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.

Author's Note

Want to see regularily scheduled updates like this when they are done, rather then the end of the month? Head on over to the patreon and drop a measly three bucks in order to secure your place in the early release club!

Join me over on patreon and get instant access to exclusive content and early looks at new stories, patreon only stories and other great stuff! Check it out!
Or just join the discord to ensure that you dont miss an update.
This update was made possible by the wonderful support of readers like you:
Anonymous, Apollyon, Astor, Azin, Brandon, Brendan, Brenna, Canary in the Coal Mine, Ceepert, Chris, Craig, Diokyo, Doomgooey, facinus, grug, I am unkown, Ian, Ivar, Kali, Lich-lord krosis, M, Makani, Megatyrant, Menthol Qtip, Mephia, mike, mikhaila, mirvra, nfreak, nicky, pacsik, peter, princess pudding, random reader, robert roll, sheq2, shocker blocker, somepony, soundtea, starless, steven, t sparkle, todd Herron, Travis Houck, Vigilant watch, wes, zairvin.