Celestia hadn't slept well since she first heard of Matthew's escape. Often, when something bothered her so much that she lost sleep, Celestia would request hot cocoa and sip it in bed. However, the Princess Of The Sun wasn't in bed, nor did she have a cup of cocoa. Instead, Celestia was in the castle library with a fire burning and rain pouring outside the window. Occasionally, there was a flash of lightening and the rumble of thunder. None of which disturbed her as she read the book in her magic. Not even the sound of her sister opening the door and approaching her.

"I heard Matthew was spotted in Coltera Ridge. But, I suppose you heard the same?" Luna stated, receiving a nod from Celestia, "What would he be doing out there? It's just wilderness for miles around there."

"I think he's looking for something." Celestia replied, keeping her eyes on her book, "I'm not sure what."

"It can't be his weapons. We've had them stored under our old castle for millennia."

"Yes. Then I moved them here after what happened to you. Since then, they've been hidden under this castle. But, he's going further away from Canterlot, rather than coming closer."

Celestia turned the page, reading on. Curious, Luna laid beside her sister and read the chapter title.

"North America?" She questioned, cocking her head and raising an eyebrow, "Where is that?"

"Nowhere near here." Celestia replied, studying the drawn map on the next page, "It's Matthew's home."

"Canada? USA? What's USA?"

"It's called the 'United States of America,' actually. 'U.S.A.' is an abbreviation."

Luna turned her head up to look at her sister, confused.

"How do you know that?" Luna asked, pointing at the name.

"I visited Matthew a few times while you were banished." Celestia replied, looking back at Luna, "He taught me a few things about where he was from. He told me about these vehicles called automobiles that were propelled by combustion engines. He talked about what humans were normally like, their weapons, the landscapes, and how their society worked."

"Anything about human magic?"

"No. Based on what he told me, I don't believe humans even had magic. At least, not magic like ours. Everything was done by machines or the strength of their own bodies. The weather there is wild and changes at random. He once said that most magic seen is just parlour tricks and stage acts. True human magic, according to Matthew, can only be seen in random acts of goodwill among strangers."

Another flash of lightening slashed across the sky, making Luna look out the window and watch the storm.

"It's odd." Celestia continued, lifting her eyes to look into the fire, "We've known Matthew for most of our lives, he's even older than Starswirled. But, he looks the exact same as he did when we first met."

"Why is that odd?" Luna asked, looking back at her sister, "We've lived for a long time as well, but we appear to be in our late twenties."

"Because Matthew said humans only live to their early hundreds. Yet, he is over a thousand. Why is that? It's a question that's bothered me for some time. However, I think I found the answer."

Closing her book and standing, Celestia approached a dusty lock box that had been opened. Placing the book in it, she retrieved a second, this one being smaller than the first. The cover was severely worn and the pages had yellowed heavily.

"This is Matthew's journal." Celestia stated, taking a seat beside her sister again, "It contains every major event he experienced since arriving in Equestria. From the founding our nation to the day he was sentenced and imprisoned. But, even on these pages, things don't add up."

"What do you mean?" Luna asked, looking at the pages, "What doesn't add up?"

"The writing. Each entry appears to be written in the same style, but in different tones. Almost as if it were two different beings. Take this page for example."

Placing a hoof on the written lines, Celestia began reading.

"Day 1,001

Today I discovered a pair of odd looking fillies. One white and the other dark blue, sisters by the looks of them. The white filly being older and bigger. The blue one being very direct with questions. Odd that they would be alone in the wilderness without parents. Anyway, they looked hungry, cold, and tired. Me being me, I've decided to let them travel with me until I can find someone more suitable to look after them. The strangest thing about these two is that they have both wings and horns. Since I've come here, I've seen regular ponies, unicorn ponies, and pegasus ponies. Never all three in one. A question to ask them in the morning."

Luna cocked her head again, looking further down the page as her sister read the next entry.

"Day 1,003

The two fillies I met the other day are more trouble than they're worth. The white one, who told me her name was Celestia, has a lot of energy and is hard of hearing when it comes to listening to me. And the blue one, Luna, can't sleep at night, but during the day, she's dead to the world. Even though I can handle staying awake all night long, having to carry her for miles under the hot sun is something entirely different. Right now, we're in a cave overlooking a large valley and both fillies are sleeping against one of the walls. The little blue filly will most likely be awake shortly. I swear, if she causes me to lose sleep again, I'm making her walk tomorrow."

"I don't remember any of this." Luna said, rereading the entry, "I thought we first met Matthew when we were teenagers?"

"You were too young to remember. But, that's besides the point. Look at the tone between the two entries."

Luna looked closer and reread the words.

"The first is calm and inquisitive, as if he's trying to learn something." Luna stated, looking at the second entry, "The other is aggravated, like he's easily angered or annoyed. Isn't that being bi-polar, though?"

"Perhaps." Celestia replied, "But, I believe Matthew has something possibly more dangerous."

Closing the book, Celestia retrieved another from the shelf and levitated it other to them. Opening the book and flipping a few pages, she found what she was looking for. But, it was a split picture of a pony that was cheery and smiling on one side, while the other was dark and angry.

"Split personality." Celestia said, reading the label under the image, "It's uncommon, but it's a reasonable explanation as to why Matthew was kind during one moment and being cruel the next. It may explain his abilities as well."

"How so?" Luna asked, looking at the image and turning to her sister, "Matthew told you humans didn't have magic."

Taking another book off the shelf, Celestia flipped through the pages until she found her answer.

"Soul Possession." She said, reading the page, "An act of which the soul of a living being is invaded and manipulated to obey the command of a higher spirit. It can be good or bad, depending on what spirit has bonded with the host. Spirit magic is ancient and powerful, but can be improved and enhanced with incantations, spells, powerful artifacts, and certain potions if the host can make them correctly and perfectly. It can even merge with other forms of magic, such as elemental magic. The only way to defeat and extinguish spirit magic is if the host counters the spirit with its opposite components or encounters a rival spirit. Only a few have experienced such happenings, and fewer have survived."

Luna read the pages carefully, trying to understand as much information as she could.

"When did you come up with this theory?" Luna asked, looking between the three open books before them.

"Two days ago." Celestia replied, closing the books and returning them to their places.

Luna watched as her sister became silent and bowed her head in sadness.

"I've sent them to their deaths." Celestia sniffed, turning her eyes back to Luna, "The hunters. Matthew, or whatever it is within him, will slaughter them without mercy or warning. And with the promise we made them, most of them will be too desperate to turn back. Arrow Heart, especially, is in the most danger."

"Yes..." Luna said, standing and approaching Celestia, "Why did you call for her? I know you don't specially request just anyone, why her?"

Celestia raised her head and sighed as she turned fully to look at Luna.

"Her ancestor was Gusty The Great." She stated, walking over to the fireplace and watching the flames dance, "Arrow Heart is the last in her bloodline and maybe the only one who could stand a chance against Matthew."

"How can she be of any use?" Luna questioned, "When we stopped Matthew before, we used the Light Crystal."

"The Light Crystal was created when Gusty transferred all of her magic into it while she was on her deathbed. It had been passed on through the generations, until Matthew became consumed by darkness and we needed something powerful enough to stop him. And it was destroyed in the process. Gusty's blood runs through Arrow Heart, as well as her power. She just hasn't unlocked its full potential."

Luna's eyes widened slightly, surprised to hear the information.

"Does she know of her heritage?" Luna asked, "Or of what may happen to her?"

Celestia shook her head silently.

"Tia..." Luna whimpered, realizing the danger was bigger than they believed before, "She'll die! She'll die stopping Matthew and it'll be in vain! He's an immortal that withstood that kind of power before, yet you sent the last child of a lost bloodline to bring him back to imprisonment! How could you?!"

"You think I wanted to drag her into this?!" Celestia snorted as she started to sob, "No! I didn't want to have her die, but Matthew is far too dangerous."

"He's one, we are many, Tia! Why are you more scared of him than I?!"

"BECAUSE HE ALMOST KILLED YOU, LUNA!!"

Luna went quiet as she watched her sister huff and sniffle as tears appeared.

"He almost killed you..." Celestia repeated in a calmer tone, but keeping her fire, "When the Crystal Empire vanished, you were knocked into a coma for three days. But, right as the empire vanished into thin air and you laid in the snow, Matthew appeared from a black portal with his sword drawn. He told me of a vision he had about you becoming evil and believed that the best way to avoid it was to end your life. That was something I wouldn't stand for, so I fought him off, protecting you. After that, when you were fit and ready, we tracked him and captured him. But, I fear he may be too powerful now for anypony now, even Arrow Heart."

Then Celestia's eyes light up and her ears perked as a thought entered her mind.

"Maybe, we should try something outside our methods." Celestia said, walking to the door and opening it.

"What do you mean by that?" Luna asked, still recoiling from the recent outburst from Celestia.

"It's time we thought like the enemy. Matthew's weapons will see the light of day again. But this time, we will be the ones using them."

"Do you know how to even use them?"

"The sword is easy enough. The other weapon, which Matthew called a 'revolver', shouldn't be hard to figure out."

Author's Note

This is just another chapter I slapped together out of nowhere. Hopefully, it will make sense to you, Reader.