The day came to a close softly; the picnic on Mount Mare lasted for hours. The girls took the late afternoon train ride home, and they talked and gossiped and laughed the whole entire way. Stars peaked through the hazy sky by the time the six mares returned to Ponyville. After a group hug and a few lasting words, they parted ways under the hush of night. Twilight didn't feel even remotely sleepy; her trot had a springy step to it as she made her merry way home.
It wasn't until she had closed the door and stood in the hollow of the library's front room that Twilight became reacquainted with silence. Through it all, she felt the familiar, numb thud of her pulsing heartbeat. It sounded very much like the paranoid percussion that had overwhelmed the unicorn's senses during her trip up the mountain twelve hours earlier. With a cold shudder, she lifted the violet crystal out of her saddlebag and gave its jagged surface a guilty glance. A pair of violet eyes reflected multiple times, as if displaying all the other Twilights who could easily have crossed the same damnable line that she had collapsed in front of through the aid of her friends' embrace.
Twilight had failed Princess Celestia. She remained powerless to stop the spread of evil from polluting her friends, and all it took was keeping her own heart from falling into darkness itself. She had stayed pure, and for that sake she had doomed all of Equestria.
Twilight's jaws clenched as a determined breath flowed through her. There was something she still needed to do.
Knowing that there would be very little chance of sleeping that night, Twilight trotted up the stairs and went directly to her bedroom. Once there, she grabbed the majority of her belongings and stuffed them into her saddlebag. She sat on her bed, willing herself into slumber, but ultimately finding herself staring listlessly into the nightly shadows. Thoughts rolled through her mind, both saddening and frightening. Remarkably, however, all it took was a quick mental revisit to the warm embrace of that day, and she rediscovered her smile. A part of her contemplated that she had been reborn on the mountain, having turned into a different mare on the way down than when she first ascended. She wasn't sure if it was something to be proud of; only time was capable of telling.
Twilight's thoughts were finally interrupted by a glint of sunlight. Dawn had arrived faster than she had anticipated. There was no delaying what needed to be done next.
Not bothering with breakfast, Twilight stood up, grabbed her bags, and made for the exit on the first floor of the treehouse. She passed by Spike, gazing at his slumbering figure. Leaning over, she kissed him gently on the neck and nuzzled his spines. It took a great deal of effort not to wake him; it took an even greater effort not to cry.
Exiting the library, she made swiftly for the far side of town. She wasted little time, breaking into a near-gallop. It was still early morning; there were very few ponies around. Still, Twilight didn't want to risk any chances of being seen. She trotted speedily towards the train depot, her hooves splashing dew drops loose from the grass. She smiled breathily to herself, almost reaching her destination, when she heard a sound above her that sunk her heart.
"Hey! I see her, Applejack! You were right! She's here!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. With a surge of wind, she glided over and touched down directly in front of Twilight, blocking her path to the train depot. "Hold up, there! What's the big hurry all of the sudden?"
"Hurry?" Twilight panted, straightening her sweat-soiled bangs. "I'm in no h-hurry!"
Rainbow Dash squinted at the unicorn's trembling limbs and flaring nostrils. "Yeah," she muttered. "Sure you're not." Flexing her wings, she stared pointedly into Twilight's guilty face. "Out with it, Twilight. What are you galloping to the train depot for?"
"I... I don't get it. What's the big deal?"
"You've had a lot on your mind lately, and you were bawling like a schoolfilly yesterday during the picnic." Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes. "Just what's going on, anyways? What aren't you telling us?"
"It's nothing!" Twilight frowned, barely catching her breath. "I'm fine!"
"Twilight!" Applejack huffed and puffed as she skidded to a stop. "Heavens to Betsy! I thought I was just seein' things! Turns out you were really bookin' it through town after all! What's gotten into ya, sugarcube?"
"Can't a unicorn have a morning jog if she feels like it?"
"Cut the horse hockey!" Rainbow Dash growled. "Something's wrong, and for some reason you're trying to catch the first train to Canterlot!"
"Okay, fine. Guilty as charged." Twilight tried brushing her way past them both. "Now if you would just let me pass—"
"Twilight, darlin'," Applejack said in a sympathetic tone, reaching out to her. "We're worried plum sick about you. You were a real mess yesterday, and now yer headin' out of town? Just what for?"
"And for how long?!" Rainbow Dash asked. "You've got a lot of stuff packed there, girl! Are you in trouble with the pony mafia or something?"
"Rainbow Dash, please..." Applejack groaned. "T'ain't no interrogation."
"But she's packed up like she's gonna be gone for a super long time!" Rainbow Dash's face showed the faintest sign of a foalish pout. "You going away and not telling us is so not cool, Twilight!"
"I'm glad that you care so much, Rainbow Dash. I really am. But..." She seethed briefly before finally uttering, "I really must go see Princess Celestia."
Applejack and Rainbow Dash merely stared at her.
She cleared her throat and clarified, "I have to give the crystal back to her. You know, the one I showed you all yesterday?"
"But we thought she gave it to you as a symbol of our friendship..."
"She... uh... lent it to me!" Twilight said with a grin. "And now I must give it back to her." She took a deep breath before adding, "It's outlived its usefulness, and it's my place as her pupil to give it back."
"If that's so, then—like—why were you running like your tail was on fire?!" Rainbow Dash's voice cracked.
Twilight glared at her with bored, thin eyes. "Because I have a train to catch...?"
Rainbow Dash blinked. Eventually, her cheeks blushed bright red. "Oh. Eheheheh..." She scratched her head through her mane. "Yeah. I guess that's kind of important." She hovered up on flapping blue wings and smirked. "You know... if you gotta get to Canterlot super crazy fast, I could totally give you a ride."
"That's awfully nice of you to offer, Rainbow Dash, but I'll be fine."
"You sure about that, Twilight?" Applejack asked with a nervous tone.
"Yes. Thank you. Thank you, both." Twilight gave them a reassuring smile. "Now, will you please let me catch my train? You know how much I hate being tardy."
"Reckon so," Applejack said with a nod. She looked up at her feathered friend. "False alarm, Rainbow Dash. Sorry to get yer wings in a knot."
"Hey! I can manage!" Rainbow Dash saluted and aimed for the distant rooftops of Ponyville. "Well, I've got some clouds to kick! Sniff you mares later!" She was gone in a blue blur.
"So long, Rainbow Dash!" Twilight cheerfully called out to her.
"Well, I hope you have a safe trip, Twilight." Applejack smiled and tipped her hat. "Whew! So many train rides lately! At this rate, you might as well make one of them locomotives yer permanent address. Heh." She turned to trot away.
Softly, without looking, Twilight murmured, "Applejack, don't go. Not yet."
The mare froze in place. She turned and squinted curiously at the unicorn. "Twilight...?"
Taking a deep breath, Twilight pivoted and gazed at her friend. "I didn't want to say anything while Rainbow Dash was here, considering how impulsive and dramatic she can be: loyalty and all."
Applejack raised an eyebrow. "You didn't want to say what exactly?"
Twilight opened her mouth, hesitated, and ultimately said, "I want you to do me a big, big favor. Your honesty has always meant a great deal to me, and I can trust you with a secret more than anypony."
"Just say it, sugarcube," Applejack said, her attention stolen completely.
Twilight faced her directly and uttered, "If I don't come back from Canterlot... if you don't hear back from me in the next few days... I want you to send Spike up north..."
"Up north?"
"To the Crystal Kingdom," Twilight said. Gulping, she clarified, "To Cadence and my brother. They will take care of him there."
Applejack blinked. "T-take care of him from what?" she stammered.
"I don't know," Twilight said in a wavering voice. "But whatever it is, he will be safest there."
Applejack's mouth hung open. She stripped her hat off with a fearful glance, gazing towards the ground. "I... I don't understand, Twilight. Is... is there something dangerous ahoof?"
Twilight slowly shook her head. "I'm not sure exactly, Applejack. But I promise you, I will do everything that I can to find out." With a firm breath, she added, "And I shall protect everypony."
"But... But..."
Twilight reached in and held Applejack's shoulders. "Will you do that for me? Will you tell Spike what do to?"
Applejack stared nervously at her. She shook when the distant whistle of the train blared, announcing its pending departure. Finally, she nodded. "Well, alright, Twilight. You know that you can trust me."
"I always have," Twilight said. "And I'm glad to know that you trust me too."
Applejack nervously smiled, then jolted as Twilight gave her a firm hug. She patted the unicorn's back, then stood in place, watching as the unicorn trotted off and boarded the train, chugging her way down the horizon and east towards Canterlot.