was a near constant struggle. Her face twisted into an uncomfortable grimace while the faint glow of an ethereal horn could be seen upon her head. Unnoticed by the necromancer, she had also grown a pair of ghostly bluish-green wings which matched her horn.

Though the pony herself was so focused on her task that she didn't even notice the change, her companions certainly did. So stunned were the pair that they didn't initially realize something had gone wrong until Twilight grunted in pain, falling to the ground. Though still radiating power like a dark star, the unicorn’s body had become even thinner than normal for her.

Twilight’s flesh was also oddly palid, her eyes sinking into her skull while her mane became thin and whisp-like. Her corpse-like appearance wasn't the only strange thing that had changed as the golden flames had also risen to a disturbing height. The room had grown considerably warmer, to the point that the edges of Pinkie Pie’s bags had started to smoke.

“Get outside, quickly!” Sunset Shimmer shouted, tossing aside her cloak and throwing her own bags on Pinkie Pie’s back.

The troll nodded and did just that, sprinting up the stairs and vanishing.

Leaving Sunset Shimmer to watch as her friend barely held on, the barrier starting to flicker in and out of existence. So close to the precipice of victory, Sunset Shimmer felt strangely conflicted, her loyalty to Twilight warring against itself. She had a duty to do as the young mare asked and an obligation to ensure she didn't come to harm, even if that harm was self-inflicted.

In the end she didn't get the chance to make a decision one way or the other, as Twilight’s ghostly horn flared brightly. With one last titanic tug, the unicorn ripped the remaining power from the barrier, briefly causing the magical fire to touch the ceiling a story and a half above them. Then it was gone, the barrier vanishing and their array going dark before turning to dust, its magical circuits having been overloaded.

Twilight swayed on her hooves, the ethereal wings and horn having vanished, though the pony didn't completely return to normal. Her skin still hung loose about her body, and her eyes had sunk so deep into her skull that they were little more than black pits. All color had drained from the mare, and she swayed unsteadily on her hooves before collapsing to the ground in a heap.

In an instant Sunset Shimmer was next to the necromancer, her hooves grabbing the other unicorn by the shoulders. “Twilight! Are you okay? What happened?” shouted the skeleton.

“Hidden anti-surge sub-rune,” Twilight whispered, her voice hoarse. “Drained me more than expected.”

“I can see that? What can I do to help?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

“Grab my…” Twilight’s eyes went wide. “It's too late, run!”

Sunset Shimmer wanted to resist and remain by the other pony’s side, but there was some undercurrent of power to the necromancers' words. A power which compelled the pony to move despite not wanting to, her hooves carrying her up the stairs despite her protests. Glancing over her shoulder, Sunset Shimmer could see a dark pool form around the necromancer, from which dozens of inky black tentacles emerged.

Turning back around, Sunset Shimmer focused on merely doing as her friend had told her to, sprinting out of the room and towards the entrance. Where a terrified and utterly baffled Pinkie Pie stood, the troll glancing expectantly back at the stairs down.

“No time, just run!” Sunset Shimmer shouted.

Pinkie Pie seemed ready to argue for a moment, only for the dark tentacles to emerge from below, seeping up through the cracks in the floor. “Yipe!” cried the troll before turning and joining her friend as they ran outside.

Sunset Shimmer didn't stop after exiting the tower, running as fast as she could until she reached the edge of the clearing. Only then did the feeling of danger begin to ebb and be replaced by an intense weariness the likes of which she had never experienced. Stumbling into the woods, Sunset felt one of her forelegs catch on a rock and fall right off of her body.

Hitting the ground, Sunset struggled to keep herself together, the mare’s limbs becoming so heavy that it felt like someone had attached weights to the remaining body parts. Looking down, the skeleton picked up her fallen leg and rammed it back into its socket, trying to will it to go back where it was supposed to. After a moment of strain, Sunset Shimmer managed to regain feeling in her formerly missing foreleg and turned to Pinkie Pie.

Who stood with mouth agape and eyes wide, her attention fixated on the now strangely barren clearing that stood before them. Following her gaze, Sunset Shimmer looked on to find that every small bush and blade of grass had been killed. Not only that, but a black blanket hung over the entire area, strands of darkness twisting and grasping at anything living.

Slowly, the light of the moon seemed to pierce the strange miasma, leaving the clearing covered in grey plantlife. A slight breeze picked up a moment later, causing a brief plume of dust to pick up before being wafted into the forest. The silence which followed the gust’s departure was absolute, with not a single animal or insect stirring.

“I guess we should go back,” Pinkie Pie murmured.

“I guess so,” Sunset Shimmer muttered back. “I just hope she ate her fill.”

“Me too,” Pinkie Pie replied, her ear twitching. “We better hurry too. I got a bad feeling that something is coming to cause problems for us.”

Sunset Shimmer glanced over her shoulder nervously. “I don't hear anything. What do you think it is?”

Pinkie Pie shook her head. “I don't know what's coming, but I know it's dangerous, whatever it is.”

Not waiting for a response, the troll began to sprint back towards the tower, with Sunset Shimmer following behind at a slightly slower pace. Bits of dried plant matter crunched audibly under hoof, immediately crumpling to dust and being scattered upon the breeze. As the pair neared the tower, a low rumble emanated from the structure, making both of them stop dead in their tracks.

Turning their gaze upward, they watched in horror as the top story collapsed inwards, before crumpling into the floor below. The interior supports seemed to do their job however, and the building didn't fall any further. Though neither Sunset nor Pinkie Pie thought that would last very long, and both sprinted into the crumbling tower.

Dust billowed out from the upper floors, filling the air and making it difficult to see where they were going. That didn't stop either of them however, and the pair plunged through the room, heedless to the potential danger. Entering the basement, Sunset glanced at the ceiling and noted that small rocks were already coming loose.

“Hurry! I don't know how long this tower will stay standing!” Sunset Shimmer shouted.

Pinkie Pie said nothing, the troll merely leaping over the side of the stairs and landing next to where Twilight lay with a thump.

The unicorn no longer looked dead, and some of her youthful vigor had returned, though she still looked completely exhausted. Pinkie Pie didn't say a word, merely tossing the lanky unicorn over her shoulders before grabbing the tablet and throwing it up towards Sunset who hastily caught the enormous stone slab in her magic, the hunk of rock barely fitting through the exit.

With chunks of stone raining down around her, Sunset Shimmer guided the tablet in front of her, Pinkie Pie close behind. Together the pair kept running, putting a good amount of distance between them and the crumbling tower before stopping. Sunset Shimmer immediately trotted over to her friend and began to search through her bags. After finding that the scroll was still with her, the skeleton breathed a metaphorical sigh of relief.

Which was interrupted when the tower unexpectedly fell inwards, wooden supports snapping under the strain. The ground rumbled, and dust shot into the air, the dull boom of its collapse echoing off the sides of the clearing several times. When the structure came to rest, there was nothing left but a small pile of rubble that only barely poked out of the ground. Only the roof of the structure remained miraculously intact, the round wooden object remaining in one piece and glowing faintly with Twilight’s unique brand of magic.

Pinkie Pie let out a long breath. “Well, that sure was something, how are you feeling, Twilight?”

The undead mare groaned. “Like I died again,” she muttered.

“You didn't though, right?” Sunset Shimmer inquired.

Twilight shrugged. “I don't think so.”

Pinkie Pie’s ears flopped back and forth before her mane shot straight up, the troll gasping audibly. “It's here!” she cried.

“Wait, wha-” was all Sunset Shimmer managed before a resounding crack could be heard coming from behind them.

Spinning around, the three beings were startled to see an enormous bipedal creature wading through the trees, its marble white body spattered by a spray of blood. The monster had four arms each ending in a nearly eight foot-long blade made of a sparkling silver metal. It had no neck and only a short, squat head, while the rest of its body was thin and lanky, though still appearing to be quite solid.

Its gaze quickly settled on the trio, and after a moment of studying them, the being strode into the clearing. Its topmost limbs settled into a crossguard formation while its lower ones hung loose, ready to strike at a moment’s notice.

“What do we do?” Sunset Shimmer shouted while backpedaling rapidly.

Twilight gulped. “I have no idea.”

Author's Note

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The Struggle

“This is bad. I’m too far from the forest to gather any more energy, and I don’t think it would do much good anyway,” Twilight exclaimed.

“Well, we have to do something, I don't think it's here just to cut the grass!” Sunset Shimmer shouted, her fleshless horn glowing brightly.

“Don't worry, girls, I haven't used a single spell slot. I got this!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed as she leapt before them and raised a hoof to the sky.

The two unicorns looked on in confusion as the troll began to mutter something strangely sing-songy under her breath. Just as the golem had crossed the halfway point, and Twilight began to worry, the sudden gathering of storm clouds drew her attention upwards to where the deep black shapes nearly blotted out the sky, the swirling mass having appeared from seemingly nowhere.

Then with a decisive chop, Pinkie Pie brought her hoof down at the same time as six lightning bolts burst from the clouds. The power of the attack knocked down small trees as well as caused every living creature to be temporarily struck blind and deaf. Despite the strength of the attack, their attacker stumbled only briefly, a golden glow suddenly springing up above it and blocking the majority of Pinkie’s attack.

Only a trio of large blackened scorch marks dotted the top of its head. Though the damage seemed to be minimal, the golem stood still as if it were temporarily overloaded or merely confused. Pinkie Pie, meanwhile, seemed sapped by the spell, yet quickly caught her breath before launching herself into a strange dance.

“If you don't mind lightning, let’s see how you handle a little ice!” Pinkie Pie shouted, her body glowing a faint blue before she leapt forward suddenly and stomped her forehooves against the ground.

The clouds grew darker still before unleashing a great torrent of fist-sized hail on the golem as well as its immediate surroundings. The driving hail was initially ignored by the inanimate creature, which strode forward only to be buffeted back by a burst of wind. The hail seemed to do little, though unlike the lightning, it wasn't stopped by the magical shield.

“It won't hold it for long!” Pinkie Pie shouted. “We need a plan!”

“Twilight, can you sense any life force in that thing?” Sunset asked, turning to the necromancer.

“Nothing! I don't think I’m going to be much help here, girls. It's up to you!” Twilight replied.

“How do we defeat this thing? ‘Cause I don't think any of my spells are gonna cut it!” Pinkie Pie yelled.

Sunset Shimmer dragged a hoof down her skull. “I don't know! I’ve never seen a golem this powerful before!”

“Do we run?” Twilight asked.

The golem had nearly pushed its way out of the area of effect at that point and was beginning to advance on the trio clustered around the destroyed tower.

“It's way too fast,” Pinkie Pie replied. “Even if we split up, it would get us all in no time!”

“I got it!” Sunset Shimmer declared, tossing aside her cloak. “I’ll target its knees with fire spells. Pinkie Pie, you keep it busy and after we get through its defences, you can duck in and break its legs.”

“Sounds risky. I’ll do what I can to help,” Twilight added.

“I’m on it, Sunset!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “But first let's get you some protection.”

The shaman suddenly grabbed a handful of rocks and pounded them to dust with her hooves before tossing the remnants into the air. For a brief moment Twilight wondered what Pinkie Pie was doing, but the unicorn got her answer before she could even speak it. For a second later the rock particles glowed a faint pink before landing on the skeleton’s body and causing Sunset’s bones to turn a deep grey.

“Go hold it off, this will only take a second,” Pinkie Pie shouted, the troll sprinting over to her bags.

Sunset Shimmer ignored the strangeness of the situation and charged forward, pouring magic into her horn as she did so. The golem had just barely managed to escape the now scattered hail and lightly blowing wind, its double crossguard falling away. The construct caught a face full of white hot fire which slammed into the thing with enough force to make it stumble back several steps.

The golden shield returned, draining the majority of the power from Sunset’s spell, but not enough to leave the golem’s surface unscathed. Now sporting another much larger scorch mark on its battered exterior, the golem showed no signs of slowing despite the damage done to it. Not like Sunset Shimmer was about to stop either, the pony conjuring a wall of fire between her and the golem.

While this was happening, Twilight watched her shaman friend closely, studying the troll as she retrieved what looked like a bar of steel from her bags. The grey ingot was quickly tossed into the air, landing in the troll’s open mouth where it was swallowed whole. With her jaw now hanging open, Twilight observed as Pinkie Pie began stomping her hooves in a strange animalistic dance.

A few seconds later the troll leapt into the air, bringing all four hooves down hard against the ground. In response a wave of grey rippled up her legs, traveling further up Pinkie Pie’s body until she was the same color the ingot had been. Pinkie Pie banged a metal hoof against her chest twice before nodding and turning away, sprinting directly at the golem.

Which had strode through the wall of fire and raised its blades in front of it in order to deflect Sunset Shimmer’s desperate attacks all while making its way back towards Twilight. Though the skeletal unicorn continued to toss more and more fire at the golem, it seemed unconcerned with ending her attacks. A bladed limb high above its head, it was ready to strike at the fallen necromancer, completely unconcerned with the grey creature before it.

It never made it to its target, however, as Pinkie Pie bucked the golem in its right leg, breaking off a chunk of stone and causing it to stumble to one side. Sunset Shimmer leapt at this opportunity by conjuring a swirling lance of fire which she threw at the same spot Pinkie Pie had hit a moment earlier. Again the golden field sprung into existence, though this time it didn't seem quite as strong, and Sunset Shimmer’s spell managed to hit with the majority of its intended strength.

A small section of stone turned black around the point of impact and before the golem could react, Pinkie Pie delivered another powerful kick. This time the sound of shattering stone was clearly audible, and a large chunk of white marble went flying from the point of impact. The golem wasn't shocked for long, however, and it quickly switched its targets, swiping its massive blades down at Pinkie Pie.

Who hopped out of the way of three of the attacks with the ease of a trained dancer before catching the last one in her forehooves. The enormous bipedal creature seemed stunned, though its shock was broken when Pinkie Pie took a bite out of its weapon. Now missing a mouth-sized chunk of its lower left blade, the golem kicked out with its damaged leg, knocking Pinkie Pie back.

Despite the golem’s massive size, Pinkie Pie only flew a few feet before hitting the ground and quickly regaining her footing, seemingly unbothered by the attack. Twilight watched in awe as the golem, which had turned away from Pinkie, was forced to defend itself against the troll’s attacks once more, seemingly abandoning its single-minded pursuit of catching and killing Twilight.

Blade met hoof with the clang of metal on metal, and though the troll still winced with each blow she blocked, she showed little in the way of damage. Sunset Shimmer wasn't about to let her friend fight alone, no matter how shocked she was at the troll’s impressive abilities. Conjuring her magic, she pushed power into her hoof before drawing an X on the ground and slamming her glowing limb into it.

A much larger X appeared below the golem a second before an enormous jet of fire burst from the ground. For two consecutive seconds the concentrated fire continued to erupt from the earth, bathing the golem in flame. Its shield sprung up once more, though it was clear that it couldn't stop it all as the majority of its exterior was quickly charred black.

While this happened, Pinkie Pie continued to duck and weave between the golem’s attacks, getting in close before delivering a one-two punch to its already weakened leg. The creature tried to stop this, but its movements were slowed, as if it were struggling to both deflect the fire spell and attack at the same time. Either way, it couldn't stop Pinkie Pie from pounding it several times before being forced to leap out of the way at the last minute.

An enormous blade tore a chunk of the earth where Pinkie Pie had stood a moment earlier, cleaving through stone and dirt alike. The golem’s other limbs followed after the troll, cutting and chopping wildly at the fleeing shaman. The attack went wide, allowing Pinkie Pie to get around her attacker and deliver a two-hoofed buck to the back of the creature’s knee.

A resounding crack brought Twilight’s attention to the golem’s heavily damaged joint. In a stunning display of dexterity, the enormous creation leapt into the air, dodging a trio of firebolts in the process. It then twisted its body before landing before Pinkie Pie, its bottom limbs delivering a cross slash while its upper arms swung down.

Ducking quickly out of the way of the first attack, Pinkie Pie had no time to dodge the second one and was forced to block it. Above the mare’s head hoof met blade, and Pinkie Pie back legs were driven several inches into the dirt due to the sheer force of the impact. Though Twilight initially thought her friend was okay, she quickly noticed that blood was dripping down Pinkie Pie’s forelegs.

“Hey, ugly, don't forget about me!” Sunset Shimmer shouted, the unicorn conjuring another burst of fire.

This time, however, the attack wasn't sent at the golem’s knee and instead exploded next to it. The golden shield didn't spring back up, the concussive wave slamming into it with enough strength to push the golem to the right. With the majority of its weight now settled on its already damaged limb, the golem was forced to abandon its attempts to skewer Pinkie Pie with its lower blades while the pony was occupied.

Heaving the weight of the golem’s arms off of her, Pinkie Pie scrambled between the creature’s legs and out the other side. As she did so, she muttered a quick incantation under her breath, healing the deep lacerations in her forehooves. The golem was quicker this time, however, and quickly stepped forward before Pinkie Pie had time to line up another buck to its weakened knee.

Using its top arms as a crossguard to block Sunset’s fireball, the golem brought down its lower limbs upon the scrambling troll. Who leapt over the first one before stopping the second dead in its tracks by grabbing it with both hooves. Before the golem could retract its limb, Pinkie Pie had bitten another chunk out of its sword, leaving the one blade incredibly thin at one point.

Swinging with all four of its limbs, the golem tried to rid itself of the metal-eating troll, but Pinkie Pie was far too fast, weaving through its attacks. Its feet stomped, and for a moment it looked like Pinkie Pie might have ended up under the golem’s foot before emerging unscathed out the other side. Sunset Shimmer hadn't been merely standing around while Pinkie Pie fought, and a moment after Pinkie Pie dodged the stomp, Sunset unleashed her spell.

A thin line of bright orange energy shot from her horn and into the golem’s knee, which went surprisingly unstopped by the golden shield. The second the beam hit the animated stone, it immediately began to heat up, growing white hot in mere moments. Without a word being passed between them, Pinkie Pie dodged and weaved through the golem’s attacks before tackling the golem’s knee.

The sound of Pinkie hitting her target was like a tree snapping on impact with a boulder, and the bottom half of the golem’s leg came loose. The creature’s next attack ended up hitting nothing but air as it tumbled forward, crashing into the ground. Emerging on the opposite side of the creature, Pinkie Pie was ready to leap back into action. She found herself faced by the golem once more.

For when it fell, it broke the already weakened blade, using the now weaponless arm like an extra leg. Though the stance was awkward and would be impossible for a living being to manage, the creation seemed perfectly alright with its odd new manner of locomotion. With three arms still in play, it managed to slash Pinkie Pie across the face, knocking the troll to the ground in the process before bringing a blade down hard against the shaman’s midsection.

Though it didn't seem to pierce her flesh, Pinkie Pie let out a cry of pain as she was driven into the ground, her steel skin bending around the blade. Thinking quickly, Twilight urged the nightmare to stretch out to where the troll lay, forming itself into a copy of the necromancer. The clone lit its horn and seemed prepared to launch an attack at the golem before their attacker unexpectedly swung all three of its arms at the fake unicorn.

It can't figure out which one of us is the real one, Twilight realized, commanding the nightmare to dodge out of the way before sprinting away. I better not push this too much lest it figure things out.

With the brief moment of respite, Pinkie Pie crawled out of the small crater she had formed, her body glowing faintly as blood trickled from her mouth. Though the golem quickly turned back to the troll, Sunset Shimmer was faster still, her horn shining like a miniature star before she brought her hooves down against the ground. The light of her magic flowed into the dirt, causing the ground to ripple and form a wave of earth that traveled towards her enemy.

As the ripple moved, it seemed to gather power, the dull grey rock it touched immediately glowing hot, as if lava was surging just beneath the surface of the ground. The roiling swell passed harmlessly under Pinkie Pie before erupting under the golem and showering it in white hot rock. Molten stone slammed into its body, and the golem’s already awkward position was rendered even more awkward when its sole remaining leg fell into the churning earth.

Before it could even try to remove the limb, the stone hardened, trapping the bottom half of its leg in the ground, giving Pinkie Pie enough time to heal her injured body and step outside the range of her attacker’s remaining sword limbs. For a moment the three friends took a moment to catch their metaphorical and literal breath.

Sunset gritted her teeth as she fought off the beginnings of a headache, her horn sizzling audibly due to the sheer amount of magic put through it. Pinkie was a little better off, though her breathing was short and raspy, the troll clearly unable to heal all the damage done to her. Twilight meanwhile, had hidden herself behind the ruins of the tower and was peeking out from behind the rubble, puppeting her shadow clone next to Sunset.

The golem didn't give them a long break, however, as it sunk its longer top blades into the earth before tearing its leg out of the ground. Stone and dirt crumbled off of the partially encased limb, its joints fused together by the rapidly cooled rock. Even with its increasingly awkward movements, the golem continued to attack, utilizing its two bottom arms to awkwardly carry it forward.

The weird loping gait of the damaged creature made it slightly slower, though not nearly as much as Sunset had hoped. Within seconds Pinkie Pie was back on the defensive, ducking and weaving through the golem’s flurry of swipes. On first glance the troll seemed to be doing well, but Twilight immediately noticed just how many attacks she was forced to block rather than dodge.

Pinkie Pie was running out of steam, as was Sunset Shimmer, who was hastily trying to cool down her horn enough to cast another spell. From her section on the sidelines Twilight cursed her weakness, as well as her inability to cast normal spells. Though her energy reserves were slowly refilling, Twilight struggled to imagine a way to use that power in a meaningful way.

Yes, she could heal her companions, but that would only delay their inevitable defeat, which at this point seemed only minutes away. A sudden though made Twilight stop and realize just how much energy she had managed to accumulate over the past few minutes. Despite there being nothing alive, other than Pinkie Pie, Twilight could feel her body drawing from a deep well of life force at a slow, yet steady pace.

Focusing on that feeling and tracing it back to its point of origin, Twilight found that she was unconsciously pulling at the golem’s power supply somehow. Her eyes snapped open, and immediately Twilight focused on the nightmare, pushing her mind into the ethereal creature’s body. Ignoring the growing worry that emanated from the shade, Twilight quickly made her clone double in size.

“Girls, you have to hit its power source!” Twilight yelled through the copy. “It's in the creature’s chest!”

Sunset Shimmer grunted as she telekinetically held one of the golem’s swords at bay, saving Pinkie Pie from getting her head removed. “Where in its chest? That thing is enormous!”

Without thinking, Twilight threw her clone forward, inadvertently startling the golem out of its attack pattern. As the shadowy copy surged towards their enemy, it grew and grew until the golem backed up and raised its weapons in a crossguard. The attack it expected never came, as Twilight planted the nightmare’s hoof directly over the crack which she had felt the energy leak from.

A swipe of the creature’s blades forced the cloneto dissipate, leaving behind a glowing hoof print on the stone monster’s chest. Twilight knew immediately that the golem wouldn't be fooled by her shadow clone again, but she took solace in the fact that she had given her friends time. More than that, she gave them hope and the opportunity to end this fight before the golem had a chance to wear them down completely.

Sunset Shimmer was the first to leap on this opportunity, firing off a concentrated beam of superheated energy into the exact spot Twilight had indicated. Again the shield sprung into existence and again it absorbed the majority of the impact, but not all of it. The golem’s chest began to glow hot, and a second later it was covered with cracks when Pinkie Pie slammed hoof-first into it.

The impact was enough to make the golem wobble awkwardly on its sole remaining leg, and Twilight threw what little magic she had into helping push it over. Whether the tiny ethereal hoof Twilight conjured actually did anything, she wasn't sure, all she did know was that the golem had been toppled onto its back. Pinkie Pie was pounding away at its chest, her hooves carving out chunks of stone with surprising ease.

However, the golem wasn't about to let this continue without a fight and tried to sweep Pinkie Pie off by using its upper arms. Due to the odd angle, the attacks didn't have much force to them, and Pinkie dodged one, before smacking the other out of the air. She then returned to pounding a hole in the golem’s chest, only to be teleported out of the way at the last second.

Looking back to where she had stood a second earlier, Pinkie Pie was quite relieved to have been suddenly displaced. The golem’s blades nearly slammed against its own body, its desperate bid to remove Pinkie Pie being called off at the last second. Just as it finished righting itself once again, the golem found an orb of churning magma flying directly at its chest.

Only to surprise everyone when it ducked backwards under the attack, narrowly avoiding the projectile. Before anyone else could react, it suddenly returned to a stand before lurching forward and swiping with both of its forelimbs at Pinkie Pie. It seemed to expect the troll to dodge the first attack and block the second, as the golem had turned its other blade, hitting Pinkie with the flat of the weapon.

An attack which would have usually done very little, but due to the sheer force behind it, sent Pinkie Pie sprawling to the ground. Confused, Twilight noticed that the slight metallic sheen to her friend’s normally pink coat had begun to fade. The necromancer didn't have time to contemplate this as the golem was already awkwardly trundling towards Sunset.

The skeletal mare yelped in surprise before narrowly dodging between a pair of downward chops. The blades sunk deep into the earth before abruptly being torn out, causing dirt and shattered stone to fly high into the air, disorienting Sunset Shimmer enough that she didn't notice the third blade jab straight towards her midsection.

Though the pony lacked any kind of vital organs to hit or flesh to tear, the attack still seemed to do damage. Going straight through one of the unicorn’s forelegs as well shattering several ribs, the undead mare found herself tumbling forward. Thankfully for her, Pinkie Pie had not been dealt with like the golem thought, and the troll jumped atop her enemy’s lame leg and shattered it just above the knee.

Forced to turn its attention back to its other opponent, the golem ignored the pile of now seemingly inanimate bones and used its broken blade to drag its body towards Pinkie Pie. The shaman was faster still and leapt away, drawing the enormous stone monster away from Sunset Shimmer. Who struggled to rise out of the pile she found herself in, her limbs briefly holding together before falling apart as soon as she put pressure on them.

Seeing this from the side lines, Twilight summoned up every spare bit of energy she had managed to syphon off the golem and pushed it into Sunset Shimmer. Almost immediately the skeleton leapt back into a stand, though she nearly overcompensated and fell forwards. After a moment of struggling Sunset Shimmer regained her bearings, gave Twilight a nod of thanks, and lit her horn once more.

“Duck!” she yelled.

Without looking, Pinkie Pie did just that, lying flat against the ground as a scorching whip of fire slammed into the creature’s already damaged chest. The golden shield returned as before, though this time it barely seemed to do anything, its power weakened due to the loss of the golem’s legs and Twilight’s draining. It still had enough strength to defend itself and blocked the majority of Sunset’s attack with one of its bladed appendages.

The impact of fire against steel caused sparks to fly and the weapon to heat up to incredible temperatures. Seeing a chance to remove another of the golem’s methods of attack, Pinkie Pie bounced back up and leapt at the bladed limb. She hit only air however, as the golem used its stubby legs and one useless arm to launch itself several metres into the air.

Then before it even hit the ground, it swung with its heated blade, cleaving straight through Pinkie Pie’s right leg, severing it mere centimetres from the shoulder. Blood sprayed from the gaping wound, and though clearly in agony, Pinkie Pie managed to land on her remaining hooves. She was even able to hop backwards out of the next attack, narrowly avoiding the swing which would have seen her lose her other foreleg as well.

The troll stopped briefly, muttering something and causing her stump of a leg to glow briefly before fresh skin surged over the gaping wound. This short pause would have sealed her fate, had Sunset Shimmer not thrown a fireball at the golem. Again it brought its bladed arms up in a crossguard, the weapons taking the hit and being heated up even more when the spell exploded.

Fire cascaded over the golem’s body, briefly obscuring the thing in smoke and allowing Pinkie Pie to leap back into the fray. With her sole remaining foreleg leading the way, the troll managed to smash her hoof against the already weakened weapon. The hot metal bent under the strain, turning completely sideways and getting tangled in the golem’s other arms.

“Now, Sunset!” Pinkie Pie shouted, pointing to the golem’s exposed chest.

The unicorn gritted her teeth and ignored the intense throbbing at the forefront of her head in order to pour everything she had into one last spell. Again a beam of white hot energy shot from her horn, though this time after it hit, the energy continued to pour into the golem’s chest. With a cry of rage the unicorn’s spell suddenly doubled in intensity, scorching the dry earth and melting rock.

The golem tried to defend itself by bringing up its weapons, but Pinkie Pie had taken hold of its other forearm and managed to hold it back. Liquid stone bubbled and dripped from the golem’s torso, large cracks forming all across the front half of its body. Sunset’s spell lasted only a second longer before the pony collapsed, her form only just barely held together by a thin wisp of magic.

Seeing her chance, the troll pushed her muscles to their absolute limit, and with a titanic heave, she threw the golem onto its back. It tried to right itself almost immediately, but Pinkie Pie was just barely faster than it and leapt atop the creature’s body. Using her one remaining forelimb, the troll shoveled molten stone out of the golem’s chest, digging deep into the creature’s battered body.

A glint of something red caught the shaman’s eye, and after removing another hoofful of rock, Pinkie Pie beheld a strange sight. A large golden orb flecked with red pulsed angrily within the golem’s heart, bathing the troll in strange, yet somehow familiar energy. Bringing back her hoof, she was intent on smashing the orb and ending the threat once and for all.

Her opponent wasn't down and out quite yet, and one of its bladed appendages pierced straight through Pinkie Pie’s remaining foreleg while also covering the gaping hole in its chest. The troll bit her lip hard, and with a twist of her remaining foreleg, severed the appendage while also pulling the sword out of the way. Pinkie Pie lurched forward, jaws open wide.

Teeth met stone, and with a jerk of the troll’s neck, the orb came free, allowing the now forelegless Pinkie Pie to stand triumphantly on her back hooves. Biting through the orb, Pinkie pie chewed noisily on the artifact before swallowing it with an audible and quite satisfied gulp. Below her the golem twitched several times, its limbs jerking forward as if to attack the troll, only to stop and fall to the ground, inert.

“You did it, Pinkie!” Twilight shouted.

The troll’s brow furrowed. “Tastes kinda like blood and chocolate milk. Sorta familiar too.”

“Pinkie Pie, this is no time to ruminate on the flavor of weird magical artifacts!” Sunset shimmer shouted. “We got like six legs between the three of us for crying out loud!”

The golem trembled suddenly, a glowing golden rune appearing several inches above its head.

Twilight’s eyes went wide, the unicorn immediately recognizing the runic symbol.

“Run!” Twilight shouted.

Pinkie Pie barely had the chance to move before the golem exploded with such force that the troll was thrown skyward. Blood, body parts, and stone rained from the sky, further damaging the already ruined landscape. Twilight’s jaw hung open as she watched her friend fly through the air with a confused look on her face.

A second later the troll slammed into the sole part of the tower that was still intact with a wet thud.

“Ow,” she muttered, before coughing up a mouthful of blood.

Twilight scrambled over her cover, her clumsy limbs seemingly bumping against everything along the way. Her already wide eyes became wider still when she realized the depth of her friend’s injuries. For not only was Pinkie Pie missing her front two legs, but she also had numerous chunks of stone fragments sticking out of her body.

Some injuries were so deep that the glowing light of Twilight’s preservation rune shone through her friend’s jagged wounds.

“No, no, no,” Twilight murmured, trying desperately to figure out what she could possibly do.

Without normal magic, she couldn't cast any regular healing spells, and neither could Sunset Shimmer who couldn't even muster the energy necessary to stand back up. Twilight didn't even have enough life force to heal a papercut, nevermind all the numerous injuries which covered Pinkie Pie’s broken form. Thinking quickly, the lanky unicorn began to awkwardly sprint towards the edge of the forest, her shadow rushing out before her.

Just hold on, Pinkie, I’ll be back!

As she neared the edge of the forest, Twilight was met by a dark shape lurching out of the darkness. Revealing itself to be an enormous black bear of truly incredible proportions, the creature eyed Twilight with a strange intelligence hidden almost completely by its bestial features. Immediately Twilight’s urge to run in the opposite direction vanished, and she peered a little closer at the strange animal.

In the shadow of trees, its fur looked as dark as the night, but now beneath the star strewn sky, Twilight found that it was streaked with grey. Deep bags hung under the creature’s eyes, and scars dotted nearly every visible patch of skin Twilight could see. Upon stepping out from the woods, the beast let out a low rumbling groan before flopping unceremoniously onto the ground.

“What is going…” Twilight’s jaw hung open. “The forest sent you, didn't it?”

The bear merely gave her one last calculating look before closing its eyes and setting its chin against the ground.

“You must have wanted for your death to mean something,” Twilight murmured, a pang of guilt making her stop just before activating her magic. “No. I can't hold back now. Pinkie Pie’s life is on the line.”

Pushing through the guilt, Twilight reached out and touched the bear’s side, the nightmare surrounding the creature on all sides. With a sigh, Twilight gently brushed the animal’s back before summoning her magic and starting to pull on the animal’s very soul. If the bear was bothered by this, it didn't show it and merely lay there, as if simply trying to sleep.

Energy poured into Twilight’s aching body, filling the hole inside of her that had been left behind when she had broken through the shield. So great was the creature’s life force that it physically seeped out of the bear’s very being, forming into a bluish green mist which ebbed and flowed as it made its way towards the necromancer, slipping through her cold flesh with ease.

Seconds ticked by and still the animal did not resist, not even when its life was drawing to a close. It merely lay there, chest rising slowly until finally, it had breathed its last and with a shuddering sigh, it died. Gathering the last of the bear’s energy, Twilight gently caressed the animal’s cheek before reluctantly turning away.

This time when she ran back across the clearing, Twilight did so gracefully, her long loping strides quickly bringing her back to Pinkie Pie’s side. The necromancer’s relief was short-lived, however, as she immediately noticed that the troll was no longer breathing. Activating her spiritual senses, Twilight searched the shaman, only to end up even more confused.

“How are you alive?” Twilight murmured, before her gaze landed on the rune still inscribed beneath the half-dead troll.

Not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, Twilight quickly began to weave her magic into the most potent healing spell she knew. Her hoof glowed faintly with an eerie light, and as soon as Twilight was certain she had gotten everything correct, she gently touched Pinkie’s forehead. Light flowed from her, the magic twisting about the shaman’s body and wrapping it in a cocoon of energy before dissipating a moment after it completely encapsulated her.

Beside the fallen troll, a black cat peered intently up at the necromancer, a curious look in its eye.

“That should hold her for now,” Twilight murmured. “I’ll grab Sunset and she should be able to go from-”

A sudden cough brought Twilight’s attention down to Pinkie, who turned her head and spat a wad of blood into the debris.

“Whoowee, that was a tough one,” Pinkie Pie murmured, her voice hoarse and distant.

“Try not to move. You were hurt pretty bad,” Twilight whispered.

“If I don't make it, Twilight, make sure you give everything to my pet rock, Gummy,” Pinkie Pie remarked before wincing in a clearly overdramatic fashion.

Twilight sighed. “I know you're not actually dying, Pinkie.”

“What's it like, Twilight, on the other side?” Pinkie Pie whispered, making exaggerated coughing noises between the words. “Do they have parties in the afterlife?”

Twilight nodded slowly. “Do you really think that if people could party, they wouldn't?”

Pinkie Pie blinked, immediately dropping the act. “Ooh, good point.”

“Now would you cut the dramatics? My nerves are frayed enough as is,” Twilight exclaimed.

Pinkie Pie winced. “Right, sorry. Probably shouldn't have stopped you from getting Sunset. This still hurts a lot.”

“Is Pinkie Pie okay!” shouted the skeletal mare. “My skull got wedged in between some rocks, and I can't see anything!”

“Be right back,” Twilight exclaimed before standing and quickly trotting over to Sunset.

Who was half buried under a pile of shattered stone, her bones having been scattered across the ground.

“Don't worry, Sunset, Pinkie Pie is more or less okay,” Twilight stated.

“Oh, thank goodness,” Sunset murmured. “Now would you please gather me up? It feels weird being scattered all over the place like this.”

A short minute later Sunset Shimmer’s bones were laid out in a single pile, with her skull resting at the forefront.

“Alright, is that everything?” Twilight asked.

“I think so,” Sunset Shimmer replied.

Twilight nodded before pushing her magic into her hoof and out of her body, where the energy coalesced into a small, wisp-covered purple orb roughly the size of an orange. As soon as Twilight had syphoned off all she could spare, she reached forward and pressed the ball against Sunset’s forehead.

The skeleton’s bones shook briefly before snapping together all at once.

“Ahh, much better,” Sunset Shimmer murmured, flexing her forelegs one at a time. “Now let’s see how Pinkie Pie’s doing.”

“Oh, don't mind me. I’m just working on my tan,” Pinkie Pie remarked, coughing weakly.

Sunset Shimmer hastily trotted over to her friend’s side and lit her horn, the unicorn’s magic immediately crawling across the shaman’s body. After several nervous seconds had passed, the undead nodded slowly and stood back up.

“You did surprisingly well. I just need to fix some internal bleeding, and Pinkie Pie should be just fine,” Sunset Shimmer declared confidently.

“Really? ‘Cause I don't know if you’ve noticed, but I’m a little bottom heavy,” Pinkie Pie remarked, wiggling her stumps in emphasis.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “You’ll be fine, Pinkie Pie. Unless you can only regenerate your limbs so many times before you lose that ability. That isn't the case, is it?”

Pinkie Pie shook her head. “Nah, I’m just trying to lighten the mood, but I think I’m missing the mark ‘cause of all this blood loss. As long as I have a solid diet, I should be able to regrow my legs as many times as I want.”

“Well, let's try not to make a habit out of this,” Sunset Shimmer murmured, her hoof glowing faintly as she ran it across the troll’s midsection. “It can't be good for you.”

“I should probably do what she says, huh?” Pinkie Pie murmured.

Twilight nodded. “You most definitely should.”

“Right, I wouldn't want my doctor to have a bone to pick with me,” Pinkie Pie joked.

Sunset Shimmer chuckled. “It's a good thing I didn't lose my funny bone back there, otherwise I wouldn't have dulled your nerves before I knitted your stomach lining back together.”

“Wait what?” Pinkie Pie glanced nervously at her belly.

The unicorn patted her friend’s stomach gently. “I’m just kidding, Pinkie Pie. You should be able to heal back from this in no time.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Twilight muttered. “After I saw you lying there, I feared the worst.”

“Whew. That's great news, and you even laughed at a bone joke! Today is an absolute win for me,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, the troll lying back on the board with a smile on her face.

Sunset Shimmer’s hoof glowed faintly for a few more seconds before she retracted the bony limb. “I’d tell you not to go anywhere, but I don't think I need to guilt you into staying in one spot.”

“If she tries to get up, I’ll hold her down,” Twilight remarked.

“Don't worry. I left my unicycle at home, so it's not like I even can go anywhere,” Pinkie Pie replied.

The two unicorns chuckled.

“I’ll go get the teleportation array set up. You two stop cracking jokes, I don't want to have to mend any more busted guts,” Sunset Shimmer remarked before trotting away.

Twilight smiled faintly as she watched the skeletal mare retrieve her things and begin to get to work. “That was too close,” Twilight murmured.

“Ahh, don't worry about it, Twi,” Pinkie Pie stated. “We got what we wanted, and though we all got hurt, none of it is permanent.”

“I guess,” Twilight whispered. “It just bothers me that I have all this power and continually just barely survive all these crazy situations. You would think I would have a handle on this by now.”

“Oh, Twilight. Noone could have seen this all coming,” Pinkie Pie replied. “You can't beat yourself up over something you don't have any control over.”

“That's just it. I have control over so much, yet I don't seem able to put all that to use when it's actually needed,” Twilight bitterly exclaimed.

“Really, so you knew that when you brought us here that we would be attacked by that golem thingy?” Pinkie Pie questioned.

“Well, no, but-”

“And that each one of us would end up getting hurt?” Pinkie Pie pressed.

“I definitely didn't see that coming-”

“Then don't worry about it, Twilight,” Pinkie Pie implored. “It's not just you going on these adventures. None of us thought to brought extra help, and I honestly doubt the others would have really been able to do much.”

“I doubt Spike and Rarity would have been able to assist in these matters, though I feel like Rainbow Dash would have been able to help at least,” Twilight retorted.

Pinkie Pie scoffed. “No offence to Dash, but all of her flying skills and sword fighting ability wouldn't have meant much against that thing. Face it, Twilight. Everything worked out for the best.”

Twilight stared off into the distance, a small smile crossing her face. “You know what, Pinkie Pie? You’re right. This wasn't perfect but it was about the best possible scenario given everything.”

Pinkie Pie grinned. “Just imagine I’m patting you on the back right now.’

“It's a good thing you can't, ‘cause I’m pretty sure I would have thrown up or fallen apart,” Twilight murmured while grimacing.

Chuckling, Pinkie Pie leaned back and stared up at the sky, a soft smile on her face. “Lemme know when Sunny’s got everything ready. I think I’m just gonna relax and do a little star gazing for a little bit.”

“Go ahead, you earned it,” Twilight replied.

“Oh, and make sure we don't lose that tablet dealy. I don't want to end up unable to dance all for nothin, ya know,” Pinkie Pie remarked.

Twilight stood up and smiled. “Good thinking, Pinkie Pie. Despite not being able to read a word of it, I would hate to misplace it after all that.”

“You are tellin’ me, sister.”

Twilight hummed faintly as she glanced out the large living room window, her gaze flicking from one passer-by to another without direction. Beside her rested a research paper she had been studying for several hours, which now lay forgotten beside her cup of tea. Though appetizing, the tea and the small scone she had grabbed were growing cold, the unicorn’s attention having drifted away from the snacks.

It had only been two days since her adventure to the sunsworn tower, and still the events that occurred there continued to bother the unicorn. Pinkie Pie’s kind words had done much to alleviate Twilight’s guilt, but Twilight still couldn't help but feel bad. Thoughts of all the different things she could have done flitted this way and that at the back of her mind, distracting her each time she tried to work.

She could have brought more stores of life force rather than assuming what little she brought would be enough. She could have backed out of her attempt to destroy the barrier, or at least not drain everything in the clearing and end up bringing the tower down. All of these possibilities and more continued to nag at the mare, reminding her that she failed and had gotten her friends hurt in the process.

Twilight turned and tried to focus on the rather esoteric linguistic studies she had been working away at over the past forty-eight hours. Yet try as she might, Twilight couldn't seem to focus, and despite the tantalizing presence of a mystery not yet solved, she couldn't bring herself to keep her eyes from glazing over each time she looked down at the page. The words blurred together until it was all a meaningless mass of black on white.

“I know that sigh, what is it?” Spike asked.

Twilight blinked and looked up to find that the dragon was walking over to her, a half-eaten ruby in one hand. “Err, what sigh?” she asked.

“That one you made right as I walked past you,” Spike replied.

“I didn't notice you were around,” Twilight murmured

“Course ya didn't, yer too busy worrying about whatever nonsense you got in your head,” Spike bit into his snack. “Sho, tell me wash up.”

Twilight sighed and glanced back out the window. “You heard what happened a few days ago, right?”

Spike nodded.

“Then you know it definitely could have turned out a lot better than it did,” Twilight continued. “We all just barely made it out alive, and although no one died or was permanently injured, that’s a low bar to clear.”

Spike swallowed hard and smacked his lips. “Do you think you could have done better than anyone else?”

“I mean, maybe?” Twilight winced and rubbed the back of her neck. “I know there aren't many people who could do much to that thing, but I feel like I could have at least done more than I had.”

“Someone like my Twilight, right?” Spike asked.

Twilight sighed. “I don't know her very well, but from what you’ve told me, she was strong, confident, and capable. Unlike me, who doesn't seem able to do much despite all the power that's been thrust upon me.”

Spike suddenly erupted with laughter, the dragon shaking his head and wiping a tear from his eye. “Oh, Dusk. That may have been true, but that's only because she did the whole saving the world slash adventuring thing for years. You’ve been at it what… six months on and off?”

“About that,” Twilight admitted.

“Exactly,” Spike replied, poking a claw into the unicorn's chest. “The Twilight I know has several years on you, and she was trained by both princesses. Do you really think that's a fair comparison?”

“Sort of,” Twilight retorted. “She may have had all that, but I’ve got allies, the nightmare, and vast necromantic magic. That should count for something, right?”

Spike sighed. “You two really are the same person, you know. I can't tell you how many times I’ve had almost this exact conversation with her. And do you want to know what I told her that finally made her drop this topic completely?”

Twilight glanced expectantly at the dragon. “No, what?”

“I asked her that if her friend had done what she had, would she be as hard on them as she was on herself.” Spike paused. “So, just pretend like I asked you that.”

“No, probably not….” Twilight admitted.

Spike smirked. “Exactly. You treat yourself so poorly because you don't see yourself as another person, but if say you and Pinkie Pie had exchanged places, would you be angry at her? Would you make her doubt herself and plague her thoughts with insecurities?”

“Never,” Twilight quickly replied.

“See? What did I tell ya,” Spike put his hands on his hips and smiled. “Now come on. We ran out of candy, and it's restocking day down at Bon Bon’s.”

Twilight chuckled. “I suppose it is a rather nice night out. It would be a shame not to go out and do something. Even if that something is just getting candy.”

“Damn straight,” Spike agreed.

Sunset Shimmer sighed contentedly as her skull floated along the surface of a bubbling tub, her bones bobbed along next to her. Normally such a scene would make the undead worry about her body degrading even more, but after applying a few enchantments, that was no longer a concern of hers. Now she was able to enjoy the most strangely relaxing moment of quite possibly her entire life.

Or unlife, as it were.

To any outsider there was just a pony skeleton’s worth of bones floating in a hot tub, the skull of which had twin flames where its eyes were supposed to be. The lemon-scented body water would have been wasted if that were the case, but Sunset Shimmer had somehow retained her ability to smell. As well as a strange facsimile of touch which allowed her to feel every inch of her boney form being caressed by the gentle jets.

Though she had no muscles, Sunset Shimmer was certain that if she did, they would have become quite slack due to how relaxed she had become. She might have even fallen asleep if that wasn't something that didn't need to be artificially imposed upon her. While her thoughts drifted off, thinking of nothing, the private spa room remained dark, illuminated only by several candles ringing her tub.

Her robes and clothing lay next to the tub along with her bag of gems which was now much lighter since entering the spa. The unicorn wasn't sure why she had been allotted a stipend by the guard, but if she had to guess, it was probably a reward for destroying the golem. As her skull floated across the tub, Sunset Shimmer made a note to speak to this Dark Hallow fellow she had heard so much about in order to get to the bottom of that.

Her pleasant relaxation was cut off when she heard someone gasp, followed by a dull thump coming from in front of her. Opening the magical fire that had replaced her eyes, Sunset Shimmer looked up to find that a masked bipedal creature was looking down on her. As tall as a minotaur with shoulders just as wide, the creature had a prominent white mane like that of a lion around its neck.

It was garbed only in a light grey robe tossed over its massive shoulders, which just barely covered its bulging biceps. Its mask started off narrow at the bottom until it reached the creature’s nose, then it fanned out and covered its entire face. It also had three pointed edges jutting off of it on either side as well as two small holes that allowed the creature’s bright teal eyes to peer out.

Even at a glance Sunset could tell that it either was a soldier or had been one at some point, as he carried himself with such calm that only came from training. The creature also sported legs that ended in pawed feet a shade darker than its shaggy grey fur which it had in common with his nearly identical companion. Who was kneeling down next to the door and was poking what looked like an ugly bipedal dog with roughly the same color scheme as the larger creatures.

“Yo, Grubber, you okay?” remarked the kneeling creature.

“Why is there a bunch of bones in this pool?” asked the other one.

“I don't know, Ralph. Maybe it's one of those new age healing things. By the way, Grubber is out like a light,” remarked the kneeling one.

“I knew this was a bad idea, Sam. We shoulda just spent our first month’s wages on booze,” replied Ralph.

“I have a name, you know,” Sunset Shimmer offered.

The creatures both blinked. “Dude, did that pile of bones just talk?”

“I think it did, Ralph,” added Sam.

Sunset Shimmer clacked her jaw irritably and reformed her body, extending a hoof. “The name’s Sunset Shimmer. Nice to meet you.”

“Err, nice to meet you, crazy skeleton pony,” murmured Ralph who awkwardly shook the offered limb.

“So is someone puppeting these bones around, or are you a ghost?” inquired Sam.

“Both, sorta? It's hard to explain,” Sunset Shimmer murmured. “What are you doing here anyway? I booked this room for an hour.”

“Oh yeah, we were actually looking for the sauna, but Grubber here got the numbers mixed up,” remarked Sam, who gestured to the ugly dog monster on the floor.

“Why would they boil a pony so long there was nothing left? That's horrible,” muttered Grubber in his sleep.

“Sorry, miss, we’ll be going now,” announced Ralph who picked up and threw Grubber over his shoulder.

“Have a pleasant stay,” added Sam.

Sunset Shimmer watched as the trio left, and she was once more alone.

Falling back into the tub, she briefly wondered what manner of creatures she had just seen before shrugging off the question entirely. Twilight probably knew, and if she was being honest, Sunset herself probably knew as well, she was just too relaxed to care. Closing her eyes once more, the unicorn let her skull sink to the bottom of the tub while the rest of her body floated on the water surface.

It would be an entire fifteen minutes before another person showed up and promptly took off screaming, but that time Sunset Shimmer didn't notice. She was too busy enjoying what felt like the first moment of relaxation she had been given in what was likely decades.

Rarity sprinted across a clearing near the outskirts of Ponyville, her many legs having become a blur beneath her. Ascending a slight rise, she zipped around a copse of trees and nearly ran face-first into a familiar pink troll. Who was waiting patiently near a rather large stump, the front half of her body being supported by an improvised wheelchair.

“Oh, my goodness, I’m so sorry,” Rarity hastily announced. “I had a rather persnickety minotaur who simply wouldn't make up his mind.”

“It's no problem at all, Rarity. I was just enjoying the quiet,” Pinkie Pie replied.

“Yes, well, I still should have known better and closed the shop earlier,” Rarity declared. “How can I ever make it up to you?”

Pinkie Pie shrugged. “No need for that. It was only a few minutes.”

“You must tell me, darling. I feel absolutely dreadful,” Rarity urged.

“Well, if you really feel like it I was thinking of going to Bon Bon’s for a snack. It is restocking day, after all,” Pinkie Pie remarked.

“Excellent. Then in that case it will be my treat, and I will not hear a word otherwise,” Rarity stated.

Pinkie Pie giggled. “Sounds good.”

“So, before we head into town, I have to ask how you are doing,” Rarity inquired, raising a hoof. “I know that sounds silly given everything, but I must know how you are adapting to all of this.”

Pinkie Pie shrugged. “It's not so bad. Honestly, you girls constantly helping me out like this is a bit unnecessary.”

“Nonsense!” Rarity retorted. “Assisting you while your legs grow back is the least we can do.”

“It's not that bad, besides now I can practice my T-Rex impression!” Pinkie Pie declared before lifting her itty bitty baby forelegs into the air and doing her best roar.

Rarity blinked. “That certainly was something. What exactly is a T-Rex anyway?”

“Tyrannosaurus Rex is a dinosaur found in the deep woods which has tiny little forearms but a huge body!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “My Granny Pie had one as a pet when I was little, but Chomper got too big and we had to let him go. Plus he ate all her meat.”

“Forest forbid we run into one of those things in our next little adventure,” Rarity murmured before suddenly leaning forward. “Are you eating well? You look rather famished, darling.”

The troll shrugged. “It's just ‘cause my body is working hard to regrow my legs. I can't eat enough, and Zecora’s cooking is kinda, well… terrible.”

“Why on earth is that? I would have assumed it would be excellent considering her expertise in potion making,” Rarity replied.

Pinkie Pie giggled. “Oh, she hasn't had taste buds in like, forever. The only reason she can brew potions is ‘cause it relies on your sense of smell for the most part.”

“I see,” Rarity murmured.

“That's okay though, ‘cause after that whole fiasco I’ve been able to eat like… everything,” Pinkie Pie announced.

“Everything? Whatever do you mean, darling?” Rarity pressed.

“Oh yeah,” Pinkie Pie confirmed. “Rocks, dirt, sometimes I swear I can even taste emotions. I think Twilight supercharged my stomach or something.”

“You should really get Sunset to give you another look. That cannot be good,” Rarity implored.

“Nah, it's fine. Now come on, we wanna get there early, otherwise all the best stuff will be sold out already,” Pinkie Pie urged.

Rarity took a step back. “By all means, darling. Lead the way.”

“Okey dokey, but be ready to help me with any hills. This thing has a tendency to fall over,” Pinkie Pie stated.

Rarity hummed thoughtfully as she eyed the apparatus strapped around Pinkie Pie’s front half. Though it forced the troll’s tiny arms to face forward, it seemed sturdy despite being only a few thin slats of metal. Which stood on a pair of wheels and were secured to the being in question with a pair of leather strips, one around her chest while the other secured it to her shoulders.

However, it seemed to do the job, allowing Pinkie Pie to push herself around using only her back legs.

“Excuse me, but may I ask why you wouldn't let Twilight regrow your legs?” Rarity asked as they broke through the tree cover surrounding the town.

“The doc said that it might cause complications if the natural healing process was accelerated anymore than it already is,” Pinkie Pie replied without turning her head.

Around them the creatures of Ponyville walked to and fro, most of whom paid them little mind as the pair trotted towards the center of town.

“I suppose you have already recovered quite well, given that it's only been two days.” Rarity frowned. “Or at least it feels as much. I’m afraid I’m not exactly well read on my biology these days.”

“Oh yeah, it's way fast,” Pinkie Pie remarked, wiggling her tiny forelegs in emphasis. “Should only be a few weeks before they grow back, provided I keep my tummy full of food.”

“Well, then I suppose it's a good thing I made a few sales today, so I can send you home with a bag full of goodies,” Rarity exclaimed with a grin.

“Oh, you don't have to do that. I only need a little snack to tide me over to supper,” Pinkie Pie replied, only for her stomach to rumble loud enough for Rarity to hear. “Well, maybe a bigger snack is in order.”

“Well, so long as you don't make a habit of losing your legs, then I suppose I can treat you whenever you like,” Rarity admonished.

Pinkie Pie chuckled. “I try not to lose anything more than Righty. This was just a bit of bad luck is all.”

“Really, darling? Because I remember you losing that leg of yours at least twice before I ever even met you,” Rarity pointed out.

“Eh, it was worth it,” Pinkie Pie declared with a shrug.

“Surely there hasn't been that many instances where you were forced to fight some giant rock monster thing,” Rarity remarked.

“Nah. There was just that cragadile that Apple Bloom and her friends tried to tame. That other time when old man Jenkins got attacked by a ghost that possessed his hedge trimmers. Oh, and who could forget that time when Time Turner accidentally created sentient acid,” Pinkie Pie recalled.

“So it was you who saved my dear sister,” Rarity exclaimed with a gasp. “She ran away so fast she didn't even see who her savior was.”

“Eh, it's nothing. Craggy was just in a foul mood because his favorite spot in the swamp dried up,” Pinkie Pie explained. “He probably would have just let them play with him had he not been so upset.”

“I really must get Sweetie Belle to properly thank you for that,” Rarity exclaimed.

“Don't worry about it. It's all part of the job of a shaman,” Pinkie Pie declared.

Rarity flashed her friend a wide, if slightly confused look. “You know, unlike the rest of us, you’ve been quite the hero long before you even met our dear Twilight.”

Pinkie Pie blushed and looked away. “Oh, I wouldn't go that far. You’ve been helping people for as long as you’ve owned that store of yours.”

“Helping people in need of clothes and giving away the odd dress is one thing, but you’ve saved people in real need. That's something to be proud of,” Rarity insisted.

“Oh, pisha. I know it was you who helped the Carapace family keep their house, and that soup kitchen on the other side of town has you written all over it,” Pinkie Pie pointed out.

Rarity waved a dismissive hoof in the air. “That may be, but what you do is so physical. So impactful. You really should mention your exploits more often, darling.”

The arachne gasped, stopping suddenly in order to touch the troll’s shoulder. “That must have sounded terrible. I didn't mean to seem as though I was complaining about it. You know what, I’m just going to stop before I manage to put all my legs in my mouth.”

Pinkie Pie blushed and leaned her head against her friend’s hoof. “I feel like a broken record, but really, it's fine. Besides, all that stuff was worth it just to make a cute girl smile.”

Rarity’s eyes went wide. “Ohoho, that was quite good, darling.”

Pinkie Pie shrugged. “I have my moments.”

“That you do.” Rarity smirked. “Now let’s see if we can get you some kisses for your trouble.”

“You mean the chocolate, right?” Pinkie Pie questioned.

“If there are none in stock, then we may have to improvise,” Rarity exclaimed.

Pinkie Pie grinned. “In that case I changed my mind. I wanna go to the sofa store for my snack.”

Author's Note

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Return to Castle Everfree

Twilight groaned, her head thumping audibly against the desk. “Augh, this is hopeless. Who would speak such a convoluted language?”

“I don't know, Dusk. It does look pretty neat though,” Spike exclaimed, peering down at the strange mix of dashes and dots marked upon the tablet.

“You’re just saying that because it looks like it was made by a race with claws instead of hooves,” Sunset Shimmer pointed out without looking up from her book.

“Hey, ya, it totally does look like that,” Spike agreed.

“I figured that two weeks ago!” Twilight exclaimed, throwing up her forelegs. “But the languages made by races with claws share absolutely nothing in common with whatever this is.”

Sunset Shimmer sighed. “Relax, Twilight. I’m sure there's something in these dusty old tomes to help us.”

Spike frowned as he looked over the mountains of books which were piled haphazardly on every surface in the library. All save for the actual book shelves themselves of course, those were seemingly reserved for piles of notes and entire dissertations Twilight wrote while taking the odd break. The sight of such disarray brought back many memories for the dragon, most of which were less than pleasant.

“This is gonna suck to clean up,” he murmured to himself.

“There is nothing in any of these useless books,” Twilight declared before banging her head against the one square foot of desk space not occupied with even more books.

“What about that stack over there? I thought that was the only one we hadn't read yet,” Sunset remarked, pointing to a seemingly random pile.

“Those are the only ones we haven't reread,” Twilight replied. “Not a single book has mentioned anything resembling what we have before us.”

Spike peered down at the copy Twilight had created of the tablet, the original of which was hidden away in one of the tree’s secret disappearing rooms. Though the words looked like chicken scratch at first glance and were a little frustrating to look at, they at least didn't make Spike’s stomach churn. Which, although it was a step up, would have at least given the young drake an excuse to leave the room and do something else.

“Say, did Dark Hallow end up getting back to you? Maybe he knows something about this,” Spike offered.

“He sent word yesterday, remember?” Sunset Shimmer replied, closing her book and lounging out on the couch.

Spike frowned. “I thought that was him just notifying us that he had sent it to every linguist he could get his hooves on.”

“That response was from two days ago,” Twilight corrected without lifting her head from the desk. “Yesterday he mentioned that he had passed along the info to Chrysalis who was supposed to talk to Cadance about this.”

“Do you really think she's old enough to really know something about this?” Spike questioned.

“Hey, don't ask me. I didn't even know there was a second alicorn until you guys told me,” Sunset Shimmer remarked.

“I don't know how old Cadance is either, but right now she's probably our only lead,” Twilight declared, standing up from her desk. “If she doesn't know the language herself, she must have at least an idea on where we could go to find out more about it. Maybe it could even point us to where Luna’s body is buried.”

Sunset Shimmer sat up and looked over the back of the couch. “Hey, Twilight. Do you think Cadance and Celestia were sisters?”

“Where did that come from?” asked Spike.

The skeleton shrugged. “From what Twilight’s told me, it sounds like they got bad blood going back eons. It would make sense if they were related.”

Twilight pursed her lips and hummed. “I don't know about that. Alicorns do live a really long time. They don't necessarily have to be blood related for a grudge to last that long.”

“True. It's just what she did to Cadance…” Sunset Shimmer shuddered. “That seems like the special kind of cruelty that only family inflicts upon itself.”

“Okay, that is messed up,” Spike pointed out.

Sunset Shimmer fell back to the couch. “It's true though.”

“I don't know about that, but this entire line of thinking isn't helping current matters one bit,” Twilight declared. “Does anyone have any ideas whatsoever? Because at this point I’m grasping at straws.”

Spike shrugged. “I say just wait for Chrysalis to pass along word from Cadance. Who else is even over a thousand years anyway?”

Twilight’s eyes lit up, and she grabbed Spike by the cheeks. “Nebula is! Oh Spike, you're a genius!”

“I am?” Spike murmured.

“You know, I’d question the logic of a spider knowing any language at all, but this place seems to play by its own rules,” Sunset Shimmer added in a slightly defeated tone.

Twilight chuckled. “You’ll get used to it.”

“So, you girls going to the undertower then?” Spike inquired. “‘Causes if so, I am so not organizing all of this by myself.”

Twilight blinked and glanced around the room at the mounds of books lying haphazardly all over the place. “Err, you’re right. We should probably get this in order so we can return the books to the right collections.”

“Why don't you get some tea whipped up while Twilight and I start organizing this place?” Sunset Shimmer offered, glancing at the dragon.

“Ooh, good thinking,” Spike exclaimed. “Maybe by then you’ll have heard back from Cadance.”

“That would be nice, but that might take a while. She is organizing an entire resistance network, after all,” Twilight replied.

“This is important though,” Sunset Shimmer pointed out.

Twilight hummed to herself. “I suppose. Let's just get this cleaned up and worry about what comes next after.”

Sunset Shimmer dropped the final box near the door before attaching a piece of paper to the top, marking it as borrowed from someone called Lady Aribeth. Sunset Shimmer wasn't sure who that was, but given the fact that the box was easily the largest out of the dozen they had been sent, she assumed the individual was quite generous. Either way, with that box’s placement the deed was done, and the books had been completely assembled near the door.

“Are you sure you don't need to keep any of these for references later?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

Twilight shook her head. “I have every single one memorized. Furthermore, absolutely none of the languages seem to be linked with whichever one is on that tablet.”

“Really? I thought the dragon language was fairly close. Even if the one I know is a thousand years out of date,” Spike offered as he strode into the room, a silver platter sitting atop his open hand.

“It has a passing physical resemblance, that much is true. Though it doesn't seem to share any actual linguistic components with whatever this is,” Twilight exclaimed, gesturing to her recreation.

“Well, maybe they tried to copy it, but failed somehow?” Sunset Shimmer remarked as she trotted over to the couch and sat down. “Like they were missing something.”

“Possible, but in the end that doesn't help us very much,” Twilight exclaimed, the mare seating herself on the other side of the couch.

Spike placed the platter on the coffee table and poured Twilight some tea before grabbing a biscuit for himself. “Well then. Are we going to head to the undertower after a snack?” he inquired before biting into his food.

“I say we gather the girls and go a bit later,” Sunset Shimmer offered. “Because if the spider lady doesn't know, then the only other place left to search would be the undertower.”

“It may be a good idea to search it regardless of Nebula’s answer. After all, we don't know how many clues that may help in bringing back Luna may be hidden down there,” Twilight added.

“True,” Sunset Shimmer admitted.

Spike gulped. “Hey, do you think they got rid of those super golem thingies that Celestia left down there?”

“Unlikely,” Twilight quickly replied before sipping on her tea. “Those things are incredibly strong and quite a bit more resilient than the one we faced a few weeks ago.”

“How do they stack up against that other one we fought?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

Twilight frowned. “Both stronger and weaker. The ones in the undertower will rebuild themselves after being destroyed no matter how many times you beat them down. Though not as smart or as quick as the bladed one, they pose some unique problems.”

“At least they don't explode,” Spike pointed out.

“True,” Twilight conceded.

A knock at the door made the trio all turn at the same time, with Spike being the first to react.

“I’ll get it,” he offered, hopping out of his chair and walking over to the entrance.

Making sure not to get tripped up by any of the boxes, Spike stood on the tips of his toes in order to peer through the small window at the top of the entrance. “It's a changeling. Cadance must have gotten back to you, after all,” he exclaimed before tugging open the door.

Where a seemingly random changeling stood, the bored look on his face being replaced by one of surprise as soon as he laid eyes on Spike.

“Is Twilight here? I have an urgent message from the queen to relay unto her,” buzzed the changeling.

“Yeah, she's here. Please, come in,” Spike replied, pulling the door open a little more and standing off to one side.

“Err, thank you,” murmured the changeling.

As the dark creature trotted inside, he and Spike eyed one another curiously, the changeling doing so with naked curiosity while Spike was merely a little confused. The dragon quickly realized that the new arrival wasn't quite as average as he looked on first glance. His hooves were dainty, his body was poorly muscled, and the scent of old books as well as fresh ink clung to him like a perfume.

The new arrival stopped just as soon as he had gotten through the portal and turned to face Spike.

“I hope you don't find it rude for me to ask this so suddenly, but would you mind sitting down with an interview some time? I must admit that I am incredibly curious as to what things were like over a thousand years ago and to be so close to a historical figure as well…” The changeling shivered excitedly. “I would very much appreciate the opportunity to document some of your experiences.”

“This is so going to go to his head,” Sunset Shimmer remarked.

“It is not,” Spike retorted before turning back to the changeling and leaning against the door as sauvely as he could muster. “Sure, I could come chat with you sometime.”

The changeling’s wings buzzed, and a wide smile grew on his face. “Oh, this is most excellent. I will speak to you more after mother has had her meeting.”

“Speaking of which,” Twilight interrupted. “I hope you have something to help point me in the right direction because right now we’re hitting a bit of a brick wall.”

“I suppose your options would be rather low, given how few creatures have survived since that time period who are not dragons that have submitted to the great sleep,” remarked the changeling and blinked. “Oh yes, and you may call me Biblia.”

“That's an odd name,” Sunset Shimmer pointed out.

“It's a nickname given to me by my clutchmates,” replied the changeling who stepped over to the small seating area. “Now then. I believe we have wasted enough time. Are you ready to begin?”

Spike and Twilight both quickly sat down in their former spots. Upon doing so, the changeling closed his eyes and, after a second of concentration, opened them once more. They were no longer a dull blue, but rather the more detailed gaze of a certain changeling queen.

Summoning his magic, the changeling was briefly bathed in green fire before his body was replaced by the queen’s much larger physique. There were two things that were different however, first of which was her lack of scars, second the addition of a horn which the real Chrysalis lacked. Filing this bit of information away for later consideration, Twilight watched as the queen gave her form a brief shake before letting out a long sigh.

“Ahh, it is good to find that my favorite bibliophile has been doing at least some physical training,” Chrysalis remarked before scowling. “Though he should really do more than simple cardio. It feels like I’m inhabiting the body of a newborn.”

“Try not having any muscles at all,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

The changeling queen smirked. “At least you have an excuse. But enough about my child’s poor physical endurance. You are in need of information, and I come bearing just that.”

“Something useful, I hope?” Twilight prodded. “And not just vague nonsense.”

“A little of column A, a little of column B,” Chrysalis remarked with a shrug.

“Well, that's something,” Spike murmured.

Chrysalis cleared her throat. “Let's get to the most pressing bit of news, namely that Cadance knows that your mystery language was spoken by the primeval dragons.”

“And I’m assuming it was created by them as well,” Twilight pressed.

Chrysalis shook her head. “I’m afraid that's not entirely true. It's more apt to say that they discovered the language.”

“Eh?” Spike muttered, cocking his head. “How do you discover a language? Don't tell me there was some even more ancient species or something.”

“Nothing like that,” Chrysalis announced, waving her hoof dismissively. “The dragons were the first species to rise to sentience, though after doing so, they tired of being alone and most chose to slumber beneath the earth.”

“Which is where the alicorns come in, as they came from beyond the stars and seeded Equestria with ponies in order to create the basis of a society they would one day return to rule,” added Twilight, much to the shock of Sunset Shimmer.

“Wait, hold on a second. Is all that true?” asked the skeleton.

“Indeed, it is,” Chrysalis declared, smirking at the baffled unicorn. “What, did you believe Celestia’s version of events were actually true?”

“Well, no…” Sunset Shimmer pouted. “I probably should have listened during one of Twilight’s history rants.”

“It was not a rant. I was trying to educate you on all the falsehoods that Celestia--you know what, that doesn't matter. Chrysalis, please continue,” Twilight urged.

“Yeah, so as you know, after that the dragons woke up, enslaved the ponies, and generally enjoyed ruling the place,” Chrysalis continued. “When the alicorns returned and found out what had happened, they went to war with the dragons.”

“What does this have to do with their language?” Spike asked.

“I was getting there,” Chrysalis hissed. “Now, you may be asking yourself how the dragons of old managed to stand up against an empire that spanned many such worlds. Well, that's because they had the breath of creation.”

Twilight sighed and rubbed her temples. “Which is?”

“Their language!” Chrysalis retorted, raising her hooves over her head. “I can't believe you haven't been following my story. If I were your teacher, I would flunk you for that.”

Twilight’s right eye twitched.

“Okay, so, what's so special about their language then?” Sunset Shimmer inquired.

“That's because they didn't speak a combination of letters which represented a thing, but rather the thing itself,” Chrysalis declared. “They understood the nature of the world’s forces so deeply that their words became that which was uttered, or, rather, their words were that thing.”

“So, like, they could breathe ice and stuff?” Spike questioned.

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “Yes, but not only that. Particularly ancient dragons had such an understanding of death that just by speaking they could slay their foes.”

“Woah, thats metal,” Spike murmured.

“Quite,” Chrysalis replied with a grin.

“Okay so the tablet then,” Twilight announced, pointing to her copy. “Did they teach the language, or what purpose did they serve?”

“If they could teach you the language, then don't you think you would have figured it out by now?” Chrysalis replied.

Twilight sighed and fell back into her chair. “Point taken.”

“No, they were used to teach an initiate how to teach younger dragons how to revive their more ancient brethren who had succumbed to the slumber,” Chrysalis explained. “Or any other very powerful entity, like, oh, I don't know. An alicorn, maybe?”

Sunset Shimmer clopped her hooves together excitedly. “Alright, now we’re getting somewhere!”

Chrysalis nodded. “I have heard that Luna knew a few of the words, but Cadance herself didn't have the aptitude for it, given her inability to use soul magic. Unlike someone like you, dear Twilight. You may be able to learn the entire language, provided you had a teacher. Or spent a thousand years meditating on the meaning of cold atop a mountain in order to understand a single word.”

“That's what it would take?” Twilight exclaimed.

“Pretty much,” Chrysalis declared.

“I wonder if I ate candy for a thousand years, I'd understand it enough to breathe the stuff,” Spike murmured.

“Alright, so where do we find one of these ancient dragons?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

“They are all dead or sleeping somewhere deep beneath the planet’s surface,” Chrysalis continued. “Even the past Twilight never explained where she learned how to speak it. Only that they came to her during a long and fitful slumber.”

“Odd word choice there,” Sunset Shimmer murmured.

“Did the other me ever mention this?” Twilight asked, turning to Spike.

The dragon shook his head. “Not once. Why would she hide something like that from me?”

Chrysalis shrugged. “We recovered this all from a journal of hers that was found centuries ago. The how and why of the matter has been lost over all that time.”

“Wait, so that's it?” Twilight demanded. “You showed up just to say that it's in ancient dragon language, and that no one knows anything else?”

“I said other stuff,” Chrysalis gruffly pointed out. “Besides, you got a lead now, don't you? What do you want from me? To do all the work for you?”

“Relax, Twilight,” Sunset Shimmer urged. “It's better than what we had before.”

Twilight huffed and crossed her forehooves over her chest. “I suppose that's true. This entire thing just bothers me.”

“Besides,” Chrysalis continued, “we have had people out looking for answers for a very long time. Chances are high that they will be able to help you more in the future. It's just that without anyone who could actually learn the language in the first place, it hasn't exactly been high on our research priority list.”

“I’m sorry. I’m just a little bit frustrated and have been reading so long my eyes hurt,” Twilight admitted.

“By the way, Cadance is looking forward to having a more direct conversation with you soon. Hopefully by then we’ll have some good news for you,” Chrysalis added.

“How are things in Canterlot?” Sunset Shimmer hesitantly asked.

The changeling sighed. “Not good. Celestia is doing everything she can to find us, and we’ve only just barely managed to evade detection. I don't think it will be long before we will need to relocate the headquarters again.”

“It seems like you have your work cut out for you,” Twilight pointed out.

“That we do,” Chrysalis reluctantly exclaimed. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go get this guy a gym membership while he can't say no.”

And with that the changeling conjured a ring of fire and leapt through it, vanishing.

“I wonder how tough she would be if she had a horn,” Twilight whispered to herself.

“She's surprisingly sneaky for someone who doesn't have magic,” Spike added.

“So,” Sunset Shimmer hopped off the couch, “are we going to get this show on the road or what?”

“I’ll grab Applejack as well as Pinkie Pie. Sunset, you notify Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Spike, you take Rarity,” Twilight ordered. “Tell them to meet up here in a few hours with whatever they might need for a trip to the castle.”

“Try not to spend too much time making out with your girlfriend,” Sunset Shimmer goaded, jabbing Spike in the ribs.

“Yeah, whatever. You’re just jealous that you’re not getting boned,” Spike retorted.

Twilight’s eyes went wide, a sudden maternal instinct welling in her chest. “Spike! You are not old enough to even consider such a thing, young man! Don't tell me I’m going to have to put a spell on your door, so it won’t close the whole way.”

Spike blanched and awkwardly raised his hands in defence. “No, I wasn't--I mean I wouldn't--it was just a--Sweetie doesn't even--augh!”

Sunset Shimmer snickered. “I hope the pun was worth it, bone boy.”

Spike groaned. “No, it was not.”

Twilight didn't even notice this short exchange, as she was already hastily searching through her dramatically reduced collection of books.

“I’ll have to go down to the other library and find a book on parenting. Oh, and one on dragon biology as well as arachne physiology. Perhaps I should ask Rarity if such a coupling could even produce viable offspring in the first place,” Twilight muttered to herself.

“Please, don't do that, for the love of all that is good in the world,” Spike pleaded. “I’m pretty sure Rarity would turn me into a coat or a rather fashionable set of shoes if you mentioned that.”

“Well, have fun with that, Spike. I’m going to go see what Rainbow Dash is up to,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed before trotting out the door.

Leaving Spike to desperately try to talk Twilight down while the unicorn in question considered launching a full blown investigation into the viability of a dragon pony-spider hybrid.

“So, do we have everything?” Sunset Shimmer inquired, the pony looking down the line of assembled creatures who stood just outside the treebrary.

“Eeyup,” Applejack declared. “I got mah rope and enough rations to keep everyone fed for a few days, just in case.”

“I really don't think we’ll need that many apples,” Rarity exclaimed. “They have rebuilt the road to the castle, after all.”

“Can't ever be too careful,” Applejack retorted, hefting her bulging bags in emphasis.

“I’m just glad they got a nice flat surface the whole way there,” Pinkie Pie added, the troll standing slightly awkwardly due to the fact that her forehooves still weren't quite the same length as her back ones. “My hoovsies are still a little sensitive.”

“Ah, I wouldn't worry about the trip there. I heard back from some friends that a couple of Nebula’s spawn are helping guard the area on top of our own patrols,” Rainbow Dash explained.

“Well, it is still the Everfree Forest we’re talking about,” Fluttershy pointed out.

“Which is why we’ll stay alert, but keep a decent pace,” Twilight claimed. “Now, if everyone is ready, I think we should get moving.”

“Is Spike not joining us?” Fluttershy asked.

“He and Sweetie have a date planned,” Rarity explained. “They are even going to play that roleplaying game together. Isn't that adorable?”

“I wonder which one of them is going to be the failing student willing to do anything to pass?” Rainbow Dash whispered to Sunset, who shared a snicker with the thestral.

“What was that?” Twilight asked, eyes narrowing dangerously.

“Nothing, let’s go,” Sunset Shimmer swiftly exclaimed.

“Best of luck out there,” announced the lone guard standing outside of the library.

“Thank you, Sergeant Thistle,” Twilight replied.

Together the seven of them all began to trot towards the edge of town, some checking their supplies while others began to speak animatedly about their destination. All in all, their spirits seemed high, and even Twilight couldn't help but be swept up in the flood of positive emotions that surrounded her. Though a small part of her remained unconvinced that anything good would come of this adventure, given how little they had to go on.

As she pondered the possibilities of their newest escapade, Twilight let her gaze drift over the area which surrounded them. Though it was fairly late at night, many of Ponyville’s inhabitants could be seen dotting the streets or watching from windows. In fact there were more than a few who were doing nothing but staring openly at the small cadre of friends making their way through town.

Some seemed hopeful, others worried, with nearly every one of them engaging in whispered conversations with nearby beings. Evidently Twilight and her companions had not gone unnoticed, and as usual, the rumour mill in Ponyville worked faster than the postal service. As they left behind the denser inner section of the town, most of the crowds died off, but a few winged beings still followed them from above.

“We seem to have quite a few admirers,” Rarity exclaimed.

“It seems so,” Twilight murmured.

“I’m not sure I like having people follow us around,” Fluttershy whispered.

Rainbow Dash scoffed. “We are town heroes, Fluttershy! It's not like anyone is gonna do anything bad.”

“Don't worry about them,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “It's only natural that someone would be curious as to what kind of grand feat we are off to do this time.”

“I don't think working on a research paper really counts as a grand feat,” Twilight remarked.

“You said something similar when we went lookin’ for answers in that castle the first time,” Applejack pointed out. “Face it, Twilight. Trouble seems to like us somethin’ fierce.”

“Truer words have never been spoken,” Sunset Shimmer agreed.

Twilight sighed. “I suppose so. Though hopefully this time we can avoid having to fight more golems.”

“Well, now you jinxed it,” Rainbow Dash bitterly declared. “At least you didn't say ‘it couldn't get any worse’.”

“I’m sure we will be fine. We are all together now,” Fluttershy offered.

“I do like our chances,” Applejack agreed.

“Hey, look, it's those hero types,” remarked a young thestral standing at the edge of a small plot of land, half of his body draped over an iron fence. “Where do you think they are off to this time, dad?”

The taller pony standing next to him shrugged. “I don't know where they are goin’. I do know that you shouldn't talk about people behind their back, or at least keep your voice down while doin’ it.”

“Sorry, dad,” muttered the child.

“I kinda wish we could just come out and say what we were planning,” Rainbow Dash whispered.

“Me too. I bet they would be so excited to know that we’re going to bring back Princess Luna,” Pinkie Pie happily exclaimed.

“I don't want to raise their hopes, or yours for that matter, only to dash them,” Twilight declared in a firm tone. “We don't even know if it's possible to do so.”

“Do have at least a little hope, darling,” Rarity encouraged. “One must keep their chin up during a task, lest they end up sabotaging themselves.”

“I suppose,” Twilight admitted.

Sunset Shimmer shrugged her padded shoulders. “I wouldn't worry about it. I’m sure with my help we can get this done in no time.”

“Glad to see someone isn't letting her sudden fame get to her,” Twilight exclaimed.

“Nah. I’m not even a part of your little group,” Sunset Shimmer retorted. “I’m more like a pack mule. Or a sherpa.”

“What’s a sherpa?”

“That’s rude to donkies, you know,”

“You are so a member of this little group as you so ineloquently put,” Rarity declared in a surprisingly firm tone.

“Yeah, Sunny Buns, you're totally a member of our adventuring party!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

“That's not what I meant,” Sunset Shimmer retorted. “You girls are the heroes. I’m just a hero adjacent.”

“That will change in time,” Twilight declared, the confidence in her voice making her friend’s continued disagreements to be forgotten.

Sunset Shimmer merely frowned and looked off into the distance. Maybe one day, she silently admitted to herself.

The group continued through town and out the other side, the groups of gawkers dying off after they entered the Everfree Forest proper. Where they found that the rather poorly maintained road they had walked not long ago had been almost completely replaced by one that was far wider and lacked the enormous holes the last one had, in addition to no longer being mostly overgrown.

The trees which used to block out the sky had been cut down or otherwise relocated away from the ditches which now lay on either side of the road. Smaller critters still zipped over the thoroughfare, but they were few and far between. What few larger creatures they saw were usually pulling carts or munching on the grass which grew on either side.

Traffic was also surprisingly high, and more than a few times the small group exchanged passing pleasantries with the Night Guard patrols. From what Twilight gathered, the area was surprisingly peaceful, the efforts of Dark Hallow as well as the spider clan coming to fruition. This was most noticeable by the scattered webs that could occasionally be seen hanging between trees on either side of the road.

This no doubt discouraged any predator that weren't confident they could take on a giant spider, while a few well placed totems kept the rest at bay. Once or twice Twilight even caught sight of one of the eight-legged creatures, though it was brief. As each time the unicorn laid eyes on one of their mysterious protectors, it vanished into the woods a second later.

It was an efficient bit of teamwork, one that had evidently paid dividends if the greater amount of traffic was anything to go by. Not only were there merchants who used the road, but Twilight also noticed that a few pilgrims could be seen returning from the castle. Most were little more than curious gawkers who wanted to see the fabled site for themselves, but Twilight could tell that there were a few whose interest was more intense.

Those select few usually wore moon pendants around their necks, or were garbed in dark robes and for the most part traveled alone. They were also quite focused on their destination, as few even glanced Twilight’s way, despite the rather eye-catching crew she had assembled. Twilight didn't mind them though, even if their appearance made her think back on the rather public worship of Celestia, which Twilight had witnessed for the majority of her life.

These individuals were devoted, but something about their dogma didn't strike Twilight in the same way that Celestia’s did. There were no allowances for violence in their credo, save for extreme circumstances and most seemed to spend their time in quiet contemplation. Either that, or they gave themselves wholeheartedly to whatever creative pursuit spoke to them, producing a considerable amount of art.

They weren't even the most fascinating sight however, as it was the work crews which grabbed Twilight’s attention. Though the majority of which were dominated by minotaurs, trolls, and other tougher species, there were a surprising number of arachne in their ranks. A scattered few thestrals filled out the rest of the groups, as well as a good number of donkeys. Though they usually pulled the carts of exhausted workers back to town or transported supplies to the castle itself.

Either way, it spoke of a considerable operation, one that had likely taken a good deal of planning. Other than making Twilight strangely proud of her new-found home, it also made the unicorn want to actually start keeping up with current events. It was her home after all, and it only made sense that she would try to keep abreast of what was happening around her.

Twilight was jolted out of her contemplations when the castle itself came into view, its crumbling facade having been replaced by something far more respectful. Though still incomplete and sporting several holes, there were at least no plants growing across the wall’s exterior. Most of the small bushes and low trees which surrounded the structure were gone, as were the vines which previously covered the place.

The unicorn regretted always meeting Trixie for her lessons in the undertower, for this was a sight she would have liked to have seen more often. It was a remarkable bit of progress, with the most outstanding part being the complete rebuilding of the gate house. Which was open, allowing visitors and workers to freely pass through to the interior of the castle.

All while under the watchful gaze of a pair of giant spiders as well as a trio of guards who stood atop the walls.

“My goodness, they do work quickly,” Fluttershy murmured.

“The boss man has apparently been dumping his life savings into this place,” Rainbow Dash added, the thestral flying lazily overhead. “He even offered a bonus if we do volunteer work around the castle grounds on our off hours.”

“That is quite generous of him,” Rarity offered, the arachne’s brow furrowing. “Though I worry he may end up destitute after all is said and done. This isn't exactly a small project, after all.”

“I wouldn't worry about it,” remarked Applejack. “That Dark Hallow fella did some smart investin’ back in the day if Granny Smith is to be believed.”

“I wonder if he would invest in my clinic,” Sunset Shimmer openly wondered.

“It couldn't hurt to speak to him on the subject,” exclaimed Twilight.

“True. I don't suppose we need identification or authorization for entering, do we?” Sunset Shimmer inquired, turning to Rainbow Dash.

Who shook her head. “Nah. Even if we did, all we’d have to say is that we’re on hero business, and they’d let us through.”

“I don't know, that big head of yours might not fit through that itty bitty gate,” Applejack remarked with a snicker.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Come on. Let’s just go see what the spider lady knows about our mystery language so we can do something cooler like fighting monsters.”

Together the small troupe passed through the gate, at which point the guards standing just inside brought their hooves to their forehead. Upon seeing this, Twilight tried not to speed up too much, the pony uncomfortable with the strange show of respect. A few of her friends seemed to feel the same, while others merely took it in stride or otherwise shrugged it off.

They made it into the courtyard and saw that the main keep had received even more work than the walls and grounds. No holes could be seen dotting the outside, though scaffolding was still visible over a good half of the place. It was also missing a few windows, but the good majority had recently been replaced.

Trotting through the open double doors, Twilight immediately realized where the majority of the labor had been done, as the interior looked new. Almost anyway, for although the rubble had been cleared away, the majority of the space was undecorated. Neither carpet nor banner dotted the entrance space, and only a few suits of polished armor stood sentinel along the mostly barren walls.

Though the place was clearly still in the process of being refurbished, the scent of dust was no longer so present as to become suffocating. Instead it was replaced by the smell of cleaning solutions, as well as the still lingering scent of rotten wood that could be detected on the light breeze which blew through the place. All in all, it was both surprising and impressive as to what had been done in such a short time period.

“Oh my. I simply must get in contact with Dark Hallow again. Perhaps he may allow me to weave an appropriate banner for these drab walls,” Rarity remarked.

“I think he's got more than enough help in that regard,” Applejack added.

“Pish posh, darling. There is more than enough space for our dear Nebula, her children and I all to have space to display our work,” Rarity retorted.

“If you had mastered silk steel, you may get your wish,” exclaimed a familiar voice from the left staircase.

Rarity blushed fiercely. “It's coming along quite well. Don't you worry, I’ll have it mastered soon enough.”

Trixie strode out into the hallway with a sly grin on her face. “Oh, really now? Because last time you tried, the Great and Powerful Trixie could cut your work with a butterknife.”

“She’ll get it,” Rainbow Dash declared.

“Trixie hopes she does,” Trixie replied, a smile crossing her face. “It is good to see that Trixie’s associates are here. Though Trixie assumes that they are not here to neither give nor receive a lesson.”

“I’m afraid not, Trixie,” Twilight exclaimed. “We were actually hoping to speak to Nebula, if at all possible.”

“Ahh, you seek out Trixie’s illustrious mother. What, pray tell, do you wish to discuss with her?” Trixie pressed.

“We were hoping to find out what she knew about a rather ancient language spoken by the original dragons,” Sunset Shimmer answered.

The unicorn lifted an eyebrow curiously. “Trixie knows not if your effort will be a wasted one, but either way, it is nice to see that Trixie won't have to worry about the castle being burnt down anytime soon.”

The skeleton rolled her non-existent eyes in irritation. “You wouldn't have had to worry about that regardless.”

“Where is our esteemed caretaker anyway?” Rarity intruded.

“She is in the right throne room. Now if you’ll excuse me, the Great and Powerful Trixie has a show to put on!” Trixie declared before disappearing in a puff of multicolored smoke.

Rainbow Dash coughed and waved a hoof, shooting Twilight a glare. “You could have at least convinced her that the smoke would ruin a teleportation spell somehow.”

“Oh, come on. It's not that,” Twilight placated.

“Well, I’m just glad she dropped the old Equish,” Applejack murmured. “She was downright hard to understand sometimes.”

“At least her metaphors make sense,” Rarity shot back.

Applejack scowled up at the arachne. “My metaphors make plenty of sense.”

“Oh really? What does all hat and no cattle mean then?” Rainbow Dash shot back.

“That one’s an apt description of you,” Applejack retorted.

“Oh, come on, they are funny. Like when she told that salespony that they were slicker than snot on a doorknob,” Pinkie Pie added.

“I rather like the phrase madder than a wet hen,” Fluttershy remarked.

“See? Y'all love my sayings. Rarity’s only got one oar in the water,” Applejack replied with a snort.

Twilight chuckled. “You guys are as windy as a sack full of farts.”

Sunset Shimmer groaned. “Can we please go talk to the giant spider lady now?”

“Rainbow Dash, would you mind leading the way?” Twilight prompted.

The thestral nodded. “Sure thing.”

Setting off once more, the group made their way down the hall before turning to the right and passing through a set of large double doors. Twilight paused briefly, her gaze lingering on the lunar throne room she knew lay directly across from this one. Though the entrance was mostly closed, from what little she was able to see, Twilight could tell that the hallway beyond was spotless and well-decorated.

Evidently they had prioritized that area first, while the other throne room had been cleared and was now serving a more utilitarian purpose. Trailing behind her friends, Twilight noticed that this hall was barren, but clean, all remnants of Celestia’s influence having been scrubbed away. The walls were a flat grey, the ground unadorned, save for the prints of dust-covered feet. Through the open doors in front of them sat a rather large table.

Maps and other papers dotted the enormous piece of furniture while supplies and tools were resting against the walls. A few workers could be seen cleaning up, but they seemed to be on their way out as most were busy shucking off protective equipment. The only individuals who seemed to be still working were Nebula herself as well as a rather tall, lithe thestral mare wearing a suit.

The latter was hunched over a smaller map which seemed to be of the gatehouse they passed through earlier while the other towered over it all. Her eight blue eyes peered down at the organized chaos from a much higher vantage point, seemingly deep in thought. The great spider had shed her armor at some point, though she still wore the long scarf which was draped over her midsection. This scarf was identical to the last one she wore and displayed a waxing moon on one end as well as a waning moon on the other.

Without the silk steel plates covering her body, Twilight could see that the great spider had even more scars than the unicorn had first seen. Long scratches likely earned from battles with beasts were intermixed with more jagged wounds likely caused by blades. Tearing her gaze from the spider’s injured form, the unicorn put a hoof over her heart and nodded to the much larger being.

“Greetings, matron,” Twilight announced.

Rarity and Rainbow Dash were close behind the other being, repeating the same motion when greeting the spider. The rest of her friends awkwardly replicated the gesture shortly after to various degrees of success, to which the spider replied in kind, placing one of her long legs against her chest and lowering herself briefly.

“You honor me, children. To what do I owe the pleasure of your arrival within the mistress’ tomb?” inquired the great spider in a slightly raspy, yet clearly feminine tone.

“Pinkie Pie, would you do the honors of explaining just why we are here?” Twilight encouraged.

The troll took a deep breath. “It all started at this tower where-”

“And that's why we’re here,” Pinkie Pie finished, the shaman breathing heavily.

“I can't believe you did that all in one go,” Rarity murmured.

“Your body must be like twenty percent lung,” Rainbow Dash added.

The spider hummed strangely. “I think we will have to pick up the last of our organization another time, dear Raven Heart.”

The thestral bowed low. “That is most acceptable, honored matron. Merely request my presence with any one of the guards, and I will return posthaste.”

“Thank you again,” murmured the spider.

With the thestral trotting out of the room, the seven were now alone with the towering spider. Who seemed to be lost in thought, her gaze becoming distant as she contemplated all of what she had been told.

“Before we get onto more serious topics, I should mention that the golems have been mostly dealt with,” Nebula exclaimed, lowering herself down to Twilight’s level. “Though I have yet to seal them in stone, they are bound by my web.”

“Woah nelly. I bet that was quite the struggle,” Applejack remarked.

“Indeed, it was, but with the help of my favored daughter and the spells you have taught her, we were able to capture them,” Nebula continued. “In fact, I was hoping to get your opinion on what to do with them before I committed to my plan of burying them.”

“I’d like to take a look at them,” Twilight offered, glancing at Sunset Shimmer. “I have a sneaking suspicion that I might be able to drain them of whatever is powering them.”

“Which should hopefully either destroy them or put them into a permanently deactivated state,” Sunset Shimmer continued.

“Then before you leave, I would request you do that,” Nebula declared before tapping a leg against the ground. “With all that being said, let us get to the true topic at hand, but first the bad news.”

“Let me guess. Did you decide to stop helping us and have instead decided to open up a clothing store to rival Rarity’s boutique?” Pinkie Pie interjected.

The spider chuckled. “No. Though even with my weaving skills, I doubt I could compete with my dear cousin here.”

Rarity bowed slightly. “You are too kind.”

“It is that I cannot help you in this regard,” declared the spider. “For I only truly reached maturity after my mistress’ death, and thus could not learn any language from her. Though with all that being said, I have a strong inkling that you will find answers within the undertower.”

“Which would be much easier to get through given that it is no longer being stalked by giant unkillable stone monsters,” Rainbow Dash pointed out.

“But we would still have those traps to worry about,” Applejack added.

“True, but without being pressured by those beasties, I’m sure we could figure out some way to get through all that relatively easily,” Rarity stated.

“Very true indeed,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed. “Perhaps we should split up. Twilight and Pinkie Pie could go check on the golems while we start digging through those traps.”

“I doubt Fluttershy or I would be much help in that regard. Perhaps we could begin to organize the library in search of anything that may be of use,” Rarity offered, to which Fluttershy nodded eagerly.

Twilight nodded. “Sounds like a plan. Unless you’ve somehow managed to disarm all the traps already?”

Nebula chuckled. “Only a few of them were obstacles to me and my children, most have been untouched and were going to be dealt with later. The majority of the other lesser hazards have not been dealt with either, I’m afraid.”

Pinkie Pie clopped her hooves together. “Alrighty then, ready girls?”

A chorus of agreement came from the gathered females.

“You know I trusted you when you said it, but I still can't believe you managed to capture all of those golems,” Twilight exclaimed, the unicorn standing atop a hill overlooking a dozen giant webbed cocoons.

The spider standing next to her prodded the closest cocoon. “They will eventually escape, mind you.”

“Not if we get 'em first, right Twilight?” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

“Right, let’s start on this one,” Twilight offered, gesturing to the golem which lay at the end of the line.

“Please do let me know how best I can help,” offered the great spider.

“We will,” Twilight replied.

The unicorn nervously stepped up to the twitching white mass and began a quick visual inspection starting at what would be its head. This particular golem had what was likely a large stone slab atop its shoulders given how jagged the top of the cocoon was. Below that details became fewer and harder to spot, becoming vaguely ovoid with only the legs really sticking out.

Closing her eyes and focusing on her new senses, Twilight searched for that same strange energy she had detected within the four-armed golem. Unlike that one, this pile of stone had no singular point wherein the energy originated, the magic somehow permeating its stone body completely. Tugging at the magic like she would at a living creature’s life force, Twilight found that she could feel a trickle of power come from the cocoon.

It was tiny though, barely above even what an ant could produce, which discouraged the young pony. She wasn't about to give up, however, as a theory was forming within her mind, one which would be dangerous to test, but necessary if they were going to destroy the golem permanently.

“Could you cut open the top?” Twilight asked, turning to the spider.

“I could. I must ask what do you hope to accomplish, however,” said the arachnid.

“I was hoping to remove the hunk of rock around its head. After that, well… we’ll see how it reacts first,” Twilight replied.

Pinkie Pie eyed her curiously. “I think I know what you plan on doing. Want me to chomp on the rock right away?”

Twilight chuckled. “Yes, I would like you to consume the creature’s head after it's been removed from its body.”

“Excellent. I’ve been hankering for a snack the whole walk over,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

“Whenever you’re ready,” Twilight encouraged.

Nebula leaned forward and, with a swift movement of her leg, sliced open the top of the cocoon, revealing the rather square hunk of shattered stone that made up the golem’s head. Immediately after being released, the chunk of rock twisted this way and that, as if trying to free the rest of its body to no avail.

Twilight took a step back and nodded to Pinkie Pie, who licked her lips.

Reaching down, Pinkie Pie gripped either side of the golem’s head before biting into it with a hearty crunch. After chewing briefly, Pinkie Pie went in again, and again, until the block was completely gone. At which point Pinkie Pie fell back onto her rump and let out a burp, licking her lips curiously.

“It kinda tastes funny and not funny, ha ha,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

“Now let’s see what we have here,” Twilight murmured, igniting her new senses and focusing on the stump at the top of the golem.

She could feel a thin strand of magic reaching out from the main body, as if searching for something. Upon touching the ground, it began to push its way into the earth, seeking out a block of stone to add to its bulk. Twilight never let it get that far, however, and, after grabbing the thin strand, began to drain it of its power.

After a few seconds, the magic withered and died, a stray whisp retreating back into the main body. Twilight waited, observing the golem closely for several long minutes until finally she was confident that it wouldn't try to rebuild itself again.

“Impressive,” remarked the spider. “Do you think that will work for the entire thing?”

“I’m fairly certain it will,” Twilight claimed. “If my assumption is correct, then the magic animating the stones will eventually shrink down into one single stone. Which I could then drain of magic and thus destroy it permanently.”

“I hope you are hungry, young troll,” exclaimed Nebula.

Pinkie Pie looked out over the enormous cocoons with a growing sense of dread. “I really should be more careful what I wish for, huh?”

“What do you think it is?” inquired Rainbow Dash and leaned towards Applejack.

Who hummed thoughtfully to herself as she gazed down on the square floor tile which had several tiny nozzles inlaid within. “Flamethrower. Either that, or it shoots some kinda gas,” she remarked.

“Got any idea on how to disarm it?” Sunset Shimmer asked, turning to Rainbow Dash.

The thestral shrugged. “We were always told to plug 'em with cement if we need to frequently pass over the area, but that seems like a half measure.”

“I got an idea. Stand back,” Applejack commanded.

Both skeleton and thestral shared a look as well as a shrug before stepping away.

Now with room to work, Applejack spat on her wood covered hooves before rubbing them together. She then placed them at the edge of the square and began to concentrate, prompting a half dozen thick green vines to sprout from her forelegs. Slipping between the stone blocks, the vines seemed to grow longer and longer, the pony herself sticking out her tongue in concentration.

After several seconds of silence, a distant click could be heard.

“There we go, easy peasy,” Applejack declared, retrieving her roots which retreated back into her hoof.

“Are you sure? ‘cause I don't wanna get blasted with fire,” Rainbow Dash retorted.

“Allow me,” Sunset Shimmer interrupted, stepping onto the square to seemingly no effect. “Huh. Well, would you look at that. You did it.”

“Ya’ll weigh less than a sack of feathers, here, let me,” Applejack interrupted, placing her hoof on the edge of the square and pressing down.

Flames covered the skeleton’s form until Applejack recoiled her limb, revealing a scowling and charred Sunset Shimmer.

“Not cool, man,” she deadpanned.

“Only half of them activated though,” Rainbow Dash remarked.

“I’ll, uh, try that again,” Applejack muttered.

“You do that,” Sunset Shimmer replied. “I’ll go clear out those giant centipedes we saw earlier.”

“Have fun blowing off steam,” Rainbow Dash shouted after the retreating unicorn.

Who merely grunted irritably.

Fluttershy hummed to herself as she floated along from one stack to the next, her gaze lingering on the many art pieces found between rather than the titles she was supposed to be looking at. She couldn't help it, the various busts, paintings, and vases were so different that they continually caught her eye. Almost as much as the oddly non-descript alicorn statue which stood sentinel at the entrance to the library itself.

Shaking her head, Fluttershy floated back over the newly restored carpets and passed a reading nook that contained a brand new couch. Running her semi-ethereal hoof over the many titles, Fluttershy focused her mind back on the task at hand. The fact that the library was so poorly organized made it slow-going, and occasionally the spirit had to open one of the books to find out if it was fiction or not.

In the end she managed to stay on task long enough to gather up a small collection of books which may potentially aid Twilight in her search. In the end her finds weren’t terribly numerous, but they were all either dedicated to ancient history or linguisitics in some manner. Silently congratulating herself for finding something useful, Fluttershy made a note of the stack she had cleared and began to float back over to the entrance.

Where a large table had been dragged in from a nearby room and was now being slowly covered in dusty tomes. Sitting next to it was Rarity, the arachne’s legs tucked beneath her, allowing the female to rest comfortably while she leafed through a rather thick book. After depositing her finds next to the others, Fluttershy floated over the arachne’s shoulder and tried to read what her friend already was.

“Is that a book on troll biology?” Fluttershy inquired.

Rarity shot up, slamming the tome shut tight before spinning around to face Fluttershy. “No, there are other things in there too. Like pony biology and other stuff.”

Fluttershy raised an eyebrow. “Are you okay? You look rather flushed.”

“Perfectly fine,” Rarity declared before skittering away. “This is too new, and was likely added by Dark Hallow so we won't need it.”

Fluttershy remained silent as she watched her friend disappear into the stacks only to reappear a few seconds later. “Did you find anything at least?” asked the spirit.

Rarity nodded. “Several books, actually. Though I doubt they will be much help, given how esoteric this topic is.”

“Wait, what are those?” Fluttershy asked, pointing to a small pile of books Rarity had placed on a nearby chair.

“That depends. You wouldn't happen to be a fan of romance by chance, would you?” Rarity inquired.

Fluttershy blushed. “I may have read a few when I was younger.”

“Then I say we have a little break and peruse the tomes I found hidden behind an encyclopedia collection,” Rarity offered.

“We really shouldn't…” Fluttershy murmured before biting her lip and glancing at the rather large pile of books the two of them had already collected. “We have gathered quite a few though.”

“That's the spirit,” Rarity exclaimed, grabbing the pile of novels she had set aside. “Now then, which would you like to read? A Vision Of Black? Maybe The Inlander, or The Groom?”

“What's that last one, on the end there,” Fluttershy asked.

“Ahh, Sensible Sensibilities,” Rarity replied, plucking the book out of the pile and handing it to Fluttershy. “I haven't looked over it yet, but the title is written in such wonderful calligraphy that I just had to grab it.”

“It is…” Fluttershy agreed, the spirit gently taking the tome and running her hoof over the pink cover.

“Do let me know how it turns out, darling. I myself am going to try this Crimson Letter book. Its cover is just so bold and eye-catching,” Rarity replied.

Fluttershy sat down next to her friend, leafing through the first section and silently marveling at just how ancient it was. Though no dust marred its exterior, the pages were not the usual crisp and clean white color Fluttershy had grown up with. Not only that, but the pages themselves were slightly thicker, with time and use having crinkled them slightly.

Fluttershy made sure to not put too much pressure on the spine, as it was creased in several places and had clearly been well-loved by a former owner. Finding the beginning of chapter one, Fluttershy eagerly began to read, only to be a little put off by just how archaic the language of it all was. Though a little dense, after a few minutes of struggling through it, the spirit began to find it charming rather than frustrating.

Minutes ticked by without a word being spoken, both females eagerly indulging in the fictional worlds they found themselves in. That was until she noticed something fall from the book she was reading, a thin scrap of paper slipping from the pages. Looking down, Fluttershy found what appeared to be a crinkled scroll lying half curled on the floor.

“I think I found something,” Fluttershy stated.

“What was that, darling?” Rarity inquired.

Rather than answer verbally, Fluttershy merely pointed down to the piece of paper sitting on the ground.

“Oh my, what is that? Perhaps someone used a rather unique bookmark,” Rarity offered.

“I don't think so. It looks too big for that,” Fluttershy replied, the spirit gently picking it up and unrolling it.

The pair exchanged a surprised gasp the second it was fully open, as it immediately began to glow a faint purple. The page itself was divided in half, with the left side being devoted to the most complex magical equation Rarity had ever seen while the other part was filled with calculations as well as a warning at the top which immediately jumped out at the arachne.

“Warning, do not use unless you are capable of level seven spells and have existed for over one thousand years at the minimum,” Rarity translated from its original old Equish. “That is a rather specific requirement.”

“Look at the bottom,” Fluttershy urged.

Rarity did just that. “Property of Twilight Sparkle, royal advisor to Their Majesties Celestia and Luna. If found, return to the Shady Hallow research station. If stolen, heed the warning, lest your soul be torn into an infinite number of tiny pieces.”

“What do you think it means?” Fluttershy asked.

“I don't know,” Rarity replied. “But it sounds dangerous. We had best bring this to Twilight.”

Author's Note

This extra monthly update was made possible by an extra special patron by the name of John Robinson. If you two would like to pledge in order to make me update more often, go here!

The Stranger

Twilight stepped out onto the landing and glanced back at Pinkie Pie who was trundling slowly and awkwardly down the stairs, a hoof wrapped around her midsection. The troll had an uncomfortable look on her face and had to stop abruptly when a belch threatened to bring up her impromptu snack. Thankfully, after a few seconds of struggling, she managed to hold it down before joining Twilight in the hallway.

“I know I asked this before, but are you sure you're okay?” Twilight pressed.

Pinkie Pie waved a dismissive hoof in the air. “It's fine. I just need time to let my tummy get to work before I can do much more than waddle around.”

Twilight stepped close to the troll, allowing her friend to lean on her as they walked towards the library. “Do you think that will be enough to finish up your regeneration?” Twilight inquired.

“I’m not sure,” Pinkie Pie admitted somewhat reluctantly. “I feel like it should be, but you never know for sure. My body might not like that magic, or the rocks. This is new territory for me, especially after what happened at the tower.”

Twilight hummed thoughtfully. “That is true. You do seem to have gained a few unique abilities due to your brush with death.”

“Quite, though I still can't bake a souffle, so these fancy powers are basically worthless,” Pinkie Pie sadly exclaimed.

Twilight chuckled. “Truly a wasted effort.”

Together the pair strode towards the library. Its doors were hanging open, revealing the alicorn statue looming over them. They could also see a table piled high with books as well as a pair of beings who were studying two of said tomes. Neither noticed as Pinkie Pie and Twilight entered the room, until the troll belched suddenly.

“Excuse me,” Pinkie Pie muttered, holding a hoof over her mouth and leaning heavily on Twilight in order to not fall over.

Rarity looked up first, her eyes widening. “Oh, there you are, darling. We have found something important but first you must tell us how it went with those dreadful golems.”

“Well,” Twilight replied, helping the troll into a chair. “With Pinkie Pie’s help, we were able to destroy them completely and ensure that they could never come back.”

“That's wonderful,” Fluttershy remarked. “You didn't happen to see the others by chance, did you?”

“I’m afraid not. They must still be below us working on those traps,” Twilight replied.

“Did we pack antacids in any of those bags of ours?” Pinkie Pie asked.

Rarity frowned and immediately grabbed her backpack, searching through its contents. “I don't think so, but please allow me to help you get somewhere more comfortable.”

“But what about the spell?” Fluttershy whispered.

“You can explain it well enough,” Rarity replied, levitating Pinkie Pie out of her chair. “This poor dear needs to rest.”

Pinkie Pie giggled as she floated along next to a struggling Rarity. “You know, normally I would opposed to being handled like this, but I suppose it's fine if it's you.”

Rarity blushed, her short horn glowing bright due to the effort. “Hush you, I’m trying to help.”

The pair slipped deeper into the library, leaving Twilight standing next to the piles of books and a somewhat hesitant Fluttershy.

“So, what was this about a spell?” Twilight inquired.

The spirit perked up and handed the unicorn a book titled Sensible Sensibilities which Twilight held in an almost reverent manner. It was clear that the book was ancient beyond measure, and she could feel a very old enchantment helping to keep it together. Not only that, but the magic itself felt familiar in a way that she couldn't quite put her hoof on.

“What is this?” Twilight asked.

“That is the book where I found this spell,” Fluttershy explained, handing the unicorn a partially unrolled scroll. “It looked important, so we riffled through the rest of the books we found searching for more.”

“And?”

“I’m sorry, but that was the only clue,” Fluttershy replied, a blush crossing her face. “Though we did find a bunch of love letters as well as more than a few bookmarks.”

“Though I doubt it, the letters might be important,” Twilight exclaimed.

Fluttershy hastily shook her head, her ethereal features becoming bright red. “I’m afraid they are not.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Alright, then.”

Looking down, she began to inspect the spell in a slow, deliberate manner. Most eye-catching was the warning, which she reread several times before continuing further down. After an initial skimming of the document, Twilight found herself struck by the simplicity of the overall spellform.

That didn't mean the entire thing wasn't perhaps the most complicated bit of magic she had ever seen. It was merely like looking upon a stone arch, with each piece interlocking so perfectly that its underlying complexity was hard to fully grasp. Twilight immediately knew that it would take some time to unpack the full depth of this one spell, and so she looked around the room. Upon finding another table, she swiftly pulled up a chair before retrieving several sheets of paper from her bag.

Placing an inkwell next to her, Twilight carefully wet her writing utensil before getting to work. Fluttershy hovered overhead, watching as the unicorn read a few lines, turned, and began to scrawl something on the other sheet. Over and over she repeated this process, expounding on the spell in ways that the spirit couldn't hope to comprehend.

“Pardon me, but do you need anything?” Fluttershy whispered.

Twilight stopped and looked around. “A snack, more quills, ink, paper, and…” She paused. “I’m also going to need several dozen reference books, though I’m not sure if they are here or back in Ponyville.”

“Well, I wasn't really thinking about-” Fluttershy began.

“Oh, and I’ll also need a focus crystal, a dozen sticks of chalk, as well as a lantern,” Twilight continued before abruptly turning back to the spell and scrawling more lines of words.

Fluttershy sighed. “Now I know how Spike feels.”

“I’m sorry, did you say something?” Twilight asked, looking up at the spirit.

“N-nothing. I was just going to see how far Rainbow Dash has gotten,” Fluttershy replied.

“Good thinking. If we can use the teleporter freely, then Spike can locate the books I need,” Twilight remarked with a grin.

“Right, that was totally what I was thinking,” Fluttershy murmured, watching as the unicorn immediately dove back into the spell. “I better get to it then. It's a good thing my legs don't get tired.”

“What do we do with this one?” Rainbow Dash asked, rubbing her chin as she stared down at the rather simple false floor trap.

Applejack removed a hoof, roots shrinking and slipping back into the mare’s limb. “Yup, there's a bunch of spikes down there alright.”

“Here,” Sunset Shimmer offered, stomping a hoof on the tile and causing it to fall. “I’ll tear the spikes out and get rid of them. Applejack, do you think you could grow a temporary replacement for the floor tile?”

“I think so?” Applejack remarked, scratching her head. “I never tried something like that.”

“Why don't we just fill it with rubble?” Rainbow Dash inquired, gesturing to a nearby collapsed wall. “There certainly is enough of the stuff.”

“That sounds better. You guys start piling while I get rid of these spikes,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

“Good enough,” agreed Applejack who started doing just that.

Sunset Shimmer focused, using her magic to heat up the metal spikes before snapping them off at their base. While she did this, a growing mound of shattered stone and crumbling plaster was piled next to her. Eventually, after all the spikes were rendered useless and laying on their side, Applejack pushed the mound into the hole.

“It ain't perfect, but it’ll work,” Applejack remarked.

“Very true,” murmured Sunset Shimmer.

“On to the next one, then?” Rainbow Dash offered.

“Sure,” Sunset Shimmer replied.

The trio set off once more, walking down a nearby set of stairs and entering yet another partially destroyed floor of the undertower. This one didn't seem too bad, as a layer of webbing would have allowed them to walk over the obviously trapped main hallway which ran straight from one set of stairs to the other, with multiple rooms branching off from there.

“Say, do y'all get the feeling like something big is about to happen soon?” Applejack inquired.

“There is an army of golems coming to kill Twilight and potentially us as well,” Rainbow Dash deadpanned.

“I mean, yeah, but like, more than even that,” Applejack retorted.

“I know what you mean,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed, lighting her horn and burning away the safety net left for them. “I know we haven't talked about it a lot, but everything seems to be pushing us towards fighting Celestia.”

“I mean, after Twi figures out how to bring back someone more powerful, then we’d have a fightin’ chance at least,” Applejack replied.

“You guys don't understand just how big Equestria is, do you?” Rainbow Dash stated.

“I do. It just feels like that's where we are headed,” Sunset Shimmer stated. “Rock me.”

Applejack handed the skeleton a hoof-sized stone, which Sunset Shimmer tossed onto the first step. The stone clattered to a stop before suddenly falling through a blue portal which opened up beneath it. It then fell out of a yellow portal that appeared directly above it, allowing the small rock to plummet back through the first opening.

It proceeded to fall several dozen times before both portals closed, and the stone bounced back between Sunset Shimmer’s legs.

“Well that's… unique,” Applejack murmured.

Sunset Shimmer lit her horn and cast a quick scanning spell. “A simple overcharge should disable it, stand back.”

The pair did just that, allowing Sunset Shimmer the space to concentrate and eventually cast a spell which caused a red bolt of lightning to leap from her horn. Upon hitting the stone tile, the bolt vanished and a second later a small cloud of red smoke rose from beneath the ground. Another scanning spell told Sunset Shimmer that the deed was done.

“I still don't think you two understand what kind of enemy we are up against,” Rainbow Dash began. “I’ve been to the meetings, and I can tell you that should the forest stop protecting us, we would be overrun within two years. Maybe four, if we were really lucky.”

“And I don't think you understand just how vain Celestia is, and how many territories she's occupying,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed. “If we could raise an army and immediately assault Canterlot, we could bring her down in a single fell swoop.”

“It couldn't be that easy,” Applejack added, handing the mare another stone.

“Oh, it wouldn't be,” Sunset Shimmer admitted, tossing the rock, which had no effect. “A siege would be nearly impossible, and if you got bogged down for too long, the rest of her armies would return to the capital.”

“Crushing us in a single climactic battle,” Rainbow Dash stated before leaning down and holding up a hoof. “I got this one.”

The pony then pulled out a small dagger, which she used to lift a small section of the floor. Just below was a small indent, where a tripwire could be seen attached to a strange set of gears. Rainbow Dash didn't know what all the gears did, but what she did know was that the wire seemed to be the linchpin of the entire thing.

Snapping the line was done easily enough, and dodging the pair of bolts which shot from the wall was an even simpler task. Below the ground, the gears turned, and after they stopped moving, Rainbow Dash put a hoof on the plate, only for nothing to happen.

“It's clear,” Rainbow Dash stated.

“You know, I don't remember any of this from our first time down here,” Applejack remarked.

“We avoided this floor by using the teleportation glitch from that trap two floors up,” Rainbow Dash pointed out.

Applejack rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “Oh yeah.”

“Shall we change topics?” Sunset Shimmer offered.

“Yeah, I feel like that last one’s a bit heavy,” Applejack replied.

“I don't particularly enjoy being reminded how woefully outmatched we are on the world stage,” Rainbow Dash added.

“So…” Sunset Shimmer began somewhat tentatively. “It certainly has been a busy few months for you guys, huh?”

“That's an understatement,” Applejack exclaimed. “Only a few months ago I was convinced I would see the end of my family line in my lifetime. Now I’m already worrying about what kinda offspring would come from my brother and a troll.”

“Wait, he didn't get with that wild pony, Sugar something?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

“Nah, that didn't work out,” Applejack replied with a shrug. “The farm was a little too civilized for her taste.”

“Really?” Sunset Shimmer asked, turning away from the next tile in order to observe the other mare a little closer.

Applejack nodded. “Eeyup. Big Mac was mighty sad after that, but apparently some of Pinkie Pie’s family was visiting a while ago, and he met someone who talks about as much as he used to.”

“That certainly is an interesting turn of events,” Sunset Shimmer murmured. “Say, Applejack, could you handle this next one? I think it's another spike trap.”

Applejack nodded and stepped forward, roots sprouting from her hoof before slipping under the stone tile. “Hmm, doesn't feel like it. Ah, found something. Maybe if I-” Applejack began, only to be interrupted when a hole opened up in the wall.

From which sprung a battering ram on a rope that swung right over Rainbow Dash and hit the wall opposite of her. Both Applejack and Sunset Shimmer were ready to panic before they turned to find that their third companion had barely fit beneath the blunt object.

Sunset Shimmer stifled a giggle. “Oh my god. You are so tiny.”

“Excuse me, she prefers to be called fun-sized,” Applejack added.

Rainbow Dash sighed and rolled her eyes, slipping out from beneath the oak tree trunk suspended above her. “Yeah yeah, laugh it up. You’re just lucky that thing didn't clip me.”

“Yeah, we’d have to peel you off the wall with a spatula!” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

“At least it would be easy to carry ya, we could probably just dump you in a cup,” Applejack remarked with a snicker.

The two mares exchanged a hearty laugh at their petite friend’s expense.

Who was now scowling bitterly. “Let’s just go back to the library. It's been hours already.”

“What, is time growing short?” Applejack jabbed.

“I didn't know there was so little time left!” Sunset Shimmer added, already laughing.

Rainbow Dash sighed. “I hate you two so much right now.”

Several beings of various races and levels of confusion stood a good distance from a clearly distracted Twilight who was levitating two dozen books around her head while scribbling something on a new sheet of paper. Discarded sheets sat in a heap next to the table, while even more heavy tomes rested just out of reach, waiting for their turn to be used. Next to that rested a dozen apple cores in a bucket beneath the work surface while her magic continued to hum faintly as she worked.

“What do you think she's doing?” whispered a curious Rainbow Dash.

“I dunno, but it seems mighty in depth,” muttered Applejack.

“She's totally figured out time travel. I can feel it,” Pinkie Pie excitedly remarked.

“I can attest to our friend’s brilliance but she's only been down here a few hours,” Rarity replied.

“Time travel does seem like a stretch even for her,” added Fluttershy.

“Well, maybe not all forms of time travel, but this specific instance anyway,” Pinkie Pie explained.

“You are all wrong,” Sunset Shimmer interrupted. “It's clearly some kind of powerful necromantic spell. After all, it's the only kind of magic she can actually cast.”

“What if it's a time travel necromancy spell?” Spike offered.

Pinkie Pie wrapped a hoof around the dragon’s shoulders and gave the young male a squeeze. “That's what I’m talking about. See, this guy gets it,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

“Pfft, it's probably just some kind of high-minded magical mumbo jumbo,” Rainbow Dash dismissed. “Like finding the square root of a quadrillion.”

Pinkie Pie pursed her lips. “Three point one six two two eight times ten to the seven.”

“I feel like you’re wrong, but you stated that so confidently,” Rarity murmured.

“I don't wanna spend all day calculating that,” Spike added.

“It sounds right?” Sunset Shimmer remarked, scratching her skull.

“Y'all are getting off topic,” Applejack pointed out.

“Well, she ran out of ink again and hasn't asked for more,” Spike exclaimed.

“She must be nearly done,” stated Fluttershy.

“Hey, Twilight, are you almost done?” Rainbow Dash shouted.

The undead unicorn blinked, her floating ethereal hooves flickering briefly before the books they held fell unceremoniously to the floor. Twilight hastily scooped them up before depositing the fallen tomes on her desk and facing her friends.

“Oh, I didn't notice you all there. And yes, I am nearly done,” Twilight remarked.

“What did you figure out?” Sunset Shimmer asked curiously.

“Quite a bit,” Twilight replied. “This spell is astonishing. Truly a masterpiece of thaumaturgical engineering.”

“She's just saying that ‘cause she wrote it,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, causing Spike to snicker.

“I am not!” Twilight declared, huffing indignantly.

“So, what's it do?” Applejack interrupted. “It's not time travel, is it?”

“Why, yes, it is actually, but using the soul as the vector for travel,” Twilight explained. “It would allow me to go back in time to a point before the war. Once there, I could speak directly with Lu- you know who before she died.”

“Hmm, you know, being correct about this isn't nearly as satisfying as I imagined,” Sunset Shimmer murmured.

“And you all thought I was crazy,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, sticking her tongue out.

“That was for unrelated reasons,” Rainbow Dash remarked, exchanging a hoof bump and snicker with Applejack.

“You try to make meat cake one time!” Pinkie Pie yelled in an exasperated fashion, throwing a forehoof in the air and falling over.

Rarity leaned down and patted the troll’s back.

“So, you can use it, right? I mean, that warning did look pretty intense,” Spike pointed out.

“Like I explained earlier, the soul contains a certain amount of memories. This means my soul also existed within my previous incarnations,” Twilight began. “As such, this spell would see these other me’s as myself, allowing me to go back in time.”

“Or forward?” Sunset Shimmer inquired.

“Oh, that would be cool,” Rainbow Dash murmured, hopping up. “If you do go forward, let me know who shot the burned man. The seventh book is only coming out in like three years or something.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I’ll save you the hope and just tell you that I can't go forward unless it's back to the same point I came from, sort of. It’s all very… fuzzy.”

“Fuzzy like a bear, or fuzzy like morally grey?” Fluttershy inquired.

“Neither?” Twilight frowned and scratched her head. “There are some strange restrictions on what kind of information can be passed back and forth through time.”

“Strange how?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

“Yeah, I’m feeling a might bit lost here,” Applejack admitted. “What do you even mean by information?”

Twilight sighed and grabbed a seemingly random diagram far too complex for anyone but her as well as Sunset to understand. “Do you see this? This strange construct, or universal law doesn't allow things that haven't already happened to occur.”

“What?” Rarity muttered.

“Perhaps there is a different way you could explain this?” Fluttershy offered.

Twilight ran a hoof down her face. “I’m trying to, but understanding the laws which govern time travel based solely on this spell is like reverse engineering a steam motor by listening to it from another room.”

“Okay, so you can't go forward, and you’ll only remember certain information anyway,” Sunset Shimmer inferred. “What else do you know?”

“That it’s not dangerous, and that maneuvering through the time stream is intent-based,” Twilight replied.

“In common?” Rainbow Dash pressed.

“I don't need to have a set time in mind, and I should be able to simply focus on something I want to know. The spell should then guide me to the point in history where I could either find that information, or when I already knew it,” Twilight explained.

A pure black cat hopped up on the desk and sprawled out across her work station, purring contentedly.

“Okay, but are you really going to try using it?” Fluttershy inquired. “It sounds dangerous.”

“It is a rather intensive spell, but it's well within the range of my abilities,” Twilight stated confidently.

“Alright, so, what are ya lookin’ for then?” Applejack pressed. “‘Cause if you are going back in time, then why don't ya try and find out where our princess is buried.”

“Or she could go back to find a dragon to learn the language from,” added Spike.

“Maybe her past self already cracked the code. A previous incarnation did nearly revive the Spirit of Chaos, after all,” Rarity pointed out.

“Nah, she should do a test run and go back to last week and stop me from accidentally ruining my souffle,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed in a hopeful tone.

Twilight chuckled. “I hope to do two or more of those non-baking-related tasks at once.”

“Daw.” Pinkie Pie pouted.

“Hey, hold up,” Rainbow Dash interrupted. “What is a level seven spell anyway? You mentioned it before but never explained it.”

“I can answer that,” Sunset announced. “Each level is measured by the thaums necessary to cast it. So anything between a single thaum and nine hundred and ninety-nine is level one.”

“And so on and so on every thousand thaums,” Twilight added. “Level nine is the highest anyone’s been able to cast without turning it into a ritual in order to allow other casters to donate their energy.”

“And ten is only theoretical as magic struggles to stay together when condensed to that point,” Sunset remarked.

“True,” Twilight stated.

“Okay, so it's super hard then? You could have just said that,” Rainbow Dash groused.

“I was!” Twilight shouted, throwing up her hooves.

“Are you really doing this?” Spike asked, the dragon frowning slightly as he clutched his hands together tightly.

“We need a win, and quickly,” Twilight stressed, stepping forward and putting a hoof on his shoulder. “Celestia’s army is coming, and we need to even the playing field.”

“I agree in theory, but we haven't exhausted all leads,” Sunset Shimmer pointed out. “There is plenty left to try.”

“Maybe we shouldn't use it,” Fluttershy whispered, tapping her forehooves together. “What if something goes wrong?”

“There are plenty of redundancies, I should be fine,” Twilight claimed, taking a step back.

“How did you even understand all this gobbledygook?” Rainbow Dash asked, turning the spell scroll this way and that as if different lighting would help her figure it out.

Twilight smacked the thestral’s hoof and took the paper from her. “Be careful with that.”

Rainbow Dash nursed her injured limb while shooting the unicorn a glare. “Ah, come on, it's not that brittle.”

“It's at least a thousand years old, and the protection charm on it is nearly failing,” Twilight retorted.

“Augh, fine, I’m sorry,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, muttering bitterly under her breath.

“And to answer your question, it was written in old ponish and not the bastardized version Trixie uses on occasion,” Twilight explained.

“Then why could we understand the warning?” Fluttershy asked.

“There is a translation spell on that part, ensuring that whomever is reading the page understands what they are getting into,” Twilight explained.

“Most spell scrolls have that kind of enchantment placed on the warnings, if nothing else,” Sunset Shimmer added.

“That's smart. Not sliced bread smart, but still up there,” Pinkie Pie remarked.

“It certainly is a good addition,” Rarity admitted, fixing the still living unicorn a firm look. “If you’re so certain about its use, I assume you are intent on using it soon then.”

“Today, preferably,” Twilight declared. “The faster we get answers, the faster we can start stacking the odds in our favour.”

“What I think Rares was tryin’ to say is that this all seems a bit rushed,” Applejack stated. “We just found this super special spell that dropped out of nowhere, and now you’re just going to cast it without even having Sunset look it over for ya.”

“Her math seems solid at least,” remarked Sunset Shimmer, who was pouring over Twilight’s notes.

“Look, I know how it sounds, and I know that there are other options, but this is the best chance to get what we need right now,” Twilight stated, stomping her hoof.

“Well, if you’re certain it will work,” Fluttershy murmured.

“Plus win or lose, I should be able to return to the exact point I left, so no matter what, I’ll only waste a few minutes of time at most,” Twilight continued.

“That's if time travel works that way,” Spike pointed out.

“How else would it work exactly?” asked Applejack.

“Oooh, I wonder if Daring Do and the Terrible Timepiece was right,” Rainbow Dash remarked.

“The Time Traveler's wife operates under much more reasonable rules,” Rarity countered.

“Nah, it's totally going to be a hot tub time machine type deal,” Pinkie Pie stated with a shocking level of confidence.

“I don't know what any of those things are, but there is no hot tub involved,” Twilight stated.

“Daww,” Pinkie Pie muttered, kicking the ground.

“So, that's it then, you’re going to cast this spell right here?” Sunset Shimmer inquired.

“No, not here,” Twilight hastily replied. “The cave would be a much more suitable location.”

“The cave?” asked Sunset Shimmer.

“Ahh, that creepy secret room way down at the bottom,” Applejack inferred.

“Yes, that room,” Twilight answered. “It was designed to isolate magical energy. This should allow me to cast larger spells without having to worry about any interference or outside noise.”

“Well, better get going then,” Rainbow Dash announced, hopping up from her spot next to Fluttershy. “I wanna get this over and done with before my next shift starts.”

“It would be nice to get back to my animals soon,” Fluttershy murmured. “The grove needs a good onceover.”

“And I bet Zecora’s already mumbling about how I’ll never complete my shaman training at this rate,” Pinkie Pie remarked.

“Hold on, what exactly is this cave thing you spoke of?” Sunset Shimmer interrupted. “I know you explained its purpose, but a thaumatic isolation chamber can take many forms.”

“It's what it sounds like,” Twilight began. “A secret room carved from stone which functions like a traditional anti-interference glitch, only better, as you don't have to deal with any magic whatsoever.”

Sunset Shimmer stroked her bony chin thoughtfully. “That would be convenient. Having to account for only the isolation glyph’s magic makes things easier. Without that step you could potentially cast some very powerful spells without worrying about something messing with your work.”

“So, is everyone ready?” Twilight inquired, the nightmare kitty standing tall atop the undead’s head.

Spike hopped up. “I think so, Dusk, let's go.”

Sunset Shimmer wished she had lips in order to whistle, though she made the closest approximation she could manage. “This is a nice set up, even if it is rather… rugged.”

“More like morbid,” murmured Rarity.

“I’m just going to wait outside if you don't mind,” Fluttershy exclaimed from the doorway. “This room doesn't feel right.”

“I’ll be out here too,” added Rainbow Dash.

“Anyone else?” Twilight asked, glancing to the rest of the group.

“Nah, I think we’re good,” Spike remarked.

“Alright then, just give me a little room. The spell requires several focusing circles to function,” Twilight declared.

“Need a hoof?” offered Sunset.

“I’m afraid every part of the spell needs to be tied to my signature,” Twilight replied, pulling out a few sticks of chalk. “It has to be me from start to finish, or there is a chance something will go wrong.”

“And if things did go south, then what would happen?” Applejack inquired, settling down near a wall.

Twilight’s hoof stopped mid-movement. “I’m fairly certain a chunk of the other pony’s soul would get torn out of their body. Killing them, potentially, though there is a chance of something far worse happening.”

Pinkie Pie pulled her tongue back into her mouth and made a note to not lick the chalk.

“What could be worse than that?” Spike asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“You don't want to know,” Twilight stated.

“But-”

“Trust her on this one,” Sunset Shimmer interrupted.

Spike sighed. “Fine. Just don't screw it up, alright? I’ve already lost one purple-haired nerd in my lifetime. I don't want to lose a second.”

Twilight smiled and gave the dragon a nod. “I won't, Spike. I promise.”

“Right then, someone wake me when things get interesting. All this darkness is making me sleepy,” Applejack exclaimed before yawning and sprawling out on the ground, snoring mere seconds later.

“How does she do that?” Rarity murmured, poking a spindly leg into the farmer’s side. “It's like she has a switch that she can just flick whenever she wants.”

“Oh, it's not that hard, see?” Pinkie Pie announced before suddenly ragdolling, snoring only a second later.

“Now that would be a convenient trick to learn when I was alive,” Sunset Shimmer remarked. “Speaking of which, how did you do that multiple hoof levitation thing back there?”

Twilight perked up, turning to the skeleton. “Oh, that? I just realized that I could split a small part of my soul in order to create additional limbs. The spell itself requires only a visualization of what you want to use that bit of your lifeforce to accomplish, after all.”

“That is quite creative,” Sunset Shimmer murmured.

“And a little messed up,” Spike added. “I mean, you’re splitting your soul.”

“That can't be good for you, darling,” Rarity exclaimed.

Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes. “Trust me. It's fine. The soul is not something that can be easily damaged. It's like…”

The unicorn stopped her chalk hoof and hummed thoughtfully for a moment. “It's like dough. If you split it or cut it, you can just put it back into the mass, and it's fine. Sure, you can screw it up, but I’m not cutting anything off, just changing its shape ever so slightly.”

“Still doesn't sound healthy to me,” Spike murmured. “Also, that metaphor sucked.”

“Look I can appreciate you all have your very valid concerns, but I really must focus,” Twilight remarked before kneeling back down and continuing her work.

“Right, is there anything I can do in the meantime?” Sunset Shimmer offered. “More snacks, extra chalk? A back rub?”

“Although that last one does sound nice, I don't require anything at the moment,” Twilight replied.

“Alright then, I’ll leave you to it,” Sunset Shimmer murmured.

Twilight nodded and picked up the chalk once more, returning right back to where she had left off.

“Is this really necessary?” Rarity asked Sunset Shimmer in a low tone, gesturing to the magic circle being etched right before them. “We did have other leads, and though I admit time is of the essence, this seems like a bit much.”

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “I agree, but ultimately this isn't up to us. Twilight wants to protect her new home, and she's willing to do anything it takes to accomplish that.”

“Still,” Spike murmured, “using a random spell we found just because it was placed there by a previous incarnation of hers seems reckless.”

“We’ll find out soon enough,” Sunset Shimmer stated evenly.

Spike, Rarity, Applejack, Sunset Shimmer, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy all stood next to one another just outside the ritual room. Together they watched as Twilight stood in the center of a multi-layered circle that in one skeleton’s eyes seemed more like an art piece than magical focus. The dense array of tightly packed arcane, mana charged lines, and incredibly detailed glyph work Sunset expected, simply werent there.

They had been replaced by multiple images of the Sun, Moon, Equis, and even the stars above. Each one of these images were bound in small arrays of their own which fed into a relatively simple central circle. Sure, there were a few of the normal charge runes one would expect, but everything before her had a certain level of artistry that modern spellcasting lacked.

It was quite visually appealing, though it made Sunset Shimmer’s more analytical side cry out in barely contained rage. It was just so… inefficient, though even then she had to admit that since it was pure necromancy, it likely had different rules than the ones she was used to. Rules which she had yet to fully grasp given she was only able to cast a very small selection of necromantic spells.

Which were limited almost entirely to those that dealt with healing and nothing like what she saw before her.

“Do you think she's faking it?” Rainbow Dash whispered.

“Now, why would she go and do something like that?” Applejack retorted.

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “She's been standing there motionless for a long while already. Maybe she screwed up and doesn't want to admit it.”

“Now, darling, you know very well that Twilight wouldn't do that,” Rarity exclaimed. “This is a very complicated and very new spell. Give her time.”

“Yeah yeah, just growing impatient, is all,” Rainbow Dash murmured. “You’d think there would at least be a light show or something.”

Fluttershy’s ears perked up. “Do you all feel that?”

“It's like something crawling up my spine,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, shivering in disgust.

“I don't feel any-” Sunset Shimmer shuddered, her bones clattering against one another. “Oh, that's spooky. Like someone walked over my grave.”

“There's pressure in the air. I think it’s working,” Applejack murmured.

“Shh, somethings happening,” whispered Spike, pointing towards the circle.

Which had begun to glow with the faint greenish purple that seemed to permeate every one of Twilight’s spells. The eerie light cast the room in a strange, unnatural glow, one which made the hair rise on the back of everyone’s neck, if they still had hair.

They could also hear the undead unicorn whisper something over and over in a strangely musical tone of voice. There was no clear rhythm to the mare’s words, and yet it moved them, made them want to stomp their hooves and feet. The necromancer also swayed on her hooves, body twisting and moving as if caught on a powerful, as well as fickle wind.

“Mana, yood, sushai, avime, avake, voril,” Twilight murmured, her voice warbling in a strange and unfamiliar manner that only served to unnerve the listeners even more.

“What’s happening?” Rarity whispered, tapping her limbs while bobbing up and down.

“It's like a heartsong, only a lot stranger,” Sunset Shimmer remarked.

“I don't feel so good,” Fluttershy added, her eyes rolling around in her semi-ethereal head while the spirit stomped and shook herself along to the chaotic beat.

“Should we tell her to stop?” Rainbow Dash asked, similarly moving as did the rest of her friends.

“No, that would only make things worse,” Spike quickly stated. “Interrupting this much power would be disastrous.”

“Spike is right. At this point, there is nothing we can do but observe,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

Their gazes remained glued to Twilight as her body shook and contorted. Her voice rose and fell, while the shadow beneath her emerged from the ground in thick twisting blobs of black. It looked almost like paint running down a canvas, only it defied gravity, rising into the air and nearly obscuring Twilight completely.

Even the nightmare seemed to have been drawn into the music as the undulating mass of twisting darkness rose and fell. It was like the shapeless mass was dancing, parts of its body forming strange shapes in a chaotic yet orderly manner. It was a difficult thing to put into words, though the beings watching the necromancer quickly felt their gaze pulled towards Twilight’s eyes.

Which were slowly filling with a darkness so black that it seemed to pull the very light from the room. The swirling mass grew and grew until the mare’s eyes were completely gone, replaced entirely by the void. The thumping of some distant war drum became more noticeable as the light of the circle grew brighter.

The energy which poured from it was now so potent that it began to pool around their waists, taking the form of a deep greenish blue fog. Peering into the strange smokey mist, Twilight’s friends were shocked to see the faces of many strange creatures. Some were species they had seen before like ponies, minotaurs, and changelings while there were others they didn't recognize.

Weird four-legged creatures that looked like dogs mixed with insects, hairless apes, short grey bipeds, as well as many others none of them could place. Each one of these creatures seemed to peer out of the mists curiously, a look of shock and confusion on their faces. A very select few quickly began to try and push their way out of the fog, but their smokey forms vanished mere moments after this happened.

Despite all that strangeness, all eyes were once more drawn back to Twilight who had suddenly become still. The ethereal outline of a horn sprung up on her head, the long, curved appendage glowing with a faint magenta energy. The fog grew thicker, boiling up around the undead mare’s body until she was nearly completely obscured.

Her voice continued to rise, the mumbled words becoming clearer, yet no less identifiable. Until at last she rose up onto her back legs, forehooves extended above her, a single terrible word bursting from her lips.

“Aeternum!” she screamed.

The word exploded with such force that it knocked everyone back while also sending the fog all across the room. Twilight, however, never saw this, nor did she feel her body slump to the ground, the familiar light vanishing in the wake of the spell’s completion.

For the necromancer was already long gone.

Twilight fell through something, though fell may not have been the proper way to describe what was happening to her. She tumbled clumsily through a strangely viscous substance which surrounded her on all sides. Her first instinct was to flail her legs, to cry out and panic, but she resisted all those urges.

She knew this was coming, even if her friends didn't.

Twilight remembered well the warning to keep her destination clear and at the forefront of her mind. Something that was becoming increasingly difficult the longer she felt herself falling forwards through the slurping mass of the otherworldly greenish blue gel which encapsulated her. It was an altogether bizarre experience, but compared to dying, even the odd, tumbling sense of vertigo wasn't unbearable.

I wish to go when I knew where Luna was buried, and where I can learn the language of the first dragons, Twilight repeated to herself over and over.

The strange tug which she had felt since entering this alien dimension shifted suddenly and instead of falling forwards, she began to rapidly ascend, rising up through the churning mass of weird liquid, Twilight felt hope begin to bloom within her. Whatever was happening felt right, and Twilight was certain she was going where she wanted to go.

It may have taken every last scrap of magic she had, including part of the nightmare’s own, but that was acceptable. Twilight Sparkle was going to save her new family, no matter the personal cost.

She turned her eyes upwards, or at least what felt like up. To where a pony-sized white hole had opened up in the slimy mass. Though distance was hard to calculate in this bizarre world of churning liquid, it didn't feel like it was very far away. At her current pace, it would only take a few more seconds, and she would be through the opening and back into reality once more.

The blinding white light made it impossible to see her destination, but Twilight still felt confident that it was where she wanted to be. With mere moments away from arriving at the time she wished, curiosity got the better of her, and she looked around the strange ocean she found herself adrift within.

A feeling of deja vu overtook her, and she felt her gaze turn downward, towards an enormous pair of purple eyes. Just one of which had to be miles across, glowing brightly in the swirling nightmare sea. The second she stared within those strangely familiar orbs Twilight suddenly felt calm, and as though she were looking into a mirror.

Then it was gone, and there was only white.

Sunset Shimmer collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. Her body nearly came apart the second she felt the stone rush up to meet her, yet with grim determination, she held herself together. After the skeleton managed the herculean task of standing back up, she began to look nervously around the room.

“Is everyone okay?” Sunset Shimmer hastily asked, turning around to find that most of her friends were slowly picking themselves off the ground.

“That was, quite, something,” murmured Rarity as she rubbed her head.

“Wowee zowee, now that was an exit,” Pinkie Pie added, awkwardly climbing back up into a stand.

“Where’s Twilight?” Spike asked before he could even stand back up.

Applejack grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, and hoisted him back up. “She’s right where we left her.”

Fluttershy frowned as she gazed upon the still form of their undead friend. “I don't know, something doesn't feel right.”

“What do you mean?” Rainbow Dash questioned. “It's just Twilight. She's probably already back from her time travelling adventure”

Twilight’s eyes opened to reveal that they had returned to normal, or at least they seemed normal, anyway. The second Spike gazed within the oddly familiar orbs, his hope vanished, and he quickly realized he was looking upon a stranger. One who seemed eerily nonplussed by her strange arrival, merely glancing around the room in a distinctly cold, almost calculating manner.

“I don't think that's your Twilight anymore,” Spike murmured.

Upon hearing the voice, the stranger raised an eyebrow and observed the group closely. Her gaze fixed mainly on Sunset Shimmer, though she inspected them all so intensely that none could avoid feeling at least slightly uncomfortable by the look they were being given. She then opened her mouth and asked something in a language no one understood, though it sounded strangely familiar.

“Is she doing that show voice thing, but only worse?” Spike inquired.

“Who cares, tell us who you are and what you did to Twilight!” Rainbow Dash demanded.

The stranger sighed and closed her eyes, only to gasp and look up at her broken horn in shock. She then began to mutter what were clearly curses, an irritated look crossing her face.

“Stay back, she might have been trying to cast a spell at us,” Applejack exclaimed, striding forward and putting herself between her friends and the stranger.

“I don't know, that looked like she was trying to communicate,” Sunset Shimmer interjected. “Here, let me cast a simple translation spell.”

The second the spell was complete, the stranger tentatively spoke.

“Calm, positivity, acceptance,” she whispered in a soft tone.

“Relax, curiosity, Pinkie Pie,” stated the troll, who put a forehoof against her chest.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “You don't have to talk like she does.”

The stranger gasped in surprise. “You can understand me? Fascinating.”

“Uh, yeah, it's a translation spell. That's what it's supposed to do,” Sunset Shimmer deadpanned.

“In my time we can only convey base emotions using such a spell,” the stranger replied. “I must be far in the future if you have come so far.”

“Wait, so you’re past Twilight?” Spike asked in a slightly hopeful tone.

“It seems so,” murmured the stranger coldly. “Though I’ve never seen any of you before, nor have I ever seen any of the species you seem to belong to.”

“Wait, not even dragons?” Spike asked, pointing to himself.

“That does seem a might bit far-fetched,” Applejack remarked. “They are one of the oldest races around, ya know.”

“I am well aware they are the oldest species native to Equis,” the stranger replied. “But this is a drakeling. No doubt the spawn of one of the altered dragons several dozen generations down the line.”

“Drakeling?” Fluttershy asked.

The stranger trotted up to Spike and gently but firmly grabbed his head, forcing him to look left and right as she inspected him. “The spell must have worked as planned. You have clearly pony-like features. Rounded eyes, more dull edges, and the spark of kindness is clear in your eyes,” she continued.

“Woah there, how about you take a step back away from the kid, alright?” Rainbow Dash interjected, a hoof placed over the hilt of her weapon.

“I don't think she's trying to be mean, Dashie,” Pinkie Pie offered.

“Merely curious. It is fascinating to see the results of my experiment,” the stranger frowned. “Though the fact that I don't remember this event is worrying, and this strange crawling sensation is quite unpleasant.”

Her shadow stretched away from her, a familiar black cat emerging from the ground, clawing her way as far away from the stranger as it could manage.

“What is…” The stranger frowned. “I don't even want to know. This is clearly not something I was meant to see and likely won't remember anyway.”

“Err, what?” Fluttershy murmured, scratching her head.

“Don't worry about it,” stated the stranger. “Now, who knows how I got to this place and era of time?”

Sunset Shimmer pulled the spell sheet from her bag and showed it to the pony. “With this spell we found.”

“Then I finished, it after all. Strangely large energy requirements though,” murmured the stranger. “That is my horn writing, however. Where did you find this?”

“In an old book called Sensible Sensibilities,” Rarity offered. “Though I’m surprised we were able to read it, since we can't understand you.”

“All my tomes have translation spells placed upon them. Spoken words may be harder to alter in real time, but words are not quite so difficult,” the stranger explained before seating herself on the ground.

“We went over this before, remember?” Rainbow Dash questioned.

“Oh, that's right,” Rarity murmured. “My apologies, darling. There has been so much magic talk that my brain feels like mush.”

“Wait, so what do you mean you don't remember this? How could you remember something before it happened?” Sunset Shimmer inquired.

“Ooh ooh! Does time travel work with hot tub time machine rules?” Pinkie Pie inquired.

“I don't know what that is, and I frankly don't have the time to explain it to you,” declared the other Twilight who rested her chin on her forehooves. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, this body seems to require rest.”

“Hold on, what do you mean you don't have the time to explain it? I think we deserve at least somewhat of an explanation,” Rarity replied, crossing her forehooves over her chest.

The stranger opened a single eye and glanced curiously up at the arachne. “It took me thirty years of study to comprehend the subtle nuances of time travel and even then I had yet to create the spell which allowed this other version of me to travel through it.”

“Wait, thirty years? I thought the other Twilight only made it to like twenty-five or something,” Rainbow Dash remarked.

“She's not my Twilight,” Spike murmured.

“Interesting,” exclaimed the stranger. “Why would you think there would only be two of us? Even in my time that assumption would be incorrect.”

Author's Note

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Time

Twilight awoke with a start, her body jerking upwards as her heart pounded noisily in her chest. Thoughts of the thing at the bottom of reality stayed with the mare no matter how hard she tried to think of something else. The sheer physics of such a creature were mind-boggling, but that wasn't what immediately concerned the mare.

Rather it was just how familiar those eyes were that struck the pony. It was like gazing into a funhouse mirror or meeting an alternate reality version of herself from some dark and terrible timeline. Stranger still was the feeling of deja vu she got from gazing into those enormous violet orbs.

Shaking her head, Twilight tried to steady her breathing while looking around the small room she found herself in. The walls were made of wood, living wood at that, though it wasn't anything like the tree library she knew in her time. The faded brown was so light that it almost looked yellow, like the tree was much younger than the one Twilight was used to.

Before her sat a desk which seemed to have grown straight out of the ground itself. Though not terribly wide, it was big enough to fit a half dozen open tomes as well as a candle holder containing the barest remnants of wax. Evidently someone had forgotten about it as the light source had burnt down to all but nothing, and thick red drops coated its holder.

A brief glance at the open books told Twilight that they contained magical knowledge or detailed farming techniques, the quality of which varied greatly. They were also all quite unique and seemed to have been penned by individual authors if the non-uniform printing was anything to go by. Even the pages bound within were yellowed with age and did not have the same texture as the tomes Twilight was used to.

Though interesting, Twilight’s attention turned from the bounty of knowledge and down to where she noticed a simple leather-bound bundle of papers sat open before her. The quill this other version of herself had been using had dried, resting just beside the paper it had been dancing across not long ago. Intrigued by what she found, Twilight had to force herself to put away such thoughts for now, as she had to make sure of one thing first.

Clambering out of her chair, she searched for a reflective surface, ignoring the rest of the strange and fascinating objects that surrounded her. There was no mirror, but she did find a window, and although adorned with heavy iron bars, Twilight could at least see herself. Or at least, a different version of herself, one that looked older, more wizened, and who had a rather unpleasant resting face.

Despite not trying to, Twilight was apparently scowling at her reflection, and it took a surprising amount of effort to stop herself from doing this. The second thing that struck her was how alive she looked, which was at odds with how she felt deep down inside. She expected to feel the familiar pulse of a heartbeat, or the burn of need when she forgot to breathe, but after a short pause, she found that there was none.

Only a gnawing, but distant hunger that felt unlike her old body’s desire for life force.

“Huh. I’m clearly not alive, but I still need regular food. Interesting,” Twilight muttered to herself, prodding her stomach absently. “Like before my heart only feels like it's beating even though it's still.”

Running a hoof down her face, Twilight found that she had deep circles under her eyes, which only furthered the haunting glare she accidentally gave herself. Her hair was nearly identical, though now it was done up in a neat bun, while her bangs were even shorter. This Twilight certainly looked the part of a grizzled old librarian, and the unicorn could definitely imagine her yelling at some child to be quiet.

Twilight chuckled at her reflection before moving onto the rest of her body, starting with her horn. Which was quite long, had never been filed, and had the distinct curve Twilight had come to expect from ancient unicorns. Her fetlocks could also use a good cut, and her fur was rather long as well in addition to being fairly shaggy.

She didn't feel any warmer though, nor could she even discern what temperature it was at all for that matter.

“I guess I can't complain about that,” Twilight murmured.

She was about to turn away from the window when she noticed movement just beyond the slightly opaque barrier. Glancing out, Twilight found herself at the edge of a small clustering of houses which surrounded a dome-like structure. This central building was about three stories tall and had the width of two average-sized houses placed next to one another.

The exterior was an off white color and had several dozen runes carved into it, though even at this distance Twilight could tell they were inactive, just like the much larger and much more complicated rune she noticed was burnt into the ground around the entire village. Though she couldn't see much of it given her current position, Twilight was able to figure out that the magical circle had not been maintained in a while.

She couldn't tell this other circle’s purpose, though she reasoned it had to be fairly grand in scale given just how big it was. The houses were also quite ramshackle to say the least, with each being little more than lean-tos or simple wooden cabins with sod roofs. It was the picture of a frontier town, though the placement of the homes left Twilight confused, but she reasoned it had something to do with the burn rune.

Either way, her own home seemed to be near it, but apart at the same time, with only a thin trail connecting it to the small village. There did seem to be some new construction going up though, and Twilight could see a dozen or so ponies moving about the area. Nearly all were unicorns with a few earth ponies and a single pegasus.

The unicorns were scruffy and had unfiled and curved horns like Twilight did, though they weren't quite as long. Twilight couldn't help but rub a hoof across the abrasive iron bars idly as she watched them, pondering if it would be okay to file it or not. She reminded herself that this wasn't her body and chose to simply ignore the unpleasant sensation that tickled at the back of her mind.

She took one last look around, and found that other than the small village at the center, several farms had sprung up around them. All the buildings looked new, and yet ancient at the same time, their methods of construction clearly outdated by a thousand years or more. Only a single road left the area, and it extended as far as Twilight could see across the great plains which surrounded them.

Only a small orchard to the left, a distant mountain before her, and an equally remote cluster of trees to her right broke up the horizon. Twilight wondered if this was Ponyville, but that didn't make sense as the Everfree was nowhere in sight. Not only that, but even if the mountain she saw was the Canterhorn, it was slightly bigger than the one Twilight remembered.

She had also certainly never seen a weird dome building in Ponyville, nor had she ever heard of one existing for that matter. That was without even considering the enormous burn rune on the ground which would have left a magical signature even hundreds, if not thousands of years later. Pushing those thoughts out of her mind, Twilight decided to start walking around. Her head felt oddly full with all the information she had just gathered.

To that end she started by finishing her inspection of the office she found herself in, beginning with the shelves which grew out of the wall to her left and housed a great number of books, each one of which seemed to vary greatly in some small way. It was obvious that they had each been created by individual artisans, and that the printing press may not even exist at this point in time.

A dour thought Twilight pushed out of her mind as she walked out of the room. Putting the cramped office behind, she found herself in an even more cramped hallway which had three doors leading off it. To her right were a set of stairs going down while in front of her was a bedroom equally as tight as the office. It contained a simple dresser grown from the wall, a small twin-sized bed covered with furs, and another iron-barred window.

It also had a weapon rack which startled Twilight as she hadn't been expecting to see such a thing in her home, even if it was a different her’s house. Nor was she expecting to find a crossbow so large it looked like a small ballista, or a spear tipped with a strange black metal. Neither had been used for quite some time though judging by the covering of dust, which set Twilight’s heart at ease.

This Twilight may know how to fight, but Twilight herself was still amauter at best, despite Rainbow Dash’s attempts to help her improve. The last room on the second story was a bathroom, though calling it that felt generous as it was just a tiny room with three buckets in it. One was clearly meant to be a wash basin, the other intended to haul water while the last one… well the last one’s purpose was obvious given the foul odor it gave off.

“I sure hope I don't actually have to use that thing,” Twilight muttered. “Though I suppose it's a step up from squatting in the woods.”

Shaking her head, Twilight made her way downstairs to the combination of living room, kitchen, and dining room. There it was all one wide open space with the only windows being the two which flanked her exit. A primitive icebox stood in one corner, and a fireplace served as a cooking surface this Twilight evidently didn't use much, given the dust.

Checking the fireplace with a simple spell told Twilight that the wooden fireplace was indeed reinforced with magic, ensuring it didn't burn down the house when used. Even still, it felt a bit silly to see, and Twilight quickly turned her attention to the rather spartan living room on one end of the space.

Where a simple high-backed wooden seat sat across from a large rocking chair with a sun carved into it. The design almost looked like Celestia’s cutie mark, except the corona was less orderly, for lack of a better word. The flames were of varying length and had a certain vibrancing to them that Celestia’s mark seemed to lack.

The sight put a bad taste in her mouth, so Twilight quickly turned away from it and finished looking through the last of the home. She found a few simple foodstuffs that smelled a bit like dried meat and aged berries. A small table as well as a few fiction books completed the sitting area. The only thing out of the ordinary was the faintly glowing rune carved above the doorway which Twilight immediately began to inspect.

A quick scan told her that it was a reinforcement spell which would activate a set of primitive fire resistant enchantments placed on the home. The spellwork was good, but outdated by a dozen centuries or more. At least it looked nice, Twilight thought to herself as she inspected the spell.

There was also another spear sitting next to the door, which had the same black tip and heavy layer of dust that its twin did.

“Someone is paranoid about her home being invaded,” Twilight thought as she gazed at the barred windows once again.

It was then that she realized what she had just done a few seconds earlier, and her eyes went wide.

“I can still do magic!” she proclaimed, smacking herself upside the head. “How did I not notice that!”

The relief Twilight felt was palpable and immediate, though it was stifled somewhat by the fact that she had already replaced most of her spells. She didn't really need her old magic anymore, given how many alternatives she had found, though the sight of a functional horn on her head was a pleasant one.

No matter how long she had stared at the shattered stump, it never seemed to grow easier to see in the mirror. It was like looking at the bloody remnants of a limb that she knew would never grow back. Twilight briefly wondered if that was how Pinkie Pie felt whenever she lost a limb, or if the troll had simply gotten used to it.

Either way, she had bigger concerns, and she turned back and walked upstairs to the office. If anything would give her more insight to her current place in time, then it was probably in the journal she had noticed before. Maybe if she was lucky, she would even be able to find a clue as to why she was here.

“And after that we have to go find out if they have any more wood available,” stated a male voice.

“I don't know, Sod, trade may be picking up, but we are still a long way from any tree that doesn't have apples growing on it,” retorted a second passing voice.

Trotting over to the window, Twilight watched as a unicorn stallion and an earth pony mare trotted past her house. Though the actual words they said seemed fairly unimportant, the fact that Twilight understood them bothered her. It was at least a thousand years in the past from Twilight’s perspective, and yet it sounded like modern Equish, or at least it sort of did.

Twilight hummed thoughtfully as she stared at the retreating forms. “Perhaps my mind is simply translating it since this Twilight knows the language? If that's true, then it leads to a whole cornucopia of questions about the nature of memory which I don't have the time to get into.”

Twilight paused and then gazed down at her shadow. “You know, it's kinda lonely without you here. I had gotten rather used to having the excuse of bouncing my thoughts off the nightmare.”

Shaking her head, Twilight shifted her attention back to the whole reason she had come back upstairs in the first place. Namely the journal which the other version of herself had been writing in before Twilight had taken her body. That particular thought made Twilight feel a little guilty, and a bit unpleasant to boot, though she quickly pushed past any lingering unpleasantness.

“If she knew what I was going through, she would understand,” Twilight reassured herself. “Though I don't think I would like it if a different version of me read my journal.” She sighed. “It must be done.”

The words before her looked like gibberish for several seconds before her eyes seemed to adjust, and the letters shifted into more familiar shapes. It was as unpleasant as it was surprising, and Twilight briefly wondered if this was all part of the time travel spell. Or perhaps it was due to the meeting with the thing which lay beneath it all, though that was a thought Twilight didn't even want to consider.

She got what she wanted and didn't have to painstakingly learn the written or spoken languages of the time, so she chose to ignore her curiosity for now.

It is the twenty-second of July… What did Tia call it? The first year of Harmony?

I’ll never get used to that. Even if I understand why she chose to get rid of all remnants of the dragons’ rule, including their calendar, it is still inconvenient to my record keeping. Still, I suppose that's a concern for another time. For now I’m happy to report that things are going well. The tree is growing steadily, my research continues to bear fruit, and I grow increasingly close to reviving my mentor. That is perhaps a topic for another time though as…

Twilight frowned. The rest of the page seemed to be filled with a rather mundane discussion of the town’s progress and how the other Twilight was dealing with the end of a war. This other mare laboriously went over how the local farmers were managing to acquire wood from the distant forests. How those same ponies were planning a great feast, and her estimates for the possible food output of the area.

To say that it was dull would be an understatement, and Twilight was almost a little happy that she had apparently interrupted this other Twilight’s writing. Halfway through her idle musings on breeding grass to be more nutritious, the quill had been dropped. Twilight assumed this was when she had arrived back in time, though it had evidently been an hour or two later when she woke up.

Another thought for another time.

Flipping back to the beginning of the journal, Twilight was about to start reading when she realized it was unreadable once more. After checking that it wasn't a spell, and that she could still read the final entry, Twilight concluded it was simply written in some manner of code. Her brain seemed to understand most of the letters, though there were a few with no modern analogue.

Cursing under her breath, Twilight flipped through the pages until she found one she could read.

Blast. I wrote the date in code out of habit. I really should take a note from Máni and cut loose a little more. They at least know how to enjoy themselves.

Who am I kidding, that's never going to happen. Not until the threat is dealt with permanently, and all wrongs have been righted. That is not something I expect to happen for a long time, however. Though hopefully it does happen within my expectedly long life.

Even still, writing like this leaves me with an uncomfortable feeling at the pit of my stomach. New enemies are already lurking at the edges of our kingdom, and I don't think it will be long before someone claims the throne left behind by the now-extinct dragons. Sad will be the day when someone declares themselves the heir apparent of the eternal empire.

There were several dots next to one another, indicating that the writer struggled to begin the next paragraph.

I am no longer the head of the magical research division. It came as a bit of a surprise, but after hearing Máni’s and Sól’s explanation, I can't help but agree with them, even if I still yearn for my old position. More will come seeking to plunder the breadbasket of the old empire, of that I am certain.

For now, I will simply wait until I am needed and assist the local earthborn in their tasks. The population boom I expect to see will strain our current resource production capabilities, and so long as I draw breath, I swear to ensure no pony goes hungry again.

Still.

Even with a task before me, I find myself unable to sit still. Sól, or should I say Celestia, as she is now calling herself, would likely tease me mercilessly if she saw me toiling away into the wee hours of the morning coming up with backup plans for the dragon’s revival.

We would be screwed, by the way.

We only just completed the great change before the dragons crushed our last rebellion. With their full attention turned to our upstart little nation, we would be annihilated within a fortnight or two if we were lucky. If my body still required sleep, this fact would likely leave me unable to do so.

Twilight stopped, her hoof tapping nervously against the table. She knew the dragons were incredibly powerful, but she hadn't even considered the possibility of them ever waking up again. The mere thought of fighting a group of creatures capable of fighting a star-spanning empire of alicorns made her stomach flip flop in her midsection.

“Those names don't sound like ones given to ponies, perhaps the alicorn’s culture was more different from the pony society they ruled then first anticipated,” Twilight muttered. “Either way, it seems like they have changed their names to better integrate themselves.”

She turned back to the journal.

Regardless, I have work to do and preparations to make. As terrible as it may sound, I thank the stars that there are more problems to solve. I don't think I could live with myself if I was left alone with my thoughts for too long.

My brother’s screams still stay with me. Sometimes I swear that I can hear them on the wind.

There was another line under that one, but it was stricken through so many times that it was illegible.

The tests have proven quite successful, and I find myself in tune with the tree’s spirit. A most pleasant change of pace, let me assure you. I did not want to take any time from our carpenters just because I wanted a desk and a place to store my books. Especially with so many of our kin going without homes of their own.

The entry continued to go on like this for quite a while, with little new information being offered, and the author pouring over minute details to the point of boredom. It seemed to Twilight like she was purposefully distracting themselves from the unpleasant thoughts which continued to plague her. Twilight could certainly understand why this other version of herself may have done that, but it didn't help her growing curiosity.

Without any portraits or pictures, it was difficult to tell if her past self had any family which may burst in on her on a moment’s notice. Twilight hated to imagine the potential damage that would come to both her current and past selves, should it be discovered that she was not their Twilight. With that thought firmly in mind, Twilight was determined to figure out as much about this other version of herself in order to not accidentally ruin her life.

She felt bad enough about borrowing her body, after all.

The journal contained little else that was relevant to Twilight’s current quest of finding where Luna would be buried, and where she could learn to speak the dragon tongue. Mostly it described her former self’s experimentation with crop yields, rotation strategies, as well as other more magically oriented tests. Though it was all fairly interesting stuff, it was ancient, and was akin to reading about a cave pony describing their plans to build the wheel.

One of the few things she was able to gather was that this Twilight had at one point fought on the front line of this war. She had killed, been injured, and had nearly died more than a few times, only to be healed by Celestia each time. Without the alicorn in question, this Twilight would likely be limbless, hornless, and blind.

Twilight shuddered at the mere notion of finding herself in such a body, as it would mean she would be stuck that way until she died and her soul returned to its proper container. Or at least, she hoped that's how it worked as she hadn't exactly considered that death was a possibility. After briefly cursing her past/future self for being so quick to cast the spell, Twilight went back to going over what she had discovered.

Like how this Twilight struggled to live a normal, peaceful existence in the town that had only existed to serve as a secret research base. Apparently the world lines were at a perfect location to power a rather strong invisibility spell which made it unable to be spotted from the air. This explained why the town was mostly made up of unicorns and their earth pony assistants.

She wondered briefly why they were called the earthborn, skyborn, and starborn before brushing that off. That was likely just how the dragons referred to them, and like Celestia and Luna’s names, were changing now that they were defeated. Though at first all the name changing felt a little juvenile to Twilight, as her understanding of the dragon’s cruelty grew, she quickly came to understand.

This wasn't just some minor disagreement that had blown up, after all, these dragons seemed intent on keeping ponies as slaves forever. That, and they were also bound and determined to wipe out the last of the alicorns, or as the dragons called them, the heavensent. With all that in mind, it made sense as to why they had gone through with such a drastic plan to be rid of the winged horrors.

The journal wasn't all about the war, however. This other Twilight also took many opportunities to lament the loss of her lab equipment, though it had only been sent to someplace called Fort Hollow Shades. Wherever that was.

As the minutes had turned to hours, Twilight had been about ready to give up on the journal when she came across a rather interesting page near the end.

January second, three thousand four hundred and ninety-eight of the Eternal Summer.

Oh, what wonderful news I have just received.

I nearly have everything that I require to resurrect Jörð. Or should I say Cadance? I know she changed her name far before the others did, but this is intended to serve as a record of sorts, so… Regardless, that doesn't matter right now.

The problem of power has been solved. My dear little flame has found out how to give unto me a part of her very being. I admit I thought she was flirting at first, but after resolving that slight misunderstanding, I was even more exhilarated. If it works as it seems it is likely to, then I shall inherit, for a very short time, the power of a heavensent.

Though not enough to enable me to ascend, something impossible to achieve anyway, given my status as only being half alive in the first place, it will allow me to briefly harness the power necessary to bring her back. A part of me wishes that one of our newly minted princesses had the aptitude for soul magic, so that the responsibility would not lie on my shoulders. Another part of me rebels at the mere possibility of anyone but I being the one to bring my dear sweet Cadance back.

I fear that I am so thrilled that even my horn writing is suffering for it. I’m going to double check my notes, and ensure that I am ready for the quickly approaching day.

Soon, dear sister, soon.

Twilight didn't need to read through her past self’s notes to find the spell to raise Cadance, for it was one she already knew. She had simply never had the power necessary to actually cast such a spell, though Twilight considered looking anyway, just to be sure. This line of thinking made Twilight consider just how powerful this version of her was, as she didn't feel as strong as before.

Even levitating the book for two hours or so was enough to bring on the unique kind of exhaustion which only came about after using one’s magic for too long. It was a feeling that Twilight had not experienced for quite some time, as the sensation of using necromancy too much was slightly different. Now familiar with this body and its reserves, Twilight ran through a few quick tests, only to curse bitterly and slam her hoof against the desk.

“I knew this was too good to be true,” Twilight muttered to herself. “I don't even have the power to cast the time-sending spell again.”

Her face hit the desk a moment later, and the pony let out a low groan. “I really should have studied that spell more.”

After a long silence broken only by the distant chirping of some unknown birds, Twilight rose once more. She set her shoulders and dabbed her quill in ink before turning to the next page and beginning a new addition to the journal.

The first thing she did was write a short apology to this other Twilight, preceded by a detailed explanation of why she was here. She then went on to explain that she intended to raise Cadance and use the power boost to switch them back. Twilight ended this short explanation with another apology, and finally a promise to not use such a spell again under any circumstances.

The possibility of screwing things up was far too great, and Twilight cursed her snap decision to use it in the first place. All of her friends had warned her, and now that the worst had come to pass, Twilight only had herself to blame.

Once done, Twilight put away the quill and stood up, pacing back and forth behind the desk.

“I need to complete the ritual, raise Cadance, and return home. That much is obvious, but can I even do necromancy here?” Twilight asked the empty room.

She called the familiar magic and extended a ghostly hoof from her chest. The action was an easy one, though again she felt the strain of this Twilight’s limited pool of magic. A few more spells later, and Twilight was confident that she could enact the necessary ritual if given the chance and the boost her past self mentioned.

“I could simply take whatever manner of potion Celestia has come up with,” Twilight offered, only to shake her head. “No, that would be cruel. It's obviously not just something you can whip up whenever you like and beyond that, it would put past me in a bad spot.”

Resuming her pacing, Twilight ran through more plans, considerations, and ideas before eventually realizing that she simply didn't know enough about this version of herself. Sure, she had the basics, as well as a fairly moderate understanding of how she talked and carried herself, but that wouldn't be enough. Twilight needed to know how others thought of her, how they treated her, and how the world itself saw her.

If she knew all that, then maybe Twilight could pretend to be this past version of herself without screwing up anyone’s lives.

To that end she needed to go outside and to be amongst the other ponies of their strange village.

“If I can't fool even the ponies of this town, then I won't be able to fool Celestia whom this other Twilight apparently has a crush on,” Twilight muttered to herself while trying desperately not to think about the vile alicorn. “Maybe I should tell her I hate her or something.”

Twilight sighed and kicked the floor. “I can't do that. Celestia might not even be evil yet.”

After mulling it over for a moment, Twilight turned and trotted towards the stairs, then made a beeline to the front door. First and foremost in Twilight’s mind was the need for more information on the area. While she was doing that, she could figure out how better to pose as this other version of herself.

She opened the door and took her first step out into this new and strange world she found herself in. Just like she had anticipated, there were more plains, fields, and only a scattered few ponies dotting the landscape. From the position of the sun it was noon, which made sense, as Twilight was growing rather hungry. Though what she had in the house was unappetizing, to say the least.

After observing the comings and goings of the other ponies, Twilight turned to town and began the short journey towards the budding village. As she walked, she quickly realized that the burnt rune was nearly a mile across, with ample room to hide the whole village plus her tree. A few farms fell within that radius as well, leading Twilight to think that the facility was likely intended to be self-sufficient.

Which made sense, as the tracks of a supply train leading to the town would be a dead giveaway for its location. Twilight was drawn from her thoughts when a slightly elderly pair of ponies began to near her, their heads held low. Both lacked fur around their throats and had a haunted look to them.

They seemed to be in their early sixties at the earliest, though they were weathered in ways that Twilight couldn't quite put into words. The pegasus mare had teal fur, a mint green mane, and a cutie mark of a cloud which was in the middle of being busted. Her companion was a ruddy brown earth pony with an orange mane and a cutie mark of a large healthy pumpkin.

Twilight considered saying something to them, but they refused to meet her gaze, dissuading true conversation through body language.

“Good morrow, Director,” whispered the mare.

Twilight merely nodded, unable to come up with the proper response.

It was clear that these two had been slaves to the dragons at one point. A thought Twilight found increasingly unnerving with each passing moment she considered it. For although she herself may have come from a dark time, this place had a unique darkness all its own.

Will I one day see horrors the likes that they have? Twilight thought to herself as she trotted towards town.

Pushing that thought out of mind, Twilight trotted over to a new building going up at the edge of town and inspected the workers. From her understanding this other Twilight had done something similar more than a few times. Almost immediately upon arrival, everyone began to move with increased purpose, much like Twilight was a returning foreman.

She watched as the ponies scurried about, none stopping to chat save for a slightly younger unicorn who emerged from the skeletal structure. Upon seeing Twilight, her red eyes opened wide, and she bounced excitedly over to the other unicorn. Her long curly yellow locks bobbed along with her as she trotted excitedly towards Twilight at a quick pace.

Her fur was a slightly lighter shade of crimson, and her horn was nearly as long as Twilight’s own. She almost looked like Sunset Shimmer in a way, but this mare’s cutie mark was not a sun but rather an open book. Twilight could never see Sunset Shimmer bouncing either, though it would be funny to witness.

“Heya, Director Sparkle!” greeted the pony, waving excitedly.

Twilight snorted. “Do you need something?”

The pony shook her head. “Nope. Just wanted to say hi and see what you were up to. You’ve been cooped up in your tree for a while now.”

“I’ve been…” Twilight hesitated, “busy.”

“No kidding. You’ve been working on some super secret project for like forever,” continued the pony, who leaned in close and lowered her voice. “Word is that you’ve been working on a cure for Sinthgunt.”

Twilight’s frown deepened when she realized that was not a name she had come across, though it felt vaguely familiar for some reason.

“I’m afraid that's a secret,” Twilight replied.

The unicorn frowned briefly before letting out a long sigh. “Come on, boss. You know I could help you if you just let me.”

“You are…” Twilight bit her tongue briefly. “Too young.”

“Augh, that's what you always say!” the mare whined and threw up her hooves. “If I was old enough to help out at the research center, then I’m old enough to help you out with whatever this is!”

Twilight resisted the urge to chew on the inside of her cheek as she tried to come up with something that sounded correct.

“Don't worry. You will be able to help in due time,” Twilight stated after a short pause.

The pony sighed again, this time in an increasingly irritated manner. “Fine, whatever. I guess I’ll just go back to spending my days utilizing my vast pool of magic to lift beams and hammer stuff!”

Twilight chuckled to herself as the unicorn trotted away. It was clear she was angry, and also that this was an interaction past Twilight had already engaged in several times. As she was busy congratulating herself, Twilight noticed another pony approaching her, this one being an earth pony stallion.

His fur was an off white, and his mane was grey while his green eyes sparkled like twin emeralds. “Sorry about Open Book. She isn't exactly happy going from saving the world to just building houses,” he stated.

“It's fine,” Twilight replied quickly, waving off the remark with a hoof. “Something tells me that she and I will be having the same conversation again soon enough.”

“Very true.” He chuckled. “Are you here to see Disco--I mean Sinthgunt?”

For some reason the name Discord made Twilight want to glare at the stallion, but she resisted the urge to do so.

“I was considering it,” Twilight replied, slightly startled at how strained her own voice sounded.

“S-sorry for bringing it up, Director. It's just the guys have been doing some work converting the dome thingy into a town hall, and he's just kinda standing in the way,” murmured the stallion in a low, apologetic tone.

Twilight nodded. “That will be all.”

“Good morrow, Director.” He bowed his head in defrance.

Twilight snorted and walked away, rather surprised at her own actions, though she made sure that the shock she felt did not reach her face. As she walked away, she couldn't help but notice how the few others she crossed paths with kept a fair distance from her. Evidently the townsfolk knew this other Twilight well enough to know when she looked irritated and understood how best to respond.

Purposefully maintaining the unpleasant expression wasn't difficult as Twilight made her way towards the dome at the center of town. As she walked, she made a note that everything had been built around the burnt rune in question which fed back to the strange structure. It made Twilight realize that they had used the building itself as the inner circle of the runic enchantment which lay over the entire town.

That small tidbit of information wasn't especially relevant, however, and Twilight chose to put it out of her mind as she trotted up to the only door visible on this side of the dome. Even the entrance was at an odd angle, meaning it would have to be pulled open much the way one would enter a cellar. A task which in itself wasn't difficult to Twilight who easily did just that before stepping inside the circular space.

Once within, Twilight quickly realized just how large the space truly was, as it hadn't been readily apparent from the outside. No support structures could be seen, and though a few were being added, they seemed mainly designed to allow walls to be erected. A few of which had already been framed, and were in the middle of being finished, along with several other half completed rooms.

None of that mattered to Twilight, as it was that which stood in the midst of it all that grabbed her attention.

There in the center of all the work was a great statue bearing a horrified expression and a mismatched set of limbs. The creature’s head was adorned by two different types of horned appendages, one which branched out like that of a deer while the other grew straight back not unlike a goat’s. A single pointed tooth sprouted from its otherwise flat teeth, while on the back of its neck was a short mane.

The distraught expression on the statue’s face seemed to be directed at its hands raised before it. The left of which was that of a gryphon, while the right limb looked like it would be more at home attached to a lion. Two different wings sprouted from its back, one belonging to an oversized bat, and its twin resembling the kind which adorned a pegasus’ back.

Its legs ended with a hoof on one side, and a talon of a dragon on the other. The only consistent part of its body was its long serpentine torso. Though the statue reminded Twilight of the creature she had seen in the woods, that wasn't what struck her at the moment.

Rather it was the look of pure unadulterated horror, panic, and fear which adorned the creature’s face. It was a sight which made a deep ocean of pity well from the very depths of Twilight’s soul.

“Director Sparkle, are you okay?” asked a soft voice from nearby.

Twilight turned to where a guard stood at the base of the statue, completely ignored by Twilight when she had first approached. Upon their eyes meeting, the young stallion winced like Twilight had slapped him firmly across the face.

“It's okay,” Twilight muttered. “I was just caught up in my thoughts.”

The stallion gulped and awkwardly tipped his too large helm back into place. “You don't still feel guilty, do you? You couldn't have known that would happen!”

Twilight’s frown deepened, and for a long moment she wondered how best to respond. Fishing for information wouldn't work, as this Twilight likely knew everything that had happened. Unless Twilight poured what little acting talent she had into a simple, honest request.

“Tell me his story,” she whispered, glancing up at the statue. “I want to hear it from someone else.”

The guard nodded eagerly and raised his spear to gesture at the strange, inanimate creature. “Behold Sinthgunt the beloved. Abandoned by his abhorrent kin, Sinthgunt was given a name worthy of a divine before being raised alongside the Sun and Moon,” exclaimed the guard, whose every word dripped with reverence.

“With the love of his adopted siblings,” the guard gave Twilight a knowing look, “the former runt grew up strong and noble. Gone was the vile greed which corrupted his foul kin, replaced by humility and dedication.”

The stallion extended a hoof and moved it along the horizon. “Far and wide the young dragon went, helping those he could in secret. Long did he aid the cause of freedom and justice, but despite his efforts, he knew that a grand action needed to be taken.

“So he tricked an elder of his kind into giving him the knowledge of soul magic, which he then gave unto the ponies who could learn it,” he continued, giving Twilight another purposeful look. “Even with this great boon, our kin still could not free themselves, and so a more drastic plan was concocted. One which would end the draconic threat once and for all.”

Twilight frowned, already knowing where this was going.

“Great Sinthgunt accepted the risks and chose to serve as the catalyst, even knowing it may cost him his life,” explained the young stallion. “Now he stands at the site of his greatest triumph forever more.”

Twilight sighed and opened her mouth to speak, only to be surprised when she noticed tears trickling down her face. Gently wiping them away, she gave the guard a small nod.

“Thank you. I think I needed to hear it from someone else for a change,” Twilight whispered.

The guard tipped his poorly fitted helmet. “Not a problem, esteemed director.”

Twilight turned and began to walk away, idly noting that the few ponies who had gathered to observe her interaction immediately began to scatter. Evidently this Twilight wasn't used to displays of outward emotion, which was good as Twilight herself didn't trust her acting abilities. As she walked, she couldn't help but think of the tale she had just heard, for although brief, it was heart-wrenching.

Evidently something terrible and unforeseen had happened to him before another version of herself killed him. To say this thought was a bit morbid would be an understatement, and Twilight couldn't help but wonder if in the end, that other version of herself had figured out what she now had. It would make sense, given how desperately she had tried to bring this Discord slash Sinthgunt person back from the dead.

It was a consideration for another time though, as she needed to find some food, and perhaps fish for more information while she was at it. There were still a great many unknowns in this time period, like for one, the location of Hollow Shades itself. That was where all of this previous Twilight’s notes and research materials went, and she wanted to check over before she began the ritual.

She didn't want to screw this up, and double checking everything this other version of herself had found out seemed like a prudent course of action. After all, if she failed, not only would she suffer for it, but so would Cadance, and the Twilight she was currently inhabiting. Without considering all the temporal issues that may cause, it would also make Twilight feel incredibly guilty.

She sighed and made her way outside where she stood awkwardly, trying to figure out where to go. Obviously there wouldn't be a cafe or a restaurant, given the size of such a small village, nevermind the time period. Twilight was very nearly tempted to go back to the tree in order to try one of the strange brown bars located in her icebox before she smelt something familiar.

“Is that… a bakery?” Twilight murmured.

Following her nose led Twilight to the other side of the dome to where a small group of carts made an impromptu marketplace. Though most were unmanned, one had a rather bored effeminate earth pony stallion standing behind the counter. His long mane was the color of fresh cut wheat and nearly covered his mismatched eyes, one of which was orange while the other was an off-grey.

Though missing a wing, the pony was clearly a pegasus. His cart was surprisingly empty, though his eyes did light up the second they met Twilight’s gaze, and he quickly ducked down. He emerged with a basket of muffins a second later, and Twilight hurried over, an eager look crossing her face.

“Good afternoon,” she greeted.

“Honored director. It's nice to see you.” He bowed his head slightly. “Let me guess, the regular?”

Twilight briefly considered saying no, but that might seem out of character, so she simply nodded. “Of course.”

The pegasus’ hoof passed over a muffin stuffed to the brim with blueberries and landed on what looked like a bran muffin. The sight made Twilight a little disappointed in her past self, though at this point she was too hungry to deny the offer of food.

“What do I owe you?” Twilight replied before immediately realizing that she had no manner of currency on her. Not only that, but she had no idea what their money even looked like.

“Owe?” asked the pegasus curiously. “Why, you don't owe me anything, Director.”

Twilight snorted gruffly and took a bite out of the muffin, trying to ignore how bland it tasted due to the lack of sweetness. At least it was fresh and evidently made with love and care, given just perfectly round the top was. With a little food now making its way into her belly, Twilight noticed a pair of ponies were approaching the stand.

After stepping out of the way, she observed as they briefly conversed with the one-winged pegasus before leaning against a vacant stall nearby and eating their muffins. Twilight considered leaving, only to overhear an interesting snippet of conversation while chewing on her own small meal.

“So, do you really think that Jörð is dead?” asked the stallion before biting into his snack.

“Stars and stones, Little Brook, you don't just start a conversation like that,” reprimanded the mare in a harsh whisper.

“What? I’m curious as to what you think. Surely you aren't like Stone Hammer and believe she just went on vacation,” replied the male.

“For one, her name is Cadance and secondly, Celestia herself said she was merely taking time to rest and recuperate back at fort Hollow Shades. Are you really saying that a divine lied to us?” countered the female pointedly.

The earth pony raised his forelegs defensively. “No no. Nothing like that, but you know her. Celestia wouldn't want to start a panic.”

“Regardless, the heavensent are immortal, Little Brook. You can't kill one,” the female stated firmly.

“Well, maybe not forever, but what if they go into regenerative trances like really old dragons do?” pressed the earth pony.

His companion swallowed hard and shook her horned head. “That's not the point. We owe our lives to the divines. Questioning them is dangerous.”

“Hey, I’m not saying they are lying or anything. Just not telling the whole truth,” Little Brook explained.

“Watch it, Little Brook. I may not be a churchgoer, but that sounded an awful lot like heresy,” she whispered.

Her companion gulped. “Oh, come on. I’m not doubting their status as divine or anything. I’m just saying that Sól--”

“Celestia,” she corrected.

“Celestia has a habit of downplaying bad events because she doesn't want us to worry,” he replied in a defensive tone.

“I should probably interrupt before Little Brook ends up in the doghouse again,” whispered the pegasus vendor.

“I don't know. It may be hard to get his hoof all the way out of his throat,” Twilight joked back.

The pegasus’ eyes went wide before he broke out into a half-stifled giggle. “Oh, that is too good. You should make jokes more often.”

“Maybe I will,” Twilight muttered.

“Look this isn't about their status as divines, I’m just saying-”
“And I’m just saying to shut your stupid mouth before you say something you can't take back!” yelled the mare.

“Hey, do you think when Cadance comes back, she’ll bless my wedding?” offered the pegasus.

Both of the other ponies blinked, looked at one another, and shared a snicker.

“Yeah, right. That means you’d actually have to ask Still Waters out,” remarked the male.

“And that's about as likely as Cadance blessing my bed chambers,” added the female.

Together the pair laughed aloud along with the baker, who blushed slightly.

“Hey, I’ll talk to him… eventually,” murmured the pegasus.

“Come on, Little, we should get back to work,” remarked the unicorn.

“Augh, would you stop calling me that? I’m bigger than you!” Little Brook retorted.

The female smirked and elbowed him. “Well, actually you’re short for a stallion, and I’m tall for a mare, so-”

Twilight tuned out the rest of the conversation and turned to the baker. “Do they argue often?”

“You would know. You worked with them for a few years,” he replied in a confused tone.

“I meant about Cadance,” Twilight quickly corrected.

“Nah, that part is new. Though they did argue about her name for a while,” explained the pegasus.

“At least that hasn't changed,” muttered Twilight. “Well, I better get going.”

“Wait!” he called grabbed Twilight by the shoulder. “I just wanted to thank you for what you’ve done.”

“What are you talking about?” Twilight asked, her tone sounding slightly more stern than she had intended.

“Oh, come on. I know it's still officially a secret, but everyone knows you were responsible for getting rid of the dragons once and for all,” the pegasus replied dismissively.

Twilight frowned, and for a moment considered keeping up the facade of serious dismissal, only to cave a moment later. “I may have been involved.”

The pegasus beamed and pumped a hoof in the air, his lone wing flapping uselessly. “Oh, I knew it. My mom said it was all Celestia’s doing, but I knew better.”

“Yes, well. Don't go telling everyone, okay?” Twilight stated firmly.

“I mean, it's an open secret at this point, but if you don't want me to, then that's totally fine. I’m just glad that they're gone. Maybe now Dad can finally rest,” remarked the baker in a low tone.

Twilight’s frown deepened when her gaze lingered on the twitched, burnt stump attached to his back. “It was something that had to be done.”

“I won't take any more of your time, Director. Go in peace,” whispered the pegasus and bowed his head low.

A little uncomfortable, Twilight turned and began making her way back to the tree home. As she walked, she picked up bits of conversations like how a group of older ponies were gossipping about Canterlot. They wondered if the fortress city would be abandoned now that the dragons were defeated, and though interesting, Twilight didn't pay attention to them.

Her mind was already awhirl with possibilities and considerations too numerous to count. Plans were imagined and dropped one after another, her curiosity burning away at her throughout it all. Twilight wished she could simply indulge her inner historian and observe her surroundings carefully, but unfortunately that was impossible.

She had too much to do, and too many things were left up in the air.

“Start a list,” Twilight muttered to herself.

Number one had to be locating one of the princesses, hopefully Luna, as Twilight really didn't want to see Celestia. Even if she wasn't evil at this point in time, Twilight doubted she would be able to keep her composure if faced with the alicorn.

The second thing she had to do was double check the progress of the resurrection and after that she would be free to achieve her own goals.

Namely finding out where Luna was buried and learning the dragon language.

That's if I can even bring the knowledge back with me in the first place, Twilight thought to herself. I hate time travel. After this I am so not using it unless I absolutely need to for some reason.

As she walked back through the village and made her way past the outskirts, Twilight couldn't help but enjoy the quiet. Though she had gotten used to the slightly cramped and clustered conditions of Ponyville, Twilight always missed the wide open skies of Canterlot. For all its faults, the city truly did make its inhabitants feel like they were on top of the world, with views that would likely put all other cities to shame.

Out here on the open prairie, it felt almost close to Canterlot, though without the feeling of vertigo Twilight always got when she looked down.

Chuckling to herself, she couldn't help but recall a trip she had taken to Canterlot’s wall when she was very young. Her mother had helped her to peer over the side and subsequently carry Twilight the whole way home. Twilight still remembered the feeling of her mother’s fur as she clung to the other pony’s back, terrified she would fall down the mountain if she let go.

“Ahh, there you are,” exclaimed a familiar voice, drawing Twilight from her thoughts. “I was worried you had gone back to Hollow Shades again.”

Twilight’s eyes went wide, her heart rate quickened and her breathing short as she realized who was standing nearby.

Celestia blinked and looked down at the small bouquet of wildflowers she held in her grip. “Oh, are you allergic, my love? I thought for certain that I had given you these before.”

Twilight placed a hoof against her chest in a vain effort to slow her breathing, reminding herself to keep up appearances, and that this wasn't the Celestia she knew.

“Oh, what am I saying? Your condition likely made your allergies go away on their own,” Celestia continued, a small graceful smile crossing her broad features. “Isn't that right, dear?”

Author's Note

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An Adventurous Interlude

Author's Note

This was a request from a patron!

An Adventurous Interlude

Spike stopped in front of the boutique and eyed up his reflection in a nearby window, ignoring the closed sign right under his chin. Thankfully the short trek across town hadn't managed to dirty him too badly, and after running a hand across his scalp, knocked on twice on the door. As he waited for a response, the dragon shifted the small bouquet of flowers he held tight in his grip.

Each was a different color, and were by and large darker then the ones Spike had grown up picking in the fields outside his childhood home. They were still beautiful, though it took a bit to get over the knee jerk reaction he felt when looking at something that his instincts told him was poisonous. Despite those urges telling him to avoid contact with the wild flowers, he held on, straightening his back and staring straight ahead.

Focus. The third date is supposed to be important. Spike thought to himself before his mind began to wander. I wonder if she will let me kiss her again.

Just as he was imagining the rather awkward first kiss they had shared and his face was beginning to turn red, the door opened. Revealing one of the strangest pony variants he had ever beheld. At first glance they looked like a thestral, though it quickly became apparent that they werent a run of the mill bat pony.

Her fur was the deepest shade of orange Spike had ever seen, and her mane was an equally dark shade of purple. Her slightly smaller pitch black eyes peered intently at Spike as her leathery wings shifted uncomfortably at her sides. Those same wings bore two extra digits at the top, enabling her to hold things much the way Spike’s own sharper hands did.

The pony was also much thinner then any Spike had seen, with only her ears being larger than average. Well, that and the twin fangs which poked out from either side of her mouth, each one of which was long enough to serve as a chopstick. Overall thestrals looked like a good seventy thirty mix of pegasus and bat while the being standing before him was probably an even fifty fifty split between the two aspects.

“Hello Scootaloo,” Spike croaked awkwardly, tucking the flowers behind his back. “Is Sweetie Belle here?”

“Yeth, why do you want to know?” Demanded the batlike pony.

“We were supposed to go on a date,” Spike replied, waving the flowers in emphasis.

“Well were doing cruthader thtuff now tho go away,” Scootaloo retorted before trying to close the door.

A firm white hoof caught it before it shut completely however, revealing a rather irritated looking Sweetie Belle. “Scootaloo that’s mean. We talked about this,” reprimanded the much taller arachne, who folded her hooves across her chest.

The fanged pony frowned deeply. “We are thuppothed to be training. How can we do that with him around?”

“He can come with us. Besides, I kinda sorta forgot about crusader stuff today so…” Sweetie Belle winced as she looked down on the young drake. “Sorry about that.”

“It's fine,” Spike replied, extending his flower filled hand. “These are for you.”

“Lemme thmell thothe,” Scootaloo declared, swiping the flowers before Sweetie Belle could even move.

The arachne sighed as her friend sniffed each one individually. “They are just some wild flowers, Scootaloo. Relax,” Sweetie Belle implored.

Scootaloo’s nose crinkled, and she reached into the bouquet to pluck out a small fluffy, yellow caterpillar which she flicked off into the distance. “Io moth caterpillar. Very deadly,” Scootaloo deadpanned.

Spike shuddered and frantically began to look where it had landed. “That thing was in there the whole time? Please tell me there aren't more on me.”

“You’re fine Spike,” Sweetie Belle muttered, snatching the flowers from Scootaloo. “I’m going to go put these in some water. Scootaloo would you let Spike inside please?”

“I gueth,” muttered Scootaloo who took a step back. “But I’m watching you.”

Spike chuckled as he hastily stepped through the door. “Err thanks Sweetie Belle.”

The second Spike was on the other side the thestral slammed the exit shut behind him and trotted off towards the back room. Leaving Spike to stand there rather awkwardly by himself as Sweetie Belle had already disappeared into the kitchen. He let out a long sigh, and looked around the room, only now realizing how dark it was in there.

Without the aid of the full moon, the dragon was forced to rely on his own innate dark vision which wasn't the best. Though it did allow him to see that one of the mannequins nearby was a faint yellow color and did not have a rod to hold it up. The blank looking thing stood alone in a thin shaft of moonlight at the forefront of the store, a forehoof raised triumphantly.

“Hey Apple Bloom. Still trying to learn how to change your color huh?” Spike offered.

A pair of glowing yellow eyes emerged on the seemingly inanimate object and looked down on Spike. “Aww it didn't work?”

“Almost, but you’re still a few shades lighter than the others. Plus you don't have the pole thingy,” Spike pointed out.

“Darn,” cursed the plant pony who gave her body a shake, causing red vines to burst from her head and backside.

A second later and the familiar crimson leaves that made up her mane and tail returned.

“So, what are you doing here?” Apple Bloom offered after hopping down from the pedestal.

“Werent you listening to a second ago?” Spike retorted.

Apple Bloom shrugged. “Not really. Once I stay still for a while I start to doze off.”

Spike chuckled. “How very treelike of you.”

“It's kinda nice to be honest,” Apple Bloom murmured before giving herself another shake. “So, are you going to join us in training?”

“Well I was going to go on a date with Sweetie Belle but I guess hanging out with you guys is okay too,” Spike explained.

Apple Bloom winced. “Sorry to hear that. Scootaloo didn't give you a hard time did she?”

“She wasn't much worse then last time,” Spike murmured.

“I heard that!” Shouted Scootaloo from the other room.

“Damn she’s got good hearing,” Spike muttered under his breath.

Apple Bloom chuckled. “Yeah not much gets past Scoots. Unless you mention her habit of not flushing the toilet!”

The room was quiet for a few seconds before Apple Bloom and Spike shared a good hearted laugh. Which lasted right up until Sweetie Belle emerged from the kitchen with a vase full of water and flowers. She then placed it on a small table next to the entrance of the shop before turning it slightly so the flowers would catch the moonlight before taking a step back.

“There we go. Perfect,” she declared.

“It looks nice,” Spike exclaimed.

“Thanks. I think even Rarity will like it. Provided she gets back from the castle sometime this week,” Sweetie Belle remarked.

“I’m sure she’ll be back right quick,” Apple Bloom declared. “The whole gang of them are out there after all.”

“True,” Sweetie Belle admitted before turning to the dragon. “I hope you don't mind if our plans changed a little bit? We can go on our date this weekend if you’d like.”

“Yeah that's fine,” Spike exclaimed in an attempt to look cool. “We can always go out for dinner some other time.”

“Awesome! Does that mean you’ll join us in our quest?” Apple Bloom asked curiously.

“Quest?” Spike questioned.

“Don't tell him about that, ith a thecret!” Scootaloo shouted.

Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes. “Come on. It will be easier to explain in the back.”

Spike raised an eyebrow but did as he was asked, following the pair into the inspiration chamber as Rarity liked to call it. High backed couches sat on either side of a slim, map covered coffee table also flanked by a set of comfortable looking chairs. On one side seated before a recreation of Ponyville and its surrounding area was a rather bitter looking Scootaloo.

“It wath thuppothed to be our thecret!” She hissed.

This time it was Apple Bloom’s turn to roll her eyes. “Oh come on Scootaloo. Were just looking for a clubhouse. It's not like were burying treasure or something.”

“Besides, maybe Spike can help,” Sweetie Belle offered.

Spike sat next to Sweetie Belle. “I might be able to. Though I’m curious as to what's stopping you from building a tree house or something on the farm.”

“I mean that's still possible, but we always used to use that bunker thing and kinda got used to having a cool underground place to chill,” Apple Bloom explained.

“Wait. I thought Twilight was the first to go in there in like, forever,” Spike retorted.

“We are very thneaky,” Scootaloo stated.

“We even figured out how to put the dust back,” Sweetie Belle added with a giggle. “Who knew there was a spell for that?”

“I certainly didn't,” murmured Spike.

“So,” began Apple Bloom who clopped a hoof against the table. “You don't happen to know of any caves around here huh?”

“Oh come on. There ith no way he knowth of any caveth,” hissed Scootaloo bitterly.

“He might. He is like over a thousand years old you know!” Sweetie Belle retorted.

“Well actually. I might have an idea but I’m not even sure if it's even around still,” Spike replied, peering intently at the map.

“What, really? You know of a cave unclaimed by anyone?” Sweetie Belle asked in a hopeful tone.

“There ith no way the nightguard haven't already found it,” Scootaloo dismissively claimed.

“You don't know that,” countered Apple Bloom.

“It was pretty well hidden and I think it was over here,” remarked Spike, who pointed at a spot just south of Ponyville.

Scootaloo smirked. “Thee? There ith no way thomeone hathn’t claimed it yet.”

“It is awful close to the lovegood hive,” Apple Bloom remarked.

Spike blinked. “The what now?”

“The lovegood hive. Its where a bunch of pacifist changelings went after leaving Chrysalis’ hive,” Sweetie Belle explained.

“And that matters…. Why?” asked Spike.

“They are changelingth, duh!” shouted Scootaloo, who threw her forehooves into the air. “They dig their hometh mothtly under ground.”

“Oh yeah,” Spike muttered.

“Hey cheer up! Maybe it's still there!” Sweetie Belle offered.

“Yeah we don't know for sure until we check it out,” added Apple Bloom.

Scootaloo half sighed, half hissed. “Fine, whatever. Leth jutht get thith over with.”

“I sure hope it's still there. It has totally sucked not having a place to meet up anymore,” Apple Bloom exclaimed.

“Hey, Rarity’s inspiration chamber isn't that bad,” retorted Sweetie Belle.

It was at that moment that a roll of fabric fell from the back of a couch and bounced off Scootaloo’s head.

“Letth jutht go already,” she muttered.

“So…” Spike began as the small group walked through the sparsely populated streets of Ponyville. “Why do you guys want to train so bad anyway?”

“I want to be able to defend my home better,” Apple Bloom proudly announced.

“I just want to lose a little weight,” stated Sweetie Belle in a much quieter tone.

“Unlike you guyth I want to become thtrong though I can kill the thun tyrant’s thlaveth and to bring peath to the world,” Scootaloo declared firmly.

“That's a pretty tall order,” Spike remarked.

“Wath that a thort joke?” Scootaloo exclaimed, turning to the dragon and jabbing a hoof into his chest.

“I’m not even that much taller than you,” Spike stated in an exasperated tone.

Scootaloo’s eyes narrowed. “That didn't anther the quethtion.”

Apple Bloom stepped between the two and physically pushed them apart. “Alright chill Scootaloo. He didn't mean anything by that.”

“Yeah, and I’m getting a little tired of all the jabs. I’m trying to be nice here,” Spike exclaimed as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Whatever,” Scootaloo declared before turning and trotting away.

Sweetie Belle settled a hoof on Spike’s shoulder. “Don't mind Scootaloo. Her family has a long history of joining the guard and being strong is really important to her.”

“Yeah so don't take it personally. Scoots just has a hard time respecting people she doesn't think are tough,” Apple Bloom added.

Spike rolled his eyes. “Thanks for the confidence boost.”

“I mean you are a little well… round,” Apple Bloom stated, poking the dragon in the midsection.

“I’m growing into it!” Spike shouted, a blush covering his cheeks.

“It also makes him super huggable,” Sweetie Belle added in a low tone.

“Would you three hurry up?” Shouted Scootaloo from somewhere ahead of them.

“Right, we better get going,” Apple Bloom offered.

“Sorry Spike,” Sweetie Belle whispered as they began to walk once more.

“It's fine,” Spike murmured, arms crossed over his chest. I’ll show you who's tough around here.

“So where is this place anyway?” Asked Apple Bloom before dropping the rock she had been looking under.

“It should be right around here,” Spike replied after peeking around a bush. “Stay on the lookout for this big white tree sitting on a pile of rocks. From there we can find the secret entrance and some stairs that lead down to some old hideout built around the time of the war in heaven.”

“What was the war in heaven? I’ve never heard of that before,” Sweetie Belle inquired.

“Which is saying something because you’re like a dictionary or something but just for history stuff,” Apple Bloom pointed out.

“That would be an encyclopedia,” Sweetie Belle corrected. “Or a textbook.”

“See? What did I tell ya?” Apple Bloom exclaimed.

“It was the war between the dragons and the alicorns when-” Spike began only to be interrupted.

“Wait. I thee thomething,” Scootaloo whispered, pointing towards a thick bush.

Spike raised a hand and cautiously walked through the thorn filled shrubbery, his scales protecting him from the plant’s spikes. Once on the other side his eyes opened wide as he found himself standing before a towering tree the same color as freshly fallen snow. Though fairly tall, there was a veritable forest of other plants that all towered over it, hiding its alabaster leaves and ivory bark from anyone who might pass overhead.

The white tree’s roots weaved through the cottage sized mound of rocks which it rested atop of like a dragon on its hoard. Its snowy appendages intermingled, and occasionally emerged from the stony hill beneath it, winding their way all the way down to the forest floor. All while wide reaching branches extended from its side, offering a generous amount of shade for anyone who desired it.

“Woah,” muttered Apple Bloom.

“Thats really cool,” murmured Sweetie Belle.

“Ith not that cool,” remarked Scootaloo in a dismissive tone. “Now where ith thith hideout?”

Spike sighed, and trotted up to the base of the hill. “It should be a few boulders up. You just gotta find the one marked with a pentagram.”

Scootaloo’s nose crinkled in disgust. “There ith magic on here?”

“No it's just a symbol meant to mark where the hideout is,” Spike replied.

“It's also the first magical array ever created,” Sweetie Belle added.

“See? What did I tell ya. Total dictionary,” Apple Bloom remarked with a smirk.

Sweetie Belle sighed and ran a hoof down her face. “Lets just find this rock.”

“Right, you three should better stay down there. Opening it usually causes a bunch of air to get sucked down the staircase,” Spike stated.

“I’m coming with you,” Scootaloo declared.

Spike merely sighed, and threw up his hands. “Fine, just stay back a bit okay?”

Scootaloo said nothing, merely standing there as Spike clambered up the boulder sized rocks with great difficulty. After reaching about the halfway point Scootaloo flapped her leathery wings twice and landed next to the sputtering dragon. Who shot the other being a glare before reaching down and brushing off a bit of moss that had grown across a small boulder.

“Ahh there it is, right where I thought it would be,” Spike stated, the dragon spitting in his hands before grabbing the rock. “Alright now step back. You don't wanna get sucked in.”

“I won't,” Scootaloo quickly stated.

“Alright, here we go,” Spike announced before heaving with all of his might. “Hrrrrn!”

“You can do it Spike!” Sweetie Belle shouted.

“Lift with your arms, not with your back!” added Apple Bloom.

Spike continued to heave, veins bulging in his forehead as he strained to lift the enormous rock from its resting spot. Yet try as he might the dragon couldn't seem to move the thing no matter how hard he tried. Not wanting to look weak in front of his girlfriend and the others, Spike put everything he had into the action.

Only to land atop the stone, chest heaving. “It's stuck,” he muttered between gasps.

“Or you’re jutht weak,” spat Scootaloo.

“I’ve done it before!” Spike shouted back.

“Yeah right. You probably got thomeone elthe to do it,” Scootaloo dismissed.

“I did do it, I swear! See?” Spike grabbed it once more, and tried desperately to lift the stone.

“Augh your doing it all wrong. Let me do it,” Scootaloo insisted.

“I got this!” Spike shouted before pulling once again.

Scootaloo grunted, and leaned down, tugging on the rock at the same time as Spike was doing so, completely getting in the dragon’s way. Together the two wrestled half against each other, half against the stone they were both trying to move. Heads were butted, muscles were strained, and egos flared as they collectively tried and failed.

Neither party wanted to give up, and both were trying desperately to remove the offending stone from its resting place. They were so focused that neither noticed their friends cries of alarm, or the ground shaking beneath them. All that existed in their little world was winning, and proving the other was wrong.

That was until the earth under their feet suddenly vanished, the rock plummeting downwards and carrying them along with it. The pair both let go of plummeting stone almost immediately and tried to scramble for a handhold but neither could find anything to hold onto. Worse still, Scootaloo's wingspan was too large for the narrow hole, and she couldn't even glide without her wings clipping the walls.

The pair screamed in a mixture of shock and horror as they tumbled end over end into the abyss. Below them the rock continued to smash through the ancient staircase like a meteor falling from orbit, hardly slowing in the process. Spike was vaguely aware of stairs flying past his vision, but the dragon could do nothing with this information as he continued to tumble ever downwards.

Then, rather abruptly, he stopped, landing face first into a dark green mushroom as tall and as wide as he was. Then he was airborne once again, before landing a moment later, the wind getting knocked clean out of him. For a moment he merely lay there, pulse pounding loudly in his ears while he struggled to gather his bearings.

Other than a few bruises he felt surprisingly fine, and after a few tense moments he let out a long sigh. “Thank the stars,” he murmured.

Scootaloo landed a moment later, the thestral gracefully coming to a stop a few feet to Spike’s right.

“Are you okay?” Scootaloo asked.

Spike nodded, and rolled over onto his back before sitting up, a hand rubbing his scaled head. “What happened anyway?”

“I think that rock broke all the thtairs on the way down,” Scootaloo explained before pointing back where they had both landed. “And that weird bouncy muthroom thaved uth.”

Spike glanced over to where a small grove of fungi grew atop a great mound of shattered stone a few feet behind him. In the middle of it was the rock that had started it all and which had very nearly taken out his fungal savior. Thankfully its trajectory was a few inches off, meaning the spongy mushroom was able to avoid getting smooshed.

A fact Spike was immensely thankful for.

Pushing his way up into a stand, Spike dusted himself off and walked over to the hole. Looking up revealed that the entire top half of the staircase had been utterly destroyed, and from the look of things the bottom had been reduced to rubble centuries earlier. As where there should be a set of spiral steps rising up into the distant ceiling there was nothing save for a mound of stones some mushrooms now called home.

“Well that wath a butht,” Scootaloo murmured.

Spike blinked, trying to get his dark vision to adapt only to find that he couldn't see more than sixty or so feet. Which wasn't anywhere close to long enough to allow the dragon to see the top of the hole or his friends who may be looking down on them right now. Shaking his head, the dragon turned around only to immediately stop when he laid eyes on the set of double doors before him.

“Scootaloo, don't move,” Spike whispered.

“What are…” Scootaloo stopped the second she followed Spike’s gaze to a tall bipedal stone creature standing sentinel a few feet away.

Time had not gone easy on the guardian, and mushrooms grew all across its stoney exterior, though its face suffered the worst of it. Fruiting bodies several inches long sprouted all over its head, functioning almost like hair the golem didn't have before. A little taller than the nine foot tall doors behind it, the inanimate creature didn't move an inch as the pair eyed it carefully.

“Hey Bhok, activate!” Spike shouted.

“What are you doing? Don't turn it on!” Hissed Scootaloo.

“Trust me,” Spike replied simply, stepping forward. “Come on Bhok let us in.”

For a moment the large open room was utterly silent, and then with a resounding clunk, the golem’s head rose slowly. Its entire body struggled to move, while an unpleasant grinding sound filled the space as the guardian’s legs began to rise. Like some dead god waking from a millennia long slumber, the golem took a single titanic step forward before gazing down at the pair.

“Please identify yourselves,” bellowed the golem in an oddly feminine, almost motherly tone of voice.

“I’m Spike and this is my… associate Scootaloo. Please designate her friendly, passcode zero sigma nine,” Spike replied.

“Processing,” stated the golem.

“What are you doing? We thould be looking for a way out!” Scootaloo hissed.

“One, there is no other way out. Two, there are some couches just inside so we might as well wait for a rescue in comfort,” Spike retorted.

“Unable to confirm identity,” shouted the golem. “I apologize but I must subdue you until such time that a registered owner returns to the premises.”

“What?” Spike shouted, waving his arms around. “I’m right here!”

“Auditory confirmation accepted, visual identification not accepted,” bellowed the golem a second before it began to trundle towards them.

“Great job thpike!” Spat the thestral.

“How was I supposed to know that was a thing? We never had to worry about that back when!” Spike exclaimed before leaping out of the way of a clumsy attempt to grab him.

Scootaloo wasted no time and leapt into the air, surging towards the lumbering golem as with all the speed she could muster. Her attempt to tackle the guardian failed spectacularly as it hardly even noticed her slam into its midsection. The young mare reacted quickly though, hopping back and spinning around before bucking the thing in the back of the knee.

An attack which would have dropped a normal creature wasn't even noticed by the golem who was still trying to grab a surprisingly slippery Spike. While Scootaloo winced, and tried to return feeling to her back legs Spike continued to back up while also ducking under a bear hug. Though he knew the golem wouldn't kill him, it would still probably hurt quite a bit to get grabbed by the enormous thing.

Plus it had been quite a while that the golem had received maintenance, so it might not even be able to pull its punches anymore. A frightening thought that Spike didn't want to consider as he rolled to the side of another clumsy grab. He briefly considered trying to counterattack and maybe spit fire at his attacker but it took everything he had to just to stay out of its reach.

It was then that he noticed how thick the mass of mushrooms covering the creature’s head was. Barely an inch of stone was left uncovered by the dark green mass of fruiting bodies which sprouted from the golem’s scalp. In fact it gave the golem a weirdly colored mohawk, but the humour of the situation was lost on Spike at the moment.

“Its eyes get-” Spike lurched backward, the golem immediately leaping at him the second he opened his mouth.

It must be navigating solely using sound. Realized Spike.

Scootaloo hadn't had the same realization however, and was now flying above the guardian’s head, a hunk of stone held in her grip. Though fairly large, the rock did little damage when it was dropped on the golem, though it did seem to disorient their attacker for a second. Using this brief moment to his advantage Spike turned and ran for the mushroom mound that had saved him earlier.

The second the near silent plod of his feet vanished, and he stood upon the squishy mycelium network, the golem looked up. Scootaloo dodged out of the first frantic swipe of the guardian’s hand but a second clipped her back leg and sent her spinning to the ground. Though she reacted quickly, and deftly leapt back up into a stand, the stone sentinel was already upon her an instant later.

“Go for its eyes! Its eyes!” Shouted Spike.

Scootaloo snorted, ignoring the young dragon’s remark.

Ducking beneath the dual handed swipe, Scootaloo delivered a rapid flurry of blows to the golem’s midsection before slipping between its legs. The guardian was slow to react, allowing Scootaloo to try and buck its legs out from under it again. This time it seemed to do at least something as small flecks of stone fell from the joint, causing her attacker to stumble forward.

“Damage sustained, increasing threat designation,” stated the golem.

Scootaloo smirked, while Spike silently gaped, the dragon already in motion.

Rather than turning its entire body all the way around the golem’s torso spun one hundred and eighty degrees. Before Scootaloo even had a chance to realize what was happening an enormous stone fist was flying directly at her face. Caught unaware, and with no time to react she tried to dodge to the left, though she knew this action was a futile one.

Or at least it would have been, had Spike not been there to shove her out of the way, putting himself in the path of its attack. By the time Scootaloo landed and righted herself Spike had already been launched halfway across the room where he landed in a heap near the mound of mushrooms. Her surprise and fear immediately melted away, replaced by righteous anger as well as a good amount of guilt.

“Right, go for the eyeth,” Scootaloo murmured.

The golem advanced backwards, another strike already on the way a second later.

This time Scootaloo was ready, and when the great stone limb neared her she leapt into the air. Wings and hooves moved in tandem as she sprinted up the creature’s arm and to its head, her own counterattack a moment away. The golem was quicker still though, and tried to swat Scootaloo away with its free hand, only to hit empty air.

Leaping off the guardian’s shoulder at the last moment Scootaloo delivered a quick one two punch to its eye sockets. She then followed this up with a swipe that removed the now loose mass of mushrooms which had covered its face. Unfortunately for Scootaloo this left her open to the golem’s own response which came a moment later when it wrapped its arms around her.

She could only a muster a second of resistance before she felt her body begin to be painfully compressed. While her organs felt like they were seconds away from shooting out of her mouth, Scootaloo noticed that a pair of beady red eyes were looking down on her. She just hoped her desperate gambit had not been in vain.

“Designate her friendly, passcode zero sigma nine!” Called a voice from across the room.

The pressure stopped, and the golem turned to where Spike lay on the ground. “Visual and auditory identification accepted. Designating friendly.”

Scootaloo landed with a dull thump a second later, her chest heaving as she desperately filled her lungs with air. Spike groaned, one hand pressed against his stomach as he awkwardly walked over to Scootaloo.

“You alright?” He asked, extended a claw.

Scootaloo nodded. “Y-yeah.”

A firm tug was all it took to pull the thestral back up. “Thanks for listening to me.”

“Thankth for thawing me,” Scootaloo replied as she shakily gathered her bearings.

“It's fine, we cool?” Spike asked.

“Yeah. We’re cool,” Scootaloo replied solemnly.

The golem spun its body back around and fully faced the pair. “Welcome back Spike and nameless friendly. Would you like me to open the door for you?”

“Her name is Scootaloo and sure, but in a second. Gotta catch my breath,” Spike replied.

Scootaloo frowned and eyed him wearily. “Are you thure you’re okay?”

“My scales are really strong,” Spike tapped his chest with a fist. “I’m just going to have a lot of bruises is all.”

Scootaloo smiled, and patted the dragon on the shoulder. “I wath wrong. You are tough.”

“Thanks,” Spike replied before straightening his back. “Now then, wanna see inside?”

“Not without us!” Shouted a voice from above them.

The pair turned back to where a long white ladder fell from the hole, upon which was one terrified looking arachne, and one far from worried plant pony. The second the organic rope ladder hit the ground Apple Bloom leapt off it and helped Sweetie Belle untangle her legs. After they both had all of their limbs on the ground once more, Apple Bloom visibly winced at the pair.

“What happened to you guys?” Asked the pony.

“Just a little misunderstanding with our stone friend here,” Spike replied, jerking a thumb towards the guardian in question.

“Were fine now though,” Scootaloo stated firmly.

Sweetie Belle frowned as she skittered around the pair, eying them closely. “You don't look fine. Are those bruises?”

“We can worry about that later,” dismissed Spike. “Right now open the door Bhok.”

“Affirmative,” stated the golem.

Together the small group watched as the stone guardian turned and walked over to the entrance. Gripping the large iron wrought handles tightly, it then pulled it open in a single well practiced movement. Dust, debris, and a good amount of plant matter immediately came loose and began to rain down over the entrance.

When the dust had cleared, they stood before a rather sizable, if a little decrepit looking living room. Couches which had at one point been surprisingly luxurious were now so rotten that there was little left save for a wooden skeleton. Between them had sat a table which had at one point been piled high with books and games though now it was little more than a mound of glowing mushrooms.

The crystal cluster which had at one point only covered the ceiling now grew all the way down the walls. These same growths seemed to emanate a small amount of light, illuminating the entire space in a soft yellowish glow. Which allowed them all to see that the rest of the furniture left down here had suffered a similar fate as the couches.

The beds which had been put off to one side were now gone save for their metal frames, and the small bookshelf nearby was now almost completely gone. Even the wooden chest Spike had brought down here a thousand years ago was little more than scrap, as was its contents. Only the small pool of faintly bubbling water seemed to be unchanged form Spike’s last visit.

“Sorry girls. I guess it didn't stand up to time as well as I would have liked,” Spike murmured.

“What are you talking about, this is amazing!” Shouted Apple Bloom as she slowly trotted into the room.

“Thith ith really cool,” murmured Scootaloo who had taken wing and was flying around the room.

“Is that spring natural and safe?” Sweetie Belle asked, pointing to the pool of crystal clear water sitting across the room.

“Oh yeah. Or at least it was a thousand years ago,” Spike replied with a shrug. “We should probably check it out fi-”

“Cowabunga!” Shouted Apple Bloom before she cannon balled into the water.

“Or not,” Spike murmured.

The plant pony burst from the water a second later, a wide smile on her face. “Come on in the water’s great!”

Scootaloo joined a second later, the thestral gliding to a stop and gracefully slipping into the water. “Oooh that ith nithe,” she murmured contentedly.

“Thanks for showing us this Spike,” Sweetie Belle whispered.

“It was no biggie,” Spike replied, a blush crossing his face.

“Oh but it was quite big, and that means you deserve an equally large reward,” Sweetie Belle stated.

“Bwuh-” was all the dragon could mutter before the arachne leaned down and kissed him.

A smile crossed Spike’s face as he leaned towards the arachne, his eyes fluttering closed.

I should get punched across a room more often. Spike thought dreamily.

Déjà Vu

“Oh, uh…” Twilight blinked. “Yes?”

“Are you asking me if you are no longer allergic to them?” Celestia raised an eyebrow.

“No. I was just, um… thinking about something. Sorry about that,” Twilight hastily answered, even while a part of her told her to turn and run as far away as possible.

“You’re not planning any more silly little contingency plans, are you?” Celestia inquired, a smirk visible on her features.

“I think I have enough,” Twilight declared as confidently as she could muster.

“Are you sure you're not allergic though? You look rather flushed. Which is weird, considering your condition,” Celestia exclaimed, waving a hoof at the mare.

“I’m just fine,” Twilight replied. “I was merely distracted, and you surprised me.”

“Oh, that's good,” Celestia stated and gestured towards the treehome. “Shall we continue this conversation inside?”

“Oh, um, sure.” Twilight hastily stepped forward and opened the door.

Stepping into the home, Twilight seated herself on the chair that didn't have a sun emblazoned on the back. As she was getting herself comfortable on the slightly too large seat, Twilight noticed that Celestia was looking at her strangely.

“Did you also forget which is my favorite chair?” Celestia asked in a teasing tone of voice.

Twilight blinked and stood up, extending a hoof. “Right. Sorry about that, err, allow me to put those in some water.”

Celestia raised an eyebrow, but handed over the flowers anyway.

The unicorn quickly made her way over to the kitchen, her mind still reeling after the sudden appearance of the terrifying alicorn. Twilight tried to remind herself that this wasn't the same Celestia, but it was hard not to panic at the mere sight of her. This was the pony responsible for torturing and enslaving Sunset Shimmer, as well as killing Twilight’s mother.

Twilight was also fairly certain that the alicorn had likely killed both her brother and father, or at the bare minimum wiped their minds. The solar princess was also a warmonger and a tyrant with more crimes to her name than the entire population of Canterlot. With all that in mind, it was hard to dismiss the fear, rage, and bitter indignation that welled in Twilight’s chest as she walked across the room.

Her guilt weighed heavier still though, and after reminding herself that this wasn't her life, Twilight breathed a little easier. After all, if this Twilight had seen fit to fancy the alicorn, then surely she couldn't be evil, at least not yet, anyway.

With a sigh, Twilight retrieved a tall cup, summoned some water with a spell, and dropped the wildflowers into it. She then placed them on the counter before seating herself on the open chair across from Celestia. As she did so, Twilight couldn't help but notice how closely Celestia was watching her, as if she were suspicious of the unicorn.

“Is something the matter?” Twilight asked, doing her best not to let the fear she felt seep into her voice.

“Several things, though the first of my thoughts is simple curiosity, as I can't help but wonder why you would put the flowers in that cup,” Celestia inquired.

Twilight blinked. “To help make them last a little longer, of course.”

“So that is why…” Celestia murmured, rubbing her chin. “I thought it was only the roots which took in water.”

This really does feel like the stone ages, Twilight thought before clearing her throat. “Yes and no. The water won't keep them alive for long, but it does extend their life for at least a little while.”

Celestia nodded. “Interesting.”

“So…” Twilight began somewhat awkwardly. “Why are you here? Shouldn't you be in Canterlot?”

Celestia laughed aloud. “Not all of us are married to our work, you know. Though perhaps I wouldn't mind such a scenario, provided you changed your name to Work.”

Twilight did her best not to cringe, but judging from Celestia’s frown, Twilight hadn't managed to resist that urge.

“Err, right,” Twilight muttered.

“Are you absolutely sure nothing is wrong?” Celestia inquired a little more forcefully. “Usually you love my awkward pick-up lines and grandfather jokes.”

Twilight schooled her expressions and quickly concocted a lie. “I’m sorry, dear. I just saw those ex slaves on the way back from town, and I’m afraid my mood is rather shot, as they say.”

Celestia sighed, immediately settling back into her chair, as a small frown crossed her face. “I understand. It is rather concerning just how many of our ponies have been forced to serve those scaled fiends.”

“Indeed,” Twilight murmured. “I can't imagine what some of them have gone through.”

“I suppose you wouldn't have seen the worst of it, given your own status in their twisted hierarchy,” Celestia remarked.

This Twilight had been a slave? No wonder everyone viewed her with a mixture of awe and pity. Twilight cleared her throat. “Let's change the subject, shall we? Why are you really here? Or is it just to observe my beauty?”

Celestia laughed gracelessly. “Oh, that is good, but no. I’m afraid I do not have time to bask in your iridescent glow.”

Twilight sighed dramatically. “A shame.”

“Yes well… that can wait for another time,” Celestia murmured before sitting upright. “I actually came here today in order to inquire if you had given Luna and I’s request any more consideration?”

Twilight tried to keep her expression neutral while she rubbed her chin and made herself look thoughtful. Does she mean raising Cadance? I mean, it has to be that, right? What other major requests could there possibly be?

“We should be able to continue soon,” Twilight stated. “Provided there have been no other changes.”

Celestia shook her head. “No. Cadance’s spirit is still on this plane, and the method of giving you the temporary boost you will require has proven successful during my trials.”

“Excellent,” Twilight remarked, clopping her forehooves together. “Then we can get moving on the actual ritual within a fortnight.”

“That soon?” Celestia asked, her eyes widening considerably.

Twilight nodded. “I need to check my notes and run a few more tests in Hollow Shades, but I’m fairly confident that such last minute checks won't change anything.”

“That is wonderful news!” Celestia exclaimed, leaping out of her chair. “To think you have not only single-hoofedly brought down the eternal empire, but will also return to me my dearest sister. Truly you are a force to be reckoned with, my love.”

“I haven't done so yet,” Twilight warned. “And I have not done so alone.”

Celestia chuckled. “Humble as always, I see.”

Twilight bowed her head slightly. “It is the truth.”

“Say, if she is returned to us soon, would that make me the eldest sister?” Celestia inquired in a slightly comical tone. “I mean, she wasn't that much older than me when she passed, and it's been a little while.”

Twilight shrugged. “I think you’ll have to take that up with her.”

Celestia smiled and leaned back in her chair. “So. What else is new around here? Have they finally decided on a name for this place yet?”

Twilight shrugged. “There is some construction going on, and the dome is being rebuilt into a community space of some kind. Other than that, I’m afraid I haven't really been paying attention to the minute of the town’s going-ons due to my other more pressing concerns.”

“Don't worry about it, that's about as much as I know about Canterlot,” Celestia admitted. “My sister is doing her best to organize the construction and has left me with little to do other than assist in the grunt work.”

“She's putting you to work already?” Twilight replied with a smirk.

“At least she hasn't broken out the whip yet…” Celestia began before leaning in close to the mare. “I leave that to you alone, of course.”

Twilight blushed and cleared her throat. “How is it going then? The construction, that is.”

Celestia shrugged. “Not bad. A lot of ponies want to abandon the project, but Luna is quick to remind everyone of the various other nations which have sprung up already or will soon enough.”

“This settlement of yours would certainly be difficult to assail, given that you no longer need to worry about dragon attack,” Twilight reasoned.

“Exactly,” Celestia stated, clopping her forehooves together. “Such fortification will enable us to state for all the world to hear that we are here, we are strong, and that we aren't going anywhere.”

“Plus it is fairly central,” Twilight pointed out.

Celestia nodded. “Indeed, it is. Once we have constructed a wider road up the mountainside, the castle will serve as an excellent trading hub and center for our budding bureaucracy.”

Twilight nodded. “Very well thought out. Perhaps in time it can grow into a proper city.”

Celestia snorted and waved a hoof in the air. “I care little for grand standing or the like. It will grow according to the needs of our ponies, and not on the whim of a leader who wishes to flaunt their empire’s holdings.”

Twilight’s shoulders fell ever so slightly. She was more than a little relieved to have an acknowledgement that this Celestia was not the monster Twilight knew from her time.

“As it should be,” Twilight stated. “Though I’m curious. Will you be returning to Canterlot after this and is that where you have decided to hold the ritual?”

Celestia chuckled and scratched her cheek somewhat awkwardly. “It is, and I’m supposed to be there right now, but I haven't seen you in so long that I couldn't resist sneaking away for a short visit.”

“Well, so long as you aren't shirking your duties,” Twilight replied.

Celestia rolled her eyes. “Sometimes I wonder if you’re my partner or my mother.”

Twilight coughed suddenly, a little caught off guard by the comment. “I don't want to touch that particular subject with a ten foot pole.”

Celestia let loose a deep belly laugh as Twilight struggled to regain her composure. “You are too fun to tease, you know that? If you didn't get all blushy and bashful, I probably wouldn't even do it.”

Twilight sighed. “Keep it up and you’ll be out on the street, missy.”

Celestia raised her hooves defensively. “Fine, fine. No more then.”

Twilight shook her head. “So, how is the rest of the surrounding area doing now that the dragons are gone?”

“Not bad…” Celestia began somewhat haltingly. “Most of the cities have finished burning at this point, and though the dragons were determined to leave nothing behind, we have saved a few key buildings.”

“Petty to the end,” Twilight murmured.

Celestia shook her head. “It's a waste. So many crops burned, so much food lost, and so many grand structures toppled needlessly. All to make sure we couldn't use them.”

“Or maybe they simply wanted the world to forget about them,” Twilight inquired.

“That would make sense, considering just how many libraries they put to the torch,” Celestia remarked.

Twilight frowned. “Don't remind me.”

“We saved what we could, at least. Maybe when we have built enough homes and have enough food, we can think about constructing a library in Canterlot,” Celestia remarked.

“Perhaps by then we will have more books penned by ponies to add to the collection,” Twilight offered.

“Wouldn't that be something, huh?” Celestia mused, leaning back in her chair. “No more will every book espouse the greatness of the eternal empire and the dragon race.”

Twilight nodded to herself.

The pair lapsed into a sudden silence, Twilight a little unsure of what to say while Celestia merely sat there, staring off into space. The alicorn seemed lost in her own thoughts for several seconds, though it passed quickly with the mare vigorously shaking her head.

“You know, I’ve been meaning to mention it before, but I’m still a little baffled that you would consider creating a magical failsafe to reawaken the dragons,” Celestia exclaimed. “I thought you of all people would want them to stay asleep forever.”

This Twilight thought of bringing them back? But why? Twilight thought to herself before quickly shifting her expression to something more neutral rather than shock. Perhaps she hoped to redeem them in time. That would make sense, since she considered Sinthgunt a part of her family.

“I had hoped that in time they could be turned away from their destructive ways,” Twilight began somewhat hesitantly. “After all, we have some evidence that they can be good.”

Celestia sighed, a flash of guilt passing over her face. “I suppose so. Either way, I’m just glad we put that particular project permanently on ice. Maybe in a few centuries we can think about awakening one or two of them.”

“All in due time,” Twilight replied, silently congratulating herself for responding as Celestia seemed to assume she would.

“Well, I better get going then,” Celestia announced suddenly, glancing out the window. “I should probably get back before someone notices I’m gone.”

“That might be a good idea. Don't want to start a panic, now do we?” Twilight stated, eagerly rising from her seat.

“I suppose not,” Celestia murmured wistfully. “Do I at least get a kiss goodbye?”

Revulsion welled deep in Twilight’s stomach, though she quickly pushed it right back down.

“That depends. Have you been good?” Twilight replied, hoping her tone sounded more jovial than she felt.

“Oh, I have, I swear!” Celestia eagerly proclaimed.

Twilight sighed. “I’m not sure if I believe you, but I suppose you have at least earned a small one.”

Celestia blushed. “Why thank you. I know you aren't a big fan of physical affection.”

“It's… fine,” Twilight murmured before leaning in and planting a small kiss on the alicorn’s cheek. “There.”

The alicorn grinned from ear to ear. “Oh my, that is quite the reward. Maybe I shouldn't tease Luna more often.”

Twilight chuckled and made a shooing motion towards the door. “Now then, off you go before someone forms a search party in order to try and find you.”

Celestia trotted out of the now open door and turned around. “Oh fine, but on our anniversary I’m having you all to myself for the entire day. Provided that's alright with you, of course.”

“Oh, uh, yeah. Of course,” Twilight awkwardly replied.

“Good,” Celestia stated. “I love you.”

“I know,” Twilight answered.

The alicorn gave the other pony an odd look before opening her great wings and taking flight. Within a few seconds Celestia was out of sight, and soon after not even the beat of her wings was audible. When finally all trace of the other mare was gone, Twilight closed the door and collapsed into an exasperated heap.

“I know? Really? You couldn't have just said you too?” Twilight muttered bitterly to herself. “Well, at least this version of myself isn't the affectionate type. I don't think I could have kissed her on the lips without throwing up.”

She rolled over onto her back and looked up at the ceiling, stretching her limbs out in all directions.

“I guess I can't just kill her. Despite the possibility of creating some infinite time loop, she is helping ponies at this point,” Twilight murmured. “Equestria might even end up invaded by some foriegn force worse than even Celestia if I got rid of her at this point.”

She released a long sigh as she lay there on the cool ground, bitter thoughts floating through her head.

“I guess I should get moving,” Twilight told the empty room. “I just need to ask for directions to Hollow Shades, go there, and check on my- er, this Twilight’s notes on this ritual.”

The unicorn hummed thoughtfully to herself. “Perhaps I should locate more baked goods for the trip. This time I’ll make sure to get blueberry.”

Twilight hopped back up. “Right, let’s go.”

Directions sure are easy in this time period, Twilight thought idly to herself. Follow one road until you end up where you want to go. If only things were so simple in the Everfree.

Twilight wondered if these ancient roads were still around in her time period and she simply hadn't noticed them. Though with the Everfree’s ability to move people back and forth through time, that certainly was a possibility. She might have even used the same gravel road she was using right at that moment and hadn't noticed before.

Ignoring the strange implications of such an idea, Twilight looked around, observing her surroundings carefully. Wide, flat plains stretched out in all directions, mostly covered in simple, unassuming grasses. The odd farm could be seen on occasion, though they were few and tended to stay grouped together, likely for protection.

The one thing Twilight didn't see much of was trees, as there was only the odd cluster here or there to break up the otherwise flat horizon. Even then, they were mostly stubby little things that had taken a beating from the wind and leaned in one direction. This was likely the only reason they hadn't been cut down, as the wood was unusable for large scale construction.

I am so bored, Twilight thought to herself. It's just flat ground in all directions with only a few hills to break up the monotony. You could run away from home, and they could watch you leave for three days.

Looking forward, Twilight could see a larger mass of green steadily growing in the distance, though it was still quite far away. It would be an hour or so before it was anything more than a thin line of trees poking up over the horizon. As she walked towards that distant sight, Twilight cursed herself for only bringing food and not a single book. The dusty road beneath her hooves was straight enough that she wouldn't even have to worry about accidentally wandering off while reading.

I’ll have to bring at least one back with me, she noted.

The unicorn sighed and let her mind wander as she walked towards the distant forest, time beginning to fly by as she stared off into space. She wondered about this Twilight, what she was like, and what kind of knowledge Twilight could give her if they ever met. Left to her own thoughts, she found herself drawn into a fantasy where she rapidly increased the technological growth of Equestria a hundred times over.

So all consuming was her daydreaming that Twilight hardly even noticed as the sun began to dip low in the sky.

In front of her the wall of green had grown much larger, with smaller pockets of trees jutting away from the central mass. One such chunk of forest extended to Twilight’s right, the thick boughs and dense woodland making it difficult to see into it. The dense wood reminded Twilight of the Everfree, though not nearly as chaotic and without the ever-present feeling of wild magic that pervaded her adopted home.

A sudden movement to her right made Twilight stop and turn towards the noise, her ears perking up. Her first instinct was to light her horn, but she stopped herself, choosing to simply observe before she acted. She narrowed her gaze, her surprisingly sharp eyesight managing to pierce the gloom relatively easily.

She saw a short tree the same color as freshly fallen snow rise out of the mass of green. The strange plant grew from a mass of rocks, each of which was roughly the size of a pony, its pale roots intermingling with the many stones. It reminded Twilight of a cairn, though what such a thing was doing way out here was anyone’s guess.

“Well well well. Would you look at what we have here,” remarked a female voice.

Twilight mentally reprimanded herself for focusing on the first odd thing she saw and turned towards a trio of ponies who stood at the edge of the road. One was a pegasus mare while the other two were earth pony stallions, each of whom bore the marks of a former slave. Before Twilight could continue her inspection of the group, the lone mare stepped forward, an easy smirk on her face. She also had a hoof on the sheathed knife which was strapped to the front of her barrel.

“It looks like someone didn't get the news of the new toll,” stated the pegasus.

“That's not a very smart move, missy,” snickered the scrawnier of the two dirt-colored earth ponies who had a blue mane.

“Not smart at all,” added the slightly brawnier one whose mane was red.

“Why don't you cough up any valuables you got in those bags of yours before we have to get violent?” demanded the pegasus and smiled fakely.

Twilight took a moment to look over three ponies, noting that the two stallions were likely twins, given their matching colors and cutie marks. One of which was of an axe being swung at a tree while the other was of a scythe mid-swipe through a patch of wheat. They also had only simple leather armor while the pegasus wore a set of finely crafted chainmail, though none had a helmet.

Their weapons were also fairly pathetic, with the pegasus having but a simple short dagger while her followers held sharpened farm implements. It was a sight which would have made Twilight laugh, given she could bring all her magic to bear against them. This body wasn't quite as powerful, though it still likely had more than enough mana to overpower a trio of would be highwaymen.

Not like she wanted to start a fight though.

“Sure. Here ya go,” Twilight offered before shucking off the bags and tossing them at the robbers.

“Huh. I thought for sure you would start something, what with that look in your eye and all,” remarked the pegasus.

“Nah, she's too scared of us,” stated one of the dirt twins.

“Scared stiff, no doubt!” added the other before all three began to laugh.

“Hack, Slash, check out what she has for us. I’m gonna keep my eye on our little visitor,” commanded the mare and gestured to the bag.

The stallions nodded and ran off to the side, each one opening a bag before peering within. Bits of food were tossed aside, as were the writing materials that Twilight had brought along with her. With their contents now all over the road, the saddlebags were turned upside down and shaken profusely.

“Just some food and junk boss,” remarked one of them.

“What, that's it?” demanded the pegasus who shot Twilight a glare. “You aren't holding out on us, are you?”

“Does it look like I’m hiding something from you?” Twilight replied, gesturing to her naked body.

The pegasus snorted. “Well, don't that just beat all. How are we going to maintain our quota now?”

“We could sell her,” remarked one of the stallions.

“She is a longhorn,” pointed out the other. “I bet she knows plenty of spells.”

The pegasus’s gaze narrowed, reminding Twilight a lot of herself when she was younger and needed glasses before getting her eyes fixed with magic.

I doubt they even know what glasses are, Twilight thought to herself, only to blink. Wait. Did he just suggest selling me into slavery?

Twilight’s question was answered a second later when the pegasus’s eyes widened once more.

“Well, would you look at that. I bet old Sharp Beak would pay more than a few pieces of silver for such a fine specimen,” exclaimed the pegasus.

“Maybe then we could get real weapons,” muttered one of the stallions.

“Or at least a tent. I’m tired of sleeping on the ground all the time,” murmured the other.

Twilight frowned, and though she was already planning on defending herself, she wasn't sure how far she should take it. The twins’ necks were completely barren of fur, as if the collars they wore had worn were different from the other former slaves. They also had a few thin scars that made Twilight think they had been whipped more than a few times.

Upon closer inspection, Twilight realized their leather armor looked more like aprons the likes that smiths used. They also smelt like they hadn't washed themselves in days, and their fur was absolutely covered in burrs. All three of them were also fairly thin, the pegasus most of all, as Twilight noticed her eyes were slightly sunken.

The mare also had a nasty-looking jagged scar across her throat which was mostly hidden by the ragged clothes she wore under her chainmail shirt. Even her dagger, once removed from its sheath, looked rather pathetic, with half of the clearly dull blade covered in rust. Her goons weren’t much better off, as the shovel one wielded like an axe was missing a handle while his brother’s scythe had a chunk missing out of it.

The entire affair was more sad than anything, and honestly Twilight felt more pity than fear.

If only they hadn't decided to try to enslave me, Twilight thought to herself.

Then they were in motion, and Twilight lit her horn, firing off a concussive blast just as the pegasus mare was mid-leap. The bright blue orb of force had hit her attacker square in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her. Rolling to the left, Twilight heard a grunt of pain as the pony tumbled to the ground, likely unconscious, though the unicorn didn't bother to check.

Her goons weren’t far behind, and one of the slightly taller, more gaunt brothers was the first to arrive. Swinging his shovel in a fierce downward strike, he seemed intent on using the flat of his weapon to knock Twilight out. She appreciated that he wasn't trying to kill her, but she also wasn't about to just stand there and let him hit her.

Thankfully for Twilight, her enemy’s attack was telegraphed a mile away, and she had ample time to step to the right. This put the first stallion between Twilight and the second earth pony, leading to an awkward scuffle as one tried to go around the other.

“Dammit it, Hack, get out of my way!” shouted one.

“Screw you, Slash, I almost had her!” yelled the other.

Twilight used her magic to tug on the ear of Slash, while pulling the leg of Hack, leading the two brothers to crash into one another. A few more telekinetic tugs later, the pair were exchanging insults and shoves, having seemingly forgotten about Twilight entirely. The scene would have been a humorous one, had their ring leader not charged back in a second later, knife aimed for Twilight’s torso.

Not entirely confident in her ability to cast standard spells due to how weak they had been, Twilight chose to rely on necromancy for her defence. Which came in the form of a dozen ethereal blue green hooves which emerged from her forehoof. The pegasus reacted predictably, with the mare opening her wings and trying to go over them in order to get to Twilight.

The unicorn had seen this coming, however, and her conjured limbs reached up and grabbed the pegasus mid-flight. They then extended, winding their way around her opponent’s body and binding the mare in a cocoon of soul magic. After ensuring the struggling pony couldn't escape, Twilight turned to the squabbling siblings, half expecting them to be attacking her once again.

They were not, and were instead staring down at their leader in horror.

“What did you do to her?” asked Slash.

“She isn't dead, is she?” added Hack.

“She's fine, just taking a bit of a time out,” Twilight explained. “Unless you feel like attacking me. Then I could very easily turn her into gelatin.”

“What’s gelatin?” inquired the red-maned one.

His brother clopped a hoof upside the first one’s head. “Pay attention, we gotta get her out of there.”

“Don't try it,” warned Twilight, her eyes narrowing dangerously. “I don't want to hurt you, but I will, if you keep this up.”

The red eyed one shook his head. “You don't understand. Her master-”

“Ex master,” interrupted the blue eyed brother.

“Right, ex master used to tie her up in chains and bed sheets and leave her like that for days,” warned the first pony.

Twilight gasped in shock, now understanding as to why she had felt so little struggling after binding the pegasus. Releasing her hold on the mare, Twilight looked down in horror as the pony was cataonic and completely unmoving. Her eyes were open wide, yet her pupils were the size of pinpricks, her entire body remaining rigid despite being freed.

“Grab her back legs, I’ll grab the front,” remarked one of the brothers.

“Right, and don't drop her this time,” added the other.

Twilight merely watched as the pair hoisted up their unmoving leader, too confused and guilty to initially say anything. It wasn't until the pair reached the edge of the forest before Twilight felt strength return to her limbs

“Sorry about her, but would you guys mind turning yourselves in?” Twilight asked.

“And why would we do that?” demanded one of them.

“The punishment for robbery is death, you know,” added the other.

Twilight winced. “Look, you have to stop doing this.”

“What other options do we got?” stated Hack gruffly.

“Yeah, it's not like anyone will take on a pair of broken stallions and a pegasus who can't do more than hover,” added the other.

Twilight cringed even harder. Great. I bullied a crippled pony into a crippling anxiety attack.

“Go back that way and keep walking until you find a tiny town called Haymarket. From there they can give you directions to a nameless village with a big dome at the center,” Twilight continued, trotting awkwardly beside the pair as they walked over to the white tree. “I promise if you go there, I’ll do what I can to find you steady work.”

“Is this lady for real, Slash?”

“I don't know, Hack. Seems a little too good to be true.”

Twilight sighed and watched as the pair laid their fallen leader down at the base of the tree, angling her head upwards. “My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I swear to you that this is not a ruse.”

Hack stallion sighed. “Fine, but if this is some big trick…”

“I really will hit you over the head with my shovel!” yelled the other.

Twilight raised her forehooves defensively. “I promise that I meant every word.”

“Whatever,” muttered one of them.

“You best get out of here before Dot wakes up, ‘cause she won't be happy about this,” stated the other.

“Right, uh, sorry again. I guess,” Twilight added before awkwardly stumbling backwards out of the small grove.

Hastily turning around, she made a beeline back for the road and nearly tripped over the brothers’ forgotten weapons in the process. Kicking the things aside, Twilight took a moment to glance back into the trees, her expression darkening somewhat. In that instant she made two important realizations that she had not initially comprehended up until that point in time.

One, this time was darker than she could have ever imagined, and two, the dragons had been more horrible than even Celestia. Twilight already knew both of those things before, but she never fully grasped just how true the statements were. Now that she had come face to face with their handiwork, it was hard to pretend that even her Celestia held a candle to the foul reptiles.

With a sigh, Twilight shook her head and turned back towards her distant destination.

“You can't save everyone, Twilight,” she muttered to herself. “Some have to save themselves.”

Twilight paused amidst the towering pillars of green which stretched so high that they seemed to pierce the heavens above. Her mood was still sour from the rather strange interaction she had only an hour earlier, but it was beginning to lift. A gurgle from her stomach stopped her from smiling however, and she kicked herself for not grabbing her dirt-covered food.

They probably need it more than me, Twilight thought to herself.

Shaking her head, she looked around, distracting herself from her problems by inspecting her surroundings a little closer. As expected, the forest was quite expansive, with enormous trees large enough to hide a drake from sight. The wood was also surprisingly clean, for lack of a better word, as there was little underbrush or small bushes to clutter the space.

It definitely felt like a place once controlled by the one-time rulers of this world, as there were clusters of trees that were little more than burnt stumps. Occasionally a large, mostly destroyed stone structure rose from the bush at random, each one with an entrance large enough to admit a fully grown dragon. These buildings always seemed to be a part of a larger compound that likely served as a villa for a rather well-off drake.

Though intrigued by the unique brown roofs and towering white columns that ringed these complexes, Twilight didn't linger for long. The architecture drew the unicorn’s curiosity, but also made a wave of anger and fear rise from deep in her belly. The revulsion she felt was almost instinctual in a way, and Twilight quickly moved out of view of the dilapidated buildings.

Following the path deeper into the woods, Twilight noticed that there were no other ponies in sight. Only the green trees, distant bird calls, and the occasional flutter of wings served as her companions. Sure, there were signs of ponies moving to and fro like the occasional hoofprint as well as several indents left behind from a cart, but that was it.

A few minutes later, Twilight could hear the soft gurgling of moving water coming from the distance. Hastening her step, Twilight noticed that the path rose slightly and turned a dull grey in the process. It wasn't long before she drew close enough to notice that this was a bridge, one likely built by dragons due to its sheer size.

Trotting across the cold stone, Twilight couldn't help but get a sense of deja vu from the experience. The bridge felt similar to the one she had seen in the Everfree not long ago, though she couldn't quite picture it in her mind. For some reason that memory felt muddy, and she couldn't recall anything other than a vague sense of familiarity.

Pushing that thought out of mind, she paused at the midway point of the stone structure, looking down into the wide, deep rushing water beneath her. Large fish swam only a few feet away and dozens of different kinds of plant life could be seen growing on the riverbed. Its startling depth made Twilight wonder if the river had been carved out by dragons as the land around it was surprisingly flat.

Either way, that wasn't a concern of hers, and she continued walking.

Time stretched on once more, with little to occupy Twilight’s mind save for her worries and her little brush with those bandits. That was until she saw a large rope bridge hanging over a deep ravine and a towering castle standing just beyond it. Again, everything seemed to be built with dragons in mind, with the enormous gate standing at least a dozen meters tall.

Even the bridge was wide enough for at least ten adult ponies to walk abreast with room for a child or two between them if they walked close to one another. Few trees grew from between the crevice which surrounded the structure and the castle walls, creating a wide clearing. The castle stood tall and imperious, though it had clearly seen battle, given the visible damage to one of its towers.

It took a moment for Twilight to realize she could hear the sound of distant conversation as well as the hammering of tools. She could also see a few ponies moving about the battlements, though they were difficult to make out due to the sheer height of the crenelations. Only the occasional pegasus was clearly visible, as they flew this way and that, ferrying supplies or working on a roof.

Trotting hastily across the rope bridge, Twilight tried to ignore the feeling of vertigo she briefly got when it swung to one side. When she stood on solid earth once more, Twilight couldn't help but smell freshly baked bread and recently cut wheat. Looking through the open doors of the castle, she noticed that scent was coming from the courtyard full of golden stalks.

There were also several small wooden structures, and as Twilight nervously strode inside, she noticed how frequent these buildings were. The enormous homes intended to house grown adult dragons had been modified to serve as pony lodgings. Additional levels had been added between the floor and ceiling, allowing for far denser habitation than the original builders intended.

Even towers, guard houses, and walls had been added to in a similar fashion, with draconic architecture serving as a solid base atop which stood wooden homes. Everywhere she looked, ponies moved this way and that, some toiling in the fields while others simply lounged around. Including two guards which stood just inside the gate who jumped to attention the moment they noticed Twilight standing there.

“Oh, uh, good afternoon, Director. We weren't expecting you,” greeted one of the armored ponies in a gruff, yet still feminine tone.

Her partner pushed his helmet back up his head and openly gawked at the unicorn. “How did you even get here? Those roads are infested with bandits and other ne'er do wells.”

Twilight thought back to the trio she had seen earlier and wondered if they had been enough to warrant such a response. They did mention something about a quota, so maybe they were part of a larger organization?

“You mean Hack, Slash, and Dot?” replied Twilight.

“Those three losers are just scouts for the band of miscreants hiding out in the deep woods,” stated the tall female unicorn. “They didn't harass you much, did they?”

“Nothing I couldn't handle,” Twilight quickly replied.

“Well, next time make sure you leave with a caravan. I’d hate for our top researcher to get caught by those jerks,” added the short, demure pegasus stallion standing to Twilight’s left.

Twilight winced. “And when would the next one be leaving here?”

“Tomorrow, I think,” murmured the stallion.

The guard mare nodded. “Yup. At two o'clock in the afternoon, to be exact. Big shipment of grain going up to Canterlot.”

“Ahh…” Twilight’s gaze lingered on the surprisingly large fields which filled the space between the walls of the castle and the keep inside of it. “Thank you for the information. You might want to put someone on watch though.”

“Sure Shot is probably asleep again, sorry about that, ma’am,” remarked the mare who bowed slightly.

Twilight took a moment to observe her carefully, noting her advanced age, silver mane, and kite shield cutie mark. Her grizzled features seemed oddly familiar for some reason, and for a moment Twilight felt like she knew the mare’s name.

Silver Shield, Bulwark Buckler? Twilight shook her head and dismissed the feeling. It doesn't matter.

Trotting past the towering walls, Twilight strode down the road connecting the gatehouse to the central keep which resembled the Everfree Castle, at least in part. The overall design was familiar, but Twilight knew the castle in her time wasn't completely sized for dragons. She wondered if it had undergone extensive remodeling over the years to bring it more in line with pony design.

Though the walls of the castle she knew had definitely not been that tall, so it was likely that the castle had suffered a major attack at some time. This would explain why the exterior wasn't the same, though it still had a nearly identical general layout. After all, the old castle would have quite sturdy foundations which could be easily built upon if disaster had indeed struck.

Making her way between the two massive oaken doors that marked the entrance to the keep, Twilight found her gaze drawn upwards. The architecture seemed designed to inspire awe, as even the entryway looked more like an opera hall than a simple area to greet guests. Or at least it would have resembled one, had there not been a dozen or more homes stacked on top of one another.

The houses looked sturdy and had long walkways leading up to the various levels, all save for the topmost ones. Those had only simple balconies where the occasional pegasus landed or departed from. Even more than the outside of the castle, this place was abuzz with activity, with ponies coming and going at a rapid pace.

Other creatures here, like minotaurs and gryphons, though they were clearly in the minority. They all seemed to be soldiers as well, given that they were the only ones who wore armor and carried weapons. They were also quite relaxed, and most were busy chatting or looking bored while guarding the entrances to the more important rooms.

Those two side entrances were much like the castle Twilight knew, with a pair of large doors standing in front of her. Pushing her way through them, Twilight paid the guards she saw little mind, trusting that she had the authority to go where she wished. Sure enough the earth pony mare and minotaur male didn't bat an eye at her, with the female giving only a small nod as Twilight passed them by.

Once inside, Twilight found out that it looked like she expected it would, with more double doors on either side and a staircase in front of her. Another pair of guards stood inside, one on each side of the room, the bored ponies jumping to attention the second Twilight walked in. Giving the one standing to her left a small nod, Twilight moved to open the door, only to be stopped by a raised hoof.

“What's the password?” demanded the pony.

Twilight blinked and glanced nervously at the tall unicorn stallion she hadn't bothered to pay attention to until that moment. His fur was a deep red, while his mane was a mix of yellow and white, though the majority of his features were hidden beneath his scale armor. A steel helm obscured his expression, though Twilight assumed he was glaring on her due to the gruff way he spoke.

Is he serious? He can't be. Noone said anything about a password! Twilight thought to herself, more than a little baffled by the sudden turn of events. Wait, why would there even be a password in the first place? Do they have to worry about changeling infiltration?

“Ha, I totally got you!” exclaimed the stallion, who shared a chuckle with a guard from across the hall. “Can you believe that, oh brother of mine? She totally bought it!”

“I hate to disagree, brother, but I think the good director was contemplating how to punish you,” replied the other stallion in a slightly deeper voice.

“Actually, I was in the middle of a calculation and your question made me lose track of my thoughts,” Twilight stated in as serious a tone as she could muster.

The first stallion winced. “Oh, uh, sorry about that, ma’am. It wasn't anything serious, was it?”

“Maybe the world is about to tumble into the sun, and you just ruined our esteemed director from saving the planet!” shouted the guard from across the hall.

Twilight chuckled. “Nothing so serious. Just thinking about how to alter a recipe I was intending on making.”

“So, either way, we die by fire,” remarked the first guard with a snicker.

“Hey, ordering things to be made counts as making them, right?” Twilight retorted.

The two guards exchanged a look before erupting with laughter. “Oh, that's good! You should make jokes more often, ma’am.”

“Eh, it could use work,” added the other.

“Regardless,” Twilight interrupted, gesturing to the door. “Would you mind?”

The unicorn lit his horn and quickly pushed open the door, bowing slightly as he did so. “There you are, ma’am.”

“Thank you,” Twilight replied, breathing a small sigh of relief after the door closed behind her.

Putting the two guards behind her, Twilight found herself in a long hallway that was completely empty, save for the pillars which rose on either side of her. Although ornate and interesting in their own right, Twilight didn't give the columns much consideration as her eye was drawn elsewhere. Namely to the ransacked relief carvings she could see that covered both walls as well as the ceiling above her.

Each was decorated with scenes of dragons defeating some foe Twilight didn't recognize. Or at least that's what had originally adorned the walls, as most scenes had been disfigured in some manner. Some of the figures depicted had moustaches added to them while other individuals had been removed entirely by blunt instruments.

Other times the scenes depicted were altered to make it look as though the dragon had lost while their foe was victorious. Each one of these changes was crude and likely done by a vengeful pony doing what little they could do to get back at their oppressors. Twilight even noticed that a few of these carvings had insults written across them or had been splashed with paint.

Each strike of a hammer or stroke of a paintbrush carried with it an anguish that Twilight could feel just by looking at the strange scene. Though the most vitriolic of defacements was reserved for the stone doors that rested at the end of the hall. Upon them stood a towering figure whose glowing eyes drew Twilight’s own gaze and whose imposing figure made Twilight feel incredibly small.

The dragon himself was lithe, his arms narrow and thin, with only three clawed fingers at the end of them. He stood proudly on two legs which were covered in platemail, as were his arms as well as his chest and the rest of his torso. Each piece of his armor was immaculatiely detailed, as was the flowing parchment which hung about his neck and fell down either side of his body like a scarf.

Even from where she stood, Twilight could read the thousands upon thousands of words which covered the enormous scroll. So dexterous was the sculptor's hand that Twilight could count each individual scale on the dragon’s long tail which formed a lopsided eight. All of that paled in comparison to his face and those piercing eyes which left Twilight with a feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach.

Like the rest of him, the dragon’s head was angular and sculpted with such skill that Twilight worried he may come to life and step out of the doors. However, he didn't, and his stern, neutral expression stayed impassive, his fingers remaining splayed before his chest. Stranger still were the horns that rose from the top of his head.

Each one appeared longer than Twilight was tall, and they bent at the midsection, coming back together until they almost touched. Between them floated an egg-shaped orb of some kind, while behind his head was an eclipsed sun. The symbolism was obvious, whoever this was had once controlled the planet, holding sway over earth and sky alike.

The dragon’s majesty was marred, however, as bright red paint covered a majority of his body in large, hate-filled words.

Your pathetic nation lies in shambles, dragon. Where is your arrogant pride now?

Each letter dripped with rage and indignation. The declaration superseded any feeling of awe the carving may offer and replaced it with a fire that burned hot in the viewer’s belly. So powerful were those handful of words that Twilight felt herself standing straighter and striding with increased confidence after having read them.

On either side of the carving were the additions of other less proficient word smiths who wrote petty insults aimed at the dragon. Childish names stood alongside bitter refutations of the dragon’s deeds and legacy. The only thing that tied them together was their shared animosity for the dragon as well as a single name.

Linoc.

It was everywhere, and always it was written with such harsh strokes that Twilight could tell that it had to have been the name given to the dragon. It was one Twilight had never heard, though one which felt familiar and she committed it to memory immediately. In that moment she wanted nothing more than to seek out whatever tome of knowledge that could tell her more of the powerful dragon.

She quickly stopped herself, however, as no matter how intriguing the awe-inspiring creature was, Twilight had bigger concerns. Namely the fact that she was expected to return an alicorn from the dead within two weeks’ time. This meant she had mere fourteen days to figure out where Luna was buried in Twilight’s time period and learn a language no short lived being could comprehend.

“Easy,” Twilight murmured bitterly to herself.

Pushing past her irritation and the enormous stone doors, Twilight walked into what had likely been a throne room at some point. It wasn't half as awe-inspiring as Twilight expected, likely indicating that this wasn't where the dragon ruled from. The throne had been removed almost entirely, and had been replaced by a large round table flanked by a dozen chairs of various sizes.

“How the mighty have fallen,” Twilight remarked to the empty room.

A click suddenly stole Twilight’s attention, and she turned to her right where a dragon-sized door now opened for her. She hadn't exactly given the room a thorough inspection before that point, but she had seen enough to know the entrance was new. Walking over to it, Twilight peered within and found a spiral staircase leading down deep into the depths of the castle.

A quick scan made Twilight chuckle.

“A spell that deactivates an invisibility charm whenever the caster speaks? Now that's just poor design,” Twilight muttered to herself. “These people really are primitive in some ways.”

Twilight made a note to leave her other version some more optimized spells designed to hide secret rooms before entering the stairwell. There she proceeded down deeper and deeper into the darkness, her way illuminated by softly burning blue torches mounted on the wall to her left. The mage fire enchantment placed upon them was simple, but efficient, and gave off enough light that she could just barely see.

The placement of the stairs made Twilight wonder if this was the same undertower she knew from her time. When the pony strode into a very familiar room that served as the very first floor of the undertower, she knew her assumption had been partially correct. Though familiar, it was not identical, as for one, this area seemed to be laid out more like a small apartment rather than a lab.

A bed sat against a wall to her left while a chamber pot and a small tub sat in a partially cordoned off section to her right. In the center of the room was a small table covered with books, wherein a rather startled pegasus had been sitting and reading. The mare in question seemed familiar much in the way that the guard Twilight had seen earlier, though this time Twilight could recall her name.

Flitterhooves, Twilight thought to herself. She is my- no, her lab assistant.

The pony had wide, bright blue eyes, a short cropped mess of wheat-colored hair which sat atop her head, and stark white fur. Her wings fluttered uselessly at her side, and upon her flanks was a book in motion, as if it had been tossed into the air. The mare’s expression was that of shock, though it quickly shifted to confusion, then panic.

“Oh no, is it the sixteenth already?” she shrieked and hopped up from her chair. “I could have sworn I was only reading for a few hours! How did I let an entire week pass me by?”

Twilight chuckled and raised a calming hoof. “No need to worry. I am merely here to check a few things.”

“Oh…” The pegasus blinked. “Is this a test?”

Twilight shook her head. “No test, no tricks. I just wanted to get a copy of my notes that I left behind.”

“What happened to the ones you brought with you before?” Flitterhooves questioned.

“Different notes,” Twilight stated. “Nothing to worry about though. I’ll probably be out of your mane by the morning.”

“Oh, um, okay,” the pony moved to sit back down, only to stop. “Are you sure this isn't a test? Should I have offered to come with you and wait nearby in case you needed me?”

Twilight chuckled and trotted up to the mare, placing a calming hoof on her shoulder. “There wasn't a test, but if there was, you would have passed with flying colors.”

Flitterhooves grinned. “Oh, thank you, Miss Director. I’ve been keeping your labs and the storage space organized just as you like them. Except for the bottom one.”

Noticing the sudden look of fear which crossed the mare’s face, Twilight’s first reaction was to question her. Though Twilight quickly reined back that urge, as it was likely that this Twilight should know the answer to that. Instead, the unicorn merely nodded and gave the pony’s shoulder one last pat before trotting away.

“That's just fine, Miss Hooves. Enjoy your book!” Twilight called as she entered the other stairs.

“You too!” replied the mare, only to curse under her breath. “Wait, I meant to tell you to enjoy your research!”

Twilight chuckled at the pegasus’s awkward, yet endearing responses. This pony clearly took her job very seriously even if she was likely little more than an assistant of some kind. The thought made Twilight’s mind go back to Beaker and the undertower she knew from her own time.

As she walked down the next set of stairs, Twilight cursed herself for not seeking out and helping the two undead rebuild their lives. Sure, she had talked with them a few times, but Twilight had quickly grown used to their presence and hardly gave them a thought since. Vowing not to ignore their needs any longer, Twilight made a note to help them once she got back to her own time.

They had certainly earned a chance to live normally once again.

Twilight snickered at her own dumb joke, her quiet laughter echoing down the empty stairwell before her. Which, unlike in her own time, did not end at nearly every floor, meaning Twilight didn't constantly need to search for the next set of stairs. She still stopped whenever she saw an opening or door, though some rooms were empty while most were filled with crates.

A quick scan revealed that most boxes were full of random items all sized to be used by dragons. From clothes and armor to weapons and chairs, everything that had been unable to be repurposed had been put down here. The only exception was one level that contained preserved grain and a small treasure trove of tapestries as well as flags.

It was certainly a far cry from the undertower Twilight knew, which certainly felt the part of a wizard’s lair. This just seemed like a small apartment for a court wizard and their experiments which had been repurposed to serve as a glorified warehouse. That was until Twilight reached the bottom and stepped out into a large open space that had half of the floor missing.

The closest section looked the part of a lab and library while the other half disappeared into a deep hole. Looking around the first section, Twilight noted that the books which lined the walls were far more ancient than the others she'd seen so far. They were also intermingled with haphazardly bound tomes of loose paper which bore this Twilight’s tight, neat script.

There was no doubt about it. This was where the other version of her had been keeping her notes.

There were also a few minor experiments off to one side, though they appeared rather simplistic in nature. A few crude summoning circles, a poor attempt at a modern binding rune, and a half-completed set of spells sat on one large table. None of that grabbed Twilight’s attention, however, and she turned to the other side of the room where the floor ended unexpectedly.

Glancing over the side of the hole, Twilight found that her past self had dug deep into the earth using some manner of spell. The perfectly even and well-organized stone and mortar of the undertower gave way to slick, almost glass-like rock. After lighting her horn, Twilight found that a haze of powerful magic hung over the entire area, as if a lot of magic had been expended in this exact spot.

Likely an overcharged flare spell concentrated into a single point, Twilight thought to herself. Crude, but would allow her to excavate the area in secret if she wished to do so.

Twilight paused and looked around the room. Where did she put the slag then?

Shrugging off that small inconsistency, Twilight tried to peer into the depths, only to find that her vision couldn't quite reach the bottom. She cursed this body's poor night vision before searching for some way of getting down there without ending up as a red stain on the ground. Thankfully her past self had the same goal as there was a rope ladder bolted to the floor a few feet to her right.

I really hate heights, Twilight thought bitterly to herself. Wait. I don't have to go down there, do I?

She considered it for a good few seconds before letting out a sigh. I probably should. It's not like my past self would hide something dangerous, after all. Or would she? It's not like I know her very well.

After thinking it over, Twilight shrugged. “Only one way to find out.”

Just climbing onto the ladder was rather awkward, but she managed to do so after only some minor struggling. With her body weight now fully suspended by nothing more than simple rope, Twilight found that the flimsy thing felt surprisingly sturdy. The ladder had been secured at multiple points on the wall, meaning it didn't swing around when Twilight stepped down.

Which she did at a glacial pace, taking her time to maneuver one hoof and then another down the long ladder. Over and over she carefully navigated the ropes, descending deeper into the oppressive darkness. Until she was forced to light her horn and cast a simple light spell in order to see what was right in front of her face.

Then, just when she thought it was going to go on forever, Twilight felt her hind hoof hit stone. Awkwardly reaching out, Twilight tested the ground around the bottom and, after finding out there was enough room to stand, hopped off the ladder. With her hooves now under her once more, she let out a long sigh and stood back up, quickly looking around.

She didn't even manage to completely turn around before her heart leapt up into her throat. For there, sitting before her, was the partially excavated head of an enormous black dragon.

It was only revealed up to the base of its neck, but it still occupied nearly ninety percent of the available space. Two massive horns sprouted from the sides of the creature’s head, each one curving forward much like a bull’s would. Frills extended from its brow and disappeared into a still solid stone wall which likely encased the rest of its body.

Scales thicker than any plate mail adorned its features, each one wider than Twilight’s shoulders. Fangs longer than most ponies could comfortably wield as swords jutted from its maw while spikes extended from the bottom of its jaw. Its great eyes were closed as was its mouth, yet still Twilight couldn't help but feel like she was seconds from death.

I really should have dropped a light down here first.

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Conspiracy

Twilight blinked, her mind reeling as she gazed down at the incredibly sharp dagger mere inches from her throat. “I, uh, what?”

“Where is Twilight Sparkle?” Luna demanded.

“I am Twi- eep,” Twilight yelped, the knife nearly brushing against her neck.

“You are not her, so drop the act, lest I lose what little patience I have,” Luna pressed.

Twilight gulped, trying desperately to come up with some way out of this situation which didn't end up in her dying again. The first thing she considered was using another lie, though at this point she doubted that would work. Not only was Luna as sharp as ever, but Twilight was flustered, ruining her already poor poker face.

The second possibility she thought of was simply telling the truth, though she quickly realized that Luna might think she was lying. After all, informing someone that you’ve travelled backwards in time to possess a different version of one of their family members was pretty ridiculous. Especially considering the fact that the kind of time travel Twilight used had yet to even be conceived of in this time period.

Fighting was also right out for reasons which should be obvious to anyone looking in on the situation. With a dagger next to her throat, dozens of guards waiting outside, and only one reliable way down from the castle, Twilight’s chances of escape were slim. Sure, the unicorn might have the advantage due to her necromancy, but even that wouldn't be enough to get her out of there without a scratch.

“Speak, demon,” Luna hissed.

“I really am Twilight, just not your Twilight,” declared the unicorn.

Luna blinked, a confused expression crossing her face before being banished and replaced by a bitter scowl.

“Do you really think I would believe such nonsense? Twilight has no such twin,” Luna spat.

Twilight shook her head. “Not a twin, well, not in the traditional sense anyway-”

“Get to the point,” Luna demanded.

“I came from the future using a spell your Twilight will likely only finish in twenty years or so,” Twilight continued. “I am a different version of her.”

“A different…” Luna’s scowl deepened. “Prove it.”

“I, uh…” Twilight blinked. “How?”

“Tell me what is going to happen- Hold on...” Luna frowned. “That would mean we would have to wait for the event to occur.”

“Also history books from this time period are incredibly rare and hoarded jealousy, so I likely wouldn't even know of a relatively close historic event,” Twilight added.

“You really aren't helping your case,” Luna deadpanned.

Twilight chuckled nervously. “I’ve never done this before.”

“Obviously. Your lies are laughably easy to see through,” Luna exclaimed.

“Celestia believed them,” Twilight pointed out.

“My sister is blinded by love and guilt. She sees and hears what she wishes to and has little time for anything else,” Luna retorted.

Twilight winced. “Point taken.”

“Enough distractions. Prove you are who you say you are, or else I will dispatch you like the common knave you seem to be,” Luna proclaimed, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

Twilight raised her hooves. “I wouldn't do that if I were you.”

“And why not?”

“Because if you kill me, you kill your Twilight,”

Luna blinked. “You aren't bluffing.”

“I think we’ve already established that I couldn't do so even if I wanted to,” Twilight awkwardly pointed out.

“Explain.”

“My spirit traded places with your Twilight’s. She is in my time while I’m here in hers,” Twilight explained.

“So that body is not yours either,” Luna stated.

Twilight winced again. “I’m sure she would agree to switching if I could speak to her.”

“She did not even consent to this changing of places?” The alicorn’s nose crinkled in disgust. “How vile.”

“It's for a very important reason,” Twilight stressed.

“Like what?” Luna demanded.

“Can we put down the knife first? Before we continue this discussion?” Twilight asked, glancing down to the dagger still resting only a few inches from her exposed throat.

Luna’s gaze narrowed, and she sized Twilight up for several seconds before pulling the weapon back. “I suppose you are fairly harmless.”

“Hey, I know plenty of powerful spells that wouldn't be created for several millennia,” Twilight pointed out.

“But could you cast any of them before I buried this dagger in your windpipe?” Luna retorted, flipping the dagger around in her hoof before pointing the tip at the mare across from her.

Twilight frowned. “No, probably not.”

Luna sat back down across from the other pony. “Then speak. Tell me of this grand purpose of yours.”

“Okay, first of all, I know how this sounds, but is there any way I can convince you to just leave me be without making me tell you that information?” Twilight asked, already grimacing.

“Why would I do that?” Luna replied.

“Well, it's just that I don't know how it would affect the time stream,” Twilight continued, awkwardly settling back into her chair. “I don't fully understand how this whole thing works, and I don't want to accidentally cause myself to never be born or something like that.”

“You don't even…” Luna groaned, running a hoof down her face. “You have to be the worst spy I’ve ever captured.”

“I’m not a-”

“You know what I mean.”

Twilight chuckled nervously. “R-right. Anyway.”

“Give me a moment to think,” Luna stated.

Twilight bobbed her head. “Of course. Take as long as you need.”

Luna rubbed her chin and stared off into the distance, her expression darkening as her mind whirled with possibilities.

Twilight meanwhile was left with little to do but look around the room and wonder if her entire mission was about to fall apart. In that moment Twilight cursed her bull-headedness, as well as the future version of Celestia for pushing her to this moment. For without having to worry about more of the alicorn’s enforcers, Twilight wouldn't have done something so brash as use a spell she barely understood.

Twilight didn't have long to consider all the reasons which lead up to her poor decision though, as Luna had just cleared her throat.

“Seeing as how I will likely divine the reason you are here anyway, I think it would be best if you informed me of your mission right here and now,” Luna concluded.

Twilight was ready to argue for a moment before she frowned. “Yeah, that's probably fair.”

“Whenever you are ready,” Luna encouraged.

“Well, the first thing I was hoping to find was someone who understood the language of the dragons,” Twilight began.

“That knowledge doesn't exist in your time period?” Luna questioned.

“There are two possible ponies who may know it, and one of them would like nothing more than to incinerate me,” Twilight replied.

“Incinerate… this doesn't have anything to do with Celestia, does it?” Luna pressed.

“It doesn't… not have anything to do with her,” Twilight muttered awkwardly.

A frown slowly returned to Luna’s face. “I’m going to ignore that for a moment and ask you what words exactly have you come here to learn?”

Twilight silently cursed her former self for the thousand time that day. “Information was so minimal from that time that I assumed it was a normal language. Though it's been clear that it is not as easily learned as I first thought.”

Luna’s frown deepened. “Then what do you hope to accomplish now that you know otherwise?”

“I was hoping to just learn as many as I can while I’m here and then hope it's enough,” Twilight reluctantly admitted.

“That is frighteningly naive,” Luna deadpanned.

“I am aware of how it sounds,” Twilight murmured.

“What did you hope to accomplish with these words of power?” Luna continued, pressing her forehooves together. “Their power is considerable, and if you had a good many of them, you could accomplish numerous grand feats.”

“Well, this is the part I was hoping to avoid mentioning,” Twilight remarked.

“And why is that?” Luna asked, her gaze narrowing on the unicorn.

“Because…” Twilight hesitated. “You die.”

The time-displaced mare braced herself for a negative reaction but was surprised when she heard the alicorn chuckling.

“Is that it?” Luna exclaimed. “Without a dragon to consume our soul, we alicorns will wander the world for an eternity, waiting for someone to resurrect us.”

“Wait a second. Dragons can eat souls?” Twilight asked, jaw hanging open.

“We are frighteningly hard to kill, and our spirits can linger for millennia. How do you think we would ever lose a war if our enemy could not negate this ability?” Luna explained, opening her hooves.

“I…” Twilight paused. “Suppose that makes sense.”

“Now I assume from your tone that you intended to resurrect me. Why?” Luna pressed.

“There is an enemy only you can defeat, and I need your help to defend my new home,” Twilight admitted.

“Yet you didn't go to Celestia, nor are you trying to raise her,” Luna pointed out. “Why is that?”

“The enemy is your sister,” Twilight blurted, her shoulders tensing.

Again, she was met by laughter.

“My dear boneheaded sister is your enemy, and you expect me to defend you against her?” Luna scoffed. “Don't be ridiculous. I would never engage in combat with blood.”

Twilight chewed on her bottom lip briefly, wondering how she should respond. “You already have.”

“What, do you mean?” Luna demanded, her voice falling several octaves.

“She was the one who well… you know,” Twilight murmured, squeezing her forehooves together nervously.

“That is…” Luna’s jaw worked silently, the alicorn struggling to find the words to respond with. “Unlikely.”

“It's true,” Twilight pleaded. “She murdered my parents, tortured my friend, and has done terrible things to entire species.”

Luna scoffed. “You struggle against a doppelganger of some kind. Perhaps one of the dragon’s experiments still lives in your time and has stolen my sister’s face. Regardless, whoever you fight is not her, of that I can assure you.”

“How can you be so certain I’m lying?” Twilight demanded, an anger burning deep down in her core. “I have been in the same room as her, breathed the same air as her, and I know the person I’ve met from this time and her are one in the same.”

“You may not be lying, but that doesn't mean you are telling the truth,” Luna retorted. “Yes, you may believe it is her, but I know Celestia’s very soul. As alicorn siblings born with purpose, her and I are bound by something no mortal creature can comprehend.”

“Like Cadance?” Twilight replied.

In an instant all the indignation, anger, and borderline hate in the alicorn vanished, replaced by guilt as well as grim resignation.

“Yes,” Luna whispered softly. “I know my fallen sibling as well as Celestia. As well as myself.”

The cool wind of regret blew away what little rage burned in Twilight’s breast. “Look. I don't claim to know what it is like for alicorn siblings, but whoever is posing as Celestia has a damn good job taking over the known world and unless I want to watch my new family die, I need to find you in my time.”

“Your words contain the bitter bite of honesty,” Luna admitted, her shoulders slumping. “Ask your questions. I’m sure you have many.”

Twilight sighed. “Where would you be buried, if you did die?”

“I wouldn't,” Luna responded. “I would wish to be petrified like the ancient emperors of yore so I may look out over my domain for all eternity.”

Twilight blinked. “Wait. Don't tell me those alicorn statues outside were real ponies.”

Luna shook her head. “Neigh, those are merely clever recreations. Though rumour has it that some alicorns created many identical copies of their final state so as to discourage people from seeking them out.”

“Okay, but would you do that? Be placed somewhere prominent and obvious?” Twilight pressed.

Luna shrugged. “I know not. Though I had always thought that I would want to be placed somewhere scenic like a garden, or perhaps a library so I may guard the knowledge contained therein forevermore.”

“Hmmm, that doesn't exactly narrow it down… Though it's not like I’ve seen many alicorn statues around, so I could probably test every one if necessary,” Twilight murmured.

“Does that answer your question?” Luna asked.

Twilight hummed thoughtfully. “Mostly. Though I’m curious as to why they would choose petrification. It seems almost morbid to display their body in such a way.”

“That's simple. The process of petrification preserves one's body and maintains the spirit's link to the natural world. Should the spirit ever decide it wishes to be reunited with its flesh, it would be easy to divine its intentions,” Luna explained.

“How would you do that?” Twilight questioned.

“Use a necromancer’s enhanced sight to detect if the soul has returned to its old host,” Luna answered.

“That…” Twilight paused, the unicorn realizing that she had not used her new necromantic powers to investigate the lone alicorn statue she had seen back in her own time period. “I swear, if you were staring me right in the face this entire time, I am going to scream.”

“What?” Luna muttered.

“N-nothing,” Twilight quickly exclaimed. “Is there any way I could convince you to teach me the dragon words you know?”

“That depends,” Luna began. “What would we get out of it?”

Twilight had to stop herself from smiling. “I can bring back Cadance.”

“And who is to say our Twilight couldn't as well?” Luna countered.

“Simple. I am ten times the necromancer she is, and it will take her years if not decades for her to reach my skill level,” Twilight claimed.

“That is quite the statement,” Luna murmured. “I suppose you have evidence to back that up?”

“I’ve looked over her work and ascertained that although she is quite good, the general understanding of magic has improved dramatically over the centuries,” Twilight continued.

“And you hold this understanding, I presume?” Luna pressed.

“I do,” Twilight stated. “Now, I could prove it to you, but I think you know I’m an open book and couldn't lie to you even if I wanted to.”

“Or to save your life for that matter,” Luna muttered absently, the alicorn leaning back in her chair, rubbing her chin with a hoof. “I will need some manner of concrete evidence before the ritual, but that can wait for later.”

“So, you would let me help you?” Twilight asked in a hopeful tone.

“Again, I would need to actually test you, but I feel like we can trust one another,” Luna exclaimed. “At least a little bit, anyway.”

“Well, that's a relief,” Twilight exclaimed, her shoulders falling slack.

“Though I’m curious as to how you plan on getting back to your own body and time period,” Luna suddenly inquired, leaning forward on the desk. “You seem to lack a plan to accomplish most of your goals.”

“Don't remind me,” Twilight murmured, clearing her throat. “Though I didn't have a plan for most of this, I do actually know how to return to my time. I just need a bit of a magical boost as this body lacks the raw power necessary to cast it unaided.”

“Then you know of the alicorn infusion that Celestia planned to give our Twilight to aid in the ritual,” Luna pointed out.

“I do, and trust me when I say switching back is all I plan on using it for,” Twilight quickly exclaimed.

“That is good,” Luna replied. “Because the infusion is not something you can just steal. Nor is it something I will allow Celestia to do more than one final time.”

Twilight raised her hooves defensively. “Oh, I would never attempt to steal such a thing or use it selfishly. I have sort of met Cadance in my time period, and I’m fairly certain that if I mucked things up here, I’d ruin history somehow.”

“Then we must have already been successful in a way,” Luna exclaimed. “Let us hope it is because of your help that is the case.”

“Let's hope that me just mentioning that fact didn't screw things up,” Twilight murmured.

“I’m sure it's fine. From what little reading I’ve done, time seems to happen all at once, and is not so easily broken by meddling in the past,” Luna explained.

“Well, that's… good. If a little confusing,” Twilight muttered to herself.

“Quite. Though I have more questions about the future, I must give you a warning,” Luna declared, her voice becoming stern once more. “Although I feel like I can trust you, I will be watching you very, very closely.”

Twilight gulped and nodded her head eagerly. “I’ll do my best to earn that trust and prove my good intentions.”

Luna smiled suddenly. “That is a relief to hear. Oh, and try not to break Celestia’s heart while you’re here. I know you are supposedly enemies in your time, but she is not the mare you apparently know.”

“I’ll try,” Twilight whispered. “It's just hard, knowing what she will become.”

“I still doubt that the pony you know is her, but regardless you must at least be kind to this Celestia. That mare doesn't like to show it, but losing Cadance has affected her greatly, and the guilt of it all weighs heavily on her shoulders,” Luna explained.

“Why guilt though? It's not like she was the one who did it… right?” Twilight inquired.

Luna’s features twisted into a puzzled expression. “You don't know much about alicorns, do you?”

“One of the two I know of claims that she is the last of her kind and is divinely ordained to rule the world while the other is busy running a vast underground resistance that opposes that first one,” Twilight replied. “Neither are about to give me a history lesson, and there aren't exactly many textbooks left in this time period, never mind my own.”

“That is a lamentable fate,” Luna murmured. “To not know one's history is a crime in itself.”

The alicorn stared off into space for a moment before shaking her head, as if dismissing a particularly unpleasant thought.

“Regardless, I can give you a short one now,” the alicorn began, clearing her throat. “We alicorns born and bred to rule are created in threes. One a military general who is connected to a force of nature, the second a civic leader usually bonded to some aspect of the emotional spectrum. Lastly we have the bodyguard, who, as you might have already guessed, shares a special tie to a force of nature and must look after the other two.”

“You are the general, Cadance the civic leader, and Celestia the bodyguard,” Twilight reasoned. “Shouldn't the eldest be the bodyguard though?”

Luna chuckled and shook her head. “That would be quite amusing. I don't think Cadance even knows how to swing a sword, nor do I believe she could ever bring herself to kill.”

“It's strange to think that she’ll become the head of a vast resistance network,” Twilight murmured.

The alicorn’s smile slowly faded. “That is quite true, but to answer your question, the logic is this. The eldest must learn the most, science, math, engineering, leadership, et cetera. The bodyguard must become the embodiment of strength, while I need only learn how to command armies and memorize battle strategy.”

“Huh. Interesting,” Twilight murmured. “Where does this brother of yours come in? He was a dragon, right?”

Luna’s features darkened, and a frown spread across her face. “You had best watch your words on such a subject. Sinthgunt may have been adopted, but we all loved him like a brother.”

“I meant no disrespect,” Twilight quickly claimed.

“I know you don't, but still. Watch what you say about him. His loss is still on all of our minds,” Luna warned.

“Noted.”

Luna sighed. “He was an interesting and quite unique case. You see, Sinthgunt was thought to have been a dragon equivalent of stillborn, and was abandoned in what amounts to a supply closet. Forgotten by his people, Sinthgunt’s egg was captured in a raid by a rather daring young stallion. After hearing about the egg, my mother, who had suffered a miscarriage of her own not long before, empathized with the unborn dragon and sought to revive it.”

“And she succeeded,” Twilight continued.

“She did, and though it cost her greatly, she was able to bring up the young creature as our final sibling,” Luna remarked wistfully, her gaze becoming distant. “Perhaps it was the infusion of alicorn magic, or maybe it was simply my mother’s kindness, but in the end Sinthgunt grew up an honorable young dragon.”

The alicorn’s hoof absently scratched at an old, faded scar on her cheek. “He was kind, curious to a fault, and always up for a joke or a game. When he earned his name and officially became a part of our family, I was relieved, for I had grown attached to him.”

“What would have happened if he had failed?” Twilight asked.

Luna scoffed. “The test is not one you can fail. You either barely slip by, or you succeed by a wide margin, which was just what Sinthgunt did. The family would have suffered a minor disgrace if he had not done well, though thankfully such concerns proved unnecessary.”

Twilight leaned forward, listening intently.

“He was many things to many people, but despite what his own race had done to the mortals seeded on this planet, our ponies accepted him,” Luna exclaimed. “His loss was a major blow to all of us, Celestia included. Now with Cadance’s demise I fear she may be teetering on the edge of madness.”

“And you?” Twilight questioned.

“I have seen tens of thousands die,” Luna quickly replied, waving a dismissive hoof in the air. “Another death does not upset me so greatly.”

“Still…” Twilight murmured.

Luna sighed. “Still, he was my brother. Though I hold out hope that we may remedy his affliction and return him to normalcy once more, I understand all too well how grim reality can be.”

“I was wondering if you could tell me more about this version of myself,” Twilight began. “Her journals are filled with anecdotal information and little about herself, I’m afraid. Especially why you call her sister.”

Luna laughed loudly, a hoof going to her stomach. “Excuse me, but if that isn't the most Twilight thing ever, I don't know what is.”

“That was definitely me when I was younger,” Twilight murmured.

“I’m glad at least one of you aged out of that, though I doubt our Twilight ever will,” Luna exclaimed, wiping a tear from the edge of her eye. “She has suffered too greatly, and now all she has left is duty and study.”

“What happened exactly?” Twilight pressed.

“She was groomed from birth to be the assistant to a dragon wizard who in turn served in the court of a local ruler. Twilight’s mistress was paranoid and cruel and when the dragoness found out how powerful Twilight was becoming she tried to remove her horn, but thankfully another dragon intervened,” Luna explained. “Though not out of pity, mind you. The local lord simply did not wish to waste such talent.”

“That explains why her magic feels so… stunted,” Twilight murmured, glancing up to her horn.

“She wore a limiter for so long that her magical system became damaged and ingrown,” Luna remarked bitterly. “It was not pleasant, and though we freed her, the time spent in captivity has harmed her in a way that we cannot heal.”

“She seems to care deeply for all of you and Equestria,” Twilight offered.

Luna smiled. “Though her kindness is blunt, it is one thing that she has always held onto and why she eventually became like a sister to me.”

“I was also wondering about-” Twilight began.

Luna’s right ear twitched, and the mare raised a hoof. “I’m afraid this is where we end our conversation for the moment. I am needed elsewhere, and Celestia is making her way here at this very moment.”

Twilight bit down the bile that built deep in her belly. “When can we speak next?”

“Later this evening at dinner we can exchange pleasantries, but truly conversing with one another won't come till later,” Luna remarked, scratching her chin. “Tonight, at midnight we can meet at the tallest tower in the castle. There I will teach you one of the words I know.”

“Does anyone else around here know any words?” Twilight pressed.

“Celestia does not have the aptitude for the more complicated words you are likely to require. Nor is she able to grasp even the most basic facets of necromancy,” Luna answered. “Cadance knew a few, and Sinthgunt knew many, though there will be little chance you could learn what he could teach even if he was not… indisposed.”

“Hmm fair,” Twilight murmured. “Hopefully I can learn Cadance’s words before I leave, though I could always meet her again in my time and learn them then. Provided she hasn't forgotten, of course.”

“You cannot forget the words. To learn them is to make them a part of your soul,” Luna pointed out.

“Then I won't forget them when I go back…” Twilight muttered to herself.

“What was… Nevermind we can continue this conversation later, my sister is here,” Luna remarked, rising from her desk.

Sure enough, a second later Celestia appeared in the doorway, a smile on her face. “Ahh, I knew I’d find you two tucked away somewhere with more dust than ponies.”

Luna chuckled. “You know us, sister.”

“That I do bro-sister.” Celestia cursed under her breath. “My apologies, Luna. You know I’m not the quickest of the bunch.”

Luna rose from her seat and trotted across the room, placing a gentle hoof on the taller alicorn’s shoulder. “You are a brilliant mare, Celestia. Your brain just moves faster than your mouth sometimes,” Luna exclaimed, a smile on her face.

Celestia chuckled, patting her sibling’s hoof. “Quite right. So, how was the discussion? Are we still on track?”

Luna glanced to Twilight and gave the other mare a subtle nod. “That we are. Isn't that right, Twilight?”

Twilight bit down the hint of worry which continued to plague her and smiled back. “Of course. Perhaps we could even start tomorrow or the day after that.”

“Truly?” Celestia asked, her eyes going wide.

Luna hummed. “Let us aim for tomorrow, likely late in the day. Unfortunately there are other matters which need to be addressed before we can move ahead.”

“What needs doing?” Celestia demanded. “If you require additional security, I will recall general Stonewall from the eastern front. He isn't doing anything save for hunting down dragon cults anyway.”

“You need not worry yourself, sister,” Luna quickly interjected. “We just need to get some administration out of the way and set in motion some back-up plans in case we end up indisposed for a large amount of time.”

Celestia sighed. “Of course. I am merely excited to be reunited with dear Cadance. Things will be better with her wisdom helping to guide your nation.”

“Our nation,” Luna interrupted, patting the other alicorn again. “Now then. Was there something you wished to discuss, or did you merely hope to recover your beloved?”

“I was hoping she and I could go for a walk before dinner. I know it is important that we eat with the other officials, but I find the discussion to be so bland during these meals,” Celestia exclaimed, flashing Twilight an unsettling wink.

“Yes, it does end up becoming rather boring, doesn't it?” Twilight muttered.

“Quite,” Luna agreed. “I shall leave you two lovers to enjoy a stroll through town before we meet again for supper.”

Celestia’s smile grew. “Thank you, sister. Oh, and do try to take some time off for yourself.”

Luna chuckled, retracting her hoof and walking away. “I will make the attempt if nothing else.”

“Now then,” Celestia exclaimed after Luna left the room. “Like I was saying, I was hoping we could go for a walk, maybe around the castle grounds. It's a beautiful day out.”

Twilight hesitated before nodding. “That it is. Very well, I will follow you… dear.”

Celestia’s smile faltered briefly before being plastered to her face once more. “There is a most wonderful view from the east battlement that I know you will enjoy.”

“That would overlook some beautiful country,” Twilight remarked.

“Indeed, shall we?” Celestia offered, extending a hoof.

Twilight reluctantly accepted the invitation, taking the offered hoof and being gently pulled from her seat. “We shall.”

Celestia’s expression darkened for a moment before her smile returned a second later. “You’ll never guess who I ran into after you left.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Who?”

“Ingrid the Intrepid,” Celestia replied. “She was telling me all about a book she found in a forgotten dragon temple the other day, and you would not believe what it-”

Twilight stared out over the vast expanse of mostly empty space that was the burgeoning nation of Equestria. Though largely made up of endless prairie and rolling hills, a few notable landmarks dotted the area. Most noticeable of the lot was the Everfree Forest which was at this point in time little more than a distant wall of green no bigger than a speck.

The Canter River stood out from the endless green and gold of the prairie lands, cutting it down the middle before it split in two. One of its branches entered the Everfree while the other flowed off into the distance, eventually reaching the ocean. Though she could not see it even from her vantage point atop a sturdy stone tower, Twilight knew the great mass of salt water lay just beyond the horizon.

The Smokey Mountains lay to the right, while to her left Twilight could see the distant form of the Macintosh Hills. Though Twilight could augment her sight with magic if she wished to do so, the unicorn knew that the landscape would lose some of its charm if she did that. Something about the green, gold, and soft browns was enough to pull the breath from her lungs while also setting her mind at ease, despite the slight sense of vertigo she had initially gotten when she had first looked out over the sprawling nation.

“It's quite something, isn't it?” Celestia asked in a soft tone. “Sometimes I come up here to think whenever things get me down.”

“It is quite nice,” Twilight admitted. “It makes my own problems seem so…”

“Small?” Celestia offered.

Twilight nodded mutely.

“I’ll let you in on another secret. Though you’ll have to turn around to understand what I mean,” Celestia exclaimed.

Twilight glanced up at the alicorn and studied her features briefly before turning towards the interior of the castle grounds where dozens upon dozens of workers toiled while a vast array of soldiers moved to and fro. Each one burdened by some task, there were few individuals who were simply standing around while not being on guard duty.

These creatures moved with purpose and skill, visibly eager to complete their tasks. It was obvious morale was high, as most of the creatures Twilight saw wore a smile on their face or at least moved with a bounce in their step.

Twilight’s attention wandered though, fixating on the anomalies amongst the mostly equine individuals below her. Eye-catching proto-versions of seemingly every race supposedly born from the Everfree walked the dirty primitive pathways. Though they mostly kept their ponylike features, the beginnings of their races more unusual traits had started to poke through.

The trolls were not nearly as large, though they had a rocky exterior. Thestrals had bat-like wings, but weren't quite as short. Everywhere Twilight looked, she saw another species that had supposedly been birthed by the Everfree that ponies rarely even ventured into.

Not only that, but many other races were represented in the workforce, like minotaurs and gryphons, and even a lone centaur could be spotted. A few stranger creatures that looked like an oversized bipedal cat and its toucan assistant could be seen walking the castle grounds. Though rare, these creatures seemed to be treated no different than their pony allies, each one going about their business without pause.

“Now your problems seem even smaller, right?” Celestia prompted.

Twilight blinked. “Uh yeah. Totally.”

Celestia lifted an eyebrow. “You are distracted. What troubles you?”

“I just noticed those…” Twilight searched the grounds before pointing to a pair of larger, bipedal guards that stood next to a small tower which itself had been placed beside a barracks. “Guards, and I found myself wondering about them.”

“Ahh, the storm creatures. Curious, aren't they?” Celestia mused. “Born from the eternal storm of their homeland to the south, they were supposedly some manner of hyena before wild magic gave them the gift of intelligence as well as strength.”

Twilight blinked and inspected the tall, broad-shouldered creatures closer, noting their muscular features and masked appearance. “That is quite fascinating. I wonder if that would also explain the other creatures who seem to be simple beasts only with the intellect of any other sentient creature.”

“Perhaps, though the dragons are also to blame for a few of the strange creatures that walk our planet,” Celestia began, pointing down to a troll who was pulling a cart of bricks across the yard. “Take the humble shaleback down there. They were born from generations of earth caste bred for their connection to the earth before being imbued with foul magics.”

“That explains a lot,” Twilight murmured.

“But you already knew all that,” Celestia concluded.

“I try not to think about it too much,” Twilight replied.

Celestia nodded. “Fair. I too find that if I ruminate too long on the dragons’ many misdeeds that my mood will become as foul as they were.”

Twilight frowned as she stared off into space, silently wondering how the modern day equivalent of the shaleback had come to be. She almost immediately concluded that it was likely genetic isolation along with the effects of the forest, but that didn't paint a complete picture. There were too many pieces to the puzzle, and that was without even considering how the arachne might have come to be.

“A penny for your thoughts?” Celestia inquired.

Twilight chewed on her lip briefly, trying to come up with something, anything that didn't include the fact that she still felt uncomfortable in the alicorn’s presence.

“I’m just tired from doing so much research, is all,” Twilight exclaimed.

Celestia shifted her forehooves on the wall. “Is that why you’ve been so distant recently?”

“Yes! That's it exactly,” Twilight quickly exclaimed, awkwardly patting the other mare’s hoof. “I’ll be back to my usual self soon enough.”

Celestia's smile faltered. “If that is what is wrong, then why do you wince whenever our eyes meet or tense up the moment I walk into the room? I know I’m not smart enough for you, and I don't share many of your interests, but I feel like we really have something special.”

Twilight donned the widest smile she could manage and looked up to the other mare. “It's just the ritual. I promise things will go back to normal soon.”

Celestia grinned back, but her eyes still contained a deep well of sadness. “Is it Luna? I know you two have far more in common than you and I do. Not only that, but she's not a failure like I am. If it is her, just tell me, and I’ll back off-”

Twilight wanted to hug the mare, to tell her it was going to be alright, and that her Twilight would be back soon, but she just couldn't do it. No matter how sympathetic this Celestia was, she was too close to the pony responsible for the death of her mother. Desperate to escape this awkward situation that was quickly devolving by the second, Twilight turned and pointed to the small tower she saw earlier.

“Hey, what’s that?” she asked.

Celestia sniffed and wiped a tear from the edge of her eye. “That houses the pin, or coffin nail, as I like to call it.”

“And why do you call it that?” Twilight pressed.

“Because…” Celestia dragged a forehoof across her face and stood a little taller. “Because it helps to bind the plate to the mountain. Without Cadance’s knowledge of engineering, we were forced to take shortcuts.”

“That sounds dangerous,” Twilight exclaimed. “What if someone sabotages it?”

“It would be incredibly dangerous to do so. That is, if it was capable of being broken by just anyone,” Celestia began, the alicorn’s breathing becoming less ragged by the second. “But the only creatures capable of destroying wards of that strength are the dragons, and they aren't exactly a problem anymore.”

“But could a pony theoretically destroy them?” Twilight asked.

“I guess,” Celestia muttered. “But no normal pony has registered over thirty thaums of power, and it would take nearly a hundred times that to even crack the outermost layer.”

“That is very strong,” Twilight pointed out.

“I may not know much, but enchanting has always been my forte,” Celestia replied, sighing deeply. “Look, I’d really like to talk about… you know what, we can do that later.”

“It will be fine soon. I promise,” Twilight exclaimed.

“You’re probably right. Cadance’s absence is just weighing heavily on us all,” Celestia added, her eyes becoming glassy for a moment as she stared off into space.

“Very true. Now then, why don't we go see some more of this wonderful castle you are helping to build?” Twilight offered, gesturing further down the walls.

Celestia shook her head and blinked. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“I said why don't you show me more of the castle?” Twilight repeated, a curious look on her face.

“There is a trail I found that winds around to the east,” Celestia remarked, a small smile gracing her features. “The view isn't quite as nice as it is on this side, but you can at least see Foal Mountain from there.”

“That sounds wonderful. Lead the way,” Twilight declared, silently hoping that she hadn't screwed things up too badly. Come on, Luna, let's hurry up and get that ritual started. I don't know how much longer I can do this.

Twilight smiled and waved as Celestia walked away, the alicorn noticeably more chipper than she had been before dinner. Then again, I handled that awkward conversation about as well as Applejack does flying.

She sighed, quickly secluding herself back within the guest room she had been assigned. Though little more than a storage closet with a window, it was at least big enough for a bed, a chest of drawers, and a desk. With little room to pace, Twilight walked over to the window and threw it open, gazing out at the evening sky.

If she was focusing, she might have noticed that the stars weren't quite where they had been in her time period. She didn't care for such a thought though, as she was too busy agonizing over the dinner she had just sat through. It had been a fairly formal affair with nearly everyone using titles and generally saying very little of importance.

Twilight had managed to catch a few interesting snippets of conversation though, like how several splinter groups were attempting to form their own nations. She knew that most of these fledgling countries would eventually become small city states. Ones that would initially ally with Equestria until Celestia took over and absorbed them through conflict or even less scrupulous means. That wouldn't be for several thousand years though, and in the meantime they would be major players on the world’s stage.

Or at least that's what Twilight assumed, as most history books claimed they accomplished little and were largely insignificant. Believing the opposite of what Celestia claimed had happened was usually a wise course of action. Though if it was this Celestia that had made such a claim, then Twilight might have taken such an assertion to heart.

For unlike the alicorn from her own time period, this one was kind, honest, and had a very straightforward attitude. Heck, it was getting hard for Twilight to even imagine that they were the same person at this point.

It was enough to make Twilight begin to doubt herself.

Regardless. Whoever you fight is not her, of that I can assure you.

Luna’s words echoed in Twilight’s mind as she peered out the window and at the realms far beyond. Those words contained a truth Twilight didn't want to face, the pony staring up at the moon as she contemplated the day’s events. A line of thinking that inevitably made Twilight irritable and more than a little disappointed in herself.

“I’m going nowhere slowly,” Twilight told the moon.

Turning away from the window, she made her way over to the desk and began to review the ritual she had planned. It may have been redundant, considering just how many times she had read it at this point, but Twilight needed something to take her mind off things. Namely the way Twilight was slowly ruining Celestia’s relationship with her other self and further destabilizing the alicorn’s mental state in the process.

Twilight leaned back in her chair and peeked out the window, searching the sky for any sight of the moon. Sure enough, the enormous orb could be seen poking out from between a pair of slim black clouds that had tried to obscure the glowing object from sight. Based on the moon’s position, Twilight quickly deduced that she had only ten or so minutes until midnight.

“Finally,” she muttered to herself.

The unicorn carefully rolled up the scroll she had been reading not long ago and set it aside along with the other books she had been pretending to read. Though perhaps reading was a bit charitable considering she had mostly opened them to make it feel like she was accomplishing something rather than simply distracting herself from her failings and desperately trying to elevate her falling mood.

With midnight having nearly arrived, Twilight was able to push past the vague miasma of despair which hung over her. A goal now in sight, the unicorn stood up and made her way over to the door, a small spring in her step. Slipping out of the room, Twilight glanced down the narrow halls before realizing something important.

“I have no idea how to reach the highest tower,” Twilight whispered.

Thankfully, she remembered the location of some stairs leading further up into the castle, ones nearby no less. Seeking them out took little time, and though they didn't take her exactly where she wanted to go, they put Twilight on the right path. A little bit of backtracking and some aimless wandering later, Twilight stood outside the tallest tower currently complete.

She went to wipe her forehead of sweat, only to find that despite her limbs burning, there was no perspiration upon her brow.

“This body is confusing,” Twilight exclaimed before reaching forward and pulling on the handle.

Sure enough, the door swung inward, allowing Twilight to peer into the gloom and see the small circular room beyond. It was empty save for everything but a single medium-sized table. Twilight tried to find any sign of Luna, but found none. The unicorn was about to start worrying that she was late, when she heard the sound of great wings flapping vigorously just outside the window.

A second later Luna gracefully flew through the entrance, unfolding her feathery appendages and arresting her momentum. The alicorn took a moment to settle herself before turning to Twilight and fixing her with a soft smile.

“Ah, there you are. At least you are as punctual as your other self,” Luna remarked.

“I almost wasn't,” Twilight replied. “This place is a bit of a maze, and I might have forgotten to ask for directions.”

“And it's not like you could just ask a guard without appearing suspicious,” Luna stated.

“Exactly. None of that matters now though,” Twilight confidently declared. “I’m ready whenever you are.”

“Before we begin, I must ask what have you learned about the primordial words so far?” Luna pressed, standing across the table from the other mare.

“That they are the embodiment of some aspect of reality like ice or fire,” Twilight began, standing across from the dark alicorn. “To learn them, you must understand every facet of the word.”

Luna raised a hoof. “You are mostly correct, but to truly grasp the word, you must realize that you are not speaking a word in the traditional sense. You are forcing the very essence of something into reality by uttering not the word for ice, but evoking the concept of ice itself. For example.”

Twilight scratched her head. “I think I get it, though I’m still not sure what the difference is.”

“It's not just that you are saying some word of power and that doing so conjures some kind of magic, but you are forcing reality itself to bend because you have brought forth one of its aspects,” Luna continued, only to frown. “I can see that doesn't quite explain things.”

“It does seem to avoid simple description,” Twilight remarked.

Luna sighed. “Think of it this way. When you say a word, you are speaking the sound associated with the concept of it. When you speak the dragon tongue, you say not the word for ice, but ice itself.”

Twilight scratched her head. “I think I get it.”

“Don't worry, you will understand it better in due time. For now just try to wrap your head around that concept while I work on something to assist you,” Luna stated.

“Okay,” Twilight murmured, watching absently as Luna began to breathe in and out in a very deliberate fashion. “What exactly are you doing anyway?”

“To understand the soul, you must be able to extract your spirit and gaze within its depths and grapple with the meaning you find within,” Luna murmured, her eyes remaining closed as she relaxed her body one muscle group at a time. “A dangerous process, though one that will grant you understanding without spending decades staring into a mirror.”

“Before we proceed,” Twilight interrupted, “would you mind telling me what applications these words might have?”

“The most obvious application comes with uttering the word while casting a spell which may share an aspect with the concept you have so invoked,” Luna replied. “For example, a master of ice may be able to freeze a target creature by conjuring a cone of cold, or they could banish all the heat from a room.”

“So imagination has a component then?” Twilight inquired.

Luna nodded. “It does. Though ponies and even alicorns can rarely use them to do anything more than empower our natural magic, in time you might be able to do more with it. Provided you are as skilled a necromancer as you say you are.”

Though Luna’s features were different from the other version Twilight had seen in her visions, the look on her face was familiar. It was one she had used quite often when teasing the version of Twilight who had been romantically interested in the alicorn.

“Alright, so how do I bring out my…” Twilight paused. “Wait, I already know how to do that first step.”

Luna blinked. “Well, that certainly speeds things along. Just bring forth the totality of your soul and remember that your spirit is everything you are, not just the energy inside you. It is your memories, your personality, your disposition. It is every aspect of yourself put into an orb the size of an orange.”

Twilight nodded slowly and repeated the breathing technique she had seen Luna use a few seconds earlier. Relaxing her body took longer than she would have liked, but in the end Twilight felt her muscles fall slack. Once done, she opened her eyes to see that Luna had conjured forth a perfect sphere of what looked like purple fire.

The flame burned almost lazily, flickering back and forth at a ponderous pace, its energy contained by some unseen force. Yet beneath the calm surface, Twilight could see faces flash past, some in terror, others in joy, while a select few simply stared blankly. That wasn't all she saw though, as numerous locations, army formations, and night skies flashed before her eyes.

It was a strange sight, and one that was dismissed only a few seconds later when the alicorn winced, pulling back her hoof. The hoof-sized orb of fire flickered out before receding into the mare’s body, vanishing without a trace and leaving behind only a single blue ember.

“I would advise against staring too deeply into another’s soul,” Luna remarked, shaking her hoof as if she had lost feeling in the limb. “For if you do, a part of them might enter you.”

Twilight gulped. “Err, sorry.”

Luna clopped her hoof against the table several times. “It is fine. You did not peer deep enough nor for long enough for that to be a worry, though it is something you should remember in the future.”

“What would happen exactly?” Twilight questioned.

“You might gain their memories if you're lucky, but if you aren't, then you might have your entire personality overwritten or just lose a few of your own memories,” Luna stated grimly. “If the other individual is exceptionally powerful, then they might even be able to overwrite your soul entirely, creating a copy of themselves in a way.”

“That sounds horrible,” Twilight murmured.

Luna nodded. “It is something not even the dragons dared to meddle with.” Then she murmured in a dark tone, “Until the end.” .

Twilight lifted an eyebrow. “What was that?”

Luna shook her head. “Nothing. It is also a difficult process, and one that I don't expect you to complete tonight. Though if you do manage it, simply stare into its depths until you understand it as well as you do the back of your own hoof.”

“Please allow me the chance to try before you pass judgement on my abilities,” Twilight retorted. “I just might surprise you.”

“That is fair. I suppose this would make for a worthy test of your skill,” Luna added.

Twilight smiled as she closed her eyes, quickly relaxing her body once more. The second she felt her shoulders finally release the last of their tension, she focused on the deepest part of her being. She then pulled on the majority of her essence which traveled up her hoof before emerging fully into the world.

Where it took the shape of a great kaleidoscope of swirling apparitions so numerous that they were beyond counting. Nearly a dozen times bigger than Luna’s, Twilight’s soul twisted and contorted with a manic energy that was only just barely contained. Upon closer inspection, Twilight noted that the many faces she saw within her soul were quite familiar.

For they were her.

Their appearance varied, and though most were unicorns, there were many who were not. Those that lacked a horn had anything from bat-like wings to a pebble-encrusted hide, with nearly every pony subspecies being represented. These ghostly entities all had their eyes closed, and each one flew by on unseen currents, folding endlessly in on themselves.

“What did you do?” Luna gaped.

“What you told me to,” Twilight replied.

“Well, then look in it quickly,” Luna encouraged, taking a stumbling step back from the table.

Twilight hesitated only briefly before peering into the mass of swirling spirits, her vision immediately beginning to swim. Then before Twilight was able to gather herself, she was no longer herself, rather she was a farmer living in a sod hut, her family sleeping peacefully around her. Despite their snoring lulling her to sleep, Twilight remained awake, watching as her two children slumbered next to her.

Behind her she could feel her earth pony lover shift in his sleep, and she didn't need to look to know that Surprise Start was still dreaming. The sound of his snoring was as recognizable as the slightly sweet scent of his fur. Before Twilight could truly appreciate being that version of herself, reality warped, and she went from lying down to leaning against the wall of an alley.

Her body was covered in thick cloth which hid her features, including the large wings twitching anxiously at her sides. In the city streets beyond, a stallion in purple garp stopped at a stall, his hoof going to the large bag of gold that hung from his side. The sight made Twilight’s own hoof inch toward the dagger she kept at her side, but before she could strike, the ground fell out from beneath her.

Then Twilight was in freefall, a grin on her face as she plummeted toward whatever lay below her without a hint of fear in her heart. Letting out a shrill cry of joy, the wingless, hornless pony hit the water with a cataclysmic splash. She barely registered the startled cries of her friends before cold lake water swallowed her whole.

She emerged from the swirling water, coughing and sputtering bitterly, immediately tearing the waterlogged helmet from her head. Throwing the heavy thing further up the bank, Twilight crawled out of the mud and up onto semi-dry land beyond. Her gaze immediately went further up the river where she could see her camp burning as winged raiders swooped down and carried off her soldiers.

A soft, gentle smile came to her face, the flames crackling as Twilight peered into the slowly dying embers. The cold of the night threatened to creep in, but thankfully the many blankets she had acquired at the last town kept her warm. Despite the warmth, her bones still creaked as she rose from her spot around the campfire, Twilight’s ancient body urging her to return to her wagon for the night.

Emerging out into the frigid air, Twilight looked down from her tower, unbothered by the wind whipping about her nude form. Though she could smell the heady aroma of perfume wafting from her harem’s chambers, she felt no desire to return at the moment. For now she wished to simply look out onto her domain and relish the feeling of pride which welled from deep down inside.

Curiosity consumed the nameless creature as it stared out of its cave home and towards the rising sun. Behind her set the moon, its features blocked by the mountain the creature resided within along with its recently discovered tribe. It was at that moment that the first and only words it had ever heard came to mind, stirring something from deep within its very soul.

“You will be the first and last of the ponies to grace this world. I beg of thee, guide your brothers and sisters, for they will need your curiosity just as much as they need your kindness,” spoke a motherly tone from everywhere and nowhere.

What does this all mean? Twilight thought, her mind returning to her the second the voice left her. What point are all these visions trying to make?

They are all me, that much is obvious, but what was that last one? Twilight hesitated as her thoughts went back to the cave pony who did not even have a name, nor anyone else to truly call a friend. Was I truly the first pony to be placed on this world? If so, why? And if I was the first, then who were my true parents?

A miasma of panic threatened to overwhelm her thoughts, and for a moment Twilight felt herself begin to slip. The abyss opened beneath her, a soft song spilling forth from the depths of reality and urging her to just give in. Twilight refused to follow it though, and with a titanic shove, she tore herself from the darkness, flying out from between its terrible teeth.

Without the great nothing threatening her soul’s very existence, Twilight was able to observe her surroundings unmolested. They were made up entirely by a great swirling mass of purplish green shapes so numerous that they seemed endless. Each one Twilight knew was a life she had lived, or would live, and though that knowledge filled her with fear, it also stirred a sense of pride in the mare.

This is Twilight Sparkle. This is what it means to be me. I am just one spoke in a wheel that will turn until time itself dies, Twilight thought to herself.

Then just like that she was standing in the tower once more, the raging miasma that were her other lives having fallen still, their eyes now open. Understanding flooded Twilight’s mind, and she knew immediately that she truly understood the soul in a way she had not a moment ago. With a gentle tug, Twilight pulled the spirits back into her body, their unearthly light leaving the room and returning the tower to darkness once more.

With only the moon’s glow to aid her, Twilight looked up to find Luna staring at her with wide, fearful eyes. The expression vanished the second their gaze met, the alicorn closing her mouth and forcing her face to appear more neutral. Her horn remained lit for a second or so before it too flickered out, the pony observing Twilight closely, but also curiously.

“That certainly was something,” Luna remarked.

“That it was,” Twilight agreed, flexing her hoof as feeling slowly returned to it. “I think I get it now.”

“Then speak,” Luna commanded, her voice tinged by a sliver of doubt.

Twilight opened her mouth and forced reality to bend to her will, bringing to bear her understanding of the soul. Though a part of her knew she could speak with power and control, she resisted that urge, uttering the word that was a word, softly. The second the power left her mouth, Twilight noticed how both her and Luna had gained a faint glowing outline.

The alicorn’s aura was a deep blue, while Twilight’s was an equally as dark purple color, both of which surrounded them completely. Luna silently marveled at her hoof, moving it this way and that before setting it back on the ground.

“You have done extraordinary well. Truly you are every bit the expert you claimed to be,” Luna declared in a slightly amazed tone.

“Thank you,” Twilight replied. “Do we have time to learn another?”

“I’m afraid I only anticipated you being able to learn one,” Luna admitted. “We will pick this back up tomorrow somewhere more private.”

Twilight wilted, but nodded in agreement anyway, her stomach growling angrily at her. “I assume you will seek me out then?”

Luna looked away form the window. “Absolutely. I aim on being free of my duties by two in the afternoon tomorrow. Return to my study, and we shall reconvene then.”

“Excellent, thank you, Luna. I learned a lot,” Twilight declared.

Luna smirked. “As did I, young Twilight. As did I.”

Unknown to Twilight, Celestia stood atop the castle roof, her mostly white, though partially golden hoof glowing faintly. The alicorn stared at the limb for several seconds before glancing up at the tower and noting the familiar glows emerging from within. The mare was conflicted and more than a little confused, but knew enough to know who was up there.

“What are you two doing?” Celestia murmured before reluctantly shaking her head and returning to her patrol route once more.

Author's Note

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Life

Twilight awoke suddenly, her entire body lurching forward with enough force to nearly launch the mare from her bed. Her chest heaved, and though she had no pulse, the mare could sense her heart was about to pound its way out of her chest. Combined with the perspiration which ran down her forehead, she suddenly felt more alive than she had in weeks.

“Was I… sleeping?” Twilight murmured absently.

She glanced at the bed, recalling the moment she had lay down in order to rest her aching head. She had decided to close her eyes just for a few minutes, and yet here she was, an indeterminate amount of time later. She shielded her eyes and glanced towards the window where the morning sun shone brightly.

Thankfully its light didn't meet her gaze, though the sun’s mere presence was enough to startle the unicorn. Thinking back, Twilight tried to remember how long she had been lying there, and what she had dreamt about, but came back with nothing. Though she was sure she had slept, Twilight was uncertain if she had dreamt, though perhaps that was for the best.

After giving her head a shake and dismissing the cloying remnants of sleep, Twilight pushed her way towards the edge of the bed. Putting her hooves under herself once more, she tried to take a step forward, only to stumble and nearly fall. A sudden sense of vertigo gripped her, and it took several more seconds before the dizziness left her completely.

“I guess that little lesson took more out of me than I thought,” Twilight muttered to herself.

Waking up was a strange sensation, especially since she had not required sleep for several days at this point. Thankfully the strange feeling was one she knew well, and, after a little bit of stumbling, she was able to walk over to a mirror. The rather simple silver reflective surface sat near the end of her bed and revealed that the mare had a rather bedraggled mane.

Like herself, this Twilight seemed to have a very minimalist sense of style, so it took only a bit of magic to straighten her hair once again. An action she took great joy in accomplishing, as her hooves and necromancy lacked the dexterity that her telekinesis did. After she no longer looked like she had just crawled out of her own grave, Twilight gave her reflection a satisfied nod before trotting to the door.

Stepping out into the hall, Twilight expected the silence of her quiet room to continue, only to be surprised when she heard excited conversation from nearby. Glancing to her right, she noted that a pair of minotaurs were speaking animatedly in hushed tones near an open window. Not only that, but several maids were clustered in the entrance of a set of double doors, wide joyful expressions on their faces.

The mood in the hallway was jovial, and before Twilight could even choose a direction, a pegasus came sprinting towards her. Clasped tight to his chest were a bundle of papers and books which he carried to parts unknown after rounding the bend to Twilight’s left.

“I wonder what's going on,” Twilight murmured.

Deciding to take her chances with the minotaurs, Twilight trotted up to the duo and cleared her throat expectantly.

“Good morning,” she announced.

The bipeds gave their unexpected visitor a respectful half bow, placing one closed fist over their hearts.

“Good day to you, Director Sparkle,” exclaimed the slightly taller and thinner of the two in a distinctly masculine voice.

“And what a wonderful day it is,” added the other in a deeper, yet more feminine tone.

“What happened to get everyone in a hubbub all of a sudden?” Twilight inquired.

“Did you not hear?” asked the male.

“How could you not know about Cadance’s return?” added the female.

“So that’s today then?” Twilight replied curiously.

The male grinned and lightly punched the unicorn in the shoulder. “Oh, you sly dog. You knew, didn't you?”

“I may have. Though I’m curious as to who made the announcement,” Twilight tactfully answered.

“Celestia did so only a few hours ago during her morning speech to the guards,” declared the female. “She just hinted at first, but it took only a few pointed questions. They managed to weasel it out of her.”

“To think she will be coming back from ‘vacation’ already. Alicorns sure are something,” muttered the male in awe.

Twilight frowned. “That does sound like her. My apologies for intruding.”

“It is no trouble, director,” replied the taller.

“No trouble at all,” added the other, who repeated the closed fisted gesture from earlier.

Twilight turned quickly and resumed her trot, now with a bit more on her mind save for her unkempt appearance. Though Twilight was slightly annoyed by Celestia’s rash actions, she could hardly blame the alicorn. Especially considering how excited Celestia likely was, and how small the chance of interference would likely be.

Though a dragon cult probably wasn't in the area, Twilight still didn't like adding extra layers to her plans. Especially when she was in an unfamiliar time and place, without the assistance of her friends no less. The more Twilight thought about it, the more she couldn't help but worry, and just when those negative feelings were beginning to pile up, Twilight shook her head.

“Focus. Let’s get some food, wait for our meeting with Luna, and then start preparing for the resurrection,” Twilight murmured to herself, being careful to keep her voice low as she passed by a trio of soldiers.

Thankfully they, like the others Twilight had seen so far, were too engrossed in their own conversation to even hear Twilight’s mutterings. They also didn't bat an eye at the mare when they did hear her talking to herself, and Twilight silently wondered if her other self did that often. With a goal in mind, she walked to the half-built kitchens where she placed an order for whatever they had on available.

While she waited, she couldn't help but listen to a few of the many conversations happening within and just outside of the mess area.

“Do you think I’ve got a chance with her?” whispered a deep feminine voice.

“She's the Princess of Love. What do you think?” replied a slightly shrill male.

“Yeah, but she's the princess of all kinds of love. Including the temporary kind,” replied the first pony in a suggestive manner.

The second voice snorted. “Yeah, good luck with that. You may have bedded more maidens than I, but she’s probably got you beat tenfold.”

“Hmm, that's what you think. Just last week I learned this thing with my tongue where I-”

Twilight tuned out that particular conversation and focused on a pair of young stallions wearing loose-fitting armor who stood relatively close by.

“Do you think she’ll start giving out advice again?” whispered one of them.

“I keep telling you, all you have to do is talk to her. You don't need a princess to tell you that,” replied his friend.

“But she's a minotaur! You can’t just walk up and talk to one. You gotta prove yourself!” retorted the first.

“Fine. I’ll bet my entire beer allowance for the month that Cadance is just going to tell you the same thing I have,” offered the second, slightly older-sounding male.

“Really? You're on!”

Twilight ruminated on the information she had received and was about to start eavesdropping on someone else when an older stallion with a white mane approached her. He carefully placed a bowl of beans and brown bread before the unicorn, flashing her a wide smile once his job was complete.

“Yer breakfast, Director,” he greeted.

“Thank you,” Twilight replied. “Say, what do you make of Cadance’s return?”

The male raised an eyebrow. “What exactly do you mean?”

“Well, what's your opinion of her?” Twilight continued.

The elderly stallion hummed thoughtfully. “Well, I can confidently say her comin’ back from her little vacation will be a great relief to my old ma. The poor mare used to clean Cadance’s room and grew a mighty bit protective of her during her twenty years of service.”

Twilight chewed languidly on her bread while she listened to him.

“Had a right crush on the alicorn when she was young, but thankfully Cadance looked her in the eye and set her straight,” he remarked. “Even helped things along with my dad, thankfully. Otherwise I wouldn't be here talkin’ to ya right now.”

Twilight chuckled.

“Whether the rumours of her demise are true or not, it don't matter to me. I’m just glad she's coming back,” the stallion stated confidently.

“Which they aren't,” Twilight quickly interjected.

The stallion smiled. “Whatever you say. In general though, I think most folk feel the same way I do. Either that, or they just wanna look into those big green eyes of hers and find out who their soulmate is.”

“Green…” Twilight murmured, her mind going back to her first meeting with the scarred alicorn from a few months earlier. Her memory was a little fuzzy, but she didn't think that Cadance’s eyes had been green.

Chrysalis’, on the other hand...

“Whelp, I better get back to it before Surprise burns another cake. Enjoy the meal,” offered the male before turning and walking away.

“Oh, uh right, you too.” Twilight winced. “Whenever you have lunch, that is... and he's gone.”

The unicorn sighed, running a hoof down her face. “I really have to pay more attention to the person I’m talking to.”

Twilight took her food and trotted out of the room, searching for a quiet spot to eat while she contemplated what she had learned. After finding a small nook next to a large window, Twilight plopped down and bit into her last piece of bread, mind wandering aimlessly. The meal itself wasn't half bad, and though a little primitive by her more modern tastes, it was quite tasty.

While she filled her belly, she wondered what kind of connection Chrysalis and Cadance had. Other than the more obvious romantic one that anyone who had met with and spoken to the pair could recognize. Twilight recalled that they had apparently escaped some sort of prison together, though they hadn't mentioned much outside of that.

But if Luna’s words were anything to go by, then there were shapeshifters in this time period, though that could mean anything. After all, Twilight barely understood dragon magic, and they might very well have the ability to alter their appearance like a changeling. They also might only be very good illusion mages, and Twilight had merely assumed Luna meant changeling when she spoke of doppelgangers.

“Too many questions, not nearly enough answers,” Twilight murmured, staring out the window with a frown on her face. “As per usual.”

Twilight sighed, stood up from her spot, and made her way back to the kitchen in order to return her wooden bowl. As she walked, Twilight wondered what she should do with her time while she waited for her meeting with Luna to arrive. Her first instinct was to help in some way, but without knowing how her actions may affect history, she wasn't sure if she should.

“Damn the time stream,” Twilight muttered, dropping her bowl amidst a pile of others and turning towards the nearest guard. “You there. Where is the closest hospital or infirmary?”

The mare jumped to a stand. “Right down the hall, down the stairs, and then on the right side of the room, ma’am!”

Twilight nodded. “Thank you.”

Without giving the startled guard a second look, Twilight began to follow her directions, leaving the mess hall behind. In her mind the mare was already recalling what Sunset had taught her about healing magic while also coming up with a plan. Behind her, completely forgotten, stood the guard who silently watched Twilight walk away.

“She is as intense as they say,” murmured the mare. “What do you think she’s up to?”

Her partner chuckled. “You haven't been around here long, have you?”

“Err no. I’ve been out on campaign since I signed up. Why?” asked the mare.

The stallion standing next to her smirked. “That right there is a bonafide genius of the highest order. Whatever she's up to, expect to only hear about it in a decade’s time after the princesses decide to authorize the release of said information.”

“Is she really that smart?” questioned the mare.

“She ended the dragon threat nearly single-hoofedly,” he remarked. “Heck, if anyone should have a secret fanclub, it should be her and not Luna.”

The mare’s face went pale, and she leaned in close. “How did you find out about that? Have you been following me?”

The stallion raised his forehooves defensively. “Hey now, ain't nothing wrong with having a favorite princess. I’m just saying that if anyone should have their hooves kissed, it should be her.”

The mare’s shoulders fell, and she glanced back down the hallway Twilight had disappeared into a minute earlier. “Maybe…” she murmured.

Twilight smiled as she trotted the halls, silently congratulating herself for the stealthy assistance she was able to grant to a select few creatures. With only a few honeyed words, she had avoided suspicion while also using her necromancy to heal nearly a dozen patients. Most were beyond the limited medical understanding of the time, while several others needed only a slight magical nudge in the right direction.

In the end, Twilight was certain that they would all make a full recovery, and, better still, she hadn't even used a significant amount of magic. Her natural regeneration, although greatly lesser than in her own time, was more than enough to refill her reserves within minutes. She had also been more or less undetected throughout, and if she was lucky, the effects on the time stream would be minimal.

Besides, it wasn't like Twilight could have just ignored a creature in need.

“Afternoon,” Twilight greeted, nodding to the two thestrals standing outside of Luna’s office. “Is Luna in?”

“She is,” remarked the taller of the two. “Though I should warn you that she appeared rather irritated.”

“That would probably be due to Celestia,” Twilight added.

“Probably. Either way, go on in. She’s expecting you,” offered the other.

Twilight nodded. “Thank you.”

The unicorn then pushed open the door and trotted inside, smiling faintly when she noticed Luna was working away at her desk. A quill blurred across a page while the mare’s eyes scanned a separate document. Twilight gently closed the door behind her and then sat across from the mare, waiting patiently for her chance to speak.

It took only a few minutes before at long last Luna gently blew on the scroll she had been writing on before rolling it up. She then gently placed it aside, crossed her hooves in front of her, and fixed Twilight with a gentle smile.

“Thank you, by the way. Our Twilight would have simply cleared her throat and demanded to speak,” Luna exclaimed.

“I’m not doing the best job acting like her, am I?” Twilight replied, scratching her cheek with a hoof.

“It is a nice change of pace. Though not, if it leads to more problems with my sister,” Luna deadpanned.

“So you heard about that,” Twilight muttered.

“I heard about it a minute after it happened, but chose not to mention it at the time,” Luna replied. “I should not have to remind you to tread carefully. Celestia’s relationship with your… twin is incredibly important to her.”

“And to the other me as well,” Twilight pointed out.

“True, though Celestia’s mental state is in a precarious spot, and if she were to believe that she lost the one pony who has been her rock during these trying times, it would be devastating.” Luna’s eyes narrowed. “And I also shouldn't have to mention how bad it would be if an alicorn went mad.”

“I’ll do my best,” Twilight quickly replied.

Luna nodded. “See that you do so and that you return your twin to her proper time soon.”

“Is that why we are moving ahead on the ritual so quickly?” Twilight questioned.

Luna sighed. “That, and Celestia couldn't help but gloat about it the second she was informed of Cadance’s return.”

“I don't think that was wholly her fault. A guard mentioned that they prodded it out of her,” Twilight replied.

“Regardless of how it came about, she spilled the beans early,” Luna exclaimed, her brow knitting tightly. “The chances of this backfiring are admittedly small, but I want to lower them even more by getting it done as soon as possible.”

“That explains why you moved things up,” Twilight remarked.

“It is. I also don't want to disappoint our subjects, though that is a lesser concern,” Luna added, rising from her seat. “Now we must continue with the next lesson, and quickly if we hope to have you recovered by the time this evening comes around.”

“Great. What do we have to do?” Twilight offered, following Luna as she made her way into the hall.

“We must go to a special place far away from anything living,” Luna replied. “There you will come to understand life in a way you would have otherwise never have imagined.”

“Where is this place anyway?” Twilight asked, her curiosity piqued.

“It is deep below the earth. Where the natural ley lines of the planet near the surface. It is there that you will learn what it truly means to be alive,” Luna claimed.

“What do you mean exactly?” Twilight pressed.

“You will see,” Luna answered.

Twilight frowned as they made their way up to the roof of the keep, where a pegasus-pulled chariot stood waiting. As well as a slightly hesitant looking Celestia who was armed, armored, and staring directly at the pair. Upon ascending the final set of stairs, the fiery alicorn trotted over to them, her heavy plate mail clanking loudly with each step.

“Sister, you must allow me to accompany you,” Celestia immediately stated. “I know you said you needed me here, but I cannot in good conscience let you wander off alone.”

Luna snorted. “We are not going far, and our subjects will need someone to look to while we are gone. You should remain here while I teach Twilight the final word.”

“Do you not have need for the words fire or light?” Celestia replied, glancing expectantly to Twilight. “I know you don't like borrowing the power of the dragons, but surely it couldn't hurt for me to teach you them as well.”

Twilight hesitated before shaking her head. “I don't need to know those quite yet. Perhaps after the ritual is complete you may teach me.”

“But-” Celestia began.

“-I do think you should come with us though,” Twilight interjected, glancing expectantly to Luna. “You said it yourself. We are not going far nor will we be gone long. What harm would there be in some added security and better company? No offence to our ride.”

Luna frowned and seemed about to dismiss Twilight’s assertion, only to notice the confident look in the unicorn’s eye.

“Fine,” Luna conceded. “But Celestia must wait outside of the cave entrance, or else I will not be able to teach Twilight the word.”

Celestia gently nuzzled Twilight’s cheek briefly before taking a step back and plunking a helmet onto her own head.

“Thank you, dear. I may not be able to protect everyone, but I can at least keep you two safe,” Celestia exclaimed.

Luna rolled her eyes. “As if I would let our dearest subject come to harm.”

Celestia chuckled. “I have no doubt of your skills, sister. I merely wish to give what support I can to the mare I love.”

Twilight blushed and awkwardly stepped to the side, watching as Celestia donned the last of her equipment. Luna, meanwhile, merely ignored the other alicorn and boarded their carriage before glancing back at Twilight expectantly.

“Well, are you coming?” Luna offered.

Twilight blinked and hastily took her place at the dark alicorn’s side, her gaze going to the lack of railings or supports on the small carriage. Even the word carriage felt wrong in Twilight’s mind, as there were no walls or comfortable seats. The entire ride resembled a bucket without a back, and there were only a pair of hoof-holds to ensure she didn't tumble off the thing the second it began to move.

Thankfully, Luna’s confidence and oddly enough Celestia’s presence helped to alleviate some of the unicorn’s worries.

Gripping the front tight in her forehooves, Twilight waited as Luna barked a few orders before settling in herself. Celestia was the first to become airborne, the alicorn simply leaping straight up before opening her wings and taking flight. The move less than subtly reminded Twilight of just how physically powerful an alicorn was, or at least how strong Celestia was anyway.

“Show off,” Luna muttered under her breath.

Twilight chuckled as she watched Celestia circle above them while the pegasi pulling their carriage warmed up. A second later the entire thing lurched forward, startling Twilight, who grabbed the front even tighter than before. She continued to grip the lip like her life depended on it even after they had leveled out and were no longer gaining altitude.

Resisting the urge to glance over the side was difficult to do, and Twilight turned to Luna in order to distract herself.

“Sooo….” Twilight began. “Tell me more about the alicorns.”

Luna raised an eyebrow and glanced down at Twilight curiously. “Don't tell me you're scared of heights as well.”

“If I was meant to fly, I’d have wings on my back,” Twilight replied.

Luna chuckled. “Fair enough. What do you want to know? Or were you merely hoping I’d ramble so you’d have something to focus on?”

“Yes,” Twilight answered.

Luna’s smile grew. “Fair enough. Well, to start, alicorns are at the head of a multi-dimensional empire that spans many worlds across as many realities. They travel through the infinite darkness by using the presence of magic as a beacon in the night. After establishing a connection to a world, they seed it with ponies in order to support their newest colony, and then simply return in several millennia.”

“Why ponies though and why not stay with them?” Twilight questioned.

Luna smirked down at the mare. “Are you sure you’re actually a different Twilight Sparkle? Because I’m fairly certain your twin asked me the exact same question.”

“It's the obvious logical conclusion,” Twilight retorted.

“I think she said the same thing too,” Luna added with a chuckle. “Though the answer to your question is quite simple. Ponies naturally terraform the land, creating acres of arable grassland while also taming the weather. In addition, they naturally work together, and given enough time will eventually create the perfect world. All the alicorns have to do is come in, make a few trades for advanced technology, and within several generations they have another planet under their control.”

“You make it sound so simple,” Twilight murmured.

“It is the nature of ponies to submit to their alicorn masters,” Luna pointed out.

Twilight hummed thoughtfully. “I’m curious, though. What about the other races, like minotaurs and gryphons? Were they never encountered before?’

“Ah, now that is an intriguing question,” Luna exclaimed. “From what my mother told me before her passing, when life and magic are found on the same world, the species of that planet tend to develop towards only a few specific forms. The dragons are one of the only aberrations to that general principle discovered and-”

Twilight nodded. “Fascinating, and what about the role of the stars?”

“I’ll answer that question in a moment, but first I must congratulate you on making it the entire flight without getting sick or demanding we land for a break,” Luna exclaimed.

Twilight blinked and looked around, only now realizing that she was on solid ground once more. Behind her the pegasi who had been pulling their sky carriage were stretching in a small open field. Celestia was circling above them, her horn glowing as she no doubt scanned the forest which surrounded them for hostiles.

The sparsely inhabited and completely normal looking woodland had little to offer in the way of enemies though. Even the sounds of birds were curiously absent, and only the noise of distant buzzing insects pierced the quiet which had fallen over them. Then with a fwoosh and thump, Celestia landed next to them, grinning at the pair.

“There is nothing to threaten you here, save for the odd thorn bush,” Celestia proclaimed.

“The cave opening is only a few metres away. You may join us up until its entrance, though after that I must insist that you wait outside,” Luna exclaimed.

Celestia rolled her eyes. “I remember, sister.”

“Good, because this lesson will likely be a difficult one, and we do not have the time to repeat it thanks to someone,” Luna replied.

“It will be fine,” Twilight quickly interjected. “Why don't you lead the way, Luna?”

The darker alicorn nodded and did just that, following a small, ill-used path in the woods.

“Thank you, by the way,” Celestia whispered, taking her spot next to Twilight as they moved to follow the other mare.

“Not a problem at all,” Twilight quickly replied with a smile. “It is nice to have another friendly face out here.”

Celestia smiled and gently nudged the mare with a hip. “And expect that much more often after Cadance’s return. At least then I won't have to try and fail to take over for her.”

“I’m sure you’ve been doing a wonderful job,” Twilight exclaimed, ducking under a low hanging branch.

Celestia snorted, her gaze going to the back of Luna’s head. “That's not what the others say.”

“Well, the others do not understand you as I do,” Twilight retorted.

“T-thanks,” Celestia whispered.

“Here we are,” Luna declared.

The alicorn lit her horn and caused the landscape to ripple briefly before the small thicket before them melted away, revealing an equally small crag that popped up in the middle of the forest, a large hole visible in its center. This opening curved down and to the right before disappearing into the darkness, its interior remarkably bereft of the usual rocky outcroppings one might expect from a natural cave.

“How far down does it go?” Twilight inquired.

“Far,” Luna replied simply. “Not to worry though, I’ve ensured that it is structurally sound.”

“I’ll await your return here then,” Celestia remarked, taking position to the right of the opening.

“Now, I must warn you, this may take a while, so I will have to ask for patience from you both,” Luna added, glancing from Celestia to Twilight and back again.

“You don't have to repeat yourself so many times,” Celestia whined.

“It is worth noting at least,” Twilight murmured.

“The preparations will continue according to plan with or without our presence, so don't worry about rushing things or worrying about returning in time,” Luna added.

“Still, you had best get moving. Because it won't be me explaining to our subjects why Cadance’s vacation was extended by another day,” Celestia exclaimed.

Luna snorted. “Come, Twilight. As crude as she may be, my sister has a point.”

Twilight gave the solar alicorn a brief smile. “Thank you, dear. I will see soon.”

“I’ll try not to get too impatient,” Celestia replied, flashing the mare a grin of her own.

Twilight chuckled as she followed Luna into the cave, the sound of their hoofsteps reverberating off the stone walls and echoing deep into the earth.

“Woah,” Twilight murmured in surprise.

“Each noise you make will be sent down into the depths of the cave,” Luna explained. “This was used as a non-magical alarm system of sorts which was intended to alert the golems which had at one time guarded the hoard beneath us.”

“I assume you removed them?” Twilight questioned.

Luna nodded. “The guardians as well as the wealth they were protecting. Now it is nothing more than a winding tunnel that ends in a large, open space.”

“Seems kind of wasteful,” Twilight remarked.

“That's dragons for you though,” Luna replied, gesturing to the smooth walls which curved down in a gentle slope deeper into the earth. “They would use magic capable of altering the fabric of reality just to build a hole which they could dump their gold into.”

Twilight frowned. “That's just so… unimaginative.”

“Trust me, they were plenty imaginative. Just in ways which you and I would find deeply unpleasant,” Luna muttered. “But we have enough time to answer your question now if you’d like.”

“Oh, the one about stars?” Twilight inquired.

Luna nodded. “Yes, and the answer is both simple, and incredibly complicated, though that isn't true for other worlds. For you see, in most realities the stars are simply masses of magic that were ejected after the planet beneath our hooves came to be.”

“But in others?” Twilight pressed.

“In others they are each a sun like the kind my sister has bonded with,” Luna answered. “Each one has a world or many worlds surrounding it.”

“But there are so many,” Twilight muttered in shock.

“These realities usually have very little magic, or so I’ve been told anyway. They also tend to be home to hairless bipedal creatures capable of spanning the vast darkness between them without the aid of magic,” Luna continued.

“Fascinating,” Twilight whispered. “Please tell me more.”

Luna smiled. “Gladly. Now the first thing you need to remember is that magic of that magnitude present within our stars is strange and fickle, operating on its own rules, and-”

Twilight gaped silently. “And to think my grandmother might have been right when she said we each have a star.”

“It's possible,” Luna replied, pushing a little more magic into her horn in order to increase the brightness of the ball of light floating before them. “They might also tell the future, for all we know. They are simply too vast and too numerous to study.”

“I wonder…” Twilight murmured, her mind wandering back to her own time.

Around them the smooth walls of the winding hallway continued down into the darkness below. Only the ground beneath their hooves wasn't perfectly flat, the surface being broken by what had at one point been stairs. Something had beaten or cracked most of them, however, making it slightly irritating to walk down in Twilight’s opinion.

Thankfully it wasn't long before they reached flat ground, the walls falling away to reveal a pair pedestals on either side of her, each of which was large enough for a small dragon to sit upon. The statues that had once stood vigil over the entrance were gone, and only the shattered remnants of one of them remained. Beyond the former guardians’ seats were a short set of stairs which went down into a much, much larger room.

Where a dome the likes of which put the Ponyville town hall to shame, in both size as well as height, waited. Luna’s meagre light couldn't even begin to illuminate the massive empty space, nor could Twilight’s night vision pierce the darkness. Twilight could only imagine just how much gold and other valuables could have been piled here at one time.

It would have been enough to finance several wars, feed every hungry pony in Equestria, or collapse the value of gold if dumped onto the open market. For a moment Twilight was almost a little sad that she hadn't had the chance to see it herself before the pony reminded herself how angry it would have likely made her, should she have seen it. Brushing off her curiosities, Twilight glanced down to where Luna strode into the center of the vast empty space.

Not wanting to get left behind, Twilight followed quickly thereafter, falling in next to the alicorn.

“I have a confession to make,” Luna began.

Twilight blinked, a bit of nervousness welling in her chest. “Oh? And what did you wish to confess?”

“I had attempted to make things harder for you when it came to your understanding of the soul,” Luna replied, the unicorn’s shoulders falling. “I let my distaste for your actions override my better judgement by not giving you the primer I should have. I know it was ultimately unneeded, but still I wish to apologize.”

Twilight sighed. “That's fine. Honestly I’d be a little mad with myself if I were in your shoes.”

“Regardless,” Luna stated, turning to the mare. “These words are supposed to be nearly impossible for any to learn, save for when some of that knowledge is gifted to another before they complete the necessary training.”

“I’m ready whenever you are,” Twilight exclaimed.

Luna fixed the other mare with a firm look. “Brace yourself. This will not be the most comfortable of experiences.”

“What are you going to do?” Twilight hesitantly asked. “It isn't going to hurt, is it?”

“Not likely,” Luna answered. “I will be giving you, in essence, a piece of my soul. This part of me will contain some of my understanding of the word life.”

“That sounds more uncomfortable for you than me,” Twilight replied.

“We alicorns can take it. You mortals less so,” Luna countered. “Now make ready. I will only do this once.”

Twilight looked around the empty space. “Should I be sitting or something?”

“If that would make you more comfortable,” Luna answered.

Twilight considered it for a moment before shaking her head. “I’m fine the way I am. Go ahead, Luna.”

The alicorn nodded and set her hooves wide apart before dismissing the soft glowing blue light which her horn had been emitting up until that point. She then breathed deeply, drawing power from down in her core by repeating this action several times. As she inhaled, her body began to glow brighter and brighter, her fur shimmering in the unearthly blue light coming from inside of her.

Twilight just stood there, growing more curious and confused with each passing second. It was obvious that the alicorn was building up to something, and though Twilight had assumed that it was a spell, the other mare’s horn remained unlit. Then the light emanating from deep within Luna’s body began to shift, going up her neck and settling behind her closed eyes.

“Gaze into my soul and receive my knowledge,” Luna exclaimed in a tone akin to a half-whispered prayer.

Unable to help herself, Twilight did as she was commanded, staring intently and waiting patiently. She tried to brace herself for when the sky blue eyes would open once more, though nothing could prepare her for what she would behold. For when Luna’s eyes opened, Twilight glimpsed the very edge of what felt like true infinity.

The only thing that came close to it was the great thing that lay beneath everything which Twilight saw when she had transported her soul back in time. Now, like then, Twilight felt as though she was little more than a mere mote of dust lost on a river so wide and so deep that she could not even perceive the edges thereof. Unlike before, Twilight was not a part of that enormous expanse, and was instead an observer or traveler looking in.

Standing atop that ocean of power, Twilight was struck by just how vast the alicorn’s soul truly was. Not only did it rival what Twilight had experienced when jumping back in time, but it also felt more directed and orderly. Rather than a churning mass of chaotic energies, the alicorn’s spirit was like the sea at rest.

Then a tendril extended from the great blue expanse and pressed against Twilight’s mind, a part of itself forcing its way into the unicorn’s being. It was an experience that Twilight would normally fight tooth and nail to reject, but she resisted that urge. Instead, she opened herself to it, inviting Luna into her own most sacred of domains.

There, a single pearl was left in the deepest recesses of Twilight’s mind, a single nugget of knowledge which quickly became a part of her. The extension of Luna’s soul then retracted and Twilight was no longer standing at the edge of infinity. Only an empty room constructed to house a dragon’s hoarded wealth, which now contained nought but darkness and dust.

The feeling of vertigo Twilight experienced made her feel as though she had just hopped off a boat after being at sea for some days. Her stomach churned, her mind ached, and her muscles burned as if she had just run several miles without a break. Shaking off the worst of these sensations took time, though Twilight managed to do just that after only a few moments of struggling.

“That certainly was… something,” Twilight muttered, glancing up to frowning Luna. “Are you alright?”

“I am…” Luna murmured after a short pause. “Your soul is a strange place. It feels vast and empty at the same time.”

“I am connected to many versions of myself,” Twilight tried to explain, scratching her cheek. “It's hard to explain, but that's likely what you're feeling.”

“Interesting…” Luna murmured. “Though I wish we had the time to explore that a little more, we must continue with the lesson.”

“Right, so what do I have to do again? Something about connecting to the earth?” Twilight asked, looking up at Luna expectantly.

“You must reach out and immerse yourself within the stream of life which circulates deep within our planet,” Luna exclaimed. “Trust me when I say this will be far more difficult than the last task I put before you.”

Twilight nodded. “Is there anything I should watch out for?”

“You will feel as though you are awash in a great river that moves faster than any you have ever witnessed. It will try to swallow you, but you must stay afloat,” Luna stated firmly. “If you do not return to me within three hours, I will be forced to reel you back, and we will try again tomorrow.”

“And if you can't pull me back?” Twilight inquired.

“Then your essence will have been swallowed by the planet, and you will have simply ceased to exist,” Luna replied, reaching forward and placing a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Fret not though, my young friend. You seem to have experience when it comes to navigating such strange tides.”

Twilight chuckled. “That is truer than you realize. Any last words of wisdom by chance?”

Luna shrugged. “When in the heat of combat or in the grip of a vicious undertow, all logic fails you. Leaving you with little option but to follow your instincts and do what your heart knows you should.”

“So…” Twilight rolled her hoof in the air. “Do that then?”

“Yes, Twilight. Do that,” Luna replied.

Twilight frowned and reluctantly sat down. “Fine, though I would have liked a little more direction than such a vague suggestion.”

“Alas that's not how this works,” Luna retorted, her nose wrinkling. “Now focus and begin the process. Your endless questions are leaving me with little patience.”

Twilight winced. “Right, sorry.”

Luna sighed. “I am sorry as well. It is not your questions that leave me irritable, but this vexing place we find ourselves in. Good luck. I know you can do it.”

“Right, give me a moment,” Twilight muttered.

Grasping onto the thread of her magic, Twilight recalled the experience she had gained when learning the last word. Manipulating her soul was predictably easy, but connecting herself to the primal wellspring from which all life originated was a little more difficult. Not that it was hard to find, because the second Twilight extended her senses beneath her, the pony immediately detected it.

Rather it was actually taking the plunge that was the hard part, as it was akin to throwing oneself into a raging river at the bottom of a canyon. For although her spirit was strong and greater than most, it was nothing compared to the vast expanse of spiritual energy flowing beneath her. The titanic torrent of souls that lay beneath the world was so vast and so fast moving that to call it a river would be a misnomer. Rather it was akin to an ocean moving at speeds such a body of water should be entirely incapable of.

Not only that, but it was filled with the spirits of the world’s lesser creatures both big and small, from the humble squirrel to the great star beasts seen only in the deepest reaches of the Everfree. Each one was represented in the vast flowing ocean beneath her, their cries of indignation and mourning filling her being.

It was enough to make Twilight briefly forget herself, as her entire being became awash in the rush of emotions not her own. These feelings were as raw and primal as the creatures they came from, bringing tears to Twilight’s eyes. It took a significant application of will before Twilight was able to overcome the animals’ raw emotions, but in the end she emerged relatively unscathed.

“I can do this,” she murmured to herself.

Closing her eyes once more, Twilight focused on the empty space between herself and the torrent of souls beneath her. Reaching out a thin strand of essence, Twilight brushed against the edge of the expanse and was immediately pulled under. Like trying to dip one’s hoof into the raging rapids to test the temperature, Twilight found herself tumbling into the ocean.

In an instant her body was gone, and she was awash in experiences and feelings not her own. Unlike the times when she had briefly connected with another pony, this time there were no clear memories for her to latch onto. Only an ever-expanding number of emotions, feelings, thoughts, and actions which occupied her mind and spirit.

The rabbit’s flight from a pursuing fox gave her terror, desperation, and the distinct burn that came with harsh exercise. The bear’s feast of berries filled Twilight with the same primal joy she knew when she had gorged herself on cookies as a child. The hawk’s lonely search for a mate gave Twilight a new appreciation for the isolation both she and this noble beast experienced.

Even the great oak had feelings that were almost like the ones Twilight had experienced in her lifetime. The first open sky of spring was joyful, as was the first thunderous downpour that came shortly thereafter. The coming of winter drew resignation and sorrow, but also hope for a new year that the plant knew would be coming soon. Patient and solemn, its spirit was strange, but not so much so that Twilight could not understand what it had gone through.

Not every sensation was easy to come to grips with however, as gazing out the many eyes of a hydra was deeply unnerving. As was the sensation of swallowing a zebra whole as a great snake older than the trees the massive serpent slipped deftly under. There were more creatures, far more, but they had become so numerous that it was impossible to pick each out as they flowed through Twilight’s mind.

Each experience bled into another until Twilight the unicorn ceased to be, her spirit awash in so many experiences that even thought left her. Time fell away from the pony as she became a thousand creatures at the same time. Yet as the torrent flowed over, under, and through the mare, a small, infinitesimally small part of the mare remained.

Her will created a cocoon around what little of her mind it could salvage, bringing forth a tiny island of calm and finally allowing the pony a chance to plan. Or at least she could think, for all she did was commiserate over her failure and impending annihilation. It was simply impossible, she had decided, to overcome something so massive and all-consuming.

To even think that she had at one point thought herself strong enough to grapple with a veritable storm of souls was frankly ridiculous in her mind. She may have been powerful for a pony, but what did that matter when compared to the sheer vastness of the planet. A trillion spirits was too great a force for anyone to take control of, and yet she had thought herself a match.

The sheer stupidity of it all made her want to laugh and cry in equal measure, but without a body all she could do was consider her own mortality. A topic she had not been forced to grapple with in a while, due to her growing power and increasing resistance to the reaper’s attempts to finish her. Yet here she was, staring death in the face, and all of her experience meant absolutely nothing.

No, she thought. I will not falter now, not after coming so far.

Her effort to grapple with and control the ocean of essence had failed, but Luna had evidently succeeded in this task. Twilight wondered what the alicorn had, which Twilight did not, exempting the obvious addition of wings. A serious attitude had evidently not helped the unicorn, so that couldn't be the solution she so needed.

Then it hit her.

Luna may be serious, but that did not mean she would not bend when it was required of her. Twilight knew well that the alicorn’s stern exterior melted away in the future and likely had already begun to defrost now that she was not locked in a desperate struggle for survival.

Do not fight the current, use it, Twilight told herself, bracing what was left of herself for the moment she released her protective cocoon.

Once free of her impromptu prison, Twilight felt herself become awash in the great torrent once more. This time she did not resist its tugs, merely adapting to how it pulled her deeper into its depths. A sensation which would normally bring panic prompted Twilight to release her manic desire to hold herself together.

This time when the rush of experiences returned, it did not overtake the mare completely, and within the depths Twilight found a piece of herself. The deeper and further she went, the more Twilight picked up the pieces of herself she had nearly lost during the initial plunge. Over time, the chaotic maelstrom became slower, calmler, until finally Twilight felt as though she could guide herself upwards once more.

An effort which would at one point have been impossible, Twilight glided through the streams and eddies like a salmon swimming upstream. As she moved slowly but surely back to her body, the unicorn took a moment to appreciate her surroundings. For there was a beauty there that Twilight had never grasped before, just like there was a vast ugliness she could not imagine.

Great apes fought wars for dominance while also painting primitive images on the walls of their cave home. The hydra she found so alien was still hard to comprehend, but it was also capable of the same love Twilight felt for her friends. Each one of these beasts Twilight would have considered mere obstacles contained within them a whole universe of knowledge she knew she would never fully understand.

But she didn't need to know, their worlds were separate and yet connected, different but similar. And she accepted that.

Twilight gasped, filling her lungs with unneeded oxygen, her entire body trembling as feeling returned to her once more. Blinking rapidly, Twilight looked around to find that Luna had a hoof over her heart and a worried look on her face.

“You nearly scared the life out of me. I thought for sure that you were a goner,” Luna remarked, seating herself once more.

“It couldn't have been that long. It felt like only a few minutes,” Twilight murmured.

“You were gone for hours. I was seconds from pulling you back,” Luna retorted, her eyes narrowing. “Did you come to the realization that I hope you have?”

“Yes, I…” Twilight hesitated and stood up. “Perhaps I should simply demonstrate.”

Luna stepped back and gestured invitingly with a hoof. “Go right ahead.”

Twilight smiled to herself as she closed her eyes and briefly meditated on her newfound understanding. Summoning all she knew on the subject of life, Twilight held those thoughts close as she brought forth her magic. Like before, that power did not come from her horn, but rather it built in her throat and spilled forth from her lips.

With the utterance of life, a sudden wind picked up in the cave, and beneath Twilight’s hooves trotted a ghostly green fox. The creature rubbed its body against the underside of the unicorn’s chest and coiled around her right forehoof. A sight which made Luna raise an eyebrow and glance expectantly at the unicorn.

“What did you do exactly?” she asked.

Twilight smiled as she petted the ghostly creature. “I spoke the word, of course. Did you not feel it?”

“I did,” Luna replied after a pause. “Though I’ve never…”

She watched as the creature leapt atop Twilight’s back before draping itself over the unicorn’s head. There it watched Luna closely, a mischievous expression on its furry features.

The alicorn’s frown slowly melted away, and she shook her head. “It matters not. You know the words, and we can move on. Provided you are strong enough to do so.”

“I am,” Twilight replied. “In fact I feel more alive than I have in a very long time.”

“That is good. Come then, we should return before Celestia begins to panic,” Luna declared.

“We wouldn't want that,” Twilight muttered, trotting after the departing alicorn. “Say, do you mind if I ask you a question?”

“You just did,” Luna pointed out with a smirk.

The fox rolled its eyes, as did Twilight.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Twilight remarked.

Luna nodded.

“Well, I’ve been using these words of power in spellcasting for a while. I was wondering if they were related to the dragon language somehow?” Twilight questioned.

“Utter a few of these words, and I will tell you one way or the other,” Luna answered.

Twilight hummed thoughtfully for a moment before glancing up at the fox on her head. “Za Dolpan kul gra-”

Luna’s magic forcefully closed the pony’s mouth, and the alicorn glared at her. “Do not utter the black speech of the demons, lest you attract their attention.”

Twilight cocked her head. “Wait, demons?”

“Yes, demons,” Luna replied. “How did you even learn the black tongue?”

“I…” Twilight paused. “I’m not sure. It just came to me one time.”

“Then you have crossed paths with a demon, and it has decided to give you an unbidden gift,” Luna exclaimed. “Do not use those words again, lest it return to you.”

Twilight nodded slowly, and stared gravely off into the distance. She tried to recall the moment the knowledge had come to her, but couldn't think of the exact time. The feeling of a ghostly tongue against her cheek prompted Twilight to emerge from her thoughts once more.

“You’re right. I’ll think about it later,” Twilight murmured.

Luna stopped at the bottom of the staircase and eyed the unicorn curiously. “Did you say something?”

Twilight shook her head. “No.”

“Good, then let us return to the surface,” Luna declared, walking away before Twilight had a chance to return.

“Right behind you,” Twilight remarked before following in the other mare’s hoofsteps.

Author's Note

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Unlife

Twilight wheezed painfully, her hooves shaking as she struggled to walk up the final few steps. In front of her, Luna waited impatiently along with Celestia who looked rather concerned for the unicorn’s health. Twilight’s summoned fox meanwhile was busy trying to pull the unicorn along by tugging on her leg, though it did very little.

“Are you sure you don't want my help?” Celestia offered.

Twilight stopped, leaned against a wall, and held up a trembling hoof. “I’m. Fine,” she declared between breaths.

I didn't even know my muscles could be this tired. You’d think that since I don't sleep that would mean I couldn't get to this level of exhaustion, Twilight thought to herself. This version of myself really needs to get in shape, and I should probably do the same now that I think about it.

“So where exactly did that spooky-looking fox come from?” Celestia inquired, prodding the creature in question with a hoof.

The fox hissed at the alicorn before putting itself between Celestia and Twilight, snapping at the taller mare every time she tried to touch it.

“Temperamental little thing too,” Celestia remarked.

“It's a creature I summoned. Partly by accident,” Twilight exclaimed.

“It is rather cute,” Luna stated somewhat reluctantly.

“On that we agree,” Celestia replied, distracting the fox with a hoof before slipping another limb behind the creature and sneakily petting it.

Within a few seconds the fox was like putty in the alicorn’s grip, and Twilight couldn't help but smile as she watched Celestia pick it up. Feeling her strength return to her, the unicorn trotted up the last few steps and joined the princesses at the top.

“So,” Twilight began. “What next? Return to the castle and begin preparations?”

“Precisely. Though Celestia and yourself will have to start without me, as there are several matters of state that need to be addressed first,” Luna exclaimed.

“We can begin the second we return, if you’d like,” Celestia offered, tossing the fox into the air and catching it.

“That would be nice. I am rather eager to get it done,” Twilight replied.

“As are we all,” Luna stated, gesturing back to the distant carriage and the patiently waiting pegasi standing nearby.

“Go on ahead. I was hoping to speak to Twilight in private,” Celestia remarked, glancing expectantly down at the unicorn in question.

Twilight nodded to Luna. “I think your sister deserves some conversation after being bored for as long as she has been.”

Luna chuckled as she walked away, shouting over her shoulder. “Quite right, Twilight. Just don't sneak off into the bushes, you two. We have work to do, you know.”

Celestia’s blush, though mostly hidden by her helmet, was still easily visible to Twilight. “I, uh. Wasn't planning on that.”

“Neither was I, dear,” Twilight exclaimed, smiling at the other mare. “What did you wish to discuss?”

“Just how things went… down there,” Celestia replied somewhat awkwardly. “You were gone for quite a while, and I admit I was getting worried.”

“It was…” Twilight hesitated, rolling several words around in her mind before eventually settling on one that sounded appropriate. “Enlightening.”

“You weren’t in danger, were you?” Celestia gently inquired. “I wouldn't ask, but I could tell that Luna was still a little worried about something.”

“There was a moment of danger, but it passed quickly and thankfully without any lasting harm,” Twilight admitted after a short pause.

“What happened?” Celestia asked, her voice growing low. “I’m not doubting you or anything but… well, you know how I get.”

“During the lesson I nearly lost myself, but thankfully I pulled out before Luna needed to do anything drastic,” Twilight answered.

The alicorn’s frown twisted for a moment before falling away. “That is good to hear. Luna also mentioned that you learned the necessary word. Is that true?”

Twilight nodded. “It is.”

“She wasn't too strict with you, was she?” Celestia pressed, a small smirk coming to her face as she deposited the fox back on the ground.

“Maybe a little,” Twilight admitted, a hoof going to the ghostly creature’s back. “She can be rather impatient at times.”

Celestia chuckled. “Very true.”

“How were things up here? You didn't have to fight off any wild beasts by chance, did you?” Twilight asked, noting that the alicorn’s armor was still spotless.

Celestia shook her head. “No. The most exciting thing that happened was Sure Shot eating a choke cherry and making his face turn inside out.”

Twilight wondered briefly if that was a thing that could happen before quickly brushing the thought aside. “They are quite sour,” she remarked.

“Very true. Well, I’ve kept our escort waiting for long enough. Though I was hoping that I could offer my own expertise on the dragon language sometime soon,” Celestia offered after a moment of hesitation.

“That would be interesting. I admit that perhaps my distaste for it was not wholly earned,” Twilight remarked as they began to walk once more.

“Wonderful!” Celestia proclaimed, a grin spreading across her face. “I was thinking we could go for a flight this evening before the ritual so I could teach you the word for light.”

“How about we hold off until after,” Twilight quickly replied. “I know you're as eager to teach as I am to learn, but our focus must be on returning Cadance to us.”

The alicorn deflated somewhat, though her smile remained. “You are right, I’m sorry. I think I was a little wrapped up in the fact that you were finally okay with learning the words and got too excited.”

“It’s fine,” Twilight stated with a smile of her own.

“Ahh, there you two are,” Luna greeted, already standing at the back of the carriage. “Are you ready to go?”

“We are,” Twilight stated, falling in next to the darker alicorn.

As the pegasus soldiers began their preparations, and Luna settled in, Twilight felt her gaze drawn to Celestia. Though the alicorn was outwardly calm and collected, she was also exuding an aura of worry that even Twilight could detect. The unicorn’s words had evidently done little to assuage the other mare’s concerns, and Twilight hoped she could return to her own time soon.

I hope I don't ruin their relationship, Twilight thought to herself. She's a strong mare, though, I’m sure it will be fine. Besides, Cadance will be back soon, which will help both the other me and Celestia quite a bit.

The thoughts, though logical, did little to stop from Twilight from worrying about her other self as well as Celestia. The stress Twilight had inadvertently caused the alicorn was visibly taking its toll, and Twilight wondered what would happen if things went south before she could switch back. Though strong, Celestia was going through a lot, and it wasn't impossible to imagine that she might break down under the weight of it all.

Just another reason to focus on the task at hoof, Twilight thought to herself.

“Good luck dealing with he-who-shall-not-be-named,” Celestia whispered in a conspiratorial manner.

Luna rolled her eyes. “Sextant Hale may be a rather brutish minotaur, but he is honorable enough to deal with.”

“You’re just saying that because he shows up to all of his meetings without a shirt,” Celestia needled, smirking at her sister.

“I do not!” Luna retorted, turning away quickly and hiding the slight blush that colored her cheeks. “I just appreciate his very straightforward attitude, is all.”

“Suure,” Celestia exclaimed. “Come on, Twilight. We better get moving before little Lulu lights my tail on fire.”

“You would be lucky that is the only thing you lose,” Luna grumbled, mumbling curses under her breath as she walked away.

Twilight merely chuckled as her and Celestia departed in the other direction. “I think you got pretty close to losing your mane that time.”

Celestia giggled. “Oh, she likes to complain, but Luna enjoys my little pet names. Makes her feel cute.”

“Hmm, maybe. Though I still think it's a good thing that no one was around,” Twilight added, glancing back down the long, empty castle hallway behind them.

“Very true. Even I have enough sense not to tease her like that in front of her soldiers,” Celestia remarked, only to chuckle. “Unless I had a deathwish, that is.”

Twilight nodded as they continued to walk deeper into the castle, the afternoon sun peeking through the odd window to her left. Only a pair of guards and a maid who had been more focused on fixing his mane before noticing Celestia was there, darkened their path. Watching as the male quickly pretended like he had been dusting the wall was amusing, though Celestia and Twilight resisted the urge to laugh until they had rounded a turn.

“So… What requires our attention?” Twilight inquired. “Luna said she had most of the set up covered, though did not elaborate on the subject.”

“Not much, admittedly,” Celestia exclaimed. “We merely need to double check the preparations and complete the last bit of rune-carving before we can begin. Though there was one thing I was hoping you could help me with before we get to all that.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “And what would that be?”

“Creating the infusion is a difficult and uncomfortable process. One that I would appreciate your presence while enduring,” Celestia whispered.

Twilight eyed her companion closely, noting the hushed way Celestia spoke of the process and the emphasis she placed on the word uncomfortable. Whatever was needed to create the infusion was painful, that much was obvious to Twilight, though there was something else to it. The manner in which Celestia spoke of it made the unicorn imagine that it was also forbidden or frowned upon in some way.

“Of course,” Twilight replied, turning her gaze back to the hall before them. “Where do we need to go?”

“To my room,” Celestia answered. “It can be accomplished anywhere, but that is where I am most comfortable.”

“Fair enough,” Twilight remarked.

As they walked, Twilight idly wondered how Celestia could have created such a strange and supposedly powerful elixir in the first place. It was obviously not a discovery that could have happened by accident, and the hint of guilt in Celestia’s voice only deepened the mystery. Regardless, Twilight knew the answers she sought were not far away, as the alicorn had begun to slow down.

“Here we are,” Celestia exclaimed, stopping before a simple oak door. “Just a moment while I undo the lock.”

Twilight resisted the urge to remark how plain things looked, or how close they were to the barracks. She also did her best to ignore how simple the alicorn’s lock spell was and how easy it would be to bypass. Twilight had a harder time keeping her mouth shut when Celestia’s door opened to reveal a tiny room that lacked even a window.

It looked like the space that might have been given to a particularly low-ranking officer noone particularly liked. Not only were there no windows, but there was no chandelier, only a scattering of candles Celestia lit after the pair had entered the space. The alicorn-sized bed had only a single roughspun blanket to cover it, though it at least had a pair of moderately-sized pillows.

After stepping inside, Celestia glanced back at Twilight expectantly. “Are you coming?”

Twilight quickly followed her, silently marveling at how spartan the space appeared. The only furniture Celestia owned besides her bed was a desk that was likely much too small for her to sit at comfortably. The workspace itself was empty, save for a single round-bottomed bottle capped by a golden crystal as well as a small black book.

“You have everything you need?” Twilight asked, casting a curious glance to the desk.

Celestia nodded. “The bottle and my notes are all that I require. Allow me a moment to lock up before we continue.”

Twilight did her best to hide the discomfort that came from being locked in a room with the mare. Yet she didn't feel nearly as uncomfortable as she would have otherwise assumed, and Twilight couldn't help but ruminate on the subject. It was obvious even after only a few seconds of thought that as Twilight learned more about this Celestia, the more she grew accustomed to her.

She didn't have long to contemplate this slight change, as Celestia had lit her horn and cast a comically laughable locking spell, followed by a set of anti-scrying spells that a child could likely bypass, though Celestia nodded confidently upon completion.

“There we are. Sorry about that, but I didn't want anyone listening in,” Celestia explained.

Twilight stiffly sat near the end of the bed. “That is understandable. Now, what exactly does this process require of you?”

Celestia sat down next to the other mare, her weight causing Twilight to slide closer until their sides touched.

“Can I tell you all about it after I’ve gone through the process?” Celestia whispered, glancing nervously down to Twilight.

Who eyed the other mare closely. “Why? Is it dangerous?”

“I ask this because you might not allow me to go through with it if you knew what it entailed,” Celestia admitted.

Twilight watched the alicorn for several more seconds before letting out a long sigh. “I suppose it is necessary and so long as you don't go teasing Luna in front of the army, we should not need to do this again any time soon.”

Celestia chuckled grimly. “Very true. Though I would still ask that you try not to be too angry with me.”

“I can only promise to keep an open mind,” Twilight stated.

Celestia nodded. “That's fair. Now then, one moment.”

The alicorn stood up, walked over to the desk, and pulled open the lone drawer before retrieving a small knife from within. Though even calling it a knife felt odd, as the thing was more like a sharpened piece of stone mounted on a brass hilt. Clearly ancient, the rust-colored weapon was primitive in the extreme, yet radiated an almost menacing aura.

The second Celestia took it in her hoof, the alicorn winced, though she pushed through whatever unpleasantness she was feeling quite quickly. The pony then retrieved her notes and began to look through them, flicking through a dozen or so pages before setting it back down. With a confident expression on her face, Celestia lit her horn, closed her eyes, and began to concentrate, pulling forth a great mass of power from deep down inside of herself.

Twilight couldn't help but feel a bit of fear worm its way into her heart upon seeing so much magic build in front of her. Her mind ran through a list of all the spells that such power could bring into being, and how many of them could kill her. None of the many imagined possibilities came true though, as Celestia cast something that Twilight had never seen before.

The golden glow of her horn shrunk until only a tiny ball was visible at the very tip. There it grew brighter and larger until eventually it resembled a blob of honey, which Celestia proceeded to gently drip into the bottle until it was nearly halfway full of the stuff.

Twilight leaned a little closer, watching intently as Celestia shut off the flow of magic and let out a low sigh of relief. She didn't rest for long though, and raised her hoof up to the lip of the glass container, closing her eyes in concentration. Seconds ticked by without event, and then just when Twilight was about to ask what Celestia was waiting for, something happened.

A slightly wavering golden aura emerged from the pony’s limb, though unlike the normal glow of her magic, this was different. Twilight quickly deduced that this was the alicorn’s soul and not her magical field at all, which explained its stranger appearance. Though the question remained as to why the alicorn was going through all that just to summon up a small part of her spirit.

More and more of her soul collected outside of Celestia’s hoof, which she angled just above the bottle’s opening. Twilight didn't have long to wonder what Celestia was planning, as the alicorn quickly grabbed the dagger. Then, with a single swipe of the bladed edge, she amputated a small section of her soul, which fell into the jar where it mingled with the magic, becoming a golden slurry.

Twilight leapt to her hooves and was next to the alicorn before she even felt her muscles twitch. Her own aura gripped the larger pony’s midsection when her hooves began to tremble, and together the pair tumbled to the bed. After a moment of confusion, Twilight managed to untangle herself from Celestia’s hooves in order to look the alicorn in the eye.

“That was an incredibly dangerous thing you just did,” Twilight declared.

Celestia chuckled weakly and waved a shaky hoof. “It was nothing. I got plenty more to spare.”

“Souls do not just grow back, Celestia,” Twilight retorted, her jaw hardening. “That could have killed you, or paralyzed you, or a thousand other possibilities!”

Celestia smiled faintly. “Trust me. I know the risks.”

“Then why did you do that? Surely there must be another way,” Twilight pressed.

“There isn't,” Celestia softly replied. “Neither Luna nor I have the skill necessary to use such necromancy, and besides I’m fine.”

“Still…” Twilight murmured, only now realizing how close they were and backing up slightly.

“I’m okay, Twilight. Really,” Celestia stressed, gently touching the other mare’s shoulder. “It takes more than that to injure an alicorn.”

“You don't understand. If you had died with a fractured and unstable soul, it would be unlikely that I could bring you back,” Twilight murmured.

Celestia shrugged. “At least then I could die knowing I wouldn't have failed a second time.”

“Second time?” Twilight asked.

“I’m the guardian sibling. I let Cadance go out on her own even though I knew there was a chance that a dragon could have resisted the call,” Celestia explained. “I killed her as surely as that poisoned dagger did.”

“You couldn't have known,” Twilight remarked, though the words rang hollow even before they passed her lips.

“I knew it was a possibility, and thus I should have acted on it,” Celestia stated. “Besides. Fighting is the only thing I’m good for. Without a war, I’m less than useless. At least if I died, then I’d have been of some value to my sisters.”

Twilight opened her mouth to retort, but felt such a mixture of anger and pity that her words turned into a wordless cry of disappointment. Instead of speaking, she simply reached out and grabbed the alicorn by the shoulders and hugged her tightly. Celestia tensed up for a moment before slowly relaxing and allowing the contact to continue, a sigh slipping past her lips.

They remained that way for nearly a minute until finally Twilight felt her voice return to her once more.

“You are not useless,” Twilight whispered.

“I-”

“You are not useless,” Twilight repeated firmly.

Celestia sighed and nuzzled the other mare’s neck. “I understand, dear.”

“Don't ever say that about yourself again,” Twilight continued.

“I won't,” Celestia replied.

Twilight pulled back in order to look the other pony in the eye. “You won’t what?” Twilight demanded.

“Say I’m useless,” Celestia answered, a soft smile crossing her face.

“Good,” Twilight muttered. “Now then. Let's change the subject to something more palatable.”

“Would you like to know how the potion works?” Celestia offered.

Twilight nodded her head. “I would love to.”

“I thought as much,” Celestia exclaimed, rising from the bed and placing the stopper into the top of the bottle. “The condensed magic acts as a sort of pseudo body which works as a container for a small part of my soul.”

“Otherwise it would have dissipated immediately,” Twilight remarked.

“Exactly,” Celestia stated with a smile. “Along with the enchantments I placed on the bottle, it condenses my essence and allows it to be consumed by another.”

“Fascinating,” Twilight whispered, extending a hoof. “May I?”

“So long as you don't drink it,” Celestia warned.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Why would I do that?”

“Hey, I’m just saying,” Celestia replied, levitating the bottle over to Twilight.

As Twilight began to inspect the glass container, she couldn't help but consider simply chugging it all right then and there. She chose to ignore that urge, however, and instead indulged in her curiosity for a few moments. So focused was the unicorn that she didn't notice Celestia observing her in turn, the alicorn eventually smiling when Twilight offered the object back to her.

“It is a remarkable work of enchantment,” Twilight exclaimed.

“Thank you,” Celestia replied. “It is really the only field of magic I actually enjoy practicing. Evocation is so simplistic, while divination just feels too much like guessing to me.”

“And that's without even mentioning illusion,” Twilight added with a smirk.

Celestia chuckled. “Quite true.”

The pair sat there with smiles on their faces for several long seconds before finally Twilight broke the silence.

“I suppose we should get going then, huh?” she remarked somewhat reluctantly.

“It would be best to check things out before Luna completes all of her obligations,” Celestia agreed.

Twilight nodded slowly and rose from the bed. “Right then. If you’re up to it, then I say we get moving.”

Celestia stood on slightly shaky hooves and nodded. “Ready when you are.”

“Fascinating,” Twilight murmured.

The unicorn couldn't help but stare at the enormous crystals which jutted out from the cave walls around her. Gone was the grey stone and boring flat expanses of rock which had marked their journey up until this point, replaced by something far more mysterious. Twilight had of course heard the tale of the crystal caverns beneath Canterlot, yet she had never seen them, nor had any member of the public for that matter.

Called dangerous by the government and sealed off by Celestia’s order, few took the steps Twilight was now taking. That was in a different time, however, now Celestia ruled nothing and made no demands of anyone. The contrast between them was significant, but Twilight didn't dwell on those details for very long.

For her gaze remained fixed on the pinkish purple crystals which sprouted from the very cave walls. Each one of which was varied ever so slightly from the next, refracting the dull light from Celestia’s horn in a million different directions. Though the seemingly endless catacombs would have been unnerving in the dark, with only a little light they were completely illuminated.

The dancing light of Celestia’s spell somehow managed to banish even the most stubborn of shadows. In fact, it almost seemed like the crystals themselves were assisting Celestia in this effort, ensuring their path was well lit. Not only did the crystals give off unique radiance, but they also made Twilight feel safe in a way she couldn't quite explain.

It was like she was in the presence of a very old friend, one who Twilight knew would do anything in her power to ensure the unicorn’s safety. She couldn't explain why she felt as such, though Twilight theorized that it must have been the simple color association. For when light shone through the crystals, they glowed every color of Cadance’s mane.

“They are quite unique, aren't they?” Celestia remarked.

Twilight nodded. “And quite… beautiful as well.”

Celestia stiffened briefly before nodding. “That they are. And to think they’ve already taken root deep within the mountain within only about a year’s time.”

“Then where did they come from?” Twilight asked before she could stop herself. I sure hope that wasn't a question the other me already asked.

Celestia was unbothered by the inquiry and gestured with a hoof towards the walls. “Cadance brought them into being. Though she likely did so without conscious effort.”

“Interesting,” Twilight murmured. “Are you sure that she is the cause?”

Celestia nodded. “I’m certain. Not only do they have her colors, but if you focus on them, you can detect trace amounts of alicorn magic within each crystal.”

Twilight peered intently at one of the larger crystal formations and noted that deep down within there existed a small swirl of teal which floated along an unseen internal current.

“So there is,” Twilight whispered.

“Any significantly powerful creature alters the world around them, a process which does not end in death. It is why the sleep spell we used forced the dragons to bury themselves underground,” Celestia explained. “Lest their lingering hate poison this world.”

“Though that effect is lessened in living creatures,” Twilight reasoned. “Right?”

Celestia nodded. “That is true. With a living host for this magic and a mind to guide it, these effects are usually incredibly subtle. Like how most rooms I’m in seem brighter than they would normally.”

“And why Luna has the opposite effect,” Twilight added.

“Exactly,” Celestia declared. “Though you knew that already, considering you were the one to teach this very fact to me.”

“I-” Twilight gulped, only now realizing how deep of a hole she had accidentally dug for herself. “I must have forgotten.”

“You have a perfect memory,” Celestia stated simply. “It is a part of your condition.”

Twilight felt her legs lock up as Celestia stopped several paces away and glanced in her direction. Within those violet orbs Twilight expected to find hate, fear, or least worry, but she found only grim acceptance as well as a deep sadness. Left confused, Twilight tried to think of some excuse or another before ultimately settling on the truth once again.

“I did not know that,” Twilight admitted.

“What happened to you?” Celestia softly asked.

“Being me comes with certain… complications,” Twilight muttered.

“Will you turn back to the way you were?” Celestia inquired, hope evident in her voice.

“The moment after I bring Cadance back,” Twilight replied.

Celestia’s shoulders slumped. “What happened to my Twilight then?”

“She and I traded places for a little while,” Twilight answered.

“What are you?” Celestia pressed, her eyes narrowing.

“Twilight Sparkle, just a different one than the one you know,” Twilight hastily exclaimed. “I’m something of a great great granddaughter of hers.”

“That…” Celestia frowned. “Explains the coldness I’ve felt from you.”

Twilight sighed and took a hesitant step forward. “And I’m sorry for that. I did not want to startle you, though perhaps looking back on it, I should have come clean at the very beginning.”

The alicorn’s features became drawn and tight, the mare visibly struggling with an upwell of conflicting emotions. Among the many feelings flowing through her the most prominent of which seemed to be anger. The alicorn’s eyes glowed with a fire Twilight had seen briefly in the memories of her other past self.

“She loves you more than she lets on, you know,” Twilight whispered, placing a hoof over her heart. “Even now I can feel the ghost of that feeling.”

In an instant all the anger and bitterness flowed from the towering mare, and Celestia gazed curiously at the pony across form her.

“Really?” she whispered.

Twilight nodded. “Though she is not here at the moment, it is like she has left behind a muscle memory that urges me even now to hug you tightly and stroke your mane.”

“That explains your actions earlier.” Celestia chuckled. “And why you want to touch my hair, as she always used to comb my mane after a long battle.”

“Trust me. She will return, but I have to bring Cadance back first,” Twilight continued. “Your Twilight did not have the know-how to do so, but I do.”

“So is that why you are here?” Celestia asked.

“One of the reasons, yes,” Twilight replied.

Celestia stared off into the distance for several seconds before seemingly making up her mind, nodding to herself.

“Then I will choose to believe that is why you are here,” Celestia proclaimed.

“Thank you. I know this isn't easy, but trust me when I say everything will return to normal very soon,” Twilight continued.

Celestia smiled. “Good, because I don't know how long I could go on without the rock that is my Twilight Sparkle.”

The unicorn held open a hoof. “May I hug you? I know I’m not her, but maybe we could pretend for just a moment.”

“I’d…” Celestia hesitated a moment before stepping forward. “I’d like that.”

Following her body’s instincts, Twilight rose onto her back hooves and hugged the alicorn tightly, pressing the other mare’s muzzle into the crook of her neck. A hoof unconsciously reached up and stroked the other mare’s mane in long, calming movements. For a moment it seemed like Celestia would pull away, only for her body to relax all at once and a soft sob to spill from her lips.

Following those same urges, Twilight hummed softly, repeatedly stroking the other mare’s mane. Until nearly a minute later Celestia pulled back and wiped the tears from her face.

“T-thank you,” she stuttered.

“No, thank you,” Twilight replied. “In my life I’ve never known love, though now I think I understand it at least a little.”

“Well, I hope you find someone you cherish half as much as I do my little librarian,” Celestia remarked.

“Maybe one day,” Twilight murmured, only to shake her head. “We should keep moving, though. I want to return her to you as soon as possible.”

Celestia sniffed. “Good thinking. Shall we continue?”

“After you,” Twilight invited, extending a hoof.

“Oh, and thanks for caring for those people in the infirmary,” Celestia exclaimed as she walked past.

Twilight stumbled. “How did you know?”

Celestia smirked. “Luna learned how to be sneaky from me.”

Twilight tapped her chin with a hoof while her eyes continued to roam over the magical circle before her. It was intricate and had aspects of the old style of casting while also sporting the newer additions which made it much more efficient. It was a strange balancing act, as Twilight was unsure of how many magical advancements she should reveal without accidentally hindering herself in the process.

In the end, she used as many as necessary to make the process as easy as possible without going overboard. There was still a small element of surprise to the entire thing, as Twilight had never actually raised any creature as powerful as an alicorn. Though she hoped it would be a simple process, she expected to face an unexpected challenge or two along the way.

After all, life seemed hell-bent on throwing her constant curve balls.

“That looks complicated,” Celestia remarked.

Twilight blinked and glanced over to where the alicorn had posted herself at the entrance to the cathedral-like cavern they both stood within. Massive crystals descended from the ceiling, though despite their titanic size, they still loomed a good twenty metres above Twilight’s head. Little else occupied the space, save for the ubiquitous gems which surrounded them from nearly all sides.

Only a small pile of supplies, some flickering braziers, and a long wooden box which supposedly housed Cadance’s body dotted the area. Along with the ponies themselves, and the massive magical circle that had been inscribed on the cave floor. Which had in turn been cleared and flattened by the use of powerful magic to create the necessary space for the ritual.

“It is a bit more advanced than what your time period is likely used to,” Twilight explained. “Though I admit I am rather impressed by the preliminary work your mages did before I arrived.”

Celestia smiled. “Moonlight Gleam and Noonstar Glint are our best magic users, save for Twilight, of course.”

Twilight nodded. “Well, their expertise is certainly beyond reproach. I assume they worked closely with my counterpart?”

“They did indeed,” Celestia answered, raising an eyebrow. “How can you tell?”

“The way they connect the inner and outer circles is exactly the way she does, though from what I’ve been able to gather, that goes against the popular consensus of the time,” Twilight explained.

Celestia blinked. “I’ll take your word for it.”

“Now we just need to wait for Luna’s arrival so you two can set up the containment field,” Twilight remarked, levitating the piece of chalk back to the pile of supplies. “After that it should be just a matter of activating all the runes and dealing with whatever surprises the universe throws at us.”

Celestia perked up and turned towards the entrance of the cavern a second before Luna appeared. The darkness parted to allow the general passage, gathering in her wake and following her as she walked into the room.

“I see things have been advancing at a steady pace,” Luna exclaimed, her brow furrowing. “Though I don't think I’ve ever seen such a circle before.”

“It's better,” Celestia quickly stated. “Please don't ask anymore, otherwise you’ll have to bring me back as well after Twilight bores me to death.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “My explanation was not that lengthy, nor that boring.”

“You were talking for two hours, and I only knew half the words you were using,” Celestia deadpanned.

Luna cleared her throat and stepped forward. “Regardless, I’ve informed the kitchen staff to bring our meals down into the caves. It will be our last meal before we get started, so I hope you’re hungry.”

“That sounds like an excellent idea,” Twilight proclaimed, cracking her neck as she walked over to the pair. “Do you remember the procedure?”

“Celestia will create the containment field while I assist,and await the completion of your spell. At which point I will heal Cadance of her wounds,” Luna answered.

“Thus returning our sister to us,” Celestia finished, a wide smile crossing the alicorn’s features.

“Exactly,” Twilight declared. “After which I will cast the sending spell and switch back with your Twilight.”

Luna raised an eyebrow and glanced to Celestia expectantly. “You know of our little time traveler?”

Celestia snorted. “I knew something was amiss for a while. I just didn't know for sure until a few hours ago.”

Twilight chuckled awkwardly. “I’m not very good at keeping secrets.”

“So we’ve come to learn,” Luna deadpanned.

“All that matters is that she's helping to get Cadance back,” Celestia exclaimed.

“Right, and again I must warn you. This spell works in theory, but there is no way of knowing for sure if it will work. The sheer scale of bringing back an alicorn is beyond anything even I have encountered,” Twilight stated.

“You will bring her back,” Luna confidently declared.

Twilight hesitated for a moment, her initial urge to argue against the mare subdued by the part of her that said doing so might be a bad idea. Though not exactly a threat, the comment was close enough to being one that Twilight wasn't sure how to respond. Thankfully the clop of dainty hooves outside the room signalled that a visitor had arrived.

“Ahh, that must be our meal,” Celestia eagerly remarked. “I hope you ordered plenty of good food because something tells me we are going to need our strength.”

“Don't worry, sister. I pulled out all the stops,” Luna replied, leading the trio into the next room where a pair of bat-winged ponies were setting up a table.

A half dozen attendants stood nearby, waiting with trays, cups, plates, and more food than three ponies should even be capable of eating. In a flash a small dining area had been set up in the crystal cave, with the servants quickly excusing themselves after their job was done. All save for one, who waited quietly off to the side near a quartet of well-armored guards who remained even now at the ready.

The meal was surprisingly good, and after seating herself near the middle of the table, Twilight quickly felt her body begin to relax. Without any secrets for the first time since she had switched places with her past self, the unicorn was able to act like herself. To say this was a relief would be an understatement, as the necromancer hardly had a duplicitous bone in her body.

Conversation was light, with the three mares mostly focusing on simply enjoying the spread laid out before them. Though more meaty than what Twilight would have liked, there were also quite a few pickled items that Twilight enjoyed. It was a little odd to see cabbage chowder served alongside fish and stew, but at least there was a familiar white porridge as dessert.

In the end, despite Twilight feeling a little like the odd mare out in this situation, she reluctantly enjoyed herself. Now with a belly full of food and a smile on her face, she stood once more on steady hooves.

“Thank you. That was wonderful,” Twilight exclaimed.

“It's good to see that in the future people will still have proper manners,” Luna exclaimed while patting her lips with a cloth.

Celestia belched, while bobbing her head in agreement. “And after only giving the food a fifteen minute long inspection.”

Twilight chuckled awkwardly. “I’m sorry, but meat is not a feature of my diet usually.”

“Or any food for that matter,” Twilight whispered to herself.

“The war has pushed us to embrace denser foods that we would normally avoid,” Luna exclaimed.

“I’m sure we'll be back to munching salads for three meals a day in no time,” Celestia stated.

“I have little doubt of that fact,” Twilight remarked.

“Ooh, more future knowledge,” Celestia cooed, slipping up next to Twilight. “I don't suppose you have any other interesting facts to share with us? Maybe like if a certain tall dark and brooding alicorn ever finds a date.”

Twilight nearly choked. “I, uh, don't think that will be a problem. Though my only knowledge on such a subject is likely a few centuries away from our current time.”

“Ha,” Celestia cackled, “I can't believe it takes you that long to find someone who would put with your endless moping.”

“I merely require time to get used to this body,” Luna muttered, stomping her way forward. “Let us get to work.”

Twilight shared a snicker with Celestia before they followed Luna back into the ritual chambers. The somewhat humorous atmosphere didn't last long, as they were collectively reminded of the grim task ahead of them. One which would end with prying Cadance’s soul from the jaws of death itself and implanting it back into her original body.

“Are you prepared for what we are about to do?” Luna inquired, eying Twilight closely.

“I am,” she replied.

“Then let us begin immediately,” Luna proclaimed.

Twilight watched as the alicorn levitated the lid off the pine box containing Cadance’s body. Immediately a hush fell over the room, and even Twilight couldn't help but hold her breath in anticipation. The soft blue glow of Luna’s magic emerged from the wooden container a second before Cadance’s broken form gently floated into view.

Though it was clear that great care had gone into preserving the body by applying numerous wards, it did not change the fact that her throat had been cut open. No blood poured from the gaping and ragged wound which stretched from the mare’s chin down to her chest. In Twilight’s mind, it looked like someone had dragged a claw down the poor creature’s neck, slicing straight through her throat and nearly decapitating the alicorn.

Without any of the usual signs of life, or even trace of blood, the body seemed to look like a doll. It was easy for Twilight to imagine that she was looking at an incredibly realistic anatomical dummy like the kind she had seen on one of her trips to the library. Even the dead mare’s facial expression seemed too serene to be normal, especially considering the unpleasant manner which she died in.

The oppressive silence and grim reverence she could sense from the other ponies in the room reminded Twilight that this was not a doll. Nor was this a simple attempt to gauge her growing necromantic skills, rather it was a test she could ill-afford to fail. Not only would she potentially ruin the timeline, but the thinly veiled threat from Luna and Celestia still hung over head.

With a soft, gentle thump, the body was placed at the center of the circle. Celestia approached a second later, a familiar bottle sitting atop her extended hoof.

“I would not normally trust such a task to someone I barely know, but your skill is too obvious to ignore. Please, bring her back to us,” Celestia whispered.

Twilight nodded, taking the bottle from the other mare. “I swear on my very soul that I will do everything in my power to return her to you.”

“If this works, I will owe you an apology and perhaps a reward of some kind,” Luna mused.

“No reward is needed. I just hope you’ll forgive me for stealing away your Twilight,” replied the unicorn.

“See my eldest sister as well as my beloved returned to me, and you will have my forgiveness as well as my thanks,” Celestia answered.

Twilight smiled weakly. “That is all I ask for.”

With a nod, Celestia stepped back, giving Twilight all the space she needed to work.

A move Twilight was appreciative for, though it also left her feeling oddly alone for some reason. Casting one last glance at the pure white alicorn, Twilight couldn't help but feel safe in her presence. Twilight wasn't certain if it was some lingering influence from her other self, or if this version of Celestia had simply worn off on her.

Regardless of the reason, Twilight turned away and knelt down on the ground before Cadance’s lifeless body. Stowing the feeling of revulsion which threatened to build in her throat, Twilight began to center herself. The process of focusing her emotions and eliminating any unwanted thoughts took a while, but for now she had time.

A clear mind was necessary for what was to come, and resisting the urge to become sick was the first thing Twilight did. After that it wasn't difficult to get her mind in order, while at the same time the first of several shields went up around her. Summoning her magic, Twilight slowly built up the amount of power which gathered at the tip of her horn.

While she prepared the first spell, Twilight removed the cork from the potion bottle, and, without a moment’s consideration, downed it in a gulp. Hot lava poured down the mare’s throat, making her want to gag, throw up, or do anything to remove the offending liquid. The unicorn quickly brought her will to bear, banishing the feeling and allowing the golden liquid to settle in the pit of her stomach.

By the time she had mustered all she required for her spell, the final shield had been erected around her. Now isolated from outside interference both magical as well as mundane, Twilight carefully guided her energy into the rune below her. Like a match to black powder, the circle immediately lit up, glowing fiercely with Twilight’s eerie greenish-purple magic.

Just as Twilight suspected, even that massive amount of power was not enough for the glyph which began to pull at any source of magic within reach. Opening herself to the spell’s hunger, Twilight felt it draw deeply on her reserves, prompting her extremities to tingle. As mana drained from her lambda system, she worried the potion was a dud, and that she had been used like a sacrificial lamb.

Panic welled from within Twilight’s chest, though it was quashed the moment she felt something click within her mind. A path she had never trod revealed itself to her, opening the mare to an entirely different source of power she had never felt before. Not only did strength fill her, but for an instant her perception warped, with the pony looking down on Cadance as well as down on herself from outside the shield.

Then it was gone, and Twilight was only Twilight once more, though the ghostly flickers of Celestia’s influence remained. Like the heat that remained at the base of Twilight’s soul and the fire which now coursed through her body, the alicorn was with her even now. With power and confidence, Twilight opened herself even more, strengthening the connection she now shared with the spell.

In response a thin cord of ethereal energy slowly came into being, starting from Twilight’s chest, and going to Cadance’s forehead. The rope looked weak, sickly even, though it grew stronger with each pulse of magic that was pulled from Twilight’s body. Until finally the lifeline was thick enough that it felt sturdy in a way that Twilight could not put into words.

Though this process was mostly automatic, it was only able to be completed due to Twilight’s newfound understanding of the soul. She knew from her brief studies that to connect such a line too fast, too slow, or to the wrong part of one’s body would result in death.

Or worse.

Guiding that power through instinct, Twilight marveled at just how deep her well of magic now went. With only a small part of the alicorn’s soul, Twilight felt as though she were capable of any great feat of magic. She could tear down the heavens, remake the world around her, or bring back anyone she wanted.

Her thoughts threatened to stray to her mother, though the unicorn resisted that urge, keeping her mind focused on the task before her. She would not ruin this moment because she couldn't help but entertain an idea she knew was better left unconsidered. There was simply too much riding on this moment, including her very life, which would become forfeit the second the spell broke down.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Twilight invoked the word life, filling her body with vigor and returning her focus to the physical world. Now focused on her task once more, she carefully tracked the minute fluctuations in the spellform beneath her. With such a close connection to it, these ripples and shifts in the magic felt akin to the odd twitch or itching sensation.

Almost like how Pinkie Pie described her Pinkie sense, Twilight thought briefly before pushing that thought aside.

Feeling out the spell, Twilight sensed that it had filled the alicorn’s body with the necromantic energy necessary to prime the resurrection. With that done, it then reached out for Cadance’s spirit, seeking to anchor it once more to the body the alicorn had left behind. A search which began to drag on for far longer than what Twilight had first anticipated.

Cadance had left behind family, friends, loved ones, and a whole nation of people who looked up to her. Surely that meant her spirit was close, even if Twilight had not been able to detect it with her spiritual vision during their preparation. She had assumed that Cadance’s soul had simply been lingering nearby, her senses discombobulated due to her untimely demise.

Yet the spell continued to follow the thin strand of fate which connected body and spirit, extending ever further. Feeling that the spell was rapidly escaping her grasp, and not wanting to test the limits of her newfound magic, Twilight invoked soul. This time she focused that power, that knowledge on simply seeking out Cadance’s spirit and pouring it through their connection.

The rune around her flashed brighter still, prompting both bystanders to glance nervously at one another. Twilight didn't notice this at all, however, as her senses had left her mortal body far, far behind. There was only the thin green cord which connected Cadance’s body to her soul, which seemed to be lost deep within the planet itself.

Yet as time passed, Twilight realized that was not truly the case, for the pony’s spirit was not anywhere she would have assumed. As the darkness closed in on her, Twilight began to recognize the inky blackness and familiar deep shadows. They were of the undertower, and from a floor which Twilight immediately recognized and instantly feared.

Emerging from the floor above and with eyes already wide, Twilight gazed down to find that at the bottom of a familiar pit were two shapes. One, a dragon dark and terrible, the other a princess, desperate and scared, her body half-swallowed by the ghostly monster. Though the dragon’s attempts to consume the alicorn were languid and almost lazy, Cadance was seemingly unable to escape.

Each attempt to punch the dragon’s face did little, and each attempt to wiggle out of his jaws saw the pony gain little to no ground. What infinitesimal victories she gained were immediately negated by the dragon clamping his ghostly fangs down on the alicorn’s body. Though no cuts appeared on the pony’s spiritual form and no blood flowed from her wounds, Twilight could tell this assault caused Cadance great pain.

Seeing the poor mare’s face contort in agony shocked Twilight out of her stupor, and the necromancer swiftly moved to help. Though intent on assisting in any manner she could, Twilight was still little more than a bundle of spiritual essence with little way to interact with the world. Glancing backwards, Twilight realized she was still connected to the cord, which in turn could act as the lifeline Cadance so desperately needed.

By then the alicorn had noticed Twilight’s presence and stopped resisting for a moment to stare in shock at the other spirit. Using this moment of distraction, the half-asleep dragon opened his maw and attempted to swallow the alicorn whole. Twilight was faster though, and with a surge of motion, she connected the cord to Cadance’s chest, saving her from being consumed.

Ghostly jaws still snapped down around Cadance’s midsection, obscuring all but a single foreleg, as well as the alicorn’s head. Her mouth hung open in a silent, horrified scream, her ethereal form punctured by the ghostly dragon’s teeth. Twilight grabbed onto the single limb and began to pull as hard as she could, throwing everything she had into the act.

Golden light shone from within the necromancer’s chest, giving her ethereal hooves a strength they hadn't had a second earlier. With a lurch, the alicorn’s other foreleg emerged from the dragon’s maw, though the beast was far from done. Summoning strength from deep down within himself, the monster began to squeeze down around the alicorn.

It was as if the dragon had given up its attempts to consume his entire meal, and was attempting to bite off as much as he could. Though a victory compared to where they had been a moment earlier, Twilight knew that such a loss would kill Cadance as sure as if her physical body had been bitten in half. With desperation now fueling her, Twilight pulled harder, gritting her teeth and pouring every last bit of strength she had into the act.

Cadance wrapped her hooves around Twilight as best as she could, the alicorn doing what little she was capable of to aid her savior. Yet despite their efforts and the golden energy coursing through her, Twilight could not see their victory drawing any closer. In fact, it was only becoming further away, as Twilight saw the alicorn’s spiritual form begin to lose consistency below her shoulders.

Twilight quickly realized that the dragon was winning.

Again, panic threatened to overwhelm the unicorn, and again she fought it down with all the fire she could muster. There had to be a way out, a solution to the problem she was facing, as there always had been every other time. No matter how desperate the moment, Twilight and her friends had always come through, yet here the necromancer couldn't think of a single way out.

If she tried to attack the dragon, her focus would be split, and he would win. If she somehow tried to salvage the majority of Cadance’s soul, the beast would surely be victorious. Numerous possible avenues of attack were considered and dismissed, all while the situation grew more desperate.

Seconds ticked by like hammer blows upon an anvil, reminding the unicorn that time was very nearly up. With the final toll of that dreaded bell, Cadance would be no more, and if that happened, Twilight knew there was little chance she would survive much longer. With not only her life, but her past self’s life as well as Cadance’s hanging in the balance, Twilight struggled to think of anything that could help her.

You’re going to die scared and alone, in a time that is not your own.

The words slammed into Twilight’s mind like they were the furious kicks of an angry troll, but in them Twilight found something curious. The word alone felt wrong to her, as the pony wasn't alone, nor would she ever be alone for as long as she existed. After all, she was a single link in a chain that extended from the beginning of ponykind as they knew it until the end of time itself.

A great interlocking soul inhabiting a million bodies stretching across infinity, and within those lives Twilight would find strength. Soul and life were evoked, their power focused into the task of merely connecting Twilight to herself. In an instant she was no longer trapped in a desperate struggle for survival, but rather she was a dozen different versions of herself.

Every one of which answered the unspoken call for aid, gifting Twilight a portion of their shared power. Through each one of those many links, Twilight felt herself answer her plea for strength, gifting her with what they could. Even a future copy of herself, who stood amidst the shattered heap of what had once been their family home, offered her what she could.

Each version gave Twilight a glimpse into the many lives she had lived, but she did not commit them to memory. She only took what she needed and left their privacy unmolested, returning back to her body with power that she could not have dreamt of. When her eyes opened, and she gazed upon the two souls locked in a desperate struggle, Twilight knew what she must do.

Extending a hoof towards the dragon’s head, Twilight willed the limb to go from flat and short to long and sharp, creating a weapon. She rammed the impromptu spear into the beast’s eye. The monster let out a roar of pain, yet refused to let go. With grim acceptance, Twilight leaned back before throwing her weight into the blow, turning the dragon’s eye to nought but mist.

This time when he cried out in agony, his grip loosened ever so slightly, giving Twilight the opening she had been looking for. With a swiftness her mortal body was not capable of, Twilight retracted her hoof and returned it to normal. She then grabbed the dragon’s jaws, before pulling them apart and putting herself between them. Then with a titanic push, the necromancer freed Cadance from her tormentor’s maw, the alicorn leaping to freedom.

The dragon was obviously injured, but had not been defeated, and with a surge of strength he clamped back down on Twilight. Forced to use some of her borrowed strength to resist the bite, and reinforce her soul, Twilight felt her strength begin to fade. That power waned by the second as Twilight resisted her enemy’s efforts to bite her in half and kill her for good. Facing grim prospects, Twilight decided to cut her losses, and with the last bit of her borrowed magic, leapt out of the dragon’s jaws.

She willed herself upwards, and away from her foe, a victorious smirk on her face as she saw Cadance reach out towards her. Yet a sudden shot of fear in the alicorn’s ghostly eyes made Twilight realize she was not out of harm’s way yet. For the beast, in one final act of defiance, had leapt out at Twilight and clamped down upon one of her back legs.

This time there was no struggle, as a part of Twilight’s soul was neatly amputated and swiftly swallowed by the foul creature beneath her. Confidence left the unicorn, and she barely managed to hold onto Cadance as they were both collectively dragged back towards the alicorn’s distant body. Time blurred as they traveled, with Twilight struggling to keep herself together, her magic having drained away to nothing.

It was only by the love princess’ efforts that Twilight returned at all, as the loss of a part of her soul had taken what strength she had left. Yet it wasn't just power that left her, but also memories, and though she did not know it at the time, Twilight had lost her sympathy. For in the dragon’s belly lay all the small moments of kindness and patience shared with this more personable Celestia.

All that the poor creature was aware of was her spirit roughly tumbling back into her body. Senses she had nearly forgotten about returned, and Twilight’s eyes snapped open to find that Luna had just cast her healing spell. Flesh knitted back into place, and with Cadance’s body made whole once more, the alicorn awoke with a start.

“What, who-” she croaked weakly.

Her emerald green eyes opened a second before Twilight’s own unseeing orbs closed, and the unicorn’s body tumbled lifelessly to the ground.

Author's Note

This update (and the one before) were brought to you by generous patrons who pledged at the higher collaborator tier and requested an additional chapter of this story!

Fires

Twilight awoke to find that she was somehow already awake, and not only that, but her lips were in motion.

“And I’m telling you we must find another way,” she hissed in a low tone.

Before her stood a slightly familiar dragon who had the sharp angular features of the ancient wyrms while also bearing the wider eyes of a pony. He was mostly green, though his scales changed and became a deep scarlet at about his waist. The two toned creature was tall and regal, with a long neck and a prominent ridge of spines growing down his back.

His wings were large, his claws the size of daggers, and his teeth as long as short swords. He also stood just slightly taller than an alicorn, though at the moment he was lying upon the floor like an oversized rug. His yellowish-red eyes stared off into the distance, the dragon seemingly oblivious to Twilight’s presence.

The room around them was dark, small, and was one that Twilight recognized from her past self’s home. Though cramped due to the size of her visitor, the dragon didn't seem to mind and sipped his tea delicately despite his large claws. His expression was contemplative, though confident, unlike Twilight’s which she could feel was a mix of anger and indignation.

“There isn't,” he replied in a soft, but powerful voice.

“What if we captured a dragon, then we could-” Twilight felt herself say, only to be cut off.

“We went over this already,” the dragon exclaimed. “To wield the vast power of your spell, the individual needs to be willing.”

Twilight cursed under her breath and pounded a hoof against the table. “Then we mind-wipe one of them. Make them believe they are on our side.”

“Would you trust the fate of your species to someone who does not wholly believe themselves to be on your side?” replied the dragon.

The unicorn’s jaw tightened, her brow furrowed, and she seemed ready to explode with rage. “It is a better option than sacrificing one of our own.”

“What is one life compared to the needs of so many?” offered the dragon and raised a hand. “The question itself is moot, of course. We don't have the time to enact a wild plan even if it were possible.”

“We can make time,” Twilight growled.

The dragon sighed tiredly and shook his head. “Twilight, Twilight, Twilight. I love your stubborn desire to do the right thing, but this is just not one of those times where it will work out. It needs to be me wielding your spell, and it needs to be me who rights the wrongs of my species.”

“They aren't your species,” Twilight exclaimed. “You are no more kin to them than I am to the dead.”

The dragon snorted a ring of smoke at her. “You know what I meant.”

“And I know that you carry the weight of sin not your own,” Twilight retorted, jabbing her hoof at the dragon.

“Aye, it is true,” he murmured somewhat wistfully. “It should not be my burden to bear, nor is it healthy for me to have shouldered it, but the point stands regardless. I need to do this.”

“What would your sisters think?” Twilight whispered. “You can't just leave behind your family.”

The dragon’s eyes narrowed. “I know you mean well, Twilight, but you had best watch your tone. They are the reason I must do this.”

“You are no martyr, Sinthgunt, you are a fool who sacrifices himself too readily in order to rid himself of guilt not earned through action,” Twilight exclaimed, rising from her seat.

Twilight wanted to stop her host, to urge her to watch her words, but she could do nothing but watch. Watch and silently hope that her past self would reign in the rage that filled her heart so utterly.

The dragon, meanwhile, bristled visibly, though his own anger was short-lived, and he quickly calmed once more. “You are just saying that because you grieve for me before I am gone,” he exclaimed with a shake of his head. “I don't blame you for what you’ve said, but I should remind you that death isn't certain.”

Twilight ground her teeth together. “I admit there's a chance that you are able to channel such power and put your kin to sleep without perishing, but that very chance is tiny. Infinitesimal, even.”

“So was the chance that you were born, and that you became who you are today,” the dragon pointed out. “There were a trillion choices that brought you here, yet here you are.”

“Don't bore me with your chaotic theories once again,” Twilight muttered, falling back into her seat.

“I happen to know that you love my theories,” replied the dragon with an exaggerated pout.

“Maybe after I’ve had a few hard ciders,” Twilight murmured to herself.

The dragon chuckled. “Then I won't bore you, and instead I’ll simply remind you that should this spell fail, your little resistance will as well. Ponykind will be made slaves once more, and this time there will be no alicorns coming to save you from your bondage.”

Twilight felt bile rise in her throat and a bitter remark gather on her lips, yet it was never uttered.

“Fine,” she muttered.

“Then I have your blessing?” inquired the dragon.

Twilight snorted and crossed her hooves over her chest. “You do. Though I don't know how I’m going to break this to Luna, Celestia, or Cadance.”

“You should do so honestly and quickly,” exclaimed the wyrm. “They deserve as much.”

Twilight hesitated a moment before nodding. “You are right again.”

“I usually am,” he exclaimed with a smirk.

Twilight sighed, her gaze becoming distant. “I wonder how they will react.”

“This isn't another attempt to guilt me into changing my mind is it?” Sinthgunt asked.

“No,” Twilight quickly replied. “I am genuinely concerned. This war has taken a lot from them, and I fear how they will respond to your loss.”

“Again, I am not dead yet.”

Twilight snorted. “You know what I mean.”

The dragon nodded slowly and caressed his chin. “I suppose Luna will take it the best and will likely mourn me only briefly before moving on. Cadance will cry and cry, but will ultimately accept my passing as inevitable. Your little morning star though… I worry about her.”

Twilight felt a blush come to her cheeks before quickly banishing it. “Why do you say that?”

“She is more delicate than she lets on, and more than that I fear that there are greater powers at work here,” remarked the other being.

“Here we go again,” Twilight muttered bitterly.

The dragon rolled his eyes. “Even you must admit that my theories are seeming more and more true by the day. What is this conflict anyway, if not the struggle between order and chaos?”

“Those things are fundamental forces of the universe, not living breathing things,” Twilight countered. “They make no more decisions than gravity does.”

“Oh, come now, Twilight. Were my formulas not at least a little bit convincing?” exclaimed the dragon.

“I admit they raised some interesting questions, but they proved nothing,” Twilight smirked. “Save for the fact that you really enjoy the smell of chalk.”

The dragon smiled. “Good. If you’re joking about it, then it means you’re ready to return to work.”

“I suppose I am,” Twilight murmured. “Though perhaps I will take the evening to myself.”

The dragon blinked in surprise. “Who are you and what have you done with my dear friend Twilight?”

The unicorn snorted. “I simply wish to think about things. There is much to consider, after all.”

“Well, try not to stay up all night going over that spell of yours,” he offered and rose to all four legs.

“I will try not to,” Twilight murmured.

The dragon stopped at the door. “Oh, and Twilight?”

“Yes, Sinthgunt?” Twilight replied.

“If I do pass on, then you gotta promise me something.”

“You aren't gone yet.”

The dragon rolled his eyes. “Yes, well. In the event that I don't make it, you have to marry that mare.”

Twilight felt her cheeks begin to glow hot, and her jaw tightened. “I will consider it.”

Sinthgunt’s smile grew, and he flashed the mare a wink. “I knew you would.”

“Get out of my house,” Twilight spat while grinning.

“I’m going, I’m going,” replied the dragon as he tromped out the door.

Twilight shook her head, and was about to grab a book when she heard the dragon yell from downstairs.

“Oh, and name one of your kids after me!” he shouted.

Twilight’s face became hot, and she started sprinting after the dragon, only to stop at the door. There she stood, listening to his departing laughter until he was long gone, and she was alone once more. Without the dragon’s teasing presence, Twilight’s foul mood quickly returned, and she slowly trotted back to her desk. She seated herself, pulled a drawer open, and began to root around within.

Retrieving a hand mirror, she lifted it up in order to gaze into her own eyes. Before she could speak though, Twilight couldn't help but think that this version of herself looked tired, exhausted even. Heavy bags hung under her eyes, and she had a haunted look that was strangely intense.

“I feel you back there, watching me,” she exclaimed.

Twilight wanted to react in some way, but found herself unable to do anything but watch.

“I have felt your presence before and then, like now, you did nothing but watch,” Twilight announced. “I know not what you want, or why you are here, but I can assure you that I will figure it out.”

There was a pause, and her past self frowned. “I know not why you linger, spirit. But I will only tell you this once. Begone, lest I lose what little patience I have left.”

Twilight wanted to leave, and though she had no magic to call her own, the unicorn tried to summon it regardless. Questions remained, Twilight knew it was best to do everything she could to depart, lest her past self follow through on her unspoken threat. It took a bit of struggling, but soon Twilight felt the familiar tingle of magic, yet her past self’s horn remained dull.

Not wanting to question the strangeness of it all, Twilight simply willed herself to return back to the time she had just left. The effort made her very soul ache, and she felt a headache coming on, but it was beginning to work. Her vision started to swim, her mind stretched, and the world was starting to fall away to nothing.

Be kind, she told herself. Please.

For a moment Twilight thought she saw a flicker in her past self’s eyes, but then it was gone, as was she.

This time Twilight awoke not with a start, but with a slow, solemn sigh. The passage beneath reality was as unpleasant as ever, and she was quite glad that she had not been awake for it the last time.

At least I didn't have another run in with the beast beneath all, she thought as her eyes flickered open.

Her hooves were folded over her chest, and her body lay on something cold and flat. Unlike the thin, white, and rather warm sheet which had been draped over her entire body, including her face. Despite the blanket covering her eyes, she could tell that the room was brightly lit, which hopefully meant she wasn't in a morgue.

Or whatever equivalent they have in this time period, Twilight thought to herself.

For a moment the pony resisted the urge to throw aside the cover and instead merely studied her own body. There were a few aches and pains which had already made themselves known, but other than that, she felt fine. Though just as she thought that, the headache from earlier returned, making her wince and squeeze her eyes shut.

Soul headaches are downright awful.

Shaking off the worst of it, Twilight reached up, and gently pulled aside the sheet in order to reveal a surprisingly normal room. Behind her was a large window through which streamed a ray of sunlight that illuminated her nude form as well as the granite block she had been resting upon.

“No wonder I’m so stiff,” Twilight murmured as she rose into a sitting position.

Looking around, the mare was able to discover that she was in a small, mostly empty room. The only other object other than the bed/height hunk of stone she had been lying on was a single small chair. Though no one sat in it at this moment, Twilight could tell from the lingering smell of sunflowers that Celestia had used it recently.

The thought of the alicorn was enough to jog Twilight’s memory and make her think back to the last moment she remembered. The fight, the struggle, and her success was all as clear as day, though she couldn't recall how she escaped. One second she had been in the monster’s jaws, and the next she simply wasn't.

“And then…” Twilight murmured, a deep frown growing on the pony’s face.

With a sigh, the mare abandoned her attempts to remember what had happened, figuring that her memories would return with time. Right now she assumed that simply getting her hooves under her and alerting everyone to the fact that she was alive was more important.

Landing with a thump, Twilight stumbled for a moment, only to catch herself at the last second. Holding onto the granite slab that had served as her bed, Twilight slowly steadied her trembling body. Though it took a few minutes, the pony was able to return feeling to her body and, with a shaky step, began to walk.

She expected the wooden door to have opened at some suitably dramatic moment, but that didn't happen. And a good thing too, because she likely would have eaten a faceful of oak if it had. Instead she made it all the way into the hallway before anyone noticed she returned to the world of the living.

“Holy shit,” muttered a gryphon adorned with silver armor who stood just outside. “You’re alive.”

“Last I checked, anyway,” Twilight muttered, glancing down the more or less empty hall. “Where is everyone?”

“Celestia just left to get lunch. Said something about having a hunch you’d be back by then, but I thought she was crazy,” remarked the gryphon in a still disbelieving tone.

“Well, I’m alive now,” Twilight exclaimed, eying the gryphon closely.

He was tall, with broad shoulders but a narrow frame, leaving him looking rather lanky and uncoordinated. He also had bluish feathers, several of which transitioned to a deep yellow color that was close to gold.

“I better tell someone. The boss lady is going to want to hear this,” he announced, glancing down the hallway.

Twilight waved a hoof. “Go ahead. I’ll wait here for Celestia.”

“Thank you, ma’am. Good to have you back, by the way,” offered the gryphon, who gave Twilight a quick salute before sprinting away.

Twilight shook her head, trying to dismiss the last vestiges of fatigue which clung to her even still. “I should have asked about Cadance,” Twilight muttered, only to shrug. “I’m sure Celestia knows.”

She didn't have to wait for long, for around the bend to her right Twilight heard the heavy clop of a familiar set of hooves. Sure enough, Celestia appeared a moment later, a large platter of food held in her magic and a hopeful grin on her face. Upon seeing Twilight, Celestia smiled wider still and though she nearly lost her grip on the food, the alicorn caught it before it could fall.

“Y-you are back!” Celestia excitedly stated, running up to the unicorn as fast as her load allowed. “I knew you would return to me.”

Twilight smiled wearily, stifling the uncomfortable feeling that rose whenever she was near the alicorn. “Yeah, I’m back.”

“But are you… you?” Celestia inquired.

“I…” Twilight paused and scratched her chin. She is probably wondering if I am the old Twilight.

“I’m not your Twilight,” she exclaimed. “I ran into a complication during the resurrection and wasn't able to send myself back.”

A brief flash of guilt passed over Celestia’s features before being just as quickly dismissed. “But you can still do it, right?”

Twilight shrugged. “Probably. Though I’ll need to get my strength back first.”

“Well, it's a good thing I brought you this then,” Celestia offered, raising the small platter of food.

Which smelled like the finest cuisine the unicorn had ever beheld, prompting a flood of saliva to fill Twilight’s mouth. Her stomach rumbled as the scent washed over her, and though it was fairly plain in appearance, Twilight knew it would taste anything but.

Twilight grabbed a hunk of black bread and stuffed as much as could fit in her mouth without uttering a word. She was way too hungry to do anything but chew noisily and swallow as soon as she was certain she wasn't about to choke. She followed the bread with a gulp from the tomato soup, and was about to bite into the salmon when she realized Celestia was laughing.

“Whut?” Twilight asked, mouth still partially full.

Celestia chuckled and wiped a tear from her eye. “It's nothing. I was just so worried you’d come back changed or not at all, but here you are.”

Twilight gulped. “You were worried about me and not… your me?”

“Crazy, I know, but you’ve proven you're a good person. Especially after what you did for Cadance,” Celestia answered.

Twilight’s eyes went wide. “Then it worked?”

“Wait, you didn't know?” Celestia asked. “But Cadance said she saw you save her.”

“I was… attacked or something,” Twilight muttered. “The whole thing is… blurry.”

Celestia said nothing and walked into the small room that had nearly become Twilight’s tomb. There she set the plate down on the block of stone before seating herself on the empty chair. Twilight needed no prompting and quickly began to eat once more, though this time she paid the alicorn at least a bit of attention.

“Most importantly, you saved her soul from being consumed by the assassin who had killed her,” Celestia began. “She has since made a nearly full recovery, though she will be using a wheelchair for a little while.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow.

Celestia quickly waved a dismissive hoof. “It’s nothing. The shock of being brought back is apparently enough to leave most bedridden for weeks, but Cadance is tough.”

Twilight sighed and resumed stuffing her face with food.

“It's wild to think that only two weeks ago she was dead, and now she is as good as new,” Celestia wistfully remarked.

Tomato soup shot from Twilight’s nose. “Two weeks?”

Celestia stood up and patted the other mare on the back. “Didn't Gallus tell you anything?”

Twilight shrugged as she wiped away the mess she had made across her face. “No. He just said something about letting the boss lady know I was alive and took off.”

Celestia sighed and shook her head. “The damn fool. I told him to update you on what was going on the second you woke up.”

“Well, I was dead… again,” Twilight murmured.

“Regardless,” Celestia quickly added, “you’ve been out for two weeks. Luna wanted to bury you, but I got her to hold off.”

Twilight shivered. “Well, that's good. I’m really claustrophobic.”

Celestia chuckled and walked back to her chair. “I know exactly how you feel. If I had woken up in some pine box somewhere… well, let’s just say voices wouldn't be the only problem of mine.”

“Voices?” Twilight questioned before biting into a hunk of salted fish.

Celestia winced. “Luna says that it's natural to hear your loved one’s voice after they pass. Even see visions of them while you’re awake. Though thankfully that never happened.”

Twilight observed the other mare a little closer and immediately noticed the deep strain visible just beneath the surface. The bags under Celestia’s eyes were the most obvious, but it went deeper than just that. For within those magenta orbs was a level of exhaustion that Twilight had not seen in anyone that was not at death’s doorstep.

Then it was gone, as Celestia smiled once again. “But that's a thing of the past now.”

“Right. I’m sure it's nothing,” Twilight murmured.

Celestia nodded, though it was clear she didn't wholly believe even herself. “Feel better?”

Twilight blinked and looked down to find that she had completely inhaled all the food. “A little. It may take a bit, but I’m sure it won't be longer than a day or so before I can return to my own time.”

“That's wonderful news,” Celestia exclaimed. “Because no matter how much I’ve come to appreciate your company, I really want my little evening star back.”

“And you will get her back very soon, I promise,” Twilight replied with a fake smile of her own. “Would you mind getting me some more of this soup? I can't seem to shake this cold.”

“Of course! I’ll be right back,” Celestia exclaimed before doing just that.

Now alone once more, Twilight waited until the sound of hooves had receded into the distance. Once she was certain Celestia wasn't about to return anytime soon, Twilight hastily lit her horn and began to cast a familiar spell.

“Come on, come on,” she muttered. “Please have enough power left for the spell.”

Her horn grew brighter and brighter before flickering several times and finally dying before the spell could complete. “No! It's worn off already,” she muttered, slamming a hoof into the bowl Celestia had left behind.

Twilight fell into a heap on the cold hard ground as raw panic rose from within her. “What am I supposed to do now?”

The empty room gave no answer.

“I can't just ask Celestia to give up another piece of her soul… can I?” Twilight murmured, only to shake her head. “No. You saw what it did to her the first time. I can't just ask for that again. Especially not so soon.”

Rising up from the ground, Twilight began to pace back and forth, muttering to herself all the while. “I could ask Luna, but she was against the use of it in the first place.”

Twilight stopped. “Cadance then?”

The mare shook her head.

“No, that would be like asking a stabbing victim to donate blood,” Twilight murmured. “But she did know several of the words. Maybe one of them could empower me somehow?”

Twilight hummed and hawed before ultimately letting out a short sigh. “I guess that's really the only option I have at this point. I can't keep screwing up my other self’s life, and I really should return back to my own time, lest I ruin something else by accident.”

Twilight nodded to herself. “Right. I just need to find her then.”

The pony began to trot towards the exit, but was blocked when it opened suddenly to reveal a familiar dark blue alicorn. Behind her stood a pair of guards, one of whom was familiar to Twilight, though thankfully both were relaxed. Their posture spoke of the excitement born of a returning hero and not the quiet anxiety that came before a fight.

“You’re awake,” Luna exclaimed with a wide smile.

“I am, and I am not your Twilight,” replied the unicorn.

“Not our Twilight?” asked Gallus.

Luna sighed and ran a hoof down her face. “Don't concern yourself with such matters, private.”

“Err, right,” he muttered, stepping back into the hall a second before the door closed behind him.

“Sorry about that,” Twilight remarked.

“It's fine,” Luna exclaimed. “Though I am surprised you are still here.”

Twilight winced. “I was anticipating that the alicorn extract would last long enough for me to cast the sending spell. I was not anticipating that I would lose two weeks.”

Luna’s shoulders slumped, and her body relaxed somewhat. “I suppose that is fair. What now then?”

Twilight hesitated, the alicorn’s tone making it clear that the question was also an offer of assistance. It also felt like the taller mare was subtly gauging whether Twilight was about to ask for another infusion. Something they both knew was possible, but neither wanted to be necessary.

“I was hoping Cadance would know some word which could empower me briefly,” Twilight admitted.

Luna nodded slowly, eying Twilight closely. “She may be able to do that. Her empathy has allowed her to assist in spellcasting before, though I don't think she has assisted with anything quite at the level you will likely need.”

“Would she be up to doing something like that then?” Twilight gently inquired. “I wouldn't wish to worsen her condition, but I really should return your Twilight.”

“That you should,” Luna admitted, stroking her chin. “I suppose she could. Though of course you would need her permission.”

“Of course,” Twilight quickly replied.

“Then I will take you to her and leave my guards to ensure that Celestia knows of your whereabouts,” Luna finished.

Twilight released a sigh. “Thank you so much for your help. I’m really clutching at straws here.”

Luna waved a dismissive hoof. “It's nothing. You’ve earned much more than that for what you’ve done.”

Twilight watched as her escort opened the door and uttered a few quick orders before fully stepping out into the hall. Luna’s inviting expression was all the prompting Twilight needed, and she hastily trotted out after the alicorn. Together they began to walk in a vaguely northward direction, descending down several staircases in the process.

Eventually they made their way to the primitive throne room which at the moment was devoid of said giant pieces of furniture. Only several normal looking chairs, as well as a bed, and a few desks were scattered about the place. Cadance lay near the back end of the space, just in front of where the Equestrian seat of government would normally be. From the looks of it, the desks had likely been set up for the court clerks, though at the moment they were empty, as were the chairs which sat on either side of Cadance.

The alicorn herself seemed perfectly healthy at first glance, but upon getting closer, Twilight could tell that was not the case. She had lost a significant amount of color and still had deep rings under her eyes. Not only that, but she was thin, abnormally so, though her ribs were thankfully not visible.

The moment Twilight entered the room, Cadance turned and smiled widely, sitting further up on her bed. Luna was quick to swoop in and help to pile pillows beneath Cadance’s lower back, a concerned look on the dark alicorn’s face.

“You shouldn't be moving around like this,” Luna exclaimed. “And where did my guards and maids go?”

Cadance rolled her eyes. “You mean those fussbottoms? I told them to take a break and give me some privacy.”

“You shouldn't be alone. It's dangerous, and you have yet to regain your strength,” Luna continued.

Cadance snagged the other alicorn’s hoof and forced their eyes to meet, stopping Luna’s fussing. “I’m fine, dear sister. I am not so frail that you must tend to my every whim.”

Luna sighed. “I suppose you are right. I am merely-”

“Worried,” Cadance finished, flashing Twilight a smile. “Now before I get interrupted again, I think I have a certain brilliant unicorn to thank for my return to the world of the living.”

Luna took a step back, though her muscles remained tense, as if she were ready to leap to Cadance’s defence at a moment’s notice.

“That's not necessary,” Twilight quickly exclaimed. “I was merely doing what is right.”

Cadance raised an eyebrow and looked at Luna. “I see my dear pupil has learned humility in my absence. Don't tell me this was your doing?”

Luna shook her head. “It was not I. Though perhaps it was, just not yet.”

Cadance blinked, glancing from one mare to the other, as if searching for answers. “I feel as though I am missing something.”

Celestia burst into the room, with a plate loaded with soup, bread, and salted meat, interrupting Twilight before she could speak.

“There you are. You could have told me you were coming here,” Celestia exclaimed, trotting up to the sole unicorn.

“I apologize,” Twilight quickly stated. “Luna gave me an idea, and I had to see it through as soon as possible.”

Celestia hummed thoughtfully. “Well, you had best eat up then. You can't hope to regain your strength with an empty stomach.”

“Thank you, Celestia,” Twilight politely replied.

“Come, sister. Twilight and Cadance have an urgent and private matter they need to attend to,” Luna exclaimed.

“One moment,” Celestia retorted, the alicorn levitating over a desk for Twilight to seat herself at before placing the tray of food atop it. “Now we may go.”

Luna shook her head and walked away in silence. Celestia took up the rear and gave Twilight a strained glance before leaving the room as well. In that look Twilight saw a hint of regret, an ounce of fear, and a single drop of nervous hope.

With the dull boom of the closing double doors still echoing in the room, Twilight turned and looked to Cadance who had a concerned, somewhat strained expression on her face. One which Twilight mirrored, though she did not know it at the time.

“You are not Twilight,” Cadance stated.

“I-er yeah. How did you know?” Twilight inquired.

“You hold no love for Celestia, and that's putting it politely,” Cadance exclaimed.

Twilight sighed and plunked herself down in front of the desk which itself sat next to the right side of Cadance’s bed. “It is true, and to put it simply I am Twilight, but just not your Twilight.”

“So Sinthgunt’s theory on alternate universes was true then?” Cadance half stated, half asked.

“Err no- well, maybe,” Twilight shook her head. “I am from your future, and I was initially here to find out a few other pieces of information which would become lost to history. None of that matters now though.”

“Then what does matter?” Cadance inquired, her green eyes narrowing curiously.

“That I return to my time before I hurt my past self or otherwise mess up the timestream somehow,” Twilight quickly replied before her hunger forced the mare to fill her mouth with more bread.

“Before we get to that, I must ask,” Cadance began, her gaze narrowing. “What happens in the future to make you pity me so much?”

Twilight pounded her hoof against her chest, forcing down the bit of food which had become lodged in her throat. “What would make you assume that?” Twilight weakly replied.

Cadance chuckled. “I can see it in the way you look at me, your eyes searching my features for scars not visible. Your body language is also strangely differential, but you don't respect me enough for that to be the sole cause.”

“I do respect you though,” Twilight quickly retorted.

“I never said you didn't,” Cadance pointed out, only to smirk. “I’m also a natural empath and can taste the pity wafting off you.”

Didn't Chrysalis say something about tasting emotions? Twilight thought to herself, only to dismiss the notion. “You get hurt in the future. Quite badly at that, unfortunately.”

Cadance smiled warmly. “Then you have no reason to pity me as it has yet to happen.”

“Emotions are not so easily dismissed by logic. No matter how sound the argument,” Twilight remarked sadly as she took another bite of the now cold bread.

“Very true,” Cadance agreed. “Though I’m curious as to what you hope to get from me.”

Twilight perked up and swallowed her food. “I was hoping you could help me cast a spell I don't quite have the strength to complete while in this body.”

Cadance raised an eyebrow. “I assume this spell would return our Twilight to us and allow you to go back to your own time?”

“It would,” Twilight answered.

Cadance nodded slowly. “I might be able to assist you, though I have a few questions for you first.”

“So long as you don't try to pry about the future too much,” Twilight quickly added.

“I did have a few questions on said topic, but before that I just wanted to thank you again for saving me,” Cadance offered, a wide, genuine smile crossing her face. “I genuinely thought that my long struggle with that monster would ultimately be in vain, and that I would be consigned to oblivion.”

Twilight blushed and looked away. “It was no problem at all. Your Twilight wasn't quite strong or knowledgeable enough, so in return for getting what I want, I lent a hoof.”

“Still. That was an incredibly brave thing you did,” Cadance stated.

Twilight cleared her throat. “Anyway. What did you want to know?”

“I assume you knew me in the future, right? Did you plan this excursion to the past with the future me?” Cadance inquired.

Twilight blinked. “I do, and no. This little trip was a little more spur of the moment then I would like to admit.”

“So then I will need to act as though it is our first meeting when I meet you,” Cadance murmured to herself, the alicorn reclining in her bed. “Difficult, but not impossible to remember.”

“Should we establish some kind of code word then?” Twilight asked.

Cadance’s bright emerald eyes sparkled. “That is a brilliant idea. But it has to be a code phrase that wouldn't just come up in casual conversation.”

“How about…” Twilight rubbed her chin. “The eagle has landed?”

“No, that feels wrong for some reason,” Cadance retorted.

“What about… The circle is now complete?” Twilight offered.

Cadance nodded slowly. “Yeah. That sounds thematic and not something that you would say by accident. Let's go with that.”

Twilight smiled. “Perfect. Is there anything else you wanted to know?”

“Not particularly, now that I’m thinking about it,” Cadance remarked. “I don't want to accidentally mess with history either, and this already feels like we are straying dangerously close to doing just that.”

“I know what you mean. This entire little escapade has felt like one big long tempt of fate,” Twilight added.

Cadance chuckled. “Why don't you write out your spell on a piece of paper so I can study it while you eat?”

Twilight nodded and quickly pulled a loose sheet from the desk she was seated at. For a moment she hesitated to put her borrowed pen to paper though, as doing so would likely change the future. Then she remembered all the advanced magical knowledge she had already inadvertently given them and brushed aside such a thought.

“Here,” Twilight offered, extending a hoof. “I’d ask that you destroy it after, but I don't think it really matters at this point.”

“I will honor your request regardless,” Cadance replied, taking the sheet of paper.

Twilight watched the other pony begin to study the spell for several seconds before returning to her meal. Regardless of whether Twilight believed that the alicorn would follow through on her promise, the ball was no longer in Twilight’s court. The unicorn simply hoped that all the trust she had shown this much younger Cadance would be rewarded.

Filling her stomach took time, though those minutes were well-spent, as the taste was to die for. Cadance, meanwhile, seemed to struggle to understand the spell for the majority of that time. Thankfully for Twilight, the alicorn was able to figure out the relatively advanced bit of magic without assistance.

“A fascinating bit of spellcraft,” Cadance exclaimed. “Did you come up with it yourself?”

Twilight blinked, leaning forwards in her seat and removing her hoof from her now full stomach. “No, well, sort of. It's hard to explain.”

“Time shenanigans. Got ya,” Cadance replied.

“Pretty much,” Twilight agreed. “Can you do it though?”

“Yes, I should be able to assist you in this matter. Though I should warn you that the experience of having your spells aided in such a manner can be quite… intimate,” Cadance explained.

“Intimate how?” Twilight inquired.

“For a brief moment our souls touch,” Cadance continued. “There is no give or take, mind you. Merely a brief instant where you will feel what I do and vice versa.”

Twilight nodded. “It wouldn't be the first time I’ve experienced something like that.”

“Oh, is that so?” Cadance cooed, leaning in as close as she could manage. “And who was this person you’ve shared such an intimate moment with?”

Twilight blushed and quickly shook her head. “N-noone important. Now can we please just get back to the spell?”

Cadance giggled. “No matter the Twilight, you are all so fun to tease.”

Twilight huffed indignantly, though she couldn't bring herself to actually be angry at the alicorn. “Be that as it may. Do you need more time to recuperate before we cast the spell?” Twilight inquired.

Cadance shook her head. “Contrary to Luna’s opinion, I have gotten back the majority of my strength. We could cast it right now, if you would like.”

The unicorn wanted to enthusiastically state that such a plan was exactly what she wanted, but Twilight stopped herself before opening her mouth. She wanted to learn the other words which Cadance no doubt knew and may not be able to teach her in her own time. Twilight also wanted to learn the words that Celestia knew, but she wasn't certain if such a thing was even possible.

Thinking too hard on that last subject left Twilight feeling like she had forgotten something important. A thought which she ultimately brushed aside as inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. She had learned two of the words, both of which were very applicable to her skills and strengths.

They will have to be enough, Twilight reasoned. “That would be excellent. I don't want to potentially ruin anything else. Nor would I wish to rob my past self of her body for a moment longer than necessary.”

“An excellent response,” Cadance praised, extending a limb. “Now, give me your hoof, and I will aid you as best as I can.”

“Thank you, by the way. I don't know what else I would have done,” Twilight replied, allowing Cadance to hold her right foreleg. “Other than panic, of course.”

“It's no trouble at all, my friend. It is the least I can do for you, considering what you’ve done for me,” Cadance exclaimed. “Though I still feel like I should do more to pay you back.”

“I’m fairly certain you already have,” Twilight retorted with a wry smile.

One which Cadance shared. “Well, it's good to know that my future self does not forget a debt. I would hate to turn out as some honorless cur.”

“You don't have to worry about that,” Twilight stated confidently.

Cadance nodded, and lit her horn. “Right then. Let us get you sent back before my sisters walk back in and force me to go back to sleep.”

“Yes, let’s,” Twilight enthusiastically agreed.

“Now, just start to cast your spell like normal, and when you begin to reach your limit, hold onto it for a few more seconds, okay?” Cadance offered.

“Got it,” Twilight answered.

Cadance nodded, prompting Twilight to do as she was told, her own horn beginning to glow as she started to go through the motions. Gathering the necessary power took little time, as did focusing herself on the objective she wished to accomplish. Returning home was an easy goal to keep at the forefront of her mind, as it already consumed nearly every thought she had.

Then Twilight pushed to complete it and received the familiar sensation of her body attempting to go further then was possible. The feeling was like lifting something you knew was too heavy, only you were straining the muscles in your mind. Which would leave Twilight with a bad headache as well as a good amount of recoil, though thankfully that never happened.

For right as Twilight’s horn began to flicker, a strength suddenly filled her body. A strength which came not from within, but from the alicorn next to her, whose own horn now glowed like a miniature sun. With that feeling of power came understanding, emotions, and a few flashes of memories she knew weren't her own.

This might have overwhelmed the unicorn at one point, especially when the other mare’s recollections of her past hit Twilight, but now was different. Calling upon her time spent lost amidst the tide of souls which lay beneath the world, Twilight refused to experience Cadance’s memories. They, like the other pony’s emotions, were brushed aside. Their link only deepened as far as it needed to be and no deeper.

Which allowed Twilight to stay focused on simply casting the spell properly. A task which she would have likely struggled with, had she not come to understand the soul so profoundly. There, at the precipice of completion, Twilight held her magic in order to give Cadance one last appreciative nod.

A gesture that was returned a second before the deed was done.

In an instant Twilight felt her body become numb as her mind and spirit were pulled free from her mortal coil. As she departed, Twilight could see her past self crumple on the bed, a patient Cadance placing a pillow beneath her head. Then Twilight was gone, the world blurring away into nothing and being replaced by the strange ooze-filled void.

This time the vast swirling ocean of nothing was not quite so intimidating, and though the creature beneath the world was present, it was satiated. It did not stir as Twilight passed through its domain under reality itself and merely sat motionless within the void. Something Twilight was quite glad for, as she did not want to deal with whatever it was after having already gone through what she had.

Several minutes passed as Twilight maneuvered through the miasma before turning upward and swimming towards a distant light. One which quickly parted to reveal the ceiling of the ritual chamber which Twilight had left behind all those weeks ago. Twilight eagerly pushed herself towards this sight, a feeling of relief already welling within her being.

The pony gasped, feeling having returned to her a second after she had left that strange below place that lay under reality. With sensations flooding her being once more, Twilight released a second, smaller sigh and simply appreciated the fact that she was home. Already she felt more relaxed than she had during her time-displaced adventures, and Twilight hoped her friends were nearby as she desperately wanted to see them.

Looking around, Twilight found that she was alone, though thankfully the exit to the ritual space was open. Standing slowly, Twilight quickly realized that her body had probably been there for a while, given how stiff her joints were. She made a note of getting some help from Sunset’s healing magic before continuing on.

To the bottom floor which had been renovated quite extensively in her absence. All of the trash had finally been cleared away and furniture had been brought in, a lot of it at that. Enough even for someone to live down here comfortably and without missing out on any of the small luxuries.

A bed, desk, chest of drawers, even a primitive bathroom complete with tub, chamber pot, and sink were visible off to one side. It was a far cry from the unpleasant mess that Twilight had left behind, though it was also slightly confusing. As it left her wondering why someone had bothered to do all this, and why there was no one around to greet her.

Maybe more time has passed than I thought, Twilight reasoned as she scanned the room once more.

This time when she finished her inspection, she noticed that a familiar skeletal unicorn outfitted in rusting armor and wielding an equally worn halberd was standing nearby. Her eye sockets were empty, but her gaze was piercing nonetheless, and the skeleton seemed ready to strike at a moment’s notice.

“State your identity,” demanded the undead.

“The head researcher of this facility. Or at least I was, anyway,” Twilight replied.

The skeleton relaxed and placed her weapon against the wall. “It is good to have you back. That creature which possessed you was not one for conversation.”

“Is that so?” Twilight mused as she looked around. “Where is everyone?”

“Your friends left several weeks ago after it was apparent that you would not return immediately,” Sharp Eye replied.

Twilight snorted angrily. “Figures. Nothing is as easy as it should be. How long exactly was I gone?”

“Two weeks and five days,” Sharp Eye quickly replied.

Twilight’s initial shock quickly melted away to bitter resentment, and the pony shook her head in disgust. “Great, just great,” she muttered.

“Would you like me to summon Beaker? He has been staying abreast of the various goings on in Ponyville and the surrounding area,” Sharp Eye offered.

“Yes-wait. Do you know where Spike is?” Twilight inquired.

“I do,” Sharp Eye replied. “The dragon went topside for supplies, and will be back within the hour.”

“That is good,” Twilight murmured as she began to pace. “Now then. Should I wait for him to come back… or, on second thought, where is Beaker anyway?”

“I’m right here!” exclaimed the excitable undead, who popped up next to Twilight.

“Where were you?” Twilight muttered, looking around in confusion.

“Oh, I was standing over there,” Beaker replied, gesturing to the room Twilight had just exited.

Twilight briefly wondered how she had missed the other skeleton before shrugging it off. “I need to know what has been happening in Ponyville while I was gone.”

“Oh, plenty of things,” Beaker exclaimed. “Rarity has nearly mastered the art of weaving and threw a wonderful little soiree for all of us who helped with her fashion show.”

Twilight nodded slowly, watching as Beaker continued to rattle off details without stop.

“Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy moved in together, which is a bit quick in my opinion, but they are already saying ‘I love you,’ so I guess it makes sense,” Beaker exclaimed. “Spike and Sweetie Belle are just adorable together, by the way. Even if the poor girl is scared to death of the undertower. I don't see why she feels that way, it's just a big empty hole in the ground at this point.”

Twilight leaned toward Sharp Eye. “How often do Rarity and him talk?”

“Nearly every day,” murmured the female skeleton.

“Applejack is still struggling with how big her farm is nowadays, but the whole family is taking it all in stride. Rumour has it that she went out with some guy named Svensomething or other, but that didn't work out,” Beaker gushed, only to perk up. “Pinkie Pie passed some sort of special shaman test or something. I wasn't really paying attention, but she seemed really happy about it.”

“I wasn't really-” Twilight began only to be cut off.

Beaker sighed dramatically, somehow. “Sunset is still being an absolute stick in the mud and refuses to even entertain the idea of dating despite how much Sharp Eye flirts with her.”

Twilight glanced to the armored skeleton, and for a moment was fairly certain she was blushing, but that notion passed quickly.

“I do not,” Sharp Eye muttered.

“You carry around all of her stuff whenever she shows up and agree with everything she says,” Beaker retorted.

The armored undead shifted awkwardly. “She is very smart and has very good ideas.”

“Hold on,” Twilight quickly interrupted. “I don't really care about my friends’ love lives. I just want to know what has been happening in Ponyville. Has Celestia attacked again?”

Beaker pawed the ground, avoiding Twilight’s gaze. “Not yet.”

“She's close then?” Twilight pressed.

“Sort of,” Beaker admitted. “You have time though, and everyone has been doing a real good job shoring up the castle’s defences. Why, Nebula even began to recruit more of her wayward children. I’m sure this whole thing will blow over in no time at all.”

“What, exactly, is attacking us?” Twilight pressed.

Beaker took a nervous step back. “Oh, just a bunch of golems, their handlers, and a small contingent of knights.”

“There are forty golems, twenty-three mages and sixty-nine knights still advancing on Ponyville,” Sharp Eye declared.

“Like the kind I fought at the tower?” Twilight questioned.

Beaker nodded meekly.

“That is… very bad,” Twilight murmured. “How long exactly before they are here?”

“Four, maybe five days,” Sharp Eye replied.

“That is…” Twilight trailed off.

“Not very good, isn't it?” Beaker inquired.

Twilight shook her head, her gaze growing distant. “No, Beaker. That is not good at all. Come. We will have to speak with Nebula immediately.”

“You mean we’re leaving the undertower?” Beaker gently asked.

“You are. It is long past due that you were rewarded for your service, though that may need to wait until after this newest problem has been solved,” Twilight murmured.

“No reward is necessary,” Sharp Eye quickly stated.

“Well, I wouldn't mind a reward of some kind. Maybe a new jacket or something,” Beaker murmured, gazing down at his bare, bleached bones.

“You will get far more than just a new wardrobe,” Twilight stated. “Provided we are all still alive in a week’s time.”

“Status on Sergeant Oaken Hammer?” Tempest Shadow inquired, stepping up to the hastily erected medical tent that sat within the swath of destruction they had cut through the Everfree.

The short and clearly exhausted mage standing before her sighed. “I’m afraid there is nothing we can do for him. The creature was able to sever his spine, and though we were able to save him, without advanced medical care soon, he will never walk again.”

“Which means he can't fight,” Tempest murmured, her gaze lingering on the flap to the medical tent.

A frown crossed her face, and her brow furrowed with disdain for the situation she was in. For although she was in the midst of a hastily erected camp and was relatively safe, she knew things wouldn't remain that way for long. Around her ponies napped where they could, while the lucky few granted a full night’s rest tried their best to get what little shut-eye possible.

The swarm of stinging gnats that had plagued them for weeks had thankfully been defeated, though their endless biting was still remembered keenly. As were the numerous rats which had somehow made their way into the camp during the dead of night. Their food supplies had not been hit that hard by the persistent rodents, though their morale had taken a beating.

For those minor concerns were only two of many such worries the unicorn commander had been forced to contend with. Her army had taken a lot of damage, friends had been buried, all while everything from the flies to the squirrels attacked them on sight. That was without even mentioning the giant worm creature they had killed only a day earlier, the mere thought of which made Tempest shudder.

It was enough to make the unicorn wonder if she would make it out alive, her gaze wandering to the path they had left behind. The formerly straight shot back to Canterlot had vanished over a week ago, the forest having started to regrow behind them. Without being able to see their city of origin, the ponies under her command had grown paranoid and fearful.

Though even still, the will of Celestia moved through them, bolstering their courage during those moments of weakness.

“Commander?” inquired the unicorn.

Tempest blinked. “What is it, soldier?”

“I was just asking what we should do with Oaken Hammer?” pressed the unicorn.

Tempest opened her mouth to speak, only to twitch violently, a golden glow emanating from behind her eyes. “Leave him behind. We don't have the pony power to return him to Canterlot, nor can we afford to be slowed down anymore than we already have been,” Tempest announced.

“Y-yes, Commander,” muttered the pony, who quickly turned and trotted away.

Tempest watched her subordinate go. Soon, we will not be required to make such sacrifices, for our foe will be slain. Then we shall return to Canterlot as heroes, rescued from the bowels of these accursed woods by Celestia herself.

“I can already see it now,” Tempest murmured, closing her eyes and ignoring the distant roars of what sounded like an enraged manticore.

Her mind conjured images of what her victory parade would look like, tantalizing herself with what she knew the future would hold. Her body would be made whole once more, and her life would return to a state of normalcy for the first time in forever. She would be granted the rank of general, which she had so coveted, and beyond that she would be appreciated by everyone.

Why, she could even imagine the many faces which lined the streets, each one looking up at her with wonder. The ponies she saw would be told of her great deeds and many sacrifices by Celestia herself, Tempest just knew it. Those smiling, sometimes awestruck features seemed so real to the unicorn that she could reach out and touch them.

Though there was one individual in particular that Tempest felt her gaze drawn to more than the others due to how much it stuck out from the rest. For this creature was no equine, as it stood upon two long legs which allowed it to tower over the ponies that stood around him. Not only that, but he wore armor, which bore an insignia that Tempest knew from somewhere, though she couldn't recall where.

Then it was gone, and the smiling faces returned.

Tempest shook her head and dismissed the idle musings, reminding herself of the many things she had yet to do. With the setting of the sun, their defences would need to be secured, and the beasts of the forest subdued. Once that was done, she would return to her tent and enjoy another dreamless slumber.

Or at least that was the plan.

“I hope I don't have to use another sleep aid,” Tempest murmured as she weaved through a throng of ponies. “I never had trouble before this.”

She shook her head and snorted. Now I’m talking to myself. Wonderful. I can't wait to return to where I truly belong.

Author's Note

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Unbound

Twilight ruminated on her circumstances as she ascended to another floor, her gaze sweeping across the area and finding nothing out of place. Just another level which had been carefully cleaned, organized, and was in the midst of being repaired. Even the hole in the center had been bridged by a long, wide board, enabling easier passage.

Like on the other floors, repairs had been minimal and had seemingly been paused at one point, as a fine layer of dust covered most of the discarded tools. Evidently they had been in the midst of returning the undertower to its former glory when they had diverted efforts elsewhere. Twilight pushed all such considerations out of her mind and focused on just getting to the library as soon as possible.

One part of her hoped she was right, and that the statue was in fact Luna’s petrified body. Another, smaller piece of her wanted to be wrong, as it meant she hadn't looked over such an obvious answer. Thankfully it wasn't long before she was able to reach the library proper, using her magic to push open the entrance.

“What the heck?” Twilight muttered, her gaze settling on the empty space where the statue had once stood. “Where did it go?”

The unicorn immediately began to search the immediate area, but quickly came up empty-hoofed. There simply wasn't a space large enough to hide such a massive amount of stone, unless it had been shrunk somehow. Twilight had to stop herself from scanning the library for a potentially miniscule stone alicorn.

“Someone must know where it's gone. It's not like it can just get up and walk away,” Twilight remarked.

Only to pause.

“Right?”

Twilight shook her head and trotted towards the exit, making her way further up the tower. Only to be stopped when she heard the sound of hooves coming down the stairs. Stepping off to the side, Twilight waited until a slim and remarkably tall armored thestral strode out from the entrance.

“Ahh, you're awake once more,” she exclaimed in a surprisingly deep, dulcet tone. “Or at least I assume it is you.”

“It is. Me, that is. Or at least the me from this time,” Twilight exclaimed.

The mare smiled. “That is good to hear. There were some who were growing worried that you wouldn't return in time for the coming conflict.”

“Conflict? Celestia and her golems, I presume?” Twilight inquired.

The thestral scowled briefly. “Best not to speak her name in this place. You may have brought hope for the night’s return, but right now this is still her tomb.”

Twilight winced. “Oh right. Sorry.”

“It's no matter,” the guard quickly dismissed. “And to answer your question, yes, it seems as though the sun’s wrath reaches us even here.”

“And the statue?” Twilight asked, gesturing back down the hall towards the library.

“Dark Hallow had a feeling it was important and placed it under guard back in the vault,” the mare replied. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have important research that must be completed.”

Twilight blinked and quickly stepped back. “Oh, absolutely. Thank you, by the way.”

The guard merely nodded, trotting past Twilight and toward her destination.

Watching the mare closely, Twilight noted that beneath her helmet were a pair of long dark purple braids. Her fur was also a deep grey, and though her armor obscured her cutie mark, it could not hide her slightly curly mauve tail. All in all, the pony certainly looked like a guard, even though she walked with the confidence and poise of a model.

Twilight shrugged and resumed her trot towards ground level once more, putting the strange mare quickly out of her mind.

Wait. If Dark Hallow had a good feeling about it, does it mean he recognized it? Twilight thought, only to sigh. I should really learn to be more observant so this doesn't happen in the first place.

With such gloomy thoughts roiling through her mind, Twilight trotted up the stairs and into the throne room for the first time in a while. Her eyes immediately opened wide, and she couldn't help but look around in wonder at all the attention to detail put into the space.

The stone walls had been scrubbed to the point that they shined, and even the roof was free of the smallest of cobwebs. Not only was it somehow even cleaner than before, but it also had a new throne, one large enough for an alicorn to sit comfortably upon. The wooden seat was relatively plain, though it had evidently been made out of some rare tree, for it was pure black, like the last one had been.

It could have been painted of course, but there was something so natural about it that made Twilight think that it wasn't. Even the small carvings and engravings that adorned the legs and arms looked like they had been grown that way. Either way, they were small and barely noticeable, with the only real embellishment being the prominent crescent moon balanced atop the chair’s back.

The banners which hung from the walls had also been replaced with a slightly more modern variant. One which still maintained the deep purple and teal tones that Luna seemed to favor so heavily as well as the moon depictions. Despite how fine everything looked, and how clean it all was, the space was definitely not just a throne room.

Boxes, crates, as well as a small table covered with maps and documents could be seen pushed against the walls. The other smaller chairs that had been on either side of the first throne were gone, as was the original. The other small embellishments like paintings and suits of armor were gone as well. Likely having been tucked away in some crate somewhere so they might be protected from whatever was coming.

“It must be serious,” Twilight muttered to herself.

“What is?” asked a voice.

Twilight shrieked, nearly jumping out of her skin as she spun towards the thestral standing next to her.

The stallion was short, wore the usual guard armor, and had a crescent shaped sword strapped to his side. He also had one of the most confused expressions that Twilight had ever seen before. One which quickly became concerned when their eyes met.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

Twilight breathed in and out, quickly calming her jumbled nerves. “Yeah. Just fine.”

“Really? ‘Cause for a sec there I thought you were going to have a heart attack,” he pressed.

“That's not really possible anymore,” Twilight muttered, before perking up. “Sorry. You just startled me, is all.”

“It is quite something though, isn't it?” inquired the guard, who gestured to the room.

“Yes. The last time it was clean, but it didn't sparkle like it does now,” Twilight exclaimed. “Say, do you know the name of the thestral that I saw in the undertower?”

“Who?” he questioned.

Twilight shook her head. “Right, you probably don't know everyone’s names anyway. Do you know the whereabouts of Spike or Nebula, by chance?”

“Oh yes actually. The giant spider lady is in the courtyard. Spike was chopping wood last I saw him. He should be back shortly,” explained the guard.

Twilight nodded. “Thank you, kind sir.”

“Not a problem ma’am. It's the least I could do for the Night Bringer,” he exclaimed.

“Night Bringer? I’ve heard that before, but my memory is… fuzzy,” Twilight murmured.

The thestral shrugged. “Some people think you’ll bring back the night mistress. Thus the name.”

“Ahh,” Twilight tapped her chin thoughtfully before turning and unceremoniously walking away.

She felt a little awkward, and that feeling persisted as she passed through the massive ornate doors and into the hall beyond. Like the throne room, this new area had received plenty of attention and updating while also serving a more utilitarian purpose. Grinding wheels and sharpening stations had been brought in, and several guards were working away, improving their weapons. Like the throne room, most of the paintings and other decorations were gone, though a few suits of armor remained.

There were other things happening amongst the dark recesses of the shadowed hall, but Twilight payed them little attention. Her mind was elsewhere, and she only gave her surroundings the most cursory of glances before continuing into the castle lobby. To where there were far more people, as well as a greater sense of urgency.

Maneuvering her way around the many individuals that filled the triple intersection, Twilight made her way towards the exit. While she did so, Twilight noticed that a few of the guards, and even several of the towering spiders gave her a brief nod of greeting before continuing on with their assigned task. Though none lingered or made an attempt to chat, Twilight still felt a little strange with such treatment and hastened her steps.

Upon exiting the castle itself, Twilight was immediately struck by just how beautiful the night sky was, and how many people filled the courtyard. The overgrowth had been completely cut away, and the old walls had been rebuilt from their crumbling foundations. Not only that, but new towers were being erected, and fresh stone was hauled across a newly reinforced bridge.

Hundreds of creatures of all shapes and sizes toiled away, carrying supplies, hoisting blocks, or otherwise working at some task. Thestrals painted the walls, while minotaurs and trolls seemed to handle the bulk of construction not being accomplished by the small army of spiders. There were dozens of the eight-legged creatures, though Twilight got the feeling that there were many more just out of sight.

“It's a good thing I’m not an arachnophobe,” Twilight muttered to herself.

Looking a little closer, Twilight located a particularly large spider standing next to one of the largest trolls Twilight had ever seen. The pair seemed to be arguing about something, if their exaggerated motions were anything to go by. Thankfully it didn't seem like violence was about to break out as their postures were relaxed despite the animated discussion.

The troll had soft pink fur, or at least it looked like fur at first glance, though as Twilight neared, she could tell the creature was completely covered in a layer of stone. Not just any stone, but an oddly porous kind that resembled the type one might see in the wake of a volcanic eruption. If the troll was bothered by being more rock than pony, she didn't show it, and continued to speak excitedly.

The spider was larger than even a manticore, and her scarred exterior was oddly lithe and feminine despite its alien appearance. Her eight blue orbs peered intently at the troll across from her, studying the smaller creature closely. Her silk steel armor was gone, though she still wore a long scarf across her midsection, the blue moons printed on it visible even at this distance.

Trotting towards the towering spider and her slightly less gigantic conversation partner, Twilight began to pick out some of the jabs they were exchanging.

“-and why can't we just haul it up here?” asked the troll mare in a deep baritone.

The spider sighed and sunk lower. “Dead Mare’s creek is not safe. Foul creatures make their home among its depths or within the caves which dot its sides.”

The troll stomped a hoof against the ground with enough force to rattle Twilight’s bones. “Then we crush them. Simple!”

Nebula’s mandibles clacked irritably against one another. “And I am telling you that it is not quite so simple as you seem to think it is.”

“And why not?” snapped the towering purple-maned troll.

“Why don't you ask our resident necromancer?” Nebula inquired, her many eyes turning to Twilight.

The troll spun towards the mare, her bright teal eyes boring into Twilight’s soul. “Why can't we acquire the stone we require from Dead Mare’s creek?”

“I, uh… don't actually know,” Twilight muttered, quickly placing her hoof over her heart and nodding in greeting.

“Do you remember the flow of spirits you saw not long ago? Well, there is one just like that down there. Not only that, but there are creatures down there that subsist on the spiritual residue these lost souls leave behind,” Nebula continued.

Twilight’s eyes widened. “Oh. Yes, you don't want to go down there.”

“That bad?” asked the troll, her thick eyebrows furrowing.

“I would sooner tear down the walls of Canterlot to use as your building material,” Twilight replied.

The troll hummed thoughtfully, the sound reverberating through the unicorn’s soul. “I suppose we will have to look elsewhere,” she reluctantly admitted.

“There is an old quarry not far north. Though it is likely spent, it may be worth checking out,” Nebula added.

The troll nodded slowly, her gaze becoming distant. “We will need to move quickly then. Our stores are already running low, and we have much left.”

“Then you had best get moving,” Nebula added.

“Right,” the troll uttered before walking away, her gaze distant and unfocused.

“I’m glad I could help?” Twilight remarked, stepping up to the towering arachnid.

“Lilly is as strong and as stubborn as the rock that covers her body,” Nebula exclaimed in an amused tone. “Though no matter how stubborn she may be, the girl isn't stupid.”

Twilight nodded. “So, uh, what's been happening while I was gone?”

“As you can see, we are preparing for a sunspawn assault. As such, I have called forth my wayward children,” Nebula began, gesturing towards a nearby spider.

Who, Twilight noticed, was a bit shaggier, larger, and bulkier than the ones she had grown used to seeing. They also seemed wilder, with prominent mandibles and a duller, more greenish collaboration to their body. Over all, they looked more independent than the ones Twilight had spoken to and seemed more at home handling the heavier, less complicated work.

“Let us hope their strength will be unneeded,” Twilight muttered.

“Indeed. Though before we continue, may I give you a brief look over?” Nebula inquired, the spider lowering herself to Twilight’s height.

“Err, sure,” Twilight replied, eying the other creature closely.

Nebula peered intently at the unicorn, inspecting the pony from various angles before finally stopping and tapping her chin with a spindly limb. “Curious, very curious,” she murmured.

“What is it?” Twilight inquired.

“As I suspected, your connection to the sun has faded, but you have not grown closer to the moon like most do,” Nebula murmured in her strange, raspy voice.

“What does that mean exactly? You weren't exactly clear the first time we spoke on this subject,” Twilight pressed.

“Your magic is evolving, for lack of a better word. Adapting, as you have, to the strange circumstances you find yourself within. Only time will tell what this means, though I suspect that it will result in you gaining access to unique spells that few have ever truly accessed,” Nebula continued.

“Fascinating,” Twilight murmured, rubbing her chin with a hoof. “I will have to research this phenomenon more when I get the opportunity.”

“Until then, I would observe those individuals with a close attachment to the celestial bodies. They likely have abilities you haven't noticed,” Nebula exclaimed.

Twilight nodded. “Right, so back to the topic at hoof. What exactly has happened around here?”

“We have been preparing for the coming conflict,” Nebula replied simply. “Both the battle and the war that will come after. If, of course, we survive the first battle.”

“Wait, war?” Twilight questioned.

“You didn't think we would just let the sun’s grasp on the world tighten without fighting back, did you?” Nebula retorted.

Twilight wilted slightly. “I suppose not. I had just hoped that we could remove her and avoid a protracted conflict.”

“If only it was that simple,” Nebula remarked. “The tyrant is likely to have already set in motion several back-up plans that will ensure that her will be done no matter what happens to her.”

The unicorn sighed. “That does sound like Ce-her.”

The spider rose back to her full height once more. “Which is why you must aid in the mistress’ return as soon as possible. With a full alicorn on our side, we will have a much greater chance of grasping victory from the jaws of defeat.”

“Wait, full alicorn? What about Cadance?” Twilight questioned.

Nebula blinked, seemingly confused for a moment before brushing that feeling aside. “That is for her to say, not I. Though I am surprised that she has not already confided in you about her past.”

“I just got back from… you know what, that would take too long to explain,” Twilight muttered mostly to herself. “Suffice it to say that she can only trust me now, and I have yet to get the chance to speak to her.”

“Then I would do so soon, young one,” Nebula encouraged. “Cadance has likely waited centuries to divulge this information to you, and is probably growing quite impatient at this point.”

Twilight chuckled. “You make a good point. I should probably seek out a changeling once I have had a chance to talk to Dark Hallow about his plan.”

“A most wonderful idea, my friend,” Nebula exclaimed. “Now then. I still have much to do, as do you.”

“Before you go. Do you happen to know where Spike is?” Twilight inquired.

The spider lifted a long, hairy leg and pointed off towards a small, less busy section of the courtyard. “Your assistant was intent on waiting for your return, but was roped into chopping wood it seems. A good thing too, he is far too soft to be safe in your presence.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight pressed.

“You live a dangerous life, young one. Those around you will need to find new strength if they hope to stay alive,” Nebula replied, before turning and walking away.

Twilight opened her mouth to ask another question, but reluctantly said nothing, merely watching the spider leave. New strength, Twilight thought to herself as her gaze slowly shifted over to where she could see a young dragon swinging an axe.

Perspiration dripped from his brow, and his small muscles bulged from the effort of merely hefting the large tool over his head. Beside him was a stuffed backpack likely containing the supplies he had originally left to acquire. Next to that was a somewhat disappointed-looking earth pony covered in a thick matt of porous green moss.

“Come on, use your whole body. Start from your legs,” he barked.

Spike grunted as he hefted the axe and swung once more, the tool clunking loudly into the heavy piece of wood. Failing to split the piece in half, his axe became stuck, and no amount of tugging seemed to remedy this. The dragon even planted a foot on the wood and heaved, only to end up falling onto his backside.

“Stars above, that's a thick piece of wood,” he muttered to himself before turning around. “Oh, hey Dusk. I didn't see you there.”

Twilight reached down and picked the dragon up from the ground. “I just got back and was hoping to speak to you.”

“I suppose I should tend to my mushroom patch, lest another of those spiders ends up wandering into it,” muttered the mossy earth pony. “Don't stop chopping, youngun, you still got a long way to go.”

“Err, thanks, Northside,” Spike murmured . “So, uh. How was your trip?”

“Enlightening,” Twilight replied. “But before I get to that, I have to ask. Why are you out here anyway?”

“I may have mentioned that I wanted to get stronger to a passing guard, who in turn told old Northside here,” Spike answered, gesturing towards the now distant shape of the earth pony. “He took this as a challenge and has been trying to help me bulk up since then.”

“To, uh… mixed results,” Spike added, his shoulders sagging.

Twilight frowned and rubbed the dragon’s back. “It's okay if you aren't strong, Spike. You’re a brilliant young drake.”

Spike snorted and shrugged off Twilight’s hoof. “I want to be strong though! I want to help people, to be able to protect people. I can't do that if I’m tiny and squishy.”

“You're still young. You have time to grow,” Twilight stressed.

“We are at war, Dusk. I don't have time to grow up! I have to be strong now,” Spike continued, glaring up at the unicorn.

“I know how you feel, Spike, but you have to be patient with these things. Results don't just happen overnight,” Twilight stated softly.

Spike’s shoulders slumped further still, and he kicked a piece of dirt. “This entire thing sucks. I want to go back to helping out at the library and spending my days reading.”

Twilight smiled. “Well, you could help me with something, if you have the time.”

“Sure. What is it?” Spike replied, perking up slightly.

“I need to get the girls all together so I can let everyone, including you of course, know what happened. Do you think you could do that for me?” Twilight inquired.

“I guess,” Spike muttered. “I was kinda hoping you had some sort of secret mission or something. It seems like everyone else has gone on some great big adventure, except for me.”

“And tear you away from your girlfriend? No way,” Twilight exclaimed.

Spike blushed and sputtered before walking off. “She isn't… we aren't… Gah! I’m leaving.”

“Wait, don't you want to come back to the library through the undertower?” Twilight offered.

Spike waved a dismissive hand in the air. “Nah. Rainbow and Fluttershy are around here somewhere, so I’m going to start with them.”

“Then I’ll leave it in your capable claws, Spike. Good luck,” Twilight offered.

The dragon merely grunted as he walked away, hiding the blush that still colored his features.

Twilight smiled and watched him go for several seconds before trotting back inside.

Once more, she slipped through the crowd of creatures that filled the halls, and made her way back to the undertower. Before entering, she gave an appreciative nod to the thestral guard stationed at its entrance, a motion the male eagerly reciprocated. She then strode confidently back into the winding stairs that lead to the first level of the sprawling subterranean structure.

It was a long trot to her destination, and the unicorn stopped only once to take a peek into the library. Finding no one, Twilight briefly wondered what the thestral guard had been researching before proceeding on her way. As she walked, Twilight idly contemplated what she had discovered since her return.

They were about to be attacked, though this time it certainly seemed like their aggressor would be more than a single unicorn assassin. Twilight’s imagination quickly began to conjure images of great armies or giant magical horrors that made her pulse quicken. Twilight stopped and shook her head vigorously, dismissing the cloying thoughts and the anxiety they brought her.

Solutions, Twilight. Solutions, she reminded herself. I must bring back Luna, quickly. With her return, we could repel these invaders and strike back.

With magical calculations running through her mind, Twilight proceeded deeper and deeper until she reached the level she knew contained the array. She then stopped herself and briefly wondered if it would be a good idea to acquire her skeletal assistants first. The pony dismissed such considerations quickly however, silently worrying about the potential panic that a bunch of free undead might cause.

Putting off such a concern for the moment, Twilight entered the large chamber and activated it. In a flash she was back in the library again, her hooves fumbling only briefly before full sensation returned to her. With all four legs under her once more, Twilight moved to exit the chamber, but was stopped when she heard a pained groan from somewhere nearby.

Not only that, but she could also smell blood.

Without taking the time to stop and think, Twilight all but burst into the next room and looked around. To find that the basement had been turned into an impromptu hospital, complete with a dozen mostly occupied beds and a good amount of equipment. The tree itself seemed to be assisting as well, for all of the basement’s extra rooms were now open and being used.

Amidst it all was a skeletal unicorn mare draped in a white robe, her horn glowing brightly as she focused on a still partially armored earth pony. The stallion was lying on his side, his eyes closed, and a pained expression visible on his dirty face. Upon entering the room, Sunset gave Twilight only the briefest of glances before turning back to her charge.

“If you’re the real Twilight, then get over here and help me. If you aren't, then stay out of the way,” Sunset barked.

Twilight quickly trotted up next to the skeletal undead. “It's me. What can I do to help?”

“Just keep him under and negate his pain. He's got so many enchantments placed on his body that I can't even begin to operate on his broken spine,” Sunset replied.

Twilight glanced over at the stallion’s other side and immediately wished she hadn't. For the brown earth pony’s coat was matted with bright red blood that flowed from three deep claw marks. Not only had he suffered some manner of animal attack, but his back was twisted at an unnatural angle. His broken golden armor, which had been piled near the end of the bed, seemed to back up this assumption, as it too had been sliced to ribbons.

“Wait, is he a royal guard?” Twilight questioned, noticing the golden insignia on the floor.

“Does that really matter right now?” Sunset barked.

Twilight opened her mouth to respond, only to snap it closed and light her horn. It didn't matter, Twilight quickly realized. Right now he wasn't a royal guard or a servant of Celestia, he was a creature in need.

Funneling her magic into the localized anesthetic spell already put in place by Sunset, Twilight eased the stallion’s suffering as best as she could. In seconds his body relaxed, and the grimace he wore faded until it was little more than a slight frown. With her job done, Twilight observed as Sunset began the arduous process of breaking through the wards placed on their patient.

One by one the golden charms shattered, until at long last he was free of the oppressive spells. This also seemed to increase the amount of blood that pumped from his wounds, in addition to making his body lose the slight golden sheen it had a moment ago.

“I’ll need to work quickly. Those enchantments were empowering him, but also making it impossible for me to do anything,” Sunset explained.

Twilight merely nodded, observing as the stallion twitched and moaned, his breathing becoming shallower by the second.

Sunset poured magic into her hooves and placed them on the stallion’s back, causing him to groan in agony. The skeletal unicorn pressed on, however, massaging the cuts until the flow of blood began to slow, and his flesh started to knit back together. It was a remarkable sight to watch, and Twilight silently marveled at the other unicorn’s considerable skill.

Within only a few minutes, Sunset had managed to heal the stallion’s more visible wounds, though the effort had left her hooves covered in blood. She didn't seem to mind and quickly moved onto the much deeper damage, conjuring more magic as she did so. With hooves now glowing brightly with necromantic energy, Sunset pressed hard against the stallion’s spine.

The guard groaned in agony, and for a moment Twilight wondered if her friend was trying to injure him further. Then, with a resounding crack, his back aligned once more, and Sunset’s magic finally began to fade. The skeletal pony released a sigh and stepped back, only for one of her legs to fall right off and clatter to the ground.

“Are you alright?” Twilight inquired.

“I’m fine,” Sunset quickly replied, retrieving her lost limb and jamming it back into its socket. “Just used a bit more magic than I would have liked.”

“I’m assuming he's alright now?” Twilight questioned.

Sunset nodded slowly. “I’m not sure if he’ll walk again, but he’s out of the woods at least. Oh, and you can stop that spell. The base level enchantment should be enough to handle his pain now.”

“Oh,” Twilight muttered, stopping the flow of magic.

Twilight’s gaze drifted down to the stallion as Sunset moved to wash herself up in a nearby water bucket. He was young, probably mid-twenties, but with a strong, well-muscled body that spoke of extensive physical training. His deep brown mane was cut short while his slightly lighter fur had been allowed to grow a little longer. On his flanks was a simple wooden hammer that was striking some unseen opponent.

“So, where did you find this guy?” Twilight inquired.

Sunset grunted and gestured vaguely northward. “He was left to die by his allies and was about to be eaten by a rather cruel chimera when some scouts found him hiding in a hollowed-out log.”

“That's rough,” Twilight muttered.

“No kidding. Oh, and sorry if I was a bit short with you back there. I can get rather irritable when working with patients,” Sunset remarked.

Twilight waved a dismissive hoof. “It's fine. I know how you feel.”

The skeleton sighed. “I’m glad you're back, by the way. I assumed everything went according to plan?”

Twilight shrugged. “More or less. I’ll tell you and the girls everything later. Right now I still need to speak to Dark Hallow and get ahold of Cadance.”

“Then you had better get moving. I’m fairly certain he had some big meeting planned later tonight,” Sunset exclaimed, trotting past Twilight and scanning another patient.

“What are you going to do with him?” Twilight asked, gesturing to the guard they had just healed.

“Talk to him. Then probably hand him over to Dark Hallow,” Sunset replied. “He may not have done anything, but he is still an enemy combatant.”

“I’d keep an eye on him if I were you,” Twilight added. “You never know what kind of sick back -p plan Celestia might have put in motion to deal with captured soldiers.”

“Don't worry. He’ll be far too weak to do anything but throw insults and pee himself,” Sunset Shimmer pointed out.

“True,” Twilight admitted, glancing down to the slumbering stallion one last time before turning away. “I’ll see you later tonight.”

“Good luck,” Sunset replied without turning around.

Twilight trotted up the stairs and entered the library proper, noting that everything seemed to be normal up here at least. Even a lot of the books had been returned to their proper places, meaning it didn't look half empty anymore. There were a few shelves that were empty, though thankfully there weren't that many.

Some of the books must have been dangerous, Twilight reasoned. Either that or Dark Hallow hasn't had the chance to finish transcribing the last of them, given everything that has happened.

Twilight put such considerations out of her mind and proceeded outside, emerging into the night once more. As usual, the full moon hung directly overhead, allowing the unicorn to see perfectly well despite the lateness of the hour. Just like before, there were also a pair of guards waiting outside her residence, who, upon seeing her, gave the unicorn a quick salute.

“Good evening,” Twilight greeted.

“Evenin’, ma’am,” replied the taller of the two guards. “Can I help ya with somethin’?”

“I am looking for Dark Hallow. I assume he is at the guard station?” Twilight inquired.

The thestral nodded. “He is. Or at least last I heard he was.”

“Thank you.”

“Not a problem, ma’am.”

Twilight smiled as she began walking once more, her gaze becoming distant as her mind started to wander. The town looked and felt normal upon first glance, but as Twilight trotted through it, she became aware of a few changes. For one there were far less people around, and those she did see were ferrying goods or otherwise seemed burdened by purpose.

Most shops were closed, and only those essential to a thriving town like the grocer remained open. Even the majority of the homes Twilight saw were dark, their interiors empty, save for a few large pieces of furniture. It was enough to make Twilight wonder if they had been evacuated, which made sense, given how imposing the coming force apparently was.

“They can't be far away,” Twilight realized. “I wonder how much time we will really get.”

That thought remained firmly in her mind as Twilight made her way to the strange tree-like guard station where two more guards were waiting. This pair seemed a bit more green than the others. Both were young, their spears hanging loose in their grip, as if they were unused to their weight. They were also both female, though only one was a thestral while the other was an arachne with a deep red mane.

“H-halt!” the arachne called.

Twilight raised an eyebrow.

“That's the Night Bringer, you idiot,” whispered her companion.

“Really?” the arachne replied.

“It was part of the briefing, remember?” her companion pointed out.

“Oh, I remember now,” she remarked, quickly straightening her back. “Sorry about that, ma’am. I’m a little new.”

“So I can see. Is Dark Hallow recruiting kids now?” Twilight exclaimed.

“We are both old enough,” the thestral stated.

“Not by much though,” admitted the arachne.

The thestral snorted. “Regardless. Go on ahead, ma’am. Sorry to bother you.”

“Er, wait,” interrupted the arachne. “If you’re here, does that mean you’re going to save us from the tyrant’s army?”

“You don't have to answer that,” the other guard added. “Torchlight here is forgetting herself.”

“It's fine,” Twilight exclaimed. “And to answer your question, yes, I do hope to help. Though I won’t know how best to do so until after I get a chance to speak to Dark Hallow.”

“Oh, right. Please, go ahead,” offered the arachne, who gestured towards the entrance.

Twilight smiled. “Thank you, and best of luck on your training.”

With Twilight’s departure, the two guards released a collective sigh, their postures falling slack for the first time in several minutes.

“I should have known that was her,” muttered the arachne. “She has such a pressure about her.”

“It felt like I was being slowly pushed into the ground,” added her companion.

“How did she know that we hadn't completed training?”

The thestral raised an eyebrow as she glanced at her fellow guard. “Isn't it obvious? Your armor barely fits, and you hold that spear way too tightly when you talk.”

“I do not!’ retorted the arachne, her cheeks puffing up angrily.

“Whatever. Let's just get back to standing around and looking important. I don't want to give Swift Star another reason to make us run laps.”

The arachne groaned. “Augh, she is the worst.”

“So let's not give her an excuse, eh?”

“Right.”

Twilight ascended the final stairs and emerged into a small waiting area near the very top of one of the towers. The climb up hadn't taken terribly long, and thankfully the building itself was relatively empty. Meaning she wasn't stopped often, save for a single instance where a confused minotaur runner approached her asking for directions.

Thankfully another guard had heard their conversation and had come to help, as Twilight only really knew where Dark Hallow’s office was from second hand accounts. Rainbow Dash’s description of the place turned out to be wholly accurate, and within only a few minutes Twilight had reached her destination without further interruption. Almost anyway, as she bumped her head on the low-hanging ceiling, causing a surprised yelp of pain to leap from Twilight’s throat.

“Are you okay?” asked a blonde-maned thestral, who had peeked out from behind a small mountain of papers.

Twilight winced as she rubbed her horn. “I’m fine. The ceiling is just a little low.”

“Or you’re just a little tall,” pointed out the thestral.

Twilight grunted and looked around the small waiting area, noting that there was barely enough room for her to stand comfortably. Only a single chair as well as a desk could be fit into the small nook, leaving Twilight little room to move around.

“Fair enough, I suppose. Is Dark Hallow here?” Twilight inquired, gesturing to the door across from her.

“He is. Are you expected?” inquired the receptionist.

“Err, no, but it is urgent,” Twilight stressed.

The thestral mare stared at Twilight with a dull, unenthusiastic expression. “We are about to be wiped off the map by a small army of sunspawn. So unless you got some ace in the hole that will help us, then it is not, in fact, urgent.”

Twilight smirked. “I do, actually.”

The thestral’s gaze narrowed. “Really now, and what would that-”

“Is that Twilight out there?” called the slightly shrill voice of Dark Hallow.

“It is!” Twilight replied.

“Oh good. Send her in and then clear my schedule for the next hour or so!” shouted the stallion.

The receptionist snorted. “You heard the boss. Go on in.”

Twilight merely rolled her eyes and did as she was asked, opening the door with a nervous hoof. Only to immediately have her senses caressed by the soft scent of aged paper and more than a little dust. The office itself was relatively small, despite Dark Hallow’s apparent importance, and Twilight had to remain partially crouched as she entered.

Her gaze immediately settled on the grey-furred and black-maned thestral sitting across from her. His pale blue eyes shone in the darkness like usual, though his smile was strained and exhaustion haunted his features. Though old, he had never quite looked his age before that moment, and for the first time Twilight was truly forced to acknowledge that the stallion was indeed nearly seventy.

“You look terrible,” Twilight blurted.

The wiry old stallion blinked once before erupting with laughter. “And here I thought I’d have to test you in order to find out if you were the Twilight I knew.”

Twilight blushed. “Sorry about that. I just couldn't help but notice how tired you look.”

“It's been a long few months,” Dark Hallow remarked, the stallion rising from his desk. “Would you be a dear and pack my pipe for me? These old hooves always end up spilling everything.”

“Err, sure,” Twilight murmured. “Where is it?”

“Top drawer on the left,” Dark Hallow answered as he opened the single window before returning to his high-backed chair.

Twilight reached out with her telekinesis, only to remember that she could no longer use that brand of magic. Silently kicking herself, Twilight conjured an ethereal hoof and used it to retrieve the old stallion’s mushroom-shaped pipe as well as a sweet-smelling tobacco pouch. Twilight sniffed it curiously before packing it into the smokable and handing it over to the elderly stallion.

“Thank you, dear,” he replied. “You don't mind, do you?”

“I don't think I’m about to get lung cancer anytime soon,” Twilight remarked.

The thestral chuckled. “I suppose that's one thing you don't have to worry about.”

He then proceeded to rub a hoof around the top of the pipe, which glowed faintly before it began to smoke. With a smile on his face, the stallion took a long, deep pull, holding the flavored gas deep in his lungs for several long seconds. Then, with an equally long exhale, he released, his entire body visibly relaxing as he did so.

“Now then. What happened to ya down there?” Dark Hallow inquired, his pale blue eyes sparkling inquisitively.

“Do you want the short version, or the long one?” Twilight inquired.

Dark Hallow shrugged. “Make it short. I have a feeling you are going to give Rainbow the long one, and I’ll just get her to submit a report of the incident when she has the time.”

Twilight sat on the ground across from the thestral, idly noting that they were at eye level with one another. “I went back in time to what I think was about two thousand years ago, just after the founding of Equestria and the defeat of the dragons. I then learned several words of power, and used their strength to bring Cadance back to life.”

“That is quite the story,” Dark Hallow remarked in a somewhat doubtful tone. “Cadance will of course back this up, right?”

Twilight nodded. “Yes, and I was hoping to speak to her soon.”

“Then it's a good thing I was getting my supper delivered,” Dark Hallow remarked with a chuckle. “Though that will be in a few minutes.”

“Do you mind if I ask you a few questions while we wait then?” Twilight inquired.

“Of course,” Dark Hallow replied, leaning back in his chair and puffing on his pipe.

“What exactly is attacking the town, when will they arrive, and what is your plan?” Twilight asked, peering intently into the old stallion’s eyes.

“A small army of knights, mages, and golems. Who will arrive in about four days from now,” Dark Hallow answered. “As for my plan? Well, it's simple. We gather everyone we can, direct this force towards the castle, and pray to the moon that we can come out victorious.”

“Seems rather… uninspired,” Twilight exclaimed.

Dark Hallow chuckled. “There is more to it than that, but those are the broad strokes. I’ve also contacted nearly every night guard outpost in the Everfree, but it will take time before they are ready for war. Until then, we will have to do what we can to hold out and delay them for as long as possible.”

“Do you really think attacking Celestia is a good idea? She has nearly the entire world in her iron grip,” Twilight exclaimed.

“Like it or not, conflict is inevitable and has been for generations,” Dark Hallow replied. “This latest encroachment has merely startled my fellow commanders out of their peace-induced stupor and caused them to realize how vulnerable they are.”

“I thought you all have been actively resisting her for centuries,” Twilight remarked.

Dark Hallow nodded. “We have, but we have also grown fat under the forest’s protection. Its sheltering boughs have kept us safe, but also made us idle in our eternal struggle. Now with that fragile peace all but shattered, we have little choice but to fight, lest the tyrant turn her fiery gaze on our sad little collection of city states once more.”

Twilight nibbled on the inside of her cheek. “You have a plan to assault Canterlot then, right?”

“We do, and we don't,” Dark Hallow answered, pausing long enough to take another puff. “Assaulting that sun-blasted rock would be suicide, so we’ll be aiming to establish several platoons of guerilla fighters to attack and dismantle Equestria’s industry.”

“That… would take decades,” Twilight remarked.

“Or centuries,” Dark Hallow pointed out.

Twilight shook her head. “Isn't there a way to burrow beneath Canterlot or teleport an army into the city so we could strike at Celestia directly?”

“You still think like a unicorn!” Dark Hallow laughed. “The sun tyrant has ensured those things are impossible. Sure, there are tales of deep tunnels that connect to the crystal caverns, but those are just stories.”

“The library was just a story,” Twilight pointed out.

Dark Hallow blinked and nodded slowly. “They were to some, but this is different. We’ve been searching for some way inside for centuries.”

“That is… unfortunate,” Twilight muttered. “Speaking of century-long searches. Do you have the statue that used to be in the undertower library?”

“I do,” Dark Hallow replied. “I secretly placed it in a very secure vault beneath this very building. Noone save for myself, Nebula, and a few others should know its location.”

“May I see it sometime soon? I was hoping to find out if it was indeed Luna’s body,” Twilight inquired.

“You most definitely could. In fact, we could do so immediately after this conversation is over,” Dark Hallow replied. “Though if it does end up being our lost mistress, then I know more than a few people who are going to be quite disappointed.”

“Why would they be disappointed?” Twilight asked, flabbergasted.

“Iron Will and his team have been searching for over a decade. That head-strong bull has been determined to find her, and he was not happy when I told him to shift his focus to seeking out some old rivals of ours,” Dark Hallow answered.

Twilight frowned. “I suppose that would be rather upsetting for them. Though I don't see why holding it here is necessary.”

Dark Hallow’s smile fell away, and the old stallion sighed tiredly. “It is unfortunate, but I believe that the guard, and even my own orginization the Black Rose, have turncoats in our midst. The Nightsworn likely seek to raise our mistress on their own and hold little moral qualms with breaking the law in order to do so. There is more to that situation, but I’d rather not get into it at the moment.”

“That is quite distressing,” Twilight agreed.

“Yes, and-” Dark Hallow paused, and his ears perked up. “My apologies, young one, but we are about to have another guest.”

Twilight followed the old thestral’s gaze to the door, a confused expression crossing her face.

Only for her unspoken question to be answered a second later when it opened and a somewhat dour-looking changeling strode in. Their appearance was fairly standard for most of the drones, though there were a few subtle differences Twilight quickly noticed. Like the way their chitin was slightly greyer than usual, and the holes which dotted their legs were more oval-shaped.

They also had a slightly slimmer overall body shape and had a pair of smaller fangs which barely reached past their lips. Otherwise they were fairly normal, with dull turquoise eyes, a small frill at the back of their head, and silky seafoam green tail. Upon looking closer, Twilight noticed that they also sported a long, jagged scar that went from their shoulder all the way to their flank.

“You must be Dark Hallow’s husband,” Twilight offered.

The changeling scowled at the unicorn. “It’s wife today.”

“Uh, excuse me?” Twilight muttered.

Dark Hallow quickly stepped forward. “Changelings have a more fluid definition of gender than most other races. My sweet Vambrace here has merely decided that today she feels more feminine.”

“As usual your explanations are lacking, dear,” Vambrace exclaimed. “Though I suppose in this case simplifying things for our guest is the best course of action.”

“I’m sorry?” Twilight offered.

The changeling waved a hoof. “Think nothing of it. You are ignorant, not malicious.”

“Speaking of which. Do you have it?” Dark Hallow eagerly inquired.

“I do,” replied the changeling, who extended a hoof and conjured a brief pulse of greenish fire. “Really dear. I don't see why you always insist on leaving your dinner at home.”

Dark Hallow smiled and swiped the fruit salad his wife had brought for him. “And miss out on the chance to show off my amazing partner and keep my dinner cold? No way.”

The changeling grunted, though Twilight noticed that a small blush crossed her face before quickly being chased away.

“While you’re here,” Twilight began, “I don't suppose you would know how to get in contact with Chrysalis by chance, would you?”

“Normally I might take offence to someone assuming that I have a direct line to that old codger, but I will forgive you. Again,” Vambrance exclaimed.

“Ignore her poor temper, Vambrace has a history with unicorns,” Dark Hallow exclaimed between bites of his salad.

The changeling snorted, but said nothing.

“It's fine. I just don't really know where to start with getting ahold of Chrysalis, so I’m kinda shooting in the dark here,” Twilight remarked.

“I suppose I could send along a message, as, unlike my kin, I was not so eager to leave our mother behind,” Vambrace declared in a bitter tone.

Twilight lifted an eyebrow and glanced to Dark Hallow.

Who swallowed hard. “Most changelings have disconnected themselves from the hive and either gone on to start their own or have remained separate. Unlike my dear wife here.”

“Ahh,” Twilight smiled, “then I would appreciate it if you simply requested her direct presence. I have a very important message and was hoping to speak to her, as well as Cadance if at all possible.”

“A moment then,” Vambrace exclaimed, closing her eyes and focusing herself inward.

“This may take a minute. In the meantime would you-” Dark Hallow began.

“Delivered,” Vambrace declared, her eyes snapping open. “Chrysalis has also asked that I tell you she will be in town shortly, and that her better half will be joining her soon after.”

“That was quick,” Twilight murmured.

“So they did approve my request for aid?” Dark Hallow inquired.

Vambrace frowned and shook her head. “I’m afraid not, dear. Chrysalis and Cadance are coming here personally along with a small group of elite soldiers. All other resources are currently tied up dealing with a small swarm of guards which have begun sweeping the city.”

“So the sun tyrant is finally done using the resistance for political reasons and decided to go after them,” Dark Hallow remarked, scratching his chin with a fork. “I hope everyone is alright over there.”

“It's not… terrible,” Vambrace muttered. “Things could be better from what I’ve gathered, but they were prepared for this possibility.”

“Thank you, by the way,” Twilight interrupted.

The changeling smiled faintly. “It is nothing. Now then, I have a pie I need to get back to.”

“Enjoy your night, my love,” Dark Hallow called.

Vambrace blushed slightly as she gave Dark Hallow a small nod before departing. “Don't forget to shower before you come home. You know I can't stand that candy you smoke.”

“Yes, dear,” Dark Hallow cheerfully replied.

Twilight watched the embarrassed changeling go, listening to the distant clip clop of her hooves.

“She certainly is... unique. Her and Chrysalis must have quite the history,” Twilight exclaimed.

“She used to be the queen’s second in command, but was forcibly retired after a run-in with a rather nasty royal guard,” Dark Hallow explained. “Never did forgive her dear old ma for making her sit things out.”

“Huh,” Twilight muttered.

Dark Hallow shoveled the last of his meal into his mouth and chewed hastily before rising from his desk. “Now then. Let's get down to the vault and see if we can't find out if our collective hunches are correct.”

“I sure hope so,” Twilight replied. “I don't want to have to go on another adventure while we are about to be attacked by a small army.”

Dark Hallow chuckled as the pair trotted out of his office and began their descent. “Me neither, young one. It's bad enough with all that breathing down our necks, but not being able to call on our most powerful necromancer would make things significantly more difficult.”

“Your most powerful… surely there are others who have trained longer than I?” Twilight asked.

“You’re not wrong, but they don't have the raw talent and spark that you do,” Dark Hallow pointed out. “Necromancers are also quite rare and tend to sequester themselves away in towers or dungeons far from civilization.”

Twilight frowned. “So they won't help?”

“Oh, they likely will, but it will take time to track them down, especially with the forest being so distracted and unable to aid us at the moment,” Dark Hallow explained.

Twilight hummed thoughtfully as she ducked under a doorway and began to trot down another set of stairs. “Even then. There should be a few around town, right?”

“I’m afraid not,” Dark Hallow replied. “Though there is not the same stigma attached to necromancy as there is in Canterlot, they are still usually feared by the general population.”

“I haven't experienced much of that,” Twilight pointed out.

Dark Hallow paused in order to glance up at the unicorn curiously. “You’re a hero several times over who has, at least in the public’s eyes, returned the castle and the library to us. On top of all the aid you have delivered to the Apple family and others, you are generally quite personable, if a little awkward at times.”

Twilight blushed and cleared her throat. “I suppose you are right on at least one of those points.”

Dark Hallow chuckled and continued deeper. “Like it or not, most consider you a hero and believe that you will one day bring back the night mistress.”

“I’ll certainly try,” Twilight muttered.

“That's better than what most have managed to accomplish,” Dark Hallow exclaimed.

Twilight was about to pose another question when all of a sudden the walls gave way, and they entered into a large cavern. Glancing down, Twilight noticed that the staircase she was standing on spiralled down from the ceiling of said natural cave down to where a small cluster of wooden and stone structures had been built along the ground and walls.

Some were even carved out of the natural rock and had only a balcony for an entrance. The buildings also varied wildly in size, with most being fairly small, and likely serving as a single family dwelling. The more important were far larger and exclusively made from stone or built into the cave walls.

Twilight even spotted a few structures which had built within the stalactites that hung from the ceiling, though her inspection of the cavern was quickly cut off.

“What? Did you think we all lived above ground?” Dark Hallow remarked.

“Well, I…” Twilight frowned. “Should have known considering just how many people I’ve seen and how small Ponyville is.”

Dark Hallow smirked. “Most thestrals live in this long cavern we affectionately call the Cold Den. Either that, or the small caves which lead off from it.”

“Huh. I probably should have explored the town a little more,” Twilight remarked.

“You were actually here before, when we had our little discussion with Cadance and Chrysalis. Though you likely didn't even know it at the time,” Dark Hallow exclaimed.

“That is… eye opening,” Twilight muttered, mutely following the thestral as they proceed deeper into the dimly lit abyss. “I didn't think we were that far underground though.”

“We were talking for quite a while, and you’re also kind of oblivious, if I’m being honest. Not like that's an insult, mind you. That would be hypocritical of me,” Dark Hallow remarked, snickering at his own joke.

Twilight smiled. “I suppose you got me there. I can be a bit unobservant at times.”

“You’ve got a lot on your mind no doubt. It's fine to be a little in the clouds. So long as you don't fall down the stairs because of it,” Dark Hallow continued, stopping at the bottom. “And here we are.”

Twilight noticed that despite nearly every structure having an open balcony designed for winged creatures, there was still a path that crisscrossed the area. It was a nice sight, as large sections of the cave were still completely natural, meaning they were rocky and would be a pain to traverse. Following her guide closely, Twilight quickly realized their final destination wasn't far away.

A more important and much more grandiose structure was coming closer with each passing second. The actual building was little more than a set of double doors set within the natural stone wall and a long ramp that led up to it. It was the subtle additions that made it a sight to behold, like the grand columns that held up the path and the half dozen statues which stood sentinel along the ramp.

Each one of which was of a female thestral that seemed vaguely familiar to Twilight, though she couldn't initially place why she felt that way. Armored and armed, the six mares had different heights, builds, as well as weapons, but were all clearly night guards. Peering closer at the face of one of them, Twilight blinked, realization striking her immediately.

“Trixie?” she muttered.

“Oh, you know her?” Dark Hallow remarked, stopping halfway up the ramp.

“Yeah, but why are all these statues of her?” Twilight questioned.

Dark Hallow laughed. “You’re probably thinking there is some deep mystery here, but I’m afraid to say these are just illusions, see?”

The thestral waved a hoof through the solid stone statues, revealing that they were about as solid as the air they were both breathing.

“What?” Twilight muttered.

“I didn't get her name, but I’m assuming this Trixie individual was the show pony with the weird accent and big ego right?” Dark Hallow inquired.

Twilight nodded.

“She was chosen by Nebula to oversee our delivery of the statue and was insistent that it would look much more imposing if there were silent guardians staring down on anyone who approached,” Dark Hallow explained with a chuckle. “I didn't think there was any harm in letting her spruce up the place a bit. Plus, if I am being honest, I hoped to curry some favor with Nebula by indulging her favorite daughter.”

Twilight snickered. “Yeah, that sounds like Trixie.”

“Feel free to give them a closer inspection if you’d like. I’ll get the door open for ya,” Dark Hallow exclaimed.

Twilight smiled as she observed the statues, noting that although they all had Trixie’s face, their body types were vaguely familiar as well. One was stocky and wide like Applejack, while another was short and wiry like Rainbow Dash. In fact, everyone who had gone down into the undertower with her were represented, even Fluttershy.

Maybe she isn't quite so self-centered after all, Twilight mused, only to look up at the smirking face of Trixie. Or maybe I’m just getting used to her unique brand of narcissism.

“Alright, we are all good here,” Dark Hallow called.

“Coming,” Twilight called, hastily trotting after her thestral guide.

Who was now standing in the doorway, a smile on his face. Behind him opened a long hallway filled with faintly glowing blue doors which served as the only real light Twilight had seen so far. Once inside, Twilight looked around to find that the ceiling opened up, reaching a good fifteen feet with the hall itself being about as wide.

It was spacious, though plain, with the flat stone remaining unadorned save for a simple set of numbers that were above each door. Dark Hallow stopped at an entrance marked by the number twenty-three before turning to Twilight.

“Would ya mind looking away? I’m not supposed to show anyone how we get into these things,” Dark Hallow asked.

“What, don't trust me?” Twilight teased.

Dark Hallow smirked. “At this point I’d probably trust you alone with my little love bug. That doesn't mean I would shirk all the rules for ya.”

“Fair,” Twilight replied, turning away.

The unicorn busied herself imagining what sort of magical locking mechanism they might be using while Dark Hallow fumbled with something metal. Then, after a few metallic clunks and a soft green glow, the door clicked open.

“There we are. You can turn around now,” Dark Hallow exclaimed.

Twilight did just that, glancing over to find that the thestral was now standing in a relatively small square stone room. One that was occupied solely by a towering, familiar statue that stared off into the distance. Just like before, it seemed relatively plain and without many discernible features, at least on first glance.

Because now that Twilight was really looking, she could tell that it did indeed look vaguely like Luna. It had the same, strong jawline and powerfully built body that somehow remained thin despite the vast strength of the mare.

“That sure does look like her,” Twilight remarked.

“It does indeed. Any chance you could confirm for us?” Dark Hallow inquired.

Twilight closed her eyes and summoned up all the knowledge she had on the nature of spirits. With all that information flowing through her, the unicorn uttered the word of power that had sprung to her lips. Gazing back up at the statue once more, Twilight found that there were no other spirits in the room with them.

There was, however, a glowing tether that connected the statue to some far off location eastward to their current position. Twilight inspected it closer, peering intently at the teal line, her brow furrowing with worry when she noticed that a black energy gnawed at it from all sides. Wherever these clusters of black gathered, the tether weakened, and Twilight couldn't help but grow worried.

“That bad?” Dark Hallow inquired somewhat nervously.

“It's certainly not good,” Twilight began, willing the effect to dissipate. “This is indeed her body, but her spirit is not here. Worse yet, the tether that binds soul to form is being damaged by some entropic force I don't recognize.”

“Then we are working against the clock once more then,” Dark Hallow remarked.

Twilight nodded. “It seems so.”

The thestral sighed. “Then no matter how much it pains me to admit this, it's up to you to bring her back. What few necromancers we have in our organization were not able to even discover that much.”

“I’ll do everything in my power to bring her back, commander,” Twilight stated confidently.

“That's exactly what I wanted to hear,” Dark Hallow replied, a grin spreading across his aged features. “You just let me know if you need any help, and I’ll have every available resource at your disposal.”

“I’ll have to confirm the location of her spirit, though I have a good feeling as to where she might be,” Twilight began. “After that, I may need to adjust my spell depending on how far gone she is, but it should be a matter of simply making a few minor changes.”

“Let us hope that is all that is required,” Dark Hallow exclaimed. “Because we could really use the help against this new force arrayed before us.”

“Is it really that bad? I know my assistants made note of their golems, but barely mentioned how powerful the others in their cohort were,” Twilight remarked.

Dark Hallow scowled uncharacteristically. “They are truly powerful, and worse still, I believe they may have a few tricks left in store for us that have yet to be revealed.”

“Like what?” Twilight pressed.

“Come. I’ll walk you back out, and on the way we can discuss the finer details,” Dark Hallow exclaimed.

Twilight nodded and extended a hoof. “Lead the way.”

Author's Note

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Playing Catch Up

“That certainly was an enlightening experience,” Twilight remarked as she came to a stop at the top of the staircase. “I’m glad I came straight here.”

“I’m glad you did as well,” Dark Hallow remarked, placing a hoof on his back and stretching briefly. “One of these days when we don't have a world-ending problem on our hooves, you’ll have to come back so I can give you the full tour.”

“That would be nice,” Twilight murmured to herself.

Dark Hallow coughed into his hoof. “So, before you go, I was wondering what you intended on doing now.”

“I promised the girls I was going to stop in with them tonight and catch up, but after that I’ll probably head back to the undertower and begin my investigations,” Twilight replied, rubbing her chin. “Whatever is afflicting Luna’s soul will need to be dealt with, and when it’s been handled, I’ll be able to get a better grasp on the power necessary to raise her. I get the feeling that it will take some sort of power boost though, as the length of time since her fall will make things difficult, even for me.”

Dark Hallow made a buzzing sound with his mouth. “Wrong answer. You are going to go home and relax in the company of your friends until you feel rested.”

“I’m sorry?” Twilight muttered in confusion.

The stallion poked a hoof against Twilight’s lower chest. “You are going to get some rest and deal with all that tomorrow night.”

“Rest? This body has been sleeping for weeks!” Twilight retorted, throwing up her hooves.

“That body has, but you have not,” Dark Hallow pointed out. “Yes you may be powerful, but the mind needs to recuperate.”

“Do I need to remind you of the stakes we are dealing with?” Twilight retorted. “Everyone’s lives are on the line, nevermind Luna’s!”

“And I would feel more comfortable knowing that our best chance of preserving those lives was not sleep-deprived and half mad with stress,” Dark Hallow exclaimed, his gaze gaining a sharp edge which cut off Twilight’s initial response.

“So that's the no-nonsense look that Rainbow Dash talked about,” Twilight remarked.

The thestral smirked. “I didn't get to my position on nepotism alone, ya know.”

“I can tell,” Twilight muttered.

“What was that?” Dark Hallow asked, leaning in close.

“N-nothing,” Twilight whispered.

“That's what I thought,” Dark Hallow stated. “Now then, off you go. Oh, and say hi to queenie for me.”

“Err, sure. I’ll try to remember when I see her,” Twilight answered, giving the stallion a slightly awkward wave. “Thank you for everything, commander.”

“Ahh don't worry about the titles. You can call me whatever you like so long as you don't call me late for dinner,” the stallion exclaimed, snickering at his own joke.

“Augh, that's old. I’m pretty sure I heard Celestia say that two thousand years ago,” Twilight deadpanned grumpily.

“It's just another thing besides myself which ages like a fine wine,” Dark Hallow replied.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Thanks again, Dark Hallow. I’ll see you soon.”

“No rush. Or at least that's what I would say if there weren't an army of sunspawn breathing down our collective necks. Just enjoy the brief time off, alright?” Dark Hallow replied, patting the unicorn on the leg before walking away.

“I’ll try,” Twilight muttered, watching the old thestral go for several seconds before leaving as well.

Walking through the slightly maze-like first floor, she made her way into the reception area of the building. Passing by the nice, if distracted young dragon working behind the counter, Twilight trotted outside. Where she exchanged another polite nod with the two guards, who both gave her a prompt salute before Twilight passed them by.

Making her way back towards town, the undead let her mind wander once more, contemplating what might be afflicting the alicorn’s soul. Her first instinct was that another dragon had sunk its teeth into her, but that didn't quite make sense. When she started to really think about it though, she was fairly certain that simple entropy and the passage of time was at fault. She would need to run some tests, do some studying, and really dig into the problem, however, such concerns would need to wait.

For something large and black had dropped out of the trees above her and caused the pony to let out a startled shriek. A pair of bright emerald eyes then appeared before her as well as an enormous mouth filled with sharp, stark white teeth.

“Boo!” shouted the changeling queen.

“What the heck, Chrysalis?” Twilight shouted, punching the other being in the shoulder. “I think you managed to restart my heart with that little surprise!”

Chrysalis snickered as she backed up. “You really are oblivious, by the way. I mean I was following you since you left that hole in the ground.”

“I have a lot on my mind, okay?” Twilight retorted, jabbing a hoof into Chrysalis’ chest. “Now what do you want?”

“Want? You’re the one who summoned me,” Chrysalis pointed out.

Twilight blinked. “Oh, right. I didn't exactly expect you any time soon, however, and I kind of had plans tonight.”

“Oh, that's quite alright. I was just in the area and figured I’d hang out and catch up with my favorite zombie,” Chrysalis exclaimed, falling in next to Twilight. “So, where are we going?”

“I am going home,” Twilight answered. “And I am not a zombie.”

Chrysalis shrugged. “Zombie, revenant, lich. It hardly matters what kind of undead pronouns you use.”

Twilight sighed tiredly. “Come on, then. We better get moving before the girls think I left them hanging.”

Chrysalis trotted noisily next to Twilight. “Aren't you going to ask when my dear sweet Cadance is going to be here?”

“Okay, I’ll bite. When is your better half going to be in town?” Twilight asked, somewhat reluctantly.

“Soon,” Chrysalis cheerfully replied.

Twilight sighed. “Of course you’d say that.”

Spike walked out from the kitchen with a plate of food, ready to deliver his creations to the creatures waiting for him. Only to immediately run into a hungry Rainbow Dash who swooped down on him like a hawk.

“Ooh, nice, you got the cheese bagel like I wanted,” offered the thestral who snagged the aforementioned baked good and took a bite.

“Of course. With blueberry cream cheese, right?” Spike replied.

Rainbow Dash didn't answer with words, merely groaning with happiness as she fluttered back to her spot on the couch next to her partner.

“I think that means thank you,” remarked a smiling ghostly pegasus.

Spike chuckled. “I’m sure she’ll say it whenever she's done eating.”

“That's assuming she ever stops,” Fluttershy added with a mirthful giggle. “I’ve never seen someone eat so much without gaining weight before.”

“Well, when you work a lot, you gotta eat a lot,” Spike remarked with a shrug.

Fluttershy smiled. “That you do. Speaking of which, did you make something for yourself?”

“Nah. I already had a big bowl of ruby ice cream. I figured it was going to be the last time I could really pig out now that Dusk’s back,” Spike answered.

Fluttershy’s smile widened, and she leaned in close. “Well, get it in while you can. Something tells me you guys are going to have a lot of work really soon.”

Spike grunted and hefted the platter of food. “There is always more to do, especially given everything that's come up recently.”

Fluttershy nodded sagely. “Don't forget to take time for yourself.”

“I won't, Fluttershy,” Spike replied, quietly excusing himself

Spike plodded over to the hallway leading to the basement, where two creatures were having a hushed conversation.

“Look, I’m telling you, Pinkie Pie, it just isn't possible,” Sunset whispered. “The amount of magic necessary for such a thing would be nearly infinite.”

“Aww, come on, Shimmy Sham, don't be such a downer,” Pinkie Pie retorted, lightly punching the skeleton in the shoulder. “We could so make you pretty again.”

Spike cleared his throat and lifted the platter. “One damp cloth wetted with milk and a bowl of gravel mixed with chocolate chips.”

Both the troll and the undead unicorn turned to the dragon, their conversation ending immediately. Their eyes lit up both figuratively and literally, with Sunset Shimmer grabbing the cloth before running it across her bare skull. Pinkie Pie snatched the bowl and buried her muzzle in it, chewing noisily on the rocky mixture while Spike stood there with a slightly amused expression on his face.

“Are you sure you guys don't want something… normal?” Spike offered.

Sunset Shimmer imitated a snort as she continued to lather her head. “As you already know, I can't enjoy such things anymore. At least this feels remarkably pleasant.”

Pinkie Pie swallowed hard. “I’m surprised you don't want some. A fine gravel trail mix tastes great and has the perfect amount of crunch to it.”

“I eat gems, not rocks,” Spike replied, turning his nose up at the hoofful of stones offered to him by the pink troll.

“Gems are rocks though,” Pinkie Pie muttered in confusion.

“Thank you, by the way,” Sunset Shimmer interrupted. “I appreciate you taking care of everyone while we wait for Twilight.”

“Ahh, it's no problem. I get antsy just standing around anyway,” Spike replied with a shrug.

“Shtil, thish ish shuper nishe!” Pinkie Pie offered, her mouth full of gravel and sweets.

“Speaking of which, I better get to everyone else,” Spike exclaimed.

“Thanksh again, Shpike!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed before burying her face in her bowl.

“Don't worry. I’ll return the cloth and bowl to the sink,” Sunset offered.

Spike smiled and walked over to the seating area, where Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy had all gathered. The thestral and her ghostly partner were seated on the suitably named love seat while Applejack and Rarity sat across from them on the couch. Between them were several empty cups sitting atop a coffee table, as well as two open books Spike didn't know the titles of.

Noticing that he had walked in on a rare moment of quiet, Spike set the nearly empty platter down on the coffee table. “One tall glass of vinegar water and garlic for Applejack and a plate of candied cockroaches served with a side of grilled maguey worms for Rarity,” Spike announced, taking a seat in one of the two unoccupied armchairs.

“Oh, that's absolutely wonderful, darling. I can't thank you enough for making me something on such short notice. I simply forget myself when I am in the zone as it were,” Rarity exclaimed, quickly grabbing the plate of insects and biting into a roach with an unladylike crunch.

“No kidding, you really pulled through,” Applejack added, grabbing the cup. “Thanks for doin’ all this for us.”

“It's no problem at all,” Spike replied, leaning back in his chair.

“The nasty insects I can understand, but why the glass of smelly water?” Rainbow Dash inquired before biting into her bagel.

“I know it's kind of weird, but I’ve had some really strange cravings recently, and I figured it's best to just follow those urges, ya know?” Applejack exclaimed, sipping her cup and sighing contentedly.

“You sound like you're pregnant,” Spike remarked with a smirk.

Applejack snorted, vinegar water shooting out of her nose. “I am not!”

“That sounded rather defensive, darling,” Rarity pointed out.

“Well, I’m not. That would be physically impossible,” Applejack grunted as she wiped her face. “‘I’m fairly certain it's just Bloomberg getting ready to flower.”

“So in a way you are getting ready to bring new life into the world,” Fluttershy offered.

Applejack paused and rubbed her chin. “I suppose that's one way of lookin’ at it.”

“Well, I think it's quite beautiful,” Rarity added. “And for your information, insects are not nasty. They are quite delicious, and you really should try them sometime.”

Rainbow Dash groaned. “Oh, don't even start about that. It's bad enough that my folks eat that crud.”

“What crud?” Sunset inquired, settling into the other couch along with Pinkie Pie.

Who belched loudly. “Ooh, are we talking about our favorite insects? ‘Cause mine are sago grubs. They are like big yummy blobs of bacon that I don't feel bad about eating.”

Rainbow Dash held a hoof against her lips, resisting the urge to throw up and only just barely succeeding.

“Can we please change the subject?” Fluttershy inquired, patting her girlfriend on the back. “I don't think anyone wants to clean up a half-chewed bagel.”

“Sorry, Rainbow, but you really should try ‘em. You just might like them!” Pinkie Pie declared.

“Scorpions are my personal favorite,” Rarity began, patting her lips with a handkerchief. “They are so filling and-”

A sudden and quite loud feminine shriek from the door stopped the conversation dead in its tracks. With everyone now staring at the entrance with a mixture of confusion and fear, the atmosphere quickly became tense. That was until they heard the cackling laughter of a familiar changeling followed by irritated mutterings of a certain purple unicorn.

“I can't believe you did that,” Twilight exclaimed as she pushed her way inside. “I think you took ten years off that poor guy’s life.”

“It was so worth it. Did you hear how loud he screamed?” Chrysalis remarked, giggling to herself as she entered the room.

The small group got a brief look at a rather embarrassed young thestral and his disappointed female dragon companion. Then they were gone, the door closing firmly as Twilight and Chrysalis strode into the library, one wearing a smile, the other a smirk.

“Oh, great, you all made it,” Twilight began, walking over to the sitting area. “I was hoping we could- oof!”

Twilight wasn't entirely sure how, but Fluttershy had slammed into her and wrapped her ethereal hooves around the unicorn’s neck. The embrace quickly became a group hug when it was joined by Applejack, Pinkie, and Rarity, while Rainbow Dash hung back. The thestral wore a knowing and somewhat prideful look on her face as she leaned back against the couch, her hooves crossed over her chest.

“Oh, my goodness, I was so worried!” Fluttershy cried, her face buried in the crook of Twilight’s neck.

“Ya gave us quite the scare, ya know,” Applejack added.

“And left behind the most irritable and downright cantankerous other version of yourself I could imagine,” Rarity exclaimed.

“She didn't even come to my ‘Welcome to this time period’ party!” Pinkie Pie announced, throwing her hooves up in disgust.

Twilight awkwardly patted Fluttershy’s back as they were collectively squeezed from all sides by their friends. The unicorn’s heart felt lighter, and she could feel the flood of positive energy rejuvenate her aching limbs. A tiredness she hadn't fully noticed until this point lifted, and with its passage, Twilight felt like she had woken from an unpleasant dream.

“Don't worry, girls. I’m back, and I promise I won't do that again,” Twilight whispered.

Fluttershy pulled back and shot the unicorn a glare. “Good, because if you just up and disappeared like that again, I don't know if my heart could take it.”

“Flutters, you don't have a heart,” Rainbow Dash remarked.

“She’s got the biggest heart of anyone I know,” Rarity replied.

Rainbow Dash sighed as she ran a hoof down her face. “You know what I meant.”

“We best give her some breathing room, girls,” Applejack exclaimed, stepping back from the group hug.

The rest of her friends followed suit with everyone taking their spots on the couches, save for Sunset, who placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder.

“It is very good to have you back,” offered the skeleton solemnly.

“It's good to be back,” Twilight replied, patting the other mare’s hoof.

“I figured you’d return to us about now, so I made you some applesauce from a few of Applejack’s special apples,” Spike offered, pointing to the lone remaining dish atop the platter.

Twilight’s eyes widened, and she eagerly scooped it up before plopping down into the sole unoccupied chair. “Oh my goodness, this smells amazing. Thank you both,” Twilight announced.

“It was nothin’. I’m just glad there's someone out there that wants to learn how to cook the Apple family way,” Applejack exclaimed, giving the dragon an appreciative nod.

“Who wouldn't? You guys make some great food,” Spike replied.

“Now that all that mushy stuff is out of the way, you gotta tell us about what happened,” Rainbow Dash eagerly interrupted.

“Err. I don't suppose you would mind me asking why Chrysalis is here first?” Fluttershy interrupted.

The changeling queen blinked and swiftly put back the book she had been looking at. “Oh, ignore me. I have dealings with Twilight here, though I have plenty of time.”

“And the buffet of positive emotions is what, the cherry on top?” Rainbow Dash remarked.

Chrysalis chuckled. “I’ll admit it's a nice addition, and that I too am curious as to how your little adventure went, for reasons which should be obvious.”

“What is she talking about?” Rarity inquired.

“Well, I raised Cadance from the dead,” Twilight answered. “I did other things, but that is likely what Chrysalis is referring to.”

“Oh, this is going to be interesting. You simply must go into detail,” Chrysalis pressed, trotting around Twilight’s chair and seating herself to the unicorn’s right.

“Was it scary?” Fluttershy whispered.

Twilight chuckled. “It certainly was a harrowing experience, but in order for that to make sense, I’ll have to start off at the beginning. You see, I first woke up in what I’m pretty sure is Ponyville, and-”

“-that pretty much wraps it up nicely,” Twilight finished, taking a sip of her water and settling into her chair.

Glancing around the room, she saw nearly everyone was in some state of shock, all save for Chrysalis who just looked amused.

“You know, I've heard this exact story a dozen times from Cadance. Though she always painted you as a knight in shining armor rather than the bumbling fool you seemed to have been,” Chrysalis exclaimed.

Twilight snorted. “Look, I know my plan wasn't perfect nor elegant, but I got it done, didn't I?”

“You absolutely did, darling,” Rarity interjected. “I think what Chrysalis is trying to say is that your plan wasn't exactly… nuanced.”

“You stumbled through it like Mr Bean!” Pinkie exclaimed with a giggle.

Twilight sighed. “I get it. I rushed into things. Now, can we please move onto something else?”

Fluttershy hummed thoughtfully as she rubbed her chin. “What do you think Celestia meant when she said she was hearing voices?”

“I mean, her explanation does hold water,” Applejack remarked. “I kept thinking I hear my pa yellin’ at me from the orchard weeks after he passed.”

Twilight winced. “I know what you mean. When I was wandering through the forest, I’d even see my mother and hear her call out to me sometimes.”

“Alright, this is getting real depressing real quick,” Rainbow Dash interjected. “How about we conclude that it's possible, but not confirmed?”

“I’d like to know if you have any idea where that dragon cave might be,” Sunset offered. “If I could learn the words that you did, or at least the one for life, I think that would benefit us greatly.”

“You would be quite the formidable healer, then,” Rarity added.

Twilight nodded slowly. “I think I do, but it would take time to find it. Chrysalis, do you have any leads?”

The changeling shrugged. “Not that I know of, but with the description you gave, I could have a few of my scouts search it out. After this newest problem has been dealt with, of course.”

“Oh oh! Do you think that this Manny guy turned into Discord?” Pinkie Pie interjected.

“It seems likely,” Spike muttered. “Based on your description, it seems as though pre-resurrection they were nearly identical.”

“Then why is the forest so different now?” Fluttershy whispered.

“I think my past self failed to bring him back completely, and thus his physical form was altered greatly,” Twilight answered. “Though I couldn't be sure without running a few tests or going back in time again.”

“Which ain't happenin,” Applejack sternly stated.

“I know, I know,” Twilight quickly replied, raising a hoof. “I’m just saying that would be the only way to confirm.”

“I think you’re on the right track,” Chrysalis suddenly announced. “The spirit of the forest is illusive, but Cadance’s memories seem to indicate that your hypothesis is correct.”

Twilight clopped her hooves together. “I think that's quite enough speculation. We aren't doing anything other than blowing hot air at this point.”

“I had one last question,” Rarity offered, raising a hoof.

“Go ahead,” Twilight replied.

“Do you think that dragon is still down there somewhere?” Rarity inquired. “If so, then he is more than likely the culprit for the status of our queen’s soul.”

“That's my running theory anyway. Though I have yet to find his location,” Twilight answered.

“I might be able to help with that,” Spike exclaimed.

“I thought you said you were just organizing the undertower and helping with reconstruction,” Sunset Shimmer pointedly inquired, the unicorn glaring at the dragon across from her.

“Well, I mean, I mostly did that,” Spike muttered, tapping his foreclaws together.

“You didn't do anything dangerous, right?” Twilight gently prodded.

Spike quickly shook his head. “Of course not. I was merely looking through some of my Twilight’s notes and found reference to her secret levels she kept hidden from everyone.”

“Oooh, now that's cool,” Rainbow Dash remarked. “I wonder if there are any more crazy traps or monsters to deal with.”

“I sure hope not,” murmured Fluttershy.

“I don't think so. Twilight usually strayed away from traps and only reluctantly added the ones she did because of a request from Luna,” Spike quickly explained.

“Either way, that will be a good place to start,” Twilight began. “Tomorrow you and I will check out these leads of yours. Hopefully they will give us a clue to the dragon’s location.”

“Oh, I’m so excited!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed, pumping a hoof in the air. “If there wasn't a big battle several days away and a war right after that, I would be planning the world’s biggest welcome home party for everyone’s favorite alicorn.”

“Speak for yourself,” Chrysalis muttered just loud enough for only Twilight to hear.

“So what has everyone been doing while I was gone?” Twilight asked, glancing around the room. “I’ve been talking a lot about myself for the last hour or so, and I’m curious as to what you all have been up to.”

“Like a lot of you, I’ve been training,” Spike declared with a smile, only to deflate somewhat. “To mixed results, but hey, at least I can finally swing a sword now.”

Chrysalis leaned in close. “That's a bit of a stretch. He can only do so a few times before falling over.”

Twilight frowned, ignoring the changeling’s remark. “That's great to hear, Spike. What's it been like spending so much time in the castle?”

“Must be pretty cool to hang out with the big boss spider all the time,” Rainbow Dash added, reclining into her seat.

“Eh, it wasn't bad,” Spike answered with a shrug. “She was really doting for a bit there, but then she got really quiet.”

“Oh dear,” Rarity exclaimed. “What happened?”

The dragon winced. “I was actually about to confront her about always having one of her kids follow me around when I kind of sort of barged in on her.”

“She wasn't laying, was she?” Rarity whispered.

Spike sputtered. “What? No! She was just looking over some of her old things, and I ruined a quiet moment. You see it all started when-”

Spike grumbled as he stomped down the hall, ignoring the polite smiles and occasional wave of the other creatures he passed by. Some he knew, most he did not, and he didn't give any so much as a single nod in confirmation. His chest was burning hot with indignation, the dragon endlessly replaying the event which had set him off in the first place.

He had just finished using one of the few operational flush toilets when he walked out to find a large spider with its back to the door, blocking Spike off.

“Come on, buddy, move out of the way,” Spike exclaimed.

The spider spun around and looked down at the dragon curiously with its many beady eyes. “You are Spike?” it asked in a strangely watery tone.

“Err, yeah,” replied the dragon.

“Good. This one is supposed to watch you,” exclaimed the spider.

Though a little irritated, Spike had come to expect someone following him around all the time. So he had accepted it and chose to make the best of it despite how being treated like a child made him feel. That was until the spider had slapped a book out of his hands and claimed it must be inspected first in case it was a trap.

Then the spider, whose name happened to be Trap Jaw, had forced Spike to sit outside for ten minutes while it inspected the bathroom. That wasn't even the worst of it though, as the overbearing arachnid had demanded to taste all of his food beforehand. This was of course to test for poison, though Spike struggled to imagine how someone could poison gems. Either way, it had been the last straw, and so Spike made his way towards Nebula.

The dragon stood outside of the room for a few seconds, wondering if he should knock, only for his indignation to flare. Then he threw open the door and stomped into the room beyond, an angry demand already on his lips. He never uttered the rage-filled words however, as he found himself struck by the strangeness of his new surroundings.

He had been directed here by a passing guard, but hadn't asked what the room’s original purpose had been. Evidently it had once served as the home of Luna’s many exotic creatures she had kept when she was alive. Though the many cages, tanks, and other enclosures had been broken down by age or unruly animals, the large room still felt quite alive.

A chunk of the wall had fallen away at one point, allowing vines, moss, and other greenery to sneak inside and take root within. A glass box which had once likely been filled with fish was now home to a great many red and pink flowers. A bird cage now served as a pot to numerous miniature trees as well as a lazy orange cat who snored contentedly atop of the rusted metal box.

Amidst it all, in the very center of the room, was a single large tank as well as a plaque which had long since faded to the point of being unreadable. Spike remembered what it said though, and the name that the copper stand had once borne so proudly.

“Nebula,” Spike murmured.

The now pony-sized spider blinked and turned around, her many sky blue eyes containing a deep sadness the likes of which Spike had rarely seen. Though much smaller than usual, the great arachnid looked normal, albeit she had abandoned her armor and sash. Or at least she seemed normal, as now that Spike looked a little closer, something seemed… wrong.

Though scarred and aged, the creature had remained intimidating no matter her size. Now that piercing gaze of hers just felt pitying, and she very much looked her age.

“Ahh, Spike,” murmured the spider in her strangely feminine voice. “What brings you here?”

“Am I interrupting something? Because I can go if I am,” Spike quickly replied, unconsciously stepping back towards the door.

“It's alright. Perhaps a little company is just what I need,” whispered Nebula, who turned back to the tank which had once been her home.

Spike awkwardly walked up next to the oddly small spider and followed her gaze down. To where a shattered glass box sat on a pedestal before them. It too looked surprisingly normal at first glance, the container appearing more like a turtle enclosure than one meant to keep a shape-shifting arachnid.

The smaller details were what drew Spike’s eye, such as the hoof-painted background which adorned three of the sides. Rendered to represent a great forest, the scene was a masterpiece, and it had been made for a mere spider who at the time hadn't been much larger than a hamster, judging by the size of all the rocks and pieces of wood littered about.

“This was yours, wasn't it?” Spike murmured.

“It was,” Nebula replied after a short pause. “Did you ever visit me back then?”

Spike nodded slowly, a claw running across one small section of the tank that was still in good condition.

“Luna and I hung out every once in a while. We would usually just read and eat snacks together, but sometimes she would show off her paintings or animals,” Spike replied, his voice growing wistful. “It was… nice. I don't think I really appreciated her friendship as much as I should have back then.”

Nebula placed a hairy foot on the dragon’s shoulder. “Go on.”

“Well, I…” Spike frowned. “She was just so relaxed around me that I never really gave it much thought. I just assumed she’d always be there, and we could always just chill out together, ya know?”

The spider hummed strangely, her body vibrating. “I think I understand.”

“So yeah. I can't wait until she's back so I can tell her how much I loved just sitting around and reading with her,” Spike remarked.

Together the two creatures stared off into space for almost a minute, then Nebula took a step back.

“Why are you here anyway?” Nebula asked.

“It was nothing. I should just get back to my organizing,” Spike murmured, turning around only to be caught by a hairy appendage.

“No, you came here for a reason. I could hear your pounding feet from all the way down the hall,” retorted the spider.

“I…” Spike frowned. “I was annoyed at the guy you had follow me around.”

“Young Trap Jaw. How has he been doing?” Nebula inquired wistfully, pulling her limb back.

“He's a little… overbearing,” Spike murmured.

“How so?” Nebula asked.

“He made me wait outside the bathroom for nearly twenty minutes or so while he tried to find any ‘hidden assassins’,” Spike replied, adding air quotes to the last two words. “That isn't even the worst of it. He's as bad as Dusk when I first woke up.”

“That makes sense. You are just a baby,” Nebula exclaimed.

“I am not!” Spike retorted, puffing out his chest. “I am almost an adult and can take care of myself just fine. Thank you very much.”

Nebula waved a hairy limb dismissively. “You are still a child, and one not breed nor trained for war. You will need someone strong to make sure you don't get into trouble.”

Spike blew a ring of smoke at the spider and jabbed a claw against her chest. “Now listen here. Just because I’m not a soldier or whatever doesn't mean you can treat me like a kid. I’ve helped save the world, you know.”

Nebula rolled her many eyes. “You followed Twilight around and took notes. I hardly think that counts.”

Spike stomped his foot angrily. “I did so help! Why when Discord trapped everyone inside of a six-dimensional labyrinth it was me who figured out the riddle and got us all out!”

“That is a riddle, this is war. They are quite different, you know,” Nebula retorted.

“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting them at all,” Spike quoted, standing up tall. “Luna said that, and I think it applies here.”

Nebula smirked, her features twisting into an amused expression. “Good. Then I have armed you with your first and most important weapon. Confidence.”

“Err, what?” Spike muttered, scratching his head.

“I don't really believe you are a child, dear one,” Nebula answered. “But I saw how you acted, and knew you needed a boost so you yourself realized that as well.”

Spike smiled. “You know what, I think you're right.”

“Of course I’m right,” Nebula exclaimed. “And remember, confidence is the first requirement in any great undertaking.”

Spike nodded slowly. “I’d thank you, but I’m still angry.”

The spider chuckled as she walked around to the other side of the container. “Then I hope a gift will alleviate your ire.”

Spike’s eyes lit up. “A gift? Like wha- woah.”

The spider pulled up a bright white breastplate made of what appeared to be thousands upon thousands of silken strands. “Your second weapon. A silk steel breastplate,” Nebula announced. “May it serve you well, young Spike.”

“I don't know what to say,” Spike murmured, gently taking the piece of armor offered to him and silently marveling at how incredibly light it was. “Woah. Are you sure I deserve this?”

“You meant a lot to the mistress. So much so that she told me stories of you when you were gone,” Nebula confided. “She too wished she had informed you of what your friendship meant to her, but could not do so before she passed.”

Spike nodded slowly. “Well, when she does come back, I promise to make up for all of our lost time.”

“I know you will, Spike,” Nebula replied.

“And that's about it. We got a little mushy there, but it was worth it for the super cool armor I got now,” Spike exclaimed rather proudly.

“So that's why Nebula abducted Trap Jaw,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, slapping a hoof against her head. “And here I thought she just had a crush on the love bug.”

“So he was a changeling? Great. Now I feel stupid,” Spike muttered, sinking into his seat and crossing his arms over his chest.

“Don't feel bad, dear. From what I’ve heard, Jaw is a bit of an expert actor,” Rarity offered.

“He's good, I guess. Provided the stakes aren't too high. Then he crumbles under pressure,” Chrysalis exclaimed.

“Well, I think you’ve done really well,” Twilight interrupted, patting the dragon on the shoulder. “You’ve helped out a lot from what I’ve gathered, and you look like you’ve lost weight already.”

“R-really?” Spike replied, sitting up straight once more.

“You look stronger too. Why, I bet we’ll have to get you a bigger bed soon,” Twilight replied.

Spike’s grin grew until it encompassed nearly his entire face. “Thanks, Dusk.”

“No problem, Spike,” Twilight replied, leaning back in her seat once more.

“Well, I just trained and stuff, so there is no need to talk about anything that happened to me,” Rainbow Dash declared, crossing her hooves over her chest.

Fluttershy giggled. “Oh, Rainbow, there is nothing to be defensive about. All couples have the occasional fight.”

“A fight?” Rarity gasped. “Oh, do go on, darling.”

Rainbow Dash groaned and quickly rose from her seat, evading the ethereal hoof of her partner. “If you’re going to tell this story, then I’m going to get some water or something.”

“Ooh guilt, remorse, and love. Now that's a potent combination,” Chrysalis exclaimed, smacking her lips.

Rainbow Dash continued to grumble as she departed, leaving along with Spike. “I think I’ll join Rainbow in the kitchen for a little bit. Something tells me I should make some coffee,” offered the dragon.

“Good thinkin’. We’re probably going to be here for a bit,” Applejack exclaimed, shifting around on the couch only to quickly grow irritated and lay down on the floor.

“So, what was this big fight you two had?” Sunset inquired.

“Oh oh, was it over who ate the last of the ice cream?” Pinkie Pie offered, scratching her chin. “Though come to think of it, I don't know if rabbits are lactose intolerant.”

“The babies aren't but like most mammals the adults are,” Fluttershy replied. “And I wouldn't really call it a fight per say, just a misunderstanding.”

“Dish darling, dish,” Rarity encouraged.

Fluttershy giggled, her gaze lingering over the entrance to the kitchen. “It was actually kind of cute. Rainbow Dash was getting so flustered with all the stress and training she was undergoing that she vented a bit more than she normally does.”

“She didn't yell at ya none, did she?” Applejack inquired.

“No, not directly. She just gets ranty sometimes,” Fluttershy replied, squishing her cheeks. “Oh, it was just so adorable. She would get so mad at Celestia that she would go off on these long tangents about how she's going to get her revenge.”

“How is that cute?” Applejack remarked, scratching her head.

“Oh, her tangents were quite violent but when she gets all caught up like that, you can just hand her anything, and she’ll hold onto it. I gave her an entire family of squirrels while she was talking, and by the time she was done, they had made a nest in her mane,” Fluttershy giggled.

“That is hilarious,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed with a snicker.

“I bet the amount of embarrassment alone could feed my brood for a month,” Chrysalis added.

“That doesn't sound like a fight though,” Rarity pointed out.

Fluttershy sighed. “It wasn't perfect, mind you. Rainbow is under so much pressure that she was trying to get me to join the guard so I could help more.”

“Yeah, I don't see that ending well,” Twilight murmured.

“It didn't. But once we sorted out our feelings and expressed our opinions, we were able to come to a compromise. One where I would help train the nightguard’s scouts,” Fluttershy replied.

“Good thinking,” Sunset Shimmer remarked. “I bet your knowledge of the forest would help quite a bit.”

Fluttershy beamed. “That's exactly what Dark Hallow said.”

“And then you moved in together?” Rarity pressed.

Fluttershy nodded. “There's a small series of caves I found beneath my grove, and we are in the process of cleaning them out. It's going to be a while before they are livable, but in the meantime we are making it work.”

“That is so romantic,” Rarity swooned, clutching her hooves over her chest. “Oh, I just know Trixie is going to love hearing about this.”

“So you and Trixie, eh?” Applejack remarked, raising an eyebrow at the arachne.

Who quickly straightened her features and looked away. “I don't know what you are talking about. We are merely friends who help one another and share a love of romance novels. That is it.”

Chrysalis sniffed the air around Rarity’s face. “Smells like… infatuation.”

Rarity blushed and swatted the queen in the shoulder. “I’ll have you know that is merely my perfume. It is a uh… made by a local hive.”

“Suuure,” Chrysalis replied, snickering as she sat back down.

“Yes, well. Applejack sure had an interesting little family emergency. Why don't you tell us all about that?” Rarity exclaimed, gesturing to the earth pony lying on the floor.

The mare shrugged. “Sure. Though I reckon everyone is more intrigued with what you and Trixie have been up to.”

“No, they aren't,” Rarity quickly interjected, smiling a little too wide. “Isn't that right, Fluttershy?”

The ghostly pegasus blinked owlishly. “I, err… yes?”

“See, now tell everyone about whatever it was that happened,” Rarity exclaimed.

“Before you start. Would anyone like some coffee?” Spike offered as he walked into the room, a platter of cups held before him.

Rainbow Dash followed behind the dragon with an enormous pitcher of the fragrant black liquid. Which she set on the table before taking her spot next to Fluttershy once more, throwing a hoof around the dryad.

“What did I miss?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“A quite vivid description of how adorable you are, and about five minutes of Rarity blushing and stuttering,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed. “So, not much.”

The thestral snorted. “Yeah yeah, laugh it up. Now who was talking again? I wasn't paying attention.”

“I was just about to tell everyone about the ruckus that was raised over on the farm the other week,” Applejack exclaimed, sipping her coffee slowly. “Ooh, that's good.”

“Oh yeah. I remember reading a report on some family member of yours leaving town. How'd things go with mister high and mighty?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

Applejack grunted bitterly. “I’ll get to that in a minute, right now what ya gotta know is that my family hasn't been in contact with the other branches of the extended family for a while. After an uncle lost his husband while they were visiting the farm, we were considered cursed by most of the others.”

“I mean, strictly speaking, you were cursed,” Twilight remarked. “Though it was just the land and your immediate family that was affected.”

Rarity chuckled awkwardly. “I don't think Applejack was looking for clarification on this, darling.”

Twilight blinked, only now noticing her other friend’s irritated expression. “Oh uh, sorry. Please continue.”

“Like I was saying…” Applejack began again. “Most of the extended family avoided us, but that same uncle, my pa’s brother to be exact, lost his farm due to those damned golems cutting through the forest.”

“So they stayed with you then?” Pinkie Pie offered.

Applejack nodded slowly. “Things were tense since Green Acres’ partner, Fresh Harvest, died here after suffering a heart attack. The old bugger never forgave us, even though we had nothing to do with the whole business.”

“That sounds like quite the powder keg,” Sunset remarked.

Applejack’s frown deepened. “You’re tellin’ me. With Fresh Harvest’s mother staying with us along with his two adopted daughters, the house felt fuller than ever. Don't get me wrong, it was nice at first. It's a big place now and actually using some of those rooms felt right, ya know?”

The farm pony looked down. “Things didn't stay so pleasant for long, but things really came to a head during dinner a couple days ago…”

The room was quiet, save for the occasional clink of silverware or soft crunch as someone bit into a particularly good piece of pie crust. The quiche, although delicious, garnered as little attention as the other tasty dishes which covered the table. All eyes were on one another, a slightly uneasy atmosphere having settled over the room’s eight occupants.

Apple Bloom seemed the most oblivious and chewed loudly on her fresh salad without paying the others much attention. The two female trolls next to her were also silent and seemed more cautiously optimistic, nibbling occasionally on their rockier meals. They also eyed their parent closely and with a hint of nervous energy, as if they were waiting for him to do something.

The taller of the pair had a deep green coat and slightly lighter emerald mane which had been cut short. Her fur was also broken up by the occasional clump of black stones, which created a question mark on her right flank. Lean and with a more angular appearance, Riddle was nearly as tall as Big Macintosh despite being only seventeen.

She was also the exact opposite of her twin, who was rounder, shorter, and who had few rocks dotting her light brown hide. This troll was more intent on poking the lone lima bean around on her plate and only looked up past her hay-colored mane to glance occasionally at her sister or adopted father. Who had also gained the attention of the Apple family, though that was partly due to the ravenous manner in which he consumed his food.

The only one who didn't give the stallion even a single look was a thin, elderly thestral mare who was slowly picking away at her meal. Her fork deftly cut off small, delicate pieces of food and deposited them into her mouth, at which point she sighed, silently relishing the taste. She also looked the most out of place of the group, as she wore a black shawl over a rather voluminous white dress. Her two-toned, short blue mane had likely been quite vibrant at one time, though now it was more grey than anything. Her soft purple fur hadn't fared much better, though her violet eyes remained as bright and inquisitive as ever.

Unlike the eyes of her former son-in-law, which were grey and contained within them a deep burning resentment all could see. His mane was mainly a muted teal, though there were two stripes of a slightly more vibrant blue. Unlike his fur, which was a single solid ocean of eggshell white which covered his large bulky form that was devoid of a cutie mark.

The clatter of a fork drew all attention to Green Acres himself, who grunted and pushed his plate back.

“That wasn't terrible,” he exclaimed.

“I’m glad ya liked it,” Granny Smith offered.

“I didn't say I liked it,” Green Acres retorted. “Better than yesterday, at least.”

“I liked it all quite a bit. Indeed it was quite a hit,” Fiddle offered with a smile.

“Don't get too chummy,” Green Acres interrupted, fixing his adopted daughter with a glare. “We’ll be cooking our own food soon enough anyway.”

“So does that mean you found a place to stay?” Applejack inquired, biting back the snide comment she had already thought of, though didn't dare utter.

“Indeed,” Green Acres stated, rising from his seat. “I intend to settle right here and work the north orchard with my girls.”

“Shouldn't that be a question?” Riddle inquired somewhat nervously.

“No,” interrupted the towering, well-muscled earth pony stallion. “We deserve as much since this place took my husband.”

“Now you look here, youngun. I know that whole business wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't any of our faults,” Granny Smith proclaimed.

“Eeyup,” added Big Mac in a confident tone.

Green Acres sneered openly at the older mare. “If I remember correctly, I left the farm because it couldn't support us all, and because my husband had his own patch of land. Well, now both of those reasons are gone, so I’m taking it back.”

“It ain't yours,” Apple Bloom spoke up. “It's ours!”

For a moment it seemed as though the stallion was going to snap at the young filly, then he took a slow breath. “Look, kid. I know this sounds like I’m trying to take something that ain't mine, but you gotta see things from my perspective.”

“Your perspective?” Applejack interjected. “How in the world is this anything but some attempt to cheat us out of our darn land?”

Big Macintosh nodded fiercely.

The earth pony smiled. “Simple. Because over the generations the land was split between us kids, but that stopped because nothin’ grew here. Plus, let's be honest with one another, you can't work all that land anyway.”

“So? That doesn't mean you can just say it's yours,” Granny Smith exclaimed. “You gave up that claim and even the family name.”

“Is it just the name that makes us Apples, hmm?” he retorted, gesturing to the females who sat on either side of him. “Are my daughters and mother-in-law not Apples as well?”

Granny Smith sat back down into her chair, a deep frown on her face. “I ‘spose not,” she gruffly admitted.

“My family deserves this. Especially after what happened to our own farm,” Green Acres pressed. “We barely made it out with a few bags of items and enough bits to secure passage to Ponyville. If not here, then where else would we go?”

“It's not like we’d just kick ya out or anything. I just don't think these arrangements would work out, is all,” Applejack exclaimed.

“We’ll take one of the sets of rooms near the back. Heck, we’ll see each other about the same as we did before this all happened,” Green Acres offered.

“It ain't right,” Big Macintosh spoke up, glaring at the other stallion. “You skedaddled the second you found something better, and we were left trying to bring back a dying orchard.”

“Ya know what really ain't right?” Green Acres asked, trotting across the room and jabbing a hoof into Big Macintosh’s chest. “That I should lose the love of my life, my home, my farm, my land, and everything I own. I think the universe owes me something nice.”

The four Apples exchanged a worried glance at one another, a silent conversation passing between them. After several tense moments, Applejack released a long sigh, a decision having been made between them.

“Well, I suppose when ya put it that way, I-” Applejack began, only to be cut off when a chair screeched across the living wood floor.

The lone thestral patted her lips with a handkerchief which she tucked back away into a hidden pocket. She then smiled warmly at Granny Smith.

“That was a wonderful dinner, dear,” offered the winged mare. “Though if you’ll excuse me, I need to have a word with my son-in-law.”

“What is it, Mama Salt?” Green Acres inquired, trotting back over to the mare. “‘Cause if it's about getting you another piano, I promise it's on the list.”

The thestral didn't initially respond, and instead walked up to the pony who stood three times her height and was at least four times her weight. She then hopped up onto a chair, drew back her hoof, and slapped it across the male’s face with enough force to knock his head to the side. While the room sat in quiet amazement, she stepped down from her chair, pushed it back into the table and turned back to Granny Smith.

“I do apologize for the violence, dear Mrs Smith, but it was quite necessary, I’m afraid,” exclaimed the thestral.

“Err, it's no trouble at all,” Granny Smith murmured.

The winged pony then trotted back over to the stunned stallion and glared up at him. “Now that you’re actually listening to me, let's get a few things straight,” she began. “My son died not because of this farm, but because of what he was. Hybrids suffer from weakened hearts, and though I knew this when I married a minotaur, I always assumed it wouldn't happen to us. We were too proud to admit that just because our genes were good and our stock hardy, that our offspring would be anything but strong.”

Her hard features softened slightly. “The fact my dear sweet boy lived to the age he did was a miracle. One I thank the moon above for each and every night. His passing had not a gosh darn thing to do with this farm, or those who call it home, so just get that silly notion right out of your head.”

“But if we were closer to the hospital-” Green Acres began.

“And if I were a trained doctor, Applejack a heart surgeon, and Big Macintosh a nurse, we’d have saved him no problem, but that ain't what happened,” exclaimed the thestral in a stern tone. “Ifs and buts have no place in serious discussion. Fresh Harvest knew this, and I had assumed he’d taught this to you.”

She sighed. “I guess I was wrong there too.” The mare snorted. “But I ain't here to talk about an old bat’s regrets. We’re here to discuss why you are a stars-damned moron that ain't got more than two brain cells to rub together.”

“But I-”

“But nothing, youngun,” Mama Salt interrupted with a stomp of her hoof. “Ever since your brother’s family took you in, you've been stompin’ around like you own the place, and I am sick of it. You demand dinner, you demand kindness, you demand even their land. For cryin’ out loud, boy, that ain't the stallion that wooed my son.”

The stallion’s shoulders slumped, and his indignant expression finally fell away. “Things change, Mama. I’m just trying to do right by my girls.”

“Now don't you go bringin’ them into this,” interjected the thestral, who jabbed a tiny hoof into the other pony’s chest. “If you hadn't demanded a thing and just returned the kindness shown to ya, I bet you woulda gotten everything ya wanted. Ain't that right, Applejack?”

Applejack perked up. “I, uh, we were talkin’ about it after we heard what happened.”

“See?” Mama Salt barked. “Now you done created a whole ‘nother problem all ‘cause of your stupid pride.”

“W-what do you want me to do?” Green Acres asked.

“To start, you're going to apologize, then you’re going to pack your things and stay with the Pears for a few weeks to think about what you want outta life. Then when your head is turned on straight, you’ll come back, apologize again, and that time you’ll mean it,” commanded the matronly mare.

“I… I’m sorry,” he whispered, bowing his head to Granny Smith.

“Now go on and git. You’ve ruined the main course with your pesterin’, and I don't want you leavin’ a sour taste in my mouth when the pie gets served,” the thestral finished, seating herself once more.

The stallion nodded meekly and trotted over to his daughters. “We’ll talk before I go. Enjoy the pie.”

“We will try,” replied Fiddle.

“If it is okay that we stay?” Riddle inquired, looking expectantly at Granny Smith.

Who nodded. “‘Course y'all can stay. It seems like your Oma and I have some talkin’ to do anyway.”

“Hopefully over a few cups of brandy,” Mama Salt added.

“We can do that,” Granny Smith replied.

“Right then, shall we?” offered the thestral.

“So, in summary, I guess it wasn't all bad. Just well… uncomfortable for a bit there,” Applejack exclaimed with a shrug.

“No kiddin’,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “The report didn't mention most of that, just that a passing guard accompanied a relative of yours out of town who told them there was a miscommunication, and that he was leaving for a little while.”

“What about Fiddle and Riddle?” Fluttershy inquired. “Are they still staying with you?”

Applejack nodded. “Of course. They’re family, after all.”

“That's sweet of you,” Sunset remarked.

“You're a better person than me,” Spike added.

“And also sappier,” Chrysalis murmured just loud enough for Twilight to hear.

The unicorn herself smiled. “Well, I think you did the right thing, given everything.”

Applejack nodded slowly. “It ain't perfect, but I think once this is all over, we can put this mess behind us and start over again.”

“Wonderful, darling, absolutely wonderful,” Rarity exclaimed, clapping her hooves together.

“So, now that Applejack told her story, are you gonna tell us what you’ve been up to?” Rainbow Dash inquired, staring expectantly at the arachne.

“I practiced with Trixie and had a show before everyone left in order to display some of the more visually appealing failures I’ve created while trying to master silksteel,” Rarity crisply replied, flashing the room a practiced smile. “Not much to report on, I’m afraid.

“I thought you said you and Trixie-” Fluttershy began, only to be cut off by a glare.

“That was told in confidence,” Rarity whispered.

“Ookay, then. How about we just move things right along, eh?” Applejack exclaimed. “Pinkie Pie. I heard you had quite the eventful week.”

“Eh, it wasn't super interesting. Well, except for that part where Zecora tried to kill me,” Pinkie Pie remarked with a nonchalant shrug.

“What? Pinkie Pie, that's horrible, were you okay?” Twilight demanded.

“What in the world possessed her to attack you?” Spike added.

Pinkie Pie waved a hoof. “Nah, I was fine, and it's totally okay. It was all just a test.”

“I think you’re going to have to start at the beginning in order for this to make sense,” Sunset deadpanned.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure we’re gonna need some context for this,” Applejack added.

“Oh fine, but you guys are making a big deal out of nothing,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, crossing her hooves over her chest. “It all started when I was just minding my own business and tending to some cute little mushroomies I was growing near the hut when all of a sudden…”

“Mushroomies mushroomies, you are so cute, from the hat on your head to your cute little shoot,” Pinkie Pie hummed, gently wiping the dew from the top of a particularly tall purple mushroom. “Oh, look at you, Jonathan. You’re all big and tall. Pretty soon you’ll make for an excellent lunch or perhaps some tea.”

The troll continued to sing her whimsical song as she tended to the strange fruiting fungus that grew in her secluded grove. Though calling it a grove was a bit of a stretch, given that it was little more than a slight indent dominated by a muddy pool at its center around which grew a great many purple mushrooms, their pink polka-dotted tops poking up to over a foot and a half tall. There were also a good number of bushes and several large trees which gave the area a close, almost comforting feel that Pinkie Pie enjoyed.

It was also very quiet, almost unpleasantly so now that Pinkie Pie thought about it. Perking up, the troll looked around, her ears twitching as she tried to discover the reason why she felt so off. A sudden itch combined with the twitching in her tail set alarm bells off in the troll’s mind. She leapt to the side.

She dodged a ray of absolute darkness which shot out of a nearby bush. It cleaved through the spot she had been standing in a second earlier. Rolling to a stop, Pinkie Pie made sure not to crush any of her mushroom friends as she scampered toward the cover of a tall oak. Once there, she peeked out from around the side, curiously scanning the relative gloom for any sign of her attacker.

“Who's there? Show yourself, you big meanie!” Pinkie Pie shouted.

A striped hoof stepped out from the bush, with the rest of the zebra following a second later. “That was quite impudent, my faithful student,” Zecora exclaimed.

Pinkie Pie eyed her mentor closely, noting that she wore a loose set of rags which covered all but the ends of her hooves and the tip of her nose. Her normally kind, gentle eyes contained not the same mirthful energy Pinkie Pie had come to expect, but rather cold indifference. It was a stark change, made starker still by the loss of the mare’s usual gold rings which had been replaced by a silver necklace.

“Hey, what's with the ray? Is this another test, or are you just testy today?” Pinkie Pie inquired, staying close to her cover.

Rather than reply with words, the zebra brought her hoof to her throat before pointing the limb at her student. Another ray of darkness shot forward, though this time Pinkie Pie was more than ready for such an action. Ducking back behind the tree, the troll avoided the attack and was readying her response when she was suddenly flanked.

Zecora appeared from the darkness like a shadow, her hoof raised and ready to fire another blast of negative energy. Speeding up her own magical retort, Pinkie Pie leapt forward, avoiding the next blast before unleashing a spray of wild colors from her forehooves. Due to her sudden dive the attack went a little wide, but it seemed to at least dazzle the zebra for a few seconds.

Which was just enough time for the troll to sprint directly at the zebra while readying her next attack. Intent on knocking the shaman out, Pinkie Pie put all her energy into her forehooves while uttering a quick incantation. The second she hit her target, a purple wave of energy shot out from the points of impact, causing Zecora’s body to noticeably relax.

The touch of fatigue did not, however, knock the zebra out, and by the time Pinkie Pie had realized her attack had failed, her mentor was already retaliating. Brushing aside the troll’s hooves, Zecora struck the mare in the chest, and though there was very little force behind the blow, it left Pinkie Pie reeling. A deep weariness nearly overwhelmed her, and the shaman in training could feel a bit of her life force get drained away.

The zebra kept coming, her hooves shrouded in a black mist which sapped the life from everything they touched. Pinkie Pie wasn't sure how many more of those hits she could take, and swiftly scrambled out of range. Using her longer legs to put some distance between her and her foe, the troll channeled a bit of her power into the ground behind her, liquefying it.

The sudden pool of mud caught her enemy unaware, with Zecora plunging hip-deep into the brown quagmire. The sound of scrambling hooves was like music to Pinkie Pie’s ears, and she quickly spun back around for another attack. Sure enough, the zebra had been caught quite efficiently and had just barely managed to reach the edge of the pool.

Pinkie Pie punched up, then across, before chopping her hoof down, the last strike of which was the only one to hit. Yet when it did, several ethereal hooves appeared in the air next to her, striking the zebra in the head and driving her back into the mud. Despite this setback, Zecora seemed unperturbed, and, with a sudden explosion of movement, leapt towards her student.

The jump surprised the troll just long enough for the older mare to release a terrifying screech directly at her student. Pinkie’s eyes went wide, and for a single terrible instant, it felt as though she were staring into the void itself. Then a giggle slipped past her lips, followed by a hearty laugh which banished the fearful affect and gave her body strength once more.

Seeing her teacher’s eyes glowing with the strange black mist, Pinkie Pie quickly backpedalled before turning around. Using her knowledge of the area, she deftly avoided the first of the blackened projectiles that followed in her wake. She couldn't avoid them all, however, and when one of the black darts hit her flank, the troll felt her blood run cold.

It was almost as though the zebra had managed to freeze her student’s veins solid, and Pinkie Pie stumbled briefly. Summoning forth a deep inner well of heat from down in her core, Pinkie Pie brushed aside the spell’s effects while she continued to run. Without breaking stride, she dodged the rest of the black darts and managed to scramble up a pine tree. Now relatively safe, given the distance between herself and Zecora, Pinkie Pie was able to cast an invisibility charm.

And just in time too, as Zecora had just stopped only a dozen feet away, her raggedy cloak strangely devoid of mud. Pinkie Pie could also hear the distant clack of what sounded like bones, but she didn't focus on that at the moment. Instead she quickly cleared her throat and threw her voice so when she next spoke it sounded like she were right next to the zebra.

“What is the point of this test?” she asked.

“You will soon see, when you leave that tree,” Zecora replied.

Pinkie Pie thought it over briefly, ruminating on the many possibilities which now lay before her. It was clear she was indeed being tested somehow, though she didn't know what exactly her teacher’s intention was. Without that knowledge, Pinkie Pie concluded that the zebra wanted to spar in order to gauge Pinkie Pie’s new abilities.

With that thought firmly in mind, the troll closed her eyes, steadied her breathing, and called upon the strange powers she felt deep down in her soul. With that new and chaotic energy now swirling through her, Pinkie Pie looked down to find that the zebra was still standing a good distance away. Zecora also wore a small, confident smile as she peered intently at the invisible troll perched halfway up a tree.

Pinkie Pie cursed under her breath and leapt towards the ground, her hiding spot exploding into a million pieces right behind her. The fall was a long one, but the troll didn't mind, dexterously landing into a roll and dodging a trio of bolts that thudded into the ground behind her. Springing up into a stand, Pinkie Pie was ready to charge the zebra, but found that her way was blocked by over a dozen undead animals.

Most were no larger than a small wolf, but there was one zombified bear standing in her way. The small army charged her almost immediately, with numerous smaller creatures sprinting out of their hiding places in order to join the main group. Cursing her poor focus, Pinkie Pie blitzed forward, intent on disrupting her teacher’s attention and thus hopefully dealing with her minions.

Just reaching the zebra was going to be difficult, as there were more than a few barriers between them. Not only that, but the other shaman had not slowed her magical assault one bit, with numerous black bolts continuing to fly at the troll. Pinkie Pie had gotten used to the now familiar attack pattern, trusting her limited foresight to help her avoid them.

A burning sensation in her right forehoof prompted the troll to hop to the left, avoiding the leap of a mostly skeletal badger. Now faced with a trio of the creatures, Pinkie Pie poured the chaotic energy inside of her into her mouth. Where it quickly built, growing hotter by the second before the troll unleashed it on the group of undead directly in front of her.

White hot flames incinerated the trio of zombies before they could even scratch her, the fire somehow not affecting Pinkie Pie. She didn't have long to think about what had happened, as she simply trusted her newly empowered instincts to carry her to victory. Charging forward, she ducked under a bolt of black magic before batting aside a leaping fox with her suddenly rock hard tail.

Pinkie’s pounding hooves stumbled the moment she laid eyes on the hoard of woodland critters before her. Squirrels, rabbits, and other tiny undead creatures created a writhing mass of rotting flesh that completely covered the ground. Too large to simply avoid, Pinkie Pie felt her chest tighten, and a strange urge entered her thoughts.

Inhaling deeper than she thought possible, Pinkie Pie filled her lungs before exhaling a great torrent of air which blew aside her foes. With just enough time to dash through the now disorganized horde, Pinkie Pie sprinted forward, leaping over the angriest undead beaver she had ever seen. Maintaining her momentum, the troll fearlessly charged through a pack of undead birds, somehow avoiding their teeth and claws with ease.

Pinkie Pie wasn't sure where this confidence and ability was coming from, but she wasn't about to question providence. After all, it felt almost like her Pinkie sense in a way, only turned up to eleven and able to inform her of what to do. With her body moving to the whims of some unknowable force she had accidentally captured, Pinkie Pie continued to weave through her foes.

That was until she began to near the final obstacle in her way, which was joined by a cadre of zombified porcupines that still had their quills. Pinkie knew that to stop would mean she would be overwhelmed by the undead clustering at her heels, so she continued her charge. As she ran, dodging black darts all the while, she began to mutter the beginnings of a song she last heard as a child.

“Rain rain come to me, hear my desperate plea and like the parting of the sea, deliver my enemies away from me,” Pinkie Pie muttered, dancing a silly jig while still running full tilt.

Above her head the morning dew which had yet to fall from the canopy above gathered into a large sphere. Which, upon completion of Pinkie’s song, dropped suddenly in the center of the animals, washing the quilled creatures away. The bear, however, was not affected, though Pinkie Pie knew she could handle it as well. She only needed time.

That, and to bounce really high, pouring her innate troll magic into the earth as she did so, priming the ground itself. The bear, unaware of what magic its foe may be using, charged forward, an unearthly roar on its rotted lips. Its paw raised high as it reared back, ready to take the head clear off Pinkie Pie’s shoulders.

It never got the chance to do so however, as the pink troll suddenly bounded right over it. Earthen steps emerged from the ground in front of the beast, allowing Pinkie Pie to leap dexterously over the undead animal. Now airborne, she allowed herself to grin, a sense of pride welling from deep down in her chest.

She wasn't sure what her teacher had planned, but whatever it was, Pinkie Pie knew she would pass. That was until she noticed that instead of standing a good distance behind the bear, Zecora had been waiting in its shadow. Unable to dodge or move at all while still in midair, Pinkie Pie could do nothing but yelp in surprise as the zebra slammed into her.

The impact of the shaman’s hooves knocked the wind out of Pinkie Pie and sent her sprawling to the ground. Her newly empowered Pinkie sense couldn't help her, as a million different urges and sensations were suddenly flooding the troll’s body. With choice paralysis gripping the poor creature’s body, Pinkie Pie was utterly overwhelmed and unable to do anything.

Giving Zecora more than enough time to utter a word that caused her student’s heart to suddenly stop. Pinkie Pie could hardly describe the feeling, only that for one brief and horrific instant, she knew what it was like to die. Then she was gasping for air, her heart pounding in her chest as she desperately scrambled out of the icy grip of the reaper.

The troll expected to find herself still pinned by her teacher, but the zebra was nowhere to be seen. That was until Pinkie Pie sat up and looked around to find that the undead animals were gone, though her teacher had remained. Sitting quietly by the side of the pool, she had two cups of tea sitting on a plate next to her, and a soft, gentle smile on her face.

Awkwardly trundling over to the zebra, Pinkie Pie plopped down beside her and followed the mare’s distant gaze to the sky above. There she saw the moon hanging far overhead, its light bright, illuminating the quiet, gentle night. There they sat for several seconds before at long last Zecora let out a slow exhale.

“Congratulations,” she announced.

“Bwuh?” Pinkie Pie gaped. “But I lost!”

“Oh, you never stood a chance, but the point was the dance,” Zecora began, turning to her student. “You’ve finally grasped a power you were born to wield, which in time will become the world’s shield.”

“What power?” Pinkie Pie muttered. “You mean my Pinkie sense? And what was that about the world’s shield?”

Zecora chuckled. “Your sense is like the haft of an axe. Only part, but essential for your attacks.”

Pinkie Pie frowned and looked down to the tea. “I think this would be easier to swallow with some tea, if you don't mind.”

“But of course. You need renew your source,” Zecora encouraged, taking one of the cups for herself.

Together the pair drank slowly and deliberately, both silently enjoying the surprisingly earthy, yet sweet flavours. Sure enough, Pinkie Pie found that her stress and slowly building headache had been washed away by the liquid. She even felt as though her very soul had been strengthened somehow, breathing a lungful of fresh air into the formerly exhausted troll.

“So,” Pinkie Pie began, “what is this power?”

“So it turns out because I ate so much chaos magic that my soul is like part of the forest now, so I can feel the possible future and sort of manipulate it a little,” Pinkie Pie finished, sipping her coffee.

“What the heck?” Twilight muttered.

“Ya stole the words right out of my mouth, Twi,” Applejack added.

“Part of the forest? So you're like me then?” Fluttershy whispered.

Pinkie Pie grinned. “Sorta. Apparently I might not age anymore, which would be cool, though I don't wanna outlive everyone.”

“I think you should worry more about Celestia killing you rather than entropy itself,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

“That is quite the story,” Chrysalis exclaimed. “I’m surprised you have been able to steal a bit of the forest’s power.”

“I’m just borrowing it. Well, kind of,” Pinkie Pie scratched her head. “The spirit of the forest is inside of me now, and it gives me a little bit of a boost.”

“That is… amazing,” Twilight murmured. “When this is all over, we must do some tests.”

Sunset imitated a snort. “I wouldn't bother with that one, Twi. None of the spells I know work on her.”

“That's…” Twilight began.

“A problem for another time,” Spike interrupted.

Twilight nodded slowly. “Yes, you’re right. Though I had a few questions.”

“The word Zecora knows is death. She is a necromancer, as well as a shaman, and yes she will teach you a few things, though you will have to complete a certain journey first,” Pinkie Pie answered.

Twilight blinked. “But I wasn't even going to ask that last one.”

“Oh you were, in a few hours,” Pinkie Pie replied, flashing Twilight a smirk.

The undead mare’s eye twitched, and for a moment it almost looked like smoke was about to billow from her ears. Then she released a sigh, placed a hoof over her chest, and took several unnecessary breaths.

“Ya’ll right there?” Applejack inquired.

“Looked like you were gonna bust a gasket for a sec,” Rainbow Dash added.

“I’m fine. I just… need to add talking to Zecora to my list of things to do,” Twilight replied.

“Why don't we move on to a topic that doesn't make my head hurt, hmm?” Rarity offered.

“The boney one hasn't told you about her experiences yet,” Chrysalis pointed out.

“There isn't much to talk about, I’m afraid,” Sunset remarked with a shrug. “I spent the majority of my time studying, experimenting, and healing who I could.”

“Hey, that's no small thing, ya know. You even helped get Lonesome Log back onto his hooves again,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

Sunset nodded slowly, rubbing her boney chin thoughtfully. “I suppose that's true. Though I have yet to truly scratch the surface of what I now know is possible. That will come with time and practice.”

“Well, I think it's wonderful that you’ve been able to help so many people,” Fluttershy declared.

“Yeah, and you seem happier now too!” Pinkie Pie pointed out.

Sunset chuckled. “I suppose I am. I still have my moments, but it feels nice to finally use my special talent in the way it was meant to be used.”

Twilight smiled and reached over to her friend. “I’m glad to hear that and it is my sincerest hope that you never have to use your magic for ill ever again.”

“I don't think I could,” Sunset muttered, gazing down at her forehooves. “The mere thought of hurting another living being is enough to make my stomach turn despite the fact that there's nothing in my ribcage.”

Chrysalis unexpectedly rose and fixed the skeleton with an oddly intense look. “Pacifism is not a weakness, nor should you ever feel the need to break this new rule of yours just because others don't understand it.”

“I…” Sunset nodded. “Thank you, Chrysalis. I think I needed to hear that.”

The changeling’s smile quickly morphed into a smirk. “That doesn't mean you can't help someone hurt someone else. Just don't give up on your morals.”

“Let me guess, Cadance is the pacifist?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

Chrysalis shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

“Is there anything else you wanted to talk about, Sunset? Maybe something that may have flown over your head,” Fluttershy gently pressed, gesturing to a nearby window.

“Flown over my…” Sunset followed Fluttershy’s gaze, her eyes lighting up the second she realized what the dryad was talking about. “Oh, of course. How could I have forgotten about Owlicious.”

“Wait Owl…” Twilight trailed off when she saw the owl swoop in from the now open window and settle atop Sunset’s skull.

Sunset giggled as the creature tapped its beak against her head. “Daw, I missed you too, big guy. Sorry I didn't open the window earlier.”

“Owlicious, is that really you? I thought you were- oh my,” Twilight murmured when the owl turned its head to reveal that one of its eye sockets was completely empty.

“Yeah, I learned how to bring back small animals after finding this poor guy when I was walking to Fluttershy’s,” Sunset replied, scratching the underside of the bird’s beak.

“Oh no, that's so sad. Wait, didn't I see you in the company of this particular owl before?” Rarity inquired, gesturing to the animal in question.

“You did,” Twilight answered, extending a hoof. “Sorry I didn't come to see you more often I- owch.”

The unicorn recoiled her hoof after the owl viciously pecked it.

Sunset chuckled. “Sorry about that. He isn't a fan of other ponies. Says he had a bad experience with one.”

Twilight winced. “That was probably my fault.”

“Don't worry about it. He didn't die of loneliness, just tried to fight a hawk for his meal,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, only to receive an ethereal hoof to the shoulder.

“Dash, you weren't supposed to say that part out loud. Owlicious is very self-conscious about that,” Fluttershy whispered.

Twilight smiled and was ready to offer a remark of her own when she noticed that Chrysalis had snuck away. After quietly excusing herself, Twilight followed the changeling queen to the door, stopping her before she could leave.

“Why are you leaving? I thought you said we needed to talk,” Twilight exclaimed.

The changeling hesitated a moment before letting her hoof drop to the ground. “I was going to, but I’d rather not ruin your little moment.”

“How would you do that?” Twilight pressed.

“If I told you that it would ruin it,” Chrysalis replied. “Though one thing I can say is that I was planning on teaching you and your friends a word you may need to know in the future.”

“You mean a word of power, right?” Twilight whispered in a hushed tone.

“No, the minotaur word for toilet,” Chrysalis deadpanned. “Of course a word of power.”

Twilight coughed awkwardly. “Right. So when should I talk to you then?”

Chrysalis’ expression grew distant, and she gazed out the nearby window. “Cadance will be here soon. We can have our chat after you give her the news she's been waiting centuries for.”

“Err, okay. Thanks for coming, by the way. It was nice to see you,” Twilight remarked.

“You must have been really starved for attention,” Chrysalis declared with a smirk.

Twilight shrugged. “I won't deny that any sort of friendly face was a pleasant sight.”

Chrysalis chuckled. “That's a compliment I wouldn't mind accepting. Though I really must be going now. Wouldn't want your friends to think I’m part of your little gang, now do we?”

“Right. Gotta keep up that cool but aloof persona,” Twilight retorted.

The queen blinked twice before grinning. “Nice one, Sparkle, but don't let that head of yours get too big. Wouldn't want to give Celestia an even easier target.”

Twilight smiled. “Well, I can't speak for the girls but I consider you a friend at least.”

Chrysalis paused just after opening the door, giving Twilight a brief, yet strangely intense bout of scrutiny. She then nodded and left without saying a word, leaving Twilight to stand in the doorway for a few seconds before turning around.

“I’ll see you two very soon,” Twilight murmured to herself.

Author's Note

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A Mundane Interlude

The hybrid of an earth pony and minotaur stared angrily into the mirror, glaring at the helmet which refused to sit properly on his head. The boxy metal object would cover him from the tip of his nose to the nape of his neck, but was stuck on his horns. The two forward-facing appendages extended from both sides of his head and made the act of suiting up more difficult.

Thankfully a bit of wiggling managed to get the protective covering onto his head, where it sat securely. With that done, the male glared bitterly at his reflection, noting that his black mane had grown rather long. Individual hairs poked out from his helmet, and a larger lock fell over one eye, limiting his vision.

Grumbling angrily to himself, the hybrid stallion lifted the heavy visor and swept the irritating bit of hair out of his face. He then reached for his breastplate, but stopped in order to check the straps on his studded leather underarmor. The reddish brown coat made from the hide of a manticore covered the majority of his body, leaving only the ends of his hooves exposed.

Where his thick, unkempt brown fetlocks reached down to the floor. The sight irritated the male, and he made a note to go to the barber after he had completed this job and acquired more gems. To that end he needed to finish donning his armor and readying himself for what was to come.

Unfortunately, his plan had a wrench thrown into it when the door to his room opened and an elderly minotaur shambled in. He wielded a gnarled wooden cane, which he gripped tightly with a dark grey-furred hand. He wore only a scowl and a pair of jeans almost as old as the pony standing across from him.

“Dammit, Jack Hammer. Where do you think you’re doing?” demanded the old bull.

Jack Hammer sighed. “What does it look like, father? I’m getting ready for work.”

“Work? But what about that job I got you with the guard?” retorted the older male.

“They only needed me for a couple of jobs. It was never going to be permanent,” Jack Hammer replied, slipping his breastplate over his head.

“Poppycock. If they saw how good you are, then they would have hired you on permanently,” exclaimed the other male.

“Well, it's not like I had a lot of options to prove myself. I was a glorified security guard, dad,” Jack Hammer stated.

“Still,” murmured the minotaur, “no son of mine is going to spend his days as some bumb hiring himself out to whoever will pay.”

“We need the gems,” Jack Hammer remarked, pulling the straps tight about his shoulders. “Your medication doesn't pay for itself, and the little garden we have ain't enough for the two of us.”

The minotaur clacked his walking stick against the ground. “Then we’ll take some more gems out of the retirement fund. Your mother saved up quite a bit before she passed.”

“We used all those to cover the mortgage, remember?” Jack Hammer replied as he wiggled the breastplate into a more comfortable position.

“I…” The old minotaur’s gaze grew distant for a moment, and a confused expression crossed his wrinkled face. “I still don't think you should go. I need you to take care of the place.”

“Dad, if I stay, then we won't be able to eat,” Jack Hammer deadpanned, reaching down next to his bed and hoisting a large hammer over his shoulder. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a merchant to guide.”

Rather than move, the minotaur stood firm and held out a hand. “I can't do that, son. There has to be something left, something we can use while we try to find something else. Maybe John at the mill will be able to-”

“John has been dead for five years, ya old coot!” Jack Hammer exclaimed, throwing up a hoof. “I’ve made my guard pay cheque last for as long as I can, but I have to get back out there and earn some more gems or we’ll both starve!”

There was a long silence, and for a moment Jack wondered if his father would continue to argue, only for the older male’s shoulders to slump.

The minotaur wilted and let out a low sigh. “I’m sorry, son. I just don't want you to follow in my footsteps and end up useless like me.”

Jack Hammer sighed as his gaze briefly settled on his father’s wooden leg. “I know, dad, but it's in my blood. I mean, just look at my cutie mark. This is what I was meant to do.”

He pulled up his leather armor to reveal an image of a large maul striking and destroying a timberwolf.

“Aye. You’re definitely mine,” the minotaur admitted. “Still amazed you even got one of those things in the first place.”

“I’m as surprised as you are,” Jack Hammer replied, letting the studded leather fall back into place. “But now I have to use that talent.”

“I suppose ya do,” admitted the minotaur, who awkwardly shuffled out of the way. “Sorry I’m such an ornery old git. Your mother always did soften my harsher edges.”

“She just brought out what was already there,” Jack Hammer whispered, extending a hoof and hugging the minotaur as best as he could.

“You’re too good to me,” murmured the minotaur, who gently patted his son on the back. “Why do you even put up with me?”

“‘Cause I remember all the times you came home from the hospital with a bag of gems, some new scars, and another great story,” Jack Hammer replied, taking a step back.

“Aye, those were the days,” murmured the minotaur. “I wonder if the guild still remembers the name Iron Hammer.”

“They still do, dad, they still do,” Jack Hammer muttered before passing the minotaur by.

Trotting hastily down the aged stairs, the earth pony hybrid opened the front door, allowing a flood of moonlight to enter the home. He was about to step through when he stopped suddenly and looked back at his father who was smiling at him.

“Ya waiting for me to change my mind or something? Go on, git!” the minotaur exclaimed, waving a hand towards the exit.

“Love you, dad,” Jack Hammer replied before closing the door.

Iron Hammer’s smile slowly fell away as he stared at the exit for several long seconds.

“I love you too, son,” he whispered before turning and hobbling away.

Jack Hammer grumbled to himself as he continued to fail at strapping his weapon to his back. The finicky bit of leather refused to stay in place, and the stallion’s strong, square jaw tightened as he struggled with it. Thankfully it didn't take long before he was able to secure the thing, allowing him to finally go back to walking to his destination.

Only to realize that he was slightly lost, having wandered off down a side street while he had been trying to fix his hammer situation. Looking around, Jack tried to reason where he was from context clues, starting with the towering trees above him. Within their many boughs were numerous wooden homes, businesses, and covered walkways connecting them all.

Winding staircases made their way around some of the larger trunks, allowing the ground-bound population to reach their heights. Jack Hammer didn't concern himself with anything above his head however, as his destination was on the ground. Which was a good thing, as he adamantly refused to go more than a few stories up under any circumstances.

It was unnatural in his mind, and the vertigo he received was bad enough to make him vomit. Not like he needed to do so very often, as there were plenty of ground-bound people who shared his opinions on the matter. Nearly every minotaur, troll, and other non-winged species tended to stay on the lower levels, though that wasn't an indicator of class.

The minotaurs who had built most of the lower levels had prided themselves on sturdy construction and orderly streets. With the majority of the buildings made of stone, it was clear they were meant to last, while most houses above looked shabby. They had too few walls, too many balconies, and looked more like oversized bird nests in his mind.

Jack didn't want to get off on an architectural tangent however, and turned his attention towards finding familiar landmarks. The first one of which he located was the Engels Academy for Combat and Military Strategy. The large stone structure was built more like a castle than a school, with a quartet of turrets surrounding the place.

The stallion remembered attending classes there after he received his cutie mark, and though there were few non-minotaur students, he had been treated well. Perhaps it was due to having horns bigger than most of the bulls, or his father’s reputation but the male remembered his time there fondly. Pushing such thoughts from his mind, Jack quickly realized where he was and what direction he needed to go.

Turning and walking down another side street, Jack idly observed his surroundings. It was only mid-evening at that point, so there was little activity, though as usual the guards were out in force. The atmosphere was tense, likely given to all the unpleasant news swirling through the great forest over the last few weeks.

Most of the arachne seemed unconcerned, as did the majority of the subterranean civilians who spent the majority of their time in the labyrinth below the city of Thicket. After all, they had the advantage of living out of the potential warpath that might be coming this way. Jack Hammer tried not to think about that however, reasoning that it was probably a rumour that had gotten out of hand.

Why would they fight another disastrous war anyway? Celestia held the majority of the world in her iron hoof, and resisting such influence seemed foolish to the hybrid.

Glancing down the long winding road, Jack Hammer noticed that he was drawing close to the merchant district and thus his meeting location. He also picked out a familiar face amongst the crowd, one whose attention was focused on a crossbow he was working on. The arachne was tall, lithe, with narrow shoulders and a big bushy moustache that clashed with his slim frame.

Most of his light tan fur was covered with an off-gold set of chainmail which was itself layered over a dark brown set of leather armor. His back was loaded with supplies, and slung under one hoof was a quiver of bolts ready to be used at a moment’s notice. He had yet to note the approaching hybrid, though that changed as Jack Hammer’s stomping hooves neared the other male.

Looking down, the arachne blinked rapidly before a wide smile crossed his face. “Oh Jack. I should have known it was you, given all that thumping,” he greeted with a slight chuckle.

“Well, it's not like I was trying to be sneaky,” Jack Hammer remarked before gesturing towards the bags on his friend’s back. “Did ya get everything?”

“And even had enough gems left over to get ya coffee,” replied the arachne, who retrieved a thermos from among the supplies.

“You're a lifesaver, Globe Trotter,” Jack Hammer muttered as he sipped the warm beverage lovingly.

The arachne chuckled. “It's only fair since you covered everything last time.”

Jack Hammer snorted. “You ever win back your gems, by the way? Or did those old sharks clear you out again?”

“For your information, I got it all back,” Globe Trotter exclaimed with a smirk. “Though I may have used my connections with the guard rather than my skills at pool.”

“So they were causing trouble, after all?” Jack Hammer inquired.

The arachne shrugged. “Just some minor smuggling, but they turned out to have a decent bounty on their heads.”

“Nice,” Jack Hammer muttered. “So where are we meeting this guy again?”

“You mean Mister Waddle?” Globe Trotter remarked.

“That's really his name? I thought he put up the ad under a fake one in order to avoid attention,” Jack Hammer exclaimed.

Globe Trotter nodded. “Yeah, that's him alright. And before you ask, no one I knew had any dirt on the guy. Seems like he just came from Cliffsdale and is known for making surprisingly quick runs to Ponyville.”

“That's… suspicious,” Jack Hammer exclaimed as he sipped his bitter beverage. “Did you find out anything else?”

“Other than the gems he’s offering are real and that he has a really dumb name? Not really, no,” Globe Trotter replied with a shrug.

“Guess we’ll just have to go into it head-first like usual,” Jack Hammer exclaimed.

“Speak for yourself,” Globe Trotter quickly retorted. “I always go into these things with at least a little bit of info while you barrel in, heedless of potential danger.”

“It's in my blood. What can I say?” Jack Hammer replied, emptying the thermos onto his tongue. “Come on. Let's go meet this guy and see if he's the real deal.”

“And on the way you are going to tell me what's gotten you so down in the dumps,” Globe Trotter remarked.

Jack Hammer grunted. “It's nothing. Just everything, ya know?”

The arachne hummed thoughtfully. “More trouble with your old man?”

“He's getting less stubborn and ornery, if you can imagine it,” Jack Hammer exclaimed.

“That sounds awful,” Globe Trotter replied in an exaggerated tone.

“It is. Feels like a part of him is slippin’ awa, ya know?” Jack Hammer stated.

Globe Trotter nodded solemnly but said nothing, his gaze growing distant.

Jack Hammer ignored his old friend and merely focused on walking the remaining distance to the market. He distracted himself by thinking of history, the usual defence he employed when his mind went somewhere dark. He wondered what it was like back when the town was first founded, and if the minotaur mercenary clans had trouble with their neighbors.

By all accounts the settling of the labyrinth below them had been a quiet and orderly affair, but there had to have been some issues that arose. Sure, the massive blood red trees that towered above them had been easy to dig around given that their roots grew almost straight down. There had to be other concerns though, like the local population of griffons, thestrals, and deer which likely didn't take kindly to the clans.

The text books all said they lived in peace and harmony, but you couldn't have a culture clash that significant without some strife. Jack Hammer made a note to visit the local library when he returned from this job, as it likely had the answers he sought. If it didn't, then he could always visit his grandfather, but that would be a last resort, as the old bull was half mad with age.

“Check it out. Total babe at two o'clock,” Globe Trotter whispered.

Jack Hammer blinked and looked up to find a small group of creatures clustered near a wagon piled high with various goods. In the driver seat sat a very old thestral stallion studying a map of some kind while holding onto a set of reins. The actual wagon itself wasn't that interesting, though the creatures pulling it certainly were, given that they were a pair of ghosts.

The creatures had once been trolls, though now they were little more than greenish-blue apparitions that sat idly in their floating harnesses. The stallion holding them looked about ready to join them in death as he was one of the oldest thestrals Jack had ever seen. Only a few scraps of hair dotted his mostly bald head, and thick glasses rested on his grey nose.

All color had long since left him, save for the sparkling blue of his eyes which were visible even at a distance. Cloaked in the finery of a merchant, the stallion didn't give any of the creatures standing nearby so much as a glance. Who in turn seemed to share a similar opinion of him, as they were chatting with one another or otherwise preparing themselves in some way.

Such as the slim, towering brown and gold dragon who was sharpening his claws while staring off into the distance. Standing a good head and shoulders above everyone else present, the dragon had a narrow torso and a large snout filled with sharp fangs. Though at first it looked like he didn't have any weapons, Jack noticed the dragon had a pair of longswords on his hips. He also wore a suit of rusty scale mail that looked like it hadn't been maintained properly in a good number of years.

Beside him stood a bored female kirin who wore a disinterested scowl and the heavy spiked steel armor of a berserker. Her curly crimson mane was larger than most and wrapped around her neck like a wreath, nearly hiding the helmet strapped to her side. Her eyes were gold, and her fur was an almost sickly brownish green color that was shared by the scales which ran down her face.

Speaking animatedly next to her was a reindeer who looked almost as old as their employer, though unlike him, she wore only a thin red shawl. With a pair of large faintly glowing antlers atop her head, she sported a pair of reading glasses that somehow rested on the bridge of her nose without falling. The teal and white furred relative of the deer ran a hoof through her two toned cotton candy mane as she continued to talk.

The reindeer’s conversation partner looked to be a priest of Luna, as the bipedal black-furred cat wore dark blue vestments adorned with images of the moon in its various phases. Her bright golden eyes seemed to glow faintly in the low light of the moon, and she clutched a wooden staff atop of which was a large pearl. The Abyssinian was tall, lithe, and nearly reached the dragon’s height with the addition of the silver tiara atop her head.

“Ew, she must be like sixty,” Jack Hammer replied, elbowing his friend.

“What? No not her, the kirin,” Globe Trotter retorted. “Just look at her. Have you ever seen such a beautiful creature in your life?”

Jack Hammer raised an eyebrow and glanced up to his clearly enchanted friend. “I didn't know you were a fan of kirins. I thought you didn't like anything that can shoot fire.”

“That was before,” Globe Trotter quickly dismissed. “Now I’ve seen the light, and if you’ll excuse me, I think I’m going to introduce myself.”

“I’ll go check in with our employer- and he's gone,” Jack Hammer remarked with a sigh. “Figures.”

Muttering bitterly to himself, Jack Hammer walked past the group as Globe Trotter announced his presence. Cantering over to where their employer was waiting, the thestral still buried nose deep in the map while a hoof remained on the reins.

“Mister Waddle?” Jack Hammer greeted.

The old stallion blinked and looked up. “What is it? Can't you see I’m busy!”

“The name’s Jack Hammer. I responded to your request for assistance,” Jack Hammer replied, biting back an angry retort.

Waddle’s eyes narrowed briefly before recognition flickered past them. “Ahh, young John Mallet! Good to meet you!”

“It’s Jack Hammer,” corrected the other male as he shook the offered hoof. “I assume you still require my help?”

“Oh yes. Yes, indeed,” Waddle replied. “We’ll be leaving soon, so please feel free to introduce yourself to the other guards.”

“Speaking of which,” Jack Hammer interrupted. “They don't look like they’ve seen much action. What schools have they trained at?”

“Schools?” Mister Waddle replied, scratching his head. “I don't know. They seem strong enough though.”

Jack Hammer sighed. “Do they have any experience as caravan runners?”

The old stallion shrugged. “I didn't ask.”

“You didn't…” The hybrid ran a hoof down his face. “Do you know what skills they have?”

“The pretty one with them big fancy antlers is a mage of some repute, apparently,” the thestral began, gesturing to the reindeer. “The cat thing is a practiced healer, and the other two are fighters, obviously.”

“Kind of lacking in the ranged department…. thankfully Globe should be able to handle that,” Jack Hammer murmured, stroking his chin.

“What was that, sonny?” Mister Waddle inquired.

“Nothing. I just have a few more questions if you don't mind,” Jack Hammer exclaimed.

“I suppose I got time for a few more, but after that, I gotta get back to planning,” retorted the thestral.

“Of course. Now what are you hauling exactly?” Jack Hammer inquired, gesturing back to the cart.

“Oh, just some weapons for the night guard and some foodstuffs for a grocer in need of a restock,” replied the other male. “Nothing to concern yourselves with.”

Jack Hammer hummed thoughtfully. “And where are we going again? Ponyville, right?”

“Oh yes, and it shouldn't take long at all. You see, I’ve devised a way to get there in only three days,” proclaimed the bat-winged pony.

“Three days… Let me see that please,” Jack Hammer offered, extending a hoof.

“It's quite simple, really,” Mister Waddle replied, turning the map around and displaying it to the other male. “We start at Thicket obviously, but after going around the Endless Scar and past the town of Willow Wood, we can take a short detour through the Clouded Quagmire. Then just like that, we are there in only three days.”

Jack Hammer sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with a hoof. “We can't go that way.”

“And why not, young man?” Mister Waddle retorted.

“Because the Clouded Quagmire is home to creatures that we are not equipped to deal with,” Jack Hammer answered. “Creatures like Nazoth, the four hundred year old hydra that's almost as big as the redwood you’re standing next to.”

The thestral glanced up at the towering tree, following it all the way up until where it nearly brushed the clouds. “That is quite large, but I’ve done this before. And what are the chances of us actually running into such a beast?” Mister Waddle replied.

“High enough that we will be avoiding it,” Jack Hammer retorted. “And trust me, you want to avoid it. That monster is tough, smart, and nearly killed me on one of my first jobs.”

“Now look here, son, I-”

“No,” Jack Hammer interrupted. “Whatever you’re about to say, no. If we go that way, Globe Trotter and I will walk, and when we do, I’ll alert the guards to your plans.”

“So?” the thestral retorted.

“So they’ll probably detain you for one, and then if you’re lucky you’ll have your merchant license revoked, but you could also be arrested for reckless endangerment,” Jack Hammer answered.

The older male frowned for several seconds before reluctantly sighing. “Ya made your point. I’ll take the long way ‘round.”

“Good, now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go introduce myself,” Jack Hammer remarked.

“You do that, sonny,” replied the thestral, who waved a dismissive hoof at him.

Sparing one last glance at his employer, Jack Hammer walked over to where the others had grouped up. As usual, Globe Trotter was already laying on the charm and was busy chatting up the kirin, who seemed even more bored than before. As Jack Hammer approached, Globe Trotter’s ears perked up, and he turned around with a wide smile on his face.

“And this right here is my dear friend Jack Hammer. He graduated top of his class at Engels Academy, you know,” Globe Trotter exclaimed.

“Fascinating. I’ve heard good things about their courses,” offered the reindeer.

“A shame they don't include any religious studies in their curriculum,” added the Abyssinian.

“Ah, and where are my manners, this is Dru’ Valar Malesh, Aurora of the Borealis herd, and finally this beauty is…” Globe Trotter blinked. “I just realized you never mentioned your name.”

“Just call me Seven,” remarked the kirin in a dry tone.

“And don't forget our resident dragon, good sir Barry,” offered Aurora.

“Sup?” greeted the dragon.

“Not much. Say, you guys don't happen to have any experience running with a caravan, do you?” Jack Hammer opened.

“Dude, not cool. We gotta learn this stuff on the road over an open fire. It’s tradition,” Globe Trotter whispered.

Jack Hammer ignored him. “I myself have done so a dozen times, and have taken on a good number of similar jobs in the past.”

“I have done so several times, and as the moon is my witness, we made it just fine every time,” offered the bipedal cat. “Oh, and please do call me Valar. No need for formalities among comrades in arms.”

“Have you ever had to fight during these trips?” Jack Hammer replied.

“Err, only once. I’m afraid my expertise lies in healing and the proper rituals one must know when treading over sacred ground,” answered Valar somewhat reluctantly.

“What about the rest of you?” Jack Hammer continued, looking around the group.

“No caravans, but I’ve been in plenty of fights,” Seven offered.

“That you’ve won?” Jack Hammer inquired.

The kirin shrugged. “Mostly.”

“Wonderful,” Jack Hammer murmured.

“Well, I’ve never lost a fight before,” Barry offered. “And I’ve been hired on for several caravans.”

Jack Hammer’s eyes narrowed. “The same one each time?”

“Nah. Different caravans. They couldn't handle my skill, ya dig?” Barry replied.

The minotaur hybrid released a withering sigh and turned to the lone reindeer of the group. “What about you, grandma? Run with many caravans in your time?”

The older creature snorted. “Not exactly, but don't you worry about me, youngun. I’ve been protecting people since you were just a twinkle in your daddy’s eye.”

“What kind of spells do you know?” Jack Hammer inquired, stepping forward.

“What don't I know? I got a dozen or so shields, all kindsa illusions, plenty of enchantments, as well as a whole host of abjuration, transmutation, and divination,” she replied.

“And evocation?” Jack Hammer pressed.

The reindeer sighed. “I’m afraid not. Something to do with my blood. No one in the herd can cast anything stronger than a magic missile, I’m afraid.”

Jack Hammer sighed. “That could be worse, I suppose.”

“Hey now, what gives you the right to come in here and judge us, huh?” Barry interjected, jabbing a claw into the hybrid’s chest.

“I’m just trying to come up with a plan and estimate our chances of survival. Most of these roads are pretty well-maintained, but with the guard mustering for war, the usual militias haven't been out as much,” Jack Hammer pointed out. “Furthermore, the forest has been acting mighty strange lately, and there’ve been plenty of monster sightings.”

“I’m sure it's nothing we can't handle,” Seven exclaimed.

“With the night mistress’ guidance, nothing is impossible,” Valar added.

“Yeah yeah. Just be ready for when things go sideways, and we’ll get along fine,” Jack Hammer exclaimed as he walked away.

Globe Trotter quickly skittered after his friend and caught him by the shoulder. “Dude, what was all that? You were going in on them really hard.”

Jack Hammer sighed as he glanced from the small group towards their collective employer. “I just don't know about this, Trotter. Something doesn't seem right here.”

“Well, that's no reason to alienate everyone,” Globe Trotter replied.

“I’ll make it up to them when we stop tonight,” Jack Hammer replied, jabbing a hoof into his friend’s chest. “Just keep an eye on Waddle, alright? Especially when I hit the hay.”

“I will, I will. You can count on me,” Globe Trotter replied, brushing his friend’s hoof away. “So long as sexy number Seven keeps her hooves off me.”

Jack Hammer rolled his eyes. “Good luck with that, man.”

“So you’re saying there's a real honest to goodness necromancer in Ponyville?” Aurora inquired.

Globe Trotter nodded as he walked next to the cart. “And not one of those ones that can barely bring back your pet hamster. I’m talking about real resurrection here.”

“That's a load of bull,” Seven remarked.

“No way. Cross my heart, it's totally true,” Globe Trotter exclaimed. “This Twilight chick even brought back a unicorn, but she's a skeleton now.”

“Seems like a load of bunk to me. Didn't you also say she was a unicorn from Canterlot?” Jack Hammer pressed.

“She can be both, ya know,” Globe Trotter pointed out.

“Still doesn't seem real,” Aurora added, tugging at her shawl. “The great aurora above claims all our souls once they leave our bodies.”

Valar scoffed. “It is not some light show that takes ownership of our souls, but rather the moon which shepherds us to the next world we are most deserving of.”

“You’re all wrong. We just rot,” Barry declared from his spot on the back of the cart.

Jack Hammer held up a hoof. “Hold on a second. I think I heard something.”

Mister Waddle pulled back on the reins before leaning towards him. “What did ya hear, exactly?” the thestral asked in a low tone.

“Snap of wood and the sound of bark rubbing against wood,” Jack Hammer whispered.

“Timberwolves,” remarked Globe Trotter.

“Be ready. They’ll probably try to encircle us before-” Jack Hammer’s ears perked up. “Too late. Everyone fan out around the right side of the cart and don't forget to watch your flanks.”

All eyes went to the forest which pressed tightly around them on either side as they assembled on one side of the cart. In front of them, the road extended for nearly a mile before turning sharply while the path behind them was also clearly visible for some distance. It wasn't all simple however, as large bushes and tall leafy trees obscured most of the sky while also offering plenty of cover to creatures lurking just out of sight.

A few seconds after Jack Hammer had yelled for everyone to stand ready, the surrounding forest exploded with motion. Six wooden wolves burst from the underbrush and made a beeline towards the vulnerable cart. Before they could reach their target, a crossbow bolt fired by Globe Trotter pierced the lead wolf’s head, causing it to stumble to a stop and go cross-eyed as it stared at the projectile.

Jack Hammer raised his signature weapon and readied himself for his first opponent before giving a quick glance to his side. Where Aurora waited patiently, her antlers glowing a soft teal color. Beside her stood Globe Trotter, who had ditched his ranged weapon in favor of a mace he had pulled from a bag. Beyond that was Seven who was already sprinting directly at the pack, her mane having turned into a wreath of blackened fire.

With a warcry that sounded more like an incoherent scream of rage, the nirik leapt at the first wolf with hoof raised. The confused creature tried to backpedal out of the way, but could not escape the enraged kirin or her spiked hooves. A left cross knocked its jaw loose, before a devastating hook took its head clear off its shoulders.

Seeing one of the defenders break off from the group, the wolves quickly moved to surround her, clawing and biting at the armored kirin.

“Stars, damn it. Globe, Barry, support Seven. Aurora, stay back and shield the cart!” Jack Hammer shouted before charging in after the berserker, not looking back to see if his command had been headed.

Running in, he noticed that the nirik was quickly being overwhelmed, though despite this she continued to fight with the same ferocity. It was like she didn't even know that one good bite, and she would be dead. Either that, or she simply didn't care. Either way, Jack was determined not to let that happen and brought his hammer down hard on the closest wolf.

Who didn't notice his assailant’s presence until it was far too late and its body was shattered utterly. With two of their number down, the wolves regrouped, forming a wall of wood three wolves wide while the last disappeared. Thankfully the sneakier member of the pack didn't make it far before they ran into a grinning arachne.

“Gotcha!” Globe exclaimed as he swung his mace in a wide arch.

The wolf turned out to be faster still though and dodged to the left before raking a claw across the arachne’s side. He didn't manage to land a second blow however, as several rapid strikes of Globe Trotter’s mace drove him back. With both opponents having gained a new appreciation for the other, the pair eyed one another curiously, neither attacking.

Unlike the fight happening a few feet away which was a chaotic melee of swinging weapons and slashing claws, Jack Hammer did his best to drive his attacks home, but the nirik to his right kept charging out of line and getting surrounded. Sprinting after the mare, he struggled to keep up, though thankfully he had managed to land a few lucky hits.

With one of the wolves sporting a freshly shattered leg, Jack Hammer was able to bring his hammer down atop the creature’s back. With another wolf exploding into a shower of half-rotten wood, the number of opponents had lowered enough that the hybrid could relax. The pack seemed to realize that things had turned against them as well, as the remaining creatures turned tail and ran off.

Seven seemed intent on following them and released a guttural challenge, but was stopped before she could sprint away. Jack’s hammer caught the nirik around the back leg and tripped her into a mud puddle. The still enraged nirik swiftly leapt back up to her hooves and spun around, her fiery gaze immediately landing on Jack Hammer.

Who raised his weapon and readied himself for the possible fight ahead.

Thankfully that never happened, as the nirik slowly returned to normal, her temper bleeding away to nothing. Now a kirin once more, the mare released a long sigh as she passed him by.

“Thanks,” she muttered.

The earth pony hybrid merely shook his head as he turned and followed her back to the group. “Any injuries?”

Globe Trotter grunted as he wiped the sap from his mace. “I got a couple nicks I’d like looked at, but other than that, I think were good.”

“Great. Valar would you… where’s Valar?” Jack Hammer exclaimed.

“Oh, I’m, uh, right here,” offered the Abyssinian who peeked out from behind the other side of the cart.

Jack Hammer sighed and seemed ready to raise his voice, only to notice another curious absence. “Wait, where is Barry? Quick, everyone fan out, we need to look for him.”

“Don't bother,” exclaimed the dragon in question, who hopped out from the back of the cart. “I’m right here.”

“Where were you?” Jack Hammer demanded. “We needed your help.”

“No, you didn't,” Barry replied simply. “You made it out just fine, didn't you?”

“That's not the point. There could have been more of them!” Jack Hammer shouted, jabbing a hoof into the dragon’s chest. “If there had even been four more of the things, we’d likely be in a lot worse shape right now!”

“But you aren't,” Barry pointed out.

Jack Hammer released an annoyed groan. “Augh, you are an absolute child.”

“Sorry I wasn't more help back there,” Aurora offered.

“No, it's fine,” Jack Hammer muttered. “If there had been more, you would have been all that stood between Mister Waddle and his grave.”

“I must say that was a bit too close for comfort,” exclaimed the elderly stallion from his perch atop the cart. “I thought you said you were good.”

“I am good, but you need to vet your guards better!” Jack Hammer shouted. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to take a nap. This entire debacle has given me one helluva migraine.”

“Don't worry, Jack. I’ll take the next watch,” Globe Trotter offered.

“Thanks, Trotter. All this anger is really getting to me,” Jack Hammer muttered.

The stallion jumped up onto the back of the cart and laid his hammer down next to him, ignoring the glare he was getting from Barry. Jack also pretended not to hear the discussion centered around his actions happening only a few feet away. After two days of problems like this, he was beginning to lose what little patience he had left, and he had a feeling more issues were coming.

“Thank the stars we haven't run into more monsters,” Jack Hammer whispered to himself. “We’d all be compost by now if we crossed paths with a hungry starbeast.”

The hybrid rolled over and pulled an unused bedroll under his head, not even bothering to remove his helmet before closing his eyes. As he drifted off, he silently wondered what fresh hell would be waiting for him when woke up. He just hoped they wouldn't get lost, as with the militias distracted with the spectre of war, they wouldn't be able to count on a prompt rescue.

Jack jolted back into wakefulness after briefly becoming airborne, the wagon having hit a particularly large bump in the road. Immediately upon opening his eyes, the hybrid felt like something was off, and he looked up to find vine-laden branches hanging down above him. Sniffing the strangely heavy air, he quickly detected the potent aroma of rotten eggs which now hung over everything, fouling his mood even further.

Pushing himself off the cold, damp floor, Jack Hammer scooped up his signature weapon and placed it in its holder before standing up. After cracking his back and shaking off the last dregs of sleep, he gave his surroundings a much more thorough inspection.

They were in a swamp, that much was obvious, not only due to the smell and the trees, but also the bumpy quagmire that was the road. Likely not repaired or maintained for quite some time, the craggy dirt path was overgrown and pitted with the occasional small pool of water. On his left, there was little land to be seen, with a marshy lake stretching far into the distance while on his right was a veritable wall of vegetation.

“About time you woke up,” Barry remarked dryly.

Jack Hammer looked down to where the dragon, reindeer, and Abyssinian were all walking behind the cart.

“How long was I out?” Jack Hammer muttered while rubbing his eyes.

“A while. It's nearly the sacred hour of midnight,” Valar exclaimed.

“About eleven thirty to be exact,” Aurora declared.

“And where exactly are we?” Jack Hammer pressed.

Barry shrugged. “How should I know? The forest?”

“The forest is in all things. It welcomes the holy into its bosom,” Valar murmured, clutching her moon pendant tight against her chest.

Jack Hammer sighed and hopped off the still moving cart. “Hold on a second. I need to have a talk with our boss.”

“I’ll be waiting with bated breath,” Barry exclaimed with a smirk.

Jack Hammer merely rolled his eyes and trotted up to the front, where he found Seven and Globe Trotter walking side by side.

“-And then I said. That's not my lunch, that's my mother!” Globe Trotter exclaimed, throwing his hooves up in emphasis.

Seven chuckled politely. “Not bad, Trotter. I liked the Mighty Python reference.”

The arachne’s eyes lit up. “You’ve seen Mighty Python?”

Jack Hammer cleared his throat. “Pardon me, but did we go straight or take a left at Willow Wood?”

“What? Oh, I don't know,” Globe Trotter exclaimed with a shrug. “I wasn't paying attention.”

“Left,” Seven answered.

Jack Hammer growled. “Excuse me, you two.”

The hybrid brushed past the pair and stomped his way up to the front of the cart, where Mister Waddle sat, reigns in hooves. Upon noticing the guard’s presence, he smiled and patted the empty spot next to him invitingly.

“Come on up, sonny. Plenty of room up here,” Waddle offered.

Jack Hammer grunted as he clambered up onto the seat, placing his hammer across his lap before turning to the other male.

“Now I’m only going to ask this once. Did you, or did you not agree to avoid the Clouded Quagmire?” Jack demanded.

The thestral snorted. “I don't see what the big deal is. We haven't seen a single timberwolf this entire time. Haven't even been bothered by a regular beasty neither.”

“That's not what I’m worried about,” Jack Hammer growled. “Traffic has decreased, wards have been left to fade, and the monsters have not been pacified for some time. Meaning that the wildlife has likely moved back in and claimed the roads usually traveled by merchants. This is incredibly dangerous.”

“Poppycock,” spat Mister Waddle in a disbelieving tone. “With nothing to rile them up anymore, I bet most of the creatures out here are all asleep by now.”

“I don't give a damn about your theories,” Jack Hammer exclaimed. “We are turning around. Do you hear me? Right bloody now.”

“Woah, what's going on here?” Globe Trotter inquired.

“This young man just threatened my life!” Mister Waddle shrieked. “Remove him from my presence immediately.”

“I did not-”

“Woah, Jack did what?”

“Does this mean I get to throw him out?”

The front of the cart crowded with confused and agitated creatures, each one shouting over the other. Barely able to get a word in edgewise, Jack Hammer felt like the situation was quickly slipping away from him. Though he tried to argue, Mister Waddle’s shrieking tone of voice cut right through any attempt to offer a retort of his own.

That was until Jack heard a sudden surge of water to his right, the noise triggering alarm bells in his head. He quickly turned. to see a dozen arrow-shaped heads as large as a house begin to breach the greenish water of the strange lake. The many pairs of bright emerald eyes stared intently at the group as they slowly weaved their way towards the shore.

“Shut up! Everyone out, now!” Jack Hammer bellowed.

The hybrid didn't wait for a response and leapt from the cart, his hammer tucked under a foreleg.

“Hey, get back here, I haven't… oh my,” Mister Waddle muttered.

The rest of the group turned and gawked as the many heads of a great hydra loomed over them, its enormous bulk now mostly above water. For a moment even the light of the moon was gone, blocked out by the titanic creature’s many heads from which dripped a great slurry of saliva. The monster eagerly inspected the tiny morsels that had dared venture into its domain.

“Get over here!” Jack Hammer shouted.

Globe Trotter was the first to answer the call, his crossbow already raised and ready to be fired. Aurora was second, followed by Seven, while Barry was waiting at the water’s edge and Valar was nowhere to be seen.

“What is it doing?” Aurora whispered.

“It's inspecting us. Trying to figure out if we are food, or if we are going to offer it tribute,” Jack Hammer replied as he looked around. “Where is Valar? I need everyone to work together while I come up with a way to scare it off.”

“She's behind the cart, I think,” Globe Trotter muttered, gesturing back the way they came.

Growling to himself, Jack Hammer ran back to the cart and grabbed a furry black tail poking out from under it. Yanking the bipedal cat out of her hiding spot, Jack Hammer shot her a glare that could have melted ice. For her part Valar at least looked apologetic, though she was also eagerly looking over the hybrid’s shoulder.

“Oh, uh, thanks? I was, uh… stuck,” Valar muttered.

“The team is going to need you right now. So the way I see it, you have two options,” Jack Hammer began, grabbing the Abyssinian by the shoulder. “You can either sprint off into the wilderness and pray to your god that you don't get lost or eaten. Or you can stand and fight with us.”

“I, err, don't know. Can't I just sit back here where it's safe and cast healing magic when you need it?” Valar whispered.

“If someone gets hit, they are dead, and last I checked, you can't heal corpses,” Jack Hammer retorted. “Now what's it going to be? Are you going to shame the moon by showing it your tail, or will you stand by those in need?”

“I…” Valar gulped. “I’ll do it.”

“Good, now get out there and do your god proud,” Jack Hammer exclaimed, roughly shoving the Abyssinian out of cover and following close behind a second later.

The hydra had yet to attack and was sniffing the air above the group intently, its many heads drawing close. Ignoring the great beast entirely, Jack Hammer hopped up onto the cart and banged his hammer against his chest, grabbing the attention of everyone.

“Now, I don't need to tell you what’s at stake here,” he began. “In a minute here old Nazoth is going to figure out that we don't have anything for him, then he’ll eat us. That is unless we all work together.”

“Screw that, I’m out of here,” Barry muttered, only to be caught by Globe Trotter.

“I wouldn't do that if I were you. If you run, it will assume you are the offering,” exclaimed the arachne.

“Which is why you all will be doing exactly what I say when I say it,” Jack Hammer firmly declared. “While we keep the creature’s attention, Waddle here is going to mix the lowest quality alcohol he has with the most fragrant spices he's carrying.”

“What, and why would I do that?” Mister Waddle demanded.

“‘Cause this guy got poisoned by saranide about three hundred years ago and hasn't forgotten the smell. If we can scare him off by dumping this mix into the lake, then we might get a chance to escape with our lives,” Jack Hammer answered.

“Why run when we can kill it?” Seven demanded.

“Look at that thing!” Jack Hammer shouted, gesturing to the massive behemoth hovering over them. “Do you really think you have a snowball’s chance in Tartarus of doing anything more than annoying it?”

“Er…” Seven paused as a head loomed close above her, its nostrils, each of which were as big as the kirin herself, widening as it filled its lungs with air. “Point taken.”

“Good. Now does anyone else have anything stupid they want to say before the fighting starts? What about you, Barry?” Jack Hammer demanded.

The dragon awkwardly raised his hands as he was sniffed by a curious scaled head many times his size. “N-no sir.”

“That's what I thought. Now stick close, and-”

A deafening roar split the relative quiet, the many heads of the enormous hydra rearing back and glaring banefully at the group. It then stomped one enormous foot, causing the ground to tremble and swamp water to surge up over the bank.

“We’ll get its attention, and remember, don't spread out too much, but also try not to get in each other’s way!” Jack Hammer shouted, drawing his weapon and rising up to his back hooves.

A chorus of hearty agreements or whimpers of fear answered his call, and the group fanned out in front of the titanic monster. Which seemed to have just realized that it was not about to be given a meal on a silver platter. So it chose to make its own dinner plans and chow down on a group of impudent invaders too foolish to appease its titanic appetite.

A head immediately swept in from the right, attempting to consume a distracted Abyssinian whole before she had a chance to notice it. Jack Hammer proved faster than it and sprinted over to her and knocked the cat out of harm’s way. Tumbling to the ground, the pair narrowly avoided the snap of the hydra’s head, and in a flash they were back up once more.

“Watch your sides and stay further back!” exclaimed the hybrid, running back into a position before Valar could even stutter a thank you.

As this was happening, a second head moved to attack the sole dragon of the group, descending straight down at the scaled creature. Barry dodged at the last second, but was knocked clear off his feet by the resounding thud of the impact. The head didn't immediately recoil however, pulling back just enough to try a second, faster bite attack.

Barry had a moment to glance down at his pitifully sized weapon in disappointment as an enormous pair of jaws descended at him. Thankfully for him, he wasn't the only one paying attention, and before he could be eaten, a large stone was thrown into the hydra’s mouth. Confused, the head recoiled as it coughed, trying to rid itself of the foreign debris.

Glancing over his shoulder, Barry noticed that Globe Trotter was closing one of the pouches on his armor before reloading his crossbow. The arachne then turned and fired a shot into the cheek of a hydra head which had been swooping in from the left. Annoyed, but uninjured, the attacker recoiled, using its long tongue to pull the bolt from its flesh, inadvertently giving its prey the time they needed to regroup.

Seven rolled once, hopping back onto her hooves just in time to see another head swooping down at her. Ducking into a second roll, the kirin felt a wave of white hot anger begin to burn within her, yet she refused to give in to the feeling. She knew she needed to keep her thoughts organized, lest she end up as a bite-sized snack for her gigantic attacker.

Dodging and weaving around several lightning fast bites, Seven was able to get around the creature’s head. To where one of its enormous eyes stared at her, its gigantic pupil focused on the kirin as she cocked back her hoof. Yet she was unable to land the painful blow she had planned, as the kirin felt one of her back legs get pulled out from under her.

The hydra’s head recoiled, having realized its error, and what had likely almost happened to its delicate eyes. With her prey now gone, Seven hopped back to her hooves and looked around, trying to locate what had tripped her. Only to immediately notice that it was Jack Hammer, who had stopped her yet again.

“If we enrage him, he won't run even if he believes he's poisoned, and we’ll all die!” Jack Hammer shouted the second their eyes met.

Seven growled, clearly annoyed, but unable to offer a retort against the stallion’s wise words. It burned at her to leave such an insult unanswered, but the kirin continued to bite back her anger. Instead she focused herself on merely staying quick on her hooves, abandoning any attempt at a counter-attack.

A plan that Aurora had long since embraced, the reindeer’s horns glowing brightly as she fired off several spells. A bright teal shield kept Barry from losing an arm, while a burst of dazzling lights made a head stare dumbfounded for several seconds. Several illusionary copies of herself danced around in the shallow water, keeping the beast confused and on the defensive.

Despite how frantic the desperate melee was, the old reindeer could tell that they were coming together. Yes, this may not be a fight they could win, but it was one they could survive, and that was a victory in itself. To that end, she continued to aid her new comrades as best as she could, using the majority of her power to create shield after shield.

One of which protected Valar when she was busy offering a quick prayer to the moon, her hands positioned over Barry’s arm. The dragon had dodged a bite, but had still been hit by the side of the creature’s mouth, dislocating the limb. Unable to fight until it was fixed, the fighter resentfully waited as his shoulder was fixed with the power of holy magic.

A bright teal dome protected them from the gnawing of a rather irritated hydra head. Once patched up however, Barry raised his weapon and charged to the left, leaving Valar to deal with the head that continued to loom over her. For a moment she considered running, but quickly decided against it, instead choosing to conjure a blast of moonlight.

The bright silver flash knocked the head back and blinded it temporarily, causing the creature to panic for several precious seconds. Which was exactly what they needed, as Jack Hammer had been keeping a slightly smaller, younger head at bay with a flurry of strikes. The attacks did little against the hydra’s thick scales, but they were enough to drive it away, giving them some breathing room.

When Valar’s spell hit however, the sudden loss of vision startled every head, and the beast pulled back. Giving Globe Trotter enough time to fire a bolt into the creature’s mouth, where it stuck deep into the beast’s gums. Now confused and annoyed, the head pulled back as far as possible, using its tongue to seek out the irritating piece of wood.

Jack shot his friend a quick nod of appreciation before swiftly leaping to the arachne’s defence. Bringing his hammer down hard on a head about to bite the archer, Jack forced its maw shut, and made it rethink its dinner plans. The hybrid didn't have long to appreciate his success however, as he was already ducking into another roll.

Avoiding yet another toothy maw, Jack managed to drive the head back with a two-handed strike to its nose. The beast yelped and reeled in the injured head, lest it receive another rather forceful boop on the nose. Finally left without any immediate danger, Jack looked around, searching for someone who may need his help.

Only to find that his strength was unneeded at the moment, as his comrades were handling themselves quite well. Valar continued to use blasts of moonlight to keep the heads back, though it was clear that she was already beginning to tire. Much like Aurora, who held firm even while small trickles of smoke began to rise from her antlers.

The other three were not much better, with Barry grimacing as he recovered from a rather nasty fall he had taken after getting knocked off his feet. Despite the recent tumble, he rose quickly and stabbed his blade into another head’s nose, causing it to retreat. Mirroring the actions of Seven, who was backpedaling rapidly while a head snapped repeatedly down at her from above.

Seeing her opportunity, the kirin jumped in when the head had overextended, slamming an armored hoof into one of its teeth. The fang popped free and fell from its maw, the head growling angrily as it pulled back in defeat. A well-placed bottle of acid from Globe Trotter followed by a snap shot to the brow gave Seven the chance to kick it in the jaw.

Like a well-oiled machine, the group moved to cover each other's weaknesses, though it was clear that their time was quickly running out.

“It's done!” exclaimed the voice of a familiar and now much hated, thestral.

Jack Hammer immediately slung his signature weapon across his back before sprinting towards the cart. Where he could see the elderly stallion standing at the back, a rather large jug raised high above his head. So distracted by his small victory, the merchant didn't notice a head that had snuck up behind him and was about to make a meal out of him.

For a moment Jack considered letting the old fool perish before he quickly thought better of it and hefted his hammer. With a grunt of exterion, the half minotaur flung his weapon into the hydra’s mouth a second before it was about to bite down. Luck was on his side, and the weapon managed to wedge itself perfectly into the creature’s mouth, making it impossible for the hydra to close its jaws.

Confused and angry, the head recoiled before spitting the weapon into the lake and giving the adventurers the time they needed. In that time, Jack Hammer snagged the jug from the confused thestral’s hooves and was making a beeline towards the hydra’s main body. The creature saw this and tried to stop him, yet none of its heads’ attacks seemed able to hit him.

Jack Hammer jumped out of the way of one bite, before ducking under another, all while he continued to run. Leaping back to his hooves, Jack hefted the jug and threw it at the hydra’s torso, the glass bottle spinning end over end. Then, with a resounding crack, the container exploded, sending its pungent payload across the creature’s scales.

The effect was instant, as the hydra stopped, and one of its heads leaned down to sniff at the spot. Every pair of eyes went wide, and with a confused yelp, it began to backpedal into the lake. Its attacks abandoned, the entire group turned and watched as the hydra wailed while running away as fast as its enormous bulk could allow.

Receding back beneath the waves, Nazoth certainly didn't seem like the intimidating monster that it had been only a few seconds earlier.

“I almost feel kinda bad. Almost,” Globe Trotter exclaimed.

“It's just an animal. A really big animal,” Aurora added.

“Everyone back onto the cart!” Jack Hammer interrupted. “Waddle, turn this around and get those ghosts of yours moving.”

“Y-yes, right away,” murmured the merchant as his guards either piled into the back, or helped to maneuver his simple transport through the deep mud.

Only after getting turned all the way around and putting a good amount of distance behind them did the old thestral relax. Only for Jack Hammer to land in the seat beside him with a resounding thump, sending the elderly stallion’s blood pressure spiking once more.

“This is what's going to happen,” Jack Hammer began, settling a hoof on the old merchant’s shoulder. “You’re going to sell everything like normal. Only you’re going to give us all the profits. Then we’re going to return you to Thicket as promised. Once home, you will retire, having broken even.”

“And in return?” replied the thestral somewhat hesitantly.

“I won't tell everyone that you tried to get us all killed,” Jack Hammer retorted.

“Don't think of it as extortion. Think of it as a mandatory and completely involuntary bonus for having fought off Nazoth,” Globe Trotter offered.

Barry snorted. “I say we tie him to a tree and leave him as a present for that multi-headed jerk.”

“It would be better than he deserves,” Seven muttered.

“The night mistress may preach forgiveness, but even I feel tempted to agree with our scaled friend here,” Valar exclaimed.

Mister Waddle gulped and nodded. “You make a good point. Perhaps… perhaps I am too old to keep this up. I’m sure my granddaughters would be happy to see me more often.”

“And how sad would they be if you ended up in prison, or worse?” Jack Hammer pressed.

The thestral bobbed his head eagerly. “You made your point. youngun. You’ve got a deal.”

“Good,” Jack Hammer gave the other male’s shoulder a squeeze before falling back into the cart.

“That was awesome,” Globe Trotter remarked.

“We made a most proficient team!” Valar declared.

“Agreed,” Seven added.

“Maybe teams aren't so bad, after all,” Barry reluctantly admitted.

Jack Hammer raised an eyebrow. “It sounds like you guys wanna stick together after this job.”

“I don't know about everyone else, but I sure do,” Aurora declared, the reindeer placing a hoof on the hybrid’s shoulder. “You make for a capable leader. One I wouldn't mind following for a spell.”

“You are pretty tough,” Barry added.

“And smart,” Valar proclaimed.

“And quick,” Seven pointed out.

“Well, it seems like everyone’s in,” Globe Trotter remarked. “But if we are going to make it official, then we need a name.”

“What about… the Blades of Nazoth?” Jack Hammer offered.

“I like it,” Seven declared.

“Same,” Barry added.

Aurora simply nodded.

“Very fitting,” Valar proclaimed.

Jack Hammer smiled. “Then it's settled.”

Author's Note

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Dead Dreams

Author's Note

Now fully edited!

Dead Dreams

Twilight rolled over in her bed and released a soft sigh of relief, a smile immediately coming to her face. The familiar sight of the library eased her worries and made the undead’s entire body feel lighter somehow. Even the smell of wood was strangely pleasant, and, coupled with the soft glow of the moon, it tempted Twilight to return to sleep.

Then she remembered the looming threat that hung over not only her own head and the heads of her friends, but the entire small town. Suddenly sleep didn't seem so appealing, and Twilight reluctantly rose, pushing the blankets off of her body.

“At least I had pleasant dreams,” she muttered to herself, only to pause. “At least I think they were pleasant. All I remember is a really big hydra.”

She scratched her head and tried to remember the turbulent, yet enjoyable slumber she had just experienced. After spending almost a minute and coming up with nothing, she shrugged and hopped out of bed. The first thing her gaze fell upon was the open window and the empty town that lay beyond.

“I sure hope everyone is doing okay,” Twilight remarked.

Not wanting to waste any more time, she then turned and trotted out of her bedroom. After taking a brief pitstop at the bathroom in order to give her appearance a once over, she trotted down the steps and into the library proper. There she saw an armored thestral guard that was likely off duty. He sat near the entrance, a book held open in his hooves.

Other than that, the room was empty and almost completely silent, save for the distant squeak of a bat flying somewhere nearby. Though tempted to ask the young stallion what he was reading, Twilight chose to leave him be and search the kitchen. It too was empty, and after Twilight ate an apple, she proceeded down into the basement, which was only slightly less full than earlier.

Most of the creatures being treated seemed to only be sporting minor injuries and were either asleep or reading. Though a part of Twilight worried about blood damaging the books, she ignored that thought and continued her search.

“Just relax. It's me, Sunset,” whispered a soft, familiar voice.

Twilight’s ears perked up, and she followed it over to a side room where the skeletal undead was speaking to a thestral surrounded by a greenish aura. The bat pony wore nothing, yet it was hard to see her fur, as the swirling mist encapsulating her was difficult to pierce. She also sported no apparent injuries, save for what looked like blindness, if her white, milky eyes were any indication.

“Who? Who’s there--what are you--get away!” shouted the terrified thestral, who swung her legs violently in Sunset’s general direction, one wing flapping while the other remained fixed to her side.

“Sunset Shimmer. I healed you, remember?” Sunset pressed.

“What's going on here?” Twilight whispered, stepping up next to the other undead.

“She fell into the crevice surrounding Everfree Castle,” Sunset replied in a low tone. “She's physically fine now that I’ve fixed her wing, but I can't get rid of… that,” Sunset exclaimed, gesturing to the thestral.

“I told you to leave me alone,” shouted the pink-maned thestral, her voice rising and falling at random. “I’m just fine now, ya hear? In fact I’m--Tip top of the morning to you!”

Twilight raised an eyebrow and shot her friend a sideways glance.

Sunset shrugged. “Apparently she's going to be stuck reliving random moments from the spirits she accidentally became entangled with for a few days. They said there was a good chance she should be fine, but it can't be a pleasant experience.”

“Do you mind if I try to help?” Twilight asked.

“Of course. Just try not to push her too hard. She's been through a lot, hasn't gotten much sleep, and is still oddly weak,” Sunset cautioned.

Twilight nodded. “Don't worry. I got this.”

The undead then took a deep and altogether unnecessary breath, using the familiar action to center herself. With her mind now focused and her body ready, she summoned forth all the knowledge she had on the spirit. From the tangle of information, she could feel the word she sought, though she didn't utter it, at least not right away.

First she went through the motions of infusing her eyes with the necessary power to view spirits more closely. Then she peered a little closer at the thestral and immediately frowned in a mix of disgust, as well as pity. She could see three individual spirits surrounding the pony and clinging to her body like a trio of parasites.

One was an earth pony colt missing half his face and a back leg, who had his forehooves wrapped about the thestral’s eyes. The other was an elderly bat pony mare who bore no obvious injury, her body coiled around the guard’s midsection. Last was a skeletal minotaur that hung from his host’s shoulders, his baleful red eyes staring intently down at the injured mare.

In an instant Twilight knew that the colt was the cause of the vision loss while the older spirit was responsible for the guard’s weakness. Though neither party was purely responsible for their actions, as Twilight deduced that the maleficent minotaur was using them for some unknown purpose. It was enough to make her scowl in disgust, an expression Sunset Shimmer must have noticed.

“What is it?” Sunset whispered.

“Some kind of evil spirit. I’ll get rid of it though,” Twilight answered.

Before Sunset could reply, Twilight focused her magic once more, summoning a considerable amount of power. Her hooves glowed faintly, and she reached forward, intent on resting the spirit from its position on the thestral’s back. Only to be interrupted when the mare moaned in pain, her eyes squeezing shut as she writhed in agony.

Stepping back, Twilight gritted her teeth, the minotaur’s fiery gaze now settled firmly on the unicorn before him. Twilight wasn't about to give up that easily, however, and merely shifted the power in her hooves, bringing it up behind her eyes. There she focused it into what she hoped would be a powerful enough attack to remove the offending spirit form the innocent mare.

She wasn't sure how she knew what to do, but Twilight had long since learned to trust that instinct. Which told her to force the spirit’s departure, her willpower feeding itself through her eyes and into her target. Though there was no flash of magic or any sign that she had done the spell properly, the minotaur winced, recoiling briefly.

His fingers began to slip from the thestral’s shoulder, and the two other spirits blinked in confusion, as if waking from a deep sleep. The baleful entity wasn't about to leave without a fight however, and after being pushed back, he tightened his grip once more.

“Whatever you’re doing, you better hurry. I don't know how much more the patient can take,” Sunset Shimmer warned.

Twilight clenched her teeth and stepped forward, directing as much power as she could at the offending spirit. Once more, he stumbled and once more he recovered, his flaming eyes burning even brighter than before. Twilight was about to switch tactics when she noticed that although the malevolent entity had barely been affected, his subordinates certainly had.

The colt seemed confused, and he looked around briefly before realizing where he was and what he had been doing. His forehooves leapt from the thestral’s face, and he very nearly fled from the pony entirely when an ethereal hand grabbed his head. For a moment the young pony’s eyes flashed with fear before the empty, apathetic gaze returned once more.

Smirking, Twilight turned her attention to the other spirit, directing all her strength into disrupting the minotaur’s control. Sure enough, the elderly pony began to stir, as if waking from a deep, unnatural slumber, her grip loosening. The minotaur reached down to reassert his control, when Twilight turned her attention back to him, taking another step towards the entity.

With both hands now removed from the guard’s shoulders, the malevolent being had nothing to grabonto. Though he quickly relinquished the hold on the two ghosts and tried to grab the living thestral once more, he was too slow. His ethereal form had already begun to lose cohesion, and he quickly lost what little purchase he had on the guard.

With a terrifying shriek, the creature tumbled backwards, falling through the floor and vanishing from sight. Twilight continued her vigil for nearly a minute longer, but the creature never returned, nor could she feel his presence.

“Whew, that was close,” Twilight muttered, letting the magic flow through her body once more.

“She certainly looks better,” Sunset remarked.

Twilight looked to find that her friend’s assertion was indeed true, as the thestral guard was lying still, her eyes slowly regaining their color. Not only that, but the two spirits had relinquished what hold they had on her, standing or sitting nearby and gazing at the mare. The colt wore a guilty expression on his face, and he stared down at the ground, too ashamed to meet Twilight’s gaze. The thestral spirit simply looked sad and peered intently at the living mare, as if trying to find out why she had yet to move.

“What… what's going on,” murmured the guard.

“You were in a terrible accident,” Sunset began, stepping forward and placing a hoof on the other pony’s shoulder. “Your wing was broken, and though that was healed easily enough, you were also assaulted by some manner of spirit.”

“Which is gone now,” Twilight remarked, raising an eyebrow and glancing down at the still lingering pair of ghosts.

The thestral spirit shook her head and extended a wing protectively over the guard, a firm expression coming to her face. The two incorporeal undead shared a look, and the colt nodded grimly before standing at the end of the guard’s bed. It was clear to Twilight that the pair were no longer a concern, and that they were attempting to make amends for what had happened.

“Beware not to repeat his sins,” Twilight warned.

The elderly ghost smiled and nodded back, while the colt snapped off a quick salute before returning to his vigil.

“Err, who are you talking to?” asked the guard.

Twilight smiled. “Just a couple of helpers of yours.”

The guard blinked and looked around herself. “I don't see anyone.”

“Don't worry about it,” Twilight replied.

Sunset clopped her hoof. “Now then. You still need to rest and recuperate. So I advise you to try and get some sleep. If you need anything, I’ll be just outside.”

“Err, thanks. I think,” muttered the guard who fell back to the bed.

The skeletal undead motioned back towards the other room, and together the duo left the thestral to grapple with what had just happened. Once outside, Sunset shut the door and turned to face Twilight, her glowing orbs blazing with curiosity.

“What exactly happened back there?” she half asked, half demanded.

“There were… complications,” Twilight began. “The creature causing her harm had somehow coerced several other spirits to help it. Once free of its control, these ghosts vowed to remain and help our shared patient.”

“That's…” Sunset’s jaw shut with a clack, her anger quickly fading. “I’m glad that you were able to free them and help our friend here.”

Twilight nodded. “So, did I miss anything last night?”

“Yeah, you were out pretty early, huh? You know, for an undead you sure do sleep a lot,” Sunset pointed out.

“It was nice to be back in my own bed,” Twilight replied simply.

Sunset nodded. “Very fair, and no, you didn't miss much. Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy hung out for a bit longer, with Rarity and Applejack leaving shortly after you did.”

“You guys didn't break out the hard cider, did you?” Twilight teased.

“Ha. A fat lot of good that would do me or Fluttershy, but no they didn't,” Sunset exclaimed in a slightly wistful tone. “We just hung out and chatted for a bit. I think everyone kind of needed a moment to gather themselves and relax a little, given what's coming.”

Twilight sighed. “Speaking of which… Where is Spike? I haven't seen him all morning.”

“He mentioned something about helping Nebula with a project and left early,” Sunset replied, gesturing back at the door leading to the teleportation room. “I assume you’re going to go after him?”

“I’m considering it,” Twilight admitted. “Though I am just now realizing what a headache I have in store for myself.”

Sunset tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

“Even if we find the secret level and locate the dragon, I’m not sure how I could get the answers I seek,” Twilight replied, rubbing her chin. “His slumber is deep, and if my past self was not able to…”

Sunset waved a hoof in front of Twilight’s face. “Able to what exactly?” Sunset pressed.

“The dream magic!” Twilight proclaimed, clopping a hoof upside her head. “I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner, but I remember learning the basic spells necessary to breach his dream. I would still need to train and practise, but I at least have an idea on where to start.”

“Well, that's good. Maybe Nebula could help you find a teacher. After all, she was Luna’s pet at one point,” Sunset Shimmer offered.

Twilight nodded. “You’re right. I’m sure she could at least point me in the right direction.”

“So,” Sunset clopped her hooves together, “you’re off then?”

“Yeah, I think I’ll leave right now. You don't have any other strange cases like the last one, do you?” Twilight questioned.

Sunset shook her head. “Nah, that was the only one I was unable to handle on my own.”

“I guess I’ll see you later tonight then?” Twilight replied.

“Unless the big boss man gets some kind of emergency, I’ll be here,” Sunset answered with a shrug.

“Let's hope that doesn't end up being the case,” Twilight remarked. “Maybe we could even squeeze in a few more lessons later.”

“I’d like that,” Sunset exclaimed.

The pair parted, with Sunset making her way over to a patient, her horn already alight with energy. Twilight trotted over to the teleportation room, and, after a moment of fiddling with the runes, was transported to the castle. Pushing her way through the door, Twilight found that things were just as quiet as every other time she came here.

As she made her way through the levels and towards the surface, she was a little surprised that she didn't run into anyone. Beaker usually found her by then, though his more reserved companion usually didn't bother showing herself. In fact, Twilight could find no sign that they had even been down here in a while, as it was even dustier than usual.

That was until she entered the throne room, where dozens of creatures were hard at work. Boxes of supplies were being stacked, weapons were unloaded from open crates, and armor had been laid out on a few unoccupied tables. There were even a few bags of grain that now dotted the room, indicating that the night guard were preparing for a potential siege.

None of the newly arrived cargo caught Twilight’s attention quite like the creatures carrying them around however. Blank, empty eyes stared unblinking as the clearly undead thestrals deposited their payloads with grim efficiency. Out of the dozen or so ponies trotting around the room, only two were actually alive, and they kept a good distance from their zombified help.

Twilight couldn't resist observing them a little closer, noting that although they were dead, they were in very good condition. Their fur was vibrant, the ornate armor they wore was well maintained, and even their weapons looked new. In fact, if it wasn't for Twilight’s experience with the undead, she likely would have assumed they were alive.

“They don't even smell,” Twilight remarked to herself.

She watched them move for another minute, her eyes scanning over the force as they unloaded their cargo. Though tempted to inspect them a little closer, Twilight didn't want to push her luck and merely began the slow trot towards the courtyard. She wasn't quite sure where Nebula and Spike were at the moment, though she had a feeling she’d find them soon.

Trotting into the hallway, Twilight gave the undead thestrals a wide berth as she followed them back to their point of origin. Sure enough, they went right back out onto the courtyard, where several wagons were being unloaded. There were also a good two dozen undead thestrals waiting for her, some of whom were helping distribute goods while others stood guard.

The night guard didn't seem to wholly trust them however, as Twilight noted that the wagon guards had guards of their own. The tense atmosphere was only made tenser by an argument that had seemingly broken out between Nebula and a strange bat pony. Twilight couldn't quite see them from where she stood, though she did spot Spike next to the spider.

Before she walked over to them, Twilight noticed that the undead wore unique armor, a realization she only made after comparing them to their living cousins. Who wore mostly studded leather in combination with a breastplate and a less restrictive helmet. Unlike the unliving who wore far heavier sets of interlocking plates and a helmet that completely encapsulated their head in metal.

They didn't need to eat or breathe, so it made sense, even if it felt a little odd to Twilight. The undead were also far darker than the night guard who wore more purples and deep blues. There was also very little in the way of iconography on the dead soldiers, save for a small seal over their hearts which bore the image of a full moon.

Focusing her attention once more on the argument, Twilight was able to pick out a more important and altogether much stranger thestral. Standing taller than most of the diminutive bat ponies, the male had broad shoulders, powerful hooves, and large leathery wings. He had the build of an athlete, yet carried himself with the grace of a noble, which was also how he dressed.

A black suit clung tight to his muscular body, the accents of which were silver, while a dark purple tie hung from his neck. Even his slightly wild white mane and tail had been combed, though in spite of the clear effort, a few stray hairs stuck out at odd angles. Despite the stallion’s unassuming appearance and plain blue fur, Twilight felt an odd aura emanating from the male.

It was reminiscent of the feeling she got when gazing on the undead thestrals, though they shared few things in common. Pushing off that bit of strangeness, Twilight trotted up to the trio, nodding politely as she passed by the group’s guards.

“Good evening,” Twilight greeted, nodding to Nebula and the stallion.

Who turned to her and revealed that there was a flaming blue orb where his left eye should be. “Ahh, this must be your resident necromancer I’ve heard so much about,” he greeted, extending a hoof. “My name is North Star, and it is a pleasure to meet you.”

Twilight shook the offered limb briefly. “Twilight Sparkle. I assume you are here to help with the defence?”

“No,” Nebula answered, the spider’s strange voice containing more disappointment than Twilight was used to hearing. “This one has left us with an underling and a small cadre of soldiers.”

“Oh, don't be so hard on them,” North Star exclaimed with a smile. “Though few in number, the ponies I’ve left you are quite strong and have served me adequately for centuries.”

“Can they even still be called ponies if they are zombies though?” Spike remarked.

The stallion’s calm facade shattered, and he glared at the dragon. “They are honored brothers and sisters of the nightsworn, who have gave their lives knowing what would come next. They are not some mindless corpse bearing the facsimile of intelligence granted by an amatuer, and you had best not forget this fact.”

Spike raised his hands defensively. “I didn't mean to be disrespectful. I was just being more semantic, is all.”

North Star sighed and ran a hoof down his tie. “I suppose if you are being literal, then they are walking corpses, though I wouldn't use such language around those who serve under me. They don't take well to people who dishonor our comrades who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our cause.”

“They certainly seem a cut above the rest,” Twilight offered politely.

The thestral nodded, flashing the unicorn a smile. “I think you will find that they are a cut above even the most proficient of warriors. For they fight not like simple monsters, but as the mares and stallions they were in life.”

“Fascinating,” Twilight gushed, taking a step forward. “How does an unintelligent creature maintain its memories? I thought they needed their full faculties for that.”

“That is a closely guarded secret. Perhaps in time and after you’ve become a friend of the order, I may teach it to you. However, that night is not tonight,” North Star replied.

“So is this all that you have come to offer us then?” Nebula pressed.

North Star nodded. “It is. I wish we could offer you more, but those of us sworn to the night are already engaged in several operations against our foes. We have given what we can spare on such short notice, despite the rather hostile reception we received upon arrival.”

Nebula shifted her weight from one side to the other, silently contemplating her words for a moment. “I apologize for that,” she replied after a short pause. “I’m afraid the guards are getting rather twitchy, given what little time we have left before the sunspawn’s assault.”

“That is understandable, though I find their muttered insults and poor manners to be particularly difficult to stomach,” North Star exclaimed. “While my own soldiers have yet to utter a word in response, I fear that their professionalism will eventually wear out.”

“I’m sure it will settle down in a little bit. Everyone just needs to get to know one another,” Spike offered.

“I should hope so. It has been a matter of hours already, so surely the rabble has been calmed by now,” North Star sneered.

“Let's step back a bit, huh?” Twilight interrupted.

Nebula stomped a pointed foot. “I agree. Is there anything else you needed from me?”

“We require private lodgings for ten,” North Star replied.

“I will ensure satisfactory accommodations are found,” Nebula declared.

“Then that is all we need to discuss,” North Star stated with a smile. “Now if you will excuse me, I have several matters to discuss with an associate before I depart.”

“May the night mistress watch over you,” Nebula offered, dipping into a short bow.

“And you, speaker,” answered the thestral, ducking into a bow of his own.

Twilight stayed quiet, merely watching as the male trotted over to a nearby cart where a small group of bat ponies stood waiting. All of whom were alive and well, their faces eagerly lighting up when North Star approached them, a hushed conversation quickly picking up. Twilight was about to look away and ask how Spike was doing, when two small details caught her eye.

The first she noticed was that several of these other thestrals wore a badge bearing a black fang. The insignia itself was barely even noticeable on the initial glance, as it was partially hidden beneath their clothing. Why they would hide such a marking Twilight wasn't sure, but it was clear that they were under North Star’s command.

The second thing Twilight picked out was a familiar face, one she had seen not long ago after ascending through the undertower. The bat-winged mare wore the same bored neutral expression and plain leather armor that she had when Twilight had met her. She also had the same weapons, and her braided mane hung down either side of her face the same way it had before. The one thing that was different was her stance, which was somewhat more relaxed, the beginnings of a smile creeping across her face.

“Good morning, by the way,” Spike exclaimed. “Sorry I wasn't there to wake you.”

Twilight shook her head and turned to Spike. “Oh, uh, that's fine. Say, do you know the name of the night guard currently speaking to North Star?”

“I don't see a night guard over there. Just those hooded weirdos,” Spike remarked.

“But she was just…” Twilight turned to find that the young dragon’s statement was indeed true, and that the mare was gone. “Huh. Weird.”

“I wouldn't worry about them,” Nebula exclaimed. “Though we may have our ideological differences, the nightsworn are trustworthy. If nothing else, you can trust them to be loyal to the night mistress.”

“Even if they are rather misguided?” Spike offered.

Nebula made a strange humming noise, but ultimately said nothing.

“What did they all bring to help anyway?” Twilight questioned.

“Three squads of returned, a group of controllers, and some more general supplies,” Spike answered.

“Though it is mostly weapons, they also brought more than a few bags of grain,” Nebula added.

“So that was all from them then. I’m surprised they were so generous,” Twilight remarked.

“Though they may disagree with the night guard and the majority of the night mistress’ servants, they understand the importance of this castle,” Nebula exclaimed. “I was assuming they would send more, though. Given just how sacred these grounds are and how great a blow it would be if the tyrant’s forces were to occupy it.”

“They did say something about a bunch of other missions they were doing,” Spike offered.

“I wonder what exactly they are planning,” Twilight remarked.

“Only the moon above knows,” Nebula replied. “I am sure we will hear of it after everything is said and done. Though secretive, the nightsworn can be quite the glory hounds when it comes to striking back against our shared foe.”

Twilight hummed to herself, casting one last glance at the group of thestrals before simply shrugging and looking away. “So, Spike, were you able to find anything else about the secret level?”

“I was, actually,” Spike exclaimed, a wide smile crossing his face. “I found a couple journal entries that made reference to a laboratory like the one you described. The pages themselves are layered in enchantments, written in code, and will be a pain to decipher, but now we have a lead at least.”

“I assume that is what you will be working on then?” Nebula inquired.

Twilight paused briefly before shaking her head. “No. Even if we find this hidden lab, we won't be able to get the information I need from the dragon if I can't enter its slumbering mind. Thus I am hoping to find an expert in dream magic who can teach me.”

“You know the ancient dreamwalking spells?” Nebula asked, rising up curiously.

“Yes. At least I think so,” Twilight replied with a shrug.

“Fascinating,” Nebula muttered. “Perhaps you have the aptitude for such a task, since you possess such bountiful knowledge of the soul.”

“Wait. Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Spike half asked, half stated.

“I believe I am,” Nebula answered. “Obviously I do not have the ability to dreamwalk myself, but after I reached maturity and gained intelligence, Luna taught me much of the art.”

“How exactly did that work?” Twilight questioned.

The spider lowered herself to Twilight’s level and shot her a glare. “Do you doubt my ability to dream, young one?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “You know that's not what I meant.”

Nebula bobbed up and down, laughing her strange bubbling laugh. “You have gained quite the steel spine since first we spoke to one another.”

“I have gone through a lot since then,” Twilight replied.

“Indeed you have, and to answer your question, it's simple. I suffered from nightmares, mainly due to my fear of leaving my mistress. Thus she taught me as much as I could learn,” Nebula answered. “I cannot leave my own dreamscape, but I can still teach you everything you will need to know.”

“Can I help?” Spike quickly interjected. “Surely an extra pair of hands would be beneficial.”

“Would it though? I’m not sure how dreamwalking even works,” Twilight replied.

Nebula eyed the dragon closely for several long seconds. “Indeed it would, young Spike. The intellect of a dragon is considerable, and with an extra mind working against it, this beast you seek may be defeated.”

“Awesome!” Spike shouted, pumping a fist in the air. “Finally something I can help with.”

“You'd still need me to cast the spell though,” Twilight warned.

Spike shrugged. “That's fine. I may not be able to do as much as I would like, but I’ll still help as much as I am able.”

“Well said, young Spike,” Nebula remarked.

“So when can we do this training of yours?” Twilight asked, glancing over the many ponies trotting to and fro across the castle grounds. “Tomorrow or later, I presume?”

“No, actually,” Nebula replied. “I dedicated the majority of my evening to looking after the nightsworn. Though it seems as though they will be leaving sooner than anticipated.”

Twilight looked over to the wagon train to find that they were in the midst of being packed up. Undead thestrals worked swiftly with their living counterparts to make the caravan ready for departure. While this happened, the few who were not required stood off to the side, waiting patiently in several lines. Amidst it all stood North Star, the thestral stallion commanding his underlings from atop an empty cart.

“Are you sure you want to leave them unsupervised?” Spike whispered. “They seem a bit… shifty.”

“I will have a capable second take over,” Nebula replied, gesturing a hairy limb to her right.

“The most capable second,” Trixie declared, striking a pose.

“I should have known,” Twilight remarked.

“You know what to do, daughter,” Nebula added in a low tone. “Try not to antagonize them too much this time.”

Trixie snorted derisively. “It is not my fault that they are awed by The Great and Powerful Trixie. If they don't wish to be shown up, then they should not challenge her to such silly games.”

“If I hear of another fight, I will take away your hammock,” Nebula declared.

Trixie’s cape suddenly fell slack, and her pose faltered. “You wouldn't.”

The unicorn and spider stared at one another for several seconds before Trixie finally gave in.

“Oh, fine. I won't bother them too much. Though if they disparage another of our siblings, then I will gladly accept such a punishment,” Trixie exclaimed.

“Like I’d punish you for that. Now be good,” Nebula exclaimed, leaning down and planting a strange kiss on the showmare’s cheek.

“Augh, why must you treat me--err, Trixie in such a manner?” Trixie whined, pulling her hat down over her eyes.

“Because you’re adorable when you blush,” Nebula replied.

“She is, isn't she?” Twilight added.

“Just go away already!” Trixie shouted.

“Speaking of which, where are we going exactly?” Spike asked as the group set off back towards the castle proper. “Is it back to your old room in the tower?”

“Neigh,” Nebula replied. “With my children busy, I have the entire proverbial house to myself.”

“The barracks then,” Twilight reasoned.

“Indeed. Though while we walk, I was hoping you could answer a few questions,” Nebula inquired, glancing curiously at the unicorn trotting next to her.

“Sure,” Twilight replied without hesitation.

The unicorn watched as they approached the entrance to the castle, where Nebula suddenly began to shrink. In mere moments she was the size of one of her larger spawn, the process so seamless that she didn't even slow down. There was no glow of magic, or the whispering of a spoken component, the spider simply decreased her size with every step.

“I got one first though. How do you do that?” Twilight asked.

Nebula shot Twilight what could only be described as a cocky, yet knowing look. “You already have the answer to that question. You just need to think on it for a moment.”

“Is it…” Twilight stopped and scratched her chin with a hoof as they entered into the foyer. “It's something to do with being a nightborn, right?”

“You are half there,” Nebula answered.

“Getting warm,” Spike remarked, grinning excitedly.

Twilight gasped. “Wait, you know?”

“It's not hard to figure out,” Spike replied with a shrug.

“You just need to think about it,” Nebula added.

“Okay then. So… it has to be a two-parter thing right? Like the fact that you’re spirit or whatever is aligned with the moon is the first half, and the other is…” Twilight’s eyes opened wide. “Your species. This alignment expresses itself in different ways. Which is why Rainbow Dash can't shrink herself, but can become unnaturally quiet.”

“Hey, she got it on the first try,” Spike proclaimed.

“I never doubted you,” Nebula replied.

The trio walked up the large set of stairs that lay beyond the dual throne rooms and took a left. Careful to avoid the numerous other creatures carrying goods, or working on some task or another, conversation ebbed. When they had ascended to the second floor and were on their way towards the barracks, Nebula bumped a leg against Twilight’s shoulder.

“So, my curiosity demands that I ask what she was like, back in this other time period. Also, what is your take on her? Is she similar to the night mistress I came to know and love?” Nebula inquired.

“She? Oh, Luna…” Twilight trailed off, the words escaping her for a moment. “Luna was different and similar in several, slightly conflicting ways. It's hard to describe, but it feels like she was coming into her own for the very first time.”

“You never mentioned that,” Spike pointed out.

“I never really thought about it until now,” Twilight replied. “I got the feeling that she wasn't really allowed to be anything other than the cunning general that she needed to be. With the dragon war over, she was starting to open up and allow herself to be something else. Something that she chose to be.”

“Do go on,” Nebula pressed.

Twilight chuckled. “I thought of the perfect moment that exemplifies exactly what I’m talking about. Okay, so we were talking about food when-”

“That is quite intriguing,” Nebula remarked, reclining in a large web hammock. “Stories from that time period were rare, and few who lived through it were interested in retelling them.”

Twilight grunted as she shifted around in a smaller hammock of her own. “I’m not surprised. Ponies were almost completely wiped out or enslaved, and with the alicorns retreating, there was little hope of victory.”

“Until you- er, past you stepped in,” Spike pointed out.

“It was more than just her,” Twilight quickly corrected. “An entire town had been constructed solely for the purpose of creating the array, researching the spell, and actually casting it when it was completed.”

“Either way,” Nebula interrupted, “it was a strange and dark time. One that I am glad I did not live through.”

“Very true,” Twilight agreed.

“Hold on. Does that mean I’m not actually a dragon?” Spike asked, scratching his head.

“I mean, you are much different than the dragons of old, but I don't think that makes you a different species,” Twilight remarked.

“You are still a dragon, much like how a pegasus and a unicorn are still both ponies,” Nebula exclaimed.

“Huh,” Spike muttered. “That's a good way of looking at it.”

“Now, as much as I would enjoy spending my evening chatting about your unique experiences, we must move quickly,” Nebula began.

Twilight nodded. “Right. We have very little time to learn if I want to have a hope of learning what the assassin knew.”

“Speaking of which. Do you even think that's possible? I mean, dreamwalking must be a really tough skill to learn,” Spike added.

The great spider shifted from side to side. “You will not be experts, obviously. Though I believe that I can impart upon you the necessary skills to at least give you a good chance of succeeding.”

“Good. Because we have maybe a day or so to train before we’ll need to put those skills to the test,” Twilight declared.

“Oh, you’ll have all that time and more tonight,” Nebula replied, rubbing her two front legs together.

“Err, what?” Spike muttered, scratching his head.

“A skilled dreamer can distort the time within a dream. Which is an ability I have perfected over the centuries,” Nebula exclaimed.

“That's good, right?” Twilight offered. “Why are you making it sound like a bad thing?”

“By squeezing an entire week of training into a single night, I will be forced to condense my regimen considerably. Few have passed my crash courses, and you have asked to make things even more difficult for you,” Nebula explained.

Spike coughed. “Is it too late to back out?” he asked, arms flailing as he tried desperately to escape his hammock.

“Yes,” Nebula replied with a hiss. “Now then, lay back and relax while one of my sons brings us something to help speed up the process as it were.”

Twilight watched as Nebula tugged on a seemingly random strand of webbing that hung down from the ceiling. Twilight tried to follow it back to its source, but it was impossible to see where it went, given that nearly the entire barracks was filled with the endless white strands. The only thing that broke up the sea of silk was the occasional dresser or chest that presumably belonged to another of Nebula’s children.

Before Twilight could even ask one of the many burning questions on her mind, the door opened. In strode a slim, slender spider that was smaller than most and who bore upon his back a silver platter topped with two frothing mugs. The simple white china overflowed with a bubbling green liquid that Twilight could smell from all the way across the room.

“Is that… apples that I detect?” Twilight inquired curiously.

“I kind of expected something more menacing,” Spike remarked as he took one of the mugs.

“Oh, it's just some mulled apple wine that has a few spices to aid in falling asleep,” Nebula exclaimed.

Twilight sniffed the offered beverage and blinked in surprise. “Wow, that actually smells really good. Though I can't quite pick out the spices.”

“Before you take a sip. Why don't you prepare your spell?” Nebula offered.

“Err, right,” Twilight murmured, closing her eyes and digging deep into her memory banks.

It took a bit for Twilight to recall all the necessary magical criteria, but in the end she was confident that she knew what she was doing. The actual process began by clasping her hooves together and pouring her magical energy into the space between. When her forelegs glowed with energy, and a soft hum could be heard, Twilight willed a pair of magical cords to extend from the mass.

It wiggled across the room and connected to the foreheads of both Nebula and Spike. Seeing that her spell was nearly complete, Twilight leaned down and pressed her forehooves above her eyes. She felt a sharp stinging sensation at the back of her mind, though the pain quickly faded into little more than a dull throb after a few seconds.

“There,” Twilight muttered, leaning back into the hammock. “Now all we need to do is go to sleep.”

“Spooky,” Spike muttered, waving his hand through the ethereal cord sticking out of his head.

“Was that your first time using that spell?” Nebula inquired curiously.

“Is it that obvious?” Twilight replied, already wincing.

“Yes, although you have still done better than most,” Nebula answered. “Now drink deep and relax.”

“Oh right,” Twilight muttered, plucking the mug from the ground where she had nearly forgotten it.

Spike was the first to take a sip, the dragon smacking his lips as his brow furrowed. “That isn't bad. Let me guess. Is it lemon, cinnamon, and… I can't place the last one.”

Twilight followed Spike’s lead and took a large gulp of the liquid, rolling the last dregs of it around in her mouth. “Huh. Me neither, though it is oddly sweet.”

“You’re probably tasting the dash of maple syrup, though you’ve yet to pick out the true final ingredient,” Nebula stated.

“Maple syrup. Oh, so that's what that is,” Spike muttered and downed the rest of his drink. “Though I’m not sure how cider, no matter how nice, is going to help us fall asleep in a timely manner.”

“Maybe there is some kind of magical ingredient?” Twilight asked before drinking the remainder of her beverage. “That would explain the odd aftertaste.”

“Nope, it's not magical,” Nebula answered, her voice gaining an odd, teasing edge to it.

“Oh, just tell-” Spike began before suddenly falling slack in his hammock, jaw hanging open and a snore already spilling forth.

“Woah!” Twilight exclaimed. “What did you put in that stuff?”

“Oh, just a bit of coriander and a poison so powerful that it even works on the dead,” Nebula replied. “Sweet dreams, by the way.”

“Gosh darn-” was all Twilight could mutter before she fell back, asleep before she even hit the hammock.

Nebula snickered to herself, shifting so that her many legs coiled comfortably beneath her bulk. “Ahh, kids. They always like what they eat until they find out what's in it,” she remarked to the now quiet room. “Though perhaps I should have warned them first.”

The spider tapped her chin before giving her best attempt at a shrug. “Nah. That doesn't seem very fun at all.”

Twilight continued to fall despite the fact that her body should have long since hit the comfortable bed of silk. Twisting her neck around, Twilight could see that she was no longer in the castle or any physical place at all for that matter. Unless of course she was somehow plummeting through space and not through the dreamscape of a centuries-old magical spider.

“You know, I thought this would be more terrifying,” Twilight remarked to no one in particular.

Despite the fact that her body felt as though it was in freefall, Twilight felt no wind whipping through her fur. Nor did she hear the roar of air as she fell through the sky, and in fact the only indicator that she was even falling was the weightlessness she sensed. That, and the fact that she could tell that there was some entity or object that she was plummeting towards.

“No kidding,” remarked the familiar voice of Spike. “I would have probably blown chunks by now if we were actually falling from the sky.”

Twilight turned to find that the dragon had seemingly appeared out of thin air and was now falling next to her. Though unlike Twilight, who was in what could only be described as a fetal position, Spike was facing down, with his arms and legs spread wide. He too didn't seem overly concerned with his situation, and, in fact, seemed more bored than anything.

“This has to be Nebula’s dream, right?” Twilight offered.

Spike shrugged as best as he was capable of. “I mean, it would make sense if that were the case.”

“Do you see anything down there?” Twilight asked, craning her neck as best as she could.

“Nope,” Spike replied, only for his eyes to narrow. “Wait. I think I see something, but it's really small and-”

The dragon’s comment was cut off when both he and Twilight suddenly slammed into the earth at what felt like the speed of sound. Yet instead of turning to paste, the pair simply stopped and were now lying on the cold dirt, completely unharmed. It took a moment for the sudden shift to really hit them, though when their minds caught up with what had happened, they began to look around.

To where numerous red-barked trees reached up into the sky, their canopies so high up that they could barely be seen. In fact, Twilight even spotted several clouds floating aimlessly around their trunks, passing through the greenery like a horde of spectres. Other than that, there were no other plants save for a fine layer of two foot-high grass which had an odd, blue hue to it.

“Woah. This place is pretty cool,” Spike remarked as he pushed himself up.

“Physically too,” Twilight added. “The breeze is kinda nice.”

“That too. Ya think this is a real place in the Everfree?” Spike asked.

“It is,” Nebula replied in an oddly normal tone of voice.

Both unicorn and dragon spun around to find that the spider had simply appeared almost directly behind them. Though upon first glance, their host looked the same as she always did, upon closer inspection Twilight noticed some minor discrepancies. Namely the fact that her face twisted in a way that shouldn't be anatomically possible, allowing the spider to smile.

“Huh. I would have thought you’d look different,” Spike remarked.

“I could change my appearance, though this one is perhaps most comfortable,” Nebula replied, striding gracefully up to the pair and wrapping a pair of hairy legs around their shoulders. “Now then. Why don't we start our journey? After all, we have little time.”

“Err, yeah, sure,” Twilight muttered, shrugging off the spider’s leg and oddly heartwarming smile. “Though I’m curious about this place you’ve brought us.”

“Ahh, this is what a town called Thicket used to look like before it was inhabited and burnt down for the first time,” Nebula replied, stepping back.

“So I guess it looks pretty different now, huh?” Spike inquired.

Nebula nodded. “Indeed, it does. Now it is far too… busy, for my tastes.”

“So what are we going to start with?” Twilight asked. “I admit I know very little about dreamwalking. Or the rules that govern it.”

“I will regale you with the basics while we walk. Follow me,” Nebula commanded.

Spike and Twilight eagerly did just that, trotting or walking behind the spider as she turned towards a random tree. One which had a winding set of plank stairs growing from its trunk, allowing someone to ascend all the way to the clouds. Where Twilight could see a landing as well as a second wooden platform attached to its closest neighbor.

“The first thing you need to know is simple. The laws that govern physical reality do not apply here,” Nebula began, easily climbing the naturally forming steps.

Twilight followed a little closer to the wall after noticing that there was nothing to stop her from falling off the side. Or slipping between the stairs themselves, now that she was worrying about it. Spike seemed less bothered by this and paid more attention to Nebula than his surroundings.

“Like how we weren't turned into pudding when we hit the ground?” Spike inquired.

Nebula chuckled, her laugh coming out more like the sound of a dozen wooden chimes gently brushing against one another. “Exactly, young Spike. Though I don't know if I would use pudding to describe what would have happened to you in real life.”

“What… what other rules don't apply here?” Twilight asked hesitantly, her gaze fixed on the ground far below her.

“All of them. If the dreamer is skilled and wishes to change them,” Nebula answered. “Gravity can be flipped, time sped up or drawn out. An area can even be warped and altered to create a non-euclidean space that would be impossible in the waking realm.”

As the spider spoke, Twilight felt her hooves grow light, and she hugged the closest stair while waiting for gravity to return. Spike, meanwhile, floated idly alongside the spider, swimming his way through the air without a care in the world.

“This is cool and all, but like what's stopping us from changing stuff like that?” Spike asked.

“It's simple,” Nebula replied as both Twilight and Spike ceased floating. “While you are in the mind of another, they are incredibly powerful and can consciously dictate reality. If you are in the mind of an unskilled dreamer, the rules of gravity and whatnot will likely be normal. Unless of course they are in a nightmare.”

Twilight gulped as she hastily trotted after her teacher. “So, the unconscious mind attempts to make things ‘normal’, while someone knowledgeable with dreamwalking can change things?”

“Yes and no,” Nebula replied without turning around. “Skill counts for a lot, but so does willpower. It is this fact that ensured that Mistress Luna couldn't simply enter and dominate the minds of the dragons who knew nothing of dreamwalking.”

“Makes sense,” Spike muttered.

“If I had months or even years to train you, I could teach you how to subvert the dream, but we simply don't have the time. As such, I will teach you how to take control of yourself, altering the dream realm directly around your body,” Nebula continued.

Twilight tried to keep her gaze up, but she felt the inevitable pull to look down and immediately wished she hadn't. For she quickly found that despite having only been walking for less than a full minute, they were at least a mile in the air. Worse still, she could feel a light wind begin to pick up, further instilling a sense of panic that was not shared by Spike.

“I plan to turn you into masters of this simple technique, which should give you an edge against your foe. It will also allow you to ignore any reality warping he may attempt while also shielding you from any attack he may direct your way,” Nebula stated. “Your offensive capability will be low, but remember that it's all about willpower. So if you believe your fists or hooves can shatter steel, then your blows will do just that.”

“Neat,” Spike exclaimed, punching the air a few times.

“Are there any other basics we should know?” Twilight asked.

“Don't remain within the mind of a dying person,” Nebula declared, stopping and turning around in order to gaze directly into the eye of each of her students. “I shouldn't have to explain why this is a bad idea, but suffice it to say it is a fate worse than death.”

“We could just leave though, right?” Twilight replied.

“I don't think it's that easy,” Spike remarked.

Nebula shook her head. “Indeed, it isn't. If I wanted to, I could easily trap you within my dream as here I am far stronger than both of you combined. In short, if they focus on keeping you contained, you will find it hard-pressed to escape their clutches.”

“So how do we make him tell us what we want to know?” Twilight pressed. “Because right now this entire thing is seeming like more and more of a bad idea.”

“That is simple.” Nebula held up a leg and pointed at the horizon. “The mind of a dreamer naturally orders itself in such a way that is logical, at least to them. They may be able to distort the local space around you if they wish to keep you from discovering their secrets, but if distracted, you can slip into the true dreamscape.”

“Ooh, it's like that book, Conception!” Spike declared.

“That doesn't sound right,” Twilight murmured.

“I know not of this Inception book you speak of,” Nebula muttered, turning away from the pair. “I don't read anything written by Red Bite.”

“Wait, you know the author and the correct title!” Spike exclaimed. “You totally read it, didn't you?”

Nebula sighed. “I did more than read it. But that is a story for another time.”

“You wrote it, didn't you?” Spike asked, eyes wide.

“I said that's a story for another time,” Nebula replied rather forcefully.

Spike chuckled. “Heh. That's hilarious. No wonder so many things from that book have turned out to be true.”

“So, getting back to the lesson,” Twilight exclaimed, stepping a little closer to the spider.

“I will continue with the lecture later. Right now a practical lesson is in order,” Nebula declared as she stepped out onto a large wooden platform.

Following after the spider, Twilight glanced over to where a good ways away stood another outcropping like the one she stood on. No creature, not even a pegasus could leap between them, though at least then they would land on the cloud that was currently drifting between the two points.

“And before you ask, yes, this is exactly what it looks like. I will relinquish any attempt to enforce the normal rules of reality, and then you will leap across this divide,” Nebula declared, gesturing to the far platform.

“So just believe in yourself and jump, eh?” Spike replied, cracking his neck. “I think I can do that.”

“Err, yeah. Me too,” Twilight muttered, her gaze drawn to the cloud below her.

“You could. Though I am curious if Twilight’s skill in dream magic extends to dreamwalking as well,” Nebula remarked.

Twilight blinked. “What? You want me to go first? But we just barely got here. Surely another lesson or two is in order.”

“There is no better way to learn than with some hooves-on experience,” Nebula declared.

“Go on, Twi. You already know the fall wouldn't hurt, so what's the big deal?” Spike exclaimed.

Twilight sighed. “Oh fine, but I just feel like a few more lessons would be a more efficient manner of teaching.”

“We have little time for all that, now go!” Nebula shouted, smacking the unicorn on the butt.

“Yipe!” Twilight exclaimed.

Body already in motion, Twilight began to awkwardly sprint towards the lip of the platform, her mind turning at a million miles per hour. Worries clashed with logic, and through it all the pony grappled desperately with the concept of ignoring the very laws of nature. Then she jumped, and for a moment there was nothing but her, the landing opposite her, and the clouds below.

Wind whistled through her ears, and Twilight felt as though she was about to make it, only for her momentum to quickly stall. Twilight’s hooves flailed uselessly as panic coursed through her, and all at once she realized that she had failed. With that realization, she began to fall even faster, a startled scream ripping forth from her throat.

Before she could make it very far, she suddenly felt herself stop in midair, before her momentum was reversed entirely. In only a few seconds Twilight levitated up next to the others, a sheepish smile crossing her face.

“S-sorry. I kinda screwed up,” Twilight muttered.

Nebula chuckled in her strange, calming way. “Don't worry, young one. Most fail on the first try, even after hearing every lecture and lesson I can give them.”

“So, should I still give it a shot then?” Spike asked.

The spider nodded. “Of course. This is the best way to gauge your skill and find out in what areas you need improving.”

“Well, alright then,” Spike replied, lowering himself into a running stance. “Do I just go whenever then?”

“As soon as you are ready,” Nebula remarked.

Twilight snorted. “What? Not going to smack him too?”

“He doesn't need the extra push,” retorted the spider with a knowing smirk.

“Alright then. Here goes nothing,” Spike muttered.

Taking off in a sprint, Spike soon leapt into the air, his arms outstretched as his legs continued to move beneath him. Though he had easily leapt farther than Twilight, the unicorn could tell that Spike wasn't going to reach the other side. His trajectory was good, but it simply wasn't enough, and within seconds he began to fall, his fate all but sealed.

“That's too bad. I really thought he could do it,” Twilight muttered.

“I wouldn't count him out yet,” Nebula replied.

Twilight raised an eyebrow and glanced over the side, watching as Spike began to move.

He started by extending his arms in front of him, before pushing his legs straight back, striking an almost comical pose. Then, just like he was in a comic book, the male began to fly, soaring back up above the clouds once more. There he quickly leveled out and landed on the other side, a wide, proud smile crossing his scaly features.

“I did it!” he shouted, arms raised above his head.

“He did it,” Twilight muttered.

“You did great, now come on back!” Nebula shouted, waving a hairy leg in the air.

“Okay, one sec!” Spike shouted back.

“How did he do that?” Twilight asked.

“Here imagination and creativity are worth more than intelligence and forethought,” Nebula replied, flashing the unicorn a calming smile.

Twilight frowned, but said nothing, merely watching as Spike did a little loop-de-loop before landing in front of the duo.

“Did you see that?” he eagerly asked, eyes still wide with wonder.

“We did. Great work!” Nebula proclaimed.

“Yeah, good job, Spike,” Twilight added.

“Thanks, Dusk. Don't worry, you’ll get it eventually,” Spike replied.

Twilight chuckled. “I’m sure I will. Now then. What's next?”

“We keep doing this till you get it or develop a crippling fear of heights,” Nebula replied with a smirk. “Whichever comes first.”

“Do you mind if I go fly around for a bit then?” Spike asked.

“Be my guest,” Nebula answered, extending a leg towards the towering treetops. “It will be good practice.”

“Sweet. Later!” Spike shouted before diving off the platform and flying off into the distance.

“He is really good at that,” Twilight remarked as she watched Spike leave.

“You will be doing the same soon enough,” Nebula stated confidently.

“I hope so. That looks like fun,” Twilight added.

“Relish it. For it's only going to get harder from here on out,” Nebula exclaimed.

Twilight set her jaw and nodded. “Right. Let's try this again.”

Twilight awoke with a start, heart pounding and eyes wide. “What the hell, Nebula? Did you have to end that by having us fight a nightmare?”

The spider turned over in her hammock, and though she could no longer smirk, Twilight could tell that she would if she could. “You wanted a final test, didn't you? And you got it,” Nebula replied.

“Besides, it wasn't that bad,” Spike remarked, sitting up and stretching. “Even if it feels like I’ve been lying here for like a month.”

“How long were we out for anyway? It felt like whole days went by in the dream,” Twilight muttered, glancing at her surroundings and finding that many of the hammocks were occupied by spiders and even a few thestrals.

“Only about twelve or so hours. You have plenty of time to resume your search for your missing assassin,” Nebula replied.

The spider slipped deftly from her bedding and stretched briefly, a move that Twilight quickly copied, though with significantly more cursing. Spike was already up, doing several lunges before finally extending his arms as high as he could.

“That wasn't half bad. Though I feel like I’ve just buggered up my sleep schedule,” Spike remarked.

“It should return to normal in a few hours. Your mind just needs time to grapple with the time dilation,” Nebula answered. “Now if you will excuse me, I should go find out if I have to discipline a naugthy mare.”

Without waiting for a response, the spider slipped out of the room, leaving Twilight and Spike to simply look at one another expectantly.

“So, what now?” Spike asked.

“I guess we just head back to the library and start working on that puzzle until we need to sleep again,” Twilight replied.

“So back to the grind then, eh?” Spike exclaimed with a small smile.

“Exactly,” Twilight answered.

“You know, I kind of like going on adventures with you,” Spike added as they began to walk towards the exit.

“You’re just saying that because you’re a better dreamwalker than me,” Twilight replied, bumping her hip against the dragon.

Spike chuckled. “Maybe. Maybe not. Does it really matter?”

Twilight smiled. “Not in the slightest.”

The pair trotted out of the room, down the stairs, and began the short, quiet walk back home. Though they didn't know it at the time, they had but two days left before all of their skills would be put to the test.

Awaken Unto Darkness

Twilight groaned and turned over in her bed, the undead’s mind already painfully awake despite how badly she wished to remain unconscious.

“How am I so tired after sleeping for so long?” Twilight asked, her eyes still shut tight. “I don't even need to sleep anymore.”

Sighing to herself, Twilight rolled onto her back and stretched all four of her hooves towards the ceiling above. A series of cracks rippled along the length of her body, causing her to wince before releasing an immense sigh of relief. As she lay there, Twilight silently hoped that her drowsiness would pass, as she wasn't sure how much more time she could afford to waste.

With that rather miserable thought in mind, the mare rolled over and pushed herself off her bed. A second later her hooves hit the floor with a dull thump, and she quickly woke up now that she was standing once more.

“Right. Let's get to work,” Twilight muttered to herself.

The first thing she did was turn and glance out the window, scanning the empty streets of Ponyville closely. No invaders stalked the nearly empty roads, nor were there any fires or any other signs of trouble. There was only the dark night sky, a few guards, and the silvery moon that hung above them.

“At least I didn't oversleep,” Twilight remarked aloud.

Her hooves plodded slowly back over to the bed, which she hastily made before walking out into the hall. There she stopped at the bathroom in order to check her appearance, and after fixing her bedhead, Twilight trotted down into the library proper. Where she immediately noticed that the large circular table that sat in the center of the room was now covered in papers.

Not only that, but there were also a few books, maps, and a whole host of writing utensils strewn across it. No guards or patrons could be seen, and no sounds could be heard from the basement, giving the impression that she was alone. She had only made it down a handful of steps before a clang coming from the kitchen alerted her to the fact that her assumption was wrong.

“Is that Spike?” Twilight openly wondered.

Sure enough, the door opened a second later to reveal the dragon carrying a whole tray of goodies on a silver platter. It had atop of a tall steaming kettle, small sandwiches, and even what smelled like a freshly baked apple pie.

“Oh hey. Morning, Dusk,” Spike greeted.

“What's all this? Is someone coming over?” Twilight asked.

“Nah,” Spike replied, walking over to the table and setting his load down on a small area clear of clutter. “I just figured we’d need something to snack on while we worked. I also assumed you would be up at about when I finished making everything.”

“Well, you certainly got that right,” Twilight remarked, sniffing the air. “Is that orange tea?”

“With honey bush and a fresh mandarin,” Spike answered, pulling up a chair. “Feel free to help yourself, by the way.”

“Don't mind if I do,” Twilight eagerly declared.

She swiftly acquired another seat before sitting down next to the dragon, her hooves immediately gripping a cup. As she drank deep of the sweet, yet still slightly tart tea, and grabbed a slice of pie, Spike munched on a cucumber sandwich. Together they ate, drank, and relaxed in silence. Until their bellies were filled, and the pair were ready to finally tackle their day head-on.

“That was a wonderful breakfast,” Twilight exclaimed. “Thank you, Spike.”

“My pleasure,” Spike replied, patting his stomach. “Ya want me to put this stuff back in the kitchen?”

“Nah, leave it out,” Twilight urged. “We might get snacky in a little bit, and I’m sure your tea will taste just as good when cold.”

“I don't know. Having all that pie sitting a few feet away might be a bad idea,” Spike exclaimed with a smirk.

Twilight snickered. “Very true, though I think we can handle such a temptation.”

“Speak for yourself. It's taking everything I got not to devour what's left,” Spike replied.

“I’m sure that will fade once we get to work. Speaking of which...” Twilight began, standing up and gesturing to the rest of the table. “What is all this?”

Spike pointed to three sheets of parchment that sat at the heart of everything. “Those are the papers I found hidden away which I mentioned to you before. The rest are documents, books, and other things I think may help you decode what they mean.”

“This is… amazing,” Twilight murmured, glancing around at all the very specific and technical documents Spike had assembled for her. “How do you know if we’ll need it all?”

Spike shrugged. “Call it a hunch, but I didn't think you had experience dealing with multi-leveled locking enchantments coupled with advanced cyphers.”

“No,” Twilight admitted. “I did not.”

“Then this should help,” Spike proclaimed.

“Right. I suppose we should get started then?” Twilight murmured.

“Indeed,” Spike agreed. “Just be aware that she really liked to do this thing where some words are invisible unless you put it up to a natural light source. Oh, and-”

Twilight leaned back in her chair, a hoof scratching her chin absently as she stared at the sheet of paper sitting before her. “This can't be right,” she muttered.

Spike swallowed a mouthful of his sandwich before shifting forward and glancing at the stick note Twilight was holding. “What can't be right? Did you figure it out?” Spike asked.

“I think so? But it all translated to a math problem which had a very strange answer,” Twilight replied.

“Nine to the power of nine thousand nine hundred and thirty-six,” Spike replied. “Why is that weird?”

“Well, I mean, just… why?” Twilight proclaimed, gesturing to the sheets of paper. “All of these layers of encryption, misdirection, and clever cyphers. All to spell out a math problem that ended in some weird random number.”

“What's random about it?” Spike pressed. “It has to serve a purpose, right?”

“I mean, I guess,” Twilight murmured, turning the paper to the side, only to frown once more. “What could it possibly be though?”

“Well, let's start with our train of thought,” Spike prompted, grabbing another sheet of blank paper for himself. “We’re dealing with a hidden level in the undertower, which means that the numbers have to apply to the existing levels somehow.”

“Maybe the first nine is the level itself? There are what… eighteen floors we know of, right?” Twilight asked.

Spike nodded. “And that floor is primarily used as storage, meaning there is little in there save for boxes and stuff.”

“What else could it be referring to?” Twilight wondered aloud.

“Maybe… the stones that make up the walls?” Spike asked.

“The stones?” Twilight replied.

“Yeah, the ones along the walls. Maybe it's like the nine thousandth brick or whatever,” Spike offered.

“That seems logical, but where would you even start? I don't want to spend all day poking bricks,” Twilight replied.

Spike hummed as he scratched his chin, jaw flexing as he contemplated the question. “If the room was a book… where would you start?”

“I would…” Twilight paused. “Right of the door, at the top, closest to the ceiling.”

“That seems logical,” Spike agreed. “But Twilight wouldn't make it so that way we can just poke every single brick in order to get in.”

“She must have also added an extra layer which ensured that only she could get in. Or at least only someone with her unique skills. That, or there are other bricks set to disable the portal when pushed,” Twilight murmured. “Either way, it means I’ll probably have to use some sort of necromantic spell on it after I’ve made certain that it's the right one.”

Spike shrugged. “Only one way to find out.”

“Right. Let's get moving,” Twilight proclaimed.

“Hold on. Don't you want to finish the pie first?” Spike asked, gesturing to the final two pieces.

“Good thinking. Can't solve puzzles on an empty stomach,” Twilight declared.

Spike grinned. “My thoughts exactly, but you know what would make this even better? Some ice cream.”

“Oh, that does sound good,” Twilight murmured. “But we really should be going…”

“Just a single teensy weensy scoop?” Spike half asked, half begged.

Twilight sighed. “Oh, fine.”

“Woohoo!” Spike shouted, running into the kitchen.

“Oh, and grab the chocolate sauce while you're in there!” Twilight yelled.

“You got it!” Spike replied.

“Let’s just hope I haven't doomed my friends and adoptive home all for a bit of pie alamode,” Twilight whispered to herself, only to shrug. “I’m sure it's fine.”

“Nine thousand nine hundred and thirty-four, nine thousand nine hundred and thirty-five, nine thousand nine hundred and thirty-six!” Twilight exclaimed. “This had better work, or I am going to be very annoyed.”

“I’m pretty sure this is it,” Spike proclaimed.

Twilight paused and looked around the mostly empty room, attempting to find anything out of the ordinary. It was exactly how she remembered with the only objects being a few random crates strewn about the space. By the looks of it, nothing had been moved from this particular level in several centuries, though it had at least been dusted recently.

It didn't exactly seem like the entrance to a secret level of the undertower, but she assumed that was likely the point.

“Right. Now let's start figuring this out,” Twilight muttered.

The first thing she tried was simply poking the brick, but that did nothing, as she had predicted. The next time she pushed her hoof against it, she first infused the limb with a bit of her unique magic. The brick had a bit of give on the second attempt, signalling that she was close, but not quite there.

“Try that thing with your soul hoof,” Spike offered.

“Good thinking,” Twilight commended.

Focusing on her spiritual essence, Twilight pushed a small part of it out of her body, forming the mass into a hoof. Which she then used to push the brick into the wall and immediately caused what looked like the entire wall to quickly collapse inwards on itself.

“Woah,” Spike muttered.

Rather than be destroyed as Twilight first thought, the barrier fell one by one, the bricks seemingly folding together. Like a thousand-fold origami door made of stone, it rapidly disappeared until there was a rough two meter-wide and two and a half meter-tall entrance beyond which lay what seemed like an empty room that contained only a single statue at its center.

Though the strange stone creature was interesting, Twilight felt her attention focused on the door frame. Though partially physical, as it was made of stone, the mare could tell that the space itself was interlaced with another level. Like someone had managed to superimpose two separate physical spaces on top of each other using some unknown magic.

“Fascinating,” Twilight murmured, running a hoof over the faintly glowing edge.

“No kidding. I never thought I’d see a hook horror up close,” Spike remarked.

Twilight blinked and glanced over to where her draconic companion had walked almost all the way up to the statue.

“Wait. Don't get any closer,” Twilight yelled.

Spike scoffed and waved a hand at her. “Don't worry. My Twilight wouldn't actually petrify a living creature, and even if she did, she certainly wouldn't make it fight people.”

“We still don't know what's going on in this room, so just be cautious,” Twilight warned.

“I got it, I got it,” Spike dismissively replied.

Twilight grumbled, but ultimately said nothing as she turned her inquisitive gaze upon the room itself, which was nearly identical to the level behind her. More or less empty, and whose walls, floor as well as ceiling were all a plain grey color. It almost looked like another storage space, save for the fact that it was storing only a single incredibly lifelike statue.

The monster itself stood at a towering nine feet tall and looked like an odd amalgam of monsters. It had the head of a vulture, the exoskeleton of a beetle, and arms that had neither paw nor hoof. Instead the two long appendages turned to bone just after the elbow, becoming a pair of razor sharp blades ending in a hook.

Not only was it tall, but it was also quite wide and likely weighed in excess of four hundred pounds if it wasn't made from stone. Most of this weight would have probably come from its two bony arms, as well as its bulky exoskeleton which covered most of its torso. Unlike its taloned feet and feather covered head which were the main parts of it that were bird like.

It stood with both arms raised, as if to strike, while its beak was open wide in a silent, eternal scream. Though intimidating, Twilight got the impression that it was little more than an animal and had no true intelligence to speak of.

“What did you say this thing was again?” Twilight asked.

“You don't recognize it?” Spike replied, clearly shocked.

“No?”

“It's a hook horror!” Spike proclaimed, gesturing towards the creature. “From dungeons and dragons as well as, like, every single fantasy novel!”

Twilight shrugged. “Never heard of it.”

Spike scoffed. “Well, you are missing out. These things supposedly lived deep beneath the planet a thousand--Err, would that be two thousand years ago? Either way, it was a long time ago, but they died off or retreated into even deeper tunnels, never to be seen again.”

“Huh,” Twilight murmured, stepping closer to the statue. “What else do you know about them?”

“Tons,” Spike exclaimed. “I always made sure to throw one of these bad boys into every campaign I ran.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I meant real facts about it.”

“I’ll have you know that nearly every detail about the hook horror found in the player’s handbook is scientifically accurate,” Spike retorted, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Oh really? Then tell me more about it,” Twilight encouraged.

Spike nodded and walked over to the statue before turning around. “Let's start with its biology, namely its life expectancy which was unfortunately short. Prone to diseases and dangerous parasites, these giant underground predators only lived to about forty years old.”

A sudden trio of cracks startled Twilight out of her reverie, though Spike continued unabated.

“Hook horrors reproduce by laying eggs that resemble rocks roughly eight centimetres in diameter which they hide among real rocks,” Spike explained. “This camouflage helps keep the young hook horror safe while it develops and once it hatches, it will live with its parents for up to a year before-”

“Wait. Did you hear that?” Twilight asked.

“Hear what?” Spike replied.

“Just be quiet for a second,” Twilight muttered.

The pair did just that, with neither uttering a word as the seconds slowly ticked by, until Spike lost his patience.

“What are we waiting for, exactly?” he inquired.

The dragon received his answer when a hunk of stone suddenly cracked and fell from the statue, landing atop the young male’s head.

“Yowch, what the heck was that?” Spike demanded.

“I think you woke it up,” Twilight remarked.

Spike gawked openly as he gazed up at the crack-riddled statue. “What? That's impossible. Twilight would never…”

His sentence ended the moment a chunk of stone fell away to reveal a bluish-purple exoskeleton followed closely by an off-white beak that shook itself free of its rocky prison.

“Skraw!” cried the creature, its voice so powerful that Spike was nearly knocked clear off of his feet.

“Do something!” he shouted.

Twilight stepped forward, a spell building within her as the hook horror emerged from the stone. Already almost the entire upper half was able to move about, including both of its long serrated limbs. It used the powerful appendages to pry and smash away the rest of the rock that clung to it, starting first with its left leg before proceeding to the right.

By the time it was able to walk normally, Twilight had completed her preparations and rose up to her back hooves. Once standing at her full, towering height, she raised a forehoof into the air and conjured forth a spear of absolute darkness. Her thin, almost skeletal limb flexed what little muscles it had before launching the projectile directly at the creature’s chest.

Her triumphant expression faltered almost immediately, as instead of outright killing the monster, her weapon flew right through it. In the blink of an eye, her spear was gone, having fazed through the opposite wall and vanished completely. Unaffected by the attack, their opponent let out another shrill cry and surged forward, taloned feet thumping hard against the ground.

“What was that?” Spike yelled, gesturing wildly.

“A soul spear?” Twilight replied with a shrug. “It should have worked.”

“Well, find out why it didn't before this thing tears us limb from--Yipe!” Spike shouted, ducking under a clumsy swing from the horror.

The beast followed up this attack with a second and then a third, each one close behind the other. Spike managed to avoid each of the creature’s blows with relative ease, as they were still rather clumsy. The dragon was also faster than he looked, and rolled out of a two-handed blow that would have crushed him flat.

Twilight could barely even keep up as Spike rolled, jumped, and ducked out of the way, all of her plans suddenly falling away.

What should I do? Twilight thought desperately to herself. Does it have some kind of necromancy shield? Is it an undead? How could it have been unfazed by my spear?

“Hurry up!” Spike shouted before leaping out of the way of another two-handed overhead strike.

“I’m thinking!” Twilight yelled back. “Right, Twilight, the nightmare won't be much help here, so we are on our own.”

Summoning her magic once more, the unicorn focused on her eyes, allowing her to pierce the veil and see the spirit world. Only to be disappointed pretty much instantly, as the sole living or semi-living things in the room were her and Spike. The hook horror didn't even have the barest wisp of spiritual energy that mindless zombies did.

“How is it…” Twilight’s eyes went wide, her shadow swirling angrily beneath her. “It's a golem!”

“Great, now knock it flat or something!” Spike yelled.

The dragon shouted in surprise when a hooked limb suddenly jabbed straight for him. Twisting backwards, the young male managed to limbo under the attack, rising up after the creature pulled away.

“Almost none of my spells affect inanimate objects!” Twilight cursed.

“Then blast it with some kind of-” Spike paused to roll out of the way of another swipe, then scurried between the monster's legs in order to avoid two more strikes. “Sonic attack!”

“Sonic? But it's made of stone!” Twilight yelled back.

“Just do it!” Spike retorted, jabbing a claw at the unicorn.

Spike was so angry and distracted by Twilight’s continued inability to help, that he barely even noticed when the hook horror swept his legs out from under him. He did realize what was happening when he hit the ground, though he was completely unable to stop the coming blow. Twilight screamed in a mixture of surprise and pain, her shadow surging forward as the beast’s mighty limb bounced off Spike’s head.

Rather than his head be caved in, the young dragon suddenly ceased moving, a white orb popping up around him. Stopping the nightmare from dragging Spike away or seemingly affecting him at all, as the shadow’s claws did nothing to the bubble. He didn't seem to be in pain however, but he also wasn't moving and merely lay in the same exact spot.

Twilight didn't have long to concern herself with what had happened to her companion, for the second Spike was wrapped in his alabaster cocoon, the horror turned to her. Immediately it released another powerful cry that shook Twilight’s bones and made her stumble back in pain. She didn't have long to consider her plan though, as the beast was already charging her, hooked limbs raised above its malformed head.

Thinking quickly, Twilight pulled her soul from her body, causing her mortal form to drop to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. She then followed this up by sprinting through the stone beast and forcing her mortal form to appear at her new location. Just in time too, as the hook horror had been about to bring one of its club-like arms down on her head.

“Skraw!” shouted the creature before turning towards Twilight’s new position.

Its piercing gaze completely ignored the several shadowy copies that the nightmare had summoned. It was also unaffected by the dark tendrils whipping about its legs, the dark appendages slapping uselessly against its body. The only thing the nightmare’s efforts accomplished was to confirm to Twilight that it was indeed using some kind of echolocation.

“Wait, why would she create a golem that needs to hear in order to see?” Twilight exclaimed.

The beast extended both arms as wide as possible, clearly intent on swiping both of its mighty limbs at the unicorn.

“Right. Less talking, more fighting,” Twilight muttered.

Thankfully not all of her spells were useless against an inanimate opponent, and as she jumped over the monster, she tapped its shoulder. Where she made contact immediately began to dissolve, a black hoofprint burning through its fleshy exterior and into the rock beneath. Twilight didn't initially notice this however, as she was hastily hopping and shadow-porting short distances in order to avoid its attacks.

It's working, she triumphantly thought to herself.

Those thoughts turned sour quickly as fleshy purple stone bubbled up from the wound, closing it in seconds. All while it continued to screech, swipe, and otherwise attempt to strike down its sole remaining foe. Soon Twilight ran out of ideas, leaving her with no other choice but to run or start breaking out spells that may catch Spike in their area of effect.

Both of those options were inexcusable, as she would neither leave nor hurt the young dragon no matter the cost. Leaving her with only a single alternative, to trust Spike. Meaning she had but a single spell she could use which had a sonic component.

“Alright, ugly, let's see if you can handle the banshee’s wail,” Twilight muttered to herself before reforming behind the creature one final time.

Predictably, the creature inhaled, ready to release a cry and seek out its target in the only way it was capable of. It never managed to release another scream however, as Twilight beat it to the punch with a shriek of her own. Building from deep down in her stomach, the unicorn pulled forth as much necromantic energy as she dared before releasing it all at once.

Her wordless yell brought forth a terrifying wall of force so titanic that the very walls vibrated with its power. Greenish energy spilled from her open maw and took the form of several dozen creatures, each one of whom was crying out in agony. All who heard the wail felt their soul be chilled, causing them to become abundantly aware of their own fragile mortality.

The golem felt no such agony, though it did freeze in place for a moment before attempting to cover its ear holes with its forelimbs. While this happened, Twilight continued to pour everything she had into the attack, maintaining it for as long as she could manage.

Come on, work! Twilight thought grimly.

And work it did, as a second after the golem stopped moving, it lost all color and turned an ashen white. Twilight held onto her spell for a bit longer before finally cutting off the flow of magic after determining that she had indeed won. Huffing and puffing, she lay on the ground as she tried in vain to remind herself that she didn't need to breathe.

As her stress ebbed, and she was able to take control of her body once more, Twilight breathed one final sigh of relief. She then sprinted over to where Spike had fallen less then a minute earlier, her relief morphing into confusion.

“Is this… a stasis spell?” she asked the now empty room.

Reaching down, Twilight summoned forth an ethereal limb and plucked at a stray strand of magic. Instantly the entire spell unraveled, turning into a shower of multicolored sparks and dropping Spike to the ground. Where he quickly curled up into a ball, covering his head with his arms.

“Woah there. Relax. I took care of it,” Twilight whispered.

Spike blinked and looked around. “What? But I was just… what happened?”

“You were right. The sonic spell worked. And the horror didn't intend on killing you, but instead put you in stasis,” Twilight replied.

“Huh,” Spike muttered, uncurling and standing upright once more. “Would you look at that.”

“Bet you didn't expect that to happen,” Twilight replied.

“No, I did not,” Spike admitted. “Does that mean I can't say I told you so?”

“Nah. You totally can. You earned it,” Twilight answered.

“Good, because I told you so,” Spike shot back, jabbing a claw at the mare.

The hook horror trembled suddenly, causing both to step back and ready themselves for another fight. Spike breathed deep, summoning all the fire he could muster while Twilight prepared to scream and the nightmare brought forth a wall of shadow. No attacks came, nor would they ever, as rather than spring to life once more, the statue began to disintegrate.

The beast turned to a flurry of tiny white flakes that floated to the ground, landing perfectly in a previously unnoticed series of engravings. From head to foot, the creature fell apart, its body filling the runic array completely and causing it to glow a faint purple.

“What is it…” Spike murmured, his question being answered before he could utter it.

For the ground had already vanished, replaced by a dark hole from which a set of stairs emerged. The pair exchanged a glance before slowly creeping over to the edge, their gazes turning downwards. For once their dark vision proved unhelpful, as the stairs were illuminated by what appeared to be hundreds of tiny white lights lining the walls.

“It looks like a spiral staircase,” Spike pointed out.

“That it does,” Twilight agreed.

“So do we just go down?” Spike asked.

Twilight shrugged. “I don't see why not. I don't sense any other magic save for the dimensional folding from before.”

“Maybe we should be certain,” Spike offered.

“Sure. Just give me a second,” Twilight replied.

Closing her eyes, Twilight summoned her magic and peered into the abyss, searching it for any sign of trouble. There were no spirits, living things, or even conspicuous statues, only a long flight of stairs and the walls dotted with light spells. The only thing Twilight could tell for certain was that there was a dense web of dimensional layering just beyond. One so thick that it could hide another nasty surprise, though Twilight doubted that her previous self would do such a thing.

“Looks good,” Twilight exclaimed, glancing to where a shadowy copy of herself nodded. “It seems like the nightmare thinks the same.”

“You’re going first,” Spike declared.

“What? Why me? I’m the spellcaster, you know,” Twilight pointed out.

“Well, I went first last time, so it seems only fair,” Spike retorted.

Twilight sighed. “Oh fine. I suppose you got me there.”

“Hop to it then. We don't have all day--Err, night,” Spike exclaimed.

“I’m going, I’m going,” Twilight shot back.

The unicorn swiftly mounted the staircase, stopping for a moment to simply stand atop the cold metal landing. When it didn't give out, shoot sparks, or do anything out of the ordinary, Twilight began to trot down into the dark. After getting a few feet, she heard Spike begin to follow, and together they started their descent.

For the first minute they were silent, both watching and waiting for something to leap out at them. By the second minute they were beginning to grow antsy, and by third they relaxed, merely observing their surroundings. Even the nightmare crawled across the walls, curiously studying them and occasionally prodding one of the lights.

“Woah, this is pretty neat,” Spike remarked.

Twilight nodded. “I know. The level of detail is quite amazing.”

“It looks almost exactly like the night sky I knew a thousand years ago,” Spike murmured.

“Is it that close? I didn't have much time to study the sky then,” Twilight inquired.

“Oh yeah,” Spike immediately replied. “It's obviously folded around us, but I can even pick out the individual constellations and stars.”

“The spellwork is incredible as well,” Twilight murmured. “Each light spell is linked to one another, the entire arrangement programmed to redistribute power as needed.”

“Neat,” Spike muttered.

The pair walked in silence for a few more minutes before finally Twilight stopped, a frown coming to her face.

“Hold on a second,” Twilight declared.

“What is it?” Spike asked, looking around. “Do you sense another trap?”

“Nothing like that. I just noticed that we’ve seen the same constellations like three times now,” Twilight pointed out.

“I mean, there is only so much sky to work with. It has to repeat eventually, right?” Spike replied.

“I suppose, but this feels different,” Twilight exclaimed.

“So, what are we going to do about it?” Spike pressed.

Twilight slowly turned around on the stairs and gripped Spike’s head, her hoof flipping through his fins.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Spike demanded.

“Looking for… this!” Twilight proclaimed, raising a small stone into the air in victory.

“A rock?” spike muttered.

“Yes, a rock,” Twilight replied.

She then leaned down and gently placed the rock in the middle of a stair before turning back around. “Right, let's keep going.”

“Oookay then,” Spike whispered to himself.

Together they resumed their trot in silence, that was until nearly two minutes later when Twilight let out a triumphant shout.

“Huzzah. I knew it!” Twilight yelled.

“What, what is it?” Spike asked, standing up on the tips of his toes in order to see what Twilight had already laid eyes on.

The unicorn stepped aside and gestured to a single stair and the small pebble that rested atop it. “We are going in circles, see?” Twilight declared.

“Well, I’ll be,” murmured her companion. “What now?”

“Let's try going back up,” Twilight offered.

Spike shrugged. “Sounds good to me.”

The pair turned around and walked back the way they came, plodding along in silence. Sure enough, nearly a minute later they saw the roof open up to another very familiar room. Trotting upwards, they quickly reached the exit once more, with Spike gripping the ledge, then peering over the side.

“Yup. This is where we came from,” he confirmed.

“I knew it,” Twilight muttered.

“Again, what now?” Spike inquired. “I don't remember my Twilight ever mentioning anything about a portal that you can't see before.”

“I haven't heard of anything like that either, and to be honest I’m not quite sure what to do,” Twilight murmured.

Spike leaned over the railing and peered down into the abyss. “Well, it looks like it goes on forever, so I don't think jumping over the side would be a good idea.”

“You’d probably just fall forever. Which does not sound like fun,” Twilight pointed out.

“Hey. It would be fun for like a minute or two,” Spike retorted.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Do you have anything productive to offer? Or should I toss you overboard in order to test our hypothesis?”

“It has to be the constellations though, right?” Spike offered, scratching his chin. “Why go through all the work of recreating them perfectly if it has nothing to do with the puzzle?”

“It could be a red herring,” Twilight pointed out.

“Maybe. But we should explore it first. I mean, how many other leads do we have?” Spike replied.

Twilight sighed. “True. Let's go back down and get a better look.”

The duo turned and descended once more, continuing until they had nearly reached what felt like the center of the loop.

“So tell me about the constellations,” Twilight began. “I know the current ones, but the ancient night sky was not something well documented in Canterlot.”

“You haven't researched it once you got to Ponyville?” Spike asked.

Twilight coughed awkwardly into a hoof. “I’ve been busy, okay?”

“I suppose you have been rather occupied since getting here,” Spike agreed, turning back to the wall. “Now, where to start… ah, here we go. This is Bier, or the Great Bear. Mother of star beasts.”

Twilight followed Spike’s claw to a series of stars that almost resembled a ladle of some kind with four points of light making up the cup while another three created a handle of sorts.

“Err, okay. What do you know about it?” Twilight pressed.

“A decent amount. Twilight and I went stargazing with Luna quite often. First of all, like the name implies, she spawned the first of the star beasts, starting with an ursa major,” Spike perked up. “Oh, and I almost forgot about the legend of why she did all that in the first place. They say that she grew envious of all the life she saw down on Equis and decided to tear off pieces of herself in order to create her own company. Most of her spawn chose to go to Equis and the other lands of mortals, but her first born remained behind and became the Little Bear constellation.”

Twilight followed Spike’s claw to a second smaller ladle-looking constellation that seemed to mirror the first.

“Neat. What's next?” Twilight asked.

“Arcturus. First to plow the earth,” Spike replied, pointing to a series of stars that made up a weirdly jagged polyhedron with two points splitting from the bottom and a triangle at its top. “Supposedly he was an alicorn who grew bored with his own kind and sought to help cultivate new life on far-off continents.”

“It seems like there are a lot of life givers in the sky,” Twilight murmured.

“I guess so, but Arcturus never actually created life. He just helped civilize the first pony tribes. For his great deeds, Arcturus was allowed to ascend to the stars and continue his mission of spreading civilization across all worlds,” Spike continued.

“That's really interesting, though I’m wondering…” Twilight glanced around the space. “How many more are there?”

“Eight. Though really it's only two constellations, as one has seven parts to it. Also, most of these stars aren't part of constellations,” Spike replied.

“I thought there would be more than that,” Twilight retorted.

“Me too, but I’ve come to realize that this isn't the whole night sky. Only a single small part of it repeated and twisted in subtle ways so it fits together,” Spike stated.

“Huh, well, whenever you're ready,” Twilight offered.

“Okay, so first off we have the true shepherd, Anu,” Spike began, pointing out what looked like a bipedal stick figure wielding a bow. “He was said to be some ancient alicorn king that started life as a mere hunter. After he found out that the empire had been taken over by a cruel and unjust tyrant, he rose up in rebellion.”

“I didn't know the alicorns were ever divided,” Twilight exclaimed.

“Their history is spotty, and most was destroyed by the dragons, but I’ve been able to gather that this Anu guy was one of the last true kings,” Spike continued. “After saving the kingdom and returning the alicorn empire to the path of harmony, he then gave up his crown and went back to being a hunter once more.”

“Humble dude,” Twilight mentioned.

“Totally. He inspired a whole bunch of kings that each tried to be more virtuous and just than the last. Ultimately leading to the monarchy dissolving entirely in favor of direct democracy,” Spike finished with a shrug. “Or at least that's what they say, anyway.”

“You know, you’re pretty knowledgeable about this stuff,” Twilight announced.

Spike puffed out his chest and rubbed his knuckles against his scales. “I’m not just a pretty face, you know.”

Twilight giggled. “Though you do have a pretty face.”

A blush sprung to the dragon’s face, and he sputtered, “I do not!”

Twilight giggled. “You totally do.”

“I’m a guy. I’m not supposed to be pretty. I’m supposed to be handsome!” Spike shouted.

“You can be whatever you want to be,” Twilight replied.

“Thank you for the awkward support, but we really should get back to the task at hand,” Spike proclaimed, turning away from the mare.

“Right. What's this last one?” Twilight offered, pointing a hoof at a small cluster of seven stars near the Anu constellation.

“They are the seven sisters,” Spike answered. “Born to Rimush and Shulgi, the rulers of a backwater planet mostly ignored by the greater alicorn empire. The seven sisters were all unique, each one of whom were from a different pony tribe.”

“Shouldn't that mean that they had many different parents?” Twilight retorted.

Spike chuckled and shook his head. “Nah. The legend goes that Shulgi gave birth to all seven at once, though they were only expecting a single child.”

“Mythology is weird,” Twilight murmured.

“True that,” Spike agreed.

“So, what did they all do?” Twilight inquired.

“Well, if the legends are to be believed, then they singlehandedly launched the alicorn empire into a golden age of scientific discovery,” Spike replied, pointing from one start to another. “Abrotelia became a great thinker, creating the framework for all scientific inquiry. Aspasia was a genius healer and doctor. Diotima was the first astralmancer. Ocello, a brilliant mathematician. Pythias, a renowned biologist. Raphnutia, a chemist. Finally, Thelka was a physicist.”

“That's rather interesting,” Twilight murmured, tapping her chin as she inspected the constellations one by one.

“Do you think it's a matter of touching the right star?” Spike offered.

“It's a possibility, but I want to be certain before we try it. The entire thing might lock up if we choose the wrong one. Either that, or trigger another trap,” Twilight remarked.

Spike nodded sagely. “Very true. So, what's your theory? I’m thinking that it's one of the sisters.”

“Oh, why is that?” Twilight pressed.

“Think about it. They were responsible for a bunch of technology which helped people get around, and that's what we’re trying to do, right?” Spike replied.

Twilight nodded. “Well said, Spike. I think you’re bang on the money, but which of the sisters do you think it would be?”

“Hmmm.” Spike rubbed his chin as he peered at the small cluster. “I think we can count Abrotelia, Aspasia, Pythias, Raphnutia, and Thelka out of the picture.”

“Which leaves us with… Diotima and Ocello, right?” Twilight inquired.

“Yup,” Spike proclaimed, pointing to a star to the right and then one right below it. “Though I’m leaning towards Ocello rather than Diotima.”

“Wait. How exactly did a mathematician allow for greater mobility?” Twilight questioned.

“Because she helped calculate the distance between realities and assisted in constructing the first dimensional array,” Spike answered.

“So Diotima was the one that actually created the array and thought up the spell then?” Twilight countered.

“Yeah, but she couldn't have done that without Ocello,” Spike replied, turning to the mare.

“Diotima,” Twilight shot back.

“Ocello,” Spike stated.

The pair stared at one another for several long seconds before Twilight sighed.

“It seems we have reached an impasse,” Twilight muttered.

“A real the chicken or the egg kinda deal,” Spike replied.

Twilight nodded. “Evidently. So, where do we go from here?”

“Why don't we just press them both at the same time?” Spike offered.

“That seems… logical,” Twilight agreed. “On three?”

“Three,” Spike began, leaning over the railing and extending his arm as far as possible.

“Two,” Twilight continued, mimicking her companion.

“One,” they announced.

Together the pair pressed their claw or hoof against the tiny glowing objects and were surprised when they felt a flat, solid wall. They continued to hold it there for several more seconds before exchanging a curious glance at one another.

“So, do we wait for something?” Spike remarked.

“Maybe it…” Twilight murmured, suddenly glancing down. “Oh hey, it worked.”

“You’re just saying that to get me to take my finger off first,” Spike retorted.

Twilight rolled her eyes and pulled back her hoof. “No really, look.”

Spike recoiled his arm and glanced between his feet to where a distant light could be seen amidst the darkness. It appeared to flicker like a candle, dancing back and forth as the pair peered down at it.

“Is that what I think it is?” Spike asked.

“It could be. Though it could also be a spell or something,” Twilight replied.

“Only one way to find out,” Spike exclaimed.

“Let's get going then,” Twilight offered.

Once more, the pair began to descend, their dark vision aiding them greatly as they maneuvered deeper. As they plodded down the many steps, they noticed that the walls had begun to shift and now displayed nearly every constellation in a slightly warped manner. Or at least they assumed it was the rest of the night sky, as the duo discovered that the tunnel was oddly cone-shaped so it was hard to judge for sure.

“Weird. I wonder why it looks like that,” Spike murmured.

Twilight ignored his comment and continued deeper still, only stopping when she had finally reached the bottom. There she observed one final level illuminated by many blue candles and dominated by a single massive form. One that lay directly in front of her, its head and shoulders visible, though the rest of its body existed beyond the rock wall its face jutted out from.

As before, the black dragon was slumbering, inert as if dead, yet Twilight knew otherwise. The only difference that Twilight noticed was that its exterior was sporting several burn marks likely caused by the machine it was hooked up to. Which itself was a large wooden box from which sprouted a silver tube that had a reflective orb sitting atop of it.

However, Twilight didn't give the device or the wires that snaked from it to the dragon much attention, as her gaze was fixed on the sleeping creature. Its sharp features and angular snout were just as striking as before, as was its overall size which dwarfed the both of them.

“Woah,” Spike murmured, peering over the railing. “So that's what that assassin jerk looks like.”

“Just wait a second while I give it a quick inspection,” Twilight cautioned, launching into her spell before Spike could even respond.

After infusing her gaze with spiritual energy and peering intently at the dragon, Twilight noted that everything appeared as it did the last time. The dragon’s spirit overlapped with its physical aspect perfectly, its soul slumbering peacefully while its body lay still. Twilight was about to dismiss her spell when she noticed that a purplish mist was emanating from its ethereal maw.

Looking even closer, Twilight was able to discover that this faint mist bore a familiar resemblance to a certain petrified alicorn. She then launched into another spell, using it in tandem with her knowledge of the spirit to discern smaller details. It was with this added bit of scrutiny that Twilight could see that he had indeed been draining Luna’s soul and likely done so over eons.

“It's dead or sleeping, right?” Spike whispered. “Woah, look at that.”

The nightmare coiled into a snake and hissed at the dragon, while at the same time remaining close to Twilight’s side.

Twilight dismissed the magical sight. “It won't be getting up anytime soon, just don't push your luck. I think it's been feeding off Luna somehow. Which explains the nightmare’s reaction.”

“But I thought it was asleep,” Spike murmured.

“Apparently the rules don't apply to the old dragons,” Twilight remarked.

“Huh.” Spike shrugged and hopped over the railing, landing on the ground with a dull thump. “So, what do you think all this stuff is?”

Twilight followed his gaze out over the room to where a variety of machines, tables, and bookshelves sat waiting to be used. Other boxy devices much like the one hooked up to the dragon lay strewn across several workbenches in various states of assembly. From nearly completed, to little more than a pile of parts, these objects were evidently a key part of the other Twilight’s plans.

To the current Twilight they looked like little more than disco balls with stands, and she put their presence out of her mind. Looking over the other tables, Twilight could see that her previous self had other plans in motion as well. Chemicals lay inert within glass tubes, the Bunsen burners they sat atop having remained unused for centuries.

There was even a small corner where a cot, as well a chamber pot had been set aside. Evidently the previous Twilight had been prepared to stay here for multiple days if needed, though there were no foodstuffs present.

“This is weird,” Spike remarked.

“I mean, yeah, but what exactly are you referring to?” Twilight asked.

“There's no dust,” Spike replied, wiping a finger across one of the tables and showing it to Twilight.

“Odd. Well, if it was sealed perfectly, then there wouldn't be any, right?” Twilight half asked, half stated.

Spike shrugged. “I’m not sure how it works, but it still feels fishy.”

“That's something we can both agree on,” Twilight murmured.

“So,” Spike began, walking up to the closest table and leaning on it, “do we jump straight into its mind or what?”

“We should come up with a plan, at least,” Twilight cautioned.

“I thought we went over this already. I’ll keep him off guard while you try to seek out the knowledge he holds,” Spike replied.

“I suppose that's about all we can plan for, huh?” Twilight muttered.

Spike shrugged. “It's fine to fly by the seat of your pants every once in a while.”

“Feels like that's all I’ve been doing recently,” Twilight bitterly whispered.

“Oh relax, we got this,” Spike declared. “Unless it's not the plan part your worried about?”

Twilight sighed. “I just wish I was better at this whole dreamwalking thing. I feel a little bad putting you in harm's way like this.”

“You put the rest of your friends in harm's way all the time,” Spike dismissed.

“That was not helpful,” Twilight deadpanned.

Spike chuckled and walked over to the mare. “Just don't think about it so much. Danger is a part of life. Especially when you’re trying to save the world from an evil tyrant bent on taking it over.”

“I suppose. That doesn't make it any easier,” Twilight murmured.

Spike flashed her a grin. “That's what time is for, ‘cause eventually it will be.”

Twilight smiled back. “I suppose there aren't any other options, are there?”

“Not unless you want to abandon this entire thing and go into the next big fight without the knowledge you’ve been thirsting for,” Spike replied.

“I can't do that,” Twilight replied. “Even if I thought I could win without knowing the words, he's somehow feeding off Luna. I need to stop this.”

“So that's our secondary objective then?” Spike asked.

Twilight tapped her chin. “I’m not sure. I feel like our primary goal should be to save Luna, but unlike stealing his knowledge of the words, I don't even know if we can kill him.”

“Maybe after we acquire what he knows, we can search for some way to kill him permanently? Or you can just suck his soul out,” Spike offered.

Twilight chuckled. “I suppose that's an option. Worst case scenario, I can reanimate his spirit under my service and force him to stop.”

“Is that even possible?” Spike asked.

“I have no idea,” Twilight admitted.

Spike rolled his eyes. “Either way, we got a job to do and we’re wasting time.”

“Right. Let's get to it,” Twilight declared.

Author's Note

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Slumber In Stone

“But before we do that,” Twilight exclaimed, stopping herself mid-step. “We really should check out what these machines are for. I feel like they might be important somehow.”

“They look like the lightning generators Twilight used to play around with,” Spike answered, prodding one of the half-assembled devices. “A bit more compact though.”

“You don't think she was trying to electrocute the dragon somehow, do you?” Twilight asked, gesturing towards the slumbering creature.

Spike shrugged. “Dunno.”

“You check that side, I’ll get this one. Look for any notes she may have left behind,” Twilight exclaimed.

“Sure thing, boss lady,” Spike replied, snapping off a lazy salute.

The two of them split up and swiftly got to work searching their surroundings for any manner of clue. It was a surprisingly difficult job, as Twilight’s previous incarnation was not exactly the most well-organized pony around. Thankfully it didn't take long for the notes scattered across multiple tables and tucked into books to be assembled into something close to complete.

“Have you come across anything talking about infusing spiritual energy with electricity?” Twilight asked.

“A couple things. They were mainly on that table over there,” Spike indicated, gesturing to the one covered with various partially complete devices strewn across it.

Walking over to it, Twilight quickly gathered up the loose notes until she had what appeared to be a step-by-step breakdown on what the devices did. Not only that, but it also explained how they were able to work, as well as what manner of effect they might have on the target.

“Wow,” Twilight muttered.

“What is it, what do they do?” Spike asked, walking over to the table and peering over the unicorn’s shoulder.

“They electrocute the soul,” Twilight replied, pointing to a particular paragraph.

“What, how?” Spike replied.

“I’m not wholly certain as to the exact mechanics, but one of my previous incarnations figured out how to infuse necromantic energy with electricity,” Twilight answered. “It should be like mixing water and oil though.”

“So… how does this help us?” Spike inquired, starting to pace. “Could we set it on a timer and use it to help us when we infiltrate tall, dark, and ugly’s dream?”

“We would need to create some kind of timing mechanism ourselves, and I am not a skilled engineer,” Twilight remarked with a shrug.

“But what about-” Spike began.

The nightmare rose up out of the shadows and waved an ethereal hoof in the air.

“Oh, that's right. You may not be able to come with us while we attack his mind, but you can stay back and if need be, activate the device!” Twilight exclaimed. “Great thinking.”

The nightmare bowed low, humbly accepting the praise.

“So do we have to do anything else?” Spike pressed.

Twilight shook her head. “It's already hooked up, and we shouldn't need to do anything except hit the button.”

A shadowy hoof hovered over a silver circle set into the base of the device.

“Exactly,” Twilight stated. “But wait until it looks like we’re in trouble before you use it. I can tell it has some charge left, but not a lot, so we can't waste it.”

“Great work!” Spike exclaimed. “Now we got an ace in the hole just in case things go sideways.”

“Indeed. Now I just need to set up the protection circles, prepare the sleep spell, and get everything into position,” Twilight declared. “That should be enough to create an emergency exit, should we need to escape.”

Spike pumped a clawed hand in the air. “Alright, let's do this!”

“Annnnd, there,” Twilight declared, chucking aside her piece of chalk.

“Do you really think all of these defensive wards were necessary?” Spike asked.

Twilight blinked and looked around to the numerous runes and magical circles she had prepared. Some strengthened their minds, others their bodies, and one even produced breathable oxygen should someone attack them with gas.

“I might have gone a bit overboard, but it should give us the edge we need. We are, after all, hitting him on his home turf after only receiving a single day of training,” Twilight declared.

“Well, when you say it like that, you make it sound like we don't even have a chance,” Spike grimy remarked.

“I wouldn't say that,” Twilight replied. “If worse comes to worst, I can still tear his soul out while in his mind. That should give us some kind of leverage.”

“Let’s just hope it never comes to that,” Spike murmured. “At least you got that emergency exit spell all set up. I don't wanna get stuck in some dead person’s head.”

“Exactly,” Twilight declared before sitting down at the center of the many circles. “Now then. Let’s begin, shall we?”

“And remember, try to remain quiet and unassuming for the first little while. The longer we are able to move through his dream undetected, the better,” Spike stated as he plunked down across from the lanky undead.

“I haven't forgotten,” Twilight exclaimed, glancing over to their shared draconic foe. “I’m assuming you are ready as well?”

The nightmare gave them a confident nod from across the room, its shadowy form remaining right next to the device.

“Alright then. Brace yourself, Spike,” Twilight warned as she summoned a small beacon of magic to the tip of her shattered horn.

As they waited for the spell to complete, Spike struck a meditative stance, his legs crossed and head hung low. His entire body relaxed, even as Twilight’s magic grew strong enough to be seen even through his closed eyelids. The energy twisted suddenly before shooting into Spike’s chest, harmlessly connecting the two before growing another tendril.

This time it flew across the room before hitting the true dragon square between the eyes. The second this happened, both Spike and Twilight collapsed, knocked out in an instant. To any outside observer, it would look like the pair had simply fallen asleep rather suddenly, while they felt something far different.

To them there was a split second where they knew they were asleep before they both experienced the odd sensation of falling. It lasted only a second before they landed on something that felt hard and slightly warm, unless you were Twilight that is.

“Owch,” Twilight cursed, quickly extracting herself from the rose bush she had appeared upon.

She flailed briefly before managing to accidentally get away from the many thorns poking her oddly fleshy sides. Spike, however, simply picked himself up and dusted himself off, only to find that standing felt weird in a way he couldn't quite describe. Then their eyes met, and they both were struck by numerous questions that neither had the answer to.

“Why do you look like-”

“Where are-”

“How are you-”

They both stopped, and Twilight extended a hoof. “You go first,” she offered.

“You’re alive. Or at least you appear to be,” Spike stated.

The dragon’s statement was quite true, as Twilight did indeed appear to be among the living once more. That, and she was a lot shorter too, further diminishing her otherworldly appearance. Indeed without the lanky limbs, unnatural height, or piercing eyes, the pony appeared almost normal. Her fur had even lightened, as had her mane and tail, which was now a much more pastel coloration.

“And you look like an old dragon,” Twilight pointed out.

Spike extended an arm curiously, studying the much longer and much pointeir digits that sprouted from his hand. Not only was he no longer bipedal, but Spike was also much larger and his features were far sharper than before. Wings extended from his back, and his dull, slightly rubbery head fins could now likely cut through flesh with ease. His scales were also harder, darker, and stronger, covering the young drake in a layer of thick natural armor.

“That I do,” Spike muttered.

“Augh, I’m so short,” Twilight murmured as she looked up at the much taller Spike.

“No kidding. I feel like I could carry you around like a handbag,” Spike exclaimed with a snicker.

“Yeah yeah. Laugh it up while you can,” Twilight groused.

“I would. But we got a job to do,” Spike replied.

Twilight cleared her throat. “Right. Let's look around first, then if we can't find our way to the target, I’ll use the spirit-seeking spell.”

“Can you even do that inside of a dream?” Spike asked.

“It's a necromancy spell, and besides, I believe I can,” Twilight replied.

Spike grinned. “Oh, that's smart.”

“But seriously,” Twilight began, lowering her voice to barely above a whisper. “It should work, but don't count on that.”

“Yeah yeah,” Spike dismissed. “Let's just get going before he finds out we’re here by pure chance.”

“Okay,” Twilight agreed.

They both slipped away from the bushes and began to look around, attempting to find some manner of civilization or sign of habitation. Which wasn't difficult, given that there was a very wide road paved with black stones only a dozen metres to their right. They didn't initially investigate this landmark, however, as they were busy inspecting their more immediate surroundings.

Twilight’s attention was focused almost completely on the strange trees which grew high overhead. The titanic plants resembled the ones she had seen in Nebula’s dream, though without the winding stairs and houses built among their boughs. Their trunks were also slightly darker, and the grass which grew on the ground below was much taller, sporting an oddly bright emerald sheen.

Saplings were almost completely non-existent, as were bushes or really any other plant which wasn't either a redwood or grass. The small, rocky rise that Spike and Twilight had landed on was one of a kind and stood apart from the rest of the forest. Which was almost perfectly smooth, as if someone had taken a giant level to the land, flattening the entirety of it.

Although at first glance it seemed as if noone was around, that assumption was quickly proved false when the pair heard the sound of wings. Though distant, they were able to look up and find that a pegasus with a grey mane and white coat was pushing a cloud through the treetops. The mystery pony had no cutie mark to speak of, and went about their job at a slow, robotic pace.

“Should we hide?” Twilight asked.

“Where would we go?” Spike replied simply.

Twilight frowned when she realized that the only possible hiding place was amongst the tall grass. Without any real options, she continued to look a little closer, hoping to find something which may help her search, only to immediately scamper back around the bush when she saw a dragon stride confidently into view.

Standing at over twenty feet in height and sporting a pair of wings almost a city block in length, the monstrous creature towered over the surroundings. Including its small host of pony slaves which were pulling along a cart loaded with an enormous crossbow the size of a ballista. Most were earth ponies, though a trio of unicorns stood at the head of the small procession, levitating aloft several giant fans they used to cool their master.

The dragon, though clearly intimidating in its size and strength, had a dull, glassy look in its great golden eyes. Each step made the ground tremble slightly, and its hot breath caused small plumes of smoke to occasionally rise into the air. Yet despite all that, the dragon seemed empty for lack of a better word, its head staying perfectly straight as the beast marched into the woods.

“This is a really complicated dream,” Spike remarked.

“No kidding,” Twilight admitted.

Together the pair watched the dragon and its entourage pass them by and slowly walk down the black stone road. After they were a significant distance away, Twilight and Spike trotted out onto the path, glancing back the way the dragon had come from. There they saw the familiar sight of distant structures with wide open spaces separating the large buildings.

As they approached the odd collection of dwellings, Twilight noticed that there was more traffic coming their way. There were also more ponies out in the forest, tending to either the weather or the woodland in a more direct fashion.

Some carried watering cans, others cut grass or trimmed the distant branches that spread above the cloud cover. A third group worked to keep the skies clear, allowing those who walked the forest floor to enjoy the warm, sunny day. It was idyllic, as if the pair had stepped not into a dream, but some kind of diorama where everything was artificial.

“Is it just me, or is this all kinda creepy?” Twilight muttered.

Spike shivered. “Totally. It's all too… orderly.”

“As if someone had planted each individual blade of grass so it was perfectly distanced from its neighbor,” Twilight replied.

“And there is no repetition either,” Spike pointed out. “Every tree is unique, every pony and dragon an individual. Except the cutie marks.”

“I’m not sure ponies had them before the coming of the alicorns,” Twilight exclaimed.

Spike opened his mouth to offer some kind of retort, only to fall silent. “I did not know that,” he admitted.

“I can give you a history lesson later. Right now I think we should head towards those buildings,” Twilight declared.

“Sounds like a plan,” Spike agreed.

The duo continued on, walking ever deeper into the strange wood. Their heads constantly turned, searching for some sign that they were going in the right direction.

As they drew closer to the first draconic abode, Twilight felt an odd sense of deja vu. She quickly realized that she had seen this structure before, or at least the rotting bones thereof. She couldn't quite place where or when that had been however, so she put it out of her mind for the moment.

The style of the building was the first thing to strike the mare, as it resembled the imperial architecture prominent in Central Canterlot. The towering white pillars held up enormous roofs tall enough to house three or even four floors. Yet here there was only one, the dragon’s titanic bulk forcing their homes to reach truly mammoth proportions.

Each of the complexes resembled a tiny fort, with walls flanking its exterior and obscuring most of what lay within. Noone had bothered to close their wide oaken gates however, allowing Twilight to peer within the first of the villas. There she saw an enormous garden tended by young female earth ponies who delicately pruned individual leaves that had dared gain their master’s ire.

Twilight could also make out what looked like a small lake, though its placid nature and flat sides indicated that it was actually a pool. One managed by several pegasi who were kicking the contents of a cloud into it while a pair of lithe white drakes stood nearby. After several more seconds of rain, one of the reptilian creatures nodded, stopping the flow of water and allowing them both to enter into the water.

Movement caught Twilight’s eye, and she noticed that the nearby grass had changed, becoming a small field of golden wheat. More earth ponies overseen by a single unicorn tended to the abundant grain, their gazes distant and their movements robotic. As Twilight looked a little closer, she noticed that other villas had similar fields, some of which were dedicated to grazing animals.

Sheep, pigs, and cows munched on a slightly less shiny grass, dully moving about the fields with empty gazes. Around these sections was no fence, nor guards. Only the odd shepherd, or herder stood patiently, watching their charges closely. It was obvious to Twilight that each of these small compounds were one part farm and one part palace, catering perfectly to their owner’s many whims.

These homes also varied in size and shape, though they kept roughly the same dimensions. Whether this was due to each dragon having a similar social standing or level of wealth, Twilight couldn't be certain. Either way, not a single of the dragons lived in squalor, only varied levels of opulence befitting the most wealthy of Canterlot nobles.

“This is weird,” Spike muttered.

“Agreed, though what specifically are you referring to?” Twilight replied.

“This dream seems more like a memory. It's so detailed, yet we haven't seen hide nor hair of our assassin,” Spike exclaimed, gesturing to the open landscape. “If his figments are this complicated, then he should be nearby.”

“I don't sense anything,” Twilight exclaimed.

“Exactly. Either this guy is stronger than we anticipated, or we’re being watched,” Spike whispered.

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “You don't think that's possible, do you? Wouldn't it be obvious if that were the case?”

“He is an assassin,” Spike pointed out.

“True,” Twilight admitted. “Either way, let's hurry. The quicker we find Luna, the quicker we can get out of here.”

“Then you’ve abandoned the hope of getting the words?” Spike asked.

“I’m not sure. Either way, a part of her soul is trapped here, and should it be freed, it will make raising her easier,” Twilight replied.

Spike gestured to the road. “Set the pace. I’ll be right behind you.”

Twilight didn't utter a sound, merely giving her assistant a nod before taking off at a sprint, her tiny hooves clacking against the stone road. The pony reminded herself that she was not in fact alive, nor even corporeal at the moment, thus she should not tire. Even with such an obvious and logical thought ringing in her head, Twilight still felt like she should begin to slow.

Thankfully, this urge was pushed aside, and together the pair ran onwards, their gazes focused on the path ahead.

As they traveled deeper and deeper into the strange wood, they saw many odd but unsurprising sights. Some were fairly normal, such as a dragon painting a brilliant watercolor of what Twilight assumed was his home. Others were slightly odd, like the drake who had assembled his pony slaves in a field and were forcing them to engage in contests of strength.

Those were the tame scenes however, as they also saw far more debauched actions occurring in and outside the walls of the villa. Ponies swallowed whole, others used against their will in acts of a sexual nature. It was clear that few dragons cared for their living, breathing possessions. Those more uncomfortable moments were swiftly ignored by the pair who did their best to put such instances out of their mind.

Though even with the reminder that these people weren't real and had likely been dead for aeons, it didn't quite negate the sting of the dragon’s cruelty. The most uncomfortable part was perhaps the casual nature of it all, as some of these events occurred in broad daylight or in the presence of other dragons. It was clear to Twilight that this was socially acceptable, at least in this part of the dragon empire anyway.

“Can you just suck this guy’s soul out already?” Spike whispered after passing a particularly nasty dragon who was whipping a slave to death only a dozen metres away.

“We have to at least make an attempt to free Luna and find the words,” Twilight replied, though her tone contained little enthusiasm.

“I guess,” Spike muttered.

“Let's just keep moving. I think I see a city center up ahead,” Twilight pointed out.

The mare was at least partially correct, as four villas sporting towers and other defensive structures had been built at a crossroads. Two of them had open courtyards, one of which had younger drakes sparring within while the other was likely a trading post of some kind. The outpost was quiet as one might assume, with its owner asleep, and a tall white unicorn standing behind a nearby counter and working in his master’s stead.

“Hold on a sec,” Twilight murmured, slowing to a stop.

The open air shop was a curious sight, though its esoteric goods and strange artifacts didn't hold Twilight’s attention for long. The sudden clang of an enormous sword stopped Twilight dead in her tracks and prompted her to turn around. There she saw two dragons, one blue, the other black, locked in an intense duel, their blades repeatedly clashing against one another.

These attacks were swift, deadly, yet they rarely followed all the way through, as if they were more worried about chipping their weapons than landing a decisive blow. Even still, Twilight could tell that the combatants were incredibly skilled and could likely cut down an entire battalion of royal guards without issue. Their massive size coupled with unrivaled strength made the dragons incredible foes, and that was without even considering their unique brand of magic.

The fight didn't last much longer, with the darker of the two suddenly throwing his sword straight at his foe. Obviously confused, the azure drake side-stepped at the last second, leaving him open for a flying tackle. In an instant the slightly smaller black dragon had his enemy pinned with a great muscled arm around his neck.

“Do you yield?” taunted the winning dragon.

“Damn you to Tartarus, you cheating bastard,” muttered the blue dragon.

“So is that a no?” retorted the other, squeezing a little harder.

The defeated creature sighed. “Yes, I yield. Though I would be remiss not to remind you that such tactics would earn you very few points in the professional circuit.”

“And I must remind you that I desire no such accolades,” replied the darker dragon. “Now then, perhaps we should get a…”

The drake trailed off as his gaze swung over to Twilight, immediately causing the undead mare’s non-existent heart to quicken. For a moment the world stood still, and Twilight considered abandoning the mission before things could take a turn for the worse. Then the dragon smiled, his empty eyes latching not onto Twilight, but something behind her.

“Brandy. To celebrate the occasion,” he finished.

“Are you sure you don't need medical attention? You trailed off for a second there,” remarked a snarky drake who had been watching from the sidelines.

“That was close,” Spike murmured, hastily trotting away from the scene with Twilight close at his heels.

“I am really starting to hate this place,” Twilight added.

“Agreed,” declared Spike.

Twilight barely heard this however, as she was busy glancing over her shoulder, watching as the group of dragons crossed the road. Laughing and chatting amongst one another, they looked every bit the friend group out for a bit of weekend revelry. Each one of their eyes were glassy, and their movements were as robotic as the slaves, yet a seed of worry remained in Twilight’s heart.

“Can we please just use the spell now?” whined Spike as he extended a hand out over the increasingly hilly landscape the pair found themselves in. “Everything is just as detailed as it was an hour ago, and this road goes on forever.”

Twilight sighed. “You’re right. The only bit of information we’ve managed to gather is that this assassin has an excellent memory.”

“I mean, can you even be in that line of work if you lack such a skill?” Spike pointed out. “Plus he's been dreaming for like a bajillion years at this point.”

“Let’s just hope using it doesn't backfire in our faces,” Twilight exclaimed.

“I mean, it's not like we can get anymore lost,” Spike exclaimed, waving his arms out at their surroundings.

“Just be ready to move,” Twilight declared.

The dragon stayed silent as Twilight conjured her magic. He used his time by studying the lands they now occupied. Not only was it bumpier here than where they had started, but most of the plants had changed as well. Gone were the massive, towering trees whose canopies extended above the very clouds.

Here things were more chaotic, with nature having been allowed to take its course, provided it was a good distance from the road. Which had remained perfectly maintained for their entire journey into the seemingly endless woods. They had seen no road signs, though Spike was beginning to think that the stones beneath his feet were informing him of his destination.

He couldn't understand the language, but it was becoming apparent that the rocks were spelling out a single word every few miles. This was likely the name of whatever town or city that would soon emerge from the formless mass of green that covered the horizon.

“Alright, here goes,” Twilight muttered.

Spike watched as his companion clutched her forehooves against her chest before suddenly thrusting them outwards. The small orb of crimson light she had kept hidden immediately shot down the road, vanishing in mere moments. The pair waited with bated breath as the red string it left behind shifted and twisted before becoming still.

“Can anyone else see this?” Spike asked, pointing to the lingering spell.

“No?” Twilight replied with a shrug. “I’m not entirely sure, to be honest. Dreams are different.”

Spike frowned. “Then let's pour on the speed.”

“Could you maybe carry me?” Twilight awkwardly inquired.

Spike rolled his eyes. “You know you can't tire in here, right? Your body doesn't physically exist, you know.”

“I know that logically, but I just can't seem to get past that,” Twilight stated in a slightly defeated tone.

“Alright, fine, hop on,” Spike exclaimed, crouching low next to the mare.

Who awkwardly climbed atop the dragon’s back, careful to keep from stepping on his delicate wings. Once astride the larger creature, Twilight shifted her weight so it was focused closer to his spine, hopefully making it easier on him. This seemed to work, as it took Spike only a few seconds to find a position which felt comfortable to him.

“Hold on tight,” Spike exclaimed before leaping forward.

His form was initially quite poor, and his movements a bit too jerky, yet despite that the dragon was easily able to become airborne. Evidently his belief had compensated for his lack of experience, and it wasn't long before they were soaring high above the ground.

Twilight, meanwhile, was busy doing her best not to freak out and was reminding herself that none of what she was experiencing was real. An effort made more difficult by the fact that Spike’s wings pumped constantly, the dragon rapidly speeding up.

“Are you sure we should go this fast?” Twilight shouted over the rush of wind.

“You're right. We’ll never get there in time!” Spike replied. “We should go faster!”

“Wait, that wasn't-” was all Twilight could mutter before she was nearly knocked from the dragon’s back by a powerful gust.

Clamping down around him with all four hooves, Twilight clung to the reptilian creature with all her might. Thankfully her panic was short-lived, as soon it all started to feel oddly natural to her. Soon Twilight was even glancing about her surroundings curiously, noting that they had begun to change.

The occasional hill and slight rise were now so constant that the road was the only flat surface even visible. The foliage grew thicker, the undergrowth sporting more woodland critters and buzzing insects, both of whom avoided the sole path through the wood. The reddish strand connecting them to the distant bit of Luna’s essence remained straight and true for several minutes before turning slightly to the right.

Spike stayed focused however, remaining above the road while he continued to fly. During this time they saw only a few other creatures, the majority of which were part of some manner of trade caravan. The tall, proud-looking bronze dragon at their head was draped in finery and stood at the fore of nearly a hundred ponies.

These poor enslaved creatures were bound together with chains and overlooked by a single short green dragon wearing armor. Carts containing foals and the elderly trailed behind the main bulk, pulled along by the strongest earth ponies. The sight was an uncomfortable one, but at least they all had the glassy-eyed looks that the other figments had.

Even still, a small part of Twilight couldn't help but be tempted to free them of their bondage. If for no other reason, then to see what would happen should the dream be altered. Thankfully the mare didn't have long to muse on the possibilities, as Spike soared over them, leaving the caravan far behind.

The only others who they saw travelling along the road were lone dragons who had, for whatever reason, chosen not to fly. Either way, they didn't even glance in the duo's direction, allowing Spike and Twilight to ignore their presence entirely.

In time the land changed even further, devolving into a deep swamp that grew increasingly chaotic. Pools of stagnant water gathered at the edges of nearby ditches, their contents murky and occasionally dotted with dead or dying vegetation. It was at this point that the red string began to curve more to the right until becoming an almost perfect forty-five degree angle.

“Now what?” asked Spike after slowing to a stop. “I don't see a path or anything.”

“Well, this is a dragon whose occupation is less than savory. It makes sense for his abode to be off the beaten path,” Twilight countered.

“True,” admitted Spike. “So we follow it then, right?”

Twilight hummed thoughtfully, but eventually nodded. “Yes, but go a lot slower. This may be a trap.”

Spike set off without uttering another word, weaving through the treetops with remarkable ease. Now without the ever-present road to guide them, the pair were forced to follow the string, or at least Twilight did. Spike mainly focused on ensuring they didn't crash, trusting the unicorn to point him in the correct direction.

“Hold on,” Twilight warned. “I think we’re coming up on something.”

Spike slowed, but didn't stop, his attention fixed on the mass of darkness looming not far ahead. His curiosity now piqued, Spike willed himself higher into the air, allowing him to see above the treetops. There he found himself only a few dozen metres from a giant wall of stone that stretched from one horizon to the other.

“Woah,” Spike muttered, screeching to a halt mid-air. “What is that?”

“It looks like a wall, only natural,” Twilight exclaimed in shock.

The almost completely blank expanse of stone which sat before them did indeed appear to have been produced through natural means. Though its sheer size and length made it feel as though it were the creation of a giant so massive that it could pluck islands from the ocean. Regardless of its origin, the wall of stone was several miles in length, and was so tall that some low-lying clouds impacted its side.

“Do you think it's based on a real place?” Spike asked.

“It almost sounds like this Cliffsdale place that Rainbow Dash mentioned, but before it was turned into a city,” Twilight replied. “Though I can't be certain, as I haven't actually visited it or seen any pictures.”

“Let’s just keep following the string,” Spike offered.

“Good thinking,” Twilight agreed, glancing down to the magical anchor.

The long filament bent downwards, drawing their attention to a hole near the base of the cliff. After landing in front of it, the pair could tell that this was definitely the place as the opening was wide enough for a dragon to pass through comfortably. It was also fairly nondescript, with the only real indication of its purpose being the image of a small dagger scratched into the spot above the entrance.

After giving one another a glance and a shrug, the two dream walkers continued inside after Twilight hopped off Spike’s back. For the first few minutes, the cave seemed natural, with rocky outgrowths making progress difficult. Then it split, with one passage going up and to the right at a steep angle while the other veered off to the left before dropping sharply.

A quick glance to the thread told them that the one to the right was the correct way to go. Making their way further inside, the pair found that their path was made increasingly difficult with the addition of more obstacles. Sharp turns, deep drops, and sudden inclines became the norm, along with multiple crossroads which split off in all directions.

It was a maze, and one that they would have easily become hopelessly lost in if they didn't have the red string to guide them. With it leading them, they were easily able to traverse the difficult terrain, eventually coming to a stop after a particularly long drop.

“Oof, that was a big one,” Spike murmured.

“Yeah, no kidding…” Twilight held up a hoof. “Wait. I think I see something.”

“What is it?” Spike whispered, crouching low to the ground.

“It looks like a trap,” Twilight remarked.

The unicorn peered intently at a thin silver string stretched across the tunnel, its ends invisible through some unknown means.

“Do you think it would actually hurt us?” asked Spike.

“I don't know. Let's see if it even works,” Twilight replied.

After taking a few hesitant steps back, Twilight threw a stone at the string, only to be surprised when it bounced right off. Not only did it fail to trigger, but the string also bent far further than what should be possible, as if the dream didn't know what to do with the change.

“I think that's part of the memory,” Twilight reasoned, stepping up to the string and stepping on it firmly.

Spike’s panic died the second Twilight removed her hoof and revealed that the string had simply snapped back into place.

“Next time warn me before you do that,” Spike hissed.

Twilight chuckled and shrugged awkwardly. “Sorry, Spike. I just had to know.”

“Yeah yeah. Just don't do it again,” Spike retorted.

“Right, of course,” Twilight agreed.

The pair continued on once more, this time keeping an eye out for any other trap which may impede their progress. Though they found plenty more of the offending contraptions, none seemed able to be triggered, and soon they began to ignore them. Or at least they tried to, as they soon became so common that they couldn't go more than a dozen feet before seeing another.

“Wow, this guy is paranoid,” Spike remarked.

“I mean, he is an assassin,” Twilight pointed out.

“Still,” Spike exclaimed, rapping a claw against something hollow. “A fake wall hiding a fake hallway filled with traps. That's next level paranoid.”

“I’m just glad that they can't actually be triggered. I don't even want to know what that passageway filled with creepy statues was supposed to do,” Twilight exclaimed with a shudder.

“Probably come to life and get ya. Classic dungeon stuff,” Spike replied.

“Remind me never to play D and D with you,” Twilight retorted.

“Hey not every single one of my statues come to life, just most of them,” Spike shot back.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Let's just keep going. I don't want to even imagine how awful this place would be if the traps were real.”

“True,” Spike remarked.

Walking deeper into the caves, the duo slowly became aware of the vastness of the network they now stood within. Criss-crossing caverns occasionally forced them to stop and inspect the red string of magic a little closer. Thankfully with the spell as their guide, it wasn't hard to distinguish where they should go after a few seconds of consideration.

This repeated several times as they made their way ever further into the earth until finally they stopped at an underground river. The tunnel it inhabited was narrow and likely would have made access difficult for a full-sized dragon. However, it was just spacious enough for a young drake and a now normal-sized unicorn to walk side by side without falling into the water on their left.

“I don't think it's much further,” Twilight whispered, glancing down the winding cave.

“Then let's hurry,” Spike encouraged.

The unicorn nodded and took off at a swift trot, barely even taking note of the complete lack of traps. With hooves pumping, Twilight ran with all the haste she could muster, Spike remaining close at her side the entire time. It wasn't long before they entered into a much larger area, one with a ceiling so high above them that it was difficult to even see.

What wasn't difficult to see was the strange home built from black stone in the center of the area. Though its numerous gargoyles, metal accents, and overall spooky appearance was eye-catching, Twilight looked elsewhere for the moment.

She didn't want to be blindsided by the dreamer of course, so she glanced to the left and right. When no immediate threat was discovered, Twilight went back to inspecting her surroundings, choosing to finish with the house.

The first thing that struck her was the carefully maintained stone floor they now stood on, and the way it was almost perfectly flat. Even the river’s path had been cut into a square trough which fed into a small pool near the draconic mansion’s north side. There it split into two smaller, more shallow ravines that proceed to trickle down to a short cliff and fall off the other side.

The small misty waterfalls were impossible to see from their current position, but Twilight could hear them at least. One thing Twilight could see was the much larger and much more natural river rushing across the other side of the cavern. This impressive body of water surged from left to right, appearing in a hole in the cavern wall before disappearing into a second one. Along its banks were several blackstone pillars that went all the way to the ceiling, ensuring that it didn't collapse and that the river didn't overflow its banks.

Or at least that's what Twilight assumed their purpose was anyway, as she couldn't quite be certain.

“Hey look, a door,” Spike pointed out, gesturing to their immediate right where a pair of metal doors were set within the wall.

Blank and featureless, they sported no handle and had no obvious way of getting past them without simply teleporting past. Twilight put that out of her mind however as she was busy looking at the final structure present within the cavern.

These two buildings were built against the wall to their left, their appearance much more normal, at least compared to the draconic mansion anyway. Made from wood and sporting several windows, Twilight could tell that they were some manner of storage space. Stacks of building supplies, including cut stone sat atop pallets, waiting for the master of the abode to have need of them.

“Don't worry about the doors. I’ll handle them,” Spike offered.

“Why would you both…” Twilight trailed off when she noticed that her spell was directing them past the strange metal doors to her right.

Spike didn't hear his companion’s muttering, and, immediately after reaching the entrance, rose up and spat into his palms. After rubbing them together, the drake then twisted his arms so the back of his hands pressed together. He then lurched forward and rammed his claws through the metal barricade as if it were little less than butter.

“Hrrrngh,” Spike grunted, his muscles bulging with effort.

The entrance shuddered briefly before beginning to bend and warp under the dragon’s incredible strength. After several more seconds of struggle, an opening just wide enough for the pair to pass through had been created. Spike then gave the doors one last pull before taking a step back and wiping the sweat from his brow.

“Alrighty. I think that's as good as it's going to get,” Spike declared.

“Let's hope so. Because I certainly wouldn't be able to help you,” Twilight exclaimed.

“Ladies first,” Spike offered, bowing low and extending a hand in invitation.

Twilight rolled her eyes and carefully clambered through, for once quite happy that she wasn't quite as tall. On the other side she came face to face with another stone door, this one far less intimidating, though it too bore no handle. To her left and right were several square indents within the wall, ones which presumably connected to yet another trap of some kind.

Spike joined her a second later, immediately walking up to the stone door and triggering several pressure plates in the process. Nothing happened however, and the four indents remained sealed as Spike walked up to the stone barrier blocking their path. With a mighty kick, the dragon knocked the barricade down in a single strike, sending hunks of rock flying all over the place.

“Easy peasy,” Spike declared with a smirk.

Twilight shook her head as she walked past her companion, entering into a narrow hallway that opened up into a much larger room. There was also a door on either side, though the string drew her straight forward, not to a side passage. So Twilight put the odd traps and secondary rooms out of her mind and made her way into what appeared to be a prison of some kind.

A dozen cages extended to her right while on the other side stood a wall of empty jail cells. Illuminated by torches and containing no amenities such as a bed or even a toilet, the cells appeared to be either under construction or made by someone particularly cruel. Either way, they weren’t of concern to the pair who turned to the left and walked towards the sole normal door in the room.

There they found that it was unlocked, and the wooden entrance swung open with minor prompting, allowing them to peer into a torture room which would make even the cruelest demon blush. For on the other side rows of knives and other blades the likes of which Twilight had never seen before covered the walls. Other implements of torture were visible, but Twilight didn't care about that, as something far more important lay in wait for them.

“Luna?” whispered Spike.

Twilight blinked and gazed down at the silver slab which sat at the center of the room, or to be more accurate, that which lay atop it. For there rested an alicorn with such dark fur that she was barely even visible at first glance. Her eyes were closed, and her limbs strapped to the table, securely binding her in place.

“I don't think so,” Twilight replied, catching Spike by the shoulder.

Spike’s brow furrowed, and he looked a little closer, noting that the helpless mare did indeed appear slightly different from the alicorn he knew. For one, she wasn't nearly as tall as the night princess, nor did her mane wave in some unseen breeze. The most obvious difference however was the fact that she had neither wings nor horn, and indeed never seemed to have had them in the first place.

There were no scars from their removal, only a flat forehead and smooth back, though what that meant Twilight wasn't certain.

“That can't be her, can it?” Spike asked.

Twilight looked down to the string connecting her to this strange version of Luna. “Seems like it.”

“Huh. So now we just gotta bust her out, right?” Spike inquired somewhat hesitantly. “I mean, it can't be that easy.”

“I have little doubt that freeing Luna will set off some manner of alarm, and no doubt prompt him to attack us,” Twilight replied, rubbing her chin. “Though perhaps we could use this to our advantage.’

“By knocking the stuffing out of him and using his confusion to enter his subconscious where we’ll find the words?” Spike exclaimed.

Twilight nodded. “Exactly.”

“I’ll get started on the metal thingies then,” Spike offered, already going to work.

With a firm tug, the dragon tore one of the restraints clean off, chucking the useless hunk of metal behind him. While Spike continued with the next one, Twilight walked a little closer and lightly prodded the slumbering mare in the side.

“Hey, wake up,” Twilight whispered.

“Hrngh,” groaned the Luna look-alike.

“You gotta wake up. We are breaking you out,” Twilight declared.

“And… there,” Spike exclaimed as he tossed the final cuff over his shoulder.

“Hurry. We can't stand around for long,” Twilight stated a little louder this time.

“Wha-what,” murmured Luna, her eyes flickering open and looking around the room before finally landing on Twilight. “What manner of deception is this?”

“No deception. We’re busting you out of this place,” Spike declared, waving a clawed hand at the no longer bound pony.

Luna’s eyes opened wide, and she looked at her two saviors with confusion. “You can't be serious. This has to be a trick, or one of his foul games.”

“No games. No tricks. We used dream magic to enter his mind in an effort to free your soul and steal the knowledge he has locked within his head,” Twilight exclaimed.

Luna gaped silently, glancing from Spike to Twilight and back again. “You aren't lying.”

“Nope!” Spike stated. “Feel free to save your thanks for after we return to the waking world.”

“You fools! If what you’ve said is true, then you’ve likely wandered directly into that fiend’s trap!” Luna exclaimed, leaping from the table, only to immediately stumble.

Twilight caught her before she could fall, wrapping a foreleg around the other pony’s shoulder.

“Relax. We know it's a trap,” Twilight whispered.

“It's always a trap,” Spike added.

“But we need you, and thus here we are,” Twilight declared.

“You don't understand. I’m just a fragment of the true Luna’s soul. I’m not actually her!” cried the pony, her hooves gripping Twilight’s cheeks and forcing their eyes to meet. “I’m not even real!”

“You sure sound real,” Spike pointed out.

The Luna fragment growled. “You don't understand. A spirit can't just float around out there; it will get eaten by the worldsoul. In order for you to even save me, you would need to tear free my essence from that twisted serpent before somehow grafting me onto yourself.”

“Is that it?” Twilight asked. “I thought it would be more complicated than that.”

The earth pony alicorn guffawed at such a statement. “That's it? Such a thing is impossible!”

“Nah. Dusk here is a master necromancer. Right, Dusk?” Spike remarked, jerking a thumb towards the unicorn.

Twilight didn't reply in the traditional sense, as she was already working her magic on the Luna fragment. Already Twilight’s hooves were beginning to glow, and a strange ethereal energy emerged from her chest and coiled around her forelimbs.

“Imposible,” scoffed Luna. “Necromancy can't be used in…”

The mare trailed off when Twilight suddenly thrust her hoof into the fragment’s chest, only to emerge once again a second later. Only this time she held a bloody metal spike which she hastily tossed aside.

“But you can't anchor me. Though reduced, I am still part of an alicorn. If you tried to contain my power, you would surely be destroyed,” the fragment declared.

“I’ve been doing that for months already,” Twilight replied.

“What do you--h!” shouted the fragment before being unceremoniously pushed into the unicorn’s shadow.

Rather than hit the ground, the partitioned section of Luna’s soul fell completely into the darkness cast by Twilight’s body. She emerged a second later, hooves scrambling for purchase at the edge of the light, desperately heaving herself back up. The short dip had a strange effect on the mare, as she was now a blank, featureless mass of black whose only distinguishing feature were her sharp teal eyes.

“Is that really your soul? It was… horrible,” the fragment muttered.

“What? Horrible? Why would you say that?” Twilight questioned.

“It was like the patchwork assortment of a hundred other living things, each one cruelly mashed together to create the facsimile of a true spirit. Like the mad stitchings of some crazed doctor,” Luna replied with a shudder.

“What do-”

“How about we have this conversation later, huh?” Spike interrupted, gesturing to the room they were still standing in. “You know, when we aren't in the mind of a crazed draconic murderer.”

“Curious,” whispered a strange masculine voice. “I believe I’ve been robbed.”

The Luna fragment gulped. “Oh, no no no. He knows we are here. You have to leave right now!”

“Not until we find what we’re looking for,” Twilight declared.

“You don't understand!” shouted the other mare. “If he catches us, he’ll be able to consume your spirit and finally awaken from his long slumber. We need to go before that happens!”

Twilight pushed the shadow pony aside and pointed a hoof at Spike. “Make us an opening. Spooky here will help you as best as she can,” she barked.

“Are you sure about this, Dusk?” Spike asked somewhat hesitantly.

“We need every advantage possible to save Ponyville and we still have both our ace in the hole and our escape route. Now let's go!” Twilight yelled.

Spike nodded and sprinted ahead, making his way back into the cavern with both of his companions close on his heels. The second all three of them had exited the side passage, every single shadow in the room suddenly streamed towards a central point. In moments the gathered darkness shifted, becoming a familiar black dragon complete with bright eyes and an unnaturally wide smile.

“Well well well,” he muttered. “Would you look at what we have here. If it isn't the play things I saw earlier and your new friend?”

The shadowed Luna hastily stepped behind Twilight, her entire body shaking as she barely resisted the urge to cower in terror.

“We are nobody’s play things!” Spike angrily declared.

“All the world is a dragon’s plaything. You should know this better than most. Or at least you would. If you were a true dragon, that is,” declared the assassin before snapping his claws with a loud clack.

In an instant Spike had been returned to his normal form, only now he wore the outfit of a maid.

“That is much more suitable attire for a slave such as yourself,” remarked the killer.

“Spike is no one's slave!” Twilight declared, eyes flashing dangerously.

The dragon scoffed. “His entire race is a slave to ponykind. Just as you ponies were made to serve us, they have been created to serve you.”

“Cut the long-winded nonsense and tell us what we want to know!” Spike shouted, claw jabbing at the other dragon’s chest before hastily tearing the maid outfit apart.

“Oh, but where is the fun in that?” replied their foe with a smirk. “You passed my trials so well it seems only fitting that I give you a headstart before I swallow your souls and return to the waking world once more.”

“Yeah, yeah, we get it,” Twilight interrupted. “You're a big evil monster who is going to do terrible things should he get what he wants. Now how about we skip the part where we knock some sense into you and you just give us the information we seek.”

“You're a confident one, aren't you? Luna here was confident once, and look how much that has changed,” declared the assassin.

Twilight turned to find that the shadow pony had shrunk down to barely a foot tall and was desperately hiding behind the unicorn.

“What are you doing? Now's your chance to get revenge!” Twilight hissed.

“It won't matter. He’ll just beat me again, and this time he’ll stop using me to syphon more of Luna’s power and just eat me,” murmured the other pony.

“Well, if you’re not going to beat the stuffing out of him, then I will!” Spike exclaimed.

The black dragon cackled mirthlessly. “Come then. Show me what passes for fury amongst your misbegotten kind!”

“With pleasure, you edgy loser!” Spike replied.

Author's Note

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The Assassin's Eye

The assassin stood in the middle of the cavern with a smile on his face, muscles relaxed and arms spread wide.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” he offered. “You’re not scared of violence, are you?”

“I’ll search for the info we need. You keep him busy,” Twilight whispered.

“I got it,” Spike declared with a smile. “I just need a slight outfit change.”

“Don't tell me you actually want the maid uniform?” teased the other dragon.

“I have something better in mind,” Spike exclaimed.

Spike then inhaled, filling his lungs with fire, though he did not direct the flames at his foe, but rather down on himself. Bathing himself in a brief inferno, Spike emerged wearing a green spandex onesie, which showed off his meak body immaculately.

“What… what is this?” muttered the elder dragon. “Are you joking right now?”

“Tell me what you would do if you were to win,” Spike dared, the diminutive drake puffing out his chest triumphantly.

“Well, first I’d eat your souls, then I’d break the spell keeping me from waking. After that I’d probably slip away, start a cult, and work towards freeing my brethren. Then we’d take over the world. Why?” retorted the elder.

“I won't let you!” Spike shouted, his muscles bulging and growing until he stood twice as tall as he had been a second earlier.

“Wha-” was all the other dragon could mutter before Spike punched him so hard that he flew through the wall of his supply barn.

Wood and stone tumbled down onto the dragon’s prone form, pinning him beneath the wreckage. He didn't stay imprisoned for long, as mere moments later he emerged with an enraged snarl, seemingly no worse for wear.

“Impudent fool! I will teach you the true meaning of-”

A fist to the face stopped the elder dragon’s insult dead in its tracks, while also sending him sprawling across the ground. Spike didn't wait this time and leapt into the air before bringing his fists down onto the other dragon’s chest. Unable to breathe temporarily and struggling with a mountain of a drake on his chest, the assassin seemed helpless.

Giving Spike the chance to deliver a series of rapid punches to his foe’s face and head. Unfortunately, though bigger than he had been a second ago, Spike was still not nearly as large as his enemy, granting the elder dragon just enough wiggle room to fling Spike from his chest before trying to scramble back into a stand.

Spike didn't let him get far, and grabbed his foe’s forearms before twisting his entire body in a circle, the elder dragon suddenly finding himself airborne. Once, twice, three times they spun around before Spike finally released the other male, sending him flying across the cavern. The assassin’s flight didn't last long, as he swiftly hit the wall above the river and fell into the rushing water with a loud splash, sitting upright.

“Spike, smash!” cried the young drake before he leapt across the room and rammed his shoulder into the elder’s chest.

The two began to scramble madly while being pulled away by the current, their struggle sending water everywhere. It was a chaotic scene to say the least, but Twilight could tell that Spike had the upper hand, at least for now.

“Woah,” Twilight muttered.

“He is a quite formidable dreamer,” the Luna fragment remarked. “Though in the end it will not matter. He will lose, and he will die. Unless, of course, you leave while you still can.”

“We are not leaving without getting what we came here for,” Twilight stated. “Besides, we got you and completed one of our goals already. Now we just need the information he’s keeping locked away in his head.”

The shadowed pony sighed and shook her head. “You will not find it, and the only reason he even let you have me was in order to draw you deeper into his mind.”

“I don't care what he was trying to do,” Twilight shot back. “We are not leaving until I find the words of power he's keeping locked up in this thick skull of his.”

“You are stubborn,” the fragment remarked. “Fine then. Go to his home, search his library, and see for yourself that your quest is a fruitless one.”

“I will, and since you aren't helping Spike, you had better help me,” Twilight demanded.

“You will have all the aid I can offer you. For all the good it will do you,” muttered the fragment.

Spike’s clawed hands gripped tight the other dragon’s throat, his arms bulging as he strangled the assassin while holding his head under water. The combination left the elder with few options, save to struggle and attempt to throw off his assailant. Which he tried unsuccessfully for nearly a full minute before he got lucky and managed to shove Spike just far enough that a stalactite hit him in the face.

The brief moment of confusion when Spike’s vision went black gave his enemy all the time he needed to throw Spike off. Rather than land back into the rushing underground river,Spike found himself sprawled out on a cold rock floor. Above him hung dozens of stalactites, while a nearly identical number of stalagmites rose up all around him.

The assassin emerged from the waters a moment later, a snarl on his lips and hate in his eyes.

“You may have surprised me, but I assure you that--Oof,” the elder’s monologue was interrupted by a stalagmite slamming into chest with enough force to knock the wind out of him. “Would you stop doing that? It's so annoying.”

Spike said nothing as he leapt across the room and delivered a powerful uppercut to the elder’s stomach. Now wheezing and unable to breathe once again, the dragon was completely open. Allowing Spike to grab him by the hands and throw him clear across this new cavern, shattering dozens of rocky protrusions in the process.

Stone rained down all around them, covering the dragon’s black scales with a layer of dust and grey debris. The elder didn't even get the chance to make a note of this most recent insult however, as Spike was already upon him. With a rather sharp stalactite in hand, the drake swung downwards, aiming for the assassin’s eye.

The elder dragon had hundreds of years of experience however, and he reached up at the last moment, catching Spike’s hand in his. Their muscles flexed, arms bulging as the pointed rock shook profusely, not being pushed back, but also not descending any further.

“I must commend you,” remarked the black dragon. “You have quite the imagination, and with the proper training, you could have made for an excellent dream warrior.”

“Let me guess, you are going to offer such training?” Spike sneared.

The black dragon laughed. “Oh no. I’m still going to kill you. I’m just going to enjoy beating you within an inch of oblivion, is all.”

Then with a sudden burst of strength, the assassin heaved to the side, leaving Spike to overcompensate and topple forward. Dragon skull met dragon skull, and Spike was left dazed by the powerful blow, barely even aware of being tossed aside like a rag doll. What he could feel were the other dragon’s fists as they repeatedly impacted his face and chest with the force of a runaway locomotive.

Each strike sent shockwaves of agony through Spike’s dream body, threatening to make him revert to his previous form. Unwilling to let that happen, Spike reached out, grabbed a hunk of stone, and then slammed it into his enemy’s torso. The spiked rock shattered against the dragon’s black scales, though thankfully it carried enough force to give the assassin pause.

“Eat this!” Spike shouted before unleashing a torrent of fire into his foe’s face.

A scaled hand slammed against Spike’s cheak, causing his flames to flicker and die.

“Did you really think that would work? I’m a true dragon, for crying out loud!” shouted the assassin.

“No. I thought this would work though,” Spike retorted.

Spike answered the unasked question by slamming his knee into his enemy’s groin. Evidently the elder had not seen this coming, as his eyes briefly crossed, and his focus wavered. Now presented with the chance he was looking for, Spike jabbed his claws into his enemy’s eyes before scrambling out from under him as his foe howled in pain.

Leaping into a stand, Spike attempted to drive his advantage home and stomp the other dragon’s head into the ground. The elder was not so far gone as to not see this coming, and he rolled away just in time to avoid Spike’s scaled foot. He then attempted to push himself off the ground and stand once more, only for Spike to boot him in the midsection.

Don't let up, Spike reminded himself.

Spike twisted his body and swept the other dragon’s arms out from under him, keeping the assassin from rising for a moment longer. As soon as he had returned to a stand, Spike balled his fists, gritted his teeth, and brought his arms down on the other dragon’s back. Stone cracked, stalagmites were turned to dust, and the whole cavern trembled from the sheer force of the blow.

Over and over Spike repeated this action, each thunderous strike driving his foe deeper into a growing crater. For a moment between the fourth and fifth strike, Spike wondered if he had actually managed to gain the upper hand. Hope flickered briefly in his chest before being quenched a moment later when a long black tail wrapped around his neck.

With a twist, the drake was sent tumbling through a dozen or more stalagmites, his advantage gone in an instant. Tumbling end over end, Spike knew he had to stop himself immediately if he was going to have a chance of getting back into this fight. His hand gripped a stalagmite, arresting his momentum and allowing him to shakily rise back up to his feet a moment later.

Raising his fists, Spike readied himself for another bout, only to find himself alone in the uneven cave. He gazed down at the slight slope he had rolled up a moment earlier and saw the empty space where his foe had been lying not long ago. There were no clues or anything to point to his current location however, only a swath of shattered grey stone.

“Ran away already, huh? Where'd that confidence go?” Spike shouted.

“Have you ever seen what happens after a cat catches a mouse?” asked the elder dragon’s voice which emanated from seemingly every direction at once.

“It toys with its prey sometimes, duh,” Spike retorted. “Though you seem a lot more like a cat trying to look like a tiger.”

Rather than be annoyed, the black dragon merely cackled madly.

“Your confidence is commendable, even if it is ultimately misplaced. Don't worry, though. Soon, you shall respect and fear the darkness as all living things should,” exclaimed the assassin in a dark, sadistic tone of voice.

Spike raised his clawed hands. “Bring it on.”

Twilight walked cautiously around the large stone structure, her gaze fixed on the river, ears trained for the sounds of fighting. Yet the crack of stone, the meaty thump of flesh meeting flesh, and the splash of water were all becoming more distant. A part of her urged Twilight to run after the dragon and render what aid she was capable of, though she resisted that feeling.

“The entrance is just up ahead,” whispered the Luna fragment from within Twilight’s shadow. “From there you will find the library on the second floor.”

“How do you know where everything is?” Twilight questioned.

“If you think I’m some sort of double agent, then I would tell you to calm yourself,” remarked the fragment. “I don't know how, but you’ve made me a part of you, and I could no more lie to you than I could harm you in any way.”

Twilight hummed to herself while analyzing their connection.

Ultimately finding that it was nearly identical to the relationship she had with the nightmare, Twilight chalked it up to a reflex. Here in the dream world she had no shadow to command, so her soul, or whatever part of her which had been dragged into the assassin’s mind, had sought to remedy that fact. Or at least, that's what Twilight assumed had happened, as she didn't exactly have the time to make sure of that fact.

“That doesn't answer my question,” Twilight retorted in a softer, less inquisitorial tone.

The fragment sighed as it drifted along Twilight’s right. “My tormenter has been alone for over a thousand years. Despite his fearsome will and several millennia spent killing for money, he still craves company on occasion.”

“I think I see where this is going,” Twilight remarked.

The unicorn stopped in front of the enormous stone doors and used her magic to pull them open. There she found herself in a surprisingly comfortable entryway, complete with a carpeted floor, gentle candlelight, and even a hat rack. Paintings lined the walls, a small bar sat next to one side, and beyond that stretched a long hallway with over a dozen doors.

“Between bouts of torture and using me as a link to Luna in order to drain her power, he occasionally spoke to me. Sometimes he would reminisce about the old times, or describe a particularly grueling kill he had managed to accomplish. As sad as this may sound, I came to relish those moments of quiet conversation. At least then the pain stopped,” explained the fragment while Twilight quietly walked towards a distant set of stairs.

The unicorn didn't respond at first, as her attention was still fixed on her surroundings and the odd sights she beheld. Paintings of presumed relatives stood next to glass cases containing cruel daggers long enough to be a greatsword provided a pony wielded them. Nearly everything was either black, gold, silver, or a deep yellow color, giving the impression of opulence without ever becoming gaudy.

It was also strangely beautiful, as if someone had spent dozens or even hundreds of hours ensuring that everything was perfect. Each color flowed into its complimenting ones, while also taking into account what object hung from the wall before it.

“Twilight?”

The unicorn blinked. “Right, sorry. I just thought this place would be rather morbid, and not at all like… this.”

“When you live as long as a true dragon, you tend to develop a great number of skills,” the fragment reasoned.

“I suppose.” Twilight cleared her throat and began to ascend the stairs. “Right, now where is… oh my.”

Twilight stopped after turning at the landing, her eyes opening wide as she beheld a library so grandiose that she was momentarily stunned. It wasn't even the strange decor which gave Twilight reason to pause, but rather the sheer number of tomes arrayed before her. Though sized for an adult dragon, the print was small, or at least Twilight assumed it was, as the titles were all relatively compact.

She resisted the urge to grab one at random and, after climbing the last few stairs, simply inspected her surroundings a little closer. The open air fire pit in the center of the room was the more interesting feature, though that was a close call. As numerous rare, historical artifacts also vied for her attention, such as a helm apparently worn by what had likely been an alicorn.

I don't have time for this, Twilight reminded herself.

“Spread out, seek out any mention of the words of power,” Twilight commanded.

“As you say,” muttered the fragment before it slinked away at a slow, resigned pace.

Twilight was not enthused by her companion’s attitude, though she did not have the time or patience to address it at the moment. Instead she focused on scanning the titles and searching for any manner of reference that could help her find what she was looking for. When none could be located, she walked over and plucked one of the books from a shelf, hoping to discern more about its contents.

“What the…” Twilight muttered in confusion.

The clearly legible page she had seen a second earlier vanished the moment she focused on it. Looking around the page, every sentence she laid eyes on was blurry, yet out of the corner of her vision, it looked crystal clear. Worse yet, every time she was certain she had pieced together a couple of words, the letters quickly rearranged themselves.

Closing the book, Twilight looked to the title she had seen on the tome’s spine, only to find that it too was blurry.

“I remember seeing a title about…” Twilight trailed off when she realized that she couldn't actually remember what she had just read.

Twilight gnashed her teeth angrily and grabbed another book, then a third, and finally a fourth. Each one of which contained the same barely legible gibberish, the words swimming like oil on water. Sprinting across the room, Twilight grabbed a dozen or more books and threw them on the ground.

Yet, no matter how many she arrayed, the letters refused to sit still, even after she gathered nearly fifty of the books. No section was undisturbed, no area was represented on the wall of wiggly text, yet they were still unreadable. Luna’s fragment helped initially, though it quickly stopped and merely watched sadly from the sidelines.

“This is impossible. His subconscious should be giving me the answers I seek,” Twilight muttered.

“Who said we are even in his subconscious?” offered the fragment. “Furthermore, he has spent centuries building his mind palace, yet you think you could breach it in a few minutes?”

“He's distracted. Spike should be able to do that much at least,” Twilight retorted.

“My tormentor has millennia of experience in killing and mastering his dreams,” stated the fragment quite matter-of-factly. “While you two have what? A few years?”

“A few days,” Twilight muttered.

The fragment blinked owlishly, only to sigh and shake her head a moment later. “To say you are in over your head is to assume you ever had a chance in the first place.”

Twilight scowled and jabbed a hoof at the shadowed pony. “I don't appreciate your tone. I’ll have you know that Spike and I are quite skilled in-”

A sudden crash followed by the appearance of a bruised and beaten Spike sliding across the floor stopped Twilight’s retort dead in its tracks. She then turned around and scanned the room, quickly finding the hole in the wall Spike had made a moment earlier. There she saw their black-scaled foe slipping soundlessly through the jagged and shattered section of stone. Unlike Spike who was covered in injuries, and whose muscled form was returning to its natural more lithe one, the assassin was no worse for wear.

He almost seemed empowered by his recent scuffle with Spike, and the elder dragon’s eyes sparkled with life. Unlike before where those large dark orbs barely even seemed to perceive his surroundings, the dragon was now visibly excited.

“We gotta go, Twi. There's no way we can take him,” Spike croaked, stumbling to a stand.

“No, we have to save Ponyville. We need those words,” Twilight whispered.

“It won't happen. You’ll just lose,” added the fragment.

“Listen to your comrades, young one. You will find no victory here. Only desperation, panic, and then, finally, despair,” exclaimed the elder dragon in a low, mocking tone.

“We--fine. You two are right. We need to leave,” Twilight muttered, her broken horn beginning to glow faintly as a tiny window in reality started to open. “Luna’s fragment will have to do.”

“No. I am not done with you yet,” spat the dragon who stomped a clawed hand against the ground.

In an instant Twilight’s spell vanished, and she felt the magic slip from her grasp. Not only did her plan completely fall apart, but she and the rest of her companions could feel a sudden claustrophobia overcome them. In an instant their own distant bodies became so far removed that they were completely cut off from their physical shells.

“I told you this would occur,” muttered the fragment.

“W-what happened?” Twilight exclaimed in shock.

“I told you there was no escape,” replied the elder dragon in a flat tone. “You are fuel for my awakening, and I will not allow you to slip between my fingers.”

“What do we do, Twilight?” Spike asked.

“I don't know,” Twilight admitted.

“What you have to do is simple. Just lie down and die!” shouted the dragon a second before he leaped forward and snapped his jaws over where Twilight had stood a second earlier.

Pulled out of the way by Spike, the unicorn barely had a moment to think about what was happening before she had to dodge again. This time she had to avoid a shard of concentrated darkness which had burst from the ground and nearly impaled her. The Luna fragment blocked a shadowed claw that reached from the darkened remains of a shattered bookshelf and attempted to swipe at Twilight’s midsection.

Twilight herself felt a lot like a rag doll being dragged along as the fragment and Spike kept her out of danger. Danger which she barely even saw coming, as the assassin was so fast and his powers so numerous that it was almost impossible to tell what was going to happen. One moment the gravity reversed, the next the shadows had grown claws, arms, and tentacles while only a second later Twilight was being carried through a hole in the wall to safety.

Behind them, close at the small group's heels, was the elder dragon who swiftly leapt from the second story of his dream home. Unfolding his great black wings, the assassin seemed to blot out every last bit of illumination, all save for his eyes and the maleficence contained within. Within those twin pools of simmering hatred, Twilight saw no empathy, no respite, and no escape from an end that was all but predestined.

Then Spike hit him in the face with a magical hammer and stopped him before he could bite Twilight in half. The young drake pressed forward, swinging the frost-covered mallet down on the assassin’s nose before unleashing a blast of ice at their attacker. The elder dragon’s form was swiftly covered with deep blue crystals, though when Spike went to smash his frozen foe, the dragon was nowhere to be found.

“Get down!” shouted the Luna fragment.

Acting on instinct, Twilight threw herself forward a second before a pitch black maw clacked closed above her head. Twilight’s shadow then punched the assassin in the chin and tried to stab him in the eye with a lance-shaped hoof. It never managed to land the strike, as the elder dragon unleashed a torrent of acid from its open maw.

Forced to retreat, the fragment carried Twilight away just as Spike leapt back into the fray. With his hammer raised, the young drake tried to slam his weapon into their foe’s face, but was knocked back at the last second. Sent flying by a hardened mass of shadow, Spike tumbled through the air, only to be caught by Luna’s fragment who had turned herself into a shadowy net.

“You need to get us out of here!” Spike shouted.

“I can't. We’re locked in!” Twilight yelled back.

“Not out of his mind, but out of this cave!” Spike retorted.

“What? Afraid of the dark?” mocked the elder dragon.

Spike swatted aside a tentacle which attempted to wrap around his arm, but was unable to dodge out of the way when a sword swung at his torso. Legs now sunk halfway into the suddenly liquid stone, Spike could do nothing but raise his weapon and hope it was enough. Thankfully Twilight had enough time to conjure a portal under them both, allowing them to fall through into a familiar wooded area.

With solid ground beneath his feet, Spike quickly looked around, raising his frosty hammer above his head. Upon seeing that they were now alone, the young drake released a sigh and nearly collapsed to the ground.

“We need to get out of here. I don't think I can keep this up for much longer,” Spike muttered.

“I’m amazed you’ve done this much,” remarked the fragment.

“Look, we just need to try and get a word out to the nightmare, and it can create an opening. Though I still think we should take the chance to try and slip into his subconscious,” Twilight replied.

“What? After all that, you don't want to cut and run?” Spike shouted, throwing his arms in the air. “How could you even think that?”

“Yeah, that seems kind of dumb,” offered the Luna fragment.

“We need those words,” Twilight stressed. “Plus if we manage to get deeper into his mind, he won't be able to find us right away, thus he won't be able to trap us. Furthermore, Luna should be able to use her powers to get us out.”

“I’m not Luna, and… I doubt I could do that,” murmured the fragment.

“But you could try,” Twilight stressed.

“I mean, I could. Though I’m not sure if I would survive the attempt,” murmured the shrinking shadow pony.

“I still think-” Spike began, only to be interrupted when the sun suddenly vanished.

Without any illumination left, everything went black in an instant, shrouding the world in deep shadow and all-encompassing darkness. A deep, cackling laughter came down from on high, and the group looked up to find that the assassin’s eyes peered at them from the heavens. Above them, higher than even the clouds, sat the dragon, his enormous form dwarfing the moon he was using as a chair.

“Do you really think you can escape me? Do you think you ever even had that option?” he whispered, leaning down towards the Earth. “Your hope was an illusion, your free will, a figment of your own imagination. I wanted to be entertained, and now I have been.”

“We’re doomed,” murmured the Luna fragment, who sunk into the dark mass between Twilight’s legs and vanished.

“Yes, yes! Realize the depth of your folly and despair!” shouted the elder dragon who cackled madly from atop his throne.

“We need to-” was all Spike could utter before a dozen shadowy versions of himself emerged from all around him.

A moment later, Twilight found herself standing in a field of her own copies, each one of which sported the same eyes as their draconic foe. They were also taller than her, as were the Spike’s copies which stood a good head higher than the drake. They also sported either sharp, fully intact horns, or claws as long as daggers, and large, needle-like teeth.

“I don't think you quite understand how futile your struggle is. Allow me to educate you on this subject,” boomed the distant voice of their foe.

“Come down and fight us yourself, you--Yipe!” Spike yelped in surprise, jumping over a clone of his which had tried to tackle him to the ground.

Three more of the pitch black drakes attacked a second later, forcing Spike to think quickly lest he be eviscerated. Thankfully Spike was fast on his feet, and even quicker with his imagination, throwing his hammer into his first foe’s face. Spike then willed it to reappear in his hand before slamming the weapon into his second enemy’s chest and then spinning on his heel.

He came to a stop just in time to bat aside a swipe of the shadowed dragon’s claw before clubbing it across the cheek with a dual-handed smash. Each one of his attackers were either knocked to the ground or sent flying, their physical forms dissipating a moment later. Spike didn't have long to appreciate his victory however, as a half dozen more of the shadowed clones moved to attack him.

Knowing there were too many of them, Spike conjured a crossbow and fired a bolt into the oncoming crowd. With such close quarters, there was no chance the shadow could dodge, nor did it even try, simply dissipating the second it was hit. Its neighbors kept coming however, even as Spike continued to conjure a new crossbow immediately after ditching the first one.

The drake managed to get three shots off this way before his enemies had closed in, but that still left him with just enough time to react. Pulling a sword and shield from the very air itself, Spike lurched forward and bisected a shadow from left shoulder to just above its right hip. He then pivoted and attempted to ram the butt of his shield into his next foe’s chest, only to find that it wasn't there.

The creature slammed into Spike’s side a moment later, having moved into the drake’s blind spot as the dragon turned around. Though not enough to bring him down, Spike was still knocked off balance, left open to another swipe from his other foe. Spike wasn't going to give up though, and with a heave, he threw off his attacker and swiftly cut it down before doing the same to its ally.

Now breathing heavily, Spike looked around to find that the horde was already closing in on him. With a grunt, he summoned a suit of sparkling silver armor and readied himself for another round of attacks.

“Bring it on,” he muttered through gritted teeth.

Twilight was not doing nearly so well, as the unicorn had only been capable of moving with any degree of dexterity for mere months. She barely knew how to throw a punch, had only just become experienced enough to dodge, and barely knew what to do with her lanky frame. Her only saving grace was the fact that she had magic, and that the Luna fragment was assisting her.

She was still surrounded on all sides by a seemingly infinite horde of herself, each one of which had a glowing horn atop their head. Having only a second or two to react, Twilight conjured a soul barrier around herself before reaching into the closest shadow and trying to tear out its life force. She found nothing but emptiness and immediately chided herself for her poor choice of offensive spell.

Sure enough, a moment later she was pummeled from all sides by numerous types of magic from as many sources. Simple mana bolts flew over beams of white hot energy, and cones of acid which sputtered loudly when they hit her barrier. Despite the impressive onslaught, Twilight had faith in her barrier, and that faith was rewarded by an impenetrable wall that shrugged off all attacks.

Her foes were not limited to just magic however, and while some continued to launch a stream of the stuff, others sprinted forward with horns lowered. With her attention split between keeping up her barrier and fending off the newest wave of attackers, there was little Twilight could do. So it was up to Luna’s fragment for the most part, with the shadowed pony appearing beneath one of Twilight’s clones and knocking it high into the air.

The fragment then grabbed her airborne foe before it landed and used it like a club to bludgeon the next. She then threw the now inert shadow at another, only for the apparition to vanish a second before it would have hit its ally. Thankfully Twilight had the presence of mind to consider this possibility, and cast a split beam of negative energy which popped the shadows like soap bubbles.

Her relief was short-lived, as she barely had enough time to even look around before the next wave was already upon her. With Luna’s fragment already in motion, Twilight was fairly certain she could defend herself.

The only question was, for how long?

Spike slashed one foe, kicked the next, then stomped on a third’s foot and headbutted it a second later. He barely gave each enough attention to ensure they were down for good, as the crush of shadow clones was constant. Though the drake had managed to stop himself from getting squished by the ever-growing horde, it had been close.

Even imagining himself as the sterling knight from the stories he read as a kid only gave him enough of a buff to just barely stay ahead. Another stab, swipe, block, thrust, parry, and counterstrike kept him from getting boxed in, but it was getting closer with each second. The copies were coming faster and in greater numbers, abandoning the wave tactic and becoming instead a constant stream from all sides.

Arms wrapped around his waist and attempted to drag him to the ground, followed closely by a slash across his side. The shriek of metal was loud, though thankfully the drake didn't feel the bite of his foes' nails, so he focused on the first enemy. Though before he could do so, another clone attempted to tackle him from the front, only to meet the young dragon’s shield.

Spike then knelt down and willed his armor to grow spikes which shot out in all directions, spearing dozens of the clones. With their jobs done, the impromptu spears fell off, revealing that Spike now wielded an enormous hammer which he swung in long arcs. Two, three, sometimes four of the clones went flying with each sweep, yet Spike’s success lasted mere moments.

Four of his evil copies had lined up behind their allies and caught the weapon the second it blew apart the first wave of shadows. It was then wrenched from Spike’s hands, leaving him defenceless just long enough to be struck twice and then spear tackled. With the wind knocked out of him, and over a dozen clones scratching at his armor, Spike knew there was little he could do.

Fear gripped his heart, and for the first time since first awakening beneath the library, he felt true, palpable terror. The kind so potent that tears sprung to his eyes, and he couldn't help but flail his entire body in utter desperation.

Twilight had not been doing much better than Spike, for each attack she blocked drained her of another bit of energy. As the attacks continued unabated, Twilight could feel her internal mana pool growing smaller by the second. She tried to will this part of her to return to the way it was, but she was not the dreamwalker that Spike was.

So she could sense the end coming far before it arrived, though she fought on anyway, hoping against hope she would find an opening. While she searched for such an option, she continued to block incoming spells and the ever-present horde looking to attack her directly. Which thankfully wasn't super difficult with the fragment’s help, as together they were able to defeat most of them.

That didn't mean she came out unscathed, however, for as time passed, more and more foes managed to get in a hit or two. Some teleported in close and got a punch or kick in before being dealt with by a conjured shadow or a spell. Others were even less concerned with their own life and released a fireball immediately after breaching Twilight’s barrier.

Those burns were superficial at best, as Twilight could usually summon a shroud of unnatural frost before that happened. Even then, she was rapidly gaining more and more injuries, her body quickly racking up wounds. Twilight hoped to remedy this issue by using vampiric touch on those who got in close, but as she suspected, that didn't work.

The final strike came when a trio of shadow clones, who used a dozen of their allies as cover, entered the barrier. Immediately upon passing through, they unleashed a storm of electricity which struck their fellow copies as well as Twilight herself. Luna’s fragment attempted to block one of the bolts, but found that it passed straight through her and hit Twilight anyway.

The burst of pain and discomfort combined with all of her muscles spasming at once left Twilight completely open. She could do nothing but lay there and scream silently as she saw the great black dragon slink from his cratered throne and step gracefully upon the Earth.

“And just like that you fall,” he began, smiling broadly. “Do you feel that deep down in your hearts? That is true fear. Fear which only comes when you know that not only are you defeated, but a fate worse than death awaits--Grah!”

The dragon screamed in agony and fell to the ground, rapidly reverting to his normal size as every single clone vanished in a puff of smoke. Though there was no obvious reason for the sudden change, it wasn't hard to figure out what had caused his pain. For the way the black dragon spasmed, it was obvious that he was being electrocuted by some unseen force.

“Come on, Spike, follow me!” Twilight shouted, the unicorn having already cut a hole in reality after failing once.

“Right behind you!” Spike yelled back.

Now stripped of his armor once more, the drake eagerly followed Twilight, leaping into the portal a second after she did. The jagged hole closed immediately behind the unicorn, eliminating the only source of color for miles in any direction. A bit of info which made Spike realize that he was not, in fact, back in his own mind once more and hadn't even left the elder dragon’s consciousness.

“What did you do? We need to get out of here, not go deeper!” Spike shouted.

“It still wasn't enough,” Twilight muttered. “I tried to get out, but I could only go further in.”

“It won't matter. Either we die immediately, or die five minutes from now,” muttered the fragment glumly, her head poking up from the small shadow Twilight cast. “He’ll find us soon enough.”

“You are not helping,” Twilight hissed.

“You said you’d be able to get us out of here though, right?” Spike asked, glancing down at the fragment.

“I mean, maybe. But it would probably cost me my life to do so,” murmured the Luna copy.

“Let's just keep looking,” Twilight offered. “Maybe after we find the words, we can brute force our way out of here. One of them might even be dream or something like that.”

“Okay, fine, but as much as it pains me to say this, if we don't find anything in the next ten minutes, we have to leave this place. One way or the other,” Spike stated.

“That's okay,” murmured the fragment. “At least I’ll die knowing I stuck it to that monster.”

“That won't be necessary. We’ll find another way,” Twilight asserted somewhat emptily. “We always do, right?”

“I’m going to be frank with you, Dusk, your optimism is usually endearing, but now it's just annoying,” Spike deadpanned. “Now come on. Let's get moving.”

Twilight sighed and did just that, trotting slowly along Spike’s side as they walked in a seemingly random direction. The blank, white expanse around them remained devoid of any features for over a minute before they could suddenly make out what looked like distant towers. Most of these slightly off-white buildings rose high into the sky, while others seemed to go on forever.

None had any obvious method of entry, though that changed after they hit the five minute mark. For by then the structures were more numerous and less chaotic, falling into a pattern one might find in a large urban city. Wide boulevards were flanked with towering pillars of white so tall that their top floors seemed to bend towards one another.

Just as they were nearing the ten minute mark, they found an anomaly.

Amongst the numerous other shapes, there stood a single door which opened onto the street they all stood on. Though the building bore no sign, nor was there any indication as to its purpose, it was still their only lead. So without a word passing between them, the group made their way toward it, with the assumption being that they would leave if nothing was found.

After pushing through the oddly weightless barrier, they stood in awe at what appeared to be a massive library. Though as devoid of color as everywhere else, they could just barely make out the hundreds of rows of off-white books. These tomes adorned shelves that climbed up the walls of the structure and continued that way until they were no longer even visible.

“This must be it,” Twilight reasoned.

“Seems kinda empty to me,” Spike remarked.

“I don't know. This doesn't feel right,” added the fragment.

“You would have said that regardless of what we found,” Twilight retorted.

“I mean, he's still going to find and kill us, after all,” murmured Luna’s weakened copy.

“Come on. Let's get searching. I’ll start with this infinitely large stack, while you handle that side,” Spike offered, gesturing first left of the door, then to the right.

“Right,” Twilight answered. “Help me grab a bunch of those higher ones, and we’ll work our way back down.”

The fragment meekly did as she was told, extending herself up the wall, and pulling several tomes down to ground level. Where Twilight opened them and immediately grinned from ear to ear at what she beheld. Real, readable information, which, although detailing the process of making a meal out of a pony, was still something.

“This is it!” Twilight remarked. “Keep searching for anything that mentions the words or talks about abilities which are not wholly natural.”

“Glad you’re having more luck than me. These seem to all recount various kills he's done,” Spike replied, sticking out his tongue in disgust. “In gruesome detail, mind you.”

“Then go to another book. We’re finally on the trail of something important,” Twilight retorted.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m on it,” Spike muttered as he tossed the book over his shoulder.

That single discarded tome quickly grew into a mound, which swiftly became a small mountain. Spike contributed relatively little, though Twilight and the fragment swiftly scoured hundreds of volumes in little time. Despite their quick pace, the library still felt infinite, and just when they were about to give up, Twilight located something.

“Words of power, volume one,” she read aloud.

“Oh, thank the stars,” muttered Luna’s fragment. “I don't know if I could have flipped through another book describing all the ponies he's killed over the millennia.”

“At least you didn't have to read about his bowel movements,” Spike muttered.

“Shh,” Twilight hushed.

Flipping open the first page, Twilight began to read aloud.

“I have ventured deep into the jungles of the plague wilds in search of secret knowledge left buried by a paranoid old baron. Beneath this cloying mass of vegetation and endless hordes of twisted abominations, there lies a word of power. More than that, it contains gold, jewels, and valuables of all kinds. Or at least that's what I’m going to say it does.” Twilight stopped for a moment before continuing, “For you see it actually contains nothing, and the entire reason I am writing this is purely to give the unicorn and her slave a tiny shred of hope…” Twilight trailed off, staring at Spike with wide eyes.

“Hope which I will extinguish when I make my presence known,” announced the assassin from seemingly everywhere at once.

The group immediately pulled together, putting their backs to one another as they stared at the walls of the structure.

“Do you think he's just messing with us again?” Spike whispered.

“I don't know,” admitted Twilight.

“Oh, I am, though my patience has finally run out,” stated the elder dragon.

Twilight followed the voice up and to her right, where the dragon’s enormous eyes peered intently through the library’s wall. His body was huge, eclipsing even the enormous building by several orders of magnitude. Not only that, but the elder dragon also seemed to hold the entire structure aloft in his grip, as if it were little more than some meaningless toy.

Which he lifted up into the air, causing the floor to shift and the group to slide into the mound of now blank tomes. There they quickly regained their footing and stared up just as the assassin inhaled a lungful of potent acid. Which he exhaled in a stream across the top of the library, melting away all but a few feet of the walls and the bookshelves attached to them.

“You have to get us out of here!” Spike shouted, turning to the fragment.

“F-fine,” it stuttered.

“No. It still won't be enough. He's too powerful and too focused,” Twilight retorted.

“Then what do we do, just sit here and wait to get melted?” Spike exclaimed.

“No. I’ll attack his soul directly while you keep him distracted and Luna opens the portal out,” Twilight replied.

“It's cute that you think that will work,” boomed the black dragon. “I have seen your patchwork spirit, and I do not fear what you are capable of, little slave. In fact, I invite you to try. The look in someone’s eye when all their hope dies is a pleasure I have not been able to indulge in millennia.”

Twilight snorted and stomped a hoof. “Let's prove him wrong, guys.”

Spike summoned every bit of strength he had left, becoming a towering figure adorned in bright silver armor. In his right hand he wielded a hammer covered with sparkling frost while in his left he hefted a shield larger than Twilight was tall. Looming over his companions, Spike was still dwarfed by the black dragon hovering over them all.

The Luna fragment was less concerned about looking intimidating and focused instead on being as small as possible. Having risen only partially from Twilight’s shadow, the sentient shred of Luna’s soul weaved her hooves together while chanting and casting a spell. Twilight didn't know what was being spoken, but the effect was clear, as a sparking, blackened circle had sprung into existence and hovered in the air.

As she assumed, the black dragon’s will was too strong, and try as the fragment might, a portal could not be created. Instead it continued to spark and send white hot embers flying to the sides, their heat dissipating immediately upon hitting the ground. Luna’s tortured essence did not waver, nor did she press her luck, merely holding the circle at its current level and waiting.

All while Twilight stood with eyes closed, her mind running through all the knowledge she had gained over the soul. She recalled her experiences traversing the expanse below existence and glimpsing the terrible, yet familiar creature which lay beneath all. She thought of all her near death experiences and felt empowered, but nothing gave her more strength than thinking of her friends.

This strength only grew and became pride when she looked upon the side of Spike’s brave face. More than anything, Twilight wanted to protect the young dragon and fulfill her past self’s desire to give him the life he deserved. With all those things in mind, as well as the soul drain spell matrix, Twilight reached down deep inside of herself and pulled.

In that moment, she did not just speak the word for soul, but rather it became her. Every last fibre of her being vibrated with its meaning and sang with its purpose. Twilight both past and present looked through their eyes and with two wills made one, struck at the foe who would end their legacy.

The fragment’s spell nearly faltered, her faint teal eyes opening wide as she beheld her master in a new and terrible light. Purplish blue light bright enough to nearly blind the shadowed pony emanated from within the necromancer. So great was this energy that Twilight’s flesh vanished, leaving only her bones and the blazing inferno that was her soul.

In an instant the shadows were wrested from their former owner’s control and now swirled beneath Twilight’s glowing form like a horde of ecstatic worshippers. Frost sparkled across the ground, and the very air was sapped of its warmth, drained of the flickering life that heat promised. With a pulse, a wave of cold circled out from around the unicorn, creating a rune soon glowing with the same energy as its creator.

This conduit tore at the fragment’s gaze, pulling at her meagre soul and whispering promises of oblivion into her mind. Just looking away from the word was a task the wayward spirit could only barely manage in time before its very existence was undone. Spike could feel this unnatural presence, as well as the yawning abyss opening behind him, yet the young drake did not falter.

With hope held tight in his breast, the dragon stood tall, then raised his shield and readied his weapon. For his foe’s expression had morphed from one of amusement, to confusion, before finally settling on abject terror.

“No. That's impossible. Just what the hell are you?” he muttered, his voice only a tenth the size of his body.

“Death,” replied Twilight and the tiny shred of her former self in perfect unison.

Her word was undeniable, her strength absolute, and with its utterance, the dragonic assassin’s scales began to lose their color. Whisps numerous in their presence and terrible in their nature, emerged from the black dragon’s form. For a moment the elder’s will stayed their progress towards the entity calling them, but that did not last long.

Surging across the empty white space, the grasping tendrils sunk into the rune beneath Twilight’s hooves. There they delighted in their destruction, falling into the endless void that would become their new home. Still connected, the great dragon quailed at what he sensed beyond the veil of his mind, and in that instant he was taught true fear.

Such knowledge did not burden him so greatly as to make him give into panic however, and a plan soon formed within him. Dropping the now strangely floating library, the dragon recoiled, his hands weaving into a complex series of symbols. Words spoken with desperation only known by the damned were uttered by the former tormentor in rapid succession.

Words, which once spoken shattered mind and spirit alike, causing an enormous crack to run down the sky. Despite the ten thousand needles now jammed into his very soul, the black dragon continued, a mad grin spreading across his face. This time when his spell was completed, there were no speeches, nor tirades of mockery and hatred.

Only the cold understanding that this was it.

The dice had been cast, and unless he was able to kill those who had intruded on his mind, the elder would bring his very being to ruin and end them all. None were shaken by this, as all could feel his desperation as clearly as they could sense the dragon’s burning hatred.

A hand fifty times Spike’s size swung down at him with strength great enough to level mountains. Still, dread dare not grip his soul, and with a calm, careful motion, the young drake raised his shield high into the air. With a dull boom so loud that it would have shattered the eardrums of all who heard it, the strike was blocked.

Held back by a great ethereal barrier conjured by his stalwart foe, the elder dragon blinked in confusion. Giving his diminutive enemy the chance to strike back and slam his hammer into the assassin’s palm with enough strength to send his hand flying. The elder dragon was not done quite yet, and he reared back, filling his lungs with acid so potent that it burned his own dream-conjured body.

Again, Spike raised his shield, and though his armor had lost some of its luster, and there was a lethargic nature to his movements, he showed no fear. Unlike his foe, who had so little experience with the emotion, that he could not help but reveal the depth of his terror. This unfamiliarity with panic and weakness inadvertently gave Spike exactly what he needed, hope.

So when the black dragon’s head lowered, and a tsunami of acid surged towards them like a thousand angry hurricanes, Spike did not budge. Instead, he held his shield high before him and extended one leg back, bracing himself for what he knew was coming. Again the great purple-green barrier sparked into existence and again it turned aside the monstrous weight of his foe’s attack.

Like a single staunch schooner lost amidst an ocean so great and terrible that it eclipsed the night sky in its breadth, the library held. Spike’s body shook, and though his arm began to tremble, the drake’s jaw held firm, his will as unbreakable as the very bones of the earth. Sheltered beneath a barrier that turned aside a torrent so great that it would have flooded the world, stood the fragment.

Who for the first time in her entire existence, understood the nature of bravery so intimately that the word was burned into her own insignificant soul. Deep green acid cascaded in a single never-ending wave across the drake’s shield, its emerald depths containing a thousand clawing hands. Each of which reached out with vindictive cruelty and sought out those few who would dare to hope when they should know only terror and death.

Twilight saw all this and did not bat an eye, her faith in Spike absolute, and her focus on the spell unchanging. Even as her soul began to swell past the point of what should be possible, Twilight still continued her assault unabated. Power flowed through her, and though she felt as though she were capable of nearly anything, she could do nothing.

She needed to stay the course, to hold on, and to keep trusting Spike to keep them safe while Luna’s fragment opened a way out. A possible future that was quickly becoming real, as the shadowed pony’s portal had started to flicker, revealing a tiny island floating on an ocean of pitch which Twilight recognized as the shared dreamscape of hers and Spike.

All she needed was a bit more time, yet it seemed as though time itself was working against them. For when the curtain of acid fell, it brought forth not relief, but a renewed sense of urgency. With their view of the dragon’s mindscape now unblocked by the torrent, the trio could see how dire things had become.

The white expanse was gone, replaced by a greyish black emptiness so riddled with cracks that its very existence teetered on a knife’s edge. The black dragon himself did not fare much better, as his color had almost completely faded away, with only his eyes containing a spark of light. Which gazed down upon the trio with all the hatred a dying person could direct at their would-be killer.

That look told Twilight that the dragon welcomed the end happily, knowing that he would not go into the cold dark alone. Then, a flicker, and the portal opened completely, solidifying just as the final crack crawled its way down the inside of the elder dragon’s mind. In a flash, Twilight stopped her spell and began to stumble towards the exit Luna’s fragment was holding open.

She only made it a few feet before a whooshing sound grabbed her attention and made her look skyward. To where an enormous hand was descending upon them with the fury of an angry god. Spike responded immediately, raising his shield and selflessly protecting everyone from imminent doom.

The scaled hand of doom did not recoil however, and instead wrapped about the library, squeezing down on the final bastion of existence within the assassin’s crumbling dreamscape. Unable to strike back, Spike stumbled and went down to one knee, though he continued to hold his shield implacably over his head. Twilight glanced to the nearby portal and the fragment’s pleading expression before turning back to Spike.

“Hurry! I’ll cast a barrier!” Twilight shouted.

“There is no time,” Spike muttered through gritted teeth, his armor falling off of him in large chunks. “Forgive me… mother.”

Twilight didn't get the chance to ask what there was to forgive, for a hammer was already spinning towards her. The head of which slammed into her chest, and drove both her and the fragment through the portal. Landing with a thud on the island, Twilight immediately leapt back up and sprinted towards the dream window.

A spell formed, and she reached back through in order to pull Spike to safety, only for the passage to vanish. Leaving behind only the sound of shattered glass and one final vengeful laugh of victory that rang hollowly in the unicorn’s ears. There was no hesitation in Twilight, and she spun towards the fragment and grabbed her by the throat.

“Open it!” She bellowed.

“I-I can't. Theres n-nothing to open to,” she muttered back.

With a scream on her non-existent lips, Twilight willed herself to get back to the waking world, and immediately after returning to her body, stood up. Twilight then sprinted over to Spike’s prone form and hefted it from the ground, his head cradled in her forehooves. A quick spell confirmed that there was no pulse and no spark of life contained within the young drake’s still breast. There was only the unpleasant aroma of a creature whose death was absolute and who could not be saved from the void.

“No, no, no, no!” Twilight shouted. “I refuse to fail you again. You will not have him, do you hear me, death? You will not take my son from me!”

With a cry of wordless rage, Twilight began to cast the resurrection spell, her hooves glowing with an unearthly greenish blue light. Power the likes of which Twilight had rarely ever grasped suddenly poured through her veins and filled the dragon’s limp body. Yet even as Twilight used far more than the necessary magic, Spike’s soul had yet to hear her call.

Frost began to creep across the ground in strange, twisting patterns, and the air grew as still as Spike’s lifeless heart. These patterns continued to grow in complexity and size as power kept flowing into Spike at a steady rate. Yet as the seconds ticked by, Twilight could not feel even a single flickering remnant of the drake’s presence.

For a single horrifying moment, she considered giving up and abandoning Spike to the void. Only for that feeling to be buried so deep down in Twilight’s heart that it would never return again.

Fresh magic surged from Twilight’s body and into Spike, causing the small dragon to glow even brighter still. Twilight’s hooves began to burn, and her soul ached from the sheer expenditure of power, yet she did not give up. Even as she threw over half of the strength she had stolen from the elder dragon, Twilight continued to press on.

Ice solidified over nearly every surface, arcane symbols of power etching themselves across the walls, floor, and ceiling. Yet even with the entire room humming with every bit of magic that had been contained within the dragon, Spike had yet to rise. So with a grunt, Twilight dumped out nearly everything she had left, her desperation bordering on the brink of madness itself.

Only when her hooves began to grow numb, and her body started to become distant, did Twilight feel something happen. Unfortunately, her eyes were heavy, and her vision swam as she stared down at Spike’s limp form with renewed hope. His arms remained still, and his chest did not rise, yet Twilight felt a thin flicker of life burn down deep inside of him.

It did not feel exactly like Spike’s warm, gentle soul though, as this had within it a cold edge. Even still, Twilight could not deny that it was familiar, if changed, and she gently shook the drake in hopes of waking him.

“Spike,” she croaked weakly. “Speak to me.”

“Mom, I mean, Dusk. Is that you? Why is it so cold?” whispered Spike’s voice, though it did not come from his lips.

In fact, it didn't come from his body at all, and with growing horror Twilight looked up to find that the elder dragon’s eyes had opened. Twilight expected to see cold hatred and bitter resentment in those slitted orbs, yet she saw only confusion in those twin pools of emerald green. Confusion which morphed into panic when they gazed down on Spike’s still body.

“What am I doing down there? Where am I?” asked the dragon in an increasingly frantic tone of voice.

“Oh good,” Twilight murmured as she wobbled unsteadily. “You’re okay, Spike.”

“I don't feel okay,” Spike replied. “It feels like I’m… wait. Am I stuck inside that-” His voice shifted and emerged from his own mouth. “Evil guy’s--Woah. Why did the whole room spin like that?”

“Sleep now,” whispered Luna’s fragment, who now stood above them both. “Rest and gather your strength.”

Spike’s faintly glowing eyes closed, and a moment later a soft snore spilled from between his cold lips.

“Thanks, Luna,” Twilight muttered, her mouth barely able to form the words she wished to utter.

“I am not…” The shadow sighed. “Join him in dream land. You have done the impossible and deserve the chance to relax.”

“No, can't relax,” Twilight whispered, her eyelids opening and closing individually. “Must save Ponyville, friends… family.”

“I am afraid I must be firm with you, even if my life is now bound to your own,” murmured the fragment.

A gentle hoof touched the top of Twilight’s brow, and she fell forward, resting her head on Spike’s chest.

The fragment smiled faintly as she gazed down on the two. “Thank you, Spike, Twilight. For everything,” she whispered.

Author's Note

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The Seamstress and The Illusionist

“And that's what happened,” Twilight concluded, falling to her seat like a balloon animal who had just met a cactus.

The other individuals in the room sat quietly, either out of shock, confusion, or the simple fact that they needed time to process the information. Rainbow Dash sat still for once, or at least it seemed like she was sitting still, because in reality she was vibrating beneath her armor. Her hoof occasionally went down to touch the top of her training blade, her expression unreadable due to the pitch black paint covering her features.

Sunset sitting next to her was far less readable, though that was due to the fact that she had no face to speak of. The only expressive part were her flaming eyes, which flickered like the dying embers of a forgotten camp fire. Wearing her usual garb of a healer, the skeletal mare peered intently at Twilight, saying nothing though clearly yearning to do so.

Rarity was perhaps the most animated of the bunch, pacing rapidly as she opened her mouth, only to close it a second later. Clearly building up to something, she was distracted by a recent injury and hadn't seemed to find the right words quite yet. One of her hooves occasionally drifted down to the bandage covering the majority of her torso.

Trixie was slightly more subdued, observing Rarity rather than Twilight. Like the arachne, the illusionist was mostly naked, save for her trademark hat, which had recently been sewn back together. The mare sat quietly on the otherwise unoccupied love seat, seemingly unbothered by the most recent revelations.

Pinkie Pie was an entirely different case, as the shaman was visibly caught between two different urges. She seemed ready to explode, but her expression quickly morphed to one of sadness a moment later. In the end she did nothing but sit on the floor, chewing on her newly regrown hoof while staring absently at nothing in particular.

The only individual more unreadable than Sunset was the newly freed fragment of Luna, who stood silently behind Twilight. The shadow pony was easily as tall as an alicorn and loomed over nearly everyone, simply observing their reactions. If one was paying attention, however, they could see small quakes and ripples make their way across her pitch black body. The most astute observer would be able to assume that the fragment was nervous and seemed ready for a fight.

Applejack was perhaps the calmest, merely sitting quietly on the floor, chewing something languidly. Like a cow with its cud, the mare chomped slowly and deliberately at whatever was in her mouth. Little had changed with the hybrid, though one notable difference was how thick her barklike armor had grown.

Fluttershy, as per usual, seemed on the verge of tears or ready to leap across the room and hug Twilight. Restrained only by Rainbow Dash’s presence, the partially ethereal pony fidgeted constantly. Hooves twitched, wings extended and recoiled, flowers grew along her body, only to wither and be replaced a few seconds later.

“So,” Rainbow Dash began in a low tone, “you nearly got yourself and Spike killed attempting to strong arm one of the most powerful beings in existence on its own turf. Is that about the long and short of it?”

“Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy exclaimed. “That's not fair, she was just trying to help.”

“She isn't wrong,” murmured Twilight sadly.

“Yes, you may have been stupid, but all things considered you came out relatively unscathed,” declared the Luna fragment.

“And you!” Rainbow Dash began, leaping up from her seat and jabbing a hoof at the shadow creature. “What are you doing going around saying you’re Luna? Are we really supposed to believe that?”

“I thought she was a fragment of Luna’s psyche?” Applejack offered.

“That is correct,” the fragment declared, nodding to Applejack. “I have gone to great lengths to explain to everyone that I am not, in fact, Luna.”

“Perhaps you should take on a different name then?” Fluttershy offered.

“I am not… against this,” murmured the shadow.

“What about Proserpina or Hecate?” Pinkie Pie offered. “They are some other names Luna was known to use.”

“I feel like those are a bit too closely aligned with her. I am my own distinct entity, after all,” retorted the pitch black mare.

“What about Juno, Diana, or Midnight Moon? They were names popular amongst the mistress’ most devoted followers?” Pinkie Pie pressed.

“I…” The fragment stopped. “I like Midnight Moon. Perhaps you could refer to me as simply Midnight?”

“Here here. Now let's get back to reminding Twilight what an idiot she is,” Rainbow Dash stated firmly.

“I agree, though I don't think we should get riled up over this. She made it out safe and acquired a new key to the resurrection of Luna,” Sunset interrupted, glancing from Twilight to Midnight Moon. “She may not have achieved all of her goals, but she at least walked away from it all.”

“Yes, she did, but not everyone was so lucky!” Rarity proclaimed, firing a glare at Twilight.

The purple unicorn winced. “I know what happened to Spike wasn't… great, but trust me when I say I would have traded places with him in a heartbeat.”

“Your devotion is admirable,” Trixie softly exclaimed. “But it does not excuse your actions. You should consider your choices more before throwing yourself at the problem. I mean, come on, mother would have likely helped, had she known your plan.”

“She did seem disappointed when I told her what happened,” Twilight murmured.

“But not unsurprised,” Midnight Moon added.

“Let’s table all the blame throwin’ for the moment, eh?” Applejack interrupted. “How ‘bout we just focus on the here and now. Like how our new friend and Spike’s handlin’ things.”

“The poor dear seemed to take it in stride, I just hope his talk with Sweetie Belle goes well,” Rarity murmured sadly.

“So… you are that guy, too?” Sweetie Belle asked, poking the face of the dragon stuck in the wall. “I don't get it. He looks dead.”

“Yeah, well. I’m dead too, ya know,” Spike exclaimed.

Sweetie Belle turned and looked down at the dragon with a confused look on her face. “I mean. You don't seem dead, and your hand wasn't cold when I held it.”

“I, uh…” Spike coughed. “Got Sunset to cast a few spells on me so I’ll be warm and not smell or anything.”

“Okay, but like you don't need to eat or nothing then, right?” Sweetie Belle pressed.

“Or breathe or sleep or any of that stuff,” Spike replied with a shrug.

“But like, could you? If you wanted? ‘Cause ice cream dates would be lame if I’m the only one eating anything.” Sweetie Belle frowned. “Plus I’d be sad you wouldn't be able to taste my food whenever I learn how to make something without burning it.”

“Oh uh, Sunset can fix that as well. Apparently this false life spell can basically make it look like I’m alive. I just won't grow up or get any bigger,” Spike exclaimed.

“So we could still, you know… cuddle?” Sweetie Belle whispered guiltily, gazing away from the dragon.

Spike couldn't help but recall their last make out session in considerable detail. “Oh, uh, yeah. We could still do that,” he muttered.

“Oh, um, okay. Good.” Sweetie Belle cleared her throat. “So going back to my earlier question, is this guy really under your control?”

“Under control isn't quite the best way of putting it. It's like my brain is stretched across both bodies, and I can control whichever one I want,” Spike declared, closing his eyes briefly and opening his other set of much larger orbs.

“See?” he declared, the ancient dragon sticking his tongue out and rolling his eyes in a comical fashion.

“Oh my gosh, that is so cool!” Sweetie Belle gushed. “When is Nebula going to shrink you down and get the other you out of here?”

Spike tried to shrug, only to remember he was still encased in stone, so he switched bodies before doing so. “They are digging me out right now, but they aren't sure if it will be done before those jerks attack the castle. Nebula said she was going to teach me how to change my size at will since you can't use that ability on someone else.”

“So basically you got a giant second body, are immortal, and are going to have cool ancient dragon powers?” Sweetie Belle asked.

Spike nodded, chest puffing up. “Pretty much.”

“I have the coolest boyfriend ever!”

“She's probably devastated,” Rarity muttered forlornly.

“I’m sure it's fine. Sweetie Belle seems very… accepting,” Twilight remarked with a hopeful smile.

“So other than missing out on the rest of puberty, he's okay, right?” Rainbow Dash pressed.

“Yes, though I believe that in time he will learn to alter his appearance and size so he can at least appear to age, if he so wills it,” Sunset interrupted.

“Thank you again for that, Sunset,” Twilight added. “I never would have expected that you could return so much of the body’s functions with a little magic.”

“You’re just lucky you got him to me as quickly as you did,” Sunset countered.

“Still. Your skills are admirable, Miss Sunset,” Midnight Moon declared.

“T-thanks,” Sunset muttered, her gaze turning downward.

“Well, I guess that’s something,” Rainbow Dash murmured.

“This opens so many possibilities,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed suddenly. “Do I give him another birthday party ‘cause he got another body? Or maybe just a general congratulations type of thing? What do you think, Twilight?”

“I think you should roll that into the victory party you’ll throw if we survive another two days,” Twilight bitterly replied.

“We’ll win. I can feel it in my bones,” Applejack declared quite matter-of-factly.

“Hey, isn't that Sunset’s line?” teased Pinkie Pie.

The skeleton chuckled. “I’ll have to remember that one.”

“Getting back on topic. I don't think we have to worry about our new special friend,” Fluttershy stated, glancing expectantly at the shadow pony. “Isn't that right, Miss Moon?”

“I am bound to my master’s will, so it's not like I could betray or lie to you even if I wanted to,” Midnight Moon replied.

“Please stop calling me that. I’m your friend, not your overlord,” Twilight retorted, waving an angry hoof in the air.

“I merely speak the truth, my master,” Midnight Moon proclaimed in a dramatic fashion.

“Augh, you’re doing that on purpose,” Twilight groaned.

“Well, I for one was starting to like the nightmare,” Rainbow Dash blurted, throwing up her hooves. “There, I said it. She was starting to be more emotive, and now she's gone.”

“I…” Midnight frowned, her dark features rippling. “I could not choose what happened when I merged with her. If it makes you feel any better, I still sense her presence at the back of my mind.”

“What is she saying?” Fluttershy clapped her hooves over her mouth. “That's if you want to use female pronouns.”

The shadow waved a hoof dismissively. “Though I have no biology to speak of, I still imagine myself as female, though I appreciate your kindness.”

“It's no problem at all,” Fluttershy proclaimed.

“Alright, I guess I can forgive you,” Rainbow Dash muttered with a smirk.

Midnight Moon chuckled. “Thank you for your grace, Sergeant Dash, and to answer your question, she's just… proud.”

“Actually, it's Specialist Dash,” corrected the thestral. “I’m basically on permanent protection detail.”

“For me?” Twilight asked, genuine curiosity brimming in her tone of voice.

“For everyone in this room, actually,” Rainbow Dash replied. “We’ve essentially gathered some of the most skilled and powerful beings in the Everfree into a single spot. The only reason Dark Hallow hasn't conscripted ever last one of you is because he knew that wouldn't fly.”

“And he wouldn't do that to his friends,” Fluttershy corrected.

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Sure he wouldn't, but the other commanders of the night guard or his old buddies in the Black Rose? They’d try at least.”

“Then it's a good thing Mister Hallow is not going anywhere anytime soon,” Rarity proclaimed with a nervous smile.

“Yeah, that old codger is going to outlive us all somehow. Even old Bonesey over here,” Rainbow Dash remarked, gesturing towards Sunset.

Who chuckled. “Yeah, probably.”

“If we got conscripted, would we at least get a salary or something? The farm’s doing good, but if I’m going to be kicking butt on a regular basis, I won't be able to help much back home,” Applejack pondered.

“And the stipend he's been sending you hasn't been enough?” Rainbow Dash retorted.

“What stipend? You mean that funny envelope one of you thestral fellers drops by every week?” Applejack inquired, prompting Rainbow Dash to nod. “Dagnabit. Big Mac kept telling me those were donations from concerned folks who wanted to make sure we stayed in business.”

“Well, he's not wrong,” Trixie pointed out.

“Everyone else has been getting them though, right?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Sunset nodded. “I’ve been using the money to acquire more medical supplies and offering free treatments for those in need.”

“Well, now I feel selfish for using my portion to keep my business afloat while my customers are out of town,” Rarity admitted.

“I’ve just been burying it in the woods!” Pinkie Pie proudly proclaimed.

“What, really, why?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“That way I can find it again later when I need it for stuff!” Pinkie Pie declared.

“I’ve just been giving all mine to that nice animal shelter in town,” Fluttershy whispered, only to be elbowed by Rainbow Dash, who shot her a pointed look. “Oh, and on dates with Rainbow.”

The thestral grinned proudly.

“How nauseating,” Midnight Moon muttered.

“Shh,” Twilight hushed.

“Well, Trixie believes that it is about time someone paid her for her efforts to save the realm,” Trixie proclaimed. “Perhaps when this is all over I will even be able to afford a new wagon and bring my show on the road once more.”

“You’d leave us?” Rarity asked in a low tone.

“I, uh, wouldn't be gone for long?” Trixie replied weakly.

“Speaking of you two and how weird you’ve gotten. What have you been up to while the rest of us were either training, or risking their lives to get some kinda edge over those jerks?” Applejack pointedly inquired.

“I discovered this!” Rarity proclaimed, skittering over to the bags she had left near the door and returning with a rather unique white helmet. “Tada!”

“Nifty,” Applejack muttered.

“Neato,” added Rainbow Dash.

Fluttershy’s eyes went wide. “Is that real silk steel?”

Rarity perked up. “Yes, thank you for noticing,” she exclaimed, shooting a glare at Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

Applejack snorted bitterly. “How was I supposed to know? It just looks like a helmet to me.”

“Fancy one though,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“That is very intentional,” Rarity declared proudly, raising her hoof high into the air. “This material is both incredibly strong, and quite flexible when it needs to be. Its sleek design means it can be worn under, say a magician’s hat, while also remaining a stylish accessory.”

The arachne placed the helmet upon her head and turned back and forth, flashing people different expressions as she did so.

“It's very nice. Kinda looks like a chain mail mask, only prettier,” Twilight remarked.

“The description is apt,” Midnight Moon added.

“I think I will call it the veil,” Rarity replied, adding a dramatic flourish to the last two words.

“Wheredya find it?” Applejack asked.

“Correction, she made it!” Pinkie Pie interjected.

“Thank you, Pinkie Pie. At least someone has faith in me,” Rarity muttered.

“Well, it ain't my fault. Last I heard it was going to take ya weeks to make somethin’ like that,” Applejack murmured in an irritated tone.

“That adventure you and Trixie went on. You found something, didn't you?” Sunset inquired.

“We did,” Rarity proclaimed, shooting Trixie a shy smile. “More than one thing, actually.”

“So, are you going to tell us what happened, or keep making goo-goo eyes at each other?” Midnight Moon deadpanned.

“We have not been doing that!” shouted Trixie.

“You kinda have,” Sunset remarked.

“Yeah even I noticed that, and I like, don't get romance at all,” Pinkie Pie added.

Rarity crossed her hooves over her chest. “Well, I think you’ll find that the adventure we went on was completely normal, and had the same level of death-defying feats I’ve come to expect from one of our little outtings.”

Trixie leaned in and lit her horn, turning out the rest of the lights and replacing the illumination with the soft glow of her horn. “It all started yesterday when-”

“Wait, so why do you need this book exactly?” Trixie asked, a hoof scratching the side of her head. “I thought mother gave you all the information you required.”

“Yes, well, I received word that there was a tome which described the process from an arachne perspective,” Rarity replied.

“So you think that will help you more than the direct tutorship from a thousand year old spider?” Trixie deadpanned.

Rarity sighed. “Yes, she has experience, but she's long since lost the ability to make the silk herself. Furthermore, I need another voice on the subject.”

The illusionist raised an eyebrow curiously. “And you think the lost stronghold of the Night Marchers has that information?”

“I do,” Rarity declared. “I’ve been able to gather that they had the ability to create silk steel for centuries, and there were numerous arachne in their ranks. It only makes sense.”

“You are aware that you can't just walk in and ask politely, right?” Trixie pressed.

“And why not?” Rarity countered.

Trixie sighed and ran a hoof down her face. “Who was this idiot who told you about the Night Marchers’ fort, but didn't tell you that they were a coven of now time-displaced vampires?”

“I’ve met a few vampires in my time, and they have always been nothing short of cordial,” Rarity exclaimed.

“Yes, but these ones have been trapped outside the normal flow of reality for nearly nine centuries. Whatever intelligence they had has long since been worn away like a rock at the bed of a raging river,” Trixie explained.

Rarity blinked. “I’m sorry, what now?”

“What, do you think you can just get stuck in limbo for untold eons and still have all your marbles?” Trixie declared. “These guys will think you are the hunters which they were attempting to escape from.”

“So we… sneak past them then,” Rarity reasoned.

“What part about them being really old vampires don't you get?” Trixie exclaimed.

“Well, I’m still going. I need that book,” Rarity stated, arms crossed over her chest.

“Fine, I’ll help you,” groaned Trixie. “But you owe me one!”

“I promise that the first thing I make shall be something for you,” Rarity replied.

Trixie nodded. “That is acceptable.”

“Are we in agreement then?” Rarity asked.

“We are,” Trixie stated.

“Are we almost there?” Rarity asked between bouts of pained wheezing.

“Why are you so out of breath? The forest helped us out considerably despite how distracted it's been,” Trixie countered without looking back.

The illusionist trod silently under a large tree branch, her distinctive purple hat disappearing a moment later. Rarity wanted to follow her, but stopped and leaned against the trunk of an oak, hoof wiping sweat from her forehead. Her back was laden with supplies, perhaps more than they would need, like a tent and three changes of outfits. Rarity wasn't about to admit that she was wrong, and that was only partially because she could barely utter a sound.

“Yes, well. Some of us are not hardened adventurers,” Rarity muttered, mostly to herself.

When her companion didn't respond, Rarity pushed through the final wall of vegetation and emerged out onto a cliff. The windswept and barren side of a mountain emerged into view all at once, startling Rarity and causing her to step back on instinct. The arachne was quick to grab hold of herself and stop before she backpedalled right into the forest.

Instead she focused her attention on her strange new surroundings, starting with the odd structure before her. Sitting at the edge of the cliff itself and overlooking an enormous canyon was what looked like a stone fort of decent size. Its exterior had two large towers at its front, while its sides had a pair of the things on each side, firing slits visible next to magically darkened windows.

The longer Rarity stared, the more she came to realize that this was not just a fort, but it was also a cathedral. Enormous double doors stood front and center, the steps up to which were adorned by twin statues of kneeling creatures, one arachne, one thestral. Not only that, but the many windows were segmented in such a way that scenes were likely visible when the light from the moon hit them just right.

That wasn't the only strange thing about the structure though, as the entire thing was encapsulated by a bubble of shimmering magic the color of moonlight. The sphere seemed to protect its contents through unknown means, allowing the building to resist the ravages of time. In fact, it looked brand new, and even had a road that ended at the barrier’s edge, the path beyond worn away by erosion.

“This is it,” Trixie declared, removing her saddle bags and dumping them on the ground. “Pile all your supplies here, and I’ll cast an illusion on them.”

Rarity nodded meekly, dropping her extra bags in a heap, her attention never leaving the building before her. It was simply beautiful, its incredible towers promising safety to those within, and doom to those without. Snarling gargoyles peeked out from hidden crevices, seemingly ready to launch themselves at any approaching foe.

The building was also covered completely in a silvery-gray paint, making it look like a shard of the moon had landed onto the side of a cliff. It was awe-inspiring, and yet it left Rarity feeling more and more uncomfortable the longer she stared at it.

A flicker of movement caught her gaze, and she watched as a bird flitted about inside the sphere. It then disappeared, reappearing at the beginning of its path and repeating its flight again as if it hadn't even noticed what had happened. What few stumpy trees grew within the orb blew on the same looping twelve or so seconds of wind. Like an animated photograph, the structure seemed to hang in a permanent state of limbo, suspended outside time.

Trixie lit her horn and caused a bush of angry thorns to jump into existence where their supplies had been. After a brief nod of confidence, the illusionist turned to Rarity, following her gaze to the strange building ahead of them.

“Still want to get your book?” Trixie offered.

“Maybe we should…” Rarity gulped, back straightening. “Of course. I’m sure these people are far nicer than you give them credit.”

Trixie rolled her eyes. “It's not a matter of kindness. They physically can't exist outside of the… you know what? I’ll let you see for yourself. Come on.”

Trixie didn't wait a moment longer, walking towards the structure at a brisk, yet unhurried pace. Rarity’s response died on her lips, and the arachne followed dutifully behind her protector at a polite distance. The silence didn't last long, as soon Trixie turned to the left and made her way towards the edge of the cliff.

“What is over here?” Rarity inquired.

“The entrance,” Trixie replied. “What, did you think we were just going to waltz in the front door? They may have had their mind broken by time magic, but they are still vampires.”

“You say that as if they would attack us on sight,” Rarity gasped.

Trixie chuckled. “You’ll see soon enough. Just stay close. The secret entrance has worn away quite a bit and has partially collapsed.”

Rarity hummed thoughtfully as they walked towards a seemingly normal group of trees. They continued to appear average right up until Rarity neared them and noticed that they were illusionary. It was the only explanation for the small copse floating over the side of the cliff.

Following her guide’s gaze, Rarity glanced down to what had likely been a tunnel dug from solid stone. At one point there likely would have been some kind of locked trapdoor to ensure they couldn't just walk in, but that was long gone. Along with the majority of the tunnel itself, leaving just enough space for Trixie to walk without fear of falling off the side.

“Make sure to watch your footing down here,” Trixie exclaimed, stepping slowly and deliberately down the steps. “One bad step and…”

She trailed off, glancing over her shoulder to Rarity who was climbing half on the wall, half on the ground.

“Right. Forgot about that,” Trixie muttered.

“How? Don't you live with spiders?” Rarity replied with a smirk.

Trixie snorted derisively and continued walking, ignoring Rarity’s giggling as best as she could. When they reached the far end, the illusionist stopped and, with a single tug, removed the iron door which had been sitting in place. The ensuing clatter caused by the rusted hulk bouncing off nearly every cliff below them did not bother Trixie one bit.

In fact, the mare had already walked inside the dark room beyond, putting the entire thing behind her. An action that Rarity quickly followed suit on, skittering into what looked like a storage room of some kind. The walls and ceiling of which were made from precisely cut stone, and interlocked with a remarkable level of dexterity.

It was roughly as large as the main floor of Rarity’s home. There were also numerous kegs, boxes, and containers of stuff piled everywhere. It was clearly deliberate too, as each stack or section was separated from each other, though there were no labels. Only a path which cut through the middle and split off at the center, diverging both left as well as right.

On the left was a hallway that led to a set of stairs going up while on the other side there was a large iron-wrought oaken door. The sights fascinated Rarity, though it was the odd smells which quickly grabbed her attention. Juniper berries wrestled with the sickly sweet smell of blood, creating an unpleasant mix that Rarity was certain she’d remember.

“How foul,” Rarity murmured, plugging her nose.

“This isn't even that bad. Imagine if it had gone rotten,” Trixie retorted, walking down the path and taking a right.

Rarity stuck out her tongue in disgust and continued to follow along in silence.

Upon reaching the portal, Trixie held up a hoof, making Rarity stop in place.

“Alright. So I know you’re convinced you can speak to them but just give me a chance to prove my point, okay?” Trixie half asked, half demanded.

Rarity huffed silently. “Why are you so confident about this anyway?”

“Mother wanted to free them from their torment, and sent some of my brothers to scout the place out. What they found was… disheartening,” Trixie murmured.

“I suppose you made a good point. Go ahead, darling,” Rarity offered.

Trixie nodded and gently pushed the door open a few inches, allowing them both to see inside the room beyond. Which was itself a lot like the one they were currently standing in, only it was occupied by a single arachne wearing pitch black leather armor. Chains hung over his shoulders, and both manacles as well as daggers dangled from a belt around his waist.

His appearance was slightly different from what Rarity had expected, as he stood taller, and had a generally more angular body than her. Fangs also poked out from his lipless mouth, though the rest of his facial features were hidden beneath the shadow cast by his helmet. The arachne certainly seemed intimidating, though his voice was anything but frightening.

“Well, Sunny Buns, it looks like back-up has finally arrived,” he whispered in a quiet, sad tone.

“Then just leave me down here. You don't need to kill me,” whispered a female voice from somewhere nearby.

Rarity peeked a little further around the corner and spotted a row of four cells along the left side of the room. Three were occupied, while the last had only a dried-up corpse sprawled out on the ground next to the bed.

“You know I can't do that,” claimed the arachne. “The master was quite clear.”

“Screw him,” whispered a mare with golden fur and bright red eyes. “We can run away together, and-”

The arachne suddenly appeared back at the spot he had been standing in a few seconds earlier. With nothing changed, he began to walk forward, intent on having the same conversation all over again.

“See, watch,” Trixie whispered, her horn glowing faintly.

“What, whose…” The male arachne turned towards the door, his crimson eyes latching onto an ethereal copy of Rarity. “You! I don't know how you got down here, but you will not take her from me!”

“I do apologize,” began the Rarity copy in a slightly exaggerated, almost comedic tone of voice. “But it seems you have mistaken me for someone else. I am a mere traveler who-”

The illusion stopped speaking the second it was hit by a dagger, followed by a screeching vampire. Who sunk its fangs into the exposed throat of the copy, trying and failing to extract blood from the unliving spell form. Seemingly oblivious to his own failure, the arachne continued to suck until the image fell apart, shattering like stained glass on the floor.

“What is-” the arachne muttered before appearing across the room.

“Well, Sunny Buns, it looks like backup has finally arrived,” he whispered in a quiet, sad tone.

Trixie glanced back to the arachne looming just behind her, flashing the fashionista a wide, knowing smirk. To which Rarity was forced to sigh and shrug her grim affirmation of the illusionist’s unspoken point.

The mare then made a quiet shushing noise before gesturing for Rarity to back up slightly. The arachne obeyed, giving Trixie the room she needed to cast several more illusionary copies of herself. These other Trixies were slightly shorter than their living counterpart and quickly sprinted into the next room with reckless abandon.

“How did you vile hunters arrive so soon? No matter, I shall deal with you myself!” declared the arachne before throwing a dagger at one illusion before drawing several more.

The copy made no attempt to dodge, and, after getting hit, toppled to the ground with an overdramatic grunt. Her other two copies were quick to dodge the rain of projectiles thrown their way, dancing out of the way of the things. By then the vampire had closed the distance and grabbed one of the clones by the neck, hefting it from the ground.

Before he could bite the illusion’s throat, the Trixie copy blew a raspberry in his face and exploded into confetti. The jailor could barely utter an irritated grunt before he found himself assaulted by the final remaining clone. Which hopped atop his head and covered his eyes with its tiny, slightly see-through hooves.

“Begone!” he shouted, grabbing the filly-sized copy and throwing it over his head.

The illusion poofed upon hitting the wall, turning into a small mound of glitter that was quickly blown away by a slight breeze emanating from under the door.

Their vampiric foe looked around for another target, his gaze landing on Rarity before surging in her direction. He didn't make it more than three feet before appearing back at his starting position, only this time he had a stake in his chest. Looking down, he found that a strange unicorn was shimmering into view, a hunk of wood held between her hooves.

“Sorry, friend,” Trixie muttered.

The vampire released a garbled shout before dissolving into dust.

“Trixie, you killed him!” Rarity shouted.

“He was already dead!” Trixie yelled back, throwing her hooves over her head. “And not like Twilight dead, but like my parents' level of being dead.”

Rarity gasped. “Trixie!”

“You killed him!” shouted another voice, drawing Trixie and Rarity’s gaze to the cell. “You were my allies, I trained with you, and you killed him just like that!”

“We had no other choice,” Rarity quickly replied, only to pause. “Well, I suppose we did have a choice, but that doesn't matter now.”

Trixie rolled her eyes. “We are not your allies, and we did not train with you.”

“What are you talking about, Sun Strike? I’ve known you and Dawn Charger here since we were foals. Go on, tell him,” encouraged the mare, pointing to Rarity.

“I uh…” Rarity glanced at Trixie expectantly.

“I told you. They can't grasp any new information. They’re less than zombies,” Trixie exclaimed.

“What are you-” The pony stopped, appeared several feet back and immediately leapt forwards once more. “Dawn Charger, Sun Strike. What are you doing here, and where did…”

Her gaze fell to the pile of dust sitting on the ground. “You murderers! He was kind, polite, and never took from me without asking!”

“See?” Trixie declared.

Rarity sighed. “I suppose it's the proper thing to do. Still, it doesn't feel right.”

“Gird your heart with diligence my child, for from it springs life,” Trixie muttered.

“Wha-” was all the time-locked mare could utter before a lance of energy shot through her torso.

A second later, she too turned to a pile of dust, leaving them alone with a pony-shaped mass of blankets huddled near the cell door.

“Well, I’m waiting,” murmured a voice from deep within the tattered cloth.

“Sorry, old-timer. We’ll get you out of here in no time,” Trixie began.

“Good. I can't stand the thought of accidentally infecting someone with this curse. Just tell my wife I-” he vanished and reappeared ten feet back. “Well, I’m waiting.”

“Not for much longer,” Trixie muttered, conjuring another lance of magic.

A second later, another pile of ash sat on the floor, followed closely by a fourth when Rarity blasted the zombie.

“Good to see you’ve decided to help out,” Trixie declared.

“I may not be a warrior, but I can at least lend a hoof,” Rarity muttered.

“We’ll have to clear out the rest of them on this level before moving up,” Trixie explained. “We can't leave anyone stuck in this hell.”

“R-right,” Rarity murmured.

The duo made their way down to the end of the jail cells where another door waited for them. On the other side was a small room dominated by a large coffin, a dresser, and a desk. Rarity’s curiosity was immediately piqued by a letter which sat open and half finished on the desk.

“Dear mother, I know it's been a while since I’ve written. The hunters will be here today and-- Hey!” Rarity shrieked, falling back when a bolt of fire disintegrated the note.

“It's for your own good. You shouldn't go snooping through these kinds of things. All you’ll find is heartbreak,” Trixie exclaimed.

Rarity wanted to tell the mare off, but there was a certain level of experience in her tone that made Rarity remain quiet. Trixie had done this before, Rarity quickly realized. Maybe not kill time displaced vampires, but the illusionist had plunged the depths of the past and been tested by what she found.

“Do you do this often?” Rarity asked.

Trixie paused for a moment, her hoof floating over the coffin.

“Not very much, but enough to know,” Trixie replied.

The mare pulled the coffin open, a stake held high and ready, though it was unneeded as the container was empty.

“Come on, we gotta keep moving,” Trixie urged.

“You know. I never thought to ask, but how old are you?” Rarity inquired, skittering after Trixie as she left the room.

“To be completely honest for once, I’m not sure, actually,” Trixie admitted. “My proximity to mother and my usefulness for the mistress have granted me a certain longevity.”

“So, thirty then?” Rarity inquired.

Trixie erupted in laughter. “I was thirty before the fall, and it's been a lot of years since then.”

“So… forty then?” Rarity pressed.

Trixie shrugged as she ran her hooves across a seemingly random wall back in the jail room, her horn glowing faintly.

“Warmer,” Trixie muttered.

“Fifty then?” Rarity continued, her tone becoming slightly confused.

“Pretty close,” Trixie remarked. “Aha, there we go.”

The illusionist took a step back before placing her hoof on a brick and pushing it into the wall. A second later, a six foot square of wall fell into the ground, allowing the pair to peer down a long hallway. Though not very long, it branched into three separate directions, with each ending in another door.

“Fifty-five?” Rarity asked.

“Probably,” Trixie replied with a shrug. “I stopped paying attention after a while. Didn't seem important, you know?”

“I suppose, but I thought you told us your age before?” Rarity murmured.

“Nah, I just like messing with you guys. Why, how old do you think I was?” Trixie asked, flashing her traveling partner a smirk.

“I thought you were the same age as us. Twenties or so,” Rarity answered.

“Ha! Nah. I just look a little younger. Though I certainly don't feel my age,” Trixie remarked.

The unicorn paused halfway down the hall, holding up a hoof in order to stop Rarity in her tracks. Trixie then reached down and used her magic to pluck an invisible string which crossed their path. A second later, the floor opened to reveal a pit of spikes. Thankfully the pair were standing far enough back that this wasn't a worry for them.

“I still got it,” Trixie declared.

“You certainly seem like you are still young,” Rarity exclaimed.

“What do you mean? The Great and Powerful Trixie remains the picture of youth!” Trixie declared rather proudly, pounding a hoof against her chest.

“Yes, you still look very young, and your eyes are still quite enchanting,” Rarity muttered. “I am just jealous of your longevity.”

Trixie blinked. “Oh, uh, right. Well. Dedicate your life to the mistress and you too might be rewarded in a similar fashion.”

“I’ll consider it,” Rarity muttered.

“Well, consider it in silence while I’m gone. I need to deal with those two doors at the end over here,” Trixie offered, gesturing to the ones lying to the right and left.

“What about the middle, are there any traps there?” Rarity inquired.

“Nah,” Trixie paused long enough to hop over the pit. “These two are the lower ranking vampires who were likely waiting to be revived. It's just leg work putting them all down.”

“Oh, alright then,” Rarity muttered.

Trixie disappeared a second later, becoming invisible before passing through one of the doorways. When it closed behind her, Rarity suddenly felt quite alone and rather defenseless too. Those feelings didn't last long, and soon boredom began to claw at the back of her mind.

With her curiosity now lit, she clambered across the wall over the pit and made her way towards the central door. A simple tug allowed the aged portal to open and reveal what looked like a large master bedroom of some kind. One that was complete with a bathroom cordoned off by a simple privacy divider, next to which sat a large bed, and the most peculiar object, a stone coffin.

None of that held Rarity’s attention for long though, as there was a single slightly confused pony staring inquisitively at her.

“A hunter, already? What are you doing here?” asked the slightly feminine stallion partially hidden beneath the bed sheets.

The earth pony had been reading a story titled ‘War and Peace’, but he had placed it aside the second Rarity entered the room. He also seemed slightly fearful of the arachne, though unlike the others Rarity had seen, he was obviously not a vampire. There were also no weapons around, or seemingly any other danger either.

“I’m just… passing through,” Rarity replied.

“How strange,” murmured the soft purple stallion. “I thought you’d be here to kill me for cavorting with nightspawn.”

“Why would I do that?” Rarity countered.

The male rolled his eyes and flicked his long, flowing mane from his face. “Because they are servants of the dark goddess and wish to bring about night eternal according to your tyrant. I mean, really, were you not paying attention at all during training?”

“You were a hunter as well?” Rarity inquired.

The stallion paused and looked Rarity up and down. “Why of course I was, Sun Strike. Do you not remember our time spent sparring back then?”

“I apologize,” Rarity began. “It seems my memory has failed me.”

“No matter, before you drive a stake into Saccharine Song’s heart, tell him that Willow Wand loves him,” declared the male before returning to his starting position.

“A hunter, already? What are you doing here?” asked the slightly feminine stallion staring at Rarity.

“You really are a glutton for sadness,” Trixie remarked.

Rarity merely sighed, suppressing the urge to jump. “I couldn't help myself. But surely there is something we can do for them.”

“Dawn, Sun? What are you doing here?” asked the stallion.

“Just cleaning up,” Trixie replied before firing a beam of magic through his heart.

The pony gasped once before collapsing into the bed, his eyes rolling back into his head. A moment later, he too was turned to ash by the sudden onrush of time.

“That was most unpleasant,” Rarity exclaimed.

“It never gets any easier,” Trixie replied.

“Where to now?” Rarity inquired.

Trixie ignored her and scanned the room, stopping in order to peek within the coffin. Finding it empty, as was the rest of the room, Trixie walked back over to Rarity.

“Upstairs. The rest have been dealt with,” Trixie exclaimed.

Rarity nodded as the pair left together. “You know, you’re a lot more serious when it's just the two of us.”

“Yes, I’ve been told I can be rather grim at times. Apologies,” Trixie muttered. “It is hard to don the mask without an audience.”

“I like it,” Rarity declared. “It's very real and honest.”

Trixie paused and glanced back at Rarity, revealing a small blush. “Thanks. Oh, and try not to trip. I don't think I can drag that gorgeous butt of yours out of the pit.”

The illusionist then leapt over the triggered trap, and landed on the other side, her hooves skidding across the polished stone floor.

Rarity smiled faintly and deftly crawled across the wall, landing behind Trixie and making their way to the stairs they saw earlier.

“You know, I’m kind of jealous of your time spent performing,” Rarity began. “I’ve always wanted to travel, but with Sweetie I could never go far.”

“And I’m kind of impressed you stuck with that,” Trixie replied. “If I were you, I probably would have left the kid with an aunt or something. Wouldn't want her turning out like me.”

“Well, I think you’d make for a wonderful parent,” Rarity declared.

Trixie chuckled. “Mother says that too, and I’ll tell you the same thing I always tell her. Trixie is far too selfish to have kids.”

“Like how you’re too selfish to help a designer in need of a bodyguard?” Rarity teased.

“That's different,” Trixie retorted.

“How so?” Rarity countered, the pair coming to a stop near the top of the stairs at the entrance to the first floor.

Trixie’s hoof hovered over the doorknob. “That's because kids are ugly, and you are far from unpleasant to look at.”

Before Rarity could flirt back, Trixie threw open the door and leapt into the room beyond, immediately engaging the vampire guard waiting for her. Rarity peeked around the door as Trixie and her many doppelgangers flooded the room with a sea of teal. The first foe barely had time to raise her sword when a Trixie copy wrapped itself around her face, and a stake found the vampire’s heart. The real Trixie fell back into the small sea of copies almost immediately, vanishing into their midst.

The other vampires slashed, fired magic, bit, or kicked the copies, but otherwise failed to find the real Trixie. In fact the more successful they were, the greater the amount of glitter that covered them, blinding more than one of the guards. One poor soul was struck down by a lance of magic a second later, his closest ally receiving an invisible stake to the heart right after.

Like a whirlwind of invisible, yet still colorful death, Trixie cut a swath through her foes, staying one step ahead of them the entire time. Every time one of her enemies were confident that they had killed the trickster, the Trixie exploded in a colorful cloud a second before they were struck down. Within a few minutes, the vampires’ shouts of warning became muffled, their battlecries stifled, and soon Trixie had dispatched the last of them.

Standing amidst the dozen or so piles of ash was Trixie, who was surrounded by clapping copies. The illusionist bowed low, flashing Rarity a wink just before her clones disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke.

“Bravo, Trixie,” Rarity exclaimed. “That was quite the show.”

“They didn't even know what hit them,” Trixie declared.

“I’m just glad they don't have to suffer anymore,” Rarity stated, glancing down at one of the small gray mounds.

“Don't be sad. Now they can finally rest and return to the cycle,” Trixie offered.

“True, I just wished there was more we could do for them,” Rarity replied.

“It's for the best,” Trixie declared.

Rarity hummed softly to herself as she gazed about the wide open space she found herself in. Sure enough, the interior appeared to be a mix of a cathedral and a fort, with the doors having been barricaded from the inside. The staircases which traveled up the towers were also visible from the inside, as was a large set of steps going up to a second floor.

Ignoring that last detail for the moment, Rarity glided across the room, her hoof straying to the ornate organ sitting between the set of stairs going up. Big enough to seat an arachne comfortably and with wide marble keys, the instrument was clearly custom. A sentiment made all the more obvious by the many small carvings and intricate designs ingrained within it. The brass pipes bore ornate scripture in a language Rarity could not read, though she could still appreciate.

The rest of the room followed a similar design, with red, gold, and black being the general color scheme. Banners of long dead noble houses hung from the walls, and crimson flames burned within golden lanterns. The shadows cast were deep, but oddly comforting to the arachne and even her companion.

Rarity also noticed that her earlier assumption had been correct, as the darkened windows revealed images when viewed from the inside. One showed the moon in all its phases, while another displayed an image of a smiling Luna staring down at the viewer. The most interesting one showed a pony praying to the moon while the shadow it cast on the floor revealed she was standing and had gained blood red eyes. Other windows had similar dual images, though none quite so eye-catching as the pony becoming a vampire.

“Should we check the towers?” Rarity asked, tearing her gaze away from the stained glass windows.

Trixie shook her head. “There's no one up there. All we need to do now is deal with the pontiff.”

“What an odd title,” Rarity mused.

“Part of their creed. Something about faith helping to stave off their more animalistic urges.” Trixie shrugged. “Not sure about all that, but the way mother tells it, they rarely fed on the unwilling, so it must have some truth to it.”

“Do they have any remaining chapters or orders left in our current time?” Rarity questioned.

“Not that I know of. Most were wiped out, though some supposedly managed to go into hiding before the purge reached them. If there are any still around, they’ll make themselves known soon enough though,” Trixie reasoned.

“The war,” Rarity muttered.

Trixie nodded. “They’ll be able to feel it in the air. This is going to be their chance to finally do away with the tyrant for good.”

“If only she’d simply step down,” Rarity murmured.

Trixie snorted. “As if that would happen.”

“It would be nice,” Rarity replied.

“Fair enough. Now come on. We gotta get rid of this guy if we are going to get your book and put this place to rest,” Trixie exclaimed.

“Lead the way. I’ll help any way I can,” Rarity offered.

“Grab that guy’s crossbow, and if I need a hoof, then lend it, but otherwise wait until the last moment to reveal yourself,” Trixie ordered.

Rarity scooped the weapon from the ground and awkwardly reloaded it. “Alright. Ready when you are.”

“Remember, stay behind me,” Trixie added.

Rarity silently did as she was told, giving Trixie a decent amount of space between them.

Together they made their way up the left flight of stairs, emerging out into what looked like a church. Only the rows of pews had been pushed aside, and the pulpit removed in order to create a wide enough area for the painting of a massive rune. At the center of which stood a thestral of considerable stature and obvious vampiric origin.

Adorned with the voluminous robes of a priest, the stallion also wore a brass circlet on his head and a golden sash around his neck. Tall enough to give even most earth ponies a run for their money, the male towered over his surroundings. Including the many candelabras which littered the area, as well as the mostly empty buckets of blood which had been used in his ritual.

“This has to be it,” he muttered to himself, pushing his golden mane from his face and revealing his slitted red eyes. “A simple warning is all I’ll need to evacuate the chapel and save everyone from the hunters.”

“That's how paradoxes happen,” Trixie whispered.

“I’ll be able to save Willow, and… and everyone,” the stallion murmured, leaning down and pushing a candle several inches to the right. “Now I must focus on what I will tell my earlier self.”

He then stepped over to the middle of the room and began to channel magic into his hooves. Which began to glow a faint crimson and soon suffused the rune beneath him with the same color of energy. Once it was charged, the vampiric thestral smiled and raised his head high into the air.

“I-” was all he could mutter before disappearing and reappearing several feet away.

He immediately got back to work on the rune, lathering a thick layer of blood over a seemingly random spot.

“Remember. Don't attack until the last possible second, okay? I really don't want to get shot,” Trixie whispered.

“I got it,” Rarity replied.

Trixie crept up the stairs, pausing at the last one in order to conjure forth a smaller group of clones which she sent ahead of her. As before, the illusionist herself faded away to nothing, leaving behind only a barely perceptible shimmer. Which moved to the right just as her copies had managed to grab the attention of the lone sorcerer.

“Hunters! How dare you interrupt my ritual. You shall pay for your insolence!” he shouted.

The vampire’s form flickered, and faster than Rarity could track, he sprinted across the room and kicked one of Trixie’s duplicates square in the chest. His attack only met air, however, as the spell collapsed due to the force exerted on it by the vampire. Seeing that his strike did nothing, the thestral backpedalled rapidly, power building behind his eyes until the twin orbs of crimson flashed brightly. He quickly swept the room with his now glowing gaze.

The clones piled onto him, covering his face or making rude gestures at him, though they were ignored. He continued to remain stock still before stopping, the vampire having found what he was looking for. Which was thankfully not Rarity, who had ducked just out of sight a moment beforehand. Rather he had found Trixie, catching the illusionist just as she had snuck up behind him and had been about to stake him through the heart.

“Your tricks won’t work on me, fool!” he shouted, twisting around and lurching towards her with jaws extended.

“Now!” Trixie shouted.

Rarity raised the crossbow and, after taking a moment to aim at the thestral’s upper body, fired. The bolt flew straight and true, but did not hit its target, instead being caught just as it was about to slam into the stallion’s chest.

“Did you really think that would work on me?” he scoffed.

“That wasn't the point,” Trixie replied.

The stallion blinked and looked back to find that his first enemy had been replaced by a stuffed lookalike with a mouthful of explosives. He could barely utter a confused yelp before he found himself flying backwards from the sudden explosion of fireworks. Smoke, sparks, and brightly colored lights filled the area as a kaleidoscope of tiny bombs started going off one after another.

Trixie appeared beside Rarity a second later, an annoyed look on her face. “Of course he’d have true sight, the jerk. Well, let's back up and-” Her eyes went wide, and she ducked at the last second.

Avoiding a sweeping strike from a long knife which had been aimed at the back of the unicorn’s skull. Trixie managed to dodge the blow completely, but her hat wasn't quite so lucky, and the top inch or so of fabric went flying. Rarity fared even worse off, as the tip of the blade raked across her lower chest, blood immediately pouring from the wound.

A scream built from Rarity’s throat, but it never got the chance to meet the light of day as Trixie had pushed her down the stairs. Landing in a tangle of limbs, the unicorn was quickest to rise, swiftly stuffing a hoof in Rarity’s mouth. The arachne sobbed and wanted to cry out in agony, but her companion’s grip was hard and unyielding.

After several seconds of relative quiet broken only by the sound of small firecrackers popping, a voice spoke up.

“Stars above, what happened here? Now I’ll have to start all over,” he muttered.

With that, Trixie gave her companion a firm look and, after being certain that Rarity wasn't about to scream, hastily pulled the arachne towards the stairs. Rarity followed quickly, her hooves pressed against the wound, hoping against hope that it wasn't very deep. Only when they had returned to the storage room did Trixie finally release the breath she had been holding.

“Alright, let me see,” she whispered.

Rarity winced and carefully pulled away her hooves. “Is it… is it bad?” she asked through clenched teeth.

Trixie shook her head. “Barely more than a graze. Might leave a scar, but you’ll be fine. Just to be sure, let's get a potion in you, okay?”

Rarity nodded her head meekly, accepting the offered vial of red liquid and downing it in a single gulp. Almost immediately, a tingling began to emanate from deep down in her body. Glancing towards the source of the sensation, Rarity could see that the long thin wound was beginning to grow smaller.

“Do you have something to clean up?” Rarity asked. “I would be most disappointed if I let this stain my fur.”

“I should. Provided the enchantment held on my hat,” Trixie replied, pulling her hat from her head and digging a hoof into it. “Aha, here we are.”

A moment later, her hoof returned with what looked like a well-used blue towel.

“Thank you, darling. You’ve sure thought of everything,” Rarity remarked before dabbing gently at the rivers of blood which had cascaded down her body.

“Oh, definitely not everything. Just the essentials,” Trixie replied.

“So I see,” Rarity muttered, wincing when she neared the cut. “Does this usually take long?”

“A few minutes. Relax, he's not going to find us down here,” Trixie exclaimed, peeking into a random barrel and sticking out her tongue in disgust.

“So…” Rarity began, doing her best not to look down at her newest injury. “Assuming you live through the coming war, what would you do once it's over?”

Trixie paused just as she was about to pop open another cask.

“I don't know,” she admitted. “I want to say go back to travelling and doing magic, but then I’d start aging again.”

“What's so bad about that? I think you would age beautifully, darling,” Rarity declared somewhat bashfully.

Trixie chuckled nervously. “I hope so. I don't know if I could keep the whole adventuring thing up for another twenty years or whatever. There's been a lot of close calls.”

“I can only imagine. It sounds like a truly dangerous profession,” Rarity replied.

“You would know, given what you’ve been up to recently. Kinda makes me even more impressed than I already was,” Trixie began. “First you raise an adorable kid all while still being one yourself, and now you’re out there, saving the world without even having any idea how to fire a crossbow.”

“H-hey!” Rarity shouted, a blush crossing her face. “I do know how to shoot!”

“I don't know about that. Any further to the right, and you would have hit me back there,” Trixie teased.

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Then maybe you shouldn't have dodged that way, hmmm?”

Trixie chuckled. “Fair. So, a bit of a personal question, but, uh, why are you so desperate to find some book on how to make silk steel?”

“I don't understand what you mean,” Rarity murmured.

“Well, all you really need is practice, or so mother says. Yet you’re here, searching for some lost ‘How to…’ written by a long dead arachne spinner. I just don't get it, you’re already a talented seamstress,” Trixie pressed.

Rarity sighed. “Yes, I can make clothes, but I’ve always been good at that, it's my special talent, after all. I don't think I’ve ever really struggled with a design more than I have with even the simplest silk steel pattern.”

Trixie nodded knowingly. “I think I see what you mean.”

“Thank you for understanding,” Rarity exclaimed.

“No problem. Looks like you’re all healed up, ready to get going?” Trixie offered, hopping off a barrel and trotting towards the stairs.

“I don't have to do anything else?” Rarity asked, prodding her new scar nervously.

“Nah, just be careful and make sure to see someone once we get back. There is a chance it will reopen once the potion has worn off,” Trixie warned.

“Hold on. Let's discuss a plan. I don't want to just walk in there again,” Rarity exclaimed.

Trixie laughed aloud. “I may have underestimated him before, but trust me when I say I got him this time.”

“But-”

“Trust me,” Trixie repeated, flashing Trixie a wide smile.

Rarity sighed. “Fine.”

“Remember, only shoot if I really need you,” Trixie whispered.

Rarity nodded.

Trixie put her head down and lit her horn, casting a particularly powerful spell. Upon completion, she was once more surrounded by duplicates, only these were utterly identical to her in every way. Then, as one the small army of Trixies began to sprint out from cover, making a beeline directly for the vampire.

“A whole host of hunters!” declared the stallion. “Good, it is about time someone tested my mettle.”

Again he became a blur, only this time he appeared directly atop one of the Trixie clones, his forehooves wrapping about her neck. With a sickening twist, the Trixie’s head turned right around, her tongue sticking comically from her mouth.

“Bleh. I’m dead,” blurted the Trixie before turning into a pile of glitter.

“What is this, a decoy? I shall root you out in but a moment!” declared the thestral, his eyes glowing.

In a flash his orbs were shimmering brightly, only this time there was no look of smug superiority which leapt to his face.

“What, how do you avoid my sight?” he bellowed.

“What do you take me for, an amatuer?” declared one Trixie.

“We are Trixie, and we are not some petty trickster!” shouted another.

“Replicating body heat and everything else your spell looks for is easy,” stated a third Trixie.

“So have at you!” yelled a fourth before kicking him in the chest.

“Aha, it is you who is the mastermind!” he shouted, grabbing the Trixie who had kicked him and biting her throat.

“Bleh, you got me. Jerk,” stated the duplicant, who poked the stallion in the eyes before poofing.

Temporarily blinded, the stallion yelped in surprise, backpedalling into a pile of Trixies who grabbed his forelegs. Another pair of copies then trotted up to him and began punching him left, then right, each taking turns wailing on him.

“We got him on the ropes! Can he escape?” shouted another Trixie dressed as an announcer and leaned over a table which had sprung out of nowhere.

“Enough of your games!” he shouted, throwing off the Trixies holding him before smashing together the two who had been punching him a moment earlier. “I do not have the time for-”

“Now!” Trixie shouted, pointing to the vampire’s origin point.

Rarity obeyed without question, releasing her shot before he had even faded away completely.

He appeared back at his starting position, his eyes opening wide as something hard suddenly appeared in his chest.

The vampire released a garbled grunt as he gazed down at the bolt sticking out of his chest.

“Willow Wand sends his love,” Trixie whispered.

“How,” was all the male could mutter before he dissolved into a pile of dust.

“Woah, that was... something,” Rarity murmured. “How'd you get past his true sight?”

“My true duplicates may not be as strong, or as pretty as me, but they are almost perfect copies in all other respects,” Trixie declared, brushing some invisible dirt off her shoulder.

“Color me impressed,” Rarity muttered.

“I’d rather color you teal,” Trixie shot back.

“Wh-what?” Rarity exclaimed.

“Now,” Trixie began in a firm tone, “make me a helmet.”

“What, right now? But I need the book,” Rarity replied.

“You just defeated an elder vampire with a single shot of a crossbow. Do you really think you need something as little as a book?” Trixie pressed.

“Well, I mean, that was mainly you. Yes, it took a bit to aim properly, but-”

“You’ve accomplished something Celestia’s hunters have been trying to do for centuries, have a little faith in yourself,” Trixie interrupted. “Make me a helmet!”

“Alright alright, just hold on a sec,” Rarity muttered.

The arachne then laid down, tugged forth some silk and began to spin, first slowly, then with greater speed. Though slightly unsure of herself, something about this attempt felt different. Rarity wasn't sure if it was Trixie’s intense, judging gaze, or the odd atmosphere of the decrepit building. Either way, Rarity found herself accomplishing deft maneuvers that had left her baffled only a day earlier.

Minutes passed, and Rarity watched as the helmet began to take shape.

“I’m doing it,” she muttered.

“Shh, just focus,” Trixie urged.

Rarity took the mare’s advice and devoted herself completely to the task at hand. Time passed, and soon Rarity was sitting quietly, a completed piece of armor sitting in her lap.

“I did it,” Rarity whispered.

“I knew you could,” Trixie exclaimed.

“You just wanted to boost my confidence, didn't you?” Rarity asked.

Trixie chuckled. “Yeah I kinda figured that's all you really needed. Plus you can't take anything from here, and the whole place is probably going to vanish the second we leave so I was hoping you’d figure it out.”

“Wait, what?” Rarity asked, leaping to a stand.

“Don't worry about it. The spell will only collapse after we walk past the edge of its range,” Trixie replied, waving a dismissive hoof at the arachne. “Mother made sure to check it out after my brothers told her about it.”

“That's disappointing. I was rather hoping I could save a few of these relics,” Rarity murmured.

“Me too. Don't worry though, I’ve saved the most precious relic around,” Trixie whispered, leaning in close.

“Oh, Trixie,” Rarity muttered.

And that's all that happened.

“Well, I mean, not everything. The whole monastery did fall off the side of the cliff in a rather dramatic fashion,” Trixie remarked with a snicker.

“No wonder you guys have been hanging out so much,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“You two are adorable,” murmured Fluttershy.

“It is unfortunate that you couldn't save anyone,” Sunset interrupted.

Rarity offered the skeleton an appreciative smile. “I agree, Sunset, but in the end we could at least let them rest.”

“All in a day’s work for the Great and Powerful Trixie,” Trixie declared, a wide smirk crossing her face.

“To think there would still be some vampires to this very day. I believe they were only meant to survive until the end of the war, as they were mostly used as mindless, near unkillable berserkers. I suppose their unique physiology would grant incredible longevity, though I may be mistaken about all of this. My memory is rather fuzzy,” Midnight Moon muttered.

“That was quite a tale,” Twilight offered. “I’d ask you to teach me such a spell Trixie, but I doubt I even have the aptitude to learn something so advanced.”

“Ha, finally. Something Trixie is superior at. To the surprise of no one,” Trixie exclaimed, raising her nose high into the air.

“So, what else were we gonna talk about?” Applejack asked. “I kinda lost track. What with that whole story takin’ like an hour.”

“Hey, a good story needs time to grow!” Pinkie Pie declared.

“Exactly. How else would everyone understand how truly magnificent Trixie is?” Trixie added.

Applejack raised her forehooves defensively. “Hey now, I ain't complaining. I’m just sayin’ I forgot what else we planned on discussin’.”

“I think that was everything. Just planning from here, I suppose,” Twilight answered.

“I think everyone intends on training or assisting with building more defenses,” Sunset reasoned.

The ensuing chorus of agreement was interrupted when Chrysalis burst through the door and skidded to a halt.

“Oh good. You’re all here,” she exclaimed. “That means we can get started right away.”

“Right away for…” Twilight muttered, her question falling away when a heavily scarred Cadance limped into the library.

Two changelings stood on either side of the mare, allowing the alicorn to lean on them as she trundled slowly inside.

“Hello, Twilight.”

Author's Note

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Purge

“Oh, Cadance! It's been a while. You look…” Twilight trailed off as her gaze traveled down the alicorn’s broken form.

The other pony was still missing a leg, an eye, and the majority of her fur as she did before, only now she looked sickly. What little fur she had left had become gray and seemed ready to fall out at a moment’s notice. Even her shattered horn seemed inflamed with sparks occasionally arcing from the broken stump.

“You can just say I look terrible, I certainly feel that way,” Cadance muttered in her broken, gravelly tone.

“I’d advise against speaking of her in such a way,” Chrysalis quickly added.

“Perhaps we should just jump right into discussing the reason for your timely arrival,” Sunset offered, glancing expectantly around the room.

“I assume ya ain't just helpin’ with the defense and whatnot?” Applejack remarked.

“I’m afraid that is not the only reason I’m here,” Cadance replied, the alicorn being helped towards the love seat which was swiftly vacated. “Thank you, dears.”

The pair of changelings said nothing as they gently lowered Cadance into the comfortable spot, the mare wincing briefly upon sitting down.

“You’re not sick, are you?” whispered Pinkie Pie in a hopeful tone.

“In a manner of speaking,” Cadance answered. “Though thankfully I know at least one of you has the ability to help me with that particular issue.”

“Is it me?” Twilight asked.

“For once this isn't about you, Twilight,” Chrysalis exclaimed.

“Relax, dear,” Cadance murmured, placing a hoof on Chrysalis’ side. “It’s Sunset that we’re here for. She has made a rather unique spell, one that I hope will remedy an issue I’ve struggled with for many centuries at this point.”

“My spell? You mean the telekinesis alteration,” Sunset all but whispered.

“Oooh, I knew it!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed, only to immediately cover her mouth. “Whoopsie doodle. Go on.”

“I need you to help remove a certain… parting gift that Celestia left me with after I escaped her containment,” Cadance explained.

“I can't promise anything, but if I knew what it is that I’m removing, then I would have a better idea,” Sunset offered.

“I will tell you more in a little while, at the moment we need to discuss-” Cadance suddenly began coughing, her chest heaving as spittle shot from her mouth.

Chrysalis was quick to intervene, signaling her assistants to help Cadance while Chrysalis herself picked up the conversation.

“We need to teach you girls a word first. One that will allow you to temporarily empower Sunset enough that she can reach past even the aura of an alicorn,” Chrysalis declared.

The group shot Cadance a mix of pitying looks, their eyes quickly settling back on the changeling queen.

“Which word of power is it exactly?” Twilight pressed.

“It is the word for cooperation,” Chrysalis answered.

“Fascinating,” muttered Sunset.

“Why would you choose to teach it to us, if you don't mind me asking?” Fluttershy asked.

“Because the bonds between you girls are stronger than most, and it is those bonds which give the word its strength,” Chrysalis continued. “Cooperation can be learned relatively easily, but it must be spoken in unity with at least one other being who you know intimately.”

Cadance wiped her lips with a handkerchief and passed it to a changeling drone waiting to her right.

“What Chrysalis says is true. The word for it is weak, but it can be empowered by sharing more with the other speakers,” Cadance finished.

“Right, so get taught a word, use it on Sunset, and she helps you. Sounds easy enough. How do we learn it?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

“You simply need to glimpse the memory where we learned it,” Cadance replied, casting Chrysalis a brief wan smile.

“Are you sure that isn't… too intimate of a moment?” Rarity asked.

“The level of intimacy is irrelevant, my heart is on the line,” Chrysalis declared.

“I do not think anyone doubts your resolve, Miss Chrysalis,” Midnight Moon offered.

“I just think she was being polite,” Fluttershy remarked.

Chrysalis sighed. “Yes, yes. Now let us cease with the pleasantries. There is much to do.”

“So do we just… Put our heads together, or what?” Applejack muttered.

“Would the spell go both ways?” Sunset nervously inquired.

“Worry not, you and Trixie here won't be involved with learning the word at all. It's just these six that we will be focusing on,” Cadance replied.

“Oh good. I didn't wanna be a part of this anyway,” Trixie muttered, hopping over the couch and angrily stomping into the kitchen.

“She’ll be fine. As usual, she's just putting on a show,” Rarity offered.

“Well, it wasn't a very good one,” Pinkie Pie muttered. “There wasn't even any magic.”

“I’m ready whenever you guys are,” Fluttershy declared.

“Thank you, Fluttershy. Now, is everyone else prepared? Don't worry, this shouldn't take long,” Cadance explained.

“Ready as spaghetti!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed.

Twilight nodded. “When you are.”

“So long as I don't miss the chance to see Sweetie Belle off. She was supposed to be joining the last caravan out of town,” Rarity muttered.

“Again, it shouldn't be long,” Cadance remarked in a low tone.

“Give the word,” exclaimed Rainbow Dash.

“I was born ready,” Applejack stated confidently.

“That is wonderful to hear. Now just relax, and if you feel yourself falling, just try not to freak out,” Cadance warned.

“Otherwise you may end up trapped in the space between our minds, forever lost in a void of nothingness,” Chrysalis added.

“That can happen!?” shouted Rainbow Dash.

Cadance used her good elbow to hit Chrysalis in the stomach. “No, it can't. It would just be very uncomfortable for you while we locate you and drag you back into your own minds.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Fluttershy murmured.

“Right, starting the spell now,” Chrysalis began.

The queen’s eyes began to glow, and her own stump of a horn started to shoot a thin stream of emerald sparks. Locking hooves with Cadance, Chrysalis channeled the power through her own body and into the alicorn’s. Where it turned from a bright green to a vibrant shade of pink that an observer would instantly recognize as the color of love.

Both alicorn and changeling alike extended their unoccupied hooves to their side, sending a tendril of energy towards Applejack or Rainbow Dash. Who upon touching the strange bit of ethereal string, went slack in her seat, eyes falling shut as her body relaxed all at once. One by one more of them joined the circle, until at long last it was complete, and nearly everyone in the room was asleep.

Cadance awoke with a start, hastily inspecting her surroundings for anything that may be amiss. Sure enough, she was no longer in her room, nor the palace at all.

The constant presence of smooth, polished marble had been replaced by all encompassing metal which pressed down all around her. The bed she woke up on was one empty of lovers, and bereft of even a blanket, with the only comfort being a small, rather hard pillow. There were no other amenities, no comforts, only a rusted hole in one corner, and a tiny barred window from which blew a cold, bitter wind.

Shivering, she tried to light her horn, but found that her magic was completely blocked. A quick glance up at the thick iron ring confirmed why that was, and a tug established that it would not be easily removed.

“What the heck is going on?” she muttered. “Don't tell me I got captured by Lunites.”

Grumbling bitterly to herself, Cadance inspected what she assumed was some manner of privacy wall. Though the same color as the others, it was across the room from the tiny window that led outside, indicating that was likely the exit. She tested this theory by giving it a firm kick, which caused a pair of ripples to emanate across its oddly liquid, yet metallic surface.

Another few strikes did nothing, confirming Cadance’s fear that this was likely a prison intended to house dragons. Which made sense, as the room itself was huge, unlike her bed, which was only just barely large enough for the alicorn. Glancing over at her waste hole confirmed that it too had some kind of anti-tampering field placed upon it.

With a sigh, Cadance made her way over to the lone window and looked out through the bars, attempting to get some kind of information as to where she was.

Her question was quickly answered, though in its place several more immediately rose up to take its place. How did she get all the way to the relatively uninhabited northlands? Since when was there a jail halfway up the side of a mountain? How far down was the ground even? How long had it been since she had gone to sleep with her bed full of suitors?

Her train of thought was stopped dead in its tracks when she heard a strange noise from behind her, one followed by the clip-clop of hooves.

Spinning around, Cadance was ready to unleash her rage on whoever had been so foolish as to cage her, only to stop.

“Celestia? I thought you were still out fighting rebels?” Cadance asked.

“They are beaten, for the moment,” Celestia replied, standing tall and straight, her gold crown sparkling in the low, artificial light that emanated from above. “There are more pressing concerns.”

“Like rescuing me,” Cadance exclaimed with a smile.

“No,” Celestia answered. “You are here for your own good, I’m afraid.”

“What are you talking about, Celestia? We were supposed to be equals. You can't do this to me!” Cadance shouted.

“I can, and I will!” Celestia bellowed right back, the force of her voice knocking Cadance to the floor.

Cadance blinked. “What happened to you, Celestia? What lies were you told by the Lunites?”

“No one lies to me, not anymore,” Celestia replied, jaw clenched tight. “I have seen the truth.”

“You’re not making any sense. I’m your sister, Celestia, we were meant to rule together,” Cadance urged.

“You were meant to rule!” Celestia shouted. “You and that-”

The mare’s jaw tightened to the point that she couldn't speak, her neck muscles bulging. A vein became visible on the white alicorn’s forehead, and for a moment an uncomfortably bright light pulsed behind her eyes. Then the tension was gone, and Celestia stood relaxed once more, as if she hadn't just been ready to explode only a moment earlier.

“That doesn't matter anymore,” Celestia muttered. “As long as you are corrupted, you are no longer my sister. Don't worry though, I’ve already drawn up a comprehensive plan to rid you of this dark influence.”

Cadance blinked. “You can't possibly think I’m possessed. I have no desire to rule alone, nor do I long for anything I don't already have.”

“I’m well aware of your little harem,” Celestia muttered in disgust. “As well as your activities while not on official business.”

“Then why do all this? You know I’m no threat to you,” Cadance pressed.

“No threat? No threat! Cadance you embody the aspect of sex, lust, and change!” Celestia yelled, grabbing the other alicorn by the shoulders and shaking her viciously. “Sex destroys the body, lust the mind, and change the soul! I can't have some debauched sinners running around in my new empire!”

“Your new empire? What are you talking about, and sinners? We did away with religion centuries ago,” Cadance muttered, the smaller alicorn hanging loose in the other mare’s grip.

Celestia snorted and roughly tossed her sibling to the ground. “You don't get it. Religion is a useful tool, one that will ensure that everyone does as they are told.”

“Yes, yes, you want everything to be orderly,” Cadance muttered, rising from the floor. “But that is done easier and with less effort by simply supplying the people with a little bread and circus.”

“As usual, you fail to grasp the bigger picture. This isn't just about Equestria. Everyone must be united against the evil unleashed by-” Celestia winced, her face contorting in pain before quickly relaxing. “Her.”

“Are you talking about Lun-”

Celestia’s hoof shot to Cadance’s mouth, holding it shut. “Don't you dare utter her name. I had it erased from history for a reason.”

“She was our sister, you can't just pretend like she never existed,” Cadance muttered through gritted teeth.

“She wasn't, but don't worry. I’ll make sure you don't suffer the same fate. You will be purified, and you will rejoin me in due time,” Celestia retorted.

“You can't do this to me. There's nothing wrong with me!” Cadance declared.

“What are you going to do? Seduce your own sibling? We all know you sure aren't fighting your way out,” Celestia pressed, a cocky smile coming to her face.

For a moment Cadance considered throwing a punch, or maybe kicking the mare, but that urge faded quickly. While Cadance was sleek, Celestia was powerful, her body a finely tuned weapon of war with hundreds of years of experience. It wouldn't even be a challenge, and in the end the most Cadance would accomplish is spitting in her own sister’s face.

“And when you fail, then what?” Cadance asked, walking close enough that they were nearly nose to nose.

Celestia laughed. “Failure is not an option.”

Before Cadance had the chance to fire off another question, Celestia stepped back and activated the barrier. Now alone once more, Cadance released an angry shout which she quickly muffled by stuffing her face into the cold, hard pillow.

I didn't even check to see where I was, or if there was anyone else out there. I need to focus if I’m going to survive whatever Celestia has in store, Cadance thought to herself, her scream quickly turning into a long, drawn out sigh. Whatever. As soon as she realizes she's wasting her time, she’ll see the error of her ways and let me go.

Cadance rolled onto her back and sighed. “She better.”

The mare closed her eyes and was about to try and go to sleep when the ground began to shake. At first Cadance thought it was an earthquake, or perhaps an avalanche, but there was a voice buried in the noise. A voice which sounded like it was… yawning? Or perhaps in pain.

Cadance shivered as she lay on the bed, wings wrapped around her body. The effort to stay warm was wasted, as the wind howled continually, day and night almost without pause. The only window of silence were a few hours in the early morning which was when Cadance tried her best to catch up on sleep.

An objective she very rarely managed, and today was seemingly no different. That was until she heard the sound of the barrier falling and hooves clopping right outside her cell. Days ago, she would have leapt up and considered attacking whoever it was, but after nearly seventy-two hours, Cadance had little strength left. She could barely even turn her head to stare up at the grim face of her sister.

“Come on. We’ve got experiments to run,” Celestia demanded.

Cadance grunted. “Carry me.”

Celestia rolled her eyes. “I know you’re stronger than that. Don't be a pain, and I’ll make sure you get some better food. We’ve got more than just the magically dehydrated stuff now.”

Cadance wanted to be annoyed, but the promise of food that didn't taste like warm bark was tempting. “Fine,” she muttered.

Pushing herself off the bed, Cadance stood on shaky hooves, nearly falling in the process, only to be caught by Celestia.

“I’ll make sure to have some bedding sent down for you,” Celestia whispered, hoisting Cadance back to her hooves and stepping away.

“Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?” Cadance hissed, her half numb hooves barely holding her upright.

“Why wouldn't I? You may be corrupted, but you're still my sister. Now come on,” Celestia demanded, turning to the right.

Cadance trotted after her sibling, gaze sweeping over the long hallway she now found herself in. One which seemed completely normal, save for the fact that it was large enough to accommodate an ancient dragon. That, and the mass of cables, pipes, and dozen or so metal tubes which snaked across the ceiling in a semi-random pattern.

No other cells or exits were visible, though Cadance assumed that they were simply hidden as hers was.

She barely had the strength to walk, let alone pay attention to half dozen different things so the mare merely focused straight ahead. To where the hallway ended in a set of double doors, and a simple, smaller opening that continued on for another dozen meters before stopping suddenly.

Led towards what appeared to be an operating room of some kind, Cadance could feel a desire to run building in her chest. Yet she knew she wouldn't get far, even at her best she was simply no match for the alicorn before her. So Cadance continued to trot into the next room, stopping after having passed through the enormous entrance.

There she stood and gazed upon the myriad of bizarre contraptions that littered the area. This was definitely made by a dragon, that much was certain, as no race quite embraced the almost comic levels of evil that they did. Torture equipment, tubes filled with dismembered pony parts, strange brass coils just sitting there, sparking for no reason.

It would have been silly to Cadance, had she not been the one standing in its midst.

“Ignore the whole… everything,” Celestia muttered, waving a hoof in the air. “Most of this will be cleared out soon. It was mainly used for intimidation purposes, but we don't need that anymore.”

“Right,” muttered Cadance.

“Get on the table please,” Celestia demanded, pointing to a large metal X sitting a few feet away.

“What are you going to do to me?” Cadance asked.

“Purify you. Like I said,” Celestia replied. “Now please lay down. On your back.”

Once more, Cadance considered fighting, struggling, or making a break for it, but chose not to. Instead she meekly trotted over to the operating table and lay down on her back. A second later, metal cuffs slammed down over her hooves, holding her firmly in place as a wide belt was fastened around her waist.

“Now the doctor will focus all of the evil magic inside of you into a single place, allowing us to remove it,” Celestia explained.

“Remove it how?” Cadance muttered.

“Physically,” Celestia replied, fastening a strange set of devices to Cadance’s eye, forcing it open.

A second later, a pair of strangely heavy footsteps came from the door, though Cadance could no longer bend her neck to see who was coming. Heck, she could barely even see anything due to the large overhead lamp shining straight down on her face.

“Ahh, there we are. Ready, Celestia?” droned a heavily accented masculine voice.

“Just get on with it, and remember your side of the bargain. Six months or else it's into the sun with you,” Celestia whispered in a harsh tone.

The voice chuckled. “Do not worry, my old enemy. I’ve treated patients far worse than this.”

A moment later, the distorted features of a white dragon appeared before Cadance. “Greetings, patient zero. I am your doctor, Daurgothoth Varentell, and I will be your sole company in this frozen wasteland I call a hospital,” declared the drake.

Cadance’s eyes readjusted slowly, but when they did, they found that the elder dragon had likely undergone an unpleasant shrinking spell. Some parts of his body were out of proportion with others, and one eye even bulged visibly out of his head. Yet despite this, he did not seem to be in pain, in fact he was curious, and uncomfortably eager to inspect Cadance.

“Whenever you are ready,” Celestia exclaimed.

“Right, now then…” The dragon hobbled over to the other side of Cadance, his hand beginning to glow a faint teal. “Gathering one’s negative aspect is not difficult to do, especially for more powerful creatures such as ourselves.”

His hand moved up and down Cadance’s body, starting at her head then going lower, only to return to that same spot a moment earlier. As his hand hovered over a part of her, Cadance felt something stirring beneath her skin, only the sensation wasn't exactly physical. It was like some part of her soul was being gathered or pushed in a way that shouldn't be possible to do so.

“So much of alicorn physiology is simple magic forced into a mortal shell. All it takes is a bit of knowledge on how to manipulate that flow, and you can easily isolate the parts we need to remove,” he continued.

By then the flow had built to the point that Cadance could feel bulges or bumps beneath her skin. These lumps were stationary at first, but with some coaxing they started to travel up her body and towards her face. Centering at the back of one of her eyes, Cadance immediately realized what the dragon had in store for her.

“Wait, stop,” Cadance urged, the mare faintly aware that half the world had become tinged in green. “You can't honestly believe it’s that simple.”

“Ponies are simple creatures, why should your physiology be any different?” replied the dragon.

“Do it after I apply the anesthesia spell. I don't want her to suffer anymore than what's necessary,” Celestia declared, her horn lighting briefly before a wave of energy washed over Cadance’s body.

“Please just listen to me, I-” Cadance’s complaints were stopped when her mouth slammed shut, held closed by a powerful aura.

“Much better. You wouldn't want me to mess this up, now would you? I’d hate for it to get infected,” chuckled the dragon in a low, rumbling tone.

“Work in silence, creature,” spat Celestia.

“As you wish,” Daurgothoth muttered.

Cadance could only watch in horror as a clawed hand hovered over her now emerald sphere, his fingers continuing to glow brightly. Then, after nearly a minute of silent horror, the dragon reached forward and plucked the orb from Cadance’s skull. Her vision blurred, then cut off a second later, something hot pressing itself against the empty pit where her eye had once been.

Her scream was silent, and the tears she shed were swiftly dabbed away by some unseen force. Though painful, it wasn’t much worse than a particularly unpleasant kick to the shins, as all sensation was dulled significantly by Celestia’s spell. That almost made it worse somehow, as Cadance struggled to even mourn the loss of her eye.

“Did it work?” asked Celestia.

“See for yourself,” offered Daurgothoth.

Cadance wasn't sure what was going on, but from the way Celestia spoke, she seemed impressed.

“That was nearly all of it in one go. What do you have planned next?” Celestia inquired.

“I will spend several hours building it in a spot with deeper leylines,” Daurgothoth explained. “With time and focus, I should be able to excise this corruption relatively quickly.”

“See to it that you do,” Celestia declared. “I will return soon. In the meantime I expect you to treat your patient as if she were your closest kin, got it?”

“Understood,” Daurgothoth replied.

“Good. Do not fail me,” Celestia stated before trotting out of the room.

“Oh, I won't,” Daurgothoth whispered. “I know very well when I am beat.”

He smiled as Celestia vanished around the corner. “Though you didn't say anything about some side experiments,” murmured the dragon.

As the anesthesia spell ran its course, and exhaustion weighed on Cadance’s body, she heard the dragon chuckle quietly to himself.

Bastard. Cadance thought before falling unconscious.

Cadance lay on her back, lone forehoof pressed against her chest while the stump was tucked under it. Though she had blankets, they did very little against the constant cold and dull ache that came from her most recent injuries. Now missing both an eye and a limb, the alicorn stewed silently, her emotions roiling beneath the surface.

The first thing she had thought was that she was never going to be considered pretty again, but that thought didn't last long. She had bedded beautiful creatures of both sexes which had been missing several parts of themselves, and they had been wonderful. Why, just thinking about that one blind griffon she had seduced thirty years ago threatened to make her a little hot under the collar.

No, her concerns were not quite so petty, as there were more pressing concerns like the changes she could feel happening inside of her. Already her more feminine urges had dulled somewhat, and she could not feel the ambient emotion quite as well as she used to. Worse still, she was starting to grow more lethargic and accepting of her abuse as time went on.

That small realization would have drawn forth a burst of panic, but the pony simply couldn't feel such a thing. Be it the result of the doctor’s treatments or the simple effect of being tortured, Cadance couldn't be certain. Either way, she simply lay in the same spot, staring up at the ceiling until her limbs went numb and she was able to drift off to sleep.

However, the release of the door stopped her from finally succumbing to her own exhaustion. Her heart began to pound as she detected the familiar, chemical rich scent that followed her torturer like a shroud of flies. The dull thump of the dragon’s mismatched feet made the alicorn’s blood boil, but she could do nothing but glare at him silently.

“Up and at ‘em. We have another day of testing ahead of us, and it is going to be a promising one. Of that I am certain,” he declared with a strangely friendly, if lopsided smile.

“It won't be, and you’ll be another day closer to getting fired into the sun,” Cadance grumbled.

Daurgothoth chuckled to himself. “This problem may be more difficult than first anticipated, but I am confident that today’s experiment will prove most effective.”

Cadance groaned and crawled out of bed, her body tensing as she made a quick calculation in her mind. Then with a twist, she spun around and aimed a devastating buck at the dragon’s lumpy, misshapen face. She didn't quite connect though, as he stumbled back, catching a hoof to the chin, but being otherwise uninjured.

The alicorn wasted no time and attempted to pounce on him, but found herself stopped by a single word. One not uttered in the traditional manner, but some strange resonance that buried into her body and nestled deep in her soul. Like a switch being flipped, Cadance collapsed to the ground, her every muscle going limp.

“Not bad. Not bad at all,” Daurgothoth muttered, rubbing his chin. “You are lucky Celestia chose me for my skill as well as my bedside manner, or else I might have sought revenge for such an action. Thankfully I think the experiment itself will be far worse than the gentle caress you gave me.”

Cadance wanted to tell him off, to insult him, but she couldn't manage so much as a faint gurgle of anger.

“Ahh, yes. I forgot that I can't simply give you back the strength I took,” Daurgothoth chuckled. “Regardless, we have much to do and little time to do it.”

The dragon reached down and grabbed Cadance’s tail before turning towards the entrance. Dragging her behind him, the doctor trundled down the hall towards the experimentation room. Cadance grumbled bitterly, silently quite glad for the weight she had lost, as the trip wasn't even that painful.

That was until she was unceremoniously hauled back onto a metal table which she had grown quite used to. Only this time when her hooves were locked in place, and her torso was bound, she found that she was not alone. Rather there was a large tube sitting beside her, one filled with green liquid and a pitch black pony-shaped mass.

Though its eyes were open, there were no irises visible, nor the distant spark of intelligence one might see in an animal. It was more akin to a strange statue of some kind, one with translucent wings and a jagged horn. If it was alive, it didn't need to breathe, and if it was dead, there was no sign of an injury or any decay for that matter.

“Ahh, you’re curious about your new cellmate,” Daurgothoth exclaimed while attaching several cables to the tube, then to the metal corset he attached around Cadance’s midsection. “She was quite the fascinating experiment in her time.”

“She?” Cadance asked, her strength returning just enough that she could speak.

“Well, not she, it doesn't really have a gender, mind you, but it seemed appropriate,” Daurgothoth explained.

Cadance grunted.

“It was originally intended to serve as a sort of sleeper agent, and was designed by a famous assassin of some repute,” Daurgothoth continued, turning dials, flicking levers, and peering into bubbling tubes of strange liquid. “It was intended to go amongst you ponies in a disguise, passively feeding off the magic you emanate constantly in order to sustain itself. Then when we needed it to, we could activate it with a word, turning it into a remorseless killing machine.”

Cadance shivered in disgust.

He chuckled. “Oh, don't worry. We never actually managed to get it working before you quite handedly defeated us with that spell of yours. I’m so glad that Celestia has found a way to reverse it. Hope is a valuable thing, you know, especially to those with none.”

“She might be crazy, but she would never let more of you wake up,” Cadance muttered.

“Most likely not, unless she thought that doing so would save the world. But that is a plan that is very long in the making, and not something you need to worry about,” Daurgothoth remarked, standing beside the table with a crooked smile on his face. “Right now all you need to ponder is the simple question, ‘What happens when my soul is amputated and stuffed into a doll?’”

“It won’t work. It's like the rest of your attempts. You won’t be able to remove that part which makes me me without simply committing murder,” Cadance retorted, a hint of fear worming its way into her voice.

“Ahh, but that is where you are wrong. You see, parts of your amputated magic return to you because it doesn't have a home after being removed,” Daurgothoth continued. “I may be able to easily take out the majority of it through more direct means, but to remove the entirety of it, I need a new approach. Like finding a host which will eagerly devour your essence.”

Cadance glanced hesitantly over to the black creature, her apprehension growing as it gently bobbed within the tank.

“You can't be serious,” Cadance muttered.

“I think you’ll find that humor is one of the few things I am completely incapable of. Now hold still. This is going to hurt. A lot,” Daurgothoth exclaimed.

“Why, what are you do-” Cadance’s question quickly morphed into a scream of agony as the dragon brought down a cleaver on the end of the alicorn’s stump of a leg.

Blood immediately began to pour out, though it was stopped when her self-declared doctor uttered another word. The flow slowed to a trickle as his hand began to glow, hovering over Cadance’s chest and slowly drawing forth more strange energy. As before, this force gathered itself from deep in the mare’s body, coagulating into an uncomfortable mass just beneath her skin.

It felt almost like she was about to cast a spell, only through her chest rather than her horn. Though even then, that wasn't quite a perfect description as using magic did not sting like her soul was being filled with needles. This unpleasant sensation was joined by a pressure and more pain which only grew the longer his hand continued to hover over her chest.

Cadance took some small joy in the fact that he seemed to be straining, but that didn't help the agony he was putting her through. She imagined this was what childbirth was like, or perhaps it was even worse, as then you didn't get a section of your soul ripped out. Cadance could feel the energy which made up her soul get diffused into her blood, then pulled down towards her stump of a hoof.

The doctor’s scaled hand flashed brightly, then with another word the wound reopened completely. Allowing a wave of unnaturally dark, crimson to shoot out of Cadance like a tsunami of pain. The alicorn screamed, but nothing came out of her mouth save for a hoarse cry of wordless agony.

Nearly every part of her wanted to look away, yet Cadance felt her gaze drawn down towards the end of her hoof where her unsettlingly dark blood had pooled into a floating orb of undulating liquid the size of a watermelon. More and more flowed out of her until Cadance began to wonder if she was going to be killed by exsanguination.

That, thankfully, never happened, as the dragon cut off the flow with a muttered word, forcefully healing the stump. He then stepped away from Cadance, stumbling briefly before catching himself on a piece of machinery. With his feet under him, the dragon trundled awkwardly over to the tube and pulled a seemingly random lever.

The tank immediately drained of liquid, dropping the black creature to the bottom with a wet smack. The fall did nothing to the inert statue one bit, and neither did its unfortunate slide onto the hard stone floor. Cadance couldn't help but wince as the creature’s head bounced off the ground, though it uttered no sound.

“Come, feed,” Daurgothoth urged, lowering his hand closer to the ground.

He then uttered another word which wasn't a word, and the creature began to twitch, though it did not rise. This seemed to irritate the dragon, and he knelt down next to the floor, a claw dipping into the floating mass of blood. Carefully, he pried open the creature’s mouth and pressed his crimson finger against the serpentine tongue within.

“Now then, rise and fe-” Daurgothoth's command was cut off the second his finger was. “Augh, you no good waste of a perfectly good corpse.”

As the dragon began to curse and sputter insults the likes of which Cadance had never heard, the creature’s eyes opened, revealing twin orbs as black as its exterior, and just as devoid of any kind of emotion as the rest of its face was. Yet for whatever reason Cadance felt no fear, even as the creature began to inhale, causing the orb of blood to flow into its mouth.

Dozens of thin blackish red tentacles extended from the mass, intertwining as they traveled down the statue’s throat. Within seconds everything that had been extracted from Cadance was now inside the strange black creature. Who released a content purr, its throat creating an odd clicking noise not unlike a mixture of a cricket and a cat.

It was all rather amusing, though Cadance figured that her reaction might be due to the massive blood loss she had just suffered. Her companion was slightly less entertained, and he balled his now four fingered fist before slugging the creature across the jaw. The hit sent the black doll-like monster to the ground, its eyes blinking not in pain, but simple confusion.

“You were not supposed to take the whole finger. That is going to take days to grow back in this neutered body,” Daurgothoth cursed. “Now sit quietly while I staunch the bleeding.”

Raising his head, the dragon uttered another word, and his wound closed at least partially, stopping the flow of blood. A quick application of a bandage, and it was on the way to be healed, unlike Cadance’s still gaping wound. Which, she quickly realized, would likely never fully be fixed, no matter how good alicorn regeneration was.

“There we go,” Daurgothoth muttered. “Now let's check on this ‘corruption’ Celestia wanted expunged.”

“Screw you. You fat ugly pile of sentient afterbirth,” Cadance muttered.

The statuesque creature cackled like a bug-like hyena, annoying Daurgothoth immediately.

“Silence!” he shouted, glaring at the creature before spinning back to Cadance. “I suppose I deserved that. Now then, please be quiet. I’d like to get some fluids in you before you pass out, and I am not a good multitasker.”

“Multitasking, jokes. The list of things you suck at grows ever longer,” Cadance murmured.

Daurgothoth rolled his eyes as he hovered a glowing hand over Cadance’s body, a smile slowly growing across his face until he was grinning like a madman. His entire body shook as he worked to contain his budding excitement.

“Ha, I did it! Here I thought it would take months, and yet I’ve done it in only weeks,” Daurgothoth exclaimed.

“Did what? I don't feel any different,” Cadance murmured.

“That's because you're in shock. Getting a good half of your soul ripped out of you would do that though,” Daurgothoth replied with a chuckle. “Speaking of which, I don't want to be here for when that wears off.”

He turned to the stone faced creature expectantly. “Take the prisoner back to cell twenty-three, then sit in the corner of the room. I don't have a need for either of you anymore, though I am curious to see which one of you will survive until morning.”

He smirked down at the bug-like pony. “Perhaps you’ll eat her, and I can simply use you to replace her.” Daurgothoth stopped stroking his chin and snorted. “A consideration for another time. Now go!”

The creature seemed to hesitate a moment before nodding dutifully and unfastening Cadance’s straps. A moment later, the semi-delirious alicorn had been slung over her back as they made their way to the cell. With Daurgothoth following close behind, it wasn't long before the creature and Cadance were in the cell.

Which was closed and firmly locked behind them without a sound.

Now alone with the alicorn, the creature placed its charge in the lone bed, then sat beside her, conflicted. Cadance’s eyes flitted open briefly, evidently holding onto consciousness by a single aching thread.

“You can eat me if you’d like,” she offered with a wide smile. “I don't think I’m going to make it anyway, and you must be hungry, what with you just being born or whatever.”

Cadance suddenly erupted with laughter at a joke she hadn't even told yet. “I’d offer you some milk, but I have a strange feeling that would be weird. Besides, that well has long since gone dry.”

The creature cocked its head to the side, but said nothing.

“You wanna eat me in my sleep. What a polite little blood-drinking monster you are,” Cadance slurred, her hoof patting the creature’s head. “Just leave my face for last, okay? I wanna be pretty for as long as pos-”

The alicorn fell slack, her body hitting the bed like a puppet with its strings cut.

The creature sat there quietly, staring at the alicorn for several long seconds. Then when it had confirmed that Cadance was alive, it gently pushed her hoof back up onto the bed. After which it slowly maneuvered the blanket up Cadance’s body until it was snug under the alicorn’s chin.

It then opened its mouth and tried to say something, but no traditional words came out. Only the raw unfiltered emotion of love, drawn forth from a glimpse of beauty found within the alicorn’s divine features.

Cadance awoke with a start, and almost immediately fell back to the bed when a dizzy spell struck her. With a groan, she lay there staring at the ceiling, only now fully realizing what happened the day before. Her memories were difficult to even parse, with her addled state leaving the majority of them hazy and strange.

The alicorn continued to lay there silently until she remembered who else was in the room with her. Then she glanced over to her left and came nose-to-nose with the strange black creature.

“Blah!” she screamed, hastily shuffling backward.

“Blah?” mimicked the creature, turning its head.

Cadance blinked, only now noticing that something had changed in the monster that had become her cellmate. Instead of cold black eyes, there were twin slits of green that were small, though still visible. It had also grown slightly taller, reaching the height of a rather tall, adult pony.

“What the…” Cadance murmured.

“What the?” asked the creature, its voice gravelly and halting, as if it were struggling to string the words together.

“I guess you didn't eat me,” Cadance remarked.

“No,” replied the creature.

“So are you planning on feeding on me over a longer time, or what?” Cadance asked.

The creature cocked its head to the side, but said nothing.

“Figures. I doubt you even know what's going on,” Cadance murmured.

“Bad man imprisoned us. You were… betrayed,” murmured the creature, its head twisting about before coming to a stop, tongue sticking out. “Tastes terrible.”

“You can taste the betrayal?” Cadance asked.

The creature shrugged weakly.

“Hmm, well, anyway, it doesn't seem like you’re about to eat me, so thanks for that,” Cadance awkwardly remarked.

The golem-like pony seemed about to respond but suddenly winced in pain, dropping to the ground as it gripped its head.

Forgetting her own injuries for a moment, Cadance reached down and swiftly pulled the creature from the ground. Though it was heavy, the alicorn was able to call on a small amount of her natural earth pony magic, allowing her to lift the surprisingly dense individual. With a grunt, it was deposited next to Cadance, who swiftly began to look it over with a careful eye.

“Are you okay?” she whispered. “Where does it hurt?”

“Head. Flashes. Memories. Not mine,” it murmured, turning this way and that as it wrestled with an onslaught of new experiences.

“Huh, that…” Cadance frowned as she recalled a lesson from Twilight, one that went to great lengths to explain the nature of the soul. Including how memories could be shared, stored, or extracted if a particularly skilled necromancer cared enough to learn the process. “You have my… What do you see?”

The creature winced, face pressed firmly against the hard wooden bench. “Sex, violence, war, and so much suffering.”

Cadance paused and scanned her own memory banks for anything close to what her cellmate was describing. Sure she knew what those things were, but for the life of her Cadance, she couldn't recall an instance she had actually seen those things. With this strange realization came a wave of agony, one akin to seeing an injury and being reminded of it after it had been forgotten.

Now clutching one another tightly, the two beings grappled silently with their new reality and the pain that came with it. Minutes turned to hours, without an end in sight, only for the agony to end abruptly, allowing Cadance to finally breathe normally. When this happened, she looked down to find that the creature was gazing up at her with a strange, unreadable expression. Its eyes had become mostly white, save for a slit black pupil and a multihued iris that was three different shades of green.

“You look more… pony-like,” Cadance murmured. “It looks good on you.”

“Thanks,” it murmured.

“So, uh… See anything weird in those memories?” Cadance muttered absently.

“A lot. Helps me think and talk. Also found out that you have a thing for people taller than you,” it replied.

Cadance wanted to deny it, but something told her that the creature was absolutely correct.

“Shut up, you,” she whispered.

The creature laughed. “I would be offended, but you don't mean that. I can taste it.”

Cadance grumbled, only to realize that as the pair were dealing with their pain, they had become quite entangled with one another. Hooves wrapped around each other’s bodies, and the creature was nestled tightly into the crook of Cadance's neck. Though a little cold and its flesh weirdly hard, Cadance couldn't complain as the companionship was immensely enjoyable.

The distinct sound of the door opening caused Cadance’s relatively good mood to immediately disappear. It was further fouled by the dragon’s scowling deformed face and the plate of food he walked in with.

“Disgusting,” he muttered before quickly uttering a strange word.

The assassin creature in Cadance’s hooves immediately leapt backwards, escaping the alicorn’s grip. It then dutifully took position to the dragon’s right side, eyes becoming a black and featureless void once more.

“I may have lost my appetite, but that doesn't mean you haven't,” he exclaimed, dropping the plate of food in front of Cadance’s face. “Eat quickly, for it will be your last.”

“But Celestia forbid you from killing me,” Cadance pointed out.

“Yes, she forbade me from doing so, and ensured I completed my task. With that first thing done, I may now use my little puppet here to get rid of your now purified self. Now hurry up. I am doing you a rare kindness,” Daurgothoth declared.

Cadance grabbed the spoon and began to slurp up the bowl of oatmeal, noting much to her annoyance that it was genuinely good. There were even fresh berries inside of it, and the entire thing had been cooked to the exact right consistency. Throughout it all she observed the creature closely, attempting to discern what was going through its mind. A process which was difficult given that its face only changed expression once, flashing Cadance a tiny, almost imperceptibly small smile.

The alicorn choked down the last of her food and placed the plate aside, glancing up at the dragon expectantly.

“Well, get on with it,” she demanded.

“Impudent worm. I would add insult to injury, but that would only delay the inevitable. Now-” he uttered a strange sound that sounded vaguely like a word, prompting the creature to lurch forward.

With jaws extended and fangs revealed, it seemed poised to chomp down on Cadance’s neck. The alicorn felt no killing intent however, nor did she see any malice in the creature’s eyes. Sure enough, those fangs were not destined for her, as the creature suddenly spun around and buried them in Daurgothoth’s throat.

“What? How dare you!” he shouted, hands gripping the creature’s face in both hands.

With surprising strength, he pulled the assassin’s jaws open and threw the creature aside. It was swift however, and leapt back upon him, intent on landing another bite. Daurgothoth was faster still, and caught it mid-leap before twisting and tossing it across the room with much more force.

Cadance leapt into the fray a second later, throwing herself at the dragon and knocking him off his feet. Now astride his chest, Cadance slugged him repeatedly, though her blows were weak due to her own stifled magic and recent blood loss. Not only that, but it was hard to balance having only a single forehoof, resulting in the alicorn being roughly shoved back into the bed.

“Why, you filthy little abomination?” Daurgothoth muttered as he rose to his feet.

The creature screeched as it leapt at the dragon’s side, only to be caught by the throat before it could land a hit. Though it squirmed and tried to escape, Daurgothoth’s hold was firm, leaving little wiggle room. He didn't even seem particularly bothered by the blood pouring out of the four holes that had been punched into his neck.

Instead of addressing the wounds, he reached down and grabbed the creature’s horn in one hand, prompting another round of scratching, punching, and desperate attempts to get free, all of which were in vain. With a twist, he removed the creature’s horn, causing bright green sparks to shoot across the room.

The creature’s cry of agony turned into a gurgle of pain as it was tossed onto the bed.

“You monster,” Cadance muttered.

“You brought this on yourself,” Daurgothoth declared.

He then reached down, fingers splayed wide and intent on grabbing the alicorn’s horn as well. Cadance resisted, punching and scrambling out of the way, but the dragon was remarkably fast. In seconds his large stubby fingers wrapped about the pillar of bone, and the alicorn was wrenched forward.

“It seems as though you will live to see another day. You will come to regret this fact, I promise you,” Daurgothoth exclaimed before squeezing with all his might.

Cadance felt a moment of sharp pain before an intense stinging sensation exploded through her body, and she was thrown against the wall. By the time she became aware of her situation, Cadance found that the creature had wrapped its hooves around her. Not only that, but it was sobbing, its chest rising and falling as inky tears ran down its smooth features.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Cadance whispered, glancing up to find that they were now alone.

“I failed,” it muttered. “I thought because I saw all of that fighting, that I knew how, but I was useless.”

“He was stronger, but don't worry, we’ll get him next time,” Cadance murmured.

“Next time? There can't be a next time,” it pointed out. “You almost died.”

“You almost died,” Cadance retorted.

“Irrelevant,” declared the creature. “I am just a golem, a puppet. I don't even have a name.”

“Then let's fix that, hmm?” Cadance whispered.

“You cannot fix what I am,” it stated in a low tone, face pressed against Cadance’s chest.

“Hmm, you sound like a bug, but you act like a cat. Maybe Beetle Back? No, that doesn't sound right,” Cadance muttered to herself.

“You are wasting your time. This one is a worthless doll that deserves neither name, nor your pity,” it hissed.

Cadance merely stared off into space. “You did come from a tube, almost like a butterfly. That's it. I’ll call you… Chrysalis!”

Author's Note

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Stealing Hope

“You’ve been quiet,” Cadance remarked, a hoof caressing the top of Chrysalis’ head. “What's wrong?”

“Isn't it obvious?” Chrysalis muttered through the alicorn’s chest fur. “You’ve lost your horn, and I failed.”

Cadance sighed. “This again? I thought we already talked this out. It wasn't your fault. You didn't know how strong he was, and I was never very good at unicorn magic anyway.”

Chrysalis pushed away from the alicorn and glared up at her. “You should not be so flippant about your disfigurement. You lost something important, and I have yet to prove that I am anything more than a leech.”

“You are not some parasite to be discarded,” Cadance stated firmly, gripping the other creature’s face. “You are a person deserving of love.”

Chrysalis scowled. “I do not deserve your kindness, and certainly not your love. The only thing I do deserve is a swift death.”

“Don't say that,” Cadance growled. “You did nothing wrong.”

“Yet because I exist you have lost most of your memories and half of your very soul!” Chrysalis retorted, pushing herself up on the bed. “In fact, I should kill myself. At least if I die then it would return to you, and you would be whole again.”

Cadance sat across from Chrysalis and fixed her with a disapproving look. “You can't do that.”

“And why not?” Chrysalis challenged. “All I have to do is attack our jailer with significant fury, and he shall be forced to slay me.”

“It doesn't work that way,” Cadance countered. “The split has changed us both. There is no going back to how things were.”

Chrysalis scoffed. “And why not? As soon as I have perished, you shall inherit your soul.”

“It's not mine, not anymore anyway,” Cadance replied. “Can't you see? It's already adapting to you. Your eyes are proof of just that.”

“I…” Chrysalis wanted to argue, and her body was tense, yet she had no release. “You aren't lying to me, are you?”

“Do you think I’m that type of person?” Cadance replied.

Chrysalis sighed. “No. You may be many things, but dishonest isn't one of them.”

“Powerful magic has a mind of its own, and it seems like the magic you inherited from me is already changing you,” Cadance continued, running a hoof down Chrysalis’ cheek. “It probably won't stop with your eyes either.”

“That is the least of my worries,” Chrysalis exclaimed.

Cadance chuckled. “I suppose we should focus on escaping first. That does seem like the most pressing of concerns.”

“How?” Chrysalis replied, gesturing about the room. “There are no ways out, save for that window, and even if we managed to break through it, we’d have to descend down a mountain.”

“I’ve still got these,” Cadance replied, raising her wings and giving the feathered appendages a wiggle. “Plus I know enough pegasus magic to keep us warm for a day or so.”

Chrysalis opened her mouth to respond, only to close it and really stare at the alicorn. “You’re serious.”

“I mean, it's either that or hope that my crazed sister returns and doesn't decide to kill me,” Cadance answered with a shrug.

“That may still be your best bet,” Chrysalis reasoned. “Since you are free of ‘corruption’, she should allow you to return to your old life.”

“Chrysi,” Cadance began, her tone low. “She left me in the care of a madman who tortured me, then tried to have me killed. I don't want to go back to my old life for obvious reasons.”

“Fair,” Chrysalis admitted.

“Now, are we going to try thinking of a way out of here or are we going to keep wallowing in self-pity?” Cadance pressed.

“I suppose we could try planning… something,” Chrysalis muttered.

“That's a good start,” Cadance proclaimed.

“But what about food and water? I don't think he's going to feed you again after all that,” Chrysalis asked.

“My alicorn endurance should keep me healthy for a few weeks,” Cadance replied.

“I had better hurry,” Chrysalis exclaimed, hopping up from the cot. “Now, where to begin?”

“The toilet--er, hole,” Cadance replied, pointing to the rusted pipe in the floor. “There has to be a way out through there.”

“Right, I’ll start by trying to unscrew it and maybe find a way into the sub floor,” Chrysalis exclaimed. “You keep an ear to the wall so we’ll know when he's coming.”

Cadance nodded. “Good plan.”

Lying on her side, Cadance watched as Chrysalis flitted about the room like a moth caught in a lamp shade. Though humorous, the alicorn didn't have the strength to even laugh, nor could she even let her amusement be known. All she was capable of was to listen to the hallway beyond their cell in hopes of hearing their jailor coming.

Something she had yet to acomplish.

Though Cadance couldn't tell if that was due to some manner of incompetence on her part or if he simply hadn't come down in an entire month. It was a grim thought, but one that made Cadance a little hopeful, as it meant there was a chance he didn't know about their escape plan. Which was currently on hold, as Chrysalis was busy hunting down a rather elusive cockroach.

“Aha,” Chrysalis muttered, spearing the tiny insect with a metal fragment. “Got you.”

She then trotted over to Cadance and proudly displayed her catch.

“Augh,” Cadance groaned.

“I know alicorns are not strict vegetarians, so don't try to pull that on me,” Chrysalis countered.

Cadance muttered to herself.

“You need to eat something,” Chrysalis stressed.

“Fine,” Cadance whispered.

Chrysalis placed the grim morsel on the other female’s tongue and sat back, watching as it was devoured. To her credit, Cadance only gagged twice, and in the end, she did swallow the entire thing.

“We can't keep doing this,” Chrysalis muttered, tossing aside the piece of metal. “The pipes barely leak enough to get you a drop or two every few minutes and there is hardly anything edible down here.”

“It’s fine,” Cadance croaked, waving a weary hoof at the other side of the room. “Keep going.”

“Cadance, it's going to take me months to get through that pipe,” Chrysalis exclaimed. “You need food now.”

“It’s fine,” Cadance muttered.

Chrysalis shook her head and trotted away, then knelt back down over the hole.

From her spot on the cot, Cadance could tell that her companion wasn't really focusing on removing the pipe. Rather she was staring off into space and squinting intently at something only she could see. The sight annoyed Cadance, yet the alicorn didn't have the strength to berate her newfound friend for her efforts.

Sure enough, the faint tugging on her magic Cadance had grown familiar with faded, only to return almost immediately. It was clear to the alicorn that Chrysalis was trying to stop herself from feeding on Cadance, a noble but ultimately useless endavour. The other creature had made several attempts to stop at this point, and like this most recent one, they had ended in failure.

I wonder if it's even possible for her to stop? Cadance thought to herself.

As if to answer her unspoken question, Chrysalis growled to herself before leaning back down. Once more she started to work at the pipe, slowly loosening the bolts which held it to the ground.

The stomp of bipedal feet shocked Cadance from her bout of introspection.

“He's coming,” Cadance whispered.

Chrysalis immediately leapt up and sprinted over to the cot, falling soundlessly into the bed. The creature then put herself between Cadance and the door, much to the alicorn’s continued annoyance. A few seconds later, the magical wall faded away, revealing the misshapen dragon standing just outside their cell.

“Ahh, so you still live,” he exclaimed. “As does our resident alicorn, wonderful.”

“No thanks to you, monster,” Chrysalis growled.

“Protective, aren't we?” mused Daurgothoth. “And I do apologize, but I was rather busy running other experiments. Though I find myself with a little extra time at the moment.”

Chrysalis’ gaze narrowed. “What do you want?”

“I want to offer you a simple deal,” Daurgothoth began, unfolding his hands. “I need you, creature. To help me with a few tests, and in return I will feed your pet alicorn.”

Cadance pawed weekly at Chrysalis’s side. “No, don't,” Cadance urged.

Chrysalis stood up from the cot almost immediately. “Three square meals a day with ample water.”

“Of course,” Daurgothoth replied. “Now then, let us continue to-”

“No,” Chrysalis interrupted. “She needs a meal right now.”

Daurgothoth raised an eyebrow. “I suppose I didn't say when this deal began. Fair enough, come with me. I’ll get you set up in the experimentation room and make something for your… friend.”

Chrysalis’ jaw tightened, as if she were considering her options, though ultimately she seemed to give in. Nodding her assent, she walked over to the dragon, waiting patiently for whatever order he would give her.

“Good,” he purred. “Now simply follow me and do try to remain civil. I would hate to use force when a simple request is more than enough.”

“No, stop,” Cadance murmured, pulling herself to the edge of the bed.

“Don't worry, I’ll be back,” Chrysalis whispered.

“It shouldn't even be that long,” Daurgothoth announced. “Depending on how the procedure goes.”

The dragon turned sharply on his heel and walked out the door, Chrysalis one step behind him. Once they were gone, the wall reappeared, and Cadance collapsed back into her cot, what little strength she had vanishing.

Cadance wanted to stand up, to pound her hooves against that featureless magical barrier, but she couldn't. She could barely even stand on her own, and only the use of her earth pony magic was keeping her from passing out. Closing her eyes, Cadance told herself that Chrysalis would be okay, and that she would return, but those thoughts felt utterly hollow.

Chrysalis stared straight ahead, remaining as still and unmoving as she had been for the last half hour. Behind her, Cadance continued to hum softly as she ran her hooves through Chrysalis’ silk-like blue mane. Now long enough to dangle down in front of the creature’s eyes, her hair had an odd number of holes in it.

It was as if someone had used a knife to cut several perfect circles in it, though that wasn't the only thing to be damaged. Chrysalis now had several chunks missing from her hooves, some large enough that Cadance could nearly put her own hoof through. Not like the alicorn would do something like that, as Chrysalis had yet to even let her inspect the wounds.

“I know this is going to sound stupid, but are you sure you’re okay?” Cadance whispered. “You haven't spoken a word as to what happened to you, and it's been an entire month since then.”

“I…” Chrysalis shook her head. “I’m fine. I just needed time to heal and adjust.”

“Were there any more changes, other than your mouth turning color?” Cadance asked.

“My mouth?” Chrysalis went cross-eyed, staring down her muzzle.

Cadance chuckled. “Your teeth are white, and your tongue is pink like the rest of your mouth.”

“And before it was, what? Black?” Chrysalis asked.

“Like the rest of you,” Cadance answered.

Chrysalis hummed thoughtfully to herself. “First my eyes, then this… hair stuff, what's next?”

“Your back is losing a bit of its color now that were talking about it,” Cadance remarked.

Chrysalis turned her head almost completely backwards and looked down on herself. Sure enough, her onyx coloration had begun to shift, becoming an off-green that ranged from a deep emerald to a light lime.

“Augh,” Chrysalis exclaimed in disgust. “How am I going to be intimidating now?”

“I think you are still plenty scary. Though the grassy color of your eyelids is rather pretty,” Cadance remarked.

“R-really?” Chrysalis murmured.

Cadance nodded. “I think your added height would make you super scary to people who aren't as tall as I am.”

“Pretty soon I’ll be able to make you the little spoon,” Chrysalis shot back.

Cadance giggled. “I look forward to it.”

The jovial air vanished the moment the wall disappeared, and a familiar face appeared in its absence. The dragon wasn't alone, however, as he had two small black equine statues standing next to him. Each of which looked like a tiny version of Chrysalis before she had begun to change due to the influence of Cadance’s soul.

“Ahh, good, you’re awake,” he declared with a smile. “That means we can continue with the next test immediately.”

“What next test?” Cadance replied.

“We aren't going to participate in any more of your sick games,” Chrysalis spat.

Daurgothoth ginned. “Oh, that's where you’re wrong, little bug. You are indeed going to assist in my plans. Unless you’d like for me to take off my chef hat and stop bringing you those lovely meals.”

Chrysalis winced. “What do you want?”

“It's simple,” Daurgothoth began, striding into the room along with his statue-like guards. “My newest creations here have proven to be quite resilient, in addition to being skilled fighters. However, they have so few sparring partners.”

“Why don't you fight these… things,” Cadance muttered, gesturing to the two stony creatures standing on either side of the dragon.

“I know how they fight and their weaknesses, it wouldn't be fair,” Daurgothoth replied. “Besides, why dirty my claws when I have two perfectly good test subjects just waiting to make themselves useful?”

“What exactly would you have us do?” Chrysalis pressed.

“Subdue the copies, or be subdued by them,” he answered, opening his hands. “It's as simple as that.”

Cadance and Chrysalis exchanged a look, but said nothing, the glance telling the other all they needed to know.

“We’ll do it,” Cadance exclaimed.

“Wonderful. I would hate to waste resources dragging you around this facility,” Daurgothoth declared.

“Yes, wouldn't that be just terrible,” Chrysalis muttered bitterly.

“Quite, now do hurry up. Time is of the essence,” Daurgothoth claimed, before turning and walking away.

Chrysalis and Cadance were swift to follow after him, the two black statues only a few steps behind them.

“Why are you in a rush?” Cadance inquired. “It seems to me like you’ve already completed your goal and have four months left to spare.”

“I did indeed ‘purify’ you in record time, but that is not my worry,” Daurgothoth replied, adding air quotes to the word.

“You’re building an army to take on Celestia,” Chrysalis reasoned.

Daurgothoth scoffed. “Whatever I could come up with in this short amount of time won't be enough to stand against her. Furthermore, who says I even want to kill her, hmm?”

Cadance gasped. “You want her to wake up the rest of your kind. You said as much before. Something about if she thinks it will save the world.”

“How did you drive her mad anyway?” Chrysalis pressed.

“I did no such thing. That is the handiwork of another,” Daurgothoth replied, waving a dismissive hand in the air as they passed through a large metal entryway. “I merely see what this mystery schemer had planned and am doing my part to push things along, as it were.”

“You're being awfully forthcoming,” Cadance pointed out.

Daurgothoth chuckled. “And why wouldn't I be? The first thing Celestia will do once she returns here is kill me, telling you all this only drives a further wedge between the two of you. Besides, I might very well be lying to you at this very moment.”

“You aren't, at least you mostly aren't,” Chrysalis exclaimed. “I can taste it.”

Daurgothoth stopped and turned to the black creature curiously. “You can… taste it?”

“Your dishonesty,” Chrysalis replied. “It's… sour.”

The dragon blinked owlishly several times before erupting with laughter.

“Oh, that is rich. Poetic too,” he exclaimed. “To think that your ability to feed on ambient magic would alter itself in such a manner. It must be Cadance’s aspect affecting your physiology.”

“What is going to happen to her?” Cadance inquired, her curiosity getting the better of her.

“Who knows?” Daurgothoth replied with a shrug. “Soul manipulation was common during the war, but the host so rarely survived transfusion that actual data was almost non-existent. Though if I were to make an educated guess, I would say that it’s form will gradually become more and more organic.”

“I am not an it, I am a she, and my name is Chrysalis,” Chrysalis declared.

Daurgothoth rolled his eyes. “I was speaking about your body, not you as an individual. Though I am a little disappointed you didn't choose a more intimidating name, Cadance. She is an assassin golem, not some butterfly that alighted upon your windowsill.”

“It’s fitting,” Cadance retorted.

“Agree to disagree then,” Daurgothoth replied, stopping before a large vault-like door. “Now then. These two shall be your first opponents, and if you succeed, then I more will come. If you manage to defeat all of the golems I’ve grown, then I will grant you some manner of boon.”

The dragon paused and scratched his chin. “Cake, perhaps.”

“What about proper bedding, or a heater?” Cadance replied.

“No, no. That would introduce too many variables. Ah! A heating rune would be perfect.” Daurgothoth smiled. “Then it's settled, defeat my golems, and you shall have a nice warm room to retire to. How does that sound?”

“Whatever, let's just get this little charade over with,” Chrysalis declared.

“As you wish,” Daurgothoth replied, stepping away and spinning the large circular door.

A firm push was all it took for the enormous hunk of steel to glide open, revealing a wide square room. Passing through the entrance, Cadance briefly marveled at the sheer size of the space while Chrysalis kept her gaze on its inhabitants. Who numbered nearly thirty and were lined up around the walls, each one staring emptily at nothing in particular.

“Creepy,” Cadance muttered.

“Watch out,” Daurgothoth warned. “They are nearly perfect copies of your new friend here.”

“They are nothing like me,” Chrysalis exclaimed.

“I suppose you’re right,” Daurgothoth mused. “You are rather unique now, aren't you?”

Chrysalis swatted the dragon’s hand away from her face. “Let’s just fight already.”

“Wait, what is this place?” Cadance asked. “It looks like a vault, but it's so huge and empty.”

“You are correct,” Daurgothoth answered. “Though its contents were predictably looted, it once housed a significant fortune. It will also serve as the perfect sparring space. Now then, please stand in the middle of the room.”

“Come on,” Chrysalis urged, tugging Cadance forward. “Stay behind me, I’ll protect you.”

“I can protect myself,” Cadance stated.

Chrysalis tapped the side of her head. “Not without your memories of combat, you don't.”

Cadance grumbled, but reluctantly followed Chrysalis to the center of the room. There Chrysalis stood at the forefront, her stance wide and her body tense. By then Daurgothoth had taken position near the exit, leaning heavily on the wall and observing the pair.

He then whistled sharply, and a pair of the strange golems readied themselves.

“Begin!” he shouted.

In an instant the two pitch black creatures surged towards their foes, sprinting directly at Chrysalis. Who stepped forward at the last second and slugged the closest golem across the face with enough force to put it off balance. With the golem’s momentum broken, Chrysalis had just enough time to turn and block the coming strike from her second foe.

She struck back a second later by punching her enemy before dancing away from its partner. Staying aloof and out of range of her attacker, Chrysalis was confident, though that confidence was fading quickly. Despite her landing some fairly weighty blows, the golems seemed undamaged and were unbothered by Chrysalis’ attacks.

Still, she continued to duck, weave, and punch back whenever possible, only staying a few milliseconds ahead of her opponents. Who only became faster and stronger as time passed, while Chrysalis began to noticeably slow. Minutes ticked by, and Chrysalis was steadily forced to give ground while also offering fewer and fewer attacks of her own. Her stomach burned, and her body began to grow heavy, until at long last she had slowed to the point that she couldn't move fast enough to dodge.

Chrysalis stumbled away from the punch and rubbed her cheek, her stolen memories leaving her unprepared for the real thing. The second blow nearly knocked her off her hooves, and Chrysalis stumbled back, only to get hit a third time a mere moment later. Each attack felt like getting hit with a brick, and Chrysalis could tell that she was quickly collecting new injuries.

A fourth, then a fifth hit came soon after, each strike knocking her further and further off-balance. Before one of the creatures turned and bucked her hard, sending Chrysalis flying. She hit the ground a moment later, her eyes rolling around in their sockets as she struggled to figure out which direction was up.

“Hmm, disappointing,” Daurgothoth muttered.

Chrysalis only barely heard him, though she did hear Cadance loud and clear.

“Back off!” shouted the alicorn a second before she put herself between Chrysalis and her attackers.

Though clumsy, her shove carried the weight of earth pony magic and was enough to knock the golem off its hooves. Cadance then blocked the second foe while Chrysalis stumbled into a stand. Her weariness was gone, washed away by a wave of emotion that filled Chrysalis with unparalleled strength.

“Is that… love?” she muttered.

Brushing off that question for the moment, Chrysalis resisted the urge to help Cadance and instead moved to flank. The golem didn't even have a chance to react before Chrysalis leapt upon its back and drove it to the ground. She then used her hooves to bash the creature’s head against the floor until it stopped twitching a few seconds later.

Chrysalis then hopped back up and moved to assist Cadance, who was currently weathering the hail of punches sent her way. Despite the flurry of blows, the alicorn seemed unharmed, her natural resilience allowing her to shrug them off like nothing. Though seemingly invincible, Chrysalis knew that her friend was in trouble, and moved with all the speed she could muster.

This time the golem saw Chrysalis coming, though even then it didn't matter, as she was too fast. A buck to the side sent the creature flying, but before it could get back up, Chrysalis drove her hooves into its back. And again, and again, until at long last something broke within the golem, and it lay still on the ground.

Breathing heavily, Chrysalis pushed herself back up, stumbling briefly before being caught by Cadance.

“Are you alright?” whispered the alicorn.

“Yeah, I’m fine. And you?” Chrysalis asked, turning around to find that Cadance seemed okay, though she would likely sport a few new bruises fairly soon.

“I’m okay,” Cadance replied.

“Sloppy, but not bad,” Daurgothoth remarked. “Let's see how you do against four.”

Before Chrysalis had a chance to level an insult his way, the dragon released another sharp whistle. Prompting four more of the creatures to step forward and fan out, surrounding Chrysalis and Cadance. Who backed up, swiftly moving to cover one another as best as they were able.

“You defend, I’ll attack?” Chrysalis offered.

Cadance nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

Together Cadance and Chrysalis met the first wave of attacks as a unified front. Cadance blocked and generally did her best to become the largest, most obvious target around. While she was the focus, Chrysalis wove her way through the fight and sprung upon their distracted foes.

At first the pair’s movements were sloppy, slow, and uncoordinated, with the two nearly bumping into one another a few times. As time passed , they grew faster and far more harmonious. Within only a few minutes they had struck down two of the golems, and no longer even needed to glance at one another to convey their thoughts.

Throughout it all Chrysalis greedily drank the love directed her way, using it to heighten her natural abilities. Soon Chrysalis was a blur of movement, easily evading her enemies and striking them from the sides. Together they were a perfect team, one which didn't need to utter a word to one another to move in harmony.

That connection was deeper than just simple coordination though, and Chrysalis could almost physically feel it in her chest. Whenever Cadance moved to block a strike meant for Chrysalis, or Chrysalis struck down a foe intent on punching Cadance, it grew deeper. The sensation was almost like a warm spot in the pit of her stomach, or at least where Chrysalis’ stomach would normally be anyway.

Chrysalis grunted, and with a twist, she shattered the final golem’s neck. With that done, she raised a hoof, knowing instinctively that Cadance was ready to pull her up. Sure enough, the alicorn soon hefted her friend to her hooves, and together they looked over to Daurgothoth expectantly.

“A good start, now let's see how you handle ten at a time,” exclaimed the dragon.

Chrysalis gritted her teeth. “Bastard.”

“Isn't this enough?” pleaded Cadance.

“No,” Daurgothoth answered simply.

The ensuing fight, and the one that came after that was difficult to say the least, but not impossible for the duo. Though Cadance suffered the majority of the injuries, Chrysalis had been knocked around more than she would have liked. In the end they lay on the floor amidst the inert remains of nearly every single last one of the black golems.

“Interesting,” Daurgothoth remarked. “You are more skilled than I realized.”

“We beat your stupid game, now do as you promised,” Chrysalis growled.

Daurgothoth raised his hands in a placating gesture. “Of course, and in fact I think a bit of a feast is in order.”

“What do you mean?” Cadance asked.

Daurgothoth had already turned away however, and whistled sharply, summoning a few new guards from outside the room.

“Escort these two back to their cell,” he commanded. “I’ll be by to give them their gift soon enough.”

Cadance and Chrysalis exchanged a glance, a silent, unspoken conversation passing between them. Chrysalis wanted to try besting the half dozen golems ordered to serve as their escort, but Cadance shut that down. They were too battered from the recent fights to make an escape attempt and needed time to recover their strength.

Though reluctant, Chrysalis accepted this and walked alongside the alicorn as they departed the room. While walking, Chrysalis couldn't help but wonder what that strange feeling had been, and what it might mean. Her memories were of lust-filled nights and hate-filled battlefields, leaving her with precious little to reference on this subject.

Brushing aside those thoughts, Chrysalis focused simply on following Cadance. After all, though the victory may have been a small one, it was still worthy of a celebration and a chance to relax. Two things Chrysalis was looking forward to.

“Still no one?” Chrysalis asked, not looking up from the pipe.

“Nope. Just the two guards he has posted outside our cell,” Cadance answered.

Chrysalis shuddered. “Creepy little things. I wish he’d send them away.”

“Is this some kind of self-depreciation thing? Because if it is, I am going to be so disappointed in you,” Cadance retorted.

Chrysalis snorted. “No. It's like looking in a mirror, only wrong somehow. I don't know how to explain it.”

“I think I understand,” Cadance muttered. “How goes the pipe?”

“Good,” Chrysalis replied. “I've managed to pull it free and give us enough room to go deeper, but have to explore a bit more before I can be confident about our escape.”

“Don't want to get lost down there and break out, only to get caught immediately,” Cadance reasoned.

“Exactly,” Chrysalis replied.

“Wait,” Cadance perked up. “I think I hear something.”

Chrysalis hastily inserted the pipe once more, using her dexterous hooves to screw the bolts back into place. She had just enough time to clamber back into the cot alongside Cadance before the wall disappeared and Daurgothoth stood in its place.

“I see you’re enjoying the warmer domicile, good,” he remarked.

“Yes, it's so kind of you to not let us freeze to death,” Chrysalis exclaimed.

Cadance sighed. “What do you want?”

“I would really like to return to my full natural form, and to enjoy a fine chardonnay, but alas none of us are going to get what we want,” Daurgothoth replied with a chuckle. “What I need, however, is for you to listen and accept the deal I am proposing.”

“And what exactly is this deal?” Chrysalis demanded.

“Simple,” Daurgothoth began, unfolding his hands. “I want you to stop trying to escape and to stop being so antagonistic.”

“What could you possibly give us to make such a demand worthwhile?” Cadance retorted.

“I would swear to leave you two alone, save for when you are fed,” Daurgothoth answered. “Think of it as a cease fire of sorts.”

“Why? And what is stopping you from going back on your word?” Cadance asked.

“I could come up with a contract if you would like,” Daurgothoth offered. “You must know about the power such magic can hold over those that sign them.”

“We do, but that still doesn't answer the why part of our question,” Chrysalis pressed.

“I don't want to deal with you,” Daurgothoth answered. “I have much to do, and little time to do it in. That, and I would like it if the last few months of my life are not spent chasing you around.”

“I suppose that's reasonable, you only have three months left to live, after all,” Chrysalis pointed out.

“As do you,” Daurgothoth retorted. “Or do you think Celestia is going to let the physical manifestation of Cadance’s ‘corruption’ walk free?”

“I need time to think about it,” Cadance exclaimed, interrupting the angry tirade she could sense from Chrysalis. “Could you come back tomorrow?”

“I could,” Daurgothoth conceded. “Though I would warn you against wasting my time. I have been patient until now, but that may change.”

“We won't,” Cadance quickly replied. “Waste your time, that is.”

“See to it that you do not,” Daurgothoth declared, turning on his heel and walking away.

The second after he left, the magical barrier reappeared, and the two prisoners were alone once more.

“That lying rat,” Chrysalis muttered. “I should have known he would try to undermine our attempts to escape.”

“But was he really lying? I didn't get that impression,” Cadance replied.

Chrysalis snorted. “He wasn't. I could tell that he was being slightly untruthful, though it never reached the point that he outright lied.”

“That's… something,” Cadance muttered.

“You aren't thinking of taking it, are you?” Chrysalis asked, a hint of fear worming its way into her voice.

“Never,” Cadance immediately replied. “I would not sacrifice you to save my own hide. No matter the strange circumstances of our meeting.”

“Thank you,” Chrysalis whispered.

Cadance smiled and extended a hoof, pulling the creature in close. “Don't worry, I would never betray you. I don't think I’m even capable of doing so.”

“I seem to have inherited your more duplicitous and whimsical nature,” Chrysalis muttered.

“Change can mean many things, not all of them bad,” Cadance exclaimed.

“I know, I know,” Chrysalis murmured. “I just can't help but feel like I’m the worst parts of you.”

Cadance grabbed Chrysalis by the chin and forced their eyes to meet. “Not worse, or better, just different. Don't fall for Celestia’s black and white rhetoric. There is no part of us which is inherently evil.”

“I…” Chrysalis looked away. “Thank you, Cadance. I needed to hear that.”

“I felt as much.” Cadance rose from the cot. “Now then, let’s see about finding a way out of here. We have less than twenty-four hours to escape, and I don't want to waste even a second.”

“Right, I’ll keep at it,” Chrysalis offered.

“And don't be so dour, tonight we’ll be free mares,” Cadance exclaimed.

Chrysalis smiled. “I sure hope so.”

Chrysalis and Cadance both leaned against the magical barrier to their cell, ears or head pressed to the wall. In the distance they could hear the odd step thump of their jailor’s feet as he walked away from them. They remained there, listening patiently for several minutes before finally hopping back up and sprinting over to the hole in the floor.

Chrysalis leaned down and used her dexterous hooves to twist off the bolts which kept the pipe in place. Once it was free of its mooring, Cadance shuffled over and gripped the heavy hunk of metal in both hooves. She then rolled her shoulders and pulled with all of her might, ripping the thing straight out of the ground. Somewhere down below the metal twisted, and sheared off, allowing the alicorn to toss the thing aside.

“Damn, Cadance, that was intense. Kinda hot too,” Chrysalis exclaimed, muttering that last part as quiet as she could.

“I figured since we don't have to move it into place anymore that I’d take out a little aggression,” Cadance replied.

“Well, uh, follow me, I guess,” Chrysalis remarked.

The creature then slipped down the hole in the floor, and into a tight crawl space filled with metal pipes of various sizes. Cadance followed close behind, the alicorn having a little more trouble than the remarkably flexible creature she was being led by. Though difficult, it wasn't impossible, and together the pair made their way under the hallway next to their cell.

Through the distant grate they could make out the shapes of their guards, their dark eyes still staring off at nothing. Chrysalis didn't give them a second look, but Cadance felt her gaze captured by the strange creatures. There was something off about them, and for a moment the alicorn was certain she saw a spark of green in their otherwise empty eyes.

“Are you coming?” Chrysalis whispered.

“R-right, sorry,” Cadance muttered.

“Try not to stare at my butt too much,” Chrysalis teased.

“I’ll try, but it's hard ever since you sprouted a tail to match your mane,” Cadance retorted.

“Ouch,” Chrysalis cursed, her head hitting a low-hanging pipe.

Cadance giggled softly to herself while Chrysalis grumbled beneath her breath and continued crawling deeper. Together they made their way ever further into the winding, seemingly endless array of machinery and metal. There were times they sat quietly, waiting for a patrol to pass, and other times where they were forced to maneuver through incredibly tight confines.

Throughout it all, Cadance couldn't help but stare at her companion, her curiosity getting the better of her. Chrysalis had changed over the last four months, and was now at least mostly biological. She retained her hard exoskeleton, but had gained wings to match her silky, ethereal mane and tail. There were other changes, but by and large, Chrysalis was just growing taller and gaining a personality of her own.

She's kind of pretty, Cadance couldn't help but think.

Chrysalis stopped and sniffed the air. “Is that… attraction I smell?”

“N-no,” Cadance quickly replied. “How much longer do we have until we reach that exit you mentioned? I’m starting to cramp back here.”

“Not far,” Chrysalis answered. “There are a few more turns, and then we’ll be at the grate I loosened a few days ago.”

“Then it's just that one hallway and that door, right?” Cadance inquired.

“Yeah. I think it's near the exit, but I can't be certain,” Chrysalis replied.

Cadance hummed thoughtfully to herself, but remained silent and allowed Chrysalis to maneuver through the tangle of pipes. It wasn't long before she eventually stopped beneath what looked like a storage room of some kind. Though she couldn't see much due to how dark it was, Cadance could make out large dark squares above her. Each big enough to fit an alicorn inside of them, they crowded out the majority of the room, leaving only a few square feet near the exit.

Chrysalis pushed open the grate as silent as a whisper and peaked her head above the floor. After several seconds of quiet, she slipped fully into the room and extended a hoof towards Cadance. Who took the offered appendage and stood straight up for the first time in nearly an hour.

“Stars above, that killed my back,” Cadance whispered. “Remind me to take up yoga or something once we’re out of here.”

“Pfft, ponies,” Chrysalis muttered.

Cadance rolled her eyes. “Let's just get out of here.”

“Right this way, princess,” Chrysalis exclaimed.

“Just lead the way already. I’m covered in too much rust to deal with your sass,” Cadance retorted.

Chrysalis snickered quietly to herself as she leaned against the large metal door. Big enough to admit a fully grown dragon, the exit was rather daunting, but Chrysalis was unbothered by it. Her finely honed senses were more than enough to detect what might lay behind it.

“We’re clear. I don't sense any emotions, nor do I hear anything moving around,” Chrysalis murmured.

“Wait, I thought you couldn't detect those golems. What if they’re out there?” Cadance asked, grabbing her companion by the shoulder.

“Then we deal with them,” Chrysalis replied.

“Let's hope it doesn't come to that. It always feels weird to kill those things. It’s almost like I’m hurting some kind of proto-you,” Cadance muttered.

Chrysalis shuddered. “I am nothing like them. Your soul changed me.”

“Still, if they were created from you, then they must have a part of that soul, right?” Cadance pressed.

“Please, let's not talk about this right now,” Chrysalis whispered.

Cadance bit her lip, temporarily taken aback by the terror and anger in her friend’s voice. The alicorn reached out and gently squeezed Chrysalis’ shoulder.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up,” Cadance murmured.

“It's fine, let's just get out of here before we contemplate any more philosophical problems. I don't have the headspace for such high-minded concepts at the moment,” Chrysalis retorted.

“Er, right,” Cadance whispered to herself.

Chrysalis leaned forward and slowly turned the spinning many-handled door knob until it clicked. A gentle shove pushed it open and allowed a thin slice of artificial light to enter the tiny storage room. Followed closely by a pair of black hooves which grabbed Chrysalis by the shoulders and hauled her out into the hallway.

“Chrysalis!” Cadance shouted, sprinting after her friend.

Two steps outside the door, Cadance found herself in the middle of a circle of midnight black golems too numerous to count. Chrysalis was next to her, having thrown her attacker aside and gathered her bearings. The pair exchanged a confused look before they heard the familiar sound of clapping coming from somewhere to the right.

“Congratulations on making it all the way down here. I must say I didn't think you could fit that fat flank of yours through the piping,” Daurgothoth shouted. “You should be thanking me for the diet plan I put you through.”

“You,” Chrysalis muttered, a hiss coming from deep in her throat.

“How? I didn't detect any scrying spells, and that heating rune was just that. A rune and nothing else,” Cadance asked.

“That's the problem with you ponies,” Daurgothoth began, shaking his head. “You take to magic so easily that you use it to fix all of your problems when there are, in fact, easier solutions.”

“A machine of some kind?” Chrysalis pressed.

Daurgothoth chuckled. “It's fairly analog, but I’ve been listening to you from the next cell nearly the entire time.”

As if to prove his point, one of the golems disappeared in a flash of green magic and in their place stood a copy of the dragon. It then hobbled away, matching Daurgothoth’s distorted gait perfectly.

“How do you think these creepy things were going to infiltrate pony society? Hoods and cloaks?” Daurgothoth exclaimed, laughing loudly at his own attempt at humour.

“What now?” Cadance asked.

“Now you’ll probably fight me, I’ll win, then I’ll throw you back in your cell,” Daurgothoth answered. “Normally I’d simply kill you, but these past few months have been remarkably intellectually stimulating. That, and there remain some tests I wish to perform on the both of you.”

“I won't let you touch her,” Chrysalis hissed, stepping forward and rising up to her full height.

“I think you’ll find that threat is as empty as your head,” Daurgothoth retorted. “End this charade. I have a curiosity to satisfy.”

With a word, the wave of black golems rose and crashed against the pair in a titanic clash. Yet despite the weight of numbers, Chrysalis and Cadance managed to stay afloat amidst the horde. Cadance blocked, pushed, shoved, and generally made space for Chrysalis, who made short work of the first few foes.

Her hooves gripped and twisted the head off one golem, only to shift and immediately shatter the knee of another. A trio of their fellows attempted to chase Chrysalis down, but were blind-sided by Cadance charging into their midst. Together the pair fought tooth and nail just to avoid being swallowed by the many mindless soldiers rushing them from all angles.

And for a few minutes, it almost seemed like they might win despite the odds stacked against them. Their movements were already perfectly synchronized, yet over time they grew somehow even more harmonious. No words needed to be spoken, no looks exchanged, they simply knew what the other needed before they even recognized it themselves.

Cadance extended a wing across Chrysalis’ face, blocking a buck with a bit of pegasus magic. Chrysalis then immediately exploded from behind the feathery cover, grabbing the golem’s back legs and swinging it like a club. Cadance didn't need to watch to know that the creature was out of the fight, as she was already turning to block the next blow.

Together they moved and swam together like they were two halves of a single larger whole. Their every twist and feint calculated to protect, or utilize the opening granted by the other. They even felt a spark of realization near the end, and learned the true understanding of cooperation. In that instant they truly knew what it was like to support and work with someone in such an intimate manner that it was akin to baring their souls to the other.

Even still, it simply wasn't enough. For every golem they felled, two more took their place, and as the minutes dragged by, things only got worse. Cadance’s blocks became sloppier, her wounds multiplying by the second. Even Chrysalis, her body super charged from the love flowing into her, couldn't hold on forever.

There were too many of golems, and soon Chrysalis found herself fighting alone. Spinning around, she knew Cadance was out of the fight before she even saw the alicorn’s prone form. Pinned beneath a dozen black golems all pummelling her, Cadance had no hope of escaping them.

With a wordless scream, Chrysalis threw herself at the horde, knocking aside several of the golems and covering Cadance with her body. Wrapping her hooves around the alicorn, Chrysalis braced herself for the beating of a lifetime. Sure enough, a hail of blows rained down on her from all angles, filling her with more agony than her body seemed designed to process.

Unable to handle the wave of pain, Chrysalis blacked out briefly and came to a moment later. Looking around, she found that she could barely move, her entire body aching so bad she thought she may die. Ignoring the cries of her pained form, Chrysalis searched desperately for Cadance.

Only to find Cadance being lifted aloft by many black hooves, her body covered in more bruises than fur. Though injured, she was alive and awake, her one remaining eye staring intently at Chrysalis. Cadance’s lone forehoof trembled like a leaf as it reached out towards her companion.

“Chrysalis,” Cadance whispered through bloodied lips.

“Let her go,” Chrysalis muttered, rage building in her chest. “I said, let her go!”

The golems stopped for a moment before a whistle prompted them to return to work once more.

“Let her go, let her go, let her go!” Chrysalis shouted as loud as she could.

Despite her yelling, the golems continued to carry the alicorn away, leaving Chrysalis alone with her captor and his remaining soldiers.

“Interesting,” Daurgothoth muttered. “Throw this one back in her cell, but before you do, heal her wounds. I have tests in mind for her.”

Chrysalis wanted to utter some manner of insult, but her strength finally failed, and she fell to the ground, unconscious.

Cadance awoke with a start, only to find herself in a familiar and altogether terrifying position. Her limbs were stretched out and bound by thick metal clamps which secured them to the steel slab she was lying upon. A small white plastic barrier obscured everything below her neck, a sight which confused and horrified her for reasons she could barely understand.

In an instant her breathing became quick, her heart pounded, and a sudden chill was accompanied by a surge of cold sweat. She tugged vainly at her restraints, pushing as hard as she could at her bindings to no avail. She wanted to shout, to scream her heart out, but her throat was uncomfortably tight, and Cadance was barely able to utter a sound.

“Relax. I’ve made sure to provide the proper anesthesia this time so you shouldn't feel a thing,” Daurgothoth declared, the dragon appearing from the shadows and stepping in front of Cadance. “I apologize for not putting you under completely, but I admit I’m feeling a little vindictive. It will take some time to replace all the golems you destroyed.”

“Wh-what?” Cadance muttered.

“I’m going to kill you,” Daurgothoth replied, raising his hand and revealing a thin black shard of metal the length and width of a pencil clasped between two fingers. “Not right now obviously, nor will I really be the one to do the deed, you see, rather this will. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not in a thousand years, but eventually this little shard will do you in.”

Cadance panted, her eyes searching desperately for any sign of help.

“All it has to do is travel from wherever I implant it up to your heart,” Daurgothoth continued. “It will repel magic, slow your healing, and make removal all but impossible.”

The dragon chuckled, slowly circling the bound alicorn. “Now, I know what you're thinking, why is he doing this? Well, it's simple. I’m bored and spiteful. I have use of you now, though in time that will change. That and I feel like dangling a sword over your head for the rest of your life.”

“Now,” Daurgothoth declared. “Are you ready for surgery?”

Cadance desperately shook her head.

“Too bad,” Daurgothoth replied, drawing his arm back.

Cadance braced herself as best as she could, but even knowing it was coming couldn't prepare her for what was next. The dragon’s hand rammed its way into her torso, her flesh parting around the intruder with a strange ease. Then, once the shard was nestled between a pair of organs Cadance couldn't identify, the dragon removed his blood-slick digits.

With a word, her wounds closed, though Cadance could still feel the shard of metal wedged somewhere in her torso.

“There, now was that so hard?” Daurgothoth chuckled. “Let's send you back to your little pet now.”

Cadance barely even heard what the dragon said, as she was already slipping into the blissful embrace of unconsciousness.

“How much time do we have left?” Chrysalis whispered softly.

Cadance shrugged. “A few weeks? It's been nearly six months.”

“We’re running out of time,” Chrysalis pointed out.

“And ideas,” Cadance added.

“Kinda hard to brainstorm when you can't mention anything aloud,” Chrysalis muttered.

“I mean, we can still spitball,” Cadance offered.

“I suppose,” Chrysalis admitted.

The pair were quiet for several long minutes while Cadance scratched her chin and stared off into space. She thought back to that moment when they were fighting, and they had reached a sort of zen state where they were one. Bringing that memory to the surface, she half expected to feel connected once more, only for Chrysalis to seem unaffected.

“Dance with me,” Cadance urged, standing up suddenly.

“What? But I don't know how. Nor does this feel like the time,” Chrysalis retorted.

“Trust me,” Cadance urged.

Chrysalis glanced at the alicorn and sighed. “Alright then.”

Rising up, Chrysalis awkwardly allowed Cadance to take the leading role of their dance. Her missing hoof made things extra difficult, but as soon as they began to move, that handicap faded. Chrysalis adapted, allowing Cadance to move and support her weight while they started to go through the motions.

At first it was slow, unpleasant, and difficult, but soon they were flowing from one action to the next with ease. Cadance could almost hear the band swelling as they shifted from one part of the waltz to the next with effortless grace. Within a few minutes they had reached that same zen state once more, only this time they never looked away from one another.

Cadance wasn't sure how, but she put across the sentiment that although they had cooperated well, they had screwed up. Chrysalis' nod of affirmation confirmed that she understood the unspoken statement, though she was clearly confused. Pushing forward, Cadance pressed upon the fact that Chrysalis was connected to the golems that had atacked them.

Though Chrysalis tried to disagree, she couldn't help but find herself without a valid argument. Cadance latched onto this thought and urged Chrysalis to try again, to command them not using words but her willpower. They twisted, Chrysalis dropped her partner into a dip, and then parted with a bow, their silent conversation now over.

Chrysalis then turned to the exit, and after glancing hesitantly at Cadance’s hopeful face, tried the alicorn’s suggestion. Her eyes closed, her focus became distant, and her entire body tensed up. Minutes ticked by with Chrysalis growing only more and more frustrated, though she didn't give up.

Until after nearly a half hour, the wall fell away to reveal that their jailor was nowhere to be seen. All they could make out were the two golems standing patiently outside, each one staring intently at Chrysalis.

Cadance’s grin split her face in half, and she danced in place, much to Chrysalis’ amusement. The alicorn stopped soon after and held up a hoof, pointing back to the wall. Chrysalis nodded and urged the guard to make the barrier appear once more.

We’re ready? Cadance thought to herself.

Chrysalis stepped out of the cell and began to walk out towards the lone exit, the sound of dainty hooves following close behind her. With a smug smile on her face, she strode onwards, uncaring to the loud clank her hooves made against the metal floor. Her companion followed her lead, striding down the hallway without a care for who might hear them coming.

As they neared the exit, a familiar sight appeared, the dragon slipping through the door and eying them both curiously.

“How did you get out?” he demanded. “You cannot even physically utter the command words for my guards.”

Chrysalis merely smirked and mentally commanded her companion to launch their attack. Which they eagerly did, throwing a hunk of floor at the dragon’s head with incredible speed. Daurgothoth ducked out of the way of the first projectile, but was hit square in the nose by the one Chrysalis had torn from its moorings.

The dragon cursed and sputtered under his breath, desperate to regain control of the situation.

Chrysalis and her companion charged forward, sprinting as fast as they could. Before their foe had a chance to recover, they were upon him, tackling him in unison and knocking the dragon to the ground. They didn't stick around to follow up on their brief moment of success, however, and continued past him down the hall.

Chrysalis continued to lead, running headlong down the passage as fast as her hooves could carry her. She didn't need to look to know that her companion was swift on her heels, hooves clanking against the floor. A crash came from behind them a second later, the dragon having slammed his way through the half open door.

“You will pay for that!” he bellowed.

The mismatched gait of the deformed dragon could be heard clamoring from a good thirty feet back. Though not as coordinated as the four-legged creatures he was chasing, the dragon was remarkably fast. Able to not only match their speed, he was actually catching up, though thankfully Chrysalis had a head start.

Running down a hall, she leapt through another door left conveniently open for her and kicked it shut as she passed. Though it didn't seal completely, that didn't matter, and Chrysalis continued on without pausing for more than a second.

Mere moments later, their pursuer reappeared, crashing through the metal barrier with the force of a runaway train. The steel barrier hung loose on its moorings, the dragon’s wrath nearly rending it completely apart. He didn't stop there though, and continued to run after Chrysalis as well as her companion.

Who were already ducking into a side passage, pausing once more to close the metal door behind them. This time Chrysalis gave it a spin before leaping over the railing and using her new wings to descend down the narrow stairwell. Again her companion followed close behind, rapidly descending down dozens of floors in no time at all.

About halfway down, Chrysalis heard another deafening crash accompanied by the scream of tearing steel. Urging herself a little faster, Chrysalis landed a few seconds later, immediately sprinting towards the next door. She didn't make it far before a titanic crunch filled the room, alerting her to the fact that their pursuer had leapt down a good twenty floors.

Chrysalis could also make out the word that was not a word and knew that it was intended to rob them of their strength. Chrysalis as well as her follower were not, however, seemingly affected, as they simply sprinted on, shutting the next door behind her. Again, she continued on, knowing full well that her companion’s fluffy pink hooves would secure the exit.

Sure enough, they were greeted by the sound of Daurgothoth's enormous form slamming into the barrier. This time it remained steadfast in its place, the dragon no doubt still recovering from the considerable fall he had just taken. Snickering to herself, Chrysalis dashed down another hallway, making her way into a large laboratory.

Like everywhere else she had passed through, the door was open, and there was no one else around. No midnight black guards or defenses moved to block her, giving her more than enough time. Together they crossed the mostly open space, tipping over everything that looked breakable along the way. Enormous barrels were turned over, tubes of strange liquid were toppled, and tables were flipped with great pleasure.

“What have you done!” Daurgothoth bellowed from the entrance a second after bursting through it.

“We had a little fun!” Chrysalis shouted, her companion giggling excitedly at the remark.

Again she heard the word which would normally rob her of her strength and again it washed over them both. It was followed by the one that had opened her wounds and caused her immense pain the last time she heard it. Just like the last, this other command fell on deaf ears, leaving Chrysalis and her companion unbothered by its uttering.

Slamming shut another door, Chrysalis gave its handle a spin before sprinting down another hallway. She wore a wide smile, one she knew was mirrored by her bright pink companion who was only a few steps behind her. This time though, Daurgothoth was able to catch up a little faster, the dragon having evidently grown used to smashing doors at this point.

Chrysalis was unbothered by this and just kept on running down the many winding hallways. Until at long last they found an enormous vault door large enough for even an ancient dragon to pass through. Like the others, this one was ajar, and allowed in a thin slat of bright white snow.

“Not so fast!” Daurgothoth shouted.

The dragon, empowered by rage, slammed into Chrysalis, nearly crushing her beneath his considerable weight. A second later, she found herself gripped by the throat, hefted off the ground, and suspended alongside a familiar pink shape. They both kicked, thrashed, and did their best to escape, but the dragon’s hold was like iron.

“How did you open all those doors? Where are my soldiers?” he demanded, shouting directly into Cadance’s face.

Chrysalis fell slack, a smile crossing her face despite the situation she found herself in. “Why don't you open the door and find out?”

“As if I’d fall for such a pathetic trick,” Daurgothoth scoffed.

“No, really,” Chrysalis urged. “What, did you think we could escape you at this point? You could just crush our throats.”

Her pink companion nodded eagerly in agreement.

Daurgothoth gnashed his teeth silently before seemingly giving in, pushing open the door with his foot. Allowing him to see many distant shapes dotting the horizon, most of whom were little more than black specks. One, however, was a bright pink, and upon her back was borne the same creature he had held aloft in his right hand.

“What,” Daurgothoth muttered.

Chrysalis grinned and shed their disguises, revealing the two black golems beneath the magical illusion.

“Is it really that big of a surprise? Of course they would respect the word of their mother more than some stranger,” Chrysalis exclaimed.

“But my defenses, my traps…” Daurgothoth murmured in shock.

“I may not have magic, and you may not have had the ability to teach my spawn that magic, but I know someone who does,” Chrysalis claimed.

“You used them to saw through the bars of your cell, then distracted me in order to extract the rest of them,” Daurgothoth reasoned. “Allowing you to escape with my entire staff.”

“You’re such a smart guy,” Chrysalis exclaimed.

“But how? You didn't utter a sound. I was listening in the entire time,” Daurgothoth demanded.

“Cadance and I don't need words,” Chrysalis answered. “Oh, and don't bother bluffing. We know you can't pass that door, and no attack you know can reach us all the way out there.”

Daurgothoth shook his head. “But why, why didn't you just kill me? Surely with such an army you were capable of that.”

“We thought about it,” Chrysalis admitted. “But then we realized that whatever cruelty we could imagine would pale in comparison to whatever Celestia could think up.”

Daurgothoth shuddered.

“I thought as much. Besides, we couldn't trust you to heal Cadance, so there wasn't a point to sticking around,” Chrysalis finished, crossing her borrowed hooves across her chest.

“I…” Daurgothoth’s mouth slammed shut. “Are they changing, like you have?”

“A little slower, but yes,” Chrysalis answered.

“Fascinating,” Daurgothoth muttered.

“Have fun getting killed by Celestia, you fat stupid overgrown slug,” Chrysalis spat, her insult abruptly ended when her puppet’s head was crushed.

Chrysalis jerked up, a cackle already on her lips.

“I assume everything went off without a hitch?” Cadance asked from beneath Chrysalis.

“Oh yeah,” Chrysalis replied. “The stupid oaf bought it hook, line, and sinker just like you said he would.”

Cadance giggled to herself. “He likes to act logical, but the second he's mad, all those smarts go right out the window.”

“True,” Chrysalis agreed.

Together Cadance, along with her small army of nearly a hundred pitch black creatures strode through the chest-high snow. The wind whipped their sides, but the scent of freedom was so intoxicating that they didn't even feel the cold. Chrysalis’ musings were cut off when they stopped abruptl,y and Cadance angrily cleared her throat.

“Now could you please get off me? You’re heavier than you look,” Cadance declared.

“But what if I want to stay atop you,” Chrysalis whispered huskily, nipping the alicorn’s ear. “It's nice up here.”

Cadance shuddered. “Then I would say you need some more real world experience before you can tease me like that.”

“What are you talking about?” Chrysalis demanded.

“Chrysalis, you’re like six months old, and are mostly a collection of my stolen memories,” Cadance replied. “You need a chance to grow and become your own person before we can even think of doing… that.”

“You really did lose all your naughty memories. You don't even know what the act is called,” Chrysalis teased.

“I do too!” Cadance shouted.

Chrysalis snickered. “I understand completely though. You want to give me the chance to choose something else. That, and you feel weirdly like you’re grooming me.”

“Quite,” Cadance muttered.

“Well, I’ve already made my choice, and I choose you, but I respect your decision regardless,” Chrysalis hopped off the alicorn’s back. “How about we come back in a good twenty years and see if we both feel the same way about one another?”

“Thank you,” Cadance muttered, staring guiltily down at the ground. “I know you don't like it, but I don't want you to feel like you have to choose me.”

“It's okay,” Chrysalis replied with a shrug. “I understand exactly how you feel.”

“I guess you do,” Cadance murmured.

Chrysalis smiled and saddled up next to Cadance. “Now then, are you ready to find somewhere warmer than this blasted wasteland?”

“Are you kidding me? I’d be okay settling down in the nearest desert for a couple years,” Cadance muttered, shivering uncomfortably.

“That wouldn't be a bad idea. Celestia certainly wouldn't think to search the badlands,” Chrysalis mused. “Not a bad idea at all.”

“Oof,” Chrysalis muttered, her hooves going to her head. “What the heck happened there? I didn't mean to show them all that.”

“That was a bit more intimate than I would have liked,” Cadance admitted in a low, gravelly tone.

“We should…” Chrysalis stopped and gaped silently, glancing around the room.

Cadance followed her companion’s gaze to find that they were the only ones who had escaped the grip of their spell. Not only that, but Sunset was suffering, her face contorting into various horrified expressions.

“What, what's going on?” Spike demanded. “I thought you were all going to stop at the same time.”

“That was the plan,” Chrysalis muttered.

“Then what happened?” Spike yelled, grabbing the changeling by the shoulders. “What's going on?”

“We don't know,” Cadance admitted. “The spell was supposed to give them the experience necessary to utter the word for cooperation, not… this.”

“Then how do we snap them out of it?” Spike pressed.

“I don't think we should,” Chrysalis warned. “The magical whiplash could kill them.”

“So what… we just sit here?” Spike yelled.

“It's all we can do, Spike,” Cadance answered.

Author's Note

This update was made possible by the wonderful support of readers like you: Ech, Tailsic, Chrisb32, Nightwing, Tonoz, CoreyPeters, Thane, Renegade, Sunset Flash, Kyokimute, Monsterkittie, Louts Petals, Tacocat, Tom, MestreJ, Aang Slyver, Canary in the Coal Mine, Ceepert, Starless, Vi Watch, Facinus, M, Nfreak, Venerable Ro, Blade Tech, Cryil Shadeclaw, John Gonzales, Nightwing, Peter Coulthard, Srgtartman, Thane Kull, Victor, Dale, Dragons' Sheppard, Egery007, Gear change the earth pony, Ivar, James, Kali, Lich Lord Krosis, Menthol Qtip, Midnight Serenade, Mop Hop, Nathan Brown, Octavia Lowbar, Pacsik, Soundtea, Hannibal, Fiamgoku, Grub, Matias Duran, and Steven.

Facing Demons

Author's Note

I have a new story up on fimfiction, and if you like this one I think you might enjoy that one. Give it a look right here!

Facing Demons

Rarity huffed and puffed, her many skittering legs moving as fast as they were physically able to do so. Her muscles ached, and a stabbing pain had begun to emanate from her lower right side, adding to her existing struggles. Worse still, the backpack she had thrown over her shoulders felt as though it now weighed a ton. Though uncomfortable on its own, it was only half as heavy as the supplies draped across her abdomen.

Just to add insult to injury, the ground was muddy, riddled with puddles, and overall quite swampy. Cloying hunks of earth stuck to nearly every inch of her body, the dark, almost black gunk quickly becoming quite the eye sore. The terrain was probably the worst possible match up for her morphology, as her pointed limbs constantly needed to be wrenched from the muck, forcing the arachne to stop frequently in order to free her trapped legs before hurrying after the departing forms of her friends. They strode easily through the harsh wilderness, their skill and vastly superior physicality giving them an edge. In fact, they didn't even have to run like Rarity and merely walked along at what looked like a relatively slow pace.

Despite this, Rarity was completely unable to catch up with the group, causing panic to well in her chest. A feeling only made worse by the fact that the sun was beginning to set, and the swamp was growing more intimidating. The already long shadows became deeper, and the distant howls of hungry animals seemed to close in around the seamstress.

Rarity tried to speed up and finally walk alongside her distracted friends, but found herself immediately mired in mud. The first two of her limbs were stuck fast, the thin, pointed legs sinking a good four inches into the ground. Rarity braced her back half and tried to free herself, only for more of her body to end up gripped by the sucking earth.

“Wait, stop!” Rarity shouted before grunting and trying to escape once more.

Yet no matter what she did and no matter how hard she pulled or shifted, she only managed to sink deeper. The squelching mix soon managed to swallow her legs all the way to their base, leaving Rarity with few options and a growing urge to panic. With one last heave, Rarity attempted to pull herself up using her forehooves, but those too were gobbled up by the swamp.

Rarity gritted her teeth and flexed her muscles, trying in vain to remove her hooves from the muck. The effort just made things worse, as Rarity soon ran out of strength and fell face-first into the mire. The lingering scent of rotting eggs and foul food immediately filled her nostrils while at the same time, mud covered her almost completely.

“Help! I’m sinking, please!” Rarity screamed at the distant shapes of her friends to no avail. “Girls! I’m stuck! You have to help me!”

Rarity’s panic surged briefly before dying when she saw the shadowed faces of her companions turn to her. The group seemed to talk amongst themselves for a moment before walking towards Rarity at a relaxed pace.

“Oh, thank goodness. I thought I was going to be swallowed up by this dreadful swamp and left behind,” Rarity muttered.

The arachne tried her best to ignore the unpleasant sensation of being covered in mud, but that was a hard task. Harder still when she realized that she was indeed slowly sinking deeper into the mud that surrounded her. Relief came in the form of a rope being tossed mere inches from Rarity’s mouth.

“What? But I can't grab it?” Rarity asked.

Looking up at the silent, shadowed faces of her friends, Rarity saw no trace of pity.

With a sigh, Rarity opened her mouth and reached out, grabbing the rope as best as she was able. Once she had bit down as hard as she could, Rarity braced herself for what she knew was coming next. A second later, the rope tugged tight before immediately sliding through Rarity’s teeth. The arachne tried to hold on, to bite a little harder, but no matter how hard she did so, her efforts were ultimately in vain.

With a squelch, her face landed back into the muck, right back to where things started a minute earlier. Rarity pulled her head from the mud and tried to shake off the worst of the gunk, only for the stuff to remain fixed to her face. The sole part of her that was free were her eyes, allowing her to observe her friends as they looked down upon her in disappointment.

“I’m sorry,” Rarity muttered through the muck which matted her fur. “I’m not strong enough.”

Twilight shook her head and gestured towards Applejack, who in turn grabbed her rope. She then turned it into a lasso and threw it around what little of Rarity’s waist that was still free. Applejack then pulled hard, tightening the length of coarse material around Rarity’s misection to a frightening degree.

“Now, Applejack, maybe we should go slow and-” Rarity tried to say.

Rarity’s proposition was cut off when the arachne was wrenched out of the muck by a powerful tug. One so strong that it was enough to pull Rarity completely out of the mud in a single go. In fact, the force was so great that Rarity became briefly airborne before landing face-first into a mud puddle.

With the air forcibly expelled from her lungs, Rarity pulled her head up and sucked in as much oxygen as she could. Before she could even get the chance to fully gather herself, Rarity found that she was moving, only not under her own power. Applejack was trotting away, having begun to drag the arachne through the mud, uncaring as to just how unpleasant this experience was.

“Wait, stop!” Rarity shouted between gasps. “I can walk!”

Nobody seemed to care, and due to just how quick her companions were walking, Rarity was completely unable to get back up. She tried a few times, but always found herself pulled to the ground before she could stand, body dragged through the mud yet again. The only saving grace was the fact that the rope had worked its way up over Rarity’s ribs, allowing her to breathe more easily.

“Wait! Stop, please! I can walk!” Rarity continued to yell.

Her screams were met with silence, as the rest of her friends continued to walk along without a care in the world. Completely unfazed by her suffering, the group didn't even look back at Rarity as she was pulled uncaringly through the swamp. Her already damaged hair was ruined, her fur coated with the muck, and the supplies Rarity had been carrying were lost.

Tears fell from her eyes as Rarity’s heart hammered loudly in her chest, panic coursing through her. She wanted to continue screaming, but for some reason she knew the act was completely useless. So she settled in and merely allowed herself to be dragged onwards, her head occasionally pulled through a mound of wet earth or a mud puddle.

It felt like her torment was without end, as minutes passed unceasingly, her destination seemingly forever out of reach. Then the ground became hard, and the rope fell slack, allowing Rarity to stand up for the first time in what felt like forever. This was made difficult due to the sheer amount of stuff that was now stuck to her, including a considerably lengthy tree branch.

“Come on, get off of me,” Rarity cursed, tugging at the hunk of wood bitterly.

With a soft squelch, the branch was removed, and Rarity was free of at least one small burden. There were far, far more that still plagued her, but the largest irritant was now gone.

“You could have at least slowed down,” Rarity muttered.

The arachne glanced up at her friends to find that their faces were still shrouded and unreadable. What she could see were their bulging muscles, bristling weapons, and aura of power that surrounded them all. Leaving the unarmed, unarmored, and skill-less seamstress feeling rather naked in comparison to her friends.

“Don't worry,” Rarity began while wiping her face, “I assure you I’ll carry my weight. Now then, where is this ruffian?”

Rarity looked around the area, searching for any sign of the foe they had been sent out to deal with. Her friends followed suit, and together the group noticed a single solitary figure standing atop a hill. Draped in the armor of a royal guard, the mare’s face was blank and unreadable beneath her all-encompassing helmet.

Immediately the air grew tense, weapons were drawn, and spells readied, all while their foe remained impassive. Standing proudly atop the mound, she simply waited, her horn glowing faintly while Rarity’s friends arrayed themselves before her. Then like a rubber band pulled too tight, the tension broke, and as one, everybody but Rarity charged up the hill.

The arachne tried to follow the second she figured out what was going on, but again, she was left behind. In fact her friends had been so quick to depart that they had kicked up a cloud of dust so large that Rarity was temporarily blinded. Now sputtering and confused, Rarity stumbled forward, unable to see where she was even walking.

A sudden bump knocked Rarity onto her side and also tripping Pinkie Pie while she had been fighting. Tempest Shadow brought her hoof down on the troll’s head with enough force to knock Pinkie Pie unconscious. The sight of her friend going limp made a surge of guilt and shame well in Rarity’s chest.

“I didn't mean to. I couldn't see,” Rarity mumbled while stumbling backwards.

She nearly ran into Applejack a moment later, but the farmer dodged aside at the last moment. She then ran past Rarity and engaged Tempest Shadow, launching into a flurry of rapid attacks. Tempest blocked, weaved, and otherwise negated the assault before retaliating with a blast of kinetic energy.

Knocked backwards, Applejack seemed temporarily off-balance and struggled to gather her bearings. Giving Tempest Shadow more than enough time to rear up and prepare to stomp on her. Rarity saw this and immediately moved to help, her mind latching onto the idea of throwing something.

So she bent over, scooped up a big rock, and threw it at Tempest Shadow before she could strike Applejack. While the stone was in flight, several things happened in rapid succession, first of which was Applejack’s recovery. The pony had steeled herself and was moving to dodge, all while Tempest Shadow’s hooves descended downward.

Rarity’s projectile struck her friend in the side with just enough force to put her back into Tempest’s shadow. The royal guard used her strength to knock Applejack senseless, and then, with a blast of magic, sent the farmer flying back into the swamp.

“I didn't… that was…” Rarity whimpered, more tears coming to her eyes as she stumbled backward, unaware of just how ridiculous everything seemed.

More of her friends sprinted past her, with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy engaging Tempest Shadow at close range. Again, Rarity wanted to help, but she stifled that urge and simply closed her eyes, hoping she didn't have to see what came next. A sudden explosion made Rarity look to her friends just as they were sent careening down the hill, covered in flames.

“H-how?” Rarity asked.

It didn't matter how, because at the end of the day, it had been Rarity’s choice to stay back that had led to that outcome. She had been too useless, too focused on just making dresses and other silly things to cultivate a strength that would actually help. As always, she had been turned into nothing more than damsel in distress, bumbling her way through a fight without contributing anything worthwhile.

In front of her Twilight was fighting quite well, her spells matching Tempest Shadow blow for blow. Even then, while neither had managed to hit one another, Rarity knew it was only a matter of time before her friend lost. Their foe was simply too strong for any of them, and perhaps even all of them, to fight.

Sure enough, the struggle lasted only a minute more before Twilight was hit by a bolt of lightning. Twilight's body shook as electricity coursed through her being, all while Rarity just stood there and watched. Seeing her victory arrive, Tempest Shadow rose up once more, her magic flaring as she prepared to finish the stunned Twilight.

Time slowed, the second realization settled into Rarity’s mind, and a million thoughts soon began to whirl within her skull. She wondered what was going to happen to her, if she was next, and if Tempest Shadow was going to kill her. Rarity didn't even consider fighting back, as she knew in her heart that she was useless, especially when compared to her friends.

Rainbow Dash was fast, strong, trained with a blade, and a long standing member of the night guard. Pinkie Pie had incredible regenerative powers, training in the mystical art of shamanism, and strange, unique abilities all her own. Applejack, though not a fighter by trade, boasted an incredible physicality that put her on par with the others. Even Fluttershy had talents no others could hope to replicate, on top of a natural skill with animals that made her an excellent teammate.

And then there was Twilight.

Powerful beyond measure, undead, and with incredible necromantic spells under her command, Twilight was their leader for a reason. She was a one-mare wrecking crew and stronger than any single one of her friends by a wide margin.

Rarity was none of those things.

She was weak, unskilled with any manner of weapon, and barely able to throw a rock more than a few meters. She shouldn't have even come, at least if she hadn't been present, her friends would have stood a chance. Yet here Rarity was, standing in the way of her companions’ victory, as per usual.

It was enough to make the arachne wish to lay down in the mud and wait for Tempest to deliver the killing blow. Rarity didn't though, as a small burning possibility sat at the center of the void that was her heart. The seamstress’ mind, though mostly consumed by darkness, clung to that small question that continued to smolder deep down inside.

What if? What if she stopped trying to match her friends and instead simply helped them? It was true that Rarity had never been good with conflict, but in the end she didn't need to be. There were people who were trained for that exact outcome, while Rarity herself never intended for such a thing.

Rarity remembered the assistance she had given in the past, the puzzles she had helped solve, and the help she granted. Though not nearly as flashy as the others, Rarity’s actions had been integral to their success. Just like how her friends’ decisions, in turn, had been necessary to get them as far as they had.

Though their roles were larger than Rarity’s own, that never invalidated Rarity’s contributions. No matter how small, Rarity had helped them one and all at some point or another. So with time rapidly speeding back up, and Tempest Shadow’s horn flaring bright, Rarity did what she always did.

Contribute, help, in any way she could.

Lighting the small nub of her horn, Rarity yanked Tempest Shadow’s helmet down, covering the unicorn’s eyes with metal. Thrown off and confused, the royal guard abandoned her attack, giving Twilight enough time to get back up.

Now on her own four hooves once more, the undead mare charged a powerful spell, one Rarity knew instinctively would take time. So the arachne threw herself into attacking her foe in a rather untraditional manner. Instead of powerful punches, sweeping slashes, or the use of a strange ability or skill, Rarity distracted her foe.

Using her fine eye for detail, the arachne tugged Tempest Shadow’s armor in odd directions, disrupting her movements. Rarity even used her thread to cover the soldier’s face when she had finally managed to set her helmet straight once more. All of this seemed to work, as by the time Tempest Shadow had blasted Rarity aside, Twilight had readied a spell of her own.

One which took the form of a beam so powerful that it incinerated Tempest Shadow completely, leaving nothing behind.

“Well, that sure was eventful,” Rarity murmured to herself.

Rarity picked herself up and dusted herself off before apprehensive glancing at her friends. All of whom had overcome their injuries and had gathered around the arachne. Their blank masks of shadow melted away, revealing smiling faces and bright, shining eyes.

“You're all okay! Thank the stars!” Rarity exclaimed.

“And it's all thanks to you, Rarity,” Twilight declared. “You're an integral part of this team.”

Rarity smiled. “Thank you, Twilight, you have no idea how much I needed to hear that.”

Rainbow Dash spun around and slashed her sword in a wide, curving arc. The blade slammed into the simple straw and wood target with enough force to hack off a good chunk. Despite the strength of the blow, Rainbow Dash was still in motion, never losing the momentum she had built up.

The muscles in her hooves tensed and her wings flared and pumped hard, putting her out of range of the spinning dummy. Before she even hit the ground, Rainbow Dash was already moving, diving in close and bringing her sword into a powerful upward strike. She then leapt off a segment of the target before it had a chance to finish a rotation, kicking it firmly and putting herself out of range once more.

Over and over she dove back in, only to weave her way back out again, the mare unburdened by her heavy armor. Though it weighed Rainbow Dash down and slowed her movements, she had trained to the point that she barely noticed it. In fact, she knew the strengths of her protective covering so well, that she was easily able to deflect blows towards the hardened parts of it.

Heavy hits, which could have done significant damage to the pony, did nothing but ding off polished steel, leaving the mare to continue twisting, turning, and striking away with her sword. Like her armor, Rainbow Dash’s weapon was heavy, but years of training and drills allowed her to heft the blade with ease.

Over and over she heard the swish, thunk as her attack struck true, another hunk of wood sent flying. By the thirteenth strike, the simple dummy was beginning to rattle on its mounting, only half of its tube-shaped limbs remaining. By the twentieth hit the thing was shaking so badly that it almost looked like it was angry in a way, as if enraged by its inability to hit Rainbow Dash.

Only a minute later, it had lost all its arms, leaving the thing defenceless. By then the tumbling noise of gears had turned into a high-pitched whine, the dummy seemingly protesting its imminent demise. Then with a final spinning slash, Rainbow Dash chopped through the middle-most point of the straw creature and cut it in half.

With its internals now exposed, the mess of gears now sputtered and stopped, unable to continue on. After a few seconds, it finally ceased twitching, the hunk of battered wood and smoking innards releasing one last screech before finally resting. Rainbow Dash took a second to look over her handiwork before smirking to herself and relaxing her previously tense stance.

Flicking out her blade, Rainbow Dash gazed down at its edge, inspecting it for anything out of place. Though the abuse she had put it through would be inadvisable for most weapons, she was a member of the night guard and had excellent gear. So it was no surprise that she saw no notches, scratches, or other damage had been done to her scimitar.

Her armor had similarly come to no harm and required only a brief brush with her wings before it was clean. Even most of the polish remained, allowing Rainbow Dash to appear nearly parade-perfect after her workout. The only thing that had been defaced in any manner had been her mane, which was weighed down by sweat.

Rainbow Dash breathed heavily, her lungs and muscles burning from the stresses put upon them. The minor aches and pains were little bother to the thestral however, who had, again, long since gotten used to their presence. To her those small annoyances were signs that she had done a good job, and that she might be able to push herself even further next time.

“Not bad,” commented a familiar voice.

Rainbow Dash turned towards the source of the sound and found that she was indeed in the presence of her friend Twilight Sparkle. The undead seemed her usual mix of distant and distracted, likely contemplating something Rainbow Dash didn't have a hope of understanding.

Standing almost twice as tall as Rainbow Dash, it was hard not to be intimidated by the mare. Even more so when Twilight let her focus slip and accidentally released the aura of fear which hung around her constantly. Rainbow Dash had always been unbothered by this, though she could certainly understand why some may find the unicorn scary.

She had long, spindly legs, very dark fur, a shattered stump of a horn, and she rarely if ever breathed. This was apparently some urge that remained at the back of Twilight's mind despite her status as not exactly alive. Either way, it unnerved most when Twilight would suddenly take a big breath out of nowhere, all just so she could properly sigh.

More than that, the mare was also otherworldly, and she could easily see through someone when distracted. Rainbow Dash doubted this was literal, but either way, it was downright unpleasant to have those smokey orbs staring unblinking at you. Despite the fact that Rainbow Dash knew that Twilight herself was a good person and had a good heart, the thought remained.

“Thanks,” Rainbow Dash added a bit of flourish to the act of sheathing her blade. “Though I think the word you are looking for is awesome.”

Twilight chuckled. “It was decent, I’ll give you that, but awesome? I’m not so sure.”

“Pfft, whatever,” Rainbow Dash scoffed. “I doubt you could do any better.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “How much would you be willing to bet?”

“Three rubies and an emerald,” Rainbow Dash challenged. “Unless that's too rich for your blood.”

“Nah, I can handle it,” Twilight declared. “So, what are the rules? Defeat the enemy the fastest?”

“Without getting knocked back, injured, or using magic,” Rainbow Dash stated.

Twilight nodded. “I can do that.”

“Well then, miss professional, show us how it's done,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Gladly,” Twilight declared.

The unicorn then stepped forward and extended a foreleg towards the broken dummy. The limb then went slack and several dozen ethereal copies reached out towards the pile of splinters. Each one grabbed a different piece and slotted it back into place, rapidly reassembling the dummy in a matter of seconds.

Once done, the target looked completely normal, and Twilight gave it one glance before nodding her head. With that out of the way, one of the ghostly appendages handed her one of the extra swords from a rack near the sidelines. She then gave it a few test swings, each one of which was harder and faster than the last, until the wind whistled audibly with every swipe.

Confident that she had done all that she needed, Twilight used her necromantic powers to put the dummy back into motion. Each of its many tube-shaped limbs began to spin, creating a whirling mass of straw-covered wood. Which Twilight didn't attack, or at least not right away, as the undead mare simply stood there, staring intently at her inanimate foe.

Seconds turned to minutes without Twilight so much as blinking. She just remained motionless, seemingly studying the machine as it continued to turn in place. It was enough to make Rainbow Dash wonder if her friend had suffered some kind of aneurysm for zombies.

Then Twilight struck, leaping forward in a burst of speed that put even Rainbow Dash to shame. Immediately Rainbow Dash felt concerned for her friend's safety, as the twirling wooden limbs were not gentle to those that got caught in them. Yet when Rainbow Dash looked, she found that each one of the limbs were turned away from the charging unicorn.

Allowing Twilight to sprint directly up the dummy and swing the blade with both hooves in a large, downward arc. Though strong, Rainbow Dash knew her friends wouldn't be able to deliver enough force to make that kind of attack a good idea. There was no way Twilight could defeat the wooden object in a single attack, meaning that she was going to get caught in its arms.

Rainbow Dash readied herself to leap in and help her friend, only for the impossible to happen. When the weapon struck home, it did so with such power that the dummy stood no chance of survival. There was no deafening crack as metal met wood, only the swoosh of a powerful strike and the sound of a sword deftly cutting through its target.

Inch after inch of wood was split in half, descending an unparalleled distance down the target’s middle. Surely, Rainbow Dash thought, it would stop sometime soon, as the wood was strong, and Twilight didn't even have the necessary training. Apparently no weightlifting or experience was required, as Twilight's blade continued its downward descent.

Until it met the ground with a dull thump, the blade sinking a good two inches into the dirt. For a moment there was only the sound of clattering wood and metal as cogs popped out of the bisected dummy. Though if one listened closely enough, they could have also heard Rainbow Dash’s jaw hitting the ground.

Twilight gripped the handle of her weapon and hefted it out of the ground with a single firm tug. With the flat of the blade resting against her shoulder, Twilight trotted over to Rainbow Dash. Wearing a wide smile on her face, the undead oozed confidence, while Rainbow Dash felt smaller than ever.

“I win,” Twilight declared.

Rainbow Dash bit her tongue and reached into her bag.

“Keep them,” Twilight interrupted. “I have more than enough of the things already.”

The thestral bit down even harder, nearly drawing blood.

“So,” Twilight muttered, spinning the sword around. “What else were you up to, other than playing with your dummy?”

Rainbow Dash smirked, her confidence returning as an idea formed in her mind.

“Well,” Rainbow Dash began. “I was thinking of going on a little run.”

“Oh? Mind if I join you?” Twilight asked.

“Of course. Though that's a little boring. How about we make it a race?” Rainbow Dash offered.

Twilight smiled. “Sounds like fun. Where are we going?”

“There's a path just over there,” Rainbow Dash replied, pointing to a spot near the edge of the training area. “I warn you though. It's a pretty tough trail.”

“I think I can handle it,” Twilight declared.

The unicorn sunk the blade into the ground and began to trot towards the start.

Rainbow Dash snickered under her breath, stopping to shed her armaments before following Twilight. Standing at the entrance of the route, Rainbow Dash noted that it was just as intimidating as the last time she had seen it. Overgrown, barely managed bushes overflowed from either side, and thorns were a common, almost constant obstacle.

She knew from experience that the path would turn suddenly, and there were more than a few fallen trees that blocked the way. It was harsh, mostly uphill, and shifted suddenly on the whims of the forest. Danger was ever-present, so much so that it was only really used by the more veteran night guard.

It was perfect.

“Ready?” Twilight asked.

“On three,” Rainbow Dash replied, crouching down and flaring her wings. “One, two, three!”

With a burst of movement, the thestral launched herself forward, tearing deep gouges into the ground. Her wings pumped three times, not quite getting her airborne, but giving her enough speed that she would easily outpace anyone. Rainbow Dash’s entire body moved in harmony, years upon years of running guiding her on a deep, instinctual level.

She almost felt a little bad for Twilight, who was likely struggling to even run with those long lanky legs. It was enough to even make Rainbow Dash a little curious, and she glanced over her shoulder. Only to be so shocked that she nearly ran into a tree.

Twilight was not in fact, a million miles away, but rather only a few feet behind Rainbow Dash. Somehow the barely coordinated unicorn she knew had been replaced by someone far different. Whoever this was, she was fast and knew how to use her wide gait to pour on the speed at an alarming rate.

Bushes were dodged, fallen trees leapt over, and obstacles avoided with a deftness even Rainbow Dash was envious of. It was so distracting that the thestral very nearly tripped over an exposed root and had to slow down slightly to compensate. Putting her neck and neck with the undead unicorn who seemed completely unfazed by the difficult terrain she was bounding over.

For the first time in awhile, Rainbow Dash had to give it everything she had, something she hadn't done in years. Heck, now that she was thinking about it, Rainbow Dash was fairly certain the last close race she had been in was when she was a foal. Ever since discovering her talent for speed, she had dominated nearly every competition she had taken part in. To be pushed this hard by someone she had underestimated was enough to make Rainbow Dash reconsider how she saw herself.

It wasn't okay that Twilight was stronger than her, but Rainbow Dash could accept that given the circumstances. The unicorn wasn't technically alive, after all, so she had the advantage in a lot of fields. But this? This was who Rainbow Dash was, being the fastest was integral to the thestral’s very self image.

Immediately the urge to cheat and fly came up, but Rainbow Dash dismissed it with no hesitation. Despite her feelings and current crises, Rainbow Dash was loyal to her friends and the trust they had in her. So she ran, even while her mind whirled with unanswered questions and enough self-doubt to make her heart hurt.

Those feelings turned from sadness to outright rage when Twilight managed to turn a corner faster than Rainbow Dash. For doing so put Twilight a good distance ahead of the thestral, who could not simply ignore the sharp sting of the poisonous bush that obscured part of the path. Rainbow Dash, unlike her friend, was still alive and could not brush aside the neurotoxin like Twilight was able to.

She's cheating! Rainbow Dash thought to herself. She can use her natural gifts while I’m stuck on the ground, unable to use the two things that could give me an edge.

That line of thinking soon spiralled out of control, and Rainbow Dash glared daggers at the backside of her friend. Twilight didn't have to worry about tiring, she didn't have to consider the many dangerous plants or even most obstacles for that matter. Her long legs allowed her to simply bound over things that were taller than Rainbow Dash was.

The anger gave Rainbow Dash increased drive, but even that wasn't enough to make up for the disparity. Twilight's lead was too great, and worse still, it just kept on growing, seemingly without end. It was enough to make Rainbow Dash want to cheat or quit, either way she wanted out of this situation as soon as possible.

As she rounded a bend and ducked under a low branch, Rainbow Dash realized something quite strange.

Namely that she would never have raced Twilight Sparkle in the first place, the other mare was, to be frank, a massive clutz. Even the balancing of her magic hadn't fully returned her natural dexterity, the pony’s mind having adapted to her poor coordination.

So challenging her like this was simply cruel and didn't make sense for Rainbow Dash to do. Not even if she wanted to embarrass the poor girl, as that was a level of mean that Rainbow Dash was unwilling to sink to.

With that realization sitting at the back of her mind, Rainbow Dash noticed that the distant sound of hooves was closer than she remembered. In fact they were right beside her, and glancing over revealed that a flustered Twilight was struggling to keep up. The unicorn had apparently forgotten that she didn't need to breathe and was huffing and puffing like she was trying to blow down a house.

Her hooves were constantly getting in the way of one another, and she nearly tripped every three seconds or so. It was like watching a newborn puppy run for the very first time, only Twilight was even more of a mess.

“Rainbow Dash, slow down!” pleaded Twilight. “I can't run as fast as you.”

“Sorry, Twilight, was distracted for a second there,” Rainbow Dash apologized, slowing her pace. “Is that better?”

“Yes, thank you,” Twilight replied. “I know helping me learn how to fight and not be a bumbling boob is a struggle, but try and have more patience please.”

Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Of course. It's just old instincts, ya know?”

“Don't I know,” Twilight whined. “If I still had a beating heart, my fur would be a couple shades darker on account of me being one giant bruise.”

“You gotta learn quick, Twilight. I can't pull any punches,” Rainbow Dash pointed out.

“I suppose. I just wish we had more time,” Twilight murmured.

Rainbow Dash smiled. “Me too, Twilight.”

Pinkie Pie sighed contentedly as she settled into her chair, the slightly hard, well-worn cushion having become far more comfortable than it had any right to be. All of her aches and pains suddenly weren't quite so intense, despite just how recently she had gained them. Her muscles burned, and her body was riddled with more minor injuries, but all in all, it wasn't half bad.

Glancing out over the rest of her friends, Pinkie Pie noticed that feeling of relief in spite of their injuries was shared amongst everyone. Rainbow Dash had lost her breastplate and was sporting a shallow cut across her chest, yet wore a weak smile. Fluttershy, though not physically harmed in any way, was quite exhausted and struggled to stay awake. Rarity was haggard and had deep bags under her eyes, but her makeup remained perfect even without being reapplied. Applejack was perhaps the most beaten up and sported several missing sections of bark, still, like the others she was happy. Even Twilight looked like she had been put through the wringer, though she had only a few bumps and bruises.

The aura that hung over them was both light-hearted and slightly dour, though that second thing was dissipating with every moment. Their struggles and worries were over, all save for what they wanted to put into their empty bellies. Pinkie Pie herself had already made up her mind, but was sitting patiently and waiting for everyone else to decide.

“That sure was something, eh?” Applejack remarked. “Felt like I went three rounds with Celestia herself.”

“No kidding. Who knew an angry tree could put up such a fight?” Rainbow Dash added.

“Evergreens can be quite temperamental, you know. Especially this time of year,” Fluttershy commented.

“I thought they would enjoy summer? Who doesn't?” Rarity exclaimed.

“Apparently that spirit we exorcised,” Twilight replied. “Who would have thought he’d be able to possess a tree of all things.”

“Yeah, who knew he possessed that strength,” Pinkie Pie joked, already grinning in expectation of laughter.

Seconds ticked by without anyone even giggling at the pun, confusing Pinkie Pie somewhat. Most of her friends weren't huge fans of such quote unquote cheap humour in Rainbow Dash’s words, but both Applejack and Twilight loved those kinds of jokes. Twilight herself even stated on several occasions that she thought puns were the highest form of comedy.

Pinkie Pie gulped down the embarrassment she felt, and told herself that it simply hadn't been that funny in the first place.

“Say, did we ever find out what race that dead guy was?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Wasn't he a minotaur or something?” Applejack replied.

“He did use everyone and not everypony,” Fluttershy pointed out.

“I mean, most people do. It's really only those from outside the forest who don't,” Rarity added.

“True,” Twilight admitted. “Though I have a sneaking suspicion that he was actually from Canterlot.”

“Well, I think he was a pony. After all, he had fir!” Pinkie Pie declared, throwing up her hooves. “Get it, like the tree, and ponies have fur.”

The silence stretched on for several seconds without anyone uttering a word or even smiling.

Twilight cleared her throat. “Regardless, they are back into the cycle of rebirth, and we don't have to deal with them anymore.”

“Hey, you never know. They might turn out to be a jerk next time too,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Augh, let's hope they at least possess a different manner of plant. It's going to take weeks to get the smell of pine needles out of my mane,” Rarity griped, much to the amusement of her friends who chuckled at the arachne as she picked through her hair using magic.

“Well, at least we got to the root of the problem quickly, right girls?” Pinkie Pie paused, her smile becoming more and more fake by the second. “Right?”

Once more, the only response was silence, with only the distant clatter from the kitchen to break the quiet.

“You know what we need?” Pinkie Pie suddenly exclaimed. “Some food. I’ll go get some, and don't worry. I remember all of your favorite desserts!”

Pinkie Pie then hopped off her chair and hobbled away on three legs, trying to ignore the fact that no one said anything as she left. No requests for a drink, change on their usual orders, or a single pity chuckle for any one of Pinkie Pie’s jokes. It was enough to make the usually upbeat troll stop in the middle of the room, her smile faltering for a moment.

“They're just stressed and tired. That's all,” Pinkie Pie muttered to herself. “I mean, Rarity did almost die a few minutes ago, so they are probably just too on edge for jokes right now.”

“Good one, Twilight!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed amidst a gale of giggling.

It sounded like everyone had joined in on the mirth and was eagerly laughing along to whatever humorous anecdote Twilight had shared. In fact, their laughter was so loud that Pinkie Pie briefly couldn't hear herself think. There was only the thunderous storm of joy that pounded at Pinkie Pie’s head, washing away the notions that they were simply too stressed.

When the noise died down, Pinkie Pie began to awkwardly stumble towards the counter, her gaze downcast.

“My jokes just aren't funny, that's okay,” Pinkie Pie whispered. “I know they’ve laughed at similar attempts at humour before, but things have changed now I guess.”

Pinkie Pie trotted up to the counter and gazed out over the wide array of treats hidden behind the thin barrier of glass.

“I’ll have an apple fritter, a nanaimo bar, a slice of strawberry cheesecake, a triple chocolate donut, and a chocolate eclair please,” Pinkie Pie listed off.

“Right away,” replied a voice.

Pinkie Pie didn't bother looking at the source of the affirmation and continued to stare off into space. Her gaze had settled on her reflection, though she wasn't actually looking at herself, rather she was staring off into space. Her mind whirled, and Pinkie Pie struggled to stay afloat the churning sea of questions that was now assaulting her.

Were they mad at her for some reason? Pinkie Pie couldn't remember why they would be, but the entire adventure they had just gone on was weirdly vague. She only really remembered there being a tree and some form of magic. So although possible, Pinkie Pie didn't think they were angry with her.

Which meant that they were disappointed in the troll, either that, or she just wasn't funny. Either possibility was unpleasant, and Pinkie Pie could feel her shoulders fall as her flat expression turned into a frown. Her dour mood spiralled further, but was stopped when she heard the clack of a plate being placed in front of her.

Looking up, Pinkie Pie noticed that the mystery person was nowhere to be seen, leaving behind only a small pile of treats. After a quick inspection to ensure they were all there, Pinkie Pie reached forward and bit down on the edge of the dish. There wasn't much room for her mouth so it was a bit difficult, but Pinkie Pie was determined to continue on in spite of this.

Stumbling awkwardly back towards the table on her three remaining hooves, Pinkie Pie tried to smile. A process which was unfortably difficult given the stress weighing down on her heart. In the end she managed a slightly forced grin, the troll determined to cheer her friends up after such a hard fight.

She gently placed the plate on the edge of the table and nosed it towards the middle.

“There you are, girls. Your favorite desserts!” Pinkie Pie declared.

No one reached for the treats and instead continued to talk animatedly to one another.

“You know, that entire fight really reminded me of our first adventure,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “The trek through the woods, the dead stuff, it was all eerily similar.”

“Yes,” Rarity agreed. “It was much akin to our first outing.”

“It feels like it's been years since then,” Fluttershy mused.

“No kiddin’,” Applejack added. “And despite how rocky things have been since then, I wouldn't give you girls up for the world.”

“And I wouldn't even be alive, or unalive for that matter, if it wasn't for you girls,” Twilight declared.

“You know I ain't a hugger, but this seems like a group hug type of moment,” Rainbow Dash offered.

The group all extended their limbs and joined in a wide circle, smiles adorning their happy yet worn faces. Eager to join the joyous occasion, Pinkie Pie leaned forward and tried to wrap a hoof around Applejack’s shoulder. Only to be brushed aside when Rainbow Dash beat Pinkie Pie to the punch.

“H-hey!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

The troll then tried to join on the other side of her farmer friend, but was interrupted by Twilight's hoof. By then the circle was complete, and the five females all exchanged a hearty laugh, their injuries all but forgotten. Locked out of the moment, Pinkie Pie sat on the floor and stared up at the group which had seemingly forgotten about her.

“We’ll make a hugger out of you, Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy teased.

Rainbow Dash brushed aside her partner’s hoof and leaned back in her chair.

“Yeah, right,” scoffed the thestral.

“Didn't you start the last group hug as well?” Applejack pressed, flashing her friend a wide smile.

“Hey, that was a hug between me and Fluttershy, you weirdos just decided to join us for some reason!” Rainbow Dash shot back.

“Actually, I think Rainbow Dash has a point,” Twilight offered.

“Finally!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Wasn't it someone else? Pink something?” Twilight wondered.

Rarity scratched her chin absently. “I’m not sure, but that sounds vaguely familiar.”

“Pinkie Pie! My name is Pinkie Pie!” shouted the troll.

“I thought it was a minotaur,” Fluttershy remarked.

“Yeah, that seems right. Pink Guy!” Applejack declared.

“That sounds correct. Weren't they like really strong or something?” Twilight inquired.

Fluttershy shrugged. “Who cares?”

“Good point,” Rainbow Dash agreed. “Either way, they’re gone now.”

“Speakin’ of gone. I sure am glad we don't hafta trudge through them woods every time we go to the castle,” Applejack exclaimed.

“No kidding,” declared Rarity in an exasperated tone. “It felt like we were lost for months that time.”

“Oh, it wasn't that bad,” Fluttershy retorted.

“Yeah that was crazy, I’m glad my totems came in handy though!” Pinkie Pie yelled, sole remaining forehoof waving wildly in the air.

“It's too bad no one helped us. We could have really used a guide,” Twilight pointed out.

“Was Flutters and I not good enough for ya?” Rainbow Dash retorted.

Twilight shook her head. “That's not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?” Fluttershy prompted.

“I don't know. Like, I just wish we had someone who was more well-versed with the forest and stuff,” Twilight stated.

“Like me! I know almost everything about it!” Pinkie Pie screeched.

“Yeah, too bad we don't know anyone like that,” Rainbow Dash added.

“You do, you do know someone like that!” Pinkie Pie yelled.

The troll tried to wave her hoof in front of the thestral’s face but found that she was too far away and couldn't reach. So Pinkie Pie took a big step forward, only to end up no closer even after putting one hoof in front of the other.

“What? What's happening? Where are you going?” Pinkie Pie asked.

Noone moved to answer her, nor could they hear her, as the table was slowly sliding further and further away, leaving Pinkie Pie to scramble after it, sprinting towards the fleeing shapes of her friends. Yet no matter how hard she ran and how much she tried, the group continued to speed away from her.

“Wait, stop, please!” Pinkie Pie yelled into the ever growing darkness.

But they did not stop, nor did they slow, and in only a few seconds the group had vanished. Leaving behind a seemingly endless void whose sole inhabitant was Pinkie Pie herself. Who stumbled to a standstill, her strength fleeing her and leaving the troll slumped on what felt like the ground.

“Why did they leave me?” Pinkie Pie whispered to herself.

Tears dripped down the corners of her eyes, and her shoulders trembled. Her hair fell straight, and Pinkie Pie collapsed fully, quickly curling inwards on herself. Now in a tight fetal position, Pinkie Pie rocked back and forth while sobbing quietly.

“Why?” she muttered over and over, her mind running through an endless series of questions that all lead into one another.

They didn't want to be her friends anymore, which was totally understandable in Pinkie Pie’s mind. She hadn't really made very many friends since leaving her family in search of a purpose, only Zecora and even that was shaky. The zebra was her mentor, and though close, Pinkie Pie wasn't sure if she would call her a friend, at least not when compared to the others.

Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Twilight Sparkle.

When together, Pinkie Pie felt whole in a way that she had never experienced before. They made the troll feel welcome, accepted, and above all, loved. Yet they pushed her away, all seemingly because Pinkie Pie hadn't been able to help them on their first real adventure.

“I can't blame them, I guess,” Pinkie Pie murmured to herself. “I shouldn't have gone and got myself hurt like that.”

Though the sentence felt like it made sense, and that it was applicable to what she was going through, it was also off. Pinkie Pie tried to think back to those quiet moments they had shared since they had first really become friends. She imagined the conversations they had, and the experiences they had together.

“They have never been mad at me before,” Pinkie Pie paused. “Well, at least over that, anyway.”

Rolling onto her back, Pinkie Pie unfolded her three legs and stared up at the endless black veil hanging over her head.

“In fact, they thanked me more than a few times for helping them,” Pinkie Pie whispered, her voice growing louder with each word. “That's right, and since then I’ve gone on adventures that others have missed out on as well. Noone ever impugned them for not helping!”

Pinkie Pie sat back up. “None of my friends are mean enough to ignore me like that anyway. Not even when I accidentally threw up on one of Twilight's books was she that rude to me.”

“Did you say something, Pinkie Pie?” asked Twilight.

Pinkie Pie turned towards the unicorn and noticed that she was sitting beside the troll. A chocolate square hung in Twilight’s ethereal hoof, her gaze lingering on Pinkie Pie. Who glanced down to find herself seated at the table alongside the rest of her friends, all of whom were looking at the shaman.

“Nope!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed. “I’m just happy to spend time with you girls.”

“Nice job dealing with that weird curse thingy back there,” Rainbow Dash added. “You really saved our butts.”

Applejack chuckled. “The look on that big evil tree thingy’s face was just priceless.”

“It was rather amusing,” Rarity agreed. “I don't think he quite saw that coming.”

Twilight smiled at the troll. “I don't think anyone sees Pinkie Pie coming.”

The Conquest Of Self

Fluttershy strode confidently down the road and towards the meeting place her friends had told her of. Her hooves glided across the ground, the semi-ethereal nature of her body allowing her to pass by without disturbing so much as a single blade of grass. Which was good in Fluttershy’s opinion, as it was a pleasant evening, and one which she didn't want to ruin. With the sun having just set, and the moon remaining in its usual position high in the sky, the world was awash with deep yellows.

Though it had not strayed from its spot above her head, Fluttershy continued to watch the cratered satellite. As now, with the burning rays of the sun falling behind the horizon, its sibling was able to shine without being overshadowed. It was a pleasant sight, though one that Fluttershy soon put out of her mind in order to focus on what was right in front of her.

Namely the small gathering of creatures who were standing next to a large oak tree at the edge of the Everfree Forest. Surprisingly enough, everyone was there, including Rainbow Dash and Rarity, the two most infamous for being fashionably late. With that in mind, Fluttershy picked up the pace and made her way up to them, only to slow back down when she noticed something odd.

In addition to the usual members of their party such as Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, and Twilight Sparkle, there was one more. Though Fluttershy didn't know who this newcomer was, she could tell that they were from Canterlot at just a glance. They had the same fish-out-of-water look that Twilight had upon arrival, only this strange mare was far more confident.

Standing nearly as tall as Twilight and with a horn slightly longer than most, she shared a lot in common with the undead unicorn. Including a mane and tail that were two tones, only hers were a deep purple, with a light strip of teal running through it. Her fur was a few shades lighter than Twilight's, and her eyes weren't quite as bright. She also had a cutie mark resembling a single fallen star not unlike the one which adorned the other unicorn’s flank.

She was also clearly alive, as well as the center of attention, with the others all gathered around her. The mystery pony was in the middle of some story, with everyone else listening closely to the tale. Even Rainbow Dash seemed fascinated by whatever the newcomer was saying as the thestral sat on the ground and looked up at the speaker.

Fluttershy took an unneeded breath and steeled herself to meet someone new.

“Hello, welcome to Ponyville,” Fluttershy greeted with a smile.

“Oh, hey Fluttershy,” Twilight replied. “This is Starlight. Starlight, this is Fluttershy.”

“Ah yes, the ghost,” Starlight remarked. “I’m surprised you would be invited along on such a dangerous mission.”

Fluttershy waited a moment, expecting her friends to defend her, only to be a bit unnerved when that didn't happen.

“Well, it's not like I can get in the way,” Fluttershy exclaimed, making her hoof immaterial and waving it through Applejack’s head.

“True,” Starlight remarked with a smirk.

“Now before we get out there, does everyone remember the plan?” Twilight asked.

“Find a flower called the Queen of the Forest, then locate a Sethano, and finally track down this mysterious Pool of Seven Tears,” Rainbow Dash immediately declared.

“Then bring it all back to the hospital before the infection costs that poor dragon her wings,” Rarity added.

“Exactly,” Twilight declared. “Does everyone have what we need?”

While everyone else checked their bags, Fluttershy sought out a nearby bird and gently called it down to her. The slightly overweight white pigeon flew to the ground after a small amount of prompting. It then divulged what it knew about the things Twilight had mentioned after Fluttershy promised to come back with food later that day.

With that done, the bird flew off, and Fluttershy proudly approached the group.

“I have a lead on-” she began.

“I’ve got the first location,” Starlight interrupted, her horn glowing brightly. “Three clicks south of our position. Once we get closer, I should be able to tell you exactly where it is.”

“Alright, Starlight!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

“You are turning into a valued member of the team,” Twilight stated.

“Thanks. Someone’s gotta guide us to our destination,” Starlight exclaimed.

Fluttershy wilted. “I was going to do that.”

“Did you say something, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked.

“N-no,” Fluttershy murmured.

“Alright then, Starlight, lead the way!” Twilight declared.

Starlight nodded. “Gladly.”

Fluttershy sighed and fell into the back of the group, taking up the rear while the others jogged into the woods. Though they didn't quite sprint, they put on enough speed that Fluttershy had to run to keep up with them. Within a few moments they were deep into the forest and obstacles began to show themselves everywhere.

The first of which came in the form of a fallen log.

“Watch ou-” Fluttershy began.

The dryad was interrupted by a blast from Starlight’s horn which turned the minor barrier to dust. None of the other members of their group even seemed to notice this and just kept jogging along at a good pace. Starlight herself was completely unbothered and continued to follow her spell in a southerly direction.

Though she felt a bit snubbed by the action, Fluttershy reasoned that it was for the best as time was a factor here. Sure it wasn't a huge one, and they assumed they could get back to town before things got worse. Starlight clearly wasn't taking any chances though, and Fluttershy could begrudgingly agree with that sentiment.

“I wonder if she knows this dragon we’re trying to help,” Fluttershy thought aloud.

Pushing deeper and deeper into the woods, the group found themselves entering a rocky ravine. Towering walls of stone sporting numerous deep gouges rose on all sides, though thankfully none of the many boulders seemed loose. After passing through the narrow pass, they entered a wide pit-like area with a single towering flower at its very center.

Its main body was the size of a large, but squat bush, and its thin, numerous petals hung down around the flower’s main top half. In its middle rose a nearly six foot tall pillar of orangeish-black stem from which sprouted several thousand seeds. Like a great flag raised to the heavens, it was impossible not to notice the great mass ready to be dispersed on the first stiff breeze.

“Wait,” Fluttershy exclaimed, stepping forward. “We have to be really careful.”

Starlight ignored Fluttershy’s call and used her magic to cut off the top of the plant, causing the entire thing to shake. Fluttershy gasped, and prepared to pull Rainbow Dash to safety the second the plant began to tremble. Thankfully the tremor that ran through it was small and ended just as quickly as it started.

“That was very dangerous. You could have gotten everyone hurt,” Fluttershy stated.

“Because the seeds once airborne erupt with incredible force and have the cutting strength to pierce steel?” Starlight replied.

Fluttershy blinked twice. “Yes.”

“I am aware,” Starlight retorted.

Fluttershy watched the unicorn walk away without saying another word.

“Woah, Flutters, not cool. You should trust her more,” Rainbow Dash admonished.

“Yes, she had this all in hoof, darling,” Rarity added.

“That wasn't very nice of you,” Twilight pointed out.

Fluttershy stood there and watched her friends all walk away, leaving her alone. That was until she picked up the pace and followed after the others. After a short sprint, Fluttershy caught up and walked alongside them, her gaze lingering on Starlight’s back.

The first thing Fluttershy wondered was if she was being replaced, as that certainly seemed to be the case. Here they had found someone who wasn't quite so easily frightened and who appeared to have a considerable amount of knowledge pertaining to the forest. That thought made Fluttershy feel a little sad as it meant her skills were less useful, yet she was also a little bit glad for it.

At least they have someone who can actually help them in a fight, Fluttershy couldn't help but think. Unlike me.

Slowly but surely, the surroundings changed until they were in the midst of a large swamp. The smell of rotten eggs and unpleasant vapors tickled the nostrils of the living and unliving alike. Those who trod upon the ground found their hooves weighed down by mud and grime.

Fluttershy opened her mouth to offer a suggestion, but was once more beaten to the punch.

“Make sure to walk on the sections with blue-bladed grass. Their roots go much deeper so you know the ground is thicker,” Starlight exclaimed.

“Thanks, Starlight,” Rainbow Dash remarked.

“Yeah, no kidding. What would we do without you?” Applejack added.

“Other than get muddy,” Rarity muttered.

Everyone chuckled, save for Fluttershy whose smile had become so forced that she struggled to maintain it all. Her heart hurt, and tears welled up at the edges of her vision, though Fluttershy refused to shed them.

This was a good thing, she reminded herself. Starlight was better for her friends and would be a more suitable teammate. Despite how many times she repeated it, the words never quite felt right to Fluttershy.

The dryad was startled from her thoughts when they stopped next to a small hill amidst the swamp. Though not overly large, it was big enough to support the massive form of the Sethano which called it home. Its midnight black scales covered a body several dozen meters long. Which was as thick as the trunk of a young redwood.

On the southern end of the rise were the beast’s three heads, each of which rested half in the water, half out. Each was a varied color of grey, their dark scales losing a bit of luster at that point in their body. They also sported what looked like green mossy beards, though Fluttershy knew that it was just a kind of symbiotic weed that clung to the snake’s body.

Starlight hushed the group and motioned towards the ground while she began to slowly walk forward. Fluttershy wanted to interrupt, to tell the cocky unicorn that what she was doing was incredibly dangerous, but did no such thing. Instead she just sat there as the newcomer dexterously plucked a scale from the creature’s back. Then when it stirred and began to wake, Starlight waved a hunk of lion’s breath flowers beneath its noses, putting it right back to sleep.

“Done. Let's go,” Starlight declared.

Fluttershy followed as the others began to move, though she had tuned out of the conversation.

She had been made redundant, her skills useless in the face of a more confident and knowledgeable being. This was good, Fluttershy told herself, as it meant that noone expected anything of her anymore. She could never disappoint someone, never let them down, in fact, Fluttershy would never have to worry about struggling again.

All she had to do was sit back and let Starlight do it.

The world grew paler, and though Fluttershy was mere feet from her friends, she could no longer hear their words. The sounds of splashing water and thumping hoofsteps were soon gone, made so quiet that they were inaudible. Even the color seemed to drain from her surroundings, leaving Fluttershy feeling numb and unpleasant.

All the positives Fluttershy had piled up in her mind soon sounded false, and she couldn't help but feel strangely queasy. That feeling only grew stronger as her mind drifted, and the dryad no longer paid attention to what was happening around her. Lost amidst the endless halls of her memories, Fluttershy wandered at random, reliving moments until she stumbled upon something that gave her pause.

Guided by a strange feeling, Fluttershy had suddenly recalled her first meeting with Twilight Sparkle. She remembered warning her vulture friends not to eat the unicorn who was lying face down on the ground. Covered in mud and sopping wet, Twilight had been an absolute mess, in addition to appearing quite dead.

That hadn't been the case, and after a little prodding, the unicorn had awoken. After that they had gone on a small adventure of their own as Fluttershy guided her new friend to Ponyville. There they got a brace for Twilight's broken leg, and Fluttershy pointed the confused mare towards those who could help her.

“I did that,” Fluttershy whispered, her confidence surging. “I saved her, and no matter how skilled others may be, they can't take that away from me.”

The affirmation lifted Fluttershy’s spirits and brought both color as well as sound back to the world.

“How do we approach this?” asked a voice.

Fluttershy blinked and glanced over to a hesitant Twilight. “What was that?”

“I asked how we approach this?” Twilight asked, gesturing to the strange pool of water at the bottom of a long flight of stone stairs which was itself in a large cavern.

Fluttershy couldn't help but smile. “Well, you see-”

Applejack hummed contentedly to herself as she moved about her room with a duster in her hoof. She wasn't a big fan of cleaning itself, but there was always something so calming about setting things in their proper place. Like most things in her life, it was the routine she enjoyed, not the actual action itself. With the exception being apple bucking, which she still enjoyed, even after all these years.

“Even if that damn orchard is cursed,” Applejack muttered to herself.

She paused, grimacing as the tree on her back shifted slightly, sending a bolt of pain through her body. The sensation was short-lived, though it still left the female’s knees shaking, and her jaw clenched tight. Thankfully it faded just as quickly as it arrived, and Applejack was able to breathe easily once more.

The warm smell of aged wood and pine-scented cleaning supplies tickled her nostrils, easing her worries. The gentle caress of the ancient boards beneath her hooves helped to set her mind at ease. A look around her room only increased that sensation as Applejack noted that everything was done.

“All that's left is doing the dish-” Applejack’s statement was cut off when something enormous slammed into the ground just outside her home.

The floorboards rattled, and a few shingles shook loose, falling down the sides of the house. Random keepsakes tumbled from shelves, prompting Applejack to leap towards a porcelain dog. Her hooves, though clumsy, caught the tiny object deftly, stopping it from shattering on the ground.

The quake was brief, but the damage was significant, with nearly everything in her room having fallen over or been moved. Rather than see what had happened outside, Applejack tugged the curtains closed a little tighter and went back to work. Thankfully it didn't take nearly as long to clean everything a second time as it just took a bit of rearranging.

With all that done, Applejack swiftly gathered up her supplies and made her way downstairs. Usually she’d stop at Granny Smith’s room and see what the old girl was up to this time of day, but Applejack didn't feel like it. She passed by her other siblings’ doors without looking in on them or even saying hello for that matter. Applejack could tell they were occupied, but the urge to be friendly to her family was absent at the moment.

Instead she simply kept her head down and continued to move down to the main floor.

Upon reaching the bottom step, there was another thunderous boom that came from the front of the house. With a sigh, Applejack ran about the kitchen, pushing things back into their place or picking up stuff that had fallen. There was not an ounce of curiosity in her heart, and she tried her best not to think about what was causing the noises.

With things in some semblance of order for the moment, Applejack trotted up to the sink. Standing upright at the counter was always a pain, made worse by the parasitic plant gripping her back. She was an Apple though, which meant she pushed down the pain and kept on workin’ no matter how hard things got.

“That smarts,” Applejack muttered as she rose up.

The first thing she did was pull the curtains closed a little more, ensuring that the front yard was completely obscured. Hidden from view, the thing in the orchard was swiftly pushed from Applejack’s mind. In its place was the comfortable routine that she had grown up, the familiar motions a balm for all of the mare’s worries.

A gentle twist released a surge of water, as well as a blast of iron from the aged pipes. The scent was unpleasant, but familiar to the farmer, so she savored it all the same. That was until the sink was full, and she was finally ready to add a little bit of the homemade cleaner to it.

Another pleasant aroma tickled her senses, only this time it was the apple solution that her family used to clean their dishes. It wasn't perfect, but when all you had was apples, you made due with what you could. So it was that Applejack was once more dipping her hooves into the slightly cool water and reaching for a plate.

Another thunderous crash made her nearly leap out of her skin and toss the plate across the room. Thankfully she stopped that urge before it could finish, and she ended up just awkwardly holding the piece of fine china over her head. Like the rest, this didn't last long, and soon Applejack was washing dishes once again.

Deciding that a song would help her stay focused and distract her from the thing in the orchard, Applejack began to hum. At first it was nonsensical and half-hearted, the farmer racking her mind for some tune that could help raise her mood.

“Apple queens and endless greens,” Applejack began, humming along to the imagined twang of a guitar. “Wait and see what tomorrow brings.”

Though she recalled the rest of the lyrics with ease, Applejack decided not to utter them. Merely continuing to hum along as she recalled them in her head, too embarrassed to actually sing to herself. With the return of the familiar, Applejack was once more able to calm herself back down after the sudden shock.

The smell of soap, the feel of the well-worn plates, even the ever-present pain caused by the plant on her back, it all served to calm the farmer down and give her a bedrock from which she could build herself back up. Though it took time to do so, she was eventually able to focus on her work and swiftly get through it all.

Careful to not make the stacks of clean dishes too high lest they topple over, Applejack reached towards the towel dangling over the handle of the stove. She stopped the second another earthquake rattled the house and sent things careening towards the edges of whatever they were on. Applejack was prepared for this eventuality however, and swiftly moved to save the plates before they could get far.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Applejack pushed herself back upwards, only to immediately gasp in shock. For when the brief tremor had run through the home, it had rattled the curtains open ever so slightly. Giving Applejack just enough space to see the thing in the orchard which had been the cause of the near constant shaking.

Towering over even the tallest apple tree stood a strange unicorn with even odder proportions. Her fur was such a dark shade of purple that it was nearly black, and her legs seemed longer than they should be. She had only the barest stump of a horn, though that didn't mean she wasn't able to cast spells.

Numerous greenish-purple hooves extended from her body and reached down into the orchard. There they plucked trees from the ground, tore out bushes, or otherwise seemed intent on altering the landscape as much as possible. Applejack didn't know why the creature was doing this, but she wasn't exactly considering motives at the moment.

She was too busy staring at the weirdly gaunt pony who was currently ripping through the orchard. Skinny to the point that her ribs were exposed, the creature didn't even seem truly alive and had more in common with a corpse than a unicorn. A sentiment reinforced when she turned suddenly towards Applejack, causing a spike of fear to shoot through the farmer.

The creature’s faintly glowing eyes were unnerving, but it was the raw power brimming behind those orbs that scared Applejack. In that instant the farm pony knew that if the creature wanted, it could snuff the life out of her without any effort. In fact, Applejack was so far beneath the great creature that it would barely need to lift a hoof to crush the farmer flat.

Applejack stared back at the creature for several seconds before reaching forward and attempting to close the curtains. This act seemed to enrage the creature, as it immediately began barrelling towards the farmhouse at a sprint. The ensuing thunderous earthquake felt like it was going to tear the ancient building from its foundations.

Despite everything rattling and crashing down around her, Applejack sprinted unerringly towards the back of the house. Her instincts took over, and she ran straight for the cellar, the loud clatter of her hooves rendered inaudible over the cacophony of noise. So terrified was the farm pony that she didn't even think to check on her family, merely fleeing as fast as possible.

Screeching around the corner, Applejack threw open the door to the basement and leapt down the stairs two at a time. Chunks of wood fell from the ceiling, loose boards knocked free by the thundering hooves approaching ever closer. Panic and chaos was everywhere, including her heart which had grown so full of the stuff that it felt close to bursting.

Applejack dodged a falling shelf filled with preserved apple products and dashed towards the rocky room at the back. Originally having served as the family’s cistern, after a new one had been dug outside of the home, the old one had been turned into a cold storage room. Within it there were dozens of canned goods, but more importantly there was also safety and the promise of survival.

Despite all the good promised by those four stone walls, Applejack felt her hooves begin to falter. Fear still dominated her mind and heart, but a new sensation now accompanied the awful emotions. Curiosity, for as Applejack thought of that great titan striding through her family’s orchard, she felt recognition.

She knew that… thing. Yet Applejack couldn't put a name to it, though she felt like she should be able to.

“Twilight Sparkle,” Applejack muttered in shock. “That's who is out there.”

Applejack stopped dead in her tracks and looked around to find that the walls were no longer shaking. The walls no longer quaked, and the furniture was no longer under threat of being toppled by the rumbling. Which all made sense to Applejack, as it wasn't as though Twilight wasn't powerful, that was undeniable, but she was also good.

Putting one hoof back in front of the other, Applejack trotted back up the stairs. Ignoring all the broken china and shattered glass, Applejack walked calmly back to the front door. Which she pushed open and stepped through, glancing up at the towering undead standing on her front lawn.

“Well? Are you going to come in or not?” Applejack shouted.

The creature cocked its giant head to the side questioningly.

“Yeah, you might scare me sometimes, and sure you might have spooky powers, but I know yer heart,” Applejack declared. “So come on down already and help me with the mess ya made.”

The monster glared at Applejack for several quiet seconds as if attempting to stare down the farm pony. Applejack was unshakable however, and maintained the gaze until the giant smiled faintly. It then began to melt, its extra mass billowing off of it in the form of a faint purple haze that was swiftly blown away by the wind.

Leaving behind the familiar unicorn mare standing on Applejack’s doorstep.

Applejack gestured towards the farmhouse. “Well, are you comin’ or what?”

Though Twilight was incapable of producing tears, she sobbed anyway, her chest rising and falling rapidly. The magic that had washed over her began to fade, leaving the pony feeling both empty and full at the same time. Her heart was packed to the brim with emotion, while her shoulders felt abent of the burden which had weighed them down.

“She's back!” Spike eagerly exclaimed.

“Are you alright?” Midnight Moon inquired, the shadowy creature cupping Twilight's chin. “You look paler than usual.”

“I’m… okay,” Twilight replied.

The dark creature stepped away, a frown crossing its blackened features. “You sure don't seem like it.”

“I’ll explain things in a moment. Right now there is a certain young man who needs a hug,” Twilight smiled and opened her forehooves, allowing the young drake to hug her tightly around the midsection.

“Sorry about that Spike. Were we gone long?” Twilight asked.

Spike shook his head. “No. Just a few hours, but Chrysalis and Cadance were beginning to grow worried about you guys.”

“Wait, us?” Twilight muttered.

The unicorn glanced around the room to find that the rest of her friends were all beginning to regain consciousness as well. Each one emitted a faint rainbow light from their eyes upon awakening, though it faded within a few seconds. The grogginess and confusion they all felt continued to hang over them all, even as they slowly regained their bearings.

“What happened?” asked Fluttershy curiously.

“One minute we were watching Cadance and Chrysalis escape and be all lovey dovey, and the next I was racing Twilight,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, the thestral cracking her neck with an audible pop.

“Yeah I had something similar, only Twi was like a hundred feet tall,” Applejack added.

“I know,” Twilight exclaimed. “I saw it all.”

Rarity winced. “I’m sorry you had to witness that. You must think I am quite petty.”

“No way! We conquered our fears, and Twi Twi knows that. Ain't that right?” Pinkie Pie half asked, half stated.

“I do,” Twilight answered while Spike returned to his seat. “I know that Rarity doesn't need to feel bad because she can't help us in a fight. Rainbow Dash doesn't have anything to prove. Pinkie Pie isn't bothered by what she might have missed. Fluttershy is no longer frightened of being replaced, and Applejack knows that I would never harm her or her family.”

“Darn tootin’,” Applejack exclaimed. “‘Cause you're a part of it sister and don't you forget it.”

“Pardon me,” Cadance interrupted in her usual, gravelly tone. “But I’m afraid there is one of your friends who has not been freed from the spell.”

“What but this is…” Twilight's words died on her lips the second she laid eyes on Sunset Shimmer.

The skeleton had sat apart from the others and had evidently not expected to be roped into the events taking place.

“But I thought we were the ones learning the words,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

“The spell is harmonic in nature and is guided by intent rather than will,” Chrysalis explained. “Sometimes strange things happen.”

“What do we do?” Fluttershy inquired.

“I don't know,” Cadance admitted. “It could just wear off, though I have a feeling as though Twilight has an idea.”

The necromancer nodded. “I do.”

“Well, let's hear it! We can't just leave our friend like that!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Just think about it,” Twilight began. “The spell’s intent was to help us heal Cadance, right?”

“It was,” Chrysalis admitted in a slightly confused tone. “Though I was trying to impart upon you the necessary skills to invoke the word cooperation.”

“And we have that,” Fluttershy exclaimed. “How do I know that?”

“The words become a part of you upon learning them,” Twilight explained.

“I think you were onto something, Twilight, but what do you mean about the intent?” Cadance pressed.

“It's just that. You wanted to be healed, and it isn't enough that we know cooperation. You need Sunset as well,” Twilight stated.

“Her special telekinesis spell!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed.

“But why is Sunset stuck in the dream thingy?” Rainbow Dash questioned.

“We all overcame some mental hang-ups of ours. Perhaps she has yet to do the same,” Rarity reasoned.

“I think she needs our help,” Applejack offered, waving a hoof in front of the skeleton’s face. “Somethin’ tells me her problems are a little bigger than ours.”

“I would caution you from touching her. You may be brought into her mindscape,” Chrysalis warned. “And though admirable, I would not go in before you have at least thought up a plan.”

“What's there to think about?” Rainbow Dash retorted. “A friend needs our help, and we can give it to them.”

“It's a little more complicated than that,” Fluttershy pointed out.

“Exactly,” Rarity agreed. “You must remember that dear Sunset has been used by Celestia for a very long time and has a lot of… baggage, as it were.”

“It's nothing we can't handle,” Pinkie Pie proclaimed.

“Still. I think it would be prudent to remind everyone that this won't be easy,” Twilight exclaimed. “She's suffered a lot over the years, and we will likely see some very uncomfortable scenes.”

“Wait, why are you all going?” Spike asked.

“Why else would the spell work the way it did, if it didn't intend on us all helping Sunset?” Twilight retorted.

Spike frowned. “I still don't like it.”

“You don't have to like it, but Sunset needs us right now,” Twilight stressed.

“Oh alright, but make it quick,” Spike declared.

Twilight chuckled and glanced to the rest of her friends. “Ready, girls?”

“Ready!” they all called.

“Just be cautious. Her troubles are likely more violent than yours,” Cadance warned.

“We can handle it,” Twilight exclaimed.

“Hell yeah we can. Now let’s go kick some nightmare butt,” Rainbow Dash stated.

“Excuse me?” Midnight Moon interrupted.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

“Everyone grab on,” Twilight offered, extending a hoof.

The rest of her friends walked over and grabbed hold of the undead unicorn’s limb.

“Just remember to be patient and try not to judge Sunset too harshly. She's been through a lot, and likely won't be in a pleasant headspace,” Cadance warned.

“We understand,” Twilight stated, her hoof reaching towards Sunset’s forehead. “Now then, let's finish this.”

“Sunset Shimmer, you are under arrest,” stated a gruff royal guard adorned in full plate mail and armed for battle.

He was joined by an entire squad of unicorns like himself, each one of which was ready for a fight. Their golden armor gleamed like beacons in the small office, reflecting what few muted rays of sunlight pierced the curtains. Taking up nearly a third of the entire room, the new arrivals stood and watched as Sunset Shimmer blinked in confusion.

“What?” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

“You are under arrest for creation and dispersal of an illegal spell. Surrender immediately,” demanded the largest of the guards, whose horn glowed brightly.

Sunset didn't even need to be a magical expert to know that he was preparing something rather nasty. Joining the others, who were all seemingly prepared to blow Sunset away the second she did something aggressive. Seeing that she was outmatched, and that this was not, in fact, a dream, Sunset Shimmer raised her forehooves over her head.

“You must be mistaken. I’m just an assistant professor,” Sunset Shimmer explained. “I only do a bit of research on the side for the university.”

“Is this your spell?” demanded a shorter guard, who pulled a large scroll from his bag and displayed its contents for all to see.

“That is one of the prototypes, yes. How did you get that? I locked it in a safe,” Sunset Shimmer replied.

“We’ll be asking the questions here,” stated the previous guard.

“Wait,” Sunset Shimmer urged. “Since when was my spell illegal? I haven't even had a chance to finish the thing.”

“This morning. Celestia herself has decreed it so,” explained the first soldier.

“But why?” Sunset Shimmer asked. “It's just a medical spell intended for doctors.”

“You invent a spell that can turn someone’s insides to soup and you don't think that's a bad thing? You really are a monster,” exclaimed the lone female guard in a disgusted tone.

“That's why it's a prototype,” Sunset Shimmer began. “It's intended to have several restrictions placed on it so such a thing could never happen.”

“Do you think I care? Now submit to an inhibitor ring or start praying,” demanded the nearest soldier.

Sunset Shimmer lowered her head and bit back her pride, allowing the closest guard to place the band of iron around her horn. Immediately the familiar flow of magic was gone, and in its place was a cold, unfeeling void. Though incredibly unpleasant, Sunset had gone through inhibitor training before, so this wasn't too unnerving for her.

“Good, now start walking and don't stop unless I tell you to,” barked the soldier.

Sunset Shimmer wanted to say something in her defense, but found her mouth too dry to speak. So she simply rose up from her desk, abandoned the papers she had been grading, and trotted towards the door. Along the way she passed by the glares of the various guards, shrinking under their furious looks.

Upon reaching the faculty hallway, Sunset found that another surprise was waiting for her. Only this one came in the shape of what looked like a mix of a giant spider and a unicorn with a horn defect. Her fur was white, her perfectly coiffed and curled mane a deep purple, and her eyes were a deep azure.

“Get moving!” shouted the royal guard.

“Don't keep your captor waiting, but don't give him the pleasure of acting like a whipped dog,” Rarity exclaimed. “Shoulders back, nose up.”

“W-what?” Sunset Shimmer stuttered.

“What did I just say?” bellowed the guard.

Sunset Shimmer scurried forward, the small bolt of lightning hitting her flank and singeing a small patch of fur. She was joined by the strange creature, while the guards took up position behind Sunset. Trotting hastily down the hallway, Sunset Shimmer noticed that she was being watched, not only by the other staff, but by students too.

Numerous faces stared out at her as she was all but paraded by her capturers. It was demoralizing, unpleasant, and downright shameful.

“Shoulders back, nose up,” Rarity commanded. “You may have been wronged, but you will keep your dignity.”

Despite the ridiculousness of it all, Sunset Shimmer couldn't help but follow the weird creature’s orders.

“Now then, don't you feel better?” Rarity inquired.

“A little,” Sunset Shimmer whispered.

“You are not some common criminal caught with their hoof in the cookie jar,” Rarity continued. “You are a bold magical genius who has been wronged by her government. You are in the right, act like it.”

“Do you want me to escape?” Sunset asked.

Rarity sadly shook her head. “That is not possible right now, but what you can do is keep your head held high. Let your friends and colleagues remember you as unbroken and confident.”

Sunset Shimmer nodded and though curious as to how the creature knew anything about her, Sunset kept her mouth shut. Instead she simply focused on appearing as tall and as proud as she could, even if she wanted to curl into cower. Keeping her head up and nose held high helped more than Sunset Shimmer would have thought.

It gave her a sense of confidence she didn't previously have. Not only that, but she felt like she was the wronged party and not like she was at fault for what occurred. Self-pity turned to righteous anger in her breast, and Sunset Shimmer strode calmly down the hallway.

“There you are, darling,” Rarity commented. “Remember that you are not a criminal, you are a lady and so long as you maintain your dignity, you will weather any hardship.”

“Thanks, I guess. Who are you, by the way?” Sunset Shimmer asked, turning to find that there was noone there. “What the heck?”

“Court will resume at eight A.M. tomorrow morning, food will be delivered at seven,” droned the bored tone of the jailor.

“And don't try anything funny,” declared his royal guard escort, who shoved Sunset Shimmer into the waiting cell. “I don't want Iron Bars over here to have to clean you off the wall.”

“Can I at least talk to my lawyer before the hearing?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

The guard and the jailor both exchanged a look before erupting with laughter.

“Good one,” remarked the less armored of the two stallions.

“Lawyer, ha! As if there's any defense against something so obvious,” added his associate.

Sunset Shimmer bit her tongue, and watched as the pair trotted away, already chatting amongst themselves. Forgotten and alone, Sunset Shimmer trotted over to the small, unpleasant smelling bed waiting for her in the corner of the room. Plunking down onto its abnormally hard surface, Sunset Shimmer released a long sigh.

“Do you want to talk about it?” asked a soft, kind voice from somewhere very close.

“Bwah!” Sunset shouted, leaping away from the source of the question.

“I’m sorry to startle you. Would you like me to sit further away?” offered the strange creature.

She resembled the dryads of legend, only the creature sitting on the bed next to Sunset was clearly a pegasus. Or at least part pegasus with a few strange details added on, and she was slightly see through. On top of all that, she had vines growing up her legs, and pink flowers bloomed from around her neck like strange jewelry.

“Where the heck did you come from?” Sunset demanded.

“Does it matter?” Fluttershy replied.

Sunset Shimmer opened her mouth to respond, only to stop herself before saying a word.

“I guess it doesn't,” she admitted after a short pause.

“So…” Fluttershy shifted a little closer to the unicorn. “Would you like to talk about it?”

“You know what? I would like to talk about it!” Sunset Shimmer declared. “Figment of my imagination or not, it would be nice to get this all off my chest.”

The strange dryad-like creature stayed silent, merely motioning for Sunset to continue.

“Well, to start things off. I didn't do anything wrong!” Sunset Shimmer threw up her hooves. “No procedures violated, no rules broken, I even had my early work signed off on by the department heads.”

Sunset Shimmer sank back into the bed, unaware of the wing which had extended across her back. “That's the part that really gets me. How was I supposed to know that making my spell was wrong? I didn't get warned to stop, I didn't get a polite suggestion to change focus, nothing!”

The unicorn stood suddenly, pacing back and forth in the small cell.

“I would have dropped it in an instant if I knew that doing so would guarantee my freedom and allow me to continue teaching,” Sunset Shimmer complained. “I know my spell is useful and would help others, but I’m not so headstrong that I wouldn't have given it all up if demanded of me.”

“That seems rather cruel of them,” Fluttershy offered.

“It was!” Sunset Shimmer shouted. “I could be grading tests, preparing lesson plans, and helping Mister Lucky Hooves with his grant proposal. Instead I’m rotting in a cell and waiting for a sham trial that will no doubt end in my imprisonment.”

Sunset Shimmer fell back to the bed with a thump. “All because I wanted to help avoid the time-consuming and bloody task of cutting ponies open in order to operate on them.”

Fluttershy rubbed the unicorn’s back in slow circles, remaining silent as seconds turned to minutes.

Sunset Shimmer sniffed. “I just don't understand. I always looked up to Celestia and wanted her to make note of my contributions. Yet in my quest for validation I’ve earned not her gratitude, but her ire.”

“You couldn't have known,” Fluttershy whispered.

“I know that, but it doesn't make things any easier,” Sunset Shimmer muttered. “I’ve still lost everything and will likely spend the rest of my life rotting in a cell much like this one.”

“I wouldn't be so sure,” Fluttershy offered.

Sunset Shimmer snorted. “I doubt that, but thank you for listening. I don't know why, but I really felt like I needed to vent like that.”

“It's totally understandable given what you’ve gone through,” Fluttershy remarked.

“I guess so,” Sunset Shimmer murmured. “Are you going to stick around longer than the last one?”

“That depends, do you want me to?” Fluttershy replied.

“I… do,” Sunset Shimmer stated. “I don't want to be alone right now.”

“Then you won't be,” Fluttershy exclaimed, squeezing her wing tight about Sunset Shimmer’s shoulders. “And I’ll be here for as long as you need me to be.”

“Thanks,” Sunset Shimmer whispered.

Sunset Shimmer was thrown bodily through the air, landing in a heap near the middle of the cell. The blood coating her fur helped her to slide across the ground and land with a thump against her bed. Her jailor stood at the entrance to her cell, a disgusted expression on his helmeted face.

“What you did to those ponies was sick. Each time you get let out of your cage, you just prove why you should be in it,” he declared before slamming the cell door shut and walking away.

Leaving Sunset Shimmer to lay on the floor, her entire body aching and wracked with intense shivers. Muscles clenched and unclenched at random, her mind awhirl with enough agony to leave her unable to move. Despite being unable to even formulate a thought, she cried, sobbing heavily as her body trembled.

She remained that way for several minutes before she was finally able to move and turned over onto her back. Still breathing heavily, Sunset Shimmer stared up at the ceiling, silently going over her newest batch of injuries.

Her fur was ruined, matted by blood and viscera that she could no longer remove due to mental compulsions placed on her. Even thinking about using magic within the halls of the castle was enough to make a sharp lance of pain jab into her skull. Thankfully she was used to such torture and quickly refocused her thoughts on finding out if there was anything broken.

Turning each limb individually, Sunset Shimmer found that she was more or less intact. She had two sprains, over a dozen shallow cuts, and probably twice as many bruises. That would come later though, for now she was worried about how swollen her eye had become.

“That guy had a mean right hook,” Sunset muttered to herself.

Awkwardly shifting onto her own four hooves, Sunset trundled over to the sink and the mirror which hung above it. An uncomfortable bird bath would come later, for now the unicorn focused on just getting her face cleaned up. Doing so took time as she had to avoid the many open wounds, but thankfully her vision had cleared up by the end.

“Must have just been some dir-” Sunset’s statement was cut off when she noticed she wasn't alone.

Sitting on the bed directly behind her was a strange bat-winged pegasus with long, fur-tipped ears. Though small, she was well-muscled and watched Sunset Shimmer with a veteran’s eye. Her mane was a ragged, short and multi-colored array that resembled a slightly muted rainbow.

“Don't stop just for me. Finish clearing up that face of yours at least,” Rainbow Dash encouraged.

Sunset Shimmer gaped silently for a moment before turning back to the sink once more. Where she swiftly finished her odd routine, cleansing the last filth from her features before facing her guest.

“Who are you?” Sunset demanded. “Are you like the others I’ve seen?”

“Others? Nah, doesn't matter,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “I think the more important thing is whatever mission you had just been sent on. Seems like you got a lot on your mind.”

Sunset gritted her teeth, and was for a moment gripped by an intense anger. Though that swiftly dissipated, leaving behind an uncomfortable coldness that settled on her heart.

“I’m just going to pretend like you're some hallucination of mine,” Sunset remarked.

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Whatever makes it easier for you.”

“Celestia sent me out to destroy a group of supposed terrorists near the sky docks,” Sunset Shimmer began, her expression becoming distant. “My only real talent with magic is fire, but I only ever used it in the context of healing ponies.”

“How would you do that anyway? Like cauterize a wound?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Sunset Shimmer snorted. “Nothing quite so brutish, though in extreme circumstances, yes, that was a possibility. Fire can be used to burn away infections, to remove unsightly blemishes, or, in a pinch, sterilize tools.”

The unicorn began to pace back and forth, wincing occasionally.

“I’ve always strived to use fire as a way to heal others, never offensively, yet I was forced to do so,” Sunset Shimmer muttered. “Ironic, really. She feared that my magic could be used in that way so she locked me up and forced me to employ it in such a manner.”

“I think that's more coincidental than ironic, but continue,” Rainbow Dash encouraged.

“Why do you want me to tell you about that anyway? It isn't pretty and though I don't particularly care about your opinion of me, you’d certainly hate me after I told you,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

“Because I’m your friend, and I know it's weighing on you,” Rainbow Dash replied. “I promise you that once you’ve finished, I won’t think any less of you.”

Sunset Shimmer raised an eyebrow. “Really? How could you promise such a thing.”

“It's just a feeling,” Rainbow Dash answered with a shrug.

“Whatever. I suppose it doesn't matter now. Those ponies are dead, and I’m not,” Sunset Shimmer muttered, straightening her back and standing tall. “I thought that if I were able to eliminate them in a showy enough manner that Celestia would be unable to spin things in her favor.

“I was wrong,” Sunset Shimmer admitted after a short pause.

“What happened, exactly?” Rainbow Dash pressed.

“I waited until they were all inside the abandoned apartment they were using as a base, and…” Sunset Shimmer hesitated. “I went in, snuck up to the fifth floor hideout, and threw a fireball at them.”

“So you got ‘em, what's the problem?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“I didn't just get them, I burnt them alive!” Sunset Shimmer shouted. “I had only ever used the spell in miniature before and had no idea how to properly gauge it. Fire went everywhere and the entire building went up so fast that I had to jump out of a third story window to avoid it.”

Sunset Shimmer held up a hoof, stopping the question Rainbow Dash was about to ask.

“That's not the worst of it,” Sunset Shimmer muttered. “It spread immediately, and I tried to contain it, only to be stopped by Celestia herself. She said that it would, quote, galvanize support for her efforts.”

Rainbow Dash nodded knowingly. “Yeah, that sounds like something she’d do.”

“I knew she would make me into a murderer, but I never thought I’d become her butcher,” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

“Hey now. I said I wasn't going to think less of you, and I don't,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “You screwed up, yeah, but you were going to make up for it and would have if you hadn't been stopped.”

“Yes, but-”

“But nothing,” Rainbow Dash interrupted. “Celestia may vilify you, but you know that ultimately she is the villain here, not you. She’s the one forcing you hoof in all this.”

“I guess,” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

“Hey, chin up. It gets better,” Rainbow Dash declared.

“Yeah… right?” Sunset Shimmer whispered, looking around to find that she was alone once more. “What was that?”

Sunset Shimmer lay face down on her bed, mind empty, and body slack. The quiet of the small, nearly empty cell was all-consuming, leaving little room for thought. All color, emotion, and experience simply drained out of the space like it was a void in the universe.

The unicorn wished to be thankful to be free from pain of the physical variety and though true, she was still experiencing another kind of agony. Guilt, shame, self-loathing, and other destructive impulses fired at the back of the mare’s mind. Those emotions were distant, however, abating just enough to give the pony a sort of peace.

“Hey, look,” whispered a voice.

Sunset Shimmer groaned and looked over to where a strange earth pony mare was standing near the wall. She appeared normal enough at first glance, though she was also a frightening bright shade of pink. Then Sunset looked a little closer and found that the creature had a rocky coat which sported large stony protrusions. Her guest was also very, very large, and would likely loom over even some of the tallest stallions Sunset knew personally.

“What?” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

“C'mere, you gotta see this,” Pinkie Pie whispered, pointing to the wall.

Sunset groaned and lay face down once more, unable to muster the strength to move.

“Go away,” Sunset Shimmer grumbled.

“Aww, come on. This is cool, you gotta see it,” urged the strange creature.

“Why do you people keep popping up and trying to help me? Where are you coming from?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

“That doesn't matter. Just c'mere, I promise you won't regret it,” Pinkie Pie reiterated.

For a second Sunset Shimmer was prepared to ignore the newcomer, only for her curiosity to spark. She wondered what exactly the stranger was speaking of and why she was here. It gave Sunset just enough strength to push her way out of bed and slowly trot over to the creature.

“What, what is it?” Sunset Shimmer demanded.

“Just look,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

Sunset Shimmer followed the creature’s hoof to the wall, where she saw a narrow crack nearly three inches long. Barely wide enough to slide a deck of cards through, it was however enough to gaze out over Canterlot. The view was stunning and despite the lingering lethargy clouding her mind, Sunset Shimmer found herself smiling ever so slightly.

“I know, right? Keep looking,” Pinkie Pie urged.

No prompting was needed, as Sunset Shimmer was eagerly inspecting her surroundings. The first thing she saw was the sun slowly setting in the west and bathing the world in its shrouded yellow rays. The faint and fading illumination cast the already golden city into an even more resplendent light.

Despite her anger at the city and its mistress, Sunset Shimmer felt herself unable to resist admiring the vista. Cloud-piercing towers, wide city streets painted bright colors and sporting tall, bright markings. Even its many inhabitants added to the settlement’s beauty, placing splashes of pastel at random places.

Sunset Shimmer wanted to hate it, to detest the very sight of her home, but she couldn't. Its beauty may have been marred by Celestia’s hoof, but it was not an extension of the tyrannical alicorn. It existed within her control, but even she could not claim ownership over its allure.

“Can you hear it?” whispered the stranger.

“Hear what?” Sunset retorted.

“The music, it's enchanting,” Pinkie Pie added.

The unicorn leaned as close as she could get, her ears standing straight up in an attempt to capture the noise. She remained there for several quiet minutes and was about to quit when she caught the distant sound of notes. They faded and grew, rising then swelling along with an entire orchestra of unseen instruments.

“A heart song,” Sunset murmured.

“Somewhere close too,” Pinkie Pie pointed out.

Sunset nodded, unwilling to further mar the song with her voice.

The words themselves were muddied to the point of being inaudible, but their purpose was clear even to Sunset. Duty, honor, respect, dignity, all these things and more were carried by the wind, directly to Sunset’s ears. Though they granted Sunset little respite from her situation, the music did give her strength she had not had a minute earlier.

She could almost imagine some naive and brainwashed guard signing up to serve. They may not know what they are getting into, but Sunset knew they had good intentions. The words contained within them a sincere passion to help people, to give mercy to the less fortunate, and assist when they could.

Sunset pitied the speaker, but hoped they would be able to put more good than bad into the world. Beyond the impression and intent of the song, it was also just beautiful, adding background to the view. Which when put together, eased Sunset Shimmer and made her feel strangely at home.

“Take what joy you can when you can,” offered the stranger. “It might be small, but those are the things you should relish the most.”

“I suppose I should get used to it. It's not like I’m ever going to get out of here,” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

“You will eventually, and things will get better, but that won't be for a while,” Pinkie Pie remarked.

Sunset Shimmer blinked. “Wait, how do you- and she's gone.”

Glancing around the room revealed that Sunset Shimmer was alone once more.

“Damn,” she cursed.

Sunset Shimmer landed with a thump back in her cell, her right forehoof clenched tight against her chest. Wheezing and out of breath, she didn't even hear the comment her jailor shot her way before disappearing. Not like she cared, as she simply lay there on her stomach until she was certain that she was alone.

Then she uncurled and glanced over her shoulder to find that yes, she was the only one around. The realization made her grin manically and pull out the shard of glass she had been hiding. Immediately she moved the sharp edge against her fur a few inches above her hoof.

“Woah there,” warned a voice. “I wouldn't do that if I were you.”

Sunset Shimmer stopped and looked up to find that there was an earth pony with a tree growing on her back standing right before her. It wasn't just growing on her however, it also covered her entire body like armor, even the majority of her face. The plant seemed to be an apple tree, and other than bark, the pony only wore a beaten up stetson that sat atop her head.

“I know this is just a memory, but for you the pain would be real. You don't want to experience that all over again, now do ya?” Applejack pressed.

“What?” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

“That ain't the point though,” Applejack remarked. “The point is that things are going to get better.”

“I’m a slave,” Sunset Shimmer deadpanned. “It's never going to get better, and the longer I live, the worse it will get.”

“What if I told ya things would indeed get better for ya?” Applejack questioned, squatting down in front of the pony. “And that you’d make friends who would be willin’ to bleed for ya if necessary?”

“I’d tell you you're insane,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed. “Though I guess since you're a hallucination like the others, that would mean I’m nuts. Not unexpected, to be honest.”

“Well, it's true,” Applejack asserted. “I know it's dark now, but you know what they say. The dawn always comes.”

“It's the dawn I am regretting,” Sunset Shimmer retorted, stepping back and pressing the glass against her wrist. “I’d settle for eternal night if it meant I never had to see her symbol again.”

Applejack clicked her tongue. “Sorry ‘bout that. Thought one of your phrases would help matters. Regardless, what I said was indeed true.”

“I don't care,” Sunset Shimmer spat. “I want out, and this is it.”

“That ain't it,” Applejack retorted. “Besides, you're stronger than that. Heck, you’re the strongest person I know.”

“How do you…” Sunset Shimmer sighed. “Look, just leave me alone, okay? I really don't want to make you watch me die, but I will if pushed.”

“Sunset,” Applejack whispered, lying on the ground in front of the other mare. “You ain't alone down here, girl. You may not know it right now, but you’ll find a whole buncha folk who will love ya.”

“What the hell does a random figment of my imagination know anyway? You can't see the future anymore than you can… exist!” Sunset spat.

“I assure you I’m quite real, but that's neither here nor there,” Applejack replied.

“You aren't real, you don't know what's going to happen, and you don't know what it's like to be made into a tool!” Sunset Shimmer shouted.

“Yer right, I don't,” Applejack admitted. “I can't imagine how painful this is for you, but I do know that this, this ain't the answer.”

“Then what the hell is, hmm? Just let her torture me more?” Sunset demanded.

“Bide your time,” Applejack answered. “I know it ain't what yer supposed to say, but if spite gives you strength, then do that. At the end of everything, hold onto anything.”

“You aren't a very good councilor, you know that?” Sunset Shimmer pointed out.

Applejack chuckled. “Nah, I admit I ain't the best at this type of thing. All I know is that if it's revenge, hatred, or whatever that ties you here for now, then grab that by the knickers.”

This time it was Sunset Shimmer’s turn to laugh. “That's the most uplifting advice you’ve given so far. Though I don't think any therapist would agree with your methods.”

“Nah, probably not,” Applejack admitted. “They’d probably say something like forgive, then forget about them.”

“Ha! Like that would happen,” Sunset Shimmer scoffed.

“That was my thoughts,” Applejack extended a hoof. “Now do ya mind if I take that off ya?”

Sunset Shimmer hesitated a moment, only now aware of the fact that she had moved the shard far away from her hoof. Her grip tightened, only to loosen almost immediately, and she slowly moved to drop it. The second she released the sharp hunk of glass, a weight seemed to lift from her shoulders, and she released a sigh.

Applejack took the glass and crushed it between her hooves with a satisfying crunch, leaving behind nought but dust.

“There we go,” Applejack declared. “Now let's hear about those revenge plans of yours.”

“What, you're not going to disappear all mysteriously once I look away like the others?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

Applejack blinked. “Now why would I go and do a silly thing like that? You may not be hurtin’ yourself, but your still hurtin’.”

Sunset Shimmer shook her head in disbelief. “I don't know who the heck you are, but I like you.”

“Well, that's mighty nice of you, Sunset. I like you too,” Applejack declared.

Sunset Shimmer hopped up onto her bed. “Right, so this is what I’d do-”

Celestia suddenly lurched forward and slapped Sunset Shimmer hard enough to make the unicorn’s neck strain as far as it could go without snapping.

“Fuck, what the hell?” spat Sunset Shimmer.

Celestia wiped the blood from her hoof onto Sunset’s flank. “Language, young one. Now I will not repeat this again. In your own words, what happened to Twilight Sparkle?”

“You know very well what happened, you crazy bitch! I popped her heart with my spell,” Sunset Shimmer snarled, her very blood demanding that she spit in her foe’s face, only to find herself unable to do so.

“Ahh, yes,” Celestia began. “Your evil spell you intended on using to kill hundreds without getting caught. I remember that one.”

“Kill hundreds? Celestia, I was trying to enable doctors to perform surgery without ever having to open a pony up!” Sunset Shimmer shouted. “But all you saw was a weapon and jumped to the stupid conclusion that I was-”

Celestia delivered another backhoof, this one just as hard and just as fast. Thankfully Sunset saw this coming and was able to brace herself at least a little before the blow came. As Sunset stood there, reeling from the blow, she thought she saw a shape move at the edge of her vision. Glancing over to the movement revealed that nothing was there, so she turned back to Celestia just as she opened her mouth.

“I will not be spoken to in such a manner. You have lost your right to speak until somepony asks you a direct question.” Sunset felt something spark to life within her, and the insult that was forming on her lips became unintelligible noise. “There, much better. Maybe a stay in the tank will set you straight. This should give you ample time to regret underestimating a necromancer and undermining the utopia I have spent millennia building.”

The alicorn’s face morphed into one of overdramatic pity. “What is it, Specialist Shimmer? No comeback, no spit of defiance? Why, I am shocked.”

The alicorn tossed aside the blade and walked towards the door, ignoring the incoherent rambling coming from the unicorn. Celestia continued walking through the door and moved to close it behind her, only to stop at the last possible second. “Oh yes, I almost forgot. Silly me, here I was so preoccupied with thoughts of a massage and cake that I nearly forgot to enact your punishment.”

The mare lit her horn and with a flash of power, the room went pitch black and the unicorn’s nonsense cries were silenced, the only light or sound emanating from the still open door. “There we are, oh yes, and one last thing. Miss Shimmer?” The unicorn blinked and looked up towards the door. “Burn.”

“No,” interrupted a new voice.

Sunset Shimmer looked over in shock as the shadows melted away to reveal a towering unicorn of incredible height. As tall as Princess Celestia herself, the newcomer had a much darker coloration. So dark was her purple fur that it looked nearly black. Though her horn was a mere stump, Sunset Shimmer knew instinctively that the newcomer was incredibly powerful.

“What?” demanded Celestia, who turned fully towards the strange unicorn. “Who are you?”

“Irrelevant,” Twilight replied. “Out of the two of you, only one truly deserves the chance to speak. Isn't that right, Sunset Shimmer?”

Sunset Shimmer gasped, the compulsion which had gripped her vanishing in an instant.

“How did you-” Sunset began.

“Silence!” Celestia shouted. “I don't know who you are or how you got in here, and I don't care.”

Celestia’s horn began to glow, only for the light to vanish the second Twilight waved her hoof.

“Don't bother,” Twilight remarked. “You’re a figment of Sunset’s mind and don't deserve agency in this dream.”

“Wha-”

“And by that I mean you can just stand there, quietly,” Twilight interrupted, turning back to Sunset. “Now then. I sense a lot of anger, wanna take that out on a worthy target?”

Sunset Shimmer looked down at herself to find that she was completely nude, and not only that, but she looked healthy. She still had all her hair, and even her scars were gone.

“How?” Sunset Shimmer questioned.

“Do you care?” Twilight asked, stepping back and extending a hoof at Celestia.

“No,” Sunset Shimmer answered. “No, I don't.”

“Enjoy, and once you're done, come back and talk to me,” Twilight offered.

Sunset Shimmer nodded as she passed the strange unicorn by.

Twilight stood there, purposefully looking away while Sunset Shimmer lit her horn. There was a sharp cry followed by a dull explosion a moment later. What occurred right after was five uninterrupted minutes of what sounded like the cruelest torture imaginable. Then when it was done, Sunset Shimmer emerged once more, a small smile on her face.

“Feel better?” Twilight offered.

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “I do, actually.”

“Good, now this might be a bit jarring, but I need to connect your sleeping mind to your waking one,” Twilight warned.

“I feel like I should ask more questions, but I’m just going to let you do your thing,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

Twilight chuckled. “Good choice.”

The strange mare then waved a glowing greenish hoof over Sunset’s head.

The unicorn then fell to the ground, groaning in pain as her flesh began to melt from her bones. In seconds there was nothing left but a familiar bleached skeleton.

“Are you alright?” Twilight questioned.

“Yeah…” Sunset Shimmer muttered. “Just… dealing with a lot all at once.”

“Sorry for intruding by the way. That wasn't our intent,” Twilight apologized.

“I get it. And… thanks,” Sunset Shimmer offered. “The pain is still there, and the memories will still haunt me, but now… now I’ll think of the girls.”

“I hope that's not worse,” Twilight remarked with a smirk.

Sunset Shimmer chuckled. “You girls are always a joy.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Twilight exclaimed. “Ready to wake up now?”

“That depends. Can I destroy another Celestia first?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

Twilight giggled. “How about this? I’ll teach you how to both sleep as an undead and how to do lucid dreaming. Then you can live out your fantasy every single night.”

“I love you,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

“What, you're not going to ask me out now?” Sunset Shimmer asked in mock confusion.

“And take away a certain assistant of mine’s chance? No way,” Twilight replied.

“It's not Beaker, is it?” Sunset asked.

Twilight scoffed. “What do you think?”

Sunset Shimmer chuckled. “I should have expected as much. Maybe after this fight I’ll ask her out. It would be weird given that we are both not alive, but I think I’m asexual to begin with.”

“So are they, I think. She doesn't talk much,” Twilight explained.

“She does listen quite well though,” Sunset Shimmer added.

“Very true, now do you want to go heal Cadance?” Twilight offered. “We kinda need you for this.”

“You need my spell, right?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

“I’m afraid so,” Twilight answered.

Sunset Shimmer sighed despite her lack of lungs. “I probably would have said no, but after seeing what she’s been through, I can't deny that she deserves to be healed.”

“So long as you're comfortable,” Twilight offered.

“Oh, it won't be pleasant at all, but then again that's fine. For her, I’d push through a little discomfort,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed.

Twilight smiled. “I’m glad you think that way, and that you feel at least a little better.”

“Me too, Twilight,” Sunset chuckled. “You know, who would have thought dying would have been the best thing to ever happen to me?”

“I know the feeling, Sunset,” Twilight declared.

“You would, wouldn't you?” Sunset Shimmer asked, reaching out with a hoof. “Well then. Let's make sure Cadance doesn't need to have that particular revelation.”

Author's Note

Scars Of Our Past

“Oh, Sunset,” someone muttered a second before the skeletal mare was surrounded by her friends.

Many hooves, wings, and other appendages wrapped about the undead pony, squeezing her tightly. For once, Sunset was quite happy that she wasn't strictly speaking alive because she certainly wouldn't be capable of breathing at that moment. Not with nearly everyone in the room minus Chrysalis, Cadance, and Spike hugging her while also sobbing.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!” wailed Pinkie Pie. “You had it so hard!”

“I knew it was bad, but I didn't know it was that bad,” Rarity murmured, tears running down her face.

“It's like hearing about a train crash and actually seeing it,” Rainbow Dash added.

“Are you saying my life is a trainwreck?” Sunset replied, gently pushing Fluttershy away and allowing herself to see the rest of the room.

“Well, it certainly went off the rails there,” Pinkie Pie remarked.

“Heh, good one, Pinks,” Applejack added, sniffing and wiping a tear from her eye.

“You were very strong,” Fluttershy whispered. “I don't know if anyone could have survived what you went through.”

“It was impressive, in a way,” Twilight admitted.

“I don't know if that's the word I would use, but thank you anyway, Twilight,” Sunset replied.

“You’re welcome,” Twilight stated.

“So…” Spike began. “I assume everything went well?”

The various creatures all extracted themselves from Sunset and satback in their original spots. All save for Fluttershy whose eyes still watered, and her hooves still wrapped firmly about the skeleton’s neck. The ethereal pony didn't seem ready to move, and no one attempted to make her do so, not even Sunset Shimmer herself.

“That is one way of putting it,” Twilight answered, glancing expectantly at Sunset. “Though perhaps I am not the one to divulge what happened.”

Sunset winced as much as a skeleton devoid of facial muscles could and rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. “I was healed… sort of. The wounds of my past remain, but I feel like they’ve finally scarred over so to speak.”

“That is wonderful to hear, Sunset,” Cadance whispered, a hoof held tight over her heart. “I can sense that you love a little more freely and that you don't harbor quite as much ill will towards yourself.”

Sunset Shimmer rotated her shoulders in a slightly uncomfortable manner. “I suppose that I did harbor unpleasant emotions.”

“But why?” wailed Fluttershy out of the blue. “You were the victim. You did nothing wrong, you sweet sweet little cinnamon roll.”

Rainbow Dash frowned. “Why do I feel weirdly jealous all of a sudden?”

Fluttershy peppered the top of Sunset’s skull in kisses while cooing quietly about how good of a job the skeleton had done. Unfortunately for the dryad, Sunset couldn't take such attention and soon waved her hooves over her head.

“Thank you, Fluttershy. That's quite enough now,” Sunset exclaimed.

“I just wanted you to know that you’re loved and that you’re not alone,” Fluttershy declared with a pout.

“I know that now, trust me,” Sunset replied, meeting the other female’s intense gaze with one of her own.

“Oh, alright, but we are doing something nice for you once this fight is over,” Fluttershy exclaimed.

Pinkie Pie’s ears popped up. “Party?”

“Let us speak of such things after we are not about to be attacked by a whole horde of sunsworn soldiers,” Chrysalis began. “And after you have healed my heart.”

“I thought it was Cadance’s heart that was in trouble,” Rainbow Dash remarked.

“She has my heart, err, is my heart.” Chrysalis frowned. “I am afraid I am not the wordsmith that Cadance is.”

The alicorn chuckled. “I think they know what you mean, love.”

Twilight was about to respond when all of a sudden a shadowy pony made of nothing but darkness formed in the center of the room. Midnight Moon stumbled briefly before falling soundlessly into Twilight's shadow.

“Hey, uh, are you okay?” Applejack asked, leaning down and whispering at the ground near Twilight's hooves.

Midnight Moon’s head reformed up out of the darkness, though her hair lacked its usual ethereal quality. “Helping to piece together all of those dreams and controlling that last one along with Twilight took a lot of me,” explained the dark apparition. “Why must you all have such strong wills?”

“We wouldn't be able to do half the cool stuff if we weren't as willfull,” Rainbow Dash declared.

“Yes, yes, you are all quite awesome and other adjectives that mean good. Now can we get on with the important thing?” Chrysalis demanded, gesturing to Cadance. “Like saving the only other living alicorn in the world?”

“I do not mean to be a bother, but it is getting quite close now,” Cadance muttered through gritted teeth.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. What do we have to do?” Rarity asked.

Sunset stood up, her commanding aura immediately making all eyes turn to her. “Downstairs. I have a primitive operating room already set up. Chrysalis can get the patient situated while you all do whatever magical word thing you need to in order to power me up.”

Chrysalis nodded. “Are you okay to walk a little further?”

Cadance winced and shook her head. “I’m afraid not. I barely have the strength to keep breathing.”

“Don't worry,” Chrysalis whispered, leaning down low. “I’ll carry you.”

Then, before a word could be uttered, the changeling gently lifted Cadance from the bed and trotted away. Though she walked only on her back hooves, the ruler of the changelings seemed completely comfortable with the odd position. With Cadance held in front of her, Chrysalis trotted towards the back of the library and down the stairs, vanishing around the corner.

Fluttershy sniffed, tears budding at the edge of her eyes.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “What now?”

“They just love each other so much,” whispered the dryad.

“Right,” Sunset interrupted, clopping her hooves together. “You better do whatever it is you need to do? Because unless you give my mana stores a boost, I doubt I’ll be able to pierce an alicorn’s natural resistance.”

“Should I, uh… stand over there?” Spike asked, gesturing towards a nearby corner.

“You should be fine,” Twilight replied. “I feel like we need to stand in a circle, with Sunset in the middle.”

“Sounds good,” Applejack replied.

In moments, the six friends had formed around Sunset, pushing the couches and tables out of the way in the process. It wasn't long before they were evenly spaced around the now slightly nervous-looking skeleton. Though unsure of what exactly was going to happen, Sunset Shimmer did her best to stand tall and appear confident.

“Ready, girls?” Twilight asked.

“Ready!” came the resounding response from the others.

“Then let's do this!” Twilight proclaimed.

Almost immediately, the six friends each began to glow with a light that was close to the shade of their coat. Though faint at first, the illumination grew, becoming so bright that Midnight Moon was forced to hide behind Spike. The brightness didn't seem to bother either Sunset nor any of the creatures that surrounded her in a circle.

With a strange warmth blooming within their chests, the six females began to feel as though they were growing lighter. They started to rise from the ground, light spilling from their eyes as a hum could be heard in the distance. This too became more and more noticeable, going from a simple vibration to what sounded almost like music.

No one had time to contemplate this bout of strangeness, however, as a strange urge passed between the casters. They all exchanged a look, an unspoken agreement passing through them without any having to so much as a nod. They simply knew that the others were ready and that whatever magic that had been building was nearing completion.

All they needed was to speak it into being, to give form to the formless, and gift Sunset with power beyond her imagination. It was a simple thing to utter the word, yet none of the six friends could do so as easily as one may speak their names. It took effort and willpower to bring it forth, though none present were lacking in either department.

They wanted desperately with all their hearts to heal Cadance, their resolve having been crystallized by what they had seen. After all their hardships, the pair of mistreated mares deserved the type of happiness that only health could bring. So with that thought in mind, the six friends all opened their mouths, breathed deep, and willed reality to change.

From Sunset’s perspective, it was all quite strange, with her friends all levitating a foot or so off the ground. Light poured out of their eyes and from their skin, bathing everything in a multi-hued rainbow glow. Then came the music, distant and ethereal at first but then loud and real, coming from all directions and stirring her soul.

She knew not the melody or the instruments that made up the song, yet it was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard. It stirred within her a strength she didn't know she had, one which only became more powerful when the music gained lyrics. They weren't words that she could understand using her ears, but her heart told her that they spoke encouragement.

It lifted her, both physically and metaphorically, filling her bones and spirit with a power so great she felt as though she could shatter mountains. With that rush came a sudden temptation to turn such strength against the demons of her past, against Celestia. Sunset wanted to gain back her body, to take revenge, to undo all the wrongs ever done against her, yet she refused.

Though the possibilities were enticing, she had a singular job laid before her, and a pony who needed her. Cadance had been hurt by Celestia, injured by the alicorn’s mad quest for ultimate order in the world. So Sunset would have her revenge not with violence, but by healing someone worthy.

The light began to dull, her friends’ vibrant coats and glowing eyes faded, their light flowing into Sunset. The rainbow drained from them and took root in Sunset’s soul, its magic coursing through the skeleton’s very being. The second the remaining light seeped into her bones, the energy shifted, becoming something different.

Her hooves touched the ground a moment later, just as her friends were returning to normal. Unlike Sunset, they looked exhausted, with their expressions drawn and their limbs shaking from the exertion.

“Are you girls alright?” Sunset inquired.

“We’re fine,” Twilight murmured. “That just took a lot out of us, I think.”

“Yeah, we’re… woah, Sunset. You’re like a ghost,” Pinkie Pie remarked.

Sunset Shimmer blinked and glanced over to a mirror on the wall next to the entrance. There she saw that her old body had returned, or at least partially so, as her bones were still visible beneath. Yet despite that, Sunset could see there was an illusionary overlay of her old self that moved exactly as her old flesh had.

Though intrigued, Sunset Shimmer brushed aside that bit of strangeness for the moment.

“I can worry about that later. I have a patient in need,” Sunset Shimmer declared.

The skeletal mare immediately trotted towards the basement and all but leaped down the stairs. Leaving the rest of her friends to scamper after her in a mad dash, with Midnight Moon and Spike following behind. Together the group piled into the basement just in time to see Sunset Shimmer walk into one of the larger side rooms.

There she had indeed constructed a small operating space, one complete with the most up-to-date equipment available. Though not nearly as advanced as those she was used to working with in Canterlot, it was enough for her needs. After a round of tests and a few calibrations, Sunset Shimmer appeared ready to start, turning expectantly to Chrysalis.

“I will need absolute privacy,” Sunset stated.

Chrysalis seemed ready to argue, but Cadance’s hoof reached out from the metal table and brushed the changeling’s side. The couple’s eyes then met, and the pair had what appeared to be a completely silent discussion. One which ended mere moments later with Chrysalis sighing and shaking her head.

“If I must,” she muttered.

“I would not ask if it was not required,” Sunset declared. “This operation will be incredibly dangerous, and so much as a single errant cough could end in disaster.”

“I understand,” Chrysalis murmured, turning to Cadance. “I will see you again soon, my love.”

“And I, you,” Cadance replied in a hoarse, strained tone.

“That being said, I will need an assistant. Midnight, if you could,” Sunset exclaimed, turning to the shadowy mare.

“Me?” murmured the shocked creature. “But why?”

“You are semi-corporeal and will be able to tell me if things are going well,” Sunset Shimmer explained. “You also don't breathe, nor does your movement make noise, so there is far less of a chance of me being thrown off.”

Midnight nodded. “Then it will be my honor to help in whatever way I can.”

“Good,” Sunset Shimmer stated, turning back around. “The rest of you must remain out here. I don't know how long it will take, but I cannot have any interruptions. Is that understood?”

“You got it, boss lady!” Rainbow Dash shouted, snapping off a salute.

“Good. Now then,” Sunset Shimmer began. “Let us begin.”

The door to the small room slammed shut before disappearing completely, the tree itself lending a helping hand. And though all present knew just how important the operation was, that didn't stop a feeling of discontent passing between them. Though its source was mainly Chrysalis who immediately collapsed to the ground, her legs having turned to jello.

“Oh, stars above. I don't know if I can do this,” she muttered.

“What are you talking about? All you have to do is sit out here,” Rainbow Dash retorted.

Only to get her shoulder punched by Fluttershy, causing the thestral to wince.

“Try and be a little empathetic, will you?” hissed the dryad.

“I’m trying. I just figured that a little teasing would help take her mind off stuff,” Rainbow Dash explained.

Chrysalis snorted. “Nothing could ever take my mind off Cadance. Not the heavens falling upon us or Tartarus itself rising from the ground.”

“Hey, that was pretty good. And you said you weren't good with words,” Applejack declared.

“Even a broken clock is right twice a day,” Chrysalis muttered, her gaze never leaving the spot where the door had stood only a few moments earlier.

Twilight opened her mouth to say something, but resisted, unsure of what she could offer. Pinkie Pie, however, had no such qualms and after a brief moment of consideration walked up to Chrysalis. The troll then plopped down next to the changeling and glanced over at the despondent queen.

“Isn't it a bit egotistical for you to date Cadance?” Pinkie Pie asked. “I mean, in a way you are both the same person, so it's kinda narcissistic, don't you think?”

Everyone present was stunned to silence, save for Chrysalis, who immediately leaped back up and glared at the troll.

“It is not egotistical!” she shouted. “Both the mushroom and the flower are born from the same dirt, but they could not be further from each other.”

“Are they though?” Pinkie Pie questioned. “They both bloom kinda, some even look alike.”

Chrysalis groaned. “That's not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?” Pinkie Pie pressed.

“I meant to say that-” Chrysalis began, explaining her point in laborious and exasperating detail, as well as with a fair few insults thrown in for good measure.

Twilight remained silent and merely watched, at least for a few seconds, then she stood up. “I should probably do something,” she muttered half-heartedly.

“Actually, I think Pinkie Pie has it all under control,” Applejack stated.

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Do you really think so?”

“Well, she's not moping anymore,” Spike offered.

“I think it's safe to assume that Pinkie Pie knows what she's doing,” Rarity added.

“-but isn't bumping uglies with her almost incestuous?” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “You came from her, after all, so I feel like there is some kinda weird mother-daughter thing going on.”

Chrysalis’s eyeballs bulged with rage. “I’m so angry I can't even find the words necessary to tell you how wrong you are!”

Pinkie Pie didn't seem concerned by Chrysalis’ outburst and merely rubbed her chin. “Or would that be more masturbatory than incestuous?”

“I-” Chrysalis huffed. “I am not having this conversation with you.”

“Why not? Is it too adult for you?” Pinkie Pie prodded.

“It is not! I simply refuse to entertain such nonsense!” Chrysalis loudly proclaimed.

“Yeah, I think she's got this one,” Rainbow Dash remarked.

“It seems so,” Twilight admitted. “At least she's not sad anymore. That was an… uncomfortable sight. I must admit.”

“She wears anger like an old hat,” commented Rarity.

“That's one way of putting it,” agreed Spike.

“So… what now?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“I was thinking we could get a board game going. Maybe snacks,” Twilight answered.

“Oooh, I can do that,” Spike offered.

“This seems a bit too serious for games,” Fluttershy murmured.

“Maybe just some cards?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

“I wouldn't mind something to drink. Maybe get some rummy going in the meantime. It would be nice to keep my mind off things,” Applejack remarked.

“That sounds delightful. I would greatly appreciate a fly patte served with some rice crackers,” Rarity offered.

“Alright, anyone else?” Spike asked.

“Ha, I win again,” Rainbow Dash declared, laying down her hand. “Three fours and a run of jack, queen, king.”

“Augh,” Applejack groaned, throwing her large mittful of barely connected cards into the pile. “Why the heck did we let Fluttershy sit in front of you in the turn order.”

“It seems a bit like cheating if she's helping you,” Rarity added before munching on a bug-covered cracker.

“I wasn't helping, honest!” Fluttershy exclaimed. “I just can't seem to help giving her the right cards.”

“Yeah, I didn't even show Fluttershy my hand or anything. Y'all just stink at rummy,” Rainbow Dash retorted.

Twilight sighed. “So where does that leave us? Rainbow Dash with four wins, everyone else at one?”

“I actually haven't won a single round,” Fluttershy offered, hoof raised in the air.

“Maybe one more then?” Spike offered, riffle shuffling the cards between his clawed hands.

A sudden groan made the players turn away from their game and glance over at Pinkie Pie. Who was ostensibly being choked out by a rather brutal headlock, though she didn't appear to be in any discomfort. Rather Chrysalis seemed to be cuddling the rocky troll while also making it look like she was attempting to harm the pink creature.

“I just want her to be okay,” Chrysalis muttered. “She's so innocent and pure. If I could give my life for hers, I would do so in a heartbeat.”

“I’m sure Sunset Shimmer can do it,” Pinkie Pie muttered, wincing briefly. “She was an expert, and she's got enough power in her to do it now.”

“I guess,” Chrysalis replied.

The changeling queen collapsed into a heap, lying next to Pinkie Pie and staring up at the ceiling.

“Can someone bring me something with alcohol in it?” Chrysalis asked.

“I don't think that's a good idea, darling,” Rarity replied.

“I’m not asking for a whole bottle. Just like a cup of wine,” Chrysalis shot back, glancing at the arachne out of the corner of her eye. “To take the edge off.”

“We could do that,” Spike reasoned, the dragon, in turn, looking to Twilight.

Who nodded. “I don't see why not.”

“Right. I think there were a few bottles of red hidden in the floorboards of my Twilight's old room,” Spike said.

The dragon passed the playing cards over to Rarity and hopped to his feet, then jogged towards the stairs. He didn't make it far, however, as a shimmer caught his eye and prompted him to stop in order to inspect it closer. What he and everyone else in the room saw was the triumphant return of the makeshift surgery room Sunset had established.

A moment after it appeared, the door opened and out trotted a haggard, but hopeful Sunset Shimmer. Her ethereal, illusionary form had remained, though her expression had darkened somewhat since then. Lines of worry ran deep, yet despite all that she wore a small smile that spread wider still after she laid eyes on Chrysalis.

“She’ll make a full recovery,” Sunset Shimmer declared.

In an instant, Chrysalis was back on her hooves, the changeling having leaped from the ground and twisted around in mid-air.

“Where is…” Chrysalis’ words died on her tongue the second Sunset Shimmer stepped outside and made space for a narrow bed to be wheeled into the room.

Slowly, the wheels of the aged metal bed turned, pushed on by the diligent hooves of a withered Midnight Moon. Only half her usual height and a pale grey rather than pitch black, the shadowy pony had lost some of her consistency. Yet it was the alicorn borne upon the bed that bore the worst of it, with her eyes now resembling deep pits ringed with black.

The dark circles bellied exhaustion and a lingering pain yet also immense, nearly all-consuming joy. Just looking upon them made Chrysalis want to jump for joy and cry tears of unending anguish. This feeling was made worse by the mare’s bloodstained fur, sunken features, and the small but very obvious scar over her heart.

“Are- are you okay?” Chrysalis whispered, the changeling gliding effortlessly to the alicorn’s side.

“I’m better than I’ve been in a very long time,” Cadance whispered hoarsely.

“Good, because you look like crap,” Chrysalis deadpanned.

Cadance giggled, though the sound came out more like pained wheezing. “I hope I’m not too ugly for you now.”

“I would love you even if you looked like the ugliest rat in Canterlot,” Chrysalis replied.

“So, you’d love me even if I looked like Celestia then?” Cadance shot back.

Chrysalis frowned and hummed to herself. “It would be a struggle, but I think I would.”

“You goober, c'mere,” Cadance whispered.

Rarity sniffed and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “That was the most romantic and slightly confusing thing I’ve ever witnessed.”

“That's about as sweet as fresh-squeezed apple juice,” Applejack remarked, removing her hat and placing it over her heart.

Fluttershy leaned heavily on the thestral’s side and smiled. “Do you think we’ll still be like that when we're older?”

“No way. I’m going to be way sappier,” Rainbow Dash declared. “Like an apple that's been out too long, I’m gonna be downright mushy.”

Fluttershy giggled.

Spike smirked. “If you told me Cadance would settle down and find love with only a single person, I probably would have laughed at you. I guess some things can change.”

“I guess they… can?” Twilight muttered, her eyes widening.

The group watched as Chrysalis leaned down to plant a kiss on the prone alicorn’s lips. Though that was not what grabbed everyone so firmly. Rather it was the faint prismatic glow that came from the alicorn’s midsection.

“Is she pregnant?” Rainbow Dash whispered.

Sunset Shimmer shook her head. “No. I made sure to check, just in case.”

“Then what's going on?” Twilight asked.

“I’m not sure,” Sunset Shimmer admitted. “I expended every last bit of power I had remaining once the procedure was complete. Perhaps the lingering energy is doing something.”

“I think we're going to find out what real soon,” Applejack whispered.

Everyone watched as the two females kissed, their actions seemingly causing the energy to glow brighter. Once more, everyone found themselves overwhelmed by the light, even those who were undead had to look away. When they looked back, they found that both Chrysalis and Cadance were shimmering faintly, though it was rapidly fading.

In the wake of the rainbow glow leaving them, their scars had shrunk, their old unhealed injuries becoming far less noticeable. Cadance was the greater recipient of this surge, as a small layer of crystal had formed over her broken horn. Her eyes had returned to their ancient splendor, and even her missing forehoof was beginning to grow back. There were other notable changes, though they were smaller, such as her fur regaining its color, though they were mostly ignored.

Unlike the ebony cocoon which had appeared around Chrysalis’ own horn, completely obscuring the stump. Old scars shrunk, her eyes regained a bit of their luster, and several of the holes in her legs had either grown smaller or vanished entirely. Not only that, but both appeared younger, the marks of time having diminished until most were unnoticeable.

“Wow, you are really hot,” Chrysalis muttered.

“You ain't so bad-looking yourself,” Cadance replied, only to gasp and clutch her throat. “My voice.”

“It's as amazing as you,” Chrysalis replied.

“I never thought it would come back. And my horn…” Cadance went cross-eyed as she looked up at the long bony appendage. “I think it's regrowing.”

“That shouldn't be possible, but it's happening to me as well,” Chrysalis added.

Sunset Shimmer quickly interposed herself between the two of them, her horn glowing brightly. A scanning spell was used, first on Cadance, then on Chrysalis, only to be followed up by more complicated magic. At the end of which Sunset Shimmer stood there, her jaw opening and closing without any words spilling forth.

“I’m assuming it's good,” Chrysalis offered.

“Good? This is amazing,” Sunset Shimmer muttered. “I know that there was a bit of residual harmony magic left, but I would have never thought there was enough to do all that.”

“It seems like they are gaining back just about everything the sun tyrant took,” Applejack added.

Rarity hummed. “Most scars remain, but I’m certain a bit of foundation could cover most of those up.”

“Though I doubt Chrysalis would take you up on such an offer, I am intrigued,” Cadance admitted.

“Who cares about such frilly nonsense?” Chrysalis declared. “I’m finally going to be able to disguise myself. I never even got the chance to learn before my horn was removed by that wretch.”

“Oh, this is wonderful. I can already feel my strength returning,” Cadance exclaimed.

The mare attempted to sit up in bed, only for Sunset to gently, yet firmly push her back down.

“I know you’re feeling quite strong right now, but I insist on keeping you overnight for observation,” Sunset Shimmer declared.

“I suppose that's wise,” Chrysalis murmured.

“Err, yes. Sorry,” Cadance murmured.

“Just remain still for a few hours. By then the magic will have dissipated, and I’ll be able to perform a proper scan. If it comes back more or less clean at that point, you can walk around, but you’ll remain here,” Sunset stated.

Cadance giggled. “Yes, doctor.”

“You know, I never actually did get my doctorate,” Sunset Shimmer murmured, tapping her chin. “Perhaps once things settle down, I can attend whatever higher learning you have out here.”

“Wait, you're not even a real doctor?” Chrysalis gaped.

“Well, I certainly have enough experience, and I taught more than a few. My degrees merely lay in adjacent fields such as medical research, advanced magical healing, and the like,” Sunset explained.

“That makes me feel a little better,” Chrysalis muttered.

“Her bedside manner was excellent, and Midnight was a capable assistant,” Cadance declared.

“That's nice to hear,” Midnight remarked. “I certainly didn't feel very useful.”

“Nonsense. Luna had some experience as a field medic, and I feel that's one part of her you received in spades,” Cadance declared.

Midnight Moon nodded slowly, staring off, her mind deep in thought.

“So,” Applejack exclaimed, clopping her hooves together. “What now?”

“These two, along with Spike and I will remain here,” Twilight offered. “The rest of you should consider settling any affairs you may have.”

“Oh, that's right. We have quite the fight ahead of us,” Rarity muttered, shivering slightly. “I had almost forgotten.”

“How could you forget? We’ve been getting briefings on the fight every day. Heck, some people I know have been counting down the hours,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“I would rather forget, I suppose,” Rarity admitted.

“Well, I’m headin’ back to the farm,” Applejack proclaimed. “Though after I see off Granny and Apple Bloom, it's going to be a might bit empty.”

“You could join us for dinner,” Spike offered. “I have more than enough food saved up.”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea. Perhaps that is what we should all do?” Rarity offered. “I know I would enjoy a bit of company after I say my farewell to Sweetie Belle.”

“Does that mean you finally convinced her to go?” Pinkie Pie inquired.

“It took raising her allowance, but she is going to leave with the others. Just to be safe,” Rarity answered.

Spike cursed. “Darn. I guess I won't see her for a bit then.”

“If we win, you’ll see her in only two days,” Rarity offered.

“And if we don't, you’ll have to wait for her in the afterlife,” Rainbow Dash added.

Only to receive an elbow from Fluttershy. “Don't be so uncouth.”

“What? It's true,” Rainbow Dash replied.

“That doesn't mean you should say it,” Fluttershy whispered.

“Well, I for one am in,” Pinkie Pie proclaimed. “Zecora wanted to talk about some stuff but after that, I’m totally free until judgment day tomorrow.”

“Can we please not call it judgment day?” Spike exclaimed. “That sounds so grim, and… I feel like it should include giant explosions or something.”

“Alright, how about D day?” Pinkie Pie shot back.

“What does the D stand for?” asked Applejack.

“Day, of course,” Pinkie Pie answered.

“I shouldn't have asked,” murmured the farmer.

“Well, Rainbow Dash and I are interested in coming for dinner. Aren't we, dear?” Fluttershy asked.

“Oh yeah, definitely. Just gotta send a letter and see how a few of my buddies in the guard are doin’,” Rainbow Dash declared with a shrug.

“And I just need to make sure my animals are secure,” Fluttershy added.

“Then it's settled,” Spike exclaimed. “Leave your food requests with me, and we will get cookin’.”

“Wait, we?” Twilight asked.

“Well, yeah. I sure ain't going to ask those two or Sunset,” Spike declared, gesturing to Cadance and Chrysalis. “They are going to be too busy getting all lovey-dovey while Sunset is standing there awkwardly.”

“Yeah, that sounds about right,” Chrysalis remarked before smooching Cadance on the cheek, causing the alicorn to giggle.

“Chrysalis, stop, there are people here,” Cadance fake whined.

“Let them watch. Their envy is delicious,” Chrysalis declared.

“Anyway,” Sunset purposefully interrupted, “maybe you could ask what Beaker and Sharp Eye are up to? I’m sure they would like to join us as well.”

“Ooh, maybe you could even teach Sharp Eye that spooky outline trick,” Pinkie Pie proclaimed.

Sunset Shimmer blinked and looked down at herself. “That wouldn't be a half-bad idea. She is a unicorn, and it would be nice to see what she looked like before she, well… passed.”

“She was rather pretty, but previous me didn't exactly look,” Twilight added.

“Then it's settled!” Pinkie Pie shouted. “One totally not a party coming up!”

With that, the troll vanished in a puff of pink smoke, leaving everyone else to stand there awkwardly.

“Uh, alright then. See you, girls, in a little bit, I suppose,” Applejack murmured.

“Err, yeah. Come on, Fluttershy, we can walk together until we reach the edge of town,” Rainbow Dash encouraged.

“Okay. See you soon. I hope you’ll feel better, Cadance,” Fluttershy offered.

“I’m certain I will,” Cadance replied.

“My well wishes are with you as well,” Rarity added, the arachne skittering away and stopping near Spike. “That was a wonderful idea, Spike.”

“T-thanks,” Spike murmured.

“I guess we should start cooking then,” Twilight muttered. “Not sure how much help I’ll be.”

“Don't worry. I remember Luna cooking all the time,” Midnight Moon declared.

Cadance slumped into the bed, her gaze turning skyward as her body fell slack. “I can't believe we really put all that behind us. I admit there were times that I thought I’d never be healed.”

Chrysalis snorted. “So long as there was a way, I would have never stopped looking.”

“I know,” Cadance replied with a soft smile. “But it was hard to imagine a world where we actually figured out a way to get that nail out of me before it was too late.”

“The timing could not have been closer,” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed, the unicorn cleaning a set of scalpels with her magic. “If we had been even a few days longer, I doubt there would be anything we could have done, harmony magic or not.”

Chrysalis turned to the undead and fixed her with a firm look. “You have no idea how happy I am that Cadance is okay. If there is anything I can ever do to repay you, you have but to name it.”

Sunset winced, her illusionary avatar shimmering briefly. “You really don't have to. It was the right thing to do.”

“Just let her have this,” Cadance warned, a hoof brushing Sunset’s shoulder. “She won't take no for an answer, trust me.”

“If you say so. Though it may be a long time,” Sunset replied.

Chrysalis snorted. “Unless that wretch in Canterlot has her way, we will have nothing but time.”

“I suppose,” Sunset admitted, glancing down at herself.

Cadance cleared her throat. “What exactly did you plan on doing with the nail?”

Sunset glanced over to the unassuming hunk of black metal lying on a nearby plate, its surface still covered in coagulated blood.

“I don't know,” Sunset answered. “I know that there are some who may wish to turn it into a weapon or use it again, but I would rather it be destroyed. The way it meddles with magic, the pain it inflicts, and the incredible difficulty of removal make it a truly barbarous thing.”

“As much as I want to use it against Celestia when the time comes, I can't help but agree with you,” Chrysalis agreed. “I would not wish to see anyone explore its capabilities.”

“Hide it then,” Cadance offered. “Place it somewhere no one will find it, and should the need arise, we may use it against our foes but only after deliberating carefully.”

“I would have thought you would want it destroyed,” Sunset offered.

“I want nothing more than to see that horrid thing wiped from existence, but we cannot avoid the fact that it could prove useful in the future,” Cadance exclaimed.

Chrysalis grunted. “Regardless, that's a discussion for another time.”

“I would very much like a bit of privacy,” Chrysalis added.

“Of course,” Sunset quickly said. “But only if you promise to not leave that bed and accept to have a monitoring spell placed on you.”

“I accept,” Cadance replied.

“I assume you are keeping track of heart rate and such things?” Chrysalis inquired.

Sunset nodded, her horn glowing brightly as she began to cast her spell. “Blood pressure, heart rate, and a few other key things that we will have to keep a close eye on for a while. It shouldn't be for long, given that your alicorn regeneration is no longer stymied by that dreadful thing.”

“I trust you, Sunset,” Cadance exclaimed.

Sunset Shimmer smiled. “Thank you, Cadance.”

With a flash, the magic was completed, and for a moment several rotating discs could be seen hovering over the alicorn’s torso. They shimmered briefly before vanishing, the numbers visible within them lingering for a moment longer. Sunset then lit her horn and cast a much shorter spell, one which once complete recalled those same circles above the unicorn’s raised hoof.

“You are looking good, though your salt levels could be better,” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

“I’ll make sure she eats well,” Chrysalis declared.

“The last time you forced me until I nearly exploded,” Cadance complained.

“I did no such thing. I merely employed my patented puppy eyes attack,” Chrysalis retorted.

Cadance shook her head before glancing down at Sunset. “Thank you again, Sunset. I look forward to seeing you for dinner.”

“Right. I should probably go locate Beaker and Sharp Eye,” Sunset murmured.

“Is that… trepidation and desire I taste?” Chrysalis asked.

Sunset Shimmer stopped mid-trot. “I, uh… I didn't think you could detect the emotions of the undead?”

“You lot are quite subdued, so most changelings will find the task impossible, but I am not most changelings,” Chrysalis replied, leaning in close. “And you have not answered my question.”

Sunset Shimmer mimicked the action of sighing. “I suppose I am feeling a bit of trepidation. Sharp Eye has been nothing but kind, and I don't want to ruin that.”

Cadance chuckled. “I wouldn't worry about that.”

“Why do you say that?” Sunset Shimmer inquired.

“For one, she wants you, and secondly, friendship is hardier than you give it credit,” Chrysalis answered.

“There have been times where even Chrysalis and I have required a break,” Cadance added.

“Really?” Sunset Shimmer murmured, jaw hanging low. “I just assumed…”

“That we were the perfect couple? Well, you wouldn't be wrong,” Chrysalis exclaimed. “But a relationship can shift into something different as time goes on.”

“Don't get me wrong, we’ll always be together, but those feelings can change,” Chrysalis explained, leaning on the bed. “It could be a lengthy mission where we needed to be apart for a while, or a mutual desire to bring another into our little circle.”

“So long as you are honest and forthcoming, no harm will come,” Cadance exclaimed.

Sunset Shimmer glanced from Cadance’s wide, reassuring smile to Chrysalis's slightly cocky grin. For a moment the unicorn merely stood there, contemplating things before firmly shaking her head.

“Thank you both. I think,” Sunset Shimmer muttered.

“Good, now out with you. I need to be ridiculously mushy, and I can't have any witnesses,” Chrysalis declared, gently yet firmly pushing Sunset Shimmer towards the stairs.

“I’m going, I’m going,” Sunset Shimmer replied, diverting towards the teleport door.

“I would wish you good luck, but you won't need it!” Cadance called, her freshly healed voice cracking briefly.

“Thank you, Ca-” was all Sunset Shimmer could get in edgewise before she was all but shoved through the exit by an impatient Chrysalis.

The changeling then leaped upon the hospital bed, her forehooves landing on either side of Cadance’s head.

“Now then,” Chrysalis began in a low, almost menacing tone. “Where were we?”

“I think you were going to be embarrassingly mushy,” Cadance replied, her hoof caressing the underside of the changeling’s chin.

“I’ve changed my mind. I don't need to say anything, as actions speak louder than words. Wouldn't you agree?” Chrysalis asked before nipping at the alicorn’s ear.

Cadance shuddered. “Mmm, I’m listening.”

Author's Note

The Calm Before

“Aww, come on,” whined Apple Bloom. “I can help. I don't even have to fight! I could dig ditches or something.”

Applejack sighed. “For the last time, no. The sunsworn are nearly here, and there ain't much we can really do to prepare at this point except be ready.”

Big Macintosh nodded sagely, the towering plant-pony hybrid pausing just long enough to give his approval before trotting by. With a heavy bag slung over his back, the farmer dumped his burden on the waiting wagon before walking back past Apple Bloom and Applejack. The two sisters stood slightly off to the side in the shade of a large apple tree.

“Then I can fight!” Apple Bloom declared. “I’m tougher than darn near anyone, and that's without armor either!”

The young pony thumped a hoof against her bark-like chest in emphasis.

“I don't care how tough you are. You’re still a kid,” Applejack declared.

“But I can also do this, see?” Apple Bloom declared.

The young pony then sprinted several feet before stopping and whipping her tail towards a small bush nearby. The thorny appendage ripped through the plant, sending shredded leaves high into the air. A quick twist and another flick sent Apple Bloom’s tail through the bush once more, leaving the bush little more than a skeletal husk devoid of greenery.

“Awesome, right?” Apple Bloom declared. “I can even do the same with my mane, but it's a lot harder.”

“That is quite cool, but you still can't come. And didn't I tell you not to mess up any more bushes? They are a part of the orchard too,” Applejack sternly exclaimed.

Apple Bloom groaned, trotted over to the bush, and planted her forehooves on either side of it. Her eyes glowed even brighter, turning into twin headlamps of yellow light that illuminated the dark forest. The bush then shivered briefly before sprouting new leaves and even growing an inch or two taller.

“There. Happy?” Apple Bloom exclaimed.

“Over this specific thing, yes? In general, not so much,” Applejack replied.

Apple Bloom groaned and rolled her eyes. “Come on. You have to let me fight! This is my home too, you know?”

Winona ran up to Applejack and barked excitedly, the two-foot-tall timberwolf running excitedly between the pony’s legs.

“Now ya got Winona all riled up,” Applejack muttered, leaning down and extending a hoof. “Come here, you little rascal.”

The wolf dutifully trotted over and allowed Applejack to lift her up into the back of the wagon. Where she nestled amongst the bags of supplies already piled within, her eyes flicking from one sister to the other.

“Now then. Where were we?” Applejack asked.

“You were about to let me join the guard and help you fight!” Apple Bloom declared, stomping her forehooves in emphasis.

Applejack sighed. “That wasn't what was happening at all.”

“Well, that's what should be happenin’!” Apple Bloom declared.

“Now don't go shoutin’ at your sister,” Granny Smith declared, the aged farmer trotting out from the row of trees and over to the wagon where she set down a pair of saddlebags. “Not when she's bein’ the voice of reason for once.”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Thanks, Granny.”

“It's the truth,” Granny declared, patting the other mare on the back. “Y'all can be a bit bullheaded for your own good. Somethin’ that runs in the family.”

Apple Bloom snorted. “See? Granny Smith believes in me.”

“That ain't what I said, child,” Granny Smith stated. “Y'all can be as tough as the forest itself. but it ain't gonna help ya. Not against what these youngins are about to face.”

“Then why do they get to go but not me?” Apple Bloom complained.

“Because they got experience with this whole adventurin’ thing,” Granny Smith snorted and gave Applejack a firm look. “Besides. It ain't like she's going to listen to me anyway.”

“Well, I ain't gonna listen to you either!” Apple Bloom declared.

Applejack sighed and ran a hoof down her face. “That isn't how this works, Apple Bloom.”

“If I may,” interrupted Big Macintosh, the wolf-like stallion stepping between the pair.

Applejack gestured at her sister. “Be my guest.”

Big Macintosh turned to the younger pony, who flinched before quickly standing tall once more.

“Do y'all know how to fight?” Big Macintosh asked.

“No, but-”

“Do y'all know how to fight in a unit along with others?” Big Macintosh pressed.

“Well, no-”

“Do y'all know how to handle a weapon?” Big Macintosh inquired.

“Does a shovel count?” Apple Bloom replied.

Big Macintosh blinked. “No.”

“Well, then no… but that doesn't matter, ‘cause-”

“‘Cause nothing,” Big Macintosh interrupted. “If you joined the fight, you would be more of a danger to your allies than the enemy. This isn't some schoolyard bully in need of a thrashing. This is a well-disciplined and experienced army.”

“Well, I…” Apple Bloom muttered before falling silent.

“There ain't much you can do here, sprout,” Big Macintosh declared. “Yer sister has trained a bunch with her friends, and I’ve spent the last few winters as a guard.”

“Besides. You have to take care of Granny Smith, right?” Applejack asked, glancing expectantly at the older farmer.

Granny Smith winced and clutched her lower back with a hoof. “Oh, my hip’s acting up. I don't know if I’m going to get out of here unless you pull that there cart, Apple Bloom.”

“I know what you're doing. Not like it matters because I guess you're right or whatever,” Apple Bloom muttered.

“Darn tootin’ we are,” Applejack declared.

“Now bring it on in. I want one last hug before y'all go,” Big Macintosh exclaimed, opening his forehooves wide.

“Oh alright, you big sap,” The young pony then hugged her brother tightly before moving onto Applejack. “Don't worry. I’ll look after Granny.”

“I know you will,” Applejack exclaimed.

The pair then embraced one another tightly before Apple Bloom quickly extracted herself and ran over to the front of the cart. As she hooked herself into the straps, Granny Smith trotted over to Applejack and gave her a tight hug as well.

“Be safe now, y’all,” she whispered, pulling Big Macintosh in as well. “And don't you worry none. One way or the other, the Apple family always survives. It's what we do.”

“Thank you, Granny,” Applejack whispered.

“We’ll see you again soon,” Big Macintosh offered.

“See to it that you do,” Granny Smith stepped back. “I just got my farm back, and I’m going to need a pair of strapping youngins like yourself to help me harvest it all.”

“We’ll come back to ya. Ain't that right Mac?” Applejack asked.

The wolf-like stallion nodded. “Eeyup.”

Sunset Shimmer trotted down another flight of stairs and paused at the bottom, her horn glowing. A moment later, a flat circle of numbers, letters, and words appeared above her hoof.

“Hmm, a bit of an elevated heart rate but other than that it's all in order,” Sunset Shimmer muttered. “Probably just getting intimate or something.”

Shaking her head, Sunset Shimmer dismissed the brief bout of envy and focused on the path before her. Traveling deeper, the undead unicorn made her way through the labyrinth of stairs and layers before finally reaching her target. The final door was far larger than the others and had a bored-looking skeleton standing in front of it, the pony leaning on her halberd.

Upon spotting Sunset, Sharp Eye perked up and immediately departed her post. “Do you require assistance?” she offered.

“No. Twilight was just setting up this big dinner thing, and I was going to invite Beaker as well as yourself,” Sunset Shimmer replied, trotting up to the other undead mare.

Sharp Eye cocked her head slightly. “She does know that all three of us are undead, right? And not like, half undead like her, but dead undead.”

Sunset Shimmer chuckled to herself. “Yes, I do believe Twilight knows that. I think she's planning something and wants an excuse to gather us all one final time before the big battle.”

“Ahh, yes, that will be tomorrow,” Sharp Eye murmured. “I do hope this Twilight is at least half as brilliant as the one I knew.”

“I can't be certain, but I feel like she is,” Sunset replied.

Sharp Eye stared off into the distance. “I suppose we should wait for Beaker to return so we can pass the news to him as well. He should be back soon from his delivery.”

“He's been brewing more potions, I assume?” Sunset Shimmer inquired.

“He has,” Sharp Eye replied simply.

Sunset Shimmer hummed thoughtfully, the pair falling into a quiet that lasted for nearly a minute.

“You are… very beautiful,” Sharp Eye all but whispered.

“Th-thank you,” Sunset Shimmer mustered, her illusionary face turning a shade or two redder. “I, um, could teach you the same thing. I think.”

“I don't know if that's a good idea,” Sharp Eye muttered. “Unlike you, I was not a pretty sight.”

“I’d still like to see you. If I could,” Sunset Shimmer replied.

Sharp Eye’s jaw clenched for a moment before relaxing. “If that is your desire.”

Sunset Shimmer lit her horn. “Now, I need you to imagine yourself exactly as you were before you passed on. The clearer the picture, the better the spell will be, I think.”

“You think?” Sharp Eye inquired.

“I’m not sure,” Sunset admitted. “I’ve really only had the last ten or so minutes to try and replicate the spell. Though I think I’ve got it.”

Sharp Eye nodded slowly. “Then you may continue.”

“Thank you. I hope to replicate it for others like us. I know how much disconcerting our forms can be,” Sunset Shimmer muttered, her horn glowing brighter as a flat circle of runes appeared above the glowing appendage.

“It never bothered me,” Sharp Eye declared. “Though I suppose I could see why some may find it uncomfortable.”

“You didn't think about what it would be like to get your old body back during your long stay down here?” Sunset Shimmer inquired.

“It passed my mind a few times, but not frequently,” Sharp Eye tilted her head upward and stared off into space. “It was strange, standing here for so long. I barely noticed the passage of years. There was just this all-consuming demand to remain outside and guard against intruders long dead.”

“Was it lonely?” Sunset Shimmer whispered.

Sharp Eye shook her head. “No. It was like… being asleep, only my eyes were open.”

“Did you dream at all?” Sunset Shimmer pressed.

“All the time,” Sharp Eye muttered in a slightly wistful tone. “I would find my mind drifting to the past, to my home village, and my time in the guard. I must have relived my life a dozen times over the years.”

The skeleton released a dry chuckle.

“That's good,” Sunset Shimmer declared, her magic pulsing briefly before shifting and losing a bit of its power. “Without something to occupy the mind, you likely would have gone mad down here.”

“Nothing quite so dramatic, I’m afraid,” Sharp Eye replied. “It was just… quiet. When I saw Twilight and her friends, everything changed, and for the first time in what turned out to be centuries, I was able to think again.”

“Only a few more seconds. Try to hold that image as firmly as you can,” Sunset Shimmer declared.

“Okay. I am,” Sharp Eye stated.

Sunset Shimmer closed her eyes and focused everything she had on the spell, her horn glowing brilliantly. Then, with a flash of nearly blinding light, the spell took form, becoming a series of rune-filled rings that fell over Sharp Eye. These strange hoops spun around her while also moving up and down at a slow, but steady pace.

“Just keep focusing and try not to move,” Sunset reminded Sharp Eye.

The guard required no prompting and remained still until the circles widened, covering her entire body in a shimmering veil. One which soon dulled and began to split like a curtain being cut, falling away to reveal Sharp Eye’s new, yet old visage. Unlike Sunset Shimmer, whose illusionary form was nude, Sharp Eye appeared to be wearing a full suit of royal purple armor.

Much like the rusted mail she had long since discarded, this new set encapsulated her body completely. Heavy greaves covered her hooves, thick plates obscured nearly everything, all save for her head, which lacked a helmet. Unadorned by semi-real armor, the undead pony’s face was completely visible, as well as the nervous expression on her face.

A face that was scarred and aged, beaten by the passage of time, as well as more than a few close calls. The remnants of mostly healed stitches could be seen along her neck, while a deep scar was visible down her face. Starting above her left eye and traveling down the guard’s face, it ended below her right eye, only an inch or so below the orb itself.

Not only that, but she was missing the majority of her right ear, a fact which was plainly visible due to her mane style. Which had been cut very short along the sides, while the top had been allowed to grow long and had been bound in a tight braid. This matched her tail, which too had been braided, though it hadn't been allowed to grow even as long as her mane.

Sunset looked on in a mixture of shock and awe, studying each small detail in the guard’s weathered features. Nothing seemed to be left out, the pony evidently having committed every last bit of her reflection to memory. Allowing Sunset Shimmer to gaze upon the other mare’s strong chin and chiseled features with increasing curiosity.

“You’re… handsome,” Sunset Shimmer murmured.

“I… thank you,” Sharp Eye muttered, the mare’s face contorting in embarrassment. “I’m amazed you think that about such an old mare like myself.”

“I don't think age means much to people like us,” Sunset Shimmer pointed out.

“Still. You don't look a day older than twenty-eight,” Sharp Eye offered.

“I’m at least a hundred, though I could be as old as a hundred and thirty,” Sunset Shimmer offered.

Sharp Eye frowned and remained silent for several long seconds. “Once this is over, do you think we could…”

“We could,” Sunset Shimmer replied after several moments of quiet. “I warn you though. I’m a bit… broken.”

“Time heals all wounds, and what is time to ones like us?” Sharp Eye offered.

Sunset Shimmer smiled. “Very true.”

“Oh, uh, I’m not intruding, am I?” asked a voice. “Oh wow, you two have like, illusions now. Very, um, cool as they say nowadays.”

The two mares turned towards Beaker and smiled at the nervous skeleton standing before them. The male wore heavy layers of padding over his torso, allowing him to sport a jacket with many, many pockets. Though that was where his attempts to appear alive ended, as he had no other clothing or layers.

“Thank you, Beaker,” Sharp Eye muttered.

“You weren't intruding. We were just… practicing a spell,” Sunset Shimmer added.

“Neat. What are you doing down here anyway?” Beaker inquired, trotting right up to the two mares.

“Twilight is organizing a get-together and has requested our presence,” Sharp Eye stated.

“Oh uh, that's good,” Beaker muttered. “I suppose we should get moving then.”

“We should, and quit feeling guilty. We’ve all forgiven you,” Sharp Eye declared.

“Yes, Miss Sharp Eye!” Beaker exclaimed, eagerly trotting towards the exit.

“We’ll, uh, talk more after the battle,” Sunset Shimmer whispered.

Sharp Eye smiled. “I would like that.”

Rarity paced back and forth, her many legs skittering loudly against the polished floor. The edge of one of her hooves was stuck in her mouth, the arachne chewing anxiously on the appendage. Before her stood Sweetie Belle, the younger female wearing a backpack stuffed to the point of nearly bursting at the seams.

She was joined by a slightly nervous arachne with a yellow coat so light that it was nearly white. Standing a full head shorter than Rarity, this other female wasn't quite as agitated as her employer, though she did occasionally touch the collar she wore. The slim piece of folded cloth was a soft purple and had a slip of red cloth tied around the front, holding it all together. She also ran a hoof through her soft two-toned mane of straight cut teal hair, smoothing out the fraying edges.

“It's fine, really,” murmured the smaller of the two adults. “She has everything she needs.”

“Yeah, I mean. I got enough food for a week, and more clothes than I know what to do with,” Sweetie Belle added.

“I know, but perhaps another dress would be for the best. Something formal, in case you get invited to a fancy event,” Rarity offered.

Sweetie Belle frowned. “I don't think that's very likely.”

“But it might!” Rarity exclaimed. “We should go back to your room and try out a few options.”

“Rarity, she already has three dresses,” murmured the other adult.

“I know, Coco, but think about how embarrassing it would be if…” Rarity stumbled briefly before loudly continuing, “If she gets approached by an officer who invites her to a charity event for the refugees.”

“That's a little far-fetched, don't you think?” Coco pressed.

“Yeah. Besides, you guys are like gonna win and stuff, so I’ll be back in like two days,” Sweetie Belle declared.

“Yes, but we must prepare just in case!” Rarity declared. “Quick, grab another back bag and meet me in your room. We need to pick out a wider range of clothes.”

“Look, Miss Rarity, I really appreciate you helping me out of my contract with that greedy dragon Suri, but we have to get going soon,” Coco exclaimed. “The last group is leaving in mere minutes, and I really don't want to get left behind.”

“Yeah, me too,” Sweetie Belle added. “As much as I want to stay here with you and help, I know that it's better left to the professionals. And you, I guess.”

“Now, Sweetie Belle, we must be prepared, and I will not have my sister prancing off to who knows where without a proper wardrobe,” Rarity retorted.

Coco sighed. “If you’re worried about someone looking after Sweetie, I told you I got it. I won't leave her. I promise.”

“Oh, I know, darling,” Rarity began, her hoof touching Coco’s shoulder. “But I really am just trying my best to set Sweetie Belle up.”

“Yeah, for failure,” Sweetie Belle muttered.

“W-what?” Rarity exclaimed in shock.

“Rarity. If you guys win, it will only be a day and a bit before the town comes back,” Sweetie Belle replied. “You keep demanding I take more and more clothes, but I won’t need them. You, Spike, and the others aren't going anywhere.”

Rarity sighed and turned to Sweetie Belle, gripping the younger arachne by the shoulders. “I know I am doting on you a bit much, but we have to consider the possibility that… that I won’t make it out of this.”

Sweetie Belle scoffed. “Did you see Spike’s giant other body? I bet he could beat those guys with a single claw.”

“Well, he is still mostly buried,” Rarity muttered.

“But he's not alone,” Coco added. “You’ve also got a bunch of crazy necromancers. I heard the guard captain’s old order, the Black Rose will be joining you guys.”

“I get it,” Rarity declared, holding up a hoof. “We have a bunch of very awesome people on our side. But I am just planning in case of an emergency, and if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”

“I know we will win,” Sweetie Belle declared. “And I too am reminded of a quote. If you don't plan for success, you plan for failure.”

Rarity frowned and stared long and hard at her younger sibling. “Just… just be careful, okay? I don't know what I would do without you.”

“Don't start crying. You’ll make me cry,” Sweetie Belle replied.

Rarity hugged her sister tightly, tears beginning to bud at the corner of her eyes. “I’m sorry, Sweetie Belle, but that's something you’ll just have to plan for.”

Sweetie Belle buried her face in the crook of the larger pony’s arm and sighed. “It's okay, I forgive you… mom.”

“Knock, knock!” Pinkie Pie called, banging her hoof against the already open door of Zecora’s small house. “Is anyone home?”

“Yes, there is someone here. Whatever do you need, dear?” Zecora replied.

The zebra leaned around the large cauldron which occupied the center of the main room. Now that the zebra was unobscured by the deep black smoke billowing out from the enormous pot, Pinkie Pie noticed that Zecora appeared paler than usual. Her stripes stuck out considerably, and splotches of discoloration could be seen all across her fur.

“Oh, I was just checking in with you before the big fight tomorrow,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “Twilight and the others were going to have dinner together, and I thought we could catch up.”

“It warms my heart to find you catch up with me, but I am more curious as to how things are with thee,” Zecora exclaimed. “The battle to come will define a generation and determine if we still have a nation.”

Pinkie Pie kicked the door shut behind her and flopped down into a waiting pile of fluffy pink pillows. “I know it's going to get pretty crazy, but I can't help but feel optimistic about it, ya know?” Pinkie Pie offered, rolling onto her back and extending her hooves towards the roof. “We have so many cool people on our side that we gotta win. Ya know?”

“Though our situation is bleak, our allies are quite unique,” Zecora exclaimed.

The zebra reached into one of the bags that hung from strings on the ceiling and plucked a handful of greenish powder. Which she then threw into the pot, immediately smothering the smoke and causing the mixture to gain an emerald hue. A few more turns of an enormous ladle and the cauldron’s contents had been stifled, returning to a low simmer.

“Though I wonder if in your plan there was room for your clan,” Zecora offered. “I know their letters you have spurred, refusing to send back your word.”

Pinkie Pie winced and rubbed the back of her neck. “I don't want to worry them, you know? I’d rather respond to their letters after all the fighting is over. Mom always loses sleep whenever she hears about what's going on in Ponyville.”

“I know you don't want to hurt those at the farm, but don't you think silence is a sort of harm?” Zecora pressed.

“I guess,” Pinkie Pie admitted. “But it doesn't matter now. Even if I sent a letter right this second, it wouldn't get there until after the fighting is over.”

“Then take this moment to rejoice, for I have taken away your choice,” Zecora exclaimed.

“What do you…” Pinkie Pie stopped just when her hooves began to twitch, and she spun around to face the door to the small cabin. “They wouldn't come here, not knowing what is about to happen.”

“You, my student, are being dumb. Of course your family would come,” Zecora declared. “Now go out there and say hello, don't dither in her and be slow.”

Pinkie Pie hopped out of her bed of cushions and pointed at the zebra. “I will, but after this, we are going to have a long talk about boundaries, missy.”

“That is something I can accept, upon your hooves I have stepped,” Zecora replied.

Pinkie Pie snorted and sprinted towards the exit, throwing open the door to reveal that her siblings were standing outside. Ranging from a little shorter than Pinkie Pie herself to towering over the troll by a good head and shoulders, her sisters varied greatly in size. The shortest of which was Marble, and the tallest of whom was Maud, with Limestone being nearly the same height as Pinkie Pie.

Marble Pie was a bit shorter and had a slimmer, more demure build when compared to her siblings. The rocky growths most trolls were known for were mostly absent from the young female’s form. All save for a foot wide square on her chest and right side that had both been polished to a resplendent, off-white shine.

Besides that, her fur was a soft grey and nearly the same color as her mane which was a few shades darker. The hair upon her head was also quite long and combed over to one side, obscuring the majority of her face. All save for a single deep purple eye that peered nervously at the pink troll standing before her.

Unlike her sibling, Limestone Pie looked downright furious, her bright lemon-colored eyes glaring intently at Pinkie Pie. Her mane and tail were also much shorter and much lighter, having a light grey hue rather than the darker color of her younger sibling. She was also covered from head to hoof in rocky protrusions that were downright jagged in most instances.

The white and grey masses stuck out an inch or two from her flesh, and likely would have made wearing clothes difficult. Like the rest of her siblings, she wore a pair of saddlebags which were draped over her sides and stuffed full of supplies. Even that seemed to be difficult for the pony as the strap which bound the bags together had been nearly cut by a spike rising from her back.

Maud was a different story altogether, as the troll was completely expressionless and merely stared straight ahead. Her slightly flat purple mane was cut short at the front but like her tail, the back was allowed to grow a little bit longer. Like her siblings, save Pinkie, Maud sported a neutral fur color that was the most greyish grey of the bunch

She did have her differences though, like her seafoam colored eyes and the fact that she wore a rather utilitarian blue dress. She also sported no stony protrusions, but what looked like shiny plates seemingly bolted to her flesh through unknown means. Little of her fur was actually visible, as the strange metal covered her almost completely, leaving just enough room for her eyes, nose, and mouth.

“Pinkie Pie,” Maud deadpanned.

The pink troll winced. “I know, I know. I should have sent you a letter.”

“You damn right you should have,” Limestone declared. “You’re just lucky that Zecora didn't send a letter sooner, or else mom and dad would have made the trip as well.”

Pinkie Pie shuddered.

“Are you okay though? They aren't running you too ragged, are they?” Marble gently inquired.

“No, I’m fine,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

“Good, because when I’m done pummelling you, there won't be much left than a pink smear on the ground,” Limestone shouted.

“Limestone. Relax,” Maud exclaimed, turning her gaze towards the excited troll.

Limestone gritted her teeth. “You really should have told us about this. When dad heard about what was about to happen and realized you hadn't said anything, he was ready to disown you.”

“That's not a surprise,” Pinkie Pie muttered. “He already wanted to disown me for leaving the farm.”

“He doesn't mean it,” Marble added. “He’s just worried and doesn't know how to express those feelings in a constructive manner.”

“He sure has a funny way of showing it,” Pinkie Pie whispered.

“That does not matter,” Maud declared sternly. “We are here to help.”

“Yeah. Where are those damn sunsworn anyway? I’m ready to bash some heads,” Limestone proclaimed, pounding her forehooves together and sending small flecks of shattered stone flying all over the place.

“I’m here to help the wounded,” Marble added. “I, uh, finished all my nursing courses.”

Pinkie Pie sighed. “I guess there isn't anything I can do to talk you out of it, huh?”

“No,” Maud replied simply.

“Well then…” Pinkie Pie hopped up and pulled all three of her sisters into a tight hug. “Welcome to the fight, fellow Pies! Come, I’ll fill you in inside before I head off to dinner at a friend’s.”

“Well that was an abrupt shift,” Limestone remarked.

Pinkie Pie released her siblings and took a step back. “No use crying over spilled milk. Besides, if I butted heads with Maud, I’d need a new skull.”

“My head is quite durable,” Maud declared.

“So, um, will Zecora show us to the castle, then?” Marble Pie asked.

“Probably. But let's not worry about that right now. First, we gotta catch up,” Pinkie Pie began. “We’ll have plenty of time to talk about all that grim stuff later.”

Fluttershy chuckled to herself as she floated down to the center of her grove. “You have no idea how glad I am to hear that Mrs Raven. I was worried after I didn't see you for Sunday snacks last week.”

In front of Fluttershy, sitting on a low hanging branch, was an aged black bird beside which sat a slightly younger member of the same species. There were many other creatures in attendance ranging from bears to more winged critters and hundreds that fell between. Nearly every surface available in the grove had an animal sitting upon it, with predators and prey sitting next to one another.

The raven squealed several times in rapid succession.

“That's good that it turned out to be something so small. Though I’m sure Mr Raven didn't appreciate getting caught in that updraft,” Fluttershy replied.

The smaller of the two birds squealed twice and ruffled his feathers angrily.

Fluttershy giggled. “Yes, well, at least you made it out alright, and now you can say you’ve flown higher than pretty much any other raven in history.”

The small bird blinked several times before looking up at his mate with wide, proud eyes. The larger of the two merely squealed once and used her wing to bop him over the head. This caused a brief flurry of squawks that ended with the pair flying away together, both arguing, but happy nonetheless.

“I’m so glad that they both found someone,” Fluttershy murmured, turning back to the gathered crowd of creatures. “Now then. Who else was I supposed to help?”

A pair of vultures with white fluffy necks and small, beady eyes stepped forward along with a third of their flock. This last individual stumbled briefly, its wings wrapped tight over its stomach in apparent pain. Its fellows looked expectantly at Fluttershy, with the largest of the trio piping up and speaking in a flurry of short, high-pitched squawks.

“Uh-huh, so he ate something bad, and…” Fluttershy frowned, the dryad running a hoof down her face. “What did I tell you about scavenging on sunsworn?’

The two vultures looked at one another guiltily before swiftly looking away, their mutual friend in too much pain to do anything.

“Their bodies are filled with bad magic, and where do you think that goes when they die?” Fluttershy demanded.

The smaller of the two vultures raised a wing and squealed out a response.

“No, it does not go into the air, it stays inside of them,” Fluttershy answered, hooves crossed over her chest. “You're lucky your friend didn't pass away.”

The vultures looked at one another before hastily shoving their friend toward Fluttershy and squawking in a flurry.

“I’ll help him. I’ll help him, just relax,” Fluttershy exclaimed.

The two vultures stepped back, and though they didn't say anything else, they continued to shift from one foot to the other.

Fluttershy ignored them and focused on the stumbling, disoriented vulture who was struggling to stand without his friends. A gentle hoof on his back kept him from falling over while Fluttershy studied his chest closely, her eyes glowing faintly. After a few seconds of tense quiet where no creature made a noise, the dryad released a long sigh and nodded.

“He’ll be okay,” she exclaimed.

A collective sigh of relief was had by every animal present, while the two healthy vultures fell against one another.

“But I’ll need to pull out all the bad magic,” Fluttershy added.

She didn't wait for a reaction this time and merely pushed her hoof into the sick vulture’s stomach. Nearly half of the dryad’s hoof disappeared into the animal’s belly before she seemingly found what she was looking for. Fluttershy’s expression darkened, and her brow furrowed while her leg began to glow a faint buttery yellow color.

After several seconds of intense concentration, the dryad’s expression morphed into one of relief. She then pulled back her hoof, extracting a writhing mass of gold and red energy that twisted like a ball of snakes. The maleficent magic spat sparks everywhere while shrinking slightly now that it was outside of the vulture’s body.

Fluttershy squeezed down on the ball, causing the mass to compress into a smaller and smaller space. Until at long last it popped, sending a flurry of sparks in all directions before disappearing and leaving behind only a hoofful of black dust. Which Fluttershy threw up into the sky above, allowing the winds to take it and spread it over a wide enough area.

“There we are,” she murmured, turning her attention back to the vulture.

Who still seemed to be in pain, but was looking around in confusion. Upon seeing that their friend was okay, the other two carrion feeders wrapped their wings about him. After a brief hug, all three turned to Fluttershy and bowed, the two unconfused ones squawking their thanks.

“It's no problem at all. Just remember what I told you, okay?” Fluttershy exclaimed.

The vultures all nodded to various degrees of enthusiasm, the trio falling back into the mass of creatures and blending in.

Fluttershy cleared her throat. “Now then, who is-”

Fluttershy’s question was answered before it could even truly be uttered when a roar could be heard from near the grove’s edge. Barrelling through the wall of trees came a bloodied and injured bear, a small cub tucked under one of its legs. Though missing an eye and having lost a considerable amount of fur from recent exposure to intense heat, it ran with all haste it could muster.

The various creatures parted like the ocean in front of the prow of a large ship. Giving the bear all the room it required to sprint up to Fluttershy and hold out its still child up to the dryad. An arrow stuck out of the large cub’s midsection, its feathers stained red with the animal’s blood.

“Oh, oh my,” Fluttershy murmured. “Place him here and step away please.”

The bear hesitated a moment before complying, allowing Fluttershy to nervously begin inspecting the cub. It was larger than most young, and sporting a slightly deformed head that left it with one fewer eye than normal. Despite this physical abnormality, it would have been okay, had it not had a run-in with whoever had shot it.

Though deep and clearly life-threatening, the arrow was the only injury the small bear had accrued. It was a nasty sight, one which didn't elicit much hope until Fluttershy noticed that the small animal was still breathing. The faint and ragged rise of the creature’s chest kindled a rage in the dryad’s heart the likes of which she had rarely felt.

That righteous anger was guided inwards, turning into a bright light barely contained by the dryad’s meager form. This energy was shifted, splitting in two and separating into her forehooves, making them glow. With power coursing through her and the confidence that came with indignation, Fluttershy reached forwards.

Both of her hooves sunk into the bear’s chest, vanishing all the way until they nearly reached her shoulders. Her brow then furrowed once more, and she began to move frantically within the creature’s body, her hooves glowing brightly. Energy ebbed and flowed inside of her, the flow of magic nearly constant as she worked with an almost manic intensity.

Minutes ticked by as the adult bear loomed large a few feet away, a veritable swarm of animals hugging it tightly. Throughout it all, Fluttershy never once blinked, her focus unbroken and her efforts continuous. It wasn't until nearly ten minutes later when she finally pulled back one of her hooves and gripped the fletching of the arrow tightly.

What felt like the entire forest held its breath while Fluttershy readied herself before finally tugging firmly. With a single powerful yank, she extracted the arrow and revealed that there was only pink, freshly grown skin beneath. The projectile was tossed aside and crushed by the angry bear who stomped on it until not even splinters remained.

Fluttershy herself breathed a sigh of relief only after she noticed the small bear was beginning to stir. Its chest rose and fell with increased vigor, and its only eye opened, curiously peering up at her. Only then did she pull back fully and extracted her other hoof from the animal, allowing it to stand on its own four legs.

“There you go. Go on back to your dad,” Fluttershy coaxed.

The slightly deformed young bear placed its head against Fluttershy’s chest for several seconds before turning around. It lopped awkwardly into the larger bear’s waiting embrace, quickly becoming buried in a mountain of dark fur. With the crisis averted, and the young animal healed, every creature present celebrated, voicing their joy to the heavens.

Fluttershy merely smiled and trotted up to the bear. “What happened?”

The black mountain looked down from his child to Fluttershy before growling for nearly a minute, its pitch rising and falling.

“No matter how much you wish to protect them, sometimes there isn't anything you can do,” Fluttershy replied.

The bear grumbled quietly.

“I know it isn't fair, but at least your son will survive,” Fluttershy offered.

The large bear growledand stomped his foot angrily, gesturing back the way he came.

“I know, I know,” Fluttershy placated, forehooves raised before her. “The sunsworn are a menace, but they’ll be dealt with soon enough.”

This seemed to catch the bear off guard, and he growled in confusion.

“Yes, it's true,” Fluttershy replied. “The other creatures of the forest have rallied all we can at the old castle. There we’ll fight, and there we will beat them.”

Fluttershy’s jaw tightened, and her hoof clenched. “This I swear.”

Rainbow Dash stopped in front of the small, out-of-the-way room hidden within the depths of the night guard barracks. Tucked away in some long ill-used section of the castle, it was the perfect place for a group of thestrals looking for quiet. She found little in the way of silence, however, as nearly everywhere she could hear the sounds of celebration.

Glasses were clattered against one another, and toasts were shouted over the sounds of speeches or rants. Here at least Rainbow Dash could hear herself think, though it was still difficult on her sensitive ears. The castle’s acoustics were good, but time and weather had beaten down this section quite badly. At least it still stood and didn't appear ready to collapse like the section which held the Nightsworn’s soldiers.

One last check to her saddlebag assured Rainbow Dash that the bottle of mead was still there. With that done, she pushed open the door and was immediately greeted by a hearty shout from all four of the room’s inhabitants. Three of whom were stallions, the last being a mare, all of which were thestrals in service of the night guard.

“If it isn't Rainbow Crash!” exclaimed a large, broad-winged stallion whose face was partially covered by his moplike brown mane.

“Here to steal a bit of our booze no doubt,” added another stallion with an equally obscuring mane of white, though he had a darker brown fur and was a little shorter than his fellow. “You better hide it, Score.”

“Well, she can't have any,” declared the shortest of the three, a slightly rounded grey-furred male with a cleanly cut mane of dark black hair and a bottle of unlabeled booze in his hoof. “We only got the one, same as everyone else.”

“Nah,” proclaimed the lone other female who reclined in her bed and swirled a glass of dark orange liquid. “She’s here to check me out.”

“Pfft, you wish, Night Glider,” scoffed Rainbow Dash. “I don't want to deal with whatever swill they assigned to you, so I brought my own.”

“Hey, it ain't swill,” exclaimed the largest of the three stallions. “Dark Hallow busted out the good stuff for us.”

“I still think it tastes a bit pompous,” murmured the shortest of the bunch. “And it's not like we have enough to even get a little tipsy anyway.”

“Can't have you three drunkards hungover during the battle tomorrow,” pointed out the other female, her dark blue hoof running through her slick-backed mane of white and grey hair. “Not like we’d be losing much though.”

“Hey. We had the best scores in the guard and were top five even after Rainbow Dash left us,” the brown-coated stallion added, tossing a wink at Rainbow Dash.

Who rolled her eyes. “You say that like it was my intention. May I remind you that I did not leave you; I got reassigned.”

“Same difference,” added the orange stallion.

“Hoops, Dumb-Bell, you two are idiots,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “It's lucky you have Score and Night Glider to help you. Or at least Score, anyway.”

“Hey, I’m smart!” Night Glider exclaimed.

“Yeah, when it comes to constellations. Anything outside of that and you're as ignorant as a newborn,” Score pointed out, causing everyone else to laugh.

Even Night Glider, who chuckled briefly, before shifting over on her cot. “Take a load off, Crash. Unless you're angling to squeeze in with those three bozos.”

“And ruin the gay love triangle they got going on? No way,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, dropping down next to the other female.

“H-hey!” shouted Hoops.

“Give it up, Hoops. I’m pretty sure all of Ponyville heard about our escapades after the last Hearth's Warming party at work,” Score remarked flippantly.

“That did get a bit more heated than I would like…” Dumb-Bell murmured.

“Aaanyway,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, pulling the bottle from her bag and popping its top. “I gotta run in a bit, so y'all might have to help me out here.”

“Now that's something I wouldn't mind giving you a hoof with,” Score declared eagerly, sitting further up on his cot.

“Finish what you got, ladies,” Night Glider shouted.

With a combined wince, the four thestrals all threw back their remaining drinks and swallowed hard. They then extended their hooves, allowing Rainbow Dash to fill up their empty cups before she took a swig from the mostly empty bottle. For a moment they all took a sip, or a much larger mouthful of booze, enjoying it for several seconds or simply swallowing it without a second thought.

“Ahh, not bad,” Dumb-Bell murmured. “You don't have a half-bad taste in booze, Crash.”

“It's too bad your taste in mares ain't as good,” Hoops declared.

“Hey, Fluttershy is the best person I’ve ever met!” Rainbow Dash declared.

“There's no doubt about that,” Night Glider exclaimed.

“I’ve heard of robbing the cradle before, but never robbing the grave,” Score added.

Rainbow Dash sat back down, grumbling bitterly to herself while the rest of her former squad shared a laugh.

“For real, though,” Night Glider began, leaning forward, “we’re all real proud of you for finally shackin’ up with her. You certainly were eying her for long enough.”

“Yeah, well… it was complicated,” Rainbow Dash murmured.

“Knock knock,” exclaimed a voice from the doorway. “Excuse me.”

Everyone present in the small room turned towards the entrance, where a tall, spindly thestral stood. She wore the tight, form-fitting, and all-encompassing leather armor only seen amongst the members of the nightsworn. Though it lacked the usual added plates and chainmail undershirt, there was no mistaking her for anyone else.

“What is one of the nightsworn’s death knights doing here?” spat Hoops in a low tone, cup held close to his chest.

“I merely wished to share a drink with my fellow warriors,” offered the towering thestral with glowing blue eyes and midnight black fur. “Unless you don't wish to partake in my glow root wine.”

Everyone looked to the large, almost black glass bottle that contained a swirling mixture of shimmering dark blue liquid. The single candle that burned on a shelf illuminated the contents, its light reflecting off the many strange sparkles contained within. It was a mesmerizing sight, one which immediately made the mouths of nearly every thestral present begin watering.

“Err, yeah, take a seat!” Night Glider offered.

“Hold on a second. Are you sure we should be drinkin’ with her?” Dumb-Bell whispered.

“I don't see why not. We are allies, aren't we?” replied the nightsworn evenly, her tone vibrating strangely. “I suppose if you are unnerved by me, then I can take my drink elsewhere.”

“No!” Score shouted, only to quickly sit back down. “Err, no. You can stay.”

“Excellent,” declared the strange mare.

She stepped inside, closed the door behind her, and then plunked down on the ground. With a flick of her wrist, she retrieved a knife from her belt and plucked the cork from the bottle. She tossed the used stopper aside and was about to pour everyone a glass, only to see they were still chugging the contents of their cups.

All save for Rainbow Dash, who sipped at her bottle quietly, her gaze never leaving the newcomer.

“Say,” Rainbow Dash began, “I thought you guys were all undead.”

“You are half correct,” replied the taller mare. “We contain within us the spark of undeath. This hint of necromantic power gives us strength beyond strength and resilience found only in our eternalized siblings.”

“That's the word for your zom- err, undead soldiers, right?” Hoops muttered, hoof extended with empty cup held tight.

“Yes,” replied the newcomer through gritted teeth. “Though I appreciate you watching your words, I would appreciate it if you kept a more diligent eye on them. To dishonor the fallen is an insult worthy of death to some.”

“Err, sorry,” Hoops murmured.

“Apology accepted,” replied the other thestral, who poured him and the others a cup of the swirling liquid. “And my name is Mist Walker. Though if you feel comfortable, you may simply call me Misty.”

“Mist Walker it is,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Wow, this is very good,” muttered Dumb-Bell. “Like, really good.”

“I had heard that glow root was good, but I would have never expected that it was this good,” added Hoops.

“To think something could be so sweet, and still taste like wine,” whispered Score.

“You got any more of this stuff?” Night Glider inquired.

“Only the one bottle, I’m afraid,” Mist Walker replied. “And I would offer you all more, but your friend here received none.”

All eyes turned to Rainbow Dash, who frowned the second the attention landed on her. The looks on her friends’ faces were read so easily that their intentions may well have been written on their foreheads. Half wanted her to try, the other half wanted her to decline so there was more for them.

Though intrigued, Rainbow Dash couldn't help but turn to Mist Walker herself before a decision was made. What she found in those glowing orbs was a strangely prominent warmth as well as an earnest desire for companionship. Peering a little closer revealed that she was still a little nervous, her muscles tighter than they needed to be.

“Oh, alright,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, prompting a wave of groans from her former squad. “Just pass me a cup.”

Mist Walker smiled, having relaxed slightly. “Of course, Miss…”

Rainbow Dash snagged an empty cup handed to her by Night Glider. “It's Rainbow Dash, and you better not forget it.”

“I won't,” Mist Walker claimed. “I promise.”

“So, I’m going to assume that you don't know anything about cooking, and that having you in the kitchen is a bad idea,” Spike deadpanned.

Twilight blinked once, twice, then a third time. “I mean… I’m not very good.”

“That might be a bit harsh though,” Midnight offered.

Spike shrugged. “It's fine. My Twilight was an absolute burden when it came to making food. It took me forever to get her trained enough that she made a decent prep chef.”

“I think I can manage to chop and prepare stuff for you,” Twilight exclaimed. “I assisted my mother plenty back before my illness progressed and my hooves shook too bad.”

“That's good to hear,” Spike exclaimed, gesturing to one of the counters along the wall of the kitchen. “Then you’ll set up here. I’ll pass you stuff, you cook, peel, or otherwise prepare it for me, okay?”

“Got it,” Twilight exclaimed.

The undead unicorn trotted over to her spot, though she didn't initially do anything, merely staring off into space.

“And what would you have me do?” Midnight Moon offered.

“I want you to grab all the fresh supplies we have left. I want to see what we can make with it all,” Spike exclaimed.

“Got it,” Midnight declared.

The shadowy pony grew taller and used her newfound height to begin rummaging through the cupboards, pulling out every bit of fresh food they had and adding it to a slowly growing pile on the counter. Twilight, meanwhile, was still staring off into space, her gaze distant and unfocused on any one thing.

“So, gonna be a big fight tomorrow. Do you think we’ll win?” Spike asked.

“I don't know,” Midnight Moon replied. “I want to say yes, but so much is unknown about Celestia’s forces.”

“But I thought you saw all the reports we had on them?” Spike shot back, pulling various vegetables from their bags and placing them in piles. “Shouldn't you know all that?”

“I’ve seen the testimony and heard the opinion of your commanders, but it isn't the same,” Midnight Moon explained. “I need to see them fight with my own eyes if I am to truly gauge their strengths.”

“I don't think you have eyes,” Spike pointed out.

The shadow pony paused mid-step and shot the diminutive dragon a glare. “You know exactly what I mean.”

Spike chuckled. “Anyway.”

“Yes, anyway,” Midnight picked up, her hooves pulling open another cupboard. “I can get a good idea from the info gathered, but it will be interesting to see how they truly stack up. My knowledge of warfare might be a thousand years out of date, but I doubt this time period has seen the scale of battle that I have.”

“True,” Spike admitted.

Midnight Moon shifted over next to Twilight and reached towards the cupboard near the undead unicorn’s head. “Excuse me, Twilight.”

Twilight gasped and stumbled back, a hoof going to her heart.

“I’m sorry to startle you,” Midnight Moon quickly added.

“It's… fine,” Twilight exclaimed between gasps of air.

“Are you alright?” Midnight Moon pressed, leaning in close.

Twilight's already wide eyes only grew wider still, and she struggled to speak, her chest rising too rapidly for her to utter a word.

“Back up,” Spike quickly interjected, stepping between the two.

Midnight Moon obliged, stumbling away from the despondent undead. “What's going on?”

“She's having a panic attack,” Spike explained. “We need to get her some water and space to breathe.”

“Of course,” Midnight murmured, swiftly trotting away.

Spike leaned down and gently lifted Twilight from the floor, his eyes scanning over her slightly pale form. Her heart, long-dormant, now thudded in her chest, and a sweat had broken out over her entire body. Twilight could barely even seem to look in a single direction for long, her eyes rolling around in their sockets as she panted for breath.

“Just breathe, Twilight. In and out. Focus only on that,” Spike whispered calmly.

Midnight Moon returned a moment later with a cup of cool water. “I don't understand. She isn't even alive.”

“Yeah, but her unconscious doesn't know that,” Spike exclaimed, taking the cup and pressing it against Twilight's lips. “Here, drink.”

Twilight nodded mutely, sipping briefly before pushing the cup away.

“It's going to be right here when you're ready for more,” Spike whispered, placing the cup a foot from the undead mare’s midsection. “Now I want you to draw circles with your hoof on your other hoof. Can you do that for me?”

Twilight nodded once more, doing as she was asked without question.

Several tense moments passed before the mare’s breathing began to return to normal before stopping entirely. The sweat that covered her began to dry, and her eyes finally focused on a single point for more than a few seconds.

“I’m glad that's over,” Midnight murmured.

“A panic attack can last ten minutes or even longer. The worst effects have merely subsided,” Spike explained. “Are you ready for more water?”

Twilight nodded. “Thank you, Spike.”

“It's okay. I had to help my own Twilight with this more than a few times,” Spike replied.

“She was so strong and confident though,” Twilight offered before sipping more of the cool water.

“Confidence has nothing to do with a panic attack,” Spike declared. “Even Celestia herself suffered from such events before, well… you know.”

“I… did not know that,” Midnight Moon muttered. “Though my memories of Luna grow fainter by the day.”

“Those with great responsibility are the most stressed and the most prone to these attacks. It's not a matter of strength,” Spike continued.

“Thank you,” Twilight muttered. “Maybe I should step outside for a few minutes.”

“That may be for the best,” Spike replied, turning to the shadow pony. “Go with her. I’ll handle making dinner.”

“Do you have any tips?” Midnight offered.

“Keep her mind off what's going on and don't mention what started this all,” Spike answered.

Midnight Moon winced, glancing over to where Twilight was stumbling towards the kitchen door.

“You mean her mother, right?” Midnight whispered in a low tone.

“And try to avoid talking about the battle or death in general,” Spike added.

“Keep it light. I can do that,” Midnight exclaimed.

“Good. I’m trusting you with this one. Dusk has a lot in common with my Twilight, so she’ll probably need someone there to keep her from spiraling,” Spike stated.

Midnight nodded. “I won't let you or her down.”

The shadow pony trotted over to the unicorn, catching her just as she was about to fall over. They then walked out the door together, making their way outside and out of earshot of Spike.

“They are so much alike,” he wistfully remarked before turning back to the counter. “Now then. What the heck can I make with this pile of random odds and ends?”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Midnight Moon asked gently, her shadowy hoof pressed against Twilight's shoulder.

The undead unicorn rolled her eyes. “For the third time, I’m fine.”

“Well, I had to be certain. I promised Spike, after all,” Midnight replied.

“I understand, but just trust me now,” Twilight exclaimed.

“Alright,” Midnight acquiesced.

Twilight smiled faintly as she reached for the entrance, pushing it open and stepping fully into the library. Leaving the empty, quiet streets of Ponyville behind, Twilight walked into a lively scene that immediately made her stop. Her friends and assistants were all present, as well as Cadance, Chrysalis, Trixie, and of course Spike, though the dragon was not seated like the others.

Upon Midnight closing the door behind them, all eyes landed on Twilight, and the room became quiet. At least for a single second anyway, as a cheer immediately went up.

“Oh, thank the stars you’re here,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “Spike wouldn't let us eat until you showed up.”

“It's rude!” shouted the dragon from the kitchen.

“How are ya feelin’?” Applejack asked, the mare’s voice carrying no pity, only simple and genuine care.

“Better,” Twilight replied, trotting over to the empty chair but stopping herself before she sat down. “I just need to grab something.”

“Be quick about it. Smelling this food without being able to eat is torture!” Trixie shouted.

“Take your time, darling,” offered Rarity as Twilight trotted away.

Spike returned a moment later with another large pot, adding it to the three which were already sitting out. A quick sniff determined that it was done and required only a pinch more salt as well as a ladle to make serving just a little easier. He made sure to check the other two large serving containers before finally seating himself and cluing into the conversation.

Nearly everyone present was chatting about something, having broken off into smaller groups to talk. Except for Midnight Moon, who was standing next to his chair, the towering shadow pony peering intently down at him.

“Is that… stew?” asked the ethereal creature.

“And soup,” Spike corrected. “There wasn't much I could do with what we had left, so I did a quick garden vegetable and threw in some spices.”

“It sure smells good,” Applejack murmured, the mare sniffing the air intently.

“Pfft, not enough rocks,” Pinkie Pie declared.

“You know you can just add rocks to your own bowl, right?” Spike replied.

“Way ahead of you, big guy,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, the troll pulling out a bag of stones and dropping it onto the table with a loud thump. “I brought all my best-tasting stones. You guys want any?”

A chorus of no’s was accented by a single enthusiastic yes from across the table.

“That's if you wouldn't mind sharing,” Cadance added with a smile.

Pinkie Pie blinked before bursting out into a grin of her own. “Well, of course not. I wouldn't have offered if that was a problem!”

Spike hummed. “You know, now that you mention it, I wouldn't mind giving one a shot.”

“I got plenty to go around,” Pinkie Pie proclaimed.

As the gang began to eagerly discuss what exactly a tasting rock did to a bowl of soup or stew, Twilight descended the stairs. A small wooden box was held in her grip, one that she placed gently on the table before opening it up. Revealing six simple gold bands and a seventh that was adorned with a purple gem in its center.

“What are those?” inquired the gentle voice of Fluttershy.

“These are simple bands enchanted with a teleportation spell,” Twilight began, lifting the rings from the box. “Sunset Shimmer and I made them as part of a plan I was working on.”

“Oh, whuf dat?” Rainbow Dash asked through a mouthful of stew.

“Well, it's fairly obvious that Celestia’s goal is twofold,” Sunset Shimmer began. “One, to test her new golems, and two, kill Twilight.”

“It is still quite strange to hear that Celestia is evil. Why, it feels like just yesterday that she patted me on the back and thanked me for helping the previous Twilight with her studies,” Beaker remarked. “I mean, she did so with enough force that she nearly knocked me onto my belly, but it was still nice.”

“That is because you are weak,” remarked Sharp Eye critically.

“Regardless,” Twilight interrupted, “I expect that they will have some sort of plan to pierce the castle and strike me directly. With this in mind, I was thinking that when the time came, I could summon you to my side. If that's alright with you guys, of course.”

“Well, of course it is, silly!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “Why wouldn't we do our best to help our friend?”

“Yeah, you’re family now, Twi,” Applejack added.

Twilight smiled as the rest of her friends all nodded or spoke their agreement. “That's wonderful to hear.”

“We were hoping that by having you spread out where you were best suited to help, the commander, this Tempest pony, would grow overconfident,” Sunset Shimmer continued. “Allowing us to reverse things on her with mass teleportation.”

“I assume that it would work even for me?” Fluttershy inquired.

“Yes, it should work on you as well,” Twilight replied.

Fluttershy sighed. “Oh, good.”

“Not a bad plan. Though I would have chosen veteran fighters rather than your closest friends,” Chrysalis pointed out.

“I’m sure that Twilight considered that,” Cadance remarked before leaning towards Spike. “This stew is amazing, by the way. I’m impressed you brought out such powerful flavor from the rather lackluster ingredients.”

Spike beamed. “Thanks, Cadance.”

“I did,” Twilight declared. “I really only know how to fight with them, and I don't have time to receive real combat training with another group.”

“See?” Cadance pressed.

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “Still, I would have gathered Dark Hallow’s best and simply stood back, allowing them to fight while you remained safe.”

“I can't in good conscience ask others to fight my battles for me,” Twilight winced and rubbed the back of her neck. “Well, not all of them, anyway.”

“It is a good idea,” Sharp Eye stated suddenly, her calm voice cutting through the air. “You and your friends are more powerful than you seem, and together that power is increased tenfold.”

“Power alone does not win battles. I have seen armies felled by only a single, well-placed dagger,” Chrysalis remarked flippantly.

“This fight will not be a subtle one,” Sharp Eye continued. “It is one of raw, naked aggression and overwhelming force meeting one another in battle. Celestia is not the subtle type, even now.”

“On that, we agree,” Chrysalis murmured.

“Regardless,” Twilight picked up. “The rings should fit on your forehooves, either under or over whatever armor you will choose to wear. They will also heat up and vibrate just as you are about to be teleported to me.”

Sunset Shimmer used her magic to distribute the bracelets to Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and herself. Leaving the one adorned by a single purple gem directly in front of Twilight.

“Ooh, the tingler. I think I saw this kind of thing in a rather risque shop once,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed while spinning the bracelet around on the end of her hoof.

“Don't be crass,” Applejack exclaimed.

“I think it looks nice,” Fluttershy added.

“Is that all the grim talk out of the way?” Spike asked while he walked back into the kitchen. “Because I found a couple of bottles of wine at the back of one of the cabinets and thought it might make a good addition to dinner.”

“Ooh, what kinda wine you got, Spikey Wikey?” Pinkie Pie eagerly inquired.

Spike returned a moment later with a large, dark bottle in his claws. “Chat’o Roth’s’child. Or something. I don't speak Prench.”

“Aged for a thousand and fifty years,” Applejack murmured as she inspected the label. “This could be good.”

Sharp Eye clacked her jaw in irritation. “Now I really wish I had my tongue.”

“I think I know why too,” Beaker added, whispering into where the other skeleton’s ear would be.

“Quiet, you,” Sharp Eye hissed, her illusionary self blushing profusely.

“Actually,” Sunset spoke up, “I have a spell for that.”

Sharp Eye chuckled. “In that case, bring on the booze.”

Author's Note

The Opening Salvo Is Fired

The defenders of Everfree Castle held their collective breath in anticipation and stared out at the forest. In the distance, they could all hear the snap, thump of trees being felled one after another. That was the only sound they heard, as the birds had fled, just like the rest of the denizens of the wood.

All save for those forces who now stood in its defense, their various limbs planted firmly atop the freshly reinforced walls. Now wielding weapons as numerous and varied as the types of creatures that had responded to Dark Hallow’s call for aid. Regardless of what they wielded, the many defenders waited, their muscles tense and their resolve steeled.

Alone atop the walls, at the highest point of the keep, stood Twilight Sparkle, the mare nervously chewing on her lip. The roof and battlements of the keep had received their finishing touches only a half hour early and had yet to receive a coat of paint. That was a small concern, as it meant that the final battleground was primed and ready for the struggle that would take place there.

No traps, magical or otherwise, awaited the attackers up here, only a blank expanse of roof clear of obstacles. The only thing that could get in the way was the stairs which lay in the far corner, behind Twilight, and out of sight of the distracted mare. A small part of the pony’s mind tried to tell her to lay some sort of killing curse or defensive ward, but she resisted that temptation.

There was a chance that such a thing could end up backfiring and hurting her friend, a possibility Twilight wouldn't allow. So she reassured herself once more that the bracelets would work, and that their plan would be enough to gain victory here. Just thinking about what was about to happen made Twilight want to summon her friends to discuss it one last time.

Yet again she resisted, reminding herself that it was a relatively simple series of actions that they already discussed. In an effort to dismiss her worries, the undead mare took a deep, unnecessary breath, the action steadying herself ever so slightly. She knew that she required no oxygen, but there was something about inhaling a deep lungful that helped.

With her nerves now under control, she gazed down at the spot where she knew the attackers would appear. Already she could see that the forest had thinned significantly, though not many could likely see such a thing. The omnipresent moon that had hung overhead in the same spot for over a thousand years was gone, blocked out by clouds.

Without its light, the land was bathed in darkness so deep that a creature of the light would find it almost impossible to see. Worse still, for those creatures not born of the night, Castle Everfree sported no illumination of any kind. No candles burned in its windows, and no torches adorned its walls, leaving the castle and its defenders nearly invisible.

Such an advantage was already being negated, as numerous flaming shapes moved amongst the distant trees. Squinting into the night, Twilight was able to make out the semi-formless shape of fire elementals in the distance. The horde of flaming creatures was far ahead of the rest of the force, though that didn't bother them one iota.

Twilight watched as the wall of golden flames rushed forward, incinerating grass and setting alight what got in their way. Within only a few seconds, they had reached the treeline, but they didn't stop there, charging blindly across the field and towards the castle. As they ran, they hurled fireballs and spat streams of flame at the castle’s defenders, lighting up the night.

These strikes were met with shields both magical and mundane, completely negating the attacks. The fire elementals didn't care one bit and simply kept attacking, their numbers soon filling the plains beyond the castle’s walls. Their aggression was met with indifference, the gathered army waiting until the fire elementals drew closer.

It was at the point that these strange, otherworldly creatures got near enough that Twilight could hear the angry crack of their flames that a response was launched. Hidden glyphs sparked to light, ignited by a dryad and her ghostly allies from within the castle grounds. Once glowing with power, the runes soon erupted with water, dousing the fires started by the elementals.

Not only that, but they also destroyed the majority of them outright, their forms withering from the sudden flood. Fountains sprung up all across the grounds, raining down water so cold that it was able to put out even the unquenchable flames of a fire elemental. A few survived and neared the gorge that surrounded the castle, but they were cut down by lances of ice fired from the walls. Though the elementals had perished by the droves and had seemingly accomplished little, they left behind a great bank of steamy fog.

Twilight hissed and chewed on her hoof. “Not good. It's going exactly as Dark Hallow feared,” she thought aloud.

The unicorn’s shadow rose up to reveal Midnight Moon suddenly standing next to her, leaning on the battlements.

“This obstacle won't bother us for long,” Midnight declared.

Twilight resisted the urge to tell Midnight that it didn't matter, but the undead mare held back. Instead she focused her attention on the battlefield, watching as the fog bank cleared to reveal exactly what she feared. The Celestial army had used the cover to establish their forward camps, only camp wasn't the correct word for it.

There were no tents, no store of supplies, and no defensive structures or trenches being constructed. Only a massive wall of magically enchanted stone formed a wall between the attackers and defenders. Hidden behind the barrier were the knights and mages of the Celestial army, their ranks tight.

The casters were at the center, their horns already alight in a single unified cast. The defenders attempted to disrupt this by firing spells of their own or loosing arrows, but they were intercepted. The golems’ personal magical shields flashed into being, turning aside the scattered attacks launched their way.

By the time a more unified effort was gathered, the Celestial soldiers had completed their task. A golden beam shot up into the air, before hitting an invisible barrier and spreading across it like oil on glass. Within the span of a heartbeat, the shield was complete, and the attackers were protected by a wall of impenetrable magic.

The defenders tested it by firing trebuchets, shooting bolts, and launching a few spells, but the effort was half-hearted. Sure enough, the barrier withstood it all without showing any signs of weakening, or even that it was affected at all. That didn't perturb or surprise the Everfree’s champions one bit, however, and they remained impassive. Even as the Celestial warriors shifted, spreading apart and breaking into smaller squads, the defenders waited.

Twilight tore her gaze from the army’s maneuvering and glanced down to the castle courtyard. There, next to the keep was Fluttershy, Zecora, and a small swarm of ghosts and their attendant animals. No signal needed to be sent before they started to pool their energy into a single powerful spell.

Zebra chanting echoed from below, Zecora’s voice somehow as clear as day despite the distance. Twilight herself knew none of the words, though the intention was as clear as it was menacing. Go back the way you came or feel the full, unbridled fury of the Everfree and those sworn to defend it.

The defenders were emboldened, while the attackers didn't even seem to notice, their morale bolstered by their commander. Several barked orders later, the attacking force seemed ready to move out, held back by some unspoken command. It split into squads of golems and knights, the mages remaining behind, undefended but still confident.

Clearly trusting in their magical protection completely, the mages were beginning to cast another spell. This one was larger and seemed intent on funneling energy from the other lesser unicorns up to Tempest Shadow. Whose golden aura captured the borrowed strength and focused it into a small, narrow beam.

Though thin, weak, and easily blocked by the defensive wards placed upon the castle’s main gate, the spell was quickly growing in power. Becoming thicker and brighter, it clashed against the dark blue barrier that protected the gatehouse. At the point of impact, sparks flew, and jets of plasma splashed off to the side, burning everything they touched.

“They aren't working fast enough,” Twilight muttered. “Their commander shouldn't be able to channel that much power, not with a broken horn anyway.”

“Hold, Twilight,” Midnight warned. “The spirits can handle this.”

“No. Everything was calculated perfectly, if they can't hold the gate, then it all goes down the toilet,” Twilight retorted.

“Just give it a second,” Midnight Moon exclaimed, reaching out with a shadowy hoof. “They need time to cast their spell.”

But Twilight was already gone, her body falling to the ground as her spirit leaped over the side. Upon hitting the ground, the undead reformed her body around her soul, appearing only a few feet away from the group. Even from a distance, Twilight could tell that panic was mere seconds from breaking out and destroying their cohesion.

Applejack had come running the moment things had seemingly gone wrong, and even Zecora seemed shocked, her chant vanishing as she focused completely on the spell. The other casters, the ghosts, and their dryad leader stood within carefully constructed spheres around a large ring. Within which were numerous arcane symbols that were slowly filling with power and glowing with a dark green energy.

“What's goin’ on? How can I help?” asked Applejack, only to be ignored.

From a glance, Twilight was able to discern that they did not have nearly enough time to finish their incantation before disaster struck. For a moment Twilight considered going out and trying to help reinforce the door, but dismissed that notion. She could only cast necromancy spells that had a wider range than she would have thought, but could not do that.

She couldn't help hold back the tide of solar energy pounding at their gates, but she could give strength to spirits. Glancing down at the wavering undead unique to the forest, Twilight summoned her power and extended several tendrils. The glowing purplish green lines connected each of the ghosts as well as Zecora and Fluttershy.

With a grunt, Twilight sent each of them a burst of strength the likes of which they had probably never felt before. Instantly, the various undead lurched upward, their forms rippling as foreign energy coursed through them. All that power didn't remain inside of them for long though, as they pushed it in turn to the spell.

Glyphs and runes filled rapidly, quickly eclipsing all the efforts they had made before that moment. Within only a few seconds, the spell was nearly ready, but time was running out for them. A glance towards the gatehouse revealed that the barricade was beginning to glow a faint gold color.

The defensive enchantment was weakening, and there wouldn't be much time left before it collapsed completely. When that happened, the beam would annihilate the door and likely do considerable damage to the keep. Twilight refused to let this happen, and so she pushed as hard as she dared, willing the undead to take a greater portion of her power.

Again light surged into them, and again the spell matrix accelerated towards completion. Only this time it filled completely before shifting colors and becoming a sickly shade of greenish blue. Seeing this, Twilight smiled and pulled back, visions of victory swirling within her mind.

Take them far, far away, Twilight thought to herself.

The magic built for a moment longer before with a flash of light it was completed, and she vanished. She didn't go alone either, as Zecora, a confused Applejack, Fluttershy, and the rest of her ghostly entourage vanished alongside her. Across the field of battle, the mages that had been serving as Tempest’s living batteries simply ceased to be. Like the select group of defenders, they were simply there one moment and gone the next.

Tempest Shadow’s spell immediately dissipated, and she turned around to glare at the army, but stopped before she could make a sound.

“What, how… where?” muttered the mare.

Her neck violently snapped to one side, then cracked back the other way, her eyes glowing a bright gold color.

“Worthless,” she spat in a dark, unnatural voice. “This avatar is too weak to channel my full power and fully push back that wretch, Chaos.”

The possessed pony spat in disgust once more before staring at the spot she had last detected the powerful necromantic energies. “No matter, the usurper shall be dealt with, all other objectives will be ignored,” she muttered to herself. “So long as she dies, the effort will not have been in vain. Squire, bury the back-up plan.”

The second the full fury of the possessed mare fell upon Tempest’s second, her hooves began to move. Before her brain could even process what was happening, she was grabbing the heavily warded locator rune. With the surprisingly weighty hunk of stone in her hoof, the pony all but sprinted towards a hidden area of the dome off to one side.

“You, dig a hole. I’ll tell you when to stop,” she barked, pointing to one of the golems at random.

Tempest shook her head, the golden glow dissipating and leaving in its wake only a dull headache. She wondered what had happened for a moment before dismissing it, focusing herself on the battlefield. A plan was needed, one that would need to be as daring as it was lightning fast, if it had any hope of succeeding.

“Right then, all-out assault is off the table. We may not survive, but by the sun’s grace we shall be victorious,” Tempest muttered aloud.

Twilight hit the ground hard, the mare struggling to stand as her head rolled about her shoulders. Next to her the ghosts, Zecora, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Midnight Moon were in a similar situation. Fully corporeal or not, the sudden transition left the group confused and temporarily unable to make heads or tails of where they were.

“What happened? Did it work?” Twilight muttered.

She stumbled briefly before bracing herself on what she thought was the keep wall. Yet it was warm and softer than the cold stone she had expected, prompting her eyes to snap open. What she beheld was indeed not the Castle Everfree, but instead a tree, an apple tree to be exact. One illuminated by the dying embers of the day and half consumed by the encroaching night.

Above her head hung withered bulbs, the fruit they were supposed to bear having shrunk down to the size of an acorn. Other trees like it ran in rows in every direction, going all the way to the horizon and filling Twilight's vision with green. Though a moment’s inspection revealed that they were mostly brown, with even the grass having suffered some unknown malady.

“I don't think we're at the keep anymore,” Applejack muttered.

“It does not seem so, but why were we taken, and where are the mages?” Midnight Moon muttered.

“Instead of having any more hearings, we should go up there and gather our bearings,” Zecora exclaimed, pointing to a hill to the right.

“Right, we need to find the Celestial mages before they find us,” Twilight agreed.

Fluttershy nodded and though her ghostly friends seemed to disagree, they followed silently regardless.

Together the group moved towards their goal, silently plodding through the dying orchard at a gentle pace. Everyone seemed curious about their surroundings, though none moreso than Applejack, who stopped to touch a particularly twisted tree as they passed. Her bark-covered hoof soon recoiled, and she hastily trotted after the group, a dark expression on her face.

Noticing her friend’s disgust, Twilight took a few steps toward her and leaned down slightly. “What is it? Do you know where we are?” Twilight inquired.

“I think… I think I’m home,” Applejack murmured. “I recognized that tree, but it's smaller for some reason.”

“I think we're about to find out where we are, or perhaps when we are,” Twilight murmured.

Upon cresting the hill, Twilight looked around and found herself in the midst of a great, dying orchard. Trees extended in all directions, their dry yellow leaves outnumbering what few living green ones remained. For all the orchard’s size, there were next to no healthy apples, only thousands of wilted, shriveled fruits.

“Look, there,” Applejack pointed out. “I think it's the old farmhouse.”

Twilight turned to find that there was indeed the Apple family homestead near the horizon. Behind it rested the setting sun, its rays shining brightly upon the home and casting a long shadow across the farmyard. No movement stirred within the house, and no creatures, animal or otherwise could be seen moving amongst the trees.

“This place is hated by the forest,” Fluttershy whispered, clutching her sides and shaking. “Such contempt, it's nearly overwhelming.”

“Do you think it's the mages’ intrusion?” asked a thestral ghost.

“No, this hate has burned for a long time,” murmured the minotaur spirit.

“Be wary, my friends, I have spotted our guests. We had best move quickly to rid this land of those pests,” Zecora exclaimed.

Twilight followed her hoof to find that within a hole in the trees a good distance away, there was a golden bubble. Inside of which stood the nearly two dozen Celestial mages huddled in a circle, visibly arguing amongst one another. Other than constructing a barrier, they had done nothing of note, remaining exactly where they had been dumped by the forest.

“This is not what we intended,” Applejack murmured. “Why would the forest bring us here?”

“Isn't it obvious?” stated the minotaur ghost. “It has given us the battlefield we requested, and now to return, we must best these interlopers upon the chosen ground.”

“But why here, why now?” Fluttershy asked.

The minotaur snorted. “It is not our place to ask questions, but to act. So I say we do as such.”

“I… think you’re right,” Twilight murmured. “I don't understand why we are here, but our intention was to get rid of the mages.”

“I don't like this,” Fluttershy whispered. “There are no furry friends to call upon for aid, and they outnumber us.”

“There is no dead to raise either,” Twilight muttered, her gaze straying to the closest tree. “Unless…”

“Wait, hold on,” Applejack interjected. “If this is the time I think it is, and we are where we think we are, then we have a golden opportunity to change things.”

“That is not how this goes, and that is not how time flows,” Zecora interjected.

“Applejack, if we don't fight them, then we probably won't be able to go back to our own time,” Twilight offered.

Applejack bit her lip and began to pace. “What about we parlay with them? Make them fight us somewhere else, somewhere further away? Maybe we could avoid the fire, save my family, and tell them what they have to do.”

“Then you wouldn't exist,” Fluttershy whispered.

“I…” Applejack frowned and kicked a loose stone. “Gosh, darn it, I know I ain't makin’ any sense. I just wanna save my family all that heartache. If I don't get to exist in that future, then so be it.”

“We’ve already made the decision and chosen to fight here,” Twilight began. “The fire likely started because of the conflict, but that's a battle we’ve already fought.”

Applejack leaned on a nearby tree and stared down at the ground for nearly a minute before finally releasing a sigh. “Fine,” she muttered. “You know more about this wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff anyhow. If you say this is how it goes, then this is how it goes.”

“The only question now is if we survive, or how many of us come out of this alive,” Zecora added.

“I think Applejack is the only one here that can even truly be considered alive,” Midnight Moon pointed out.

Zecora chuckled. “Ahh, pardon me, my friend. I forget that not all of us have met our end.”

“Enough jabber,” interrupted the ghostly minotaur. “We need a plan, and we need it now. Once those foul assassins figure out where they are, they will attempt to return to this time period’s sun tyrant, and we cannot let that happen.”

“Right, everyone listen to Twilight. I think she has something in mind,” Fluttershy exclaimed.

Twilight nodded. “I do, but it's going to take a bit of preparation first.”

“Just tell us what needs doin’,” Applejack offered, a wooden helmet enclosing her head. “We’re behind ya, one hundred percent.”

“Okay, this is what we need to do,” Twilight began.

Twenty-three mages stood or sat in the center of their makeshift camp in a large circle. They were quiet and were watching the eldest of their group cast an intricate scrying spell. One that, once complete, left the aged pony even more confused than he had been a moment ago.

“That doesn't look like a good face. What did you find out?” asked one of the mages.

“Nothing good,” murmured the wrinkled male. “We aren't far from the Everfree Castle.”

“Finally some good news,” murmured another.

“It gets worse. As you can likely tell from the location of the holy sun, we have also been transported through time,” the scryer explained, gesturing to the horizon.

“So we haven't been just… knocked out for a while?” inquired a junior member.

“I think our diviner is about to explain that,” interrupted a third.

The older male nodded his head. “Indeed, and to answer your question, we have not gone forward in time, but instead have gone backward.”

“What? That's impossible,” muttered someone.

“It seems as though Chaos had just enough power to send us here, though for why, I do not know,” he admitted.

“Noone can understand the mind of Chaos,” intoned another, head bowed in reverence.

“How do we get back?” asked someone else.

“Why would we wish to?” replied the scryer. “Whether the enemy knew it or not, it has given us a great opportunity to serve the gods. If we give Her Majesty detailed accounts of what transpired, we will accelerate her great vision considerably.”

“But wouldn't that make us potentially not exist?” shouted a mage near the back.

“Then we will have given our lives in service of the crown,” declared the scryer.

“May she reign over all,” muttered everyone present.

“So, what now?” pressed one of the youngest mages.

“We go to Canterlot. Activate the reserve power runes and begin constructing a teleportation circle. We cannot afford to be caught so far from our lands,” continued the self-elected leader.

The mages immediately began to scramble in all directions, their horns alight as they began to draw the necessary matrixes. They didn't get far before a sudden commotion from the treeline drew the attention of one rather curious mage. Peering intently, the female unicorn saw what looked like a wolf, looking from around the other side of a tree.

“Sir,” she called, not taking her eyes from the animal. “I think you may wish to see this.”

The older caster trotted over to the edge of the defensive bubble and squinted at the treeline. “What is that?” he muttered.

“It looks like a timberwolf, sir,” murmured the young female.

The scrying expert pushed back the hood of his golden robes and scratched at his pale head. “Strange, this place is not yet corrupted by Chaos’ influence. There should be no…” His eyes opened wide. “Defensive positions! Ready acid and water spells. We have incoming!”

“Wait, who are we fighting?” she muttered in confusion.

“The forest didn't just send us, it took along some of the enemy. And remember. Don't use fire spells,” he ordered.

The flurry of activity reached a fever pitch, with segments splitting off to reinforce the barrier and stand ready while a small group continued to work away at the teleportation rune, only now with panic fueling their actions. Along the treeline, other wooden creatures of various sizes and shapes gathered.

Wolves, rabbits, wolverines, and even a large chimera could be spotted trundling through the orchard. Sporting glowing eyes and a wispy bluish-green energy suffusing their bodies, they moved with remarkable intelligence. None of the mages within knew it, but they were already surrounded by the time-displaced spirits favored by the forest.

Constructed from dead wood and fallen logs, their forms were reinforced with powerful necromantic magics. Though made of detritus and refuse found around the orchard, they slipped quite easily from shadow to shadow. Not only that, but their claws and teeth were sharp, glinting ever so slightly in the low light of twilight.

They didn't remain hidden amongst the trees for long, as the moment the mages began to prepare, the wooden animals attacked. As one, they leaped from the darkness, led by a massive bear that had emerged from a particularly dark shadow. The great beast stood out from its comrades by not only being larger, but also because it looked alive.

The wood that made up its form thrummed with life, and hundreds of vines bound its body together. Moss filled the gaps, leaving the creature almost completely green, save for its fiercely burning bright teal orbs. Unnaturally fast, it seemed to glide across the ground in near silence, hitting the barrier before anyone had a chance to react.

Paws, each larger than the average pony, slammed into the magical dome with enough force to send cracks spiraling in all directions. It didn't manage to deliver a second strike before the mages responded, however, and was blasted back by a jet of water. Slivers and small chunks of green went flying, but the damage was minimal, and the bear was in motion soon after. With a throaty growl on its wooden lips, it swiped once, then twice, rending small rifts in the barrier.

“Augh!” cried one of the mages, a hoof going to his temple.

His magic flared wildly, horn burning so bright that it nearly blinded his fellows. The out-of-control energy exploded, blowing apart the top of his head and sending brain matter flying in all directions.

“You four, focus on the barrier. You two, get that creature off of us!” bellowed the scryer.

Before the bear had a chance to capitalize on the opening it had made, it found itself blown all the way across the clearing. Two powerful pillars of water dissipated the moment their job was complete, their casters turning to the other animals. Who had used the attack of their leader to close the distance and begin their assault in earnest.

With fang and claw, they attempted to reproduce the minor success of the bear, though their efforts bore little fruit. They were strong, tenacious, and possessed powerful natural weapons, but they simply didn't have the weight. Each time it looked as though they were making headway, the barrier pulsed, and the gaps they had opened closed.

With their defenses secure, the mages began to push back, launching gouts of magically conjured acid. A wolf dissolved beneath the torrent, the sheer volume quickly overpowering its protective enchantments. Its closest ally, a raccoon the size of a pony, managed to avoid the attack, only to be blasted apart by a surge of water.

All around the circle the various wooden creatures were being driven back, the magical barrier shrugging off their attempts. The mage’s relief didn't last long, however, as no sooner had they felt as though victory was close, did something strange happen. The trees, which had stood impassively and watched until then, suddenly wrenched their roots from the earth.

Then, with a heave, they stood on newly formed limbs and lurched forward, their branches twisting into fists. As they moved, knots formed where eyes would be, and a bright orange glow ignited in the empty space within. The tidal wave of wood was bolstered by the return of the bear, who once more took the lead, only this time its steps thundered through the clearing.

Conjured acid did nothing to the creature, and even renewed attempts to blast it away with water did little. The mages, confused by this development, soon found out why their attacks did nothing when a segment of wood fell away. Revealing that inside the bear was a vast amount of dirt held together by hundreds of vines, the extra weight keeping it grounded.

“We can't keep them off, there are too many!” shouted a mage.

“It's too strong!” yelled another shortly before his horn erupted, and he tumbled to the side, dead before he hit the ground.

“Everyone but White Chalk and Steady Hoof, focus on the barrier. We can't let them through!” yelled the scryer, the mage adding his own magic in defense of their small camp.

Around him, other mages died or were knocked unconscious, the ponies giving their all to keep out the wooden creatures. For a moment it seemed as though they were doomed, with dozens of openings sprouting up all over the golden dome. Then, a pulse went out and healed them all, the scryer’s magic bolstering his underlings, granting them the reprieve they needed.

Focused utterly on defense, the unicorn mages could do nothing but watch as they were attacked from all angles. The bear slashed and pounded its giant paws alongside the myriad other wooden animals. All while the dozens of full-grown apple trees slammed their great fists down, each impact loud enough to be audible from a considerable distance.

The snarls, thumps, and growls were deafening, but no words needed to be spoken. The Celestial soldiers were focused utterly on the task at hoof, their horns blazing brightly in perfect unison. Behind them, the two rune crafters worked as fast they dared, drawing lines with magic or lighting braziers at certain points.

Further away, hidden out of sight behind a tool shed, stood Twilight Sparkle, the mare glaring out at the distant battle. Next to her, crouched on the ground with her forehooves buried in the earth, was Applejack, the farmer’s face contorted in concentration. Beside them waited Midnight Moon and Zecora, the zebra’s face an impassive mask of neutrality while the shadow moved with an impatient zeal.

“We should be out there. They don't know that I can get past the barrier, I can help!” Midnight Moon implored.

“The moment they realize you are there, they will change the barrier to keep you out,” Twilight muttered. “If you were to strike, we would only get one chance.”

“Well, whatever you’re doin’, do it quick! I can't keep this up forever, ya know!” Applejack interjected.

“Not that you asked, but the answer lies in the past,” Zecora offered.

“In the past…” Twilight murmured, her gaze focusing on the circle. “Wait, that's it-”

“Stay focused, only a few more minutes!” bellowed the eldest mage.

The other casters under his command said nothing, focusing utterly on feeding the barrier the enormous amount of magic it required to maintain. The two ponies assigned to get them out were moving quicker than ever, their magic flowing rapidly back and forth. Every single one of the surviving mages had little attention to give to anything but their assigned tasks.

So it was that they didn't notice a shadow stretching under the dome and extending all the way to the teleportation rune. There it bulged just enough for a hoof to solidify, reach up, and knock over one of the braziers. The moment the brightly burning candle hit the ground, a flame ignited and quickly began to reach in all directions.

Fueled by the dry dead grass, the fire burned hot, spreading rapidly and catching the rune crafters off guard. Their response was immediate, and they both began casting water spells the moment they saw the flames. Only one of them was able to release said magic, however, as his companion had his throat slit by a shadowy entity.

“What the hell is that!” shouted the survivor.

The former scryer and now impromptu commander of the remaining mages turned his attention to the intruder. It took only a moment for him to figure out what was amongst them, and with a pulse of his horn, he rearranged the runes in the barrier. In that time, Midnight Moon had removed the head from the other mage, leaving them without any rune crafters at all.

“Hold!” shouted the aged stallion.

Rising to his full height, he began to cast a second spell, a ball of water gathering before him. Condensation gathered, the orb grew, and for a moment he felt as though victory may be possible after all. Though like before, this sensation was short-lived, as the flames tickled his hooves and ignited the errant thread in his robes.

In a panic, he doused himself with what little water he had managed to gather and tried to start again. But by then the fire had reached his companions, and they soon suffered a similar fate to the one the scryer had just avoided. Only they were not as powerful, nor as wise, and could not divide their attention quite so easily, leaving them easy prey for the hungering flames.

“By the gods, it burns, it burns!” shouted one such unfortunate soul.

With the bottom of his robe now alight, the mage’s concentration wavered, and his spell fell apart. He was lucky, as the backlash only knocked him back a few feet. Most of his fellows did not share his fate. Horns exploded, killing or maiming their owners, while magical backlash tore ponies in half or turned those particularly unfortunate ones inside out.

None were spared, and within the span of a heartbeat, the barrier fell.

The wave of wooden creatures ignored the grass fire blazing uncontrollably around them and surged forward. The three mages who had survived the spell’s collapse found themselves with nowhere to go. Spells were loosed, and a defense was mounted, but it was brief, the group swiftly being torn apart.

The scryer awoke a moment later, the backlash having caused him to black out for a second. When he did, he found himself surrounded by flaming trees three times the height of him. Their glowing yellow eyes bored into his soul, judging him and finding him wanting.

“Get off my land,” muttered one of them.

The unicorn tried to light his horn, but smoke already filled his lungs, and he spent his last moments coughing. Then a massive fist, easily as big as he was, crushed him flat, ending his life before he could even mutter an insult.

Applejack gasped and recoiled. “That's the last of 'em,” she exclaimed.

Midnight Moon reformed a moment later, shaking herself vigorously. “And not a moment too soon, it doesn't seem like we have much time before the flames reach us.”

Twilight glanced over to find that the fire had already begun to spread to the rest of the orchard. The sight made Twilight think back to the time she had spent with the Apple family upon arriving in Ponyville. She recalled Granny’s dire warnings and the prophecy that Twilight would bring Celestia’s flaming wrath upon the farm.

“Huh,” Twilight muttered. “I guess that really did come true after all.”

“Great load a’ good you did us back there,” Applejack exclaimed.

Zecora shrugged, a soft smile on her face. “It is not quite yet my time, though when it comes, I shall shine.”

The small argument was interrupted by the ghosts as well as Fluttershy appearing in a swirling miasma of energy. The moment they emerged from the earth, they wrapped one another in a tight embrace. With Fluttershy at their center, the group laughed, cried, and shared a sublime moment of exultation.

“You guys did so good! I’m so proud of everyone!” Fluttershy declared.

“Not as proud as we are of you!” declared the lone minotaur. “You were massive!”

“I didn't know you could do that,” added another of the spirits.

“I didn't either, but with so much of Twilight's magic flowing through us, it felt natural!” Fluttershy exclaimed.

“Hold on a second, I think we’re glowing,” muttered the minotaur.

The spirits looked down upon themselves to find that they were indeed beginning to shimmer a vibrant green. Realization passed quickly through the gaggle of undead, smiles springing to their faces. Their bodies gained definition, ethereal plants grew upon their forms, and they seemed ready to break out into song.

Only to be interrupted by Applejack.

“Shouldn't we hurry back?” offered the farmer. “All this smoke can't be good for…”

She looked out over the bodiless dryads, the undead unicorn, the zombified zebra, and the shadow creature.

“Never mind,” Applejack muttered. “I guess none of us need to breathe.”

“I guess Bloomberg does that all for you,” offered one of the newly minted dryads.

“Eeyup, though I don't like how close that fire is gettin’, so how about we hold off on all the huggin’ and cryin’?” Applejack declared.

“Right,” Twilight began, clearing her throat. “Now let's all focus on going back, and-”

The world turned upside down, and Twilight found herself sprawled out on the ground once more. This time when she gathered her bearings and looked around, she found herself back where she had started. A confused soldier stood over her, alongside a Black Rose member who wore an immensely relieved expression.

“Oh, thank the stars you’re back,” he blurted. “The tyrant’s forces reorganized, but have begun their assault in earnest and are nearing the gorge.”

Twilight nodded. “You’ve done well. Notify Dark Hallow that I will be in position for our surprise.”

“Yes, ma’am!” replied the soldier, snapping off a salute.

Twilight ignored him as he took off running, the undead mare glancing back to her friends. “I must get back into position. Is everyone alright?”

“I think so,” Fluttershy replied.

“Alright? Alright? I’m better than alright! I’m ready to crack some skulls!” bellowed the minotaur, pounding a fist into their open palm.

“It seems like we're alright ‘round here, Twilight. Best get movin’ before ya miss yer chance,” Applejack offered.

“Go, get into position, you have an important mission,” Zecora implored.

Midnight Moon said nothing, the shadow pony merely sliding into the ground and vanishing. No words needed to pass between them, however, as Twilight simply knew that she would be nearby, waiting until needed.

Focusing on her magic, Twilight pulled and then pushed, forcing her spirit out of her body. The ghostly apparition raced across the courtyard and up the wall, unbothered by the apparent impossibility of such a thing. Upon landing atop the battlement, it leaped over a few stone-faced soldiers and stopped atop the gatehouse.

There Twilight's physical body manifested, her gaze immediately settling on the distant shapes making their way towards them. Led by a group of shield-wielding golems, the entire remainder of the invading army was charging across the field. Traps, arrows, bombs, and other pitfalls were avoided with an almost supernatural ease, with few even doing any damage.

“Are they even alive?” muttered a thestral soldier.

Twilight's frown deepened, and she focused on a group of knights sprinting behind the golems. Though they wore heavy armor and wielded large weapons, they moved swiftly enough that they weren't left behind by their stony vanguard. Stranger still was the golden glow that suffused them all, including Tempest who rode atop the shoulders of a particularly large golem.

“They are getting close, ready yourselves!” bellowed a voice from somewhere nearby.

Twilight took a breath and summoned her magic, gaze turning to the gorge and the ghosts that called it home. With grim determination, the undead mare reached within herself and recalled the spell she needed for this moment. It was powerful as well as untested, but she had grown powerful, and she was confident in her knowledge.

Placing a hoof over her still heart, Twilight took a long breath, raised her wisp-clad hoof, and began to sing a song, dark and terrible.

Rainbow Dash crouched low, her body so close to the ground that she was nearly invisible to the naked eye. Shrouded in darkness and cloaked in the night itself, she peered out at her prey without fear of being spotted. Down, below the tree she was perched in and the slight rise which bore her temporary post, was a dilapidated ruin.

Likely a rich merchant’s villa at one point, the structure sat nestled between a shallow lake and a large pond. The docks meant to service any watercraft had long since collapsed, as had the majority of the walls intended to protect the mansion within. They were reinforced just enough to serve as watchtowers for flaming imitations of ponies: the various elementals gazing out at their surroundings.

None seemed aware of the fact that they were completely surrounded, though that may have been due to their own limited intelligence. Guided only by magically imbued commands, the dozen or so fiery entities stood sentinel, observing the forest. Their sharp, lamplike eyes swept over the many thestral and changeling soldiers without seeing their hidden forms.

Back closer to the lake lay what they were protecting, and their reason for existence itself. Lying within a large golden bubble were thirty-plus golem pilots, their eyes closed, and their horns glowing brightly. The protective enchantment that kept them safe was seemingly powered by a large yellow crystal wedged into the earth near the middle of the circle.

The unicorns within barely moved, twitching or muttering something at most, their eyes glazed over. Noone remained behind to serve as a sentry for the seemingly defenseless unicorns, save for their flaming guards. Who numbered less than twenty and who had yet to spot a single one of the many attackers moving in around them.

The sound of a cricket prompted Rainbow Dash’s ears to perk up. “Is everyone in position?” she whispered so quietly that the average creature could not even hear it.

The subtle shifting of grass several feet away answered her question.

With a small nod, Rainbow Dash rose slightly, slowly, gently, and withdrew her moon-shaped scimitar. Then, just as quietly, she ran her hoof across the flat of the blade, whispering a silent prayer to her goddess. Upon completion, the blade glowed a faint blue, revealing unseen runes that became visible for only a split second.

With her now ice-cold weapon in hoof, Rainbow Dash slipped from the branch and soundlessly landed on the forest floor. Shrouded by the shadow cast by the large tree, the thestral was completely invisible save for the faint glint in her eye. Though if her targets had looked upon her, they would have seen nothing save for the tiniest flicker, like a fly moving through a moonbeam.

With a quiet so absolute that the wingbeats of a distant pigeon were louder, Rainbow Dash moved forward. From shadow to shadow she moved, hooves a blur of motion as she sprinted towards the distant walls. The trees gave way to grass and a simple path of beaten stone and dirt, leaving little for the thestral to hide under.

She hadn't required such grand protection, however, using the shadow of a passing cloud to dash closer. Then a rock barely large enough to hide a shoebox behind, before finally slipping soundlessly through a patch of tall grass only a foot tall. With the wall behind her and her target directly above her, Rainbow Dash counted down for a few seconds before gripping her sword.

Wings extended, and, standing solely on her back hooves, the thestral leaped into the air, pumping her leathery appendages. Twisting through the night in order to render her passage utterly silent, Rainbow Dash soon reached the apex of her jump. There she pushed out her blade and plunged it into the heart of the fire elemental.

For a split second, she hung there, motionless in the air as the creature struggled to comprehend what was happening. Then in a flash of white, the sword’s magic flared to life, and the monster was swallowed in a sudden explosion of cold. All around the walls of the villa, the other elementals vanished without a sound, leaving behind only a few small piles of ash.

Rainbow Dash opened her wings, pumped them once, and landed atop what had once been a watchtower. Her attention turned, and she watched as the golem pilots remained motionless, their focus elsewhere. The thestral was joined a moment later by Chrysalis, the changeling leaning forward and following the other female’s gaze.

“We have already disabled their wards, and I see no further obstacles,” Chrysalis whispered.

“Save the barrier,” Rainbow Dash replied.

Chrysalis snorted. “It will not stop us for long.”

Rainbow Dash nodded and followed silently after the changeling as she glided down from the destroyed battlements. Dozens of other dark shapes moved along with them, landing on the other side of the barrier and spreading out. Two of their number knelt down and removed a box from their backs, placing it near the magical force field.

Chrysalis did so as well, her swift hooves retrieving and quickly setting up a primitive-looking machine. Like a jackhammer tipped with a pitch black stone and mounted atop a set of hydraulics, it didn't look like much. But once assembled and evenly spaced with the other two, the machines began to move and soon proved such assumptions incorrect.

The first impact was soft, gentle almost, but the machines soon picked up the pace. Each time they gut their target, they did so at the same exact moment, their timing utterly perfect. As their tempo built, the crunch of the collision grew louder and louder, until each slam sounded like a pane of glass being shattered.

A moment later, mere minutes after being started, the machines slammed forward for the final time. All at once, a great network of cracks spread across the golden globe, growing so numerous that there was no space left undamaged. The moment this happened, the barrier fell, and the crystal within shattered into dozens of pieces.

These individual chunks flew in all directions, the seemingly random nature of their flight turning out to be planned somehow. They landed next to each of the pilots, where they sparked to life and created a smaller golden barrier over their ward. Within the blink of an eye, the dome broke, the shards flew, and forty more obstacles arose before the Everfree’s champions.

Though it happened quickly, Rainbow Dash was faster still and managed to grab one of the pilots. Thrown bodily off to one side, the unicorn hit the ground hard, her horn smacking against a rock and shattering the spell she had been channeling. The pony lay there, groaning and confused as Rainbow Dash walked up to her, Chrysalis close on her heels.

“Color me impressed,” murmured the changeling queen. “I didn't even see you move.”

“Well, I am the fastest thing with four legs,” Rainbow Dash declared.

Chrysalis chuckled. “Well, now let's see about testing what our little captive knows. Get her up.”

A changeling soldier clad in midnight black mail reached down and hoisted the pilot to her unsteady hooves. The pony nearly slumped to the ground a moment later, however, forcing the drone to hold her upright instead.

“What is your primary goal?” Chrysalis demanded in a loud, authoritative tone. “Are you here to only kill Twilight, or do you have any secondary objectives?”

“I, bwhat?” muttered the unicorn.

“What are your primary and secondary objectives?” Chrysalis barked. “Give us this information willingly, and I may just spare your life, as well as the lives of your comrades.”

“Wait, you are… which means,” stuttered the unicorn.

Her statement ended abruptly when her jaw flew open, her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and her horn suddenly began to glow a bright gold.

“Get down!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

The thestral leaped forward, slamming into the changeling and rolling away in a mass of tangled limbs. Behind them came a strange unnatural whine followed by a dull explosion and a shower of hot gore. Blood, bits of bone, and liquified organs rained down around them.

Chrysalis merely stood there in shock, her hastily raised barrier fading as quickly as it had been brought up. For a moment the changeling just stared at the red puddle that had been her captive, mind churning with confusion. Then a scowl crossed her face, and she spat an angry wad of greenish goo at the ground.

“Damn her,” Chrysalis muttered.

“What, what happened?” muttered the baffled changeling guard.

Rainbow Dash pushed herself off the confused male and turned towards the puddle. “It seems as though someone doesn't want us asking any questions,” she declared simply.

“That was…” The changeling soldier followed his rescuer’s look, only to retch immediately.

“Enough gawking,” Chrysalis barked. “Get the pistons in place for the next one and prepare the stasis charms. Perhaps we may be able to save a few of these damned fools from their chosen fate.”

After a second of quiet when no one moved, Rainbow Dash stomped her hoof. “You heard her, get moving!”

Author's Note

The First Exchange Is Had

“Cold be your hand, your heart, your bone, and cold be you who sleeps unstirring beneath stone,” Twilight began, her voice rising ever louder, ever stronger with each word she uttered, a stirring power filling all who heard her.

In the distance, rolling from within the trees came the sound of a brass section accompanied a second after by the thunder of some huge organ. A great number of stringed instruments joined in a moment later, adding a haunting backdrop to the otherworldly song. It grew to become all-consuming yet whispering at the same time, each note promising death and release.

“Never will you wake upon a stone bed, never till the sun falls and the moon lies dead,” Twilight continued, her entire body humming with magical energy.

All across the battlefield, both the living and the dead found their souls tingling within their forms. Those on the offensive felt as though someone had trod upon their graves while those who stood in defense felt bolstered as if death’s presence had receded. But that was not the only effect of the song, for the shadows lengthened, sapping what little light had been cast by the moon above.

“When the black wind howls, even the stars shall die, and still on gold, here shall you lie,” Twilight sang aloud, her voice traveling for what felt like miles, yet did not deafen those closest to her.

“Over dead friends and withered foes when none can dare to oppose, then peace draws close,” Twilight continued.

Hoof raised above her head, Twilight stood tall amidst the battlements, hers song reached a new height. In the distance, her foes, great and numerous, charged forward, loosing spells or firing arrows in an attempt to stop her. Even they could sense the growing power and the grim finality that they edged closer to with each word she spoke. Twilight's allies felt it too and rose to meet the offensive with a barrier and shield, keeping the singer safe.

“So come, ye broken, ye rotten, ye dead. Strike at their arms, their legs, their head,” Twilight pressed.

The torrent of souls kept captive within the caverns beneath the Castle Everfree stirred and surged. Greenish light emanated and pulsed from within the crevice separating the fortification from those attempting to assault it. Wispy forms could be spotted clambering their way onto the field, their bodies growing ever more pronounced, more real.

“Oaths broken, honor discarded, you lie forgotten no more. I give you claws to strike, a foe to kill, and wings to soar,” Twilight sang.

In the distance, a cry went up amongst the attackers, and soon a golden light surrounded them one and all. Protected or not, the dead cared little, their smokey forms clambering forth from the earth or running from amidst the darkened trees. Those so eager to heed the call were struck down by lances of golden magic. Though their bodies were annihilated, their determination did not waver.

“Though you bear a curse, now you are blessed, provided with bloody hands you pass this test.”

Unicorn, thestral, minotaur, or griffon, nearly every sapient species was represented within the tide of ghosts. Within the crevice, the ocean of undead rose up, spilling over the side and surging towards the embattled attackers. Joining their more eager brothers and sisters, the tidal wave of flickering semi-ethereal forms surged towards their foe.

“Now!” shouted a distant voice.

Twilight ignored it and focused, raising up her pulsing black hoof high above her head. “Great and terrible, your numbers will blot out the skies, but only if you rise, rise, rise!”

The wave of ghostly forms reached truly insane proportions, becoming so tall and wide that none atop the castle could even see their foes. The attackers, assassins of Celestia, could see it all, and even with bodies enchanted with powerful magic, they knew true terror. The emotion was strong and urged them to run, but it was refused, brushed aside by a golden wave of energy.

Dark and uncaring, the magic did not assuage their worries but rather removed the panic from their minds by force. They knew no fear, not because they were certain in their resolve, but rather because panic was not something they were capable of. Guided by the stern hoof of their leader, the knights and the golems charged into the mass of ghosts.

Golden energy turned aside spectral claw and hoof alike, the thousands of undead surrounding them all. Caught without any way to maintain a front line or any cohesion, the celestial forces struggled to repulse their spectral attackers. Their holy magic and protective aura kept them safe while allowing them to strike back, but there were simply too many. Each beam that shot from a unicorn’s horn or each swipe of a golem’s arm destroyed dozens, yet more remained.

The first to die was a knight who had turned towards the source of a distant boom he had heard. The soldier, temporarily distracted, had his helm removed by a spectral hoof, causing the protective enchantment to sputter. Immediately, his eyes were clawed out, his head pounded with hooves and fists, and neck slashed with jagged nails.

He barely managed a gurgle before falling to the ground, hooves twitching while his body was pulled apart. Though his flesh attempted to knit itself back together, and his heart tried to beat, there was no coming back from the damage he had taken. His fellows closed ranks, shutting the corpse out of the defensive circle they had been forced to employ.

Though there was no clear front or back of the formation, their vision was so obscured that none could see more than a few feet. Which allowed the cadre of undead nightsworn soldiers to blindside the attackers right as they seemed to be turning the tide. The only warning the celestial soldiers got was a suddenly very fleshy creature slamming into a golem and pulling on something.

A second later, the explosives tied to the bomber’s chest ignited, and the unthinking hunk of stone stumbled back. Its enchanted hide flickered and fizzled, magical sparks shooting off the burnt black segment that covered the majority of its front. Though not enough to bring down the golem by itself, the attack created an opening exploited by a trio of intelligent undead.

Vials filled with the most potent acid they could find were thrown into the gap created by their foe. The sputtering green liquid ate through the golem’s stony exterior with incredible speed, quickly melting nearly its entire torso. Its enchantments flashed once before dying, the magic holding it together fizzling and leaving the golem a pile of rubble.

Other suicide bombers attempted to repeat the success of their fellow, but could not manage to do so. Shields were brought to bear, semi-living projectiles were dodged, or knocked aside through magical or mundane means. It seemed as though the sudden flank would fail before it could accomplish much, but the nightsworn had already switched tactics.

Several of their number had thrown down large canisters that released their greenish-yellow contents. The thick smoke billowed out towards the celestial soldiers almost completely unnoticed, resembling the horde of ghosts that was still attacking them. The sudden wheeze of a startled knight alerted everyone to what was happening, his corpse hitting the ground a second later while six more of his allies began to cough violently.

Tempest Shadow’s eyes glowed a bright gold, and with a wave of her hoof, the cloud was forced away from her soldiers. The fog quickly dissipated, vanishing into the trees after being brushed aside by the unicorn’s power. Its effects lingered, and those six afflicted knights perished, inadvertently leaving a pair of golems separated from the group.

The pair were quickly surrounded by ghosts as well as nightsworn. Their stone bodies assaulted by ethereal hooves and a thousand scratching limbs, the golem’s operators struggled. Their swings were wild and uncoordinated, allowing their attackers to get in close without even being noticed.

Vials were thrown at important joints, and handheld bombs were dropped before the corporeal undead made their retreat. When the ground shook and earth flew into the air, the two golems found themselves without legs and with their enchantments interrupted. Their foes defences down, the thousand-strong horde of ghosts pounded the colossi to dust in only a few seconds.

Twilight could see this all clearly, her gaze able to pierce the ocean of ghostly forms that blocked the view of most. Amongst the endless tide were a few shapes she was able to recognize from her time in the past. Two familiar thestrals were joined by a gang of miscreants led by their leader, Jackhammer. The few amongst many, they were insignificant, yet Twilight looked upon them with pride.

From her perch, she was able to see that the nightsworn were exacting a heavy price upon the invaders. The tricky defenders had an endless array of tricks, be it chemicals, explosives, fire bombs, or poison, nothing was too underhanded for them. Though excusable given their foe, the sight made Twilight's stomach turn, and she turned to her shadow.

“We must prepare the final battlefield,” Twilight commanded.

Midnight Moon rose up from the darkness and nodded. “Indeed. Though impressive, I believe this is only a momentary stall. Are you ready?”

Twilight hesitated, her gaze drawn to a bloodied and injured animal that stood in the distance. Recognizing it immediately as the spirit of the Everfree itself, Twilight found herself struck by how weak it appeared. The many battles it had with the invaders had taken much from the creature, though even now, its many wounds were vanishing one by one.

“I am,” Twilight replied, looking away from the creature. “Let us go.”

The necromancer then vanished, pulled into her own shadow which raced off so fast that almost no one could track it. One of the few who could stood in a dark alcove near the castle barracks, the stallion joined only by a single other pony. Like him, she was shrouded in darkness and nearly invisible, her midnight armor absorbing almost every shred of light.

“It is time to put our true plan into action,” whispered the stallion. “All glory to her and to those sworn unto her.”

“Glory be,” whispered the mare before slinking away.

The stallion lingered for a moment, glancing back at the slim, svelte thestral slipping into the shadows. She was visible for only a moment longer before stepping into a shadow and disappearing completely. Still, he looked on, committing her appearance to memory in case she was to fail him in some unforeseen manner.

“We have appearances to keep,” he murmured to himself before trotting back towards the walls.

Beyond which the battle still raged, with the celestial forces suffering several more losses. A handful of golems had gone down after being drawn away from the main group by a sudden ground shift. Alone and separated, they and the knights guarding them were systematically destroyed.

Throughout it all Tempest raged silently, golden energy flickering at the corners of her eyes. Each blast of her horn destroyed dozens of the ghostly entities, but it didn't matter. Even when her golems had managed to reform into a well-organized circle, they couldn't put a dent in the ethereal undead’s numbers.

As her anger built, so did the corona of flames that surrounded Tempest’s head, the fire becoming a thick golden halo. The strange floating circle pulsed, and all at once Tempest’s body fell slack before leaping back up with a sudden vigor. Her eyes blazed white hot, and a ghostly horn appeared over where the one she was born with would normally be.

“Enough!” Tempest shouted in a voice not her own.

The unicorn raised her hoof and ignited her horn before swinging her forelimb before her. As she did this, a great golden copy of the mare appeared above the embattled attackers. When Tempest swung her hoof, the magical ghost did so as well, brushing aside the ghosts and destroying all it touched.

Tempest swung back and forth, bringing her great ethereal hoof across the front of her soldiers. Ghosts perished in the hundreds, their forms disintegrating after the merest brush with the golden appendage. Still they came, their uncountable forms piling over one another in a mad dash to see the invaders as dead as they were.

But the unicorn continued, swatting aside the tides of the dead and giving her forces the chance to recover. Within minutes, the seemingly endless swarm of ghostly dead had been reduced to a trickle, and then finally nothing. Repelled by the golden avatar or the empowered forces beneath it, the undead were bested and were now at rest.

As the group reformed into an arrowlike point, the defenders resumed their barrage, launching projectiles of all varieties. Boulders thrown by trebuchet, fireballs cast by those few magic users present, as well as a number of ballista bolts were all tossed at them. Yet compared to the thousands of clawing appendages, pounding hooves, and sharp teeth, these attacks were nothing.

In fact, they barely even slowed the encroaching mass of stone and metal.

The raging golden avatar vanished a moment later, and Tempest Shadow lurched forward, her hooves grabbing at the golem she was riding. With a shake of her head, she dismissed the strange miasma that plagued her mind, focusing on the battle before her. Her group was approaching the crevice that threatened to stop her charge before she could even reach the walls of Castle Everfree.

“Mages are dead, time for plan B,” Tempest Shadow muttered to herself.

As one, the attackers shifted, the golems grabbing hold of as many of the knights as they could manage. Without even slowing down, they gathered their charges and leaped across the opening. Not all landed safely on the other side, as one unfortunate golem lost its pilot mid-jump and fell short.

Together the now lifeless mass of stone and the charges it had been carrying plummeted into the darkness below. No cries could be heard, and no attempt to stop was made, the remaining forces charging onward without slowing down. With the castle walls drawing near, and a familiar purple twinkle visible atop the keep, Tempest’s confidence swelled.

Only to be dashed the moment she saw an alicorn take position atop the gatehouse, her horn blazing with greenish energy. Armored in silvery mail and wearing a helmet that somehow managed to let her long hair flow freely, Cadance drew the eye of all. Including Tempest Shadow, whose focus wavered for a moment before returning to her forces and their formation.

Stepping down from her spot amidst the shoulders of her golem, the leader of Celestia’s forces placed a helmet upon her head. The moment the steel settled against her ears, she became the same vaguely masculine pony as the rest of her knights. To a casual observer, she simply faded into the group of knights that had been returned to the ground and allowed to sprint on their own four hooves.

The moment this happened, they split into two groups, with Tempest’s larger golem and her entourage charging at the gatehouse. Another smaller group charged a secondary position off to the right, where the line of defenders was thinner. Calls were shouted, and ponies scrambled to get into position and fortify this secondary spot as well as the gatehouse.

“Hold fast, my friends. Trust in one another, and we will see this through!” Cadance shouted.

A cry went up amongst the defenders, hooves were raised, weapons readied, and projectiles fired. The barrage did little to slow the oncoming wave of celestial soldiers, the front row of golems taking the brunt of the hits. Their enormous tower shields turned aside all but the most powerful spell, which even then barely did anything to the heavily enchanted golems.

With only a few dozen meters between the attackers and the gatehouse, Cadance stepped forward. Energy coursed from her allies into her body and finally into her horn, massing into a crackling orb of destruction. With only a few titanic steps between them, the alicorn unleashed her magic in the form of a razor-thin beam of power.

Though it had only the width of a hair, the ray crackled with power and struck its target with such ferocity that a deafening crack nearly deafened all present. The flash was so bright that for a moment it seemed as though it were mid-day, and then it faded, leaving behind a trail of half-incinerated corpses. Three golems had been partially obliterated by the blast, and three times as many knights had either vanished or had lost the majority of their limbs.

For a moment, the attackers’ advance faltered, their remaining number forced to quickly reform their formation. At that moment, Cadance took wing and landed amidst the forces waiting on the other side of the gatehouse entrance. Standing amidst the block of soldiers, the alicorn lit her horn and bathed the entire group in a rosy aura.

“Trust in your comrades, and we shall preserve!” Cadance exclaimed.

“Hoo ah!” replied the soldiers in unison, stomping their hooves or feet in emphasis.

Atop the wall, Beaker looked on as a duo of golems charged the gatehouse, their arms interlocked and creating a battering ram. Behind them, the remaining golems and their knight support raised shields and prepared to weather the storm of retribution. Beaker’s hoof gripped one of the many potions strapped to his bony body, but he held back and signaled for the others to do the same.

Hiding back behind the crenellations, the defenders gritted their teeth and waited for the deafening boom they knew was coming. The explosion arrived a moment before the golems would have hit the door, as the ground beneath them sunk suddenly. A millisecond later, the earth heaved with such force that the golems were sent skyward riding a great ball of fire.

The eruption was massive, but was somehow angled perfectly away from the castle walls. The golems caught in the blast were heavily damaged but were still in one piece, until they landed. The pair found themselves falling into the crevice, plunging into the darkness and vanishing almost immediately.

Their comrades didn't flinch at the sudden loss of two of their number and already had a second wave of battering rams en route. This time the pair were peppered with large rocks, exploding flasks, and vials filled with acid strong enough to damage the enchantments protecting the golem. Though potent, the combination wasn't enough to bring or even slow the pair down, but it didn't need to.

For the moment they would have hit the gate, it opened wide, and they stumbled into the courtyard. Where a great many defenders were waiting, a trio of ballistae already firing at the invaders. The first bolt put a crack in one golem’s protective wards, which were destroyed by the second, allowing the third to wedge itself deep into its midsection.

Cadance led the charge, reaching the damaged golem right as it was hefting its sword above its head. The alicorn’s armored forehooves slammed into the balista bolt with enough force to send the steel-tipped tree trunk straight through the creature. The golem’s enchantments flickered, and it fell to its knees, the pilot struggling to regain control of the damaged machine. Cadance finished it with a buck that removed its head from its shoulders and finally turned it back into an inert pile of rocks.

Its fellow tried to fall back to the waiting embrace of the remaining allies, but found its way blocked. A trio of potions dropped from the battlements conjured a massive wall of ice that rose twice the height of the golem. Its pilot quickly calculated that they didn't have time to destroy the barrier, and turned to fight the onrushing horde of soldiers.

Confident in their creation’s might, the golem pilot swung its enormous greatsword in a sweeping arc. The swipe which should have killed a dozen, hit nothing, the mass of soldiers taking flight or leaping out of the way. More confusing still was the fact that they didn't get in the way of anyone else, the soldiers somehow perfectly anticipating their allies’ movements.

Like water, they parted before the blade and reformed in its wake, striking at their foe with a multitude of weapons. Hammers, swords, and clubs, all bearing a rust-colored aura, slammed into the golem’s body. Each impact resounded with far more power than what it should be capable of, and left behind a festering burnt red bruise.

Again the golem swiped, and again the soldiers parted, dodging the cataclysmic swipe with unnatural grace. One pony was even picked up by the minotaur behind them, all without a word having to be uttered by anyone involved. The pilot tried to drive forward and reverse the momentum of their sword, but found their arm pounded by a dozen weapons at once.

Somehow the defenders had surrounded the lone golem and were hitting it from all sides. Its protective enchantments suffered and were quickly brought down by the onslaught. All while it flailed uselessly, attacks hitting nothing but open air until finally, its limbs started to crack.

Seeing the writing on the wall, the pilot urged their golem forward, arms swinging wildly in an attempt to hit anything at all. Yet the mass of soldiers, of individuals, was always one step ahead, outpacing the lone golem. Hammering it from the sides, as well as the air, its legs crumbled, and it collapsed into a mound of broken stone at Cadance’s hooves.

“Reform and continue to trust each other. Hold fast the bonds of camaraderie!” Cadance exclaimed.

“Hoo ah!” they shouted.

A moment later, the ice barrier fell, and Tempest Shadow’s personal golem waded into the fight, a knight standing tall atop its shoulders. Behind it surged the remaining eleven other golems and twenty-one knights, their bodies infused with a brighter golden light. As one, they assaulted the equally coordinated defenders, engaging the hundred-plus strong soldiers in a climactic melee.

The ensuing fight was worthy of a great number of song, and tales, but the story of Cadance’s triumph was one for another time. Rather it was what was happening just south that was more pertinent to Twilight's adventure and the ultimate fate of the Everfree as well as the world.

The other defenders had a powerful, but still recovering alicorn on their side, and were forced to rely upon their own strength. Which was mighty, but not a match for the heavily empowered and magically altered soldiers that assaulted them. They resisted, firing or throwing everything they had while forming up on the other side of the wall.

Without an ace up their sleeve, the soldiers fought bravely, but futilely, merely slowing down the encroaching squad of celestial soldiers. Who lead with their golems and destroyed the wall so quickly that several of the defenders fell amidst the rubble. Emerging out the other side, a pair of golems immediately waded into the waiting alliance forces just inside.

Through bravery and a bit of luck, they managed to fell a pair of celestial knights, but that was all they accomplished. In the end, they were cut down to the last, crushed beneath the magically empowered might of the invaders. Who didn't even pause in their assault, merely charging straight for the keep in the distance, the taste of victory on their tongues.

They barely managed to get a dozen meters before they found their movements impeded by a mass of webbing so thick that even the golems stumbled to a halt. The sticky substance somehow blended in with the grass, invisible amidst the sea of green. Only Tempest was free to move around atop the shoulders of a golem, exploding balls of fire shooting from her horn.

While she tried to remove the cloying substance from the hooves of her soldiers, she suddenly found herself staring at the face of a blue unicorn.

“Greetings, interlopers!” declared Trixie, bowing low and extending her hat. “Welcome to your final resting place. Do you have any requests on how you will die? Perhaps asphyxiation is your cup of-”

A blast of magic destroyed the Trixie, though there were no remains left behind, only a flickering illusion.

“Well, that wasn't very nice at all,” exclaimed a second decoy that appeared next to the first. “You know what, I rescind my offer. I think being crushed to death will be your ultimate fate.”

One of the knights summoned an orb of fire and was about to launch it at the duplicant when suddenly the soldier was stepped on. An enormous hairy leg of a spider appeared out of nowhere, leaving nothing behind but a red stain on the ground. Immediately, the survivors looked up to find that a towering spider of truly gigantic proportions stood over them.

A shield was conjured to stop the next titanic stomp, and though the magic was powerful, it was completely destroyed. Worse still for the invaders, dozens of Trixies had appeared all around them, each one of whom was firing bolts of magic. Though the majority were harmless blue orbs of light that did nothing but turn into a splash of dazzling sparklers, some were a bit more deadly.

These were a bit larger and, upon hitting the target, exploded violently, knocking the pony back. One such unfortunate soul found themselves lying on their side, entangled completely in webs. Things only got worse for them when several hairy limbs grabbed them and began pulling at their armor.

Though they thrashed and flailed, the unicorn’s efforts were in vain, and they soon found themselves nude. The moment a section of skin was exposed, a pair of fangs descended and potent venom was pumped into their bloodstream. So much so that the pony barely even managed a scream before their blood coagulated and they died in agony.

The downed invader received help, but that assistance was mostly negated by the cloying webs that stuck to them. None were able to move quickly, and each time they tried to cast a spell, a bolt of blue magic hit them, disrupting their spell. It was only the golems who fared well against the webs, though even they were slowed by the sticky mass clinging to them.

Their great limbs trudged through the muck, the golems circling around the knights and forming a defensive wall. Before they could fully protect their allies, however, another knight was dragged away by several sets of hairy limbs. Their screams of terror were the only thing that marked where they disappeared as several Trixies obscured the survivors’ line of sight.

Throughout it all, Tempest Shadow continued firing great blasts of magical energy up at the sky. These flaming orbs exploded at the height of their arc, raining down brightly colored flares that lingered in the air. Now illuminated in a wash of golden light, the knights could see that a spider larger even than the castle was standing over them.

Any lingering thought that it may be an illusion was dismissed when it leaned down and bit a golem clean in half. The invaders heard a crunch before the top half of the formerly animated stone was spat out onto the ground behind them. Nebula didn't escape without receiving a flurry of her own injuries, however, most of which came in the form of golden bolts fired at her. Unbothered by the insignificantly-sized projectiles, Nebula retreated up above the treetops and out of range.

“Shields, up!” shouted Tempest Shadow.

The knights and golems alike closed ranks and raised their defenses, preparing themselves for something. The horde of enormous spiders and Trixie duplicates attempted to distract or drag another away, but were stymied by their foes’ diligent guard. Confused, they weren't sure what was going to happen until Tempest Shadow’s horn glowed a bright yellow and a wave of fire erupted from the mare.

Eight feet tall and traveling far faster than any normal flame, the surge traveled harmlessly over the invaders. Its effects on the lightly armored spiders were far more drastic, with dozens dying in moments while the rest fled in terror. Silk and grass were turned to ash, leaving only a barren expanse of ground in the spell’s wake.

Those lucky enough to find shelter did so in a barrier conjured by Trixie, the mare protecting as many of her siblings as possible. The moment the wave passed her by, Trixie released her shield, panting heavily from the expenditure. She wasn't granted even a moment of reprieve, however, as the invaders were already charging at her. No war cries were uttered, only the nearly silent thump of hoof and stone against burnt earth.

“Go, go, go!” Trixie shouted, gesturing back to the keep.

Trixie, the real one, wore none of her usual garb, instead bearing a full set of silk steel plate armor. Only the bright white hat and flowing gem-studded cape remained, each altered to appease the eye while also serving as protection. As her remaining arachnoid siblings fell back, Trixie conjured as many duplicates as she could, filling the ground with grinning copies.

Before she even had the chance to test their usefulness, another pulse of magic emanated from Tempest Shadow. This time when it washed over the battlefield, it gave the fake Trixies a reddish aura while highlighting the living targets with a greenish outline. Nebula attempted to cover their retreat, but her stomp met only dirt, as the golem unexpectedly side-stepped.

The animated stone didn't stop there, however, and also gripped its greatsword in two hands before delivering a chop. A segment of the spider’s leg fell to the ground as a shrill cry of pain echoed throughout the forest. As Nebula recoiled, a lance of golden magic slammed into her midsection and caused her to stumble even further.

“Mother!” cried Trixie.

Though the illusionist wanted desperately to assist her adopted parent, she knew that doing so would be suicidal. So she focused on simply keeping her remaining arachnoid siblings from harm's way with a brilliant trick. With a pulse of her horn, she made each one of her duplicants begin flashing a rainbow of lights while screaming incoherently.

When struck down, the illusions erupted in a great firework, blinding the poor unfortunate knight who had done the deed. Stumbling back and clutching his eyes, the pony was left behind, deemed useless by Tempest Shadow. Noone slowed, with the column charging straight through the mass of Trixies after altering their enchantments to protect against ocular harm.

The effort had been worth it though, as Trixie as well as the spiders were able to retreat before they could be caught. By then Nebula had managed to remove the burning lance stuck in her side, and reared back, a mass of magical webs gathering between her fangs. With a titanic spit, she hurled the rapidly expanding orb towards her foes, an orb which would cover them all in a thick mat.

Tempest Shadow rose to the challenge, however, her horn glowing bright gold and returning fire with a thin beam of white-hot plasma. Though only as thick as a pony’s hoof, the heat that washed off it was intense and turned to ash the sticky webbing. Its work was not yet done, and the attack continued on until it struck Nebula on the side of the face, burning away a large section of flesh. The great spider screeched in pain, recoiling and rapidly shrinking out of sight, desperate to avoid any follow-up.

Her foe, as well as the rest of the invaders, didn't bother trying, and made a beeline straight for the keep, ignoring everything else. Including Trixie, who stood off to the side, glaring daggers as the cadre of golems and knights charged past her. The only thing between them was a large hole filled with scaffolding and discarded digging tools.

Again Tempest Shadow’s confidence surged, and again it was stifled by a strange occurrence she hadn't seen coming. This time she received a minor amount of warning in the way of a sudden earthquake, stopping her squad dead in its tracks. They immediately looked around, searching for Nebula’s return, only to be surprised when the threat came not from above but below.

A massive plume of dust and dirt exploded from the hole, followed by a sudden sinking sensation as earth slid towards the open dig site. The golems along with their pony allies backpedalled, avoiding being pulled into the opening. The unspoken question as to why was answered when a giant clawed hand emerged from the pit and heaved.

A massive head easily larger than several golems strapped together rose into the air, its pitch black scales robbing the world of what little light remained. The great creature roared and hefted the top half of its bulk from the hole while the invaders peppered it with projectiles. Beams of positive energy, concentrated rays of the most refined plasma as well as more mundane attacks, all did little against the dragon.

His natural armor was greater than nearly any made by ponies or any other race for that matter. What few attacks did strike true, did nothing, the undead dragon utterly unbothered by having an arrow shot into his eye. By the time the invaders realized the futility of it all, the dragon was on the attack, an enormous hand reaching forward.

Its target swung its great axe down in a powerful arc, only to be ignored, the strike merely bouncing off the dragon’s finger. Not slowed in the slightest, the dragon gripped the golem and squeezed hard. The enchantments flickered once and then popped, allowing Spike to turn the stony soldier into a pile of rubble.

Tempest Shadow wasn't about to take such an attack lying down, and with a pulse of her horn, she conjured a powerful spell. One that sprung unbidden to her mind from some unnamed source, the strangeness not bothering her for some reason. Regardless of its origin, she knew it would make the great undead flee in terror, along with any others who may be caught in the blast.

Her shattered stump of a horn conjured a ball of light which once released, shot straight up in the air. A split second later, pure sunlight pierced the cloud cover, bathing the front of the keep in a resplendent day. Lesser undead ran screaming from so much as a reflected ray while Spike was completely illuminated by the seemingly divine spell.

He roared and began to scramble from the hole he was still half trapped within but stopped himself almost immediately. He knew what true terror looked like, and he knew what bravery truly meant. His will now steeled, and his resolve hardened, Spike bellowed to the heavens, uttering not the word for bravery, but bravery itself. His allies shared in his strength, returning to the battlefield or standing taller, confidence blooming in their chests.

Spike turned to face his foes, staring straight through the beam of sunlight and down upon the invaders. Tempest knew her attempt to remove the latest obstacle had failed, yet her mind couldn't comprehend what had happened. In her hesitation, she allowed Spike enough time to lean forward and breathe a great cloud of black smoke tinted with spots of sparkling silver.

The cloud chewed through metal and flesh alike, the gaseous mass somehow managing to bypass the armor’s enchantments. In seconds, a quarter of the knights lay dying on the ground, their armor quickly evaporating, along with their flesh. Eyes melted, blood turned to ash, and meat sloughed off now blackened bones.

Still reeling from the shock of it all, Tempest Shadow went limp once again, her body leaping back up a moment later. The unicorn then conjured another spell and released it with a flash, stopping the cloud from affecting any more of her soldiers. By then the damage was done, and over half lay dead or dying, leaving only eleven of their number still standing.

The newly empowered unicorn then swiped a massive ethereal hoof in front of them, blowing away the smog. With it gone, she was able to see the swiping claw aimed directly at her just in time to conjure another barrier. The cataclysmic thump of the impact threatened to knock the gathered knights off their hooves, sending dust high into the air. Though powerful, the strike merely cracked the shield and did not shatter it, allowing Tempest a chance to launch her counterattack.

Before any great magic was conjured, a scanning spell was used, one that found that there were no anti-teleportation charms cast on the dragon. The castle, as well as the majority of its inhabitants wore such wards, meaning it would only work once, but that would be enough. Though a surprise, it was a welcome one, and with a smirk on her face, Tempest Shadow began to gather power. While she did so, Spike pounded a fist into the barrier, and then a second one, shattering the defensive magic.

Tempest Shadow didn't flinch, however, and with a pulse of her horn, she teleported the dragon out of the picture. Spike reappeared a moment later nearly twenty miles deeper in the forest, his great bulk crushing a group of evergreens flat. Though confused, he was unharmed, and immediately began sprinting towards the castle, though he would arrive far too late to help in the battle.

With no worthy foes before them, Tempest Shadow found herself with another hole in her memory. She wasn't bothered by the realization however and silently commanded a golem to charge forwards and knock down the door to the keep. The stone soldier did just that, but suddenly collapsed immediately after entering the building, its pilot dead.

“Go, find the stairs up to the top floor!” Tempest Shadow ordered.

As one, the remaining soldiers both living and not charged into the keep’s entryway. There they found themselves met by a cadre of trolls, a plant pony, and a handful of thestral soldiers. Though the trolls were large and intimidating, that wasn't what bothered Tempest, as she soon noticed that the other exits were heavily barricaded. Magical walls had been erected in the doorways, potentially slowing or even stopping them from finding a way to the roof.

She had larger concerns, however, and focused her attention on the foes arrayed before her. The trolls varied in size and color, along with the various soldiers that took up the flanks, some of whom were undead. They didn't intimidate the celestial commander one bit, and with bold confident steps, she ordered her squad inside the keep.

“Well, if it ain't that ugly jerk who done wrecked up a whole buncha innocent trees,” Applejack declared, the mare’s face obscured by a bark-covered helmet that had grown from her torso. “I’m gonna enjoy kicking yer flank.”

“And to turn such noble stones into killers… you should be ashamed,” Maud added.

“Less talking, more butt-kicking!” Limestone shouted, pounding her forehooves together.

“I agree,” Tempest Shadow muttered beneath her breath.

As one, the knights and their golem allies charged forward, with a group of three golems and six ponies splitting off. Though the defenders knew that they should stop this small squad, they also knew that they didn't have the strength to manage it. At least, not on their own anyway, as the attackers were met by a wall of shadow that rose before them, stopping Tempest in her tracks.

The strangely thick wall of darkness bulged outward, only to collapse into the shape of six individuals. Each of whom bore the image of a black rose somewhere on their person.

At the center stood Dark Hallow, the aged thestral wearing a set of alabaster robes that had upon it his order’s symbol, the black rose emblazoned upon his chest. He wielded no weapons, unlike the gold dragon next to him who held aloft a pair of long shimmering scimitars. Vaspelodrax wore the same heavy plate armor as before, her helmet still missing, or more likely cast aside for dramatic effect.

The others were a mix of races, and consisted of the thestral Twilight saw earlier, a dark-skinned minotaur, an undead unicorn, and a second thestral. The largest of the ponies was the second bat-winged pegasus who wore full plate mail and wielded a longsword. Their armor was exquisite, but it was the blade that drew attention, the air around it filled with black petals blowing on some unseen wind.

The minotaur’s skin was nearly as dark as the shadow which cloaked his allies. Wearing no protection save for a silver steel belt and a strangely beautiful black kilt, the male was easily the most well-muscled creature in the room. Unlike the almost skeletal unicorn whose steps left behind frozen hoofprints, and whose eyes contained not a hint of mercy. The final creature was a thestral assassin so elusive that even the trained eyes of his allies could barely locate him.

“Mind if we cut in?” Dark Hallow asked.

“Emphasis on the cut part,” Vaspelodrax added, swiping her scimitars in a cross before her.

Tempest Shadow gritted her teeth. “So be it,” she muttered.

Her three golems formed a spear and attacked, though before they could hit their newest foes, Tempest Shadow launched a blast of golden energy. The attack never hit its target, however, as it was almost immediately swallowed by a mass of shadow that moved on its own. A moment later, there was a muted, barely visible flash of gold before the darkness flowed normally once more, leaving no sign of the spell at all.

The stone soldiers charged on, their shields and swords raised above them, ready to strike. Their pilots watched as a thestral, a minotaur, and an undead unicorn arrayed themselves in a line, each taking a different defensive posture. As one, the golems struck, with the lead one attempting to drive his blade straight down into the skull of the minotaur.

Only to find that their weapon was seamlessly brushed aside, guided out of the way, by a single open palm. The thunderous attack didn't hit the target at all, and in fact, had somehow been redirected into the golem’s own foot, removing a chunk of rock. His allies didn't fare much better, as one found his legs encased in ice while the other hit only a mass of black petals.

The knights, supported by Tempest Shadow, were trying to go around and reach the stairs as well, but they too were blocked. Shadow swallowed one of them whole, and though a blast of golden magic brushed it aside, it revealed only a bleached corpse. The other celestial soldiers soon found themselves divided, with three fighting Vaspelodrax while the other two stood on either side of Tempest Shadow.

Who was holding a ball of brightly burning energy at the tip of her horn, banishing the darkness. Shadows fled back to the edge of the room, and if one listened closely, they could hear muttered cursing from those nightborn present. The spell also left her mostly indisposed, so much so that she didn't notice the shape appearing behind her.

Her loyal and fearless knights did, however, with one of them throwing himself in the way of a trio of darts. Two out of three bounced off his armor, but the third slipped past his enchantments and struck him in the cheek. The needle-thin projectile punctured his cheek and stuck fast between his teeth, its greenish tip disappearing into the soldier’s mouth.

He was barely even able to wonder what had happened when the flesh on his face rapidly began to necrotize. Skin flaked, muscles withered, died, and turned to ash along with the thin bone that held his jaw together. Falling to the ground, the soldier’s enchantments flared to life and attempted to fight back against the poison, which only made it worse. Skin rapidly regrew, only to die all over again, the ebb and flow of death edging across his face in surges.

His closest ally quickly took his place, sword raised and horn flaring with life. Standing between his friend and the nearly invisible assassin, he fired a beam of magic before swinging his blade in a wide arc. The move was intended to draw out the slippery foe and cut them down in a single stroke, but that plan failed.

The glowing eyes the invader had seen had been little more than embers floating upon the breeze, and the real assassin was directly above him. Descending from the cloying shadows which hid in the crags of the distant ceiling, the thestral was unseen until the moment he struck. Fast as lightning, he drove a blade against the armored neck of the celestial soldier, the enchantments flaring to life and blocking the attack. A twist of the dagger caused the spells to fade and allowed the pointed tip to pierce the thin armor as well the unicorn’s spine.

His death was almost immediately avenged, however, as Tempest Shadow turned unnaturally fast and released her spell. The overpowered flare hit the assassin square in the face and nearly incinerated his eyes, leaving him utterly blind. The thestral managed to throw down a smoke bomb and try to run, but Tempest Shadow was faster still. A blast of golden magic cut his back hooves out from under him before a second incinerated everything from the shoulders up.

Before the assassin died, Vaspelodrax and Dark Hallow fought bravely, though the thestral caster found himself useless. The golden orb of magic banished most of the darkness and forced him to retreat back out of sight. The dragon did not shy from the glow, however, and easily managed to keep all three of her foes at bay.

She twisted out of the way of a blast of magic, deflected a strike with the flat of her blade, and kicked a soldier in the face, causing his attack to go wide. A whirlwind of death, the dragon was always one step ahead of everyone, weaving through their swipes while also hitting back. A punch here, a slash there, slowly but surely she was wounding her foes and edging out a careful victory.

Then the light exploded, and she was briefly blinded by the burst of radiance. Thankfully for her, Dark Hallow had seen this coming and was able to drag her away just before the celestial soldiers could strike. While Vaspelodrax was recovering, Dark Hallow was on the attack, conjuring duplicates of himself.

The doubles did their work taking the hits for him, while Dark Hallow himself built up power, his form growing darker by the second. Before suddenly returning to normal a moment before three thick black spikes shot up through the bellies of the remaining knights. The trio found themselves hefted bodily into the air, blades stopped before they could hit one of Dark Hallow’s copies.

While Dark Hallow and Vaspelodrax fought, their allies did the same, each one engaging another of the golems. The minotaur seemed the most adept at engaging the larger foe, his hands turning aside blade, fist, and stone foot with ease. Each attack had its momentum altered, and the pilot soon learned that sweeping attacks were to be abandoned.

Relying solely on straight jabs and quick stabs, the golem relentlessly drove forward, intent on killing the minotaur quickly. The grappler adapted just as easily as his foe, ducking or dodging instead of redirecting their attacks. All while punching back, his strikes powerful, yet doing little to the heavily enchanted hunk of stone before him.

Yet the minotaur continued, weaving constantly as he struck back, his counterattacks hitting a different part of the golem. This continued for nearly a minute before all of a sudden the golem began to vibrate and gave its pilot pause for a moment. The confusion lasted just long enough for the minotaur to leap forward and pour every ounce of strength into a single punch.

His fist blew a hole clean through the stone soldier, bypassing the wards entirely. The damage was massive, and the minotaur allowed himself to revel at the moment, a mistake he would quickly regret. As the golem was far from destroyed and grabbed his extended arm around the wrist before pulling him forward.

The massive pommel of the stone soldier’s weapon bashed the minotaur in the head, stunning him, but not killing him outright. The pilot then urged its killing machine to finish the job by throwing the minotaur back and slicing him clean in half. The sudden pop of the barrier protecting him stopped that from happening, leaving the grappler heavily injured, but in one piece.

As the golem’s pilot lay dying with a changeling sword rammed through his throat, the minotaur stumbled away. He was quickly supported by the undead unicorn, who constructed a quick chair of ice for him to rest upon. There he sat, eyes glazed and vision blurring, just barely able to make out the frozen golem his ally had already dealt with.

The sole remaining golem wasn't doing too hot either, as he was missing an arm and was covered in black petals. Its foe stood up on their hind legs, bobbing and weaving around the clumsy strikes launched their way. They continued to do so until suddenly leaping forward and cleaving the remaining arm from the golem’s body in a single swipe.

The thestral was about to finish off the stone soldier when it unexpectedly toppled forward, its pilot distracted by Rainbow Dash attempting to remove their head. Though victorious, that wasn't the only fight occurring at the entrance to the keep. Not far away, Applejack and the Pie sisters along with a handful of night guard were struggling just to stay alive.

The fight had gone poorly for the defenders, with their night guard support dwindling down to only two soldiers. They had traded their lives for mere three knights, one of whom had only perished because they had been used as a shield to block a golem’s swipe. Now bloodied and bruised, the two sides squared off against one another, while not far away, the Black Rose readied themselves to fight Tempest Shadow.

The two sides clashed a moment later, with Tempest Shadow somehow managing to keep up with the flurry of attacks launched her way. Her remaining golems fought fiercely, attempting to drive away the defenders in order to assist their leader. The trolls and Applejack were not so easily defeated, however, and managed to hold their ground through stubborn denial.

No bold words of determination were uttered at that moment, as everyone present knew the stakes. They understood what would happen if they lost, and knew their fate should they be defeated that night. So they fought on, desperate to stay ahead of their foe and stave off the encroaching grip of death.

Marble, alongside the remaining two night guard soldiers, squared off against the celestial knights bravely. The troll stood front and center, the stone growing from her chest emitting a strange and alluring light that drew the eyes of her enemy. Unable to look away, their swords clattered uselessly against Marble’s chest. All while the night guard closed in from either side.

A shrill cry followed by the sound of shattering glass prompted more than one curious onlooker to look over. To where the sole unicorn member of the Black Rose lay against the ground, her body quickly crumbling like a sheet of glass falling to pieces in slow motion. Above her stood an inferno-eyed Tempest Shadow, her horn blazing like a tiny sun sitting calmly atop her head.

Marble knew better than to look away from an opponent, but one of the knight’s curiosity won out. The temporary distraction was all that the night guard needed to end him and begin pinching the remaining soldier. Who, though strong and fast, would soon fall under the combined three-pronged attack, but not before killing another of the steadfast thestrals assaulting him.

Only a few feet away, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Limestone, and Maud were each engaged with a different golem. Pinkie Pie constantly confused her foe, vanishing one moment, then appearing out of nowhere with a mouthful of rock she had somehow bit off the golem. Applejack traded blows with her foe, but despite being able to take a hit, she wasn't fast enough to return with one of her own.

Much unlike Limestone, who never ceased her assault for even a moment, charging forward and punching whatever she could reach. The relentless momentum kept her foe balance while her unnaturally sharp hooves cut away hunks of stone. A move only made possible by the strange orange dust that the troll breathed which caused the enchantments to fluctuate wildly.

Maud stood apart from the others, the towering troll able to keep her opponent on the ropes through strength alone. The golem’s mighty swings thumped audibly against her hide, bouncing off her stony exterior. The golem had to retreat almost immediately, bringing up their tower shield in order to block another thunderous blow.

With armor dented and foe closing in, the golem surged forward, discarding its added protection in the process. With lightning-fast strikes, it attacked Maud with all the power they could muster, pushing the troll back and searching for a chink in her natural armor. The other three golems quickly followed suit, abandoning any small shred of self-preservation that remained.

The one fighting Pinkie Pie was the least effective of the lot, hitting only air in its desperate assault. Over and over the pink troll blurred out of sight, only for a chunk to be removed from the golem, its shield arm falling not long after, most of its shoulder gone. Seeing how things would soon turn out, the pilot switched targets and tried to attack Applejack in hopes of felling a single foe.

The golem got only three steps before a hunk of carved bone was jammed suddenly into a hole made in its chest. The strange talisman-adorned totem immediately began to vibrate so powerfully that the golem couldn't walk straight. It took another awkward step only to get tripped and land face-first on the ground, the fetish rammed so deep in its body that its very core began to shake.

Applejack knew that there was very little she could do to strike back against her giant stone enemy. Though strong, she wasn't quite strong enough, nor did she have any cool tricks, or at least ones that worked on unliving foes. So she built up her defense, growing an extra layer of bark, along with a shield, and bunkered down.

Punches, stomps, and swings were all blocked, the impact of which sent the plant pony skidding back. Her natural armor cracked and occasionally split, but it healed faster than her enemy could take advantage of the damage, leaving them in a stalemate. That was until its pilot found themself staring down a crossbow and no longer inhabiting the body of a bipedal stone construct.

Applejack breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the stone soldier fall inert to the ground, though her feelings were not shared by many. Unfortunately, the golem facing Maud had managed to locate the vulnerable section it had been so desperate to find. A blow seemingly random had hit the troll’s neck, a hit that made the Pie sister recoil and wince in pain.

While her sisters finished off their foes, and Applejack recovered from the beating she had taken, Maud found herself on the defensive. Several more strikes of the golem’s sword, and her dress was completely destroyed before a kick sent her slightly off balance. It wasn't much, little more than a momentary distraction, but it was enough for the sole remaining golem to stab her target with all the force they could muster.

The thrust pierced straight through a gap in the troll’s natural defenses, cutting several feet into her body. Though her heart was pierced, and her life was flashing before her eyes, Maud fought on, shattering the sword that had struck the killing blow. She tried to follow this up by removing the blade from her chest, but instead toppled to the side, limbs already growing cold and unresponsive.

Her sisters cried out in collective agony as they watched their sibling fall, each one immediately turning upon the golem. Limestone belched a noxious unpleasant gas while Pinkie Pie bit off the stone soldier’s arm. Marble, uncertain of what to do, remained back until a moment presented itself, and she bucked the back of the golem’s knee. The combined assault brought down the magical construct quite quickly, but by then it no longer mattered. The pilot lay dying in a pool of their own blood, their horn removed so suddenly they didn't have a chance to go out with a bang.

There was no time for grief, however, as a sudden gout of flame grabbed the attention of everyone present. All eyes turned to the suddenly tall imposing unicorn and the great fiery wings that had sprouted from her sides. Around her lay the broken forms of the Black Rose, their two surviving members wearily stepping away from the blazing avatar.

“I will not be denied!” Tempest Shadow bellowed in a voice too deep and too alien to be her own. “Order will reign, your resistance will be quashed, and the Eternal will finally be stomped out for good.”

The flaming winged unicorn raised a glowing hoof high into the air, a golden miasma spilling from the upraised limb. This unnerving mist spread rapidly across the ground and pooled around the corpses of the dead knights and the destroyed golems.

“You have given your body and soul in defense of existence’s truest champion, and I deem your oath…” The unicorn paused, her horn burning so brightly that all were forced to avert their eyes. “Unfulfilled.”

Author's Note

The Final Blow Is Struck

“Unfulfilled?” Twilight muttered.

She gazed down from atop the keep, her gaze fixing on the floating golden unicorn levitating a few feet off the ground. The strange creature’s great flaming wings singed the ground, burning away any vegetation that grew nearby. The heat was enough that even the defenders kept their distance, glancing about themselves in search of an order.

There was no time for a command to be barked, for the unicorn was already rising into the air. The bright yellow miasma spilling out of her shot out in all directions, seeking out the fallen soldiers as well as the inactive golems. This alien energy gathered amongst the fallen, suffusing their bodies in a golden glow that slowly became brighter.

Twilight saw that someone had yelled an order, as the various defenders were attempting to attack Tempest Shadow. Bolts both magical and otherwise were loosed at the levitating unicorn, but neither hit their mark. The more mundane of the two were incinerated while those made of magic were pulled apart by an unseen hand.

Others were stabbing at or otherwise attempting to destroy anything that had begun to glow a bright gold. The attacks hit but didn't seem to matter, as the energy continued to wind about the broken forms unimpeded. Teams began to split off, and a specialist mage was called over when Tempest Shadow’s ethereal horn pulsed with magic.

Golems brought down when their pilot died lurched back up and began a mad sprint toward their new master. Those in greater states of disrepair did the same, limping, crawling, or pulling themselves with whatever limbs they had left. Even broken limbs followed suit, along with hunks of rock that tumbled forward, pushed along by some unknown force.

The fallen soldiers similarly limped, crawled, or scrambled toward their former commander, ignoring the wounds that had killed them. They also paid no mind to anyone or anything that got in their way, shouldering through whatever stood between them and their target. Like their golem counterparts, the various pieces hewn from their body reacted as well, ambling toward Tempest Shadow as best as they could.

Even the blood that pooled in low places, or brains that had been dashed from the skull of some unfortunate soul reacted, sliding, pulsing, and swimming across the ground despite the apparent impossibility of such strange locomotion. The defenders attempted to stop both the soldiers and their golem allies, but they were utterly ignored.

No wound could slow them, and no injury was enough to give them pause. Even when crushed flat, the various pieces left behind by the attack simply continued on, heedless to their main body’s destruction. Those who attempted to restrain the pieces or the dead found themselves pulled along for the ride no matter how strong they were. The golden glow had given the corpses strength beyond strength, but only for one purpose, one singular goal.

To reach Tempest Shadow no matter the cost.

Twilight wasn't sure what exactly was happening, nor was she interested in finding out before she recalled her friends. With a tug and a spark of magic, she activated the bangle that she bore on her right forehoof. After a moment of faint vibration, it activated with a flash of white, blinding the distracted unicorn.

“Where are we- oh my,” Rarity whispered.

“That's not good,” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“What do we do?” asked Fluttershy.

“Great, I get to kill that stupid golem a second time!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed.

“You don't think she's bringin’ them back, do ya?” Applejack remarked.

Twilight shook her head. “I know necromancy, and that's not it. I don't know what…”

Twilight's jaw hung open, and she stared down in confusion at the mass of stone and flesh twisting beneath her. Tempest Shadow levitated high above the ground, while directly under her the various golems and soldiers gathered. Though perhaps a more correct word to use would be coagulated.

For when they reached the designated spot beneath their former commander, they threw themselves at one another. Bodies were pulped, armor shattered, and stone cracked, breaking apart before beginning to rapidly spin within a golden tornado. Heedless to their own destruction, the various soldiers of the sun threw themselves into the maelstrom and were undone.

“What the…” Twilight muttered.

The defenders could only look in muted horror as every last soldier they had killed and golem destroyed plunged into the tornado. Which grew with each new addition, becoming wide enough to almost swallow the nearby bunker while also growing to three stories in height. Protected by a golden aura, the mass began to twist and shift, gaining a more cohesive shape.

“It's horrible,” Fluttershy whispered.

The sentiment expressed by the dryad was one shared by all who gazed upon the completed abomination. Standing nearly thirty feet long, the thing was mostly snake-like, though it sported two large hands that sprouted just below its head. A head that resembled a crocodile, with a long snout filled with hundreds of long metal teeth.

Its main bulk was made up of the golems’ stones, while the flesh of the soldiers had been used to bind it all together. The enchanted metal armor used to protect the formerly living knights was then spread out and used to protect these many joints. The numerous blades wielded by the invaders had been repurposed and now served as both claws as well as fangs.

The enormous creature flexed its new body and reared back, its eyes suddenly flaring to life with a harsh, uncaring golden light. Releasing a roar that sounded like the cry of a thousand agonizing souls, the beast grappled the side of the keep with its great arms. It then surged upward, while its master landed atop its head, a wide grin splitting the mare’s features like an axe blow.

“It's coming right at us!” Fluttershy cried.

“Maybe we should get some backup?” Rainbow Dash muttered.

“Hold fast,” Twilight declared while charging across the keep rooftop alongside her friends. “She’s revealed her ace, and we’ve drawn out the true master. Use cooperation, and together we will best this abomination as well as its controller!”

The six assembled on the other side just as the creature ascended to the top floor, its enormous hands digging into the stonework. As the twisted melding of flesh and stone pulled itself upward, the friends reached deep within themselves, calling forth an ancient power. Creation buckled and flexed as they spoke cooperation, invoking a fundamental part of reality in a way few understood.

In response a rainbow of energy coalesced out of nowhere and wrapped itself around them, raising them into the air. Troll, undead, arachne, and otherwise all found their senses alleviated and spread across one another. Suddenly they were no longer six individuals working together, but a single entity brought together by harmony itself.

Not only did they feel their consciousness open itself to each other, but they could also feel a strange power fill them. Muscles bulged, aches and pains vanished, while magic reserves became seemingly bottomless. As the rainbow dissipated, their forms sparkled, and the bangles they wore gained strange and unintended features.

None had the time to inspect their altered jewelry, however, as the creature had pulled itself fully to the top. The roof, too small to support the entirety of the thing, had half collapsed under the weight of the monster. The rest of its bulk wrapped about the upper layer of the keep, securely anchoring it to the structure.

Tempest Shadow raised a hoof and with a flash of her horn, created a barrier around the impromptu battlefield. Thick enough to keep even an angry dragon at bay, it cut the group off from their reinforcements and any attempt to escape. Not like the six made any attempt to remove themselves from the creature’s presence.

“You should have run,” Tempest declared in a deep, alien voice. “But then again, you have always been an irrational,agent of chaos.”

“Just because I do not blindly follow you doesn't mean I am irrational,” Twilight retorted.

“I am order incarnate, you wicked knave!” bellowed the unicorn with enough force to send small stones skittering across the rooftop. “I am harmony, I am goodness, I am civilization itself. To stand against me is to advocate barbarism, disunity, and evil.”

“You should get your eyes checked, lady! You’re supposed to be able to see in more shades than just black and white!” Pinkie Pie shouted.

“There is nothing I do not see, nothing that I do not perceive, save for why you stand as allies of death,” spat the glowing golden unicorn.

With her angry declaration came a sudden attack, the creature’s tail swinging in from behind with murderous intent. Rainbow Dash felt the sudden spatial disturbance far in advance, and though no words were spoken, Applejack reacted. Roots dug into the roof, and she spun around, her wooden armor growing so thick that the creature beneath was no longer visible.

When the tail struck, it hit only the titanic living bulwark that was the apple farmer, her body unmoved by the attack. The limb attempted to pull back in order to strike again later but Rainbow Dash was faster still. With an unnaturally keen blade, the thestral struck hard, cutting through the stone, bone, and metal alike.

Tempest shrieked in pain and confusion, the sound utterly drowned out by the bellow of rage from the creature below her. The last dozen or so feet of its tail lay removed on the rooftop, flopping directionlessly in an effort to seek out its main body. Pinkie Pie leaped atop it before it could get far, and with a chomp, bit off a chunk and caused the energy within to rapidly oscillate inside.

A gargantuan hand grabbed the tail before another attack could be launched by the angry troll. Out of harm's reach, the removed chunk was reabsorbed by the greater whole, becoming an extra digit on its hand. Tempest was not quick to attack a second time, eying the six before her intently, scanning for weaknesses.

The defenders knew that the balance of power had shifted, and so went on the attack before their foe could adjust. Rainbow Dash leaped into the air, shooting like a rocket directly at the possessed unicorn standing atop her mount. Though Rainbow was fast, almost blindingly so, Tempest somehow conjured another barrier between herself and the thestral.

One which shattered upon the keen-edged blade hitting it, absorbing some of the kinetic energy, but not all of it. Startled, but not completely surprised, Tempest pumped more mana into her glowing aura, heating it up even more. Forced back, Rainbow Dash made one last rude gesture before rolling off to the side and rejoining her friends.

Who had not been idle in that time. Applejack had taken a stance in the front, serving as a potent bulwark against the creature. Pinkie Pie leaped upon the beast and bit out chunks of its stony form, chewing them up until they were little more than gravel. When she spat out the mix, it was inert and no longer responded to its former master’s call to reform once more.

Even Rarity and Fluttershy were lending what aid they could, though the arachne’s help was different from the others. Her critical eye was turned to a more offensive purpose and was scanning the creature for signs of movement. Each twitch and spasm may have seemed random to most, but in her heightened state, Rarity read its intentions like a book. Without speaking, she relayed what she discovered to Applejack, allowing her to adjust exactly as required.

Fluttershy initially thought herself useless and unable to offer much to her friends, but found anger burning hot inside herself. She felt the rage of a mother bear when her cubs were threatened and grew until she physically resembled that feeling. Standing tall alongside Applejack, Fluttershy used her great paws to swat down any attack launched her way.

All the while Twilight stood at the back, coordinating, planning, and when the time came, firing a spell of her own. Right as Rainbow Dash fell back, the undead unicorn released her magic, imbuing it with murderous intent. A suffocating miasma of heavy poison-filled clouds gathered around Tempest’s body, obscuring the caster from sight. Twilight knew her attack struck true as it would not be dissuaded by pure heat alone. Not only that, but it would rob the breath of any in the radius, causing their concentration to waver and break.

Only the attack didn't seem to have the effect she had intended, as a moment later it was forcibly dissipated by a counterspell. Revealing that not only Tempest Shadow was unharmed, but she didn't seem bothered by the sudden lack of oxygen. The poison which should have been inhaled had either been negated or ignored despite the apparent impossibility of such an action.

Despite the failure of her attack, Twilight continued to build magic for another, far from ready to give up. Her friends felt similarly, none letting up their attack for even a moment, despite how little they were accomplishing. Pinkie Pie’s bites were large, but the creature was larger. Rainbow Dash’s blade struck true, but only cut it into smaller pieces. Applejack and Fluttershy were able to hit back a few times, but they barely dented the massive creature’s body.

Worse still for the valiant defenders, Tempest Shadow used the distance she had gained to refocus herself. Her horn flashed, and a lance of energy attempted to swat Rainbow Dash from the sky. Rarity had seen the subtle turn of the possessed mare’s head as well as the flick of her eyes and urged Rainbow Dash out of the path.

The follow-up attempts similarly did little, as under Rarity’s guidance none were surprised by them. Applejack sidestepped when possible, and conjured a wall of iron hardwood when she couldn't. Fluttershy morphed, shifting into an insect, or something so small that the beam could not hit her. Twilight was quick to send out her spirit and reform her body before the spell could land, the mare silently thanking Rarity for her efforts. Pinkie Pie was the only one who required no help, as she was always one step ahead, weaving through the creature and its master’s attacks.

Over and over the six harried their foes, landing blow after blow while taking none in return. Every swipe of the creature’s great hands was brushed aside, while Tempest Shadow’s magic was similarly avoided. Meanwhile, Twilight noticed that an audience watched their fight, protected under a dome of magic conjured by Cadance. Within sat nearly every last defender still able to lift a weapon, while those who couldn't hurriedly evacuated the dead or wounded.

Twilight didn't pay much attention to them, however, her mind constantly awhirl with possibilities and plans. One of which was employed when she saw an opening and blasted Tempest with a flurry of bolts made of the most vile poison she could imagine. Absorbed through the skin, it would paralyze any living creature with a single beat of the target’s heart.

Sure enough, the attacks hit, their lethal payloads protected by a layer of magic that negated fire. Tempest avoided the majority, using her new wings to fly over them, though she couldn't dodge all of them. Two lucky bolts grazed her barrel, delivering more than enough of the stuff to kill the unfortunate unicorn.

This time when Tempest didn't die, or even seem to notice, Twilight was not surprised, but rather suspicious. She began to wonder how much Celestia’s aura protected the unicorn it inhabited, though that thought process was interrupted. A silent urge from Rarity prompted Twilight to leap to the ground just in time to dodge a swipe of the creature’s tail.

Again Applejack moved to block, but that was exactly what the creature was hoping for as its fist was already descending. Caught between a rock and a hard place, the farmer silently trusted her comrades in arms and was not disappointed. Fluttershy rose up, becoming a great ursa, and protecting her friend from the crushing hand descending down on her.

Rainbow Dash too trusted Fluttershy, and so when the limb was caught, she was already descending. Sword flashing brightly, she cut through the thing’s captured hand, the blade slicing metal and stone with remarkable ease. Fluttershy pulled hard, ripping the limb away and allowing Pinkie Pie the opportunity to assault it.

The troll’s furious blows and powerful bites removed a finger and nearly a second before Tempest Shadow responded. A wave of scorching white flames emanated from the pony and rippled in all directions, intent on filling the dome completely. Everyone on the attack abandoned what they had been doing and fell back, regrouping beneath a protective Fluttershy.

The ursa major shifted right as the flames hit, becoming an enormous pangolin whose hardened exterior took the blow. After the fire faded, and Fluttershy returned to her normal shape, the dryad collapsed, parts of her back now smoking. Rarity pulled forth a thread and wove it into a protective bandage which she wrapped around her friend’s barrel.

Already Fluttershy could feel her body healing, her injuries shrinking, and her will to fight returning. She would still require time, however, time which her friends were eager to give by striking back. Rainbow Dash was first to raise her blade in Fluttershy’s defense, diving towards Tempest now that the unicorn’s fire barrier was temporarily down.

The flash of enhanced steel nearly caught Tempest by surprise, the pony struggling to avoid the blade. Then came another, and another, and another, all in the blink of an eye, and all intent on killing the possessed unicorn. Despite the speed and strength behind the swipes, Tempest was able to stay ahead of each but only with the aid of her creature.

Fresh from having its hand fuse back with the rest of its body, the beast swiped up at Rainbow Dash, giving its master a moment of respite. Which she used to reform her heat shield and launch a fireball down at the group below her. An attack that Pinkie Pie ate out of mid-air, the shaman landing and immediately launching into a strange dance. One which ended with the troll throwing her head back and firing back that same ball of fire from her mouth.

The strange pink orb exploded when it hit the snake creature’s hand, the flickering bubblegum flames turning to sticky paste when it cooled. Temporarily struck by the strangeness of it all, Twilight saw another opening, and without a word being spoken, set another plan in motion. One which began with Applejack growing a long whiplike extension of green and using it to grapple the pink arm.

Fluttershy, now no longer distracted by her injury, leaped in to help, becoming an enormous ape and grabbing the whip. Together the two were able to pull the limb down and out of the way, allowing Rainbow Dash to surge forward, blade in hoof. She moved so fast that to the average person she was merely a blur, but even then, Tempest could still see her coming.

A blast of magic knocked the pegasus out of the sky, her body coming apart to reveal that she was a mere shadow. Midnight Moon reformed in the shade granted by Twilight's body, her distraction complete and job done. The real Rainbow Dash came in from a completely different angle, intent on removing Tempest’s head from her shoulders.

Forced into a desperate position and unable to call upon her servant, the commander made a snap decision. Pushing all of her energy into another fire wave directed at the diving pegasus, she forced the thestral to swerve away. She also inadvertently dropped her barrier and allowed the true attack to strike from a foe she had not anticipated.

A beam of concentrated necromantic energy lashed out across the battlefield, hitting the possessed unicorn square in the chest. The twisting magic was strong enough to sap the life from a beast ten times her mass, and kill creatures resilient to most other magic. Rather than slay the target, Tempest’s body shimmered, and several small wounds healed completely in a matter of seconds. The only negative effect came from how the golden energy suffusing the mare retreated from the point of impact.

“What, where?” Tempest muttered.

Twilight lashed out with her magic, connecting her to the undead pony whose great golden wings flickered in and out of existence. Once that line between the two was made, Twilight, having recalled her lessons, commanded Tempest to stop what she was doing. The command, spoken with more authority than any of Celestia’s words, was immediately heeded by Tempest, though she knew not why.

Bowing her head, she was about to step off her mount when the golden magic surged back across her body. Sharp tendrils of energy dug into Tempest’s body, stopping her dead in her tracks and causing a confused look to cross her face. An expression that was replaced with agony when the golden magic glowed even brighter than ever before.

A resplendent mask coalesced in front of Tempest’s face, obscuring her features and replacing it with an expressionless facade. Her mouth became a simple line, while her eyes were replaced by twin beams of the purest white. The rest of her body was similarly obscured by the golden light, becoming an armor of magic that left not a single patch of flesh visible.

This time it was the six’s turn to be confused, though again that expression turned into one of pain. The creature, now with a renewed sense of vigor, ripped its hand back, nearly dragging Fluttershy and Applejack right off the building. The pair was able to recover in time, but could do nothing but watch as Rainbow Dash was swatted from the sky by a dozen tiny fireballs detonating in mid-air.

When she landed, Rarity was quick to wrap the burnt sections of flesh, but had to abandon her bandaging a moment later. The sudden swipe of a tail was only narrowly avoided by Pinkie Pie who body-checked both arachne and thestral out of the way. Twilight reformed out of its path, only to find herself the target of two enormous stone and metal fists that were descending upon her.

Snapping off one final spectral teleportation, the unicorn reformed in mid-air, the ground having been destroyed. The entire roof had collapsed, the aged timber shattering beneath the titanic creature’s incredible rage. Rainbow Dash, though wounded, was able to carry Applejack down safely to the next floor, dropping her among the others. Fluttershy flew, Rarity scrambled down the wall, and Pinkie Pie performed what some may consider a superhero landing.

Twilight arrested her fall by reforming amidst the debris and immediately looked up at the creature above her. The snake-like abomination gripped the half-crumbled walls of the story above them, its master standing tall atop its head. Appearing for all like a flaming golden alicorn, not a speck of Tempest Shadow was visible anymore.

Twilight nodded to her friends, one of her back-up plans being put into motion by the sudden loss of the floor. Thankfully the one beneath them had not collapsed as well, though the landscape was significantly more treacherous. Littered with broken beams, shattered wood, and a few splintered supports, it would make maneuverability difficult.

They didn't need to move far, however, as the group formed up around Twilight and took defensive stances. Fluttershy became an ursa once more, while Applejack grew a great tower shield upon her right forehoof. Rarity readied more healing webs, while Pinkie Pie began another shamanistic dance. It was only Rainbow Dash that still attacked, throwing hunks of debris at the possessed unicorn in hopes of distracting her.

The shattered bits of wood never made it to her, however, as they were incinerated by her white-hot aura. A field that pulsed rapidly, a flurry of tiny stars shooting down upon the six friends gathered beneath her. The small but powerful explosions ignited every surface they touched, save for Applejack’s shield which repelled the hated fire successfully.

Fluttershy raised up sections of what had once been the floor, using it as a shield and giving Pinkie Pie the time she needed. A moment later, the shaman completed her ritual by pulling a tiny cloud from her mane and stomping it flat beneath her hoof. The second she did, a rainstorm suddenly swept over the area, bathing everything in angry precipitation.

Though the possessed unicorn was forced to turn her attention to banishing the offending weather, her servant remained on task. Its fists flew down at whatever target it could reach, and though it either missed or had its attack blocked, the creature’s tail was lucky. The drill-like appendage surged through the wall and knocked Rarity clear off her legs, forcing Pinkie Pie to go help her.

Twilight saw this all and did not respond, her attention focused entirely on the connection she still had with Tempest. The necromancer knew from experience with her timberwolves what it was like when they attempted to rebel. This wasn't quite the same, however, as Twilight could sense that Tempest both desired to do as Celestia ordered and wanted to push back at the same time.

That second urge was more primal, rooted not in the pony’s conscious mind but somewhere deeper. In the memories and experiences of the past came an almost wrathful need to resist Celestia in any way possible. It was there that Twilight knew victory would be found, and it was with this in mind that Twilight made her second order.

Remember, Twilight demanded. Remember what you were.

Above them, Tempest Shadow suddenly went rigid, her body contorting as a flood of memories coursed through her. A flood upon which Twilight found herself an unfortunate sailor, tossed by the tempestuous waves of another’s mind. Reality swam and suddenly fell away until all at once her hooves landed upon the cold stone of a castle’s battlements.

“Announcing Queen of the Storm Lands, Fizzlepop Berrytwist, and the Storm King!” proclaimed a voice.

Fizzlepop Berrytwist snickered and leaned in the direction of her husband, a towering bipedal creature. “You’d think they’d just use your name, or at least refer to me just as the Storm Queen,” whispered the unicorn.

“Old habits die hard, and besides, Storm King is cooler than Klavis,” whispered the Storm King in a low voice.

The royal couple smiled and waved at the somewhat confused, but appreciative subjects standing on the docks. Numbering only twenty, they were mostly civilians wandering around and enjoying the evening air with their children. They were also mostly creatures of the storm: the hairy, hunched-back bipeds with grey coats and bushy white manes. Other races could also be seen, like minotaurs, griffons, thestrals, and more, though they were in the minority.

“Please, relax everyone,” called the Storm King. “We are merely here for the same reason you all are. To enjoy the setting sun and partake in a bit of ice cream.”

“We were trying to have a nice date night, Grubber,” Fizzlepop Berrytwist added, glaring down at the short creature of the storm with a bugle tucked under one arm.

“Oh, uh, whoopsie,” murmured the diminutive male.

“Just... go enjoy the sights, my friend. I’ll call you when we are ready to go,” Klavis offered.

Grubber bobbed his head eagerly before scampering away, quickly vanishing amidst the crowd. Among which stood Twilight, the ghostly mare following after the royal couple as they trotted down the boardwalk. Unseen and unnoticed by any present, Twilight quickly surmised that she was in a memory, a much-beloved one at that.

Before her walked a very different mare than the antagonist she had been fighting for what felt like forever. For one she still had a horn and lacked the scars that crisscrossed her features in a startling frequency. Her scarlet mane fell over one side of her face, while her tail was long enough to brush the ground.

She wore dark regalia made up of black shoe and a peytral that hung about her neck. The heavy jewelry had a sliver hue to it, and in the center was a circular blue gem inside of which raged a caged storm. Nude, save for her regalia, Twilight could see that Fizzlepop Berrytwist sported a cutie mark depicting some strange frothing pink drink that had a pair of sparklers sticking out of it.

Her partner was also quite strange, his features more angular than the storm creatures Twilight had seen so far. Unlike the others, the Storm King did not have a hunched back or the long gangly limbs of his cousins. He also had a pair of gnarled black horns with faint teal lines crisscrossing them that grew from his brow.

His eyes also glowed a faint teal, and two tusk-like teeth sprouted from his prominent lower jaw. More regal, intelligent, and almost royal-looking, the Storm King wore a bulky black breastplate upon which teal horns had been painted. The bit of armor seemed to be the only mark of office he had, save for the long gnarled grey staff he wielded in his right hand.

The Storm King and Fizzlepop Berrytwist trotted down the dock until they reached an ice cream vendor. Together they ordered and continued on, then sat down at a bench at the very end of the long wooden structure. Before she joined them, Twilight took a moment to pause and glance back at the city she instinctively knew was behind her.

The great island metropolis stretched from the sea all the way up a nearby mountain, its black stone pillars rising high into the air. Great walls protected the entire thing, while dark-sailed boats sat in wait, ready to be launched at a moment's notice. It was grand, populated by nearly every race imaginable, and had to be ignored for the moment, Twilight reminded herself.

She hastily scampered after her charge, taking only a moment to inspect a strange and distant phenomenon. Upon the edge of the world, just barely within the range of her sight, was what looked like a titanic storm. Only this one wrapped about the entirety of the horizon, seemingly enshrouding the entire island in its embrace.

“Do you remember the day we met?” Fizzlepop Berrytwist asked. “Because I sure do.”

“How could I forget?” Klavis replied with a chuckle. “You charged up to me in the middle of a parade and demanded my hand in marriage.”

“I may have been a bit too brash,” Fizzlepop Berrytwist admitted, pausing to take a lick of her pink ice cream.

“It was endearing and bold, just like you,” Klavis stated.

“Yet you still set me on that quest,” Fizzlepop Berrytwist pointed out.

“I mean, could you blame me? You were holding up the entire event, and I had to get things going again,” Klavis explained.

“But to say that you would only entertain the notion should I return with twelve barrels of your favorite foreign beer was a bit much, don't you think?” Fizzlepop Berrytwist retorted.

“You did it, didn't you? You navigated the tempest not once, but twice, and earned a date with a king to boot,” Klavis stated.

Fizzlepop Berrytwist sighed. “I suppose.”

“But we’ve discussed this a dozen times before. What brings it to your mind now all of a sudden?” Klavis inquired.

“The white sails were spotted again,” Fizzlepop Berrytwist remarked, gesturing vaguely to the horizon.

“We will repel them, as we always have,” Klavis declared. “Few can pass through the great barrier unscathed. A feat no army is capable of unless they have the Storm Staff.”

Fizzlepop Berrytwist glanced at the seemingly normal stick her husband held aloft.

“I know,” she muttered. “But I was a soldier of hers once, in a different life. What if they use some kind of magic on me?”

“That won't happen,” Klavis declared.

“But-”

“Butts are for sitting,” Klavis interrupted.

Fizzlepop Berrytwist leaned against the male, a soft smile crossing her face. “You're right. We’ve overcome so much already. I’m certain that so long as we stand together as a couple, we’ll be able to face anything that life throws at us.”

Twilight's vision swam the moment the final word was spoken. It reformed a moment later, coalescing into the interior of a strange castle. Seated across from an open balcony, that overlooked the entire city and the sea beyond, was the royal couple.

Each resting upon an obsidian throne and flanked by storm creature guards, they stared down at their guest. Despite being alone and facing a foreign dignitary, the soft pink-furred unicorn stood tall and proud. Her vibrant purple mane sported several streaks of teal, though it was mostly contained beneath her golden helmet.

“You can't be serious,” remarked the Storm King. “Why would you ever believe that we would surrender and become pawns of your megalomaniacal queen?”

“Because she believes in mercy, second chances, and the goodness that lies within all ponies,” replied the messenger.

“Why do you look at me like that?” Fizzlepop demanded.

“Because you are the only pony here. That is all,” answered the golden armored pony.

“I tire of this conversation already,” stated the Storm King. “The answer is no. We will not give up, we will not surrender, and we will continue shooting down the poor saps you send in an effort to scout our land.”

“And you, what do you say?” asked the messenger, glancing at Fizzlepop.

“As always, I stand with my husband and with all the free peoples of the world,” Fizzlepop Berrytwist answered.

“There was a time when you sought to bring civilization to every corner of the planet. How unfortunate it is to see you spread barbarism instead,” muttered the other pony.

“Watch your tongue,” warned the Storm King. “You may be a guest, but my patience has limits, you know.”

“I believe this meeting is over,” Fizzlepop Berrytwist offered.

“I agree. Escort the envoy back to her pegasus bodyguards, and see that they leave immediately,” commanded the Storm King.

“A moment, if you would. I have one last thing to say,” replied the messenger.

“Make it quick,” snapped the Storm King.

“I have but one word,” the pony paused, pursed her lips, and uttered something in a language neither Twilight nor anyone else in the room save for Fizzlepop Berrytwist understood.

The unicorn groaned and clutched her head. “What, where am I?”

“Private Fizzlepop Berrytwist. Retrieve that staff and bring it to me,” barked the armored unicorn.

Fizzlepop Berrytwist turned to her husband and without hesitation ripped the staff from his grasp.

“What are you doing, my love? Don't give her the staff!” exclaimed the Storm King in confusion.

“Love? I don't even know who you are,” Fizzlepop Berrytwist replied, turning to the messenger. “Here you are, as ordered, ma’am.”

“Good,” declared the other mare as she caught the staff. “Now then, dispose of the guards.”

“Detain your queen! She is not in her right mind!” declared the Storm King. “Guards!”

“Ah ah ah, can't have that,” replied the mystery mare.

A flash of her horn sealed off the room, stopping anyone from entering or leaving.

Fizzlepop Berrytwist meanwhile struck without mercy, cutting down the first guard with a blast of magic that removed his head. His companion charged in anyway, determined to fulfill his king’s command no matter what may happen to himself. He met his end a moment later after Fizzlepop Berrytwist ducked out of his grapple attempt, tripped him, and disintegrated the downed guard.

“Why are you doing this? You’ve known Ralph and Sam for nearly a decade!” exclaimed the Storm King.

“That is not your queen, you fool,” spat the former messenger. “In fact, I think she needs a new name, one that suits her more.”

“Uh, ma’am?” muttered Fizzlepop Berrytwist.

“Ahh, yes, your new life begins in the shadow of the tempest. So shall you be known as Tempest Shadow forevermore,” declared the unicorn.

“Yes, ma’am. Tempest Shadow reporting for duty,” Tempest Shadow replied.

“Bring him to the balcony. I want him to watch as his kingdom burns,” commanded the unicorn.

Tempest Shadow turned to the Storm King and was about to repeat the command when he held up a hand.

“I will not resist,” he replied in a soft, solemn tone.

Tempest Shadow nodded and trotted over to the balcony with the defeated Storm King in tow.

“Watch the horizon,” commanded the mysterious mare.

Tempest Shadow did as was ordered, observing as her superior hefted the staff and activated its magic. Immediately the distant tempest shifted, and a passage through it was carved, revealing a multitude of white sails. The armada was enormous and supported by dozens of airships, towed along by hundreds of pegasus soldiers.

“I wonder if our queen will give me the honor of renaming this place after it is conquered and made compliant,” remarked the armored unicorn. “Perhaps I will call it Storm’s End, in honor of what it once was.”

“Just, give me back my wife, please,” urged the Storm King. “You’ve gotten what you wanted.”

“I would, if for no other reason than to take amusement from her surprise, but I’m afraid Celestia has plans for this one,” replied the messenger. “Plans that don't include you. Kill him.”

“Right now?” Tempest Shadow inquired.

“Yes, right now,” retorted her superior.

Tempest stared up at the being she was married to and hesitated.

“I forgive you,” he whispered. “I know that this isn't you, that you wouldn't do what you’ve done.”

“I’m not who you think I am,” Tempest Shadow asserted.

The Storm King smiled. “You don't know who you are.”

“Be quick about it,” snapped the unicorn. “We need to eliminate the rest of their command structure if we hope this invasion to end swiftly.”

“Right, sorry, ma’am,” Tempest Shadow replied.

The unicorn turned to Klavis and powered her horn, intent on disposing of him much the same way she had the guards. Energy coursed through her, until only a second later her spell was complete and ready to be unleashed. Yet for some reason, she found herself unable to follow through on that crucial, final step.

“What are you doing? Kill him,” demanded the unicorn soldier.

“I… I can't for some reason,” Tempest Shadow murmured. “My magic, it won’t do as I say.”

“Yes, fight it, my love. Remember who you are, remember what we’ve fought to accomplish together!” the Storm King urged.

“Be quiet. I don't know you!” Tempest Shadow shouted.

Her horn grew brighter still, pulsating with so much energy that her superior took a wary step back.

“I command you to kill him. Do it, now! Before your spell backfires,” barked the other mare.

“I can't!” Tempest Shadow shouted. “My magic won't obey me, it's out of control!”

The energy reached a pinnacle and exploded outward, releasing a flash that blinded nearly everyone. Twilight, however, was safe, half hidden behind one of the various pillars of the throne room, able to watch as Tempest Shadow’s horn erupted. Then the world fell away, the celestial soldier having blacked out from a mixture of pain and magical backlash.

Twilight came to amidst what had likely been a desk at one point, though it was now little more than a mound of debris. Her friends stood nervously around her, their gazes turned upwards at the twitching golden alicorn above them. Its mount contorted in place, its clawed hands twitching with murderous intent.

In an instant Twilight was aware that she had been out for several minutes, during which her friends had continued the fight. They had stayed defensive, constructing barricades and fending off the creature’s attacks with relative ease. For its master seemed distracted during that time, her spells were easily avoided, if they were even able to fully manifest in the first place.

Twilight bent her legs, channeled her blackened aura into her forehooves, and waited for the attack she knew was coming. Yet no magic attempted to strike her down, and no great fist flew at her with murderous intent. All focus lay on Tempest Shadow, as she began to writhe inside the cage of golden magic that encased her.

Cut all ties with it and fight! Twilight and her friends silently urged, their voices joining together and giving strength to the possessed unicorn.

A rainbow crack suddenly appeared on Tempest Shadow’s mask and was quickly joined by another. Within moments, a multitude of thin lines covered her entire form, and with a cry of rage, the pony within emerged. Using her jagged horn like a newborn, Tempest Shadow cracked the egg that encased her and emerged screaming back into the world.

That piercing shriek quickly took on a strange power, becoming an unearthly howl that filled almost all who heard it with terror. Twilight and her friends remained steadfast, bolstered by each other’s presence. Until the howl became a wail that tore from the throat of an ethereal ghost-like apparition emerging from Tempest Shadow’s body.

Golden lines tried to grip the specter and pull it back into its original body, but found no purchase on the soul, allowing Tempest Shadow to tear free of her mortal form and emerge fully as an anguished wraith hovering above her husk. A shell that was still wrapped in gold and appeared to be an alicorn, one with empty, dead eyes and drooping features.

“No, I am not done with you,” muttered an alien voice.

“But I am done with you!” spat Fizzlepop Berrytwist.

With a wordless cry of vengeance, the enraged spirit screamed its anger into the face of its former body. The air rippled, and the sound struck with all the strength of a hammer blow, peeling away sections of golden magic. Whatever entity possessed the mare’s body tried to resist, to fight back, but it was a useless effort.

Without lungs that needed to breathe, the specter did not let up, tearing away more and more of the armor. Wings flickered and lost their feathers before finally crumbling, joining the plates that had adorned the slowly revealed corpse of Fizzlepop Berrytwist. Until with one final bellow of rage, the magic was removed completely from its host and began to rapidly disintegrate.

Twilight urged Midnight Moon into action, gesturing up at the twisting mass of light falling to pieces above them. The spectral creature did as she was ordered, using a vial to capture the failing essence before it came apart completely. Trapped within the enchanted glass container, it became liquid and finally fell still within its new cage.

With the vial tucked securely out of the way, Twilight and her friends looked up as Tempest Shadow’s body fell from the sky. Rainbow Dash plucked it from the air before it could hit the ground, then laid it gently next to her friends. By then the strange celestial monster seemed to realize its own demise and began to fall apart much like its master.

Hunks of stone crashed down the side of the keep, while flesh and metal fell amidst the more mundane rain. Applejack kept her friends safe with a wall of wood she grew from her back, sheltering the others under her newly increased bulk. When finally they could no longer hear the sound of falling debris, Applejack pulled back her shield and returned to her normal size.

Her friends did the same, their strength and increased durability slipping away now that they were not required. All at once, they were individuals once more, and no longer shared as deep a connection as they had only seconds earlier. It didn't fade entirely, however, and they could feel one another’s presence as keenly as if they were holding hooves.

They did not dwell on that for long, for amidst the pitter-patter of rain, they heard the sob of someone in pain. Fizzlepop, now freed from her body, stood over her own corpse, staring down into the empty eyes that had once been her own. All six of the friends surged forward and wrapped the specter in a deep hug, surrounding the banshee in as much sympathy as they could muster.

Eventually, her cries turned into sobs, before finally, silence reigned once more. It was then that several thestrals flew over the broken lip of the keep’s top. Together they carried Sunset Shimmer down into the debris-filled pit and dropped her next to the six friends.

“Is everyone alright?” she called, horn glowing faintly.

“We are fine,” Twilight whispered. “But I’m afraid that Fizzle here is not.”

“I think I’m a little beyond help,” Fizzlepop muttered, floating higher in order to reveal her semi-corporeal form in greater detail.

Though she appeared much as she did in life, the unicorn lacked any back hooves, and instead sported faint wisps of greenish blue. Her bottom half was obscured by what appeared to be the tattered remnants of some long destroyed dress. Only her forehooves and head were clearly visible, though her features were still ghost-like and partially opaque.

“We could set a few wards to stop decay and perhaps bring back your body,” Sunset offered. “If we act quickly, you could retain the majority of your quality of life.”

“No!” Fizzlepop shouted. “No, I can't go back into that… prison.”

“No pressure, just enjoy the freedom!” Pinkie Pie offered, the troll attempting to pat the banshee on the back and failing when her hoof passed clear through the undead specter. “Aww, guess you’re not quite as solid anymore.”

“Wait, why are you being so nice to me? I tried to kill you. I killed so many others,” Fizzlepop murmured, staring down mournfully at her own hooves.

“That wasn't you, that was Order or Celestia,” Applejack scratched her head. “Whoever they were, they weren't you.”

“But-”

“Butts are for sitting,” Pinkie Pie interrupted. “Now quit your worrying and just enjoy the fact that you’re free!”

“We will speak again soon,” Fizzlepop murmured. “For now… for now, I need to be alone.”

“We’ll be here when you’re ready,” Twilight offered.

Fizzlepop nodded mutely before lifting into the air and drifting off into the night, following the rain clouds as they departed eastward.

“Was that… her?” Sunset whispered.

“Sort of. It's a long story,” Twilight replied.

“I mean, not that long. She got taken over like you did, only worse and maybe for longer? It's hard to tell because she was undead before we rekilled her,” Pinkie Pie explained.

“I guess it wasn't that long,” Twilight muttered.

“Look, we can debrief everyone on what happened later. Right now we gotta get out there and help all those poor folk who ended up worse off than us,” Rainbow Dash declared.

“Oh my goodness, that's right, where did Spike go?” Fluttershy asked.

Rarity perked up and gestured in the direction of a distant crashing sound. “Something tells me he's not far.”

“Well, I’ve ensured that no one who died will decompose further, but we will need you to bring back those who volunteered to be resurrected quickly,” Sunset urged.

“We’re coming, Maud!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed, hefting Twilight up on her shoulder.

“Wow there, wait just a second. Where did we get these neat-lookin’ things?” Applejack interjected, raising her forehoof.

Revealing that where her bangle had been, she now wore a more luxurious and more magical piece of jewelry. At its center was a bright orange apple made up of a single multi-hued gem that was held by numerous golden roots. These roots wrapped around her hoof and kept the silver dollar-sized jewel held securely for all to see.

“We all got one,” Rarity added.

The arachne raised her right forehoof to reveal that her assertion was indeed correct. For she wore a similar bangle, only hers was made of gold webs and a purple gem in the center. The others all followed suit, raising their legs to show that their bangles had been changed somehow.

Many strange, as well as completely normal critters, made up the gold part of Fluttershy’s, while in the middle there was a pink butterfly. Pinkie Pie’s was a mix of gold streamers and a single bright blue balloon in the center. Like the others, Rainbow Dash had a similar piece of jewelry, with hers having numerous clouds surrounding a red lightning bolt.

“Yours is really pretty, Twilight,” Pinkie Pie murmured.

Twilight looked down at her forehoof to discover that hers was made up of numerous golden stars with a larger pink one in the middle. The pinkish-purple gem captivated her, though Twilight's attention soon shifted to the intricate gold. Uncountable starbursts nearly identical to the gem were linked to one another, creating a sea of stars that seemed infinite at first glance.

“Should we… take them off?” Rainbow Dash whispered.

“I don't think we have to,” Twilight murmured. “They don't seem to be harmful.”

“Wait, can y'all remember the word for cooperation?” Applejack scratched her head. “‘Cause it feels like that info fell right outta my head.”

“I think… I think it went into the bangles,” Twilight remarked.

“Another mystery for the pile. Now come on, let's go! We got a sister to save, and a party to throw!” Pinkie Pie declared.

“Oh, uh, right, let's- aah!” Twilight cried out in surprise, as Pinkie Pie leaped through a broken window.

“Wee,” cried the troll.

The pair quickly vanished out of sight, leaving the others to stare down at the corpse sitting at their hooves.

“Uh, what do we do with this?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Perhaps we should just hold on to it until Fizzlepop comes back,” Fluttershy remarked.

“That sounds like the right thing to do,” Applejack agreed.

“The Elements of Harmony,” Sunset suddenly declared.

“I’m sorry, what now?” Rainbow Dash replied.

Sunset pointed down to the thestral’s bangle. “Your jewelry, it's what they are called. The moment I saw them, the name just popped into my head. Like the universe thrust it upon me somehow.”

“I thought the Elements of Harmony already existed,” Fluttershy murmured in confusion. “Though I can't be sure. I never was one for history.”

“I don't know for certain, but I do know that these are them,” Sunset declared.

“Elements of Harmony, or fancy magical doohicky. I don't care what they are. We got work to do!” Rainbow Dash stated.

“Right,” Sunset agreed. “Let's get out there and save some lives.”

Author's Note

A Somber Interlude

“I think I can walk from here,” Twilight gently offered.

“Alright, just hurry, okay?” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

Twilight nodded and stepped off the troll’s back. The necromancer’s legs still shook a bit from the superhero landing that Pinkie Pie had just done. How the shaman managed such a feat without breaking her legs was a question Twilight did not wish to ponder at the moment.

Looking around, Twilight found that the area was still alive with activity. Wounded were carted away, and the dead had preservation spells placed upon them. They were then either brought to the keep and laid out nearby or placed somewhere out of the way. Twilight was about to ask someone what the difference between the two groups was, and then it hit her. The warriors who had expressed a desire not to be brought back were being separated from those who did.

“This way,” Pinkie Pie urged.

Twilight nodded meekly, allowing herself to be dragged over to where a titanic troll lay inert on her side. Though she had sported a large wound on her chest, someone had already sealed it shut and bound it securely. Leaving behind a creature that seemed to be merely asleep rather than deceased.

“Do you think you could save her?” whispered a voice.

Twilight glanced over to where Marble Pie sat a few feet away. The troll’s face sported the telltale trails of tears that had since dried. She was also joined by a defeated Limestone, though her expression was tightly controlled and neutral.

“If she wants to come back, she will,” Twilight offered.

“Then get to it,” Limestone retorted.

The shout had been intended to sound intimidating, but Twilight could tell that the troll was on the verge of tears. Even still, Twilight didn't want to push her luck and knelt down next to Maud’s unmoving form. A dull glow began at the tip of Twilight's broken horn before traveling down her body, splitting into two and ending at her hooves.

Gathering the blue-green magic within herself, Twilight briefly wondered what had caused that change. Before her magic had been purple, then black, but it had recently shifted for a second time. She hadn't even been aware of when it had happened either, though it was about when her horn broke.

Pushing such musings from her mind, Twilight gently pushed her magic from her hooves into Maud’s body. The wispy green-blue energy travelled across the troll’s form before sinking into her flesh. For a moment nothing happened, then Maud’s eyes opened, and she looked up at Twilight with a bored expression.

“That was a wonderful nap,” Maud remarked. “For a moment I felt as though I was a stone.”

“But you still want to come back, right?” Twilight urged.

Maud lazily looked up at the terrified faces of her sisters, and then back down to Twilight.

“Yes. Though being dead was quite relaxing. I still have a lot to do,” Maud replied.

Pinkie Pie breathed a sigh of relief, one that was shared by Marble Pie as well. Limestone huffed angrily and stood back up.

“Well then. Hurry up already,” Limestone muttered.

Twilight nodded and began channeling a bit more magic into the troll at a slow, but steady pace. Worried that she may have used too much magic, Twilight found that she felt little in the way of drain. In fact, ever since the fight, her aches and pains had slowly dissipated until she was left feeling more alive than when she was alive. Without the concern of burning herself out, Twilight quickly finished the process of rebinding Maud’s spirit to her body.

“Hmmm, that kind of… tickles,” Maud remarked.

The troll extended a forehoof and wiggled it before slowly pushing her way into a stand. Her sisters were quick to help her, giving Maud something to lean on as she got back to her hooves. Twilight took a step back and scanned the newly raised undead, making sure that nothing seemed out of place. When all of her efforts returned nothing out of the ordinary, the unicorn allowed herself to finally smile.

“Oh, thank you!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, picking Twilight up and squeezing her tightly. “You have no idea what this means to me.”

“To us,” Marble corrected.

Twilight chuckled and awkwardly patted Pinkie Pie on the back. “You're lucky I don't have to breathe,” Twilight remarked, only to wince. “Though I would still like it if you didn't break any ribs.”

“Hehe, sorry,” Pinkie Pie muttered.

The troll placed Twilight back on the ground and took a step back, allowing Twilight to brush herself off.

“So, Maud, how are you feeling?” Twilight gently inquired.

“It's… colder than I imagined,” Maud exclaimed after a moment of contemplation.

“You can talk to Sunset, and she can fix that for you,” Twilight offered.

Maud shook her head. “That's quite alright. It's kind of nice.”

“Well then, if you have any other questions about your new, uh… condition, then feel free to ask me or Sunset,” Twilight offered.

“I will. And thank you,” Maud exclaimed, bowing her head briefly.

“Such a heartfelt thanks. I think I’m going to cry,” murmured Pinkie Pie while sniffing and holding back tears.

Twilight chuckled and gave the group a small nod before slipping away with just her thoughts for company. After a moment alone, the undead glanced back at the tearful reunion taking place a few feet away. It was a pleasant sight but Twilight felt too much like a voyeur and turned her attention to the many dead waiting for her.

As she made her way over, Twilight noticed that there were several notable faces amongst the mass. First amongst them was Sharp Eye. The skeleton’s illusionary body faded somewhat, but was still visible. In her hooves, cradled within a slightly singed cape, was a collection of bones at the top of which sat a familiar skull.

“Beaker,” Twilight muttered.

Hastily trotting over to her old assistant, Twilight called upon the familiar necromantic magic. When she reached the pair, Twilight was quick to press her hoof against the skull, hope burning hot in her chest. It took a moment, but as soon as the magic had suffused the hunk of bones, its eyes flickered with life once more.

“Hmmm, what happened?” Beaker muttered.

“You saved that soldier’s life. Though it cost you your own,” Sharp Eye declared.

“Oh, that worked. Neat,” Beaker remarked.

“Are you alright? Do you want to come back?” Twilight pressed.

Beaker winced. “Not particularly, but I have yet to pay you back, so I will return.”

“Beaker, you died for me. Twice,” Twilight muttered. “I think you’ve more than earned your rest.”

“Are you sure?” Beaker retorted.

“Yes, I’m certain,” Twilight replied, flabbergasted.

“As much as it pains me, I agree with Twilight,” Sharp Eye added. “You did well today and have done well ever since your return. If you wish to enjoy the sleep of death, then you may.”

Beaker’s jaw clicked shut, and the skull was quiet for several long seconds.

“Then I think… I think I’m ready for my final journey,” Beaker whispered. “I’ve relished the time since your return, Twilight, but… I’m not built for this. I’m a pony of peace.”

“You could go elsewhere. Move away to where there is no war,” Twilight offered.

“I couldn't in good conscience do that. Heck, I feel bad enough about just dying,” he remarked, chuckling dryly at his own grim words.

“You’ve earned it. It's your choice,” Twilight stressed.

“Then I’ll go. Just… Just tell that soldier that I moved away or something. I wouldn't want the guilt of my passing to weigh on them,” Beaker murmured.

Twilight smiled and gently brought the skull up to her face, nuzzling it gently. “You are an inspiration, Beaker. Rest well.”

“Until we meet again in those green green fields,” Sharp Eye added.

“Until we meet again,” Beaker echoed.

Twilight slowly let the magic fade, until at last Beaker’s eyes dimmed, and his spirit departed for the final time. Both she and Sharp Eye shared a moment of silence, both thinking about their friend. With a few deft twists, Sharp Eye turned the cape into a bag and gently placed it upon her back.

“I will see to it that he is laid to rest in the manner he chose in life,” Sharp Eye stated.

“Thank you, Sharp Eye,” Twilight replied.

Sharp Eye nodded and took a step away, only to be stopped by a hoof on her shoulder.

“Oh, and Sharp Eye,” Twilight interjected. “Make sure to see Sunset after this. I think you’ll both need some pleasant company.”

“I was already planning on it,” Sharp Eye remarked.

The skeleton then departed, trotting in the direction of the keep and eventually the undertower. Twilight watched her friend go for a moment before once more turning her attention back to those who needed it. The most pressing of which was the other familiar shape amongst the ranks of the dead waiting to be brought back.

“Dark Hallow,” Twilight greeted. “Who has need of me?”

The thestral seemed to have aged a decade over the course of the battle. His gaze had faded somewhat, though it still contained the fire that Twilight had come to expect. Beside him, sitting patiently within a hoof's reach was the changeling Twilight recognized as the old thestral’s partner.

They seemed distant, their gaze fixed on the two dead members of the black rose lying nearby. Draped in a midnight shroud, one was little more than a pile of ash, while the other seemed to be mostly complete and was missing only his head. An injured minotaur sat nearby, waving off every medic that attempted to get him to leave the presence of his allies.

“Whisper Wind and Old Blood,” Dark Hallow exclaimed, gesturing to the two black sheets. “Though I’m uncertain if you’ll be able to bring them both back.”

“I will try,” Twilight declared.

The unicorn steeled herself and pulled aside the first shroud to reveal a headless thestral body. Garbed in the armor of an assassin and with the weapons to match. The thestral was also missing his back hooves below the knee. There were other injuries, but they were minor compared to the two more obvious ones.

Twilight wasn't certain if she could bring him back, but steeled herself and began to try anyway. The magic gathered and again was diffused into the body, sinking beneath the his flesh. Then she waited, sitting impatiently as her energy seeped into every pore of the thestral. She was about to give up when suddenly a pair of ethereal hooves emerged, replacing the ones he had lost. A head followed suit a moment later, though strangely even in death he wore a strip of cloth over his mouth and throat.

“Hmmm,” murmured the assassin ruefully.

“Ready to continue the crusade?” Dark Hallow asked.

“Always,” muttered the headless thestral.

Dark Hallow nodded to Twilight, who in turn continued to push magic into the newly awakened undead. It took a bit more power than Twilight anticipated, but in the end, the assassin rose and shook himself off. He then glanced once to the necromancer, giving Twilight the impression that was all the thanks she would ever get.

“I don't suppose you can reanimate dust by chance, do you?” Dark Hallow grimly remarked.

Twilight glanced down at the lump of ash sitting before her.

“I can try,” Twilight replied.

Kneeling down next to the small mound, Twilight repeated the usual routine, only this time she wasn't quite as hopeful. Rather than be disappointed, she was surprised when a mere spark of necromantic power awakened a spirit. Rising up from the dusty pile, the ghostly unicorn gazed down at her own remains with disdain.

“All my wards, and she still annihilated me. It seems as though I still have things to learn,” Old Blood remarked aloud.

“So, you’ll return?” Dark Hallow asked.

The spectre nodded. “I still have a pupil to teach and much research to complete. So until the work is done, I remain.”

“How like you,” deadpanned the lone changeling.

“Yes, well. When you live as long as I do, you get rather set in your ways,” Old Blood retorted. “Now if you’ll excuse me.”

The ghost gave Twilight a bow, his ethereal robes billowing out under him. He then rose once more and floated away without another word being spoken.

“How like him indeed,” Dark Hallow agreed.

“If you don't mind, I think I’ll move on to the others who need my help,” Twilight exclaimed.

Dark Hallow waved a dismissive hoof in the air. “Of course, of course. Go on, my friend, and thank you again. Neither of my compatriots are big talkers, but they do appreciate your assistance.”

“I’m just happy to help,” Twilight replied.

Vambrace, Dark Hallow’s changeling partner, gave Twilight a faint smile and a nod before the unicorn departed.

Twilight then moved from one of the deceased soldiers to another, bringing each one back. Some expressed a desire to not return and were allowed to pass to the beyond. Others eagerly hopped back into their bodies with minimal prompting. A few required assistance getting used to their new existence, but by and large, it seemed to be second nature.

Twilight wondered if there was something unique about the creatures of the Everfree. They were so eager to return to life and so unbothered by the realization that they would come back as an undead. Perhaps, Twilight considered, living so close to death led them to adopt a different mindset from the one Twilight had grown up knowing.

Some time later, Twilight sat down on a large rock and released a long, withering sigh. Her magical reserves that had seemed so infinite a few hours ago had taken a hit. She still had more to give, but she’d require rest relatively soon, if she didn't want to collapse.

“Is that everyone?” Twilight muttered.

“It seems so,” Sharp Eye remarked, only to pause. “Though there are a few that have not been given the opportunity.”

Twilight followed the skeleton’s gaze to where the viscera that had once been the celestial invaders were being piled. Limbs, bits of bone, and blood were being dumped into the pit Spike had emerged out of during the battle. It was grim, unfortunate work, but with the help of a few undead, it was getting done.

Not all of the attackers had been liquified by Tempest’s call, however. Five mostly complete bodies lay beside the hole in the ground, a blanket stolen from the keep placed over them. Spike stood next to the small group of bodies, the teenage dragon pacing back and forth.

“Perhaps we should see if they desire to return as well,” Twilight offered.

Sharp Eye merely nodded, shouldering her halberd and following after the other undead.

“Spike,” Twilight called, stopping just next to the five bodies. “What are you doing over here?”

“Guarding,” Spike muttered. “The night guard wanted to burn them, but I wouldn't let them. It's disrespectful.”

Twilight nodded. “Most ponies back home wish to be buried with a headstone telling of the honors they won and the names they had. A rather silly tradition born from a belief that when the ‘gods’ return that they will find the most devout and bring them back.”

“Silly or not, it's what they believed,” Spike retorted. “Also, it’s funny how that changed over the years. Back in the day, it was simply a matter of family bragging rights over who had the coolest ancestor.”

“Really?”

Spike shrugged. “Pretty much. Oh, sure, they dressed it up as ensuring that all knew of their bloodline’s deeds, but that's just a fancy way of bragging while dead.”

Twilight chuckled. “I suppose.”

“Were you thinking about…” Spike gestured to the bodies. “Bringin’ them back?”

“I mean, I was considering it,” Twilight replied. “Some of them were basically mind-controlled and forced to fight. Others were just fed propaganda and slowly twisted by Celestia’s machinations.”

“I’d do it,” Spike declared. “Give them the opportunity, that is. This Celestia didn't seem to give them much of a chance.”

“It would be one of the few choices they weren't coerced into making in their entire lives,” Twilight whispered.

Spike nodded.

“Alright, give me a second,” Twilight exclaimed.

Spike flipped up the various sheets to reveal the twisted visages of the now-dead celestial soldiers. Then, once more the necromancer knelt and once more she put a bit of her power into the closest body. The pony chosen had bright pink fur and a straight-cut mane of yellow that hung down just over her eyes. Struck down when attempting to bypass the gorge, she had been spared from Tempest Shadow’s spell.

“Is it working?” Spike whispered.

Twilight frowned and watched as more and more of her magic entered the mare, only to billow out once again.

“There's something stopping me. Help me remove her armor,” Twilight encouraged.

A few sliced straps later, the caved-in breastplate was removed, followed closely by the rest. Leaving behind only a sun pendant that hung from the pony’s slightly twisted neck. After removing the lone piece of jewelry, Twilight found that her magic was able to seep into the dead unicorn’s body.

Again, it took more power than usual, but in the end, the pony’s eyes began to flicker and glow faintly. She then groaned and turned her head, peering up at Twilight. There was barely even a flicker of recognition on the young mare’s face.

“You, you’re… why do I feel like I should know you?” murmured the soldier.

“You were part of the army sent to kill me,” Twilight answered.

“Why would I do that?” muttered the mare. “I don't even know you.”

She paused and glanced around, her confusion growing with each passing second. “Where are we? Why is it so dark?”

“We're in the Everfree, and it is night,” Twilight replied.

The newly resurrected pony lay back down and stared up at the moon. “Huh. I feel like I should be terrified, but there's just… nothing.”

“You’re half revived. Your feelings will be muted for a bit,” Twilight explained. “Speaking of which, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind answering an important question.”

“Sure, just give me a second here. This is a lot to take in, and things are fuzzy.” The unicorn touched a hoof to the side of her head. “Last thing I remember clearly was going away for basic training, then just pieces. Like I was waking from a dream, only to fall back asleep again.”

“Take your time,” Twilight murmured.

The necromancer took a step back and glanced nervously at Spike.

“Using mind magic so frequently is pretty messed up,” Spike murmured. “Something really bad must have taken over Celestia. There is no way she’d do this.”

Twilight was about to respond when she heard the shuffle of hooves and the wet thud as something dropped into the pit. Glancing out of the corner of her eye, Twilight saw several workers stop and look over at the unicorn lying on the ground. A brief, muffled exchange was then had before the pair trotted around the bend and approached the necromancer.

“What exactly do you think you're doing here?” asked a gruff thestral stallion.

“Not bringing back our sworn enemies, right?” added a recently resurrected griffon.

“I am giving them…” Twilight paused. “Actually, I want you to come here for a moment.”

The workers glanced at one another before doing as was asked and trotting over beside her.

“Oh, uh, hello. I’ve never met a thestral before. Or a griffon. I know they say you drink blood and eat ponies, respectively, but I’ve never put much stock into what the teacher said,” remarked the unicorn, only to pause, wince, and clutch her head. “Or at least I think I didn't. It's so hard to remember anything for some reason.”

Twilight looked to the new arrivals and then motioned toward the unicorn.

“What's, uh… what's your name?” offered the griffon. “I’m Sea Breeze.”

“That's a funny name. Aren't griffons all supposed to have names like Blood Talon or something? Or am I misremembering again?” the pony sighed and shook her head. “Either way, the name’s Meadow Flower, and I was a florist, I think. I went to the mandatory training like everyone else, but after that, it's…”

Meadow Flower fell silent, a look of confusion crossing her face.

“It's okay. Relax,” Spike whispered. “You’ve had mind magic used on you.”

Meadow Flower blinked and looked around in confusion. “But you all can't use magic. Unless that horror book I read when I was little was right about thestrals being able to hypnotize people.”

“I don't think we can do that,” murmured the thestral worker.

“Then… who?” Meadow Flower muttered.

“We think it may have been Celestia or someone else in your government,” Twilight reasoned.

“That doesn't seem right,” Meadow Flower retorted. “Celestia looks out for us. Protects us and shepherds all of ponykind to a brighter future. She wouldn't do that.”

“Then I’m sorry to say that you may have been lied to,” offered Sea Breeze.

“Huh,” whispered Meadow Flower.

Twilight glanced from one worker to the other, causing the thestral to sigh.

“Guess these folk deserve a chance same as everyone,” he muttered. “But you may wanna let the higher-ups know about this. Might cause a fuss.”

“Well, I think what you’re doing here is wonderful,” remarked Sea Breeze. “We should always be ready to grant mercy, even when you know it wouldn't be granted to you.”

“You don't sound like the griffons I’ve read about,” exclaimed Meadow Flower. “You’re way too nice.”

“He gets that all the time,” remarked the thestral, who bumped his hip against Sea Breeze’s side.

“Heh, yeah,” muttered the griffon.

“Come on. Let's go inform the brass. We’ll leave Miss Twilight to her work,” declared the thestral before pulling his partner away.

“What strange ponies. Or would it be creatures?” Meadow Flower asked, her nose scrunching up in confusion. “For some reason just saying that makes me angry. Like, really angry.”

“That's probably part of the mind magic,” Spike explained.

“I don't like this. It feels like there’s a war in my brain,” Meadow Flower muttered, clasping her head in her forehooves.

It was then that Twilight heard the sound of hooves stepping across the grass in her direction. From the weight and canter, Twilight was able to deduce who it was well in advance. Turning around, Twilight looked up to find that Cadance was trotting toward them. The alicorn had a few bandages and sections of gauze covering her fur but otherwise seemed relatively uninjured.

“I see you’re still making friends and enemies in equal measure,” Cadance exclaimed.

“I’m just doing what's right,” Twilight declared.

Cadance chuckled. “I’m not disagreeing. Merely stating that some may not see it as such.”

“An… alicorn?” murmured Meadow Flower. “But how? Celestia is the last.”

Cadance’s smile faded, and she knelt down next to the celestial soldier. “There is much that Celestia has told you that is not true. But that doesn't matter now. What matters now is the question of if you have the strength to continue on despite knowing that there will be much suffering in your future.”

“I… I don't know,” Meadow Flower whispered as if to herself. “There is a part of me that wants to dismiss the offer to come back, to spit in your face, but I don't know why I feel that way.”

“I see goodness in you,” Cadance exclaimed, placing a hoof over Meadow Flower’s chest. “You have the capacity to grow past this, to regain the destiny taken from you by those who would shackle you to a hate not born in your heart.”

Meadow Flower was quiet for nearly a minute before suddenly nodding her head. “I don't know what I’ll do or what will happen to me, but I know that I need to keep going.”

Twilight held out her hoof. “Then welcome back to the world of the living, Meadow Flower.”

The former soldier took the offered limb and smiled as magic spilled into her body. A gentle tug hefted Meadow Flower back to her hooves, and after a brief moment where it seemed like she may fall over, she steadied herself. It took another few seconds for her bearings to gather fully and for the unicorn to notice the bodies sitting next to her.

“These were… I knew them,” Meadow Flowers muttered.

“They were your comrades at one point,” Spike offered.

“I don't remember their names, but I know that I feel a strange kinship with them,” Meadow Flower replied. “How strange is that? To feel all that and not even recall what I would have called them.”

“Would you like for them to be given the same chance you have?” Twilight inquired.

Meadow Flower nodded. “I know that not all of them will take you up, but… we must try. That is, if you are okay with that?”

Twilight smiled. “Of course. I wouldn't have asked if I hadn't been prepared for that possibility.”

“A moment. I think we have a visitor,” Cadance exclaimed.

The alicorn turned around and smiled as a familiar changeling queen approached them. Chrysalis’ grim expression melted into one of joy, and she gently nuzzled the underside of Cadance’s jaw.

“It is so good to see you, my love,” Chrysalis whispered. “I was so worried.”

“As was I. Did you bring them? What few who were not forced to take their own life,” Cadance replied.

Chrysalis nodded and gestured back to a cart loaded with nearly a dozen bodies mostly hidden beneath a tarp. A changeling pulled it over, and together with the help of a fellow drone, began to unload the corpses. Though they had been foes at one point, the changelings were gentle, almost reverent with the bodies.

“I fear that is all,” Chrysalis explained.

“It is more than expected, but still unfortunate,” Cadance replied.

“Please, continue,” Meadow Flower urged. “I want to see them again, to talk to them again.”

“As you wish,” Twilight answered.

Over the course of the next hour, the various former soldiers were questioned and either laid to rest or raised fully. It was a grueling process filled with shouting, demands, and even a few punches being thrown. In the end, only half of those given the chance to return did so, with the rest stubbornly clinging to their past allegiance.

Even in death.

“What are we going to do with them?” Spike whispered.

Twilight hummed thoughtfully as she watched Sunset and Cadance going over each of the celestial soldiers. One placed wards upon their body in order to protect against rot, while another undid the magic placed upon their minds. Both were arduous processes, given how much Celestia and those who served her had altered the servants under their command.

“Whatever they want,” Twilight replied.

The pair paused as a pony tried to place its head atop their flaming neck, only for the thing to tumble off. So began a chase wherein the undead sprinted after their tumbling cranium while also kicking it every few steps.

“That one seems to have a future in hoofball,” Spike exclaimed. “Do you think that's what their actual talent is?”

Twilight shrugged, idly noting that like many of the soldiers, the headless pony had no cutie mark to speak of. Some had kept theirs, but they all seemed to be oriented around combat in some way like Steel Strike. Those whose names did not reference fighting found themselves blank flanks once more, such as Meadow Flower.

“I didn't know you could take away someone’s cutie mark, but then again they were always wearing armor. Even Tempest, er, Fizzlepop had hers covered,” Twilight replied.

“I think they’ll find a home here,” Spike stated confidently. “Once everyone hears their stories and talks to them.”

“It will still be hard, but if any place would accept them, it would be Ponyville,” Twilight added.

Spike nodded.

“Great work back there,” Chrysalis exclaimed.

To Twilight's credit, she only jumped a little bit. “Thank you,” Twilight replied. “I heard you guys did well.”

“It wasn't even sporting,” Chrysalis stated in a disgusted tone. “Effective, brutally so, but repulsive and dishonorable.”

“Celestia in a nutshell,” Twilight murmured.

Chrysalis grunted her agreement. “After this is all dealt with but before the party happens, we’re going to have to talk about the Elements.”

“Hmmm?” Twilight murmured, glancing back to the changeling. “What about them?”

“They are artifacts of great mystery and even greater power,” Chrysalis explained. “The fact that they have appeared here and now is a strange omen.”

“Wouldn't they be a good thing?” Spike inquired.

“Yes, but they also only appear in times of great turmoil and under specific conditions,” Chrysalis replied. “It seems like the next war’s gonna be a big one.”

Twilight gritted her teeth and looked out over the creatures moving about the courtyard. She wondered how many of them would die in the coming weeks and months.

Author's Note

Celebration

Unicorn, thestral, minotaur, or griffon, nearly every sapient species was represented within the tide of ghosts. Within the crevice, the ocean of undead rose, spilling over the side and surging toward the embattled attackers. Joining their more eager brothers and sisters, the tidal wave of flickering semi-ethereal forms surged toward their foe.

“Now!” shouted a distant voice.

The Celestial soldier turned and lurched suddenly to the left. Dashing out of formation, he sprinted towards the forest, straight into a mass of ghosts all desperate to tear out his throat. Their claws, hooves, and teeth never reached their target, however, as the soldier was encased in a golden glow.

Protected from all sides, the light surrounding him was bright but dimmed each time he was attacked. He ignored it all, however, a hoof going for his pack and producing a round flat stone bearing a magical seal of incredible complexity. Using one hoof to hold the odd magical artifact, the other was employed in digging as deep and as fast as possible.

Without tools or assistance, he struggled to get far, though his armored limb was at least able to break the top soil fairly easily. As he scrambled to dig as deep as was needed while also being assaulted by spirits, he noted that others around him were doing the same. A half dozen other similarly glassy-eyed soldiers all sporting the same golden exoskeleton were all frantically digging.

Seconds ticked by, and though his barrier was beginning to falter, he had at least reached the level required. Just as he was about to deposit his payload, the closest soldier to his right cried out in pain. Her enchantments had run out, and within seconds she was torn apart by the angry ghosts clawing at her from all sides.

Grimacing to himself, the first soldier dropped his load into the hole, then scrambled over to his dead comrade. Around him, he heard his fellows complete their mission before being torn apart in short order. Some fought, others tried to return to their squad, and all perished having accomplished their main goal but little else.

The soldier ignored it all, dashing over to the first to die and sifting through the viscera that had once been a unicorn. As panic began to build, his hooves struck stone, and he pulled a bloody circle from the mass of crimson. He dropped it into the hole, pushed earth over it, and activated an enchantment placed on his chest plate.

The moment he did so, the protective charms keeping him from being torn apart failed. The incredibly strong hands of a ghostly minotaur tore one of his forelegs clean off, though he didn't cry out. Even as the rest of his body was torn apart and he died in agony, he remained as deathly silent as his companions had been.

A few short seconds after his death, his chest plate flashed brightly, incinerating the ghosts, as well as any trace of the soldiers. In an instant the small clearing was notable only for being a little cleaner than most, all signs of struggle having been scrubbed away. Soon a thestral would find it, and pass over it without thinking, seeing nothing out of the ordinary.

Celestia stared down impassively as the parade of soldiers walked up to the entrance of her imperial residence. They didn't slow as they rounded the edge of the long reflecting pool that served as the centerpiece of her villa, however, they just continued. Marching down the other side, they exited the left gate before disappearing back into the city beyond.

Watching from the open door of the second-story balcony, Celestia was cloaked in darkness. Outside, waiting for her were her two honor guards, the bright gold mares resembling statues in more ways than one. Wearing a suit of armor that encompassed their entire form, not even their eyes were visible to an outside observer. They also never moved, even as the crowd outside cheered, or the brave marching soldier waved up at them.

Stoic, and unmoving, they resembled their monarch and ruler. For even as the festivities began in earnest, she and they, stood silently, simply observing the goings on with little actual care.

While Celestia’s staff and those guests important enough to be seated only a few short feet from the villa parade route were more restrained in their celebration Celestia knew the rest of the city was far more raucous. The polite wreath laying, and the bunches of grapes thrown onto the path of the marching army were replaced by dumping wine onto the street and offering quaffs of hard liquor to the soldiers that were a part of the ceremony.

Already Celestia could see that a few of the more indulgent, or who had a lesser constitution were already looking a little tipsy. None had broken formation though, remaining next to their companions and marching in lockstep down the road. Together these soldiers made up a parade several miles long, stretching from Celestia’s current position to the entrance of Canterlot itself.

Normally the sight of drunken ponies would annoy the alicorn, but today was a day of celebration and thus it was allowed. What was also allowed for today and today alone was the praising of a general, one returning triumphant from conflict. Though no one knew his successes were hardly his own, not even himself, the parade was held and the occasion marked with joyous revelry.

Another backwater province had been conquered, with its people now in the midst of integration. Compliance was still a long way off, but so far things were progressing smoothly, and if all went well another prosperous sector would join the empire. Before that would happen, the general would have his day, after being pulled by a pair of Celestia’s bodyguards through the capital.

Those same bodyguards appeared in the distance, their sparkling forms twinkling in the midday light. The golden statues strode before the general who was supposedly the focus of the parade, making the true message clear to those observant enough to see it. Though Celestia was not the one at the head of the parade she was ever present, with her eyes and ears silently judging the general’s conduct during his celebration.

Still, to be guided along by the golden mares of Celestia’s bodyguards was an honor. One which would double, should Celestia decide to make an appearance and acknowledge the male in some manner. The time for such an important moment was swiftly arriving, and as it did, Celestia couldn't help but feel mixed.

On the one hoof, her expeditionary force’s defeat in the Everfree had left a foul taste in her mouth. While on the other, the general had at least done his duty, and well enough to keep losses below projection. The choice to ignore him, and thus publicly make her disappointment known to the world, was balanced on a knife’s edge.

“Your majesty. The wards placed near the rebel holdout are indicating full readiness,” offered the soft voice of Celestia’s assistant.

“They were secured after all,” Celestia mused. “I had assumed they had failed in that regard as well.”

“No, you’re grace. It seems as though it simply took longer for them to charge than previously assumed,” replied the assistant.

“Likely the forest’s influence,” Celestia muttered. “No matter. Keep the link steady. I will utilize it after I have had a chance to acknowledge my general, and meet with my newest guard captain.”

“As you will. You’re grace,” murmured the assistant reverently.

Celestia stared back at the window, noting that the general’s open-air carriage was drawing close to the balcony. As he got closer, the general began to sweat, growing nervous due to Celestia’s continued non-acknowledgment. Simply being there to greet him would seal a future promotion, and a mere nod may very well pave the way to even greater responsibilities.

The stallion resisted valiantly the urge to wipe away the sweat gathering upon his brow. As he stood there, attempting to appear unbothered, Celestia continued to wait until he had begun to round the bend before striding out onto the balcony. Once visible to all, the roar of the crowd grew louder then ever, and the soldiers all banged the butts of their spears against the ground in greeting.

The general breathed a sigh of relief and bowed low to the monarch as he passed by. Celestia simply smiled back at him, standing tall in the afternoon sun. The general only stopped bowing after he left the imperial residence completely, prompting Celestia to consider granting him an extra privilege of some kind for his deference.

The nature of such a gift would need to be discerned in the future, however, as she heard the door to her suite begin to open. Stepping back inside, Celestia turned to find that a slightly nervous-looking young stallion with a white coat was waiting for her. Shifting from hoof to hoof, he didn't seem comfortable in the armor he now wore, the stallion tugging at his collar as if the metal would bend beneath his touch.

“Trouble with your armor, Armor?” Celestia teased.

Shining Armor chuckled. “No, just getting used to it.”

“Are you sure, we could always have it reworked?” Celestia offered. And the blacksmith flogged. She thought grimly.

“No, I’m sure,” Shining Armor stated a little more confidently. “It just feels weird but it doesn't rub or anything.”

“You’ll grow into it,” Celestia exclaimed.

The alicorn stepped fully into the room, closing the door behind her and giving them complete privacy. The space, illuminated only by the noonday sun spilling in through the partially obscured window was filled with shadow. Despite that, there was enough light to see, though only just barely.

“Grow into it?” Shining Armor offered.

“Of course. There are perks to being an alicorn’s consort you know,” Celestia teased.

“Oh right,” Shining Armor muttered.

“Try not to act too thrilled,” Celestia remarked.

Shining Armor chuckled nervously. “It's not that I don't love it, or you for that matter it's just… a lot. I would have never in a million years expected I’d be here.”

“What part is so unbelievable?” Celestia inquired.

The alicorn stepped over to the young male and wrapped a wing around his midsection. He resisted the touch for only a single second before leaning against her, sighing contentedly as he did so.

“That I’d be here at all,” Shining Armor admitted. “I know that I always wanted to join the royal guard to be your right hoof, but to actually accomplish that dream, and become captain?”

He shook his head in silent disbelief.

“And then there's us,” Shining Armor continued. “I admit that like most colts I had a crush on you when I was young, but as I grew older that became respect and admiration. Yet not only have you seen fit to have me serve you but I’m also..”

“Hush,” Celestia whispered in a soft tone. “When it is just us you are not my right hoof, nor my guard captain, or any kind of soldier. You are just my partner, my confidant, and my lover.”

“Heh, yeah,” Shining Armor murmured, his face turning a bright red. “I feel like I’m going to be pinching myself for a lot of years.”

“Well try not to hurt yourself. I would hate to see you harmed, my knight in shining armor,” Celestia cooed.

“I won't,” Shining Armor proclaimed. “Say, we have a few minutes, would you like to sit, maybe have some tea or something?”

“Of course,” Celestia replied.

Together the two sat down on the large, alicorn-sized couch. With Celestia at the back, and Shining Armor held tight in her grip the pair slowly relaxed. Tea was warmed and served by Celestia’s dutiful assistant. Once poured, the pair sipped at the pleasant liquid in silence.

“You know, at moments like these well…” Celestia began. “I feel like a prisoner of circumstance, a boat tossed by the unthinking waves that are the running of Equestria.”

“That makes sense. That sure describes politics,” Shining Armor offered.

“Quite so, but that wasn't my point. My point is that when I’m with you,” Celestia murmured, her voice quivering. “I feel more myself than I’ve been in years. Like, a mask I didn't know I was wearing falls away and reveals an inner me that I wasn't aware of.”

There was a moment of silence.

“Celestia you wear a heavy burden, not only commanding Equestria but guiding most of the free world. You need to take time for yourself, you can't let that mask become you,” Shining Armor urged, clutching his partner’s hoof tightly.

“I…” Celestia began.

Her head jerked suddenly to the right, and all at once the tears that had been building on the edges of her eyes were gone. The vulnerability on her face was banished, and with a dismissive hoof, she cast aside Shining Armor’s touch.

“I need to get back to work,” Celestia stated.

“Are you sure, we could-” Shining Armor began.

“I am sure,” Celestia interrupted.

The alicorn rose suddenly, stepping over the male.

“I have learned much from the recent struggles in the Everfree, and though the next wave of golems shall be stronger still, I think this requires a more personal touch,” Celestia proclaimed.

“Should I prepare your personal guard? Perhaps an envoy?” Shining Armor asked, the stallion hastily rising from the couch.

“No. That won't be necessary,” Celestia answered.

“-And then I said oatmeal, are you crazy?” Pinkie Pie declared.

The small table erupted with polite but subdued laughter.

“You know Pinks. I’m fairly certain you told that joke like, two hours ago,” Rainbow Dash remarked.

“Really? Oh…” Pinkie Pie muttered. “I did recently receive like, several concussions recently.”

“Thats quite alright darling your jokes are like a…” Rarity began, only to meander off.

“Pizza? Better the next day?” Spike offered.

“Yes, like… Wait, you like cold pizza more?” Rarity replied, her voice filled with disgust.

“I mean he is right here,” Twilight agreed. “None of the toppings want to slide off, and it's so much easier to eat. Less grease too.”

“You guys are crazy. Who leaves pizza for the next day?” Rainbow Dash demanded.

“Um me,” Fluttershy remarked. “Or at least I used to when I was a kid. I couldn't eat that much without feeling queasy.”

“What's pizza anyway? That some kind of fancy vegetable or somethin?” Applejack asked while scratching her head.

Pinkie Pie gasped in exaggerated shock. “You’ve never had pizza?”

“Nope,” Applejack declared. “Wait, why y'all looking at me like that?”

“We simply must go out for pizza sometime darling,” Rarity proclaimed. “You must try one covered in smoked aphids, they are to die for.”

“Smoked aphids? That's good?” Twilight muttered.

“I admit it is a bit of an acquired taste, but it's sure better than putting fruit on pizza,” the arachne retorted.

“Hey, mango and ham pizza is a part of our culture! Tell ‘em Shy,” Rainbow Dash urged.

“I uh… never really liked that,” Fluttershy muttered, the dryad shrinking down in the form of a tiny field mouse.

“I’m surrounded by philistines!” Rainbow Dash groaned, throwing up her hooves in defeat.

Twilight smiled and watched as her friends continued to argue over the best kind of pizza. The answer, at least in her mind, was sun-dried tomato with pesto sauce, but she wasn't brave enough to assert herself. Instead, she sat back and took the entire situation in, simply enjoying the comradery, as well as the sense of belonging.

A sense that was made stronger when she glanced about the large open-air tent. The nearly barn-sized temporary structure was host to a long line of food-covered tables, a bar, and plenty of places to sit. She counted nearly a hundred other individuals present, all scattered across the tent, each one enjoying themselves to some degree.

The mood was somber, as it had been less than twenty-four hours since the battle, but they had at least managed a rest since then. Refreshed, or at least as much as they were able to be given so little time had passed, the survivors of Castle Everfree were jovial but restrained. Exhaustion still hung heavy over them, and the sting of their losses had yet to fade.

Despite it all, Twilight could tell that the feast was a success, with morale being on the rise. She knew they would need such a boost, for soon the time would come to finish burying the dead, take stock of their situation, and begin rebuilding. All those things would come later, however, as now they were enjoying a well-earned meal alongside a responsible number of alcoholic beverages.

With a smile on her face, Twilight turned back to her friends. None wore the armor that they had the previous day, nor were they armed, with such things being left in the barracks. Though as light as a couple of feathers, the weight of their gear had felt immense, and so they had been discarded. Soon they would be required again, but until such time the small group could at least pretend as though they weren't in a war zone.

“Keeping an eye out for any of our new fans?” Rainbow Dash offered.

“Oh, uh. No,” Twilight muttered. “I was actually just kind of taking everything in really. Letting my mind wander.”

“Well you better catch it before it gets too far,” Pinkie Pie offered.

“I do hope that doesn't become a trend,” Rarity began. “The fans, not the mind wandering thing.”

“What, I thought you always wanted your own adoring fans,” Applejack chided with a smirk.

“I want admirers, not fans,” Rarity retorted.

“What's the difference?” Applejack replied.

“One is good for business and the other isn't,” Rarity answered.

“Good one Rarity,” Pinkie Pie added with a giggle.

“They aren't going to start following us around, are they?” Fluttershy whispered.

“You guys need to relax,” Rainbow Dash declared. “It's only natural that some creatures would end up idolizing us. I mean were heroes like twice over at this point and we got these neat little things now too.”

Rainbow Dash raised her element and gave it a spin on the tip of her hoof.

“I don't like it,” Applejack muttered, crossing her forehooves over her chest. “I don't want anyone to end up getting a big head over it.”

“Yes, that is a concern,” Spike agreed.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Rainbow Dash accused.

“No reason. No reason at all,” Spike replied.

“Whatever,” Rainbow Dash dismissed, rolling her eyes.

“I mean they are cool and all, but I don't get why everyone thinks these things are so crazy,” Pinkie Pie began. “They are the best boomerangs around though.”

“Uh, boomerangs? Are you sure we’re talking about the same thing,” Rarity replied, an eyebrow raised questioningly.

“Well yeah. Here, look!” Pinkie Pie declared.

The troll then plucked off her element, cocked back her hoof and before Twilight had a chance to intervene, threw it as hard as she could. The piece of jewelry flew over the heads of the various feastgoers, flying nearly to the other side of the tent before vanishing. The unspoken question of where it had gone was answered rather quickly, as Pinkie Pie held the artifact up for all to see.

“Neat, huh?” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

“I would have never thought to do that,” Rarity murmured.

“Me neither. Though that does explain the other night when I coulda sworn I left it in the bathroom,” Applejack muttered half to herself.

“Well I’m just glad that our newfound fame isn't too much to handle, and that everyone is okay,” Twilight exclaimed.

“Augh, don't get all mushy on us again,” Rainbow Dash whined. “I swear we’ve already done the hug each other and cry thing like four times.”

“Oh come on Rainbow. Who doesn't like a good group hug, huh?” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

Rainbow Dash sighed. “I suppose I did need it before, but not now. Now I’m good.”

“I don't know guys. She’s looking kinda down. Maybe we should initiate another group hug,” Spike teased.

“Hey yeah, she does seem like she's on the verge of tears anyway,” Applejack added.

“Oh my goodness, are you okay Rainbow?” Fluttershy asked, the dryad returning to her pony form and eying Rainbow Dash closely. “Your shoulder isn't still bothering you, is it?”

“I’m fine, they are just pulling your leg,” Rainbow Dash retorted.

“I don't know, maybe we should do another one. Just in case,” Pinkie Pie offered.

“I think I’m gonna stick this one out,” Twilight muttered, standing up from her chair.

“Wait, no. Take me with you Twilight!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Group hug!” Pinkie Pie shouted before leaping on the diminutive thestral.

“No, nooo!” Rainbow Dash cried as she was enveloped on all sides by her loving, as well as teasing friends.

Twilight watched as Rainbow Dash’s pout slowly turned into a smile.

Turning away from the small group, Twilight made her way towards the nearest exit. She hadn't explained where she was going, but her friends knew that Twilight routinely wandered off. The undead mare had a lot on her mind, and the only thing that seemed capable of giving her a moment of mental quiet was walking.

As she crossed the tent she took note of how the others viewed her. Most had long since accepted her presence and didn't even react to seeing the lanky lich amongst them. Some viewed her with awe, and stared for a bit too long, while a very select handful seemed fearful of her. Though she was happy those who were frightened of her presence were in the very small minority it still served as a sharp reminder of the gap that had opened between her and most other creatures.

She was more powerful than ever after unlocking the elements, to the point that she could likely snuff the life out of someone before they even had the chance to blink. Before their fear was unfounded, or created by her out-of-control aura instilling in them an unnatural sort of terror. Now they had reason to be frightened of her, given their own mortality, and her semi-immortal nature.

Twilight's thoughts were starting to turn sour when she passed by one of the undead she had raised the day before. Their eyes met, and the young thestral smiled warmly, banishing any dark musings before they had a chance to take root in Twilight's mind. The unicorn gave a nod to the other unliving creature before continuing out of the tent and into the cool night air.

Though the sky was mostly black, Twilight could see the last fading vestiges of evening were holding onto the distant horizon. The long rays held fast as if attempting to keep the dark at bay and ensure the day lasted for a bit longer. Yet they faded all the same, the bright, harsh light of the sun being pushed back by the ever-still and stationary moon.

Twilight let her gaze linger on that unmoving object that hung directly above her head as it always did. The pale dot was one constant she could always count on, though she began to wonder if that would change when they brought Luna back. She certainly felt as though she had the power to do so with the boost she had received, thus all that was left was hand-crafting a spell specifically for Luna’s situation. After that, it was a matter of a bit of testing, some back and forth, and probably referencing the tablet she had found.

“I hope I don't need to learn any more words of power,” Twilight remarked aloud. “Every time I figure one out I experience some new traumatic thing that I’m sure I’ll have to deal with once this is all over.”

Twilight stopped.

“I really need to start talking to a therapist or something. I don't want to end up a crazy cat lady before I even hit thirty,” Twilight muttered.

Twilight gave her head a shake, and looked around, only now aware of how far she had wandered when she hadn't been paying attention. Leaving the general population tent behind, Twilight had accidentally made her back towards the castle, as if drawn there like a moth to flame. It was there, at the edge of the battlefield that Twilight saw another tent, this one smaller and with a pair of guards stationed out front.

Marked with the flag of the Black Rose, as well as Cadance’s cutie mark, Twilight reasoned that it was the command tent of sorts. She wondered briefly if she should bother whatever important work they were doing, and then an attendant opened a flap to deliver a tray of drinks. The wave of jovial music and animated conversation that emanated from within immediately dispelled any notion that they were doing something official.

Twilight approached, flashing the pair of guards a smile and noting that one was alive while her partner was dead. Not only was he dead, he had been raised recently, having perished during the battle the night before.

“Greetings, and good night,” Twilight offered.

“Oh hey boss lady,” the undead troll remarked. “I was wondering when you’d join the big wigs. Sounds like a real party in there.”

His griffon partner snorted her agreement.

“Dark Hallow did always strike me like the type to know how to really get down as they say,” Twilight mused aloud.

“Ha, you had him pegged!” the troll proclaimed. “He used to be a total party animal at one point. Had a whole harem of folks following him around. Just uh, just don't tell him I said that eh?”

“I learn something new about this guy every week,” Twilight murmured.

Twilight stepped back as the serving stallion stumbled out of the tent, a smile on his face and black lipstick on his cheek. With an empty platter in hoof, he trotted off, nearly tripping with every step he took. Twilight glanced at the troll, and together they shared a snicker as Twilight stepped into the tent.

Or at least she had been about to, as mid-stride she felt a tug on her shadow.

“One second,” Twilight exclaimed.

Stepping away from the tent, Twilight tugged back. A moment later she felt a recoiling sensation, her shadow growing thicker as the dark energy bundled up. Once it had reached a critical mass, Midnight Moon arose from the darkness, her form solidifying quickly.

“You’ve been busy,” Twilight remarked.

Midnight Moon smiled. “Ahh yes, I’ve been helping Sunset Shimmer, and Sharp Eye get the other undead back on their feet, or hooves or whatever they got.”

“That's been going well?” Twilight pressed.

“I’d say so,” Midnight Moon replied. “There were a few who were a bit touch and go for a while there but I think they’ve got things in hand now.”

“Well, that's good. Would you like to join me for a bit?” Twilight asked, gesturing to the command tent. “It seems like they are enjoying themselves.”

“Don't mind if I do boss lady, come on!” Midnight Moon declared.

The shadow creature bumped her hip against Twilight's side as she passed the undead by. Rather than be offended, Twilight just chuckled and trotted in behind her, a smile coming to her face. Once inside Twilight looked around to find that it was much rowdier here, though there were far fewer creatures present.

There were the members of the black rose, who Twilight immediately recognized though one of their number wasn't present. Twilight recalled that it was the ghost, Old Blood who had excused himself to return once more to teaching. The specter was powerful, but Twilight could tell that this last brush with death had shaken him to his core. She wouldn't be surprised if he ended up concluding his worldly ties and departed this world of his own accord in due time.

The other undead she had raised only a day earlier was also there, the headless thestral assassin, Whisper Wind. The laconic stallion was sitting back and listening, a part of the group yet still not quite part of the group. The grappler Twisted Knee was also there and though he sported a considerable amount of bandages across his midsection he still had a beer stein in hand and a grin on his face.

Then there were Dark Hallow, his partner, the ever-dour Vambrace, and Vaspelodrax, or Wasp as she preferred to be called. The three were in the midst of a rather rowdy drinking game where they tossed a knife from one player to the next. Who in turn caught it, before continuing at an ever-increasing pace, blade flashing quickly through the air.

“Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen-” the table chanted, adding an extra number with each time the dagger was thrown. “Eighteen, nineteen, twenty.”

Twilight looked past them to where Chrysalis and Cadance sat alone, separate from the others but still observing the game. The pair gave Twilight and Midnight Moon a nod the moment they entered the tent but swiftly turned their attention back to the dagger.

The blade flew at Wasp’s head and for a moment a flash of panic crossed her face. Then she ducked, avoiding it, and letting the weapon fly over her head and get stuck in the tent wall.

“Dammit,” Wasp cursed. “You just had to throw it right between the eyes. You know that freaks me out.”

“That was the point,” Vambrace declared, voice monotone as usual.

“Ahh Wasp. Do you want me to kiss your wounded pride?” Dark Hallow mocked, the old stallion making exaggerated kissy faces at the dragon.

“Yes, I think I do,” Wasp declared.

Then before anyone had a chance to react, she lurched across the table and locked lips with Dark Hallow. For a second the pair made out in stunned silence, then Vambrace intervened, smacking Wasp hard across the cheek. As the drake recoiled, Vambrace kissed Dark Hallow firmly.

“I suppose that was expect-oof,” Wasp muttered.

The dragon’s statement was interrupted by Vambrace magically dragging her across the table and kissing her hard on the lips. The pair then engaged in what could only be described as a romantic wrestling match in the middle of the table. Drinks were spilled, and food knocked off the table, all the while their companions, including Dark Hallow, egged them on.

“These guys know how to party,” Midnight Moon declared, plunking down next to Twisted Knee.

Twilight rolled her eyes and continued past the rambunctious group to where Chrysalis and Cadance were waiting. Pulling up an empty chair, Twilight sat down and watched as more drinks arrived only to be either immediately downed or spilled in the chaos.

“I hope you girls are enjoying yourselves a bit more responsibly than the others present,” Twilight remarked.

“We don't drink,” Cadance answered.

“With the exception being after Celestia’s demise. Then we shall get blasted!” Chrysalis added.

“Very true, dear,” Cadance agreed with a chuckle.

“Oh I’d drink if I could,” offered the spider Twilight hadn't noticed. “Though I don't think they’ve made a beverage for arachnids quite yet.”

“Ahh Nebula. I didn't see you there,” Twilight remarked. “I hope you are healing quickly.”

“I am,” stated the fist-sized Nebula standing on the table. “Though I think one side of my face is going to end up with a rather nasty scar.”

Twilight peered a little closer to find that where she had been struck by Tempest Shadow’s attack. Sure enough, the ancient spider was healed but there still was an unpleasant mark on the arachnid’s face.

“Yeesh. Yeah, it sure looks that way,” Twilight remarked.

“No matter,” Nebula dismissed. “It looks cool, or at least that's what Trixie keeps telling me anyway.”

“She's right,” Chrysalis added. “It makes you look like a total badass.”

“You kids and your slang,” Nebula muttered.

“So,” Twilight began, gesturing towards the empty room. “The others not showing?”

“I don't think so,” Cadance answered. “The nightsworn seem intent on leaving the moment the last of their wounded can be moved.”

Chrysalis leaned forward. “They say it’s because they have urgent dealings back home but I think there's something else going on.”

“Maybe they just don't want to get drunk under the table by Dark Hallow and the rest of the Black Rose,” Twilight offered with a smirk.

“Ha, that's possible,” Chrysalis admitted. “They always were a prideful bunch.”

The group fell silent for a moment, merely watching as the black rose took a collective break to attack a platter of food delivered to them. One such platter was given to Twilight and her group as well, though it wasn't piled nearly as high with food. The waiter hesitated for a moment after offloading the last dish, though he was brushed off by Chrysalis with a wave of her hoof.

“So,” Twilight began. “Do you think there's going to be a war?”

“There has to,” Chrysalis replied simply. “We’ve been preparing for one for so long that we can't just stop now. Not when we have the biggest advantage we’ve had in centuries.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight questioned.

“I think they are talking about you, dear,” Nebula remarked, pointing a hair limb at the undead before dragging over a plate full of candied flies and biting into one.

“Well that, and we’ve been restored. The elements have returned, and Celestia seems to have become even more unstable recently,” Cadance added.

Twilight sighed.

“I guess I just hoped this would be enough,” Twilight muttered. “There has been so much suffering already that anymore feels almost silly in a way.”

Cadance reached across the table and took one of Twilight's hooves, clasping it tight in her own.

“Twilight, this is only going to get worse as time goes on,” Cadance warned. “As Chrysalis and I return to our full strength Celestia will notice and will try everything in her power to strike at us.”

“That's without even mentioning the chance of bringing back Luna,” Chrysalis added. “If you add her to the board Celestia is gonna go even crazier.”

“I hate how much sense you all are making,” Twilight groaned.

“Plus her propaganda machine won't be able to handle the fact that our side has two fully-fledged alicorns,” Nebula remarked. “Though I don't know much about that myself.”

“It's true,” Chrysalis declared. “She has inflated the importance of Alicorns assuming she was the last one left alive. If we pop that balloon and reveal ourselves to the population it will sow distrust and confusion across the whole of her empire.”

“That just makes getting Luna back even more important,” Twilight stated.

“Exactly,” Chrysalis proclaimed.

“But even that won't be enough,” Cadance added. “Rebellions and other trouble will need to be made if we are even going to have a hope of winning this conflict.”

“Wait, hold on,” Twilight retorted, raising her hooves. “You make it sound like you’ve got this whole thing planned out already.”

The three glanced at one another in confusion.

“I mean, we do,” Chrysalis muttered.

Twilight sighed. “Of course you do,” she murmured, mostly to herself. “Well, go on then. Clue me in.”

“Well you know most of it already,” Chrysalis began. “Foment revolution in as many places as possible in order to tie down her legions. Then, strike Canterlot with everything we have, killing her and taking the head off the snake.”

Chrysalis grabbed a butter knife and mimed the act of decapitating a legless reptile with a single swift slash.

“Surely Celestia will have some manner of backup plan, or escape route,” Twilight reasoned.

“Celestia is many things, and chief among those things is proud,” Cadance remarked. “She would never back down when so many of her enemies gathered in such a central location. So long as she thinks as though she has even a small chance of victory, she will take it.”

“Well,” Twilight began with a sigh. “Tempest Shadow, err Fizzle said she knew a considerable amount about the logistics of Celestia’s army, and the defenses in and around Canterlot but that her knowledge was not complete. The mind magic used on her combined with her well, dying, left her with a few holes.”

“That's fine. Any help is good help,” Cadance replied.

“And with enough good help we can crush that self-righteous bitch,” Chrysalis proclaimed, slamming her hoof against the table.

“Yes, yes, but it is peace that we ultimately desire,” Cadance added. “We mustn't forget that.”

“Yeah yeah,” Chrysalis muttered dismissively.

Twilight stared down at the cup that had been placed in front of her. A small amount of food also sat nearby, mostly pastries, but there were also some tiny sandwiches that looked appetizing. Though Twilight didn't require such sustenance, or at least the kind of which you would gain from eating food, it did appear tasty.

Tossing one of the pastries into her mouth, she noted that it had been filled with cheese and what she assumed was spinach. It was delicious and still warm, and as she chewed, Twilight couldn't help but let her mind wander. She thought of what life might be like with Celestia gone, and with such thoughts, she couldn't help but think about her family.

Her father may have not been the best person, but he was one of the only two people Twilight really had left. Aunts, uncles, and extended family had all pushed them away due to the fear exposure to her aura created. Leaving only the less-than-pleasant male that had helped raise her, and Shining Armor, of course.

Twilight swallowed hard, and glanced out over the room, letting the various conversations fall into the background. Taking in the antics of the Black Rose, the naive interest of Midnight Moon, and the quiet, reserved aura of Cadance, Twilight couldn't help but imagine what her brother would think. Though more responsible than even her own parents were in a way, Shining Armor was the type of pony that could still unwind when the time came.

In the undead mare’s eyes, she could see Shining Armor sitting amongst the Black Rose, hoisting a drink and leading a song. Even then, Twilight could also see the royal guard wannabe sitting next to Chrysalis, laughing at the changeling’s cruel jokes. Either that or engaging Cadance in conversation while also inquiring about some of the ancient battles Nebula must have witnessed from the sidelines.

“Are you alright dear?” Cadance whispered.

Twilight blinked rapidly, a hoof going to the side of her face.

“I’m fine,” Twilight muttered, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Just, lost in thought is all.”

“Thinking about family again?” Cadance questioned.

Twilight nodded mutely.

“I’m sure you’ll be able to see them soon,” Cadance whispered. “In the meantime take solace in the family you’ve found since then.”

“I will,” Twilight murmured, the undead mare staring off into the distance, a small smile crossing her face.

Author's Note

This is a part of the Jest Days of Christmas, where I update something every single day of December. Go check out the link for the full list and check back everyday for a new update!

Oh and the next update should drop in about... 12 hours or so :P

Annihilation

Cadance stood suddenly, the alicorn’s head turning sharply to the right and staring off into the distance. Her eyes were wide, her jaw hung slightly open, and all the muscles in her neck were bunched up tight.

“What is it?” Twilight asked, standing up as well.

“Massive magical surge, its close,” Cadance replied.

“I feel it too,” Chrysalis remarked, rising alongside her partner.

“What do you think it is?” Twilight asked hesitantly.

It was then that Twilight realized the rest of the tent had gone silent, and that the others were glancing at Cadance and Chrysalis expectantly. If they had armor nearby it was donned, and if there were weapons stowed, they were retrieved. As everyone silently armed themselves as best as they were able, Cadance’s face contorted in a mixture of shock and confusion.

“It's coming from near where we fought Celestia’s army,” Cadance began. “But what exactly is happening I’m not sure.”

Twilight had known the identify spell she saw Cadance begin using and which Twilight had once been a master of. Now with a broken horn, and having never tried to relearn a new way of using the spell, Twilight was left at an impasse. Time was of the essence, however, so she summoned her magic and tried to figure out what was going on.

For a moment she wasn't sure what she was going to do or how she would even begin to analyze the ambient energy. Then it came to her, and she summoned up a tight mass of necrotic energy before her. She then squeezed it as tight as possible, while creating a tube through the center. The undead unicorn shifted and moved the mass until she was able to ‘feel’ the very energy that she was forcing through it.

“Feels like light magic,” Twilight muttered. “Only with elements of fire and translocation?”

“Celestia,” Nebula hissed. “I shall taste your blood this Night!”

“A teleportation matrix, and close!” Cadance declared.

Twilight allowed her spell to falter, and the miasma to rapidly dissipate into nothing.

“Everyone outside!” Dark Hallow shouted.

The Black Rose followed his order immediately, with Midnight Moon falling in behind him. Nebula was close on their heels. However before Cadance and Chrysalis could move as well, Twilight held up a hoof, stopping them in their tracks.

“This can't be Celestia, right?” Twilight asked.

“We can't be certain. At the bare minimum she is sending a hit squad of some kind,” Chrysalis replied. “So be on your guard.”

“I should go get my friends, and the others,” Twilight muttered nervously.

“The message is already sent, they should be here shortly,” Chrysalis exclaimed.

“Let's go, the others will need our help,” Cadance urged.

“R-right,” Twilight muttered.

Twilight trotted out of the tent to find that the Black Rose alongside the guards had formed a small squad. Midnight Moon had been drafted by Dark Hallow, the aged thestral glancing nervously around the area.

“It's coming from over there,” Cadance exclaimed.

The alicorn pointed across the former battlefield to where a bright golden light illuminated a small wooded area. The glow seemed to emanate from the deep in the ground itself, though it was so powerful that not even the soil could stop it.

“What do we do?” Twilight asked.

“We stand firm. Black Rose in front, us in the back,” Cadance replied. “Help’s on the way. We just need to hold out as best we can.”

Twilight didn't like the grim tone or the finality in her friend’s voice but she could do nothing but about that. All the undead mare could do was steel her resolve, stand a little straighter, and remind herself of her recent accomplishments. She had come so far, done so much, even if assassins were coming to kill her she would fend them off.

This was just another hill to climb, Twilight told herself.

Her soaring confidence dissolved the moment the light flashed and a single towering figure strode out of the woods. Armored from head to hoof in tight, interlocking plates that hid everything but her blazing golden eyes from sight, Celestia resembled an enormous metal golem. If it weren't for the large white feathered wings spread on either side or the pearlescent hair that spilled out of her helmet Twilight would have assumed it was an automaton copy of the alicorn of the sun.

“Oh no,” someone muttered.

Instantly it went from night to day, as the alicorn radiated such powerful light that for a moment Twilight thought the sun may have risen early. The undead mare shielded her eyes as best she could, but even behind her hooves she felt the harsh rays strike her delicate orbs. The others cringed away or winced in pain, with only Wasp seemingly unaffected by the sudden change in daytime.

A single titanic flap was enough to send the alicorn through the air, over the battlefield, and above the small squad. Despite the pain of the bright light, Twilight forced herself to look up, silently reminding herself that she didn't actually see with her eyes anyway since she was dead. Twilight immediately regretted it, as in an instant all of her nightmares became real. Midnight Moon instinctively returned to Twilight's side, the shadow creature visibly struggling to keep herself together under the wrath of the sun.

“There are too many pawns on the board,” Celestia boomed. “Begone!”

With a single gesture of her hoof, Celestia created an enormous rolling mass of heat so powerful that even the dirt burned. Those before her had but a moment to react before the glassing wave struck them. In that instant, Twilight recoiled, a half-formed barrier spell coalescing before her, the magic too slow to form in time. Then the world went black once more, only to return to light a second later, the flames having rolled over her.

“W-what?” Twilight muttered.

Looking around she noted that while the ground further away from her had been turned into a glass-like surface, there existed a small patch that was unburned. Forming a small circle around her, the dirt was unblemished, though how or why was beyond Twilight. The answer came when her gaze fell upon her shadow and she saw that Midnight Moon had shriveled down to only a head.

“Twilight,” wheezed the shadow creature. “Don't forget me Twilight.”

“Shh, you’ll be okay just go back into my shadow and-” Twilight tried to reply.

“No, this is it. Already I can feel her magic eating me alive,” Midnight Moon retorted. “You need to listen.”

Twilight bit her lip and nodded, the tears on her cheek sizzling and drying up before they could even fall.

“You must remember the word,” Midnight Moon pressed, her head slowly falling into Twilight's shadow. “You must remember-”

The next word she uttered shook Twilight to her core, and in an instant, the undead mare realized that she now knew true courage. Though it took the last of the shadow creature’s strength, she had gifted the primeval word for courage to her friend. With its utterance, Twilight's spirit was bolstered, though the speaker vanished, her presence utterly gone. Gazing down at her shadow, Twilight found that for the first time in a long time, it was utterly normal.

“No, Wasp!” Dark Hallow shouted.

Twilight turned to find that almost the entire Black Rose had been wiped out in an instant. Wasp had saved Dark Hallow and Vambrace by using her own body as a shield, though the attack had burned her terribly. Twilight could feel that the ancient dragon’s life hung on a razor’s edge and that one more attack like that would kill her.

Swinging her head back, Twilight found that Cadance, Chrysalis, and Nebula were still alive. Safe beneath a cracked magical barrier formed by the alicorn herself, the trio appeared shaken but unharmed. The shield existed for only a moment later before collapsing as Cadance fell to one knee, her horn sparking.

“Foolish. You cannot resist order, you cannot resist harmony,” Celestia stated.

“I will resist until I am naught but dust!” Nebula shouted. “For Luna!”

The spider leaped out from behind Cadance, growing rapidly in the process. Twilight gathered strength and focused on a spell while Nebula reached ten feet tall and showed no signs of stopping.

“A spider? Pathetic,” Celestia spat.

Celestia lowered her horn and readied a blast of superheated sunlight. However, Twilight struck first, grabbing onto Celestia’s aura with a hand of pure necromantic energy. Squeezing with all the strength she could muster, Twilight felt her opponent falter, yet only slightly.

The white alicorn’s spell was still loosed before Nebula could strike, but it was weaker than Celestia had intended. More importantly, the moment of hesitation had allowed Nebula to move slightly out of the spell’s path. It wasn't much, and she still lost the entire bottom half of her body in the blast, but she was able to survive for a second longer.

And that was all she needed.

The spider struck, pouring all of the magic and every ounce of otherworldly power she had into a single bite. Her fangs, empowered by the centuries of building strength pierced a multitude of enchantments, as well as mastercrafted armor. Plunging all the way through Celestia’s defenses, they parted skin and muscle alike.

“Foul creature. I said begone!” Celestia shouted.

Celestia shook free the clinging spider, sending Nebula to the rapidly cooling ground. The spider bounced and rolled before finally coming to a stop, her wounds numerous yet none bled, as they had been flash-cauterized.

“Heh,” Nebula laughed. “You taste of arrogance and foolishness.”

Celestia snarled, and with a flash of her horn, incinerated the spider completely, leaving behind not but dust to be carried away by the breeze.

Twilight resisted the urge to cry out, courage beating out the desire and leaving behind only cold determination.

“And now the stage is set,” Celestia began, the alicorn using her magic to repair her armor, leaving no trace of the holes that had been punched into it. “For my final victory.”

“You idiot, we have the elements of harmony! How can you still claim the moral high ground?” Chrysalis spat, gesturing to Twilight.

“I…” Celestia began.

The alicorn turned and for a moment her and Twilight's eyes met. Familiarity flickered through those golden orbs and all at once they became a bright pink color. Shock, confusion, and pain appeared on Celestia’s face before vanishing a moment later, her eyes returning to their bright yellow.

“You have corrupted them somehow,” Celestia stated. “And after I have ripped them from a warm ash pile, I will find more suitable bearers.”

“You know that's not how it works,” Cadance interrupted. “You know that with their appearance you are not on the side of harmony.”

“Silence!” Celestia shouted. “I am harmony incarnate, you know nothing of my will!”

Twilight took the moment of confusion to use her unique necromantic teleportation to get beside Cadance. As soon as her body reformed around her spirit, Twilight willed the courage she felt deep down to extend to Chrysalis and Cadance. The trio stood taller, visibly invigorated by the influx of primal magics.

“You’re defiant wriggling ends now!” Celestia shouted.

Her magic built, and Twilight felt the alicorn’s killing intent focus upon them. The next attack would annihilate the trio, empowered or not. Twilight was sure of that fact until she felt a familiar presence closing in on her, the sound of leathery wings reaching her ears.

The beam of sunlight slammed into a barrier made of both hardened raw magic, as well as necromantic energy. The combination proved a match for the spell, though only just barely, with the barrier having nearly been depleted. The blast left its scars on the battlefield however, with huge divots being carved out of the earth, and molten blobs of melted rock sitting at the bottom of the newly dug trenches.

“Why do you continue to resist? You know I shall stand victorious!” Celestia shouted. “No matter how many of you there are I will incinerate you to the last.”

“Sorry we’re late, that glass stuff is super slippery,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

Fluttershy dropped the rest of her friends in a heap before changing from a great roc to her normal pony form.

“I hate getting carried around like a sack of apples,” Applejack muttered, pushing her hat back up her head.

“Never fear, the cavalry is here!” Pinkie Pie shouted.

“You have come only to die!” Celestia screamed.

“Brace yourselves!” Cadance yelled.

The six friends gathered around the alicorn of love, granting the mare all of their combined strength. The effects were immediate, with Cadance’s horn gaining a rainbow sheen, and her barrier appearing thicker than before. Though powerful, and enough to keep Celestia’s attack at bay, it demanded the full attention of not only Cadance herself but Twilight, her friends, and Chrysalis.

Trapped beneath the blast of energy, the eight of them could do nothing but stare up as the full unbridled might of the sun bore down on them. The temperature rose, hair began to singe, Applejack’s leaves began to wilt, and the living began to sweat. They pushed all they had into the alicorn of love, giving her everything they could muster, yet the barrier was still shrinking.

Worse yet, Celestia’s spell only grew with power with each passing second. Already they could feel the end closing in on them, and the hopeful defiant glares began to be tinged with worry. Twilight could feel her friends panic, and could see in the way they looked at her that they were seeking her guidance.

But Twilight had nothing.

It had all happened so quickly that she had barely had a chance to react. The Black Rose was almost completely gone, Nebula had been killed, and the moment their barrier fell all eight of them would follow the ancient spider to the grave. Worse still there was nothing any of them could do for the moment they shifted their focus the wall would fall and they would die.

Resignation replaced panic. Chrysalis laid her head against Cadance’s back and wept quietly. The six friends looked at one another, silently saying their goodbyes and preparing to face oblivion together.

Then a titanic crash, and no longer was the sun bearing down on them, eager to wipe them from existence. Seeing this, Cadance released her spell and promptly fell to the ground, her legs having lost what little strength they had. Twilight didn't turn to help, however, as she stared in slack-jawed awe at the chaotic monster standing between her and Celestia.

What also lay between them was an incredibly deep, and long molten trench that spread out behind them in a V. Like the tide breaking upon a stubborn rock, Celestia’s spell had destroyed the landscape, carving a crevice that went down nearly thirty feet. Half that wide, the cavern’s sides dripped with molten stone and crumbling ash.

“What? What is this foul abomination?” Celestia demanded. “What mockery of life have you concocted?”

“It's the spirit of the forest,” Fluttershy whispered in shocked reverence. “It saved us.”

The chaotic creature that had stalked and harried Celestia’s forces during the entirety of their intrusion towered over the small group. Though still bearing visible injuries and numerous freshly healed scars, the monster seemed confident. Standing tall on its mismatched limbs, it had a strangely teasing smile on its bestial features.

“Kick her ass spirit!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“I don't care what abomination you throw at me. I shall be triumphant!” Celestia shouted back.

“What are ya doin' just standin' there? Get her!” Applejack yelled.

The chaotic creature glanced over its shoulder and smirked at the apple farmer. It then turned back, and opened its forelimbs wide, seemingly welcoming the killing blow.

“Die!” Celestia demanded.

With a single spell, Celestia conjured a tight beam of energy and brought it down on the creature. The magic cut the monster from his left shoulder down to his right hip while at the same time creating a line of forest fires behind them. Though they were protected from the attack by the spirit’s body, the small group stood in stunned silence. Together they watched the monster fall forward, seemingly slain by the attack.

“Madness claimed you, and now death has its due,” Celestia remarked. “Now I… wait, what?”

A zipper appeared along the dismembered halves of the chaotic creature’s body. A zipper which was then tugged down until it reached the other side. Allowing a strange noodle-like creature with mismatched parts to step out of the deflated body like it had been a mere costume.

“Ahh much better,” Discord exclaimed, running a clawed hand down his newly reformed body. “Thank you kindly, Celestia. I needed that little boost.”

“What? I gave you no such thing,” Celestia spat back.

“Tisk tisk, I’m not talking to you,” Discord retorted, sticking his tongue out at the alicorn. “I’m talking to my dear old bosom buddy Celestia.”

“I am-” Celestia began.

Discord snapped his fingers, and the alicorn found herself unable to speak or cast spells.

“Now then, onto business,” Discord proclaimed.

The spirit of chaos turned around and grinned, pointing from one creature to the next starting with Twilight.

“I forgive you for killing me, and only half bringing me back,” Discord began.

“Uh yeah. Sorry about that,” Twilight muttered.

“We’re cool, we’re cool, we’re cool and love the hair by the way,” Discord continued, pointing from Applejack to Rainbow Dash and then finally to Rarity.

“Oh um, thank you,” Rarity muttered, running a hoof through her mane.

“You two are adorable together, and to answer your question no it's not weird. You both just need to stop thinking so hard about how you ended up together and realize that the circumstances around that whole thing don't matter,” Discord declared, extending two fingers, one to Chrysalis, and the other to Cadance.

“I told you,” Chrysalis declared.

Cadance sighed.

“Thank you Discord,” Cadance tiredly replied.

Celestia struggled, and her horn sparked, the alicorn trying and failing to break through Discord’s influence.

“Whoops, we’re almost out of time here. Better send you off,” Discord remarked, turning back to Celestia once more. “Just one more thing though.”

The long, snake-like creature wriggled through the air until he was only a few short feet from the solar princess.

“Celestia, you know I love ya but you gotta remember to love yourself too ya know. Ya can't break out of any prison if you don't think you deserve freedom in the first place,” Discord exclaimed, only to shudder with disgust. “Yech, enough of this emotional mumbo jumbo. Any more sappy stuff and I’m gonna turn into a tree.

“Alright, now off ya go, buy bye now!” Discord exclaimed, raising a clawed hand.

With a snap of his claws, Discord sent Celestia far far away. The moment she was gone, the grinning, confident master of chaos vanished as well. The noodle-shaped creature fell to earth, all the strength he had exuded disappearing alongside Celestia.

“Whoowee that took a lot out of me,” Discord muttered. “I guess this is gonna be more of a cameo, than a recurring role. At least I won't end up being another character that gets forgotten about amidst the slew of OCs.”

“What are you talking about?” Twilight asked.

Discord chuckled weakly and waved a floppy hand at the unicorn.

“Don't worry about it. Just gotta make sure I get in a few jokes before I kick the bucket,” Discord replied. “Say before I go, would the pink one mind coming over here for a second?”

“Wait, why are you talking about like yer dyin'?” Applejack asked. “You just got here.”

“Oh I’m already dead,” Discord replied with a shrug. “I just fooled reality into thinking I was alive. Unfortunately, the universe ain't an easy mark, so it's working on fixing that little issue as we speak. It's fine though, chaos ain't supposed to be a person. Like my sister, we become tainted by sapience, broken by desire, other cool ways of saying we gotta go die.”

“I don't-” Applejack began.

“Don't worry about it, farm girl. Now then, Pink one!” Discord demanded.

Pinkie Pie popped up in front of the chaotic being and saluted. “Ready, sir!” Pinkie proclaimed.

“Aww good. You’re as eager as ever,” Discord muttered, pulling a strand of white hair from his eyebrow. “This is the power that you earned because of your own effort. Eat this!”

“Wait was that a reference? Don't you think that is kind of lazy?” Pinkie Pie replied.

“Don't insult my dying wish you ungrateful pink twerp!” Discord shouted back, only to erupt in a coughing fit.

“Sorry, sorry,” Pinkie Pie muttered.

The troll grabbed the strand of hair and after a moment of hesitation ate it.

“Uh. Why exactly did you ask her to eat your hair mister the forest, sir,” Fluttershy asked.

“She’s tasted death, she's tasted life, she's tasted harmony, and she's tasted chaos,” Discord continued. “Soon she’ll become so much more.”

“Yeah but why the hair?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

“Oh, that does nothing. I just thought it was funny,” Discord replied with a chuckle.

Pinkie Pie spat repeatedly before wiping her tongue with a hoof.

“Ew, ew! I can't believe I ate someone’s eyebrow hair!” She exclaimed in disgust.

The draconequus’ laugh grew and grew until his entire body shook. Yet with each guffaw, his body lost more of its definition until finally, he vanished completely, disappearing without a trace.

“What in the hay just happened?” Applejack muttered.

“Wait, tasted death,” Pinkie Pie began, her eyes lighting up. “At the tower, when we fought that golem!”

“What do you…” Twilight muttered, her jaw hanging open. “It killed you, but you landed on that preservation rune which explains why it took so much effort to heal you!”

“And the chaos?” Rarity asked.

“Why the bricks of course! I’ve been eating those since forever,” Pinkie Pie proclaimed.

“And harmony is the elements,” Fluttershy murmured.

“Wait, but what could he mean? Don't tell me you’re gonna turn into some sorta chaos god,” Applejack exclaimed.

“I don't think so,” Pinkie Pie replied, shaking her head. “Discord wouldn't want that. Oh hey, I knew his name. That's so weird, he didn't even tell us.”

“Help! Someone!” shouted a strained voice from somewhere nearby.

The group turned to find that Vambrace and Dark Hallow had managed to recover enough strength to stand. Together they were carrying Wasp upon their back, the dragon’s back a single massive third-degree burn.

“Twilight, see if you can bring back their spirits,” Cadance ordered. “The rest of you help me with Wasp.”

“R-right,” Twilight muttered.

As the two groups split up and began their work, the distant sound of thumping could be heard in the distance. Spike was coming, and with him came a certain illusionist who had felt a sudden hole open up in her heart.

Author's Note

This is a part of the Jest Days of Christmas, where I update something every single day of December. Go check out the link for the full list and check back everyday for a new update!

Only 1-2 more chapters left in book one!

An Unfortunate Birth and a Fortunate Death

The first law of magic is that magic cannot be created or destroyed. Everypony knows this; in fact, just about every being knows this. Magic is not brought into existence by those who can use it, but rather it is channeled, altered by will and then released once more into the world. This holds true for all magic, from pegasus flight and weather control to earth pony strength, durability and connection to the earth to zebra potion magic. Even the primitive rituals some griffon shamans perform, all utilize the same currents of magic that flow through our world.

Though many have tried to find the origin of magic, it is an esoteric field of study that has more theories than evidence. As such, it is generally regarded as unimportant at best or the work of hacks and mad ponies at its worst.

However, there were ancient ponies of all three tribes who understood the nature of magic and its relation to the soul. That knowledge was deemed dangerous when applied and they were subsequently slaughtered by the two sisters, their great works of magic erased from history so that none may follow in their twisted steps.

Or at least, that was the intention.

For after Luna’s madness, the magic of the soul was used once more and on a much grander scale than the world had ever seen until that point. After Nightmare Moon’s defeat and the subsequent banishment of her followers to the depths of the Everfree, Celestia breathed easily, allowing herself to believe once more that she had stamped out all traces of the twisted art of manipulating the soul.

After witnessing the horrors her sister had unleashed with the knowledge they had thought to eliminate from the world, Celestia knew better than to even hold onto the memory of such magic’s existence and purged it from her mind, deeming the complete removal of all knowledge of soul magic worth the price of utilizing neuromancy on her own mind. Leaving behind only enough information to know the signs, the horrors it unleashed, and how to deal with it. Which gave her more than enough drive to stomp it out despite her self-imposed ignorance.

With the threat of her sister’s madness destroyed forever, her own knowledge gone, and all traces stamped out, Celestia’s arrogance grew.

For in that moment she had forgotten the first law of magic, that singular moment of folly would eventually seal her fate.

A mother and father leaned against each other as they stared through the window into the crib-filled room beyond.

The labor had been hard but without complication and though Twilight Velvet desperately wished to fall into the sweet embrace of sleep, she had to ensure her daughter was safe and healthy.

Night Light was slightly less tired but his nerves were no better than his wife’s. He couldn't stop himself from worrying himself into a tizzy when he had gotten word that his wife’s labor had drawn out far longer than it should have.

Both of their sufferings had been deemed worth it once they had laid eyes on their healthy baby girl who, now lay only a few feet away.

The filly herself lay on her back, legs spread and eyes closed, contently snoring away, seemingly oblivious to the other children’s cries.

The calm the child had didn't seem to extend itself beyond her as every foal around her screamed, cried, thrashed or did a combination of all three.

Strangely, the ones furthest away from the child seemed fine, lying in fitful sleep or utter calm, unaffected by the aura of fear and unease that permeated the child.

This all was lost on the parents who merely saw children being children, stress robbing them of the worry that would have bothered any other pony. Besides, they thought, there were two adult ponies standing on either side of their little girl. They were probably the source of the disturbance as they probably woke up the closest ones, it was exactly midnight after all.

That wasn't true; that was just the last time Night Light had glanced at the clock which had coincidentally been the moment their darling filly had been born.

The two medical ponies stared down at the child between them, the gears working within their mind as they tried to figure out the best course of action. She was obviously different than the other children, though you wouldn't know that without the benefit of their higher education and enhanced scanning spells they had both used.

The only real difference seemed to be her horn, which was slightly too pronounced for her age and was probably a part of the reason why her delivery was complicated. Other than that she seemed fine, her coat of lavender fur was even and pristine. Everything seemed to be in order and when she had been awake, she reacted as anticipated to external stimuli. Hearing seemed okay, eyesight worked, and they even caught her sniffing the air at one point, meaning the foal had her faculties as best as they could guess.

Only her horn and nervous system seemed… wrong.

One of the ponies, a pediatrician by the name of Tender Hoof, gulped nervously and tried her best not to look over at the parents, who were no doubt staring at her right this moment.

The neurologist across from her harbored similar dark thoughts, but was better in hiding them. Axon hushed the other doctor with a silent hoof placed to his lips.

Tender nodded once and turned a little further away from the parents, all the while imagining their gaze drilling into her. This was wrong, very wrong. She wasn't the expert, but even she could feel it. The aura of fear and unease that surrounded this filly seemed barely existent to the powerfully built earth pony nurse who had delivered her, but to the unicorn pediatrician, it was an ever-present pulse at the back of her mind. A pulse that told her to run, to hide, and to never speak of this again.

The stallion across from her could feel it as well but his academic drive pushed those thoughts from his mind, focusing on the why. Why did he feel this way? Where was this aura coming from, and how could it be stopped?

His muzzle scrunched in thought as his horn glowed brighter. Subtle shifts in his magically enhanced senses allowed him to see the pulsing undercurrent of the filly’s nervous system. There, just under the traditional nervous system, was the magical one, referred to as the lambda system. It gathered mana from the surrounding world and drew it into the body, where it could be transformed into magic with the application of will, as well as pushing that mana all over the body in order to store it for later use.

Though nopony knew why it followed the normal nervous system almost to a T, they did know that they were both intertwined and different at the same time. Sometimes, one could be hurt without affecting the other and, and other times damage to one was instantly reflected on the other, seemingly without rhyme or reason.

Which was why it was so disconcerting to find that the filly’s real, physical nervous system was nearly non-existent, seemingly replaced by the aetherial strings that mimicked and overlapped the traditional system. Though it was just a guess on the part of the neurologist, it almost seemed as though the filly’s immense magical strength had somehow either compensated for a damaged nervous system by building a magical one over it, or she was simply so powerful that her lambda system had overtaken her nervous system for whatever reason.

Axon clenched his teeth and looked up. “I am going to touch the child in a few spots to test something. Be ready to calm her down if something goes wrong.”

Tender shook her head instantly. “Please don't ask me to touch that… thing.”

The stallion growled and looked the other doctor in the eye. “That thing is a filly who might be suffering from some rare disease. Now, you will do your job, or I'll find somepony else who will.”

Panic slipped over the mare’s face for a second, quickly replaced by reluctant determination fueled by guilt. “Yes, doctor.”

Axon nodded once and brought a hoof down next to the child’s side. Beginning gently, he pressed against the filly’s side in a few places. Slight pressure yielded nothing. Not even a brief flicker of the eyelids. He frowned at that; clearly, there was some potential nerve damage there.

He pressed a little harder and was relieved when he saw one of the filly’s legs squirm and her eyelids squeeze shut a little tighter.

He breathed a soft sigh of relief and lit his horn, extending his magical sense and checking on the currents flowing through the filly’s body. What he saw nearly took his breath away.

“Something's clearly wrong with her nervous system, that is obvious. But the way her lambda system reacts makes me think it is acting as the nervous system the filly doesn’t seem to have. Whatever this filly has isn’t life threatening… yet.” He mumbled to himself.

With that out of the way, he lowered his hoof back to the ground and turned to give two very nervous parents a warm genuine smile.

The two ponies behind the glass breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed visibly, pulling their faces away from the glass and regaining some much-needed composure.

Though Axon eyed her carefully, Tender Hoof seemed to trust his judgment and gently pulled up the slumbering filly’s blanket until it sat snugly under the newborn’s chin.

“Are we done here, doctor?” Tender asked, with a more enthusiasm than what was probably appropriate.

Axon frowned and did one last cursory scan before nodding. “Yes, get that same earth pony nurse to keep her eye on this one. Maybe she will have the fortitude you don't.”

Though she was tempted to argue, Tender merely nodded once and left, more than happy to have an excuse to leave.

Axon looked down at the filly one last time before leaving. Whatever was wrong with this child was beyond his understanding, and with his colleague being so ill at ease around the child it fell on him to break the news to the parents.

He sighed as he exited the nursery and left the crying foals behind, along with the headache that had been rising in the back of his mind because of them. This wasn't going to be easy; it was not like he expected many of these conversations when he had chosen to spend his life studying neurology.

Once clean and assured the rather burly, elderly earth pony nurse was assigned to the child, he made his way over to where he knew the parents of said child were no doubt still standing, nervously awaiting the news he bore.

As he turned the corner, his eyes met theirs and he couldn't help but feel sympathetic. Having an expert get called out for your child so quick after the celebration of its birth was not something any parent wanted to experience.

He forced a polite smile to his face and made his way over.

“Hello, my name is Axon Verge and you are Twilight Velvet and Night Light, correct?”

The stallion before him nodded quickly. “I wish I could say it was a pleasure to meet you, doctor.”

The neurologist merely nodded grimly. “Well, I should start with the good news first then.” That drew their attention and both parents leaned closer. “It is neither life-threatening nor is she in any pain.”

“Not life-threatening... what do you mean by that?” The hysterical tone of the mare’s voice drew the stares of the few ponies still around this late at night.

Axon’s smile fell away and he sighed. “We should finish this conversation in my office. It would be better if we were somewhere private.”

Both parents exchanged a fearful look, and although the mother seemed more hesitant to leave than she cared to admit, she nodded reluctantly.

A short trot later saw the three in a slightly cramped office without so much as a window. Little decorations spattered the room haphazardly. Piles of various papers covered the desk and an open book covered what little empty space was left.

“My apologies about the state of my workspace, I don't usually speak directly to the public.” The doctor levitated in two folding chairs he had swiped from a nearby waiting room which was, of course, empty at this hour. He gently placed the now unfolded chairs on one side of the desk while closing and locking the door with his magic.

The parents seemed reluctant to part but they ultimately took the offered chairs and sat down. Axon moved to the other side of the desk and sat on a slightly comfier wooden chair.

“Now, I know you are eager to ask questions, however I would like to ask that you do not interrupt and hold onto your questions until I have told you all I know.” The neurologist pulled his chair up to the desk, making the wood squeal harshly as it was dragged along the tiled floor.

“Firstly it seems as though your daughter has suffered from an unknown affliction. At this time it seems as though her nervous system has either not grown properly or has been damaged in some way before or immediately after birth.”

“I know the labor was a little harder this time, could that explain what happened?” The father interrupted, throwing a glance at his wife.

“I am not sure, though I don't believe so.” The doctor stopped and steepled his hooves, recovering a pipe and tobacco from a desk drawer. “Do you smoke?”

The father shook his head, as did the mother.

“Shame, terrible habit but it calms the nerves.” As he cleaned and filled his pipe with his magic the doctor continued, “I want you to know that what I say tonight shouldn't be repeated. Right now I have mere guesswork and a few minutes of observation.”

Both parents nodded darkly, the father squeezing the mother’s hoof a little tighter.

A brief flame better illuminated the otherwise dreary office and the doctor gently puffed on the lit pipe, continuing after letting out a slow exhale of smoke.

“Her nervous system is underdeveloped to the extreme, barely extending from the base of her neck and hardly connected to the spinal column. Though she has connections all over her body, they don't seem to go anywhere or connect to anything and will probably be reabsorbed by the body within the first year or two of life as her body realizes the connections are dead.”

“Are you saying she's paralyzed?” Twilight Velvet asked, panic creeping into her voice.

“No. Quite the opposite, actually. It seems as though her lambda system has adapted and now does the central nervous system’s job for it, albeit at a slightly reduced efficiency.” He stopped and took another few puffs of his pipe before releasing a slow exhale of smoke. “She will likely have a reduced sense of touch, a minor resistance to pain, and may be a little uncoordinated. Other than that, my initial analysis suggests she should not have any developmental challenges.”

Both parents relaxed, the stallion finally releasing his wife’s hoof and swallowing his panic.

“That being said, how much do you two know about a pony’s lambda system?”

Twilight Velvet spoke first, evidently more educated in this field than her husband. “I know it's the underlying magical system that enables a pony to use their tribe’s innate magical ability.”

Her husband merely nodded, adding nothing.

The doctor smiled. “Good, then I won't have to explain everything. Suffice to say that due to the loss of most of the nervous system, it seems that your daughter's lambda system has grown accordingly in order to take control over the motor control. This will dramatically increase the amount of mana her body can create and store, and she will require proper tutelage on managing this power.”

The doctor grimaced and took one last puff on his pipe before extinguishing it. “And that means flares.”

Both parents gasped.

“It's possible she may suffer from them occasionally, and if neither of you is trained in first aid and how to respond to the threat of a flare, I would advise at least one of you to get trained.”

“I can do that.” Twilight Velvet responded instantly.

Night Light turned to her with a grave expression. “Are you sure dear?”

Her courage was unwavering and she merely nodded. “My schedule is a little more flexible than yours and they will need you at the observatory. Besides, my editing career never did really take off like I had hoped.”

The stallion couldn't argue even if he wanted to, remembering the many similar conversations they had already on the subject. Reluctantly, he settled back into his chair, determined to speak with his wife further once they were home and had some sleep.

“Yes, well, I know the hospital offers free training for handling flares but you should still get in contact with the guard and notify them of this development. Though it’s not illegal to have that much power if the state is not properly informed it may reflect… poorly on the girl.”

“If that's what you believe is right, doctor.”

“Good. Secondly, this larger lambda system also has a few side effects. Judging from the way her lambda system has grown, it is slightly larger and more pronounced in her hooves and horn as that is where unicorns store our mana. This will probably guide development somewhat. Meaning, she will probably be taller, and leaner with a more pronounced horn than fillies her age. This will be normal and though she might suffer from growing pains, they won't last long and should be dulled by her own lack of a functional nervous system. Lastly, well, I am not sure how to say this, but... did either of you feel anything while in her presence?”

The stallion gulped, earning a glare from his wife. The doctor lifted an eyebrow at that and looked at him.

“Well, a little. I didn't want to admit it but it felt a little like there was a large animal in the room with us.” The doctor nodded knowingly.

“I have two theories for that. One is that her abundance of power is obvious to any who are with her and they are forced to acknowledge that power, which may come off as a sense of instinctual fear much like those who stand near a predator… or the princess.”

Both parents arched an eyebrow at that but said nothing.

“My second theory is that her mana is leaking into a form of unformed spell that takes the shape of a fear aura. Either way, those who are weak-willed will be significantly more affected and if this ability cannot be…” The doctor rolled a hoof in the air, looking for the right word. “...handled, then I would suggest keeping her out of public school.”

“Why?”

“Put quite simply, it would cause panic. Children that age rarely have the will to resist their instincts and have a tendency to lash out when faced with such stimulus.” He coughed nervously, his lack of interpersonal skills showing quite handily. “At least until she's of high school age.”

The parents exchanged a knowing look that said “We will talk about this later.” and turned back to the good doctor.

“Anyway, that's all I know now, but with your permission, I would like to continue to examine her thoroughly and watch her development. Hopefully I can figure out a way to help, or at least find out why this happened.”

“Of course,” the mother replied.

“Good, now if that's everything, I have some sleep to get back to.”

“Two things before you go. First, is she, you know… all there?” Night Light asked tentatively, earning him a sharp jab from his wife.

“Dear!”

“Yes, she should have all her faculties and her brain scans came up with no complications.”

“That's a relief. The second thing is kind of sensitive so I must ask that you won’t repeat it to anypony.” The stallion’s grave tone and stern face alerted the doctor to just how important secrecy was to the father.

“Of course, patient confidentiality is secure from even Princess Celestia.”

The stallion wavered slightly before speaking again. “My family was cursed, centuries ago, and though it hasn't come back up since my great uncle, it might explain all this.”

“I doubt a curse would last that long or do what happened, but I will keep that in mind.”

“You know that curse stuff is a load of nonsense, dear.” Twilight Velvet added sharply.

“Well, my father believed in it until his dying day.”

“Curses can have strange effects further on and it's not that unheard of for a particularly powerful one to cling to a family,” the doctor added. “Now, if that's all, I really must be getting back to sleep.”

Both parents quickly stood up. “Of course doctor, and thank you.”

“Yes, thank you for everything you've done. I have never met a medical professional quite as candid as you,” the father added.

“Hah, I will take that as a compliment and bid you goodnight. I will speak with you again tomorrow after I've gotten some sleep and had a little time to review a few medical documents.”

Both parents turned and left, leaving the doctor alone with his thoughts.

Contrary to what he had just said, he had no intention of going back to sleep. Once the door was locked again, he drew a pen and paper from the desk drawer and hastily began writing the symptoms noted, physical characteristics and anything else he thought prudent to put to paper. Once done, he held it aloft in his magic and eyed the document carefully. In his tight, neat script lay all the information he had gathered about the unicorn filly named Twilight Sparkle and her unique problem.

His eyes glanced over the page, eyeing it carefully for anything he may have missed. Noting a slight error, he frowned and turned to grab his pen when he was blinded suddenly by a green light emanating from the page he held.

In his panic he dropped the pen and inkpot he had been holding and looked back at the page, half of which was already consumed by a green flame. Before Axon could even think of a plan to save his work, the paper was gone, burned away in green fire, leaving behind not even a trace of ash.

“What the?”

Deep within Canterlot Castle, a long-dormant machine suddenly shuddered to life, alerted to the presence of something that should not be. The massive arcane contraption released a high-pitched whine for a few seconds before it seemed to right itself and stop. Once righted, the machine hummed with life, different parts spinning while others flashed a variety of lights.

Spells nearly a thousand years old suddenly sprang to life and began their pre-programmed routine. Scanning spells reached the destination, while another set determined if the information gathered was in line with its programming. Once the location was secure and the information verified, the scanning spells stopped.

Another set of powerful magic began to hum to life as it locked onto the position designated. Once focused, it flared briefly with a strange green fire. An odd mouth-like opening near the front ejected the green flame that morphed into a piece of familiar paper. Within seconds the spell was complete and shut down once more.

The flames vanished and the paper fell a few inches onto a plate that sunk down into the machine, activating yet another set of spells that found Princess Celestia’s location and mentally pinged her, notifying its creator that its job was complete, for now.

Horror, it was a word that brought forth images of movie screens, plays, and for the unfortunate few, real pain and death they have witnessed.

They know nothing of horror. Celestia thought grimly. Though she was proud of the peace she had enabled and the quiet, mundane lives her ponies now lived, she would be forever unable to enjoy such a peaceful and quiet life.

Hers was a lonely life, being the last alicorn and having no other true immortals she could call friends. The passage of time buried all her friends and loved ones. Loneliness could be conquered, and it was not the yearning for another true immortal in her life that drove her to be so apart from her ponies; rather it was the fact that she had experienced true horror. Not a recreation by an actor on a screen or a stage, she had seen and done things that could only be described as truly horrific.

Anypony with any experience in history knew the princess had experienced first hoof all the horrors brought forth by every war and conflict Equestria ever fought. Though some liked to believe they did, nopony could truly grasp what that meant in this day and age. They were naive and small, unaltered by the effects of fear and unhaunted by decisions forced upon them.

Celestia sighed, her breath leaving a slowly shrinking circle of perspiration on the window. Beyond the gilded confines of her castle she could see the first early risers getting a start on their day and heading out into the world.

A millennium ago she would have enjoyed the scene playing out before her. The morning ponies already out for a jog before work, saying their hellos to their neighbors and the few others who enjoyed the same routine.

The weary not-so-morning ponies who got up anyway, either for their health or work, used to draw a chuckle from the sun princess as she sipped away at her morning tea and watched them go about their grumpy routine.

Now, however, it only drew the faintest of interest at the best of times and uncharacteristic scowl at the worst.

It certainly didn't help her mood that her night and thus sleep had been ruined by the reminder that the horror she had sacrificed so much to stomp out still remained in her pure and peaceful world.

The things she had done to protect the peaceful lives of her ponies and ensure they didn't have to see what she had were the driving force of her life these days. But if the public knew what she had done, they would have crucified her and she would hardly blame them.

They hadn't done or seen the things she had. They have never been forced to choose between life and death, and been equally as tempted to choose one over the other.

Celestia sighed once more and turned from the window, taking a gentle sip from her morning coffee that was still a little too cold for her taste. She placed the cup back down on the enchanted saucer and the pot back on its burner, waiting for it to heat up.

Meanwhile, her mind was elsewhere, away from this place and even this time. Far, far away, a long time ago in a place surprisingly close to this one, the memories returned.

And with a vengeance.

The screams of the dying, their anguish-filled screams of pain echoed through the battlefield. She didn't know which side they belonged to, but this far into the melee it hardly mattered and could barely be determined.

Early on in the war she was cocky and careless. She had the most well-trained troops equipped with the most up-to-date arms and armor with the backing of almost every successful mage Equestria had at the time.

Still her sister resisted. Luna had gone out into the countryside, to the towns and villages that popped up in the shadow of the Everfree and there she had raised a great peasant army.

Celestia had laughed at the mention of her little army, of course. To think an army of potters, farmers, bakers and other lay ponies could stand up to a well disciplined and supplied professional army was simple madness.

And what came after their forces clashed was madness on a scale the solar princess had never before experienced, or even imagined.

Renegades, exiles, and those few ponies who valued knowledge over ethics had always made their home in the vast forest that had perpetually been beyond Canterlot’s reach, but they were few and far between.

Or so Celestia had thought.

There, among the twisted branches of that chaotic wood, they had grown and prospered. Some even went so far as to form villages, covens and enclaves of their own. Celestia had always cursed her inability to govern the scattered townships at the edge of the Everfree and the stubborn independence they all seemed to have. Despite generations of isolation and no official contact with Luna or the beast she became they almost all flocked to her banner.

The wood had given them the isolation and freedom they had wanted, but it also gave them a cruel and twisted gift, perverting their bodies and minds and twisting them into beings that could hardly be called ponies anymore.

Great rock-like equines with the strength of several earth ponies thundered through the battlefield, wielding stone shoes or simple clubs that crumpled her soldiers’ field plates like a child’s toy. The strange rock like pony’s injuries never seemed fatal and their deaths never permanent.

Ponies more akin to spiders than the equines they had originally been descended in droves, wielding strange silken armor that turned aside blade and spell alike with impunity. Their many legs granted them speed and dexterity that only her pegasus forces could match. Although they could neither fly nor cast complicated magic, they were whirlwinds of death that wielded more weapons than her normal soldiers could ever attempt, with an ease that spoke of decades of practice.

The descendants of farmers and fools that had tried to cultivate the Everfree were perhaps the most savage of the lot. Some seemed barely above beasts, snarling and vicious with hides as tough as bark and a bite that was far worse. They tore through flesh and armor with tooth and claw, and shrugged off all but the most concentrated attacks. Baying like wolves they attacked in packs and dragged off those soldiers not lucky enough to be killed in the initial onslaught.

Even the very Everfree itself seemed to resist the sun princess, hordes of great beasts poured out of the twisted wood in all shapes and sizes. Timberwolf packs hounded her supply lines with an intelligence they had never before displayed. Manticores clad in silver armor broke the ranks of her ponies and then vanished before they could be dispatched. Even the woodland creatures that seemed too small to be of importance fought against the solar incursion. Bunnies, squirrels, rats and other small creatures swarmed over the army’s food, eating nearly everything and befouling anything they couldn't.

Worst still were the lunar pegasi, faster, stronger and more brutal than their feather-winged cousins; they swooped through the battlefield, picked off anypony caught unaware and swiftly dispatched their surprised foe. They were well-drilled, well-disciplined and held together every other race and sub-race the Nightmare brought to bear, carrying an air of leadership that rallied her sister’s forces wherever they went,all the while holding a nearly fanatical belief in her sister’s selfish cause.

Repelling these attacks and forcing unit cohesion after the chaotic and brutal melee nearly broke the sun princess’ army, and she was forced to reveal her ace far before she had wanted. Bringing forth the full force of her connection to the sun, she bathed the battlefield in light and flame, scorching friend and foe alike. Though her own troops were resistant to the sun’s rays, some still fell to their princess’ attack. In the end it had paid off and the creatures born in the darkness were killed or scattered. From that terrifying display of power, a fear of the light was borne in those lucky few that survived the sun’s onslaught that would last generations, the terror of the sun unbound being passed down from parent to child for centuries after the devastating assault.

With the first wave defeated and their supply lines resecured, the solar army marched onward, drawing closer and closer to the Everfree with each passing hour. Her troops’ morale was low but holding, the demonstration of power being enough to reaffirm her ponies’ faith in her abilities.

What happened after that was true horror, the likes of which made the destruction of war look like child’s play. The necromancers revealed themselves and raised a vast army of the dead that had been hastily abandoned the day before, sandwiching the solar guard between the dead and the living.

Celestia shuddered, a tear running down her muzzle.

She pushed the memory away with frantic insistence. Please don't make me remember. She begged whatever greater being might have been listening.

Please don't remind me how my ponies suffered and what I did to her.

The memories would not be stopped; even after centuries they were too vivid, and far too horrible to ignore.

Celestia whimpered and squeezed her eyes closed tighter, images of horror long past flashing before her mind’s eye.

Images of her soldiers’ limbs sloughing off their bodies while they were still alive, rot taking them before they had even been felled in battle, the bodies of their brothers and sisters in arms rising back up after a fatal stroke, only to turn on the nearest pony with a ruthlessness that could only be borne of mindlessness.

No, stop, please I'm begging you. Tears fell from the princess’ face, pooling on the floor beneath her.

Cuts that showed only the first symptoms of infection suddenly became gangrenous, having to be amputated within seconds only for the stump to become infected and a swift death becoming the only reprieve. The earth beneath her ponies died, from tip to root every blade of grass perished while torrential rains pounded flesh and earth alike, turning the battlefield into a quagmire.

The sins she committed in the face of the atrocities, the blood she had spilled in hate. All of it flashed before her eyes, reminding her of her deeds.

And then it was gone, replaced by the sound of boiling coffee cascading over the sides of the pot while her cup bubbled quietly.

Celestia shook her head and blinked away the tears. She had a job to do. She swallowed the boiling hot cup of coffee, quickly pouring herself another and then turned off the burner. With her second cup held aloft in her magic, she forced herself towards the door.

She had a kingdom to run, and no time to shed tears for past mistakes.

At the behest of Axon, the parents of Twilight Sparkle ultimately decided not to send her to a public school, homeschooling the child until a surprise invitation from Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns arrived one day at their door. Said invitation came in the form of none other than their esteemed leader herself.

“P-p-princess Celestia!” Stuttered the much, much older looking mare known as Twilight Velvet, quickly ducking into a bow so deep she nearly face planted when her aged knees nearly gave out on her, her long gray hair brushing the ground as she bowed.

A calm, serene smile sprang easily to the monarch’s face. “Please stand, no need for such formality today. Simply call me Celestia.”

The aged mare scrambled back to her hooves. “Twilight Velvet, your highness.”

This caused the monarch to stop for a moment. “Oh? I had assumed you a caretaker of some kind. You seem older than the last picture I saw.”

The mare coughed nervously and rubbed the back of her neck. “Yes, well, raising two children can take a lot out of you.”

More than you know. Celestia thought darkly.

“So it seems. May I come in?” the alicorn said.

“Of course!” The smaller mare stood to the side and closed the door gently behind the alicorn as she made her way inside.

Once in the same room, the aura of fear emanating from the princess would have been suffocating had Twilight Velvet not spent the last sixteen years of her life living in the presence of a pony with a similar, albeit lesser, effect of her own.

The alicorn strode in purposefully, planting herself on the largest couch and indicating the chair across from her. Her powerful stride and calm features made her seem in charge even while in another’s home.

Once seated, the smaller mare smiled nervously, unused to such a forward pony who strode through her house like she owned the place.

“Where are your husband and children?” said pony asked innocently.

“Night Light was just having a nap, work has been hard on him lately. Twilight is upstairs in her room, reading I assume, and Shining Armor is at school,” the mare replied, a little too quickly.

“Oh? I had thought school would be out by now.”

The smaller mare gulped and wiped a stray strand of grayed hair from her eyes. “He had to stay late because...” She paused, considering for a second lying. Ultimately she decided on the truth, feeling guilty having even thought of lying to the princess. “He was in a little trouble today.”

The princess raised an eyebrow at that. “What happened?”

“Just a little disagreement with another colt. You know how boys can get.”

The monarch didn't seem to notice or care for the other mare’s nervousness. “He is what, eighteen now, correct?”

“Yes, last month of high school before he's off to basic,” Twilight Velvet said with a hint of pride.

“I remember his application coming across my desk, quite a bit of promise.” Though the praise was brief, Twilight Velvet cheered silently in her mind. “Speaking of promise… how is your other child doing?”

The younger mare’s eyes suddenly lost their luster that had come from hearing her son praised by the princess. “Oh, fine, just fine.” She smiled, hoping it looked less fake than it felt.

“Oh, that's good to hear. How are her studies? I heard she already graduated high school.” The alicorn’s smile spoke of knowledge that made Twilight Velvet nervous.

“She got her G.E.D. over a year ago and she is well into her second year of private lessons in magical theory.” Though there was pride in her voice, there was also fear, one born of worry that could only come from a parent worrying for their child.

The alicorn nodded thoughtfully, smiling politely. “Do you have any tea by chance? I’m afraid I'm parched.”

The sudden shift jarred Velvet and she stood up quickly. “Oh, yes, of course, your highness, I’m afraid we only have honey tea. It's Twilight’s favorite.”

“That sounds delicious, thank you.”

The younger mare bowed once more and dipped out of the room.

Once alone, Celestia cast her eye around the room, analyzing every minute detail. The house was relatively small, given the size of the family and it was built in that tall, tower-like manner that had been fashionable around fifty years or so ago. That meant only the kitchen, living room and bathroom were on the main floor. The second floor, Celestia knew, had the master bedroom, a second bathroom, and a small office. The third would have two bedrooms with a small common area. The fourth was an attic, probably only used for storage.

The room she currently occupied was pleasant and had a very lived-in vibe to it. Bookshelves lined one wall from floor to ceiling, wrapping all around a large window that gave a generous view of the street, while several potted plants, all fake, dotted the room at irregular intervals.

The couch was comfortable but worn, and was probably as old as the house. The rest of the furniture seemed to carry this theme as well, everything bearing a distinct age to it. Celestia glanced briefly at the books she could see from her spot on the couch. Nearly every single one she glanced at was either a work of fiction or a book of spells or magic. Though most were mundane, she noticed one very different, and probably illegal book that sat on the bottom shelf. Its spine faced the inside of the bookshelf, making it impossible to know what it contained had the distinct purple pages not given it away.

Celestia frowned, she knew books made with such pages were almost always used to contain spells that were either banned or simply frowned upon. She made a note of it and moved on, noticing a faint whistle from the other room. A second later she had to stop looking around as the sound of hooves approached from the kitchen

The steps were close together and erratic, indicating an undercurrent of nervousness that Celestia could sense a mile away.

She looked up as the other mare entered the room. “I’m terribly sorry, Celestia, but it seems as though the tea has gone bad. I am afraid I didn't notice until after I had boiled the water.”

Alarm bells sounded in the alicorn’s head. “The honey tea has gone bad?” The princess arched an eyebrow that served only to make the other mare sweat.

“I’m afraid so, it's dreadfully hard keeping food from going bad in this house. It’s the damned old wood they made this place out of.” The mare shook her head and sat back down across from the alicorn. “Anyway, is there a reason you were stopping by? I hope it wasn't just for a taste of my tea or I'd feel dreadful.” She forced a small laugh.

“No, I was actually hoping to extend an invitation for your daughter to join my school. May I meet her?” Celestia asked.

“Oh, of course!” the smaller mare said quickly.

Both mares were suddenly distracted by the sound of hooves descending the stairs. Both turned to see a quite surprised stallion standing on the landing and looking at them.

He blinked twice and dropped quickly into a deep bow. “Greetings, your highness.”

The alicorn smiled. “Please rise, sorry to wake you.”

The stallion rose and waved a hoof dismissively. “No, no. I just heard the sound of tea as I was lying awake in bed.” He walked over and placed a gentle kiss on his wife’s cheek. “Any left for me, by chance?”

With the two of them so close the startling age difference became readily apparent, making Celestia narrow her eyes in thought. Weren't they supposed to be the same age? Maybe one or two years apart but this Twilight Velvet appears to be ten years the stallion’s senior.

“I'm afraid the last of the tea went bad. Sorry honey.” The stallion frowned deeply at that and he glanced upwards for a moment before catching himself and looking back down, a sudden look of guilt on his wife’s face.

“Your name is Night Light, correct?” Celestia interjected.

The stallion looked away from his wife and towards the alicorn. “Yes, my apologies for not introducing myself, your highness.”

“Pardon my bluntness, but how old are you and your wife?”

Velvet’s face fell, avoiding eye contact. Her husband’s eyes suddenly seemed to fill with an intense disdain. “We are both forty-two, or at least we should be the same age if it wasn't for it.”

“Dear, please.” The mare placed a hoof on her husband’s and gave him a pained smile.

After a second he withered and let out a breath. Celestia dismissed the entire interaction, having learned all she needed.

“May I please see your daughter now?”

Velvet stood up suddenly. “Yes, of course.” She turned to her husband. “Why don't you go buy some more tea and pick up Shining? I’m sure he will be out of detention by then.”

The stallion stood his ground for only a moment before turning towards the door. “Yes, dear.” He turned once before reaching the door and shot Celestia a strange, almost pleading look. Then, he was gone.

Velvet coughed and moved towards the stairs. “I will go get her now your highness; please make yourself at home.”

The alicorn merely nodded, remaining seated.

The smaller mare quickly stood and disappeared up the stairs, leaving Celestia to her thoughts.

The alicorn’s nose perked up to a nearly unnoticeable smell. One that seemed hidden behind the smell of the home. Sniffing a few more times Celestia stopped suddenly. Her muzzle scrunching up in disgust, her fears realized. Beneath the smell of books and home cooking there was the distinct smell of death.

She didn't have long to ruminate on this information as her host came back down the stairs, another much younger, taller mare clinging to her side.

The second pony had to be Twilight Sparkle, however, she was much too tall for a mare of sixteen. Standing nearly a whole head over her mother with sharp, angular features accentuated by a long spiraling horn. However where her mother was slightly round, Twilight Sparkle was painfully skinny, skin stretched tightly over a skeleton that seemed to be trying to escape the hold her flesh had on it. Deep bags hung under her eyes, giving the mare a haunting gaze. A plain black dress that seemed one size too small covered the mare’s cutie mark and draped a few inches down her legs before coming to an abrupt stop.

Her lips were drawn tight and she stared worriedly at the alicorn the entire time she approached. Her legs were long and would have been shapely and enchanting had it not been for how painfully skinny they looked.

Last was her hair. Purple fur so dark it was nearly black covered her body. Short, neatly cut mane and tail covered the rest of her body. Her hair was a deep blue with an equally deep magenta and pink highlight running through them.

Though Celestia was unaffected by it, she could still feel the powerful aura of fear that the mare emitted.

“Hello Twilight Sparkle, I’ve heard so much about you,” Celestia said with a smile.

Instead of returning to her seat, Velvet stood beside her daughter, shifting nervously as she watched the interaction.

“All good things I hope,” the youngest mare said without humor, in a voice two tones deeper than what Celestia would have guessed from a mare her age.

“Of course! Which is why I am here to invite you to study at my school.”

“No,” the mare replied instantly.

Celestia pretended to be surprised. “Why do you say that? You hardly gave it any thought.”

The mare looked down. “I frighten ponies, besides I don't want to abandon my current studies.”

Celestia frowned. “You know we could work something more private for you if you would like. I have a tower without an occupant that would suit you perfectly, plenty of books, even a world-class telescope would be all yours and plenty far away from anypony who might bother you.” Celestia leaned in and smiled. “Why I even have a vacant position for a personal pupil that I think you might be able to fill quite nicely.”

The lanky teen frowned and seemed to think about it.

“Give it some thought and send your response to the castle tomorrow. I find sleeping on an important decision helpful.”

“Fine.”

“Now dear, don't be like that. This might be a wonderful opportunity, think of it. Your own place, plenty of books and the princess as your teacher,” Velvet said, bumping her daughter with a hip which did nothing to extract the mare from her funk.

“I’ll think about it,” the young unicorn replied.

“That's all I can ask, thank you.” Celestia beckoned with a hoof to the two chairs across from her. “Please sit.”

The two mares reluctantly did as asked and made their way over.

Velvet sat without trouble, her daughter, however, was a different story. As soon as she was free from being so close to her mother, her hooves became less coordinated and she stumbled into the chair with all the grace of a china cabinet being thrown down a flight of stairs.

Celestia looked at the teen with a questioning gaze. “Are you alright?”

The lanky girl just snorted in annoyance. “It's just my condition acting up, makes me clumsy.” Under her breath, she added. “Like I need help with that.”

“Condition?” Celestia asked inquisitively, feigning ignorance.

Velvet answered before her daughter could. “Yes. She was born with a damaged nervous system. Her lambda system took over and has stopped her from being paralyzed or anything like that, but it has damaged her coordination a little.”

Celestia stared at the mare for several long seconds before seemingly accepting the explanation. Meanwhile, the gears were turning within the monarch’s mind. Although my fears were already confirmed, this just furthers my assumption. And unless she accepts my invitation I will be forced to act. The strange sense of deja vu I first received when I saw her is not leaving me and worse still the mere sight of her brings thoughts of the war to my mind. This is an ill omen indeed, I must act quickly. Once she settled on a plan of action, she lit her horn and disguised a flash of magic as simply levitating a few magazines into a neat pile. The magic formed a message that was sent to her guard captain waiting outside.

“Tell me more about this condition of yours, Twilight.” Celestia accentuated her point by deliberately looking at the lanky teenage mare before her.

She didn't back down one iota, merely narrowing her eyes and meeting the challenge. “The condition still doesn't have a name but it damages a pony’s nervous system pre-birth, forcing the lambda system that usually controls magic to take over its job.”

Celestia almost smirked. It seems as though I have struck a nerve. She held back a giggle at her own joke.

“Oh, is that all that happens?” Celestia challenged.

Twilight’s eyes narrowed further while a frown spread across her face. Several tense seconds of silence passed.

Then a knock on the door drew everypony’s attention. “Oh, I’ll get it.” Velvet stood up quickly, however not quickly enough and the being behind the door simply pushed his way in.

Twilight Velvet stood there shocked for a moment, absolutely sure she had locked the door behind her.

There in the doorway stood a golden coated unicorn stallion with a grim countenance and full armor. He ignored the elderly mare before him and stared past her.

“Ma’am, there is a situation that requires your attention,” he said in a gruff voice.

Celestia nodded and stood up. “Wait outside, I’ll be right out.”

The guard saluted and left just as quickly as he appeared.

Celestia turned to the lanky unicorn and flashed an apologetic smile. “I’m terribly sorry, Twilight, but it seems as though I’m needed. Please give my proposal some thought, I believe you would be quite happy with the facilities my school could provide you.”

Twilight Sparkle smiled back hesitantly. “Thank you, I will consider it with my family tonight.”

The alicorn turned and left, pausing at the door and looking to the elder Twilight. “Which would be free by the way, I am willing to waive the tuition in order to have such a brilliant young mind.”

“That's very kind, your highness, you will have our response shortly.”

Celestia smiled one last time and left.

Outside the Sparkle house, Celestia strode through the street, a single guard at her side, following silently. All around the ponies pretended not to notice the monarch, knowing better than to give the impromptu appearance any fanfare. A block later they were joined by a second guard who appeared from an alley.

He was identical to the other guard, save for being an inch or two shorter than his colleague.

He moved swiftly up to the princess’ side, allowing her to whisper quietly enough for only him to hear. “I will have to bring in the expert if she does not accept my offer. Ensure she knows of the contraband spell book in the family’s living room. Use illegal magic as the excuse and go in hot in the middle of the night.”

The guard grit his teeth. “Are you sure that is necessary, your highness? You made her quite a generous offer back there.”

“She will not accept my offer. I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't even write to me.”

“What makes you think so?”

“She has almost never left home, the few times she did were disastrous. Beyond that, I believe myself to be good read of character, and she didn't so much as entertain the idea even after I waived tuition and offered her personal tutoring. Her eyes did not even have a spark of interest the entire time, and worse still, I don't believe she respects me at all. Best to simply solve this problem with the use of a specialist and be done with it.” The alicorn remarked, a small tremor of annoyance running down her spine.

“Are you sure that's a good idea, your highness? The guard would be much quieter.”

“Yes they would, however, I like to keep my stallions’ hooves clean of blood wherever possible and her hooves are already irreparably stained. Besides, the royal guard will be doing its job by keeping out onlookers and ensuring the scene is secure discreetly while she does the dirty work. Even if there is a little collateral damage, nopony will remember anything other than what the official report says.”

The guard earned a sharp glare from his colleague and gulped. “Are you sure it will even come to that? Despite her being a shut in her family doesn't seem wealthy and you did give them a pretty nice offer back there, no tuition, housing... She'd be crazy to pass that up.”

Her smile faded, replaced by a grim look of determination. “Hopefully not, however beyond the lack of respect I sensed, her heart contains much fear and anger. If it's up to the filly, she will not leave.”

The guard nodded and took position across from his colleague.

Hopefully it does not come to that, unleashing my little ‘specialist’s’ power is not something I do lightly. With that grim thought firmly in mind, Celestia trotted towards the castle in the distance, the nagging feeling of deja vu never leaving her.

It had been almost twenty-four hours since Princess Celestia had come into their home and suddenly offered them a reprieve from that thing his wife called their daughter, and still nopony agreed with him. Night Light looked out the window and frowned. It was an incredibly nice day outside, the sun was shining, birds were chirping, and it seemed like everypony was outside enjoying it.

Except for his family, of course.

Twilight found direct sunlight to be hard on her skin and had opted to spend the day reading again. Shining Armor had a mountain of homework which he was probably receiving help with from his sister. His wife was tired, laying on the living room couch and resting her eyes.

All the while Night Light was bound by duty and circumstance. He couldn't just up and leave his family and enjoy the day only he seemed to enjoy, especially when they remained unconvinced by Celestia’s offer.

He sighed, quietly wishing he had his pipe on him, but the last time his wife had caught him with it she had laid into him about setting a poor example for his kids.

Night Light laid his head in his hooves and snorted. One of his kids was the top of his class and could have left early for basic training if he wasn't trying so hard to woo that Cadenza pony. Night Light wished him luck in that front, but he frankly didn't see it. Cadenza was an enchanting pegasus mare with ties to the princess, and Shining Armor was a short, scrawny young colt with the cursed sister.

The stallion continued grumbling while leaning on the windowsill, all the while watching the passersby that trotted up and down the street.

In Night Light’s mind there was no doubt she was cursed, or a monster or something! He didn't know exactly what it was, and no one listened to him when he talked about it... but he knew something was wrong. All he did know was that whatever his daughter was, it wasn't good. Shining had been growing up fast and strong with powerful magic until he got closer to his sister. Then his growth slowed to a stop and all attempts to put on muscle failed. Even his magic had faltered somewhat, and though he was still the strongest shield caster in his grade, he had difficulty with any advanced spells that most of his classmates could cast with ease.

The stallion ground his teeth together as his anger got the better of him. Worst of all was his wife, she had aged faster than he had thought possible; going from a few grey hairs to a full head of it within five short years. She had passed it off as just a little premature grey, but her family had no history of it and if that wasn't all, her joints had started to bother her. Which, in itself, wouldn't be significant if she didn't have a history of keeping in shape and eating properly. A few years ago she even had to get reading glasses! She had perfect vision before their second child, and now she had reading glasses. It didn't sound like much but Night Light knew better; he had seen the prescription she was supposed to be wearing and it was clear they were not simple reading glasses, but still his wife stubbornly refused to buy the glasses she needed. Was it an attempt to stop him from worrying, or something else? The stallion stopped his train of thought, noticing how hard he was grinding his teeth and the odd looks a few passersby were giving him. Night Light frowned and got up, closing the window and stepping down on the floor.

It wasn't going to help anything if he sat there getting angry again, he had to convince his wife that Celestia’s school was the great opportunity it truly was and he was running out of time to do that.

He walked slowly up the stairs to the second floor, contemplating what possible angle would convince his wife or even just anything he could say that would change her mind. As his mind raced, he landed on one unfortunate conclusion: he had already tried everything he could think of! He had argued until he was almost even bluer in the face than usual and all it took was one word from his daughter to shut it all down. A simple no from that brat had been enough for her. His well thought-out arguments, damned by those two letters.

The stallion stopped on the stairs, his forehoof stopped in mid air as an idea occurred to him.

If all it took was a word from Twilight then she was the one that needed to be convinced, not his wife. Sure he had tried before but he had been… short with her. It was hard to have patience around the thing that had stolen the life from the mare you love and stunted the growth of the son you cherish. He quickly trotted to the top of the stairs and down the hall.

Until he came within a few feet of Twilight’s door, then he stopped. Hesitating slightly as he fully realized what this plan meant. He would have to remain calm the entire time despite his feelings, and be convincing enough to get her to leave. Though he was pretty sure he could do one he doubted his ability to do both at the same time.

It couldn't be helped, he had to do what he had to do and no amount of doubt was going to stop him.

Get in and out quickly, find out why she doesn't want to leave and convince her otherwise. Don't be authoritative unless absolutely necessary.

The stallion breathed in, then out, then opened the door, steeling his resolve and calming his temper.

The instant the door started opening, Night Light could feel the pressure of Twilight’s aura. It was strong and made him want to turn and flee, forgetting about this entire thing. Between his experience and his willpower, he pushed through it and walked into the room.

The first thing that hit him was the smell of dust and books; though not oppressive, it also wasn't welcoming. It reminded Night Light of a second hoof book store he used to frequent. It was stifling and musty, and the only thing that kept him coming back was the rock bottom price of everything… which stopped mattering soon enough as mold contaminated most of the books and the building had to be condemned.

Directly ahead with her back to him was the mare he sought. She sat on a wooden chair, her magic glowing faintly, a book no doubt in front of her face, just out of Night Light’s view.

To his right was the large bed she had traded with her brother when it became apparent that she would grow taller than him and would need the bed far more than he would. The bedding was made perfectly, everything exactly as it should be, the pillow placed at exactly the middle of the bed underneath the tightly tucked blanket. A small, ratty doll hidden halfway under the blanket was the only other thing on the bed.

Night Light nearly chuckled at the sight, that doll was almost as old as Twilight, and here it still was after all this time.

To his left was a wall of bookshelves packed tightly with various tomes of magic and other areas that the room’s owner found interesting, ranging from theoretical magical wave theory to mycology.

Between the stacks of books on what little wall space that was not occupied by shelving hung a few posters. One was of an elderly bearded unicorn with an elaborate hat and cape that depicted stars and constellations in incredible detail. He stood tall, a confident smile on his face, and a fierce glow around his horn.

Another depicted a white stallion in gold armor standing proud atop a pedestal with a rising sun behind him and a single word below him, ‘Serve’. The last was of some dreadful metal band Twilight liked, called ‘The Full Metal Mare’, the poster depicting the helmeted head of a mare with red mane poking out between the few chinks in the helmet, the only thing not clad in blackened steel was her jaw exposing a row of sharpened teeth and a serpentine tongue. Night Light had no idea why anypony would enjoy such music, but his wife had been quite insistent that they allow her to keep the poster and all the records Twilight had bought, despite his disappointment.

The mare in front of him still hadn't moved, the only sign of the fact she was alive was the faint magical aura around her long horn that flickered briefly, turning the page of whatever she was reading.

She was hunched over the large oak desk that lay against the wall underneath a window that was completely covered by a set of blackout blinds. Night Light faintly remembered an argument about those blinds, his wife insisting the even a little light bothered Twilight’s skin.

Night Light cleared his throat. “What are you reading?”

The mare hardly moved to the sudden intrusion, merely stopping mid-page and placing a bookmark where she had left off and swiveling her chair around. “A book on advanced rune theory and ancient earth pony magic.”

Night Light merely nodded. “Interesting.” he remarked without enthusiasm. “I was hoping to have a conversation between just you and me.”

The stallion sat down on the bed, frowning slightly when he noticed a small puff of dust to lift off the blanket, indicating the bed had not been used in a while. Putting that thought aside, he patted the part of the bed next to him.

The gangly unicorn looked at her father, then the bed, and smiled nervously before plopping down next to him, a little more gracelessly than he did.

“Sure, dad. Do you want to talk about astrology? I read a really good book all about star magic patterns the other day. I bet I can finally understand what you have been researching all these years!” The mare’s eyes lit up, an innocent smile spread across her lips and for a moment Night Light couldn't help but imagine her as the tiny innocent filly she used to be.

Guilt pulled on his heartstrings for a moment, but he forced it down. Maybe one day he could forgive her for what she's done, but that had to start with her leaving and stopping her from doing any more damage to his family.

The mare beside him looked away, shuffling nervously in the silence. “I even got the book right here. I think it was by Star Seeker, do you know him?”

The stallion sighed. “Yes, I know him, he's a brilliant astrologist. But that's not why I wanted to talk to you.” The mare slumped, knowing full well where this conversation was going. “I wanted to ask why you didn't want to go to Celestia’s school. It sounded like a pretty nice offer.”

The mare deflated a little, resting her head in between her long forelegs. Then after a long silence, she spoke. “It seems fishy.”

Night Light’s temper threatened to boil over at the comment. That's it!? It seems a little fishy? He quickly got his anger under control and smiled weakly. “What is so fishy about the princess offering you this once in a lifetime opportunity? You are undeniably a genius, she would be crazy not to try and get you into her school.”

Twilight blushed and fled into her hooves a little deeper, hoping her father didn't see her rosey cheeks. “I want to finish my studies. I am almost done so maybe I could go to the princess’ school after that? I don't want to just leave everything i've started, especially after you guys already paid for it.”

Night Light breathed a sigh of relief; he was on to something. Twilight had always been a terrible liar, and she was clearly not hitting at the heart of why she didn't want to go. Pressing on, Night Light placed a gentle hoof on his daughter's shoulder. “Is that the real reason you don't want to go?”

After a few tense moments the mare’s shoulders sagged. “No…” she replied miserably.

“Then what is it really?”

Twilight gulped. “I like the mare who delivers my assignments and books. She doesn't run away, she's nice, and besides mom and Shining, she’s my only friend. If I left then I would never see her again. I would go back to being that freindless monster again, I don't want to be all alone daddy, please don't make me.”

Night Light felt the slightest tinge of guilt when he noticed he wasn't included in her list of friends, but stowed that for later, like those other bothersome feelings. Maybe he had been a little harsh... perhaps… No, he shook his head. This has to be done.

The stallion leaned in closer. “You know she's using you, Twilight.” The mare’s body suddenly grew rigid.

“W-what are you talking about? No she isn't. She's my friend!” But the conviction wasn't there.

Night Light pressed his advantage quickly. “I've seen the assignments she gives you, Twilight.” The unicorn under his hoof tensed even more before forcibly making her muscles relax. “She gives you assignments that aren't even the same subject.”

The unicorn mare sniffed hard. “I don't know what your talking about.”

The stallion sighed and gently rubbed her shoulder. “I’ve picked up your assignments, Twilight I know.” The mare remained tense, and silent. “Remember Tuesday last week, when she came around? She gave you her history homework, Twilight.”

“I’m taking history on the side, I’m studying the Third Griphonian War—”

“Don't lie to me, missy. It’s my bits you spend taking these courses. I know what I’m paying for.” The mare sobbed quietly, her hoof covering her eyes. “See? She isn’t your friend, Twilight.”

The sobs suddenly stopped and the hoof covering her eyes whipped to her side. “What does Moon Dancer have to do with anything?”

Night Light didn't flinch from the mare’s anger. This was going exactly as he had hoped. “Think about it, Twilight. I bet there are plenty of ponies at that school. You could make some real friends.”

“I have real friends, Night Light!” She snarled back at him, rising up to her full height and glaring down at the stallion.

The stallion just snorted. “Your family doesn't count and Moon Dancer certainly doesn't either. You know I’m right.” The mare wilted slightly and Night Light pushed one last time, a little too hastily. “The school is a big place, I bet there is somepony there that will put up with you.”

The despair and sadness that had slowly crawled into Twilight’s features vanished in an instant. “Put up with me?” She whispered, icily.

Night Light cursed his poor choice of words but chose to double down. “Your condition dear, I bet there are ponies there that are learned and able to look past it.”

The mare got off the bed and pointed to the door. “Get out.”

The stallion snarled. “You don't get to tell me what to do in my own home. Now sit down and let's talk about this.”

The mare just shook her head slowly. “You don't get it. If my own family can't even ‘put up with me’, what chance is there that a bunch of random ponies will?”

The stallion stood up and took a step forward, only to be stopped when he noticed his forehooves were encased in a faint bubblegum colored aura. “Don't you dare.”

Tears ran down the mare’s eyes. “Please, just go, daddy.”

The stallion grimaced and pushed forward. “No, now we are going to sit down and talk about this like adults or so help me—”

A sudden shove of magic and the stallion found himself sprawled out in the hallway, the door slammed shut a second later. He was back on his hooves in moments and banged on the door.
“Get out here right now!”

He slammed his hoof a few more times against the wood. “You have until the count of three before I come in there and drag you out.”

He waited a few seconds but the door didn't budge, the house was quiet save for the faint sound of sobbing on the other side of the door.

“Three…”

“Two…”

“One…”

The stallion lit his horn, only to be stopped at the last moment when a stark white hoof grabbed his shoulder.

Night Light spun around, his horn still alight with power and a snarl of rage still across his face. It quickly changed when he noticed his wife’s eyes looking back into his.

“We have to talk, Night Light.” The stallion wanted to argue, wanted to yell and scream, but he knew better. The tone his wife had spoken in was one he never wanted to hear but seldom had to. It was one she reserved solely for when she was extremely angry.

Burying his anger, he let out a deep sigh. “Yes, dear.”

Celestia sighed deeply and stopped, eyeing the door in front of her with a grim resolve. It has to be done. She couldn't deny the necessity of using her ‘specialist’, but that didn't mean she enjoyed it.

She shook her head and swallowed hard. No. Her indecision and hopeless optimism had cost her enough opportunities to sweep this little problem under the proverbial rug. If only she had the resolve that burned within her sixteen years ago. Than she would have been able to rid herself of that monster without the guilt that had plagued her.

No matter, the past was the past and she could not affect it, now matter how much she wanted to.

She nodded to the guard standing silently to her left. "Open the cage, Sun Spear. I have need of the prisoner."

The guard nodded back. "Yes your majesty." With a pulse of his magic the door was unlocked, the stallion pushing it open for his princess.

The alicorn quickly stepped through, allowing the door to swing shut behind her, a small click indicating she was locked in. Not like that truly mattered to a being of her power; she had been the one that had put such redundancies in place, after all.

The room wasn't terribly large, a single magical torch burning to her right was enough to illuminate it completely, allowing the alicorn to see the entire cell easily. Directly in front of her was a small control panel with several buttons and a single lever, standing atop a pedestal of alicorn-convenient height. Behind that was a black wall of glass that separated the alicorn from the source of her anxiety.

Celestia stomped her hoof and sighed. There was no getting around this. She just had to get this done and move on before she wasted any more time. The deja vu that had bothered her since she saw that mare had grown into an incessant ache at the back of her mind that spruned her on. Not even her pre memory wipe journal she had left behind contained any information pertaining this strange girl or her condition which made the alicorn nervous. She detested the feeling immensely and looked forward to seeing the mare dead and the feeling gone.

One press of a button illuminated the room beyond the glass, a single magical torch burning opposite of Celestia, revealing an identical room on the other side of the glass save for the fact that there was no way out and there was an X-shaped table with a pony lying on it.

Celestia looked down on the mare firmly tied to the table by thick, enchanted straps of leather.

Her fiery red and gold hair were in disarray, her fur equally as unkempt. Her entire body lay limp in her restraints, her eyes closed and an almost peaceful look covered her face. Celestia paused and stared at that face. It was one she rarely saw on the unicorn, and had never seen on her when she was awake.

The alicorn sighed and moved her hoof to the next part of her preparation, but stopped suddenly, images of all the ponies her little specialist had killed flashing before her eyes. Her hoof wavered, and for a second she nearly moved away.

Come on, Celestia, indecision doomed your sister, you can't let it take anything more! But her hoof still wavered, undeterred by her mental pep talk. Do it! You failed once when she was young, you can't make any more excuses! With a firm hoof Celestia pressed the button and began the next stage in the process.

Glyphs interwoven into the rock walls and floor of the room flickered to life and several fields sprang up around the unicorn that permeated her body with magic, all to make the inevitable mind spells Celestia would have to work into the unicorn’s psyche that much easier.

First Celestia suppressed Sunset’s desire for killing, focusing it to include only the targets Celestia had in mind and not potential innocents. Next was a geas to complete her mission and listen to the orders Celestia would give her.

The alicorn stopped for a moment, her horn powering down as she allowed herself a slight breather. Neuromancy wasn't a fancy or particularly showy school of magic. It only illuminated the caster’s horn in a faint aura while surrounding the head of the target in an identical glow. It was, however, a rather strenuous school of magic that demanded the caster have an enormous pool of mana at their disposal and decades of study, meaning only a select few unicorns could cast it, and fewer still even knew that neuromancy was even possible. It did have a few side effects, such as the target would suffer a mind-shattering amount of pain if they were awake and capable of fighting the effects of such a spell.

Celestia re-lit her horn and quickly got back to work, shaping her specialist’s mind to allow no possible slip-ups. After she was certain the unicorn would not disobey orders again, Celestia checked over her work, scanning the neural pathways of her subject until she was absolutely sure. She refused to have a repeat of the first time she tried this.

Now secure in her spell casting, Celestia gently pressed the next button, stopping one of the passive fields within the containment cell from keeping the unicorn from waking. Before the mare could wake up, Celestia pressed the last button that activated another set of glyphs which flashed once after a second of warming up, teleporting in just the right amount of sedative to keep the patient quiet and receptive, and a healthy dose of rejuvenating serum to reactive muscle groups that had long since atrophied during her long stasis.

The mare flinched and shook when the teleport fired, but Celestia knew that was just a minor side effect of her heart restarting while a bunch of foreign liquid was teleported into her veins.

The mare’s eyes squeezed shut and her limbs twitched; it would take a few minutes but she was slowly waking back up. At the back of Celestia’s mind she was vaguely aware of the fact that this was one of the longest times she had kept her little specialist on ice and was curious if she would survive being ‘dead’ for so long.

Just as that morbid thought crossed Celestia’s mind, the unicorn’s legs twitched and her face twisted into a grimace. Perhaps my fears are unfounded. Celestia thought grimly, standing patiently behind the glass.

After a few minutes of twitching and shifting expressions that ranged from pain to confusion and anger, the mare woke up. Her eyes shot open only to see the same stone roof she always woke up to. She tried to look at Celestia, but the leather strap around her neck stopped her from moving more than a few centimeters.

The unicorn groaned and rolled her head to the side and in a gravelly voice she asked, “How long?”

“One year, six months and three days,” Celestia replied cooly.

There was a long pause before the unicorn gulped. “Damn.”

Her chest suddenly heaved, the feeling of something getting stuck in her throat stopping her from speaking. A hacking cough broke the relative silence and continued on for several long seconds before the unicorn hacked up a ball of phlegm and spat it onto the ground.

Celestia’s muzzle crinkled in disgust and she looked away from the disgusting bodily fluids.

Sunset tested each of her restraints one at a time before slumping back down in defeat, her chest heaving as the rest of her body began to wake.

“What is it this time?” Sunset asked breathlessly.

“Possible necromancer. You’re going to have to kill her and dispose of the body. You will not be allowed to kill or seriously injure anypony else but you can stun and restrain as you see fit.” Celestia turned and began to pace as she spoke. “Also, her family is to be subdued and sent to processing as quickly as possible.”

“You know I’m not exactly good at subterfuge and silence, Celestia.” Sunset remarked grimly.

“I know, but if this mare has started to tap into her necromantic powers then you will make an excellent guage of her power.”

The unicorn growled but said nothing, knowing she was being used like a canary in a coal mine. After a few seconds her anger abated and grim reality set in. “How long will this take off my sentence?”

“Fifty years.”

The mare whistled at that. “Wow. That is a long time, she must be a big one. This oughta be fun.”

Celestia frowned, disgusted by Sunset’s blatant blood lust, which the unicorn could just barely see from her odd position.

“What? Aren't you going to enjoy this? I know I will.”

“I don't enjoy killing, it is merely a necessity.”

The unicorn laughed a harsh and barking cackle. “You will enjoy the fact that she's gone. I know that for a fact. You are always much less tense after I’ve killed somepony that's pissed you off.” Celestia’s frown of disgust deepened and she stopped pacing. The unicorn grinned and pushed on. “See? We both enjoy killing, I just don't fool myself into thinking it's anything but cold-blooded murder.”

Celestia turned away from the glass, not allowing the mare to see her face. “I don't kill, you do. That's the whole reason I brought you in, instead of executing you.”

The unicorn craned her neck as much as possible to look at the spot she assumed Celestia was still standing. “Tell me, Celestia, is the sword at fault for the will of its wielder? Does the sword kill, Celestia?”

The alicorn’s face contorted in rage but she forced those feelings down. “You move out in four hours.”

As the alicorn walked to the door the unicorn began laughing, a harsh and cackling laughter that echoed in the small room, all the while taking a perverse amount of pleasure in getting under the alicorn’s skin.

Celestia stopped at the door and, for a moment, she considered simply throwing the lever and simply being rid of the foul creature. The alicorn let out a breath of air and stepped through the door, slamming it shut behind her and cutting off the mad cackling of the demon she left behind.

Maybe next time.

Night Light was not having a good night. He sat on the step of his house with a pipe in hoof and a frown on his face. His wife and he had finally gotten the chance to get rid of the creature that had been draining the life out of her for the last sixteen years, and she had sided with the creature in its demand to stay in his home and had the gall to not even respond to the princess. She just let the whole day go by without sending word!

Twilight had been even less receptive to his arguments and had ended up getting him put in the proverbial dog house for his efforts.

If only that damnable doctor Axon or whatever had fulfilled his promise. Instead, he had vanished a few days after that creature’s birth and every other specialist they saw said the same thing.

“There is a little damage to the spine but that’s understandable given her complicated birth.”

He lit his pipe, brought it to his lips and pulled gently on the tobacco. It burned his lungs and tasted faintly of the herbs he had ground up in it, adding a little much-needed flavor to it as well as some chemical calming.

Until he released the smoke he thought of nothing, enjoying the respite from his worries and simply enjoying the flavor and act of having a smoke outside his own home.

Once the smoke had left his lips his worries returned with a vengeance. He simply couldn't put up with that thing his wife called their daughter. His wife had taken a break from her work when she was born to better support the seemingly wounded foal, but as she grew, his wife never did return to her work, devoting more and more time to helping the thing that was draining her of her very life the entire time.

She had aged quickly, too quickly. She looked older, yes, but her body was also older, gaining the problems of age far before she should have naturally. Joints bothered her and she had already been forced to take supplements for her weakened heart.

The stallion stopped and puffed on his pipe a few more times, ensuring the flame didn't go out yet.

And now when Celestia had come into their lives and finally offered an out, their little monster had declined and his wife and son had agreed with her! He could almost forgive his wife, she truly believed Twilight was not the monster that he knew her to be, but Shining Armor?

His pipe cracked in his magic and he tossed it aside.

His son was a shining example of what all stallions wish their son to be. Strong, courageous, and intelligent. He had a good heart that was tempered by a good head on his shoulders. Yet he had still not been able to see the signs that Twilight was a cancer and had defended her despite Night Light’s logic.

He sighed in defeat.

Maybe they were right.

Then, when he was at his lowest, a light appeared. Unfortunately for him, it was a really bright one that was pointed at his face.

As he was blinking the spots out of his eyes, something hard connected to the side of his head and he felt his body ragdoll to the ground. Groaning in pain, he hardly noticed as the limiter was placed on his horn and his legs were shackled together.

Something gripped his mane and forced his head up into an uncomfortable position.

“Aaugh, what’s going on?” he asked the lights flickering in front of his eyes.

A harsh feminine voice laughed in his face. It was brutal and unkind, and seemed to say without words that this was only the beginning of his pain.

“Didn't you hear it was garbage day, Mister Sparkle?” the voice asked and dropped the stallion back to the ground where he landed in a heap. “And you didn't even bring out the trash, shame on you.”

“Who are- oof.” With the wind now thoroughly knocked out of the stallion, the mysterious assailant just laughed.

“Don't you worry about that. I'm just a garbage mare doing her civic duty.”

By the time Night Light came to his senses and regained his breath, the mysterious mare was gone and the door to his house stood open.

He blinked in shock and wiggled enough to yell into the door.

“Wake up Velvet, get the kids and run! There’s a crazy mare in the !—”

A sudden golden bolt of magic shot from the doorway and, just like that, the stallion was gone. He appeared an instant later at the hooves of a guard who quickly got to work knocking the poor stallion out and prepping him for the painful task of having his memories wiped and rewritten to fit the cover story.

“Such a loud mouth, always waking up everypony at this hour, tsk tsk.” The mare glanced at the book in her hoof, the worn purple pages faintly illuminated by the golden light of her horn. “Yes definitely illegal, only a minor fine though. Oh well, good enough for me.” The mare tossed the book over her shoulder and walked slowly up the stairs, listening to the sound of commotion one floor up.

She heard the frantic hooves beating across the hardwood floor and the door opening to a room. A second later she caught the fleeting glimpse as a mare ran in front of the opening at the top of the stairs.

“Gotcha.” A thin lance of golden magic shot from the mystery mare’s horn and thundered up the stairs.

The older mare tried to dodge, but the premature aging and weak joints meant she couldn't react in time and only barely made it out of the path of the lance of magic. It zipped over her shoulder and gouged a deep red line in her flesh, biting through the skin and muscle beneath with impunity.

A cry of pain could be heard throughout the house, but the older mare didn't stop, much to the mysterious mare’s pleasure.

“Yes that's right, fight fight fight! I want to feel you squirm beneath my hooves before I crush you.” She crested the top of the first set of stairs just in time to hear the older mare reach the floor above her.

The mysterious assailant smirked and followed the blood trail down the hall and up the next set of stairs. By now she could hear three sets of hooves and feel the aura of fear one of the owners of those hooves emitted.

“Oooh, that tickles. It is going to feel so good killing you.” The mare giggled and made her way to the top of the, stairs only to bump nose first into a shimmering blue wall of force formed just over a foot into the room.

The mare poked the barrier with a hoof and smirked.

“Who are you and what do you want from my family?” the voice of a brash young stallion called out.

From his vantage point, Shining Armor couldn't quite see the mare on the stairs save for the yellow furred hoof that poked out of the darkness. He tried his best to look intimidating and strong, which was slightly hard for him considering even his mother was taller than him.

“Well, before I beat your father, I said I was the garbage mare... but I think that joke has run its course.”

Shining ground his teeth. Behind him, he heard his little sister gasp in shock while his mother yelled.

“Don't you dare touch him!”

The mysterious mare’s teeth glinted in the darkness as she smiled. “Oh, he's fine, just taking a brief tour of the dungeons and receiving a first hoof lesson on neuromancy. As for who I am and what I want... the first doesn't matter and the second is her.” The yellow hoof poked out of the gloom and pointed towards the lanky purple mare towering over her brother and mother.

Instead of shock the lavender mare merely grimaced. “Why?”

“Why? Well, to Celestia, you are a danger. To me, you are just a fun little challenge.” A sudden light from the mare’s horn illuminated her face a second before a glowing yellow pin appeared and slammed into the shimmering blue shield. In that second realization struck the three ponies and they all thought the same thing. Sunset Shimmer, the butcher of Canterlot, was here.

However that wasn't the only thing to occur in that moment as Shining Armor buckled instantly, cracks appearing all across his shield, centered on the point of contact with the golden tack.

A faint whistle could be heard coming from the mare known as Sunset Shimmer. “Impressive. I’ve popped barriers made by ponies twice your age with half the effort. A quick lesson before I beat you and your mother unconscious and then murder your sister; the modern shield spell is designed to refract force larger than a hoof. Once you go smaller, the damage done multiplies exponentially.”

Time seemed to stop. Sunset’s horn was alight with magic, a second tack appearing where the first had vanished and pausing mid-flight towards the barrier. Shining Armor was halfway on the ground, his horn glowing brightly with power as he tried to reinforce his shield. Twilight had lit her horn in an attempt to do the same, but it was too little too late; this, Velvet knew with grim finality. She also knew that judging from the angle of the pin, once it broke through the barrier, it would continue flying until it hit her daughter standing beside her.

In that moment she decided to do the bravest thing she had ever dreamed of.

Time slowly increased in speed. A millisecond after Sunset’s spell was launched, Shining Armor’s shield broke and the stallion blacked out from the pain, tumbling into a heap on the ground. Half a second after that and the pin would have flown through Twilight Sparkle with enough force to obliterate the mare.

But Twilight Sparkle was no longer standing where she was a few seconds ago. In her place stood her mother, fearless and without regret. Her hooves on the shoulder of her daughter, shoving her out of the way.

Panic flooded through Twilight’s mind and her spell fizzled. She looked back as she fell, her eyes catching her mother’s the moment before the golden tack hit. In those eyes there was peace. Peace and an apology, her lips moving to whisper “I love you” one last time. But she didn't get the chance, for an instant later the spell flew through Velvet’s and obliterated the lungs she would have used to speak those three words.

Then, time went back to normal all at once.

Twilight Velvet’s body flew into the wall in two distinct pieces, her only saving grace being that her heart and spine were destroyed in an instant, so to her there was only a pinch and then nothing.

Shining Armor was already in the sweet embrace of unconsciousness and didn't have to see that particularly brutal moment. Twilight Sparkle, however, was not graced with sweet oblivion quite yet.

“NOOOOOOOOOO!” Raw mana and directionless spells poured out of the enraged unicorn’s horn, forming into a great mass of purple that shot at the golden unicorn.

Sunset Shimmer was hardly able to throw up a shield before the veritable wall of destruction would have vaporized her.

The enraged unicorn screamed harder at her vengeance being denied and poured on more power, bringing her incredibly large reserves of magic to bear for the first time in her life in an attempt to simply overwhelm the other unicorn. Everything caught within the six-by-six foot blast was obliterated.

The house buckled under the sudden redistribution of weight, but didn't fall... yet.

The flow of power suddenly cut off and the lanky unicorn stumbled. The sudden shock of so much mana leaving her body pushed her dangerously close to joining her brother in unconsciousness.

Meanwhile, her lambda system began to desperately pull in whatever mana it could in an attempt to refill Twilight’s nearly empty reserves.

She panted, watching as the shimmering sphere of golden magic disappeared to reveal a completely unharmed unicorn mare beneath it.

Twilight’s mind whirled, she had just obliterated half of her own house to kill the psychotic mare, and still wasn’t able to do the job.

Thinking quickly, Twilight suddenly asked. “Why does Celestia want me dead?” Keep her talking Twilight, just keep her talking until your magic has healed itself and you can hit her again.

“You are a necromancer,” the mare replied simply.

“Necromancy is impossible!”

“Tsk tsk, Twilight. Some would say that living without a nervous system was impossible too, but yet, here you are.” The other mare recoiled as if slapped. “Yes, I know about your little condition, and I know it only got worse as you grew older. You shouldn't be able to move or even breathe, but yet here you are!”

The mare waved a hoof at Twilight’s body. “And necromancy isn't impossible, just really, really difficult, and only able to be learned by a select few.”

Twilight’s heart fell in her chest. “You don't mean…”

Keep her talking Twilight just a few more seconds! “Why are you here? I thought you were killed by the guard five years ago—”

“Blah blah, my patience is running thin, and I have one last thing to say to you. Which you will be surprised to know is a compliment.” The golden mare smirked when she noticed the panic on the other pony’s face. “Your spell use was impressive, your overcharge of mana bolt was simple and elegant, easy to cast and just as easy to dump more power into. I like it. You know another good spell that’s simple but can be used quite elegantly? Telekinesis.” The mare’s smirk grew into a huge wolfish grin as her horn lit with power.

“Wha-hr.” Twilight’s confusion melted into pain and the power gathering at her horn disappeared into nothing as a tightness erupted in her chest.

She looked down in horror to see the faint outline of golden magic radiating from within her body.

The tightness quintupled and the lanky unicorn was vaguely aware of a faint popping sound and several panicked seconds before oblivion took her. Her last thoughts before death were of her mother.

Then, there was nothing.

The lavender corpse tumbled to the side, its dead weight carrying it into an uncoordinated heap.

The golden unicorn mare’s smile faltered. “Damn I should have said something like. ‘And I always loved making wine.’ or something like that.” She shrugged. “Oh well. Time to dispose of the body.”

She looked around at the ruined home and noted the fires all around the blast hole surrounding her. “ Well, I can't use the botched raid excuse.” She paused and tapped her chin. “I could just leave them here and maybe knock down the building.” Suddenly the mare growled. “But the bitch did say this one was the only one allowed to die.” She angrily kicked the purple corpse.

A sigh escaped her lips and she cast a glance at the splattered remains that had been Twilight Velvet mere moments ago. “She is gonna have a bitch fit about that. Oh well, back to work.”

With a flash of her magic, the unconscious colt at her hooves was gone, appearing a moment later in the exact spot his father had been in mere moments before, with a familiar guard ready and waiting to prepare him for the same treatment his father was undergoing right at that very moment.

Next, she gathered up the pieces of Twilight Velvet and cast a spell that made the flames licking at the house to suddenly roar to life. “That should take care of that, but what about you?” Suddenly the mare’s eyes flew open. “I got it! You accidentally unleashed an enormous blast of magic that killed your mother and knocked out your family, then in a grief-stricken panic you fled into the hills in the middle of the night and then… drowned yourself! And I was there, trying to help because I saw the fire!”

With a grin and a flash, the lavender corpse and the golden mare were gone.

A millisecond later at the edge of Canterlot, the corpse and the mare appeared. Below them was a cliff and below that ran the deep, quick running Canter River.

The golden mare stopped and levitated the corpse before her. The corpse’s cold empty eyes stared into her live ones, making her feel that much more alive. “That was pretty good, but not good enough. Maybe in the next life you'll best me.”

Then, without another moment wasted, she tossed the corpse over the cliff. It spun end over end, pinwheeling through the air until it landed with a splash in the river below.

“Perfect.” Then the golden mare was gone.

So was the corpse two seconds after that, carried away by the powerful current.

Sunset Shimmer thought her victory complete, and when Celestia got word, she would believe the same.

However, Sunset Shimmer’s arrogance was born of ignorance; to her, there would be no surviving what had happened to Twilight Sparkle, and she was partially correct. Celestia’s arrogance was born of a belief that she could truly stamp out an entire branch of magic.

But she forgot the very first law of magic.

Magic cannot be destroyed.

Several miles away from Canterlot, a corpse tumbled gracelessly down a river, tossed around by the uncaring current. A current that threw the corpse into a hidden tributary shrouded by the branches of several fallen trees. Trees that marked the entrance to the wild wood of the Everfree.

Now instead of simply washing up on the shores of Lake Canter in a couple of days, the corpse was bound for a destination few knew of and even fewer still spoke of.

Ponyville was not a name mentioned in polite conversation. It was one whispered in hushed conversations, followed by a quick sidelong glance to see if anyone else heard.

The cursed town that had been swallowed by the Everfree was rumored to be inhabited by everything from demons to vampires to the lingering dead, damned to walk the earth forever for the sin of siding with the cursed sister.

Twilight, in life, had cared nothing for these rumors or conjectures, but in death… Well, that would change.

The corpse, now on slower currents, drifted lazily down the hidden tributary, deeper and deeper into the Everfree.

Though damaged by its fall and subsequent travel down the river, it still vaguely resembled Twilight Sparkle. Though a chunk of her mane and most of her tail was missing due to getting caught on a stray branch, and a few parts had taken particularly nasty hits by a few sharp rocks, it still undeniably looked like the corpse of Twilight Sparkle.

Most importantly, above all that, the corpse still contained the overactive lambda system that had guided the development of her entire life. A system that was, strangely enough, still operating and pulling in ambient mana, feeding it to the mare’s ruined body.

This system was powerful, and with it suddenly being drained the way it was, it had sucked up nearly every drop of ambient mana it could get ahold of, including Twilight Sparkle’s very soul. Even that was not enough to bring the mare back to a state of unlife, however. For that, it needed one more ingredient.

An ingredient that fate had decided to give her in the form of a tumble into the unknown waters of the Everfree.

Now, within the twisting and chaotic forest, Twilight Sparkle’s soul-fed lambda system drank greedily at the font of wild magic that permeated the forest, gorging itself on the veritable buffet of powerful magic that flowed into it from every direction.

Within minutes it had grown fat with the potent mana of the soul as well as the chaotic magic of the forest. There they mixed into a strange type of energy that was the stuff of assumption and legend; a type of energy that would give rise to a type of being Equestria had not seen in nearly a millennium.

A twitch came from the corpse, then another, and another.

Then a lavender hoof reached out of the water and gripped the mud-slick river bank.

Author's Note

As you may have noticed I uploaded two fairly similar stories in the last few hours. If you haven't checked the other one out go here. If you have checked them both out then vote here. The winning story will get a full, extended series and the losing one will stay a one off so choose carefully. Alternatively, if both of the stories get 500 upvotes total I will make a series out of both of them!

The cover art is a vision of a possible future, which do you want to explore?

Editing done by the wonderful everfree pony!

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Tanis

Author's Note

If you guys wouldnt mind giving me your thoughts on another new project of mine I would apreciate it! https://www.fimfiction.net/story/407008/the-only-way-forward

Thanks Kuunlethi for the proofread. If anyone else finds anything wrong with the story lemme know below!
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A Spider's Grief

“So you are really going to go through with this?” Spike inquired as he stood outside the library while Twilight was busy inspecting the wards she had placed over the building.

The unicorn nodded and turned to the guard. “Noone should be able to get in or out. Just don't let anyone try to open the door or they will get a nasty shock.”

“Not enough to actually harm someone, I hope?” replied the guard knowingly.

Twilight shook her head. “No, just enough to say ‘Hey, maybe you shouldn't touch that’.”

The guard nodded before taking a step back and seamlessly blending in with the deep shadow at the base of the tree.

With him gone, Twilight sighed and turned around to face Spike properly. “Yes, I really am going to do this and I don't know why you are so against it,” she responded.

Spike frowned as they began to walk in the direction of Rarity’s boutique. “It's just that the speak with dead spell isn't exactly reliable and you don't know much necromancy in general. If you are anything less than a master, then you won't be able to cast it on the same target ever again and it's one of the few ways to get any answers from a dead person. That's also assuming you can even bring them back in the first place.”

“I know it only allows me to ask three questions, but if we word them correctly, it will only take three. Besides, I studied some of the languages of power, and found some of old Twilight’s notes. I’ll be fine,” Twilight replied, though the mare’s confidence was beginning to wane slightly, her mind constantly reminding her of how little she knew of necromancy.

“I’ve heard that one before,” muttered Spike, whose eyes suddenly lit up. “Hey look, it's a theatre board. I didn't think we had one of these around here.”

“Neither did I,” admitted Twilight, who walked over to the board.

“They have quite the spread,” Spike remarked, the dragon glancing from one lavishly decorated advertisement to the next. “A Midwinter Night’s Dream, Angels in Equestria, and Death of a Salespony to name a few.”

“All produced by commander Dark Hallow’s theatre company and showing in the market,” Twilight added. “That makes sense, now that I think about it.”

“He did have quite the flare for the dramatic,” exclaimed Spike.

Twilight nodded. “Come on, those won't be for a while, in the meantime we got something important to do.”

“I wonder if this Sweetie Belle pony likes plays,” Spike whispered to himself.

Twilight pretended not to hear that particular comment, and continued on her journey, Spike quick on her tail. “So, did you enjoy the party last night?” she asked without looking.

Spike smiled sadly. “It was nice. Weirdly nostalgic too.”

“Oh? What do you mean?” Twilight questioned, her curiosity piqued.

“When Twilight and I came to Ponyville, they threw us a party much like that one. Same number of ponies came then too, though it wasn't a guard, just Twilight’s mom who was worried about her,” Spike explained, his voice wavering slightly.

“That's interesting. Did you have fun at least?” Twilight pressed.

“Yeah. Your friends are really nice and though it's hard to not compare them to Twilight’s old friends, they are definitely their own people,” Spike continued.

“Oh really, like how?” Twilight continued, the unicorn noticing how Spike remained a little sad, but was beginning to smile at least.

“Well for one, Applejack is very willing to get down and dirty while working, which is a total contrast. Let me tell you,” Spike began, the dragon standing a little taller.

“Huh, I would have assumed they would be equally as hard-working,” Twilight murmured.

“Oh they both worked hard, it's just Apple Turnover didn't like getting her hooves dirty and was convinced there was always an easier way of doing things,” Spike began, only to laugh suddenly. “That reminds me of this one time when her and-”

“Spike, that is the most ridiculous story I’ve ever heard in my entire life,” Twilight deadpanned, only to grin. “I loved it.”

“I thought you would like it,” Spike exclaimed with a wide grin. “One hundred percent true too!”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Even the part where the manticore did a dance number?”

“Maybe there were some creative embellishments… Oh look, we’re here,” Spike pointed out.

Twilight shook her head and straightened her saddlebags before trotting the last few feet and knocking twice on the large wooden door to Rarity’s boutique. Normally she would have just walked right in, but the large closed sign over the window made her rethink that action. When no one came to the door for several seconds, Twilight grew curious and leaned to her right, glancing through the window and between the partially closed drapes.

Looking past the rows of dresses and other racks of clothing, Twilight was able to see through the gloom, noticing an irritated Rarity who seemed to have her forelegs stuck together near the back of the store. She was repeatedly trying to pull her limbs apart, only for them to snap back together just as she was about to free herself. The white thread that bound them was thick, unyielding, and Twilight could vaguely hear muttered cursing coming from within the room.

“Just a second!” Rarity shouted, before groaning, and looking around for something.

“Is something wrong?” Spike asked, noticing Twilight’s strange expression.

“She got her hooves stuck together with string,” Twilight began, only to laugh aloud when she watched Rarity try to use a pair of scissors with her magic, only to not have the strength to do so, before trying to use two of her spider legs to do it. “And is failing at getting unstuck.”

“Like someone tied her up or what?” Spike asked, the dragon standing on his tiptoes in order to see over Twilight’s shoulder.

“No, it’s spider string, see?” Twilight pointed out, the unicorn bending down slightly to allow Spike to view the inside of the shop.

The dragon laughed. “A spider caught in her own web, how ironic.”

The pair continued to watch as Rarity struggled for a moment longer before walking over to the bottom of a nearby set of stairs and yelling something they couldn't hear. A few seconds later and a much younger arachne came skittering down from the second floor, a frown on her face and her forehooves crossed over her chest. What occurred next was a short and embarrassed conversation that passed nearly silently between the two spider ponies.

Twilight instantly recognized the face of Sweetie Belle, who stood a good head shorter than her sister, her horn just as short, though her mane had even more bounce than her sibling’s. Her two toned pink and light purple hair was in a slight state of disarray as it was too flat on one side while fine on the other. In one forehoof was a hairbrush, though that was placed aside when Rarity seemed to talk her into helping her get free of the webbing.

With a pair of scissors now in her grasp, Sweetie Belle began to slowly saw her way through the strands of spider silk that bound her sister’s forelimbs together. Leaning back around, Twilight noticed that Spike wasn't about to follow her, the dragon staring with rapt attention at something within the boutique. Raising an eyebrow, Twilight leaned back and followed his gaze to Sweetie Belle, who had managed to almost free her sister’s hooves at this point.

“See something you like?” Twilight asked with a smirk.

Spike leaned back, a hot blush on his cheeks. “N-no,” he stuttered.

Twilight raised an eyebrow, her smirk growing larger by the second. “Really? Are you sure?” she pressed.

Spike quickly schooled his expression and glared at the pony. “Shhh you. It’s weird enough that she's got mandibles, nevermind everything else.”

Twilight chuckled, only to take a step back when she heard the sound of skittering footsteps approach the door. When the wooden portal opened, it revealed a still slightly frazzled Rarity, who was also missing some sections of fur along her forelegs, which she did her best to hide by keeping her forelegs pressed together.

“Ahh Twilight, and Spike. So glad you could make it,” exclaimed the arachne with genuine relief.

“Of course. I gave you my word after all,” Twilight replied, only to point to the spider pony’s forelimbs. “Have some trouble in there?”

Rarity sighed, and let her hooved limbs flat against her body. “I’ve been trying to follow Trixie and her mother’s lessons, but it is more difficult than I anticipated.”

“Dusk was telling me about that. What exactly do you have to do, anyway?” Spike questioned.

Rarity blinked in confusion. “Dusk? You mean… oh that's right. Well you see, Spike, I need to stick to a very special diet first, and then I need to move and weave things just so.”

“You seem like a rather detail-oriented person. Surely it's not that hard,” Twilight offered.

Sighing, Rarity hung her head in defeat. “That I am, though this is beyond even me. But where are my manners? Do come in.”

Stepping aside, Rarity motioned for the pair to enter, something they eagerly did, with Spike leading the way and looking around expectantly. “Is Sweetie Belle here?” he asked while doing his best to not give away the fact that he already knew the answer to that question.

Rarity blushed lightly and pushed the door closed behind them. “She is just getting ready right now. I believe she should be out momentarily.”

“Why don't you go talk to her? She's upstairs, right Rarity?” Twilight offered.

The arachne gave her friend an odd look before nodding. “That is true, feel free to-” Rarity began, only for Spike to have already taken off, his footsteps audible as he ran up the steps. “...go and say hello. Wow, he sure is eager to meet someone his own age.”

Twilight smirked. “You have no idea.”

Rarity gave her friend one last odd look before turning away. “Yes, well. I have all the supplies we will need, as well as a new set of boots for you.”

Twilight blinked, and watched as Rarity scuttled away and retrieved some thick leather boots from a nearby pile of what looked like the supplies she mentioned. “You didn't have to do that,” Twilight exclaimed.

“Nonsense, darling. I know the forest can be a harsh place for most beings to tread and besides, you need to rebuild your wardrobe sooner or later,” Rarity pressed, the arachne presenting the boots expectantly. “You must admit they do match your colors quite well, no?”

Finding her gaze stuck on the black boots, Twilight hardly even noticed the grin on Rarity’s face, as Twilight’s attention was fixated entirely on the apparel presented to her. They were durable, rustic even and made of something thick and tough like leather, it was obviously not the leather Twilight was used to seeing. Though the majority was a dark, almost blackish purple, there were thin strips of bright magenta that went up either side, adding some nice accents to it.

“Well, they are really nice…” Twilight admitted.

“Besides, since you wouldn't accept payment for your help, I figured this was the next best thing,” Rarity concluded before pushing the shoes into her friend’s waiting hooves.

“Thank Rarity, I appreciate it,” Twilight remarked with a smile before pulling her friend into a tight, one-hooved hug.

Rarity smiled and hugged her friend back, squeezing the smaller being tightly. “It is no trouble, darling. This also served as excellent practice, so really I should be thanking you.”

Twilight gently released her friend before taking a step back. “Now that would be too much. I- oh look.”

Rarity looked down to her hooves, and her now perfectly uniform fur. “Well, would you look at that. I guess I do owe you one final thank you after all.”

Twilight chuckled. “Fine, but that's the last one you are allowed for the rest of the day.”

Rarity laughed along with her friend. “Fair enough. Now then, you were quite hush hush about what manner of spell we would be using to communicate with my erm, parents and I admit I’m rather curious as to the details.”

Twilight frowned. “It’s a spell called speak with dead, and it compels the last flickering remnants of a being’s soul to reform fully in order to answer three questions. After which their essence is released, and will likely leave this world altogether.”

“So this is our only shot then?” Rarity replied somberly.

Twilight nodded slowly. “It is. Though if I was more practiced, I could negate this or possibly hold them for however long we would need.”

“No, that's quite alright, Twilight,” Rarity quickly retorted. “They deserve their rest and I swore to myself that I would accomplish whatever business they had left in this world, so that's not necessary.”

Twilight pulled a pad of paper from one of her bags with her magic. “Then we should discuss our strategy intimately in order to ensure that we can get it done on the first try.”

“Not here,” Rarity replied quickly, pushing the paper away. “Sweetie Belle doesn't know about this little excursion of ours and I would like to keep it that way.”

Twilight glanced over her friend’s shoulder and found no one there. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean, she's going to find out sooner or later and she may feel as though she was betrayed if you don't tell her.”

Rarity sighed. “I know, but it's just… She hardly knew our parents and after they passed, I raised her on my own. I feel like if I told her what I had planned that she might talk me out of it and that's something only I should be able to decide.”

“You don't own your parents’ memory, Rarity,” Twilight warned. “I know you may feel more entitled to do something in their name, but your sister should at least know what you have planned.”

Rarity nibbled on her hoof and seemed ready to retort angrily, only for the arachne to sigh once more. “You are right. I need to talk to her before we go anywhere. I’ll be right back.”

Twilight watched her friend skitter up the stairs, Spike coming down the same way a moment later with a confused look on his face. The unicorn smiled and sat on a nearby fitting couch before patting the spot next to her. Confused and curious, Spike sat next to the undead mare, a conflicted look on his scaly face.

“What happened? Are you two not going anymore?” Spike asked.

“I’m fairly certain we are going to go anyway. Rarity just needs to have a short conversation with her sister first,” Twilight explained.

Spike frowned . “Seemed like a pretty serious conversation.”

“And a much needed one in my opin-” Twilight began, only to be cut off by Sweetie Belle yelling something indecipherable.

Spike stood quickly, but Twilight grabbed his shoulder and forced him back down. “But Dusk, that sounded serious!” Spike exclaimed.

Twilight shook her head. “Trust me Spike, it’s fine.”

Spike frowned, and glanced to the bottom of the stairs, the drake nervously chewing on his lip. “But what-” he started to say.

Only for Twilight to shush him. “It’s okay. They are both a little dramatic and a little shock is to be expected.”

The dragon grumbled and drummed his fingers along his right knee. “Well, I still don't feel good about this.”

Twilight smiled. “Me neither, to be honest. But I trust Rarity and I trust that those two love each other enough to not let anything get in the way of that love.”

Spike couldn't help but grin despite his foul mood. “Where did you read that? In some store for old unicorn mares?”

“My mom had a bunch of those stupid sayings hanging all over the place,” Twilight admitted, prompting the two to both share a laugh.

“See, I told you they were fine,” Twilight exclaimed while elbowing the drake in the side.

The dragon jerked up and looked towards the bottom of the stairs where a teary-eyed Rarity stood, the arachne strangely makeupless. “Well, would you look at that,” Spike murmured.

“Sorry for keeping you waiting,” Rarity apologized while she used a hand towel to dab at her cheeks. “I’m afraid the conversation brought up some difficult topics.”

“Is everything alright?” Twilight pressed, the unicorn standing up and walking over to her friend.

Rarity sighed. “Yes, and no. We have some complications, but we are still going regardless of that.”

“Like what kind of complications?” Spike inquired, while stepping up next to Twilight.

“I need to ask my mother about how she chose Sweetie Belle’s name,” Rarity admitted with a sigh. “I know it sounds silly, but the memory of our mother telling that story was one of the few moments she remembered with any real clarity, though she’s forgotten how it ended.”

“And you weren’t there, which means you can't just tell her,” Twilight concluded with a frown. “That is a problem. We’ll only have two questions then.”

“Can't you just raise them both individually?” Spike questioned, only to face palm. “Wait, that’s right. That won't work.”

“And why not?” Rarity questioned.

“Because if they perished so close to one another, they will likely come back together, and if they do come back together, they will likely be compelled to answer any questions together,” Twilight explained.

The arachne sighed. “Well, still. I’d appreciate if you kept this entire thing between us, and Sweetie Belle. I don't want people to get the wrong impression.”

“That's understandable,” Twilight admitted.

Spike nodded. “Fine by me. I’m just glad you told Sweetie Belle.”

“Me too,” Rarity replied somberly.

“Well, are we ready to go?” Twilight prompted.

The arachne nodded. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“I’ll leave you to it then,” Spike announced. “Best of luck.”

“Thank you, Spike!” Rarity exclaimed with a smile. “You and Sweetie Belle have fun. The money for pizza and snacks is on the counter by the fridge.”

“Awesome. Is there enough for ice cream too?” he inquired.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I know you like this new kind of ice cream, but you can't spend someone else's money on that.”

Rarity waved a forehoof airily. “Pish posh, darling. Of course there are some extra gems for ice cream, but make sure to bring Sweetie Belle with you.”

Spike blushed and gave the spider pony a quick salute. “Yes, ma’am!”

Shaking her head, Twilight turned and began to load as many saddle bags onto her back as she could. “Right, well we should move quickly. I’d like to rest in my own bed if at all possible.”

Rarity draped a blanket over her arachnid back before laying the rest of her supplies upon it. “Same here, but don't worry. The new cemetery isn't far,” she pointed out.

“Well, lead the way then,” Twilight offered.

Pushing open the door with a hoof, Rarity strode outside, the spider pony’s body illuminated only by the soft light of the ever present moon. Holding the door open for her friend, Rarity remained outside before closing the portal behind her, and locking it with a weak spell. Twilight analyzed the spell before finding that it was simply meant to stop anyone from forcibly opening it from the outside.

“Ready?” Rarity asked.

“Ready,” declared Twilight, only to pause. “Though now might be a good time for you to fill me in on the details of your parent’s lives so that we may plan better.”

“I suppose I can't put it off any longer,” Rarity replied before turning and proceeding down a seemingly random street, walking in the direction of the other side of town. “My parents were traders, and good ones too. My father was a cobbler despite not having hooved feet, while my mother was a dressmaker by trade.”

Twilight nodded along as Rarity began to ramble on about her parents, the arachne face remaining grim and neutral nearly the entire time. Though she still looked quite distraught given what had happened only a few minutes ago, Rarity’s voice was relatively monotone. Her features still relatively expressionless even as she recounted more and more details of her parents’ lives.

And throughout it all Twilight walked quietly beside her, mentally recording every last detail should it become necessary later.

“And after that happened they thought they may be able to bridge the divide between the forest and the closest town, Ardentvale,” Rarity concluded with a sigh. “And we both know how that turned out.”

“Did you ever discover why they were attacked in the first place? They had evidently managed several sales, and even had a small list of returning customers,” Twilight pointed out.

“I…” Rarity pursed her lips and sighed. “A friend of mine went undercover in the town, looking for information about what happened. What she found was little more than lies, slander, and blatant misinformation.”

Twilight noticed well the look of disgust and rage that flickered over the mare’s features. “I know this is hard, but what exactly were these rumours about? Celestia usually builds on some nugget of truth in order to give her lies a bit of plausibility.”

Rarity gritted her teeth, but quickly schooled her expression. “They said my parents poisoned a child and claimed it was all part of some plot to destabilize the town and allow the night guard to take over,” the arachne scoffed. “As if the guard cares anything about some random village at the edge of our borders.”

“Did they use any special dyes, or perhaps utilized a fabric that someone might be allergic to?” Twilight questioned.

Rarity stopped and looked at her friend with confusion and anger in her eyes. “Excuse me. Are you insinuating my parents really did poison a child?”

Twilight hastily shook her head. “I’m just saying that there might have been something more at play here. I mean there are a lot of differences between those who call the forest home, and those who do not. For example, just about everypony I knew when growing up wasn't lactose intolerant, unlike here.”

“Lactose what?” Rarity questioned.

“They couldn't drink milk past childhood,” Twilight explained.

“Of course you can't. Noone can,” Rarity replied dismissively, only to pause. “I think I understand what you mean.”

“Exactly. There might be a nugget of truth at the center there, but it's going to be hard to cut through the bullshit and find it,” Twilight concluded.

Rarity sighed. “Still. It doesn't feel right to even entertain the idea. My parents were the most generous and kind beings I’ve ever met in all my life. To think they could do something like that even by accident is… unbelievable.”

“It was just an example of the lateral thinking we may need,” Twilight corrected.

“I know, darling, I know.” The arachne frowned deeply. “I hope we don't have to leave town. I would hate to have to bring Rainbow Dash into this.”

“Why is that?” Twilight asked.

“Rainbow Dash is a good person, but she can be a bit of a blabbermouth sometimes,” Rarity exclaimed.

Twilight gave her friend a look that made the arachne stop. “I think she can be trusted to keep a lid on the serious secrets. I mean, think of our little adventure not too long ago. Noone knows the finer details and all of us know that stuff.”

Rarity sighed. “You are right, of course. I just don't like asking for help, you know? I got by alone against the world all while caring for my sister without an issue for over a decade at this point. Yet here I am, relying on you and possibly even Rainbow Dash.”

“I know exactly what you mean,” Twilight exclaimed sadly. “When I got here I had nothing, and you girls gave me pretty much everything I needed. It chafed for a while, but I told myself that I would get you back one day, and eventually that feeling went away.”

“Maybe someday I’ll get that idea through this thick head of mine. Until then expect more whining,” Rarity remarked with a wink.

Twilight chuckled. “You are not so bad. Rainbow Dash complains more than you do to be honest.”

“Oh, I cannot wait to lord that over her next time we meet her,” Rarity announced giddily.

Twilight frowned. “Please don't tell her I said that.”

“I’m glad we aren't outside of town, but are you sure this is the best idea? Won't there be ponies there at this time of night?” Twilight questioned, the two females trotting down a well-worn path that wound its way between tall, imposing trees.

Rarity shook her head. “The forest is good for giving one the privacy they need, when they need it. See?”

Twilight looked around, noting that although they had entered the graveyard proper, few other beings were visible, all of whom were either coming or going. The tall, thick trees which surrounded them seemed to shift, and blend together at random, leaving Twilight feeling vaguely claustrophobic and confused. As she watched, Twilight noticed a duo of bat ponies appear only a few dozen feet away, the trees that had hidden them vanishing into the background as if they had always been there.

It was like a bizarre optical illusion, one so strange that it made Twilight’s head hurt just thinking about it. “Lead the way please. I can already feel a migraine coming on,” Twilight murmured.

Rarity chuckled at her friend’s expense and began to walk in a seemingly random direction. “I do hope the forest deems this an emergency requiring privacy,” remarked the spider pony idly.

“I sure hope so. I don't want to freak anyone out when I cast the spell,” Twilight replied in a low tone.

As the two beings walked, Twilight glanced over the rows of randomly placed graves, noting that although there didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason upon first glance, there was a hidden symmetry to it all. For one there was always a path available for them to use, one that allowed them to give a wide berth to any grieving beings which may be nearby. It was also immaculately maintained, with wild flowers and small shrubs growing in places that would not put them in the way of anyone.

It was a stark contrast from the strangely sanctified graveyard Twilight had gone too not long ago. There the forest kept a respectful distance, never obscuring the sky, or marring the ground, yet here it was like they were in the heart of the forest. The sense of cooperation was palpable, and Twilight couldn't help but think that it was a rather symbiotic relationship given that they laid their dead to rest in such a place. Here their discarded mortal forms could be made into new life, as evidenced by just how vibrant every last leaf and blade of grass was.

The markers and gravestones were also numerous and varied, unlike the ones Twilight had seen in her youth. Some had small statues, others were simply carved into the trunk of a tree with little grace, while others had moon iconography prominently displayed across the front. There were many more interesting things to look at, like a petrified troll with an enormous black tree growing from its back, but Twilight forced herself to look away from all that.

Rarity had begun to slow, and Twilight had a feeling they were close, something made even more obvious by the many spiders the unicorn noticed. The things were numerous, crawling over every available surface like a shifting sea of tiny bodies, though they kept a short distance at least. Webs covered every available surface save for the path beneath their hooves, and Twilight had to wipe more than one of the things out of her face.

“I see we’re in the arachne section of the graveyard,” Twilight muttered bitterly as she spat out a spider she had nearly swallowed.

Rarity winced. “I’m sorry, darling. I should have warned you.”

“It's no problem. Just promise me none of them will lay eggs inside of me or something. I already have nightmares of maggots crawling out of my eyeballs,” Twilight grumbled as she swiped another cobweb out of her way.

Rarity meanwhile seemed unbothered by either the spiders or their webs, which seemed to either part for her, or simply slid right off of her without sticking. Which was good, as her attention was drawn forward to where she saw the twin gems that marked her parent’s graves. To reach the graves, Rarity had to bend down under a particularly large tree branch and sneak inside a small alcove of trees.

Inside, the light of the moon almost completely vanished, and no one else could be seen or heard, yet even as the trees pressed in close around her, Rarity did not feel alarmed. Kneeling down, the arachne brushed her hoof across the gems which sat atop a short bronze holder. One was a brilliant cerulean, while the other was a slightly darker shade of blue, both of which seemed to capture what little moonlight pierced the canopy above them.

A moment later and Twilight came stumbling and spitting into the small area, the undead mare wiping her tongue and trying to lose a web which had stuck itself to her lips. Rarity ignored her though, and merely used a little magic to cleanse the gems of what little dirt and dust had settled there. Once clean, Rarity took a step back and smiled a faint, sad smile before checking on her friend.

Who seemed to have freed herself at last, though Twilight was still a little green around the gills from the whole incident. “Are you alright?” Rarity questioned.

Twilight spat one last time. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just got some of it in my mouth is all.”

Rarity gestured down to the gems. “Well, we’re here at least.”

Twilight nodded. “So we are and it seems like the forest is cooperating as well.”

Both females glanced briefly at the wall of wood which obscured them from any outside observer. It also seemed to dull what little sound was audible, leaving them in an oasis of quiet, though for a moment Twilight swore she could have heard someone nearby swear angrily. After a quick scan brought up nothing, the unicorn shrugged and turned to the arachne standing expectantly nearby.

“Is everything alright, darling?” questioned Rarity.

Twilight shook her head. “It’s nothing, I just thought I heard someone is all.”

Rarity’s ears perked up and she stood quietly for a few seconds before shrugging. “Whatever it was, it's gone now.”

“So it seems. Do you have the questions ready?” Twilight asked as she bent down and unslung her bags before depositing them on the forest floor.

The arachne nodded, and retrieved a slip of paper from one of her bags. “I have it right here.”

“Good. Just give me a minute, this part is a little finicky and I’ve never done this before,” Twilight warned, as she pulled out several candles, and other seemingly random items from her bags.

As Rarity watched, Twilight gently pressed the candles into the ground around the parents’ graves, always making sure to not tread upon the sites themselves. Once done, she pulled out a stick of incense and lit it before levitating it all over the small grove, blanketing the area in a pleasant lavender smell. The scent of earth and trees was gone, replaced by something even more relaxing, which helped to put Rarity’s mind at ease.

When the incense had burned down to the halfway point, Twilight jammed it into the ground between the two grave sites before standing tall. “This may sound rather unnerving, but try to stick it out to the end. The languages of power are almost never pleasant on the ears,” Twilight warned.

Rarity raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, merely nodding along and taking a small step back.

Leaving Twilight with all the room she needed to lower herself close to the ground. Once low enough, the unicorn bowed her head, her lips nearly pressing against the earthen floor. Her horn glowed for a moment before that light vanished, and the mare’s very being began to radiate power.

To Rarity it felt like being in the room with a shadow that would not disappear even when the light fell upon it. A potent inversion of life itself now crouched next to her, power continuing to build inside her friend’s body until she began to speak. When she did, the hairs on the back of Rarity’s neck stood straight up, and the arachne had to resist the urge to take a nervous step back. For the sounds her friend made felt like nails in her ears, the unnatural words slamming into her brain and making her body shudder.

“Honorun vadokan, jiak beukeach avhausan preukence. Myukavaum abounduk agh your avhoughavuk iuk needun,” Twilight whispered, her voice rich, guttural, and containing power unlike any Rarity had felt before.

As she spoke, Twilight slowly rose, her body uncoiling in slow motion. “Ul progenausan ukavanduk, agh hauk queukavionuk. Queukavionuk avhaav kulknej aukk anukweruk for, afavas nalkrulji nauk-ukav iuk aukukurun.”

Twilight stood, her foreleg extending and her words growing more powerful by the second until their mere vibrations made Rarity’s muscles tremble. “Riuke, honorun vadokan, riuke, agh heun mausan urdan. Delivas julavo uuk avhe anukweruk kulknej ukeek!”

The last word which left Twilight’s lips was spoken with such fury and such will that Rarity felt her very soul shudder inside the cage that was her body. For a moment she feared the worst, and worried what her friend had unleashed, only for nothing to happen.

To her anyway.

For before them a mist rose from the graves, one that was both as dark as the night, and as vibrant as the moon. Twinkling lights could be seen here or there amidst the deep blue haze, lights which slowly grew closer to one another until two sets of eyes looked back at them. The cloud itself shifted and spasmed, as if trying to pull itself apart, until at last it seemed able to disentangle itself and formed into two vaguely arachne-shaped forms.

Though one was distinctly male, with a prominent jawline and a larger frame, most other details were lost, and their colors differed only ever so slightly. Their faces were expressionless, lacking any other obvious features save for their eyes which contained a deep ocean of calm and peace. Looking upon them made Rarity’s knees shake, her mouth to go dry, and all at once the arachne doubted if this was such a good idea in the first place.

“It's not too late to stick with our original plan,” Twilight whispered.

Shocked out of her stupor, Rarity looked down upon her friend in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“This is going to be hard enough as is,” Twilight murmured in a low tone. “And if we are going to use one of our questions on Sweetie Belle, this may be impossible.”

Rarity sighed and tore her gaze away from the featureless arachne shades which hovered patiently nearby. “She thinks of me as her mother, Twilight. I would never lie. Not to her,” Rarity retorted.

Twilight blinked, temporarily taken aback by the intensity in her friend’s voice, only to recover quickly and nod. “It's your call. Whenever you are ready.”

Rarity placed a hoof against her chest and breathed deeply before looking up, her gaze meeting that of the darker shades. “How did you choose Sweetie Belle’s name?” she asked, her voice clear and calm despite the fear she felt deep down inside.

One figure seemed to contemplate it for a moment before expanding and warping, its body twisting until the stars that had made up its eyes moved lower. The two groups of lights broke apart, and for a moment Rarity was certain something had gone wrong. Until the stars realigned, forming the image of a pregnant arachne lying on a bed, a male standing nearby.

The male stepped forward, revealing himself to be Rarity’s father, though like the shade before her, the star-made one lacked any obvious features. Still, Rarity knew her father well enough to understand that this visual representation was indeed him. As she watched, Rarity noticed the small star arachne’s mouth opened, and a speech bubble appeared above his head.

Have you thought of a name? was written inside the bubble.

The pregnant arachne shook its head. We thought it was a boy for so long that I can't even think of one now.

The male frowned. Well, we need to think of one quickly, it’s bad luck if we wait too long.

Rarity’s mother sighed. I don't suppose you’ve thought of anything either, have you?

The male’s shoulders slumped. No. I think we used up our best name on Rarity.

The female’s frown deepened. Well, it won't be long now. We need to think of something, and quickly, lest the child be cursed for our foolishness.

Rarity leaned over. “Is it supposed to be like this?”

Twilight shrugged. “It’s different for every being, some are more visual, while others aren't.”

Have you seen Rarity? asked the pregnant arachne, who looked around the room.

The male nodded, the action obviously dramaticized slightly to make it more visible. One of the nurses offered to keep an eye on her while we thought about this. She should be back any second.

As if on cue, a much smaller arachne scurried through the door, her forehooves closed before her, as if she were trying to hide something. Though small, and not overly detailed, the newest arachne bore a significant resemblance to Rarity and was no doubt meant to represent her.

“I don't remember this,” murmured the arachne in question.

Look what I found, mom! exclaimed the room’s newest arrival, the arachne lifting her hoof and displaying a small silver bell with pride.

“I do remember seeing that bell when I was packing up some of my parent’s things though…” Rarity quietly remarked.

Where did you get that? asked the father, his expression slightly stern.

A nice pony gave it to me. He said it looked like I needed some good luck, the star version of Rarity explained. He said if I rung it, then all your worries would go away.

Now I don't know about that- began the male, only to be silenced when the female lifted a forehoof.

Well, what are you waiting for? she asked.

The star Rarity grinned before lifting the bell and ringing it, a small silver note emerging from the instrument before disappearing. A pair of grins overcame her parents’ faces, and upon seeing this, the younger Rarity smiled as well and kept on ringing her little bell.

That is quite the sweet sound, admitted the father.

And to think such beauty could come from something so small… marveled the mother.

After listening to the sound of the bell for several more seconds, the parents turned to one another, a knowing sparkle in their eyes. Sweetie Belle! both parents exclaimed a second before the scene began to fall apart, and the shade reformed herself once more.

Rarity shook her head. “I can't believe I forgot that night,” she whispered.

Twilight reached up and patted the other being’s back. “Are you ready for the next question?”

“I am,” Rarity declared before breathing deeply and standing tall once more. “Why do you believe you were killed?”

The shades shared a glance at one another, a deep hurt and shame evident in their expressions. After a moment, Rarity’s mother shifted, beginning to recreate another scene with the help of the stars that had been her eyes. While this happened her father straightened, and stood a little taller, as if readying himself for something.

Just when Rarity was ready to ask Twilight what was going on, two arachne’s appeared in what looked like a moonlit forest within the female shade’s mass. “We had just finished another big order and were making our way back to Ardentvale when we crossed a patch of beautiful blue flowers,” announced the male shade in an unearthly voice.

Rarity instantly went stiff, the spider pony shocked to hear the sound of her father’s voice, distorted though it was.

The scene shifted and showed the two spider ponies picking several of the flowers, and tucking them away into a bag. “We had gathered a bunch with the intention of giving them to our recent customers in hopes of brightening their days,” the shade continued.

The two arachne smiled to one another before continuing to town, the pair passing by the local guards without issue before stopping at a seemingly random house. “The first few deliveries went well. Some still feared us, while most tolerated us, or were beginning to warm up to our presence,” he continued.

Several scenes played out in rapid succession, with doors opening, and the arachne handing off several packages. Most smiled, some didn't, others were kind, some hesitant, but ultimately the majority seemed pleased with the result of their purchase. When the door opened once more and a young unicorn colt greeted them, the scene slowed and grew larger.

Upon seeing the two arachne his face lit up and he bounced from hoof to hoof excitedly. He only grew more excited when he was given a flower, which he sniffed before putting into his mane. Upon receiving his package he hugged each arachne in turn before eagerly tearing it open and donning the brightly colored vest found within. A second later and he was joined by two other unicorns who were a little more guarded than their child, but were nonetheless respectful.

The group chatted for a bit, before Rarity’s father bowed, and the conversation ended with the pair walking away from the waving colt who still had the flower in his mane. “We knew the flowers as Everfree delphiniums, not as the sun dwellers did. Not as poison joke,” the shade remarked sadly.

The scene continued to move, showing off an excited pair of arachne as they worked on their own projects, both speaking animatedly of the business they had done. More than that they also talked about the love they had hoped to spread, and tentatively discussed bringing Rarity on the next outing. An outing that was fast approaching, and as they continued to work, a clock behind them spun, signifying the passage of days in the span of seconds.

When finally it was time to return, the arachne family stopped a good distance from the edge of the forest, with Rarity’s father going on ahead, while her mother remained behind. “We told you to stay hidden, and safe, as we wanted to make sure it was safe before you came out,” explained the shade as Rarity’s mother slowly rose and left the young arachne alone in the woods. “We knew the forest would keep you safe long enough for us to return, though if I knew you would see what you did, we would have turned around and left right then and there.”

The scene shifted and showed the two arachne exiting the wooded area and making their way slowly towards the town. Without any guards to greet them, they grew worried, and their fears were realized when an arrow sprouted from the male’s shoulder. A second later and a trio of spells, as well as a dozen more of the wooden missiles emerged from nowhere.

Shielding his wife’s body with his own, the male covered their retreat, pushing the female on as they made a break for the forest. Behind them sprinted a squad of golden-armored troops who emerged from a nearby house and began to chase after them, yelling all the while.

“That sweet colt had died, all due to us,” the shade announced sadly, the scene falling apart shortly thereafter. “And the rest, you unfortunately know.”

Rarity wasn't sure at what point her legs had given out, she only knew that she was now sitting on the cold ground, tears crawling down her face. “N-no. That's not possible,” she whispered.

Twilight winced and gently lowered herself next to her friend, squeezing her shoulder with a gentle hoof. “There has to be more to this story. We need to think long and hard on what our final question should be.”

Rarity shook her head. “I know exactly what to ask.” Then, without warning, the arachne rose to a stand, meeting the shade’s gaze without flinching. “What was the name of this colt?”

The two undead shared a look, before they spoke in unison, their voices filled with shame and regret. “Blazing Corona,” they whispered.

With their final answer given, the shades’ bodies began to dissipate, rapidly disintegrating until within a heartbeat there was nothing left. Leaving the two beings alone once more, one confused, while the other maintained her confident expression.

“Come on. I know where we need to go and what we have to do to clear my parent’s good name,” Rarity declared before turning away, the tree wall which had hid them having vanished at some point.

Twilight tried not to think about that right now, and hastily gathered up her candles before snuffing out the incense and jamming it into a pocket. “Hold on. This wasn't in the plan!” she shouted.

Rarity merely nodded as she strode toward the exit of the graveyard, her head held high. “I know it wasn't, but don't worry, I have a new plan. We are going to ask this Blazing Corona pony three questions as well.”

“But he…” Twilight paused just as she had caught up to the spider pony. “I see where you are going, but he's likely to be buried near the town and I doubt we can just walk in there.”

“Which is why we are going to get Rainbow Dash’s help,” Rarity replied stiffly. “She is more stealthy than she lets on, and I believe that with her assistance, we can get in and out without being noticed.”

Twilight hummed thoughtfully, contemplating her friend’s words carefully. “Fine. But no more on the spot decisions, we are a team on this one.”

The arachne sighed and glanced down at the unicorn. “You are right. I’m too close to this to really think straight. You can ask the next bunch of questions.”

“Thank you for trusting me, Rarity. I won't let you down,” Twilight declared.

Rarity nodded, her smile fading. “Let's hope you are right…” she whispered.

“It was her day off today, right?” Twilight asked, as Rarity knocked on the heavy iron door for the third time.

“That's what she said,” Rarity replied with a hint of anger.

The two stood before a narrow metal tower that seemed to have sprouted randomly out of the ground, the structure reaching several stories up before tapering off. Windows could be seen at odd intervals across all levels of the thin five story building, all dark and empty. Something that wouldn't normally bother them, but without getting a response, the empty building began to feel vaguely foreboding.

“What the hell is this thing anyway?” Twilight asked, the unicorn banging a hoof against the metal structure. “It doesn't look like any tower I’ve ever seen before.”

“Apparently it was part of some flying machine the minotaurs were testing,” Rarity explained while peering through a nearby window. “It didn't get very far before crashing, and this piece was too big too move, so Rainbow Dash came along and hollowed it out before making it her home. Speaking of which, where is that girl?”

The sound of someone whistling made the two females turn to find an unarmored bat pony floating down the road, her forelegs filled with oddly sized books. Upon first glance it was obvious who the pony in question was, as her bright, colorful mane was a dead giveaway. Though even then, her identity was put right back into question when Twilight read a few of the titles from the books she was holding.

“Shingeki no Kyojin?” Twilight muttered in confusion.

The bat pony stopped in mid-air before peeking over the small mountain of paperbacks she was holding. Twilight abandoned all questions as to her identity when she saw the familiar teal eyes of Rainbow Dash, though some other questions remained.

“Hello, darling. Sorry to bother you on your day off, but I had hoped to ask a favor of you,” Rarity began, the arachne completely ignoring the tense atmosphere.

When no response came, Twilight waved a hoof in front of her friend’s face. “Uh, Rainbow Dash. You alright?” inquired the unicorn.

“F-fine!” Rainbow Dash shouted, the bat pony surging forward, brushing past the two other beings and making a break for the door. “Just let me put these inside and we can talk in a sec!”

Rarity nodded and stood off to the side, while Twilight watched the mare closely as she fumbled to find her key before putting it in the look and sweeping inside, leaving behind a rather brightly colored book that had what looked like a pink bat pony filly on the front who wielded a strange staff. The entire thing was dominated by pinks, reds, and whites, and seemed so unlike anything the usually deadly serious bat pony would even consider that Twilight found herself shocked and confused.

“Cardcaptor sak-” Twilight began, only to get the book snatched out of her hoof.

Rainbow Dash shot the unicorn a glare before vanishing into her home once more, leaving behind a confused pony and an amused arachne.

“I wonder what that was all about?” Twilight muttered.

Rarity shrugged. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“Right,” Twilight murmured.

The two stood in silence for a few minutes before Rainbow Dash re-emerged, now armored and with her sword belted at her hip. “Alright, what’s up?” she asked, as if nothing had happened.

“We aren't going to talk about what just happened?” Twilight questioned.

“What just happened?” asked Rainbow Dash with mock confusion.

Rarity sighed. “It doesn't matter. We have bigger fish to fry as they say. Namely getting into and out of a sunspawn village without being noticed.”

“Whoo, now that's a tall order,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “Why in the world do you want to do that?”

“It's a long story. But before we get to that. Are you in?” Rarity questioned.

The bat pony nodded. “Of course.”

Twilight motioned for the trio to begin walking. “In that case why don't we talk and walk.”

“Excellent idea, darling. Now then, where to begin?” Rarity murmured while tapping her chin.

“Woah. That's quite a tale,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she ducked under a low-hanging branch.

“Now you see why we need your help,” Twilight remarked pointedly.

“No kidding. You two wouldn't make it more than ten feet without getting spotted,” Rainbow Dash announced with a smirk.

“Our own less than stellar stealth skills aside. I’m assuming you have a plan, right?” Rarity questioned as she avoided a small bush that had sprouted from the center of the path they trod.

“Of course I do. The guard used to run war games with Ardentvale and a few other small villages in case they ever captured a citizen or acted as a supply depot for an invading army,” Rainbow Dash explained.

“So it shouldn't be too hard then, right?” Twilight pressed.

Rainbow Dash waved a hoof dismissively. “Nah. They only have like ten guards for the whole town, and only five of which are on duty at any time. After we manage to sneak past the outer defences, it should be relatively easy to get you to one of the two graveyards.”

“They have two? Why?” Twilight asked.

“One for the members of Celestia’s cult, and another for everyone else,” Rarity muttered bitterly.

Twilight frowned. “That makes sense. In Canterlot it was just another section of the graveyard, but I never went there, nor was I interested in learning anything about her stupid fake religion.”

“We should start by checking out the larger of the two,” Rainbow Dash offered. “I doubt this child would have been buried with Celestia’s chosen.”

“Good thinking. It's probably less guarded as well,” Twilight exclaimed.

“And hopefully we can get there in good time. All this walking is making me light-headed,” Rarity commented.

“Are you alright, Rarity? We haven't exactly been at this for very long yet…” Twilight asked worriedly, the unicorn eying her friend carefully.

“It's nothing, darling. I guess I just haven't quite gotten over our little brush with the nightmare before,” Rarity explained.

“Oh hey, look. It's a bunch of those flowers you were talking about,” Rainbow Dash interrupted, the bat pony pointing off to the right of the path.

Following her hoof, the two other females were greeted by the sight of a veritable field of blue flowers that filled the bed of a dry ravine. Sniffing the air, Twilight found that the flowers didn't smell like much from here, and a cursory magical scan revealed they weren’t toxic. She was about to cast another spell when Rarity walked forward and leaned down, scooping up a small bushel of the plants.

Without warning the arachne all but shoved her face into the thing, breathing deeply. “See? Nothing happened. It couldn't have been their fault,” Rarity declared.

Rainbow Dash and Twilight both shared a confused look.

The spider pony didn't miss a beat though, and quickly discarded the flowers before walking away, leaving her startled friends to quickly catch up with her. “Hey, wait,” Rainbow Dash called out.

“What?” Rarity demanded, spinning around and crossing her forehooves over her chest.

“Don't you think your getting a little too heated?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I mean it sucks, but Twilight is probably right when she said it was likely just an allergy or something. Bad luck, ya know?”

Rarity snorted irritably. “I refuse to believe that bad luck killed my parents, and that foal. No, there has to be something bigger going on here. Some dark architect that mastermined all this suffering for some terrible purpose.”

“Where is this coming from?” Twilight questioned. “You were calm a minute ago.”

“Luck changes the roll of the dice, or the outcome of a card game, not this,” Rarity declared. “I refuse to believe that it was just chance that killed them.”

“We can't rule that out-” Rainbow Dash began, only to have her hoof knocked aside when she reached for Rarity’s shoulder.

“You will soon enough,” Rarity corrected before turning and walking away.

Twilight frowned, and gently patted the bat pony’s back. “That was a good attempt, but I think we just need to grin and bear this until we get some answers.”

Rainbow Dash rubbed her hoof awkwardly and watched as the arachne stalked away, not even looking to see if her friends were following her. “I know, but still. This is Rarity we are talking about, ya know? She's the one being that remained composed when we all nearly died and now all that hate is messing with her head.”

“I’m sure it will be fine. Let’s just keep going,” Twilight whispered.

Rainbow Dash sighed. “Right…”

“This place is weird,” Rainbow Dash whispered from her spot on a low branch.

Twilight frowned as she peeked out from behind the trunk of a tree. “What do you mean? It seems normal to me.”

Before them was the small town which lay near a river, the closest side of which contained a good ninety percent of the buildings while the other had only a few, including what looked like a church. Most structures were simple, built from what looked like local wood, and had thatched roofs, while a couple more important buildings were constructed from dark, important stone. Those buildings looked like places of government, or were integral to the town’s defence like the large watch tower which stood at one corner of the village.

Due to the lateness of the night, there were few ponies out, and the few that were out seemed to be guards, as they all wore identical sets of armor, had a weapon of some kind and a lantern. From what Twilight could tell, they were all earth ponies, save for a single pegasus guard who was doing a lazy circle of the town. From the look of them they didn't expect anything to happen, and their slow, predictable pattern was proof of that assumption.

“So, what's the plan?” questioned the arachne who poked her head from a nearby bush.

“Well, I see the graveyard, and it's a fair distance from the town center, so we should be fine,” Rainbow Dash whispered, while pointing to their target. “We just need to wait for that pegasus to do one more circle, and we should be able to make a break for it.”

“Sounds good,” Twilight affirmed.

“Well, she better hurry,” Rarity murmured.

Rainbow Dash and Twilight both shared a worried look before glancing back to the town and scanning the sky for the familiar flying shape.

After another minute of waiting, the pegasus passed them by, and the three beings broke from their cover, with Rainbow Dash taking the lead. As they ran, the trio passed by several outlying houses before they managed to see the graveyard, which had likely been a pasture at one point. This was evidenced by the way fields pressed in around all sides, and the land itself was beaten and hilly.

Between the small natural hills, and the rows of evergreen trees growing at the borders of the graveyard, the trio had a considerable amount of cover. Hopping over the low fence, the three beings slipped out of sight and began to fan out, already knowing exactly what to do. Each one began to scan the many headstones, searching for a single name while also keeping an eye out for possible enemies.

They met no one however, and the guards gave the graveyard a wide berth, meaning they could search the area in relative peace, giving Twilight plenty of time to ponder what the strange symbols atop the grave sites meant. One was obvious, as it was Celestia’s sun, and marked the grave of those ponies who were members of her following. Others were less obvious, though as Twilight scanned the names, she realized that they were likely familial symbols of some kind.

Those were much less common, and after a few minutes Twilight’s mind began to drift as she scanned what felt like the hundredth identical head stone. That was until she heard the sound of crickets and her ears perked up, alerting her to the fact that one of her companions had found something. Stealthily moving in that direction, Twilight came upon what looked like a familial patch, as a small ring of orange stones surrounded a dozen grave sites.

Rarity stood at the center, her attention fixated on a slightly smaller headstone which was marked with a familiar name. Instantly realizing what that meant, the unicorn trotted over to the spider pony, all while being respectful of the dead and not treading on any of the graves. Rainbow Dash arrived a second after Twilight did, and the pair fell in on either side of Rarity.

“Is this it?” whispered the bat pony.

Rarity nodded. “It is. You both know what to do.”

Rainbow Dash pursed her lips and gave her ten-legged friend one last look before nodding and zipping away. Twilight watched her go, observing as the bat pony snuck up into the low lying clouds and all but vanished.

“Are you ready?” Rarity asked, her tone startling Twilight from her contemplation.

“Yes,” Twilight replied quickly, the mare drawing forth her candles and incense once more.

The pony hastily went through the now familiar motions, lighting each candle in turn before turning that flame on the stick of incense. Once done, she gave the area a quick once over, only to notice that every other grave other than Blazing Corona’s had a familial mark while his bore Celestia’s sun. She also noticed from the dates on the grave that the colt had only been twelve years old when he passed away.

“What are you waiting for?” Rarity hissed.

“N-nothing,” Twilight stuttered, the unicorn quickly spreading her legs, and resuming the same stance she had before, only to stop herself at the last second.

A strange urge kept her from starting the spell, and she shifted her body, pressing her nose against the ground while keeping her back end raised, bowing to the grave. When next she spoke it was not in the common tongue, and was instead the beastial language she had uttered several hours ago at a familiar scene to this one. The power and the guttural sound was there, but Rarity could also feel as though the words were different. This incantation was not a demand, but a suggestion, a request that contained a threat, though it was hidden.

“Jiak ukavand before lat wiavh nauk-ukpecav, wiavh ij hearav fillun wiavh ij worry, agh ij hugi fillun wiavh queukavionuk,” Twilight whispered, her foreleg extending as she spoke. “Kulknej nauk-quire anukweruk, avruavh, agh honeukavausan. Thinguk kulknej liwo geav from lat.”

Rarity could sense that this was different, but it wasn't so different that it felt wrong, and so she stood there, confused and anxious.

“Jiak aukk avhee riuke agh delivas uuk your worduk uko juukavice maausan be done!” Twilight exclaimed, the pony bowing even deeper just as the last word left her lips.

A faint glow emanated from the small grave, the intensity of which barely eclipsed that of a single candle. Slowly, nervously, the spirit emerged from the earth, a tiny head poking forth from the plot and looking up at the pair expectantly and with great hesitation. The sight made Twilight’s heart fall as the spirit’s yellow glow and orange eyes managed to contain all the hurt one would expect from an injured child.

A pair of ethereal hooves gripped the ground, as if ready to duck back beneath the soil should things go poorly for the apparition. That would have to wait though as Rarity strode forward, all but glaring down at the diminutive spirit, though even the angry spider pony couldn't bring herself to truly be mad at the child in question.

“Describe the events which lead up to your death,” she stated confidently, though Twilight noticed there was a hint of pity in her voice.

The spirit cowered, but did not retreat, its eyes growing larger still. “I bought a cool vest with my birthday bits from the nice spider ponies and they gave me a flower,” it hastily began, the foal trembling with every word. “But then I got sick, and really really hot. I couldn't stop sweating, and I was sad I couldn't wear my vest anymore. Mommy even threw away my flower, and I had to spend a long time in bed.”

The spirit sighed and its gaze fell. “Then things got blurry, and a bunch of ponies came to see me. One was in all white and had a funny name, another wore a long red robe and lived in the church. They all tried to help me, and the white one made me eat a bunch of bad tasting water, but that didn't work.”

“What did the one in red make you do?” Twilight asked.

The spirit half shrugged. “I can't remember really. He made me go outside and then everything got dark,” whispered the spirit, who looked up at the pair nervously. “Am I really dead?”

Rarity, who had been ready to reprimand Twilight for asking a question out of nowhere felt her irritation die the second she looked into the eyes of the dead child. “You are, dearheart. I am so sorry,” Rarity whispered.

“Does that mean I’ll never get to see my mom or dad?” The child’s eyes grew larger still. “Or my little sister, or my class at school? What about Willow, my puppy? Will I ever see her again?”

“I-I don't know,” stuttered the spider pony.

“That's not fair,” blubbered the child as it clenched its ethereal hooves and glared at the ground. “Daddy promised to go to the big city with me and you aren't allowed to break your promises. It’s a rule.”

Rarity took a breath and tried to force another question out of her mouth, but the look of utter despondency on the foal’s face made her words die before they reached her lips. “There there now. I’m sure you’ll see them again one day,” she whispered as she leaned down.

“B-but I’m dead!” wailed the spirit. “I’ll never see anyone ever again!”

“Rarity, I-” Twilight began, only to be shushed by Rarity.

Without missing a beat, Rarity leaned down and wrapped her hooves around the child’s ghostly form. “It’s okay, darling. I know it's going to be lonely, but I promise you that you will see everyone again.”

“How do you know I won't be here forever by myself?” asked the child, who remained stiff and unyielding even as Rarity hugged its ghostly body against her chest.

“Because my parents are gone too,” Rarity admitted, tears dripping down her cheeks. “And they were the kindest, most generous people I have ever met and they would never leave me forever.”

The child looked up at Rarity with wide glowing eyes. “Is that really true? Were they really that nice?” it asked in a tone barely above a whisper.

“You already know the answer to that question,” Rarity replied, poking a hoof into the chest of the ghostly foal. “You met them after all.”

The child’s face twisted in confusion, and he looked up at Rarity with an odd expression. “Your parents were those nice trader ponies, right?”

“They were,” Rarity declared.

“Oh no. What happened?” asked the child, his eyes going wide.

“That doesn't matter right now,” Rarity stated sternly. “All that matters is that you won't have to wait here by yourself.”

The spirit’s face filled with a mix of sadness and relief. “Are you sure that's okay if I wait with them?” it asked hesitantly, the ghost twiddling its hooves as it spoke. “They are your parents, after all.”

“That's okay. They have to wait too, and this way none of you have to be lonely,” Rarity whispered back before nuzzling the child.

The child sniffed. “T-thank you.”

Rarity smiled even as tears continued to trail down her face. “So I have one last question. Are you going to keep being sad, or are you going to be the brave little colt I know you are?”

The spirit grinned, and it raised a hoof proudly. “I’m going to be brave!” he exclaimed proudly, before his body began to disintegrate, his essence all but exploding outward in a triumphant fashion.

As Rarity watched, the mix of red and orange light dispersed into the night sky until there was nothing left but a cold ache in the pit of her soul. Pulling a handkerchief from her bag, Rarity dabbed her cheeks and sniffed before slowly rising to a stand. As she did so, she noticed a pair of garden spiders sitting next to the grave, but upon seeing them they skittered away, vanishing into the night. Putting that thought aside, Rarity deposited her cloth back into her bag, turned and found herself looking down upon a bound and gagged stallion who looked to be in his mid-seventies.

“What is he doing here?” Rarity asked.

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “I don't know how, but he managed to sneak past me and saw you talking to the kid.”

“He also heard everything,” added Twilight.

The spider pony blinked and looked down upon the irritated earth pony stallion curiously. His coat was a dull brown, and his mane was a deep, vibrant black while a pair of bright teal eyes stared up at her from under a red watch cap. He was old, though he certainly didn't appear frail by any stretch of the imagination, and he had a pair of headstones for a cutie mark. His bindings were tight, but not so tight that they looked painful, and Rarity quickly recognized the silk rope Rainbow Dash had used as one of her own creations.

“Did he say anything?” Rarity inquired, turning to Rainbow Dash.

“Didn't have the chance,” replied the bat pony confidently.

“And we shouldn't give him the chance, either,” warned Twilight.

“Blazing spoke of a red-robed pony that tried to help him right before he passed away. Do either of you know this pony?” Rarity pressed.

Both Twilight and Rainbow Dash shook their head.

“I don't know any names, but they sound like a member of Celestia’s cult,” exclaimed Twilight.

The spider pony tapped her chin. “That's not good enough. He may have moved away by now, we need a name or something more to go on.”

“Well, we could just take this guy back to town and get the information out of him there,” offered Rainbow Dash, earning her a fresh glare an a few garbled curses from the stallion.

“No time,” interrupted Rarity. “It won't be long before someone notices he's gone, and then we’ll never get to the bottom of this.”

“You sound like you have a plan,” Twilight remarked.

“I do,” Rarity declared, the arachne standing a little taller. “We question him here, and then take him with us, releasing him when we get to the bottom of this whole thing.”

“Are you insane?” Rainbow Dash all but shouted. “He’ll start yelling the second that gag comes out! I mean I’ll be able to kill him no problem, but if the whole town comes after us, that's gonna be an issue.”

“Plus I don't want to have to hurt him,” muttered Twilight, who gave the stallion a pitying look. “He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Rarity nodded. “We aren't going to hurt him. We are just going to ask him a few questions.”

Rainbow Dash blinked. “You cannot be serious.”

“I am,” stated Rarity, who kneeled before the earth pony. “He saw that child, he knows something strange has happened, and if he's even a halfway decent person, he’ll want to get to the bottom of this as well.”

“We can't know that,” cautioned Twilight.

“He's a sunspawn!” hissed Rainbow Dash. “He’d kill us all if he could!”

Twilight cleared her throat and tapped a forehoof, an expectant look on her face.

“Oh, you don't count,” muttered Rainbow Dash.

“We are getting off topic here,” Rarity cautioned. “And it isn't up for discussion.”

Before Twilight or Rainbow Dash could react, Rarity removed the stallion’s gag, and took a step back. For a moment nothing happened, Rainbow Dash’s hoof remained on the hilt of her weapon while Twilight readied a spell. While this happened, the stallion eyed all three of them in turn before spitting a stray thread from his mouth.

“There’s a dry creek that runs just behind the graveyard,” remarked the male in a deep, rumbling tone.

“What?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“That's how I snuck past ya,” offered the male. “The soft ground is easier on my knees and I’m nearly invisible against the mud.”

“Err, okay?” Twilight murmured weakly.

“And as fer yer question, Ardent Proclamation is who yer lookin’ fer, but he's been dead for over eight or so years by now,” he continued.

Rarity smiled. “I knew you would do the right thing. Oh, and I am terribly sorry about all this, by the way.”

The stallion shrugged as much as he was able to. “Don't mention it. I never knew the little one, but seeing you talk to him like that…” His voice trailed off and he shook his head. “You remind me of my wife.”

“I told you this was a bad idea,” Rainbow Dash hissed, the bat pony gripping her blade tightly. “She's probably looking for him right now.”

The stallion snorted. “Not likely, she's been here the whole time.”

Rainbow Dash managed to almost pull her blade before Twilight stopped her. “Think about what he just said for a second,” warned the unicorn.

The bat pony opened her mouth to say something, only to frown, and put her weapon back. “You are off the hook. For now.”

Rarity smiled. “You wouldn't happen to know where he is buried, would you?”

The male eyed her closely. “You wanna raise him too. Dontcha?”

“That isn't a problem, is it?” Twilight questioned.

The old stallion shook his head. “After seein’ how you dealt with that poor scared foal? Not even a little bit.”

Rarity breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you. Now I would very much like to be able to release you, but I’m afraid I can't do that until I’ve got what I came for.”

The stallion nodded. “So long as you untie me, I’ll go right along with ya.”

Rainbow Dash snorted irritably. “Don't do it. This is a trick.”

“This does seem a little too good to be true,” cautioned Twilight.

“My knees can't take this position much longer,” complained the male. “Any longer and I’ll end up back in the wheelchair and if that happens you may as well kill me.”

Rarity stared at the male for several seconds. “Release him.”

Twilight and Rainbow Dash shared another look, only for the unicorn to shrug, and the bat pony to mutter bitterly as she moved to follow Rarity’s command.

After he was freed from his bindings, the male gave his right knee a rub before looking up at Rarity. “A word of warning. The truth is a lot of things, but it ain't never pleasant.”

“What do you know?” pressed Twilight, who studied him closely.

The stallion shrugged. “All I know is that life is messy and no one livin’ gets what they want.”

“I’m prepared for that possibility,” stated Rarity.

“You ain't, but your gonna have to be,” murmured the stallion who stuck out a hoof. “Name’s Dirge by the way.”

“Rarity,” replied the spider pony and shook the offered limb.

“That's great and all. Now can we get going already? We’re burning moonlight,” whispered Rainbow Dash, who motioned towards the exit.

“Wait. What were you even doing here this late?” Twilight asked suddenly.

Dirge sighed. “Most folk don't like seeing me around and I ain't a big fan of their pity.”

“Why is that?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

The stallion shrugged. “Was never much a fan of it, is all.”

Rarity sighed. “Come on, Rainbow Dash, let's just get moving.”

The bat pony gave their guest another glare before taking to the air. “I’ll be watching you.”

Dirge merely snorted. “If you want to reach the other graveyard, you are going to want to use the mid-river crossing.”

“Thank you,” Rarity complimented before gesturing towards the exit expectantly. “Lead the way, Rainbow Dash.”

The guard grumbled, but did as she was told, though only after putting her helmet on her head.

Falling in behind them, Rarity took position to the stallion’s right, while Twilight walked on his left, the three beings all trodding the same path in silence. Upon leaving the perfectly manicured graveyard, the three made a left and proceeded towards the river side. Here the undergrowth and small hills were enough to give them a small measure of cover, allowing them to hide from the patrols with ease.

Throughout it all, the stallion never once cried out, though that didn't stop him from commenting about how much all those sloped inclines were doing to his poor joints. In time even Twilight’s lingering fear of this strange pony began to dwindle, and when they neared the bridge that fear was gone completely. There they found a different problem entirely, namely a guard who was taking a break near the stone pass, a flask in one hoof and a pipe in her lips.

The guard herself seemed almost as old as the stallion they had been walking around with, though she was taller, fitter, and had a horn. Her fur was white, her mane grey, and upon her flanks was a sharp blue whistle the same shade as her eyes. The armor she wore was minimal, and consisted of little more than a helmet, a breast plate and a leather cloak which was tossed over one shoulder.

With a grunt, she inhaled on her pipe, drank a mouthful of whatever was inside her flask, and then exhaled a long gout of smoke. Once complete she grinned, and her muscles relaxed, the pony leaning on the cold stone of the bridge and looking out over the town idly. Rainbow Dash frowned and motioned towards the bridge before making a punching motion with her hoof.

Rarity however shook her head, and pointed towards the river itself, only to be cut off by Dirge shaking his head and making a drawing a line over his throat. Twilight was ready to try and teleport them across, but the stallion had other things in mind, and pointed down before stepping out of the bush. Immediately Rainbow Dash moved to stop him, but a well-placed hoof kept her from breaking cover. Leaving her glaring at Rarity, the spider pony unable to help feeling oddly compelled to trust the stranger.

The arachne quickly motioned for Twilight to stay alert, the unicorn having kept her horn glowing brightly, and her gaze fixated on the back of the stallion. The unspoken threat was enough to make Rainbow Dash relax slightly, the bat pony glad that her friends weren’t that trusting. With little else to do though, the three sat in silence, watching as Dirge made his way up the bank and approached the other pony.

“Morning, Watch,” greeted the earth pony.

Upon hearing the other pony, the guard sputtered mid-puff and knocked her flask from the bridge. A scrambled casting later and a long string of coughs, and the guard had her flask back, as well as her breath.

“Dirge?” she asked breathlessly. “You damn near scared the piss out of me.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I didn't ‘cause I noticed something strange floating down the river,” Dirge remarked,gesturing to the other side of the bridge. “It shouldn't be far.”

“In the river? What was it?” asked the guard, who hastily gathered up her things and stuffed them into unseen pockets.

“Dunno,” muttered Dirge. “Looked like a piece of a small fishing boat to me.”

“A piece of a fishing boat, but mine was parked…” the guard began, only to turn and sprint away.

With her gone, the stallion motioned towards the bridge before following after the guard. “Yeah, it was right in the middle, I bet it's halfway to Canterlot at this point.”

The trio of friends could hear cursing from further down the river, as well as the crash as something large and heavy smashed her way through the underbrush. Knowing this opening wouldn't last, Rarity sprinted up the bank with ease, Rainbow Dash and Twilight close on her heels. Upon reaching the stallion she nodded in thanks, and in turn he began to trot along with them, easily keeping pace with the three younger beings.

As they sprinted across the stone bridge they noticed a light bobbing down the edge of the river, an equally irritated and panicked unicorn occasionally visible through the vegetation. None stopped to stare however, each being only giving her a single glance before continuing on. When they had finally put the bridge behind them, and stood before the imposing stone church, they realized that something was off.

A barely visible gold field behind the church shimmered into existence one second, only to disappear the next. Dirge didn't miss a beat though, and made a beeline for the right side of the church, his captors quickly catching up with and overtaking him. Beside them the place of worship rose into the sky, briefly hiding the moon while also making a large stained glass window visible.

Refusing to look, Twilight kept her head down and silently ground her teeth together, the pony knowing full well that a stylized version of Celestia was no doubt looking down on her right now. Her irritation was quickly replaced by confusion when she neared the second graveyard, as the field she had noticed earlier was much more obvious back here. It also ended a few feet from where they now stood, stopping right at tall metal fence which had pillars placed every dozen or so feet that were topped with a golden orb of some kind.

Screeching to a halt outside of a rather imposing metal gate, Twilight raised a hoof, stopping her friends. “I should scan if there is some kind of defences in place.”

Dirge snorted. “It’s just meant to keep the smell in.”

“The smell?” Rarity asked.

Rainbow Dash blanched. “Oh. Right.”

Twilight frowned, her horn dulling. “Well, Dirge was right, this does seem to be designed only to keep in the smell, though I’m not sure why they would… bother?” asked the pony as her voice trailed off at the end.

Her attention had been stolen by a ray of moonlight which had broken through the clouds and illuminated the space beyond, revealing a rather disturbing sight. Rows of corpses in various stages of decomposition filled the graveyard, lying out in the open for all to see. The bodies themselves were rested atop table-high slabs of stone, and had markers behind their heads which had their name, and how long they had lived inscribed upon it.

Suddenly the pony’s lifelong aversion to death and graveyards in particular made sense as repressed memories came bubbling to the surface. She couldn't help but think back to when she was young and witnessed something similar when she was a foal. Though not even that could prepare her for this, and her entire body recoiled in abject disgust.

Rarity wasn't faring much better, though her determination helped her not react quite as viscreally as her unicorn friend. She was utterly repulsed, that much was obvious, but she kept her mind focused on the task at hoof, her gaze searching the names she could see from here. Upon being unable to find what she was looking for, Rarity frowned and took a step forward.

“Are you sure you wanna go in there?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“If I want answers, I’m going to have to,” Rarity muttered.

Dirge snorted. “Don't suppose you can leave me out here by chance, could ya?”

Twilight tapped her chin, and forced her gaze away from the rotting corpses that lay only a dozen feet away. “Why don't you and Rainbow Dash remain here? We don't need any help for this next part,” she offered.

The bat pony frowned and looked at the stallion before sighing. “Fine. But you are sticking right beside me at all times and if you so much as-”

Dirge snorted again. “Yeah yeah, go ahead and get yer bluster out while ya can.”

Rarity merely shook her head. “Come on, Twilight, were almost done here.”

The unicorn gave Dirge and Rainbow Dash one last look before following after her friend. “Alright. Let's just make this quick,” Twilight murmured.

Rarity silently agreed before stepping forward and pushing open the grate, only to be punched in the nose by the sheer intensity of the smell. Fresh decay mingled with ancient rot, creating a veritable buffet of noxious, disgusting scents that assaulted the arachne’s nose. For a moment she swore she could even taste it, and it was only with monumental effort that she stopped herself from throwing up.

Twilight was also able to subdue that urge, the unicorn quickly giving up on holding her nose shut. “This is horrible,” she whispered in disgust.

“The quicker we find this Ardent Proclamation pony, the quicker we get out of here,” hissed Rarity.

The undead mare grumbled and turned to her right as Rarity moved to her left, the two beings fanning out in order to better search the area. Left alone, Twilight couldn't help but contemplate just how disgusting this practice was and how barbaric it was in comparison to the more private and normal graveyard across town. At least there it seemed like there had been some attempt to create a quiet and respectful atmosphere that was also open and oddly inviting.

Here the tall iron fence loomed from all directions, joining the over a dozen or so statues which also towered over them. Most were of unicorns, but Twilight could see one particularly large statue near the back of the graveyard that was of Celestia herself. She tried not to look at that though, and continued to scan the grave markers, while doing her best to not stare at the corpses.

Something that was easier said than done considering that there were a few that were very fresh, and very, very disgusting. Even the logical part of Twilight’s mind which told her this was part of the sun worshipers’ religion couldn't stop her stomach from churning. That cold, calculating part of her retreated from the scene and recoiled in disgust.

Thankfully this graveyard was much smaller than the last one, and it wasn't long before Rarity found what had brought them there in the first place. “Twilight, over here,” she whispered.

The unicorn tore her gaze from an eyeball that had rolled out of a dead pony’s skull and gulped down her apprehension before trotting across the graveyard. While she did this, she kept one eye on the Celestia statue which Rarity stood near, as if expecting it to come alive at any moment. A possibility which wouldn't leave Twilight’s mind despite how many times she dismissed it as impossible.

Upon reaching the site, Twilight found her gaze drawn to the skeletal corpse which rested atop a more ornate slab. This one had sun sigils inscribed around the top, and also a corona carved into the stone where his skull laid. The words Ardent Proclamation were carved into the stone which rose from the end of the slab, and indicated that he had lived until the age of twenty-six before passing.

After shaking her head, Twilight pulled forth her candles, and set them around the body, her mind whirling with possibilities. This summoning was going to be different, as they had all been so far, that much was obvious, but there was also a new element at play. This spirit would be strong, and the barbaric language she had spoken in order to steal a bit of that strength would not work here.

She would need something more than simple strength, she would need to borrow the power that could only be found in the darkest words and the most twisted of language.

Twilight stood tall and resolute, the words she needed to speak falling into place within the confines of her mind before exploding from her lips. “Dazzambuzüranr abgruz ruzuarz, U urzburdyuth nyzzuv zürbgaz. U urzburdyuth nyzzuv yrabvbgrohoth ärrz gödrzræmbgryzrüḧr. Grohruth ruzuarz, yuth ruzvohznyz U grohmärg uanr gzÿv gorzmuz!” she shouted in a language so dark and unpleasant that it almost broke Rarity’s will.

As the words washed over her, the arachne’s vision darkened, and it took a great effort to stay vertical. After several labored, half felt breaths did it clear, and she was able to watch as a radiant white form rose from the stone slab before her. Unlike the others, this one did not come easily, or without resistance, the spirit clinging tightly to the grave even as it was wrenched back into the world of the living.

A horn emerged first, followed by the rest of an anguish-filled face, and finally the top half of the pony’s body. Chains of the blackest night bound the spirit’s incorporeal form, having been brought into existence by Twilight’s dark words, and intense willpower. Looking into the spirit’s face revealed a pair of deep, hate-filled eyes which stared into Twilight’s own.

Who couldn't quite return such an intense look, given that she was sweating profusely, and trembling like a leaf. “Are you alright, darling?” Rarity asked, the arachne swift to prop up her friend, keeping her from falling over completely.

“It's fine. I’m just not used to this yet and that language...” Her voice trailed off and her gaze became haunted for a moment before she shook her head. “Just ask your questions, and hurry.”

Rarity nodded and turned to the spirit, noticing that his baleful gaze now settled on her. “What is it you want from me, monster?” spat the shade.

“What did you make Blazing Corona do on the day he died?” Rarity questioned.

The spirit recoiled and its lips curled into a snarl. “I did what any priest of the immortal sun would do. I treated the boy as best I could, and left the rest in the hooves of Celestia.”

Rarity’s brow furrowed and she turned to Twilight. “What does he mean by that?”

The unicorn wiped her brow of sweat. “That probably means he used sun exposure to try and cure him.”

The arachne turned to the spirit, and caught a faint glimmer of recognition in his featureless gold eyes. “So after the child came to him with a severe fever, he put him out in the sun of all places?” Rarity whispered.

Twilight shrugged. “They believe that the sun's rays will burn away corruption of the mind and body, but only if you bathe in them from dawn till dusk.”

“Which would have been more than enough to kill a foal already suffering from a bad fever. Though that doesn't explain why poison joke did nothing to us, but nearly killed that poor colt,” Rarity surmised.

The spirit’s lips remained sealed, though it was obvious from its movements that it wanted to speak.

“Perhaps we should ask him why that would be?” Twilight offered as she pushed her way into a stand.

Rarity nodded before turning to the spirit. “What are all the possible side effects of being exposed to poison joke?”

“To an adult? Nothing,” announced the spirit. “It can have side effects when the pony is particularly magically adept, but Blazing Corona could not cast a single spell. Which is why I trusted in the teachings of my order, for I had deduced there was some greater poison at work. One that was uncured by even my most potent healing spells.”

“Impossible,” Rarity spat, the arachne jabbing a hoof at the spirit. “They didn't even know how to make poison.”

“Then they bought it from someone,” replied the spirit. “In the end it hardly matters. The arachne poison worked, and I failed. Gloat all you want, monster.”

“I’m not here to gloat, you idiot! I was trying to figure out what happened. Now nothing makes sense!” Rarity shouted.

“The outsiders came, poisoned a child, and after every other spell failed, I turned to the grace of Celestia but even that didn't work,” muttered the spirit. “Though I don't know how it was that those wretched creatures acquired such a potent toxin, it matters little. That’s what happened, and in the end they earned the wages of sin.”

A vein bulged atop Rarity’s head and she was about to shout something back, only for Twilight’s eyes to suddenly snap open. “That's it. I’ve got it,” she exclaimed.

“Got what?” Rarity demanded.

“Why none of his spells worked,” Twilight remarked, pointing to the spirit. “He's a unicorn, and mentioned trying every spell he knew, but nothing ended up working. Ultimately resulting in his attempt to try and use some hokey nonsense to cure Blazing Corona of a mystery poison.”

“So? Where are you going with this?” Rarity questioned.

“This entire thing was hinged on the assumption that Blazing Corona wasn't magically gifted because he couldn't cast any spells despite his age,” Twilight continued, her eyes twinkling with barely contained excitement. “But seven years ago, a paper was published in Canterlot times that revealed that some unicorns might only be able to start casting spells when they reach puberty, which Blazing Corona had yet to do.”

“Because he was only twelve at the time he passed away. Meaning he would have likely survived had his fever not been complicated,” murmured Rarity.

“That’s… that’s impossible,” muttered the spirit, all its rage and indignation falling away in an instant. “I was at the top of my class. I was one of the finest healers the academy had ever produced. I should have known about this study.”

“It was widely considered to be an absolute fact that puberty had no bearing on magical ability. That was, right up until String Theory published his paper and changed everything,” Twilight stated.

“You mean if I had done nothing, that poor, innocent foal would still be alive?” asked the spirit in a hushed tone.

“Yes,” growled Rarity.

The spirit’s angrily glowing form faded, its colors shifting and changing until its body was an off-white, its eyes becoming the same shade as aged paper. As the rage and indignation fled completely from it, it fell slack against his restraints, head hung low. All the power and command the spirit possessed a minute ago was utterly erased, leaving behind a broken pony.

“I didn't know,” he whispered. “Gods above, I thought it was his last, best chance of survival, yet it was me who killed him. Not them.”

“You couldn't have known. The scientific community-” Twilight began, only for Rarity to stop her with a glare.

“Don't console him. He killed an innocent and got my parents killed because of it!” growled the spider pony.

“It's true,” he whispered. “And to think, over a decade of practice to become a healer and I still become that which I hated most in this world. Pathetic.”

“No. Don't you dare try and turn this around!” Rarity shouted, while jabbing a hoof into his chest. “You deserve to suffer for what you did! You can't just say you meant well and hoofwave everything away.”

“Rarity, he can't lie while under the effects of the spell,” Twilight exclaimed.

“No, your friend is right. I deserve all of this,” whispered the stallion as he lifted a chained hoof. “Feel free to send me to whatever hell you have no doubt prepared for me. I’m… I’m ready now.”

Rarity growled and slammed a hoof into the stone slab. “No, no, no, no!” she screamed. “You are supposed to be evil, you are supposed to be unrepentant! I’m supposed to hate you.”

Twilight gently placed a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “Rarity…”

“No it's not fair, Twilight!” cried the loving daughter. “My parents couldn't have been killed just because of a misunderstanding. They were good people, kind people. They couldn't have died for nothing.”

Reaching forward, Twilight pulled her friend into a tight hug, ignoring the brief bit of resistance Rarity put up before planting her face into the crook of Twilight’s neck and sobbing deeply. Her chest rose and fell as a fresh wave of tears cascaded down her face, hooves clutching tightly the unicorn’s shoulders.

“This isn't how it was supposed to be,” Rarity whispered between sobs. “I was supposed to get revenge. To be whole again. Yet I’ve been robbed of even that.”

“It’s okay, let it all out,” Twilight murmured as she patted her friend’s back.

The spider pony cried for several minutes before running out of tears and finally falling still, her body slack, and her eyes nearly lifeless. “What am I supposed to do now?” she asked solemnly.

“You should live,” announced the spirit suddenly. “Live with the knowledge that your parents loved you very much and were innocent in all of this. Live with the fact that in the end a wrong was still righted, and justice was still done. Live on knowing that there is no evil greater than ignorance and fear.”

With the last word spoken, the spirit began to dissipate, his shackles vanishing first, and allowing his essence to tumble apart and spill across the ground. In moments the spirit’s form vanished, swallowed up by the ground, and leaving no evidence of its passing. Save for the bitter knowledge that now rested firmly at the forefront of Rarity’s mind.

Pushing back from Twilight, Rarity looked down at the earth with an expression of confusion, anger, and disbelief. In the silence, Twilight quietly put out her candles, and stowed the stumps away before standing next to her friend.

“I know this is gonna sound dumb,” Twilight nervously began. “But are you okay?”

Rarity snorted. “No… but maybe one day I will be. Until then I guess I’ll just have to keep on living.”

“Sometimes that's the hardest thing you can do,” Twilight exclaimed with a sad smile.

“Y-yeah,” Rarity whispered.

“Are you two almost- holy shit, this reeks,” half shouted the familiar voice of Rainbow Dash.

“We’ll be there in a second!” Twilight shouted back.

“We had better get moving,” Rarity announced bitterly.

Twilight wanted to say something reassuring, to put her friend’s fears and worries to rest, but she knew nothing would fix what she felt. So Twilight merely remained quiet as they left the graveyard, silently passing by the rows of corpses and slabs without a second thought. In no time at all they left the disgusting, reeking field behind, and emerged back out into the fresh smelling world.

Rainbow Dash recoiled and pinched her nose as best as she could while still wearing her helmet. “You two smell horrible,” she exclaimed.

“Ya found what you were lookin’ fer, didntcha?” Dirge half asked, half stated.

Rarity nodded slowly. “I did. Unfortunately.”

The stallion sighed. “I figured as much. Life ain't the type a thing that us little ponies can understand.”

“So it seems,” Rarity murmured.

“So, what happened anyway?” Rainbow Dash asked. “‘Cause that was a whole lotta yelling and yet you two don't seem to be in a mood to kick some ass.”

“Let's just say there are no asses to kick,” Twilight remarked with a bitter laugh. “I’ll tell you the details on the way home, but the short version is this. Blazing was gifted, but was a late bloomer, which was something they didn't know and assumed was impossible. Because of this, when he reacted to the poison joke, he got sick and they assumed it was the work of a poison. Since it wasn't, their treatments did nothing, and in desperation they treated him with sun exposure, complicating his fever and accidentally killing him.”

“Thats uh… quite the tale,” Rainbow Dash muttered warily. “But how are we going to get home? It's nearly sun up and we still have to drag along this old geezer.”

Dirge snorted irritably. “Just take me back the way we came, and then leave me at the graveyard while y'all go out back and follow that dry ravine I mentioned. It’ll take you right past my place, and outta town.”

Rarity nodded weakly. “Come on, girls. Let's just go home already.”

Twilight hiked her bags up a little further. “Right. Rainbow Dash, you’ll take the lead again.”

The bat pony glanced at each of her companions before shrugging and turning back around. “Alright, stick close and try to keep up,” she announced before setting out.

The trip back to the first graveyard was much simpler the second time, as there were no guards around to catch them, nor any random ponies wandering the town at such an hour. By the time they had arrived back at their first destination, the sun had begun to rise, while the moon remained exactly where it always did. The sun didn't seem to care though, and continued its ascent regardless, slowly crawling into the sky and overwhelming the moonlight with its own natural brilliance.

Upon crossing the threshold to the graveyard, Dirge stopped and cleared his throat. “Safe travels on your way home,” announced the male, who awkwardly turned and left, trotting towards a small shed that no one had noticed until now.

The suddenness of his departure made the three females confused, but Rarity recovered first. “Thank you for your help, Mister Dirge,” she shouted after him.

The stallion merely nodded in acknowledgement before continuing on his way, leaving the spider pony strangely confused for a moment. The way the first rays of sunlight hit the top of the stallion’s cap made the female get an odd sense of deja vu. After all, only spider silk reacted in such a manner, and the longer she looked, the more Rarity was convinced that was indeed what the stallion’s cap was made of.

Rarity silently berated herself for not realizing it sooner. “No wonder he trusted me,” whispered the spider pony.

“Did you say something?” Twilight asked.

Shaking her head, Rarity turned to her friends, who were standing expectantly a few feet away. “It seems Mister Dirge has a better sense of style than I first gave him credit for,” Rarity exclaimed with a grin.

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“It's nothing, darling. Now are you two ready to head back home? I think I have just enough energy left in these old bones to make it back,” Rarity proclaimed, while stretching her legs one at a time.

“That would be nice. You have no idea how much I’ve missed my own bed,” Rainbow Dash muttered bitterly, the bat pony’s back cracking audibly as she stretched as well.

“Not having to sleep outside during the day would be nice…” Twilight concluded.

“Well darlings, what are we waiting for?” Rarity asked with a smile.

“That certainly was something,” Rainbow Dash murmured as the trio came to a stop outside of Rarity’s boutique, the bat pony’s helmet now strapped to her side, as was her weapon.

“I’m just glad we were able to get to the bottom of it all,” Twilight replied optimistically.

“Yes, well at least it's over,” Rarity concluded, her voice a mix of pain and a tiny hint of lingering anger. “Thank you both for hearing me out by the way.”

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “It's no big deal, Rares. We all got our own baggage and it's okay to let go of it every now and again.”

“Exactly,” added Twilight with a smile. “Knowing that all parties involved are now at peace has definitely made this all worthwhile.”

The arachne sighed. “Thank you, girls. Oh, and Rainbow Dash, I expect you to come to my shop sometime soon so I may create you something fabulous as thanks.”

The bat pony groaned. “I do not want anything. I was just doing my job as a guard, and as a friend.”

“I will not take no for an answer. Besides, I have an idea for something even you would wear with pride,” Rarity confidently declared.

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow and studied her friend curiously. “Really now? Like what?” she questioned.

Rarity winked. “That's for me to know, and for you to find out soon enough.”

“Heh. You know I love a good surprise. Well, I guess I’ll see you girls later. Good morning!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed before leaping into the air and speeding off.

The two females watched their friend go, something that didn't take long considering just how badly the bat pony wanted to get back to her own bed. Now with only Rarity nearby, Twilight let out a deep sigh, and wiped a stray bit of sweat from her brow.

“I’m gonna need a lot of energy once I wake up tomorrow,” the unicorn concluded bitterly.

“Thank you for that by the way,” Rarity began. “I could not have done this without you.”

“Don't worry about it. Now we’re just about even,” Twilight declared.

The arachne smirked. “Good, and here I thought I had a long way to go before I paid you back in full.”

Twilight snorted. “Regardless. I’m just glad I can sleep in my own bed, though I’m fairly certain Spike is already asleep.”

“Well, he is a teenager, so he may still be awake,” warned Rarity.

Twilight nodded. “You don't mind if I check on him before I go, do you?”

“Of course not,” Rarity exclaimed, before grabbing her key and unlocking the door.

Twilight followed after her friend, silently glad that she could escape the bright light of the sun and enter into the dark room once more. The relief felt strange to say the least, especially considering just how much the dark had unnerved her until fairly recently. It was enough to make the pony wonder if she could still be considered a sunspawn, given just how much the sun itself seemed to put her on edge.

Pushing those thoughts from her mind, Twilight looked around, and found the main area empty. Meanwhile Rarity was busy putting away all her supplies, and hanging up all the extra clothes she had brought along. Thankfully Twilight had been here enough times to get a good idea of the layout and she trotted toward the back room without waiting for Rarity to be done.

Sure enough, her first instinct was correct and before she even reached the door, she could hear Spike’s rather distinct snore. A smile spread across the unicorn’s face, though that smile vanished when she heard a second snore come from the same room. Then it grew much larger, and Twilight slowly pushed open the wooden portal before peering into the room beyond.

The usual piles of half assembled clothing, and mounds of raw materials were scattered about as usual, Rarity’s work space as messy as ever. The large reclining couch at the back of the shop was also where it usually was, the enormous plush furniture draped with random bits of cloth. It was also very large, given that it was designed for an arachne to sprawl out on and it was no surprise to see that both Spike and Sweetie Belle fit on it.

Sweet Belle’s main bulk rested on the right half, and Spike on the left, the arachne’s pony half draped over the dragon’s shoulder as a hoof lay on his lap, clutched tightly in one of Spike’s claws. Also on his lap was a half open book of plays, a bookmark haphazardly poking out the side of it. The sight made Twilight grin, and she couldn't help but shake her head, a little impressed that the young dragon had gotten that close to the other being in such a short amount of time.

Although it was all possible that Spike and her had simply fallen asleep together by chance, and that this was all an accident, that's not how Twilight chose to see it. Slipping back out the door, the unicorn all but skipped over to her friend, a grin on her face.

“Rarity, come look,” Twilight whispered.

The arachne raised an eyebrow. “What is it? Don't tell me Sweetie Belle ate all my bug medley ice cream again.”

“No, it's not that. Just come see,” Twilight continued, motioning towards the back door.

Rarity followed close behind and peeked over Twilight’s shoulder when the portal was pulled open a crack. “That is adorable,” she whispered.

“I know right? Check out the book,” Twilight urged.

“History’s greatest plays, a collection of modern and ancient stories,” Rarity read aloud. “What does that… Wait, isn't that one of Dark Hallow’s collections?”

“It is, and he's putting on a bunch of them during some celebration soonish,” Twilight explained.

“The mid-winter festival,” Rarity reiterated. “He must have asked her out.”

Twilight grinned excitedly. “You think she said yes?”

“If she didn't, do you think they would be like this?” Rarity replied.

Twilight giggled, and took a step back, closing the door soundlessly. “So I guess I’ll come pick him up tomorrow some time.”

“Good thinking. Good morning, Twilight.”

“Good morning to you too, Rarity.”

Author's Note

A Quiet Interlude

Twilight shifted awkwardly on the couch, trying to find a spot that actually felt comfortable to her. Yet try as she might, she was forced to close her book and reluctantly stand up. Glaring down at the beige couch, the unicorn used her magic to fluff the cushions, smooth out any errant creases and place them back in the exact right place.

Smiling faintly, the pony sat back down, wiggled her butt, and grabbed her book. “Now where was I?” she muttered.

The book itself was the perfect light reading material, an obscure history book about a war fought between dragons and minotaurs. It was filled with scholarly notations, detailed descriptions and references which pointed to other books that may shed additional light on the conflict. It was the type of tome that would suck Twilight in for a good thirty-two hours, leaving the unicorn content with the knowledge she had gained from it.

Yet she had also read the same line six times now and still couldn't recall what the content of the sentence actually was. Furrowing her brow and reading it for a seventh time, Twilight felt a brief moment of elation when the information stuck. Only to try and recall it a second time and come up with a fat load of nothing.

“Gah!” she yelled, placing the book back on the table and dropping her face into a throw pillow. “Why can't the girls get here already? This waiting is killing me.”

Lips pursed, the unicorn groaned. “It's also making me talk to myself again, though I suppose this time it is warranted as I’ve never actually been to a sleepover, nevermind hosted one.”

The pony couldn't help but chuckle to herself. “It may have taken you longer than most fillies, but you’re finally having your friends over for the night. Even though you're old enough to drink, join the guard, and buy a house.”

She sighed bitterly, releasing all the breath from her lungs until nothing was left. The dead mare resisted the urge to inhale and merely lay there, focusing on her other senses. There was no sound save for the occasional creaking noise caused by the tree shifting in the wind. Neither was there a smell, though that may have been due to the fact that Twilight had gone noseblind to the scent of paper and wood.

Her sixth sense of detecting life was the only thing that seemed to pick up anything, as the unicorn could feel all of the plants she had hung around the library emitting energy. She could also feel the library itself, and the odd person who walked close to her home, as well as the guards stationed outside of it. The pony could even get the occasional flash of information like if a pony was full of life, or was sick or otherwise unwell, provided she focused.

For a while she lay there, sensing those around her and feeling out where they were in relation to herself. Suddenly she felt a life force so vibrant and so powerful that it made her stomach rumble, and her mouth salivate.

Shaking her head, Twilight quickly got off the couch, ran a hoof down her face, and made her way over to the door, opening it just in time to see a confused Applejack with her hoof raised as if she had been milliseconds from knocking.

“Well, howdy there, cousin. Smelled me comin’, did ya?” Applejack announced with a smile.

Twilight was about to reply, only for her gaze to linger over the farm pony’s strange form for a moment. The unicorn wasn't used to the way that Bloomberg had completely covered her hard-working friend in the thick, root-like exterior. Though the plant apparently didn't cause any issues with breathing, eating, or such, Twilight was still a little struck by the pony’s odd new appearance.

Shaking her head, Twilight forced her gaze to meet Applejack’s. “Err, sort of? You emit life force like a pregnant mother.”

“I’m not sure what to say to that, but thanks, I think?” Applejack exclaimed. “So can I come in?”

“Oh right, of course.” Twilight stepped to the side. “Sorry about that, I’m still not used to seeing you like this. It's a bit like staring into the sun to be honest.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment of my radiant beauty,” Applejack remarked, dropping a duffle bag next to the door and opening her hooves. “So, how ya been?”

Twilight kicked the door shut and eagerly hugged Applejack back, squeezing the pony tightly. “No complaints, really. Just been practicing my magic and trying to figure out more alternatives to normal spells.”

Applejack smiled and took a step back. “You know you can take a bite out of me if you want. I got more than enough of the stuff.”

Twilight blushed slightly. “Well, if you insist.”

Applejack shuddered as a thin stream of green floated off of her being and disappeared into Twilight’s mouth. “Feel better?” asked the farm pony.

The unicorn nodded. “Quite, thank you.”

“Not a problem,” Applejack declared before trotting over to the living area and sprawling out on the floor across from the couch. “So how goes the spell learnin? I bet it feels a lot like figuring out how to ride a bike all over again.”

Twilight sighed and flopped down from across her friend. “That's one way of putting it, though it feels a lot like going from a bicycle to a unicycle.”

“Oh, how so?” Applejack inquired, raising an eyebrow.

“Like the light spell for example.” Twilight lit her horn and cast a quick spell on her hoof, which now glowed a faint ethereal blue. “The end result is the same as the normal light spell, but it only works on living things and uses their life force as a power source.”

Applejack winced. “So it's like burning someone up but real slow?”

Twilight shook her head. “It only uses the amount of energy you would normally give off as excess and can't be altered to be used as an offensive spell. It could also work on anything that's alive like a plant or even fungus.”

“That does seem a bit bass-ackwards when compared to your normal spell slingin’,” Applejack remarked, scratching her head. “Or at least from what you’ve told me anyway.”

Twilight nodded. “That's exactly it. I’ve also replaced my telekinesis spell, but it's even weirder. Here, watch.”

Twilight extended a hoof towards the history book sitting on the other side of the table, her horn glowing faintly. Immediately a faint ethereal hoof scooped up the book and placed it in Twilight’s grasp before vanishing.

Applejack pushed her trademark stetson up and scratched her head. “Well, ain't that just the strangest lookin’ thing I’ve seen in awhile. Almost seems like you conjured a ghost or something, or at least part of one.”

“You are actually pretty close.” Twilight raised her foreleg. “That was actually part of my soul that I stretched and altered with a tiny aplication of life force in order to make it solid.”

“Huh.” Applejack shook her head. “Seems like yer figuring everything out at least. Learn anything big yet?”

Twilight shook her head. “I’ve been trying to learn how to resurrect someone, but it's difficult and finicky. I can only really do it if they died relatively cleanly and if I can get to them right after they expire.”

Applejack shivered. “No offence, cus, but would ya mind if we changed the subject? This whole raisin’ the dead thing gives me the heebie jeebies, even if I brought it up.”

Twilight nodded. “Sure, why don't you tell me a bit how it's been at the farm? I bet it's hard getting used to everything.”

A wide grin immediately spread across Applejack’s face. “Quite the opposite in fact. Now that were in sync with the forest, it feels like a member of the family, ya know? Like for example we always seem to know which tree is ready to be harvested, and the apples always land where we want ‘em to.”

“Huh, that is pretty convenient,” Twilight muttered.

“It can be a might bit creepy though,” Applejack warned. “Sometimes we’ll wake up and the dishes will be done, or a strange gust of wind will sweep the floors for us.”

“I wish the forest would clean my house for me,” Twilight remarked, grinning.

“Oh I ain't complainin’,” Applejack hastily replied. “It's just a little odd and will take some gettin’ used to.”

“Speaking of getting used to things, how is the family dealing with, well…” Twilight gestured to Applejack’s body vaguely.

The farm pony grinned even wider. “Oh, it's like day and night, Twilight. I feel better than I ever have, Granny is up and about for the first time in forever and Apple Bloom can't stop showing off around town.”

“And Big Macintosh?”

Applejack chuckled. “That guy can't stop talkin’, though I can't say I blame him. Going from monosyllabic to being able to say whatever you want whenever you want is quite the change.”

“True.”

The farm pony raised an eyebrow. “Say, I know this may seem a bit out of the blue, but are you sure you’re feelin’ alright? You look a little down.”

Twilight hastily shook her head. “I’m fine. I assure you. I probably just overdid it with the spells yesterday.”

That didn't seem to stymie Applejack’s worries one bit and the pony continued to study her friend closely. “Really now? ‘Cause it feels like you’re holdin’ back a hurt or somethin’.”

“Really. I’m fine,” Twilight stressed.

Applejack raised her forehooves. “Alright, alright. I ain't gonna push ya, but if ya wanna talk, I’ll be here.”

“Thank you, Applejack, but really, it's okay, I-” Twilight paused and turned to the door. “Rarity is here, one moment.”

“Go ahead, I’ll go put the kettle on,” Applejack declared, her knees creaking like a branch in the breeze.

Twilight nodded and made her way over to the door just in time to see Rarity fussing nervously with a hoof-held mirror and a comb. Her mane was perfectly coiffed as usual, but it seemed longer than before, as if the mare had finally let it grow out a little rather than continuing to cut it every two weeks like clockwork. She also had a silk scarf draped over her shoulders, and a small bag placed on her back.

The arachne’s mandibles clicked in irritation and Rarity hastily put away her comb. “Ah, good evening, darling. I should have known you would have seen me coming,” Rarity declared, smiling softly.

“I’ve been practicing, and it's hard to turn off, so to speak.” Twilight stepped aside and extended a hoof. “Come on in. Applejack is already here.”

“Of course she would be the first to arrive. She is my greatest admirer, after all,” Rarity replied with a wink as she scurried inside.

“I heard that, and I ain't!” shouted Applejack from the other room.

“She's got quite the sense of hearing, now doesn't she?” Rarity remarked as she placed her bulging overnight bag on an end table.

Twilight nodded and shut the door. “Just about every sense of hers seems to have received a boost.”

Rarity smirked as Applejack walked back into the room, a teapot and three cups balanced atop one hoof. “Though apparently not her sense of taste, considering she is still wearing that dreadful old hat of hers,” Rarity exclaimed, flashing Twilight a wink.

“I do so have good taste,” retorted Applejack as she placed the platter on the table. “This hat has got sentimental value, is all.”

“Oh, I know, darling. But it couldn't hurt to change it up every once in a while. Variety is the spice of life, you know,” Rarity asserted.

Applejack snorted. “I’ll think about it. Now what do y'all want?”

“Cinnamon please,” Twilight announced.

“Just mint for me,” Rarity added.

Applejack nodded and closed her eyes, a large, bud-covered branch reaching out from the tree atop her back. The limb contorted and shifted until two large bulbs began to grow outwards from the main bulk and stopped when they were about the size of golf balls. Shutting her eyes a little tighter, Applejack focused, pushing her magic into the bulbs and causing them to pulse once before turning brown. A second later and they opened to reveal a stick of cinnamon and an already dried mint leaf.

“There ya are,” Applejack declared with a smile. “Enjoy.”

“Are you sure this doesn't count as cannibalism?” remarked Rarity as she plucked the mint from Bloomberg’s branch and placed it in her tea.

Applejack snorted. “It ain't cannibalism, Rares. Besides, we’re two different species, so even if it was, it wouldn't be.”

Twilight chuckled. “That's not the most succinct manner of putting it, but you are right. Oh and thank you, by the way.”

“Don't mention it,” Applejack declared, a third bulb appearing along the branch, from which a tiny pink apple emerged. “Just lemme know how it tastes, I’ve been practicin’ a bunch recently.”

“Well, it sure smells nice,” Rarity exclaimed, breathing deeply. “The mint even dissolved perfectly.”

Twilight nodded, the unicorn watching as the stick of cinnamon broke apart in the water, turning it a light brown color. “You are getting quite skilled at that, you know.”

Applejack smirked. “I’m trying to master making more complicated stuff like flowers and whatnot, but it's easier to produce stuff I’ve ingested before.”

“Fascinating,” Twilight exclaimed. “I wonder if Bloomberg is somehow analyzing the contents of your stomach through magical means.”

“I wouldn't mind lettin’ ya do a couple tests.” Applejack smirked. “So long as you ain't about to cut me open or nothing.”

Twilight snorted and rolled her eyes. “You know I wouldn't do that.”

“I don't know, darling. Sometimes when you get into one of your moods, it sure seems like you might,” Rarity commented.

The unicorn groaned and angrily sipped her tea... as angrily as one can sip tea.

Applejack chuckled and gave her friend a firm pat on the back. “Aww, we’re just teasin’ you, cousin. Though I think we should change the subject.”

“Speaking of which, where is little Spikey Wikey today? He and Sweetie Belle aren't spending the day together for once,” Rarity remarked.

Instantly all of Twilight’s lingering irritation vanished and she smiled faintly. “He's hanging out with a few new friends he made after I encouraged him to join a gaming group that had just started up.”

“Oh yeah, Big Macintosh said something about that the other day, apparently he's going to the same place now that he can talk,” Applejack added, scratching her head. “I still don't know what they actually do, but he seemed quite excited to join in.”

“It's called roleplaying, darling, and no, not the kind you’re thinking about,” Rarity quipped, smirking at the already blushing Applejack.

“I wasn't thinkin’ anything dirty at all,” Applejack retorted irritably.

Twilight chuckled. “Either way, Spike has had a lot of fun there, and it's been nice to know that he's getting out more often and meeting new people.”

“Agreed,” declared Applejack with a smile of her own. “It's been great seeing Big Macintosh open up and gush about things he enjoys.” The farm pony chuckled. “Even if it's hard to get a word in edgewise these days.”

Twilight nodded. “Speaking of new friends, how has lessons with Trixie and her mother been, Rarity?”

The arachne blushed slightly and nearly choked on her tea. “I, uh, great. Perfect. Couldn't be better.”

“Oh, so things are coming along well then? You can make that iron silk stuff?” Applejack asked.

Rarity shook her head. “I’m afraid that is a little beyond me, but I did make this scarf and though it is not quite to the level of silk steel, it is durable.”

Twilight sat up a little straighter. “So it is called silk steel then?”

Rarity blushed again. “Yes. It seems as though I wasn't quite right with my previous assumption of its name, or even how it was made.”

Applejack shrugged. “That's understandable, seeing as how no one around even knows how to make the stuff anymore. Speaking of which, what all goes into producing silk steel anywho?”

“Lots of stuff. Your mood, your diet, your activity level, and that's before you’ve even begun to weave the stuff.” The arachne sighed, mandibles drooping. “After that it's a lot of instinct and patience.”

“Sounds difficult,” remarked Twilight.

Rarity nodded slowly. “It is unbelievably complicated, and yet you can't really practice. You can only keep trying and hope it works out.”

“I’m sure you’ll get it eventually, Rares, you ain't the type to just give up,” Applejack declared with a grin.

“Thank you, darling. I needed that,” Rarity replied softly, placing a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder.

“Sooo, how is working with Trixie going? She can be quite the handful during our study sessions,” Twilight remarked, sipping her tea.

“I wouldn't say that,” Rarity retorted, only to realize how tense she had gotten, forcing herself to relax. “She’s really not so bad once you get to know her.”

“You’re just sayin’ that ‘cause you and her both have a flair for the dramatic,” Applejack added with a smirk.

Rarity scoffed. “Yes well, all good creators have a certain je ne sais quoi about them.”

Twilight cocked her head. “But Applejack makes plenty of things, and she certainly doesn't have that same air of mystery. No offence, Applejack.”

The earth pony shrugged her bark-covered shoulders. “None taken. I’m pretty plain, and that's just how I like it.”

Rarity sighed. “Honestly, darling, sometimes you can be quite bone-headed. What I mean by creator is more of an artist, so to speak.”

“I suppose making dresses is kind of like an art form,” Twilight murmured.

“So I don't mean to change the subject all of a sudden, but where is everyone else? I thought for sure that Pinkie Pie would be here by now,” Applejack interjected.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “Pinkie Pie had to attend some sort of special ritual that just came up, and the other two are supposed to be here after their date.”

Applejack snorted. “Good luck with that.”

Twilight blinked. “What do you mean?”

“I think what Applejack means to say is that I wouldn't expect them to show up,” Rarity said. “Those two do have a habit of getting lost in their own little world.”

“Fluttershy did mention that there was a chance they may not make it.” Twilight sighed, shoulders slumping. “Sorry girls, I guess this sleepover thing won't work out after all.”

“Aww shucks, cousin. I don't mind if it's just the three of us,” Applejack exclaimed, giving Twilight a firm pat on the back. “We haven't hung out like this much anyhow.”

“I don't think it's ever just been us before,” Rarity added. “I admit I am rather excited by the change of pace. No offence to Pinkie Pie or Rainbow Dash, but being in their company tends to elevate the excitement a bit, and I would like to get at least some sleep today.”

“So you really don't mind?” Twilight asked.

Applejack chuckled. “How could I say no to a face like that? Besides, I ain't never been to one of these things before anyway, so a smaller crowd ain't a bad thing in my book.”

Twilight’s ears perked up. “Wait, you haven't either? I was hoping you would know what to do as there weren’t any books on the subject.”

Rarity smiled and patted her friend’s leg. “Don't worry about a thing, darling. We’ll spend the evening talking about whomever we are pining over, getting makeovers, and maybe telling scary stories later if we’re feeling up to it.”

“That does sound like fun. Oh, and I bought plenty of snacks,” Twilight exclaimed, standing up. “Should I bring them out now?”

Applejack patted her stomach. “Nah, I’m still full on supper. I’d break those out a little later though.”

“So, what do we do first then?” Twilight asked.

“Well, I have been enjoying just catching up with you two, so I say we put on another pot and continue chatting,” Rarity offered. “Provided that's alright with you two.”

“Sure thing,” exclaimed Applejack.

Twilight shrugged. “I don't see why not. I think I will skip the tea though. I can't really taste it anyway.”

“Is that why you seem so down today?” Rarity leaned forward and touched the other mare’s shoulder. “Not like you look bad or anything, it just feels like something is bothering you.”

“It's nothing,” Twilight hastily declared, brushing the other being’s hoof from her shoulder. “Just didn't get too much sleep last night and used a bunch more magic than I probably should.”

“Why don't we break out some cider? I think that would be nice right about now,” Applejack interrupted, standing up from her spot on the floor.

Rarity nodded slowly. “I think that would be an excellent change of pace.”

Twilight relaxed slightly, only now realizing how tense she had suddenly gotten. “Yeah. That might be nice,” she muttered under her breath.

“You didn't,” gaped Rarity, her glass held mid-sip.

Applejack snorted. “I’m not sure why this is a big deal for you. He was being rude, so I told him to shove it, it ain't like he didn't deserve it.”

Twilight shared a glance with Rarity, the two mares both stifling laughter. “Applejack, I don't think he was hitting on you.”

“Err, what do you mean?” Applejack muttered, scratching her head. “Why would he say all that stuff then?”

“He wasn't hitting on you, he was talking about Bloomberg,” Rarity exclaimed, bursting out into a fit of giggles a second later.

“I don't get it,” Applejack deadpanned.

“Really? All of those wood puns and the wood cutting cutie mark wasn't enough of a hint?” Twilight exclaimed.

Applejack opened her mouth, closed it, raised a hoof, and then furrowed her brows. “Oh, now that makes sense. No wonder he kept talkin’ about his axe all funny like.”

Rarity shook her head. “Sometimes I’m not sure which one of you is more oblivious.”

The farm pony snorted. “Well, what about you, Twi? Have you had any interactions with the opposite sex?”

“Or the same sex,” Rarity added hastily.

Twilight’s shoulders slumped and she gazed off into the distance, shaking her head. “No. I’ve had… other things on my mind. Especially considering my condition.” She sighed. “But I don't want to turn this into a pity party, so let’s just move on, please.”

Rarity frowned. “Are you sure, darling? Because if you want to talk-”

“I’m sure,” interrupted Twilight firmly.

“Well, alright,” Applejack perked up suddenly. “Why don't we play some cards? Granny Smith taught me this great game the other day.”

“Sure,” muttered Twilight, “that sounds like fun.”

“Aaand voila!” Rarity declared, dramatically revealing a full length mirror that showed two very different mares staring back at them from within the glass.

Applejack gaped silently at her much longer and now braided orange mane. “Wow, it’s so real,” she muttered in disbelief.

“This is quite impressive,” remarked Twilight as she stared at her own longer mane which had been done up in the back and was held in place by a non-existent silver tiara.

“Yes, well. I learned a thing or two from our mutual time-displaced friend,” Rarity declared with a smile. “It turns out that even my puny horn can cast a mid-tier illusion spell.”

“Ya know, I kind of like it,” remarked Applejack as she turned her head from side to side, watching as the long braid swung back and forth as if it were real. “Kinda makes me wanna grow it out.”

“Yeah,” muttered Twilight as she looked at her longer mane. “I would too, provided I could, that is.”

“Oh, I just assumed…” Rarity coughed awkwardly and scuttled closer. “Well, don't worry, darling. You can come to me day or night, and I’ll cast it again for you.”

“Maybe you could enchant some sort of fancy crowny thing to make it permanent,” Applejack added.

“It's fine, girls.” Twilight’s horn glowed and she dispelled the illusion. “I like my mane how it is.”

Rarity sighed. “I’m sorry, darling. Would it help if you could touch it? Trixie says that there are some illusions that can provide the more tactile feel you are looking for.”

“That would be nice, but seriously, I’m fine. Why don't we have some of that wine Rarity talked about earlier? I’ll go get it,” Twilight replied, already trotting towards the kitchen.

“I suppose that doesn't sound too bad…” Applejack murmured, sharing a glance with Rarity as soon as the unicorn was out of the room. “So we gonna get her talk, or is this just gonna keep getting more and more awkward?”

Rarity pursed her lips as she stared at the kitchen door. “Leave it to me, darling. I have just the thing in mind.”

Rarity sighed as she set down her glass of wine, her cheeks having gained a slight rosy tint to them over the last few minutes. “This is just what I needed,” she declared.

Applejack nodded, swirling the glass of hard apple cider in her hoof. “Yeah, it really feels good to just sit and chat in a closer setting like this.”

Twilight pursed her lips and nodded, staring down at her untouched glass of life force-infused wine. “I suppose it is a pleasant change of pace.”

“Speaking of which, I was wondering if you would come with me when I visit my parents next week or so. Their graves are a good distance from town, and I wouldn't feel safe going alone,” Rarity asked suddenly, turning to Applejack.

Who nodded quickly. “Of course, Rares. I’d ask for the same in return, if you wouldn't mind. I know my parents aren't too far from town, but whoever sent that poor thing after us is still out there, and I’d feel better with someone watching my back.”

Rarity smiled faintly. “Absolutely. Say, Twilight, I know this may be rather sudden, but have you ever considered having a service for your mother?”

Twilight blinked in shock, pausing mid-sip. “N-no. I haven't.”

“You should give it some thought then. I’m sure there's some space still left up on the family plot,” Applejack offered.

Twilight shook her head. “I’m afraid that only after her killer has been dealt with can she rest.”

“Look, darling. I know this may sound rather rude, but would your mother be okay with you making that decision for her?” Rarity gently asked.

“Yes, she would.” Twilight declared only to wince. “I mean. Maybe?”

“We don't know your mom, but we do know what you’re going through. Just give it some thought, okay?” Applejack exclaimed.

Twilight opened her mouth to offer some manner of retort, only to realize just how true her friend’s words were. Both the earth pony and arachne had lost not just one parent but both of them, and right in front of them no less. Yet even Rarity who had someone concrete to blame for their death had not postponed putting her parents to rest.

The unicorn wilted slightly, the bit of indignation and anger she had felt welling inside of herself slowly getting snuffed out. In the face of what her friends had suffered, Twilight felt almost a little selfish for feeling the way she did. The pony wondered if she even had the authority to put off such a thing in the first place, as there was a chance her father was still alive.

Despite his faults, Twilight wasn't sure if she could even bring herself to bury her mother knowing full well that the stallion she loved didn't consent to such a thing. That thought felt hollow however, as Twilight knew that in the end, Velvet would not wish to be buried somewhere that was ruled by the pony who had killed her. But Twilight couldn't be sure of even that, as they had never had such a heavy discussion before her untimely demise.

“But there is no body to bury, what's the point?” Twilight muttered weakly.

“The body may be gone, but the spirit continues on,” Applejack whispered, a gentle smile spreading across her face. “You should know this better than most.”

“A funeral is only partially for the benefit of the deceased, as it also helps those they leave behind,” Rarity added.

“I…” Twilight sniffed, looking down at the floor. “I never thought of it like that.”

“I know you want revenge and to find out what happened to the rest of your family, but that may take quite a while,” Rarity began. “Revenge can't keep you going for that long, trust me.”

Twilight looked up at her friend and stared into those kind and patient blue orbs. “I suppose so, but Shining Armor and Night Light are probably still out there. Surely they should be here for such a thing.”

“I got this one,” declared Applejack solemnly, leaning forward. “After my parents passed, we had two funerals, one for just us kids and one for the rest of the Apple family. Granny Smith chose to do this because she wanted to give us the chance to mourn her in private while the rest of them traveled here from all over the forest.”

“I suppose, but how does that work anyway?” Twilight offered.

“Simple. You just do it again, only the second time obviously you don't bury ‘em again,” Applejack exclaimed. “We just left a small pile of dirt that wasn't filled in from the first time and then when the family came down they each had a chance to add a bit.”

“That does sound… nice,” Twilight admitted.

“And I’m sure that after you find your family and explain everything, they would understand,” Rarity exclaimed, touching Twilight’s shoulder briefly.

The unicorn nodded slowly. “I never even thought about doing that. I’ve just been so caught up in all this planning, and just surviving that I… Oh, what a fool I’ve been.”

“Shhh. I am sure your mother would understand,” Rarity whispered gently.

“Yeah, and we ain't saying that's what you need to do or anything. It's just, ya know, an option,” Applejack added.

“Exactly. If you feel that waiting is best, no one would judge you harshly for that,” Rarity stated firmly.

“N-no, this is what she would have wanted, and what I think I need,” Twilight muttered half to herself.

“Are ya sure? ‘Cause I know it might have sounded like we were trying to convince you to go this way, but it really was just an offer,” Applejack pointed out.

Twilight shook her head. “After we laid the old Twilight to rest, I considered doing something like this, but I got so angry that I couldn't even think straight. After I helped you both, I’ve gained a bit of perspective, and I feel like this is what she would want me to do.”

“A little anger is understandable,” Rarity offered.

“But what I felt wasn't anger, it was rage pure and simple.” Twilight stared down at her forehooves with a look of shame. “Even if I know that Sunset Shimmer wasn't truly at fault for what she did, I can't help but hate her, and that hate blinded me.”

“It's not easy to push down those emotions, they ain't much fun to deal with,” Applejack exclaimed, chuckling slightly. “I did the same thing for years, so don't beat yourself up too much.”

Twilight smiled faintly. “Thank you, girls. Maybe after the play in the park is over, we can plan something nice.”

“So long as you aren't putting it off for good,” warned Rarity.

Twilight shook her head. “Something tells me that would be the best time to have it.”

“Oh? Got a gut feeling about it?” Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, something like that,” Twilight shrugged. “I can't quite explain it.”

“You don't have to, darling. Sometimes we must go with that feeling, even if it doesn't make sense,” Rarity explained.

Twilight’s smile slowly grew. “Thank you, girls. I don't think I would have really considered doing something about these feelings unless you two had brought it up.”

“And don't think I haven't noticed the way you resent what you’ve become,” Rarity warned, waggling a hoof at the other mare. “We will deal with that in time, but only when you’re ready.”

“Heh, thanks.” Twilight smirked. “Though I think I’ve more or less come to grips with that to be honest. It's just annoying at this point. Maybe after I’ve had more time to decompress, I’ll figure out a way around some of the more irritating limitations of my current predicament.”

“Atta girl,” Applejack exclaimed, patting Twilight on the back. “It's all just a puzzle. One I’m sure you’ll figure out in due time.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “You should be lucky I am not technically alive, because I’m pretty sure you would have knocked the wind out of me otherwise.”

Applejack chuckled. “You may be as thin as a toothpick, but you’re tough. I’m sure you woulda been alright.”

“I wouldn't count on that. You wouldn't want to knock something loose, now would you?” Rarity retorted.

“Bah, she's fine,” Applejack declared.

Twilight winced and rubbed the back of her neck. “Sorry I’ve been such a downer, by the way. I guess this hasn't been the best sleepover ever.”

“Well, technically speakin’, it's been the best and worst one I’ve ever been to,” Applejack remarked.

Rarity sighed and ran a hoof down her face. “Could you at least try to have a little tact for once?”

“Nah, the last time I had one of those, I forgot it on Granny Smith’s rocking chair and nearly got grounded because of it,” Applejack replied.

Rarity groaned even louder, burying her head in her hooves. “Moon above, give me strength.”

Twilight giggled and subtly wiped a stray tear from her face. “You know, we still do have some time left. We could still salvage this sleepover.”

“And I know just how to do it,” Applejack declared, reaching into her bag and pulling out an unlabeled pitch black bottle. “With this.”

“What is that?” Twilight asked, cocking her head.

“Don't tell me that's what I think it is,” Rarity muttered with a hint of fear.

“Eeyup. It's Granny’s black label reserve.” Applejack winked. “I buried it out in the orchard in order to keep it for myself.”

“Is that alcohol?” Twilight asked. “‘Cause that probably won’t do anything to me, all things considered.”

“That isn't alcohol, it's paint thinner, and it doesn't even have a label on it anyway,” Rarity retorted, crossing her hooves over her chest.

“It's just a name, Rarity, it ain't meant to be literal,” Applejack declared.

“Is it actually paint thinner though?” Twilight asked, eying the tall bottle curiously.

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Do you really think I’d try and poison you, girls?”

“No.”

“Yes.”

Applejack frowned and shot Rarity a glare. “Really?”

The arachne sighed slowly. “Okay so maybe it isn't poison, but I’m only having a single cup of that nasty stuff, and after this I get to choose what we do.”

“Perfect, and I got just the drinking game to go with it.” Applejack pulled a package of cards out of seemingly nowhere and began to shuffle them.

“Oh? I’ve never played a drinking game before, or had more than a single cup of wine to be honest,” Twilight remarked as she leaned in.

Rarity paused and glanced nervously at her undead friend. “Are you sure this is a good idea? I know most alcohol doesn't affect you, but I’ve seen this stuff take down a grown minotaur before.”

“I’m sure it will be fine?” Twilight asked hesitantly. “Right?”

Author's Note

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Return To Castle Canterlot

Alright, Twilight, calm down. Your past self wouldn't have left it like this if it was dangerous, Twilight reasoned. Right?

The unicorn stood stock still as she stared at the unmoving dragon head which jutted from the wall. Her breath was short, and her heart beat quickly in her chest, despite her status as only half alive. Her gaze was immediately drawn to the dragon’s unique features and its much more angular overall appearance.

It was the look of an apex predator, one that was more than capable of swallowing Twilight whole if it desired to. Compared to the dragons she knew from her own time, this one was far more intimidating. In comparison to the great beast before her, the ones she knew were like a foal’s interpretation.

As time ticked by, Twilight slowly came to realize that the partially imprisoned creature wasn't about to eat her anytime soon. Despite just how alive it looked, the beast did not move an inch, nor did it seem to breathe, no matter how long Twilight watched it. It was a perplexing juxtaposition, given how fresh the creature looked, and Twilight couldn't help but grow curious.

She remembered that this version of herself had apparently put the dragons ‘to sleep’, but she had assumed that was merely a metaphor. A nice way to put ‘committed genocide’ and was not literal in any way. Yet did she really know if it was indeed alive? It could have simply been incredibly well-preserved, after all.

Summoning her magic, Twilight focused on her eyes, infusing them with necromantic energy. When her lids lifted, and she gazed upon the dragon again, Twilight saw a ghostly outline overlapping the seemingly dead creature. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that the spectre was indeed the creature’s soul which slept as well.

Twilight had never heard of a soul sleeping before, and yet here it was, slumbering within its own mortal shell, remaining motionless as Twilight observed it. It was identical to the body, save for the faint wisps of greenish black which rose from its slumbering form.

Reaching forward, Twilight prodded the creature’s snout with a hoof, ignoring the much brighter appearance of her own two-toned spirit. Still the dragon removed impassive, merely lying there as Twilight poked it a few more times, just for good measure. Once the unicorn was absolutely certain that it wasn't about to wake up, she breathed a sigh of relief.

With danger no longer a concern, Twilight was left with many questions and few leads.

Why was it here? What was so special about this dragon in particular? What was her past self’s interest in this creature?

She didn't know the answer to any of those quandaries, and, with no hints left for her at the bottom of the hole, she turned around. A part of her wanted to stay and experiment on the dragon in order to find out an explanation to all her questions. Though without absolute assurance that the creature wouldn't wake up, she didn't want to take a chance on it.

Not while she still had notes to search through and ponies to question at least. Maybe after all those avenues were explored, she would return to test the dragon herself, but that wouldn't be anytime soon. After all, this version of herself was far weaker and was without strong, reliable allies.

Or at least ones Twilight was comfortable with calling upon anyway.

So after giving the dragon one last look over, Twilight mounted the rope ladder and ascended once more. As she did so, she continuously glanced over her shoulder and down to the reptile’s massive head. No matter how many times she looked, it never moved, yet despite that Twilight still couldn't seem to relax.

Not until she stood upon the edge of the hole, with all four of her hooves on solid ground once more. Only then did she breathe a little easier, though she couldn't help but imagine the great black dragon staring up at her. Shaking off the lingering feelings of dread and disquiet which tormented her, Twilight trotted over to the bookshelf.

On her way over, Twilight absently flicked through the various tomes which sat open on the tables. Each one seemed to be about some recent discovery that from Twilight’s perspective was so ancient as to be common knowledge. Either that, or had been disproven so long ago that she had never even heard about it before.

A better, more efficient way to drain the body of blood in order to balance the humors? Twilight thought, her nose crinkling in disgust. Did the dragons believe such nonsense, or did they merely hide such advanced medical knowledge from their slaves?

Twilight quickly located a scrap piece of paper and wrote a quick explanation that the body’s humors weren’t real in the way these people thought they were. She wanted to go into depth with her explanation, but resisted, as she had more important things to do. Though that didn't stop her from pausing when she noticed several notes referencing something she had never heard of.

What the heck is trepanation? Twilight thought before shaking her head. As Rainbow Dash would say, we have bigger fish to fry.

Striding past the table and making her way over to the shelf, Twilight immediately noticed a problem. Namely that it didn't seem to have any kind of organizational system to it. Stacks of loosely bound papers sat squished between more professionally bound hardcover tomes.

Starting from the top left, Twilight pulled open the first book she saw and found that the title proudly proclaimed that it was the last self-help tome one would ever need. Flipping through it revealed that it was indeed just that, a book designed to boost one’s confidence. It was also penned by someone with a very draconic sounding name.

Picking through more of the many tomes, Twilight found that the first few were quite random, with one of them talking about how best to raise reptiles as pets while another described the best way to make a rare desert flower bloom. Hundreds of pages were filled with inane ramblings Twilight quickly skimmed past before placing it back on the shelf.

Were these just some of the few books they were able to save? Twilight thought. Perhaps this version of myself had hoped to find some secret within those pages. Or perhaps she had simply not sorted them yet.

Either way, Twilight quickly moved past them and onto the more pertinent tomes.

One after another, Twilight worked her way through the various books that covered one wall of the laboratory. Thankfully after the first bunch, she found that they were organized, though they were grouped by subject. It wasn't the worst organization method ever, but it still took a while to study them with any degree of accuracy.

It took nearly an hour to read them, but once done, Twilight had found what she was looking for. Three books and two bound sets of notes about resurrection as well as a single, much slimmer journal were laid out before her. Though the books on necromancy were interesting, as one was likely written by a dragon, Twilight turned her attention to the diary.

Experimentation log number thirty-one. Project Designation, Dream Eater.

“Well that's… dark,” Twilight muttered.

Stated Goal. The infiltration and domination of Nerimar the Foul-blooded.

Reason. The extraction of knowledge pertaining to the dragon language.

Secondary Objective. Revenge for killing Cadance.

“That's even darker,” Twilight whispered to herself. “Though I can definitely understand her motivations, considering how close they were.”

Twilight paused and scratched her chin. “How would she get revenge though?”

Flipping through the tome, Twilight quickly began to notice that this other version of herself had made poor progress. At least in the first few weeks, after that things began to accelerate rapidly. Her tests into dream infiltration and domination went from the work of a complete novice to a seasoned adept overnight.

It was a startling turn of events, one that was quickly explained by a rather revealing trio of paragraphs.

Luna’s assistance has proven to be integral to this project. I admit my amateurish attempts to reverse-engineer her spells based solely on second hoof accounts was a poor place to start. Though it was the only place I could have truly begun my research, or so I had thought. For the judgement and condemnation I expected to find never came up.

Rather Luna has thrown herself into tutoring me whenever she has a spare moment. Her time is still largely occupied by the construction of this yet to be named castle built astride the Canterhorn. This leaves us with little option but to meet in the wee hours of the night, or in our dreams, though that is a suboptimal solution.

Practicing magic inside a dream is impossible, thus we reserve that time for discussing theory. During these past few weeks I have learned a considerable number of things. Most pertinent of which is that my stunted magic is not enough to bypass the dragon’s natural defences, leaving me with little option but to speculate, plan, and hope that eventually I manage to surpass this barrier.

True to her words, the rest of the pages contained a detailed explanation of the steps her past self planned to take if she managed to grow in power. Steps that Twilight knew she could take herself, if she remembered it upon returning to the present, where she had magic to spare. Once there, the unicorn could easily extract the information she needed, after she got some practice with the spells, that is.

Putting down the book, Twilight considered testing them here and now, only to brush that thought aside. She needed every scrap of magic she could muster, and not only that, but she had little time to spare for experimentation.

Does this mean I can cross off one of my goals? Twilight thought to herself. I can technically learn the dragon language this way. Provided this dragon still exists in my time period.

Though it left her feeling uneasy, Twilight was forced to admit that this was probably the best solution she was likely to get. After all, the only person in her time period that would know the language was Celestia, and it wasn't like Twilight was going to ask her.

Wait. Do I need to learn the language if this Twilight knows how to raise an alicorn already? Twilight thought. I needed the tablet to bring back Luna, but if I learn how to bring back Cadance in this time period, then will I…

Twilight shook her head vigorously. I hate time travel.

Putting that thought out of her mind for now, she instead chose to review this Twilight’s notes. For there was a possibility that Twilight’s assumptions on raising an alicorn were wrong, and she would need to learn something new. After all, her own plan to bring back Luna was to use an overcharged raise dead spell, which worked in theory.

It wasn't like she had any alicorns to run tests on, however, and just thinking about it made Twilight second guess her entire plan.

After giving her head one last shake, Twilight set herself to work on reviewing the tomes left for her. Before she could do so, the unicorn acquired a few candles from a nearby desk, noting how bad the strain on her eyes had gotten. With that done, she pulled up a chair from the other side of the room and got as comfortable as she could manage.

A difficult task, given she knew what lay at the bottom of a hole several metres away.

“Alright, let's get some studying done,” Twilight muttered to herself.

Twilight let her face fall against the table, a groan escaping her lips. “I am an idiot,” she muttered into the wood.

It had not, in fact, been as easy as she had assumed it would have been. The thaumatic density of an alicorn soul was such that any normal spell designed to raise the dead would only bring back a piece of the target. Like a pony carrying an elephant, the task was simply impossible, no matter how strong the pony in question was.

The metaphor wasn't exactly elegant, but then again, Twilight had been studying for nine uninterrupted hours, and it was the first thing to spring to mind. It was also remarkably apt, given that it wasn't as easy as just getting more ponies, a whole underlying structure needed to be built. A structure that was incredibly complex and required the knowledge of several draconic words, including the one for soul.

It was also completely tailored to Cadance and Cadance alone. This meant that she would need to study the underlying mechanisms and create a unique version of the same spell for Luna. Something she simply didn't have the time to do, even if she spent a month studying.

Worse yet, her past self didn't know the necessary words, as such knowledge would only be given on the day of the ritual. Such information was apparently only known by Luna, adding an extra layer of difficulty to the entire prospect. Celestia in this time was blinded by infatuation, but Luna had no such blinders on.

“Why does everything have to be so damn difficult?” Twilight muttered bitterly.

With a sigh, she lifted her face off the table and grabbed the bundle of notes she had taken. The stack of detailed instructions was quickly bound with simple twine and secured with a hastily tied knot. Locating a set of saddlebags didn't take long, and after securing the precious package, Twilight glanced towards the exit.

“I wonder how long I’ve been down here?” Twilight murmured.

Twilight looked around, trying to locate a clock or something which would have marked the passage of time. After finding nothing, the pony frowned and began to trot towards the stairs, only to stop. She turned and glanced back to the hole on the other side of the room, imagining the strange dragon that lay at the very bottom.

She wondered if it would survive until her time, and if it would still be in the same spot in the future. If so, it meant that she could infiltrate his dreams and potentially extract the information she couldn't gather in this time period. That was if she managed to keep that information after hopping forward in time.

“A thought for another time,” Twilight remarked to herself.

Turning back towards the exit, she made her way back up to the top floor, stopping briefly at the small apartment level. There she saw Flitterhooves, sweeping the floor with a rather rugged-looking straw broom. Her hair was placed in a bun, and a soft, somber tune spilled from her lips.

“Good morning, I think,” Twilight greeted.

“Eek!” screeched the mare, who raised her cleaning tool like a sword. “Oh, thank goodness, it's just you. I thought for sure that thing had snuck up on me.”

“Trust me, it isn't a problem, and if it was, there would be no way for it to sneak up on you,” Twilight stated.

“I know that, but for some reason I keep dreaming about it slithering up the stairs during the night,” the mare shuddered.

“Why don't you ask someone to install a door down here? Perhaps that would help your peace of mind,” Twilight offered.

“Are you sure?” questioned Flitterhooves. “Last time I mentioned it, you told me to suck it up.”

Twilight blinked, a little shocked that this past version of herself had been so rude. “I had a change of heart.”

“Well, that's nice. Have you given any thought to my request of being able to visit the topside more often?” Flitterhooves inquired, holding her broom tight against her chest.

Twilight’s brow furrowed. “Of course. We aren't in war time anymore.”

“Oh, thank you, Director Sparkle!” Flitterhooves exclaimed, tossing aside her broom and throwing her forelegs around Twilight’s shoulders. “I’ve been visiting at night like you told me to and making sure no one sees me coming down here, but it's hard.”

“Well, there's no need for that anymore,” Twilight replied, patting the mare on the back. “Just so long as you maintain proper security for the premises.”

The pegasus hastily backed up and gave Twilight a quick salute. “Yes, ma’am.”

Twilight cleared her throat. “Carry on, then.”

“I will, Miss Director. Thank you again!” Flitterhooves proclaimed, eagerly resuming her sweeping while humming a much more upbeat tune.

As she trotted past the mare, Twilight couldn't help but wonder if this other version of herself was more jaded than she realized. Forcing her assistant to stay locked away for the majority of the day was a bit overkill, especially given that the danger had largely passed. Did she know of some other looming threat that necessitated such security, or was she simply paranoid?

The latter certainly seemed the most likely answer, especially considering just how many back up plans she had created in case conflict broke out. Not like it excused her actions, as the poor mare hadn't been allowed to feel the sun on her face for who knows how long. Twilight ignored the concerns she had for this version of herself and left the moral quandaries behind as she made her way back outside.

After emerging out into the foyer, she realized that it was indeed morning already as thin slats of warm light slipped through the windows. The guards remained in their places, though they seemed tired and ready to switch off with their counterparts. The early hour also meant that only a select few of the castle’s inhabitants were awake.

Ignoring the looks she got from both the guards and the general populace, Twilight made her way to the exit. As she did so, she couldn't help but wonder where this caravan would be gathering. Her question was answered almost immediately when she found that a large group of carts and an equally large group of beings were waiting for her.

Guards and laborers alike loaded the wooden wagons with supplies of all kinds, most of which were great bushels of wheat. Soldiers stood sentinel at the nearby gate, eying the road beyond while also occasionally observing the slowly assembling caravan. Nine carts stood in a row, the first and last of which had a white cloth covering it in addition to being fortified with magical runes.

In the midst of it all stood a tall, slim earth pony mare with short-cropped black hair and dull grey fur. Her surprisingly melodious voice carried well, even across the vast expanse between the wall and keep. Twilight couldn't make out any details from this range, but it was obvious that the grey mare was the one in charge.

As the unicorn crossed the long expanse, her assumption was proved true when the mare in question ordered a guard to assist her in loading more supplies. Clearly the earth pony had some kind of authority, and Twilight slowly made her way over to the other mare.

“Stone Shod, get those tools up to the front. I want them to be watched the entire way there!” demanded the mare, who jabbed a hoof at a stallion twice her size. “We can't lose so much as a trowel, got it?”

“Yes, ma’am!” shouted the other pony.

“Good, now then-” The mare paused and turned towards an approaching Twilight. “Ahh, Director Sparkle. What a pleasant surprise.”

Twilight nodded, carefully schooling her features so they appeared neutral. “Good morning. I assume you are in charge.”

“You would assume correctly,” replied the mare who ducked into a brief curtsy more fitting for someone attending a fancy dress party than standing on the side of a dusty road. “As you may already know, my name is Wind River, and I am leading this little supply run.”

“Excellent,” Twilight remarked. “May I secure passage to Ponyville by chance?”

“Ponyville? I’ve never heard of that town before. Where is it?” questioned the other mare.

Twilight cursed under her breath for the slip of a tongue. “Oh, uh, the research village. It's one of the names they’ve been considering, now that it's a permanent settlement.”

Wind River nodded slowly. “We go relatively close to there. Would Paddington be acceptable?”

“That's about an hour’s walk away, correct?” Twilight inquired.

“Indeed it is. I would go a little closer, but our schedule is very tight,” replied the mare.

“That's fine,” Twilight replied. “When will you be leaving?”

“Early afternoon,” answered Wind River. “You're welcome to relax in the guard tower or find something to eat before then. I’ll have someone come find you when we are ready.”

“No need,” Twilight interrupted. “I will assist you.”

The mare blinked. “Are you sure?”

Twilight nodded. “I wish to get some practice and this would be an excellent way to do so.”

“Well, if you say so,” murmured the pony and waved a hoof, beckoning a slim, one-armed female minotaur over. “The director here is gonna help you guys load. Could you show her what needs doing?”

The minotaur raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure about this, boss? Other than the crops, it's all heavy stuff like masonry and whatnot.”

“I can handle it. Just let me know what goes where,” Twilight stated, a little gruffer than intended.

The minotaur shrugged. “Sure. Why don't you help with the wheat? Sunny Stalks is a little under the weather, so you can help pick up the slack there.”

“Excellent, lead the way,” Twilight proclaimed.

The minotaur and caravan leader shared a confused look before the minotaur trotted away. “Alright, so we just gotta-”

“So you were a singer then?” Twilight inquired, noting the treble clef on the earth pony’s flanks. “How does that carry over to your current job?”

The grey pony chuckled and swiped a stray strand of mane from her face. “First of all, I was a virtuoso. I can dance, sing, compose, as well as play the piano, harp, and lyre.”

“Huh,” Twilight murmured.

The caravan they rode upon bounced over a rather large bump, causing the two mares to briefly lurch out of their simple wooden seats. The other passengers of the covered wagon continued their private conversations. All save for the driver who sat patiently on the front seat, a crossbow lying across his lap, loaded and ready.

“And secondly you would be surprised how many of my skills are applicable here,” Wind River stated. “To sing, you must be aware of yourself. To dance, you must be aware of others. To compose, you must know the skills of others, and to play, you must know your own skill.”

“That makes sense,” Twilight remarked, wiping the sweat from her brow.

“I am gussying it up a bit, but suffice it to say that the transition was not a difficult one,” exclaimed the other pony.

“Do you miss all that other stuff?” Twilight inquired.

The mare snorted bitterly. “Not in the slightest. I always danced at the whim of my master or sang upon his request. Perhaps when the memories of the lash have faded, I will ascend the stage once more. Until then my creative side shall rest idle.”

Twilight winced. “I apologize for bringing it up.”

“I’m surprised but glad you did. That must mean you have begun to move on from your own rather traumatic experiences. Or am I assuming too much?” Wind River pressed.

Twilight’s shoulders fell. “I, uh…”

“We got a couple of ditch divers,” announced the gruff tone of the elderly driver. “Three of ‘em, to be exact.”

Twilight immediately leaned forward, peering out through the front. “Where are they?”

“Over there,” indicated the stallion, pointing to the right.

Sure enough, three shapes had fled halfway across a field before ducking into a dry riverbed. Though distant at this point, the mid-afternoon sun made them easy to spot. Twilight recognized the two dirt-colored earth ponies and their pegasus companion immediately.

“Can you stop the caravan for a few minutes?” Twilight asked, turning to Wind River.

“You did help us enough that we’re ahead of schedule…” The other mare shrugged. “I don't see why not. So long as you don't take more than a half hour.”

“Thank you, Wind. It won't take long,” Twilight proclaimed.

“I sure hope it doesn't. You don't have to answer to Luna if it does,” Wind River exclaimed.

Twilight chuckled. “Oh, I’d hear about it alright.”

Wind River cleared her throat and let out a sharp whistle audible to everyone in the caravan train. Within seconds the ponies hooked to the wagons began to slow their pace and a minute later they had reached a full stop. The instant this happened Twilight leapt out of the wagon and began to trot over towards the ditch, ignoring the curious looks she got.

With only empty plains and small fields surrounding her, it was easy for Twilight to pick out the three huddled forms of the former thugs. Though Dot hid herself well, her two lackeys weren't quite so adept at stealth and could be easily seen.

As Twilight walked across the field, she couldn't help but wonder what they were doing out here.

“Dot, Hack, Slash. Is that you?” Twilight called.

“Dammit, she found us, boys,” muttered Dot who awkwardly rose from the ditch with her forehooves raised. “We aren't armed.”

“I don't intend on fighting you,” Twilight replied, watching as the two earth pony stallions stood up next to their leader. “I’m just wondering what you were doing out here.”

The trio exchanged a nervous glance, a silent conversation passing between them in the form of several pointed looks. A few shrugs as well as a sigh later, Dot stepped forward, lowering her hooves.

“We were heading back to the boss’ place,” she offered.

Twilight sighed. “Look. With the war over, it won't be long before an army is raised and your bandit buddies are put to the sword. Do you really want to be there when Luna and Celestia show up?”

“Who?” asked Slash.

“Máni and Sól, remember?” replied the other twin.

“Oh, right,” murmured the first stallion.

“How do you know all this?” Dot pressed.

“I’m very close with the princesses,” Twilight declared.

Dot frowned. “The boss says that they are too tired to fight, and that we got a good few years to work before the law shows up.”

Twilight snorted. “You have a few weeks at best.”

“Maybe we should go back and warn her then?” offered Hack.

“Or you could come with me and get out before your heads end up on pikes,” Twilight offered.

Dot winced and rubbed her neck. “I do rather enjoy having all my body parts attached.”

“So?” Twilight pressed, extending a hoof over the lip of the ditch. “Are you coming with us?”

The pegasus seemed hesitant, glancing back to her confused and equally nervous underlings. After a moment of consideration, she let out a long sigh and took the offered limb.

“Fine, but you have to promise not to do that thing with those weird magic hoof thingies,” Dot declared.

“I promise,” Twilight exclaimed, wincing slightly. “And I apologize for doing so before.”

Dot sighed as she was hefted over the side. “It's fine. We deserved it, and it's not like you knew.”

“So, does this mean we don't have to rob ponies anymore?” Hack inquired as he scrambled up onto the field.

“Unless this longhorn is thinking of starting a gang. I don't think so,” added Slash.

Dot glanced expectantly up at Twilight, a glimmer of hope in her eye.

Twilight sighed and ran a hoof down her face. “No. I was not thinking of starting a bandit gang.”

“Daw…”

The unicorn rolled her eyes. “Come on. Let's see if I can't get you three something to eat. You look famished.”

“We have our pride, you know. We can't just accept handouts,” Dot growled.

“Speak for yourself,” interrupted Hack, who gripped his stomach with a hoof. “If I don't eat something soon, I’m going to pass out.”

“I am rather hungry,” muttered Slash.

Dot raised a hoof and was about to offer another retort, only for her stomach to rumble loudly. “Maybe a light snack would be nice right about now,” she reluctantly admitted.

“Hang back here for a moment while I clear things with Wind River,” Twilight stated, only to be stopped when Dot unexpectedly grabbed her forehoof.

For a moment the unicorn feared the worst, only to turn around and notice that the pegasus’ eyes were wide with wonder.

“You don't mean the Wind River, famed virtuoso, do you?” she pleaded.

“Err, yes?” Twilight replied.

The pegasus let out a shrill screech and bounced from hoof to hoof. “Oh my goodness, this is amazing. I used to serve in a theatre where she performed!”

“That's great. Now could you just stay here for a second?” Twilight repeated.

The pegasus blinked, only now realizing she was nearly nose to nose with the other mare. “Oh uh, sure.”

Twilight took an awkward step back and dusted herself off before turning back to the caravan. Where she saw several confused and one rather irritated looking pony waiting for her, hoof clopping against her seat.

“You didn't mention that these were the ne'er-do-wells you were giving a second chance to,” stated Wind River in an uncharacteristically harsh tone.

Twilight chuckled. “That shouldn't be a problem, shouldit? You did mention you would give them a shot.”

The earth pony sighed. “I don't like it, but a deal’s a deal. Tell them to report to the last cart. I’ll notify my second.”

With that the mare hopped off the front of the wagon and trotted briskly away, her step lacking its usual bounce.

Twilight shrugged and walked back to where the three former bandits were hiding a dozen metres away. “You can come out now.”

Three heads popped out from behind the much too small bush.

“Are you sure?” asked Hack in a nervous tone.

“I don't wanna get stabbed in the back,” added Slash.

“We are rather… well known,” Dot muttered.

“It's fine. They owe me a favor,” Twilight stated.

“Well, if you say so, but if this ends with me getting gutted in my sleep, then I am so coming back as a ghost and haunting you!” Dot exclaimed, jabbing a hoof at the necromancer.

Twilight briefly wondered if that was possible before laughing it off. “I wouldn't worry about that. Wind River runs a tight ship-er caravan.”

Dot peered intently at the unicorn, her brows furrowed and jaw set. “Look. This is hard to say but… well.”

“She’s trying to thank you,” Hack offered.

“And is failing hard,” added Slash.

Dot’s face suddenly turned beet red, and she spun around, punching the two stallions in the shoulder. “That's enough out of you two!”

The two earth ponies grumbled, though it was obvious they weren't actually injured.

“How about we just call this even, alright?” Twilight offered, extending a hoof.

The pegasus hesitated a moment before taking the offered limb and shaking it. “You got a deal, and, for it’s worth, I am… sorry.”

Twilight nodded and took a step back. “Well, you better get going. I don't want to see what Wind River is like if she gets really mad.”

“R-right,” muttered Dot. “Come on, you dolts, let's get to work.”

“Aye, boss,” declared Slash.

“On it,” added Hack.

Twilight watched as the trio trotted over to the back of the caravan and exchanged a few words with the one-armed minotaur as well as Wind River. After the short introduction was over, and several quick orders were barked, the grey earth pony walked back up to the front where she quickly took a seat at the front of the wagon, dismissing the elderly stallion who had been on watch.

“Well, are you just going to stand there or what?” demanded Wind River as she turned towards Twilight.

The unicorn nodded and clambered up next to the other mare. “Thanks, by the way,” Twilight whispered.

Wind River let out a shrill whistle, and the ponies on pulling duty began to trot once more.

“Out of all the former bandits, you just had to find the one fan,” Wind River muttered, shaking her head. “I can already tell this is going to be a problem.”

“Is it really that bad?” Twilight pressed.

The earth pony sighed. “No. Hopefully not. I just don't like reminders about my time back then.”

Twilight nodded slowly, watching as the plains began to roll past them once more. “Say, I was wondering. One of the earth ponies mentioned that Dot had been clipped, and that they were broken. They aren't injured, are they?”

Wind River scowled briefly before letting out a short, irritable snort. “Those damn scaly fiends. No wonder those three didn't come to town.”

“What happened?” Twilight pressed.

Wind River sighed. “When you clip a pegasus, you purposefully deform their wing bones when they are children. It stops them from being able to spread them completely, and thus they can't fly very high or even glide for that matter.”

“Is… she in pain?” Twilight whispered.

“Not likely. I’ve been told it just feels like trying to extend your leg past your knee. Impossible, but not painful unless you push yourself,” Wind River explained. “The process is usually used for laborers who are given more freedom so they don't just fly off. It also stunts the growth of their magic so they can't manipulate clouds.”

“That's… deeply unpleasant,” Twilight muttered, her mind going back to the magic at this body’s disposal.

Like the pegasus in question, this version of herself felt stunted in a way that Twilight couldn't explain. It hadn't been readily apparent at first, but after using her magic for a while, Twilight could sense that something was off. She was capable of casting many spells, but none were terribly strong, nor was she capable of maintaining them for long.

Did they do something similar to this version of me? Twilight thought.

“That's nothing,” remarked Wind River bitterly. “To break an earth pony, you have to sever their connection to Equis itself, cutting them off from their magic and leaving them with no natural abilities, save for their strength.”

Twilight’s mind immediately went back to the moment that her horn had been shattered and most of her magic had been cut off. Sure, she had lost the majority of her abilities and the memory still stung, but at least she had kept her necromancy. To be without that would be like having her legs amputated, or her eyes cut out.

“Why?” Twilight whispered.

“It's our connection to the earth below that gives us our stubborn nature,” Wind River remarked, tapping her hoof against the floor in emphasis. “To feel such a vast well of power right beneath our hooves, always present and always willing to lend us aid feels…”

After a second or two of struggling for words, she shrugged.

“I think I’m starting to understand,” Twilight offered.

“It's not something I can really explain,” Wind River remarked. “It would be like losing a family member, yet even closer.”

“So, they do all that just to make earth ponies more docile?” Twilight questioned.

“That, and to ‘show the earthborn their place’,” Wind River said bitterly. “Those who are broken in such a way are usually subservient to a fault. Subconsciously desperate to fill the void left by Equis itself.”

Twilight watched as Wind River’s gaze grew distant, and her features remained stony.

“That's so sad,” Twilight murmured. “No wonder they felt as though they had to stay bandits.”

Wind River nodded slowly. “I’ll have to tell my second all this.”

“But not everyone, right?” Twilight gently inquired.

Wind River shook her head. “No. Of course not.”

“That's good,” Twilight murmured. “Do you think maybe you could take them on for the full trip and not just to Ponyville?”

“I’ll see how they do and talk to my crew,” Wind River replied, flashing the unicorn a smile. “If they can follow orders and not goof off, then I’ll consider taking them on permanently.”

Twilight smiled. “Thank you. It's good to know that we’ve been able to help someone who sorely needed it.”

Wind River smirked. “You know, I didn't expect to hear this from you.”

“What can I say. I saw a little bit of myself in them,” Twilight remarked.

The earth pony’s smile faltered briefly. “Well, I’m just glad you aren't spending the entire ride with your nose in a book and your butt somewhere soft. It feels like we’ve seen one another a hundred times, yet have never exchanged more than a dozen words.”

Thank god this version of myself is so antisocial, Twilight thought to herself before clearing her throat. “Yes, well. Don't expect this every time. Today I am merely feeling extra generous.”

“Let's enjoy it while it lasts, then,” offered the pegasus with a warm smile.

“Let’s,” Twilight replied.

“This is about as close as we’re going to get,” Wind River exclaimed. “I appreciated the conversation, by the way. It's been sometime since I’ve spoken to someone a little more learned.”

“The feeling is mutual,” Twilight proclaimed, extending her hoof.

Wind River took the offered limb and used it to pull Twilight into a brief, one-legged hug. “I’ll see you again soon, right?”

Twilight awkwardly patted the other mare on the back. “Oh, um. Yes, I should be back in a month or so. Depending on how my project goes.”

The other mare smiled, relinquishing the hold she had on the pony. “Good luck with whatever it is you have planned.”

“Thank you, Wind River. Best of luck,” Twilight replied, hopping off the front of the wagon.

After briefly stretching, the mare gave a quick look at her surroundings, noting that the landscape seemed fairly standard for the area. That being long stretches of open prairie broken up by the occasional group of trees, a farmer’s field, or the odd creek. The road she walked was one of the few pony-made things visible, save for the caravan sitting idle near a fork.

Twilight breathed deep of the fresh country air and began to trot away. However, she didn't make it far before she heard the sound of hooves behind her.

“W-wait,” called a familiar voice.

Twilight turned around to find that Dot stood nearby, a flustered look on her face. “Oh, did you need something? I thought Wind River agreed to take you on for the entire trip.”

“Oh, uh, yeah. She did,” Dot admitted somewhat reluctantly. “She even agreed not to mention our sordid history, provided we did some volunteer work and stuff.”

“That's wonderful, Dot. I’m happy for you guys,” Twilight exclaimed.

The pegasus coughed awkwardly. “Er, yeah. Thanks. I know I already said goodbye and that we were even, but well, the boys wanted to do something for you, so here I am.”

“You don't have to do anything,” Twilight cautioned.

“We don't really have anything worthy of a gift, but just know that in time we’ll meet again and when we do I--we will pay you back in full,” Dot claimed.

Twilight recognized the look on the pegasus’ face and immediately realized that she wasn't going to talk her out of it. “Fine. Though be aware that I am not usually so benevolent,” Twilight warned.

“So I’ve heard,” Dot muttered, clearing her throat. “Though I don't care about all that talk. You’ve done me and my boys a great kindness, and we won't soon forget it.”

“Good luck,” Twilight offered.

The pegasus bowed low, spreading her wings slightly. “Go in peace, Director.”

Twilight felt a little awkward and quickly cleared her throat. “You too uh, Dot.”

“You done talking? We got a schedule to keep!” shouted the one-armed minotaur who was hanging off the back of the last wagon.

“Coming!” Dot yelled the pegasus, then turned and quickly trotted away.

Twilight watched the strange mare disappear into the cart where two familiar earth ponies were waving at her. Raising a hoof, Twilight returned the gesture, observing as the caravan continued its long trek to Canterlot which rose far in the distance, the mountain barely visible at the edge of the horizon.

“Right. Time to go back home, review the ritual, leave my past self a few notes on what’s happened, and then head to Canterlot myself,” Twilight muttered to herself. “Should be easy, right?”

She frowned. “I just have to convince another alicorn I’ve apparently known for quite a long time that I am who I say I am. Plus I’ll be stuck being super close to Celestia right up until the ritual is completed. Which is itself going to take absolutely everything I have.”

The unicorn groaned. “Come on, Twilight, you can do this. Let’s get some studying done and then see if we can't fish for some more info once in Canterlot.”

Twilight sat on the end of a wagon, back legs dangling over the edge while her gaze lay on the horizon. It had been almost twenty-four hours since she had parted ways with the first caravan to ferry her across the prairie and here she was again. This one was much smaller though, and far simpler than the magically reinforced cart she had ridden the first time.

This one was piled high with food, a select few pieces of antique furniture, as well as more than a few rocks. At the forefront she knew there was a young couple and their infant son, though they had exchanged few words with the unicorn. It had been obvious even at first glance that they didn't trust Twilight, and the reason was even more glaring due to the way they had glanced at her horn.

Twilight was half tempted to try and introduce herself again, but quickly decided against it. They had been kind enough to pull her along without asking for anything in return, save for silence.

“Not long now,” shouted a gruff tone from the forefront of the wagon.

Perking up, Twilight sat up and peeked over the shoulder of the mare seated at the forefront of the wagon. Ignoring the nervous glance of the brown-furred pony, Twilight peered intently at the rising shape of the Canterhorn. The mountain itself was a strange sight, but that wasn't what grabbed Twilight’s attention. It was the village that lay at its base.

Surrounded on all sides by simple wooden fortifications, the entire town seemed to be built haphazardly. Tents sat next to simple log structures the same shade of brown as the walls. Everything was built not to last, but to serve a singular purpose which was to aid in the construction of the castle which hung over it.

Though not directly aboe the village, Canterlot Castle’s shadow was long and cast most of the settlement in shade. Though little more than a keep sitting atop a wide flat plate, Twilight could see the beginnings of stone walls as well as towers. The route up to the structure was also complete, though it wasn't very wide yet, and a variety of beings could be seen carving out the mountainside.

Which was a strange sight, given that Twilight saw every kind of pony working together, including a few she didn't expect to see. Such as the thestral which mainly seemed to be overseeing the work, or the almost troll-like creatures swinging pick axes. Twilight could even see the odd crystal pony working, serving in the guard, or simply meandering around the walled village.

Upon closer inspection, the other pony variants seemed to lack their more distinct features Twilight knew from her own time. Thestrals lacked the more intimidating eyes and shorter stature, appearing more like leather-winged pegasi. The same were true for the vaguely troll-like ponies who weren't quite as blocky or large.

Did these subgroups already exist and simply evolve over time, or did I miss something in my research? Twilight thought to herself.

Shaking her head, she focused on the here and now, namely the fact that her ride was slowing down. A checkpoint had been established slightly further up the road, and Twilight could see a group of lightly armored soldiers inspecting each wagon that came through. The guard squad seemed to be made up of a unicorn, an earth pony, as well as what looked like a changeling.

Together the trio moved from one visitor to the next with the unicorn scanning the cart before the earth pony and changeling inspected it closer. Deciding this was her chance to leave, Twilight hopped off the back of the wagon and trotted up to the front.

“Thank you both, and I wish you luck on starting a farm of your own,” Twilight greeted, bowing slightly.

“You’re welcome,” replied the stallion in a slightly confused tone.

“Go in peace, starborn,” added the mare.

Twilight smiled and nodded, glancing briefly at their red-furred infant and giving him a little wave. After watching the child wave back, Twilight chuckled to herself before trotting towards the gate. Sure enough, there was a second line of people entering the small village, one that was moving much faster, given that they were all on foot.

Taking her spot behind a trio of armored gryphons, Twilight silently observed her surroundings. The first thing she noticed was the palpable feeling of excitement that hung over everyone, including the guards. From the laborers hauling wood to the ponies standing atop the walls, they all had a certain noticeable bounce in their step.

Wine casks were rolled through the gate, and despite the early hour, Twilight noticed several individuals enjoying frothy beverages off to the side. It felt more like a festival than an average working day, and Twilight couldn't help but smile as she was caught up in the atmosphere.

“Next! Oh, Director Sparkle. We weren't expecting you so soon,” exclaimed a voice.

Twilight blinked and looked down to where two guards stood outside the smaller of the two gates. One of the soldiers was a surprisingly short unicorn mare garbed in yellow cloth while the other was a changeling outfitted in platemail. The chitin-clad creature stood a full head taller than even Twilight did and glared down at her coldly.

“Oh, uh, yes. I finished my preparations earlier than anticipated,” Twilight replied.

“I’m sure Luna will be happy to hear that,” replied the unicorn who turned to her companion. “I’m assuming she's clean?”

The changeling nodded slowly.

“Excellent, come on through,” invited the unicorn, who stepped to the side. “Sorry to keep you waiting, by the way. You know how it is.”

Twilight waved a dismissive hoof. “It's no trouble at all, good day to you two.”

The changeling grunted while his companion offered a wave and a weak, apologetic smile.

Passing through the wooden gates, Twilight trotted into the town proper, which immediately opened up into a rustic market. Though crammed into a relatively small area, there were dozens of tents and stands selling wares. As she walked, Twilight noted that although bartering seemed to be the norm, most creatures accepted ingots of precious metals as payment.

The bars themselves were long and appeared to be considerably heavy, given how many beings struggled to lift the things. Twilight rightly assumed the dragons used those same bricks of gold and silver in place of a more standardized currency. A choice which was seemingly made just to spite the much smaller slave races the scaled creatures kept as chattel.

Such a system of trading precious metals had its flaws, as it wasn't easy for a pony to guess the purity or weight. Unlike the dragons who were easily able to tell at a glance if it was pure, as well as how much it weighed, ponies and other creatures had no such abilities and thus were forced to carry around scales as well as other equipment.

Moving deeper into the town, Twilight noticed that she was surrounded by barracks as well as several long bunkhouses. Though they looked fairly primitive, Twilight had no doubt they were effective, especially given just how many beds she could see through the window. As she peered curiously at her surroundings, she was forced to squeeze through a number of tight crowds.

After passing by a duo of rowdy earth ponies stumbling through the tight, narrow streets, Twilight came to an abrupt stop.

An incredibly long and enormously thick log had emerged from a small side street, nearly clipping the unicorn. Stepping back, Twilight glanced to her left, to where Celestia strode out of the alley, sweat dripping down her form. Her usually flowing mane was tied into a tight ponytail, and even her tail was visibly shorter than usual.

The first thing Twilight noticed was just how incredibly well-muscled and absolutely massive the alicorn was. With one hoof wrapped around a log as tall as Twilight herself was, the mare strode confidently down the street. Seemingly unaware of the nearly twenty foot long bit of wood slung casually over her shoulder, until she noticed Twilight and came to a stop.

“Oh, hello dear. What are you doing here so early?” Celestia inquired, a wide smile on her face.

Wow, she is hot, Twilight thought to herself, only to grimace. Focus, Twilight.

“For the, uh, thing,” Twilight replied.

Celestia’s smile widened. “Oh, that's wonderful news. You must be looking for Luna then? I bet you two would have quite a bit to work out before we start things.”

Twilight nodded, her gaze drawn down to Celestia’s rippling muscles and enormous thighs. “Yeah, Luna. That's why I was here.”

“Well, she just flew to the keep. If you hurry, you can catch the next balloon up,” Celestia replied, pointing somewhere to her left.

Twilight shook her head vigorously. “Balloon. Totally… where is that exactly?”

“Is someone getting distracted?” Celestia teased, flexing even harder. “You know I could do a few reps for you if you’d like.”

“Hey, what's the hold up!” shouted a distant pony.

Celestia grunted. “Sorry, Steal Tip! Just a second.”

The alicorn turned back to a still slightly stunned Twilight. “It's straight ahead. You’ll see the big blue bag in a second. I’ll meet you there in a bit, cutie!”

Twilight merely nodded dumbly as Celestia strode away, her gaze drawn to the other mare’s backside. That was until Twilight realized what was happening, then the unicorn slapped herself out of her hypnotized state.

That wasn't me. That was this Twilight. I’m not attracted to Celestia, she thought as she screwed her eyes shut as tight as she could.

After several tense moments, she released a sigh, her shoulders falling slack. The strange attraction she had felt faded away, leaving behind guilt and an unpleasant bitterness at the bottom of her soul. She could take being forced to play nice with Celestia, but this body’s reaction to the alicorn’s appearance was an entirely different level of vexatious.

“Right. Balloon, then keep,” Twilight murmured.

Trotting down the road, Twilight noticed the odd being giving her a curious look, as if they were tempted to ask if she needed help. Brushing that aside, Twilight made her way down the street and towards a distant stockpile which lay at the edge of the walled village, and right next to where a surprisingly large gasbag was hovering a few feet off the ground.

Its basket was wide, perfect to carry the heavy stones which were being loaded inside of it. A nearby unicorn stood at the ready, his horn glowing the same color as the rune which lay at the bottom of the gas bag. All around him workers of various sizes were helping to load the marble blocks while a series of long ropes went all the way up to the plate above them.

The guards standing nearby gave Twilight only a brief look before ignoring her, giving the unicorn tacit permission to approach.

“Good afternoon. May I accompany this delivery by chance?” Twilight offered.

The yellow-furred and red-maned stallion blinked. “Oh uh. Sure thing, Director Sparkle. There is only enough weight left over for one operator though, so you’ll have to get it up there.”

“Just feed it mana until it reaches the station, right?” Twilight replied.

The other unicorn nodded. “Yup. The rune does all the work. Just don't go overboard.”

“I know what I’m doing,” Twilight softly declared.

“Well, you’ve certainly done it enough times,” exclaimed the male.

“How much longer before you are ready?” Twilight questioned.

“Five minutes, probably less,” answered the yellow unicorn.

Twilight nodded and stood there quietly as the balloon was loaded using a series of slopes and levers. It was a rather ingenious way of moving the great stone blocks, given that they didn't have the magical know-how to simply teleport them. For a second Twilight was tempted to teach the unicorn the spell, only to remind herself of the potential consequences of such an action.

And so she waited, taking her position atop the load of marble after the stone had been secured in place. With that done, she exchanged a brief goodbye with the operator and lit her horn, pouring magic into the rune. She began to rise almost immediately, the now roaring flame above her head cutting into the sharp bite of a bitter northerly wind.

It wasn't more than a few minutes before Twilight had risen up to the plate, but during that time she couldn't help but worry. Her current magical reserves weren’t anywhere near as significant as in her own time period. Thankfully she made it up without incident, the receiving team waiting patiently for her arrival.

The second the balloon was in place, a trio of earth ponies as well as a minotaur tugged sharply on the rope. With Twilight no longer feeding the gasbag any heat, it hovered in place, allowing the ground team to maneuver it into the landing zone. The small cordoned off area was flat and unremarkable, as was the mostly empty stockpile that sat nearby.

Beyond that were several structures in the midst of being built, their skeletal foundations standing tall. Only the towering stone keep was complete, with its four towers and built-in gatehouse serving as the plate’s only true defences. In time Twilight could tell that four walls would surround it as well as the other more minor structures like the barracks and blacksmith.

Only a small section at the forefront would be left open, barely enough for a trio of wagons to enter at the same time. It would obviously make any assault difficult, but it also made construction hard as well. Twilight didn't concern herself with such thoughts though, and made her way over to the entrance of the keep.

Guards and workers scurried about everywhere, some ferrying stone, others orders, all grim and hurrying to their destination. All save for the two who stood outside the keep’s entrance, as their expressions were stony and their posture straight. They wore a deep blue armor that was quite unlike the other guards, who wore only a plain greyish mail.

Upon drawing close, Twilight gave the pair a nod, an action they reciprocated. A second later the door was opened by the unicorn soldier, who extended a hoof towards the entrance. Knowing that no words needed to be uttered, Twilight stepped eagerly inside.

Twilight felt her gaze drawn up, a little surprised that the first area was a compact kill zone like she thought it would be. The main entryway was two stories tall, had only one other door, but did have several windows looking down from above. This area was clearly the final line of defence, though it was grand enough to serve as a ball room if needed.

All the subtle flourishes one might expect from a royal domicile were absent, leaving behind only plain grey stone. The only decoration was a statue of an alicorn which stood off to one side, her large wings spread wide, and forehoof extended towards the horizon. Her horn was long, her mane ragged and so incredibly detailed that Twilight could see each individual hair.

After reminding herself that although interesting, she couldn't waste time, the mare quickly trotted deeper into the keep. Making her way around the various soldiers and workers that milled about the area, Twilight entered into a long hallway. After that it took a little searching, but she eventually found her way outside of a rather simple-looking office.

More guards similar to the others stood outside, their expression as perfectly neutral as the last had been. This time when Twilight approached, they banged the butt of their spears against the ground, and gave her a crisp salute. The greeting threw Twilight off, and it took her a second to gather herself before she could respond.

“At ease. Is Luna here?” Twilight asked.

The slightly shorter of the pair nodded. “She's just inside.”

“I’d knock first though,” interrupted the other mare.

“Of course,” Twilight replied, extending a hoof.

Two sharp knocks later, a surprisingly masculine voice called from inside, “Enter.”
Twilight pushed open the door and strode inside, her confidence wavering slightly when she laid eyes on Luna. Gone was the lithe, slim form she had seen from her memories of the past, replaced by someone far bulkier. Though there was no doubt that this was indeed Luna, as the mare had the same coloration, cutie mark, and overall appearance. Even still, there were small differences.

Like a more prominent and thicker jaw, a shorter mane, as well as greaves that had been exchanged for the more delicate shoes Twilight knew from memory. Despite her more male appearance, this Luna wasn't nearly as big or as well-muscled as either Celestia. Her gaze was as sharp as ever though, and the second it settled on Twilight, the unicorn felt her chest tighten instinctively.

“Close the door, if you please,” Luna remarked glancing back down at the paperwork she was in the middle of.

The stack was tall, nearly dominating the relatively small and rather primitive looking desk. A desk that was the only piece of furniture in the room, save for a small bookshelf nearby and the chair Luna was seated upon.

After recovering from her initial shock, Twilight did as she was told before trotting up to the desk.

“Good afternoon. How are you?” Twilight began, hoping to dismiss the slightly uncomfortable atmosphere.

“I have been… good,” Luna replied after a short pause. “Who knew running a kingdom came with so much paperwork.”

“It is an unfortunate truth,” Twilight remarked.

Luna raised an eyebrow and observed the other pony closely for several long seconds before glancing down once more. “So it is,” she stated.

Twilight cleared her throat. “I was just stopping by in order to mention that all preparations have been completed.”

“Excellent,” Luna exclaimed. “Though I’m curious. Did you see my sister on the way here?”

“I did,” Twilight replied. “Why?”

“Oh, no reason,” Luna replied. “How are you two doing, by the way? Celestia speaks of you quite often.”

“It is going well,” Twilight answered somewhat hesitantly. “Our anniversary is coming up soon.”

“Ah, yes. That is quite a milestone,” Luna replied, placing her quill back into its pot and facing Twilight fully. “Do you have any plans?”

“Of course. Though it may be some time until I can actually enact them, given everything,” Twilight explained.

“I suppose our little surprise will have to take a backseat to the more pressing concerns at the moment,” Luna continued.

They were planning something? But what? I better try to change the subject, Twilight thought. “Yes, well. A thought for another time, now about the ritual. There were several things we will need to gather before it can begin.”

Luna nodded slowly, rising from her seat and pulling open a drawer. “That may be true, but there are more pertinent concerns, I’m afraid.”

Twilight blinked. “Like what?”

In a swift motion, Luna drew a dagger from the desk and thrust it forward, stopping only a hair’s breadth from Twilight’s throat.

“Like who you are and what you’ve done with my sister,” spat the now glowering alicorn.

Author's Note

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The Battlements Rise

“I gotta admit, guys, I’m not sure if we can do this,” Twilight muttered. “Those golems are really powerful, and I don't know if we can take a force that big even with all the reinforcements we got.”

Twilight hummed to herself as she trotted through the dense woodland, her steps quick but unhurried. Around her moved a small throng of timberwolves, their long lanky forms easily loping over the many obstacles that got in their way. The largest of the bunch walked alongside Twilight, its brightly glowing eyes glancing in her direction every few seconds.

“I mean, don't get me wrong, we have some amazingly powerful people on our side now, but I don't know if it's going to be enough,” Twilight continued, pausing to hop over a fallen tree. “I know we have a plan to deal with each type of foe that we will be facing, but I’m not sure if it will work.”

She paused near the edge of a ravine. Her closest timberwolf lowered itself down and extended its body over the expanse, creating a bridge. Which Twilight used to cross the small waterway, the rest of her pack leaping over it with ease, bunching back up on the other side. Where Twilight waited for her largest wolf to reform before joining him as they walked ever deeper into the dark woods.

“Each one of the mages has enough magical know-how to destroy a small army, and there are over twenty of them out there,” Twilight continued. “The knights are no slouches either, and those golems are nearly indestructible.”

She weaved her way through the tree cover, breaking through a wall of vegetation and landing on a road. The dirt path stretched from left to right, and though both directions seemed identical, Twilight turned confidently to the right. With her pack in tow, the necromancer trotted swiftly, the wide expanse of packed gravel allowing her to pick up the pace.

“I just hope everyone makes it out of this alive,” Twilight murmured, following her abnormally long shadow that extended out before her, in defiance of the moonlight.

The mare’s worries were assuaged slightly when her bright-eyed wolf nudged her side, nuzzling the pony as they jogged. Though being comforted by an undead bundle of sticks may not have been very relaxing for most, it set Twilight's mind somewhat at ease. The cloying concerns remained but had retreated, allowing her to pay more attention to her surroundings.

And just in time, as after rounding the final corner, she emerged out into a wide-open area. One dominated by a distant castle that loomed over the surroundings and the nearby forest. Largely repaired and even sporting a few new additions, the Everfree Castle was a truly magnificent sight.

Its walls were high, its keep almost completely repaired, the awe-inspiring monolith casting its surroundings in shadow. The sight of that impressive structure made strange memories not her own to stir in Twilight's mind. A shake of the head dismissed them, however, her attention going to the many peoples who now filled the castle grounds.

Undead, thestrals, arachne, dozens of creatures of varied origin now either stood upon its walls or could be seen scurrying about. Supplies were moved, last-minute defenses constructed, and drills were undertaken by bellowing overseers. The entire place was abuzz with activity large and small, leaving few calm places left in the swirling chaotic hive.

One of which lay to Twilight's right, where a flustered Fluttershy stood amidst several other specters. Around which was arrayed a truly impressive number of animals both big and small, all sitting patiently. Fluttershy spoke quietly, only to pause when another of her kind interrupted her with another question.

Twilight flipped open her right saddlebag and glanced within, noting that the rough-hewn iron bangles she had created were still there. Little more than a single loop of black metal upon which set a single brightly glowing green stone. Twilight knew that within those orbs was a single spell waiting to be activated by her own bangle that bore within it a single ruby.

She tossed the flap closed and began approaching the group of animals and their caretakers, slowing briefly to cross the simple rope bridge. Though a few of the particularly unruly furry defenders growled, none were dumb enough to get in Twilight's way. A single look at her entourage of wolves was enough to make them think twice and give the unicorn the room she desired. Even the bears, still living wolves, and other large predators like the young hydra in their midst all stepped aside.

“I don't know,” Fluttershy exclaimed. “I don't know how any of this works.”

A small ethereal thestral with long ears and a long mane of see-through hair growled. “Surely you have something!” they exclaimed. “You can't just tell us that you figured out how to basically be alive again and then just leave it at that.”

“I-” Fluttershy’s eyes went wide. “Twilight knows more than I do. Don't you, Twilight?”

The dryad’s tone was desperate, though not nearly as desperate as the gaze of a dozen apparitions looking at her. The spirits inspected Twilight intently, crowding around Twilight who was temporarily too confused to say a word.

“I don't know, Fluttershy. She doesn't look like she knows anything,” offered an elderly earth pony mare who happened to be missing a foreleg. “Though I do smell a bit of necromancy on her.”

“A bit?” offered another ghost. “It's wafting off her like ugly off an ape.”

“I can hear you, you know,” Twilight declared.

The apparitions all stumbled back in shock.

“And see you,” Twilight added pointedly, glaring at the middle-aged stallion who had been peering a little too intently at her tail. “So do try to be polite.”

“Maybe she could help us,” murmured the long-maned thestral spirit. “She certainly seems powerful enough.”

“That depends. What exactly am I helping with anyway?” Twilight asked.

Fluttershy cleared her throat despite not needing to do so. “This is Twilight Sparkle, the friend I mentioned earlier. She is an expert necromancer and a skilled mage. If anyone could replicate what happened to me, it is her.”

“Replicate what exactly?” Twilight pressed.

“Why, the whole ‘her having a body’ thing of course,” declared a short, round unicorn ghost with a broken horn. “We may have been fine enjoying the world through the lens of our animal friends, but that was before we knew this was an option.”

Nearly everyone present nodded or otherwise voiced their agreement with the specter’s assessment.

Twilight hummed. “I’m not quite sure that's possible. The event which precipitated this change was… unique, to say the least.”

“But I’m sure Twilight can think of something. Maybe with Sunset Shimmer’s help, we could come up with a solution,” Fluttershy offered.

“Maybe,” Twilight muttered. “Either way, it's something to be concerned about after surviving the coming battle.”

“Exactly,” bellowed the lone minotaur spirit. “We’ve been bickering far longer than we’ve been discussing how we are going to deal with these interlopers.”

“Well, um, I was hoping that we could pool our magic and plead with the forest to help deal with the mages. I’m sure if we assist, we could at least deal with those nasty spellcasters,” Fluttershy exclaimed.

Twilight stepped up, grabbing the spotlight. “Zecora believes that with a bit of guidance, you may be able to at least move the mages somewhere far enough away that they won't be able to help.”

“Hmm, it's possible. The forest has a knack for displacing things it doesn't like,” muttered one of the spirits.

“Though it’s going to be many at once. And they’ll surely be warded against such an attack,” added another.

“Their defensive spells will be weakened this close to the castle,” Twilight countered.

“We might as well try,” declared the minotaur. “Seems to be about the only way this is going to end up going our way.”

“It certainly would help,” Twilight remarked.

“Then you can count on us,” offered the youngest-looking of the group. “But after this is all said and done, we are going to talk.”

“Of course,” Twilight proclaimed.

“Great.” Fluttershy clopped her hooves together. “If anything happens to me, then my good friend Tree Hugger will be in charge.”

An earth pony spirit suddenly hopped up, blinking rapidly. “Uh, right. I’ll totally do whatever it is you were saying I was gonna do.”

“Then it seems like you got things more or less in order,” Twilight exclaimed, reaching back into her bag and producing one of her iron bangles. “Here, this is the surprise I mentioned before.”

“I just have to wear it, right?” Fluttershy asked.

Twilight nodded. “Exactly. You don't have to do a thing, really. The spell inside the gem will take care of everything.”

The metal band slipped easily over the spirit’s leg, shrinking slightly in order to better fit her.

“It kinda looks nice too,” Fluttershy murmured.

“Rarity insisted on making them appear at least ‘serviceable’ in her words,” Twilight exclaimed with a chuckle.

“That sounds like Rarity,” Fluttershy agreed.

“Your bracelet looks lovely, Fluttershy. Now, can we please discuss the nature of this spell you have in mind? The last time I went into a situation half-cocked with barely a plan, I ended up tied to a tree and married to a dragon,” barked the minotaur spirit.

“One more thing. Take the wolves,” Twilight offered, gesturing to her pack. “I know they aren't animals in the traditional sense, but they can help you.”

“Well, they certainly are sturdy-looking,” offered one of the ghosts.

“Oh, um, thank you. I’ll make sure to take good care of them,” Fluttershy muttered hesitantly.

“Don't be too gentle though. They can take a beating,” Twilight added. “Oh, and Fluttershy, good luck.”

“You too, Twilight,” Fluttershy replied, pulling the other mare in for a brief hug.

With the release of Fluttershy’s ethereal limbs, Twilight trotted away, giving her wolves a single nod before leaving them behind. Though they seemed remiss to see her go, the timberwolves were loyal and remained with the spirits and their furry companions. Though a bit of an odd mix, Twilight knew they would be a valuable addition to Fluttershy’s little group.

As she walked away, Twilight picked out the next closest group which counted one of her friends among their number. Standing atop a small hill at the edge of the treeline were a large group of changelings and their thestral allies. Off to one side talking in low tones were Rainbow Dash and Chrysalis, the pair discussing something with fervent intensity.

Twilight began to trot over to them, only to stop at the halfway point, her body becoming rigid. Her shadow bulged briefly before recoiling, snapping back into its usual shape before ballooning outwards. In an instant Midnight Moon stood next to Twilight, the shadow pony immediately ducking into a small bow.

“Greetings, my master,” she whispered in a low, fake reverential tone.

“I wish you wouldn't do that,” Twilight muttered. “When you stretch yourself out that far, it feels like I’m in two places at once. It's weird.”

“My apologies,” Midnight Moon exclaimed. “I wished to keep an eye on Luna’s statue and couldn't trust anyone else to maintain such a vigil.”

“It's fine,” Twilight dismissed. “But do you really think someone is going to damage her? I mean, come on. Half the people here worship her like a god.”

Midnight Moon nodded. “I believe it's a clear possibility. With such a commotion around the castle and Ponyville being in disarray, it would be the perfect time for such a caper to occur.”

“Maintain your vigil if you like, but I want you back here well before the fight begins. I can't afford one of my best fighters to be stuck in some basement. Nor can I afford the headache that comes with having you stretched out so far,” Twilight warned.

“I’ll think of something by then,” Midnight Moon exclaimed.

“Good,” Twilight replied, waving a hoof in the air.

Midnight Moon bowed low once more before sinking into the ground and extending rapidly towards the castle, causing Twilight to lurch forward and nearly topple face-first into the ground, though the mare caught herself at the last second. As she shook off the vertigo and muttered a few curses under her breath, Twilight searched once more for Rainbow Dash.

Finding the mare standing in almost the exact same spot Twilight had last seen her, the unicorn set off in that direction. As she approached, Twilight was able to make out that the pair’s argument was only surface level. Both wore a small, poorly hidden grin while continuing to speak animatedly at one another. Their subordinates seemed mostly in on it and were passing around a helmet full of gems, an opportunistic changeling logging their bets.

“No way will your changelings end up killing more than us night guard. You may be even more stealthy than us, but you cannot match the guard in open combat,” Rainbow Dash declared, chest pushed out proudly.

“Which is why we won't do that,” Chrysalis retorted with a smirk. “We’ll be slitting sleeping throats and ambushing the unwary while you're still struggling to find them.”

“This is our forest, our turf. We know this land like our own forelegs,” Rainbow Dash boasted.

One of the changelings was suddenly engulfed in flame and was replaced by an unarmored copy of Rainbow Dash. Who looked down at her foreleg and gasped in dramatic fashion.

“Oh, would you look at that! I never noticed that before,” claimed Rainbow Dash’s copy.

Twilight shook her head and trotted up to the pair, standing between the now laughing or fuming duo. “Rainbow Dash. Do you have a minute?” Twilight asked, raising her voice slightly.

“Err, yeah. I guess. But this ain't over,” Rainbow Dash declared, shaking an armored hoof at Chrysalis.

“It’s been over since before you even opened that giant mouth of yours,” Chrysalis retorted.

Rainbow Dash snorted and turned to Twilight, the rest of the group dispersing behind them. “What do ya need, egghead?” asked the thestral.

“I was just going to ask how things were going with your preparations, and give you this,” Twilight offered, extending a hoof, upon which rested another iron bangle.

“Ahh, yeah, I remember you mentioning these things,” Rainbow Dash muttered. “So do I just put it on or… woah, neat.”

Rainbow Dash watched as the metal band expanded in order to fit around her armored limb. It then shrunk slightly, affixing itself to the greave without hurting the flexibility of the near pitch-black piece of protection. The thestral drew her weapon and went through a few sweeping motions before hooking it back into place.

“You weren't kidding. I don't even notice it's there,” Rainbow Dash mentioned.

“And you shouldn't have to do anything when it activates, just be aware if it starts flashing that you’re about to be teleported,” Twilight warned.

“I remember,” Rainbow Dash dismissed. “Then you’ll recall us all back to that point and use the cooperation word spell thingy to beat the big bad.”

“Their leader, yes. Their primary mission is still killing me, but their secondary is probably to get rid of the other local leaders like Dark Hallow,” Twilight continued.

“Which means protecting you protects my boss. Got it,” Rainbow Dash declared, a cocky smile coming to her face. “So, did you hear about the huge party that Pinkie Pie’s throwing once we win? It's going to be huge, like Ponyville-sized.”

“I think it's a little early for parties,” Twilight retorted. “We can't get cocky now.”

“It isn't being cocky,” Rainbow Dash shot back. “It's about follow-through.”

Twilight blinked. “What do you mean?”

“Noone here has been huffing enough of their own farts to believe this is going to be easy. Well, except maybe Spin Blade, but he's an idiot,” Rainbow Dash continued.

“Is this going somewhere?” Twilight pressed.

“Err, right.” Rainbow Dash cleared her throat. “Now if you swing a sword, you have to imagine where it's going, and assume you are going to hit, otherwise you won't put enough strength behind it. Thinking about what happens after is just another kind of follow-through. Gives us hope, a little extra pep in the step, that kinda thing.”

“I’m not sure I agree, but I do see where you're going,” Twilight reluctantly conceded.

“Heh, you’ll understand when you’ve got a mug of victory cider in your hoof and some cute mare hanging off your foreleg. Or stallion, or heck, maybe even both at the same time!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

Twilight's face contorted in a mix of confusion and embarrassment before settling on irritation. “I told you, I’m not interested in any of that. Sex isn't something I’m really capable of anyway.”

“Pfft, it's not all about sex,” Rainbow Dash dismissed with a snort. “It's about sharing a moment, bonding. You can just cuddle and stuff, you know. Helps the ticker beat strong and the head stay clear.”

Twilight's shoulders slumped. “I guess.”

“Great,” Rainbow Dash declared, slapping the other mare on the side. “Now I gotta go do a few more drills in this new armor before we get moving. This shit’s heavier than the usual gear.”

Twilight blinked and for the first time really inspected the other female’s protective equipment. It was indeed thicker and bulkier than the minimal suit Rainbow Dash wore most days. Midnight black plates that seemed to suck in the ambient light covered nearly every exposed inch. What few chinks and spaces remained had a thick set of chainmail guarding just beneath. Though a bit plain at first glance, Twilight found her gaze struggling to stick to the armor, her mind urging her to look away. With a bit of focus, she was able to keep her eyes fixed long enough to see the full moon insignia emblazoned upon the pony’s chest.

“Interesting,” Twilight murmured.

She turned and trotted away. After a few moments, Twilight stopped and planted her hoof against her forehead.

“I should have asked if they were prepared to assault the golem pilots.” She sighed. “They don't need me to remind me of their mission.”

Twilight swiftly located her next targets, namely Applejack and Pinkie Pie, who were standing a little closer to the gates. They were joined by Pinkie Pie’s siblings and Zecora, though the zebra remained detached from the main group. Who was at the moment taking turns punching one another as hard as they could physically muster.

Pinkie Pie wound up and slugged Maud as hard as she was able, immediately collapsing to the ground and cradling her leg.

“I knew that was a bad idea. I even got the tummy rumblies, and I still did it anyway,” Pinkie Pie muttered.

“That was an excellent attempt,” Maud declared in a monotone voice. “You’ve improved considerably from the last time we play-fought.”

“It sure doesn't feel like it. In fact, I can barely even feel my hoofsie,” Pinkie Pie murmured.

“That's because you keep losing the damn thing,” Limestone jabbed. “Why, I’d bet you got that thing cut off at least twice since the last time we saw you.”

Pinkie Pie coughed. “Maybe.”

“Your turn, Limestone,” Maud exclaimed.

Limestone grinned. “Lemme show you, layabouts, how it's done.”

The troll cracked her neck, took a step back, raised her hoof, and threw her entire body into the punch. Maud’s body shifted an inch or so back, but the troll herself barely even seemed to register the blow. Limestone was grinning from ear to ear and pumped her foreleg in the air.

“Yeah, that's what I’m talking about. I’d like to see you do better, cousin,” Limestone exclaimed, spitting the last word out of her mouth like it was poison.

Applejack snorted. “I’ll show you us Apples are tougher than our trees.”

“And us Pies are tougher than the gems we grow,” Limestone retorted.

“Just, don't hurt yourself,” Marble whispered under her breath.

Applejack pounded a hoof twice against her chest in rapid succession, causing a wave of bark to ripple up her form. It coalesced in the form of a living wooden helmet wrapped around the farmer’s entire head. There was no grille for her to breathe through, only two narrow slits that gave just barely enough room to see from within.

She then shook each one of her back legs individually and leaped forward, shifting her entire body mid-jump. Landing with her forehooves now in the opposite direction, Applejack bucked the much larger creature square in the chest. The impact was powerful enough that a small shockwave rippled over the nearby grass, and a dull boom echoed.

Maud, however, barely lifted an eyebrow, even as the front half of her body was lifted from the ground. She slid over a foot before landing with a dull thump, moved, but seemingly none the worse for wear. Limestone, Maud, and Pinkie Pie stood in awe of the smaller creature, who didn't seem to realize her own accomplishment.

“Dang,” Applejack cursed, her helmet coming undone and receding back down into her neck. “Thought for sure I could at least knock ya over.”

“H-hey, that's cheating!” Limestone declared. “You were supposed to punch her.”

“That was the single strongest attack I have ever felt,” Maud exclaimed. “You should be proud of yourself. You bring honor to the Apple name.”

Applejack blinked. “Well, shucks. You ain't so bad yourself. I bet yer parents are rightly proud of ya.”

“For the most part,” Maud commented.

Twilight cleared her throat. “Um, excuse me. I was hoping to speak to Pinkie Pie and Applejack for a moment.”

“Wait, I want a rematch! You aren't supposed to buck your opponent!” Limestone exclaimed.

“Ya ya, we can do that later. Just gimme a sec,” Applejack dismissed, trotting over to Twilight. “Right, so what do ya need?”

“Lemme guess,” Pinkie Pie began while limping over to the undead unicorn. “You finished them hoop thingies after Rarity demanded that she redesign them for you.”

Twilight nodded, withdrawing a pair of bangles from her bag. “Yup. Thankfully they didn't take long to alter. Now at least they have an enchantment that keeps it from getting cold.”

“Huh, neat,” Applejack muttered while donning the slim piece of metal.

“Hopefully I won't lose righty again,” Pinkie Pie added.

Twilight winced. “Maybe, uh, put it on a different leg. Wouldn't want to misplace it.”

“Nah, it's fine. I don't think I’ll get another leg chopped off today,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, only to pause. “Though it's still a distinct possibility.”

“Don't suppose your Pinkie sense can tell us how this whole battle is gonna shake out, eh?” Applejack asked, bumping a shoulder against the troll.

Who shook her head. “I’m afraid not. Too many possibilities. Right now all I’m getting is a distinct feeling that Zecora is gonna give ya some kinda cryptic advice and that you’ll walk into conflict before the big fight even happens.”

“Err, great, just what I needed,” Twilight muttered, glancing over to the zebra lingering nearby.

“Well, we best let ya get to it. I don't feel like Pinkie or I want a headache right now, so we’ll leave ya alone,” Applejack declared, her wooden helmet regrowing and wrapping around her head once more.

“There is a way you must go, and that way is the flow,” Zecora announced suddenly.

“Bwah! You scared me half to death, er, life,” Twilight shook her head. “I suppose I should have seen that coming, honestly.”

“So many surprises and still no clue. Honestly, Twilight, now it's on you,” Zecora added, shooting the unicorn a smirk.

“Yeah yeah. Laugh it up. Now was that all you wanted to say?” Twilight demanded.

Zecora shrugged. “Just remember not to quit, and yes, now that is it.”

With that, the zebra walked away, trotting in the direction of Fluttershy and her band of forest spirits. There she was greeted like an old friend by nearly everyone present, further confusing Twilight.

The unicorn shook her head. “Thinking about Zecora is nearly as bad as contemplating Pinkie Pie’s weird abilities,” she murmured to herself.

Twilight glanced up to the gate which overlooked the castle interior, its portcullis raised and its interior door open. She was about to walk through it when she heard the distinct whine of Beaker’s nasally voice. Glancing up at the top, Twilight saw both of her previous self’s undead assistants standing guard atop the gatehouse.

Sharp Eye stood tall and impassive atop the battlement, her freshly polished and refurbished armor sparkling in the moonlight. The slender curves of the angled suit of plate cut an imposing figure atop the wall, her sharp, pointed helmet peering out into the woods. Gripped lightly in a single hoof was the long halberd the mare had held onto for centuries beyond counting. Now without any rust and fully repaired, the weapon held a cruel gleam and a keen edge.

Beaker meanwhile wore only leather armor over his padded bones, a number of concoctions strapped to his chest. One of which was in his hoof and was being gestured to while he spoke to a clearly confused thestral guard. The skeletal pony had forsaken his illusionary facade as Sharp Eye had, or at least Twilight assumed as much.

“Look, you need to know this if you are going to use the acid correctly,” Beaker repeated in an exasperated tone. “If you use it incorrectly, it could be useless, or worse, you could hurt yourself.”

“I’m trying, but you keep using big words that I don't understand,” exclaimed the guard.

“Shake twice, wait for a few seconds, then throw,” Sharp Eye stated.

“Wait, that's it? Why didn't you say that?” demanded the guard.

“I was trying to get there!” Beaker shouted, hooves thrown over his head.

Twilight chuckled, tuning out the conversation as she passed through the gate and into the castle proper. There the general chaos was doubled, with creatures running every which way, carrying supplies, running drills, or casting spells. The night guard, nightsworn, and Nebula’s children, everyone was doing something to aid in the defense.

In Cadence's case that meant mediating a disagreement between a trio of soldiers from different organizations. Near the center of the courtyard was the alicorn in question, a calm, neutral expression on her face. One not mirrored by the two enraged mares standing on either side of her, shouting at one another in bellowing tones.

Nearby sat what was likely the source of the argument, which was a pair of carts that had run into one another. The argument itself was likely petty, but if the shouted accusations were anything to go by, it was just the final straw. Twilight could hear a few pointed demands for the nightsworn and their subordinates within the Black Fang to return stolen goods. This, in turn, only seemed to irritate the other groups, who refuted the claims vehemently every time they were thrown their way.

Thankfully Cadance seemed to be slowly calming everyone down, the alicorn patiently listening to both sides. The process was slow and would probably take a while, so although Twilight wished to speak with the alicorn, she chose not to. Instead, she trotted over to a large hole being dug next to the castle walls, stopping at the lip and looking down.

Several stories deep, and as wide as a house, the pit sported not pointed spikes at its bottom but several workers. Among them was Spike, the dragon making his way back to the top with a bucket of dirt in each claw. Upon noticing Twilight, the drake’s eyes went wide, and he picked up his pace, reaching the top within a few seconds.

“Oh hey, Dusk. Here to help dig out my uglier half?” Spike asked, tossing the bucket’s contents into the pile next to the hole.

“No, unfortunately not. I was just checking to see how things were going while I gave the girls their bangles,” Twilight explained, shifting her bag of jewelry in emphasis.

“Are you sure I can't convince you to grab a shovel? We’ve done all the magical digging we can do without disrupting the foundation, but it's still going to be close,” Spike pressed.

Twilight shook her head. “I still have a lot of planning left to do. Plus I have to speak to Dark Hallow and Sunset Shimmer.”

“Dammit, and no one else has the time to lend a hand or hoof either,” Spike muttered.

“You got us, buddy!” called the voice of Hoops from within the hole.

“Yeah don't count us out yet, there's still time!” added Score.

“Would you two quit being emotionally supportive? We got a hole to dig already!” Dumb Bell shouted.

“Err, right,” the other two murmured to varying degrees of enthusiasm.

“Don't give up. I’m sure you four can dig far enough for you to join the fight,” Twilight stated confidently.

Spike sighed. “I sure hope so. I don't want to accidentally destroy the castle, but I also don't want to have to sit there and watch you all fight while I can't do anything.”

“Oh, Spike. You can always do something,” Twilight pressed.

“I suppose I can always shoot a crossbow and make rude gestures at them,” Spike retorted with a roll of his eyes.

“Well, you’re not wrong,” Twilight admitted. “Just try not to destroy the undertower, okay? We don't even know what's all down there yet, and if it collapsed now, the mystery would drive me nuts.”

“Ha, you and me both. Now go on. I think I saw Rarity talking to Nebula inside the keep,” Spike explained, pointing to the structure in question with a claw.

“Thanks, Spike. Good luck,” Twilight offered.

The dragon grunted and began to descend the winding stairs to the bottom of the pit. A quick visual inspection of which alerted Twilight to the fact that it wasn't nearly deep enough at its current level. It also likely wouldn't get close enough to the buried dragon in time, given what few people were assisting Spike. Twilight chose not to voice such concerns, however, deciding to believe instead that someone would come in and help.

It was either that or giving up, and Twilight's optimism was already dangling by a thread at the moment.

Pushing past such concerns, Twilight continued on, trotting towards the keep and to its large, central door. Which she was about to open using her magic, only for it to do so without any prompting from her. The individual who had opened it nearly ran into Twilight, stopping at the last second and stumbling back a step.

“You should watch where you're going,” Trixie accused, throwing up her nose. “We are on a very important mission, you know.”

Rarity rolled her eyes and crossed her hooves over her chest. “We are not. You are just worrying too much and think that I need to get another snack.”

“Well, you do,” Trixie retorted, jabbing a hoof at the mare. “Why, you’ve already lost five pounds probably. You don't want to get too skinny, do you?”

“Well, I would be able to fit into that dress Aunt Fly Catcher gave me all those years ago,” Rarity murmured.

Trixie snorted and turned around, glaring up at the large spider standing behind her. “Mother. Tell Rarity that she needs to get more carbohydrates if she expects to keep spinning silksteal at the pace she’s been doing.”

“You probably should,” murmured the spider in her strange, otherworldly voice. “You should also probably get out of the doorway.”

Trixie looked to find that a good number of creatures that had been trying to enter or leave the keep were staring at her. A rather large minotaur carrying an anvil cleared their throat, causing the magician to scamper off to the side. The rest of her small entourage followed, with Twilight joining them a second later, taking position next to Rarity.

“Here,” Twilight offered, hoof extended. “The bangle is finally done for a second time. You remember how it works?”

Rarity nodded. “I remember, darling, and I must say it turned out quite well. I am glad you went back on that first design of yours. Functional yes, but about as stylish as a brick.”

“Alright, you got your pretty little ring thingy. Now come on. They were making stew in the barracks, if we hurry, we can get some before it's gone,” Trixie urged.

The magician didn't wait for Rarity to respond and immediately grabbed the arachne’s hoof, leading her away.

“H-hey wait. Don't I get a say in this?” Rarity exclaimed.

“No,” Trixie retorted.

Twilight chuckled, watching the pair depart next to a thoroughly amused Nebula.

“So,” Twilight began, “what are you up to?”

“Oh me? I just needed a break, and watching these two flirt makes me feel young again,” Nebula remarked.

Twilight placed a hoof over her mouth, restraining the giggle that threatened to burst from her lips. “Oh, that's too funny. Don't tell them that. I’m pretty sure Rarity is still in denial about her attraction to Trixie,” Twilight commented.

“That may be true, but I have a feeling that our coming victory will be all the push those two need,” Nebula stated confidently.

“Just another reason we must win,” Twilight added. “Say, how much armor did Rarity even end up getting done? Trixie pulled her away so quickly I didn't get the chance to ask.”

“I am not certain. I believe much of what she has made was deemed not good enough for you, however,” Nebula replied.

Twilight sighed, running a hoof down her face. “I bet it wasn't even that bad, and Rarity was just being a perfectionist again.”

“You’ll be happy to know that her discarded attempts have been recycled for the common soldiery,” Nebula added.

“That's good. I would hate for them to go to waste,” Twilight murmured.

“As for what she has managed to finish, I cannot say,” Nebula remarked. “She has been quite secretive about her plans, though I do know she completed Trixie’s outfit even if my daughter doesn't know this.”

“Let's not ruin that surprise,” Twilight exclaimed.

Nebula bobbed her entire body in an approximation of a nod. “I agree. Oh, and do remember to take a moment for yourself. Being well-rested is integral to a battle of this size.”

“I will,” Twilight agreed.

The towering spider skittered away without another word, leaving Twilight to contemplate the advice she had been given. There were at least nine or so hours until they would make contact with Celestia’s forces. A quick calculation told Twilight that if she timed things properly, she would have just enough time to squeeze in a nap.

She didn't expressly need to do this, given that she was undead, but alive or not, rest helped the mind.

With that calming thought in mind, Twilight made her way back to the keep entrance and into the chaos beyond. Thankfully traffic was low, and Twilight was able to steer clear of the many people coming in or out. It was only a short hop and a skip from there until Twilight reached the meeting room that Dark Hallow had mentioned.

Outside of which sat two guards, one familiar, the other was new. The night guard Twilight had seen many times, their dark armor and scimitars easily recognizable. What was new, however, was his companion, a taller, wider framed thestral wearing heavier plate armor.

They also had with them a longsword which was strapped over one shoulder, the long weapon bearing a rose for a hilt. Though made of metal and dyed black, there was no mistaking the flower that adorned the blade. Beyond that, their armor was also thicker, and for lack of a better word, stylish.

The black plate of the night guard was simple and existed only to serve a purpose. Unlike the steely protection of this other pony which had a unique flair visible all across its surface. A midnight black rose was emblazoned upon each of their flanks, while a deep crimson band outlined each of the plates.

“You must be Twilight Sparkle,” exclaimed the oddly ambiguously-gendered voice of the taller thestral. “Please, go right in. Hall is just chatting with an old friend and wouldn't mind a bit of company.”

“Oh, um, of course. Thank you,” Twilight replied.

The undead unicorn hastily trotted inside the second the door was open to her. Her haste was not born from fear, but rather a series of strange emotions that she didn't want to deal with. The sensations were almost like arousal, but not quite. It was an unpleasant mixture that Twilight was quick to ignore.

Once inside, Twilight found that she had interrupted what had probably been a rather humorous argument. Dark Hallow had risen from his seat and was jabbing a hoof at the dragon sitting across from him. The old thestral wore an angry expression, as well as a blush, the combination diminishing what might have been an attempt at intimidation.

Unlike his guest, Dark Hallow wore no armor, only a set of white robes upon which was a single black rose. The dragon, in contrast, was wearing the same full plate mail as the other knight Twilight had seen seconds earlier. Only this suit of protection was made to fit a tall, waspish dragon with narrow features and bright gold scales.

“Well, well, well,” murmured the dragon huskily. “Would you look at what we have here?”

Dark Hallow grunted, seating himself once more. “This is Twilight Sparkle. The necromancer I told you about. Unless you’ve forgotten that as well.”

“I forget nothing,” dismissed the dragon, waving a scaled hand at the thestral. “Now then, dear, you simply must tell me about what product you use for your eye shadow.”

Twilight blinked, only now aware that the dragon had uncoiled herself from her chair and approached her. With a claw caressing the side of Twilight's face, the unicorn found herself struck by the other female’s appearance. Slender like a dragon of old, she sported large, expressive eyes that bellied an intense curiosity as well as a hint of mischief.

“Oh, um… none?” Twilight muttered.

The dragon’s eyes widened. “My oh my. You must be truly powerful then. Few of your kind sport such a physical manifestation of their abilities.”

“She is the most skilled necromancer we’ve seen in centuries,” Dark Hallow remarked with a small amount of irritation. Though it seemed like his annoyance was directed at Twilight, the mare herself knew that the dragon was the true origin of that feeling.

“Intriguing, but where are my manners?” The dragon stooped into a graceful bow that half resembled a curtsy, her twin scimitars dragging across the ground. “My name’s Vaspelodrax. Though you may just call me Vas.”

“Or Wasp,” Dark Hallow offered.

Vaspelodrax shot the old thestral a quick glare before rising back to her full height. “Only those that irritate me call me such a name. I hope you at least never do.”

“Vaspelodrax? That almost sounds like a-” Twilight began.

“Old dragon name?” Vaspelodrax interrupted. “You would be half right. My ancestor was one of the very few who fought against his people on the side of good.”

“I didn't want to assume,” Twilight quickly offered.

“Think nothing of it, dear,” Vaspelodrax dismissed.

“Now before Wasp gets off on another tangent, I warn you I will have to put off our little planning session,” Dark Hallow exclaimed. “It seems as though something has come up.”

“Nothing too terrible, I assure you,” Vaspelodrax added.

“Err, okay. I guess I should just, uh… go then,” Twilight muttered.

“Before you do,” Dark Hallow began, rising from his seat. “Here is the list of everyone who volunteered to be raised, should they perish in the coming battle.”

“Oh wow,” Twilight murmured, flipping through the veritable tome handed to her. “This is a lot of names.”

“It would have probably been easier to find everyone who didn't consent to become an undead,” Vaspelodrax stated.

“Perhaps, but we couldn't have known that going into it,” Dark Hallow remarked.

Twilight tucked the stack of papers into her saddlebags before turning back to Dark Hallow.

“Should I come back later then?” Twilight inquired.

“My assistant will be available in about an hour. Anything you would have discussed with me can be spoken of with them,” Dark Hallow answered.

“Oh, um, alright,” Twilight murmured, bowing slightly to the now seated dragon. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Vaspelodrax.”

“The pleasure was all mine, dear,” Vaspelodrax replied, flashing the pony a wink.

“Oh, cut it out, you,” Dark Hallow demanded.

Twilight turned and began to trot away, catching only a brief snippet of conversation before the door closed.

“Come now, Hall, you can't still be mad at me,” Vaspelodrax grumbled.

“It's not about that,” Dark Hallow continued. “It's about distracting everyone.”

“Really? You’re saying it's not because I was dating both you and your little love bug, only to leave you both. Such is dating the wind, dear. It changes,” Vaspelodrax retorted.

Twilight's eyes widened, though she didn't catch Dark Hallow’s response before it was cut off. The slam of the door startled Twilight from her distracted state, and she hastily trotted away. The night guard and their large companion shared a chuckle amongst themselves.

After she had put a bit of distance between herself and the meeting hall, the unicorn remembered her next objective. To reach it, she focused inward, grasping at the strand that connected herself to Sunset Shimmer. Twilight could feel that the other undead was nearby, just up a few floors up from her current position.

As she jogged over to the skeleton’s position, Twilight pondered her circumstances. Her necromantic abilities had increased significantly, and she was capable of many of the new spells. She paused her idle ponderings to let a pair of changelings sprint past her, the bug ponies carrying a large jug gripped tight by both of them.

With that out of the way, Twilight entered the stairwell and proceeded upwards, her pace slowing. Here at least there was no one to interrupt her thoughts, allowing her to run through the list of things she could now cast. A number of different life-sapping abilities were now easy for her, as were a few curses, including the ability to make someone blind or deaf.

Other more debilitating hexes such as making the target temporarily paralyzed were difficult, but possible. She could also empower her undead allies with a flood of negative energy or even make them tougher by hardening their bones. There were other buffs she was capable of casting, but they all relied on the target being undead to begin with.

Which was no longer a problem for the unicorn, who could raise most creatures with little trouble. Creatures dead for less than a minute were simple, and less than a day was at least in theory still a breeze for her. More powerful creatures such as old dragons or alicorns though would still be an issue, though even then it wasn't far away.

With enough of the draconic words known, she was almost there. All she needed was time to study the stone tablet left behind by her previous self. With that slightly uplifting thought in mind, Twilight rounded a corner and entered what was now a field hospital.

The wide-open area had at one point likely served as a small barracks or housing for the staff that called the keep home. Now, however, all non-load-bearing walls were gone, as was everything that wasn't a bed. Rows and rows of white sheets laid out before her, waiting to be filled by the dying.

Among them were a few healers from amongst the various sub-factions. Such as an undead thestral whose body was wrapped in black leather and bound by numerous belts. While her face was not visible due to the bird mask she wore, the tarantula-like arachne next to her wore only a simple bandana across his face. With broad shoulders and a large, hairy back, the half pony half spider was intimidating, though his eyes were kind.

There were more strange healers, but Twilight put them out of her mind as she had located her target. There at the back, stacking one of the repurposed dressers with medical supplies, was Sunset Shimmer. The skeleton wore her illusion as well as a simple uniform that bore the red cross on a white background.

“Hey, Sunset,” Twilight called as she approached the other undead. “How is everything going over here? Do you need anything?”

Sunset closed the drawer and turned around, her glowing eyes dulling slightly when they landed on her friend. “Ahh, Twilight. No, I think we’re about as prepared as we are going to get.”

“Well, that's good. If you need anything, let me know. I seem to have been given a surprising amount of authority around here,” Twilight remarked.

“You are a well-regarded local hero and incredibly powerful necromancer. What did you expect?” Sunset Shimmer retorted.

Twilight shrugged uncomfortably. “I guess, but it's not like I know anything about fighting or the like.”

“Do you think if you ordered someone to fight a certain way, they would?” Sunset Shimmer pressed. She continued after Twilight didn't have an answer, “Exactly. They trust you with the big things.”

“I suppose,” Twilight admitted.

“So is that the only reason you’re here?” Sunset Shimmer pressed.

Twilight shook her head. “No. I was hoping to talk to you about the battle. You’re the only one not busy and who might be able to appreciate this mess we're in.”

Sunset Shimmer gestured back the way Twilight had come. “Let's chat somewhere private then. Say, the roof?”

“Alright,” Twilight agreed.

Together the pair trotted back into the stairwell and made their way up to the topmost level of the keep. Along the way, they saw fewer and fewer other creatures, with most they passed taking a break or relaxing between shifts. They had neared the top when Sunset Shimmer imitated the sound of her throat being cleared.

“So,” she began, “have you studied those offensive spells we found?”

“I… have,” Twilight reluctantly admitted.

“Good,” Sunset Shimmer declared. “I know we’ve talked about it before, but you must learn them. Celestia is not going to simply let you go.”

“I know! I know,” Twilight repeated, softer the second time. “I memorized the finger of death spell, as well as the other you mentioned the other time like the one that causes the person to suddenly bleed profusely from any open wounds they may have.”

Sunset Shimmer nodded grimly. “Those spells may do awful things, but they will be important in making sure your friends stay alive, or unalive, depending on their death status.”

Twilight chuckled mirthlessly. “I understand that. I simply wish that it wasn't necessary.”

“On that, we agree,” Sunset Shimmer declared.

The skeleton then paused and pushed open the door to the roof before stepping outside herself. Twilight was quick to follow her friend, walking across the freshly restored stone roof and stopping at the edge. There the pair peered out from between the crenelations, looking down on the many creatures working below them.

“To think. All this is for me,” Twilight muttered.

“Hardly,” Sunset Shimmer spat. “Celestia would have done this regardless. You are simply the straw that broke the camel's back.”

“Yes, but without that final piece of straw, the camel wouldn't have a broken back,” Twilight retorted.

“The camel suffered long before that point,” Sunset Shimmer stated.

Twilight sighed, her legs dangling over the edge of the wall like limp noodles. “This whole thing sucks. Why does Celestia have to be so mad with power that she thinks world domination is an attainable goal?”

“I don't think it's even her. Not anymore, at least,” Sunset Shimmer half-whispered.

“Why do you say that?” Twilight inquired.

“It's just…” Sunset hesitated. “Her mental state is fractured. One moment she would be kind, the next sadistic to the point of being comically evil. Then there were moments where she seemed genuinely confused as to where she was or who I am.”

“Do you think she has multiple personalities or something? In one of my previous lives I was told an alicorn’s magic was so great that it eventually became semi-sentient,” Twilight offered.

“I don't know,” Sunset admitted. “Either way, something happened to her, and now her mind is broken, held together by only a domineering will to control everything.”

Twilight stared off into the distance for several long minutes, her mind awhirl with strange thoughts. She hated the alicorn, hated her with an intensity that was sometimes uncomfortable like it was a mass of roiling plasma sitting in her gut. Yet Twilight had seen what Celestia had been like in her previous life, how she had been kind, earnest, and naive almost.

Shaking her head viciously, Twilight pushed herself away from the edge.

“I don't think speculation is going to help us,” she declared.

“No. Probably not,” Sunset admitted.

“Right. What else do we have left to do?” Twilight muttered.

“You need to rest before that brain of yours burns its way out of your skull,” Sunset Shimmer declared, wrapping a bony hoof around the other female’s shoulders and pulling her towards the door.

“Doctor’s orders?” Twilight asked wryly.

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “Doctor’s orders.”

Tempest Shadow stood upon the rocky outcropping which overlooked a ravine and beyond a small field. The hill she had claimed wasn't overly tall, but it was large enough to fit her entire staff of golem pilots. The pony element wasn't strictly required for the automatons, but it did give them an edge, an edge they would require.

Especially considering how many of them remained.

Counting the heads of her pilots, she was able to make out that forty-two of them were left, two of whom were without anything to do. The duo sat alone, staring off into space, their minds no doubt wandering back to the last moments they had been connected to their stone machines. They imagined the last moments before destruction, the sudden backlash and surprise escape with their lives.

They also recalled their allies’ heads erupting in a fountain of gore when they had not been pulled out quick enough. Whether this hardened their resolve or broke it, only they could tell, and the pair spoke little. The two unicorns were swiftly dismissed by Tempest Shadow who looked back out over her trail of destruction.

The long horizon-spanning empty waste of destroyed trees and trampled underbrush was not without end. Already a wall of green was closing in on them, sealing off their escape route and promising doom, should they fail. It was an imposing sight and a potent reminder of the importance of victory, or to some it was a noose, slowly tightening about the necks of the invaders.

Regardless of how they felt, all of the ponies present worked quickly and diligently. Supplies were stowed, and hasty defenses were erected around the only side of the hill that bore a gentle slope. Golems cleared away brush while knights, squires, and what little reinforcements they had managed to acquire set up a rudimentary camp.

There would be no campfires this evening, and not only because of the rain clouds which hovered constantly overhead. The order had gone out, and those who lived to see the day were readying themselves for the final push. Soldiers who had spent weeks on starvation rations stuffed their faces with all they dared without throwing up.

Prayers to the old gods of ponydom were offered, offerings given, and candles lit, but none dare speak of revelry. The march had been long, and their task was a grim one, with only the chance of home giving them the strength to continue. Tempest Shadow saw this all and scowled in disgust, her teeth grinding together in barely contained fury.

“Ma’am, all preparations have been completed,” offered the resolute voice of her second-in-command.

Glancing down at her, Tempest Shadow noticed that unlike the majority of her forces, the unicorn next to her was still determined. The plate mail she wore was polished to a shine, and both the longsword as well as her shield were within easy reach. The only bit of protective covering she did not wear was her helmet which was strapped to her side. Allowing Tempest Shadow to look upon the pony’s young, almost childish pink features and straight-cut mane of orange hair.

“How old are you, Meadow?” Tempest asked.

“Twenty, ma’am,” Meadow Flower declared.

Tempest Shadow was about to say something, only for her to twitch and her stump of a horn to emit a golden spark. Then she frowned, and she looked back upon her troops, her expression deepening to a scowl.

“I should give them a speech,” Tempest Shadow exclaimed. “Celestia’s ponies seem distracted.”

“They are worried, ma’am,” Meadow Flower offered.

Tempest Shadow scoffed. “The chattel we will face upon the morrow is nothing to be scared of.”

“I think they are worried about you, ma’am,” Meadow Flower corrected.

“I… why?” Tempest Shadow demanded, turning to face her subordinate fully. “Do they not believe that I am in peak health?”

“You haven't rested or eaten anything for days,” Meadow Flower offered. “We are all a little concerned for your health.”

Tempest Shadow scoffed a second time. “I need naught but the approval of my princess and the light of her sun. Will alone can carry me the rest of the way.”

“That's very uplifting, but you still need to eat. Here, I saved the last of my chocolate rations,” Meadow Flower exclaimed, extending a hoof.

Tempest Shadow glared down at the piece of candy and pushed it away. “Keep it. I would not take the rations intended for you by Celestia herself.”

“But-”

“But nothing,” Tempest Shadow interrupted. “Now do I need to order you to stop pressing me, or will you give up this conversation of your own volition?”

Meadow Flower bowed low. “My most humble apologies, commander.”

“You were merely concerned,” Tempest retorted, waving a hoof. “Now then. Gather the soldiers. I wish to address them one final time before we take our final rest.”

“Right away, ma’am,” Meadow Flower exclaimed.

The pony then swiftly trotted away, diverting around the palisade that partially enclosed the hilltop. Within a few seconds, Meadow Flower was gone, vanishing into the mass of gold and pastel that covered much of the area. Despite no longer being able to make out which was her second-in-command, Tempest Shadow continued to stare out over the field.

She felt a hint of nostalgia worming its way out from the depths of her mind and emerging into her thoughts. Suddenly the ponies below her were replaced by bipedal dog-like creatures three times the size of a normal equine. The shoddy wooden barricades were gone and in their place stood tall walls that overlooked not a forest, but a roiling ocean.

Beyond which there were hundreds, maybe thousands of golden sails all arrayed before her. Tempest Shadow instinctively turned to her right, expecting to find her princess waiting to explain what was happening. There, standing next to her, with her hoof in his hand was not an alicorn, but another of the hairy fanged creatures.

Upon his head, he wore a jagged crown, and though an intimidating sight, Tempest Shadow found herself comforted. His dour expression lightened when he turned to Tempest, and only when he was about to speak did the scene end. Then she was back, back in the forest, at the head of an army, with only a blistering headache to mark what had happened.

“Ma’am. They're ready,” Meadow Flower exclaimed, a concerned expression on her face.

“R-right,” Tempest stuttered, turning to the crowd that now stared up at her from the bottom of the cliff. “My fellow ponies-”