To say that the next few hours were a harrowing experience would be a matter of opinion. If you were the kind of person who didn't mind going to the 'doctor', it could be described as tolerable, but for those who have a sort of phobia for such...
...Rainbow Dash, for instance...
"Easy sugarcube," said Applejack, fanning her pegasus friend with her hat. "It's over..."
Rainbow just continued to hyperventilate from where she sat in Divayth's study, her cyan features as pale as chalk as her friends surrounded her comfortingly.
"Take it easy, Rainbow," said Twilight from among the supportive circle, flashing Divayth a dirty look.
The Dunmer scholar took no notice of her scowl, leaning over his spoils that he had laid out evenly on the table before him. His demands had been acceptable for the most part, but it still didn't set well with her that it had caused her friend such distress. Even if she did understand the basic principles of his actions, being a pursuer of knowledge herself, she still didn't like it.
Not that she didn't find the whole experience intriguing, especially the first part.
Divayth had said that, other than the tissue samples, he also wanted to cast a spell of his own design on them. They were hesitant at first, especially when Luna advised them that it was unwise to allow a spell which you have no idea what it's designed to do to drape over you, but Divayth had assured them that the spell would cause no harm, and Applejack (the living lie detector) could find no deception in his claim. So they had allowed Divayth to bathe their beings in a gentle blue light.
And it had quite the effect.
After Divayth was finished, the large clump of crystal, which seemed to act as some form of hub for Divayth's observational research, began depicting their bodies in various anatomy charts. Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Princess Luna, and Spike, they were all displayed upon the crystal's smooth surface, each depicted in multiple different types of graphs, each one labeled with a perfect 3D image of the pony (and dragon) they represented. There were charts with high details of muscle structure, organ placement, blood vessel mapping, skeletal structure, even a thermal graph depicting their body heat.
For most of them, seeing their bodies display inside out like that was nauseating, but Twilight could not help but admire the ingenuity of it all. After all, how often does a pony get to witness parts of their body that they would never get to see? And not just that, Divayth's method was absolutely fascinating.
While it was nothing new to peek into a pony's body in Equestria through means of a spell, the methods Twilight was familiar with required magic to be combined with some kind of complex machinery, like an MRI or X-ray. Divayth had done the same thing that those machines could do, and not only better, but with but a wave of his hand, with no technological assistance whatsoever. It was a testament to the fact that he really was the most accomplished wizard of his time.
Unfortunately, the rest of Divayth's requirements were a lot less enjoyable.
It was the standard research practice when collecting samples for study, with hair and tissue samples, and the skin Divayth took was easily replenished with a Restoration spell, there were some unusual samples taken too. Spike had to let Divayth take some scales, Luna, Fluttershy and Rainbow, of course, were requested to donate a few feathers, but the unicorns and alicorn also had to surrender samples from their horns. While it was no risk for a unicorn horn to be filed, it was even required to keep the horn healthy, same as a pony's hooves, Rarity flat out refused to let Divayth approach her precious magic appendage, claiming that it would not do to defile such elegance with such a 'crude tool' wielded by such a 'clumsy appendage', her words.
But Divayth would not be denied, so eventually they agreed to Rarity removing a sample from her horn herself, but as delicately as possible.
And that, unfortunately, involved her sitting in the corner levitating a hand mirror before her while she gently scraped at her horn over a petri dish with an Emery board, her tongue poking out between her teeth in her concentration. Needless to say, it took more time than necessary for Rarity to fill the petri dish with an acceptable amount for Divayth to work with. Not that he minded, in fact, he found her tenacity quite amusing.
"She has such precision," he admired, "a few of my daughters could learn a thing or two from her."
The others could only roll their eyes at the mention of Divayth's daughters, if they could even be called that.
But as uncomfortable as these procedures had been, the last two requirements Divayth had set forth were by far the most unpleasant.
While Divayth had already collected hair samples from their manes and coats, once Twilight explained the functionality of cutie marks he insisted on collecting a secondary sample from that area of their bodies as well. And it was even worse for Twilight and her friends. It wasn't exactly difficult for Divayth to notice that Luna's cutie mark lacked Hermaeus Mora's visage, and when Twilight explained the circumstances regarding their relationship with the tendriled Daedra, he insisted on a second sample from the area where Hermaeus Mora's eye was situated.
Needless to say, having such a tender area scraped at with a tiny scalpel was less than enjoyable, let alone twice.
But the most unpleasant business of all was what has left Rainbow in such a traumatized state.
It was only a matter of time before Divayth requested a blood sample; and to achieve their goal, the Equestrians reluctantly agreed, but when he approached them with a scalpel, that was when Twilight put her hoof down. It hadn't occurred to her Divayth would use such crude methods to acquire fluid tissue samples, but with all that has transpired, it had slipped her mind that Nirn wasn't anywhere near on par with Equis in regards to medical technology, but needless to say, she wasn't about to let someone stab her friends with a scalpel. But Divayth wouldn't be dissuaded from acquiring a blood sample, so Twilight had to find a way to meet him in the middle.
Thank Celestia for... well... Celestia's teachings.
With a single spell, Twilight transmuted the scalpel in Divayth's hand into a proper syringe.
She explained to Divayth what the functionality of this bizzare device was, and to say that he was intrigued by its capabilities was an understatement. In fact, he insisted Twilight transmute some more objects he had lying around into syringes for future use. They would make his research a lot less sloppy.
Twilight, Luna, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Spike all surrendered a sample of their life blood once the ancient Dark Elf had the proper equipment, albeit uncomfortably. Once he got to Rainbow, who had been portraying a steadfast visage up to that point, she completely crumbled as soon as the needle approached her. Twilight and the others could only watch as the sturdy pegasus that was known to be tough as nails became paler in color than the time she had been affected by Discord as soon as she saw her own blood within the vial. So they all took to surrounding her supportively as she caught her breath.
"Easy darling," cooed Rarity, stroking Rainbow's mane as it slowly regained its color. "We have fulfilled our end of his barbaric bargain, and have accomplished our goal at last."
It was true.
Suspended in Luna's blue aura, was a gray-green glass bottle, filled to the brim with a semi-transparent liquid, the coveted medicine needed to cure the ill-fated Fleur, saving both her and her husband Fancy Pants from much undeserved heartache.
"I still don't know what you hope to accomplish with it," said Divayth as he was categorizing his latest samples. "As I told Nerevarine Sarian, it hasn't worked on any others who are afflicted. It killed them outright in fact."
"We are aware of that, Mister Fyr," said Luna as she stashed the bottle in her Infinite Dimension pouch. "But we are hoping that we can refine this cure of yours with some of the resources we have available in Equestria."
Divayth arched an eyebrow. "Do you believe that you can modify such a complex formula?"
"What we believe is irrelevant," said Princess Luna. "This is our one chance to save a beloved member of our society, so we have to try."
"Very well," said Divayth with a respectful nod, "and I must say, your dedication is admirable."
Luna nodded back, then turned to her cohorts who had just managed to get Rainbow Dash back on her hooves. "I believe our work here is concluded."
"Does that mean we get to go home now?" asked Pinkie Pie excitedly.
Luna gave a thin smile and nodded.
"YAHOO!!!" shouted the Pinkie party pony, the others sharing her enthusiasm, though not as flamboyantly.
"Oh I can't wait to get back to Equestria, and kiss this dreadful place goodbye," said Rarity, but paused when she remembered whose presence they were in. "No offense, Divayth."
"None taken," said Divayth, "Morrowind is, most certainly, a harsh place to live. The faint of heart would, no doubt, find it less than desirable."
Rarity didn't know whether to be relieved that he understood, or insulted that he thought she was faint of heart.
Regardless, they had accomplished their goal. After traveling to an parallel world to find a cure for a disease, finding that the same disease had led its Divine instigator to their door with intentions of conquest, leaving them as the only hope of stopping such a disaster, teaming up with a Prophesied hero to take down a malicious three eyed entity, till finally arriving at the door of the most accomplished magic user of this world's era with the only known cure of the disease, at last they were on the trek home. But as they were about to make their exit from Tel Fyr, Twilight realised that they were forgetting something.
"Divayth." The Daedric armored Dark Elf didn't give Twilight much acknowledgement other than to turn his eyes up slightly. "I know that you have already provided much for us, but I am afraid we require one more thing from you."
Divayth didn't appear to be pleased. "And what might that be, pray tell?"
Twilight looked a little sheepish. "Well, if you haven't guessed by now, Hermaeus Mora provided us with the Elder Scroll we used to open a path from our world to yours, and as a Daedra, he expects compensation for his assistance."
"Most expected of the old Woodland Man," said Divayth. "So what is he expecting for his services?"
Twilight gulped. "He wants to add your research on Corprus to Apocrypha."
Divayth didn't appear surprised at this, but he didn't appear pleased either.
"I understand what you mean," he said somberly. "Your request is no meager toll, but I should expect no less from a Daedra."
"Are you saying you won't give us what we need to pay that nasty dude back?" asked Rainbow nervously, having found her voice.
"Please, kind sir, you have no idea what kind of pressure we're under," pleaded Rarity.
"I understand that you want to go through with your agreement with the Daedra of Knowledge," replied Divayth. "It is a very grave mistake to draw the ire of a Daedric Prince, but you must understand my plight as well. You are asking for me to surrender years of dedicated research."
Once again, Twilight was grateful for being taught so much by Celestia.
"That will not be necessary," she said.
Divayth looked legitimately puzzled at Twilight's statement, "Explain."
Twilight smiled, "May I see your research?"
Divayth paused for a second, then pointed to a nearby bookshelf. "All the books bound in red on the second shelf."
Twilight smiled in thanks and approached the shelf, letting out an impressed whistle when she saw the books. There had to be at least ten volumes bound in red covering, and at least several hundred chapters thick apiece. Now, such dedication to research she respected.
Taking a deep breath, Twilight delved into her stores of Equestrian spells, selecting just the one she needed. Her tongue poking out of her lips in her concentration, Twilight's horn glowed lavender, followed by the tomes. At first, it appeared as if she was pulling them from the shelves, for they appeared to be sliding forward, but on a second look, it became clear that while the books remained on the shelf, at the same time, identical, yet transparent versions were bleeding out from their solid brethren.
Before long, two versions of the ten volumes were seen, one set sitting stationary on the shelf, the others hovering in the air, as transparent as stained glass.
Twilight opened one eye in her concentration, smiling at her progress, then shut her eyes again and cast one more pulse of magic through her horn. In a lavender flash, the transparent books gained solid color, then two versions of the books existed.
"There, perfect duplication," she said, proud of herself.
"Extravagant," said Divayth as Twilight stashed the new books into Luna's Infinite Dimension pouch. "I can see much potential in such a spell, to be able to duplicate at will."
"Oh, don't give her too much credit," said Spike, jabbing Divayth in the leg with his elbow. "Twilight had to learn that spell as a form of punishment. She kept destroying Princess Celestia's priceless ancient spell books with her rigorous studying."
With their final task completed, the ponies and baby dragon bade Divayth farewell at last, not that the old Dark Elf had much to say in return. He immediately became obsessed with the samples he had collected from them, so he hardly noticed when Luna draped them in her magic and levitated them down to the entrance chamber below, though it took a minute to figure that out, having ridden inside the Infinite Dimension pouch, they had not seen the necessity of levitating up and down the building, rather than using stairs.
"I'm... sorry about earlier, girls," said Rainbow as they traversed the fungus chambers of Tel Fyr. "I'm not too proud of my reaction you saw regarding that needle."
"Don't sweat it, sugarcube," said Applejack supportively. "We all have our little phobias."
"At least yours aren't extremely humiliatin... WAAH," Fluttershy suddenly leaped into Princess Luna's hooves, the Moon Princess arching her eyebrow, looking down to see nothing but the meek pegasus's shadow upon the floor.
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes at her oldest friend's antics, but did feel better for her own weakness.
"Oh, who cares about what scares little Dashie!" said Pinkie excitedly, bouncing at the head of the group. "Come on girls, mission accomplished, Equestria awaits..."
Pinkie froze in midair as she was about to turn the corner.
"What ever is the matter, darling?" asked Rarity as she and the others rounded the bend as well, only to freeze themselves.
As said before, they had ridden inside the Infinite Dimension pouch on the way inside and were unaware of what would lay before them on the way out. Divayth's daughter Beyte Fyr still sat in the study opposite the main entrance, and the Equestrian party had walked right into her field of vision. No invisibility, or camouflage of any kind, they stood there for her to see, plain as day.
It was their priority to remain seen by as few people as possible, and now that they had gotten what they had come for they had let their guard down and slipped up. Now they had been noticed by another person from Nirn, who would no doubt realize that they weren't normal creatures of this world. And Twilight knew Divayth's daughters were loyal to a fault, if she discovered Divayth's notes or the elixir in their possession...
"I thought you were leaving?"
The sudden sentence from Beyte Fyr left them befuddled.
"I beg your pardon...?" Rarity was silenced by a lavender aura.
"Yes, indeed we are," said Twilight, ushering her company to the round door.
"Wait, I just have to ask," said Pinkie Pie, bouncing over to Beyte Fyr and getting right up in her face, much to the horror of the others.
"What's it like to be cloned, Betty?" asked Pinkie, completely butchering the artificial Dark Elf woman's name. "Did it hurt? Did old Divy get you right the first time? Does it ever bother you that you were born in a test tube? How do you feel about not having a mommy?"
Pinkie seemed oblivious to how venomous Beyte's expression was becoming.
Luckily, Rarity was well practiced in social society.
"Now that is enough, Pinkie dear," said the fashionista, grabbing her talkative friend in her blue telekinesis and dragging her to the door. "Please pardon our friend's antics, she doesn't mean anything by it," she said to Beyte.
Her expression didn't soften. "I thought... you were... Leaving."
The acidic tone sent them all into nervous giggles, slowly trotting out the door backwards, Twilight opening it with her magic.
"Miserable beasts of burden," grumbled Beyte with a scowl. "It's going to take months for me to get the smell of pony out of my father's study."
She opened a book and began reading. 'Did they were honestly think hiding inside that ridiculous enchanted bag could conceal them from me?'
---
Untold time spent inside a bottomless pouch being bounced around while their escort leaped across the countryside, then spending hours being prodded by a Dunmer researcher, seeing the sun again felt like a slice of heaven.
After the shivering from Beyte Fyr's cold attitude passed, Twilight and the others could not help but let the warm rays of the midday sun wash over their bodies, soothing the day's stress away. They also could not help but feel a sense of accomplishment sweep through them again. After almost a week of braving the harshness of the Dunmer continent Morrowind, they had the cure Fluer needed to get better.
Well, at least the first step...they still need to find a way to bypass the whole 'worked only once, killed anyone else' thing.
A bright flash of light brought them back to the present.
"What in Oblivion happened?"
"SARIAN!" Pinkie tackled the Dunmer woman to the ground into a bone crushing hug. "WE WERE SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU! WE THOUGHT MEAN OLD DIVY HAD MADE YOU GO POOF FOR GOOD!"
Anypony... any creature on the receiving end of one of Pinkie Pie's legendary tackle hugs would be blue in the face and begging for oxygen by now, but Sarian weathered it like it was nothing but a light breeze.
"I'm fine, Pinkie," she said reassuringly. "But what in Azura's name happened?"
"Divayth made you disappear," explained Luna. "Like he said, he wanted a private word with us."
They all expected a rebuttal or a demand for an explanation, bilut Sarian only looked up at Tel Fyr with an unamused expression.
"I am not surprised," she said as Pinkie Pie let her stand. "Divayth For is a very reclusive and secretive individual."
They all tilted their heads in bemusement, but gave a faint smile. Sarian was a merciless and ruthless warrior on the field of battle, but off it, she was one of the most laid back, even tempered people they had ever met. It was the kind of personality separation that could be admired.
Touching reunion and respectful behavior aside, it was time to address the giant Bull Netch in the Tel Fyr mushroom room.
"I guess this is were we must part ways," said Sarian with slight bitterness.
"I'm afraid so," said Princess Luna with a sad smile. "We appreciate you going out of your way to bring us to this place with all haste, but with both our goals achieved, we really must be heading back to Equestria."
"We have a responsibility there, and not just Fleur," said Applejack.
"Plus, it's our home," said Rarity.
Sarian smiled lightly. "And I have put off my duties long enough as well. I must return to Lord Vivec and inform him of Dagoth Ur's demise."
It was a heartfelt goodbye, with respectful hand shaking, and some light hugs. It was tough to say goodbye, but as they all had said, it was time they went forward with their missions.
"I recommend you find some replacement armor," said Rainbow.
"Why?" asked Sarian, taking in her company's own lack of clothes. " You don't seem uncomfortable with nudity."
"Oh, it's not that," said Rainbow with a smirk. "You look absolutely awesome in armor. Total badflank."
Sarian smiled at the multicolored pegasus, then looked to the others and lifted her hands. "Farewell, my friends."
With a shower of light purple stars, Sarian vanished.
The ponies and Spike exchanged a sad look, already missing the company of their tough friend. By now the Gray Cowl of Nocturnal's magic had swept her mind of them. It was like they had never met.
"Shall we get our rumps moving as well?" asked Applejack, eyes trailing the coastline of the distant mainland. "If memory serves, we have quite the trip back to the portal home."
"No need, Applejack," said Twilight, the others looking at her curiously. "After I learned what we were about to embark on this perilous quest, I began contemplating on how we would spend as little time as possible on the return journey." She grinned mischievously as her horn glowed. "Mark and Recall spells are really convenient."
With a flash of magic, eight individuals from Equestria vanished from the small collection of islands Tel Fyr was situated on.
---
"Well well, if it isn't my fine customers from Equestria!"
Twilight's friends blinked at their surroundings.
The Mudcrab Merchant was standing a few feet from them, the small island they stood upon now obviously the one they landed on when they first came ashore.
"Twilight, you truly are amazing," said Rarity in awe.
"I've said it before and I'll say it again, nopony outdoes you in magic, Twilight," said Spike proudly
"You all have these powers too," said Twilight, walking by them with a flick of her tail. "You just gotta make them work for you."
"That's easy to say for an egghead who eats, drinks, and sleeps books," said Rainbow smugly.
"Don't know if that tease is going to work anymore, sugarcube," said Applejack. "After all, we all spent three years virtually distilling in knowledge like good, hard apple cider."
"My point exactly," said Twilight.
"Huh...I don't want to interrupt," said Fluttershy quietly. "But could we please hurry."
"Yeah, we have to get this medicine to Fleur, stat!" said Pinkie, putting her hooves to Twilight's hindquarters and pushing her towards the water, Twilight arching her eyebrow.
But despite her hyperactive antics, they did Indeed need to get to the portal back to Equestria. Being underwater though, they needed to project a forcefield to traverse the depths, and only two of them had the skill.
"Twilight," said Princess Luna, gaining the young unicorn's attention. "Do you think you could take your friends on ahead?"
Twilight looked worried. "Something wrong, your majesty?"
Luna looked up to the clear blue sky, "I just... need to contemplate one last time. After all, I came to this place hoping to find beings who I could find kinship with. Needless to say, I succeeded in ways I never thought possible."
It was true, for all of them.
"Just don't stay behind too long, Princess," said Twilight, grabbing her friends in a bubble of lavender and slipping into the calm sea.
Luna continued to stare at the sky, more specifically, the sun.
'The Aedra are trapped in a semi-existential state that renders them as planets that orbit this world,' she mused, almost able to see said planetary bodies through the veil of day. 'I thought because of that, I would feel a sense of connection to them, but that was only the beginning. They are kin to me and my sister, because we are the offspring of Azura, Daedric Prince of the cycles.' She looked behind her to the shores of Morrowind. 'All of pony kind, all of Equestria, began with this world, created by the Dwemer as a world for them to reign over, but when that failed, Azura sent her children to provide the final piece of the puzzle so this new world could thrive.'
All her life, Luna questioned her existence, what made her and Celestia so unique among ponies, and at last she had her answers.
And the burden was almost heavier than the questions had been.
'I wonder how Celie will react to this?'
"You're just going to leave without even greeting your father?"
The voice had come from nowhere.
It was feminine, but carried an air of anxiety and fear that was so palpable it almost seemed to shroud the air itself. Luna turned to the source, and found a swirling liquid vortex of neon greens of multiple shades spiraling into existence in mid air, growing larger by the second. Something within Luna stirred, similar to her reaction to when Azura appeared, but carried with it a sense of dread so overpowering that Luna's whole being froze, from every fiber of her hair, to the depths of her very soul.
Once the vortex reached a size of about ten feet in diameter, a figure emerged from the swirling depths as casually as someone walking through a simple doorway. It was composed of the same liquid light as the vortex, which closed behind it, revealing it was bipedal in stature. Luna could make out extravagant robes garbing its body, obscuring most of its physical features, the head shrouded in the silhouette of a heavy looking mask possessing two horns. It held a staff topped with a Ram's Head in its arms, obscured by the glowing green aura as well.
The only thing not obscured by this green light were the twin serpents that had followed the figure, semi-transparent, and slithering around the open air around their master's arms.
Luna had no trouble devising who her new company was.
"Ve...Ve...Vaermina..." whimpered the Lunar Matriarch.
The Daedric Prince of Dreams and Nightmares.
Ruler of the Realm of Oblivion, Quagmire, a realm of ever shifting terror.
Whose sphere of influence includes nightmares, psychological terror, torment, dreams, bringing evil omens, and stealing memories.
And the biological father of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.
---
The Mudcrab Merchant looked to his left as a soaking wet figure scampered up to his island.
"Is it too late, did M'aiq miss it?"
Nay, old friend, you are just in time," replied the sentient crustacean.
"Oh, huzzah!" cried M'aiq, known as 'the Liar,' wringing out his extravagant hat. "M'aiq so loves it when gods interact with mortals." He seemed to notice Princess Luna for the first time. "Ooh, tasty horse! Got any cream sauce?"
"Afraid it's out of stock."
---
"I must admit, Sarian was indeed charming... in her own way," said Rarity as she and the others floated before the bright green portal drifting in the current. "But other than that, there is not a single thing about this dreadful place that I will miss."
"I can't argue with that," said Fluttershy, shaking slightly. "That Winged Twilight was truly terrible."
"Does that mean you have forgiven us for slaying it?" asked Applejack.
"I... don't sanction the taking of a life, but I realized it was it or us," said Fluttershy with despair. "Then all of Equestria would be in danger."
Not wanting the somber mood to escalate, Spike decided to speak up. "What do you think is keeping the Princess?"
"Give her time, Spike," said Twilight. "What we have learned here in Morrowind has affected us all, I'd imagine it's even more difficult for Princess Luna."
"I assure you, I am fine Twilight," said Luna as she arrived in their forcefield, riding her own.
With the return of their Princess, eight individuals that had stumbled upon Nirn, finding great secrets regarding the origin of their entire world, finally entered the door between worlds, returning to whence they came.
---
In Tel Fyr, Divayth's crystal reflected Twilight and her friends entering the portal back to Equestria, which then faded into the tide.
"Such a shame I will be unavailable to bear witness to the events that are sure to unfold," said Divayth as he watched these unique subjects vanish as if they had never been. "But it matters little. I have garnered great spoils from this encounter as it is. Isn't that right, Upsilon Fyr, my dear."
"Most definitely, father," said the youthful voice of Divayth's newest daughter, Upsilon Fyr; an Alicorn filly with dark red eyes, tar black fur, grey mane and tail, and Hermaeus Mora's signature eye and tendrils for a Cutie Mark.
---
"All is silence. The road is straight, without turning, in darkness. Now let there be an end to all things."
"All is silence. The road is straight, without turning, in darkness. Now let there be an end to all things."
The echo of a mare debilitated in both mind and body continued to be produced from the shard of the enchanted mirror that reflected the pitiful image of Fleur as she lay prone on the hospital bed, Hermaeus Mora having long vanished with Dagoth Ur no longer influencing the poor mare through her affliction.
Celestia, Cadance, and Shining Armor continued to wait before the portal projected by the Elder Scroll anxiously. The message they received from Twilight confirming that Dagoth Ur had indeed been vanquished had only come half an hour ago (yet that small amount of time without the sinister heartbeat was a half an hour in paradise) but it was of little comfort with their loved ones still on the other side of this sinister door in space, in a world filled with beings of such power an pettiness. So it was no small relief when the portal to Nirn rippled and eight figures stepped out, returning to the world of their birth.
"LULU!" shouted Celestia, wrapping her younger sibling in her magic and yanking her over, at the same time sprinting across the throne room to engulf her in an embrace.
"OOF!" grunted Luna as her skeletal structure was challenged by the only force that ever strained it, regardless of how many battles she had participated in, recently in Morrowind, or back in the infancy of Equestria. "I'm fine Celie, really."
"I have no doubt, Lulu," squeaked Celestia, tears streaming her cheeks. "But let me have this, please."
Luna rolled her eyes and returned her sister's hug.
"TWILIGHT!"
"TWILY!"
Cadance and Shining Armor rushed into the arms of their little sister, hugging her from all sides. Her friends could not help but feel a sense of tranquility upon the reunion. Rarity looked behind her to see the portal receding into the Elder Scroll, and the tiny Sigil Stone popping out.
Looking left and right to see if anypony was looking, Rarity scooped the dark stone up and pocketed it.
Dangerous, sinister object or not, it really pulled the ensemble she made in Apocrypha together.
For ten minutes, nothing but graceful reunions existed inside the Canterlot throne room, loved ones reunited after great peril and heart wrenching worry.
"We were successful," said Princess Luna, producing the bottle she received from Divayth Fyr from her Infinite Dimension pouch.
Celestia, Cadance, and Shining Armor gazed at the bottle hovering in Luna's aura. So within this glass vessel was what everypony had risked their hides to get, the only hope for Fleur's recovery. It was a relief, and in a way, hard to believe so much rested on something so small.
It was a double impact for Cadance and Shining Armor.
Throughout all this, they had been picturing if had been them instead of Fleur and Fancy. Shining could not blame Fancy for his behavior. He would react the same if it had been Cadance.
Cadance was another matter all together.
Her helplessness in all this had plagued her since Fancy Pants came storming into the throne room which felt like so long ago. Fleur was one of her oldest friends, her first love, and the reason she had found the love of her life. To see her stricken with a fate most ponies would consider worse than death had been intolerable. With this it would hopefully end.
But there was one last hurdle to overcome.
"You said this elixir was lethal to anyone afflicted with Corprus other than the Nerevarine, Twilight?" asked Celestia.
"That's correct," answered Twilight.
"And we heard it right from the horse's mouth himself," said Rainbow. "Grumpy old Divayth wasn't exactly subtle about it."
"Then we had better figure out what to do next," said Applejack. "We need to get this stuff to a lab or something so Fleur doesn't croak when we give it to her."
"I believe I already have a basis for a solution," said Celestia, the returning adventurers giving her a confused look.
"What is up, Princess?" Asked Spike.
"While Dagoth Ur was attempting to infiltrate Equestria, I decided to utilize the time his interfering was causing between your departure and return, when you should have been gone and back instantly for us," explained the Solar Princess. "I was helpless with the situation with Dagoth Ur, so I decided to point my attention to something I could assist with, like how to modify this Corprus antidote when you returned."
Twilight looked impressed. "And you believe that we can do something to make the cure work for us, Princess?"
Celestia looked slightly smug.
"Not 'us' per say, my faithful student," she said, Twilight growing confused. "As I was going over options on what we should do when you returned with the cure, I seemed to recall that you had a rather unique associate that lives near Ponyville that has an unprecedented knack for medicine, remedies, and magical potions."
Before anypony could comment a royal guard came bursting into the throne room with a salute.
"Your majesty," he said to Princess Celestia. "The royal chariot you sent to Ponyville has returned with the essential guest you requested."
He was suddenly shoved aside by a black and white hoof. "Forgive my rudeness, but we must make haste, from what I understand, there is no time to waste."
"ZECORA!!!" shouted the seven wayward residents of Ponyville gleefully.
The zebra shamen looked up at the multiple voices addressing her, smiling at the group of ponies and baby dragon that would often visit her in her hut, but they had since been scarce recently due to unforeseen circumstances.
"Ah, I see my friends have indeed returned," she said gleefully herself. "When I had learned of your plight three years ago, I was most concerned."
If she had more to say, she never got a chance to get it out, for she found herself buried under multiple equine bodies tackling her in a group hug, Spike landing at the top of the pile as the proverbial cherry on top. She was stunned at first, but soon returned the embrace with equal vigor. It was nice to see her friends again.
To see the first ponies that overcame their wariness of her in this foreign land.
"It is good to see you all, I must admit," said Zecora, reluctantly wiggling out of the pile up. "But regretfully, I wasn't summoned by the Princess for a social visit." She approached Princess Celestia. "I have just visited the patient in your hospital, and I must say, her condition fully terrified me. Never before have I seen such an ailment, it almost made me scream like a banshee."
"That is why I have summoned you my good zebra," said Celestia, taking the bottle from Luna and presenting it to Zecora. "This elixir is the only known cure for this disease, but other than one case, it has proven fatal to any other who has taken it. We were hoping you could help."
Without a word, Zecora dropped her saddlebag to the floor, and before their eyes, it unfolded into a small table, complete with beakers, apparatuses, test tubes, anything that could be used for practicing chemistry.
"May I see this concoction please?" said Zecora while the others stared at her instant lab in fascination. "We must not be slow if we're to smite this disease."
Celestia hoofed over the bottle, but still stared at Zecora's equipment in awe like the rest of them.
The zebra took the bottle in her hoof, and with practiced skill, immediately uncorked it and sniffed at the contents.
"Careful, Zecora," warned Applejack apprehensively. "That foul stuff is bad for your health."
"Fret not my friend, I shall be cautious," said Zecora, setting the open bottle on the table with the rest of her equipment, and pulling out a small pipette. "To do otherwise would be quite thoughtless."
Taking the pipette, Zecora extracted a tiny drop from the bottle, then pulled up a beaker and squeezed the drop into its clear contents. For a few seconds Zecora just started at the clear liquid in the beaker, as if waiting for something to happen. Suddenly, whatever the beaker contained went from clear to purple, the new color spreading from the point of contact of the drop from the potion.
Zecora's expression became shocked, as if she wasn't expecting that.
But it wasn't over yet.
Just as the purple had overtaken the clear, a new color began to dominate the contents of the beaker, a deep, dark green spreading over the purple. This, in turn, was followed by a dark red, so dark that the beaker appeared to be full of blood. Rarity almost fainted at the sight. But luckily, the color wasn't done shifting, immediately changing from its bloody color.
Next came a stark white color, but it had such a pearlescent sheen it might as well be liquid rainbow. Next came black, but not just regular black. This black was so deep that the beaker might as well contain a hole in space and time, rather than liquid.
They all watched the beaker for a while longer, but it would appear that this bizarre spectacle had finally come to an end.
"Zecora?" asked Twilight shiveringly. "Wh... what exactly does that mean?"
"Never in my wildest dreams..." moaned the zebra, looking up to her friends with pupils the size of pinheads. "All has taken an unforeseen turn, it seems."
"What has gotten your panties in a twist, Zecora?" asked Pinkie, the others equally curious, though nopony knew what 'panties' were.
"The potion in this beaker is sensitive to reaction, reactions that can determine cause," said Zecora, holding up the beaker with its now black contents. "I have seen every remedy known tested with it, to weedle out the flaws. But never have I seen such a combination of color. Whoever brewed this potion must be a very extravagant scholar."
"Yes, Divayth is an egghead," said Rainbow nonchalantly.
"But even Divayth, with his vast intelligence, could not negate the lethal effects of his own creation," said Twilight, apprehension growing inside her. "Can you, Zecora? Can you make this potion work?"
Zecora slumped, tapping her head to her temple. You could tell that gears were turning within her mind, probably faster than they ever had before.
"I am sorry to say, the makeup and functions of this potion are beyond me," she said sadly. "I could not even begin to understand what causes the fatal reaction, you see."
Despair spread throughout the returned adventures like a disease itself. They had gone through hell and high water to retrieve this potion, was it all in vain? Did they traipse across the inhospitable landscape for nothing?
Zecora's medical knowledge was beyond even what most doctors were capable of, if she did not have a solution, it was doubtful anyone else did.
"But fret not my friends, this is not where it ends," said Zecora.
They all did a double take.
"But you just said that this concoction was beyond even you," said Applejack, the others agreeing.
"While it's true, that I know not the functionality of this brew," said Zecora with a supportive smile. "I can draw on what I do know, mind you."
"What does that mean?" asked Spike.
Zecora looked at him.
"It means, scaly one, that I have not yet been outdone," explained Zecora, holding up the beaker, the black contents not even shimmering, no matter what angle light struck it. "While it's true I have not seen this reaction before, it did show me something I have seen, this I know for sure."
"What...what is it?" asked Fluttershy, with a surprisingly louder voice than usual (not that that amounts to much).
"Looking at this liquid, take in its aspect," said Zecora, offering them a closer look at the beaker. "Do you see a glimmer, a reflection, anything to that effect?"
They all looked, and saw nothing to what Zecora was describing.
"I see nothing like that," said Rainbow, tilting her head to look at the potion through one eye.
"It's... actually rather unnerving," said Rarity, shivering. "If it didn't slosh when the beaker moves, I would not even be able to tell it was a liquid."
"What exactly does this mean, Zecora?" asked Shining Armor, trying not to sound pushy, but considering the situation, he felt he was doing a good job keeping his eagerness in check.
"It means, my great sire," said Zecora, bowing to the Captain of the Royal Guard. "That the lack of gleam means the potion can be modified with Heart's Desire."
"You mean if we all put our hearts desire into the potion, it will work?" asked Pinkie with wide eyes. "That might be tricky, especially in Rarity's case. If we chop up a Prince Charming into potion ingredients, wouldn't that be murder? Where would we even find a Prince Charming? The only Prince we know is Blue Blood, and he has his head so far up his...mmmmmmfffff!!!"
Rarity had stuffed her hoof in her babbling pink friend's mouth, her cheeks puffed up and scarlet in her indignation.
"You misunderstand, Pinkie Pie," Zecora said to the muffled pony. "That isn't the method we must try."
"Obviously," said Rainbow Dash, rolling her eyes.
Zecora walked over to a section of her lab that had some drawers, reaching into one and pulling out a flower in full bloom. "Heart's Desire is a plant, you see, and one you have encountered before, if memory serves me."
Twilight and the others looked at the flower Zecora held. It was violet in color, with petals shaped like hearts. It was pretty, but hardly familiar.
"You sure about that, Zecora?" asked Twilight. "I'm sure I have never seen this plant before."
"The plant itself is not what I meant, but I believe its effects you have seen, surely you assent?" said Zecora, raising an eye.
Twilight and the others still looked confused.
Zecora sighed. "Surely you recall when young Apple Bloom tried to attain her cutie mark prematurely. The results were most unruly."
Recollect hit Twilight and her friends from Ponyville like a ton of apple cider.
"You mean this is the plant that gave Apple Bloom cutie pox?" asked Applejack, wide eyed.
"Oh great, how does giving Fleur another disease help at all?" said Rainbow with a scowl.
The others likewise agreed.
"You fail to see my meaning," said Zecora hurriedly. "What Apple Bloom used Heart's Desire for that day, in regards to the plant, was most demeaning. She received her heart's desire, but the consequences were most dire. Because, as Twilight will attest, a cutie mark must be earned, not forced, it is best."
"Well... that is true," said Twilight, "a cutie mark must be earned, nothing, not even the most powerful of magics, can change that."
"But what does it mean?" asked Spike, impatiently.
"What it means is that the success of this potion is your heart's desire, this plant can light your fire," said Zecora, presenting the sprig of Heart's Desire to them.
It was clear to all of them now.
If they wanted this potion to work, if that was their hearts' desire, the Heart's Desire could make it happen.
"What must we do, miss Zecora?" asked Celestia calmly.
"Pour your desire for this to succeed into your heart," said the Zebra shaman, her expression turning serious. "Then all of you breathe lightly upon the petals, that is how we will start."
The ponies and Spike did as they were told, allowing their desire for the success of this potion to fill their very beings, then breathing lightly upon the delicate plant's petals. Zecora went to work right away, mashing the Heart's Desire with a pestle and mortar until it was a fine paste. Running it through some of her equipment, Zecora extracted as much liquid from the paste as possible, storing it in a test tube.
Now came the moment of truth.
Taking the pipette from before, Zecora extracted a drop of Divayth's potion again, next drawing the same amount from the liquid Heart's Desire into the same pipette, mixing the two. There was no sense in mixing it up at once, they still didn't know if this would work, so best not to waste their only sample of the potion. Now they just need to test it.
From another section of her lab, Zecora produced two potted plants, daisies.
Taking a separate pipette, Zecora dribbled a little of the potion on one of the plants as it was. It fell over and blackened in the blink of an eye. They could only stare at the sad deceased plant, frozen stiff at how quick the life had been sapped from it.
"By the stars in the sky, do my eyes lie?" said Zecora, looking up to the others with wide, horrified eyes. "You didn't exaggerate, to take this potion as is, that would lead to a horrible fate."
Looking to the final plant, Zecora took the other pipette and squeezed the contents over the stem. They watched... and watched, every now and then the plant almost seemed to shiver, and they were sure it was about to keel over, dead. But nothing happened.
"Did... did it work?" asked Fluttershy.
"The plant is still alive, so I assume so," said Applejack, but doubt was present in her voice.
"How do we know for sure?" asked Spike.
"I'll tell you how, or better yet, show you." Before anyone could stop her, Rainbow Dash gripped the head of the Daisy in her teeth and violently drew it from its pot, slurping up the roots and vigorously chewing.
"RAINBOW!!!" they all shouted in worry.
Rainbow swallowed, belched loudly, and patted her chest as if nothing happened.
"Tasted like any other daisy to me," she said smugly.
"RAINBOW, that was the most rock headed stunt I have ever seen you pull!" said Applejack angrily, the others mirroring her reaction.
"Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?" asked Twilight.
"Hey, it worked, didn't it," said Rainbow in her defence. "I didn't kick the bucket, that means the potion works now."
"Be that as it may, you should not have put yourself in unnecessary danger, Rainbow," scolded Princess Celestia. "I realize it's in your nature to take risks, but think about how your friends would have reacted if you had died here and now."
Rainbow's ears folded back.
"Uh, guys?" inquired Spike, gaining the others attention. "Where is Zecora?"
They looked around, and sure enough, their zebra companion was nowhere to be seen... neither was the potion, or the Heart's Desire.
It didn't take a genius to figure out where Zecora was heading, so they set out for Canterlot General. They didn't catch up to the zebra even remotely along the way, it was if she simply vanished, no doubt to reappear in the hospital instantly. Who did that first, Zecora or Pinkie? They arrived at the ICU in record time, to be greeted by Doctor Gregory Barn.
"Ah, the wayward pupil and her cohorts have returned from their journey," he said, apparently the only greeting they were going to get from him. "I take it you are here because of that?" he said, pointing through the still active health bubble.
Following his hoof, they found Zecora in the operation room with Fleur, the sight making them fall to their flanks in shock.
The once afflicted unicorn sat atop her hospital bed, her coat shiny and smooth, no sign of the cancerous welts at all. She apparently was having a conversation with Zecora, meaning she had her vocabulary back, and wasn't limited to the one rant anymore. All in all, she looked at the peak of health.
Cadance snapped them out of their shock she stepped through the force field, the others struggling to catch up.
Fleur looked up at her new guests, noticing Cadance first.
"Caddy?" She inquired, her voice full of her Prancy accent as usual. "Caddy, is that you?"
Cadance was trembling so much that she could not answer at first.
"Ye... yes, it's me Lis," said Cadence, using the nickname she had for Fleur since they were little, just as Fleur was using hers.
Fleur smiled. "You've grown."
"So have..." Cadance lost what little composure she had, diving forward and scooping Fleur up into her hooves, tears streaming her cheeks "Oh Lis... I was so terrified... I... thought I was going to lose you."
"Easy Caddy, Miss Zecora here says I'm fine," said Fleur, stroking Cadance's mane.
"Indeed, it is true," said Zecora as she joined Twilight and the others watching the reunion. "As soon as the elixir touched her lips, she was as good as new."
They let Cadance and Fleur embrace for a while, but Princess Celestia realized something.
"I believe somepony else might be needing the good news as well," she said to the embracing mares, though she felt no small sense of relief and gratefulness that this whole mess was finally resolved. "After all, he has rarely left your side, Fleur."
Fleur didn't need to be told any more.
"Fancy!" she almost screamed, looking around frantically. "Where is my husband?"
"I believe I know where he is," said Celestia, stepping towards the door and gesturing with her wing.
Fleur had to lean on Cadance in order to move her stiff body, but she persevered, and soon they were headed down the hall.
"Hey, where's the doc?" asked Pinkie Pie, noting Doctor Barn was no longer there.
"Doctor Gregory Barn is a well accomplished doctor," explained Celestia. "Now that this matter is pretty much resolved, he no doubt is moving on to his next client, no doubt wishing the grunt work, like check ups and monitoring, to the local doctors."
"What a smarmy bloke," said Applejack with a scowl.
They found Fancy in the room with the enchanted mirror, whose broken glass had been replaced, asleep at the chair brought up from the waiting room for him. Fleur gently approached her husband and shook his shoulder. Fancy slowly woke up, his eyes creaking as dried tears broke apart, looking up to see who had woken him.
His eyes widened under his unkempt mane.
"Fleur?" he asked, reaching out and touching her hoof. "My love, is that you?"
Fleur's only response was to nod.
"Are you... well?"
Another nod.
No more words needed to be said
Fancy and Fleur simultaneously pulled each other into a deep, passionate kiss, expressing their relief in a way that words could never portray.
Twilight and the others could not help but shed tears at this touching display of love.
"I could live a thousand more years, and still never get tired of seeing two hearts joined so beautifully," said Celestia to Luna tearfully. "I thank the powers that made me for at least allowing me to enjoy at least this much."
Luna's heart skipped a beat.
She had a lot to fill Celie in on.