To be Awakened

Chapter 1: A Letter to the Unknown

Dear Daring Do,

You have been invited to Canterlot Castle to participate in an exciting expedition. Together with a partner, you will work with representatives from multiple races to excavate and catalogue the ruins recently discovered in the forbidden zone, now referred to as the " city of dust" or "First Kingdom."

As all of the kingdoms are currently at peace, the ban on the forbidden zone that I imposed on the ponies is being lifted. We are now allowing a large-scale expedition force to enter the area and study the lost race known as "humans" and their many artifacts that have been lost to history. This coalition will be known as "Project: Awakening."

Daring Do looks at the letter with excitement. She can't believe it; after coming out of retirement, she’s going on her biggest adventure yet; to explore a race so unknown that it probably predated even the princesses, if the stories and research Twilight Sparkle had gathered were to be believed. Daring Do can't remember a time when she had ever felt so excited.

Well, maybe when she was first starting off her career as an archaeologist…

She holds the letter close to her chest, like a schoolfilly who had just received a letter from their first crush. She gallops down the Canterlot streets, taking a path through the noble district to reach her meeting point. As she runs, though, she's not paying attention and bumps into somepony, causing them both to collapse onto each other.

Daring Do quickly recovers, bouncing up and apologizing to the stallion. But then, as she looks at him, she realizes who it is and takes up a fighting stance. "Dr. Caballeron," she says, her voice filled with contempt.

It takes the other pony a minute, but he takes up a similar combative stance. "Daring Do," he sneers, his tone filled with disdain.

As they circle around each other, other ponies start to gather around, thinking that this is some kind of reenactment from Daring Do and the Forbidden City of Clouds.

"It's been a while, Caballeron. I guess you've finally crawled your way out of your depression from always losing to me," Daring Do says, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Caballeron laughs confidently. "Not even your petty words can ruin my day today. I have been personally chosen for greatness," he boasts, his chest puffed up with pride.

Daring Do rolls her eyes. "Your arrogance is the reason you'll never find a mare."

Dr. Caballeron shudders slightly but quickly retorts disdainfully, "I never see any stallions lining up for you. Maybe if you acted like a proper lady and not a brute, this mare would be less annoying to me."

The crowd around them seems to grow, enjoying popcorn and commentating with phrases like "Oh my Celestia!" and "Oh no, he didn't!" Some of the Royal Guards are even enjoying the spectacle.

As a clock chimes, both of the ponies quickly look up to see the time. A look of horror plasters their faces.

"I'm going to be late!" they shout in unison and rush off towards the castle, running down any ponies that stand in their way.

As both Daring Do and Dr. Caballeron rush to Canterlot Castle to keep their meeting with the princesses, two guards at the gate look curiously at the smoke clouds that are coming towards them. They hold tight to their spears, but stay right where they are, each with a stone-like visage as the two ponies come to a hoof-grinding stop in front of them.

"I'm here for my meeting!" both ponies say at the same time before turning towards each other and speaking again. "What meeting? I'm here to meet the princesses!" Both ponies give each other an angry look. "Stop copying me!!"

Before the two come to blows, the guard quickly uses his magic to look at the paper and check his list. "It seems like you're both on the list to speak to the princesses," he says calmly. "One of the guards will come to escort you both to the gardens."

Daring Do and Dr. Caballeron look at each other in shock, their anger dissipating as they realize that they were both invited to the same meeting. They exchange uneasy glances before following the guard to the gardens, still unsure of what to expect from this sudden meeting with the princesses. They reluctantly accept that, for now, they have to be on their best behavior in front of the princesses. "You better not ruin this for me," they both say at the same time, still glaring at each other.

As they walk into the garden, they both take in the beauty of the area; all kinds of animals, plants and beautiful statues surround them as the royal guard leads them to their destination. Daring Do looks at all of the different flora and sees some plants she thought were extinct, thriving in the beautiful garden. She smiles.

Dr. Caballeron seems unimpressed, but is thinking of ways he can smuggle some of these out for a quick profit. "Some of these things must cost a fortune."

Daring Do responds with an angry scowl. "You never change. Always worried about how you can make a profit instead of doing an archaeologist's duties to discover the truth, archive and preserve."

Dr. Caballeron scoffs at that. "You bought into our old professor's lectures too much. The old fool went on and on about her pipe dreams, but couldn't keep a budget on track to save her life. All I see are old things that other ponies will pay out the ears, mouth and nose for. Who cares what ponies, or now humans, did a hundred, a thousand, a million years ago? Take what's useful and forget the rest," he dismisses.

Daring Do is about to say something, but it comes out as only a small hiss. "That's not what you used to say," she whispers.

Dr. Caballeron looks at her before letting out the same hiss. Both ponies walk in silence until they come to a picnic blanket and see the radiant and beautiful Princess Celestia. With her motherly smile, she looks at both of them, along with the newly-crowned Princess Twilight and Spike.

They both stop their conversation as they see the guard leading the two guests approaching them. "My little ponies," Celestia greets them warmly.

Daring Do and Dr. Caballeron both bow low to the princesses. "It is good to see you again, Celestia," Daring Do smiles.

Dr. Caballeron looks surprised that the two are acquainted at all. He quickly spits out his own greeting, as well. "It is good to meet you as well, Princesses."

Twilight raises an eyebrow at Dr. Caballeron. "Do you not remember me?" she asks.

He looks at her for a moment before realizing where he recognizes her from. "Of course I remember you. You were there when Daring Do and I had our… disagreement," he says, his face turning red with embarrassment.

Celestia lets out a small giggle as Twilight corners the doctor. "Twilight, you know it's not very princess-like to make your guests nervous like that," she says, trying to hold back her own laughter.

As the doctor looks confused, he sees Daring Do trying to hold back her laughter as well. Before he realizes what’s happening, he lets out a cough and stands up straight, putting on a more professional-looking face. "Yes, I do remember you and your friends. You guys were a pain to–... I mean, a joy to be around. My colleague and I had different opinions when it came to treasures and artifacts."

Daring Do rolls her eyes. "He means, he apologizes for being a jerk because you now hold a high position," she says sarcastically.

Caballeron angrily glares at Daring Do. "What my colleague meant to say is that I regret my former transgressions against the now-princess and ruler of our country," he says, putting on a big smile and nervously sweating.

Celestia can't help but let out a second giggle as Twilight raises her eyebrows. "Don’t worry, I’m not here to judge your activities. Although, if the stories I have read are true, I probably should. You have committed a multitude of crimes that I could have, and perhaps should have, charged you with. But, given that the statute of limitations has most likely run out on many of them, I’ll let them slide this time."

The doctor rubs his forehead, letting out a breath he hadn't even known he was holding. "Good, good," he says, relieved.

Celestia takes a sip of tea before placing her cup down. "We did not bring you here to grill you on your allegedly illicit activities. We brought you here to request your help on the expedition," she says, redirecting the conversation to the point of the meeting.

Daring Do moves towards the picnic blanket and takes a seat. She looks around for a few seconds.

"Are you looking for someone?" Twilight asks her.

"Yes," Daring Do responds, "I thought the other princesses were supposed to join us?"

Twilight lets out a breath of exasperation. "They're running late. Cadance is pretty much attached to Flurry Heart and rarely ever wants to leave her side. Luna is probably on her third pot of coffee by now, trying to wake up."

The two seem slightly confused, but brush it off.

"But they've already gone through what we're going to be talking about, so they won't be needed for this particular conversation," Celestia interrupts. She levitates three folders onto the picnic blanket, each labeled "Top Secret." "These are classified documents on the forbidden zone and reports of research done in the human city. We've found out a lot since the last time Twilight or I have entered the borders."

As Daring Do and Caballeron begin to read the classified documents, a cold shock shivers up Twilight's back. Daring Do looks over the files with a mix of curiosity and concern, quickly scanning through them before starting to read in earnest. She then glances over at the stallion, giving him a glare before moving closer to read the files alongside him. Both ponies huddle together as they read, their eyes widening as they take in the information.

Caballeron looks up at the princesses, a note of disbelief in his voice. "Princess Celestia, I know you have a thousand years of experience, but what I'm reading in this report cannot be true. If it is, you're telling me that a group of non-magic users found a way to do all of this without magic. What I'm reading sounds more like a science fiction novel than reality."

Daring Do raises an eyebrow in agreement, finding it hard to believe the information in the report. "I hate to say it, but I have to agree with him."

The two look at each other, both still in disbelief. "Some of this stuff sounds impossible," Daring Do continues, "and I've explored almost every ruin in Equestria, the Griffin Kingdom, the Dragon Lands, and beyond. I've never seen any signs of what's described in these reports."

Caballeron nods in agreement, "I have seen some incredible things in my time, but this is something else entirely."

Celestia looks at them both with a patient expression, but Twilight looks indignant. "Do you think we would lie about a historic event like this?!" she asks, clearly upset.

Daring Do raises her hooves in apology. "No, of course not! It's just hard to believe what we are reading here. This isn’t an early April Fool's prank, right? We don't believe you would, but Celestia has a history of playing very elaborate pranks on ponies."

Twilight quickly looks at Celestia, who is nonchalantly whistling a jolly tune, before turning back to the group. "Indeed she does, but this is quite real," she insists.

Just then, Luna appears from behind the two guests and takes a seat, nuzzling her sister before speaking up. "My sister might be known to be a prankster, but even she knows when to stop. This is too grim to be joked about. I've been to the outskirts of the city, but the negative aura coming from the place has always made me hesitant to enter."

Caballeron and Daring Do give small nods of respect to Luna before turning back to the documents.

Celestia looks at Luna, concerned.

"Do not worry, dear sister,” Luna assures. “I am over it now. But at this moment, we have more important matters to discuss."

As soon as Luna finishes speaking, the sound of wingbeats are heard, and Cadance soon lands in the garden. Beautiful and divine as ever, Cadance walks over to the group of ponies, giving them all a smile before lowering herself onto the blanket. "It looks like we're all here. I'm not too late, am I? Flurry took forever to go to bed," she says, causing all three princesses to laugh.

Twilight smiles at Cadance and the two of them perform their traditional dance. "Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!"

The two archaeologists look confused for a moment as they watch the odd ritual to completion. Caballeron speaks up. "I guess we have no choice but to believe you, if all the princesses confirm the legitimacy of these reports."

As he reads the papers, he thinks of how much he could make by selling one of these priceless treasures on the black market for artifacts and magical items, which would pay him a king's ransom. On the other hoof, Daring Do is having the total opposite thought process, imagining the breakthroughs they could have with this technology and the knowledge they could reclaim.

The two are called out of their daydreams by a cough from Celestia. "Yes, we understand how unbelievable this might sound, but everything written in those reports is true. And now that Equestria is in a time of peace and the world has moved towards friendship, we thought it would be a good time to discover our past," she explains.

Both ponies look excited and ready to ask questions, but Luna holds up her hoof. "But we will be doing it responsibly and under strict guidance." Luna glares at Caballeron. "There will be no removal of any artifacts found in the forbidden zone under any circumstances."

Caballeron looks crestfallen as soon as he hears that.

"But the amount of funds we'll be paying you for this project will make up for any funds lost on this adventure," she finishes.

Caballeron quickly cheers up before giving the princess a large smile. "How much are we talking?"

The princess pulls out a contract and the stallion quickly grabs it. His jaw hits the floor upon seeing the amount. "You have to be kidding me. There's enough funds here to start up a small country!"

He quickly agrees to the venture, excited about the prospect of discovering the secrets of the humans with the help of other races like the yaks, dragons, and gryphons. The project would be a unified effort from all over the world.

Cadance seems to stare at the two ponies, looking at them oddly before whispering to Celestia. Both ponies smile, making Daring Do raise an eyebrow at their little discussion. Caballeron seems too busy drooling over the amount of funds he’s going to make to pay attention to them.

"What about these restrictions?" As Daring Do takes a closer look at the contract, she notices that there are many limitations placed on them. Her face becomes downcast as she reads through some of them.

Celestia and Luna catch this change in attitude and ask, "Is there something wrong with the contract?"

Daring Do quickly puts on her professional face and turns to both princesses. "Yes. This contract is too restrictive. It's as if we're being treated like first-year archaeologists. From what I've read, we're not even allowed to go off on our own to explore the city. We're only allowed to spend up to three to six hours in the zone, and our base camp must be outside of the affected area. Also, we're not allowed to be there at night."

Celestia looks slightly disappointed at Daring Do's assessment of the contract. "With the danger that place presents to ponies or creatures in general, those restrictions are reasonable. There are old skeletons there, as well as restless things that we're not entirely sure most ponies will be able to handle. Remember, not every archaeologist is a Daring Do."

Daring Do lowers her eyes. "I understand, but how are we going to do any real work with these kinds of restrictions?"

Twilight immediately speaks up. "For the first couple of months, at least, you'll be hitting up the libraries."

Spike quickly brings out a bunch of papers and places them on the blanket before Twilight uses her magic to teleport a whiteboard with very complicated-looking magic equations in front of them.

"From my first go-around in the forbidden zone, I've been trying to find a way to understand the old language. It seems to be a mix of every language in Equestria. With this information, I can only assume that all languages came from this one, or at least most of them. The original appraisers of the world..."

As Twilight lets out a bunch of nonsensical equations and excited whinnies of information, the two ponies look lost, magic not being either of their specialties. Luna lets out a small cough and Twilight stops her lecture.

The two ponies look totally lost, displaying the same face that Rainbow Dash gives her when she starts explaining things. Twilight pauses for a second before saying it again in laypony's terms. "This spell will translate their writings into Equestrian."

Both ponies quickly perk up. "Are you serious? If we have something like that, it would cut our research time in half!"

Cadance lets out a small giggle as she sees both of them respond at the same time, "You two are such a cute couple."

Caballeron gags and retches, looking disgusted at the suggestion. "Her, as my special somepony? Never!"

Daring kicks his hoof. "What’s that supposed to mean?! You would be lucky to have somepony as amazing as me as a special somepony!"

He sneers back at her "Ha! I’ve seen more grace from my underlings than you! Plus, I prefer a gentle, kind, soft-spoken mare."

Daring Do starts steaming after that comment. "Well, I would prefer a nice, strong, kind-hearted stallion, not a grease ball, money-hungry jerk like you!"

They both start arguing as Cadance lets out a small giggle. Both stop after hearing the Princess of Love laugh.

"What are you laughing at?!" They both shout at the same time.

Cadence only giggles again before they both realize who they’re talking to and immediately bow low to her.

"I'm sorry about that, Princess,” sighs Daring, “but sometimes this stallion makes me so mad, I forget myself."

"I hate to agree with her, but we have always…” Caballeron trails off when he sees Cadence’s face.

Wearing a false concerned attitude, Cadance turns towards Celestia. Celestia gives her a knowing smile, understanding her ploy. The two other ponies, however, bow even lower, panic running through their hearts.

"I understand your concern, but I'm pretty sure my niece, they could easily come together for a project this big," Celestia says.

Both ponies raise their heads and shake them fiercely in disagreement.

"Maybe we should have them spend some personal time together so they can work out their differences?" Cadence suggests with a nod and a smile.

Twilight perks up at the suggestion of a friendship task. "Of course! The best way to make new friends is to spend time with them!" she beams. The princesses stare at Twilight for a few seconds, making the new princess nervous and causing her to slowly back away from the conversation.

"Of course, we would do anything to prove that we are responsible ponies and can work together," Daring says. As she speaks, she grabs Caballeron by the neck and pulls him close, putting them face-to-face. It's clear that, while appearing to just be hugging him, she is actually trying to choke the stallion while hiding it behind a fake smile.

The princesses take a few minutes to think about it as Caballeron slowly starts to lose the fight, struggling to free himself.

"How about this?” proposes Cadance. “You two go out to dinner together."

Daring Do, being shocked at what the princess says, releases the stallion as he quickly takes long gulps of air he had let out. "What?!"

"Yes, go out together like friends, hang out, and learn new things about each other," Cadence explains. "From your background checks, we found that the two of you used to work under the same teacher."

Both of them look surprised that the princesses had done the kind of digging required to uncover that information. "But, but, but..." they stammer in response.

Cadence puts one hoof over both their muzzles. "No buts. I'm making it mandatory now. It was supposed to be compulsory, but you two need the extra help. You two will go out with each other to increase your friendship."

Luna continues to enjoy her tea, Celestia lets out a giggle, and Twilight looks confused. The archaeologists both angrily stare at each other. After hearing their orders, they both sigh.

"If I have to," Daring Do grumbles. "I’d do anything for the success of this project."

Luna finishes her tea and coughs. "We came here to discuss business. We should return to the task at hoof."

The Princess of Love smoothly glides back into her spot before Twilight starts to speak. "Yes, yes, back to business. There are three big problems from my and Celestia's notes. First is the atmosphere. There seems to be some kind of toxin or chemical spread over the area. Anyone who doesn't wear protection or has a spell cast over them will eventually succumb to this mysterious sickness. We have not been able to identify it yet, but it seems like dragons have a much higher tolerance for it. Spike is suffering very diminished effects. The spell Celestia and I used seems to keep out the effects of the mysterious energy. It took awhile, but we have been able to create a spell that can be cast on somepony that'll give them six continuous hours of use.

“The second problem seems to be the many dangerous artifacts in the area that still may be active. Not only did Spike and I encounter some kind of golem, we also encountered a machine that created a barrier without any sources of magic. There seems to also be dangerous weapons of unknown origins or abilities, that if ponies or creatures are not aware of or not careful with, can easily end their lives."

Spike and Twilight feel a shiver run up their spines when they remember the next part.

"There seems to be some kind of magic or effect that allows the spirits of the past to communicate with ponies or creatures. Some seem passive, but others seem more malicious or mad. At night, there seems to be some kind of reenactment of the war, before the forbidden zone’s final destruction." Twilight takes a long gulp. "There also seems to be some kind of specter that looks a lot like the reaper pony."

Daring Do and Caballeron's eyes go wide. "I'm sorry, you must have misspoken. Did you say the reaper pony?" asks Daring.

Twilight slowly nods her head.

"You have to be kidding,” sneers Caballeron, though the shakiness in her voice betrays his true feelings. “We have a specter of death guarding the city?!"

Luna chimes in. "We do not know if it is truly the specter of death or some kind of illusion or effect of the area. From Twilight's description, it looks like a human version of the reaper pony. Reports of ponies who have seen the specter are dubious at best."

"To be completely honest, even if it is the specter of death, it is not the most dangerous thing there. The race known as humans seemed to be experimenting with very unstable elements or unknown sciences." Celestia struggled to wrap her tongue around the words. "For that reason, any underground tunnels or bunkers are strictly off-limits to the exploration team. Those locations will have to be secured by a group of armed soldiers or Royal guards. I will personally go down to scout the area before any exploring or examination is done."

Celestia nods to Spike, who goes rushing off, and pulls out a piece of paper showing a drawing of a creature that seems to be twisted, a mix of metal and flesh; a monster that even a mother would have a hard time loving. "These are only one of the dangers I was able to discover."

The team looks at the picture. "Yes, I think it would be a good idea to allow the professionals to do their job," Caballeron says, staring intently and taking in every detail.

"It doesn't look that tough," Daring Do scoffs.

Celestia raises an eyebrow. "Daring Do, I know you have taken on monsters of all shapes and forms, but I would not suggest you take anything in that city lightly. Even I had trouble dealing with whatever this creature was."

Both archaeologists go quiet. Neither expected, after reading her report, that Celestia, even in self-defense, would be able to take such a stance. All of the history books are filled with her in countless battles and even her judging and sentencing ponies. But in a thousand years, she has never had to take a life.

"I'm sorry, Princess," says Daring Do, folding her ears in sadness. She can feel the weight of the statement and understand the gravity of the situation. If the creatures are so dangerous that even Princess Celestia, known for her merciful nature and reluctance to take lives, feels it necessary to take action, then the situation must be dire.

Spike comes back, carrying what looks to be some kind of scroll. Not so much a rolled-up sheet of paper, but one that’s sealed in a metal case. A handle on one side allows the paper to be unfurled, but a latch of some description holds it in place.

“The magical seal on this scroll can only be opened by Chrysalis,” Twilight explains. “Even with Discord's chaos magic, he couldn't force it open. The material used in the anti-magic throne Chrysalis once had has been refined into several pieces of the metal encasing the scroll, and the scroll itself is protected by high-level magic. There is an odd keyhole in the shape of a slot next to the pull, and we think that opens it.”

Spike struggles to carry the heavy scroll before dropping it near Daring Do and Dr. Caballeron.

Twilight smugly continues, "We think Chrysalis, or perhaps the changelings as a whole, have some connection to the ancient city. We suspect that Chrysalis found her throne in the ruins, and that's why we've forbidden the changelings and ponies from going there until now. But this is just an assumption. We don't know what else lies in the city, but we do know there are dangerous and powerful artefacts scattered all throughout the place."

Cadance speaks up. "Are you kidding me?! That power-hungry bug would have sacrificed countless changelings to obtain that kind of power! The only likely reason she didn't is because she probably didn't trust her subjects not to use what they found against her!"

As Luna sees the argument starting, she puts her hoof down, calling all eyes to her. "It doesn't matter what her reasoning was. She's been imprisoned and is keeping her secrets to herself."

"Luna, is there any way you can enter her dreams and find out what she knows about the ruins?" Celestia suggests.

Luna shakes her head. "No. After being turned to stone, the magic we used shut off her higher mental functions. She’s either completely thoughtless, or slowly going insane.”

Princess Celestia seizes the opportunity to steer the conversation in a more positive direction.

"There are many different groups joining us on this expedition, each bringing their own unique skills and abilities," she explains. "The diamond dogs will lend their expertise in tunnel digging and their strong sense of smell. The dragons will provide protection and perform scouting with their high resistance to the poisonous atmosphere. The griffins will send both soldiers and scholars to assist with archaeological efforts and fly in supplies with the help of the pegasi. The changelings, who also have a natural resistance to the poisonous atmosphere, will map out their former home in the badlands and provide valuable knowledge of the area's dangers. The zebras will join us as well, bringing their knowledge of herbalism and the ability to connect with spirits to calm the city's residents.”

Twilight's face lights up as she hears the news that all the races are coming together for a common cause. "The yaks and hippogriffs have also agreed to join us," Princess Cadance adds.

"I've also received word from Klugetown in the former Storm King's territory; the cats, the parrots, and several other groups will be joining the expedition as well. This is a huge step forward for friendship and unity among all creatures," Twilight says excitedly.

Princess Luna speaks up, her tone serious. "Or the spirits might try to banish them all back to where they came from."

All the ponies look shocked at Luna's words.

Dr. Caballeron finally speaks up, having been drawn back into the conversation by Princess Luna's outburst. "Ha! I bet they're just after the regular reports and think they can benefit by gathering information before the ponies do. Every kingdom except the yaks will send a spy or two to try and take advantage of lifting the ban to steal technology or lost information," he snarks skeptically. He cannot believe how naïve the young princess is, but decides to keep that to himself.

"The only ones with a real claim to the badlands are the changelings, and even then, I doubt it's only them,” he continued. “If they were smart, they would send out scouts, collect the information, and sell it to all the various countries. This would make them a huge profit and give them control over the technology going in and out of the old ruins."

Dr. Caballeron's analysis of the badlands catches Princess Luna off-guard. She was surprised by his analytical mind, having assumed he was not that bright, an opinion based on Daring Do's books.

"This is why you couldn't keep a mare in college," Daring Do smiles deviously.

"I'm being a realist,” he snaps back, “not a gullible fool who wears their heart on their sleeve. How many times did you fall for someone's tricks before you created this far-fetched character, A.K. Yearling?"

Daring Do scowls at him. "Don't you even try it." The mare reaches for the stallion’s collar, lifting it in her hoof, ready to strike, before she realizes her surroundings. She quickly hugs him awkwardly and smiles at the princesses.

Twilight scowls at Dr. Caballeron's faithless remark. "Don't you trust our allies? Or should I say, our friends, to honor the agreement we've made?"

The stallion raises an eyebrow. "Nothing's keeping us together except our word and the threat of war breaking out over the land."

“What’s holding us together is our shared curiosity,” scowls Twilight. “And if that’s not good enough, let me make it very clear: none of us can do this alone. The diamond dogs are not at all familiar with the written texts that can be found in there, so even if the answers were written on the wall in front of them, they couldn’t figure it out. The gryphons and dragons would probably try to hoard something dangerous that could potentially lay waste to their homes, and without the aid of the zebras, the warnings of the spirits will fall on deaf ears! If you go in there alone, the only outcome would be your death.”

“So feel free to go wandering in,” snorts Daring under her breath.

Luna looks at the group with a stern gaze. "I cannot be the only one thinking this: these spirits are not natural. And we do not know what they can do to ponies, as Twilight's reports have shown. They were able to enter her mind and show her the tragedies of the past. Who knows if they can do more than that?"

"I did not feel any malicious intent when they showed me the visions,” Twilight states plainly. “I just felt their pain. I think they just wanted someone to know what had happened to them."

Luna narrows her eyes. "Yes, I can see that the spirits you encountered were not malicious. But not every spirit tells the truth. They might sell you a sob story, telling you things you want to hear, so they can gain your trust. And then..."

Luna hadn't realized it until now, but she was leaning in close to Twilight's face, ending up eye-to-eye with the smaller mare. She quickly moves back, noticing the surrounding ponies looking at her with slight concern.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. “I let my emotions cloud my judgement.”

Celestia quickly snuggled up to Luna, trying to comfort her. "This is another reason why we don't want you to spend too much time in the city. On top of that, we'll be conducting tests for corruption, so a determined interval between examinations will be set.”

“I’ll be the one conducting those tests for you two,” smirks Cadance.

Spike chuckles, but that soon stops when he belches up a scroll. The green flames and smoke disappear as he catches it. "It's for you, Twilight," he says.

Twilight grabs it and opens it with her horn, reading it for a minute before setting it aside. "It looks like a dignitary needs to talk to me. Most likely, they want to discuss the project and how much it's going to cost in bits."

Celestia lets out a small giggle, relieved not to be burdened with the responsibility anymore. "We can adjourn the meeting now. The main points have been discussed. Any additional details can be found in the files. All we need is for you to sign the papers and you may take the files with you."

Daring Do doesn't waste any time signing her name and stamping it with her hoof. Caballeron takes a little more time to read over the contract before signing it and stamping it with his hoof. They both rise and bow to the princesses, turning to leave.

“Great,” smiles Cadance. “We’re leaving pretty early in the morning. Do you both have a place to stay tonight?”

The two look at each other. “I was going to grab a hotel room,” shrugs Caballeron.

“That’s certainly an option,” nods Cadance “Daring?”

“I’ll just book it to Cloudsdale. I’ll be back before you leave.”

Cadance shakes her head. “By the time you reach Cloudsdale, it’ll already be late, and you might not be able to find a place to stay. We have plenty of rooms here at the castle, and it'll be easier for you to leave in the morning if you stay close by," she suggests.

The two ponies take a moment to consider the offer. Daring Do shrugs, having stayed in the castle several times before, while Caballeron is thrilled at the new opportunity.

"If you insist, I'll take you up on that offer," smiles Caballeron.

Daring Do smiles at the princess, as well. “You are most generous, Princess.”

"Of course," replies Cadance with a devious smile. The two ponies are so focused on their own thoughts that they don't notice. "Give me a moment. Guard?"

A pegasus flies down and approaches the princess, who whispers something into his ear. The guard listens intently before smiling and walking over to the two ponies. "I'll be taking you to your room. Follow me," he says as the two ponies start to follow.

Cadance rubs her hooves together giddily as soon as they’re out of earshot. “Can’t you smell it?” she asks, taking a deep breath through her nose. “Love is in the air.”

“You have to be joking,” scoffs Twilight. “Those two? They hate each other!”

Cadance waves her hoof dismissively. “Maybe on the surface, but deep beneath that pile of manure, there are spectacular, beautiful flowers that just don’t know how to work their way to the surface. You just need to dig away at it and spread it around, and a beautiful flower garden will bloom in its place.”

Twilight grimaces at the metaphor. “Are you sure there are seeds of passion down there, Cadance? It just looks like a pile of crap to me.”

Celestia can’t help but laugh at Twilight’s rebuttal.

Luna furrows her brow. “Twilight, Tia, please… We are princesses. We should be a bit more refined than to chortle at such crude remarks.”

Cadance shakes her head. “Think about it, Twilight. They have spent most of their adult lives chasing after each other. They share a lot of interests, they have a lot of history together and they both like to travel to the same places. In fact, they both have a great respect for their teacher. If that information was all you saw, wouldn’t you think they were compatible?”

Twilight takes a deep breath. “If that was all I knew, then yeah. But I know more than that. They’re going to tear each other to shreds!”

Cadance shakes her head. “I know they can do this, Twilight. Deep down, there’s something that they both care for deeply. They’re only going to end up hurting themselves and others unless they can find it. Luckily, they both like to explore.”

Twilight puts her hooves over Spike’s ears. “Not when there are baby dragons present!” she shushes.

“It was a double meaning,” assures Cadance. “He probably didn’t think of the dirty iteration until you pointed it out.”

Spike chuckles, now catching the second interpretation.

Twilight brings her hooves back down. “Are you sure about this, Cadance?”

Cadance nods. “As sure as always. Like I said, I can smell it in the air. These two are destined to fall in love. They just need a little help, is all…”

Spike looks confused by her observation. "They seem like normal rivals to me."

Celestia reaches over and pets Spike. "Yes, but sometimes rivalries can lead to the best friendships. Perhaps more, if Cadance’s nose is right."

Twilight is shocked. She’d never before thought that those two could be a thing. "Wow. Wow! If you're right, Rainbow is going to lose her mind!"

Cadance smiles deviously. "Indeed. But I have a lot of work to do if I want these two to see each other in a new light." Cadance lights up her horn and disappears, leaving the three other princesses to their own devices.

"I also have to go, or I'm never going to hear the end of it from that griffin dignitary. Hopefully, Blueblood is distracting him."

Twilight disappears with Spike, leaving only Luna and Celestia. Celestia picks up her cup of tea and takes a sip. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Luna turns towards Celestia, looking at her for a few seconds before letting out a breath. "Not now, sister. I had nearly forgotten Nightmare Moon, and that place only serves to remind me of her.”

Celestia puts her hoof up on Luna’s shoulder. "Don’t rush into it. You'll only hurt the pony I care about the most. When you're ready to talk, I'll be right here waiting for you."

As Daring Do and Dr. Caballeron walk down the hallways of Canterlot Castle, they marvel at the beautiful stained-glass windows. Despite seeing them hundreds of times, Daring Do still looks at them in amazement, and even Dr. Caballeron is impressed with the view. He stops to admire in particular the image of Trixie’s release from the power of the Alicorn amulet. It sends a chill down his spine at how such a small object can have such far-reaching consequences.

After a moment of silence, Dr. Caballeron speaks up. "Do you believe those reports?"

"Of course I believe the reports," Daring Do replies. "Moreover, I believe the princesses. They have no reason to lie to us."

Caballeron thinks for a moment. "Then you have to believe there was a society that not only mastered this planet, but they also did so without magic. Then they somehow destroyed themselves. Doesn’t that strike you as odd?"

Daring Do raises an eyebrow. "What are you hinting at?"

"Don't play stupid. You know what I'm talking about," Caballeron growls. "A civilization that advanced, that ancient, and they didn't have a way out of their own downfall?"

Daring Do takes a moment to think. "There could be many variables as to what happened. Maybe they survived the initial devastation, but weren't able to recover fast enough. Or there could have been outside circumstances."

"Believe in the improbable, plan for the unexpected, and hope for the best." Dr. Caballeron mumbles to himself.

Shock washes across Daring’s face. "You remember that?!”

“It's what the professor used to say to us," Caballeron sighs without looking at her. "It doesn't matter what you think of me. I could never forget that old bag of bones. She was the only one who gave me a chance."

Daring Do stops in her tracks.

"She still wants to see you," the stallion says, hiding his face. "I don't."

At that moment, the guard interrupts, curious as to why they have stopped. "Your room is right over here," he says, gesturing down the hall. “These suites are usually reserved for dignitaries, but you two have been granted special exception by Princess Cadance.”

The two of them begin walking, with Daring Do trying to catch up. "Whose room did you say this was?" she asks.

The guard looks confused. "I was told you both would be sharing a single room."

Daring Do's face goes red, first in shock, then embarrassment, and finally disgust. "Why do we have to share a room?!" she growls.

The guard seems to panic slightly. "Because…" Sweating, he looks down the hallway behind them. Around one of the corners, he can see a shadow looming against a wall; a shadow he knows very well.

With a hard swallow, he turns back to Daring Do. “By order of Princess Cadance, I was asked to give the two of you a room. Specifically, a nice room. This is the only room we have available that meets all of the exact details she called for, and as it’s big enough for two, it was thought that there would be little problem.”

“Well, you thought wrong,” growls Daring. “I’m not sharing a room with him. You can tell the princesses that I will be at a local hotel.”

“I’ll take the room,” smirks Caballeron, pushing open the door and walking in. “A bubble bath? Sweet!”

The guard rushes over and puts a hoof on Daring’s shoulder. “I’ve been instructed to make sure you stay at the castle. I don’t know what the issue is between you and your coltfriend, but–”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!!” interrupts Daring, putting her hoof over his mouth. “He’s not my coltfriend!”

The guard pushes her hoof down. “Regardless, I have my orders. I have to make sure you stay in that suite until morning. Please understand that this is my job, and that I wouldn’t be doing this if I had a choice in the matter.”

Daring scowls. “I’m not sleeping with him.”

“You don’t have to. There are two beds. I can even have a maid bring in a privacy curtain.” He holds out his hoof toward the door. “Just one night?”

Daring takes a deep breath and sighs. “One night. Tomorrow, I want a different room. Are we clear?”

The guard nods. “I’ll do my best.”

As Daring slams the door behind her, the guard lets out a big sigh of tension.

Cadance comes out from behind the corner. “You handled that well,” she smiles, circling around him and brushing her tail against his chest. “Such a brave young stallion.”

“Th-thank you, Princess,” he blushes. “Can I go back to my post, now?”

“One second.” Cadance wraps her hooves around his shoulders and kisses his cheek. “You may go, stud.”

On unsteady hooves and trying to hide his elation, he stumbles off down the hall, stricken by both joy and dread at the same time