//------------------------------// // Voyager's Arc: Waking Under The Eclipse // Story: Of Laurels & Lace // by WritingSpirit //------------------------------// Perfection. Sometimes she had asked herself that question, especially on the darkest of days such as this, despite the absence of any clouds of gray in sight. The rays of the afternoon were bright; a perfect season for each of the ponies here to smile jovially and enjoy its basking warmth, yet what replaced all happiness was the black veil of realization, their frowns contrasting the bleached, pure white walls of the hospital room. Princess Celestia sighed, gazing at the three ponies, all in their respective beds, still in their peaceful sleep as the one they call Caduceus tended to them, his efforts only made him blink in confusion. Perfection, she asked herself again. To be able to drive one of her faithful Voyagers insane... "How are the ponies, my faithful subject?" "Miss Peridot is the only one with a mentally unstable condition," he explained, making the alicorn frown. "So far, she's the only one showing symptoms of Palladium's Brink, which, in itself, is near-incurable once it reaches the final stage. There's no other way to help her on that then." "Physically, however... I can't really say that they were all... well... normal..." "What do you mean that they're not normal?" Stellar questioned. "Did they sustain internal injuries? Because they seem unhurt on the outside." "There were no internal injuries." Caduceus Brineheart placed down his stethoscope, gazing at the ponies before him. He still wore his look of befuddlement, though it came not without an explanation. "Basically, for reasons unknown, they each grew something.... Tartaric in nature." "What do you mean, doctor?" Primrose hastily asked with worry. "You're saying that Pinkie...? That she became..." "But it's impossible!" Charter shouted, his mane frazzled in a state of denial. "There's no way that she, if any of them at all, became a demon! They sure don't look like one at all!" "True, though it's a different story underneath." The doctor handed them a few notes, though the rest could only stare at in confusion. It was the princess that clicked first, her eyes widening in disbelief. "You're saying that they've managed to release the demon successfully?" "Yes, though there's a problem." With a chagrin cough of his throat, he continued: "Morteoro never completed his possession cycle; the cycle in which he encapsulates himself into a dead body and turns into Mirror Mare. For now, I believe Harmony was the intended shell." "If that were true..." Persimmon suddenly piped up. "That means she had to undergo the chant, and then... offer her body..." "Stabbing herself with her dagger, yes," the doctor finished, making the Voyagers look in disgust. "However, it seems at some point or another, the ritual was fractured, no doubt from Pinkie and Winter's attempts to stop her, yet it was a success." "Hold on," Primrose interrupted. "It was a success? That means that one of them had the demon inside?" Princess Celestia raised her hoof, her face a grim frown. "I seem to understand now," she answered, before giving out the explanation: "The demon was an overseer-classed demon, meaning it is one of the most powerful of the creatures when it was summoned. Axle Palgiot had discussed with me on the possibility of sealing it, though he himself never knew that one his descendants would submit his body to it." "Tantrum Palgiot had performed the ritual on his own self, forcing Harrow, his brother, and some of our fellow ponies here," she stopped for a moment, glancing at the four of them, before continuing: "to perform Necessensio, under one stallion's direct orders." "Winter Palgiot," Stellar answered, with the Princess giving a nod. "Since then, the demon was sealed in the capsule until today, where it was finally released. It seems that Harmony was the only one that performed the ritual, though with unexpected results." "What do you mean, Princess?" Charter asked. "Remember that the demon was weakened," she explained, furrowing her brows as she did. "It's implied that Harmony was stabbed before she could finish the ritual, maybe by the Patriarch or Pinkie herself. Due to her exposure to Palladium's Brink, she wanted to bring down the other two with her, thereby stabbing them as well with her chain-link daggers." "As a result of Morteoro's weak state, I believed that, from the fractured ritual, the demon was dismembered and killed as a result, though its energy still remained in its place-" "Which means that the ritual was successful," Stellar concluded. "Harmony still have control over her physical and mental state. In other words, she possessed the demon's powers only." "True, though not entirely." The princess's reply only made them look in surprise, prompting her to explain: "There's one more factor in demon-cadaver possession: flexibility, meaning it will possess whatever body it could find. Due to its weakened state, its essence, or life-force, is extremely volatile. As a result, Harmony made a mistake." "What is it?" Primrose asked. "She stabbed Winter and Pinkie, and brought her along during the ritual. Due to indecisiveness, the life-force can't 'choose' in which body to possess, therefore it chose the most straightforward solution out of its predicament; one which I still can't believe it actually happened." "The demon's essence split itself into three parts..." Sidus could only mutter in disbelief. "Winter, Pinkie and Harmony... they all possessed the demon's power." The rest of them gasped in disbelief, with the exception of the alicorn, who only frowned down at that. "In short," she concluded with a grimace, glancing at the three unconscious ponies on the bed. "Winter, Pinkie and Harmony all deserve the title of Mirror Mare." "But... B-but..." Primrose could only stammer, completely in shock. "But that's impossible!" "Not only that, they've each represented a portion of the demon's power, for example..." The alicorn trotted towards Harmony, gazing down at the peacefully resting mare. "Harmony possessed control of the praeteritum power; in other words, she represents the embodiment of the Past. As Mirror Mare, she can warp herself in time or, more accurately, her position. To summarize it, she can teleport at distance infinite, to kill ponies and, thereby, change the past." "Winter himself controls the praesentare power: the Present." She beckoned her head at the Patriarch's Cutie Mark, trying not to frown as she continued: "His talent is that he can blur the lines of fantasy and reality, though with only his talent he can only create objects from nothing. Now, the demon's power only enhanced them, making him able to perform a complete shapeshift of the world around. In other words, he can create new dimensions and change the present as a result." Charter nodded throughout the explanation, slightly surprised yet enlightened at that. "That means," he spoke up. "Pinkie represents..." "Futurum, or the embodiment of the Future," the alicorn finished his sentence. "Her ability seems to be the most widespread; she can reverse periods of time to alter a situation of the past she focuses on, with everything else out of her focus feeling the effects of the distortion. This represents her as her control of the future, though due to her being an Earth Pony, she requires some time for her power to take effect." Princess Celestia finally sighed, finishing her explanation as the rest tried to absorb what she just said, still unable to believe her words. Primrose was the first to raise her hoof, popping the alicorn a question: "What happens if they wake up?" The whole room immediately fell into a silence, one of recognition and doubt. The ponies all exchanged unsure stares among each other, before the alicorn answered: "I have a plan, though I'll need all of us to discuss this in private together. Away from the three." With a shrug, Charter nodded first, followed by Primrose. "We'll discuss it with Dresden as well," the princess mused, opening the door. "I'll have to say this first, though." "You might not find this plan... satisfactory." <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> "You know it's not necessary, Caper." The magician could only chuckle at his friend's response, watching him smile on the hospital bed. "Come on, Dresden," he cooed, waving the pair of grapes over the cyan stallion's snout, watching it wrinkle his snout in disgust. "Eat your food up!" "I can feed myself, thank you very much!" Caper just laughed loudly, nudging his friend's shoulder as he pouted, his hooves crossed with his brows furrowed. "Couldn't you just appreciate a joke like this?" he teased, tossing one of the purple fruits into the air, catching it greedily with its mouth. He chewed with beaming delight in front of Dresden, before glancing at his friend's bandaged hoof. The stallion had laid in this very bed for a few months now, which only made the magician wonder at how he got through it all without any sense of boredom. He fumbled his words for a bit, before finally managing to ask: "Are you sure you saw me do that?" "It was a demon, alright?" Dresden corrected, stifling a smile. "I know it sounds crazy, but you have to believe me on this one." "Whatever suits you," the other stallion replied, reaching for the bowl of fruits, only making his glance at him in annoyance. He snickered at his frown, his hoof grasping a pear from the colorful assortments before them. "Don't look at me like that," he said with a wry smirk. "It's not like you could finish all these fruits in one go." "Pfft~!" the cyan pony scoffed, making Caper laugh. "As if you would bother of my diet." "C-Caper?" The two instantly turned at the voice, watching with surprise as a pale beige mare stepped in, her long, slender hooves gracefully striding along the marble tiles of the hospital floor. The magician smiled, beckoning her to do the same, though Dresden could only look in confusion, asking: "Did I miss something?" "Autumn didn't explain it to you?" Caper asked his friend, earning a small shake of the head from the cyan pony. "Well..." the mare herself began sheepishly. "I wasn't really... social after my cousin was... you know..." "I understand, I guess," he said, giving a grin while ignoring Dresden's stare. "Well, Autumn and I... we somewhat met a few years ago in Manehatten and, well, coincidentally, I've stumbled upon her again in Starlet Ave!" Dresden beckoned his friend closer, before hastily whispering: "You do realize that once she finds about that you killed-" "I know, I know!" he hissed, before turning around and giving Autumn a grin. "So... uh... Autumn! What brings you here today?" "Visiting my brother in the hospital." She shuffled her hooves with uncertainty, watching as Dresden's eyes widened in disbelief. "Some sort of commotion with Harmony last night. Not much you should really know about." "Sheesh," the magician laughed. "Talk about arguments, huh? Gets you straight to the hospital these days." Autumn suddenly let out a giggle at that, her cheeks noticeably turning a slight red. "Listen.... uh... Caper?" she called the black stallion, watching as he brushed his silver mane to the side, slightly surprised by the mention of his name. "Can we... talk for a moment?" "No prob," he replied, watching as the mare stepped out of the room. He gave his friend one last nudge, the cyan stallion giving him another look. "Look, I'll lay low as you asked me to, okay? Maybe some time in the future I'll bring this up to her again. Come clean, ask her for forgiveness or something like that." "You better," Dresden reminded. "Well, catch you later, then!" Caper said, darting towards the door, though not before turning to his injured friend and giving him a wink. "I have a mare to strike!" "Go on already, you dirty fellow!" the cyan stallion chased him off with a laugh, watching his friend immediately running after the mare, before slumping back down in a hospital bed. He sighed, chuckling at himself for making a friend such as him. Sometimes he wondered how the heck they've met back in elementary school, though the thought only lasted in him for a mere second before he shrugged it off. "Can we come in now?" He immediately smiled at that gruff voice, knowing full well who it was from. "Coast is clear." Charter stepped in with a small grin on his face, his wings ruffling in agitation. He gave the injured stallion a nudge on the shoulder, settling down as the other ponies stepped in. "Primrose!" he exclaimed, though he could only blink in surprise at the mare behind her. "Princess Celestia!! You're here!" The alicorn just gave a grin, before saying: "I presume you know of Winter's predicament?" "Well, come to think of it..." Dresden pondered for a moment, shuffling his hooves underneath the blanket. He glanced at the Crux Four, which only stood there with their faces somber, watching as he asked: "What happened to the Patriarch anyway?" Slowly, both Voyagers broke it down for him, right from Winter's argument to their weary explanation in the other room. The cyan pony himself just listened attentively, though once they ended, there was no response from him, his expression that of pure astoundment. "Now Princess Celestia wants to disclose her plans on dealing with them," Primrose finished. "Right, Your Highness?" "Indeed," she replied, before trotting towards them. "Since all of you are present, I'll shall name you as witnesses to the proposal at hand." There were nods from everypony, which only boosted her confidence, though only by a mere flicker. "Now," she began, "When the three of them have awakened - and they will - there is no doubt that Harmony might start to cause chaos again, due to her mental instability. No doubt the same could be said for Winter and Pinkie towards her as well. The reason why I requested all of your presences is because of my plan to steer or, at most, delay it, and I require all of your permission to do so." "What do you suggest, your Highness?" Stellar asked. The alabaster mare held her breath, closing her eyes with an attempt to ease her shoulders. She tensed her hooves, before finally revealing her plan: "Shared Memory Fog Spell." "Memory Fog?" Caduceus quipped; being the only unicorn in the room he was the only one with the knowledge of spells, and of all things the princess would choose... "But, y-your Highness..." he stammered with sweat dripping off his forehead, his throat straining. "The spell... by itself, it is already unsafe!" "What's a Memory Fog Spell?" Dresden asked, confused. "A spell that obstructs certain memories from the target's lifetime, in this case, the events that happened throughout your stay in Pendant Lakes." The doctor straightened his suit, stretching his hooves with a yearn for relaxation. "This spell clouds a memory in the neurons of the brain and prevents the target from remembering certain things, whilst extracting the memory source itself and letting it coexist as a dimensional sphere. I've used these spells on patients during local anesthetic surgery, in order to prevent them from recalling any of the... details they have seen their body undergo through." "And how is it unsafe, Caduceus?" Stellar questioned. "The memory fog spell, contrary to its name, may wear away from unknown circumstances," he answered. "Some of my patients were distressed, even resorting to suicide. They might wear away off from decades to even in a matter of seconds; it is completely unpredictable to know when the spell would diminish. They could be triggered by items that reminded them of their clouded memory, and soon enough they would remember what happened. "To have a Shared Memory Fog, however, only increases its chances of dispelling," the doctor continued. "Shared memory spells link all of their memories as one, therefore if one remembers even a tiniest bit of their memory, maybe triggered by what his or her senses detected, the others chained by the spell would remember as well, thus there's a higher chance that they might return back to their original state." Everypony turned to Princess Celestia, who let out a disgruntled sigh. "There's no other choice," she said admittedly. "Which is why I need your permission for this." "Why not just erase their memory?" Charter asked. "Just make them forget about anything that happened here. Isn't it easier to handle?" "That would be Memory Erasing Spell," Caduceus piped. "However, that spell is unstable. If anything goes wrong, their memories might be wiped out, starting from the day they were born. That would be a harder problem to solve." "Caduceus is unfortunately right," the alicorn said earnestly. "Yes, the spell may wear off in time, but I recommend this to try to figure things out while they're still unaware of the spell placed upon them. It's for the benefit of all of us, not to mention the whole of Equestria. So I'll ask again..." "Which one of you would grant permission for me to perform the spell?" <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> Darkness. That was all that she could see; the black desolation of the infinite void. The radiant presence of the sheer numbness of death, wrapped around her in an ethereal silence. Her slow breaths shivered at the lack of light and sound, her hooves striding down blindly beyond. Her thoughts were of pure emptiness, though there was no doubt a slight hint of curiosity. She faced forward (or is it backward?), trying to survey throughout the nix of the world. What was this place? That question was the first that came into her head, though she dare not question it into the open, instead continuing her aimless journey. It was smooth beneath her hooves, reminding her of the polished surfaces of marble floor tiles, though there was something else to it... something she couldn't conjure in her head. A few more steps, then she stopped. Usually she would be frustrated by now, though her heart still remained its calmness, her emotions of pure serenity. Is it death? she asked herself. Is this how the great beyond looks like? She wanted to leave. She wanted to just run away, yet her hooves just froze still, as if anticipating something to just... happen. She could feel a small tear crawling down her cheek, only showing her the only existent emotion that finally flurried into her head, albeit undesired. Fear. Wait... She opened her eyes once more, though staring back at the dark expanse before only made her wonder if she actually did, which only made her frustration grew. Her ears perked again, her hooves tensing at the faint sound. It sounded like... something twinkling? Like some small bell, calling her out in the void, wanting for her to come closer... There was it again! That surreal sound, echoing from the distance. She turned around, trying to find the source of the little melody. It seemed to grow nearer towards her, her hooves wanting to gallop off, though they halted before she could even start, unable to conceive her eyes. Could it be...? No! That could not be an illusion! That's no delusion or hallucination of hers! It's right there, and she's Celestia damned sure of it! Yet it seemed so unreal... It was a floating sphere of light, serenading in the nonexistent currents of the world around, illuminating the bleak darkness before her. It seemed to notice her presence in the forsaken wasteland, as it glowed brighter suddenly, quelling the thirst of the light-parched world. Another jingle of metal caught her attention, her disbelief growing at the ball. So it was made by the light after all, but why would it... "I've heard legends about these lights that guide lost travelers back to civilization... souls who afford help to those who need it badly..." a voice echoed in her head, as if a stray message finally reaching its destination. "....spirits who couldn't fully pass on... many rumors of them helping out the living..." The wisp glowed finely in its luminosity, before gliding away serenely yet jovially in its graceful, luminous arabesque. Out of pure instinct, her hooves buckled as she chased after it, watching it flutter with fickle delight. The radiant ball seemed to laugh at amusement at its pursuer, as it scintillated and flickered suddenly, before darting off again. Her heart thumped with anticipation, a smile forming around the edge of her lips as she galloped down the vast, endless plain, her mane fluttering in ecstatic excitement. It wasn't long before the ball of light slowed to a halt, leaving her panting on the ground. She watched as it came closer towards her snout, feeling her skin tingle with goosebumps at the surreal sphere; a wraith of pure brilliance in the unsettling calmness of darkness. A small voice echoed into her mind, though it was only after she heard a giggle that the words came clear. "It seems you've chosen the affluence of life. Many of your kind wandered back into the darkness unknown, waiting for other specters to swiftly snatch them away from the blind reverie..." She opened her mouth, finally being able to speak: "I just... I just want to go back..." "Do you not desire to see the figments of your past?" it asked, making her ponder. "Do you not wonder what lies in the great beyond? What it had prepared for you after such an incredible feat in life? Are you willing to give up this chance of earning eternal peace?" She stopped for a moment, before shaking her head. "I'm sorry, but I have to refuse. I would do anything to... visit there as well, though I still have a lot to look forward to in life. I still have my friends behind my back; the ones that had supported me since the princess took me in. They had been the best ponies when I was lost. They helped me through all my problems, stayed by my side in all my journeys, and I... I just want to have some more time in the living world with them, where I belong. "Maybe next time," she said, a smile forming at her lips. "When my voyage is truly over, then I will return. Not now, but next time..." The ball seemed to flicker with delight, before the warm voice replied: "Very well then. We'll meet soon in the future." Somewhere in the darkness, a brilliant flare of light erupted, forming a rectangular doorway. Beyond it - she shielded her eyes - was another world, seemingly of a contrast, pure white. Holding her breath, she slowly stepped inside, feeling her confidence returning into her hooves. "Oh, and Pinkie?" The pink mare turned back at the dark void, her look of confusion clear on her face. She watched the glowing ball of light shimmer; a mere star compared to the colossal world of grand radiance reeling her in. "H-How..." she stammered, feeling something pulling her deeper into the pool of light. "How did you know my name?" The light only seemed to gave a wry smirk, only finishing its subtle request, before the mare's vision burned into a brilliant white. "Say goodbye to Charter for me..." <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> A few months later... "And then we soared over the estate... and BOOM!!" Pinkie jumped with delight, giggling on the floor at Dresden's account of their last journey; the one that she was absent from due to the Telrouix's attempts to place her six feet under. She soon lifted herself back onto the couch, wiping off the tears of joy off the corners of her eye. Charter was there, laughing heartily more at her reaction than at the story. Primrose was undeniably present; after all, they were all holed up in her recently-built cottage, just right beside Red North Bend. She had invited them for a small reunion gathering, though the pink mare saw it more of as a party. Sure enough, she honked a small, colorful horn, giggling as she hopped over the furniture gleefully, her friends only chuckling at her excitement. "I'm sure the last adventure was fun!" "It sure is, Pinkie," the caramel mare replied with a sincere grin. "I'm still grumpy-wumpy that you guys never let me go along!" she whined, before pouting as she bounced back onto the red couch, crossing her hooves. "This is, like, our last adventure before we disband as the Voyagers! Can't I at least have a share of adventure?" The rest of them just laughed heartily at her, with Charter being the first to speak: "Still, you were really hurt back then. We can't just whisk you off into more danger-" "And more fun~!" she cried out in a singsong voice. "It's not fair that I have to stay behind!" "Save your breath, Pinkie," Dresden mused with a chuckle. He then handed her a dish, her eyes sparkling at the creamy contents of chocolate and strawberry frosting dripping at the sides, the colorful sprinkles only making her mouth water. "Here!" the cyan stallion teased. "A 'cheer up, Pinkie Pie' gift!" Immediately, Pinkie snatched the paper plate off his hooves, swallowing the slice of cake down effortlessly in a split second. She licked her lips with satisfaction at that, before pouncing off the couch, standing on her cotton-like tail with a burst of confetti. "What are you waiting for, guys~?" she shouted in excitement. "Let's PARTY!!!" Sure enough, all of them started kicking their hooves to the jazz beat, the gramophone now playing a swanky melody of saxophones, clarinets and accordions. With a gleeful giggle, Pinkie suddenly hopped out of the cottage door, making her friends watch in bewilderment. "I'll go after her!" Primrose suddenly spoke up, before following the pink mare into the night. The caramel mare quickly scurried onto the path, just in time to see Pinkie bounce joyfully into the forest, only making her blink in confusion. "Pinkie!" she called out, raising her hoof, though the pink mare didn't seem to hear her. "Wait up!" Without a moment to spare, she galloped after the mare into the thickets beyond, narrowly avoiding the branches that threatened to tangle into her mane. Her heartbeat aflutter, it wasn't long before she saw her friend sitting at a small hill rising from the dark trees, her head basking in the serene glow of moonlight. Slowly, the caramel mare crept to her side, watching in surprise at her friend's closed eyes, as if relishing the moment of quiet solitude; a nocturnal solace in the splendor of the effulgent, pristine glow. Her mouth was puckered up, humming a familiar melody. "How's the egg?" Primrose's question broke into the calming silence, remembering of the anonymous gift she had received, though the mare herself knew better who it was from. "I think it's happy to know that I'm taking care of it!" the pink mare exclaimed with a cheerful grin. "I'm still guessing what might be inside! I'm already planning to give a name for it!" "That's great," she replied with a warm smile of her own. "Did the Princess finally tell you where you're going to be relocated?" "You betcha! A small little town called Ponyville, just past the Everfree!" With a squeal of delight, the pink mare babbled on how dandy the town was, and how she was going to live with a couple owning a desserts bakery. Her friend only looked down in silence. If she only knew... "Remember, Prim?" she spoke, her voice suddenly somber, with Primrose's ears perking in response. "The days where we used to camp out here?" "Who wouldn't?" she replied with a soft chuckle. "And... Gypsum would sing some campfire songs?" There was a moment of brief silence, before the caramel mare asked reluctantly: "Why the sudden mention of her?" "I... I'm not sure really..." Pinkie opened her eyes, letting out a nostalgic sigh as she turned to her friend. "It's just feels like... I've forgotten something. Like my heart's a little empty..." Primrose tried to hide her surprise and, with more effort, her shock. Did she actually remember that they were in Pendant Lakes? Did the spell wear off that quickly? Before she could reply, the pink mare suddenly gave her a huge grin, swaying her hooves side by side. "Well, Gypsum wouldn't want me to be all saddy-waddy, don't she? Even if I don't know what happened to you guys , I'm sure she and Harmony are happy to see us together like this!" The caramel mare let out a disheartened chuckle, watching as she laid down on the soft field of grass, her head resting on her crossed hooves. Her gaze turned back to the bright surface of the moon, wearing only a sad smile. What if she remembered what happened, she thought to herself. What if she knew of the spell that the Princess had placed on the trio of them? Trying not to shudder, she quickly turned back to her friend; if she is going to remember eventually - her hooves clenched with determination - then she'll at least make the remainder of moments with Pinkie a memorable one. Even if she would die from it. <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> "So she fares well in Manehatten now?" "Never paid her a visit yet," Stellar gave his reply to the doctor's question. "Though her letters told me she managed to rent an apartment just five block away from Times Square, so I'm pretty sure she and her daughters have settled in already. She'll come back to get the package." Both the butler and Caduceus were strolling down one of the many garden paths around the palace in the early crack of dawn, reminiscing about the numerous events that happened recently. Their discussion eventually strayed towards Persimmon's sudden divorce with her husband just two weeks ago. She had since moved to Manehatten with her daughters to help them with their college studies and her search for another publisher. The duty of the orphanage has been pushed to another pony, though the butler himself had heard that the children all missed their previous caretaker. Sidus did not sleep well for the past week either, after learning that his wife, Aria Glassleaf, a flute player and, like her husband, one of the retired assassins herself, was discovered to have a terminal illness. The stallion himself had been introvert ever since, always busy tending to the sick mare in bed. He sighed; what had the world come to these days? "Still can't believe he's there..." Caduceus suddenly murmured, prompting his friend to turn. Winter Palgiot sat somberly in the dew-covered grass, amidst the monuments of standing tombstones, his hooves tucked together in silent prayer. The gravestone before him was covered in a wreath of purple orchids; the ones that Dresden had left behind in false memorial, in order to fool the stallion before them. "He still wouldn't believe the story?" "You know how he is about it, trying to protest that the palace didn't explode or so," the butler replied with a shrug. "Though you might be right when you said the spell was unpredictable." "I was certain of the results..." the doctor only muttered, his gaze stiffening at their destination. It was a crypt; one of the many empty ones dotted around the palace. There were many speculations on why these structures were built if no host were to inhabit them, though he saved his thoughts for later. Stellar could see the look of worry in his eyes, knowing full well he had a good reason to. "You know, you could still back out if you're unprepared," he said. "It's not like the Princess wants you to do it immediately." "I've spent a week thinking about it, alright?" Caduceus held his breath, before his hooves rested on the stone surface of the door. He tried to give a smile, though the butler could see the look of fear and doubt through it. "Just... be careful." His friend gave him a nod, prompting him to push the stone doors open. The dust scattered in clumps of clouds, only reminding him of how musty these places are. It seemed bigger in the inside, enough to accommodate at least three marble coffins. In their place, however, was Princess Celestia herself, her face devoid of expression as she looked down upon the doctor. "Are you certain you are ready, Caduceus Brineheart?" The stallion only gave her a subtle nod. "My decision is final." "Very well then." The alicorn nodded at Stellar, who quickly unsheathed his blade, making his friend tremble. The butler slowly advanced towards his friend, watching as the doctor himself knelt down, his eyes clenched tight from the impending event. With a flick of her hoof, the stallions watched as a lacquered box slid in between of them, its boutique of designs staring back at them. Caduceus held his breath, feeling the sweat crawling down his skin, his impatience mixed with his dread. "And thou witness thy events that past; thou capsule for generations thy come..." Princess Celestia held her breath, before continuing her chant, her horn glowing a bright yellow. "Seal thou subject's memory, through times of comfort and pain; with sacrifice thou'est weapon, of prosperity and bloodshed." At that, Stellar raised the rapier, glancing down at his target before him, feeling his heart about to explode from guilt under the watchful eyes of the alicorn. His gaze stuck at his friend's horn, which somewhat enticed him in his decisions. Of all the things he could've done... "Let wrath encumber, let thy's shards of pain not go to waste; down from the beginning of desired time, to the moment thou shalt strike with thy blade." With a loud cry, he swung the blade downwards... <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> Present Day Pinkie's eyes fluttered open at the loud howl of pain, snapping her back into reality. Grasping the wooden corner of a table, her breath rapid as she lifted herself up from the marble floor, she glanced around hastily, before letting out a sigh of relief. She was back in the Palace Library again, the familiar, cold chill of night filling up the air, tingling the inner depths of her chest. Her vision cleared a little, gazing outside the scenic view of the night. Without any hesitation, she began to step away, though not before turning around, freezing instantly at the sight before her, feeling her shadow growing with realization. There were her friends: Twilight, Rarity, Spike and Rainbow Dash, as well as Octavia, Crimson and Soarin', all glancing at her with looks of uncertainty, only reminding her of their newly attained knowledge of her existence as a third of Mirror Mare; a third of the dark soul that started it all. Her head immediately hung low at that revelation, though there was a soft trot of hooves that came after it. She glanced up at the instant, watching it surprise at Rainbow, who was standing right before her with a sad smile on her face, her wings folded in with utmost sincerity. "I'm sorry..." With that, Pinkie felt herself reeled into a tight hug, eliciting a squeal of surprise. Her eyes could only stare at the rest of her friends for a minute, who were trying their best to smile for her. Her heart tingled with luxurious warmth, feeling it overflow into her hooves, though the sensation was immediately replaced by that of bewilderment. "I thought.... I thought you guys..." "Pinkie, darling," Rarity spoke up first as the cyan pegasus let her go. "Just because you have half a demon in you doesn't make any difference to who you are. We all have our own demons, without doubt, me as well, yet we're still the same pony, aren't we not?" "Think about it, Pinkie," Twilight continued after seeing the pink mare looking down with doubt. "If you hadn't have those... time-controlling powers with you, I wouldn't be here right now, wouldn't I?" "But.... b-but..." "It is by mistake that I met Crimson, Pinkie," Octavia spoke up, grinning at her coltfriend. "And it was his mistake that he met me, yet we've enjoyed each other's company ever since." "Come on, Pinks! Even I make mistakes too!" Rainbow glanced at Soarin', who burst out in laughter at that, only making her shake her head. "See what I mean?" Pinkie giggled at her rainbow-maned friend, before turning to Rarity. "You and Twilight too?" she asked. "I know Twilight has her fair share of mistakes," the white unicorn replied, making her friend shot a glare. "Though, to be honest, sometimes we all harbored secrets like these too. I mean, could you imagine the whole Canterlot society if I professed my love for my darling Spikey-Wikey here?" "Sheesh, Rarity..." the dragon could only reply with a blush on his cheeks, scratching the scales on his head as the other ponies chuckled at him. "And I thought you were a flexible mare." "Hello? Can we get back to the point here?" Twilight's harsh tone immediately stopped their teasing, the lavender unicorn herself turning to Pinkie. "Listen," she spoke up. "I know you have problems that you don't want us to get hurt from. If I were you, I would do the same as well, but it's time we came to help you out. It's time we remind them that we're friends, and there's nothing they could do to stop us, alright?" Before any of them could respond, there was a loud rumble from around, scattering a few sprinkles of dust from the swaying chandeliers in the ceiling, the lights flickering out of the slight tremor. Pinkie held her breath, before glancing towards the door. Feeling a hoof on her shoulder, she saw Rarity smiling back at her with a small wink, only making her do the same. "Do it for him," the white unicorn whispered. She nodded in response, before trotting towards the door, with everypony else following closely behind. "Hold on, Winter..." she muttered under her breath, clenching her hooves. "I'm coming for you..."