To Shine Alone

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 4
Chapter 3

Chapter 1

Twilight Sparkle was walking up the road to Canterlot when something slammed into her side at high speed, knocking her to the ground with enough force to drive the air from her lungs. Her head hit the cobblestones with enough force to fill her vision with stars. She tried desperately to draw a breath through the weight that had settled on her chest, fighting not to black out. Finally managing to suck in some desperately needed oxygen caused her vision to clear somewhat, revealing a huge pair of magenta eyes attached to a bluish blob which seemed to be perched on top of her.

"Rainbow Dash!" she groaned. "I know we haven't seen each other in awhile, but did you have to give me a concussion to tell me you missed me?"

"Heck yeah, I did!" her exuberant friend replied. "I've been away too long, Twilight; you've gotten soft! I don't know how long this thing with Luna is gonna take, so I gotta take every chance I get to whip your sorry flank back into shape!"

"If that's how you talk to your recruits, I'm shocked you have any left..." grumbled Twilight as she levitated the pegasus off of her chest and regained her hooves. "So, the Princess called you up for this too, huh? You think that means she sent word to the others?"

"She sure as sugar did, uh... sugarcube!” came a familiar southern drawl from behind the pair. They spun around to see Applejack trotting up the path, Fluttershy hovering behind her and to the left while Pinkie Pie bounced along to her right.

AJ stopped a few feet from Twilight and Rainbow Dash, sizing up the situation with a practiced eye. “Got the drop on ya, did she, Twilight? Never thought I’d see the day the big bad Archmage of Canterlot would get taken out by one little pegasus, even if she is the Captain of the Wonderbolts.” Applejack’s chuckles were only made louder by Rainbow’s mock-injured glare.

“Actually,” Twilight put in, “I thought she was Pinkie. Ever since I received the Princess’ letter, I’ve been expecting her to come out of nowhere just like that. While I’m not actually sure that my magic would even harm her, with her unique abilities, I thought it’d be better to take the hit and not find out.”

“Silly Twilight! Why would I tackle you when you were expecting to be tackled? Everypony knows the Flying Hug is soooooooo much more fun when it’s a SURPRISE!” chirped Pinkie.

“Can’t argue with that logic! Hey girls! Long time no see! Did you miss Equestria’s most awesome, amazing, incredible flyer ever, as decreed by Princess Celestia herself? Huh? Did you?” demanded Rainbow Dash eagerly, her face once again uncomfortably close to Twilight’s.

“Ugh, Rainbow... your very presence is like shouting,” grumbled Twilight as she shoved her friend’s face away.

“Um... I missed you, Rainbow Dash...” came Fluttershy’s quiet voice. “Oh, and you too, Twilight, of course...”

“Oooo, and I missed you both too! And Rarity, too! Where is she?”

“Right here, darlings! Fashionably late, as always!” came Rarity’s ringing voice from the direction of Canterlot. Soon the unicorn herself came into view around the bend, her perfect purple mane still curled in exactly the same way it had always been.

“Rarity!” cried Twilight. “How did you know we were here already?”

“Why, elementary, my dear Twilight!” explained Rarity with a roguish wink. “I simply followed the rainbow!” She gestured skyward, where a long rainbow streak could be seen running from a point high in the sky directly towards where they were all standing.

“... Oh. Right.”

“So! Darlings! Do tell me everything I’ve missed out on this last year! Rainbow Dash, how are you finding being the Captain? I haven’t seen you since the celebration!”

"Puh-lease, Rares! I'm the officially recognized best flier in all of Equestria! Why wouldn't it be incredible? Leading the Wonderbolts! Living the dream!"

“Oh my, that certainly does sound fabulous! And I really must thank you for giving Filligree Fashions the contract for the Wonderbolts’ new flight suits. Why, not a day goes by that we don’t receive orders from other, lesser teams, looking to buy from the company that supplies the best flight squad in Equestria!”

“Uh, yeah... about that? I didn’t actually have any say in that decision. Like, at all. The managers just reeeaally liked your stuff. I might have been letting you think it was because of me so that you’d keep sending me those ‘Thank You’ cupcakes from Sugarcube Corner.” Dash grinned proudly, ignoring Rarity’s glare.

“Well!” huffed the fashionista. “I should have known! Though... it is rather flattering to know they thought so highly of me,” she mused, her eyes shining with pride.

“You’re a nationwide sensation, Rarity!” Twilight said, grinning at her friend. “I’ve been all over Equestria these last couple of months, putting out fires for the Princesses, and everywhere I go I see ponies dressed in Filligree Fashions, or a ‘Licensed Distributor of Filligree Fashions’ sign in a shop window, or something! I have to say, I’m really impressed!”

“Why thank you, my dear!” beamed Rarity. “But I can hardly hold a candle to your own accomplishments! Youngest Arch-Mage in Equestrian history, wasn’t it?” Twilight blushed as her friend went on, “Why, practically every other week the papers are full of you saving a town from a rampaging manticore, or empowering a new mage’s tower, or opening a magic school for orphaned unicorns. I may be taking the fashion world by storm, but you are truly making Equestria a better place for us all!”

A sheepish grin on her face, Twilight replied, “Generous as always, Rarity, with your praise as much as anything else. I think it’s great that we’ve all done so well for ourselves!”

“Hold on there, sugarcube. Ya might wanna be careful with ‘all’, there. Some of us are still the same hard-working earth ponies we’ve always been,” Applejack cut in.

“But Applejack!” cried Rarity, “everypony in Equestria eats Sweet Apple Acres fruit! You’ve expanded the farm, hired on some extra hooves – really, you Apples are solely responsible for putting Ponyville on the map! Of course we were all terribly sorry to hear about Granny Smith’s unfortunate passing – and Angel Bunny’s too, Fluttershy dear – but to say you haven’t accomplished anything is prevarication of the basest sort. I won’t have it, especially not from the bearer of the Element of Honesty!”

“Well, shucks, Rares, I guess you have a point there. Granny’d tan my hide for false modesty, sure enough.” Applejack turned to Fluttershy and offered her a hoof. “I was plum sorry to hear about Angel, Fluttershy. I expected an invitation to the funeral, truth be told, but I suppose I can offer you my condolences just as well now as then.”

“Oh, did you want to come? I’m sorry... it’s just... Angel always said he wanted a quiet ceremony, and... but I’m sure it would have been fine if you’d come, and I was so rude not to invite you, and – eep!” Her babbling was cut off with a squeak as Rainbow Dash’s wing drew her into a wordless hug.

“Shoot, sugarcube, I didn’t mean nothing by it. Just surprised me is all. Ya’ll have a right to mourn any way you like, and just cause we Apples send off our dead with a big ol’ shindig don’t mean I should expect a timid little thing like you to want to make such a fuss. I expect that’s why I haven’t seen you around the farm much lately, either – been busy with your grief, don’t want us intruding none. Sorry to mention it.” Fluttershy nodded slightly, her grief-stricken face mostly obscured by her long mane, still wrapped in Rainbow’s wing.

“It’s okay, Applejack. I’m sorry I haven’t seen you much lately. I really just... don’t like to go outside much anymore. I certainly haven’t accomplished anything, Twilight.”

“Hey, don’t sweat it, ‘Shy!” said Rainbow, retracting her wing from around the yellow pegasus, who nearly fell over as the support was removed, then blushed furiously as she regained her hooves. “I think it’s great that you haven’t changed a bit! Well, you and Pinkie Pie, anyway. I don’t know what could possibly change her.”

Pinkie stopped bouncing for a moment to stare at Rainbow Dash, then a huge grin blossomed on her face and she pulled her friends into an enormous group hug. “Ohhh, it’s so good to see you girls! This’ll be just like old times, wait and see!”

The six ponies trotted up the steps to the Gate of the Sun, the main entrance into Canterlot Castle. As Twilight made to step through the door, however, she was stopped by the two Royal Guards stationed at either side of the door. “Archmage Sparkle?” the one on the right confirmed. At her nod, the one on the left saluted and proclaimed “Princess Celestia and Princess Luna wish to meet you all in the dining hall immediately. Follow me, please.”

The guard signaled a junior officer stationed just inside the door, who ran off in the direction of the throne room, then led them through the marble halls of the palace towards a small, empty dining room. Twilight recognized this room as where the Princesses shared the morning and evening meals, taking a few moments of quiet time alone together, rather than the Grand Hall which was used for the affairs of state conducted at midday and midnight. The Element bearers were instructed to enter and take seats, then left alone as the guard took up his station outside the door. Their nervous chatter about the summons which had called them here was cut short by the door opening, revealing the two Princesses of Equestria.

As one, the six seated ponies rose and bowed low to the floor. At the Princesses’ answering nods, Twilight rose and trotted forward to share a joyful nuzzle with her friend and mentor, while her friends greeted Luna in a somewhat less respectful fashion.

“LUNA!” came the war cry of Pinkie Pie as she launched herself from the bench at full speed, completely ignoring the fact that the acceleration should have liquified her internal organs. The Princess of the Night was caught completely flat-hooved, blasted over backward, and landed on her back with a loud thump, Pinkie Pie affixed firmly to her chest as she did her best to squeeze her into princess jelly. “Oh I’m so excited to see you! All my very bestest best friends are here and it’s all thanks to you! Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!”

Luna, recovered from the shock, chuckled and remarked, “It is a good thing my ribs are endowed with the strength of the alicorn, Pinkie. I fear you would long ago have caused any mortal pony fatal damage!”

“’Sup, Lunes?” came Rainbow Dash’s brash voice from where she fluttered above the scene of attempted regicide. “Long time no see! Still nursing that ‘Princess speed’ delusion?”

“Mark my words, Rainbow, I will beat you yet!” retorted the ruler of the night from her undiginified position on the floor. “You may be Captain of the Wonderbolts, but I’ve been around awhile and I still know a trick or two!”

“Yeah, yeah. Bring it on! I’m ready for you any day!”

“It’s a right pleasure to see you again, Princess,” put in Applejack with a tip of her hat.

“Oh, um... hello, Luna...” came Fluttershy’s timid voice as she cautiously joined Pinkie in hugging the midnight blue alicorn.

“Your Highness! How wonderful to see you again, my dear! I see you still refuse to wear anything with your regalia? I know basic black is always in fashion, but with your build and colouring you would look simply wonderful in my -” Luna’s very flat stare finally registered on the fashionista, who sighed. “Very well, I know a lost cause when I see one. Still.. it is wonderful to see you, darling.” She added herself to the hug, as did Rainbow and Applejack.

Princess Celestia arched an eyebrow at her now very crowded sister. “Switch?”

“Switch.”

There was a soft glow of light from both princesses, and Twilight suddenly found herself nuzzling Luna, while the other five Element bearers discovered Celestia in their arms.

“Woah, cool trick, Princesses!” opined Rainbow Dash, Pinkie nodding along enthusiastically.

“Thank you, my friends,” said Luna, gently returning Twilight’s nuzzle as Celestia extracted herself from her pile of admirers. “It is truly glorious to see each of you. Now, before we begin with business...” She stomped her hoof and the doors opened, presenting a corridor filled with ponies bearing covered dishes. “We suspected you might be hungry after your long journey. So come! Let us forget affairs of state for a time, and instead eat, drink, and be merry!”

The last of the servants carried away the last platter, only crumbs remaining of its former occupant. As the servants left through the doorway, the guards outside closed the doors. A flick of Celestia’s horn brought the bar down and a number of her guests’ eyebrows up. The Princess must be very serious about not being overheard.

“So... Princesses...” began Twilight hesitantly. “Not that it’s not great to be here and all but, uh....”

“You are wondering why I brought you all here,” finished Luna. “Well, I have a... project to undertake, and I would like to request your help.”

“Heck, Luna, you know we’re always here if you need us!” piped Rainbow Dash, grinning broadly at her from across the table, but Luna shook her head.

“Your loyalty does you credit as always, Rainbow Dash, but I would ask that you wait to hear the whole story before you commit to anything. This is no ordinary request.” Luna briefly made eye contact with each pony at the table, confirming that they were listening, before continuing. “As you know, since my return to Equestria, I have been studying many things, attempting to get a feel for this new era I find myself in. One new branch of study which immediately grabbed my attention was demography, the study of the makeup and distributions of pony populations. At first I was most pleased to discover that the three tribes are much less segregated now than when I last ruled alongside my sister. Pegasi, earth ponies, and unicorns all live together, mostly in harmony. What ill will still exists between the primary pony types appear to be centered in Canterlot, where the nobles still pride themselves on being ‘pure unicorn’. However, as they haven’t had any real political clout in several centuries,” here Luna paused to nod her head to her sister, “this hardly seems worth worrying about.”

“However. As my research continued, I noticed several disturbing trends. First, while it is true that inter-tribal conflict is far, far lower than it was in the old days, it is also much higher than it was only a few generations ago. Any level of disharmony is of course a tragedy, but if the present course continues I predict that things will escalate into actual racial violence within no more than forty years.” The shocked faces around the table showed Luna that the six mortal ponies understood at least as well as she how crucial it was that such violence be prevented.

“But why, Princess?” asked Fluttershy, plainly upset by the topic. “Why would ponies turn on each other like that? I thought that was ancient history – um, no offense...”

“The very question I asked,” replied Luna. “I immediately began looking for the cause of such tensions. An obvious correlation with resource shortages turned up immediately – when there is not enough of anything to go around, ponies look for something to blame, and too often that something is other ponies. The opulence of Canterlot, still seen as ‘the unicorn city’ by much of the populace, will understandably infuriate an earth pony forced to sell his farm in order to feed his family. But this only brought up more questions. Why were ponies concerned about resource shortages when Equestria’s total output is higher than it has ever been?” Again the nod to Celestia. To most of the Elements, it looked as though she was merely acknowledging whose policies had brought about such prosperity. To Twilight, who knew the Princesses best, it seemed more like a horn fencer acknowledging a touch – an unspoken air of ‘yes, but....’ tickled the corners of her mind.

“Eventually I found the answer. Equestria’s population has continued to grow at a nearly constant rate for the last seven centuries, though with my return we may expect that rate to increase.” Rarity looked at Twilight across the table, mouthing ‘what?’, to which Twilight shrugged. “In the past, this growth was matched by an equal or greater expansion of the country’s borders, as poor ponies seeking to make a better life migrated to the frontier, where land and goods were practically free for the taking. However, in the last three centuries this expansion has been greatly slowed, and following the peace with the griffin tribes one hundred and fifty years ago it has stopped completely. Equestria is now bounded by the dragonlands in the north, griffin and zebra territories in the south, the Everfree Forest and the Shimmering Woods in the west, and the Stormwall in the east. There is simply no room for further growth, and without expansion to counterbalance population growth, Equestria is filling up.”

“So, in order to reduce the population pressure before our nation bursts at the seams, I have decided that ponykind must once more look beyond its borders for new territories to tame, new lands to settle, and new resources to exploit. If we do not, the consequences are too tragic to bear thinking about,” Luna finished, looking expectantly at the Element bearers for their reactions.

There was silence for a moment while the six ponies grappled with this new information. Twilight, being the most well-informed about foreign affairs thanks to her position as Arch-Mage, was the first to speak up.

“Um... that’s a great plan and all, Princess – and I’m very impressed by the obvious depth of your research – but... where would you have us go? You just laid out a bunch of excellent reasons why there’s nowhere left to expand to.”

Luna started to open her mouth, but, “Consider your history, Twilight Sparkle.” Celestia broke in, her usual wry smile firmly in place.

Twilight’s eyes drifted closed as she muttered to herself for a moment, then suddenly flew open. “West?” she breathed. “It must be west. Every pony migration in recorded history has been a move westward.” Celestia’s face fell and Luna’s grew stormy, but Twilight didn’t notice. “We can’t go west, Princess! That’d take us right through the Shimmering Woods! The deerfolk are ancient and powerfully magical, and they’ve lived in those woods for longer than there’s been an Equestria! For pony’s sake, the Lustrous Glade is almost due west of Ponyville – I know, I’ve been there! A war with the deerfolk would be a magical calamity to shake the planet, not to mention the loss of life, and the betrayal of our allies, and -!” Unnerved by Twilight’s obvious panic, the other Elements of Harmony began muttering concernedly among themselves.

Celestia quickly began trying to explain. “Oh, no, Twilight, I didn’t mean -”

“ENOUGH.” Luna’s voice cut through Twilight’s horrified rambling and Celestia’s stammered apologies alike. “Twilight Sparkle. My sister did not mean that we would expand to the west. No one is going to start a war with the deerfolk while we rule.” Twilight let out a huge sigh of relief and shot the Princess of the Night a pathetically grateful look, but Luna was too busy glaring at her sister to see it. “Honestly, Celestia! Must you turn every simple conversation into a test? This is a perfect example of why I am leaving!”

The room froze. Everyone turned to look at the two Princesses. No one spoke for a long moment.

Finally Twilight managed to get out, “You’re... you’re leaving Equestria, Princess Luna? Yourself?”

Luna sighed. “Yes, Twilight Sparkle, I am. Since my return from the moon, I have felt rather... strange, in this new Equestria crafted by my sister’s hooves. At first I assumed it was merely a need to acclimatize myself to the culture of the times. However, thanks in no small part to your tireless efforts and unlimited patience” - here Luna bowed her head to the Element bearers in thanks - “I believe I am now sufficiently familiar with modern civilization to say that that is not the problem. I feel stifled. While Celestia’s Equestria is pleasant, safe, and prosperous, it is also scheduled, rigid, and inflexible. There is very little left to do and see, and most ponies desire only to find a comfortable routine in which to live out their lives.”

“My dear sister,” she said ironically with a glance at Celestia, who had recovered from her earlier embarrassment and was now watching the darker Princess with a look of resigned frustration, “feels that my problem is simply that I have not yet grown up. It is entirely possible that she is right in saying this.” Ignoring Celestia’s startled look, she continued. “If I must indeed grow up, however, I feel certain it will be impossible for me to do so in this environment. To grow up one must be free to make one’s own mistakes, and I cannot do so while burdened with Celestia’s meddling, no matter how well-intentioned it may be.”

“AND SO,” cried the Night Princess, “I, PRINCESS LUNA OF EQUESTRIA, MAKE THIS DECREE! I SHALL TRAVEL TO A LAND BEYOND EQUESTRIA, THERE TO FOUND A NEW PONY NATION! I RENOUNCE ALL CLAIMS TO THE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A PRINCESS OF EQUESTRIA, EFFECTIVE AT THE MOMENT MY HOOF FIRST TOUCHES DOWN ON FOREIGN SOIL!”

“And I hope,” she said into the ringing silence which followed this pronouncement, “that you will all consent to join me.”

The bearers of the Elements of Harmony looked at each other. Then, as one, they turned to their Princesses.

“BWUH?”

Luna chuckled awkwardly. “Oh dear... that was rather dramatic of me, wasn’t it? My sincerest apologies. Still, you should understand the main points of the situation now. I am leaving Equestria to found a new nation of ponies. As my most treasured friends, I would ask that you journey with me, at least for a time. I want to make myself clear - this is not a command, royal or otherwise. This is a request to my longtime friends. If you choose to stay behind, I will harbor no ill will towards you, and will continue to hold you as my dearest friends.” Her face hardened into a look of determination. “However, make no mistake - I am going.”

The six mortal ponies glanced around at each other, plainly unsure how to take Luna's declaration. Celestia, ever the diplomat, broke in smoothly. “This is obviously a lot to consider. Why don’t you take the night to think about it, and we will meet back here and discuss it in the morning, hmm?” She sent a sidelong look towards Luna, who nodded quickly, obviously still embarrassed by her outburst. “Excellent. Rooms have been prepared for you in the west wing. The guards will show you the way, of course. Until tomorrow, my little ponies.” As they left the audience chamber, each pony saw Celestia, her perfect, practiced smile firmly in place, watching them depart.

Twilight Sparkle couldn’t sleep.

She lay, curled up on her side, back to the door, her tail pulled up into her forehooves, where she stroked it absent-mindedly. Vaguely she noted that her tail was much softer and nicer to run her hooves through when it wasn’t frazzled from excessive panicking - she really needed to do this more often.

She sighed. Sadly, the subject of her silky tail was not quite fascinating enough to block out Twilight’s other thoughts. Luna’s offer had been running in circles through her mind since leaving the Princesses earlier in the evening. She barely remembered the walk to her room, following the white coat of the royal guard assigned to guide her in a numb daze. Her friends, sensing her confusion, had left well enough alone, heading off to their own rooms with nothing more than a brief ‘good night’. At the time, she had appreciated their consideration, but now she found herself wishing that one of them at least had stayed with her. She would really like to know what they thought of all this.

Suddenly there came a soft knock which nonetheless echoed in the large, silent room. From her doorway there came a sliver of light on the wall, followed by a voice. “Um... Twilight? I just thought I’d come and see if you were okay... But if you’re asleep that’s fine, I just thought... Well you seemed a little upset earlier, after... oh, I’ll just go now, sorry to bother you...”

“It’s all right, Fluttershy.” Twilight called, still not turning to face the door. “Come in.”

“Oh, um, okay... if you’re sure...” The soft sound of wings marked Fluttershy’s progress across the room, then a louder Whumph! her landing on the bed next to Twilight. She shifted a bit to get comfortable, then sat there, apparently willing to wait until Twilight felt the need to speak.

After a long moment in which she could feel her friend’s eyes on the back of her head, Twilight sighed and rolled over. “What do you think I should do, Fluttershy? I can’t just abandon Princess Celestia... but Luna is my friend too, and this plan of hers sounds so exciting! I just don’t know what to do!”

Fluttershy’s face retreated behind her hair, one large blue eye peeking out. “Oh, I’d never tell you what to do, Twilight. You’re so much smarter and braver than I am, I wouldn’t dare give you advice.”

A familiar cross look settled on Twilight’s face. “Fluttershy, we’ve talked about this. You have to stop putting yourself down all the time. You’re a very capable pony.”

Fluttershy smiled. “Oh, sorry, Twilight. You’re right, I’m sure.”

Twilight let out an exasperated huff. Fluttershy clearly didn’t believe her, and was just saying what she thought Twilight wanted to hear. However, this wasn’t really the time to get into that. There were big decisions to be made. “Well, what about you, Fluttershy? Are you going?”

She shrank even further behind her mane, her normally soft voice becoming almost inaudible as she replied. “Oh, um... I don’t really know yet, I thought I’d wait and see if...” she trailed off into incoherent mumblings.

“Well I’m going!” came two much louder voices from the doorway. Then, a moment later, “Wait, you want to go too?”

Startled, Twilight and Fluttershy looked up to see the distinctive silhouettes of Rarity and Rainbow Dash framed in the doorway looking at each other in surprise. After a moment they turned back to the two ponies on the bed and completed their entry into the room, stopping somewhat awkwardly a few feet away.

Twilight gave an indulgent smile and patted the bed with a hoof. “Oh, come on up. There’s plenty of room, the Princesses sure gave us enormous beds...”

“PONY PILE!!” came a shriek from the doorway, and a pink blur slammed into Rainbow and Rarity, carrying them into Fluttershy, who toppled over onto Twilight, resulting in a pack of pastel ponies piled precariously upon the pallet.

“Pinkie Pie!” came an exasperated groan from four different muzzles. The pink pony in question simply hopped off the top of the hill with a giggle, which soon infected her friends as well.

Twilight’s chuckles were the last to die away. After all the stress of the day, and her exhausted deliberations, it felt good to laugh about something as silly as Pinkie Pie’s regular antics. A genuine smile on her face for the first time since dinner, she turned her attention back to Rarity and Rainbow Dash. “So, you girls said you’d already decided to go? I have to admit, that’s pretty surprising. Rarity, you want to leave Filligree Fashions? That was your dream! And for that matter, what about the Wonderbolts, Rainbow? Every letter we get from you tells us how awesome it is to be flying with the best team of stunt flyers in Equestria! Just this morning you told us you were ‘living the dream’!”

Dash rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, looking anywhere but at Twilight. “Eh... hehe, yeah, about those letters... I might have been... exaggerating? A little bit? Or, um, a lot, I guess?” She sighed, finally making eye contact with her friends again. “Look. I know joining the Wonderbolts has always been my dream. But now that I’ve accomplished it... Stunt flying is awesome, but it turns out team stunt flying is this whole other thing. I have to constantly hold back, match myself to the slowest team member. Do you have any idea how frustrating that is? The whole point of flying used to be the freedom it gave me. Now it’s all about precision and restraint and falling in line with the rest and ugh! It’s driving me crazy!” Dash looked around at her friends, all of whom looked somewhat shell-shocked from the pegasus’ unexpected outburst. She returned to sheepishly scratching her neck with a hoof. “Eheh... sorry.”

Pinkie Pie blinked, looking confused. “But Dashie, if you weren’t happy, why didn’t you just quit, instead of flying around Cloudsdale all sad and stuff? Grumpy pegasi are no fun for anypony! You could have come back to Ponyville, and we’d bake cakes, and prank everypony, and have sleepovers, and ohmigosh throw parties, with rainbow ice cream and rainbow marmalade and rainbow sarsaparilla and murphle murgle margle!” After waiting a few seconds for Pinkie to wind down, Rarity removed her hoof from her friend’s mouth, stared at it in disgust, then began trying to surreptitiously wipe it on Rainbow Dash’s coat.

“After I’d managed to make it onto the Wonderbolts, I was finished with my dream. I guess I figured that there was nowhere else to go from there, so I should just stay, and maybe I’d get used to it or something.” She looked around at each of her friends in turn, making sure that they understood what she was saying. “But now, if I go with Luna to this new Equestria or whatever, I’m free again! I can be the first real flyer in a whole new country, all the stupid traditions will be mine to make! Plus, I know Luna’s awesome and all, but she’s definitely going to need help building an entire country from the ground up and then running it by herself. What kind of Element of Loyalty would I be if I left her hanging out to dry?” She beamed proudly, once again the Rainbow Dash of old. Then she chuckled. “And the fact that a Princess can probably get me out of my contract doesn’t hurt either.” Her friends all groaned as she laughed.

“Wow,” Dash mused, looking around at all her friends. “Was I really the first one to decide? I would have figured Twilight would jump at the chance.” Twilight started to reply, but was stopped by a soft voice.

“Um, actually... I’m going too... that is, if you don’t mind...” Fluttershy’s friends all looked at her expectantly, waiting for a reason, but she just retreated further behind her curtain of hair.

“... Oookay... Well, now we’ve heard from Fluttershy... sort of, and Rainbow Dash. What about you, Rarity?” Twilight inquired.

“Oh Twilight... I’m afraid I’m as bad as Rainbow here.” Rarity lamented, gesturing to the other mare, who puffed up her chest importantly. “I, too, have been lying through my teeth, as ‘twere,” she continued as she smoothly deflated Rainbow Dash with an elbow. “It all started when I first acquired Hoity Toity’s old boutique in Canterlot and incorporated the two stores under the banner of Filligree Fashions. Suddenly there was simply too much work for one pony, no matter how fabulous and talented, to attend to! Yet I couldn’t bear to hire others, lest they produce hideous designs using my name.”

Twilight frowned. “Wait, Rarity, we already went through this. You showed up in Ponyville a wreck from going four days without sleep, you desiged a dress for Fluttershy that would have shamed a Manehattan streetwalker, we made you tell us what was bothering you, and after a minor breakdown, we helped you realize that you needed to move to design and leave production to hired seamstresses. You even wrote a letter to the Princess.” She gasped, her expression one of mounting horror. “Don’t tell me you lied in a letter to the Princess! Don’t you know those are a sacred trust?!”

Rarity held up a hoof for silence. “Darling, I assure you I have never once lied to Princess Celestia, much less in one of our friendship reports. If I may be permitted to finish?” She waited for the other mare’s nod before continuing. “Thank you very much. Now, where was I? Ah, yes. A move to design rather than production did indeed keep me happy for a time. In fact, it seemed like a dream come true - all of the best parts of a fashion career, without the endless late-night drudgery of producing copies for demanding customers. However, after a time, this too spun out of my control. Ponies began expecting a certain style from Filligree Fashions, and whenever I deviated from it, they became dissatisfied. What was an Element of Generosity to do? I had to give them what they wanted, no matter that it was making me miserable to be so creatively stifled. In a way, I suppose my problem is very similar to Rainbow’s,” she mused.

“And your reason to want to go with the Princess on this quest of hers?” prompted Twilight.

“Well, as you know much better than I, darling,” Rarity nodded towards Twilight, “developing nations are frequently dominated by cottage industry. I think it would do me good to get back to the roots of my craft, to try and suss out exactly what would make me happy. Princess Luna is offering me an opportunity to do just that.”

Twilight nodded. It made sense, in a way. Both of her friends had achieved their dreams and found them wanting. But she didn’t have that problem, did she? She loved her job, and her dreams were more ongoing, less external. And she had never found her love for knowledge to be anything other than rewarding. No, fascinating as Rarity and Rainbow Dash’s revelations had been, they didn’t really apply to Twilight.

“And besides, Twilight,” Rarity added suddenly. “I don’t have to tell you, of all ponies, how dear the Princess has become to all of us over the last several years.”

Twilight flicked an ear. That was true. After her return from exile, Luna had had no idea how to fit into modern Equestrian society. Twilight and the other Elements had made it a sort of unofficial mission to resocialize the Princess of the Night, and over the course of their many adventures and misadventures they had all become very close. While Princess Celestia had always been motherly, perfect, and somewhat aloof, Luna was more like a real pony. After seeing the Eternal Goddess of the Moon and Stars leap six feet straight up - without using her wings! - and run in panicked circles from the toothless alligator clamped onto her ethereal tail, not to mention laughing with her after the situation had been explained, it was hard to feel intimidated by her anymore.

Twilight sat up a little straighter as her decision began to coalesce in her mind. Yes, Princess Celestia was her mentor and teacher and friend, and she owed her a great deal. But Luna, despite her enormous progress, was still somewhat fragile. In a strange new land, without her best friends, it would be all too easy for the younger Princess to give up and return in shame (or at least, she would see it that way) to Equestria. And Twilight did think that Luna needed to do this. From their private correspondence, she knew just how deeply Luna’s disagreements with her sister’s governing policies ran. In fact, she thought this plan was an elegant way to relieve the tensions that had been building up between the Celestial Matriarchs for quite some time, without open anger or, much much worse, actual violence.

She gave a sharp nod, her decision finally made. “Right. I’m going too.” Pinkie’s face broke out in a face-splitting grin. Dash looked surprised but pleased. Fluttershy gave her a small but
encouraging nod from behind her curtain of hair. Rarity simply smiled, as though she’d known all along.

“Okay, so who does that leave?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Pinkie Pie hasn’t said anything yet,” Twilight reminded them.

Pinkie opened her mouth to speak, but Dash waved a hoof dismissively and said “Oh, of course Pinkie Pie’s coming. She doesn’t have any responsibilities or anything, this will all just be one big party for her.”

Pinkie’s smile may have dimmed a bit, but it was hard to tell in the dim light. “Dashie’s right! Of course I’m coming with you girls!” she cried, stretching out her arms and pulling them all into a crushing hug. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world!”

“Pinkie... too... tight...” gasped Fluttershy, who, as the closest to the pink pony, was most in danger of being strangled to death.

“Oops! Sorry!” giggled Pinkie Pie, essentially unrepentant, as she released her hapless victims.

Twilight laughed. “Okay! So the only one we haven’t heard from is -”

“I’m going too, you silly ponies!” came Appejack’s irritated voice from down the hall. “Somepony has to watch out for ya, since ya ain’t got a lick of sense between ya! Now hush your shoutin’, some of us are used to an early bedtime!”

The five ponies on the bed froze for a moment, then burst out laughing twice as loudly as before.

After her friends said goodnight and returned to their own rooms, Twilight lay back down, feeling much better and finally able to rest. As she drifted off to sleep, her fuzzy mind realized one last thing - Luna hadn’t actually told them where they were going.

Celestia’s habitual smile widened a bit, becoming less practiced and more genuine, as she watched her faithful student and the other Elements of Harmony enter the small antechamber. She and Luna had sent the guards to summon their guests a few hours after their usual breakfast together, figuring they deserved to sleep in after a no-doubt stressful night.

Breakfast had been an awkward affair, more so than at any time since shortly after Luna’s return from her banishment. Each sister had run out of things to say; Celestia, out of reasons that Luna should stay, Luna, out of reasons she had to go. Neither really understood the other, and their attempts to make the most of the short time they had left together fell flat, sounding forced and hollow. Luna had hurried to finish her waffles and rushed out of the dining hall, leaving Celestia behind with a half-finished stack of pancakes and a promise to meet in three hours to discuss their plans.

The Princess of the Sun was brought back to the present by Luna, who greeted her friends in the slightly-too-loud voice she always used when excited - Celestia suspected it meant that the Royal Canterlot Voice was attempting to slip the bounds Luna had painstakingly crafted around her habit through long speech therapy sessions with Fluttershy. Mentally shaking herself, Celestia added her own greetings and leaned in to share a friendly nuzzle with her favorite student. Moving her mouth close to the unicorn’s ear, she whispered, “Let her down easy, will you, Twilight?”.

Strangely, Twilight didn’t reply, just gave her a look and trotted back over to her friends. Celestia paid this little mind. She just hoped that when Luna realized that the Elements of Harmony, her closest and in some ways only friends, saw this plan for the insanity that it was, she would relent and agree to remain in her rightful place in Canterlot.

“Princess Celestia, Princess Luna,” began Twilight, bowing to each princess in turn, suddenly very formal. “After much consideration, my fellow bearers of the Elements of Harmony and I have decided... to accept your most gracious offer, and accompany on your journey.”

“WHAT?!” came a very un-Princess-like shout from Celestia.

“Uh... I mean...” she hastily tried to remedy the situation as all eyes turned towards her, “Might I have a brief word with my faithful student? Alone?” Barely waiting for Twilight’s resigned nod, she trotted quickly out the door of the antechamber and into the hallway. As the unicorn followed her, Celestia looked around. She supposed technically they weren’t ‘alone’, as the two members of the Day Guard that followed her everywhere, the two members of the Lunar Guard which performed the same service for Luna, and the member of the Day Guard assigned to protect Twilight during the day when she was in Canterlot, along with one Princess and one purple unicorn, actually made the small hallway quite crowded. However, since she knew that the Royal Guard would never reveal or comment on a discussion between the Lady of the Day and her most cherished subject, she felt no reluctance to say exactly what was on her mind.

“Are you out of your mind, Twilight? You’re not only supporting my sister, my sister, who was gone from me for a thousand years, in leaving me again, but you’re actually going with her? How could you choose her over me? How could you betray me like this?” While the anger and hurt Celestia felt were both very real, a part of her was also busy congratulating her on her cleverness. Twilight could never stand to hurt me. She must just not have realized that I didn’t want Luna to go. As soon as I make my wishes clear, she’ll come over to my side and put a stop to this whole farce.

But Twilight stunned her for the second time in less than ten minutes by utterly failing to collapse to her knees and beg her Princess’s forgiveness. Instead, she shook her head firmly, looked directly into Celestia’s eyes, and said, “Princess. Calm. Down.”

Shock rapidly overwhelmed all other emotions, causing Celestia to freeze with her mouth hanging open. She’s standing up to me? Twilight?!

“Princess. You know how much I love you. You practically raised me. This is not, not, about choosing Luna over you. Okay?” Celestia nodded dumbly. “Okay. Now. Your sister is going to do this, whatever you say. She’s clearly made up her mind, so let’s just take that as a given. If you try to force her to stay, you’ll only be confirming the very worst of her theories about you and the way you see your rule. Okay?” Nod. “I know she’s made a lot of progress in the last few years, but Luna is still... fragile. Like I said, I love you both. But... Princess, I think she needs me more than you do, at least right now. So I’m going to go with her, and that’s just the way it is. I hope this doesn’t change anything between us, and I think once you’ve thought about it and calmed down a little you’ll agree that this is the best thing for everyone.”

Celestia let out a sigh of relief. “Of course, Twilight. You’re right. You should go with Luna. That way you can keep her safe.” Twilight brought out the beginnings of a relieved smile, but her teacher wasn’t finished yet. “Then when she sees this ridiculous ‘quest’ of hers for the lunacy - pardon the expression - that it is, you can bring her home to me!”

Twilight’s expression was now one of worried confusion. “Uh, no Princess, I didn’t mean I thought she shouldn’t go, actually I think this will be good for you both -”

Celestia wasn’t listening. “Of course, of course. I should have known you’d have my best interests in mind, Twilight, I’m so proud of you! Although...” here Celestia’s smile took a wry turn, “When did you learn to stand up to your old teacher, hmm? I don’t think you’ve ever flat-out said ‘no’ to me before. I’m impressed!” Holding her head up happily, she pranced back into the room where Luna and the other Elements waited.

“That’s because, for the first time, you asked me to do something I knew was wrong...” muttered Twilight before resignedly making her own way through the door.

The six mares waiting in the antechamber were making small talk that died out quickly when Celestia returned, followed by Twilight. Celestia immediately addressed her sister. “Luna, I apologize. You have every right to do as you wish, and I shouldn’t have tried to stand in your way.” She trotted over to embrace the smaller alicorn. When Luna looked away, embarrassed by the attention, Celestia winked at Twilight, who let out an irritated huff.

Luna, surprised and pleased by her sister’s sudden support, turned to the six mortal mares. “Thank you so much, my friends! It means more to me than I can say that you would do this for me.”

“Princess, please,” protested Rarity, “I think I speak for all of us when I assure you, we are doing this as much for ourselves as for you. Let us hear no more of thanks.” The other five nodded, Rainbow Dash emphatically, Fluttershy timidly, Applejack resignedly, Twilight eagerly, and Pinkie Pie spastically.

The Night Princess smiled warmly. “Thank- that is, I am happy to hear that,” she chuckled. “Now, to business! Do you have any questions, before we begin detailed planning?”

Twilight drew attention to herself with a small noise. “Actually, Princess... you never got around to telling us where exactly we’re going?”

Luna chuckled. “Oh, yes, that would be important information, wouldn’t it?” She squared her shoulders, cleared her throat, and raised one hoof to make her announcement that much more dramatic. “We shall be travelling to... the Old Kingdoms!”

Twilight let out a suitably impressed ‘Gasp!’. The others just looked varying degrees of confused.

“... You don’t know of the Old Kingdoms? Yet you tell the tale of their fall each winter!” Now Luna was the one that was confused.

“Ooo!” chirped Pinkie Pie. “You mean where those old-timey ponies ran away from on Hearth’s Warming Eve?”

“Precisely! The Old Kingdoms is how those lands came to be known following the settling of Canterlot and the rest of what is now Equestria.” Luna looked relieved to find that everyone was now on the same page, and that she had, in fact, understood the play the little ponies put on each December.

“Princess Luna? Do you know what we’ll find there? I mean, I’m not really sure how Your Highnesses fit into the story of Hearth’s Warming... but have you been to the Old Kingdoms yourself?” Twilight wanted to know.

“I have indeed been to the Old Kingdoms. The tale of our involvement in the events of the time is a long one, and it may need to be told later, but for now let us simply say that I have not been back to the ancient homeland since before Discord’s reign. So, while I should be familiar with the general geography of the region - and have enlisted the help of my sister’s most excellent cartographer to produce a map based on my recollections - I do not know what conditions we will encounter. I do not even know if these lands are truly abandoned - they may in fact have been settled long ago by any manner of creature. This will truly be an adventure!” the princess declared, her eyes shining with eagerness to be off.

“Hey, Princess? Where exactly are these ‘Old Kingdoms’?” asked Rainbow Dash. “I mean, before Twilight’s freakout yesterday you sort of broke down the borders for us, and it didn’t seem like there was a lot of room for an entire ancient kingdom.”

Twilight, glaring at her multi-colored friend, was the one who answered. “Well, Dash, if you’ll recall my freakout, you’ll remember that I said every great pony migration has been westward. So that should answer your question - the Old Kingdoms are to the east, across the Stormwall.”

“Precisely!” came Luna’s excited voice. “We shall cross the mountains to the north of the Tartaran Gates, through one of the old weather conduits. This means we will need -”

“If no one needs me any further,” Celestia interrupted smoothly, “I think I shall return to court. I leave the planning in your capable hooves, and will be there to see you off when you depart in three days time.” The white alicorn favored them all with one last motherly smile, then withdrew from the room at a stately walk.

Luna watched her go. Her sister’s sudden change of heart regarding the proposed journey, though welcome, was also deeply suspicious. She would have to be on the lookout for any last-ditch attempts to prevent her from leaving. Filing this away for later consideration, she turned back to Twilight and the other Elements.

“Right. First thing’s first...”

A brown earth pony wearing a beaten brown bucket hat and carrying a large collection of ropes slung across his back stood to one side of the Royal Highway where it began its long journey through the many switchbacks which carried it up to Canterlot and the Royal Palace. His gaze travelled up, up, up, up, up the sheer cliff the castle was built into, around the mountain a few degrees counterclockwise from the base of the road. It had to be at least six thousand feet, with no more than two ledges big enough for a pony and completely vertical stretches of five hundred feet or more.

Cliff Hanger, mountaineer extraordinaire, took in this sight with a smile on his face.

“Oh, yes. Yes, this will do nicely.”

END CHAPTER ONE

Author's notes located at http://www.fimfiction.net/blog/58470 if you're interested

Chapter 2

“- and so, at my direction, my beloved sister, Princess Luna, and my faithful subjects, the Elements of Harmony, will go forth and reclaim what was once ours!”

It wasn’t often that Princess Celestia gave a public address. It seemed as though the entire population of Canterlot, from the poorest chimneysweep to the Grand Duke and Duchess themselves, had gathered in the courtyard below the Gate of the Sun. Watching Her Serene Majesty, hearing her words, filled everypony present with a warm glow, a sense of being cherished and protected – the warmth of the Sun Herself, in splendor.

Everypony except two.

“Do you see, Twilight Sparkle?” grumbled Luna, standing behind her sister with the Bearers of the Elements. “This was my decision, my journey, my moment. She didn’t even want me to go! So, how, how, how did it end up being all about her? Again?”

“I understand how you feel, Princess,” consoled Twilight, “but you have to realize your abdication is going to have serious political consequences here in Canterlot. Ponies need to see that the diarchy – well, monarchy again now, I suppose – is still strong, and that this won’t cause any problems for them. Your sister is just thinking about them. True, it’s a little... disingenuous, but I doubt another way of handling things even occurred to her. She’s been a politician for so long, and plays the game so well, that sometimes she forgets to turn it off. I guarantee you she doesn’t realize how much it bothers you, though. You know she’d never do anything to hurt you intentionally.”

“For prosperity! For a brighter future! For you, my little ponies!”

“You see?! ‘My little ponies’ indeed! She could not be more possessive and condescending if she tried!”

“All right, Princess, that’s enough. Now you’re acting like a foal throwing a tantrum. It’s a term of endearment, and you know it.”

“Hmmph. I just can’t wait to be on our way. These have been the longest three days of my life, and I’ve been alive for a long, long time.”

“Hush. It’s almost time. Look, she’s pointing at you, you should wave.”

The Princess of the Night stuck a hoof in the air sullenly, muttering to herself under her breath as Celestia brought her speech to a close. It was difficult for Twilight to hear through the deafening cheers that greeted the Sun Princess’ closing statement, but she thought she caught the words ‘manipulative’, ‘selfish’, and ‘itch’. Princess Luna must be uncomfortable from standing around all morning... maybe that’s why she’s so cranky!

The Arch-Mage sighed. They really had been a long few days. With the resources of the castle at their disposal, it had only taken them a few hours to amass the few supplies they needed - they planned to live off the land, as a land that couldn’t support them would be useless in founding a new country, and so only needed a few tools and some emergency oats. The lack of information about the Old Kingdoms meant that there wasn’t much planning to do, either. No, their time had been filled by one of three things, depending on who you asked. For Celestia, the last three days had consisted of making reasonable, helpful suggestions, and Luna stubbornly and groundlessly rejecting them out of hand. For Luna, they had been spent in stalwart defense against Celestia’s incessant meddling and attempts to ruin the entire journey. And for Twilight and her friends, whether they would admit it or not, what had taken up the bulk of the time was watching the Guardians of the Sun and Moon yelling about ‘basic reasonable precautions’ and ‘ascetic spiritual quests’ from three feet apart. In the Royal Canterlot Voice, as often as not.

A long, long few days.

After an hour long speech from Celestia and a five minute word from Luna, a kiss from Celestia on each of Luna’s cheeks, a breezy wave ‘goodbye’ from Luna, and the photo op – Celestia smiling her motherly smile, Luna placed next to her by virtue of sisterly affection and Celestia’s powerful wing muscles, the Element Bearers grinning nervous, fake grins from either side – it was at last time to go. In accordance with custom, Celestia escorted them to the eastern gate, but turned away rather than watch them leave. The seven travelers left one at a time through a small wicket gate, some rushing ahead, some lingering behind. Only Twilight looked back to see the great white form of her mentor, shining in the noon-day sun, wings folded tightly against her sides, her great horned head bowed towards the ground. Suddenly, a sparkling mote of light dripped from her muzzle. It was followed by another, and another, until the tears descended in a shimmering stream to be swallowed instantly by the parched ground.

Twilight turned quickly and rushed through the gate. She shuddered. She couldn’t help thinking that Princess Celestia, Ruler of the Day, wise, ancient, larger than life, had no right to look so... small.

It was a beautiful day for a journey. The sun shone down upon the travelers, warming them gently, as a breeze played across their coats to carry away any excess heat. The air was clear and free of dust, despite the old dirt road they followed down Canterlot Mountain. Even Twilight found it hard to maintain her earlier melancholy, as the familiar excitement of a new adventure caught her up and blew away her misgivings. They trotted down the road for a time in a companionable silence, until Rainbow Dash spoke up.

“So, Luna... you wanna fill me in on the plan, here? How come we’re going down if we have to go over the mountains? You’re not planning on making us walk alllll the way around, are you?”

Twilight glared at her colorful friend. “Sorry, Princess... she does this. Dash, we all agreed on this plan three days ago. I’m not going to explain it again, so listen this time, will you?” She held her gaze on the pegasus until she received a sheepish nod. “Good. No, we’re not going around the Stormwall. I actually sort of wish we were – the shortest way through would be to pass through the dragonlands, and it would have been nice to see Spike – but Princess Luna says she has a better way that’ll cut weeks off our travel time. We’re going through one of the weather conduits.”

The former Arch-mage picked up speed as she warmed to her subject. “The Stormwall takes its name from the rain shadow it produces. As the prevailing winds push air west towards Equestria, the mountains force the air up and up and up. It cools as it rises, which makes the moisture in it condense, forming clouds, rain, and eventually snow. As a result, the mountains are always wrapped in terrible storms, becoming more violent as one nears the peaks. Also, since any air making it over the mountains has already been stripped of water, very little rain falls on the western side, namely, eastern Equestria.”

“The weather conduits were the first major construction project undertaken in harmony by the three pony tribes after the Great Migration. They’re artificial passes through the mountains. Since it’s easier for the winds to go through a low point in the range, large storm clouds are pushed through the conduits, where they expend much of their energy. What comes out the other side is a steady stream of calm, fluffy clouds, providing Equestria with a much-needed source of fresh water.”

“Big pass like that, shouldn’t there be, I dunno, guards or somethin’? How come it looks like nopony’s been this way in ‘bout a hundred years or so?” asked Applejack.

“Because of the violent nature of the storms, it’s widely accepted that anypony – or anything else, for that matter – trying to pass through would be vaporized by lightning strikes. Canterlot is the easternmost stronghold of pony-kind, at least until we finish our mission, so in theory it falls to the Grand Duke of Canterlot – my brother Shining – to defend the eastern border. In practice, the Captain of the Royal Guard – also Shining Armor – has better things to do than guard an impenetrable wall of mountains.”

“Yeah, like Princess Cadance,” whispered Applejack to Rarity, who tried her best to look offended while hiding a smile.

“There hasn’t been an outpost in the Stormwall in about five hundred years,” Twilight continued, blissfully unaware of their insinuations about her brother.

“Uh, Twilight? I’m no Arch-mage, but I know plenty about lightning, and getting zapped by it once is no fun. How’re we supposed to get past thousands of thunderbolts without being crispy fried to a crackly crunch?” brought up Rainbow Dash, looking somewhat concerned.

“I have no idea!” she replied cheerfully. Seeing the alarm on her friends’ faces deepen, Twilight rushed to explain. “I mean, the Princess just said it wouldn’t be a problem. I didn’t really ask – what if she thought I didn’t trust her? Maybe she wants you to take care of the storm for us? I mean, you were the Captain of the Wonderbolts until earlier this afternoon. You’re supposed to be nearly as good at pegasus magic as I am at unicorn magic. Couldn’t you just.... push the clouds out of the way?”

“Aw, really? I mean, sure, I could do that... but it’d be soooo boooring! A real powerful storm can take hours to break up with a full weather team, and I only have Fluttershy here,” she gestured to their yellow friend, a few feet to her left, “and she’s terrible at pushing clouds! Uh, no offense, Shy.”

“Oh, u-uh... none taken, R-rainbow,” replied Fluttershy, who clearly hadn’t been listening as she looked around at the hulking mountain peaks in something closely akin to panic.

“Well, maybe that isn’t what Princess Luna plans to do,” remarked Twilight, glancing ahead at where Luna appeared to be engaged in a spirited silly face contest with Pinkie Pie, whose seemingly unlimited energy made her uniquely suited to keeping up with the inexhaustible alicorn. “But hey, at least it’s a plan, right? It always helps to have a plan!”

“Uh... Twilight?”

“Yes, Rainbow?”

“... We’re gonna need a new plan.”

The group had arrived at the weather conduit. They stood on the saddle of the pass, looking east. According to Luna, the conduit descended steeply, losing nearly a thousand feet of elevation over the next mile through the use of an enormous number of switchbacks.

Her friends were going to have to take her word for it. When they first arrived at the top of the pass, passing clouds made it impossible to see much of anything. Being at the end of their journey, the clouds were fairly weak, making it a simple task for Rainbow to clear the view a bit. A few bucks to key clouds revealed such an enormous, black, roiling mass of clouds that for a moment it almost appeared the ponies could continue forward without losing any altitude at all. This terrifying sight continued out as far as their eyes could see, which, combined with the steadily decreasing elevation they knew had to be there, translated into more clouds than any of them, even Rainbow Dash, had seen in their entire lives, all packed to the gills with hailstones, freezing sleet, and enough lightning to reduce even the heartiest pegasus into nothing but sparkling motes of dust.

“.. Yeah. Yeah, we are.”

Princess Luna looked around, surprised to see her friends’ concern. “Whatever is the matter?”

The other six goggled at her in disbelief. In unison, they each raised a hoof to point at the appalling storm blocking their path.

“Well, obviously, Twilight and I will dispel the clouds! What is your concern?”

“Dispel the clouds?! Princess, you may have incredible alicorn magics at your command, but to get rid of all that energy I’d need to be backed by a mage tower the size of...” here Twilight muttered to herself and waved her hooves a bit, plainly doing the math, “.. almost exactly the size of Canterlot!”

“Yes, of course.” Twilight simply stared at the princess in slack-jawed incredulity. Luna looked back, just as confused. “I still don’t see...”

“Princess...” Rarity put in delicately, “we don’t... have any mage towers.”

Understanding washed across Luna’s face, followed quickly by frustration and a hint of anger. “Honestly, what has my sister been teaching you, Twilight?” She sighed, then gestured with her hoof towards the mountain peak to their left, some four hundred feet above them on an easy slope. “Come with me. Everypony else, wait here for just a moment.” She began to walk slowly towards the peak, picking her way carefully over the broken ground, leaving Twilight no choice but to follow.

It took them only twenty minutes or so to reach the peak. Luna crested the rise with her usual grace and dignity. Twilight, undone by the thin air and the extreme exertion of breaking a trail up a craggy mountaintop, simply flopped down on the frozen ground, her sides heaving as she tried to get a breath. Luna, turning expectantly to see Twilight’s reaction to the spectacular view, gasped when she noticed the panting unicorn.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Twilight Sparkle! I forget you lack the magic of a pegasus to sustain you at such altitudes! Here, let me help!” Her horn glowed briefly and Twilight suddenly found the air around her to be usefully dense again. Poking experimentally at her head, she discovered a globe of magic which seemed to be sustaining her. She probed it with her own magic, mapping the fine structure of the spell, committing it to memory. Breathing deeply, she allowed herself another minute of rest to recover her strength, then turned to the Princess.

“Thank you for the spell, Princess – very useful, I’m sure I’ll be glad to have learned it – but... why exactly are we here?”

In answer, Luna took two steps back, centering herself over the very highest point of the mountain. “You said we needed a mage tower to dispel the clouds, yes? Twilight Sparkle... where do you think mage towers came from?”

The mountaintop began to glow. Twilight watched, agog, as tendrils of turquoise light began winding up the Night Princess’ legs. As they continued upwards to wrap around her torso, Luna’s face began to take on a familiar, faraway look. In her years as magic professor at Canterlot University, Twilight had seen that look during hundreds of final exams. It was the look of a sorceress linked to the magic of a mage tower.

Suddenly it all made sense. The whole mountain was a tower! It certainly offered the required view, and it obviously possessed plenty of precious metals and gemstones – what else did it need, really? It didn’t have the traditional fluted spiral shape, but this seemed fairly irrefutable evidence the shape was just that – tradition. In fact, there was only one thing she still didn’t understand.

“Princess!” she shouted over the growing hum of the awakening magics. “Who could possibly empower such a thing?”

Luna laughed a wild, breathy laugh. “Oh, Twilight Sparkle! Ever the scholar! Simply watch, and learn!” cried the Princess of the Night as the turquoise glow reached her head.

Rainbow Dash fidgeted. She was never very good at waiting. “What do you think they’re doing up there?” she asked Pinkie Pie, seated nearby.

“Probably some super cool magical thing!” replied the baker, as she placed the finishing ‘O’ to end yet another game of tic-tac-toe with Rarity.

“Yeah, well, they’d better hurry it up, is all I’m saying. We’ve got places to go, hehe, and things to – ahahahaha – things to – ahehehehahahaha – Pinkie! Stop, hahahaha, stop tickling me!” Dash fell over onto her back, rolling back and forth and laughing like a madpony.

“Uh... Dashie?” asked a puzzled Pinkie Pie, who hadn’t moved. “I’m all the way over here.”

“Look!” called Applejack, pointing out over the weather conduit. The clouds had begun to roil even more fiercely than before, lashing out with lightning as they were slowly pushed back, revealing the trail downward.

“It must be Twilight and the Princess!” squealed Pinkie. “They’re moving the big nasty clouds and pranking Dashie at the same time! Oh, how neat! I wish I had fancy magi-”

Pinkie Pie screamed.

This was no ‘it’s Nightmare Night and it’s fun to be scared!’ scream. This was a full-throated, agonized scream from the depths of her soul. She collapsed like a marionette whose strings had been cut, lying on the ground next to Rainbow Dash, twitching spasmodically in a horrible parody of the pegasus, who still could not stop giggling.

It took a second scream, every bit as tortured as the first, to shock Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy into action. “PINKIE!” They rushed towards their friend. Fluttershy got there first, repeating ‘oh my goodness!’ to herself over and over as she tried to get close enough to the flailing earth pony to check her for injuries. “Applejack! Hold her down, so I can see what’s wrong! Pinkie, what’s wrong? Tell me, please, I can help!”

The farmer leapt onto the flailing pony, who fought her as though she were Nightmare Moon, Discord, and Chrysalis all rolled into one. She stopped her cry only long enough to draw breath for a third scream, the loudest yet.

“Pinkie! Pinkie, it’s me, Applejack! Just calm down and let us help you!” It was no use. Her agony and fear gave Pinkie Pie the strength of ten ponies, and she hurled Applejack away from herself as she continued to kick out wildly with all four hooves.

As her third scream died away, all three standing ponies braced themselves for a fourth, but it didn’t come. Instead, Pinkie’s eyes fluttered closed and she flopped over onto her side, out cold.

Fluttershy wasted no time. In an instant she was by the pink pony’s side, one hoof checking for a pulse while she placed her head near Pinkie’s to feel for breath. Finding both, she began to examine the unconscious pony for obvious signs of damage.

“Well, ‘Shy? How... is she?” asked Applejack. “And will you cut that out?! Pinkie could be dying here!” she snapped to Rainbow Dash, who was still laughing at the top of her voice.

“I ca-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-n’t!” she gasped. “I-haha-it tickles so mu-aHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

“Actually, Applejack, um... I feel it too, a little. I guess maybe I’m just not as ticklish as she is?” put in Fluttershy.

“Never mind about that! How is Pinkie? Will she be okay?” demanded a concerned Rarity.

“I... don’t know. I can’t find anything that could be causing this. I think the best thing we can do is just leave her alone and hope she feels better when she wakes up.”

“Uh... Fluttershy? That... might be a bit of a problem.” Applejack pointed down the pass. The clouds had continued to retreat, revealing the floor of the weather conduit.

A floor which was covered by an indistinct mass of dull-colored, four-legged creatures.

A mass which was already more than three-quarters of the way up the trail towards them.

“All right, we gotta move! Fluttershy, Rarity, grab those two! I’ll be rear guard and try to hold ‘em off! C’mon, let’s get movin’, before -”

The ground opened up and swallowed them whole.

“- and you used the whole mountain! And, and the turquoise, and – and I couldn’t sense ANY of it! And the storm just... whoosh! Oh! Oh! And -”

Princess Luna smiled indulgently as Twilight continued to babble excitedly about what she’d seen on the mountaintop. This must have been how Celestia had felt every day of Twilight’s many years as a student, she mused. She could see the appeal – it did feel wonderful to watch Twilight get so excited over some new scrap of knowledge. Perhaps there were other things she could teach the unicorn? Celestia seemed to have neglected certain areas...

“- and you know, I really don’t think it’s fair that I couldn’t sense anything, why is tha- What happened here?!”

Both ponies froze in shock. Where they had left their friends, the ground was all torn up. Hundreds of prints covered the area, making it look as though an army had come through. Near the center of the path, an enormous, mostly circular area had dropped down by a depth of about eight feet. Twilight peered down into the new pit and discovered something that made her cry out in surprise and fear.

Applejack’s hat, partially buried under the rubble.

The purple pony made to leap into the hole, but was snagged out of the air by Luna’s telekinesis. She struggled, trying to break free and reach the earth pony’s hat, to find out what had happened to her and to the rest of her friends.

“Twilight Sparkle! Cease your struggling at once! Calm down!”

“But Princess, they could all be -” She broke off, unable to utter the word.

“Listen to me. Your friends are alive. Can’t you sense them?”

“I – oh. I didn’t even really think about it. Let me just...” Twilight closed her eyes and focused, her horn glowing faintly. After a moment, her struggles ceased. Her eyes opened, and filled with tears.

“Excellent!” proclaimed Luna. “Now, let us begin our search from -”

“I can’t.”

“... What?”

“I can’t feel them. They’re gone.” Tears dripped slowly from the unicorns eyes as she dangled in Luna’s telekinetic grip.

The princess’ eyes widened in shock, then narrowed in rage. “Damn you, Celestia!” she hissed, then moved her face in close to Twilight’s. “Twilight Sparkle. Do you trust me?”

“I... of course, Princess, but...”

“Your friends are alive. I swear to you by the ever-moving moon, they are alive.” Luna held Twilight’s eyes with hers, until the despair had left them and the familiar spark of determination had returned.

“... Okay. Put me down.” The Night Princess complied. “Now, where are they?”

“I don’t know. It’s a lot to explain, and we have need of haste, but the... ability that tells me they yet live is not much good for direction, only a rough estimate of distance. They are within about half a mile, but moving away fairly quickly.”

“All right. Let’s think for a moment. I can’t sense them with my unicorn magic. I assume you can’t either, or you’d know exactly where they were. Since they’re not dead, they must be blocked somehow. The only two things that I know of that can do that are a powerful spellcaster, or cold iron. Apparently there are some gaps in my education – do you have anything to add?” Luna shook her head, impressed by the clarity of Twilight’s reasoning so soon after the traumatic shock she’d suffered. “Good. Seeing as these mountains contain nearly all of Equestria’s iron mines, it’s pretty safe to assume they’re underground. That would also explain this pit – it’s the result of a partial collapse of some kind of tunnel system. It looks like it went pretty far – let’s start looking for another entrance.”

“And what will we two ponies do to this army of unknown creatures, when we find them?”

Twilight’s eyes were hard as amethyst as she levitated Applejack’s hat out of the pit. For the first time, Luna saw not Twilight Sparkle, friend and companion, but the Arch-Mage of Canterlot, whom dragons feared to cross.

“We find our friends. And we take them back. Whatever it takes.”

A shiver ran from the base of Luna’s tail all the way up her spine into her neck. Despite her immortality, despite all her power, she felt a tiny flicker of fear.

Twilight hadn’t answered the question.

Rarity dropped her illusion spell, though it hardly changed anything in the dark of the tunnel. She dared not light her horn, lest the attackers who had captured the others return and find her as well. She reached out with her hoof to start digging herself an exit. Immediately several rocks fell with a thunderous crash. She winced and looked all around, but it seemed that fortune had smiled upon her and the disruption had gone unheard. Still, she could not risk it again – the barrier would have to remain. There would be no help from that direction, no Twilight and Luna sweeping in to save the day in a burst of magic.

So be it. She didn’t need their help. She was not some helpless filly held captive and in need of rescue from the hero.

That would never be allowed to happen again. Not to her.

She was Rarity Filligree, a hero in her own right.

Rarity squared her shoulders and began to walk silently down the tunnel in the direction her friends had been taken.

Well, that was easy, thought Cliff hanger as he used his magic to secure his hoof to the side of the cliff. The first step’s the hardest, I’m on my way!

“Woo! Go Cliff!” came a voice from the road. Cliff Hanger froze, then turned his head to look. He saw a grey pegasus with curiously misaimed eyes, waving one hoof at him as she munched on a muffin with the other.

Okay, somepony stopped to watch. No big deal. No pressure. Just an interested observer. He blinked.

Now there was a green unicorn next to the pegasus.

What. Blink.

A beige earth pony.

The. Blink.

Two this time – a fuchsia earth pony holding a brown paper bag, and a blue unicorn with a striped mane.

Heck?!

Turning his back on the judgmental stares – or so he assumed – of his unexpected audience, Cliff Hanger focused his magic and raced up the cliff like a shot.

END CHAPTER TWO

EDIT: Holy crap, 103 notifications! Thanks a ton everypony! If you feel a need to read some rambles, the author's notes are here: http://www.fimfiction.net/blog/63695

Seriously, thanks!

Chapter 4

The dawn brought with it a warm, dry breeze from the northeast, rolling in waves over the grassland and gently rustling the ponies’ coats. They rose one by one to gather in the center of their makeshift campsite and munch on the grass, which had a bland yet filling taste. It would make good trail food for their long journey ahead, so Applejack insisted they gather some of it to replace what little they had eaten while in the mountains, as well as the night before. Conversation was mostly excited speculation on what they would find in the days ahead - nopony seemed inclined to spoil the mood by rehashing their adventures in the tunnels.

Luna, still working on adjusting her sleeping to match that of the others, was the last to arise. They were in no hurry, and let her sleep. “After all”, said Pinkie Pie, “you can’t expect the Princess of the Night to be a morning pony!” When she finally woke, about an hour after Rainbow Dash had staggered up bleary-eyed for breakfast, Luna gave a great stretch of her wings, legs, and back, then stood and faced the wind, starfield mane streaming behind her. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, held it for a moment, then released it with a whispered, “Free...”

“I’m sorry, Princess?” asked Twilight, who had been watching the larger pony for signs of wakefulness and had trotted over when she began to stir, “What was that?”

“I said that I am free! No more endless drudgery of government! No more, ‘what would the Princess like for tea this evening? May I draw the Princess a bath? Would the Princess like someone to lick her hooves for her?’. No more meetings with the Right Honorable Chairman of the Grand High Council of Pool Hall Managers. Nothing! For the first time in much more than a thousand years, I may do as I please!” She drew in an enormous breath and bellowed, “FREE!”. With a noise like a gunshot, her tabard and crown burst off of her, flying a couple hundred feet before landing with a muffled thud.

“Um.. Princess... I’m sure we’re all very happy for you...” began Twilight as Luna pranced about in glee, “but shouldn’t you bring those back? I mean... they’re powerful magical artifacts, and in the wrong hands....”

“Must I?” Luna pouted, her lower lip quivering. She stared at Twilight as the unicorn grew more and more uncomfortable, then abruptly laughed. “You are right of course, Twilight Sparkle. A moment’s fancy, nothing more.” Her vestments glowed a deep blue as they drifted across the field and back onto their owner.

By this time the other five Element bearers had gathered, and Night’s Mistress turned to address them all. “My friends. I feel the time has come to talk of many things. After some... interesting discussions with Twilight Sparkle, I have decided to hold nothing back, to keep no secrets. So. No doubt many of you have wondered why it is only we seven who have undertaken this journey. After all, if we are to be a new nation, we shall need a few stallions at the very least. Yes?”

For a moment, all eyes turned to Rainbow Dash, who had, in fact, asked that very question - with a somewhat more ribald emphasis - four or five times a day since Luna had first proposed the idea of their little journey. Then Applejack spoke up. “I figured we were gonna be a scouting party or some such. Map out the route, find a nice spot for folks to set up, then head back to Equestria and round up some proper settlers. That’s how Braeburn and Sheriff Silverstar founded Appleloosa, back in the day.”

Luna smiled and nodded. “Indeed, that is the usual method for expanding Equestria’s frontier. However, in this case, there is another reason. You see, we are not here to simply wander aimlessly until we chance upon some nice spot. I have a destination in mind. We are headed for the Citadel.”

“The... Citadel?” asked Fluttershy timidly. “Oh my... that sounds...”

“Awesome!” interjected Rainbow. “What is it?”

“The Citadel was the pinnacle of pony civilization some... oh, let us say four thousand years past. It was founded at the dawn of what ponies today know as the pre-classical era. My sister and I ruled the day and the night in harmony, and peace reigned throughout the land. Unicorn, Earth pony, and pegasus all worked together to make incredible advances in science, magic, and the arts. To celebrate this golden age, it was decided to build a capital, the likes of which nopony had ever seen before. Earth ponies quarried and farmed the stones and crystals to make up its soaring towers. Pegasi forged its many skywalks from cloudsteel, stronger than iron and light as air. And a particularly famous unicorn designed the system of enchantments that channeled pegasus lightning and the roaring river to power the city day and night. I believe you’ve heard of him, Twilight - his name was Starswirl the Bearded.”

Seeing Twilight’s face light up at the mention of her hero, Luna grinned. “Yes, this is when I knew him. Though when we first met, he was known as Starswirl the Young, and had yet to grow his first whisker. He still had that hat with the bells, though... I never could convince him how ridiculous it looked. ‘If I am to be mocked for wearing bells,’ he used to say, ‘I shall simply have to become so famously successful that I cannot be mocked, and bring the bells along for the ride.’” She shook her head wistfully, ignoring Twilight’s dropped jaw.

Seeing that her purple friend was temporarily incapable of speech, Rarity stepped in to fill the gap. “But Princess, what happened? I must confess, I’ve often wondered about the way the Hearth’s Warming legend specifically states that neither you nor your sister was present. If you weren’t there, why not? And if you were, why did you let things get so bad?” Suddenly realizing what she was saying, she hastened to add, “Not that I would ever dream of criticizing any decision you or Princess Celestia chose to make, of course!”

Luna came back from her distant memory. “Hm? Oh, yes, of course. Well, you see, the advances of the pre-classical era were so great, they seemed endless. Eventually, a group of unicorns even discovered how to control the Sun for themselves - though they had Celestia’s help in developing the spell, of course. When I was able to show them how to adjust the spell to include the Moon, I began to wonder if it might be possible for Celestia and I to take a... vacation, of sorts. Our rule was already supplemented by many wise, capable ponies, and with our most vital services now somewhat less necessary, it seemed an ideal time. I had grown weary of the constant grind of rule, you see. Celestia felt it less of a burden than I, but I was able to tempt her with the promise of unexplored lands and new knowledge to be gained. I assured her that our little ponies could fend for themselves - hadn’t we taught them well? In the end, she agreed to go.”

The Princess sighed, and lowered her eyes. “Those were some of the happiest times of my life. My sister and I, on the open skies together... We made many friends, fought many battles, loved many loves, mourned many deaths. We were, for a while, simply ponies.

“But all things have to end sometime. Eventually Celestia grew restless, and I, too, was curious to see what the mortal ponies had made of their land in our absence. I confess, I was looking forward to teasing Celestia with her groundless fears when we returned and found civilization had climbed to new heights. A bit embarrassing, in light of what we did find.”

“Which was....?” asked Applejack, after a pause.

“Discord,” replied Luna, simply. Her friends all flinched at hearing the name, Fluttershy going so far as to latch onto Rainbow Dash for protection.

“Yes, Discord,” she continued. “From a distance, we sensed his magic coming from a previously unsettled area of the continent to the west of the land we had known. When we arrived, we found ponies suffering unfathomable torment under his claw. Of course, we quickly sought to put an end to this travesty of governance by attacking Discord head-on. After all, never had we encountered any beings strong enough to do us harm.”

She swept her gaze over the entranced ponies in front of her. “I have never been as frightened as I was that day. Discord outclassed us completely. When we used our most powerful spells against him, he laughed at us and redirected them against the very ponies we sought to protect. Even when we were trying only to escape, he toyed with us for hours. He had known of us, I learned later, and was disappointed at the lackluster showing we made. Only when the full moon rose that night, bringing my powers of illusion and deception to their height, did we manage to break free.”

A silence followed, and was not broken for a long time.

Finally Rarity asked, quietly, “What happened then, Princess?”

Luna visibly shook off her melancholy mood. “This is where the story you all know begins. On our travels, my sister had heard rumors of powerful items of magic in a land far across the western seas. The Elements of Harmony. We retrieved them, returned on a night with a full moon, and froze Discord in stone before he knew we were near. Then we took up our mantles of rule once again, to lead ponies out of the Discordian age and back to some semblance of civilization.

“However, things had changed between my sister and I. Celestia took the results of my ‘little experiment’, as she called it, as concrete proof that mortal ponies could not be permitted to govern themselves. And as time passed, she began to blame me for the destruction of the society we had worked so hard to build. Though it took many, many years, this was the first crack that would eventually widen into the rift between us, the rift that would take on the name of Nightmare.”

“So, what happened to the Citadel?” asked Rainbow Dash. “What makes you think it’s still there after all this time?”

“Although I do not have any firsthand knowledge of the Great Migration or the events surrounding it, I learned as much as I could from what little of history the ponies had managed to save under Discord’s tender affections. Discord is... insidious, as you have all had occasion to see for yourselves. It seems clear that he moved slowly, first destroying the harmony between the three races, then sending the Windigoes to drive them from their homes, and only emerging from the shadows well after the founding of Equestria. According to the ponies I spoke with after his defeat, when the three tribes splintered into separate nations the Citadel refused to join them. Apparently, one day a shimmering magical shield came into being, completely enclosing the city. All three tribes tried to breach it, but they were unsuccessful, and they soon had bigger things to worry about. The Citadel was all but forgotten, known to the ponies I spoke to only as a legend.”

“Princess,” Twilight ventured cautiously, “that’s a fascinating story, but... that was all a long, long time ago. You can’t be sure that the city is still there - you shouldn’t get your hopes up.”

“Of course you’re right, Twilight Sparkle. It is entirely possible we shall find nothing at all. But imagine if we found it right where it had always been, perfectly intact, ponies living there still! The greatest city that ever was! The marble halls of Canterlot, the gleaming chrome of the Manehattan skyline, these are but sad imitations. You, who have never seen it, cannot possibly imagine what it was like.... but try for me now.

“It stretched to the sky, beyond all but the highest clouds. During the day, it shone like silver in the sunlight, and thousands of ponies gathered in the central square to share their wares, sample exotic foods from far away lands, or attend public lectures and discussions held by the most learned practitioners of science and engineering in the known world. And at night....”

Luna laughed, a deep, throaty sound. “The night was a time of delicate fragrance, rich and savory foods, warm sweet air and warm sweet drink. Poets, artists, dreamers, blessed lunatics strove to capture all that was good or ill in life in pen or brush, word or song. The great magicians of a vanished age probed the deep mysteries with magicks both subtle and gross, while lovers lay under the glittering sky, on the soft green grass, between the worlds above and the world below, and worshipped their Mistress of the Night in ever new and inventive ways. If one desired company and noise, there were grand parties and concerts nearly every night. If silence and peace were called for, a well-worn trail up one of the nearby mountains led to a moongarden of surpassing beauty, tended personally by me with the help of my most exalted priestesses, where no two ponies who did not enter together would ever come upon each other save by the deepest desires of both their hearts. The Citadel was a place of magic and music and love. It was a place of life, and no higher compliment can be paid.”

The six mortal ponies stood for a moment, each of them lost in visions of their own personal utopia. Then, almost as one, their minds caught up with an implication that Luna had slipped in casually among her descriptions. Red blossoms bloomed on their cheeks, and they suddenly became fascinated with their hooves. Noticing this, Luna asked, “What is wrong, my friends?”

“P-Princess,” managed Rarity faintly, “when you say ‘worshipped their Mistress of the Night’... what exactly do you mean?”

Now it was Luna’s turn to look embarrassed, though only slightly. “Ah. Yes. Well. Celestia doesn’t like to spread it around these days, but just as she is the patron to such things as commerce, science, and industry as well as the Ruler of the Day, in addition to the Moon I am the patron of the arts, of romance, and of... fertility. Truthfully, I think she is making mountains of molehills, but Celestia insists that the sensibilities of modern ponies would be offended were this to become common knowledge.”

This pronouncement was followed by several stammered assertions that of course not, they were perfectly fine with that, wasn’t that interesting, hehehe. Twilight had recovered enough presence of mind to ask, “So that’s what you meant back at the castle when you said your return would lead to an increase in the birth rate? Because of your... ancillary effects, as it were?”

“Correct,” the Princess confirmed. “Well, that is what I wanted to discuss with you this morning. My plan is that we will head for the Citadel and see what we shall see. If there are ponies there, we will try to make contact with their leaders and work out an equitable arrangement. If there are not, well... there were good reasons for locating it where we did, reasons which should be no less valid today. We will claim the city as the capital of our new land and raise a call for settlers in Equestria. Now, I think we should be on our way. We have many miles to cover - the Citadel is located only a few miles upriver from the eastern coast. Are there any questions? No? Well then, onward, explorers!” The Night Princess struck a heroic pose, head held high, one foreleg thrust ahead dramatically. The group of slightly nonplussed ponies around her obeyed the exaggerated instruction and began walking through the grasslands in an easterly direction.

Twilight fell in beside Luna, who was giggling quietly to herself.

“If you don’t mind my saying, Princess, you seem... a bit different this morning,” said Twilight delicately.

“I am happy, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna replied, her beatific smile proving the truth of her words. “And I should be bothered by the fact that it is apparently so rare as to cause you alarm, but I cannot be, because... I am happy. For the first time in a long time, I feel as though I am mistress of my own fate. It is a good feeling.”

“Aww, good for you, Luna!” cheered Pinkie Pie. “You finally get out of your big sister’s shadow, and get to bathe in the sunshine!” She paused at this, putting a hoof to her chin while somehow continuing to walk, perfectly smoothly, on three legs. “Or... well, your big sister’s shadow is the sunshine. So you get to bathe in the... moonshine? But that’s not for bathing, that’s for drinking! So....” She clocked herself on the side of the head, still not breaking stride. “Nevermind! I guess what I’m trying to say is...” A sourceless guitar intro with a truly impressive drumbeat swelled as the pink pony began bouncing to the beat.

You can choose a ready guide, Princess Celestia’s voice

But if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice!

You can believe her phantom fears and hold ponykind still

We will choose a path that’s clear...

We will choose free will!

Luna and Twilight watched, stunned and amused respectively, as Rainbow, Rarity, Fluttershy and Applejack joined Pinkie in an unrehearsed yet somehow perfectly choreographed dance number. The band, having played a remarkably catchy bridge, reached a crescendo and then faded away. After the final musical cue, the five musically-afflicted ponies continued to trot along as though nothing out of the ordinary happened.

Luna sat down, hard, her mouth hanging open in astonishment. Her friends, with the exception of Twilight, failed to notice and continued on their way. Twilight looked at the Princess, puzzled. “Princess, are you all right? It’s just Pinkie Pie... you’ve seen her do this before.”

Night’s Mistress shook her head to clear it, then boomed out “STOP AT ONCE!” The surprised ponies galloped back in a flash, anxious to hear what was bothering their alicorn friend.

“Princess...?” asked Twilight again. “Is something wrong?”

“Yes, Twilight Sparkle. I believe something may be very wrong.” She turned to Pinkie Pie, her horn glowing. A ring of blue magic appeared above the pink pony’s head, rotating slowly. Twilight squinted at the spell, her thirst for knowledge demanding the investigation. It appeared to be a divination spell of some sort, but it seemed somehow... incomplete. The structure of the spell was somehow twisted around something that wasn’t actually there. The ring descended until it touched the ground, where it melted into mist before disappearing. Pinkie giggled and shivered as it passed.

Luna’s eyes grew wide with horror. Immediately she bowed low to the ground in front of the pink party pony.

It was a curious bow, thought Twilight. With her belly to the ground, it clearly indicated subservience, but it was not one of the several hundred types she was familiar with from her work with the Court. Luna’s head was bowed so low that her horn touched the ground in front of her. Her wings were spread to either side, hanging so as to lightly brush the dirt. Finally, her forehooves were extended on either side of the bowed head, hooves slightly askew but pointing in the general direction of Pinkie Pie.

“Princess, what is going on?” asked Twilight desperately.

“Pinkie Pie,” asked Luna, not moving from her unnatural position on the ground, her muzzle scraping in the dirt as she talked, “did you experience any unexplained pain before or immediately after your abduction by the Diamond Dogs?”

“Um... yeah,” Pinkie replied slowly, clearly unsure what to do about a Princess bowing to her. “Dashie started laughing, and the clouds started clearing, and I thought you were playing a funny joke on her, but then I started to.... hurt, and I knew it couldn’t be you because you’d never do anything to hurt us, so it must have been those meany Diamond Dogs.”

Luna winced as though Pinkie Pie’s words were daggers entering her flesh. “Pinkie... Miss Pie... I must confess that it was, in fact, I that caused you such pain.” The gasps of the other six caused her to wince again, and she hurried to explain. “It was an accident, I assure you. I would never do such a thing deliberately. However, it was a result of my carelessness, and I accept full responsibility. You may claim whatever justice you deem meet - I shall accept your judgement.” She held her position on the ground, waiting for Pinkie’s response. Twilight couldn’t help but feel she was missing something important about the pose Luna had struck, but she couldn’t put her hoof on it.

Pinkie, still looking embarrassed at having the Goddess of the Moon bowing at her feet, said, “Of course I forgive you, Luna! As long as it was an accident, and you promise to never ever do it again, it’s not even worth thinking about.”

Luna hesitated. “You are sure? You do not seek retribution? I know, firsthand, that the experience was not pleasant for you.”

Pinkie reached out and practically pulled the larger alicorn to her feet. “Don’t sweat it, sister! But just so we’re clear... never again.” She gave the Princess a serious stare for a moment, then, apparently assured that they were, in fact, clear, resumed her cheerful bouncing towards the sunrise. Her friends really had no choice but to follow.

Luna quickly took a place at the head of their little column, gently steering them more to the north. Twilight hurried to keep up, then walked next to the Princess in uncomfortable silence, needing to ask a question but fearing the response it would bring. At last, Luna sighed and said, “Go ahead and ask, Twilight Sparkle. I know you will not rest until your curiosity is sated, and I do not mind. Truly. So ask me what you must, that we may all continue with our lives.”

“I’m sorry, Princess, I really didn’t want to bother you, but...” she trailed off as Luna gave her a wry smile, not very different from her sister’s favorite expression (though it would take a braver pony than Twilight Sparkle to say so). “Right. Sorry. Again. What I want to know is... how did you end up accidentally hurting Pinkie Pie? Why did her little song, like she’s sung a thousand times before, tip you off? What exactly was that on top of the mountain the other day? Why didn’t Celestia teach me these things you apparently know? How -”

“Enough, enough!” laughed Luna as she waved away the onslaught of questions. “Please, Twilight Sparkle, allow me the breath to answer you! Ah...” she sighed, shaking her head ruefully, “only you could cheer me up by badgering me relentlessly with questions about the very thing which saddens me. Thank you, my friend.”

“Um... you’re welcome, Princess,” replied Twilight, clearly confused about what was so funny, but unwilling to be diverted. “So... Pinkie?”

“Yes, of course,” returned the Lady of the Night. “Tell me, Twilight Sparkle, do you know the Laws of Wizardry?”

“Of course!”, said the former Archmage, a little offended. “That’s a basic tenant of magical studies! You’d be hard-pressed to find a unicorn old enough to live on her own that didn’t know the Laws. I had a standard lecture for it back when I was teaching at the Academy.”

“I believe I would like to hear that,” smiled Luna. “Please, Professor Sparkle, educate me. I eagerly await your instruction.”

“You really want the whole lecture?” asked Twilight dubiously. At the other’s nod, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before beginning. “The Three Laws of Wizardry are the foundation of magical instruction. They are not laws in either of the traditional senses - breaking them will not result in an arrest by the Guard, nor are they mathematical constructs like the Laws of Gravitation. They are, however, a set of rules to be followed which all Equestrian mages, be they the newest student or fully-vested members of the Arcanum, adhere to. As the Laws are incomprehensibly ancient, perhaps as old as the Princesses themselves, their exact wording is lost to time, but I will endeavour to convey their spirit to you now.

“The first Law, rendered in some ancient texts as ‘memento mori’ - ‘remember you must die’ - is not, in fact, about mortality at all. It is instead an admonition that no matter your power, no matter your wisdom, some things will always be beyond you. Though some choose to find this depressing, I prefer to take it as a hopeful sign that there will always be more to learn and new things to discover. Forgetting this law has led to some of the greatest tragedies in Equestrian history, including the infighting which brought about decline of the ancient Roaman tribes, the fall of the Crystal Empire at the hands of King Sombra, and the War Between the Sisters.

“The second Law, sometimes called the Law of Unintended Consequences, is often written in modern texts as ‘Nothing is ever quite as simple as you expect, or quite as complicated as you believe’. This is a caution to always think before you act, because any action is likely to have consequences other than the desired effect. As an example, suppose the unicorns of Canterlot asked the pegasi of the weather patrol never to allow it to rain, so they could avoid getting their manes wet. While it would certainly have that effect, crops would also fail, leading to widespread starvation. This is only a trite example, but it serves to illustrate the point. Only by acting from full knowledge, and accepting responsibility for all consequences of her actions, can a wizard carry her intentions into reality.

“One common rendering of the third and final Law is, ‘Take what you want, and pay for it’. It reminds us that all magic comes at a price to the user, with more power requiring a steeper payment. This Law applies to more than just magic and is well known in other contexts too - the Earth ponies of Appleoosan frontier put it as “There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch”, while the Canterlot nobility use the somewhat florid ‘A hat for a cat, or a cat for a hat, but nothing for nothing’. The Third Law is especially relevant to new students, who have an alarming tendency to end up in the castle infirmary after attempting magic beyond their skill, so I want you all to keep it in mind. Is that clear?”

“Quite clear, Professor, thank you,” came Luna’s melodious voice. Twilight opened her eyes, a bit surprised to find an open plain and not the inside of a classroom. Luna was smiling gently at her, amused but not mocking. “That was very well put,” she complimented. “Now, do you see where my mistake lay? I violated the Second Law - unintentionally, which is of course the entire point - by failing to consider what Pinkie Pie is.”

“What she is? What do you mean, Princess? She’s a pony just like the rest of us.” Her confusion scrunched up Twilight’s face in a manner Luna privately found adorable.

“This will take some explaining, I am afraid. You know, of course, of the types of magic inherent in the three tribes, and the sources of each. Unicorns use the magic of their minds to alter the physical world to match their desires. Pegasi use their kinship with the sky to persuade it to act in their best interests. And Earth ponies use the magic of the world around them to coax it into its ideal shape, imbuing the earth with life and vitality.” Twilight nodded, confusion still evident. “Well, these are not the only kinds of magic in the world. Perhaps my sister has taught you something of the magic of the sun, a bright and shining power to reveal truth and destroy evil?” The purple unicorn nodded again, a glimmer of understanding beginning to dawn on her face. “There are other magics, too. The one we must be concerned with here is known, by my sister and myself at least, as ‘wild’ magic. It is difficult to tame, being unpredictable by nature, but very powerful. As it readily lends such power to the more usual sort of spell, it was often used in the pre-classical era as a source of energy for any large working a magician might attempt.

“Upon my return from exile, I found that the wild magic of Equestria has been largely diverted into certain structured channels, designed by Celestia to promote harmony throughout the land. One of the more obvious manifestations of these spells is the tendency of ponies to break spontaneously into song, often accompanied by magical musical backing. So although, as you said, I have seen Pinkie Pie lead a choreographed song and dance before, she should not have been able to do so once outside the borders of Equestria.

“However, there is something very strange about Pinkamena Diane Pie. She is a wellspring of wild magic. She does not need to interact with the background magic of Equestria - she provides the magic on her own. Quite honestly, I have been kicking myself for not discovering it sooner - her myriad unique abilities certainly provided plenty of hints.”

Twilight frowned, trying to take in everything she’d heard. “So the reason Pinkie Pie is so... well, Pinkie Pie is because she’s this... power source? I still don’t see how that caused you to hurt her.”

“When I sought to clear the clouds from the weather conduit, I required a major weave of weather magic to do so. Even with the assistance of the mountain, it would have been very difficult for me to draw forth the required power. So, almost reflexively, I did as I have done countless times before and reached out for sources of power to augment my own.”

Twilight’s eyes widened in understanding. “And the first thing you found -”

“Was Pinkie Pie,” Luna confirmed. “I drew so heavily from her - without realizing it, I stress again - that she... well, have you ever expended your entire magical reserve, all at once? It is... not pleasant.”

Twilight shivered. “No, it really isn’t. So Rainbow Dash laughed because of the weather magic saturating the air, making her senses go haywire, and Pinkie Pie got hurt because you were using her as a big magic battery whose charge got too low?”

“Succinctly, if inelegantly put, yes.”

Twilight bit her lower lip. They had come to the most important question she had for Luna, and she was nervous the Princess would say no. Eventually she managed to ask, “Princess... would you teach me about this wild magic? And all the other kinds, too?”

Luna’s smile shone brightly in her dark face like the stars in her mane. “Of course, Twilight Sparkle. I would be honored.” Laughing slightly at Twilight’s obvious relief, she continued, “Come and see me tonight, after we make camp. For now, I must try to figure out where we are and how to get where we are going. All right?”

“Of course, Princess. Until tonight, then.” Twilight managed the best approximation of a proper bow she could without stopping, then dropped back to join the other Elements.

As the day wore on, Twilight found her gaze being drawn again and again to the Princess of the Night. Well, why shouldn’t she be on my mind? she asked herself the first few times she noticed where her eyes were falling. She’s leading us off into uncharted lands, she just casually introduced me to entire new schools of magic, and tonight she’ll be teaching me things possibly nopony but the Princesses know! It would be more odd if I wasn’t thinking about her! Yet as she found herself staring over and over at the dusky mare, a blush rising slightly on her cheeks each time, there came a point where she could no longer deny the distant voice echoing in the back of her mind - a voice that repeated, they worshipped their Mistress of the Night in new and inventive ways.

“She really is beautiful, isn’t she...” she murmured to herself.

“Indeed she is...” came an equally distant murmur from beside her.

Startled, Twilight turned to see Rarity, staring upwards into space with a faraway look on her face. “What?”

“Hmm? Oh, Twilight!” She paused, letting the last few moments catch up with her. “Beautiful? Who?” Catching Twilight’s guilty glance, she gasped, then grinned. “The Princess? Why yes, I suppose she is at that. Something on your mind, Twilight daaaaarling?”

“W-well...” she stuttered, “it’s just... you heard what she said this morning. About her... other role.” Her cheeks could have been used to crisp hayfries.

“A bit curious, are we? Wondering what it would be like to... show your devotion to the lovely Lady Luna? I must say, I’m rather surprised - I always thought you preferred someone with a... sunnier disposition, hmm?” Rarity lowered her voice conspiratorially and waggled her eyebrows suggestively in the direction of her purple friend.

“Oh for... No! For the last time, I do not see, and have never seen, Princess Celestia that way! Honestly!” She glared at Rarity, who made soothing gestures with her hooves that did nothing to erase the glint in her eye. Huffing, Twilight went on. “It’s just... I never really thought the Princesses did... that. I mean, the popular presentation of Celestia is as a virginal goddess, so I just assumed - What?” she broke off, noticing Rarity’s boggled expression.

“Well, darling, surely you can’t have lived in Canterlot as long as you have without hearing the rumors about the Princess’ private life? I mean, if only one in ten were true, she’d certainly be anything but virginal - not that I’d judge, you understand!”

“Rarity... half those rumors were about me. I knew those weren’t true - why would I believe any of the others?”

“I suppose that makes sense, but I have it from a very reliable source that - Oh very well,” she sighed, taking note of Twilight’s unamused stare, “no more gossip.” Her face became more serious and she leaned closer to Twilight. “Ah, darling, you aren’t... I mean to say, are you - not that there’s anything wrong if you are, of course, but I was just wondering...”

“Am I a virgin?” Twilight finished for her resignedly.

“Well... yes.”

“Not that it’s anyone’s business but mine, but no, I’m not. I may not be the most outgoing pony in the world, but I literally have a Ph.D in Friendship, and I’m a scientist. Is it so mind-boggling that I might decide to experiment a bit?” She seemed to realize how defensive she was being and forced a smile for her friend. “Sorry, Rarity. I don’t mean to snap at you, really. It’s just that I’ve heard the same question in exactly the same cautious, only-wanting-to-help tone way too many times. From friends, from co-workers, from my mother - on six different occasions - even Princess Celestia, and you can be sure THAT was a conversation for the Awkward Record Books. I’m.... a little touchy on the subject.”

“Of course, darling, you’re right. It’s none of my business and I’m ashamed to have mentioned it.” There was a brief pause, then, “... So who was it?”

“Rarity!” Twilight cried, scandalized. “I’m not going to tell you that!”

“All right, all right, I was just curious,” the other pony soothed. They walked together in silence for a time.

“Cheerilee,” Twilight finally muttered.

“Re~eally...” mused Rarity. “Who would have thought it? I had always assumed that she favored stallions. Though in hindsight, I suppose it should have been obvious after that little incident with Macintosh. Certainly most mares - and quite a few stallions, for that matter - would not require a love potion to want to make him their ‘special somepony’.”

Rarity’s face made it clear that she had more to say, but she held her tongue. Finally Twilight groaned and said “Spit it out, already.”

“... The schoolteacher?” she asked, a cautious edge to her voice.

“Yes? What about her?”

“Just tell me she didn’t call you her ‘faithful student’.”

Twilight’s brief but very loud snarl drew every eye. Blushing like the sun, she waved that she was all right, then furiously whispered, “Dammit, Rarity! Do you have any idea how long I worried about that before I decided to get involved with her? Not that I was acting out some bizzare schoolfilly fetish, but that she’d think I was? Not to mention everyone else in town! I almost didn’t go through with it, and now, to have one of my best friends bring it up after all this time...!”

Twilight’s rage faltered as it met Rarity’s sincere concern. “Are you sure that’s not what you’re doing now, Twilight?”

“What? I don’t understand. What do you mean?”

“With Princess Luna, of course.” When Twilight continued to look confused, she elaborated. “You’re clearly attracted to her, but if Cheerilee can be said to represent Princess Celestia through the teacher connection, how much more so Princess Luna? I wouldn’t want to see you close yourself off to the idea just because you were afraid of how other ponies would see it.”

The purple unicorn’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. “You think the reason I’d be hesitant about falling for an immortal alicorn that can throw heavenly bodies around is because she’s too much like her sister? There are hundreds, no, thousands of reasons why that would be a terrible idea! And the top of the list is that there’s no way she’d even entertain the notion, so forget about it!”

“Don’t sell yourself short, darling,” Rarity countered. “I can’t be certain of course, but I’m fairly confident you’ve already caught dear Luna’s eye.”

Twilight groaned and massaged her head with a hoof for a moment. “Assuming for the moment that I were interested - which I’m not admitting - Rarity... she’s supposedly as old as time itself, and apparently a literal sex goddess to boot. What would she want with someone like me? Or with any one pony, for that matter?”

“A thousand years is a long time to be alone, Twilight,” Rarity replied solemnly. “Eternal goddesses of darkness need love too. Everypony needs love.”

They trotted along, each thinking thoughts they weren’t inclined to share. Eventually, Rarity shook herself gently, tossing her mane back over her shoulder, and said, “Well! Lovely as this little chat has been, I see Rainbow Dash has just gotten stuck in a rather large cloud, and it would be simply criminal if she believed she’d gotten away without anypony noticing. Ta ta, darling! And try to keep an open mind - that’s all I ask.”

As her friend skipped away, Twilight, too, shook off her mood. Rarity was being ridiculous, anyway. She’d certainly never thought about the Princess in that light before. Sure, Luna’s earlier revelation might have stirred up a few... interesting images, but they were friends, and that was how Twilight liked it. Smiling, she put the notion aside and simply basked in the warm rays of the sun on a fine day for travelling.

And if she glanced forward every once in awhile to spot the Princess of the Night, tall and stately, head held high, flowing mane so dark it seemed as though it would drink the light right out of the day except for the brilliant points of light that were her own personal stars, forging ahead fearlessly into the uncharted wilderness.... well, wouldn’t anypony?

The shuffling sound of a low-slung belly sliding over fallen leaves filled the otherwise silent forest. A tattered wing hung at an awkward angle from its left side, ugly scarring the evidence of an ancient and terrible injury. No effort was made to conceal its movements as it plodded through the trees. There was nothing in the forest that it need fear.

The scent it followed, light and airy, grew stronger by the hour, as the unexpected (but oh so welcome) intruder pushed brazenly into its domain. Its gaping maw hung open, caustic drool dripping down to leave tiny scorched holes in the undergrowth, as it thought of the meal to come.

Suddenly its snout was filled with a different scent, smokey and harsh. It knew this smell too, and both hated and feared it. It turned to slink away, but a blinding flash of light and a clap of thunder that shook yet more leaves from the trees told it that it had no chance. Cautiously, it turned back to face the new arrival, braced to meet the expected attack.

“You know who walks this land once more.” It was not a question.

“Yessssss....” the creature hissed, warier still to find that no blow was forthcoming.

“You hunt her.”

“Yessssss!” it hissed again, more spit flying from its jaws.

“It is right and good that you should do so. But you must wait until the time is right. You will strike at a place of my choosing, and none other. You shall be a tool, moving at my will. My weapon.”

Snarling, it lept for the newcomer, jaws lunging for the throat. A word was spoken, and it was frozen in place several feet above the ground, unable to move. It heaved, powerful muscles flexing, to no result - it remained stuck fast. Its heated glare, filled with anger and fear, fixed on the other. “How!” it grated. “How can you do this?”

“That which is lost may yet be found.” The floating creature’s yellow eyes widened. “Will you be guided by me in this?”

It growled and strained, but could not free itself from its invisible bonds. Finally it spat, “Yesss.”

“Very wise. And in return...” The word was spoken again, and the creature’s ruined wing was whole and strong again. There was no light, no shadow, no rush of wind - it was simply tucked close against its side, as though it had always been so, as though it hadn’t been little more than ragged bits of sinew holding together twisted bones but a moment before.

The creature, finding itself on the ground once more, bowed as low as its hulking shape would allow. “Asss you command...” it hissed. Then, “... Misssstressss...”

As the sunset approached, Celestia’s fiery charge burning balefully on the horizon, the travelling ponies stopped to set up camp on the sparse fringes of a maple wood. Luna excused herself to raise the moon while the others went about the necessary tasks - Pinkie Pie and Twilight gathering firewood, Applejack and Fluttershy starting a fire, and Rarity and Rainbow Dash clearing comfortable patches of ground for sleeping. Luna returned just as supper was prepared, and soon their little campsite rang with cheerful voices as they relaxed and enjoyed each others’ company after a long day of walking. Rarity’s story of Dash’s earlier crash was well-received, much to the grumbling embarrassment of the pegasus in question. Applejack and Pinkie Pie competed to see who could tell the bawdiest joke, until Luna topped them both with a tale that brought gales of laughter, turned every ear red, and set more than one pair of hind legs to furtive shifting. Even Fluttershy seemed to be having a good time, smiling and leaning forward almost far enough that both of her eyes were completely visible.

Eventually, their merriment wound to a close, and one by one ponies traipsed off to sleep, until only Luna and Twilight were left around the fire. They sat for a time, gazing into the flames, before Luna spoke.

“If I teach you,” she began, still staring into the fire’s heart, while the purple unicorn watched her through the blaze, “you will learn many things. Ancient and powerful magic, yes, but also things about me. My few, brief triumphs, and my too, too many failures.” She drew a deep breath, then released it slowly, tendrils of steam rising in the cool night air. “In olden days, before I would reveal such secrets as I now propose to tell, I would have bound your fate to mine with honeyed words and honeyed wines. I would have woven jasmine in your mane, and whispered spells to you by moonlight that would rob you of your breath. I would have laid you down in the sweet grasses and given you cause to love only me until the passing of an Age. I would have taken your name from your own lips, that I might know that you were mine in flesh and blood and bone. Only then would I have summoned forth the knowledge that you seek.”

Twilight swallowed. The heat on her face had very little to do with the fire anymore. She wasn't sure she'd understood all of that, but she found herself hoping things hadn't changed too much since the “olden days”.

“I will not do this,” the Princess of the Night continued, not noticing the brief flash of something like disappointment in her companion’s eyes. “Such bonds were ever a means to guard against betrayal, nothing more. The moment that we met, you saw me at my worst. Since then you have seen my many moods and fits, and never once have you used them to bring me to harm. You have earned my trust, more so than any other. There is no secret of mine I would begrudge you now. And as for magic - you have used your power far more wisely than I have used mine.” She straightened, her eyes at last coming up to meet Twilight’s across the fire. “But mark me well. If I am to teach you, it will not be halfway. I will teach you in the only way I know. it will be dangerous. It will be terrifying. It will be glorious. Now I ask you, for the first and final time - will you become my student, learn the things I have teach, and use them always with wisdom and honor in the days to come?”

Twilight Sparkle had been asked a question like this twice before. Once, as a young filly, still too young to really understand the commitment she was making, when she had become Princess Celestia’s personal student. And again, six years ago, in the heady fullness of her power, when she had been charged by both Princesses with her new duties as Archmage of Canterlot. She had not hesitated either time - though she had known that she was unprepared, she had trusted in herself to rise to the occasion. She did not hesitate now.

“Now I answer you, for the last time and the first, for your past and for my future - I will become your student, learn the things you know, and use what I possess of wisdom to honor you always.”

Luna rose and began walking off into the woods. “Then follow.”

Cliff hung, gasping, from the side of the cliff. Long, red scratches and a broken-off shaft through his left hind leg, as well as a pink-tinged bonfire still in the process of falling slowly to the ground behind him, bore testament to his epic confrontation with the dastardly Baroness Balloon. He was now nearly level with Canterlot Castle, needing only four more feet to reach the second ledge, but he was nearing the end of his strength. His mind was so dull from fatigue that he had been hanging here for... how long had it been? Hours? Days? Months maybe? He felt his Earth pony magic bleeding away, but he was too tired to care.

He took hold of himself firmly. Just four more steps, he told himself. Then I can rest. He brought his right forehoof upwards, refastening it to the cliff and pulling the rest of his body after it. One. His left forehoof followed, bringing him half the remaining distance. Two. The right forehoof moved again, pressing into a slightly lighter patch of cliffside. Thr-! The patch of cliff fell away. Frantically, Cliff tried to catch himself with his rear hooves, remembering only too late the grievous wound he’d suffered. His flinch when he tried to put pressure on it caused all of his magic to short out, and he closed his eyes, resigned to a long fall with a short stop at the end.

He was utterly surprised, therefore, to feel a wrenching sensation as he was caught under his shoulders and flown up to the safety of the ledge. The thud! of his arrival was mixed with an exasperated, “Honestly!” from his unexpected savior.

He looked up. It was a pegasus mare with a rich, velvet coat and tastefully matching mane. She wore the traditional livery of a member of the Palace’s mid-level staff, and was clearly very strong, her legs thicker than his despite his Earth pony blood. In addition, her wings were somewhat larger than seemed necessary, even on her frame.

Cliff knew her very well, indeed.

“Really, Cliff!” sniffed Coat Hanger, who ruled the closets of the Palace with a carefully manicured iron hoof. “I know it’s your cutie mark, and your destiny, and yadda yadda yadda, but must you insist on climbing these ridiculous mountains all the time?”

“Great to see you too, Sis,” Cliff Hanger muttered as he rose shakily to his feet and brushed himself off.

“Well I should say so, after I just saved your life!” snapped Coat, her eyes flashing and her oversized wings flaring out challengingly.

“You’re right. I’m sorry,” Cliff replied contritely.

“Good,” said Coat, grinning evilly, “because I need your help. Princess Luna left on a vacation or something, and with half the staff busy trying to cheer Princess Celestia up with cakes or tea or what have you, we’re shortstaffed.” She picked him up, ignoring his yelps of protest (and the crossbow shaft still lodged in his leg), and began carrying him towards the looming Palace. “Let’s get you into a proper uniform, and put you to work shampooing carpets!”

“Wait! Coat! I’m kind of in the middle of something! Ow! Careful! Waaaaaaaaaiiiiiiitttt....!” Cliff’s wails trailed away as he was dragged bodily from his mission by his own sister, leaving the cliffside peaceful and quiet for the first time in days.

END CHAPTER FOUR

Chapter 3

“Move faster, pony!” The shove caused Applejack to stumble, nearly dislodging Pinkie Pie from her perch on the farmer’s back. The pink pony now seemed more asleep than comatose, her breathing slow and even and her rest peaceful, but she still showed no response to the sounds or movements around her.

Applejack had had a lot of time to think as she had been led down into the heart of the mountain. She and Pinkie had been split off from Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash shortly after they had been captured, and for once in her life the pink pony wasn’t providing much in the way of conversation. Any attempt to speak with her captors was met with a shove, or occasionally the butt of a spear. Walking certainly didn’t demand much attention, so really, all she had been able to do was think. She thought about how she and her friends had been captured. She thought about Twilight and Luna outside, who likely believed them dead. She thought for a moment about why she was on this quest in the first place, before quickly retreating into thoughts about how she should feel about her current predicament.

Mostly, she felt embarrassed.

She and her friends had bested countless evils. She, personally, had played a substantial role in the defeats of Discord, Nightmare Moon, the Changelings, the oh-so-pretentious Black Witch of the Deeper Darkness, six dragons, four hydras, three parasprite infestations and one very evil souffle. She was supposed to be good at this adventuring thing.

So how did she end up captured by the Diamond Dogs, of all creatures?

To be fair, these Dogs seemed to be much smarter than the ones that made their dens in the hills around Ponyville. Splitting their captives up, only leaving Pinkie Pie with Applejack because the alternative was carrying the unconscious baker themselves, made any struggle for freedom useless. Without any way of locating her friends, there was no way the farmer could escape even if she could break free from her captors and find her way through the bewildering maze of tunnels.

They were much tougher, too. Trying to use Rarity’s whining trick had netted Applejack nothing more than a few laughs and what she suspected would be some rather spectacular bruises, courtesy of the Dogs’ spear butts.

Thwack! A sharp blow from those very weapons brought Applejack out of her reverie. Sighing, the earth pony resolutely marched ever downward into the heart of the Diamond Dogs’ lair.

It could be worse, after all.

She could be at home.

“Pony will move faster!”

“O-oh, uh... Okay, just.. d-don’t leave me here... alone... please...”

“Pony! Move! Now!”

“- stupid, worthless, useless idiot! What pathetic excuse for a pony can’t even protect her friends? Miserable, wretched, waste -”

“Uh... Pony move... please?”

“Please, Twilight Sparkle, you must listen to me!”

“No.”

The purple pony marched down the dark tunnel, brows lowered, her mouth pressed into a firm, grim line. Beside Twilight, the Princess of the Night trotted, a soft glow emanating from her body providing their only illumination, seemingly without her being aware of it. Her eyes were wide and her face was anxious as she continued to plead with the Archmage.

“Please! I understand what you are feeling only too well, but this is not the way!”

“And what is it that I’m feeling?”

“You fear for your friends. You worry they may have been hurt.”

“Of course I do.”

“You are angry. You seek revenge on those who’ve taken them.”

Silence.

“You... you’re going to kill them, aren’t you?”

A pause. Then, “... If that’s what it takes.”

“To rescue our friends?”

“To teach them, whoever they are, never to threaten anypony ever again.”

“Twilight Sparkle, I know you are angry, but this is not the way. You do not want to be the kind of pony that would do as you have threatened. If ever there was a pony with the true knowledge of these words, it is I. I beg of you, stop. Simply stop and regain your composure, and we may discuss how best to aid our friends.”

Twilight continued her grim march, never faltering. “No.”

“But thou must! I mean, you musn’t! I mean... Ugh!” Luna stomped her front feet, silver flashes bursting from her horseshoes. “Damn!”

Twilight paid her no attention. She had seen something in those brief flashes... A purple spark leapt from her horn, focusing into a beam which swept over the ground, searching until it illuminated a dainty hoofprint. The print took on a purple glow, which spread forward along the tunnel to illuminate another, and then another. Soon a series of glowing hoofprints led away down the dark tunnel.

“I have a trail now. It won’t be long. Then... we’ll see.”

The Princess and the Archmage hurried onward into the heart of the mountain.

Applejack stumbled as the ground on which she walked transitioned from a rough, sloped tunnel floor to a much smoother and more level surface. It was still too dark to see, but from the sudden echoes her hoofsteps made she had the impression of a large cavern. Her guards apparently had no trouble in the total darkness, as they led her forward a few dozen steps before forcing her to her knees.

“Woah there!” she barked. “Ya could have just asked, ya low-down dirty rotten -”

“A-applejack?” came a familiar voice, weak and hoarse, from her right.

“Who’s there? Fluttershy?” The farmer set the still-sleeping Pinkie Pie down on her left, then reached out a hoof, feeling blindly for the source of the voice. She touched something soft and was immediately gripped by two pairs of limbs, legs and wings, all shaking like branches in a high wind.

“Oh thank Celestia, I wasn’t – I couldn’t -”

“Wait.. Rainbow Dash?!” Amazed, Applejack tried to push her away to get a better look – a futile gesture in the blackness. As she prepared to ask any of a number of questions, her thoughts were scattered by a disturbance from back where she entered the room.

“HOPELESS! WEAK! GOOD-FOR-NOTHING!” Fluttershy’s voice was clearly audible, but almost unrecognizable. She stormed forward, still screaming insults at herself, right up until she tripped over Applejack and the still-attached Rainbow Dash, knocking them all over into a confused heap atop Pinkie Pie, who continued to snooze. There was silence for a moment, then Fluttershy spoke.

“Oh.. um... hi, girls...”

A dozen torches flared to light around the room. All three ponies threw up a hoof to shield their eyes, unaccustomed to the sudden brightness. When they lowered them again they saw that they were in a vaulted cavern, surrounded by a ring of Diamond Dogs. In front of them was a shining throne of blue carbuncle, gleaming in the torchlight like a frozen flame, an enormous Dog slouched in it. He wore chain mail and a steel helm, unlike his leather-clad brethren. His belly was fat and swollen, his fur was greying, but his legs, arms, and neck were still as thick as small tree trunks. Rings glittered on his fingers – ruby, emerald, sapphire, opal, topaz, amethyst, peridot and aquamarine. A necklace featuring moonstone and bloodstone flanking a truly gigantic tiger’s eye rested low on his chest. He leaned forward, studying the prisoners through narrowed eyes.

“I am Rex, Lowest of Diamond Dogs. You ponies trespass in Diamond Dog mountains. Why? Does pony princess send you with more insults for Rex? Threats? Doesn’t matter if pony princess knows now where to find Diamond Dog home. Dogs more than a match for puny ponies!”

Rex’s last statement was met with a howl of approval from the watching ring of Dogs. They yelled and barked, and those who carried spears pounded the butts on the floor of the cavern. The noise startled Fluttershy, who latched onto Applejack just as she succeeded in extracting herself from Rainbow Dash. The usually brash pony curled up in a quivering ball on the ground near her pink friend. Applejack ignored all three of her friends and met Rex glare for glare.

“Ah’m Applejack, from Ponyville. We was just passin’ through these here mountains, and we’d just as soon keep on passin’. We weren’t sent here by nopony, but Ah’ll thank you to show a bit more respect to Princess Celestia – not ‘pony princess’”.

“Uh... Applejack?” asked Fluttershy. Applejack ignored her.

Rex laughed, a mean, nasty thing that echoed unpleasantly in the confined space. “This pony has guts! But it is bad liar. Is nothing for pony beyond mountains. Now. Pony very funny, but it tells now why it is here, or it works in mines for rest of its life.” Here Rex grinned, showing a very large number of very sharp teeth. “Rest of its short life.”

“She is right here, and she’d appreciate it if you talked to her, ‘stead of over her head like that!” growled Applejack. “Now, Ah told ya’ll what brought us here, and you can believe it or not – don’t make a bit of difference to me – but you better let me and my friends go right now, or there’ll be trouble!”

“Applejack, I really think you should see this...” muttered Fluttershy.

“Not now, sugarcube, can’t you see I’m busy?” replied the farmer, not taking her eyes off the Diamond Dog in the throne.

Rex’s face no longer held even a trace of laughter. “Enough. You not insult Rex more. You travel with dark princess, sister of pony princess. Pony princess send you. We send you back in pieces, as message.” He gave a sharp bark, and the cluster of Dogs to either side of him raised their spears. As they started to advance on the group of ponies, Applejack braced herself.

“All right, if that’s how ya want it, bring it – OW!” The farmer’s words were cut short by Fluttershy tugging at her mane, hard. “Fluttershy, what the hay?”

“Applejack! Look!”

Startled, Applejack looked around and gasped.

Where before the ponies had been surrounded by a solid wall of Diamond Dogs, now there were only a few left, all looking at each other in obvious fear. Even as Applejack watched, another Dog vanished into thin air with a loud whack! sound.

Rex shot up from his throne, growling. “What is this! Diamond Dogs, come!”

The remaining Dogs from around the room tried to run to their leader’s side and join with his personal bodyguards, but as they ran they began to collapse one by one into senseless heaps on the cavern floor. Only two made it as far as the cluster of Dogs around Rex, whining with fear and cowering behind their cohorts. Some of these, too, began to crumple, while others were shoved aside by some invisible force.

Applejack saw her chance, and took it. She darted towards those Dogs that had been isolated from the mass by unseen shoves, wound up and began delivering solid bucks to any Dog she could reach. Between the angry Earth pony and the inexplicable collapses still spreading through the gathered Dogs, soon Rex was the only one left standing. A colossal paw shot out, pinning Applejack to the floor. With a growl, he raised his other forepaw, intent on smashing the pony who had defeated so many of his men. Applejack struggled, but could not break free of his crushing weight. She looked up helplessly at the descending blow.

Suddenly, a blue glow sprang up around the large tiger’s eye on Rex’s necklace. It shot up into the air behind the Dog, drawing him into the air by the heavy steel chain. His eyes bulged as his air was cut off, and he clutched desperately at the necklace, trying unsuccessfully to remove it. His frantic pawings slowed as he continued to choke. Finally, his eyes rolled back into his head as he slumped, unconscious. Only then did the seemingly possessed gem release him to fall with a thud! to the floor.

Applejack and Fluttershy stared around in amazement at the room full of unconscious Diamond Dogs. Then a loud popping sound drew their attention to the massive diamond throne.

“Hello, girls!” came Rarity’s musical voice from where she lounged in the seat. “Miss me?”

Behind her affected nonchalance, Rarity grinned to herself. She was in her element, the center of attention and loving it. Gleefully, she watched her friends for signs of what she knew was coming. Slowly, Applejack and Fluttershy began to blink, shake their heads, and work their jaws.

Three... Two... One...

“Rarity?!”

Perfect!

“But.. but... how?” asked Applejack lamely.

“Now now girls, plenty of time for all that later! We must tend to our injured comrades!” Rarity hopped down from the throne, tottering as she landed and almost falling.

I guess all that camouflage and levitation drained me a tad more than I’d thought.

Pushing aside her momentary weakness, Rarity trotted quickly to Rainbow Dash, still curled up in a whimpering, shaking ball on the cold stone floor. The fashionista’s horn glowed a cool blue as she bent down, whispering in her friend’s ear. Slowly, Rainbow stopped shaking, then straightened up, looking around sheepishly.

“Uh... hey there, everypony.”

“Wow, Rarity,” said Applejack, sounding deeply impressed, “How’d you do that? She couldn’t move worth a darn just a moment ago.”

“Well, isn’t it obvious?” smirked the unicorn, her nose in the air. “She was still suffering the aftereffects of that terrible spell the Dogs cast on her and Pinkie. I simply freed her from the magic’s lingering grip!”

“Well, that’s right clever of ya, Rarity. Think ya can do the same thing for Pinkie Pie?”

Pinkie sneezed.

“Um... Pinkie?” asked Fluttershy gently, “Are you... awake?”

The pink pony giggled, yawned, and stretched. Then she bounced to her feet, once again the cheerful Pinkie Pie they knew. “Howdy, ladies! What’s goin’ - ghk!”

Her words were cut off, along with her air supply, as she was beset on all sides by friendly hugs.

“Pinkie! We were so worried, darling! Are you all right?” asked Rarity, loosening her hold a bit to allow Pinkie to answer.

“Hehe! Sure I am! That little nap perked me right up!” the beaming baker replied. Then her smile shrank down to something small and fearful. “But... can we not do that again? Like... ever? Like... ever ever ever ever?”

“Of course, my dear. We will make sure that such a thing never happens to you again. But are you quite sure you’re all right? Even if you are refreshed after your... ‘little nap’, that must have been a terrifying experience for you. Would you like to talk about it?”

“She said she’s fine, Rares, geez, lighten up!” said Rainbow Dash, breaking away from the group hug. “You know how Pinkie is – nothing phases her for long!”

The fear on Pinkie Pie’s face, which had started to fade away with Rarity’s promise, was quickly replaced with something that looked almost like anger. She opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by the loud sound of hooves echoing from one of the entrances to the cavern.

“That must be Twilight and the Princess!” said Rarity seriously. “We’d best be ready for their arrival – you know how Twilight gets.”

Her friends all nodded. They did, indeed, know.

“Twilight Sparkle. I will ask you once more to reconsider.”

For once in her life, Twilight paid a Princess no heed. The tracks she had been following led out of the dark tunnel towards a brightly-lit space just ahead. Dimly, she was aware that the preternatural glow around the Moon Princess had faded as the tunnel had grown brighter. That didn’t matter, though. What did matter was that the beasts, the monsters, whatever they were, who had taken her friends were finally within her reach. Snorting, she scraped one hoof against the stone of the passage, a wordless challenge to nothing that was there to see. Then, the light shining from her horn nearly blinding, she charged forward into the room.

Immediately something fell over her, feeling cold and wet to her magical senses, smothering the light from her horn. An anti-magic field! she thought, enraged that anyone would dare to try such a simple trick on her. Snorting again, she began to gather the energies necessary to shatter the meager attempt to contain her and continue on her quest for vengeance.

She paused, the power she had drawn up fading away, as the scene before her really registered for the first time. The room around her was strewn with the unconscious bodies of Diamond Dogs, most clad in leather jerkins and clutching spears, one very large and wearing chain mail. Her five friends were looking at her, Rarity slightly ahead of the others, her horn glowing blue as she struggled to project the anti-magic field over the much stronger unicorn.

“Twilight? Darling? Are you all right? I’m terribly sorry about this, but I wanted to make sure you weren’t going to do anything... rash.” Rarity’s horn went out, and she sagged visibly with relief as the field vanished from around Twilight.

“Rarity? … You beat all of them? All by yourself? Without any help?”

Rarity gave her a tired smile. “Why, yes, dear I suppose I did. All in a day’s work, you know...”

“That was unbelievably stupid!” raged Twilight, glaring at her white friend. Rarity took a step back in alarm. “You could have been killed! You could have gotten everypony else killed! You should have waited for me, dammit!” She paced back and forth rapidly, still glaring at her friends, then let out a short, frustrated scream, turned, and stalked past Luna and back out of the cavern.

“Twilight Sparkle!” the Princess of the Night called after the retreating back of the purple unicorn. “That is no way to treat your friends! I -”

“Let her go, please, Princess,” came Rarity’s tired voice. “She’ll be fine. It’s best to leave her alone for a bit now, until she pulls herself together. This isn’t the first time, you see,” she added in response to the alicorn’s confused look.

With that, Rarity flopped over, completely spent. Lying on her side, she looked up at the other five with tired pride.

“Ya done wore yourself out, huh, sugarcube? Well, I reckon’ you’ve earned a rest, at that. Just one thing I don’t get. Where’d you learn to do all of that stuff? Turnin’ invisible, knockin’ out Diamond Dogs... shuttin’ down Twilight? Since when can you do all that?”

“Applejack,” sighed the exhausted unicorn, “in all our adventures together, how many times have I been captured by some manner of horrible creature?”

“Well, when I’ve been around... maybe ten or fifteen times? And I heard about a few more from Dash here, too...”

“And how many of those times did I manage to free myself, rather than be rescued? Usually by Twilight or Rainbow Dash?”

“Uh... not counting the whining thing?” Rarity’s glare was not amused. “... Once? Maybe? Ain’t you kinda makin’ my point for me?”

“Never, Applejack. Not once. When it became clear that my fashion career was no longer quite as fulfilling as I had hoped, I did quite a bit of thinking about my life so far. I realized that, despite my considerable contributions to our various achievements, I had quite clearly been cast in the role of the ‘damsel in distress’. And seeing as how it was never a rich, handsome prince who came to rescue me... I resolved to do something about it.” She struggled to get her next words out around a huge, unladylike yawn. “Now, if you please, I really... must... rest...” She trailed off into a dainty, ladylike snore.

By the time Rarity awoke, Twilight had returned, though with a glare on her face and her shoulders hunched she was doing her best to shout ‘leave me alone!’ without actually saying anything. The others had been discussing the Diamond Dogs in low voices, but broke off when the white unicorn began to stir. She smiled at their courtesy, but waved a hoof dismissively.

“I assure you, I am quite all right now. Merely worn out from my exertions. What were you saying, Princess?”

“We were discussing the Diamond Dogs,” replied the Princess of the Night. “Specifically, if we could escape their warren without one of them to guide us, or if we would need to wait for one to wake and... persuade it to help.”

“I should think we could find an exit – simply walk upwards, no? Still, I have done quite enough walking for today, thank you very much. If one of these... creatures.... could shorten our path, I would certainly take advantage of the fact. Ah, and speaking of whom...”

Rex had begun to stir. Someone had removed his rings, necklace, and helm. Though he looked less lordly without them, his intimidating size was undiminished. Fluttershy shrank away, hiding behind Rainbow Dash, who looked slightly unsure herself. Luna, on the other hand, walked right up to him, suddenly seeming taller even than her usual alicorn stature.

“You dare to attack my friends and subjects?” she asked, her voice a frozen wind, her starry mane spread behind her like a cloak of darkness. “You would seize the ponies I have placed under my protection? Have you any idea what wrath I can bring upon you? From the void above to the pits below, all places of darkness are my domain.” She stomped a hoof and the torchlight began to dim. A low rumble arose on all sides, passed through the cavern, and died away. Then a hurricane seemed to sweep the room, gusts entering and leaving through every tunnel mouth in a tangled snarl. This, too, died away quickly, but the Night Princess’ mane continued to whirl crazily overhead. “I have just collapsed every exit from this tunnel complex. Many more of my subjects may soon be travelling this route. If another pony reports a Diamond Dog attack, if a pony goes missing in the mountains, if I so much as see one of you on the surface for any reason other than peaceful international dialogue, I will return. I am being merciful. Do not give me reason to be otherwise.”

“Now. Explain yourself. Quickly.”

Rex howled with rage. “Another pony princess, come to take what is Diamond Dogs’ by right! Well, you not get it! Not while I am Lowest!”

Luna’s righteous anger faltered. “You... know of my sister? She has... taken from you? What do you mean?”

“Yes! Sunny princess! She steals from Dogs!”

“Your Highness, I really don’t think we need listen to this ruffian,” Rarity broke in. She had walked around behind Rex, and was levitating a Diamond Dog spear high over her head – it floated backwards, but was still quite menacing. “Let me just put him down for another nap -”

“No!” the Princess snapped. “l will hear what he has to say! If my sister has wronged these creatures, then I will do my best to deliver them justice!” She glared around the room, as though daring anyone to disagree. Turning back to Rex, she said, “Tell me. What has my sister taken from you?”

“Treasure...” replied Rex, nearly salivating at the thought. “Piles and piles of jewels and gems! Riches much greater than my hoard! Beyond the dreams of Dogs!”

“Pardon me, Princess, but what would Princess Celestia want with a bunch of Diamond Dog jewels? Ain’t she already got just about everything a pony could want?” asked Applejack.

“My sister,” hissed Luna unpleasantly, “is not the saint you make her out to be, friend Applejack. Where?” she asked the Diamond Dog. “Where is this treasure she has stolen from you? What piles of gems?”

Rex paused, looking confused. “Which?”

“Yes! Which treasure?” asked Luna urgently.

“... All treasure. All treasure belongs to Diamond Dogs.”

“... I don’t understand. You’re saying that all the treasure in Equestria belongs to you?”

“Yes! Yes! All treasure everywhere Diamond Dogs’ by right! It is known! Dark princess help Diamond Dogs get treasure from sunny princess? Yes?” Rex panted eagerly at the thought of this powerful new ally.

“... So Celestia didn’t actually take anything from you? Did you ever possess any of this treasure before? You had it with you, right, and the pony princess took it away?” Luna looked almost desperate now, begging the Diamond Dog to tell her tales of Celestia’s thievery.

She was doomed to disappointment. “No. But that not matter! All treasure Diamond Dogs’!”

Luna sighed. “Rarity?” she asked.

The clunk! of the spear butt sending Rex back into unconsciousness echoed dully around the chamber. The Lunar Princess turned and walked to the opposite side of the cave from Twilight, both far away from their other friends. “Wake up one of the others and see about finding us a way out of here, please. Preferably as far east as possible. I wish to wash my hooves of this place.”

By the time their ever-so-cooperative guide left them at the mouth of a tunnel leading down out of the weather conduit, Luna seemed more cheerful - blasting the exit open again had done wonders for her mood. Down where the clouds were much thinner, she was able to clear the worst of them with ease, leaving only a light drizzle for the ponies to walk through.

They marched on for several miles. Rarity, who had recovered from her earlier exhaustion, practically pranced, too pleased with her success even to worry about slogging through the mud. She basked in the attention of a fascinated Pinkie Pie - who, having been asleep through all the excitement, was enthralled to hear her unicorn friend’s description of “the Dastardly Diamond Dog Deliverance!” - as the rain fell around her, deflected by a shimmering half-dome of magic she had woven above her head. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy walked side by side, looking alternately at the sky and the ground, neither speaking much. Behind them, Luna asked quiet questions of Applejack, who responded in a low voice. Occasionally one or the other would glance backwards, towards the seventh member of their party.

Twilight was still sulking. She hung to the rear of the group, letting the rain run over her body despite being perfectly capable of shielding herself as Rarity had done. Several of her friends had tried to approach her, only to be met with harsh monosyllables or curt dismissals. Eventually deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, they left her alone with her grey funk.

When the ponies reached the edge of the mist, Luna called a halt. The sun was hanging low in the sky, red and swollen. Its dim rays played over the tall stalks of golden grass covering the plain below the mountains, visible now for the first time with the withdrawal of the fog. The dappled sunlight served to give the place a feeling of peace and restfulness, as though nothing bad had ever happened there or ever would. For the weary ponies, the sight was almost divine.

“I must go and tend to the moon,” Luna told them as they sat or lay down among the soft grasses. “I suggest that you get a fire going to dry out your coats, then find a comfortable spot to rest. We may be beyond the... unforeseen difficulties of the high passes, but we do not know what these lands hold in store for us and tomorrow may prove equally trying. Sleep well, my friends, and we shall speak again at dawn.”

When Luna returned, a gibbous moon at her back, the campsite was marked only by a lingering column of smoke from the now-extinguished fire and a few suspicious dents in the fabric of the grasslands. Without hesitation, the Princess of the Night strode towards the most isolated divot, furthest from the fire.

“Twilight Sparkle,” she called quietly, “I would speak with you.”

No response.

“Twilight Sparkle!” she repeated, a touch louder this time.

Still no response.

Luna sighed. “Twilight Sparkle, are you really pretending to be asleep? To the Mistress of Dreams herself?”

A purple head poked itself up above the grass. “I was hoping you’d respect my obvious desire to be left alone,” Twilight said pointedly.

“Sadly, I cannot,” replied Luna cheerfully as she lay down next to the smaller pony. “Oh, don’t be like that,” she continued in response to a glare. “Everything worked out fine! Your friends are safe, no one was seriously hurt, and you didn’t even have to do anything!” When she was met by silence, the mirth faded from her voice and her face took on a more serious mien. “Would you like to talk about it?”

“No. Please, Princess... I want to be left alone. Please.”

“I cannot do that, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna repeated, gently this time. “Clearly, there are weighty matters troubling you. We all need you hale and hearty to make this expedition a success. And as your friend, it pains me to see you so distressed. If you will not tell me what troubles you, I shall have to guess.” She cleared her throat and began.

“First, I suspect that learning of Celestia’s... editing of your education was quite the shock. You have been her student for the better part of your life, and to find that she had deliberately kept knowledge from you, a pony who prizes knowledge above almost all else, must have been deeply unsettling.”

As Twilight did not respond, Luna continued. “Second, believing – however briefly – that your friends had been slain by some unknown evil was a terrible emotional strain. While this belief was quickly corrected, it no doubt left some wounds which will be slow to heal.” At this memory, Twilight turned away, hiding her face from the alicorn.

“Finally, and most importantly...” Luna began again after a moment, “You were prepared to kill in there. It cannot have been easy for a naturally peaceful pony such as yourself to bring forth that level of rage. I, more than most, know of the difficulty in withdrawing such anger without being given a chance to unleash it. Rarity tells me this has been a problem for you on other occasions, and considering the life you lead, I am hardly surprised. However, I hope with the benefit of my experience that I can help you to recover from this trauma, if you will only allow me.”

A choked sound began to rise from the huddled form of the sorceress. It took the Night Princess some time to realize what it was. Twilight Sparkle was laughing. Laughing, bitterly, as the tears ran down her face.

“You... you’re so right, Princess!” she chortled, a ragged, sour sound. “You’re right about everything, and oh, so wrong! Really, it takes talent to get every detail right and miss the point so completely! I’m very impressed!” She continued to chuckle, her laughs becoming more and more like sobs, until Luna reached out and turned Twilight’s head to face her.

“If I am so wrong,” she whispered, “then what is the truth? Tell me, what could reduce a mare such as you to a state such as this?”

“A mare such as me. That’s very funny, Princess.” Drained of its horrible laughter, Twilight’s face looked very bleak. “You were right. It was - is - hard to pull back from that kind of... bloodlust. But you were wrong, very wrong, that it was difficult for a ‘naturally peaceful pony’ like me to bring it out. It was easy, Princess. So, so easy. And I’m afraid it’s only going to keep getting easier.”

Luna stared at her small, innocent friend with wide eyes holding deep reflections of the stars. For several minutes neither of them spoke. When the silence was finally broken it was Luna who sounded bleak. “Applejack and Rarity told me of three other occasions on which you seemed irrationally angry after discovering that your friends had rescued themselves. Those weren’t the only times you’d felt this way, were they?” Twilight shook her head. “They were only the times in which your friends were there, and you failed to find an outlet for your anger.” A nod. “How... how many times? How long?”

Twilight took a deep breath before answering. “At least the last three years. Those few times with the girls, towards the end of our adventuring together, those were the first. When Princess Celestia called me back to Canterlot to serve as Arch-mage, I brought this up with her. I was confused and scared and I didn’t want her to have a madpony as her most powerful servant. She told me it was just because I loved my friends so much, and that it would get better with time. But it hasn’t. It’s gotten worse. Now it takes less to set me off, and more to calm me down.”

She fell silent. Luna could sense that the purple unicorn still had one more thing she needed to get off her chest, so she waited as the chill night breezes wafted past. A few timeless moments later, Twilight opened her mouth again.

“That’s really what bothered me when I learned Princess Celestia had been keeping things - knowledge, magic - from me. It meant she knew what I was becoming, and chose not to let me become any more powerful than I already am... to make it easier to put me down, if it came to that.” Luna made as though to interrupt, but Twilight raised a hoof, stopping her. “I’ve been thinking about it since we left the tunnels, and I know why she was able to see it, now. She saw it because this is exactly how it happened to her. Sometime in the thousand years since you left, or maybe even before that, all those little uncomfortable necessities, all the violence and lies done ‘for the greater good’, became too much for her. That’s how she became the way she is now – distant, calculating, unable to see her subjects as real ponies with real lives. You said it yourself, Princess - ‘my little ponies’. We’re dolls to her, toys for foals, and sooner or later – I think probably sooner – everypony will be that way for me as well. The only real question now is... did she do this to me on purpose?”

Luna moved closer to Twilight, lying right alongside her, their heads turned to face each other. The Lunar Sovereign’s face was inscrutable as she studied the former Arch-mage. Twilight stared back, her face empty of hope, ready for whatever condemnation the Princess saw fit to cover her with.

Instead, she suddenly found herself covered in a soft, feathery wing, as Luna hugged Twilight close to herself.

“You do yourself a disservice, Twilight Sparkle. And my sister too, I think. Your path is not fixed, and the very fact that you find your present circumstances troubling means that you are not so far gone as you fear. As for my sister, I wronged her today by painting her the antagonist with the Diamond Dogs. This is much the same. Though it may seem like it on occasion, Celestia is not all powerful. Nor is she a malevolent supervillainess of the type found in those comic books Spike used to love so much. Among other things, I doubt she could pull off the outfits.” This brought a small chuckle from Twilight. “In many ways,” Luna sighed, “it would be easier if she were. Far easier to see a tyrant I must struggle against than to see a complex pony with feelings and desires which are occasionally at odds with my own. But as for your final worries... no, Twilight Sparkle. I do not think that my sister’s heart is as deadened by the years as you claim. I would think that anypony present at our reunion, as you were, would be able to see that much. And she certainly would not set you up to become some sort of avenging demon. If I can say one thing about my sister with some certainty, it is that she cares for you deeply. I have even, in my lower moments, been jealous of how deeply. You may rest easy on that count. As for yourself... you have our friends, and you have me. We will not let you become the thing you fear. I swear it to you by the dancing stars, the moving moon, and all the names of the heavens. And in return, you must promise me that you will try not to let your fear rule you. Have we an accord, Arch-mage Sparkle?”

Twilight stood and bowed very formally, hooves extended, horn up. “We have an accord, oh my Princess.” Then suddenly she grinned, straightened, and began a series of familiar hoof motions. “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

Luna smiled in return, heartened by this small return to normalcy. “I am pleased to hear it, Twilight Sparkle. Now, rest. You will need your strength on the morrow. As always, I shall guard the night.”

“Goodnight, Princess,” replied Twilight through a yawn – she was suddenly very drained. “And... thank you.”

The Princess of the Night merely smiled. She remained next to her dear friend for a long time, sheltering her in the folds of her wings, until Twilight’s heavy breathing indicated that she had at last fallen asleep. Then Luna rose, tapped her horn against Twilight’s once, and murmered, “Sweet dreams, Twilight Sparkle.” Trotting a short distance away so as not to disturb the sleeping unicorn, she spread her wings and leapt into the night sky.

Rainbow Dash couldn’t sleep.

This was a new problem for her. After all, there were pretty much two things she was known to be the best at – flying and sleeping. She hoped this weird new difficulty wasn’t going to affect her flying. She certainly had no idea what was causing it, after all – just one of those things that happened to awesome ponies from time to time.

A rustling in the grass behind her caused her to leap to her hooves and flare her wings at exactly the appropriate speed – definitely not way too fast – only to come face to face with Rarity, who seemed to be startled by her perfectly reasonably paced movement, for some reason. The white unicorn recovered quickly and approached Rainbow, sitting down near where the pegasus had been lying moments before. After a few moments of staring expectantly at her friend, Rarity spoke.

“Aren’t you going to sit back down?”

Glaring, Rainbow tucked her wings back by her sides and flopped down on her belly, intentionally raising a small cloud of dust which drifted over Rarity. She coughed and shot her companion a less than amused look, but let it pass.

“Are you having trouble sleeping, Rainbow dear?” she aked gently.

“No!” snapped Rainbow Dash. “I’m just... not tired, that’s all.”

“Really?” replied Rarity, no trace of amusement on her face despite the transparent lie. “I rather thought you might be upset, considering your total collapse down in the tunnels.”

Dash’s head whipped around at once, a brief flash of fear on her face quickly being swallowed by anger. “And just what’s that supposed to mean?” she demanded.

“I am talking about you, curled into a ball, shaking, while your friends fought for their lives around you,” said Rarity calmly. “Hardly something to pass unnoticed by your friends, especially coming from the Element of Loyalty.”

Rarity’s tone was smooth, carrying no hint of either pity or judgement, but her words were enough by themselves to cause Rainbow to jump up again, this time spreading her wings and looming over the seated unicorn with deliberate menace. Rarity, for her part, simply watched, neither drawing back nor standing herself.

“That was a spell.” Dash’s words came out in a low growl, every syllable vibrating with threat. “That was a Diamond Dog spell. You said so yourself. Everypony saw it.”

Rarity sighed slightly, looking at her friend with sad eyes. Then she raised one hoof and placed it on Rainbow’s shoulder. “What I saw in the cave was no spell, and I should know. I’m the one who supposedly ‘broke’ it, after all. We both know the truth of that, don’t we?” Rainbow pulled her wings back and tried to look away, but Rarity’s gaze and the hoof on her shoulder held her. “I put on a pretty light show to help you keep your pride, but what broke the ‘spell’ was nothing but words.” She said them again now, enunciating each one carefully as if to lend them extra weight. “It’s okay, Rainbow Dash. Your friends are here. You’re safe. You’re not alone.”

The pegasus pulled free of Rarity’s hoof, turning away and flopping onto the ground again. There was silence for a long time, which Rarity thoughtfully did not break. When Dash finally spoke again, she sounded exhausted, as though all her lost sleep was catching up with her at once. “You can’t tell anypony.” Then, “... Please.”

Rainbow’s eyes were closed, but she could hear the sound of her friend standing, walking slowly over to her, and kneeling down near her head. “I can’t tell everypony what, exactly?”

“You know what,” the prostrate pegasus groaned.

“But I want you to tell me, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity insisted, her calm, understanding voice somehow making her words all the more cruel. “What caused you to lock up, when you knew your friends needed you? I know it wasn’t any spell, but if I’m going to keep your secret for you I should at least know what secret I’m keeping, hmm?”

Silence reigned for a long time, as Rainbow Dash tried to come up with a way out of her predicament. She could try to run, but Rarity was a unicorn, and would probably pluck her out of the sky before she could get far enough away. Besides, she wasn’t feeling all that awesome at the moment, while Rarity had just kicked the haunches of something like thirty-five Diamond Dogs. She could try to pretend to be asleep, but she had a feeling Rarity wouldn’t fall for that – the white unicorn had an annoying tendency to pick up on little details, as their present situation made painfully clear. She could feel Rarity’s gaze on the back of her head, boring into her skull, demanding the truth.

“I was afraid,” she said finally.

Rarity said nothing, waiting for her to continue.

“I was afraid of being so deep underground. Pegasi aren’t supposed to be trapped like that – solid rock on all sides, darkness pressing in, not even a hint of a breeze, the air all gone flat, dead, not a taste of rain or lightning, no sky, no sky, no sky...” She shuddered, pulling herself back from memories of the experience. “I couldn’t just run around, kicking flank and taking names, dethroning Diamond Dog kings without any worries at all, like you apparently could, all right?”

“This wasn’t the first time you’d been underground, though,” said Rarity neutrally. “We’ve been on any number of underground adventures. You even came along to help save me from the Diamond Dogs the first time.”

“That was... different. I wasn’t alone. I had you girls around me, and I had a job to do. And it wasn’t dark – we always had torches or one of you unicorns with a light spell. This, though, it was...”

“It’s all right, Rainbow. I understand.” Rarity paused, for just a moment, then said, “Of course, you realize I knew all this already.”

“What?!” demanded Rainbow as she sprang to her hooves for the third time in fifteen minutes. “Then why did you make me say all that stuff?”

“I thought it might help you to feel a bit better,” Rarity replied. “To know that someone knows you were afraid, and doesn’t care. You’re still Rainbow Dash to me, darling – Best Young Flier in Equestria, captain of the Wonderbolts, my savior more times over than I care to count. One moment of weakness doesn’t take away years of strength, Rainbow. I hope you can remember that.”

Rarity rose, turned, and walked away, leaving a stunned Rainbow Dash in her wake to watch her go. Just as she reached the point where the grass would soon obscure her from view, she turned back.

“Oh, and Rainbow darling? I was terrified.”

Applejack and Pinkie Pie ran into each other, quite literally, in the field of tall grass.

“Ouch! Pinkie! What are you doing here?” asked the farmer, rubbing her nose where it had collided with Pinkie’s flank.

“I was on my way to see Fluttershy,” whispered the pink pony, uncharacteristically quiet. “She was being all grouchy-pants on the way to the campsite, so I thought I’d stop by and try to cheer her up.” Pinkie’s eyes narrowed into a mock-glare. “What are you doing here, Apples? Tryin’ to steal my thunder, eh?”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Not sure what you mean by that, but if you mean I’m tryin’ to help Fluttershy too, you’re right on the money. I guess you were asleep, but she was... a little scary there, for a bit. Seemed right angry with herself for something or other, though heck if I know what. Thought she might like to talk about it, is all.”

Pinkie squealed (quietly), then pulled the apple farmer into a tight hug. “Oh, this’ll be so great! We’ll go talk to her and fix whatever’s wrong and then we’ll all learn a lesson about the magic of friendship and write a letter to the Princess! It’ll be just like old times! Except we don’t have Spike to send it... Oo, do you think Luna would send it for us?”

“Y’know, she’s a princess too, sugarcube,” Applejack drawled. “Well, no sense puttin’ the cart before the horse. Let’s go see what’s up with Fluttershy.”

The two friends continued onward, to see what help they could bring to the troubled yellow pegasus. But when they found the place she had chosen to lie down, she seemed to be asleep, and no amount of gentle calling would rouse her. Unwilling to take more drastic steps after the exhausting day, they left Fluttershy and went back to their own chosen places to sleep.

Miles and miles away, on a frozen peak in another mountain range, a large, scaled head was raised above a feathered body. A sniff brought a smell, carried on the wind, and with it a memory, carried on the mists of time, from long and long and long ago...

A wide grin showed an impressive collection of razor-sharp teeth, one conspicuously missing at the front of the mouth.

“Interesting....”

Cliff Hanger pulled himself up and over the edge of the ledge, collapsing into a panting heap. As he allowed himself a few minutes to recover, he gazed at the spectacular view of eastern Equestria spread out before him. He was more than halfway up the cliff by now, able to see all the way to Ponyville from his vantage point. He knew that as he continued to climb, the eastern edge of the Everfree Forest would come into view, followed at the very crest of the mountain by the fringe of the Shimmering Woods.

Suddenly the distant cluster of buildings that marked the town was eclipsed by the envelope of a huge, hot-pink zeppelin, a picture of the crescent moon emblazoned on the fabric. Cliff gawked at the hideous sight as it continued to rise, noticing several fully-griffined crossbows placed around the craft. When the gondola came into view, it housed a pink Earth pony with a lavender mane wearing a white Captain’s hat and a blue filly in a white lab coat wearing glasses. Cliff’s eyes narrowed at the sight of a familiar foe.

“Baroness Balloon! I should have known! A rigid airship is something of a departure for you, isn’t it?” he called across to the pink villainess.

“Indeed, my dear Cliff!” she replied. “But my new partner in crime has convinced me of the advantages!”

“Yes, I thought I recognized her. Science! How could you betray me so?”

The blue filly lowered her eyewear and cackled maniacally. “I am no longer Science, that doormat! I have finally decided to take what is rightfully mine, and with it my new name - Mad Science!” Lightning flashed briefly out of a clear sky.

Cliff sighed. “Do you really expect me to do battle with a fully armed and operational battle dirigible from a tiny ledge on the side of a cliff?”

The Baroness chortled, signaling her griffins to begin the attack. “No, Mister Hanger! I expect you to die!”

END CHAPTER THREE