//------------------------------// // 6: An Old Friend // Story: 'Til Death Does Us Part // by Styxxie //------------------------------// "It'll be too dangerous to do something like destroy the shop." Luna said to her sister, as she paced the library nervously. Celestia was busy looking through books and scrolls in hopes to find something even remotely close to Styxx's specialty. No such luck was to fall upon her. For as long as they have been alive, and their infinite knowledge, they had no active records of death in their archives. Though, Celestia was sure there had to be something. "Styxx said the dead have a waiting room, right? What did she call it?" Celestia asked. "Purgatory? What does that have to do with anything?" Luna asked as she looked to her sister, who was frantically opening books and unrolling scrolls. "The dead is the source of this problem, isn't it? If we can only find something that can help us in putting the -uhm, unresting- to rest." she replied, trying to find better terms, but her mind unable to do so. "There won't be such luck. We've been around longer than her, but she has seen more death somehow..." Luna sighed. "she has seen horrors we have not. Though, I remember when Cadaver had the fear of losing his business because the ponies had found ways of keeping themselves alive." "The only reason we have not seen death is because we never leave this damned castle." Celestia muttered. "You and I both know well that we could go and find something that is-" she stopped, suddenly an idea coming to her. "Celestia?" Luna prodded. "Death." she said, and trotted quickly further into the archives. Luna followed, apprehensive and a bit tense. "That's it, Luna! We need to find out who the killer is. Once we figure out that, Styxx could do something that could help with this. She can put an end to her problems, and everypony is happy." "I am sure it is not that simple, sister." Luna replied. "She is only an undertaker. You mistake her for some kind of reaper." "What if that's what she is though? She has not taken much pride in finding her root abilities, has she not?" "How would you know that?" "I recruited her as the undertaker when she was a teenage mare. She had already had plenty of experience, and poor Hades had just about had it with that shop. That place is as old as nails, Luna. We need to try and find out what she is capable of. I'll train her like I did Twilight. She won't become an alicorn, of course. But she will be stronger in her abilities. If she is meant to be-" "She is meant to be an undertaker! Her cutiemark says so, doesn't it!?" "What if it means so much more!?" Luna growled. "You're being ridiculous! Is this is some delusion you have that there is a pony who is capable of controlling death at will? That is not Styxx. She can't be." Luna would not allow her sister another further argument. She trotted out the archives, only greeted to a hallway illuminated by the three o'clock moon. As she headed to her chambers, she could hear another set of hooves coming down the staircase. She looked up to see the grey unicorn coming down to meet her. "Luna?" she said. "Styxx?" she said. "Did you hear any of that?" "...Any of what?" Styxx had not asked Luna about the night before. She had returned to her room as soon as Luna had dismissed her and went to her chambers. Styxx paced her room quietly, thinking about why Luna had asked if she had heard 'any of that'. Any of what? What was said that she was not supposed to hear? Were they considering things behind her back? No, not Luna... she thought. She wouldn't. Styxx continued to pace her room, unsure of how much more she could possibly handle if the princesses were talking about sending her back home. Not so early on, surely? Styxx's family has always been loyal servants. They couldn't. She paced her bedroom a bit faster, almost galloping around the room. While her back was turned to the shelves, she heard something fall. She looked over her shoulder to see her Book o' Death laying open on the floor. She had forgotten she had set it on a shelf. A bit apprehensive, she trotted over to it and looked to the page it turned to. The River of Styxx beckons thee. The old oak tree stands to seek the nearest venturer. Research for years can be found in the mind's library. Styxx's brow furrowed. She immediately noticed the book actually misspelled "Styx", to be her name. She knew the book was trying to communicate in the only way it knew how. She was too worried about other things to realize just how creepy this message was. She read it over and over, trying to get the message. Styxx finally narrowed the message down to the potential sentence, trying to make heads or flanks of this. Then, it hit her. The River of Styxx beckons thee. The old oak tree stands to seek the nearest venturer. Research for years can be found in the mind's library. "Shit." Styxx growled. "Which library!?" she snapped at the book. She slammed it shut with her aura and threw it across the room. Her mind was muddled, as was her emotions. She had no time to think about this kind of thing, and had no desire to further the stupid riddles in front of her. She grabbed her key from the bedside table, and put it around her neck. She trotted down to the main doors and headed out of Canterlot. Styxx had not been to Ponyville in some time. She had family there, but they lived on the outskirts, closer to the forest. She figured going to see Twilight was her best bet. She wondered if the library her book mentioned was Twilight's? Styxx found herself galloping through the streets, finding it so much easier than the busy streets of Canterlot. When she came to the tree, she knocked on the door. A small dragon answered, and he looked up at the grey unicorn. "Hi!" he said with a smile. "Can I help you?" "I'm looking for Miss Twilight Sparkle?" Styxx replied. Just before the small dragon could leave to retrieve the mare, Twilight passed by the door. Her eyes widened when she saw the undertaker pony. "Styxx?" she asked, amazed the mare was standing at her door. "Yeah, Twi. Hey."