Tears for the Pearl

Chapters

Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Epilogue
Chapter 1
Chapter 5
Chapter 10

Chapter 2

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Chapter 3

Pearl Blush woke up wondering where she was, as many ponies do after falling asleep in a strange place. She expected to find herself surrounded by destruction as usual. Instead she was tucked safely in bed, in a perfectly intact room. Memories of the night before came slowly flooding back.

At long last, she’d gotten a good night’s sleep. Thank Celestia for those two. Their ring really worked.

A faint hint of food wafted its way into Pearl’s nostrils as she rubbed the sleepiness out of her eyes. Smells like breakfast is ready. I am pretty hungry.

Pearl climbed out of bed and followed the scent of food until it led her into the kitchen where Twilight, Starlight and Spike were sitting. There was a steaming pot of oatmeal in the center of the table, along with several slices of toast and some bright red apples.

“Oh, good morning, Pearl!” Twilight called out. “Feeling up for some breakfast? Help yourself.”

“Great! I’m starving.” Pearl took a seat in an empty chair and ladled herself some oatmeal into a waiting bowl.

“How’d you sleep?” Starlight asked.

“Soundly for the first time in a while, thank you.”

“Glad to hear it,” Spike said. “You’re looking a lot better.”

Pearl pulled an apple over with her telekinesis, elated to use magic without blowing something up. “If it wasn’t for your ring, I don’t know what would have happened. I just want to let you know how much I appreciate your help.”

“No trouble at all,” Twilight said as Pearl took a bite of oatmeal. “In fact, the three of us were wondering if you’d like to come to Sugar Cube Corner with us after breakfast.”

“What’s Sugar Cube Corner?” Pearl asked.

“Just follow the singing and laughter and you’re bound to end up there,” Spike said. “Pinkie Pie always makes her customers feel special. Come on!”

Pearl didn’t know just what to make of all this. She had hoped to find somepony to help in her search for her parents, but nothing approaching the friendly faces she found herself surrounded by. And the princess herself taking a personal interest! It made her feel wanted and loved for the first time since she’d left home, which left her so distracted in her thoughts she didn’t even realize she had entered their destination.

As soon as Pearl stepped inside the building, she was nailed in the face by a loud “surprise!” from five other ponies in the room.

Pearl glanced about, trying to wrap her mind around what she was seeing. Streamers flew through the air. There was a tissue “welcome!” sign hanging from the ceiling and on the table in front of her was a “Welcome to Ponyville” cake, the letters spelled out with decorative candy pearls.

“Wha-?” Pearl muttered. “What is this?”

In answer, a pink blur streaked up to Pearl, materializing as an earth pony with bright blue eyes and a mane like pink cotton candy. “Hi there! I’m Pinkie Pie, and we threw this party just for you!”

“For — for me?”

“Pinkie Pie always throws a party for newcomers,” Twilight explained.

Pinkie lifted a forehoof and touched Pearl’s hair. “I really like your mane! It’s so shiny, just like pearls and I’ll bet that’s why you’re called Pearl! Just like my name is Pinkie Pie and I’m pink and I love pie!” The pink pony giggled and began hopping in place. “My favorites are chocolate and cherry but I like lemon cream, too — oh and blueberry!”

Pearl giggled slightly. “Nice to meet you, Pinkie,” she said, offering the bouncy pony a hoof.

Instead of shaking Pearl’s hoof, Pinkie lunged forward and snared her in a spine-crushing hug. “I just love making new friends! I even baked you this cake!”

“I can – urf! – see that. It looks delicious.”

A mare in a wide-brimmed cowgirl’s hat stepped forward and tipped her hat towards Pearl. “Well howdy there, Pearl! Name’s Applejack. Pleased to be makin’ your acquaintance.”

“Likewise,” Pearl answered, dipping into a polite bow.

“I help run Sweet Apple Acres, the best apple farm in Equestria. Once you try one of our apples, you won’t wanna get ‘em from anyplace else.”

A white unicorn with two long, curly locks of purple mane stepped up to Pearl next. “Hello, my name is Rarity. I couldn’t help but overhear Pinkie Pie say something about your —” Rarity stopped short as she got a closer look at Pearl’s hair.

“Wa-ha-haaaaa!” Rarity shouted in apparent alarm.

“What’s the matter?” Pearl asked.

“Darling, your mane!”

Pearl’s eyes glanced upward as she ran a hoof through the silky strands of her hair. “Is there something wrong with it?”

“Wrong?” Rarity asked. “It’s divine! The way it shimmers like —”

“Like pearls?” Pearl interrupted with a slight smile. “Pinkie Pie’s right, it’s how I got my name.”

“Pearl, you simply must let me do it justice, and design you a new outfit.”

“That seems like an awful lot of effort. I can’t ask you to do that.”

“Effort? Hardly. I do it all the time, darling, and your mane has given me a sudden burst of inspiration! Besides, you’re not asking. I’m insisting.”

A rainbow-maned pegasus hovering in midair waved at Pearl and cut her off mid-sentence. “That’s Rarity for you! And I’m the Rainbow Dash! Nice to meet ya!”

“You, too!” Pearl said, waving back.

“And I’m Fluttershy,” said a soft-voiced yellow pegasus. “I hope you enjoy your visit here.”

Pearl looked around the room, smiling at each of these ponies who’d banded together to welcome her… but why? “I’m grateful, but what is this about?”

“A boat?” Pinkie asked. “Are we talking about boats now? I was on a boat with Rarity and Applejack once!”

Pearl chuckled, not knowing whether to be tickled or embarrassed by that. “I guess it’s just how we talk in Whinnypeg. Kind of trips you up, eh?”

“The reason we’re here, Pearl,” Twilight butted in, “is we want to make you a deal: you spend a few days with my friends and we’ll help you find your parents and learn more about your magic.”

The offer gripped Pearl in a state of pure disbelief. She turned around and scanned each of the others in the room. What kind of ponies had she stumbled across who would offer her so much for so little in return?

“I – I don’t know what to say. That’s incredibly kind of you. Are you sure?”

“Oh, please!” Rainbow Dash swatted down the notion. “We go on these kinds of adventures all the time. It’ll be a breeze compared to some of the stuff we’ve been through.”

“I feel just awful for you,” Fluttershy said. “I’d feel even worse if I didn’t try to help.”

“You’d really do that for me?” Pearl asked.

“Of course, darling!” Rarity answered.

“I’d be happy to help,” Starlight added.

“Count me in, too!” Spike said.

“What do you say, Pearl?” Twilight asked. “Eight new friends and you get somepony to help you find your parents? Sounds like a win-win to me.”

Pearl regarded each of them for a silent moment as she weighed the risk and the reward of Twilight’s offer. All of them wanted to help, but could she trust her own power around them? Pearl looked up at the ring on her horn and sighed. Her mind was made up.

“Okay, we’ve got a deal. But if my magic goes berserk, I’m out. I don’t want to wind up accidentally causing any damage or hurting ponies.”

“Don’t worry,” Starlight said, “you’ve got that ring we enchanted. Besides, you’re in good company.”

“That’s right!” Pinkie trumpeted. “We’re multi-time Equestria savers!”

“Yeah!” Rainbow said. “We’ve beaten bad guys like Discord and Tirek! Nothing’s gonna happen on our watch.”

Pearl stared at them again, finding herself even more amazed by these ponies. “Really?”

“Darn tootin’,” Applejack said, “but they’re kinda long stories. We’ll give ya the details later.”

“Wow. Real heroes,” Pearl said. “Just like the Power Ponies.”

“Like Applejack said, stories for another time,” Twilight said, blushing sheepishly. “Pinkie Pie, if you would?”

Pinkie flashed a huge toothy grin and darted over to Pearl. “You’re with me today!”

Pearl regarded Pinkie for a moment, then looked to Twilight. “Starting already?”

“Why not?” Twilight asked. “Nopony’s better at breaking the ice than Pinkie Pie.”

“Okay.” Pearl hesitated. This was all happening so fast that it took her mind a few seconds to catch up. “So what are we going to do?”

Putting her front hooves together, Pinkie danced on her hind legs like an excited filly. “We’re gonna go to Funland Equestria! It’ll be great!”

“That big amusement park?” Pearl asked, feeling a bit of fillyish enthusiasm herself. She remembered reading about it in newspapers and magazines back home. “I always wanted to go when I was a filly, but my parents never had the means to take me.”

Pinkie grabbed Pearl’s foreleg and nearly yanked her off her hooves out the door. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

Pearl pulled her foreleg away from Pinkie’s grip. She was surprisingly strong, much more so than she looked. “Okay. Let me just… put my shoulder back in its socket first.”

An embarrassed grin crossed Pinkie’s face. “Sorry ‘bout that, but if we don’t catch the train soon, we won’t have much time for all the super-duper fun!”

Pearl looked around at the others for a few more moments, wondering if she might be dreaming. It seemed surreal; she’d just met these ponies and one of them was already offering to take her someplace she’d always wanted to go.

Chapter 4

Pearl and Pinkie Pie trotted off towards the train station until a trio of smiling fillies crossed paths with them, waving at Pinkie Pie. Pinkie stopped and waved at them in return.

“Hi, Pinkie!” said the earth pony filly wearing a pink bow in her hair. She pointed to Pearl. “Who’s that?”

Flashing a huge grin, Pinkie draped a foreleg around Pearl’s shoulder. “Fillies, this is Pearl Blush. She’ll be staying in town for a week, and we’re about to head to Funland Equestria for a super-duper great time!”

“Nice ta meet ya, Pearl!” the bow-wearing filly said.

"You, too!"

“I’m Applebloom! We sure do like making new friends here in Ponyville!”

“We do?” the little white unicorn filly asked.

“Duh!” said the orange pegasus. “Twilight’s the Princess of Friendship and her castle is right here in Ponyville. That makes us, like, the capital of friendship!”

The little unicorn’s face brightened with a smile. “Hey, you’re right!” She turned to Pearl. “I’m Sweetie Belle!”

“And I’m Scootaloo!” said the pegasus filly. “We’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders!”

“That’s right,” Applebloom said, cutting Pearl off before she could offer her greetings, “and we’re on a mission! Sorry to leave so soon, but we got work to do. Right, Crusaders?”

The other two fillies nodded, then all three shouted in unison. “Cutie Mark Crusaders, away!”

Pearl giggled at them as they galloped off down the street. “Adorable.”

“Aren’t they?” Pinkie answered.

A loud whistle in the distance signaled the arrival of a train. Pinkie Pie gasped at this. “Let’s hurry, we don’t wanna miss our ride!”

***

Funland Equestria was a one-hour ride from Ponyville station. A grand smile spread across Pearl’s face as they entered. The park was packed with all sorts of creatures, young and old. Pearl even spotted the occasional griffon or yak wandering about the park’s twisting walkways. There were screams of excitement, the smells of all kinds of food and dozens of rides and games – a towering ferris wheel, a speeding rollercoaster and a set of swings spinning high above the park. Funland Equestria had so much to see Pearl wondered how anypony could experience it all in one day.

“Wow, this place is a lot bigger than I thought it would be,” Pearl said to Pinkie as she dodged a group of galloping foals. “I’ve never been to an amusement park before.”

Pinkie Pie drew in another gravity-defying gasp. “You’ve never been to an amusement park? How is that possible?!”

“Well, I lived a few miles outside Whinnypeg most of my life. Kinda isolated, you know? There was a small carnival that came to town once a year, but that didn’t compare to this.” Pearl hopped to the side, barely avoiding getting trampled by a stampede of unruly teenagers. "I have to say, though, I get a little anxious in these big crowds."

Pinkie’s disbelief was replaced by a huge toothy smile as she trotted excitedly in place. “Ooh, a first timer! You’re gonna have so much fun you won’t wanna leave! What do you wanna go on first?”

Pearl blinked and Pinkie was gone as if she’d vanished into thin air. She turned her head to find Pinkie at her side as if she’d been there the whole time.

“Or maybe you want to try one of the games!” the pink pony yelled before Pearl could form an answer.

Pearl held a forehoof aloft. “Well, why don’t —” before Pearl could finish, Pinkie disappeared again. In the blink of an eye, she was in front of Pearl.

“Ooh, how ‘bout something to eat?! Amusement parks have lots of yummilicious sweets!”

Confusion held Pearl’s words in. How DID Pinkie do that?! As Pearl opened her mouth to ask, Pinkie zipped over to a nearby balloon pony in a pink blur and put her mouth over to the nozzle of his helium tank.

Pearl held a hoof out to Pinkie as the balloon pony looked on in utter confusion. “I wouldn’t do that if —”

Before Pearl could finish her warning, Pinkie engaged the pump and like a balloon her body inflated, hovering in midair above the tank.

“Um, why did you do that?” Pearl asked

“Because it’s fun, silly!” Pinkie declared in a distorted, high-pitched voice that sounded like it came from a chipmunk. “And it makes my voice sound funny!”

Pearl laughed out loud then Pinkie zipped about the air as she exhaled all the helium she swallowed, sputtering like a deflating balloon until she landed back on her hooves. Pearl giggled harder. "That is pretty funny."

Smiling, Pinkie trotted over to Pearl’s side and put a friendly foreleg around her shoulder. “I knew I could get you to laugh!”

A bit of weight lifted from Pearl’s shoulders. It had been a long time since she laughed like that, or even felt like laughing. “Thanks, Pinkie. I needed that.”

“It’s what I do. So, what do you wanna do first?”

Pearl looked around to try to spot something suitable. The roller coaster track towered over everything else, cars blurring down a steep 200-foot drop, extracting screams from the ponies aboard. Pearl had gone sledding many times in the mountains, but the roller coaster looked to be an entirely new kind of exciting.

“I’ve never seen a roller coaster that big before. I want to give it a try!”

Pinkie gasped, then smiled. “It’s your first time visiting an amusement park and the first thing you want to do is go on their wildest ride! Pearl, I think you and I are gonna get along great, just like jellybeans and ice cream!”

Pearl and Pinkie took their place in line and waited to be seated. They buckled themselves in and a moment later the ride stirred. Up and up and up they went, the anticipation building with each second until finally they neared the top. From there, the ponies on the ground far below seemed like little toy figurines.

“Wow, we’re pretty high up,” Pearl said, her voice shaky. Her eyes scanned the steep drop and she gulped, knowing that the biggest fall of her life was only seconds away. “Not sure if I’m ready.”

“You better get ready fast, here it comes!” Pinkie yelled. “Hang on for your life, and be sure to scream real good!”

Pearl didn’t feel she had much of a choice. No sooner had their cart reached the top of the climb than she felt herself fall. She squealed and squeezed her eyes shut, her stomach sinking at the sudden change in pressure as the wind blasted her in the face and whipped through her long hair. She heard Pinkie scream too, as well as many of the other passengers. Seconds later, their momentum slowed. Pearl opened her eyes to see that they’d reached the bottom of the drop and were now scaling another incline.

"Wow, what a rush! That was awesome!” Pearl shouted above the clack-clacking of the wheels.

Down and up and around, the cars twisted and zoomed their way through the ride. They blurred on down the tracks, soon approaching a loop that would turn them upside down.

“Oh, it goes upside down?” Pearl shouted, bracing herself.

Pearl’s world flipped and she screamed, her long mane dangling in front of her face as all her weight suddenly shifted to her shoulders. In the next moment, they were upright again, When the coaster slowed to a crawl and stopped at the loading area, Pearl still tingled with excitement. She stepped out, fighting for her balance. “Wow, that was fun! I’ve never felt anything like it my life, not even when I would go sledding back home.”

Pinkie wrapped a foreleg around Pearl’s neck and drew her close for a one-legged hug. “That’s what happens when you hang out with Pinkie Pie! Come on, let’s go see the pictures.”

“Pictures?” Pearl asked.

“Abso-tively!”

The exit path led to a small hut with rider reaction photos on display, taken during the first huge drop. Pinkie Pie pointed to theirs, laughing.

“Look at your face, Pearl! You were totally freaking out!”

Pearl couldn’t help but laugh – her eyes were squeezed shut, her mouth agape in mid-scream with her pale-violet mane whipping behind her. Even funnier was Pinkie’s expression: eyes wide and tongue dangling lopsided from an impossibly wide mouth distorted by the rush of air.

“Look at yours! I didn’t think a pony could make a face like that!”

Pinkie chuckled and waved the idea away. “That’s nothin’. I got lots of crazy faces.” She reached into her pouch and pulled out several bits, which she gave to the mare running the photo booth. “Two, please!”

Pearl waited while the photos printed, looking at the various booths in the park. Nearby, she saw a slate-grey pony standing at a souvenir stand, arguing with the salespony.

“It’s not real gold,” Pearl heard the gray pony say.

“Of course it’s real gold. Look at the way it shines!” the salespony said, holding up a gold-colored watch on his cart.

“It’s not real gold,” the mare repeated.

“Are you saying I’m not an honest sales-stallion?” the vendor challenged.

Curious at the mention of gold, Pearl trotted up to the two. “What’s going on?” Pearl asked.

The mare, still wearing that flat expression, looked Pearl over briefly. “You must be the newcomer my sister Pinkie told me about last night.”

“I suppose that would be me. Hi, my name’s Pearl.” Pearl offered the stranger a hoof.

“Maud.” She blinked once, not bothering to shake Pearl’s hoof. “Do you like rocks?”

Pearl put her hoof back to the ground, finding it hard to believe this oddly unemotional pony was related to Pinkie. “Well, my dad’s a prospector. He taught me about all kinds of minerals.”

“What is this made of?” Maud asked, holding the vendor’s watch.

Pearl inspected it for a few seconds. “It glitters like gold, but no smooth metallic sheen.” She held a hoof above the watch to cast a shadow over it. Out of direct sunlight, the watch lost its shine. “Real gold would keep a soft lustre.” She held the watch in her hoof. “Too light. Way too light to be gold. It's iron pyrite, fool’s gold.”

“Very good,” the gray mare answered, still not showing any hint of emotion.

“If you ask my dad, that’s day-one stuff.”

Both mares cast their eyes upon the salespony, who cringed under the weight of their glares. Pinkie, who had been listening, now joined them.

“Stealing in an amusement park? How low can you get!” Pinkie double-hugged Maud and Pearl at the same time. “Good thing my sister and my new friend are here to keep you honest. Now pack up before we have you arrested!”

The salespony gathered his goods fast, running for the exit, a few angry ponies who had bought from him in pursuit.

Pinkie returned her attention to her sister. “Hi, Maud! Why don’t you join us? We could do your favorite, the Mirror Maze!”

“Sure,” Maud replied.

The building wasn’t hard to spot, with a tell-tale drawing of a pony’s distorted reflection on its large sign.

“What’s that?” Pearl asked, walking towards it with Pinkie.

“It’s a maze of mirrors, silly!”

Pearl followed the Pie sisters through the doorway and found herself surrounded by a wall of mirrors, all of them distorting her reflection in some way. One mirror stretched her neck to a humorously impossible length, making her resemble a giraffe. Another gave her a round form that looked like it had eaten one too many donuts.

“These are a scream!” she said, laughing at her ridiculous reflections. She moved on to another mirror that squeezed her reflection down to fillyish proportions. “Look, I’m a foal again!”

“The refractory angles of the glass put me in mind of polished mica,” Maud said, then brought out a small rock from her dress. “Boulder likes it too, but I have to watch him. He’s tempted for obvious reasons.”

A filly-sized Pinkie joined Pearl in the mirror. “I love this one!” She giggled and snorted, then bounced over to a series of mirrors set up in the corner, casting her reflection a dozen times over. “This reminds me of that time I found the Mirror Pool!”

“The what pool?” Pearl asked, a dozen copies of her coming into view amongst all the Pinkies.

Pinkie suddenly lost her smile, eyes darting in her head. "Oh, nothing. Just a magical pond that can make clones of a pony." She snapped around, seemingly eager to change the subject, and her smile returned. "Pearl, do that one!" she shouted, pointing at another mirror.

Pearl stepped over to the mirror Pinkie indicated. The reflection thinned her waist and widened her upper torso, giving her body a sultry hourglass shape. Reacting accordingly, she put one front hoof on her hip and the other behind her head and puckered her lips in a classic supermodel pose. A few seconds passed before she dropped back to all fours, giggling at herself.

“I haven’t laughed like this in a long time!” Pearl said. She moved on to a more normal looking mirror and fixed her attention on her own reflection. She studied herself and frowned, knowing what kind of terror had always lurked just beneath the surface of this normal-looking pony.

“What’s wrong, Pearl?” Pinkie asked, edging her way around Pearl.

Pearl sighed. “I haven’t gotten a good, long look at myself in quite a while. I haven’t wanted to.”

“How come? You don’t think you’re pretty or something?”

“It’s not that.” Pearl shook her head. “Maybe it’s because I don’t know that pony in the mirror very well. Where did I come from? How did I get all this destructive power? What is it that keeps me from being a normal unicorn? Sometimes I wonder if I even am a unicorn and not something entirely different. Maybe I’m scared of the answers. Scared of myself.”

Maud took a step closer. “Rocks are honest, because they only reflect back what they see. Ponies are more complicated, but like rocks we all have facets and fissures. Once you accept both, you can move on.”

Pinkie gasped. “Best Maud wisdom ever!”

“That is pretty good,” Pearl said. “Thanks, Maud.”

“I have my moments,” Maud said.

"Besides," Pinkie added, "it's just like my Granny Pie used to say." She took a deep breath and sung out the next words, "you gotta stand up tall-"

Now a song? "That is one random pony," Pearl said to Maud.

***

As Pinkie and Pearl left, the other ponies gathered around Twilight.

“Are you sure this is a good idea, Twi?” Applejack asked.

“Well, I think it’s better than having her arrested,” Twilight said. “And right now, she needs friends a lot more than lectures. Just keep an eye out and if she starts having trouble with her magic, get me or Starlight.”

“I hope this works,” Rarity said. “She seems like such a nice pony.”

“What do you think’s wrong with her, Twilight?” Fluttershy asked.

“I haven’t the faintest, but for right now we just watch and wait. Starlight and I will start researching it from this end, and I’m sure Princess Luna will do what she can on hers.”

Chapter 6

Once Pearl ate breakfast the next morning, she got the directions to Sweet Apple Acres. The sound of running water on the farmland caught her attention first, comforting and familiar. She stepped into the shallow river, the water caressing her hooves like a cool, gentle massage.

“What are you doing out here, ma’am?” came a tiny voice from the riverbank.

Pearl glanced to her side. She hadn’t heard the young unicorn approach. A moment later Pearl’s gaze was lost, scanning the length of the river, contemplating just how far it ran. “I just came out here to clear my head. I like natural places like this.” She looked back to her young companion. “Hey, didn’t I see you yesterday? Do you live here?”

“Oh, I’m not an Apple, ma’am. I’m Sweetie Belle, Rarity’s sister. Are you the pony from up north, the one everypony’s talking about?”

“Guilty as charged. Pearl Blush is the name.”

“Nice to meet you, Miss Pearl,” Sweetie Belle said. “I came here to find Apple Bloom, since Scootaloo is off hanging with Rainbow Dash and my sister is working as usual. I’m so bored...”

For a moment, Pearl turned her ears to the soft melody of flowing water. It reminded her of home. “I love that sound,” she mused, almost to herself. “It’s so soothing.”

Sweetie Belle shrugged and dipped a lazy forehoof in the water. “I guess.”

Pearl giggled. “It’s kind of funny. You’d think I’d be terrified of water, especially rivers, considering where Dad found me. But I love them – I can’t help but wonder, if the water could talk, what would it tell us?”

The little filly stood there silently raising an eyebrow. Pearl giggled again.

“I guess I’m just thinking out loud, eh? It’s a beautiful world we live in. You just have to take the time to notice and appreciate it.”

Sweetie Belle stood up and stepped into the current. Her gaze followed Pearl’s, down the length of the river as far as her eyes could see. “You’re right, it is pretty.”

“This river is probably thousands of years old, and it’ll still be flowing long after we’re gone. Compared to that, our lives are so short. We’re only here for a moment, so enjoy it! If you’re patient, beautiful things will come your way. That’s what my dad always says.” Pearl struck the water with her hoof, tossing a shiny, iridescent rock onto the bank. “You see? You just have to keep your eyes open.”

“What’s that?” Sweetie Belle asked, marveling at the way the rock’s multicolored facets glittered in the sunlight.

“It’s a rainbow stone.”

“Wow! It’s so pretty!”

“You like it?” Pearl asked as she stepped onto the bank.

Sweetie Belle smiled up at Pearl as she followed. “I love it!”

“Then it’s yours. Take it home with you.”

Sweetie Belle regarded the stone for a moment longer, then looked back up at Pearl. “Are you sure? I mean, you’re the one who found it.”

Pearl held up a hoof. “That’s okay. I’ve got a couple more just like it back home.”

Sweetie Belle beamed. “Wow, I can’t wait to show Rarity! Thanks, Pearl!” She gave Pearl a quick hug around the legs, then pointed toward the barn. “Oh, there’s Apple Bloom. I’ve got to show her this!”

Pearl followed Sweetie Belle toward the large farmhouse, and the nearby barn. She moved faster when Sweetie called out to Apple Bloom, whose head hung in what appeared to be a great deal of grief.

“Apple Bloom!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

“What’s the matter, kiddo?” Pearl asked.

Apple Bloom groaned, holding her belly. “I ate some three-week-old apple tarts. Feels like Applejack just kicked me right in the stomach. I’m all alone – Applejack and Big Mac went into town for supplies.”

“Miss Pearl, what can we do?” Sweetie Belle asked.

Pearl looked about quickly then spotted a growth of plants near the fence and smiled. “No problem. Apple Bloom, this may not be what you had in mind, but —”

“I’ll do anything!” Apple Bloom moaned.

Pearl walked over and stroked a plant that grew in clusters of toothed oval leaves accented by white flowers. “Here we are. We’ll just need some of this catnip.”

Apple Bloom took a step back. “Okay, I know I said ‘anything’, but I’m not sure I wanna eat catnip.”

“It’s not to eat so much as drink. I’m going to make a tea out of its flowers and leaves.”

“Catnip tea?” Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow, tilting her head as Pearl plucked a number of leaves and flowers off the stem of the plant.

“Sure!” Pearl walked past a sleeping old green mare in her rocking chair on the porch, pushed the farmhouse door open and allowed Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle to step in first. “Trust me, my mom used to do this for me all the time when I was filly. It works well because catnip’s a mint. Did you kids know that?”

“No, I always thought it was just some weed that makes cats act funny.” Sweetie grinned. “I love to see what it does to Opal Essence!”

Pearl let out a small chuckle. “If you ask my mom, no plant is ever ‘just a weed.’”

“How does she know so much?” Apple Bloom asked as Pearl set a kettle of water on the wood stove.

“She’s a botanist.”

“What’s that?”

“A botanist is a pony who studies plants,” Pearl explained. “Ah, the very thing.” She took an old mortar and pestle down from a nearby shelf and cleaned it. “My mom taught me a lot about them.”

“Must be nice, knowing all that,” Apple Bloom said. “Is she still around?”

“She is.” Thinking of Emerald brought Pearl a pang of homesickness. “I miss her. And Dad.”

Apple Bloom hung her head. “Yeah. I miss my folks, too." She cringed, holding her belly. "Oh, it hurts…”

Pearl mixed the flowers and leaves in the mortar, crushing them with the pestle to release their natural goodness. Once the kettle whistled, she dumped the mortar’s contents into the hot water, set it aside, then knelt down and put a comforting hoof on the back of Apple Bloom’s neck. “Hey, buck up, kiddo. Wherever they are, I’m sure they’re proud of you. And they wouldn’t want you to be sad.”

“I know.” Apple Bloom heaved a sigh and sniffed. “It’s just hard sometimes.”

“Don’t worry about it. Let’s take care of that stomach ache, eh? Kettle should be ready by now. Do you have any apple juice? We’ll add just a bit to balance out the flavor.”

Apple Bloom pointed to a metal pitcher on the kitchen counter. Pearl poured a little into the cup, stirred for a few seconds and handed it to the filly. “Ok, should be ready now. Drink up!”

Apple Bloom held the mug between her hooves and sipped. Her eyes widened in surprise. “Not bad!”

“It’s very good for you,” Pearl said. “Wanna know what else is really good for you? Raw garlic.”

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle’s faces contorted in an odd mix of disgust and amusement as they gave the same reaction. “Ewwww!”

“Serious.”

“I think I’ll just stick with the catnip.” Apple Bloom continued to sip on her tea.

Pearl thought back to her childhood when she had a particularly nasty cold and Emerald made her eat a bowl of soup with three whole cloves of garlic chopped in. It burned like a chili pepper and took days to get the pungent taste out of her mouth. “Yeah, most ponies would find it to be a bit overwhelming. It packs quite a punch.”

“That’s an understatement.” Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “I’d choke and die!” She gulped down the rest of the tea and set her empty cup on the counter.

“How do you feel now?” Pearl asked.

Apple Bloom paused to consider the question after a tiny belch. A slight smile crossed her face. “I actually feel a little better. I’m gonna find some more catnip so I’ll know where to get it next time. Come on, Sweetie Belle!”

Pearl smiled as she followed the fillies outside, silently watching them track down more plants until Applejack walked up to the yard with a full saddlebag draped across her back.

“I’m mighty sorry about that, Pearl,” Applejack said. “I was gonna have you help me make an apple pie, but I had to run and get some supplies from town.”

“That’s okay,” Pearl said. “I was just getting to know your little sister and her friend while you were gone.”

Applejack watched Apple Bloom wander about the field, picking sprigs of catnip. “What’s she doin’ pullin’ weeds out there?”

Pearl smiled. “Learning how special the world around her is.”

“Beg pardon?” Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I’ll explain later. I’m eager to get started on that pie!”

“That’s the Sweet Apple Acres spirit! We’ll make an honorary Apple out of you yet.” Applejack grinned and patted Pearl on the back, then led her inside the house. “I was so sure we had enough supplies, but Pinkie asks to borrow some flour to make a batch of cupcakes and she makes enough for an entire bake sale.”

“Wait, doesn’t she live in a bakery? How could she not have enough flour?”

Applejack chuckled. “Sugarcube, this is Pinkie Pie we’re talking about. I gave up tryin’ to figure that pony out years ago.”

Fondly remembering her time at the amusement park with Pinkie, Pearl shared Applejack’s laughter. “Yeah, she’s different, alright.”

Applejack spread a sheet of parchment paper across the table. “‘Different’ doesn’t begin to describe Pinkie Pie. But she is one of my dearest friends. Oh, could you toss me the flour?”

Pearl nodded, then grabbed the sack of flour from Applejack’s saddlebag and set it on the table.

“Thanks. Mind workin’ the apples while I make the dough? They’re in that basket over there.”

“Sure, no problem.” Pearl put a firm, shiny red apple on the counter, grabbed a nearby knife and went to work peeling it and slicing the fruit into appropriately sized pieces just the way her mom had shown her years ago. The knife bit into the apple with a firm crunch. “Wow, these are beautiful apples, Applejack. They’re very healthy. You’re taking really good care of them.”

“Thanks. We do try our best here at Sweet Apple Acres. Just make sure you cut ‘em into thick enough slices; we like ‘em plump and juicy, but don’t make ‘em too big or they’ll take away from the flavor of the crust. Oh, and-”

It had only been a few seconds, but by the time Applejack looked over her shoulder, Pearl had already cut the apple into well-portioned slices. “Wait, how’d you do that?”

“Huh?” Pearl glanced at Applejack, then looked back at her work. “Are these okay?”

Applejack turned around to get a closer look at the cut up apple. Pearl had removed the core in a perfect cylinder and already taken out the seeds, wasting none of the edible parts. Applejack smiled and let out an impressed chuckle. “Well I’ll be. If I didn’t know better I’d think you were born a member of the Apple Family! Where’d you learn to cut ‘em like that?”

“My mom taught me. We used to bake pies all the time together. She’s a botanist, so she knows a lot about plants and used that knowledge in her baking, including how to cut them just right.”

“Mighty impressive, Pearl. Ya’ll just keep up what you’re doin’. Six more of ‘em should be enough.”

Chapter 7

Pearl spent the rest of the day and evening with the Apples, getting to know the whole family. At supper, she enjoyed the warmth of the family table. This, Pearl realized, must be what it is to have a real, loving family. A family that, aside from Gold and Emerald, she’d never had, and it filled her with a comforting warmness. Yet, more than ever, it made her heart ache for home. They finished off dinner with the best pie Pearl had ever tasted.

While Applejack tended to the dishes, Apple Bloom crept into the kitchen, snuck up behind Applejack and stole the dish towel draped across her back. By the time Applejack snapped around, Apple Bloom was already giggling and galloping out of the kitchen.

“You little varmint!” Applejack yelled and gave chase. She charged into the living room and cornered her little sister against the couch. Apple Bloom looked around for an escape, but AJ shifted her body to block off her retreat.

“I gotcha now!” AJ shouted. Both sisters laughed as Applejack yanked the towel away from Apple Bloom, wrapped it around her waist and hoisted her so high she nearly touched the ceiling. Applejack let Apple Bloom down gently against her back. “Alright, sugarcube. Time to be gettin’ ready for bed. Go on, now.”

Apple Bloom climbed off her sister’s back and trotted upstairs. Pearl had watched the scene with a warm, fuzzy sensation in the pit of her soul. How nice it must be to have a family like this. Applejack seemed more like a mother than a big sister, and it made Pearl wonder what it must be like to be a mom.

“You two are really close, eh?” Pearl said as she followed AJ back into the kitchen. “If I may be frank, I’m a little jealous.”

“Well, that’s how family’s supposed to be. At least accordin’ to how Ma and Pa and Granny Smith raised us. But ever since Ma and Pa-” Applejack paused, a quick flash of emotional pain crossing her eyes. “Since they’ve been gone, it was up to Big Mac and me to look after the young'un.”

Pearl glanced around at all the family photos hanging on the kitchen walls, her mind again wandering to what it must be like to have a real family.

“You okay, sugarcube?” Applejack asked.

“Yeah,” Pearl sighed. “Just homesick, I guess. They’re not my blood relatives, but those two back home are really all I’ve ever had.”

Applejack dried her hooves with the towel so she could put a comforting hoof on Pearl’s shoulder and look her in the eye. “If ya want my advice, Sugarcube, your real family are the ones who stick with you and care about you. Twilight and the others ain't Apples, but they're like family to me, ya know? So from what I’ve gathered, to hear ya talk, you got a good family back home. And if ya stick around here long enough, you might even add a couple members to it. As a matter of fact, how’d you like to be an honorary Apple?”

Pearl sniffed, her smile returning. “I’d be honored.”

Applejack opened a counter drawer and dug out an apple badge woven out of fabric. “Here, I want you to have this badge. Granny makes ‘em in her spare time. Every honorary Apple gets one.” She placed the badge in Pearl’s waiting hoof.

Pearl looked at the badge for a moment. It was a simple item, but one she knew she would treasure. “Thanks, Applejack. It means a lot.”

Applejack responded with a smile and a hearty pat on the back. “You’re good company far as I’m concerned. Anytime ya wanna drop by, you’ll be welcome here at Sweet Apple Acres.”

***

Pearl Blush was a bit disappointed when she returned to the castle that evening and learned Twilight and Starlight hadn't found any leads on the search for her cutie mark. Nor had Luna or Celestia. Pearl wouldn't let the despair hold on. There were answers. There had to be.

Pearl stood on one of the outer balconies of the Castle of Friendship, her gaze lost in the stars dotting the blackness of the night sky, her thoughts in tune with the vast dark. The door to the patio opened and Pearl looked over her shoulder to see Starlight Glimmer standing there.

“What are you doing out there?” From Starlight’s tone, Pearl knew it wasn’t a scathing question but one of curiosity. Maybe even concern.

“Just thought I’d get some fresh air.”

Starlight stepped out from under the doorway and joined Pearl at the rail of the balcony. “Everything okay?”

Pearl sighed. “No, not really.”

“Want to talk about it?” Starlight propped her forelegs up on the balcony, signaling that she didn’t intend to leave anytime soon.

For a moment, Pearl pursed her lips, trying to decide where to begin. “Can you imagine what it’s like, living every day being terrified of yourself?”

Starlight sighed and rested her chin on her forelegs. “Yup.”

Not the answer Pearl had expected. She reeled back in mild surprise. “You can?”

“I can. I’ve been there and felt utterly lost, to the point I nearly destroyed Equestria. Believe me, that’s a challenge to get past, but Twilight and the others helped me to deal with the fear and the blame, and over the past couple years I’ve found my place in Equestria and I’m a lot happier.”

“Do you — do you think there’s hope for me to be happy, too? Do you think I'll ever find my place?”

Starlight hugged Pearl, nodding. “Where there’s friendship, there’s always hope.”

Pearl smiled a little. “Thanks, Starlight. It helps, knowing I’m not the only one who’s had it hard.”

“We’ll all stand by you, and from what I’ve seen…” Starlight looked at Pearl for a quiet moment, then smiled. “you’re not a bad pony yourself.” She stifled a big yawn with her hoof and turned for the patio door. “It’s late. I’m gonna turn in. You coming inside?”

“Yeah, in a minute.” Pearl took her front legs off the balcony, regarding Starlight with a smile. “I’ll see you in the morning, Starlight.”

“Good night, Pearl.”

Pearl stood for a moment, watching Starlight depart for her room. Pearl couldn’t fight the smile, for she knew she had at last found a friend who could understand her pain. With a tired yawn, she departed for her room and fondly regarded the Apple badge and picture of her and Pinkie on the roller coaster, both of which she'd placed on her nightstand, before snuggling into bed.

Chapter 8

A bear.

Pearl couldn't believe she'd gotten close enough to pet one, but Fluttershy's bear friend Harry was like a big, cuddly teddy bear, a far cry from the warnings about the beasts she'd always heard back home. Pearl had spent the day with Fluttershy at her beautiful animal sanctuary, and the pegasus' way with animals amazed her. She returned to the Castle of Friendship in the evening with, again, no updates on her situation from Twilight and Starlight.

That night, Pearl retired to her room after Twilight trotted off to bed. Pearl tossed and turned in her sheets, her mind racing too fast to welcome sleep. With a sigh, she threw off her blankets and headed for the library. Maybe she'd take Twilight up on her offer to look through her books after all.

***

A biting hunger woke Twilight up from her sleep. She sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. Checking the clock on her nightstand, she realized it was three in the morning. Twilight lay back down and threw her blanket over her head, but her stomach still cried out for food.

Groaning in resignation, Twilight climbed out of bed for a quick snack, perhaps a muffin or something to quiet her hunger.

The flickering orange of candlelight from the library stopped Twilight in mid-step on her way to the kitchen. Probably Spike on one of his late-night comic binges. She’d reprimand him in the morning when she had more energy.

Twilight started back for the kitchen, but voices from within the library froze her in place once again.

“Here we go. How about this one? It looks like your cutie mark,” that, from Starlight’s voice.

“No, that’s not it, either,” came Pearl’s voice. “The shape’s similar, but the patterns are different. Let’s keep looking.”

Starlight yawned. “It’s really late, Pearl. We can keep searching tomorrow.”

“You can go to bed if you want. I’m gonna stay up a little bit longer and check a couple more books.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I’m used to not getting much sleep.”

“Well then I suppose I could stay up a little more and help you look.”

“Thanks, Starlight. I really appreciate that.”

Twilight put her hoof to her mouth, her eyes warming with fresh tears. Starlight, I’m so proud of you. Hunger and more now satisfied, she crept back to her room and soon sleep welcomed her.

***

The next evening, Pearl returned to the Castle of Friendship feeling like a new pony and wearing the dress Rarity had made her; a shimmering silk beige gown with subtle pleats in the skirt to accent the oyster theme. It amazed Pearl how a relaxing day at the spa could rejuvenate one's mind and spirit. With only one day left, Pearl felt ready to tackle the challenges ahead with her new friends.

"Welcome back, Pearl," Twilight said when she saw Pearl enter. "I see Rarity has made a top quality dress, as usual."

"You can say that again!" Spike said, his jaw frozen. "You look amazing!"

Pearl felt her cheeks warm as she fidgeted with her hoof at the compliment. "Thanks, Spike."

"Only one day left. You're with Rainbow Dash tomorrow, and then we'll be off to find your parents," Twilight reminded her.

"Good. I need to get this all past me. Any luck finding a match for my cutie mark?"

Twilight hissed, her face twisting into an apology. "Not yet. It must be really obscure. But don't worry, we'll do whatever it takes."

Despite the news, Pearl smiled and bowed her head. "I'm very grateful."

Soon, the darkness of night came over Ponyville and everypony retired for the night...

Chapter 9

A loud rattling, almost an explosion woke Twilight Sparkle from her slumber. Throwing off the covers, she scrambled to her hooves and ran out into the hall to check on the noise.

“Starlight?” Twilight asked as her worried eyes scanned the dark hallway. “Is that you?”

No answer but more rattling.

“Pearl? Spike? Are you guys playing some kind of joke on me?”

A door by Twilight’s side opened. Starlight emerged, rubbing her eyes. “What’s going on, Twilight? What was that big noise?”

“There’s something in here!” Twilight answered, darting her eyes about in search of the intruder.

A shadowy figure swooped high above them, near the ceiling, then vanished back into the darkness. Whatever it was, it carried a malevolent aura that sent a tingle down Twilight’s spine and made her fur stand on end.

“Did you feel that, Starlight?” Twilight whispered, her heartbeat starting to quicken. The two unicorns took up a low, defensive stance.

“Yeah. Whatever it is, it’s powerful. I sensed it for a moment, but now...”

They wasted no more words, charging light spells into their horns to penetrate the ceiling’s shadows.

Twilight gasped. Up in the corner, hovering with batlike wings was a creature that resembled a pony, but had a red aura of power surrounding it and two horns jutting out of its forehead. “Up there!”

Starlight turned in Twilight’s direction just in time to crouch as the creature dove in an attempt to ram into them. “What is that thing?!” Starlight yelled, snapping around to face it.

The apparition held a hoof towards them, conjuring a ball of fire that lit the darkness around it with a warm red glow.

“Look out!” Twilight shouted. The two unicorns scattered as the creature hurled the fireball towards them, exploding with a thunderous bang when it hit the ground.

Another door opened. “W-what’s going?” Spike’s voice yelled.

“Spike, stay in your room!” Twilight shouted.

Spike must have seen the attacker, for he yelped in alarm and slammed his door shut.

“Alright, you want some of this?” Starlight asked, charging a spell in her horn. “Come and get it!”

The creature hissed and dove but Starlight blasted it with a magic beam before it could reach her. It jarred and snarled, seemingly more irritated than hurt, but before it could make its next move Twilight shot the creature with a blast of her own. With an enraged shriek, the thing turned its attention to Twilight while Starlight prepared another spell.

Then she saw the pearl necklace the creature wore, put the pieces together and gasped. “No! Twilight, we can’t. It’s Pearl!”

“I know,” Twilight said, fending off the creature’s blast.

The creature swooped low and fast, but Starlight didn’t attack. She gasped in alarm as it butted Twilight square in the jaw with its horns, knocking her off her hooves, then climbed again and hissed as it summoned another fireball, aiming right for Twilight.

Twilight blasted the attacker with a magic bolt before it could finish. A quick glance to her side made Twilight realize Starlight’s horn wasn’t even glowing. “Starlight, we have to! For Pearl’s sake as well as ours. You know she’d want us to!”

Twilight gritted her teeth, letting out a low growl. She applied more focus, firing a continuous beam of magic energy. The creature took the full force of the attack, its face shifting from pain to anger. Twilight felt her heart quicken and put even more energy into her spell.

The creature bore with it and raised its hoof for another fireball. Twilight gasped and switched from offense to defense, raising a barrier to protect herself. An ear-shattering boom filled Twilight’s head when the fireball struck her shield. The concussion of the blast was enough to break Twilight’s concentration, forcing her to drop her barrier.

“Starlight!” Twilight moaned, holding a hoof to her pounding head. “I could use a hoof over here!”

Nervous mumbling came from Starlight, whose horn still wasn’t glowing. “No,” she said, slowly backing away from the creature. "She's my friend."

Still stunned from the last attack, Twilight fought for the strength to cast another spell. The creature was closing in on Starlight, but the unicorn stood her ground. A confused expression spread across the creature’s face, eyes quivering. It stared at Starlight for a moment as if debating what to do, then offered a final hiss before it streaked out one of the castle’s stained glass windows, shattering it into a thousand colorful pieces.

“How did this happen?” Twilight asked, staring out the broken window. Her ears still rang from the concussion of the fireball. “Did she remove the ring?”

“She had it on when I finally went to bed,” Starlight said. “Let’s check her room.”

Twilight and Starlight ran to Pearl’s bedroom, examining it closer. Broken shards of metal and shattered amethyst decorated the pillow.

“The ring broke?!” Starlight shouted.

“She must have overloaded it,” Twilight guessed. “There’s no other explanation.”

Starlight’s eyes darted. “But-but we combined our power to enchant that ring. It would have taken something stronger than our combined magic to break it!”

“We don’t have time for this! Come on, Starlight. We’ve got to stop her.”

Together they charged out the castle’s main entrance, looking about the night sky for any signs of the winged creature. Using the cover of darkness, it could be anywhere.

“Where’d she go?” Starlight wondered out loud.

“Shhh! Let’s listen. I have a feeling.”

It was silent for what seemed like eons, then came the echoing rumble of a distant explosion. “There! Did you hear that?”

“Yep. It came from over there.” Starlight pointed in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres.

“Applejack’s in danger!” Twilight yelled. She vanished with a teleportation spell and reappeared in the middle of the apple farm. Starlight flashed into existence next to her.

“Twilight! Thank Celestia!” Applejack said, galloping up to them. “The Destroyer, it’s here! I told y’all it was real!”

“It’s Pearl!” Starlight shouted.

“I know that!” Applejack yelled back, “It was in that letter you sent me. But how do we stop her?” She watched the Destroyer summon a fireball and aim it right for her barn. “No, not that!”

The Destroyer launched the fireball at the building. It exploded into charred, flying splinters with a deafening bang.

Starlight sent a warning shot near the creature. “That’s enough! Pearl, you have to fight it!”

The Destroyer swooped down at Starlight, but she was ready to snare it with a net spell. It smashed through the net with a fireball and rammed Starlight, knocking her onto her back. Before Starlight could get up, the creature pinned her down with a forehoof, summoning another fireball into its free hoof.

Starlight’s horn glittered as she prepared a spell of her own. There was a time in her life when she wouldn’t have hesitated, but as she gazed up at the transformed Pearl, it was as if an invisible force had held her offense in. “Pearl, I know it’s you!”

Pearl hissed and Starlight felt her face warming in the heat of the growing fireball.

“It’s me, Starlight! I’m your friend, remember?” Starlight grimaced, tears now flowing down her cheeks at the thought of her own spell tearing into her friend. “I don’t want to hurt you, Pearl. Please!”

“F-friend?” the apparition muttered in a low, otherworldly drawl. “Friend.”

The vicious sneer melted into a mouth-cracked-open look of a pony who had no idea where she was or what she was doing. Pearl’s fireball vanished; her red, quivering eyes flashed to indigo, back to red, and to indigo again; the aura of power around her faded as the batlike wings retreated within her, and her two curved horns fused to reform her single unicorn horn.

It was enough of a distraction for Starlight to ease her way out from under Pearl, not taking her eyes off her. But what had caused such a transformation?

With no warning, Pearl lunged forward and wrapped Starlight in a tight hug, burying her face into her shoulder. Starlight returned the hug with one of her own. She could feel Pearl shivering with uncontrollable sobs. Pearl paused just long enough to draw in a sharp gasp and continued sobbing.

“I’m so sorry!” she cried.

Starlight rubbed Pearl’s back as she tried to think of an appropriate response. What she’d just seen, however, had stolen all the words away from her.

“So sorry,” Pearl repeated, finally seeming to calm down into coherence.

“I know,” Starlight whispered. Pearl had grabbed her so tight she could hardly breathe, but Starlight would allow Pearl to cry on her shoulder for as long as she needed. “It’s okay.”

“Starlight,” Pearl sniffed, “It’s not okay. I’m a monster!” Pearl let Starlight go and scowled at the ground, unable to look Starlight in the eyes. “Maybe Dad should have left me where he found me.”

“No!” Starlight yelled. “Don’t talk like that. You’re not a monster and I’m giving you my word; we are going to find out what’s causing this and put an end to it, so you don't have to suffer anymore.”

“Don’t bother,” Pearl answered. “If I were you, I’d run away as fast as I could.”

“No way. Twilight never gave up on me, not even when I was at my worst. I’m not going to give up on you.”

By now half of Ponyville, including Twilight’s friends, had arrived at Sweet Apple Acres to check on the commotion. Pearl flattened her ears at the sight of them, hanging her head in shameful guilt.

“So it’s true,” Applejack said. “You really are the Destroyer.”

“No!” Pearl yelled, then quickly covered her face with her hooves. “I mean yes, I am, but not on purpose! I don’t know why it happens, but it does, and I-I can’t take this anymore!

“I know.” Applejack gave Pearl a hug. “I’m sorry, sugarcube. I didn’t mean to sound accusin’ or nothin’ like that. We need to find out what the hay is up with you, and pronto. And not just for everypony else’s sakes, but yours, too.”

“How?” Pearl asked. “I’ve tried to find the answers for so long.”

The murmuring of the crowd caught Pearl’s attention. She looked to them, taking in a few angry glares and judging sneers.

“She’s too dangerous!” one mare yelled, pointing a hoof at Pearl. “We can’t have her in Ponyville!”

“Yeah!” came a stallion’s voice, “I say we banish her from the village before she destroys anything else.”

“What do you think, mayor?” another pony asked.

Mayor Mare stepped forward and eyed Pearl for a moment. Then she sighed. “I am terribly sorry, but as mayor, my first priority is the safety of my village. Therefore, I have no choice but-”

“Enough!” Twilight Sparkle interrupted. “Now stop it, all of you. It wasn’t Pearl’s fault.”

Irritation crossed the mayor’s face. “You object to my decision? Might I remind you that I am the mayor of this village?”

“And I am the Princess of Friendship,” Twilight retorted, “and I say she stays.”

Pearl looked up and realized her new friends, even Spike, had stepped up to the crowd in her defense. “No, they’re right. I told you from the start I shouldn’t have stuck around.”

“Well, I don’t regret it,” Twilight said.

“Me neither,” Applejack agreed, “and it was my farm she tried to destroy.”

“Can’t you all see how frightened she is?” Rarity asked. “You all leave her alone this instant.”

Starlight stepped closer to the crowd, charging a warning glow in her horn. “Unless you want to deal with me.”

“And me,” Rainbow Dash added, crossing her forelegs against her chest in midair.

“You should all be ashamed of yourselves,” Fluttershy declared. “Imagine if you were in her shoes, how would you feel?” Her moment of boldness didn’t last long; at their responding gazes, she folded her ears and drooped back behind her wall of friends.

The crowd murmured again, none of them apparently wishing to act against a princess of Equestria. One by one, they left the farm until only Twilight and her friends remained.

“Don’t listen to them, darling,” Rarity said, putting a comforting hoof on Pearl’s shoulder.

Pearl hung her head again. “What’s wrong with me?”

“I don’t know,” Twilight said, “but one way or the other, we’re going to find out.”

“But how?” Pearl shrugged.

Twilight rubbed her chin in thought, then her eyes seemed to light up at the formation of an idea. “Pearl, I was hoping to avoid this, but think we should take you to see Princess Luna. We need to find out what’s going on inside you while you’re asleep, and she’s the only one who can do it.”

“You want to take me to Canterlot?” Pearl frowned. “After what just happened? Forget about it. I won’t put all those ponies in danger.”

“I have a better idea. Spike, take a letter. We’ll have her meet us in the Everfree Forest, at the Castle of the Two Sisters.”

Chapter 11

“So what can we do?” Starlight asked. “Surely there’s something.”

“I will check the Canterlot Archives for any information on this monster,” Luna answered Starlight. “Unless any of you know what this fiend might be.”

The ponies all shook their heads.

“I haven’t even heard of something like this,” Twilight said, “and I read a lot, as you all know.”

“It may be wise to think of somepony who might know,” Luna said, “in case I am not able to learn anything.”

A sharp gasp from Starlight broke the silence. “Sunburst! I sent the plea to him and Princess Cadence days ago, but I haven’t heard back. I’ll see what progress he’s made.”

“I’ll handle that,” Twilight said. “Spike?”

A minute later a reply came to the letter Twilight sent and Spike opened it. “It’s from Princess Cadence. ‘Dear Twilight, we searched the archives here for days without success, but Sunburst remembered a possible reference to a similar creature in the Annals of the Unicorn Wars. He left for Ponyville this morning, so he should arrive at Ponyville station at any moment.’”

“The Unicorn Wars?” Luna blinked, surprised. “That was so long ago, and yet it could be possible. The unicorns back then attempted to create all sorts of magical weaponry to gain a strategic advantage.”

Luna looked down at Pearl. “It is best that she remains here for now – my spell will keep her docile for the time being. I shall return in the morning and share with you what I have learned.”

As Luna flew back toward Canterlot, Twilight used her magic to bring blankets and food for the group. Once she was sure all needs were met, she teleported off to Ponyville, only to return a minute later with Sunburst in tow and a huge pile of books and scrolls.

“Sunburst!” Starlight said, rushing up to hug her old friend. “Why didn’t you tell us you were coming?”

“Oh, I meant to,” Sunburst said. “I had just remembered last night about General Greathorn during the Unicorn Wars and went to tell Princess Cadence in the archives, but she was already in her room asleep, so I left a note and headed for Ponyville right away.”

“Whoa, that’s a lot of books,” Rainbow Dash said.

“You mean the answer’s in there somewhere?” Applejack asked.

“Hopefully.” Sunburst picked up a book. “General Greathorn is one of my personal heroes, the bravest pony on the battlefield. When I was young I read a condensed version of his Annals, and somewhere in there he mentioned a creature like the Destroyer that Starlight’s letter described.”

Twilight’s eyes lit up. “You mean, this is the complete edition?”

“The first edition, actually. All 52 volumes of it, plus the ten volumes of the preamble. Greathorn recorded everything about the Unicorn Wars, which is great from a historical perspective, but makes finding what we want all that more challenging. Anyway, I figured between Starlight, you and myself we could split the work up. And with your friends helping, maybe even faster.”

“Oh, I’d love to borrow this when we’re done! I’ve never read —”

“Focus, Twilight,” Starlight said. “Okay, we’ve got all night and lots of eyes to help. Let’s split the books up into piles. Some of the passages will likely be in Old Ponish, which means Twilight, Sunburst and I will be group leaders.”

“Good idea,” Twilight said, using her magic to start sorting the books even as she spoke, forming neat piles she placed along the length of the huge wooden table in the library. “Everyone else, pick a book and start reading. If you hit a part you can’t read or don’t understand, bring it to us.”

It was a long night of reading – even with all the help Sunburst had, the archaic writing style made the going slower. The ponies went to bed one by one until only Twilight, Starlight, Sunburst and Pinkie remained awake. It was Pinkie Pie who found the first clue. She sprang up, bouncing as she read.

“Hey!” Pinkie said in a whisper so she wouldn't wake the others. “It says here there’s a reference to magical unicorn weapons in Volume 42, chapters 10-15!”

“It’s a possible lead.” Sunburst took Pinkie’s book and flipped through the old pages, the others gathering to watch. “Let’s see… yes, yes, unicorn weaponry… magical armaments, enhancements. Ah! This may be it. Yes, it was near the end of the wars, and their side was losing. ‘Account of our Last Efforts’…”

Day 152: Our supplies are running short, and our numbers are thinning. Defeat looks to be a possibility, but we will persevere. Even now our scholars are working to devise new spells for us to use in battle. I look forward to seeing their progress.

Day 157: Our scholars have devised an interesting new spell which will summon a magic “Seed of Power” that will be “planted” inside the host’s body and augment their magic. They say even the weakest among us will command terrific power while the Seed resides within them. I have only two prerequisites for this spell: First, it must be easy enough to cast that even the weakest among us can use it. Second, it must only affect the caster, to prevent a Seed from being forced upon an unwilling host.

Day 158: Brimstone has volunteered to be the first subject to test this new spell. Within moments, he demonstrated his newfound power. Words cannot describe what I witnessed. It seemed as though the very ground shuddered under the force of his spells! Even I have never seen magic of this caliber. These Seeds might be the key to winning this war. Soon I hope to have all of my soldiers carry one.

Day 160: I fear we have made a terrible mistake. Something went horribly wrong with the Seed spell. In our desperate hunger for victory, we created a violent monster capable of overtaking its host. Brimstone, our first test subject, sprouted batlike wings and a second horn then went berserk, attacking us as well as our enemies with a fury and might the likes of which I have never seen before. I’ve witnessed many horrors in my career on the battlefield, but this was the first time I’d been frightened beyond words.

I shall never forget the madness I saw in Brimstone’s eyes, and I regret that the only way to free him from that madness was to end his life. This spell is too dangerous. We must destroy all evidence of it before it falls into the wrong hooves. We must also find a way to kill the other Seeds that have been summoned, before more destruction is wrought. All those who carry one must be slain.’”

Sunburst went silent, now staring at a troubled Twilight and Starlight.

“Well?” Starlight asked.

“That’s it,” Sunburst said with a shrug.

“General Greathorn wrote that?” Twilight asked. “He was known as an absolutely fearless commander who could make split-second decisions in the middle of battle. If these creatures frightened him, then they must have been really awful.”

Starlight’s thoughts turned to Pearl, her poor friend, and the promise she’d made to her. “I don’t care how awful they are. There’s got to be a way to free Pearl from this thing. And we need to do it quick, before —” Starlight couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence. Her stomach twisted in a knot. If Pearl had to meet the same fate as Brimstone, Starlight wasn’t sure she could go through with it.

“Good luck,” Sunburst countered. “Like Greathorn’s journal said, all documentation of the spell was destroyed.”

“If Pearl has a Seed inside her, then they obviously missed at least one,” Twilight said. “You’re sure you don’t know a way to free somepony from these creatures?”

“Trust me, if I did I’d tell you, but it’s not hopeless. Maybe the Canterlot Archive has some more information. There’s a lot of ancient documents stored there, and they’ve got enough books to make my collection look puny.”

Starlight gasped, her eyes brightening. “Of course! Twilight can send a message to Princess Luna, letting her know the details of what we found. Thanks, Sunburst, you’re the best!” Starlight lunged forward, wrapping Sunburst in a hug as she planted a kiss on his cheek.

For a moment, Sunburst stood in a silent daze. His face flared and he rubbed his cheek with an awkward smile. “It’s, uh, what I do. Unfortunately, I can't stay. I have to take care of things back in the Crystal Empire first thing in the morning."

Twilight nodded her understanding. Pinkie, who'd apparently grown bored during the talking, was now asleep in her sleeping bag. "We appreciate the help, Sunburst." She covered up a big yawn and unrolled her sleeping bag. "Okay, everypony, let's get some sleep. We'll share what we learned with everypony in the morning."

"I just hope Luna's found something," Starlight said as she nestled into her own sleeping bag.

***

Pearl Blush opened her eyes a crack. With a soft yawn, she began to stir and sat upright to find that her friends were all already awake.

“Good morning, your highness,” she greeted princess Luna.

“Good morning to you as well, Pearl. How did you sleep?”

“Pretty good, thank you. Did you find out anything, or do I even want to know?”

Luna nodded. “I learned only a bit while I was in your dream. I saw you as a filly and I heard the name Lilac several times. Most likely your real name.”

Pearl thought over the name for a moment. It wasn’t familiar to her. “My real name? If it is, I don’t remember.”

“We found the source of your trouble," Twilight said. "There's some sort of creature. inhabiting your soul. A lot of research was required, but we learned much of these creatures during the course of the night. The ponies who created them called them Seeds of Power, or just Seeds for short.”

“Created?” Pearl echoed. “How?”

“A spell,” Luna continued. “The wizards of the ancient Unicorn Wars created them as a means of enhancing a unicorn’s strength. Indeed, they made a unicorn so powerful that even the weakest spell would be cast at extremely destructive levels.”

“I guess that explains a lot,” Pearl said, looking up at her horn.

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Beg pardon? A Seed? That don’t sound nothin’ like any seed I ever saw.”

“They were implanted in a pony’s soul, much in the same way a seed is buried in the ground,” Luna explained. “Like a seed feeding off nutrients in the soil, these Seeds fed off a pony’s soul until it grew enough to sprout above the surface.”

“What would happen after that?” Rarity asked.

Starlight continued. “The Seed would take over the pony entirely and send them on violent, destructive frenzies. Their hosts would undergo startling changes: sprouting wings. Growing an extra horn. Eyes that glowed red like hot coals.”

“That sounds like Pearl, alright,” Applejack said. Pearl hung her head in shame.

“What happened to them once they changed?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Wasn’t there any way to free them from a Seed?”

"The only way we learned was for the host to die," Twilight said, her voice low. Pearl's eyes held a sorrowful twinkle.

Luna shook her head. “I found a way in the archives. Only a few cases were documented. They prepared a counter spell remove a Seed, but it wouldn’t work on a pony whom the Seed had full control over. It had to be cast before they were overwhelmed.”

“Then it’s not too late!” Starlight shouted. “Pearl hasn’t been taken over completely. What do we need to do?”

“I am afraid it will not be easy,” Luna said with a frown. “The spell required the tears of a blood relative.”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “For Pete’s sake! Leave it to unicorns to make matters needlessly complicated.”

Pearl’s eyes darted in silent contemplation. “But… I don’t know any of my blood relatives.”

“As I said, it will not be easy,” Luna repeated. “But it is your only hope. I have sedated the Seed for now, but it is nearing sufficient strength to take you over completely. When it awakens, it will be angry and desperate. For all intents, Seeds were created as weapons. Thus it is in their nature to spread destruction.”

“That’s not entirely true,” Twilight said. “A weapon’s use is defined by the one who wields it.”

Luna shook her head again. “This is a weapon you cannot hope to control. The Seed may be an artificial life form, but it very much has a mind of its own. Even the greatest warriors of the Unicorn Wars could not control them. You must find your family, Pearl Blush, and complete the spell before the Seed takes full control of you. Once that happens…” Luna’s voice broke off and she hesitated for what came next.

“Brimstone,” Starlight whispered. She bit her lip, her eyes glimmering with sorrow.

“Then there will be no reverting her.” Luna’s head sagged a bit. Her jawline tightened. “I am afraid your only option would be to put a final end to Pearl’s suffering.”

A hush fell over the ponies at those words, Twilight and her friends all stared at Luna. Pearl felt her heart sink, but if it would keep other ponies safe from her violent transformations...

"Um, how can we be absolutely sure that's what's wrong with her?" Fluttershy asked. "I don't want Pearl to... to..."

Luna produced a book with her magic and opened it to a particular page. "Take a look at this picture. This is the seal they used to create the spell."

Pearl scanned the page and gasped. It was a complex magic seal in a circle of intricate runes, and an exact match for her cutie mark. "That's it! That's my cutie mark!"

"Yes. These records indicate that the cutie marks of everypony who had a Seed turned to this."

"And now we have the answer to that question," Starlight mumbled. "I really wish it were something else, Pearl. I really do."

“Okay then, we’d better get moving,” Twilight said, stepping forward. “We’ve got a race against time and it’s not one we’re going to lose.”

“But how?” Pearl asked. “I don’t even know where I’m from. How am I supposed to find my parents?”

“When I was in your subconscious, I heard the words ‘Burro’s Crossing,’” Princess Luna said. “It is a small village in the Southwestern desert. You should search there.”

Twilight took charge. “We’ll head back to Ponyville, get packed and meet at the train station in one hour. Be sure to dress warm.”

Pinkie laughed out loud. “Good one, Twilight!”

“Actually, I wasn’t kidding.”

The laughter turned into a snort. “Twilight, you’re killing me! We’re gonna be out in the desert.”

“The desert does get a mite chilly at night, Pinkie,” Applejack said.

“You guys are too much! Sure, I’ll pack warm!” Pinkie answered, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Smiling, Sunburst stepped up to Starlight and hugged her. "It looks like you and the others have got this. I need to get back to the Crystal Empire. I'll let you know if I learn anything else."

"Thanks," Starlight said, hugging him back.

With a shy smile, Pearl approached Sunburst and gave him a quick hug. "Thanks for your help, Sunburst."

Blushing, Sunburst scratched the back of his neck. "Uh, well, you know." He chuckled nervously. "You're welcome."

“Okay, let’s get moving.” Twilight said. “We’ve got a pony to save!”

Chapter 12

An hour later, dawn broke as the train pulled out of Ponyville station, headed south. Twilight and her team brought along all the camping gear they thought they might need, not knowing how long their search might take. The trip lasted all day and night, the sun peering over the horizon once more as the conductor called out “All out to High Noon!” and the train hissed to a halt.

Trains didn’t run to Burro’s Crossing, and the tiny village High Noon in the middle of the desert was as close as the ponies were going to get. From there, they hired a stagecoach pulled by four sturdy stallions to take them the 30-mile trip to Burro’s Crossing.

Noon drew near When Twilight and her friends stepped out. They stopped to take in the sight – an eerie calm hung over the village, the houses in various states of disrepair; mud caked on the walls, holes in the roofs, entire sections collapsed or missing. A couple houses even had holes in their foundations, but all of the homes were discolored, as if nopony had been doing repairs for years. The four coach ponies turned around and sped back for High Noon, the trailing dust cloud indicating they were all too eager to leave Burro’s Crossing behind.

“This is where Luna told us to go,” Pearl said, feeling her heart sink, “but...”

Starlight winced at the scene laid out for them. “I hate to say it, Pearl, but I don’t think anypony’s lived here for years.”

“She’s right, sugarcube,” Applejack added. “This here sure looks like a ghost town.”

“Oh, my.” Rarity winced, holding a forehoof aloft. “I doubt even ghosts would come to such a dreadful place.”

Only one house showed any activity – an old, bearded stallion rocking in a chair on his front porch. The group approached him and he greeted them with a smile.

“Well I’ll be,” the stallion said, stopping his rocking. “Don’t get too many strangers ‘round here. You’re free to look around, but I’m afraid there ain’t much here anymore. I’d stay away from the house at the far end, though. They say it's cursed.”

Fluttershy wilted and shivered. “C-cursed?”

“Yup,” the old pony continued. “Talk is, them ruins on the outskirts of the village were used as a fort during some ancient war. Supposedly a big battle took place there and a lotta ponies died. Some say vengeful spirits still roam its halls.”

“Sir, there’s no such thing as curses and evil spirits,” Twilight said, rolling her eyes.

“I was here, young’un. I saw it with my own eyes!”

“Saw what? What happened?” Pearl asked.

The old pony rocked in his chair again, stroking his beard. He seemed like a grandfather telling a story to his grandkids. “Must’ve been about 15 or 16 years ago. A little filly who lived in that house with her parents. One day she went off to them old ruins. Couple days later, she streaked off towards the north like a shooting star. Never saw anything like it in my life. Always was talk them ruins was trouble. Poor little thing never shoulda went there.”

“So what happened to the ponies who owned that house?” Pearl asked.

“They up and left not long after that. Suppose there wasn’t much left for them here. Most of the other ponies followed their example not long after. They thought this place was cursed, or maybe they just got too afraid of the ruins and wanted to get as far away as possible. Now there’s just a couple of us old folks who’re too stubborn to leave the ground we was born on.”

“Any idea where they might’ve gone?” Applejack asked.

The old pony shook his head. “Not a clue. ‘Sides, it was a long time ago. Probably wouldn’t remember even if they told me.”

Twilight turned towards the house at the far end of town. “Let’s go check out that house, everypony. We might find a clue.”

“You kids watch yourselves. Strange things went on in that house, and don’t expect me to come running to your rescue.”

Twilight half-smiled back. “Don’t worry. We can handle it.”

“Famous last words,” the old pony mumbled.

Twilight shrugged it off and led her friends to the old house. The outside showed signs of a quality home, long-neglected. The creaking of the door and the dusty interior walls, decorated with cobwebs, told of a house that had long been vacant.

“Cool!” Pinkie shouted. “It’s like a haunted house!”

“Oh my, you can say that again,” Rarity said. “It’s certainly the home of my nightmares! Just look at all these spider webs.” She scrunched up her nose and sneezed. "Not to mention the dust. It's terrible for a lady's complexion."

Spike shuddered. “Spiders. I hate spiders.”

“It’s not so bad,” Fluttershy said, allowing a dangling spider to come to rest on her hoof. “These little guys just want a dark, quiet place to live.”

Twilight looked around the room. “Is any of this familiar, Pearl?”

Pearl shook her head. “None of it. It might as well be the first time I’ve seen this house.”

The ponies split up and searched about the dark old home for anything that might lead them to Pearl’s parents. It was mostly empty save for a couch, dinner table and chairs; items too large for the previous owners to have taken with them on a spurt of the moment move. The searchers moved on to other rooms.

“Hey, look at this!” Rainbow Dash shouted. She pried a dusty frame from a hallway and presented it to the others. “They left this picture behind. Check out the filly in the middle.”

In the photograph were two grown ponies, a mare and a stallion, the former of whom resembled Pearl. They stood between a filly who looked exactly like Pearl, but younger.

“Is that… me?” Pearl asked.

“Sure looks like you,” Spike said.

Pinkie looked over Rainbow’s shoulder and smiled. “Awww, look how cute you were, Pearl!” Pinkie wiped her face and sniffed. “They grow up so fast.”

“We’re on the right track!” Twilight said. “Keep searching, everypony.”

“Well, at least we know what they look like now,” Fluttershy said.

While the others split up to search for more clues, Pearl stared at the photo, trying to sort out the obscure pieces in her head. She was sure she’d never laid eyes on the ponies in the picture, yet somewhere in the back of her mind she felt she knew them.

“I found something!” Starlight yelled, emerging from a small office-like room carrying an object with her magic. The other ponies crowded around her, all trying to get a peek. “It looks like an old journal or diary. It was half-buried in the corner.”

Starlight dusted the book off and handed it to Pearl, who skimmed through a few pages, then stopped, her eyes focused on a particular page.

“Well? What’s it say?” Pinkie asked. “Read it out loud already. I can’t take the suspense!”

“May journal entries…” Pearl began.

“5-3:

Lilac brought home some kind of old scroll today. When Astral questioned her, she admitted to going to that old ruin. Haven’t we warned her often enough to stay away from that place? Whatever are we going to do with this kid? Her curiosity is going to get her in a lot of trouble one of these days.”

“Lilac?” Pearl wondered out loud, “that must be my real name. Princess Luna said she heard that name when she went into my dream.”

Rainbow shot Pearl a mischievous wink. “So, read on, Lilac.”

Pearl scowled. The name meant nothing to her. “My name is Pearl.”

“Just trying to break the tension.”

“5-4:

Astral says Lilac might have found something of great significance in that scroll. Supposedly it’s a spell ancient unicorn wizards used to enhance their magic, but even Astral has heard little of it. I suspect he’ll be busy the next few days researching it. Good luck getting him to leave his office!”

5-5:

I knew Astral shouldn’t have taught Lilac how to read ancient Ponish. That little pony got into Astral’s office and recited the spell, and we’re not even sure what it does yet! I hope it’s nothing bad, and I hope Astral can find a way to reverse it.”

5-9:

I write this with a pain in my heart that only a mother who has lost her child could know. My worst fears have come true. Astral was very close to finding the origin of the spell when our beloved little Lilac sprouted wings and shot off towards the north in a blaze of magical fire. I was in such a state of shock I could not write yesterday, and I’m barely able to hold it together now. What has become of our child? What sort of spell did she unearth? I can only hope she’s safe. She must be so frightened. I cannot be sure what has happened to her or where she is, and it’s tearing my heart into a hundred pieces.”

6-1:

It has been decided. After nearly a month of the village searching, fliers sent out and hopeful leads withered, Astral and I are moving. We can’t bear living in the shadow of those ruins anymore, not after what happened to our dear Lilac. We’re departing as soon as possible. I will leave my old life, and this journal, behind. If you happen to read this and value your life, heed my warning and stay well away from that old unicorn fort.”

The next page and all the pages after were blank. Pearl dropped to her haunches, biting her lip. “That’s it. Those ponies were my last hope.”

“No,” Twilight said. “There’s still hope as long as they’re out there. The only settlements nearby are to the northeast. We’ll try there first.”

“Yeah!” Rainbow chipped in. “I don’t know the meaning of the word ‘quit!’ So let’s go, we’re wasting time!”

Pearl nodded and followed the rest of the ponies out of the house, affording one last parting glance at the home she never knew.

Chapter 13

The rest of the day they traveled, to another small village nearby, only to find no leads and head off to the next town. Once the sun disappeared, the ponies put on their sweaters and Twilight raised her hoof and called for them to make camp in the foot of a narrow canyon. Pinkie, the only one who hadn't brought a scarf or sweater, wrapped her forelegs around her chest, shivering for warmth, the chattering of her teeth indicating she wished she’d packed warm. “Twilight, why didn’t you tell me it was gonna get this cold?”

Twilight rolled her eyes while Applejack facehoofed. “We did.”

“We’re in the desert!” Pinkie shrieked. “Why is it so cold?! Deserts are supposed to be hot!”

Rarity stepped up to Pinkie and patted her on the shoulder. “There, there, Pinkie. We’ll get a campfire started.”

The ponies selected a quiet spot in the canyon that provided them shelter from the chilly wind. They anchored their tents to heavy rocks and chose a cavity in the canyon wall as the spot for a campfire.

Applejack twisted a stick between her hooves until smoke began to rise from the pile. A few tiny sparks then the wood ignited, lighting the cavity in a warm red glow. The ponies sat close to enjoy its heat – all except for Pearl, who stood some distance away, warily eyeing the flames.

“Now there’s how ya start a campfire, ya’ll!” Applejack said proudly.

Everypony voiced their agreement. Pinkie Pie reached into her bag and pulled out eight thin metal rods and a bag of marshmallows.

“You know you have a dragon with you, right?” Spike grumbled. “I could’ve started it quicker.”

“Fire breath is cheatin’,” Applejack countered.

“Eh, fire’s fire,” Pinkie said. “It roasts marshmallows all the same!” She passed out the skewers to each of the ponies and dragon sitting around the campfire, then impaled six marshmallows on hers and held them over the flames.

“The perfect campfire is an Apple family tradition!” Applejack bit back.

“Hey Pearl, come sit with us!” Starlight offered.

Pearl hesitated. She wanted to, but with that fire… “That’s okay, I’m fine over here.”

“Don’t you want some marshmallows?” Pinkie asked. She scooped up all six from her skewer with her tongue and swallowed them in one gulp. “They’re good!”

“No, really. I’ll just stay over here.”

The pink pony hopped up with a very sticky smile and bounded over to Pearl. “Come on! It’ll be super-duper fun!”

“I don’t want to,” Pearl answered more insistently. Don’t lose your patience, Pearl. They’re you’re friends...

“How come, sugarcube?” Applejack asked. “You’re shivering. The fire’ll warm you right up.”

“It’s not because I’m cold.”

Pinkie grabbed Pearl by the hoof and tugged. “Come sit with your friends!”

“No!” Pearl yelled. She yanked her hoof away and backed up a step. All eyes were on her now.

Rainbow Dash joined Pinkie and Pearl, hovering above them. “What’s up with you?”

“I hate fire!” Pearl screamed.

The other ponies went silent at Pearl’s rare outburst, but their eyes begged for an explanation. Pearl sighed, allowing herself a moment to calm down, then with great effort followed Pinkie and Rainbow back to the campfire and took a seat next to Pinkie. Pearl tilted herself away from the flames, feeling as though they might reach out and grab her.

“Why are you so afraid of fire?” Twilight asked.

“What’s the matter, darling?” Rarity asked. “You can tell us.”

Pearl huffed, staring blankly at the flickering ground. Dark memories poked at her mind. “When that… thing took over, I would sometimes wake up surrounded by smoke and ashes. When I see fire, I think about the things that Seed made me do. All that carnage and destruction, all of it caused by fire.”

“It’s true that fire can be a mite dangerous,” Applejack said, “but we wouldn’t be here today if ancient ponies hadn’t figured out how to make good use of it. They depended on fire for survival.”

Fluttershy nodded. “Of course. You just have to keep safety in mind.”

Closing her eyes, Pearl took a deep breath to compose herself. “You’re right. As long as I have my friends here with — ack!” Pearl shrieked when a ball off fire zoomed in front of her face. She fell over on her back, her heart pounding as her chest heaved with rapid breaths.

“What?” Pinkie Pie asked, holding a flaming marshmallow on a skewer in front of Pearl. “Don’t you want a marshmallow?”

“Pinkie!” Twilight snapped. “What did Fluttershy just say about safety?”

Pinkie flashed a cringing smile, then blew out the flames. “Sorry, Pearl.”

“You —” Pearl panted, hoping to regain her breath, “you don’t shove something on fire in front of a pony’s face! Don’t ever—” Pearl paused to again catch her breath, “don’t ever do that to me again! I can’t lose control over-over…”

A sudden sharp pain pulsed through her. She yelped at this, her thoughts suddenly turning to horror.

“What’s wrong, Pearl?” Fluttershy asked.

Pain shot through her body again, stronger this time. Pearl’s head throbbed. “What’s happening to me?” she moaned, wrapping her forelegs against her chest.

The others all rose and approached her.

“Pearl, what’s going on?” Twilight asked. “Is it the Seed?”

Waves of agony like electric shocks coursed through Pearl’s body now. “I don’t know! It hurts!”

“Oh, this isn’t good,” Spike said.

Somewhere beneath her wall of pain, Pearl felt a dark, malicious presence threatening to overtake her. Violent thoughts. To see these ponies broken and defeated-no! Those weren’t her thoughts!

“It’s the Seed!” Pearl yelled. “Everypony get out of here!”

A familiar red aura began to surround Pearl.

“W-what do we do, y’all?!” Applejack asked.

“We must help her!” Rarity yelled back.

“But how?!” Rainbow shouted.

They know too much a voice seemed to whisper into Pearl’s mind.

Pearl gnashed her teeth and anchored herself, struggling to keep hold of herself. “Get out of here before —”

Destroy them! Destroy them all!

“No!” Pearl yelled back. “I won’t do it!”

Starlight took a step closer. “Pearl, listen to me! You have to fight it. Don’t give in!”

I said destroy them! They’ve learned too much!

“Get out of my head! You don’t own me!”

You can’t resist me forever, my little vessel of destruction. Those ponies are a threat to me. To us. They must be eliminated!

Pearl tensed her muscles as she looked to the other ponies. Twilight and Starlight had spells prepared in their horns. Applejack and Rainbow Dash took up defensive stances while the others looked on in fear and dread.

Eliminate them all — eliminate — eliminate — eliminate!

A small piece of her felt an uncontrollable urge to do it, but as she looked to her friends she saw sorrow in their eyes, pleading for her to come to her senses. She owed them so much — too much to let this creature within her have its way. Pearl braced herself and, as if the others had lent her their strength, she shook her head and fought to drive back the darkness and the pain. The Seed fought back in kind, trying to root more of its influence in Pearl’s mind. Screaming, she chose her most logical option: flee.

“NO!” she cried, running into the night.

My vessel, why do you resist? Why are you hiding?

“How-how are you talking to me?”

You always were good at hide and seek as a filly, weren’t you?

“How...” she wondered as she continued to gallop as fast as her legs could carry her.

I’ve been inside you for a long time. I know all about you. I’ve learned your ways, your thoughts, your language. I’m a part of you. Or perhaps, you’re a part of me?

“A... part of you?”

You can’t resist me forever. We can cause so much destruction together, vessel.

“Why are you so obsessed with destruction?”

For a moment, the Seed didn’t answer, then spoke to her again like a whisper in her ear. I am a weapon. I was created to destroy.

“I won’t let you hurt them! I don’t care what you are, I’m not a killer like you!”

If they’re going to be such a hindrance, then maybe you need another case of amnesia.

Pearl gasped, her grip on the Seed loosening. “All those years ago, when I was a filly...”

Such a shame, too. It took much of my strength. I could have taken control of you much sooner if I hadn’t been forced to such measures.

Pearl refocused her thoughts, fighting for control of herself. The Seed was toying with her, trying to weaken her focus. Tears ran down her face as she hid herself in a shallow cave to catch her breath.

The ponies you care about will be like strangers. You will lose all memory of them.

Pearl heaved a crying sob and buried her face in her hooves. “No. somepony, please help me!”

***

Twilight and the others caught up with Pearl, farther back in the canyon, just in time to catch the end of her unique conversation. They started toward her when Pearl lifted a hoof in warning.

“Stay away!” Pearl yelled. “Don’t come any closer!”

“We’re your friends, Pearl!” Twilight shouted back.

“Yeah!” Rainbow said. “We’re not going anywhere!”

“It’s trying to… wipe my memory! It wants to-to destroy you all!”

Twilight gasped. The Seed must have wiped Pearl’s memory as a filly. As a measure to protect itself, perhaps. Protect it from what? Wait, her parents – yes, that’s it! “Pearl, look at us!”

Pearl heeded Twilight’s words and lifted her head, her eyes glowing a fiery crimson.

“Think about how we’ve helped you. Think about the good times you’ve had with us. Think about home, your adoptive parents! The Seed fears us, fears them, because it needs to feed on hate and fear. Friendship, peace, love — it can’t handle that!”

Pearl’s mouth cracked open as she stared at them for a few silent moments. Her eyes suddenly became narrow and focused. “I won't let you hurt my friends!” She let out a shrill, animalistic scream that echoed across the canyon walls. Rings of power coursed through her horn.

“Get down!” Twilight shouted. She and the others did so, dropping low and covering their heads with their hooves.

Towering rays of light burst around Pearl and shot to the sky, lighting the area in a blinding white display of power. The cavity she hid under disintegrated upon contact with the magic columns and the ground beneath Pearl cracked and webbed out to where her friends were lying prone. It was almost like being caught in an earthquake.

Bits of stone hovered around Pearl, suspended in mid-air from the force of whatever it was she’d just done. A blast of wind buffeted the area, sending the rocks flying over Twilight’s head and, at last, the light faded. Pearl dropped to her belly and reverted to her ordinary form, but the very ground underneath her had buckled and depressed.

“Whoa,” Starlight breathed, “what power…”

Pearl pulled herself up to her knees and front hooves, letting out slow, shallow breaths with her mane matted against her face. Tears streamed from her eyes. “Finish me. Quick, before it comes back!”

Twilight bit her lip, fighting tears herself. A promise was a promise, but...

“Quite the light show!” Came a familiar voice. Discord popped into existence, theater lights from somewhere above illuminating him. “You really should take that one on the road, my dear. You’d be the hit of Equestria.”

Pearl’s breathing slowed. She stared perplexed at Discord for a moment, then the mental switch flicked in her eyes. “I remember you, at the castle.”

“Discord?” Fluttershy asked. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, it goes against my nature as the Lord of Chaos, but perhaps I’ve come to help.”

“Help?” Pearl breathed. She stood up. “I thought… I thought you said you couldn’t help me.”

“And I still can’t. I won’t bother you with the details, but it turns out I can help your parents, your real ones.” Discord materialized the journal they had found in his paws. “Quite the read. They really should have this back.”

“You can help me find them?” Pearl asked, hope in her voice.

“Technically, I’m forbidden to tell you but —” Discord began tearing small pieces of paper from the journal. “Oh dear, this poor book is just falling apart.”

Discord floated above them, tearing off pieces of paper as he left that marked an obvious trail. Now Twilight levitated the group in a bubble, flying and following as Discord moved ever faster.

“Thank you,” Pearl said.

Discord kept up his trail-marking, acting as if he hadn’t heard a thing. “You really should tell whoever left this book behind that it pays to keep things in proper storage.”

Twilight allowed herself a slight smile as she and the others followed Discord. What a mysterious creature he was...

Chapter 14

Discord’s trail led them about twenty miles north to a little house in a lonely, quiet stretch of land that, except for grass and a few trees, was empty as far as the eye could see. The ponies who lived here didn’t have any neighbors. Just as her mother’s diary said, they’d isolated themselves, and a small house in the middle of miles of nothing was the perfect place to do it.

Twilight’s bubble vanished along with Discord as they landed near the front porch. Pearl took a deep breath of courage and let it out her nose. “Well, this is it.”

“How do you feel?” Starlight asked, putting a hoof on Pearl’s shoulder.

It was difficult to put into words. So many emotions swirled within Pearl that she couldn’t put her hoof on just one. “How am I supposed to feel?”

“Yeah, I’m not sure I’d know what to think in your situation, either,” Twilight said. “But we’ve come all this way. Now's the only chance we're going to get.”

Nodding, Pearl took another breath and stepped up onto the porch. She knocked on the door, her heart pounding in anticipation of what awaited on the other side. After a few moments of silence, the door opened, revealing a middle-aged unicorn mare who still partly resembled the young pony staring at her.

“Hello there,” the mare said. “Can I help you?”

Pearl didn’t recognize the face; she had no memory of this mare, yet Pearl knew in her heart exactly who she was. “M-mom?”

The mare studied Pearl for a silent moment, then her mouth gaped open in an expression of complete disbelief. “Oh, my. It can’t — I thought you were — Astral! Astral, dear, come quick!”

A stallion galloped up to the door, no doubt alarmed by the note of urgency in his wife’s voice. “What is it, Ivory?”

“It’s… it’s…” the mare stammered, tears streaming down her face as she pointed at Pearl.

Astral looked to their new guest, his eyes perfectly resembling Pearl’s. “No. It can’t be. I can’t believe it. You, you were gone…”

“Dad?” Pearl asked, looking now at the unicorn stallion. He was no more familiar to her than his wife, but Pearl knew she was standing face to face with her father.

The mare Pearl knew now as Ivory wiped her eyes, letting out a joyful sob. “Our Lilac’s come home!”

“Lilac?” Pearl echoed. The name from the dairy. The same name Luna heard in her dream. Her real name.

“Look at you!” Astral said, joy entering his voice. “You look just like your mother did when I fell in love with her. Where have you been all these years?”

“A stallion named Gold Nugget found me on the bank of a river up in the mountains near Whinnypeg. He and his wife raised me. I lost all memory of my life before that. It’s like I’m meeting you two for the first time.”

Ivory gasped and held her hoof to her mouth. “You don’t even recognize us, dear?”

Pearl shook her head.

Ivory turned to Astral and hugged him, sobbing as she buried her face into his shoulder. “Oh, Astral, it’s all our fault!”

Pearl stared at them for a moment, debating what to do. Should she hug them? The urge was there, but she had come for answers more than anything else. Affection could wait. “I need to know. Why is it you never found me? Didn’t you love me? Did you even try to look for me? How hard did you try?”

Pain etched across Ivory’s face. “Oh Lilac, sweetie, of course we loved you. But what happened to you frightened us and we thought you were gone. We did search, the neighbors too, but where to look? If we’d known you were still alive, we would have come for you.”

“The ponies who rescued me sent out fliers! How did you never find one?”

“We moved out here,” Astral explained. “There’s not a major city within a hundred miles of this place. We… wanted to be alone with our thoughts after it happened.”

The tears finally started to flow down Pearl’s face. “So, did you just give up on me?”

“Lilac, that was –”

“Those ponies who rescued me did everything they could; they gave so much for me! And those ponies behind me? I barely know them and they were willing to set their priorities aside and do everything in their power to help me. Why couldn’t you?! If you ever truly loved me, you are going to shed some tears, real tears, so we can destroy the Seed and I can finally get past this nightmare!”

With tears in their eyes, Pearl’s parents wrapped their forelegs around her, holding her close.

“Lilac, we tried everything we could,” her mom sobbed.

“We deserve your resentment, my daughter, we do. But just try to imagine what we’ve been through.”

Twilight gasped, forcing herself away from the emotion of the moment. “Tears. Tears! Starlight, now!”

Pearl gnashed her teeth, her eyes suddenly flaring red as she struggled to keep her focus on her parents. "No! Not now!" The Seed fought back in desperation for control.

“Destroy them!” the Seed commanded, its deep voice emanating from her. “Rid us of them, and we will be strong forever!”

Pearl anchored herself as she groaned out loud, partly to take her mind off the pain and partly to drown out the Seed’s voice. “They brought this on you! They didn’t even come looking for you! Why do you care about them?!”

The red aura of power surrounded her and the batlike wings began to sprout from her back. Her horn started to curve and divide into two.

“I won’t let you!” Pearl screamed, now in her own voice.

Even as she struggled against it, violent thoughts creeped into her mind. She could pay her parents back right now, make them suffer for their negligence. “No!” She shook her head, trying to erase those dark influences.

“They should have kept a better eye on you!” the Seed taunted. “What kind of ponies leave such power out in the open for a child to stumble across?”

“I won’t do it!” Pearl shouted.

“It’s their fault. I said destroy them! Destroy, destroy, destroy!”

Pearl shook her head. “No! It wasn’t their fault! It was mine!” Even as she said that, the desire to hurt her parents, to punish them, grew ever stronger. The wings’ growth sped up and the aura of power around her strengthened. “Hurry! I’m losing my grip on it! I can’t hold it much longer!”

Twilight and Starlight both squeezed their eyes shut, putting all their focus into the counter-spell. The transformation continued despite this.

“It’s not working!” Starlight groaned.

Pearl’s eyes burned red and suddenly she felt free – free to destroy the ponies who’d ruined her life. Free to annihilate, to burn all she laid her eyes on. No! Those weren’t her thoughts! The more she tried to contain them, the more she felt unrestrained, to let her power loose as if it was in her nature. Oh, to look upon the defeated and broken bodies of these ponies. She flashed a vicious smile and raised her hoof above her parents’ hug to strike.

“Everypony, join their hug!” Twilight shouted. “Pearl needs all of you!”

Twilight and Starlight kept the counter-spell going while the others gathered around and embraced Pearl as she snarled and screamed and struggled, but the others held her fast even as magic energy pulsated through the house and heat began to rise from her as she attempted to summon a fireball.

“You’re too late!” She snarled in the Seed’s voice. “I’ll destroy you all! I’ll destroy everything!”

“Forgive us, Pearl!” Ivory said. “We love you!”

Her parents’ tears washed onto Pearl’s cheek, coalescing with her own and the magic of the counter-spell. A twinkle appeared on her face, emanating from the tears, then turned to a rainbow of light that spread through her body. Her cutie mark, which had been glowing with the Seed’s power, now begin to flicker.

Pearl screamed at an agony that felt like something inside her being torn from her body. Her eyes flashed between red and their natural indigo color as the rainbow formed into a globe and lifted from Pearl’s body, carrying from the bottom of it a tiny black form no bigger than an acorn. The Seed lashed out toward Pearl with a pair of long tendrils and held onto her, struggling as if fighting to regain its host.

The rainbow light grew and overcame the darkness, and with one final scream the Seed exploded in a shower of magic sparks. A resulting ring of power expanded outward. Pearl’s cutie mark vanished. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she slumped to the floor.

I don’t understand.

It’s impossible.

I am a weapon. I was created to win wars. I was created to destroy. Why, then, does it seem my own existence is coming to an end? To think that I would be destroyed...

I don't understand, my vessel. Why don't you want this power? Why do you want to destroy me?

I don’t understand...

Chapter 15

Pearl found herself surrounded by darkness and a low, thin fog. She spun around, trying to make sense of the situation.

“What is this? Where am I?” she asked out loud.

“No. There is no longer a reason to fear,” came a familiar, almost ethereal voice. “It is over.”

Pearl snapped back around but there was nopony there. “Over? What do you mean? Who’s there?!”

“The creature that once resided within you is gone. It cannot harm anypony anymore.”

“I don’t understand,” Pearl called out. “What’s going on?”

Pearl shielded her eyes against a brilliant flash of light and found herself face-to-face with the source of the voice. It was her own. Or maybe she was imagining it and looking at her reflection? Pearl raised a hoof to test, but the pony in front of her didn’t mimic. How strange. Aside from that, it was like looking into a mirror. “Who are – I mean, you’re me. How?”

The other Pearl smiled. “How does it feel to get a good look at yourself, now that you’re free?”

“Free?” Pearl thought on the word in silence for a while. How good it sounded. To be free from that which had kept her shackled for so long. Free to be an ordinary pony. Free to sleep or use magic without being afraid. “It feels pretty good.”

Her copy raised an eyebrow, silently judging that answer. “Does it?”

“Yes.” Pearl nodded. “But I know I’ll always have the past.”

“As will I. But we both must look forward, not backward.”

“But you are me. At least, you sure look like me.” Pearl hesitated, still trying to wrap her mind around what she was seeing. “This is so weird. What’s going on?”

There was another brilliant flash and Princess Luna stood where Pearl’s copy once was. It all made sense in a moment.

“Wait. This is a dream?” Pearl asked.

Luna nodded. “Indeed, and I am pleased to see it. I wish I could say I was pleasantly surprised, but it is hardly so. How does it feel to dream freely, Pearl Blush?”

Tears welling up in her eyes, Pearl hugged Luna. “I’m so glad to see you, princess! It feels wonderful. I feel at peace, like the weight of Equestria has been lifted from me. Thank you so much for all your help.”

“It is my duty, as Princess of the Night. And my pleasure.”

Pearl stepped back and rubbed her chin. “Wait, you said you’re not surprised to see me dreaming this?”

Luna laughed then smiled. “Hardly! Do you know why? Because you’re friends with seven very special ponies who have yet to disappoint me. No matter what obstacle is put before them, they always find a way. I knew they would pull through for you.”

“So why are you here?” Pearl asked.

“Given my part to free you from your nightmare, I just had to see this outcome for myself. Allow me to be the first to congratulate you. You’re a strong pony to have fought the Seed as long as you have. Many would have gone mad with despair and guilt under the same circumstance. Now awake. Your friends and family are worried.”

A blurry world welcomed Pearl when she woke. She rubbed the tiredness out of her eyes, finding the room she was in unfamiliar. Ponies were talking, but she couldn’t tell who. Pearl sat up and saw she’d been lying down on a couch.

“Eh? What happened? Where am I?” she asked.

A familiar pink face popped into view. “Pearl! You’re awake!” Pinkie Pie wrapped Pearl in a spine-crushing hug and shouted, “She’s awake, everypony!”

“Oh, thank goodness,” came Fluttershy’s soft voice.

After Pinkie let her go, Pearl looked around and saw that her friends were all there, as well as Ivory and Astral.

“Good. That means you’re going to be okay,” Twilight said.

“Did the Seed —” Pearl paused to yawn and hoped what she saw in her dream was true. “Did you get rid of it?”

Starlight nodded. “We’re pretty sure we did. Your cutie mark disappeared after the Seed exploded, but a test wouldn’t hurt, just to be safe.”

Pearl put her hooves to the floor and stretched her legs. “Okay, but first where are we?”

“You’re still at our house, my child,” Astral said. “That must really have taken it out of you.”

Ivory walked up to hug Pearl. “I’m so sorry, Lilac. You’ve been through so much because of our negligence. How you must have suffered.” Ivory squeezed her tighter. “Apologies won’t erase any of it, but we need you to know that we are so, so sorry.”

Pearl felt her emotions flash from bewilderment to acceptance and finally a sense of happiness to have closed the book on her lifelong troubles. She returned the hug, rubbing her mother’s back. “It’s okay, Mom.”

“Mom,” Ivory whispered, still hugging her daughter. “That sounds nice. Nopony’s called me that in years.”

A second pair of forelegs joined the hug. Pearl just barely saw Astral’s face from the corner of her eye.

“Our filly’s been alive all this time and we didn’t even know. We must be the worst parents in Equestria.”

Though her attention had been fully absorbed in the scene, Twilight managed to gather her thoughts and beckon the others to join her outside so Pearl and her parents could have the moment to themselves.

“Good job, everypony,” Twilight said once their conversation was out of earshot from the reunited family.

“I knew we could do it!” Rainbow Dash said. “We always come out on top.”

“Darn tootin’!” Applejack agreed.

Rarity looked towards the house with a smile. “I am so glad we were able to help rid her of that horrible creature.”

“Me, too,” Starlight said, “but I feel for her. If she’s anything like me, this will haunt her for some time.”

“Then it’s a good thing she’s got friends like us to support her through it,” Twilight said.

In a minute, Pearl came outside, along with her parents. She aimed toward a nearby large rock and fired an energy bolt, which fizzled out before it even reached the boulder. A couple more tries and the onlookers cheered.

“It’s over! It really is over!” Pearl shouted, dancing around happily. "And that strange cutie mark, it's gone! I can finally start over! Maybe even get a REAL cutie mark!

Astral came over to her once the emotions ran their course. “You’re more than welcome to stay with us, Lilac. It may take time for you to make a life here, but —”

Pearl hugged her father. “I appreciate the offer, eh? But I have a life back in Whinnypeg. I promise you both, though, I will visit and write to you regularly. I want you to be a part of what happens to me from here on.”

“We will be, dear,” Ivory said. “And we’ll visit you too. That’s a strange thought. We haven’t left this homestead in years. Where will you be?”

Thinking of home brought a smile to Pearl’s face. “Home. In the mountains near Whinnypeg." Pearl gasped and turned away. “I need to go home. I’ve waited so long… I need to tell my adoptive parents about this!”

"Are you really leaving so soon?" Ivory asked.

Pearl sighed, turned around and embraced both of them one more time. "I'm sorry, but yes. I-I miss them so much, and they must miss me. I'll write, I promise!"

Twilight beamed through the scene, feeling that familiar warm sense of pride in helping yet another pony overcome her problems. And make some new friends to boot!

Chapter 16

It felt like forever since Pearl had been to the mountains near Whinnypeg. This was home, her real home, and the cabin and greenhouse were a sight sweeter than any she’d ever seen.

“This is it,” Pearl told her friends. Her heart resonated with her desire to see her adoptive family again. “Home sweet home, eh?”

“It’s beautiful!” Fluttershy said, enjoying the view from their high up vantage point. “I wish I could live in a place like this.”

“It sure is pretty,” Starlight agreed.

“We can gawk at the scenery later,” Applejack said. “We’re here for a reunion!”

Pearl nodded. No need to ask twice. "Of course. I've waited so long."

“This is your moment, Pearl,” Twilight said. “We’ll wait out here.”

Pearl knocked, then pushed open the door and stepped inside. “Mom? Dad? I’m home!”

The sound of galloping hooves echoed through the cabin and then Gold Nugget was there, hugging her. “Pearl! My treasure, I knew you’d come back home!”

“It’s good to see you, Dad, I’ve-”

“Em!” Gold interrupted. “Em, come quick, she’s home!”

Emerald appeared a few moments later and joined the hug, wearing a gardening apron covered in dirt. “Pearl! Our Pearl…”

It was as warm and tender hug as Pearl could remember. Tears of joy rolled down her cheeks as she allowed herself to savor the moment. After a long search and a hard-fought battle, she knew she was back where she belonged.

“I missed you so much.” Pearl sniffed.

"We missed you, too, Treasure," Gold whispered.

“Did you find your parents?” Emerald asked.

Pearl pushed the two away so she could look at them. “I sure did. They’re standing right in front of me.”

Emerald wiped her eyes. “Oh, Pearl, you’re too sweet. I meant your birth parents.”

“Yeah, I met them,” Pearl said. “But as far as I’m concerned, you two are my real parents. I’m so happy to be back home. Happier than I’ve ever been.”

"We guessed that from your smile," Gold said with a chuckle. "Did you fall in love, eh?"

"Not yet, but now I could. Oh, I could!" Pearl danced around the room, Gold and Emerald elated at the sight.

"Whoa, hold on there!" Emerald said. "Now, I love seeing you so happy but what's this all about, eh? And... your cutie mark! It's gone! What in the world happened to you?"

Pearl stopped to catch her breath. "Okay... okay I'm calming down. Stand there while I -- no, you'd better sit down -- oh, just listen!"

For the next five minutes, Pearl blurted out the whole thing, bouncing the whole time. Once they grasped the enormity of the news, Gold and Emerald joined in the celebration, dancing around the room with her

"Are you," Emerald started, "oh let me catch my breath -- are you sure your magic is normal now?

"Oh yes! Watch..."

They flinched as Pearl levitated Gold's pickaxe, leaning against the wall, then let it down easy next to him. The stress left their faces and Gold gestured toward the door

"These friends of yours from Ponyville, they're here now?" Gold asked.

"Oh gosh, I forgot all about them!"

“Well why didn’t you say something?” Grinning even wider, Gold opened the door and beckoned them inside. “Sorry to keep you waiting. Come on in, all of you!”

“Of course!” Emerald said. “Any friend of Pearl’s is welcome here! I want to hear the whole story, all of it. In fact, I think I’ll bake us all an apple pie.”

“Now you’re talkin’!” Applejack said. “Mind if I lend a hoof?”

“You bake?” Emerald asked.

“Only all the time.” Applejack tipped her hat. “Name’s Applejack. Pearl tells me you’re quite the baker yourself. I can believe that if she gets her skills from you.”

Epilogue

“Fillies, say hello to Ranger Pearl,” Ms. Cheerilee said, dressed her filly scout leader outfit.

“Hi, Ranger Pearl!” a bunch of filly scouts, all in uniform, shouted.

“Hi, fillies!” Pearl said. She was dressed in a green ranger outfit with a matching green ball cap. The Ponyville Summer Scouts had the run of the lakeside at Ponyville Park a few miles outside of town.

The municipal park was a relatively new project, one that Pearl had eagerly embraced. Beautifying the land had given her an outlet for her botanical training, while also allowing her to earn enough bits to make a start on paying for the damage she’d done while under the Seed’s influence. Twilight and Celestia had tried to assure her no payment was needed, but Pearl insisted on making things right.

Tents and a few cabins lined the lakeshore, along with a large play area and all sorts of watercraft. Pearl looked over the eager group of two dozen fillies and smiled, so glad to be doing something positive for a change.

“Are you ready to have some fun this summer, eh?” Pearl asked.

“Yeah!” the fillies yelled.

Cheerilee stepped up beside Pearl. “Pearl is going to be our camp counselor and you’ll listen to her just as you would me, understand?”

The fillies all nodded their understanding.

“Very good! Pearl, what kind of activities do we have planned?” Cheerilee backed up a bit, giving Pearl the floor.

Pearl picked up a checklist with her magic. “We’re going to do the usual camp stuff: hiking, swimming, boating – that sort of thing. We’ll have campfires and tell ghost stories. I’ve also got a scavenger hunt planned and several other contests.”

“What kind of contests?” Scootaloo asked.

Pearl clapped her hooves, as excited for this new adventure as the fillies were. “Glad you asked! Sometime this week, we’ll hold a photography contest. You’ll split up into groups and Cheerilee and I will pick the best pictures.”

“What’re we supposed to take pictures of?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Anything! The trees, animals, a sunrise or sunset. Whatever inspires you.”

“Cool!" Scootaloo said. "This is gonna be great.”

Soon Cheerilee dismissed the kids and the serious play began. “I want to thank you again for volunteering to help us, Pearl. It means a lot to the children.”

“It means a lot to me to see them having fun,” Pearl said. “I missed out on a lot of that, but I can get some of it back by helping them have a good time.”

“Yes, indeed. So what do you plan to do now? Will you stay here in Ponyville?”

Pearl smiled as she watched the children play. “For now, at least. I told Applejack I’d help her and the other Apples rebuild their barn, and that’s coming along. I thought about staying with the folks once I’m done with my ranger job, but Dad was right. I need to get out and clear my head, figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life.”

She looked at her flank, the magic seal that had been there for so long had vanished along with the Seed. “And I suppose when I do, I’ll finally earn a cutie mark of my own.”

Cheerilee pointed her in the direction of three waiting ponies. “Something tells me you’re going to have help with that.”

Sweetie Belle saluted. “The Cutie Mark Crusaders are on the case!”

The rest of the afternoon was a blur of laughter and fun. When Pearl entered the ranger's cabin, she was tired but in a good way. It seemed so long ago when she first entered Ponyville, sleepless and hopeless. Now the world was hers, and she hardly knew what to do first. Now that night had fallen and the fillies all gone to sleep, however, she could work on the hobby she'd picked up since her time in Ponyville. She opened a drawer in her desk and removed a pencil and a piece of paper, supposing she could finish this one panel before heading off to bed herself.

Pearl doodled away for a moment before a knock on the door brought her from her work. "Come in!"

The door opened and a sleepy-eyed Apple Bloom stepped inside.

"Applebloom! It's late. Aren't you supposed to be in bed?"

"I was just wonderin' if I could have an extra blanket for our tent. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo are hoggin' the one we've already got."

Pearl smiled and nodded at the simple request. "Sure."

As Pearl walked over to the cabin's closet to retrieve a blanket, Apple Bloom took a look at the paper on Pearl's desk.

"Hey, what's this?"

"Oh, that?" Pearl walked over to the filly with a blanket in tow. "Just a little hobby I've picked up."

"You drew these?" Apple Bloom asked, looking closer at the comic book-style panels drawn on the paper. "These are pretty good! It's like a comic book."

Pearl nodded. "That's exactly what it is."

"What's it about?"

"It's about a mare who was born with a terrible power but doesn't know why she has it. But she's learning how to use that power to help ponies."

"Kind of like you were?"

Pearl chuckled. "Yes, like the power I used to have."

"Will you get it published?"

"Maybe someday," Pearl said. "It's just a hobby now."

"I'll bet it would sell real well, since you're friends with a princess and everything."

"I might do that. Get my -- I mean, her-- story out there." Pearl paused to stifle a big yawn. "It's late, you should get off to bed, eh?"

Apple Bloom took the blanket and smiled. "Thanks, Pearl. Goodnight!"

"Goodnight, Apple Bloom."

Soon Pearl had tucked into bed and sighed a satisfied sigh, smiling as she relaxed into a welcome sleep.

How sweet a normal life was...

Chapter 1 Author's Note

I have moved this story to my main account from my lord_kefka account. I apologize for the confusion.

Chapter 1

It hadn’t been the journey Pearl expected. She started around the mountains and Whinnypeg, asking the residents of each little village she passed through if anypony lost a filly fifteen years ago. Nopony did. And none of the libraries she browsed through during her travels had any information on her cutie mark.

Pearl sighed through her nose. It wasn’t that food was hard to come by. She’d learned from Emerald Foliage, her adoptive mother, which plants were poisonous and which ones were safe to eat.

It had been two days since she last slept. That week, the troubles had really begun. Pearl would find a quiet place to camp for the night, only to wake up near one village or another. Every one of them showed recent damage, complete with smoke and fire. The final straw happened when she woke up in Baltimare to find it in a state of chaos.

Ponies were crying. Emergency crews cleaned up debris. Guards were on the prowl, looking for the attacker. For her. In any other circumstance, she would have surrendered and accepted punishment for the crimes. But with her chaotic sleep, she couldn’t allow herself to be brought into confinement with other ponies. A makeshift blowgun and darts tipped with snooze weed ended the pursuit. At the very least, she was glad she didn’t have to harm them.

Passing through yet another small village, Pearl stopped to watch two young fillies playing on the monkey bars at the school playground. She regarded them with a slight smile and started on her way again when she heard one of the fillies scream. She looked again and found that one of them was now belly first on the ground. She gasped and galloped up to them

"Oh no! Are you okay?" Pearl asked as the filly's friend came over to check on her.

“She fell off the monkey bars!” the filly’s friend said to Pearl.

The filly rolled over on her back, sucking her bottom lip with tears in her eyes. "My elbow hurts!"

"Let me see."

The filly let go of her elbow and showed Pearl a nasty scrape.

"Owww!" Pearl said, recalling all the times she'd skinned her legs on mountain rocks.

The filly hissed in pain and put her hoof back over the wound. "Owie!"

"Hey, don't do that! You've got all kinds of dirt on your hoof, it'll just make it worse."

"But it hurts!'

"I know. Let me help you."

Pearl set her bags down and dug out some of the medicinal herbs she packed. She rolled them in their pack to tear them and expose their healing oils. "Ok, just hold still. This'll make it feel better and keep it from getting infected."

The filly cringed as Pearl pressed the now open pack against the wound as if expecting it to sting. A moment later, she smiled. "That does feel better! Thanks, miss!"

"You're welcome. Just be more careful, eh? You get your parents to put a bandage on that."

The filly hopped up and gave Pearl a quick hug around the legs. “Thanks, miss!”

With that, the two fillies ran off. Pearl smiled after them. If her magic was going to be such a threat, the least she could do was help ponies wherever she could.

Three days later...

Three buildings in Fillydelhpia heavily damaged.

Several small villages attacked.

Ten acres of forest destroyed.

Two farms wiped out.

Many bits worth of damage.

“What in tarnation?!” Applejack asked out loud at the breakfast table as she read through the newspaper.

“What is it, Applejack?” Apple Bloom asked, her voice distorted in the innards of her apple juice cup. The filly set the glass down and studied her sister’s face. “Let me guess, Derpy got the mail mixed up again?”

Applejack shook her head ruefully. “Wish it were somethin’ that minor this time.”

Apple Bloom cocked her head and raised an eyebrow in silent prodding as she took a bite of toast smothered with zap apple preserves.

“A being known only as The Destroyer has been on a violent rampage,” Applejack read directly from the paper, her eyes moving from left to right, “attacking several villages and damaging many acres of forestland. Witnesses have spotted the mysterious creature in or near the towns of Manehattan, Fillydelphia and Baltimare. All eyewitness accounts confirm that The Destroyer only attacks at night and vanishes during the day. It has been described as an equinoid figure with batlike wings and two curved horns. Anypony with information about The Destroyer or its whereabouts should contact a member of law enforcement or the Royal Guard immediately.”

“Eh, what a bunch of hooey!” Granny Smith spat. “It’s just a crazy story for gettin’ folks excited. Newspapers had ‘em all the time when I was a filly.”

“Eeyup,” Big Macintosh agreed.

Applejack gulped down a nervous knot in her throat. As much as she wanted to believe Granny, her adventures with Twilight Sparkle had all but wiped the word “impossible” from her vocabulary. “I don’t know, y’all. I’ve seen some pretty crazy stuff.”

Apple Bloom’s eyes went wide. “What do we do if it comes here?” she asked, her voice hastened with a note of panic.

Applejack rubbed her chin with her hoof as she tried to come up with something. She couldn’t, but she knew just the pony who could. “I need to tell Twilight about this. She’ll know what to do.”

“Oh, quit yer worryin’ and fussin!” Granny Smith said. “Ya done scared yer little sister. Eat yer toast before it gets cold!” To further emphasize her point, she slammed her hoof down on the table, rattling the plates and cups on it.
Everypony’s mouth closed. It was Granny’s age-old signal that the current conversation had reached its end.

That afternoon, Applejack galloped to Twilight Sparkle’s castle, hoping that the well-read alicorn would listen to reason. Even as Applejack explained the situation, Twilight and Starlight Glimmer never looked up from the books they were reading in the library of the castle. Spike was there too, listening intently but not saying a word.

“We’re in a crisis here, Twi!” Applejack yelled, the panic in her voice escalating. “There’s something mean and powerful out there, and it’s burnin’ down farms and attackin’ villages and cities! We’ve gotta do something before it causes any more damage. And if that creature comes here…”

“You’re being ridiculous!” Twilight Sparkle snapped, finally looking up from her book.

“After everything we’ve been through together and all the crazy stuff we’ve seen, are ya really gonna just sit there and shrug this off?” Applejack asked.

“W-what kind of creature?” Spike asked, stammering.

“Some sort of bat-winged, equine… thing.”

Twilight glanced over at Spike, watching him shiver and bite his nails. “Look, Applejack, now you’ve got Spike all worried.”

“Good! At least I’m not the only one takin’ this seriously.”

Starlight Glimmer put her book down and turned her attention to their conversation. “Okay. Let’s back up a bit. Do you have any proof?”

Applejack pulled the rolled up newspaper from her saddlebag and showed the others the story. “It says so right here! Just ask the folks in Manehattan, Fillydelphia and Baltimare, who all saw it.”

Twilight stared at the paper a moment, then scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Applejack, you can’t believe everything you read in the paper. For all we know, it’s just a silly story somepony wrote up, like a Bit Dreadful. A lot of newspapers used to have those.”

Applejack rolled her eyes, muttering, “That’s what Granny said.”

“She may be right,” Starlight answered. “And if not, it’s probably ponies overreacting.”

Applejack pointed a hoof at Starlight. “You of all ponies got no room to talk about overreactin’.”

“Applejack!” Twilight snapped as Starlight flattened her ears in shame. “Listen to yourself. You need to calm down.”

“No, it’s okay,” Starlight sighed. Her ears perked back up. “She’s not wrong.”

Applejack shut her eyes, drew a deep breath and let it out slow. “I’m mighty sorry about that, Starlight. Guess this has me worked up.”

“If it’s any help, I’ll keep my eyes and ears open,” Twilight said. She stood up and gave Applejack a reassuring pat on the back. “I agree with Starlight, though. I think you might be overreacting. If this thing is real, I’ve got a direct link to Princess Celestia.” Twilight shot Spike a wink, who responded with a thumbs-up.

Applejack regarded them for a moment, then smiled. “Thanks, Twi. I sure hope this is all a hoax.”

With that, Applejack turned for the door and left.

***

“Destroyer?” Spike asked. “I don’t like the sound of that!”

Scoffing, Twilight shook her head. “Don’t worry about it, Spike. There’s probably no such thing as a bat-winged, two-horned Destroyer. And if there is, we can handle it. Right, Starlight?” She shot Starlight Glimmer a smile.

“Right!” Starlight answered, holding up an affirmative hoof.

“I just remembered, I was supposed to meet Zecora this afternoon. You two want to come along?” Twilight asked.

Frowning, Starlight shrugged. “No thanks. This book is getting too good.”

“And I got comics to catch up on,” Spike said.

“Okay, then. If I find the Destroyer out there, you’ll be the first to know.”

Twilight slipped on a saddle bag to carry the tea Zecora had promised her and set off for the zebra’s hut in the Everfree Forest. As she went, Twilight mentally chided herself for the way she’d treated Applejack. Her friend did have plenty of reason to worry, with her farm potentially on the line. On the other hoof, travelling to Zecora’s reminded Twilight how everypony had reacted to the zebra before they got to know her. They’d blown her existence way out of proportion, incorrectly believing her to be a witch who dabbled in curses. Stories about The Destroyer were likely a similar case…

***

Twilight returned to Ponyville just as the sun had begun to set. In addition to the tea, Zecora loaned her a book on natural health brews and tonics. Twilight knew better to walk and read at the same time, but she supposed a quick peek at the pages couldn’t hurt. She checked the index, locating the recipes for stress-relieving teas and turned to the appropriate page.

This simple recipe begins with warm milk, green tea and raspberries, three excellent stress-fighting-

“Oof!” a sudden impact snapped Twilight from her reading, causing her to stumble and drop the book. As she picked it back up with her magic, she got a look at what she’d ran into, silently berating herself for her carelessness. She’d bumped into a mare she'd never seen before who wore a body-covering brown cloak, her face obscured in the darkness of its hood.

“Oh, excuse me,” came a weary voice from underneath the hood.

“No, that was my fault. I should’ve been watching where I was going.” Twilight caught a glimpse of the face hidden under the cloak. She was a young unicorn about Twilight’s age, maybe a couple years older, with a thin lock of pearly off-white and pale violet mane dangling next to her horn. Her indigo eyes were listless and hugged by dark circles telling of exhaustion.

“You don’t look so good,” Twilight said. “Are you okay?”

Rubbing her eyes, the stranger made a breathy noise that Twilight couldn’t tell was a yawn or a sigh. “I’m so tired. Haven’t slept in five days. So tired.”

“Five days?! Why haven’t you slept?”

“My magic goes off in my sleep. Ponies get hurt.” The cloaked pony made another one of those breathy noises and drooped. It looked to Twilight as if keeping her head up was taking all her strength. "Help me, Masked Matterhorn!"

Twilight blinked at the request, then realized this pony was so sleep-deprived she must be delirious. "Don't worry. I and the other Power Ponies will help you, uh..."

"Pearl. Pearl Blush."

Twilight smiled, glad to help even if she had to play this role to do it. "Okay, Pearl. Come with me. The Power Ponies are powered up!"

Chapter 5

Pearl had so much fun at Funland Equestria that she was still smiling when she stepped inside the Castle of Friendship that evening.

“Welcome back, Pearl,” Twilight said. “How’d it go?”

“Great! I haven’t had that much fun in a long time,” Pearl said.

“I knew you would. Pinkie has that effect on ponies. I trust you’re feeling more comfortable around us now?”

It was a thought Pearl hadn’t considered until Twilight brought it up. “Come to think of it, yeah.”

Twilight responded with a smile. “Like I said, Pinkie Pie’s great at breaking the ice. Applejack dropped by while you were gone. She was wondering if you’d be willing to spend the day with her tomorrow.”

Pearl had been skeptical only that morning, but the fun and laughter she'd experienced with Pinkie Pie had pulled Pearl out of her shell. She felt happier than she'd ever felt since leaving home, and it occurred to her that maybe Twilight knew exactly what she was doing. “Sure.”

“Okay, I’ll go let her know. Feel free to look around the castle – you’re a welcome guest. If you need anything, just let Starlight, Spike or me know.”

“Actually, I can’t remember where my room is. Could I bother you to show me where it is again?”

Starlight laughed and beckoned to Pearl. “I can show you.”

Pearl flattened her ears. “Are you laughing at me?”

“Oh, no, no, no. I’m laughing at myself. It took me forever to find my way around this place.” Starlight led the way down the hall, half-turning toward Pearl. “How do you like it here so far?”

“It’s been better than I thought it would be. I think I’ll be okay for the night.”

Jawline tightening, Starlight cleared her throat as they continued. “I know you’ve had a hard time lately. Maybe you feel like your life’s spiraling out of control and you’ve done things you’re not proud of, even if you didn’t have control over it. It’s like a trap you can’t escape from.”

“Yeah, that about sums it up. How did you know?”

“I think I’ve been there once. Twilight helped me escape that trap, even if we didn’t start out on friendly terms. If you give her a chance, I’m sure she’ll help you, too. And if you need somepony to talk to, you can come to me. I can relate to you, in a way.”

Pearl smiled at her as they reached the door to her room. “Thanks, Starlight. I’ll keep that in mind. Actually, I’m not that tired yet. I think I’ll look around a bit.”

“Sure. Just ask if you need help getting back here.”

Soon Pearl was on the move and came across a huge door at the end of the hall. Curious, she opened the door to find a large room, in the middle of it a big table with a round map of Equestria. An instant later, she stopped and stared – before her was a huge battlefield, populated by strange soldiers shaped like cards, and in the middle was Spike dressed as a wizard, a large stallion dressed as a knight and a strange, misshapen creature whose origin she could only guess at.

The phalanx of soldiers was about to charge, but when Spike saw Pearl he greeted her and everything paused. Pearl walked in, suddenly wearing a cloak and a sword belt.

“What’s all this?” Pearl asked, glancing around the room in confusion.

“Oh, sorry,” Spike said. “I should’ve told you, this area’s sort of private on our guys’ night out. You’re welcome to join us though. The big stallion here’s Big Mac, Applejack’s brother, and that’s Discord.”

“A good idea, Spike,” Discord said, wearing an archer’s costume. “We of the noble band of heroes are always glad to have guests.”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac said.

“That’s very kind, but I wouldn’t want to get in the way,” Pearl said. “I would like to watch, though. It looks like fun.”

Spike snapped his fingers. “Hey Discord! You know all sorts of things, so maybe you could help Pearl here to figure out what’s wrong with her and find her real family.”

Discord looked Pearl over for a long pause and then shook his head. “Sorry, I can’t help her.”

Spike looked up at him, confused. “You can’t? Why not?”

Discord started to vanish into vapor, along with the battlefield. “It would take too long to explain. Let’s just say it’s outside my influence. It’s sad, I know, but sometimes the saddest moments end up the happiest.”

Pearl blinked, trying to wrap her mind around what she'd just seen.

“Some help he was,” Spike said, the room back to normal now and its occupants' costumes gone. Only the large map of Equestria remained. "You can never figure that guy out."

Big Mac shook his head. “Nope.”

“Sounds like he’s forbidden to help or something,” Pearl said. He sure was strange. Wonder what kind of creature he was...

“Yeah, or something,” Spike added. “You never know with Discord. But you said you like Power Ponies, right? Come on, I’ll show you my comic collection. I even have Iron Mare #1.”

Pearl giggled as she looked down on the almost harmless-looking Spike. "So much for those scary dragon stories my parents always used to tell me, eh?"

“How many dragons have you met?” Spike asked as stepped out into the hallway and led Pearl to the library. Big Mac walked past them and headed down the stairs, offering only a quick "goodnight," to Spike.

“Well, you’re the first.”

Spike’s smiled. “We dragons are kind of like comic books. You can’t really tell what we’re all about until you look past the cover and see what’s inside.”

Pearl flattened her ears, frowning from both the shame and because she could relate, knowing the terror that lurked behind her own cover. “I think I know what you mean. Sorry, Spike.”

Shrugging, Spike waved it away. “Don’t worry about it.”

As they continued on towards the library, Pearl changed the subject back to comic books. "Hey, can I see Iron Mare #1? I've always wanted to read it, but it's so rare."

"Sure!" Spike said. "I've already read it five times."

Chapter 10

The ancient castle towered over Pearl, casting her in its almost chilling shadow. The fact it had been built in the Everfree Forest made it seem even more ominous.

Pearl scratched the back of her head, fighting for the courage to step inside. “Well, at least we’re far away from civilization if anything goes wrong, eh?”

“You’ll be fine,” Twilight assured her. “We’re meeting Princess Luna here. Nopony knows more about sleep and dreams.”

“Plus you’ve got us!” Pinkie shot Pearl a wink.

Sighing, Pearl drooped her head. “It’s not me I’m worried about.”

Rainbow offered Pearl a pat on the shoulder. “We won’t let anything happen. Trust us.”

“Thanks. It means a lot that you’re here with me.”

Pearl gulped as one of the huge front doors squeaked in protest when Twilight pushed it open, revealing the main hall of the castle.

All words escaped Pearl as she gazed upon Princess Luna. This was the first time she’d seen either of the Royal Sisters. She’d never met a pony so majestic and regal. Luna stood tall and proud, her long starry mane flowing behind her seemingly of its own accord. Her eyes were blue, alluring and infinitely wise; Pearl felt those eyes could see into her very soul.

“Greetings, my friends,” the princess said as the other ponies bowed to her. “It is good to see all of you again. And a new face as well.”

Twilight, realizing Pearl was too stunned to form an appropriate greeting, pointed to her. “Princess Luna, this is the pony I told you about, Pearl Blush.”

“Pleased to meet you, Pearl Blush.”

Suddenly remembering her manners and who she stood before, Pearl dropped to her knees and bowed. “Likewise, your highness. You have my sincerest apologies if this is any bother.”

Princess Luna’s smile gave off an air of gentle wisdom that Pearl found trustworthy and calming. “Guarding the sleep and dreams of my subjects is my duty, Pearl Blush. You have nothing to apologize for.”

“What’s your plan, your highness?” Pearl asked. She took a breath of relief that Luna didn’t seem to plan on punishing her for all the destruction.

“When you are ready, I will cast a sleep spell on you. I will go into your dream and locate the source of your trouble, then hopefully eliminate it.”

“Can you do that?” Pearl asked.

Luna nodded sagely. “Given what I’ve been told, I have every reason to suspect something is taking control of you while you sleep. To find out what, I must enter your subconscious.” She shook her head, eyes glittering with a distant pain. “I know too well what it is like to have harmed ponies while under the control of an outside force.”

Starlight stepped closer to Pearl and put a comforting hoof on her shoulder. “You see? I told you there are ponies who know just how you feel.”

For the first time, Pearl felt a tiny beacon of hope. To think the Princess of the Night herself could understand her pain! She stepped toward Luna, her look more confident.

“I will not allow anypony else to experience the same suffering I have gone through,” Luna said. “Nopony deserves that sort of pain.”

“Thank you, princess,” Pearl said, giving a respectful bow. “I am ready.”

“Then let us begin. Lay down on the floor. I shall cast the spell to put you asleep.”

Pearl did as the princess instructed and eased over to her side. She saw the moon-yellow aura of Luna’s magic. Then the darkness came.

***

“It is done. She’s asleep,” Luna informed the other ponies. “I do not know what I will find, but I trust I can count on you all in case anything goes awry.”

“Of course, princess,” Twilight said. The others nodded in agreement.

Luna shut her eyes and reached out to Pearl’s mind with her magic. Upon entering Pearl’s subconscious, Luna found herself surrounded by infinite darkness. Typically, in the dream realm, Luna was greeted by star-like glowing orbs and clouds of mist. Here, she found only a nothingness emptier than the darkest night. A chill like winter’s wind penetrated her to the core. Without the usual signs, she could not even be certain she was actually in the dream world.

This is not right. Some foul magic is surely at work here.

An image of Pearl as a filly faded into view in front of Luna, forcing her into a cautionary backstep as the young form flickered.

That flickering is unusual as well. It would seem something is interfering with her sleep, as I suspected. But what, I wonder?

“Lilac,” Luna heard a mare’s voice whisper. “What have you done?”

“Lilac?” Luna asked, wheeling around in search of the voice. “Who is Lilac?”

“Lilac... we warned you... the ruins... Burro’s Crossing,” a male voice said. “Our poor little filly!”

Luna glanced around, but other than the filly in front of her, she was still alone. “Who’s there? Show yourself!”

“Who am I?” That, from a voice Luna recognized as Pearl’s. Before Luna’s eyes, the little filly grew into Pearl’s adult form, as Luna knew her now. “What am I?” Pearl asked. “What’s wrong with me? I’m scared. So scared!”

“Fear not, Pearl Blush!” Luna shouted. “I will find the cause of this!”

“I’m sorry,” Pearl sobbed, the panic in her voice escalating. She spun around, breathing rapidly with terror gleaming in her eyes. “I never meant to hurt anypony. I’m so sorry! Somepony, please help me! Don’t let it take me again!”

Pearl’s form wisped way into the infinite sea of black. For just an instant, all that darkness flashed red. Then again. Luna whirled around one more time to be sure she hadn’t overlooked anything. She found nothing. The red flashed again.

What is this? I’ve never seen such corruption in a dream before. How was I not aware? Forgive me, Pearl, for not noticing it sooner.

Movement beneath Luna’s hooves tore her from her thoughts. Long black tendrils snaked their way to the point where Pearl had been sitting, converging to form one huge dark circle. The circle rose, taking the form of a huge eyeball with an evil red iris and slitted pupil.

“What in the world?” Luna wondered out loud as she gazed upon the apparition.

“Begone with you, Dreamwalker. This is none of your affair,” came a low voice distorted with a demonic drawl.

Luna gnashed her teeth and anchored herself. So, this fiend was the source of Pearl’s suffering! Luna had never seen its like before, but it would soon regret its actions. “When evil threatens the sleep and dreams of my subjects and attacks my country, that makes it every bit my affair!”

“You’re too late. This pony’s soul belongs to me now!” the eyeball spoke as it glared down on Luna in an attempt to intimidate her, for what good it would do against one who spent her hours in darkness. Luna had faced far worse horrors.

“No creature has the right to claim ownership of ponies’ souls!” Luna lowered herself and charged a spell in her horn. “Prepare yourself, fiend. I have come to vanquish you.”

The slitted pupil narrowed in a glare. “You will do nothing, Dreamwalker. This is my personal vessel of destruction! Destroy! Burn! Burn everything!”

A red glow surrounded the huge floating eyeball, forcing a gasp from Luna. It was the tactic of a coward, trying to banish her from the dream! Luna snorted with contempt.

“Think it will be that easy, do you? What say you to this!”

In a desperate last-ditch effort, Luna blasted the wretched eyeball with a spell of her own and then she snapped awake, gasping as her eyes flew open.

Luna was surrounded by Twilight Sparkle and her friends in the Castle of the Two Sisters. Pearl lay in front of her, still sound asleep.

“What happened?” Twilight asked. “Did you find out what’s wrong with her?”

Luna confirmed with a nod. “There is some kind of creature inhabiting her soul, but I’ve never seen nor heard of such a monster. It was powerful enough to cast me from Pearl’s dream, though I managed to sedate it before it did so.”

The others all looked to Pearl, then back to Luna, hoping for an answer.