The Golden Trail

Gold was floating.

That was the closest thing she could compare what she was experiencing to, but that was still an inaccurate description. She was on her back, a faint warmth surrounding her numb body as she drifted through the void. The air slid through her fur like wet tar, her body feeling both light and heavy at the same time. Her eyes refused to open, her guts felt like they were melting and reforming over and over again, and her soul felt as if it was being twisted into knots.

From within her mind, countless familiar voices echoed in her aching skull.

"Ah can't believe I'm related to such a monster," she heard Applejack spit.

"You ain't no real Apple to me," Granny Smith said, a cold frown audible in her tone.

"Why won't you die?" Big Mac coldly asked.

"Ah hate ya', Gold! AH HATE YA!" Applebloom roared, her voice shaking the air around her.

"Please.....just go away," Fluttershy begged, a faint tremble present in her voice.

"Murderer! You're a bucking murderer!" Rainbow yelled.

"N-No, please," she whimpered, tears rolling out of her closed eyes. "I-I-I am not that mare anymore. I-I am not a monster. I am a better pony now."

"Do you really believe that?"

A cold chill shot down her spine upon hearing that voice. Before she could force out a response, a sharp pain in her chest made her scream. Her eyes finally flew open, the orange orbs moving frantically to look for any clue as to where she was. All she saw was the infinite darkness of the void. That, and a bloodstained silver horn sticking out of her chest. She watched in agony beyond words as the being attached to the horn forced them self further out of her body. Terror seeped into the pain as the being's bloody head and upper body was revealed. Leaning over her with a maddened grin and cracked horn was Moonstone Dagger. Fear and pain paralyzed her, the manic noblemare leaning over her, her hooves holding Gold's face in place.

"Do you think living with your lessors can wash away all of the things you have done?" Moonstone demanded. "What hilarity! You are just as much a monster as I am Gold Vine. Horn or no horn, nothing will ever change that."

As she said that, black veins spiderwebbed out from the hole in Gold's chest. While they spread, she watched with panicked pants as her skin sloughed away, revealing a cluster of bone-white scales. A burning pain tore across her back as bloody spikes erupted from her back. Wet snaps filled the air as her hooves broke apart before reshaping themselves into jagged claws.

"No! Stop! Please!" she begged, feeling her teeth turing into razor-sharp fangs. "I am not a monster! I am not like you!"

With a sinister smile, Moonstone leaned down to one of her ears and sadistically whispered, "Yes Gold Vine. You are."

"ENOUGH!" a strong female voice thundered, the whole void trembling under its force and might.

A look of horror crossed Moonstone's face before her form rippled. Gold watched her tormentor distort and fade, her own mutations crumbling away like clods of sand. When they both were gone, Gold felt the void at her back turn solid, giving her something to finally stagger to her hooves on. Eyes wide and breaths coming out in ragged gasps, she frantically looked around. After a few seconds of searching, a bit of movement at her left periphery caught her attention. She spun to greet it, crouched low and ready to strike. Who she saw standing before her chilled her to her core.

Just as elegant as the last time she saw her, Princess Luna towered over her with a soft smile. A smile that turned into a confused frown when she saw the panic in Gold's features.

Slowly backing away from the Princess, Gold shakily shook her head muttering, "No....Please....I....I am not that mare anymore......I...I am a good pony now...."

"Be at ease," Luna soothed, taking a step towards her. "We are not part of your nightmare. You are safe now."

Gold's fear spiked with Luna's slight advance, her voice becoming more frantic as she said, "I am not that monster anymore! I-I-I-I am a good pony now! I will not hurt others anymore! I will do better! I PROMISE!!!"

The void started to shift, a heavy breeze running though it in response to Gold's fear. Luna watched with shock, her hooves digging into the false ground to keep herself from being blown away. She took another step towards Gold, worry and confusion filling her as she watched the mare breakdown.

That simple action added to Gold's terror.

With tears rolling down her face, she fell into the fetal position, covering her eyes with her hooves.

"I AM SORRY!!! PLEASE!!! I WILL BE BETTER!!! I DO NOT WANT TO SUFFER ANYMORE!!! I WANT TO HEAL!!! PLEASE!!! PLEASE!!! PLEASE!!! GRANNY, APPLEJACK, BIG MAC, RAINBOW DASH, PINKIE PIE, GAIA, HELP ME!!! I WILL BE A BETTER PONY, JUST PLEASE SAVE ME!!!"

The howling winds turned into a raging hurricane, pushing Luna to the farthest point of the dream before it dragged her into an overpowering tempest. The Princess's mind was just as jumbled as the dream itself, the Alicorn of the Night struggling to think of some way to stabilize the mare's mind. Taking a risk, she cast a barrier around herself, letting out a sigh of relief when it payed off before she tried to get her bearings. A few yards below her, Gold laid where she was at the start, weeping and begging for help in the only calm patch in the storm. Already starting to feel the strain on her barrier, Luna used what little control she had over Gold's unstable dream to make a single shaky path through the winds to the mare.

She canceled her barrier and flew through the path, already feeling it crumbling behind her as she zipped towards her target. She entered the safe zone by the skin of her teeth, the tip of her tail the only thing she lost in her gamble. Worry decorated her face as she closed in on the weeping mare, babbling pleas for forgiveness and cries for help still falling out of her muzzle like a frantic mantra.

What possible horrors has this mare faced to do this to her? she thought, settling down beside the trembling mare. Gold's pleas halted, trembling whimpers taking their place at the feel of Luna's barrel against her back. Luna gently shushed the mare, lightly draping her wing across her body. Gold's trembling weakened, but, unlike her whimpers, didn't vanish completely. At the same time, the howling gales faded into a light breeze, softly rustling both of the pony's coats and Luna's feathers. A small relieved smile graced Luna's muzzle, the Princess filling the emptiness with a softly hummed lullaby.

The song slowly put an end to Gold's trembling, soothing memories drifting through her mind with each note. At the same time, the dark void changed into something far more pleasant. Soft grass and dirt took the place of the void's "ground", tall apple and pear trees surrounding the two ponies from all directions. A clear night sky hung over them, thousands of stars lighting it like a swarm of fireflies with a bright full moon at its heart. Four Timberwolves patrolled the space around them, but instead of filling the air with dread, Luna felt protected by their presence.

Luna watched the wolves go about their business, continuing her gentle humming. Under her calm mask, dozens of questions ran through her mind. It was clear that the mare tormenting her current charge was Moonstone Dagger, or at least, a mental projection of the monstrous mare. The terror the mare felt as Moonstone attacked her was raw, like dumping salt on a barely healed wound. Was she a past victim that somehow managed to escape? A possibility, but that didn't explain how she reacted to Luna herself.

The fear that came out of the mare was pure and absolute, like she was standing before death itself. Panic attack didn't even come close to what the mare had experienced. It was almost as if her very mind was trying to force Luna back, even at the cost of collapsing itself. The last time the Lunar Princess experienced such a thing, the pony died of a stroke in his sleep.

Adding to her confusion was the mare's appearance itself.

While there were some obvious differences, the mystery mare bore a striking resemblance to the mare that tried to kill her niece's lover. She even had the same cutiemark, something that was only possible for twins, but was still an extreme rarity. Now fully aware of how the Stones and Vines operated, the mare's dream made a little more sense, but that still left her wondering why she was so scared of her. Had Luna hurt her at some point in some way?

No, We would never do that, she thought, staring down at the mare under her wing. But why then? What about us could have possibly scared her so?

Some movement at her left caught her attention. When she turned her head towards it, she saw something that made her further wonder about her subject's sanity. Two beings stood before her, one a softly smiling spectral Unicorn mare roughly thirty years of age and the other an animated Earth Pony skeleton that looked to belong to a pony of the same number of years. Like with the wolves, she didn't sense any fear or negativity from the beings, but she didn't feel as if they were part of the dream either. The spectral mare approached, her dark green coat softly glowing, and yellow mane and tail moving as if under water. The skeleton kept its distance, its teeth nervously grinding together while it watched them. The mare ignored Luna, her deep blue eyes staring down lovingly at Gold's still form.

Luna watched as what little fear still filled Gold faded away, her dream body going slack like a puppet with its strings cut. The Princess watched the mare nod, then lay down on her belly on the side opposite of her against Gold. Upon settling in, the mare looked up at Luna with a soft, yet piercing gaze that locked her in place.

"Thank you for helping her," the mare softly said, gently running a hoof through Gold's mane. "The poor dear has been plagued with nightmares for days. I feel Skully and I can take things from here, so I would appreciate it greatly if you took your leave before she sees you again."

As she said that, the mystery specter lightly placed a hoof on Luna's barrel and pressed. To Luna's surprise, she felt herself start to slide into the ground, her connection to the dream slipping away as she sank. She tried to regain her hold, but a harsh stomp from the skeleton sent a wave through the dream, instantly shattering any progress she made on that front. In spite of that, all of the worry she felt evaporated the second she locked eyes with the mare and saw her kind smile.

"Next time," the mare calmly stated. "Please come in a form that lacks a horn. Only then will you gain the answers you seek. Just please, do not judge her too harshly when you do. She has suffered more than enough for her crimes."

As she said that, her smile turned into a deep frown, then she looked down at the mare with tears welling up in her eyes. That was the last thing Luna saw before her head sank below the ground and she blinked out of reflex. When she opened her eyes again, she was standing in a hallway of doors housed in a star-shined blue void. In front of her was a gold door bearing an eerily familiar ivy-wrapped anvil near its top.

***

Near silence dominated Gold's room, the first rays of early morning sun filling the space from her window. Said rays struck her in the face, turning her calm countenance into a frustrated frown. Muttering softly to herself, she sluggishly rolled away from the light. A gasp and rattle made her freeze, any hope for sleep instantly flushed from her system as her eyes flew open. Confused dread slowly took its place when two setts of hoofsteps trotted towards her, one the clattering step of her roommate, but the other far too small to belong to the older members of the family. Her fears and confusion spiked when she heard her guest's voice.

"Gold, can ya' hear me?" Applebloom asked, her forehooves pressing into and shaking the mattress.

"Y-Yes," she said, suddenly aware of just how sandy her throat felt.

Coughing, she sluggishly forced herself into sitting up. As she suspected, both Skully and Applebloom stood by her bed. While the former was staring blankly at her with nervously grinding teeth, the latter was staring at her with wide worried eyes, grabbing the edge of the bed with her forehooves to see her better. The filly's lips trembled before the jumped onto the bed and hugged her, tears slowly dampening the mare's coat. Smiling softly, she returned the embrace, gently rocking back and forth as she waited out the filly's tears.

While she waited, she aimed a questioning look at the skeleton, nodding her head at the weeping filly. Skully mimed a dejected sigh, then clacked out a response.

"(She came into the room when I was examining your body. She was scared at first, but the rest of the family was able to explain me to her to some degree.)"

Gold raised a brow at that.

"(They said I am the ghost of your twin sister)," she clarified.

Gold rolled her eyes at that, hoping that it was Big Mac that did the talking for that particular conversation.

Before she could further her musings on the topic, Applebloom pulled her face out of Gold's chest and wiped her face.

"Better?" Gold asked, smiling down at her cousin.

"Ah should be askin' you that," she sniffled, staring up at the mare with still damp eyes. "Ah was real worried about ya'!"

"My apologies," Gold sighed, lightly stroking the filly's mane. "What happened?"

"Ya' don't know?" Applebloom frowned.

Gold shook her head.

"Ya' had a fight with big sis's friends and passed out in the dinnin' room," Applebloom gulped, fighting back a fresh set of tears. "Nopony could wake ya' up and ya' were barely breathin'. Ah was so scared, but AJ and Mac told me not to worry and that you'd wake up on your own eventually."

"Did they now?" she asked.

Applebloom nodded.

"They said ya' just needed to rest and that you'd be as good as new in no time, but....Ah got really worried after the third day and tried ta' brew ya' something that would help."

"I see," Gold sighed. "How long was I asleep?"

"About a week," Applebloom frowned. "Skully kept an eye on ya' when we couldn't, but Ah'd do it when Ah could."

"Just the two of you?" she balked.

Applebloom shook her head.

"Some of AJ's friends came by ta' visit, but she'd only let Rainbow in here. Said ya' didn't want too many ponies knowing about Skully."

Gold chuckled ruefully at that, certain that, that was at least one lie her cousin could get away with.

A loud rumbling from her stomach echoed through the room, startling the filly and bringing a small blush to Gold's cheeks.

"Well, I suppose some breakfast is in order," she chuckled. "Could you let the others know that I am awake?"

"Sure!" Applebloom chirped, beaming brightly. "Ah'll be right back!"

In the blink of an eye, the filly ran off of the bed out the now open door. Gold smiled, shaking her head as Skully closed the door for her. She laid herself back into her bed, staring at the ceiling with a wilting smile. While fogy and slightly muffled, she still remembered what had happened that day. All of it twisted her gut worse than her gnawing hunger and in a way that sickened her. At the same time, it all filled her with a now familiar dread as she mulled over her options. An exercise that was proving to be a futile attempt.

She knew that she needed to do. She knew what she was going to need to do to do so. She still tried to think of some way to do what needed to be done in a different way, but none of her plans were remotely close to adequate. With a defeated sigh, she started planning out what would need to be done to make sure she would follow through with it.

At least the sleep was peaceful, she thought, basking in just how rested she felt as she waited for her meal.

***

Starlight sat at an outdoor table of a café, silently seething as she stared into her cup of iced coffee. For the past few days, she and the rest of her friends had been trying to comfort Rarity. Granted, Rainbow, Applejack, and Pinkie were torn, none of them wanting to take a side against Rarity or Gold in this. That grew when it was revealed that Gold had fell into a coma after Starlight teleported out.

Regardless of that, she was still furious over what Gold had said, but the truly cruel thing was that she wasn't wrong. After getting Rarity mostly stable with a couple gallons of ice cream, Starlight scoured Twilight's personal library for anything she could find about Mana Rot. What she read chilled her to the bone and made her realize just how lucky she was that she had as much available magic as she did. It also made her friend, Sunburst's, condition all the more understandable to her.

She didn't need to be so harsh about it, she thought, irritably sipping on her drink. That bit about Rarity hurting a foal if she had one was seriously uncalled for.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, she slumped in her seat as the whole scene ran through her mind for the millionth time. While ire was one factor that made her do this, a nagging curiosity at the back of her mind did most of the pulling. The way Gold talked about Mana Rot and how meditation worked to prevent it sounded like it came from a place of practical application. Sure, meditation could be done by any creature for a wide array of benefits, but what little she could find told that the ones shared between Earth Pony and Unicorn magic was almost nonexistent. Even the story Sweetie gave her didn't quite sound right. The main red flag being how easily she walked Sweetie through the steps that would work specifically for a Unicorn as opposed to an Earth Pony.

Her musings stopped when an odd sight caught her eye.

A few shops down the street, she spotted Applejack and a pony wearing a hooded cloak making their way through the crowds. Though to call what the pony wore a "cloak" was extremely generous. The garment was little more than a tattered gray blanket with a few poorly stitched brown or green patches dotting its surface in random places. The bit of gold coat the ratty article failed to cover gave her a pretty good guess as to who it was, but the way she was acting made her wonder. The "mystery" pony was extremely jumpy, her hooded head jerking this way and that as if she was expecting to be attacked at any second. In addition, the mare would freeze every few steps then break into what looked like gasping fits a couple minutes later. When this happened, Applejack would put a foreleg over the mare's shoulders and say something to her. Each time, the mare would seem to regain some of her determination. With a shake her head, she would gently get out of the farmer's grip, wipe her brow, and resume her march.

Intrigued, Starlight levitated her cup, left some bits on the table, and teleported to an alley a store behind the duo.

***

Gold was terrified.

As she walked through Ponyville, she swore that everypony was watching her, that all of them were preparing to take her back to the torture she escaped. She knew that this was not going to be easy for her, but there was no way she was going to be able to live with herself if she didn't do this. In a way, a part of her believed that she deserved to feel this way, like a small rabbit surrounded by hungry wolves for the pain she inflicted on Rarity. By the time she made it to the town's shopping district, where Rarity's home and business resided, it took everything Gold had not to run screaming back to the farm.

The crowds were a mass of sounds and colors that ate at her already frayed nerves, flashing her back to some of her more vivid hallucinations from when Moonstone had her. When this happened, she would have to stop and try to pull herself back to reality, usually by biting off a small piece of her inner cheek or tongue. After swallowing down her own blood and meat she would let out shaky gasps to try to regain some semblance of calm as the parts in question healed.

Applejack pulled her into a side-hug, an act that eased the process as she whispered, "Are ya' still okay?"

"Y-Yes," Gold whispered back, her tone still shaky from her last episode.

"Are ya' sure?" she frowned, her emerald orb boring into Gold's orange ones. "Ah can still try ta' talk Rares into meetin' ya' at the farm."

Gold met the repeated offer with a glare.

"No. If I am going to do this, it needs to be done right."

With that, she gently shrugged off Applejack's foreleg and started walking.

Besides, she mused, forcing herself to ignore any stares she may or may not be getting. I cannot allow myself to cower away from the world forever.

With this in mind, she continued her march, only stopping when her mind decided to stagger her and she needed to "ground" herself again. After several such stops and far more time than she was willing to admit, she found herself standing before the oddest building she had yet to see in the town. The Carousel Boutique was a massive two story building, each floor decorated with golden filigree and pony-shaped mannequins between windows. In shape, it resembled a fusion of a castle and a dress, with the first floor shaped like the skirt of a vibrant gown. Blues, purples, and whites in varying shades colored the external walls along with the sloping roof of the first floor in checker bored patterns. The rest of it was styled in a manner that made it look close to a small mansion or castle, complete with decorative flowers and elegantly crafted narrow support pillars holding up the first floor's "skirt". A flag waved proudly at its highest point, adding to the regal image that its own wished to present. All of this went largely unnoticed to Gold, the bulk of her focus being centered on the dark purple front door with a light blue diamond set in the middle.

Gold stared at the door with trepidation, her stubborn determination and slight instinct locking her into an immobile tug-o-war. She needed to do this, not just for herself, but because it was the right thing to do. Knowing that, she still couldn't get her body to move. Even with Applejack at her side, she couldn't will herself to close the twelve foot gap between herself and the door. Her mind didn't help her either, as countless images of what kind of horrible things Rarity could do to her flashed through it like a twisted slideshow.

She flinched when Applejack placed a comforting hoof on her shoulder.

"Take your time," she smiled. "There's no need ta' rush this."

Gold wanted to argue the contrary, but let a small smile grace her muzzle while she gave her a nod instead. When she turned her head back to face the door, she thought back to her lessons with Gaia. Closing her eyes, she emptied her mind and focused on her breathing. Slowly, the crowds around her faded from her mind, taking the twisted imaginings of "what ifs" along with them into the void.Her heartbeat leveled, her desire to flee shriveled, and a calming breath rolled past her muzzle. When she came back to the world, she let herself stand proud and quickly made her way up to the front door.

As she gave the door a firm set of knocks, she mentally kicked herself for not thinking of using her lessons sooner. Perhaps then Applejack wouldn't have had to worry so much about her along the way. While Applejack moved to her side, she silently promised herself that she would make coming to town a part of her training. She didn't know how she was going to justify such a long and tedious trip, but she was sure that she could figure something out.

She was snapped out of her musings when the door's nob rattled.

She gulped as it slid open, then let out a faint relieved sigh when she saw who was on the other side.

"Hello Sweetie Belle," Gold smiled.

The filly in question looked up at her with a small frown.

"Hi Gold," she said, tone polite, but stiff.

Gold expected a reception like this from her, but that didn't make it sting any less.

Forcing past her guilt, she asked, "Is Rarity in?"

"Why?" the filly asked, her eyes narrowing.

Gold dropped the act, letting her figure droop as she said, "I...wish to apologize to her."

"Really?" Sweetie pressed, not looking convinced.

Gold and Applejack nodded, the former still solemn in her posture.

After a few seconds, Sweetie nodded and stepped aside, opening the door fully as she did. When Gold crossed the threshold, what she saw past the store's front desk left her in slack-jawed shock.

The store was dyed in the same shades or purple, blue, and white as the exterior. It also shared the opulent Cantorlotian decor, but fell just shy of the feel it was trying to imitate. Wracks of outfits in varying colors and styles dominated the main showroom. The more expensive-looking ensembles were worn by mannequins that lined the walls or stood at the front display windows. At its heart stood the changing rooms, a full fledged cat-walk set up to one side of it with lights built into it.

A light tap from Applejack broke the spell, a small blush gracing her muzzle when she saw the cocky smile Sweetie was sporting. Chuckling, Applejack brought Gold to a small waiting table near the front desk while Sweetie trotted towards a set of stares near the back of the showroom. Gold slumped into her seat at the table, stuck in an odd mix of worried and impatient. Gulping down a growing lump in her throat, she closed her eyes and tried to meditate.

Like before, each slow exhale took away some of her nerves while each breath mended the damage left behind. When she felt a new pony approach her from further in the store, she braced herself before opening her eyes.

As she expected, Rarity stood before her, keeping a safe distance from the slightly tense mare. Gold faintly cringed at the sight of the mare, not just because of her phobia, but because of how ragged Rarity looked. She lacked the blue eyeshadow she wore the last time they talked, her coat was ruffled, and her mane and tail were brushed straight instead of their usual shining curl. It also looked as if she hadn't been sleeping well for a while, the slight bags under her eyes and drooping posture a far cry from the confidant poise Gold had seen her sport the last couple of times they had met.

"Hello, Gold Vine," Rarity tiredly smiled.

"G-Greetings," Gold stammered out, gnawing on her lips. "H-How are you?"

"I"m.....well," she allowed.

An awkward silence settled between the two mares, Sweetie and Applejack looking back and forth between them full of tension. Before it became too much for the farmer or filly to take, Gold broke the silence with a sigh.

"I....would like to apologize."

"P-Pardon?" Rarity blinked.

"What I said was completely out of line. As such, I am more than willing to take any kind of punishment you deem worthy."

"Pardon?" Rarity repeated, rearing back a little.

"You can do anything you wish to me," Gold gulped, a light trembling wracking her form. "And I do mean anything. I...I will be sure to inform my teacher of my consent so you will not need to worry about her retribution. My only request is that you...make it quick."

Rarity and Applejack stared at her with wide eyes and slack jawed shock, while Sweetie looked at them all in confusion. Gold simply closed her eyes, head hung low as she trembled before her new tormentor. Mentally, she counted down the minutes that passed before the pain she knew was coming.

One minute.

Two minutes.

Five minutes.

When the sixth minute came, Rarity found her voice again.

"You say I can do whatever I wish?"

Eyes still closed, Gold nodded.

"Very well," Rarity frowned. "First, I want you to stand."

Gold obeyed, only opening her eyes to look at the ground in shame.

"Take off that thing you call a cloak."

Gold's lips trembled as she followed her instructions, hoofing over the garment to Applejack.

"Now, stay still."

Gold gulped, staying as still as a statue and closing her eyes.

Again she waited.

One minute.

Two minutes.

Three.

She flinched when something soft and light was draped across her shoulders and back. Her eyes flew open in shock just in time to see a golden clasp held in Rarity's sapphire magic snap into place at the base of her neck before quickly dissipating a second later. Gold looked herself over and stared in awe at the cloak that now embraced her.

It was a jet black with thin golden trim that looked like winding strands of ivy. It molded to her form like liquid shadow, but not enough to be suffocating. It was so light that she could barely even feel its weight on her coat, and when she pulled its hood up, she found that it also held that property.

She stared back at a proudly smiling Rarity, confusion visible even in the shadow of her new hood.

"I hope it is to your liking," Rarity giggled.

"Wh-but....Is this?...." Gold stammered, her brain trying and failing to understand what was going on.

"In addition to being fairly durable," Rarity continued. "I just added a set of enchantments to make it water resistant, breezy in the heat, insulated in the cold, and, most importantly, fire-proof."

"E-Enchantments?" Gold gulped, the silken hug of her cloak now feeling like the coils of a venomous snake.

Rarity nodded, her smile wilting slightly.

"If you really mean what you said, then I...I want you to wear that cloak for the rest of the month."

"The rest of...the...three weeks?" Gold stammered.

"In addition to that, I want you to join me for tea each weekend."

"F-For what reason?" Gold forced out.

Rarity gave her sister a small smile.

"To aid my sister in her meditation lessons. As you know, I am severely ill informed on the subject and I want to make sure that she is doing well in that regard."

When she shifted her attention back to Gold, she held out a hoof and with a bit more light in her smile asked, "Do we have a deal?"

Gold stared at the offered hoof in shock for a few seconds, then awkwardly gripped it with her own and nodded.

"Very well," Rarity nodded back. "Now, what do you say we all come upstairs to the kitchen and get to know each other better?"

Left with little else to do, Gold shared a look with her cousin. Applejack shrugged and got out of her seat. Taking that as a sign to go along with this madness, Gold did the same and nodded.

As the Unicorn led the group further into her home, Starlight watched them from a nearby window, a cloaking spell hiding both her and her confused frown from anypony that would try to detect her.