The two guards bow their heads as Dusk passes by into Celestia's throne room. They follow her into the chamber, the door, compelled by magic, closes behind them and they assume position on either side.
Celestia rests on her throne, her head leaning to one side. She sees the broken glass which she never bothered to clean. Her light didn't seem so bright lately. Dusk's presence rouses her from her daze. She rises to greet her student.
Dusk curtsies in a sign of respect to which Celestia returns a slight nod. She follows the nod with a warm, if weary smile.
"Your Grace, I have received your summons."
"Student, we are so glad you could come on such short notice. We know how your recent studies have left you so tire. We have called you to inform you that you shall be entering a new phase in your tutelage."
"Oh, Princess, this is wonderful! I've been studying new spells I found in the library so much! I can't wait to show you! What must I do, my Princess? I'm ready."
"You're to make friends."
"Of cour-friends, your Highness? I. well. friends?"
"Yes. Friends. There's a shortage of them in these times."
"Ever since Lu-?"
"Nightmare Moon." Celestia cuts in, "Yes, ever since We banished her to the moon. The wounds are still upon this land. Ponies need something. We want you to be our light in their heart and minds in these troubled times."
Celestia pauses, looks at her student. Her small, lanky little teal unicorn with the cyan mane and the nervous, green eyes.
"Besides, you're so lonely, Dusky. You spend all your time reading. Seeking knowledge is admirable, but there is a certain magic in friendship you can't learn just from your research. It's time you discovered that. We can not teach that in any classroom."
"But, Princess, I. It's just. There's so much. So little." Dusk sighs "As you wish, my Princess. I shall tell Pan to get ready."
"There shall be a carriage in the morning. Meet with me again tomorrow so We might brief you in detail. Good Evening, Dusk."
Dusk bows and turns to exit. Celestia rushes to her and embraces her student.
"I'll miss you so much. Please, write me about everything you learn. I have faith in you, my student. Have faith in me. You're like my child. It's been so hard since Luna has been gone. It feels as if light is no longer so bright. The night sky is dead and the sun has no warmth. Be safe."
Dusk blinks as tears begin to form. She breaks away and quickly exits, hardening her heart to leaving Canterlot.
She stops before her door. It seems so foreign now. Less like a home and more a cell. There are many doors down the hall to other rooms. Dusk wonders if it ever was home. She takes a breath, and slowly enters.
Pan the dragon is snoring in his bed. She considers waking him, but decides instead to pull out a book of spells. Unfortunately, the sharp-eared dragon is roused by the sound of a closing door.
(Drat!)
"Ah, Dusk, how did things go with the Princess."
"Fine. Pan, I want to go over some spells."
"Sure, but, your meeting? Is everything alright?"
Dusk slams a book down and opens it to one of her bookmarks.
"Why wouldn't it be?"
"You seem a little upset."
"I'm not. First spell, levitation."
She lifts a vase filled with flowers, a gift from Celestia.
"You've already mastered that, Dusk. What's wrong?"
Dusk drops the vase. It shatters on the ground.
"Nothing is wrong! We're not going anywhere! Focus, Pan! Teleportation."
The shards of the vase are outside the window, falling to the ground below. The flowers are still on the floor.
"That was your favorite! What are you do-. Wait, who said we were going anywhere?"
"We're not going anywhere, Pan. Transformation. (Not if I can do anything about it.)"
Her horn fizzles from her lack of concentration.
"Talk to me, please. What's going on?"
"It's nothing. It's-it's just not fair." Dusk heaves a sigh "It's not fair. I don't want to leave, Pan. I don't want to be alone again."
"Why are you leaving?"
"The Princess. She says it's part of my lesson, but she's sending me away."
"Whoa now. It'll be okay, okay? Celestia always has your best interests at heart. When has she ever done you wrong? Just calm down. Everything is going to be okay."
Dusk stares out her window
"I hope so, I really do. I'm tired, Pan. I just want to forget this day ever happened."
"Hey, I've got your bed ready. I can get a bath going, and make some tea, if you like."
Dusk smiles at her loyal companion
"Thank you, Pan, really, thank you."
Pan fetches a kettle, some tea, and cups. He breaths flames to heat the water. The smell soothes Dusk as she washes away the burden of the day. A half-hour later she is sitting on her bed, enjoying the tea prepared by Pan, reading her favorite book. Sleep overtakes her. Pan the dragon sits next to her that night, comforting her frequent tossing and turns.
She awakes the next morning, still tired. The sun has not yet risen. She departs to meet with the Princess once again and returns shortly afterwards with a sealed letter. She is now in a daze, automatically going about her business of preparing to depart.
"Pan prepare my things. Pack extra quills and paper, and pack the books. All of them. Pack something warm as well, we're going to Tundragrov. We'll be staying at the Academy for Gifted Unicorns. Celestia says I should meet some mares more my age there instead of being surrounded by military ponies of the guard or stuffy sycophants here. The lot of them are nothing."
She slouches against her doorway.
"Hey, slow down. You don't look good. When was the last time you ate?"
"I can't remember. Are my things packed yet? Remember the quills, the paper, and the books."
"You told me that, already. You're not feeling well. You need to eat."
"No, I really must-"
"Eat."
Dusk heaves another sigh, but gives in. She eats a small breakfast before finishing her packing. A host of guards come to her door, introducing themselves as her escort. They guide her out of the palace to a waiting carriage outside. As she prepares to get in, Dusk takes one look back up at the Palace. There, in the window, Celestia is watching her leave. She places a hoof upon the pane of glass. They share a silent farewell before Dusk closes the carriage door. They ride in silence for several hours when she turns to the small dragon beside her.
"Pan, thank you for being there for me. I don't how I would get through this without you."
Outside the lush meadows gave way to patches of snow. Dusk wonders idly if this is all there is to see when the carriage abruptly descends into a valley. The sudden change in altitude causes Dusk to feel her stomach rise. The plains give way to a thick taiga. The trees all crowned in snow. Between the patches of forest snake swift rivers choked with ice. On the horizon a city rises. It sits on the shores of a large river. The buildings are all made of a dark, red wood. One of them stands gloriously above them all. It has elegant spires that bulb out like onions. It's painted in the colors of the Western sky during a sunset. Fluttering in the wind are banners of Celestia. The carriage lands on a small pad connected to a large spire near the edge of the building. Dusk sees that it's built like a fortress with thick wooden walls. Despite this, she also notices that the wood of the railing along the platform is intricately shaped by magic into images of unicorns and pegasus.
"Well, Pan, are you ready?"
"Are you?"
Dusk laughs nervously. The guards open the door where stands an old unicorn in a thick coat to greet her.
"Welcome, Madame Dusk Crystal. I hope you've had a good trip. Please, come this way, and quickly! It's quite cold in this part of the world, and the wind can be fierce. Best not to dally too long." He gazes fearfully into the sky. "Not too long."
The receiving pony leads Dusk out of the cold and into the heart of the Academy. After several minutes of walking, they arrive before a large double door. It opens at their approach. Inside sit a group of five ponies: three unicorns, a Pegasus, and an Earth Pony. Behind each stands a retainer.
The Hall is wood, like the rest of the building. It smells of pine needles and smoke. A fireplace casts the only light. The dark wood gives the large room a cramped feeling in spite of its size. Dusk walks in and stands before the group.
"I am Dusk Crystal, unicorn of Canterlot, student of Princess Celestia. I have come under orders by Princess Celestia to your Academy and to present a letter from the Princess."
Two of the unicorns cast her suspicious glances. Dusk tries to ignore them, but can't help but meeting there eyes. Pan runs up beside her and presents the letter with a respectful bow. The elder unicorn in the center levitates it towards the group. He breaks the seal and attempts to read it. Unfortunately for him, the other ponies begin to struggle to read it as well. Eventually, tired of their bickering, the unicorn silences them and begins to read it aloud. The other unicorns rise from their seats and swiftly depart. Their escorts give Dusk a quizzical look as they're dragged from the Hall. The remaining unicorn sighs.
"We welcome you, young filly. I am Master Helios, the Head Master of this Academy and chair person of the council you stand before. The help that Her Grace has sent is much appreciated. It's often said that not even the Light of Celestia reaches this far North. It's good to see that's not true. Unfortunately, some of my colleagues are not so thrilled at your arrival. I must be frank; we are in grave danger. Tundragrov is under siege."
"Siege, Master Helios? From what? I saw no armies at your gate."
"Not from mortal forces."
"Then what?"
"Windigos, my foal, lap at our gates. They churn the skies, kicking up ferocious storms. And, with the city divided in its heart, we feed our very destruction. You know of Luna, of course? There are many in this city who still support her cause. Those ponies you saw leave are among them. This tragedy has left many scars on Equestria, but, particularly here. It's only by the vigilance of my friend Captain Gale, leader of the Charger Guard, that the city hasn't fallen to chaos yet. If only guards could protect our hearts as well."
"I don't understand, Celestia didn't mention Windigos when she sent me. She wanted me to study friendship."
The Earth ponies holds back a laugh, burying her face and pretending to sneeze. The unicorn eyes her, but says nothing.
"Windigos feed off animosity. It strengthens them. Too much of it, and they can consume entire cities. Celestia tells me you are her solution to our problem. Miss, you must understand, we are cut off. The frost creeps through our streets. Normal fire gives us no warmth. Our blanks are becoming our shrouds. Already, Captain Gale's guards sweep the streets daily for the frozen. You are, for better or worse, all we have now."
"So, I'm a mediator."
"It would seem so."
Dusk is about to protest when she recalls Pan's words and Celestia's apparent faith in her.
"I understand. How should I begin?"
"Wonderful. The two ponies you saw storm off hold saw over the remaining elements which support Luna. If you can convince them of the need to heal these wounds, then, maybe, we can save the city."
"Where can I find them?"
"The white unicorn was Lord Diamond. He's in charge of the second guard, the Shield. His unicorns are responsible for the magic wards in place which keep the elements and the Windigos at bay. He lives in the Frost Spire. The purple one was High Society. It's only by blood and influence among the prestigious elements of the city that she has a spot on this council. She is in the Cloud Spire."
"I'll speak with them."
Dusk pauses
"Are there really that many in this city who praise Night's Eye?"
"Yes, this city was once almost fully in support of her," He grimaces "-myself included. In the end, the Unicorn lost most of our power as a result of our treason. We weren't trusted. It's that loss of rank which has so many unicorns arrayed against us. They refuse to sit as equals with the other ponies. They're blind fools. They will never regain that power. It's time to move on and adapt to this new world, and try to make it better for the new generations who didn't have to grow up with that."
Finished with her questions, Dusk moves on.
"Thank you. I should begin soon if things are really so dire."
"You will be housed here in the Academy. My protege, Aurora Ribbon, will be your escort and roommate. She is very knowledgeable on the school and shall help you with whatever you need."
He motions to a pink and green unicorn behind him. She steps forward and flashes a beaming smile. Her eyes glow with a bright intelligence.
"Hello, Dusk. Is it true you're Celestia's sole pupil? That's amazing. I admit, I'm so very jealous. My mane isn't normally this color you know!"
She laughs at her own joke. Dusk laughs politely.
"Anyway, please, follow me to your quarters. Master Helios has given me the honor of being your host. We get to be roommates!"
Dusk finds her slightly infections and returns the smile,
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'd love for you to show me around."
Aurora leaps down from the state and walks past Dusk to the door. She turns at the open door.
"Well, off we go."
Dusk follows her out into the corridor. Almost everything is made of wood. Flames made from magic chase each other between the beams of the ceiling, lighting the way.
"So, how did you end up as Celestia's pupil, if I may ask?"
"I had to hatch a dragon's egg with magic."
"Wow, a dragon! That's fantastic!"
"Yeah."
"Is something the matter?"
"Oh, no, it's nothing. What's in there?"
Dusk motions towards an open doorway.
"Oh, that's the common area for this wing. We go there to hang out. You should stop be sometime. The other ponies would love to meet you."
Inside, a group of unicorns are either practicing magic or talking. It gnawed at Dusk's stomach.
"Yeah, that sounds fun. Maybe sometime."
"Sure! Hey, so tell me about this dragon."
"Well, his name is Pan, and he helps me out a lot... he makes good tea."
"Ah, what was that last part?"
"Tea, he makes good tea."
Dusk realizes she's beginning to mumble. She painfully wishes Aurora would let them continue on in silence.
"Tea. How lovely! You know, it's so hard to get such luxuries here, and, with a student's stipend, we can really only afford the bare necessities. Oh, please! you need to let me try some. I'll bring cake and can have a little party. Hey, you think we should get all the ponies together and have a welcoming party for you? I think it sounds terrific!"
Dusk's wishes would not come true. Fortunately, they finally reached the room after several more minutes of getting her ear talked off.
"And, here," Aurora declares, "is our humble dormitory. I'm sorry about having my stuff on your side. I can get so messy sometimes. Oh, hold on a minute. It's so embarrassing, really."
Aurora's horn glows a shifting stream of colors. The clutter in their room levitates itself to one side and neatly stacks itself.
"There, better. Now, we can move your things in."
"Oh, thanks, but I'll be fine by myself. I need some time to unwind, anyway."
"Oh, well, if you need any company."
"Alone, I just need some time alone."
Aurora's smile shrinks a little.
"Well, okay. Stop by the commons and say hi, yeah?"
Dusk nods and flashes a smile before closing the door behind her. She heaves a sigh.
"Sweet solitude."
She sinks to the floor, relishing her momentary privacy when a knock sounds against the door.
"Oh for- Who is it?"
"Pan, open up. I've got our stuff."
"Pan!"
She quickly opens the door, checks to make sure the corridor is empty before ushering him in.
"This is going to be tougher than I thought, Pan. I don't know how to talk to these ponies, and they expect me to be their arbitrator. I was never trained for this! No one taught me how to speak to other ponies. It's so weird."
"You talk to me fine."
"Yes, but, I've known you for so long."
"Just do what's natural, Dusk."
The comment makes Dusk burst out laughing
"Yeah, natural. About that, Pan, natural for me is not going to cut it. I'll look stupid. That filly wants to throw me a party! I've never been to one before."
"Dusk, you don't have to be afraid of looking stupid. March down there and make some friends. Don't worry, I'll go with you."
Dusk looks at him with anxiety in her eyes.
"Okay."
The walk down the corridor to the commons. Pan forcing her onwards. They're almost there when Captain Gale comes around the corner and calls out,
"Miss Crystal. Might I have a word with your about your mission?"
Dusk uses the opportunity to quickly squirm away from Pan. The prospect of formal business was far more appealing than the informal intricacies of socializing. Pan huffs behind her as she rushes to meet the Captain.
"Of course, Captain."
He bows.
"Then, Lass, follow me to the ramparts. There is something I must show you."
"Lead the way, Sir."
He nods curtly and takes off at a brisk pace. Dusk finds herself out of breath and nearly trotting to keep up. At least, she thought, he makes for a quiet companion. Finally, they reach the walls. The wind blows fiercely, causing Dusk to shrink against the cold. If it bothered Gale, he betrayed no outward sign of it. Standing guard at a turret is the Pegasus which stood with Gale in the assembly. Unlike Gale, this one is covered in a thick coat and shivers in the bone-cutting wind.
"Cadet Glidell, report."
The addressed Pegasus snaps to attention.
"Sir, all secure, Sir!"
"Excellent. Cadet, go to the den and warm yourself. I shall relieve you for now."
She bows and descends the stairs, giving a brief glance towards Dusk. Their eyes meet for an instant before both quickly look away.
"Tell me, Unicorn, do you know much about the Windigo?"
"Just that they feed on animosity."
"What about this city, then? What do you know of it?"
"Nothing except for the Academy and what Master Helios told me."
"I see they've educated you well. Never mind, I shall remove your ignorance. Tundragrov stands upon the Northern frontier of Equestria. It forms the center of a defensive line against the North. Until recently, it was dominated by a ruling class of Unicorn. When Luna," He spits at her name, "rebelled, the traitor, the Unicorn threw themselves into her service. Their already overbearing power over the rest of us only increased. The weight was unbearable. But Luna failed, and this city begged for mercy. The other ponies tore the power the unicorns had built down and established a more representative assembly. The bitterness of the Unicorns and the thirst for revenge from the Earth ponies and Pegasus has led to the state this city, My City, is now in. Next question, why do you suppose this treacherous city still stands? What is so important out in the wastes that we should stand guard here?"
"The Windigo-"
"Incorrect, Unicorn. The Windigo are just the immediate concern. A darker threat is across the river, to the North. Hark, look to the North and see them."
"I-I can't see anything, Captain."
"Of course you can't, Unicorn. Your vision is pitiful next to a Pegasus. Typical. It's plain as day to us. Beyond that river lies the Swarm."
"The Swarm?"
"Are all students from Canterlot so ignorant, or are you just a special case? They are a race of black, armored things, which feed on the energy of other life forms. It gives them power. A single pony, drained completely, gives one of them the strength to take on five of my Pegasus. Our scouts report, and my own observations seem to confirm, they outnumber us 15 to one. If this city falls, then Equestria will be overrun."
"How do you hold them back, if they're so strong?"
"We hold them back by holding ponies in. It starves them. They war upon each other for what scant resources they can find. It's a dead land over there. The wind itself hasn't the energy to blow. That weakness won't matter much if this city is consumed by the Windigo. Do you now realize, Unicorn, how imperative your mission is now?"
Dusk stares into the distance. Her inability to see the Swam only frustrates her.
"I see."
"For our sake, I hope you have better vision than the other Unicorn. You're dismissed. Tell Glidell to get back out here."
Dusk feels her cheeks burn. She wants to yell at this arrogant, pompous Pegasus, but all she can do is nod in defeat. A deep feeling of disgust and anger at her cowardice hits her in the gut. She spots the lone Pegasus huddled next to a fire downstairs.
"Glidell?"
She perks up.
"Yes?" Turning to face Dusk "Oh! you're the Unicorn. How may I help you?"
"Gale wants you back outside."
Dusk tries, and fails, to hide her spite at his name.
"Nice guy, isn't he? Thanks, I'll be up in a minute."
Dusk lets out a sharp laugh, and turns to leave for her room.
"Dusk! Over here! Hey!"
Aurora rushes her from the commons.
"I knew you'd come! Come on! We've made cake and Pan brought tea! I'd love for you to meet Bliss and there's Nova and Froit!"
The group welcomes her and begin to pummel her with introductions and questions. It quickly tires Dusk out. She manages to slink into a corner and begins to contemplate sneaking out. She fancies herself a stealthy spy, hidden and unseen as she moves nonchalantly towards the door when Aurora spots here again.
"Hey, you. Why the long face? We're not that bad, are we?"
"Oh no, it's not that. I just really have to-"
She remembers her promise to Pan.
"Listen, Aurora, this is really nice of you. Really, I appreciate what you're trying to do for me, but, I just can't deal with big crowds. I get so nervous when people talk to me. I'm sorry, really."
"Whoa, Dusk. That's okay. I understand. I was really shy when I got here too. I can help you come out of your shell. Don't worry, I've got your back."
Aurora beams her smile. Dusk can't help but smile back. She grabs Aurora and pulls her into a hug.
"Thank you."
"Hey, we're friends, okay?"
"Yeah."
Dusk spent the night sitting in the corner talking with Aurora. Little by little, Aurora's friends left, but the two stayed there. The flames began to extinguish themselves. Only a small red one remained, dimly casting shadows.
"Oh, it's so late. Hey, I need to write the Princess."
"Huh? Sure. Wow, what time is it? I need to get some sleep. See you in the morning, Dusk."
Finally, alone in the commons, Dusk began her first letter
"Dear Princess Celestia..."
Phantom images of the Swarm, from some strange abyss in her mind, infest her mind that night. She is standing before a large mound. It's a chaotic mixture of building materials laid out by some eye which saw neither order nor aesthetics as anything of importance.
Dusk feels compelled to walk forwards towards the Hive. She climbs to a narrow hole dug into the Earth. There is a chattering in her brain that tugs her deeper.
As she descends, the light of day slowly fades into nothing. Her eyes can perceive only thin pinpricks of cool, green light. She nears close to the source of one pair, and, as she sticks a hoof out to identify its source, it skitters away into the darkness. Dusk reels back in revulsion at the realization of the source of this light. All around they stare, blinking in and out of sight. Still she marches on; her body pays no attention to her rising panic.
Finally, there is light, but Dusk wishes there was none when she first glimpses the dark form before her in the center of the chamber. A black monster reaching 20 feet into the air sits in the center of the room. There is a large, semi-opaque sack attached to its back which stretches the length of the room. In its jaw, it munches upon some unfortunate animal; the bones occasionally fall to the ground from the Things mouth.
It reaches out to Dusk with a leg covered in thick hairs. Dusk attempts to turn and run, but she finds her body still won't respond. She watches, completely paralyzed, as the sharp limb rises high above her head before beginning a downward sweep. Her hearts feel as if it will soon burst. A hair strokes her horn, and she wakes.
Pan is there, patting her mane as she wakes shaking uncontrollably, her chest heaving. There is no light coming in through the window except the distant flames of the watch. She notices a pale light above her bed. Her pillow is floating. There are books sprawled over the ground. Aurora is sleeping, thankfully.
She turns to Pan and asks the time. He tells her it's close to one. She thanks him and gets out of bed. Using her magic, she quickly tidies the room up once more and makes for the door. Pan starts to follow.
"No."
She cuts him off, and closes the door behind her. She approached her twelfth day in Tundragrov. In that time, Aurora had introduced her to many ponies including Glidell and Stone Works, the Earth pony under Faircraft. Dusk at first figured it would be wise to cast a wide net, but found it exhaustive work. She settled on Aurora, Glidell, and Stone Works, as their position made it the most prudent choice. It didn't seem to bother most ponies, as they rarely came back to speak with her twice.
Dusk finds the door to the Library. It was open, thankfully, at all hours. She lets herself in and combs the sections of history, zoology, and, finally, mythology. There, in a book of mythological creatures, she finds what she searches for. She takes the book to a table lit by a mote of flame suspended in the air.
"Thumophage: Devourer of Desires"
A drawing of a grotesque beast appears under the title. The description is brief, saying that the creatures are found in the most inhospitable parts of the world and that they received their name from the fatigue and emotional numbness which is associated with their presence.
It says that some explorers have seen ponies willingly present in their company, but all attempts to converse with them has revealed, universally, a stark madness and desire to defend the Thumophage. The few separated from the Swarm have all died shortly thereafter from starvation or thirst, refusing any sort of food or water.
Dusk begins to close the book. She pauses for a moment to stare at the image. She feels her heart race slightly as her eyes widen. There's fear mixed with a trace of excitement. The cover slams down. From her gut rises a feeling of disgust when she thinks too long upon her actions just then. Dusk replaces the tome and extinguishes the flame before leaving.
She returns to her room where Pan is sleeping in a chair next to her bed. He must of passed out waiting for me, she thought, how sweet. Lowering her head, she nuzzles him and crawls into bed. The dragon scratches himself. It draws a warm smile out of Dusk. She goes to sleep with that same smile and wakes with it several hours later.
Pan greets her with breakfast,
"You're looking a lot better. Sleep well after your little midnight stroll?"
"Hmm, oh, yeah. A lot better. I feel a lot more refreshed today than I have lately."
"Great, let's hope you can keep that up until this weekend."
"Why this weekend? What do you have planned?"
"It's not me. I got a response from Faircraft."
"Really? Show me."
Pan takes out a small letter with a broken seal. He clears his throat and begins to read:
"To Lady Dusk Crystal of Canterlot, you are Cordially invited... to the residence of Lady High Society...15th."
"So, she actually invited us? It seems Stone Works was right about Faircraft, she has some strange friends in this city."
"Even unicorns have need of craftsmen and bankers. And they all answer to Faircraft in this town."
"I suppose. Anyway, I'll need to get ready. Pan, could you send a letter to Stone Works and grab Glidell? I'll need to go to town today and pick out a dress."
"On it, my Lady."
He bows and rushes out the door.
Dusk rises from bed and walks to the window. She gazes off into the distance where Gale pointed. She feels a slight sense of apprehension before that familiar disgust comes back and forces her to look away.
"Ugh, I can't stand those filthy insects."
Levitating her glass towards her, she drains the water inside and slams it back down. It's time to prepare for the day. An hour later, she is at the front gate with Glidell and Stone Works. A carriage pulls up and they get in. It takes them into the winding streets of Tundragrov towards the market district. Stone Works passes the time by pointing out various businesses, who owns them, and gossip about the owners.
"That pony was seen just last week with this pony together in park. That other pony is about to lose all of his money to liquor and gambling."
It seems as if he never shuts up. He is a strongly built pony with a marble column for a cutie mark. He was as refined in manner and appearance as the column was on his cutie mark.
The carriage stops before a small boutique. Stone Works leads them inside where a thin pony greets Stone as an old friend. She shows the trio around her shop before pushing Dusk behind a curtain to have her measurements taken. There are birds inside which assist the owner in her task. Finally satisfied, Dusk is shooed out as quickly as she is taken in.
The pony tells her,
"Come back in three days, and I shall have your dress ready. Don't worry, I know what these unicorns like."
Outside, they meet three unicorn mares. They look from Glidell, a sneer, to Stone Works, a chuckle, to Dusk, fully laughing now. They toss a bit at Dusk before continuing on their way.
Dusk picks the bit out of the snow and furrows her brows.
"What was that?"
"They think you're trash. They were mocking us with their gold."
Glidell wings tremble and rise slightly. She is about to chase after them when Stone Works steps in front of her.
"We're better than that, Dell. The carriage is here, let's return Dusk to the Academy."
Glidell sinks, but her wings continue to shake. She looks Stone in the eyes before entering the carriage. Dusk follows, and Stone Works climbs in last. He shuts the door, and the they take off under a heavy silence. Stone is the first to break it.
"I'm sorry, Dusk."
"It feels colder. They warned me, but I didn't think some of the ponies would be so difficult."
"Things are grim."
"Yeah. If this is the norm, there can't be much time left."
Dusk stares out the window at the passing street. On the surface, everything appears so ideal, but Dusk was beginning to understand what lies at the city's heart. The carriage reaches the Academy Gates and lets Dusk off.
She turns to Glidell.
"Are you coming?"
She looks at Stone
"Stone and I wanted to spend some time together. I'll catch you tomorrow, okay?"
"Ah, well,"
Dusk feels stupid,
"Have fun, you two."
"Thanks, we will."
The door closes and the carriage takes off back towards town. Dusk suddenly feels a sinking loneliness. A wind cuts through her and drives her into the warmth of the Academy.
She seeks Aurora out in the commons, but finds only a handful of unicorns hard at work in their studies. Dusk decides not to bother them. Instead, she decides to sleep early tonight. Hopefully, there would be no more nightmares.
Luck abandons her tonight.
She finds herself again in that chamber. The monster is there, but ignores her now. She hears voices throughout the Hive. It creates a maddening chorus which she tries to block out by covering her ears. Only upon covering her ears does she realize the sound is in her head.
The monster turns towards Dusk and speaks to her. Dusk is drawn to stand before it. It again raises one of its limbs, but, this time, it picks her up into the air. It carriers her towards it mouth. She struggles to get loose, but the grip just tightens until she can no longer breath. The four jaws open and she is forced inside. Dusk sees the light go out as the monster closes its mouth. Then, the teeth begin to tear into her and the first bone cracks.
