//------------------------------// // Chapter 47: The Wake // Story: Dissonance: A Hidden World // by Braininthejar //------------------------------// "Apple Bloom!" screamed Applejack at the top of her lungs. Her body ached all over, eyes stinging from the dust that had gotten around her barriers, but she didn't even notice. Her little sister was there somewhere. Or perhaps not anymore, an incessant thought repeated inside her head. She turned around, scanning the ruins, when her ear caught a faint noise, a voice that wasn't just a distorted echo of her own screams. Her ears swivelled towards the source; one of the houses cut in the cave wall further back, nearly spared from the destruction of the battle. "Over here!" The voice was weak, as if the pony calling was out of breath, or struggling with something. Applejack rushed in that direction, her enchanted hooves moving deftly over the rubble. The house had only suffered a single hit – a boulder sent flying in the fight struck the front, caving in a part of the wall just above the front door. There was now a stone slab resting across the entrance, slowly leaning in. Behind it, there was some audible movement. "Sis!" called Apple Bloom from inside. "Apple Bloom!" yelled Applejack. She moved closer to the slab, then stopped, unsure what to do. Her sister was in there, alive, which was an enormous relief, but also clearly scared. And Applejack was on the wrong side of the obstacle to push it away. "I... can't hold it much longer..." called Bluebonnet from the other side. Applejack had to act quickly. She looked at the stone. There was not enough space between its edge and the wall to grab it with her teeth. Could she just break it? She was sure she could, but that would send the pieces towards the ponies behind it and... She looked up. There didn't seem to be any more rubble resting on top, so at least not much risk of a further cave-in. What to do? "Just give me a second!" Applejack called out loud. She looked behind her, but all of her friends who could be of help were across the cave, and out of her sight. She turned towards the slab and tried to project tendrils to grab it with. The constructs wiggled in the air, but then wilted away. Applejack supressed a word her grandma would have scolded her for using. Why do they make it look so easy? I need to try something else. She looked at her legs, reared, and put her front hooves on the slab. A spell she had been using to keep her footing during the battle was just an extension of her earth pony powers. It didn't need to reach far out of her body. As soon as she felt her hooves stick to the smooth stone, Applejack tensed and pulled. The slab gave way, a little too abruptly. She found herself tumbling backwards, pulling the stone over herself. "I'm okay, I'm okay!" she called from underneath. "Get over me and out, quick!" She felt some weight shifting over her, once, two, three times. Over the edge of the slab, she could see the shapes of three ponies leaving the building. Once she was sure nopony else was coming, she breathed in, and pushed. She held her breath as the stone fell off her, sending dust flying everywhere. Then she rolled to her side and got up, leaving the ruin before anything more could collapse. Outside, Apple Bloom, Bluebonnet, and Sweetie Belle were sitting in a small opening, catching their breaths. Applejack barely recognized them, their coats grey with dust, dark trails on their faces, where it was caked with tears. Something clicked in her head. "Scootaloo!" she called aloud. "Where is she?!" Bluebonnet stared at her, eyes huge and tearful. "We didn't get far enough. Not nearly far enough. I shouldn't have stopped..." The fillies at her side just looked aside towards the huge pile of rubble where their original hideout had been, their lips trembling too much to say anything. Applejack paled, her eyes following theirs. "No... it can't be..." She ran towards the collapsed building. By the time she and Hate had finished fighting there, the whole cave wall had gone down, leaving only a solid rock wall with stumps of the floors and the walls lining its surface. Underneath there was a mass of stone pieces, some two floors tall. She swallowed loudly, trying not to let her mouth say aloud what was going through her head. If she really is underneath all this, there is no way in Equestria she'd be... What do I do? Should I dig through this, or... She didn't turn back to look at the ponies behind her. She was supposed to be the strong one now, the one who knew what to do. If only I had Winona with me... Applejack blinked. That was it. It wasn't much, but it was something she could try. She took a deep breath and imagined her dog, her build, her movements. She imagined how her animal best friend perceived her surroundings. She let the magic flow into her face, and suddenly her perception widened. Applejack had always had a good sense of smell; it was natural for ponies in general, though she had never got it to the level of Pinkie Pie. Now the world was different, the smells painting a picture around her, pointing her to hundreds of things at once. She could smell the three ponies behind her, all the different kinds of dust filling the cave, her own blood drying slowly on her fur where she had been wounded. But there was no sign of another pony anywhere nearby. Where is she? Applejack moved forward, pushing her nose between the slabs of stone. She expected to smell blood, perhaps lots of it. But there were just splatters from her fight with Hate, and beyond that, just stone. "Move back," she said over her shoulder, before digging her hooves into the pile and pulling, pieces of rubble larger than herself falling out of her way. She did it once, twice, three times, pushing through the rubble like a machine, holding her breath until the dust settled, and then sniffing again. There was nothing. Where are you? she thought, a heavy clump growing in her stomach. You can't just be gone. Or can you? Could you have got out? If only I hadn't let Hate throw me this way. I was supposed to keep you all safe... *** "What did you say?" Obsidian glared at Twilight, his face twisted in a mix of anger and disbelief. "The gem is gone," repeated Twilight. "This is what gave us the extra power in the fight – somepony had taken Vengeance away from her spot, and the sealing spells ended." Obsidian looked around angrily. "But they didn't even know she was here, did they? Or had they get tired of her madness and pretended not to know? Who took it?" "We don't know," threw Rainbow Dash angrily over her shoulder. She was sitting over Aurora's body, muttering under her breath. "There was only Arrogance there, and we got her sealed," explained Pinkie, pulling a bright yellow gem out of her mane. "So, that leaves... who?" Obsidian turned around, as if his glare could force an answer to reveal itself. "There are only three of them left if you trust Guilt. They wouldn't risk taking Deception with them, and the rest of these are just lackeys! Fodder!" His staff swung around, and a snaking stream of blue flame shot across the cave, hitting the nearest dead Wonderbolt. The flame clung to the body, incinerating it in seconds before jumping to another. "What are you doing!?" yelled Rarity, momentarily distracted from her shock and grief. "Cleaning," answered Obsidian. "Now, think hard. Was there anypony else? Where is that... unicorn that came with Guilt?" "I... I think he was in that house over there," answered Twilight weakly, looking at a half ruined building across the cave. Obsidian followed her gaze, and his eyes glowed blue for a moment. He inhaled deeply. "He's still there. Alive, but barely. Find him," he barked towards Rarity. "Is there anything else? Does any of you remember anything at all?" Rarity got up, and rushed towards the ruins, yelping in sudden fright as the incinerating flame jumped onto a body she was running past. Rainbow Dash, Twilight, and Pinkie looked towards Obsidian. "I... I think I remember seeing somepony," started Rainbow Dash after a moment's pause. "I was in the air, and I only saw it in the corner of my eye, but somepony ran in there just before Arrogance..." She furrowed her brow in focus, and suddenly her eyes went wide. "Scootaloo!" "What!?" said Pinkie and Twilight together. Behind them, the dragon's body burst into blue flame. Obsidian closed his eyes, and looked towards the sanctum. "The pegasus filly? Why would she do that?" "Perhaps she thought she was helping?" proposed Pinkie Pie. "She kind of was," answered Twilight. "But where is she now?" Obsidian sighed. "If it really was her, she wouldn't have the means to go far. She's probably skulking somewhere. I'll look for her, while you gather everypony here. We need to decide our course of action.” He turned around to walk away, but a wisp of Twilight's magic grabbed him by the shoulder. "First, stop this thing," she demanded, pointing at the flame – it had already consumed the dragon, unable to incinerate it completely, but leaving behind a giant pile of charred bone. "Why?" asked Obsidian. "Because this is no garbage disposal," answered Twilight. "These were ponies." "Enemies, mostly," replied Obsidian. "And now they are no more. These are just empty shells, and I don't want them to be a distraction. "Mostly?" Twilight gave him a look of shock. "Were you going to do it to Aurora too?" "Nothing abnormal about it," said Obsidian. "Back in my time-" "Not like this," growled Rainbow Dash, landing in front of Obsidian. "Whatever they did in your time, I'm sure it wasn't like this." She opened her wing for emphasis, pointing at the few bodies that were still left. "And also... these are not enemies. Not villains. These are brave ponies who got duped into fighting against us. If you forget it, you're no better than the Shattered." Obsidian's staff twitched. Dash stepped back, instinctively taking a defensive stance, but a blow did not come. Obsidian huffed through the nostrils, and the magical flame went out. "Have it your way then. You can haul them to the catacombs yourself later. Right now, make sure everypony else is here. I'll go look for our missing filly." *** "What have I gotten myself into?" Scootaloo was sitting in the darkness, shaking from the cold. Whatever spells Obsidian had cast in the main cave did not reach here, to the tunnels beneath the inner sanctum where the young pegasus had run in search for a hiding place. Now she was skulking in an empty space between two stone statues, the black diamond underneath her hooves casting sinister shades with its red light. She looked up at the shadows on the walls, and shuddered. She instinctively covered the gemstone with her hooves. Now it didn't cast as much light, allowing her to be unseen, and preventing her from seeing too much of her surroundings – long lines of solemn-looking statues and name plates, obviously marking graves in an underground cemetery – but if she covered it completely, it would leave her in pitch black, cold darkness. She knew she would panic if that happened. As she listened for the sounds of further battle above, she allowed herself to return to the memory of what had happened when she removed the gem from its dais. Suddenly, there was a feeling like a stretched rubber band releasing, and the filly was thrown away, the stone slipping from her mouth and flying across the room. There was power that was released, so obvious even a pegasi could feel its magnitude, despite it casting little light – it washed over her as it filled first the sanctum and then the cave. She remembered herself screaming in fright, first at the discharge of raw power, then at the guardians of the gem, now briefly visible, gaunt figures outlined by the flowing magic, who looked at her sadly before being blown away, their centuries-long vigil finally at an end. "Forgive me, Charcoal," whispered Scootaloo. "I shouldn't have taken it." She looked down at the gem. "What was I thinking? Now I'm stuck here, and if Rainbow Dash and her friends lose, I won't even have a way out of here. I'll... freeze here." She felt tears forming in her eyes. She didn't know what was going on anymore. Did her friends make it? Did Rainbow Dash? Was the battle won, or would she spend the rest of her short life hiding here, waiting for the cold to exhaust her, or the Shattered to find her? That spell was supposed to hide Vengeance, so she wouldn't be found, wasn't it? Or was it to hold her trapped? Slowly, Scootaloo lifted a hoof, and looked at the gemstone. It was big, the size of a tangerine, and intricately cut, its own red light reflecting through its facets, making it seem bigger on the inside, like a tiny hall of mirrors. It was slightly warmer than its surroundings, and for a moment, Scootaloo was convinced that it was glowing slightly stronger than when it was resting on the dais. She looked again. Indeed, the light had got a bit stronger, irregular lines of red marking the otherwise black surfaces of the gem. These almost look like... cracks? Has the spell grown so weak? She looked closer, almost pushing her nose to the gem. There was something there she could feel now. She couldn't put her hoof on it, but there was a feeling of wrongness emanating from the gem, a cold that had nothing to do with the temperature in the crypt, a feeling that made her skin crawl. Suddenly panicking, she fought the urge to throw the gemstone away from her. Is she breaking out? What do I do? Do I go for help? Where? Should I keep hiding down here? Or drop it and run to the exit? Oh, why did I take it!? Something swooshed past. Scootaloo screamed, no longer able to control herself. A tendril of blue smoke wrapped around her mouth, muffling her piercing shriek. She fell backwards, as more smoke coalesced in front of her, taking a form of a pony with the gem underneath his hoof. "There you are," said Obsidian. "Quit screaming." His staff appeared beside him, illuminating the tunnel with its runes. Obsidian leaned low, staring at the gemstone. "It took them too long to properly contain it," he muttered. "She's almost ready to break free. But I can remedy that, for a while at least." He focused on the gem, streams of blue light flowing from him into its surface until the red light dimmed. He then levitated it in front of himself, and turned to leave. As he took a couple of steps down the corridor, he stopped and looked back. Scootaloo was still where she'd been dropped, with her back to the wall and eyes wide. Obsidian sighed. "Get up and come with me. You've had more luck than brains to take the gem, but it turned out in our favour in the end. Now, put yourself together and follow me. You'll freeze here if you stay." *** "How is he?" asked Applejack with worry. They were all gathered in the middle of the main cavern, the place where their teleportation circle had been, now turned into a maze of deep gashes and stone spikes. Pierce was on the ground, wrapped in some blankets they had managed to salvage from under the rubble, Rarity, Pinkie, Dash, and Twilight focusing their powers together to heal his wounds. "He'll live," replied Bluebonnet with a sigh. "He's suffered some severe burns in addition to the injuries from the explosion, but we have more than enough magic to keep him stable, and hasten recovery. Sadly, since he's not an Element, he's not as conductive to their magic, and with Kindness... missing, we don't have our full potential in healing. There is magic aplenty here, just not enough tools for using it as we'd like." "Meaning?" asked Applejack again. Bluebonnet lowered her gaze. "There will be scars. Your friends saved his eyes, but some of his fur won't grow back. Perhaps if I had access to my lab... but that's out of the question right now." She turned to look at Pierce, who stirred with a groan. He lied for a moment with his eyes close, then decided it was not worth it to try to get up. He just turned his head a bit, looking at Bluebonnet with the one eye that wasn't bandaged over. "The gun... needs work," he croaked. "Quickly, water," said Bluebonnet, turning to the fillies. Apple Bloom stepped forward with a canteen of water, pulled it open with her teeth, and slowly lowered it next to Pierce's face. He grabbed it with his lips, and drank a couple small sips, before pushing it away. "How are you feeling?" asked Bluebonnet, leaning over him. He closed his eye, tried to take a deep breath, and shuddered painfully. "I... can feel my body. I'm not in shock. Magical healing? I'll live, but it will take time." He opened his eye, and looked at her again. "You... ve, been crying. Over me?" Bluebonnet looked at her own nose, still covered with dust. "N... no. Not over you. I mean..." she broke off, clearly not sure how to end the sentence. "Not just you." Pierce slowly released a breath. "Who did we lose?" he was talking in a whisper, but much more clearly and lucidly than at the beginning. Bluebonnet sat down next to him. "Aurora. They captured Fluttershy too. And... for a moment I thought we lost Scootaloo, but she turned out okay." "What about... them?" asked Pierce. Around him, Applejack joined her friends' effort to cure him, the five now bathing him in a steady wave of soft light. "Luna escaped," replied Bluebonnet. "We managed to seal Arrogance, and... everyone else fell in battle." "We have a couple of soldiers sealed over there too," added Applejack, pointing her hoof at the side of the cave, where several Wonderbolts stood encased in blocks of crystal. "What about them?" "I'm not sure," answered Twilight. "It was an accident. But they don't seem conscious, just sort of kept in stasis. What do we do with them?" "I say we leave them here," said Rainbow Dash. "They'd fight us if we released them, but they're not bad guys. If you say this spell is holding them without hurting them, let's just have them sit this one out." Pierce took a slow, deep breath, much less painful than the last one. "Where's Obsidian?" "Off to the Void Passage," answered Pinkie Pie. "He's trying to find where they took Fluttershy." "If Hate is dead, and Arrogance is sealed, that would be a good moment to counter-attack," whispered Pierce. "I don't think I could go with you though." "Focus on recovering for now," said Bluebonnet. "We're in no shape to fight anymore today either. Especially you," she added, turning towards Applejack. "You should be resting." "I'll rest when my job is done," answered Applejack, though she did sit down next to Pierce. "We heal up, then I'll rest." She looked down on Pierce. "We picked your gun from the ruins, but it looks busted." "It's nothing that can't be fixed," answered Pierce. "But we've no more ammo. I used up most of it, and had to dump the rest to escape. Pre-charged pattern batteries seem like a good idea, but I can't teleport with them. You could've warned me." Bluebonnet turned red. "I... I didn't know it would be an issue," she stuttered. "That's because you don't fight," said Pierce. "First rule for shooting from a hiding spot: Don't shoot twice from the same position. I had to relocate on hoof, and that wasn't fast enough for Arrogance. Not that it made a difference. I can't aim that thing at a moving target." Bluebonnet's ears drooped. "I gave the harness as much mobility as I could." Pierce nodded. "Yes. But moving my body and the handle only works if the enemy is as big as a barn, or conveniently not moving. If I could get a jump on a Shattered, or if they didn't dodge for some reason, it might work. But not against a flying target." "You could aim it with your magic," suggested Twilight. "Yes," said Pierce. "and it works right until I pull the trigger. When the gun discharges, it slips out of my telekinesis." "I'm so sorry," whispered Bluebonnet. "I should've known better than to give you an untested prototype for a real fight. And now you're burned all over because of me." "No," cut her off Pierce. "Burned because of Arrogance. You don't know if I'd have been fast enough to escape her either way. It was my fault for taking part in a fight way over my level. In the end, I wasn't of much use." "Now, don't be ridiculous, both of you," said Applejack. Her gem, already glowing from the healing magic she was using, glowed a little brighter. "You both did as well as you could. And taking down that dragon at the start of the fight probably saved us all. So you both helped a lot. Now, relax, and let us heal you," she finished, looking down at Pierce. "Think of how you look when you're healthy." *** Fluttershy woke up hanging from a wall. Her first thought was that it was horribly uncomfortable – her back was pressed against cold stone, and all of her legs stretched, and chained to it. It's like a scene from a Daring Do novel, came a second thought. But I don't know anything about- Her eyes shot open. Where am I!? My necklace is gone! She looked around her surroundings, and found that the walls around her weren't stone. They were black crystal. The room had no windows, or a source of light – the little illumination that was present came from little motes of red light slowly flowing inside the crystal walls. I've been captured! But where am I? Suddenly she felt a surge of panic. What happened to the others? She struggled against her bonds, but to no avail. Turning her head, she could see that the manacles were new and shiny, no wear and tear that could give her a hope of pulling the chain from a crumbling wall. This was no Daring Do story. Giving up, she spent some time just hanging there, trying to calm herself down. Why am I alive? They have been trying to destroy us all this time. Did they think they needed me alive? That must mean the fight is not yet over. My friends must still be free. At least... I hope so. What if they got hurt? I'm their best healer. She turned her head around, and looked closely at the walls. This is crystal. It kind of reminds me of what King Sombra made... does it mean I'm in the Crystal Empire? But if so, why is it all like this? The Shattered had made a point of not looking evil so far. What is going on? She sniffed, but there were no smells she'd associate with a dungeon. The room seems completely clean. Is it freshly build, or has it been cleaned recently? she thought. Then, turning slightly red, she added, it might need cleaning soon, if they're going to leave me here hanging like this. Her ear caught a sound of movement from outside the door. She froze, stopping the chains from jingling, and listened intently. Someone was walking the corridor towards her. There was a sound of another pair of hooves clicking, just outside the door. There was a guard there? thought Fluttershy. Why didn't I hear him earlier? Slowly, the door opened. There was a guard there indeed, a pegasus with an emotionless face, that only briefly looked inside when he opened the door. In the relative darkness of the cell, she could see the red lights reflecting in his eyes. No. That wasn't it. His stiff and emotionless expression was the kind she had expected to see from Equestrian guard. But the red light was not reflected. There were definitely tiny dots of red light inside the stallion's eyes. Then he stepped aside, and another stallion entered the cell, a moustached unicorn dressed in armor worn over an officer's uniform, a dark iron and ruby gorget around his neck. There was no doubt about this one – his eyes were burning red, matching the light emanating from the ruby. "So, you've finally woken up," he proclaimed theatrically, scorn dripping off every word. "Now we can get to work." He walked in, the guard returning to his position outside, as a wisp of magic from his master shut the door. The unicorn approached, a satisfied smile on his face. "Captain North Star!?" said Fluttershy, surprised, suddenly recognizing the stallion. His moustache was unchanged, but his coat had darkened, and his expressions and demeanor were so different it had taken her a moment to recognize him. "What happened to you?" A string of red light whipped around her throat. North Star bared his teeth at her, red lights burning in his eyes. "Silence, you traitor! You don't have the right to use my name, or to ask questions. The only things I want to hear from you are the whereabouts of the other traitors." He moved closer, and the tendril of magic snaked upwards, wrapping itself around Fluttershy's mouth. As North Star touched her forehead with a horn, red light flashed before her eyes, and she felt a presence pushing inside her head. She tried to protest, but all she could manage was a muffled groan. North Star grinned. "Finally, I can put a stop to your crimes. To punish the whole disgusting lot of you, and redeem myself for my naivete and lack of vigilance. And I will not let you open your mouth until I'm sure I hear no more lies." *** "So, what have you found?" asked Twilight Sparkle anxiously, as Obsidian rejoined the group. Everypony had already cleaned themselves as much as they could, and were sitting around a magical flame she had conjured to keep them warm. The center of the cavern had been cleaned up, with much of the rubble removed, and a new circle drawn in the middle. The little equipment they had managed to salvage after the battle was there too, grouped in a small pile. Obsidian nodded his head. "Yes, I did find Fluttershy. But, as I expected, it won't be so simple.” He took his place at the fire, and cleared his throat. "I have observed Fluttershy being moved. She was taken back to Canterlot, separated from her Element, and sedated. Right now, Kindness is sealed in Dr. Stone's lab underneath Canterlot Castle, while Fluttershy herself has been moved north, to the Crystal Empire. And as usual, this smells like a trap." "And what about the Shattered? Where are they?" asked Rainbow Dash. "Hate has not reincarnated yet, but we can expect him to do it soon," said Obsidian. "Luna is in Canterlot. I tried to find Guilt as well. It seems he went to the far north, to talk with the Yak leader." "So, this really is the best moment to strike," said Pierce from his blanket. "Since Deception never fights by herself, it's six against one now, isn't it? She would have some defenses in Canterlot, but between me and Dr.Bluebonnet, we have seen most of them." Pinkie Pie cocked her head, as if listening to something only she could hear. Slowly, her expression turned angry. "I bet they'd use Fluttershy against us if we don't free her first," she finally said. "We need to go to the Crystal Empire." "We are also aware that it's a trap," said Obsidian. "The Crystal Empire doesn't seem protected by any of the Shattered, but that doesn't make it easy to get in. The barrier is up again, but our changeling allies make it a non-issue. The problem is what's waiting inside." "What?" asked Twilight. "What did you see?" Obsidian leaned closer towards the fire. "I've seen many things, and none of it is good news. The first thing to be aware of is that the Empire is still cut off – as far as anypony is concerned, it is a place of dark magic being contained. That means the Shattered can fight as ruthlessly there as they did today. No need to care about appearances. Actually, the Crystal Empire seems to have been a problem for them for a long time – if it is destroyed in the course of springing a trap on you, all the better for them. In the meantime, there are still civilians there, and that is an obstacle for you – a lot of ponies you wouldn't like to see hurt." "Would they really be so cruel?" asked Rarity. "I mean, I know they are. But they have Equestrian soldiers there, and so far they have at least tried to keep appearances." "That was when Arrogance called the shots," replied Obsidian. "Now that you have her sealed, the command will naturally fall to Envy, and appealing as it is to be seen as a loving ruler, he's unlikely to hold such sentiment. Also, there is another issue concerning Equestrian army in the Empire." "What is it?" asked Applejack. "Has Equestria used large scale mind control before?" asked Obsidian towards Bluebonnet. The scientist lifted her head from the gun she was trying to repair, and shook it in denial. "No, even as part of secret operations. We did some neural engineering with Dr.Stone before the attack on the Empire, to protect our soldiers from Honesty by making them unable to process speech, but that effect was temporary. Enforcing obedience would be much more complicated and needlessly risky on such a scale." "So, unless something had been hidden from you, this is a recent development," said Obsidian. "There is a powerful obedience curse over the Empire, originating from the Crystal Tower. It is likely using the citizens' own emotions to power the effect. The tower itself is warded, but I've managed to get a glimpse of the inside, and the source of the spell seems to emanate from the commanding officer. Lacking any other master, the tower answers to him, and he is the one using its power to keep everypony in check." "That doesn't sound like an Equestrian army officer," said Pierce. "Is it somepony from the secret service?" "I haven't seen him before," said Obsidian. "But there is something I have seen, something that might explain his behaviour, especially in conjunction with what the tower does." His eyes flashed, and a translucent vision appeared in front of his face: a gorget much like the Elements, made of black iron and adorned with rubies, the top part sculpted into an alicorn's wings and head. "You surely remember how I told you about the origins of the Elements," said Obsidian. "They started out as magical foci, amulets that enhanced the wearers' magical powers by amplifying and focusing their emotions. Most of them were either transformed into the Elements, or destroyed by the Shattered in their botched ritual, but it wasn't all of them. It looks like the commander has got his hooves on a particularly dangerous one." *** Bluebonnet connected the last wire, and shut the battered chassis of the pattern emitter. "There. That should do it," she said to herself, before collecting her tools into a saddle bag. She looked around the camp. Despite this being the middle of the day, most of the ponies were resting. With Pierce asleep, a quick lunch made of hay and imaginary condiments, and Twilight and Obsidian leaving for the crypts under the sanctum, there was little to do for the rest of the team but try to recover. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were sitting together by the magical fire, talking to each other in hushed voices: they had had no chance to get exhausted, but the emotions of the morning robbed them of will to do anything more active. Rarity and Pinkie seemed to be asleep. Rainbow Dash was outside – the Shattered attacking the gate dispelled the magical blizzard and broke the mirror in the guard room, so the stubborn mare insisted on watching the approach from the air. Is she really guarding there, or just crying herself out with nopony watching? She was the one who bonded with Aurora the most... Bluebonnet's workplace was well away from the fire – when she realised the others needed a nap, she moved away so as not to disturb them with the noise. As for her, she wasn't physically tired, but almost getting buried alive twice, and the horror of a child possibly dying under her care took its toll on her. She spent the two hours working on the gun to calm herself down with slow, methodical effort more than to repair the thing. The pattern batteries Pierce had dropped did not survive the explosion in the building, and without them she couldn't even properly test if the weapon still worked. She turned her head when she saw somepony approaching. Applejack was moving towards her, a slight limp still visible in her gait. The earth pony had taken the most damage of all the Elements, and once the adrenaline dropped, she was in much more pain than she had anticipated. The magic had already healed most of it, but it would take a repeat in the afternoon to get her back to full fighting strength. She walked to Bluebonnet's side, and sat down next to her. "So, did ya fix it?" she asked with a small smile. Bluebonnet looked at the emitter. "I think so. I've used the tools I had to check all the connections, and everything seems to flow where it should. I haven't got the batteries though, so I can't be quite sure if there is no hidden damage. Perhaps when everypony has had their rest, you could use your magic to help me stress-test it." "No problem," answered Applejack. "Listen, I'd like to thank you for keeping Apple Bloom safe-" "I did not!" Bluebonnet almost jumped to her hooves. "I didn't get far enough. I should've been faster. I should've anticipated the damage. I had seen how much destruction the previous fights caused, for crying out loud." Applejack took a deep breath, a small mote of orange light appearing inside her gem. "Ya stopped a falling piece of rock, and held it long enough for me to come and save her. After all the ponies I thought I could save... that's enough for me." Bluebonnet looked down on her hooves. "I see." Applejack looked at her face. "And Bluebonnet... I'd like you to know..." "Yes?" Bluebonnet turned, looking into the shiny pools of orange staring at her. "I barely remember ya," continued Applejack, "but I know you're an Apple. And you know that too." "It's not that simple," replied Bluebonnet, turning away. "No, it is," said Applejack, more firmly. " I admit, I dunno the whole story between you and the family, but I say you're one of us. And if ya ever need help, I'll be here for you." She leaned closer, touching their heads together, a tiny wisp of magic pulling her hat out of the way. "It... it might be too late for me," replied Bluebonnet. "I've made some bad choices, long ago." "But you were never bad, were you?" asked Applejack. "I don't know!" hissed Bluebonnet in frustration. "I worked for the princess. I did questionable things. I kept telling myself that it was for the good of Equestria, and that I was doing it to keep my daughter safe. But in the end, I made the weapon that got her killed. I made the weapons that toppled the Crystal Empire, both of them. And now, that I'm trying to make things better, my inventions aren't good enough." "This one did save us," said Applejack, pointing at the emitter. Bluebonnet sighted. "Yes. You said that already. And you used that power of yours to make me believe it. But it is not enough. Not against what we are facing." "You're doing your best," said Applejack, "No backing off, no slacking off." "I coul've-" protested Bluebonnet, but Applejack interrupted her. "Your gizmo stopped the Shattered from destroying us. And you saved my sister from getting crushed. We can't always win, but now we're fighting together, and we will get through this together, as Apples. Do you understand?" There was a moment of silence, the two mares just sitting, half-turned towards each other, staring into each other's eyes. Then Bluebonnet leaned in, and gave Applejack a hug. "Thank you, cousin," she said, "I needed that." She released a hug, and looked towards the wrecked main gate, beams of sunlight visible in the entrance. "When I chose love over family, against so many warnings, I thought I lost you all." "Ya should've known better," said Applejack with a small smile. "We do not abandon our own." Bluebonnet nodded. "I should've. When it all fell apart... I thought they were right all along. I was too ashamed to come back. Or was it pride? I was young and stubborn. And then Tourmaline got sick, and it looked like there was nothing my family could do to help. Enigma brought me to the princess, and... I think you know the rest." "What matters now is that we're here for you," said Applejack. "As soon as we get Pierce back on his feet, we'll move to meet Chrysalis, and together we'll find a way to save Fluttershy." She turned towards the campsite, where Pierce was still asleep. "What's your deal with him anyway?" she asked. "You acted a bit weird around him earlier." Bluebonnet's face turned grim. "Long ago... he hurt me... horribly." Applejack turned towards her with shock on her face. "WHAT!?" Bluebonnet shushed her with a gesture. "We didn't even meet back then. It's complicated. He thinks I don't know. I think... that's why he's working with Guilt. He too is trying to make things right. But it hasn't been working out for him. He's trying not to show it, but he's as damaged as I am." Applejack looked towards the campsite again. "So... you've forgiven him?" Bluebonnet returned to looking at her hooves. "I don't know... no, I don't think I have. But to tell him that now to his face, it would destroy him. And I don't want that. He... isn't the stallion he used to be." She looked Applejack in the eyes. "Could you promise me not to tell him I said all that?" Applejack considered the question. Her gem flickered with an orange light again. "I'm not sure I'm very good at keeping secrets, now that I'm Honesty. And I'm not going to do the Obsidian thing with being all misleading... but I promise not to talk to him about it. Is that okay with you?" Bluebonnet nodded, and gave a small smile. "It is. Thank you, Applejack." *** "Let there be light." Obsidian's staff tapped on the floor at the base of the stair, the light spreading along the floor, the spell scattering all over the tunnels in motes of light, bringing a gentle, ambient illumination to the ancient burial site. Twilight walked past Obsidian, and looked around. The chamber underneath the inner sanctum was a crossroad, four tunnels extending from it in cardinal directions. The stair descended spirally around the walls, gently enough to allow a procession to walk down it with a measure of dignity, touching the floor right next to the northern exit. "This place is huge," said Twilight, looking down the tunnel, and then around her. Looking closely, she could see long lines in the walls, indicating the places where they had cracked and were repaired with magic, a reminder of a past earthquake. "Well, it was already in use for centuries before it became the crypt of the Elements," said Obsidian. "If you want to bury a body, a snowy mountain top doesn't exactly present many options." He spun around slowly with his eyes closed, and then headed to the southern tunnel. "This way." As he moved, the ambient light followed him, gently illuminating the way ahead of the two ponies. Twilight followed, curiously looking at everything they walked past. At first, the walls of the tunnel were carved with pictures, a mural depicting the four alicorns she had already learned to recognize. Though she could not read the writing, Twilight could guess a lot from the context: the images once again followed the story of the creation myth, before adding more details, the circle of life in which pony souls circulated between the spiritual realm of Indigo, and the physical world of Gaia. Then the tunnel widened, making space for two lines of stone slabs, one of either side of the path. Twilight shuddered. There were life-sized statues there, standing vigil over most of the graves, some crumbling, others so well preserved, she half-expected them to turn their heads and look at her. "The tomb of the high priests," explained Obsidian. "The tombs in the other tunnels aren't nearly as elaborate, but with the leaders usually lasting at least a couple years, making a statue for each was not a big deal, even if the tradition demanded they be made without magic." "Why so?" asked Twilight, casting a nervous glance at a stern-looking unicorn statue, eerily reminiscent of one of her old school teachers. "Few ponies think to question the origins of a tradition," said Obsidian. "I never gave much thought to this one, but from what I understand, this was supposed to be symbolic – the last purely physical gift for a soul departing to the realm of the spirit. Of course that was just one of the many burial traditions employed through the ages. I've already mentioned that cremation used to be popular. Not really in the Empire, but very much so among the pegasi communities. You can't dig a grave in the cloud, and their original ground-bound cities were at mountain tops, where digging without magic was also very hard. Easier to fetch some wood from the base of the mountain, and return the departed to the wind." "And then the Elements took over, and buried their heroes here?" asked Twilight. "Not just heroes," replied Obsidian. "Anypony who lived in the sanctuary could expect a burial here." His staff turned in the air, pointing at an intersection they were just passing. "That whole wing is dedicated to low rank staff and guardponies." He stopped in front of a big metal double door, adorned with a symbol of six jewels. "But this one really was meant for the heroes; the crypt of the Elements. Could you? I don't want to break it down." Twilight approached the door. It seemed to be made of brass, and she could feel the magic flowing through it, resonating with the gem around her neck. “It… requires an Element to open?” she asked. “Yes,” confirmed Obsidian. “I’m not even sure why they thought it would be needed. Probably another tradition.” “Probably,” agreed Twilight, a nimbus of purple light spreading from her forehead towards the door, and then flowing along the lines in the metal. With a soft creak, the door opened, revealing another tunnel lined with statues. Twilight walked in, moving from statue to statue. There were some she recognized, mares and stallions from her visions. “Diamond Dust, Surprise, Verba? I've seen Verba, and he wasn't nearly as imposing." "That's because by the time they were ready to bury him, nopony remembered what he had really looked like," said Obsidian. "The place where he had sealed Vengeance was filled with so much poison, it took centuries before anypony could go in there. They didn't know what the situation was exactly, so they didn't want to send in a golem, fearing they might accidentally unleash her." "And I see there is an unmarked grave without a statue," noticed Twilight. "Was it for you?" "Yes," replied Obsidian. "Many of these tombs are actually empty. There were many instances where there was nothing left to bury, just a broken and charred Element waiting to reform around a new bearer's neck. But with me... they didn't know what had happened to me, and they postponed the statue until they at least had a clue. And then... well, they figured that one day I would die one way or another, so they left me a spot in their little hall of fame." Twilight was already walking further in. There was another alicorn statue in the fifth pair of graves. "And who is this?" she asked. "Concilio, the youngest son of the Emperor, and the second bearer of Honesty," replied Obsidian. "He fought alongside Verba and others to seal the Shattered for the first time. He was also instrumental in building the new order after the dust of the great war cleared. He probably changed the world more with diplomacy than he did with his magic." "I'll be delighted to hear each of these stories when this is over," said Twilight, picking up pace, "but I can already see there are more ponies buried here than I have the time to listen about today. This is not what we are here for." "Have it your way," grumbled Obsidian. "I was beginning to like giving lectures." Twilight did not respond, instead walking deeper into the crypt. She finally found an intersection. She looked left and right, before sending a small ball of light ahead of her. After a minute or so, the ball appeared again, flying in from the left. Twilight nodded, and dispelled it, turning right. "Oh, so it does turn eventually," said Obsidian. "I was wondering if it would just go straight through the whole mountain. It seems even with the appeal of following the whole chronology of their legacy, some ponies liked to have a quicker way back up." "There," said Twilight from the end of the corridor. The tunnel continued ahead, but there were no more statues, just an empty space reserved for future tombs. Twilight studied it for a while before turning towards Obsidian. "You said they wanted to keep the chronology?" she asked. "I have no idea who the next Elements were, but I'm pretty sure they didn't get to be buried here." She closed her eyes, and her tiara erupted with light. There was a grinding noise, and the stone underneath her flowed, the floor reshaping to form two lines of stone slabs. "So, you're keeping them the place until you can figure who they were?" asked Obsidian. "But you're going to break the tradition yourself just a bit further ahead." "No, I'm not," replied Twilight. "Though we don't have the time to craft the statues by hoof." "Well, this is supposed to be the crypt of the Elements," said Obsidian. "This is the crypt of the greatest protectors of ponykind," said Twilight. "A magical artifact does not define a hero, no matter how powerful it is." *** It was just before the supper when everypony gathered at the gate of the sanctum. Pierce could already walk on his own, though he opted to leave the bandage over his eye for the moment. In front of the door, there was a line of oblong, opaque crystals, vague shapes visible inside. Some of them bore names. Others, just pictograms cut on the top to mark who they were. Twilight looked at her friends, then at Obsidian. As they nodded to each other, the ancient stallion tapped his staff on the ground, summoning his illumination spell once again. Twilight used her magic to levitate the coffins off the ground, walking slowly inside the temple, her friends following in two files on either side. They walked through the inner sanctum, passing behind the looming alicorn statues, and slowly descending into the crypts, spreading out to fit the width of the stairs. Twilight took the southern path again, leading everypony deeper and deeper. Nopony said a word, even the fillies walking in silence, but she could hear the small gasps of amazement momentarily distracting her friends from their purpose. It really is impressive... another time, she chastised herself, focusing on keeping the line of crystal coffins steady. She approached the double door to the crypt of the Elements, and stopped. "Applejack, Rainbow Dash?" she asked softly. The two mares walked to the fore, focusing their Elements. The door opened, this time silently – Twilight had made sure of it. She walked in, slightly slower this time, giving the rest of the procession some time to take in the statues of the previous Elements standing vigil over their final, or symbolic resting places. She kept moving at an even pace, getting all the way to the intersection, and this time heading forward, taking everypony along all the tombs in the crypt; she hoped she would only have to do this once, and if so, it deserved to be done properly. The stone floor echoed with the steps of many hooves. Twilight's magic cast the surrounding statues in eerie purple light. Still nopony spoke a word, not until the procession walked the full length of its path, coming to a stop at the end of the tunnel. Twilight disengaged her spell, allowing her burden to slowly lower to the ground. The path before her was a wide, black tunnel, but the part she intended to use had already been prepared – empty stone graves waited on either side. She passed the first twenty or so, waiting for the still unknown bearers the Shattered must have defeated before Aurora’s time, stone slabs waiting to be inscribed with names. The next five were also closed, though already signed. Twilight stopped at the first empty one, and turned towards her friends. "We are gathered here today," she started speaking "to honor the victims of this terrible war." She didn't raise her voice much, speaking more like a teacher giving a lecture, than a leader giving a speech, just loud enough to be well heard without it being jarring in the echoing tunnel. "These ponies fought and died before we did, fought by our side, and some of them were tricked into fighting against us. But all of them sacrificed their lives for what they believed was the good of Equestria. And even though they are no longer at our side, their courage and dedication will stay with us, alive in our memories. She turned aside, and aimed her horn at one of the empty slabs. A beam of purple light hit, erupting into a crystal growth that quickly formed into a shape of a statue – a sleek unicorn mare with slitted eyes. "Crystal, bearer of Generosity, who sacrificed her life twice, and defied the nature forced upon her," intoned Twilight. Another beam, another statue; a serious-looking pegasus wearing a coat and a bowler hat. "Jingles, bearer of Laughter, who kept ponies' spirits high through the darkest of times." Another beam, a smiling earth pony stallion. "Whisper, bearer of Honesty, a trusted friend where trust was sorely needed." Another beam, a statue of a hooded mare, the veiny crystal giving an appearance of stripes. "Sauti, bearer of Kindness, soothing the pain of others despite her own." A dark blue crystal statue of a unicorn. "Aquila, bearer of Magic, who chose her own name, and made a name for herself, a hero we wish we had met," said Twilight, before turning to the next grave. This one was open, a hole in the ground waiting to welcome the fallen mare. Twilight levitated the crystal coffins again, moving them forward, as she placed the first one in the grave, covered it with a slab, and conjured a statue of white crystal on top of it.  Twilight stopped, closing her eyes, her tongue suddenly stiff and uncooperative in her mouth. Focus, Twilight, don’t stutter. You have it prepared. She wouldn’t like you to stutter... "Aurora, bearer of Loyalty. A brave warrior... a loyal friend, and a loyal sister," she finally said. "The best wingpony I could have ever asked for," said Rainbow Dash, stepping up beside her. Twilight noticed that Dash had summoned a visor over her face, concealing her eyes.  "I owe my life to what she taught me." "We had little time to get to know her," said Pinkie Pie, "but she became one of us." "She will not be forgotten," said Applejack. "She fought for her friends," said Rarity "Even after all this time. It is our turn to fight and win for her." Twilight took a deep breath, and the coffins moved once more. The next two graves were bigger than the previous ones. Twilight started with the one to her left, placing a single coffin inside it; it contained everything she had managed to gather from the floor of the inner sanctum – the crumbled bones of the ponies who had died there together. When she cast the spell, no names appeared on the slab, but the statue was larger, a group of hooded figures made of dark crystal, with solemn pegasus mare standing at the front. "Charcoal, and her companions in the Resistance," said Twilight, "who gave their lives to keep the horror of Vengeance contained for centuries. It is through their sacrifice that Equestria we know was created." "We could be who we are thanks to them," said Scootaloo walking forward, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle nodding silently at her sides. Twilight turned to the grave on the right. It was the deepest one she had made. She put the remaining coffins there, stacking them on top of each other before putting the lid on top. When she cast the spell, no names appeared either; the grave was meant for more than the few bodies they managed to recover, even after Rainbow identified some of them. Everypony would get an equal treatment in this regard. The only exception was the statue – when Twilight cast her spell, causing a formation of blue crystals to form into a flock of pegasi, there was one in the forefront of the group that was clearly recognisable, marked by a burst of yellow, one that, though undeniably dead, was not among those buried underneath. "The Wonderbolts," said Rainbow Dash, her face now uncovered. "The greatest flying team in Equestria, heroes who fought bravely for their homes and families, killed by lies that took advantage of their loyalty." Anger flashed in her eyes. She closed them, and when she opened them again, there were red lights in her pupils, but her face and voice had calmed. Glowing with the red light of her Element, she continued. "We will fight for the world they defended, to create the future they were fighting for." Silence fell. There were no more coffins waiting to be buried. But further on, beyond the two large statues, there were four more stone slabs waiting. Twilight approached the first one, Bluebonnet coming to her side. Twilight turned her head towards Bluebonnet. The spell left the tip of her horn, and floated towards the earth mare, briefly touching her forehead - as it did, it changed, the purple light shifting to deep blue, matching her mane, the round ball of energy getting more facture and life. As it landed on the slab, the spell blossomed into green crystal, forming a much smaller statue; an earth pony filly with a pair of goggles on her head, captured mid-move, her front right hoof raised, as if about to reach out and touch something, a smile of vibrant, childish curiosity adorning her face. Bluebonnet opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly her composure broke, the unspoken words choking in her throat, as she stood there helplessly with trembling lips.  Everypony waited in silence. Tears welled in Bluebonnet’s eyes, then flowed freely down her face. “Tourmaline…” she finally managed. “my only child. My precious little filly. There was so much more I wanted to show you, to teach you… so many things to do together…” Sweetie Belle stepped forward, standing close to the statue. “Minty,” she said with a sniffle. “A great friend. We had so many adventures together.” “You always had so many ideas,” said Apple Bloom, sobbing. She almost hugged the statue, then, realising what she was about to do, she stopped and awkwardly leaned against Sweetie Belle instead. “You even tried to make me fly,” said Scootaloo. “and you saved us all… even though nopony asked you to,” she suddenly blurted out. There was a moment of shocked silence. Pierce walked up behind Scootaloo. “She never once thought ‘I will be a hero,’” he said. “She just saw what had to be done, and did it, no matter how we might hate it. I was too slow to stop her. Believe me when I say, I would have taken her place if I could.” “Tourmaline,” intoned Twilight, “a loving daughter, a brilliant, young mind, a great friend, a hero. She will be remembered by all of us.” As she turned away towards the remaining three graves, Twilight felt tears welling in her own eyes. She picked the one opposite Tormaline's and focused. The spell went through a rainbow of colors, bits of colorful crystal growing out of the slab, forming a picture of a bed of gemstones. Then the magic circled back to purple, and a small shape began to emerge on top. Just like Tourmaline's, Spike's grave was nothing like the others in the crypt. Rather than standing on the slab, solemn and dignified, the little dragon was curled into a ball, sleeping with a content smile on his face, his claw grabbing a heart-shaped gem on top of his bed. Twilight shuddered. It was her turn to struggle with words. Suddenly, the whole speech she had prepared fell apart in her head. "Spike," she finally managed. Rarity walked up to her side. "The greatest little assistant anypony could dream of. Always so eager to help. So loyal and patient. So brave. A great friend taken from us far too soon." Then she too choked a bit, and closed her eyes. "I wish I... had appreciated him more." Applejack took a position on the other side of Twilight. "He always had time for us," she said. "A thing more precious than any dragon treasure." Twilight looked around, but nopony else spoke. Clearly, her two friends had already managed to encompass what everypony was thinking. It was up to her to finish the eulogy. "He was my stable rock," she said, "Always there to support me when the world was too much to handle. I'd never have got to where I am now if he hadn't been there for me." She took a step forward and leaned closer to the amethyst figure. "Sleep well," she whispered, a tear flowing down her face. And so it was finished, way too short for Twilight's liking. They all were. Twilight closed her eyes and silently ground her teeth at the injustice. They all deserved more words, more attention. But there was only so much time the Elements could spend in the crypts. There were living ponies out there, waiting for them to decide the fate of the world. And she wasn't even half way through her pain. There were two more graves to fill. Touched with a sudden thought, Twilight changed her plan. She left the last grave unused, instead turning towards the one to the left. The spell she cast created another large statue; two ponies cuddled together side by side on top of the slab, their horns crossed as they nuzzled each other with their cheeks. “Shining Armor, captain of the royal guard,” said Twilight a bit too forcefully, straining to keep her voice even, “my Big Brother Best Friend Forever… a hero of Equestria… a loving husband… protector of the Crystal Empire… ready to defend what he cared for until his final breath.” “A brave soldier, and a wise commander,” said Pierce. “Princess Mi Amore Cadenza,” continued Twilight, “Cadence… a loving wife, and a loving ruler… A light of hope that could dispel the deepest darkness. Caring, brave and… great with children. I was honored to have her as my sister in law.” “A cheerful pony, and a great dancer,” said Pinkie. She sniffled, but managed to finish. “I was honored to organize her wedding.” “She was a true beauty that shone beyond mere looks,” said Rarity. The crypt fell silent after that, nopony else knowing what more they could contribute. They were looking at each other, or at the statues, each look hammering in the feeling of loss. Applejack and Apple Bloom hugged Bluebonnet silently.  Rarity hugged Twilight, with Sweetie Belle joining in after a while, and Scootaloo and Pinkie Pie embraced Rainbow Dash. Only Pierce and Obsidian remained alone, standing stiffly and solemnly, like soldiers would, eerily similar to the surrounding statues. Finally Obsidian tapped his staff on the floor. “And so it is done,” he proclaimed. “The brave departed have been honored. Now it’s time to leave this place to those it belongs to, and return to the urgent matters of the living. We will eat supper together, and then return north. It’s time we meet the changeling queen again, and plan the rescue of your friend.” Nopony protested, though it took them a while to break their hugs. The procession turned around, and left in silence, this time taking the shortest route at the intersection. They were already on the stairs up, when Pinkie Pie suddenly reared, clapping her hooves together. “That’s right! It shouldn’t end like this! That’s not how it’s done, not at all.” “Pinkie, what are you talking about?” asked Twilight, turning to look at her. Pinkie squinted at her. “You’ll see,” she said. “I’ll start with you. Let’s just get back to the camp first.” She then resumed her walk, much more lively than before; she wasn’t pronking, but she was no longer dragging her hooves, and there was much more of a sense of purpose to each of her steps. ***  They emerged from the temple, and walked into the camp. It was already prepared for departure, with a new circle drawn, and the bags set together next to what remained of the food.  Twilight looked sadly at the cavern. For the last couple of days it had been getting more and more lively, pieces of its former glory restored by their efforts. Now it was a place of a recent battle, marks of destruction everywhere: most of the light and heat spells had been dispelled, the houses carved into the cave walls partially collapsed. At the entrance to the cave, there lay a charred skeleton of the dragon, still clutching the broken pattern cannon; they did not know if the dragon was a hero or a villain, and Obsidian claimed that dragons had no funeral rites either way - a dragon’s final resting place would be either on top of his hoard, or on the field of his last battle.  Twilight stepped aside as her friends walked past, then, as everypony left, she cast one more spell. The broken doors of the inner sanctum righted themselves, and closed, broken pieces of stone fitting themselves back into the damaged frame.  “Rest in peace,” she sighed before turning and following the others. *** The supper passed in silence. They had already eaten all the hay, and Pinkie didn’t conjure any pastries this time. Everypony focused on their food, eyes red, faces gloomy, nopony saying a word, all staring into their food, except Pinkie Pie, who watched the others intently. Finally the last sounds of chewing stopped. Obsidian tensed to get up, and give everypony a signal to move out. Pinkie Pie was faster. She jumped up, and hopped in front of Twilight.  “Now, that we’re done eating,” she said loudly, “there is something I need you to do.” Twilight looked at her in confusion. “What? What is it, Pinkie? We don't have much time.” “We’ll start with you,” said Pinkie Pie. “Tell us about Shining Armor. Start with the happiest memory you have of him.” “What?” asked Twilight again. “A story,” replied Pinkie. “Tell me a story about him that will make you smile, even if it also makes you cry a little.” Twilight averted her gaze, clearly taken aback, but Pinkie wouldn’t budge.  “You know it isn’t right like this, don’t you?” said Pinkie. “I get the whole military funeral thing, but they were our friends and family. We don’t say goodbye like this. They wouldn’t want it like this, all stiff and sad. I mean, yes, we all are, but they wouldn’t want to see us all gloomy. They’d try to cheer us up if they could. So give me a story.” “Well…” started Twilight. “If you put it that way…” She closed her eyes, and fell silent. “There are so many. But the happiest one would have to be Shining Armor’s wedding. We were all so scared when Chrysalis showed up, and back then I feared all was lost. But then, Cadence shook him out of the mind control spell, and you could just say, looking at them, that their love would save the day.” She averted her gaze for a moment more. “Of course, back then we didn’t know Chrysalis was on our side… but she was playing so well… And when the city was saved, everypony was so relieved and happy. Even when the spell passed, they looked like they were glowing, so beautiful together. Sharing the happiest day of their lives with all their friends…” *** Twilight Sparkle: When it’s time to say goodbye Even to your dearest ponies Pinkie Pie: In your heart, you will find All the precious little moments Rarity: Pictures of love, bonding for life All the precious little moments Sweetie Belle: See them back, right before your eyes All the precious little moments Pierce: When it’s time to say goodbye Live without your dearest ponies Bluebonnet: Treasure those memories Keep them safe inside your heart Scootaloo: Ponies who made your brightest days Keep them close inside your heart Applejack: What made you love those passed away All the precious little moments Rainbow Dash: Always will they stay with you All they brought into your life. Apple Bloom: Always will they stay with you, Memories of happy days