> PinkieShy
>  by PatRoison
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> A Sight for Really Sore Eyes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Sweet Apple Acres was cool this time of year and as usual Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were in a pranking mood. Normally, they would aim for Applejack, but this time they were targeting her older brother Big Macintosh. They had set a surprise for him on a path they knew he would take eventually. The prank was that once he hit a tripwire they had set up a pulled back branch would be released and hit him in the chest. For Pinkie and Rainbow it was set at face level, but Big Mac was taller not to mention that his yoke would protect him so he was not in danger. They only wanted to surprise or scare the quiet stallion. What happened was still a surprise but was not fun.

Fluttershy was walking along Ponyville square when a sudden craving for an apple pastry came over her. She immediately headed to Sugarcube Corner to find Pinkie Pie. The town bakery was alive with happy activity and smelled wonderful to the pegasus who was used to the simple quiet smells of nature. Fluttershy walked to the counter and waited to be pounced by Pinkie. She would always be startled no matter how much she knew that it would happen. She never told Pinkie to stop because that was the few interactions the two would ever have. 'Why can't I just tell her,' Fluttershy thought to herself. After a minute of no surprise pouncing she relaxed and then immediately braced herself thinking that Pinkie was waiting for her to relax. Still nothing happened, so she rang the little bell that was on the counter.

Mr. Cake was in the kitchen and walked to the counter with a smile said, "Why hello there Fluttershy. What can I get for you today?"

"Oh hello Mr. Cake," Fluttershy said softly, "Is Pinkie here?"

"Nope," Mr. Cake said, "I gave her the day off. She could really use it. I think she's with your friend Rainbow Dash. Would you like me to get you something?" Mr. Cake was a salesman and knew that Fluttershy required a soft sell.

"Well I would like an apple fritter," she said softly as usual, "um, if that's alright."

Mr. Cake laughed happily. He never met a pony as shy and polite as Fluttershy. "Of course it's alright," he said, "let me just grab it for you."

"Thank you," Fluttershy said. She reached under her wing and pulled out her change purse, fished out the four bits, and placed them on the table. Mr. Cake returned and said, "Oh no Fluttershy. You get the family discount! That'll be two bits!"

"Oh no," Fluttershy squeaked, "I insist. I can't take a discount. That would hurt your business." 

She pushed the bits over to Mr Cake who sighed defeated knowing once again that Fluttershy would not take the discount. "All of your other friends only pay half," he said, "Why is it so hard for you to accept it?"

"I just don't want to take food out of your mouths," Fluttershy said softly, "I know things are tough for you this time of year. When business picks up again, I'll take you up on that discount." She smiled warmly and received one in return.

"Well," Mr. Cake said smiling, "You can't blame an old colt for trying."

Fluttershy giggled, enjoyed her pastry, and left for home. Back out in the cool air, she had a change of heart. 'It looks like a nice day for a walk,' she thought to herself. Pointing herself in no particular direction, she found herself walking towards Sweet Apple Acres. She kept her pace at a quick trot by her standards, but she still managed to get to the Apple family farm by lunchtime.

Rainbow Dash was waiting impatiently for Big Mac to spring the trap. She did not have the patience for this like Pinkie did, and secretly hoped that anypony would spring the trap so they could move on to more fun things. She would soon get her wish.

"Um, Dashie," Pinkie said softly, "Can you keep a secret"?

"Sure," Rainbow said.

"Promise you won't laugh at me," Pinkie asked.

"Can't promise you that," Rainbow said giggling, "That might be my natural reaction."

Pinkie's face became solemn and asked, "Then promise me that you won't hate me if I tell you."

"Um Pinkie," Rainbow said, "Whatever it is there is no way I could hate you for it." The rainbow maned pegasus turned her body so she was facing her pink friend, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Pinkie said, "It's just that. I. I mean, I'm. I'm a." Pinkie was stammering for words then after a sigh said, "Forget it. It's not important."

"No," Rainbow said, "This is really bothering you, and if you don't let it out it will eat you up. I promise that whatever it is I'll help." She gave her friend a warm smile that seemed to relax the pink earth pony.

"Ok," Pinkie said, "It's just that I don't want you to think I'm weird."

"You're Pinkie," Rainbow said, "You are the definition of weird."

"Fine," Pinkie said trying to sound angry but was clearly hurt, "then I guess you don't have to hear it. I'll just let it eat my 'weird' little heart out."

"Pinkie," Rainbow said softly, "I didn't mean it in a bad way. I just meant that you are so random sometimes and, yeah, can come off a little weird. I'm sorry. Please tell me what's bothering you."

"Ok," Pinkie began again, "There is a certain pony that I really like."

"And," Rainbow asked.

"That's it," Pinkie said.

"That's it," Rainbow asked, "That's it? All of that suspense and all you have to say is that you have a crush on some colt? C'mon Pinkie!"

"Rainbow," Pinkie said, "The secret isn't that I like somepony. It's that it's not, um a colt." The last part was a quiet whisper that Rainbow could not understand.

"Not a what now," she asked.

Pinkie sighed and repeated louder, "Not a colt." She waited for the axe to fall. For her friend to call her a 'freak' and laugh at her.

"So what," Rainbow asked, "you mean an older stallion? Is this pony married?"

Pinkie sighed, "No. It's not a colt or a stallion." She motioned her forelegs towards Rainbow clearly trying to give her a clue.

"Yeah I'm not following you here Pinks," Rainbow said, "If it's not a colt and it's not a stallion. That only leaves..." She trailed off the pieces clicking into place, "You like fillies?"

"No," Pinkie said, "Well just one specific filly."

"Who," Rainbow asked, "And for how long?"

"Well this you absolutely have to keep secret," Pinkie whispered.

Rainbow nodded.

"Ok," Pinkie whispered, "It's..."

At that time there was a snap of the tripwire, followed by the sound of air being cut by the pulled branch, and the satisfying smack of it hitting its target. Rainbow was about to give a sigh of relief when the following sound was screaming and crying.

Both ponies looked back to their trap and were shocked to find Fluttershy rolling on the ground, her hooves covering her face, screaming and crying in absolute agony. They bolted to the pegasus and tried to calm her down.

"That's not Big Mac," Rainbow said slightly still in shock.

"You think," screamed Pinkie, "What have I told you? Fluttershy is off limits to pranks!"

"I know," Rainbow said. She was holding the writhing pegasus and tried to calm her down, "It's ok Fluttershy! I'm here and I'm gonna take you to the hospital!" She turned to Pinkie and said, "Get the tripwire and tie Fluttershy's rear legs to my waist. I'm going to hold her on my back with my forelegs."

Pinkie hoisted Fluttershy who kept crying, "Ow! Ow ow ow! It hurts!" Each 'ow' broke the pink pony's heart to see the kind pegasus in such agony, and it was made worse since the prank was her idea. Now the pony she loved most was badly hurt and could possibly be blind.

In no time Rainbow was off in the air and there was nothing but a rainbow streak in the sky. Pinkie galloped after her as fast as she could hoping to reach the hospital in time. "Please be ok Fluttershy," Pinkie said softly as she ran following the rainbow streak in the sky.

Rainbow was flying as fast as she could and needed to fly faster. Her wings were beginning to strain and she just pushed herself faster. Fluttershy had her forelegs around Rainbow's neck and wanted them to her face. The wind was not helping and Rainbow caught a glimpse of  her friend's face and saw that she was bleeding from her eyes as well as crying. Her wings were hurting more, but she would risk a temporary strain or muscle tear if it meant saving Fluttershy's eyes. 'We should've been paying attention,' she scolded herself, 'This is all Pinkie's fault. The prank was her idea, and she was talking about liking some filly when Fluttershy sprang it.' Suddenly, Rainbow felt a sharp stab in her right wing. She lost altitude and with a scream of determination forced the pained wing to keep flapping. She reached the hospital and crashed to the ground. The nurses saw Fluttershy's face and heard her cries and immediatly placed her onto a gurney and wheeled her inside.

About fifteen minutes later, Pinkie ran into the hospital panting heavily and nearly collapsed. Rainbow was standing in the waiting room, and her wing was bandaged. Pinkie slowly walked up to her and fell over exhausted.

A nurse gave her a glass of water and Pinkie asked, "How is she?"

"I don't know," Rainbow said softly, "I think she may be blind."

Pinkie shot to her feet and fell back over dizzy. From the floor she asked with her eyes full of tears, "What do you mean, Dashie? How do you know?"

"I don't," Rainbow said, "It's just that on the way over here I caught a glimpse of Fluttershy's face and she was bleeding from her eyes. That can't be good. I think we blinded her." Rainbow's eyes were also full of tears.

"No," Pinkie said, "Not Fluttershy." She looked to the emergency room doors and whispered, "Please, not her. Blind me. I deserve it."

"Pinkie," Rainbow said, "It was an accident. Yeah we should've been paying attention, but it was still an accident. I feel terrible, but why are you so..." Rainbow looked at the doors and back to Pinkie and she knew, "Pinkie." Pinkie looked up to Rainbow. "Is Fluttershy the pony you like?"

Pinkie nodded slowly and began to cry, "Now she'll hate me forever!"

"This is Fluttershy," Rainbow said, "She'll forgive you. In fact, I bet she already has. She's just in too much pain right now." She cringed immediately after saying that knowing it was the wrong thing to say. Tact was never a trait of Rainbow's.

Pinkie began to cry even harder now, and buried her face into her mane which had become quite straight. Rainbow nudged her and Pinkie saw the doctor standing in front of them. She ran up to him and asked, "Is she ok?"

"Yes," the doctor said, "Your friend is in stable condition, and it does not look as though the damage to her eyes is permanent. She will need to stay overnight so we can treat her eyes. I see no reason why she won't make a full recovery."

"Thank you," Pinkie said softly her mane now slightly wavy, "Can I see her?"

"Yes of course," the doctor said, "but remember that the room will be darkened to protect her eyes."

Both ponies nodded, and made their way to the room where Fluttershy was resting. She stirred when she heard somepony enter the room, "H, hello," she said softly her voice full of fear, "Who's there?"

"It's me Fluttershy," Rainbow said, "Pinkie's here too."

"Hey Fluttershy," Pinkie said softly, "I'm so sorry I hurt you. I know you hate me now." She began to tear up again and moved closer to Fluttershy when she motioned for her.

Fluttershy put her hoof to Pinkie's face and leaned forward and hugged the pink pony. Pinkie began to cry and Fluttershy said softly, "It's ok. It was an accident. I don't blame you." She pulled away gave a small smile, to the window. Pinkie nudged her chin to face her. Fluttershy giggled and said, "I'll have to get used to that. At least it will only be for one night."

All this time Rainbow was thinking and suddenly had an idea. She quietly left the room and looked for the doctor. She found him looking over a chart and she asked, "Hey, are you keeping her here so you can routinely wash her eyes?"

The doctor nodded, "Yes. She will need to have her eyes cleaned every six hours, or the pain could return and cause more damage."

"Is it possible for someone without medical training to do it," Rainbow asked.

"I don't see why not," the doctor said, "but I would rather she stay here. Why do you ask?"

"Well," Rainbow said, "You know that the accident was the result of a prank that did not go as planned, and my friend is feeling really guilty about it. I was thinking that she could take care of her as a way to make it up to Fluttershy."

"Is she reliable," the doctor asked.

"When her friends need her she is always there," Rainbow said confidently.

"Then if Fluttershy agrees," the doctor conceded, "I have no problem releasing her from our care."

"Great," Rainbow said excitedly, "I'll tell Pinkie!"

Rainbow ran back into the hospital room and saw Pinkie stroking Fluttershy's mane gently. "Hey Pinkie," Rainbow called, "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Pinkie whispered to Fluttershy, "I'm gonna talk to Rainbow. I'm not going to leave the room. If I do I will let you know."

Fluttershy nodded, "Thank you, Pinkie."

Pinkie felt a strong pang of guilt and walked over to Rainbow, "Yes Dashie?"

Rainbow gave the pink pony a big grin and asked, "you wanna make this up to Fluttershy?"

"Of course," Pinkie said softly, "Why? What do you have in mind?"

"Well," Rainbow said, "The doctor told me that the only reason they want to keep her here is to wash her eyes every six hours. That way they'll ensure there is nothing left to damage her vision. Now here's the best part, anypony can do it, and that means you!"

Pinkie looked at Rainbow and then got a big smile, "I can take care of Fluttershy?"

Rainbow nodded, "Yup and if you happen to let it slip that you like her..."

"Dashie," Pinkie scolded quietly looking back to see if Fluttershy heard Rainbow, "After what I did to her, I don't have the right to tell her." She looked to the floor and sighed, "I wish that I never thought of that prank."

"Maybe it's for the best," Rainbow said.

Pinkie looked back to her friend confused, and knew what she meant. Even though Pinkie felt guilty about hurting Fluttershy, she still had a chance to make it right. She nodded and said, "You're right Dashie. I'll take good care of her, and maybe one day I'll tell her how I feel."

Rainbow sighed knowing that there was no convincing Pinkie, "Ok. Just take good care of her."

Pinkie nodded, "I promise. I will take really good care of Fluttershy."

The doctor returned and walked to Fluttershy and said, "Your friend's offered to provide you with the medical care for your eyes. If you agree then I can release you."

"Um," Fluttershy said softly, "Who will be taking care of me?"

"I'll take care of you Fluttershy," Pinkie said softly, "I have to. I need to make this right."

Fluttershy gasped slightly and Pinkie felt bad. She did not know that Fluttershy was really excited to have Pinkie be the pony to take care of her. She was after all in love with the pink party pony.

"I know you're mad at me," Pinkie said softly feeling terrible, "but I will take really good care of you. I promise!"

The doctor had Pinkie fill out the proper forms and Pinkie put the pen in Fluttershy's mouth, blushing slightly as their lips were close together, and helped her mark an 'X' on the signature. After that, Fluttershy was placed onto Pinkie's back and they made their way back to Fluttershy's cottage.

"Pinkie," Fluttershy said softly, "You, um don't have to carry me. I can walk."

"I hurt you," Pinkie said sadly, "I have to do something."

"And you are," Fluttershy said with a small smile, "I know you will take good care of me Pinkie." Fluttershy hugged Pinkie gently with her forelegs causing the pink pony to blush and her heart to skip a beat.

"Thanks Fluttershy," Pinkie said, "It really means a lot to me that you aren't angry with me."

They arrived at the cottage and Pinkie gently helped Fluttershy into her bed and covered her in a sheet. It was almost time for Fluttershy's eyes to be washed, and Pinkie went about darkening Fluttershy's room. She placed heavy blankets on the windows and covered the cracks above and below the door. Soon, the room was so dark that Pinkie had to move the blankets slightly just to get her bearings. 'I think that would work,' Pinkie thought proudly.

She carefully made her way to the kitchen and poured the eye wash into the bowl, and read the instructions to make sure she got everything right. First, she was to carefully remove the gauze bandages around Fluttershy's eyes and then even more carefully remove the cotton pads that covered them. After that, she was to use warm water and a soft sponge to clean the area around the eyes to ensure that no foreign material or dirt could get into Fluttershy's eyes. She was then to carefully pour the eye wash onto Fluttershy's eyes to rinse them out. Pinkie was told that the first time would be very painful for Fluttershy and Pinkie needed to be prepared for it.  The washes after that should be considerably less painful. She read the instructions two more time to make sure she had it right. She compared it to a cupcake recipe, and it stuck that much easier.

She gulped knowing that this wash would hurt Fluttershy, but it had to happen. She placed the fresh bandages, warm water, a cloth to dry Fluttershy's face and the eye wash onto a tray, and made her way up the stairs to Fluttershy's room.

Pinkie opened the door and tried to memorize where everything was so she would be able to find it in the dark. She slowly placed the tray on the table next to the bed, and closed the door. Carefully she made her way to the bed, and fantasized about how she perfect this have been if the circumstances were different. In her mind, she would slowly walk over to Fluttershy and carefully lift the shy pegasus to a sitting position, and tilt her head back and gently give her a soft kiss.

Today however, she walked to the bed, carefully helped Fluttershy to a sitting position, tilted her head back and gently removed the bandages around her eyes.

Fluttershy remained calm and trusted Pinkie to take care of her, but she was nervous since the doctor told that the first wash would be worst of the three washes. Her heart was beating faster and faster as Pinkie set herself behind her and wrapped her forelegs around the yellow pegasus. Fluttershy let her head rest against Pinkie's shoulder and that allowed her bandages to be removed easily. Once the pads were removed from her eyelids she tried to open them, but Pinkie stopped her.

"Not yet," Pinkie said, "I still need to wash your face." Pinkie dipped the sponge into the warm water, she made certain was in a square container so she would keep track of it in the dark, and began to gently scrub Fluttershy's face. She scrubbed around her eyes, her nose and while she was scrubbing her snout their lips briefly met. She quickly moved the sponge to Fluttershy's other cheek and if the room were not darkened she would seen Fluttershy's blush match her own.

She reached for the round bowl that had the eye wash and said, "Ok I'm going to wash your eyes now. The doctor said this will hurt so I'll be as gentle as I can." She felt around Fluttershy's and when she thought she found her eye she leaned closer to apply the medicine. She stopped when she heard a muffled voice.

"Um," Fluttershy said, "That is my, um mouth."

Once again Pinkie's face flushed crimson and she moved in the proper direction and found Fluttershy's eyes. She gently and slowly poured the medicine and Fluttershy let out a cry of pain and squirmed causing most of the medicine to spill. "It's ok Fluttershy," Pinkie said softly, "I'll be more gentle." She poured the medicine again and Fluttershy let out a soft whimper. Once it was over, Pinkie use the cloth to dry Fluttershy's face and applied the fresh bandages. "Get some sleep," Pinkie said softly, "I'll be here when it's time to wash your eyes again."

"Are you leaving," Fluttershy asked scared.

"No," Pinkie said, "I just wanted to take a little nap, and didn't want to wake you with the alarm."

"Well sleep here," Fluttershy offered surprised at herself for making such a bold offer. 'Silly Fluttershy,' she thought, 'Pinkie is just being nice. She doesn't feel that way about you.'

"Well," Pinkie said, "I suppose since we have to get up at the same time it would make sense." In truth, if the situation were different she would have dived into that bed already. She made her way to the bed and laid down next to Fluttershy making certain to keep the covers seperating the two of them.

Both ponies selpt soundly and when the alarm clock sounded Pinkie groggily hugged Fluttershy and immediately let go when Fluttershy gasped, "Sorry about that Fluttershy. I'll get the medicine ready." She quickly left the room, 'Nice work Pinkie,' she scolded herself, 'You are supposed to be taking care of her not taking advantage of her.' She got the medicine ready and returned back to the room.

The medicine application went much smoother and quickly this time, and Fluttershy only felt as though the medicine was just too warm. Once she was cleaned up again her stomach began to growl. She blushed, "Sorry. I guess I'm a little hungry."

"Okey dokey," Pinkie said happily, "I'll fix us up some grub!"

"Thank you Pinkie," Fluttershy said softly, "I mean it, and I forgive you. It was an accident, and I'm glad that you're taking care of me."

Pinkie felt much better knowing for certain that Fluttershy was not angry with her. She opened the door and closed it behind her. She stopped to think about what to make for dinner, and slowly opened the door again when she heard Fluttershy talking to herself.

"Nice going Fluttershy," she said sofly but with annoyance, "Pinkie is right here, and still you can't say it. Four simple words, 'I love you Pinkie,' it's not that hard, is it?"

Pinkie was stunned when she heard those words, 'she loves me, too,' she thought. Pinkie wanted to run in there and tell Fluttershy that she loved her too, but was stopped by Fluttershy's next words.

Fluttershy laughed softly, "Who am I kidding? Pinkie isn't like that, and even if she was she wouldn't settle for a nopony like me." She sniffed a little and continued her personal attack. "She should have an adventerous pony. Somepony that can keep up with her and not drag her down. No, I'll never tell her how I feel. She'll think I'm weird, but I'll just tell her to keep it a secret. She won't tell a secret. Not Pinkie Pie, but I really do love her." She was about to continue, but a small knock on the door stopped her short.

Pinkie walked in tears in her eyes, and planned to tell Fluttershy that she would love to be with her. Instead, she said, "You know what, I forgot to ask what you wanted to eat."

"Oh anything you want is fine," Fluttershy said softly.

"Okey dokey," Pinkie said and left the room to the kitchen. 'She loves me,' she thought, her heart swelling in her chest. She wanted desperately to tell her, but for some reason she couldn't say the words. There was too much fear, but Pinkie was content that one day soon she will be able to confess to Fluttershy, and they could be together.

Dinner was simple. A daisy sandwich and some tea, but it would sustain the timid pegasus. Pinkie helped her eat and a few times their lips met again, and both want to kiss each other but never did.

The final washing of the night was a simple chore, and Fluttershy was able to sleep the rest of the morning. Pinkie told her that she would return that afternoon to remove the bandages and then take her to lunch to celebrate.

Once Pinkie left Fluttershy's cottage she ran as fast as she could to Rainbow Dash's house. When she arrived she screamed, "Rainbow wake up!"

Rainbow flew down immediately worried that something was wrong with Fluttershy, "What is it? Is Fluttershy ok?"

"Oh she's fine," Pinkie said.

"Pinkie," Rainbow groaned, "I was trying to get some sleep. What do you want?"

"Well," Pinkie said, "Remember when you told me to tell Fluttershy how I felt?"

"You did," Rainbow said with a smile.

"No," Pinkie said, "but I overheard her talking to herself and I found out that she likes me too!" She was blushing and had a large smile on her face.

"Really," Rainbow asked, "Well if you both like each other then what's stopping you two from being together? I mean sure I have to give you the 'if you hurt my oldest friend I'll make sure they never find your body' speech, but that's really just a formality. I know you'll be good to her, and the rest of the girls will just be glad that Fluttershy will have somepony that makes her smile. In case you haven't noticed everything just seems right with the world when Fluttershy is happy." She looked at Pinkie and said, "Try to keep her that way."

"I want to Rainbow," Pinkie said, "I really do, but I can't say the words. I just can't."

"Hm," Rainbow mused, "There are other ways to say it."

That gave Pinkie and idea. A few hours later Rainbow and Pinkie were at Fluttershy's cottage, and Rainbow began to slowly remove the bandages. "Wow Pinkie you did some really good work taking care of Fluttershy."

"She really did," Fluttershy said blushing.

"Ok just need to take the pads off of your eyes and I want you to open them slowly," Rainbow said.

Fluttershy did as she was told and opened her eyes slowly and adjusted to the light. Once her vision cleared she gasped, her eyes were twinkling, and a huge smile appeared on her face. The cause, was Pinkie sitting at the end of the bed with a bouquet of roses on the bed and a note in her mouth. She was blushing and the note contained four simple words. Four words that Pinkie could not say, but wrote down easily, I love you, too.
> Start Spreading the News
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fluttershy was sleeping soundly unaware that she was being watched. It had only been a week since her accident that resulted in her accidentally confessing her feelings to Pinkie while she stood outside Fluttershy's bedroom door. As the first rays of sunlight shone through her window waking her, she stretched and smiled warmly as, for the last seven days, her first sight was the same as when those bandages were removed. On her nightstand was a picture frame, and inside it was the note Pinkie Pie had written telling her that she loved her as well. With a smile on her still sleepy face, "I love you, Pinkie." A small squeak escaped her with what she heard next.

"I love you too, Fluttershy." Pinkie smiled as the yellow pegasus spun around, became tangled within the blanket, and tumbled over the side.

Fluttershy was on her back with her hind legs on the bed and looking up to the ceiling. She smiled softly when Pinkie's head looked over the edge.

"Wow Fluttershy, are you testing new ways to get up in the morning? I like it, but it looks a bit uncomfortable." She crossed her forelegs and looked around smiling as her gaze caught sight of her note. "You still have this?"

Fluttershy managed to wriggle herself out of her blanket prison and stood up. After a quick stretch said, "of course Pinkie. That's the sweetest thing anypony has ever given me." She got closer to Pinkie and gave her a nuzzle and a kiss on the cheek. Smiling as Pinkie became slightly flustered, "would you like some breakfast?"

Quickly regaining her composure, or as close as composure is for Pinkie Pie, Pinkie laughed, "oh I already ate, but I could always do with some more."

Smiling, Fluttershy made her way to the kitchen with Pinkie right behind her. Pinkie sat at the table and watched Fluttershy begin to make breakfast. Fluttershy was humming a tune as she cooked up some grasses and made certain to sweeten them somewhat. 'I hope I don't over sweeten this.' She looked back to her marefriend and noticed Pinkie was getting bored. "Pinkie are you alri- Ow!" Some boiling water splashed onto her hoof and after she turned down the heat on the stove she ran to the sink and began to run cold water on her hoof.

Pinkie was next to her, "are you ok Fluttershy? That looked painful." She gently grabbed Fluttershy's hoof and looked it over.

"Oh it's fine Pinkie. I'm sorry for worrying you." Fluttershy's voice became sad as she said that, "I just noticed you were becoming bored." After Fluttershy dried her hoof she set their breakfast, some grass sweetened with some honey and topped with oranges.

"Ooh, oranges," Pinkie beamed, "I didn't know you could get any around here."

"Shh," Fluttershy said softly with a smile, "my parents have them delivered from Cloudsdale. Don't tell Applejack that they're my favorite fruit."

"Well, yeah! I can only imagine how mad she'll be." Pinkie stood up and said with an exaggeration of Applejack's accent, "Ah can' buhleev this! One a mah own friends would buhtray me! Ah'll keel you!"

"Pinkie stop," Fluttershy said crying and holding her side from laughter, "Ow." She finally managed to get Pinkie seated again and both began to eat. The meal was enjoyed by both ponies, much to Fluttershy's relief, "I'm glad you enjoyed it, Pinkie. I know it's not as sweet as you're used to."

"It was really good Fluttershy. I liked it. Let's get these dishes cleaned up." Pinkie gathered the dished, but Fluttershy stopped her when they were in the sink.

"It's ok Pinkie, I'll take care of the dishes." She smiled and hummed a tune as she washed the dishes. Once they were finished, she entered the living room where Pinkie was sitting on her couch. "Um, Pinkie? Did you have any plans for today?"

Pinkie shook her head, "Nope. Dashie wanted to go pranking, but I told her that I wanted to spend time with you. We have all day!" She bounced around the room before landing right in front of the yellow pegasus, "so what do you wanna do Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy thought for a moment, "I don't know. Maybe we can go for a walk?"

"Hm, or we could have a party!" Pinkie started bouncing around, "yeah that way we can let everypony we're together."

The thought of anyponyelse knowing about them stunned Fluttershy, "Um, Pinkie. I don't know."

Pinkie stopped bouncing, "aww, I really want to throw a party."

"I know, and I love your parties, but what if ponies stop liking us. What if our friends stop liking us?" Fluttershy began to tear up and smiled when Pinkie hugged her.

"Fluttershy, I know our friends will still love us, and besides Dashie is happy that we're together." Pinkie lifted Fluttershy's chin with a hoof, "and if we lose all of our friends then we have each other. Will that be enough?"

Fluttershy began to cry, "I'm sorry Pinkie. I'm just being selfish. We should have a party." She gave Pinkie a big smile, "a big party, but um, not too big, please."

Pinkie laughed, "You got it Fluttershy! It'll be the biggest small party ever."

"But Pinkie?"

"Yeah?"

"If it's ok with you, can we tell our friends first? I mean one at a time?" Fluttershy looked into Pinkie's eyes, "I'm sorry but I don't think I could handle telling them all at once and them hating us."

Pinkie held Fluttershy, "Okie dokie, we can tell them one by one. Who should we tell first?"

Fluttershy looked down, 'who should we tell first? I think Rarity would be happy for us, but she keeps telling me about eligible colts that she wants to introduce me to. Oh my, what if she becomes disgusted with me?' She began to shake as tears fell from her eyes again.

"Hey," Pinkie said wiping Fluttershy's tears, "we'll just talk to Applejack first."

"Applejack? Why?"

"Well, if we put them in order, Applejack is first. Then it's Rarity and then Twilight. Easy!"

"Oh ok," Fluttershy wiped her eyes, "Let's talk to Applejack."

"That's the spirit, Fluttershy!"

Both ponies left the cottage and made their way to Sweet Apple Acres. The walk was quick and Fluttershy was able to keep up with Pinkie's bouncing speed. About halfway to the farm, Rainbow Dash spotted them. "Hey, how're the two lovebirds doing?" She landed in front of the pair and smiled.

"Oh hello Rainbow," Fluttershy smiled, "we're doing alright." She stepped closer to Pinkie.

"Yup we're doing great," Pinkie hugged Fluttershy, "we're on our way to tell Applejack that we're together now."

"Really? Cool. Want some backup?"

"Um, do you think she'll be upset with the news," Fluttershy asked beginning to panic again.

"Dashie is just joking, right?" Pinkie glared at Rainbow.

"Well, yeah I'm joking. Seriously Fluttershy you have nothing to worry about. AJ will treat you guys right."

Fluttershy nodded, "you're right. Thank you Rainbow, but I think we should do this on our own."

Pinkie nodded, "It really means a lot to Fluttershy."

Rainbow smiled, "ok. I'll see you two later." In an instant she was off leaving a rainbow streak behind.

"I hope she's right."

"I know she is. Don't worry Fluttershy."

With a small nod, Fluttershy and Pinkie continued to the Apple Family farm and began to look for the hardworking earth pony. It did not take long as they simply followed the trail of empty apple trees and the faint sound of trees being bucked.

They quickened their pace and saw the orange mare collecting some stray apples that missed the buckets.

"Hey Applejack!" Pinkie bounced up to their friend and started looking through a bucket, "can I get an apple? I'm a little hungry."

"Pinkie, we just ate breakfast," Fluttershy said with a smile. She knew that Pinkie's constant energy required her to eat much more than she ever could. "Um, Applejack, if it's a problem I can pay for some apples."

"Nah, don't ya'll worry none. Pinkie always stops by and helps herself to a couple of apples. Don't bother me none. Especially, considerin' that she's always throwin' the best parties."

"Oh right," Pinkie beamed, "speaking of parties..."

"Oh yes," Fluttershy interrupted, "I'm sorry Pinkie." She smiled and looked at Applejack, "can we talk to you, um in private? Please."

"Uh, sure ah guess," Applejack said, "but only if it don' take too long. Lots more apples to buck."

"Oh I promise it won't take any time at all. It's just, um personal."

"Ok sure. We can talk in the barn."

The three ponies entered the barn and Fluttershy tried to begin, but her panic was returning and was on the verge of tears when Pinkie hugged her.

"It's ok Fluttershy. I'm here to help. We can do this."

Applejack became very concerned. She had seen Fluttershy become nervous on many occasions, but never had she seen her act this way toward her. "Fluttershy just take it slow like. Whatever it is I promise to be here for you."

Fluttershy took a deep breath, "remember my accident last week?"

"Yeah," Applejack looked to Pinkie, "Ya'll really need to be more careful with your pranks. What if Fluttershy were blinded permanently?"

Pinkie looked down, "I know. I still feel awful for it." She looked to Fluttershy when she felt a hoof on her cheek.

"It was an accident Pinkie. I forgave you for it already, and besides you took great care of me." She smiled as Pinkie blushed and Fluttershy turned back to Applejack, "well, we found out something very important."

"And what's that," Applejack asked, "Sorry to rush ya but I am in a hurry."

"It's ok." Fluttershy turned to Pinkie and when the pink pony nodded she said, "Pinkie and I are together now. We're a couple." She leaned and nuzzled Pinkie gently to accent her point and calm her nerves.

Seconds, which felt like minutes, passed before Applejack said anything. "Ah see. Uh, well, that's great. Glad to see a happy new couple."

"Applejack, what's wrong?" Fluttershy was feeling panic beginning to set in again, "I understand if you don't approve, but I hope you will still be our friend." She felt as though she were about to cry and leaned into Pinkie's shoulder.

"It ain't that," Applejack said, "it's just a bit of a shock. I'm not saying that I'm jumpin' for joy here, but ya'll are two of my best friends and ah owe it to you to be here for you."

"So are you ok with us dating," Pinkie asked.

"Yeah, I'm ok with it. I think." Applejack looked confused, "sorry ya'll I'm gonna need to think on this. Ah promise you this, ya'll are still mah friends and I ain' about to risk losing that. Just give me some time."

"Sure. Besides we still need to tell Rarity and Twilight," Pinkie said with a large smile.

"So, Rainbow already knows?"

"Um, well, she was there when Pinkie told me that she loved me," Fluttershy recalled the memory and blushed.

"Ah see. Well, ah best be gettin' back to work." Applejack stood up and before she left the barn she turned back, "ya'll do make a pretty cute couple though." She smiled and ran back to her cart.

"That went well." Pinkie smiled at Fluttershy. "I told you she wouldn't hate us."

"That's true. Thank you Pinkie." Fluttershy leaned into Pinkie's shoulder, "I was so worried that Applejack would hate us. I'm glad that you were there."

"I'll always be here, silly." Pinkie gave Fluttershy a kiss in the top of her head, "Ok. One down two to go! We're off to Rarity's. This'll be easy."

"Yes, if anypony will be happy for us she will." 'At least, I hope she'll be happy for us.' Fluttershy smiled and trotted beside Pinkie, "Do you ever get tired of bouncing everywhere?"

"Nope. I love bouncing." Pinkie noticed Fluttershy getting a little winded, "want me to slow down?"

"Oh no it's fine," Fluttershy flapped her wings and glided next to Pinkie and both made good time to Carousel Boutique. When they arrived Pinkie immediately pounded on the door, with her face.

Fluttershy cringed, "Pinkie doesn't that hurt?"

"Nope," Pinkie said absentmindedly rubbing her forehead.

Fluttershy was still hovering just above Pinkie and she leaned down and kissed the pink pony where she was rubbing, "better?"

Pinkie nodded.

"Uh hi guys," a small voice said.

"Oh," Fluttershy squeaked, "hello Sweetie Belle. Is your sister home?"

"Yeah," the white filly said, "did you hurt yourself Pinkie?"

"Oh no I just knocked on the door."

"Ok. C'mon in." Sweetie Belle ran inside and went back to her coloring. She was singing something under her breath, but it was impossible to tell what it was as she kept changing the song. Soon, Rarity entered the main room.

"Oh hello girls, what brings you by today?"

"We got something to tell you," Pinkie shouted.

"Oh really," Rarity asked, "Well, then business is slow as of late, so I have all day."

"Well, if it's alright, can we talk in private?" Fluttershy was feeling very nervous again.

"It must be very important for you to be so uncomfortable. Let's talk in my sewing room." Rarity led Pinkie and Fluttershy into her sewing room and pulled up a chair for each of them. "Now you simply must tell me what the big news is. By the way Fluttershy, you look well. I suppose your little 'accident' left no permanent damage?"

"I'm fine, and it really was an accident." Fluttershy put her hoof on Pinkie's shoulder and smiled.

"Well, that isn't surprising. You would forgive just about anypony." Rarity looked off as she tried to remember something, "Oh yes, I nearly forgot. Do you remember the colt I told you about last week at the spa?"

Fluttershy looked down, "Um, no. Rarity I really need to tell you something."

"Doesn't matter that you don't remember, since we're going to have lunch with him this afternoon. Really Fluttershy, you need a pony in your life." Rarity gave Fluttershy a concerned smile.

"That's what I need to tell you. I have a pony in my life. It's..."

Rarity turned to Pinkie, "of course you're welcome to come along Pinkie. I wouldn't dream of not inviting you though it may be a bit awkward."

Pinkie sighed, "Well, yeah. Seeing as how you're trying to set somepony up with my marefriend."

"Eep," Fluttershy squeaked and her face flushed crimson.

"Excuse me," Rarity looked at Pinkie, "I'm sorry Pinkie but I don't understand the joke."

"What joke," Pinkie asked, "Fluttershy and me are dating now." She grabbed Fluttershy's hoof and held it gently, "see? We are a couple."

Rarity shook her head in disbelief, "no that's not possible. Fluttershy isn't like that."

"Rarity it's true," Fluttershy said softly, "Pinkie and I are dating now." She looked down, "I know you want me to be with a colt, but I love Pinkie. I can't change that and even if I could, I wouldn't." She looked Pinkie in the eye and smiled.

"I see," Rarity said softly, "are you certain about this Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy nodded and smiled, "of course I am. Pinkie makes me happy and she's very sweet."

Rarity smiled at the sight of Pinkie beginning to blush and squealed, "well that's just wonderful. Oh, I hope you two are very happy together." She turned her attention to Pinkie, "of course Pinkie, you do know that I am rather protective of Fluttershy."

Pinkie laughed, "Yeah, you and Dashie." She hugged Fluttershy, "who wouldn't want to take care of Fluttershy?"

"Pinkie," Fluttershy said blushing, "thank you."

"You two are simply adorable. Now you have to tell me how this happened. I imagine it was while Pinkie was taking care of you." Rarity was beaming with anticipation.

Fluttershy nodded and was about to speak when Pinkie stopped her.

"No, Fluttershy! You can't tell her. We should wait for the party!"

Rarity laughed, "of course. Pinkie would never pass up an opportunity to have a party. Very well, when is it?"

Pinkie smiled, "tonight at Fluttershy's cottage." She turned to Fluttershy, "It'll be great Fluttershy."

Fluttershy smiled, "I'm sure it will be wonderful." Smiling to Rarity, "Excuse us Rarity, but we have to see Twilight and tell her the news."

"Certainly, I look forward to the party and hearing the story." Rarity stood and went back to her sewing machine. Before the couple could leave she was back working on her designs.

As Fluttershy and Pinkie were leaving they passed Sweetie Belle and the filly was smiling at them. "So you two are a couple now?"

"Yup." Pinkie was beaming with a large smile on her face. "We just started dating a week ago."

Fluttershy was smiling, "that's right. I'm sorry that we can't stay and talk Sweetie Belle, but we must speak to Twilight."

The filly just smiled, "that's ok." She ran back to her coloring book still singing under her breath.

Once outside Fluttershy hugged Pinkie, "that went so much better than I thought. Were you nervous at all?"

Pinkie nodded, "of course I was. I would be so sad if we lost any of our friends, but we're ok. Twilight will be happy for us."

Fluttershy smiled and playfully nudged Pinkie, "then let's get going."

"Okie dokie."

The library was not far and both ponies were there quickly, "Fluttershy if we want to have the party tonight we should make this really quick."

"Oh, ok Pinkie. We'll tell Twilight that we're together and that we'll see her tonight at the party."

Pinkie nodded and was about to knock on the library door, but she stopped and raised her hoof. After a moment, she smiled and pounded on the door with her head. She turned to Fluttershy and smiled as she rubbed her head with a hoof.

Fluttershy giggled and kissed Pinkie on the head, "don't make a habit of that. I don't want you to get hurt."

Pinkie laughed, "I won't."

Spike answered the door, "hey guys. Need to see Twilight?"

"Um, yes. If she's not too busy." Fluttershy began to feel very nervous. Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash had reacted positively to the news of their relationship, and Twilight was the last one on the list. 'What if she doesn't like us anymore? What if she turns us in to the Princess?'

Spike noticed Fluttershy' growing distress, "Fluttershy are you alright?"

Fluttershy snapped out of her train of thought, "oh yes, Spike I'm, um fine."

"Ok," Spike said, "well, c'mon in."

Both ponies entered the library and saw Twilight Sparkle reading some tome. Pinkie bounced up next to her.

"Hey Twilight, read any good books lately?"

Twilight looked at Pinkie, "hey Pinkie. Oh, I'm just reading up on some magic formulas." She turned and saw Fluttershy stand near the door. "Hey Fluttershy, what brings you here?"

"Oh, well, Pinkie and I have something to tell you, and it's very important." Fluttershy's gaze slowly dropped until she was almost looking at her hooves.

"Ok," Twilight said closing her book, "What's up?"

Pinkie bounced next to Fluttershy and nudged her gently.

Fluttershy smiled at Pinkie and took a deep breath, "well, Pinkie and I wanted to tell you that we, um well, we're dating now."

Twilight looked at Fluttershy and then at Pinkie, "Uh, ok. I don't get it."

"What's to get? Fluttershy and me are a couple now." Pinkie put her leg around Fluttershy's shoulder to calm her down.

"Ok," Twilight said, "but why?"

Fluttershy was beginning to shake like a leaf, so Pinkie took over, "well, I've always liked Fluttershy. She's super nice and sweet." She looked down, "my head gets all crazy sometimes and I can't think straight, but when I'm near Fluttershy it's different. I want to make everypony feel happy, but Fluttershy really wants me to be happy." She turned to Fluttershy and nuzzled her gently.

Twilight smiled, "aww that's so cute. Have you told the others yet?"

"You were our last stop, and you're invited to our party tonight. It'll be at Fluttershy's cottage." Pinkie smiled, "are you ok with us dating?"

"Of course, and even if I had a problem with it, you two are my friends. I have to support you." Twilight smiled as she levitated the book she was reading and placed back on the shelf, "I'll see you two tonight."

"Thank you Twilight. It really means a lot to Pinkie and me." Fluttershy and Pinkie left the library and Fluttershy hugged Pinkie, "that went much better than I expected." She looked at Pinkie and blushed, "um, Pinkie, did you mean what you said?"

Pinkie laughed, "of course I meant it. You're the sweetest thing ever." She bounced ahead, "we really need to get everything ready for the party." Pinkie kept bouncing until she suddenly found herself on the ground.

Fluttershy was now on top of Pinkie and giggling. She lowered herself and kissed Pinkie on the cheek, "Let's play. I mean if you want to." Fluttershy blushed and gently rested her head on Pinkie's chest.

"Sure, I'd love to play." Pinkie considered moving Fluttershy and she had the strength to do it, but she just lay there smiling into Fluttershy's eyes.

"Yay," Fluttershy cheered, "um, ok. Catch me!" She took off towards her home.

Pinkie smiled and ran after her. She did not know why Fluttershy was in such a playful mood, and she was not about to question it. Pinkie chased Fluttershy and even though she was faster, she made certain to only slowly catch up. When she was about reach Fluttershy, the yellow pegasus took to the air. "Hey, no fair!"

Fluttershy landed next to Pinkie, "I'm sorry. Are you mad at me?" She nudged Pinkie gently and let out a squeak when Pinkie tackled her.

"Gotcha!"

"Um, that wasn't very fair. I thought you were mad at me."

Pinkie smiled at the pony she had pinned down, "I could never be mad at you." She stood up and helped Fluttershy to her hooves, "we better get your cottage ready for the party."

"Yes, um I'll get started. Can you invite Applejack and Rainbow Dash, please? I'm sure you'll be able to tell them faster than I will."

Pinkie nodded, "will do. I'll stop by as soon as I can to help out." She gave Fluttershy a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek and sped off to find Rainbow Dash.

Fluttershy flew back to her home as quickly as she could in hopes that she will be able to get most of the decorating done before Pinkie arrived. Of course, by the time she got home Pinkie was inside hanging up streamers and balloons. 'How does she do that,' Fluttershy wondered as she saw the pink pony expertly decorate the living room. Knowing that she would only slow her down, Fluttershy decided to at least feed her marefriend, "Um, Pinkie, would you like some lunch?"

At the sound of both the offer of food and Fluttershy's voice, Pinkie's ear perked up, "I'd love some food." She ran into the kitchen and sat Fluttershy down, "you took care of breakfast. I'll get lunch." She turned to the kitchen cabinets and began to make a simple lunch.

Fluttershy watched as Pinkie made them a daisy sandwich and some tea, "um, Pinkie? Isn't that what you made when you were taking care of me?"

"Yup," Pinkie said proudly, "daisy sandwiches are the only thing I know how to make that doesn't require baking."

Both ponies ate the lunch and soon the house was ready for the party. Fluttershy was feeling both excited and nervous. Pinkie had left to Sugarcube Corner to pick up a cake and various treats while Fluttershy remained to take care of the refreshments. The hours ticked by slowly and after Pinkie returned they put the finishing touches on the living room.

Rainbow Dash arrived first, and she had a present with her.

"Rainbow Dash, you didn't have to bring a present," Fluttershy said as she hugged her friend.

Rainbow set the box down, "of course I had to bring a present. It's not every day that two of my best friends start dating." She laughed as Fluttershy blushed and placed the box next to the punch bowl.

The other girls arrived and the party was soon underway. Fluttershy's nerves were calmed quickly as she saw her friends having such a good time. She noticed that something was bothering Applejack. Fluttershy nudged her gently and asked, "Applejack is something wrong?"

Applejack looked into Fluttershy's eyes and tried to smile, "ah'm ok. It's just ah'm still not used to the idea of you two datin' is all."

Fluttershy thought for a moment, "Let's talk outside. Um, if you want to." 

"Yeah, ah think ah would."

Both ponies stepped outside and Applejack looked up to the sky, "Fluttershy, when did you notice you had feelin's for Pinkie?"

The question took Fluttershy by surprise as she was expecting to have to defend her new relationship. "Um, well, I don't know. It feels as though I've always felt this way, but I know when I realized how important Pinkie is to me."

Applejack nodded, "When was that?"

"When we were helping you deliver Bloomberg to your family. When Pinkie took off to follow Rainbow Dash into the desert, I was so worried and scared that I would never see her again."

Applejack laughed, "Yeah I never seen anypony tackle somepony like that before. She must really mean a lot to you."

Fluttershy nodded, "She really does." She looked at Applejack, "are you alright?"

"Ah'm fine. Really. Ah'm just glad that ya'll are happy." Applejack sighed, "Thanks sugarcube. Now let's get back to the party."

Fluttershy nodded and both ponies joined the party. Pinkie bounced up to them, "hey you two. You're missing out on all the fun!"

"I'm sorry," Fluttershy said softly, "Applejack just needed to talk."

"Okie dokie! C'mon Fluttershy, Rarity wants to hear the story."

"Oh ok," Fluttershy said becoming nervous.

Applejack nudged her gently, "it'll be ok. I'm interested in hearing this."

Fluttershy smiled and entered the house. The girls were sitting in a semi-circle and Pinkie was in the center waiting for Fluttershy. She walked to Pinkie and took a deep breath, "you all remember that my eyes were hurt in an accident last week?" The ponies nodded and Rainbow looked guilty. "Rainbow and Pinkie know that it was an accident. I am not angry with either of them. In fact, if it wasn't for that accident," she nuzzled Pinkie gently, "Pinkie and I would probably not be together."

Pinkie cleared her throat, "yeah, I was feeling so bad about hurting Fluttershy that I thought she would hate me forever, but Dashie had an idea. She asked the doctor if I could help wash her eyes and take care of her. Fluttershy agreed and I carried her home."

"Yes, I remember telling Pinkie that she didn't have to, but she insisted." Fluttershy blushed, "I really wanted to tell her how I felt, but all I could do was give her a hug. Once I was in bed, Pinkie had to wash out my eyes. It hurt, but I knew Pinkie was being very careful." She hugged Pinkie and whispered, "You were the best nurse I could ask for."

Pinkie blushed and continued the story, "well, after that I knew that it was still six hours before the next washing, so I was going to leave to take a nap. Fluttershy seemed to be nervous about being left alone and invited me to sleep with her to keep her company. When I woke up, I found myself hugging Fluttershy and I quickly ran outside to get the medicine ready. That wash went much better and Fluttershy's tummy started growling." Pinkie starting making growling sounds and caused Fluttershy to blush and cover her face with her hooves to stifle her laugh.

"Yes, um after Pinkie left to make something to eat, I got upset at myself. I really wanted to tell Pinkie how I felt, but I couldn't. She was so close, and I was scared that I would never have a chance to tell her how I felt again."

"It was a good thing that I was still outside her room. I heard that she loved me too, and I was so happy." Pinkie gently stroked Fluttershy's cheek, "I was sad that you felt you weren't good enough for me. You're a wonderful pony." She smiled, "I went back into the room and really wanted to tell her that I felt the same, but it didn't feel right. Instead, I asked what she wanted to eat. After that, we took another little nap and then I washed her eyes for the last time. I told her to get some sleep and I would be back to take her to lunch."

"Yeah, I remember you waking me up," Rainbow said slightly annoyed, "jeez Pinkie, I was worried about Fluttershy. I thought that she was hurt, but I'm glad that you learned how she felt about you."

"Yeah Dashie," Pinkie said happily, "I told you that I wanted to tell her how I felt but I couldn't." She turned to the rest of the ponies, "she gave me the idea."

"Yes, and it was wonderful," Fluttershy began to blush, "Rainbow removed the bandages from my eyes, and I saw Pinkie on my bed with a note in her mouth and a bouquet of roses." Fluttershy ran upstairs and brought down the picture frame. She proudly held it up, "This is the note that she had."

There was a collective 'aww' from the girls, and soon the party was once again in full swing. They all danced the night away. Eventually, Fluttershy began to get sleepy along with the others. Once the others had gone home, Pinkie and Fluttershy got to work cleaning up. It was simple and it gave them time to be alone.

"That was a wonderful party, Pinkie."

"Thanks. I'm super happy that you liked it."

Fluttershy hugged Pinkie and yawned, "Oh, I'm sorry. I better get to bed." She kissed Pinkie on the cheek, "Good night Pinkie."

"Good night, Fluttershy." Pinkie happily walked outside and turned around when Fluttershy called to her.

"Pinkie."

"Yeah?"

"I love you." Fluttershy smiled as she said those words. They never felt truer.

Pinkie smiled and blushed, "I love you too." She gave Fluttershy a kiss on the cheek and began walking home.

Fluttershy made her way up the stairs and, just as she did for the past week, she smiled at the note. The same thought passed through her mind as she fell asleep, 'I'm the luckiest pony in Equestria.'
> Interview With a Fillyfooler Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Um, can I take the blindfold off now?” Fluttershy was being led down a hall and had no idea where it would lead.

“Not yet,” a cheerful voice said stifling laughter. Pinkie’s voice did comfort the shy pony even if she sounded slightly off.

It was not long before Fluttershy heard a door open, and she was led inside. She heard giggling and asked, “Who’s there?”

“Shh,” Pinkie said, “We’re almost there.”

Fluttershy was stopped and the blindfold was removed.

A collective voice shouted, “Surprise!”

Fluttershy opened her eyes and her joy was quickly replaced with confusion. The room was sloppily decorated. In fact, the room was her home, and it was trashed. There was a large banner that read, “Happy Loser Day, FlutterCry!” She looked around and saw a table that had a stack of pies with flies swarming around them. All of her friends were laughing at the sight of the yellow pegasus, and she soon began to cry.

“It’s alright Fluttershy,” Pinkie said happily as she walked to the table. She carefully balanced a pie on a hoof before she threw if full force at Fluttershy’s face.

Fluttershy staggered and continued to cry, “Pinkie?” She tried to shake the pie from her face and Pinkie grabbed her.

“What?”

“I thought you loved me?” Fluttershy began to cry harder.

Pinkie simply laughed harder, “That was the whole point, silly.” She turned to Rainbow, “You were right, Dashie. I didn’t know she would fall for it this easily.”

Rainbow joined in the laughter, “I told you. She’s always staring at you and sighing. What a loser!”

Fluttershy was now cowering in a ball and soon she felt as though she were falling through the floor. She kept falling and not once did she think of using her wings. All she could hear was her friends laughing at her and a strange ringing sound.

Fluttershy was safely back in her bed. There was no party and nopony was around to laugh at her. She rubbed her face and noticed that she was crying. Suddenly the dream came rushing back to her. Fluttershy shuddered and felt tears begin to run down her face again, ‘She wouldn’t do that to me.’ It took a moment, but she began to feel confident that Pinkie would never be mean to her.

Giving her wings a quick stretch; she made her way downstairs to get her breakfast ready. Her living room was still a bit messy from the party the night before. ‘It was great that the girls were happy for us.’ Her eyes looked over the room, and she saw Rainbow’s present. Fluttershy opened the small box and smiled at what she saw.

Inside the blue box were two gold pendants. One in the shape of a balloon and the other a butterfly. Also, there was a note tucked inside. Fluttershy carried the box to her kitchen and set some water to boil. She opened the note and read it.

Fluttershy,

You know I’m not good at these kinds of things, but this is important. When you read this come straight to my house. It’s about Pinkie.

Rainbow

Fluttershy looked the note over again and poured herself some tea. ‘Breakfast can wait,’ she thought. After she drank her tea and closed the box back up, she lifted the box with her mouth and opened the door. She took a step forward and staggered backward when she was struck on the head.

“Ow!”

“Oh, Fluttershy! Are ya’ll ok,” Applejack asked, “Guess ya opened the door just as I was about to knock.”

“Good morning, Applejack,” Fluttershy said rubbing her head with a hoof. “I’m sorry, but I can’t invite you in. I’m headed to talk to Rainbow about Pinkie.”

Applejack sighed, “Yeah. I kinda want to talk about Pinkie too. I guess we can talk while you walk over to Rainbow’s.”

Fluttershy nodded and both ponies began to walk to the blue pegasus’s home. ‘She’s angry that we’re together,’ Fluttershy thought. ‘Should I ask or wait for her to say something?’ She was becoming visibly nervous, so she decided to lighten the mood, “It’s a lovely morning isn’t it?”

“Yup, it sure is,” Applejack replied. She stopped and sighed, “Listen sugarcube, I don’ know how to say this, but I weren’t entirely honest with Pinkie and you.”

Fluttershy turned to Applejack, her fears becoming more pronounced, “You’re not happy that we’re together.”

Applejack nodded slowly. “It’s not that I’m against ya’ll being, well, a fillyfooler and all. To be honest, I’m mighty impressed that you’re brave enough to admit it. It’s just that, I’m not so sure if Pinkie would be a good marefriend for you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, listen. I don’ mean to judge, but Pinkie can be kinda...” Applejack trialed off as she tried to find the proper words. After a moment, she asked, “When was the last time you saw Pinkie take something seriously?”

Fluttershy tilted her head and looked at her friend, “Applejack, Pinkie can be silly and, um odd, but I don’t think she’ll take my feelings lightly.” She looked away as her dream came back to her mind, “At least I hope she won’t.”

“See? That’s what I’m talkin’ about. How do ya know she won’t just get bored with ya?”

Fluttershy lowered her head and began to cry, “I don’t. Please Applejack, it’s hard enough being scared that I’ll mess something up, but thinking that she may stop liking me isn’t helping.”

Applejack sighed, “Ah’m sorry sugarcube. I never meant to make ya cry.” She hugged the yellow pegasus softly, “Now ah know your heart is in the right place, but there’s just something ah can’t shake. Listen, I know that you’ll be the perfect marefriend for Pinkie. Just remember, if you need anypony to talk to, you can come talk to me. Ah’ll be there for you.” Applejack smiled and headed back to her farm.

Fluttershy arrived at Rainbow’s home; her thoughts still on the conversation she just finished with Applejack. ‘I hope she’s wrong,’ she thought to herself as she gently knocked on the door. She did not hear anything, so she let herself in. Inside was Rainbow Dash, and she was standing in front of her dresser. She was holding a letter and staring at charred piece of metal.

Fluttershy walked up to her friend, “Rainbow Dash is everything alright?”

The blue pegasus shoved both the letter and the object into a drawer and turned to Fluttershy with a big smile said, “Everything is great. I’m glad that you’re here.”

Fluttershy nodded, “Ok Rainbow, but if something is wrong, please tell me about it.”

Rainbow shook her head, “It’s not important, really. What is important right now is you and Pinkie.” She motioned to her cloud couch, “Take a seat.”

Fluttershy obliged and set the box down next to her, “Oh, thank you very much for the pendants. They’re lovely.”

Rainbow smiled, “Don’t sweat it, and they’re not pendants. They’re lockets.”

Fluttershy opened the box and looked the balloon shaped locket over and sure enough there was a small latch. She opened it and there was a picture of Pinkie. “Oh Rainbow. It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

“No problem. That one is yours. The other one is Pinkie’s.” Rainbow sat down next to Fluttershy. “Now, what I have to talk to you about is really important. Do you remember when we gave Pinkie that surprise party?”

Fluttershy nodded, “Yes. I still feel bad that she thought we stopped liking her.”

“Well, that wasn’t the only time that’s happened.”

Fluttershy looked at her friend, “What do you mean?”

Rainbow looked around the room, “Well, all that energy has to end sometime. I remember the second time I saw her like that. I went to her house so we could go pranking, and she wouldn’t answer her door. I flew up to her window and saw her curled up on the floor just crying.” Rainbow looked back at Fluttershy, “She wouldn’t tell me what was wrong, but she seemed to be really happy that I was there. There wasn’t much I could do but hold her as she cried.”

“Um, Rainbow? How many times has this happened?”

“It doesn’t happen a lot, and I doubt she’ll get sad anytime soon.” Rainbow smiled, “After all, she has a marefriend now. You need to talk to her about it because this really should be something between the two of you.” She put a hoof to Fluttershy’s cheek, “I’m still going to be there to help however I can, but you need to pony up and be there for her.”

Fluttershy looked away, “I. I don’t know if I can...”

“Hey!”

Fluttershy turned back to see Rainbow becoming angry.

“This isn’t about you, Fluttershy. Pinkie will need you to be there for her. This is the one time when you can’t be shy.” Rainbow calmed down a bit, “I know you’re worried that you’ll mess up, but you have a good heart. You’ll never leave one of us hanging when you know we need help.” She laughed and added, “Unless of course there’s a dragon involved.”

Fluttershy smiled, “You’re right, Rainbow. I don’t want to see Pinkie sad, but I promise to be there for her.”

“Awesome!” Rainbow got up from the couch and was about to let Fluttershy out when Fluttershy stopped her.

“Um, thank you again for the lockets. I’ll go to Pinkie and give her hers right away.” She smiled, “Where did you get the idea for it? You never were very sentimental.”

Rainbow sighed, “Well, yeah I’m not. I got the idea from Gilda.”

“Oh.”

“Hey, she was my best friend once.” Rainbow looked down, “I just don’t know what happened. She really changed.”

“Um, Rainbow, she didn’t change.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry. I know you two were very close, but she was always mean, and well, you were kind of mean too.” Fluttershy shifted uncomfortably as she told Rainbow.

Rainbow sat down on the cloud floor, “What do you mean Fluttershy? I wasn’t that mean to you, was I?”

“You were never as mean as Gilda, but you did do some mean things.”

“To you?”

Fluttershy nodded slowly.

Rainbow shook her head, “No way. I would never be mean to my friends. That’s not cool, and if I’m anything, it’s cool.”

“Well,” Fluttershy shifted again, “We weren’t exactly friends back then.”

“What do you mean? We’ve been best friends since we were fillies.”

Fluttershy sat back down on the couch, “We’ve been friends for years, but we were never close until we moved here to Ponyville.”

Rainbow joined her on the couch, “No, I remember us being close when we were younger.”

Fluttershy smiled, “That’s very sweet of you Rainbow, but think about it. Can you name a single time we spent any real time together before we moved here?”

Rainbow tapped her chin with a hoof, “Well, no but that doesn’t mean anything. I know we hung out together.”

“Rainbow, we have completely different interests. You spent all of your time at the track and at the speedster school that we rarely got the time to see each other.” Fluttershy nodded, “You always greeted me warmly when we did run into each other. Unless of course you were in a mood for pranks.”

Rainbow cringed, “How bad were they?”

Fluttershy laughed, “They weren’t too bad. You would scare me a lot and laugh as I cried, but now that I’m older, I can see the humor in it.”

“Sorry bout that.”

“Oh it’s alright. It’s all in the past, and I think of you as one of my best friends now. That’s what I meant. We grew closer while you and Gilda drifted apart. It happens, Rainbow.”

Rainbow sighed, “I guess so.” She walked over to the dresser and took out the letter and the charred piece of metal. She sat back down and said, “I got this letter a few days ago. It was from Gilda, and she said that since we were no longer friends that I should have this back in the shape I deserve.” The blue pegasus had tears in her eyes as she handed the piece of metal to Fluttershy. Now that she could get a better look at it, she could see that it was shaped like a cloud.

“We wanted something to remind us that we were friends. Gilda would have to go home, so she came up with the idea of the lockets. She tried to play it off as being super cool, but I knew that it meant a lot to her.” Rainbow flapped her wings and flew to her nightstand, and she took a locket out from the drawer. This one was in the shape of a lightning bolt, “Since griffins don’t get cutie marks, we decided to split mine. She got the cloud and I got the lightning bolt.” She looked at the lightning bolt locket and laughed, “It’s a good thing I’m telling you. If it were anypony else, I’d have to say that we were just friends.”

Fluttershy hugged Rainbow, “I’m so sorry that Gilda doesn’t want to be your friend anymore, but you have friends here.”

“It’s not the same, Fluttershy. We pushed each other to be the best. I know that AJ and I compete a lot, but it’s just for fun. With Gilda, we had a goal and we never stopped until we passed it.” Rainbow sighed, “Well, there’s nothing I can do about it. She doesn’t want to be my friend.”

“Um, Rainbow, why don’t you just write to her and apologize?”

Rainbow looked at Fluttershy, “You sure? Remember how she treated you?”

Fluttershy nodded, “I remember, but my feelings are not as important as your friendship. She’s clearly hurt by this, and maybe there’s a chance that you two can be friends again.”

Rainbow smiled, “Do you think there’s a chance?”

Fluttershy nodded, “There’s always a chance.”

“Cool. Well, you better get off to Pinkie’s so you give her locket to her.”

Fluttershy hugged Rainbow, “Thank you so much for the lockets. I love them.”

“Yeah, you always were a softy.”

Fluttershy turned to leave and remembered her dream, “Um, Rainbow, can I ask you something?”

“Sure, what’s up?”

“Well, do you think Pinkie is with me as a prank?”

Rainbow tilted her head, “What do you mean?”

Fluttershy sighed, “Well, I had a dream last night where Pinkie threw a surprise party for me and everypony was there. There was a big banner that said, “Happy Loser Day, Fluttercry”, and Pinkie hit me with a rotten pie. She then told me that she was with me as a prank that you two came up with.” Though she tried to stay calm, tears were streaming down her face.

Rainbow hugged her until she stopped crying, “I have something to show you.” She walked to her dresser and pulled out a small book. She tossed it to Fluttershy.

“What’s this?” Fluttershy looked at the cover and it read, “No Prank List”.

“Read it.”

Fluttershy opened the book, “Fluttershy?” She looked at Rainbow who just smiled and motioned for her to keep reading. Fluttershy flipped the pages but they were all blank She closed the book, “It’s just my name?”

Rainbow nodded, “Yup, anypony in that book is off limits to any and all pranks, and you’re it. Pinkie will never prank you because she knows how sensitive you are.”

Fluttershy smiled, “Thank you Rainbow. I feel so silly now for thinking she would do something like that.”

“Don’t sweat it. Now, I gotta go. I’m gonna help AJ out with some project she’s been putting off.”

“Oh ok. I’ll see you later.”

“Sure.”

Both ponies left the cloud house and flew off in different directions. Fluttershy’s thoughts were still on what Rainbow told her, ‘I hope they’re able to patch things up.’ She took off towards Sugarcube Corner to find Pinkie Pie.

---

“I’m super sorry Mrs. Cake. I didn’t mean to mess up the recipe.” Pinkie was covered with cake batter just like the walls of the kitchen.

Mrs. Cake laughed, “It’s alright Pinkie. You’re mind hasn’t been on your baking lately.” She nudged Pinkie playfully, “It’s wonderful that you finally told that sweet pony how you feel.”

Pinkie blushed, “I’m sorry, but I’ve been thinking about her a lot. She’s so sweet and nice.”

“Yes well, why don’t you take care of the front counter, and I’ll clean up this mess.”

“Really? You’re not mad?”

“Of course not dear. Now run along.”

Pinkie went to the front counter and saw the shop was empty, so she grabbed a rag and began to clean the counters. She was at it for a few minutes when Twilight walked in.

“Good morning, Pinkie. Are you busy?”

Pinkie smiled at the purple unicorn, “Of course not silly. What’s up?”

Twilight smiled and pulled out a parchment and quill, “Well, I was thinking about you and Fluttershy, I thought how great it would be to study your relationship.” She wrote down some notes and looked up, “With your permission of course, and Fluttershy’s as well. I promise I won’t be intrusive.”

Pinkie became uncomfortable, “You’re not going to hook Fluttershy up to anything are you?”

“Oh nothing like that. This isn’t like the time I tried to figure out your Pinkie Sense. I just want to ask you and Fluttershy some questions. I don’t want to sound mean, but it does seem a little, well unnatural.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m sorry. I said that wrong.” Twilight became flustered as she tried to come up with a nicer way to say what she wanted, “I meant that it’s not really all that normal.” She waved a hoof in front of her, “No. Wait! That’s not what I meant. I’m sorry. I’m just really curious why you were interested in her in the first place.” She lowered her head, “You must think I’m awful.”

Pinkie laughed, “No silly. I don’t think that. I’ll answer anything just promise that you won’t hook Fluttershy up to any machines.”

Twilight relaxed, “I promise.”

“Pinkie Pie promise.”

“What?”

“Please. It’s for Fluttershy.”

Twilight sighed, “Ok. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my... ow!” Once again, she jammed her hoof right into her eye.

“You know Twilight, you need to close your eye before you do that part, but that’ll do. What would you like to know?”

Twilight laughed as she rubbed her eye and took another parchment from her saddlebag and opened it, “Ok well, let’s start with how you two met.”

Pinkie lit up, “Oh that’s a gem!”

“Wait a second. This isn’t going to end with ‘and that’s how Equestria was made’ is it?”

“Nope. Well, I met Fluttershy and Dashie at the same time. They just moved to Ponyville from Cloudsdale, and I saw them walking down a road. I waited behind a bush and when they got close enough I pounced on Fluttershy.”

Twilight stopped taking notes, “You pounced on Fluttershy?”

Pinkie nodded, “I didn’t know how sensitive she was. She fainted, and after the fight we all became friends. Well, after that...”

“Hold on a second. There was a fight?”

“Sure. You know how protective Dashie is of Fluttershy. She thought I was a bully or something cause she socked me but good.” Pinkie laughed, “Well, sometime during the fight, Fluttershy woke up and tried to break us up. We didn’t notice and we both accidentally hit Fluttershy at the same time.”

“Wow, I bet she was out cold,” Twilight said having a hard time figuring out if Pinkie was being honest.

Pinkie shook her head, “Nope. She was hurt, but I don’t think she cried. Dashie hugged her and apologized for hitting her. I apologized too, and that was when Dashie told me that she thought I was a bully picking on Fluttershy. I made sure that they knew I was no bully.”

Twilight tapped her chin with a hoof, “Well, that’s very interesting, but can you tell me when you learned you liked, um fillies?”

Pinkie shrugged and continued to wipe the counter, “I dunno. When did you learn that you loved reading?”

“I don’t know. I’ve always loved to read.”

“Exactly. I don’t when it happened, it just did.” Pinkie looked at Twilight, “Are you sure that you’re not mad at us?”

“Oh absolutely. I’m happy that my friends are happy together. I just want to know more about this.”

“More about what dear?”

Pinkie smiled at Rarity who had just walked into the shop, “Hey Rarity! Twilight was just wondering why Fluttershy and me are so weird and unnatural.”

Rarity turned to Twilight, “Twilight Sparkle, I am ashamed of you! Just because it may not be the status quo does not change the fact that they are our friends.”

Twilight became even more flustered, “I didn’t mean that. Well, I said it, but I didn’t mean it like that. I didn’t mean anything by it, honest.”

“There aren’t many ways to interpret ‘weird and unnatural’.” Rarity walked up to the counter and smiled warmly to Pinkie, “I, of course, encourage your love to flourish, but like I told you yesterday, I am rather protective of Fluttershy.”

Pinkie nodded, “Of course, I wouldn’t dream of hurting such a sensitive pony.”

Rarity smiled, “Wonderful. Now do you two have any plans for tonight?”

Pinkie shook her head, “Nope.”

Twilight, “So you two haven’t gone out yet?”

Rarity sighed, “Twilight you really must learn to be more tactful. I’m certain that their busy schedules prevent them from going on a proper date.” Rarity looked lost in thought and then squealed, “Oh Twilight, I just had the most marvelous idea! Please come with me to my boutique. I don’t want Fluttershy to hear what I have planned.”

“Oh ok, I’ll just go home.” Fluttershy turned to leave when she was tackled by Pinkie.

“Fluttershy! I missed you.” The pinkie pony noticed the box Fluttershy set down on the floor and the locket she was wearing, “Ooh, is that the present Dashie gave us?”

Fluttershy nodded and turned to their unicorn friends, “Rainbow felt she needed to give us something, but she really didn’t have to.” She smiled and then frowned, “Not that I want you to get us something. I mean, if you want to that would be wonderful, but you don’t have to. Oh. My.” She shielded her face with her mane and blushed when she heard Pinkie’s high pitched laugh.

“Fluttershy, you are too cute!” She hugged the yellow pony and the two of them made their way to the counter.

“How are you Fluttershy” Twilight asked.

“I’m fine. I just wanted to visit Pinkie,” Fluttershy squeaked quietly.

Rarity smiled at her timid friend, “Of course dear, I’ll just pick up Sweetie Belle’s cake and be on my way. Do come and visit later.”

Fluttershy smiled, “Certainly, Rarity.”

“Oh Fluttershy if you have some time, I’d like to ask you some questions about you and Pinkie.” Twilight wrote down notes on her parchment, “I would really love to learn more about this.”

“More about what,” Fluttershy asked.

“About how you fell in love with Pinkie and your relationship,” Twilight laughed as she was becoming more excited about learning something new that she lost all sense of tact, “I mean it’s just so bizarre that I have to know why anypony would do this...” She immediately shut her mouth with her hooves and after a moment said, “I am so sorry. I didn’t mean that. I just, well, don’t understand this.”

Fluttershy asked softly, “You think I’m bizarre?”

“And weird and unnatural,” Pinkie added happily, “But she doesn’t mean anything mean by it.”

Fluttershy tilted her head, “So Twilight thinks we are bizarre, weird, and unnatural in the nicest possible way?”

“Exactly!”

After a few tense moments, Fluttershy began to giggle softly. Soon the other ponies joined in and Fluttershy said, “I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have, Twilight.”

“Great! Can you two stop by the library today around lunchtime?”

Fluttershy nodded, “Certainly. I will be there after breakfast.” She turned to Pinkie, “Would you like to eat here?”

“Sure. We can eat and then head over to the library.” Pinkie went back to the counter and began to wipe it down and smiled when Fluttershy walked up to her.

Twilight smiled at the two ponies, “Ok I’ll see you two later. I might be a little late since Rarity wants to see me about, um something.”

“Twilight, I heard Rarity. She wants to plan something for Pinkie and me.”

Twilight smiled awkwardly, “Right. Well, I better get going. Bye everypony.”

Fluttershy looked at her marefriend nervously, “Um Pinkie, can I talk to you in private please?”

“Oh ok. We can talk in my room.” She set the rag down and both made their way upstairs. Once inside, Pinkie motioned for Fluttershy to sit on the bed. When they both sat down Pinkie smiled at Fluttershy and opened the present. Her face lit up when she saw the locket, “Oh wow, Fluttershy this is so pretty.”

Fluttershy helped put the butterfly locket on Pinkie and smiled when she opened it, “That one is yours and this one is mine.”

Pinkie began to shift a little bit, “Fluttershy, can you close your eyes?”

“Um, why?”

“Do you trust me,” Pinkie asked with a slightly hurt tone.

“Oh, of course I trust you. I’m sorry.” Fluttershy closed her eyes.

Pinkie inched closer to Fluttershy, ‘I can do this.’ She slowly leaned over and gently kissed Fluttershy on the lips. She slowly closed her eyes when Fluttershy kissed her in return. The kiss only lasted a moment, but both ponies were blushing and breathing heavier.

“That was wonderful,” Fluttershy said. She leaned over and hugged Pinkie.

“It really was,” Pinkie beamed happily, “What did you want to talk about?”

Fluttershy looked down, “Well, I went to visit Rainbow this morning, and we talked about you. She told me that you get sad sometimes.”

Pinkie immediately frowned, “She promised!” She jumped off the bed and was about to storm out of the room when she felt Fluttershy grab her.

“I’m sorry Pinkie. She told me that you get sad because you get tired, and since I’m your marefriend now, I need to help you. Please don’t be mad at her.”

Pinkie turned around and saw how sorry Fluttershy was, “What did she tell you?”	

“Well, all she told me was that the second time she saw you sad; you were in your room crying.”

Pinkie looked around nervously, “Did she tell you how she made me feel better?”

Fluttershy nodded.

“And you don’t mind?”

Fluttershy laughed, “Of course not. If it helps you feel better, then I’m glad she helped you.”

“Well, she was a little mad. I was just so happy that I had a friend here.”

“What do you mean?”

“I kissed her.”

Fluttershy stared at Pinkie with her mouth open. She tried to say something but no words came out. After a few moments, she was able to find her voice, “Y-you kissed her? She told me that she held you until you felt better.”

“Oh Fluttershy, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do it. It just happened, and she didn’t kiss me back.” Pinkie hugged Fluttershy, “You hate me now.”

Fluttershy shook away from Pinkie’s hug and saw her lower her head. Fluttershy lifted Pinkie’s chin with a hoof and smiled warmly at her, “You did nothing wrong, Pinkie. Um, maybe this will make you feel a little better.” She leaned forward and kissed Pinkie gently. The pink pony eagerly returned the kiss and this one lasted a bit longer. When they broke away, Fluttershy smiled and asked, “Was that better?”

Pinkie hugged Fluttershy again, “That was the bestest kiss I ever got!” She led Fluttershy back to the bed and sat down, “Sometimes I get sad, and I feel all alone. I don’t know why, but I also feel really tired when I get sad.”

Fluttershy interrupted her, “Then I will be here to cheer you up, spend time with you, and make sure you get plenty of rest.”

Pinkie rested her head on Fluttershy’s shoulder, “Thank you Fluttershy. I mean it.” She saw that something was still bothering Fluttershy, “Is something wrong?”

Fluttershy tried to smile but was unable to, “I’m sorry, but I was thinking about a dream that I had. You played a mean prank on me. I spoke to Rainbow about it, and she told me that you would never prank me. I’m just scared.”

“Scared of what?”

Fluttershy sniffed, trying not to cry, “I’m scared that I won’t be good enough. I’m not brave. I’m weak and helpless. I’m afraid that I’ll only bore you.”

Pinkie hugged Fluttershy, “I’m scared too. I’m scared that I’ll scare you away, and move too fast.” She looked Fluttershy in the eye, “I love you for who you are. You’re such a sweet and sensitive pony that I would love to be with you.”

Fluttershy smiled and wiped her eyes, “Thank you, Pinkie. Let’s get some lunch before we go talk to Twilight.”

“Okie dokie lokie!”

Both ponies went back downstairs and enjoyed a simple lunch. While they enjoyed their sandwiches, Fluttershy asked Pinkie, “Did Twilight ask you anything?”

“Not much. She was curious about how we met, and when I noticed I liked fillies.”

“I hope she doesn’t get mad at my answers.”

Pinkie suddenly smiled, “Oh, don’t tell me anything. I want this to be a surprise!”

Fluttershy laughed, “Ok Pinkie. I won’t tell you anything.”

Once they finished they headed out to Twilight’s house. Along the way they passed the post office and saw Rainbow Dash leaving.

Fluttershy walked up to Rainbow, “Hello Rainbow Dash. What brings you to the post office?”

Rainbow smiled at her friends, “Hey you two. I just mailed off a letter.”

Fluttershy hugged Rainbow and whispered, “Are you try to make up with Gilda?”

Rainbow glanced to Pinkie, “Yeah, I invited her to stay at my place. I hope she’ll respond soon.”

“That’s wonderful. Oh, I hope you two will be friends again.”

Rainbow shifted uncomfortably, “Well, I’m not holding my breath, but it would be awesome if she visits.” She turned to Pinkie, “See ya, Pinkie.”

“Bye, Dashie,” Pinkie replied just as Rainbow took off. She looked at Fluttershy, “What was that all about?”

“Oh, she sent a letter to Gilda. I hope they can be friends again.”

“Gilda? That mean bully that made you cry? Why would Dashie want to see that meanie again?”

“Pinkie, they were best friends once, and it would mean a lot to Rainbow if she accepts the invitation.”

Pinkie shook her head, “But what if she’s mean to you again?”

Fluttershy smiled, “I have you.”

Pinkie blushed and Fluttershy hugged her. Both ponies made their way to the Ponyville Library.
> Interview with a Fillyfooler Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Now Twilight, this must be perfect. This will be their first real date.”

Twilight Sparkle finished placing new curtains on the windows of the shop, “I get that Rarity, but I still don’t understand why you’re being so insistent on having the date here at your boutique.”

The white unicorn turned to her friend and laughed, “I have my reasons, but rest assured that it is for Fluttershy.”

Twilight tilted her head, “Why?”

“You know how timid the little creature can be. Just imagine the amount of stress she’ll be under on a date.” Rarity waved a hoof in front of her face, “No. I will not allow my dear friend to suffer any stress. She will be worried enough on making a good impression on Pinkie.”

Twilight stopped decorating the table, “Ok, now you’re going to have to explain that one to me. They’ve been friends for years. How could there be a first impression?”

Rarity walked to her friend and playfully squeezed Twilight’s face with her hooves, “You are simply adorable sometimes, Twilight Sparkle.” She let the purple unicorn go, “There will be a first impression because this will be the first time either of them will see the other as more than a friend. The first date will tell each other a great deal, and I know that they are both stressing out over every tiny detail.”

“If you say so.”

---

“But you’re allergic to raspberries.”

“I am?”

Fluttershy nodded as her and Pinkie made their way to Ponyville Library, “I remember the time you made a batch of raspberry tarts; you were sick for a week.”

Pinkie sat down and scratched her head, “That’s right. You stopped by every day to make sure I was feeling better.”

Fluttershy looked down blushing, “Well, I did have other reasons for wanting to visit, and I love taking care of you.”

Pinkie arched an eyebrow, “Really?” She lifted her forelegs to her face and gave two soft fake coughs. “Oh no I think I’m getting sick.” Pinkie fell over and put a hoof over her face, “I need to be taken care of!”

“Oh my!” Fluttershy put her ear to Pinkie’s chest, and Pinkie could not see that Fluttershy was grinning. Lifting her head from Pinkie’s chest, Fluttershy said, “She needs a tracheotomy!”

Pinkie looked up, “What’s that?”

“Oh. It’s where we take a knife and...”

“Ok, enough of that!” Pinkie jumped to her hooves, “Look at that! I’m all better!” She laughed nervously.

Fluttershy hugged Pinkie, “Good.” She looked down, “You know I was only playing, right?”

“Of course I knew.” She hugged the shy pegasus, “It’s so much fun playing with you.”

Fluttershy fought her instinct to struggle free from the hug, “It really is. We really should go to the library. Um, do you know what Rarity has planned for us?”

Pinkie scratched her head, “Well, she did say it was a surprise.”

“Oh ok. If you promised not to tell...”

“That’s just it. She never asked me to keep it a secret, so I think it’s ok to tell you. I think she wants to plan our first date”

Fluttershy blushed, “That sounds wonderful. She probably wants us to have a quiet dinner.”

“Quiet? That sounds kinda boring,” Pinkie scratched her chin, “I know! We can go dancing too!”

Fluttershy’s face lit up, “I love dancing.” She flapped her wings, balanced herself on her hind legs, and began to gracefully dance around Pinkie. She took a leap into the air, used her wings to glide over the pink pony, and gently kissed her on the head before landing.

Pinkie clapped happily, “That was amazing Fluttershy. Where did you learn to dance like that?”

“Oh, I taught myself really. I didn’t think anypony would like it, so I keep it to myself.”

“I like it a lot. Oh boy, we should make a list of all the things we can do together.”

“Ok, but after we visit Twilight. This sounds exciting.”

Both ponies continued to the library to wait for Twilight to return from Carousel Boutique.

---

“Thanks for the help, RD. Whenever I need something smashed, ya’ll are the first pony I call.” Applejack slid a tray with a sandwich and glass of apple juice over to the blue pegasus.

“Don’t sweat it, AJ. It’s what friends are for.” Both ponies sat down and enjoyed their meal under the shadow of what remained of an old tool shed.

The afternoon was enjoyable for Applejack, but she was still bothered by the new events in her friends’ lives. “Say Rainbow, mind if ah ask you somethin’?”

“What’s up?”

“Ah don’ know how this’ll sound, but what do ya think about Fluttershy and Pinkie?”

“What about them? You mean, how do I feel that they’re together now?”

Applejack took a bite from her sandwich, “Well, yeah. I love both of ‘em. They’re like family, but there’s somethin’ that I can get my head around.”

“I think you need to get your head out of your flank and stop judging our friends.”

“Ah ain’ judgin’. Ah’m just not sure Pinkie’s the best choice fer Fluttershy is all.”

“Oh, and you are?” Rainbow grinned at Applejack, “What happened? Did seeing Fluttershy together with Pinkie stir up some hidden feelings?”

“Hardy har. Jus’ forget it then.” The orange pony slouched as best she could on the bench, “Never thought it would be wrong to be concerned for a friend.”

Rainbow moved closer to Applejack, “AJ listen. There is a simple way to settle this. Do you trust Fluttershy?”

Applejack stared at Rainbow for a moment, “Of course ah trust her.”

“Ok. Now, do you trust Pinkie?”

“Well, yeah, I do.”

“Good. Then trust both of them to take care of each other.” She patted Applejack on the shoulder, “Let me tell you something about Pinkie.” Rainbow Dash grabbed an apple, “Now. Pinkie Pie is a lot like a bomb of happiness that is always exploding...”

“A bomb?”

Rainbow shrugged, “It’s either a bomb or a tornado.”

“Ah guess explosives suit her better. Not sure why though.”

“I know. Anyway, she’s just explosively happy, and she wants to hit everypony possible with shrapnel of joy.” Rainbow and Applejack stared at each other for a moment before bursting out in fits of laughter.

“Are ya’ll picturing her dressed as a commando chuckin’ bombs at ponies too,” Applejack managed to ask while clutching her sides.

“Yeah, and she’s screaming, ‘It’s happy time!’” Rainbow sat back up wiping her tears from her eyes, “Ow. Anyway, the point is that her entire focus in life is to spread happiness. Now that she has a marefriend, she’ll start focusing on Fluttershy. Trust me. She will shower that pony with so much happiness that we’ll be sick of it in no time.”

“Ah guess you’re right. Ah’m just worrying fer nothin’. Now c’mon. This mess ain’ gonna clean itself up.”

Rainbow groaned, “Cleanup isn’t nearly as cool as demolishing.”

“Yeah, but we gotta do it. I tell you what. We get this finished before the sun goes down, I’ll treat you to dinner.”

“Deal!”

With that, both ponies began the long task of cleaning up Rainbow’s impressive destructive display. Though the blue pegasus regretted causing so much debris to fly so far away.

---

Spike’s nap was interrupted by a knock on the door followed by somepony saying something. He trudged his way to the door and smiled when he saw Fluttershy kissing the top of Pinkie’s head.

“Fluttershy, I think you better get used to that. What’s up girls?”

Fluttershy let out a small squeak and looked down, “Oh hello, Spike. I know Twilight isn’t home, but can we wait here until she returns?”

Spike rubbed his eyes, “Of course you can. Come on in.” He led the ponies inside, “Would you two like something to eat?”

Fluttershy smiled, “I’m fine, thank you, but I think Pinkie might be a little hungry.” She smiled at Pinkie and playfully rubbed her side.

Pinkie giggled, “That tickles.” She playfully nudged Fluttershy away and made her way to the kitchen. “Don’t worry about making something for us, Spike. I’ll take care of it.”

The baby dragon stretched and yawned, “Ok Pinkie. I’m going back to sleep. Where’s Twilight anyway?”

Fluttershy walked over to Spike’s bed and finished making it for him, “Oh, she went to Rarity’s shop to set up a surprise for us.” She smiled as Spike’s eyes lit up at the mention of the white unicorn. Fluttershy gave him a hug, “Sweet dreams.”

“Thanks, Fluttershy.” Spike laid down and soon drifted off to sleep.

“Fluttershy. Can you come into the kitchen?”

The yellow pegasus walked to the kitchen and smiled at the sight of Pinkie eating a sandwich, “Maybe I should have made your lunch. You can’t just eat sandwiches all the time.”

“I don’t. Sometimes I eat hay.”

“Cooked?”

“Nope.”

Fluttershy sat down next to Pinkie, “Then I promise to make sure you always have a real dinner.”

“You don’t have to.”

“But I want to. I want to spend time with you.” Fluttershy looked up at the clock, “I wonder what Twilight has in mind for us.”

“Well, I know that she won’t be hooking you up to any machines.”

“Um, what?”

“Oh, nothing,” Pinkie finished her sandwich, “Let’s go back the living room.”

Fluttershy nodded and they returned to the main room. She looked around and sighed, “Twilight must be behind on her studies.”

Pinkie nodded, “Either that or she’s taking Spike’s advice about using the floor as a shelf.”

Fluttershy giggled, “I don’t know how she manages to find anything. She keeps changing the order of the books.”

“I know! I remember last week they were sorted by word count.”

Fluttershy shrugged, “How does she do that?”

“I dunno.” Pinkie began to pick up book off the floor, “Let’s tidy up some. It’ll be a nice surprise for Twilight.”

Fluttershy nodded and the two began to clean up the library.

---

The boutique was finally finished and ready for the date. Both unicorns looked over their work pleased with the results. Twilight was proud to help and knew that she needed to get back to the library to learn more about the nature of her friends’ new relationship.

“Rarity, can I ask you something?”

“Certainly. What is it?”

“I don’t know how to ask this, but how are you able to, you know, be comfortable with Pinkie and Fluttershy being together?”

Rarity looked to her friend and saw genuine intrigue in the studious pony’s eyes. There was something there that she could not place, but she knew that it was not malice. “What is it about their relationship that bothers you?”

Twilight sat down, “I know I’m being an awful friend, but I just don’t get it. Why would two mares want to be together? I know that it’s not uncommon, but what can they possibly gain from it? I just don’t understand.”

“Is that why you wish to ask Fluttershy about her feelings for Pinkie? Just remember that she is your friend, not some thing to study.”

“I know. I don’t want to scare her or make her feel bad. Believe me. I’m happy for them. I just have questions. They’re among the first friends I’ve ever had, and now they’re dating. This is a big change for all of us.”

Rarity nodded, “You’re right. It will take some adjustment, but I look forward to teasing them to go somewhere more private once in a while.” She giggled softly, “I can picture the two of them confused. They’re so innocent.”

“Right, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Twilight wanted to ask Rarity to clarify what she meant, but she noticed the time, “I gotta go. Pinkie and Fluttershy are probably waiting at the library.”

“Of course Twilight. Remember to be patient with Fluttershy. Don’t pressure her.”

Twilight nodded, “I promise.” She left the boutique and made her way home. On the way, she spotted Scootaloo riding on her scooter.

“Hey, Scootaloo. Headed to see Sweetie Belle?”

The orange filly stopped, “Yeah, I’m gonna pick her up and head over to the clubhouse.” Scootaloo nervously kicked at the ground before looking back to the purple unicorn, “Twilight, can I ask you something?”

Twilight nodded, “Sure, ask away.”

“Is it true that Fluttershy, well, you know...”

Twilight waved a hoof in the air, “Ok, stop right there. Maybe you should ask her yourself.” She tapped the hoof to her chin, “Then again, it’ll be public knowledge soon enough, so I don’t really see the harm.” She nodded, “Yes, it’s true.”

Scootaloo’s eye lit up, “Really? That’s awesome! Once I get Sweetie Bell I’ll go over to her cottage. Maybe she’ll let me join in.” She kicked off and took off on her scooter, or at least, she tried to.

Twilight used her magic to stop the orange filly, “What? Why would you want to join in? Are you like that too?”

“What do you mean like that?”

“Well, you asked about her and Pinkie.”

Scootaloo took off her helmet, “Pinkie? I thought she did it with Rainbow.”

“No, Fluttershy is dating Pinkie Pie.” Twilight knew that she made a mistake when she saw the stunned look on Scootaloo’s face, “I take it that wasn’t what you wanted to ask?”

It took a moment, but Scootaloo soon found her voice, “Uh, no. I wanted to know if it was true that Fluttershy will sing whenever somepony asked her to help them find a new pet. I was hoping she would let me practice my singing with her, so the CMC could rock out that much better. Fluttershy and Pinkie are, dating? Why?”

“I have no idea. In fact, I’m on my way home to ask Fluttershy about it.” Twilight began to head home when Scootaloo stopped her.

“Wait. You can’t just ask Fluttershy something like that. I mean, is it even any of your business?”

Twilight shifted nervously. She was so interested in unlocking the mystery behind this new relationship that she never stopped to think if she even had a right to. “Well, Fluttershy said it would be ok.”

Scootaloo put a hoof to her face, “Well, duh. Fluttershy can’t say no to a friend. Do you really think she’ll be comfortable talking about something like that?”

Twilight looked at the filly, “I think I understand what you mean, and I promise that I will do my very best to keep Fluttershy comfortable. Besides, Pinkie will be there with her, and she made me promise to be careful.”

That seemed to satisfy Scootaloo, “Ok, but be nice.” She turned to take off, but once again was stopped by Twilight.

“Hey, why are you so concerned about Fluttershy?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I noticed that almost everypony seems to be protective of Fluttershy.”

Scootaloo shrugged, “I don’t know. She’s just special. Do you want to see her sad?”

Twilight thought about it. True that she did not want any of her friends to be sad, but the idea of Fluttershy being sad seemed wrong to her. “I see what you mean.” She gently ruffled Scootaloo’s mane, “I promise, that I will treat Fluttershy with respect.”

Scootaloo smiled, “Cool. Well, I gotta go. See ya, Twilight!”

Twilight waved goodbye to the filly and continued her way back home, ‘I’ll have to think up some good questions to ask Fluttershy. Maybe I’ll ask Pinkie some as long as she’s there. It couldn’t hurt.’ Excitement quickly began to build inside her, and she went from a quick trot to a full run. It was not long before she was home, tire, but ready to begin the interview.

“Spike, clear a table, and get the recorder.” Twilight could not help but smile at the sight of the sleeping ponies, ‘They really are cute together.’

The baby dragon rubbed his eyes, “Sure thing Twilight.” He began to clear out a table making sure to stack the books neatly on the side. Once that was finished, he went to the basement.

Twilight knew that he would be a while, so she decided to wake up the sleeping ponies. She carefully nudged Pinkie who was currently being used as a pillow by Fluttershy, “Wake up. It’s time for our little interview.”

“Huh? What?” Pinkie rubbed her eyes and smiled at Fluttershy.

“Just a couple more minutes, Angel Bunny,” Fluttershy grumbled as she wrapped her forelegs around Pinkie’s waist giving the pink pony a squeeze.

“Hey, that tickles.”

Fluttershy’s eye shot open, “Pinkie! Oh, I’m sorry.” She quickly jumped off the couch and began to look Pinkie over.

“I’m fine, silly.” Pinkie gave Fluttershy a quick hug, “Now, we have an interview to do, and then we have a date.”

Fluttershy blushed, “Yes. I look forward to that.”

“Great. I see you two cleaned up a little. Thank you. I think Spike will be back with the recorder soon.” Twilight levitated a parchment and a quill from her bag.

Pinkie’s ears twitched nervously, “Recorder? I thought you said that there would be no machines.”

“I promised not to hook Fluttershy up to any machines. You have nothing to worry about Pinkie. All this machine does is record sound waves, so I can study them later. It’s a little experimental, but I’m confident that it’s safe.”

“How confident?”

“Pinkie. If Twilight says that it’s safe, then I trust her.” Fluttershy’s soft smile eased the pink pony’s mind for the moment.

“Okie dokie,” Pinkie said quietly before sitting down next to Fluttershy.

Spike entered the main room from the basement, “Ok Twi, I got it. I’ll get it set up.” He placed a curious device on the table, and carefully inserted a blue crystal.

“Hey Spike, doesn’t that make you hungry?”

“Um, Pinkie. I think that’s a crystal, not a gem.” Fluttershy quickly blushed, “I mean, I could be wrong, but I think it’s a crystal.”

“Yup, it’s a crystal. Twilight made it so it would have the right reso-something.”

“Resonance. Thank you Spike.” Twilight smiled as the baby dragon made his way up the stairs, and she turned to the recorder. With a spark from her horn, she activated it. It hummed slightly, but did nothing else. She turned to Fluttershy, “Ok, now just so we can get a baseline, can you please state your name?”

“Why? Did you forget her name?” Pinkie began to panic, “Did you forget your name? What’s my name?” She frantically waved a hoof in Twilight’s face, “How many hooves do you see?”

“Pinkie, I remember Fluttershy’s name. I only asked her to state so I can have a record of it. It’s so I can sort it easier.”

“Oh, ok. I still don’t trust that machine.” Pinkie sat down and pouted crossing her forelegs, but she immediately smiled when she felt Fluttershy hug her.

“Thank you for looking out for me.” Fluttershy held her embrace of Pinkie and turned to Twilight, “My name is Fluttershy.”

Twilight smiled, “Great. Now, is there anything special about you?”

“Um, no not really.”

Twilight sighed, “Just say that you’re the Element of Kindness.”

“Oh ok. I’m the Element of Kindness.” Fluttershy let go of Pinkie turned completely to Twilight.

“Alright. Now we get to it. How long have you had, uh feelings for Pinkie?”

Fluttershy blushed, “Oh, well, I uh, I’m not sure. I mean, it feels like I’ve loved her forever, but at the same time, it feels brand new. I’m sorry that I can’t be more specific.”

Twilight wrote something down on her parchment, “That’s alright. You’re being honest, and I appreciate that. Can you tell me when you first wanted to tell Pinkie how you felt?”

Fluttershy nodded, “Ok. Well, it was a while ago. Pinkie was helping Rainbow Dash pull off some pranks, and I really wanted to join them.”

Pinkie’s ears perked up, “You want to go pranking with Dashie and me?”

“Well, no not anymore. Not since that accident.”

Twilight tilted her head, “What accident?”

Fluttershy gave her a small smile, “Well, I followed them to a nearby grove where they were painting a bunch of tennis balls different colors and attaching paper to them. They were making pretend parasprites and...”

“Ok I remember the time you’re talking about.” Twilight turned to Pinkie, “I nearly fainted when I saw all of those things. I was worried that we had another infestation.”

Pinkie smiled, “Yeah, but you were laughing with us.”

Twilight nodded smiling, “Yeah, I was. It was pretty funny when I calmed down.” Twilight tapped her chin with a hoof, “I remember something else about that day.” She clapped her hooves together, “That was the day you went missing!”

Pinkie snapped to Fluttershy, “You went missing?”

“Um, well, not so much missing as I was just not ‘here’.”

“What do you mean?”

Twilight stopped writing, “Yeah, I’d really like to know what happened to you. I remember when you came back you were a little shaken.”

Pinkie put a hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder, “Were you hurt?”

Fluttershy smiled, “No, I was more scared than hurt.”

“Ok, so what happened?”

“I’m not sure where to begin.” Fluttershy looked down and tried to remember. She looked up and smiled, “I guess I’ll start when I died.”

---

“Let’s take a little breather,” Applejack offered.

“No way,” replied the smug pegasus, “There is no way you’re getting out of getting me dinner.”

Applejack rolled her eyes, “Rainbow, if by some miracle we can’t get the rest of this done by sundown as a result of this here break, then I’ll still treat you to dinner.”

The blue pegasus raised an eyebrow, “Promise?”

Applejack smiled, “Ah promise.”

That was more than enough for Rainbow, “Alright then. I’m gonna take a nap.” She took off for a nearby tree branch, and Applejack followed her.

She shifted nervously but still wanted to talk to Rainbow, so Applejack carefully gave Rainbow’s tree a kick.

The kick was hard enough to jar the pegasus loose, but it was not hard enough to keep her from regaining her bearings. Rainbow looked down, “Hey AJ! What gives?”

“Ah’m sorry, but ah still wanna talk.”

Rainbow groaned, “Is this still about Fluttershy and Pinkie?”

“Ah’m sorry, but ya’ll can’t expect me to just start acting like everything is fine when it isn’t.”

“Just what the hay are you talking about?” Rainbow jumped down and looked Applejack in the eye.

“Now simmer down Rainbow. I meant what ah said. I love Pinkie and Fluttershy. They’re like sisters to me, but I just can’t stand by and let them go through with this.”

Rainbow stared at the orange pony, “Go through with what? They’re in love. There’s nothing wrong with it.”

“You may think it’s ok, but do you really think everypony will?”

“What do you mean? If you plan on hurting them...”

Applejack rubbed her face with a hoof, “I ain’t out to hurt anypony, but I know that there ponies out there that hate ponies like them.”

“Like them? Are you saying their freaks or something?”

Applejack looked away, “I’m sorry Rainbow. I want them to be happy, and if it means being together, that’s great.”

“Then what’s wrong? What do you mean about other ponies?”

“You know them ponies, Lyra and Bon Bon?”

Rainbow Dash nodded.

“Ok, well, they make it their business to stay out of everypony’s way, but still everypony knows who they are.” Applejack placed a hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder, “Can you imagine what that kind of attention will do to a pony like Fluttershy? In spite of what you think, I don’t hate them or any other pony for who they love.”

“But you’d rather have them lonely and safe? How does that make sense?”

Applejack sighed, “Ah know ya think ah’m the worst friend ever, but I just don’ wanna see them hurt.”

Rainbow smiled, “I get it. You’re looking out for them. You sure have a weird way of looking at it.” She looked up, “Tell me the truth, AJ. Is there anything else about their relationship that bothers you?”

Applejack shifted nervously, “Ah’m not keen on them being together.”

“Why?”

“Ah’d rather not say.”

“C’mon AJ. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were jealous of Pinkie.”

Applejack rolled her eyes, “Alright, but keep it to yerself. I always thought that Fluttershy would fall for Big Macintosh.”

Rainbow stared at her friend for a moment before falling over laughing, “That’s rich, Applejack! I never thought you would play matchmaker.”

“Alright, laugh it up. Ah just thought it would be nice for Mac to find a nice pony like Fluttershy.” Applejack smiled, “Let’s get back to work. If’n we can’t get this done by dinnertime, ah’ll finish it in the morning.” She nudged Rainbow, “After all, ah still owe you a dinner.”

The blue pony smiled, “Right, and Applejack?”

Applejack turned to her friend.

“I wouldn’t stress too much. Pinkie will make sure that Fluttershy is safe, and besides, they have you looking out for them.”

Applejack smiled, “Thanks Rainbow. Well, let’s get to it.”

---

“Ok Fluttershy, you’re going to have to be a little more specific. What do you mean you died?”

Fluttershy shifted slightly, “Well, I guess ‘dead’ isn’t the right word” She kicked the ground softly as she tried to think of the right word, “The best way I can explain it is, one moment I was walking in the forest, and the next moment I was looking at my body.”

Pinkie hugged Fluttershy, “Were you hurt?”

Fluttershy smiled, “I think I was fine. Um, let me start again.” She rested her head on Pinkie’s lap, “Well, earlier that day, you and Rainbow were at the lake. I was there too, but I don’t think you saw me. While I was feeding the ducks, I heard a loud horn followed by a splash. It scared me, and when I looked across the lake, I saw you getting out laughing with Rainbow.”

Pinkie smiled, “I remember that. Dashie used the air horn while I was drinking some water, and I fell in.”

Fluttershy blushed, “Yes, well, I watched you leave the pool, and I remember every detail. The way your coat was darkened by the water and your straight mane and tail. I had to run away because something embarrassing, um ‘popped’ up.” She looked at Pinkie and smiled that the pink pony seemed to be oblivious about what she was referring.

She cleared her throat, “Anyway, I ran away scared that you saw me, and I found myself in the Everfree Forest.”

“Why am I not surprised,” Twilight asked sarcastically not looking up from her parchment. “If it weren’t for Zecora, I’d say nothing good ever came out of that place.”

“So what happened?”

Fluttershy smiled at Pinkie, “Nothing bad happened. After I discovered I was in the forest, I sat down to catch my breath.” She frowned slightly, “I became angry at myself. The fact that I could never tell you how I felt because of how scared I was, hurt. I felt so worthless, so I decided that I should try and get your attention somehow.” She rolled onto her back so she was looking up at Pinkie and continued, “I thought that if I could think up a good enough prank, then you would notice and I could finally tell you how I felt.”

A bizarre hum broke her train of thought and turned to the recorder.

“The crystal is full,” Twilight said, “Just sit tight while I grab another one.”

Pinkie tilted her head, “They don’t last long.”

Twilight shrugged, “It’s a new medium, so it’ll take some time before I can perfect the lattice structure of the crystals. Be right back girls.”

“Okie dokie!” Pinkie smiled as she gently rubbed Fluttershy’s chest with a hoof, “So you were trying to come up with a prank?”

Fluttershy smiled, “I didn’t want to do anything mean, but I felt that I had to do something.”

Pinkie nodded, “I really wanted to tell you too, but I was scared that you wouldn’t like me.” She grinned, “Say, wanna try a little prank now?”

Fluttershy looked into Pinkie’s eyes, “Nothing mean?”

“Of course. It’s all in good fun.”

Fluttershy smiled, “You’re right. You would never do anything mean. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. You’re too sweet.” Pinkie gave Fluttershy a hug, “Ok so here’s the plan, when Twilight comes back just start talking about what you did the last time you a nap. I’ll play along.”

“Ok, I’ll try.”

Pinkie gave the yellow pegasus a little squeeze, “Yay! I can’t wait.” She heard Twilight walk up the basement stairs, “Ok here we go.”

“Ok, I’m back. I figured that it might be best to just bring the box up here.” The purple unicorn smiled at the sight of her friends together but instantly frowned when she heard the conversation.

“After I woke up in the forest, I walked home. Angel Bunny was waiting for me and he was angry. I forgot to set out his food for the day, and he was really hungry. But after that I knew that I had to tell you...”

Pinkie turned to Twilight, “Hey Twilight! Fluttershy just finished her story, and boy what a doozy. Well, we should get going.” She started to giggle but stopped as Twilight grew angry.

“Fluttershy, how could you? You know I was only going to be gone for a little while. Why couldn’t you wait until I got back?” Twilight threw the box onto the table, sat down, and crossed her forelegs glaring at the pony pair.

“Twilight, I’m sorry. I didn’t finish the story, honest. It was just a little joke. I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad at us.” Fluttershy tried to sit up but stayed laying down confused when the unicorn started laughing.

“I know. I saw Pinkie about to start laughing, so I figured she roped you into playing a little prank on me.” She smiled at Fluttershy, “I couldn’t get angry at you Fluttershy. You wouldn’t be mean; at least not intentionally.”

Fluttershy smiled, “I guess I’m not very good at pranks, but that’s alright.” She nuzzled against Pinkie’s lap, “Are you ready for me to continue?”

The purple unicorn nodded, “Yup, it’s ready to go. Just continue with the story.”

Fluttershy nodded, “I was in the forest trying to think of a prank that I could do so Pinkie could notice me.” She looked up to Pinkie, “If I knew how you felt I probably wouldn’t have worried so much. Still, I thought I needed to do something. I sat there for a long time trying to think of what I could do, but I couldn’t think of anything. I felt so worthless that I started walking to get my mind off it. I didn’t know where I was, but I found some old ruins. I wanted to go back home because I knew that I was deeper inside the forest than I cared for, but I kept hearing something. It sounded like a small creature was hurt, so I slowly looked around to try and find the poor thing.”

Twilight looked up, “Was it a trap?”

“No. Well, at least I don’t think it was. I soon found a baby bunny that had a bad cut on his tiny foot. He saw me and ran deeper into the ruins. I followed him because his foot needed attention. I quickly lost sight of him, and I knew that I was lost inside the ruins.”

Pinkie felt Fluttershy beginning to shake, “You’re safe now, Fluttershy. I’m sorry that I wasn’t there for you.”

The yellow pony smiled, “It’s alright Pinkie. I wasn’t in any real danger at the time. I tried to go back the way I came in, but there were tunnels that I didn’t recognize. It felt as though I walked around in circles, but eventually I found my way out. I remember looking up and seeing the sky. I wanted nothing more than to be free from that place, so I flew up. That was when it happened.”

Twilight looked up from her notes, “When you ‘died’?”

Fluttershy nodded, “I was almost at the canopy when I felt something hit me from the side. I quickly fell back to the ground, but somewhere along the way. I became separated from my body.” She rubbed the side of her head, “I don’t know how to say it, but I felt myself stop falling and I heard my body hit the ground. I also felt nothing. The forest was humid that day, but at that moment, I didn’t feel it anymore. I spun around and saw my body on the floor.”

Pinkie kissed Fluttershy on her head, “I bet you were really scared.”

“I was. I never saw anything like that before, and it scared me. I flew down and I heard a voice.”

“Hold on Fluttershy,” Twilight levitated the crystal and placed a new one into the recorder, “Now, this voice, do you remember what it sounded like?”

Fluttershy nodded, “I can’t say for certain, but I think it was a sad voice. They said that they were lonely, and they just wanted somepony to talk to. That’s why they did what they did. I was leaving and they panicked, so I understood, at least a little.”

Twilight set the quill down, “Fluttershy, do you think you can remember where these ruins are?”

“Why?” Pinkie became nervous and stroked Fluttershy’s mane, “You want to send her back in there?”

Twilight waved her hooves in front of her, “Not by herself. I was thinking that we all could go together, and explore it. Besides, the princess has been asking me if I could map out portions of the Everfree Forest, since most maps at the castle are out of date.” She looked down to Fluttershy, “Only if you’re ok with it. I’m not pressuring you, so don’t worry.”

Fluttershy looked up to Pinkie and smiled, “I know that I’ll be safe with you there. It’s alright.” She turned to Twilight, “I think I can find it on a map, but that will have to wait until tomorrow.”

“Why?”

Fluttershy pointed at the clock on the wall, “Because, um we’re almost late for our date.”

Pinkie looked up, “You’re right! We can’t miss our own date. That would be embarrassing!”

Twilight smiled as she turned off the recorder, “Alright. Well, have fun you two, and we’ll pick this up again tomorrow. Fluttershy?”

“Yes, Twilight?”

“I’m just curious; you were missing a few feathers when you came back that day. Are you sure you weren’t harmed?”

Fluttershy nodded, “I was fine, and I used some feathers to keep track of where I was. I just used feathers that were about to molt anyway.”

Twilight nodded, “Oh ok, I was just wondering. Back tomorrow? Same time?”

Fluttershy nodded, “That sounds fine. Um, can Pinkie come too?”

“I wouldn’t dream of leaving her out.” Twilight smiled at the two, “Now go on. Rarity and me spent a long time setting the boutique up for your special date.”

The two ponies left the library and Pinkie thought they would walk to Rarity’s home, but Fluttershy had other plans.

With a flick of her tail, Fluttershy hit Pinkie’s flank and took off running.

Pinkie laughed and took off after the yellow pony, “I’ll catch you this time!”

“I don’t think so,” Fluttershy replied and kept running.

It was not long before Pinkie leapt to the air and tackled Fluttershy, “Gotcha!” Fluttershy struggled a little and Pinkie gave her a quick kiss on the nose, “Now let’s get going.”

Fluttershy smiled and shook the dust from her coat, “I guess you’re too fast for me.”

Pinkie laughed, “Playing with Dashie helps keep me in shape.”

The pair continued on their way to the boutique, and were stunned at the sight of a very annoyed and very wet Rarity.

“Sweetie Belle, how could you? Twilight and I spent a very long time working on the decorations.”

“I’m sorry, sis. I really am.”

Rarity rubbed her face, “I know you are, but Pinkie and Fluttershy will be here soon and now their date will be ruined. Honestly, what possessed you girls to try and be pirates today, and in my bath? You could have tried at the lake.”

Sweetie Belle just kept her face down, but Rarity still saw the steady stream of tears coming from the filly’s eyes.

She lifted Sweetie Belle’s chin with a hoof, “I’m sorry. I will think of something to make up for their date.” Rarity suddenly smiled, “I got it! There is a new restaurant that opened up and the chef owes me a favor.” She turned around and saw the ponies of the hour standing before her. Embarrassed, she asked, “You heard all of that?”

Pinkie shook her head, “Only most of it, so where is this restaurant at?”

“Oh it’s near the town square. Just tell the greeter that I am cashing in the favor they owe me.”

“Thank you, Rarity.” Fluttershy smiled at her friend, “This really means a lot to us.”

Pinkie nodded, “Yup it sure does. Let’s go Fluttershy!”

The two made their way to the town square where they would run into another pair of friends.

---

“So where should we grab some grub?”

Rainbow shrugged, “I don’t know. You owe me a dinner. Just don’t get all cheap on me and stick me with a hay smoothie. I want a real dinner.”

Applejack rolled her eyes, “Ya’ll think ah’m made of bits or somethin’?”

“You owe me,” Rainbow replied with a grin.

“Fair enough. Now let’s see what’s open.”

The two entered the town square and saw Pinkie and Fluttershy on the other side. Applejack felt her stomach tighten at the sight of the two ponies and instantly felt guilty for it. “You know what; let’s just head back to the farm. Nothing beats a home cooked meal, right?”

“Yeah, I guess so.” Rainbow Dash was about to turn back to Sweet Apple Acres when she saw her friends. “Hey, there’s Pinkie and Fluttershy.” She flew over to the pair, “Hey you guys. What are you doing here?”

Fluttershy smiled at the blue pony, “Hello Rainbow. Pinkie and I are going to a restaurant.” She nuzzled Pinkie’s side gently, “It’ll be our first real date.”

“That’s awesome. AJ owes me a dinner for helping her clear out an old tool shed.”

“That sounds nice.” Fluttershy walked over to the greeter, “Hello, um, Rarity said that she is cashing in on a favor. If that’s ok.”

The greeter smiled, “Of course, for how many?”

“Two please.”

“That might be a problem. The only table that is free is for four.”

“Idea!” Pinkie squealed and looked over to Applejack, “You owe Rainbow a dinner, so we can all eat together. It’ll be a double date!”

Applejack staggered back, “A double-what now?”

“Hey the thought isn’t exactly exciting for me either,” remarked Rainbow, “But it sounds like fun.”

Applejack sighed, “Fine, but this ain’t a date.”

Rainbow Dash laughed, “You say that now.”

The ponies laughed and went inside the restaurant to enjoy their meals completely unaware that there were eyes on them that were less than favorable.
> Interview With a Fillyfooler Part 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“This is going to be so much fun! Come on Fluttershy, let’s get to our table.” Pinkie Pie bounced along with Fluttershy following behind. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were behind the happy couple.

Rainbow Dash nudged Applejack and said, “Look at them, AJ. How can you be against that?”

Applejack sighed and when she saw Rainbow smiling at their friends said, “You know I agree with you, Rainbow.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m just messing with you. C’mon, let’s eat.”

The four ponies arrived at their table and Fluttershy was about to sit down, but was stopped by Pinkie.

“Allow me,” Pinkie said as she slid out Fluttershy’s chair.

“Oh, thank you, Pinkie.” Fluttershy blushed and took her seat.

Pinkie sat next to Fluttershy and placed a hoof on hers.

“Well, if this is a date, then let me get your chair for ya, Rainbow.” Applejack slid Rainbow’s chair out and grinned at the blue pegasus.

“Hey, I’m the one that’s supposed to do that-“

“Too late, sugarcube. Ya’ll are the girl on this here date.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, “Fine. Just keep those hooves where I can see them.”

Applejack laughed as Rainbow sat down and took the seat next to her. She looked over to Pinkie and Fluttershy and asked, “So, anything interesting happen to ya’ll today?”

Pinkie nodded, “Yup. Fluttershy was telling Twilight and me about this time she found some really old ruins. Well, it’s not like you can find new ruins. Though, those would probably be cleaner. Hey since Fluttershy’s cottage is empty right, does that mean that it can be called a ruin?” Pinkie looked at Fluttershy, “You live in ruins!” Pinkie rubbed her hooves together, “I’ll have to check out your cottage for any traps that might be there before-“

“Pinkie, there are no traps in Fluttershy’s cottage,” Rainbow Dash said trying as hard as she could to keep from laughing. “Why would there be?”

“Because she lives in ruins! Obviously, once a place becomes ‘ruins’ somepony comes in and installs death traps in weird places.”

“I don’t think that’s how it works, “Applejack said. She scratched her head and asked, “You ok with telling us about what happened to ya, Fluttershy?”

“Um, I’m sorry, but I haven’t finished telling Twilight what happened.”

Rainbow waved a hoof in the air, “Don’t sweat it, Fluttershy. You’re here for a date, not to talk about some creepy ruins.”

Pinkie gave Fluttershy a hug, “Exactly! We’re here to have fun.”

The waiter arrived at the table, handed the ponies the menus, and asked, “May I offer you a drink?”

Pinkie smiled, “Fluttershy can pick my drink.”

“Oh, ok.” Fluttershy looked over her menu and said, “I will have a glass of apple juice and my…” Fluttershy turned to Pinkie and smiled, “and my girlfriend will have the spiced apple cider.”

“Ooh, I love cider!”

Rainbow groaned, “Yeah, we know.”

The waiter cleared his throat, “Are you two together?”

Fluttershy began to shrink in her chair shaking like a leaf, but smiled when she felt Pinkie stroke her mane.

“Yes, we’re together,” Pinkie said with a grin.

The waiter nodded, “Very well, one apple juice and one spiced apple cider.” He turned to Rainbow Dash and asked, “And will you be ordering for your date as well?”

“Hey now! This isn't a date!”

“Settle down, AJ,” Rainbow said. “At least try to have fun.”

Applejack leaned to Rainbow and whispered in her ear, “I know you’re being supportive of Fluttershy and Pinkie, but I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t imply that I’m the same way.”

“Well, I'd appreciate it if you’d stop saying that likes it’s some kind of disease,” Rainbow whispered.

Applejack leaned back and sighed, “Go ahead Rainbow. Order away.”

Rainbow cleared her throat and said, “Ok. I will have a glass of thunder punch, and my date will have,” She grinned at Applejack, and said, “My date will have a tall glass of orange juice.” Rainbow laughed when Applejack groaned.

The waiter nodded, “Very well. I shall return shortly with your drinks.”

Rainbow Dash nudged Applejack and said, “Hey, I’m sorry. I just want you to loosen up a little.”

“I know.” Applejack looked at Pinkie and Fluttershy, “This is your first date, and I don’t wanna ruin it. Let’s have fun tonight.”

“Thank you Applejack,” Fluttershy said with a smile.

The waiter arrived with the beverages and after each pony got her drink he asked, “Are you ready to order, or do you need more time?”

Pinkie said, “I’m ready to order. Want me to order for you Fluttershy?”

“That sounds nice.”

Pinkie smiled, “Great!” She looked over the menu, “I will have the honey glazed hay fries, and Fluttershy will have the wild picked fruit salad.”

“Excellent choices,” The waiter said before turning to Rainbow Dash, “And for you?”

“I’ll have the roasted wildflower panini.” Rainbow turned to Applejack and smiled when the orange pony gave her a small nod, “And my friend will have the stuffed apples. Oh, and could you bring her a glass of sweet apple cider?”

Applejack smiled, “Thanks, RD.”

The waiter collected the menus, “Thank you. I’ll place your orders.”

Fluttershy smiled, “Thank you very much, sir.”

The ponies set about enjoying their drinks. Fluttershy took small sips of her apple juice while Pinkie finished her cider in one gulp.

Applejack drank her orange juice quickly and smiled at Rainbow, who was enjoying her thunder punch. “Excuse me girls, but I need to use the little fillies’ room,” Applejack said. She nudged Rainbow as she got up.

“I’ll go with you, AJ.”

The two ponies made their way to the bathroom, and once inside Applejack turned to Rainbow and said, “I know this’ll be mighty hard for you, but I need you to slap me-“

Rainbow slapped Applejack hard across the cheek and smiled, “Anything else I can do for you?”

Applejack rubbed her face, “Ow. Ya could’ve at least asked why I wanted you to slap me.”

“Fine. Why did you want me to slap you?”

Applejack sighed, “To remind me that this is Pinkie’s and Fluttershy’s night.”

“Applejack, would you relax? You’re a good friend, and this is gonna be a fun night.” Rainbow smiled and asked, “So, how was your orange juice?”

“It wasn’t bad. Thanks, by the way, for ordering something I’d like. Must’ve been awfully tempting to order something I’d hate.”

“Hey I want you to have a good time too. Now come on, let’s get back to our table.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

When Rainbow Dash and Applejack returned to the table, the waiter was setting the food on the table. Pinkie kept trying to sneak a bite of her hay fries, but Fluttershy would keep giving her a playful swat on the snout. Pinkie would rub her nose and Fluttershy would kiss it.

Applejack walked up to Rainbow’s chair and slid it out.

“Thank you AJ.”

“Happy to do it, sugarcube.” Applejack sat down and cleared her throat so the other ponies would look at her. She smiled at Pinkie and Fluttershy and said, “Nopony takes a bite until we see a kiss from you lovebirds.”

Fluttershy and Pinkie turned a deep shade of red. Pinkie looked to Fluttershy and the shy pony gave her a small nod along with a squeak. Pinkie gently turned Fluttershy so they were facing each other and leaned forward. Fluttershy leaned forward and gave Pinkie a kiss on the lips. The kiss lasted a second and Fluttershy leaned against Pinkie’s neck after.

Applejack quietly clapped her hooves and said, “That plumb adorable. Alright, let’s eat.”

The four ponies enjoyed their meals, and when they finished the waiter arrived with a sealed note. “Please give this to Rarity along with our regards.”

Fluttershy took the note and said, “I’ll deliver it myself.”

“Thank you very much.”

The girls made their way out of the restaurant, and stopped at the entrance.

“That was fun,” Fluttershy said. She noticed Pinkie was getting sleepy and asked, “Pinkie would you like to go dancing some other time?”

Pinkie yawned, “That sounds good to me.”

Suddenly a voice shouted, “Hey you!”

Fluttershy turned towards the voice, but a blinding white flooded her vision. When her vision cleared, she saw pink.

Pinkie was standing on her hind legs in front of Fluttershy and her forelegs spread out to her sides.

Fluttershy looked to her side and smiled at what she saw. Applejack jumped in front of Rainbow, and she shielded the pegasus from the flash.

“You guys are weird,” Applebloom said. “I don’t think we’ll get our cutie marks like this.”

Pinkie laughed, “Oh, oops.” She turned to Fluttershy, “It’s just a picture, not a mean meanie pants.”

“Thank you, Pinkie.” Fluttershy gave Pinkie a kiss on the cheek causing the pink pony to blush.

“Uh, AJ, you mind letting go of me?”

Applejack let go of Rainbow, “Sorry bout that, Rainbow. Guess I just reacted is all.”

“Yeah, my hero. I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can, Rainbow. I didn’t mean nothing. I just don’t want to see you hurt.”

“Hurt? You calling me weak?”

Applejack shook her head, “Of course not. You ain’t weak, and you know it.”

Pinkie ignored the arguing ponies and looked at the picture Applebloom took, “The picture looks nice. The earth ponies are protecting the pegasus ponies.”

Rainbow turned to Pinkie, “Pegasus ponies don’t need protecting, and we don’t need earth ponies to do it.”

Applejack nudged Rainbow, “Rainbow will you relax. I’m sorry if I implied that you needed protecting. I just reacted.”

Rainbow grumbled something and looked at Applejack. She smiled at her friend and said, “Alright Applejack. Let’s just drop it.”

“Sounds good to me. Now I think we should get you home. Remember, you’re the girl on this date.”

“You’re not gonna let me live this down are you?”

Applejack smiled, “Nope.” She turned to Pinkie and asked, “You’re gonna walk Fluttershy home?”

“Yup,” Pinkie hugged Fluttershy.

Applejack nodded, “Alright. Well, good night you two. I’m sorry for being a jerk.” Before Pinkie or Fluttershy could say anything, Applejack said, “Ya’ll are adorable together, and I know that you’ll take care of each other.” She turned to Applebloom, “You best be home by the time I get there.”

“Fine,” Applebloom grumbled and headed home.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash began walking towards Rainbow’s house. Applejack was thinking back to the dinner and her behavior. “Rainbow, can I ask you something?”

“Ugh, what is it now?”

“Nothing. Never mind.”

Rainbow stopped and faced Applejack, “Look. I know what you’re gonna ask, so let’s skip ahead to the answer. You’re a good friend. You don’t want to break up Fluttershy and Pinkie, you want to look out for them.” She put her hoof on Applejack’s shoulder, “We’re lucky to have you as a friend. Now can you please drop this?”

Applejack smiled, “Ok, consider it dropped.” She looked up and said, “Well, that was quicker than I was hoping.”

“Hoping?”

“Um, I like hanging out with ya.”

“Yeah, you’re fun.” Rainbow flew up to her house.

Applejack saw her friend, and she saw the rock sail through the air. Before she could shout a warning to Rainbow, the rock struck the pegasus in the head.

Rainbow let out a cry of pain and fell to the ground.

Applejack ran as hard as she could, and she felt relieved when she saw Rainbow stirring and trying to get up. Her relief ended when she heard somepony shouting.

“Get them!”

Once again on instinct, Applejack threw herself on the wounded pony, and braced herself for what was about to happen. Nothing happened for what felt like minutes. All Applejack could hear was her breathing and Rainbow’s attempts to keep from crying. Applejack was about to say something comforting to Rainbow when the first rock struck her hard on her back. Applejack protected her head with her forelegs, and she made certain that as much of her body covered Rainbow’s. 

The rocks just kept striking Applejack and she gritted her teeth focusing on protecting her friend. As much as the rocks hurt, Rainbow’s occasional whimper when parts of her were exposed were struck, hurt Applejack much more. After an eternity, the rocks stopped. Applejack tried to get up and make certain these ponies would never walk the same way again, but the pain kept her down. Her heart jumped into her throat when she heard one of the ponies speak.

“That’s enough for them. Let’s get the other two. I think the yellow one lives in that tree cottage outside of town.”

Applejack heard the ponies run off, but she couldn’t tell how many there were. She groaned and rose to a seating position. A quick glance at Rainbow told her that she was spared the worst of it. Rainbow was bleeding from her head and she was struggling to stay conscious. She had bruises and cuts on her hip and hind legs. Applejack helped her up to her hooves.

“What happened,” Rainbow asked.

“Someponies decided to prove me right.”

Rainbow tried to reply, but she lost her balance and fell over.

“Now stay with me Rainbow. Go to Twilight’s house. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“What’s going on AJ?”

“Those ponies are headed to Fluttershy’s.”

Rainbow jumped up and stumbled into Applejack. She took a good look at the earth pony and gasped. Applejack was covered in bruises and cuts. “Applejack you’re really hurt. We need to get you to the hospital.”

Applejack shook her head, “Sorry. No can do. I have to get to Fluttershy’s.” She turned to run, but Rainbow grabbed her tail.

“Applejack, let’s go together.”

“You can’t go, RD. You hurt her head.” Applejack hugged Rainbow and said, “I have to get to Fluttershy’s and warn her and Pinkie.”

“The hay I can’t! They’re my friends too, and I’m not gonna-“

“Rainbow, please,” Applejack shouted tears falling from her eyes.

Rainbow looked into her friend’s eyes and sighed. “Ok Applejack. I’ll head to Twilight’s, but you bring those two over, got it?”

“Got it.”

Applejack ran off as best she could, and Rainbow made her way toward the library. She stopped, “No way. I have to help Applejack.” Rainbow turned and ran after Applejack hoping that they will arrive in time to save their friends.

---

Fluttershy sat outside her front door with a smile on her face. Pinkie insisted on checking her cottage for any death traps that might have been installed.

“Fluttershy, I don’t trust this thing.”

The yellow pony giggled and said, “Pinkie, that’s only Angel Bunny. I don’t think he’s a bomb.”

Pinkie leaned out the window, “I don’t think you should take that chance.”

Fluttershy walked up to Pinkie and gave her a hug, “I’ll be fine.”

“If you say so. Here’s your bunny bomb.” Pinkie passed Angel Bunny to Fluttershy but accidentally dropped him.

Fluttershy ducked down and caught him just as a rock hit the windowsill. She spun around and saw four ponies, each levitating rocks. Fluttershy stumbled back and tried to call for Pinkie who was whistling a tune as she continued her search for traps.

“Now it’s your turn.” One of the ponies hurled a rock at Fluttershy and it was stopped before it struck her. Fluttershy saw a shimmering form in front of her and recognized it.

The shimmering form moved away from Fluttershy, and time slowed to a crawl. The form flew away from her and began attacking the four ponies.

It lifted two in the air and dropped them to the ground. Another threw their rocks at it and, she was rewarded with the very same rocks thrown back at her. The last pony stumbled and fell to the ground. He stared in fear at the shimmering form before him, and his eyes grew wide when the brick he planned on using on Fluttershy was now poised overhead. The brick hovered for a moment then slowly tilted back. The pony closed his, but they snapped open when he heard a pony cry out.

“Stop,” Fluttershy screamed as she jumped in front of the pony. She looked to the form and said, “Please, don’t do this.” She felt something in her head, almost a scratching, but she understood it. Fluttershy shook her head, “Yes, I know he planned on hurting me, but he didn’t. You saved me, so you don’t have to hurt him.” She smiled as the brick dropped to the ground, “Thank you.”

Pinkie stood at the door and ran to Fluttershy. The form sensed this new ‘threat’ and flew towards the pink pony.

Fluttershy ran as fast as she could and screamed, “No! Not her!”

---

“Dang it Rainbow. I thought I told you to go to Twilight’s house.”

Rainbow grinned at Applejack, “I know you did. I just ignored you.”

The two ponies were almost at Fluttershy’s cottage, and when they arrived, they couldn’t believe their eyes. Three ponies lay unconscious, and Fluttershy was standing between Pinkie and what looked like a blue ball of energy.

“Is that a ghost,” Applejack asked.

“I don’t know, but Fluttershy can’t take it on by herself.” Rainbow tried to run forward but fell to the ground. Her vision blurred, and she nearly lost consciousness. She knew that shaking her head would make things worse, so she just motioned for Applejack to help her up.

The orange pony obliged, and supported Rainbow as they made their way to Fluttershy. “Fluttershy,” Applejack shouted, “Ya need any help?”

The ball of energy seemed to turn towards Applejack and suddenly flew off towards the Everfree Forest. Fluttershy turned and gave Pinkie a hug.

“Were those ponies about to hurt you,” Pinkie asked.

“Yes. I tried to call for you, but I was too scared.”

Pinkie gave her a hug, “I’m sorry. What was that thing?”

Fluttershy scratched her head and said, “I think that was the voice I met in the ruins.”

“Well just to be safe, Fluttershy should stay with Pinkie for tonight,” Applejack said. She helped Rainbow stand on her own, and said as she saw her trying to stay awake, “I’m gonna take Rainbow over to Twilight’s and get her patched up. Fluttershy, can you do anything for her?”

“I’ll try.” Fluttershy looked Rainbow’s injury over carefully and sighed, “This looks really bad. I don’t have the right medicine right now. I was hoping to go to the hospital and restock my first aid kit.”

“It’s alright sugarcube. Let’s just head to Twilight’s.”

“Why Twilight’s,” Pinkie asked, “And what are we gonna do about these meanies?”

“Twilight’s house is closer than the hospital. If she tells us that Rainbow here needs to get to the hospital, then I’ll head straight there. Besides, I reckon that she’ll want to know about this ghost thing that saved you. As for these three, tie em up. I’ll have Twilight send a letter for a guard to pick em up.” Applejack carefully placed Rainbow Dash onto her back. After Pinkie and Fluttershy tied the ponies up, the three ponies began walking towards the library.

The walk was quiet, but Fluttershy was worried about Applejack. “Um, Applejack?”

“Yeah, Fluttershy?”

“I know you’re worried about Rainbow, but you’re hurt too.”

Applejack sighed, but didn’t stop walking, “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hurting, but Rainbow was hit clean in the head. On top of that, she hit her head again when she hit the ground.”

Pinkie nodded, “Yeah, but what happened to you?”

“When I heard the ponies shout, I threw myself on top of Rainbow to protect her. I made sure my head was ok, but the rest of me took a beating.”

“Ok, I’m sure Twilight has a proper first aid kit at the library. I’ll take care of your wounds there.”

“Rainbow’s injury’s more important.”

Fluttershy shook her head, “Twilight can take care of her. I can take care of you.”

Applejack sighed in defeat, “Ok, you win. Just don’t blame me if I call you some unpleasant names when you hit me with that iodine.”

Pinkie laughed, “That stuff stings, but I’m sure Fluttershy will be gentle with you.”

Soon the ponies arrived at the Ponyville Library, and Pinkie pounded on the door.

The lights came on and Spike opened the door. He stared at Applejack for a moment before turning around and shouting, “Twilight, get up! Applejack’s been hurt.”

Soon, Rainbow Dash was on the couch and Twilight was tending to her injury. “It doesn’t look serious, but it’s a good thing you brought her here.”

“Thanks, Twi. I was plumb worried about her.” Applejack was pacing back and forth with an annoyed Fluttershy trying to clean her wounds.

“I can tell. You might want to let Fluttershy take care of your injuries.”

“What? Ow!” Applejack stopped and Fluttershy bumped into her. “Oh sorry sugarcube. I guess I’m a lousy patient when I’m worried.”

Fluttershy smiled, “It’s alright, Applejack. You’re worried about Rainbow Dash.” She waited for Applejack to sit down and she began treating the orange pony’s wounds. Applejack was lucky since most of them were scrapes and a few cuts. “I’m almost done.” Fluttershy carefully placed bandages on the worst of Applejack’s cuts, and soon the workpony was looking much better.

“Thanks Fluttershy. You sure do good work.”

Before Fluttershy could reply, she was in a tackle hug from Pinkie who said, “She sure does.”

Applejack smiled and sat down next to Rainbow Dash, “How’re ya holding up?”

“She’s a little drowsy from the medication and needs to rest,” Twilight said.

“If you think that’s for the best, Twi.” Applejack looked around the room, “Would it be alright if I stayed the night? It’s just that if I go home, I’ll be tossing and turning with worry.”

Twilight smiled, “Sure thing Applejack. I’ll bring you my sleeping bag.”

“I appreciate it Twi.”

Spike entered the living room with a tray of cookies, “Here you go girls. Oh, and I sent a letter to the princess letting her know about those ponies you tied up. She said that she sent some pegasi to collect them.”

“What’ll happen to them,” Fluttershy asked.

Spike shrugged and said, “I don’t know. They’ll go to jail for sure. I mean, look what they did to Rainbow and Applejack.”

“Not to mention they were planning on hitting ya’ll with a brick too.” Applejack put a hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder, “Don’t be feeling any sympathy for them, ya hear me?”

Fluttershy nodded, “You’re right. They hurt my friends and were about to hurt me too.” She turned to Pinkie who was nervously playing with her tail, “Pinkie you didn’t know. Don’t feel bad.”

“I don’t know why my Pinkie sense didn’t sense it.”

“It was probably because nothing fell, but you yourself have said that it’s vague,” Twilight said.

Fluttershy smiled, “I’m fine, and I know you would have helped me.” She turned to Twilight, “Would it be alright if we stayed here too. Pinkie’s sleepy, and I’m too scared to go back home. I mean if you don’t mind. I can help Pinkie home. I’ll do that-“
“All of you are welcome to stay. I’ll head to the basement and gather some more sleeping bags.”

“Oh and bring that recorder-thingy,” Pinkie shouted.

Twilight turned around, “Why?”

Pinkie said, “Well, I’m too nervous to get any sleep, and since we’re here, Fluttershy should finish her story.”

Twilight nodded, “That sounds like a great idea, but only if Applejack is ok with it. She and Rainbow both need their rest.” She turned to Applejack, “Are you ok with me finishing my interview with Fluttershy?”

Applejack wasn’t paying attention as her focus was on the now sleeping pegasus. She was holding Rainbow’s hoof and carefully stroking her mane. Twilight tapped her on the shoulder and she turned around. “Sorry Twi, what’s up?”

“I asked if it’s alright if I finish my interview with Fluttershy.”

Applejack nodded, “Sure. I don’t mind. I’m interested in what happened.”

“Great! I’ll get the recorder and the sleeping bags. Applejack can you give me a hoof?”

“Sure thing,” Applejack said and followed Twilight down to the basement. Once they reached the foot of the basement stairs Twilight stopped Applejack.

“I think the spare sleeping bags are in these boxes.”  The unicorn searched through a box and said, “Here we go.” She levitated the recorder along with extra crystals into the box and placed it on her back.

“Twi, if you don’t need my help, why’d you ask me to come down with ya?”

Twilight looked at Applejack, “Well, I want to ask you something.”

“Ok, I take it that it’s pretty important if you want to ask in private.”

Twilight nodded, “It is. I noticed how you’re behaving around Rainbow, and before you say anything, I’m sure you’d be concerned about any of your friends. The thing is, you seem to be beating yourself up over the fact she was hurt.”

“Twi, I saw the rock flying to Rainbow, and I froze. I tried to warn her, but I wasn’t fast enough.” She turned to Twilight and asked, “What’re you smiling at?”

“I might be reading too much into it, but it seems your concern for her is more than as a friend.” Twilight nudged Applejack gently, “Well?”

Applejack looked Twilight in the eyes, took a deep breath, and said, “I’ll be upstairs.”

Twilight shrugged as best she could, “I guess the easiest way to keep from lying is to say nothing at all.” She quickly made her way up the stairs and soon had the recorder set up. Twilight smiled at Fluttershy, “Ok now where were we?”

“I was talking about what happened after I was separated from my body.”

Applejack was already by Rainbow’s side and resting her head on the couch. She turned to Fluttershy and asked, “I know you already talked to Twilight about some of this, but can you fill me in?”

Fluttershy nodded, “Of course, One day, I was in the Everfree Forest and stumbled into some ruins. I was scared, but I found my way outside. When I looked up, I saw the sky. I flew up and something hit me, causing me to get separated from my body.”

“Were ya hurt?”

Fluttershy shook her head, “No I was fine.”

Twilight looked at Applejack, “It’s getting late, so we should finish this.”

“Sounds good to me.” Applejack turned so she could keep a better watch on Rainbow.

Fluttershy cleared her throat and said, “Well, after I saw my body hit the ground and I heard the voice-“

“I’m sorry, but did the voice say anything?”

“I don’t remember, Twilight. I only remember what it felt like, and it felt lonely.

Twilight jotted something down on her notes, “I see. I’m sorry, please continue.”

Fluttershy nodded, “I floated down to my body and-“

“Sorry, but how did you know how to float?”

Fluttershy scratched her head, “I don’t know. I guess it was like when I glide down to the ground, I didn’t think about it.”

“I see. Ok sorry, I promise not to interrupt.”

“It’s alright. I took a look at my body, and I felt the voice tell me how to get back.” Fluttershy frowned and said, “I wish I could tell you exactly what happened, but I don’t remember it all.”

Pinkie gave Fluttershy a hug, “It’s alright. What happened after you got your body back?”

Fluttershy leaned against Pinkie’s neck, “After that, I flew up to the canopy, and-” She turned to Twilight, “I just remembered something!”

Twilight jumped at the sudden outburst, “What? What did you remember?”

“Before I got back to my body, I saw something. It was a room. I remember that it was a big circle, and there were five circles in a semi-circle with a sixth one between the points. It looked like a Princess Luna’s cutie mark.”

Twilight tapped her chin with a hoof, “Ok, I better let the princess know about this. The ruins may be linked to Princess Luna.” She turned to tell Spike to write the letter, but saw that he was asleep. “I guess it can wait until morning.” She turned back to Fluttershy, “What happened after that?”

“That’s it. I got my body back, and I flew out of the forest back home. You were waiting for me and you asked if I wa alright.”

“Why didn’t you tell me what happened?”

“I was still scared. I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright.” Twilight levitated a map to the table. “Can you point out where the ruins are?”

Fluttershy looked at the map and after a few minutes pointed to a spot, “I think it’s there, but I’m not sure.”

“Ok, we can check it out tomorrow.” Twilight marked the spot and rolled up the map, “Good night, everypony.”

“Good night, Twilight,” Fluttershy said before she rested her head on Pinkie’s side. The pink pony’s soft breathing did a world of good to comfort the terrified pony. Fluttershy turned to Applejack and asked, “How is she?”

“I think she’ll be ok.” Applejack laughed and said, “Ya know, Twilight actually asked if I worry more about Rainbow than I do the rest of ya’ll.”

“Well, do you?”

Applejack turned to face Fluttershy, “I care for all my friends.”

“I know, but do you think there might be something special between you and Rainbow?”

“Ok, just stop. I ain’t like that, and neither is she. She’s my friend and I want to make sure she wakes up in the morning.”

Fluttershy looked away, “I see. I’m sorry that I’m like that.”

Applejack reached toward Fluttershy, but she didn’t want to let go of Rainbow. She lowered her head and said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad, but I’m not like you and Pinkie. I’m gonna marry a colt, raise a family, and keep Sweet Apple Acres going. That’s me. It’s who I am.”

Fluttershy nodded and said with a small smile, “I forgive you. I guess it’s hard to say that you aren’t like that without making it sound bad.”

“You have no idea, sugarcube.”

The two ponies shared a laugh and soon both fell asleep. Each one close to the one that helped them greet each new day with a smile.
> Into the Depths Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The moon shone through the curtains in the library, and five ponies slept soundly. One began to stir. Rainbow Dash groaned and lifted her head. "Ouch," she mumbled. She touched the bandage on her head and winced. As Rainbow Dash’s eyes adjusted to the darkness, she noticed two ponies sleeping nearby. She smiled as she realized who they were.

Fluttershy and Pinkie shared a sleeping bag and were lying alongside each other. Rainbow Dash couldn’t help smiling at the sight of the yellow pony covering Pinkie with one of her wings. Pinkie had her face close to Fluttershy’s ear, and she ruffled her mane with almost each breath. Both ponies slept soundly with smiles on their faces.

Rainbow touched her head and thought, ‘It’s worth it to see them happy.’ She knew that she wouldn’t be able to get any more sleep tonight, so she tried to get off the couch. The floor felt strange and when Rainbow looked down, she was confused for a moment.

Underneath her, curled up and sleeping, was an orange figure. It took a moment for Rainbow to recognize Applejack. “I thought she would be back on her farm,” she whispered. The previous night rushed back to Rainbow’s mind. She still considered the date to be a success even if some jerks decided to try and ruin things. Once again, her gaze fell upon her sleeping friends.

Fluttershy slept soundly which, for the shy pony, was a minor miracle. Rainbow knew that on any other night if the same thing happened, she would be sleeping at Fluttershy’s cottage to reassure her that she was safe. ‘She feels safe in her hooves,’ Rainbow thought. The thought made the blue pony sad for a moment, but she shook it off. As Rainbow looked out the window, she saw that the sun was about to rise, and in rare form, she decided to make everypony breakfast.

Rainbow Dash quietly took flight and entered Twilight’s kitchen. After opening the cupboards, Rainbow checked her options, “Soup or oatmeal? Oatmeal it is.” She got oats down and set the water to boil, and she waited, he heard a familiar squeak. Without even thinking, Rainbow lowered the heat to the stove and made her way to the living room where the girls were sleeping. She knew that sound, Fluttershy was having a nightmare. The moment she entered the room however, she knew that there was nothing to worry about.

Pinkie had placed Fluttershy’s face into a hoof and snuggled closer to the sleeping pegasus. Fluttershy’s squeaks settled down to a happy sigh, and she buried her nose in Pinkie’s mane.

Rainbow returned to the kitchen smiling, and got back to work on breakfast. It was a simple task to cook the oatmeal, especially since Rainbow mimicked, as best she could, what she saw Fluttershy do countless times before. Not long after Rainbow set the oatmeal to cool, she heard the sounds of ponies rousing from their sleep. Twilight was the first to enter the kitchen.

“Morning, Spike,” Twilight said half-asleep, “You didn’t have to make breakfast.”

“It’s no problem, Twilight,” Rainbow said.

Twilight walked to the table and rested her head on it. Still in a daze she said, “You sound different.”

Rainbow grinned and said, “Well, I told you not to practice your spells when you’re sleepy. Now I’m stuck as a pegasus for the rest of my life because you messed up a spell.”

Twilight’s head shot up, “I didn’t mess up any spells.” She turned to ‘Spike’ and asked, “Did I?”

Rainbow let Twilight suffer for a few moments longer before saying, “Nah, I’m just messing with you, Twilight. I got up early and made some grub.”

Twilight breathed a sigh of relief, “That’s good. How’re you feeling?”

Rainbow shrugged, “Head hurts. My legs are a little sore, and I’m mad.” She turned to Twilight, “Those ponies are lucky to be in jail, cause I would hunt them down for what they did to Applejack.”

“Applejack’s fine. She brought you here since Fluttershy didn’t have the right medicine.”

Rainbow turned away and began mixing in the fruit into the oatmeal, “She didn’t deserve to be attacked like that. None of us did.” She shuddered, “I don’t want to think about what would have happened if they got to Pinkie or Fluttershy.” Rainbow turned back to Twilight and said smiling, “Have you seen them?”

Twilight shook her head, “I just got up and stumbled in here.”

Rainbow motioned for her to look in the living room.

Twilight smiled and said, “Ok Rainbow, I’ll take a look.”

Rainbow leaned against the counter and waited for the inevitable reaction as the purple unicorn made her way to the living room door.

“Oh that’s just adorable,” Twilight squealed.

A little too loudly since Fluttershy began to stir from her sleep. The shy pegasus stretched her forelegs and gave Pinkie a soft kiss on the cheek. “Good morning, Pinkie,” she whispered as she rested her head on the pink pony’s side.

Pinkie groaned, but once she opened her eyes and saw Fluttershy, she gave her girlfriend a hug. “Morning Flutters.” She stretched and helped Fluttershy to her hooves. “What smells so good,” Pinkie asked. She smiled at Fluttershy and said, “Besides you I mean.”

Fluttershy blushed, “Thank you, Pinkie. I think it’s oatmeal.”

“Ok that’s enough you two.” Twilight waved the ponies over and they joined Rainbow in the kitchen.

Rainbow just finished pouring the oatmeal in the five bowls, and noticed that Applejack wasn’t there. “Is AJ awake?”

Twilight shook her head, “She’s still asleep. I think it might be best to let her rest. She was pretty banged up.”

Rainbow winced, remembering the events of the previous night. “I’d better go check on her.” She took off her apron and walked to the living room. She felt something bump next to her. It was Fluttershy, and she was holding a bowl of oatmeal.

“Um, in case she would be more comfortable eating there,” she said.

Rainbow Dash smiled, “Thanks Fluttershy.”

Both ponies entered the living room and Rainbow turned the lights on. Applejack didn’t look good. The orange pony was covered in bruises. Rainbow tried to remain calm, but the sight of her friend hurt was hard to bear. “Let’s let her sleep,” she said.

“Not until I get some of that oatmeal.”

Rainbow laughed and said, “Good to see you’re awake. C’mon, let’s eat in the kitchen.”

“That sounds like a fine idea,” Applejack said. She stretched her forelegs and slowly made her way to her hooves. Once standing, she took a few steps, wincing with each one, and walked toward Rainbow. “How’re you doing, Rainbow?”

“I’m fine. Are you ok?”

“Hurting, but I’ll live. You sure you’re ok?”

Rainbow nodded, “I’m fine. Head hurts, but it’s not too bad.”

“I’m sorry, but the oatmeal will get cold.”

Applejack smiled at Fluttershy, “You’re right. Let’s eat.”

The three ponies went back to the kitchen, and sat at the table. Twilight had finished pouring the oatmeal into the bowl, and Pinkie was garnishing them. The pink maned pony looked up and smiled at Pinkie.

“Hey, Flutters! Come sit over here.” Pinkie pulled Fluttershy’s chair out and hugged her when she sat down. She turned to Applejack and said, “Morning Applejack. How’re you feeling?”

“I’m fine.” Applejack turned to Rainbow and said as she handed the blue pony her oatmeal, “It’s not as bad as it looks, I promise.”

“Thanks, AJ.”

Applejack smiled and said, “Don’t mention it, sugarcube. Now eat up before-”

“No. I mean it. Thank you.” Rainbow Dash gave Applejack a hug and said, “I’m glad Fluttershy and Pinkie are ok, but you shouldn’t have gotten hurt for me.” She put a hoof on Applejack’s mouth so the orange pony couldn’t interrupt. “You know that I would fight anypony for my friends.” She sniffed back some tears and said, “I’m not any good at this stuff. Thank you, Applejack.”

Applejack hugged Rainbow and gently stroked her mane, “Hey now. You’re my best friend. I’d fight anypony too, and like I said, I reacted.” She tightened her hug and said with tears in her eyes, “I don’t want to think of you being hurt.” Applejack pulled away and smiled at Rainbow. Neither pony said anything. They just looked at each other until a quiet voice spoke.

“Pinkie, stop staring.”

“Shh, Fluttershy. They’re gonna kiss. I just know it.”

Fluttershy blushed and said, “Um, don’t mind us.”

Both Rainbow and Applejack rolled their eyes and sat down.

“Oh come on,” Pinkie groaned, “Give your fans what they want!”

Fluttershy nudged Pinkie, “Maybe we should leave them alone.”

“Aww, but I just know that they’re gonna start smooching-” Pinkie was cut off when Fluttershy nuzzled her gently. Pinkie smiled, “Ok, let’s eat.”

The five ponies ate their meals in relative silence, and Spike soon made his way down stairs.

“Morning everypony,” he said. “Twilight, you got a letter from the princess.”

“I hope it’s news about those ponies that attacked Rainbow Dash and Applejack.”

Spike turned to Applejack, “Morning AJ, how’re you feeling?”

Applejack smiled and said, “Nothing that a good old spit shine and a hot bath can’t fix.”

“I’m sure Rainbow Dash can help with-,” Pinkie began to say before she received a playful swat across the snout. She rubbed her snout and said in an overly sad voice, “Ouchies.”

Fluttershy blushed and leaned forward kissing Pinkie on the snout. “Better,” she asked.

Pinkie nodded, “Yup.” She turned to Spike, “So where are those meanies?”

Twilight read the letter silently and said, “The princess doesn’t know.” She looked up at the confused faces and said, “When the royal guard arrived, the three ponies you tied up were gone. The ropes were cut, and the tracks led to the Everfree Forest.”

Rainbow Dash clapped her hooves together, “Good. I’ll find them, and when I do, they’ll wish they never thought about hurting my friends.”

“I’m with you,” Applejack said.

“No you’re not. The princess wrote that she wants the Royal Guard to focus on catching these ponies, and we’re to focus our attention on these ruins.”

“Wait. The princess really expects us to just wait for the guards to catch those ponies? What if they get away?”

Applejack put a hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder and said, “I ain’t happy bout being cut out of the loop either, but if that’s what the princess wants, then that’s the way it’s gotta be.”

Rainbow looked at Applejack, “Fine. But if we find them first-”

“Sugarcube, if we find them first, they’ll sorely wish they stayed tied up.”

Rainbow nodded, “Good.” She turned to Fluttershy, “You sure you’re ok with going back into the Everfree Forest?”

Fluttershy trembled a bit, but she quickly relaxed when Pinkie hugged her, “I think I’ll be ok. I mean, as long as all of us are going.”

“That’s the plan,” Twilight said. “We’re going to head there immediately.” She turned to Spike, “Spike, get Rarity, and we’ll head out.”

The baby dragon lit up and said, “Oh boy! I’m on it.” He ran out the door, but a few seconds later a familiar belch was heard. Spike ran back inside holding a new scroll.

Twilight levitated the scroll and read it over. “Ok, change of plans. Spike I still want you to bring Rarity over, but we’re not heading into the forest.”

Spike scratched his head, “Where are we going?”

“We’re going to Canterlot.”

---

The sun’s morning rays entered Carousel Boutique, and the sleeping white unicorn stirred from her slumber. With careful grace, she left her bed, stretched her legs, and jumped into her sister’s bed.

“Good morning, Rarity!”

Rarity groaned, “Sweetie Belle. I’m trying to sleep.”

“I know sis, but it’s already morning.” The unicorn filly tapped her chin with a hoof and said, “I know. I’ll make you breakfast.”

Rarity removed her eye mask and smiled uneasily, “That’s alright Sweetie. I’m getting up, and I’ll get breakfast started.”

“Sure thing Rarity.” Sweetie Belle ran out of the room and down the stairs.

Rarity groaned and levitated her robe. After a shortened grooming, just under fifteen minutes, Rarity made her way downstairs. She was almost to the kitchen when there was a knock at the door. Before Rarity could react, Sweetie Belle was at the door.

She opened the door and said, “Good morning, Spike. What brings you here?”

“Morning Sweetie Belle. I’m here to get Rarity. Twilight and the girls are headed to Canterlot castle, and they’ll be leaving soon.”

“Ok, I’ll tell her. Wanna come in?”

“Sure.” Spike entered the house and smiled as he saw Rarity on the staircase. “How much of that did you hear?”

“All of it,” Rarity said smiling, “I do look forward to spending the day in Canterlot.” She turned to Sweetie Belle and said, “Just cereal for today. We must be off.”

Sweetie Belle sat down frowning, but she quickly smiled and asked, “Can I hang out with Scootaloo and Applebloom today?”

Rarity nodded and said, “Of course, I imagine you’ll have a full day of crusading ahead of you.”

“Yay,” Sweetie Belle squealed. She quickly ate her cereal and ran out the door.

“She is such a dear,” Rarity said with a sigh. She packed a small breakfast of toast in a small basket and said, “Very well, Spike. Let us depart.”

“Sure thing Rarity.” Spike opened the door and hopped onto Rarity’s back. He gave Rarity an awkward smile when she glanced back at him. “Uh, I hope you don’t mind.”

Rarity smiled and said, “Of course not Spikey-Wikey.” She looked up to the morning sky and said, “It certainly is a lovely morning. Is this an emergency?”

“Well, it’s about Fluttershy and-”

Rarity began running, “Oh I must simply find out how her and Pinkie’s first date went.”

Spike hung on for dear life, but he had a huge smile on his face. The path to Ponyville Library was short, and Rarity didn’t run too fast. Once they arrived, Spike ran inside, and Rarity followed.

“Fluttershy,” Rarity called, “Where are you?”

“I’m in the kitchen, Rarity,” Fluttershy said.

Pinkie ran out of the kitchen, and Rarity gasped at the sight. “Pinkie darling, why are you covered in oatmeal,” Rarity asked. Moments later, she received her answers.

Rainbow Dash exited the kitchen holding a bowl of oatmeal. She saw Rarity and said, “Hey Rarity. Nice to see-” Rainbow Dash was hit by some oatmeal, and Rarity heard a familiar laugh.

“Sorry, sugarcube, but ya’ll were too slow.” Applejack entered the living room, and smiled at Rarity. “Hold on girls. I’m calling a timeout. Good to see you, Rarity.”

“I see you are having a good time. Now, where is Twilight? I’m curious about... Applejack what happened to you?” Rarity noticed Applejack’s bruise, and she looked at Pinkie and Rainbow Dash. That was when she noticed the bandage on Rainbow’s head. “Rainbow Dash, what happened? Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Some jerks tried to ruin our double date, and I-”

Rarity’s eyes lit up, “Double date? Does that mean you and-”

“Now calm down Rarity. We just wanted to make their first date the best it could be, but that’s not why you’re here.”

“Yes, yes, I know. We are off to Canterlot. Oh, I look forward to seeing the princess.” Rarity walked up to Applejack and took a closer look at the pony’s bruises. “Applejack, are you certain you’re alright? Those bruises look awful.”

“Listen Rarity, we’ll tell you on the way to the castle. I promise.”

Rarity looked into Applejack’s eye, but she didn’t question it. She knew better than to doubt the Element of Honesty. “Very well Applejack. That gives me plenty of time to ask Fluttershy how her date went.” She squealed with delight and ran into the kitchen.

Fluttershy was clearing the table of dishes while Twilight washed them. She saw Rarity enter the kitchen and knew what was on her mind. Fluttershy handed the last bowl to Twilight and said, “Excuse me Twilight, but I think Rarity would like to speak to me.”

Twilight saw Rarity and smiled, “Morning Rarity, I guess you’re curious about the date?”

“Yes, but don’t think me heartless, Twilight. I’m also concerned for the Rainbow Dash and Applejack. What happened to them?”

Twilight sat down at the table, “I’m not sure what happened. All I could get from Applejack was that four ponies attacked Rainbow Dash and herself. Rainbow Dash had a bad head wound, and Applejack was pretty bruised up.”

“Well, it’s good that they’re safe now. Are those scoundrels in custody?”

Twilight shook her head, “No. They managed to get away, but the princess wanted to assure Applejack and Rainbow that the Royal Guard will pursue them.”

Rarity tilted her head and asked, “That’s odd. I find it strange that those two would be comfortable leaving this in the hooves of the Royal Guards.”

“I know, but the princess wants us to go to the palace.” Twilight looked out the window and smiled as she saw a carriage arriving at the library. “We should get going.” She entered the kitchen, followed by Rarity and Fluttershy, and smiled at the sight in the living room.

Pinkie, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash were all piled on top of each other, and they were splattered in oatmeal. Applejack saw Twilight and said, “Heh, sorry about the mess, Twi. We’ll get this all cleaned up.”

Spike entered the living room and brought a hand to his face, “Don’t worry about it Applejack. Just leave it to me.” He turned to Twilight and said, “Princess Celestia’s carriage is here.”

Twilight nodded, “Thank you Spike. I hope to be back by tonight.”

“Ok, I’ll just cook up some leftovers if you don’t get back.” Spike began cleaning up the oatmeal and utensils.

“Let’s go girls,” Twilight said. Before she left, she looked back to Spike and said, “Once you finish, go ahead and take the rest of the day off.”

Spike’s eyes lit up, “Really? Awesome!” He picked up his pace cleaning up the mess. “Have a nice trip,” Spike said as he ran into the kitchen to wash the dishes.

“Thank you Spike,” Twilight said as she left the library.

The six ponies boarded the carriage. Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Twilight sat on one side, while Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Rarity sat on the other. They all sat in silence for a few minutes. Rainbow Dash stared out the window, her thoughts on the night before. Rage built up inside her as the thought of those ponies free. She glanced over to Pinkie and smiled at the sight.

Fluttershy slept quietly as she rested her head on Pinkie’s lap, and the pink pony stroked her mane. Pinkie smiled at Rainbow and whispered, “I’m happy, Dashie.”

Rainbow nodded, “I can see that, but you’re always-”

“No, Dashie. This is different.” Pinkie looked down at the sleeping pony, “I can’t describe it, but I feel like I did when I first saw a rainbow.” She giggled and said, “I guess she’s my rainbow now.”

“That’s awesome, Pinkie. I know you’ll be great together.” Rainbow absentmindedly put a hoof to her head and rubbed the bandage until Applejack grabbed her leg.

“Don’t mess up the bandage now.” Applejack gently tightened the bandage around Rainbow’s head and asked, “Still hurting?”

Rainbow shook her head, “Nah, it’s just sore.” She rubbed her head and looked at Applejack. She gave her friend a smile and a nod that said, thank you.

Applejack smiled and tilted her hat in response.

“Who were those ruffians that attacked you,” Rarity asked.

“I don’t know,” Applejack said, “All I know is that they attacked Rainbow first, and then they planned on going after Fluttershy.”

Rarity gasped, “That is just awful. I certainly hope the guards bring them in.” She glanced at Rainbow and noticed the anger in her face, “Though, I wouldn’t feel too awful if I were to find out that you managed to get your hooves on them.”

Rainbow grinned at the idea.

Silence once again fell over the carriage. Only Fluttershy’s soft breathing could be heard. Rarity turned to Twilight and asked in a soft whisper, “What business do we have in Canterlot?”

“Oh,” Twilight replied, “You see, Fluttershy was telling me about some ruins she stumbled onto when she feeling bad about not telling Pinkie about how she felt. I wanted to go explore those ruins, but the princess wants to talk to us about it first.” Twilight rubbed her head, “There must be something about those ruins that must be really important.”

“Well, of course they’re important, silly,” Pinkie said, “Only important buildings last a long time. That’s why you never hear about somepony digging up an ancient bathroom.”

Twilight opened her mouth to form a rebuttal but couldn’t say anything.

Pinkie smiled and continued to stroke Fluttershy’s mane. “How much longer till we get there?”

“Shouldn’t be too much longer,” Twilight said. She looked out the window and noticed they were nearing Canterlot. “You may want to wake Fluttershy up.” Twilight looked at Pinkie and said, “I think it might be best to keep your relationship quiet.”

“Why,” Pinkie asked, “Will the princess hate us?”

“No, I don’t think so. It’s just, just... I just think it might be best to focus on the ruins.”

“Twi, I think we should just leave them be. Princess Celestia don’t strike me as the kind to condemn love.” Applejack turned to Pinkie and said, “But I do agree with Twilight that you two keep things under wraps. I know the princess will be happy for y’all, but what about others? We know how some ponies feel, and I don’t think it’s worth the risk.”

Pinkie looked down at Fluttershy and smiled. The yellow pony was awake and looking up at her. “Hey sleepyhead. I think we should do what they say.”

Fluttershy nodded slowly, “Ok, Pinkie.” She hugged Pinkie and said, “I wish we didn’t have to.”

“Me too, but I bet once we’re in the palace, things will be fun again.”

“Promise?”

Pinkie smiled, “I promise.”

Fluttershy smiled and sat up as the carriage landed. She leaned and gave Pinkie a kiss on the cheek. “Now we can pretend.”

“Oh, that’s mean,” Pinkie said.

Fluttershy turned around to apologize, but she saw Pinkie smiling. She nuzzled her girlfriend gently, “I don’t ever want to be mean to you.”

“I know. I was just playing.”

Fluttershy smiled and the two followed their friends towards the castle. She remembered the note she was given, so she ran to Rarity and said, “Rarity, I’m sorry, but I forgot to give this to you.”

“What is it?”

“A note that the waiter gave me.”

Rarity levitated the note and read it. She laughed and said, “Thank you Fluttershy. I guess my dress made a better impression than I imagined.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful. I was worried that it was the bill.”

Rarity smiled, “Even if it were, I would gladly pay it to see you happy. Honestly, Fluttershy you deserve to have a happy and caring pony in your life like Pinkie.”

“So much for keeping the relationship quiet,” Twilight groaned.

“Well, if it weren’t a secret before, it sure ain’t now thanks to you,” Applejack said.

“Aren’t you listening to them?”

“I sure am, and all I heard was that Fluttershy is lucky to have Pinkie in her life. Most ponies would think friendship first.” Applejack smiled at Twilight, “Since we know about it, we jump to the right answer.”

“Still, it sounds pretty obvious to-”

“Ok, how about this then?” Applejack tilted her head to Rainbow Dash, “That pony is my best friend. I’m lucky to have that pony in my life, but you wouldn’t say that we’re involved now would you?”

Twilight turned to Applejack and said awkwardly, “No, I wouldn’t?”

Applejack’s eyes narrowed and she said, “Last time. It ain’t like that.” She didn’t wait for Twilight to respond. Applejack just picked up her pace.

“Sorry, Applejack,” Twilight whispered. ‘Why is she so bothered by it,’ she thought. She shook her head and continued her trot to the palace. Twilight looked at her friends. Rarity enjoyed the displays in the windows as she passed, Rainbow Dash, in a strange change of form, walked alongside Applejack, Pinkie walked close to Fluttershy. Once in a while, Fluttershy would lean over to Pinkie and give her a quick nuzzle. In spite of her concerns about their safety, Twilight enjoyed the sight.

It wasn’t long before they arrived at the palace. Twilight stopped and looked at the group. “Alright, now I don’t know why the princess wants to talk to us about these ruins, but I think it might have something to do with the pedestals Fluttershy told me about.”

Rarity turned to Fluttershy and asked, “What pedestals are those?”

”Oh, I’m sorry. I remember seeing five pedestals in a semicircle with in standing in between the points.”

“So they formed a crescent shape?”

Fluttershy nodded and said, “At least I think it did. I hope I didn’t make a mistake.”

Twilight smiled at Fluttershy, “Don’t worry Fluttershy. From the letter, I would think that if you made a mistake, Princess Celestia would be happy.” She shook her head, “There must be something about that place that has her worried.”

“Then let’s not keep her waiting.”

Twilight nodded at Applejack, “You’re right. Let’s go girls.”

The ponies entered the palace, and though they’ve been inside it on a few occasions, the sight still impressed them. The main foyer arched high above them, and pegasus guards patrolled all along the palace grounds. At the ground level, unicorns and earth ponies patrolled in pairs. The sight made Twilight nervous, but she didn’t voice her concerns.

Rarity didn’t hold her tongue, “I wonder why the princess increased security so much?” She turned to Twilight, “Could this have anything to do with our meeting with the princess?”

Twilight shook her head, “I don’t know, but I hope it’s nothing more than a drill.”

“Perhaps you’re right,” Rarity said.

The staircase leading to the throne room was before them, and the ponies stopped and bowed their heads. Princess Celestia stood at the top of the stairs smiling down at the Elements of Harmony.

“Good morning Elements of Harmony. Please come up, we have urgent business to discuss” Celestia turned around and entered the throne room.

“She doesn’t refer to us as the Elements unless there’s something really dangerous,” Rainbow Dash said.

“That’s true. Well, we can stand here and wonder, or head on up these here stairs and find out,” Applejack said. She began walking up the stairs along with Twilight, and the other ponies followed suit.

Upon entering the throne room, they saw Princess Celestia eating at a round table. There was a surprise waiting for them.

“Princess Luna,” Twilight stammered and quickly bowed her head, “It’s good to see you.”

Luna stifled a yawn and replied, “Please rise. I have a reason to be here at this meeting.”

The ponies walked to the table and were about to sit down, but a look from Twilight told Pinkie and Fluttershy that they shouldn’t sit together. Pinkie switched seats with Rarity, and they all sat down.

“It’s good to see you, Twilight,” Celestia said with a smile, “How have your studies been?”

Twilight smiled, “They’ve been going great. I’m working on improving my teleport spell in order to accommodate larger groups. Right now the formula is rough, but I think I can manage.”

Celestia nodded, “That’s a bit ambitious, but still practical. What purpose do you plan for this spell?”

Twilight blushed and said, “Well, I plan to incorporate multiple unicorns to cast the spell. This way if there’s a catastrophe, we can evacuate the entire population of Ponyville with a single spell.”

Luna smiled at Twilight, “That is rather bold. I never thought my sister’s pupil would wish to attempt such a powerful spell.”

“She is free to pursue her spell casting as she chooses,” Celestia replied, “All I ask is that she exercises caution.”

“You do realize sister that caution rarely leads to discovery.”

“Yes, but reckless abandon harms more than it will ever save.”

Luna smiled and said, “That sounded almost personal.”

“I wasn’t referring to you...,” Celestia saw the smile on her younger sister and said, “I still need to get used to your teasing.”

Luna yawned and said, “I only tease in jest, sister. I understand the importance of tempering eagerness with patience. A lesson I learned.”

“I know, but right now we need to discuss this temple.”

“Temple,” Twilight asked, “So you know what this place is?”

Celestia shook her head, “I am only going with what you described. Though the term temple is closer to a nickname than-”

“Are you certain there are spirits trapped there,” Luna asked Fluttershy. The concern in her voice was clear.

Fluttershy recoiled a bit, but she was able to find her voice, “I, there was one there.”

Luna shook her head, “They did not deserve this.”

“Deserve what, Princess,” Applejack asked, “What happened?”

Celestia put a hoof on Luna’s shoulder and said, “The ‘temple’ was more a place of learning than worship. For centuries, Luna and I had separate temples where our pupils could study.” Celestia laughed and said, “We differ in our philosophy on how to advance magic. I taught my students the wisdom of prudent planning and focusing on scientific methods.”

“My students were scientific as well sister.”

Celestia smiled, “Sister, if I recall correctly, your students were often accused of ‘throwing magic at the wall and seeing what would stick’.”

Luna smiled, “I preferred to give my students the freedom to experiment however they wished.”

“That sounds dangerous,” Twilight said.

Luna nodded, “It was, but in order to advance, we also must be willing to take risks.”

“And that, dear sister, is where I doubt we will ever find common ground.”

“What does this have to do with the ruins,” Rainbow asked.

Twilight gave Rainbow a quick glare and said, “I apologize princess, but she’s right. Is this temple associated with Princess Luna?”

Celestia nodded, “I believe so, and if there are souls trapped there, then this is cause for alarm.”

“Why,” Rainbow asked, “When Princess Luna was Nightmare Moon, she was kinda mean. I bet those ponies weren’t any better.” Rainbow failed to notice Luna’s pain expression and said, “They probably got what they-”

“Enough,” Celestia said loudly slamming her hoof on the table.

Rainbow recoiled but said nothing.

“The students who lived at the temple were not evil. They were studying when our conflict began. In fact, the students from both our temples joined forces to come up with a solution.”

“Is that how you decided to use the Elements of harmony,” Twilight asked.

Luna nodded, “Yes, the students discovered that the Elements could bring me back to my senses, and they set out to recover them.”

“Weren’t they in your possession,” Twilight asked.

Celestia shook her head, “No. After our battle with Discord, the Elements were separated. Lost until we needed them again. I never thought I would need to use them against my own family.”

“Now hang on a second,” Applejack said, “This here temple is really Princess Luna’s school, and the students teamed up with Princess Celestia’s students to find the Elements of harmony. What I’m wondering is, how come we never heard of this temple, or why are these poor ponies still trapped there?”

Luna shook her head, “I do not know what happened to them-”

“I do,” Celestia said. She turned to her sister and said, “I am so sorry. After our battle, I was very weak. All of Equestria knew what you did, and many blamed the students from your temple.”

“What did they do to them,” Fluttershy ask in growing terror. She wished Pinkie was next to her. She looked at Pinkie and saw the pink pony look at her. She gave Fluttershy an assuring smile, and that calmed her a bit. This wasn’t lost on the princesses, though she made no sign of it.


“I’m not proud of this. I may have had the power to stop them, but...” She looked into her sister’s eyes and said, “An angry mob stormed your temple and killed your students. I never found out who was involved.”

Luna was stunned for a moment, “All, all of them?”

Celestia nodded her head, “I am so sorry. Those were good ponies. Honorable ponies. They did not deserve the fate that was given to them.”

Luna lowered her head, “It’s my burden to carry sister.”

“You couldn’t have-”

“If I didn’t succumb to jealousy, then those ponies wouldn’t have died,” Luna snapped at her sister. She allowed herself a moment to calm herself and she said to Fluttershy, “If at all possible, please help the spirits find peace.”

“I, I don’t know if I-,” Fluttershy began to say until the memory of what Rainbow told her just the day before came back to her. This is not the time for you to be shy. Fluttershy shook
her head and said, “I’m not sure if I can, but I promise I’ll try.”

Luna smiled, “Thank you Fluttershy. I greatly appreciate it.”

Princess Celestia smiled at Fluttershy and said, “Something isn’t quite right,” Celestia said looking right at Fluttershy. Before the pony could respond Celestia said, “Rarity, I know this might sound strange, but could you switch seats with Pinkie?”

Rarity bowed her head, “Certainly princess.” She stood and changed seats with Pinkie.

Now that Pinkie and Fluttershy were sitting together, Celestia said, “There. That’s much better. Tell me, how long have you two been together?”

Fluttershy lowered her head and glanced at Twilight. The purple pony kept a straight face, so Fluttershy said, “I, I’m sorry Princess.”

Celestia smiled and asked, “Sorry for what?”

Pinkie put a leg around Fluttershy and said, “We’ve been together for almost two weeks.”

Luna smiled and said, “That’s wonderful news. It certainly brings some light to these darker dealings"

“Well, I guess we should get to those ruins,” Twilight said. She bowed to the princesses and said, “We wish we could stay for a bit longer, but if there are spirits trapped, then we should hurry.”

Luna nodded, “And I am grateful for your haste. My sister has a fine student.”

Princess Celestia smiled and said, “I’ve had little to do with her character. All I have ever done is provide her with options and point her in the right direction. She’s done the rest.”

Twilight smiled, “Thank you, Princess.” She looked at her friends and said, “Well, let’s get going.”

The other ponies agreed, and the girls left the throne room. Once outside, Twilight looked at Fluttershy and said, “I’m sorry. I thought that the princess might have a problem, but she saw right through it.”

“I understand Twilight, and it’s nice that she’s ok with it,” Fluttershy said smiling as Pinkie gave her a hug.

“Alright, enough of that,” Applejack said, “We got some ruins to explore.”

With a nod of agreement, the girls ran to the waiting carriage that would take them to the edge of the Everfree Forest. There they would find out if the spirits could be freed, and if they were all friendly.
> Into the Depths Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The group made their way through the palace. Pegasi and unicorn guards continued to patrol the palace in large numbers.

“I hope there is nothing wrong,” Fluttershy whispered.

“I bet they’re having one of those military parties,” Pinkie said as she bounced around Fluttershy.

“Military Parties,” Twilight asked, “Don’t you mean drills?”

Pinkie stopped bouncing and shrugged, “Close enough.”

Twilight sighed and looked around for somepony who could help them figure out what was going on.

Her eyes lit up when they fell on a familiar sight. “Stay here, girls,” she said.

"Shining," Twilight shouted.

A white unicorn looked away from a pegasus patrol and smiled, "Twily, How have you been?"

Twilight embraced her older brother and said, "I've been well."

She looked back toward Fluttershy and Pinkie and said, "We're on a new assignment."

Shining Armor laughed and said, "Another adventure for my baby sister, and I'm stuck with preparation drills."

"I thought it was a drill, but what exactly are you preparing for?"

"I have no idea," Shining Armor said with a laugh, "but Princess Luna wants The Royal Guard to be ready, and I have no intention of letting her down."

He sighed and looked over the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, and smiled, "I see there's a new couple among us."

Twilight looked at the group and groaned at the sight of Pinkie nuzzling Fluttershy, "I don't know what you mean."

Shining smiled, "You're not a very good liar, Twily."

He nodded toward the group and said, "You can see it in their eyes. There is more than simple concern, and notice how one won't let the other mess up their bandages?"

Twilight shook her head, "Bandages? Oh, no Rainbow Dash and Applejack aren't a couple."

Shining Armor smiled and said, "Well you could've fooled me."

He looked up and shouted, "Keep a looser formation."

Twilight looked up and spotted the pegasus captain Shining Armor shouted at and whispered, "Loose formations."

She took a closer look at the earth pony and unicorn guards, "Advanced combat training."

"It looks like you're preparing for an invasion."

Shining Armor tensed and quickly said, "I already told you, Twily. We're just practicing so we can be ready if there's another incident."

Twilight smiled and said, "You're also a terrible liar."

She pointed towards the group of earth pony and unicorn guards, "Those guards are using advanced combat techniques, and those spells are more advanced than normal."

Twilight looked up and added, "Having ponies fly in a loose formation means that you want to ensure that if one is injured, the entire formation isn't lost. And I see you have a medic flying with each group."

Her eyes locked onto Shining's, "What are you planning?"

Shining Armor sighed and whispered, "Promise me that you'll keep this quiet."

Twilight nodded, "Of course. Is Equestria in danger?"

Shining Armor shook his head, "No, we haven't heard of any impending invasion, and the added security measures are in place."

He rubbed his face with a hoof and said, "I don't like this, Twily, but the changeling invasion really shook up the citizens of Canterlot."

"Do you need any help?"

Shining smiled and said, "We'll be fine. The Guard will keep up the drills, until the nobles find a new problem to focus on. I might keep some of these drills as standard practice, but for now, we'll be fine."

Twilight nodded, "Okay, just be sure to let me know if you need any help."

Shining Armor laughed, "What kind of BBBFF would I be if I left my little sister out?"

Twilight hugged Shining and said, "A pretty bad one, but still the best big brother ever."

"So," Shining began with a smile, "Are you going to tell me who the new couple is?"

Twilight whispered, "Keep this to yourself?"

Shining laughed, "Twily, a new couple isn't something to keep secret. C'mon, just tell me."

Twilight shook her head.

"Fine," Shining said, "I promise that nopony will find out."

"Even Cadance?"

Shining Armor shrugged, "Fine don't tell me."

He turned away and stopped when Twilight called after him.

"Okay," Twilight said, "It's Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie."

Shining Armor looked back to the group and smiled, "Yeah, those two are in love. Wonder why I missed it?"

He shrugged and said, "Love isn't my specialty."

"Yeah, and those two are not exactly a match," Twilight said

She smiled and said, "Well we have to go. See you later big bro."

"Take care Twily, and remember, Cadance and me aren't exactly a match either."

Twilight nodded before returning to the group.

"So," Applejack asked, "What's the word on those patrols?"

"Shining Armor said that it's just training drills," Twilight said.

"So there's nothing to worry about," Fluttershy asked.

"Of course not," Pinkie said.

She nuzzled Fluttershy and said, "Nothing can go on because we're gonna be busy with those scary ruins."

"Pinkie, I don't think that's how it works," Rainbow said.

Pinkie smiled and asked, "Then how come we're never busy when something big happens?"

"We were all rather busy before that changeling invasion," Rarity said.

Pinkie laughed and said, "Yeah, but we were all here so we could have the big changeling bash."

"Pinkie," Applejack said, "The invasion was all over Canterlot."

"That's why I called it a bash."

"So random," Rainbow said as she absentmindedly rubbed her bandaged head.

“Leave it alone,” Applejack said readjusting the bandages.

“I can’t help it,” Rainbow said, “This thing is itchy.”

Applejack sighed and asked, “Where’s the problem?”

“I got it.”

Applejack shook her head and said, “Sugarcube, you keeping messing up your bandages with the way you’re scratching.”

Rainbow groaned and tapped the side of her head just below her left ear.

“All right then,” Applejack said.

She lifted a hoof and scratched the bandaged area while using another hoof to hold the bandage in place.

Rainbow’s ear twitched and she let out a content sigh. Her eye widened and whispered, “I hope you didn’t hear that.”

“Don’t you worry none. Ain’t nopony paying us any attention right now.”

Applejack put her hoof down and asked, “Feeling better?”

Rainbow nodded, “Yeah, thanks AJ.”

Applejack nodded and turned only to be almost muzzle to muzzle with Rarity.

“Oh, I’m sorry Applejack,” Rarity said with a smirk, “I didn’t mean to interrupt you two.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Applejack said.

Rarity winked and said, “I’m sure you don’t, but I’ll leave you two lovebirds be.”

She trotted away to Pinkie and Fluttershy, while a flustered Applejack stood there.

Once she found her voice she whispered, "It's not like that."

She turned to face Rainbow, who was still adjusting her bandages, and shook her head.

"And how are you two darlings doing," Rarity asked Fluttershy.

Fluttershy smiled and said, "Oh hello, Rarity. We were just talking."

"Oh," Rarity said, "About what?"

"Just that it's a good thing Princess Celestia wasn't mad at us," Pinkie said.

"Pinkie," Rarity said, "You know that neither princess would condemn anypony because of who they love."

"I know," Pinkie said, "but I was a little worried."

She leaned into Fluttershy and said, "But that's okay because Fluttershy made me feel all better."

"And how was that," Rarity asked.

"She-"

"Pinkie," Fluttershy whispered, "Don't tell her that."

Pinkie smiled and said, "Fine. I won't tell her that you gave me a kiss on the cheek."

Fluttershy's eyes went wide and her face became red as she gasped, "Pinkie!"

In her embarrassment, she buried her face into Pinkie's side, causing her girlfriend to provide a gentle nuzzle.

Rarity giggled and said, "Really, darling, there must be a law against being so adorable."

She smiled at Fluttershy, "Still, it's wonderful that you found your Special Somepony."

Fluttershy continued to rub her head against Pinkie's side and said as she blushed, "Oh it's wonderful."

Her eyes fell on Pinkie and smiled, "You really are special."

Twilight saw the two ponies and said, "I thought we-"

"Sugarcube," Applejack said, "Isn't it about time you give up on trying to keep those two quiet."

Twilight rolled her eyes and said with a smile, "I guess you're right."

“Now, what’s the plan for those ruins?”

Twilight stopped, causing the group to stop as well, and said, “I think we should settle this as soon as possible.”

"Are you certain that is a good idea," Rarity asked.

"We shouldn't delay," Twilight said.

Rarity lifted a hoof to her chest and said, "I'm not suggesting that we dawdle, but it will be nightfall before we arrive at the ruins."

Rarity looked back to Fluttershy and whispered, "And don't forget about a certain somepony's fear of that forest."

Twilight nodded and said, "I understand Fluttershy's reluctance of entering the forest."

She rubbed her chin with a hoof, before returning her attention to Rarity, "What do you suggest?"

"Perhaps we should leave from Ponyville tomorrow morning."

"We can't afford to wait," Twilight said, "I know you mean well, but these ponies have been trapped for far too long."

"Yeah, but what's one more day," Rainbow asked.

"If it was you, I wouldn't want to wait," Fluttershy whispered.

Rainbow sighed and said, "Yeah, I know Fluttershy, but we don't know these ponies. They can wait one more day."

Twilight nodded and said, "Well, Fluttershy knows where the ruins are. I think we should let her decide."

She smiled at Fluttershy and said, "Today or tomorrow. Whatever you decide, we'll support you."

"Keep in mind, darling, that should we leave now, it'll be nightfall before we arrive," Rarity said.

"Going into the Everfree Forest," Fluttershy whispered, "At night?"

Her breath became ragged, and her pupils began to shrink. She began to look for Rainbow when she felt a warm embrace.

"It'll be okay, Flutters," Pinkie said, "You're not going into that forest alone."

Fluttershy closed her eyes and steadied her breathing. After a moment, she looked at Twilight and said, "Um, we should go today. Those poor ponies have been there long enough."

"Alright then," Twilight said, "That settles it. We leave now and head straight into the forest."

Applejack adjusted her hat and asked, "Twi, don't you think we should stop in Ponyville for some camping supplies. Not all of us are comfortable sleeping under the stars."

Pinkie jumped up and down waving a foreleg in the air, "Oh, and we're gonna need something to eat. We can't go freeing ghost ponies on empty stomachs."

Twilight nodded and said, "Good point, we're going to need our strength, and I'll need to do some research."

She turned to Applejack, "Applejack, you'll take care of the camping equipment."

"Pinkie," Twilight said, "I guess you can handle the food."

"Oh boy," Pinkie shouted, "I'm going to make the tastiest cupcakes we've ever had."

Rarity sighed and said, "Pinkie, perhaps it would be best if you made proper food. As much as we adore your treats, we can't live on sweets alone."

Pinkie stopped bouncing and said, "Well, I guess so, but that's so boring."

"Well, maybe you could make some treats, and Applejack could make the food," Fluttershy said.

She blushed and added, "I mean if that's okay with you, Applejack."

Applejack nodded and said, "I can see that working."

She turned to Pinkie and asked, "Sound like a plan to you?"

Pinkie tapped her chin and nodded, "Yup, that sounds like fun."

Twilight nodded, "Okay. So we have food and supplies handled. What else do we need?"

"Let's just figure out what we need when we get back to Ponyville," Rainbow said.

"I agree," Rarity said, "It would be best if we decide on what we need back home."

"Yeah I guess you're right. Let's go home."

The group nodded in unison and began to head toward the palace entrance. As they made their way, Rainbow stopped and began to rub the side of her head.

"You all right there," Applejack asked.

"I'm fine," Rainbow said with a slight hiss as she rubbed her head.

"If you need medicine, just ask. You don't need to hide it."

"I said I'm fine."

"And I know you ain't, so I'm not gonna argue with you." Applejack reached to her saddlebag and produced a small bottle.

She set it down next to Rainbow and said, "Here. This'll help."

"Ugh, fine," Rainbow said as she lifted the medicine bottle in her mouth and took a drink. "Ugh. This better not be a prank."

Applejack tipped her hat, "Wouldn't do that to a hurt pony, and you know that."

"Yeah," Rainbow said as she looked away, "Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

"Is everything all right," Fluttershy asked.

"Everything is just peachy," Applejack said.

Fluttershy glanced at Rainbow and back to Applejack. One of her ears twitched and she nodded, "Oh, okay. I hope you feel better soon."

"Quit worrying," Rainbow said, "We're gonna be fine."

Fluttershy flinched and whispered, "Oh, okay."

Rainbow sighed and continued to follow the group.

Fluttershy followed and turned when she felt a light nudge.

Applejack smiled and said, “Rainbow’s just being Rainbow. Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on her too.”

“I know. I’m just worried about her, and, um you too.”

“And I appreciate that, sugarcube, but I’m doing okay.”

Applejack shrugged and added, “Sure I’m sore, but it’ll pass.”

Fluttershy gave Applejack a slow nod before returning to Pinkie’s side, and Applejack made her way to Rainbow Dash.

Before long, the group arrived at the carriage platform.

“All right,” Twilight said, “We’ll be landing at the library, and we’ll split up from there.”

Rarity nodded and asked, “Very well, but should we meet at the library again?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier to meet at Fluttershy’s cottage? It is closest to the Everfree Forest.”

“And it’ll be a shorter walk to carry all the camping gear,” Applejack said.

Twilight tapped her chin with a hoof and said, “That does make sense. All right, we split up at the library and meet at Fluttershy’s.”

All ponies nodded and boarded the carriage.

"Well, at least we will be returning home in style," Rarity said.

She shuddered and added, "The thought of spending a night in that forest is almost too much to bear."

"Then stay home," Rainbow said.

Rarity gasped and said, "And abandon our dear friend? Rainbow Dash, I would never."

"Then stop complaining."

Applejack chuckled and said, "Sugarcube, that's like asking apples to stop being delicious."

Rarity rolled her eyes and said, "I'm merely stating my displeasure of having to endure some discomfort."

"I think the ponies trapped in Princess Luna's temple are even more uncomfortable," Fluttershy said.

Her gaze remained locked outside the carriage window and she said, "I'm sorry Rarity. I shouldn't have snapped at you."

Pinkie giggled and said, "You didn't snap at her, silly."

Rarity nodded and said, "I agree, and I suppose my concerns are being expressed a tad too harshly."

"You mean that you're complaining more than usual," Rainbow asked.

"Then fine," Rarity said in a huff, "I'll just keep my-"

"Rarity," Twilight said, "It'll just be one night, and, as you said, you want to support Fluttershy."

"Yes, darling. I suppose I can bear the slings of a certain pony."

Pinkie jumped out of her seat and began hopping up and down asking, "Is it me? Oh, is it? Is it? I might have a sling in my party trunk, but I can make one."

"I was referring to Rainbow," Rarity said with a bemused smile.

Pinkie sagged and said, "Aw, I was hoping to be it."

Fluttershy nuzzled her and said, "You always be-"

"I will fly home myself if you two keep up being mushy," Rainbow said as she motioned a gag.

Applejack nudged her and said, "Just let 'em be."

Rainbow groaned, but she nodded, "Fine, but if the mushy level gets any higher, then I'm flying home."

"You can use my window, Dashie," Pinkie said giggling.

The group enjoyed a good laugh, and Twilight said, "Sorry to bother you with this, Fluttershy, but is there anything you remember about the temple that we should know."

Fluttershy looked down as she tried to remember before shaking her head, "I'm sorry, but I told you all I remember."

"That's all right," Twilight said, "I guess it's for the-"

A book materialized before the group before falling with a solid thud on the carriage floor.

For a moment, nopony dared to breathe. All eyes remained locked on the tome, until a lavender glow surrounded it.

"It's alive," Pinkie shouted as she jumped from her seat.

She tried to run, but Fluttershy held onto her.

"It's alive and it's got me," Pinkie cried.

"Pinkie," Fluttershy said, "I have you."

Pinkie turned and smiled at Fluttershy, "Oh, that's much better than a book."

She smiled at Twilight, who had the book within her grasp, and asked, "You okay, Twilight?"

Twilight's eye twitched but she said nothing.

"I think she's upset about what you said about books," Fluttershy whispered.

"Oh that," Pinkie said, "But it's true."

She held up a sign with a drawing of Fluttershy drinking from a juice box on one side and a stack of books covered in cobwebs on the other. In between was a drawing of Gummy in the shape of a greater than sign.

"See," Pinkie said, "Flutters is greater than books. It's just math."

"But-"

"Twilight," Pinkie said, "You can't fight math."

"Still-"

"Math. You can't fight it."

Twilight sighed, placed the book in her lap, and said, "I like books."

"And we like you, too," Pinkie said.

Twilight shook her head and opened the book.

"There's a note in here," she said.

She read the note and said, "It's from Princess Celestia. She says that this book has information about their temples that can help us out."

"Well that takes care of the research," Applejack said.

"Yeah, now we don't have to wait," Rainbow agreed.

"I wasn't going take that long," Twilight said.

The nervous glances among the group told her otherwise.

"Seriously? I try to get as much information as possible."

Rarity placed a leg around Twilight and hugged her. "We know that you want to be as informed as possible, but you do tend to go a tiny bit overboard."

Applejack laughed and said, "Well you would know all about going overboard there, Rarity."

Rarity huffed and said, "Well, someponies just don't understand, but I promise that we appreciate your efforts. It's just..."

Twilight turned to face Rarity and asked, "Just what?"

Rarity looked away lost in thought before saying, "It's just that for all your planning, we tend to, um-"

"We always save the day with a last minute plan," Rainbow said.

Twilight flinched and said, "We can't go in uninformed."

"Yeah, but you get so much information that most of it we don't need."

"I don't know what we'll need-"

"Darling, all we're saying is that, as much as we adore your studious nature, you could stand to study a little less."

Twilight rolled her eyes and said, "You have no idea how much I've cut down on my studying since I moved to Ponyville."

"I like that Twilight studies so much," Fluttershy whispered. "Um, I mean, she always has an answer, and that's, nice."

Pinkie nodded, "Yup, if Twilight doesn't know something, it doesn't exist."

She tapped her chin with a hoof and said, "Unless..."

"Anyway," Rainbow said, "Is there anything else in the note?"

Twilight read over the note and said, "All it says is that information has something to do with Fluttershy and Pinkie's situation."

"What does that mean," Rainbow asked.

"I don't know. Any ideas?"

"Well," Applejack began, "It could be on account that... Never mind."

Rarity gave Applejack a curious glance before she said, "Perhaps it could be their love the princess is referring to."

"That makes sense," Twilight said.

Rainbow scratched her head and said, "Okay, you lost me."

She looked around the carriage and said, "They're girlfriends. How can that be a bad thing?"

"Rainbow, nopony is saying that their love is a bad thing," Rarity said.

"I agree," Twilight said.

She scratched her chin and asked, "Rainbow, you know about the magic of friendship, right?"

Rainbow rolled her eyes and said, "Yeah, we all do."

"Right. Now, what I think the princess means is that love is another kind of magic. It might be more powerful than friendship, or it could just be more focused. Either way, I think their feelings could cause issues while inside the temple."

Fluttershy moved closer to Pinkie and whispered, "Issues? What kind of issues?"

Twilight shook her head and said, "I honestly don't know, but very little is known about the Everfree Forest. Magic might not always be reliable, and I don't know what exactly will happen."

Pinkie nuzzled Fluttershy and said, "Don't worry, Flutters. We'll be fine."

"Yeah, anything messes with us will regret it," Rainbow said.

Rarity smiled and said, "I agree. Together we will succeed."

The rest of the group nodded in agreement and waited as the carriage continued its flight toward Ponyville.

Soon, the carriage landed in front of the Ponyville library and the ponies disembarked.

Twilight looked around and said, "Okay, so the plan is-"

In a sudden rainbow flash, Rainbow Dash took off in the direction of her home.

"Uh, where is she going," Twilight asked.

She glanced at Applejack and asked, "Do you know where she's going?"

"And just how would I know," Applejack asked.

"Uh, no reason," Twilight said with an awkward smile.

Applejack sighed and said, “I’m going to Sweet Apple Acres to get the food ready.”

She turned to Pinkie and asked, “You ready, or do you need some more time with your girlfriend?”

Pinkie stopped nuzzling Fluttershy and asked, “There’s a choice?”

“Pinkie,” Applejack said, “We gotta go.”

“Okay,” Pinkie said before she gave Fluttershy a quick nuzzle.

She hopped to Applejack and said, “Let’s go bake the best treats ever!”

“Sounds like a plan,” Applejack said.

She turned to the group and said, “Well, we’ll see you girls over at Fluttershy’s.”

Pinkie waved a farewell and hopped alongside Applejack toward Sweet Apple Acres.

“Twilight, would you like to come with us to Fluttershy’s cottage, or do you need to collect some things first?”

“I still need to get some stuff, and I have to tell Spike where I’ll be going.”

Twilight smiled and said, “You two should go on ahead. I’ll stay here and wait for Rainbow Dash.”

Rarity giggled and said, “Do you think she forgot to go to Fluttershy’s cottage?”

Twilight smiled and said, “She seemed really excited about something, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it slips her mind.”

“Oh, then maybe we should wait with you,” Fluttershy said.

“Nonsense darling,” Rarity said as she nudged Fluttershy, “Twilight can wait for Rainbow Dash. We can enjoy a nice spot of tea as we wait. Oh, and we can finally catch up.”

Twilight smiled and said, “Well you two have fun. I’ll be fine here. I promise.”

“Oh okay,” Fluttershy said.

“Wonderful. Now let’s be off.”

Rarity and Fluttershy began to walk toward Fluttershy’s cottage, and Twilight watched them go.

Before she entered the library, she said to herself, “Always looking for juicy gossip.”

"Spike," Twilight called, "I'm home."

Spike climbed down the stairs and asked, "How did everything go?"

"Everything went fine. I just wanted to let you know that I won't be home tonight."

Spike scratched his head and asked, "Want me to make you something to eat?"

"No. Applejack and Pinkie are going to make the food for the trip."

"Okay, be careful."

Twilight nodded and said, "We will. I don't want to take any chances."

She sat down on her couch and opened the book Celestia sent her.

"Okay," she said, "Let's see just what we need to know."

Twilight flipped the book to the first marked passage and began to read.

The students of the Lunar Temple enjoy more freedom in their studies than their Solar counterparts. This freedom comes at a cost.

Their methods of study favor intuition over logic, and this method has led many to suffer from various accidents.

While the teachers of the Solar Temple point out the accidents as a means to reign in the methods of the Lunar Temple, the students of the Lunar Temple enjoy reminding the Solar Temple of the many magical advancements that have been made there.

Teleportation is a common example the Luna Temple often provides.

A sudden noise brought Twilight out of the book.

"Sorry," Spike said as he set a cup of tea on the table. "I thought you might want a cup."

Twilight smiled and said, "Thanks Spike. I guess I was too focused on the book."

Spike shrugged and said, "Nothing new there. Learn anything good?"

Twilight shook her head, "No. I already know what's in the marked passage."

"I know you'll find something useful, and, if you don't, you always come up with something."

Twilight sighed and asked, "Is it that bad?"

"Uh, what are you talking about?"

Twilight shook her head and said, "Nothing. It's just something the girls said on the way home."

Spike made his way next to Twilight and placed a hand on her shoulder, "What was it?"

"They said that I study too much, and that it doesn't matter since we always find a last minute solution."

"They said that it doesn't matter?"

"Well, not exactly, but they said that my research..."

She cast her gaze away from Spike and looked over her books as the world began to blur.

Spike jumped onto the couch, hugged Twilight, and said, "I don't think they were trying to be mean. They just think that you depend on your books so much that you don't look to your friends."

Twilight wiped her eyes and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well," Spike said tapping his chin, "Let's say Owlowiscious was sick, what would you do?"

"I would first examine him, and then I would look over my veterinary books to find-"

"And when you can't find what you need, you'd go to Fluttershy, so why not just do that first?"

Twilight sighed and said, "Fluttershy knows a lot about animals, and she does have the medical expertise."

Spike smiled and asked, "So why don't you just ask Fluttershy? You don't have to know everything."

Twilight blinked and stammered, "Wh-what?"

"You don't have to know everything. You have friends that can help you. That's why you girls always come up with a last minute plan. You do the planning, but you think that you have to know everything."

He tightened his hug and said, "You trust your friends, but you don't think about their strengths."

"I guess you're right. I do trust them, and I know their strengths. I guess I just don't want to go unprepared."

Spike smiled and said, "Then study. That's your strength, and nopony makes a better book fort than you."

Twilight laughed and said, "Thanks Spike. I guess it might be better to get as much information as I can, and then form a plan with the girls."

"Exactly," Spike said as he headed back to the kitchen, "I'll make you a snack."

"Thanks Spike."

Twilight returned to the book and turned to the next marked passage.

The Everfree Forest is an area of great interest to magical scholars. The woods, as a laypony would put it, absorb magic from the very air, and few scholars can find a more accurate description of the phenomenon.

Unicorns from all across the Equestrian Territories come to the forest to test their skills. In fact, it is from these pilgrims that the both the Solar and Lunar temples recruit their students.

While there are few students accepted into either temple, their criteria differ so much that it is rare that both schools would approach the same unicorn.

The only known instances are Starswirl the Bearded and later his apprentice Clover the Clever.

Twilight shook her head, "Interesting, but I already know that the Everfree can affect magic."

"Here you go," Spike said as he set down a small plate with a daisy sandwich.

"Thanks, Spike."

Twilight took a bite from her sandwich and turned to the final passage.

The heart will choose what it will. This wisdom, while a source of inspiration for poets, has proven problematic to the teachers of the Lunar Temple.

One of the main tenets within the Lunar Temple is the belief that true knowledge comes from total freedom. In truth, the teachers of the temple are there to provide guidance and ensure that the temple remain standing.

It is in this regard that certain measures were implemented. Among them were measures designed to keep relationships between ponies as professional as possible. The measure in question reacts when a pony’s love for another is at a point of being distracting. When this occurs, the measure separates the two.

Twilight took a sip of tea and whispered, “That doesn’t sound right.”

She glanced over the rest of the passage until she found another mention of the measures.

Honest students are something of a rarity at the Lunar Temple. In fact, many believe that the only reason that the temple was able to maintain its discoveries was through pride. The pride of being in direct competition with the Solar Temple kept the majority of students from selling temple secrets.

Not all students were able to be kept in check, and, as a result, strict security measures were implemented. These measures still allowed the students to continue their experiments, but any and all unicorns whose unique magic signature hadn’t been registered would be dealt with.

The temple never had a curfew, so there was no need-

“What,” Twilight said as she read the section again, “How were they dealt with?”

She sighed and closed her book.

“At least Rarity was right. Pinkie and Fluttershy’s love could cause problems.”

Twilight rubbed her eyes and looked out the window.

“I wonder what that pony had to get.”

---

The Apple family homestead glowed in the late afternoon light, and the scent of apples made the old home feel as welcoming as a loving parent's embrace.

"What are you planning on making," Applejack asked as the pair arrived at the front door.

Pinkie stopped bouncing and said, "I dunno. I'll think of something."

"You really should take this more seriously," Applejack said with a shake of her head.

Pinkie giggled and asked, "What's to take seriously?"

"Yeah and that's the problem."

Pinkie stopped bouncing and said, "What do you-"

"I'm sorry, sugarcube," Applejack said.

"Okay," Pinkie said, "What did you mean?"

"It's not important."

Applejack tried to walk away, but Pinkie stopped her.

"Jackie, it's important to you, so it's important to me."

"I'd rather not talk about it."

"But, why?"

Applejack walked around Pinkie and grumbled, "I don't want to be a bad friend anymore."

Pinkie ran in front of Applejack and said, "Well you're not being a good friend right now. Let me help."

Applejack sighed and said, "I wanted to say that I was right about you."

"What do you mean?"

"It's your attitude that's the problem."

Applejack sat down and said, "We're on our way to free some poor ponies who've been trapped for hundreds of years, and you're asking what's to take seriously?"

She shook her head and added, "How can I expect you take being with Fluttershy seriously if you can't take anything seriously?"

Pinkie sat down and looked away from Applejack.

Applejack tried to hug Pinkie, but she was pushed away.

"Sugarcube, I'm-"

Pinkie raised a hoof to stop Applejack. She sighed and said, "You're right, Jackie. I love Flutters, I really do, but..."

Applejack put a leg around Pinkie's shoulder and said, "I feel just awful, but I just don't want to see either of you hurting."

Pinkie sniffed and said, "I know, but I'm scared."

"Scared of what?"

"Every time somepony takes something seriously, something bad happens. I just don't want anything to happen to Flutters."

Applejack nodded and asked, "Well, that's a mighty fine reason to worry, but don't you think Fluttershy is worth the risk?"

Pinkie stopped sniffling and stood up. She turned to Applejack, and, with a slight narrowing of her eyes, said, "Of course she is."

"That's what I've been waiting to hear," Applejack said with a big smile, "Now let's get inside. We got to fix some grub."

"Okie dokie," Pinkie said as the pair entered the home.

---

"It certainly is a lovely day," Rarity said.

Fluttershy shook her head and said, "Yes it is."

She glanced around and asked, "Rarity why are you in such a hurry to get to my cottage?"

Rarity smiled and said, "Darling, I merely wanted a chance to catch up. It's been so long since we've had talk, what with your new found love."

A warm blush rose from Fluttershy's cheeks and she said, "Um, it would be nice to talk, and it had been too long. I'm sorry."

"Nonsense," Rarity said, "There is nothing to apologize for. You have found a special somepony, and that is simply wonderful."

She nudged Fluttershy and asked, "And just how are things going with Pinkie?"

The blush on Fluttershy's cheeks grew deeper and she said, "Everything is going fine."

Rarity giggled and said, "Well that blush on your face tells me that something special happened."

Fluttershy shook her head and her face continued to grow red to the point that she could feel her cheeks getting warmer.

A sharp squeal left Rarity's lips and she jumped in front of Fluttershy.

She grabbed Fluttershy's face with her hooves and said, "Oh darling, you must simply tell me everything."

Fluttershy managed to get Rarity to let go of her face and said, "Um, there's nothing to tell."

Rarity grabbed onto Fluttershy and cried, "Oh, please tell me."

"Rarity," Fluttershy whispered, "Please let go."

"Not until you tell. Me. Everything."

Fluttershy shook her head and said, "I'm sorry, but I don't want to say anything without Pinkie knowing."

The mention of her special somepony made her blush return.

"Ooh," Rarity pouted, "Could you at least give me a hint?"

Fluttershy stepped back from Rarity and took a deep breath.

Rarity smiled and rose to her hooves, and stared blankly as the yellow pegasus leapt over her.

Fluttershy resumed her walk home and only glanced back when she felt pangs of guilt.

"What-," Rarity stammered before she ran to catch up with her friend.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I should never have pressured you."

Fluttershy shook her head, "No, it's alright."

Rarity smiled and asked, "Could I at least guess?"

"I can't say anything."

"Oh that's quite all right darling. I'm merely going to guess."

Rarity nodded as she said, "Whatever this secret is, it's important enough to you that you wish to keep it secret. Also, even though you're blushing, you aren't embarrassed by it. Lastly, you seem to be happy about it."

She stopped and a moment later let out a delighted squeal.

Fluttershy turned around only be caught in a vice-like, though still very lady-like, embrace.

"You had your first kiss," Rarity said as she nuzzled Fluttershy.

"That is simply adorable."

Fluttershy smiled as her face regained its red glow yet again.

She smiled and asked, "Um, could you not say anything?"

Rarity nuzzled Fluttershy one last time before the pair resumed their way across Fluttershy's stone bridge.

"Of course I won't say anything," Rarity said.

She looked away and stopped before they arrived at Fluttershy's door.

"What's wrong," Fluttershy asked.

"Oh, it's nothing," Rarity said with a slight strain in her voice.

Fluttershy shook her head and said, "It's important to you, so it's important to me. Um, if you want to tell me..."

Rarity couldn't help smiling at her friend's insistence. She sighed and said, "I just thought I would be the first one to find love."

She laughed and added, "I know you and Pinkie will be happy together, but I can't help feel left out."

Fluttershy hugged Rarity and said, "I'm sorry."

Rarity sighed and said, "Darling, you have nothing to apologize for."

Fluttershy shook her head, "Yes I do. I never though about your feelings when-"

"And there is nothing wrong with that," Rarity said as she took a step back from Fluttershy. "You are so head over hooves in love that the entire world disappears when you're near Pinkie."

"Yes," Fluttershy said, "That's exactly how it feels." She blushed and added, "Whenever I see Pinkie, she's the brightest thing in a room. Even brighter than Celestia's sun."

She ducked slightly and whispered, "I hope the princess isn't mad that I said that."

"Of course she won't be upset," Rarity said with a giggle.

She gave Fluttershy a gentle nudge and said, "I certainly could go for a spot of tea. Would you like a cup?"

Fluttershy's eye widened and she said, "Oh my, how rude of me! I'll make the tea right away."

She darted into the home leaving a bemused Rarity at the entrance.

"Oh, Fluttershy," Rarity said as she entered the cottage.

---

"Why don't you ever try reading backwards?"

Twilight looked to Spike and asked with an arched eyebrow, "What? Why?"

Spike shrugged, "I dunno, it might be better than reading the same book three times."

He tapped Twilight's shoulder and said, "And you never learn anything after the third time."

"How do you know that?"

Spike smirked and said, "A number one assistant knows."

Twilight sighed and closed the book. She finished her daisy sandwich and said, "That really hit the spot."

"Glad to be of service," Spike said with a slight bow, "Did you learn anything?"

"Not much, Spike. The best I could find was that their love could affect things at the temple."

Spike scratched his head and asked, "What kind of things?"

"I don't know. The book the princess gave me doesn't have anything about specific reactions, only vague warnings about unauthorized magic being used in the temple."

"Is it safe?"

Twilight stared at Spike and said, "I don't know. From what I learned, the temple was a school, but there is nothing specific about the security measures that were put in place before the temple fell. I don't know if they're still in place or how unstable they could be. All I know is that Pinkie and Fluttershy can't be together."

The front door closed and Twilight stared into the eyes of an angry Rainbow Dash.

Twilight waved her forehooves in front of her and said, "Wait Rainbow, you got it all wrong."

Rainbow glared at Twilight for a few seconds before she began laughing. "You should have seen your face," she said between her laughs, "Oh that's rich."

Twilight sat down and ask, "So you're not mad?"

"Nah, I know you didn't mean it like it sounded, but tell me anyway."

"Okay," Twilight said, "The book Princess Celestia sent me gave me some information about the temple."

She felt her face grow a bit warm and said, "It seems that there was a problem with students become a little too friendly with each other."

Rainbow looked at Twilight for a while before the meaning dawned on her. "Oh," she said.

Twilight cleared her throat and said, "Anyway, in order to keep the students honest and keep unwanted ponies out, they installed security measures."

Rainbow frowned and asked, "What kind of-"

"Don't bother," Spike said, "She doesn't know."

"Spike," Twilight said.

"What," Spike asked with a shrug.

"Oh never mind," Twilight said, "Anyway. I just think it might be a good idea to keep Fluttershy and Pinkie apart while we're inside the temple."

Rainbow nodded and said, "That makes sense. Did you learn anything about the ghosts?"

Twilight shook her head, "No I didn't."

"That's okay. We'll figure something out. We always do."

Twilight let out a groan.

"Are you okay," Rainbow asked.

"I'm fine," Twilight said, "We should get going."

She stood up and took a good look at Rainbow Dash.

The blue pegasus wore a khaki shirt with a compass around her neck, and on her head was...

"Is that a pith helmet?"

Rainbow grinned and said, "It sure is. I'm ready for adventure."

"Well that's good," Twilight said while giggling, "But we should get going to Fluttershy's."

She turned to Spike and said, "Be careful, Spike, and don't stay up too late."

Spike smirked and said, "I won't."

Twilight rolled her eyes and opened the front door to let Rainbow out.

As the pair exited the library, they saw a crowd of ponies gathered.

Rainbow Dash grumbled, "Great. At least I'm ready for them."

Twilight stepped in front of Rainbow Dash and said, "Rainbow wait."

"Wait for what?"

A voice spoke up from the crowd, "Perhaps an explanation is in order."

"Mayor," Twilight asked.

The Mayor of Ponyville nodded and said, "I didn't mean to cause any distress. I merely wished to express my concern. I heard about what happened to Rainbow Dash and Applejack."

She turned to Rainbow, "A pony from the royal guard arrived and informed me of what happened. I just wanted to reassure you that those ponies are not from Ponyville."

"How do you know that they weren't from Ponyville," Twilight asked.

Mayor Mare smiled and said, "Let's just say that I know the citizens of Ponyville, and none would attack somepony because of who they love."

Rainbow Dash nodded and said, "That's good to know, but AJ and me aren't a couple."

The mayor took a step back and said, "Oh, I'm sorry, but you could have fooled me."

"Yeah, I've been getting that a lot lately," Rainbow said, "Anyway, we gotta get going.”

"Oh? Where are you going?"

"The Everfree Forest," Twilight said.

A shiver ran through the ponies gathered in front of the library and Mayor Mare said, "I see. Please be careful."

Twilight nodded and said, "We will."

The group began to part so Twilight and Rainbow Dash could pass, and Twilight stopped next to Mayor Mare.

"Mayor," Twilight asked, "Did the royal guard tell you anything else?"

"All he told me was that the ponies escaped into the forest."

"Well, they're the ones that need to be careful," Rainbow said.

Mayor Mare swallowed and said with a weak laugh, "I certainly don't doubt you."

Twilight smiled at the mayor and said, "Thank you again. I'll let Pinkie and Fluttershy know that they'll be safe in Ponyville."

Mayor Mare laughed and said, "Oh the hearts that were broken when news of the new couple spread."

Twilight shook her head and said, "I didn't know Fluttershy was so-"

"Oh not just Fluttershy. Many a stallion had their eye on Pinkie."

Rainbow turned around and asked, "Pinkie? Really?"

Mayor Mare nodded and said, "Oh yes. There is a, um, specialness to her. Fluttershy as well."

"Well that's true," Rainbow said, "Sorry but we gotta go."

"Oh of course. But please be careful."

Twilight nodded, and the pair began to walk toward Fluttershy's cottage.

The afternoon's warm air was beginning to give way to the early evening's cool breeze, and the two ponies made good time walking.

As they walked, Twilight asked, "Rainbow, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, I guess."

"Okay. Um, why are you so adamant about reminding ponies that you and Applejack aren't a couple?"

"Well, how would you feel if everypony thought you and Rarity were dating?"

Twilight slowed her pace and said, "Well, I don't think I'd like it very much. I mean, I love all you girls, but to have ponies think that would hurt."

Rainbow Dash nodded and said, "Exactly. I don't care, and AJ's got thick skin."

Twilight stopped and whispered, "I'm so sorry."

"What was that," Rainbow asked.

"I said that I'm so sorry. I. I never thought about how this could be hurting you."

Rainbow shook her head and said, "Don't sweat it, alright? It's not like you were trying to hurt our feelings."

"But that's just it," Twilight said, "I never even considered your feelings. I really am a terrible friend."

"No you are not. You're great friend."

Rainbow Dash sat down next to Twilight and said, "Yeah, it's weird how everypony is so hung up on AJ and me, but that doesn't mean you're a bad friend."

She nudged Twilight and added, "So how about we just drop this, okay?"

Twilight nodded and said, "Okay. I promise to never say that again."

"Good," Rainbow said with a nod.

"But..."

Rainbow sighed and asked, "But what?"

Twilight smiled and said, "But you two would make a cute couple."

"Are you still on that?"

Rainbow laughed and said, "Hey, AJ. Don't worry, she promised to drop it."

Applejack laughed and said, "Well that's good to hear."

Pinkie bounced up to Rainbow Dash an let out a sharp whistle. "Where did you get those super duper cool clothes, Dashie?"

Rainbow puffed out her chest and said, "This is an officially certified Daring Do Adventure Safari Outfit."

Pinkie jumped up and said, "Oh boy, now this is a real adventure."

Applejack nodded and said, "Well you certainly do look mighty sharp there Rainbow."

Rainbow adjusted her helmet and said, "Thanks Applejack."

Twilight gave Rainbow a passing glanced and noticed a slight red on her cheeks. "That's just the sun, right," she whispered.

Applejack chuckled at Rainbow and asked, "Think the great adventurer could give me a hoof with one of these saddlebags?"

"Sure thing," Rainbow said as she took the extra saddlebag.

Twilight noticed that Pinkie also had two saddlebags on and asked, "Pinkie, do you need any help carrying one of those bags?"

Pinkie shook her head and said, "Nope, I totally got it."

She continued admiring Rainbow's outfit until she felt something missing.

"My bags are gone," Pinkie screamed, "Somepony stole them."

"Pinkie," Twilight called with the bags held in a lavender glow, "I have your bags."

Her calls landed on screaming ears as the pink pony began to run in circles.

"Help," Pinkie cried, "Somepony stole my bags."

She grabbed Rainbow Dash by her shirt and screamed, "I had a super special treat made just for Flutters, and now..."

"Oh no you don't," Rainbow said as she shot up into the sky.

Her timing was perfect, as just a moment later, Pinkie began crying.

Twilight set the bags down on the ground and hugged Pinkie, "I have your bags."

Pinkie sniffed and looked to see her bags on the ground.

"Pinkie," Twilight said, "I thought that they way you bounce around, that it would be best if I carried your bags."

Rainbow landed and added, "Yeah, and the food would be ruined before we even get to Fluttershy's cottage."

Pinkie rubbed her eyes and said, "I never thought of that."

She hugged Twilight back and asked, "Can I have one of the bags?"

Twilight nodded and said, "Of course you can."

Pinkie stood up and smiled when she felt the familiar weight of a saddlebag on her back.

"Sorry I freaked out," Pinkie said, "I was just worried about Flutters' special treat."

Applejack laughed, "And it sure is a treat. I think it's the best thing Pinkie's ever baked, and that's saying something."

"What is it," Rainbow asked, "Let me see it."

"Dashie, you'll have to wait," Pinkie said as she stuck out her tongue.

"Fine, but let's go."

The other three ponies nodded, and the group continued toward the cottage.

Applejack walked alongside Twilight and asked, "How far do you think we'll get into the forest before nightfall?"

"If we don't take too long, we should get fairly close to the temple."

"Sounds good," Applejack said before she turned to Pinkie, "I think I see Fluttershy's bridge up ahead."

Pinkie began hopping up and down and said, "I can't wait to see Flutters."

Twilight laughed and levitated the saddlebag off of Pinkie's back.

The moment the bag was off, Pinkie took off toward the cottage.

The remaining ponies had a good laugh and made their way across the bridge. Once they arrived, they found Pinkie nuzzling Fluttershy.

"We're all ready to go," Pinkie said.

"Oh, okay," Fluttershy said, "Um, I just need to take care of one thing."

She turned to Angel Bunny and said, "Angel, you're in charge of the cottage until I get back."

The bunny nodded and gave Fluttershy a quick salute before lying back down.

"Well, now that we have that taken care of," Rarity said, "Let us depart."

Pinkie, Rarity, and Fluttershy left the cottage, and Rarity began to giggle.

Rainbow shook her head and said with a wave of her hoof, "You just can't handle this level of cool."

"Well, I think you look nice," Fluttershy said.

Pinkie ran to her saddlebag and began to rummage through it. After a few moments, she returned to Fluttershy.

"Here you go, Flutters. Just for you."

Fluttershy looked at the paper bag and removed the ribbon. She used her snout to open the bag.

"Oh, my," she said, "Pinkie, this is wonderful, but..."

Fluttershy reached into the bag and pulled out a large cupcake. She blushed and said, "I couldn't eat this by myself."

She returned the cupcake to the bag and said, "Maybe we could share it?"

"That's a great idea," Pinkie said as she bounced up and down.

"Maybe you should wait until we eat dinner," Twilight said.

"Spoil sport," Pinkie said.

Fluttershy giggled and said, "I can't wait to eat it."

"Well," Applejack said, "We had best head out."

Rainbow Dash nodded and took to the air. She pointed and said, "It's time for adventure. We head to the north"

Twilight grabbed Rainbow by her hind leg and turned her north. "Rainbow, we're going to the southeast."

Rainbow landed and shrugged, "All great adventures go north."

She turned around and said as she pointed, "To the southeast."

Twilight sighed and corrected her leg again. "Is everypony ready to go?"

The group nodded and began to walk to the Everfree Forest. As they made their trek, the sun continued its own journey towards the horizon.

Rarity smiled and said, "It certainly is a wonderful breeze blowing this evening."

She glanced to Rainbow Dash and asked, "Do we have you to thank for it?"

Rainbow smirked, but a gentle nudge caused her to say, "Uh, no. That's probably just some wind blowing down from Cloudsdale."

"Did you have to nudge me," Rainbow asked Applejack.

Applejack laughed and said, "Hey, somepony's gotta keep you honest."

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and continued to walk alongside Applejack.

As the ponies walked, the air continued to lower in temperature. This caused Fluttershy to step closer to Pinkie Pie.

"It's gonna be a cold night," Pinkie said, "but we'll be okay in the forest."

Rarity nodded and said, "Oh yes, darling. Why I think the forest will help keep the cold away."

Pinkie nuzzled closer to Fluttershy and added, “I’ll be your sweater, Flutters.”

She hopped up and down, “Oh! Or I could be your jacket! Or Pullover! Or Hoodie! Or-”

Fluttershy nudged her and said, “How about you just be my Pinkie?”

She stifled a giggle as she heard Rainbow Dash make a retching sound.

Twilight stopped and turned around.

Rainbow landed next to her and whispered, “What’s up?”

“I should tell them about what I learned about the temple.”

“Can’t you leave them be?”

Rainbow motioned with her head for Twilight to continue walking.

Twilight resumed walking and said, “It’s important that they know. We can’t take any risks.”

“Yeah, I know, but do they need to right now?”

Twilight shook her head, “No, it isn’t absolutely necessary that I tell them right now.”

Rainbow smiled and said, “Thanks, Twilight.”

Applejack’s eyes scanned the edges of the path and only looked away when she heard Fluttershy.

“Do you see anything?”

“Nothing yet, but I ain’t taking any chances.”

“Applejack,” Rarity said, “You’re being overly cautious.”

Twilight looked back and said, “I agree with Applejack. There’s just too much that we don’t know about the forest to take it lightly.”

Rarity nodded and said, “That is true.”

She turned to Applejack, “I do apologize.”

“Nah,” Applejack said, “Got nothing to apologize for.”

Her eyes returned to the sides or the path, and she smiled when they fell onto Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie.

“Thank you for staying close,” Fluttershy said.

A giggle escaped her when Pinkie nuzzled her.

“Any chance to nuzzle you,” Pinkie said with a smile.

The sharp sound of a branch breaking caused the group to stop in their tracks.

In an instant, they formed a line facing the direction of the noise with Pinkie and Fluttershy behind.

Silence passed and the ponies relaxed.

“We should check it out,” Applejack said.

“I’ll go with you,” Rainbow said.

“No, go on up. You can be our eyes in the sky.”

Rainbow nodded and said, “Okay, but I won’t be able to see much past the canopy.”

Applejack tilted her hat and said, “We’ll make do.”

Rainbow took off and began to look around.

Pinkie stood next to Applejack and called to Rainbow, “How’s the traffic out there?”

“Quiet down,” Applejack said.

She glanced to Pinkie and said, “Come on. Let’s check it out.”

“No way,” Pinkie said, “I’m not leaving Flutters.”

“I’ll stay with Fluttershy,” Rarity said.

Twilight stepped forward and said, “Splitting up is a bad idea.”

“What should we do,” Applejack asked.

“We keep going,” Twilight said.

She began to walk and glanced when she heard Rainbow land next to her.

“Think it might be a trap,” Rainbow asked.

“No. It’s probably just an animal.”

“Ponies always say that it’s an animal, and it’s always the rival treasure hunters.”

“Ooh, we’re on a treasure hunt now,” Pinkie asked with a happy bounce.

“We aren’t on a treasure hunt,” Twilight said.

She shook her head at Rainbow Dash and said, “Somepony’s been reading too much Daring Do.”

Rainbow Dash scoffed and said, “No such thing.”

The group came into a clearing and Applejack said, “This looks as good a place to set up for the night.”

“We can keep going,” Twilight said.

“It’s getting too late, and we need our rest for tomorrow.”

“I can light the path when it gets too dark to see.”

Applejack nodded and asked, “And when you get too tired? You expect Rarity to take over?”

“I agree with Applejack,” Rarity said, “We should find a place to rest.”

She glanced around the clearing and added, “Preferably somewhere else.”

“Why,” Twilight asked.

“This looks a little too exposed for my liking,” Rarity said.

“We’ll be fine,” Twilight said.

Applejack, Pinkie, Rainbow set their saddlebags down and began to make camp.

Rarity stood next to Twilight and asked, “You can’t be serious. Surely you don’t expect us to sleep in this clearing?”

“Of course I do,” Twilight said.

She stifled a giggle, “And don’t call me Shirley.”

The group stared at Twilight, except for Pinkie who let out a high pitched giggle.

Applejack shook her head and asked Twilight, “Are we on the right path?”

Twilight nodded, “If we rest now, we can reach the ruins by noon.”

She glanced at Rarity and noticed she was scanning the edges of the clearing.

“Hold on girls,” Twilight said.

When the group stopped, she asked, “Is everypony comfortable camping here for tonight?”

Rainbow, Pinkie, and Fluttershy nodded, though Fluttershy nodded slower than the others.

Rarity sighed and said, “We shall be fine.”

Twilight smiled and said, “Thanks Rarity.”

The ponies finished making camp just as Luna’s moon rose ahead, and they were sitting by the fire.

“Let’s get the food ready,” Pinkie said to Fluttershy.

“Okay.”

The two opened the saddlebags and began to pass the food around.

“This looks really good,” Twilight said.

“Thank you,” Applejack said with a tip of her hat.”

Everypony ate their food and Twilight waved Rainbow Dash over.

“What’s up?”

“Think I tell Pinkie and Fluttershy?”

“Tell us what,” Pinkie asked.

Twilight spun around and saw Pinkie’s smiling face.

“Oh, uh, that you and Fluttershy can’t be together.”

Rarity dropped her plate and the others just stared at Twilight with slack jaws.

“Wait,” Twilight said, “I can explain. It’s that- I mean. There’s this thing with the ruins-”

She turned when she heard Rainbow laughing.

After a while Rainbow said, “She doesn’t mean it like that.”

Twilight regained her composure and said, “I read that there is a security system in place at the ruins, and it might be affected by the feelings between Pinkie and Fluttershy.”

“Really,” Rarity asked.

“I’m not absolutely certain, but I do know that we should limit our use of magic.”

Rarity tilted her head and asked, “Why?”

“Because of another security system. One designed to only allow authorized ponies access.”

“I see,” Rarity said, “Well, magic is really more your style, but I shall try to remember.”

“Just how far apart should they be,” Applejack asked.

“I don’t know,” Twilight said, “But I think we might be okay if they don’t stand next to each other.”

“We could split up,” Rainbow said.

Twilight nodded, “Good idea. Let’s see, how about-”

“Let’s decide that in the morning,” Applejack said.

“Fine,” Twilight said as she walked to her sleeping bag.

“I guess that means it is time to turn in,” Rarity said as she entered her tent.

Rainbow flew to a nearby tree and rested on a branch.

Applejack sat down underneath and said, “I’ll get the first watch.”

“Okay,” Rainbow said, “Get me up in two hours.”

“Sounds good,” Applejack said.

She settled in her spot and checked on her bandages. With everything in order she moved her gaze to the edges of the clearing.

Though she didn’t care to admit it, Rarity had a point. They were exposed in the clearing, but she’d spot any danger that came close.

On the far side of the clearing four ponies nursed their wounds.

“Let’s rush them,” one said, “I can’t believe they got the drop on us like that.”

“Don’t be stupid,” another said.

She looked around and said, “They didn’t get the drop on us. Some ghost attacked us.”

“Fine. Then let’s follow them and see what they’re up to.”

One unicorn who was laying down sat up and said, “Let’s just get out of here. Why are we even following these ponies?”

“Because of those freaks.”

He rolled his eyes and laid back down, “Well get some sleep. The forest will deal with them.”

“No,” the other unicorn said, “We will deal with them. They’ll learn not to mess with the way things are supposed to be.”

Silence fell and she glared at the sleeping ponies and whispered, “Soon. Soon you will pay.”
> Into the Depths Part 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morning came, and four ponies woke to the sounds, and smells, of breakfast.

“We should have brought food, too,” Cobalt said as he rose to his hooves.

The dark blue unicorn fell to the ground when a voice growled, “Stay down. They’re awake and she was looking this way.”

Cobalt sighed at Sapphire Flower and asked, “Fine, but why did we have to sleep out here?”

She shook her head, “You know why.”

“Actually,” another voice said, “We don’t really know why.”

Aqua Rain glanced around nervously and added, “Look Sapphire, we’ll back you up. You know that. That’s why, when you told us that these ponies needed to be taken out, I was with you.”

She scratched her head with a hoof, “But now, I need to know why you made a beeline to attack that blue one.”

“Not just her,” Sapphire Flower said, “All of them.”

Her eyes narrowed as the six ponies in the clearing gathered to eat.

“She’ll pay for embarrassing me.”

---

“Good morning, everypony,” Pinkie Pie shouted as she jumped from her slumber. The smell of pancakes roused her from her sleep easily. Her leap wasn’t as impressive as Fluttershy still slept soundly on top of her.

The yellow pony let out a squeak as she was knocked off of Pinkie Pie. She stared at the partly cloudy sky with a hind leg twitching slightly. A smile appeared on her face when Pinkie came into view.

“Flutters,” Pinkie said, “You are always coming up with the best ways to wake up. You gotta show me that one.”

Pinkie helped Fluttershy get to her hooves, and after a quick nuzzle, the two made their way to Applejack and Twilight.

“Good morning,” Fluttershy said, stifling a yawn, “Oh, I’m sorry. I usually don’t sleep in this late.”

“I can imagine. You have a pretty comfy blanket,” Applejack said with a grin.

She passed a tin plate with a short stack of pancakes to Fluttershy and said, “Don’t you worry none. We got this under control.”

Twilight nodded and said, “Right, you can relax. We’ll head out after breakfast, and we should be at the ruins just past noon.”

Fluttershy sat down and began to eat her pancakes, but she paused as she saw Pinkie staring at her.

“Oh,” Fluttershy squeaked, “I’m sorry, Pinkie. Would you like some of my pancakes?”

Pinkie shook her head, “Nope, I just wanted to see how you gobbled them down.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy said, “Why?”

“For research,” Pinkie shouted, “I want to know how ponies eat, so I can make better treats.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy said, again, and asked, “What does my eating tell you?”

Pinkie smiled, “Well, you eat nice and slow. That means I can slather all the sauce and stuff on it, and you won’t make a mess.”

She pointed a hoof to Rainbow Dash, who had already scarfed down her pancakes.

“Dashie eats so fast that I wouldn’t do more than a little powdered sugar.”

Rainbow Dash looked up from her plate with a slight look of indignation.

“Hey,” she said, “I may eat fast, but I’m not a sloppy eater.”

Pinkie stared at her for a moment before smiling.

“If you say so, Syrup Face,” she added quickly.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and took an offered towel.

“Thanks AJ,” she said as she wiped the excess syrup from her face.

She ignored the sound of giggling but lowered the towel when she heard Applejack.

“Weren’t me, Sugarcube.”

Rainbow turned to see Rarity levitating the towel with a big smile.

Before Rarity could say anything, Rainbow said, “Not a word.”

Rarity giggled into her hoof and deposited the towel into a tub to be washed.

“Um, Pinkie,” Fluttershy said, “What can you tell me about the other girls and their pancakes?”

Pinkie hopped in place and said, “Well... let’s start with Rarity.”

Rarity was about to take a bite from a levitated fork but paused when she heard Pinkie. She flinched when she noticed a drop of syrup fall and hit the tin plate.

“Right there,” Pinkie said, “You see how she kinda cringed when that syrup fell from her fork? That tells me that Rarity likes syrup but doesn’t like the mess.”

“Well,” Rarity began, “It’s just that I don’t. Um, I mean.”

She paused before glaring at Pinkie, “I do not have to justify myself.”

Pinkie nodded and said, “You sure don’t. I’m just saying what I’m seeing.”

“With Rarity,” Pinkie said as she hugged Fluttershy, “The thicker the better with the sauce. That way, everything is nice and clean.”

Rarity smiled and continued to eat.

Pinkie then made her way to Twilight.

“Sorry, Pinkie,” Twilight said smiling, “I already ate, so you have nothing to work with.”

Pinkie grinned, “You think so?”

She slammed her face to the ground as she began to study Twilight’s plate.

A startled “eep” escaped Fluttershy, but it was missed by the others.

After a few moments, Pinkie looked up and smiled, “I got it.”

Twilight shook her head and sat down.

“Okay,” she said, “Let’s hear it.”

Pinkie nodded and said, “Okay, so your plate is clean. Mostly.”

“What,” Twilight said as she lifted the plate.

Sure enough, a speck of pancake crumb stuck to a tiny bit of syrup.

“You’re careful and organized,” Pinkie said, “I bet you even ate them from left to right and down.”

Before Twilight could reply, Applejack chimed in, “Now that you mention it, you do eat in a, uh, precise way.”

Pinkie nodded, “Yup. She loves math. So, for her, it’s everything in equal parts. Maybe even a golden spiral.”

Twilight smiled and asked, “You know about the golden spiral?”

Pinkie shook her head, “Not really. I just remember one time that Flutters showed me the spiral on one of her snail friends. She told me the name and said it was some math thing.”

“It’s kind of a big deal,” Twilight began, “And I would get into it, but you still need to tell us about AJ.”

Applejack set her half-eaten pancakes down and waved at Pinkie.

“Well,” she said, “Take a gander and tell me what you think.”

Pinkie walked up to her plate and nodded.

“Oh, this is easy. There are syrup and apple chunks on here.”

She pointed a hoof at Applejack and added, “That tells me she likes syrup but wants her food to be filling. Chunky food means a fuller stomach, and that means she can do more work before she has to eat again.”

Applejack looked at her plate and let out an impressed whistle, “I didn’t rightly catch all of what you said, but I do like to spread my meals out and a full stomach is a big help.”

Pinkie turned back to Fluttershy and laid down next to her.

After a quick nuzzle, she said, “See, you’re all special, and I want to make sure that you have the best treats.”

She began tapping her chin with a hoof, “On second thought, Flutters should get the best.”

“You girls okay with being number two,” she asked.

A combination of giggles, and an eye roll from Rainbow Dash, confirmed the consensus.

“You’re number one, Flutters,” Pinkie squealed as she gave Fluttershy a quick kiss on her forehead.

“Pinkie,” Fluttershy squeaked out and buried her face into Pinkie’s side.

Rainbow tapped Pinkie on the shoulder, “We should get packed up. Don’t forget, we got a job to do.”

Fluttershy looked at her friend and nodded, “Of course, I’ll help clean up.”

“Nah,” Applejack said, “We got it. Just enjoy yourself.”

Before Fluttershy could argue, Applejack added, “And I ain’t taking any lip. You got kindness but I got stubbornness for days.”

Fluttershy let out a sigh and smiled, “Thank you.”

She looked around, “But please let me know if you need anything, I want to help.”

“Don’t worry,” Rainbow said, “I’ll let you know when you can stop being lazy.”

Fluttershy nodded, “Then we can switch places.”

Silence fell before Rainbow began to chuckle.

“You calling me lazy?”

Fluttershy shook her head, “Oh, not at all.”

She nuzzled Pinkie for added comfort and said, “You work very hard on doing as little as possible.”

Rainbow laughed, “Pinkie, stop giving her jokes.”

“I didn’t tell her,” Pinkie protested, “My Flutters did that on her own.”

Fluttershy looked up at Rainbow and opened her mouth.

“Stop,” Rainbow said, “It was a decent enough joke. Don’t apologize.”

Fluttershy nodded, “Okay. Sorry.”

The girls laughed at Rainbow’s groan.

---

They watched the six ponies break camp and begin to head to the far side of the clearing.

“Okay,” Cobalt said, “Now what?”

The other two turned to Sapphire Flower and waited.

She pawed at the ground with a hoof and said, “We follow, and when we get a chance, we take them out.”

The group glanced around nervously, each one hoping that somepony would object. Internally, they breathed a sigh of relief when one did.

“No,” Aqua Rain said, “Not until you tell us the real reason you’re so eager to hurt them.”

She glanced around and smiled as Cobalt spoke up.

“She’s right,” he said, “All we had to go with is that these ponies wronged you, and two others were in on it. That they were horrible ponies and that it’d better to get rid of them. From what I’ve actually seen, these ponies are just minding their own business and aren’t bothering anypony. ”

He pointed a hoof toward Rarity and Twilight, “What do they have to do with any of this?”

Sapphire Flower seethed, her glare moving from one pony to another. She wanted to shout, but she knew better than that.

“You have to trust me,” she said, “You know what they are. Just because they’re not being awful right now doesn’t mean they’re nice ponies.”

Emerald Lilly shook he head, finally speaking up, “I’m sorry Sapphire Flower, but that’s not good enough. We need more to go with. We’re already wanted for attacking those four. If you want us to go any further, you tell us. If not, we’re gone.”

Sapphire Flower felt her blood boil. Her gaze grew more hateful as her friends were defying her. Still, she relented.

“If you want to know, fine.”

She pointed a hoof toward Rainbow Dash and said, “Because of her.”

The other three ponies waited, and when Sapphire Flower didn’t continue, Cobalt asked, “So you have a problem with one pony. You then have us help you hurt another and try to hurt two more. And now, you want us to hurt another two.”

He got closer to Sapphire Flower, making certain to keep out of sight, and asked, “Do you hear how crazy this is? What did she do?”

Sapphire Flower looked at each of the three ponies in front of her. Each a friend for years. She knew that they would back her up. They committed a crime without question because of her.

Her eyes began to lose their rage and soon filled with pained tears.

“Fine,” she said, her voice cracking, “I’ll tell you.”

With a glance toward the ponies in the clearing, she said, “Because she rejected me.”

---

The group entered the forest, but Applejack stopped when she noticed that somepony was missing.

She turned back and saw Rainbow Dash staring into the other side of the clearing.

“Something wrong, RD,” Applejack asked.

“I don’t know,” Rainbow Dash said, “I can’t help but feel that something’s out there.”

Applejack looked toward the edge of the clearing where Rainbow Dash was staring and thought she saw some of the leaves move.

“I think it might be nothing but the wind, Sugarcube,” she said.

Rainbow Dash shook her head, “No way. There’s something out there.”

“Or, you're still shook up from the beatin’ we took night before last.”

Rainbow lowered her head and said, “ Maybe you’re right. We better keep an eye out though.”

Applejack adjusted her hat and said, “Nothing wrong with being careful. We should get going.”

Rainbow nodded and followed Applejack back into the forest to join the others, but she paused to glance back into the clearing.

“Everything all right back there,” Twilight called out.

“Just checking on something,” Applejack called back.

She nudged Rainbow Dash with a smile.

“We better get going,” Applejack said, “We’re not usually the ones in the rear.”

Once the two ponies joined the group, they all began to feel the discomfort of the Everfree Forest.

The forest carried its usual oppressive feeling, and it seemed to grow stronger the deeper they traveled.

Animals could be heard every now and then, but these animals had no interest in the ponies. In fact, one particular howl caused Fluttershy to press against Pinkie Pie’s side.

“Hey, Twi,” Pinkie said.

Twilight used her magic to keep a clear path. She didn’t turn back but asked, “Yeah, Pinkie?”

“Why is the Everfree Forest so creepy?”

Twilight stopped for a moment before she started walking again.

“I don’t know,” she said after a while.

The group fell silent as they waited for Twilight to elaborate.

“Is that it,” Rainbow asked, “You don’t have any ideas?”

Twilight let out a chuckle, “Of course I have ideas. And theories. And conspiracies. There’s just so much that we don’t know about the forest.”

After walking for another hour or so, Twilight’s magic began to fluctuate. The foliage she kept out of the group's path appeared to resist her.

“Let’s stop,” she said before turning to Rarity.

“Can you try to use your magic?”

Rarity tilted her head but did as she was asked.

Her horn began to glow as she saw tried to grasp a leaf from a branch.

She winced and rubbed her head near the base of her horn.

“Oh dear,” she said, “That was quite unpleasant.”

Twilight nodded, “Sorry about that. I’ve been feeling some pretty strong feedback for the last half hour. I just wanted to make sure that it wasn’t just me.”

Rarity made her way to Twilight and shook her head.

“Twilight Sparkle,” she scolded, “That was one of the most painful experiences I have ever had with magic, and you were dealing with it all this time?”

Twilight smiled, “It’s fine. I had grown used to it. The effect was gradual, and it just became a lot stronger right now.”

“So, what does that mean,” Applejack asked.

Twilight smiled, “That means that we should be near the temple, and that means no more magic.”

She gave Fluttershy a comforting smile, “And, I’m sorry, Fluttershy, but you and Pinkie have to keep your distance.”

“Where should I be,” Fluttershy asked.

Twilight looked down at the ground and closed her eyes.

Again, the forest animals made their calls and were not friendly.

“I think it’ll be best if you stay near Rarity. If something were to happen, I want Rainbow and Applejack free to take action.”

Applejack and Rainbow Dash nodded approvingly.

“What about me,” Pinkie asked, giving Fluttershy a comforting nuzzle.

Twilight nodded, “Same goes for you, I want you to be able to act quickly should anything happen.”

She turned to Rarity, “Is that okay?”

Rarity smiled, “Without my magic, I doubt I will be of much help, so I will gladly provide my dear friend comfort.”

The group all nodded and continued to walk toward the ruins. Without Twilight’s magic, Applejack and Rainbow Dash took the lead forcing the foliage to the side.

Though it felt much longer than it actually was, they found themselves in another clearing. The only difference is that the trees covered it entirely, and only scant sunlight filtered through the canopy.

In the center of this clearing sat the temple. It was a large building but not tall. Wide steps led up the pillared entrance, where they couldn’t see deeper for the shadows.

The temple had a dome with a hole at the top.

“I think that was where I flew out of,” Fluttershy said.

“This doesn’t seem like what you described,” Twilight said, awed at the ancient structure.

“I’m sorry,” Fluttershy said, “It was a long time ago.”

“It sure was,” Pinkie Pie said, giggling.

Rainbow Dash turned back and asked, “So, do we go on in, or what?”

Twilight nodded and said, “Okay, I say we go in but be careful.”

“Hey Twi,” Applejack said, “I have an idea.”

The group turned toward the orange pony.

“Well,” Applejack said, “You said something about this here place having some kind of system for ponies that weren’t supposed to be here, right?”

Twilight nodded, “Yeah, a security system that monitored each unicorn’s unique magical signature.”

“Right,” Applejack said, “So how about RD and I take the first look? We don’t use magic, so there shouldn’t be anything to track.”

Twilight sat down and gave it a thought.

“I don’t know,” she said after a while, “The book Princess Celestia gave me didn’t provide enough information. For all I know, your lack of a unicorn signature could activate the system.”

“Maybe,” Rainbow Dash said, “But we’re not going to find out by sitting out here.”

Rarity nudged Twilight and said, “I believe they have a point. As long as they’re careful, there should be little harm if they go.”

Before Twilight could respond, Applejack said, “Well, not just us two.”

She nodded to Fluttershy, “Fluttershy over there should come with us. The ponies here already know her, so it might help with a first impression.”

Fluttershy shook with nervous energy and took a careful step forward. She began to paw at the ground.

“What is it,” Rainbow asked, “Something bothering you?”

Fluttershy looked up and said, “Well, I was thinking about what Twilight said about Pinkie and me. Would it be safe for you and Applejack to be together?”

She shrank from Rainbow’s angry glare and whimpered, “I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad at me.”

Pinkie Pie jumped in between Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.

“Yeah,” Pinkie shouted, “Quit with the dagger eyes already.”

Rainbow Dash shook her head and walked around Pinkie.

She knelt down and said, “I’m sorry. I’m just getting sick of hearing this.”

Fluttershy looked up, “I know. I’m just worried.”

The yellow pegasus got to her hooves and hugged Rainbow Dash.

“I know you are,” Rainbow Dash said smiling, “You’re never gonna change.”

She glanced at Applejack and asked, “Ready to go, lover?”

Rainbow accentuated the question with an exaggerated wiggle of her eyebrows causing the orange earth pony to laugh.

“Sure am,” Applejack said, “So long as you’re the girl.”

Rainbow shook her head, “Whatever. Let’s get going.”

Fluttershy gave Pinkie a hug and began to walk to the stairs. Rainbow followed her and Applejack took the rear.

She turned back and said, “Don’t you worry none, Pinkie. We’ll keep an eye on her.”

“Both eyes,” Rainbow shouted, “If we can.”

The remaining ponies sat down and watched as the three walked up the step. Each had worry in their hearts, but one held wonder as well.

Twilight marveled at the majesty of the temple. She tried to imagine how many ponies made their way here to study and create the spells that so many took for granted.

That was when she noticed something missing.

“Girls,” she whispered, “Have you heard any animals?”

Rarity shook her head, “Now that you mention it, this forest has grown dreadfully quiet.”

“Maybe they don’t like this place,” Pinkie Pie said, rising to her hooves.

She began to fidget as Fluttershy got closer to the darkness.

Pinkie Pie felt her chest tighten as Fluttershy’s normally vibrant yellow coat darkened as she entered the shade of the temple.

The pegasus was still bright, but she was a shade Pinkie Pie didn’t like.

“Pinkie,” Rarity said, “Please sit. Fluttershy is in good hooves.”

“I know,” Pinkie protested, “But I wanna be by Flutters.”

“You’re a good girlfriend,” Twilight Sparkle said, “As long as they stay safe, there should be nothing to worry about.”

Pinkie Pie continued to fidget, “But that’s what I’m worried about. Should. That means there’s a chance something could go wrong.”

Twilight walked to Pinkie and gave her a hug.

“I understand, but life is about uncertainty. There’s always a chance something could go wrong, but we move forward anyway.”

She lifted Pinkie’s chin with a hoof and asked, “Imagine if you never threw your great parties because something might go wrong?”

Pinkie closed her eyes for a moment before she opened them again.

“Flutters is too important. I don’t want any chance of anything going wrong.”

“Then simply have her bronzed,” Rarity said, “That way, she’ll always be the same Fluttershy.”

“That’s mean,” Pinkie whimpered.

“Then stop worrying about what might happen and appreciate what is happening,” Rarity scolded.

She pointed a hoof toward Fluttershy.

“That pony is doing something that would have taken a great deal of coaxing to even consider doing.”

Rarity nudged Pinkie Pie and smiled, “She has you to thank for it.”

Pinkie turned back toward Fluttershy and said, “I. I guess. I’m just worried.”

Twilight laughed, “It would be a problem if you weren’t. It’ll be okay.”

Pinkie laid down on her stomach and watched her girlfriend slowly get further away.

---

“Okay,” Rainbow Dash whispered, “Now what?”

The three stood before two large wooden doors. Tarnished metal adorned both doors, and glyphs danced across the surface. These glyphs had lost much of their potency over the centuries as they twinkled in and out like stars.

“Normally,” Applejack said, “I’d knock, but these sparkly things make me a might nervous.”

She turned to Fluttershy and asked, “Any of this look familiar?”

Fluttershy shook her head, “No. I’m sorry. The door was open, and I just walked in.”

“Hold on,” Rainbow said, “You’re telling us that you walked into an unknown building? Willingly?”

“I guess so,” Fluttershy said, but it was closer to a question.

She turned back toward Pinkie and added, “I don’t know why I was drawn here. Maybe the ponies were calling me?”

“Well, I don’t like it,” Rainbow said, “Did that ghost take control of you?”

Fluttershy began to cower, “I. I don’t know.”

Applejack gave the shaking pegasus a hug, “Lay off her, Rainbow. She was upset and got lost. I don’t blame her none.”

Rainbow Dash sighed, “Fine, but I gotta ask. How did you get here on hoof and get back to Ponyville in a single day?”

She waved a hoof to the surrounding foliage, “We had to spend the night, and we just got here. How did you get here? You said that you were wandering the forest.”

“Perhaps,” a new voice said, “I might be able to answer that.”

---

“Okay,” Cobalt said, “Now we’re lost.”

A few rumbling bellies caused him to add, “No. We’re lost and hungry.”

The group had stopped using magic an hour ago as the feedback was too strong, and they had to try and force their way through.

“This just isn’t worth it,” Aqua Rain said.

Sapphire Flower turned to face her and shouted, “Then leave! I don’t care. All of you just leave me here. I’ll get my revenge on my own.”

She continued walking following the hoofprints.

Aqua Rain began to stop her, but Cobalt just shook his head.

“We have to help her,” she whispered.

“I know, hon,” Cobalt said, “And we will, but we have to keep things from getting worse.”

He glanced back to Emerald Lilly, who wanted to be anywhere else.

“It’ll be okay,” he said.

“We’re going to jail,” she shouted, “Just because somepony had a silly crush.”

Sapphire Flower spun around and stomped toward Emerald Lilly.

Once she got nose to nose, she said, “It wasn’t a silly crush. It was more than that, and if you don’t like it, you can just leave.”

Emerald Lilly lost her resolve and lowered her gaze.

“Fine,” she said, “Let’s just get this over with.”

Cobalt nudged her gently, “Don’t worry. We’ll see this through.”

He cast his gaze upward and sighed, “Let’s keep going. Eventually, we’ll run into them.”

---

Applejack stared slack-jawed at the white orb floating before them.

“Hello,” Fluttershy said, “I don’t think I met you.”

The ghostly orb floated and said, “That is correct. You were greeted by the little one.”

“Little one,” Rainbow Dash asked, “How many of you are here?”

“Rainbow,” Fluttershy scolded, “Be nice.”

The orb bobbed up and down and said, “That’s all right. There are six here. It would appear that we were the most likely candidates.”

“Candidates for what,” Applejack asked, “All we know is that this here place was Princess Luna’s temple.”

The orb floated closer to her, “You are aware of the Princess?”

“Yes,” Fluttershy said, “We helped free her from Nightmare Moon not too long ago.”

The orb bobbed up and down, though more quickly, “That is wonderful news. We have been worried for the Princess for so long.”

“She’s doing much better now,” Fluttershy said, “In fact, she asked that we help you.”

The orb froze in place and dove toward Fluttershy.

She gasped and stepped back as the orb stopped just short of her muzzle.

“Help,” the orb asked, “We do not need nor want any help. You delivered us the news of Princess Luna’s return, and for that, I thank you. You have violated this place once, do not do so again.”

The orb then flew back into the wall, and the forest grew silent again.

“So,” Rainbow said, “Now what?”

“I guess we go back and let everypony know what happened,” Applejack said.

She glanced back to the door, “Hold on a second.”

The two pegasi turned back.

“What’s wrong,” Fluttershy asked.

Applejack shook her head, “It might be a whole lot of nothing, but I think them sparkles just got a bit brighter.”

Rainbow walked closer to the door and nodded, “Yeah, they look brighter. Maybe that ghost turned them on?”

Applejack shook her head, “That’d be a Twilight Sparkle question, Sugarcube. Let’s get back.”

Soon the three returned to the group, Fluttershy gave Pinkie a nuzzle and a hug and sat down.

“So,” Twilight asked, “What happened?”

“We met one of the ghosts,” Applejack said.

“Kind of a jerk if you ask me,” Rainbow interjected.

Fluttershy looked up and said, “I don’t think they were being rude. I just think that they got a little offended.”

“Okay,” Twilight said, “Let’s start over. What happened when you got the entrance? Could you see inside?”

Applejack shook her head, “Nope. There are two big doors and no windows that we could see. The doors had some sparkly things on them too. The ghost showed up. They got mighty upset when we told them we were here to help. Once the ghost took off, the sparkles got a little brighter.”

“They might be protective runes,” Twilight said.

“Runes,” Rarity asked, “I thought that was just superstition.”

“Well,” Twilight said, “These ruins are ancient, and if the door does have runes on them, it could be a great discovery for magic.”

“How come,” Pinkie asked, “You know everything there is to know about magic. How is this special?”

Twilight smiled, “Well, magic doesn’t last forever. It eventually expends all of its power and dissipates.”

She waved a hoof to the ruins, “These have been sitting here for a thousand years, and who knows how long they were standing before that. If the runes still contain a small bit of power in all that time and can be reactivated easily, that is big news.”

“It seems to be a trap,” Rainbow said.

“See,” Pinkie shouted as she hopped to her hooves, “Ruins have traps! It's just how things are.”

“Be that as it may,” Rarity said, “We still need to get in there and at least try to liberate these ponies.”

“But,” Fluttershy said, “They don’t seem to want any help.”

“Wrong,” Rarity said, “All you told us was that one spirit got upset. We don’t know what the remaining spirits have to say.”

The group fell into an uneasy silence as they each tried to figure out their next step.

“I think,” Fluttershy began.

The other five ponies turned to her.

“I think,” she said, “We should have lunch. That way, we can decide what to do.”

Pinkie laughed and nuzzled Fluttershy’s side, “That’s my Flutters. I always do my best thinking on a full stomach.”

The rest agreed and got a small campfire going.

As Applejack was preparing the lunch, Fluttershy waved Twilight over.

“Is something wrong,” Twilight asked.

“I don’t know,” Fluttershy said, “There’s something that’s bothering me.”

“Okay,” Twilight said, “What is it?”

“Well, I don’t know how I got here the first time. We all had a hard time walking here, and all I remember is walking a little bit and finding this place.”

Twilight nodded, “You’re right, this is much deeper that to be expected from somepony just wandering around.”

“Also, the voice said they would tell me how I got here so fast, but we made them mad.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Twilight said, “We’ll figure it out.”

She gave Fluttershy a warm smile, “Was there anything else?”

Fluttershy began to shake her head but stopped herself. She turned to the ruins and said, “The ghost mentioned a ‘little one’ I think one of the ghosts is a child.”

Twilight turned to the ruins, and they lost some of their grandeur. The sight of the ruins now caused her to shiver.

“I never thought of that,” she said, “I assumed that all of the ponies were adults.”

“I want to free them,” Fluttershy said, “But I don’t think we should force them. If they want to go, we should help them.”

“And what if only that one ghost wants to stay,” Twilight asked.

“I hope the other ghosts can convince them to leave. I don’t want them to be alone.”

Twilight sat down and said, “This might be tougher than we expected, but we’ll see this through. We always do.”

Fluttershy caught the change in tone when Twilight said that.

“Is something wrong,” Fluttershy asked, “Are you still mad at us for what we said about your research?”

“I was never mad,” Twilight said, “Just a little hurt. It’s fine.”

“Is it?”

Fluttershy moved to look Twilight in the eyes, “Please tell me the truth?”

Twilight sighed, “I’m still a little mad, but I understand what you girls were telling me. I’ll get better.”

Fluttershy smiled and gave her a hug.

“Please don’t stop being you,” she said.

Twilight smiled, “I don’t plan on it.”

“Soup’s on,” Applejack shouted.

“Oh boy,” Pinkie Pie squealed and ran to the campfire, “Soup!”

She stopped and looked around eagerly.

“Where’s the soup,” she asked.

“It’s just an expression,” Applejack said, “And you were a farm pony, so you should know that.”

Pinkie sat down and took her plate.

“Oh,” she said, “Yeah, I kind of forgot.”

She grabbed Fluttershy’s plate and balanced it on her head. Then, with an odd grace, she hopped to her girlfriend and set the plate down.

“Let’s eat, and we can get to helping these ponies,” Pinkie said.

“Yes,” Fluttershy said.

The group ate in silence, and too soon, the meal was finished.

“Okay,” Rainbow Dash said, “We ate. Now we have to decide what to do.”

Twilight nodded, “Yeah, we can’t leave these ponies trapped here, but we have to be careful of that door.”

“Want me to fly in,” Rainbow asked, remembering the hole in the roof.

“No,” Twilight said, “I don’t know what that might trigger. For all we know, these spirits were dormant when Fluttershy found the ruins. They might be much more active now.”

Applejack stood and stretched. She began to pace for a few moments as she tried to piece together what she wanted to say.

“Then,” she said, “I say we go up to the door. Turn off those rune things and just knock. We’ll see who opens up.”

Twilight walked toward the ruins and stopped. She turned back to her friends and remembered what Spike said about the strengths of her friends.

“Let’s go,” she said, smiling, “We’ll figure it out.”

The group left their camping gear behind and climbed the steps to the ruined temple of the Moon Princess. Fluttershy and Rarity followed a fair distance away.

“This is incredible,” Twilight said as she stared at the ancient architecture.

“These pillars are similar to the ones that adorn the Canerlot courthouse. I wonder if Princess Luna once had a role in the justice system.”

“That’s a scary thought,” Rainbow said, “Imagine Nightmare Moon making the laws.”

“Rainbow,” Twilight scolded, “I was referring to Princess Luna before she turned into Nightmare Moon.”

She shook her head, “But I can see how her corrupted form could be disastrous.”

They got closer to the double doors, and the runes danced across them.

“Let us not dwell on that,” Rarity said, “Let’s see this problem first.”

Once the group stopped at the doors, Twilight examined the runes more closely.

“This will be harder than I thought.”

“How come,” Applejack asked, “You see something we don’t?”

Twilight nodded, “In a sense. You girls mentioned that the runes were ‘sparkling, but I just assumed they were blinking in and out. These aren’t static. They’re moving, and I can’t predict their direction.”

“And that,” Rarity added, “means that it’ll be nearly impossible to deactivate the runes.”

“That’s right,” Twilight said, “We would need to focus on the rune to dispel its energy. With such chaotic movement, I don’t think I can do it.”

The girls turned away from the door, trying, in vain, to think of a new course of action. Rarity walked back to Fluttershy, who smiled at her friend’s return.

The five ponies jumped to their hooves and, nearly out of their skin, when they heard somepony pounding on the door.

“Hello, in there,” Pinkie shouted in between bouts of pounding on the door, with her face, “Open up and let us in!”

“Pinkie,” Twilight shouted, “What’re you doing?”

Pinkie smiled, “It was worth a shot.”

Before Twilight could scold the pink pony further, the doors began to open.

Pinkie began to hop happily as a new orb appeared.

This orb, yellow in color, flew lower than the previous orb, and the voice was higher in pitch.

“Hi,” the orb said, “You knock funny.”

Pinkie lowered herself to the orb’s level and said, “Hi there, I’m Pinkie Pie. It's nice to meet you.”

The orb moved up and down quickly and said, “Hi, Pinkie. I’m, um...”

The orb froze for a moment before saying, “I don’t remember my name. Been a long time since I thought of it.”

As the group stared at the friendly orb, it disappeared.

“Okay then,” Rainbow Dash said, “It looks like we’re all set to go in?”

Before anypony could make a move, the orb came back.

“Well,” it said, “Come on in!”

The group shrugged and entered the temple. The air was still and humid. Except for the hole in the ceiling and now the open doors, there was almost no circulation.

Within a few moments, they arrived at the main hall. In the center sat the pedestals Fluttershy talked about. Five formed a crescent with a lone pedestal in the center.

“This must be where you were,” Twilight said.

Fluttershy nodded, “I think so.”

She looked up and saw a familiar hole in the ceiling.

“That’s where I left,” she said.

“I’m sorry about what happened,” the orb said.

“You were the first to be here in a long time, and I didn’t want you to leave.”

“That’s okay,” Fluttershy said, “How did you do that?”

The orbed seemed to move more slowly, as though embarrassed, and said, “Well, I tried to give you a hug, but I only got your ghost.”

“Her what,” Rainbow shouted.

The orb moved back quickly and said, “I guess that’s not the right word. I guess spirit. I don’t know. I had you in a hug, but your body fell to the floor. I let you go, and then you were off. I’m sorry.”

Fluttershy smiled, “I think I understand. I’m not mad at you. In fact, we’re here to help you leave, um, if you want to.”

Again, the orb stopped moving, then it began to dart quickly and said, “I don’t think Grannie will like that.”

“Boy,” a voice boomed, “What did you do?”

The ponies looked around, trying to find the source of the noise, but it seemed to come from everywhere.

The white orb that appeared earlier came into view.

“You let them in,” it asked the other orb.

The white orb flew around each pony before stopping before Twilight.

“I see there is one of you with promise,” the orb turned to Rarity, “Is this your servant?”

“Absolutely not,” Rarity said with furious indignation, “We are friends.”

“It’s true,” Twilight said, “I might have more skill with magic, but Rarity is very skilled in her own way. She can do things that are far above my ability.”

The orb didn’t move but said, “If you insist. Then tell me why you brought in laborers?”

“Laborers,” Twilight asked.

“I think it means us,” Applejack said, pointing a hoof to herself and Pinkie Pie.

“Don’t forget, a long time ago, all earth ponies were allowed to do was work the land.”

“Right,” Twilight said, “Again, they are not laborers nor servants. They are my friends, and I gladly hold each of them as my equal.”

The orb drifted above the ponies before settling back down to Twilight.

“I don’t sense deceit in your words. I won’t say that you are lying, only that you sincerely believe your words.”

The orb grew brighter and said, “You will be responsible for the actions of your party, but you are welcome within this temple.”

“Thank you,” Fluttershy said, “Um, may I ask a question?”

“Go ahead,” the orb said.

“You said you would tell us how I managed to get here so quickly. Will you still tell us?”

The orb floated to Fluttershy, and a strong sense of sadness washed over the group.

“You reminded me of her,” the orb said, “Do not ask me to speak of her. The pain is still too fresh.”

“I’m sorry,” Fluttershy said, “I promise I won’t ask.”

The sadness grew immensely and then began to fade.

“Very well,” the orb said.

Not a sound could be heard for a few minutes before the orb spoke again, “I felt a presence. Her presence somewhere in the forest. I had forgotten what she looked like, but I knew her energy. I reached out and found you. There was much sadness and regret within you, and I simply opened a portal that brought you to our doorstep.”

“That’s why the door was open,” Applejack said, “Y’all already done invited her in.”

The orb floated toward Applejack and said, “If you can’t bother speaking properly, keep your ignorant mouth shut.”

Applejack took a step back and opened her mouth to respond.

“What the hay is wrong with you,” Rainbow Dash shouted, “Just who do you think you are talking to my friend like that?”

She got uncomfortably close to the orb, “In case you haven’t noticed. You’re dead. We’re not. You’re stuck here, and we’re trying to help you. Lose the attitude already.”

The orb began to glow brightly when a new voice joined the group.

“Oh, Grannie,” the new voice said, “When will you learn to be more gracious?”

A pale red orb rose from the floor and gently bumped into the yellow orb.

The girls realized the yellow orb was vibrating like a scared child.

“He’ll be all right,” the red orb said, “Grannie just gets into her moods once in a while.”

This orb floated around the group and stopped before Rarity.

“It’s a pleasure,” Rarity said.

The orb bobbed up and down, “The pleasure is mine. I sense your energy. Are you perhaps a candidate?”

Grannie, the white orb, shot toward the red orb.

“There are no other candidates,” she shouted, “It was just us and only us.”

The red orb floated behind Rarity’s head and asked, “Then, care to explain how this pony shares a similar energy to myself?”

“A coincidence,” Grannie said, “Nothing more.”

“Really,” the red orb asked, “Then why did you invite the pegasus then? You don’t believe in coincidences.”

“Excuse me,” Twilight asked, “If by candidates, do you mean the Elements of Harmony?”

The yellow orb began to bob up and down quickly.

“Yeah,” the orb said, “I’m supposed to be happiness or something.”

The red orb giggled, “Laughter, dear. And you are certainly good at it.”

“And whom are you supposed to be,” Rarity asked the red orb, “If we share energy, then would it be fair to assume that you represent the Element of Generosity?”

“I am, or was, nothing more than a candidate,” the red orb said, “But yes, it appeared that I was closest aligned to the Element of Generosity.”

“Okay,” Twilight said, “And if the one that, um, Grannie doesn’t want to speak about had an energy that matched Fluttershy, that would mean the Element of Kindness. That means there are still the Elements of Loyalty and Honesty remaining.”

She turned to Grannie and asked, “Are they nearby, and may I assume that you were the candidate for the Element of Magic?”

Grannie bobbed up and down in agreement, “That is correct. Those two are currently occupied.”

The yellow orb began darting around the group excitedly, and Pinkie chased him.

“This is fun,” she shouted.

Before Twilight could scold Pinkie, the red orb floated before her.

“Please allow him his fun,” she asked, “He’s been so lonely, and we’re not much for playing anymore.”

Twilight nodded and shouted to Pinkie, “Be careful.”

“I will,” Pinkie shouted back and promptly tripped on a rock.

Boy floated to her quickly, and both burst into giggles.

“They’ll be fine,” the red orb said.

The orb flew close to the other ponies, paused for a moment at each, and then returned to Twilight.

“May I impose a question,” the orb asked.

“Certainly,” Twilight said.

“Are you all candidates?”

Twilight shook her head, “No, we each actually hold the Elements of Harmony.”

This clearly incensed Grannie as she instantly grew so bright that she almost became blinding.

“I refuse to accept this,” she shouted, “First, you invade our home because a fool opened the door. Again! And now you mean to tell me that there are ponies other than unicorns are candidates?”

“Please calm down,” Twilight said, “I don’t understand why you’re so angry.”

Grannie began to vibrate and then dove into the floor.

The red orb floated to Twilight and said, “I’m not sure how things have changed over the centuries, but telling somepony to ‘calm down’ is certain to make them angrier.”

Boy floated over to the red orb and rubbed against it gently.

“Don’t you worry,” the red orb said, “You know how she gets.”

Twilight sat down next to Boy and asked, “What did she mean when she said the door was opened again?”

Boy floated behind the red orb and was silent.

“It’s all right,” the red orb said, “You didn’t know any better.”

“I should have,” Boy shouted, “I should have known they weren’t friendly ponies.”

The red orb rubbed against Boy the same way a mother would comfort a child and said, “Well, none of us had any idea of what happened.”

“And what did happen,” Rainbow Dash asked, “Is that how you all died?”

“Such brashness,” the red orb said, “I take it you bear the Element of Honesty?”

“Uh, no ma’am,” Applejack said, “That’d be me. That there’s Rainbow Dash, and she holds the Element of Loyalty.”

The orb bobbed up and down, “I see. I do apologize. You see, you bear a resemblance to our candidate of the Element of Honesty.”

Rainbow Dash shook her head, “Don’t worry about it, but I wanna know. What happened when the door was opened the first time?”

“Well,” the red orb said, “We weren’t accustomed to visitors, so you can imagine our surprise when we heard pounding on the doors.”

Boy bobbed up and down, “Yeah, it was just like when Pinkie Pie knocked. I thought that if they were pounding that hard, it must be important.”

“Do you remember anything after that,” Twilight asked.

“No,” Boy said, “It’s dark for a while, and then I remember floating around here.”

The red orb bobbed up and down and added, “That would be the same for each of us. Our last memory is a large group of ponies storming the temple and then nothing.”

The group fell silent, and the still air of the temple grew more stifling.

“We never gave it much thought,” the red orb said after a while, “Because the outcome was obvious.”

“What happened,” Pinkie asked as she tried to hop about. Her movement was limited by Fluttershy holding her in place.

“Well, we died,” the red orb said, “I thought that was obvious.”

“Oh,” Pinkie Pie said, “Sorry, I’m slow, but I get there.”

Fluttershy nuzzled and said, “It’s okay Pinkie. It's just natural for you not to assume the worst.”

Pinkie nuzzled her back and looked up when she heard a loud gasp.

“When did you two get close to each other,” Twilight shouted, “I can’t believe we forgot about the security system!”

“The what,” Boy asked.

“Well,” Rarity said, “I can’t think of a better source of information than the fellow residents before us.”

Twilight took a deep breath and said, “I’m sorry for the outburst, but we received information that there was a security measure to keep the ponies here honest.”

Boy floated closer to the red orb and asked, “What is she talking about?”

“Something that you never had a chance to worry about,” the red orb said.

“Those measures that you mention were only activated when needed and only by the master of the temple or the candidate for the Element of Magic.”

The red orb floated to Pinkie and Fluttershy and added, “As for these two, their affection is pure. There is no cause for concern.”

It floated around the two and said, “Also, the measures are for unicorns, so they wouldn’t apply to these two.”

Twilight sat down and whispered, “So it was a waste of time.”

“What was that,” Rarity asked.

“It was all a waste of time,” Twilight shouted as she jumped to her hooves.

“I spent hours pouring over books, scrolls, and parchments. It was pointless. Why do I even bother?”

The group of friends watched as Twilight fell and began to cry.

“It’s okay,” Fluttershy said, “It wasn’t a waste of time.”

Twilight looked up and asked, “How can you say that? You heard her. The measures are for unicorns only.”

Fluttershy sat down and smiled, “And how were you supposed to know that? Even the Princess didn’t know that.”

She nuzzled Twilight gently and added, “Besides, you knew exactly what was going on with the door. You must have discovered that in your research in the past, right?”

“Yeah,” Twilight said, “And Pinkie just bypassed it by pounding on the door. With her face!”

Fluttershy helped Twilight to her hooves and asked, “That would be a good question to ask if somepony were interested in research.”

Twilight wiped her eyes and laughed, “Thanks, Fluttershy.”

She walked to the red orb and said, “I apologize for making a scene. It’s... Well, it’s not important.”

“I understand,” the red orb said, “But I do hope that you discuss this with your friends. Unless such explosive emotions are normal for you, it won’t bode well for you to keep these feelings to yourself.”

Twilight took a deep breath and said, “I agree, but first, I am curious about the door. What was the purpose of the runes?”

The red orb floated toward the doors and paused for a moment before returning to the group.

“I don’t remember,” the red orb said, “I do know that they were designed to only allow candidates entry.”

Twilight nodded, “That must be why they didn’t react when Pinkie knocked on the door.”

“With her face,” Boy giggled.

Pinkie shrugged and said, “It’s what I do.”

The red orb bobbed up and down and said, “I could be mistaken, but I believe that the runes accepted Pinkie Pie as a candidate, even if she actually bears one of the Elements of Harmony.”

Twilight nodded, “That makes sense.”

She walked to the podiums and shook her head.

“There’s so much to study here,” she said, “But we are here on important business.”

The red orb floated to Twilight and said, “You speak of our liberation.”

Twilight nodded.

“That might be a problem,” the red orb said.

The rest of the group joined the two and gasped as the five pedestals began to glow.

“We should move away,” the red orb said.

Twilight began to ask why but thought better of it.

“She’s right,” she said, “Let’s move back.”

The girls walked away, and the pedestals dimmed.

“What happened,” Twilight asked.

“It would appear,” the red orb said, “That the pedestals still remember their purpose.”

The red orb floated around the room, seemingly gathering her thoughts before coming back down, and said, “Perhaps, I should provide some context as to the purpose of the pedestals.”

All six ponies sat down, and Boy floated next to Pinkie Pie.

“I really like story time,” he said.

Pinkie giggled, “Me too.”

The red orb was silent for a moment and then spoke.

“From what I understand, you six freed our beloved Princess Luna from her corrupted form.”

The six ponies nodded.

“That’s wonderful to hear. It would seem that Princess Celestia’s plan worked.”

“And what plan was that,” Twilight asked.

“To purge the corrupted energy from Nightmare Moon and return Princess Luna to her former self.”

Twilight nodded, “That seemed to be the plan, but we didn’t know it at the time.”

The red orb bobbed up and down and said, “Both the Sun and Moon temples worked to deal with the Nightmare Moon problem, but we had different approaches.”

She waited for a possible interruption, and when nopony did, she continued.

“Where the Sun temple sought to cure Princess Luna, in a sense, we felt that she was too far gone.”

Fluttershy felt her chest tighten and pressed closer to Pinkie Pie.

“Shh,” Pinkie said, “It’s okay. It’s just a story.”

The red orb bobbed up and down, “That’s true. It is only a story. Now, if you would look at the pedestals.”

When the ponies gazed on the six pedestals, the red orb said, “Our goal was to use the Elements of Harmony to combat Nightmare Moon directly.”

“So, your plan was to destroy Nightmare Moon,” Twilight asked, “That’s horrible.”

“I can understand how you feel, but please see it from our perspective.”

The orb moved towards Boy and said, “Princess Luna visited the temple often. Boy here played with her, and she would often sneak him treats when she knew he was punished.”

“Princess Luna was so nice,” Boy said.

He rubbed against Pinkie and asked, “Is she still nice?”

“She’s learning,” Fluttershy said, “She still has to adjust, but I know she will be happy again.”

The red orb floated back to her original position, “That’s wonderful to hear. Our Princess was so dear to us that to see her suffer. To see the suffering she spread. It was too much to bear.”

“We feared that if she were cured, the realization of what she wrought would be too much for her.”

“So you decided that it would be best to just fight her,” Rainbow Dash said incredulously, “Some gratitude. You don’t care about her at all!”

The orb grew brighter and flew towards Rainbow Dash.

“Hold your tongue,” she shouted, “I love my Princess. This was not a decision made lightly nor in haste. A pony like you would never understand.”

“What’s that supposed to mean,” Rainbow asked.

“You know what I mean,” the red orb said, “I witnessed your behavior. Only acting without taking a moment of consideration for the possible ripples that it could cause. You may be loyal, but you are reckless. That recklessness will bring you sorrow if you are not careful.”

Applejack stepped between pony and ghost.

“Easy there, RD,” Applejack said, “I don’t think she’s telling lies, and we do tend to get a bit headstrong.”

Rainbow Dash looked Applejack in the eyes and nodded.

“I guess you have a point,” she said, “I just don’t see how your plan would work.”

The red orb bobbed and said, “I’m not certain. Don’t forget that we need to bear the Elements of Harmony. That means that we would have to be worthy of them. There was a possibility that some Bearers came from the Sun Temple and some from this temple. It was a possibility that we accepted but didn’t care for.”

“Because that would mean neither group’s plan would be used,” Twilight Sparkle said.

“Yes,” the red orb said, “Undoubtedly, there would be much discussion, and a possible compromise met, but I suppose it doesn’t matter to dwell on such matters.”

“Why not,” Boy asked, “This is interesting.”

“Because our Princess has been freed,” the red orb said, “The task assigned to us has been fulfilled.”

“And now we wish to help you move one,” Rarity said.

She turned toward the pedestals and asked, “How much magic still dwells with those pedestals?”

“Not much, but enough,” the red orb said.

Rarity smiled, “I suppose that would be a question better suited to Grannie.”

The red orb bobbed up and down in agreement and said, “This is true, and please, do not bear ill feelings towards her. This task was to be her final act before we were attacked.”

Twilight studied the pedestals and asked, How would it be fatal?”

“Fatal only to me,” Grannie said, rising from the floor.

Twilight spun around and said, “Grannie! Please allow me to apologize. I was out of line.”

“No,” Grannie said, “I was wrong to behave in such a way. Now I think it would be best if I were to answer your questions.”

Grannie moved toward the pedestals and said, “Each Bearer would take their position and focus all their energy on me. I would then focus on the Elements of Harmony, as well as my own Element of Magic, to complete the spell.”

Twilight walked toward Grannie but stopped when she felt a leg on her chest.

Rarity shook her head.

“Right,” Twilight said, “What was the purpose of the spell?”

In an instant, Twilight realized the intent.

“The spell was made to change you,” she said.

Grannie bobbed up and down, “Exactly. I knew you had promise. The spell would turn me into a being that could match the power of the Princesses. The hope was to draw Nightmare Moon away and subdue her.”

“Even if that meant putting her down,” Applejack asked.

Grannie bobbed up and down again and said, “That was the duty that I swore by. I was prepared to betray the very oath I swore to free my Princess from her suffering.”

“Thank you, Grannie,” Twilight said, “I see there is still so much about the Elements that we need to learn.”

“Unless you manage to gain immortality,” Grannie said, “There’s more to learn that you could fit in your lifetime.”

She floated to Twilight and said, “Don’t make my mistake. Live your life. You do not have to be the one to unravel all of the mysteries of the world.”

Twilight smiled as she teared up, “I’m beginning to learn that lesson, and I’m trying.”

“That is good,” Grannie said.

Rarity walked forward and said, “Now, I fear that we have dawdled far too long from our task.”

She gave Grannie a comforting smile, “We come directly from both of the Princesses. Princess Luna wishes that you be freed.”

Grannie fell silent for a moment and said, “I understand. I promise to not trouble you, but you must understand that I cannot leave.”

“But you shouldn’t be alone,” Fluttershy said, “If all of the other ghosts leave, it’ll just be you.”

“Not just me,” Grannie said, “She’ll be here as well. What’s left of her at least.”

Rarity took a careful step forward and asked, “Is that the one you didn’t wish to speak of?”

Grannie bobbed up and down, “Yes, she was dear to me. I don’t wish to tarnish her memory with bitterness.”

“Then, if you will not be truly alone,” Twilight said, “Would you object if the others leave?”

The red orb floated to Twilight, “I’m afraid it’s not quite that simple. You see, the way our current situation works, either we all leave, or none of us do.”

Twilight sat down and asked, “And what was the cause of your situation?”

Grannie floated toward the rear of the temple. A light appeared, and soon a tunnel opened. Torches, unlit for centuries, sprang to life, and everypony could see the tunnel head downward.

“Down there,” Grannie said, “You will find the candidates for the Elements of Honesty and Loyalty. They have been trying to bring her back to us.”

“The candidate for the Element of Kindness,” Twilight asked as they walked toward Grannie.

When she arrived, she peered into the tunnel. There was no indication of how deep the stairway went, but it seemed that this would be their next destination.

“I’m sorry,” Twilight said, “I don’t mean to cause you pain, but who was she?”

Grannie dimmed slightly before saying, “She was my daughter.”

Fluttershy let out a soft gasp at the news and ran to Grannie.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, “That must be awfully hard for you.”

“I’ve long grown used to her, our, deaths. She fell into a deep despair, and we haven’t heard from her in so long.”

Grannie brightened and said, “If you can help her return to us, I promise you that I will offer no resistance and gladly leave this home of ours.”

She then floated back to the other two orbs and said, “All of this has made me weary. We shall go for now. Please return with news. Either good or ill will be welcomed.”

The three orbs disappeared, and the six ponies remained in the disconcerting silence of the long-dead temple.

The only sounds were the occasional tree when the winds blew through them, animals having long abandoned this place.

“Well,” Twilight said, “I guess we know our next task. Let’s see if these ghosts are friendly.”

Each pony gave a nod, Fluttershy being slower than the rest, and began to walk single file down the staircase.
> Into the Depths Part 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I don’t think I like these stairs,” Pinkie Pie said.

The tunnel Grannie opened quickly turned into a spiral staircase leading deeper into the temple.

As the group continued their descent, Rarity stopped.

“Oh, my,” she said, “If you girls don’t mind. I think I need to sit down.”

Twilight Sparkle climbed back toward Rarity and said, “It's the feedback. It’s much stronger the lower we get. I think we’re nearing a powerful focal point.”

“I have noticed a funny feeling,” Applejack said, “But I just thought it was my nerves acting up. Are you okay, Rarity?”

Rarity smiled and tried to nod but shook her head, “I’m afraid not. There’s so much pressure in my head. It feels as though my horn will split in two.”

Rainbow Dash knelt down next to the white unicorn, “That’s not good. How long have you felt this way?”

“It started shortly after we arrived,” Rarity said, “But it only started getting worse as we began our descent.”

Fluttershy gently nudged Rarity and asked, “Is there anything I can do. I’m sorry, but I don’t know much about unicorn medicine.”

Rarity let out a giggle, “Oh, don’t be silly. I simply need to rest. Only for a moment, and we can continue. We have a duty to perform.”

She tried to stand, but Rainbow Dash held her down.

“Yeah,” she said, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. If you’re not feeling well, maybe you should stay here or go back up.”

Now it was Rarity’s turn to be incredulous. She pushed Rainbow’s hoof to the side and said, “I will not. Would you sit by and do nothing if you were feeling unwell?”

She didn’t give Rainbow Dash a chance to respond. Rarity got to her hooves and said, “You would press forward no matter what. We’re already here, so we might as well see it through together.”

Rainbow Dash shook her head, “Fine, but let us know if you need a break. If Twilight says that we’re getting close to something powerful, it might get worse for you.”

“I have an idea,” Pinkie Pie shouted.

The ponies cringed as the echo bounced off the stone walls.

“Oops,” she giggled, “Sorry. Anyway. I have an idea. How about you use some magic?”

Twilight shook her head, “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

“Why not,” Pinkie asked, “If she’s feeling pressure in her head, why not release some of that pressure?”

“Because I would simply be adding energy to the environment and therefore making the problem worse,” Rarity said as she steadied herself.

“Your shout just a moment ago,” Rarity said. “The sounds bounced off the walls quite fiercely. The magical energy of this temple is doing the same. If I were to use magic, it would be the same as your shout.”

“Except,” Twilight said, “It wouldn’t fade like sound waves. Something is keeping the magical energy here. Whatever it is, it’s further down.”

Fluttershy walked to Twilight and asked, “Are you feeling okay?”

Twilight smiled and shook her head, “No. The feedback is making it difficult to think clearly. Rarity said it best. It’s as though my magic is constantly building and wanting to burst out of me.”

She smiled at Rarity, “As long as we’re careful, we’ll be fine.”

Rarity nodded, “I agree. It certainly will be interesting to find the source of all of this.”

The group walked for a bit more, and the spiral staircase ended. They stood at the entrance of a tunnel. Six torches, three on each side, were lit. The torches were spaced apart, with a couple of yards between each torch.

Beyond, only darkness waited down the tunnel.

“Okay,” Rainbow said, “How are we going to move forward without any light?”

“Well,” Applejack said, “How about we grab one of these torches?”

“No,” Rainbow Dash shouted, “We can’t.”

Applejack jumped back, causing her to trip on Fluttershy’s tail. Both ponies fell over.

Pinkie tilted her head at Applejack, “That did look like fun, but I don’t think now is a good time for a pony pile.”

“RD,” Applejack groaned as she helped Fluttershy to her hooves, “Just what is the big idea?”

Rainbow waved a hoof in the air, “Look, we just can’t take one of these torches. Poison arrows will shoot out at us if we do that.”

Pinkie hopped in place and said, “That’s right! Ruins and traps. It all makes sense.”

Applejack stretched and said, “Well, we still need some way to see, and I don’t think Rarity or Twilight lighting the way is a good idea.”

She turned around, and screamed when Rarity fell to her side.

“Rarity,” Applejack shouted as she ran to the downed unicorn, “What happened?”

Twilight took a step forward and stumbled back a step as she rubbed the side of her head.

“The feedback is getting worse,” she said, “I think it’s coming in waves. We’ll have to be careful.”

Rarity slowly got to her hooves and nodded, “It would seem so. That was incredibly powerful.”

Fluttershy pressed against Rarity to support her and smiled as the unicorn nodded in response.

“Should we go back up for now,” Fluttershy asked, “So we can think of what to do? I don’t want anything to happen before we’re ready.”

Twilight took a few cautious steps deeper into the tunnel and stopped. She strained her eyes as she tried to see anything in the darkness.

After a few moments, she turned back.

“You okay, there,” Applejack asked, “You don’t look too good.”

Twilight nodded, “I wanted to see if there was anything down there, but it’s too dark. The feedback seems to be growing exponentially the deeper we go.”

She glanced back to the tunnel, “If we were to proceed, the feedback could be harmful.”

“Okay,” Rainbow Dash said, “So we go on without you two.”

She turned to Rarity, “And before you say anything, this place is dangerous for you.”

Twilight shook her head, “That’s a bad idea. We don’t know what’s down there.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow said, “But you said it yourself. You can’t think straight, and Rarity’s getting hurt. You two can’t stay here.”

Rarity steadied herself against Fluttershy and said, “I understand your concern. I do, but we must press on. With the six of us, we can achieve the impossible.”

She smiled at Twilight and added, “We shall manage, and I promise that I will not be a burden to you girls.”

“Yes,” Fluttershy said, “Because that’s my job.”

The ponies turned to scold Fluttershy but stopped when they saw the small smile on her face.

Pinkie nuzzled Fluttershy and said, “Nice to try and lighten the mood, Flutters, but maybe not like that.”

Fluttershy’s glanced down, “I’m sorry. I just don’t want everypony to be upset. I thought that a little joke-“

Rarity nuzzled the top of Fluttershy’s head, “And it was a fine joke. We’re just not accustomed to you using humor in these kinds of situations.”

Fluttershy nodded and leaned forward, kissing Pinkie Pie on the nose.

“Yay,” Pinkie squealed, “Nose kisses!”

Rarity managed to steady herself and made her way back towards the staircase.

“We should think of a plan of action,” Twilight said, “We shouldn’t separate, but it seems that Rarity and I are stuck here.”

Rainbow Dash’s ears perked up, and she turned toward the tunnel. Once she got the edge of the last torch, she squinted her eyes and let out a slight gasp. Then, before anyone could respond, she bolted down the tunnel.

“Rainbow,” Applejack shouted, “Where are you going?”

Rainbow Dash didn’t respond and returned with a sheepish smile a minute later. She returned to the edge of the torches and glanced back down the tunnel.

“Sorry,” she said, turning back to the group, “I thought I saw something.”

Applejack shook her head and said, “Well, don’t do that. We don’t know what’s down here.”

Applejack paused and asked, “You okay, there, RD? You don’t sound quite right.”

Rainbow Dash stiffened slightly and smiled, “Yeah, I’m fine. Just worried about my friends.”

“Let’s go back up,” Twilight said, “At least to where the feedback isn’t so strong.”

The group walked towards the staircase, and Applejack stopped when she noticed somepony missing.

“RD,” she asked, “You coming?”

Rainbow Dash stood still just past the last lit torch. The light barely touched her hooves, and it seemed that there was an invisible threshold that she couldn’t cross.

Applejack walked toward Rainbow Dash. She carefully studied her. There was something off, but she couldn’t quite place it.

“Who’s that,” a voice called from the darkness.

“RD,” Applejack called.

Rainbow Dash emerged from the darkness and walked up to Applejack.

The group stared at the rainbow pair and began to approach.

“Y’all stay back,” Applejack said, “I think I know what’s going on here.”

She nudged the Rainbow Dash that returned first, and the pony dispersed in a puff of smoke.

As the entity faded, Applejack saw her smile. It was a warm smile but grew more desperate, and before it disappeared, a voice whispered.

“Free us from this place.”

Applejack nudged Rainbow Dash and smiled as she felt the solid flesh of her best friend.

“Okay,” Pinkie Pie said, “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m voting to get the ever-loving heck out of here and never come back!”

Fluttershy already had Pinkie Pie in a tight grip and trembled in fright.

“Let’s go back to the main hall,” Twilight said, “I don’t want to make wild accusations, but there has to be a reason Grannie didn’t tell us about this.”

The group nodded and began to walk towards the staircase.

“Hey, RD,” Applejack said.

“Yeah?”

Applejack adjusted her hat and asked, “Can you give me a smile?”

Rainbow laughed and asked, “Why?”

“Just humor me,” Applejack said.

“Okay,” Rainbow said, giving Applejack a warm smile.

Applejack laughed, “I know this’ll sound crazy, but that. Well, that thing. It smiled at me as it faded. And let me tell you something, Sugarcube, it weren’t no friendly smile.”

She shook her head, “I guess I just wanted to see the genuine article.”

“Sure thing,” Rainbow Dash said as they walked back to the staircase.

As soon as they passed the lit torches, two extinguished, leaving four. The air grew colder, and each pony could feel a slight tug drawing them deeper into the tunnel.

“Do you think it’s whatever is down here trying to scare us,” Applejack asked.

Fluttershy tightened her hug on Pinkie Pie and said, “They’re going a good job.”

“It’s okay, Flutters,” Pinkie Pie said, “I’ll take care of you.”

Fluttershy turned to Twilight and asked in a shaky voice, “What do we do?”

Twilight sat down and closed her eyes. Her head ached, and the disappearing apparition didn’t help matters. She needed more information but had no idea how to get it.

“I think,” she said, opening her eyes, “We’re safe as long as we remain within the light of the torches. But I don’t know what will happen when we go deeper.”

She turned to Rainbow Dash and asked, “The apparition said it saw something in the darkness. Why did you run off?”

Rainbow Dash turned back and shuddered, “I thought I heard something.”

“Heard what,” Fluttershy asked.

Rainbow shook her head, “I thought I heard...”

She trailed off and stomped at the ground with a hoof.

Fluttershy walked, or rather dragged Pinkie Pie, toward Rainbow and nudged her, “What did you hear?”

Rainbow sighed, “I thought I heard Gilda, all right? I know that’s stupid, but I couldn’t help it. It sounded so real. I thought that it was really her.”

Twilight nodded, “These might be the ponies that were here during the attack so long ago.”

“Twilight, dear,” Rarity said, “Grannie said there were only six spirits.”

Twilight got to her hooves and said, “She said there were six of them. I think she meant that there were six spirits that still had their faculties. I think their affinity to the Elements of Harmony protected them all these centuries, which might have caused Grannie’s daughter to fall into despair.”

Fluttershy sat down, her nerves almost frayed, and asked, “What do you mean?”

Twilight nodded, “Well, the candidate of Generosity said that she bore a similar energy to Rarity, and Grannie opened the portal to bring you here because you share a similar energy to her daughter.”

She sighed and asked, “Fluttershy, what would you do if you knew that several ponies were suffering. What would you try to do?”

Fluttershy stared into Twilight’s eyes and said, “I. I would try and help, but I don’t know how.”

“Exactly,” Twilight said, “But what if nothing improved no matter what you did. What if the ponies got worse, and there was nothing you could do to help?”

Fluttershy rested her head on Pinkie’s shoulder and began to tear up.

“Yeah,” Twilight said, “Just thinking about it is making you sad. Imagine how she felt then. Now make it a thousand years of not being able to help. That would drive any pony into despair, especially if they were linked to the Element of Kindness.”

Fluttershy lied down on the floor. Pinkie Pie rested her head on Fluttershy’s shoulder and gently nuzzled her.

“We still need to figure out what to do,” Rainbow Dash said, “If these ghost things can make the torches go out, there must be a reason. What is it about them that’s keeping us safe?”

Rarity sat down and rested her head on the tunnel wall.

“Rainbow, dear,” she whispered, “Please. The pressure is becoming too much to bear. I can’t imagine how Twilight’s faring.”

Twilight nodded, “It’s gotten stronger. I think the spirits of this place are now active. I’m having a hard time thinking clearly.”

Applejack stepped forward and said, “Okay then. Let’s just take stock of what we know.”

She turned back toward the darkened tunnel and shook her head.

“We know that the candidates for the Elements of Loyalty, Honesty, and Kindness are all down here. We also know that there are ghosts here that weren’t so lucky, and they want out.”

She sat down and continued, “Whatever magic is going on down here keeps building like some kind of pressure cooker, and we can’t go deeper without having to deal with ghosts that can take the shapes of any of us, or can we just up and leave because them torches will go out, leaving us in darkness.”

Applejack glanced around and asked, “Did I forget anything?”

Rarity shook her head, “No. I believe that you summed everything up quite well. We are in quite a spot. Twilight and I can’t stay here, but we simply cannot afford to separate the group.”

“Um,” Fluttershy began, “Applejack said it was like a pressure cooker. Is that how it feels?”

Twilight and Rarity both nodded.

“Does that mean it’s getting worse,” Fluttershy asked.

Again, both ponies nodded.

Fluttershy took a deep breath and hugged Pinkie Pie tightly.

She slowly got to her hooves and said, “Then we must do something. We can’t stay, and we can’t go back up. If we take too long, both of you can get hurt.”

Fluttershy’s eyes turned to the ground, and she pawed at it for a bit.

“Wha-,” Applejack began.

“Hold on,” Rainbow Dash whispered grinning, “Just wait for it.”

After a few moments of pawing, Fluttershy looked up with determination, “I think I should try and meet these ghosts.”

Rainbow Dash shook her head, “Okay, I was expecting something but not that, Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy nodded, “I think I’ll be okay since the ghosts may think I’m similar to the candidate of the Element of Kindness.”

“Okay,” Applejack said, “And what do we do if another you shows up?”

Fluttershy tilted her head and asked, “Poke them? It worked last time.”

Pinkie Pie shook her head, “No way. I am not letting you go down that dark dark tunnel. It’s full of ghosts and who knows what else.”

Fluttershy began to shake as she began to lose her nerve. She nuzzled against Pinkie’s side and said, “Not if I have you with me.”

Applejack turned to Twilight to object and gasped.

“Twilight, you’re getting pale.”

Twilight was already lying down and nodded, “It’s getting worse. Much worse. I’m sorry, but I think Fluttershy’s right.”

Applejack grumbled and turned to the darkness. Her eyes glanced toward the remaining torches and groaned.

“Great,” she said, “Now that torch is beginning to go out.”

The ponies looked up, and the fire had begun to dwindle. It still provided ample light, but something seemed to smother it.

Twilight looked up at the torches and said, “I think there are runes carved on the torches. They might be keeping the ghosts from extinguishing the flames.”

Rainbow Dash stomped at the ground, “Well, they’re doing something.”

She turned to Fluttershy and said, “Go. Find out what’s going on and get the ghosts to stop. AJ and I will stay here to take care of Rarity and Twilight.”

She growled as she turned back to the tunnel.

“I’m sorry, Fluttershy,” she added, “But if they get too bad. We’re taking them out of here.”

Fluttershy nodded though she shook terribly, even Pinkie Pie leaning against her didn’t help.

“I understand,” Fluttershy said, “Please keep them safe.”

She turned and began to walk toward the darkness of the tunnel with Pinkie Pie pressed against her.

The four remaining ponies watched as they disappeared into the darkness.

“I hope we’re doing the right thing,” Rarity said as she winced in pain.

“Didn’t have much of a choice,” Applejack said, “Let’s keep hope alive and-“

She jumped back as her gaze returned to the tunnel. Ghostly figures stood at the border of the torchlight.

Rainbow Dash got to Applejack’s side in an instant and glared at the ghosts.

“You’re not getting any closer,” she growled.

One of the ghosts smiled and said, “Soon enough. Soon enough.”

The ghosts began to fade, the smiling ghost being the last. Before it faded, it took the appearance of Pinkie Pie and winked at the group.

---

“This is a bad idea,” Pinkie Pie said, “I’m with you, Flutters, but this is too scary.”

Fluttershy’s ragged breathing told Pinkie all she needed to know. The pegasus was terrified as well.

“Okay,” Pinkie Pie said, “We can’t see down here, but you have an idea of where to go?”

Fluttershy nodded, though it was pointless in the pitch darkness.

“I think so,” she said, “I have a feeling there is something further down the tunnel. We need to move slowly and be careful.”

Pinkie Pie kept trying to find her hooves in the darkness but couldn’t. The tunnel didn’t appear to turn, but she felt a slight incline. They were slowly going further down.

She suddenly stopped and grabbed Fluttershy.

“You hear them, too,” Fluttershy asked.

“Yeah,” Pinkie Pie said, “Just like Dashie said. At first, I thought it was the Cakes, and then it sounded like my family back at the rock farm.”

Fluttershy nuzzled against Pinkie Pie and said, “I heard Scootaloo and the girls. Then I heard the sounds of my animal friends. I think the ghosts are trying to lead us away.”

“Hang on,” Pinkie Pie said as she reached out with a hoof. She felt a solid wall, but a little further ahead, she found empty space.

She listened, and sure enough, she could hear the faint cries of friends and family down the new path.

She frowned and said, “I think you’re right Flutters. Let’s keep going. Maybe we’ll find something before Rarity and Twilight get worse.”

The two walked slowly toward the end of the tunnel, not knowing that more than ghosts haunted the tunnels below Luna’s former temple.

---

“What’s that,” Applejack asked as she stared into the darkness.

Rainbow Dash turned and nodded, “I hear it, too. It sounds like ponies running this way.”

Though they could not see far in the darkness, the two could distinguish movement. They retreated to the brighter torches as a herd of ghost ponies threw themselves at the light. Each pony caused the torches to flicker and dim slightly.

After a few minutes, the ponies dispersed. Again, the smiling pony remained. This time, it took the appearance of Fluttershy though it was no longer smiling.

“Fluttershy,” Rainbow said before she caught herself, “No. You’re not her. We’re not falling for it.”

The apparition stopped and began to cry.

“If you are the real Fluttershy,” Rainbow said, “Come over here.”

She leaned forward when the apparition didn’t move and said, “The real Fluttershy would be here already. You’re gonna have to try harder than that.”

The apparition smiled at Rainbow Dash and retreated into the darkness.

“Let’s get back to those two,” Applejack said, “I think as long as we don’t give these ghosts the time of day, we should be all right.”

Rainbow Dash shook her head, “I hope so.”

The two returned to the unicorns, Twilight smiled at them, and Rarity lay on her side, seemingly unconscious.

“She okay,” Rainbow Dash asked.

“No,” Rarity said, “I’m simply trying to conserve energy. Now please, let me rest.”

Twilight nodded, “We’re not doing so great, but I think we did the right thing.”

Applejack and Rainbow Dash sat down at a loss for what to do.

“I hope they’re safe,” Rainbow said.

---

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie continued to walk in silence, except for the sounds of their breathing.

After a few minutes, they stopped. Voices were ahead.

“Who do you think they’re pretending to be now,” Pinkie asked.

“I’m not sure,” Fluttershy said, “I don’t recognize the voice.”

“Maybe we should call to them,” Pinkie said.

She took a deep breath, and Fluttershy put a hoof on Pinkie’s mouth.

“Shh,” she whispered, “I think there’s something nearby.”

Pinkie turned to try and hear better, but there was only silence behind them, and she was about to say that Fluttershy was scared when she heard it.

The slight sound of something being dragged on the ground, along with the sound of mumbling. In her mind, it seemed like when she dressed up as a mummy and dragged a hoof on the ground.

The sound quickly stopped, but whatever it was stopped close to them.

Fluttershy lowered her hoof from Pinkie’s mouth and began to walk forward quickly. Pinkie followed, and so did the dragging sound.

The two slightly quickened their pace, and so did the dragging sound.

“Pinkie,” Fluttershy whispered.

“Yeah,” Pinkie asked.

“When I give the signal, just follow along.”

Pinkie gulped and whispered, “Okay, Flutters.”

They continued walking, all the while listening to everything. After a minute, Fluttershy whispered, “Pony pile.”

Pinkie Pie jumped onto Fluttershy, and the two rolled into a side passage.

The dragging sound just barely passed them but stopped.

Fluttershy got to her hooves, wrapped her tail with Pinkie’s and shouted, “Run!”

The two bolted down the side passage in complete darkness. The dragging sound tried to keep up but couldn’t. A distressed wail escaped the pursuer, but neither pony slowed down.

They were going solely by sound. The moment they heard voices of friends or family, they immediately turned toward the direction of silence.

The voices became louder and more pleading. Fluttershy felt tears streaming down her cheeks as she heard the sounds of long-past animal friends. Friends that she had long given their final farewells.

Still, the two kept running, and when it felt as though their strength would give out, they fell.

---

Twilight gently nudged Rarity.

The white unicorn opened her eyes and tried to sit up.

“I have an idea,” Twilight said.

Rarity managed to get to a sitting position, with the help of Rainbow Dash, and asked, “What is it?”

“Meditation,” Twilight said, “Perhaps if we can clear our minds, we can delay whatever is causing this.”

Rarity managed a pained smile, “Of course, I knew you would think of something.”

She nuzzled Twilight gently and added, “After all, you always do.”

Twilight smiled, and the two closed their eyes, each trying their best to clear their minds in spite of the circumstances.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked at their friends with wonder.

“Rarity’s pretty tough,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Sugarcube,” Applejack said, “That pony’s tougher than a horseshoe. They both are.”

Rainbow Dash began to turn toward the tunnel, but Applejack stopped her.

“Don’t give them the satisfaction,” she said.

At that moment, the two more torches went out, and the ponies heard the sounds of laughter.

“At least they’re having a good time,” Rainbow Dash said as they retreated back to Rarity and Twilight.

---

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie tumbled down the slope and lost their grip on each other’s tails.

She heard Pinkie bump into the side of tunnel and heard her fall further away.

“Pinkie,” Fluttershy shouted but received no reply.

She soon stopped and found herself on a smooth stone floor. From the slope, Fluttershy could still hear the fading sound of Pinkie’s descent. Darkness was still around her, and she began to tear up.

Fear tore at her heart, and she curled into a ball as tears fell from her eyes.

Now isn’t the time to be shy

Fluttershy remembered Rainbow Dash’s words and got to her hooves. Pinkie Pie, her girlfriend, was down here and just as scared as she was. Fluttershy had to find her.

She felt around for a wall but found only open space. Instead, she simply walked forward, taking each step slowly.

Eventually, she bumped into an object. This felt like a small pillar, cylindrical with a flat top. She guessed that this thing was at the center of the room.

She sat down and closed her eyes. Her thoughts were focused on Pinkie Pie and how much she wanted to be with her.

Memories of past parties and the promise of future parties filled her mind, and she smiled in spite of the circumstances.

She spread out her wings and gave them a gentle flap. As she strained to feel any possible shift in the stale air, she brought her thoughts back to Pinkie Pie.

After a minute, she felt something, and she opened her eyes. Without thinking, she turned to her right and ran. The echoing hoofsteps reverberated in the tunnels, but she knew where she was going.

She was going to find her Pinkie Pie.

---

“Flutters,” Pinkie Pie called.

She tried to climb back up the slope but found it too unstable. There was no way back, so she had to move forward.

The ground changed to a smooth floor. Pinkie smelled the ground and sneezed at the dust. This place was old.

She could not find a wall but managed to find a bunch of vases. By accident, she almost knocked one over but caught it and placed it back.

“Whew,” she said, “Creepy ghosties are bad enough. Don’t want angry creepy ghosties, too.”

Pinkie Pie walked forward slowly, mindful of her steps, until she found herself at a wall.

The options were go left, go right, or go back. She sat down and felt the floor. There was something about the floor that bothered her.

It was smoother than stone but didn’t quite feel like marble. She lowered an ear to the floor and tapped gently.

To anyone who might have witnessed this, it would have appeared odd, but the former rock farmer knew what she was listening for.

She tapped again and nodded, “Obsidian,” she said as she remembered the stories Grannie Pie told her.

“That’s not good. I have to find Flutters.”

Just like Fluttershy, she focused her thoughts on her girlfriend, and just like the yellow pegasus, she smiled at the memories the two shared.

The difference was that Pinkie Pie felt the energy from the floor and knew where to go.

Fluttershy was coming for her, and she knew the direction to meet her.

She turned to the left and ran to reunite with Fluttershy.

---

The final two torches had grown dimmer, and Applejack started to weigh their options.

“Sugarcube,” she said, “I’m not liking the idea of abandoning Fluttershy and Pinkie, but we got to do something. We can’t stay down here in the dark.”

Rainbow Dash nodded, “I know. I don’t like it either, but let’s try getting into the stairway.”

As soon as she was about to cross the threshold of the stairs, she stopped, though it was closer to walking into a wall.

“Ow,” she said, rubbing her nose, “What gives?”

She then pressed a hoof and saw a ripple of energy spread through the archway.

“We’re stuck,” Applejack asked.

Rainbow Dash sighed, “Looks that way.”

Laughter greeted her, and the two ponies turned around. Just past the dim torchlight stood the smiling apparition.

It took a step into the light and retreated as it began to dissolve.

“Soon enough,” it said, “Soon enough.”

Suddenly, it reared on its hind legs and slammed its hooves onto the ground. Applejack and Rainbow Dash felt a wave of pressure pass through them, but the unicorns took the brunt of the punishment.

Both Rarity and Twilight Sparkle let out a scream and grasped their heads.

“Make it stop,” Rarity cried out, “This pain is horrible.”

Applejack rushed to her downed friends and helped them back to a seated position.

Rainbow Dash shook with barely contained fury and turned back to see the apparition only a few feet away.

“It’s time,” it said as the last two torches went out.

---

Fluttershy continued to run down the stone tunnel and stopped when she began to feel winded. Again, she tried to determine which way to go but what she felt had left her. Now she was truly lost.

She heard a soft voice, which was different from the earlier voices.

“Over here,” the voice said.

Fluttershy turned to her left and froze when the voice spoke again.

“You’re other over here.”

She turned around and asked with a shaking voice, “And who might you be?”

Fluttershy again had her wings spread and tried to sense something, anything, in the stale air.

“Oh,” the voice said, “You don’t remember? I’ve been waiting.”

One of Fluttershy’s feathers twitched, giving her a slight sense of direction. She needed more to go on, so she focused her wings to her back left.

“What have you been waiting for,” Fluttershy asked.

She could hear something. This sound was different from the dragging from before. This was similar, but it sounded as though somepony was crawling or trying to crawl and dragging their hind legs.

“I’ve waited so long,” the voice said as it drew closer to the shivering pegasus.

Another twitching feather. Fluttershy knew that she was on the right track. She remembered the rules of three for aviation and hoped she would know before whatever was speaking to her got too close.

“Waiting can be difficult,” Fluttershy said, “But what were you waiting for?”

The dragging stopped no more than three feet from her, and the voice said, “I’ve been waiting for you. You won’t get away again.”

Fluttershy decided to heck with the rules of three, turned on her heels, and took flight.

Behind her, the voice let out a wail of rage.

“Traitor,” the creature screamed, “I will find you! You’ll pay for what you did!”

Fluttershy touched down and continued to run. Suddenly, she stopped when she heard the sounds of hoofsteps. The echoing of the stone walls made it impossible to tell which way they were coming from or going.

Fluttershy strained her ears to try and figure out the direction to go. Eventually, she took a step forward and was blinded by a brilliant light.

---

Applejack stomped her hooves on the ground. Though she couldn’t place the reasoning, she knew that she had to protect Rarity and Twilight. They were the most vulnerable.

“I’m not for fighting in the dark,” she said, “But I’ll give y’all a fight no matter what.”

“Not if I can help it,” Rainbow Dash said.

Before Applejack could respond, she heard the sound of a heavy parchment being spread on the floor.

Suddenly, the quick rush of air that usually accompanied Rainbow Dash’s leaps, along with three quick gusts, blew past Applejack.

“Cover your eyes,” Rainbow Dash said.

Applejack covered her eyes with her hat, and she saw a series of sparks, followed by a bright flame.

Rainbow Dash had one of the torches in her mouth, and the ground was a sheet of flint paper.

“Might fine thinking, RD,” Applejack said, “I’ll grab the other torch.”

Rainbow Dash nodded and stood at the center of the tunnel.

Applejack looked up at the extinguished torch and reached up. She paused when she saw three sharp sticks embedded in the wall.

She turned back to Rainbow Dash, who only shrugged and smiled as best she could.

Applejack carefully knocked the torch from its holder and caught it in her mouth.

“No,” a voice said, “You can’t do that.”

Applejack paid no attention and struck the torch against the paper. Sparks but no fire.

A rush of cold air blasted the ponies, and Rainbow’s torch almost went out.

Again, Applejack tried to light the torch. Again, only sparks.

She began to panic and nearly dropped the torch.

Rainbow Dash placed a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder and nodded.

Applejack calmed herself and tried again.

“Stop,” the voice shouted, and the ponies felt something powerful headed their way.

With a quick, steady motion, Applejack struck the paper, and the torch jumped back to life.

She took her place next to Rainbow Dash just in time to see the apparition again.

This time, it bore no copies. It was a solitary female unicorn partially engulfed by smoke. The faces of countless ponies poured out of the smoke only to be drawn back into the cloud.

The apparition walked to the light and smiled at the defiant pair.

She turned to Rainbow Dash and waited.

Rainbow Dash glared at the pony before she felt her stomach drop.

“Fl- Fluttershy,” she asked, dropping the torch from her mouth.

Applejack managed to catch it with a hoof. She drove her torch into the dirt floor and said, “That ain’t Fluttershy, Rainbow. Even I can see that.”

The apparition looked down at Applejack and smiled.

“She has abandoned you,” the apparition said, “Just as she has abandoned the one she claimed to love.”

The apparition looked at the torch in the ground and blew it out.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash retreated back to Rarity and Twilight Sparkle but kept their attention on the apparition.

The two unicorns were barely conscious and leaned against each other. Unnoticed by the other two ponies, Twilight Sparkle slowly got her hooves and helped Rarity get to hers.

The two unicorns, both in immense agony, nodded to each other in agreement.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash stood in between the apparition and the unicorns.

The apparition smiled as a unicorn was flung from the smoke and tried to attack the torch in Applejack’s mouth.

Rainbow Dash punched at the ghost and let out a cry of pain. Her leg felt as though she had plunged it into ice-cold water.

She rubbed her leg, and the apparition began to laugh.

“What do you want,” Rainbow Dash shouted, “We’re trying the help you. We just need to find the candidate for the Element of Kindness.”

The apparition’s smile fell and turned into a snarl. The ponies in the cloud of smoke howled in pain for a moment then fell silent.

“Kindness,” she said, “Kindness is dead.”

The apparition turned to Applejack, and the torch went out.

---

Pinkie Pie ran but stopped when she felt something. More accurately, whatever she was feeling vanished.

“Flutters,” she called, “Fluttershy, where are you?”

She continued to walk forward and stumbled back when she felt something under her hoof.

Carefully, she picked up the object and smiled when she felt that it was a feather. Perhaps Fluttershy had flown in this direction.

Pinkie got to her hooves and groaned when she heard a sound behind her.

“Wait,” she said, “You’re not the same noise as before.”

She spun around and shouted, “Who are you?”

The creature stopped and said, “I’m so tired, and I finally found her.”

Pinkie Pie shook her head, “Who’d you find? Was it my Flutters? We’re trying to meet some candidate.”

Silence followed, and the creature said, “Well, you found one.”

---

Fluttershy’s eyes stung with the sudden brightness. She found herself in a beautiful courtyard garden. Ponies laughed as they enjoyed the pleasant weather.

She sat down and marveled at the clear sky above her. She felt at peace and wanted nothing more than to lie down for a while.

None of the ponies seemed to notice Fluttershy when she waved at them, but this didn’t bother her. They were enjoying the courtyard as much as she was.

She noticed a curious butterfly fluttering about. It was pink but had a fluffiness that she couldn’t place.

Fluttershy smiled at the butterfly and then stared in confusion when it disappeared.

She decided to get to her hooves and explore the courtyard.

Pillars lined the courtyard, and ponies sat on benches. They were made of a curious black marble-like stone that she couldn’t recognize, and she gasped when she noticed the towering fountain in the center of the courtyard.

Fluttershy walked toward the fountain, seemingly drawn to it. She quickly arrived at the fountain's edge and was about to peer into the water when a voice stopped her.

“There you are,” the voice said.

Fluttershy turned around and saw a pink unicorn standing in front of her.

“Oh,” Fluttershy said, “Hello.”

“You’re late,” the unicorn said, “We have a lot of work to do.”

Fluttershy nodded, “Oh, um, what kind of work?”

She took a step forward but stopped. There was something in her peripheral vision that bothered her.

She turned her head but saw nothing but the garden. She turned back toward the pink unicorn, and for an instant, the world was different.

In that instant, Fluttershy saw a room walled by the same black marble, and the unicorn looked vastly different.

“Is something wrong,” the unicorn asked.

Fluttershy shook her head, “Oh, no. I just thought I saw something.”

The unicorn laughed and said, “Well, don’t think you can try that excuse. There are so many here that need help, and now that you’re here, we can give them what they need.”

Fluttershy looked to the ground and then looked back to the fountain.

“What is that marble,” Fluttershy asked, “If you don’t mind me asking.”

The unicorn’s smile faltered, “Don’t worry about that. Let’s just go.”

Something pulled at Fluttershy. There was something that she had forgotten. Something important. She felt as though there was a hole in her heart.

Again, she turned back to the fountain, and a pink butterfly fluttered by her.

She smiled and said, “Pinkie.”

“What did you say,” the pink unicorn asked.

Fluttershy turned and saw the unicorn was no longer smiling.

“Pinkie,” she said, “I know somepony named Pinkie Pie. She’s very important to me.”

Without another word, Fluttershy ran back to the fountain.

“Stop,” the unicorn shouted and ran after Fluttershy.

When Fluttershy reached the fountain, she stared into the water. She didn’t see her own reflection.

Instead, she saw a ghostly form. Around the figure, a cloud of smoke hovered, and Fluttershy could see faces in the smoke.

Her eyes drifted toward the courtyard reflected in the water. There was no courtyard. All she could see was a room lined with black marble.

The unicorn finally reached Fluttershy and pulled her away.

“Don’t you dare try and leave,” the pink unicorn screamed, “You don’t realize how bad it is out there.”

Fluttershy turned and gasped at the sight of the unicorn.

She was no longer pink or living, she was the same as the reflection.

“What happened,” Fluttershy asked.

The ghostly figure snarled, “What happened?”

She lowered her head and began to tremble. After a minute, she lifted her head, and tears streamed down her face. These tears seemed the burn her as smoke poured from the lines of tears.

“I failed,” she screamed, “I tried and failed. I failed all of them.”

Fluttershy took a step back and asked, “Are. Are you the candidate for the Element of Kindness?”

“Kindness,” the ghost spat, “Kindness is a curse. The only kindness we were offered was death, and even that left us with more curses.”

“I,” Fluttershy began, “I won’t pretend to understand, but my friends and I are here to help. We were sent here by Princess Luna to help free you from this place.”

The ghost staggered back and shook her head.

“No,” she said, “There is no freedom. Not for me. Not for those I hurt. Not for your friends, and not for you.”

She disappeared and reappeared next to Fluttershy.

“You will remain here because Kindness is dead.”

Fluttershy jumped to the side and fell over.

The ghost looked down at the downed pegasus and said, “And I killed it.”

---

“So,” Pinkie asked, “which candidate are you?”

The creature gasped and took a ragged breath through lungs that had long lost their function.

“I was brought here because I was told I was loyal,” it said.

“Loyalty,” Pinkie said, “Well, it’s good that I found you.”

She sat down and asked, “Say, you’re not planning on hurting me, are you?”

Silence.

“You know,” Pinkie Pie said, “If you’re shaking your head, I can’t see it.”

“Oh,” the creature said, “I apologize. No. I have no intention of harming you. You remind me of the boy.”

“Oh,” Pinkie Pie said, “We met him. Him and Grannie and another one who was the candidate for Generosity.”

A sigh escaped the creature, “Good. It’s good that they are still the same.”

“Yeah,” Pinkie said, “Grannie was kinda rude at first, but Boy and Generosity were friendly.”

The creature dragged itself closer to Pinkie Pie and asked, “How did you find yourself in this cursed place?”

Pinkie Pie sighed and said, “That’s a doozy. I’ll give you the short version.”

She cleared her throat and said, “Well, it began when my girlfriend, Fluttershy, found these ruins. You remember Princess Luna?”

“Of course,” the creature said, “The dream of her no longer suffering is the only balm of comfort I have.”

“Well,” Pinkie Pie said, “I have good news there. Princess Luna is fine. We freed her from that meanie Nightmare Moon a while ago.”

Pinkie heard the creature shift in position.

“Truly,” the creature asked, “Our princess is free?”

Pinkie nodded, “She sure is, and I just nodded in case you didn’t see it. In fact, she sent us here to help all of you ponies.”

She turned her head to hear anything and said, “We never thought this would take such a spooky turn.”

“I. I appreciate the effort,” the creature said, “But this is a lost cause. We are forever trapped here, and now so are you. She will never let you leave.”

Pinkie tried to get to her hooves but stopped when she felt a long dead hoof grab her.

“Please,” the creature said, “I must find her. If nothing else, I must have my revenge.”

Pinkie Pie pulled away from the hoof and asked, “Who are you looking for?”

The creature let out a growl and said, “The traitor. The candidate of Kindness, though she knows only cruelty.”

“Wait a second,” Pinkie Pie said, “You said that you found her, but I don’t think you found your Kindness.”

She tapped at the floor and asked, “Was this a pegasus?”

“She bore the appearance of a pegasus,” the creature said, “But there is no trusting traitors.”

“Flutters,” Pinkie Pie shouted, “That’s my Fluttershy.”

She then lowered and glared in the direction she hoped the creature was and said, “And she isn’t any traitor. I don’t know what your Kindness did, but my Flutters has nothing to do with it.”

Silence fell, and soon the creature said, “Odd. I don’t feel that you are lying. Do you mean what you say? Is this Fluttershy truly trustworthy?”

“Absolutely,” Pinkie Pie said, “I trust her with all my heart. She’s my girlfriend for a reason, you know.”

She smiled and said, “I know you’re super duper upset, but we want to help. Maybe Flutters and I can convince your Kindness to leave, so all of you can leave too.”

“Don’t bother,” the creature said, “It’s a waste of time.”

“Well,” Pinkie said, “If we’re stuck here forever, then what have we got to lose?”

Again silence fell. After a few minutes, the creature said, “I don’t know where the traitor hid herself. She only sends her reflection to wander the tunnels. Think of your love. Perhaps it will light your way.”

The creature didn’t wait for Pinkie to respond and crawled away.

Pinkie felt at the floor again to try and find Fluttershy but stopped.

“Hey,” she shouted.

The creature stopped and asked, “Yes?”

“Why the heck did you ponies use obsidian here? Don’t you know that’s bad luck?”

The creature laughed though it sounded closer to a cough.

“These catacombs were here long before the temple. We didn’t even know of its existence before the attack.”

“Okay,” Pinkie Pie said, “Well, there’s nothing but obsidian here, so that means a whole lot of bad luck.”

“There is nothing but misfortune here,” the creature said, “So I have to agree with you.”

Without another word, the creature continued its course.

Pinkie Pie heard the creature drag itself away, and she tried to feel for something in the stone that could give her an idea of where Fluttershy could be.

Though she didn’t like it, all she could do was wait.

---

Though the torches were out, the four ponies still had a flickering torch from the spiral staircase.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash glared at the apparition as it slowly came closer.

When it drew near, Applejack took her torch in her mouth and swung.

The torch passed through the apparition but with resistance, causing the ghostly unicorn to flinch backward.

She glared at her and said, “You will regret that. None of you will leave. You will remain here. With us.”

“Maybe,” Rainbow Dash said, “Then we’ll just whip your flank as ghosts.”

The apparition laughed but didn’t take another step forward. Instead, her eyes grew wide as a light began to glow behind the defiant ponies.

Before anypony could react, a bright flash illuminated the tunnel.

The apparition let out a scream and dispersed.

“Your turn,” Rarity said as she collapsed.

Twilight, sweating profusely and barely standing, cast a beam connecting each torch. One by one, they sprung back to life.

She gave Applejack and Rainbow Dash a weak smile and fell over.

“This is bad,” Rainbow Dash said as she checked Twilight.

Applejack checked Rarity and gasped at how cold the unicorn felt.

“Are they okay,” Rainbow asked.

Applejack shook her head, ”Sugarcube, I have no idea. They’re still breathing, and they might have bought us some time.”

She turned to the tunnel and said, “I just hope Fluttershy and Pinkie are having better luck.”

---

Fluttershy sat down on a bench, what the ghostly unicorn said still weighed on her.

She looked up at the clear sky and frowned. None of this was real.

“Why are you hiding,” she asked the ghost.

The ghost shook her head, “You don’t understand. I tried. I really tried. I tried to help get the students out when we were attacked.”

Fluttershy placed a hoof on the ghost's shoulder. The smoke dissipated for a moment, revealing the pink unicorn.

“You were trying to help the students escape,” Fluttershy asked.

The ghost nodded, sniffing back tears, “I knew it was pointless. The underground tunnels were used for storage. There were no escape routes. The candidates of Loyalty and Honesty said that we should go back and fight, but I insisted that we could find an escape.”

She let out a choked sob, “They trusted me, and I betrayed them.”

Fluttershy felt herself tear up and said, “Did you find something that you shouldn’t have?”

The ghost shook her head, “I don’t know. We heard the fighting and the screams. Eventually, we came to another dead end. The candidates were losing their patience. I tried to tell them we could escape and that it wouldn’t be safe to leave only myself to protect the students.”

Some of the ponies in the smoke surrounding her let out laughs.

“Liar,” some said.

“Traitor,” others said.

The ghostly unicorn kept her composure until a third chorus.

“Murderer,” they cried.

She broke down into sobs, and Fluttershy hugged her.

The cloud dispersed, and she found herself holding a unicorn that looked like a young teenager.

The unicorn hugged Fluttershy, and she continued to weep.

“I’m sorry,” she cried, “I never should have tried it, but we had nowhere else to go.”

Fluttershy gently stroked the pony’s mane and said, “Please tell me what you did. I promise that I will listen to everything you have to say.”

The unicorn took a deep breath and said, “We. We started digging a new tunnel. I don’t know why I chose that spot. Maybe it called to me, but soon it caved in. The candidate of Loyalty fell, and I heard her scream when she landed.”

She looked up at the sky and scoffed at the illusion she had created for herself, “She broke her back. I managed to get down safely and tried to treat her wounds, but she wouldn’t let me.”

Fluttershy remembered the creature she met after she and Pinkie Pie were separated. Part of her wanted to say something, but she knew that would make things worse.

“She’s still out there,” the unicorn said, “Still in her broken body. Looking for me because I betrayed her.”

Silence fell, and she added, “The candidate for the Element of Honesty didn’t follow us. She stayed at the top and called down to see if we were okay. The candidate of Loyalty said that I betrayed them. That I broke her back and that I would hurt her too.”

The unicorn looked at Fluttershy and cried, “I never meant for that to happen. I just wanted to help everypony escape. This wasn’t supposed to happen.”

Fluttershy smiled and said, “It sounds to me like this was just an awful accident and a big misunderstanding. I know that you’re scared.”

“You don’t know what it means to be scared,” the unicorn said.

Fluttershy placed a hoof under the unicorn’s chin and turned her head, so they were looking eye to eye.

“Believe me,” Fluttershy said, “I know what it’s like to be afraid. I almost missed out on love because of my fear. I almost lost my friends by doing nothing because of fear. But I didn’t.”

“How,” the unicorn asked, “How did you manage to do this?”

Fluttershy smiled, “Because no matter how scared I get. No matter how much I want to run and hide and wait for the problems to go away, I can’t. I have ponies in my life that need me to be there.”

She then nuzzled the unicorn gently and said, “Now is not the time to be shy.”

The unicorn let go of Fluttershy, and the ghostly pony returned.

“Do you think I can,” she asked, “That I can ask for forgiveness from those I hurt?”

Fluttershy nodded, “As long as you’re not alone, you can. I will be there for you, and so will my Pinkie Pie.”

The unicorn closed her eyes and eventually nodded.

“Okay,” she said, “The fountain's water will return you to the room you entered. You can leave.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not leaving without you,” Fluttershy said.

“Don’t you understand,” the now ghostly unicorn shouted, “I can’t go back. I can’t bear the thought of facing those two or my mother. I’m nothing but a monster. I deserve to be alone.”

Fluttershy shook her head, “You are not a monster. You tried to help so many ponies, but things got out of hand. You had no control over the situation, and the candidates judged you unfairly. Please, come back with me, and we can finally help you find peace and leave this place.”

The ghostly unicorn laughed softly, “You’re not going to give up, are you?”

“A good friend has taught me the benefits of being stubborn,” Fluttershy said.

She then reached out a hoof and waited for the ghost to take it.

When the ghost did, she returned to being the young unicorn she was so long ago.

“Then, let’s get back,” the unicorn said, and both headed back to the fountain.

Once they arrived, the unicorn took a deep breath. Fluttershy expected to try and convince her to enter, but she got into the water. Once both ponies were in the water, the illusion vanished, and they were back in darkness.

“Um,” Fluttershy said, “If it’s not too much trouble, can you do something about the darkness?”

She still felt the unicorn’s hoof and smiled when she heard the reply.

“Yes,” the unicorn said, “I haven’t needed light for so long.”

Fluttershy saw the gentle glow of unicorn magic, and suddenly torches jumped to life. All around them was the same black marble she saw in the illusion.

“It’s the same stone,” Fluttershy said, “What is it?”

The unicorn shook her head, “It’s called obsidian. It’s complicated, but it absorbs magical energy. The problem is that when it gets saturated, it starts repelling that energy.”

“Is there any way to stop it from, um, doing that,” Fluttershy asked.

“No,” the unicorn said, “The only way is to let the stone release the energy on its own. The problem is that the temple is now acting like a seal for the energy. There’s nowhere for it to go.”

Fluttershy nodded though she didn’t quite understand everything the unicorn said. She remembered Rarity and Twilight and said, “Two of my friends were being hurt by the energy. Is there anything you can do to help them?”

The unicorn sighed, “That must have been my reflection. I sent her out because I was scared. I guess she just made things worse.”

A smile appeared on Fluttershy’s face when she heard familiar hoofsteps drawing near. 

---

The ghostly unicorn returned and began to attack the torches again. They were dimming but stayed lit.

“Do you see that,” Rainbow Dash asked, pointing toward the far end of the tunnel.

Applejack was focusing on the ghostly unicorn but looked past her and said, “I might be losing what little mind I have, but is that a light?”

Suddenly, the lights in the distance grew brighter as the long-dead torches sprang to life.

“No,” the ghostly form shouted, “I will not go away. I won’t be denied.”

She turned to run away but stopped when the tunnels filled with light. With no other option, she ran to an alcove with no torches.

Rarity and Twilight Sparkle had regained consciousness, though they were still in great pain, and sat up.

Rainbow Dash smiled and asked, “How’re you holding up?”

Rarity smiled, “Absolutely miserable, but that’s an improvement. Now, unless my eyes are deceiving me, are all these torches lit?”

Applejack nodded, “They sure are, and if you two are feeling a little better, that must mean ol’ Pinkie and Fluttershy did good.”

Twilight rose to her hooves and helped Rarity get to hers.

Once she steadied herself, she said, “The feedback seems to be receding, but it’s still very strong.”

She looked down the tunnel and asked, “Where is that ghost?”

Rainbow Dash grinned and grabbed the lit torch Applejack drove into the ground.

“Over here,” she said, “I’m gonna enjoy this.”

She took the torch in her mouth and walked to the alcove. The ghost backed into a corner as Rainbow Dash got closer and screamed in pain as the light touched her.

“Oh, does that hurt,” Rainbow Dashed asked, “Let’s make sure.”

She turned her head to toss the torch into the alcove, but Applejack grabbed it and spat it to the ground.

“AJ,” Rainbow shouted, “What’s that big idea?”

Applejack shook her head, “Now listen here, Sugarcube. I know you’re mad. Heck, I’m madder than a kicked hornet’s nest, too.”

She pointed at the cowering ghost and said, “But we ain’t in the business of hurting ponies, and as much as you might not like it, you know that what you were about to do is just wrong.”

Rainbow Dash scoffed and turned to Rarity and Twilight Sparkle.

“Come on,” she said, “How about you two? Are you really telling me that you don’t want to take a little revenge on this thing?”

Rarity stepped forward and said, “Vengeance is tempting, but it’s a poison. We don’t know everything that happened here, but I do know that we have to show mercy.”

Rainbow Dash looked to Twilight, who simply nodded. She let out a sigh and turned back to the trapped ghost.

The ghost looked pitiful and pathetic. Fear and anger raced across her face. She knew that she was at their mercy and there was nothing she could do.

“I guess you’re right,” Rainbow said, “We’re nothing like her. Should we find Fluttershy and Pinkie?”

“Nah,” Applejack said, “Those two deserve a hero’s welcome, so let’s sit a spell and wait.”

“Please don’t say ‘spell’'” Rarity said as she rubbed her head.

The ponies laughed and waited for their friends to return.

---

Pinkie kept her eyes closed when she felt something in the stone. That feeling she followed had returned.

She opened her eyes and blinked in surprise.

“Who turned on the lights,” she asked.

With a hop to her hooves, she began running toward the feeling and to her Fluttershy.

The tunnels lined with that unlucky stone made her uncomfortable. She kept running until she found a room. Inside she found her Fluttershy and another pony.

“Flutters,” Pinkie Pie called, “Who’s that?”

The unicorn turned to Pinkie and jumped back, but now that she was no longer in contact with Fluttershy, she returned to her ghostly form.

“Flutters,” Pinkie called, “Get away from that ghost!”

Fluttershy ran to Pinkie and tackled her with a hug.

“I missed you,” she said, nuzzling her girlfriend’s pink fur.

She turned to the ghostly unicorn and said, “Don’t worry about her. She wants to make amends. We can help her.”

Pinkie Pie got to her hooves and walked to the ghostly figure. She studied her carefully and suddenly stuck out a hoof.

“Well, if my Flutters say that you’re okay, then that’s all I need to know.”

The ghostly figure tilted her head and slowly grasped Pinkie’s hoof.

The two shook hooves, and Pinkie giggled.

“You’re chilly,” she said, “Let’s go back and make everypony happy again!”

The three began to walk to the slope that connected to the tunnels.

As they walked, the ghostly unicorn leaned to Fluttershy and asked, “Is she always like that?”

Fluttershy shook her head as she smiled at her girlfriend.

“No,” she said, “Sometimes she gets excitable.”

The unicorn giggled, and the three continued the long walk hoping to find redemption and forgiveness.
> Into the Depths Part 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rainbow Dash was sitting down and kept a watchful eye on the captive ghost.

“Keep your cool, RD,” Applejack said.

“I know,” Rainbow said, “I’m just making sure she doesn’t go anywhere.”

“Where would I go,” the ghost hissed, “I’m trapped here.”

Twilight Sparkle sat next to Rainbow and asked, “What was your intention? Did you really mean to harm us?”

The ghost didn’t move from the corner of the alcove, but she did look Twilight in the eyes. Then, after a moment, she dropped her gaze and shook her head.

“I know that the feedback isn’t your doing,” Twilight said, “But you knew that Rarity and I were being hurt by it.”

She got to her hooves and asked, “Why did you keep us from leaving?”

Again, the ghost didn’t respond. Twilight shook her head and returned to Rarity, who was leaning against the wall.

“Have you received word from the ghost,” Rarity asked.

“No,” Twilight said as she sat down, “I think she’s too afraid to speak.”

Rarity sighed, “I certainly don’t blame here. If I were acting so nasty, I would be quite scared of receiving my comeuppance.”

Twilight glanced back to the alcove, “Then why did you agree with Applejack?”

“You agreed as well,” Rarity said, “I simply don’t believe that causing harm will make the situation better. After all, we don’t have all the information.

She smiled at Twilight and added, “Perhaps now would be a good time for a studious pony to get some answers.”

Twilight smiled and returned to the alcove. When she arrived, she stepped into the shadows and sat down.

“Twilight,” Rainbow shouted, “What are you doing? That thing already tried to hurt you and Rarity.”

“It’ll be fine,” Twilight said, “What Rarity and I suffered was not because of this ghost. It was the temple.”

She turned back to Rainbow Dash and said, “Besides, I have the both of you here if something goes wrong.”

Rainbow nodded, but she kept her eyes locked on the ghost.

“Okay,” she said, “But be careful.”

Twilight nodded, “I will.”

She returned her gaze to the ghost and smiled warmly.

“What do you want,” the ghost asked.

“Information,” Twilight said, “Mainly information that has been missing for nearly a thousand years.”

The ghost seemed to relax but kept quiet.

“You don’t have to worry,” Twilight said, “You will not be harmed, and I will not force you to answer. All I want to know is information about the temple.”

“Do you promise,” the ghost asked.

Twilight nodded, “The fight is over. Now it’s time that we talk.”

---

The two ponies and one ghost walked down the hall. Benches and pedestals lined the walls.

“Do you know why they chose this marble to make this,” Fluttershy asked.

Before the candidate of Kindness could respond, Pinkie Pie spoke up.

“It’s not marble, Flutters. It’s obsidian, and it’s a super unlucky stone.”

The ghost nodded and asked, “How are you familiar with the stone?”

Pinkie smiled and said, “Well, my Granny Pie told me about it when I was little. See, I grew up on a rock farm, so I know a lot about rocks and stones and boulders and gems.”

She gave Fluttershy a wink and said, “And marble.”

Fluttershy giggled, “Thank you, Pinkie.”

The ghost smiled and said, “Sadly, most of my memory was lost when I died, but I did learn things after as I wandered.”

She let out a sigh, “Before I hid.”

“Okay,” Pinkie Pie said, “Enough moping. We’re going to make things right. You’ll see. With Kindness and Laughter, you can’t lose.”

Fluttershy gently nudged the ghost and said, “If you don’t want to talk about it, it’s okay.”

“No,” the ghost said, “It’s fine. It’s just that I don’t know much about this place.”

She stopped and looked around, “All of this is pristine. The only dust is from the tunnels above. Whatever, or whoever, built this place did so long before the temple was even built.”

“Oh, my,” Fluttershy said, “So this could be one of the oldest places in the world?”

“It’s possible,” the ghost said, “Though that itself is quite the mystery.”

Pinkie hopped ahead and turned. She smiled broadly and said, “Well, that’s a question for Twilight. For now, we need to find that candidate.”

“Agreed,” the ghost said, “Though I do admit that I am scared. She has spent so long hating me.”

Fluttershy placed a leg around the ghost’s neck and said, “Don’t focus on that. Just be honest, and we will support you.”

The ghost nodded, and they continued to wander the halls in search of the candidate.

As they walked, Fluttershy noticed open rooms would have their doors close as the group drew near.

She opened her mouth to ask, but the ghost noticed.

“I don’t know what’s causing that,” she said, “It seems that there is something that is deciding which rooms we can enter.”

Fluttershy nodded and recalled the illusionary courtyard. She smiled as she remembered the pink butterfly. The fluffy reminder of her Pinkie Pie.

“Were you allowed into the room where you created the courtyard?”

“Yes,” the ghost said, “I wandered for so long trying to stay away from the candidate of Loyalty, and every room I passed closed. All except for one. When I entered, I felt something in the room. It was as though I could draw the magical energy from the room.”

She lowered her head and scoffed, “That was when I made my second mistake.”

Pinkie Pie nuzzled the ghost and asked, “What’d you do, chilly pony?”

The ghost glanced at Pinkie with a raised eyebrow and said, “I thought I could still use my magic and try to help the ponies that were lost. I don’t even know what I was trying to do. All I know is that I wanted to help.”

Before anypony could respond, they heard the familiar sound of the candidate of Loyalty.

“There she is,” Pinkie Pie shouted and ran ahead.

“Pinkie,” Fluttershy shouted and motioned for the ghost to follow.

They followed the pink pony and soon found her hopping around a pony that had long since died.

The pony seemed to have a bemused expression on her face, but when she saw the ghost, her face twisted in rage.

“There you are,” she shouted, “Don’t you dare run from me.”

The ghost sat down and nodded, “No. No more running. I know that you died because of me. That so many died because of me.”

The candidate of Loyalty dragged her broken body to the ghost, and when she got close, she pulled a leg back to strike at her.

“Okay,” Pinkie said, jumping in between the two, “There will be none of that.”

The candidate looked at Pinkie and growled, “Why do you stand in my way? You have no idea what she did to me. Did to us. She betrayed us. She allowed the temple to fall.”

Fluttershy walked up to the candidate and smiled warmly.

“Um, hello,” she said, “I’m sorry for running away when we first met. I couldn’t see you, and I was quite scared.”

She turned to the ghost and said, “She told me what happened. That she tried to help the students escape through the tunnels.”

“Did she tell you that she is the reason the temple was attacked,” the candidate hissed.

The ghost leaned back in surprise. “What are you talking about,” she asked, “I was in the tunnels when the temple was attacked.”

The candidate began to wheeze but managed to regain control. She shook her head and said, “That is quite convenient to safely hide away when the rest of us were being butchered.”

The ghost jumped to her hooves and shouted, “Are you even listening to yourself? I died as well. I died in this place along with everypony else.”

“She’s got a point,” Pinkie said, “How could she have been in on it if she also died?”

“I don’t dwell with the thoughts of traitors,” the candidate said, “All I know, all I need to know, is that we would not have fallen if we simply ignored the ideas of a spoiled child.”

The ghost lowered her head and began to cry.

“Don’t waste your empty tears,” the candidate said, “I know what you did. What I want to know is why.”

Fluttershy gently hugged the ghost and said, “Remember. We are here for you, but you have to be honest.”

The ghost nodded, “I am sorry. Perhaps I should have listened to you and the candidate of Honesty, but I was certain that escape was the best course of action. I had nothing to do with the attack, though I know there is nothing I can say or do to change your mind.”

The candidate looked away from the ghost. She shifted her weight and seemed she would move away, but she looked back at Pinkie.

“You remind me of the boy,” the candidate said, “Do you believe her?”

Pinkie Pie shook her head, “Nope, not at all.”

Fluttershy gasped, “Pinkie, why would you say that?”

“Because I don’t,” Pinkie Pie said, shrugging, “I know that you trust her, and I trust you. That’s all I need to know.”

“So,” the candidate began, “You would place your faith in her even though you don’t trust her?”

Pinkie Pie nodded, “You’re making it sound more complicated than it really is. I love my Flutters, so if she says that the ghostie wants to make amends, I’m gonna trust in my Flutters.”

The candidate shook her head, “You are a strange one, but I suppose I can understand what you mean.”

Fluttershy walked to the candidate and knelt next to her.

“I am sorry for my rude behavior earlier. Now we are trying to help, so everypony can finally leave.”

She turned to the ghost and said, “She is ready to leave, so please join us.”

The candidate shook her head, “As much as I want to, I can’t.”

Pinkie Pie stomped on the floor, “Is this about your silly revenge? How about we hear what happened from the pony herself?”

She stepped aside, and the candidates of Loyalty and Kindness were face to face for the first time in nearly one thousand years.

Fluttershy nodded, “Yes, please tell her what happened.”

She turned to the candidate of Loyalty and said, “Please listen to everything. I know that you will be angry, but please listen.”

The candidate of Loyalty nodded slowly, “Very well. I will listen. If for nothing else, so she will have no excuses.”

The candidate of Kindness nodded and recounted her story to the candidate.

---

The ghost in the alcove hadn’t said anything, but Twilight knew to be patient. Their prisoner knew she was at their mercy, so she opted for silence.

“I know you’re upset,” Twilight said, “But I wish to help you if I can. Why were you so eager to get past us?”

Rainbow Dash scoffed, “She wasn’t trying to get past us. She was trying to get us. She attacked us enough times.”

Twilight nodded, “I know that’s how it appears, but is that really true?”

She turned her attention back to the ghost and asked, “Were you trying to leave?”

The ghost looked at Twilight and shook her head.

“I. I don’t know why I do the things that I do. It’s been so long since I was summoned that I can’t even remember my purpose.”

Twilight tilted her head and asked, “Summoned? So, does that mean you’re not the candidate for the Element of Kindness?”

The ghost shook her head, “No, I’m nothing more than a reflection. A fragment of her and nothing more.”

Applejack let out an impressed whistle. When the ponies, and the ghost, looked at her, she said, “Well, I gotta say that’s pretty impressive. You rightly had us cornered for quite a while there, so if you only had a fraction of the candidate of Kindness, then she must be something else.”

The ghost nodded, “She has grown powerful, but that is not natural to her. There is another temple below this one. Nopony knew about it. That is where she hides.”

Twilight nodded, “And that must be where Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie found her.”

She glanced back to her friends and added, “I’m assuming, of course, but it does stand to reason that they succeeded if there is light again.”

“Can you sense her,” Twilight asked the ghost.

The ghost nodded, “Yes, it’s been so long. I felt her return as the torches returned. I know that she will destroy me.”

“Don’t dwell on that,” Twilight said, “Do you know why she hid?”

The ghost nodded, “Because she was being hunted.”

“Hunted,” Rainbow Dash asked, “Who’s hunting her?”

“The candidates of Loyalty and Honesty,” the ghost said, “The candidate of Honesty is in these tunnels, and the candidate of Loyalty is in the temple below.”

Twilight scratched at the ground, “I wish I had brought my recorder, but I’ll try and remember to note all of this down.”

She looked at the ghost and asked, “Do you know why they’re hunting her?”

The ghost nodded, “Because they think she betrayed them.”

She leaned against the wall and added, “When the temple was attacked, they wanted to fight, but the candidate of Kindness wanted to escape.”

“What else can you tell me,” Twilight asked.

The ghost shook her head, “Not much more than that. I’m nothing more than a reflection. I only have some of her memories.”

Twilight sighed, “So we would have to get the rest from her directly.”

She got to her hooves and said, “Thank you. I promise that you will not be harmed. Hopefully, once Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie return, we will be able to help you as well.”

The ghost didn’t respond and lay down. She watched Twilight leave and relaxed.

Twilight walked to Rarity and asked, “I know the feedback has been reduced, but are you feeling better?”

Rarity nodded, “I am. It’s still quite difficult, and I most certainly don’t wish to use magic for a while yet. But I believe that it will pass.”

“Hey,” Rainbow Dash said, “Just how they hay did you two come up with the plan to light the torches?”

Twilight smiled, “Well, we didn’t. We both knew that things were bad, so we took a chance. Thankfully, it paid off.”

Rarity giggled and said, “It certainly did, though if it didn’t, neither of us would be in much of a position to do anything about it.”

Applejack nudged Rainbow and said, “Speaking of plans, that was might quick thinking with that there flint paper.”

Rainbow smiled, “Thanks. It’s all a part of my Daring Do adventure kit. It used to have a torch, but I kind of lost it.”

“Well,” Applejack said, “It’s good to know that you had that handy. You really saved our skins, Sugarcube.”

“Well,” Rainbow said, “Now we’re even.”

Applejack laughed, “I think you’ve gone above that. I helped you out, but you looked out for the three of us. I’d say you’re the bigger hero.”

Rainbow smiled and said, “Thanks, AJ.”

She turned back down the tunnel and asked, “Do you think they’re okay?”

“They have each other,” Rarity said, “They’ll be fine.”

---

The candidate of Loyalty listened to the candidate of Kindness’s story.

“So,” she said after the tale was done, “You had no idea that we were under attack or that there was another temple below this one?”

The ghost nodded and said, “I understand that you don’t believe me, and I can understand that you still hate me. But please let us leave this place together.”

The candidate of Loyalty looked at Pinkie and Fluttershy. After a minute, she said, “I spent so long searching for you. I wanted nothing more than to cause you a fraction of my pain.”

She then placed a hoof on the ghost’s leg and said, “But I can see that you have also suffered. I can’t say I completely believe you, but I can see that you are sincere.”

The ghost smiled and asked, “Does that mean you will return with us?”

The candidate nodded, “Yes, I have been stuck here for far too long, I think it is time to release this burden of mine.”

The body began to crumble to dust, and before anypony could react, an orange orb floated from the remains.

“So you’re a ghostie now,” Pinkie Pie asked, “That’d make moving around a lot easier.”

The candidate of Loyalty bobbed up and down in agreement, “It will. Shall we return to the tunnels? I have no desire to remain in this place.”

The group agreed and continued to walk toward the slope connecting the two levels.

A question troubled Fluttershy, she turned to the ghost and asked, “What do you think will happen when you leave?”

“Don’t answer,” Pinkie shouted, “It should be a surprise.”

The ghost giggled and said, “To be honest, I don’t know. We will find out soon enough.”

The group eventually managed to find the slope. It was both steep and unstable. Fluttershy looked up the slope to see how far it was.

“Looks like we’re stuck,” Pinkie said.

Fluttershy shook her head, “No. I think I can safely fly up. Maybe I can find some rope.”

Pinkie turned to the ghost and asked, “Think you can zap us up there?”

The ghost tilted her head, “Zap?”

“Yeah,” Pinkie said, “Like as in you zap from one place to another.”

The ghost smiled and said, “I see. Teleport. I don’t believe that my magic will work on the living.”

She turned to the candidate of Loyalty and said, “We can move to the upper tunnels easily.”

The orange orb moved up the slope and said, “Do hurry. The sooner we can be rid of this place, the better.”

The ghost turned to Fluttershy and said, “There should be some supplies in the tunnels that you can use to help Pinkie Pie overcome the slope.”

She turned toward the slope and disappeared, leaving Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie shook her body and said, “Well, now it’s you and me, Flutters. Think you can find something up there?”

Fluttershy nodded, “I think so.”

She walked to the edge of the slope and tested the loose earth. It was unstable, but it didn’t look like it would collapse.

She gave Pinkie Pie a nuzzle and a quick kiss on the cheek.

“For luck,” Fluttershy said.

Pinkie hopped up and down, “Then we’re all set. Now get up there!”

Fluttershy carefully flew up the slope. It was wide enough for her to fit but not wide enough for the flight to be comfortable.

She spotted a fork in the slope and saw where she and Pinkie were separated. It didn’t take long to arrive at the upper tunnels. She was surprised to see several torches lit, just like the ruins below. This calmed her nerves somewhat, as she could now see the path Pinkie Pie and she took.

“There you are,” the candidate of Loyalty said, “Where is the other one?”

“Oh,” Fluttershy said, “She can’t climb up the slope, so I’ll try and find something to bring her up.”

“You’re not planning on abandoning her, are you,” the candidate asked.

Fluttershy spun around and glared at the orb. “Of course not,” she said, “I will find a rope, and if I don’t find one, I will carry her up here myself.”

The candidate bobbed as though she were about to speak, but a new quiet voice said, “She is not lying.”

The ghost turned around and gasped.

Just like the candidate of Loyalty, the candidate of Honesty suffered and was cursed to remain in her broken body.

The pony slowly walked to the group dragging a badly broken leg.

Fluttershy walked up to the candidate and said, “I’m sorry. We met earlier, and we ran from you. It was so dark, and I was so scared.”

The candidate looked at Fluttershy and then at the ghost.

“Your reflection is still up here, but I see you created another one,” she asked the ghost.

“No,” the ghost said, “She is still among the living. She and I share a similar energy, but she is different.”

The candidate of Honesty studied Fluttershy and said, “I see. You have a pure energy within you. Perhaps you aren’t the same as her.”

The venom in her voice was clear. She made her way to the candidate of Loyalty and asked, “Why are you with her? You told me that she betrayed you.”

The candidate shook her head, “I know what I said, I simply have doubts now.”

She glanced at the ghost and added, “I don’t trust you. I never trusted you, but I’m not entirely convinced you did not betray us.”

Fluttershy nodded and suddenly shouted, “Pinkie!”

She began running around the tunnel, trying to locate a rope or linen, anything she could use to help Pinkie Pie climb up the slope.

“What is wrong with her,” the candidate of Honesty asked.

Both candidates turned to the ghost, who only said, “I have no idea. They’re both quite strange.”

She smiled and said, “Genuine and loving, but strange.”

“Don’t forget,” the ghost said to Fluttershy, “There are supplies up here that should be able to help.”

Fluttershy eventually calmed down enough to understand, though the blush of embarrassment was clear.

“Yea,” she said, “Of course. Um, where are these supplies?”

The candidate of Honesty spoke up, “I have been wandering these tunnels for centuries. I can direct you.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy said, “I would greatly appreciate it if you would.”

The candidate nodded, “Take the tunnel on the left, and when you arrive at the next section, take another left. There will be a store room that you can use to locate what you need.”

“I see,” Fluttershy said, “Thank you.”

“I’ll be right back,” she said.

When she got near the end of the tunnel, she turned and said, “Um, if you don’t mind, that is.”

“Just go,” the candidate of Loyalty said.

Fluttershy ran down the tunnel and soon found the section the candidate of Honesty referred to. This tunnel section had three branching paths, and she knew to take the path to the left.

She walked toward the tunnel and paused at the entrance. Unlike the rest of the tunnels, this tunnel remained unlit. From what little light poured into the tunnel, Fluttershy could not see any torches on the walls.

She swallowed hard and slowly walked down the tunnel. Thankfully, the tunnel was short and ended with a wooden door. It wasn’t locked and pushed open easily.

Fluttershy tried to feel around but could not find anything and let out a squeak of surprise when an orange light appeared next to her.

“I forgot that you can’t see in the darkness,” the candidate of Loyalty said, “I shall light your way.”

“Thank you,” Fluttershy said.

“I do this for the one below,” the candidate said, “Not for you.”

Fluttershy nodded, “Even so, it means a great deal to me that you are helping.”

The orb did not reply and hovered around the room. Fluttershy found an old spool of rope, but it had mostly rotted away. There was a section, but it would not be long enough for Pinkie to climb up.

Still, she had no choice. She grabbed the rope and turned to leave the storage room.

“Thank you again,” she told the orange orb, “I will make certain that Pinkie knows how you helped her.”

Again, the orb stayed silent and led her back toward the tunnel.

“Did you find what you needed,” the ghost asked.

“I believe so,” Fluttershy said, “I just hope it will be enough.”

She flew down the slope and found Pinkie sitting and staring at the wall.

“Pinkie,” Fluttershy said, “I found some rope. It’s not long enough for you to climb, but I might be able to use it to help you climb up.”

Pinkie didn’t respond, so Fluttershy gave her a gentle poke.

“Pinkie,” Pinkie Pie said, “Pinkie isn’t here anymore.”

Fluttershy took a step back, shaking with fright, and asked, “Where is Pinkie?”

Pinkie turned and said, “That’s not important. Do you know what time it is?”

Fluttershy shook her head, “No, what time is it?”

Pinkie smiled and pounced on Fluttershy.

“It’s time for some welcome back cuddles!”

“Pinkie,” Fluttershy squeaked, “You scared me.”

“Aww,” Pinkie Pie said, “I didn’t mean to scare you, Flutters. I was just waiting for you to get back.”

She looked up the slope, “Let’s get out of here. All of this unlucky stone makes me feel icky.”

Fluttershy nodded, and the two made their way to the slope's edge. Once there, Pinkie tied one end to her hoof and the other to Fluttershy’s.

“Are you sure about this,” Pinkie asked.

Fluttershy studied the ascent and nodded.

“I think I can fly so you can climb up. If the ground starts giving way, I can keep you steady.”

Pinkie smiled, “Okie dokie. Let’s do this.”

Fluttershy steadied herself and took flight. Pinkie tried to climb, and it wasn’t easy with only three free hooves. It didn’t take long before the ground began to crumble, but Fluttershy managed to keep Pinkie in place until the pink pony could find a better purchase.

“This is not as fun as I thought it would be,” Pinkie said, spitting out dirt.

“Are you okay,” Fluttershy asked, already feeling winded.

Pinkie nodded, and they continued their slow climb. The ground gave way a few more times before they arrived at the fork. They were able to stop, using the stable earth that created the fork to keep themselves in place.

“I think this is where we got separated,” Fluttershy said.

“Oh yeah,” Pinkie said, “I think I bumped into some vases or something down there. I wonder what those were about.”

Once Fluttershy managed to catch her breath, they resumed their climb and eventually found themselves in the tunnels.

Fluttershy helped Pinkie get out of the slope and fell to her side.

“You tired,” Pinkie asked.

Fluttershy nodded and smiled.

“I’ll. I’ll be fine,” she said, “Just give me a minute to catch my breath.”

The candidates of Loyalty, Honesty, and Kindness waited for the pegasus to get back to her hooves.

Once she was back to a seated position, the candidate of Honesty asked, “So now that she’s back here, what is it that you expect from us?”

Fluttershy looked at each candidate and opened her mouth to speak.

Pinkie sat next to Fluttershy and said, “Well, we’re on a mission from Princess Luna to help you leave this place. I thought it would be all ‘hey, ghosties, there’s the door,’ but nope.”

The pink pony stomped on the ground with her hooves and said, “It turned out to be all, ‘Oh no, it’s dark and spooky, and there are ghosties everywhere.’ Not fun.”

She smiled at the candidates, “Not that I’m saying that it’s been a blast for you, either. It must be super duper boring to be here all this time.”

The candidate of Honesty lumbered toward Pinkie and asked, “The Princess is free?”

“Yes,” Fluttershy said, “Our friends helped free her from Nightmare Moon. Now we want to help you leave.”

She turned to the ghost and said, “I understand you are upset. That’s why we’re here. She wants to make amends.”

The candidate of Honesty began to growl but stopped when Pinkie again stomped on the ground.

“Listen up,” she shouted, “I don’t want to hear any lip until she is done talking.”

She glared at each candidate and added, “That means no interrupting and no arguing. We’re gonna listen, and then we’re gonna hug it out.”

Fluttershy rose to her hooves and draped a wing over the ghost again, revealing the young unicorn.

“Thank you,” the unicorn said, “I promise to be brief, but please listen.”

The two candidates were going to reply, but Pinkie’s glare caused them to simply nod.

“Thank you,” the ghost said, “Now, from what I remember, we ran to this tunnel trying to find an escape route.”

She shook her head, “I can’t even remember why I thought that. Perhaps the ruins below drew me to the spot.”

“That is why you fell,” she said, turning to the candidate of Loyalty, “I know you didn’t trust me, but you still listened to me. I tried to help you when you fell, but...”

The candidate of Loyalty dimmed slightly and said, “I. I thought you caused the collapse. All these years, I thought that was true. Perhaps, I simply didn’t want to believe that there was anything good in you.”

“I understand,” the unicorn said, “I know that many didn’t feel I deserved to be considered a candidate.”

“Okay,” Pinkie said, “I’m kinda breaking the rule here, but it’s okay since you already broke it.”

She got to her hooves and asked the candidate of Loyalty, “Again, you said that you didn’t trust her. How come?”

“Because she wasn’t a student of the temple,” the candidate of Loyalty said, “She was the daughter of the candidate of Magic. Kindness is such an easy element. Any nice pony could have taken her place.”

“Well, that’s just not true,” Pinkie Pie said, “There’s more to kindness than just being nice. You have to know when to be nice and when not to. Sure it may be easy to be nice, but not everypony can keep that up. Flutters is the Element of Kindness because that’s who she is right down to her adorable bones.”

Fluttershy smiled and said, “I’m certain that the elements you were studying seemed easy to each of you.”

Both candidates nodded.

“I had a difficult time telling lies,” the candidate of Honesty said, “Though I noticed that other possible candidates had less trouble.”

Pinkie giggled, “That sounds like our pal, Applejack. She can’t lie at all, but I get the feeling that she can spot lies pretty easy.”

The candidate of Loyalty nodded and said, “I was annoyed that she was chosen as the candidate for the Element of Kindness without any testing.”

“But, I was tested,” the unicorn said, “I had to stand by the pedestal in the main hall.”

The candidate of Honesty tilted her head and nodded, “That’s rather clever. It seemed that your mother found a way to make the process quicker.”

Fluttershy turned to the unicorn and asked, “What does she mean?”

“Well,” the unicorn said, “There are tests that each possible candidate had to take, but when it was time to find the candidate for the Element of Kindness, Nightmare Moon had already caused so much damage. My mother decided to take a chance. She used her magic on the pedestals and had me try and activate them. Only one responded.”

“The Element of Kindness,” Fluttershy asked.

The unicorn nodded, “It seemed that I was closely connected to that element, so I became the candidate.”

Pinkie shook the dust from her mane and said, “Before we go any further, we should probably have you talk to Twilight. She’d know what you’re talking about.”

“And who might that be,” the candidate of Honesty asked.

“Oh, she’s one of our friends,” Fluttershy said, “She and another friend, Rarity, were being hurt by the temple’s magic.”

“Your reflection,” the candidate of Loyalty said.

The ghost shook her head, “No, I don’t see how. She was little more than a reflection. She should have faded away centuries ago.”

The candidate of Honesty made her way to the ghost and said, “The attack was a chaotic and confusing time. I don’t remember much about my own passing.”

She glanced to Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie and said, “I will offer this one chance. Look me in the eyes and tell me that you are innocent. That you did not bring this death down upon us.”

The ghost nodded and said, “I had nothing to do with the attack, but I will not say I am innocent. I failed to protect her and yourself. Both of you suffered because of me.”

The candidate of Honesty studied the ghost carefully and said, “I have reason to be resentful, but I cannot sense that you are lying. I believe you.”

The ghost smiled, “That’s good. We are ready to leave this place.”

With a tired sigh, the candidate of Honesty’s body began to crumble just as the candidate of Loyalty’s body did.

A blue orb joined the group.

“Well,” Pinkie said, “This is great! Now we can get out of here.”

The orbs bobbed in agreement, and the four began to walk back toward the spiral staircase.

Fluttershy glanced at the orbs and then to the ghostly unicorn, and the ghost appeared to be more at peace, though she still bore a nervousness.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Fluttershy began, “Why are you a ghost and not an orb?”

“There’s a reason for that,” the candidate of Honesty said, “We were trapped in our broken bodies because of the burdens we placed upon ourselves when we died. Our seemingly misplaced malice kept us trapped.”

Fluttershy nodded, “I see, and what might be burdening you?”

The ghost shook her head, “I must see to my reflection. It would seem that she caused some trouble when I hid.”

She turned to the orbs and asked, “Have you heard anything?”

The candidate of Loyalty did not reply, but the candidate of Honesty said, “I heard whispers in the tunnels. It seemed that the spirits were drawn to her, the same as they were drawn to you.”

The ghost nodded, “I believe that the spirits were lost and thought I could provide comfort.”

Silence fell, and the group continued to make their way. Soon, they arrived at the spiral staircase to find the ponies looking into a dark alcove.

Pinkie ran to reunite with their friends, and Fluttershy followed close behind.

Upon seeing them, Rarity got to her hooves.

“Fluttershy,” she said smiling, “And Pinkie Pie. It is wonderful to see you.”

She turned to the hall to see two orbs and a familiar ghost.

“I take it you were successful in finding the ghosts.”

Fluttershy nodded, “Yes, we are almost ready to leave.”

She looked around and asked, “Where could her reflection be?”

“She’s in there,” Rainbow Dash said, giving the real ghost a suspicious glance, “Doesn’t seem like she can go anywhere.”

The ghost nodded and made her way to the alcove. She paused and said to Rainbow Dash, “Thank you. I am deeply sorry for any trouble my reflection caused you.”

She sat down next to the reflection and reached out with a hoof.

“No,” the reflection said, “You can do this. I don’t want to go. You can’t.”

The ghost nodded, “It’s time. I am so sorry for leaving this burden on you for so long. I didn’t expect you to be around still.”

The reflection trembled and tried to get away, but there was nowhere to go.

“I didn’t hurt anypony. I just used the magic to scare them.”

The ghost nodded and said, “You simply wanted them to leave so that you could remain hidden.”

The reflection nodded, “But they wouldn’t go.”

“Couldn’t is more accurate,” Twilight Sparkle said, “There’s a powerful barrier at the archway of the stairs.”

“The security system,” the ghost said, “It must have activated with she began her assault on you.”

She turned back to the reflection and asked, “How did you manage to stay here for so long? You should have faded ages ago?”

The reflection said, “I fed off the energy from the tunnels below. There’s something there. Something terribly old. I wanted to go down there because there was more energy, but it scared me.”

“The obsidian,” the ghost said, “Its excess energy was fueling you. That is why you were able to maintain your form.”

“But I don’t want to go,” the reflection pleaded, “There must be another way.”

“The only way,” the ghost said, “The only that there should have been is for me to take responsibility. You can rest now.”

She placed her forehead on the trembling reflection, and the reflection began to fade. Soon, only one ghostly unicorn remained in the alcove.

She got to her hooves and said, “I believe it is now time to return and face my mother.”

She closed her eyes and began to fade. As she faded, smoke began to her body as though spirits were being released.

The spirits flew past everypony and tried to leave through the ceiling or the stairs.

Wails filled the tunnels as the spirits were immediately drawn back deeper into the tunnels.

Nopony said anything as all focus was on the fading unicorn. Soon, her ghostly form faded, and a pink orb floated before them.

“Well,” Twilight asked, “That certainly was not what I expected, but are you now ready to leave?”

The pink orb bobbed up and down, “Yes, let us leave together.”

The group returned to the staircase, and Rainbow Dash tested the archway, but the barrier remained.

“Looks like we’re still stuck,” she said.

“Don’t worry,” the candidate of Loyalty said as she grew brighter, “I can deactivate it.”

The archway shimmered, and then the path was clear again. The orbs immediately flew up the stairs, only the pink orb stopping for a moment.

“It’s been so long that I’ve been hidden away,” she said, “I hope that we can truly be free.”

She then followed the other two orbs to the main hall.

The ponies all shared a look, nodded in agreement, and climbed the stairs.

“Well,” Rarity said, “I do feel quite better the closer we get to the top of these stairs.”

“The feedback is much stronger down there,” Twilight said, “I just wish I knew the source.”

Pinkie stuck her tongue out and said, “It’s super unlucky obsidian.”

Twilight was about to stop, but a gentle nudge from Rarity kept her moving.

“Obsidian,” Twilight asked, “Are you sure?”

“It’s true,” Fluttershy said, “The candidate of Kindness told us that it was saturated with magical energy.”

Twilight nodded, “And with the temple being a magical focal point of its own, that would keep the excess magical energy from escaping. Maybe we can investigate it further once the spirits are free.”

“No,” Pinkie shouted.

Twilight jumped and turned around, “What’s wrong, Pinkie?”

Pinkie emphatically shook her head, “We can’t go back down there. That stone is just too unlucky. It’s better to leave it alone.”

“Well,” Applejack said, “If it’s as bad as all that, maybe we should come back and seal it up. I’m sure the princesses could come up with something to keep all that magic out.”

Rarity nudged Twilight forward, and the group continued up the stairs.

“That might be possible,” Rarity said, “But I doubt the princesses would dedicate resources to a long abandoned temple. I imagine they will be content once the spirits are finally free.”

Twilight nodded, “I think you’re right. I just don’t like the idea of having a genuine mystery under our hooves and leaving it unsolved.”

“Some stories are meant to be buried,” Rainbow Dash said, “That makes them more interesting.”

The group laughed and soon reached the main hall.

Six orbs gathered, and upon noticing the returning ponies, Grannie floated over to them.

“Thank you for bringing me back, my daughter,” she said, “I am surprised that it took you this long to find her.”

Rainbow Dash scoffed, “Well, if you had told us about all the creepy ghosts down there, we might not have taken so long.”

“What are you talking about,” Grannie asked.

“Rainbow,” Twilight said, “I don’t want to throw accusations around.”

She turned to Grannie and said, “When we reached the bottom of the stairs, the magical feedback was much stronger. It appears to have been caused by some ancient ruins beneath the temple.”

“Ruins,” Grannie asked, “You mean that there are structures below the tunnels?”

“It’s true,” the candidate of Kindness said, “It’s a labyrinth of obsidian, and the stone has been over-saturated for centuries.”

Grannie floated back to her daughter and asked, “That sounds like a problem for the living, but tell me, daughter, why did you stay down there so long?”

“I hid,” the candidate of Kindness said, “I hid from my shame and failure.”

“Enough of that,” the candidate of Loyalty said, “Now is not the time to talk of such matters. We are finally ready to leave this place.”

“What do you mean,” Grannie asked, “What failure are you talking about?”

The candidate of Generosity floated forward and said, “I must take responsibility for this.”

“Please,” Grannie said, “Simply tell me what happened?”

“I told you that your daughter had fallen into a deep despair. That was true, but I did not tell you about the state of the two remaining candidates.”

The candidate of Loyalty floated forward and said, “We were cursed to a living death. Trapped with our decayed bodies.”

“Is that true,” Grannie asked, “But that should not be possible. Unless you had some terrible burden placed upon you when you passed.”

The candidate of Honesty bobbed up and down in agreement, “It was a terrible burden but one that we placed upon ourselves. We were cursed because we blamed your daughter for the attack on the temple and the deaths that followed.”

Grannie grew brighter and shouted, “And why was I not told? I could have gone down there and-“

“This was her battle,” the candidate of Generosity said, “She had to see it through on her own.”

“I still didn’t do that,” the candidate of Kindness said, “I needed the help of Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie here to give me the courage to seek forgiveness.”

“But you still did all the asking on your own.” Pinkie said, “We were just your backup just in anypony misbehaved.”

Grannie floated toward the candidate of Kindness and said, “All you had to do was come back to me. I. I would have helped you.”

The candidate of Kindness stayed quiet for a moment and said, “And if I did, I would have proven that I never belonged here. No, even if I had assistance, I had to seek forgiveness on my own.”

She grew slightly brighter and said, “Now we are ready to leave, as are all the spirits that still dwell here.”

“About that,” Twilight said, “How can we assist you in leaving?”

“There is much magical power here,” Grannie said, “We cannot simply will ourselves to leave. We will need the assistance of the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony.”

“Then we must wait still,” the candidate of Honesty said, “We must find the bearers.”

“We each bear an Element of Harmony,” Twilight said.

She pointed to each pony and said, “We used the elements to free Nightmare Moon, and I think we can use them to help you overcome the magical energy within the temple.”

Grannie dimmed slightly and stayed silent for a few minutes. The other candidates floated toward her, and it seemed they were in deep discussion.

Twilight waved the ponies over, and they all sat down.

“Okay,” she said, “I want to know all about these underground ruins.”

“Well,” Pinkie Pie said, “I’m not sure if they count as ruins. Except for some dust, the place is super duper clean.”

“But it is ancient,” Fluttershy said, “The candidate of Kindness told me that they didn’t know of the ruins existence before the attack.”

Twilight nodded, “And Grannie confirmed that. So that means that the temple was built upon another existing temple. I don’t understand why they would have buried the older structure.”

Fluttershy shook her head, “Um, I don’t think they knew. We fell down a slope, and it was a steep drop. Perhaps the ruins were already buried when the temple was built.”

“Or,” Rainbow Dash said, “The ruins were buried the whole time. Maybe there was an ancient race of mole-ponies living down there and that was a temple too.”

Twilight took a deep breath and shook her head.

“Without more concrete information, we can’t risk guessing. So when we get back to Canerlot, I’ll ask Princess Luna. At the very least, she should know what happened.”

“And you would think she would have informed us of this,” Rarity said.

“Well,” Applejack said, “Maybe she either didn’t know or just plain forgot. It was a long time ago, and maybe being turned in Nightmare Moon affected her memories.”

Twilight nodded, “That’s a possibility. I don’t want to make any accusations, so we’ll wait until we see her to ask.”

Suddenly, a yellow orb appeared from the floor.

“Surprise,” Boy shouted.

Pinkie Pie giggled, “That’s a good one, but I think we’re a little too stressed for ghostie surprises.”

Boy bobbed up and down. “That’s okay,” he said, “Grannie just wanted me to tell you to go talk to her. I think she knows what to do.”

Twilight nodded and said, “Okay, let’s go.”

The group of ponies walked to the group of orbs who were gathered near the pedestals.

“We have news,” Grannie said.

“We heard,” Twilight said, “What do we have to do?”

The candidate of Generosity floated to Twilight and said, “Given what happened to the tunnels below, it will not be enough to simply leave. We must purify this temple as well.”

“Why,” Rainbow Dash asked, “Nopony’s coming back here, so what’s the point?”

“Rainbow Dash,” Rarity scolded, “This place might not mean much to us, but this was their home. If we can assist, then we shall.”

“I was just asking,” Rainbow said.

“Perhaps purify is not the correct word,” the candidate of Kindness said, “What we must do is try and release as much of the excess magical energy that we can.”

“So the spirits that weren’t protected by the Elements of Harmony can leave,” Twilight asked.

“Exactly,” Grannie said, “Now, each of you must take your place next to your element’s pedestal.”

Twilight nodded, and the group found their pedestal. Rarity stood at the northern point of the crescent, then Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie at the southern point. Each pedestal glowed with a soft magical energy.

Once in position, Grannie floated to Twilight.

“They will focus on their element on you, and you will focus your magical energy on the temple. You should be able to sense the excess energy, and then you should be able to direct it out.”

“Is there any place, in particular, I should direct it,” Twilight asked, “All of this magical energy could be dangerous.”

“A simple atmospheric discharge should suffice,” Grannie said, “From what I understand, there aren’t any settlements nearby.”

Applejack shook her head, “It’s at least a day’s walk back to Ponyville from here.”

“Then there is no risk of harming anypony,” Grannie said, “The forest will reclaim the magical energy almost as quickly as it’s released.”

Twilight nodded thoughtfully, “I see. In that case, if we are to release the magical energy into the atmosphere, I suppose I should direct the energy through the hole in the ceiling.”

“Very well,” Grannie said, “Please proceed.”

Twilight turned to the ponies and nodded, “Are we ready?”

The group nodded, and Fluttershy snuck in a quick nuzzle with Pinkie.

“For good luck,” Fluttershy said, blushing.

She moved back to her pedestal and said, “Sorry.”

Grannie giggled, “Don’t be. It can be a wonderful thing to be young and be in love. Now please, whenever you’re ready.”

The ponies nodded and began to focus their energy on Twilight. A beam of energy flowed from the ponies to Twilight.

As soon as Twilight felt her friends’ energy, she began to focus on the environment around her. All of the magical energy in the temple flowed all around her. She could feel the excitement of the past students. There were so many students that were just like her living here. She began to direct the energy toward herself and up to the hole in the ceiling. Then she felt something. Something ancient. Ancient and off.

She began to focus on this anomaly and quickly lost it. In her frustration, she tried to seek it out again, but she quickly brought her focus to the energy flow as it was becoming destabilized.

Once she had to path set, she then forced the energy out. Then, a bright flash filled the hall, and the new magical current flowed freely.

“Wow,” Fluttershy said, “It’s beautiful.”

Magical energy flowed from the floor and formed into a funnel that flew through the ceiling hole.

Grannie floated to Twilight and said, “That was brilliant. I expected you to purge the energy, but a steady flow is quite the masterstroke.”

Twilight smiled, “Thank you. This will take longer, but it will allow the spirits to leave by following the energy flow.”

“Like fish in a river,” Fluttershy asked.

“Exactly,” Twilight said, “Hopefully, they’ll all be able to find peace.”

She turned to Grannie and asked, “Will you be ready to leave?”

Grannie bobbed up and down, “Yes, we will finally be free. Please give our deepest regards to our dear princess.”

“Of course, we will,” Rarity said, “Please rest well.”

The orbs floated to the flow of energy except for Boy.

He quickly flew to Pinkie and flew around her.

Pinkie giggled and said, “Goodbye, but you don’t wanna get left behind.”

“I know,” Boy said, “I can’t wait. Grannie said it’ll be all silvered glass and swift sunrises. Maybe that’ll mean swift lunches too!”

Pinkie giggled as the yellow orb flew into the flow of energy.

He turned around, and the ponies caught a glimpse of the young unicorn that he once was.

Each of the orbs entered the energy flow, and only the candidate of Kindness and Grannie remained.

“Thank you,” the candidate of Kindness said, “For giving me this chance.”

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie walked to the orb.

“We’re happy to do it,” Pinkie said.

“Yes,” Fluttershy said, “I’m happy to be able to help you.”

Twilight smiled and remembered what she felt while she formed the energy flow.

“Grannie,” she asked, “When I was focusing on the energy, I felt something odd. It felt old. Much older than any other energy in the temple. Do you know what that is?”

Grannie stayed silent for a moment and said, “You felt it too. Perhaps it would be best not to ask questions whose answers you are not ready to learn.”

Both orbs entered the tunnel, and the temple grew silent. Only the flow of magical energy remained.

“Is it just me,” Rainbow Dash asked, “Or does this place feel different?”

Rarity smiled, “It certainly does. The pressure we felt is fading by the moment, and this temple feels much more welcoming.”

She nudged Twilight, whose attention was on the spiral staircase.

“I believe that she might be correct,” she said.

Twilight nodded, “I agree. I think we should leave well enough alone, but we should let Princess Luna know what we discovered.”

“I agree,” Rarity said, “Now if that settles everything, let us depart.”

The ponies agreed and made their way toward the temple entrance.

“It’s been a long day,” Rainbow Dash said and paused when she saw the forest.

“It’s night already?”

Pinkie ran out and pointed a hoof toward the night sky.

“Flutters,” she called, “Look!”

The group ran to Pinkie and gasped at the sight.

The energy flow dispersed into the sky and created a magical tapestry of energy.

“This is simply amazing,” Rarity said.

The ponies enjoyed the sight and didn’t hear the rustle of foliage behind them.

“Okay,” Applejack said, “As much as I love stargazing, I say we set up camp for the night and head out in the morning.”

“Okay,” Rainbow said, “I think that’ll be- “

“There you are,” a voice shouted.

The ponies turned around and saw four ragged looking ponies.

“Do we know you,” Twilight asked.

Sapphire Flower stomped up to Rainbow Dash and shouted, “You will pay for what you did to me.”

Rainbow took a step back and said, “What are you talking about? I don’t even know you.”

Fluttershy walked up to Rainbow Dash and gasped.

“It’s you,” she shouted, “You were the ones that hurt Applejack and Rainbow.”

Before anypony could react, Applejack tackled Sapphire Flower to the ground.

“Y’all are gonna wish you waited for the guards,” Applejack growled.

“Wait,” Cobalt shouted as he ran toward the ponies.

He stopped a few yards from the group and said, “Listen, things got out of hand. I do not deny my or anypony else’s part in it, but hear her out, and we will gladly surrender ourselves to the royal guard.”

Sapphire Flower glared at Cobalt, “You can’t do that. What about what she did?”

“What she did,” Aqua Rain said as she joined Cobalt, “Does not excuse what you had us do.”

Sapphire returned her attention to Applejack and tried to use her magic.

“Don’t even think it,” Applejack said, “We’ve too hard a day, so don’t make things even worse for yourselves.”

Twilight shook her head and asked, “Just what could have happened that you thought you had the right to attack her?”

Sapphire Flower shook her head and cursed softly when Emerald Lilly spoke up.

“She had a silly crush,” she said though she didn’t move from the tree line.

“Apparently,” she continued, “She told Rainbow there that she had a crush on her or something and was rejected.”

Cobalt shook his head, “She told us that you were hurting ponies and that we needed to do something.”

“Even if you assumed her lies to be true,” Rarity began, “Why didn’t you simply take this to the authorities?”

“Because,” Aqua Rain said, “She told us that the authorities wouldn’t do anything.”

She let out a tired sigh and added, “It made sense. She is supposed to be friends with one of the princesses. It’d be too easy for the authorities to turn a blind eye.”

“Then why did you believe her,” Rainbow Dash shouted, “You seriously hurt the both of us and tried to hurt Fluttershy.”

Cobalt stepped in between Rainbow and Aqua and said, “It’s equally simple and stupid. We trusted her. She’s our friend, and we took her at her word.”

He looked down at Sapphire Flower and said, “Say your peace. It’s time you move on.”

Sapphire shook her head and began to protest but stopped.

She dropped her gaze to the temple and let out a gasp.

“What is that thing,” she shouted.

Nopony responded, and she shouted again, “Look! At the steps, something is coming this way.”

She thrashed under Applejack’s hooves and screamed, “Turn around! There are six of you and four of us. It’s not like we can do anything.”

Cobalt shook his head and looked toward the ancient temple.

“Sapphire,” he said, “There’s nothing over there. Just stop this. It’s over.”

Still, she continued to try and get away from Applejack, or rather the apparition that slowly made its way toward the group of ponies.

“Maybe we should let her up,” Twilight said.

She turned to Cobalt and asked, “When was the last time she had food or water?”

He shook his head, “At least a couple of days. We didn’t exactly plan things out really well.”

“Well, I know how that goes,” Pinkie said.

“Then she’s just dehydrated,” Twilight said, kneeling beside Sapphire.

“We can get you some water, but all of you will be bound and returned to the proper authorities.”

Sapphire didn’t answer. At least she didn’t answer Twilight.

Unseen to the ponies, a figure did emerge from the temple, she strode to Sapphire Flower and whispered a simple promise into her ear.

“Of course,” Sapphire said, “The blackened emerald. The fountain in the courtyard. I’ll get my revenge.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash said, “She’s delirious.”

Applejack let her go and was surprised that the unicorn made no effort to get to her hooves.

Instead, she kept a hoof outstretched to the temple.

“The blackened emerald. In the courtyard.”

“Sapphire,” Aqua Rain said, “You’re scaring me. Let’s just go.”

She helped her friend to a seated position, and Sapphire asked, “Go? Are you taking me somewhere?”

“Yeah,” Rainbow said, “To jail where you belong.”

“Jail,” Sapphire asked, “Is that away from here?”

“Yes,” Aqua Rain said, “Far away from here. It won’t be a fun place, but it will be much safer than here.”

With a sudden burst of energy, Sapphire Flower leaped to her hooves and ran toward the temple.

She didn’t get far as Rainbow Dash quickly tackled her to the ground.

“No,” Sapphire pleaded, “You can’t do this. I must answer. The blackened emerald in the courtyard. It needs me.”

Again, she thrashed, but this time, she had a madpony’s fight. She quickly bucked Rainbow Dash off of her and reached the steps.

“Wait,” Twilight shouted, “Whatever you do, don’t use your magic. The flow of energy is too powerful.”

Sapphire Flower turned around and stared at the group of ponies in confusion.

“What,” she asked, “How did I get up here?”

She staggered forward and noticed Rainbow Dash.

“I remember you,” Sapphire said before falling to a knee and grabbed her head in pain.

“You,” she said, “I remember loving you. I think. You said I wasn’t good enough for you. That I was a nopony.”

Rainbow glanced around in confusion, “This is news to me.”

Then it dawned on her.

“Wait a second,” she said, running up to Sapphire Flower.

“I think I remember you now. You were at a race I had last year. You ran up to me, but all you did was mumble something and run off.”

She shook her head and said, “I had no idea what you wanted.”

Sapphire nodded, “That’s true. I tried. I tried to tell you how much I loved you, but I couldn’t. A big star with a nothing like me.”

She struck the side of her head with a hoof and laughed, “That’s better. Some gears just needed knocking together.”

“Listen,” Rainbow Dash said, “Normally, I’d apologize for bailing on you like that, but after what you did, you should be happy that I’m letting you walk out of here at all.”

“Walk out of here,” Sapphire Flower said, “I’m not walking out of anywhere.”

She slowly began to raise her head, and Fluttershy felt something tug at her.

The words Sapphire kept repeating brought her attention back to the courtyard illusion where the candidate of Kindness hid, but she didn’t remember seeing anything that would qualify as a blackened emerald. All she remembered was the obsidian. Then she saw Sapphire’s eyes.

Blackness tinged with green orbs replaced the eyes that were quite blue a moment ago.

Without knowing why Fluttershy flew and covered Sapphire’s eyes with her hooves.

“It’s her eyes,” Fluttershy shouted, “There’s something wrong with her eyes.”

Emerald Lilly ran to Fluttershy and said, “Okay, that’s enough. You all win. Just let her go.”

She forced one of Fluttershy’s hooves away, and Sapphire turned her gaze to Emerald.

“Emerald,” she said, “Not blackened enough.”

Emerald Lilly stared at Sapphire for a moment before she fell over.

“Cover her eyes,” Twilight shouted.

She began to search the camp for scraps of cloth when she heard a curious sound.

Rainbow Dash had taken one of their packs and placed it on Sapphire’s head.

“That’ll work,” she said, “Now, what the heck is going on?”

Fluttershy carefully let Sapphire go.

When she got to her hooves, she said, “I saw her eyes. They had changed. I don’t know why, but I knew that she meant to hurt you, Rainbow.”

She turned to Emerald Lilly and whispered, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Sapphire said, “That emerald is not the right one, but she’ll still be useful.”

Emerald suddenly stirred and rubbed the side of her head.

“Blackened emerald,” she asked, “No, that’s not for me.”

She looked at the temple and said, “This is where everypony shall return.”

Pinkie turned to Cobalt and Aqua Rain and asked, “You ponies always this nuts?”

Both ponies shook their heads.

“I don’t know what’s happening,” Aqua Rain said as she glanced back to the temple.

She took a step back and gasped.

“Somepony is coming,” she said.

Rarity turned around and said, “There’s nopony there.”

Aqua Rain began to back away from the temple.

“Hon,” Cobalt said, “What do you see? Could be the same thing that Sapphire saw?”

Applejack stomped her hooves on the ground and shouted, “There’s nothing there. Now cut it out.”

Aqua kept close to Cobalt, whispering, “Please don’t let her get me. Please. Please don’t let her get me.”

Her eyes snapped open when she heard, “But I’m not here for you.”

Suddenly, she was thrown away from Cobalt, who suddenly found himself in the air.

“And now it begins,” Sapphire said, “You better hurry.”

Cobalt suddenly flew toward the temple. The doors slammed shut once he crossed the threshold, and the protective runes glowed brightly.

“No,” Aqua Rain shouted as she ran toward the temple.

“Stop,” Twilight shouted, “Don’t go near it.”

“That’s my husband,” Aqua Rain cried, “I can’t just leave him in there.”

She ran to the doors, but Rainbow Dash managed to catch her.

“I get it,” Rainbow Dash shouted, “We had to deal with some freaky stuff in that place. We’ll help you get him back.”

“I don’t think they would have appreciated her knocking so rudely,” Sapphire said, “Maybe she’ll get another chance.”

Aqua Rain returned to the group but kept her eyes on the temple.

“Please,” she said, “Help me get him back. I’ll walk through the gate of Tartarus itself as long as I know he’s safe.”

Sapphire giggled, “And that is why he will be lost forever. You and your silly love will be the end of you.”

The bag began to smolder, and Sapphire became engulfed in green fire.

“We shall see you all quite soon,” she said before disappearing in a gout of green fire along with Emerald Lilly.

“Okay,” Twilight said, “Let’s check the door. I’ll see if I can dispel the runes.”

The ponies walked up the stairs and quickly arrived at the doors.

Unlike before, the runes were not dim and blinking. Instead, they shone with a brightness that seemed unnatural light.

“Well, these sure look different,” Applejack said, “What do you think happened, Twilight?”

Twilight studied the doors and shook her head, “I don’t know. This doesn’t make sense. The energy flow should be drawing energy from the runes, not powering them. There has to be something else-“

She gasped and turned to the group.

“Remember when I asked Grannie about the odd energy I felt while forming the energy flow?”

The ponies, except for Aqua Rain, nodded.

“I remember that it felt old. Ancient, and Grannie said that she felt it too. That I shouldn’t ask questions whose answers I wasn’t ready to learn.”

“You think she knew something,” Rarity asked.

“I don’t know,” Twilight said, “Maybe back in her time, there were fairy tales about ruins like these.”

“So now what,” Aqua Rain asked, “What can we do to save Cobalt and the others?”

“I say we leave them in there,” Rainbow Dash said, “Serves them right.”

Aqua Rain flinched, and Fluttershy said, “Rainbow Dash. You know what the ponies that were here went through. We can’t just leave them.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow said, “But don’t forget about what they did to AJ and me.”

Aqua Rain stepped between Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.

She took a deep breath. Turned to Rainbow and said, “I do not deny my part in hurting you, and I will turn myself over to the authorities and gladly suffer whatever punishment the courts decide, but please. Please help me save my husband and friends.”

“And why should we,” Rainbow asked, “You just did what you were told by somepony who held a stupid grudge. I think we should leave them and you here.”

Aqua Rain lowered her head and began to cry softly.

“But,” Rainbow said after a moment, “We’re not like that. All of you will go to jail, but yeah, let’s go save your husband.”

“Sincerely,” Aqua Rain asked as she looked at each pony, “You will help me save him?”

Rarity nodded, “It was never a question to begin with. You will be brought to justice, but, as Rainbow said, we are not so vengeful that we will curse your beloved to unknown horrors.”

“Th, thank you,” Aqua Rain said, “If it’s all the same, I’ll just stay out of your way.”

“Just keep in sight,” Applejack said, “I’m not calling you a liar just yet, but we just can’t chance it. You understand, right?”

Slowly, Aqua Rain nodded.

“Will you be able to do something about the door,” Pinkie Pie asked, “I’d knock, but I don’t think that’d be good for my face.”

“Face,” Aqua Rain asked.

“Don’t,” Rainbow said, “It’s a long story.”

Aqua Rain quickly nodded and sat down.

Twilight shook her head, “It’s impossible for me to do anything. The runes are moving much faster than before, and they’ve been empowered. I need answers.”

“Princess Luna,” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes,” Twilight said, “Let’s go.”

She turned to Aqua Rain and said, “We aren’t abandoning them. We don’t have enough information to proceed carefully.”

Aqua Rain got to her hooves and said, “Then I shall go back with you. When we arrive at Ponyville, I’ll turn myself in.”

“Oh no, you don’t,” Pinkie Pie said, “This crazy train we’re on isn’t making any stops. You’re in this now.”

The group nodded.

“You’re a part of this just like the rest of us,” Applejack said.

“Also,” Twilight added, “If whatever is controlling your friends is using them, you might be able to help them fight the control.”

Aqua Rain nodded, “I. I understand.”

She turned to the temple and said, “I’ll be back, hon. Just please hold on.”

The group silently packed up the supplies, returned to the forest, and began the journey to Ponyville and then to Canerlot.

They needed answers, and they were going to get them.
> A Deep Dark Secret Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Are you sure it was a good idea that we leave the ruins to set up camp,” Aqua Rain asked.

Twilight followed the path Rainbow Dash and Applejack forged when they first arrived and said, “It would have been easier to set up camp there, but I don’t want to risk anything happening.”

She shook her head, “No, we have to move through the night. If we reach the clearing where we camped, we can rest there.”

Aqua Rain began to nod but lost her balance, stumbling into Rainbow Dash.

“Hey,” Rainbow said, “Watch it.”

“Easy there, RD,” Applejack said, “She’s probably dehydrated.”

She passed Aqua Rain a flask and said, “You’ll need your strength, so drink up.”

Aqua Rain nodded and took a drink from the flask. The water tasted sweeter than any juice she had drunk before.

Before she realized it, she had finished the flask.

“Sorry,” she said as she returned the flask to Applejack.

“Don’t you worry none,” Applejack said, “I got some more water in my pack. Always good to be prepared.”

The group continued to walk, and it was easier than before. Much of the path remained, and Twilight found she could use her magic more quickly the further they traveled from the temple.

Hours passed, and they eventually arrived at the clearing, and Pinkie ran ahead and sat down near the ashes of their previous campfire.

“Looks like we made good time,” Applejack said, “What do we say, we grab some shuteye? I’ll whip up a quick breakfast in the morning.”

The ponies agreed and began to set up a camp.

Aqua Rain tried to help while trying not to be a nuisance, but she didn’t know what to do.

“You just sit tight,” Applejack said, “We got this.”

“Okay,” Aqua Rain said, “I’ll just-“

She turned toward the direction of the temple and gasped, “She’s back.”

The group turned around and saw nothing but the darkness of the forest.

“I don’t see anything,” Fluttershy said, “But this happened twice before. Maybe something is there.”

Twilight followed Aqua Rain’s eye line and stood between her and this unknown threat.

“If there is something out there,” Twilight said, “Then it must have some magical energy keeping it hidden.”

She closed her eyes and focused her magic. A tiny spark flew above the group and burst into a shower of sparkles.

“Pretty,” Pinkie Pie said, “But what’s it do?”

Twilight smiled, “Think of them as an alarm system. Should anything magical enter the perimeter, I’ll know.”

She turned to Aqua Rain and asked, “Is it still there? Can you describe it to me?”

Before Aqua Rain could speak, Fluttershy said, “Don’t stare into her eyes for too long. I think that’s how she gets you.”

Aqua Rain nodded, “She’s at the edge of the clearing.”

“Is she making headed this way,” Twilight asked.

“No,” Aqua Rain said, “She’s just standing there.”

Applejack said, “Well, let’s not worry about that then. Twilight’s alarm will let us know if that thing gets close.”

Though the thought didn’t provide much comfort, the group settled down for dinner.

They all ate in silence, only to look up when Pinkie Pie began to giggle.

“What is it,” Fluttershy asked.

“Oh, nothing,” Pinkie said, “I was just thinking that this is not how I thought things would go with you.”

She stretched her forelegs and gave Fluttershy a quick nuzzle.

“I thought it would be nothing but picnics and cute moments together, but nope. We’re on an adventure, first to help some trapped ghosties, and now we’re on our way to help some trapped ponies.”

Fluttershy nuzzled Pinkie again and said, “Well, it was much easier for me with you here to help me.”

Pinkie smiled, “Yup, we’ll still have our cute moments.”

"And I can’t wait for you two to get even mushier,” Rainbow Dash said sarcastically.

“Oh, leave them alone,” Rarity said, smiling, “It’ll be wonderful to see the two of them in love. I hope that it will be in less stressful times.”

Applejack finished setting up the bedrolls and tents.

“Hate to break it to you,” she told Aqua Rain, “But we ain’t got a spare.”

Aqua Rain turned to Applejack, pointing a hoof to the clearing’s edge, and said, “That’s okay. We slept on the other side of the clearing.”

“What were you doing,” Applejack asked, “Waiting for us to sleep?”

“That was Sapphire’s plan,” Aqua Rain said, “But Cobalt wouldn’t hear of it. We wanted to know why she insisted on chasing all of you.”

Aqua Rain sat down and said, “Even that night, we knew what we were doing was wrong, but she was so certain. We’ve been friends for so many years. It wasn’t until we were this far into the forest that we knew that we had to ask her.”

Applejack laughed, causing the ponies to look at her.

“Well,” she said, “Now I ain’t forgiving what y’all did, but I can see things from your side.”

“What do you mean,” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Well, Sugarcube,” Applejack said, “Sure, none of us would do what they did, but we would take each other at their word in a heartbeat.”

“That’s true,” Fluttershy said, “I don’t think I would ever doubt any of you girls.”

“And that,” Rarity said to Aqua Rain, “Is because none of us would do something as awful as what you four did.”

Aqua Rain shook her head, “And I will face my due punishment for my part. You have my word that I will help you as best I can.”

She pawed at the ground and added, “Though you have no reason to believe me.”

Twilight got to her hooves and stretched, “Try not to think about that. I believe whatever is following us might be using your connection with your husband. I know this is nearly impossible, but try to keep him out of your mind.”

Aqua Rain scoffed and said, “I’ll try.”

She lay down near the fire and tried to get some sleep. The sound of the fire comforted her, but she heard the sound of somepony approaching.

She opened her eyes and saw the apparition at the camp's border. Ignoring Twilight’s instructions, she got a better look at the creature.

“Hon,” the apparition said in Cobalt’s voice, “Why are you here? I need you.”

“I know you’re not him,” she said, “I don’t know what’s going on, but I will save him.”

Suddenly, she found herself suddenly pulled back.

“Careful there,” Applejack said as she grabbed Aqua Rain’s hoof, “You nearly drove your hoof into the fire.”

Aqua Rain noticed that her hoof was hot and near the flames.

She pulled her leg back and asked, “What happened?”

“Well,” Applejack said, “I came over to tell you we got a spare bedroll for you.”

She motioned to the other side of the camp, where Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were sharing a bedroll. The yellow pegasus’ face buried into the pink earth pony’s mane.

“Sweeter and a golden delicious they are,” Applejack said, “Anyway, Fluttershy insisted that you not sleep on the grass, so she and Pinkie Pie are doubling up.”

Aqua rain nodded, “Thank you, but what was I doing?”

Applejack adjusted her hat and said, “Well, you were mumbling something. I guess that thing is trying to get to you. I was gonna nudge you, but you started getting close to the fire. That’s when I pulled you away.”

“I saw it,” she said, “It wasn’t a pony. At least not quite.”

Aqua Rain was going to say more, but Applejack stopped her.

“Save that for the morning,” Applejack said, “Twilight would be the better one to hear it.”

Aqua Rain nodded and saw the results of her and her friends’ actions a few nights ago.

“I know it doesn’t mean anything,” she said, “But I am truly sorry for what we did to you two.”

Applejack nodded, “You’re right. Your sorries don’t mean nothing to me, but I know that you mean it.”

She lowered herself to Aqua Rain’s level and added, “You’ll get what’s coming to you, but I ain’t about to abuse you for it. Get some sleep. It’ll be a while yet before we get to Canterlot.”

“I thought I was to stay in Ponyville until you all returned from Canterlot,” Aqua Rain asked.

Applejack laughed, “Nope. As Pinkie said, you’re a part of this, and the princesses need to know your part.”

Shame and fear shone on Aqua Rain’s face as the thought of facing the princesses entered her mind.

“Well,” Applejack said, “Best get used to that feeling. You deserve it. Now, try and get some shut-eye.”

Aqua Rain got to her hooves, set up the bedroll, and decided to sleep further from the fire and lay down.

She opened her eyes and saw the apparition. With a groan, she rolled over and saw it on the other side.

“You’re not going to leave me alone, are you,” she asked.

The apparition grinned and shook its head.

Aqua Rain covered her head and tried to get some sleep. In her mind, she heard the vile laugh and then silence. Before long, sleep took her for a few hours at least.

Day broke, and the ponies began to stir. Applejack rose before the sun and had already started cooking breakfast.

“No need to pretend that you’re sleeping,” she said, “Might as well get up and help.”

Aqua Rain got up and staggered to Applejack.

“You don’t look good,” Applejack said, “Didn’t get much sleep?”

“No,” Aqua Rain said, “Every time I fell asleep, I would see Cobalt, and when I would wake up, I’d hear that thing at the edge of camp.”

Applejack nodded, “That’d be mighty stressful, and I do feel for you.”

“Why don’t I believe you,” Aqua Rain asked.

Applejack laughed, “I can’t lie to save my life. I said my piece last night. Now we got work to do.”

Aqua Rain nodded and began to help Applejack get breakfast ready.

Before long, the other ponies woke up.

“Pinkie,” Fluttershy said, “We need to help with breakfast.”

“No,” Pinkie Pie said, “Too early for that. It’s snuggle time.”

Fluttershy turned to face her friends and offered an apologetic smile.

“Don’t you fret,” Rarity said, “We shall attend to the meal.”

Fluttershy smiled and said, “Thank you.”

She buried her face into Pinkie’s mane and found it so comfortable that she fell back asleep.

Twilight smiled at her friends and said, “Let them sleep, and we can pack them something to eat.”

Applejack nodded and continued preparing breakfast. All ponies sat to the meal and ate in relative silence.

“So,” Rainbow Dash asked Aqua Rain, “What’s the deal with your friend?”

Aqua Rain stopped eating and asked, “Sapphire?”

Rainbow Dash nodded.

“She,” Aqua Rain began, “She’s a bit high-strung.”

“Yeah, I figured that much,” Rainbow Dash said, “Just why did she freak out so badly?”

“I don’t know,” Aqua Rain said, “She’s never shown any interest in anypony before, but when you mentioned a race, that reminded me of something.”

She took a deep breath and said, “I didn’t think anything of it at the time, but she was distant for a while. We thought she was upset about something and would tell us eventually.”

“And she didn’t,” Twilight asked.

Aqua Rain shook her head, “After a week or so, we asked, and she said that she was fine. Everything went back to normal for a while.”

Applejack nodded and said, “Until you came to Ponyville.”

“Yeah,” Aqua Rain said, “We were passing through. You know, taking a break from school to see Equestria, but Sapphire came running to us one night.”

“And was this before or after the double date,” Applejack asked.

“It wasn’t a date,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Oh hush,” Applejack said, “That friend of hers clearly thought it was.”

Aqua Rain took a breath and said, “It was the day before. She didn’t say anything, but we could tell she wanted to.”

She nervously glanced at the group and said, “The thing is, the way we normally deal with Sapphire is to wait it out. She would always let us know what was bothering her, but she didn’t say a word this time. She just kept looking back to some farm with a really angry look on her face.”

"And how long did she wait until she talked to you,” Rarity asked.

“Emerald Lilly was the one that made her talk. She tends to get nervous when Sapphire gets in one of her moods, so she’s usually the one that snaps her out of them.”

Aqua Rain sighed, “We should have asked more questions. It’s just. She was so upset and sure, we just believed her.”

She looked at the group, though her gaze didn’t linger on Applejack or Rainbow Dash, and said, “I’ll say it again. Once everything is done, I will gladly turn myself in.”

“Let’s worry about that once we reach Canterlot,” Twilight said, “For now, let’s get going.”

Rarity gently nudged the sleeping ponies, and the two left the comfort of the bedroll.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Fluttershy said, “I didn’t mean to fall asleep again.”

“It’s okay,” Rainbow Dash said, “We packed some food so you two can still eat.”

“Yay,” Pinkie Pie shouted, “Food on the go!”

Fluttershy rolled up the bedroll and handed it to Aqua Rain.

“Thank you,” Aqua Rain said, “I greatly appreciate you letting me use your bedroll.”

“It was no trouble,” Fluttershy said, “I couldn’t bear the thought of you sleeping on the grass.”

Pinkie bounced to them and said, “And I got to spend the night with my Flutters, so it’s win-win.”

Aqua Rain giggled at Fluttershy’s sudden blush and returned the bedroll with the others.

“Still,” she said, “I do appreciate it.”

The group left the clearing and continued the long walk back toward Fluttershy’s cottage. When they arrived, Rainbow Dash pointed to where Aqua Rain and her friends were tied up.

“How’d you guys get away,” she asked.

“Emerald Lilly,” Aqua Rain said, “Once that thing-“

“Ghostie,” Pinkie Pie corrected.

“Um, ghostie,” Aqua Rain continued, “When it attacked us, she ran off. She waited until you were all gone and cut the ropes.”

She shook her head, “We should have just stayed still.”

“You shouldn’t have done anything at all,” Rainbow Dash said, “But at least I know. It won’t be long before we get to Ponyville.”

When they arrived, Fluttershy glanced at her cottage to check the damaged window frame. She would have to ask Applejack to help her fix it later, and from what she could see, nothing else was damaged.

The group entered Ponyville, and Aqua Rain could feel the gaze of every pony they passed.

They knew. Aqua Rain didn’t know how they knew, but they all knew it was her.

“Would you relax,” Applejack said, “You’re wound up tighter than Fluttershy on Nightmare Night.”

“They know,” Aqua Rain said, “They all do.”

Rarity trotted to her and said, “That is nothing more than your guilt. They know what transpired, but nopony knows the players involved. So, as Applejack said, please relax.”

Aqua Rain nodded, and the group soon arrived at the library.

“We should take the balloon,” Twilight said, “We can’t risk waiting for the train.”

The ponies nodded and piled into the balloon basket.

“It’s a bit snug,” Applejack said, “But we are in a hurry.”

“Fluttershy,” Rainbow said, “Let’s fly. That’ll free up some space.”

Fluttershy nodded and said, “Okay, but I want to stay close to Pinkie Pie, um-“

“If you say ‘if that’s okay with me,’ so help me,” Rainbow Dash said as she took to the sky.

Fluttershy giggled and nuzzled Pinkie Pie. Once the rest of the ponies were settled, she gently floated along with the hot air balloon.

The trip to Canterlot took a few hours, and Aqua Rain managed to get some sleep.

“She looks exhausted,” Twilight said.

Applejack nodded, “Seems like whatever took her friends was causing her trouble.”

“Well,” Rarity said, “It certainly is a relief to be out of that forest.”

The ponies nodded in agreement and continued onward in silence.

They eventually arrived at the palace, and Pinkie nudged Aqua Rain.

“Wakey wakey,” she said.

Aqua Rain got to her hooves and stretched.

“Rest well,” Rarity asked.

“Yes,” Aqua Rain said, blushing, “I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

Twilight placed a hoof on her shoulder and asked, “Did you see anything?”

Aqua Rain nodded, “I saw it.”

“As much as I would like to hear it,” Twilight said, “We should wait to tell the princesses.”

They disembarked and headed toward the throne room.

Applejack stopped and said, “I think we’re short a pony.”

They turned around and saw Aqua Rain still standing by the balloon.

When Applejack began to walk to get her, Aqua Rain shouted, “I can’t do it. I can’t face them. Please, go and tell the princesses and I’ll wait here. I won’t run. I promise.”

She felt somepony push her and turned to see Rainbow Dash glare at her.

“No way,” she said, “You are going in there, and you’re going to face the music.”

Aqua Rain sighed, defeated, and joined the group, and they soon found themselves before two large ornate doors.

“Ms. Sparkle,” one of the royal guards asked, “What brings you and your friends to the palace?”

Twilight stepped forward and said, “We’re here on official business and need to report to Princess Celestia and Luna.”

The guard nodded, “Of course. They are currently enjoying a meal. Perhaps you might wish to wash up first?”

Before anypony could respond, a delighted squeal pierced the air.

“Oh,” Rarity whispered, “I do apologize, but a bath does sound divine right now. It would do us all good to get the forest out of our manes.”

The ponies agreed and headed to the royal bath.

Aqua Rain entered the royal bath and gasped.

The large room was walled and floored with marble. In the center, a large pool was filled with steaming water. All around tables and lounge chairs lined the room.

Silver and gold accented the floor and furniture. It was all beautiful.

She saw herself in the floor’s reflection and cringed at how dirty she’d become. Aqua Rain knew a simple fact. She did not belong here.

“Cannonball,” Pinkie shouted and jumped in.

“Pinkie,” Fluttershy scolded, “You’re not supposed to do that.”

Pinkie Pie swam to the edge of the bath and asked, “Do what?”

“Jump in like that,” Fluttershy said, “This isn’t a swimming pool.”

“Oh, come on, Flutters,” Pinkie said, “Give it a try. It’s fun.”

Fluttershy turned to her friends, enjoying a relaxing soak, and saw that Aqua Rain had decided to sit on a bench near the entrance.

“Well,” she said, “I guess it wouldn’t hurt.”

She took a few steps back and began to trot.

“No running,” a voice boomed.

A terrified squeak escaped Fluttershy’s lips as she slipped on the marble floor. She crashed and slid over the lip of the bath and fell into the bath.

She swam to the surface and saw an annoyed guard.

“And that’s why there’s no running,” she said.

“Well,” Pinkie shouted, “If somepony didn’t scare her like that, she wouldn’t have fallen.”

“I’m sorry,” Fluttershy said, “I won’t do it again.”

The guard shook her head and walked off.

“Meany pants,” Pinkie Pie said.

“Pinkie,” Fluttershy gasped, “Don’t say things like that. She was doing her job, and it was silly of me to run on a wet floor.”

Pinkie nuzzled Fluttershy, and the two enjoyed a playful bath.

Fluttershy lowered herself into the water, only the top of her head above the surface.

“Doing your Gummy impression,” Pinkie asked.

Fluttershy shook her head and began to blush.

Pinkie gasped, “Flutters! If you have to go, then use the bathroom.”

Fluttershy quickly rose out of the water, “No. I wasn’t doing that. I promise.”

Pinkie nuzzled Fluttershy and asked, “Then, what’s up? Hold on.”

She grabbed her soaked mane and pushed it back behind her ears.

“That’s better,” Pinkie said, “So, what’s eating you?”

Fluttershy smiled and said, “I just. I think you look really pretty when your mane is like that.”

Her blush intensified, and she quickly dove underwater.

Pinkie smiled and dove after Fluttershy. She was a good swimmer, but the shy pegasus surprised her.

Eventually, Fluttershy turned back to see if Pinkie was behind her, and the pink torpedo caught her in an underwater hug.

The two got back to the surface and gave each other a quick kiss on the cheek.

“This is fun,” Fluttershy said.

“Sure is,” Pinkie said, “How’d you learn to swim so fast?”

“Oh, I learned while helping Mr. Beaver. I have a lot of animal friends who live in the water, so I have a lot of practice swimming.”

Pinkie splashed the water happily and said, “Well, that’s another fun thing we can do after all this spooky business is done.”

Fluttershy nodded and turned her attention to Pinkie’s mane.

“Flutters,” Pinkie said, “I know you said you like my mane like this, but...”

“I know,” Fluttershy said, “I never want you to be sad. I think it’s beautiful. Just like you always are.”

She sighed and said, “You really are special. When your mane is fluffy, it’s beautiful, and when it’s wet, it’s just as beautiful.”

Fluttershy leaned against Pinkie’s chest and said, “I envy you sometimes. You’re always so energetic, and you work so hard to make ponies happy. I wish I could be like that too.”

Pinkie hugged Fluttershy and said, “But you are. You work even harder than I do to make ponies happy. We just have different methods.”

“Mine’s not as fun, though,” Fluttershy said.

“There are all kinds of flavors of fun, Flutters,” Pinkie said, “Your kind of fun is more relaxing and giving ponies time and space to get themselves all sorted out.”

She kissed the top of Fluttershy’s head and said, “That’s why I love you. You’re special too, and I’m gonna make sure that you keep smiling.”

Fluttershy took a deep breath and sighed contentedly, and the pair swam to the edge and enjoyed the water.

Applejack smiled at the two, but she returned her gaze to Aqua Rain. She groaned with increasing annoyance at the blue unicorn.

“And just what are you doing over there,” she asked, “Get your hide in here and get cleaned up.”

Aqua Rain stood and took a few hesitant steps toward the bath. She didn’t like the look of the water, but she had no idea why. None of the ponies were bothered by it except her.

She eventually reached the water’s edge and looked into the water. Then, after taking a deep breath to calm herself, she began to lower herself into the water.

“You should be careful,” a voice whispered.

Aqua Rain opened her eyes and saw the apparition over her shoulder, she spun around and fell into the water.

Everything went dark.

She tried to swim up to the surface but was so disoriented that she didn’t know what way to go. Every direction felt wrong, so she just swam forward.

Her lungs burned as fear took her, and she remembered her friends that she was trying to save.

And she remembered Cobalt. She wanted to cry out at the thought of failing him, that he would be trapped. The pony she loved would be lost forever.

A bright light appeared. It was little more than a pin, but Aqua Rain swam toward it as quickly as she could. The world began to darken, and she didn’t know if that was the water or if she was drowning.

She suddenly found herself jerked to the surface and blinded by the brightness of daylight.

“What the hay just happened,” Rainbow Dash shouted, “One second you were about to get in, and the next you freak out and disappear.”

Aqua Rain tried to speak but instead began to cough up brackish water. Exhausted, she fell to her side.

As her sight dimmed, she saw the apparition at the far side of the bath within the marble wall.

“Let’s get her some air,” Twilight said as she levitated a first aid kit. She dropped it when the bath doors flew open, and the princesses flew into the room.

“Princess,” Twilight shouted, “I thought you were eating?”

“We were,” Luna said, “But we felt something here. Something wrong.”

Luna walked over to Aqua Rain and asked, “And who is this? A new friend?”

Twilight shook her head, “No. It’s complicated, which is why we returned to get some information.”

“I see,” Luna said.

She then noticed the water that Aqua Rain coughed up and asked, “And what is this?”

“She fell into the bath,” Rarity said, “She nearly drowned.”

Luna shook her head, “This water did not come from this bath.”

She looked at Twilight Sparkle and asked, “Who is this pony?”

Aqua Rain wheezed slightly and rose to a seated position. She shook her head and looked around at the eight ponies around her.

Eight? There were only six before. She studied the two new ponies and gasped.

“Princess,” she said, “I’m. I’m sorry.”

She got to hooves as quickly as she could. The result was slipping on the wet floor, but eventually, she bowed to the princesses.

“Enough of that,” Celestia said, “May we have your name?”

“I’m,” Aqua Rain began, “My name is Aqua Rain.”

“And how do you know Twilight and her friends,” Luna asked.

Aqua Rain closed her eyes tightly and told the truth.

“Because I was among the ponies that attacked Applejack and Rainbow Dash.”

“You what,” Luna shouted.

Luna immediately lifted Aqua Rain into the air and brought her closer.

“You will tell me this is nothing more than a misguided jest, or I will deliver you to Tartarus personally.”

Aqua Rain struggled to breathe but gasped, “It’s true. My friends attacked them because of a lie.”

“Is this true,” Luna asked Twilight.

Twilight nodded, “Yes, but as I said, it’s-“

She gasped as Luna threw Aqua Rain to the floor.

“Princess,” Twilight shouted, “Please, stop.”

Luna glared at Twilight, “I will not. This filth harmed your friends, and you wish to share the royal baths with her?”

Aqua Rain winced in pain and tried to get to her hooves.

“It might be best for you to stay down,” Celestia said.

The Sun Princess didn’t bear the same outrage as Luna, but she was clearly angry.

Aqua Rain listened and stayed down. She kept feeling a slight tug at her rear legs and tail. When she turned around, she saw it again on the reflective surface of the wall.

“Gotcha,” the voice whispered, and Aqua Rain was dragged back to the water.

“Twilight,” she shouted, “Help me!”

The ponies turned and gasped at the sight.

The water where Aqua Rain was being dragged had turned to the same brackish water that she had coughed up. It churned and grew more violent as Aqua Rain got closer.

Twilight immediately tried to levitate Aqua Rain away, but she recoiled as a powerful force struck her.

“The feedback,” she said.

Twilight turned to the princesses and shouted, “It’s the same feedback as from the temple. Please. I can’t use my magic. Save her.”

Luna scoffed but saw the concern on Twilight’s face. She focused her magic, wincing slightly, and pulled Aqua Rain away from the water.

“You are quite skilled, Twilight,” Luna said, “That was quite powerful.”

Aqua Rain managed to catch her breath and tried to run out of the room.

“And where do you think you’re going,” Luna shouted.

Aqua Rain skidded to a halt and said, “I can’t stay in this room. It’s not safe for me.”

Luna shook her head, “You poor fool, nowhere is safe for you.”

She walked to Aqua Rain and said, smiling, “Don’t you understand? You’ve been marked. This. Is but a fraction of what waits for you, and for what you did, I can’t think of a better punishment.”

“Luna,” Celestia said, “Let’s not be cruel. If Twilight was willing to bring her here, there must be a reason.”

“Then let her plead her case,” Luna said, “And then I’ll throw her in the dungeons.”

Twilight stepped forward and said, “Actually, we’ll need her help.”

Princess Celestia stepped forward and said, “Before things get any more heated, let us proceed to the throne room.”

The ponies quickly dried off. Fluttershy smiled as Pinkie’s mane regained its normal fluffiness.

“You miss it,” Pinkie asked.

Fluttershy shook her head, “It doesn’t matter how your mane is. It’ll always be beautiful to me.”

“Aww,” Pinkie said, “Let’s get going.”

Soon, the group joined the princesses at a large round table. Aqua Rain was hesitant to sit at the table, but a frustrated glare from Applejack spurred onward to sit down.

“You have our attention,” Luna said, “Now, explain yourself.”

Aqua Rain took a deep breath and said, “A friend of mine. Her name is Sapphire Flower. She lied to us and said Applejack and Rainbow Dash were hurting ponies. That we had to do something. We didn’t find out until after we did what we did that it was because Sapphire felt rejected by Rainbow Dash.”

She glanced at the princesses and quickly brought her gaze to the table.

“And after you escaped your capture,” Celestia asked.

“Another friend, Emerald Lilly, freed us. Sapphire wanted to follow them, but we managed to talk her out of it.”

“Why did you follow us into the forest,” Twilight asked.

Aqua Rain nodded, “We almost had Sapphire convinced to leave Ponyville, but she saw you and your friends return. She became obsessed and insisted on going after you.”

Rainbow Dash leaned forward and asked, “Why did you go with her?”

“She was adamant on going after you. Emerald said she wouldn’t go, but Cobalt said we should go with her. He heard stories about that forest and didn’t want to leave her alone.”

Twilight nodded, “The Everfree Forest is known for being dangerous. It was good that you tried to keep her safe.”

She smiled and said, “But we have good news, Princess Luna.”

“Oh,” Luna said, “Were you able to help the spirits?”

Twilight nodded, “Yes, they are finally free. It took some convincing, but they all moved on.”

Luna smiled, “That is good. You said that you needed information. What happened?”

She turned to Aqua Rain, “And how does it involve her?”

Twilight cleared her throat, “Well, one of the ghosts asked that we purify the temple. I created an energy flow to guide any lost spirits out, but I felt something while forming the energy flow. It felt old. Much older than the temple.”

Celestia and Luna shared a glance but said nothing.

“I asked the ghost, and she said it might be best if I didn’t pursue the matter.”

Celestia nodded, “That sounds like good advice.”

Twilight turned to Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie and said, “There’s more. Fluttershy and Pinkie discovered a curious structure beneath the temple tunnels. The ponies tried to escape during the attack, and part of the tunnels collapsed. Pinkie and Fluttershy can tell you more.”

Pinkie nudged Fluttershy and said, “We were looking for the ghostie, but it was super dark. Eventually, we fell down a hole and got lost. I couldn’t see, but I felt the floor. It felt like marble, but I knew it was super unlucky when I gave it a test tap.”

“How could marble be unlucky,” Luna asked.

“Because it was obsidian,” Pinkie said, shuddering, “The whole place was covered with it. Everywhere we went, there was obsidian.”

“I understand the old superstition,” Celestia said, “But obsidian isn’t unlucky. It can be hazardous, but I was unaware of that much being in a single place.”

The group nodded, but Applejack stared at Celestia. Something bothered the earth pony.

“Uh,” Applejack said, “I don’t mean to call nopony a liar, but why do I get the feeling that wasn’t true?”

She looked around and added, “Look. If you say that you never heard this before, I believe you.”

Princess Celestia smiled, “That’s quite all right. It comes with your unique talents.”

“Talents that should not be exposed to criminals,” Luna said, “As long as she’s here, do not speak of it.”

Twilight shook her head, “I don’t like leaving information out, but is Applejack right? Do you know more about the structure?”

Celestia closed her eyes and turned to Aqua Rain. She still bore anger in her eyes but had softened.

“This is a matter of security,” Celestia said, “Please wait outside, and a guard will watch over you.”

A guard approached the table, and Aqua Rain got to her hooves.

Before the guard led her away, Celestia said, “She is not to be mistreated in any way, understood?”

The guard nodded, and the two left the room.

“Now,” Celestia said, “We can proceed. Your assumption was correct, Applejack.”

She smiled and said, “Consider it a benefit of bearing the Element of Honesty.”

“Is that why you had her leave,” Twilight asked, “Because of the Elements of Harmony?”

Celestia nodded, “As much as I dislike the dishonesty, it is needed. Now, to tell you the truth.”

“We were aware of the structure,” Luna said, “It was buried before the temple was constructed. I chose the location because of the powerful magical energy located there. This energy had a well-defined pattern even in the wild Everfree Forest.”

Twilight nodded, “If the structure was already buried, how did you discover it?”

“I had surveyors confirm the stability of the area. Not only physically but magically as well. One of them began to dig into the ground with his bare hooves. He was a pony possessed.”

Luna shook her head, “It wasn’t until later we learned the truth.”

“What’s down there,” Twilight asked, “Some unseen force took control of two ponies and abducted another.”

“Friends of hers,” Luna asked.

Twilight nodded, “Yes, two were friends, the one that was abducted is her husband.”

Celestia tilted her head, “Husband? That is interesting. We don’t have much information on the structure, but everypony that came in contact with it became possessed.”

“But,” Fluttershy said, “Pinkie and I weren’t possessed, and neither was the candidate of the Element of Kindness.”

“She was a ghostie already,” Pinkie said, “Think that might be why?”

Celestia nodded, “Her being deceased might have prevented her from being affected, but I don’t know why the two of you were spared.”

Twilight tapped at the table, deep in thought. After a moment, she asked, “What were the symptoms of those affected?”

Luna leaned back and said, “Simple obsession with the structure. They would constantly be calling for-“

“A blackened emerald in a courtyard,” Twilight asked.

The princesses turned to Twilight, their mouths agape.

“Yes,” Luna said, “They claimed that this emerald needed them, and they needed to find it.”

Rainbow slumped in her chair, “That’s what Sapphire said.”

She turned to Luna and said, “The other pony, Emerald something, said that everypony would be going there.”

“What do you mean,” Luna asked.

“To quote her exactly,” Twilight said, “She said, ‘This is where everypony shall return’ though I don’t know what she meant.”

“This is certainly ill news,” Luna said, “I say leave it alone. Cast your attacker in the dungeons and move on with your lives.”

“Now hold on a second,” Rainbow Dash shouted, “I don’t like her either, but she surrendered because we promised to help her friends and husband. We can’t just leave them there.”

Luna slammed a hoof on the table and shouted, “You will do as your princess commands.”

Rainbow Dash began to look away but stood her ground.

“And I promised I would help her, so that’s what I’m going to do. You don’t like it. Toss me in that cell with her.”

“Please,” Celestia said, “Let’s not lose our heads. Rainbow Dash, the situation is much more complicated than you realize. There is a reason we would rather not have you return to the temple.”

Applejack placed a hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder and helped her calm down.

“I think I get your meaning,” she said, “But don’t you think it’s just wrong that we leave those ponies trapped in there? I agree that they belong in jail, but I want them in jail not in that temple.”

“Princess,” Fluttershy said, “I understand you’re angry, but please, help us save them. Aqua Rain and her husband, Cobalt, promised to surrender to the police.”

Princess Luna stared at the ponies present and then turned her attention to the closed door. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“Guard,” she said, “Bring her back in. There’s much we need to discuss.”

“Of course,” he said and headed to the door.

After a minute, Aqua Rain was sitting at the table. She didn’t look the princesses in the eyes but did give them a slight nod when she sat down.

“How long have you known your husband,” Luna asked.

Aqua Rain turned and said, “For most of my life. We met shortly after I earned my cutie mark. He hadn’t earned his yet, so I helped him. We grew closer over the years, and last year he proposed.”

“I see,” Luna said, “Don’t mistake this leniency for forgiveness. You and your friends will serve for your crimes, and I am charging you with their immediate capture.”

Celestia shook her head, “In a sense, you have just been deputized. You are to assist Twilight and her friends in the release of your friends. At which point, you will all turn yourselves in to the Ponyville police. Is that clear?”

Aqua Rain nodded.

“Good,” Luna said, “Now, you said that you saw something emerge from the temple. Something nopony else saw. Can you describe it?”

“Yes, your highness,” Aqua Rain said, “It looked like a pony, also different. She was much more slender, and her features were sharper. I remember her eyes the most. They were black pools. They appeared to be shadows from a distance, but when she got close, they seemed to open into an endless abyss.”

She shuddered and added, “When I saw her that closely, I feared that I would fall in.”

Celestia and Luna shook their heads.

“In a sense,” Celestia said, “You already have. That water you were being dragged into was not water from the baths. It was part of their home.”

“Whose home,” Twilight asked, “I’ve never heard of this before.”

“And for good reason,” Celestia said, “There was no reason for you to study such ancient and terrible things, but now is the time that you learn.”

She took a sip of water and said, “After more of the surveyors were affected by the temple, Luna and I decided to examine it ourselves. We saw the path the surveyors were digging and proceeded to dig. It took a while, but we eventually hit a solid block of obsidian.”

Celestia shook her head, “We honestly thought that it was nothing more than a large deposit of obsidian, but Luna mentioned that it was far too smooth for it to be a deposit.”

“Did you manage to get inside,” Rainbow Dash asked.

Luna nodded, “Yes, though the spell known as Teleportation hadn’t been created, we innately had the ability. We tried to sense if there was anything beneath the obsidian, but it was difficult.”

“Because it was absorbing the magic you were using,” Twilight said.

“Exactly,” Celestia said, “In the end, we decided with simple brute force to break through. We entered and found a massive labyrinth composed entirely of obsidian. We began to explore and noticed that structure was quite odd. The halls were all straight, and each room was a perfect square.”

“Were there any doors,” Fluttershy asked.”

She ducked slightly and said, “I’m sorry. When we were down there, we noticed that there were doors that would close when we got close.”

Luna shook her head, “No. Everything was plain. No doors. Nothing more than endless halls lined with obsidian. We returned to the surface and were about to seal the hole we made.”

Celestia sighed, “And that’s when we saw her. She was, as you described, a slender, sharp-featured pony. She didn’t give off energy as living creatures do. She felt like a vacuum. She got close and asked me to attack Luna.”

“Really,” Luna said, “Because I recall that she spoke to me and asked that I try and harm you.”

“That seemed to be her game,” Twilight said, “I take it neither of you were affected.”

Celestia smiled, “That is correct. This creature knew that whatever power she wielded didn’t work on us. She became upset and disappeared.”

She took a sip of water and said, “When she vanished, we caught a glimpse of something. It was a cave, and we suspected this was where this creature came from.”

Fluttershy shivered and moved closer to Pinkie.

“Do you think there are more like her,” she asked.

“That we don’t know,” Luna said, “But if there is one, there should be more.”

Celestia nodded, “Afterward, Luna and I sealed the hole and stopped all surveying on the site.”

“But you still built the temple,” Rarity asked, “Doesn’t that seem reckless?”

“Not necessarily,” Twilight said, “They might have built the temple to keep an eye on the structure, to study the unique magic located there, and to keep the magical energy from escaping.”

Luna smiled, “Well, it seems my sister’s pupil is quite sharp. You make our decision seem nobler than it was, but you are correct.”

“Did the candidate for...,” Twilight began but stopped herself when she remembered that Aqua Rain was there.

“I mean, would the pony in charge be aware of the structure?”

Luna nodded, “Yes, whenever a pony took over, they would be apprised of the structure. Part of their duties were to monitor any activity of the students showing signs of corruption.”

“That was the true purpose of the security system,” Twilight said, “If any pony showed signs of possession, they would know.”

“Exactly,” Celestia said, “We had to keep this information secret. We hope you understand why we can’t ask any of you to return. The risk is simply too great.”

“But we weren’t affected,” Rainbow said, “Only her friends were.”

“Or,” Twilight said, “Perhaps the excess magical energy was acting like an insulator and prevented us from being affected.”

“Okay,” Applejack said, “But why weren’t Pinkie or Fluttershy affected? They were down in those tunnels.”

“And disappeared,” Pinkie said.

“What,” Luna asked, “She disappeared?”

Pinkie nodded, “When we got lost, I felt on the floor to feel anything. I felt something, and I knew it was my Flutters. I ran after it, but it suddenly vanished.”

Fluttershy rested her head on Pinkie’s shoulder and said, “Yes, I stumbled into a room and found myself inside a courtyard with a fountain in the center.”

“A courtyard,” Celestia asked.

Fluttershy nodded, “Yes, but I don’t remember seeing anything that looked like a blackened emerald.”

Luna got to her hooves and began to pace. She stopped and asked, “So, you were able to enter one of these rooms and were transported to another place?”

Fluttershy nodded, “I thought it was just an illusion that the ghost created to hide, but I’m not sure anymore.”

Luna shook her head, “This does not make sense. Both of you should have been overcome by the forces down there. What kept you sane?”

Fluttershy shivered and nuzzled against Pinkie’s mane.

After a moment, she said, “I don’t know, but all I could think was that I needed to find Pinkie. I needed to get back to her.”

The princesses shared a look, and Celestia got to her hooves.

“Please excuse us,” she said, “We have something to discuss. You may return to the hall, and we will call for you shortly.”

The ponies rose and left, and Aqua Rain walked behind Applejack and tried to keep her eyes away from any reflective surfaces.

“You’re no fun,” the voice whispered, “You won’t see me, but I can still see you.”

Aqua Rain closed her eyes and kept walking.

Once the ponies were in the hall, Rainbow Dash asked, “Okay, so what’s going on? We don’t know how to fight this thing.”

“I don’t know,” Twilight said, “There’s something about Pinkie and Fluttershy that protected them.”

Rarity giggled and said, “Darling, it’s actually quite obvious.”

Twilight stared and asked, “Well, if it is, I don’t see it.”

“Well, the reason they weren’t affected is the same reason that Aqua Rain’s husband was abducted.”

Aqua Rain stared at Rarity and asked, “Do you know why he was taken?”

Rarity shook her head, “That I don’t know, but I suspect there is a reason that he didn’t succumb like your friends.”

Smiling, she walked to a bench and sat down.

“And are you planning on telling us anytime today,” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Of course,” Rarity said, “The answer is quite simple.”

She pointed a hoof at Aqua Rain and then to Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie.

“Because of their love, the love that Cobalt and Aqua Rain have for one another protected him, and the love our dear friends share protected them.”

“But that thing is still chasing me,” Aqua Rain said.

Rarity nodded, “That might be because it senses you are losing hope, perhaps?”

Aqua Rain looked away, “I. You might be right. I mean, how can I go up against something like that?”

“Well,” Applejack said, “You’re not going alone.”

They all to a seat, and Fluttershy lay down on Pinkie’s lap.

Pinkie stroked Fluttershy’s mane as they all waited for the princesses to call them back.

“Whatever they’re talking about must be super serious,” Pinkie said.

Twilight leaned back and said, “Yeah, they might be trying to decide what to do.”

Rainbow hopped off the bench and said, “Well, I hope they don’t plan on telling us to leave it alone.”

“No,” Rarity said, “As you told Princess Luna, we gave our word, and we will abide by it.”

Rainbow Dash smiled and sat down, “I just hope they decide soon.”

“Um,” Fluttershy said, “Aqua Rain, may I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” Aqua Rain said.

“What do you do? If you don’t mind me asking.”

Aqua Rain smiled, “I work with the weather service. I help organize the weather for the week.”

“Really,” Pinkie said, “I thought only pegasi could do that.”

“Well,” Aqua Rain said, “As far as weather manipulation goes, yes, only pegasi can do that. In smaller towns, it’s fine with pegasus-only teams, but in larger cities, you need more ponies.”

“Where you from,” Applejack asked.

“Manehatten. We’re all from there, and we were traveling to see the world outside of the city.”

“Well, ain’t that something,” Applejack said, “I got family in Manehatten.”

Aqua Rain smiled, “Small world, I guess.”

Again, the ponies fell silent and waited for the princesses’ summons.

Fluttershy snored softly as she slept soundly in Pinkie’s lap, and the pink earth pony smiled at the sight.

“I can’t wait to plan your next proper date,” Rarity whispered, “It will be so romantic.”

Pinkie shook her head, “No thanks. I think our next date should be nice and simple.”

Rarity giggled, “Pinkie Pie, romantic does not have to be complicated. In fact, I was thinking of something quite simple for the two of you to enjoy, but I understand how you feel. I don’t mean to pry.”

Pinkie shook her head, “Pry away. That’s what friends are for. I just want to show her a good time on my own.”

“You got any ideas,” Applejack asked, “Ideas that don’t involve parties?”

“Hey,” Pinkie said, “I’m not a one-trick pony, you know. I can think of stuff. I’ll need some time.”

Rainbow grinned at Pinkie, “Okay, then let’s get to a serious question. When are you taking her to meet your family?”

Pinkie blushed and said, “I. I don’t know. They’ll love Flutters, but...”

Rarity giggled, “It’s a bit too soon for that conversation. For now, let us focus on the task at hand.”

The ponies nodded, and soon, the doors to the throne room opened.

“Ms. Sparkle,” a guard said, “The princesses require your presence.”

The group stood, and the guard said, “Only Ms. Sparkle.”

“This must be serious,” Twilight said, “I’ll be right back.”

“You gonna tell us everything, right,” Rainbow Dash asked.

Twilight glanced at the guard and said, “I will be right in.”

He nodded and closed the door.

“I don’t want to make any promises that I can’t keep,” Twilight said, “But I won’t keep any of you in the dark.”

Rainbow Dash nodded, “Cool. Now get in there, and hurry it up. We got ponies to save.”

Aqua Rain smiled and whispered, “Thank you.”

Twilight entered the throne room and walked to the princesses, where they sat on their respective thrones, and neither appeared to be happy.

“Thank you,” Celestia said, “I know this will be difficult not to have your friends with you.”

Twilight bowed and said, “I understand. You wouldn’t have summoned only me if it wasn’t important.”

Luna said, “That’s true. We weighed out options, and though we take no pleasure in our decision...”

“You mean to abandon the trapped ponies,” Twilight said.

“We mean to protect a greater population,” Luna said.

Twilight pawed at the floor and said, “Call it what you want, but you are still abandoning four ponies.”

“Only three are within the temple,” Luna said.

Twilight nodded, “Yes, and one is marked. I don’t wish to be disrespectful, but you understand that if you order me to leave them there, I will have no choice but to disobey?”

Celestia got to her hooves, “We suspected you would disagree with our decision, so we will leave it to you to decide.”

“Remember,” Luna said, “If any of you become corrupted, there is no cure. You will be lost, and should a new threat rise, one that requires the Elements of Harmony...”

Twilight turned her gaze to the floor and took a deep breath.

“I understand your concern,” she said, “And I respect the gravity of your responsibility. You have to worry about everypony in Equestria, and if this force manages to escape the Everfree Forest, it could be disastrous.”

She returned her gaze to the princesses and said, “I believe we should try. If we cannot free them, we will have no doubts in our minds.”

“We were quite worried that you would say that,” Luna said.

“What’s wrong,” Twilight asked.

Celestia nodded, “There may be a way, but it would require using your friends.”

“You mean Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie,” Twilight asked.

The princesses nodded.

Twilight took a few steps closer and stopped at the bottom of the stairs leading to the thrones.

“Rarity suspected as such,” she said, “She said that their love protected them.”

Luna got to her hooves and said, “And we believe she is correct. Curiously, the effect of possession is similar to love. A great obsession with this ‘blackened emerald’ drives ponies insane.”

“But wouldn’t love be different,” Twilight asked.

Celestia smiled, “Yes, but depending on your point of view, love is also an obsession. They said as such. When they were lost, they only thought of each other. That kept the forces away.”

Twilight took a step back and asked, “Are you suggesting we send Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie down there again?”

The princesses nodded.

“We would also ask that you send this, Aqua Rain, as well. Since her husband is also trapped, she may be of use.”

Celestia placed a hoof on Luna’s shoulder and said, “There is another way.”

Luna quickly shook her head, “No, we can’t risk anypony knowing of their existence.”

Twilight tilted her head in confusion. She brought her attention to the stained glass window and could only think of the Elements of Harmony. Then she realized.

The necklaces.

“We can manifest part of the power of the Elements of Harmony on our own,” Twilight said, “But the necklaces would...”

“Allow you to be protected by the forces within,” Luna said, “Do you think it’s worth the risk?”

Twilight nodded, “I do. I appreciate the possible risk of exposing the Elements of Harmony to the public, but I think this will be the best bet. And, should we succeed, the ponies that know would be in prison anyway.”

Luna sighed, “That doesn’t provide much comfort, but you have our support to proceed as you need.”

“I believe this is the best course of action,” Twilight said, bowing, “And now, if you’ll excuse me, we must return to the temple.”

She turned and began to walk to the door when she heard Celestia call for her.

“Just a moment, Twilight,” Celestia said, “I believe I can assist you.”

Twilight stopped and said, “Any help will be appreciated.”

Celestia nodded, “I understand that it was a full day’s travel to reach the temple, but you should be able to transport to it easily now.”

“How,” Twilight asked.

Celestia smiled, “Focus on the energy flow you created.”

Twilight tapped her chin with a hoof and smiled, “Yes, if I can sense the energy flow, I can use it as a marker and transport all of us directly there. I can create a smaller marker in Ponyville so that we can return.”

She hopped on her hooves and said, “I think that’s the key for my teleportation spell.”

Celestia laughed, “One issue at a time.”

Twilight nodded, “Of course. Thank you. Both of you.”

She bowed and ran out of the throne room.

“I hope we did the right thing,” Luna said, “If they get trapped...”

Celestia shook her head, “They are stronger than they realize. And the love they share will see them through. Have faith, sister.”

Luna smiled, “Yes, they freed me. They freed my trapped students. I was wrong to doubt and despair. They will succeed.”

The princesses nodded and returned to their duties.

---

Twilight found her friends and said, “Okay, we’re going back in.”

“To the throne room,” Rainbow Dash asked.

Twilight shook her head, “No, we’re going back to the temple.”

She turned to Aqua Rain and said, “We keep our promises, and we will save your husband.”

Aqua Rain nodded as tears formed in her eyes.

“Thank you,” she said.

Pinkie Pie nudged Fluttershy awake.

“Looks like we’re on the go again,” she said.

Fluttershy nodded and got to her hooves.

“What did the princesses decide,” she asked.

Twilight nodded, “We’re going back, but first, we must get ready. So let’s get back to the balloon.”

The group returned the balloon, and Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash flew alongside as they returned to Ponyville.

The flight felt shorter, and they soon arrived at the library.

Spike met them and asked, “How’d everything go?”

“We learned quite a bit,” Rarity said, “There are some curious mysteries that still need unraveling.”

He smiled at the white unicorn and said, “Well, it’s good that you’re back.”

Twilight disembarked and said, “Spike, please get some food prepared. We’re leaving at once.”

Spike saluted and ran back inside the library, and the group followed.

Once inside, Twilight said, “Okay, everypony, take a seat.”

“Now,” she said, “The princesses didn’t tell me anything about how to disable the runes on the door, but we won’t need to.”

Rainbow leaned forward and asked, “So, what’s the plan?”

Twilight focused her magic and produced six ornate boxes.

“Wait,” Rarity said, glancing at Aqua Rain, “Does this mean...”

Twilight nodded, “Yes, we’re using the Elements of Harmony.”

“The what,” Aqua Rain asked, “Is this what Princess Luna didn’t want me to hear?”

“Yes,” Twilight said, “We won’t tell you everything, but these will be vital if we want to save your friends.”

Each pony took their respective necklace and put it on.

“They’re certainly beautiful,” Aqua Rain said, “But what do they do?”

Twilight smiled, “It’s complicated, but these will protect us from the temple.”

“But,” Fluttershy asked, “What about her?”

Twilight sat down and said, “Rarity’s theory seemed correct. The love shared between Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, and the love shared between Aqua Rain and Cobalt seem to protect them from the influences of the structure.”

“The princesses didn’t wish for us to use the Elements,” Twilight added, “They would rather we send Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Aqua Rain down, but I disagreed.”

Applejack nodded, “Well, that’s good. We’ve sat on the side for too long. Now let’s get going.”

Rarity groaned, “And we must trek through the forest again?”

“No,” Twilight said as she focused her magic.

The room darkened slightly as energy flowed to her horn, and she then directed the energy to the floor and spawned a small spout of energy.

“Ooh,” Pinkie said, “Pretty!”

Twilight smiled and said, “Princess Celestia taught me a new spell.”

She motioned to the spout and said, “If I were to focus on the energy flow I created in the temple, I could transport us there immediately. So I created this smaller spout so that we can return.”

Applejack whistled, “That’s mighty impressive. Then we can get ready and head out.”

Spike entered the room with a pack of food, “Here you go. How long do you think you’ll be gone?”

Twilight shook her head, “I don’t know. Hopefully, no more than a day.”

Spike smiled, “Okay, well, be careful.”

Twilight smiled, and she parceled out the supplies among the ponies.

“Are we ready,” she asked.

All the ponies nodded, and Twilight focused on the energy flow she created. She felt out for the temple and smiled when she found it. It took more focus than expected, but she managed to cast the spell.

The group immediately found themselves at the steps of the temple.

Twilight turned to Aqua Rain and asked, “See anything?”

Aqua Rain shook her head.

“Okay,” Twilight said, “Once we go in, you keep us informed if you hear or see anything.”

“Okay,” Aqua Rain said.

Rainbow Dash took a few steps closer to the temple steps and asked, “What’s the plan for the doors?”

Twilight smiled, “The time for playing it safe is over. We’re busting in.”
> A Deep Dark Secret Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The air in the temple flowed along with the energy out of the hole in the ceiling. Along with the gentle flow, somepony could find a sense of stillness and peace.

This immediately ended when the doors of the temple exploded inwardly.

From the smoke and lightning from the protective runes cleared, seven ponies stepped inside.

“We’ll head down the stairs and make our way to the hole Pinkie, and Fluttershy found,” Twilight Sparkle said.

The group nodded and ran toward the tunnel that led to the staircase. The torches were still lit in the spiral staircase.

“Are you okay,” Fluttershy asked Twilight.

Twilight smiled, “The feedback has been greatly reduced since we were here, and I think our Elements will protect us.”

She turned to Aqua Rain and said, “Let us know if you feel any pressure or pain.”

Aqua Rain nodded, “Okay, but where are we going?”

“It’s a super unlucky place,” Pinkie Pie said, “I don’t like it.”

Twilight nodded, “We’ll need to be careful when we reach the ruins, but we should prioritize the courtyard Fluttershy was in. Maybe we’ll get more information on this emerald your friend was talking about.”

“I hope they’re okay,” Aqua Rain said as they arrived at the bottom of the stairs.

“They’re having so much fun,” a voice said.

An apparition appeared before them. Her form shifted as she walked toward them.

“Okay,” Applejack said, “That’s close enough.”

The apparition faded and reappeared in front of Aqua Rain.

“He’s in so much pain,” the apparition said, “You might be too late.”

Twilight held up a hoof to stop the ponies from acting.

“Who are you,” she asked the apparition.

“You’ll see,” she said, “But you can call me Yew.”

“Cute,” Rarity said, “But we would have your real name.”

The apparition, Yew, smiled and said, “Well, you have to call me something.”

“I have a few choice names for you,” Rainbow Dash said.

Applejack stepped forward, “Easy there, RD. Let’s forget the names. What are you?”

“I,” Yew, the apparition, said, “am nothing more than a simple harbinger.”

Twilight sighed, “If you won’t stop talking in riddles, step aside. We are here to rescue three trapped ponies and seal this place.”

“That’s quite a task you have before you,” the apparition, Yew, said, “Together, you will certainly succeed, but...”

Her eyes turned from pale white to emerald green. Black streaks swirled within the orbs before returning to their original color.

A few tense moments passed, and nothing had changed.

“So,” Rainbow Dash asked, “Is that it? What was supposed to happen?”

Yew, the apparition, smiled, “Perhaps it’s a bit too soon, but you’ll see. I hope your princesses are doing well.”

Twilight leaned forward, “What do you know about them?”

“I know little, but I know enough.”

The apparition, Yew, sighed and said, “Don’t you know? A seed will grow a forest.”

Her smile grew darker, “A whisper will spark a war.”

She faded and left the tunnel in the same silence the ponies found it.

“Okay,” Applejack said, “I get that we shouldn’t take what she says seriously, but do you think there was anything to that?”

Twilight closed her eyes and thought for a while.

“Maybe,” she began.

Fluttershy placed a wing around her shoulder and asked, “Do you think it might have to do with what the princesses told us?”

Twilight nodded, “Remember the princesses told us that this apparition whispered something to them? That they should hurt each other?”

Rarity tilted her head and suddenly gasped, “Twilight, do you seriously mean that this thing was the source of Princess Luna’s corruption?”

“I don’t know,” Twilight said, “If all it took was a whisper, it might have taken centuries for that whisper to fester in the princess’s mind.”

“Until,” Fluttershy said, shaking.

“Who cares,” Rainbow Dash said, “Princess Luna is fine now, and we’re not going to turn on each other. Let’s just get down there, kick some creepy ghost’s flank, and rescue some ponies.”

A nervous chuckle emerged from the group, and they continued to the slope toward the tunnels beneath.

“It is still quite difficult to see,” Rarity said.

“Imagine how hard it was when the torches were out,” Pinkie said.

Fluttershy nuzzled Pinkie and said, “I was so scared, but I had you with me.”

Pinkie nuzzled her back and giggled, “We’ll be okay.”

The group eventually found the slope and stopped.

“The feedback feels stronger, “Twilight said, “But it’s no stronger than the Everfree Forest.”

Rarity nodded, “It might be difficult to use our magic, but we should be able to manage.”

They then studied the slope.

“Y’all done took quite a tumble. Lucky you didn’t break anything.”

“Well,” Pinkie said, “If you can’t see it, it can’t hurt you.”

Twilight shook her head, “Gravity doesn’t work that way, but I’m glad the two of you were okay.”

Rainbow Dash got as close as she could, only taking a step back when some dirt began to fall down the slope.

“That’s a pretty tight fit,” she said, “You managed to fly up here on your own?”

Fluttershy nodded, “I had to. I couldn’t leave Pinkie down there.”

“That’s good to hear,” Twilight said, “But now we need to get down there safely.”

Now, with better lighting, they could see the slope had a steep decline. The ponies could see the split where Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were separated.

“Any ideas,” Applejack asked.

“If Fluttershy could carry Pinkie back up,” Rainbow said, “Maybe we can do the same on the way down.”

Rarity placed a hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder, “That might be a bit difficult since the only pegasi are Fluttershy and yourself. I don’t know if she has the strength for so many trips.”

Aqua Rain looked down the slope and said, “I have an idea.”

The group turned to her and waited.

“What if we just slide down?”

Twilight shook her head, “No. One of the ghosts that were here was seriously injured because of her fall here.”

“Now hold on a minute,” Applejack said, “If I remember right, that fall was because nopony knew that the floor was about to cave in.”

She pointed a hoof at the slope, “We know that it’s there, and all we got to do is go with the slope. We’re not dropping straight down.”

“Maybe,” Fluttershy said, “Rainbow and I can help. It would be much easier than carrying everypony since we’ll be sliding down the slope.”

Twilight sat down and nodded thoughtfully, “I can see that working. Does anyone have any objections?”

Rarity opened her mouth and glared at Rainbow when the blue pegasus said, “And no objections about getting dirty.”

“If you must know,” Rarity said, “I was about to say that we should ensure that we have any first aid available should we suffer any minor injuries in our descent.”

Rainbow gave her a sheepish smile.

“But yes,” Rarity said, “I do loathe the thought of the dirt ruining my coat. Now let’s be off.”

She didn’t wait for Rainbow to reply. Instead, the white unicorn nudged Fluttershy, and the two began to descend the slope.

“Okay,” Twilight said, “Who’s next?”

Applejack stepped to the slope, “I think I can manage on my own.”

“Better not risk it,” Rainbow said, “I’ll give you a hoof.”

Applejack smiled, “Thanks, RD.”

They waited for Fluttershy to return and descended down the slope.

“You okay,” Pinkie asked as she hugged the panting pegasus.

Fluttershy nodded, “I’m. I’m okay. I just need to catch my breath.”

Twilight placed a comforting hoof on her shoulder, “How far down does it go?”

“I don’t know,” Fluttershy said, “It’s pretty steep.”

Pinkie handed Fluttershy a flask, “Drink up.”

Fluttershy took a drip and sighed as the refreshing water worked its magic.

“Thank you,” she said, “I think I can help you get down.”

Pinkie nuzzled her and said, “Okay, whenever you’re ready.”

Fluttershy nodded and sat down, “Maybe we should wait for Rainbow to get back.”

They waited, but Rainbow didn’t return.

“Maybe she’s waiting for us,” Twilight asked.

Pinkie nudged Fluttershy and said, “Well, let’s get going.”

Fluttershy took a deep breath and helped Pinkie back down the slope.

They moved down quicker than expected, and when they reach the fork, Fluttershy realized that they had forgotten to decide which way to go.

As she was getting tired, she took the same path she took Rarity, which was the path she had followed earlier.

Once at the bottom, they found Rarity examining a nearby bench.

“Rarity,” Fluttershy asked, “Are you okay?”

The unicorn didn’t respond. She just kept mumbling to herself as she studied the bench.

Fluttershy began to tremble in fear, so Pinkie walked up to Rarity and poked her with a hoof.

Rarity jumped and turned to the two ponies.

“Oh,” she said, “When did you two arrive?”

“We just got here,” Pinkie said, “And you were just staring at this bench and talking to yourself.”

Rarity blushed and said, “Oh, I’m sorry. I was studying this bench. I decided to sit down and felt something curious.”

She waved the ponies over and pointed at the obsidian.

“I don’t see anything,” Fluttershy said.

Rarity smiled, “Run your hoof over it.”

“Don’t do it,” Pinkie said, “I don’t want you messing with any of this unlucky stuff.”

Rarity shook her head, “Pinkie, it’s fine. She will not be hurt.”

Fluttershy took a step forward and did as Rarity asked.

“There’s something carved in the bench,” Fluttershy said, “Why can’t we see it?”

“Because it’s bad luck,” Pinkie said.

Rarity sighed and said, “I believe it has more to do with the lighting than luck. You can see it a bit better from this side.”

She stepped aside, and Fluttershy took her place.

Fluttershy stared at the bench and saw something carved in the stone. It appeared to be waves, but she couldn’t tell much more.

“I don’t want to look at this for too long,” she said, “Maybe Pinkie is right. We should leave it alone.”

Pinkie hugged her and said, “That’s right. My girlfriend’s on my side.”

“As she should be,” Rarity said, “I agree that we should be careful, but I was intrigued by the motif. Perhaps, we can see it better with proper lighting.”

Fluttershy suddenly realized that Rainbow Dash and Applejack were missing.

“Rarity,” she asked, “Have you seen Rainbow or Applejack?”

Rarity shook her head, “No. I wondered what was taking so long. Perhaps they took the other path?”

“Oh my,” Fluttershy said, “We have to find them.”

She ran to the slope and readied herself to fly. After a moment of hesitation, she quickly turned and gave Pinkie a quick nuzzle.

“For good luck,” she said and flew up the slope.

Rarity giggled as Pinkie blushed.

“You are very fortunate to have such a loving pony,” Rarity said.

Pinkie grinned, “Don’t I know it.”

---

“Just how the hay were they able to be down here,” Rainbow Dash asked.

“I have no idea, Sugarcube,” Applejack said, “But I don’t like this place.”

Rainbow nodded, “This place gives me the creeps.”

When she arrived at the bottom with Applejack, they were surprised that they didn’t see Rarity. At first, they assumed that she was checking the area, but it had been far too long since they got there.

The room they found themselves in had several tables covered in urns.

“Just what is it with these things,” Applejack asked, “And where’s Rarity?”

Rainbow stretched her wings, “Maybe Fluttershy took her down the other path?”

Applejack nodded, “Well, I’m not about to have you carry me back up, so what do you say we just go look for them?”

Rainbow Dash nodded and turned around. In her haste, her tail knocked over an urn, causing it to crash to the floor.

A scream pierced the air, forcing the ponies to cover their ears. In a moment, the scream ended, and silence fell once again.

“Okay,” Rainbow said, “I officially hate this place. Let’s go.”

Applejack nodded, and they carefully made their way toward the hall.

---

“They shouldn’t be taking this long,” Twilight said, “If they don’t arrive soon, we’ll just have to take a chance and slide down.”

Aqua Rain looked back at the tunnel they walked to get here. She wanted to go back, but she took a deep breath and said, “We should just go down. Your friend, Fluttershy, seemed very tired after coming back up. Maybe she’s resting.”

Twilight nodded, “I think you might be right. Let’s slide down.”

She positioned herself on the slope’s edge and said, “Try and keep as close to the side as you can. Hopefully, we can control our fall more easily that way.”

Twilight steadied her breathing, sat down, inched toward the lip, and went over the side.

Aqua Rain waited a few seconds and then followed.

The idea of sliding down the slope worked, though it was far from comfortable. Twilight had a hard time seeing as there were no torches inside the slope, but she saw a split in the path. She didn’t have time to change direction because she fell right into Fluttershy’s hooves.

“Oh, my,” the yellow pegasus squeaked, “Twilight, did you fall?”

She beat her wings furiously to remain steady, but she finally stabilized herself.

“No,” Twilight said, “We were worried, so we decided to slide down...”

She turned her attention back up the tunnel when she heard the sound of somepony sliding down.

Before she could say anything, Aqua Rain slid into the two ponies, causing all three to tumble down the slope.

They landed in a pile of dust and ponies but were thankfully unhurt.

“Flutters,” Pinkie shouted and shoved the unicorns off of Fluttershy.

She helped Fluttershy get to her hooves and started wiping the dust off.

“We’re okay,” Fluttershy said.

“Sorry,” Aqua Rain said, “I thought I had enough time after you went down.”

Twilight stretched and said, “It’s fine. We had no way of knowing that Fluttershy was on her way back up.”

Fluttershy shook her head, “But I wasn’t going back up to you. I was going to see where Rainbow Dash and Applejack went,”

“They’re not here,” Twilight asked.

“No,” Rarity said, “We suspect they went down the other side of the slope. That’s where Fluttershy was headed.”

“I see,” Twilight said, “So, do we wait for them to meet us, go back up, or try and find them?”

Fluttershy sat down and rested her head on Pinkie’s shoulder. She looked up at her girlfriend and gave her a weak smile.

“Well,” Pinkie said, “We’re not going back up. I’m not letting Flutters tire herself again.”

Rarity walked to them and said, “I think going back is a bad idea. I also don’t think Rainbow and Applejack would sit still. They’re surely searching for us.”

Twilight saw the area for the first time and marveled.

“This is not what I expected,” she said, “This architecture is completely different from any I have seen before.”

Rarity smiled, “Whoever built this place seemed to like rectangles.”

“You would think so,” Twilight said, “But I think it’s more a lack of any curvature in the structure.”

“Then what about the carvings,” Fluttershy asked.

Twilight tilted her head, “Carvings?”

Rarity smiled as she pointed to the bench, “Yes, there seems to be carving within the stone, and as best as I can tell, they depict water or waves.”

Twilight studied the carvings and said, “That’s interesting. So, whoever built this place used straight lines and sharp angles for construction and curves for decoration?”

She glanced at the ponies and said, “That doesn’t make much sense, but it is very old.”

Aqua Rain stepped forward, “I’m sorry, but I don’t care about architecture or carvings. I just want my husband back.”

“And we will save him,” Rarity said, “But we simply cannot afford to proceed blindly. We need information.”

Aqua Rain sighed, “Fine, but what do we do? I don’t want to wait around. We have no idea how big this place is.”

“You’re right,” Twilight said, “We should try and find them as soon as we can.”

---

The room containing the urns led into a hallway. Neither Rainbow Dash nor Applejack knew which way to go.

Once they stepped into the hall, the door leading into the room closed. Once it was sealed, it was impossible to see where the door once was. It appeared to be a wall and nothing more.

“I seriously don’t like this place,” Rainbow Dash said.

Applejack laughed, “You already said that, and I agree with you.”

They had to decide which way to go, and neither direction appeared promising.

“Well,” Applejack said, “I’m not that great at judging direction like you, so if we took the right path, which way do you reckon the left path went?”

Rainbow turned back to the sealed door and thought carefully. Normally, she would easily find the correct direction, but there was something about this place that made it difficult.

“If this is where we landed,” she said, “Then we should head this way.”

She pointed down the hall and added, “I think.”

Applejack shrugged, “Well, as good a choice as any. Let’s go.”

She began walking but noticed that Rainbow wasn’t beside her.

“Something wrong, Sugarcube,” Applejack asked.

Rainbow shuffled her hooves nervously, “I’m not sure. I don’t even know if this is the right way.”

Applejack walked to Rainbow and said, “Listen, all I need to know is that this was your first guess. That tells me that your instincts pointed you this way. I trust you, so let’s get going.”

Rainbow smiled, “Thanks, and, yeah, let’s go.”

They ran down the hall and stopped when they arrived at an intersection.

“Great,” Rainbow said, “I have no idea where to go from here.”

Even with lit torches on the walls, the halls seemed to stretch indefinitely. The longer they stared into the growing darkness, the further it seemed to go.

“Just pick a direction,” Applejack said, “It’d be better than just standing here.”

Rainbow closed her eyes and imagined that she was flying. She felt herself drift to the left and opened her eyes.

“This way,” she said, and the two ponies ran down the hall.

---

The halls stretched onward, and soon, the group found themselves hopelessly lost.

“Where do we go from here,” Rarity asked.

“I don’t know,” Twilight said, “Do you have any ideas, Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy looked down each hall but saw nothing out of the ordinary. She then had an idea.

“Twilight,” she asked.

“Yeah.”

Fluttershy looked at Twilight’s Element of Harmony and said, “Do you think we can use the Elements to locate them?”

Twilight smiled, “That might not be a bad idea. There’s still so much we don’t know about the Elements. It’s worth a shot.”

She closed her eyes and focused her magic on her Element, causing the necklace to glow brightly. She then turned her attention to her friends. The magically saturated obsidian made it difficult. It was as though Twilight was pushing through a mental fog, but she eventually made a connection with one of the Elements.

A beam of light shot out from her necklace and down the hall.

“There we go,” Twilight said, “We should be able to find them soon.”

The group ran down the hall, making turns as the beam changed direction.

“Those things are pretty useful,” Aqua Rain said, “How come I never heard of them before?”

Twilight shook her head, “Sorry, but we can’t tell you. I’m glad that we have them.”

“Me too,” Aqua Rain said, “Hopefully, we can use them to find Cobalt.”

Twilight didn’t respond, and the group followed the light until they eventually reached a dead end.

The light hit the wall, and there wasn’t any indication of where to go.

“Great,” Pinkie said, “Now, where do we go.”

She walked to the wall and placed a hoof against it. It was solid, but something felt wrong.

She placed an ear to the wall and tapped a hoof against it.

“What,” Rarity began.

“Shh,” Pinkie said and tapped the wall a second time.

After a minute, she took a step back.

“What is it,” Twilight asked.

Pinkie stared at the wall and said, “I don’t know. This is obsidian, but it feels different.”

Twilight studied the wall and said, “That’s interesting.”

She immediately started examining the other walls before returning.

“This wall is different,” she said.

Twilight waved Rarity over and said, “Look at this wall. What do you see?”

Rarity looked at the wall and gasped, “It’s a mural. It looks like an ocean.”

“Or a swamp,” Twilight said, “It doesn’t matter what it depicts. What’s important is that this wall is different, and the Element is directing us through it.”

Fluttershy stepped forward and asked, “Should we break it down?”

“I don’t know,” Twilight said, “That might not be a good idea, but we need to get through.”

Rarity leaned against the wall and sighed, “Well, what do you suggest we do? We certainly can’t sit around and wait.”

Twilight brought her attention back to the wall. Perhaps the mural hid something.

“All I can make out is that this mural represents water. Maybe it’s the builders’ home, but I can’t find anything that helps us proceed.”

She turned to Pinkie and asked, “Can you check the wall again? Maybe see if there’s something hidden?”

Pinkie looked at the wall, “I don’t know. That wall is super unlucky.”

Fluttershy nuzzled Pinkie and said, “Please. I know it’ll be okay.”

Pinkie smiled and placed an ear against the wall again. She tapped it gently and then moved to a different part of the wall.

She repeated this until she found a spot. To the ponies nearby, nothing sounded out of the ordinary, but Pinkie knew what she found.

“This part is hollow,” she said, “And it’s not obsidian.”

She hit the section of the wall, and it fell away easily.

“Oh,” a voice said, “You’re no fun. Fine, have it your way. Your friends are on their way.”

“Ignore it,” Twilight said, “Let’s just find Rainbow Dash and Applejack.

Again, the group followed the beam toward their friends.

---

“This place is like a maze,” Applejack said, “There’s no way we wound up so far away.”

“I don’t know where I’m going,” Rainbow said, “I’m just guessing here.”

Applejack placed a hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder and said, “I ain’t blaming you, Rainbow. I think this place is messing with us.”

Rainbow nodded, “You might be...“

She jumped back when a beam of light hit her necklace.

“What’s going on,” she shouted.

Applejack waved a hoof at the light and said, “Well, it ain’t harmful. Maybe the others are using the Elements to find us?”

Rainbow smiled and said, “Then let’s follow this light and meet up with them.”

They ran down the tunnel but stopped when they heard something.

“What was that,” Applejack asked.

Rainbow stared down the hall, “I don’t know, but you heard it, too?”

Applejack nodded, “Sure did. Think something’s trying to lead us astray.”

“Someone’s being a spoilsport,” a voice said.

Yew, the apparition, appeared before them. Before she could speak again, she faded as Rainbow Dash dove at her.

“Dangit,” she said, “Where’d she go?”

The apparition, Yew, reappeared and said, “Let’s not be hasty. There will be time for that later."

She stared at the light connected to Rainbow Dash’s necklace and said, “That annoying thing is going to be a problem, but I have ways of dealing with it.”

Again, she faded only to reappear down a hall where the beam of light didn’t shine down.

“Your friends are this way,” she said.

Applejack shook her head and nudged Rainbow Dash.

“She’s just wasting our time,” she said, “Let’s follow that beam and meet up with the others.”

Rainbow Dash turned back to where Yew, the apparition, was and saw that she was gone.

“Let’s go,” she said.

Applejack smiled, and they continued running down the hall.

After a few minutes of running down what felt like the same halls, they stopped at another intersection with a crystal on a pedestal.

“That’s not good,” Rainbow said.

The beam of light connected to her necklace also hit this crystal and split the beams, causing a beam to go down each hall.

“I guess she put this here,” Rainbow said, “Any ideas?”

Applejack walked to the pedestal and tried to move the crystal. It was firmly in place.

She turned around and kicked the pedestal as hard as she could. The sound of the kick echoed loudly, but nothing else happened.

“RD,” Applejack said, “Step to the side. I wanna see something.”

Rainbow tried to step to the right but couldn’t move.

“What the hay,” she said, looking down at her hooves.

She had sunken into the obsidian floor. Not much, just far enough that she couldn’t move.

“Was your idea to just walk around the crystal,” Rainbow asked.

Applejack nodded, “Guess that Yew character thought of that. How stuck are you?”

Rainbow pulled as hard as she could but made no progress. She then crouched down and gave a powerful flap of her wings. Again, nothing happened.

“Okay,” Applejack said, “Don’t get yourself hurt. I’ll go check the crystal again. Maybe there’s something I missed.”

She carefully studied the pedestal, and when she touched it with a hoof, the section crumbled.

“What the,” she whispered and pushed against the pedestal.

This time, the obsidian pedestal didn’t budge. It felt as though it were pushing back.

She sat down and thought for a bit.

“Any ideas,” Rainbow Dash called, “I don’t want to be stuck here.”

“I know,” Applejack said, “I’m trying to figure out what’s going on with this thing.”

Again, she touched the pedestal, but she only grazed it as lightly as she could. Again the section crumbled.

She got to her hooves and returned to Rainbow Dash.

“Okay,” she said, lowering herself to Rainbow’s hooves, “Let’s see.”

She grabbed Rainbow’s leg.

“What’re you doing,” Rainbow asked.

“Hush,” Applejack said, “I don’t wanna show my cards just yet. Trust me.”

Rainbow nodded, though cringing as Applejack grabbed her hoof.

Applejack said, “Okay, just relax, I have an idea.”

She slowly lifted Rainbow’s hoof, and it was easily freed from its obsidian prison.

“What,” Rainbow asked.

Applejack laughed, “I guess we’re just a bit too headstrong. The stronger we push, the more it seems to push back. Just step out of it gentle like. You’ll be fine.”

Rainbow Dash nodded and slowly stepped forward.

She groaned, “That’s it?”

“Well,” Applejack said, “I don’t think I would have done much better. I’d use all my strength and still be stuck.”

She turned the pedestal, “Now, let’s just ignore the crystal.”

They walked past the crystal and were surprised to see the beam not change.

The beam of light that connected to Rainbow’s necklace pointed toward the crystal. It didn’t matter where she stood.

“This doesn’t make sense,” she said, “If the beam of light is coming from the others, why is it going to the crystal?”

Applejack shook her head, “That sounds like a Twilight Sparkle question to me, Sugarcube.”

“I think she’s trying to trick us,” Rainbow said.

“Trick,” Applejack asked as she looked inquisitively into Rainbow Dash’s eyes.

Rainbow smiled, “You think of something?”

Applejack nodded and stared down one of the halls. She stood there for a minute before shaking her head. She repeated this two more times before settling on one hall.

“This way,” Applejack said, “The girls are down this hall.”

“You sure,” Rainbow asked.

Applejack nodded, “I am. Don’t know how I’m sure, but I am.”

Rainbow nodded, “That works for me. Let’s go.”

They ran until they heard echoing hoofsteps in the distance.

“Twilight,” Applejack called.

The hoofsteps stopped, and they soon heard the hoofsteps moving in their direction.

Except they were in formation as though it was a group of ponies marching.

Applejack stopped and motioned for Rainbow over to a side hall.

“What’s wrong,” Rainbow Dash asked.

Applejack shook her head, “I don’t know, but I don’t wanna take any chances.”

The hoofsteps continued to get closer, and Applejack listened closely. There was something wrong.

“You hear that,” Applejack asked.

Rainbow listened closely and said, “The hoofsteps sound normal.”

That was when she heard it. Every once in a while, the hoofsteps would skip. It was as though whoever was marching would suddenly take a quick extra step, but this happened repeatedly.

“Think it’s a trick,” Rainbow asked.

Applejack nodded, “Sure do. Let’s just go.”

They ran out of the hall and right into their friends.

“Ow,” Rarity said, falling to the floor, “Where did you two come from?”

Applejack helped her to her hooves and said, “Sorry about that, Rarity. We heard some noises and weren’t sure what it was.”

“Well,” Aqua Rain said, “Now that we’re back together, we need to find Cobalt.”

She looked down the halls and asked, “Where are we? What are we going to do now?”

Twilight sat down and said, “Right now, we stay calm and focus on our objective. We need to find and save Cobalt and your friends.”

Rarity nodded, “And we can’t do that if we fall apart, so let’s keep our heads and see this through.”

“Now that we’re all together,” Rainbow said, “Let’s just call this, Yew, out and turn her into stone or something.”

Aqua Rain tilted her head, “Is that really a thing?”

Twilight sighed, “We can’t waste time by keeping you in the dark.”

She pointed to her necklace and said, “These are powerful artifacts that we can use to fight evil creatures.”

Aqua Rain stared at Twilight for a moment and asked, “Okay, but how will turning her into stone free my friends?”

“She’s not as stupid as she looks,” Yew said, reappearing before the group.

She disappeared as Rainbow Dash charged at her, only to reappear inside a nearby hall.

“Is she slow,” Yew asked, “Haven’t you figured it out by now?”

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Yew began whispering something none of the ponies could understand, and the obsidian floor began to soften.

Before the ponies could react, they were sinking, only for the obsidian to resolidify once they were knee-deep.

Yew opened her eyes and smiled. She walked to Aqua Rain and said, “Your friends are quite busy. They’ll find what I need or simply waste away in the search.”

She grinned and said, “Either way, it makes no difference to me.”

Aqua Rain struggled against the obsidian. After flailing for a while, she screamed, “Where’s Cobalt? What have you done with him?”

Yew shook her head, “That one is annoying. I keep offering him so many things that I know he desires, but he simply refuses.”

She glared at Aqua Rain, “If he doesn’t do what I want, then I’ll have to dispose of him. Is that what you want?”

“I want him back,” Aqua Rain screamed, “Give him back and let us go.”

Yew leaned forward, stopping inches from Aqua Rain.

She grinned and said, “No.”

Yew laughed and looked around, “I hope you enjoy my little home away from home.”

She glanced at Twilight and said, “Oh, does that surprise you? That I don’t reside in this obsidian prison? No, I am a prisoner.”

Twilight struggled against the obsidian and asked, “So, these rooms that seem to open and close on their own are prison cells?”

Yew nodded, “In a way. They’re closer to doorways that lead to where individuals want to go but do any of us really know what we want?”

Applejack watched the two talk as she carefully tried to free herself from the obsidian. She hoped her earlier experience with the pedestal would work here as well.

The obsidian resisted her, and she couldn’t free herself and decided to change tactics. She gently lifted her leg, and she stopped each time she felt the obsidian resist her. Once she had one leg free, she focused on another until she was free from the obsidian.

Twilight saw Applejack free herself from the obsidian and almost drew Yew’s attention toward the earth pony.

“Why were you imprisoned,” she asked.

Yew smiled, “Do you want to hear my sad story? The story of how I was wrongfully imprisoned so long ago?”

While Yew was focused on Twilight, Applejack helped Rainbow Dash free.

“Just like before,” Applejack whispered, “Don’t force it, or it’ll be harder than molasses in winter.”

The remaining ponies were in Yew’s line of sight, so the two walked up to Yew and tapped her on the shoulder.

Or tried, but their hooves went right through her.

“Oh,” Yew said, “You finally figured it out? Good for you.”

Applejack glared at yew and said, “Getting out is easy. Just don’t fight it. It’ll let you go easy enough.”

The ponies listened and soon were free from the floor.

“Very good,” Yew said, “Since you know how things work around here, it’s time that we get to the best part.”

“Wait,” Twilight shouted, “Why are you here?”

Yew smiled, “I’m here because I belong here. I am a simple harbinger. Nothing more. I wipe the slate clean, so the next civilization can make their mess.”

Her pale white eyes changed to emerald just like before, and she said, “If you really wish to save those ponies, you will have to find your way to them. Three ponies are your quest, so let’s make this fair.”

She reared onto her hind legs and stomped her forelegs on the floor. The four halls instantly closed, trapping the ponies inside.

Before they could react, six ponies vanished, and only Aqua Rain and Yew remained.

“Where are they,” Aqua Rain cried.

She spun around and backed up against the wall as Yew walked closer.

“They’ll be busy proving themselves,” she said, “It doesn’t matter what they do. I will be free.”

Yew looked up at the ceiling and smiled, “Soon enough. Soon enough.”

She returned her gaze to Aqua Rain and said, “And you’re going to help me.”

---

The group appeared in a dark room. It didn’t take long before they could see clearly.

“I’ve been here before,” Fluttershy said.

They all looked around and saw that they were inside a courtyard. The pillars, benches, and fountain in the center were made of obsidian. Unlike Fluttershy’s previous visit, there were no other ponies present.

“Okay,” Rainbow Dash said, “Why did she bring us here?”

Twilight walked toward the fountain, “I don’t know, but I doubt this is the courtyard that this blackened emerald is supposed to be in.”

They all walked to the fountain. The water was still and reflected each pony.

“This was how I returned,” Fluttershy said, “When we stepped into the fountain, I mean.”

Twilight nodded, “Hmm, It might be that water was important to whoever this Yew pony is.”

“I think you mean was,” a voice said.

Yew appeared sitting on a bench and waved at the ponies.

Rainbow Dash began to run at her but stopped herself.

“Good,” Yew said, “You’re finally learning.”

She hopped off the bench and said, “You wish to retrieve three ponies. Fine. I can accept that, but I have been quite bored. You six will provide quite a challenge.”

“No,” Twilight said, “We are not interested in games or challenges. You have one chance to release your prisoners or else.”

Yew grinned as she turned to a wall. It began to groan as growls and howls emerged.

“You might want to rephrase that,” she said, “There are other prisoners besides myself here.”

She laughed and said, “But don’t worry. I know what you meant. Unfortunately, you don’t have a choice.”

She pointed a hoof at the fountain and said, “The ponies you seek are inside the fountain. Save them if you can but understand this. You were never going to succeed. I have been here long before your kingdom rose, and I will be here long after.”

Suddenly, the room began to darken. The darkness grew slowly from the outer walls. When the growing shadows touched the grass, they heard the sound of kindling burning.

“I don’t want to wait and see what happens when the darkness gets here,” Twilight said, “Let’s go.”

The ponies entered the fountain, and its floor collapsed. Try as they might, neither Fluttershy nor Rainbow Dash could fly, and they fell along with the rest.

Fluttershy reached a hoof out to Pinkie Pie, who managed to grab hold. The two embraced as they fell. They lost sight of the others, but an energy field appeared around them.

“Three teams of two,” a voice said, “Find the pony, and we’ll see what happens. Good luck.”

Neither pony could respond. They held onto each other tightly and soon saw where they were falling.

Below them and arriving much too quickly, a swamp spread out for miles. They took a deep breath and waited for the plunge before striking out on this new trial that would hopefully free a trapped pony.
> A Deep Dark Secret Part 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sudden drop in temperature was less of a shock than was the equally sudden fall into the water.

Fluttershy quickly got to the surface and swam to a nearby tree.

Her eyes tried to adjust to the darkness, but she found it hard to see or hear anything beyond the water dripping from her coat.

She took a cautious step forward and called out, “Pinkie, are you out here?”

She waited and spun around when she heard something fall into the water.

“Pinkie,” she cried and ran toward the noise.

When she arrived, Pinkie Pie was already on her hooves, shaking the water from her mane.

“Yuck,” she said, “Not the tastiest water.”

Pinkie looked around and smiled when she saw Fluttershy.

“Flutters,” she shouted as she grabbed the yellow pegasus, “I’m glad you’re here.”

Fluttershy hugged Pinkie back and said, “Me too. What’s going on? What did she do?”

Pinkie nuzzled Fluttershy, “I don’t know, but we can’t stay here. Let’s get out of this water and find everypony.”

Fluttershy nodded, and they began walking. They were careful to stay close to what sparse trees there were to avoid falling into the water.

This swamp they found themselves in seemed to have no end.

“Flutters,” Pinkie said, “Think you can fly up and see which way we should go?”

Fluttershy looked up at the sky and gasped.

“Pinkie,” she said, “Look.”

Pinkie looked up and asked, “Why’s the sky look so funny?”

She squinted, “Wait, is the sky made out of obsidian?”

Pinkie stomped her hooves, splashing the brackish water onto her coat.

“That unlucky stone isn’t gonna leave us alone!”

Fluttershy nuzzled Pinkie, “It’ll be okay. I’ll try and see how far this swamp goes.”

She flew up over the sparse trees and looked around. Wherever they were, it seemed to be nearing nighttime.

Panic began to gnaw at her as she scanned the horizon, but she felt relieved when she saw a building in the distance.

She flew down and said, “There’s a building over that way. We should go there.”

Pinkie hopped up and down, again splashing water on her coat.

“Let’s go, Flutters,” she said as they began to walk toward the building.

The water sloshed around their legs, but the pair made good progress. Every once in a while, Fluttershy flew over the trees to make sure they were still headed the right way.

“Pinkie,” Fluttershy asked after an hour or so of walking, “Have you heard any animals since we got here?”

“No,” Pinkie said, getting closer to Fluttershy, “Maybe they’re getting ready for bed?”

Fluttershy looked around and said, “I hope so.”

After another hour of walking, the trees ended, and before them was a lake, and in the center was the building Fluttershy saw.

The building appeared to be a temple similar to Princess Luna’s, the difference being that this temple had tiered layers ending in a point at the top.

Fluttershy could see a platform near the top of the building.

“Is this a lake,” Pinkie Pie asked, “I don’t wanna go swimming.”

Fluttershy studied the building and said, “I think I can fly us over there. There’s a place we can land. Maybe we can go inside from there.”

“Are you sure,” Pinkie asked, “I don’t want you getting tired.”

Fluttershy smiled, “It’ll be okay. I’ll be taking care of you.”

She nuzzled Pinkie, “We’ll be okay.”

Pinkie got onto her hind legs, and Fluttershy lifted her into the air.

She flew across the lake slowly, but it didn’t take long before they arrived at the building.

Pinkie hugged Fluttershy, “You did great. Let’s take a little breather.”

Fluttershy nodded and sat down as she tried to catch her breath.

While Fluttershy was resting, Pinkie looked around. The building seemed to be sunk into the lake, and where they were, a staircase headed down toward an open passage.

“Do you see anything,” Fluttershy asked.

Pinkie turned around, “We can go inside, but I don’t see anything.”

She walked back to Fluttershy and sat down.

Fluttershy rested her head on Pinkie’s shoulder and said, “I hope everypony else is okay.”

---

While Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were in a swamp, Rarity and Twilight were lost in a forest.

“Twilight,” Rarity said, “We’ve been following this path for so long. We should have found something.”

“I know,” Twilight said, “But I think we might be trapped in an illusion.”

Rarity shook her head, “If that Yew character weren’t so nasty, I’d say that this forest is quite lovely.”

Twilight looked up at the sky, “Wherever we are, it’s either dusk or dawn.”

“Or time doesn’t matter in this place,” Rarity said.

They continued to walk along the path and stopped to take a break.

“Rarity,” Twilight said, “I have an idea.”

The white unicorn tilted her head and asked, “Oh, what is it?”

Twilight looked around, “I don’t know, but I can’t help but think about the possibility that this is an illusion.”

“It’s very likely,” Rarity said, “What are you thinking?”

“Okay,” Twilight said, “What if we leave a marker? Something that, if we’re walking in circles, we can make a better decision on where to go.”

Rarity smiled, “That sounds like a marvelous idea. Perhaps we’re supposed to take a specific path.”

Twilight nodded, “That’s what I’m thinking. Let’s try leaving a mark on one of these trees.”

She levitated a rock but dropped it when she heard a distant roar.

“What in the world,” Rarity asked.

Twilight picked the rock back up and got the rock close to the tree again. This time the roar was closer, and the trees seemed to groan in protest.

“There’s something with the trees,” Twilight said, “Let’s try something else.”

She gathered more rocks and left a pattern of six stones.

“That’s a good idea,” Rarity said, “Now, let’s continue and see if we stumble across these stones again.”

Twilight nodded, “We should set a different pattern every so often so we know for certain where we’re going.”

They continued down their path for almost an hour, setting stone patterns of their cutie marks, when they stopped.

“It seems that we have come full circle,” Rarity said.

She glanced around and asked, “Might I make a possibly silly suggestion?”

“That we go back the way we were going,” Twilight asked.

Rarity nodded.

“I think that might be a good idea,” Twilight said, “For all we know, the intended path is the other way.”

They returned and, within minutes, found themselves in a clearing similar to the ruins of Princess Luna’s temple. The main difference is that the building at the center was not a squat temple but a tall tower made of obsidian with moss hanging from various openings.

“If I wasn’t so tired,” Rarity said, “I would be quite annoyed.”

She glanced at Twilight and said, “Oh, to heck with it. I am officially annoyed.”

Twilight smiled, “Me too, Rarity. Me too.”

They walked toward the tower’s door and tried to spot anything at the top. The only thing of note was a dull green glow.

“Could that be the emerald,” Rarity asked, “While we aren’t in a courtyard, we are in a clearing.”

“Maybe,” Twilight said, “Let’s get inside and see what’s at the top.”

---

Applejack was falling, and the blinding sun didn’t help. She had no way of knowing how far she was from the ground.

Eventually, she managed to stop her spin and got her orientation. The sky was wrong. It looked just like the obsidian from that courtyard, but there was a sight that brought her hope.

Rainbow Dash flew toward her in a desperate attempt to catch her. She strained and pushed herself as fast as she could, but she could see the snowy floor quickly approaching.

Applejack tried to reach her friend, and they almost made contact.

Then the wind was suddenly knocked out of her, and she was out.

Rainbow Dash watched her friend limply roll down a slope, and she quickly dove to the bottom.

“AJ,” she shouted as she caught the unconscious pony.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she could see Applejack breathing. The orange pony was covered with snow, and Rainbow couldn’t see any injuries. Still, she felt relieved that she couldn’t see any red in the snow.

“We got to get out of here,” she said as she gently tried to roll Applejack over.

Rainbow finally looked around and tried to figure out where they were. She made sure that Applejack was stable before she took flight.

The first thing she noticed was the biting cold wind. Thankfully, the slope where Applejack lay provided shelter.

Visibility was poor, but Rainbow could see something in the distance. She couldn’t tell if the building led anywhere, but they needed to get moving.

She landed and smiled as Applejack began to stir. Her smile was immediately lost when her friend tried to get to her hooves and let out a scream before falling to her side.

“Applejack,” Rainbow shouted, “Where are you hurt?”

Applejack groaned and gave Rainbow a weak smile.

“I think I hit the ground a might harder than I should have.”

“This isn’t a time for jokes,” Rainbow said, “Where are you hurt?”

“I know, Sugarcube,” Applejack said, “I think I banged up my shoulder pretty bad when I hit the ground. Give me a hoof.”

Rainbow helped her up and tried to get a better look at her friend’s leg.

Applejack favored her right foreleg and winced anytime she tried to put pressure on it.

“That leg doesn’t look good,” Rainbow said.

“Well,” Applejack said, “It doesn’t feel much better. You got any idea where we are?”

Rainbow shook her head, “No clue, but I saw a building in the distance. Normally, it wouldn’t be a big deal.”

“But,” Applejack said, “You got a wounded pony on your hooves.”

She picked up her discarded hat and placed it on her head, “Let’s get going. We have to figure out what to do, and we’re not gonna do that sitting here.”

Rainbow nodded, “Yeah, you’re right. I’ll see if I can find a safe path to the building.”

Applejack nodded, “Okay, but don’t take too long. I don’t like this cold.”

“Got it,” Rainbow said and took to the sky.

Again she felt the sting of the wind. As far as she could see, this slope was the only shelter from the cold. The tree line to her right would provide some protection, but if they went that way, they would take too long. To her left was a massive gorge. She could quickly fly to the building but couldn’t bring herself to leave Applejack behind.

She felt herself grow heavy from the cold, and she began to lower herself down.

“So,” Applejack asked, “How bad is it?”

“Pretty bad,” Rainbow said, “We can follow a tree line, but that takes us the long way around.”

“That’s one option,” Applejack said, “Any others?”

Rainbow nodded, “We can go straight to it, but the wind is way too cold and strong. I don’t think we’d make it very far before we start freezing.”

She sighed, “Other than that. There’s a gorge. It’s the shortest path, but...”

“Only you can use it,” Applejack said.

“I could try and carry you,” Rainbow Dash said, “But I don’t want to mess up your leg.”

Applejack got to a seated position, “Okay, so we can either go straight and freeze or take the trees and take a long time.”

Rainbow Dash nodded, “I don’t like either of them with your leg the way it is.”

She shook as much of the cold she could from her coat and said, “Let’s take the trees. It’ll be the safest bet.”

Applejack lifted a hoof and said, “Or you could fly over to that building and see if there’s anything there.”

“No way,” Rainbow said, “I’m not leaving you here.”

Applejack stood, being careful of her injury, and said, “We don’t know why we’re here, but there’s got to be a reason. If you can figure it out, we can get out of here.”

Rainbow Dash shook her head, “I can’t leave you here, AJ. I just can’t.”

“I’ll tell you what,” Applejack said, “I’ll head to the trees and try to make my way to that building. If you find something, that’s where you’ll find me. No point in me just sitting around.”

Rainbow Dash groaned and took flight. Again, she scanned the area.

“Don’t waste your time,” Applejack shouted, “Nothing’s changing. Now get going. I’ll try and keep up.”

Rainbow tried to find something, anything that could help Applejack make the journey easier, but Applejack was right. Nothing changed. They had to do something.

She returned to the ground and said, “Okay, I’ll fly to the building, but...”

“I’ll be okay,” Applejack said, “I’ve worked hurt before, so I know what not to do. Get going, and come let me know what you find.”

She didn’t wait for Rainbow to respond and walked toward the direction of the trees.

The wind bit at her skin, but Applejack kept her head down and pressed forward.

The ground was steady, and she made progress until she slipped.

Her hoof caught onto a loose stone in the snow, and she fell over, right onto her injured shoulder. She cried out in pain and sighed when she felt a set of hooves help her back up.

“Shouldn’t you be headed to that building,” Applejack asked.

“And I would be,” Rainbow said, “If somepony would stop falling.”

“Funny,” Applejack said as she steadied herself.

She took a cautious step forward and nearly fell over.

Rainbow held her steady, “It’s gotten worse, hasn’t it?”

Applejack nodded, “Whatever number I did to my shoulder, I just made it that much worse. I can make it. Just help me get to the trees.”

“Absolutely not,” Rainbow shouted, “You’re way too hurt to even walk.”

“Look at our options,” Applejack shouted over the wind, “Either we get to that building, or we start digging a couple of holes. I can’t stay here, and you can’t carry me.”

She placed a hoof on Rainbow’s cheek, “Listen, Sugarcube, once I get to the trees, I should be able to use them to steady myself. At the very least, I can get some cover from the cold.”

Applejack turned toward the trees and hobbled again.

Rainbow ran up to her and helped keep her steady.

“Why don’t you listen,” Applejack asked.

“I am listening,” Rainbow said, “Don’t forget that I’m the fastest flier in Equestria. Once I know you’re good, I’ll fly to that building.”

Applejack nodded, “Okay. That I can work with.”

They walked toward the trees, the biting wind caused them to slow down a few times, but they eventually arrived.

Applejack rested against a tree and smiled, “Thanks for the hoof. I’ll head this way, so you can get going.”

Rainbow nodded and readied herself to take off, but she turned around.

Applejack smiled warmly at her, and Rainbow Dash ran and embraced her best friend.

“You better be careful,” Rainbow said.

Applejack hugged her back as best she could and said, “I’ll be as careful as I can. You focus on getting us out of here.”

They broke away from the embrace and smiled warmly at each other.

“Good to see the genuine article,” Applejack said, “Now we have to get going.”

Rainbow nodded and took off.

Applejack smiled and began to walk along the path. Every few yards, she had to rest against a tree.

“These are good trees,” Applejack said.

She patted the latest one she rested against and said, “Thanks for the comfort, I rightly appreciate it.”

She felt a curious energy as she ran a hoof across the bark.

The pain in her leg faded a bit. She still couldn’t place pressure on it, but the pain was lessened.

“Was that you,” she asked, “Cause if it was, I thank you.”

She tipped her hat and continued to walk.

In the distance, she saw Rainbow Dash fly toward the building. She smiled at her friend’s speed, but her smile vanished when Rainbow suddenly stopped and began to fall.

---

Fluttershy smiled at Pinkie. Even with the dark water of the swamp splattered on her coat, Pinkie Pie was beautiful.

“Any ideas, Flutters,” Pinkie asked.

Fluttershy stood and stretched her wings.

“Should we go inside,” she asked.

Pinkie nodded, “That’s a good idea. Let’s see what’s up.”

They walked to the open passageway and tried to look inside.

The dim light from the swamp provided the ponies with a clear view of the stairs that headed down into the building.

“It’s pretty dark down there,” Pinkie said, “I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t want to go in.”

Fluttershy leaned against Pinkie and said, “I’m scared, but I have you with me. We’ll be okay.”

They walked down the stairs and soon found themselves in a square room. The room only had a bit of light from the stairs, so the ponies didn’t risk moving forward.

Pinkie turned around and spotted a lever near the entrance.

“I wonder what this does,” she said as she pulled the lever.

She smiled as torches around the room sprang to life. The room had a rectangular stone table in the center and a door in the center of each wall.

Each door, except for the entrance, went deeper into the building.

The ponies stepped to the table and tried to study it.

“What kind of stone is it,” Fluttershy asked.

Pinkie placed an ear on the altar and gave it a careful tap.

She tapped again and smiled, “Good and reliable granite.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy said, “That’s good. I was worried it would be a bad stone.”

She looked around and said, “I wonder why this table is here.”

“Altar,” a voice said.

The ponies looked up and gasped when they saw who entered the room.

“Who are you,” Fluttershy asked.

“Names don’t matter here,” the newcomer said.

“Okay,” Pinkie said, “Then are you a pony like us?”

Their new companion smiled and shook her head.

She walked to the altar and said, “Again, with a silly need for names. I am no pony, but I am surprised you don’t know who we are.”

Fluttershy took a step forward, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude.”

“There’s no need for apologies,” the unnamed companion said, “But, for your comfort, you may refer to me as Cypress.”

Pinkie hopped up and down, “Like the tree?”

Cypress nodded, “Yes, we share an affinity to the woods.”

She turned her attention to Fluttershy and asked, “Now, what brings you to this temple?”

“We don’t know,” Fluttershy said, “Somepony named Yew brought us here.”

Cypress glanced down to the alter and asked, “What do you know of her?”

Fluttershy shook her head, “We don’t know anything about her. Only that she’s very powerful and that she captured three ponies.”

Cypress closed her eyes and sighed, “So this is my task.”

She opened her eyes and smiled warmly at the ponies.

She pointed to the doors to the left and right of the altar.

“Through each of these doors are an item. You are to gather them and bring them back to this altar.”

Pinkie placed her hooves on the altar and asked, “This some kind of test?”

Cypress nodded, “Yes, and please remove your hooves from the altar.”

After Pinkie took her hooves from the altar, Cypress turned to Fluttershy and said, “I can understand your frustration, but this is your only means of escaping this illusion.”

Fluttershy took a step back and asked, “Are you real?”

“As real as I can be,” Cypress said.

She laughed and added, “I know how that sounds. I am a reflection of one that lived long ago. She took care of this temple.”

“What does Yew want,” Pinkie asked Cypress.

“I believe she wishes for you to understand,” Cypress said, “Her intentions are far from noble but understand that there is a reason for her actions.”

Fluttershy sighed and looked at the door to the left. There was a lit torch just inside, and she could see that it led downward.

“But why would she take three ponies,” she asked.

“I can’t provide you with all of the answers,” Cypress said, “Just know that it might be a sense of justice. From her point of view, of course.”

Pinkie glanced around and asked, “Okay then, which way do we go first?”

Cypress shook her head, “I’m sorry, but you must proceed alone. This is tradition and vital that you honor it.”

Pinkie shook her head, “No way, I am not leaving Flutters alone. We’re in this together.”

“In this case,” Cypress said, “You have no choice. That it unless your faith in your love is that weak.”

Fluttershy glared at Cypress, “Don’t say things like that. I love Pinkie, and I know that she loves me. Her being concerned for my safety doesn’t make our love weak.”

“But,” Cypress asked, “Does she trust that you are able to take care of yourself?”

“Oh, that’s just silly talk,” Pinkie said, “She’s been living by herself for years. I know that she’ll be fine. I just don’t want her to go down a scary place alone.”

Cypress smiled, “This may be true, but I suspect that your love may feel differently.”

“Tell her, Flutters,” Pinkie said, “Tell her that we don’t need to do their silly test.”

Fluttershy dropped her gaze and stayed silent.

Pinkie turned to her and placed a hoof on her shoulder.

“Fluttershy,” Pinkie asked.

“Don’t take her silence for lack of love,” Cypress said, “I can sense that your love is pure. The truth is that she is afraid.”

“Scared of what,” Pinkie asked.

She nudged Fluttershy and asked, “What’s got you spooked?”

Fluttershy looked into her girlfriend’s eyes and said, “We have to do this. I can’t be so weak.”

She hugged Pinkie and said, “I know you will always be there for me, but I need to be able to stand on my own. I’m scared.”

“Yeah,” Pinkie said, “But what’re you scared of?”

“She fears that she’s correct,” Cypress said.

“Enough riddle-talk,” Pinkie said, “Just tell us.”

“Remember when we talked in your room,” Fluttershy asked.

Pinkie nodded, “Yeah, you said you were afraid of...”

She stared and said, “Oh.”

Pinkie hugged Fluttershy and said, “I get it now. I can say that you’ll always be good enough, but you gotta feel it for yourself, right?”

Fluttershy nuzzled Pinkie, “Yes, I have to prove to myself that I’m good enough to be your girlfriend.”

“In that case,” Pinkie said, “Let’s get going.”

She turned to Cypress, “I don’t like this, but we’re in.”

Cypress smiled, “Good. Please proceed. The journey should be a short one but do keep in mind that this is a reflection of what it used to be. There is no telling what changes Yew made.”

The two ponies gave each other a quick nuzzle and a comforting kiss on the cheek and set down their respective staircase.

---

Twilight and Rarity marveled at the tower’s interior. Just like the ruins they came from, this structure was built entirely from obsidian.

“If this illusionary stone shares the same properties as the real obsidian,” Twilight said, “We should avoid using magic.”

“That might be for the best,” Rarity said, “We should hurry to the top and see if we can discover the light source atop this tower.”

“Why climb when one can simply ask,” a new voice said.

They spun around, and a door they failed to notice opened.

A figure emerged and smiled at the unicorns.

“You appear similar to Yew,” Twilight said, “Are you part of the same race?”

The newcomer’s smile faltered momentarily, and she said, “We don’t bother with names, though we often take on such labels whenever we deal with our pony neighbors.”

Twilight smiled, “In that case, please allow us to introduce ourselves.”

She nodded to Rarity and said, “This is my friend Rarity, and my name is Twilight Sparkle.”

“In that case,” the newcomer said, “I welcome you to my home. You may refer to me as Tulip.”

“Named after a flower,” Rarity said, “That’s quite lovely.”

Twilight tapped at the ground for a moment and said, “Or rather, the tree.”

Tulip smiled, “That is quite astute of you. Yes, I share the name with the tree.”

“Do you live alone,” Twilight asked.

Tulip smiled, “I am the only one of my kind here, but I am far from alone. Please, follow me. You wish to inquire about the tower.”

She turned and entered the door from which she first emerged. When Rarity and Twilight got closer, they noticed the door was an entrance to a spiral staircase.

“Oh, I certainly hope this staircase is more welcoming than the last,” Rarity said.

---

Applejack moved as quickly as she dared. Each step was agony, but she had to get to Rainbow Dash.

Whatever the trees did to ease her pain had since faded, but fear carried her forward.

The wind tore at her coat, but her hat protected her eyes. She could still see where she was going.

“Come on,” she whispered, “Keep going.”

She slipped on a loose patch of snow and tumbled to her side. She screamed as she felt the muscle in her shoulder tear.

She tried to roll over and get back up, but the pain was too severe.

Despair began to creep into her heart, and she saw the sky darken.

“No,” she hissed, “I’ll know when it’s my time and ain’t gonna be like this.”

She groaned and rolled onto her belly. Despite her injury, she began to crawl toward the direction she saw Rainbow Dash fall.

Her wounded shoulder was dragged through the snow, with the only silver lining being that the bitter chill numbed the pain.

After an eternity, she reached the crest of the hill. Applejack looked around and saw the blue pony curled up by a rock.

“Hopefully, she’s taking cover,” Applejack whispered.

She dragged herself over the crest, but the hill gave way. Applejack tumbled down, and it seemed every time she made contact with the slope, it was directly on her wounded shoulder.

There she lay. She could see her best friend, not ten yards away, but it might as well have been miles, given the state of her injury. 

Again, the famous Apple Family stubbornness reared its head, and she began to crawl toward Rainbow Dash. She dragged her body and inched closer and closer. Eventually, she was within a few feet of the pegasus, but the fight was out of her. The cold finally won the battle.

“I’m sorry, Sugarcube,” she whispered, “I wasn’t strong enough.”

She glared at the obsidian sky and said defiantly, “Oh, the heck with it.”

With a scream of determination, and agony, she lifted herself by her forelegs and threw herself the final distance toward her friend.

She collapsed on top of Rainbow Dash, and Applejack saw that Rainbow’s head wound had been reopened.

All the earth pony could do was hold her friend and cry at the hopelessness of their situation.

The sudden warmth of the earth pony woke Rainbow Dash, and she groaned as she felt the top of her head.

“What happened,” she mumbled.

“You took a spill,” Applejack said, “And it looks like things are getting much worse.”

Rainbow nodded for a moment, and then her eyes snapped open.

“AJ,” she said, trying to get up, “What’re you doing here? What about your shoulder?”

Applejack shook her head and nodded to her wounded leg.

“It’s worse, but I couldn’t stay put knowing you were out here,” she said.

Applejack glanced back at the trees and wished that they were back there. The curious energy she felt near the trees would be useful now.

She shook her head and pawed at the snow. The snow was not thick, and she revealed the ground beneath.

Acting on instinct, Applejack placed a hoof onto the bare patch of earth and tried to get the trees’ attention.

She could feel the curious energy, but this time, the energy felt too distant. It couldn’t reach them.

Applejack almost gave up when she heard the sound of snow crunching under hoofsteps.

“I would ask if you two need assistance, but that would almost be insulting,” a voice said.

Applejack looked up and saw a figure very similar to Yew, though difficult to see more from the heavy coat they wore.

“If you can help,” Applejack said, “We’d rightly appreciate it.”

The figure tilted their head, “A curious mode of speech, but we can discuss more at my shelter. It’s not far.”

Applejack nodded and tried to get to her hooves. The moment she stood, the pain from her injured shoulder came back to her in a wave. She fell over and nearly passed out.

Rainbow was at her side in an instant.

“What do we do,” she asked.

The figure looked behind and said, “Given the situation, I would suggest haste. We can carry her, and we must not delay.”

Rainbow Dash nodded, and they half carried, half dragged Applejack past the hill and inside a small cave.

---

Tulip led the two unicorns down the stairs and into a study. The room was dimly lit with candles, and the bookshelves lined the walls.

Twilight walked to one of the bookshelves and tried to read the spine of the books. They were all blank.

“May I,” Twilight asked.

Tulip smiled, “Go ahead. These were gifts from ponies that visited this tower so long ago.”

Twilight reached out to grab the book, but Tulip stopped her.

“Does your horn not work,” she asked.

“I would rather not use my magic,” Twilight said, “This obsidian might cause an issue.”

Tulip nodded, “I see. Please, don’t worry about that. The tower is safe. It draws energy from the ground.”

Twilight nodded thoughtfully, “And does the excess energy dissipate into the atmosphere?”

“There is no excess nor waste,” Tulip said, “The surrounding environment uses any energy that radiates from the tower.”

“That’s incredible,” Twilight said, “I wish I had time to study all of this.”

She levitated the book and opened it, her inquisitive smile faded as the book was blank.

“This is an illusion, isn’t it,” she asked Tulip.

Tulip nodded, “Please don’t be cross with me. My intentions were never to anger either of you.”

Rarity shook her head, “You have done nothing but be a gracious host. All you did was confirm what we already suspected.”

“Okay,” Twilight said, “Let’s get things straight. We know that we’re in an illusion. We also haven’t seen any of the others anywhere, so they are probably in illusions as well.”

She turned to Tulip, “Is this some test? Is there something here that Yew wants us to see or understand?”

Tulip glanced at Rarity and smiled, “She is quite clever, isn’t she?”

“She’s brilliant,” Rarity said, smiling, “And, given your response, I take it that she is correct?”

Tulip nodded, “Yes, this is a trial of sorts. I am little more than a reflection, but I can still assist.”

“Thank you,” Twilight said, “I have a question.”

Tulip nodded and waited.

“What is so special about a blackened emerald in a courtyard,” Twilight asked.

Tulip took a step back and glared at her.

“And what do you know of that,” she asked.

Twilight took a step back, but Tulip closed the distance in an instant.

“Answer me,” she hissed, “What do you know about that cursed place?”

“Nothing,” Twilight stammered, “I swear. Yew captured three ponies, and one of them kept talking about a blackened emerald in a courtyard. Please, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Tulip turned to Rarity, “Is this true? You know nothing of that place?”

“Absolutely nothing,” Rarity said, “It must be an awful place.”

Tulip sat down in a nearby chair, “It’s beyond horrible, but the less you are aware of its evil, the safer you will be.”

“May we sit down,” Twilight asked.

“Please,” Tulips said, “Go right ahead.”

They sat down, and Twilight asked, “This illusion that we’re in, it’s based on a real place?”

“Yes,” Tulip said, “Though I will not discuss the place you spoke of before, this forest was once important for my kind.”

Rarity smiled warmly, “I think the forest is quite lovely, I wish circumstances were more favorable, however.”

“Me too,” Twilight said, “I think we need to get to the top of the tower, but if you don’t mind, we would like some information.”

Tulip smiled, “Of course, I can see that your inquisitive mind will not cease exploring.”

“Oh,” Twilight said, “I don’t mean any offense.”

“Neither do I,” Tulip replied, “You have a thirst for knowledge just as a green sapling thirsts for water and sun. Please, ask your questions.”

Twilight glanced at Rarity and asked, “Do you have any questions?”

Rarity sighed, “Several, but they don’t pertain to our particular situation. Though, I may think of some.”

“Okay,” Twilight said, “Let’s start with the obvious. Is this illusion based on a place in the past?”

“Past,” Tulip asked, “You will have to be more specific.”

“Good point,” Twilight said, “I don’t know how to best put this. Are you aware of Equestria?”

Tulip shook her head, “No, this would be the first I hear of it.”

“Then,” Twilight asked, “How about the Three Kingdoms.”

Again, Tulip shook her head, “I am unaware of these kingdoms. My memories are from a single empire. One that promised happiness but only delivered suffering.”

“Then,” Rarity said, “We have narrowed our inquiry. Perhaps Yew wished for us to learn more about this empire. Maybe so we can understand her motives?”

“That’s a good idea,” Twilight said.

She turned to Tulip and asked, “This empire, do you recall its name?”

Tulip shook her head, “Sadly, I do not. As I said, we didn’t have much use for names. We only humored our pony neighbors with personal names.”

“I see,” Twilight said, “And what can you tell me about the ponies that visited your tower that came from this empire?”

Tulip rose from her chair and walked to a bookcase.

“Aren’t those blank,” Rarity asked.

“Blank to you, perhaps,” Tulip said, “But since I am accessing a memory, the information will be in the proper book.”

She pulled a small journal from the shelf and carried it back to the table. She laid it down and undid the string binding.

“Is this a personal journal,” Rarity asked.

Tulip nodded, “It is. It was a gift from one of the ponies that came from that accursed place. This was his attempt at penance. For forgiveness.”

Twilight reached over and turned the journal, but the pages were blank.

She sighed, “I see what you mean. The pages are blank to us, but you can read them since the words are within your memories.”

Tulip smiled, “Yes, but don’t despair. I will still read the information to you.”

She flipped the pages, stopped at a passage, and began to read.

“It has been nearly three years, and the Director has shown no signs of stopping her research. The local Dryad population is becoming anxious as they find our answers regarding their missing comrade too evasive.”

Rarity was about to ask who the Dryads were, but Twilight stopped her. She nodded, and they remained silent as Tulip continued to read.

“We don’t even have the full story regarding this Dryad. How did she find this lab? How did she know how to access it? The one question that still gives me nightmares over what we’re doing to her. Why did she trust us?”

Tulip paused and looked up, and Twilight and Rarity took the opportunity to ask their questions.

“If I may,” Rarity said, “Would you be one of the Dryads?”

Tulip nodded, “The ponies referred to us as such because of our relationship with the woods.”

“This lab,” Twilight asked, “Did they capture a Dryad and kept it hidden from the rest?”

“Yes,” Tulip said, “This is the place that I would rather not speak of, but it appears that you are required to know more.”

“Does the journal go into detail,” Twilight asked, “If the place was a lab, then perhaps they were doing experiments? The question is, why were they doing them?”

Tulip shook her head, “Sadly, it does not. The author felt too ashamed for his part to include a detailed description of his crimes, but his gift of this journal should be of use to you.”

Twilight tapped her chin with a hoof and asked, “This journal is a collection of events that he felt important to document, but did he provide any information about the layout or structure of the lab?”

“Sadly, no,” Tulip said, closing the journal, “It seemed that his focus was on proclaiming his guilt than actually providing an accurate account of the crimes themselves.”

Rarity got to her hooves, “That is certainly disappointing, but still, we have more information than we started.”

“Yeah,” Twilight said, “Now we know that wherever this empire was, it was long before the founding of Equestria. I think it might have predated the Three Kingdoms.”

Tulip got to her hooves and said, “There is something I would know. What are your intentions? What do you plan to do with this information?”

“All we want,” Twilight said, “Is to rescue the ponies that are trapped. As far as Yew goes, we haven’t decided, so I can’t tell you.”

“I see,” Tulip said, “Then I hope whatever answers you find, they will give you the insight needed to make a wise decision.”

She looked up at the ceiling, “Go. The answers you seek will be at the top, but be careful. You will be tested along the way.”

The unicorns nodded and began to leave the room.

“Please,” Tulip said.

Rarity and Twilight turned around.

Tulip gave them a weak smile, “Please don’t think ill of me because of my outburst.”

Rarity smiled, “It’s already been forgiven. If you are a reflection, I suspect the real you must’ve been wonderful.”

Tulip smiled, “Thank you. I would have the memory of my kind be better than the lies spread about us.”

Twilight began to ask, but Rarity nudged her.

They climbed the stairs, and Twilight asked, “Why did you stop me?”

“Because,” Rarity said, “Whatever happened between her kind and ponies must have left a horrible mark. I didn’t wish to trouble her.”

Twilight nodded, “It would have been nice to know more.”

“In that case,” Rarity said, “We can drag it out of Yew.”

They continued to walk up the stairs and quickly arrived at the ground floor.

“This looks like the door,” Twilight said and opened it.

The staircase spiraled along the tower wall, and both ponies began the slow climb toward their first challenge.

---

Rainbow Dash shivered in the cave but kept a close watch on her friend.

Applejack fell unconscious the moment they deposited her onto the cave floor.

Rainbow and their rescuer placed Applejack’s injured leg in a sling. Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but feel hurt at the sight of her friend’s shoulder.

“I didn’t know this cave was here,” she said.

Their rescuer shook their head, “I wouldn’t expect you to. It’s quite hidden. May I ask what you were doing? Did you not know about the barrier?”

Rainbow tilted her head, “You mean that wall I hit while flying to that building?”

“Exactly,” their rescuer said, “I’m assuming you did not know. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be in this situation.”

“We should have stuck with the trees,” Rainbow said.

She gently stroked Applejack’s mane, “Is she going to be okay?”

Their rescuer sighed, “Her injuries are quite severe. There is something that we can do, but it comes with a rather high cost.”

“Cost,” Rainbow asked, “Like bits?”

“I’m not familiar with that word, but it’s not currency I speak of. How important is your companion to you?”

Rainbow glared as their rescuer removed their coat, and while appearing similar to Yew, she bore an icy blue coat.

“Who are you,” Rainbow asked.

“I don’t have a name,” she said, “None of my kind have proper names, but the ponies of the lowlands often call us by names whenever we meet. If you wish, you may call me Alder.”

“Okay, Alder,” Rainbow said, “This is my best friend, so yeah, she’s very important to me.”

Alder looked into Rainbow’s eyes and sighed, “Very well. I believe you, but this is not going to be easy. Are you well enough to move around?”

Rainbow nodded slowly, “Yeah, my head hurts, but I can still walk and fly.”

“Good,” Alder said, “Because I will need you to gather some ingredients.”

“Is this for medicine,” Rainbow asked.

“Yes,” Alder said, “This will aid your friend’s injury.”

Rainbow nodded, “Okay, let me know what I need to get, but can we warm this place up a bit? Let’s light a fire or something.”

Alder stepped forward, “You are in no position to demand such things from me. I am willing to assist you and your friend, but I will not harm the woods just for your convenience.”

“It’s not convenience,” Rainbow shouted, “It’s for her. She’s cold, and she needs to stay warm.”

“If her warmth is all you are worried about,” Alder said, “I have blankets that will insulate her. Now, would you like to know what I require?”

Rainbow sighed, “Yeah, what are they?”

Alder began to draw shapes on the cave floor, two appeared to be shrubs or bushes, and the last was a tree.

“From the small ones,” Alder said, “You will gather the fruit, and from the tree, you will gather the cones that grow on them.”

“Okay,” Rainbow said, “What are they called?”

Alder smiled, “Are you planning on having a conversation with them?”

“No,” Rainbow said with mounting annoyance, “I kind of need to know what I’m looking for.”

“You are looking for these three,” Alder said, “Name or no, these three will remain the same. Now go, I too, have to prepare my part.”

She walked to the back of the cave and dragged a heavy blanket to Applejack. Alder then handed Rainbow Dash a pouch to place the ingredients.

Rainbow Dash helped cover the earth pony, and after studying the drawings again, she left the cave.

Her first goal was the shrubs, she took to the sky and began to scan the area.

Nearby, she found a shrub that matched one of the drawings. She flew over and began to gather the berries. Once she felt she had enough, she again took flight.

The next shrub was harder to spot, but thankfully, it was near the tree line. Rainbow flew to it and, again, gathered the berries.

Looking up, she saw the cones of the tree. These were smaller than the pine cones she was used to back home, but they had to be what Alder needed.

She took a few cones into her pouch and returned to the cave.

When she arrived, she placed the pouch next to Applejack.

“Okay,” she said, “I got everything.”

“Good job,” Alder said.

She walked toward Applejack and carried a small bowl.

Rainbow noticed that Alder was limping, and her leg was bandaged.

“You okay,” Rainbow asked, “You didn’t have that bandage before.”

Alder smiled, “I will be fine. It is only my blood.”

Rainbow Dash jumped back almost out of the cave.

“Your what,” she shouted, “Why are you using your blood?”

Alder stared at Rainbow for a moment before asking, “Is that a serious question?”

Rainbow returned the stare and said, “Yeah, I’m serious. Why are you using your blood? That’s not normal.”

Alder placed the bowl on the floor, “You are correct that it’s not exactly normal. Blood is precious, so it does not benefit us to use it recklessly. There is a purpose, though.”

She waved Rainbow Dash over and pointed at the bowl.

“Does that appear like blood to you,” she asked.

Rainbow carefully peered into the bowl and became even more confused when she saw the contents.

The liquid in the bowl was clear, not the bright red that Rainbow Dash was used to.

“What kind of blood do you have,” she asked.

“Blood that some viewed to be quite valuable,” Alder said, “I heard stories, but I never bothered to listen.”

She then took the pouch and studied the contents.

“You did well,” she said, “Perhaps a bit greedy, but that’s understandable given the state of your friend.”

Alder added a few of each ingredient to the bowl, and with a nearby mortar and pestle, she began to break down the ingredients with her blood.

After a few minutes, she looked around and asked, “May I have that bottle?”

Rainbow looked around and saw the bottle Alder was talking about.

She handed it over, and Alder said, “Thank you. When I am finished, I will need you to take this and bury it in the snow.”

Rainbow nodded and waited.

After carefully pouring the concoction into the bottle, Alder passed the bottle to Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow took the bottle and ran outside. She dug a small hole in the snow and buried the bottle. She returned to Alder and asked, “Okay, so how long do we wait for the medicine to be ready?”

Alder smiled, “It won’t take long. While we wait, let us talk.”

Rainbow sat down and kept her eyes on Applejack.

“Do you live out here,” she asked Alder.

“This area is my home, but I don’t have a single residence. As you can imagine, I have to go where the food is. If I stay in one place for too long, I run out of food. I also risk harming the plants that provide me with what I need.”

“You look like somepony we know,” Rainbow said, “Do you know the name, Yew?”

Alder looked at Applejack, “I would rather not think about that poor soul. She’s suffered enough. I would rather have a more pleasant conversation.”

“She captured three ponies,” Rainbow said, “And sent us to this place. I’m not about to start feeling sorry for her.”

“Perhaps,” Alder said, “It’s not my place to tell you how to feel. May I ask a question?”

Rainbow nodded.

“Why were you flying across the gorge?”

“It was the fastest way to that building,” Rainbow said, “I didn’t know that there’d be a barrier blocking me.”

Alder placed a hoof on Applejack’s cheek and nodded, “She’s doing well. Quite resilient, isn’t she?”

Rainbow smiled, “She’s tough. Do you know what’s up with that place?”

Alder sighed, “It’s not a good place. What little I know is enough to keep me away.”

“Okay, what do you know?”

“It was an old building used for storing and disposing,” Alder said.

“Storing and disposing of what,” Rainbow asked.

Alder quickly got to her hooves and said, “The tonic should be ready. Go and fetch it for me.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow said, “But what did that store in that place?”

“Do you want answers,” Alder asked, “Or do you want your friend to get better?”

Rainbow left the cave and dug up the bottle.

The formally cloudy liquid now had a vibrant blue hue.

She returned the bottle and tried handing it to Alder.

“This is your task,” Alder said, “I shall hold her mouth open, and you will give her the medicine.”

Rainbow nodded, “Okay, let’s do this.”

She was about to pour the medicine into Applejack’s mouth but stopped.

“Is this stuff bitter,” she asked.

“What,” Alder asked, “Why would that matter?”

“Bitter medicine sucks,” Rainbow said, “If it’s bitter, can’t we make it taste better?”

Alder stared at Rainbow and asked, ”What? You want me to improve the flavor of the medicine we created to help your friend? Medicine that you have not tasted?”

“Okay,” Rainbow said, “You win. Let’s deliver this medicine.”

The cold concoction slowly poured into Applejack’s mouth, and the pony struggled to swallow it.

“Its added thickness is from the cold,” Alder said, “Don’t worry. Her body will warm it up.”

Before long, Applejack began to sleep soundly.

Rainbow Dash returned the bottle to Alder, “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

“You are welcome,” Alder said, “But I must be honest, I only did this because of this one’s appreciation for the trees.”

Rainbow smiled, “Well, she lives on an apple orchard, so she knows all about caring for trees.”

Alder smiled, “That is certainly good to hear.”

She got to her hooves and dragged another heavy blanket.

“Here,” she said, “Get some rest.”

“I’d rather keep an eye on her,” Rainbow said.

“And you will,” Alder said, “The blanket is for the both of you. Medicine is the first step. The second is warmth. These blankets will not be enough. She will need your warmth as well.”

Rainbow felt her face become quite warm at what Alder told her.

“Just like that,” Alder said, “But it won’t do any good out here. Get under the blanket and keep her warm.”

Rainbow Dash got under the covers and carefully draped a wing over Applejack.

Her friend felt too cold, but she knew she would warm up soon.

She looked up and asked, “If you don’t want to tell me, it’s okay. We’re going to that building anyway, but what did they store and dispose of in that place?”

Alder shook her head, “You will find out either way, but I can tell you have a good heart.”

She walked to the mouth of the cave and glared at the building in the distance.

“What did they store and dispose of in that place,” Alder asked.

Alder turned back to Rainbow Dash and said, “Us.”
> A Deep Dark Secret Part 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aqua Rain tried to make sense of the room she found herself in.

Some of the items appeared similar to the equipment she used in her work at the weather station, but their appearance was wholly alien to her.

“Where are we,” she asked.

“Home,” Yew said, “Or as close to a home as I can have.”

Aqua Rain walked toward one of the structures. This rectangular obsidian structure had a sunken square niche near the top. A rectangular piece of obsidian jutted below the niche at a downward angle.

As Aqua Rain got close, the obsidian began to glow with a dim green light.

Aqua Rain immediately retreated.

“Don’t bother,” Yew said, “It won’t harm you. Even if you knew how to operate it, you wouldn’t understand the language.”

“What is it,” Aqua Rain asked.

Yew smiled, “It’s one of the keys to my prison. Don’t worry. As I said, you will help me.”

She turned to her left, and a door opened.

There, hanging from a beam, Cobalt waited for Aqua Rain.

“He’s right there,” Yew said, “All you have to do is collect him.”

“And why should I believe you,” Aqua Rain asked, “You already tried to manipulate me, and when that failed, you tried to kill me.”

Yew laughed, “I wasn’t trying to harm you. I was trying to reunite you.”

Aqua Rain walked toward her husband, unconscious but otherwise unharmed.

She stopped at the threshold and asked, “Where are the others,” she asked.

“By others,” Yew asked, “Do you mean your friends or the ponies with the fancy necklaces?”

“Both,” Aqua Rain said.

“Well,” Yew said, “One would be spoiling a surprise, but I can tell you a bit about the ponies you came in with.”

She smiled, “They’re on a mission to free me.”

Aqua Rain shook her head, “There’s no way they would agree to do that.”

“That’s true,” Yew said, “But they don’t know that. I had to make a concession, of course. Your friends are with them. Once they are all freed, so will I.”

Aqua Rain sat down, “And what do you expect from me? It sounds like all of the work is being done by those ponies.”

Yew chuckled, “Is that resentment I hear? I know you made a promise, but promises are made to be broken if I recall the saying correctly.”

Aqua Rain looked back at the hanging form of her husband.

“How do I know that’s really him,” she asked.

“You don’t,” Yew said, “That’s all part of the fun.”

Aqua Rain got to her hooves and began to walk toward Cobalt.

She smiled at her husband and said, “I hope I’m doing the right thing.”

After taking a deep breath, she turned around.

“No,” Aqua Rain said, “I know that I can easily get him and try and leave this place, but if I do that, then I will be no worse than you.”

Yew laughed, “Oh, don’t be hasty. We have plenty of time before your saviors return, and he’ll be right there. Waiting for you to save him.”

Aqua Rain turned back to her husband. She desperately wanted to run to him but knew not to trust Yew.

“Close the door,” she said, “Just close it.”

Yew grinned, “No. It will stay open so that you can go to him. Every minute that passes will make it that much harder to resist.”

She entered the room, “I’m actually happy that you were able to resist me. This is much more fun.”

Aqua Rain stomped on the ground, “Why are you doing this to us? What did we do to you?”

Yew rushed at Aqua Rain, stopping inches from her.

She glared and said, “You know what you did. You know what you precious ponies did to me and my kind.”

She took a step back and smiled, “Did I let my anger get away with me? I’ll make sure that it doesn’t happen again.”

Yew walked past Aqua Rain, “We have time. Let’s see which one conquers their trial first, shall we?”

---

“Okay,” Fluttershy said, “You can do this. It’s only a stairway leading into a strange and scary place.”

She wanted to turn around and call for Pinkie Pie but took a shaky step forward.

The sound of her hoof making contact with the stone echoed slightly and nothing more. The world didn’t end.

She took another step, and soon, Fluttershy found herself at the bottom of the stairs.

The stone room was bare except for a stone table with a basket in the center.

Fluttershy took a cautious step forward but stopped.

She looked down at the floor. It appeared solid, but she couldn’t bring herself to take another step. Instead, she opted to fly toward the table, or at least, she tried. Shed to.

When Fluttershy flapped her wings, nothing happened. She felt her wings cut through the air, and she felt the breeze that they created. Yet, she remained on the ground.

She returned to study the floor. The ground had a subtle shimmer to it, and it almost had the appearance of water.

Fluttershy leaned closer to the floor, and sure enough, she saw her reflection. She stared at the reflection for a minute before falling back.

Her reflection just winked at her.

“Pinkie,” she whimpered.

Fluttershy curled up as her fear began to overwhelm her.

She looked across the room to the table. The basket sat there, taunting her. It mocked her and her cowardice.

Fluttershy closed her eyes and whispered, “I have to do this. I am good enough because I love my Pinkie Pie.”

She got to her hooves and returned her attention to the floor. There was a riddle, and she was going to solve it.

---

“Spooky spooks aren’t gonna scare me,” Pinkie said as she ran down the stairs.

“I’ll get my whatever and meet up with Flutters.”

She hopped in anticipation but stopped when she ran into a gate.

The gate didn’t have a handle or any means of opening. On the other side, Pinkie could see another stone table with a small box resting on it.

Pinkie pushed at the gate, but the metal would not budge. She then tried to lift the gate but received the same results.

Tired, she rested against the wall. She noticed something curious on the opposite wall. It had a shimmer to it.

Pinkie got closer and smiled at the reflection.

“Hey there,” she shouted, “I know you’re not me, so who are you?”

Her reflection moved to the side and motioned for her to enter the reflection.

“I probably shouldn’t,” Pinkie said, “But I’m not getting anywhere just standing here. Let’s go.”

She ran toward the reflection and immediately fell backward.

“Ow,” she said, rubbing her now bloody nose, “That wasn’t very nice.”

Her reflection reappeared and motioned for her to enter the reflection once again.

“No way,” Pinkie said, pointing a hoof at her nose, “Look at what happened.”

The other Pinkie smiled and shook her head, motioning for Pinkie to enter but to do so slowly.

“Well,” Pinkie said, “I guess I could try again.”

She took a step forward and reached out with a hoof. Pinkie touched the wall and found herself suddenly pulled into the wall.

---

Rainbow Dash didn’t think she could feel more comfortable than she was right now. Though her wing had long fallen asleep, she was warm under the heavy blankets.

She saw Applejack sleeping soundly and felt the sling that protected her friend’s leg.

“It should be time for her to awaken,” Alder said.

Rainbow looked up, “Are you sure that’s a good idea? Shouldn’t she wake up on her own?”

Alder nodded, “Normally, the two of you would be resting, but this is not a normal situation.”

She walked to Applejack and gently nudged the sleeping earth pony.

“Uh,” Applejack moaned, “What time is it?”

“Careful,” Alder said, “You are still injured. I have treated you as best as I could. Now it will be up to your own body to recover.”

Applejack opened her eyes and smiled, “So, you’re the pony that helped us?”

Alder scowled, “Since you are a friend to the trees, I will ignore that insult, but yes, I assisted you.”

“Sorry,” Applejack said, “What should I call you?”

Alder tilted her head, “Isn’t Alder enough?”

Applejack laughed, “I guess you’re right, I should be getting to my hooves.”

Rainbow retracted her wing and smiled sheepishly when Applejack turned to her.

“Uh, hey,” she said.

“And what are you doing,” Applejack asked, “You had better have kept those hooves to yourself.”

Rainbow Dash stared at Applejack before groaning, “You’re still with that?”

Applejack began laughing, “Sorry, Sugarcube. It’s just too easy to mess with you. I was in a bad way, so I reckon she must’ve had you keep me warm.”

Alder nodded, “That is correct. We gave you some medicine that will help you heal.”

“And I thank you,” Applejack said.

Rainbow Dash got out from underneath the blankets and helped Applejack to her hooves.

“This is a mighty fine sling you made,” Applejack said.

“It’s good that you appreciate it,” Alder said, “Some young trees gave up their limbs for you.”

Rainbow stretched her wings, “What’s the big deal? They’re just trees.”

“Hey now,” Applejack said, “They’re not just trees. They got feelings just like we do, and I’m mighty grateful that some saplings helped me out.”

Alder smiled, “This is why I knew it was right to help. You care for the trees.”

Applejack smiled, “Well, I live on an apple farm, so trees are special to me.”

Alder stared at Applejack for a moment, “A farm? You mean that you use trees for your own gain?”

“Not exactly,” Applejack said, “Sure, we harvest the trees when they’re ready, but we make sure to treat them right. They’re not just for us to take advantage of them.”

“I,” Alder said, “I don’t know how I feel about that.”

“I understand,” Applejack said, “I imagine that around here, you only take what you need, so from y’all’s perspective, it’s borderline cruel having an apple farm.”

Alder nodded, “Yes, but I’m still conflicted. I know that you are a friend of the trees. They guided me to you.”

She took a deep breath, “I shall trust their judgment. They have always provided.”

Rainbow watched the exchange in bewilderment. As much as she wanted to call the two insane, she knew better.

“We should get to that storage place,” she said.

“What storage place,” Applejack asked.

“The building your friend was flying towards before she struck the barrier,” Alder said.

“So that’s why she fell,” Applejack said, “Sure wish we knew about that.”

She turned to Rainbow Dash and said, “I’m sorry, Sugarcube. You wouldn't be hurt if I hadn’t made you fly off.”

Rainbow Dash shrugged, “Maybe, but you’re healing up, so it worked out.”

“I guess so,” Applejack said, smiling.

“Before you go,” Alder said, “Please wait here.”

She didn’t wait for the two to respond before she walked to the back of the cave.

Alder seemed to rummage through some blankets, but she eventually got to her hooves.

“Friend,” she called, “Come help.”

Rainbow Dash stepped forward but jumped back when Alder yelled at her.

“I wasn’t speaking to you,” Alder snapped, “Friend of the trees, I need your assistance.”

“Geez,” Rainbow said, “I’m only trying to help. In case you forgot, she’s only on three legs.”

“I remember,” Alder said, “And she will be more welcome than you.”

Applejack leaned against Rainbow Dash and said, “Don’t sweat it. She’s upset about what you said. She doesn’t know you like I do.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes, “Whatever, just go help so we can get moving.”

Applejack nodded and joined Alder.

The dryad happily dressed Applejack in a heavy coat, adjusting the coat to accommodate her injured leg.

Once Applejack was dressed, Alder waved Rainbow Dash over.

“Oh,” Rainbow said, “Am I now allowed to join you?”

“Sugarcube,” Applejack said, “Have some manners.”

Alder was about to toss Rainbow Dash the coat, but Applejack stopped her.

“Listen,” Applejack said, “Let’s not fight. You brought us into your home, and you took care of me. Let’s leave here as friends.”

Alder sighed and nodded, “You’re right. I chose to help you, and that includes your friend. I. I apologize.”

Rainbow walked to Alder, “Yeah, I’m sorry, too. I want to get out of here, so I guess I’m a little cranky.”

“And I accept your apology,” Alder said, “Let me get you dressed. These coats will protect you.”

Rainbow put on the heavy coat, and she felt slightly claustrophobic with the coat covering her wings. Still, she appreciated the warmth the coat provided.

“These are pretty cool,” she said.

“Cool,” Alder asked.

“It’s a saying,” Applejack said, “She didn’t mean literally.”

“I see,” Alder said, “If you follow the path along the gorge, you will soon find yourself at the storage facility. Please be careful.”

Applejack nodded, “We will, and again, thanks for the help.”

Alder nodded and watched the ponies leave.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack stepped out into the cold and were immediately blasted by the wind. Their faces were uncomfortable, but they were still warm.

“Okay,” Rainbow Dash said, “Let’s go.”

Applejack nodded, and they slowly made their way toward the storage facility.

---

Twilight Sparkle and Rarity entered a small room, and Tapestries lined the wall, and in the center, they saw a large stone table.

“These tapestries are certainly rather crude,” Rarity said, “Though lovely in their unique way.”

Twilight studied one tapestry and then quickly looked at each of them.

“I think this might be a history,” she said.

Rarity studied one of the tapestries, “Where do you think this story begins?”

“I’m not sure,” Twilight said, “But if I were to guess, it would be this tapestry here.”

They stood before a tapestry. This had six pony-like figures on it. Three on the left appeared similar to Yew and Tulip, and on the right was a single unicorn, pegasus, and earth pony. In between was a line of trees.

“Perhaps,” Rarity said, “This is before they met?”

Twilight nodded, “I think so. Look closely at the figures.”

Rarity studied the figures, “It would appear that the ponies aren’t very content.”

She studied the dryads, “I can’t tell, but at least they don’t appear unhappy.”

Twilight nodded, “I think that before both groups met, the ponies weren’t happy, and the dryads were content.”

“I wonder what happened,” Rarity said.

“Let’s find out,” Twilight said and looked at the next tapestry.

This tapestry still had the six figures, but now the earth pony seemed to have cut down some of the trees. A gap appeared within the line of trees. One of the dryads now stood opposite the earth pony.

“Perhaps the ponies were settling near the forest,” Rarity asked, “And drew the dryads’ attention by cutting down the trees?”

“Looks like it,” Twilight said, “But it doesn’t look as though either group is angry. Do you see anything?”

Again, Rarity carefully studied the tapestry.

“The earth pony looks tired,” she said, “Perhaps they’re a laborer?”

She turned her attention to the other two ponies and gasped.

“Right there,” Rarity said, “The unicorn.”

Twilight studied the unicorn and said, “I can’t really see it, but it looks like they’re smiling.”

“No,” Rarity corrected, “That is no cheerful smile. Whoever this pony is, they were clearly a malicious force.”

“Do you think the unicorn sent the earth pony to attack the dryads,” Twilight asked.

Rarity giggled, “You’re the scholar, dear but no. I think they were sent to harvest, but there is something wrong about that unicorn.”

Neither could decipher anything else from the tapestry, so they moved on to the next.

The earth pony now lay on their side, the dryad standing over them.

“I think this is where the conflict started,” Twilight said, “But who struck first?”

“No,” Rarity said, “I don’t believe this was an attack. Look at the pony’s injury. It looks as though they were hurt with their own tool.”

“Maybe,” Twilight said, “But the dryad could have attacked.”

Rarity shook her head, “I don’t believe so. It looks to me as though the dryad is treating the earth pony’s wounds.”

She pointed to the side of the dryad, “See the bowl?”

Twilight squinted, “I think I see it, so if you’re right, the earth pony was injured, and the dryad treated them. Why would they go out of their way to immortalize this moment with a tapestry?”

Rarity sat down, “Perhaps this event was the catalyst that started it all.”

Twilight closed her eyes, “You might be right. I mean, my first thought was that they fought. Perhaps the ponies had the same idea.”

They turned their attention to the final tapestry.

All six figures sat at a large table. The dryads on the left, and the ponies on the right.

“I don’t need you to tell me what’s wrong here,” Twilight said, “There is clearly a class system. Look at the earth pony. Their seat is much lower than the others.”

Rarity nodded, “Or it might be a perspective.”

“Oh,” Twilight said dejectedly.

Rarity giggled and nudged Twilight, “Oh, I’m only teasing you. I believe that you are correct. Also, see how the earth pony isn’t near the other ponies. I believe this may be a laborer, and the other two are upper class.”

“And the unicorn still has the smile,” Twilight said, “But it looks meaner.”

Rarity nodded, “It does. This is not a nice pony. Whatever problem arose between these two groups, I would be willing to bet the bits I don’t have that they were at the heart of it.”

Twilight sat down at the table, and Rarity joined her.

“Okay,” Twilight said, “We’re here to understand. If we got the history right, the two groups were separated until the ponies started expanding to the forests. There wasn’t a conflict, but somehow a pony was injured, and the dryads provided aid.”

She took a deep breath, “That’s when both groups formally met. It appears that everyone was acting in good faith.”

She turned back to the final tapestry and added, “Except for one pony.”

The locked door gave a quiet click and gently opened.

“It appears that we figured it out,” Rarity said.

Twilight nodded but hesitated moving forward.

Rarity stopped at the door, “What’s wrong?”

Twilight sighed, “I don’t want to go up.”

She looked at the tapestry, “I have a bad feeling that this history is going to get a lot darker the higher we go up.”

“I understand,” Rarity said, “But we must learn what happened and remember that this is what somepony recorded. I highly doubt it will be completely accurate.”

Twilight nodded, “Yeah, you’re right. Let’s get to the next floor.”

They entered the spiral staircase, and the door closed behind them, locking itself instantly.

---

Rainbow Dash walked ahead of Applejack to ensure no stone troubled their path.

Applejack, for her part, was grateful for it. She’d fallen enough times and didn’t wish to squander the aid Alder gave her.

“These coats sure are something, ain’t they, Sugarcube,” Applejack shouted.

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash shouted back, “Be careful. I think it’s icier up ahead.”

Applejack nodded, and they continued along the path Alder directed them towards.

Sure enough, Rainbow Dash found an ice patch. Or rather, it found her as she suddenly found herself on her back.

Applejack came into view and smiled.

“Well, you ain’t gonna get much walking done down there,” she said.

Applejack sat down and offered Rainbow a hoof.

“Thanks,” Rainbow said, “At least I called it, right?”

“That you did,” Applejack said, “I’ll need a hoof getting past it, though.”

Rainbow got to her hooves, and the two slowly crossed the final patch of ice.

The storage facility was a cave, and the ponies decided to take a break inside the mouth.

“You okay,” Rainbow asked.

Applejack nodded, “Yeah, whatever Alder did sure helped. My leg ain’t numb, but it ain’t hurting. I’m not fixing on putting pressure on it anytime soon, though.”

She looked at Rainbow Dash, “Just what did she do?”

“She had me gather some plant stuff and made you some medicine. Don’t ask what was in it because I don’t know.”

Applejack nodded, “Okay, let’s check this place out.”

As they entered the cave, Applejack said, “Whatever was in that medicine must have been nasty if you’re lying about it.”

Rainbow Dash stopped and mumbled, “Stupid Element of Honesty.”

“Y’all coming,” Applejack called.

“Yeah, yeah,” Rainbow said, “It’s not like you can get very far.”

Applejack shook her head, “Funny. What do you think we’ll find in this place?”

Rainbow Dash cautiously stepped ahead, “I don’t know. Alder said that her kind was stored and disposed of here. Don’t know what she meant by that.”

They walked a bit further but didn’t find anything.

“There’s nothing here,” Applejack said.

Rainbow Dash looked around and saw something curious on the wall.

“What’s that,” she asked.

Above them, an odd black box was attached to a stick.

“I don’t know,” Applejack said and stepped closer.

She jumped back as the strange box pointed at her.

“Okay,” she said, “That’s weird.”

Rainbow Dash looked up and wished that she wasn’t wearing her coat.

She took a few steps to the left and noticed the object was following her.

“Why is it watching us,” she asked.

Applejack motioned for Rainbow Dash to continue walking and nodded as the object followed the pegasus.

“I think you’re on to something,” Applejack said, “Maybe it’s guarding something.”

She stared at the wall below the object and to the side. There was nothing strange, so Applejack decided to take a closer look.

A sudden alarm caused her to back away.

Rainbow Dash ran to Applejack, and the alarm went silent.

“Now, what was that,” Applejack asked, “Did I set something off?”

“Maybe,” Rainbow said, “I think you found the entrance.”

She stood where Applejack was, but nothing happened.

Rainbow Dash looked up at the object and shrugged.

She began to turn away when the wall suddenly opened.

A blast of cold air greeted them. This air was dry. It hadn’t been stirred in a long time.

They were expecting torches but stood slackjawed as they saw a hallway lined with obsidian and lights running the length of the ceiling.

“Well,” Rainbow said, “We’re here. Let’s figure out why we’re here and get out.”

Applejack nodded, and they stepped into the hall. Once inside, the wall closed once again.

---

Fluttershy sat staring at her reflection. There wasn’t any water on the floor, but something strange was going on.

Her reflection smiled back at her and motioned for Fluttershy to enter the reflection.

Fluttershy took a deep breath and made her decision.

While trembling with fear, she stepped onto the reflection. She fell into the floor, and the room was as silent as when she first entered.

She fell and landed hard on the stone floor.

Fluttershy got back to her hooves and looked around.

The room was now inverted, with the ceiling acting as the floor.

She turned her attention to the table. It still had the basket, but the basket was still resting on the table.

Fluttershy walked to the table and spread her wings.

“I wouldn’t do that,” a voice said.

Fluttershy turned around and gasped.

“Who are you,” she asked.

Another pony, an exact copy of Fluttershy, stood on the former floor, now ceiling, smiling at her.

“I’m you,” her reflection said, “But not exactly.”

“Um,” Fluttershy said, “Hello.”

Her reflection giggled, “You’re interesting. I know this is scary for you, but you can do this.”

Fluttershy sighed, “I wish...”

“Stop that,” her reflection shouted, “She’s not here, and she’s not saving you.”

“Is that all you can do,” her reflection asked, “Cry and hope your girlfriend comes to you?”

“Um,” Fluttershy began.

“What if she needed help,” her reflection asked, “You’d leave her on her own.”

“That’s not true,” Fluttershy cried, “I. I love her.”

Her reflection walked to the table and hopped onto it, “I know you do, but you only play it safe. You’ll never take a chance. Never put yourself out there and surprise her.”

Fluttershy dropped her gaze and pawed at the floor.

Her reflection sighed, “You have so much to learn. You know that she will always be there for you, and she will always love you. The problem, and you know this, is that eventually, she’ll get worn out.”

“And what do you think she’ll do then,” her reflection asked.

She didn’t wait for Fluttershy to respond. She laughed and said, “She’ll leave you.”

Her reflection waved a hoof in the air dismissively, “Sure, she’ll feel bad, but you know how you are. You can’t even stand yourself sometimes.”

“Stop it,” Fluttershy cried, “Please, just stop.”

“Why,” her reflection shouted, “So you can use her? Don’t forget that I am you. I love her, too, and I will not allow you to take advantage of her with your weakness.”

Fluttershy stopped crying and looked up at her reflection.

“I don’t want to be weak,” she said, “I want to be good enough for her.”

Her reflection smiled warmly at Fluttershy, “That’s the problem. You already are. You’re too focused on your fear to see that.”

She flew down to Fluttershy and righted herself.

“You have to take a chance,” she said, holding a hoof onto Fluttershy’s cheek, “You know she’s worth it. Make the leap, and even if you fall short, you know she will appreciate the effort.”

Fluttershy wiped her eyes, “I know. I thought I was getting better, but I’m not. I’m still the same silly scared pegasus I always was.”

“Not really,” her reflection said, “You have gotten braver. A little bit. Most ponies wouldn’t even notice, but you feel it. You know that it’s there.”

She stared Fluttershy in the eyes and said, “You’re scared of the potential of never being afraid. You’ve seen so-called brave ponies being cruel, and you don’t want that.”

Fluttershy nodded and sat down.

“I bet Pinkie’s waiting for me at the altar,” she said, “She probably wants to run down here and help me.”

Her reflection shook her head, “Nope. She has her own lesson to learn. As much as we love our Pinkie Pie, she’s far from perfect.”

She winked at Fluttershy, “And we don’t want a perfect pony anyway, right?”

Fluttershy giggled, “I want my Pinkie Pie, and you’re right. I’ll try.”

“And you’ll fail,” her reflection said, “It happens to everypony, but as long as you never stop trying, you’ll be fine.”

She reached out a hoof, “Are you ready?”

Fluttershy smiled and grasped her reflection’s hoof.

Her stomach flipped as she, again, fell to the floor.

“Ow,” she groaned, “I hope that doesn’t happen often.”

She heard a giggle and smiled as she got to her hooves.

In front of her was the table, but the floor still shimmered.

She knew she couldn’t fly and would most likely fall if she tried stepping on the stone floor.

She gave a determined nod and took a few steps back.

She ran as fast as she could and jumped toward the table.

Her body collided with the table, and she began to slip. She clawed at the table with her forelegs, her hind legs frantically flailing in the air, and she eventually found herself sitting on the table.

After she caught her breath, she grabbed the basket. It had a simple bundle of flowers and a small box.

The room lit up, and the atmosphere changed. Fluttershy took the basket in her mouth and flew across the room.

She stopped at the entrance and turned back to the room. Fluttershy looked down at the stone floor. It had lost its shimmer, but she could see her reflection.

Fluttershy smiled and waved. A quiet giggle responded, and she happily walked up the stairs.

She arrived at the alter, and Cypress smiled warmly at her, but Pinkie was nowhere to be seen.

“Where is Pinkie,” Fluttershy asked.

“She will be here shortly,” Cypress said, “You did very well. Rest now.”

Fluttershy nodded and sat down, her eyes never leaving the stairway Pinkie went down.

---

Pinkie sat on what used the be the ceiling of the staircase. The smooth stone threatened to become a slide. As much as the idea seemed fun, Pinkie kept a grip on the metal gate.

“So,” Pinkie asked, “Where are we?”

She poked the other Pinkie Pie with a free hoof, “And who are you?”

Her reflection smiled, “I’m you, silly.”

Pinkie grinned, “Yeah, I get that, but does the other me have a name?”

“Just the same one we’ve always had,” her reflection said.

“Hmm,” Pinkie mused, “I suppose I’ll have to think of a name for you. Other Pinkie? Nope. Pie Pinkie? No. Bizarro Pinkie? Nah.”

She shrugged, “You got any ideas?”

Her reflection shook her head, “I guess we can go with the old nickname.”

“No,” Pinkie said, “Not that.”

Her reflection tilted her head, “Why not? It’ll stay between us.”

Pinkie sat down, “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Nopony other than my sister, Inky, called me that, though.”

She nodded, “Okay, then I’ll call you Di.”

Her reflection, Di, shuddered slightly, “Yeah, I still don’t like it, but it’s a name. Now let’s get to business.”

Pinkie hopped up and down, “Yeah, the sooner I’m done, the sooner I can help my Flutters.”

Di shook her head, “It doesn’t work that way. She has to figure it out on her own.”

“But,” Pinkie said, “She needs me.”

“Oh,” Di asked, “What happened to it being silly talk and that she’s fine by herself?”

“That’s different,” Pinkie said, “Flutters lives on her own. We’re stuck in a weird place, and I know my Flutters is scared.”

“You want to save her,” Di said, “But you know that’s not going to help her.”

Pinkie pawed at the floor, “I have to help her. She’s my girlfriend.”

Di smiled, “I know you want to help her. Trust me, I want to help her too, but you have to let her do what she has to on her own. You know how tough she really is.”

“I know that,” Pinkie said, “But she doesn’t know it sometimes. Get this gate open so that I can help her.”

“No,” Di said, “You’re going to wait here until it’s time.”

“Time for what,” Pinkie asked.

Di shrugged, “You’ll see.”

Pinkie groaned, “Just help me solve this silly puzzle.”

“So you can do Fluttershy’s job for her, you mean,” Di asked.

She sighed, “Okay, just say the word, and I’ll open the gate.”

Pinkie began to smile, but she suddenly asked, “Why would you do that?”

Di smiled, “If you ask, then I have to help you. But if you ask, then that means...”

Her smile turned into a grin as her sentence trailed off.

“Means what,” Pinkie shouted, “That I don’t love her? That I don’t think she can do this? What?”

Di sat next to Pinkie and said, “It’s not if you love her or not. The problem is you don’t really trust her. Oh sure, you’ll trust her with tiny things, but something this big? Nope. You have to make sure that she doesn’t mess it up.”

Pinkie shoved Di, “That’s a terrible thing to say. I do trust her. I know that she can figure out whatever silly thing is going on here all by herself.”

Di recovered and asked, “But?”

Pinkie shook her head, “Not saying.”

“You can do it,” Di said, “I know what you’re thinking, but you have to say it.”

“No,” Pinkie said, “It’s too mean.”

Di smiled, “You have to say it, and the sooner you do, the sooner you can get back to her.”

Pinkie nodded, “Okay, I do trust her, but I’m worried that she’ll get so scared that it will take a long time to do what she needs to.”

“You’re not a bad pony for worrying,” Di said, “What you need is patience, especially when it comes to her.”

“So that’s it,” Pinkie asked, “I just sit here and wait for Flutters to do her part?”

“That’s it,” Di said, “I know it’s hard for you, but be patient and trust her.”

Pinkie smiled, “Okay, I know that Flutters will get this done.”

Minutes passed, and Pinkie was beginning to feel anxious. She glanced down in hopes of seeing something.

“This is taking forever,” she cried, “Why can’t she...”

Her eyes went wide, “Oh no.”

Di smiled, “See? I told you. You don’t trust her after all.”

Pinkie shook her head. It was a lie. She loved and trusted Fluttershy. This was a special case.

That last thought scared Pinkie. How many special cases would they run into?

She glared at Di, “No. I trust her, and she’s gonna be great and solve her silly puzzle, and that’s that.”

Di smiled, “Good. You’ll figure it out.”

She suddenly glanced back toward the wall Pinkie entered from.

“Looks like you gotta go,” Di said.

She didn’t wait for Pinkie. Instead, she pushed her and waved goodbye.

Pinkie fell into the stairs hard, but she smiled when she saw the gate slowly begin to open.

She got onto her hooves, ran to the table, and grabbed the box. Once secured in her mouth, Pinkie ran back up the stairs.

Her eyes lit up when she saw Fluttershy waiting for her.

She ran to the altar and placed the box next to Fluttershy’s basket.

“You did it,” Pinkie squealed, crushing Fluttershy in a massive hug.

Fluttershy nuzzled Pinkie, “We both did it.”

The shy pegasus blushed, “I hope your test wasn’t too scary.”

Pinkie shook her head, “Not scary, just super boring.”

“And what lessons did you learn,” Cypress asked.

Fluttershy smiled, “I learned that I have to take a chance, especially for my special somepony.”

She accentuated her point by nuzzling against Pinkie.

Pinkie smiled, “And I learned to always trust my Flutters. She’ll see things through. I just have to wait.”

Cypress smiled, “You have learned valuable lessons that we dryads hold dear. To truly love is to take a risk and to have patience.”

She motioned for the ponies to head toward the rear door.

“Now is the final test,” Cypress said, “Take what you learned to heart. It will serve you well.”

“Will we need these,” Pinkie asked, pointing to the items they recovered.

Cypress nodded, “Yes, now that you have them, don’t lose them.”

The ponies nodded and carried the basket and box to the door.

The stone door slowly opened, and they saw another staircase leading deeper into the temple.

“Okay,” Pinkie said, “Down we go.”

Fluttershy took a shuddering breath and nodded.

They walked down to meet what they hoped would be their final test.

---

Rarity and Twilight reached the next floor, taking their time and taking their surroundings in before entering the room.

This room didn’t have tapestries, but instead, wood carvings hung on the walls. In the center, another round table sat. This table was made out of wood and appeared to have been made from a single large tree.

“Well,” Rarity said, “This is certainly different.”

“Yeah, I think each floor will focus on a different part of the dryad and pony history,“ Twilight said.

Rarity walked to the table and ran a hoof across it.

“This is an exquisite piece,” she said, “But given what we know about the dryad relationship with trees, I’m surprised that this is here.”

She looked around, “In fact, wood seems to be the primary theme for this room.”

Twilight nodded, “Let’s see what unfolded between the two groups.”

They walked to a carving that hung in a similar position as the first tapestry and studied it.

The wood carving depicted a forest with four dryads dancing in a town square. In front of the dryads sat a group of ponies. Along the border of the carving were barrels and carts full of produce.

“The style certainly has changed,” Rarity said, “It appears that ponies and dryads are working closer together.”

Twilight nodded, “I think the dryads’ affinity for nature helped improve the crops.”

“Not just that,” Rarity said, “Look at the ponies watching the dryads. They’re earth ponies.”

“Do you think,” Twilight began, “Earth ponies are closely connected to nature. Perhaps working with the dryads made their connection stronger?”

Rarity smiled, “It appears so. I think that the earth ponies were the laborers and had a close relationship with the dryads.”

“That sounds nice and all,” Twilight said, “But I’m sure Yew didn’t want us to see happy things. Where is that unicorn?”

Rarity carefully studied the carving. She had difficulty seeing finer details, but eventually, she found what she was looking for.

“There,” she said, pointing to a window, “There’s our unicorn.”

Twilight smiled, “I knew they wouldn’t be far away, but they aren’t smiling. They look angry.”

“Yes,” Rarity said, “And it appears their ire is directed toward the town square.”

Twilight tried to determine the unicorn’s line of sight but couldn’t tell beyond the town square.

“The question is,” Twilight said, “Are they angry at the dryads or the earth ponies?”

Rarity motioned toward the next carving, “One way to find out.”

The second carving had a darker tale to tell. This showed a downed dryad in a dense forest surrounded by other dryads. The only pony clearly visible in the carving was the unicorn.

“Oh, no,” Twilight said, “I was afraid of this.”

Rarity nodded, “Your fears appeared to be well founded. This poor dryad was clearly murdered.”

She pointed a hoof at the unicorn, “They didn’t commit the murder, though.”

“What,” Twilight asked, “Then who did?”

Rarity pointed toward the trees, just barely visible, a pony hid.

“That’s a pegasus,” Twilight said, “So you think the pegasus murdered the dryad?”

“Yes,” Rarity said, “But I think this murder was at the behest of the unicorn. I suspect the next carving will tell us more.”

“But shouldn’t we study this carving more,” Twilight asked.

“I can’t wait,” Rarity said, walking to the third carving.

“I knew it,” she shouted, “This was their scheme.”

Twilight joined Rarity and gasped at the sight.

This gruesome scene depicted a courtroom. Dryads and ponies sat in a courtroom gallery. On the left side of the carving, a group of ten ponies sat. On the opposite side, another group of ten ponies sat. The worst scene was in the window of the courtroom. Outside stood a tree, and four ponies were hanging from the tree.

“This is just awful,” Twilight said, “What happened? If this is a courtroom, which side is the jury?”

Rarity shook her head, “If I were to guess, I would say the ponies on the left are the accused, and the ponies on the right are the jury. This is not a just court.”

Twilight stared at the carving, “How can you be so certain?”

Rarity smiled, “Look at the ponies on the left. They are all earth ponies, and they are all miserable. The ponies on the right appear to be both unicorn and pegasus ponies and look at the smiles on their faces. They know what they’re doing is wrong.”

Twilight sat down at the table, “But why? What would they gain from this?”

Rarity tapped a hoof on the floor for a moment, “I think that the unicorn was not happy that the dryads and the laborers enjoyed a healthy relationship. You could see that the earth ponies were happy with the dancing dryads. Happy ponies tend to become bold, and bold ponies don’t take too kindly to being looked down upon.”

Twilight nodded, “That’s true, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the dryads treated the earth ponies as equals. That must have been something they were not used to.”

“I’m afraid so,” Rarity said, “I fear that the unicorn had the dryad murdered and blamed it on earth ponies. Then they set up this insult of a court to provide ‘justice’ for the murder.”

She took a closer look at the carving, “I can’t get a clear view of the dryads, so I can’t say how they’re feeling.”

Twilight looked away from the carving, “I don’t want to see this anymore. Let’s see the final carving.”

The scene showed a city. Within the walls, ponies gathered. Outside the walls, more ponies lived. On the bottom left were a forest and a single dryad.

“This looks more peaceful,” Twilight said, “But, considering what we’ve seen, I doubt it.”

Rarity nodded, “I believe you are correct. The class system we saw before is even more evident now.”

She pointed to the ponies outside, “Those poor earth ponies are clearly starving and exposed. And see the ponies within the walls?”

Twilight studied the carving, “They’re unicorns and pegasi.”

“Yes,” Rarity said, “But the pegasi are armed. I believe that they were the military.”

“Or a warrior class,” Twilight said, “They might have carried the will of those in charge.”

“Again,” Rarity said, “The unicorn.”

“I saw them,” Twilight said, “In their tower. I know this is not the same pony throughout history, but why are unicorns depicted so negatively?”

Rarity shook her head, “That is a good question. But we don’t have the means of knowing for certain. All we have is speculation.”

They continued to study the carving and focused on the dryad in the forest.

“I think there might have been a split between the ponies and dryads,” Twilight said.

“Perhaps,” Rarity said, “Do you think the trials might have soured the relationship?”

Twilight nodded, “Yes, and I think they took it out on the earth, ponies.”

Rarity motioned for them to sit at the table and sat and stayed quiet for a few minutes.

“Should we recount the entire history or just this floor,” Rarity asked.

“I think just this floor will be fine,” Twilight said.

She sighed, “At one time, there seemed to be a healthy relationship between the ponies and the dryads. This relationship seemed to be stronger with the earth ponies and the dryads. This might have angered the upper class ponies, so they had a dryad murdered and blamed it on the earth ponies. There was a trial or several trials, which might have caused a rift between the ponies and dryads.”

She shook her head, “Okay, the last carving showed a city. It seemed to be advanced but still with the class system as before. I think the dryads cut ties with the ponies, but we don’t know if it was from the murder or the trials. They might have seen through it, but we don’t know.”

Rarity nodded, “I believe that you are correct. There is something I need to check.”

She returned to the final carving and studied the dryad.

“I thought it was how this was carved, but look at this,” Rarity said, waving Twilight over.

“What is it,” Twilight asked.

She looked at the dryad, and Rarity was right. At first glance, it appeared as though the dryad was not fully carved, but upon closer inspection, the dryad seemed to be fading into the forest.

“Do you think that when they cut ties,” Twilight asked, “The dryads became legends?”

The sound of the far side door unlocking answered her question.

Rarity smiled, and they proceeded to the next level.

---

The ponies shivered despite the heavy coats they wore. The obsidian hall led them deeper into the mountain, and it was some time before they arrived at another door.

“I don’t see one of those weird things,” Rainbow Dash said.

Applejack walked to the door and tested it. It opened with a quiet hiss, and the ponies stared at the newly opened room.

“Maybe now that we’re inside, we’re good,” Applejack asked.

Rainbow shrugged, “Maybe, let’s keep going.”

She still kept a close watch on Applejack. The floor was level, but Rainbow wasn’t going to take any chances. Applejack noticed.

“You know that I’ll be fine, right,” she asked.

“Yeah,” Rainbow said, “I know that. Just keeping an eye on you is all.”

Applejack shook her head, “Okay, Sugarcube. Okay.”

They stopped when they saw a window. Inside were giant glass vats. They could easily hold a few hundred gallons of liquid each, and the room was lined with them.

Rainbow nearly threw up because she immediately recognized the liquid inside the giant vats.

“That’s odd, ain’t it,” Applejack asked, “This liquid don’t look quite like water. I know I’m wrong, but it kinda looks like tree sap.”

She chuckled, “I would know, what with Apple Bloom and her friends getting covered in it so often.”

Applejack shook her head with a bemused expression, “I still have no idea how they managed to get covered with sap when they were learning to be accountants, though.”

“Well,” Applejack said, “This might be what we’re here for, but let’s keep looking. Sound good, Sugarcube?”

She turned to Rainbow Dash and asked, “You okay there? You look like your fixing to lose your fixings.”

Rainbow Dash kept her eyes locked onto the vats, her mind thinking back to what Alder did to help Applejack.

“This is what they were doing,” she whispered as she backed away from the window.

“What was that,” Applejack asked.

Rainbow kept backing away until she hit the opposite wall.

“This is what they were storing,” she said, “This is what they did.”

Applejack went to her side as quickly as she could. She brought a hoof to Rainbow’s cheek and asked, “What’s wrong? What did they do?”

Rainbow’s eyes focused on Applejack. Her disgust, and fear, turned to rage.

“Don’t you see it,” she shouted, “This is what they did! This is what they were storing.”

“What are you talking about,” Applejack asked, “What’s so special about that tree sap?”

“It’s not sap,” Rainbow cried, “It’s blood. Alder’s blood.”

Applejack stared at Rainbow Dash and then turned her attention back to the vats.

“That’s...,” she began.

“Yeah,” Rainbow said, “The medicine Alder made. She knew you were in a bad way, so she used some of her blood. That’s why you’re healing up so fast.”

Applejack nodded, “So that’s why you didn’t want to tell me. I get it, RD. I do. I know that we have to get going, but I want to thank Alder again for the help.”

She walked to the window, “How many of her kind wound up in this place?”

Rainbow ran and struck the glass as hard as she could. Her hoof bounced off harmlessly, and she stumbled back.

“It doesn’t matter,” she screamed, “They died! Ponies like Alder were killed for their blood. She said that it was considered precious, but I didn’t think it would be like this.”

The two stared at the vats, each thinking about the possible lives stolen for the liquid that now sat abandoned in this facility.

“Why are we here,” Rainbow asked, “What’s the point? I know that Alder and Yew are the same. Do you think this is what she wanted us to see?”

Applejack nodded, “You might be onto something there. Yew said that she was in a prison. We assumed that it was justified. What if they locked her up, and she wound up losing her mind?”

Rainbow stomped on the floor, “I. I just want to get out of here. This is too messed up.”

“It is,” Applejack said, “Let’s keep moving. There has to be some way out of here.”

She nudged Rainbow Dash, and they continued down the hall after giving the vats one final glance.

---

“Any idea how much higher we have to climb,” Rarity asked.

Twilight stopped at the door at the top of the stair and said, “I don’t think it’ll be much higher.”

She opened the door, and they stepped inside.

This floor was little more than a simple office. In the center sat a plain desk with a chair on opposite sides, and along the wall hung four frames.

“Well,” Rarity said, “This certainly appears to be more modern. At least, by our standards, I suppose.”

“Yeah,” Twilight said, “We might be nearing the end.”

Again, they walked to the first frame.

“This might be difficult,” Rarity said.

“These are newspapers,” Twilight said, “And I have never seen these characters. All we have are the pictures.”

“And a single image can’t give us the full story,” Rarity said, “But we must persevere. Let us see what the images show us.”

They studied the image. Though grainy, a unicorn in a lab coat could be seen. The pony stood inside a lab, and they were staring intently at a beaker.

“How does a scientist help us,” Twilight asked.

Rarity stared at the image. Something scratched in the back of her mind, and she couldn’t quite place it. A detail. Hidden but equally in plain sight. Suddenly, she smiled.

“I think I know,” she said, “It’s not just the unicorn, but also the beaker.”

“What,” Twilight asked, “We don’t know what’s in the beaker.”

Rarity shook her head, “We can only assume that the article would provide more detail, but there is something curious that I just now realized.”

“What is it,” Twilight asked.

“In all of the images we have seen so far,” Rarity said, “There haven’t been any depictions of magic. We have never seen a unicorn wielding magic of any kind.”

Twilight closed her eyes, “You’re right, but what could that mean? That unicorns couldn’t wield magic back then?”

Rarity shrugged, “That question might be beyond the scope of why we’re here, but I would probably say that magic wasn’t as refined back then. If you look around, I would say that ponies back then focused more on technology rather than magic.”

“Okay,” Twilight said, “That’s interesting, but we have to keep moving. Let’s keep this image in mind. A scientist and a beaker with an unknown liquid.”

The next newspaper page depicted a group of ponies, all unicorns, showcasing a jar. Along the sides of the ponies stood pegasi.

“I believe that your warrior class idea was correct,” Rarity said, “What is that jar?”

Twilight stared hard at the unicorn holding the jar, “If only we could understand the language, we would know.”

She sighed, “My first guess would be that they are showcasing some kind of medicine, but beyond that, I have no idea.”

Rarity placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder, “We’re gathering the information as best we can. Please, don’t trouble yourself because there are gaps we will never fill.”

Twilight smiled, “I guess I have to know everything. Thanks, Rarity. Let’s check the next paper.”

The third paper showed a curious sight. The image was split in two. The left half showed what appeared to be a hospital ward with beds lining its walls. Dryads were strapped to these beds, each with a tube attached to a leg.

The second showed a pegasus wearing a military uniform and a squad of pegasi behind him.

“Was this a war,” Rarity asked, “The dryads might be casualties.”

Twilight looked at the image and shook her head.

“No,” she said, “The ponies wrote this paper. I doubt they would showcase anything that would make them look bad. The only thing I can think of is if there was a sudden threat that emerged. But there would have been something showing such a monumental event either here or on one of the previous floors.”

“But the dryads are still victims,” Rarity said, “And they are being cared for by the ponies.”

Twilight studied the tubes attached to the dryads’ legs and said, “They are victims, but they are not receiving aid. I think they’re being killed.”

“What,” Rarity asked as she studied the image again, “How can you tell?”

“If you see the tubes,” Twilight said, “They’re all connected to a barrel on the floor. If they were receiving medicine, then the tubes would connect above them. That’s how intravenous medication works anyway, and I highly doubt gravity was different back then.”

Rarity ran a hoof along the frame, “If what you are saying is true, what are they drawing from the dryads? Blood? To what end?”

“I don’t know,” Twilight said, “I bet the answer is somewhere in the paper, but we can’t read it. From what I can see, whatever is being drawn from the dryads is worth taking lives for.”

Rarity sighed, “Let’s see if the final paper has any answers.”

The final frame showcased a view of what appeared to be a high-level figure. This unicorn sat on a high bench with two other ponies just below. One pony was a unicorn, and the other could either be a pegasus or an earth pony, as no wings were visible.

The unicorn was holding up a scroll, a decree of some kind, and the ponies gathered were applauding.

“This is no help at all,” Twilight said, “This is either a council or a panel of judges. Either way, we don’t know what they signed or its significance.”

“This is everything there is to see here,” Rarity said, “Let’s sit down and try and piece this puzzle together.”

Twilight sat down, “There must be something special about the dryads and their blood. This we can see from the third paper, but the question is, why?”

“Why indeed,” Rarity asked, “We have been given quite a bit of information, so let’s see if we can figure something out.”

“The only reason that I can think of is medicinal,” Twilight said, “There was something about the dryads’ blood that was special.”

“Do you think blood was in the beaker and the jar,” Rarity asked.

“We’ll never know about the jar,” Twilight said, “But I do believe that dryad blood was in the beaker.”

Rarity got to her hooves and stretched her legs. After giving each paper a glance, she said, “Let’s try something. We were brought here to learn the history of Yew and her kind, but we know that so much of their history is being left out.”

Twilight nodded and waited.

“I believe that we are being directed to reach a specific conclusion,” Rarity said, “One that paints the ponies in a bad light.”

“Well, that’s not hard to do,” Twilight said, waving a hoof at the papers, “We saw how awful some of the ponies could be.”

Rarity nodded, “Yes, but we only seem to progress when we reach the desired conclusion. We don’t have enough information since we can’t read the newspapers, but we can certainly guess.”

Twilight smiled, “I get it. Since all we have speculation, let’s assume the absolute worst.”

Rarity nodded and sat back down, “Yes, these ponies captured and drained dryads of their blood. Perhaps they were slaughtered while doing so.”

She pointed to the paper with the pegasi and dryads, “There might have been a war. This would certainly help the ponies as they tried to justify their actions against the dryads.”

Twilight sighed, “By why? Why would they want to do this? What possible gain could there be?”

“I believe that you said it best,” Rarity said, “Medicine. We know nothing about the dryads. I thought they were distant relations to ponies, but what if they weren’t.”

“What do you mean,” Twilight asked, “We know that they were from the forest. Do you think they were closer to the trees than ponies?”

Rarity shrugged, “I have no idea, but I do know that plants and herbs have a long history in medicine. Perhaps it was discovered that their blood had medicinal properties.”

Twilight tapped the desk with a hoof, “Even if that was the case, it still doesn’t explain why they took such extreme actions.”

“Perhaps the dryad blood was that powerful as a medicine,” Rarity said, “I believe that the dryads were hunted down when the ponies discovered the medical qualities within the dryads, and that might be what Yew wanted us to see.”

The locked door unlocked with a quiet click, but neither pony rose from their seat.

They shared a tired glance and knew it was time for them to take a break before continuing to the next level.

---

“Are my friends okay,” Aqua Rain asked.

“Do you really wish to know,” Yew asked.

Aqua Rain glared at Yew, “I want the truth.”

Yew walked to Aqua Rain and smiled, “I know this is boring for you, but you will see soon enough. Once they come back, all will be revealed.”

She walked to Cobalt and added, “Of course, you can skip to the end and take him.”

“And if I did that,” Aqua Rain asked, “How would we get out? The only way down here is that slope, and I know you’re going to help.”

Yew shrugged, “You’re not wrong, but wouldn’t it feel good to betray the. I mean, that’s what ponies do, right?”

Aqua Rain took a deep breath, a heated conflict burning within her. After a minute, she opened her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she said, “But I cannot betray them. We will answer for our crimes, and I will not add to them. No matter how tempting it might be.”

Aqua Rain smiled, “Besides, I know that’s only an illusion.”

Yew tilted her head, “How do you know?”

“You said that my friends are with the ponies,” Aqua Rain said, “You didn’t exclude anypony, so that tells me Cobalt is trapped with them.”

She glanced up at Cobalt, “Is that the concession you made? That you had to give up your prisoners so you could test them?”

Yew’s face darkened for a brief moment. Then she smiled, “I didn’t think you would catch that little mistake. I suppose my eagerness is causing me to be careless, but you have to understand. I am so close to being free.”

“You’ll never be free,” Aqua Rain said.

Yew ran to Aqua Rain, “And you know what that’s like, don’t you? You’re going to prison, too. You won’t know freedom again.”

Aqua Rain shook her head, “I know what you’re trying to do. I’m scared of what will happen to me, but I know that if I were to leave, my punishment would be much worse. I have to be a mare of my word.”

Yew laughed, “And hope that they show mercy?”

Her face grew cold, “Ponies are incapable of mercy. Cruelty and greed are at their core, so you might as well do your part.”

Aqua Rain sighed and sat down, “No. I will wait, and you may as well take down your illusion since I know it’s fake.”

She smiled as she saw the Cobalt illusion fade, but then she turned to Yew.

Yew’s eyes were again blackened, and as Aqua Rain stared into the dark orbs, the world began to darken.

She felt as though she were being pulled out of her body, but something wasn’t right. She felt a little nauseous.

“What are you doing,” Aqua Rain asked as she rubbed her head.

Yew took a step back, “Just testing a theory. Your connection to him protects you, but do you think it will last forever?”

Aqua Rain smiled though her head was pounding, “Forever? No, but I know that it will last long enough for those ponies to come back.”

“Then we shall wait, and we shall see won’t we,” Yew asked.

Aqua Rain walked to the corner and sat down. Patience wasn’t exactly one of her virtues, but she had to rely on it if she hoped to see Cobalt or her friends again.
> Not the Utopia You Were Looking For Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I hate this place,” Rainbow Dash said.

Applejack laughed, “Me too, Sugarcube. Me too.”

They sat in what they assumed was a cafeteria. Tables filled the room and could easily seat a hundred ponies. Counters lined the walls, and locked doors led to what could have been kitchens. Here they sat as they tried to collect themselves.

“I think we’re almost at the end of it,” Applejack said, “Ready to get moving?”

Rainbow nodded, “Yeah, let’s go.”

They walked through the only open door. It had been a while since they stopped trying any closed doors, as they were all locked anyway.

As they walked, they kept an eye out for any windows. Thankfully, they didn’t see any.

Soon, they arrived at a pair of closed doors.

“Think this is the end of the road,” Applejack asked.

Rainbow didn’t respond. Instead, she tried to push the door open, and when it didn’t budge, she kicked it as hard as she could.

The doors swung open, and they stepped inside the dark room.

“I’m sick of this,” Rainbow growled.

Applejack nudged her, “Keep your head now. I think we’re getting close to figuring this all out.”

“Like it matters,” Rainbow said, “It’s not going to change anything.”

“Maybe not,” Applejack said, “But Yew brought us here for a reason. I’m still not keen on her, but if ponies were treated like this, I’d be plenty sore, too.”

She motioned for Rainbow dash to walk forward, and the lights turned on when she did.

This room wasn’t lined with obsidian. Instead, it was lined with a silvery metal, and several square hatches were set in three walls. At the far side of the room was a table made from the same silvery metal. Something was on top of it but covered with a sheet.

“There must be dozens of them,” Applejack said, “Think we’re supposed to open them all up?”

Rainbow sighed, “Let’s check out the table first. Maybe there’s something here.”

Applejack smiled, “Good thinking. Let’s get going.”

They walked to the table, their hooves echoing off the metal walls, and soon arrived at their destination.

“I know I’m not gonna like this,” Rainbow said.

“Me neither, Sugarcube,” Applejack said, “But we gotta remember that all this is in the past. We can’t fix it. All we can do is figure out what Yew wants us to know.”

Rainbow glared at the sheet covering the figure, “We already know. Ponies found out Alder’s blood could be used for medicine, so they started killing them for it.”

“And I’m thinking you’re right,” Applejack said, “But there has to be more. Otherwise, we should be out of here.”

Rainbow didn’t answer. Instead, she pulled the sheet off the figure. She didn’t even flinch at the sight.

A figure similar to Alder lay on the table, with their torso cut open, but the cavity was void of any organs.

“So this must be a morgue,” Applejack asked, “I guess that makes sense.”

“How,” Rainbow shouted, “How does this make sense? Ponies like Alder were used and tossed like garbage, and all you can say is that it makes sense?”

“Now, listen here,” Applejack shouted, “I ain’t defending any of what happened. I’m just saying what I’m seeing. The ponies that did this were awful, and we both know that. Getting upset ain’t bringing them back or changing anything. I bet Yew wants us to be upset. Let’s just find what we need and get out of here.”

She didn’t wait for Rainbow Dash. Instead, she walked to one of the walls and studied the hatches.

As Applejack searched, Rainbow Dash didn’t take her eyes off the long-dead dryad.

“Who were you,” she quietly asked, “Did you run around the forests like Alder? Did you have friends that you had good times with?”

Rainbow sighed and wiped her eyes with a hoof. She gently placed her head against the dryad’s and whispered, “I’m so sorry.”

She carefully covered the dryad with the sheet and returned to Applejack.

“Look,” She began.

“You’re right,” Applejack said, “I owe you an apology. You’re right to be upset at all of this.”

“No,” Rainbow said, “You’re right. We’re here for a reason and can’t get distracted.”

Applejack turned to Rainbow and smiled, “You got a good heart there, Sugarcube. That’s why I never doubted we’d be okay.”

Rainbow managed a small smile, “And why’s that?”

Applejack laughed, “Cause you’d never leave a pony hanging, right?”

“Yeah,” Rainbow said, “And I’m not about to start now.”

They spent almost an hour studying the hatches for clues as to which to open, and neither wanted to discover another victim.

“So, which will it be,” Applejack asked.

Rainbow looked around the room, looking at each of the hatches. They were all the same, and they couldn’t read the labels. She knew that there had to be a sign.

“Hold on,” she said, “I have an idea.”

She looked at the sides of the nearest hatch and smiled, “Okay, I think I got it.”

“What you got,” Applejack asked.

“Look,” Rainbow said, pointing to the gap between the hatch and the wall.”

Applejack got closer and saw it. A layer of ice had formed.

“So,” Applejack asked, “We find the hatch that doesn’t have this ice or one where the ice isn’t as thick?”

Rainbow Dash nodded, “That’s what I think.”

“Okay then,” Applejack said, “You get that wall, and I’ll get this one.”

“Got it,” Rainbow said and ran to the other side.

Within a few minutes, Rainbow Dash shouted, “I found it.”

Applejack hobbled toward her and smiled at the discovery.

“Not a lick of ice on this one,” she said.

Rainbow nodded, “Just say when.”

Applejack laughed, “No time like the present.”

“Okay,” Rainbow said and pulled the latch.

A loud hiss escaped from the hatch, along with a burst of cold air. The hatch opened easily, and a metal slab slid out.

Another covered figure lay on this slab, but the ponies knew this was different.

The figure underneath was breathing.

Applejack pulled the sheet away and found what they were looking for.

Sapphire Flower lay shivering. She struggled to get to a sitting position, but Rainbow Dash helped her.

“Okay,” Rainbow said, “We got you. I guess we’re done.”

“Done,” Sapphire asked, “This is only the start. Did you learn the awful secret of this place?”

“Near enough,” Applejack said, “Ponies were using blood as medicine and took it too far.”

Sapphire nodded, “I thought it was an awful dream, but it happened. She’s in so much pain.”

“Enough of that,” Rainbow said, “We got you. We know what happened. Now let’s get out of here.”

All three ponies felt a sudden pull of energy and soon found themselves in a dimly lit room.

Sapphire got to her hooves and walked toward a wall.

“This is a door,” she said, “I don’t know how I know. I just do.”

She pressed a tile on the side of the wall, and the door slid open.

The group now found themselves back in the ancient ruins.

---

The tower staircase ended with a hatch. Twilight tried to open it, but the hatch didn’t budge.

“Allow me to help you,” Rarity said.

They both pushed as hard as they could, and the hatch slowly opened.

A refreshing breeze greeted the unicorns as they found themselves on the tower roof.

“This is certainly pleasant,” Rarity said, “Again if I weren’t so annoyed, I’d be enjoying the view.

The first thing they noticed was the lack of the green glow they saw earlier.

Unlike the previous floors, there was only one object, an obsidian pillar opposite them.

In the center, where the lower floors had tables, there was a  metal circle on the floor.

“This looks alien to me,” Rarity said.

Twilight nodded, “This must have been at the height of their civilization. I’ve never seen machines like these.”

She examined a pillar and noticed a sunken section.

“I wonder,” she said and pressed the obsidian.

The sunken section began to glow brightly, and an image appeared.

“This is interesting,” Twilight said.

A voice emerged from the pillar.

“I’m afraid we don’t understand,” Rarity said, “Can you understand us?”

The voice repeated itself.

Twilight sighed, “I think it’s programmed to repeat a specific message.”

She growled and stomped her hoof, “Why do all of this? If we’re supposed to learn the history of what happened between the dryads and ponies, why put barriers that we can’t pass?”

“Please state your name,” the pillar said.

Twilight and Rarity shared a glance.

“I’m not going crazy,” Twilight asked, “You heard it too?”

Rarity nodded, “I certainly did.”

She walked to the pillar and asked, “How are we able to understand you?”

The pillar was silent for a few moments, then said, “I am studying your speech. I have observed your progress and am ready to see you fulfill your objective.”

“So you were the one unlocking the doors,” Twilight asked.

“That is correct,” the pillar said, “Once you understood the events on each floor, I allowed you to proceed.”

Rarity smiled, “How accurate were we?”

“The total accuracy is irrelevant,” the pillar said, “What matters is that you attained a cursory understanding. Now, before you can proceed, you must submit your queries. Please keep in mind that the scope and number of inquiries are limited.”

“We understand,” Twilight said, “We’ll think about it and be right back.”

The pillar didn’t respond, and the unicorns walked back to the hatch.

“I almost asked how many inquiries we’re allowed,” Twilight said, “But that might be considered an inquiry.”

Rarity smiled, “True, though, we must hurry. We have to find our answers and return.”

“Yeah, let’s go,” Twilight said.

They returned to the pillar.

“Before we proceed,” Twilight said, “You will tell us the number of inquiries we can use.”

“Very well,” the pillar said, “You have five inquires, and you will be informed of your remaining total after each inquiry, so there will be no need to ask for them.”

Rarity chuckled, “Well, that’s certainly a relief. You can understand how we would get that impression, of course?”

“I understand how one may have that impression. You now have four inquiries.”

“Rarity,” Twilight shouted.

“That was not an inquiry,” Rarity said, “I didn’t ask anything relevant to our situation.”

“Okay,” Twilight said, “Let’s calm down. We must assume that any question the pillar answers will count as an inquiry. Let’s be careful.”

Rarity nodded, “I shall leave it to you then.”

Twilight nodded and turned her attention to the pillar, “Why did the dryad, Yew, bring us here?”

“That inquiry is beyond the scope of available inquiries. You still have four inquiries available.”

“So only inquiries it can answer are counted,” Rarity asked Twilight.

Before Twilight could respond, the pillar said, “Yes, only inquiries that fall within the scope of my programming will deduct from your total. You now have three inquiries available.”

“But,” Rarity said, “I did ask you.”

She stomped on the floor, “I’ll wait by the hatch.”

“Rarity,” Twilight said, “It was an accident. It’s okay.”

Rarity shook her head, “I already cost us two inquiries. No, it’s best if I stay out of the way. If you wish to confer with me, I’ll be by the hatch.”

“Okay,” Twilight said, “I’ll try to get as much information as I can.”

Rarity walked to the hatch, sat down, and decided to take in the view of the surrounding forest.

The trees were beautiful, and she noticed an almost mystical quality to them.

They were in an illusion, this much was obvious early on, but the trees were created with extra care. The trees were important.

“Twilight,” Rarity said, “Come here, please.”

Twilight walked to Rarity, “What’s up?”

“I have a possible inquiry,” Rarity said, “A genuine one, that is.”

Twilight laughed, “Stop beating yourself up about that. It was like the scene from ‘Daring Do and the Cave of Mysteries.’ It’s kind of funny.”

“In any case,” Rarity said, “I noticed the trees in this illusion are different. They were created carefully.”

“Well, the dryads were from the forests. Perhaps trees held an important part in their culture,” Twilight said.

She began to turn around, but Rarity stopped her.

“Be careful when you ask,” Rarity said, “I could be wrong, but the ponies may have created this pillar.”

“But Yew created this illusion,” Twilight said, “It might be possible that this tower was created by ponies and placed in the care of the dryads.”

“Possibly,” Rarity said, “But please be careful.”

Twilight nodded and returned to the pillar.

“Please state your inquiry,” the pillar said.

“What is the relationship between the forest and the dryads,” Twilight asked.

The pillar remained silent momentarily and said, “The forest is vital to the dryad population. It is a uniquely symbiotic relationship. One where neither has an advantage. The trees are cared for by the dryads, and the dryads gain their power from the trees. You now have two inquiries remaining.”

“What was the purpose of using dryads in the creation of medicine,” Twilight asked.

“The pony scientific community discovered, by accident, that the blood of the dryad population had remarkable healing properties. Efforts were made to harvest this precious liquid. The first efforts were in the guise of blood drives where dryads were encouraged to donate blood. This proved to have almost no success as the dryad population knew the value of their blood. After this and other incentive-themed programs were tested, the decision came to use force. Dryads were arrested under false pretenses whenever they entered the city and sent to hospitals for testing. There was a ninety-seven percent fatality rate of the dryads. This brought on a discovery the dryad population needed the forests to survive. The decision came from the unicorns that all dryads would be captured. While the dryad population was being gathered, a dedicated team of scientists began working on keeping a dryad alive to keep a steady stream of blood available. This culminated with the creation of the chamber. It took too long to complete, and only one dryad was used. It was successful in that the captured dryad survived and provided the blood needed for further experiments. You now have one inquiry remaining.”

Twilight stood in stunned silence as she tried to process what she had just heard.

“I’ll be right back,” she said, returning to Rarity.

“From the look on your face,” Rarity said, “I don’t think you have good news.”

Twilight shook her head, “It’s as we feared. The ponies used the dryads for medicine.”

“So, the ponies in the beds,” Rarity said, “They were victims being drained of blood?”

“Yeah,” Twilight said, “For medicine. They eventually resorted to killing almost all the dryads. Only one remained who was trapped in a chamber.”

“Or a prison,” Rarity asked.

“Yew,” Twilight said, “That makes sense, but she said she belonged there.”

Rarity got to her hooves, “And we can ask her when we see her again. Now, if my math is correct, we have one final inquiry. May I?”

Twilight smiled, “Just don’t ask what time it is.”

“Oh hush,” Rarity said, smiling, “I believe I have an inquiry.”

She stood before the pillar and asked, “I have some statements to make before I make my inquiry. Assuming that everything you said is correct and that our understanding of the historical events is accurate, it would stand to reason that the ponies engaged in a war against the dryads. This war resulted in the near extinction of the dryads and the capture of the last remaining dryad for the purpose of creating a medicine. If the healing properties of dryad blood were as powerful as it seemed, then some ponies might think it a possible fountain of youth.”

Rarity took a breath and asked, “My inquiry is, how much of what I said is accurate?”

“Nice,” Twilight whispered.

“You were fairly accurate in your statements, but there are some errors. Firstly, there was no formal declaration of war. The laborer earth ponies would have revolted should word of aggression against the dryad population spread. The abductions were carried out by the military, primarily the elite pegasus corp. The extinction of the dryad population was never a goal, just an unfortunate side effect of the lack of cooperation. The ultimate goal of the dryad blood program was never revealed, but it can be assumed that ponies wished to eradicate all diseases from the world. The dryad that was used in the chamber was not captured nor abducted. She surrendered herself to the program with the request that all aggression against the dryads be stopped. This request was never honored, though it is unknown if she ever learned of this fact. She was placed in the chamber where nutrient-enhanced water was forced through her veins, and her blood drained from her body. This effort eliminated the risk of fatality from being separated from the forest. You have used your final inquiry. You may now receive your objective.”

The metallic circle in the center began to rise. It was a cylindrical chamber, and a pony floated inside of it.

The liquid began to drain from the chamber, and once empty, it opened.

Emerald Lilly fell out of the chamber.

“So cold,” she whispered, “She was promised, and they lied. She’s right to be angry.”

“Relax,” Twilight said, “You’re safe now. Hopefully, this will end the illusion.”

“We’ll never be safe,” Emerald Lilly said.

The world suddenly went dark, and they found themselves in a dimly lit room.

“I guess we’re back in the ruins,” Rarity said, “Perhaps there is a means of leaving this room.”

Twilight walked around the room and noticed one of the walls.

“I think this is it,” she said.

She studied the border along the wall and spotted a tile. Twilight pushed the tile, and the wall slid open.

They stepped out and smiled at the sight of their friends.

“Hey girls,” Twilight said, “I guess you figured it out too?”

Rainbow nodded, “I guess so.”

“I wasn’t fun,” Applejack said, “But we got through it.”

Rarity gasped, “Applejack, what happened to your leg?”

“A series of bad tumbles,” Applejack said, “But a dryad named Alder helped me out.”

“Has anypony seen Fluttershy or Pinkie Pie,” Twilight asked.

Everypony shook their head.

“I guess they’re still in their illusions,” Rarity said, “Might not be much longer.”

The group agreed and waited for their friends to arrive.

---

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie walked down the staircase. This staircase was considerably longer than the previous stairs, but torches lit their way.

“I can’t wait to see what’s down there,” Pinkie Pie shouted.

Fluttershy smiled, “I wonder what it could be. Hopefully, it’s nothing too scary.”

Pinkie giggled, “Flutters, we’re gonna finish this together, right?”

Fluttershy nuzzled Pinkie, “Of course we are. We’re a team.”

They soon reached the foot of the stairs and stepped into a large rectangular room. A rug ran from the stairs to a stone altar at the rear of the room, and rows of benches were lined along the rug.

“I wonder what this place is for,” Pinkie said, nudging Fluttershy.

Fluttershy swallowed, “I guess we should go to the altar?”

They walked toward the altar, and though they couldn’t see anypony, they could hear the sounds of whispering.

When they arrived at the altar, two shadowy figures appeared.

Pinkie smiled as Fluttershy stepped forward.

“Hello,” she said, “We still don’t know what we’re here. Can you help us?”

“That’s quite bold of you,” one of the figures said.

“Very bold,” the other said, “I was expecting the other one to speak first.”

“Well,” Pinkie said, “We learned our lessons. So, what’s next?”

“Next,” the first figure said, “You two will go through the ceremony.”

Fluttershy put her legs on the altar, “But who are you two? You sound familiar.”

The first figure laughed, “You should. We met not that long ago.”

They nodded to the other figure, and the shadows dissipated.

“It’s Di,” Pinkie shouted, “And you must be the other Flutters.”

“Di,” Fluttershy and the other Fluttershy asked in unison.

“I said to keep that to yourself,” Di scolded Pinkie, “Remember when I said that?”

Pinkie giggled, “Oopsie. Still, it’s good to see you, so I know this test will be as easy as a cupcake.”

“Well,” the other Fluttershy said, “You’re not wrong. We all know each other, so let’s begin.”

Fluttershy smiled, “Yes, what do we need to do?”

“First,” the other Fluttershy said, “We will need your items.”

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie placed the basket and box on the altar.

Di grabbed Pinkie’s box, and the other Fluttershy also grabbed Fluttershy’s basket.

“This test will be simple,” she said, “But you two have to be honest. Are you ready?”

Both ponies nodded.

The other Fluttershy giggled, “We need you to say you’re ready. It’s a rule.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy said, blushing, “I’m ready.”

“Me too,” Pinkie said, hopping up and down.

Di opened the box and took out a wooden bracelet.

“Ooh, pretty,” Pinkie said.

Di nodded and placed the bracelet in front of Pinkie.

“Not yet,” Di said, “You’ll know when it’ll be time.”

“That is a pretty bracelet,” Fluttershy said, “I haven’t seen a bracelet made out of wood.”

The other Fluttershy smiled, “This is a very special wood from the branch of a special tree. We’ll get to that in a moment.”

She opened the basket and took out a bracelet as well. This bracelet was made out of stone.

“That one’s not as nice,” Pinkie said.

“Pinkie,” Fluttershy scolded, “Don’t be rude.”

Di laughed, “There’s a reason this bracelet isn’t as pretty.”

The other Fluttershy placed the stone bracelet in front of Fluttershy.

“We are ready to proceed,” Di said, “Remember, be honest.”

Both ponies began to nod but stopped themselves.

“We understand,” they said.

“The first question,” Di said, “If one of you were ill, to what extent would you go for the other?”

“This is silly,” Pinkie said, “We all know that the answer is that we’ll do whatever it takes.”

She shrugged and added, “Besides, this is a hypothetical question. We don’t know how we’ll act until it actually happens.”

Di and the other Fluttershy shared a glance.

“That’s quite true,” Di said, “We have no proper way of knowing how you would behave should it truly happen.”

“Unless,” the other Fluttershy said, “We were to make the hypothetical real.”

Di shook her head, “But we don’t have that kind of time. Cypress is waiting for them, so let’s get this moving.”

“Agreed,” the other Fluttershy said, “We will forgo those questions and ask a simple question for each of you.”

“Pinkie,” the other Fluttershy began, “Why would you never prank Fluttershy?”

“That’s easy,” Pinkie said, “She’s so sensitive that even a simple prank would hurt her feelings.”

Di nodded, “Then why are you with somepony that pathetic?”

Fluttershy flinched slightly, and Pinkie slammed a hoof on the altar.

“Now you watch it,” Pinkie shouted, “Is this more of that ‘Flutters isn’t tough’ talk? Because I told you that she’s plenty tough.”

“But not tough enough for you to do one of the things you do with all of your friends,” the other Fluttershy asked, “You prank all of your friends, and everypony has a great laugh. Why are you excluding her from that?”

Pinkie shook her head, “Fluttershy is off limits. Permanently.”

“But,” Fluttershy began.

“I’m sorry,” the other Fluttershy said, “You have to stay quiet right now. This is her test.”

“But,” Fluttershy began again.

“It’s okay, Flutters,” Pinkie said, “I think I know what they’re saying, but I was lying.”

“You don’t think she’s tough at all, do you,” Di asked.

Pinkie sighed and shook her head, “She tries. I mean, she really, really tries, and she comes through in the end, but I know she’s too sensitive.”

“Now,” Di said, “Fluttershy, this is the part where you speak. Is she being honest?”

Fluttershy glared at Di and the other Fluttershy. She then turned her attention to Pinkie and nuzzled her gently.

“I know I’m weak,” she said, “That’s why you are always telling me that I’m tough, because I know you don’t really mean it. You want me to be more confident, and I think I’m getting a little better, thanks to you. I’m sorry that you think you have to keep telling me something you don’t believe.”

“I’m sorry,” Pinkie said, “I keep thinking about the last prank Dashie, and I did.”

“But that worked out okay,” Fluttershy said, “And it was an accident.”

Pinkie smiled and nuzzled Fluttershy, “That’s my Flutters.”

Di and the other Fluttershy nodded in approval.

“Very well,” Di said, “Now it’s time for Fluttershy.”

“I’m ready,” Fluttershy said, “And I promise to be honest.”

Di smiled, “Okay, why are you in love with Pinkie Pie?”

Fluttershy smiled warmly and said, “Because I know that I will never be good enough for her. She’s a shining star showering everypony in her life with joy and energy. Never content to leave a pony feeling just okay, she’ll work extra hard to break through the sadness to help them feel real joy. I want to have that kind of strength, but I know that I never will.”

She looked down at the floor, and her smile broadened, “I want to be the star in her life so she doesn’t have to do it all alone.”

“Flutters,” Pinkie said, “You’re plenty good enough for me. You know that.”

“She didn’t lie,” Di said, “And you two were both honest. The question now is, knowing what you know now, does this change anything?”

Fluttershy smiled and shook her head.

Pinkie wrapped Fluttershy in an embrace and nuzzled her gently.

“That’s all the answer we need,” the other Fluttershy said, “Now for the bracelets.”

“Fluttershy, you will give the stone bracelet to Pinkie, and Pinkie will give the wooden bracelet to Fluttershy.”

Both ponies nodded and placed their respective bracelet on the other’s hoof.

“Now,” Di said, “Return to Cypress. She will have one more task for you.”

“Okay,” Fluttershy said, “And thank you.”

“Yeah,” Pinkie said, “Thanks.”

They began to walk up the stairs.

“Pinkie,” Fluttershy began.

“I’m not mad at you,” Pinkie said.

“How...”

“Because I know you,” Pinkie said, “You’re my special somepony, and I’m gonna figure out how to show you that you’re good enough for me.”

“And I’ll try to be tougher,” Fluttershy said, “Um, race you to the top.”

She began to run up the stairs.

Pinkie smiled, “Let’s go!”

They reached the top of the stairs quickly. Fluttershy knew that Pinkie was letting her stay ahead, but that was fine with her. They were having fun.

She reached the top of the stairs, and Pinkie soon joined her.

“Wow, you’ve gotten fast,” Pinkie said.

“Oh, hush,” Fluttershy scolded, “You let me win. I know how fast you really are.”

Pinkie shrugged, “It was fun, though.”

Fluttershy nodded, “It sure was. Let’s see Cypress.”

They smiled at the dryad who was waiting for them.

“Oh,” she said, “It seems you completed your task sooner than I expected.”

Pinkie giggled, “Well, we did skip the hypothetical stuff because of silliness.”

“I see,” Cypress said, “Well, that silliness was quite important, but if they felt you were deserving, please present your bracelets.”

Both ponies placed the leg wearing a bracelet on the altar.

“Excellent,” Cypress said, “This is not a formal ceremony, but understand the questions you were asked, and would have been asked, were part of an important ceremony.”

She pointed back to the entryway, “Up there will be your goal. The reason you were brought here. Collect it, and you will leave this illusion.

Pinkie nodded and left.

Fluttershy paused for a moment.

“I know it doesn’t mean much,” she said, “But thank you. I learned a lot about myself here, and I will work to improve.”

“Just don’t lose yourself in your quest for improvement,” Cypress said, “For part of her love is for your flaws.”

Fluttershy blushed slightly, “I’m learning that as well. Thank you, but I must be going.”

Cypress nodded, and Fluttershy ran to catch up with Pinkie.

“Have a nice chat,” Pinkie asked.

“I wanted to thank her for helping see what I need to fix,” Fluttershy said.

“Don’t fix what isn’t broken,” Pinkie said, “That’s what my dad used to say.”

“I know,” Fluttershy said, “I just don’t want to be a burden.”

At the entrance, they found what Cypress was referring to, or rather who.

Cobalt lay on the floor, and his coat was matted with the brackish swamp water.

They began to check on him, and when they placed a hoof on his body, the illusion ended.

“Where are we,” Fluttershy asked, “This looks familiar.”

“Because it is,” Pinkie said, “We’re back in the obsidian place.”

Cobalt began to cough and slowly got to his hooves.

“Are you okay,” Fluttershy asked.

Cobalt didn’t speak but nodded.

“Good,” Pinkie said, “Let’s get out of here.”

The wall slid open, and they stood face to face with Aqua Rain.

“What,” she began, “What are you doing here?”

She didn’t wait for a response. Instead, she ran and embraced Cobalt.

“We escaped the illusion,” Fluttershy said, “And it seems that we were supposed to rescue your husband.”

“Are you okay,” Aqua Rain asked, “Are you hurt?”

Cobalt shook his head, “I’m okay. I don’t remember what happened, but I’m glad I’m out of it now.”

Aqua Rain helped Cobalt to his hooves, and the four ponies left the room.

“There you guys are,” Rainbow Dash shouted, “Been waiting for you.”

“Oh my,” Fluttershy said, “I hope it hasn’t been that long.”

“Nah,” Applejack said, “Only been a few minutes. Ol’ Rainbow here’s just being impatient like always.”

Fluttershy gasped at the sight of Applejack’s sling and ran to her friend.

“You’re hurt,” she said, “What happened?”

“Bad fall,” Twilight said, “The sling was well made.”

“It sure was,” Rainbow said, “Good medicine, too.”

“Rainbow, dear,” Rarity said, “I’m hoping it’s nothing, but why did you say medicine like that?”

“Yes,” Yew said, “Let’s compare notes and see what we all learned.”

She turned to Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, “Except you two. You’ll do your parts soon enough.”

“So, who wants to go first,” Yew asked, “Will it be the storage and disposal or the tower?”

“We’ll go first,” Twilight said, “We were given quite a bit of history to go through.”

The group nodded, and Twilight said, “First, you are or were a dryad. We don’t know what that means exactly, but you share an appearance with ponies, but you share a stronger connection with nature. We met a dryad named Tulip in a tower within a forest. She guided us toward the top of the tower.”

“Your kind was also treated horribly by ponies,” Rarity said.

“Not all ponies,” Yew said, “Weren’t you paying attention?”

“No,” Twilight said, “We were paying attention. It appeared the cause of the troubles began with unicorns. Later, pegasi began working with unicorns against the dryads.”

“Good,” Yew said, “And don’t forget that the earth ponies did nothing.”

“From what we learned,” Twilight said, “The earth ponies were intentionally kept ignorant of the dryad abductions.”

“You think they didn’t know,” Yew asked.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if those in charge were causing problems for earth ponies, so they would have a chance to see what was happening.”

Yew shrugged, “Maybe, it doesn’t matter.”

She turned to Rainbow and Applejack, “Now, you two. What did you learn?”

Rainbow sighed, “We know what the ponies did with the dryads when they were done with them.”

Applejack nudged her gently, “It’s okay, RD. We got through it.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow said, “I know. We were falling, and Applejack landed hard and hurt herself. We met a dryad named Alder. She helped Applejack, but she was hurt real bad.”

“Oh,” Yew said, “I’m sure she was able to use some of the berries and plants nearby to make some medicine.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow said, “But she also used some of her blood.”

A gasp escaped from the ponies.

“Don’t think I missed that,” Yew said, “I saw the sparkle in your eyes. You ponies never changed.”

“It’s a shock,” Twilight said, “But it confirmed what we learned in the tower.”

“That ponies were killing dryads for their blood and storing it,” Rainbow said, “We found the blood and a dryad.”

“You sound upset,” Yew said.

Rainbow glared at Yew and shouted, “Of course I’m upset. What we saw was too horrible to explain. To see somepony that young, just gone was too much. It was wrong. All of it, but now we know a bit more.”

“Good,” Yew said, “You sound sincere. That certainly means something, but was there something in the tower that you learned?”

Twilight nodded, “Yes, you surrendered yourself to the ponies knowing what they were planning to do to you. Were you hoping to end the conflict?”

Yew laughed, “I was so stupid back then. Yes, I hoped that my noble sacrifice would warm the ponies’ evil hearts into stopping, but they used me and slaughtered my kind.”

“You’re still here,” Twilight asked, “You’re a reflection, but you still live?”

“Is that what you meant,” Aqua Rain asked, “When you said that we would help you get free?”

Yew smiled, “Yes when each of you opened your rooms, it unlocked part of my prison. There remains only one, but I am much stronger now.”

She turned to Fluttershy and Pinkie and scowled, “You and your lying eyes. Keep your promise.”

Yew’s eyes began to glow again, and the room began to darken. The obsidian walls began to groan as immense magical energy was being siphoned from them.

“What are you doing,” Twilight shouted.

“What I have to,” Yew said.

She finished casting her spell, and a blinding flash filled the room.

It took a few minutes for the ponies’ vision to clear, and when they did, they noticed all were present except for Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie.

“Where are they,” Rainbow asked.

Yew smiled, “Not where. When.”

---

Pinkie and Fluttershy fell and landed in a pond. They quickly got to the surface and swam to the shore.

“At least the water’s clean,” Pinkie said, shaking the water from her coat.

Fluttershy looked around to see where they were.

The area looked like a park, and when she turned her gaze upward, all she saw was a beautiful blue sky.

“I don’t think this is an illusion,” Fluttershy said.

“Well,” Pinkie said, “We’re supposed to keep some promise, so let’s see if we can find somepony who can help us out.”

Fluttershy nodded, and they soon found a path that led out of the park.

They soon found themselves in awe of the city they found themselves in.

“These buildings are huge,” Pinkie shouted, “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“Me neither,” Fluttershy said, “We should find something that can show us where we are.”

Pinkie ran ahead and saw a sign.

“Flutters,” she shouted, “Look at this.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy said, “I can’t read this. Does looking at it make your eyes hurt?”

Pinkie nodded, “Sure does. It’s like a weird tingly feeling in the back of my eyes.”

Fluttershy looked toward the buildings. They were so tall that she couldn’t see the top. They appeared to go above the clouds.

“Aww, that’s no fun,” Pinkie said.

“What’s wrong,” Fluttershy asked.

Pinkie pointed to the sign, “I can read it now.”

“What,” Fluttershy asked and gasped.

“I can read it too,” she said.

Come to the weekly fair at the town square this weekend. Earth ponies get in free with an approved escort and will receive a 50% discount on all beverages.

“This could be fun,” Pinkie said.

She nudged Fluttershy, “And you can be my escort. Whatever that means.”

“Pinkie,” Fluttershy said, “I don’t think we’ll be here long enough for that.”

“You never know,” Pinkie said, “For all we know, it might be the weekend already.”

Fluttershy smiled, “You’re right. Let’s go into town and see if we can get some answers.”

The ponies walked toward town, and two figures watched them go.

“That’s certainly strange behavior for a pegasus,” one said.

“It certainly is,” the other replied, “Unless the earth pony is a trusted servant. I’ve never seen a pegasus be so lenient with an earth pony before.”

The first shook his head, “We should report this.”

“And we will,” the second replied, “In time. First, we should follow them. We have to be certain that they don’t undermine our efforts against the dryads.”

The first nodded, “Agreed. Let’s go.”

They waited for Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie to get further away and began following the ponies, neither group knowing the purpose of their being there. For now.
> Not the Utopia You Were Looking For Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It took great strength, but the group managed to restrain Rainbow Dash.

Of course, pinned down was a closer description.

“Rainbow,” Twilight shouted, “We have to stay calm.”

“Calm my flank,” Rainbow shouted, “I want to know what she did with Fluttershy and Pinkie.”

“And we will get those answers,” Rarity said, “But we must keep our heads.”

Applejack limped toward Rainbow and sat down, “I get it, Sugarcube. I do, but think about Alder.”

Rainbow’s anger began to lose its edge, “She wasn’t real. She was just a lie that Yew made up.”

“Oh, she was real,” Yew said, “So were Cypress and Tulip. They were all real.”

Twilight let go of Rainbow Dash, “Please don’t do anything rash.”

Rainbow Dash sighed, “I promise. Just like the ghost, right?”

“Exactly,” Twilight said, “I’ll try to get as much information as possible.”

“Well, I love an interrogation,” Yew said, “But you can’t hurt me, pony.”

Twilight walked to Yew, “And I don’t mean to. All I want is some information. We learned how you operate. You enjoy being cryptic, so I won’t waste time asking for details. For right now, I only have one question. You said that it wasn’t where you sent our friends but when. Did you send them to the past? To your past?”

Yew nodded, “But they were already there. Time can be so confusing.”

Rarity sighed and gathered Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie’s elements from the floor.

“They won’t need those,” Yew said, “Besides, I don’t think they’ll work without the rest.”

Twilight sighed, “Okay, I think I understand.”

She returned to the remaining ponies, “We have to assume that she’s not lying. She is powerful enough to cast a spell that sent Fluttershy and Pinkie to the past.”

“But that was before the princesses,” Rarity said, “Is that even possible?”

“Technically, it is,” Twilight said, “But as far as I know, the most powerful unicorn could send themselves back no further than a week.”

“That means I’m dangerous,” Yew said.

Rainbow Dash lunged at Yew, who vanished and reappeared next to Applejack.

“Don’t bother,” Applejack said, “You’re not gonna hurt her.”

She turned to Yew and asked, “Was what Twi and Rarity said true? Were y’all dryads close to earth ponies?”

Yew’s face softened for a moment, “We were, but that changes nothing. I’ll leave all of you with your thoughts. Besides, you have your own prisoners to deal with as well.”

They turned around to Aqua Rain and her friends.

Sapphire Rain was about to leave the room and froze as the group’s attention was now on her.

“Do you really think that is a good idea,” Rarity asked, “You know this is a labyrinth. How do you expect to get anywhere?”

Sapphire Rain looked at her friends and sighed in resignation. She returned to Emerald Lily and sat down.

Twilight turned to Rarity and whispered, “I have an idea. Can you keep Yew distracted?”

Rarity nodded, “I’ll try.”

She walked to Yew, “I have a question.”

“You have several questions,” Yew said, “But will I answer?”

“You will answer because you know what I’m capable of,” Rarity said, “Your history was quite eye-opening, and it made me realize that we’ve been far too lenient with you.”

Yew took a cautious step back, “There is nothing you can do to me.”

Rarity didn’t let the dryad get away, “Are you sure? You have no idea how far we’ve advanced since you have been trapped here. Do you think unicorns were cruel in your time? Just imagine what new tricks we learned.”

Yew glared at Rarity, “Your kind never changed. Forever cruel and taking from us. We offered nothing but friendship, and you took our lives.”

Rarity grinned, “And nothing of value was lost.”

She leaned closer to Yew and whispered, “It’s not cruelty. It’s efficiency.”

Rage filled Yew’s face as she tried to reply. Her eyes began to glow as she began to shake with anger.

“And what silly trick do you have planned now,” Rarity asked, “You’ve already played your cards, or do you honestly think you can surprise us?”

The room began to darken, and the obsidian walls groaned softly in protest.

Suddenly, Yew stopped. She smiled weakly at Rarity, “I’m not giving you the satisfaction. You will learn. I’ll be watching you.”

She vanished, and the room filled with an awkward silence.

“Dang, Rarity,” Rainbow said, “Wasn’t that a bit much.”

Rarity smiled, “Yes, and that was by design.”

---

While Rarity kept Yew’s attention, Twilight was speaking with Sapphire Rain.

“I don’t remember,” Sapphire Rain pleaded.

Twilight shook her head, “I think you don’t want to talk about it, and I completely understand. This is important. We need information, and you were connected to her somehow. Do you remember the reason you kept saying...”

“Don’t,” Sapphire Rain whispered, “I don’t want to hear those words ever again.”

“I’m sorry,” Twilight said, “But I have to know. What is the blackened emerald?”

Sapphire shook her head, “No. I don’t want to think about it.”

“It’s a key,” Emerald Lily said, “At least, I think it was.”

Sapphire Rain nodded, “In my head, I see that place. I see ponies with the blackened emerald.”

Groans escaped the obsidian walls, and Sapphire Rain looked around nervously.

“Okay,” Twilight said, “I don’t want her to know we talked. Try to rest, and don’t run off. The last thing you want is to be lost in here.”

The ponies nodded and walked to a corner to join Aqua Rain and Cobalt.

“You two okay,” Cobalt asked.

Both ponies shared a glance and shook their heads.

“Me neither,” he said as he rested his head against Aqua Rain’s shoulder.

“It all be over soon,” he whispered.

“Will it,” Aqua Rain asked.

Cobalt stared across the room toward Twilight Sparkle and the others.

He sighed and said, “I don’t know.”

---

“These roads are funny,” Pinkie said, “They’re smooth like Ponyville, but they’re made out of something that isn’t dirt.”

“You’re right,” Fluttershy said, “This isn’t the cobblestone from Manehattan or Canterlot. I wonder what kind of stone this is.”

Pinkie stared at the road and gave a cautious sniff.

“This is weird,” she said, “There are rocks in this, but it’s a mix of stuff. I don’t know what this is, but it’s pretty fancy.”

Fluttershy smiled at her girlfriend and glanced around the area. Ponies were staring at the pair, and when Fluttershy would wave at them, they would flinch and quickly walk away.

“I don’t think they like strangers,” Fluttershy said.

“Aww, but a stranger is just a friend you haven’t met,” Pinkie said, “Let’s find somepony and find out what’s what.”

Fluttershy saw a pegasus, and she said, “Let me try talking to him.”

Pinkie smiled, “You got this, Flutters.”

Fluttershy smiled and walked up to the pegasus.

“Excuse me,” Fluttershy asked, “May I ask you something?”

The pegasus didn’t respond.

“Oh my,” Fluttershy said, “Um, excuse me.”

Again, she was ignored.

The pegasus waved at somepony in the distance and took flight.

Fluttershy shook her head, disappointed, but she decided to try again with an earth pony.

“Excuse me,” she said, adding more volume to her voice.

The earth pony yawned, but that was it.

“May I ask you something,” Fluttershy tried again.

The earth pony shook his head and quickly turned around. He walked into Fluttershy and knocked her to the ground.

“Would you watch where...,” he began.

Fluttershy got to her hooves and shook her mane and wings.

“Oh no,” he said, “I am so sorry.”

Fluttershy smiled, “It’s okay. It was just an accident.”

The earth pony’s face paled, “Accident? I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to do that. I don’t want to have an accident.”

Fluttershy tried to place a hoof on his shoulder, but the pony backed away.

“I’m sorry for bothering you,” she said, “I was hoping you could answer a few questions.”

The earth pony shook his head vigorously, “Well, you don’t have to do that because I don’t know anything. No, ma’am, I’m just a farm pony. I don’t know anything, so you don’t have to waste your time.”

Fluttershy stared dumbfounded at the pony.

“Please,” he pleaded, “Let me go. I won’t bother you again. I promise.”

“Um,” Fluttershy said, “I don’t wish to keep you. I’m sorry for troubling you.”

The earth pony let out a sigh of relief and quickly took off.

“Any luck, Flutters,” Pinkie asked.

Fluttershy shook her head, “No, I think I scared him when he bumped into me. I didn’t mean to do that.”

Pinkie smiled, “Don’t you worry about it. I’ll try talking to him.”

She ran up to the earth pony and tapped him on the shoulder.

“I knew it,” he said, “I’m done.”

“What did you do,” Pinkie asked.

The pony turned around and smiled, “Oh, you’re not her. That’s good.”

Pinkie smiled, “Nope, I’m me.”

The earth pony laughed, “Yeah, I can see that. I’m just glad that pegasus let me go. She must be new here, but I don’t care. I just know that she’s looking for information.”

“Well,” Pinkie said, “We are new here.”

“You’re with her,” he asked, “What did you do?”

Pinkie tilted her head in confusion before shaking her head.

“I can’t talk about that,” she said, “But since it’s just us two earth ponies, why don’t I ask you some questions?”

“What kind of questions,” he asked.

Pinkie smiled, “Oh, just some basic stuff. Things like where we are and what year it is?”

The earth pony looked at Fluttershy, who offered a weak smile.

“Why does she want to know that,” he asked.

“Well,” Pinkie said, “We’re new here, so we don’t know where here is.”

The earth pony opened his mouth to speak, but he stopped himself.

“No,” he said, “I don’t know what games you’re playing, but leave me out of it. I do my job, and I don’t bother anypony. You tell your owner whatever you want, but I’m not telling you anything.”

He then turned and ran down the sidewalk.

“Okay,” Pinkie said, “That was weird.”

She turned to see two unicorns walking up to Fluttershy.

“Hey there,” she shouted.

Fluttershy waved at Pinkie and asked, “What did he tell you?”

Pinkie joined Fluttershy and said, “He didn’t say anything, but he was pretty scared.”

“I believe we can help with that,” the new voice said.

Fluttershy jumped into the air and flew behind Pinkie.

“Miss,” one of the unicorns said, “Pegasi are not allowed to fly within city limits unless on official business.”

“Well,” Pinkie said, “We’re here for a reason, and I think that’s pretty official.”

The unicorn glared at Pinkie before returning his attention to Fluttershy.

“It appears that you’re new to the city, so please allow us to advise you on a few important matters,” he said.

Fluttershy smiled, “Oh, thank you. We just arrived and don’t know our way.”

The second unicorn laughed, “We could see that. You should know better than to ask an earth pony anything.”

The first unicorn nodded, “Unless you want lies and gossip, but I think you are seeking actual information.”

Fluttershy nodded, “We are, but that is an awful thing to say. I didn’t mean to scare him.”

“But you wanted information from him,” the second unicorn said, “We alerted a patrol. They’ll bring him to you, and he’ll talk.”

Pinkie nudged Fluttershy, “I don’t like this, Flutters.”

“You may want to keep her under control,” the first unicorn said, “Respectable ponies won’t take too well with such disrespectful behavior.”

The second unicorn smiled warmly, “But let’s not dwell on that. Where are you from?”

“Um,” Fluttershy said, “We’re from the countryside. A small town near the forest.”

The unicorns shared a glance and nodded.

“Well, that certainly explains the odd behavior,” the second unicorn said, “There are far more earth ponies than pegasi or unicorns.”

“If you don’t mind our asking,” the first unicorn said, “What is the purpose of your visit?”

Fluttershy shifted nervously as she desperately wanted Pinkie to take over. The unicorns’ gazes did nothing to ease her nerves, and she knew she had to do something.

“Maybe we should start with introductions,” she said.

“My name is Fluttershy,” she said.

She pointed to Pinkie Pie, “And this is Pinkie Pie.”

“And is she a representative of her village,” the first unicorn asked.

“Uh, yes,” Fluttershy said, “She’s the daughter of the, um, village chief and is here to assist me on our mission.”

The unicorn shrugged, “Well, the fact that you feel the need to lie tells us that whatever your true purpose is, it must be important. We won’t keep you much longer, but remember that things aren’t as lax here as in the less civilized parts of the world. Keep her in check.”

Fluttershy frowned but didn’t respond.

The unicorns left and stopped when Fluttershy called to them.

“But,” she said, “You didn’t tell us your names.”

The unicorns smiled and continued walking.

“We should listen to them,” Fluttershy said, “I don’t want to, but...”

Pinkie nodded, “I know what you mean, but it’s okay. That’ll give you a chance to be a little more assertive.”

“Okay,” Fluttershy said, “But I don’t want to be mean.”

She turned to where the unicorns were walking, but they were nowhere to be seen.

“Let’s go back to the park,” Fluttershy said.

“Why,” Pinkie asked, “I think we can figure out what to do.”

“But we don’t know why we’re here,” Fluttershy said, “I wish Twilight was here. She’d know what to do.”

“Hey,” Pinkie said, “Now isn’t the time to give up. Let’s go to this fair and listen to the ponies. I bet we’ll figure out what’s going on.”

Fluttershy pawed at the sidewalk and nodded.

“You’re right,” she said, “Let’s go.”

Pinkie smiled, “After you, boss.”

The ponies continued to walk down the road and soon spotted a group of earth ponies.

“Okay, Fluttershy,” Fluttershy told herself, “You can do this. Just be assertive and speak up.”

She approached the group and said, “Hello, I would like to talk to you.”

Some of the ponies glanced at an older pony who sat at the rear of the group.

“May I have your name,” Fluttershy asked the older pony.

The mare nodded, “You may, young pegasus. I’m...”

“You might as well have her name,” a voice shouted, “You’ve taken everything else from us.”

Fluttershy took a step back and tried to locate the voice’s owner. In her surprise, she also opened her wings in an unconscious move to take flight should she need to.

“You’ve done it now,” one of the ponies whispered.

“Who said that,” Fluttershy asked.

A pony stepped forward, “Don’t worry about her. She’s just a foal and doesn’t know better.”

A young pony pushed past him and glared at Fluttershy.

“I know plenty,” she hissed, “And I know that you’re here to make us miserable.”

Fluttershy folded her wings back and opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

“Jasmine,” the older mare said, “Leave her alone. I don’t think she’s here to cause trouble.”

The young girl rolled her eyes and walked back to the elder. She glanced back at Fluttershy and asked, “Why do you keep staring at me?”

“Oh,” Fluttershy said, “You remind me of a young pony I know back home. Her name is Scootaloo, and she can be rather headstrong.”

“Enough of that,” the older mare said, “Please, allow me to introduce myself.”

“If she knows your name, she owns your soul,” one of the ponies whispered.

The older mare sighed, and Fluttershy raised a hoof.

The ponies, except for the young girl and the older mare, were cowed.

“If you don’t feel comfortable telling me,” Fluttershy said, “I won’t ask. My, um, friend and I are new to this city. We’re from the countryside and don’t know our way around.”

The older mare laughed, “You can imagine how suspicious that sounds, don’t you?”

Fluttershy smiled weakly, “Um, yes, I’m not used to being assertive.”

Everypony was silent for a minute, and then the old mare nodded thoughtfully.

“You must run a tight ship if you’re not used to exercising your authority,” she said, “I’ll help you find your way.”

Jasmine helped the old mare to her hooves.

“She’ll just order you anyway,” she said.

“Perhaps,” the old mare said, “But I have a strange feeling about this pony.”

“If you don’t feel well,” Fluttershy said, “Maybe you can tell us where to go?”

“Oh, nonsense,” the old mare said, “My leg is merely asleep, but I think I have a better solution.”

She nudged Jasmine and said, “She will be your guide to this city.”

“What,” Jasmine shouted, “No. I won’t do it.”

The old mare’s face darkened, “Girl, you will do as you are told. Now you will do as she says, and that’s final.”

Jasmine scowled and nodded, “Yes, ma’am.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy said, “If she’s uncomfortable...”

Jasmine stomped a hoof on the ground, “You think I can’t do it? Well, I don’t know why you’re here, and I don’t care. Just tell me where you want to go.”

“Let’s go to the fair,” Pinkie shouted.

She quickly covered her mouth, “Oopsie, sorry, Flutters.”

Fluttershy smiled, “That’s okay, Pinkie. I think the fair would be a good idea. Which way is it?”

The young girl was clearly excited to go to the fair, and she almost kept her composure.

“Yeah,” she said, trying to hide her smile, “I’ll take you over there, and who are you?”

“Her name is Pinkie Pie,” Fluttershy said, “And we’re from the same village.”

Jasmine shrugged, and the three began to leave.

“Jasmine,” the old mare said.

Jasmine turned around, “Yeah?”

The old mare smiled, “Remember the rules.”

“I know,” Jasmine said.

Fluttershy turned to the old mare and asked, “What rules?”

The mare narrowed her eyes and shook her head, “That’s not for you to know. Now, see to your business, so Jasmine can return to us.”

Fluttershy nodded and followed after the two earth ponies.

---

“So,” Rainbow asked, “How long before we decide to find Yew and make her bring our friends back?”

“Sugarcube...”

“No, AJ,” Rainbow shouted, “I get that bad things happened to her kind, but we didn’t do it. Heck, we don’t know if what we saw was true.”

Rarity gently nudged Rainbow Dash.

“As much as I would like to agree with you,” she said, “I can’t. You saw how upset Yew became. I think what we saw was the cruel reality of her past.”

“Okay,” Rainbow asked, “But what do we do right now?”

Twilight sighed, “We wait. I don’t like it either, but I don’t think Yew will try and harm them or us.”

Rainbow pointed at Applejack, “You blind?”

“I think she means that Yew ain’t planning on intentionally harming them,” Applejack said.

“I think she dropped us on purpose,” Rainbow said.

“If that were true,” Applejack said, “Then that means she also intended for us to meet Alder.”

She smiled at the memory and said, “I think what we saw at the storage place wouldn’t have meant as much if she didn’t do what she did.”

Rainbow Dash looked into her best friend’s eyes and relented.

“Fine,” she said, “We’ll wait. But we should have a plan to get her when she comes back.”

“No,” Rarity said, “We should not meet her desperation with cruelty. If she is trapped here for what has to be thousands of years, it must be a terrible burden on her.”

“Yeah,” Twilight said, “Especially since she hoped that her surrendering would stop the conflict between the dryads and ponies.”

Rainbow sat down and said, “So, we wait and hope our friends come back?”

Applejack joined Rainbow and said, “I know they’ll be okay. They have each other.”

This brought a smile to the blue pegasus’s face, “You’re singing a different tune.”

“Hey now,” Applejack said, “I got no problem admitting when I’m wrong, and I’m glad I was wrong about those two. They’ll be okay.”

She leaned against Rainbow, and the group continued to wait for Yew’s next appearance or their friends’ return.

---

The fairgrounds spread before the ponies, and Pinkie Pike could barely contain her excitement.

“Oh, Flutters,” she exclaimed, “I can’t wait to try all the tasty food and drinks they have. What should we try first?”

Fluttershy smiled and said, “Well, I think we should have lunch.”

The pink earth pony nodded vigorously, “Okie dokie, let’s fill our bellies.”

Jasmine watched this exchange in bewilderment.

“What’s going on,” she asked.

“Oh,” Fluttershy asked, “What’s the matter? I wouldn’t dream of not getting you food as well.”

The young girl shook her head in confusion, “No. I mean, why are you letting her do whatever she wants?”

Fluttershy’s face paled for a moment before she cleared her throat.

“Well,” she said, “Since there aren’t that many pegasi in the village, we don’t, um, rely on force.”

She offered a shaky smile in the hopes that Jasmine bought the explanation.

Jasmine didn’t.

“It’s a little more complicated than that,” Pinkie said, “But we know how things are in the village, and Flutters is good to us. It’s kind of boring back home.”

Jasmine pawed at the ground and asked, “Why are you lying?”

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie shared a glance and nodded.

“Let’s talk over there,” Fluttershy said, pointing to some trees.

Jasmine’s face paled slightly, but the defiant girl nodded and walked to the trees.

“She’s just like Scoots,” Pinkie said.

Fluttershy smiled, “She really is. What should we tell her?”

Pinkie grinned, “Everything. She won’t believe us anyway.”

They joined Jasmine, and Fluttershy said, “What I am about to tell you is secret, okay?”

Jasmine nodded, “Okay.”

Fluttershy took a deep breath and said, “Maybe you should tell her.”

Pinkie saluted and said, “Okie dokie.”

She sat down next to Jasmine and said, “Listen up. We’re from the future. We were brought here by a dryad named Yew. We don’t know why exactly, so we’re looking for information about some blackened emerald.”

Jasmine glared at Pinkie and said, “You think I’m stupid or something? You don’t want to tell me, fine. Let’s just go.”

Fluttershy placed a hoof on Jasmine’s shoulder, causing the girl to freeze.

“We’re not lying,” Fluttershy said, “I think we’re supposed to help her, but we don’t know what we’re supposed to do.”

Jasmine turned around and studied Fluttershy’s eyes.

“You’re serious,” she whispered, “You’re really from the future?”

Both ponies nodded.

The young girl looked at the ground and sniffed.

“Can you take me with you? It has to be better than it is here,” she said.

Fluttershy knelt and lifted Jasmine’s chin with a hoof, “I’m sorry, but we can’t. You would miss your family terribly.”

Jasmine shook her head, “I don’t have any family. They were taken by you...”

She cleared her throat and said, “They broke the rules.”

Fluttershy pulled the girl into an embrace, and the girl began to cry.

“I’m so sorry,” Fluttershy whispered, “I wish there was something we could do.”

Pinkie tapped Fluttershy on the shoulder.

“I got an idea, Flutters,” she said.

Jasmine had stopped crying and was drying her eyes.

“What do you have in mind,” Fluttershy asked.

Pinkie grinned and said, “I’ll tell you.”

She helped Jasmine to her hooves and added, “After lunch. I’m hungry.”

Jasmine couldn’t help giggling at the pink pony.

“The food stands are over there,” Jasmine said, “Since you’re a pegasus, they’ll have to serve you and your prisoner.”

But she’s not...,” Fluttershy began.

“All earth ponies are prisoners,” Jasmine said, “At least in the city. I’ll wait here.”

Again, Pinkie and Fluttershy shared a glance and nodded.

Fluttershy nudged Jasmine and got her to her hooves.

“Wha...”

“I will not have you go hungry,” Fluttershy said, “Now, let’s go, young lady.”

“But,” Jasmine stammered.

Pinkie giggled, “You better not argue. Besides, we don’t know where the best food is.”

Jasmine smiled and said, “I’ll show you, but they’re not gonna feed two earth ponies.”

Fluttershy smiled and said, “We’ll see.”

They walked through the fairgrounds. Jasmine and Pinkie Pie walked behind Fluttershy, and ponies moved out of their way.

It took a great deal of determination on Fluttershy’s part not to apologize to every pony that accommodated them, but they soon arrived at a stall.

“This is the place,” Jasmine said.

Fluttershy nodded and walked up to the stall.

“Excuse me,” she said, “I would like three meals, please.”

“Yeah,” the worker said, “Get in line.”

Fluttershy glanced back to Pinkie, who nodded in approval.

“I don’t think I will,” Fluttershy said, “We are in a hurry and need to eat.”

The worker sighed, “Look, you pegasi all think that whatever it is you’re doing is the most important thing ever, but we still have to follow the rules.”

“And I understand,” Fluttershy said, “But our business is more important.”

The worker laughed, “Heard that before. What next? You gonna threaten to send me to the clinic? As long as I do my job, I’m safe, so you can take your empty threats someplace else.”

Fluttershy grew dismayed, but annoyance quickly took hold when she wondered how long it’s been since Jasmine had a proper meal.

“Now listen here,” she said, flying to meet the worker's gaze.

“What are you...”

“Shut it,” she said, “I said that we require three meals, and you are going to bring them to us. Don’t ask any questions.”

The worker nodded, “Yes, ma’am. I’ll get them out to you right away.”

Fluttershy smiled, “Thank you. We will be at the table.”

The worker watched Fluttershy join Pinkie and Jasmine.

“What is going on,” he whispered as he tapped the crystal beneath the counter.

“Flutters,” Pinkie said, “That was really cool.”

Fluttershy smiled, “We’ll have our food soon.”

She turned to Jasmine, “That includes you. You will not go hungry.”

Jasmine smiled and whispered, “Thanks.”

Fluttershy nodded approvingly, and the three ponies walked to a nearby table.

Pinkie tapped at the table, “I wonder what’s on the menu. I bet it’ll be super yummy.”

Jasmine nodded, “The food here is supposed to be the best in the fair. Only pegasi and unicorns eat here.”

An earth pony brought a tray and set down three plates on the table.

She didn’t say anything, only nodded at Fluttershy. She was about to leave when she noticed Jasmine.

“Jasmine,” she said, “What are you doing here?”

She looked at Fluttershy and asked, “Your big mouth finally got you in trouble, didn’t it?”

“It’s not what you think,” Jasmine said, “Mama told me to show these ponies where they want to go.”

The waitress shook her head, “You shouldn’t be messing with pegasi. Remember what happened to your parents. Be glad that they weren’t sent to the clinic.”

“I know,” Jasmine said, “But what else were they supposed to do?”

An uncomfortable silence fell, and Fluttershy felt Pinkie nudge her.

“Um, thank you,” Fluttershy said, “I promise that nothing will happen to her. She has been very well-behaved.”

The waitress watched in bemusement at the sight of Pinkie eating her food.

“You’re not from around here, are you,” she asked.

“They’re from the countryside,” Jasmine said between bites, “I guess things aren’t as strict out there.”

The waitress studied Fluttershy and asked, “Why would a pegasus want to live out there?”

Fluttershy smiled and said, “I don’t care for crowds, and I’m more comfortable around animals.”

“You are an odd pegasus,” the waitress said.

“Well,” Pinkie said, “She lives in the countryside, doesn’t she?”

The waitress smiled, “Fair enough.”

She patted Jasmine on the head, “You behave yourself, got it?”

The girl nodded and continued to eat.

Once the waitress was gone, Pinkie whispered, “Okay, so I got an idea.”

“What is it,” Fluttershy whispered.

“We bust Jasmine’s parents from jail,” Pinkie said.

Fluttershy nearly choked on her food and asked, “What? Pinkie, we don’t even know where they are.”

“We can find out,” Pinkie said, “Besides, I’m sure we can get them out.”

“No way,” Jasmine said, “They’ll be out soon. This happens every once in a while. My parents don’t like how the dryads are being treated, so they talk about it. The pegasi swoop in and take them away. It’s just to scare them. They’re always out after a few weeks.”

“But,” Pinkie said, “Maybe we can...”

“Pinkie,” Fluttershy said, “If they escape, it will make things worse.”

Jasmine nodded, “Yeah. Thanks for offering to help, but it’s how things are.”

“Well,” Pinkie said, “I don’t like it.”

Jasmine laughed, “Nopony does. Except for the pegasi and unicorns, but they’re all jerks.”

Fluttershy flinched but kept eating. Pinkie noticed.

“Flutters isn’t a jerk,” she said, “She’s the reason you got some tasty food.”

“Maybe,” Jasmine said, “But what does she expect in return?”

“Nothing,” Fluttershy protested weakly, “I just wanted to make sure that you ate.”

Jasmine stared at Fluttershy, “I want to believe you, but I’ve been lied to by too many ponies.”

Fluttershy nodded, “And I understand, but can I least have a chance?”

Jasmine sighed, “Yeah, sure. It’s not like it matters anyway.”

They finished up their food and stacked the plates.

“That was quite good,” Fluttershy said.

“Yup,” Pinkie agreed, “Not sure what it was, but I liked it.”

Fluttershy stretched her wings, not noticing that it caused nearby earth ponies to flinch.

“Let’s see if we can find any information about where they have Yew,” Fluttershy said.

“I was sincerely hoping that you two were just lost,” a familiar voice said, “But it appears that you know more than you should.”

The ponies turned around to face the unicorns they had met earlier.

“Jasmine,” one unicorn said, “Your parents are confined for disruptive behavior. Given your actions, I feel that they should be transferred.”

“To the clinic,” the other unicorn added.

“No,” Jasmine cried, “You can’t. Please.”

The first unicorn glared at Jasmine and raised his hoof to strike her.

Fluttershy immediately stood between him and the girl and glared at him.

“Don’t you dare touch her,” she said, “She is with me.”

The unicorn shook his head, “You were warned, but you didn’t listen. There are rules here, and ponies must be put in their place.”

Fluttershy sighed, “We are supposed to go to this clinic but couldn’t tell you why.”

The second unicorn smiled, “We understand the need for secrecy, but why deal with earth ponies? Even if they’re disposable, it’s just not safe to trust them.”

Fluttershy narrowed her eyes, “My reasons are not your concern. We wish to go to this clinic, and you will take us there.”

“But,” Jasmine asked, “What about my parents? You can’t let them be sent to that place.”

“You need to shut your mouth,” the first unicorn said, “Or so help me...”

He cleared his throat and said, “They are already in transit to the clinic. If you wish to do something about it, I suggest that you hurry.”

Fluttershy turned back to Pinkie and said, “We have to go as fast as we can.”

Pinkie nodded and stretched her legs.

Fluttershy turned back to the unicorns and asked, “Which direction is the clinic?”

The second unicorn smiled, “Southeast.”

Fluttershy nodded and took flight. She flew to the southeast as fast as she could, and Pinkie ran after her with Jasmine on her back.

“What are you doing,” Jasmine shouted.

“I have no idea,” Pinkie said, “But I know my Flutters has a plan.”

Up above them, Fluttershy spotted a building that looked like a hospital. She flew toward it but had no idea what she would do when she got there.

“Now is not the time to be shy,” she whispered.

She repeated this mantra the entire flight.

Soon Fluttershy landed outside the hospital and waited for Pinkie to join her.

She didn’t wait long, and the three ponies were reunited.

“This is the clinic,” Pinkie asked, setting Jasmine on the ground.

Fluttershy nodded, “I think so. Do you have any ideas?”

Pinkie glanced at Jasmine and said, “I sure do.”

---

“How’s your leg,” Twilight asked.

Applejack smiled, “It’s not too bad. I think I tore up my shoulder something fierce, but Alder’s medicine really worked.”

“Would you like some more, pony,” Yew asked.

“Y’all can come right out in the open,” Applejack said, “We ain’t fixing on doing anything to you.”

Yew reappeared and stood in front of Applejack.

“Well,” she asked.

Applejack glanced at Rainbow Dash and said, “No. We saw what it cost, and, if you ask me, it weren’t worth it.”

Yew studied Applejack carefully before she sighed, “I believe you. Perhaps it’s because you’re an earth pony, but I don’t think you would lie to me.”

Applejack laughed, “Well, I couldn’t lie to save my life. Comes with being the Element of Honesty, I guess.”

Yew’s face softened for a moment before she regained control.

“No,” she said, “I can’t lose focus. Not when I’m so close. I’ll be watching.”

Yew vanished.

“She’s still here,” Applejack said, “But I don’t think she’ll try and hurt any of us.”

Aqua Rain asked Applejack, “Did you really meet another of her kind?”

The ponies nodded.

“The one we met was named Alder,” Applejack said, “She patched me up.”

“And she used her own blood to do it,” Aqua Rain asked, “And it worked?”

Applejack narrowed her eyes, “Yeah, it did, and we saw that a lot of her kind were hurt to get...”

“They weren’t hurt,” Rainbow said, “They were killed, so don’t go thinking that it’s so great.”

Aqua Rain nodded, “But still...”

A laugh filled the room, “Ponies never really changed. You see the chance to be evil, and you pounce.”

Rainbow glared at Aqua Rain, “Don’t make excuses. It was wrong then, and they’re all gone. It wasn’t worth it.”

“I,” Aqua Rain said, “I know. I’m sorry.”

Silence fell as the ponies tried to keep hope alive for Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie.

---

“I wasn’t told of any transfers,” the guard said.

Fluttershy nodded, “Oh, you wouldn’t have heard anything. This is a secret transfer.”

She pointed to Pinkie, “That one tried to save a dryad.”

The guard glared at Pinkie, “Well, she’ll get what she deserves, but what about the girl?”

As much as it pained Fluttershy, she grinned and said, “Her parents are on their way here. Perhaps if they see their child, they will tell us everything.”

The guard shook his head, “I’ve heard stories about you pegasi, but I never thought you’d use a child.”

He pushed the button to open the gate, “That’s brilliant. It’s not like we’ll miss a few earth ponies. You’ll want the elevator at the end of the main floor. From there, you’ll go to the third floor.”

Fluttershy didn’t respond and led the earth ponies into the clinic.

Once out of sight, Pinkie placed a comforting hoof on Fluttershy’s back.

“You did great, Flutters,” she said.

“That was awful,” Fluttershy said, “How could I say such terrible things?”

“You didn’t mean it,” Jasmine asked.

Fluttershy quickly hugged the girl, “I would never let anypony be harmed. I know you don’t believe me, but I promise I will do what I can to get your parents out of here.”

Jasmine took a step back and smiled, “Okay. I’ll believe you. I don’t know why, but you remind me of my mom.”

She looked around as if she had said something wrong and added, “Just don’t tell her that.”

Pinkie giggled, “We won’t. Now let’s get going. We have to find Yew and your parents.”

Fluttershy and Jasmine nodded, and the group walked toward the elevator.

As they walked, they saw a courtyard. It was plain, with only grass, a few bushes, and a thin pillar near the center.

The courtyard quickly slipped from their minds as they reached the elevator.

“Okay,” Pinkie said, “To the second floor.”

They stood before the elevator for a minute.

“Uh,” Jasmine asked, “What are you waiting for?”

“We don’t know how it works,” Pinkie said.

“Seriously,” Jasmine asked.

Both adult ponies nodded.

Jasmine sighed and pressed the call button.

After a few moments, the elevator arrived, and Jasmine pressed the button for the second floor.

“I think I could have figured that one,” Pinkie protested.

Jasmine shrugged, and they rode the elevator to the second floor.

The doors opened, and they stepped out.

An earth pony dressed as a nurse gestured toward them.

“Are you leaving these two,” she asked.

Fluttershy was stunned by the complete lack of emotion in her voice.

“Uh, yes,” Fluttershy said, “I am also here to question this one’s parents.”

The nurse’s face twitched slightly, but she quickly recovered, “Very well, please proceed to the room down the hall. A doctor will see you shortly.”

“Thank you,” Fluttershy said, and the group turned toward the hall.

“I’d say you sold your soul, pegasus, but your kind doesn’t have one,” the nurse hissed.

Fluttershy stopped and looked back at the nurse.

The nurse was busying herself with paperwork, but she made the mistake of glancing up when she saw Fluttershy was still standing there.

“That’s not very nice,” Fluttershy said before walking down the hall.

The nurse stared dumbfounded before she found her voice. And courage.

“That’s why I said it,” she said.

The ponies entered the room and sat down in a chair.

“I’m really nervous,” Fluttershy said.

Jasmine nodded, “Me, too. What will we do when the doctor gets here?”

Pinkie waved a hoof in the air, “We’ll be fine. I’m sure we’ll figure something out. Right, Flutters?”

Fluttershy smiled at Pinkie, “Yes, we’ll think of something. Right now, let’s all calm down.”

The ponies turned their attention to the door and waited for the doctor to arrive.

They were one step closer to uncovering the purpose of being sent here, and only time would tell if they would prove successful.