"I'm really sorry your dress got damaged," said Sweetie Belle as she trotted alongside me. "Even if it wasn't the real me who did it."
I smiled faintly as I levitated the dress before me and opened the closet door with another nudge of magic. It reminded me of the last time Sweetie had been in my room. All I could see were the things I would have done differently had I the chance to do it over again.
Sweetie Belle jumped onto my bed. "Did you try repairing it? You did such a great job with Bon Bon's dress."
I placed the dress back in the closet and tried fruitlessly to turn it so that the ragged hole did not show. "A patch can never bring it back to the way it was. And, really, Bon Bon's dress was just practice."
"Still, you might want to try." Sweetie smiled. "If just to make Rarity more proud of you than she already is."
I hesitated before nudging the closet door closed. Such a statement should have sparked a sense of joy. I wanted Rarity to be proud of me. Just like I always wanted my mother to be proud of me.
When I had stepped into the living room of Applejack's home after Twilight rescued Sweetie Belle, I had sought Rarity as a hurt little girl would look for her mother. While I had appreciated Fluttershy's support, she was not the one I had wanted -- and still desperately needed -- to hear from concerning what I had almost done.
I stepped over to the bed. "Sweetie, this may sound like an odd question but ... do you ever look up to Rarity as a sort of, well, mother figure?"
"Mm, not really, no," Sweetie said. "I mean, she does mother-like stuff for me." She rolled her eyes. "And she bosses me around like my mother might sometimes, but she really is my older sister."
"But do you miss your parents not being around?"
"Yeah, I do, sometimes," Sweetie said in a soft voice. "I kinda felt that way right after Twilight rescued me."
"That reminds me. Are you doing okay with that?"
"It's better," Sweetie Belle said. "Princess Luna didn't even have to help me with the nightmares last night. And the mailmare delivered a message from my parents this morning. They're going to be in town a few days from now."
I smiled. "I'll look forward to meeting them."
Sweetie Belle looked thoughtful. "What about you?"
"Huh? Oh, um, I'm doing fine. No nightmares, at least. I'm wondering if they got any information out of Wuntusix."
"I didn't mean that," Sweetie said softly. "How do you feel about Rarity?"
I should have expected Sweetie to be so direct. I had wanted to take Michelle's advice to heart, but now it seemed all her supposed wisdom had been tainted. The spirit that resided in my pendant seemed more unlike Michelle each time I thought about it. Or was that just me making another excuse to avoid the issue?
I climbed onto the bed and sat next to Sweetie. "Can you keep a secret?"
She smiled. "Sure!"
"I really want to see Rarity as my mother."
"That's great!" Sweetie cried. "Oh, but, wait, does that make me your aunt? That's kinda weird, though. Can I keep being your sister?"
Dammit, I had such a hard time staying upset around her. My lips twitched into a tiny smile. "Don't worry, we can keep being sisters. And, to be honest, I'm not sure if what I feel towards Rarity is right."
"Why not?" When I didn't reply right away, she added, "Are you afraid Rarity might not like it?"
That had not really crossed my mind, but I supposed it was a possibility. Perhaps I felt closer to her than I had realized if I had never considered rejection. "No, it's not that. It's ... it's sort of how you don't look up to Rarity as a mother even though your parents are not around all the time. You don't want to replace your real mother."
Sweetie Belle remained silent for a long moment. "But ... you told me your mother is gone. Is that really the same thing?"
I managed to keep my voice steady. "Apple Bloom lost both her parents. Does she look to anypony else as a mother or father?"
Sweetie considered. "No, I don't think so. But it's kinda different with her. She's got a large family, and she has something to remember her parents by."
"She does?"
"Yeah, something on the farm. She can explain it better than I can. You should talk to her about it."
I recalled Apple Bloom's invite that day. "I guess I will."
"Don't you have something to remember your mother by?"
"Not really, no," I said.
"I thought you told me your mother gave you that pendant."
I forced myself to lower the hoof I had only realized then had risen to touch my pendant. "The problem, Sweetie, is that the pendant has lots of memories associated with it. Not all of them are good. Sometimes I have trouble seeing one for the other."
Sweetie gave me a hug. "I'm sorry to hear that, Candy. I wish I could help you more."
I closed my eyes and hugged her tightly. I wished I could express the love I felt for Rarity as easily as I could the love I felt for Sweetie Belle. "Let's head over to the clubhouse, there's still a few get-well cards to finish."
Sweetie Belle smiled. "Sure."
Rarity had eased up on her training lessons, both in magic and fashion, so I could have time to reconnect with Sweetie Belle and wind down from the events on the farm. Ironically, those days were often spent on that very farm with the Crusaders.
As anxious as I was to get the answers I felt I deserved, I was not in any hurry for the inevitable conflict with Michelle. I tried to tell myself that whatever was happening now did nothing to invalidate what Michelle had done for me before, but I still tended to get past, present, and future all tangled into a knot of unresolved feelings.
As we headed downstairs, I glanced into the workroom. "Um, Sweetie, hold up."
"Something wrong?" Sweetie said as I wandered inside.
My gaze flicked among the ponyquins. "The dress I had worked on for Bon Bon is gone."
I heard approaching hoof-steps in the hall as I spoke. Rarity stepped inside, smiling. "That's because the dress is back with Bon Bon."
I turned towards her. "Huh? I thought she said she had traded that one in."
"Yes, she had, but apparently when she saw the wonderful work you did on it, she wanted it back," said Rarity. "Seems it has a bit of nostalgic value to her. Something concerning her friendship with Lyra."
I wished I had never suspected Lyra in the first place. I still felt the urge to apologize to her.
"See, Candy?" Sweetie Belle said. "It might be worth trying to fix your dress after all."
"Oh, indeed," said Rarity. "Especially if you wish it only for the memories."
I forced a small smile. I supposed that's all it really was good for now. I had hoped to wear it again before the summer was out, perhaps at Cranky and Matilda's wedding. Rarity would likely be beside herself if I attended a wedding in a patched dress. "We were going to head over to Sweet Apple Acres."
Rarity stepped up to me. "Before you do, please stop by Twilight's castle. She wishes to speak with you."
My tail flicked. "Um, okay."
Sweetie smiled. "Maybe that means Zecora has another potion for you. You might get to talk to your friend Cherry again."
"Yeah, I just might," I said in a strained voice. "I'll catch up with you later, Sweetie."
Twilight levitated the same book that she had shown me the other day while she had contemplated my request for a new body for Michelle. She cast her subdued gaze on the ancient text for another moment before she spoke. "This journal belonged to a pony named Far Seer. He was a unicorn mage who had a limited ability to see the future. He was a student of Starswirl's, and then later in life, a very good friend."
"Did it give you some clue as to what Starswirl's intentions were concerning the pendant?" I supposed that was my roundabout way to bring the conversation back to my request. I glanced down at my pendant, Twilight's privacy shield glowing around it.
She opened the book to a page near the middle. "Let me read you this. I'll translate the archaic tongue into colloquial: Starswirl has been tense and restless this last fortnight. I know not how he will react to the news I must break to him. With his recent obsession over how life and spirit operate within the continuum of Equestrian magic, I fear this will only add to his burden and raise him from despair to anger. Yet I do not feel right about keeping this from him. I cannot even bring myself to write about what I have foreseen, as shattered as this vision has left me. Yet he will be the one shattered if I do not inform him in time."
She flipped though the remaining pages. They were all blank. "That was his last entry?" I asked.
Twilight closed the book and lowered it. "Yes. This was written right before Starswirl went on his supposed sabbatical during which he created the pendant. I checked the archives. Far Seer disappeared soon after that and was never seen again."
My eyes widened. "They have no idea what happened to him?"
Twilight set the book down gently. "Far Seer spent much time researching unusual magical practices, so his travels took him to exotic and untamed areas. Where he had close calls before, it was assumed he had met his end that way. But the entries leading up to this one chronicle Starswirl's growing interest in defining the essence of spirit and how it relates to life and magic. The pendant was not a spur-of-the-moment project. He had carefully planned it for some time, and Far Seer was the only one he ever told."
"And you think Far Seer saw something bad in the future, and he wanted to warn Starswirl about it?"
"That's what the entry implies. Unfortunately, with no more record of what happened, I can only guess."
I swallowed hard. I could guess as well. I had once equated Michelle's situation as incarceration. That seemed even more apt if this avatar was controlling her somehow, preventing her from telling the truth.
"There's something else," Twilight said in a cautious tone. "There is changeling magic infused into the pendant."
"Wait, what??" I cried. "Are you sure?"
"Despite the fact that I was unable to defeat Sevfivtoo, my battle with her furthered my knowledge of her magic. I re-examined my notes on the pendant, and I can definitely see the signature of changeling magic now."
"But what exactly does that mean?" I demanded.
Twilight started pacing. "I'm not sure myself. It could be lingering contamination from Chrysalis' spell. Or some ambient changeling magic was drawn in when the pendant was created, since his lab was so close to the badlands. Or it could've been purposely integrated into the thaumic matrix, which could be precisely why he chose that location for his lab."
"I don't particularly like that last option."
"Neither do I, as it raises even more questions about Starswirl's ultimate purpose."
I shivered. "And ... there isn't a possibility that it means changelings are in the pendant?"
"No," Twilight said firmly. "There are only two entities in the pendant and neither are changelings. I'm sure of that."
"What about Wuntusix?" I asked. "Does she know anything?"
Twilight sighed. "I tried interrogating her. I can't get her to tell me anything. Maybe it's my imagination, but she seems almost ... despondent. I'm going to ask Kevin if he could talk to her." She turned to face me. "But in the meantime, we can try to find some answers ourselves."
My heart thumped. "Zecora has a new potion ready?"
"Yes, for both of us." Twilight stepped up to me. "Candy, I'm willing to do this alone if--"
I frowned. "No, I'm doing this. I need to talk to Cherry."
Zecora stepped out from behind the cauldron. She gestured with a fore-hoof towards a shelf. "I have created the potion anew, and now it is balanced for two."
I slid my gaze towards two flasks which sat bubbling with the same fizzy potion as I had taken before. I remembered not knowing quite what to feel, or what I would see. My anxiety was no less than it had been then, but for vastly different reasons.
Twilight smiled. "I'm impressed that you were able to adapt it so fast."
"As much as I like the fame," said Zecora. "The pendant is more to blame."
I stared at her. "Huh?"
"I assumed going in was easy, but coming out was not; thus of my effort spent, the latter consumed quite a lot. But through my research I have come to know that the pendant itself ensures a smooth flow."
"I'm not sure I follow," I said.
Twilight stepped up to me. "I think what she means is that the pendant is allowing spirit energy to flow smoothly both in and out. When she crafted the potion, she had to ensure that you wouldn't get somehow partially stuck in the pendant. It seems she didn't need to worry about that as much."
"But Cherry could already do that," I said. "She appeared to me in the White Tail Woods."
"Yes, but she required an infusion of energy for that, or so she claimed." Twilight frowned. "But if the pendant already allows energy to flow both ways easily, then something is not adding up."
To me the implication was clear: Starswirl had indeed intended to create a new body and project a spirit into it. As much as I burned to plead my case to Twilight again, we had to do this first. I grabbed one of the flasks in my magic and drew it towards me. "Well, let's go ask them."
Twilight levitated the other flask towards her. "I'll need to start the spell first." She lowered her head. The privacy shield dissipated, and the pendant again suffused the room with bright golden light. She raised her head and drew the flask close. "Ready?"
"Ready," I said.
We drank our potions at the same time.
I again felt dislocated as the world went stark white and robbed of my sense of self let alone another presence beside me. When the veil faded to reveal a new reality, I recoiled and almost stumbled. Instead of green grass under my feet, I found hard stone, walls rising to a high, vaulted ceiling. Only when I heard the echoing clop of hooves beside me did I realize I was not alone.
"This is exactly like from my dream," said Twilight in an awed voice.
Twilight had spoken Equestrian, and I had understood it even in this form. I turned my head and encountered my second surprise, which Twilight mirrored when she turned towards me and gasped, her pupils shrinking as she beheld me. "Wow, I didn't realize you were so tall in your original form!"
I giggled. Twilight did look rather small. Her head came up to about my stomach. "I thought you knew that from what you saw in Zecora's cauldron."
"I didn't quite have a sense of scale." She smiled. "I wish I could take this opportunity to learn more, but we have a task to accomplish. Though didn't you tell me you arrived outside last time?"
"I did, which is why I'm a little worried." I looked around. Large banners festooned the far wall, all bearing the visage of Starswirl the Bearded. Doors led off to other corridors, all blocked by iron gates.
Twilight frowned. "I don't like this. When I visited this place in my dream, I was able to go anywhere in the castle I pleased."
We both flinched when a male voice suddenly reverberated through the chamber, "That is because thou art not as welcome here as before! Dost thou always intrude upon the private space of others with no advance warning?!"
As my heart raced, Twilight took a step forward, raising her head high. "Only a few days ago, I rescued an innocent filly from a would-be changeling queen, events that you helped set in motion! I have every right to be here and to demand answers!"
After a pause, the voice continued in a softer tone, but no less overbearing. "We are grateful for thine assistance and are happy no harm hath come to thy foal friend. Canst thou not leave further matters alone? Thou hast only one task, to help the one thou callest Cherry to manifest and aid in thine efforts."
"I don't like being dictated to by the mere impression of a great wizard," declared Twilight.
"Mere impression?!" the voice roared, and my heart leaped into my throat when the ground shook. "An Alicorn Princess thou mayest be, but that is no reason to think of thee as my better. I have all the knowledge and wisdom of the original Starswirl at the time I was incorporated into this artifact."
I saw Twilight visibly relax as she turned to me and said in a soft voice, "At least that confirms that this is indeed just an avatar." She looked forward and raised her voice. "You claim to be like the Starswirl of old, but you have none of his kindness or willingness to make new friends!"
"Thou hast no right to make such claims. Thou assumest too much. Thou cannot--"
A new voice suddenly intruded, and I gasped. "Starswirl, please, enough! Thou art not helping matters any!"
"Michelle, is that you?!" I called out.
Twilight gave me a confused look. "What was that you just spoke?"
Only then did I realize I had lapsed into English. "Oh, um, sorry," I said in Equestrian. "Apparently I know both languages in this form."
I heard Starswirl sigh. "Child, please, quiet. Thou dost not understand--"
"Thou shalt not call me 'child'," Michelle said in a bitter voice. "In Twilight Sparkle, thou art dealing with an Equestrian Princess, equal in stature to the Princesses of the Sun and the Moon. She and my friend deserveth respect."
My heart thundered. Should I feel elated that Michelle could stand up for herself against Starswirl, or worried that he would summon his wrath upon her?
"Let me talk to them," said Michelle.
Another sigh. "Very well," said Starswirl in a stiff voice.
Metal slid against stone as one of the gates slid open. My heart skipped a beat as Michelle strode towards us. She stopped before Twilight and curtsied. "My apologies, Princess Twilight Sparkle." She turned towards me and smiled faintly. "It is good to see thee again. Sorry to subject thee to archaic speech once more."
I smiled faintly. It did sound rather amusing coming from her.
"Do you always speak for Starswirl's avatar?" Twilight asked in a curt voice.
"He prefereth not to be referred to as an avatar," said Michelle.
"At the moment, I don't care," Twilight snapped. "No offense, Cherry, but I would prefer to speak with him directly."
"Princess, he hath confided in me everything he knoweth. I speak for both of us."
"Then maybe you know about Far Seer," said Twilight.
Michelle paused, her eyes flicking back to me. "Princess, perhaps thou shouldst let Candy speaketh first. I am sure she hath much she wisheth to ask of me."
"Maybe I do," I said in a shaky voice. "But if it's Starswirl who's driving everything, why can't he speak to us too?"
Michelle dipped her head slightly, a lock of hair falling over one eye, and she averted her gaze for a moment. I indeed had a question, but I was unsure I could bring myself to voice it. "Candy, I know thee well enough to understand when thou hast a burning question. Thou shouldst speak it now."
As charming as archaic Equestrian could be, it also had the annoying tendency to make every suggestion sound like a damn command. "Fine! I'll ask it! Are you colluding with the fucking changelings?!"
For that one word, I had lapsed into English. Twilight's pupils shrank as she likely realized that not only had she learned her first word of English, but it was a curse word.
Michelle gave me a hurt look. "Thou wouldst think that of me?"
I clenched my hands into fists. "Stop it. You always did this. Whenever you didn't want to answer a question, you instead asked one in return."
"Then I will answer," Michelle said. "I did not, nor would I ever collude with those creatures."
"Then why does the pendant have--?"
I stopped when I felt Twilight jab me in the side with her wing. She turned towards Michelle. "I want to believe you, Cherry, but when you drained energy from the shield spell just to appear to Candy in her dream right before the train back from Canterlot was attacked, I can't help but be suspicious."
"It forced thee to find another way to protect Candy without relying on something that could be bypassed," said Michelle.
"That was the reason?" I cried. "You couldn't just come out and tell us, 'oh, by the way, using the pendant as a focus for the spell is a bad idea'?! Why did you have to resort to this?"
Michelle looked at Twilight. "Wouldst thou have believed it if I had done as she suggesteth?'
"I don't know," said Twilight in a neutral voice. "But you were taking a huge gamble that I'd change my strategy, and frankly I don't like being manipulated like that."
My heart sank. "Wait, that means you knew something like this would happen! You knew the changelings were working together, and you did nothing?!"
Michelle remained quiet for a long moment. She raised her head and slowly brushed the lock of hair from her eyes. Her gaze flicked between the two of us before settling on Twilight. "Princess, thou knowest Sevfivtoo must be stopped, correct?"
"Yes, and I intend to do everything in my power to see that happen," said Twilight in a firm voice.
I refused to let Michelle ignore me. "Answer my question! You did know that something was going to happen, didn't you?"
Michelle nodded without looking at me. "But it was inevitable, given Sevfivtoo's wish to obtain the pendant."
"And just why does she want the pendant?" Twilight asked.
"Thou hast already determined this by thy conversation with the changeling Kevin," said Michelle. "To cast a spell upon it and use it to absorb the energy she needeth to Ascend."
"Except that she can't," said Twilight.
I stared at her. "Huh?"
A smug expression crossed Twilight's muzzle. "Ever since we've arrived, I've been studying the magic patterns here. This conjured universe is so compact I can sense the thaumic weave, and I've come to the conclusion that Sevfivtoo has a chicken-and-the-egg problem. She needs to utilize the pendant as Chrysalis attempted to do to gain enough energy to Ascend, but only an already Ascended Queen with Chrysalis' power can cast such a spell."
I gasped. "Twilight, a-are you sure?"
"Positive," said Twilight. "Only after entering the pendant myself did I realize I had barely scratched the surface of its complexity. Even I would have trouble crafting a spell to do what Chrysalis had attempted, and she likely had over a year to prepare."
I turned towards Michelle. "Did you know this?"
Michelle smiled faintly. "No, I did not. It is good news. It means Sevfivtoo hath no true means to Ascend, even with the pendant. Perhaps protecting the pendant needeth not be a concern anymore, and thou canst relieve thyself of the burden."
"You're not serious!" I cried. "You mean just give the pendant to her?"
"Or thou canst bait her into taking it after arranging a suitable trap."
"Aren't you forgetting a little detail? Like the fact that you're still stuck in the pendant?!"
Michelle sighed. "Candy, I cannot ever forget that."
"Cherry, I refuse to do anything which will jeopardize your safety," said Twilight. "While I don't yet fully understand what it means to be a disembodied spirit, I have to assume you are indeed alive in some way."
Michelle smiled more fully, but it remained subdued. "I thank thee for the consideration, even if it is misplaced."
I stomped up to Michelle. "You don't get it, do you? This isn't about protecting me or some stupid artifact anymore, this is about protecting you! I want to get you out of here even more than ever now!"
"Candy, we discussed this."
"No, we didn't discuss anything! You tried to tell me what to do!"
"I only told thee the limitations of--"
"Let Twilight figure that out!"
"Candy, Cherry, enough," Twilight declared. "I have a feeling I know what you're talking about, and that's not where I want to go right now."
It took all my will not to explode at her. Why shouldn't we talk about it? Why shouldn't we find out everything that this avatar of Starswirl knows about the real wizard's research? I didn't want to believe that Twilight had already dismissed the possibility of crafting a body for Michelle.
"Cherry, I want to talk to Starswirl's avatar," said Twilight.
"What dost thou wish to know?" Michelle said.
"No, I'm not playing that game. You ignored the first question I asked, and we went off on a tangent."
Starswirl's voice suddenly reverberated through the room. "And didst thou not receive valuable information concerning the pendant?"
"Then give me more!" Twilight shouted. "Tell me what the name Far Seer means to you! What is it he foresaw that he felt the need to warn Starswirl about? Did it indeed have to do with his research?"
"It mattereth not!" the avatar thundered. "All thine efforts must be focused upon stopping Sevfivtoo! Thou dost not want to delay until extreme measures are all we have remaining!"
"Starswirl, please, stop," Michelle said in a barely audible voice.
I narrowed my eyes. "What did he mean by that?"
Twilight stepped up to me. "Candy, we don't have much time left. The potion will run out soon."
"May I make a suggestion?" said Michelle.
Twilight sighed. "Fine. What is it?"
"If thou wouldst focus on helping me manifest as I wish, I would be of more help."
"Only if I get to talk to the avatar," said Twilight. "And he'll actually answer my questions."
"I will speak with him."
"I've heard that before," I muttered.
Michelle stepped up to me. "Before thou leavest, may I speak with thee alone?"
My heart lurched. Having her stand this close to me, despite all my suspicions and doubts, instilled a sense of calm familiarity. I could still believe things could go back to the way they once were.
I glanced at Twilight. She nodded once and stepped away.
When Michelle next spoke, she lapsed back into English. "Rachel, you need to trust me."
"You realize how hard it is for me to do that anymore?" I cried. I wiped my eyes. "And h-how much it hurt to say that?"
"Right now, nothing is more important than ending the threat of Sevfivtoo."
"Then give us what we need to know! Stop being so secretive!"
"Rachel, there is nothing more Twilight needs to know about this pendant or about Starswirl's research for her to stop Sevfivtoo," said Michelle.
I wanted to believe her, but something still nagged at me. Michelle had always been very good with words, always crafting her advice such that I might not realize their full implication until the right moment. I had always admired her for that, but now I felt as if she were using it to manipulate us.
I had no words that would express how much I still loved her despite feeling so frustrated with her. I drew her into a hug in hopes of reminding her how much she still meant to me. As she hugged me in return, I whispered in her ear in a quavering voice, "You're still not being straight with me, Michelle. You're still hiding something from me."
Michelle uttered a long, soft sigh as she tightened the embrace. "I don't want you to be hurt any more than you already have been."
"You're hurting me right now by not being honest with me."
Michelle pulled back enough to meet my gaze. Her eyes seemed cloudy, as if she had suddenly lost that spark that made her seem so alive despite being only a spirit. "You need to let go, Rachel."
My eyes widened. "Of what?"
"Of your worries over me. Of the past. Of everything that ever hurt you. Just look towards the future."
My jaw tightened, and I frowned. "You want me to just forget you? I'm already worried over forgetting about my own mother, and now--!"
Michelle suddenly backed away from me. I had not noticed that everything had begun fading to white. I had held out some hope that I could reconnect with her, but she seemed ever more determined to drive a wedge between us.
She faded and vanished into the white, and the next thing I knew, I was again sitting in Zecora's place back in my pony body.
"Well, that could've gone better," Twilight said.
I took a deep breath to calm my tumultuous emotions before standing up. "I'm sorry if I messed things up, Twilight."
Twilight stepped up to me and reapplied the privacy shield around the pendant. "You did nothing of the sort, Candy. The avatar was right in that we did gain some knowledge about the pendant. Perhaps more than he had intended to divulge."
"So is the pendant really useless to Sevfivtoo?" I asked hopefully.
"At least with respect to how we assumed she would use it. But then why does Sevfivtoo want the pendant?"
Zecora stepped up to us and raised a hoof towards the pendant. "If your original theory has worn thin, then perhaps you now need to look within."
I glanced down at it. "She wants something inside of it? The avatar?" My head snapped up, and I swallowed hard. "Not Cherry!"
"More likely she wants the avatar, and Cherry is unfortunately along for the ride," said Twilight. "Perhaps she plans to coerce some sort of knowledge from him." She glanced at the pendant before meeting my gaze. "Candy, it appears you're going to get at least part of what you wanted."
My mouth dropped open. "Y-you mean you're actually going to try to create...?"
"I'm going to try to complete Starswirl's research," Twilight said firmly. "Where exactly that will lead me, I don't know yet."
"Twilight Sparkle, are you sure this is the path you wish to tread?" said Zecora in a somber voice. "That you truly wish to explore the mysteries of life and death?"
"You make it sound like this is necromancy," Twilight said. "That's not what this is about. That's not at all what I sensed."
"Sensed?" I asked.
Twilight smiled. "The avatar has quite underestimated me. In drawing us into the castle, he meant to intimidate us, but he also brought me closer to the core of the thaumic matrix, and I understand it better now. I think I can continue his research at least enough to see where he was going."
I knew Twilight was stopping short of claiming she could grant Michelle a new life, but I held out hope anyway. If Michelle could be removed safely from the pendant, we could both finally put this whole sordid mess behind us. Then the pendant could die a fiery death for all I cared.
"But it also revealed something else," said Twilight, and my heart fluttered. "The changeling magic I detected is not there by accident. Starswirl had specifically woven it into the thaumic matrix. That's why I stopped you when it looked like you were about to ask about it. I had already determined that and didn't want the avatar to know."
I swallowed hard. "Twilight ... d-does this mean Cherry was lying when she--"
"No, I think she was telling the truth when she denied colluding with changelings, but it's not the whole story."
"What about helping her manifest?"
"I'm still not sure of the relationship between the energy I impart and her ability to appear outside the pendant, but I'll go along with it for now." Twilight's eyes narrowed. "And I just might be able to get the avatar to appear to me as well, whether he likes it or not."
Zecora stepped forward. "I will assist, though I fear the risk is quite high. Because in truth, there is more here than meets the eye."
Zecora had echoed my own worry, that we were about to embark into truly uncharted territory. My foolish hope of straightening everything out in one conversation had been dashed. Perhaps in a way Michelle had been right. I did need to let go.
Just not in the way she had intended.