The Darkening

by BronyDad

Rating: mature
Tags: Tragedy, Adventure, Discord, Alternate Universe, Twilight Sparkle, Sad, Applejack, Gore, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Spike
Length: 79311

The destinies of the vampony Twilight and the vampony hunter Applejack collide in a ravaged Equestria. Their resulting struggle could either save the land and its inhabitants, or doom them all.

The Darkening.  The name given to the last twelve years in which the vamponies have ruled Equestria in an everlasting night.  The few living ponies that remain hide within their small, walled towns and scavenge the decimated lands for food and water.

Twilight Sparkle, the first born of Mistress's generals, played a crucial role in the fall of Equestria, and has remained steadfastly loyal to Mistress.  But when Mistress betrays her and leaves her for dead, Twilight begins a quest for vengeance.  Guided by a strange being named Discord, she seeks to gather the Elements of Harmony in order to destroy Mistress once and for all.

Meanwhile, the vampony hunter Applejack, tormented by the perversion of her friends and her own failure to protect her family, learns of the existence of a very rare gem that can save Apple Bloom from her heinous fate.  With her best friend, Spike, she sets off on a quest to find the Phoenix Heart, and bring her sister back among the living.

In the darkest hours of a dying world, the destinies of these two determined ponies will clash.  Their resulting struggle will start Equestria down a new path that could lead it toward its salvation, or its ultimate destruction.

A very special thanks to my pre-readers:
Whinifree
Twilight-the-Pony

Coverart by: Twilight-the-Pony

Published 2017-11-15 16:20:09 UTC
Last updated 2023-05-03 15:38:01 UTC

Another Chance

Applejack slowed to a halt, her ears up and alert. Scanning the dead forest around her for signs of a threat, she cautiously unhitched herself from the covered wagon and stepped away. The familiar weight of her halberd shifting on her back eased her nerves, and she reached up and adjusted her hat as she moved further into the clearing.

Her ear flicked as she heard the sound again; the soft rustling of a wing that was often the only warning of a vampony attack. The clear night sky gave no indication of danger, but she'd seen this ruse many times before.

The attack was silent and came from behind, but Applejack was expecting it. Diving to the ground, she felt the vampony soar over her, its hooves finding nothing but empty air. Tucking in her head and forelegs, she hit the ground, rolled, and was back on her hooves in an instant, her halberd freed and ready.

Applejack snorted as the dark creature landed several yards away. "Ya'll really need to learn some new tricks."

The vampony hissed in response as it began to pace back and forth, its eerie red eyes narrowing as it searched for a way past her blade. In life, she must have been a beautiful mare, but now her ragged mane was caked with dirt and the fur around her throat was soaked with blood. Saliva continuously dripped from her fangs as she erratically shook her head and dug at the ground with obvious irritation.

It was clear by the still seeping wound on her neck that this vampony was a newly turned. The recently turned ones were often so afflicted with bloodlust that they were incapable of forming even the simplest of strategies, and when faced with an armed opponent, they became easily frustrated. With this in mind, Applejack lowered her weapon, but her body was tense and ready to react.

The moment the vampony saw the opening, she launched herself straight at Applejack with an inequine shriek.
With the long shaft of the weapon braced along the side of her body, Applejack lifted the halberd in front of her and allowed the vampony to impale herself upon the spear. Loosening her grip, she quickly stepped back out of the reach of the creature's grasping hooves before rearing up and grabbing the end of the shaft with both forelegs.

The vampony gnashed her teeth and hissed, spraying Applejack's face with spittle as she attempted to pull herself further up the blade toward her.

Applejack frowned at her wildly determined glare. "Rest in peace," she whispered.

In one fluid motion, she pulled the spear end free, reversed her grip, and swung the halberd in a deadly arc. The crescent blade sliced through the vampony's neck effortlessly, sending her head tumbling across the hard, cracked ground as her convulsing body collapsed in a heap.

Applejack took a moment to wipe the blade clean on the fur of the corpse, then turned her attention to her approaching companion.

"And where the hay have you been?" she called. What was the point of him scouting ahead if he's going to let me get ambushed?

"Busy," Spike's deep voice replied. The soft moonlight gleamed on the edge of his broadsword as he returned it to the sheath strapped to his back and tossed the pair of fangs toward Applejack.

Catching them with ease, she opened her saddlebags and removed a small, leather pouch. She set the pouch and the teeth aside, and pulling free the dagger that was strapped to her right foreleg, bent over the head of the vampony and cut out the fangs. Finished, she straightened and dropped both pair of fangs into the leather pouch before cinching the drawstrings shut.

"Zecora's gonna be happy when we get back," Spike commented as he watched her return the pouch to her saddlebag.

Applejack smiled her agreement, then wiped her dagger clean and returned it to its sheath. "Was your vampony a newly turned?"

Spike nodded.

"Yeah, mine too." Applejack adjusted her hat, then headed back toward the wagon. "I don't like it, Spike. We seem to be findin' more newly turns than anythin' else."

"Maybe travelers haven't been as careful lately."

"Maybe." Applejack shook her head. "But I can't shake the feelin' that somethin' ain't right."

"You're just tired, Applejack," Spike said. "We both are."

Applejack sighed and strapped her harness back on. "Can't argue with ya there." She started off, pulling the heavily laden wagon behind her. "It's goin' to be nice to sleep without worryin' ‘bout an attack for once."

"It's going to be nice sleeping in a real bed again," Spike replied. "What's it been? A month?"

Casting a quick glance at the constellations, Applejack affirmed, "A little over."

As they resumed their trek home, Spike rested a hand on her back and began to absentmindedly scratch in a small circle. Allowing herself a small smile, Applejack glanced up at her constant companion, now a full head taller than she.

Although the two of them had been nearly inseparable for the twelve years since their escape from Ponyville, Applejack still sometimes marveled at how much he had changed. The short, stubby, and sometimes cute little baby dragon was gone, and in his place was a tall, slender, and well-muscled adolescent. His head was slowly becoming more triangular as his snout grew, and was now full of wickedly sharp, curved teeth. The spines along his back were more firm and pointed, his tail was as thick as both of her forelegs put together, and the spike at the end had formed into a deadly weapon.

But despite his ferocious features, Spike was still the same kindhearted, and sometimes snarky dragon that Applejack had always known and loved. More endearing still, he thought of himself as a pony, and possessed a seemingly unbreakable moral code—one that had, on several occasions, helped keep Applejack on the right path.

"I miss the sun," Spike said, snapping Applejack from her thoughts. He gazed up at the shining moon. "I miss the day. And the light and the warmth...and..."

"Don't," Applejack growled.

"...them."

She shot him a dark look as she halted and shook his hand from her back. Once the suddenly unwanted physical contact was removed, she quickened her pace, leaving him to stand and stare at the ground.

After a few minutes, Spike jogged up beside her, and she reflexively slowed her pace to match his. He cast a couple of furtive glances at her, looking as though he wanted to say something, but remained silent as he began to wring his hands.

It took every ounce of willpower she possessed to not glance back at him. She hated seeing him like this, and wanted to say something, but she was just too frustrated. He knew that bringing them up always angered her, so why had he done it?

"We're almost there," Spike said, pointing at a familiar rock formation.

"Eeyup," she replied.

Spike was quiet for a moment longer, then said, "Applejack, I'm sorry, alright? I wasn't trying to make you mad, I just wanted to talk about them." He watched her scowl as she determinedly gazed straight ahead. Finally, he sighed and shook his head. "I just wish I knew how it happened."

"This again?" Applejack snapped. "What could knowin' possibly do? I don't know why Mistress turned the others, or why she didn't get me. I don't know where she came from or why she started her invasion in Ponyville." She stomped a hoof on the ground with a growl of frustration. "All I know is that our friends are gone, and talkin' ‘bout them ain't gonna do either of us any good."

Spike hesitated, then spoke barely above a whisper. "I just don't want us to forget them...forget who they were."

"What's the point in rememberin' them? They're not comin' back, no matter how much we want them to." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and in a much calmer tone, said, "Who they were ain't nothin' more than memories, Spike, and we ain't ever gonna have that life again."

"I know..."

Hearing him sniffle, Applejack felt her remaining anger melt away. She was all he had, and he needed her to be his friend right now. It didn't matter if it was too painful for her to think of the others...of her sister...she needed to be there for him. Just as he had always been there for her.

She waited for him to finish wiping his eyes, and then asked, "Remember when the dragon migration came by Ponyville, and it made ya question who you really were?" She waited for him to nod before continuing. "Then you decided that you needed to join the migration, and Twilight, Rainbow, and Rarity all followed you?"

The smallest hint of a smile crept across his face. "Yeah, I can't believe Rarity's costume fooled all those dragons." Spike suddenly chuckled. "The looks on those dragons' faces when they revealed themselves was priceless."

Applejack smiled. "And you learned somethin' mighty important that day too, didn't ya?"

Spike nodded vigorously, his eyes aglow with the memory. "I learned that who I am is more important than what I am."

"Because they cared enough to follow you into dragon territory," Applejack concluded. "Their love has changed us both for the better, and that's why we ain't ever gonna forget them."

Returning her smile, Spike threw an arm around her shoulder and squeezed. "Thanks, Applejack."

Applejack leaned into him and nuzzled his cheek. "You're welcome, sugar."

They continued to walk in silence for several long minutes before Spike said, "I wish they were dead. Like...like Fluttershy." His breath seemed to hitch in his throat. "It would be so much easier that way."

Swallowing hard past the sudden lump in her throat, Applejack's mind grudgingly replayed the last time they had encountered one of their friends.

A couple of years ago, they had witnessed Pinkie Pie attack a group of five armed soldiers that had been delivering a shipment of much needed food to some of the outlying towns. She had laughed maniacally as she brutally murdered them, only pausing to feed on the last stallion standing. As they reached her, weapons drawn and ready, Pinkie had taken to the air, and with a large, ghastly grin, she had used a severed foreleg to wave goodbye before soaring away, her echoing laughter seeming to last forever.

With a shudder, Applejack forced her thoughts away from the memory. "Yeah," she replied, struggling to keep her voice steady, "it would."

Lost in their dark thoughts, the two of them didn't realize how close they were to their destination until they crested the rise and found the tall, wooden walls of Sanctuary looming before them.

On the morning following the vamponies’ attack on Ponyville, Applejack had rounded up the survivors and led them into the White Tail Woods. Leaving the other ponies within the shelter of a large cave, Applejack and Spike had hurried to Canterlot at the summons of Princess Celestia, but encountered a regiment of troops, many of whom were injured, accompanied by a grievously small number of Canterlot residents descending the mountain. The soldiers had told them that Canterlot Castle had fallen and the city was no longer safe, and the fate of the princesses was unknown.

Nearly overwhelmed with despair, the two of them had led the group back to the cave, where the other survivors helped to care for the injured. The soldiers immediately began to fortify the entrance of the cave, but after several days with no sign of vamponies, the ponies grew more bold and began to build shelters while the troops started to erect a wall. Not long after, more refugees from Appleloosa, Trottingham, and Dodge City began trickling in.

Now, surrounded by a thick, ten foot wall and numerous watchtowers, as well as being home to some of the most well trained fighters around, Sanctuary was the most secure settlement to be found. It was also the most prominent supplier of food, water, and weapons for all of Equestria.

The two guards posted outside the gate straightened as they approached. "Applejack, Spike, welcome home," one of them called out. "It's great to have you back!"

Applejack bit back her retort and tipped her hat at the two as Spike waved his greeting. "It's great to be back," she said with a forced smile.

The second guard indicated the wagon. "Is that the ore?" When she nodded, he broke out in a grin. "Lance is gonna be thrilled!"

"Well, good for him." As she watched the large, wooden gate begin to slowly swing open, she asked, "Ya'll been seein' much vampony activity?"

Both guards nodded. "Some, but none have directly attacked the town," said the first.

"But several travelers have been killed recently," the second added.

"Yeah, we were attacked by two just a little while ago," Spike told them. "There might be more around, you'd better keep a close eye out."

"Be safe, you two," Applejack said as she passed through the gate. Noticing them salute her, she rolled her eyes but said nothing as the gate began closing once again.

"Why do you think there's been so much vampony activity around here?" Spike asked as they passed a second pair of guards that saluted and greeted them warmly. "Could they be planning an attack on Sanctuary?"

"I don't think so." Applejack frowned. "I'm pretty sure they know that we're the only food source, and we're not exactly plentiful these days. I've always reckoned that the higher-ups must be reining in the others. It's the only thing I can think of that explains why they haven't swarmed us yet."

"So, why do they seem so interested now?" Spike mused. "What's changed?"

"I've got no idea," Applejack replied as her eyes landed on the large forge standing just behind the barracks, "but we can talk ‘bout it later. Right now, I just want to get this visit with Big Mac over with."

"You think he'll even be there?"

Applejack nodded sullenly. "I'm sure he will."

Lowering his gaze to the ground, Spike nodded solemnly, and followed Applejack as she led the way.

Beyond the gate was a large clearing that the guards used for drills and training. As they watched, several groups of soldiers sparred with one another while others practiced advanced tactical formations. A narrow trough had been dug through the center of the field and filled with dried wood that could be quickly ignited if the vamponies were to attack. On the far side of the clearing were the simple, single story homes standing in neat rows that housed Sanctuary's residents.

Trotting past the barracks, Applejack found herself staring at several raw recruits awkwardly swinging their weapons at a row of wooden ponies. Reminds me of the first time I picked up a weapon. I couldn't figure out how to properly hold the blasted thing, much less swing it. I reckon I've changed a lot since then...I'm just not so sure it was for the better.

"You okay?" Spike asked, his face etched with concern.

Applejack offered him a brief smile. "Yeah. Just reminiscin'."

As they drew near the forge, Farrier, an aged stallion from Appleloosa who was Sanctuary's resident blacksmith, slowly rose from his bench and waved.

Spike placed a claw on Applejack's shoulder, causing her to come to a halt. "I can handle this if you want," he offered, "you could go on to Zecora's and I'll meet you there."

"That's mighty generous of ya, sugar, but I think it'd be better if I stayed."

Spike studied her for a moment. "Are you sure? You're tired and on edge right now, I'd rather nothing happen to upset you."

This time, she gave him a much warmer smile. "Thanks for carin', Spike, but I'll be just fine." As they watched Farrier approach, she added, "Besides, he's the only family I've got left, whether I like it or not."

"You've still got Braeburn."

"Fine. He's the only immediate family I got left. Better?"

"Howdy, you two, good to see y'all are safe," Farrier said as he hobbled past them to inspect the contents of the wagon. "This the Elementium? We've been needin' this somethin' fierce lately." He shook his head, causing his long, grizzled mane to sway from side to side. "Completely ran out, we did. ‘Bout two weeks ago. Had to go back to makin' the weapons out of steel, and ya know how ineffective that is against them vamponies."

Elementium was an ore discovered by the crystal ponies deep within the Crystal Caverns six years ago that was much lighter than steel, but more durable. More importantly, it was found that vamponies wounded by weapons created with this metal were unable to heal as rapidly as wounds dealt by steel blades.

As a result, weapons crafted from Elementium ore were possibly the most important commodity in Equestria, and were highly sought after by vampony hunters—both Spike's sword and Applejack's own halberd were forged from the ore—as well as mercenaries hired to protect towns or trading routes. So, when the team of pegasi tasked with delivering the much needed ore to Sanctuary was ambushed by vamponies, Applejack and Spike had immediately volunteered to retrieve the lost cargo.

Applejack unhitched herself from the wagon. "Well, hopefully this here load will help." She unstrapped her harness and shrugged it off, then rolled her shoulder until she heard a satisfying pop. "Hoo-wee, am I glad to get this thing off. I think I got some chafin' on my underside."

Farrier blinked as Spike began to snicker, then shook his head and turned toward the barracks. "Big McIntosh, come on out here! I got some work for ya!" Catching the look on Applejack's face, he said, "My arthritis has been actin' up worse than ever, and I've finally decided it was time to step aside and let your brother take over." He smiled as Big Mac stepped outside. "I've taught him everythin' I know. He's gonna be a mighty fine blacksmith."

Big Mac smiled as he approached. "I'm glad you're safe, Li'l Sis. Welcome home."

It felt as though a shadow fell over Applejack, smothering any warm greeting she may have intended. "This ain't my home, Big Mac, and it ain't yours either."

"Uh..." Farrier took several quick steps back. "I reckon I’ll go tell Lance the Elementium is here."

As Farrier hurriedly wobbled away, Big Mac said, "It could be, if you'd let it."

Applejack's eyes narrowed. "And what about our real home?"

"It's gone, Applejack." Big Mac's ears drooped as he hung his head. "I don't like it anymore than you, but it's the truth. Sanctuary is our home now. It's safe, and it has everything we need."

"Y'all might be happy with settlin' down here, hidin' behind your big walls and fancy weapons, but it ain't enough for me." Applejack walked around to the back of the wagon and kicked the latch, causing it to drop a good quarter of the load on the ground. "And it ain't any safer here than it is out there."

Big Mac scowled. "These walls have protected us for years."

"They don't keep you protected," Applejack retorted, "they keep ya corralled."

Shaking his head, Big Mac admonished, "You can't keep thinking like that, Applejack. I know this ain't the Equestria any of us wanted, but we have to plan for the future."

Applejack cocked an eyebrow. "What's with you all of a sudden?"

As if on cue, a sweet voice from behind her spoke, "Applejack, Spike! So good to see you!"

"Cheerilee, you know I don't like you visiting me here," Big Mac said sternly. "It's too busy with all these training soldiers, and I don't like you breathing the fumes from the forge. It can't be good for—" he paused and cast a quick glance toward Applejack "—your...condition."

Condition?

"But, Sweetums, you've been so busy lately." Cheerilee smiled and her whole face seemed to glow. "And I really wanted to see you."

It only took a moment for Applejack's gaze to run along Cheerilee's frame and notice her stretched belly. Her eyes widening, she rounded on Big Mac. "You're expectin'?!"

"I was going to tell you before," Big Mac began, "but I knew you'd be mad—"

"You're darn tootin' I'm mad," Applejack snapped. "What the hay is wrong with you?"

Spike hastily stepped forward and placed a claw on her back. "Applejack, calm down."

Applejack shook off Spike's claw and advanced on Big Mac. "You're goin' to bring a foal into this world? Into this never endin' night where it'll never see the sun and be in constant danger of bein' snatched up by a vampony?"

"Yes, we are," Cheerilee answered simply as she moved to stand beside Big Mac. "Applejack, we can't keep living in fear. We can't keep believing that ponykind is doomed to an eventual extinction. If we do, then the vamponies have already won."

"We have to keep hope," Big Mac said. "Starting a family and continuing our lives are all we can do to fight back."

Her anger tightening in her chest, Applejack gritted her teeth. "I just hope the vamponies don't attack. You sure ain't gonna be able to escape with a pregnant mare slowin' ya down." She turned her back on them and began to trot away. "And I really doubt you're gonna sucker punch her."

Cheerilee gasped as Big Mac's whole body appeared to sag, but Applejack ignored them as she started across the clearing and toward the town.

How can he do this? We both lost the same family...the same home. How can he just start a new life? Didn't he care about what they'd lost? Didn't any of it matter to him?

"Applejack, wait," she heard Spike call from behind. "I can't keep up."

Realizing that she had increased her pace to a canter, she slowed and allowed Spike to catch her.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Eeyup."

“Hmph.” Spike gripped her by the tail and tugged hard. Crossing his arms as she stopped and turned a scathing look his way, he said, "Talk to me."

"I'd rather not," she replied briskly as she snapped her tail free of his hand and started off.

"This is about Apple Bloom, isn't it?" Spike stated.

She froze mid-step and hung her head. "How can he do it, Spike? Apple Bloom is out there somewhere, sufferin' right this very moment, and he's startin' a new life."

Spike gently scratched a small circle on her back and softly said, "He's moving on, Applejack. It's been a long time and he's finally accepted that she's gone. Maybe it's time that you do the same." When she did nothing more than simply shake her head, he added, “What happened to her isn't Big Mac's fault, and it wasn't yours either."

"But you're wrong," Applejack whispered as she removed her hat and hugged it to her chest. "A little while after Ma and Pa died, I vowed to them that I would take care of Apple Bloom." She squeezed her eyes shut and bit her lip as she fought against the tears. "But I didn't. I...I failed them. I failed her...failed everypony."

Spike lightly stroked her cheek. "You haven't failed me."

She stared at him for a long moment, then chuckled faintly. "I've come pretty darn close."

"Maybe." Spike shrugged. "But you always pull through. That's what you do. I've lost count of the number of times you've saved my hide. Even when I'd given up hope, you somehow found a way for us to survive." He gave her a huge grin, displaying his curved, sharp teeth. "Heck, I'm a dragon, and I'm not even half as tough as you!"

When Applejack smiled but said nothing, Spike continued. "You've also never failed Sanctuary." He waved a claw toward the first of the houses standing on the far side of the clearing. "Just look at what you've done for this town. You led that first team out from the safety of these walls to get the stone needed for the forge and oven. You were the one that snuck back into Ponyville for baking supplies and rescued Diamond Tiara in the process. Thanks to your bravery, we not only welcomed one more into Sanctuary, but we enjoyed bread for the first time in nearly a month."

Applejack shuffled her hooves. "I'm sure if I hadn't, somepony else—"

"No." Spike shook his head determinedly. "Everypony was too frightened. It was you that first gave everypony hope. It was you that helped Lance get over his guilt and become the great leader that Sanctuary needed." Applejack blushed and lowered her gaze to the ground, but Spike lifted her chin to meet his eyes. "There's a reason why every guard in this town salutes you. They don't just respect you, Applejack, they admire you. They admire you because you've always done whatever it takes to help and protect us."

As Applejack sniffled and wiped her eyes, Spike took her hat and placed it back atop her head. "Now, does that sound like a pony who's failed everyone?" he asked.

"No," she answered with a watery smile, "I reckon it doesn't." The smile quickly faded as memories of her sister assailed her mind. "But none of that can make up for my failure to protect my sister."

Spike placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a sympathetic squeeze. "Then you need to keep trying until it does."

Applejack contemplated this for a moment, then turned and started toward the town with renewed vigor. "I need to find Lance and warn him that somethin' ain’t right, and that doublin' the patrols outside of town wouldn't be a bad idea. Then I want to get to Zecora's and see how she's gettin' along with that cure."

"Applejack?"

"Hmm?" Applejack glanced over and found that Spike was jogging to keep up with her. With a sheepish grin, she slowed her pace. "Sorry, sugar."

The two of them moved swiftly across the clearing, weaving around the sporadic groups of training soldiers. Several of them noticed her passing by and gave a hasty salute before returning to their drills.

Finally, the two of them reached the rows of houses and headed toward the center of Sanctuary.

At first, the homes in Sanctuary had been hardly more than lean-tos, but when several of the settler ponies from Appleloosa had arrived, they had brought with them extensive knowledge of carpentry and masonry. With their mastery combined with the magic of the surviving Canterlot residents, they were able to build houses for all of the survivors, a forge, an oven, and much later, a well.

Unlike most other towns, the streets of Sanctuary were bustling. Everypony had a job to do; whether it was repairing homes, collecting mushrooms from the nearby cave, or watching over the foals, each pony was expected to complete the tasks given to them for the greater good of the town.

Applejack smiled and nodded at Daisy and Rose as they pulled wagons from home to home collecting trash, then turned her attention to a group of foals playing with a large red ball while the two stallions looking after them eyed the sky warily. Rounding a corner, she veered around the long line of ponies waiting outside of Mr. Cake's bakery for their rations of bread, and as she neared the center of town, she spotted a gloomy Bon Bon filling her bucket from the well.

Feeling as though she'd been kicked in the gut, Applejack quickly lowered her gaze to the ground as she trotted the remaining distance to Lance's office. There was only one reason for a pony to look that upset these days, and the last thing Applejack wanted was to get stuck consoling somepony for their loss.

"Oh no," Spike said softly, "you don't think Lyra—"

"I don't know, Spike." Applejack sighed. "And I'm not sure I want to."

When they were still several yards from the door, it swung open unexpectedly and Lance stepped into the moonlight. A silver earth stallion with a gray blue mane and an exceptionally large lance that always seemed to be strapped to his back, Lance moved with a confidence and pride born from years of military discipline. With his deep booming voice, intense icy blue raptor's gaze, and the small chunk missing from his left ear, he had no trouble intimidating even the largest of stallions.

Despite his formidable exterior, Applejack had felt an instant kinship toward him after learning that it had been he who had made the impossibly difficult decision to retreat from Canterlot, and leave the citizens that they could not reach to a grisly fate at the hooves of the vamponies. Seeing the guilt and anguish that clearly plagued him, she had felt drawn to the captain, and they had become fast friends.

Upon noticing them, Lance paused mid-step and turned their direction. "Applejack, Spike! You've been sorely missed."

"I'll bet she has," Spike remarked with a sly grin.

"Spike!" Applejack hissed.

Lance's embarrassment only shone through for a brief moment before it was covered by a stern mask. Straightening his shoulders and holding his head high, he addressed Spike, "As I'm sure you are aware, the two of you are paramount to the continued success of Sanctuary." His hard gaze met hers. "Farrier informed me that you have successfully retrieved the Elementium. Once again, you've come through for us." His features softened slightly. "What would I do without you?"

Lowering her eyes to the ground, Applejack rubbed her foreleg with a hoof and smiled in spite of herself. "It was the right thing to do."

"Always so modest." His eyes seemed to drink her in. "That's the best part about you."

Desperate to shift the topic away from herself, Applejack glanced past Lance and caught sight of Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Diamond Tiara coming through the door.

The three little fillies had grown into quite the productive young mares. There was never a day that the three of them couldn't be found dutifully performing whatever tasks Lance had given them. Having volunteered to raise the fillies, Applejack had fretted over them often, especially when Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had reached adulthood and still hadn't received their cutie marks, but these worries were put to rest when she learned that it was becoming strangely common for young adults to be sporting blank flanks. Nowadays, Applejack felt nothing but a radiant pride whenever she laid eyes on the three.

"Howdy ya'll." Applejack beamed. "Did ya miss me?"

"Applejack!" the three mares shouted as they rushed forward and hugged her fiercely.

With a grunt, Applejack stumbled, then returned the hug. "I missed you girls too."

The three of them released her and turned their attention to Spike, who threw his hands out in front of him. "No, no. You know the rule."

Laughing, the three of them charged forward and threw their forelegs around him, and they all fell to the ground in a tangled heap. Applejack couldn't help but join in the laughter herself, but it quickly died as she caught sight of the weapons strapped to the mares' backs.

"Lance," Applejack growled, "are you trainin' the girls?"

"I am," he affirmed.

A seething anger began to rise within her. "We've talked 'bout this before, Lance! I told you—"

"We went to him, Applejack," Diamond Tiara interrupted, "we asked to be trained."

"Yeah," Scootaloo chimed in. "We're sick of relying on others to protect us, we wanna be able to defend ourselves."

Applejack scowled, but just as she opened her mouth to retort, Sweetie Belle stepped forward with her beautiful smile. "We know you've always got our best interest in mind, but we're not foals anymore, and if we want to learn to use weapons, then that's our right."

There was nothing she wanted more than to make them turn over their weapons and give up this absurd notion, but she couldn't. They were right; they weren't foals anymore, no matter how much she wished otherwise, and whether she liked it or not, it was only right that she respect their wishes.

She rounded on Lance and prodded him hard in the chest with a hoof. "You should have waited for me to get back before acceptin' their request."

"Why," he asked, undaunted, "so you could tell them no?"

"I would not have told them no."

"You totally would have," Scootaloo interjected.

"You've done a great job raising them, Applejack," Lance said. "Now let me prepare them for the harsher side of life, as I did for you and Spike."

"They'll be fine," Spike urged. "They're in very capable hooves."

Applejack gazed at the three mares that, not long ago, had been three heartbroken and terrified orphans, and smiled. "Okay, but only if you use what you learn to protect yourself and others." She gave them a stern look. "No goin' out and lookin' for a fight, got it?" After they nodded, she added, "And don't ya'll ever sneak around behind my back like this again, ya hear?"

"Yes, Applejack," the three of them said in unison as they turned their heads to the ground.

"Aww, shucks." Applejack smiled affectionately. "You know I can't stay mad at ya. Come here."

With grins of their own, the three embraced her again, each whispering words of endearment before releasing her.

Feeling relieved, she turned back to Lance. "You're gonna want to double up patrols round the perimeter. Those vamponies are more active than a hive of bees, and it's givin' me a bad feelin'. Somethin' ain't right out there."

Lance's eyes narrowed. "Are you expecting an attack?"

"I don't know." She readjusted her hat. "I think we ought to play it safe. Double up the patrols and have them keep an eye peeled for any recent activity around the wall. Anythin' unusual needs to be reported immediately."

"Right." Lance nodded. "And just to be safe, I'm going to open the weapons cache and make sure every adult capable of fighting has an Elementium blade within easy reach." He glanced over at the three younger mares and gave each of them instructions, then watched them gallop off in different directions. "I'll hold a town meeting in a few hours and explain what is happening."

Spike cocked an eyebrow. "You don't think that will cause ponies to panic?"

"These ponies have proven on more than one occasion that they are steadfast and resilient." His sharp gaze met Spike's. "No, I do not think they will panic."

Spike held his gaze for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I think you're right." He glanced back at the well with a frown and asked, "So, any good news lately?"

"Actually, yes," Lance answered. "You just missed Princess Cadance; she visited here..." he gazed up at the constellations for a brief moment, "...nearly twenty four hours ago."

Spike snorted. "You could just say 'yesterday,' you know."

"Really ain't any use callin' them 'days' without the sun," Applejack said, giving Spike a warning glance before turning her full attention to Lance. "How's Cadance been holdin' up? And is Cloudsdale still doin' fine?"

"The princess is well, as is Cloudsdale."

"Of course they are," Spike said. "The vamponies don't have the ability to cloud walk, so the pegasi can simply disappear into the clouds whenever danger comes their way." He glanced up at the night sky and mumbled, “Must be nice."

"The pegasi are constantly placing themselves in danger,” Lance reminded him. "They risk their lives every day providing communications between towns as well as water to the outlying settlements."

"Yeah, yeah." Spike waved a claw indifferently. "I know all that. I just mean I envy their ability to sleep in their own beds without worry."

Applejack rolled her eyes. "Anyway, what did Cadance have to say?"

"She was concerned because the last two weapon shipments from here were made of steel, but she was heartened to learn that you and Spike had gone to retrieve the Elementium," Lance said. "She also said that the pegasi have discovered another underground river in a cave several miles west of Fillydelphia, and asked for volunteers to help them secure and fortify the area. If everything goes smoothly, we shouldn't have to worry about that upcoming drought that everypony has been dreading."

"Awesome!" Spike exclaimed. "That will save us from having to make water runs all over Equestria."

"It will be nice to have one less thing to worry about," Applejack agreed.

"Unfortunately, I have some bad news as well," Lance said, almost apologetically.

"Of course you do." Applejack sighed. "Let's have it."

"I sent a group of five volunteers to Appleloosa to gather more baking supplies, and the sole survivor returned just a couple hours ago."

Spike groaned. "Anypony we know?"

"Three of them were soldiers that you've probably never met, but the fourth..." Lance paused as his ears drooped. "It was Lyra."

"Dagnabbit!" Applejack spat as she struck the ground with her hoof. She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath, then looked at Lance with firm resolve. "Do ya need me to retrieve the supplies?"

"That won't be necessary. The surviving member managed to secure the supplies after the assault and transport them here. He also brought some disturbing news."

"And what's that?" Spike asked.

Lance hesitated for a moment. "The other four were taken alive."

Exchanging an uneasy look with Spike, Applejack swallowed hard. "That can only mean one thing..."

"Gifts for the Ascended," Spike finished.

Gifts to our friends. The friends who have destroyed Equestria and taken everything from me.

"Trixie rushed off to rescue them the moment she learned they were still alive." Lance shook his head. "I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen."

Spike glanced her way. "You think she'll be okay?"

"Trixie's one of the best vampony hunters around." Applejack answered. "If anypony can save them, I reckon it'd be her."

Lance placed a hoof on her shoulder. "You okay?"

Applejack lowered her gaze to the ground. "I think so. It's just..." She cleared her throat and straightened. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Spike?"

With a deep breath, Spike gave him a thumbs up. "I'm cool."

"I know what will cheer you up." Lance pulled his lance free and whirled it in the air expertly. "Why don't you two come over after the town meeting? I'd like to see if you've gotten any better."

Spike grinned. "Oh, you are so on!"

Emboldened by Spike's enthusiasm, a smile crept across Applejack's face. "I reckon this time the master is gonna get schooled by his students."

Lance laughed, and Applejack's smile widened upon hearing it. After having trekked halfway across Equestria's ravaged landscape, the sound of her friend's mirth was as welcoming as the thought of her soft bed.

"Well, we've still got to stop by Zecora's," Applejack said, "so we'll see you at the meetin'."

The smile faded from Lance's face. "Make sure you get some rest," he admonished. "You deserve it. And you'll want to be at your finest if the vamponies try anything."

"Will do," Applejack promised with a final wave before setting off.

The moment they were out of earshot, Spike asked, "So, why didn't the two of you hook up?"

Applejack scowled. "How many times have we gone over this?"

"More than I care to count." Spike shrugged. "But I'll keep at it until you finally give him a chance."

"Ain't gonna happen, sugar."

"Which is dumb because all the chemistry is there," Spike grumbled. "I mean, you helped him overcome his guilt of leaving those Canterlot citizens to die, and he would help you with your guilt if you'd let him."

"He's got nothin' to do with my problems," Applejack retorted. "That's between Apple Bloom and myself."

"Whatever," Spike grunted. "I just remember the two of you talking for hours and hours." He kicked a stone and watched it bounce into the side of a house. "You were perfect together."

"I've got too much to do," she said. "Bein' 'perfect together' ain't a reason to stop. I'm not Big Mac."

"First of all, ouch." Spike made a face. "And secondly, hooking up with Lance doesn't mean that you'd have to stop anything."

Applejack huffed. "I just don't want any distractions, alright? Now can ya please drop it?"

"Fine..."

The two of them remained silent until they reached Zecora's house, then Spike said, "As soon as we're done here, I'm going straight to bed."

"Is that all you can think about?" Applejack asked with a smirk.

"Well, I just spent a little over a month sleeping on nothing but hard, lumpy dirt, so, yeah, it is all I'm thinking about."

Applejack chuckled. "Are you aware that dragons tend to sleep in caves?" She raised an eyebrow. "You know? On hard, cold rock?"

"Yeah, yeah," Spike rolled his eyes, but Applejack could see the hint of a smile. "It's not my fault that you ponies pampered me. And now I want a nice, warm bed." He reached Zecora's door and knocked. "Deal with it."

As Applejack smiled and shook her head, Zecora's muffled voice called to them from further inside. "You may enter."

Despite the lack of her native decor, Zecora's small, one room home looked nearly identical to her old hut. Bottles containing mosses and lichen as well as some less identifiable ingredients crowded the shelves and tabletops, piles of books and hastily scrawled notes lay haphazardly around the room and on the small bed occupying the back corner, and a large, bubbling cauldron sat in the center of the room.

"Spike, Applejack!" Zecora carefully poured two liquids into a large beaker, then set the smoking concoction aside and beamed at the two of them. "So glad to see you back."

"It's great to be back," Applejack replied as the familiar scent of brewing potions wafted over her. "How ya been holdin' up?"

"Life in Sanctuary has been no less bleak." Zecora stepped up to the cauldron and motioned them closer. "Did you find the Moon Blossom I requested you seek?"

"Sure did," Applejack answered as she reached into her saddlebag. "Up on a high ridge directly below the moon and tucked between two rocks as snugly as a newborn to its mother."

Spike scratched his head. "I still don't get how you knew exactly where we would find it."

"It's Zecora, Spike," Applejack said. "She just knows."

Zecora chuckled at this, then took the dark purple flower from her with almost reverent care. "Yes, this is just what I need. Perhaps, to the first steps of a cure it will lead."

Applejack watched Zecora delicately removed three of the petals, then said, "We've got somethin' else for ya."

"Fangs?" Zecora asked as she reared up to remove a jar from a high shelf and dump its contents into an empty beaker.

Pulling the small leather pouch from her saddlebag and setting it on a nearby table, Applejack confirmed, "Eighteen."

"So nine slain vamponies on your trip to the north," Zecora said as she poured a green liquid into the beaker. "It's good to hear that it will be that much safer for ponies to travel forth."

Spike grinned. "She means eighteen pairs."

"Eighteen pairs?!" Zecora rounded on them. "What, did you venture into a vampony lair?"

Applejack couldn't help but smile at her friend's surprise. "Nope. The vamponies have just been really aggressive here lately." She adjusted her hat as her smile died. "I reckon somethin' changed, but I don't know what, or what it will mean for us."

With a frown, Zecora began to grind the petals in a mortar and pestle. "In times of unknowing, it is best to prepare for the worst, but the ponies of this town are known for showing that they can stand strongly together when forced." She lifted a jar containing a powdered substance and poured it into the mortar, then stirred them together. "But perhaps your worries will be for naught if I can create a cure with the flower you've brought."

Spike stepped close and gazed into the mortar. "So, is this that memory potion you've been trying to make? The one that will help vamponies remember their previous life?"

Zecora nodded. "If they can remember the life they used to lead, perhaps they will be more reluctant to feed."

"And maybe...just maybe, they might want that life back," Applejack continued.

"And with a vampony that's willing to help, the cure might be easier to find," Spike finished.

"It may be a long shot," Zecora said, "but it's the only plan I've got."

"Well, until then, I'm gonna need some more of your Vampony's Bane," Applejack said.

Vampony's Bane was a powdered concoction that Zecora had created that used vampony fangs as the main ingredient. While completely harmless to the living, Vampony's Bane burned a vampony upon contact, and would kill with prolonged exposure.

"For thirty six fangs, you can have anything you desire." Zecora opened a hidden drawer and removed four pouches. "This is all of my Bane, I hope it helps if your journeys turn dire."

"It's helped plenty in the past," Applejack told her as she placed the pouches in her saddlebag, "and I reckon they'll help again."

Zecora smiled and then turned back to her work. Raising the mortar to the lip of the beaker, she said, "If I have done everything correctly, the green fluid should turn blue." She gave Applejack an even look. "Then I would like to entrust the potion to you."

Applejack blinked. "Um, sure. I'd be happy to test it for ya."

"Celestia knows we won't have any trouble finding a vampony to try it on," Spike added.

Her ears flattening against her head, Applejack scowled. “Spike, I’ve asked ya before, stop usin’ that name. She’s dead, and she ain’t any good to anypony.”

“I don’t believe that,” Spike said. “Not for a second. And neither should you.”

Applejack looked all around Zecora’s house. “Then where is she?”

“In the last letter she sent us, she said not to worry. That she would be fine. I'm sure wherever she is, she is doing all she can for us.”

Applejack bit off her retort as Zecora finished pouring the powdered mixture into the beaker. She stepped closer and watched with bated breath as Zecora stirred the mixture, and then shouted out in elation with the others as the fluid turned dark blue.

But their celebration was cut short when the potion began to billow a thick dark smoke, and a moment later, the blue had turned an ugly black. With a string of curses in her native language, Zecora threw the beaker against the far wall. The dark potion seemed to implode upon itself, leaving nothing more than a thin wisp of smoke and broken glass.

Applejack closed her eyes and fell back onto her rump. She suddenly felt as if she couldn't catch her breath as a hard knot formed in the pit of her stomach. We're never gonna find a cure. I'll never be able to save Apple Bloom. She's going to be a vampony forever and it's all my fault.

With a shuddering sigh, Zecora grabbed a broom from the corner and began to sweep up the glass.

"It's hopeless..." Spike whispered from beside her.

Zecora let the broom fall as she rounded on him, her eyes aglow with an unfaltering inner strength. "No, all ailments can be remedied and all diseases can be healed. We must keep trying until positive results are revealed."

Spike ran a claw over his face. "Zecora, we've been at this for twelve years! We haven't even come close to reaching 'the first step' as you always call it, and we've yet to find a single mention of anything like this disease in any of the books we've read."

"With these thoughts, no good can come. There is still hope yet, let us not be glum."

He took a deep breath and turned away from them. "I've never said it before because I've always respected the decision you and Applejack made, but I'm going to say it now: I agree with Lance. You should stop searching for a cure and start working on ways to kill them. Quit wasting your time and focus your abilities on protecting the living."

Zecora's ears flattened as she lowered her head as if she were about to charge. "You think I waste my—"

"I'm gonna take a walk round the perimeter," Applejack interrupted as she quickly stood and headed toward the door.

"Applejack?" Spike called. When she didn't answer, he blurted, "Applejack, I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking—"

"It's okay, sugar." Applejack sighed as she opened the door. "I'm not mad at you...I just need to be alone." She stepped outside and closed the door without waiting for a response, and started off toward the back entrance of Sanctuary.

It didn't surprise her that Spike agreed with Lance; with all of the horrors that they had witnessed in their travels it was sometimes difficult even for her to believe a cure was possible, and after this latest failure, she realized that they were right. Whatever kind of disease this vampirism was, it sure wasn't anything natural to Equestria, and Zecora's efforts were doomed to fail.

Which meant her hopes of curing Apple Bloom were equally doomed.

Big McIntosh had come to terms with Apple Bloom's fate and moved on, and Spike had suggested that she should as well, but that just wasn't possible. She had been caring for her little sister since she herself was a little filly, and Apple Bloom an infant. Even after she had become old enough to start helping Big Mac with running the farm and Granny Smith took over raising Apple Bloom, Applejack had still felt responsible for her little sister and had fretted often.

She vividly remembered lying awake in bed worrying herself sick on the night before Apple Bloom's first day of school, and her anxiety over her first sleepover with her friends at Rarity's. But clearer still, she remembered walking into her parents' room and staring at the brand new foal in her beaming mother's hooves, and the sense of wonderment she had felt as the infant's eyes had traveled to hers and locked on, as if she somehow already knew who she was.

But now, that precious little filly was a monster, a grotesque perversion of the pony she was meant to be. She didn't know Applejack from Chancellor Puddinghead, and certainly didn't remember any of their old life together. Apple Bloom was suffering, and it was Applejack's obligation to end it. And if helping Zecora create a cure was no longer an option, then there was only one alternative.

She hadn't returned to Ponyville since the sun had failed, but she knew that it was a gathering place for vamponies. She also knew that Apple Bloom had been spotted there numerous times.

Although Apple Bloom was an Ascended, Applejack felt certain that she could kill her with four pouches of Bane. She would certainly be swarmed by vamponies in the process and harbored no doubt that she would die in Ponyville, but that didn't matter. If she could put Apple Bloom to rest, then she could face her end in peace. As for her fear of becoming a vampony herself, she could avoid that with a trick that every vampony hunter knew; she would sprinkle some Bane into her mane so that the powder would kill her as soon as she began to turn.

With a heavy heart and a grimly determined design, Applejack approached the gate and stared ahead as the two guards saluted.

"Didn't you just get back?" one of the stallions asked in surprise.

Applejack scowled at the gate. "I'm doin' a perimeter check."

"Wow...any other pony would be resting by now," said the other guard, gazing at her with evident admiration as the gate began to swing toward them. "You're an inspiration to us all, Applejack."

"I'm a hunter," Applejack replied in a monotonous voice. "I find vamponies and I kill them. That's my job."

The two guards shared a look as she passed through the gate and completely ignored the other pair of guards that greeted her outside. She trotted through the dead forest at a brisk pace toward the cave, intending to fill her canteen at the underground river before heading for Ponyville.

As she glanced at the standing corpses of the trees and the skeletal remains of brush, she was suddenly struck by the disturbing sensation that Equestria was already dead, and was just waiting on them to join it.

"You ain't gonna have to wait long for me," Applejack mumbled as the cave came into view.

Applejack came to a halt as an unexpected tear ran down her cheek. Recalling all the times that she had brought Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Diamond Tiara here to play and explore, she sat back on her haunches and removed her hat with a sniffle.

It was a stab to the heart to realize that she would never see their smiling faces again. The three of them had played a crucial role in preventing her from falling into despair during that first year without Apple Bloom. Her fierce desire to protect those fillies had been the only thing that had kept her going, and had been the primary incentive for her and Spike becoming hunters.

She swallowed hard at the memories. She wished that she could have told them goodbye. She knew that Spike would eventually forgive her for this sudden decision, but she wasn't so sure about the other three...or Lance, for that matter.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye," she said to the cave as she hung her hat on a rocky outcropping the fillies used to climb and swing from. She blinked and shook her head as she felt a brief moment of vertigo, then continued. "I wish I could have said it to ya'll personally, but hopefully you'll know how I was feelin' right at this moment when you find my hat here. And Spike...I guess I'm finally lettin' you down, but this is somethin' that I just gotta do. Sorry, sugar."

"Poor honest Applejack," said a soft voice from behind. With a start, Applejack whirled around to find a cloaked pony standing several yards away. "Always so true to everypony else, but she can't help but lie to herself."

"What do ya mean?" Applejack asked, slowly pulling her halberd free.

"Leaving everypony behind with nothing more than your hat to explain your decision, what a selfish choice." Despite standing in direct moonlight that shrouded her in an eerie glow, the mysterious pony's face was somehow hidden within her hood. "You will undoubtedly hurt everypony who has ever cared about you."

Applejack's eyes narrowed. "What could a vampony like you possibly understand? You've got no idea what I've been through."

"I know that you blame yourself for what happened to Apple Bloom," the figure said, "and I know that you'd do anything to save her."

Her breath catching in her throat, Applejack nearly dropped the halberd. "How do ya know that?! Who are you?"

"Who I am is unimportant," the cloaked pony said as Applejack's hat lifted into the air and floated over to her. "All you need to know is that I wish to help."

Quickly snatching the hat out of the air and placing it on her head, Applejack gripped her weapon with both forelegs. "I ain't ever heard of any vampony other than Mistress havin' dark magic." She strained to see the face concealed within the hood, but could discern nothing more than a vague outline. "I don't know what you are, but your powers make you a threat to Sanctuary." She braced herself. "And I mean to end it."

"Fighting me won't help your sister," the figure replied calmly. "But I know what can. Something that could even bring her back among the living."

Applejack stiffened. "Bring...her back?" She stared at the vampony before her with wide eyes. "How...how can that be possible?"

The figure turned away, her long cloak sweeping up a small cloud of dirt around her hooves, and tilted her head in the general direction of Canterlot Mountain. "Within the ruins of the royal castle of Canterlot lies a rare treasure called The Phoenix Heart. It is the crystallization of the literal heart of a phoenix that gave its life to protect one it held most dear.”

Applejack cocked an eyebrow. “Are ya talkin’ ‘bout Philomena?”

“Yes.” The cloaked pony nodded. “Such a noble act performed by such a majestic creature creates a special kind of magic, a magic that can heal any wound." The mysterious mare glanced back over her shoulder, and even though Applejack couldn't see the vampony's eyes, she knew that they were gazing deeply into her own. "Or any sickness."

Could it be true? Could there really be a crystal of some sort that could cure Apple Bloom? But why was this vampony willing to give such valuable information so freely?

"Why are you tellin' me all this?" Applejack asked, eyeing the figure closely. "What could you gain by savin' my sister?"

"You," came her quick reply, "as an ally. Once you have saved your sister, you will be indebted to me, and I require your help."

Applejack frowned. "With what?"

"The elimination of the Ascended, and the death of Mistress."

Slowly nodding, Applejack said, "Makes sense...ya'll want to take Mistress's position and power for yourself, but how could I possibly help?"

"I have a plan, and you will be key."

"If I'm so important to your cause, then why are you hidin' your face from me?"

The figure turned to face her once more. "I'm not taking any chances. Mistress can be very...unforgiving."

Applejack smirked. "Scared, huh?" When the vampony simply stood there, she lowered her halberd, but only slightly. "Canterlot is Luna's territory, and it's bound to be swarmin' with vamponies, and I got nothin' more than the word of a vampony that the Phoenix Heart even exists." She cocked an eyebrow. "How do I know that you're not sendin' me to my doom?"

"The choice to believe me is yours alone to make." The figure stepped closer. "But if you fall in Canterlot, then you were no good to me anyway."

"That's a bit harsh, but I gotta admire your honesty." Applejack mulled over what she had learned. "Let's say I listen to you and retrieve the Phoenix Heart, how do I use it to save Apple Bloom?"

"The moment the Phoenix Heart touches Apple Bloom, she will become incapacitated. Then simply press the crystal to her bite and hold it there until she is cured."

"This is an Ascended we're talkin' bout here. It ain't gonna be that easy."

"I will draw her away from the other vamponies and out into the open, and if you wish, I can assist in subduing her as well."

"Fair enough," Applejack said with a nod. It seemed like a reasonably sound plan, assuming she could survive Canterlot, of course. Still, it beat her plan of a reckless suicidal attack on her sister, but there was one thing left that worried her.

Applejack raised her halberd so that the blade was inches from the vampony's face. "Ya'll know that if ya harm anypony in Sanctuary from this point on, I will make it my personal mission to kill you, right?"

"I have no intention of harming anypony from your town," the figure said, seemingly unfazed by the deadly weapon. "As long as you hold to your end of the deal."

Applejack hesitated briefly, then replaced the halberd and spat on her hoof before holding it out. "If, and only if the Phoenix Heart cures Apple Bloom, we've got ourselves a deal."

Although the vampony didn't move, Applejack felt a hoof painfully grip her own and shake. "Good luck in Canterlot," she whispered.

Unnerved, Applejack stumbled back and shook her stinging hoof. Inspecting it for any damage, she asked, "How did you do that?" But when she glanced back up she was shocked to find that she was alone. "What...how...huh?" She spun in a quick circle, but saw no trace of the cloaked figure.

Applejack shook her head. What had just happened? Had any of that been real? She felt as though she had just awoken from a dream, but her hat was back atop her head and her hoof was still throbbing.

Whatever she had been, Applejack was certain that she wasn't your typical vampony, nor was she an Ascended. But it didn't matter what she was; she had given her renewed hope.

She knew that the odds of surviving Canterlot were extremely low, but if there was a chance to cure Apple Bloom, then she had no choice but to try. She needed to return to Sanctuary and gather supplies, and then she would set off at once. She would have to be quick, she really didn't want to lie to Lance or the girls about why she was leaving. At least Spike was certain to be asleep by now, she knew that he would never let her leave Sanctuary without him.

As she started back for the gate, a little voice in her head began to question why she was taking direction from a vampony, but another voice, the much more stubborn one that had always refused to give Apple Bloom up for dead, told the first to go swallow its bit.

The guards stared at her in confusion as she approached, and as she came to a halt before them, one asked, "That was quick. So is it all clear?"

"Say what?"

The second guard cocked his head. "The perimeter check. Is it all clear?"

"Oh! Ah..." She couldn't give the all clear, not after running into that vampony, but then, Applejack didn't believe that she was a threat to the town and didn't want guards sent out to hunt her down. "I'm not sure, just keep a close eye out and be vigilant."

"Uh...okay." The guards shared a look as the gate began to open and Applejack hurried through. "That poor mare needs some rest," she heard one of them mutter behind her.

She hastily made her way to Mr. Cake's bakery, and trotted past the line of waiting ponies. Whenever she needed to resupply in a hurry, the Cake twins always let her in through the back and gave her whatever she needed. Then she would have to refill her canteens at the well, since she had been too distracted to remember to fill them in the cave, and finally she wanted to make a quick stop at Snips and Snail's shop and hopefully empty out her bags a bit.

"Applejack!" came a voice from behind, interrupting her planning.

Turning, she inwardly groaned. "Oh, hey there, Spike. I figured you'd be asleep by now."

"I was worried about you," he said, but then he frowned. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh...I was just..." Applejack fidgeted as her eyes darted everywhere but her friend's stare. "I was just gettin' some bread before hittin' the hay." She laughed nervously. "I'm mighty hungry after that long trip, ya know." She cleared her throat and pointed to the small house the two of them shared. "Why don't ya get on to bed, and I'll be there in just a bit."

Spike glowered and crossed his arms. "You don't use the back door unless you've got a job." She opened her mouth to protest, but he interrupted her. "You've always said that it's dishonest to use the backdoor if you're not in a hurry. So why aren't you standing in line?"

"I...umm..."

"You're leaving, aren't you?" The anger in his voice was apparent, and it was rising. "And without even resting. How well are you going to be able to fend off vamponies if you're exhausted? Especially now that they're so much more aggressive?" His upper lip raised, revealing his teeth. "I know what I said at Zecora's upset you, but I would never forgive you if you went off on your own and got yourself killed because you were too angry to get some sleep."

"Spike, I..." She closed her eyes and rubbed her temple. "I'm sorry. I'm not upset about what you said, and that's the honest truth. But you're right, I am leavin', and you can't come with me."

"What?" Spike blinked. "Why?"

"I can't tell you that, sugar," Applejack said. "You're just gonna have to trust me."

"But you're not mad at me?" When she shook her head, he grimaced. "You're about to do something really stupid, aren't you?"

"N-no," she stammered. "I-I just think you should stay in town and rest up. You definitely earned it."

Spike emitted a low growl. "I know you, Applejack. You're about to do something reckless and dangerous, and you're trying to leave me behind to keep me safe. Now stop lying and tell me what's going on."

"Okay. Ya got me." Applejack gazed down at her hooves. "I'm goin' to Canterlot."

"What?!" Spike exclaimed. "Canterlot? Are you nuts?! That's suicide! What in the hay are you going there for?!"

Applejack rolled a rock underneath her hoof. "There is a crystal in the castle that can cure Apple Bloom. If I can get in there and get it, I can save her." She forced herself to look into his eyes. "I can bring her back, Spike!"

Her heart sank as she watched the anger on his face melt away, to be replaced with sadness. "Applejack, I know you want to save Apple Bloom, and I do too, but there isn't a magic stone just lying around that can bring her back. Let's just keep trying to help Zecora, all right?"

"No." She shook her head. "It isn't some 'magic stone,' it's Philomena's crystallized heart, and it's magic can cure anythin'."

"Philomena's..." Spike studied her for a long moment. "How did you suddenly find out about this?"

"It's a long and confusin' story, but—"

"You were gone for like fifteen minutes."

Her ears flattened against her head. "Fine. Then it was a long and confusin' fifteen minutes. But the point is, I believe it's there."

Spike frowned. "I don't like it. You want to risk everything to sneak into Canterlot for a crystallized heart that may not even exist." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Are you hearing yourself right now? Are you hearing how absolutely crazy you sound?"

She held his gaze resolutely. "Spike, there are some things that you can just feel in your heart and know it's true. This is one of those things. Ya don't have to believe me, but you've got to trust me. I know the Phoenix Heart is there, and I won't be able to live with myself if I don't try to retrieve it."

Spike seemed to go limp. "I'm not going to be able to talk you out of this one, am I?"

"Nope," Applejack said firmly.

"Then I'm going with you."

"Oh no, you're not," Applejack protested. "I couldn't—"

His grip tightened on her shoulders and he leaned forward and placed his forehead on her own. "Let me do this, Applejack," he said. "This isn't about how many times you've saved my life, or what I feel like I owe you. This is about our friendship. If you're going to risk your life, I want to be there with you. I'd never forgive myself otherwise."

A warmth ignited within her as he released her and she met his watery gaze. "I reckon I can't talk ya out of this one, huh?"

"Nope," Spike answered with an affectionate grin.

She chuckled softly even as her tears began to spill down her cheeks. "I wouldn't have it any other way, sugar." Wiping her eyes, she turned toward the back entrance of the bakery.

"Applejack?"

"Hmm?"

"I know you're anxious to leave, but I really think it's for the best if we got some sleep. We've both been pushing ourselves pretty hard."

Applejack wanted nothing more than to argue with him, to tell him that they needed to leave now, but she couldn't deny the weariness in her legs, or her sore back. She wouldn't be doing Apple Bloom any good if she didn't take the time to rest, and besides, the Phoenix Heart wasn't going anywhere. There was no reason not to get a bit of shut eye in before they headed out.

"You're right, Spike," Applejack said. "As usual."

With a relieved expression, Spike led the way to their small cottage that consisted of one room dominated by their two beds. Although little more than a shack, this tiny home was all the two of them needed. Lance had ordered it built specifically for them just a couple of years ago after they had left their previous house to the now grown Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Diamond Tiara.

As soon as she pushed through the front door, Applejack felt as if she had been hit by a sack of apples, and barely took the time to remove her halberd and place her hat on the bedpost before falling atop the covers.

As she nuzzled up to her pillow, she heard Spike wishing her pleasant dreams, and responded in kind before drifting off into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Dreams of Past and Present

Applejack sat up in her bed with a start, her wide eyes scanning the shadows of the room as the fur on the back of her neck stood on end. Brushing her mane out of her face with a shaking hoof, she slowly climbed out of bed. She grabbed her hat off of the bedpost more out of instinct than desire and peered out of the opened window.

The full moon was high in the sky, bathing the rolling hills of Sweet Apple Acres in a luminescent glow. A light breeze rustled through the leaves and wafted the crisp scent of apples over her, but no other sound disturbed the quiet night.

Applejack frowned. She had no idea what had awoken her, or why she was so unnerved. Everything seemed perfectly ordinary, except…

Her frown deepened as she slowly became aware of the absence of the nighttime creatures. There was no chorus of insects, nor a single hoot from an owl. Nothing other than the wind moving through the leaves. Had that been what had interrupted her sleep?

Suddenly, a distant scream echoed over the farm.

Her breath catching in her throat, Applejack stumbled back from the window. "What in Celestia's..." She trailed off as another scream reverberated over the land. "They're...they're comin' from Ponyville!"

Immediately, her thoughts turned to just two days previous, when they had discovered Fluttershy’s remains mere hours after realizing Twilight had gone missing. Could this be linked? Was Ponyville even now under attack?

"Apple Bloom!" Applejack gasped, her blood running cold. Galloping out of her room, she skidded to a halt as her little sister came waddling into the hallway rubbing her eyes.

"Applejack?" Apple Bloom said as she blinked rapidly up at her sister. "I thought I heard something outside."

Hurriedly throwing a foreleg around Apple Bloom and pulling her close, Applejack spoke softly to the little filly. "Stay close. We need to get the others."

"What's happening?" Apple Bloom asked, her voice trembling.

"I don't know," Applejack replied. "Just hush now, and stay close."

Moving as quickly as she could while clutching Apple Bloom against her chest, Applejack entered Big McIntosh's room and found him staring out of the window.

As their eyes met, she gave him a meaningful look and hugged Apple Bloom close. "Did you hear it?"

"Hear what?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Eeyup," answered Big Mac.

"Go wake Granny and meet me in the livin' room," Applejack instructed.

"What did you hear?" Apple Bloom asked again as Big Mac gave a solemn nod and quickly left the room. "What's going on?"

"Shh," Applejack whispered, "downstairs, quick."

Half carrying her little sister down the stairs, Applejack led her to the couch and sat her down. Despite her unease, she couldn't help but smile as Winona bounded out of the kitchen, jumped onto the couch, and began to nuzzle Apple Bloom. With a giggle, Apple Bloom threw her forelegs around the Border Collie's neck.

"Now, stay here and keep Winona company," Applejack said, and then hurried to the windows to ensure that they were all locked. As she was finishing her inspection, she heard Big Mac and Granny Smith descend the stairs.

"Applejack," Granny asked shakily, "what's goin' on?"

"I'm not sure," Applejack answered. She moved closer to Apple Bloom. "It sounds like somethin' might be attackin' Ponyville."

"What?!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, leaping off the couch. "Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo! I've got to find them!"

Applejack grabbed the filly by the tail as she tried to gallop off. "No, Apple Bloom. I know you're worried 'bout your friends, but your safety is this family's number one priority."

Granny Smith stepped forward. "Do ya suppose this is connected to Princess Twilight's disappearance?"

"I...I hope not." Applejack shook her head. "It doesn't matter. We gotta get you and Apple Bloom to the cellar. Big Mac, you look after them. Barricade the door and don't open it for anypony."

"But what about you?" Apple Bloom whined.

"Once I know ya'll are safe, I'm headin' into town." She snorted irritably as the other three voiced their disapproval, then shushed them. "I've already lost two friends, I ain't keen on losin' anymore."

Apple Bloom flung her forelegs around her. "Applejack, please stay with me. Don't go!"

Applejack knelt and clutched her little sister tightly. "I can't hide in a cellar while my friends are in danger. I've got to do what I can for Ponyville." She kissed Apple Bloom's forehead. "I'll find your friends too, okay?"

Tears streaking down her face, Apple Bloom sniffled. "Okay."

With a final reassuring squeeze, Applejack released her sister and turned toward the door. "I'm gonna check to see if it's safe, then I want ya'll to hustle to the cellar as fast as ya can."

She waited for the three of them to nod, then slowly opened the door. Just as she was about to step outside, she heard Winona leap off the couch and rush through the open doorway. As her hackles raised, Winona bared her teeth and took a defensive stand in front of Applejack.

With a last look back at the worried faces of her family, Applejack closed the door and turned to Winona. "You know somethin's wrong, don't ya, girl?" Winona growled in response.

The eerie silence blanketed the farm like a perpetual barrier that disconnected them from the rest of the world. Shivering in the pleasantly warm night air, Applejack strained her ears for any sound of danger as her eyes carefully scanned the distant tree line.

She could see the cellar doors mere yards away, and with another cautious glance around, prepared to give the all clear to her family when Winona suddenly darted forward.

Applejack frowned as Winona stopped in the middle of the field and stared at the tree line. The hair on her back still standing on end and her ears flattened against her head, the Border Collie began to growl.

"Winona?" Applejack called, but with a howl, she charged into the darkness. "Winona, come back!" Her breath caught in her throat as she heard her dog bark and snarl viciously, but then suddenly cut off with a shrill yelp.

Her heart hammering in her chest, Applejack swallowed hard. "Wi-Winona?" She waited a short moment, then tried again. "Winona, are ya okay, girl?"

Without warning, a shadow launched from the trees and streaked by overhead, landing with a thump on the roof. With bated breath, Applejack slowly turned to find the silhouette of a pony standing atop the house, its glowing red gaze seemingly locking onto hers.

Applejack could do nothing but stare as the silhouette extended its wings and shrieked eerily. Startled from her stupor, she let out a cry of her own and galloped back into the house, slamming the door shut behind her.

"What the hay was that?" Big Mac asked as Applejack quickly backpedaled from the door, his ears flattened and eyes wide.

"I...I don't know." Applejack shuddered. "But leavin' the house might not be—"

Something hit the door with tremendous force, causing the four of them to scream. A second hit immediately followed, and Applejack watched with horrid fascination as cracks appeared along the doorframe.

"Everypony, into the kitchen, quick!" she shouted, then fell to the floor as the door was torn from its hinges and sent hurtling across the room.

Cautiously climbing to her hooves, Applejack watched with horror as the creature entered their home.

It was a royal guard; his helm was missing, revealing a gory wound on his neck, and his breastplate was dangling from a single strap. His head shook erratically, and his unfurled bat-like wings twitched. Saliva and blood dripped onto the hardwood floor as he gnashed his teeth and snarled.

After the discovery of Fluttershy's body, Rainbow had led a dozen royal guards into the Everfree Forest to search for Twilight. Applejack and the others had been worried when they didn't return, but knew it was likely that Rainbow would refuse to leave the forest without Twilight.

An icy dread formed in the pit of her stomach as she stared at the thing that had once been a royal guard. Had Rainbow Dash suffered a similar fate?

"Applejack! Hurry!" Apple Bloom screamed from the kitchen before Big Mac dragged her away from the door.

Tearing her gaze away from the creature, she galloped toward the kitchen, hearing the monster give chase with another earsplitting shriek.

As soon as Applejack cleared the doorway, Granny Smith stepped forward and struck the beast in the face with a cast iron skillet. The blow cut the creature off mid-screech and sent it crashing to the floor.

Granny Smith stood over the toppled beast on her hind legs, gripping the skillet tight with two hooves. "If you think you're goin' to come into my home and threaten my family, then you're goin' to have to come through me first."

"All right, Granny!" Applejack shouted, but her elation melted away as the monster climbed to its hooves.

"Get Apple Bloom and go!" Granny commanded as she took another swing at the beast, but it caught the skillet with ease. Wrenching it out of Granny's grip, the creature brought it down on her head with terrifying force.

Applejack's heart stopped as she heard the sickening thud and watched Granny Smith's limp form crumple to the floor. "No..." she whispered, unable to take her eyes from her grandmother even as the monster charged at her.

Suddenly, Big Mac knocked her aside and grappled with the beast. The two stumbled around the kitchen before the creature lifted Big Mac off the ground and slammed him onto his back. As a screaming Apple Bloom ran under the table, Applejack grabbed a water pitcher and threw it at the creature's head. The pitcher shattered against the beast's face, and as it reared up in surprise, Big Mac kicked it in the chest. Applejack hastily positioned herself behind the kitchen table and bucked it with all her might, sending it flipping through the air and knocking the beast to the floor.

Frantically climbing to his hooves, Big Mac leaped onto the overturned table, crushing the creature underneath. "Go! Now!" he bellowed as he repeatedly stomped on the table.

Scooping up Apple Bloom, Applejack rushed toward the back door and out into the night. Turning back, she saw Big Mac gallop through the door and slam it shut even as the table was sent soaring across the kitchen. He braced himself against the door and grunted as a tremendous force hit it from the other side.

"What now?" he cried, the protesting shrieks of the monster causing the three of them to wince.

"We have to get off the farm," Applejack breathed. "We can lose it in the forest."

Big Mac nodded. "Good, go. I'll hold it off as long as I can."

"No," Applejack said as Apple Bloom clutched at her front leg, "I won't leave you."

"You have to!" he shouted as another blow nearly knocked him clear of the door.

Applejack shook her head. "No, I don't." She looked down at Apple Bloom and pointed to the chicken coop about fifty yards away. "Go hide in there and don't come out until we tell you it's safe. Ya hear me?"

Apple Bloom nodded and started off, but stopped. "Applejack...I love you."

"I love ya too, sugar cube," Applejack said. "Now, go."

With her jaw set, Applejack trotted over to a discarded hoe laying near the house, and picking it up, she gave Big Mac a determined nod.

Big Mac jumped away from the door, and as the beast exploded through it, he punched it in the muzzle. With a cry, Applejack began striking the creature in the back with the hoe as it grabbed her brother. The blade cut several deep gouges into the monster's back, but it paid her no heed as it continued to wrestle Big Mac to the ground. Swinging the hoe with all of her might, she caught it in the back of the head with enough force to snap the tool in two.

With a snarl, the creature lashed out a hoof and struck her in the face. Bursts of light erupted across her vision, and shaking her head to clear them, she found herself lying on her stomach in the soft grass. Blinking rapidly as the farm seemed to rock and pitch around her, her gaze landed on Big Mac's wood cutting axe embedded in the stump of a tree.

Applejack climbed to her hooves and stumbled toward the axe. Pulling it free, she turned to find Big Mac on his back. The beast had him pinned and appeared to be trying to bite him, but Big Mac had gotten hold of its breast plate and was using it to keep the creature's fangs at bay.

A savage rage gripped Applejack without warning. Images of Granny's limp form collapsing to the floor replayed in her mind, and with a wild scream, she galloped forward.

The beast snapped upright at the sound of her cry, but she was already swinging the axe. The blade sank deep into the creature’s neck, and it crashed onto its back.

Applejack gritted her teeth and wrenched the axe free, and watched briefly as the monster thrashed about, its eyes rolling and blood bubbling from its mouth. Then, with another shriek, she brought the axe down and severed the beast's head.

As the head rolled free—still snapping at the air before finally laying still— Applejack dropped the axe and vomited, horrified by the awful atrocity she had committed. "What...what have I...done?" she managed in between gasping sobs. Big Mac hurriedly embraced her, and she buried her face in his mane as he whispered words of reassurance.

But then a horrific scream made her blood run cold.

A large dark shadow with an enormous wingspan had landed on the chicken coop, and as she stood aghast, it tore off the roof and lifted her struggling sister into the air.

"Apple Bloom!" Applejack wailed as the monster pulled the little filly close and bit her neck. She fought to gallop toward the horrible creature and save her sister, but something held her back. “Apple Bloom!” she shrieked again. All rational thought fled her frenzied mind as she strained against the force that was pulling her away. "APPLE BLOOM!"

Without warning, a red hoof flashed by and everything went black.

***

With a cry, Applejack bolted upright. Gasping for breath, her eyes quickly took in her surroundings and landed on Spike standing close by.

"I was just about to wake you," Spike said softly. "You were starting to get loud."

Applejack sighed heavily and rubbed her eyes, but remained silent.

"Was it the farm again?"

Swallowing hard as the sound of Apple Bloom’s scream still echoed in her mind, Applejack stared straight ahead and nodded.

"It wasn't your fault," he assured her. "And you know Big Mac did the right thing."

She stood and retrieved her hat, brushing it off before placing it atop her head. "How can you say that?" she demanded.

Spike crossed his arms. "If he hadn't clocked you, you would've attacked Mistress head on and died."

She snatched her halberd from the ground and huffed. "Maybe that would've been better."

"You don't mean that."

"I'll take watch now," she stated as she strapped her saddlebags on.

Spike frowned. "Are you sure? You still have a couple hours before your turn."

"Yeah," Applejack answered. "I can't sleep anymore."

"Okay, if you're sure..."

Applejack began to walk away but stopped when Spike said her name. She turned and was caught off guard by his sudden hug. Smiling despite herself, Applejack sniffed and squeezed him back. "Thanks, Spike," she whispered as he released her.

"No problem," Spike replied, then stepped away and lay down. "Don't let me sleep too long, alright?"

As Applejack emerged from beneath the outcropping rock they had taken refuge under, her mood turned as dark as the dead forest around her.

She knew that Big Mac had made the right decision, but she still hated him for it. Apple Bloom had been all that mattered, why hadn't he seen that? If the two of them had attacked Mistress right then and interrupted her, then maybe Apple Bloom would have simply died instead of becoming the monster she was now.

Applejack breathed the pleasantly warm air deeply before taking a seat on a fallen log and leaning her halberd beside her. Removing a file from her saddlebag, she pulled the blade close and began filing the edge with steady strokes.

Focused as she was on her work, her mind drifted to thoughts of her brother. Why had the news of Cheerilee's pregnancy angered her so much? She was going to have a little niece or nephew now, a foal to carry on the Apple name. Big Mac had done more than his fair share of work when they had been building Sanctuary, and had patrolled tirelessly to keep them safe. He deserved to settle down and raise a family if he wanted. Still, she couldn't forgive him for saving her. He had given up too quickly on Apple Bloom, and now he seemed all too eager to forget her.

Her anger quickly turned to shame as her thoughts shifted to Lance. She and Spike had slipped out of town unnoticed during Lance's meeting. It was the first time she had ever left without saying goodbye, and she knew that she had hurt him.

She took a deep breath as she turned the blade over and began filing the other side.

Lance loved her. Of this, she had no doubt. He was kind, caring, understanding, and harbored an incredible amount of patience for her. No matter how many times she pushed him away, he was always right there, waiting for that moment when she would lower her defenses and let him in.

Applejack placed the file back inside her saddlebag and removed a small tin of oil. Carefully, she applied the oil to the edge of the blade.

But she would never let him in, and she hated herself for it. He was a great stallion and was perfect for her, but she simply couldn't accept his love. How could she have the right to be happy when Apple Bloom was out there suffering?

Closing the tin, Applejack replaced the oil and pulled out her whetstone. Delicately, she ran the tip along the edge in circular motions.

Everything she did, every decision she made revolved around Apple Bloom. She had spent the last ten years incessantly gathering ingredients for Zecora's potions, hoping with all of her heart and soul that the zebra would finally create a remedy. But some of the measures she had taken to acquire these ingredients weren't exactly honest, and thinking of them caused her to feel a deep shame. While she had never harmed an innocent pony directly, she suspected that she might have if not for Spike's everlasting company.

Spike never allowed her to stray too far from her path. She sometimes thought that was why she wanted him so close, and feared that without him, she would slowly become a pony that she would no longer recognize. But whatever the case, she loved him fiercely. His love and dedication to her made their relationship one of the most important things in all of Equestria, trumped only by her desire to free Apple Bloom from her horrible fate.

Applejack replaced the whetstone, and laying the halberd across her lap, gazed up at the night sky.

What would her parents and Granny Smith think about all of this? Before the vamponies, she had known without a doubt that her parents were watching her with pride, but now, she wasn't so sure. Did they understand why she did the things she had done, or were they disappointed? When she finally left this world and reunited with them, would she receive smiles and hugs, or a cold reception?

"Ma, Pa, Granny, if you're listenin', if ya even care at this point, I'm tryin' to be the best pony I can. But I've got to do what I can for Apple Bloom. She always comes first, you know that. I swore to ya after you died that I'd always be there for her, and I ain't about to forget that promise. I want to do right by you, but that don't always seem to coincide with helpin' Apple Bloom. I just...just want to know that ya'll still love me. That you're still proud of me. If you could just give me a sign, any sign at all, it sure would help."

Applejack studied the starry sky for several hours, but the uncaring world remained still and silent. With a heavy heart, she strapped her weapon to her back and returned to their campsite.

She slowed to a halt and smiled at the sight of Spike. He was sprawled on his back, his arms and legs strewn about and snoring lightly. It reminded her of the times she would check in on Apple Bloom during the night and find her lying haphazardly on her bed.

Leaning back on her haunches, Applejack watched her companion's chest rise and fall steadily. Despite the fact that he was a teenage dragon, and had killed his fair share of vamponies, Spike still managed to possess some quality of innocence. His high spirits and optimism often flabbergasted her, but she greatly cherished them regardless.

Whatever you do, Spike, never change.

She gently shook him. "Spike, wake up.”

With a huge yawn, Spike sat up and stretched. "You feeling any better?"

Applejack shrugged. "Kinda." She opened his backpack and removed a loaf of bread. Breaking it in half, she tossed him a piece. "Eat up and we'll get goin'."

"So," Spike said after swallowing his first bite, "what's the plan when we get to Canterlot?"

"I haven't really thought that far ahead," Applejack admitted.

"Oh, that's nice," Spike replied offhandedly. "I'm sure that the city full of vamponies will be more than happy to wait for you to come up with a good strategy before they kill us."

Applejack snorted. "Nopony's forcin' you to come, ya know."

"Yeah, but then I'd have to live without you constantly putting me in danger with crazy, half-baked plans, and where would the fun in that be?" Spike said before taking another bite of bread.

Applejack rolled her eyes. "Where did ya learn to be so snarky?"

Spike offered her a lopsided smile, then leaned back against the rock. "So, you're sure the Phoenix Heart is in the castle?"

"That's what that vampony told me."

Spike frowned as he studied her. "And you trust her?"

"I reckon." Applejack fidgeted with her hat. "She seemed a mite interested in my help with whatever it is she's plannin'."

Spike nodded slowly for a moment. "Okay, then we could use the caverns under the castle." When she only stared at him blankly, he waved the remainder of his bread in the air. "Remember? The caverns where Queen Chrysalis held Twilight and Cadance captive? They lead from the base of Canterlot Mountain up to the castle dungeons."

Her bread all but forgotten, Applejack leaned forward. "How do ya know all that?"

"Twilight told me," Spike answered. "She wanted to learn more about the caverns, so after the wedding, she went straight to the castle's library and researched them." He smiled at the memory. "They have a pretty long history, actually. Just nothing I cared enough to remember."

Applejack chuckled. She was sure that had been a long evening for Spike. "So then, these caverns could help us bypass the city and get straight into the castle?" she summarized.

"Eeyup," Spike replied mockingly.

She gave him a look, then stated, "Well, sounds like we got ourselves a solid plan. And once we get into the castle, we'll have to be very careful."

"Right," Spike agreed. "We get in, move quickly and quietly, grab the heart, and leave the way we came." He paused and scratched his head. “But where in the castle is the Phoenix Heart gonna be?”

"Hmm..." Applejack frowned. "Well, Philomena must've died defendin' Celestia while she was tryin' to escape the castle. And since we know the vampony attack came at night, I'd say we should start in Celestia's room."

"But Celestia knew what was happening from our letters," Spike said. "She knew that the attack would come at night. I find it hard to believe that she would go to sleep alone in her room."

Applejack mulled over his words. "So then, where do ya think she was?"

"Probably the throne room," Spike replied. "Twilight once told me that whenever Equestria was facing a threat, Celestia would often sleep on her throne. That way, if anything happened, she could be informed and give orders straightaway."

“Okay.” Applejack nodded. “We’ll start at the throne room, and follow the most logical route out of the castle. Hopefully, we’ll come across the heart along the way.”

Opening his mouth for the last bit of bread, Spike hesitated. “Wait, are you expecting it to just be laying on the floor somewhere?”

“Well… yeah,” Applejack replied, suddenly feeling uncertain. “It’ll be wherever Philomena died, won’t it?”

Spike cocked an eyebrow. "And you don't think a vampony would have picked it up?"

"No.” Applejack shook her head. “That vampony told me that the heart would incapacitate Apple Bloom the moment it touched her, so it must have some kind of negative affect on vamponies.”

“Sounds logical enough, I guess.” Spike tossed the last of the bread into his mouth. “So, we escape with the heart, and then what?“

"I don't know." Applejack shrugged. "I guess we'll head on back to Sanctuary and wait for that vampony to turn back up."

He scowled. "I don't like it."

Applejack quickly finished her bread, and then tossed him his backpack. "She's an enemy of Mistress, so for the time bein', she's an ally."

Spike shouldered his backpack, and then the two of them started off in silence. Ahead, the silhouette of Canterlot Mountain loomed in the distance, a constant reminder of all the vamponies had taken from them.

After nearly a half hour of gazing up at the night sky, Spike sighed. "I miss the sunrise."

Casting him a dark look, Applejack growled, "Don't ya start with that again."

Spike was quiet for another moment, then he began to laugh. Applejack raised an eyebrow, but then, with a shake of her head, she joined him.

***

Cautiously emerging from beneath the bridge, Twilight scanned the starry sky for any sign of Rainbow. The Ascended's taunts and jeers had ended nearly an hour ago, but Twilight had chosen to give her a bit more time to put some distance between them. Hopefully by now, Rainbow was miles away searching for her.

Glancing at the constellations above, Twilight saw that she had already used two hours of her time. If she was going to secure her alliance with Discord, she needed to return to him quickly.

The cottage was about a half mile outside of town. At a full gallop, she was sure she could get there with plenty of time to spare, but there was no cover in the open field. If Rainbow or any of the other Ascended happened by, she was finished.

Twilight closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Never before had she felt so helpless. Since her awakening, she had always been strong and unwavering, self-reliant, and willing to face any opponent. Being forced to hide from Rainbow and sneak back to the cottage was infuriating.

I do not run and hide, I destroy those that stand in my way, and once I’ve collected the Elements, I will crush Mistress and the Ascended beneath my hoof.

She steeled herself, and gripped the Element tightly with her teeth before galloping as fast as she could toward the cottage. Fear propelled her forward as her echoing hoofbeats upon the hard, cracked dirt seemed to announce her presence more efficiently than a drummer colt. With her eyes scanning the sky and her ears straining for the telltale sound of beating wings, she pushed herself to her limits.

Tearing her gaze from the sky, she found the cottage directly ahead of her. Debris from the destroyed roof lay scattered all around, crushing the small bridge and blocking the front door.

Without slowing, Twilight spread her wings and leaped high into the air, and swooped inside through the large hole in the roof. Twisting in the air, Twilight landed on her back and watched the opening for any pursuers, her body tense and ready as she gasped for breath.

"Boo!"

With a startled yell, Twilight launched herself along the floor with a flap of her wings, and with a quick flip, landed in a defensive crouch. Upon seeing Discord grinning at her from his seat atop the broken staircase, she breathed a sigh of relief and stood.

"My, aren't we jumpy," Discord said as he hopped off the stairs.

"I was being hunted by Rainbow Dash," Twilight replied with an air of indignation.

Discord laughed. "So you've gotten your first dosage of fear, have you?" He scooped up the Element from the floor where she had dropped it. “I suggest getting used to it. It'll help keep you alive."

"I don't like it," Twilight spat. "I hate being weak. I wanted to fight Rainbow head on, not hide in the shadows and crawl back here."

"I think a bit of learned humility would serve you well," Discord commented as he studied the Element. Suddenly, he tossed it into the air and caught it with his tail, and with a wink, said, "Good job acquiring the Element. I'll bet a certain ugly vampony is so angry right now!" His head abruptly snaked forward and he eyed her intently. "You weren't followed, were you?"

Twilight shook her head. "Rainbow was ordered to kill me. If she knew where I was, then I'd already be dead."

Nodding, Discord said, "I suppose you're right."

"Mistress and Rainbow were waiting for me," she told him. "She knows of you, and of your plan to gather the Elements."

Discord blinked. "Really? I knew she was searching for my magic, but I didn't realize she knew of me." He glanced up at the hole for a moment, then began to stroke his beard. "If she knows about me, then this may not be the safest location." He turned his gaze to the picture of Fluttershy sitting on the shelf. "I've been letting her get to me," he mumbled to himself.

"Mistress knew that you would save me. She used me..." Twilight trailed off. A sharp pain stabbed at her heart as she spoke the words aloud, and she had to close her eyes and fight to keep her voice steady. "She threw me away to bait you."

Discord frowned. "How could she know?"

Swallowing hard, Twilight quickly turned away as her body began to tremble.

How could she do this to me? I've always been loyal to her. It doesn't make any sense! She had already planned on sacrificing me, but just before all of this insanity began, she had assured me that she still greatly valued me. She said that she owed everything she had to me. Was that all a lie? But if so, then why had she even said it? Was it just added cruelty to make her betrayal hurt all the more?

"What's wrong?" Discord asked, but Twilight found that she suddenly couldn’t speak, and she collapsed to the floor.

She wanted to scream; to break something, but knew it would do no good. Nothing that she could do would match the terrible ache inside as she remembered Mistress's words. It felt as though everything she knew—her entire world—had become poisonous, and she doubted that she could survive.

Discord was studying her intently. "My magic is still blocking Mistress's, I can feel it." He knelt before her and reached out to touch her cheek, but seemed to think better of it. "What's hurting you?"

"Why?!" she shouted without warning, causing Discord to recoil. "Why did she do this to me? I bowed to her every whim! I lived for her!" Her voice broke with emotion, and with a scream, she punched a hole into the floorboard.

Discord crossed his arms as he watched her. "This is...unexpected. I wasn't aware vamponies were even capable of feeling anything other than anger and hatred."

Twilight stared at the hole she had created. "I am first born of the Ascended. I ruled this world, it was mine, but now I'm weak and useless. Hiding from the other Ascended like some pathetic mortal."

Discord hesitated, then awkwardly patted her on the shoulder. "There, there." When Twilight shook his paw off with a snarl, he backed away and walked over to an overturned cabinet. Reaching inside, he removed a brown saddlebag with a pink butterfly clasp. "I'll just drop this in here," he muttered as he dropped the Element inside, and then he tossed the bag at her. "You're going to need this when you find the other Elements. I want you to keep them since Mistress can't track you the way she can track me. If she manages to get lucky, I'd rather not be carrying the Elements.

"I need you, Twilight. As I stated earlier, I'm too weak to get the Elements. But you're not. You just escaped with the Element of Magic from Mistress herself. And you'll succeed in collecting the others as well. I know you will."

Gritting her teeth and glaring at the hole, Twilight fought to make sense of the torrents of emotions swelling inside of her. Frightened by what she was feeling, she clutched onto her anger like a shipwreck victim clung to flotsam, and allowed the rest to wash away.

"You can do this, Twilight." Discord spoke softly. "Please, help me revive the tree."

Discord is right. I may be weak, but I just took the Element from Mistress's possession. And I defeated Dash, despite my handicap. I can do this. I just need to use my head and be careful.

"Yes, I will recover the Elements," Twilight said as she slowly stood, her voice quaking now with anger. "I will destroy the Ascended one by one until only Mistress remains. I will make her witness the return of the sun and the end of her rule, and then I will kill her."

"Oh, how very...savage of you," Discord replied, "but I'm afraid I've got to put a bit of a damper on your plans. You see, you and the other Ascended were the bearers of the Elements of Harmony in life, and even in undeath, you are connected to them." He gave her a meaningful look. "It is imperative that you do not kill any of the Ascended until the Elements are used to revive the tree. Any of their deaths could be catastrophic to our cause."

Twilight closed her eyes and was silent for a long moment. Finally, she whispered, "What about after?"

"After the tree is revived?" Discord tapped his chin with a clawed finger as he contemplated. "I suppose once the tree has made a full recovery the bearers will no longer matter."

"All right." Twilight nodded. "I'll kill them after."

"Yes, well, we'll see, won't we." With a simple flick of a finger, Discord lifted the saddlebag and fastened it around her waist. "We'd better keep this short. Mistress may link me to Fluttershy and come here looking for us." He jogged to the stove and snatched up the framed picture of the yellow pony before exiting through the hole in the ceiling.

Taking a moment to adjust her new saddlebag, Twilight followed Discord outside and watched as he summoned a brown sack from thin air, carefully placed the picture inside, and then made it disappear with a wave of his hand.

"Your next destination will be the Badlands, in the far southern region of Equestria," Discord said. "Once there, you must find a way into the Diamond Dog's city. It's located in a large underground cavern deep beneath the Badlands."

Twilight nodded. "I'll find it."

"You will have to be careful," Discord continued. "The Badlands are now ruled by the Changelings. After being driven from their home by the vamponies, Queen Chrysalis led them to the Badlands, where they quickly enslaved the Diamond Dogs.” He suddenly fell silent and held up a finger as one of his ears turned impossibly on his head, but then shrugged. “Anyhoo, the changelings can be very dangerous, and Queen Chrysalis is as nasty as they come. I paid her a visit a couple of years ago and proposed an alliance, but she remained as unapproachable as ever. She ordered her subjects to kill me. Can you believe it?! Me!" Discord paused for a moment, obviously expecting her to show some form of surprise or outrage, then rolled his eyes with a grunt. "Once you find a way into the city, trust no one. Find the Element and get out as quickly as you can. If you get into any trouble in there, I won't be able to help you."

She sniffed. "I won't need your help."

"Yes, yes, of course not," Discord replied, waving a hand in the air dismissively. "Well, if that is all, then I'll be on my way."

With a twirl in the air, Discord vanished in a puff of smoke. Alone, Twilight sat back on her haunches and rubbed her temple as she pondered her next move.

She wanted nothing more than to head straight to the Badlands and locate the Element as quickly as possible, but she was exhausted. It was all too easy to forget that she was no longer an Ascended, and rushing into the Badlands unprepared would undoubtedly result in her death.

The cottage and surrounding forest were far too dangerous, she needed to find somewhere safer to get some rest. Flying so near to Ponyville wasn't an option, so she needed to find a place easily accessible by hoof.

A sudden noise from behind the cottage interrupted her thoughts. Baring her teeth, Twilight rounded on the intruder and lowered into a defensive stance.

"So, Twilight Sparkle, first born of the Ascended, has fallen from Mistress's good graces." The mare snickered as she stepped into the moonlight, her once majestic mane and tail hanging limp and dragging the ground. "I wish I could say I was surprised, but I always knew it was only a matter of time."

"Luna," Twilight growled.

Being the last of the Ascended chosen by Mistress, Luna had been expressing her outrage over her social standing since she had first awoken. It had been a minor annoyance at worst, and Mistress and the other Ascended had simply ignored her, but when she finally made the critical error of refusing a summons by Mistress, Twilight had been sent to subdue her.

Unfortunately, Luna had foreseen such an outcome and had laid an ambush for Twilight. Although she had failed to kill Twilight, Luna managed to evade capture and flee to Canterlot. It was there, within the Canterlot Castle, that she learned that she had ruled Equestria in her previous life. Armed with this knowledge and the belief that it should be she, not Mistress, who ruled the land, Luna had spent the last decade attempting to sway the underlings into joining her with moderate success. She had even tried to subvert Pinkie and Rarity.

Since then, Twilight had urged Mistress to attack Canterlot Castle and put an end to Luna once and for all, but to Twilight's chagrin, Mistress always seemed disinterested, claiming that a war with Luna would be too costly, and that they had other matters to focus on.

Now, as she glared at Luna's sardonic smile, Twilight wished fervently that she had killed her when she'd had the chance.

"What does surprise me, however," Luna continued, "is your taking orders from such an abhorrent creature." She laughed. "Has the great Twilight fallen so low?"

Twilight curled her lip. "How did you find us?"

"He was spotted by several of my underlings sneaking around the Canterlot ruins. I've been keeping an eye on him ever since." Luna tilted her head toward the cottage. "I was informed that you had met with him here a few hours ago, and so I decided to pay a little visit and see what I could learn, and lo and behold, here the two of you were!"

Twilight studied her intently. Does she know what Discord's magic has done to me? If not, then I can bluff my way out of this, but if she attacks, I'm done for. I cannot show her any weakness.

Luna's smile slowly faded. "Where's all your threats and condescending remarks? I suppose Mistress's betrayal really has cut you deeply." She snorted. "What did you say she did to you? Used you for bait, was it?"

"Leave here, now!" Twilight commanded, her tone strong and authoritative. "Or I will do as I should have done all those years ago."

Thrusting out her chest and holding her head high, Luna stood her ground. "Not until you give me that Element."

"You can have it once you've pried it from my dead hoof," Twilight hissed.

Luna's gaze slid down to the saddlebag. "Is it truly powerful enough to bring back the sun?" When Twilight remained silent, she asked, "Did he show you how to use the one you have?"

"Discord seems to think that they are useless on their own," Twilight admitted. "Their power will come once they are all returned to the tree."

"So he says, and you believe him?" Luna sneered, her fangs gleaming in the moonlight. "He is clearly using you to find the Elements. Once he has them, he will undoubtedly use them to kill you. But if you gave them to me, I would use them to destroy Mistress and you could rule by my side."

Twilight's eyes narrowed. "I don't believe you. And you wouldn't even know how to use them."

Luna impatiently brushed her mane from her face. "I know...somepony. Somepony who knows a bit about these Elements. This pony has already told me of their power, and requested that I try to attain one." Luna pointed toward the distant Canterlot Castle. "There is a vast library at the castle, and if the Elements are as powerful as I believe, then I'll be able to find some information on them. You can give me that one now, and I'll figure out how to harness its power while you gather the others." She slowly started forward. "With the Elements in our possession, not even Mistress could stand against us. We will be invincible."

Twilight spat on the ground between them, causing Luna to stop short. "I'd rather stand in direct sunlight."

Luna hissed through clenched teeth. "Then I shall take the Element by force."

"You can try." Twilight smirked and cracked a hoof threateningly. "But need I remind you of the outcome of our last battle?"

Luna hesitated, then stomped her hoof with a snarl. "You are a fool, Twilight Sparkle! I will not offer you this again! I promise you that you will pay dearly for your insufferable pride, and it shall be I, not your Discord nor Mistress, that destroys you!"

With a shriek of rage, Luna took to the air and flew off toward Canterlot. Twilight stood firm and tall until she was out of sight, then immediately sighed with relief and slumped to the ground.

"That was too close," she whispered.

But it had given her an idea. Luna's mention of the Canterlot Castle reminded Twilight of another castle nearby. She was certain it would be uninhabited as it was located too far from Ponyville and Mistress's protection to be a practical lair for an underling. It would only take her a couple of hours to reach by hoof, and then she'd be able to rest safely.

For the first time since awakening in the cottage, Twilight felt self-assured, and turning in the direction of the old castle ruins, she started off at a brisk trot.

As she moved swiftly through the dead forest, her thoughts unexpectedly turned to Lyra and Trixie. She still didn't understand why she had spared them. Her earlier explanation that Discord's magic had interfered with her thirst was already losing its merit. There had been something more to it than a lack of thirst. She had felt something stir deep inside, and recalling Lyra's thanks brought her pleasure, but also, fear.

Another fear suddenly occurred to Twilight as she imagined Rainbow discovering the two of them as she searched the forest for her, and a hard knot of dread formed in the pit of her stomach. She tried to tell herself that it didn't matter; that they were just mortals and not worth the thought, but she found herself hoping that they had escaped.

Shoving these confusing thoughts aside, Twilight turned her ponderings to Discord and the Elements. Could Luna be correct? Was there a way to use the power of the one she already possessed? Discord had told her that she needed to return them all to the tree before they could be used, but she wasn’t sure if she could trust him. Clearly, the Elements had magic of their own. She recalled how the Element of Magic had brought her memories of her old life, and felt certain that they could do much more than just revive an old tree. But then, he had been very straightforward with her up to this point, even being so blatant as telling her that she had to become his pawn if she wanted to live. He seemed to have laid everything out for her to see, and there didn't appear to be any reason for him to lie about the Elements.

A sudden thought caused Twilight to stop just before reaching an old rope bridge spanning a large chasm. Did the Element have the power to cure her of Mistress's bite? If so, then Discord had every reason to lie. He had said it himself in the cottage; he couldn't collect the Elements on his own. He needed her.

Turning her gaze to the castle ruins looming atop their hill in the distance, Twilight contemplated this. She could hide out here and try to figure out how to use the Element, but she didn't have the faintest idea where to begin. And what would she do if she did manage to cure herself? Finding the rest of the Elements was still her best course of action for defeating Mistress, and she needed Discord's help finding them. If she tried to hide from him, she could lose his trust, and that would be catastrophic for her if she failed to cure her bite.

Twilight slowly shook her head and started across the bridge. For now, she would follow Discord's orders, but as soon as she learned how to harness the Element's power, the terms of their alliance were going to change drastically.

The abandoned castle was as silent as a tomb, and Twilight smiled as she walked along the entrance hall. This was much better than the cave she had been living in all these years; perhaps she would make this her new lair.

There were at least a half dozen doors all along the corridor, but Twilight was only interested in the large double doors that were atop a broad staircase. Pushing them open, she immediately covered her face with her hooves as dust and debris rained down on her. With a cough and a shake of her mane, she entered an old throne room.

The large red carpet that spanned the room was still intact, confirming her assumption that no vampony had set hoof in the castle. For reasons Twilight never understood, underlings always destroyed anything decorative that they came across. If they had visited here, then the carpet would be torn apart.

As she crossed the room, Twilight eyed the two thrones curiously. She remembered one of Luna's maniacal ravings about her being the original princess of the night, and so knew that the throne with the moon banner overhead had been hers, but who had sat on the other throne?

She gazed up at the banner of the sun. If Luna had been the princess of the night, then had the other reigned over the day? Twilight tried to recall their first assault on Canterlot, but couldn't remember if there had been another ruler. She had still been a newly turned back then, and had been so absorbed in her power and thirst that her memories of those times were a bit hazy. She remembered having to take shelter during the day, but then one night the dawn never came again. She knew now that must have been the night Mistress had attacked the tree, but if there had been a ruler of the day, why hadn't they tried to stop her? Why had it fallen onto Discord?

All at once, exhaustion seemed to embrace her. Forgetting her curiosity, Twilight removed her saddlebag and tossed it into the corner of the room, and glancing up at the stone ceiling above, found a good perch.

With a great beat of her wings, she flipped upside down and latched onto the rock with her back hooves. Dangling, she pulled her forelegs up to her chest as her wings encompassed her.

Thankful for the quiet, safe place to rest, Twilight closed her eyes and was fast asleep in moments.

***

She was standing in a lush forest. All around her were the buzzing of insects and singing birds. The leaves rustled in a refreshingly cool breeze that seemed to caress her mane as it swept through it. As she took a tentative step forward, she was startled by a fluffy bunny jumping out of a nearby bush and rocketing across the open to dive into a patch of high grass.

"It's nice to see you again," said a voice from directly beside her.

With a small yelp, Twilight stumbled sideways and turned to find a small purple dragon looking up at her. Upon seeing her reaction, he laughed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"Who..." she began, but then realized she already knew. "Spike?"

"That's me." He grinned. "Your awesome friend and number one assistant." He waved a hand toward the path. "Let's go. She's really looking forward to meeting you."

Twilight cocked her head. "Who?"

"That's actually kinda hard to explain," Spike answered. "You'll just have to wait until we get there."

Perplexed, Twilight followed the baby dragon as he started down the path. Suddenly feeling a pleasant warmth spreading throughout her body, she glanced up to see the sun shining brightly overhead. Unable to help herself, she smiled broadly as she felt the rays on her face.

Lowering her head, she spotted Spike watching her with an expression that caused the strange sensations in her chest and stomach to return. She tried to ignore the feelings, but for some reason, she couldn't stop smiling.

"Where are we?" she asked, hoping to distract herself from whatever was happening.

"I don't know," Spike said. "It seems like some random spot in a forest to me." He shrugged. "I guess you miss the old Equestria."

Twilight stared at him. "Why do you say that?"

Spike gestured all around them. "Look at how beautiful this forest is. And the sun, it's so bright. I'd say it's pretty obvious."

She wanted to argue with him, but as she took in the luscious green leaves and grass, and the clear blue sky above, she felt a soothing serenity slowly envelop her. "Yeah," she admitted, "maybe you're right."

As she walked beside Spike, Twilight realized that she was enjoying his company. Never before had she felt such pleasure simply by being with someone else and fervently wished that this moment would never end.

But no sooner had that thought entered her mind than Spike stopped. "Here we are." He pointed at a large cluster of thick ferns. "She's waiting just on the other side of the brush. Enjoy your talk."

Twilight frowned. "You're leaving?"

"Yeah." Spike beamed. "I've got a big bowl of sapphires and the newest issue of The Power Ponies with my name on it!"

"Power...Ponies?" Twilight repeated.

Spike unexpectedly rushed forward and hugged her foreleg tightly. "I'm really glad you remembered me."

"I..." Twilight struggled to talk around the lump in her throat. "I'm really glad too."

Twilight smiled as she watched the little dragon disappear down the path, but her smile faltered as she felt her eyes tear up. Wiping them dry and taking a deep breath, Twilight fought to maintain her composure. She didn't know who was waiting for her on the other side of those ferns, but she was determined to show them no sign of weakness.

"Oh, stop trying to act so tough all the time," a mare's voice called out. "The tears are perfectly normal, there's nothing to get worked up about. And they're certainly not a weakness."

Twilight gasped. That voice...it couldn't be…

Pushing through the large ferns, Twilight stepped into a clearing and found a near perfect copy of herself sitting on a log several yards away. The only difference was the Twilight on the log had a horn and feathered wings as well as the star cutie mark she remembered from the photo.

"Hello, Twilight Sparkle," said the other Twilight with a bright smile. "It's so nice to finally meet you."

"Y-you're...me," Twilight stammered.

The smile on her doppelganger's face faded. "No." She sighed deeply. "Unfortunately, the two of us are very different."

Twilight closed and rubbed her eyes, but when she reopened them, the other Twilight was still sitting on the log. "Where am I?" Twilight asked, anxiously glancing around. "How is this possible?"

"Oh, this shouldn't be scientifically possible." The other Twilight giggled as if she had just made a joke. "But we are inside your mind. You've created this place for yourself, and it's been soothing you as you rest for years."

Twilight cocked an eyebrow. "So...I'm dreaming?"

"In a sense, yes." The other Twilight made a face. "It's kind of difficult to explain. You see, even when you sleep, your mind keeps working, and yours is trying to make sense of everything that's happened since you touched the Element of Magic. I'm a representation of your old self, created by your desire to remember."

"Why now? Did the Element of Magic do this to me?"

"Well..." Her doppelganger tapped a hoof to her chin as she contemplated her answer. "The Element of Magic has kick started your memory, and I suppose that could be the cause of your desire to remember. But as for me..." She gave her a wink. "I think you're just desperate for a friend. Someone you can confide in."

Twilight felt a flash of anger. "Me? Desperate for a friend? I don't need any friends, I am Twilight, first—"

"First born of the Ascended, yes, I know." The other Twilight rolled her eyes. "You always find a reason to say that to everypony you meet." She smiled amiably. "And I am Princess Twilight, last crowned of the Princesses."

Twilight scowled as Princess Twilight laughed at her own joke. "Why did you call me here?" she growled. "What do you want?"

"Well, mainly, I just wanted to meet you, but..." Princess Twilight shook her head. "I didn't call you here. You called to me." She patted the log. "Sit with me. I won't bite. Hopefully, you can say the same."

Twilight snorted. "Are you always this insufferable?"

"No, not usually," Princess Twilight replied with a grin. "I'm just in a really good mood. It's great to be back, even if it is only in the back of your mind."

Slowly, Twilight stepped closer to the log but didn't sit. As much as she didn't want to like Princess Twilight, she couldn't help but feel a strange kinship toward her. This was the weak, pitiful mortal that she had always despised, but now that she was actually meeting her, she seemed almost...appealing.

Still eyeing Princess Twilight warily, Twilight sat on the opposite end of the log.

Beaming, Princess Twilight asked, "So, is there anything you want to get off your chest?"

"No," Twilight huffed.

"Are you sure?" Princess Twilight met her gaze. "I know that Mistress's betrayal hurt you deeply, and worse still was seeing how quickly she had replaced you with Dash, but there's something else still. Something that frightens you."

Suddenly unable to maintain eye contact, Twilight lowered her head and concentrated on a small orange butterfly as it landed on a nearby flower. She had never backed down like this before, but Princess Twilight was different from anypony else she'd met. With Discord, Luna, and even Mistress, there was always a hardness to their gazes, an unspoken challenge that drove her to assert herself.

But Princess Twilight lacked that hardness. When Twilight looked into her eyes, she saw only a gentle warmth that penetrated her defenses with ease. All she knew was to push back, but now that there was no force to push against, she was left feeling vulnerable.

Princess Twilight scooted closer and placed a hoof on her shoulder. "I know it's hard to admit your fears to another. There is always a certain degree of risk involved, opening yourself in such a way, but please remember, I'm a part of you, created by you, and I only want what's best for you."

As Princess Twilight's words sank in, Twilight forced herself to continue staring at the butterfly, but as it lifted off and flittered away with the breeze, so too did the last of her resolve.

"I spared a couple of unicorns earlier," Twilight said softly. "I wanted their blood so badly my fangs ached, but I let them go, and I don't understand why."

Princess Twilight leaned forward to better see her face. "Can you tell me why you think you did it?"

Twilight hesitated for a long moment, then answered, "Because I lost my thirst."

"And this frightens you," Princess Twilight stated.

Twilight nodded, then met Princess Twilight's eyes. "I don't know what's happening to me. Ever since I touched that Element, I've been getting flashes of my old life, and now, I don't even want to feed. I'm afraid of what I'm becoming. What's a vampony that's lost her thirst?"

Lifting a hoof to gently touch her cheek, Princess Twilight smiled. "A step in the right direction, maybe?"

Twilight blinked. She felt a brief desire to lash out at the detestable remark, but the kindness radiating from Princess Twilight quickly soothed her anger.

"I honestly don't believe you've lost your thirst," Princess Twilight continued. "When you learned that Lyra and Trixie were friends, and realized that what they felt toward each other was akin to how you were feeling toward your memories of Spike, you just simply didn't want to kill them."

Scratching her head, Twilight said, slowly, "You mean, I forgot my thirst because I chose to?"

"Exactly!" Princess Twilight beamed. "When you learned that you had something in common with the two of them, you bonded. That's why you spared them, and why you were worried that Rainbow might find them. And I guarantee that the two of them are thinking of you. Maybe even hoping for the best for you."

"You...you think so?" Much to her surprise, Twilight found that she liked the idea of Lyra and Trixie wishing her the best.

"Definitely," Princess Twilight said with a firm nod.

"So, I'm not all that different then," Twilight whispered to herself. "I'm much weaker, but that's due to Discord's magic, but my thirst and everything else is still the same." She took a deep breath. "I'm still me."

A sudden thought occurred to her and she rounded on Princess Twilight. "Discord said that I was an Element Bearer in my previous life. So, I guess you'd be that part of me. Can I use the Element to cure myself of Mistress's bite? Can you tell me how to use it?"

Princess Twilight hung her head. "I'm sorry, but my memory of our previous life is very hazy. I don't remember the powers of the Elements, or if they can be used in such a way."

Twilight huffed in frustration. "Well, it was worth a shot." She pondered about her current situation for a moment, then asked, "What about Discord? Should I trust him?"

"I think so," Princess Twilight answered. "He wasn't always good, but I remember he was changed significantly by Fluttershy. He seems to be the only one left trying to save Equestria, so I'm pretty sure he has good intentions." She frowned at Twilight. "He doesn't seem very fond of vamponies though, but I think you can persuade him that you're different than the others if you keep to your current path."

"I don't care—" Twilight began.

"Wait," Princess Twilight interrupted, "hear me out. Please. This brings me to a point I want to make. I think it is very important that you try to make a friend. Even just one will do. Lyra and Trixie were a good start, but you weren't ready yet. But now that we've met, I think it's time."

"A friend?" Twilight said with disgust. "I don't want a friend. What would a vampony do with a friend?"

"Remember how you felt walking beside Spike?" Princess Twilight asked. "That's how it feels to be with a friend. You need that, trust me. It will change you for the better, and it would also show Discord that you're a vampony that he can trust." Princess Twilight gave her a meaningful look. "It's possible that Discord can cure Mistress's bite, but he needs a way to control you. If you show him you're different than the other vamponies, he may become sympathetic. And if he cures you, you should get your old strength back."

"And then I'd hunt down Rainbow and end her," Twilight said with a wicked grin.

"Twilight, no!" Princess Twilight exclaimed, obviously appalled. "Remember what Discord said about reviving the tree?”

"What do I care about the tree? If I got my Ascended powers back, I would kill all of the Ascended and Mistress and rule Equestria unopposed."

Princess Twilight's kind face twisted into a mask of antipathy. "Is that...really what you want? Is that all you're fighting for?"

Upon seeing the look on Princess Twilight's face, Twilight felt her confidence begin to wane. She wanted to kill Mistress, to make her pay for everything she'd done, and she had intended to rule Equestria after, but now that she saw Princess Twilight's disapproval, she realized for the first time that she may have had an alternate motive.

She gazed at a patch of wildflowers, and as she marveled at how beautiful they were, several more patches suddenly sprouted up nearby, each more vibrantly colorful than the ones before. The forest around her seemed to grow more lush, the birds' singing grew louder, and the sun's warmth intensified until she felt as if it was she that was glowing.

This place was so wonderful, and she knew that this was the way the world had once been. If she helped Discord revive the tree, this Equestria would return, and while she wouldn't be able to fully appreciate the sun or the singing birds, she would still be able to enjoy the forests.

Turning back to Princess Twilight, she found that her disgust had transformed into a worried frown. With a sigh, Twilight said, "You're right. I think what I really want is to have the old Equestria back."

Without warning, Princess Twilight threw her forelegs around her and hugged her tightly. "I knew it!"

Twilight stiffened at the sudden contact, but didn't struggle. There was something comforting about the embrace, and several memories of her previous life flashed through her mind.

Princess Twilight drew away and blushed. "Sorry, I think I'm getting a little over emotional. It just feels so great to meet you." When Twilight did nothing more than stare, she cleared her throat self-consciously. "Anyway, it appears that it's time for you to go."

As she said the words, a white oak door suddenly shimmered into existence several yards away. Standing up, Twilight knew that it couldn't wait, she needed to pass through the door. At her lightest touch, the door swung open on its own, revealing a black nothingness that somehow soothed her.

She glanced back at Princess Twilight. "Are we going to meet again?"

Princess Twilight beamed. "I'm sure of it."

Twilight nodded and allowed herself to smile. "I'll see you around, then."

As she stepped forward and allowed the alleviating shadows to envelop her, she heard Princess Twilight call after her.

"And don't forget to make friends!"

Canterlot Castle

"A dragon is the finest creature ever. There's more to them than just guarding treasure."

Applejack closed her eyes and silently prayed for restraint as they crossed the open plains leading toward Canterlot Mountain. "Spike, would ya please stop singin' that blasted song? I'm comin' dangerously close to stranglin' ya."

"I'm sorry, Applejack." Spike scratched his head and grinned sheepishly. "I'm just bored."

"Yeah..." Applejack sighed, her eyes skimming the mountain for any sign of movement. "I know I've been a mite touchy on this trip. I'll try to be a bit more talkative." She adjusted her hat. "But can't ya at least think of a different song to sing for a while?"

"Hmm, maybe." Spike took a minute to think. "You gotta share! You gotta care—"

"Oh, sweet haystacks, stop!" Applejack shouted. "Consarn it, Spike! No more singin', you just lost your privileges."

She cast a sidelong glance at Spike as he started to chuckle, and a small smile crept onto her face. "Ya dang varmint."

Her grin widened as Spike erupted with laughter. Even when she was the butt of the joke, hearing him laugh never failed to brighten her mood. And she was especially grateful for it now.

She had believed with all of her heart that the Phoenix Heart was real, but the closer they drew to Canterlot, the more doubt wormed its way into her conviction. What if she had been wrong to trust that vampony? Could this quest be a ploy to draw the most influential hunter away from Sanctuary just before the vamponies struck?

But she couldn't turn back. If there was even the slightest chance that she could save Apple Bloom, then she had to take it. It was all she had; this was her last chance. If she failed here, then it was all over.

It was the finality of this realization that had her most on edge. In just another day's time, she would be inside Canterlot Castle, and she was either going to escape with the Phoenix Heart, or die within its walls.

Spike placed his hand on her back, drawing her out of her dark thoughts, and she smiled as his claw began to lazily scratch in a small circle. Whatever happened, Spike wouldn't let her face it alone. He was there for her, and somehow always knew exactly what to do.

She remembered back to just a year after their escape from Ponyville. Sanctuary was flourishing under Lance's newfound leadership and a constant inflow of refugees from all over Equestria. Applejack had been working tirelessly day and night, doing various odd jobs for the rapidly expanding town and caring for the three orphaned fillies that she had taken under her wing, but every time there was a lull in her work, every night when she finally lay down in bed, her thoughts shifted to Apple Bloom.

Nothing eased the guilt she felt over her little sister's fate. She would agonize for hours about what she could have done differently; what choices could have saved her. As time went on, she became less dedicated to her work and even began leaving jobs unfinished, until finally, she started finding reasons to leave town and avoid other ponies for days at a time.

It was during these darkest days of her life that Spike came to her rescue. Understanding her guilt and sorrow, he gathered Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Diamond Tiara one morning, and the four of them followed Applejack to a small clearing several miles from town.

As Applejack bemusedly watched them approach, they formed a circle around her and each confessed what she meant to them. Studying each of their sincere faces, Applejack tried to shrug off their worries and assure them she was fine, but mid-sentence, she felt her inner defenses crumble. Pulling the four of them into a hug, she sobbed and told them everything.

Once she calmed down, the four took turns telling their favorite Apple Bloom memory, and after they were done, Applejack shared hers. The five of them then spent the entire morning and most of the afternoon reminiscing and laughing, and soon, Applejack came to understand that they weren't mourning Apple Bloom anymore. They were celebrating her life.

Applejack realized then that it was these four that made life worth living. They were all the motivation she needed to keep pushing on. They were her drive to make Sanctuary a safe and comfortable home for everypony.

Although that day did little to alleviate her guilt, it had made it easier for her to face each new day. It had also inspired her to quit moping about Apple Bloom's fate and instead do something about it, and not long after, she and Spike had begun training under Lance.

If not for Spike's actions, Applejack feared that she would have strayed toward a path of self-destruction. He had not only saved her from herself, but had given her newfound hope and a new course to pursue.

Slowing to a halt, Applejack wiped at her wet eyes.

"Is something bothering you?" Spike asked as he rolled his shoulder to adjust the sword on his back.

"Nah." Applejack shook her head. "I just got somethin’—"

"In your eye," Spike finished.

Applejack chuckled. "Yeah."

Spike cocked an eyebrow. "Is the something in your eye Apple Bloom related?"

"For once, I can honestly say no, it ain't."

"Well...that's good." He scanned the sky before starting off once more.

She could tell that he didn't believe her, so after a few moments of walking in silence, she suddenly shot him a grin. "Do ya remember when we first met Zecora? Apple Bloom had followed her into the Everfree Forest and we ran after her all in a panic and ended up in the poison joke?"

"How could I forget?" Spike replied, his eyes alight with the memory. "You were so tiny I could have carried you in a teacup."

"And what about Rarity?" She was smiling broadly now. "That was the worst bad hair day she had in her entire life."

Spike laughed. "Not even I thought she looked good that day!"

They continued on for the next hour, cracking jokes and reliving the old days while continuing to keep a wary eye to the sky, until Carriage Town came into view.

A large circle of covered wagons nestled against the base of Canterlot Mountain, Carriage Town was more of a trading post than a town. Founded by bandits, it was a place ripe with dangers, but not without its own set of rules.

According to rumor, a group of bandits, tired of their lives of roaming and stealing, happened upon a cluster of wagons that had been abandoned during the vampony's attack on Canterlot. Upon discovering the vast wealth of supplies onboard, they had quickly moved the wagons under an overreaching cliff face near the base of the mountain and formed a circle for protection.

News of their discovery quickly spread, and ponies from all over Equestria were soon braving the hazardous journey to Canterlot Mountain for the chance to trade for medicines and blankets for loved ones. Not known for their creativity, the bandits had mostly shrugged when asked what to call their establishment, and visitors eventually took to calling it Carriage Town.

It was unknown how such a small, unprotected settlement could survive directly below Canterlot. Some believed that they posed so little a threat that the vamponies ignored them, while others suggested that the vamponies above may simply have never traveled straight down from their lair. Whatever the case, Carriage Town had never before been attacked, but visitors needed to be wary of more than just vamponies here.

As the two of them reached the wall of wagons, they began circling to the left until they found a crudely constructed sign that simply stated 'enter.' Behind the sign was a small gap between two of the wagons that was all the hospitality this town would offer.

The diameter of the circle was only about twenty yards, but as the entire space was empty with the exception of a makeshift gallows standing in the very center, it appeared to be much larger. The tarps on the sides of the wagons that faced the inside of the circle were pinned back, revealing most of the inhabitants; many of whom were engaged in various games of chance including cards and darts. On the far side of the circle,a group of rowdy ponies shoved each other and laughed loudly as they took turns tossing horseshoes.

A stallion with a very bushy mane was bartering with a one of the merchants as Applejack squeezed through the gap. Evidently, he was trying to trade a can of shaving cream for some hair gel, but the merchant seemed unhappy with the amount of cream left in the can.

Listening to the two of them argue as Spike passed through the gap, Applejack’s eyes swept over the town and came to a pause on the gallows. Little more than a single wooden beam stuck in the ground with a crate for the condemned to stand on, just the sight of it would have been enough to make her blood boil, but a deep flame of anger erupted in her stomach as she caught sight of the stallion hanging from the noose.

“Ugh,” Spike muttered, “not again.”

With a growl, Applejack marched to the gallow, climbed onto the crate, and with a single swing of her halberd, severed the rope and winced as the body landed in a tangled heap.

Hopping off the crate, she pointed her halberd at the corpse and shouted, "What the hay is this?! What were ya'll told 'bout executin' ponies here?"

Applejack turned in a tight circle and glared at the town. All around her, ponies turned away from their activities to stare and mumble. She watched as several of them climbed down from their wagons and approached her, some looking uncomfortable, but a few glaring back defiantly.

"Princess Cadance and the Cloudsdale Sky Marshals have been workin' tirelessly for years to keep Equestria from fallin' into a lawless land," Applejack stated as they drew near, "and it's behavior like this that undermines all of their hard work and dedication."

"He was caught stealing," said a large, gray stallion gruffly. "You know the rules here."

Applejack shook her head. "That ain't how things are supposed to work, Rocksteady. If he was breakin’ the law, ya'll should've contacted the authorities." She turned her attention to the others. "Ya'll were ordered, by Princess Cadance herself, to get rid of this here gallows. It's fine that this town has its own rules, but you must respect Equestrian laws."

Rocksteady scowled. "Cadance isn't our princess. The princesses are the reason why we're in this mess to begin with. We'll never follow another princess again." He raised to his full height as several ponies behind him shouted their support.

“That’s funny,” Spike interjected, “coming from a town that relies solely on the pegasi for its food and water."

"If we had to fend for ourselves, we'd manage," Rocksteady said matter-of-factly as more ponies joined the crowd behind him.

“Yeah!” shouted a stallion as he neared, a forgotten dart still tucked behind his ear. “I’d like to see the pegasi and their precious princess come down from their clouds and try living like we do! They wouldn’t last a single day without all of their luxuries!”

“It’s not right that they get an easy life up in the clouds while we have to struggle to survive below,” a mare standing directly behind Rocksteady said loudly. “Admiral Proudmare is right. Cadance is unjust.” She threw a hoof into the air. “We demand equality!”

Applejack’s grip tightened on her halberd as her eyes scanned the crowd. She couldn't help but notice that most of the ponies shouting their agreement were young adults with blank flanks. While she felt certain that Rocksteady would never attack her, she wasn't so sure about these hotheaded youngsters.

“That’s just Proudmare,” Applejack said slowly, her eyes narrowing. “She forfeited her rank when she renounced Princess Cadance.”

“What’s an admiral supposed to do when her princess abandons her and the rest of the Crystal Empire to hide in the clouds?” Rocksteady countered. “They couldn’t exactly follow her.”

“She could have tried to hold the military together, protect the citizens, and link up with Prince Shining Armor like she was ordered,” Applejack retorted, wairly watching the young ponies behind him. “And stop actin’ like Princess Cadance hasn’t sacrificed anythin’. She had to leave her own husband behind. Don’t ya think that was hard for her?”

Rocksteady snorted. “I don’t think anything is hard for her. All she’s worried about is her own safety.”

Applejack stomped a hoof. "I’ve heard enough. It doesn't matter if you want to support the princess or not. As long as you live here, you are under Equestrian rule, and are the subjects of Princess Cadance. And this—" she once again pointed her halberd at the dead stallion "—will not be tolerated."

Rocksteady suddenly unsheathed his sword and held it up. "This is the only law—"

A gout of flame flashed past his face, causing him to drop his sword and stumble back with a cry. Spike stepped in front of Applejack and crossed his muscular arms. "That was a warning. If you threaten Applejack again, I'll sear the flesh off of your face."

Rocksteady lowered his gaze and slowly back away. "I wasn't threatening her..." he muttered.

Applejack placed a hoof on Spike's shoulder. "Thanks, Spike,” she said as the crowd slowly backed away, eyeing him warily, “I can handle this from here." With a nod, Spike moved aside.

"Now, then," she continued, "ya'll need to clean this up, and I expect this pony to get a proper burial. Can I trust ya with that?" A few heads in the group nodded, followed by a couple mumbled affirmatives, and she favored them with a smile. "Thank you. I know it ain’t easy comin’ back from your previous lives as bandits, but you’ve made some real improvements over the years and I respect ya for that, so I'm goin' to cut ya'll a break. I won't report this to the princess, but only if you'll promise me that this town can follow the law from this point forward. Can ya'll make that promise? Please?"

"Come on, guys!" called a familiar voice from the back of the crowd. "Don’t you remember what it was like when you first found these wagons? Princess Cadance wanted to send in the Sky Marshals to take the supplies from you, and it was Applejack that convinced her that even a bunch of bandits deserved a second chance. Don’t you all at least owe her this?”

The ponies began to shift their hooves and look at one another, then gradually voiced their agreement, and Rocksteady, his face etched with regret, inclined his head and said, “Yes, this at the very least.”

"So, can I count on ya'll?" Applejack asked. She grinned as they gave her a louder affirmative. "Glad to hear it."

With a sigh of relief, Applejack returned the halberd to her back as she watched two stallions lift the corpse, then turned to the dispersing ponies and waved at the griffon that was approaching.

With her steel helm and leather armor, Gilda looked as if a griffon soldier from one of Apple Bloom's history books had come to life and leaped out from the pages. A large crossbow with a bladed handle was strapped to her back, and a quiver of bolts bounced by her flank.

"I appreciate the help, Gilda," Applejack said, raising a hoof to bump against Gilda’s clawed fist. “These ponies have been more stubborn than a pack of mules ever since that Proudmare started mouthin’ off ‘bout Princess Cadance.”

“Pfft, she’s not gonna last long.” Gilda smoothed out the feathers on her head. “She’s already managed to tick off the wrong members at the guild. Any self-respecting mercenary will drop a contract instantly if the client so much as mentions her name.”

“I don’t know,” Applejack said with a frown. “I’ve heard tell that she’s been gainin’ quite a bit of support lately.”

Gilda snorted. “The guild’s got Princess Cadance’s back, and Proudmare knows it. She’s not gonna try anything with the mercenaries set against her.” She turned her gaze to Spike. “Although stuff like what just happened here isn’t going to help persuade anypony to stick with the princess.”

Spike scowled. “I think we handled it just fine.”

"Says the dragon that nearly melted the face off of a pony for no reason," Gilda countered.

Spike rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

Gilda snickered. "You never hesitate to use that fire breath of yours to fix every problem, huh?" Her eyes narrowed as Spike growled. "So when are you gonna pay up?"

"I don't owe you anything," Spike snapped.

"You burned my entire cargo," Gilda retorted.

"I saved your life!"

"You cost me a fortune!"

Spike threw his hands up in exasperation. "What good would a fortune do you if you're dead?! Or worse, one of them?"

Applejack moved between them. "Gilda, we warned ya against takin' that pass. Spike and I wanted to take the long way round the mountains and cut through the Crystal Empire Ruins, but you were worried 'bout time and insisted on goin' the quicker route. You're the one who put the cargo at risk, and Spike here did his darndest to keep you alive."

"You're welcome," Spike chimed in.

"Maybe ya should stop placin' blame on others and own up to your mistakes. Spike and I did everythin' we could in the situation you put us in. Ya can't blame him for the outcome." Applejack adjusted her hat. "Now, we got some supplies we need to pick up. Ya comin' along or are ya gonna go your separate way?"

Gilda simply stood there for a moment as the two of them walked away, then clicked her beak and followed. "Fine." She eyed Spike suspiciously. "But you'd better not think I owe you anything."

Spike snorted. "Never."

"So, how's the mercenary life treatin' ya?" Applejack asked, hoping to change the subject.

Gilda shrugged. "It's a living." She glanced back at the small gap between wagons that was the town's entrance. "I'm waiting for a delivery from a client. It's supposed to be arriving soon, and I've got to take it to some cave near Fillydelphia where the pegasi are making some kind of outpost. Supposedly, once I get there, there's going to be plenty of work for a while."

Spike gave Applejack a nudge. "That must be the cave with the underground river Lance told us about."

Applejack nodded. "They're probably hirin' mercenaries to transport supplies." She turned to Gilda. "I'll bet they'll want ya to stick around to provide protection while they fortify the area."

A wide grin spread across Gilda's face. "Awesome! That means those ponies will be directly under Princess Cadance's orders, and ponies under the princess are always very generous employers."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that you've got yourself such a good job," Applejack said as she came to a sudden stop to allow a young stallion to dash in front of her and catch a large, red rubber ball. He paused long enough to look her up and down, eyes lingering on her flank, then he grinned and gave her a wink before kicking the ball to his partner and galloping away.

“Rude much?” Spike muttered from beside her.

Allowing the indignation to simply roll off her, she smiled at Gilda, who looked as though she were ready to chase the stallion down and break his neck. “I hope everythin’ goes well for ya.”

“Yeah…” Gilda said as she looked from the stallion back to Applejack. “Yeah, thanks.”

As they neared one of the wagons, Applejack gazed up to find Rocksteady at the top of the steps frowning down at her. "Sorry 'bout causin' that ruckus, but now I wanna talk business."

Rocksteady shook his head. "It's never a dull day when you visit." He held out his hoof. "Come on up."

Applejack gripped his hoof and allowed him to hoist her up into the wagon, while Spike and Gilda leaped up behind her.

The inside of the wagon was remarkably well-kept for a gruff ex-bandit; a bedroll and a small wooden table that held a framed photograph occupied the front of the wagon, while the back half was an organized cluster of goods ranging from small pots and pans to thick quilted blankets, and even a full suit of royal guard armor.

"Hey, Applejack," Rocksteady said once her gaze returned to his, "about back there—"

"Don't ya fret none 'bout that." Applejack smiled. "I know you weren't threatenin' me. Spike is just a little overprotective is all." She glanced back at her companion. "Why don't you apologize, Spike?"

Spike crossed his arms and glowered at Rocksteady.

Applejack cleared her throat. "Ahh...well, anyway, we're gonna be doin' some cave explorin' and need some rope. I figured you would be the stallion to talk to."

"That I am." Rocksteady made his way toward the very back of the wagon and tossed several sacks of clothing aside before opening a chest. "Not many ponies looking for rope nowadays."

Applejack glanced back at the gallows. "Really?"

"Hey," sitting back on his haunches, he held up his hooves innocently, "they didn't get that rope from me." He pulled out a coil of rope and dropped it on the floor. "How much do you need?"

"I'm not sure." Applejack removed her hat and scratched her head. "Ten feet would probably do it."

As Rocksteady was measuring the rope, Gilda walked over to his bedside table and studied a small, green gem before holding it up. "What's this, Rocky? I never took you to be the type to collect pretty rocks."

"That's a jade," Rocksteady replied brusquely. "Back in my old mining days, I'd bring those home when I found them. My daughter collected them..."

Gilda quickly set the stone back down and hurriedly moved away from the table. "Uh, I gotta go over here now because...um...well, yeah, bye." She hopped off the wagon and hastily trotted out of sight.

Applejack watched as Rocksteady cut the rope with a knife perhaps a bit more savagely than was needed. "I never knew you were a father." She lowered her eyes to the floor. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Well, it was a long time ago. An entire lifetime, it seems." Rocksteady sighed. "She kept this pretty little box under her bed, and hid her collection there. She loved those little stones." He chuckled. "I know it's stupid, but it feels like she's closer when I have it near."

"That isn't stupid," Spike said. "We all have our own ways of keeping our loved ones close to our hearts."

"Yeah..." Rocksteady passed the rope to Applejack, then took a deep breath. "If you're going to be spending any amount of time in a cave, then you'll need some torches. Fortunately, I've got everything you'll need."

He rummaged through his wares for several minutes and returned with a small pile of supplies that he shoved into Spike's outstretched arms. "Here you are. This will give you light for about two days worth of time." He turned to Applejack and grinned. "Now what do you have for me?"

Applejack grinned right back. "You're gonna love this." She reached into her saddlebags and removed a tube of toothpaste. "It's over half full. I found it not too long ago while inspecting this old, broken down cabin."

Rocksteady took the tube from her. "Yeah, it might even be three quarters full."

"A pretty good trade for a couple of old staves, some dirty linen, and a bit of pitch, wouldn't you say?" Spike commented as he used some twine to strap the staves to his backpack.

Applejack extended her hoof. "Deal?"

"You bet!" Rocksteady gripped her hoof and gave it a hard shake. "Pleasure doing business with you."

Applejack tipped her hat. "Likewise." Then she and Spike hopped off the wagon.

"We leaving then?" Spike asked.

"No reason to waste any more time," Applejack affirmed.

As they neared the gap between the wagons, Gilda suddenly swooped down and landed next to them. "So, what cave you exploring?"

Applejack eyed her for a moment. "How well do ya know the area?"

"Well enough." Gilda answered. "It's a great place for news while I'm in-between jobs."

"We're lookin' for a cave somewhere at the base of Canterlot Mountain," Applejack said. "You ever seen it?"

Gilda nodded. "Why are you going in there? There's nothing worth gathering."

"Can ya lead us there?"

"Sure." Gilda scratched her head. "But...why?"

Spike glanced hesitantly at Applejack, but when she shrugged, he said, "Because that cave leads all the way up to the dungeons in Canterlot Castle."

"Canterlot Castle?!" Gilda exclaimed, her eyes going wide. "Are you insane?"

"Possibly," Spike muttered.

"Can ya take us there or not?" Applejack demanded. "We can pay."

"I'll take you there, but nothing you have is worth leading you to your deaths."

"Let us worry 'bout that," Applejack said as she squeezed through the gap.

Once they were all through, Gilda turned and held out her claw. "I have one condition."

Applejack cocked an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"Neither of you can die," Gilda stated firmly. "I can't hold how much you owe me over your heads if you're dead."

Spike laughed. "You're really something else, G."

With a chuckle, Applejack gripped her talon. "You've got yourself a deal."

***

Twilight slowly opened her eyes and sighed contently as she gazed around the throne room. Tightly gripping the rock with her back hooves, she yawned and arched her back while fully extending her wings.

She couldn't remember the last time she had slept so soundly, or awoke feeling so reinvigorated. Was the dream responsible for that? She knew she had dreamed of Spike again, but there had been something different about it this time. Had there been someone else in the forest?

Letting go of the rock, Twilight flipped in the air and landed lightly on her hooves. What does it matter? It was just a dream, after all.

Her hoofsteps echoed throughout the room as she trotted over to her saddlebags. Fastening them securely, she eyed the sun throne and smiled. Perhaps after she had gathered the Elements and Mistress was dead, she’d rule from this very throne. It would befit her, as all would know that it was she that had brought them back the sun.

Still grinning broadly, Twilight left through the large double doors. Pausing at the bottom of the stairs, she rotated her foreleg until she felt a satisfying pop, and then made her way quickly out of the castle, eager to find the next Element, and eventually, have her revenge.

Certain that she was far enough from Ponyville to not risk being spotted in the air, and that Rainbow wouldn't be searching for her this far into the forest, Twilight took to the sky and headed south. Undoubtedly, Rainbow would be searching the roads by now, and investigating every cave she came across. Twilight was equally sure that she could fly the full distance to the Badlands without being discovered.

Suddenly, hurried hoofbeats reached her ears, and she quickly swooped down to hide behind a cluster of skeletal bushes. Had the Ascended found her? But how? If they were traveling by ground, then they knew she was near and were attempting to ambush her. She struggled to recall any mistakes she could have made on her way to the castle ruins, but could think of nothing.

As she lay in wait, Twilight slowly became aware of the faint scent of mortal blood. Gradually, the smell grew stronger as the hoofbeats drew near, and a couple of minutes later, a group of four heavily armed mortals rushed by. Three of them were earth ponies in full armor and wielding swords, and they were all crowded around a pegasus that was wearing a leather breastplate and a spear strapped to her back. The pegasus was holding her wing out at an odd angle and was limping badly, a bandage wrapped around a foreleg confirmed that she was the source of the scent.

Twilight frowned. What would mortals be doing this deep within the forest? Did they not know how close they were to Ponyville? That one's wound would undoubtedly bring every underling under Mistress's rule down upon them, if not the Ascended themselves.

Shaking her head, Twilight stood and prepared to take to the air. They were of no concern to her, all she cared about was finding the next Element.

Just then, three underlings soared by overhead, causing her to start.

"Here they come!" she heard one of the mortals shout.

The four of them came to a halt and the three earth ponies formed a protective ring around the injured pegasus who had collapsed to the ground. The three raised up on their hind legs and lifted their swords over their heads as the underlings began to circle above them.

With an earsplitting shriek, the first of the underlings swooped down upon them. Holding their ground, the ponies stabbed at the vampony and it quickly raised back up only to dive down again with its comrades in tow. As the earth ponies fought to keep the underlings at bay, a smaller mare was knocked from her hooves, but quickly got up and back into position.

"They're trying to wear us out!" shouted a gray stallion as he swung a wide arc to halt the approach of two underlings. "Don't let them! Make every swing count, and don't waste any energy!"

Without warning, the pegasus suddenly stood and thrust her spear upward, catching an underling off guard and impaling it in the stomach. Seeing his chance, the gray stallion quickly pivoted and cleaved the underling's head in two.

As the corpse fell to the ground, an underling hit the smaller mare and once again knocked her off her hooves. Her sword was sent skittering across the rough terrain as she landed hard on her back.

Twilight couldn't help but think of Lyra and Trixie as she watched the mortals' struggle. Just like Lyra, the three earth ponies were risking everything to protect the injured pegasus, and the pegasus was doing everything in her power to help. She didn't understand what drove the mortals to do this, but when she saw the mare's eyes widen as the underling stood over her, a deep boiling anger rose inside of her.

Before she even comprehended what she was doing, Twilight launched forward and snatched up the sword as she passed. Hearing her approach, the underling turned toward her, and she thrust the blade into its chest, piercing its heart. The underling stiffened, the red glow of its eyes flickered out, and it collapsed in a heap.

The last underling paused in its assault and stared at her for a moment, then spun and attempted to flee. With a great flap of her wings, she caught it by a hind leg and threw it to the ground. Landing beside it, she promptly pinned it with a hoof to the chest.

"Twilight?" it rasped. "I thought Rainbow killed you."

"Evidently not," she deadpanned, then drove the sword through its skull.

Pulling the sword free, Twilight turned to find the mortals staring at her, their weapons up and ready. The mare had unstrapped a dagger and was holding it out in front of her as she slowly sidestepped closer to the others.

"Underlings always attack the smallest in a group," Twilight told the mare as she tossed the sword at her hooves. "They see it as a weakness. You should have been better prepared."

"Why are you doing this?" the gray stallion demanded. "What do you want?"

Twilight met his hard gaze and couldn't help but smirk. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

He blinked, then studied her for a long moment, the hardness in his eyes replaced by confusion. Finally, he indicating the pegasus and said, "Her unit was ambushed. She was the only survivor, but suffered a broken wing. She was being hunted when we found her and we led her into the forest to lose our pursuers. But the vamponies were more persistent than usual."

Twilight snorted. "You're a fool." She looked at the others in turn. "All of you. It is foolish to travel with an injured mortal." Pointing at the pegasus's bandaged leg, she continued, "I could smell her blood almost as soon as I became aware of your hoofsteps. The scent of blood drives underlings crazy. Nothing was going to stop them from hunting you. If you want to survive, you'll have to leave her behind."

The three earth ponies moved in front of the pegasus and brandished their weapons. "So, that's it," the gray stallion said. "You expect us to give up one of our own? If you want her, then you're going to have to come through us."

"Yeah!" the other two cried in unison.

Twilight cocked an eyebrow. "You mean to fight me? Twilight, first born of the Ascended?" At her words, the three shuffled their hooves and glanced nervously at one another.

I really do find a way to sneak that into every encounter, don't I?

She had no idea where that thought came from, but it left her feeling ridiculous, despite it having the desired effect on the mortals. Her title had always brought her pride, why would she suddenly feel silly for announcing it?

Realizing that the mortals were watching her warily, she turned her attention to the mare still holding the dagger defensively. "Pick up your sword, cretin. I could kill you in the blink of an eye with such an ineffective weapon." She snickered as the little mare scrambled to snatch up her sword, then turned her attention to the gray stallion. "Do you have any idea where you are?"

Again, he blinked, then shared a look with the others. "Yes...we're in the Everfree Forest. We were hoping to lose the vamponies and travel west to the White Tail Woods, but we were forced to change direction several times to avoid capture."

"No doubt you seek to cower behind the walls of Sanctuary." Twilight shook her head. "And you believed you could travel all that way with an injured pony that reeks of blood? You truly are a fool."

"Maybe I am," the gray stallion snapped, "but I'd sooner die than leave a wounded pony to be turned into a filthy monster like you!" He glanced at the stallion on his left. "Get Derpy on her hooves. We're leaving—" he turned and caught her gaze, "—all of us."

To Twilight's surprise, a small smile crept onto her face. This stallion had guts, and she liked it. It was rare for her to come face to face with a mortal and not have them break down into a blubbering mess begging for their lives.

She stood silently as they began to back away, still holding their weapons at the ready. They were heading in the direction of Ponyville, and she doubted they were even aware of it. Twilight wanted to turn away; to forget them and leave them to their fate, but found to her annoyance that she didn't want them to die. Their determination to protect the injured pegasus reminded her too much of Lyra.

"You're only a couple of hours away from Ponyville," Twilight called after them. "If you continue in that direction, you will all die." The mortals froze mid-step. It was clear by their wide eyes that they had no idea how close they'd come to disaster. "Also, the White Tail Woods are teeming with underlings, despite Mistress's orders to stay away," she added, unable to keep the disgust from her voice at the thought of underlings acting against Mistress's wishes.

"Thanks for the warning," the gray stallion said uncertainly. "We'll be careful."

"You'll be dead," Twilight stated matter-of-factly. She pointed at the pegasus's wound once again. "Unless that wound is completely healed, every underling in White Tail Woods will descend upon you."

The gray stallion looked at the smaller earth mare who shook her head. "I've dressed the wound three times, but it keeps reopening," she said. "Like I told you before, we need to stop and make camp for the wound to heal properly."

"Well, that wasn't an option before." The gray stallion scowled. "And it isn't much of an option now, either. We're too exposed out here."

"But you're risking infection if you keep pushing her," the mare retorted. "You and I both know that these decaying forests are far from sterile."

As Twilight watched the two of them bicker, a thought slowly occurred to her. The castle ruins could provide them with the safe shelter the wounded pegasus needed, and once she was healed, the four of them would be able to reach Sanctuary unharmed.

But the castle was her new lair. Vamponies could not enter the lair of another, not even the Ascended. To do so without consent was forbidden, and Mistress had been known to deal with such a perpetrator personally. And these four weren't even vamponies. How could she invite such rubbish into her own lair?

Twilight became aware that the mortals had gone quiet and were staring at her again. Her eyes narrowed. "What?"

Without warning, the pegasus limped forward and approached her with a warm smile.

Twilight eyed her with trepidation. Nopony had ever advanced upon her in such a manner before, and in the past, if an underling had dared to make such a mistake, Twilight would have killed them without a moment's hesitation. But it was more than the pegasus's fearlessness that fueled her unease; the sparkle in her strange, crossed eyes and her goofy yet pleasant smile seemed to engender a buoyancy that Twilight had never before seen. It was as if having a wounded leg, a broken wing, and being hunted by a group of underlings had done nothing to dampen her spirits.

Peering into her kind face, Twilight suddenly felt vulnerable for the first time in her life. How could she hold her ground to such a friendly approach? How could she intimidate one that held no fear?

Twilight didn't realize that she was slowly backing away until the pegasus's smile began to fade. "What's wrong?" she asked, cocking her head to one side.

Hastily straightening her back and holding her head high, Twilight made a show of glaring back at the affable mare, but knew that it was too late. She had already displayed weakness.

"You looked really confused a minute ago," the pegasus said, "and now, you look upset. I don't know why you attacked your own kind, and I don't know why you're sparing us, but I'm very very grateful. We all are."

At her words, the three earth ponies began nodding their heads and affirming what she'd said.

Dumbfounded, Twilight's gaze shifted to the three before quickly snapping back to the pegasus. What was this?

A huge smile unexpectedly broke out on her face. "Thanks, Twilight, for saving our lives! We totally owe you one!" She held out a hoof. "My name's Derpy, by the way. You used to know me, but I don't think you remember me anymore."

Twilight simply stared at the hoof. What did Derpy expect her to do, and why should she act upon the whim of a mortal anyway?

Derpy suddenly giggled. "Oh, sorry. You have no idea what I'm doing, do you?" She wiggled her hoof. "You're supposed to bump my hoof with yours. It's a way we living ponies greet each other as friends."

The breath caught in Twilight's throat. Friends? Yes, that's what she wanted...or was it? What would she do with a friend, and why was she feeling such a strong desire to have one?

Slowly, Twilight lifted a hoof, but paused when she noticed that it was shaking. A deep shame at appearing so weak in front of a mortal began to engulf her, but when she looked into Derpy's gleefully expectant face, the shame quickly melted away.

"So, if I...bump your hoof, that makes us friends?" Twilight asked.

Derpy laughed. It was an infectious sound that made Twilight smile. "It's not that easy! But it's a really good start."

Still smiling, Twilight turned her attention back to the outstretched hoof. Tenderly, as though it would burn her, Twilight bumped the hoof and hastily drew back.

"There you go!" Derpy beamed. "That wasn't so hard! Let's do it again."

As Derpy lifted her hoof again, Twilight's smile widened. She was feeling a sensation in her chest that she had only felt during her dreams of Spike. She hadn't realized that she could get these emotions from other ponies as well. Marveling at experiencing these feelings outside of the dream, Twilight bumped Derpy's hoof with more enthusiasm.

With a sharp cry, Derpy crumpled to the ground.

Twilight gasped and took to the air as the three earth ponies rushed to the fallen pegasus. Silently chastening herself, she watched the mortals warily. Would they attack her now? She was just starting to like them, she didn't want to kill them.

"It's okay, Twilight!" Derpy called as the others helped her to her hooves. "I just put too much weight on my injured leg. It wasn't your fault."

"There's an old castle to the north," Twilight told the gray stallion, refusing to meet Derpy's gaze. "You should reach it in about a half hour on hoof. It's far enough away from Ponyville that no underling would have any reason to go there. You will be safe. Take your...friend there and tend to her."

"Twilight!" Derpy called again.

"And why should we trust you?" asked the gray stallion.

Twilight studied him briefly, then pointed at Derpy. "Because I want her to live."

He hesitated for a moment longer, then nodded. "We'll do as you said, and we'll keep her safe."

Twilight flipped around and headed south. She heard Derpy shouting her name and forced herself to fly faster. After a few moments, she was out of earshot of the mortals and slowed to a leisurely pace.

It had been foolish to believe that a vampony could be friends with a mortal. They were much too frail. Twilight shuddered to think how badly she could have hurt Derpy if she'd had her Ascended's strength.

A sudden thought occurred to her. Not once during the entire interaction with the mortals had she even contemplated feeding, despite the constant scent of blood, and more surprising still, this revelation did not upset her. She somehow understood that once the mortals had reminded her of Lyra, she hadn't wanted to hurt them and had chosen to ignore her thirst.

Twilight frowned. What was happening to her? She was no longer afraid of losing her thirst, she was feeling odd urges to make friends, and she had just showed weakness to a mere mortal. And yet, none of these things had really bothered her. In fact, they left her feeling hopeful.

Mistress's betrayal had effectively removed her from vampony society, and even the underlings were now aware that she had been sentenced to death. They may even know that she was no longer an Ascended. She had no choice but to consider every vampony an enemy.

But the mortals...they were now potential allies. They were so much different from what she had thought they were. She understood now why they insisted on crowding in small towns, they were stronger in numbers. They displayed great determination to protect each other, and when one was in danger, the others grew bolder, and some seemed to even draw strength from one another. If she could surround herself with mortals such as these, and discover how they drew strength from each other, then maybe she could use that added strength to crush Mistress.

Perhaps she could pay Sanctuary a visit after retrieving the Element from the Changelings. There were more mortals there than anywhere else in Equestria, and she was certain that she would find several of those special ones. She would start with some of the vampony hunters, and maybe she would even meet Lyra and Trixie again.

Satisfied with the plan, Twilight continued her flight to the Badlands.

***

"Hooves down, this has got to be the worst idea you've ever had," Applejack grumbled as she flopped down on her rump.

"Well, how was I supposed to know the hidden door would be so difficult to open?" Spike retorted.

Applejack slapped herself in the forehead. "Are ya listenin' to yourself? Of course the hidden door is difficult to open. That's the point, ain't it?"

Spike huffed and crossed his arms. "You know what I mean."

With a growl, Applejack kicked a rock and glared at the stone wall standing before them. As she watched the flickering torchlight dance upon its surface, she fumed over the time and energy they had wasted on this trip.

Thanks to Gilda's guidance, they had found the entrance to the caverns without difficulty, but the trek through the caverns had been far more arduous than they had expected. Nearly the entire journey had been up a steep incline that was littered with loose rocks and bottomless chasms that they had been forced to leap over, and there had been several times that Applejack had been forced to rely on Spike's climbing skills and the rope.

"Consarn it!" Applejack stood and began to pace. "If I could just see the blasted thing, I'd bet my barn I could get it open."

"Oh, you don't see it?" Spike pointed at the wall. "It's right there."

Applejack blinked at the wall. "Where?"

"Right here." Spike poked a crack in the rock. "See, I've got my claw in the groove right now."

Her eyes followed the groove up from Spike's claw and quickly discerned the door from the surrounding rock. "Alright, I see it now." She turned her back to the door and carefully lined herself up. "Step back."

Balancing on her front legs, she pulled her back legs forward and kicked with all of her might. Her hooves met the rock with a resounding bang that echoed throughout the cavern for several moments.

"It moved a little!" Spike shouted excitedly.

Applejack backed a bit closer to the wall and bucked again, and the door opened a crack.

Spike shot her a grin. "You've still got it."

Applejack sniffed. "Course I do."

She eyed the gap, and then gritted her teeth as she shouldered the door open a little further until it was wide enough for her to squeeze through. "Okay, I think that's good. You go first."

As Spike started forward, his elbow collided with a thin rock protruding from the wall. There was a loud click, and the door swung fully open. As Applejack rounded on him and glowered, Spike smiled sheepishly. "I found the lever."

"Ya rackin' frackin' varmint," Applejack muttered as she stepped out of the cave and into the lowest of the Canterlot dungeons.

The torchlight revealed a long corridor that stretched into the darkness with several empty cells lining either side. She listened intently for any signs of a threat and licked her lips as the dry air seemed to imbibe the moisture from them.

Determining that the immediate area was safe, she turned to watch Spike reach for an old burned out torch still affixed to a bracket. At his touch, the torch tilted to the side and the door swung silently shut behind them.

"Totally awesome." Spike grinned. "That was like something straight out of a Daring Do book."

Applejack rolled her eyes. "Would ya come on?"

"Yeah, yeah," Spike mumbled as he raised the torch and took the lead. After a moment, he coughed. "Wow, it is dry in here."

"It sure is. Canterlot hasn't gotten a drop of rain in the twelve years since its downfall." She tentatively touched a metal bar and felt the static shock. "Try breathin' through your nose, sugar. It helps."

The surrounding shadow seemed to encroach upon them as they cautiously followed the flickering light along the corridor, the clicks of their hooves and claws on the stone floor the only sound that penetrated the deathly silence.

Spike came to a halt as a staircase came into view and glanced back at her uncertainly. "You don't think they heard you kicking that door open, do you?"

"I reckon if they did, we'd already know," Applejack replied.

He nodded, and raising the torch over his head, slowly led the way up the narrow stairway.

At the top of the stairs stood a large steel reinforced wooden door. After giving it a couple of hard shoves, Spike held up a clawed finger and smiled. "It's a good thing I've gotten so much practice at this." Inserting his talon into the lock, he stuck his tongue out in concentration as he felt around for the tumblers. His smile widened as the lock clicked. "Sometimes, I even impress myself." He then grimaced as the door creaked loudly as it swung open.

"Don't ya get too cocky, now," Applejack said. "We've still got a castle full of vamponies to get through."

"Sorry, I'll try to be more modest like you." Spike winked. "That's the best part about you," he said in a soft, seductive tone.

Applejack allowed him to once again take the lead, then smacked him in the back of the head. She shook her head as he began to laugh; it was just like him to tease her, even in a situation as tense as this.

As she followed Spike down another corridor identical to the one below, Applejack's mind shifted to Lance.

She was going to have some explaining to do once she returned to Sanctuary. Lance had always been extremely forgiving in the past, but she was sure sneaking out of town had pushed his patience too far. She only hoped that her actions hadn't caused irrevocable damage to their friendship.

"Oh, wow," Spike breathed, coming to a sudden stop. "That really sucks."

Lying in the final cell before the next staircase was a skeleton, its face pressed against the bars and a foreleg reaching into the corridor as if it were still searching for a means to save itself. Several broken teeth in the grinning skull attested to the desperation the pony must have felt toward the end.

Applejack's ears drooped. "Whatever they might of done to end up in that cell, they didn't deserve to die like that."

Carefully stepping over the foreleg, Applejack cast a final sorrowful glance at the doomed prisoner before following Spike up the stairs. At the top was another large door that opened without protest except for the groan of its hinges, revealing a small room containing a desk, an overturned chair, and a bent sword laying in the middle of the room.

Applejack led the way across the room to a wooden door on the opposite wall, then turned to Spike. "I reckon it'd be a good idea for ya to leave your pack and torches here. We ain't gonna need them from here on, and all they're gonna do is slow ya down."

With a nod, Spike shrugged off his backpack and leaned it against the wall. Removing her hat, Applejack dusted her mane with Vampony's Bane before placing it back atop her head, then held the pouch up. "You want any?"

"Nah," Spike said. "I don't think dragons can turn from bites anyway. We just bleed out."

"Right." Applejack tied the half-full pouch high up on her foreleg, then pulled her halberd free. "You ready?"

Instead of answering, Spike opened his mouth and inserted the burning end of the torch, plunging them into complete darkness.

Applejack waited for him to stand beside her, then said, "Now remember, we need to move quickly and silently. And no fire."

"I know," Spike grunted.

"Yeah, well, ya didn't seem to know last time."

Spike sighed. "I panicked, alright? It won't happen again."

"Okay, sugar," Applejack said, unable to hold back a smile. "I trust ya."

She pushed the door open, and a shaft of moonlight sliced through the darkness. The two of them moved slowly into the hallway as their eyes adjusted to the dim light, keeping low and avoiding windows.

"Do ya know the way to the throne room from here?" Applejack asked.

"I think so," Spike answered, then swiftly made his way to the door at the end of the hall.

Applejack placed her hoof over his hand as he gripped the doorknob. "The more rooms we can cut through, and the less time we spend in the main halls, the better."

Spike nodded his understanding, then cracked the door and ensured the hall was clear before slipping through. She quickly followed and silently shut the door behind her.

Immediately in front of her was a toppled suit of armor, and as she carefully stepped over it, she caught the glint of pale light on the shards of a vase scattered down the hall. Crossing to a door opposite them, they entered an armory; the collapsed spear rack, broken weapons and shattered armor, and blood that stained the walls made evident the battle that had occurred there.

Just as Applejack was leaving the room, she caught sight of a helm laying in the corner, but on second glance, she noticed a skull still occupying it. With a grimace, she stepped out into the hall and nearly bumped into Spike.

He was frozen in place, staring at a bend in the hall. Applejack perked up an ear and heard the sound of approaching voices. Hastily scanning their surroundings, she spotted a door, and tapping Spike on the shoulder, frantically motioned him toward it.

They rushed to the door and flung it open, and as Applejack disappeared inside, she glanced behind her and glimpsed a vampony rounding the bend. Finding themselves in a small servant's bedroom, Applejack reared up on her hind legs and pressed herself against the wall behind the door as Spike hid behind the curtains on the far side of the room.

"Rainbow Dash will hunt her down and kill her, if she hasn't already," she heard a vampony say.

"I'm not so sure," said a second. "She may be weaker, but she's an experienced fighter."

"So am I, so are you," replied the first, "but could the two of us win against Rainbow?"

"Hopefully, they'll manage to kill each other," chimed in a third. "One less Ascended is fine, but two less would be better."

"Don't let Luna hear you saying that," the second warned.

"Was this door opened before?" the first suddenly asked.

Applejack swallowed hard as she heard their hoofsteps stop just outside the room. Slowly and silently, she raised the halberd and prepared to swing.

"It could have been," said the third, sounding indifferent.

The vampony took a couple of steps into the room, the moonlight behind him casting his elongated shadow along the floor and up the wall. Applejack held her breath as the end of his muzzle came into view, and she tightened her grip on her weapon.

Finally, his muzzle vanished and she heard their hoofsteps continue down the hall.

"Satisfied?" asked the third.

"Shut up," the first hissed. "We have to be sure. Ever since that weird serpent guy was spotted, Luna's been very strict about our patrols."

Applejack remained still until their voices faded away, then let out a sigh of relief as Spike came out from behind the curtain. "That was too close," she said as she readjusted her hat.

"What do you make of the weird serpent guy that vampony mentioned?" Spike asked.

"I don't know." Applejack checked the hall for any signs of movement. "But it doesn't matter. Let's keep movin'."

Spike led the way around the bend and stopped before two large wooden doors. "This study leads into the library. From there, it's a short distance to the throne room, but you knew that, right?"

Applejack offered a small smile. "Just be careful, I'm sure Luna's made the throne room her lair, and we don't wanna run into her."

The study was a spacious room with several tables and chairs that had been smashed or overturned. The magnificent paintings that hung on the walls had been slashed repeatedly, and the blood stained carpet was shredded. The door leading to the library was missing, and the bookshelf glimpsed through the doorway had collapsed, spilling its books into the study.

Bright pale moonlight permeated the huge library from a large skylight window above, revealing the two crystal chandeliers that had been shattered on the floor. A destroyed staircase led to a shadow enshrouded second floor, and on the far side of the room was a set of enormous wooden doors that was their goal.

Applejack began to lead the way toward the doors when a loud crunch from behind caused her to halt. Turning, she found Spike tenderly lifting his foot off of a broken piece of crystal.

"Who's there?" came a voice from the second floor.

Her heart leaping into her throat, Applejack half-dragged Spike into a nearby aisle and crouched low to the ground. Seconds later, she heard the thud of somepony dropping from the floor above. Readying her halberd as she listened to the hoofsteps approach, Applejack thrust the spear point at the creature's chest as it rounded the shelf.

Rarity caught the weapon with ease. "Come now," she said with a wicked grin, "where are your manners?"

Applejack could do nothing more than stare at the pony that had once been her best friend. She looked similar to what Applejack remembered, but her once beautiful sapphire eyes glowed an eerie red, and her dingy, unkempt mane lacked the curls that she had once held so much pride for.

Rarity wrenched the halberd from Applejack's grip and then turned her gaze to Spike. "However did the two of you get this far into the castle?" She looked him up and down, and then added with a silky voice. "Not that I mind such a big, strong, attractive male wandering into my domain."

Panic gripping her mind in a vise, Applejack stumbled away from the Ascended. A quick glance behind her revealed a clear path to the door back to the study, and she steeled herself for a swift retreat.

But as her gaze shifted to Spike, his wide eyes filled with longing and his sword hanging uselessly at his side, she snapped to her senses.

She couldn't leave Spike. She had to save him, but how?

"R-Rarity? It's me...Spike," he said slowly. "Don't you remember me?"

"Spike!" Applejack stepped toward him. "She isn't the same—"

Without warning, Rarity's wing unfurled and lashed out, slapping Applejack across the face and knocking her to the floor.

"Mmmm, yes, Spike," Rarity's tone turned lewd. "Of course I remember. I used to want nothing more than for you to hold me in your arms."

Shaking her head to clear the haze, Applejack looked to Spike and saw his expression change.

"Really?" Spike asked, and Applejack noticed him tightening his grip on his sword. "That doesn't sound like the Rarity I knew."

"Well, I had to keep my...urges to myself," Rarity replied smoothly. "What would the other mortals have said if they had known?" She lifted a hoof and began to caress his chest. "But now we're free to be together."

"Yes," Spike whispered. "That's what I've always wanted."

As Rarity smiled and batted her eyelashes seductively, Applejack readied herself. She wasn't sure what Spike was planning, but knew he was going to act soon.

"Why don't you accompany me somewhere a little more private?" Rarity cooed as her hoof slid down from his chest to the hilt of his sword. "Then I can show you just how much you've always meant to me." She cast a glance toward Applejack. "I'll even let your little companion live."

"That sounds great," Spike said breathlessly, gently placing his hand on her cheek. "Except you're not the pony I used to love." With a snarl, he raked his claws across her face.

Rarity cried out in shock and covered her face with her hooves. "Oh, you little—"

Applejack lunged forward and drove her dagger into Rarity's neck, then hastily grabbed Spike's arm and ran for the door.

Leaping over the pile of books laying in the threshold, the two of them raced across the study and crashed through the door and into the hallway. Behind them, they heard Rarity's loud bat-like screech, and seconds later, several other screeches rebounded throughout the castle in answer.

"They're coming!" Spike shouted as they sprinted down the hall.

"Then run faster!" Applejack shouted back, slowing her pace so he could keep up.

The two of them rounded the bend and found a half dozen vamponies galloping down the hall toward them.

"Mind if I use fire now?"

"Please!"

Applejack skidded to a halt as the entire hallway before her erupted in an inferno of screams and fire. Through the swirling flames, she could see two vamponies writhing on the floor with ear-splitting shrieks before a second torrent consumed them.

Swallowing back bile at the stench of burning flesh, Applejack pointed at the armory door. "This way, back the way we came."

She crashed through the door and turned to watch as Spike unleashed one last burst of fire down the hall, and then backed into the room and slammed the door closed. They moved swiftly through the armory, Applejack pausing just long enough to sheath her dagger and grab an unbroken spear from the floor, and stepped into the hall with the toppled suit of armor just as a vampony emerged from the door leading to the dungeons.

Applejack snatched up the helm, tossed it into the air, and bucked it at the hissing vampony. It struck the creature in the head and knocked it off its hooves.

"We ain't goin' that way," Applejack said as she led the way down the hall.

A window exploded as they raced past, and a vampony latched onto Spike's back and slammed him into the wall. Lifting his foot, Spike pushed off the hard stone and crashed against the opposite wall, pinning the vampony. He dug his claws into the forelegs that were wrapped around his neck and flung his head back, his spines tearing at the vampony's face.

Applejack spun as a second vampony swooped in from the window, and raised the spear. The vampony's jaws closed on the shaft of the weapon, its eyes glowing determinedly from mere inches away. "You're all mine," he whispered as he gripped the spear with both forelegs.

Without hesitation, Applejack rammed her forehead into his, allowing her mane coated with Vamponies Bane to slap him along the side of his face and neck. As the vampony staggered back, screaming and frantically brushing at his face, Applejack lowered the butt of the spear and swept his hind legs out from under him. He landed hard on his back, and Applejack drove the spearhead into his chest before he could react.

She turned to see the other vampony—its flayed face hanging in tatters—lose its grip on Spike. Shrugging the creature off, he spun, his sword glistening in the moonlight as it swept through the air and effortlessly removed the vampony's head.

Applejack ducked as the chest piece from the suit of armor soared over her head, and Spike let loose another spray of fire at the crowd of vamponies racing toward them, but they all quickly leaped back out of harm's way.

"They're getting used to this tactic," Spike said as they started down the hallway.

"Not much we can do 'bout that," Applejack answered. "Just keep movin'."

Suddenly, the door ahead burst open and three vamponies stepped out, blocking their escape. Without slowing, Applejack ripped the half-full pouch from her leg and threw it with all her might.

The pouch arched through the air, leaving a trail of sparkling dust in its wake, and struck the vamponies in an explosion of powder. As they reared up, shrieking and brushing at their bodies, Applejack leaped forward and thrust her spear into the temple of one, while Spike pierced the chest of the second. The third fell to the floor and rolled away, and ignoring it, the two of them rushed through the doorway and found themselves in a large audience hall.

Spike sent a blast of fire through the door, then slammed it shut. "What now?"

Applejack scanned the room. It was mostly empty, with a podium atop a stage at the far end, and a large window spanning most of the wall on the left. To the right, she spotted a door, but before she could point it out, the door behind them crashed to the floor. Whipping around, Applejack's jaw dropped as she watched two larger than average ponies wearing full body armor and each wielding a longsword enter.

"Uh..." Spike backed further into the room and readied his sword. "This is different."

"Can ya handle it?" Applejack asked, studying the two as they approached. "They seem to know what they're doin'."

"Of course!" Spike gave her spear a concerned glance. "Can you?"

Applejack adjusted her hat, then raised her spear. "Don't ya worry none 'bout me, sugar. You just focus on stayin' alive."

Without warning, one of the armored vamponies charged toward Spike. Applejack watched him lift his sword and deflect the attack, then turned to the second to see him take to the air and dive at her.

Applejack quickly sidestepped, narrowly dodging the blade, but the vampony's armored shoulder contacted solidly with her chest, and she was thrown through the window behind her. She cried out as she felt herself falling, but the shout was cut short as she landed hard on her back on a balcony one floor below. With a groan, she climbed to her hooves as the vampony landed mere feet away. Stepping back, her rump bumped into the railing, and glancing behind her, she found a straight drop to the valley floor thousands of feet below.

As the vampony raised his sword, Applejack feinted a thrust at his chest, but when he moved to block the blow, she quickly jabbed him hard in the face plate. The vampony flinched, giving her time to duck around him and buck him hard in the rear, staggering him into the railing, which cracked beneath his weight with an audible snap. Hastily backpedaling to put some distance between them, Applejack readied herself as the vampony regained his balance.

"Hoo-wee, you're a big fella," Applejack grunted. "I sure am missin' my halberd right 'bout now."

While a vampony wielding a weapon was nothing new to her, Applejack had never even heard of one wearing armor. She noted that the way he was holding the sword was very similar to the way Lance trained his raw recruits. Where would a vampony have learned such a technique?

Okay, ain't no way to sugarcoat it, this is bad. But I have the advantage of range, and if I can hit his helm enough, he'll have to remove it. That'll be my chance. As long as I'm patient, I can do this.

Applejack began to move in a semicircle, poking at the air between them in an attempt to bait an attack. When that failed to provoke him, she suddenly stepped forward and jabbed him in the face plate a second time. The vampony snarled and rushed forward, thrusting his sword at her chest. She spun to the side and hit him hard in the back of the helm, then ducked as he whirled around and swung his iron clad hoof at her head. Seeing an opening, Applejack stabbed his face plate again, but before she could pull the spear back, the vampony swept his sword in an upward arc and sliced through the wood of her weapon.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as she watched the spearhead twirl through the air and disappear over the railing. Slowly backing away, Applejack desperately tried to think of a new strategy.

All she had now was her dagger, but that was nearly useless against an armored foe. As the vampony started forward, her eyes quickly scanned the armor for weaknesses. She could see gaps in the armor in the joints of the legs, as well as the wing joints, and of course the wings were exposed…

Applejack's eyes suddenly shifted to the cracked railing and an idea formed. Before she could think better of it, she rushed straight at the vampony, ducked beneath his startled sword swipe, and hit him in the head with the spear shaft hard enough to snap it in two. As he staggered, she hastily drew her dagger and drove it into his wing.

The vampony shrieked as the blade tore a long jagged rip in the membrane, and as he began to turn toward her, she leaped forward and slammed the both of them against the damaged railing.

The railing snapped, and as the two of them began to fall, Applejack twisted and caught the edge of the balcony with both hooves. Dangling, she watched the vampony frantically flap his damaged wing, but the combination of the wound from her Elementium blade and his heavy armor proved too cumbersome, and he screamed as he tumbled to the valley floor below.

Applejack pulled herself up and rolled onto her back. "Heavens to Betsy, that was close," she panted.

A slow clap startled her, and jumping to her hooves, she turned toward the smashed balcony door to find Luna standing just inside the room.

"Very impressive." Luna grinned as her eyes flashed dangerously. "But your tour of my castle ends here."

Author's Note

A special thanks to Zodiacspear for his help as pre-reader. Glad to have you aboard!

A New Friend

Twilight slowed to a halt beside a group of six torches that brightly illuminated the chamber and studied the large stone doors before her. Since the lake, the tunnel had been one long serpentine path, and while she was grateful that she no longer had to worry about branching passages, the constant bends made it impossible to judge how far she'd come or how much further she had left.

But now she found herself standing in a huge cavern nearly the same size as the one that held the lake, and the only way forward was blocked by these plain stone doors that were easily tall and wide enough for a full grown dragon to enter. Her eyes moved over their perfectly smooth, flat surface, lacking any kind of decoration to hint at what lay beyond, or even anything that resembled a handle.

Rearing up, Twilight placed both her forelegs on the door and pushed with all of her might, but it refused to yield even an inch. Feeling a surge of anger swell within her, she shoved against it even harder, but to no avail.

With a growl of frustration, Twilight backpedaled to the mouth of the tunnel she had emerged from, and lowering her head, charged full speed at the door and slammed her shoulder into the solid stone. She felt her shoulder break as the force of her impact boomed throughout the cave like cannon fire, but still, the door did not budge.

Twilight lifted her injured leg off the ground with a grimace, and waited patiently for the bone to mend. As she rolled her shoulder to check the progress of her healing, she heard a muffled voice from the other side of the door. "Is...is there somebody out there?"

Stunned, Twilight blinked at the door.

"Hello?" it called again.

"I am Twilight Sparkle, first—" she scowled, "—the Ascended. You will open this door and take me to Queen Chrysalis."

"Um...I'm sorry," the voice responded, sounding fearful, "but we can't let a vampony in here."

Twilight punched the door with all of her strength, and grinned as she heard several startled cries from the other side. "You will open this door, or I will tear it down. And if I do, your entire city will suffer!" She hit it again to emphasize her point.

"No! Wait!" came a second high-pitch, scratchy voice. "Just hold on! We need a few minutes, please!"

"I'll give you five," Twilight barked, then sat back on her haunches.

It sounded as though her ruse had worked. She had certainly put the fear of Mistress in them, and surely they'd do whatever she wanted to protect their city. Now, all she needed to do was put this Chrysalis in her place, and they'll be begging her to take the Element and leave. And if they were obedient enough, she may even spare their queen.

Just as she was starting to get impatient, her sensitive ears began to pick up voices as they approached the door. A moment later, someone new spoke. "Hello, uh, Twilight, was it?" His voice was soft and dubious, as though he were uncertain whether he should be asking her name at all.

"Yes," Twilight growled. "Now open this door."

"I'm sorry, but I can't," he replied, still sounding unsure. "I don't know why you're here, but I can assure you that we have nothing that you'd want."

"Enough!" Twilight shouted, once again punching the doors and eliciting screams from the other side. "You have three options: you can open the doors and take me to your queen, you can bring Chrysalis here, or I can break this door down and kill you all! Give me your answer. Now!"

There was a long silence from the other side of the door until finally, "Well...the thing is...there's been a few, uh, complications that make your first two options a bit...impossible."

It was Twilight's turn to be silent. What did he mean by complications? Could the Changelings have overthrown their queen? But if so, what did that mean for the Element? Has it been lost?

Anxiously, she once again studied the door. She had wasted enough time, if they weren't going to open it, then she had no choice.

Turning her back to the door, she raised her hind legs and bucked the door with all of her might several times in quick succession. Each blow boomed off of the cavern walls around her until it sounded as if she were standing in a volley of cannon fire.

When she paused to give her aching hooves a rest, he spoke again, his tone sounding defeated. "You're not going to leave, are you?"

"Not until I've searched your city," she answered as she lifted her hind legs once again.

"Then, I'd like to come out," he said. "If...that's okay with you."

Shocked, she slowly lowered her hind legs and faced the door. "Huh?" she said stupidly. Realizing that they couldn't hear her as well as she could hear them, she said, louder, "What purpose would that serve?"

"We're not going to accomplish anything like this, so I figure it'd be for the best if I came out and we talked face to face. Just promise me you won't try to barge in when we open the door."

"I...yeah, sure, let's...talk," Twilight managed.

"Are you crazy?!" The high-pitch scratchy voice whispered urgently. Even with her acute hearing, Twilight had to strain to hear her words. "That's an Ascended out there. She'll kill you!"

"Just open the door," she heard him respond. "I don't think she's come here to kill us, she's looking for something."

Twilight stepped back as the door slowly cracked open with a loud scraping of stone on stone, grimacing as she flattened her ears against the deafening sound. An icy dread filled the pit of her stomach as torchlight fell through the narrow opening. What if this mortal was like Derpy? She couldn't afford to show weakness like she had previously, but what defense could she possibly have against such a fearless approach?

She steeled herself as a black insectoid pony squeezed through the crack in the door, his sparkling wings casting a flickering light upon the stone, but her worries evaporated as their gazes met and his wide, greenish blue eyes reflected his fear.

Oh, this is much more like it!

With a sneer, Twilight advanced on the little insect, and her confidence soared as he backed toward the door even as it continued to shut behind him.

"Um...h-hello...I-I'm T-Thorax," he stammered as he pressed himself against the door. "I s-suppose you c-could say that I-I'm the one in charge h-here."

Twilight snorted as she stopped mere inches from him and took in his trembling knees as he began to hyperventilate. "Really? You're the one who overthrew Chrysalis?"

Thorax blinked. "W-what? No, no!" He shook his head frantically. "I haven't done anything to the Queen! I have no intention of overthrowing her!"

"If Chrysalis is still your ruler, then why am I talking to you?" Twilight snarled, causing the changeling to flinch away. "You will take me to her. Now!"

"I c-can't," Thorax said shakily. "The Queen has branded us traitors! It would be certain death for me to approach her!"

"Your death will be certain if you don't take me to Chrysalis right now," Twilight spat. When Thorax still hesitated, she lunged forward, grabbed him by the throat, and slammed him against the door. "Tell them to open the door!"

Thorax gasped and gripped her hoof with both of his. "Please," he whimpered.

Twilight struck him across the face. "Tell them!"

It took Thorax a few moments to recover from the blow, but then he met her gaze, and she was taken aback by the resolve she found within. "No," he whispered.

With a yell of frustration, Twilight hurtled him across the cavern and watched coldly as he tumbled across the rocky terrain before advancing on him. "You stupid fool," she growled as he struggled to his hooves. "Don't you understand? I'm going to kill you."

"Yeah," Thorax grunted as he raised to his full height and grimaced. "And I can't stop you, but I won't let you enter the city."

"Why?" Twilight demanded. "You just told me that you've been branded a traitor by your queen." Her mind begrudgingly returned to Mistress's betrayal. "Why are you still willing to die for her?"

"No, not for...her," Thorax said as he gingerly raised his foreleg off the ground. "For the others, and my friends."

Twilight paused as thoughts of Lyra, Trixie, and Derpy entered her mind. Was Thorax another one of these special mortals? But he was a coward, he was nothing like the others.

With a frown, Twilight's gaze turned toward the door. Thorax may be nothing more than a sniveling weakling, but he had found the strength to come out of hiding to face her alone, and now he was actively defying her.

She took a single step toward him and watched as he cringed and trembled violently, but still he held his ground. Unable to help herself, Twilight grinned. Perhaps he was more like Lyra and the others than she had thought.

Her smile seemed to frighten Thorax more than her anger, and he stumbled backward, still hyperventilating and cradling his injured foreleg close to his body.

Wanting to better understand this perplexing creature, Twilight asked, "Why did you come out here to face me? You're obviously terrified, why didn't you stay behind your door?"

"Y-you were threatening to break down the door and attack the city," Thorax answered. He swallowed hard and slowed his breathing. "It was the only thing I could think of that might stop you. I was hoping if we met face to face I could learn what it is you wanted."

Twilight's brow furrowed as she weighed her options. She had planned to head to Sanctuary after obtaining the Element to try and meet some of the special mortals, but it seemed that she had already found one right here. She could try to befriend him, but she needed to get into the city. She didn't have time to try to make friends, and besides, she had no idea how to do so anyway. That left her with only one alternative; she would drag him back to the doors and make him scream until his friends opened them.

But as she watched him begin to tremble once again under her ceaseless stare, she realized that she no longer wanted to hurt him. For a moment, she felt stuck, uncertain what to do, but then Derpy jumped to the forefront of her mind.

Just be careful not to hurt this one.

She lifted a hoof toward him, and held it there patiently as Thorax squeezed his eyes shut. For a long moment he held that position; body tense, eyes shut, and head turned down, but when she didn't strike him, he slowly opened his eyes and timidly glanced up at her.

"W-what are you doing?" he asked in a nervous tone, his eyes darting between her grim face and outstretched hoof.

Twilight frowned. "Isn't this how you mortals greet each other as friends?"

Thorax stared, his mouth hanging open in disbelief, then cocked his head to the side. "Friends? So...now you're not going to kill me?"

"No," Twilight said, feeling her face flush as she lowered her hoof. "Is that...okay?"

Thorax's eyes went wide. "Uh, yes! Yes!" He nodded vigorously. "That's definitely okay! That's very very okay! Friends it is!"

Upon hearing Thorax say that they were friends, Twilight felt the emotions from her dream swell in her chest once again, and almost immediately after, Thorax gasped. He stepped closer awkwardly, still holding his injured leg up and close to his chest, and studied her as if he were seeing her for the first time.

Her ears flattened, and her cheeks burned, but Twilight determinedly met his gaze, unwilling to show weakness as she had with Derpy. She raised a hoof to brush her mane from her face, but quickly lowered it when she found it was shaking. Desperate to escape his penetrating gaze, she reached into her saddlebag and removed the Element of Magic.

"I'm looking for an Element of Harmony," she said, lifting the gray Element of Magic up and waving it to catch his eye. "It will look something like this. I know it's in your city somewhere, and I want your queen to give it to me."

"And you couldn't have started with that?" Thorax said with a weak smile, but it quickly died as she scowled at him. He shook his head. "Never mind. Anyway, I've never seen anything like that. I don't know if Queen Chrysalis has it or not."

Relieved that his uncertainty had removed the edge from his gaze, she stood a little straighter. "That's what I want to enter your city to find out."

"I can't—"

"I'm only interested in the Element," Twilight interjected, "I'm not going to hurt anyone."

"You just broke my leg!" Thorax exclaimed in exasperation.

Twilight huffed and took a closer look at his leg. “It isn’t broken.”

Thorax stared at her blankly. “It...isn’t?” He attempted to rotate his shoulder, but almost immediately grabbed his leg with a sharp cry.

With a smirk, Twilight gripped his leg. “No, it’s just dislocated,” she said, straightening it out and ignoring his shouts of protest. “It’s happened to me many times before.”

As she began to raise his leg, Thorax started to pull away. “Stop, please, it hurts,” he mewled.

A flash of anger overtook her, and she gripped his leg tightly, causing him to cry out. “Don’t be such a weakling!” she spat. She was losing patience with him. Perhaps she should go with her second option and make him scream until his friends opened the door. Judging by his pathetic pain threshold, she wouldn’t have to do much damage to make him scream, and she could always try to make a friend some other time.

Thorax whimpered and cringed away from her. Watching the quaking changeling as he began to once again hyperventilate, Twilight felt all of her anger melt away.

No...this is wrong. I'm being too rough, like I was with Derpy. These mortals are weaker, and more susceptible to pain, I must be more gentle.

Twilight released him. “Thorax, I do not want to hurt you," she said as gently as she could. "Your leg is dislocated and I know how to fix it. It will hurt, but only for a moment." Slowly, he raised his eyes to meet hers, and she forced a smile the way she remembered Derpy had.

Confusion clouded his face, but his breathing began to slow. “O-okay."

“Sit back on your haunches, and try to relax your muscles.” Twilight spoke slowly and quietly, not wanting to frighten him again. “I can’t fix your leg if the muscles are tense.”

Thorax nodded. "I'll try." He sat down and started taking long, deep breathes.

Twilight took his leg and slowly straightened it. Thorax grunted but when he made no other sound, the uncomfortable silence between them left her feeling uneasy. Never in her life had she ever apologized to anypony but Mistress, and even then, it came begrudgingly, but now, Twilight felt it was going to be necessary to cure her of this apprehension.

“I didn’t mean to lose my patience with you,” she said, pretending to study his leg so she didn't need to meet his gaze. “I’ve always ruled over the underlings with anger. It's the only way I know how, but that doesn’t seem to work very well with you mortals. I'm sorry.”

“It’s alright,” Thorax smiled unexpectedly. “It’s really obvious you’re new at this. I’ll try to be less of a wimp.”

Twilight shook her head, still staring at his leg. “You’re not a wimp. In fact, you’re much braver than any underling I've ever encountered.”

“Really?!” Thorax exclaimed incredulously.

Twilight couldn't help but smile at his tone, and felt a warm glow when Thorax returned it. “Yeah, really." She raised his leg over his head, and although he grimaced, she had no difficulty maintaining the smile. "No underling would have stood their ground and defied me the way you did. Especially after I…” She suddenly found that she could no longer meet his gaze, and lowered hers to the ground, not even caring if it made her appear weak. “After I struck you…”

There was a long awkward silence as Twilight simply stood there, holding his foreleg over his head and staring at the ground as the viciousness of her actions truly began to sink in. Thorax remained still, but she knew that he was watching her. She could feel his eyes burning into the top of her head.

Finally, Thorax cleared his throat. “Well...I want to forgive you for hitting me. But...ah...actually, I don’t understand what happened.” He hesitated for a moment. “Why did you attack me instead of just asking me about the Element?”

“You...you showed your fear,” Twilight muttered. She swallowed hard, realizing only now how horrible her next sentence would make her sound. “It made me feel powerful, like I could make you do anything I wanted.” Her breath hitched as she felt her eyes begin to water. Shocked, she desperately tried to think of a way to hide them, but knew it would do no good. What would he think of her now?

"Oh no, please don't cry," he said gently. “You hit me, but you clearly regret it, and I don't think you'll do it again, right?"

With a sniff, Twilight lifted her watery gaze to meet his, and she shook her head.

"So, there’s nothing to be sad about...okay?” He watched as Twilight nodded, then said, "Sorry, but could you finish with my leg? This is starting to get uncomfortable."

Twilight started. "Oh, of course!" She cleared her throat, hoping to stop her trembling voice. "Just touch the back of your head, like you're scratching your neck." Thorax did as she told him. "Good, now reach behind your head for your other shoulder." As he did, she gave his leg a push and heard the crack of his shoulder as he gave a sharp yelp.

"Hey!" Thorax cried as he rotated his shoulder, "you fixed it!" He grimaced and lowered his leg. "Mostly..."

Twilight surprised herself with a small giggle, and she wiped her eyes. "There will still be a little pain, but it'll be back to normal soon."

Thorax beamed. "Thank you, Twilight."

Twilight lowered her gaze and rubbed her foreleg. "And you don't mind my weakness?"

"Weakness?" Thorax scratched his head. "What weakness?"

"My...my tears." Twilight shuddered. "You aren't bothered?"

"Your tears?" Thorax seemed perplexed. "Tears aren't a weakness. If anything, they make me feel more safe with you."

"What?" Twilight sniffled. "How do they make you feel safe?"

Thorax favored her with a smile, and despite her shame, she couldn't help but return it. "They show me that you are sincerely sorry. If you hadn't started crying, I don't know if I would have believed your apology, but now I do. I forgive you for hitting me."

Twilight felt the strange new emotions rise in her once again. She wasn’t entirely sure what was happening, but what she felt inside was intoxicating. Helping Thorax and earning his forgiveness seemed to open the floodgates of good feelings that she had never known before. They made her feel as if she were somepony special, as if she were somehow stronger. Was this how Lyra felt when she had come back to save Trixie? Is that why she hadn’t tried to run?

“It’s true,” Thorax breathed.

“Huh?” Twilight looked back at Thorax to find him eyeing her with wonder.

“Your love...I can feel it.” His face lit up with joy. “You really do want to be friends! I can’t believe it! This is amazing! A vampony, wanting to be friends!”

“My...love?” Twilight repeated, bemused. “I don’t understand.”

“We Changelings feed off of love,” Thorax explained. “And there’s no mistaking it, you have plenty of love within you!”

Love. I've never heard that word before, but it feels like I've always known it. Is that the strange emotion I feel when I dream of Spike? Is that what I’m feeling now? Is it really inside of me? Right now? Love...I must learn more. Maybe if I meet other Changelings I can experience more love.

Twilight looked deeply into Thorax’s eyes and smiled at the gentleness she found there. “So, you believe that I want to be friends, and that I won’t harm you.”

Thorax was still smiling radiantly. “Yes.”

“Then you’ll open the door and allow me into your city?”

Instantly, Thorax’s smile vanished. “I...uh…” He glanced away as he rubbed the back of his neck, but then his gaze returned, more intense than ever. “You realize that the Diamond Dogs and Changelings will be as frightened of you as I was, don’t you? And you can’t hurt them, no matter what their fear makes you feel.”

“I won’t,” Twilight answered.

Thorax frowned as he studied her for a long moment. “Do you promise?” He held her gaze steadily. “As my friend, can you promise that you won’t hurt anyone, for any reason?”

Twilight stepped forward and raised her hoof. She wasn’t sure exactly why she did this, but it felt like the right thing to do. “I promise,” she said.

With a smile, Thorax gripped her hoof. “Then I welcome you to the Diamond Dog city of Ceerack.”

A sensation that she could only assume was love washed over her as they stood there, smiling at one another and holding hooves. Thorax must have felt it as well because he suddenly started laughing. Twilight simply stood there, holding his hoof and watching him as he continued to laugh, but then, as if it were contagious, she began to laugh as well.

The laughter brought with it a warmth that swept away all other thoughts. Even the hatred for Mistress that was always burning in the back of her mind was completely forgotten as she shared this wonderful moment with her new friend.

Releasing her hoof, Thorax's smile turned to a frown. "So...what are you going to do once you're inside the city?"

"I need to find Chrysalis," Twilight replied. "Can you take me to her?"

Thorax sighed and shook his head. "No. Queen Chrysalis has ordered that my friends and I be killed on sight. I doubt I could get you anywhere near her."

Twilight cocked her head to the side as she studied him. "I don't get it. You're so nice. What could you have possibly done to make your queen want you dead so badly?"

"Well, like I just told you, we Changelings feed off of love," Thorax said. "Usually, we do that by infiltrating a society and using our shapshifting abilities to replace key members, but we weren't able to do that this time. When the vamponies destroyed our hive, we had nowhere to go. Many tried shifting into vamponies to survive, but there was no love between your kind, and your customs were very violent." Thorax hung his head. "Almost all who tried to blend in were killed."

"That explains why there aren't any Changeling vamponies," Twilight mused. "Underlings don't bite each other, only Mistress and we Ascended sentence those who anger us to death with a bite. The underlings simply brawl over disputes such as feeding and territory, but if the offender was merely a Changeling in vampony form, then they'd be torn apart."

Thorax nodded. "Yeah, it seems to be very difficult to live near vamponies and not make them angry."

Twilight's ears drooped. "We have no patience for weakness."

Thorax smiled amiably. "Don't be ashamed of them. It's clear now that you're different."

She met his gaze, and taking a deep breath, returned his smile. "You're right. Thanks."

"You're welcome," Thorax said. "Anyway, so, with nowhere to hide, Queen Chrysalis led us here, to the Bad Lands, and it wasn't long before we found the Diamond Dogs."

"How?" Twilight asked with an air of indignance. "I lost track of how many hours I searched, and I only found my way here because I was told they lived underground."

"Queen Chrysalis forbids them to go to the surface, so the tunnels haven't been maintained for quite a while. It was easier for us," Thorax answered. "And we were drawn by their love. It led us through the harsh lands and straight to them.

"But we didn't have time to infiltrate their society like we usually do, so Queen Chrysalis decided to invade. They're a pretty primitive species, and they didn't really have any weapons that could fend us off." Thorax shuddered. "It was a very quick and very violent takeover. One I wish I hadn't experienced."

He shook himself. "But all of that is behind us now." It seemed to Twilight that he was telling that to himself more than he was to her. Perhaps realizing this as well, he grinned sheepishly before continuing. "The Changelings now rule the city, and many of us have shapeshifted into Diamond Dogs to live among them, but they know of us, and there is very little love for us to feed on. Most of us are in a constant starving state, with only Queen Chrysalis feeding enough to keep her strength."

Twilight snorted. "It sounds like Chrysalis is the only one who benefited from your invasion."

"But I figured out something that solves the hunger problem! A way that Changelings and Diamond Dogs can live together!" Thorax's eyes shone with excitement, and he stood straighter as his glittering wings began to flutter, casting a flickering light throughout the cave. "I was one that was stationed here by the door to ensure that no one left for the surface, and like all the others, I was always hungry. Well, I started noticing that the same Diamond Dogs passed by my post every shift, and after a while, I decided to try and talk to them. At first, they reacted with fear, but over time they started to talk back, and not long after that, they started to actually stop at my post and talk for a while before going on their way."

Twilight frowned at Thorax's beaming face. "So you began talking...how does this solve the Changelings' hunger problem?"

Thorax shook his head, even as his wings began to flutter faster. "It didn't, not yet, but then one day I decided to go looking for one of them after I was relieved from my post. I found him with a group of other Diamond Dogs, and he—his name is Kagel—and Kagel invited me to the game they were playing. The others were worried at first, of course, but Kagel told them I wasn't like the other changelings, and they gave me a chance. After that, I started hanging out with them after every shift and got to know them all pretty well, and slowly over time, I began to realize that my hunger was fading until finally, I was never hungry anymore."

Twilight's frown deepened as she stared at his expectant expression. "I don't get it."

"Don't you see?!" Thorax exclaimed as he hovered off the ground and threw out his forelegs as though he were presenting her with something. "They became my friends, and as our relationships deepened, they began feeding me their love willingly! And they're giving me so much, that I can actually share it with others and not lose anything! It's amazing!"

Twilight slowly nodded. "Okay, I think I understand. So, you believe that if all the other Changelings made friends with the Diamond Dogs, all of their hunger would soon fade?"

"I know it will," Thorax said. "There's nearly two dozen of us that have made friends with the Diamond Dogs, and none of them suffer from hunger anymore. If we could convince the rest of the hive to make friends, then there would be enough love for everyone, and we could all live together happily!"

"But Chrysalis doesn't see it that way," Twilight said. "She knows that if the Changelings befriended the Diamond Dogs, she'd lose power. Your ideas are a direct threat to her rule."

As she spoke the words, Thorax's enthusiasm faltered, and he lowered back to the ground, his shoulders and ears drooping. "Yeah." He sighed. "A group of six of us went to tell her what we'd learned. We thought that if we could show her how strong and healthy we all were that she would be more receptive. That maybe she'd even let us teach others to make friends, but instead, she became angry and ordered the guards to kill us all. But the guards hesitated, I guess they didn't like the idea of killing so many of their brethren, and we were able to escape. Not long after, the Queen quarantined this entire section of the city and denounced us all as traitors."

Twilight furrowed her brow and glanced back at the passageway she had traveled. "But your water source is back there. How can she quarantine you? I thought the living needed water?"

Thorax kicked a rock and watched it bounce across the cavern. "There's another underground lake to the north of the city, but it's much further away. It can't be easy for them to haul buckets of water that whole distance. Not that Queen Chrysalis cares..." he added with a grumble.

For the first time since her awakening, Twilight didn't know what to say. She could see the pain on Thorax's face, and she wanted to help him, but no words came. A sadness began to well up inside of her as she watched him kick another rock. She suddenly remembered what Discord had done when she was on the verge of tears in the old cottage. She patted Thorax's shoulder. "There, there."

Thorax pulled his shoulder away and cocked an eyebrow at her. After a moment, he continued. "It's just so frustrating that she would force the Diamond Dogs to do something that grueling just because of us. They're probably having a water shortage, which means the Diamond Dogs are probably as miserable as the Changelings now, and all because Queen Chrysalis doesn't want change."

A thought occurred to Twilight, and with it came a thrill of excitement. "I can fix this!" Before she even realized what she was doing, she leaped forward and snatched his hoof in both of hers. "I'll kill Chrysalis!"

"What! Why?!" Thorax cried, looking horrorstruck.

But Twilight didn't notice as she continued. "She's hoarding all of the power for herself, even allowing her own loyal followers to starve so that she remains strong. And she's ruined your life just because you wanted to make friends. It would be better for everyone if she were gone, and I have the power to make it happen."

"Twilight!"

Twilight gnashed her teeth. "For her transgressions, she must die."

Thorax gulped and pulled his hoof free of hers. "That's...wow..." He slowly backed away. "Maybe you should try being a little less angry. It's a bit...intense."

"You don't like the idea?" Twilight asked with a frown. "But don't you want revenge?"

"No, not at all!" Thorax replied, sounding shocked that she'd even suggest such a thing. "I just want everyone to be able to live together happily." His face grew stern. "Remember what you promised me. You said you wouldn't hurt anyone if I let you into the city. That includes Queen Chrysalis."

"But...but she's the problem!" Twilight stammered. "If I removed her, then you'd be free to teach the other Changelings about friendship. You could have everything you want!"

"No." Thorax said, sternly. "If you killed Queen Chrysalis, there would be nopony to lead the Changelings. It would be chaos. The Changelings would fight among themselves for the chance to rule in her place, and many would attack the Diamond Dogs out of anger or panic. They haven't learned to love yet..." He hung his head. "In a lot of ways, they're not all that different than vamponies."

It was Twilight's turn to kick a rock across the cavern as she mulled over his words. If they couldn't kill Chrysalis, then the only other option was to convince her to embrace friendship. But somepony as power hungry as Chrysalis would only be motivated by the promise of more power—Twilight suddenly perked up—or by fear!

Twilight rounded on Thorax. "Do you think Chrysalis would reconsider your ideas if she knew the vamponies were backing you?"

Thorax blinked. “W-what do you mean?”

“I’ll go before Chrysalis and tell her that you are now aligned with Mistress, and it would be in her best interest to allow you and your friends to solve the Changelings’ hunger problem. And if she refuses, the Ascended will personally remove her from her throne.”

He straightened, his face alight with hope. "Would the Ascended really back us?"

“It doesn’t matter,” Twilight said. “If Chrysalis believes they will, that’s all we need.” She held her head high and thrust out her chest. “And since you’ll have the first born of the Ascended delivering the message, I’m sure there will be no doubt in her mind.”

A huge grin broke out onto Thorax's face, and he began to prance around in a small circle. "That could work! That could actually work! We could save everyone from their suffering, and bring them all closer!" Without warning, he lunged forward and enveloped her in a tight hug. "Twilight, you're a genius!"

Twilight stiffened at the unexpected physical contact. Although it was clear that Thorax wasn't a threat, she had never allowed another to touch her in such a way and couldn't help but feel affronted. What was worse, she couldn't ignore how close her muzzle was to his neck as he held her, and her fangs began to drip as she thought of the blood pumping through the artery mere inches away.

She deeply breathed his scent; an animalic musk that was different than any other mortal, and she imagined his taste would be different as well. She recalled him saying that Changelings had the ability to change their shape and feed off of love, and her mouth partially opened. What would blood infused with magic and love taste like? Could it be even more delectable than unicorn blood?

Thorax released her then and stepped back. Twilight blinked, as if she were coming out of a daze, and quickly wiped her mouth on the back of her hoof, hoping fervently that he hadn't noticed. Had she really come that close to biting him? He was her friend; she had already began to develop feelings for him. How would she have lived with herself if she had bitten him?

She shuddered at the thought, but Thorax seemed unaware. Still grinning, he trotted back to the door and rapped on it several times.

"It's safe now," he called. "You can open the door."

"You sure?" came a deep, gruff voice that was not unlike some of the larger underlings.

Thorax glanced back at Twilight. His smile lingered as he studied her, and holding her gaze, he replied, "Yeah, positive."

Twilight once again flattened her sensitive ears as the loud scraping of stone signaled the opening of the doors. She sat back on her haunches, suddenly feeling nauseous at the prospect of meeting Thorax's friends as she watched him peer through the widening crack and give a small wave.

What if they were as afraid as Thorax had been? Could she resist her cruel instincts enough to exist peacefully alongside them? A deep shame filled her as she glanced down at the wet fur on the back of her hoof. Was she even worthy to enter the city he so clearly cared for?

As soon as the doors were wide enough, a large, barrel-chested diamond dog squeezed through. His fur was a mottled brown under his stained and tattered clothing, and his disproportionately small pointed ears perked up as he started toward Thorax. "You okay?" he asked in his deep voice.

Thorax grinned. "I'm fine."

"Thorax!" cried the high-pitched, scratchy voice from before, and a second smaller, clearly female diamond dog pushed past the first and threw her arms around Thorax's neck. Her fur was a light gray, and she wore clothing in a similar state to the male's. "I was so worried!" she exclaimed, sounding as though she were near tears. "Please don't ever do anything that stupid again."

"Never again," Thorax affirmed.

The female looked past Thorax and stiffened as she noticed Twilight, and with a gasp, she yanked him behind her. "You stay away!"

The big male pulled free a crude wooden club that had been dangling from his belt. "You two back!" he shouted as he raised his weapon and advanced on Twilight.

Twilight's ears laid back as she snarled and lowered into a defensive stance. A powerful desire to show this filthy cretin his place overcame her, and her wings unfurled as she prepared to pounce.

"Stop!" Thorax cried as he pulled himself free of the female and leaped forward. "She's a friend, she won't hurt you," he said as he moved in front of the big male.

Upon hearing Thorax's voice, Twilight's mind cleared, and folding her wings, she straightened and shook her head. She silently chastened herself as she watched her new friend defend her from the two diamond dogs.

I've only just met them, and I already nearly attacked. I could have ruined everything. I must try harder! Thorax...Thorax trusts me. I can't let him down.

The two diamond dogs were gaping at Thorax.

"Your friend?" the female repeated slowly. "But she's a vampony. She can't be your friend."

"If Thorax says she's a friend, then I believe him." With a start, Twilight looked past the diamond dogs to see a second changeling that had passed through the doors unnoticed. "He hasn't steered us wrong yet."

The changeling marched past them, and approached Twilight without showing the slightest sign of hesitation. Unable to help herself, Twilight backed away a couple of steps, but promptly sat on her haunches to prevent herself from retreating further. Fighting back her fear, she forced herself to meet his quizzical gaze.

He slowed to a halt in front of her, and with a sudden, bright smile, held up a hoof. "Hi there! I'm Ventral. What's your name?"

Slowly, she raised a shaky hoof. "I...I'm Twilight," she said softly as she gently bumped his hoof.

"Well, Twilight, if Thorax considers you a friend, then so do I." He turned and indicated the diamond dogs. "The Diamond Dogs are a bit skittish around outsiders, but they'll warm up to you quickly enough." He pointed at the female. "This is Neeka. She may be small, but wow, does she have a temper!"

Neeka scowled, but she gave a small wave to Twilight.

"And this big guy here is Cragg. He's kind of a dolt, but a big, loveable dolt!"

Cragg scratched his head as his gaze shifted from Ventral to Thorax, then he shrugged and returned the club to his belt.

Twilight gazed at Ventral warily. "You're...not afraid of me?"

Ventral beamed. "Of course not! Thorax says you're a friend, and if you intended to hurt us, I'm sure he wouldn't be so smiley right now."

Twilight allowed herself a small smile as she felt a warm fondness for Ventral

"Oh, wow!" Ventral exclaimed. "A vampony with love! Who would have guessed?"

Twilight felt her cheeks begin to glow. "You can feel it too?"

"You bet!"

"Wait," Neeka said, "you both feel love from her?" When both Thorax and Ventral smiled and nodded, she looked at Twilight with amazement. "I wouldn't believe it if anyone else told me." She scratched her chin, then nodded. "I guess you're okay." Her lips curled back to reveal her sharp teeth. "But you'd better watch yourself! If you hurt my friends, I will make you pay."

Twilight grinned. She was already beginning to like this bunch. Maybe she wouldn't have anything to worry about after all.

"Well, are we just going to hang around out here all day?" Ventral asked. He threw a leg around Twilight's neck. "Let's welcome our new friend to Ceerack!"

Twilight grunted and hastily shoved Ventral away. She immediately regretted it as she watched him stumble and barely manage to keep his balance. She forced a scowl on her face. "Never touch me like that again."

"Right..." Ventral turned his gaze to the floor and nodded. "Even after these last few years, friendship still seems so new and amazing, and I guess I get a bit touchy feely sometimes. Sorry, Twilight, I'll try to tone it down some for you."

"Please do," Twilight growled.

Ventral held a hoof up to her. "We cool?"

Twilight glared at him for a moment, then smiled and bumped his hoof. "Yeah."

As they started off, she heard Neeka behind her ask, "Thorax, what happened to your leg?"

Twilight's breath caught in her throat as she quickly looked back to see Thorax walking with a slight limp. "Oh, ah..." Thorax met her gaze, and then he said, "Twilight startled me a bit, and I overreacted and twisted my hoof. It's nothing really, it's already getting better."

This seemed to satisfy Neeka, who dropped back to walk alongside Cragg and slip her much smaller hand into his.

Thorax winked at Twilight, and she smiled as a warmth spread throughout her chest. Never before had somepony covered for her; it made her feel wonderful and special, and from the way both Thorax and Ventral's faces lit up, she knew that they could feel the warmth within her as well.

Filled with a newfound hope, Twilight and her new-found friends passed through the doors and entered the city of Ceerack.

***

A perpetual, absolute silence hung over the dead woods. Gaunt, lifeless trunks rose from the ground like corpses emerging from their graves, their long, skeletal limbs reaching for the uncaring moon high above. Not a single blade of grass could be seen on the dried, cracked ground that had grown as hard as a cobblestone road from the lack of rain. No living creature—not even the tiniest of insects—struggled to breathe in the stagnant air but for her.

This was life as Applejack now knew it. The living vehemently fighting for survival under the cruel tyranny of death. And with each passing hour, it seemed Equestria slipped ever closer to oblivion.

Applejack did not fear this, however. To embrace the void of death and let it sweep away all of her worries and sorrow sounded almost like a blessing to her. What she did fear; what terrified her to the very core, was undeath.

She swallowed hard as Apple Bloom's final scream replayed in her mind. The unholy sound seemed to tear through her heart, filling her with an ache so fierce it threatened to cripple her soul. But it also filled her with something else; determination.

Apple Bloom was cursed. Mistress had stripped her of everything that she had once been and left her little more than a husk. Now, she was trapped in a never ending half-life, forced to kill others to survive. There was no escape from the horror of what she had become, but if Applejack could obtain the Phoenix Heart, she could save her sister from her terrible fate.

And I will! I swear it. For Ma and Pa, Apple Bloom, and myself, I'll save her. Even if it means killing Twilight. Nothing is going to keep me from getting that Phoenix Heart!

But now she had to consider the possibility that Twilight may not be as bad as she had thought. Was she really collecting the Elements to return to the Tree of Harmony? Or was that one of Discord's lies to fool the Ascended into gathering the Elements for him? Either way, it seemed that Twilight was trying to help Equestria. How could she kill somepony that had such good intent? Even if she was a vampony…

Applejack sighed heavily. She would just have to play it by ear. Maybe if Twilight was opposing Mistress, she would want to be cured.

Her brow furrowed. Why hadn't she thought of that sooner? She had been so absorbed in her determination to use the Phoenix Heart to save Apple Bloom that she hadn't even considered the possibility of using it on others. Would Twilight give up the Elements for the chance to become her old self once again?

The thought of having Twilight back sent a thrill of excitement through her. Ever since the founding of Sanctuary, Applejack had felt lost, and had just spent her time going from task to task to help the budding town survive without really thinking about what came next. But Twilight would know what to do; she always did. She would step up and take charge, organize Sanctuary's resources, and start them toward reclaiming Equestria. Spike would be ecstatic to have her back and she imagined that he'd never leave her side again, and all of Equestria would undoubtedly be reinvigorated by the return of a princess.

A smile broke out on her face as the lean-to they had built came into view. She couldn't wait to tell Spike about this idea, and it would be the perfect opportunity for her to apologize.

The two of them hadn't spoken since their argument on the railroad. She knew he hadn't meant what he'd said—she had seen the regret that had immediately shown on his face—and as the hours dragged on, she had felt more and more guilty for snapping at him. More than anything else, she had wanted to tell him she was sorry, but no matter what she thought to say, the words had always seemed so hollow.

She stepped around the lean-to, which was simply a couple of logs that they had propped up against a large rock, and peered into the side to find Spike's sleeping form still curled up in a ball, just as he had been when she had started off on her patrol.

As angry as he had been with her, he had still volunteered for first watch. Unfortunately, with her mind plagued by guilt over Spike and worry about Manehattan, sleep had not come easily for her, and she had given up after only a few hours. He had nodded wordlessly when she told him she was up, and had fallen asleep almost instantly.

She reached for his shoulder to shake him awake, but paused with her hoof hovering an inch away. He had really exerted himself back in Canterlot; he had done the bulk of the climbing in the cave, and though he had tried to hide it, she knew their frantic run through the castle had taken a lot out of him. Slowly, she backed away from the shelter, and decided to patrol the area once more.

Her eyes turned toward the sky and her ears perked up to catch the tiniest sound, Applejack set off at a brisk trot as her thoughts shifted to what lay ahead of them.

Would Luna's vamponies be waiting for them, and if so, could they be trusted? Hungry vamponies had been known to disobey the Ascended if an opportunity to feed arose, and she knew there was a good chance that they could be walking into an ambush. And in the worst case scenario, could the two of them cross the Manehattan Bridge on their own, or would they be forced to turn back?

Without warning, a wave of vertigo washed over her, and she had to blink and shake her head several times before the feeling diminished.

"You don't have it, do you?" a voice said from behind her.

With a cry, Applejack whipped around, her halberd free and at the ready, and found the cloaked pony standing several yards away. As before, nothing but a vague outline of the vampony's face could be seen within the shadows of the hood, but there was something different about her this time. She could see it in the way the mysterious pony held herself; she seemed agitated.

"Huh?" Applejack said stupidly, still recovering from the shock of the vampony's abrupt appearance.

"The Phoenix Heart!” The cloaked pony began rapping a hoof against the ground. "You don't have it."

Applejack shook her head. "No, not yet."

"Then you have failed," the vampony hissed, lowering her head as though she were about to charge.

With a scowl, Applejack retorted. "Not necessarily." She adjusted her grip on her weapon. "I struck a deal with Luna. I'll have the Phoenix Heart in a few days' time."

"You struck a deal..." The cloaked pony straightened, then advanced on Applejack, seemingly unfazed by the weapon that separated them. She stopped just short of the blade. "What kind of fool are you? Surely you must know that Luna cannot be trusted." When Applejack remained silent, she asked, "Where are you heading now?"

Applejack hesitated, but after a moment, she decided that it couldn't hurt to tell her. "I'm goin' to Manehattan."

The vampony snorted. "Evidently I have misplaced my faith in you." She began to pace back and forth in front of her, passing the blade so closely that she was nearly touching it. "You could have ruined everything with your recklessness!"

Applejack cocked her eyebrow as she braced her hind legs in preparation for an attack. "What do ya mean, 'ruin everythin'? All ya told me to do was get the Phoenix Heart, and I'm gettin' it."

The cloaked pony stopped pacing and stomped a hoof hard enough to crack the ground. "You were supposed to go alone!"

"What?" Applejack blinked.

"I would never have thought that you'd drag Spike to Canterlot with you," she growled. "You knew that you could have very well been heading toward your own death, how could you bring him? I thought you were his friend, I thought you cared about him! How unbelievably selfish you are! Don't you realize how important he is?! If anything had happened to him, then all of our plans would have fallen apart! Everything would have been ruined!"

Applejack slowly backed away from the vampony. She was ranting like a raving lunatic; she had gone back to pacing once again, each time she spun on her hooves so sharply that her cloak billowed out around her, showing small glimpses of her shadowy form hidden beneath, and she punctuated each of her points with a stomp of her hoof.

The cloaked pony rounded on her. "Where is Spike?"

"I ain't tellin' you anythin'," Applejack spat, adjusting her hat before rearing up and gripping her halberd firmly with both hooves. "I don't know what ya want with him, but you're gonna have to come through me to get at him."

The vampony stared at her for a long moment, then shook her head. "You have become a liability. I no longer have any use for you." She turned her back on her. "Our deal is off. Go home, Applejack. Nothing awaits you on your current course except certain death."

"Wait, you're gonna cut me out, just like that?" Applejack lowered the halberd and scratched her head. "I thought I was so important to your plans?"

The cloaked pony gave a short, condescending laugh that made Applejack's face flush with anger. "No, I never needed you, Applejack. I needed Spike. You were just the quickest way to gain Spike's trust. If you trusted me, so would he, but you are expendable. That's why I had no qualm with sending you to Canterlot, but I now see that coming to you was a mistake. You are no longer the pony you used to be. The old you was so dependable, you would have never failed me. You would have never endangered Spike. But that Applejack is gone. Now, Applejack wants what Applejack wants, and to Tartarus with anypony else!"

Gritting her teeth, Applejack's nostrils flared as her vision shook with rage. "You're wrong! I tried to leave him behind, but he insisted on comin' with me." She huffed and raised her weapon. "Why am I even tryin' to explain myself to you? You're just a vampony. Ya'll don't know anythin' 'bout friendship."

"I know enough," the vampony snapped. "I know that a true friend would never lead another into danger for personal gain, but that's exactly what you did, isn't it? All because of Apple Bloom. You would let the entire world burn if it meant saving her."

"That's not true!" Applejack said with as much force as she could muster. She wanted to defy this vampony, to prove to her that she was wrong, but her mind begrudgingly went back to Rarity's proposal. She had seriously considered the offer, and wasn't that exactly what this vampony was accusing?

"But it is!" the cloaked pony hissed. "You act as though you are the only one who has lost someone. What about Spike? He lost Twilight. And your brother? He lost everything you did, but you don't see either of them acting as selfish as you. Why are you so adamant that your suffering is worse than anypony else when all mortals have lost as much as you have...if not more?"

"Shut up," Applejack whispered as the first couple of tears ran down her face.

"It's time for honest Applejack to be honest with herself. Apple Bloom is gone. She's a vampony, and nothing can bring her back. What do you believe will happen when you cure her with the Phoenix Heart? Do you think she'll just magically be herself again? What about all the ponies she's killed?" The vampony turned back to her, and although she couldn't see her face, Applejack had the sickening feeling that she was smiling. "I'm sure you've heard about the school yard."

With a scream of rage, Applejack launched forward, the crescent blade of the halberd gleaming in the moonlight as it sliced through the air in a deadly arc. The cloaked pony remained motionless, but when the blade reached her, it came to an abrupt halt.

"That was your last—"

"Applejack!" Spike's voice suddenly called from the other side of the large rock. "Hold on, I'm coming!"

The vampony's head snapped toward the rock, then turned back to Applejack. "He's here?!" she exclaimed. "You're taking him to Manehattan?!"

Instead of answering, Applejack tugged hard at her weapon, but it remained stuck, as if it had somehow lodged itself into the air around the vampony.

"Applejack!" Spike cried again as he crawled out from behind the rock and into view.

"No!" the cloaked pony shouted, and with a red flash of her eyes from deep within the shadows of her hood, Applejack was launched backward several yards.

The breath was knocked out of her lungs as she landed hard on her back. Gasping for air, she rolled onto her side to see Spike hurrying toward her, his broadsword out and ready. The sound of flapping wings sent her gaze to the sky, but all she saw were the top branches of several trees still swaying from the vampony's retreat.

"Are you okay?" Spike asked as he knelt down beside her.

Unable to answer, she gave a feeble nod, then let her head fall to the ground. Closing her eyes, she focused on drawing breath.

"Applejack!" Spike gasped as he grabbed her shoulder.

She looked up at him, and seeing the concern on his face, managed to whisper, "Wind...knocked..." She trailed off as she ran out of breath and had to focus on breathing once more.

"Oh," Spike said, his features softening with relief. "Alright, take as long as you need." He stood and scanned the sky. "I think it's gone." Still keeping his sword up, he jogged over to her fallen halberd and laid it beside her.

Once breathing became a bit easier, Applejack rolled onto her stomach, and slowly rose on weak, trembling legs.

"You need any help?" Spike asked, holding out a hand.

"I got it," Applejack replied quietly. She stood to her full height, and with a smile, said in a louder voice, "Thanks."

Spike returned her smile. "No problem." He glanced back at the now still branches. "What happened? I thought I saw..." He paused for a moment, then frowned and shook his head. "...what attacked you?"

"It was that cloaked vampony," Applejack said as she gingerly bent down and snatched her hat off the ground. "She was angry that..." She hesitated. Did she really want to burden Spike with what she had just learned? He was already worried enough about her, and now he had Twilight on his mind as well. She saw no reason to further trouble him; she felt sure she could protect him. "She was angry that I hadn't retrieved the Phoenix Heart yet."

Spike made a face. "Seriously? What, is she expecting miracles?" He scratched his head. "What's her rush, anyway?"

Applejack shrugged. "She told me the deal was off, and then..." She made a show of picking up her halberd and strapping it to her back so she didn't have to look at him. "And then she attacked me."

Spike rolled his eyes. "That's no surprise. She's a vampony, after all. Their default emotion is anger." He suddenly grinned at her. "Well, she's gonna feel really stupid later when she gets to the point in her plans where she needed you. And she's already told us about the Phoenix Heart and where to find it, so we don't need her at all."

"Yeah..." Applejack frowned as she studied Spike. The cloaked pony had ranted about how important he was, and had said that everything would be ruined if anything had happened to him. What did she want with him?

She always knew that Spike was special; his optimism, his moral code, and that little bit of innocence that never died no matter how dark of a situation he found himself in were all traits that she herself adored about him. He was the best friend that she could have ever asked for in this bleak existence, but how would any of that benefit the cloaked pony?

"Applejack...you okay?" Spike asked, his face a mask of concern once again.

Applejack blinked. "Uh, yeah, I'm fine." She turned away from his gaze and adjusted her hat. "I was just thinkin'."

Spike nodded. "I understand." He stepped forward and gave her a quick hug. "Don't worry about it, Applejack. We'll save Apple Bloom with or without her help, got it?"

His words unexpectedly caused her gaze to become watery, and with a warm smile, she hugged him back. "Got it, sugar."

"Good." He turned and headed back to the lean-to. "Let's grab our stuff and get moving." He glanced over his shoulder at her and winked. "If she comes back, I don't know if I can save the day a second time!"

Applejack chuckled, but her smile quickly died as a question that hadn't occurred to her crossed her mind.

Why had the cloaked pony run from Spike?

Catharsis

“How does one measure a pony’s worth? Is it by the size of one’s horn? Or the girth of one’s wingspan? Perhaps the stoutness of one’s back? Shouldn’t these things all be considered equal? Should these even be considered at all? Should it even matter that you have wings, a horn, or neither of the two? But apparently, if you have all three, then, my oh my, how special you must be.”

The crystal stallion stood atop a small outcropping of rock, the makeshift wall the pegasi had erected around the cave looming behind him. He smiled as he addressed the crowd that had gathered around him, but then his smile fell away. “And if your pelt is shiny…” he poked himself in the chest, his sapphire fur shimmering in the moonlight, “...then you are worth less than dirt.”

He threw his forelegs into the air. “How else can you explain the fact that at no point in history has a crystal pony ruled The Crystal Empire? First it was King Sombra, then Princess Cadance and her lackeys drove him off, but once we were freed, did she offer us a chance to find a new leader amongst ourselves? No! Instead she and her wonted unicorn husband took the throne for themselves. And then, when she was most needed, when the vampony’s had decimated our beloved empire and our homes were left in shambles, she abandoned us for Cloudsdale. For the pegasi!”

Applejack glanced around as several ponies in the crowd–all of which were unicorn and earth ponies–began to express their outrage. Beside her, Spike’s hand was balled into a fist, and she quickly nudged him and shook her head to keep him silent. The atmosphere of the crowd was growing darker, and it was becoming more and more clear that siding with Princess Cadance would be a mistake.

“And now our loving princess hides among the clouds with the rest of the cowardly pegasi while we toil down below with hardly enough food and water to feed our young. And let’s not forget the constant threat of the vamponies, which of late have grown noticeably more aggressive.”

With a wave of his hoof, he indicated the crowd before him. “Now why does Princess Cadance consider all of you literally beneath the pegasi? What have they done to deserve such treatment? Is it merely because they were born with wings?” He paused as a half dozen pegasi rose from behind the wall, each of them carrying a large wooden bucket, and ascended toward the sky. “Just because they have wings, they get to take all this water from our lands, the lands that we are giving our lives to hold, and store it in their precious clouds. Just because they have wings, their foals get to sleep safely at night. Just because they have wings, they think they are better than us!”

As one, the gathered ponies yelled their agreement, and Applejack and Spike began to slowly back away from the crowd.

“But Salvation doesn’t believe any such nonsense. Salvation believes that the pegasi and their princess should be dragged down to the earth and be made to face the ire of the ponies they have wronged. Salvation wants to cast aside the rule of Princess Cadance and give it to the ponies of the land. Salvation wants equality for all! Join us, and find the salvation for ponykind in Salvation!”

Spike grumbled as they started around the wall. “I can’t believe anypony is falling for that crap.”

Applejack observed the crowd uneasily as they began to chant ‘salvation through Salvation’, and replied, “They’re scared and angry, Spike. That’s a dangerous combination.”

“But to turn on Princess Cadance? After all of the sacrifices she's made?” Spike’s thick tail lashed the ground, his spike leaving a gouge in the dry, cracked dirt. “What’s wrong with them?”

They slowed as Gilda, crossbow out and ready, soared over the wall accompanied by a dozen armed pegasi. Among them, Applejack recognized High Winds, Surprise, and Thunderlane. “Woah, the mercs are here in full force,” she said.

“Okay, everypony, show’s over,” Gilda called. “Go back to your homes.”

“You see!” the crystal stallion cried, indicating the pegasi. “Is this not what I predicted? We’ve gathered here to do nothing more than peacefully protest and the pegasi respond with violence.”

“Peaceful protest?” Gilda cocked an eyebrow. “That was sounding awfully close to a hate rally to me.” She looked around at the pegasi and several of them began nodding their heads.

The crystal stallion turned back to the crowd. “A hate rally? You see how they try to turn this back on us? To make us the villains here? This is exactly the kind of arrogance that–” A bolt struck the rock near his hooves, and with a startled cry, he stumbled and fell from his ledge.

Gilda pulled a lever on the side of her crossbow, turning the cylinder and locking the next bolt in place. “That was a warning shot,” she said as she watched the crystal pony climb to his hooves. She raised her voice as the milling crowd began to grumble. “I’m not a pegasus, and I don’t answer to Princess Cadance. The worst that will happen to me after I put this next bolt through your heart is they’ll dock my rations.” She closed an eye and aimed the crossbow at his chest. “Totally worth it.”

The crystal stallion threw his hooves out in front of him. “Okay, okay,” he said hastily, “we’ll leave.”

He turned and headed toward town. The crowd hesitated at first; some looking confused, while others glared up at Gilda and the pegasi, but then they slowly began to disperse, following in the crystal stallion’s wake.

The pegasi lowered back behind their wall, but Gilda did a double take when she noticed the two of them and swooped down to land beside them. She gave them a large grin. “Either I’m seeing a couple of ghosts, or you two wised up and ditched your plan to go into Canterlot.”

Applejack returned her smile as she bumped Gilda’s fist. “Oh, we got into Canterlot, alright, but we sure as hay ain’t ghosts.”

Spike crossed his arms. “We’re still here to fight another day.”

Gilda blinked. “Seriously? No way!” She looked between the two of them eagerly. “Did you get any nice loot?”

“Not that that’s any of your business,” Spike said as he stepped forward. “And did I really just see you fire a bolt at a group of protesters?”

Gilda shrugged. “It got them to leave, didn’t it?”

“Sure, but that’s not going to help ease tensions anytime soon.”

“That’s Braeburn’s job.” Gilda jabbed a thumb into her chest. “My job is to protect the site from any threat. Vampony or otherwise.”

Applejack placed a hoof on Spike’s chest as he opened his mouth to retort and gently pushed him back. “Let it go, Spike. What’s done is done.” She turned to Gilda. “So Braeburn’s here, huh?”

Gilda clicked her beak. “Oh, yes, of course Mr. Helpful himself would be here. Anything to kiss the princess’s royal rump as often as he can.”

Applejack chuckled. “You two ain’t gettin’ along?”

“Not. At. All.”

It came as no surprise to Applejack that Gilda couldn’t stand Braeburn. She never was one with a lot of patience, and Applejack could imagine somepony as enthusiastically helpful as Braeburn would get under her skin quicker than a hog would get into a mud bath.

The two pegasi guards stood aside as the three of them passed through the gate. Inside, Applejack found a flurry of activity: several earth ponies were presently hauling wagons containing dozens of buckets of water out of the mouth of the cave, and waited for a team of pegasi to swap the buckets for empty ones before trudging once more into the cave as the pegasi carried the buckets into the sky and out of sight.

Braeburn was standing near the wall, talking with a group of earth ponies that appeared to be on break, and when he noticed them, he perked up and gave them a hearty wave before galloping toward them.

“Ugh, that’s my cue to get back to my patrol,” Gilda said. She looked at both of them in turn. “Stay safe out there.”

She took to the air as Braeburn approached. “Well, here she is!” he exclaimed with a wide grin at Applejack. “My big bad vampony slayin’ cuz!” He swept her into a tight hug. “How’s ya been doin’?”

“Great,” Applejack managed as she returned the hug.

Releasing her, Braeburn rounded on Spike and hugged him as well. “And how’s ‘bout you? Ya been keepin’ my cuz safe?”

Spike met Applejack’s gaze and rolled his eyes, his arms hanging limp at his side. “Actually, it’s usually the other way around,” he said once Braeburn released him.

"So, things seem to be runnin' smoothly here," Applejack said.

Braeburn appeared to deflate. "Well, the operation is doin' great. We're gettin' plenty of water up to Cloudsdale, and I reckon that's gonna help prevent that drought that's had everypony so worked up, but that low-down Salvation feller keeps tryin' to get the folks over at Hooferville all riled up." He made a show of adjusting his hat and quickly glanced around, then leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Some round here reckon he's fixin' to start a riot to try and chase us out. Beats me what good that'd do him, though."

"What the hay is Salvation, anyway?" Spike frowned. "I've never heard of them before."

"I don't rightly know," Braeburn said, "but they seem to dislike Princess Cadance somethin’ fierce."

"That's a cryin' shame and all, but we're on a job and don't have a lot of time," Applejack said, giving Spike a hard nudge. "We were just hopin' to refill our water before headin' on."

Braeburn beamed. "Of course! Anythin' for you, cuz." He called a stallion over and handed him their canteens. "We got us a couple of hunters needin' water. Get these filled. Giddy-up now!"

As the stallion galloped off, Braeburn turned back to Applejack. "So, what sort of job has ya'll out this far east?"

Applejack glanced at Spike to avoid Braeburn's eyes. "Nothin' special. Just your typical–somepony heard that their brother had turned and was spotted near Fillydelphia and asked us to put him to rest–hunt." It was an easy enough lie as Spike and herself had taken countless jobs exactly like it over the years.

Spike nodded, his face turning grim, and Applejack couldn't help but wonder if he was playing the part, or unhappy that she was lying to her cousin.

Braeburn removed his hat and shook his head. "I don't envy ya'll one bit. That has to be a mighty difficult thing to do."

The stallion returned with their canteens, and Applejack, grateful that the interruption helped her hide her guilt from Braeburn's sentiments, made a show of taking hers and putting it in her saddlebag.

"Well, we better get goin', Applejack said, still not meeting her cousin's gaze. "Thanks for the water, Braeburn."

As they turned away, Braeburn hastily said, "Actually, Applejack, Spike, I could really use your help with somethin'."

"Braeburn," Applejack began, "I'm sorry, but–"

"I know you're in a hurry, but this won't take long, I promise." Braeburn lowered his gaze and turned his hat in his hooves. "I don't have anypony else to spare."

When Applejack hesitated, Spike promptly stepped forward. "What do you need?"

Braeburn turned his full attention to Spike. “As I’m sure ya'll noticed, our relations with Hooferville are a bit strained at the moment. They’re havin’ somethin’ of a water crisis there, and I reckon us securing a water source so close to home ain’t sittin’ well with ‘em.”

Spike scratched his head. “So…give them some water?”

“That’s what I said!” Braeburn exclaimed, putting his hat back on roughly, leaving it smashed down atop his head. “But Captain Fire Streak, he’s the guy in charge of this here operation, says it ain’t a priority right now.”

Applejack felt a flash of anger as she tried to catch Spike’s eye but he determinedly maintained Braeburn’s gaze. “And now that we’re here, you have someone to deliver some.” Spike nodded. “We’ll do it.”

“Hey, howdy, hey!” Braeburn grinned and did a little hop in place. “I knew that I could rely on you two!” He galloped toward the cave, and called over his shoulder, “I’ll get the shipment ready, lickety-split! Be right back!”

“Spike!” Applejack hissed through clenched teeth. “Them vamponies ain’t gonna wait for us forever, and if we don’t get movin’ soon, we’re gonna miss our chance to get into Manehattan.”

Spike’s brow furrowed. “So, you just want to leave your cousin hanging?”

“No, I’m not sayin’ that…”

“That’s exactly what you’re saying,” Spike snapped. “And if that’s not what you want to say, then shush and help your cousin.” He held her angry gaze. “It won’t take us long, and it’s the right thing to do.”

Applejack bit back her retort. He was right, and she knew it. But that sure as hay didn’t mean she liked it. “And if the vamponies get impatient and leave?”

“Then we’ll find a way. We always do.” Spike put his hands on his hips. “Isn’t that what you always say?”

“Consarnit, Spike, fine! We’ll do it your way.” She shook her head and sighed. “I’m sorry I’m gettin’ so worked up, I’m just a mite worried ‘bout everythin’.”

“I know,” Spike said softly. He placed a hand on her back and began to scratch in a small circle. “I also know that if you don’t help Braeburn now, you’re going to feel bad about it later.”

Applejack smiled despite herself. “Ya know me too well, sugar.” She nuzzled him and was rewarded with a smile of his own.

They turned as Braeburn emerged from the cave, pulling a wagon containing a couple dozen buckets of water. “Thanks for waitin’, y’all.” He came to a halt beside Applejack. “Hooferville is just two miles west. The railroad will take ya right there.”

Applejack tipped her hat as she hitched herself to the wagon, but couldn’t help but smile when Braeburn hugged her once again. “Seriously, cuz, I owe ya one for this. Anythin’ ya need, you just let me know.”

“Ya got it,” Applejack said.

Braeburn turned to hug Spike, but he stopped him with a claw to his chest. He then offered his hand. “Always happy to help.”

With a sheepish grin, Braeburn shook Spike’s hand. “Sorry, partner, I always forget your rule.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Spike removed Braeburn’s hat, and used his fist to reshape it and placed it back onto his head. “Take care.”

Braeburn waved as they headed through the gate. “Be safe!”

They returned his wave, and made their way to the nearby tracks. A moment later, a shadow caused them to look up, and they found Gilda circling overhead. She dropped something wrapped in brown paper, which Spike caught easily, and with a quick salute, she soared away.

Bemused, Applejack watched Spike unwrap the gift, and both of them gasped as he revealed a large sweet roll.

“What…but…why…” Spike turned his wide eyes to her own. “Where did she even get this? And why would she give it to us?”

“Not us, Spike. You.” She chuckled at his expression. “We both know Gilda ain’t one for apologies. This is her way of makin’ amends.”

“For what?”

Applejack shrugged. “Maybe for the botched job near the Crystal Empire Ruins? Somethin’ we said while we were in Carriage Town might have gotten through to her. Or maybe it’s ‘cause she doesn’t like the fact that any time the two of ya are together, all y’all do is bicker.”

Spike stared at the roll for a long moment, then said, “I’ll have to make sure to thank her next time I see her.”

“I wouldn’t,” Applejack replied. “That would just embarrass her. I think the next time ya’ll meet, you should avoid pickin’ a fight with her. I reckon that would say enough.”

Spike nodded. “So, you wanna eat it now?”

Applejack smiled. “Nah, that’s your gift, sugar. You enjoy it.”

“But I’ll get the most enjoyment out of it if you enjoy it with me.”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Fine, I’ll take a piece.” As Spike made to break the roll in half, she said, sternly, “No, Spike, not half. A piece.” He huffed and broke off about a quarter of the roll and handed it over. “Thank ya, kindly.”

The two of them ate the sweet roll in silence as they walked along the tracks. Applejack closed her eyes as she savored the rich sugary dough, and her mind unexpectedly recalled all of those afternoons she had spent with her friends at the Sugarcube Corner.

She couldn't help but imagine the reactions each of her old friends would have had to such a treat after going without for so long; from Pinkie Pie's shout of jubilation before scarfing it whole, to Fluttershy's soft-spoken thanks before politely nibbling away. It wasn't until she had taken the last bite that she realized she was smiling, and she made a mental note to keep her eyes peeled for something she could give to Gilda as thanks.

After about ten minutes of following the rails, they passed the skeletal remains of an overturned train that had long ago been stripped of its metal. Surrounding it were numerous piles of rocks that were most likely the graves of the ponies that perished in the wreck.

Ahead, the tracks ran straight into a cluster of shoddy shacks that were constructed from the scrap metal of the train they had just passed. Most looked a strong breeze away from collapsing, and stood in no particular order, as if they had fallen from the sky and had simply remained where they had landed.

A shanty town by every definition, Hooferville was built on the tracks only a couple miles west of Fillydelphia, and was the last bastion of ponykind in the east; beyond were the ruins of Fillydelphia, and further south, Baltimare. Consisting largely of survivors of the two cities, the residents here were famous throughout Equestria for their unwavering stubbornness, and not only refused to completely abandon their fallen homes, but had on several occasions refused help from the other pony settlements.

Several years ago, Lance had told her that he had sent a team of welders here after hearing how poorly their homes were built, but they had been turned away. Why would ponies living in such deplorable conditions refuse help? Even now, despite the wagon full of fresh water that they were hauling, nopony paid them any heed.

The stench of the town was nearly overwhelming, and Applejack was soon forced to breathe through her mouth. Piles of rotting trash and empty bottles were scattered everywhere, smashed and overturned crates littered the tracks, and the few ponies that could be seen lazing about clearly hadn’t bathed in months.

Applejack swallowed the bile in the back of her throat and began to seriously regret the piece of sweet roll she had just eaten. She had heard the horror stories of this town, but never would she have believed that it was this bad.

Spike’s sudden hand to her chest brought her to an abrupt halt. She frowned at him, but then followed his eyes down to the puddle of vomit on the ground just in front of her. “Thanks,” she said as she carefully stepped over the mess.

“Is this water even going to do them any good?” Spike wrinkled his snout. “If it were me, I think I’d rather venture into the Fillydelphia ruins and find a toilet before I drank anything here.”

"I'm right there with ya," Applejack said as her eyes landed on a stallion that was passed out across the tracks, an empty bottle clutched in his hoof. "I would hope the pony in charge of the Canteen here has enough sense to keep the water tank clean, but seein' the state of this place, that hope is fadin' fast."

Every settlement that lacked an easily available water supply had a Canteen. Commander Fairwinds, the head of the Sky Marshals, appointed a pony from each town to run the Canteen, and they were provided with a clean water tank and a storage bin for food. The appointed pony was responsible for the upkeep of the Canteen as well as distributing water and food rations. The Sky Marshals monitored all of this with frequent inspections, and if the appointed pony failed to meet expectations, they were replaced.

Applejack frowned as she gazed at the shameful state of the settlement, and wondered what would happen if there was no suitable replacement.

“Well, this looks a bit better,” Spike said as they caught sight of the Canteen on the far side of the town. “Maybe there’s still some hope for this place.”

The Canteen, which was located about a hundred yards behind the haphazardly placed shacks, stood in stark contrast to the rest of the town. It was a large, sturdy wooden structure with a tin roof and a sign dangling above the door depicting a loaf of bread beside a glass of water. Apart from a few bottles laying beside the front door, some dirt caked between the wooden paneling, and a bunch of profanity carved beneath a dingy window (one of which called Princess Cadance a name that caused Applejack to feel a hot flash of anger), the building was in fairly good condition.

“I’m amazed the ponies here allowed the pegasi to build this,” Spike said as Applejack unhitched herself from the wagon.

“I reckon the pegasi threatenin’ to withhold their water was a powerful motivator,” Applejack replied as she opened the door, and the two of them stepped inside.

The interior was a wide open space devoid of any furniture apart from several makeshift stanchions made of steel rails and rope that denoted where ponies were to stand while awaiting their rations. The stanchions eventually led to a counter at the far end of the room, behind which stood a large water tank and storage bin. In the back corner were two small wooden tables, each with two chairs, and along the walls hung various posters with instructions on how ponies should behave within the Canteen, lists of Equestrian laws, and above the counter, a schedule for food and water rations with a list of the townsfolk names as well the portions of each they would receive.

A young, brown stallion that Applejack recognized from the crowd outside the cave scowled from behind the counter, and an older gray stallion was sitting at one of the tables, sipping from a glass bottle as he eyed them with suspicion.

Applejack smiled amiably despite their cold reception. "Howdy, y'all, I'm here deliverin' a wagon full of fresh water to ya, courtesy of the Sky Marshals."

The young stallion came out from behind the counter. “Look who it is, Hopper, it’s the princess’s lapdog come to save us.”

Applejack’s brow furrowed as the older stallion, Hopper, began to laugh. “Do I know you?”

“Of course not.” The young stallion snorted. “But I know you. The accent, the hat, and your pet dragon…” he paused to grin as Spike emitted a low growl. “...we know all about you. Prophet says you’re going to be a major thorn in the side of Salvation. He says that you cannot be saved, and that we shouldn’t even try.”

Prophet? Applejack had no idea who he could be referring to or how they could know anything about the two of them, but despite her anxiousness to continue their journey to Manehattan, her curiosity was beginning to get the better of her. What was Salvation? And did they pose a threat?

“Has this ‘Prophet’ told you how to say thanks?” Spike asked, crossing his arms. “We didn’t have to bring this water, you know.”

“Tartarus no!” the young stallion snapped. “There’s nopony in Hooferville that would give a single word of thanks to any of Princess Cadance’s hooflickers. None of youse are welcome here, and same goes for those pieces of filth pegasi!”

Applejack gripped Spike’s shoulder as he started forward, and turned to the young stallion. “If ya’ll want to get rid of us, then ya better give us the answers we want. Who is this Prophet, and what is Salvation?”

“I’m not going to tell you anything!”

Clenching her teeth, Applejack advanced on the young stallion, her eyes narrowing. “You’re gonna tell me, or you’re gonna see what this ‘pet’ of mine is capable of.” On cue, tendrils of smoke began to pour from Spike’s partially opened mouth.

Fear began to crack the young stallion’s mask of defiance. “Y-you wouldn’t.”

“They won’t,” Hopper chimed in. “Neither Princess Cadance nor any of her lackeys have the spine to harm anypony here.”

The young stallion grinned and straightened, his confidence restored. “That’s right! She would never risk it.”

Applejack shrugged. “Ordinarily, that’d be true, but this here garbage heap of a town ain’t nothin’ but a liability. The streets, if ya can even call them that, are filthy, most of y’all ain’t even tryin’ to take care of yourselves, and–” she pointed at Hopper as he took another swig of his bottle, “–you’re consumin’ alcohol durin’ a water crisis!” She glared at the older stallion. “Ya know that stuff dehydrates ya, right?” She turned back to the young stallion as Hopper waved a hoof at her dismissively. “I won’t have any trouble convincin’ the princess that the Sky Marshals should stop supportin’ this town. Now tell us what we want to know!”

When the young stallion hesitated, Applejack turned away. “Fine.” She started for the door and called over her shoulder. “Spike, burn this place to the ground.”

She was halfway out the door when she heard Hopper shout, “Okay, okay, we’ll tell youse what you want to know!” Applejack allowed herself a moment to grin, then forced a grim expression as she turned around.

Hopper indicated the chair opposite him. “Come and have a seat.” He looked at the young stallion. “Skip, go fetch that water before something out there befouls it.” Applejack sat, and Spike dragged another chair over to the table as Skip headed outside. Hopper shook his head. “Sheesh, you two are persistent.”

“So…Hopper, huh?” Spike said as he sat.

Hopper gave them a toothless grin. “What can I say? I used to go bar hopping over the weekends and the name stuck.”

Applejack adjusted her hat and leaned forward. “Who is this Prophet he kept mentionin’ and what’s their qualm with us?”

“He’s the mouthpiece of Salvation,” Hopper said. “He showed up here just a couple of days ago and told us that Salvation understands our plights. Our frustrations with the princess. I’m sure you saw him. He sure as hay saw you.”

“You’re talkin’ ‘bout that crystal pony?” Applejack shared a look with Spike. “He didn’t seem all that special to me. And his name’s Prophet? Can we talk to him?”

“No, he stays in a camp a bit south of here with a bunch of his Salvation friends, and yeah, he goes by Prophet, but I doubt it’s his real name. It suits him though! Every prediction he makes comes true.” Hopper took a long draft from his bottle. “Every. Single. One.” He punctuated each word with the bang of his bottle against the table.

“Yeah,” Skip added, placing the two buckets he was carrying on the counter, “he even predicted the two of youse would show up here, bringing water to try to sweeten us up before youse started with your questions.”

“Prophet said we could try to refuse, but he warned us that youse would be persuasive.” Hopper indicated them sitting across from him and gave a wheezing laugh. “But he gave us permission to talk about him and Salvation. Before we begin, though…” he reached under the table and set two bottles in front of them. “Why don’t youse have a drink?”

Applejack frowned at the bottle before her. “I could write ya a whole book on why vampony hunters shouldn’t drink.”

“I’ve seen these bottles all over town.” Spike picked his up and examined it. “How do you have so much liquor here?”

“Hopper sneaks into the Fillydelphia ruins every few days,” Skip said as he carried in another couple of buckets. “He knows every bar in the city and how to get into their cellars.”

Hopper winked at them. “Gotta wet all these dry throats somehow. Drinks are all that’s keeping this town going.”

“Drinks are what’s keepin’ this town a pigsty,” Applejack retorted.

With a scowl, Hopper leaned back in his chair and raised his bottle. “Are youse gonna drink or not?”

“Not,” Applejack said as she pushed her bottle away.

Spike gazed at his bottle for a moment, then pushed it away as well. “Nah, we still have a job after this. We can’t risk not being at a hundred percent out there.”

Hopper studied the two of them, then shrugged. “Well, whatever. Cheers.” He tilted his head back and took a long pull, then tossed the bottle aside and grabbed the one sitting in front of Spike.

“Now, what is Salvation, and what are they tryin' to accomplish?” Applejack asked.

“What are they trying to accomplish?!” Hopper let out another wheezing laugh. “They’re trying to save us all! They want to bring all ponies together as equals. No one pony should be any more or less than any other pony. And that includes your princess.” He gave them an even look. “But Princess Cadance and the pegasi are going to make that nigh impossible, and youse pegasi sympathizers aren’t helping.”

“Sympathizers?” Applejack blinked. “We’re supportin’ Princess Cadance, the rightful ruler of Equestria!”

“The current ruler of Equestria is Mistress.” Hopper took another swig from his bottle. “Hate to break it to youse, but Princess Cadance failed. Just like all the other princesses failed.”

Spike slammed a fist on the table. “They did not fail! Princess Cadance is doing everything she can to keep Equestria from falling apart, and Princess Celestia is still out there. I know it!”

“Celestia?!” Skip exclaimed as he came back in the door. “You still believe in that old fraud? Why, she abandoned us even quicker than Cadance did!” He laughed so hard that he began to cough, and stumbling, he spilled a bit of the water onto the wooden floor.

“Dangit, Skip, be careful with that!” Hopper shouted, then turned a smug look on Spike. “I’d bet every last bottle of whiskey I've got that your Celestia died in whatever hole she was trying to hide herself in.” He guffawed as Applejack gripped Spike’s shoulder to prevent him from leaping to his feet. Hopper took another drink. “She failed.”

“Youse need proof she failed?” Skip asked. “Just look here.” He turned and showed them his blank flank. “I hear it’s becoming pretty common to see ponies my age without cutie marks.”

“Now wait just a minute,” Applejack said, feeling the heat rising to her face. “Nopony knows why that’s been happenin’.”

“Prophet does,” Hopper replied, matter-of-factly. “It’s a clear sign that the royal family is crumbling. Their days of ruling are over, and Princess Cadance needs to face the facts and step down. Let the ponies of the land decide their own fate.”

Spike began to tap his claw against the table. “And let me guess, once the princess steps down, Prophet thinks he should take her place.” Applejack noted that his tail was beginning to sway, a clear sign he was becoming agitated. “You’re a bunch of idiots. He’s clearly using Salvation as a way to gain power.”

“No, not him.” Hopper shook his head. “Admiral Proudmare intends to take the throne.”

Applejack sat bolt upright. “What?! Admiral Proudmare?! You want that deserter to rule Equestria?”

Hopper banged his hoof on the table. “She’s no deserter! Princess Cadance abandoned her for Cloudsdale! She did the best she could!”

Applejack stood, resisting the urge to pull her halberd free. “She was not abandoned! Prince Shining Armor stayed behind, and she was ordered to link her forces with his. If she hadn’t run away from the fight, they could very well have taken back the Crystal Empire!”

“Admiral Proudmare will make a great ruler,” Hopper said irritably, his eyes lagging as he looked between the two of them. “Once Princess Cadance has been removed, she’ll usher in a new age for Equestria. One where all ponies will unite as equals and together drive the vampony threat from our lands!”

“Hear, hear!” cried Skip.

“‘Once Princess Cadance has been removed’?” Spike stood, placing his hands on his hips. “That sounds pretty aggressive. How exactly does Proudmare intend to do that?”

“By force if necessary!” Hopper exclaimed. He took another drink, then began waving it around in the air. “Folks like Prophet have been visiting settlements all over Equestria, and they’ve been gathering support. Prophet predicts that soon they’ll have a large enough force of land ponies to stand against the pegasi, and then the princess will have no choice but to surrender or start a war. And he’s sure that she’ll surrender.”

Applejack was suddenly reminded of Rocksteady and the other ponies of Carrige Town. They had been calling for equality too. Had a member of Salvation been present while they were there?

“So, it’s land ponies versus pegasi now, is it?” Spike said, a shadow seeming to pass over his face.

“It always has been!” Hopper shouted, nearly falling out of his chair as he flailed his bottle around, splashing the table and himself with its contents. “Youse just been too foolish to notice before now!”

Applejack looked at Spike. “I think it’s time to go.”

“Yeah,” Spike said through gritted teeth, “I think so too.”

“Just youse wait!” Hopper continued to yell as they headed toward the door. “Salvation will rise up and smite the pegasi to the earth! They will end the vampony threat, and youse and your princess will rot in prison for the rest of your lives! And the true believers, like us in this forgotten, neglected town will be the ones living in your fancy walled cities!”

Applejack couldn’t help but laugh as she opened the door, and she turned back to face them. “I wonder if ya ever, in all of your drunken wisdom, realized that ya could take all that swill that you’re wastin’ on yourself to other settlements and trade for everythin’ that this ‘forgotten, neglected town’ would need? Y’all could turn this place around faster than green grass through a goose, but I reckon you’d rather sit on your rumps and drown away your sorrows.” She tipped her hat to them. “Enjoy doin’ nothin’ and waitin’ for somepony else to fix your problems.”

Applejack slammed the door shut behind her and turned to find Spike grinning at her broadly. “Dang, A.J., you really stuck it to them.” She chuckled and bumped his fist.

“So…north, find a pass through the mountains, and meet the vamponies east of Manehattan, right?” Spike summarized as they started back through the town.

Applejack nodded. “And the faster the better.”

They remained silent until they had left Hooferville far behind, then Spike asked, “What are your thoughts on Salvation?”

Applejack frowned for a long moment. “I'm not sure,” she said. "We know they've been to Carriage Town and seemed to have gotten some support there, but I reckon Gilda is right. As long as the Mercenary Guild is standin' against Proudmare, Salvation ain't gonna be makin' any moves, no matter how much support they have." She gave Spike a small smile. "One thing I am sure of though, all their talk of equality is a big pile of manure.”

Spike chuckled, but then went quiet. “Speaking of equality…did you notice Prophet?”

Applejack’s head snapped toward Spike. “What? In town? Was he there?”

“No, he wasn’t in town,” Spike said. “I meant his cutie mark, did you see it?”

Applejack shook her head. “Why? What was his cutie mark?”

“It was an equal sign.” Spike scratched his head. “But seriously, what kind of cutie mark is that? Does that mean he is destined to be equal to everypony else? Wouldn’t that mean he can never be more than just average? What a loser.”

Applejack laughed. “Yeah, it’s weird, alright. But we can worry ‘bout Prophet and Salvation later. Right now, we need to focus on Manehatten and gettin’ that Element.”

“That’s right!” Spike punched his opened hand. “First we kick Manehatten’s rump, and then we’ll kick Salvation’s.”

***

Life as an Ascended had been very lonely. Twilight had spent most of her time patrolling the White Tail Woods surrounding Sanctuary, enforcing Mistress's decree that the large, walled town be left unharassed, and chasing away underlings that lingered in the area for too long. The rest was spent alone in her cave where she either slept, or sulked amongst the stalactites, brooding over the latest actions of the other Ascended.

Twilight watched as Neeka and Cragg used two large cranks that were set into the wall on either side. Slowly, the twin chains, each nearly as thick as tree trunks, began to move the massive stone doors. As they closed, her sensitive ears folding down to protect themselves from the painful scrapping of stone on stone, Twilight felt as though the doors were shutting away that lonely life as well.

Thorax and Ventral started off across the cavern, waving to the two diamond dogs, who were staying behind to continue guarding the doors. Twilight, unsure if she was expected to wave or not, settled with a curt nod before following her new friends.

“So…do you know how you’re going to trick Queen Chrysalis?” Thorax asked as the cavern narrowed into another tunnel not unlike the countless others she had already traversed.

Ventral gulped, his wide eyes reflecting the light of the torches affixed to the walls. “She’s going to try to trick the Queen?!”

“Yeah,” Thorax replied, “but don’t worry. I think this is going to work!” He then began to summarize their earlier discussion.

Twilight tuned them out as they talked, her mind focused on what was coming next. She wasn’t concerned with Chrysalis. She had intimidated far more dangerous ponies than her in the past. What she was brooding over was what she was going to do after acquiring the Element.

Although she had only just met these two, walking down the tunnel with them as they talked made her feel as though she were part of something special. Every time one of them glanced her way, a wonderful warming sensation spread within her, and she already couldn’t imagine leaving their side to continue her quest alone.

But once she had the Element in hoof, she would have no reason to stay; Discord would be anticipating her return, and she couldn’t risk angering him. She wondered if they would be willing to come with her, but how was she to go about asking? Was she even supposed to ask, or would they offer? Was she allowed to ask a friend to leave their home?

Twilight scowled. There was too much about friends that she didn’t know, and she wasn’t sure that she would have the patience to learn it all. Why couldn’t they just be like underlings and do as she said?

“What’s wrong?” Thorax asked with a frown, startling her from her thoughts.

Twilight simply shook her head.

Thorax and Ventral shared a look for a moment, then Ventral said, “Well, it does sound like your plan could work, but you need to be careful. Queen Chrysalis isn't stupid.”

“Yeah, and lying to her is especially dangerous,” Thorax said with an air of unease. “She usually sees through it pretty quickly, and her punishments are horrible." He shuddered. “She’s scary.”

A mirthless laugh escaped Twilight. "Scary? Chrysalis? She's only still alive because Mistress didn't want to waste time hunting her. Once the hive had been destroyed, we knew she and her subjects were no longer a threat and left them to their piteous fates." She paused as the two changelings hung their heads, and something unpleasant began to squirm in the pit of her stomach. She closed her eyes and groaned. “And you two would be those ‘subjects’...”

Twilight had never spared a moment’s thought for the suffering of mortals, but now, seeing these two so forlorn, she was beset with a deep shame. She remembered the assault on the hive, and although she hadn’t killed any changelings herself, she had stood by and allowed the underlings to slaughter indiscriminately. The pain her new friends were experiencing was a direct consequence of her actions.

She came to an abrupt halt and sat back on her haunches, once again overcome by her own cruelty.

I can’t do this! I’m too horrible. How could I have ever thought that I could make friends? I’ve lost count of how many mortals I’ve killed. I used to feed on them for Mistress’s sake!

It took a minute for Thorax and Ventral to realize that she was no longer following them, and when they turned, Twilight laid flat on her stomach and covered her face with her hooves. She ignored them when they called to her, and when she felt a hoof on her foreleg, she shook it loose and moaned, “Just get away from me.”

“Twilight…”

“This was stupid,” she growled. “Just leave me.” Her mind replayed Thorax’s hug and how she had come close to biting him, and she buried her face deeper into her hooves, unable to endure the mere thought of meeting their gazes. “If you stay with me, you’ll only get hurt. Like earlier when I–”

“No, it’s okay, really!” Thorax interrupted hastily. “I mean, yeah, what you said was hurtful, but we know you didn’t mean it.”

“But I still did it.” She recalled the way Thorax had tumbled across the cave floor. “I can’t be your friend, I’m terrible at this!”

“Yeah, you kinda are,” Ventral said.

Shocked, Twilight looked up at Ventral, his words stabbing at her heart, but when she found him smiling at her, the pain was lost to confusion.

“But we can see that you’re trying,” Ventral continued, “and that’s all that really matters.”

Thorax nodded enthusiastically. “And as long as you keep trying, we’ll forgive any mistakes you make.”

“Will you keep trying?” Ventral offered her his hoof. “For us?”

Twilight could only stare at him, her mouth trying to form words, but her mind was reeling. They would really forgive her for hurting them? Just like that? Then how would they be any different than she had been when serving Mistress? How was friendship not just another form of servitude?

Because I’ll be trying too. Mistress did nothing and expected our loyalty, but I’ll be working to earn it. And they’ll be earning it from me too. Maybe…maybe this is how love forms. Is this how I came to love Spike?

Twilight wasn’t sure where these thoughts came from, but somehow knew them to be true. With a small smile, she gripped Ventral’s hoof and allowed him to help her to her hooves. “Yes,” she said, “I’ll keep trying.”

Her smile widened as the two beamed at her, and a powerful emotion that she could only assume was love swept over her. Clearly, they felt it as well; their sparkling wings began to flutter and glow brighter, splashing the cavern walls with a flickering white light before they dimmed once again.

“What was that?” Twilight asked, blinking away the sting of the light.

“We don’t know,” Thorax said. “It just happens sometimes. None of us are sure why.”

“Anyway, we really should be thinking about what we’re doing next,” Ventral said. “We’re going to reach the city soon, and we can’t have a vampony just walking around unannounced. Even if we let every single changeling introduce themselves to Twilight to feel her love, the diamond dogs would still be afraid of her.”

“Neeka’s cave isn’t far from the entrance, we could try to sneak her in there.” Thorax turned to her. “You don’t mind if we hide you at first, do you? Just long enough for me to gather everyone and tell them that you’re here and you're not a threat?”

“I’ll stay and keep you company,” Ventral quickly added.

Twilight shrugged. “I don’t care what you do, as long as no one gets in my way when I’m ready for Chrysalis.”

“Well, giving me time to keep everyone from panicking will definitely fit that criteria,” Thorax said.

Twilight nodded. “Then I will wait in Neeka’s home.”

“Uh, Thorax, you don’t think Neeka will get angry that we let a vampony stay there without asking, do you?” Ventral asked

“I think she’ll understand,” Thorax said. “I’ll explain our choice next time I see her.”

“Oh, good.” Ventral grinned. “I’d much rather her be mad at you than me!” When Thorax gave him a dirty look, he laughed.

Slightly amused by the two of them, Twilight allowed them to once again take the lead, and began to contemplate just what she was going to say to Chrysalis.

She was certain that Chrysalis had no way of knowing about her recent falling out with Mistress, and would have no reason to not quake in her carapace when the first born of the Ascended confronted her. But Ventral was right, Chrysalis was not stupid–Mistress had said as much herself–so Twilight would need to take every precaution against underestimating her.

It wasn’t unheard of for Mistress to send the Ascended as inquisitors to enforce her rule less violently. Twilight knew that she had sent Rarity and Pinkie to the dragons twice to keep them in check, and once Rainbow and Rarity had paid Luna an unexpected visit when Mistress had discovered the shocking number of followers she had gathered. There was no reason that Chrysalis would see this as anything different, she just needed to make her sojourn here as authentic as possible.

Twilight frowned as she discovered a flaw in her plan. In every instance of Mistress’s inquisitions, she had always sent two Ascended. When Rainbow had protested that she was more than enough to handle Luna, Mistress had stated that she was too valuable to risk and insisted that Rarity join her in case there was any backlash from Luna’s followers. But Twilight was the only Ascended present. Would Chrysalis know something was off if she stood before her under the pretense of Mistress’s envoy alone? Intimidation on its own may not work on somepony like Chrysalis, she was vain and arrogant enough to fool herself into believing she could match a single Ascended’s power.

“Twilight?” Thorax called.

Twilight blinked. She hadn’t realized that she had slowed to a halt while pondering this problem, and now Thorax and Ventral were exchanging worried looks. She couldn’t help but smile as she realized that they were concerned for her (it really was a wonderful feeling), but then it hit her. She wasn’t alone! Not anymore.

She trotted toward Thorax. "You mentioned earlier that changelings can shapeshift. How does it work? Can you change into anypony?"

"No, we need to see the pony we want to shift into,” Thorax said, “but once we do–" A sudden flash of light enveloped him, and Twilight’s jaw dropped as she gazed at the mirror image of herself that had taken Thorax’s place–"we can create a perfect copy of the pony. Down to the smallest details," he finished, in a perfect replica of her own voice.

Twilight could say nothing as she gaped at the doppelganger before her. Somehow, she was sure that this wasn't the first time she'd met herself like this, but how could that be possible? She had never met a changeling until now, so how could this have happened before?

Thorax grinned at her perplexed stare, then changed back in another flash of light. "Pretty neat, huh?"

Shaking her head to clear the bizarre sensation, Twilight said, "Yeah...neat…"

Ventral laughed. "It always blows a pony's mind when they come face to face with themselves! It never gets old."

Twilight smiled despite herself, and attributing the strange sensation to be nothing more than her imagination, she focused her thoughts back on her newly forming plan. "Right. So, have either of you ever seen the other Ascended?"

"No," Thorax said, "sorry."

"I have," said Ventral quietly. "I saw the rainbow colored one at a distance. She and a few vamponies caught a group of us that were trying to sneak out of the back entrance of the hive. It was..." He swallowed hard. "I wish I hadn't seen it."

"That was Rainbow Dash." Twilight turned to Ventral eagerly. "Can you change into her?"

Ventral turned his gaze to his hooves. "I don't think I want to."

Twilight’s brow furrowed. “Why not?”

When Ventral hesitated, Thorax placed a hoof on his shoulder. “It’s because of what he saw her do. Taking the form of somepony that’s done something that horrific can feel a bit…unclean.”

Ventral shuddered.

Now what was she supposed to do? Twilight growled and pulled at her mane. “Why does this have to be so hard?!”

“I’m not trying to–” Ventral began.

“Shh.” Twilight raised a hoof to his face and turned to Thorax. “So what does a friend do in a situation like this? His help could be invaluable to my plan. Do I abandon it, or try to force him to do it?”

“Well, to start with, you don’t shush a friend when they’re talking,” Thorax said, giving her a stern look. “No one deserves to be treated like that.”

Twilight glanced over to Ventral, and seeing the obvious indignation on his face, lowered her hoof. She turned back to Thorax. “But my question was for you. His response was irrelevant.”

“I’m still standing here, you know,” Ventral said as Thorax let out a loud sigh.

Twilight cocked an eyebrow at Ventral. “Of course you are. I’m looking right at you. I had my hoof in your face a moment ago.”

Ventral threw his hooves into the air and turned away. Thorax stepped between them. “It doesn’t matter if you think what he has to say is irrelevant or not, you should still let him speak his mind. If you are our friend, then you should take our feelings into account when making your decisions.”

Twilight huffed. “So, I shouldn’t try to force him to do it.”

“No,” Thorax said, “but you can try to convince him to do it.”

“For me, those are usually the same thing.” Twilight rubbed the back of her neck. “The last time I ‘convinced’ an underling to do something, I broke his leg and threatened to break his neck.”

Thorax blanched and stumbled back, and she heard an audible gasp from Ventral.

Her gaze lowered to the ground, and she picked at a rock with her hoof. “I didn’t though…and his leg healed fast enough.” The feeling of shame washed over her once again. How had she never realized in the past how vicious she was?

After waiting several moments for them to respond, Twilight looked up, and her breath caught in her throat as she registered the fear on their faces. “No, don’t be afraid of me. I would never break your leg. Neither of you.”

Ventral cleared his throat. “Well that’s…good. I suppose?”

Twilight nodded vigorously. “Yes, it is! I like you two, and Neeka and Cragg. I don’t want to hurt any of you. I don’t want to hurt anyone in this city. That’s why I’m going to confront Chrysalis your way instead of my way, because I want to be your friend. But to do it your way, I need your help.”

“Okay.” Ventral took a deep breath. “How does my turning into Rainbow help you not hurt our queen?”

"As powerful as the Ascended are, Mistress would never send just one of us to confront someone like Chrysalis. We are too valuable to her."

At least, I thought I had been valuable to her.

She paused as Mistress’s leering face loomed in her mind, telling her how easy it had been to cast her out as bait, and Twilight swallowed hard before continuing. “I agree with you two, Chrysalis is no fool. She will know something is off if only a single Ascended confronts her. I need you to take Rainbow’s form and come with me.”

Ventral turned to Thorax, but he could only shake his head sadly. “Sorry, but I don’t know. This has to be your choice.”

“You won’t need to say anything,” Twilight pressed. “As the first born, I will do all of the talking. Rainbow would just be there as an additional threat. A show of force. All you have to do is stand slightly behind me and look mean.”

Ventral shifted his hooves. “And you really think this will work?” When Twilight affirmed that it would, he turned and started down the tunnel. “I’ll have to think about it. Taking her form is bad enough, but standing before the queen in that form and trying to intimidate her? I don’t know.”

“That’s fine,” Thorax said, “take all the time you need.” He gave Twilight a meaningful look. “Right?”

“Yes,” she replied, perhaps a bit too quickly. Ventral nodded but said nothing else.

The tunnel ran for several more yards, made a final bend, and opened into a cavern well lit by multicolored lights.

Taken aback by the sudden onslaught of color, Twilight raised her gaze to the cave ceiling high above and found several large metal chandeliers. Every chandelier held three torches, each affixed with a large bracket holding a gemstone and a pane of glass. The torchlight shined through the various gems, splashing the cave below in prismatic lights.

The cavern ran for a couple hundred yards before splitting off into tunnels leading different directions, and was wide enough that the three of them were able to walk side by side easily. On either wall, from the floor all the way up to the ceiling were numerous cave entrances that looked to have been burrowed into the rock, and staircases that had been expertly carved from the wall. Above hung several levels of rope bridges that spanned across the cavern, and as Twilight watched, a diamond dog crossed at the highest level to change the torches of one of the chandeliers.

The streets (that was all Twilight could think to call it, although the cave floor was so botryoidal that no wooden wheel would ever survive) were bustling with activity. A group of diamond dog children were tossing a large red gem to one another, barking and laughing as they skirted a small crowd that was gathered around several stalls lining the right side of the cavern. The stalls looked to have been carved from stone, with large slabs working as countertops displaying various pots and pans, tin cups and mugs, and small trinkets crafted from gemstones. At the far end of the cavern, two diamond dogs were playing flutes and performing a little dance, the musical notes faintly audible over the noise of the crowd.

Thorax pointed at a cave three levels up nearly fifty yards away. "That's Neeka's cave. Think you can get there unnoticed?"

Twilight gave him a look, then launched straight up into the air. Her wings made only a soft flutter as she ascended, and she remained close to the cave wall to keep to what little shadow could be found.

As she reached the ceiling, she flipped, her hooves finding a perch among the stalactites easily, and surveyed the bridges beneath her. Satisfied that no one was crossing, she moved along the ceiling until she was over Neeka's cave, then allowed herself to fall to the third level, and swiftly extending her wings, she swooped into the opening.

The cave was large and spacious, with a row of long stone benches facing the front where a stone podium stood. The flickering light from the single torch reflected off of the numerous gemstones that sat in a row of metal bins along the left wall, each bin was numbered and held the correct number of jewels. In a heap near the podium were several stone blocks with letters of the alphabet carved into their sides.

Twilight's gaze fell to a primitive book that was lying open on the end of the nearest bench. It was little more than small stone slates held together by a metal ring in the top corner, but the top slate depicted the letter 'S' and beneath it was a crude drawing of the sun.

As a symbol of their greatest weakness, Twilight ordinarily would have smashed the offending book, but instead she stood transfixed. She remembered vividly the moment the sun had failed to rise. She and the other Ascended had been troubled by the full moon remaining in place high overhead, but they had retired to their lairs, knowing that dawn should be mere moments away. She had been hanging from her favorite spot on the ceiling, eyes closed and body relaxing, when an uncanny sensation that something was awry came over her. It had taken her a full minute of closely scanning her cave for anything out of place before it occurred to her that it was still dark.

Hesitantly, she had crept out of her cave, her eyes to the sky, but no sign of sunlight was to be found. Only minutes later, the other Ascended had joined her, looking as confused as she felt. Then, Mistress appeared from above, her enormous wingspan blocking out the light of the moon, and told them that the sun would never again threaten them.

They had rejoiced, and the underlings were quick to spread the word across all of Equestria. Soon, all vampony kind were celebrating Mistress’s triumph over the sun and her conquest of the mortals.

Twilight sat on the bench and placed the book in her lap. As she stroked the drawing of the sun, Discord’s words rang in her mind.

You vamponies are an unnatural blight upon this world. An infectious pestilence that was never meant to exist, sucking the life and magic out of the land. You’ve caused the destiny of all ponies to come to a screeching halt, and have brought the very world to the brink of death.

A lump formed in her throat as her thoughts turned to her dream. That beautiful sunlit forest was what Equestria used to look like, but now the mortals, like Ventral and Thorax, lived in misery. They eked out their lives in constant darkness, mourning for the homes they could never return to. Mistress had taken everything from them.

And I helped. I am first born. I was there from the beginning.

Twilight closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She would fix this. She would collect the Elements and bring back the sun. She would kill Mistress and the Ascended, and the mortals would all hail her as their hero. She would rule Equestria and have all the friends she wanted.

Approaching hoofsteps interrupted her thoughts, and closing the book, she placed it on the bench and leaped up onto the ceiling. She pressed herself against the rock and watched the entrance, her body tense and ready to pounce.

“Twilight?” Ventral said as he entered the cave, “where are you?”

Twilight silently moved across the ceiling as Ventral stepped further into the room, and noiselessly dropped to the floor behind him. She stalked him to another doorway at the far end of the cave, and waited as he stuck his head into the room and called her name. When she didn’t answer, he turned, and finally noticing her, he yelped and fell to the floor.

“You are far too easy to sneak up on,” Twilight said as she stood over him. She offered him her hoof. “You should be more aware of your surroundings.”

Ventral took her hoof and she pulled him to his hooves. “We don’t usually need to worry about anypony sneaking up on us around here,” he said, his cheeks turning red.

Twilight scowled. “You should always worry somepony is stalking you. Always be vigilant. It will save your life.”

“Oh…okay,” Ventral rubbed his foreleg as his cheeks turned a darker crimson. “I’ll try.”

Twilight turned away to hide her smile. She wasn’t sure why, but seeing him all flustered like this made her like him even more. But that didn’t make sense. Why would his vulnerability appeal to her? Her own face seemed to be growing warmer as she thought about it, and desperately, she cast around for something else to talk about.

“So, uh, what is this place?” she asked, still being careful not to face him.

"It's a school," Ventral answered. "Or it was. Most of the students have been cut off because of the quarantine, and Neeka mainly just lives here now."

"So, this isn't Neeka's home?"

Ventral shook his head. "No, this part of the city was the business district. Most of those caves you saw are shops, and taverns, and such. There aren't any homes here. Everyone here has been cut off from their homes, from their families."

"All because you wanted friends," Twilight said softly.

"Yeah…"

Twilight rounded on him. "That's why you need to help me. Change into Rainbow. Together we can fix this."

Ventral lowered his gaze to his hooves. "I-I don't…"

"I know you don't like the idea," Twilight said. She placed a hoof on his shoulder the way she saw Thorax do earlier. "But think of Neeka and Cragg, trapped here and unable to go home. And all the other changelings that are always hungry. You can fix that! Help me make Chrysalis listen to you and Thorax. You can solve the hunger problem!"

Ventral raised his head and met her gaze. The fear and hurt were clear in his eyes, but to her pleasant surprise, his weakness evoked nothing but a warmth within her. A determination to do anything in her power to make the pain leave those light green eyes took a firm hold of her.

“You’re going to do great.” Twilight removed her hoof from his shoulder and stood tall, thrusting her chest out and holding her head high, and hoped that her display of confidence would affect him. “And when you return, all of your friends are going to call you a hero.”

A slight smile cracked through his mask of ambivalence. “Well, I wouldn’t want everyone calling me ‘hero’, but I get what you’re saying.” He nodded as the last of his uncertainty fell away. “You’re right, this is about more than just me. This is for Ceerack. I’ll do it.”

Twilight frowned. She had thought that convincing Ventral to agree with her plan would please her, but instead it filled her with dread. Would this make him resent her?

She recalled facing Mistress after leading the first failed assault on The Crystal Empire. The fall of Canterlot had provided Shining Armor and Cadance with ample warning, and when Twilight had led the underlings into the city under the cover of night, the crystal ponies had been ready. Forced to retreat, Twilight had returned with nothing to show for her efforts except dozens of slain underlings. Mistress had been so angry that she hadn't even yelled; she had simply turned her back and walked away.

That silent resentment had cut her deeply. So deeply that she had spent the following decade catering to Mistress’s every whim, desperate to never have to face such animosity again. But now she was forcing Ventral to do something he was loath to. Would he bring the same anger as Mistress upon her?

“I know I just met you and all,” Ventral said, sitting back on his haunches and eyeing her with trepidation, “but I really can’t figure out what’s going on inside your head. You keep looking angry or sad at strange times, and I’m never sure if I’m the one causing it or not.”

Twilight turned away and sat down on the nearest bench. She stared at the blank back cover of the stone book she had been holding earlier as she tried to sort through her feelings.

She wanted to tell Ventral that it wasn’t his fault, but she didn’t know how to say it. She felt very strongly that she should tell him she was sorry, but she just hated apologies so much–they always made her feel stupid and ineffective–and if there was one thing that she needed to avoid before attempting to intimidate somepony as dangerous as Chrysalis; it would have to be feeling stupid and ineffective.

Ventral approached, and she glowered at the book, refusing to look at him. “Do you mind if I sit?” he asked.

Wordlessly, she scooted over for him. He sat but said nothing, and when Twilight stole a quick glance at him, she found him leaning back on the bench and staring at the ceiling.

Finally, he said, “Twilight, I don’t know why exactly you’re here, or what brought you to us, but I can tell that it was something traumatic. At first, I just figured you were being awkward because you didn’t know how to be a friend, and I’m sure that’s part of it, but there’s something more. It’s etched all over your face. You’re hurting. And you’re trying to hide it.”

Tentatively, Ventral lowered his hoof and placed it over her own. “But you can’t hide it, and you shouldn’t try. Something like this…it will eat you alive from the inside. Believe me, I’ve dealt with it before.”

Twilight’s head snapped toward him. “R-really? You know what I’m feeling?”

Ventral smiled as his face once again began to glow. “Well, yeah. I mean, I think I do.” He cleared his throat, and lifting her hoof, held it in both of his. “I told you that I saw Rainbow and those vamponies kill that group of changelings. Well, I knew them all. Especially two of them, and while none of us were exactly friends back then, I did feel close to them. And I had to just sit there and watch them die. I couldn’t take my eyes off of them. The vamponies didn’t even feed on them, they just killed them for the sport of it.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and when they opened, Twilight could see the tears forming. “That image stayed with me for a long time, and it still pops up every now and then, usually when I least expect it. But I’m better now, I got through it. That’s one of the benefits of having friends. I went years holding it in, and the pain inside was unimaginable. It just kept getting worse and worse, but then Thorax introduced me to some diamond dogs, and before I knew it, I had friends. And soon, they convinced me to talk about it, like I’m trying to do with you now, and I did, and it was like a heavy load was lifted off of my chest.”

He squeezed her hoof as tears began to run freely down his face. “So, Twilight, please, stop making me guess. Let me in. I’m your friend now, and you can tell me anything. I’m going to take the form of the one pony I hate more than anything, the one that caused me pain for years, for you. All I ask in return is for you to trust me. Tell me what’s wrong.”

Twilight simply stared at him. She didn’t know what to think; she didn’t know what to say, but then the tears came before she could even think to stop them. He pulled her close, and she buried her face in his chest and cried.

But the tears didn’t feel like a weakness this time. They felt liberating, as if all of her pain and sorrow were somehow liquidizing and escaping through her eyes. She realized then that crying wasn’t always a weakness, and that maybe, it could even be a strength.

She lost track of how long she sat there, clinging to Ventral and crying, but when she straightened, she felt renewed, and to her astonishment, not at all ashamed.

“Feel better?” Ventral asked with a sniffle.

Twilight wiped her nose with the back of her hoof, and for the first time in her life, she smiled brightly. “Ventral…you’re the best.”

“I…I…well, uh,” he stammered as his face turned a bright shade of red, “t-thanks.”

At that moment, Thorax entered the cave. “Well, that could have gone better, but…” He froze as he looked at both of their wet faces, and Ventral, who’s cheeks were now as red as a rose, and slowly began backing out of the room. “Ah…I just remembered that I forgot–”

“No!” Twilight stood and rushed toward him. “You should hear this too.” She grabbed him by the foreleg and dragged him into the room. “Sit down.”

“What happened?” Thorax asked as he sat beside Ventral.

“Ventral taught me what friendship is,” Twilight answered.

She laughed at the look of confusion on Thorax’s face, and then she told them everything. Her relief was immense as she told her tale, and she felt a form of satisfaction as they reacted to the more tragic moments (especially when Mistress had told her that the dream had made her expendable), and when she was done, both of them jumped to their hooves and hugged her.

Twilight hugged them back without even the slightest urge to bite as a warm glow seemed to fill her chest. She closed her eyes as their wings began to flutter and flicker brightly and took comfort in their embrace.

She knew now that she would never be lonely again.

The New Threat

Twilight Sparkle awoke to the sound of approaching hoofbeats. She unfurled her bat-like wings and stretched as the strange dream replayed in her mind. The perplexing dream had been plaguing her sleep for the last two years, sometimes leaving her for long spans of time, only to return when she least expected it.

With a shake of her head, she chastened herself. This was not the time to dwell on such things.

Her large, sensitive ears informed her that three ponies had just come to a halt at the mouth of her cave. She knew why they were here, but she wasn't looking forward to this gathering. Taking a deep breath, she gazed at the entrance from her perch among the stalactites for a moment.

I have nothing to worry about. I have always been loyal to Mistress, and as long as I remain so, I will be safe.

She released her grip, and twisting in the air, landed lightly on her hooves. With her chest thrust out and her head held high, Twilight exited the cave and glared at the three bowing vamponies before her. Although all four of them were Ascended, Twilight was the first born of Mistress's generals, and was second to none but Mistress herself.

Illuminated by the light of the full moon that held its endless vigil above, Rainbow Dash, the second born, arose and spoke. "Mistress is ready for us."

"Then we must go," Twilight replied dryly. At her response, Pinkie Pie and Rarity stood but remained silent. During a formal meeting such as this, they knew well that only Rainbow had the privilege to speak.

Wordlessly, Twilight stepped around them, and led the group toward the dilapidated town.

They trotted through the dead forest in silence, little more than shadows drifting through the night. Their glowing red eyes were the only sign of their passing as they weaved through the twisted, bare trees and withered bushes.

As she led the way, Twilight's mind returned to her dream.

In the dream, she was always in a forest that was teeming with life, accompanied by a small purple dragon that she had never before seen as the sun shined brightly overhead. Most confounding of all were the bizarre sensations she always experienced in her chest and stomach as they talked.

Twilight shoved the baffling thoughts aside as they came upon the dried riverbed that ran along the outskirts of the town. Spreading their wings, the four of them soared over the collapsing bridge and landed on the opposite bank where a small crowd of vamponies bowed submissively.

The glint of moonlight on shattered glass caught Twilight's eye as she trotted among the underlings, and she spared a quick, disinterested glance at the tall, circular building.

The front door was hanging from its hinges, two faded diamonds still barely discernible upon its peeling surface, all of the windows were smashed out, and the tattered red flag hung limp at the top of its spire. At the foot of the building lay a mannequin, the remnants of a decaying dress still strapped to its plastic body.

Twilight suddenly caught sight of the purple dragon bounding past the mannequin and heading for the front door. Surprised, she came to an abrupt halt, but the dragon had vanished. Rainbow was forced to break formation to avoid bumping into her, but remained silent as she watched Twilight uncertainly.

After taking a moment to blink and clear her thoughts, Twilight continued. That had been the first time that she had seen the dragon while awake. She now knew without a doubt that it was a vision. But what could it mean?

"I wonder what Mistress wants with us," Rainbow said unexpectedly.

Twilight scowled, annoyed that Rainbow had interrupted her thoughts. "That is none of our concern. If Mistress summons us, then we come. That is all that matters." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rainbow nod and turn her gaze forward once more.

In truth, Twilight was troubled by their summons as well. Mistress hadn't summoned them all together in nearly two years; what could have transpired that had caused her to call upon them now? With a start, she suddenly wondered if she knew about her dreams. Up until now, only Mistress had been gifted with visions, and she would likely be infuriated to learn that Twilight was having them as well.

Twilight swallowed hard. There were none who had angered Mistress and lived, and if she even suspected that Twilight was having these visions, then her fate was already sealed.

As they entered the Town Square, the throngs of vamponies surrounding the Town Hall bowed as they backed away and created a path to the door.

One of the underlings was too slow in his retreat, and with a snarl, Pinkie struck him in the face. With a howl, he was sent soaring through the air for several yards before smashing into the base of a crumbling statue of a rearing pony.

Pinkie laughed as the broken creature tried to climb back to his hooves. "You've gotta be quicker than that!" Her fangs glistened in the moonlight as she smiled wickedly. "Otherwise, playing with you is no fun!"

She pounced onto the injured vampony and giggled as he feebly tried to fend her off. Then, just as she bared her fangs and prepared to bite him, Twilight caught her by the mane and flung her toward Rarity.

"Mistress is waiting for us," Twilight scolded as Rarity helped Pinkie keep her balance. "Have you already forgotten?"

The smile died on Pinkie's face. "Forgive me, Twilight."

"Don't let it happen again," she growled. Despite her fear that Mistress had summoned them here to kill her, Twilight still wished to please her, and was not going to let Pinkie's stupid games make them late.

The underling climbed to his hooves, his wounds already healed, and bowed deeply. Twilight glared at the vampony. A bite from an Ascended was poisonous to the underlings and would kill them in a matter of hours, but sparing his worthless life hadn't been her reason for stopping Pinkie.

"Next time, get out of our way," she hissed as she turned her back on him.

Reaching the Town Hall, Twilight's gaze landed on the skeleton lying beside the stairs, and she sneered with contempt.

The pitiful mayor of this town had been too afraid of her true destiny, and had thrown herself off of the third floor balcony rather than ascend to a superior species. Instead of obtaining the strength and immortal life that fate had offered her, she had received nothing more than a broken neck.

Twilight turned away from the wretched remains and climbed the stairs. Walking over the broken remnants of the door, she pushed aside the thick, black curtain that was draped over the doorway and stepped inside.

She had no trouble envisioning this room being used as a meeting place for the town's former inhabitants. It was large and open, with multiple balconies on the second floor, most of which were collapsing, several banners depicting a sun, moon, and an apple tree hanging in tatters above, and a shredded red carpet spanned the length of the floor.

On the far side of the room, sitting upon the stone throne that Twilight had carried here from Canterlot, was Mistress.

Her coat was as black as the deepest abyss, her face, which more resembled a bat's than a pony's, was covered in thick brown fur, and her enormous brown wings were easily three times the size of Twilight's. Her mane and tail had long since disappeared, and her fangs descended several inches below her chin.

Knowing full well that she could be walking toward her own demise, Twilight steeled herself and made her way toward the throne.

Mistress's pink, furless ears perked up as the four of them bowed. "I can hear your hearts quickening," she commented in her guttural voice. "Do my summons worry you so?"

"We are just...concerned, Mistress," Twilight replied shakily, her head still bowed toward the floor.

A long, thick, black tongue ran down the length of her fang as she grinned at them. "There is no need for concern, my children. Now, rise."

As the four of them stood up, Mistress gestured to the black curtain hanging behind her. "I have a special gift for my generals. Think of it as a show of gratitude for your everlasting loyalty."

It was a struggle for Twilight to hide her relief.

"And what is this...gift?" Rarity asked.

"Mortals," Mistress answered.

"All right!" Rainbow exclaimed, but quickly cowered from Twilight's scathing glare.

"Yes," Mistress continued, completely unfazed by Rainbow's interruption. "We have managed to capture four of the living, and they are all yours."

Twilight felt her fangs begin to drip with anticipation. The Ascended had long since shed the need to consume blood to live, but they still enjoyed feeding immensely. How long had it been since she last fed? It must have been a couple of years at least. She began to fidget with nervous excitement. She couldn't wait for the taste of mortal blood.

As the four of them headed toward the curtain, Mistress held up a hoof. "Twilight, I would like a word with you." Mistress turned her gaze to the others. "You may proceed." She simply sat on her throne and watched Twilight while the others disappeared behind the black curtain.

After enduring Mistress's unrelenting gaze for several moments, she began to tremble. Mistress knew. She didn't understand how it was possible, but it was. And now, despite everything that she had done for her, Mistress was going to kill her.

Mistress unfurled her wings, and bracing themselves on the floor, they raised her body high into the air. She took three giant steps, and lowered herself onto her hooves directly in front of Twilight.

Although Twilight's mind screamed at her to run, she held her ground firmly and obediently waited for Mistress to address her. If she was going to die, then she would face death with the same dignity that she had faced all other obstacles that had stood in her way.

Without warning, Mistress wrapped her forelegs around Twilight's neck and drew her close.

Twilight's body stiffened. She could feel Mistress's breath on her neck. Mistress's bite was as lethal to the Ascended as their bite was to the underlings. Closing her eyes, Twilight struggled to remain still as she waited for the fangs to sink into her throat.

"Why are you frightened, Twilight?" Mistress whispered, her long fangs lightly scratching Twilight's shoulder. "Do you not trust me?"

Twilight swallowed hard. "I am...worried that you are displeased with me."

“Of course you are.”

"M-Mistress?"

"Always so honest and loyal." Mistress released her and stepped back. "Have you ever worried yourself over anything other than my every desire?"

Twilight bowed again. "My life is yours, Mistress. Surely, you know this."

"I do." Mistress placed a hoof on Twilight's chin and lifted her head. "And I appreciate it more than you could ever know." She studied her for a long moment. "No, Twilight, I am not displeased with you."

With a sigh of relief, Twilight began to relax. "I am grateful to know that you still value me."

"Value you?" Mistress gestured toward the curtain that led outside. "Of all the thousands of vamponies in the world, you were the first born. You stood by my side since the very beginning, and I owe all of what I have to you and your dedication."

Twilight blinked. Mistress had never talked to her like this before. Why was she acting this way?

"There is a new threat," Mistress continued. "It looms just out of sight. I have seen it in my dreams, but I do not know what shape it may take."

"Could it be Luna?" Twilight asked as her eyes narrowed. "I've heard rumors that her numbers have grown recently."

Mistress shook her head. "No. It isn't anypony that we've faced before." She stepped aside and glanced toward the back room. "We will talk more on this subject later. For now, feed and rest well."

"Of course, Mistress." Twilight inclined her head.

As she made eye contact with Mistress, her blood red eyes flashed brightly. With a startled cry, Twilight blinked and shook her head until her sight returned, and found that she was alone in the room.

Twilight remained still, wondering what this new threat could possibly be. It was unsettling to hear Mistress speak so...strangely. It sounded like she didn’t think she would be around much longer. Could this foe really be so powerful that Mistress's confidence had been shaken? Pushing her worries aside, Twilight crossed the room and stepped through the black curtain. Whatever is coming, Mistress will prevail; just like she has over every other enemy that we’ve faced.

The hallway beyond the curtain was long with several rooms that had once been offices. Scattered about the floor were piles of splintered wood that had once been desks and chairs.

As Twilight started down the hall, she glanced into the first room and found Rainbow with her mortal.

Rainbow was already feeding, her eyes half closed in obvious ecstasy as she clutched her mortal tightly. The unicorn mare's mouth was open in a silent scream as her wide eyes stared up at the ceiling. Twilight stood for a moment and watched as the life slowly began to dim in the mare's eyes before she moved on.

She was envious of Rainbow. Unicorns were incredibly rare to find these days, and the magic that ran through their blood made them even more delectable than other mortals. The underlings were known to kill one another for the chance to feed on one.

At the next doorway, Twilight snickered when she saw that Rarity had managed to get a stallion. Rarity derived a twisted pleasure from seducing her victims and making them accept her bite willingly. The stallion was pressed back against the wall, his face a confused mixture of fear and longing.

In the next room, Pinkie was laughing as she repeatedly knocked a terrified mare off her hooves. She would step back and allow her a chance for the open doorway, but then quickly cut her off and throw her back to the floor.

Twilight shook her head as she trotted toward the back room. Pinkie loved to play with her mortals, and would likely take even longer than Rarity to finish feeding.

As she came to the final doorway, Twilight grinned wickedly as she caught sight of the unicorn mare huddled in the corner. Entranced by the prospect of tasting her magic-infused blood, she didn't notice the cloaked pony staring out of the cracked window until she spoke.

"Greetings, Twilight Sparkle," the figure said without turning.

Immediately, Twilight crouched low to the ground, extending her wings and baring her teeth. She watched the mysterious figure closely for several long moments as the silence around them seemed to deepen, interrupted only by the sound of the unicorn’s rapid breathing from the corner.

When it became clear that the cloaked pony wasn't an immediate threat, Twilight demanded, "Who are you?"

"Somepony who wants to help you," the figure replied calmly, her gaze seemingly focused on the moon. Her voice was soft; barely above a whisper, but it held an underlying strength.

Twilight spat her distaste on the layers of dust that coated the chipped tiled floor. "Help me?" She held her head high and thrust out her chest as her red eyes flashed dangerously. "I am first born of the Ascended. I do not need 'help' from anypony."

Finally, the cloaked pony turned away from the window. Despite her excellent night vision, Twilight could see nothing more than the vague outline of the pony's face beneath the hood. "You have become blind to your destiny. You were fated for much more than simply standing in Mistress's shadow."

Twilight's lip curled in disdain. "I shall always stand by Mistress's side. That is the only destiny I need." She was certain now that this was one of Luna’s underlings. "Return to Luna and tell her that any more attempts to subvert an Ascended will result in her death."

"You so quickly assume me to be a servant of Luna?" The amusement in her voice was unmistakable. "No. Unlike you, I am slave to nopony."

Gnashing her teeth, Twilight growled, "Enough! Leave now or die!" She turned her attention to the unicorn mare, who was staring at the cloaked pony with horror. "It's time I feed."

As she approached, the unicorn's eyes snapped to her, and she tried to shrink further into the corner. "No...please!"

Wordlessly, Twilight flung the mare to the floor and pinned her body with her own. Effortlessly, she restrained her forelegs and exposed her neck.

Mere inches away, Twilight could clearly hear her pulse pounding in her neck and smell the warm blood pumping through the artery. Closing her eyes, Twilight relished the feel of the tense body beneath her and the heaving breaths of the mare's last moments of life. Her fangs dripping with anticipation, she ran her tongue lightly over the tender flesh and smirked at her victim’s gasping cry before baring her fangs and slowly lowering to her prize.

"So you are not interested in learning about the dragon?" the cloaked figure suddenly asked.

Twilight's eyes flew open wide in shock, and she whipped around to face the pony. "How do you know of that?"

"The dragon is part of your past life," the figure said, giving no indication that she had even heard Twilight. "His destiny is tightly intertwined with your own. That is why you dream of him...you are trying to remember."

"What..." Twilight was so stunned that she didn't even react as the mare desperately dragged herself out from beneath her.

Memories of her dream raced through her mind: their walk through the forest, the conversations they held, and the strange feelings that she always experienced.

Her thoughts lingered on those feelings. They were indescribable; she had never felt anything like them before, and even though they scared her, she couldn't help but miss them once she awoke.

"There is a hidden door in the library, obscured by a large bookshelf, that leads to the basement," the pony continued. "It is down there that you will begin to learn the truth."

A basement in the library? She knew of the library but had never been inside. Could there really be something down there that would tell her more about the dragon?

Twilight glanced out the door and down the hall.

Mistress was gone. She didn't know for how long, but she knew that she had been leaving Ponyville for long periods recently. It was very likely that Rarity and Pinkie were still toying with their mortals, and although Rainbow had already started, Twilight knew that she usually napped after her feedings. This would be the perfect time for her to inspect the library without any of the others knowing that she had left.

A sudden thought brought her pause. Would Mistress want her exploring the library? Perhaps she was the one who had hid the door. Never in all of these years had she gone against Mistress's wishes, but this time was different. She had to know more about the dragon, and the strange feelings the dream brought. Also, she had never been warned against entering the library. Surely, she would have been told if there was any reason she wasn't allowed to enter.

Twilight frowned as she moved closer to the figure, trying in vain to see into the shadowy hood more clearly. "How do you know all of this?"

"I know everything about you, Twilight Sparkle. You are more than what you've become."

At that moment, there was a loud snap behind her. Twilight spun around to find that the unicorn mare had stepped on some splintered wood in her attempt to reach the door.

Glancing back, Twilight was surprised to find that the mysterious figure had vanished. Baffled, she looked around the room, but knew that the only way out was through the door she was now facing.

With a frightened shriek, the unicorn galloped toward the door at full speed, but Twilight quickly caught her by the tail and threw her to the floor.

What was she going to do with this mortal? She didn't have time to feed if she was going to search the library, but she couldn't just leave her here. If Mistress or any of the others discovered her, they would know that Twilight had snuck away.

Watching the pathetic creature crawl across the room in a futile attempt to escape, Twilight decided to kill her.

She lifted the mare up, slammed her against the wall, and gripped her neck with both forelegs. The unicorn's wide eyes were darting around wildly, and her lips were moving as though she were speaking, but all that came out were pitiful squeaky noises. It would take just a simple twist of the neck, and it would be done.

But Twilight hesitated. If the others found the body, they would know she hadn't fed, and she knew that no matter where she tried to hide it, it would eventually be found. There was only one option left.

Twilight released the unicorn and smashed out the remaining glass of the window. She growled angrily, "Get out and hide in the woods."

The unicorn was still pressing herself against the wall. "W-what?" She blinked.

"The underlings were only here for the gathering of the Ascended," Twilight explained impatiently. "Once we reached Mistress, they would have left. Ponyville should be deserted."

Studying her warily, the unicorn slowly stepped forward. "I...I don't understand...y-you're letting me...go?"

Twilight snarled at her in frustration, causing her to cry out and fall back onto her haunches. "Yes, now go!"

Slowly standing back up on wobbly legs, she asked, "But...why?"

Closing her eyes, Twilight had to take a moment to suppress the urge to kill her. "Because I must go to the library, and if you are found, then Mistress will know that I was somewhere that I shouldn't be."

Suddenly looking hopeful, the unicorn hurried toward the window. "Oh, thank you, Twilight. Thank you so—"

Fed up with the foolish mortal, Twilight grabbed her and tossed her head-first through the window. Her hind legs caught the frame and she landed in an awkward heap on the ground.

Slowly climbing to her hooves, the unicorn looked at Twilight for a long moment, and then she turned and galloped into the forest.

Finally free of the bothersome mortal, Twilight hastily climbed out of the window.

She needed to get to the library quickly, search the basement, and get back to her cave before the others realized she was missing. Then she would be able to explain that she had taken her mortal to her cave to feed. She had done so a couple of times in the past, and knew that none of the others would dare enter there.

Twilight turned her gaze toward the large, hollowed-out tree near the center of town.

Flying would be the quickest route, but Apple Bloom would be somewhere near the schoolhouse. With the full moon glowing so brightly, she was certain to be seen by the little wretch, and then she could forget about her story of returning to her cave to feed.

Since walking was the only sure way of reaching the library unnoticed, Twilight started off at a canter.

The clacking of her hooves upon the dry, cracked road reverberated amongst the forlorn houses as she navigated around the shattered remains of wooden crates and barrels, broken glass, and ruined furniture that were strewn about the street.

The underlings had spent the first several nights after Ponyville had fallen tearing the town apart looking for survivors. Most had been dragged screaming from their hiding places, but some had tried to fight back—Twilight glanced at a small group of skeletons lying beside several broken weapons—they had been dispatched swiftly and mercilessly.

As she leaped over an upended wagon, Twilight's mind returned once again to the dragon. After being plagued with dreams of him for two years, she was finally going to get some answers. She had to know who he was, and how to control the feelings he invoked.

Just a couple of months ago, she had awoken from the dream and been alarmed to discover that she had been crying. She knew that crying was a sign of weakness among the mortals, a sign that they had given up. She had lost count of the number of mortals that had cried just before she had bitten them.

Frightened that she was growing weaker, Twilight had raced out of her cave and killed the first underling that she had found. She had broken the underling's neck almost without effort, and had crushed its skull for good measure. Relieved that she still possessed her strength, she had returned to her cave and slept peacefully.

Her thoughts returned to the present as the schoolhouse came into view atop its hill in the distance. Although Twilight wouldn't need to pass anywhere near it, Apple Bloom could often be found soaring around the school grounds.

As if on cue, Twilight suddenly heard the loud, wicked cackling of the little Ascended. Quickly taking shelter behind a gutted house that was missing most of its front wall, she caught sight of Apple Bloom looping in the air before returning to her work.

In the beginning there had been many turned foals, but because of their small size, hardly any had lasted for long. Some had died from hunger as they were unable to compete with the larger underlings for mortal blood, and many more had been killed by the more violent ones simply because they had annoyed them.

But Apple Bloom was different.

Being an Ascended, Apple Bloom was more than a match for even the largest of the underlings, and was the most ferocious vampony that Twilight had ever seen. She was also very twisted and cruel, perhaps a side effect of her having been such a mischievous foal in life.

The first of the pikes came into view as Twilight's path took her near the edge of town. Stuck firmly in the ground with the heads and torsos of vamponies impaled on them, the crude implements were positioned about the front of the schoolhouse like grotesque lawn ornaments. Unable to hold back a shudder, she hurried along, trying not to look at the several writhing underlings that hadn't yet perished.

It was here that underlings that were unfortunate enough to anger Mistress met their end at the ruthless hooves of Apple Bloom.

While impaling a vampony didn't kill it, the wound couldn't heal around the foreign object, leaving the vampony vulnerable. Utterly defenseless, the underlings could do nothing as Apple Bloom decapitated and eviscerated them.

As Twilight watched, Apple Bloom landed on the upper half of an underling's body. Its face contorting in pain as it slide several inches further down the shaft, the underling twisted and kicked weakly as Apple Bloom sank her teeth into its throat.

Moving silently through the shadows, Twilight sighed with relief as she rounded a corner and a row of houses blocked the schoolhouse from sight. Ahead, the library loomed into view. With a quick glance behind to ensure that she had not been spotted, she galloped the remaining distance.

The huge, dead tree was completely devoid of leaves, its gnarled branches reaching into the sky like fingers desperately groping for salvation. The bark was cracked and brittle, and a broken telescope amongst a heap of splintered wood beside the door was all that remained of the highest balcony.

In stark contrast to the rest of the town, the library's interior was mainly intact. Other than a couple of collapsed bookshelves, an overturned pedestal, and the wooden carving of a pony's head laying on the floor, the room was unruffled.

Cobwebs and strands of dust that marred the ceiling were dimly illuminated by the small amount of moonlight that managed to penetrate the filthy windows. The thick layer of dust coating the floor swirled about Twilight as she crossed the room, and she paused to wipe her eyes and cough.

It was then that she noticed a distinct trail through the dust that led from the entrance to a large bookcase. Apparently, somepony had been here recently, and Twilight was certain that it had been the cloaked pony.

Since all the other bookshelves were carved into the wood of the walls, Twilight followed the path to the standing bookcase. It was clear from the marks in the dust that this bookshelf had been moved, and she found herself wondering what the cloaked pony could have been searching for.

Reminding herself that she didn't have a lot of time, Twilight shrugged and pulled the bookshelf away from the wall with ease. As she exposed the door that could possibly answer at least some of her questions, she hesitated.

Was she really going to do this? What if Mistress had hidden things down here that she never wanted found? Twilight’s loyalty had always spared her from Mistress’s ire in the past. Did she really want to go against her wishes now?

Mistress had given her a great gift; only those who had had the honor of being bitten by Mistress herself became an Ascended. Unlike the underlings, the Ascended continued to grow in strength, speed, and could heal fully from even the most grievous of wounds in minutes. They ruled Equestria unopposed, and answered to nopony but Mistress.

If she hadn't received Mistress's blessing, then she would still be a weak, pitiful mortal. Mistress had freed her, and for that, she would always remain by her side. She glanced back at the entrance. She didn't need to know anything more than that...right?

Suddenly, the little dragon appeared, wearing a pink apron and carrying a feather duster. He dusted the far corner for a moment before simply fading from view.

Twilight shook her head. The visions were getting stronger, and she knew that she couldn't continue to ignore them. Whether she was disobeying Mistress or not, she needed answers.

Her resolve strengthened, Twilight gripped the doorknob and slowly opened the door. The hinges protested loudly as she revealed a landing that overlooked the basement and a narrow stairway that snaked down to the pitch-black room below.

Twilight only needed a brief moment for her eyes to adjust as she passed from the dimly lit library to the darkened basement, and then she leaped from the landing without hesitation. She landed easily next to a long table that still held several chemistry sets, many of which still contained colored liquids in stoppered tubes. Against the opposite wall stood another table with a row of framed pictures, and in the far corner was a lone stool.

She lifted the closest picture and blinked.

It was a picture of her with five ponies gathered closely around, all of them—including herself—were smiling strangely. Their expressions confused her; why were their eyes so bright and their smiles so large? What could have happened to cause them to look like that? She frowned as her hoof rose to her smooth forehead. She hadn't known that she had once been a unicorn. The knowledge didn't bother her any, but trying to imagine herself with a horn was bizarre.

Her frown deepened as she studied the picture closer. She recognized Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie, but there were two others that she had never seen before; a yellow pony with a pink mane, and an orange pony with a hat. She wondered who they were, and why Mistress hadn’t turned them as well. Could they be among the skeletons that littered the streets?

In the next picture she was standing with her wings spread, the other five all pressing close and smiling at her. Twilight glanced back at the first picture and confirmed that she was wingless, then smirked. Even when she had been nothing more than a pathetic mortal, she had managed to ascend. Gazing at the others and the way they were looking at her, she wondered if they had once served her. Her eyes paused on her cutie mark, and she stared at the stars for a long moment, pondering what they could mean.

Finally, she shrugged and put the picture down. She didn't care what it represented, that was part of her past life. Still, as she stepped toward the next picture that lay face down in the dust, she couldn't help but steal a quick glance at her now blank flank.

As she lifted the picture and turned it over, Twilight gasped and dropped it. The frame struck the edge of the table and clattered to the floor, landing face up. She stumbled backward, tripping over an overturned chair and falling hard onto her rump, causing a thick cloud of dust to plume up around her.

Blinking the dust from her eyes and fanning her hooves as she coughed, Twilight stood and hesitantly gazed at the picture.

She was standing in the library above, smiling as an owl stood on her back. But she wasn't looking at the owl, she was looking down at the little dragon that was clinging to her right foreleg.

Slowly picking up the frame and brushing away the broken glass, Twilight sat back on her haunches and stared at the dragon. He was hugging her leg tightly, his head turned up and gazing at her as though she were the most important thing in his world. It was the expression that he always wore in the dream, the expression that caused those strange emotions to surface.

At that moment, a warming sensation began to spread throughout her chest, and her stomach fluttered not unpleasantly. The hoof holding the picture began to tremble as she realized that she was experiencing these emotions without the aid of the dream for the first time.

Who was this dragon? What connections did he share with her in the past? How could he be affecting her like this? Why was he doing this to her?

Twilight didn't realize that she was crying until a tear fell onto the picture. With a strangled scream, she dropped the frame a second time and quickly backpedaled away.

Taking deep, gasping breaths and wiping at her eyes with shaky hooves, Twilight desperately struggled to understand what was happening to her. With a start, she remembered Mistress's warning of a new threat.

These feelings weakened her. And he could provoke them from something as simple as a photo, or a dream. She concentrated on her symptoms; the teary eyes that made everything blurry, the shaky hooves that would make gripping a weapon difficult, and the sensations in her chest and stomach that would make her physically weaker. She realized that she couldn't fight like this; even an underling could best her in this condition.

Twilight's eyes widened as a realization struck her. The dragon was the new threat. She recalled how Mistress had been acting as if she had lost her confidence, and realized that she must have experienced these same debilitating symptoms.

For the first time in her life, Twilight felt true terror. How could they fight an opponent that could do this to them? If even Mistress was shaken, how could they ever hope to win?

She had to tell Mistress what she had found, but she needed to be careful not to mention her visions. Perhaps if she confessed to talking with the hooded pony, she could convince Mistress that all of her knowledge about the dragon had come from her. She may be punished for listening to the stranger, but not nearly as severely as she would if she revealed her dreams.

Lost deep in her thoughts, it took Twilight several moments before she noticed the flashing light behind her. Turning toward the lone stool in the far corner, she spotted what appeared to be a star-shaped jewel.

The jewel was an ugly grey color, but as she watched, it pulsed with a dim pinkish light several times before returning to its muted hue. Staring at the strange gem, she felt something stir deep within her, and it began to glow a bright pink. She felt as if she'd somehow seen this jewel before, as if it were a part of her.

Twilight didn't realize that she was reaching for the jewel until her hoof touched it, and then she was enveloped in a white light that washed her world away.

***

The spark ignited inside me when I realized that you all...are my friends!

Spike, sure, I was disappointed, but you're my number one assistant, and friend.

We've learned that friendship isn't always easy. But there's no doubt it's worth fighting for.

A fear that will never come to pass. I'm never going to send you away.

What do I do now? Is there a book about being a princess that I should read?

***

Twilight found herself lying on her side amidst the dust, but had no idea how she had gotten there. Glancing up, she found the star-shaped jewel laying on the floor several feet away. It was once again grey, its glow having been extinguished by her touch.

What happened? She had heard her own voice, and seen fleeting glimpses of the dragon (Spike?), and the other five ponies from the pictures...but how? It must have been experiences from her previous life, but she didn't understand why, or how it could be possible.

Realizing that she was panting, Twilight forced herself to get her breathing under control, and then stood on trembling legs. Without taking her eyes off of the jewel, she slowly began walking backward toward the stairs, but promptly bumped into something.

Twilight turned and gasped as she found Mistress standing before her, her bat-like features twisted into a mask of rage.

"What are you doing here?" Mistress hissed.

"M-Mistress...I-I..." Twilight stammered.

Mistress's gaze fell to something on the floor and her eyes flashed dangerously. "You were after the Element?"

The Element? Twilight stared at the jewel for a moment, then her breath caught in her throat as the implications sank in.

"No, no, I—"

"It's you," Mistress stated in a deadly calm voice.

"Please, listen! There was this cloaked pony that—" Twilight began hurriedly.

"You're the coming threat I've foreseen."

"I didn't even know the Element was down here, the cloaked pony told me of a dragon, he's—"

Without warning, Mistress struck her across the face.

Twilight’s head snapped back as pain exploded over the right side of her face, and she collapsed to the floor. Mistress's enormous wing scooped her up like a shovel, lifted her high into the air, and slammed her down onto the table with the chemistry sets. She broke through the table with a deafening crash, splinters of wood and shards of glass bit into her back as the various colored chemicals spilled over her.

Shaking her head, she tried to climb to her hooves. She needed to get back up and explain that she wasn't the threat, but the world seemed to sway beneath her and she swiftly crumpled to the floor.

Mistress grabbed her by a hind leg, and with a single beat of her huge wings that created a vortex of dust and debris that assailed Twilight's face, launched herself to the landing. Coughing and sputtering, she fell to the floor as she was released, and heard the door being torn from its hinges.

"Please...wait..." Twilight managed between gasps for air, but Mistress wasn't listening. She gripped both of Twilight's hind legs and flung her across the library.

Twilight tumbled and rolled across the room before slamming into a bookshelf. Dozens of books pelted her head and back as she slowly climbed to her hooves, desperately trying to think of something that would abate Mistress's anger.

"I never took you for such a fool," Mistress growled. Twilight looked up and found the room empty. "If you were going to use the Elements against me, you should have gathered the others before coming for this one." Her chest heaving with ragged breaths, Twilight frantically spun around. Where was she? Her voice sounded like it was all around her. "You should have known that I would be watching this one." She snorted. "Especially after I had just told you of my vision."

"Please, you must listen to me," Twilight said, her gaze darting around the library. "I'm not the new threat. There was a cloaked pony in the room with my mortal, and she told me I would find more information about the coming threat in the basement. That's why—"

In the blink of an eye, Mistress was towering over her. "Lies!" she shouted as she lifted Twilight off the ground by her throat. "Nopony entered or left the Town Hall after our gathering but you and your mortal."

Struggling to breathe, Twilight fought the urge to kick for fear of striking her. "I'm...not..."

"I know you've been having visions," Mistress said coolly. Twilight's heart seemed to falter. Her fate was sealed.

Mistress grinned wickedly. "You seem surprised. Do you want to know how I know?" She pulled Twilight so close that their muzzles were touching. "You mumble in your sleep."

With a sudden scream of anger, she threw Twilight into the library door. The door exploded from the force of her impact, and she landed on the hard, cracked ground several yards away.

Wincing as she felt her broken ribs mend themselves, Twilight stood and watched Mistress step out of the library and into the soft moonlight. Raising up on her hind legs, she let loose a deafening bat-like screech that echoed throughout the town. Twilight recognized it immediately; she was summoning the other Ascended.

Although her mind was screaming at her to run, Twilight stood her ground. "I'm not your enemy," she stated firmly. "I won't fight you."

"Good." Mistress's guttural voice was nearly a whisper. "That will make this much more simple."

Mistress propelled herself forward with a powerful flap of her wings and punched Twilight square in the jaw.

She heard as much as felt her jaw snapping from the blow as she was lifted into the air and smashed into the side of a house. She felt herself crash through three walls, and then found herself lying on her back staring up at the starry sky.

Rolling onto her stomach, Twilight watched the gaping wound in her foreleg close as white hot spikes of pain stabbing at her jaw confirmed that the bone was reconstructing itself.

With a moan, Twilight began to crawl away, but stopped at a pair of blue hooves. Lifting her head up, she found Rainbow grinning down at her. Gripping her by the mane, Rainbow roughly yanked her to her hooves and forced her to rear up, pinning her forelegs behind her back.

"Time for a trip to the schoolhouse for you!" Pinkie cried in a singsong voice.

Apple Bloom's small frame fluttered inches from her face. "I've already got the perfect pike chosen for ya."

Dread knotted in the pit of Twilight's stomach as she imagined herself impaled and at the mercy of this heinous creature.

Rarity licked her lips. "I may even stay and watch."

"No," Mistress said, "Twilight deserves better than that."

"Aww, c'mon!" Apple Bloom complained, but at a look from Mistress, she quickly landed and backed behind Pinkie.

"I will kill her myself." Mistress turned away. "Take her to the gorge."

Rarity took one of Twilight's forelegs while Rainbow held onto the other, and then the two of them lifted her into the sky and followed the others.

As soon as they were above the town, Twilight's eyes landed on the Ghastly Gorge in the distance, and knew that Mistress intended to bite her and leave her at the bottom. The gorge ran very deep, and both its walls consisted of steep cliffs. It would probably take her three days to die from the bite, and in her weakened state, she would never be able to climb back out. The Ghastly Gorge would be her tomb.

No! She still had a couple of minutes before they reached the gorge. She needed to think of a way to convince Mistress that she was still loyal. That the dragon was the real threat.

Rainbow and Rarity flew her out to the center of the gorge and hovered in place. Glancing down, Twilight could see the bottom several miles below her. Swallowing hard, she fought against the urge to struggle; she was determined to die with dignity.

Drawing near, Mistress gently placed a hoof against her cheek and simply watched her for a long moment. "This is...unfortunate," she said. "You were always my favorite."

Twilight felt Rainbow's grip on her foreleg tighten painfully at her words. She knew Rainbow had always strove to be the best in Mistress's eyes, and had always resented her for being the first born.

"Before you die, I will allow you to speak." Mistress pulled back several feet. "You deserve that much."

Taken aback, Twilight just stared at her, but quickly composing herself, she closed her eyes and bowed her head. "Thank you, Mistress." Relief washed over her. Now she could freely tell her of the dragon and prove her loyalty.

"There is a dragon," Twilight began, "I don't know where he's from, but I've been seeing him in my dreams. He's small, perhaps still a baby, and doesn't look like much of a threat, but he weakens me just by looking at him." She met Mistress's hard glare. "Just by seeing his picture in the basement, he reduced me to less than an underling. He is the coming threat, and I don't know how any of us can fight him."

Mistress began to laugh. It was a horrible sound—much like a choking dragon. "Who, Spike?" The laughter cut off as she sneered at her. "No, Twilight, Spike only has that effect on you."

What?!

Before Twilight could fully comprehend what she had said, Mistress lunged forward and sank her teeth into her neck. Twilight threw her head back and opened her mouth to scream, but the pain sucked all the air from her lungs. It felt as though fire was being injected into her veins. The horrific burning began in her neck, but soon spread everywhere from her hooves to the end of her tail, and even to the tips of her ears.

As Twilight arched her back from the first spasms of pain, Mistress wrapped all four legs around her, enveloping her strained, heaving body in a deadly embrace. Twilight feebly batted and pulled at her head, but her forelegs soon slipped away as her vision began to waver.

"Farewell, Twilight." Mistress's voice seemed to be echoing from far away. Twilight slowly realized that she had released her, but the pain was only growing worse. Mistress turned away. "Cast her in."

Darkness began to creep around the edges of her vision as she started to fall. She hardly noticed the rushing sound of the wind as it whipped through her mane, nor was she concerned about the rocky ground below that was racing up to meet her. All she knew was the fire burning through her body that seemed to be broiling her insides.

Closing her eyes, Twilight welcomed the black nothingness that greedily engulfed her.

Betrayal

The pain penetrated deep into Twilight's subconsciousness and cruelly wrenched her from the dark void. The fiery throbbing that seemed to burn through every vein traced her body from the nothingness even as she writhed in its vicious grip, and dragged her unceremoniously through oblivion and thrust her into the waking world.

Her eyes flying open wide, she screamed as she felt her every muscle convulsing violently against the horrendous torrents of agony that washed over her. The torment seemed to go on for an eternity; fraying her nerve endings and rending her mind asunder until she was certain that she was in the throes of death.

But as suddenly as it had come, the pain dissipated, leaving her shaken and gasping for breath. Slowly sitting up, she cried out at the sharp stabbing in her neck, and began to tenderly knead the wound with a hoof as she studied her surroundings.

She was sitting on a broken down couch in what appeared to be the ruins of a cottage. A large portion of the ceiling had been ripped away, allowing the pale glow of moonlight to fall upon the various ruined pet beds and birdhouses that were strewn about. She knew the cottage was on the outskirt of town; she passed it every time she entered Ponyville, but how had she gotten here? Why wasn't she lying at the bottom of the Ghastly Gorge? She tried to recount the events leading to her awakening here, but was unable to concentrate through the haze of her mind. All she could remember was Mistress's voice, and then the fall.

Twilight clenched her jaw and breathed through flaring nostrils as the memory of Mistress's bite returned to her. Mistress had already known of the dragon; had even known his name! She hadn't been bothered in the slightest when Twilight had told her of him, or even of the cloaked figure in the Town Hall. She hadn't cared about anything she had said. All she had cared about was that she had touched the Element.

As her thoughts turned to the other Ascended, Twilight slammed a hoof onto a small table beside the couch, snapping it in two with an earsplitting crack of splintering wood. They had been so excited to see Mistress turn on her, despite the fact that they had all served Mistress side by side for over a decade. The memory of her dread and humiliation as the others laughed and jeered was nearly too much to bear.

She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths to calm herself, and when she opened them, she spotted something that made her forget her anger.

Slowly standing on weak legs that felt like they could buckle at any moment, Twilight took several feeble steps toward a large stone oven. Above the oven was a wooden shelf on which stood several framed pictures, and despite the fact that it was her curiosity that had landed her in this current predicament, she could not deny the desire she felt deep within to examine them.

Just as she drew near, she felt something crunch underneath her hoof, and glanced down to find the skeleton of a small animal. Brushing the bones aside impatiently, Twilight frowned as she focused on the pictures.

The first was identical to the picture she had found in the library's basement of her standing with her wings outstretched and the other five pressed closely against her, the second was the yellow pegasus with the pink mane sitting on a blanket in the woods next to a large bear as well as several rabbits and squirrels, and the third showed the same pony holding a little bunny and nuzzling it affectionately.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" With a start, Twilight whipped around to find the most bizarre creature she had ever seen. Everything from his serpentine body, to his limbs, and even his head were an aberrant mishmash of different creatures. “Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for present company. You look like the illegitimate child of a bat and a mule that fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down. Also—” He sniffed the air and made a face— “you reek of stale blood.”

Twilight sneered as she looked the strange creature up and down. "What are you?"

"Oh, how rude." His head snaked forward and he revealed a toothy grin. "But I'm going to assume you meant 'who' are you." He bowed extravagantly. "I am Discord, master of chaos, at your service."

Twilight snorted. "I am first born of Mistress's Ascended. I don't require anypony's 'service'."

"Perhaps you should reconsider." He smirked as he tapped his neck. "You've got a little something right here."

Growling, Twilight kicked the oven, cracking the stone and causing two of the pictures to tumble to the floor. "I would never accept help from such an abomination."

A low chuckle escaped Discord. "You vamponies are an unnatural blight upon this world. An infectious pestilence that was never meant to exist, sucking the life and magic out of the land. You've caused the destiny of all ponies to come to a screeching halt, and have brought the very world to the brink of death." He harrumphed. "Abomination indeed."

"I've had enough of your insults." Twilight crouched low and prepared to lunge at the detestable creature, but a hot spike of pain suddenly slashed through her neck, causing her to fall to the floor with a cry.

"I'm sorry, are you having some sort of difficulty?" Discord asked as he stepped lightly around her. "You may want to have that checked. It doesn't appear to be too healthy."

Twilight struggled back to her hooves, then gingerly turned to face Discord. He was gazing at the picture of the pony and the rabbit with an odd expression.

"Her name was Fluttershy," he told her as he plucked the remaining picture from the shelf and turned it toward her. "She was the kindest and most gentle creature to have ever lived. She gave me a chance when nopony else would...she always believed in me." He hugged the frame to himself. "She was my only real friend, and she made me want to be something greater." He hung his head. "I...I loved her.

"But she was taken before her time. Before she could live out her destiny. Never again will any creature ever feel her love and compassion...the warmth of her kindness." He sighed and placed the picture back on the shelf. "All because of you and this blasted curse."

"You act as though I care," Twilight spat. "I don't."

Discord's face twisted into a mask of rage, but then it relaxed. "No, I don't suppose you do. At least, not anymore." He shook his head. "And to think, when we first met, I actually tried to make you this way."

He waved his claw dismissively. "But no matter. You must accept my help, or your life will end here in this cottage."

Twilight bared her teeth. "Is that a threat?"

"No," Discord replied as he gazed into the remnants of a broken mirror and combed his beard with a claw. "It's the obvious truth." He flinched and quickly spun to face her. "Oh, here comes another."

"Another wh—" With a strangled scream, she crashed to the floor as the fire once again ripped through her body.

"My, my, my," Discord spoke softly as she thrashed on the floor. "What an extraordinary amount of magic you have running throughout your body. I can actually feel the surges as they come."

Twilight wanted nothing more than to kill the arrogant creature standing above her, but her body refused to obey her, instead leaving her at his mercy.

"Contrary to popular belief, this vampirism isn't a disease," Discord went on, hands behind his back and pacing as though he were lecturing a class. "It's magic. Magic created by ponies that didn't fully comprehend what they were dabbling in, but were too imprudent to leave well enough alone. A spell that has gone completely out of control and somehow became sentient."

The torturous pain released her, and Twilight gasped for breath. Trembling uncontrollably, she managed to roll onto her stomach, squeezing her eyes shut against the onset of vertigo.

"Your Mistress is the product of that spell," Discord continued. "When she bit you, the first time I mean..." He smirked. "...your body and mind were corrupted by this magic. It enveloped you and cut you off from Equestrian magic, causing your cutie mark to fade and your horn to shed. It transformed you into a monster."

Massaging her neck, Twilight slowly lifted her head to glare at Discord. "Mistress ascended me to a superior race. Without her, I'd still be a weak mortal, cowering in the shadows."

"But the magic from Mistress's initial bite wasn't enough to sustain you," Discord continued as if he hadn't heard her. "That's why vamponies crave the blood of the living; all ponies have Equestrian magic flowing through their veins." Discord stopped pacing and gave her a sardonic smile. "Ironic, since taking in too much magic, as you did when your loving Mistress bit you a second time, will destroy your body from the inside out."

"Why tell me all of this?" Twilight asked as she struggled to her hooves. "What does it matter?"

"Why, it matters a great deal!" Discord exclaimed as he twirled his beard around a clawed finger. "All spells, even out of control sentient ones, need one thing to function correctly. Do you know what that is?" When Twilight just stared at him blankly, he slapped himself on the forehead. "Oh, that's right, you don't know anything about magic anymore. Silly me." He chuckled to himself. "They need order. Harmony. All components of the spell and its surrounding environment must be perfect for the magic to maintain itself. Such fickle things, really. And I am the master of chaos, and what does chaos do?"

Twilight frowned. "It's...the opposite—"

"It's the opposite of harmony, yes, yes," Discord cut her off. "Please, do try to keep up." He lifted a finger into the air, and the couch she had been lying on suddenly began to dance around the cottage until one of its legs snapped and it crashed spectacularly to the floor. "My magic specializes in making things do what they shouldn't. Just the teeniest amount will interrupt the magical overdose in your body, and you will continue to live pain free for as long as I allow it."

Discord rapped her hard on the head. "I'll explain it so your magically addled brain can keep up. I can stop the magic from killing you, but in return, you must become my little pawn."

With a growl, she shoved his hand away. "Why save me?" she asked, grimacing from another small twinge in her neck. "What do you need me for?"

"I'm glad you brought that up, Twilight! I'm glad you brought that up." He snapped his fingers and the room was filled with a bright light.

Twilight blinked as she found herself inside a dark ravine. Behind her was a steep staircase cut into the cliff wall leading up, and ahead was a large dead tree. Numerous roots stretched out from the tree across the rocky ground, and as she drew near, the glint of moonlight caught her eye.

A steel, hexagonal chest was resting on what appeared to be a wilted flower that connected to the nearest root. Each of its six sides were adorned with a different pattern and a keyhole of varying size, and on the top was a large eight pointed star.

Unable to look away, Twilight reached out and ran a hoof over its smooth surface, and was surprised to feel the warmth that was being emitted from within. Like the Element in the basement, she felt as though it were calling out to her.

"Do not concern yourself with that," Discord suddenly spoke from behind, snapping her from her trance. "It is a relic from the world before vamponies. Whatever treasure fate had intended for you and your friends is forever lost to us now."

Twilight stared at the chest for a moment longer, then reluctantly turned away and followed Discord toward the huge tree. "Where are we?"

"Deep within the remains of the Everfree Forest," Discord answered before waving his paw toward the tree. "I brought you here to see this."

"It's a dead tree."

"It's much more than that."

"Yeah." Twilight nodded, studying the various cracks along the trunk and branches. "It's a very dead tree."

"Actually, it isn't dead. It's comatose," Discord said. "This is the Tree of Harmony. The crux of all life and magic in Equestria."

"So...this is why all the forests died?"

"Yes, and more importantly for your kind, it's the reason why the sun failed." Discord rested his hand on the fissured trunk. "This tree is teetering on the brink of life and death. If it were to die, then all would be lost, but if it were revived..."

"Revived?" So this is what he wants from me. He'll let me live if I agree to help him save his precious tree.

"Yes, revived." Discord turned to face her. "The Tree of Harmony is linked to the Elements of Harmony, and as long as they remain safe, the tree cannot die. But it cannot be revived unless the Elements are gathered and returned here." He indicated the indentions in the wood that would hold the Elements.

With her eyes lingering on the star at its center, Twilight stated, "And you want me to gather these Elements."

"You catch on quick."

Twilight sighed. "Do you know where they are?"

"Mistress came here with the intent of destroying the tree," Discord said, glowering at the memory, "but I managed to get here first. I removed the Elements and tried to send them all to Cloudsdale, where I knew they'd be safe, but Mistress attacked and interrupted my spell. I barely escaped with my own life only to learn that the Elements had been scattered all across Equestria. I've spent the last several years searching for them, but have only located three."

"If you've found three of the Elements, why haven't you retrieved them?"

Discord crossed his arms with an indignant air. "Ever since Mistress damaged the Tree of Harmony, magic in Equestria has been growing weaker. The same goes for myself. I am no longer powerful enough to fight the vamponies." He clenched his fist and gritted his teeth, then seemed to sag. "That is why I need you. I am not capable of saving Equestria on my own. It is the only reason I'd even consider rescuing a creature as wretched as yourself from her fate."

Twilight watched him closely. "And if I agree to recover the Elements for you, you'll stop Mistress's bite from killing me?"

"Yes, but there is a condition that you're not going to like." Discord grinned wickedly. "My magic will interfere with Mistress's spell...all of it. So, while it will save your despicable life, it will also take away all of the benefits of being an Ascended." His smile persisted. "You are going to become the equivalent of a lowly underling."

So...my options are to die, or become a shadow of my former self. And if I choose to live, then I will be forced to seek out the Elements, which in turn would bring back the sun and threaten our rule over Equestria.

A plan quickly began to form in her mind. Mistress already had one of the Elements, so all Twilight needed to do was collect the other five. She would then return to Mistress and tell her of Discord and his plans, and offer the Elements as a gift. That would undoubtedly be enough to get her back into Mistress's good graces, and if the Elements were truly powerful enough to bring back the sun, then Twilight was sure that they could use them to cure her of her bite.

"You'd better make your decision quickly," Discord warned, interrupting her thoughts. "I think I feel another surge swelling inside you."

Her breath caught in her throat. Just the thought of experiencing that terrible pain again made her tremble. "Okay. I'll help you find the Elements."

"Oh?" Discord's eyes went wide as he placed a paw over his heart. Suddenly, his expression turned grim, and she found herself caught in his even, steady gaze. "You'll turn away from the vamponies? You'll give up your position as an Ascended?" He pressed his forehead firmly against hers, his eyes seeming to peer into her very soul. "You'll leave your place by Mistress's side?"

With a clenched jaw, she glared back just as intently. "Yes."

His head snaked away and he stared at her for a long moment. Finally, he said, "Perhaps I should let the magic surge one last time. Just to be certain you'll remember what I'm saving you from."

Twilight's heart stopped. She wanted to plead to Discord, to beg him to stop the pain before it came, but she refused to give him that satisfaction. Tensing her body and waiting for the inevitable torture to rip through her, she sneered at her despicable new ally. "So be it."

Without warning, Discord burst into a fit of laughter. Floating toward her, he threw an arm around her shoulders. "Oh, Twilight! Why must you always be so serious?" A small shimmering white ball of light appeared in the center of his talon. "Open wide."

Hesitating for only a moment, Twilight opened her mouth and allowed him to toss the ball of light inside. Her entire face went numb almost instantly, and then she felt a warmth spread throughout her body. An unexpected stab of pain in her throat caused her to retch, and a bolt of lightning shot out and struck the wall, showering them with chunks of rock and dust.

Discord jumped back from her, then began to laugh and clap fervently. "My, my, my! What a marvelous little side effect! I do so hope it happens again."

"I don't," Twilight managed between gasps. She wiggled her nose and poked at her face until the feeling returned, then frowned. "I don't feel any different. How do I know it worked?"

"Because you don't feel that crippling pain," Discord replied. "But I'll warn you now; the spell can no longer hurt you because my magic has tied its hooves, so to speak, but if you ever displease me, I'll remove the bonds, and the ensuing surge will undoubtedly kill you on the spot." He gave her a meaningful look. "Unfortunately for you, the same would happen if I were to suffer some sudden, tragic fate. I suggest you remember that.

"Anywho, now that you are safe, for the moment at least, I need you to prove your dedication to my cause. I recently felt the Element of Magic pulse, as though it had reacted to something, somewhere in Ponyville. I'm sure it's in Mistress's possession." He ruffled her mane. "Now, I'm concerned that you may still be on Team Mistress, so I want you to sneak into Ponyville and steal the Element right out from under Mistress's nose. If you return to the cottage where you awoke with the Element, then I will happily welcome you to Team Discord."

A small flag with his face on it suddenly appeared in the air and he began to cheer and wave it as two small fireworks exploded behind him, then he tossed it over his head and continued. "I'll give you three hours and then I'll withdraw my magic, and yes, I can do that from any distance. So, if you want to continue living, you'll be back with the Element of Magic before your time runs out. Understand?"

Twilight turned away. "You'll get your Element," she said before she spread her wings and leaped into the air.

As she neared the treetops, she glanced back and noticed that Discord had sat down on a root and was rubbing his head. She smirked. Perhaps he'd used a bit too much of his magic showing off for her. If that were the case, then she would be able to overpower him easily enough when the time came.

Turning her attention to the task at hoof, Twilight immediately noticed a difference in her wing strokes. Even flapping them as hard as she could, she was unable to fly as quickly as she had been mere hours ago.

This realization left her feeling...strange. She would have thought that she would feel angry about her new limitations, but it was instead something far more profound. It was as if she had lost a piece of herself, and its absence left her feeling hollow inside.

Already, she was beginning to lose faith in her plan. She had hoped that returning with the Elements would make her current vulnerability appear trivial, but that was no longer an option. Mistress held no patience for weakness, and without the Elements in her possession, she feared that she would be dismissed as insignificant, and possibly even killed.

Regardless, Twilight would inform Mistress of Discord’s plans. Even if it meant her death, she could not allow the sun to return. She refused to be the pony that wrenched the vamponies' rule away, and if she was going to die, then it would be she, not Discord, that would decide the when and how.

Several loud howls snapped her from her thoughts, and scanning the skeletal trees below, she spotted a unicorn being pursued by three underlings. Twilight's fangs began to drip as she recognized the unicorn as the mortal that she had spared in the Town Hall.

Fate, it seemed, was not without mercy, and had delivered the delectable unicorn blood to her a second time. Twilight banked sharply and began to descend upon the mortal.

She landed mere yards ahead of the fleeing unicorn, and licked her lips as the terrified mare skidded to a stop before her. Gripping the mortal by the mane, she cruelly yanked her head back to expose the neck, then sneered at the underlings. "This one is mine. Leave now."

The underlings hesitated, torn between obeying an Ascended and their desire to taste unicorn blood, but after enduring her intense glare for several moments, they reluctantly flew away.

The unicorn struggled in her grip enough to turn one golden eye toward her. "Twilight, please don't do this. The real you is still in there somewhere, I know it. That's why you let me go."

"Shut up," Twilight breathed as she stared in rapture at the bare throat before her. The artery pulsed with each heartbeat, and the smell of the blood hidden behind nothing more than a layer of soft flesh was intoxicating. And it was all hers.

"You've got to fight it, Twilight," the mare persisted. "I know you can. If anypony can come back from a vampony, it's Princess Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight yanked the unicorn's head back hard, causing her to cry out. "That wretched mortal is gone. I have no need for her." She closed her eyes and pressed her nose against the fur. She wanted this...no, she needed this. One last taste of mortal blood before her own life ended. She deserved nothing less.

"Stop, vampony scum!" shouted an unexpected voice from behind, "or the Great Vampony Hunter Trixie shall slay you!"

Allowing the mare to fall to the ground, Twilight turned with a menacing growl to face the foolish newcomer. She had never heard of this Trixie, but if she thought she was a great vampony hunter, it was only because she hadn't yet encountered an Ascended.

Upon seeing her face lit clearly in the moonlight, Trixie's eyes went wide. "Twilight!" she gasped. She stumbled backward, but then her gaze shifted to the unicorn still lying on the ground and her features hardened. "Lyra, are you okay?"

"Yeah," Lyra managed as she slowly climbed to her hooves.

"Good," Trixie replied as two large battle axes unstrapped themselves from her back and levitated over her head. "Now, run. I'll hold Twilight off."

Lyra shook her head. "I won't leave you."

"Go!" Trixie cried as Twilight took her first step toward her.

"But you'll—" Lyra began.

"Lyra, please...let me do this."

Twilight frowned as Lyra hesitated, then nodded and swiftly retreated. Why had Trixie pleaded to fight? Did Lyra rule over her? But then why would Lyra be so reluctant to leave?

Trixie closed her eyes with a sigh and whispered, "Thank Celestia." Twilight's frown deepened as she cocked her head to one side. What was this?

Whirling and slashing through the air, the axes lowered and crossed themselves in front of Trixie. She tilted her horn in Twilight's direction as her eyes narrowed. "Now, the Great Vampony Hunter Trixie shall give you the most tremendous fight of your life."

Twilight said nothing as she pushed her questions aside and braced herself for the attack. She had battled several skilled unicorn fighters since her awakening, and knew that she must press toward her opponent at all costs. To fall back or become too defensive was a sure death. Every unicorn had the same weakness, and if she could exploit it, she would win.

The axes suddenly flashed forward with alarming speed, a cyclone of blades hurtling toward her with deadly precision. Crouching low to the ground, Twilight soared over the weapons with a powerful beat of her wings, deftly rolling to the side to avoid a razor sharp edge as they veered upward after her.

With a start, she felt the blade cut her mane as it shot by. Raising a hoof to her hair in disbelief, she was forced to flip to avoid the second axe that came from behind, and felt the sting of a shallow cut on her cheek as it missed by less than an inch. Never before had a hunter come so close to a lethal blow. Was Trixie truly more skilled than any other hunter Twilight had faced?

It was then that the realization struck her like a bolt of lightning, and with it came an icy dread.

While Trixie was an adept fighter that fought with amazing accuracy and speed, that wasn't enough for her to defeat an Ascended. But Twilight wasn't an Ascended anymore. Discord's magic was hindering her; she wasn't as fast or as strong as she was used to being. How could she have forgotten so easily?

Twilight allowed herself to plummet from the air to dodge the next attack, her hooves cracking the dry ground at their impact. Meeting Trixie's determined gaze, it occurred to Twilight that this hunter was more than a match for an underling, and that she could very well die here.

A sudden rage erupted from deep within her at the thought of falling by Trixie's hooves. If she were to die, it would be by Mistress or one of the Ascended, not this sniveling little hunter. Twilight could not allow such an undignified death to fall upon her.

As an axe rocketed straight toward her face, Twilight snarled savagely and caught the blade with her hooves. She gritted her teeth as she struggled against the powerful spell fueling the axe forward, and became infuriated with the knowledge that her Ascended strength could have ripped this weapon from its magical grip with ease.

Her ears perking up, Twilight heard the second axe approaching from behind and threw herself to the side. The clang of the two blades striking was nearly deafening, but Twilight heard something over the noise that made her grin. Trixie had cried out.

Twilight knew that Trixie had just experienced a surge as the weapons collided and launched herself toward her adversary before she could recover.

Startled, Trixie stumbled back and quickly unsheathed a dagger, but Twilight blocked the blade with a foreleg. Gritting her teeth, she ignored the pain as it sank deep into her flesh, and she brought up her other leg to strike Trixie in the horn. With a cry, Trixie crumpled as the axes fell harmlessly to the ground. Pressing her advantage, Twilight stomped on the unicorn's exposed side several times before kicking her onto her back.

Baring her fangs, Twilight gripped Trixie by the throat. Hunters always dusted their manes with Vampony’s Bane, and only a foolish underling would try to feed without first killing them. She licked her lips as she watched Trixie’s eyes begin to bulge in their sockets; in mere moments the unicorn’s blood would be hers.

Without warning, something heavy cracked against her skull. Stumbling over Trixie and falling to the ground, Twilight rolled onto her back to find a thick tree branch hovering over her. Quickly rolling to the side as the branch slammed into the spot she had been lying, Twilight hastily climbed to her hooves and snatched the branch as it swung at her again and snapped it in two.

"That was foolish," Twilight said as she rounded on a terrified Lyra. "Once again you had a chance to escape and yet here you are." Her tongue ran the length of her fang. "You seem all too eager to give me your blood."

Lyra frantically tilted her horn toward a huge rock and hurled it at Twilight, but she caught it effortlessly and launched it back at the unicorn. With a scream, Lyra threw herself to the ground to avoid being smashed, and Twilight quickly pinned her.

"Lyra, no!" Trixie cried from behind. Turning, Twilight found the hunter trying to climb to her hooves. "You were supposed to run!"

Twilight frowned as she watched Trixie regain her hooves only to fall with a pained groan. Why was she so worried about Lyra's safety? Didn't she care for her own life?

She studied Lyra closely. The unicorn was obviously very scared, Twilight could see it in her eyes and in the way her body trembled. But then, why hadn't she ran?

"Twilight, please," Trixie gasped as she slowly rose and limped forward, "let her go. You have me...isn't that enough?"

Ignoring her, Twilight turned her full attention to Lyra. "You have been spared twice. Did you really believe that you would survive a third encounter with me?"

"No," Lyra answered in a shaky voice, "but I didn't care. I couldn't leave Trixie to die." She swallowed hard and her tone grew firmer. "I had to try. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to live with myself."

Twilight simply stared at the mortal. She had expected overconfidence or a naive belief that she could escape a third time to be her reasoning, but not...this.

"You would give your life for her?" Twilight asked uncertainly.

"I would," Lyra confirmed strongly, her fear replaced with determination. "She's my friend, and I'd do anything for her."

"Friend?" Twilight breathed.

A look of understanding slowly dawned on Lyra's face. "You don't remember your friends, do you, Twilight? Your ties were so strong. Your feelings so deep. It was always such an inspiration to me."

"My friends?" Twilight's mind went back to the picture of the six of them standing together. "They were...my friends?"

...when I realized that you all...are my friends!
...but you're my number one assistant, and friend.
We've learned that friendship isn't always easy…

Twilight shook her head as her mind was assaulted by the fragmented memories, and she suddenly recalled the strange emotions that Spike evoked within her.

Were those feelings what constituted friends? Had she at one time felt similar feelings for those other ponies? Was that what Lyra and Trixie felt for one another now?

An underling unexpectedly swooped into view from above. Circling above and surveying the situation, he landed beside Trixie and bared his fangs. With a cry of surprise, Trixie toppled over and watched wide-eyed as he advanced.

"Trixie, no!" Lyra shouted. She gripped Twilight's uninjured foreleg. "Twilight, please—"

Twilight pulled her leg free of the mortal with disgust, then called to the underling, "Stop." The underling turned and bowed, clearly still believing her to be an Ascended. "I have unfinished business with that one." She indicated Lyra. "You may feed on this one."

"No..." she heard Lyra moan from behind.

“Yes, Twilight,” the underling said as he turned from Trixie and started toward Lyra.

Stepping aside to allow the underling to pass her, Twilight gripped the dagger still embedded in her foreleg and in one swift action, pulled it free and plunged it into his neck.

As the underling reared up in shock and clawed at his throat, Twilight viciously smashed his head against a tree. She slammed it into the trunk twice more before hearing the wet crunch of his splitting skull, and then flung the twitching corpse to the ground.

"Sweet Celestia," Trixie whispered, her jaw hanging open.

Twilight turned to find Lyra regarding her with renewed terror. "Get your...friend and get out of here."

Lyra blinked. "What? You're letting—"

"I said go," Twilight snapped. "Ask any of your stupid questions and I will kill you both."

With a vigorous nod, Lyra hastily climbed to her hooves and hurried to Trixie. As she helped her friend stand, she said, "Thank you, Twilight."

Instead of answering, Twilight turned her back and leaped into the air. As the first structures of Ponyville came into view, she struggled to make sense of her decision.

What am I doing? I just let two unicorns go. Unicorns! Where are these feelings coming from, and why, after all of these years, are my memories only now surfacing? What's happening to me?

She had wanted unicorn blood so badly that her fangs had ached, but once those fragmented memories had come, she had completely forgotten her thirst. She fretted for a short moment about what it would mean to lose her thirst until she remembered the bizarre nature of Discord's magic. If it could make a couch dance or cause her to belch a lightning bolt, then it was entirely possible that it could be the reason for the loss of her appetite.

As for her killing the underling, he had gotten what he deserved. It was unforgivable for an underling to interrupt an Ascended while she fed, and Twilight had swiftly dealt his penalty. His death had nothing to do with the mortals.

Satisfied with these self-explanations, Twilight swooped toward the street and landed gingerly in front of the Town Hall. She glanced at her foreleg and found the wound from the Elementium dagger was still open. With a frown, she watched a single drop of blood form and begin to run down her leg, then shrugged off the pain and marched up the stairs. She had suffered much more grievous wounds in the past, and would not allow such an insignificant injury to slow her.

Twilight paused just long enough to wipe the blood on the thick, black curtain covering the door frame before shoving it aside and entering the deserted room.

Scanning the room to ensure that nopony was hidden in shadow or on the ruined balconies above, Twilight caught sight of the Element of Magic laying on the seat of the stone throne. The jewel was still its muted, gray color, but unlike last time, it did not pulsate as she drew near.

"Look who's returned from the dead," came Mistress's deep, guttural voice as she emerged from the curtain on the far side of the room. At her side with her back straight, chest thrust out, and head held high was Rainbow Dash.

"Mistress," Twilight began. "I have information that—"

"Shut your mouth," Rainbow growled, looking at her as though she were a grub writhing on the floor. "You will not speak until Mistress allows it."

Afraid of angering Mistress, Twilight bit back her retort. Watching Rainbow sneer at her as she strutted alongside Mistress, Twilight found it hard to believe that she had ever felt for her what she felt for Spike.

"I've been aware of Discord and his foolish plans for some time," Mistress said. "I doubt you have anything useful to add."

"What?!" Twilight exclaimed, nearly rocked from her hooves. "You knew?"

Mistress grinned wickedly. "He's been lurking about just outside of town for a while now, sneaking in to search for the Element when he thinks it empty." She picked up the Element and held it up for Twilight to see. "I foresaw his coming in my dreams and placed this in the library's basement, knowing that he would never venture that far into town."

She tossed the Element back onto the throne. "He only still lives because I cannot find him. He knows that I can track him with his magic, and he somehow interferes with it. He can make me sense him in places that he's never been." Standing before her, Mistress prodded her painfully in the chest. "That's where you come in.

"I knew that he would not be able to resist the chance to turn one of my Ascended against me, so all I had to do was provide him with one." Mistress began to walk a small circle around her. "I don't know what possessed you to meddle with the Element, but it matters not. I had already chosen you as the Ascended I would sacrifice. It was clear that the dreams of your little dragon were chipping away at you, and soon you would have become little more than a liability."

A numbness enveloped Twilight as her heart seemed to come to a halt. Despite everything that she had done for her over the past decade, Mistress had 'chosen' her to be discarded and left for Discord's use.

That’s all I am to her, all I ever was. Bait. A piece of refuse cast into the gorge to fish out an enemy.

"But you haven't outlived your usefulness quite yet," Mistress continued. "There is still one last thing you are going to do for me." She turned away and began to walk toward the curtain at the back of the room. "You are going to tell Rainbow here exactly where Discord is, and then we'll be paying him a little visit."

As Rainbow stepped forward and cracked her hooves threatening, Twilight glared at the back of Mistress's head. "I was willing to die for you," she spat, shaking as a seething rage bubbled from deep within.

Mistress stopped and glanced back at her. "Well, now here's your chance." She turned to Rainbow. "Get the information, then kill her." Without another word, she disappeared behind the curtain.

Rainbow laughed as Twilight lowered into a defensive crouch. "Mistress told me that Discord's magic has weakened you." She spread her wings and grinned. "This is gonna be fun." Then she shot toward Twilight with lightning speed.

Overcome with an anger unlike anything she had ever felt before, Twilight grabbed Rainbow's mane, allowed herself to fall backward to the floor, and with a hind leg in Rainbow's stomach, flipped her across the room. Carried by her own momentum, Rainbow crashed into the wall with enough force to cause the crumbled balcony above to collapse on top of her.

In a fury, Twilight lifted the stone throne, and crossing the room in a few quick beats of her wings, slammed it down on Rainbow's back just as she emerged from the debris. The solid stone split in half from the force of the impact, and Rainbow collapsed and remained unmoving.

Hastily, Twilight scooped up the Element from the floor and soared out through a window, the shattering glass sounding like a cannon in the silent town.

Rainbow wouldn't be down for long, and Twilight knew that she couldn't fight her head on. No underling was a match for an Ascended. Her only chance was to reach Discord before Rainbow found her.

As she approached the outskirts of town, Twilight swooped toward the dried riverbed and took refuge under the partially collapsed bridge. Curling up beneath the largest portion of the bridge, Twilight struggled to make herself as small as possible, and then held still.

Mere seconds later, Rainbow slowed to a halt directly above her. "You can't hide forever, Twilight!" she shouted into the night. "I will find you, and I will return to Mistress with your head! Do you hear me, Twilight? I will never stop hunting you!"

It took all of Twilight's will to keep herself from rushing out to meet Rainbow's challenge. The humiliation of hiding from another vampony was almost too much to bear, but she knew that it was necessary to survive.

And she needed to survive. She wanted to take everything from Mistress, to make her feel small and powerless as her world fell apart around her. And she wanted to be there, to ensure that Mistress knew that it had been she that destroyed her.

Twilight clenched the Element of Magic tightly as she watched Rainbow disappear into the dead forest. She would collect the Elements of Harmony for Discord. She would help to revive the tree and bring back the sun.

And Mistress and the Ascended would die by her hooves.

Unlikely Alliance

Applejack lowered into a defensive crouch, her dagger up and ready. She stared defiantly into Luna's cruel gaze, and scowled as the Ascended's grin widened.

"You intend to fight me?" Luna began to laugh, but it was cut short as the second armored vampony slammed onto the balcony, its armor dented and scorched.

Spike landed easily beside Applejack, standing tall and gripping his sword with both hands.

"We ain't ones for givin' up," Applejack said with firm resolve.

Spike growled, tendrils of fire curling from his partially opened mouth. "We'll fight until our last breath."

"Oh, of that I have no doubt," Rarity said as she strutted into the room, her head held high and her face lacking any sign of injury. "But the true question is: are you intelligent enough to refrain from fighting so that you may breath a while longer?"

Applejack's gaze snapped back to Luna's. "What does she mean?"

Luna ignored the question and instead asked one of her own. "Why have you come here?"

When Applejack hesitated, Rarity suddenly smiled. "It became apparent rather quickly that the two of you were something special. You escaped an Ascended, and killed at least a half dozen underlings before we caught you." Her gaze shifted to the smoldering remains lying on the balcony. "You even bested two of Luna's elite guard."

"And now I will ask again; why have you come here?" Luna's eyes moved from Applejack to Spike. "What reason could there be for mortals to come to Canterlot?"

Spike nudge Applejack's flank with his elbow. "C'mon, tell them. If they were gonna kill us, they would have done it by now."

Applejack shot a warning glance at Spike, then stepped forward off of the balcony and into what appeared to be a servant’s bedroom, both of them still holding their weapons defensively. She glowered at the two unmoving Ascended. "Why should I tell ya'll anythin'? I've got no reason to trust ya."

"Perhaps a peace offering will convince you?" Rarity said as she backed out into the hall and picked something up. "I'm sure you missed this during your little rampage." She held up Applejack's halberd for them to see, then tossed it toward them.

Letting her dagger fall to the floor, Applejack caught the weapon with ease, and hastily turned the blade toward Luna, watching the two Ascended warily. When neither of them moved, she strapped it onto her back, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Spike sheath his sword.

"I don't get it,” Applejack said, regarding them with equal amounts of distrust and curiosity. “What could ya'll possibly gain by lettin' us live? What do ya care if we're 'somethin' special'?"

"As you and your dragon friend were tearing through the castle, slaying underlings as though they were nothing, Rarity and I made a hasty decision." Luna's eyes narrowed. "One that we may still retract."

"I'm sure by now you've noticed the absence of the twenty some odd underlings that were right behind you in the hall above," Rarity said. "We called them off and sent those two elites after you as a sort of test."

"And you did not disappoint," Luna finished. "Now, it just so happens that we could use somepony, such as yourselves, to help us with a certain problem." She raised to her full height and bared her fangs. "I will not ask this again; why have you come here?"

Applejack studied the two Ascended for a moment longer, then finally said, "We came here lookin' for the Phoenix Heart."

The two Ascended blinked and looked at one another. "What is a Phoenix Heart?" Luna asked.

"It's a gem that was formed when Princess Celestia's pet phoenix died protectin' her," Applejack explained. "We believe the princess was in the throne room when Mistress attacked the castle and we were tryin' to pick up her trail."

Rarity cocked an eyebrow. "Who is Princess—"

Luna silenced her with a raised hoof. "She was my sister. The ruler of the day." As a look of understanding dawned on Rarity's face, Luna rolled her eyes and turned back to Applejack. "I believe I know what you are referring to. There is some sort of stone in the east tower that emits a light that burns us upon touch. It must be the Phoenix Heart."

"The east tower?!" Spike exclaimed. "What in the hay was Celestia doing up there?"

Applejack adjusted her hat. "Are ya proposin' a deal?"

Luna nodded. "Just a short while ago, Mistress had a bit of a...falling out with her first born Ascended, Twilight."

“Twilight!” Spike breathed, his eyes going wide, but as both of the Ascended turned to look at him, he quickly composed himself. “Uh, I’ve heard of her. Nasty piece of work.”

Rarity stared at him for a moment longer, then said, “For reasons that elude us, Twilight meddled with an Element that Mistress was hiding in the library." She smiled. "It did not end well for her."

Spike gulped. "Is she...dead?"

"Unfortunately, no," Luna growled.

"Mistress bit her, which would ordinarily kill even an Ascended," Rarity said, "but Twilight seems to have allied herself with a being named Discord—"

"What?!" Applejack and Spike shouted in unison.

"Discord's alive?" Applejack exchanged wide-eyed looks with Spike. "But where the hay has he been all this time?"

"And if he's been loose without the threat of the Elements turning him to stone, then why hasn't he already turned the world upside down?" Spike asked.

"Enough!" Luna stomped a hoof, causing a book on a nearby shelf to fall to the floor. "Discord is none of our concern. It is Twilight that is the true threat."

"Yes," Rarity agreed. "According to Mistress, Discord has become rather weak, but he cannot be dismissed entirely. He did save Twilight, after all."

"And if somepony would have told me that sooner, then Twilight would be dead and we would have her Element." Luna gnashed her teeth. "I can't believe I fell for her ruse!"

Rarity brushed her dingy mane aside indignantly. "I got the information to you as quickly as I could. I only just learned of her weakness myself." She growled. "Mistress doesn't confide in me the way she does Rainbow."

"Uh...guys?" Spike interjected, turning their attention back to him. "You kinda lost us."

Luna huffed. "Discord used his magic to save Twilight, but it affected her Ascended abilities. She's now as weak as a typical underling. Apparently, Twilight is now gathering the Elements of Harmony for Discord in return for him saving her life."

"Gatherin' the Elements?" Applejack repeated. "But they should all be with the Tree of Harmony."

"I haven't heard anything about a Tree of Harmony," Rarity said, "but Mistress told me the Elements have been scattered. One was in her possession until recently, but Twilight managed to take it and escape Rainbow Dash, despite Rainbow's superior strength and speed."

"Awesome!" Spike blurted out. He grinned sheepishly when everypony turned their gazes to him and cleared his throat. “I mean, that fight must have been awesome.” He laughed nervously. "So, um, what does Discord want with the Elements?"

"Twilight thinks he wants to return them all to a tree, which I can only assume is the Tree of Harmony you've mentioned, but I believe he is lying," Luna answered. "If I can attain the Elements and learn to harness their power, then I will destroy Mistress and take my rightful place as ruler of this world.”

“And what, exactly, would that mean for Sanctuary and the other pony settlements?” Applejack asked.

Luna shrugged. “That would depend on whether or not you help us acquire the Elements.”

Applejack frowned. “So, ya’ll want us to find the Elements and bring them back here in exchange for the Phoenix Heart?”

“Not quite,” Luna replied. “As I said, Twilight is already collecting the Elements for Discord. You only need to get one. Once you have it, it will only be a matter of time before Twilight comes to acquire it. When she does, I want you to kill her and take the remaining Elements from her.”

“You want us to kill the first born Ascended?!” Spike asked incredulously.

Rarity shook her head. “You forget, Twilight is no longer an Ascended. She is no more powerful than an average underling—" she glanced between the two of them—"and we’ve seen how well you are at dispatching those.”

Luna stepped forward. "Twilight has caused me countless grievances since my awakening, but I have suffered her insolence long enough." Her lips curled, fully displaying her fangs. "If you want the Phoenix Heart, you must kill her."

Applejack's brow furrowed and her eyes shifted to the far wall as she contemplated Luna's words.

The stories of Twilight and the horrors she had committed were innumerable. She was known to have led the assault against Canterlot, and she had played a crucial role in the fall of The Crystal Empire. Princess Cadance herself had told Applejack how she and Shining Armor had only barely escaped Twilight by encasing her inside one of Shining Armor's shields just long enough for them to reach the Crystal Caverns and disappear within its complex intertwining tunnels.

Twilight had become a heinous, apathetic monster, and Equestria could only benefit from her death. She deserves to be freed from this blasted curse, and if what these two are telling me is true, then I ain't ever gonna have a better chance to do it.

As for the Elements, Applejack felt fairly certain that neither Luna nor Rarity would be able to figure out how to use them. They probably couldn't work anyway. With Fluttershy dead and the others turned, there was a good possibility that the Elements would be about as useful as a wooden frying pan, and she saw no disadvantage with trading them for the Phoenix Heart.

Applejack turned a steely gaze to Luna. "I want proof that the Phoenix Heart is where you say it is."

"Applejack!" Spike gasped. "You're not seriously considering killing—"

"Not now, Spike," Applejack interrupted.

Luna indicated Rarity. "She will take you to the east tower so that you can see the stone for yourself. Then you will be escorted out of the castle, and if you return without the Elements, you will be killed."

"I'll need my backpack," Spike said. "I left it near the dungeons."

"Very well," Luna said as she turned to leave the room. "I will take you to your things and lead you to the castle gates. Your friend can meet us there."

"Now wait just one second," Applejack said as she quickly snatched her dagger from the floor, sheathed it, and followed Luna into the hall. She quickly skidded to a halt at the sight of a dozen vamponies lining the hall, and cautiously placed a hoof on the shaft of her halberd. "We haven't agreed to anythin' yet."

A low growl escaped Rarity. "What more do we need to discuss?"

Upon hearing Rarity growl, several of the vamponies began to hiss, but Luna rounded on them and said, in a loud and authoritative tone, “You are no longer needed. Disperse, now!”

With a flurry of wings, the vamponies took to the air and soared to the end of the hall and out of sight.

Applejack watched them go, then released the shaft of her weapon and focused her gaze on Luna once more. "If we do this. If we kill Twilight and bring you the Elements, how can we be sure that you'll keep your end of the bargain?"

With a snort, Luna replied, "That accursed stone burns anypony that goes near it. I don't know what it does or why you want it, but I want it out of my castle. I have no reason to keep it."

"Can't argue with that," Spike muttered, eyeing the end of the corridor from which the vamponies had vanished.

"So, it is settled?" Luna asked. "You will kill Twilight in exchange for the Phoenix Heart?"

"And deliver the Elements," Rarity interjected, hastily stepping forward with a hoof raised. When Luna cast a frown her way, she harrumphed and swept her mane back. “You don’t want to forget them.”

"Yes…” Luna turned back to Applejack. “Kill Twilight and deliver the Elements in exchange for the Phoenix Heart. Deal?”

"It's a deal," Applejack said, trying her best not to look at the anxious expression on Spike's face.

A wide, almost hungry smile, spread across Luna’s face. "Rarity will take you to the east tower now. Your dragon friend and I will meet you at the castle gates."

Spike turned to Applejack. "Are you sure you want to split up right now?" he asked, wringing his hands and casting a quick glance back at Luna.

Applejack placed a hoof on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile. "It's okay, Spike. We're safe, for now. They ain't gonna try anythin', I'm sure of it."

With a small smile of his own, Spike placed his claw on her hoof. "Okay. I'll see you in a bit."

"See ya," Applejack said as Spike started down the corridor. As he reached the end, he cast a worried look back her way. She met his eyes and gave a firm nod. Her resolve strengthening his own, he returned the nod and followed Luna around the corner.

Applejack remained still for several moments. She had been confident in the decision to split up, but now that Spike was gone, uneasy was worming its way into her conviction.

"Am I taking you to the Phoenix Heart or not?" Rarity asked. "I do have better things to be doing."

"Like conspirin' against your own kind?" Applejack retorted as she turned to face the Ascended.

Rarity chuckled. "A vampony's loyalty should remain with herself." Rarity turned and started down the hall. "There will soon be a shift in power among Mistress and the Ascended. We can all feel it. It would be foolish not to make the necessary preparations to come out on top."

Applejack studied Rarity closely. "That sounds like somethin' is stirrin' with or without the Elements."

Rarity cast her a sidelong glance. "That's nothing a mere mortal such as yourself needs to be concerned with," she stated matter-of-factly. "What should concern you is aligning yourself with the winning side. And if you were to help me gain power, I wouldn't soon forget it."

"That's real encouragin'," Applejack mumbled, "comin' from a vampony who literally just admitted that she has no qualms 'bout betrayal."

Without warning, Rarity came to a sudden halt and laughed. Her laughter, which sounded hauntingly similar to the Rarity Applejack remembered, reverberated off of the stone walls and seemed to fill the corridor.

After several moments, Rarity managed to gain control of herself, and gasping as she wiped a tear from her eye, favored Applejack with a disarming smile. "Oh, my...yes, you did catch me in a bit of a contradiction, didn't you?" A small giggle escaped her before she fully recomposed herself. "You mortals are much more observant than most vamponies give you credit for.

"While it is true that I would not hesitate to do whatever is necessary to gain power, that doesn't mean that I wouldn't be grateful." Rarity started off once again. "You know, with the exception of Mistress, nopony ever considers how the consequences of our actions may affect the mortals. But as the years have gone by, I've begun to take a deeper appreciation for them."

"Yeah," Applejack grunted, "I've heard the rumors."

A sly smile spread across Rarity's face. "I admit that I sometimes...indulge in the occasional handsome stallion, but that isn't what I'm referring to." Rarity looked her up and down. "You mortals are surprisingly resourceful, but your leadership is a bit lackluster, don't you think? That princess of yours seems content with simply holding her crown. In all of these years, she hasn't even once tried to take even the smallest bit of Equestria back for you."

Applejack scowled. "It would be kinda hard seein' as how you vamponies have killed nearly every livin' thing in the world. It's all we can do to find enough food and water to go round."

"And yet, you survive," Rarity said. "And not only that, you're even able to produce capable, admirable fighters, such as yourself." She gave Applejack a playful wink. "But imagine for a moment, if a vampony came forward to lead you. One who's steadfastly ambition would reignite hope in your hearts, and inspire you to follow her gallant stand against Mistress and ultimately free you from her oppression."

Applejack simply stared at Rarity. Could she be serious? If even a small group of vamponies were willing to exist peacefully alongside the living, it would change every aspect of life. And if they fought side-by-side to defeat Mistress...that would surely send ripples through both the vampony hierarchy and the living settlements and set all of Equestria down a new and vastly improved path.

After enduring Applejack's stare for a full minute, Rarity glanced hastily at her and then brushed at her mane almost nervously. "Well, perhaps I'm over-romanticizing the idea a bit."

"What's Luna think 'bout all this?" Applejack asked.

Rarity rolled her eyes. "Luna? She'll sit in this castle, plotting and scheming for years, but she'll never take any real action. She's too afraid, despite whatever she'd have you think. That's how Twilight was able to bluff her way out of their previous encounter. But seeing as she's the weakest of the Ascended, I suppose it's understandable that she fears us so."

Applejack cocked her head. "Then why are you here?"

"I've been giving Luna mostly irrelevant information about Mistress and the other Ascended, feeding her thirst for vengeance while slowly gaining her trust. It is my hope to eventually...procure her underling followers and use them to carry out my own plans."

"Hmm..." Applejack adjusted her hat. "Seems kinda risky tellin' me this."

"Do you really care whether or not I betray Luna?" Rarity smirked. "Besides, I can offer you much more than Luna ever could."

"I'm listenin'," Applejack said.

Rarity gave her a meaningful look. "I need to capture your princess. Alive, of course," she quickly added at the expression on Applejack's face. "She's much more valuable to me alive. Once I have her, I will be able to take her place as ruler over the mortals, and then I can prepare you all for the battle against Mistress.

"What I need you to do is lure the princess out of hiding. I know she resides in the clouds somewhere, but nopony knows where. If you help me capture her alive, I will allow you to rule at my side."

Applejack shook her head. "I ain't gonna betray Princess Cadance. But if ya really want to align with us, I can act as a negotiator between the two of ya until we come to an agreement. She trusts me, so I'm sure I can convince her you want Mistress gone as much as we do."

Rarity opened a door that led to a spiral staircase. "I won't ally myself to somepony as weak as your princess."

"She's not weak," Applejack retorted curtly as she followed the Ascended up the stairs.

"She's had a little over a decade to resist Mistress, but she's hardly done more than eke out a living for you mortals." Rarity sneered. "She has failed you all. Surely you must realize this?"

Her mind begrudgingly shifting to Rocksteady and the other residents of Carriage Town, Applejack said with as much confidence as she could muster, "She's doin' the best she can."

With a snort, Rarity led the way up the rest of the staircase in silence. At the top, she came to a halt beside a door. "I can go no further. Open the door and have your look, but don't even think about entering the hall."

Applejack cracked the door open enough to fit her head through, and gasped as a flickering light and comforting heat caressed her face. Memories of countless campfires shared with family and friends flooded her mind, and she closed her eyes and smiled as yellow and orange kaleidoscopes adorned the insides of her eyelids. The heat warmed her face with a gentle glow that she hadn't felt in what seemed a lifetime.

Taking a deep breath to stifle her elevating emotions, Applejack opened her eyes and studied the source of the alluring light and heat.

It was a large, red crystal heart, nearly identical to the Crystal Heart that Applejack had seen several times while visiting the Crystal Empire. Floating in the center of the hall about a foot off the floor and rotating as if it sat on an invisible axis, the Phoenix Heart pulsated the heat and light not unlike a beating heart. Her thoughts straying to Philomena, she felt a sudden deep-rooted sorrow that the prerequisite for this wondrous treasure had been such a terrible sacrifice.

"Satisfied?" Rarity said from behind, jerking Applejack from her thoughts.

With a last longing look at the Phoenix Heart, Applejack stepped back and shut the door. "Yeah."

Rarity frowned at the expression on Applejack's face. For a long moment, her eyes shifted back and forth between her and the door, and then, slowly and deliberately, she spoke, "I will allow you to leave with the heart right now in exchange for your Princess Cadance." She watched Applejack closely. "You can slip it into your bag, and once you and Spike have been safely escorted out of the city, I will meet you at the base of the mountain."

Applejack's breath caught as her heart leaped into her throat. She could have the Phoenix Heart right now! All she had to do was give Rarity Cadance, and then she was free to cure Apple Bloom. It would be so easy!

Would it really be so bad? She's already told me that she'd let me rule by her side, so I could ensure ponies don't get a raw deal. I'm sure Cadance and I could smooth everything over with the living, and if Rarity succeeded in taking control of the vamponies here, we just might have a force to be reckoned with. We could even take back our homes!

Finally recovering from Rarity's offer, Applejack studied the Ascended warily. "What about the Elements?"

Rarity shrugged. "When I first heard of them, they sounded fascinating. I told Luna about them immediately, and requested that she try to acquire one as soon as possible." She glanced down the spiral staircase, ensuring that the door below was still closed. "But since then I've spent many hours reading everything I can find about them in the library here, and I don't think they work the way Luna believes they do."

Applejack cocked an eyebrow. "And ya haven't told Luna this?"

A nasty grin crept upon Rarity’s face as her eyes seemed to burn brighter with malicious intent. "Oh, dear me, no! It would be so much easier to assume control of Luna's underlings if her clever master plan failed spectacularly." She began to laugh. "Imagine if she didn't test them and went straight into a confrontation with Mistress!"

Applejack didn't have to imagine; she was certain Luna would die very horribly. What she could imagine, however, were all the ways Rarity could betray her and Cadance if Applejack accepted her offer. She briefly considered agreeing to help the Ascended, take the Phoenix Heart, and use it's light to ward off Rarity once they met up, but knew it was a bad idea. She had already voiced her concerns about Sanctuary to Luna in their previous conversation, and she was certain Rarity hadn't missed that detail. She harbored no doubt that Rarity would exact her vengeance upon the walled town if she were betrayed.

"So, what's your decision?" Rarity asked with another quick glance down at the door.

Applejack closed her eyes. I'm sorry, Apple Bloom.

"No," she said, watching Rarity uncertainly, her body tense and ready to react. "I can't turn Equestria over to a vampony. Especially one that's so prone to betrayal."

To Applejack's surprise, Rarity nodded almost knowingly. "I suspected as much, but before you make a final decision, let me tell you where Luna is going to send you." She grinned wickedly. "Her underlings have been scouring all of Equestria for any sign of the Elements, but the only one they've been able to find is located in the heart of Manehattan."

Applejack gasped. If there was one place that was more dangerous than Canterlot, it was Manehattan. The city was brimming with vamponies, and it was a well known fact that nopony could cross the Manehattan bridge. The long span of open ground had become a deathtrap, one that had claimed many in their attempts to flee the city.

There was no chance that they would survive such a trip. Even if she and Spike somehow managed to cross the bridge, how could they possibly make their way to the center of a city full of vamponies? They hadn't even been able to move through a single castle undetected.

"Luna will become suspicious if we take much longer," Rarity said. "I need your final decision."

There was nothing Applejack wanted more than to accept Rarity's offer. If she refused, then she would die in Manehattan, and Apple Bloom would never be cured. At least if she accepted, Apple Bloom would be saved.

But how could she ever face Apple Bloom again after betraying all of Equestria? And worse still, would it torment Apple Bloom to know that her sister had made such an unforgivable sacrifice on her behalf? Could this decision unintentionally cause her more suffering than she was already enduring?

Applejack swallowed hard. That wasn't a risk she could take.

"No," she said again. "I'll take my chances in Manehattan."

Rarity surprised her yet again by favoring her with a smile. "I understand. Perhaps I let you see too much of myself before making the offer." She turned and descended the staircase, and led them out of the tower and back into the corridor before shutting the door behind them.

"Applejack...that's what Spike called you, right?" When Applejack nodded, Rarity smiled again. "I like you, Applejack. You've proven to be both a very capable fighter, and an observant and intelligent pony. You would be a very useful ally, especially for managing the mortals." She sighed. "But no matter. My plans will soon come to fruition with or without your help. And once I have your princess—" She gave Applejack a meaningful look— "we'll truly see where your loyalties lie."

Applejack's ears flattened as she glared at the Ascended. "I'll die before I let you lay a hoof on Princess Cadance."

Rarity chuckled. "Will you?" She brushed aside her mane. "It sounds to me that you are more willing to die for that crystal than you are for any princess."

Applejack said nothing. She couldn't deny the truth in Rarity's words.

She had quietly slipped out of Sanctuary just as they were preparing themselves for an attack, with no regard for the panic her departure could cause, and now, even after hearing Rarity's plan, she could still think of nothing but obtaining the Phoenix Heart. Was she really throwing everything away to save Apple Bloom? If in the end she could only save one, who would she choose: Apple Bloom or Princess Cadance?

An icy dread filled her at the prospect of having to choose between them, but then a sudden thought swept her fear away. She had nearly forgotten about the cloaked vampony. She had said that she needed Applejack's help in killing the Ascended and Mistress.

Applejack breathed deeply. There was still a way to save both of them. If she could survive Manehattan and then kill Twilight, she could get the Phoenix Heart and save Apple Bloom, and then help the cloaked vampony kill Rarity and the other Ascended, saving Cadance as a result. Even if Rarity made her move before she had attained the Phoenix Heart, they would have time to rescue Cadance. Rarity had said herself that she needed Cadance alive, and although Applejack didn't know what the cloaked vampony had planned, she was sure she could convince her that helping Cadance was a top priority.

The two of them made their way to the front gates in silence. Applejack noticed that Rarity kept stealing quick glances at her, but pretended not to notice.

The Ascended bewildered her. Never in her wildest dreams would she have ever expected a vampony, much less an Ascended, to like her. She would have thought it a ruse, except that her smiles and laughs were almost identical to the old Rarity. The only thing missing was the way her beautiful sapphire eyes would light up with mirth.

With a frown, Applejack pushed these thoughts aside. It didn't matter if Rarity liked her, she was the enemy, and would remain so unless she decided to align with Princess Cadance as opposed to capturing her.

They passed through the throne room, now occupied by only Luna's throne, and opening the door to the main hall, they found Spike and Luna awaiting them near the gates.

Applejack sighed with relief and smiled brightly as Spike hoisted his backpack on a shoulder and waved at her. Although she had been certain that Luna wouldn't hurt him, seeing him unharmed seemed to lift a weight off of her heart that she hadn't even known was there.

"You've seen the stone?" Luna asked. "You're prepared to fulfill your end of the bargain?"

"Yeah," Applejack replied, shooting Spike a warning glance to keep him quiet.

Luna nodded. "Very well." At her word, a nearby vampony opened the portcullis. "You must travel to Manehattan. Somewhere in the heart of the city lies one of the Elements."

"Seriously?!" exclaimed Spike, "Manehattan?!" He turned to Applejack. "We can't! It's impossible!"

"Yes," Luna hissed. "Seriously." She led them through the gates and across the drawbridge. "The vamponies there have always existed independent of Mistress's rule, and clearly have no desire to leave the city. I sent a group of underlings to recruit them and only a single one returned, gravely injured."

"Then how are you so sure an Element is there?" Spike demanded.

Luna eyed him reproachfully. "Several of my underlings have integrated themselves into their society, and they've seen the Element. It's a gem in the shape of a lightning bolt. Does this alleviate your suspicion?"

"Yeah," Spike mumbled, turning his gaze back to Applejack. "But if a group of vamponies were wiped out, how are we gonna survive?"

"It's okay, sugar," Applejack said, doing her best to look and sound confident. "We'll manage. We always do."

Spike frowned at Applejack for a moment, then rounded on Luna. "Why Manehattan? Don't you know of any other Elements?"

"No." Luna shook her head. "I was unable to locate any of the others."

"We'll go to Manehattan," Applejack said, stepping closer to Spike, "but there's one problem. Nopony has been able to cross the Manehattan Bridge since the sun failed." Applejack adjusted her hat and gave Luna an expectant look. "We're gonna need some help."

With a quick glance at Luna, Rarity suggested, "You could provide them with a distraction."

"Yes, that could work." Luna took a moment to think it over, then nodded. "My underlings can cause a diversion while the two of you cross, but I cannot guarantee that they will be available when you leave. Will that be acceptable?"

"It's better than nothing," Spike replied in an unenthusiastic tone.

Applejack placed a reassuring hoof on Spike's shoulder. "We can work with that," she told Luna. "Have them meet us a mile down the road from the Manehattan Bridge."

"It will be done," Luna affirmed. She gave a loud, bat-like screech and two of her fully armored elite guards—both noticeably smaller than the two they'd previously encountered—suddenly swooped down and landed beside them. "These two will escort you safely to the edge of the city." A shadow seemed to fall across her face as her eyes narrowed. "Remember my warning: if you dare to return without the Elements, your lives will be forfeit."

"Yeah, we got it," Applejack snapped. She turned to Spike. "Let's go."

As they started off, with the two elite guards on either side of them, Luna called after them, "Be sure to give Twilight my regards before you kill her."

Applejack waved a hoof to show that she had heard, and spared a quick glance at Spike. She knew he was upset, but there was nothing she could do about it while in the presence of these vamponies.

"Applejack—" Spike began as soon as they were out of earshot.

"Not yet, sugar," Applejack said gently. "Once we're out of the city, we'll talk all ya want."

"Right," Spike muttered, his shoulder slouched, and Applejack was disheartened to see that he was wringing his hands.

They walked through Canterlot in silence, occasionally stepping over holes in the decadent cobblestone road. The once elegant and entrancing buildings brooded in the eerie moonlight; with their archways collapsed and their awnings hanging in tatters, they seemed to slump in misery as though in mourning of the fate of their former inhabitants.

Several times during their trek through the city one or more vamponies would land on a nearby rooftop and eye them hungrily, but when one of the elites gave a warning hiss and placed a hoof on the hilt of their sword, the offenders would retreat with shrieks of frustration.

"Just outta curiosity, where did ya'll learn to handle your swords?" Applejack asked after one such incident. "I noticed that your technique is similar to the Canterlot Academy's." When the two vamponies hesitated, she added. "I don't reckon you'd be betrayin' Luna by tellin' me how you're trained. Especially since I've already recognized the form."

After another moment's pause, the one nearest Spike said, "Rarity discovered a textbook several years ago about military techniques and has been training us ever since."

"Wait, Rarity is teaching you how to fight?" Spike said, incredulously.

"Yes," the vampony answered. "She showed Luna the book and she agreed that it was a good idea. Rarity trained us straight from the book and wasn't happy until we performed the forms perfectly."

"She is a very strict teacher," the other chimed in, "but we are better fighters for it."

"And how many of you are there?" Applejack asked.

"Around fifty," the vampony said. "I think she wanted to train more, but we ran out of armor."

Applejack frowned as her ears flattened. "And what kind of military techniques are ya'll learnin'?"

"Basic siege tactics, the Hammer and Anvil, the Pincer, things like that," the vampony answered.

"So..." Applejack scratched her head and adjusted her hat. "You're trainin' to be Luna's personal guard, but you've mainly studied attack formations?"

"Yes," affirmed both guards in tones that made clear that they saw nothing wrong with this.

"Huh, alright then," Applejack said, sharing a concerned look with Spike.

It seemed Rarity really was poised to make a move regardless of whether or not they brought back the Elements. By training these vamponies herself, she had undoubtedly gained their loyalty, and with fifty of the most well-trained fighters in the city on her side, Rarity could easily take the castle from Luna whenever she wanted.

Her thoughts went back to Rarity's comments about the living being resourceful and producing admirable fighters. It made more sense now why she wanted to rule the living. She wanted to create her own army, but had run out of resources. If she had access to the resources of the living, she could make her army as large as she wanted, and with the help of the 'admirable fighters', she could train more vamponies at a faster rate.

"Can we pick up the pace?" Spike suddenly grumbled as they walked around the debris of a fallen golden balcony. "This is getting really depressing."

Applejack glanced through the broken window of a shop and saw a skeleton lying beneath an overturned table. "I couldn't agree more."

Forcing these worrisome thoughts from her mind, Applejack picked up her stride. She could dwell on all this more after she had secured the Phoenix Heart.

Finally, after what felt like hours, the train station came into view. Like everything else in the formerly grand city, it was a scene of ruination. The steps leading up to the raised, wooden platform had crumbled, every window in the station, including the glass face of the clock, had been shattered, and both steel hands of the clock had been driven into the side of the building.

Applejack slowed to a halt as she took in the state of the station, then turned toward the elite guard on her immediate right. "Can't ya'll leave anythin' nice? Do ya have to destroy everythin'?"

The vampony shrugged before pointing to the train tracks. "You can follow the tracks all the way to the ground."

"Yeah, yeah," Spike huffed. "We know the way."

"And do not forget Luna's warning—" the other vampony began.

"We've heard enough of her warning," Applejack interjected with a scowl. "Now ya can give her one of ours. If we're attacked when we return, the deals off. I'll bury the Elements in a hole so deep that she can search for all eternity and never find them."

The two vamponies looked at one another, then the one closest to Applejack nodded. "We'll make sure you aren't attacked."

"You'd better," Applejack grunted.

Together, she and Spike stepped onto the track and without sparing the two vamponies another glance, started off.

"Are we really doing this?" Spike asked several minutes later, once he was sure they were alone. "Are we really going to Manehattan?"

"I am," Applejack replied. "I have to. It's the only way to get the Phoenix Heart." She gave him a nervous, sidelong look. "But I think it's for the best if ya headed back home. You've done enough."

"And Twilight?" Spike pressed, ignoring her. "Are you really going to kill her?"

Applejack took a deep breath, closing her eyes before responding. "She's a vampony now, Spike. She deserves to be put to rest."

"But she's gathering the Elements for Discord so he can return them to the Tree of Harmony," Spike retorted. "She's helping Equestria now!"

Applejack’s head snapped toward him, and she cocked an eyebrow. "You’d really trust Discord with the Elements?"

Spike snorted. "And giving them to Luna is a better idea?"

"The Elements are useless now," Applejack said matter-of-factly. "I'm the only one left who could even try to harness them, and they won't work for just me. Luna will be wastin' her time with them."

"But if they were taken back to the tree, they could still do some good," Spike countered.

"Ya can't know that for sure."

"No, but you know what I do know?" Spike said, coming to an abrupt halt and pointing an accusatory claw at her chest. "I know that you aren't thinking about what's best for Equestria. All you're thinking about is Apple Bloom."

"And all you're thinkin' 'bout is Twilight!" Applejack shot back.

"Of course I am!" Spike said, exasperated. "I'm almost always thinking about her. How could I not? Twilight's the one that raised me. I just don't always feel the need to whine about it like you do." Applejack felt her face flush even as Spike grimaced at his own words. "Applejack, I'm sorry, I—"

"It ain't the same with you," she spoke barely above a whisper. "You never vowed to protect Twilight. She wasn't your responsibility."

"I know. I didn't mean—"

"You need to get back to Sanctuary," Applejack snapped, her teeth clenched so tightly her jaw ached. "They need to be warned 'bout what Rarity's been up to." She turned and started off at a canter. "I can handle this on my own."

Spike started after her, but then stopped and looked off into the distance. From his vantage point atop the tracks, he could just see the edge of White Tail Woods. For several long moments, his gaze shifted from the wood to Applejack's retreating form and back, but then, balling his claws into fists, he hurried off at a jog after his friend.

***

Twilight landed on a rocky ledge overlooking the barren landscape of the Badlands and huffed in irritation. She had lost track of the number of hours that she had spent soaring over the desert looking for any sign of the Diamond Dogs. If it hadn't been for Discord's guidance, she would have never guessed that anyone inhabited these lands.

Turning in a small circle, Twilight studied the cliffs around her. This was the biggest cluster of rocks in all of the Badlands, and if the Diamond Dog's city was truly located in an underground cavern, then this was the most likely location for an entrance.

There were dozens of caverns high off the ground, but she had investigated every single one of them, and while some went on for a good distance, they all either dead-ended or linked with one another.

Twilight flopped down onto her stomach, her legs dangling from the ledge, and gazed down at the sand below. Never, since her awakening, had she ever given up on anything, but nothing before had ever been this infuriatingly difficult. She wanted to dive into the sand and tear through the ground with her bare hooves until she reached the city, but knew that it would be a futile waste of her energy. Still, at least she'd be doing something other than flying uselessly in circles.

As her eyes traced the outlines of the shadows along the sand cast by the full moon high above, it slowly occurred to her that she had been searching primarily from the air. The Diamond Dogs, however, lived underground, and so would have no use for these caverns so high off the ground. If she were going to find this city, she had to stop thinking like a vampony and start thinking like a Diamond Dog.

Recalling that the last time she had dropped from a ledge, she had ended with in a face full of sand, Twilight spread her wings, and with several gentle flaps, landed lightly on the sand.

Twilight growled as she took a step forward and felt her hooves sink into the sand. By Mistress’s fangs, I hate this place! Sand for as far as the eye can see, air that is somehow more dry here than anywhere else in Equestria, and even the ground seems to be determined to show how inhospitable it can be! I can’t wait to find this blasted entrance and leave this desolate land behind. A deep, dark cave, with solid stone under my hooves...yeah, that sounds nice.

Still scowling, she turned her gaze to the rock outcropping and began trotting along its base. For nearly a half hour, she moved around the rocks, her eyes scanning for any opening, until she came upon a dune pressed against the rocks.

As she attempted to walk over the side of the dune, her hoof slipped and she found herself sliding all the way down to its base on her side. She sputtered and kicked viciously at the sand around her before standing and furiously shaking the sand from her fur.

For a full silent minute, she stood there, simply staring at the offending dune, then, with a shriek of rage, she took to the air and slammed down onto the dune with all her might. The sand erupted in an explosion around her, covering her face and fur, but she didn't care as she continued to rain blow after blow upon its crest.

Her entire life had fallen away from her, leaving her with only this single path that Discord had laid before her. And now here she was in this ugly, barren, inhospitable desert covered from head to hoof in sand with nothing to show for it despite her searching for countless hours. She wanted nothing more to kill someone, and this dune would have to suffice.

She knew that she was being stupid, knew that she couldn't hurt the sand, but watching the top portion of the dune blow apart was still immensely satisfying.

Finally, her anger quelled, Twilight gave one last kick at the sand, then sat back on her haunches to catch her breath. After a few moments, she glanced back toward the rock and her heart skipped a beat.

Where the dune had been pressing up against the rock was a small opening that was still full of sand. Racing over, Twilight quickly began scooping out hoof-fulls of sand, and found that the sand was not packed very tightly inside. Lying on her stomach, she pushed both of her forelegs through the opening, clearing as much of the sand as she could, then gripped the rock and pulled herself through.

Her head and shoulders squeezed through fine, but she became stuck when she came to her wings. Fighting off panic at the thought of being trapped like this, Twilight exhaled and sucked her stomach in while folding her wings as tightly against her body as she could, and with a great heave, pulled the rest of herself through the opening.

Gasping with relief as the last of her fear dissipated, Twilight climbed to her hooves and knocked her head on the rocky ceiling. With a pained grunt, she surveyed the tunnel.

It was wide enough that two more ponies could stand beside her, but she would have to keep her head down to stand fully. There was nothing behind her except the hole she had pulled herself through, and ahead the tunnel continued for nearly fifty feet before abruptly ending.

Once again feeling a deep anger broiling within, Twilight shook off the sand from her mane and fur and started forward, unable to believe that she had found yet another dead-end.

It can't be a dead-end, it was too well hidden. It has to lead somewhere. What's the point of digging a small tunnel to nowhere?

As she neared the end, she found that the floor suddenly dropped into a steep incline. Immediately, her anger evaporated and was replaced with triumph. She'd found it! Never again would she have to set another hoof in that hateful sand. All that was left was to crush a few Changelings, and perhaps a Diamond Dog or two if they got in her way, and she'd have the next Element and be well on her way down her path of vengeance.

Ducking her head, Twilight began her descent. She moved swiftly, feeling much more at home in the silent, pitch black cave. Despite the stiffness she was already beginning to feel in her neck, she found solace within the confined rock walls. After traversing that despicable desert, it was comforting to feel the familiar rocks beneath her hooves and to be completely enveloped by the darkness.

The steep incline continued for several minutes before it began to slowly level out. Gradually, the ceiling rose until Twilight was able to fully raise her head.

Sighing with relief, Twilight stretched out her neck, but soon came to an abrupt halt as the tunnel branched off into two directions.

Twilight hesitated only for a moment, then started down the left tunnel. It sloped slightly downward and around a bend before ending in a large cavern that branched off in five different directions.

With a growl, Twilight sat back on her haunches and rolled some loose rocks beneath a hoof as she mused over this development. With this many different tunnels, it would be extremely easy to become lost, and once she was, she doubted she'd ever find her way back out. If she continued forward, there was a good chance that she'd never see the light of the moon again, but going back wasn't an option, the Element was down here somewhere, and she wasn't leaving without it.

Her gaze slowly shifted to the pebbles beneath her hoof as she thought, then traveled to the cavern floor around her to find that it was littered with small rocks. She froze as a sudden idea came to her, and a grin spread from ear to ear.

Trotting back to the tunnel she had just emerged from, she scooped up several of the rocks and stacked them into a small pile in the mouth of the opening to mark it. Satisfied, she headed toward the next tunnel, and again stacked rocks to mark the passage before starting down it. She followed the tunnel until it forked, and paused just long enough to mark her choice before continuing.

Twilight used this method to explore the cave for several hours. Each time she reached a dead-end, or the tunnels interconnected with one another, she simply reoriented herself by locating one of her stacks of rocks and then proceeded down an unmarked passage. When she grew tired, she flew up to the ceiling, now several yards above her, and hung among the stalactites for a short nap before resuming her journey.

Eventually, she caught a whiff of something that made her heart flutter with hope. Unsure if she were truly smelling it or if it was a cruel trick her mind was playing on her, Twilight turned down the passage she believed it stemmed from.

The smell grew progressively stronger as she traveled at an increasing speed. She was primarily following her nose now, having abandoned her method of marking tunnels. She barely slowed when the tunnels branched, unhesitatingly choosing the passages that carried the scent.

A surge of excitement overtook her as she caught sight of the first wisp of smoke, and she hurried forward at a gallop. Smoke always meant fire, and Twilight knew that fire never failed to lead her to mortals.

The fools loved their fire; it chased away the darkness and made them feel safe and warm, but unfortunately for them, it also stood out painfully against a darkened landscape. Twilight still vividly remembered her astonishment, back when the sun had first failed, that the mortals were stupid enough to keep making them, and had followed their inviting glow to many meals in her early life.

It wasn't long after she'd begun following the smoke trail that she emerged from the tunnel into a huge cave. Dominating its center was a large lake, and as Twilight approached it, she peered at its clear, tranquil surface.

As she gazed upon her own reflection, Twilight dimly became aware of a strange longing from deep within. The unexplainable yearning grew stronger as she studied her features; her glowing red eyes, long fangs, large ears, and her bat-like wings, and she found herself recalling the pictures she had found in the library's basement.

For a moment, she stared at her reflection and tried to visualize herself with a horn, with purple eyes instead of red, and feathers replacing the membrane of her wings, but then tore her gaze away. I don't know what these feelings mean, but this isn't the time to worry about it. I've got to stay focused on finding the Element.

Twilight's eyes swept the cave. Nearby was a cluster of rocks with a large burning torch standing on either side that was clearly the source of the smoke she had followed, and a quick inspection told her that they had been lit only recently.

There was no doubt in her mind that she had just found the water supply of the Diamond Dogs, and as her gaze shifted to the right side of the cave and spotted a large tunnel, she grinned.

She was very close now. Soon, she would have the Element and be one step closer to exacting her revenge.